Local Rockers Come Together To Help One Of Their Own

Wanna rock out and help support a great cause at the same time? Then the "JimiSix Rockin For Life" benefit concert is just what you're looking for. Warning: The incredible lineup of local rockers promises to deliver a powerful punch of vocal and guitar power that just might blow the roof off of Bobby McGee's in Chicago Ridge at 10139 S. Harlem Ave. (see map; click flyer image to enlarge it). The fun begins at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 16, (by which time the Bears should have clipped the Seahawks). Doors open at 2:00 p.m. There will be a buffet table, silent auction and raffle drawings. It's all meant to help raise money for local rock legend Jim "JimiSix" Karones. Unemployed, he's in his second round of chemo and radiation treatments, battling Stage IV esophageal cancer. JimiSix is well-known in Chicagoland for his generous work helping others in need, and now it's time to give back to this great man. For more information about Jim, read "The Battle of Jimisix." Here's the schedule: Rough Boyzz 3:10-3:45 Lisa Matthews Band 4:00-4:35 Trainwreck 4:50-5:25 Reckless 5:40-6:15 Five Guys Named Moe 6:30-7:05 Three-Way Split 7:15-7:40 Wonder Years 7:45-8:15 GenHeX 8:25-9:00 All-band jam finale! Admission is $20 per person for buffet meal and entertainment. Advance ticket purchase special: Get two tickets for $35. Advanced ticket orders can also be placed over the phone for the "Jimisix Rockin' for Life"...Jim Karones Benefit. Call: 773-405-0374. Bobby McGee's accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover, and Diners Club International. Also See: Bobby McGee's - Chicago Ridge on Facebook Jim Karones (Jimisix) on Facebook

Everybody Dies But Not Everyone Lives (Superchick Video)

I love this video. The song is "Cross The Line." The group is Superchick. The lead singer is Tricia Brock, who is not only easy on the eyes but is also a great rock vocalist. This song, in the video below, is from their 2008 album "Rock What You Got." The hit song got a second, remixed presentation in the band's 2010 album "Reinvention." Their official bio states that "With their new project Reinvention, Grammy-nominated Superchick goes back to the studio to reinvent their favorite songs. Drawing inspiration from the 100+ TV shows, video games and movies that use their music, Superchick has created a soundtrack album for fast car chases, giant fighting robots, teen romance and bad guys walking in slow motion." You can hear samples of the tracks, including "Rock What You Got," at their website. Superchick originated in Chicago and I've been a fan for a while now. I was surprised to learn only the other day that they call themselves, among other things, a Christian rock band. It makes sense, though, as their songs all have a positive message embedded within. They do this skillfully; none of their songs ever comes off as "preachy." It's just good rock music with strong, life-affirming lyrics. And don't we all want to feel affirmed? I sure do. Tricia says of the band's lyrics, "The songs won't bring you down. But if you are down, [they let] you know that you're not alone." I would add that if you are sitting down, the high-energy music just might make you stand up and dance. Okay, so watch the video below, then watch their "making of" video for a behind the scenes look at how this intriguing video was produced. A good article by Juliana Cashin and Delia Kang at Innervoice describes the unusual genesis of Superchick: Superchick began with a vision God had given Max Hsu, their producer and main songwriter. In the early 90’s, Max was in a band called Church Rhythm. After many concerts, young girls would share how a song they had written about suicide had ministered to them. Max saw the need to start a band that would encourage and inspire young girls who were struggling with feelings of depression and insecurity. Both Max and Dave Ghazarian, another member of Church Rhythm, began writing songs and came up with the name, Superchick. They had not planned to be in the band. When sisters Tricia and Melissa Brock met Max at a concert, he shared the vision with them, and Tricia felt as though this was the opportunity she had been longing for since high school. Full article here... Superchick is: Tricia Brock (lead vocals), Melissa Brock (vocals, guitar), Matt Dally (bass, vocals), Dave Ghazarian (lead guitar, vocals), Max Hsu (keyboards, DJ).

AC/DC Thunderstruck With Real Airstrikes! Hell Yeah!

WARNING: Video has some, uh, cuss words (f--- and s---, oh my.) WARNING: Liberals will be nauseated by this excellent depiction of evil-doers being blown to hell by US military superiority. Cool Hats & Shirts for Cool Conservatives Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

More Roundeye Stoopidity

Roundeye's "manager" Mark is a determined man. In another poorly crafted letter to The Bench, the fun continues. The note below is a followup to his earlier note today (see Band Tries to Intimidate Blogger).

heart rogers park wrote: Dear MORON, I sent the email for Roundeye's show, and if you have a problem with Brettly, you can take it up with him personally. Part 2, those are Roundeye's top 40 friends, who have used those images as part of their myspace profile, for use on Myspace, but you would not know that - obviously. This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail (or the person responsible for delivering this document to the intended recipient), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail, and any attachment thereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please respond to the individual sending the message, and permanently delete the original and any copy of any e-mail and printout thereof. Dear Mark, Since you admit to sending the unsolicited, obscene filth to me via email, then I suppose in one sense Brettly is off the hook and it is you that I should report to the proper authorities. However, since you did it as a representative of Brettly's band, there may be an expanded circle of responsibility there. Since you think Brettly should take up problems personally, why are you intervening on his behalf in regard to my parody use of Roundeye's logo? Your paragraph that begins with "Part 2" is vague and unclear. Please clarify. Did you mean "MySpace?" You wrote "myspace," and since you seem so concerned about the proper use of logos, and I suppose trademarks, you should really type "MySpace" correctly. It would be like typing "kleenex" instead of "Kleenex." Obviously. Mark, what is your last name? If you're going to write notes such as these you should have the professional courtesy of disclosing your identity. Finally, Mark, I note that you are sending these notes to me at the address posted at the top of this blog for comments. Therefore, the stupid paragraph does not apply: It states that your e-mails "and any attachments thereto, [are] intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein" (that's me) "and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information." Nope, not in any of your notes so far. "If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail," it says, and I am indeed the intended recipient, "you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail, and any attachment thereto, is strictly prohibited." So, since I am the intended recipient, I am allowed to disseminate, distribute, print or copy your e-mails - or publish them on my blog. Thanks, and kind regards. Please write again, Genius.

RELATED: Red Line Tap Bartender's Obscene Email Blast

Band Tries to Intimidate Blogger

UPDATED! Read the following, then read the followup.

Roundeye just doesn't get it. Roundeye is a rock band in Rogers Park, and they seem bound and determined to remain an obscure, amateurish band of immature punks. If they were pros, they would not have had their "booking agent" Mark send me a request to stop using their band logo on The Bench. "Mark," who doesn't give his last name, sent an email to The Bench asking me to "remove any and all Roundeye logo images" from The Bench. (Sorry, Mark, I don't want to.)

Mark's poorly crafted letter "notified" me to remove "all Roundeye logo images" from The Bench. Huh? So, other, non-logo images are okay? Perhaps Mark could advise his "client" to stop trashing the neighborhood with Roundeye stickers, applied to stop signs, phone poles, light poles, mail boxes and so forth, all of which is illegal.

Mark reminded me that I did not obtain permission to use Roundeye's badly drawn logo, and said that I must remove it because I do not own it. Apparently Mark and Roundeye don't read many magazines or newspapers, which frequently use logos to illustrate a point or to satirize or parody something or somebody. But I would expect this from poorly educated, semi-literate amateurs.

Parody and satire are protected by law, according to the "Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code":

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. [more at http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107]

Mark optimistically thanked me for my "anticipated" cooperation. Let me thank Mark in advance for his anticipated autofornication.

Dear Mark,

Have a lawyer send a request to cease and desist and I might consider it. In the meantime, Roundeye, as a rock band that seeks publicity, is a public figure and therefore subject to public criticism. The use of its logo as satire or parody is, by my understanding, permissable. I have not used their logo for financial gain. If your puny client cannot stand the heat of public criticism, Mark, then perhaps they should stop seeking the public spotlight.

Here's a question for you, Mark. Does Roundeye have written permission to use logos from the following entities on their MySpace site?:

Chicago Peace Fest; Hemp and Peace Fest; Sexfist; the Cobra Lounge; Pabst Blue Ribbon; Illinois Entertainer; WLUW; Hustler Magazine; He-Man; Warner Brothers (for use of the Tasmanian Devil image); others.

Oh, and by the way, Mark, I have half an urge to forward the obscene, unsolicited email that the idiot Brettly sent out to publicize Roundeye. I believe there may be a couple of federal and state laws that were violated by that email.

Oh, and Mark, what the hell is your last name? What kind of amateur are you that you don't use your last name, give the name of your agency, or any contact info other than your email?

UPDATED! NOW READ THE FOLLOWUP

RELATED:
Red Line Tap Bartender's Obscene Email Blast
Fair Use Network: 'Cease and Desist!' - Assessing & Responding to ...
NCAC - National Coalition Against Censorship - Parody is protected by the First Amendment, ruled the California Supreme Court, overturning a lower court...