i know you're out there somewhere (and while the moody blues play in my head, i must cheer on chicago (even though the title actually refers to you, dear readers, but let's let the aside continue cuz it may just become the entry this time cuz the afterglow of seeing chicago live this week is still buzzing through my mind almost a full week later), no longer chicago transit authority for more than 40 years, 47, perhaps, but definitely still rocking even if just four original members and one original lead voice {of 3} represents)... there may never be another band like the original chicago, but the core of the current line-up has been together since 1995 so they are as tight as ever and even though nobody plays guitar like the original Terry Kath (who was considered the leader of the original band as well as best vocalist and an amazing guitarist... unfortunately, he was also an idiot who liked to play with drugs and guns and he died in 1978 by shooting himself in the head with a gun he thought was not loaded... it has been said the band never fully recovered from his death and that is why they still play most of the songs, more than half of their concert sets, from what is considered their best years... Jimi Hendrix once said of Terry Kath and Chicago, "the guitar player is better than me"), current guitarist Keith Howland, around since 1995, isn't bad... the other current lead, Jason Scheff, around since 1985, is not Peter Cetera, but does a pretty good job of emulating Peter's tenor voice on the oldies and rides the bass well...
what may be most amazing to see watching them live, as it is watching just a few other bands from the 1960's, is to see the energy in these guys as the original members approach their 70s (Robert Lamm reaches that milestone this year in October)... one of these days maybe i'll include a dozen more links cuz there are many dozens out there, but for now, i'll upload this entry smiling because chicago still makes me smile :)
| Current Line-Up Robert Lamm (1967-) Keith Howland (1995-) Jason Scheff (1985-) James Pankow (1967-) Lee Loughnane (1967-) Walter Parazaider (1967-) Tris Imboden (1990-) Lou Pardini (2009-) Walfredo Reyes, Jr.(2012-) | Instruments Keyboards, Vocals, guitar Guitar, Vocals Bass, Vocals Trombone, perc, keyboards, vocals Trumpet, guitar, perc, vocals Sax, woodwinds, back vocals Drums, percussion Keyboards, vocals Percussion | Original Line-Up Robert Lamm Terry Kath Peter Cetera James Pankow Lee Loughnane Walter Parazaider Danny Seraphine |
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