My roommate and I both knew Jim, as we'd both been in popular Chicago bands. The day before he died, which was a weekday, he called my roommate and asked if he could come by, which of course we said yes and were excited about. It was a hot day, kind of muggy, and very sunny. it was around 2pm or so, and it was quiet, not too many people out (since we lived by Loyola U and the kids were not in school), and few cars on Loyola itself. We buzzed him in, and I answered the door, but was shocked by what I was seeing: He looked like he'd be wrestling with someone as his clothes were kind of a mess, and he was carrying what had been a 6-pack of cheap beer, but 4 were missing. he was carrying it by one of the empty plastic rings. We ushered him in, and he asked if we minded is he drank one of his beers. Of course we said that's perfectly fine, but I said to him, "we've got plenty of beer in the fridge, and it's the good stuff - you'll welcome to whatever you want, because those you're carrying have got to be warm". I reached down and grabbed one of the cans, and it was a bit beyond warm; he said he'd been walking for quite a while, so it was out in the heat. I tried to offer him a really good quality ice cold beer again, but he declined, and just nursed one of his own. We put on some music, and he sat down on the couch. We tried to engage him in conversation, but he seemed very depressed and hardly spoke. I wanted to make lunch for all of us, but he said he wasn't hungry. I brought out some snacks, but he didn't eat a little bit of any of them. My roommate and I talked, and he just seemed to enjoy listening to us (we of course were trying to get him to talk), and kept nursing his beer. I have a degree in psych, and deep down I knew something was serious wrong - he seemed like he was in deep pain. But, because of my past experiences with him, partying, laughing, raising hell, etc I just brushed off my feelings in that regard. He nursed his second beer, and still had hardly said a word. Much of the time he just looked down at the floor. After he finished his beer, he said he had to go, and we each gave him a hug. I tried to get him to stay, and again asked him if anything was wrong, or if I could help him with something, but he just quietly just said no. I opened our apartment door for him, and accompanied him down the stairs (we were on the 1st floor up), and outside. He just walked east on Loyola, and that was the last time I saw him. When I got back up to our apartment, my roommate said to me, "what the fuck was that"? I replied that I didn't know, but that he seemed very depressed, and my roommate said, "man, what the hell happened to him"? We just went on with what we needed to do - but then the next day we got a call saying that he had died from suicide. We both nearly vomited from the intensity of our overwhelming emotions. We both had huge regrets because thinking back on our experience with him the day before all the signs were there, and we ignored them because they didn't fit in with the guy that we knew who was fun and funny and always a good time. When we heard he was depressed over the end of his relationship with his girlfriend, we were even more devastated because we (as women) know so many awesome and drop-dead gorgeous ladies who would have dated him in a second. he could have had a harem of women if he wanted. Anyway, talk about a tragedy and a huge loss. I was left horribly heartbroken when Lorna from Da! died, as I knew he well, and again, there were signs: One day she told me, "I did so much heroin in the 1980's that I didn't really care about anything else - and I keep getting this feeling that one day it's going to come back and I'm going to have to pay for that". It was a moment of raw seriousness, one of those ice-cold stark reality times where after that bomb drops, no one says a word. I should have known by that alone, because I got the feeling she was telling me that she knew she was going to die from the long-term effects of heroin on her body.
I loved Jim and his band soooo much! International Pop Overthrow is an absolutely perfect pop album. Not a single bad track. I saw them with the Pretenders in Chicago back in the day. What a show! What could've / should've been.
I was right in their musical trajectory, also born in 64 and loving power pop all the way back to Badfinger. I was working part time in a big chain record store, when we got the promo cd for International Pop Overthrow. I dug them from that time on, and bought every one of their cd's until Jim passed (even their version of the Banana Splits theme song). This band was in the wrong place in time, but the music is as fresh today as in the 90's. Jim, we miss you very much. So much like Pete Ham and Tom Evans, just sad.....
Glad I found your video! I've been a fan since I heard "Valerie Loves Me" on a promo compilation cassette as a kid. I always wondered what Jim was like as a person. Your stories gave some good insight about his character. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your story! I was driving home a couple of months ago when the local independent radio station that I was listening to played “Valerie Loves Me”. I was floored! That voice, the guitars, the drums! I thought it was some new, young kids like many of the music is on that station. What a sound! Had to look them up & buy that music! I was shocked to find out that the guys were actually of my generation & I had somehow missed finding out about them, probably because I didn’t live in the Midwest, and was really busy with work & family, going into 1990. ☹️ They had that earlier 80’s sound that was raw & forceful. This band’s music should have been found by so many more people. The legacy lives on!
Tom wth are you doing? Hurry, upload your band doing Material Issue covers! I have always wanted to see and hear bands covering them and zero, zilch, nada. What are you waiting for do it!
Thanks for posting. I was a few years older than the MI guys so not really in their fan demographic, but I remember liking “Valerie” a lot and thinking how well they updated the Midwest power pop sound. I really believe they would have overcome their challenges if they had a smarter record label and more time to wait out grunge. Anyway, here I am 30 years later, walking around the house singing “Diane has everything…..” As you say, it’s timeless.
I was born in 96 and enjoy delving into 80s and 90s pop rock, 120 minutes type stuff and material issue instantly jumped out at me the moment I heard Valerie, very first lie, everything. just such a great band, incredible songs. And as a Canadian it was cool to hear Gord downie and Jim had a notable but short lived friendship.
Thank you for posting this, was really great to hear about your times with Jim and the band. Would have loved to have been at the table with you guys. The last show I saw them play was at the Metro, forget what year it was now, early to mid '90s, have to dig around for the ticket stub : ). Looking back now, I think what was so cool about Jim and what drew me to the music was that kind of tough exterior (that you allude to), yet he exposed his vulnerable side in his music, especially in his songs about girls, which was something I identified with. RIP Jim, hoisting one in your honor tonight.
I seen them at the cubby bear, very small show think they where not even signed pretty sure the record executives where there that night. Ted walked up to me after the show still holding his guitar behind his back and asked "so what do you think" I told him you guy are great you going to go far. Then 5 years later I heard on WXRT the sad news RIP Jim.
Thanks so much for this. I missed seeing the band a couple of times, of course assuming I'd get to it up the road, and the road ran out. I feel better now.
My brother in-law Ted had a grip Jim he was going to start another band and Ted wasn't going to be in it my brother and Ted murdered him and they can't get caught
Thank you for this video. It means so much to me as a fan. Jim Ellison was an incredible talent, as are his former band mates. He was an incredibly hardworking professional, and I’m pleased to hear that he had a kind heart. A profound loss; I can not find the words to express just how much I wish he were with us. I am saddened beyond ways that I can articulate. Thank you again for the stories. I am so grateful. ❤️
Nice video, i miss Jim and think about him often, i visit his resting place often...
Thanks for this.
Thank you so much for posting this! Very thoughtful remembrance of a wonderful musician.
Valerie does really Love you❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I'm still turning people on to MI and Jim. He was destined for legend status. His music lives on...
My roommate and I both knew Jim, as we'd both been in popular Chicago bands. The day before he died, which was a weekday, he called my roommate and asked if he could come by, which of course we said yes and were excited about. It was a hot day, kind of muggy, and very sunny. it was around 2pm or so, and it was quiet, not too many people out (since we lived by Loyola U and the kids were not in school), and few cars on Loyola itself. We buzzed him in, and I answered the door, but was shocked by what I was seeing: He looked like he'd be wrestling with someone as his clothes were kind of a mess, and he was carrying what had been a 6-pack of cheap beer, but 4 were missing. he was carrying it by one of the empty plastic rings. We ushered him in, and he asked if we minded is he drank one of his beers. Of course we said that's perfectly fine, but I said to him, "we've got plenty of beer in the fridge, and it's the good stuff - you'll welcome to whatever you want, because those you're carrying have got to be warm". I reached down and grabbed one of the cans, and it was a bit beyond warm; he said he'd been walking for quite a while, so it was out in the heat. I tried to offer him a really good quality ice cold beer again, but he declined, and just nursed one of his own. We put on some music, and he sat down on the couch. We tried to engage him in conversation, but he seemed very depressed and hardly spoke. I wanted to make lunch for all of us, but he said he wasn't hungry. I brought out some snacks, but he didn't eat a little bit of any of them. My roommate and I talked, and he just seemed to enjoy listening to us (we of course were trying to get him to talk), and kept nursing his beer. I have a degree in psych, and deep down I knew something was serious wrong - he seemed like he was in deep pain. But, because of my past experiences with him, partying, laughing, raising hell, etc I just brushed off my feelings in that regard. He nursed his second beer, and still had hardly said a word. Much of the time he just looked down at the floor. After he finished his beer, he said he had to go, and we each gave him a hug. I tried to get him to stay, and again asked him if anything was wrong, or if I could help him with something, but he just quietly just said no. I opened our apartment door for him, and accompanied him down the stairs (we were on the 1st floor up), and outside. He just walked east on Loyola, and that was the last time I saw him. When I got back up to our apartment, my roommate said to me, "what the fuck was that"? I replied that I didn't know, but that he seemed very depressed, and my roommate said, "man, what the hell happened to him"? We just went on with what we needed to do - but then the next day we got a call saying that he had died from suicide. We both nearly vomited from the intensity of our overwhelming emotions. We both had huge regrets because thinking back on our experience with him the day before all the signs were there, and we ignored them because they didn't fit in with the guy that we knew who was fun and funny and always a good time. When we heard he was depressed over the end of his relationship with his girlfriend, we were even more devastated because we (as women) know so many awesome and drop-dead gorgeous ladies who would have dated him in a second. he could have had a harem of women if he wanted. Anyway, talk about a tragedy and a huge loss. I was left horribly heartbroken when Lorna from Da! died, as I knew he well, and again, there were signs: One day she told me, "I did so much heroin in the 1980's that I didn't really care about anything else - and I keep getting this feeling that one day it's going to come back and I'm going to have to pay for that". It was a moment of raw seriousness, one of those ice-cold stark reality times where after that bomb drops, no one says a word. I should have known by that alone, because I got the feeling she was telling me that she knew she was going to die from the long-term effects of heroin on her body.
Thanks for the story. So sad. A very talented man.
Thank you for sharing. Jim is sorely missed.
This story is heartbreaking, but I'm grateful that you’ve shared it with us; can't express that enough. Thank you.
Very First Lie was the first song I learned on the guitar. I love MI and listen to them often. Thanks for posting this.
I loved Jim and his band soooo much! International Pop Overthrow is an absolutely perfect pop album. Not a single bad track. I saw them with the Pretenders in Chicago back in the day. What a show! What could've / should've been.
This is very touching. Thank you.
I was right in their musical trajectory, also born in 64 and loving power pop all the way back to Badfinger. I was working part time in a big chain record store, when we got the promo cd for International Pop Overthrow. I dug them from that time on, and bought every one of their cd's until Jim passed (even their version of the Banana Splits theme song). This band was in the wrong place in time, but the music is as fresh today as in the 90's. Jim, we miss you very much. So much like Pete Ham and Tom Evans, just sad.....
Glad I found your video! I've been a fan since I heard "Valerie Loves Me" on a promo compilation cassette as a kid. I always wondered what Jim was like as a person. Your stories gave some good insight about his character. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your story! I was driving home a couple of months ago when the local independent radio station that I was listening to played “Valerie Loves Me”. I was floored! That voice, the guitars, the drums! I thought it was some new, young kids like many of the music is on that station. What a sound! Had to look them up & buy that music!
I was shocked to find out that the guys were actually of my generation & I had somehow missed finding out about them, probably because I didn’t live in the Midwest, and was really busy with work & family, going into 1990. ☹️ They had that earlier 80’s sound that was raw & forceful. This band’s music should have been found by so many more people. The legacy lives on!
I hope Jim is riding around with the radio up and the windows down…loved this band.
I crank these guys every day ! My band still plays Dianne and What Girls want! the college kids love it!
Tom wth are you doing? Hurry, upload your band doing Material Issue covers! I have always wanted to see and hear bands covering them and zero, zilch, nada. What are you waiting for do it!
Their song Diane was written about my aunt.
Thanks for posting. I was a few years older than the MI guys so not really in their fan demographic, but I remember liking “Valerie” a lot and thinking how well they updated the Midwest power pop sound. I really believe they would have overcome their challenges if they had a smarter record label and more time to wait out grunge. Anyway, here I am 30 years later, walking around the house singing “Diane has everything…..” As you say, it’s timeless.
Thank you for sharing
I was born in 96 and enjoy delving into 80s and 90s pop rock, 120 minutes type stuff and material issue instantly jumped out at me the moment I heard Valerie, very first lie, everything. just such a great band, incredible songs. And as a Canadian it was cool to hear Gord downie and Jim had a notable but short lived friendship.
Thank you for posting this, was really great to hear about your times with Jim and the band. Would have loved to have been at the table with you guys. The last show I saw them play was at the Metro, forget what year it was now, early to mid '90s, have to dig around for the ticket stub : ). Looking back now, I think what was so cool about Jim and what drew me to the music was that kind of tough exterior (that you allude to), yet he exposed his vulnerable side in his music, especially in his songs about girls, which was something I identified with. RIP Jim, hoisting one in your honor tonight.
They were a great band special 👌
I seen them at the cubby bear, very small show think they where not even signed pretty sure the record executives where there that night. Ted walked up to me after the show still holding his guitar behind his back and asked "so what do you think" I told him you guy are great you going to go far. Then 5 years later I heard on WXRT the sad news RIP Jim.
Loved Material Issue since I first heard "Valerie Loves Me" way back in 1991. Have most of their CDs today.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this video.
Great job, "News Guy"! Heartfelt.
Thanks so much for this. I missed seeing the band a couple of times, of course assuming I'd get to it up the road, and the road ran out. I feel better now.
Thanks man
Thanks
My favorite concert I ever saw at FIRST AVENUE in probably 1993... they put on such a great show.
Nicley done stumbled across them on you tube, I think they are one of my favorite bands.... what are the other guys up to now????
Ironically, we are living in the 20's.
My brother in-law Ted had a grip Jim he was going to start another band and Ted wasn't going to be in it my brother and Ted murdered him and they can't get caught
Okay, but why the extreme close-up?
I had that CD.
Thank you for this video. It means so much to me as a fan. Jim Ellison was an incredible talent, as are his former band mates. He was an incredibly hardworking professional, and I’m pleased to hear that he had a kind heart. A profound loss; I can not find the words to express just how much I wish he were with us. I am saddened beyond ways that I can articulate. Thank you again for the stories. I am so grateful. ❤️