During the Iran-Iraq war, Baghdad-born oud master Rahim AlHaj was imprisoned and tortured by Saddam Hussein’s government for his political activism. He fled to Jordan and eventually found refuge in the U.S., settling in Albuquerque in 2000, and there he’s continued to preserve and develop the music of the oud—the pear-shaped, double-coursed string instrument at […]
Tag: tar
Posted inMusic
The Third Coming of the Jesus Lizard
On the eve of their latest return home, the Jesus Lizard talk about why they chose Chicago—and how they became its most beautiful noise-rock monsters.
Posted inMusic
Garage-rock label Randy Records drops debut LPs by Skip Church and Today’s Hits
Garage-rock label Randy Records drops debut LPs by Skip Church and Today’s Hits, Dumpster Tapes celebrates its third Monster Compilation at Cole’s, and more.
Posted inMusic
Early 90s noise-rock band Tar kick the dust off their aluminum guitars
With Shellac, the Jesus Lizard, and Touch & Go—as well as Amphetamine Reptile Records just a clip away in Minneapolis—the Chicago posthardcore and noise-rock community of the early 90s was lush. And that doesn’t even count the dudes with the aluminum guitars. Tar commissioned the bizarre instruments from Ian Schneller at Specimen Products, and they […]
Posted inBlogs
DeKalb Rock City
Blatant Dissent circa 1987 On Saturday evening the Abbey Pub plays host to an unlikely showcase of reunited bands from DeKalb, Illinois. The event is billed as “DeKalb Rocks,” and it looks back to a more innocent time, when hardcore didn’t basically just mean fast metal and nobody thought they could make any money at […]
Posted inMusic
Baseball, Motherhood, and Punk
SHELLAC, MX-80, TAR, SIX FINGER SATELLITE LOGAN SQUARE AUDITORIUM, SEPTEMBER 4 A sign tacked up in the women’s bathroom of the Logan Square Auditorium says that the hall is available for “weddings, anniversaries, showers, fashion shows, parties, private functions, fundraising, etc.” I guess the Pine Tar .406, a musical extravaganza put on by local indie-rock […]