Slicker

Owner of the Chicago post-rock label Hefty Records, previous frontman for the Chicago indie/avant-garde acts Turtletoes and Bill Ding, John Hughes III also formed the Slicker project. Hughes, the son of the '80s teen-angst filmmaker renowned for hits like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, grew up in Chicago. After stints at Ohio University and Northwestern, he formed the Turtletoes, which released the 1995 album Jackersville on Hefty. Bill Ding, his duo with Dan Snazelle, released albums (also on Hefty) in 1996 and 1997. Hefty had also released programming-friendly projects by Chicago veterans like Casey Rice (Super ESP), and Hughes' debut as Slicker, Confidence in Duber, reflected that direction. Two years later, a remix album featured reworkings by Matmos, Richard Devine, and Rice, among others. Hughes also served as musical director for the 1998 film Reach the Rock, the directorial debut for longtime John Hughes partner William Ryan featuring a score by Tortoise's John McEntire. Latest was released in summer 2001.