Illinois Entertainer July 2018 | Page 4

July 2018 • Volume 44, Number 09 • www.illinoisentertainer.com COVER STORY: JOHNNY MARR Johnny Marr's Call the Comet is the ex- Smith guitarist’s third album, following 2013’s The Messenger and 2014’s Playland. And it finds him: Lyrically delving into grim socio-political issues that he’d often avoided; Letting his axe provide the chiming hooks in places instead of a rousing cho- rus, although those are in great abundance, as well; And most importantly, taking center stage as a full-throttle frontman, his voice perfectly miked on every track. It’s a startling step forward that many who have followed his post-Smiths career – working mainly as a sideman for Electronic, The Cribs, Modest Mouse, even film scorer Hans Zimmer – simply won’t be expecting. He’s finally shaken the long shadow of charismatic Smiths vocalist Morrissey for good. Eventually, Marr, 54, began to think of his album as a lifeline, a guiding force. Nobody made great Bohemian concept records anymore, his wife had commented. So why shouldn’t he set those standards untouchably high again? Tom Lanham talked to the pride of Manchester. Page 22 - Johnny Marr 6 HELLO MY NAME IS GEOFF It was, by far, one of the strangest team-ups in musical histo- ry, way back in hazy 1980. And the ephemeral, year-long pow- wow – which resulted in one surreal, style-shifting recording and a subsequent world tour before that lineup imploded – might have been forgotten, lost to time by now, had not most of the key players regrouped again in 2011 for two more albums, plus a cur- rent 50th Anniversary Tour. And it’s difficult to believe that such a collaboration would be possible in today’s more narrowly- defined pop/R&B era. Keyboardist Geoff Downes, with Trevor Horn was a pioneer of the New Wave movement with a world- wide smash “Video Killed the Radio Star” (also the first clip MTV ever played), synth duo The Buggles hit pause on its punk-frothy career to actually join prog-rock leviathan Yes for its Drama disc, which jump-started the supergroup’s sound for an adventurous new decade. Tom Lanham talked to the legendary keyboardist. Diana Steele returns home. Media 6 12 14 Cinemascopes 16 File Riot Fest is back in Douglas Park, Real Friends are just that. Sweet Home Remembering Eddy. Ant-Man and the WASP, Skyscraper, Mission: Impossible-Fallout. Calendar Over 1500 showsto see the best bands at the best venues. Spins 20 Poster Children, English Beat, The Foreign Films and more. THE OUTFIT Local rockers, The Outfit, have concocted a classic blend of modern, melodic rock with a Cheap Trick meets Foo Fighters vibe on their self-titled debut album (Pavement Entertainment). Since 2016, the foursome has been methodically building an audience in the Chicago area. Illinois native and co-founder Mark Narawa told Kelley Simms there is something a bit more unique about Midwestern audiences. “It just seems like, in Wisconsin and Chicago, there’s a really good rock vibe and scene,” Nawara said. “People are really into their music and study up on the music and the records. Their self-titled debut album dropped this past Spring and they appear at Wire in Berwyn, August 4. Caught In A Mosh 34 Post Animal 46 Classifieds You dumped your boyfriend's bassist, now you're looking for another. Studiophile Remembering Mike Jones. Gear Relish Guitars break the rules. Advertising Sales Contributors: John Vernon Scott Assmann Mike Engel Andy Argyrakis, Guy Arnston, Penelope Biver, Patrick Conlan, Deena Dasein, Jaime de'Medici, Jeff Elbel Terrence Flamm, Steve Forstneger Michael Gallucci, Michael C. Harris, Max Herman, Tom Lanham, Carter Moss, Michael Obrecki, Greg Olma Arsenio Orteza, Rodney Pawlak, Bruce Pilato, Matthew Pollock, Jason Scales, Kelley Simms, Ed Spinelli, Tim Shockley, James Turano Contributing Editors Curt Baran Mike Meyer Tom Lanham Lori Vernon Advertising Director Design Team Notion Pool Notion Pool Dragon Design Vision Design Teknigram Graphics Senior Columnists John Vernon Website Direction David Gedge Rosalind Cummings-Yeates - Sweet Home Rick Kaempfer - Media Founder Kelley Simms - Caught In A Mosh Kenneth L. Voss David C. Eldredge - East Coast Classified Advertising Publisher Emeritis David Roberts 4 illinoisentertainer.com july 2018 SUBSCRIPTIONS: $35 per year (first class). Material for insertion must reach our office by the First Of The Month preceding publication. We cannot assume responsibility for unsolicit- ed manuscripts or photographs. Follow us online at: facebook.com/ieentertainer instagram: illinoisentertainermagazine twitter.com/ie_entertainer 28 Reign of Chicago. Chicago indie psych-rockers are wise beyond their years. Publisher 28 58 61 62 Address All Correspondence to: Illinois Entertainer 4223 W. Lake St., Suite 201 Chicago, IL 60624 [phone] - Chicago/North Sub [phone] - West/South Suburbs [phone] - Fax email us at: Editorial: [email protected] Advertising: [email protected] The ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER is published monthly by Roberts Publishing, Inc, All materials copyright 2018 by Roberts Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from Roberts Publishing, Inc. Current and back issues of the IE are $10.00 postpaid.