By day, Ike Reilly is a 42-year-old family man from the Chicago suburbs; by night, he verbally scribbles edgy, funny screeds on pretty much whatever he can: social injustice, the music industry, empties, jokers and, occasionally, girls.
But for all the tangled lyricism within – “Take the vulgar boatmen and the drunken showmen and the Willy Lomans of rock ‘n’ roll, and put ‘em on a ship,” Reilly cackles in The Boat Song (We’re Getting Loaded) - there’s a tangible big-rock joy always floating around in there. “[Music is] my total lifestyle now,” Reilly said. “Six years ago, it was ‘Boy, it’d be cool to be able to do this.’ Well, now we’re doing it.”
An interview with the tricky Chicago wordsmith.
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