Drag City

constant escape

winter withered, warm

A digital threadshrine.
Never got around to visiting their location in Chicago, but Drag City was central to my last phase of music listening.

The players, albeit on a rather tight bench:


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I'll start with potentially my favorite album: Hippo Lite by DRINKS (Cate le Bon and Tim Presley). If you only listen to one song, listen to the first, Blue from the Dark. It, the album, was written and composed over the course of some bender at Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, a commune in southern France, "a place known for its ancient fountains and silk museum—with, they mention, no wifi."


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Don't know much about Cave, other than I liked Allways when first heard it, around the time of its release.


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The Hackney brothers, led by eldest visionary and guitarist David, had trouble securing gigs in Detroit, being in a band called Death and playing white boy music.

"a budding rock/funk band, heavily influenced by Motown & Parliament, ultimately evolving into pioneers of punk music"



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One of the local legends in the Chicago psych scene is Steve Krakow, otherwise known as Plastic Crimewave Syndicate.


From what I gather, having attended one presentation and one show of his, he worked at Reckless Records, not sure which location, and spearheaded the Million Tongues festival, for however few years it lasted. It might have gone away and come back, but I'm under the impression its been swallowed by the past.

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He also operates a psychedelic publication called Galactic Zoo Dossier, wherein he reports stories of lost/forgotten Chicago musicians, complete with graphics and all, including trading cards and unique mix cassettes. His "Secret History of Chicago Music" also appears as a panel in one of Chicago's newspapers, I forget which. I'd pick it up for the show list and his work alone.

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I actually saw Merzbow perform, not having even heard about him at the time, but his reception and billing seemed to indicate a legendary status. Red Bull Music Festival: Drone Activity, the best ten dollars I ever spent. Five hours of music, a poster, and a token redeemable at the bar for one Red Bull of any flavor.

I suppose this one should come with some volume/intensity warning. At the festival, even having equipped the complimentary Red Bull ear plugs, you could feel every fiber shake in the wake of this stuff, for hours. This wasn't the music that was played there, just what was listed on Drag City's site, presumably released through them.



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Truly beautiful Scottish folk.


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Perhaps not technically associated with Drag City, ONO is another fascinating group. They gave a very theatrical performance at the Drone Activity festival, as well as the 2019 Chicago Psych Festival at the Hideout, which I attended as well. Here is the main artist of ONO, travis, performing alongside Steve Krakow, AKA Plastic Crimewave Syndicate, at the festival.

And from their album Spooks. Picked this up from the local section of Shuga Records' store. A note to end on.

 
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constant escape

winter withered, warm
Here's their newsletter signup

 

Leo

Well-known member
great label, and supposedly run on a no contract/handshake agreement basis with label and band splitting all sales revenue 50-50.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
One of the local legends in the Chicago psych scene is Steve Krakow, otherwise known as Plastic Crimewave Syndicate.
Oh yeah I know this guy. I was hoping he might buy our record or mention it or something so I messaged him on facebook... I'm sure he won't mind me sharing his ringing endorsement....
I will def check this out, thanks!
....
so far soundin good!
 

constant escape

winter withered, warm
Even everything a degree removed from Drag City has a nice vibe to it. The local circuit of venues, the big local names, etc. The whole culture around it. Probably my favorite aspect of Chicago. Only there for two years though.
 

linebaugh

Well-known member
Cool looking thread. Cant say I'm familiar with much of it outside Death.

I always thought Detroit was 'drag city'?

I caught a show at the hideout when I visited and had a great time.
 

catalog

Well-known member
Leo's trolling, this is basically as anti luka as you could get.

I don't know the label other than they put out harmony korines zines. Wasn't Bonnie Prince Billy and that ilk on there?
 

constant escape

winter withered, warm
Could be that "drag city" refers to Detroit in some way, I'm not sure.

And yeah Bonnie Prince Billy is one of the big names on Drag City. Haven't listened to any of the music though.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Just ordered the vinyl myself.
Ah wicked, are you the one who just bought it on discogs? Thank you.
This Steven Krakow guy seems to be really cool, he's sort of always doing something, very supportive to stuff and always writing some interesting stuff. Lots of "in remembrance" type stuff lately sadly, just cos a lot of psych greats have died this year.
 

catalog

Well-known member
Luka is gonna properly shit his pants when he sees this thread Stan, bug ill defend yoh don't worry

Indie favours the small gesture over the big gesture, the amateur over the professional, the scruffy over the polished, the lazy over the disciplined, the meek over the proud and so on and so forth. Indie as an ethos eschews the major works, the idea of genius, the work ethic so and so forth. Charity shop clothes, lo fi, shoe gazing etc. That's how I understand it. A kind of resistance movement against the notion of achievement.

We might need some reinforcements, woops might be able to help
 
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constant escape

winter withered, warm
Ah wicked, are you the one who just bought it on discogs? Thank you.
This Steven Krakow guy seems to be really cool, he's sort of always doing something, very supportive to stuff and always writing some interesting stuff. Lots of "in remembrance" type stuff lately sadly, just cos a lot of psych greats have died this year.
Yeah thats me.

Krakow does seem to be a tentpole of Chicago music culture, like his identity/history has been fused with the city's.
 

catalog

Well-known member
Thirdform is also going to have something to say. This is way way worse than my defence of the stone roses.
 
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