Chicago’s own Nicholas Tremulis has a long and eclectic musical history, but his work of the last few years ranks among his most fascinating and compelling.
Tremulis was signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records (home to reggae stars, Steve Winwood’s Traffic and a long list of other highly-regarded acts) in the mid-1980s; he and his large, eponymously-named group released a pair of albums before voluntarily returning to the ranks of indie musicians. Tremulis also developed a successful career lending his significant talents to the work of others, touring for a time as a blues sideman.
By 2011, Tremulis focused his energies toward expressing his own creative muse or working in collaborative situations. The 2011 self-titled EP by Candy Golde features a Midwestern supergroup: Tremulis plus Eleventh Dream Day’s Rick Rizzo, John Stirratt from Wilco and drummer Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick. Though a short set of tunes, the ten-inch vinyl “Candy Golde” showcased the great potential inherent in this musical aggregation. (There hasn’t been a follow-up.)
About a year later, Tremulis returned with “For the Babydoll,” an ambitious book-and-CD package. The CD features Tremulis and a small coterie of guests playing a widely varied set of tunes that combine the songwriter’s original vision with his appreciation for the styles of Phil Spector, John Lennon, Prince, Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott and Bruce Springsteen. The accompanying book is home to a mini-novel. Deeply idiosyncratic, “For the Babydoll” is the work of a creative artist at the peak of his powers.
Nicholas Tremulis surfaced on record again in 2014, as part of another (presumably) one-off group, the Fauntleroys. “Below the Pink Pony” deserves the supergroup tag even more than Candy Golde; working with Alejandro Escovedo, Ivan Julian and Linda Pitmon, Tremulis seems even more inspired than usual. The songs on the EP proudly survey the scuzzy side of city life (like a modern-day Velvet Underground with a sharper melodic sense), and the unvarnished production aesthetic underscores that vibe. A future full-length was hinted at, but has yet to appear.
In 2016, Tremulis reunited with Candy Golde bandmate (and now ex-Cheap Trick member) Carlos to sing and play on the drummer’s solo debut, “Greetings from Bunzuela!” Escovedo plays on that album, too, strongly suggesting that Tremulis seems comfortable in his role as part of a loose federation of like-minded artists who get together when the mood and muse strike them, and don’t when it doesn’t.
With a significant catalog from which to draw, it’s anybody’s guess what kind of a collection of songs Tremulis will present at SPACE. But it’s guaranteed to be compelling, edgy, energetic, sophisticated and earthy, all at the same time.
July 20, 8pm at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, (847)492-8860; $20-$30.
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. His more than 2,500 interviews, essays, and reviews reflect Bill’s keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill’s work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues, and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian “Cannonball” Adderley’s final album. His first book, “Reinventing Pink Floyd,” is due from Rowman & Littlefield in February 2018.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
