June 2022 • Volume 48 , Number 08 • www . illinoisentertainer . com
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COVER STORY : HALESTORM Just to speak to Lzzy Hale , Grammy-winning go-getter in casual conversation is to get caught in her effervescent slipstream , the wake of her whirring inner-motivational turbines . Even when discussing the past two oppressive years , she talks excitedly , rapidly , in a flurry of quotable thoughts that communicate nothing but optimistic energy — irresistible to a fault . Almost as if they never went down at all . First of all , Hale admits to not only staring hypnotized into the abyss , frozen but to a fondness for the famous Nietzsche corollary that the abyss stares also . “ Oh , my God — that is one of my favorite quotes !” she exults . “ And it ’ s sooo creepy — I ’ m like , ‘ Stop looking at me !’ It ’ s so crazy . So I know that I wasn ’ t the only one going through this , but it ’ s interesting because when , all of a sudden , your mission or your identity — your armor , so to speak — is no longer there ?” She pauses , allowing the gravity of the concept to wriggle in and settle . “ I mean , just talking about the band ( Halestorm ), I ’ ve been in this band since I was 13 , and it goes beyond , way beyond … this is my life ’ s work , my purpose , and it ’ s part of my identity . Tom Lanham spoke to the iconic frontwoman for our June Cover Story .
HELLO MY NAME IS MICHAEL OF GWAR
When conducting business in an unfamiliar new universe like Earth , it ’ s always a good idea for an invading alien to have a human thrall . Thus , announces bassist / vocalist Michael Bishop , he will be speaking on behalf of misanthropic GWAR front-fiend Blothar the Berserker today in our interview , doing his terrestrial best , he adds , to stay out of Altered-Beast Berserker mode . “ The human thrall of Blothar was a college professor ,” the Richmond , VA-based avatar explains for the layman in a discussion of GWAR ’ s latest The New Darkness manifesto , a real Nero-fiddling-idlywhile-Rome-burns affair , featuring self-explanatory anthems like “ Completely Fucked ,” “ New Dark Age ,” and “ The Beast Will Eat Itself .” “ And he taught ethnomusicology — it ’ s the study of music , but sort of done as a cultural critique .” But Blothar , who hails from a parallel world dubbed Scumdoggia , believes wholeheartedly that humankind , growing increasingly ignorant and polarized by being spoon-fed ‘ alternative facts ,’ will soon be at war with itself . Tom Lanham spoke to GWAR ’ s leader .
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File
It ’ s GWAR ’ s Blothar .
Cinemascopes . Ultra Mega Summer Film season .
Spins
Michael McDermott , Chip Z ’ Nuff solo , Harry Styles and more .
Media
Jana from The Drive .
RSD Drops 2022
June 18 is RSD Drops day , read about our best picks .
Calendar
1400 shows and 2800 bands , live music is coming back .
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Publisher Emeritis David Roberts
Publisher John Vernon
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