DeRo And Kot Back On The Air

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 2, 2005 4:53PM

Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis are unusual. They have been long-time Chicago critical stalwarts in the rock and pop vein. They have pioneered the idea of written rock criticism expanded into a talk-show format on both radio and television. Instead of merely being pasty music dorks hiding behind a keyboard they have both been brave enough to be pasty music dorks reflecting the white glare of the public eye.

While almost everyone has probably read something by these two in the Tribune, Sun-Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN and the Encyclopaedia Britannica (!) most folks have probably never tuned into their radio talk show when it ran on WXRT for a number of years, or seen their more recent (and on-hiatus) excursion into public television.

Well, the boys are about to get a lot more exposure since they’re moving their radio talk show, Sound Opinions, over to Chicago Public Radio starting this Saturday at 7pm.

The move was prompted by, in their own words, “an offer that [was] too good to refuse.” We knew it! NPR is connected to the Mob! That would explain why they hijack the airwaves and shake us down every few months…anyway, we’re off topic, aren’t we?

Chicagoist does enjoy the criticism offered by both Mr Kot and Mr DeRo even if we don’t always (or in fact, rarely) agree with them. Both of these men have their roots in Bangsian discourse and believe, as we do, that criticism should be a fair mixture of scholarship, perspective and passion. Plus, DeRo was fired from Rolling Stone because he wouldn’t neuter a biting piece he had penned about Hootie and the Blowfish. Awesome!

What we’re trying to say is, welcome back to the airwaves boys and we look forward to seeing how you’re going to expand “the world’s only rock ‘n’ roll talk show” with all that NPR mafia moolah!

(If you'd like to get up to speed with the concept, the Sound Opinions website is currently offering podcasts from the last few weeks as a sampler of what to expect.)