Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | Music | Profiles & Interviews | AAN.org

Bang! Bang!'s Former Frontpeople Leap into Uncharted Waters as My Gold Masknew

Late last year Bang! Bang! just sort of fizzled out; after nearly a year of inactivity, they got together for one final show this past August. In the interim, Gretta Rochelle and Jack Armondo had formed a new band by the name of My Gold Mask. They released an album this past spring, and then got married in June.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 11-09-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Bang! Bang!, My Gold Mask

Electronic Duo Gatekeeper Looks to the Classic Slasher Film Soundtrack for Inspirationnew

All the flavors of synthesizer on Optimus Maximus evoke the heyday of the slasher flick in the late 70s and early 80s, when masked maniacs roamed shadowy streets, Ouija boards not only worked but inevitably summoned nameless evils, and vividly red fake blood was spilled by the gallon.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 10-19-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Gatekeeper, Optimus Maximus, electronic music

Chrissy Murderbot Has Dance Music in His DNAnew

Under that plaid blazer is one of the midwest's sharpest dance-music vectors.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 08-24-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Chrissy Murderbot, dance music

MC Zulu's Space Dancehallnew

Zulu works on Planet Lazer Bass, but he lives right here in Chicago.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 11-24-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Chicago, dancehall, MC Zulu

Velva's Multimedia Geekfest Bends More than Circuitsnew

Velva's work displays both a geek's love for technology and for tearing technology up and making something else out of it. That something in this case is songs that pile up glitchy beats, circuit-bent-toy sounds, eight-bit-video-game noises, and customized analog synth guitars (including the "space axe" and "guitari").

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 08-04-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: computers & technology, geeks, Velva

The Prairie Spies Put Fun Firstnew

The Chicago band makes music for the best possible reason -- and you can hear it on Surplus Enjoyment.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 07-21-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Surplus Enjoyment, The Prairie Spies

Could Alla be a Mexican Os Mutantes?new

After seven years and $40,000, the Ledezma brothers unveil a masterpiece of Mexican-American psych pop.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 06-16-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Chicago, Os Mutantes, Alla, Defender, Es Tiempo

The Voyage of Walter Meegonew

Sure, they just moved to LA, but it's their new full-length debut that's really gonna take them places.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 06-02-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Voyager, Walter Meego

Psych Freaks Indian Jewelry Are Out Therenew

The band is a total aesthetic package, and I can see how a photo shoot would rank higher for them than an interview. Words are words and whatever, but dressing up like a militant cult member is performance art. And when they do it, at least, it's a show worth seeing.

Chicago Reader | Miles Raymer | 05-05-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Free Gold!, Indian Jewelry