Coasters. And Ronnie Spector was on the
first one (I Don’t Want to Go Home, 1976) –
she and Lee Dorsey. I was always very
conscious of showing my gratitude to
those pioneers, and I wanted to make sure
that people knew that they were still
around, and still as talented as they ever
were. And we did that with Gary U.S.
Bonds a few years later – we were always
trying to show our gratitude, because
without them, we wouldn’t be here.
need to revisit a lot of those themes (with
Soulfire), because I knew they were going
to hold up just fine in the live show. So I
was able to feel liberated with this new
album, and just kind of go in a completely
different direction for the first time and
have the music come first, without the
politics coming first for once. That was a
new idea for me. Because these days, the
politics? That’s taking care of itself. I don’t
have to say a word about that.
10•2017
IE: Is there just something in the Asbury
Park water?
LS: Well, I dunno. We just grew up stay-
ing close to the roots, so I dunno what it
was. We were third generation rock and
roll, and we just felt very close to those
first two generations. And we didn’t think
twice about wearing those roots right on
our sleeves and showing people where we
were coming from. It’s just how we were –
that was our thing.
IE: Songs from your second solo album,
1984’s Voice of America, were more politi-
cal, and – like “I Am a Patriot” – still res-
onate today. Maybe even more so.
LS: Yeah. And it’s been going over big live,
I’ve got to tell you. It really has. And I
don’t even have to say anything anymore
– it’s all built into the song. And it’s kind
of scary how relevant these songs are. But
that was one reason why I didn’t feel the
IE: Every day, I give thanks for
Underground Garage, the coolest radio
station on the planet. How did you come
up with the concept?
LS: I remember listening to the radio one
day and thinking, “Wait a minute – this
isn’t right. Why should we be the last gen-
eration that has any fun? We’re taking all
the fun with us here!” And what I consid-
er to be a Renaissance period – 1951 to
1971 – this is a musical era that will be
studied for hundreds of years. So why not
let future generations hear the greatest
music ever made? So I started my weekly
radio show a few years before satellite
came along, and then when Sirius came
along, I didn’t have to change a thing,
because in my two-hour show, I had creat-
ed that new format, in every way. I had
hand-picked at the time over 3,000 songs,
and I was only playing five a week out of
3,000. So it was wonderful that it went
Thanks to our
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10 illinoisentertainer.com october 2017
October 6
Cults Offering
Liam Gallagher As You Were
Marilyn Manson Heaven Upside Down
The Black Dahlia Murder Nightbringers
Wolf Parade Cry Cry Cry
October 13
Beck Colors
Enslaved E
Knuckle Puck Shapeshifter
L.A. Guns The Missing Peace
P!nk Beautiful Trauma
Robert Plant Carry Fire
St. Vincent MASSEDUCTION
Tegan and Sara The Con X: Covers
The Darkness Pinewood Smile
The White Buffalo Darkest Darks, Lightest Lights
William Patrick Corgan Ogilala
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues
William Patrick Corgan
October 20
Chris Barron Angels & One-Armed Jugglers
Darius Rucker When Was The Last Time
Europe Walk The Earth
Gwar The Blood Of Gods
John Carpenter Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998
October 27
Bootsy Collins World Wide Funk
Hollywood Undead Five
Kelly Clarkson The Meaning Of Life
Out Lines Conflats
The Used The Canyon
Ty Dolla $ign Beach House 3
Weezer Pacific Daydream
Knuckle Puck
Chipotle • Butterfield's Pancake House • Lia P Gluten Free Bakery (State St. - Lemont) •
Dan's Pizza (Maple Ave - Downers Grove) • Crase Auto Connection • Pizza Hut •
On the Rock Joliet • Mario Tricoci