Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 427

"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

Local Loft Episode 426

"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

Local Loft Episode 425

"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
 
 

Local Loft Episode 424

"There's twenty-two singers, but one microphone. There's five guitar players, but one guitar. Complaints! Complaints! wot an old bag!. Back in the garage" (Garageland- final track of Side 2 of The Clash self titled debut album- Released on 4-8-1977 on CBS Records U.K..
No matter how many members, or how limited or plenty is the gear, a bountiful harvest of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop is always in a big supply on the podcast that constantly stocks new and fresh cuts from soon to be, or current releases.
As they rock on through their twentieth year as a prominent metal band, Joliet's Wicked Deception has only two who generate a thunderous blend of hardcore and thrash metal through a single microphone on the compact stage setting of the Drunken Donut, the hard rocking section of The Joliet Bakery. 14 years ago, the band was once a seismic four piece, but now is longtime founder, guitarist and singer Lance Huguelet and drummer Pete Burnos. Sometimes, less is more. Minus a few less members, Wicked D rocked the foundations of the Drunken Donut, promoting their new live album, Shocked Back To Live. I talk with both Lance and Pete for the first time in ten years.
From the not-too-distant mid 80s past, Aurora's Sparkplug Assassins has a definite melodic and progressive metal sound reminiscent of Metal Church, Slaughter and Stryper. The four-man band led by singer Dave McCormick returns with Systems reborn, its first new full-length album and second overall on June 1st. I have a Disturbingly new single, which does not get Down With any Sickness. 
Space Age Zeros won't consult any big-name Chicago Meteorologist as they futurize the annual international Pop Overthrow a week from Saturday at Montrose Saloon.
With a blend of John Cougar Mellencamp Americana Roots Rock and a Pantera Power Metal swagger, Gerhart is small town with a big sound. They tractored into the Kat 105.5 studio, fourteen years ago this week.
Never too much or too little original Chicagoland music. Rock a plenty to this bountiful harvest of talent:
Wicked Deception-Expendable (live from The Drunken Donut in Joliet-4/4/26
Wicked Deception-No Mercy (live from the Drunken Donut-Joliet-726/25)
Manpon-Barfly (live from The Drunken Donut, Joliet-4/4/26)
Sparkplug Assassins-Dark And Disturbed
Spillage-Realize
The Nightworks Project-Confessor
Chains Of Tyranny-Apophis
The Unswept-Downtown Bridge
Space Age Zeros-Cheryl Scott (Live at The Metro-3/14/26)
Gerhart (live in The Kat 105.5 studio-4/5/12)
Gerhart-Bringing Me Down
Gerhart-Living Through Perception
Gerhart-The Outsider
 

Local Loft Episode 423

" You're on your own. It's best that way. Look out for number one. Don't take no shit from no one, just keep on having fun!"
Ignore Them (Always Crashing The Same Bar)-Eddie And The Hot Rods. B Side Of their third single, I Might Be Lying. Released 3-31-77. Island Records U.K.
You can't ignore the wide variety of genres and diversity of original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop. There's something for every music taste.
With a raunchy, Southern Hard Rock and Metal mixture, Tractor Boy combines aggressive heavy guitar power chords with a politically pissed off attitude. The four-man heartland punk band has just released Midwest Loud, their second studio album. Revealing the entire track album to a packed Saturday night crowd at Stadium Club At The Max in Southwest Suburban McCook, 25 minutes South of Downtown Chicago. I talk with singer and drummer Steve Bradshaw on how political U.S. Government and Corporate America conspiracies work into scary tales of military medical procedures and band members being attacked by a cult group in a downstate concert appearance.
It's a post-Christmas hibernation gone bad for Chicago Power Pop trio Who's This Mary?, which they'll share to close out the annual International Pop Overthrow. Plus, a surprise two-decade celebration reunion for Joliet Hardcore Metal act Wicked Deception in their hometown this weekend.
Plowing through the bountiful beanfields of cyberspace. This homegrown original Chicagoland music soundtrack revvs up:
Tractor Boy-Bro-Ken-G-Wotter
Tractor Boy-Now It Can Be Told
MYLPH-Hell
The Simsons-Breakfast At Witchmores
Ricky Liontones-224U
Einstein's Sister-Too Late For The Truth
Who's This Mary?-Vibro
Manpon-Counterfeit
Wicked Deception-Spitting Venom (Live at The Drunken Donut, Joliet-7/26/25)
Wicked Deception (live in The Kat 105.5 studio-4/19/12)
Wicked Deception-Scorched Earth
Wicked Deception-Retribution
Wicked Deception-Betrayal

Local Loft Episode 422

"Yes, no you can't, but you can if you know why"
But only a friend can know the you that is you"
"It's your life, so go your own way."  (Questions And Answers-Sham 69 Released as their seventh single-3/16/79 on Polydor Records U.K.)
It's your music, so you as an original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock band or artist know which way, which direction you must take that music in to reach a maximum amount of listeners and fans. No one else can question if you're going the right way to reach and touch so many other people's lives.
Ten years ago, The Evictions set out on the right direction towards winning over an ever growing fan base. With a fast, heavily distorted fuzz guitar laced sound, the Chicago garage rock trio was discovered opening for Cheetah Chrome, guitarist for the legendary Cleveland punk band ,The Dead Boys. They also have co-headlined with Handsome Dick Manitoba, singer of The Dictators, who released their debut album The Dictators Go Girl Crazy in 1975. The Evictors played loud enough to crack the foundations of Cemitas Poblanas Mexican Restaurant in Villa Park, but not enough to get them thrown out for good, during the 75th Punk Rock Tacos, the first show of 2026. I talk with singer/guitarist Johnny Wator after a seismic set at PRT 75. Another chance to open for Manitoba at Liar's Club comes this Friday night, March 27th.
The attention span at Cemitas will not shift from the hard rock assault of Analog Digital Disorder come Friday, April 17th, while grange punk band Claw Toe goes battles the ever-changing Chicago Spring Weather for a Thursday night new single release show at Empty Bottle.
Veteran guitar shredder extraordinaire David Shankle teams up with power rock singer Tony Engel on the long awaited (five years in the making) second full length album from GraveReign, dropping as flowers Spring up. I've got the blooming scoop.
Pogo dancing till they dropped, a packed crowd was hanging around (not from the ceiling) for every last note of Cliffhanger. The four piece Chicago Punk Pop band kept their footing on the not so steep stage of Wire In Berwyn, seven years ago this week.
Crank up this original Chicagoland music soundtrack, and raise your spirits, not your rent, with the annoyed, pissed off landlord:
The Evictions-We Will
The Evictions-Easy On The Outside
AWEFUL-Time
Wolfram-Sin City
A.D.D.-Blame
GraveReign-Sanctuary
Claw Toe-Chicago Punk Rock Warrior
We The Cats-Kennedy
Tractor Boy-Carnage In Rantoul
Cliffhanger (interview from Wire In Berwyn-3/23/19 Local Loft Episode 98)
Cliffhanger-Barbed Wire Bat
Cliffhanger-Lost Cards 

Local Loft Episode 421

"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy. Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ. On The Beat, on the upbeat." (The Beat-Elvis Costello, from his second studio album, This Year's Model, released on Radar Records in the U.K., Columbia Records, U.S. on 3/17/78).
 
It's not all upbeat original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative and power pop. But all of it has a beat, and you can groove to it.
There's a lightning-fast beat and rhythm in Hardcore Punk. And when you're pogo dancing or moshing to that rapid rhythm, you don't get the message which spreads like wildfire right away. I'm sure I hear a message of optimism in Sunshine On My Face from veteran Chicago Hardcore Punk Trio I Hate People. It's only one positive message in this very upbeat three man band's full length debut album, Pound It Out. They will put you in a optimistic good time mood, as they co headline with Real Bad Real Fast at the 75th edition of Punk Rock Tacos, Friday Night at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. I talk with drummer No Rhythm Jim, guitarist Larry and Bassist Ken.
Ephenepic from just north of Kankakee always rocks withe hurricane force grooves. The four members, including brothers Travis (Drums) and Cody (vocals) Zupan survived hurricane force winds as an EF-3 tornado hit South of their homes. They have just released a morbid metal themed full-length album, You Will Die. They first played  a lot of it's tunes at Kankakee Estival Festival last September in Bird Park. I've a cranial melting track off it. And, the Chicago doom punk band Claw Toe, goes into battle with familiar city music venues in a new Trouble-some scenic music video (which features new bassist Traci Trouble, of veteran space punk band Hotlips Messiah)
Served up rocking hot with a side of punchy, celling quaking rhythms, Punch Cabbie rocked a full of Guiness and corned beef crowd at a St. Patrick's Day Massacre night gig at Brauerhouse In Lombard ten years ago this week.
Play your air clover as you jig to this banger soundtrack of original Chicagoland music:
I Hate People-Sunshine On My Face
I Hate People-Untreatable
The Evictions-Teenage On The TV
Ephenepic-Brain Spew
Claw Toe-Chicago Punk Rock Warrior
The Spindles-Prisoner Of War
Alpine Subs-Give It Love, Give It Time
Flatfoot 56-Way Of The Sun
Cutlass-Out In The Cold
The Waterfall King-Filth
The Fiction We Create-The Void's Calling
Punch Cabbie (interview from Brauerhouse in Lombard-3/17/16 Local Loft Episode 20)
Punch Cabbie-Introspection
Punch Cabbie-Vitriol
 

Local Loft Episode 420

"But when you ask in a strange town, they say I don't know, I don't care and I've got to go, mate." (Strange Town -The Jam. Released as a single-3/9/1979 0n Polydor Records. U.K.)
All the towns, cities and even the state of Illinois where these original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop bands and artists hail from might seem strange to you at first, but you'll easily recognize the locations as you become more familiar with the acts through catchy lyrics and music.
Helping many immigrants to become familiar with the surroundings of the Oak Park area, west of downtown Chicago, hardcore punk trio Real Bad Real Fast has teamed up with eclectic Jazz Rock Fusion trio Sons Of Ra, and hybrid rock/hip hop/ jazz band Afrofuturistics for a special fundraiser show for the Illinois Coalition For Immigrant And Refugee Rights. All three bands rocked the foundations of Val's Halla, the legendary record emporium in Oak Park during a Saturday Night show. I catch up with Matt Stanton, Ben Brundige and Ed Dudzinky after Real Bad Real Fast cruised through a scorching 30 plus minute set. It's the first time in six years I caught their fast and furious set, with gruesome tales of a 50 years ago horrifying story of a killer car. Six years ago this week, they took their time to rock a big pre-COVID 19 shutdown crowd at The Outtaspace in Berwyn, which we rock back to end this four hundred and twentieth excursion into the original Chicago and surrounding area's music scene.
The Midnight Calls rock back the calendar clock almost a golden year's span with a new psychedelic metal single. It's a spiritually uplifting turbo charged power rock gem, showcasing the high pitched, ultra raspy vocal style of journeyman hard rocker Taran DePablos. The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club will make another pilgrimage to the première Chicago Power Pop Festival, International Pop Overthrow, at Montrose Saloon, April 17-25th. The veteran power pop quartet leaves no confession unturned in their new single. 
Migrate to your device of choice and get an earful of the podcast that never gives the original Chicagoland music scene an ICE-Y reception:
Real Bad Real Fast-Strike 3
Real Bad Real Fast-Maverick
Sons Of Ra-Replacement Souls (Live)
The Midnight Calls-Objectophilia
The Handcuffs-Pretty Pretty
The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Heavy Conclusions
Satellite Union-Mix Tape
Shitizen-Make It Smell
GraveReign-With Apologies/Romanza
Real Bad Real Fast (interview from The Outtaspace in Berwyn-3/14/2020 Local Loft Episode 121)
Real Bad Real Fast-Comin' In Hot
Real Bad Real Fast-Ronan Farrow
 
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Local Loft Episode 419

"His mission is simple, to add to the score. Look through his reflection. AH, what could be more"
"Calling calling crazy tunes. Look all around you, your life is in ruins".  (Calling The Tune-Skids. From their debut album Scared To Dance.. Released 2-23-79. Virgin Records U.K.)
Listen, the tunes are calling to you!
The original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop tunes will lift you up. Get you out of a ruined life and rejuvenate.  A life that rocks can never be ruined.
With music tales of a ruined relationship, and a loving father lost to his children by fighting in a destructive war. Beneath The Hollow invited fans new and old to mosh away any grief or depression in a Saturday night Chicago area live local metal showcase show at The Forge in Joliet. Joining forces on stage with Next To Eternity, Reckless Redemption, Beheading the Icon, and Subcyst. The personal troubles pogoed away. Fourteen years ago, Beneath The Hollow unleashed their awesome metalcore groove on Kat 105.5 listeners. Drummer Matt DeGroot supplied the pyle driving drum sound. I talk with him and new singer Justin Osbourne backstage.
We Stay In Time, not completely, with a belated birthday salute to Power Pop legend Cliff Johnson, including a recently posthumous release of how taking Quick Turns through cyberspace isn't always a smooth ride.
Almost permanently punching their way out of the scene eight years ago this week, Fist To The Sky, with singer/frontman Mickey Murder, was not dead yet. The Chicago power rock 4 piece made a surprise comeback last Summer at Q Bar in Darien. They had no more rock fight in them after a punchy finale at Wire In Berwyn. We rock back to it.
A non-Olympic gold metal and silver skate blade, winning combination of original Chicagoland music comes with this gala soundtrack:
Beneath The Hollow-Butter
Beneath The Hollow-Godless Endeavors
Reckless Redemption-S.O.L.
All Outta Gum-Deceit
Catapult The Propaganda-F-Bomb
Cliff Johnson-Cyberspace Stalker
Off Broadway-U.S. Girls
Foxdie-Rapid Eye Movements
Escape The Paradigm-Tired Eyes
Fist To The Sky (live from Wire In Berwyn 2-24-18 Local Loft Episode Local Loft Episode 75)
Fist To The Sky-Count Your Blessings
Fist To The Sky-Another Lesson Learned

Local Loft Episode 418

"I wonder what we'll do when things go wrong. When we're halfway through our favourite song. We look up and the audience is gone."
"Will we feel a little bit obscure?" (One Chord Wonders-The Adverts, from the debut album, Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts. Released 2-17-78. Stiff Records-U.K.)
You, as part of an original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock, or Power Pop must never accentuate the negative. how about what will we do when things go right! There will be bad nights on stage or in the studio. Rock on, when they happen and know that there is an audience who will be coming back for more, of their favorite songs from you as a solo artist or band. This podcast focuses on only the music product that goes right.
Chicago Deathcore Metal band Subcyst, will lay down the right pile driving, grinding groove to make a moshing audience, Saturday night stick around at The Forge In Joliet, and never be gone. The lyrical images may be depressing, but the coarse grunt vocal of singer Javier Guana has the fiery power to keep the crowd mesmerized. This band is very mainstream and impossible to fade into obscurity.  Javier and guitarist Rich Boersma join me. They're one of five Chicago area metal bands playing a local metal showcase gig, also featuring Next To Eternity, Reckless Redemption, Beheading The Icon, and Beneath The Hollow.
Tractor Boy whips up a punk hoedown at the record release show for their second full length album, Midwest Loud, the second weekend of Spring in Southwest Suburban McCook. Leftover Ice And Snow from a barbaric winter will be eradicated. Three prominent bands want to get rid of the painful memories of another familiar ICE at an Immigrant Support Benefit show, the first weekend of March at the legendary Oak Park record store, Val's Halla, including hardcore punk trio, Real Bad Real Fast . I have the scoop on both shows.
Rocking out of the ashes of the obscure progressive Joliet metal band Axis Of Time, the future was much brighter and heavier for Orinoco. Their second trip to The Kat 105.5 studio included new fierce screaming singer Anthony Guardiola, 14 years ago this week.
Whether just one, or a zillion distinctive chords reel in your audience, this original Chicagoland music soundtrack will strike an hour an fifteen-minute catchy chord:
Subcyst-A Malignant Gift
Subcyst-Death Wage
Reckless Redemption-State Of Decay
Real Bad Real Fast-Mouthpiece (Live at Livewire Lounge-1/16/26)
Convoy-Almost Lost My Mind
Bad Break-Retired Double Agent
MYLPH-Bio Jesus
Black Cat Heart Attack-A.D.D.
James The Boneless-Frozen Brain
Orinoco (2/18/12 Live in The Kat 105.5 studio)
Orinoco-The Antagonist
Orinoco-Seize The Night
Axis Of Time-The Walking Dead