Relaxation Record, self-described as “broken country-music drone,” recently changed their name to the Pillowhammer, but they’ve got the same stellar lineup: singer and autoharpist Jim Dorling (formerly of Town & Country and DRMWPN), bassist Sam Wagster (ex-Fruit Bats), drummer Adam Vida (ex-U.S. Maple), trumpeter Chris Erin (ex-Hotel Brotherhood), and multi-instrumentalist and singer Beth Yates (who’s toured with Smog). Their pleasantly dissonant “every chord played at once” sound is also intact. They’ll rock their first show with the new handle Sun 10/23 at the Whistler.
Attention outraged musicians: Occupy Chicago needs horn players and drummers for ongoing protests, especially the daily 6 PM march. Coordinator and El is a Sound of Joy drummer Stephen Ptacek says skills aren’t mandatory, but they’re welcome—organizers want to keep things from devolving into the much-dreaded hippie drum circle. E-mail sptacek@gmail.com for info.
Jams Dean (aka Blake Gardner) first hit Gossip Wolf’s iPod in late 2009 with his Internet hit “Chicago Girls.” Rapping over a sample of the XX’s “Heart Skipped a Beat,” the local rhymer delivers decidedly unlascivious lyrics and admits he likes to take local ladies to the Olive Garden—he’s an “OG” with free salad and breadsticks! And who can forget the video for “I’m Here,” which goofs on Kanye’s mega-epic “film” Runaway and features Dean rocking some crazed ballet moves in a bird costume? Not this Wolf! Turns out that’s the first cut from his new mix tape, The Price is Alright, which you can grab from his SoundCloud (bit.ly/jamsdean) on Fri 10/21; that evening Dean will celebrate its release at Streetside Cafe with fellow rhyme-slingers Cadillac Duke, Classick, and Lane Weaver.
As Sharkula predicted on his 2003 freestyle cassingle, “Mingling on the #66,” Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth are splitting up after 27 years of marriage.
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