October 2026 • Volume 52, Number 12 • www. illinoisentertainer. com

MICHAEL McDERMOTT ichael McDermott is without question one of his generation ' s most prolific and consistent songwriters, and Chicago should be proud to call him our own. Fans who have been along for the whole ride could track their own timelines by his records( the ones they know about), which now span three and a half decades. Between LPs of fresh music are enough outtakes, demos, bonus tracks, and revived records to fill a parallel life( and that ' s not including his other project, The Westies). A search of McDermott ' s name and discography online will 1) make your head spin, and 2) result in the discovery of amazing music of his that you ' ve probably never heard. But whether you ' re a devotee or a curious fan of great songwriting and American rock ' n ' roll, his new record Flowers From The Graveyard is a good place to start.

Our conversations, tacked at about every five to eight years, have become chapter markers on the timeline of his career and personal life and events- high and low, lots of lessons, lots of growth both personal and spiritual- and how the songs on this record were conceived from it all. But since the better part of a decade has passed, before we dive into the inspiration for Flowers From The Graveyard, IE’ s gets caught up with Mr. McDermott.

06 HELLO MY NAME IS OGM and YETI

When industrial-metal, punk, rock / rap duo Ho99o9 formed in 2012, they had one idea: bring the chaos. Blending their love of the gangsta rap they grew up on with the punk rock / hardcore shows they discovered as teens, the duo set out to make music that was unapologetically confrontational. But Ho99o9 have evolved since the release of their 2017 debut album. Yeti Bones has been sober for nearly a decade. theOGM is a father, which has shifted his view of the world. Don’ t get it twisted – the anger, brutality, and outspokenness are still a part of the duo’ s music. But their new record, Tomorrow We Escape, introduces us and IE’ s Ashley Perez-Hollingsworth to a different side of the group. before

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CinemaScopes

October film preview.

Spins

Weezer, Blockchain Coalition and more.

Media

Nick D’ s new best horror film book.

Calendar

1600 shows and 4000 bands, it’ s IE’ s live music calendar.

Studiophile

Studio and rehearsal space news.

Classifieds

Music services, musicians and more.

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Publisher John Vernon

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