shoes Archive
20 Aug 2013
Book Review: Boys Don’t Lie: A History of Shoes
Sidestepping tired allusions to Boston‘s Tom Scholz, Guns’n’Roses and Chinese democracy, Boys Don’t Lie: A History of Shoes was a long time coming. Author Mary Donnelly began work on the book several years ago. Lots and lots (and lots) of interviews would form the basis of this exhaustive and supremely well-researched tome, and then various
07 Feb 2013
Book (P)review: Boys Don’t Lie – A History of Shoes
On my desk at the moment is a pre-release Kindle copy of Mary E. Donnelly‘s long awaited book about the Zion, IL powerpop group. Shoes began their recording career in the 1970s and continue to present-day; in fact they’ll be making a relatively rare live appearance soon, at this year’s SXSW. (If you’re going to
26 Oct 2012
Album Review: Shoes – 35 Years: The Definitive Shoes Collection 1977-2012
As Shoes bassist John Murphy told me in our wide-ranging four-part interview, the new 21-cut compilation on Real Gone Music, 35 Years: The Definitive Shoes Collection 1977-2012 is “is a sort of Part Two to Shoes Best,” the 1987 collection released on Shoes’ own Black Vinyl Records. That’s about right; assuming one doesn’t plan to
25 Oct 2012
A Really Big Shoes Interview, Part 4
Continued from Part Three… Bill Kopp: So Ignition is the first new Shoes album in 17 years. It’s an obvious question, but why so long? John Murphy (bass/vocals): It sounds terrible: eighteen years. And of course there was never any grand plan. I think, when I look back at what was happening in the late
24 Oct 2012
A Really Big Shoes Interview, Part 3
Continued from Part Two… Bill Kopp: I think Shoes fans – especially ones outside the Midwest – think of you more as a studio band. Why don’t you play out more, or tour? John Murphy (bass/vocals): Going back to Elektra again, the labels in those days didn’t have much to do with a band’s live
23 Oct 2012
A Really Big Shoes Interview, Part 2
Continued from Part One… Bill Kopp: I bought the Present Tense LP when it came out; I was 13 (fifteen; Math is hard! — bk). Gary Klebe‘s “I Don’t Miss You” got a decent amount of airplay on the rock FM station in Atlanta. Did you have huge hopes for high-profile mainstream commercial blockbuster success
22 Oct 2012
A Really Big Shoes Interview, Part 1
Shoes are that curious breed: a powerpop band that’s consistently lauded critically, but that makes only occasional modest commercial inroads. They’ve been plying their trade – catchy, muscular, hook-filled rock with stellar vocal harmonies – since the mid-1970s. The band seemed poised for breakout fame – possibly as the Next Big Thing after The Cars