Rockford, Illinois – November 9, 2023
By: Jenafur Schlangen
Legendary local and all-around good-time rock band, The Pimps (formerly known as, “The Goodyear Pimps”) have officially announced that after decades of making kick-ass ‘three chord rock ‘n roll,’ out of Rockford, Illinois, they will be calling it quits following their very last live performance on November 10, 2023, in Madison, Wisconsin. It will indeed be the end of an era for the Illinois local music scene that can only be described as, “amazeballs.” But, before you reach for the tissues, please take comfort in the fact that, just because The Pimps will soon be history, there’s still a possibility that its members might venture into new musical endeavors, creating fresh sounds and continuing to contribute to the musical landscape.
I sat down with The Pimps, vocalist, Stuart (“Stu”) Johnson on October 28th, just prior to the band’s very last hometown performance in Rockford, Illinois. We discussed the reasoning behind the official end of The Pimps, an ongoing community music project, as well as the potential for a whole new band to be taking the stage in the near or distant future (yes, that was meant to be vague).
While talking with Stu, he spoke a lot about a successful and ongoing community project that he started in his hometown, Rockford, back in 2013. His face literally lit up as he talked about the beloved, the Rock and Roll Institute. Similar to the School of Rock franchise, the Rock and Roll Institute is a dynamic and innovative kids’ music program that transforms aspiring young musicians into confident, stage-ready performers. But, there is one exception: The Rock and Roll Institute crams an entire educational and hands-on music journey into only five days…not several weeks like its predecessor. Just imagine it: You arrive at the program on a Monday, where you’ll meet some kids your age, likely for the first time. Then, you and said “other kids” break into a group to: form your band, name your band, learn how to play an instrument, learn how to play a song with that instrument with a group of others, then perform that song live with your band on that very next Friday. It is an admirable feat and Stu’s excitement and pride about the program is well deserved. The program is in collaboration with Rockford’s own, Keith Country Day School, a private school in the area that has 99% college success among its diverse student body. More information about the Rock and Roll Institute and the Keith Country Day School are linked below.
Next up, and most importantly, when asked about whether the band was calling it quits (for real this time), Johnson confirmed that it is indeed the final chapter for The Pimps. With a collective nod to the passage of time, the decision stemmed from a desire to gracefully embrace the next chapter of their lives. “There’s no hard feelings everybody’s super cool about it,” Stu added.
Johnson did mention however, yet another new project he has been working on, a new album that he and Pimps bassist (and Stu’s husband, btw), Tony, entitled, No Chalance. Currently, there are a bit more than a dozen tracks set for the album, narrowed down from 384 songs, says Stu with stone-faced seriousness. However, there was a hint of vulnerability in his voice when he confided that the prospect of releasing their latest creations which was accompanied by a wave of uncertainty, leaving the decision to share their intimate creations hanging in the balance. However, if and when it is decided to release the new stuff, you can expect a country’ish/punk’ish/chunky’ish style of music with songs such as, It’s All my Fault Your a Narcissist; I Fell in Love with a Rodeo Clown; and, Bloodshed at the Pizza Ranch, just to name a few. The name of the (potentially) new band, Precious Johnson & The Criddles. Thankfully, the sense of humor and similar music style of this duo is still intact and may carry on into the future. Keep an eye/ear out!
Later in the evening, as The Pimps, known for its entertaining/interactive stage presence and genre-defying sound, took to the stage for their hometown fans one last time, it was definitely bittersweet. The set was full of energy and enthusiasm however, the pauses between songs to give away a few key pieces of band memorabilia to their fans, i.e. their Mission Impossible 2 Platinum Award Plaque, original rehearsal space white board, and a giant piece of fan art, made it all the more apparent that this was indeed the end, forcing a collective sigh to echo through the crowd.
If you would like to catch the very last performance of The Pimps, they will be at the High Noon in Madison, Wisconsin on Friday, November 10th. As far as any last sentiments, the band states on their social media, “It’s time to Swedish Death Clean. We have said all we have to say.”
RIP The Pimps – Three Chord Rock ‘n Roll from Rockford, Illinois. Here’s to wishing all of them (Stu Johnson, Tony Crisman, Dave Deraosso, Michael “Hilly” Hilenburg and Todd Cooper) the very best with their future endeavors, no matter what they may be!
HIT THESE LINKS FOR MORE INFO:
The Pimps – Facebook
Rock and Roll Institute
Keith Country Day School
Rockford Area Arts Council
