CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Jim Peterik will never forget when he heard their hit "Vehicle" on the radio for the first time.
"I was driving down I-55 headed west and all the sudden, buh, da, da, da, duh and Dick Biondi goes 'new from the Ides of March, I'm your Vehicle baby,' and I floored that thing. It was absolutely electrifying," he recalled.
Peterik and the Ides of March have been rocking together for more than half a century and will be part of the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inaugural class.
Original members include Peterik, Larry Millas, on vocals and guitar; Bob Bergland, on vocals and bass; and Mike Borch, on vocals and drums.
"This Hall of Fame thing has really brought us all together and appreciate the love we have grown with the public. It's not just a small section of people, it's a big deal," he smiled. "We're so honored and honored to be in such great company with other artists."
The Ides of March began in Berwyn, Illinois on Oct, 16, 1964, as The Shon-Dels.
In 1966, after changing their name to The Ides Of March, the band released their first single on Parrot Records “You Wouldn’t Listen.” The song reached No. 7 in Chicago, and No. 42 on the Billboard Charts in the spring of 1966.
In 1970 the band released “Vehicle”, which, at the time, became the fastest- selling single in Warner Brothers history.
"I wrote it for my girlfriend to win her back. It worked and 49 years later, I'm married to that girl and guess what, I'm still her vehicle," he laughed.
Peterik also wrote songs for Survivor, 38 Special, and Sammy Hagar.
"Songwriting has always been my passion. I realized I can make up a song and people can sing it. It was just a thrill. I just kept going," he said.
He and the band have come a long way from Morton West High School.
"Hometown, that's everything to me. That's the fabric of Jim Peterik is this town. We're the Berwyn boys. We're still in love with Berwyn. That's where we started playing together in seventh grade," he said.
The band toured the U.S and Canada throughout 1970, opening up for Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin.
Peterik said he still can't believe six decades later, people still know and enjoy the band's songs.
"The 70s, 80s, and 60s, maybe I'm getting old, but those are the sweet spots of Rock & Roll. Everything else is carbon copies of those decades. Even the young kids, we see them on the shoulders of their grandparents, singing to 'Vehicle' and 'Eye of the Tiger', it's timeless," Peterik said.
Ides still performs and gives back to the Chicagoland community.
The band established a scholarship in their name at Morton West that benefits students continuing their education in the arts.
"Every year, we endow a young musician with a bunch of money. If we believe in them, we send them to college or music school. It's been a lot of fun. We also give a concert in honor of those people as well," Peterik said.
In 2010, the Village of Berwyn renamed the portion of Home Avenue in front of the school in honor of the band.
Peterik lives with his family in Burr Ridge, but living and performing in and around his hometown has been a special chapter for him.
"We are grade school chums and what a blessing to grow up and be successful and tour with your best friends. I'd love to go back to Berwyn and perform at Fitzgerald's for a small crowd. We love that," he said. "I still can't believe we are still touring. If you told me that our songs would still be playing when we're 70, I would never believe it."
Ides of March will join Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and The Buckinghams in this year's Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class. The ceremony take place Tuesday, Aug. 31 at the Rialto Theater in Joliet. For more information, log onto roadtorock.org.
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