A Hall of Fame homecoming for Chicago drummer
This Saturday night, July 30, 2016, Danny Seraphine, original drummer and founding member of the supergroup "Chicago," comes back to his hometown for his first performance here since his 2016 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He will be joined by former Chicago band members Bill Champlin and Donnie Dacus, and backed by his truly incredible band, California Transit Authority from Los Angeles. The Arcada Theatre is proud to host his official homecoming, and the night will be a salute to the music of Chicago like none other.
For so many years the fans have clamored for this moment that Chicago was inducted (me being one of them), and justifiably so. According to Billboard, Chicago was the leading U.S. singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 40 million units in the U.S., with 23 gold, 18 platinum, and eight multiplatinum albums. Over the course of their career they have had five No. 1 albums and 21 Top 10 singles. The band is second only to The Beach Boys with singles and album-charting success, and is still performing over one hundred shows a year!
Aside from being one of my all-time favorite groups, I am doubly excited about its induction because it represents The Windy City, an underrated contributor to the development of popular music. Cheap Trick was also selected to be inducted this year and although the band is originally from Rockford, we will claim them as Chicago's own. So that's a big score for us because so few Chicagoans have been invited into the inner sanctum of the Rock Hall. Aside from Buddy Guy, you would have to dig deep to find others. I could give you an hour on the subject of Chicago based bands that dramatically influenced popular culture, but that's a whole different column!
As I entered eighth grade, my buddy turned me on to a group that was "kinda like" the smooth rock of The Beach Boys. It was called "Chicago," which by virtue of its name I already thought was cool. The band formed in 1967, so by the time I found out about them, they already had eight albums out including a mammoth four-record live set recorded at Carnegie Hall. The 1975 Greatest Hits album cover featured a bunch of guys on a falling scaffold holding on for dear life in front of a halfway-painted "Chicago" logo on a building. "Chicago IX" featured popular radio hits including "Beginnings," "25 or 6 to 4," "Make Me Smile," "Feelin' Stronger Every Day," "Saturday In The Park" and other smashes. "Colour My World" was the first song I ever asked a girl to slow dance to. Catchy songs with power horns … Now THAT was music, and those were memories!
Just as I wore the grooves of that album down by constant overplaying while singing into a hairbrush, the band's next album was released. The band's 1976 "Chicago X" album was a logoed chocolate bar exposed by a peeled-back wrapper and featured more great songs. After a "tragic" breakup between myself and that towering vixen in the summer after grammar school graduation, the power ballad "If You Leave Me Now" really resonated, and Chicago continued to be "my" band.
Tragedy hit the group in 1978 when its guitarist, Terry Kath was killed by an accidental, self-inflicted gun wound. Despite this devastating blow to the band, its fans and the international music world in general, the guys bounced back, in Kath's honor. Donnie Dacus joined the group, not in an attempt to fill Kath's shoes, by any means. He stayed with the band for just a few years, with his big breakout being the band's hit, "Alive Again." Dacus will perform the song and others this Saturday night.
Bill Champlin also became involved in the band around that time. He officially joined Chicago in 1981 and remained as a keyboard player/vocalist for 27 years! His biggest hit with the band was "Look Away," a song he will also perform during Saturday's show at The Arcada.
Fast forward to Aug. 1, 1981. ChicagoFest, the first major outdoor music and food festival in the city of Chicago's history. My cousin, who was also a huge Chicago fan, was able to get us backstage passes for the band featured that night … Chicago! I got to hang with my boys, and to literally be part of the band for a fleeting moment, as the drummer, Danny Seraphine let me tap on the snare for a bit during sound check!
In 1985, Cetera left the band to pursue a solo career. That was a tough blow because although keyboardist Robert Lamm was also a lead vocalist ("Saturday In The Park"), Cetera contributed much to their signature vocal sound. But I still remained a fan, looking forward to one day possibly working with the band.
My day came about 20 years later when I was booking bands for an Indiana county fair. I booked my fantasy band, Chicago, and it was magical. By that time, Seraphine, who left the band in 1990 was gone, but the original hometown horn section consisting of Walter Parazaider, James Pankow and Lee Loughnane remained, along with Lamm. The band was still incredible!
I remain a fan of the band to this day. Original band member Danny Seraphine has become one of my closest friends, an incredible guy and one of my all-time favorite drummers. We were out at a concert I was producing at the Park West one night recently. He came as my guest and was just hanging with me. Some drunken fool got a bit stupid with me, and as I foolishly beat on my chest, he stepped in and was going to take the guy out. Once a Chicago neighborhood guy, always a Chicago neighborhood guy!
Then, at this year's induction ceremonies in Brooklyn, my wish finally came true! I just HAD to go, and with a personal invitation from my buddy Danny, I made the journey! The "moment" started earlier that day for me. Danny asked me if I was available to join him and his family for breakfast at the Waldorf-Astoria. What a cool thing to do! Danny and I have been close friends for a long time, but this was special!
You see, he was excused from the band over 25 years ago, citing irreconcilable differences. When the band welcomed Danny to be a part of the ceremonies, he became very emotional.
Five of the seven original members were in attendance. Rob Thomas and the band itself acknowledged guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath; Kath's daughter Michelle was on stage with the guys, another classy move. The other band member conspicuous by his absence was former high-pitched lead singer, Peter Cetera. Band differences kept him from attending, another heart-breaking moment of the evening.
It was nice to hear sax player Walt Parazaider thank veteran Chicago disc jockey Dick Biondi, and also credited Doc Severinson, the former "Tonight Show" band leader for helping to keep the band together after Kath's tragic death. Jimmy Pankow thanked the Hall for "Welcoming them into their home," and Lee Loughnane thanked his three ex-wives for "Making it necessary for him to keep working!"
All the guys got to say a few words, but when Danny took the mic, he was not short on emotion, or on expletives, for that matter. "I've been waiting 25 years to play with my band," said a choked-up Seraphine. After a long acceptance speech, the monitors started saying "wrap it up." Danny hoisted the trophy above his head and proclaimed, "Screw you, I have been waiting too long for this moment!' (I THINK he said, "screw you.")
I was so happy for him. I knew how important this was for him, and I wouldn't have missed being there for the world. It was incredibly cool to be on "the inside" of that whole emotional roller coaster. The band then played "Saturday In The Park," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" and "25 or 6 to 4." It was magical as I ripped a vocal chord or two.
Certified southern rock star Kid Rock then took the stage to induct the boys from Rockford, Cheap Trick. He described the band as "A garage band with punk soul, a pop heartbeat and Beatles ambitions." It was fabulous to see all four original members together, probably for the last time, as drummer Bun E. Carlos has been out of the band for a few years now, with legal battles coming in between him and his childhood friends.
So I added "The Dream Police," a local Cheap Trick tribute band fronted by the ever-popular Tony Ocean to the bill on Saturday night, making it a true Rock Hall celebration!
I was so pleased to hear that not only Chicago was inducted into the Rock Hall, but when original member Danny Seraphine was reunited with the band, and a tip of the hat was made to Terry Kath, an emotional moment was had by all us Chicago fans. And this Saturday will be a way for all of us here in the Chicago area to show Danny our support. Add to it the hits of Cheap Trick, and it is going to be a truly memorable evening! Congratulations to my buddies and my musical heroes … from all of us "from the neighborhood"!
• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp. and The Historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.