Big-Shot Chicago Sun-Times Rock Critic Jim DeRogatis Is Bound For Academia

Critic, author, radio show co-host, professional R. Kelly antagonizer, and all-around polarizing pop-music raconteur Jim DeRogatis announced his resignation from the Chicago Sun-Times late yesterday, where's he held down the pop-critic spot for nearly two decades, give or take a brief, unhappy stint antagonizing Hootie and the Blowfish over at Rolling Stone. As the famous Ryan Adams voice-mail tirade above (triggered by this) makes clear, antagonizing people was kind of Jim's thing.

So. He'll be teaching full-time at Columbia College Chicago and blogging for Chicago Public Radio, where he'll keep doing his weekly radio show, Sound Opinions, with fellow Chicago scribe Greg Kot. He's also written books about the Flaming Lips, psych rock, '90s alt-rock, and Lester Bangs. Not everyone liked him -- root around here if so inclined -- but his career has undeniable high points, particularly his dogged pursuit of the R. Kelly sex-tape story, which eventually landed him in court himself. All told, he had one of the most prominent gigs in the biz, and he'll be hard to replace, if they try to replace him at all.