MySpace

'Round The Dial by: Tom Hallett Your Weekly Source For REAL Rock N' Roll News & Reviews

blogs.myspace.com/roundthedial
MySpace.com | rss | sign in
'Round The Dial Magazine on MySpace

Tom Hallett


Last Updated: 11/18/2009

Send Message
Instant Message
Email to a Friend
Subscribe

Gender: Male
Status: Single
Age: 45
Sign: Leo

City: Minneapolis/St. Paul
State: Minnesota
Country: US
Signup Date: 4/26/2007
June 15, 2009 - Monday 

Current mood:  grateful
Category: Music
Round The Dial

6/15/09

By: Tom Hallett

 
**************************************************************************************************
 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Then as the years went on and my listening became more deliberate, I would climb up on an arm of our big sofa to get my ear closer to the wireless speaker." -Seamus Heaney
 
 
SONG OF THE WEEK: "We Can't Make It Here" -James McMurtry

 
 
**************************************************************************************************
 
Greetings, music fans! This time 'round, the 'Dial chats with Illinois-based singer/songwriter/modern rock n' roll poet Ike Reilly, who's playing an off-the-cuff, between-albums show here in the 'Cities at The Turf Club on Thursday, June 18th. He's hard at work on a new release, having a ball working with a wide variety of like-minded artists, and ready to blow off some steam at a select few upcoming midwest dates...

 
**************************************************************************************************
 
Less Meat, More Wine
 
A Conversation With Ike Reilly
  

 

 
"The new one is the most exciting record I've made so far!"
 
 
Libertyville, Illinois native (and unabashed Irish-American) Ike Reilly began his official recording career in 1992, with the release of the now nearly impossible-to-find outing "Community No. 9," and though both his personal life and his profile have morphed innumerable times over the years, one constant has remained- Ike writes, sings, plays, records, and performs material that he's lived through, believes in, and isn't afraid to howl out to the universe about with the knobs cranked up way 'past 11.
 
He'd kicked off his musical career in earnest back in the late '80's, working with a succession of notable bands (including The Drovers, The Eisenhowers, and Community 9,) but by the end of the decade, he'd decided to retire from the scene and threw himself into the blue collar world to support himself and his family.
 
By late 2000, Reilly had worked an interesting series of "day" jobs- including putting in some hard time working as a hotel door man in Chicago and laboring in an area cemetery. Along the way, he and old pal/multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Ed Tinley began tinkering around with Ike's seemingly unending lyrical output (much of it inspired by the people he met and experiences he underwent at those "day" jobs) and Tinley's near-magic studio touch.
 
 
Coincidentally, around the same time, Dust Brother alum Mike Simpson ran across an old demo of Ike's and helped nudge him in the direction of Universal Records. After huddling 'round the board for a few months, Reilly, Tinley and board wiz Mickey Petralia (Beck, Eels, Luscious Jackson) gathered together a crack backing band (Ike, Tinley, and Phil Karnatz on guitars, Tommy O'Donnell on bass, and drummer Dave Cottini) and recorded Ike's offical debut, Salesmen And Racists. 



 



The album was an instant pub-classic, rife with gut-slamming guitars, authentic hip-hop homages, and absolutely fierce lyrics. Reilly's voice is a sublime melange' of honey, second-hand smoke, and whiskey; A perfect vehicle for his highly original style and delivery. Salesmen And Racists hit the airwaves in the early summer of 2001, helping him score a supremely loyal fan base, and tracks like "Last Time" (with its now-famous opening line, "Last time, I couldn't make you come/Last time, you didn't fake me out...") that, on the surface, sound like leering bar-band come-ons but upon further study reveal smart, in-depth social, moral, and political observations, undeniably put him squarely in the "Baby Dylans" category.


He spoke candidly through his music of universal topics that hit a deep, resounding note in just about anybody willing to sit through one of his songs- life, love, loss, booze, cheap thrills, death, aging, parenthood, politics, girls, and cars are his forte'- particularly his beloved Crown Vic, which appears from time-to-time in his music to this day. The music ranges from dangerous guitar riffage to gorgeous, sexy balladry, nods at hip-hop, folk, and classic rock, on through bleary-eyed blues buzz-bombers, and that saucy combo would bring him an amazingly diverse fan base and critical support from the midwest to Europe and beyond.
 
 
After a brilliantly executed Twin Cities music/press blitz that summer (thanks in part to Ike's old pal/local writer/artist Jim Walsh, who tirelessly championed the man's music and stage presence) that capped off with a legendary four night blast-off bash at St. Paul's Turf Club, Reilly and his merry band of musical soul-mates went on to conquer fans across America and the world at large with their fiery, suds-soaked live gigs and a series of critically-acclaimed studio efforts via the Rock Ridge Music label.
 
 
By 2003, Ike had bravely dubbed his faithful backing band the IRA (Ike Reilly Assassination) and begun delving even deeper into relevant social and political issues as well as honing his inherent knack for penning both Springsteen-esque working class rockers and intimate, heart-rending personal ballads. The band released a respectable follow-up to S&R in 2003's Sparkle In The Finish, and set about the delicate task of balancing their personal lives and survival with their insatiable hunger to continue recording and touring as often as possible.

 
Several digital EP's were released in the intervening years, including 2001's Cars And Girls And Drinks And Songs, Sparkle In The Finish: The B-Sides, and The Last Demonstration: Acoustic Demos & Rarities, and 2007's We Belong To The Staggering Evening confirmed that Reilly & co. were still ready, willing, and able to defend their particular niche in the modern rock canon.
 
 
 
In April of 2008, the band released Poison The Hit Parade, a delicious between-albums knock-off that included a bevy of fan treats, including rare demos of S&R-era tracks, alternate versions of cuts from 2004's Sparkle In The Finish, and several fresh, biting nuggets. The album stands as a testament to Ike and Tinley's studio genius, with no suits in the wings awaiting hit singles and no real budget to quibble over- the results included the album's quietly snarling, world-weary title song and several visual bonuses by way of an included DVD extra.



This summer, Reilly and the gang are coming off of a long winter in the studio, shaking off the "tape-dust," and hitting a few select clubs in the Midwest to keep their live edge sharp and remain in close contact with their ravenous fan base. 'Round The Dial spoke with Reilly early this week and found him highly excited about his upcoming album and as sharp, humorous, direct, and determined as ever...



Round The Dial: In a nutshell, what are some of the biggest changes you and the band have gone through since the release of Salesmen And Racists?
 

Ike Reilly: Births, deaths, and divorces! We made a fortune, lost a fortune. Less meat more wine. (laughs)
 

RTD: Tell us a bit about the writing, recording, and releases of your subsequent albums- what brought about the name change to "Ike Reilly Assassination" and just how much has the state of the country, and the planet in general, had to do with your writing over the past few years?
 

IR: I believe that the environment....pyschologically, physically, or whatever- around me plays the only role in how I write. I don't sit around and listen to other songs or bands to get ideas for own my songs. I see a guy get busted for growing weed in his basement and get his kids taken away from him, and I write a song. I see a crazy fucking war vet who didn't get treatment smash my neighbors' vacuum cleaner, and I write a song about that. Talking about the writing and recording process for those albums would just take too damned long. I will say that ...Staggering Evening was more "live" than any other record we've done. The new record we're working on now has me more isolated than ever before, and yet I'm working with a lot of musicians who are outside of my normal circle. As far as the "name change"- any band I play with IS The Assassination. There really was no "official" name change, it was just my way of recognizing that I'm not playing alone.



RTD: Fair enough. Tell us a few memorable road or music-related adventures you've undergone over the past couple of years.
 

IR: Oh, I've got one good one! I spent a Valentine's Day in Jaurez, Mexico with the band. We had some shows down there. I wrote a song about a friend of mine who over-did it in Jaurez in every imaginable way, and as he spit up blood over the following few days, he blamed it on cigarettes! I won't say who he was, but in a thick Australian accent he said, "Reills, yesterday I smoked, today I don't!" (laughs) He was making some half-assed commitment to giving up the smokes- he didn't blame the gallons of vodka, bales of weed, bottles of pills, and the rest. Just the smokes! I quote him in the opening line of that song "Valentine's Day In Jaurez."



RTD: Too funny! I know people just like that. So tell us- is the band you have together now the same core outfit you started with?


IR: We haven't had too many change-ups, sometimes we get fill-ins if somebody can't leave the state or something. Lately, Phil (Karnatz, guitarist) hasn't been playing with us, though. He's got another band going, and there's no big dramatic back-story there. He's just busy this time 'round. I don't think of how it affects the music. I mostly think how it affects the rooming situation in the hotels, the cameraderie, the bar tabs, (laughs) and the shenanigans.
 

RTD: So you're working on a new album! Tell us about how the recording process is coming along and what kind of material we can expect to hear.
 

IR: Yeah, I've got twenty or so songs almost completed! We'll probably put about 15 of them out. I listened to some rough mixes last night, and I was pretty amazed at what has transpired over the past couple of months. It's like a war of attrition. I've got a song called "The War On The Terror And The Drugs," and it's a duet with Shooter Jennings- Waylon's son. Tommy, our bass player, is a better guitar player than 99% of guitar players I've ever heard, he plays this weird Chet Atkins kinda jazzy rhythm while Shooter and I sing about a fictional "War." We can't seem to find it in the studio right now (laughs) but we wanna finish it if we can ever find it! There are a lot of songs on the new one that frame struggles in a family setting, but the struggles are different than what you ordinarily hear people sing about. This one is about subjects ranging from financial trouble to sexual and political issues. There's a new song called "Morning Glory" that's just a song about trying to get laid, but the groove is sick! It's got this dude named Barrel House Chuck on it- he's a great blues piano player from Chicago, a real soulful player. He plays farfisa on a few tracks too. I guess the most of the songs are about trying to get paid, laid or made somehow! (laughs) The record seems to be the most exciting record I've made so far. It's intense, but I don't believe you have get too emotionally invested in it to enjoy it. It sounds good and ya can dance to it. I give it four stars!
 

RTD: Can't wait to hear it- I know a lot of fans are going to be hoping to hear some of it during your upcoming gig here in the 'Cities. Speaking of which- your "people" haven't announced an official tour and your website hasn't really been updated since Poison The Hit Parade was released. Why are you hitting the road between albums?
 
 

IR: We dont have any tour set up. Tommy (O'Donnell) was coming in to play guitar on my new record and my agent said some radio station had an event they wanted us to play in Milwaukee. We figured we'd record and do a couple of shows. That's the extent of the "tour." We've been pretty much wrapped up in making the new record, and I thought some shows would be a nice break from the tedium of the
studio.
 


RTD: What are some of your favorite memories of playing here in the Twin Cities over the years?
 
 
IR: Shit, so many! The Turf Club residency was amazing. I knew that the band could affect people. The people in the Twin Cities are Tops, and the fans and friends I've met will always be special. It's a weird mix, really. High school kids, college kids, middle-agers, old timers, working class Janes and Joes, professional journalists, politicians- and professional detectives! (chuckles) I can't forget to mention Jim the Autograph Hound! I love the Ike Reilly Tribute bands as well. I've always got a soft spot in my heart for the Crown Vics! They're a Fargo band that comes all the way to the 'Cities to see us. We let them play the encore of a show at the Varsity Theater, that was great! I went out in the crowd while they jammed a totally original version of "Our Lady Of Arturo"- we had never even played that song live! The crowd was trying to figure out who these guys were and what the song was. (laughs) I thought that was really something.
 
 

RTD: Your former roadie/guitar tech, Chris Pericelli, has found a wide fan base for his music with his band Little Man since the old days carrying your shit from van to club and vice-versa- what do you think of Chris' music and are there any plans for your band and his to do some shows together?
 
 
IR: I love Chris. I'm super-proud of him. I heard about that TV ad for a local music college that featured Little Man's music! How cool! Chris will probably join us at The Turf and do some playing of the guitar...
 


RTD: Thanks so much for your time, Ike- can't wait to see the gig and hear the new stuff! Just for shits and giggles, do ya wanna leave fans with the old cheesy standard, Name Your Top Five Albums Of All Time?
 
 
 
IR: Thank you! And the Twin Cities fans! Sure, I'll throw out a list- though I'm sure there will be no suprises there, and these are not in and kind of order...
 

* East West- Paul Butterfield Blues Band
* Bringing It All Back Home- Bob Dylan
* Blonde On Blonde- Bob Dylan
* Greatest Hits- Chuck Berry
* Live At Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash
* Exodus- Bob Marley
 
 
Official Ike Reilly/IRA Discography:
 
"Salesmen and Racists" - Release Date: July 31, 2001/"Cars & Girls & Drinks & Songs" (EP) - Release Date: 2003 /"Sparkle in the Finish" - Release Date: October 12, 2004/ "Sparkle in the Finish: The B-Sides" (Digital EP) - Release Date: July 19, 2005/ "Junkie Faithful" - Release Date: September 27, 2005/"The Last Demonstration: Acoustic Demos and Rarities" (Digital EP) - Release Date: May 2, 2006/ "We Belong To The Staggering Evening" - Release Date: May 8, 2007/ "Poison The Hit Parade" - Release Date: April 8, 2008.
 
 
Recommended Tracks:
 
*"Last Time," "Commie Drives A Nova," "Hip Hop Thighs #17," "Hail Hail," 'Put A Little Love In It," "Duty Free"- Salesmen & Racists
 
*"I Don't Want What You Got Goin' On," "It's Alright To Die," "Whatever Happened To The Girl In Me?" "The Boat Song (We're Getting Loaded)" "Our Lady Of Arturo," "Ex-Americans"- Sparkle In The Finish
 
*"22 Hours Of Darkness," "God And Money," "Kara Dean," "I Will Let You Down"- Junkie Faithful
 
*"8 More Days Till The Fourth Of July," "Valentine's Day In Juarez," "It's Hard To Make Love To An American"- We Belong To The Staggering Evening
 
*"Poison The Hit Parade," "Janie Doesn't Lie," "Lust Song 78," "Dragonflies," "Hip Hop Thighs #16," "Duty Free," "Cash Is King"- Poison The Hit Parade.
 
 
For more info on Ike, check out his official web page at www.ikereilly.net or on his corner of MySpace, www.myspace.com/ikereilly
 
 
Ike Reilly Assassination plays The Turf Club in St. Paul (on the corners of University & Snelling Avenues) on Thursday, June 18th. 8 PM, $15 advance, 21+. Call The Turf for more info at (651) 647-0486.




 




 
**************************************************************************************************
 
 
That's all for this time out, folks. Thanks for tuning in, make sure ya catch the Ike gig and until we meet again- make yer own damn news.
 
 
**************************************************************************************************
 
 
If you have music news, gig info, or CD's you'd like to see mentioned in this space, send replies to: Tmygunn77764@yahoo.com
11:58 PM
 
Print
Previous Post: The Music Nurse!! ...and more. | Back to Blog List | Next Post: NEW Round The Dial! Solid Rock Summer, Camp Lisa!!