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September 5, 2009: Citizen Puppet takes their sound seriously - very seriously. Hours before the show was poised to start, one could see CP members, Tom Ramsdell, Tony Hind, Pete Wilson and Max Minkus tirelessly tuning, rehearsing, checking levels across the board. Not leaving anything to the imagination, CP also took the sound quality to another level by hiring former Shure® audio engineer Thom “Fig” Fiegle, who presented the audience with clarity, balance and harmony throughout the show by utilizing the speaking arrangement at the Alley. Balance was the theme for the night as CP arranged their set lists to include tracks from their String Theory EP, along with covers from bands like Wilco, Rolling Stones and none other than the Grateful Dead.
Citizen Puppet felt familiar. It was meeting friends, neighbors and new folk around a bar or upon being challenged to a bowl-off at the Alley in Highwood, IL. The place was filled with a sense of nostalgia as this venue has hosted some of rock’s finest including Cheap Trick and The Ramones. The stage was set, the band members tying several down at the bar as the pour was quite generous. If meeting Tom [Ramsdell], bassist and impromptu frontman, and his perspiring glass of vodka was any indication of what was to come, then I knew I was in for a show. Backed by Pete Wilson (drummer/vocals), Citizen Puppet hammered through the Alley with the rhythmic precision of a brain surgeon. Wilson amassed a quick following as he hammered through songs like, “Paint It Black” or “Rockin’ the Free World,” and some originals featured on their latest album, The String Theory EP. The combination of originals and covers kept the set list fresh as more parties were drawn over upon hearing favorites from across the rock genre.
Guitarist and dry-humorist Tony Hind brought a jubilee of guitars to match his eccentric stage show with Townshend-like high kicks and guitar acrobatics. No, just kidding. Hind was a man transfixed on his craft, steady and calm as if he was performing a séance to harness the powers of the rock afterlife. Whether spiritual or mythical, Citizen Puppet brought class to an establishment rooted in the classics. CP groupies and supports alike witnessed the technical wizardry of guitar hero Max Minkus - I know, wasn’t that the kid you beat up in high school? The answer is no. Max would have been guy in high school known for getting detentions for playing the air guitar too loud – and yes, he did bring his air guitar to the show. The members of Citizen Puppet are true believers in the craft of music and have put their energy into culminating that sense of familiarity with live music of songs you know and have yet to hear.
- M. Farooq Hasan
Discography
Volume One - 2000
The String Theory EP - 2007
Photos
Bio
Like the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes, so has Citizen Puppet risen from the remains of stalwart Chicago band Medicine Hat. Well, maybe nothing that dramatic, but the band was called one thing for a long time, and now it's called something different. OK, on to the important stuff.
Citizen Puppet blends straight-forward roots rock with a melodic, harmonious core. Toss in a pinch of alt country twang, a dash of jam band flavor and mix liberally. Big guitars, lush vocal harmonies and driving rock rhythms make for a compelling, original sound and stage show. In early 2007, Citizen Puppet enlisted highly respected engineer Dave Rieley (http://www.godaveygo.com/) to record our current release, "The String Theory EP." Dave has worked with many luminaries of rock music, including Billy Corgan and Elvis Costello, and also has done live sound production and recording for well-known music festivals such as Bonnaroo.
The EP features 4 of the band's original tunes.
What would one day become Citizen Puppet started out in 1994, when old friends and playing partners Max Minkus (lead guitar) and Tom Ramsdell (bass, vocals) started working together on a set of original and cover material. In 1995, drummer and vocalist Pete Wilson (who, with Tom, had formed the original rhythm section of Chicago favorites The Smoking Fish from 1989-1992) joined the group. With a rotating cast of rhythm guitarists, the band -- then known as Medicine Hat -- solidified its sound and quickly became a fixture on the Chicago club scene.
When guitarist and vocalist Tony Hind finally locked down the fourth spot in 1997, the band entered a creative period, using its newfound stability to generate waves of new material, culminating in the self-produced 2000 release "Volume One". While continuing with limited club bookings and other live performances, the band continued to hone its signature sound and develop a catalog of original material, some of which has taken the form of "The String Theory EP."
While recording our original music is a priority to Citizen Puppet, our favorite thing is PLAYING LIVE!
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