This week at the Beat: Horror radio plays, Screeching Weasel’s Ben Weasel and director Stuart Gordon

Good day all. We’re in week 2 of this here blog, and there’s some grand things coming. Consider this a sneak peek:

On Tuesday, Deathscribe Reviewed: The Beat’s heading to tonight’s second annual horror radio play competition, sponsored by Wildclaw Theatre and featuring works directed by Steppenwolf, Lifeline and Teatro Vista talent. Check out The Onion’s A.V. Chicago interview with Wildclaw’s managing director, Brian Amidei.

On Wednesday, An Interview with Screeching Weasel’s Ben Weasel: The iconic Chicago-reared punk band and this week’s Riot Fest headliner has reunited for the fifth time, but for the first time, its back without founding member John Jughead. Co-founder/singer Ben Weasel talked to Chicago Beat about the split with Jughead, the reason for the band’s return, what he loathed about the Chicago punk scene, and why he thinks he’s so hated. Onion A.V. Chicago also has a Riot Fest band breakdown, including this mention of Screeching Weasel: 

Screeching Weasel

Years together: 1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004, 2009

Why they mattered: Screeching Weasel led the second-wave pop-punk charge, drawing inspiration from the Ramones and adding all of the desperation and angst of teenagers stuck in the suburban Midwest during the Reagan years.

Do they still matter? The quality of Screeching Weasel’s output decreased considerably during its third reunion, which doesn’t bode well for new material. Notably absent from this version of the band is co-founder/guitarist John Jughead, who was engaged in a protracted legal battle with frontman Ben Weasel not long after the band played some reunion shows in 2004. Aside from Weasel, only bassist/guitarist Dan Vapid has much of a history with the band. However, Weasel’s 2007 solo album showed promise, so a rally is possible.

Nostalgia factor: 9/10. Anyone looking for honest pop-punk without the ego would do well to check out Teenage Bottlerocket.

They play: Oct. 11, Congress Theater.

via Riot Fest: Nostalgia is the name of the game | Features | Music | A.V. Chicago.

On Friday, An Interview with Stuart Gordon: The Chicago-born filmmaker is best remembered for his horror flicks, including the bloody, shocking “Re-Animator” and “From Beyond.” Both flicks are screened Saturday at the Music Box Massacre, a 24-hour horror movie marathon, with Gordon in attendance. He sat down with Chicago Beat recently to talk about his films and those early days at Organic Theater, a company Gordon co-founded, where David Mamet and Joe Mantegna launched their prolific careers.

See you back here later!