The product of twins Matthew and Nathan Leone, plus drummer James Knight and guitarist Joe Foderaro, the Blank Theory recently returned from New York after having laid down three tracks for their debut record. They return next month to finish, with a couple big hitters behind the boards: Adam Schlesinger from the Fountains of Wayne and James Iha, late of the Smashing Pumpkins. The Blank Theory was signed to New Line through the label/media conglomerate's newest A&R arm, Scratchie Records, the former Chicago label started by Iha and fellow gourd D'Arcy and which relocated to NYC two years ago.

The Leone's record label, Four Alarm Records, which released records by Evil Beaver, the Frogs, Chainsaw Kittens, the first two Pinehurst Kids records and Bo Bud Greene, will stay on the shelf while the Blank Theory put their thing down, but it's not going away. "With Four Alarm," says Nathan Leone, "we've solidified it by incorporating it, and kind of stashed it away. When we need it again, it will be there."

And on a different note, the Blank Theory's success makes for a nice follow up to a story I wrote two years ago, "Next Wave" (February 23, 2000). In that story, I profiled three unknown bands knocking on the door of mainstream appeal. The Blank Theory was named, along with two other up-and-comers: Ok Go and Disturbed. OK Go is recently back in Chicago, having just recorded a debut record for Capitol Records and after spending much of last year on the road with They Might Be Giants. (Lead singer Damien Kulash even tells whisper of making a video.) Disturbed, if you don't know, has gone double platinum since releasing their debut record one month after "Next Wave" hit the streets.

The Ghost
Thursday marks the cd release party for The Ghost's "This is a Hospital" (Some Records), though it already feels a little late. This local quartet plays the rock music, somewhere in the gray area between Hot Water punk rock and indie-emo--at its best The Ghost fills space with razor sharp chord progressions and riffs, at its worst it sounds like a dumbing down of the Detachment Kit's sound. As the record moves to the second half, it reeks of that Chicago indie smell; on the upside, they don't have hobbit haircuts.

Music 46?
There are always a bevy of folks who deserve to be on Music 45 that aren't. I want to use this space to their benefit, or specifically, his benefit.

For one, Chicagoans should never forget Steve "Silk" Hurley, the man who broke modern dance music in the U.K. with his giant single, "Jack Your Body." Since then, he's been nominated for three Grammys (including one this year, for a remix of Bob Marley's "Soul Shakedown"), remixed the likes of Madonna, J-Lo and Prince, and started Silk Entertainment.

Also by Dave Chamberlain

RAW MATERIAL
One of the more anticipated records from a local band gets some due attention on Friday night, when the Detachment Kit celebrates the release of its debut full-length record, "They're Raging. Quiet Army."
(2002-02-14)

RAW MATERIAL
Once a rattling, shaking box of aggravated rock-based mayhem, the band has switched gears, retaining an edge but building and composing songs rather than deconstructing them. The result is "To Everybody" (Southern), a six-song, forty-minute dalliance with what one can loosely term twenty-first century prog rock.
(2002-02-07)

RAW MATERIAL
From his voice, those two words rang with such clear-cut spirituality; he was so clearly moved by the music, that suddenly I awoke to what we were listening to. The beauty of reggae suddenly unfolded within me: the overlapping rhythms, bass used as a weapon, sugar-coated brimstone-pulling vocals, the gentle and rocking tch-tch of the guitar.
(2002-01-31)

BAD GIRLS
A two-woman sketch comedy routine, Goodman and Wolov lay it out fast for an audience. After building mood with a brief introductory blast of sample-laden techno (which includes a clip of Julia sardonically repeating "you're about to get your period"), the two launch into a skit that—in virtually one breath—pokes serious fun at lesbians, abortion and breast cancer.
(2002-01-24)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-01-10)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-01-03)

RAW MATERIAL
(2001-12-20)

RAW MATERIAL
(2001-12-06)

NET EXPERIENCE
(2001-12-06)

RAW MATERIAL
(2001-11-29)

ON THE MAKE
(2001-11-15)

RAW MATERIAL
(2001-11-15)