Gene's 2012 favorites

By Gene Wagendorf III 

Twin Peaks at The Whip (photo by Gene Wagendorf III)

It's the end of the year and we're a music blog, so you know what that means: "best of" list time. That said, "best" is a silly and subjective word that we at Windy City Rock are trying to avoid this year. Instead we're offering you some lists of local favorites from several of our contributors. Over the next few days we'll be posting about our favorite Chicago records, bands, shows and what-have-you from 2012. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

5 Favorite Records

Twin Peaks - 'Sunken'
The soundtrack to my summer came courtesy of a group of delinquent minors who, between burning trees, skateboarding and prepping for college, managed to put together a record filled with anthemic, sunny jams. Expect big things out of Twin Peaks in 2013. Read a full review of Sunken here.

Fave track: Fast Eddie
Get the record: here

Running  - 'Asshole Savant'
Get Bent nailed it when they described Running as "an incendiary blast of rock ‘n’ roll akin to smashing Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music into the Stooges and then smashing that combo into Suicide." Asshole Savant does an admirable job of capturing the mayhem of Running's live sets. 

Fave track: I Can't Believe I'm Alive
Get the record: here

The Smashing Pumpkins - 'Oceania'
Oceania is Corgan and company's best record in the better part of a decade. Doesn't quite reach as high as it aims, but there are some beautiful moments here.

Fave track: Pinwheels
Get the record: here

Show review: The Smashing Pumpkins at Riviera, 10/14

By Gene Wagendorf III 

The Smashing Pumpkins tear through  "Panopticon"

The lights draped across the The Riviera's stage formed the outline of a circus tent, and after a couple lesser curiosities performed (I'm still trying to process exactly what the fuck I saw in openers Fancy Space People), the night's main attraction arrived. Billy Corgan brought his latest incarnation of The Smashing Pumpkins back home for a sold out show, one that would feature few "hits" and plenty of new material for both fans and skeptics to sink their teeth into. Setting the tone for the night, the group launched into the bombastic new track, "Quasar," which seems destined for a future as a set-closer. The appropriately named song featured glimmering guitar wails that rose up over chaotic drumming, lulling briefly for a breather on a bed of bubbling bass before blasting off again. That formula worked to help Corgan craft some of the '90s most memorable rock songs, and it continues to serve him well.

The first true test of this new lineup came when 21-year old drummer Mike Byrne rolled out the opening of "Geek USA," the meatiest cut from 1993's Siamese Dream. The drum-roll was preceded by some stumbling carnie music, which would have made it a perfectly tragic time to fail on former drummer Jimmy Chamberlin's most impressive performance. Thankfully for Byrne, Corgan and (most importantly) the audience, the kid knocked it out of the park. I can say kid because, well, he's probably just started his Jagermeister phase. "Geek" sounded as agitated as ever, an aural melee that had me pissed off at someone somewhere for, well, something. That energy was deftly shifted by Corgan into the celebratory anthem "Muzzle," which played out as a grand, life-affirming bounce. Jeff Schroeder's serpentine lead snarled around Corgan's "I knew the silence of the world mantra," a moment that had me fondly recalling what happens when you stand in a meadow at dusk.

Show review: Peter Hook & The Light at Metro, 9/23

By Gene Wagendorf III 

The Light getting ready to play "Colony"

Joy Division bassist Peter Hook brought his new band, The Light, to Metro on Friday for a celebration of that legendary band's music. American audiences never got a chance to experience most of those songs live, as front-man Ian Curtis tragically took his life just before the kickoff of a scheduled U.S. tour. With the subsequent forming and touring of New Order we were given covers of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "She's Lost Control," but were left to daydream about what tracks like "Atrocity Exhibition" and "Eternal" felt like in-person. Last year Hook took The Light around to play the classic album Unknown Pleasures, and this time he offered us a peek at Joy Division's second album, Closer.

After a quick tear through the instrumental "Incubation," drummer Paul Kehoe got the audience's blood pumping with the determined pounce of "Dead Souls." The song built momentum steadily, working the audience into a frenzy for two minutes before Hook came in on vocals. By the time he shouted "they keep calling me" he had most of the room screaming along giddily. Giddy isn't normally a word I would use in any conversation about Joy Division, but the combination of the electricity of the song and the relief that Hook seemed to do Curtis' vocals justice was a marvelous feeling. No, this wasn't Joy Division- but it was damn close.

The Smashing Pumpkins announce new drummer

Mike Byrne (Photo by Kristin Burns)

According to the official Smashing Pumpkins Web site, the band has selected a new drummer to replace Jimmy Chamberlin. Mike Byrne, a 19 year-old Portland, OR native will kick off his time in the Pumpkins by playing on the band's next album and tour, which are expected to be announced in September.

After front man Billy Corgan (the only original member left in the band) called for drummers to audition last April and received over 1,000 submissions, Byrne was selected to meet with him in LA and offered the gig soon after. "We didn't actually play songs at the audition," said Byrne. "We just kind of jammed for about 15 minutes and then talked about Fugazi for the other 15 or so minutes."

Prior to joining the Pumpkins, Byrne was involved in various Portland-based indie bands including Moses, Smell the Roses and the Mercury Tree.

Long-time drummer Chamberlin quit the band this March, stating, "I will say, without going into any unnecessary details that this represents a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess. I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not. I won't do it to myself, you the fan, or my former partner. I can't just, 'Cash the check' so to speak."

Members of Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne, Hanson form supergroup

When I heard about this I took a glance at my calendar to make sure I hadn't slept through March and it wasn't April Fools' Day. It isn't, so I think it's for real.

Apparently, two Chicago music veterans - James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick - have joined forces with Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger and Taylor Hanson, the middle Hanson brother, to form a "supergroup" called Tinted Windows.

Confused? Me too.

According to the band's site, they already have an album in the can for release on April 21 and will play at SXSW on March 20.

If you're wondering what this unlikely concoction of musicians might sound like, the band's press release mentions "fusing the sounds of power-pop, rock and New Wave of the late 70's and early 80's...with the more modern rock and pop sounds of their own groups. 'We talked about everything from from The Buzzcocks to The Knack,' says Iha. 'And, of course, Cheap Trick.'"

Doesn't sound so bad, actually.

If you want to get an early taste, check this out:

Show review: Smashing Pumpkins at Auditorium Theatre, December 8, 2008

Corgan performing last month. Photo by Jeff Loder.

Rewind two weeks: I walk up to the front doors of the Auditorium Theatre to find the night's Smashing Pumpkins show - the fourth and final in a series of long-awaited Chicago gigs - has been postponed until December 8 because of illness.

Bummer. I was anxious to see how the show would turn out, after all the controversy it had sparked up to that point. Reports described everything from verbal spats between Corgan and audience members, on-stage tirades and 20-minute-long jam sessions.

Fast-forward to last night: The Pumpkins make up the show, and there are no fights or tirades to be heard. There is, however, a 20-minute jam session. And something sort of tribal that went on a really long time. And a nearly unrecognizable, thrash-like cover of a Simon and Garfunkel song.

Now, I don't claim to be the biggest Smashing Pumpkins fan in the world. I recognize the band's importance to both Chicago and rock music in general, and like millions of others, grew up with their music. That said, I went into the show knowing full well that I probably wasn't a big enough fan to get excited about a 20-minute jam session from the band.

Genuinely bizarre moments aside, a number of factors made the show enjoyable: Corgan was in high spirits, the band sounded great, the audience was receptive and there was plenty material included to satiate any level of fan, from casual to obsessive.

The band played the same "White Crosses" setlist (the shows were divided into either "Black Sunshine" or "White Crosses," with each featuring different songs) planned for the originally scheduled show, and everything started out great. Corgan crept onto the stage looking ready to celebrate Halloween in December, clad in an alterna-goth skirt-shirt combo, carrying a glowing trick-or-treat jack o' lantern filled with glitter confetti. The setlist began with "Ava Adore," "Cupid de Locke" and "1979," three songs that would no doubt please hardcore and casual fans alike. The first half of the show continued with a mixture of hits, lesser-known tracks and acoustic cuts, all welcome parts of the repertoire.

Keeping in step with most other shows on the tour, though, things went off-kilter during the second half, which included the lengthy instrumental jam session, the equally-long tribal freak-out (during which Corgan prowled the stage with a top hat and tambourine, occasionally stopping at the microphone to shout out, "Whatever will be will be again!,") and a bombastic cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." Anyone completely oblivious to recaps of performances on the tour, or Corgan's personality and habits, might have been shocked. Fortunately, most seemed to know it was coming, and nobody seemed too upset about it this time.

Interestingly enough, Sunday night the band played an afterthought show at The Aragon Ballroom that featured a straightforward, greatest hits-type setlist. Say what you will, Pumpkins fanatics, but despite all of Monday nights high points, I can't help but wish I'd seen that show instead. It's not that I want to hear a greatest hits show from the band, but would anyone really deny that those classic songs beat guitar noodling, hands down?

In an interview with Corgan after the show by Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune, the front man made his vision for the Smashing Pumpkins of today clear:

"We didn’t come back for the cash, we came back to be great again. It made me mad that people thought we’re done, that we don’t have a future. Get out. We don’t want you. We’ve never been that band. That happy band. We picked up where we left off. We’re not the retirement band playing our old hits."

Did the 20th anniversary Pumpkins shows represent greatness? That's up for debate. One thing's for sure, though: Corgan can still create a stir.

The best Chicago bands?

Wilco, courtesy myspace.com/wilco

It's impossible to come up with a list of the best bands in Chicago because:

1) It's too subjective.
2) There are so many bands in Chicago that nobody could possibly know them all, therefore nobody is capable of making such a statement.

However, it can't be denied that there are certain local bands that are more well known than others, and have even developed a considerable fan base outside the city. Below are the bands that, based on both local and national recognition, people seem to consider some of the best the city has to offer.

Do you agree or disagree, and why? Who are your personal "bests"?

Wilco - Everybody seems to like Wilco. I don't recall ever reading or hearing anyone say anything bad about them, which is pretty amazing in a city with such a diverse and robust music scene. Sometime between the band's formation in 1994 and today, their unpredictable alternative rock meets alternative country sound has made them a sort of revered, untouchable force in local music.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Seeing as how the Pumpkins are quite possibly the most popular and notable band ever to come out of the Windy City, there was no leaving them off this list. Millions of people grew up with the band's music throughout the 1990s and still rank them among their top favorites. Even after Billy Corgan resurrected the Pumpkins in 2006 sans half the original members, interest has remained incredibly high, as illustrated by the fact that the band is playing three eagerly-anticipated home town shows in November.

Catfish Haven - The soul-infused indie rock of Catfish Haven has won them legions of fans and praise from the likes of Spin, Pitchfork and All Music Guide, as well as slots at events such as Lollapalooza and CMJ Fest. If you frequent shows in Chicago, chances are you've seen them caught them either opening or headlining.

The Redwalls - The Redwalls are another post-2000 local band that has managed to rise to national recognition. It doesn't hurt that the band's brand of Beatlesesque pop/rock is extremely easy to digest, full of catchy hooks fit for mass appeal. The band has scored high profile appearances such as "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and NME Magazine recently named them one of "The Most Exciting Bands in America."

The Ponys - In 2005, Rolling Stone had this to say about The Ponys: "While other American indie bands fuss themselves into a lather straining to redefine the templates of 'garage rock' or 'post-punk,' the Ponys just get it the hell done." Apparently that's an opinion a lot of people agree with, as the band has become one of the most buzzed about to come out of the city in recent years.

Smashing Pumpkins finally return to Chicago with four November dates

Photo by Jeff Loder, smashingpumpkins.com

The Smashing Pumpkins are once again playing Chicago...finally.

Billy Corgan and company have announced four shows in November, all of which go on sale October 13. The dates are:

- November 18 - Chicago Theatre

- November 19 - Chicago Theatre

- November 21 - Auditorium Theatre

- November 22 - Auditorium Theatre

The reunited Pumpkins (well, the only original members are Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin - James Iha and D'Arcy Wretzky decided not to participate) played their first gig in May 2007, and had yet to perform in their home town, much to the frustration and bewilderment of local fans. The long awaited return promises a repertoire full of both hits and "surprises."

The Pumpkins released their comeback album, "Zeitgeist," last year, and will soon put out a new single called "G.L.O.W."

Keep your eyes on the band's official site for pre-sale news.