Introducing the Bingers

Posted by Bobby Minelli

If there's any chance that magic in the air could warm up Chicago tonight, it will probably be happening at Fireside Bowl. A new Windy City band called the Bingers have lit up my heart's metaphorical afternoon joint with their fuzzy summer sidewalk tunes, and you can hear for yourself starting at 8:30 at the Fireside (also with The Pear Traps, Videotape and We are the Willows). I asked the Bingers a few questions in anticipation of the show.

WCR: How did the Bingers come to be?

Teddy Binger moved back to Chicago from Marquette, Michigan, and after short debates about starting a rock 'n’ roll band, the three of us decided to rent a house in Logan Square, get into debt and buy some amps.

What are some of your favorite summertime sounds?

Liking the new Sonny and the Sunsets, T-Rex, Lawrence Welk’s Blue Hawaii, Chuck Berry, The Living Sisters, Dick Dale, Monster Rally.

What is an aspiration of you fellows? What is the direction you want to head in?

Tour Europe. 

You are all multi-instrumentalists. How does the shift inline up affect live dynamics?

We pretty much just have to do it faster, and stay on the same level of drunkenness throughout.

What is the songwriting process like?

It’s like laundry, Bobby - you got something nice and clean, you get it a little dirty, throw it in the Binger Wringer and repeat as necessary. Usually whoever writes the song is writing it on guitar, and from there we just see who wants to play the drums more for that one.

Some Chicago sounds you dig?

Pink Frost, Apteka, Sarah Holtschlag, Rachele Eve. There are a lot of friends out here. We all just recently happened to catch Blane Fonda open up a show at Sub-T. That was a whole lot of fun.

What are the Bingers gonna do when it warms up?

Tiki torches, slip 'n slides, motorcycles, hammocks, guns, a slide from our back porch into a baby pool, tank tops, beach balls, chiropractors, skateboarding, house parties, hang gliding, beer, getting yo' afternoon buzz on, linen suits, and shark tooth necklaces.