Ike Reilly learned to play guitar while working in a cemetery. He’d held that job every summer through high school and college. He started by cutting the grass, and then moved on to digging graves. He buried a lot of amputated appendages because, he claims, “Catholics do that.” When he was 18, he had to set the stone for his best friend, who was killed in a car accident.
He quit the Eisenhowers to join the Drovers. For five years he led a group named Ike Reilly, Community Number 9; his band mates included Mars Williams of Liquid Soul, Phil Karnats of Tripping Daisy, and Aidan O’Toole of the Muck Brothers.
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Reilly looks back on those days with a hands-over-the-eyes embarrassment. The period culminated in his lone recorded venture: a self-produced CD with Community Number 9 released in 1992. Calling it “unhip,” he regards it as a reflection of his dissatisfaction at the time. He quit the band in 1995, turning his full attention to his career as a doorman. Then it was announced the hotel would be torn down, beginning in January 1997.
“I just said, ‘Fuck!’” Reilly says. “That was a great job. That’s where people would meet me. They’d come to the hotel to talk to me. Band members, friends, club owners, whoever. That’s where you’d find me.”
“I’m from Chicago,” Reilly said. “I’m here to meet with some people from Virgin and some other people.”
“I have it in the car,” Reilly replied, after realizing Atencio wasn’t kidding and actually wanted to see if he could perform.
“You did?” Atencio said with surprise.
