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. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide