Welcome to Five on Five, RedEye’s weekly roundup of Chicago movers, shakers and tastemakers and their snarkiest thoughts. In this edition, Chicago musicians riff on their ideal Super Bowl halftime show, ignoring political ads and songs about their favorite cities.
This week’s guests: Eryn Allen Kane, Al Scorch, Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart of Homme, and Jon Langford of the Waco Brothers and the Mekons.
Editor’s note: Panelists’ opinions are their own.
Better feeling: Finishing your album or putting on a kickass show?
Eryn Allen Kane, (new album drops Feb. 2): Kickass show.
Al Scorch (new album drops later this year): Kickass show.
Sima Cunningham, (Homme’s new album out now): Putting on a show. There’s a rush of energy, and even though I keep my eyes closed almost the whole time I feel intensely present with everyone in the room.
Macie Stewart (Homme’s new album out now): I love the feeling of finishing an album, but I would have to say playing a kickass show because there’s such an adrenaline rush.
Jon Langford (Waco Brothers’ new album drops Feb. 26): Finishing a kickass show so our bassist can dash home and toss a leg of lamb in the oven.
A Super Bowl halftime show featuring you onstage would not be complete without …
Eryn Allen Kane: … Stevie Wonder and Prince accompaniment.
Al Scorch: … mentioning the NFL’s questionable nonprofit status.
Sima Cunningham: I’d invite a free jazz trio to come take over in the middle of my set so I could do an improvised dance freak-out in the middle.
Macie Stewart: … a David Bowie hologram and a leopard-print onesie.
Jon Langford: … the release of chemical agents that make helmets, Lycra and padding disappear—second half becomes nude rugby!
Give us something positive about all these political ads on TV.
Eryn Allen Kane: I don’t have cable, so I don’t have to subject myself to any of it.
Al Scorch: Philandering lizards lying through their teeth about family values.
Sima Cunningham: Well, one time 6-year-old me and my 3-year-old brother were in one saying cute stuff about strawberries, so there can be some buried gold.
Macie Stewart: I’m positive that I don’t watch them!
Jon Langford: Netflix. (No… no… I hate that CEO because he funds the looney right-wing charter school campaign).
Write a short set of lyrics about your favorite city (rhyming optional).
Eryn Allen Kane: Oh Detroit how I love thee / I’ve only got just one plea / I’m down on bended knee / While eating this big Coney / Shouting “Will you marry me?!
Al Scorch: Whimsy whys the barrel bon / shivering the ‘morrow / piquant grackles seeping silent / buoyant ever onward
Sima Cunningham: Oh grids, how I adore you / I could almost get lost in you / But that’s impossible
Macie Stewart: Stanky onion, smelling pretty / Harold’s Chicken in my belly / Sit in traffic, road rage ready / But at least I have a car
Jon Langford: Newport oh Newport (my hometown, in Wales) the home of the vote! / We got a transporter bridge and a medieval boat
Who would play you in the movie about your life and why?
Eryn Allen Kane: Brian Fellows, the Tracy Morgan character from “SNL.” I watch a lot of nature docs, which kind of makes me an expert on animal behavior.
Al Scorch: Philip Seymour Hoffman. He is our generation’s greatest actor. RIP.
Sima Cunningham: Maybe Gaby Hoffmann. She’s awesome. I like her armpit hair. And I think she adheres to the same makeup philosophy as I do.
Macie Stewart: Tina Fey—Liz Lemon of “30 Rock” is so close to my real-life personality. Or the ghost of Audrey Hepburn; we have the same haircut.
Jon Langford: Anthony Hopkins because we are from the same village and share an interest in cannibalism.
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