Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 397

"And everywhere was a song and a celebration" (Woodstock-Joni Mitchell-1969)
 
Personal issues such as suicide & drug abuse are nothing to celebrate, overcoming those issues are cause to savor life when all are conquered. When music is added to bring a person out of the clutches of an addiction or depression, it can cleanse the soul and raise the spirits.
The healing power of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop united the masses for the second annual Celebration!, a one day gathering of music and messages at The Forge in Joliet.
The Illustrious storytelling rock persona, Mr. Fringe has had enough with constant spying from The Party Of No. With help from his band, The Lunatic's Fringe, this green faced individual rock any sighing of this set of rock destroying aliens. The battle between Party Of No and The Lunatic's Fringe reaches its stunning conclusion throughout Threatening The Order, The Lunatic's Fringe just released third album. After a blazing, rip rocking set, Mr. Fringe joins me to discuss the PON's intervention, and how Lunatic's Fringe has the power to crush the negative mutans sent to enforce the death of rock n roll.
Celebration was to feature veteran Chicago grunge and alternative rock band, Halfway To Zero. A medical emergency within the band forced them to cancel their gig. Three of their four members join me. We also get a jumpin' blast of Colleen Wild and The Haunted, here to unveil new tunes from a planned debut full length album (Colleen was voted best newcomer of 2024 of Local Loft's year in review)
Cancer has always been addressed by many a musician and band, at many benefit shows to raise money to fight the life-threatening disease. Punk Rock Tacos will put on a single day Cancer benefit at Cemitas Poblanas
in Villa Park this Friday. NightFreak, and Smear Campaign join a lineup of mostly Chicagoland
punk and goth rock acts for it. one who is helping to organize it, WHUT? is no stranger to reaching out with its intense, hardcore metal. Greg (Pervert Bastard Scum) Charles, Philly D and J. Keen united to help then bassist of the Chicago metal band, Rick Lancaster raise money for medical expenses following a few hospital trips for health issues, Twelve years ago this week, they reached out in our Kat 105.5 studio.
Original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop has the awesome power to rock away the afflictions. From Joliet to Jasper County, Berwyn To Bourbonnais, Local Loft maps out another music journey, that embarks through the wild cyber airwaves with:
The Lunatic's Fringe-Counterinsurgency
The Lunatic's Fringe-Switch (Live at Celebration, The Forge, Joliet-9/7/25)
Halfway To Zero-At Pace (live at The Drunken Donut, Joliet-12/18/23)
NightFreak-Mindfuck
Smear Campaign-Hulk
Enuff Z'Nuff-Heavy Metal
Phil Angotti,Ralph Covert, Brad Elvis-Stay In Time (tribute to Cliff Johnson, Illinois Rock Museum on Rt. 66 Hall Of Fame induction V.I.P. concert-9/23/23)
Leigh Evin & The Lowdown-In An Instant
Colleen Wild And The Haunted-Hounded (live at Celebration, The Forge Joliet-9/7/25)
Whut? (interview in The Kat 105.5 Studio-9/5/13)
Whut?-Punk Is Dead
A Silent Truth-Into The Sun
Habit OF Force-Alive Inside
 

Local Loft Episode 396

"She wasn't much good at stickin' around but, THAT GIRL COULD SING." (Jackson Browne-1980)
We've got plenty of girls and guys in the original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene that not only can sing, but guitar wail, drum bash and get a headbanging crowd in the groove. 
From a legendary outdoor restaurant and beer garden in downtown LaGrange to a one-of-a-kind music store in Downtown Downers Grove, wherever the music takes you, you are there with every stream of this podcast.
Cheryl Rodey is a multi-voiced gifted singer with equally incomparable natural harmony and lead vocals. When she pairs up with the exquisite singer Colleen Wild, it's a pure joy to hear both trade off on lead and harmony singing. I talk with Cheryl after she puts on a stellar Saturday night one woman show at Palmer Place in her native LaGrange.
As for Colleen Wild, she will reassemble her rocking band The Haunted for a benefit show that addresses a few of life's struggles, Celebration, Sunday at The Forge in Joliet.
Kankakee Pop Punk band Full Of Moxie will have the masses pogoing at Estival Festival for the official start of Fall on Saturday the 20th in Bird Park. 
From the  state line border city with rock in its name, The Most Of Me worked up an intense rocking groove for downtown Downers Grove in excess during Labor Day weekend eight years ago at Evolution Music, an actual music store. We rock back to it.
 Tap into your wild youth and work up a moshing sweat as you slam dance to this original Chicagoland music soundtrack
Cheryl Rodey-Torture (2025 Remix)
Cheryl Rodey Band-Peaches
Colleen Wild And The Haunted-Appetite ( live at The Sunset Stroll, Kankakee Farmers Market-8/23/24)
Halfway To Zero-Masquerade 
Goatbelly-Black Ship
The Simsons-Pseudo Bossa
Full Of Moxie-Sideshow
Flagass-The Good, The Bad & The Fucked
The Rising Fall-Artificial (de)Generation
The Most Of Me (interview at Evoultion Music, Downers Grove (9/2/17 Local Loft Episode 66)
The Most of Me-Everlasting Part 2 (The Void)
The Most Of Me-Blue Mentality

Local Loft Episode 395

"We know only rock n roll...got only rock n roll...cannot breathe!" (Four Horseman-The Clash 1979)
We know only original Chicagoland rock n roll in every Local Loft podcast. And we give metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop plenty of room to breathe and thrive. 
Breathe it in, the unique mix of hardcore punk and thrash metal from Four Horsemyn. This four-man Chicago band had a pogoing crowd inhaling fresh non humid air, topped with a lot of venom to spit out  over gun violence, overeating, media fear mongering over worldwide diseases, as they opened another outdoor Punk Rock Tacos show at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. I talk with singer Nick Smoots, drummer Johnny Park, guitarist Justin JJ Kilzer, and bassist Bob Matzke, who reveal t plans for a fourth full length album where they won't hold back on more venom spewing at pop culture and maybe even the highest elected officail in the country.
The fiery venom of the dragon's breath can be extinguished by the blazing guitar shredding of David The Demon Shankle. Shankle and singer Tony Engel are in the process of recording the second album by veteran metal act GraveReign. I've got the scoop on it, and don't expect a Southern Fried Metal incineration at this year's Kankakee Estival Festival, but a fiery alternative band (in name anyway) returns.
The Skies Are Shifting went into full on overdrive as they cruised into Wire In Berwyn six years ago this week with a eclectic new age meets hardcore metal sound. We rock back to it.
Over the ear hairs and through the lungs, every orifice of your body is rocked by this essential Chicagoland original music soundtrack:
Four Horsemyn-Bang Bang
Four Horsemyn-Persistence of Pestilence
Revel Noise-Revel Noise
KW3-Nature Boy ( live at The Lighthouse, Chicago)
Sons Of Ra-Vashkar
Besso And Friends-Lots Of People
Shaper-What's Rite
Feanor (featuring David Shankle)- Sirens Of Death
GraveReign-On The Wings of Fafnir
The Skies Are Shifting (interview from Wire in Berwyn 8/26/19 Local Loft Episode 110)
The Skies Are Shifting-Long Sleeve
The Skies Are Shifting-Cloudgazer

Local Loft Episode 394

"Are you Mod? Are you a Skin? Are you Punk,or are you just faking?" (The Professionals-1980)
No fakers here, it's the real deal. The true Chicagoland metal, punk alternative rock and power pop scene.
While Pop Punk isn't the most realistic form of Punk, it still is worth discovering. No Better Today is a 4-piece Chicago band with just enough angst and rebellion to get a big crowd pogoing to their aggressive, upbeat music with unhappy lyrics and images. I talk with singer Daniel Branske and guitarist Luis Ortiz after they had an all ages crowd pogoing to the highest roof rafters at Tivoli Bowl in Downers Grove for the Now That's What I Call Pop Punk tour.
MYLPH have never played for a half a million strong audience, but the Chicago psychedelic metal band does a case of Rock Refreshment in their new song, which lays a bad mind trip on those old enough to remember when a colorful mind-altering chemical almost shut down the mammoth Woodstock music and Art Fair, fifty-six years ago this week. MYLPH joins Tractor Boy at Tivoli Bowl this Friday night, August 22nd.
No other music instrument screams throwback like the Sitar. Used by The Quiet Beatle, George Harrison, Endolstalgia worked the six string Indian string instrument into a fierce progressive hard rock sound. I interviewed them as they didn't have a packed crowd tripping all over each other, six years ago this week at Wire In Berwyn.
Now this is what we call original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop! The rock and roll call this time around is:
No Better Today-Dead Dreams
No Better Today-White Lies
Plastic Summer-Don't Wanna
MYLPH-Brown Acid/Starship 11
Tractor Boy-Big Medicine
Cheryl Rodey-Consistency
Colleen Wild-Worth It
Finding Ghosts-Anxious
Consume The Divide-The Hunt
Endolstalgia (interview from Wire in Berwyn 8/19/19 Local Loft Episode 109)
Endostalgia-Sign
Endostalgia-Rumbush
                                                             
 
 

Local Loft Episode 393

"So you go your way, Wild One. I'll try and follow." (Thin Lizzy-1975)
You can always follow the Chicagoland original metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene when you tap in to the podcast that provides exclusive, extensive coverage (you will follow! there is no try)
Joliet area singer, songwriter Colleen Wild was first introduced last August, 2024 when she and her hard rock band The Haunted played a Sunset Stroll outdoor show on a hot, humid night at Kankakee Farmer's Market. Colleen was named Best Newcomer on Local Loft 2024 Year In Review. She is also a prominent solo performer, and is in two duos, Echo and Ransom, & Wild and Rodey. Plus, she was a big part of the musical arrangements for a modern recreation of 30s and 40s old time radio mysteries, The Spectral Silhouette Radio Show. I catch up her as she lays her multirange vocal style during a solo acoustic show at Black Dog Vinyl Cafe in  Plainfield, including new upcoming solo material for an acoustic EP in September.
Steve Fest is an first of a kind local punk showcase with familiar Punk Rock Tacos acts, Steve's In The Band, and unfamiliar, The Clash inspired Throwaway Heroes. I've got a sneak peak at the debut edition, this Saturday at Two Hound Brewing Company in Glen Ellyn. A punk peculiarity, for Won't Stay Dead, there just might be, opening for punk legends, The Queers at Reggie's Rock Club Saturday night.
Jason Delismon branched out from being longtime second drummer of A.D.D. to become singer, founder and guitarist of the progressive hard rock band, Frontline. They rocked front and center stage at Chi Town Harley Davidson in Tinley Park for their first show, eight years ago this week.
Come on, feel the original noise of Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop. You'll wildly crank the volume to:
Colleen Wild-In The Crowd (live at Black Dog Vinyl Cafe-8/9/25)
Colleen Wild-Before We Were Them
Echo And Ransom (featuring Colleen Wild)-Vibration
Throwaway Heroes-At The Door
Steve's In The Band (SITB)-Drank The Anchor
Won't Stay Dead-Nine Guys (No Weapons)
Hotlips Messiah-Project: Aquarius
The Outfit-Arrival Of Jayne
Off Broadway-Bully Bully (live at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn,1997)
Frontline (Local Loft Episode 65, live at Chi Town Harley Davidson-8/19/17)
Frontline-Don't Misunderstand
Frontline-Follow

Local Loft Episode 392

"Hey you, don't watch that, HEAR THIS!"
Not exactly the introduction to the heavy, heavy monster sound of Madness, but we've get rockingest ,rock steady original beat of the Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene. We'll go many, not just one step beyond the six-county region and all over the state of Illinois. So come off the street and begin to feel the heat generated by fiery vocal deliveries and sizzling guitar riffs!
Rock giveth to you and rock giveth back to those in time of need. Chicago veteran Punk band Donkey Punch won't be stubborn as a mule in generously extending the invitation to pogo with them to benefit veterans who gave their lives for our freedom. Rocking For Vets Health features Donkey Punch, Squared Off, Smear Campaign, Tyre Fyre, Tongan Death Grip, Super Rat! and Slash Fire. It's on Saturday Night, August 9th at Livewire Lounge. Kevin Heavy Kev Ambron, singer of Donkey Punch joins me to preview the benefit, with all proceeds going to Hines VA Hospital in Chicago. Kev gets some help from offspring, not the California Pop Punk act known for Self Esteem either.
It's the greatest combination of punchy local punk rock and crunchy tortillas and ground beef, and now Punk Rock Tacos has its own theme song, courtesy of Cat Box Trio.
Atlanta Is Burning tries not to get romantically burned out in the South Side Chicago hardcore metal band's latest single.
From Punk veterans to metal youngsters, Delightful Downfall still holds the distinction of being the youngest band to rock The Kat 105.5 airwaves. They first did it with their first visit to The Kat studio, fourteen years ago this week.
Listen buster! and start moving your feet to this original Chicagoland music beat:
Donkey Punch-Ghetto
Donkey Punch-Rock N Roll Doesn't Pay My Bills
Tongan Death Grip-Inferno Match
Atlanta Is Burning-Hollow
Before The Fire Dies-My Life
Cat Box Trio-Punk Rock Tacos
Shaper-So Sick
Fierce Atmospheres-One More For The Dying (live at W.C. Social Club, West Chicago-2/15/23)
The Steepwater Band-World Keeps Movin' On
Delightful Downfall (live in The Kat 105.5 Studio-8/7/11)
Delightful Downfall- A Better Place
Delightful Downfall-Through It All
Delightful Downfall-Break Me

Local Loft Episode 391

"Between floods and power failures"
That described from liner notes how Boston recorded and mixed Third Stage, their third studio album over an almost eight-year period following their second, Don't Look Back. From 1979-1986. The new episode was created and is airing only seven days after the last one, 390 which barely made it to airtime due to freezing up laptops, and a factory refurbished operating system, which wiped out the DAW I produced 390, and five-years' worth of new episodes. All equipment is back to optimal working order. Someday, I must do a live podcast. Given my busy schedule, I can't make that happen now.
 Two big live as they happened 2025 Summer events are showcased. The annual massive Merchant Street Music Fest in downtown Kankakee. Since the easing of the COVID Pandemic grip on the world, I've been to two more. This year's journey to Harold and Jean Miner Festival Square, at the intersection of Schyler and Merchant Street was an enjoyable but slightly painful one for me. I explain how I slipped on my way into the fest and skinned an arm in opening up this episode. Once inside, I meet up with Ur Mom. A diverse, eclectic rock and funk foursome from Park Ridge. Led by the intimate, powerful vocal of Maura Wolf, they had ages young and older in a stone groove. They will be releasing Shrinks For Suburbanites, their full-length debut vinyl LP, September 6th, with a release show at Martyrs Chicago. Their 30 plus minute set included a 12-bar blues number about life during COVID quarantine in May 2020. (Note: a slight equipment glitch from my normally reliable 2 mic PCM digital recorder caused a bit of overload, and part of the interview has garbled sound on my end, not so much from UR Mom's responses. I took the most audible, understandable excerpts from the interview that were not hard to understand. The background was also bass heavy from other bands playing the main stage in close proximity to where I talked with Ur Mom. A record VU level decrease has fixed this issue from happening again) It was fun to chat with this unique hybrid rock and soul band.
I motored up to Tony D's in Elmwood Park, 24 hours later for a bit of rock, roll and redemption. Moshing their way toward salvation is Legions Of Raum. This intense four-man metal band from Chicago goes down a not total dark path on The Decayed, their third full length album. I talk with growling, grunting singer Martin Kisel, Drummer Aseem Pandy, Guitarist Shaun Duran and Bassist Mike McKinney. They first unleashed The Great Beast Evolved, thirteen years ago in The Kat 105.5 studio. This is my first time talking to them in nine years, when Martin slayed the beast at Reggie's Rock Club during the release show for their second album, Fruition.
Carrying Torches lit up the Hill Stage at Merchant Street Music Fest with their new single of Opening Up and moving on from a closed relationship. I'll spin it. Six years ago this weekend back when Wire In Berwyn was still opening up its doors on Roosevelt and Oak Park Avenue in Berwyn, Synovial lays a gut busting slimy reptilian single on a crowd squirming their way to the mosh circle.
This ain't your Mama's ancient original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop mix tape. This Is:
Ur Mom-Sushi (With Your Ex)
Ur Mom-Coronavirus Blues (live at Merchant Street Music Fest, Kankakee-7/25/25)
Vortis-COVID Blues
Carrying Torches-Opening Up
Slap Bunt-Coming of Age
Legions Of Raum-Primordial
Legions Of Raum-The Decayed
The Suffering-Under Attack
Synovial (interview from Wire in Berwyn-7/27/19 Local Loft Episode 108)
Synovial-Aliens
Synovial-525

Local Loft Episode 390

4th Point-Repay (Live at Beat Kitchen-8/23/24)
4th Point-Out Of Your Mind (Live at The Forge in Joliet-1/27/22)
Fist To The Sky-New Addiction (Live at House Of Blues, Chicago-5/25/12)
All Outta Gum-All That's Left
Legions Of Raum-Atonement
Ur Mom-In My Nature
!3-Monsters-Adventurous
Qualia (interview at The Forge In Joliet Local Loft Episode 107)
Qualia-Pig Latin
Qualia-Lady Luck
 
 

Local Loft Episode 389

Storm chance.... greater than 60 percent.
There will be hard rock, even heavy metal thunder without the rev of a motorcycle. Seismic drum hits and the sizzle of a buzzing guitar amp. Crank it up, and feel the foundations quake.
This one shy away from the three hundredth ninetieth episode of Local Loft features Artillery And Storm. This five- man Chicago progressive hard rock band came very close to winning their first ever best rock performance by a duo or group grammy award. They got recognized opening for Texas Hippie Coalition last year. Guitarist/founder Dustin Alcock joins me to preview their headlining gig with another rejuvinated reunion of Fist To The Sky, Saturday night at Q-Bar In Darien.
 
When is a queen dethroned? Audrey (Queen) Castrovilllari is parting ways with her own rock royalty, The bittersweet farewell happens in a cinematic morbid new music video from Goth Rockers Bullet To The Heart, where Audrey stages her persona's funeral, complete with her as a featured singer and resurrected spirit. If you can't handle the sad proceedings, use your imagination as I spin the soundtrack. Bullet To The Heart come alive at a July 26th upcoming show in Portage, Indiana.
Joilet Metal trio Habit Of Force changed their musical course in a more Southern Fried Blues Rock and Metal direction with their second full length album, Cleansing Of Hands. Singer/guitarist Rich Truck Collins motored his way to The Kat 105.5 studio to talk about the transformation, twelve years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Another thunderous lineup of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop is about to erupt. Throw the volume knob all the way up for:
Artillery & Storm-Au Revoir
Artillery & Storm-Suture (I Know)
Fist To The Sky-Down Into Hell
4th Point-Repay
Eyes Of Anguish-Pain
Bullet To The Heart-Echoes
Flatfoot 56-Mud
Enuff Z'Nuff-Fingers On It
Off Broadway-Full Moon Turn My Head Around (Live at Fitzgeralds, Berwyn-1998)
Habit of Force (Rich Truck Collins interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-7/20/13)
Habit Of Force-Cleansing Of Hands
Habit Of Force-Death Threat

Local Loft Episode 388

"Oh, we got both kinds...Crunchy Punk and Steamy Metal!...but NO Country and Western!"
Rich and Meaty. Local Loft's latest excursion into the ever-expanding Chicagoland original Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene is at the return of the outdoor live music smorgasbord, Punk Rock Tacos. 
Officially billed as The Totally Punk Anti-Government Celebration of the People, it was most definitely a time to celebrate the arrival of summer. Many pogoed their sweat glands off in the mid ninety-degree intense heat, with nary a blood sucking mosquito to be found, but with lots of sizzling ground beef and tortillas, and blazing Marshall Stack Amps outside Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. 
Take The Reins brought a melodic radio friendly blend of Punk Pop and Power Pop to the diverse lineup. The five piece band from the Western Suburbs featuring singer/frontwoman Courtney Boyers rocked on through a sudden power outage with tunes of love from the South Side of Chicago and the soundtrack to a cinematic Hitchcockian music video with a killer instinct. I talk with Courtney and the other four guys in the guys in the group after their superb upbeat set. 
Also rocking the masses were a colorful Father Daughter pairing in Donkey Punch and blazing beginning kickoff to it all from Tyre Fyre.
No laughing matter, The Looney Bin in Bradley is closing for good. The rocking bar and live music establishment, located ten minutes from downtown Kankakee kept the stage inside its door rocking for almost three years following the death of owner/founder Nick Huffman. One last big one two rock punch was delivered by veteran Southern Fried Metal band Redneck Remedy and Swamp Metal act Convoy, back on April 18th. We truck on back to the intersection of Schuyler and Broadway for that sonic boom.
A jam band with a hard rock twist. It was angrier, not so laid-back vocals and an gritter acoustic guitar tone that made Joliet's Mason Avenue unique. Fourteen years ago this week, they motored down to our Kat 105.5 studio, five minutes due West of The Looney Bin.
In another Totally Original Chicagoland music for the masses edition of Local Loft, we serve up, rocking hot!:
Take The Reins-Last Stop Motel (live at Punk Rock Tacos ,Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Take The Reins-South Side Rules
Donkey Punch-Fudge You All (live at Punk Rock Tacos, Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Clear Coat-Acid Rain
Anger-Ain't My Crime
Convoy-Nuthin' Left (Live at The Looney Bin, Bradley-4/18/25)
Redneck Remedy-Face Of Madness (Live at The Looney Bin, Bradley-4/18/25)
The Suffering-Thoughts Of The End
Tyre Fyre-Feed Me (Live at Punk Rock Tacos, Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Mason Avenue (Live in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11)
Mason Avenue-Jest Is Just (Chicago Bound) Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11
Mason Avenue-Oh Israel Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11
Mason Avenue-Home Away From Home