John Bellows “Fast Hits” LP, John Bellows & Lee Relvas “Second Nature” b/w Traveller’s Shoes”

(Special Needs) Years ago a Chicago journalist declared Paul, the M.O.T.O. guy, to be one of Chicago’s only geniuses. This was based mostly on his infallible pop sensibilities, but I assumed also because of his drive and ability to bring his ideas to life despite no budget/support system. I felt weird reading that bold declaration but I could not deny it. Alas, Paul moved out of Chicago. Now I will be the bold one to declare JOHN BELLOWS IS ONE OF CHICAGO’S ONLY GENIUSES! By releasing a couple of no-fi, mostly home recorded LPs, the new one being even better than the first, and putting on some rare but racous live shows, he has emerged as one of our true talents, his esoteric catchy songs packing emotional weight despite their oddness (during a summer gig as a music teacher at Jewish day camp the campers called him “Weird John”). The 45 features a dramatic, borderline country song written for a film soundtrack and it shows he may have a future in cabaret theater. But I bet even the drag performers call him Weird John.