Local Loft

"It teaches you a lesson, it teaches you a lot. You gotta make the most of everything you got" "Get on a stage and have your say. Step on faceless men who get in your way." (Faceless Men-Vice Squad from their State of The Nation EP, Released 9-22-82 on the Riot City Records label)
Blockchain Coalition certainly have the faces and creative talent that no one who sees them live or digs their two albums will ever forget. From the emotionally powered vocal of Tony Engel to the thunderous drumming of Ron Thomas. and the searing guitar leads of Matt Rhodes, BCC is back with Postmodern Distraction, their just released second full-length album. I talk with Tony, Ron, Matt, keyboardist Louis Paskalides and bassist Bob Berg as they officially launch the album with their release party at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook. Veteran Chicago rocker Danny Lynch keeps the party going with his new band, Society Of Hoodlums, featuring the longtime drummer of his namesake band, Lynch, Frank Pace. 
Distract yourself from the struggle of the big bad postmodern world by rocking out to this choice original Chicagoland music soundtrack:
BlockChain Coalition-This Empty Chair (For Jan)
BlockChain Coalition-Tomorrow's Gonna Shine
Society Of Hoodlums-Allison
Society Of Hoodlums-Freaks At The Ball (live at Tailgaters In Bolingbrook-9/19/26)
Veilside-Crawling To You (featuring Danny Lynch on harmonica)
GraveReign-The Holodomor
Wings Of Destiny-Hear My Call
M & R Rush-Roseland Nights

"Dolly rockers, dressed to kill. Holding on to rocker Bill."
"It ain't the 50's anymore. Born a rocker, die a rocker!"
(Rockers-U.K. Subs. From their debut album, Another Kind Of Blues. Released 9-20-79. GEM records U.K.)
No matter how they dress, original Chicagoland metal. punk, alternative rock and power pop bands were born to rock till the day they depart from the universal globe. Accept no substitutes. This is the real deal!
With an ultra-funky bass guitar sound, Leah Collette could never be replaced in Catapault The Propaganda, the highly political Joliet funk rock trio. A physical limitation made it difficult to keep laying down a deep groove across the four-string bottom end. Leah discovered that she is an equally effective singer and growled her way into the lead vocal spot of All Outta Gum. The intense hardcore metal band supplied the healing power of their ear-splitting groove at the third annual Celebration; the original Chicagoland music showcase that rocks away the suffering many feel through an addiction to substances or the threat of suicide. I talk with Leah, drummer Jesse Fernandez, singer/bassist Vince, keyboardist Heather, and lead guitarist Allen, after they stuck to the stage at The Forge in Joliet. Leah's two former CTP Band Mates, Guitarist/singer Robert Bloodworth, and drummer Skip Maskeri keep their funky groove going with Vow Of Resonance (VOR). I also, take in thier groove a plenty set.
BlockChain Coalition go for a widespread link of new fans for their meticulous slick produced power rock. The release show for their long awaited second album, Postmodern Distraction is Saturday night at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook. Opening will be Society of Hoodlums, who keep an old school heavy blend of power chords and the beer soaked raspy vocal of Danny Lynch. The hard rock bar band swagger of his own namesake band Lynch slightly works its way into this blend of hard and progressive rock,
While Kankakee's annual Estival Festival rocks away scary memories of an excessively stormy Summer of 2026, The next Illinois Rock Museum Hall Of Fame inducts a legendary Vehicular rock and roll Survivor and his second biggest band (after Ides Of March) and a cult biker hard rock bunch of grown up Boyzz (from Illinois) September 27th in Chicago's Millenium Park.
Sling shot your way to your device of choice and let your wax filled ear lobes stick to the speakers with this succulent original Chicagoland music playlist:
All Outta Gum-Lunch At Joey's
All Outta Gum-Sincerely Yours
Vow Of Resonance-Coyote Siren (Live At Metal Matinee-The Forge in Jolet-5/3/26)
Society Of Hoodlums-Allison 
BlockChain Coalition-Are You Feeling (What I'm Feeling)?
Shaper-What's Rite
Leigh Evin & The Lowdown-Say Anything
The Boyzz-Too Wild To Tame (original 1978 Epic/Cleveland International vinyl LP Pressing)

"Yes, No you can't, but you can if you know why" (Questions And Answers-Sham 69. Released as a single and from the U.K. Punk band's third album, The Adventures Of Hersham Boys. Released 9-13-79 on Polydor Records)
Why do Chicagoland area original metal bands do it? Because of their massive and growing fanbases. There is still a big audience for all day and night local metal fests. The skies over Peotone are scorched with the  gritty power chords and fierce grunting vocals of 15 bands blazing a trail of headbanging precision at Burn Burner 26. From the diverse progressive metal of Maes, the intense pile driving hardcore of Downcore 26. The razor-sharp bluesy harmonica soaked groove of Wolfdozer, and the swamp countrified punch of Redneck Remedy, the Chicago area Metal scene lives and thrives in this exclusive showcase indoor and outdoor of Hansen's Dugout inside Peotone Bowl.
Chris Pancho Cirullo made a name for himself as lead guitarist of Redneck Remedy. A long time before they were melting faces with their unique brand of Southern Fried Metal, he put together Downcore, with a grunting distinct unclean vocal style and abrasive guitar sound. I talk with Pancho and mike the drummer as they finally officially release Downcore's self-titled album, 28 years after first recording and mixing it.
Maes describes its sound as mind blowing nu metal. Inspired by such heavy acts as Sevendust, and Korn, Maes closes out the extravaganza on the outdoor stage. I talk with drummer/co-founder David Carroll
Great rock for many good causes, to appeal to the headbanger and mosher in us all, and to supply the music that stirs one away from such serious personal issues as severe drug addiction and suicide. This Saturday, the annual Celebration addresses those issues amongst a rich local music atmosphere. Including Barn Burner headliners All Outta Gum and Spamicidal Jelly. I have a preview of the third annual charity event, at The Forge In Joliet.
Fire up your device of choice, crank it up and watch the celling of your barn, apartment or vehicle sizzle to this blazing original Chicagoland metal soundtrack:
Downcore 26-Downcore
Downcore 26-Sewn Shut
Maes-What If
Maes-Schizo
Nomad Zero-Lost Valentine
Redneck Remedy-When It Rains It Pours (Live)
Redneck Remedy-War Or Silence
Spamicidal Jelly-Painkiller

"If this is freedom I don't understand 'cause it seems like madness to me." (A Bomb in Wardour Street. B-side of The Jam's cover of The Kinks David Watts. Released as a single on Polydor Records U.K.-8/11/78).
We all have a freedom of choice to follow or not follow the new explosive local power rock band. It can get maddening when the band constantly changes it's sound that once became familiar to you. Change is inevitable in music. BlockChain Coalition is never the same sounding band. Their style can't be labeled one specific genre. Led by veteran powerhouse singer Tony Engel, they go from a symphonic progressive rock style to an aggressive thrash hard rock and metal. On thier upcoming second album, Postmodern Distraction (officially released September 19th 2026), the changes are more distinct then their 2023 debut album, The New Normal. I talk with Tony, and Drummer/Co-Founder Ron Thomas, before BCC offers a live sneak preview of the second record live at Heroes West in Lemont.
Metal diversity explodes in one big last summer bash. Barn Burner features veteran swamp metal giants Redneck Remedy, plus Wolfdozer, Ephinepic and ten other familiar and unfamiliar original Chicagoland bands rocking Hansen's Dugout in Peotone September 5th. All Outta Gum supplies a male/female gut punch. And Doom Metal acts Black Road, Pale Horseman and Unto The Earth join forces to rock the rafters of Soundgrowler in Tinley Park's 9th Anniversary show this Saturday, August 15th.
Don't get mad, get headbanging and fist pumping by pumping up the volume to this choice original Chicagoland Metal, Punk Alternative Rock and Power Pop soundtrack:
BlockChain Coalition-Are You Feeling (What I'm Feeling)?
BlockChain Coalition-Disconnect (featuring David "Demon" Shankle)
GraveReign-Escape From The Oxford Apartments
All Outta Gum-Lunch At Joey's
Dropship-Behelit
Unto The Earth-Strange Riders
Shadow Of Jupiter-For Heaven Above
The Elephant March-Another Grave

"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