Can’t tell if that cough you woke up with this morning is the rockin’ pneumonia or just the boogie-woogie flu? Music-related afflictions can be hard to diagnose, and while we here at YuppiePunk World HQ aren’t licensed to practice medicine, we sure are licensed to ill.

Band: The Chills
Time to Get Ill: 1980-1996
The Deal: New Zealand’s favorite guitar-pop export, the Chills’ and their revolving-door of members finally hit its groove around lineup ten or so by delivering a college-rock fave with “Heavenly Pop Hit” which juggled alternative-era jangle, bubblegum and a sophisticated ear for arrangements.
Sickest Album: “Submarine Bells”
As Ill As: The common cold

Band: The Dils
Time to Get Ill: 1977-1980
The Deal: While many of their Los Angeles brethren were busy making the jump from punk to hardcore, the Dils concentrated on no-nonsense punk rock, tossing in socialist overtones (check out the band’s signature tune “Class War”), while keeping things young, loud and snotty. Breaking up before releasing a proper album, some of the Dils’ resurfaced in Rank and File.
Sickest Album: “Dils”
As Ill As: The morning after two bottles of MD 20/20.

Band: The Kills
Time to Get Ill: 2000-present
The Deal: Punky art rockers mix everything from the blues to tick-tocking drum machines in a snarling, depraved sound where new wave’s plastic futurism and garage’s self-consciously retro sounds collide. The duo, VV and Hotel, features Discount’s former frontwoman, Alison Mosshart as VV.
Sickest Album: “No Wow”
As Ill As: Avian flu

Band: The Pills
Time to Get Ill: 1995-Present
The Deal: Little known outside of their native Boston, the Pills kick out the power-pop jams with the flair of everyone from the Knack to Ultimate Fakebook, all while putting their own classic spin on the style. An appearance on “Dawson’s Creek” didn’t hurt the band’s resume either, but don’t let that discourage you from popping the Pills.
Sickest Album: “A Fistful of Pills”
As Ill As: Whooping cough

Band: The Stills
Time to Get Ill: 2000-present
The Deal: Montreal indie rockers migrate to New York just when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Strokes are making Brooklyn zip codes hip again. Starting with a sound heavily influenced by Echo and the Bunnymen, the Stills would evolve into an impressive indie rock outfit by 2006’s “Without Feathers.”
Sickest Album: “Without Feathers”
As Ill As: Toxic shock syndrome

Band: Stephen Stills
Time to Get Ill: 1965-Present
The Deal: Onetime member of Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Squires, Stills’ guitar work and folk-rock voice made him a constant folkie Robin to Neil Young’s Batman. A solo career established him as more of a Nightwing figure, though outside of folk-rock-hippie circles, Stills was never able to emerge from Young’s shadow.
Sickest Album: “Manassas”
As Ill As: Calling in to work to use up untapped sick leave

Band: The Thrills
Time to Get Ill: 1999-Present
The Deal: Irish indie-popsters with a Beach Boys fetish merge jangly guitars and occasional vocal harmonies to weave a blanket of Californian sunshine out of Britpop and American indie.
Sickest Album: “Let’s Bottle Bohemia”
As Ill As: SARS

Band: Bob Wills
Time to Get Ill: 1935-1975
The Deal: An unsung hero of American music who’s all but forgotten (save for a handful of country enthusiasts and alt-country brainiacs), Bob Wills fused golden-era country with big band and jazz elements to popularize western swing. Although his stock dropped as rock & roll crowded big band and country sounds off the map, Wills was one of the first artists to take country off of the farm and into the city by fusing it with another style.
Sickest Album: “Anthology 1935-1973”
As Ill As: Jack In the Box-style food poisoning

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