GARAGE | Miles Raymer
Alex and Francis recruited Medearis to contribute vocals and 12-string electric guitar, and the new trio, calling itself Righteous Love, recorded three songs that combine the kind of fuzzed-out garage pop that the Whites and Medearis usually play with elements pulled straight from vintage gospel albums. The churchy part of their sound might surprise you, but it’s not actually a left turn for the musicians. “Me and Alex used to be in that band Headspacer together a few years ago,” says Medearis. “When we first started, me and her would jam out on like Staple Singers—’Wade in the Water,’ songs like that. For years we were talking about doing a gospel project together.”
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A native of the Cleveland area, Billington, 25, moved to Chicago seven years ago to attend DePaul and has become a fixture on the experimental scene. “I’ve always been a percussionist who heavily relies on others to write music or improvise,” he says. “I guess that’s what going ‘solo’ is all about, but after playing music for 13 years I’d never tried. [Quicksails] is also my first attempt at recording my own music.” As a producer Billington deftly mixes synths and samplers with voice, flute, and percussion.
Who knows if Sandifer actually said that, but either way he loved the idea. “There’s nothing that speaks to youth and energy like pizza and partying,” he says. One Man Pizza Party has gotten nods from outlets like trendy label-slash-clothing company Mishka and Chicago-based hip-hop site Ruby Hornet, which is also hosting One Man Pizza Party 2. And the new mix won’t exist only on the Internet: Sandifer will give away CD copies of OMPP 2 at his release show at Reggie’s Rock Club on Fri 1/13.
