Chicago in 2009: so much to answer for. Not only are the Cubs and White Sox tagged to have impressive 2009 campaigns in the glorious world of Major League Baseball, but the Blackhawks have finally become a real hockey team and the Bulls almost pulled off a major upset in the “Association.” Before I get too excited and head off to McChuggigan’s S.B.A.G. (Sports Bar and Grill) to ogle skimped-out cougars and future wait-staff lifers while I mainline draft Bud and Jager in my Manny dreads, I should first take a reality pill and get my bearings. If this were Sports, I would have come up with a half-assed Huey Lewis-inspired headline. But this is rock ‘n’ roll, dammit, and for eight years, Chicago-based Chin Up Chin Up have mastercrafted their truly unique version of it. On May 15, the band will play their final gig after recently deciding to hang up their spurs for good.
Having no discernable talent whatsoever, I am unsure how ex-bands spend their time. Scrapbooking circles? Mahjongg? Investment banking? Whatever the future holds for the members of Chin Up Chin Up they can rest easy knowing they left behind a two-album legacy marked by dazzling, contorted avant-rock bliss (We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers, Flameshovel Records, 2004, and This Harness Can’t Ride Anything, Suicide Squeeze, 2006 [TMT Review]). We reached out to singer/guitarist Jeremy Bolen to get his reflections on the decision to break up, the final show, and future plans.
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We might as well start with the most obvious question...what prompted the end to the band and why now? And am I going to be able to pull out either the "amicable split" or "musical differences" cliché?
Well the band has really been inactive for quite a while now. I think musical differences could be part of it, but more than anything it just suddenly felt like it was time. I really never in my wildest dreams imagined it ending at any point but things just weren't progressing in a very positive way. Everyone approaches things differently and I personally was not into how some of the members were approaching things in general. Being part of any kind of creative outlet should be fun, and when it becomes a job, well, then you kind of have to rethink where it’s all going. CUCU was the main priority in our lives for 5 years or so, we spent all of our time and energy on it, and for me at least, I wanted to get back to other parts of my life. I think this is true for everyone. We were all fine with just letting the band linger in hiatus but when Greg (Sharp, CUCU keyboardist) told me he was moving in June, it just seemed like it would be good to have some closure. I was fairly confident the band really was never going to do anything again. Our last show was a shitty street fair, and no one should go out like that.
What’s next for all of you?
Greg is moving to State College, PA where he is going to attend Penn State to get his Ph.D in Sociology. It’s a pretty amazing thing and I am super proud of him. At some point you will have to call him Dr. Sharp. Chris (Dye) is playing drums in a band called Speck Mountain. Nathan (Snydacker, guitar) has a daughter who is six months old or so, and I think that is his main focus at this point. I am spending the majority of my time concentrating on photography and also Vacations (Bolen, Sharp, and Bobby Burg). Jesse (Woghin, bass) is working at The Onion and playing in, like, 12 bands (Ghost Jeans, Shrimpsss, and Hardy Mums to name a few).
Will Vacations remain a "side project" to other future music outlets?
We never really meant Vacations to be a side project. It is something we try not to take too seriously because at this point I think that’s how we feel a band should be. We work hard though, so there’s a difference really. It think a lot of bands are playing office half the time. We're just not interested in that rat race anymore. We will be stepping things up a bunch this summer -- a tour in August, and recording a new record in October.
Is it with a sense of relief or sadness that you guys are ending the band? Are you looking forward to having Chin Up Chin Up behind you and starting a new chapter, so to speak?
I don't think a relief would be the right word... we’ve been practicing the last few weeks for the show and yeah, I get a little sentimental and sad. We have been though a ton together. Closure is always nice. I guess I am just happy that we can pull this off and that we’re all on good enough terms to play together still. We have been insanely lucky and really accomplished far more than I ever thought we would. My 16-year-old self is way psyched. That said, I think we have all already moved on, and that feels good.
Did you guys toy with the idea of doing a full farewell tour or has it always been a one-off Last Waltz type of thing?
Wow, I really wish we could pull off something as great as The Last Waltz. No, we never really talked about a full tour. We toyed with doing a New York show, and I still would love to, but it just never came together.
For fans of the band, The Empty Bottle venue brings up immediate and possibly uncomfortable memories, considering its association with Chris' death (note: original bassist Chris Saathoff was killed in a hit-and-run accident after a show at the club on February 14, 2004). Did the band's history with the club come into play when deciding where to book the final hoorah or was The Bottle an obvious choice?
The Bottle, for better or worse, has been our home venue from the beginning, so there was really no question on that at all. It’s where we basically started and where we have always hung out. As far as Chris, as always we kind of see it as a celebration of his life. It will be nice to play some songs we wrote together one last time.
What can fans expect you to play for the final show?
We’re going to play our favorite songs from the last 6 years, and hopefully everything people want to hear.
How will you look back at your time spent in the band and how do you think Chin Up Chin Up will be remembered?
Although it’s kind of a blur, it’s been something I wouldn't trade for anything. I guess you always kind of hope that you will be remembered in some way... but it’s not really something I'm thinking of or really concerned about now.
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The end of the road:
05.15.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle #
# Tight Phantomz, Sleep Out, Rain Delay Theatre
[Photo: Chris Strong]
