 Growing up in suburbia doesn’t mean you’ll lead an uneventful and quaint life. Somewhere like Skokie, Illinois, could be the hometown of a great rock band, just as it was for Musical Outfits. Letting their surroundings mold their sound, here’s a band that can take a folk song and turn it into rock and roll. IMAGE talked to these down-to-earth guys to see what makes them a unique ensemble.
Where did you guys start playing?
MO: We all grew up in a little town called Skokie, which is like right next to Chicago. That’s where we all met, then we started venturing out into the city: Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, downtown; wherever they’d take us and let us play, we did.
How old were you guys when you started the band?
MO: We’re in our mid-20s now, so we were in our late teens, early20s, right after high school.
What’s your favorite venue to play at?
Jason: Mine was the Metro so far, because it sounded the best I’ve ever heard it sound, as far as like bass for some reason, I don’t know. There was something about it.
Jimmy: Schubas is cool too; that’s probably my favorite.
Adam: I like the Elbo Room, because it feels like a basement. It’s like in a hole, you know, it’s just dirty. But not like a bad dirty, you know a good dirty, kind of familiar.
Musically, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Adam: Everything around us. I mean our life, our situation. I hope that’s what everyone’s doing. Try to get something from what they live in.
What’s the music-writing process like?
Jason: It’s usually together.
Adam: Jimmy and I write the tunes. Usually when I write, I do words and music together. Do any of you do it this way?
Jimmy: Yeah, yeah. I write them together. Usually, Adam and I will come up with an idea and then we’ll give it to Jason and the drummer or whoever.
Jason (laughing): Whoever?
So is that a normal jam session for you guys?
Jimmy: You pick a song, you pick it apart. You play it backwards, play it sideways, and whichever way it sounds the best, you go with that.
Adam: Yea and you say ‘Hey, guys, from the top but from the bottom, again.’
Jason: Yeah and then someone will play it and then one of us will be like ‘Try this’ or ‘I heard this’ and then we all work on it. It’s a big process.
Sounds like a big process. We’re not very musically gifted.
MO (laughing): Oh, neither are we. It’s alright, man.
Describe your performances. Do you guys like to go crazy?
Jason: I don’t think I get crazy. I usually have a beer or two to loosen up.
Adam: He takes a shower right before.
Jason: I do take showers before I play, typically. I spend an abnormal amount of time in the shower.
Adam: Every time we play at the House of Blues, he uses the shower.
Jason: I do.
Jimmy: He strips down to his flip-flops and his boxers and runs straight to the shower. Jason: Hygiene is important.
We know you have a pretty big fan base in Chicago, but as far as other cities, what’s it like? Do you perform differently?
Jason: Sometimes when we’re on the road, we don’t even know where we’re sleeping that night. We just like try to go play and we’re in a smelly, sweaty van. We just try to go perform.
Adam: And believe it or not, that’s inspiration ‘cause we’re like ‘Ok, fuck, I don’t know where I’m sleeping tonight so let’s at least have fun right now.’
Adam: Yeah, here after the show, I’m going home. Out there, it’s like ‘What are you doing after the show? Uh, I don’t know; let’s, uh, hitchhike.’
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