Reaction Formation

The suburban wasteland of Downers Grove, Illinois spawned the band Reaction Formation in the early 1980s, and they eventually became an often-gigged and sometimes-touring juggernaut of youthful free energy. Tuneage ranged from classic Midwestern jangle-pop and indie rock; they were “pop” enough to also appeal to the mid-1980s Chicago Mod scene (Green, The Slugs, 007, I-Spy, The Dig). Guitarist Jim “McGuinn” Slusarek became a national powerhouse in alternative radio (he now resides as Program Director for Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current) and singer Steve Timble became publisher of Time Out Chicago (now at The Wall Street Journal).