Jim DeRogatis leaves Sun-Times on a solid note
Jim DeRogatis, co-host of Chicago Public Radio’s nationally syndicated “Sound Opinions” and one of America’s premier authorities on everything that rocks, resigned Monday as pop music critic at the Sun-Times to join the faculty of Columbia College Chicago and become a blogger for Vocalo.org.
Jim DeRogatis (Photo by Marty Perez)
In a note to Sun-Times editor in chief Don Hayner, DeRogatis wrote: “Many of the best things that have happened in my career and in my life I attribute to the Sun-Times — the institution, but most of all the people, with you at the top of that list.” Except for a three-year break in the mid-’90s (part of which he spent as deputy music editor at Rolling Stone), DeRogatis has been the newspaper’s rock and pop guru since 1992.
DeRogatis, 45, will join the Columbia College faculty this fall as a full-time instructor in the English Department of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is expected to continue teaching the “Reviewing the Arts” course he has taught for the last two semesters there. In a statement released through the college, he said:
“Journalism and cultural criticism are in a period of radical reinvention, and their futures will be shaped in part by the students in Columbia’s desks right now. After 15 years at Chicago’s best daily newspaper, I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity and the challenge to help guide those students, whose diverse interests, rampant love of the arts, and pervasive enthusiasm has been unmatched at any other school I’ve ever visited.”
Welcome aboard, Jim: DeRogatis also will be joining the expanding online community right here at Vocalo.org. Starting June 1, his daily “PopNStuff” blog will feature exclusive coverage of the pop music beat with what he calls “special emphasis on the incredibly vibrant Chicago music scene.” He joins a roster of writers including former Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey, WLS-Channel 7 food/lifestyle reporter Steve Dolinsky, author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and yours truly.
“We have always wanted a blogger to cover music for blogs.vocalo.org,” said Justin Kaufmann, senior content developer for Chicago Public Radio. “Jim is arguably the best music writer in Chicago, if not the nation. We couldn’t be happier. He is going to take our blogs to a whole new level.”
Fans will still be able to hear DeRogatis on “Sound Opinions,” billed as “the world’s only rock ’n’ roll talk show,” which he co-hosts with Tribune rock critic Greg Kot. Loosely modeled after “Siskel & Ebert,” it’s been on in one form or another since 1993. Produced by Chicago Public Radio since 2005 and syndicated by American Public Media, the show currently is carried on 90 stations in 84 markets nationwide. In Chicago, it airs at 8 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. Saturdays on WBEZ-FM (91.5).
During his combined 15-year run at the Sun-Times, DeRogatis has been more than a respected critic and diligent chronicler of the popular music scene who covered the rise of artists ranging from the Flaming Lips to Kanye West, and from Nirvana to Kid Sister. He’s also been an outstanding investigative reporter whose disclosure of a controversial video led to R&B superstar R. Kelly’s indictment on child pornography charges. (The singer was acquitted in 2008.) More recently, DeRogatis has been in the forefront of reporting on the monopolistic merger of Live Nation, the giant national concert promoter, and ticket brokers Ticketmaster.
A prolific author, DeRogatis recently edited and wrote the central essay for The Velvet Underground: An Illustrated History of a Walk on the Wild Side. His new book (co-written with Kot), The Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones: Sound Opinions on the Great Rock ’n’ Roll Rivalry, will be published this fall.
Among his other books are Staring at Sound: The True Story of Oklahoma’s Fabulous Flaming Lips; Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America’s Greatest Rock Critic; Milk It! Collected Musings on the Alternative Music Explosion of the ’90s; Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock; Kill Your Idols: A New Generation of Rock Writers Reconsiders the Classics (co-edited with his wife, Carmél Carrillo DeRogatis), and Sheperd Paine: The Life and Work of a Master Modeler and Military Historian.
blogs.vocalo.org
Welcome to Vocalo Nation! It is growing in stature and power.
Man, that’s a tough blow for the Sun-Times. Looking forward to reading whatever he does next – DeRo is LEGEND.
I must say, one adjective I wouldn’t pair with DeRogatis is “solid.” That wattle probably admits standing waves in a strong breeze.
Whatever you think of him, I doubt the Sun-Times will ever have a full-time rock critic any more.
This is freaking huge for the Vocalo blog. Nice job, guys.
Great for Columbia, great for Vocalo, not great for the Sun-Times. I’ll particularly miss Jim’s work from the Sunday Show section, a far more interesting read than the rival paper’s incredibly dull Arts section. Glad to hear he’ll be focusing on the local music scene. Best to you, Jim!
Sad to see my old paper lose DeRo. But on the other hand, welcome aboard, buddy! Whoo hoo!
Who leaves a newspaper to teach at a second rate college? I smell a rat.
DeRo is a hater, and I hate haters.
Also, the title “Let It Blurt” makes no grammatical sense. It’s a strained attempt to riff on “Let It Bleed,” which itself makes no sense as the book isn’t even about the Stones.
Other than all that, I guess it’s good that you got DeRo for your blog, if only in the sense that he’s a big name.
I’m now very curious about his upcoming book with Kot.
Yes, this is a blow for the Sun-Times. Does anyone think they will ever have another rock critic after this? No way. Then again this sort of move was inevitable. I could entirely see Greg Kot doing the same thing in the coming years.
But wow, best wishes for Jim – he and Kot are the Siskel and Ebert of rock! Chicago loves this guy, and I’m stoked he is going to focus on local sounds.
As a faithful Sound Opinions listener, I say: “Welcome, Jim.” I look forward to your Vocalo columns.
He’s certainly earned the praise but this move opens up an opportunity for someone else to become a rock critic for the paper. Deeb begat Feder, etc. that turned out pretty well in my opinion. Good luck to him and I look forward to whomever covers L’palooza, Schuba’s, Double Door, et al for the Times.
Good news for Sun-Times readers. Jim DeRo is a hack at best. He knows nothing about music or what it takes to become an accomplished talent. It’s amazing how much he raved over no talent acts over the years. Let’s hope Sound Opinions drops him too.
Hey Vic how many multiple academy award winners went to your school?
Please. DeRo is OK, but Greg Kot is toxic. In a city where even covering expenses as a musician is hard enough, these guys–but Kot especially– attempted to shape through their medium who Chicagoans should think is hip. And to them, anything non-edgy or anybody over 30 was considered blase or yesterday’s news. A pox on them.
Jim has always reminded me of the comic book guy from “The Simpsons.”
Go DeRo! It’s great to see him exercise his varied talents and explore new and exciting options. I’ll definitely look forward to reading his posts here at Vocalo!
Chicago’s music scene is hot and I hope Mr. DeRogatis dedicates a few posts to our great city’s talented and resilient dance music community. Chicago is internationally-regarded as the “house music capital of the world,” yet our djs, remixers and artists rarely get mainstream coverage even though they pack stadiums around the world.
On a positive note, it’s encouraging to see that so many engaging and successful blogs (such as this one) are running on the WordPress platform. Never before has it been so easy…or economical to publish “to the world.”
Excellent blog here, Mr. Feder!
DeRagotis is a joke. He shtick is so old…hate anything commercial and love Wilco. Plus, what could this guy possibly know about current music? He looks more suited to be the health and nutrition expert than a music critic.
Justin Kaufmann is a class act. Garry Meier is bad.
Congratulations, Jim!
DeRagotis to join faculty at Columbia? Best thing I’ve heard in a while!
Sound Opinions hasn’t been a “rock ’n’ roll talk show” for years. Che, Eric, and Alvin all made relevant points. Sound Opinions wastes limited time covering mediocre hip-hop and pop artists while disregarding the vibrant rock & roll scene, both here in Chicago and nationally. Last week, they discussed Justin Bieber (even my adolescent daughters think he’s lame)…WTF?! Sound Opinions is closer to Entertainment Weekly than anything resembling rock & roll. Both DeRogatis and Kot need to step aside or move on. There are plenty of passionate, intelligent, and critical rockers who are still plugged in and keeping real rock & roll alive.
I am not going to miss DeRo in the Sun-Times nor will I read his blog. This man is not in touch with music except for his own narrow musings. He never really did write for the people.
DeRo is a a contrarian at best. I “soundly” never took his opinions seriously anyway. Btw, nice profile pic, Jimmy. Comic Book Guy lives! Now back to your first edition Stan Lee Spiderman. “Best graphic novel, evuh!”
I never listen to the radio show Sound Opinions because I was not aware of it. If the show was about rock n’ roll and was hosted by two “legends” why wasn’t it aired on a rock station, such as the Loop, XRT, or the Drive? The answer? The aforementioned radio stations know their audience and they would not tolerate these “rock critics”. I am going to start a show on country music and see if I can get B96 to air it which makes about the same sense as airing a rock show on WBEZ. DeRo ate the rest of his name.
Ditto Kent – J.D. is of the generation that came of rock&roll age somewhere around 1980 and truly believes that music history started with the Sex Pistols and life lost all meaning the day Kurt Cobain died. And of course he’s one of those r&r snobs who couldn’t understand why so many rock fans, as well as theatre fans, related to “Rent.”
I hope his teaching stint includes something about checking sources, accuracy in journalism, etc.
“The World’s ONLY Rock & Roll Talk Show?” As they say on SNL, “REALLY?” Have you checked out EVERY TV and radio station in the US, let alone the world? There’s no other station or network anywhere that features a couple of aging white-guy rock “critics” musing about music? REALLY? Hype and puffery have their place, but phony claims to exclusivity had better be darn well vetted before being proclaimed.
@#27, I am not a fan of DeRo but the last thing he can be accused of is ignoring the history of rock and roll. In addition, 99% of his reviews have to do with music that has come of age long after the death of Kurt Cobain. I don’t believe anyone takes offense to the claim that Sounds Opinion is the world’s only on rock and roll talk show. It is no different than the 1,000′s of hot dog joints claiming to have the best hot dog in Chicago. Finally, what is a guy that believes rock began with punk rock and died with alternative rock writing a book on the Beatles and the Stones? As stated in today’s article: His new book (co-written with Kot), The Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones: Sound Opinions on the Great Rock ’n’ Roll Rivalry, will be published this fall.
@ #26, your last line killed me!
@ ChiTownGal, you are my Amy Poehler! Really! :-)
@ 28, you are right, JD has not ignored rock history. He’s just not a skilled rock critic IMO. He is certainly not the music version of Roger Ebert. I don’t always agree with Ebert, but he really does a much better job of expressing himself without all the pompous malarkey.
DeRo certainly hasn’t ignored the combo platter.
Do we get any cash off this new book about the Beatles and the Stones?
Who’s next to jump from the Sun-Times? Hedy Weiss? Lewis Lazare?
Welcome Hedy ! Come on down ! The water is fine.
She is not getting face time on Channel 11.
Hopefully Roeper is the next to jump from the Sun-Times. Ideally off the roof.
The “world’s only rock and roll talk show” is a nod to the old Creem magazine, which winkingly called itself the “world’s only rock and roll magazine.” Kot and Dero don’t really think they are the only rock and roll talk show.
What they fail to realize, amid their constant talk about the Justin Biebers and Ke$has, is the irony of their own failure to be a rock and roll talk show in the first place.
Columbia: where students go when they want to wish they went somewhere else in 6 years.
Out of touch and def time for this guy to stop writing about a subject he has a mere surface understanding of. It is time to upheave the dee”s, dems and doe’s writers of Chicago journalism, okay. It is insulting to the readers. Hello Zell? The trib needs to shed all it’s complacent columnists who are stuck in decades old writing ruts. Obviously the trib has poor management or these types wouldn’t be allowed to be paid for such low standard musings Columbia…uh..uh..
Well I gym with a music teacher from Coulmbia and there was a very astute 1960′s song playing over the gym system with top notch harmonies..a well loved track and she commented “Oh these singers are out of tune..” I was not surprised that sheis a apart time music teacher at Columbia but still shocking.
The woman is tone deaf.
Jim hasn’t had an original thougt that he put into writing since his days at the Jersey Journal. Back then at least he stood for something (almost); Seriously, If you’ve followed his career it can be simply paraphrased by saying that he loves to “stir the pot”, endorse his favorites and slam others who disagree with him.
It’s rather a shame than none of his bands were ever any good and / or talented. Maybe we all could’ve listened to him whine on someone’s answering machine for 10 minutes then. As the rather infamous quote goes, “those who can’t DO, TEACH !”; ‘ nuff said.
Maybe his wife can pack his lunch and crayons for him to take to school, or does she only edit?
DeRogotis never got it right. He was all about “Small-nobody-heard-of-them-don’t-make-any-money = good.”
He was wrong. Always was, always will be chasing down the dead-end of history.
Also looks like the guy in Toy Story II.