Bobby Conn

Bobby Conn fashions his satirical pop outings, which glide across genres in an opulent style, placing him in an unmatched position. His skill for intricate concepts and extravagant absurdity has from the start enabled him to skewer facets of American life, fusing stagecraft with sincere indignation, while sourcing sounds from glam rock, Brazilian pop, and the sumptuous style of Burt Bacharach to frame those observations. America's fixation on paranoia, ego, and material success first faced his scrutiny on the 1998 album Rise Up!. Later efforts narrowed those focuses further, confronting the George W. Bush years via 2004's Homeland and icons such as Tom Cruise on 2007's King for a Day. The 2010s brought sharper political commentary through the Occupy-themed Macaroni in 2012 and Recovery in 2020, a send-up of the self-help world, without abandoning his agile humor or theatrical presence.

New York City marks Conn's birthplace; his family relocated to Argentina and Brazil during his youth before settling in the Midwestern United States. Teenage trips from high school took him to Chicago punk shows featuring Black Flag, which inspired formation of the hardcore trio the Broken Kockamamies. Guitar duties began in 1989 with the experimental outfit Conducent, whose 1994 breakup prompted his solo path. The supporting lineup drew in ex-Conducent turntablist DJ LeDeuce and electric violinist Monica BouBou, who later became his partner. Debut single "Who's the Paul?" surfaced in 1995, followed in 1996 by "Never Get Ahead" on Truckstop Records, the same imprint behind his self-titled 1997 debut. A shift to Thrill Jockey yielded 1998's Rise Up!, which widened his sonic scope and drew notice outside Chicago.

Output stayed consistent as the nineties closed and the new century opened. Covers of Badfinger and Caetano Veloso on the 1999 Lovesongs EP previewed the lavish eclecticism of 2001's The Golden Age. Glass Gypsies supplied backing then, with BouBou switching to organ alongside guitarist Sledd, keyboardist Pearly Sweets, bassist Nick Macri, and drummer Colby Starck. Homeland arrived in 2004 with its satirical lens on the nation and the Iraq conflict, while 2007's King for a Day examined fantasy, fame, and media. Rise Up! saw reissue ahead of Conn's 2011 performances of the full album. Macaroni in 2012 assembled The Burglars from Chicago players that included longtime drummer Josh Johannpeter, also active in Lazer Crystal and Mahjongg, keyboardist Jon Steinmeier, and bassist Jim Cooper of The Detholz. Recovery returned in 2020, targeting America's self-empowerment obsession with prompts ranging from J Dilla to Slade and featuring BouBou, Johannpeter, Cooper, DJ LeDeuce, and others.