We’re thrilled to announce that The Methadones will be playing their first hometown show in nearly five years this summer. Since initially disbanding in 2010, the band has only played twice, (an abbreviated set in 2011 and at Red Scare’s tenth anniversary show in 2015). After forming in 1993, they went on to release five studio albums, a split record with The Copyrights and finally a compilation album in 2010 that contained all the songs from their various singles, (as well as the final five songs they ever recorded). While often labeled as pop punk, The Methadones’ sound was truly a lot more multi-dimensional. Elements of classic Chicago punk and power pop were often present, along with an emphasis on vocal melodies, intricate guitar leads and introspective lyrics. In short, very few bands hold up this well over time. The band has yet to reveal any details as to their planned setlist, but rest assured that they’ll deliver a career-spanning set. The Methadones will play Chop Shop on Saturday, June 27th with support from Direct Hit!, Dan Vapid and The Cheats, and Capgun Heroes. The show starts at 7:00 PM, is 18+ and tickets go on sale this Friday.
Tomorrow, Dan Vapid and The Cheats are releasing their latest full-length, Three. We spoke with singer/guitarist Dan “Vapid” Schafer in detail about how the album came together. With the band’s last record coming out almost six years ago, Schafer explained how moving to downstate Illinois and the addition of a new bassist and drummer, amongst other factors, influenced the making of the Three. The outcome is an album that combines various genres into a cohesive work, and also contains some of the best songwriting of Schafer’s career. In addition, we discussed what recording was like, the inspiration for certain songs and what else the band has planned for this year. Be sure to listen to one of the record’s songs after the interview, called “The Sky Is Electric Blue.” Continue Reading…
In March of this year, Chicago’s Textbook collaborated with Paper + Plastick for the release of their album called On the B-Side. Containing 16 tracks in total, the record features songs from Textbook’s entire catalog and serves as a celebration of the band’s 15th anniversary. We recently spoke with singer/guitarist Dave Lysien and bassist Rick Uncapher to discuss the album in detail. We talked about how they teamed with Paper + Plastick, as well as the distinctive format that the record’s available on. We also conversed about the band’s experiences touring the UK, some of their favorite memories from the last 15 years, future plans and more. Be sure to check out a video for the song “Just One of Those Things” after the interview. Continue Reading…