And now the conclusion of our four-part documentary on Chicago’s the Chamber Strings.

With singer-songwriter Kevin Junior out of the picture, the remaining Strings form their own group, San Tropez, but find they lack the drive and ambition that made the Strings one of Chicago’s fastest rising and critically acclaimed bands of the new millennium. Emerging from addiction and homelessness, Junior makes his way back to Chicago to reassemble his band. Initial rehearsals and writing sessions go well and things seem to be back on track until one particularly tense band disagreement devolves into violence. Despondent and in disarray, Junior slinks off to New Orleans, the perfect choice for a recovering addict!

Continue reading GLONO Video: The Chamber Strings (Part 4 of 4) →

Chapter three picks up with Chamber Strings front man Kevin Junior suddenly without a band but with a heroin problem. Years spent bouncing from Chicago to Akron, Ohio, to Los Angeles, to Berlin to London take their toll and Junior faces the End. Along the way he passes a cast of characters from homeless poets to Nikki Sudden, in whom he finds a kindered spirit and sometime drug partner.

Hear excerpts of Kevin Junior performing several new, unrecorded Chamber Strings songs.

Continue reading GLONO Video: The Chamber Strings (Part 3 of 4) →

The second act of a three-part documentary on Chicago’s rock and roll tragedy, the Chamber Strings.

Act Two starts off with the band meeting with producer Thom Monaghan (Pernice Bros.) to record their follow-up, A Month of Sundays, which singer Kevin Junior described as “Dusty in Memphis meets All Things Must Pass.” More touring on the critical success of the album found the band reaching out to new audiences and building a fan base from Chicago to New York to San Francisco to…Boise. The band felt that they were on the verge.

“And then everything unraveled.”

Continue reading GLONO Video: The Chamber Strings (Part 2 of 4) →

Around the turn of the last century, Chicago singer-songwriter Kevin Junior finally got all that he wanted: a critically acclaimed debut album, sold out shows, and big time label interest. The Chamber Strings were Chicago’s Next Big Thing with a timeless sound, enigmatic front man, and a catalog of the catchiest songs this side of Chrissie Hynde.

As you might guess, things don’t go exactly as planned for Junior and what started months ago with a strange request for a ride back to Chicago from New Orleans ends with the reunited band and another Glorious Noise video feature directed by Whiskey Bender’s John Boston.

Part One of our three-part documentary details the formation of the band and the recording and release of their first album, Gospel Morning.

Continue reading GLONO Video: The Chamber Strings (Part 1 of 4) →