(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.
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