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Attention Attention - Hard Cox on Stage! |
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Written by SHANE HILL / Photos by BARRY BRECHEISEN
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Friday, 21 December 2007 |
There’s been plenty of Cox who have been in and out of this town, yet this is arguably the hardest of them all. I am not talking about Courtney Cox, famous for that Bruce Springsteen video and more so for her starring role in Masters of the Universe. I am not even talking about that overrated, borderline psychotic linebacker, Bryan Cox, who played for the Bears in the late nineties. I am talking about the one and only Dewey Cox and his band The Hard Walkers. They came and performed magnificently at the Cubby Bear recently as part of their promotional tour for the film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
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Dewey Cox and The Hard Walkers
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 Entertainment
Art
Cubby Bear
Chicago, Ill.
December 6, 2007
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The just released Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, is a musical biopic about the rock and/or roll life of Dewey Cox. Starring as Dewey Cox is John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights, Chicago, and Gangs of New York). Yeah, most people can’t remember him either. Usually he gets referenced as “THAT GUY” from things like Boogie Nights and The Aviator. Who knew the guy could sing?! Reilly portrayed his alter-ego at the Cubby Bear for his personal guests, family members and contest winners. Never breaking from character, he sang all of the songs from the movie and even threw out a couple of covers like Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”.
Being a huge Johnny Cash fan, I was excited to not only see the movie (which was previewed earlier in the evening) but the chance to catch the Cox fever live. Cox is a satirical reflection of Cash and the recent movie Walk the Line. His song “Walk Hard” is unquestionably a tribute/parody of Johnny’s style and tone. However, I have to say that Cox also draws from other historical rockers for his musical influence. His politically active song “Let Me Hold You (Little Man)” seems to be taken straight from one of Bob Dylan’s song books. Shortly after, Cox began his drug-induced exploratory music phase with a little help from his friends The Beatles (who are almost as good as The Monkees, cording to the film). Struggling with popularity, Dewey joined artists like Alice Cooper, Johnny Cash and Tom Jones with a network television TV show that bordered on atrocity. Thankfully, none of the songs from this era were performed this evening. Even without his on-screen love, Dewey Cox still managed to sing “Let’s Duet” with a local singer.
After thanking Chicago, his family and that handsome John C. Reilly, Cox and the Hard Walkers finished out their set with an encore of Dewey’s masterpiece “Beautiful Ride”. John C. Reilly has finally shed his “other guy” skin with the Dewey Cox persona and America perhaps even the world is all the better for it. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story hits theaters everywhere today. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
