Happened Yesterday! Article at bottom of post!
Some background about both Peterik & Ron Onesti (runs Des Plaines IL Theater). My recollections are long and detailed. Sorry if I went too long. LOL!! Both are acquaintances I have met several times:
1- Onesti - I know a bit better than Peterik. Onesti has run and remodeled Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL, now a concert venue we've visited SO MANY TIMES! Opened Des Plaines Theater in Des Plaines, IL, now another concert venue. Ron is a great guy and has it together!! Also constantly, as he also runs an Italian-American league around Chicagoland, interviewed in that capacity often on Chicago TV. When does he sleep?!?
He comped us tix for Bill Champlin, Danny Seraphine and Donnie Dacus, formerly of Chicago (band). Sadly, we didn't make it. Instead, 2 hours before show, "take me to Hospital E/R." Seven years ago, it was a major heart attack w/NO PERMANENT DAMAGE. I spent two solid weeks in Cardiac E/R. Congenital (at birth) and my first heart attach at 63! Wanted badly to see show, but prudence prevailed! Anyway, we missed it and wasted tix. Grateful to Onesti for comp, anyhow. But, I'M STILL STANDING, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Shows we saw at Arcada:
Chicago Blues Reunion (I have a signed, framed poster by all of them) w/Nick Gravenites, Barry Goldberg, Sugar Blue, Corky Siegel & more. I grew up w/Gravenites' cousin. Got to meet him briefly, too! Good Show!
We had seen these other acts at Arcada, Tower of Power (KILLER!!), Stryper, Crystal Gayle, Bee Gees COVER GROUP & Salsoul Orchestra cover band (wow!) & many more! We are also holding tix for both David Clayton-Thomas and Johnny Rivers (2 separate shows) at Arcada. We had bought tix to 20 different shows in 2020, though ALL BUT ONE in FEBRUARY GOT CANCELED and were refunded. Covid. WE DID NOT ASK FOR NOR GET A REFUND ON TWO OF ONEST I'S SHOWS: Those two will be(?) rescheduled at Arcada. We will rearrange our schedules if needed. Still, wouldn't have had tix refunded. GREAT SEATS, which we didn't give up to ask for refunds. Onesti IS ATTEMPTING to reschedule. We know him, though one of our close friends is closer to Onesti than we are. Other friend used to sell guitars and plays them WELL! Knows everybody in Chicago Rock Community, including Onesti! Besides, I know where to find Onesti. LOL!!
2- Peterik - Have met Peterik a couple times. Good friends w/a hi-fi coworker. Would stop by to say hi when in town. Great guy, same ethnicity as I, and we're both from the OLD Neighborhood.
Peterik and the Ides had a single out on Parrot (US London Records label). Stiffed. Still in high school, they were playing FREE GIGS in the parking lot of Cermak Plaza in Berwyn. Think of Wayne's World Car Kabob, added to parking lot in the 70's! They went to Morton West HS behind the plaza! Caught the Ides live when they were NOBODY'S! Parrot single released several years before Vehicle.
My fave Ides song is autobiographical: LA Goodbye. They mention Berwyn, though not by name. Referred to as "the west side of Chicago."
He was also in Survivor. Likely bought his HUGE guitar collection with royalties. My friend who also knows Onesti, also knows Peterik well. Has been to Peterik's home! This collection is world class and my friend, an accomplished guitarist, was duly impressed. LEGENDARY.
A couple more Peterik tidbits: He was instrumental in organizing the oldies review yesterday. The revue was broadcast and produced by WTTW (PBS Chicago) and again nationally on PBS. Cornerstones of Rock: American Garage. Most were local acts that had national hits. Ides, Buckinghams, Cryan' Shames, Rick Derringer (from Ohio), American Breed (RIP GARY LOIZZO - AB lead singer (Bend Me, Shape Me & late owner of Pumpkin Studios), Shadows of Knight, featuring Jimy Sohns RIP & Dartanyan Brown, who worked with Peterik in Chase.
Peterik wrote "Boys and Girls Together" on the 1st Chase album. Also sang and wrote the two vocals on Chase's Pure Music album. Both were released in Quad, and rereleased on Quad SACD. If you haven't seen the TV show from a few years back, WATCH IT!
BTW: same friend of mine organized a fundraiser for Sohns to help him pay hospital bills a year or two before Sohns passed!
Here's one Peterik solo project no one bought but me. LOL!! Has a few KILLER tracks few have heard. Peterik released a 2 CD version a few years ago. Bought that and have original Epic LP. Cover pic in his Berwyn (IL) Bungalow living room in '76. Berwyn is mostly bungalows and two flats!
"What's a BERWYN???" - longtime TV host: Rich Koz (aka Son of Svengoolie.) My late Dad was friends w/Rich's Dad. Most people around Chicago knows this "stupid saying," but it's so stupid that it caught lots of funny bones around Chicago. Local "in" joke!
Fave tracks from Don't Fight:
Last Tango - (NOT Gato Barbieri track. Caught him live, too) "HEY!!" - Barbieri RIP. My fave track off Don't Fight. Also released as a 45. Not found on You Tube, sorry.
Naugahyde Heart (also on 45, lyrics not friendly for WLS AM in '76!):
https://www.discogs.com/release/5403450-Jim-Peterik-Dont-Fight-The-Feeling
https://chicagousnewsnow.info/ides-...es-plaines-everything-is-expected-to-be-okay/
Some background about both Peterik & Ron Onesti (runs Des Plaines IL Theater). My recollections are long and detailed. Sorry if I went too long. LOL!! Both are acquaintances I have met several times:
1- Onesti - I know a bit better than Peterik. Onesti has run and remodeled Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL, now a concert venue we've visited SO MANY TIMES! Opened Des Plaines Theater in Des Plaines, IL, now another concert venue. Ron is a great guy and has it together!! Also constantly, as he also runs an Italian-American league around Chicagoland, interviewed in that capacity often on Chicago TV. When does he sleep?!?
He comped us tix for Bill Champlin, Danny Seraphine and Donnie Dacus, formerly of Chicago (band). Sadly, we didn't make it. Instead, 2 hours before show, "take me to Hospital E/R." Seven years ago, it was a major heart attack w/NO PERMANENT DAMAGE. I spent two solid weeks in Cardiac E/R. Congenital (at birth) and my first heart attach at 63! Wanted badly to see show, but prudence prevailed! Anyway, we missed it and wasted tix. Grateful to Onesti for comp, anyhow. But, I'M STILL STANDING, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Shows we saw at Arcada:
Chicago Blues Reunion (I have a signed, framed poster by all of them) w/Nick Gravenites, Barry Goldberg, Sugar Blue, Corky Siegel & more. I grew up w/Gravenites' cousin. Got to meet him briefly, too! Good Show!
We had seen these other acts at Arcada, Tower of Power (KILLER!!), Stryper, Crystal Gayle, Bee Gees COVER GROUP & Salsoul Orchestra cover band (wow!) & many more! We are also holding tix for both David Clayton-Thomas and Johnny Rivers (2 separate shows) at Arcada. We had bought tix to 20 different shows in 2020, though ALL BUT ONE in FEBRUARY GOT CANCELED and were refunded. Covid. WE DID NOT ASK FOR NOR GET A REFUND ON TWO OF ONEST I'S SHOWS: Those two will be(?) rescheduled at Arcada. We will rearrange our schedules if needed. Still, wouldn't have had tix refunded. GREAT SEATS, which we didn't give up to ask for refunds. Onesti IS ATTEMPTING to reschedule. We know him, though one of our close friends is closer to Onesti than we are. Other friend used to sell guitars and plays them WELL! Knows everybody in Chicago Rock Community, including Onesti! Besides, I know where to find Onesti. LOL!!
2- Peterik - Have met Peterik a couple times. Good friends w/a hi-fi coworker. Would stop by to say hi when in town. Great guy, same ethnicity as I, and we're both from the OLD Neighborhood.
Peterik and the Ides had a single out on Parrot (US London Records label). Stiffed. Still in high school, they were playing FREE GIGS in the parking lot of Cermak Plaza in Berwyn. Think of Wayne's World Car Kabob, added to parking lot in the 70's! They went to Morton West HS behind the plaza! Caught the Ides live when they were NOBODY'S! Parrot single released several years before Vehicle.
My fave Ides song is autobiographical: LA Goodbye. They mention Berwyn, though not by name. Referred to as "the west side of Chicago."
He was also in Survivor. Likely bought his HUGE guitar collection with royalties. My friend who also knows Onesti, also knows Peterik well. Has been to Peterik's home! This collection is world class and my friend, an accomplished guitarist, was duly impressed. LEGENDARY.
A couple more Peterik tidbits: He was instrumental in organizing the oldies review yesterday. The revue was broadcast and produced by WTTW (PBS Chicago) and again nationally on PBS. Cornerstones of Rock: American Garage. Most were local acts that had national hits. Ides, Buckinghams, Cryan' Shames, Rick Derringer (from Ohio), American Breed (RIP GARY LOIZZO - AB lead singer (Bend Me, Shape Me & late owner of Pumpkin Studios), Shadows of Knight, featuring Jimy Sohns RIP & Dartanyan Brown, who worked with Peterik in Chase.
Peterik wrote "Boys and Girls Together" on the 1st Chase album. Also sang and wrote the two vocals on Chase's Pure Music album. Both were released in Quad, and rereleased on Quad SACD. If you haven't seen the TV show from a few years back, WATCH IT!
BTW: same friend of mine organized a fundraiser for Sohns to help him pay hospital bills a year or two before Sohns passed!
Here's one Peterik solo project no one bought but me. LOL!! Has a few KILLER tracks few have heard. Peterik released a 2 CD version a few years ago. Bought that and have original Epic LP. Cover pic in his Berwyn (IL) Bungalow living room in '76. Berwyn is mostly bungalows and two flats!
"What's a BERWYN???" - longtime TV host: Rich Koz (aka Son of Svengoolie.) My late Dad was friends w/Rich's Dad. Most people around Chicago knows this "stupid saying," but it's so stupid that it caught lots of funny bones around Chicago. Local "in" joke!
Fave tracks from Don't Fight:
Last Tango - (NOT Gato Barbieri track. Caught him live, too) "HEY!!" - Barbieri RIP. My fave track off Don't Fight. Also released as a 45. Not found on You Tube, sorry.
Naugahyde Heart (also on 45, lyrics not friendly for WLS AM in '76!):
https://www.discogs.com/release/5403450-Jim-Peterik-Dont-Fight-The-Feeling
https://chicagousnewsnow.info/ides-...es-plaines-everything-is-expected-to-be-okay/
