The Candy Golde line-up, down to the mastering and cover art, reads something like a cross between a Warhol Factory party and the sonic alternative music boom of the 90s with a generous serving of in your face rock 'n roll. The men of Candy Golde are Nick Tremulis, Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick), John Stirratt (Wilco, Autumn Defense) and Rick Rizzo (Eleventh Dream Day), that's over 100 years rock 'n roll experience for the Chicagoland vets.
The 5-song EP was mastered by Ivan Julian of Richard Hell and the Voidoids. The EP contains four originals and a cover of Paul Simon's "Boy in the Bubble", issued for limited edition 10" vinyl and download on Ten O Nine Records. The dark, authorative drawing gracing the cover is by renowned modern artist Wesley Kimler, hand-picked by Tremulis, Stirratt and Rizzo, all good friends with the painter.
Together they deliver a seamless fusion of the best of what they bring to their bands. You get an idea of what's coming the instant you hear the armageddon dance crazed opener, "The Hold Steady". Carlos pounding in the raucous swagger of "Boy in the Bubble, where you fully expect to see Captain Jack Sparrow leading the pirate brigade. The incandescent pop wonder that is "Trouble's Coming Down".
It's no wonder, given this lineage of top drawer artists, this band could be described as the best and baddest of musical collaborations Chicago has to offer.
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Tremulis is the seasoned troubadour, his lyrics, playing bursting with stories of the streets and soul who recently wrapped up co-writing a tunewith long time friend Alejandro Escovedo for his current album. Nick's hero Rick Danko contributed vocals for Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra's "In Search Of Woodfoot" followed by NTO gigging with him during his final days. In his 25+ years performing, Tremulis has shared the stage and studio with Keith Richards, Billy Corgan, Marianne Faithful, Mavis Staples, Ronnie Spector, Jeff Tweedy, Los Lobos, The Neville Brothers, Steve Earle, Bonnie Raitt, Ian Hunter, David Johansen and more.
Carlos' unmistakable robust, solid drumming provides the backbone. 35 years with the euphoric pop that is Cheap Trick, Candy Golde isn't Carlos' first time at the rodeo. He busies himself regularly with a myriad of projects from marching bands to the recent Tinted Windows, which featured Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), James Iha (of Smashing Pumpkins) and Taylor Hanson. He also guested at the smash Waltz charity series put on by Tremulis, backing up Jeff Tweedy and Gary Louris (Jayhawks). Nick and the fellas are fond of saying, "he keeps time like a motherf**cker.'
Stirratt weaves his bass into the sound with the dexterity of a needle and thread. Clocking 15 years with Wilco, he is the only founding member, alongside Jeff Tweedy, to contribute to all the band's releases which have garnered 6 Grammy nominations in 4 different categories, and a Best Alternative win for A Ghost is Born in 2005. Stirratt, who also guested on a Waltz concert, spreads the sweet pop around in his other band, Autumn Defense (with fellow native New Orleansian/Wilco member Pat Sansone) and in recordings with his sister Laurie Stirratt.
Rizzo, co-lead singer of Candy Golde along with Tremulis,is known for his signature dazzling notes and moves. Those moves in Eleventh Dream Day's second effort "Prairie School Freakout" - a wonderous fury of rock - solidified the band's mission as super-distorted Crazy Horse disciples with an abundance of post-adolescent zeal. It is universally agreed upon by critics and fans alike that Eleventh Dream Day easily can be afforded the same esteem reserved for seminal bands such as Sonic Youth, the Replacements, Dinosaur, Jr. Rizzo delivers that and more with the shared Chicago home flavor of his Candy Golde bandmates.
Photos by: Chuck Cherney
A taste from Alejandro Escovedo's closing SXSW at Continental
SXSW band of the day: Candy Golde From: Chicago-ish In 50 words or fewer: The latest sorta-supergroup with Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos on the skins (remember he brought Tinted Windows in '09?). The band also includes collaboration of Nicholas Tremulis (Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra), our man Bun John Stiratt (a founding member of Wilco) and Rick Rizzo (Eleventh Dream Day). The straight-up '90s-esque rock band plays live publicly for the first time at SXSW. No video, but a song is here. Could share a bill with: Any of those bands these dudes came from. Tantalizing tidbit: The first track on their debut record is called "The Hold Steady." - Austin 360.com - Patrick Beach
Crawdaddy Magazine
Supergroup Alert! And this one sounds particularly tasty. We’ll start with the rhythm section: Bun E. Carlos, with over 35 years’ experience drumming for power-pop legends Cheap Trick, keeps the beat, while John Stirratt, founding bassist of the inimitable Wilco, former bassist of alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, songwriter/multi-instrumentalist for current side-project the Autumn Defense, lays down the low end. - Howard Wyman Crawdaddy Magazine
Tremulis is the seasoned troubadour, his lyrics, playing bursting with stories of the streets and soul who recently wrapped up co-writing a tunewith long time friend Alejandro Escovedo for his current album. Nick's hero Rick Danko contributed vocals for Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra's "In Search Of Woodfoot" followed by NTO gigging with him during his final days. In his 25+ years performing, Tremulis has shared the stage and studio with Keith Richards, Billy Corgan, Marianne Faithful, Mavis Staples, Ronnie Spector, Jeff Tweedy, Los Lobos, The Neville Brothers, Steve Earle, Bonnie Raitt, Ian Hunter, David Johansen and more. 
Carlos' unmistakable robust, solid drumming provides the backbone. 35 years with the euphoric pop that is Cheap Trick, Candy Golde isn't Carlos' first time at the rodeo. He busies himself regularly with a myriad of projects from marching bands to the recent Tinted Windows, which featured Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), James Iha (of Smashing Pumpkins) and Taylor Hanson. He also guested at the smash Waltz charity series put on by Tremulis, backing up Jeff Tweedy and Gary Louris (Jayhawks). Nick and the fellas are fond of saying, "he keeps time like a motherf**cker.' 
Stirratt weaves his bass into the sound with the dexterity of a needle and thread. Clocking 15 years with Wilco, he is the only founding member, alongside Jeff Tweedy, to contribute to all the band's releases which have garnered 6 Grammy nominations in 4 different categories, and a Best Alternative win for A Ghost is Born in 2005. Stirratt, who also guested on a Waltz concert, spreads the sweet pop around in his other band, Autumn Defense (with fellow native New Orleansian/Wilco member Pat Sansone) and in recordings with his sister Laurie Stirratt. 
Rizzo, co-lead singer of Candy Golde along with Tremulis,is known for his signature dazzling notes and moves. Those moves in Eleventh Dream Day's second effort "Prairie School Freakout" - a wonderous fury of rock - solidified the band's mission as super-distorted Crazy Horse disciples with an abundance of post-adolescent zeal. It is universally agreed upon by critics and fans alike that Eleventh Dream Day easily can be afforded the same esteem reserved for seminal bands such as Sonic Youth, the Replacements, Dinosaur, Jr. Rizzo delivers that and more with the shared Chicago home flavor of his Candy Golde bandmates. 
