Ike Reilly

{{short description|American musician (born 1963)}} {{COI|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Ike Reilly | image = IkeReilly-MercuryLounge July15.JPG | caption = Reilly (front) performing at the [[Mercury Lounge]] in [[New York City]] on July 16, 2015 | image_size = 250px | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Michael Christopher Reilly | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|12|27|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Naval Station Great Lakes]] | death_date = | origin = [[Libertyville, Illinois]], United States | instrument = [[Guitar]], [[harmonica]], [[Singing|vocals]] | genre = [[Folk rock]], [[alternative rock]], [[Acoustic music|acoustic rock]], [[anti-folk]] | occupation = [[Musician]], [[songwriter]] | years_active = 1992–present | label = [[Rock Ridge Music]], [[Universal Records]] | associated_acts = [[Ike Reilly Assassination]], [[The Drovers]], [[Tom Morello]], [[Mars Williams]], [[Phil Karnats]], [[Mickey Petralia]] | website = {{URL|http://www.ikereilly.com/}} }}

'''Michael Christopher "Ike" Reilly''' (born December 27, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and writer as well as frontman and founder of the [[rock music|rock]] band the Ike Reilly Assassination.<ref name="The Daily Herald"/><ref name="Chicago Tribune"/> He started his music career with various rock bands near his hometown of [[Libertyville, Illinois]], playing guitar for groups such as [[The Drovers]] in the late 1980s. After working for a time in music production, in 2001 he released his debut solo album through [[Universal Records]].

Afterwards, Reilly released several albums with The Ike Reilly Assassination, including the well-received ''[[Sparkle in the Finish]]'' in 2004, through [[Rock Ridge Music]]. He released his eighth album of solo material, ''Crooked Love'', in May 2018. According to Mario Mesquita Borges of [[Allmusic]], "Reilly has followed a trail separate from most of today's singer/songwriters -- unlike other such artists, Reilly prefers the harshness of intrepid rocking riffs, sustained by ingenious melodies and exalting words."<ref name="cikerelly"/> [[David Carr (journalist)|David Carr]] of the [[New York Times]] said: "Ike Reilly is a kind of natural resource, mined from the bedrock of music. All the values that make rock important to people—storytelling, melody, rage, laughter—are part and parcel of every Ike Reilly show I have ever seen."<ref name="citypages"/>

==Early life and education== Michael Christopher Reilly was born at the United States Naval Hospital, [[Naval Station Great Lakes]] in Illinois. He was raised in nearby [[Libertyville, Illinois|Libertyville]], where he<ref name="americanshow"/> graduated from [[Libertyville High School]],{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} known for notable alumni [[Marlon Brando]] and [[Tom Morello]]<ref name="rollingstonea"/> and excelled in [[cross country running]].{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} It was in middle school that he started writing songs and became adept at playing the harmonica, booking his first paying gig at age 13.<ref name="The Daily Herald"/> Reilly learned to play guitar while working at Ascension Catholic Cemetery, a job he held every summer through high school and college. He started by cutting the grass, and then moved on to digging graves.<ref name="Chicago Reader99"/> Following high school, Reilly attended [[Marquette University]] in [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] where he majored in [[Theology]] and enrolled in the Marine Corps. officer training school.<ref name="Chicago Reader99"/>

==Music career==

===First groups (1990s)=== Reilly formed his first band, Captain Budget and the Loan Sharks, while a student at [[Marquette University]]. After graduating, he moved to Chicago and formed a band called the Eisenhowers. Reilly dropped the M from his first name and officially became known as Ike.<ref name="The Daily Herald"/> He quit the Eisenhowers to join [[The Drovers]], a Celtic rock band active in Chicago. He subsequently founded the band Community 9,<ref name="cikerelly"/> with bandmates such as [[Mars Williams]] ([[Liquid Soul]], [[The Psychedelic Furs]], [[The Waitresses]]) [[Phil Karnats]] ([[Secret Machines]], [[Tripping Daisy]]), and Aidan O'Toole (The Muck Brothers).<ref name="Chicago Tribune"/> In 1989, though still pursuing music, Reilly took a job at the [[Park Hyatt Chicago]], where he remained until the hotel was torn down. He was the recipient of the “Employee of the Year” award by [[Hyatt Hotel]] just before his tenure at the hotel ended.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} He decided to retire from music in the early 1990s.

===''Salesmen and Racists'' (1997–2003)=== Reilly pursued alternate paths after leaving his work at the Hyatt, becoming a freelance production assistant and, in 1997, opened the Diamond City recording studio with engineer Blaise Barton. He continued to write songs and started recording them with engineer Ed Tinley.<ref name="Chicago Reader99"/> After taking a musical hiatus, Reilly continued to write songs and started recording in 1998 with engineer Ed Tinley, who had worked with [[Liz Phair]], [[Smashing Pumpkins]], and [[R. Kelly]]. “This marked the first time Reilly recorded without a band, depending more on samples and loops, starting with an acoustic take and then "building the song out."<ref name="Chicago Reader99"/> Those demo tapes caught the attention of several high-profile music industry veterans such as [[Mike Simpson]] of the [[Dust Brothers]]. A month later Reilly signed a recording contract with [[Universal Republic Records]], where he released his critically acclaimed debut album ''Salesmen And Racists'' in 2001. It featured guest credits from artists such as [[Mickey Petralia]].<ref name="cikerelly"/> Reilly parted ways with Universal in 2003,{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} and since been releasing music on [[Rock Ridge Music]].<ref name="cikerelly"/>

===Albums with backing band (2004–2007)=== [[File:The Ike Reilly Assassination 2010.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Ike Reilly Assassination 2010. Reilly is far left.]] Reilly soon began recording music with the backing band The Ike Reilly Assassination. The group released their first album as a group, ''[[Sparkle in the Finish]]'', in 2004. Allmusic described it as "pure rock & roll swagger"<ref name="cikerelly"/> and gave the album a glowing review and a score of 4.5/5, praising the songwriting, performance, and variety of rock sounds.<ref name="gbredinf"/> Their next album, ''Junkie Faithful'' in 2004, was described as adopting "a dry-humored, [[Nick Lowe]]/[[Chuck Prophet]]-inspired style of pop/rock."<ref name="cikerelly"/> The Ike Reilly Assassination became well known by fans of the Chicago improv duo [[David Pasquesi|TJ and Dave]], who start each show with the original Ike Reilly song "I Don't Want What You Got (Goin On)" off of ''Sparkle in the Finish'', among other tracks.<ref name="blurtonlinepodcat"/> The band's 2007 album '' We Belong to the Staggering Evening'' was described as "soulful, blues-tinged."<ref name="cikerelly"/>

===''Hard Luck Stories'' and ''Born on Fire'' (2008–2015)=== In 2008 Reilly again released an album under his own name, naming the two-disc compilation of "odds and ends" ''Poison the Hit Parade.''<ref name="cikerelly"/> This was followed by his album ''Hard Luck Stories'' in 2009.<ref name="cikerelly"/> After the release of his sixth album, Reilly spent two years working on a pilot for the [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] channel called ''Where's My Goddamn Medicine?'', though the pilot was ultimately not picked up. Afterwards, he began working on new material with the Ike Reilly Assassination.<ref name="ikeraztribune"/>

After a five-year gap, Reilly's seventh studio album ''[[Born on Fire]]'' was released in June 2015, again through Rock Ridge Music. The release was a joint venture with and the debut release for [[Tom Morello]]'s new Firebrand Records.<ref name="rollingstonea"/><ref name="blurtonlineborn"/> John Ellis of ''[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]]'' gave it a glowing review, praising the style and describing it as an "ode to a time when rock and roll was rock and roll...Ike Reilly has crafted an album that weaves in and out of the great epochs of rock."<ref name="ikeraynodepress"/> [[Popmatters]] wrote that "Reilly’s sonic indelibility only remains second fiddle to his astounding ability to craft a personal story and envelop it in song,"<ref name="ikeraxpopa"/> while ''[[American Songwriter]]'' gave it 4/5 stars, calling it "pure, unaffected and raw" and praising his "skewed, dry, self-effacing humor."<ref name="ikerawsongwriter"/>

=== ''Crooked Love'' (2018)=== On May 18, Reilly released "Crooked Love." Reilly told The Current, "I don't have an iron-clad mind, but I remember people, you know. Who they are and what they're about. And then I steal their souls and stories. I act like I like them. And then I suck everything I can out of them."<ref name="current">"Robert R. McCormick," ''Current Biography 1941'', pp. 545-47.</ref><ref name="TheCurrent"/>

==Style and influences== Stated guitarist [[Tom Morello]] in June 2015, "In my view, he's one of the best American songwriters of the last 10 years, both in delivery and lyrics. It's, like, part [[Bruce Springsteen|Springsteen]], part [[The Replacements (band)|Replacements]].<ref name="rollingstonea"/> According to Mario Mesquita Borges of [[Allmusic]], "Reilly has followed a trail separate from most of today's singer/songwriters – unlike other such artists, Reilly prefers the harshness of intrepid rocking riffs, sustained by ingenious melodies and exalting words."<ref name="cikerelly"/>

==Personal life== Reilly continues to live in his hometown of [[Libertyville, Illinois|Libertyville]] with his family.<ref name="americanshow"/>

==The Ike Reilly Assassination lineup== ; ;Current members *Ike Reilly<ref name="aboutlineu"/> (2000–present) – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar *Dave Cottini<ref name="aboutlineu"/> (2000–present) – drums, lead background vocals *Phil Karnats<ref name="aboutlineu"/> (2000–present) – electric guitar *Pete Cimbalo<ref name="aboutlineu"/> – bass, backing vocals *Adam Krier<ref name="aboutlineu"/> – piano, backing vocals

; ;Previous and rotating members *Tommy O’Donnell – Bapo, guitar *Ed Tinley (2000–present) – guitar, piano

==Discography==

===Albums=== {| class="sortable wikitable" |- |+ Full-length albums by Ike Reilly ! Yr !! Title !! Label !! Release details |-

|2001 || ''Salesmen and Racists'' || [[Universal Records]] || |- |2004 || ''[[Sparkle in the Finish]]'' (with The Ike Reilly Assassination) || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |- |rowspan="1"| 2005 || ''Junkie Faithful'' (with The Ike Reilly Assassination) || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |- | 2007 || ''We Belong to the Staggering Evening'' (with The Ike Reilly Assassination) || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |- | 2009 || ''Hard Luck Stories'' || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |- | 2015 || ''[[Born on Fire]]'' || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]]/[[Tom Morello|Firebrand]]||CD, vinyl, digital - [[I Am Chris Farley]] Soundtrack |- | 2018 || ''Crooked Love'' || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |- | 2021 || ''Because the Angels'' || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || |-

===EPs=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Label !! Release details |-

|rowspan="1"| 2005 || ''The B-Sides'' (with The Ike Reilly Assassination) || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || B-Sides From ''Sparkle in the Finish'' / Digital only |-

| 2006 || ''The Last Demonstration'' (with The Ike Reilly Assassination) || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || Digital only |- |}

===Compilations=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Label !! Release details |-

| 2008 ||''Poison The Hit Parade'' || [[Rock Ridge Music|Rock Ridge]] || B-Sides/Outtakes |- |}

==See also== {{Portal|Rock music}} *[[List of singer-songwriters]]

==References== {{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="aboutlineu">{{cite web|url=http://www.ikereilly.com/about/|website=ikereilly.com|title= About}}</ref>

<ref name="blurtonlinepodcat">{{cite news | url=http://blurtonline.com/2009/10/its-the-ike-reilly-podcastination/ | title=It's The Ike Reilly Podcastination! | publisher=blurtonline.com | date=2009 | access-date=October 14, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="gbredinf">{{cite news | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sparkle-in-the-finish-mw0000141021 | title=Sparkle in the Finish | publisher=[[Allmusic]] | date=October 12, 2004 | access-date=October 14, 2015| last=D. Luerssen | first=John}}</ref>

<ref name="americanshow">{{cite web|url=http://americanamusicshow.com/episode259|title= Americana Music Show #259 (interview)|date=August 11, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="The Daily Herald">{{cite news|last1=Hess|first1=Corrinne|title=A Rebel Rocker|url=http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=126149|access-date=March 30, 2015|date= May 2, 2008|ref=DH}}</ref>

<ref name="Chicago Reader99">{{cite news|last1=Pappu|first1=Sridhar|title=Rocker's Revenge|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/rockers-revenge/Content?oid=901096|access-date=March 30, 2015|date=December 23, 1999|ref=CR}}</ref>

<ref name="Chicago Tribune">{{cite news|title=Ike Reilly: Community (no.) 9|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/12/11/ike-reilly-community-no-9/|access-date=March 31, 2015|date=December 11, 1999|ref=CT}}</ref>

<ref name="blurtonlineborn">{{cite news | url=http://blurtonline.com/review/ike-reilly-born-on-fire/ | title=Born On Fire | publisher=blurtonline.com | date=2015 | access-date=October 14, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="rollingstonea">{{cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/tom-morello-unleashes-rebel-music-label-firebrand-records-first-song-20150604?page=2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607175318/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/tom-morello-unleashes-rebel-music-label-firebrand-records-first-song-20150604?page=2 | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 7, 2015 | title=Tom Morello Unleashes 'Rebel Music' Label Firebrand Records' First Song | date=June 4, 2015 | access-date=October 5, 2015 | last=Grow | first=Kory | newspaper=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ikerawsongwriter">{{cite news | url=https://www.americansongwriter.com/2015/06/ike-reilly-born-fire/ | title=Ike Reilly: Born On Fire | date=June 16, 2015 | access-date=October 5, 2015| last=Horowitz | first=Hal | newspaper=[[American Songwriter]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ikeraxpopa">{{cite news | url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/195165-ike-reilly-born-on-fire/ | title=Ike Reilly: Born On Fire | date=July 17, 2015 | access-date=October 5, 2015| last=Frahm | first=Jonathan | newspaper=[[Popmatters]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ikeraynodepress">{{cite news | url=http://nodepression.com/album-review/born-fire-ike-reilly | title=Born on Fire - Ike Reilly | date=June 22, 2015 | access-date=October 5, 2015| last=Ellis | first=John | newspaper=[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]]}}</ref>

<ref name="cikerelly">{{cite news | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ike-reilly-mn0000100810/biography | title=Ike Reilly Biography and Discography | publisher=[[Allmusic]] | access-date=October 14, 2015 | last=Mesquita Borges | first=Mario}}</ref>

<ref name="ikeraztribune">{{cite news | url=http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-83865271/ | title=Ike Reilly's new album explains why he can't run for Libertyville mayor | date=June 25, 2015 | access-date=2015-10-05 | last=Loerzel | first=Robert | newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>

<ref name="citypages">{{cite news | url=http://www.citypages.com/promotions/free-stuff/enter-to-win-2-tickets-to-the-ike-reilly-assassination-with-the-twilight-hours-and-flamin-ohs/456125323#// | title=The Ike Reilly Assassination with the Twilight Hours and Flamin' Oh's | newspaper=[[City Pages]]}}</ref>

<ref name="TheCurrent">{{cite news | url=https://blog.thecurrent.org/2018/05/ike-reilly-talks-about-his-new-album-icehouse-residency-and-unique-connection-to-the-twin-cities/ | title=Ike Reilly talks about his new album, Icehouse residency, and unique connection to the Twin Cities | publisher=[[KCMP]] | date=May 9, 2018| access-date=June 22, 2018| last=Swensson | first=Andrea}}</ref> }}

== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}} *[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoaDK2W6vNoqW6lUT7eTzjg Ike Reilly] on [[YouTube]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reilly, Ike}} [[Category:American indie rock musicians]] [[Category:People from Libertyville, Illinois]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Rock Ridge Music artists]] [[Category:1963 births]]