Back in 1993, Chicago's underground music scene was starting to break through in a big way. Billboard featured several artists and their quickly gentrifying Wicker Park stomping grounds in an extensive piece that also included a handy diagram of Wicker Park “hotspots” that sent local scenesters running for cover. The independent weekly, The Reader, with its columnist, Bill Wyman, had been covering the scene since its inception. Previous unknowns like Urge Overkill, Liz Phair, and Smashing Pumpkins started selling out shows and major labels quickly began to take notice. Nirvana’s Seattle label, Sub Pop, sent scouts to Chicago and ended up signing another quickly rising band, Red Red Meat to a deal.
Steve Albini - Original Caricature: John Kascht
Iconoclastic record producer, Steve Albini, took notice of Wyman's year-end Chicago scene round-up and promptly issued a legendary takedown in the form of a letter to the editor.
He begins:
The opening paragraph of your Year-in-rock recap [Hitsville, January 7] is one of the most brilliant bits of ass-forward thought I've seen in years. If I read your heavily parenthetical English correctly, you are making the case that Liz Phair, Urge Overkill and the Smashing Pumpkins are somehow unique in rock music because they are brazenly trying to sell records. Genius.
And continues:
In your rush to pat these three pandering sluts on the heinie, you miss what has been obvious to the "bullshit" crowd all along: These are not "alternative" artists any more than their historical precursors. They are by, of and for the mainstream. Liz Phair is Rickie Lee Jones (more talked about than heard, a persona completely unrooted in substance, and a fucking chore to listen to), Smashing Pumpkins are REO Speedwagon (stylistically appropriate for the current college party scene, but ultimately insignificant) and Urge Overkill are Oingo Boingo (Weiners in suits playing frat party rock, trying to tap a goofy trend that doesn't even exist). You only think they are noteworthy now because some paid publicist has told you they are, and you, fulfilling your obligation as part of the publicity engine that drives the music industry, spurt about them on cue.
There’s an out-of-print 1997 documentary chronicling all of this and more with on-camera interviews with both Albini and Wyman called Out Of The Loop. Good news - it’s on YouTube in its entirety. Highly recommended and a nice little time capsule if you care to dig deeper.
Albini's angst wasn't an isolated case. Wicker Park was definitely deep in the throes of gentrification inevitably leading to the pricing out of artists, musicians, and non-conformists. The nadir may have been MTV’s move to locate a season of The Real World smack in the middle of the neighborhood. Before Phair and others, the neighborhood’s most famous resident was author Nelson Algren.
Fast forward twenty five years later and here we are with Smashing Pumpkins nearly reunited (save D'arcy) fresh off a by-all-accounts successful tour while Liz Phair continues to tour behind Girly Sound to Guyville - a specially packaged 25th Anniversary Boxset of her seminal double album, Exile in Guyville.
Having lived in Chicago during this period it's fun to think back on those heady days. Most of the music from that era still stands up. On any given night you could catch many of these acts at Lounge Ax, Cabaret Metro, Double Door, and The Empty Bottle.
Urge Overkill - The Jon Stewart Show - 1994
Without further delay, welcome to this week’s Playlist. Please enjoy.
-Tim Tolbert
Wicker Park Uprising
Listen Now: SPOTIFY
After This Time Is Gone - Eleventh Day Dream
Sweet Pea - Seam
Mayonaise by Smashing Pumpkins
Seether by Veruca Salt
Ball by Red Red Meat
All Better Now by Triple Fast Action
Divorce Song by Liz Phair
Bound For The Floor by Local H
Tequila Sundae by Urge Overkill
Megan by Smoking Popes
Spit The Part by Fig Dish
Millionaire by Mekons
What Girls Want by Material Issue
Get Me On by Poi Dog Pondering
Liner Notes is a weekly newsletter arriving every Friday with a tightly-focused and insanely researched 14-song playlist in your Inbox. It’s currently free; if you like, please forward or share - thank you.
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