85 bears return to studio

onion.com ^ | ?

[freepatriot32]

CHICAGO In news that has electrified the music world, the Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew announced Monday that it is reuniting and will soon begin work on its first new material since the seminal 1985 single Super Bowl Shuffle.

	Above: The Shufflin' Crew's classic 1985 line-up.

Confirming the recent swirl of music-industry rumors regarding a possible anniversary reunion, Shufflin' Crew lead singer Willie Gault told reporters,After years of solo gigs and side projects, "we decided it was time for us to work together again."

Gault went on to strongly deny rumors that the Crew was returning to the studio looking for trouble.

"We didn't come here looking for trouble,"Gault said. "We just came to record the long-awaited follow-up to the 'Super Bowl Shuffle.'"

According to Shufflin' Crew member William Refrigerator Perry, he, Gault, and punky QB Jim McMahon have already sketched out rough demo versions of 10 to 15 songs, which, over the next two months, will be fleshed out in the studio with Chicago-based producer Steve Albini.

Perry said fans can expect the new album to be much darker and more introspective than the group's Shuffle-era work.

[The new album] will definitely reflect our maturation, both as a group and as individuals, said Perry, who may be large but is no dumb cookie. Back then, we were young, wild, and arrogant: Jim [McMahon] had his spiked hair, shades, and controversial, message-bearing headbands, and I had my legendary eating exploits and rushing touchdowns. We kind of had this attitude like, 'We're so bad, we know we're good, blowing your mind like we knew we would.' But, while the new record will still have that trademark Shufflin' Crew swagger, it will also show our more reflective side.

All of the original Shufflin' Crew members are expected to participate in the reunion, with the exception of recently deceased Walter Payton, to whom the new album will be dedicated, and Otis Wilson, who told Spin magazine in a recent interview that his heart just isn't in it anymore.

Back when the group first started, we were just struttin' for fun Wilson said. But once we hit it big, everything changed. Suddenly, there were business meetings, publicity appearances, video shoots, Wheaties boxes, sponsorship deals. Before long, it wasn't about the music anymore. That's when I knew I had to get out.

Numerous names have circulated as possible Wilson replacements, ranging from former Poco bassist Jim Messina to former Bengals running back Ickey Woods.

Otis has made his decision, and we respect that. It will be difficult, but we must go on as a band without him, Shufflin' Crew co-founder and lead guitarist Mike Singletary said.

While the album is still months from completion, the Shufflin' Crew tried out some of the new material at an unannounced gig at Chicago's Empty Bottle music club last Friday. Response from the sold-out crowd was overwhelmingly positive.

They sounded really good, really tight, man, said die hard fan Jeff Rampling of Des Plaines, IL, who estimated he has been to more than 250 Shufflin' Crew shows. Once they got warmed up, they were rocking like vintage '85 Crew.

They kicked some serious ass tonight, said Don Frischman, the lead singer of Four-Six Defense, a Shufflin' Crew tribute band.Richard Dent still blows me away live.

In negotiating terms for the new album with Atlantic Records, the Shufflin' Crew made one demand: complete creative control over the project.

We made it clear that under no circumstances would we allow participation by the female referee who twice blew a whistle over our singers' attempts to say the word 'ass' during the 'Shuffle' sessions, Singletary said.The Bears traffic in the truth, and either you can handle it or you can't. Censorship is slavery.

Expected to hit stores in early 2004, the new album will be followed by a world tour in the spring of that year. All proceeds from both the album and tour will go to charity.

I want to stress that we are not doing this because we're greedy, backup singer Steve Fuller said.The Bears are doing this to feed the needy.

One of the most successful bands of the mid-'80s, the Shufflin' Crew broke up in October 1987 due to creative differences and infighting, particularly between Gault and keyboardist Gary Fencik. Gault embarked on a solo career in 1988 and scored a minor R & B hit with Chocolate Swirl (That's What I'm As Smooth As), but never equaled the success he enjoyed with the Shufflin' Crew. Fencik and Fuller went on to form the supergroup Touchback with New York Giants wide receiver Phil McConkey and Kansas City Chiefs fullback Christian Okoye.

After so many years apart, it feels good to be back together again, Gault said. But most of all, I'm happy for all the Bears Shufflin' Crew fans out there. You guys are the reason we're shufflin' on down. We're doin' it for you.p>

[freepatriot32]

ok ok this is great news but what about the 85 patriots reunion tour i remeber the glory days of my youth putting on new england the patriots are we and slam dancing to it until dawn great times music just was never as good as it was back then :-)

[dfwgator]

And don't forget the classic "Yeah we are the Detroit Lions, what are you lookin' at?"

[BADROTOFINGER]

Who dey! Who dey! Who dey, who dey think they gonna beat dem Bengals! Where do dey play? In the Jungle! Afraid of noooooooobody!!!

BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA...JFK

[JohnGalt]

The Onion published this piece I think 3 years ago, but its still funny.


New England, the Patriots and Me
Thank you for football in January (sung by Ray flynn)


Those are the only words I remember.

[BADROTOFINGER]

This is too funny not to bump at least once...JFK

[.cnI redruM]

But you gotta' admit, the infamous snowplow field goal has a unique place in NFL history.

How else would mediocre placekicker John Smith ever become a permanent NFL Films classic?

[Chad Fairbanks]

and the underground seminal grunge favorite, by the Seahawks: "We were lookin' to win (and got bird poop in our eyes)"

[dfwgator]

Another "blast from the past":



On the first day of Christmas, old Dandy gave to me
The game plan to beat Miami.

On the second day of Christmas, The Giffer says to me,
"I'll lay a fin on that game plan to beat Miami."

On the third day of Christmas, George Allen gave to me
His Larry Brown, plus Giffer's fin,
And my game plan to beat Miami.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Muhammed says to me,
"Hope I ain't rude, Jan Stenerud, he's just a dude,
And he's guaranteed to get three."

On the fifth day of Christmas, guess who comes up to me?
Big Ray Nitschke.
Jan Stenerud, Larry Brown, plus The Giffer's fin
And the game plan to beat Miami.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my sponsor says to me:
...and you won't believe this... "Griese's not playing."
No kidding. The insolence of office never ceases to amaze me. Never.
Big Ray Nitschke.
Jan Stenerud, Larry Brown, plus The Giffer's fin
And the game plan to beat Miami.

On the seventh day of Christmas...And here let me digress for a moment,
and tell you about one of the most fantastic trading coups ever pulled
in the history of professional football.
I not only acquired Gene Washington, I got the other Gene Washington
as well, and they'll be a great help
In my game plan to beat Miami.

On the eighth day of Christmas the swindling continues.
This time I get Ronnie Johnson out of the Giants,
The Rams cough up Merlin Olsen, a perfect complement for
Big Ray Nitschke.
Jan Stenerud, Larry Brown, plus The Giffer's fin.
That's the game plan to beat Miami.

Days numbers nine, ten and eleven: hectic ones.
But then, surprise among surprises,for reasons unknown to this reporter,
Dwayne Thomas, the brillant but troubled running sensation says he's
considering showing up.
So now with maybe Dwayne Thomas, I need a quarterback, the best in the
business. I call the bars in Manhattan searching for Joe Willie Namath.
Can I find him in time? We've gotta have Joe Willie today.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I find my Joe Willie.
He's not been drinking.
Could beat Dwayne Thomas.
(No, he's still thinking.)
Olsen and Johnson,
Gene and Gene Washington,
Jan Stenerud,
Larry Brown,
Big Ray Nitschke.
Yeah, but even so, a guy like Shula never blows,
So I'll still take the Dolphins by 3.

[dfwgator]

We are keeckers, we keeck ball
We play with ball, we keeck the ball

[Corporate Law]

I found a copy of the video in the $1.99 bin at a Blockbuster about six years ago. Well worth every penny (and not much more).

[Prodigal Son]

Went to high school with Willie Gault (and Jessie Tuggle too). Willie was the fastest human being I have ever personally seen (from a non-stadium sort of point of view). We won the State Championship with him on the football team.

[KarlInOhio]

Who dey! Who dey! Who dey, who dey think they gonna beat dem Bengals! Where do dey play? In the Jungle! Afraid of noooooooobody!!! BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA...JFK

The Jungle

Video

[jmc813]

ok ok this is great news but what about the 85 patriots reunion tour

Patriots suck. Go Jets.

[rockfish59]

'Shuffle? SHUFFLE??? MAN, I don't SHUFFLE!'

Ron Glass on Barney Miller

[rockfish59]

Was that the best part of their season?
Even intact it looked like a crashed spaceship!

New stadium, same old team?

[Rockitz]

A foreboding of things to come for Wall Street?