Local Loft

"I heard a rumor, what have they done to her." (Arabian Knights, Siouxie And The Banshees, single released 7/28/81 Polydor Records U.K.)
No rumors about it, due to a big move, which I'm still in the early stages of, and a few health checkups, Local Loft returns after a month breather. I wing it over to the biggest Summer music extravaganza, Merchant Street Music Fest for the awesome psychedelic free form alternative jam band Mothpoint. The four piece Kankakee band lit up and tore up the hill stage for the first of the two-day Summer music showcase, which featured superb sets by familiar names Carrying Torches and Lever, the second coming of grunge. 
I talk with singer Guitarist Lupe Carrol, who has drawn many to groove along to his solo acoustic sets at the Kankakee Farmers Market. Bassist Keegan McMaster and Lupe talk with me about how their mostly instrumental sound has wowed many young and old followers, as Mothpoint works on a follow up  full length album to thier 2024 debut songs.
Captured, as it happened on Friday, July 24th,2026 of MSMF
Mothpoint-Witch (Merchant Street Music Fest, Harold and Jean Miner Festival Square, Kankakee)
Mothpoint-Dragonfly (Live on Hill Stage, Merchant Street Music Fest, Kankakee)

"So they say that we're on the way out
They say it's  just hype
But we don't care what they say
We will never be put away
Cos we're gonna do just anything, were gonna sing what we want to sing" (We can Do Anything-Cockney Rejects. Released as a single 6/27/80- Zonophone-EMI records U.K.)
Original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power pop bands, singing and playing just like they want to, and you're gonna do what it takes to keep coming back for more.
Shadow Of Jupiter sings and plays a Black Sabbath 70s style doom metal, but the four-man Chicago band will do anything to prove that they're not a bunch of clones. The proof comes in the extensive yet progressive nature of the music on Bones, their second album, released July 10th. I talk with guitarist Colin Peterson, before they orbit the ragged stage of Reggie's Rock club Saturday night.
Veteran Rockford Hard Rock Biker band Solar launces a new future, not always looking back on 20 years of award-winning accomplishments while futuristic metal act Genotype does all they can to address how modern technology can hurt, not always help us all as we move forward.
 Radio friendly and always grooving with the melodic emotional vocal of longtime singer Mike Meadows, Ditchwater drenched a packed crowd at Livewire with passionate singing and the fluid guitar work of Mark Anderson ten years ago this week.
Mosh, groove and air guitar to your heart's content to the pulsating original Chicagoland sound of:
Shadow Of Jupiter-Bones
Shadow Of Jupiter-Echo Chamber
The Elephant March-Inflatable Feelings
Genotype-Deadcode
Solar-Shifter
Hour Of Dismay-Watch It Burn
Phosphene-Michael
Ditchwater (live at Livewire Lounge Local Loft Episode 28 Aired 6/23/16)
Ditchwater-Blind To Fate
Ditchwater-This Spell
 

"She takes down her coat and walks out on the street. It's cold on that road, but it's got that home beat." (Rat Trap-The Boomtown Rats, from their second album, A Tonic For The Troops. Released 6/16/78 on Ensign Records U.K.)
All the original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop music presented here has a home beat. Whether you listen at home or on the cold or warm streets abroad.
Clear Coat will motor on down the warm Summer streets of Chicago's South Loop to get a pogoing crowd fired up as they headline at Reggie's Saturday Night. The four piece melodic Punk band will get you moshing to killer aggressive music with a deadly lyrical nature. An attempt to end life is involved. I talk to singer and songwriter Evan Andrew Dunlap about how a personal experience fuels the words on the band's debut full length album, Imposter Syndrome.
After almost nine years in suspended celestial seclusion (in their native Rockford) Genotype, the aggressive futuristic industrial rock band, returns with Deadcode. A technological failure is the main theme of the new fourth album, featuring the scream and grunt meets intimate dual personality singer Kadie Kirby. Hear the blazing opening track right here.
Downer's Grove quartet North Of Eight was a unique combination of extensive jam band jazz like progressive rock and psychedelic acoustic guitar driven folk rock. They united musicianship for an unplugged jam in The Kat 105.5 studio fifteen years ago this week.
Crank it up and feel the Chicagoland home beat of this original music soundtrack:
Clear Coat-You're Just Here To Watch Me Self Destruct
Clear Coat-Acid Rain
Mantis Queen-Lunar Mistress
Black Road-Never Enough (live at The Drunken Donut, Joliet 8/20/24 Local Loft Episode 342)
Genotype-Recursion
Winterkill-Carnevil
Maes-In My Dreams (live at The Forge, Joliet 9/8/25)
Wolfdozer-Underwire
North Of Eight (live acoustic in the Kat 105.5 studio-6/2/11)
North Of Eight-Fire Sky (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio)
North Of Eight-Roulette
North Of Eight-More Than These (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)

"Time to bury the legend, it's time for the resurrection."
"Tomorrow's forever, so look ahead."
"There's more to life than playing dead." (Resurrection-Vice Squad, title track to their second EP. Released 6-2-81 Riot City Records U.K.)
Always looking ahead, and making original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop as prevalent today as it will be tomorrow.
A lot of it will even be legendary and resurrected in the future. It's the music that keeps them coming back for more.
Resurrecting the distorted guitar glory of 90s grunge, The Joliet female trio Sleuth brings it into today, but what singer/guitarist Angelica Cristal, bassist Emma Micheletti and drummer Britannie Rosseau lay down musically isn't a total throwback to the time of flannel shirts and Seattle based bands dominating the national music scene. There's a modern free form style with emotionally driven vocals and lyrics. I talk with all three as they reveal their debut EP, Moan in their official release show at The Drunken Donut/Joliet Bakery.
John Condron is a journeyman folk/alternative rocker and producer with an over twenty-year history. His current band The Old Gang Orchestra plays a special homecoming show at Chicago Street Pub, across from the historic Rialto Square Theatre, along with Tobin Bainkiel, singer of the veteran Chicago punk band Flatfoot 56, and Steev Custer who has made his mark in punk bands since 1989. 
Veteran guitar virtuoso David Shankle resurrects his storied past as newcomer of the legendary cult power metal band Manowar in one of his new acts Wings of Destiny for the new EP with remakes of two songs off Shankle's debut album with Manowar's 1992 album, Triumph Of Steel.
Breaking the silence of rocking too loud in a public library, the Kankakee Grunge trio Poundcake, unleashed its excessive volume rock on The Kat 105.5 studio 16 years ago this week.
You've tracked them down, with plenty of clues as to what kind of original Chicagoland music they will deliver. This case opens and closes with:
Sleuth-But You Lie
Sleuth-Cemetery Gates
Lever-Story Untold
John Condron & The Old Gang Orchestra-Dead Tree
John Condron & The Benefit-Open
Steev Custer-A Hill To Die On
Flatfoot 56-Courage
Wings Of Destiny-Give Me Light
GraveReign-Jack The Ripper
Poundcake (live in The Kat 105.5 studio-5/20/10)
Poundcake-The Botanist (Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio)
Poundcake-Johnboat (Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)
Poundcake-Bad Days (Flaming Lips cover Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)

"Now she's in purple, now she's a turtle...disintegrated!" (Christine-Siouxie & The Banshees. Released as a single from their third album, Kaleidoscope,5/30/80. Polydor Records U.K.)
Joliet musician, singer/songwriter Steev Custer has many musical personalities, like the schizophrenic subject of the new Siouxie single of 46 years ago this week, but he has not disintegrated or even disappeared after 35 years of playing in various Chicago Punk Bands. Space Age Zeros, Death And Memphis and especially, SMFC (Steve Mother Fucking Custer) his namesake group. In a special homecoming gig, Steev leads a new lineup of SMFC through a Saturday Night local D.I.Y. Punk show at Fine Tunes Center For The Arts in Channahon. I talk with him about how he is focusing more on expanding his singing and vocal talent. Along with a blazing new music video for the second single off The First Four Songs debut EP.
Cody Zupan takes on many music personalities and vocal styles in his five different Metal bands. Dead And Buried was his first, a slashing new smash single from them, and a by bilingual numbers full length debut album from Midnight Calls, who will further showcase the high-pitched high energy singing of multi-language frontman Taran DePablos in an upcoming June/July tour of Spain and Portugal.
 An explosive, funky and mirror ball-soaked throwback from Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club, when records of a glamorous but cheesy genre were shredded all over a Southside Chicago ballpark.
Chicago Metal Alliance were one of a kind. Providing valuable aid to many a Chicagoland area hard rock and metal band in need. The CMA disintegrated after one last huge bash at Star Bar in Chicago Ridge ten years ago this week, a rock back to how there was a big bond between the CMA three and the bands.
In mass quantities or short bursts, discover the multiple personalities of the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene displayed by this set of choice cuts:
SMFC-Steady Diet Of Fire
SMFC-It's Already Done (live at Fine Tunes Center For The Arts, Channahon-5/23/26)
Death And Memphis-Not Fade Away
Dead And Buried-Severed Existence
Kings By Day-Paralyzed
The Midnight Calls-To The Bottom
Repentance-Retaliate
The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Disco Demolition
Sleuth Jurassic Park (live at The Forge in Joliet-6/25)
CMA Final Bash-5/21/16 Star Bar Chicago Ridge Local Loft Episode 26 (Aired 5/30/16)
Sinister Fate-The Hunger (with David Bates Interview)
Proudest Angel-Whole Again
Wicked Deception-10 Of 1 (with Lance Hugelet interview)
Consume The Divide-The Cause (with Dan Hardman and Joe interview)
Impale-Breakfast Of Champions
Hot Dang!-Lifter
 

"Come inside boy, they call this fun (music to please the adolescent." ) Follow The Leaders-Killing Joke. Released as their third single, Malicious Damage Records U.K.-5/11/81)
Music for all ages awaits inside of this intensive podcast. 
One of the most unique Chicagoland area music fests, Goatstock at Goat Village in Norridge runs the gamut of genres from a Hip Hop/Jazz hybrid to Punk, Folk, Metal and Alternative Rock. Put together by Deb Sonzo and Jamie Rhiani, co-founders of the always eclectic mix of stoner rock and EMO alternative 13-Monsters. It's always a wide music menu with plenty to suit ever music taste.
On the Punk side, Paperboy Riot blends extended guitar jams and solos with dramatic lyrics. The 4-man band from Huntley, in the Northwest Illinois corner had them pogoing and cheering for more with personal reflection tunes from their debut EP Aberdeen and Jamestown. I talk with guitarist/singer Gavin Harrison, guitarist Camden Page and drummer Ethan Arellano outside Goat Village.
Revving up a new music direction with the top fuel video to prove it 13-Monsters draw inspiration from the legendary hard rockers who had "pistons popping in a shiny machine" and a dangerous veteran daredevil who has broke every bone in his body. I talk to Deb, Jamie, bassist Steph and drummer Carl, after they cruised through a high-octane rock set, including their new single, which is a free download to all who paid admission.
Cuttlass may draw Triumph-ant inspiration from Canada's second biggest hard rock band of all time, but are not a total retro copy. The Chicago veteran power metal band proves it in a headlining gig at Tony D's in Elmwood Park this Saturday, May 16th.
Producing not only Cutlass' dangerously Triumph-ant sound, but his own potpourri of music styes in one debut solo album, Brian Eaton was a real one man show. The Chicago musician and producer laid it all out on Graphic Nature and revealed all in graphic detail to Kat 105.5 listeners, when he entered our on air studio fifteen years ago this week.
There's plenty in the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene to get your G.O.A.T. approval with this choice playlist.
Paperboy Riot-Joke
Paperboy Riot-In My Head
13-Monsters-I Gotta Go Go Go
13-Monsters-Adventurous (live from Goatstock 26-Goat Village, Norridge-5/9/26)
Sleuth-Wave (live at The Forge in Joliet-5/9/25)
Cuttlass-Change
Brian Eaton (live in The Kat 105.5 studio-4/11/11)
Brian Eaton-Sobriety 1
Brian Eaton-Tinnitus
Brian Eaton-Graphic Nature

"Quarter notes don't mean a thing. Listen to the rhythm and listen to us sing. We're in action and the four boys crack in ATV!" "Action Time And Vision." (Action Time Vision-Alternative TV, from their debut album, The Image Has Cracked-Released 5-5-78-Deptford Fun City Records, U.K.)
Notes, chords, guitar solos, singing, all mean a thing in the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk ,Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene.
Combining eerie lead guitar notes with a shuffling free form jazz and psychedelic late 60s progressive rock drum hit and cymbal crash, MYLPH spins tales of villainous wizards and a mind-altering illegal substances. This four man Joliet band had roof of The Forge catapulted down Chicago Street to Rialto Plaza. I talk with singer/guitarist Nathan Treece, lead guitarist Kyle Bryson, keyboardist Ryan Kelly, drummer Nick Frattini, and bassist/singer Wendel Maringer.
One third of the funky rhythm section from Catapult The Propaganda, Skip Maskeri, reunites with guitarist/singer Robert Bloodworth and new bassist Alex Zeich for Vow Of Resonance, making their second stage jam at The Metal Matinee, at The Forge. I talk with all three as they put on a mesmerizing jam session, not too far removed from CTP, minus the hard hitting political nature of their lyrics. 
On the very day of the signing of their first biography, Reach For The Stars, veteran rockers M & R Rush came 
prepared with new stories and music to tell of a surprise band reunion, 21 years after The Loop Fm 98 first spun their signature anthem Rock N Roll Chicago. Guitarist and co founder John McFarlane, and guitarist/producer Jeff Luif joined me in The Kat 105.5
studio with an equally surprise namesake new title track this first week of May 2011.
Sling shot your way into a ride of the wild cyberwaves with this doomy and upbeat original Chicagoland music soundtrack:
MYLPH-Salem Skies
MYLPH-The Wizard (live at Metal Matinee,The Forge, Joliet-5/3/26)
Vow Of Resonance-Coyote Siren (live at Metal Matinee, The Forge, Joliet-5/3/26)
Vow Of Resonance-Instrumental (live at Metal Matinee, The Forge, Joliet-5/3/26)
Witchcross-Dawn Of Eternal Night
8-bit crEEps-The Silver Metal
M & R Rush (live in The Kat 105.5 studio
-5/4/11)
M &R Rush-A Different Breed Of Kat
M & R Rush-Million Seller
M & R Rush-Rock N Roll Chicago (2004 remake)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
g of thier first tell all ab
 
 
 
 
 
 

"I'm down at the pub and the time is one. Hit the jukebox for my favorite song. Gonna turn it up too loud"
"We say noise is for heroes. Leave the music for zeros."
 (Noise Noise Noise-The Damned. B-side of their single, Love Song. Released 4-27-79. Chiswick Records U.K.)
It's not just noise! and it's worth a lot more than zero in your life.
It all adds up to another dozen plus original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop selections on the podcast jukebox which zeros in on the scene.
The Punks Are Taking Over!
The ages of The Reganomics add up to way more than a goose egg. This veteran Chicago Punk band has been kickin' it live since the decade of MTV's beginning kicked off. They're not totally a throwback to Bonzo's best friend actor turned U.S. President. With songs of drugged out alligators, they have recently opened for The Dollyrots and Teenage Bottlerocket.  They perpetrate a four punk band takeover of The Forge in Joliet with SMFC (Steve Mother Fukin' Custer), Prison City Brigade & The Feds. I talk with bassist Matt McClenahan, guitarist Terry Morrow, and drummer/singer Eddie Cantu.
Pig out (or rather Goat Out!) on original Chicagoland music at the Sixteenth Annual Goatstock. Saturday, May 9th at Goat Village in Norridge. Thrown by the very artistic and eclectic 13 Monsters, a mix of old and young talent will rock the rafters, including Paperboy Riot and the senior husband/wife 4-piece band, Curmudgeon. I get you prepped for it with a chilling Paperboy Riot cut and a heroic Curmudgeon track.
Early on in their power rocking run, Veilside took off with a nationwide airline rocking one of their tunes on coast to coast flights. The veteran act fronted by Tony Engel winged their way into our Kat 105.5 studio 15 years ago this week.
Don't return fire, just let this original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop soundtrack explode in one ear and out the other: 
The Reganomics-Meth Gator
The Reganomics-STFU
S.F.M.C.-Punk Rock Changed My Life
Paperboy Riot-February
Curmudgeon-I Wanna Be A Superhero
Einstein's Sister-Together We're Alone
The Embryos-Same Guy
Reely Big Moose-Little Caesar's
MYLPH-Salem Skies
Veilside (Live In The Kat 105.5 Studio-4/28/11)
Veilside-Along The Way
Veilside-My Turn
Veilside-Hypocrisy

"This is a public service announcement...WITH GUITAR!"
(Joe Strummer. From Know Your Rights-The Clash. Released as the first single from their fifth album, Combat Rock. 4-23-82. CBS Records U.K.)
 
Guitars, Bass, Drums, are all here to serve up another big helping of original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop to a music loving public.
As guitarist and singer of the incomparable funk rock trio Catapult The Propaganda, Robert Bloodworth supplied a distinctive angry voice that stuck in your memory. CTP split apart shortly after the COVID pandemic. Due to physical limitations with the playing hands of bassist Leah Colette, who has expanded her music horizon as founding member, singer and guitarist of All Outta Gum. Robert and ex CTP drummer Skip Maskeri have joined forces in Vow Of Resonance with new bassist Alex Ziech. They will resonate very loud and clear, at The Forge In Joliet, Sunday, May 3rd, with Wicked Deception, Wrath Hammer, Mylph and Nekranova. For the first time in seven years, I talk with Robert about the new trio. And we relive the hard driving entrance of CTP into the dingy legendary punk fallout shelter venue EXIT, ten years ago this week.
Coming alive again with his first band Dead And Buried, Kankakee based hardcore metal singer Cody Zupan showcases his low throated vocal delivery, Tuesday, April 28th at Macgoos Bar And Grill in Beford Park, five minutes away from Midway Airport. 
Winning college football talent is not the only good thing to come out of the home base of Notre Dame. A winning music combo of party horns, new wave synthesizers and acoustic punk rock make up the family affair trio River Rats, who squeak into the 2026 International Pop Overthrow, Tuesday night at Montrose Saloon.
Every original Chicagoland music act on this podcast gathering vows to rock your ass off:
Vow Of Resonance-Veil/Six Dumeral (live excerpt from The Drunken Donut, Joliet 9-4-25)
Vow OF Resonance-Coyote Siren/Soul /Broken Wing (live excerpts from The Drunken Donut, Joliet 9-4-25)
Catapult The Propaganda-El Camino
Dead And Buried-Inhumane
Ephinepic-Face It
River Rats-Ode To Slow
Shoes-Tomorrow Night (original Bomp Records 1978 single version)
Wrath Hammer-Dame Tu Alma
Of Wolves-Balance
Catapult The Propaganda (interview outside EXIT 4-24-16 Local Loft Episode 24)
Catapult The Propaganda-Sorrows Of Empire
Catapult The Propaganda-Hollowed

"I sit and I don't make a sound, while I watch the speakers pound!" (Kicking Up A Racket-Stiff Little Fingers. Track 1, Side 2 of their third studio album, Go For It. Released on 4-17-1981, Chrysalis Records U.K.)
Crank it up and hear the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop sounds being made, as plenty of speakers, smart, bookshelf, powered and towers will get a great pounding workout.
The crunch of hard-shell ground beef combinations blends in with the thunderous crunch or ultra loud guitars and pounding drums, Friday night at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. Your attentions span stays fixed on A.D.D. (Analog Digital Disorder, who bring over two decades of power metal groove with them. The fiery vocal of Margaret Young (Matilda Moon). The twin lead guitar attack of Jeremy Sparta and Dave Adams. The sizzle of ground beef and the vibration of the Cemitas Poblanas roof makes for a delicious and rocking one two punch. Joining A.D.D. is Wolfram, this four Chicago hard rock band will get an expanded fan base in playing Rock N Wheels, June 11th in Addison with Lita Ford and ex Skid Row frontman/singer Sebastian Bach. They tear it up in Villa Park Friday with a melodic power rock sound reminiscent of Metallica and Godsmack, playing songs from their 2024 debut album, Sin City. I talk with Wolfram singer Nate DeVan.
Almost four years in the making, veteran power metal duo GraveReign returns with a killer new single for their second albums, Icon Of The Accursed. With the master shredding of axe man extraordinaire David Demon Shankle and the earth-shaking vocals of Tony Engel, the album preview is a modern-day hard rock twist on a Victorian London murderer. It makes its Local Loft premier. The bon Mots hope to be the next BIG STAR of the annual International Pop Overthrow, beginning this Friday at Montrose Saloon.
A.D.D. captured the full, un-disordered attention of The Kat 105.5 listeners, first playing unplugged in our on air studio, fifteen years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Don't just sit and watch the woofers pound, fist pump along with pound of sound to this original Chicagoland music groove:
Wolfram-Ukraine
Wolfram-All My Friends
A.D.D.-Blame
Valla & The Villains-Sucks To Be You
Satanic Panic-Radio Bop
In 2 The Inferno-Follow
Stab,Twist,Pull-Won Love (featuring Holly Warbrigade Smith)
The Bon Mots-Rome's Burning
M & R Rush-Stay With Me (from original 1980 10' vinyl LP pressing of Reach For The Stars EP-MSA Records)
GraveReign-Jack The Ripper
Battle Royale (featuring Claudia Guajardo of Shitizen)-Amido Black
A.D.D. (interview and acoustic performance in The Kat 105.5 studio-4/7/11)
A.D.D.-Nothing Left
A.D.D. Hear Me Now (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)
A.D.D.-The Path