Episodes
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Local Loft Episode 337
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Crank it up ultra loud!.....and rock away an all-county psychotic tornado threat!
Shaking down the thunder from the sky is a seismic original soundtrack of Chicagoland punk, metal, alternative rock and power pop.
A bit of truth or dare is involved in this 337th edition. Bassist Steve Grossman, fueled by a night of binge drinking, learned quickly how to play bass, leading to his immediate inclusion in SITB (Steve's In The Band) Alcohol consumption was both a high and lowlight in the band's melodramatic storytelling lyrics. I talk to Steve, drummer Jim Holmen, and guitarist RT Zelm, as they undarefullly play at the second Punk Rock Tacos outdoor Summer show, Sunday, July 28th in Villa Park.
Odds are good The Party of No will say Yes to another interruption to another show of The Lunatic's Fringe. But the luck of the Irish (Rebel Bar & Grill) just might be with Mr. Fringe and his band mates this Saturday in Oak Lawn, I have a new wagering single from them.
With no (Bad or Good) Indication that a reunion of the original 1979 lineup of Off Broadway was ON again, Cliff Johnson Stayed In Time with his present day plans to rock on with The Raine, at the venue that became a home away from home, Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, eight years ago this week. We rock back to it, by overwhelming request.
Throw up the volume, and scare the tornadic lightning away with the jolting original Chicago area music soundtrack of:
SITB-Drank The Anchor
SITB-One More Beer
Squared Off-Lessons Never Learned
Brian Durbin-Bad Bad TV
Loveblast-Goodbye My Darling
The Lunatic's Fringe-Gamblin' Man
Spamicidal Jelly-Boomerang Papercut
Brookwood Drive-Spend The Night
Local H-President Forever
Cliff Johnson (interview from Fitzgeralds in Berwyn-7/9/16 Local Loft Episode 30 (aired 7/15/16)
Cliff Johnson-1-2-3 (unreleased 1986 demo, produced by Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick)
Off Broadway-U.S. Girls (original 1980 Quick Turns Atlantic Records vinyl LP pressing)
D'Thumbs-Battle Of The Bands (1978 demo)
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Local Loft Episode 336
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Punk for breakfast (and don't hold the Tacos!)
This will more than satisfy your craving for original Chicago area Punk, Metal, Alternative rock and Power Pop. I hope you're over hungry.
Punk Rock Tacos is a modern-day Woodstock and Lollapalooza, without the excessively high corporate involvement and politics or government inflation. If you missed the first humungous outdoor bash, Saturday, July 6th at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park, there are three more July 26th, and August 10th & 31st. I absolutely breathed in the first and will give you the in your face descriptions, from the head butting mosh pits to last mind indelible guitar notes.
There were surprise reunions, touching down like an unexpected UFO ( not the veteran British hard rock Band) sightings. Hotlips Messiah reunited with charismatic singer Traci Trouble. The Horrids rocked away the supposed hatred of PRT creator Noah Corona. The Dennies proved that the youngest band could unite the masses old and young. In the middle of it all, Dead Living, a Chicago garage punk trio, became the next band to get their music showcased on the Punk Rock Tacos record label. I talked with singer/guitarist Ramon, bassist E.T. (who didn't ditch the taco menu for a Resse's Pieces dinner & a chance to phone home) and drummer Mike about their third self-titled EP, released digitally on July 5th.
But wait, there's more! Space Age Zeros take off from their home launch pad of Channahon (near Joliet) with an explosive new single, that Katy Perry can't out rock (it's not a cover). Local H will keep it copacetic (and not totally lyric rhyming) at Kankakee's ginormous live rock extravaganza, Merchant Street Music Fest. And if Punk Rock is a nourishing appetizer with tacos, how about a dessert of punk and pancakes, this weekend in Berwyn. I've got the where and when details.
Even Mr. Spock will agree, mental illness is not a logical way of life. Five years ago this week, the Chicago hardcore goth metal band The Illogical tackled the scary life condition with a live set that had everyone at Wire in Berwyn whipped up into a manic frenzy. We rock back to it.
Over the brain tissue and through auditory ear nerves, Look out subconscious, this original Chicagoland music menu will fill you up:
Dead Living-Got To Go
Dead Living-Everyday
The Last Great Riot-There's A Beer In The Fridge if You Want To Make It Worse
Hotlips Messiah-What!
Space Age Zeros-Fireworks
Coyote Man-Reaches Of The Universe (from Mainstage Live)
The bad Examples-Sammy The Dog Has Learned To Play Trombone (Cheap Beer Night live version 1991)
Local H- Fritz's Corner
Fire Cat!- How Punk Rock Saved My Life
Pink Hotel-The Drinking Song
The Illogical (interview from Wire in Berwyn-7/12/19)
The Illogical-Serpent Charmer
The Illogical-DMV
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
Local Loft Episode 335
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
You have the freedom to munch & mosh!
The big bang for many of you won't totally come on the 4th of July. Two days after, Chicago area original Punk Rock bands will generate explosive energy on the outdoor stage of Punk Rock Tacos 50. This new edition of Local Loft will mostly focus on the ones who will provide the explosive spark. The sound will be just as decibel heavy as the bomb like blast of a mortar skyrocket or dynamite-like ear splitting M 80.
Hotlips Messiah will ignite the fuse on a fiery surprise reunion, at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. The veteran space punk band from southwest suburban Lyons will have a Troublesome reunion, as their precocious lead singer Traci Trouble (yes, the same singer/bassist of the recently disbanded post punk trio, Aweful) rejoins the band she first became discovered in. Rich (Dolejis) Bastard, Hotlips Messiah's founder, guitarist and keyboardist joins me with news of Traci's one-off return.
Veteran Roseland rockers M & R Rush reveal a new eye & ear opening single and accompanying music video. Open your Hungry Eyes and Have The Time Of Your Life like it was the first time you never felt this way before, when you fell in love, feasting your eyes on your first significant other (yes, there's a big 80s movie tie in name checked indirectly in the video).
A not so young rejuvenating birthday bash for Vaudeviliens singer Jeff Julian in Kankakee, where all the metal grunting in the world couldn't rejuvenate The Kat 105.5. A week before the station ran out of radio lives, we welcomed hardcore metal trio Bleed For The Fallen for one last mosh over the terrestrial airwaves ten years ago this week. We rock back to our very last local music radio showcase.
There's a packed and loaded set of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop waiting for you to rock to it at full blast. By cranking up this podcast, you light the rock and roll fuse & feel the recoil of:
Hotlips Messiah-Radiation Makes Things Special
Hotlips Messiah-Computer Virus
AWEFUL-Bad Things
M & R Rush-First Time I Saw Her
Beeso And Friends-Outta My Brain
Terminus Victor-This Isn't Real
Vaudeviliens-Wasted Talent
The Last Great Riot (John Beavers interview)
The Last Great Riot-Fluid Ounces (Not Half Full, Not Half Empty, Just Time To Order Another)
The Last Great Riot-Immortal 30
Dead Living-Sleep Paralysis
Bleed For The Fallen (Mike Bass interview on The Kat 105.5, Homegrown Tones final show-7/3/14)
Bleed For The Fallen-Chapter 13
Bleed For The Fallen-Down
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Local Loft Episode 334
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
You still have time to swoon in June!
There's a lot to admire amongst the soundtrack of original Chicago area punk, metal, alternative rock and power pop. It's what you crave. You'll be savoring it, much like you do a scrumptious taco dinner.
Satisfying your Chicago music appetite as the manin course is Dethwarrant. This four-man South Side Chicago band isn't your typical politics a plenty and rage of only anarchy punk band. They rant and pogo dance over everyday life situations like which 1980s Predator movie is better, and how deliciously good their own grandma's cookie baking is. Dethwarrant provides the appropriate lunch and dinner soundtrack at Punk Rock Tacos 50, July 6th, outdoors at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. Dethwarrant singer Darren joins me to get you psyched to rock off that calorie packing meal of ground beef and tortillas by moshing it off with them.
Going to cool extremes that don't involve excessive use of air conditioning, Goth Rock princess Audrey Queen, singer for fantasy melodic hard rock band Bullet To The Heart chills out with a squeaky-clean winter blast that won't completely wash away the extreme summer heat and humidity. The band's new music video has Audrey in heated battle with a snow queen. I have the music soundtrack that they'll play during the release show for their upcoming fourth album, Trauma, at Rockhouse in Dundee, August 17th.
They couldn't totally slingshot the image of good and bad U.S. Presidents out of their direct, highly political lyrics. Joliet trio Catapult The Propaganda combined vitriolic lyrics and a hard driving funky rock groove. Two out of the three, singer/guitarist Robert Bloodworth and drummer Skip Maskeri joined me in The Kat 105.5 studio ten years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Like a catapulting boomerang, this original Chicago area music mix, comes back to cyberspace with an ever changing lineup. This time around, it's:
Dethwarrant-Spliff Happens
Dethwarrant-Wolfman Jr.
The Last Great Riot-Fluid Ounces (Not Half Empty, Not Half Full, Just Time To Order Another)
Bullet To The Heart-Freeze
Mirage Gods-Atmosphere
Seldom Told-Indivisible
Violet Kill-Until The End
Huntsmen-In Time All Things
Shrineburner- The Burden
Catapult The Propaganda (Robert Bloodworth and Skip Maskeri interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/23/14)
Catapult The Propaganda-Marked
Catapult The Propaganda-Convenient Crisis
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Local Loft Episode 333
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Way after Juneteenth is over, you'll be cranking this one way over umpteenth times.
Served more sizzling hot than a prolonged late spring desert heat wave. It's the right amount of intense & melodic original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop that goes great with a cold one and sizzling ground beef on a warm flour tortilla.
As the weather reaches scorching Summer levels, the music rising from the heat filled air at Punk Rock Tacos 50 will help you sweat away any heat exhaustion, Saturday, July 6th at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. Scaring up a great rockin' time on the outdoor stage, The Horrids will bring over 30 years of graphic monster and slasher film images to help you pogo off a steak or chicken flour tortilla and grated cheese lunch. The Lombard native punk band opened for The Casualties and Misfits guitarist Michale Graves during shows in Chicago and the east coast. Horrids singer Patrick joins me before they haunt Punk Rock Tacos first of four outdoor shows on Saturday, July 6th.
Chicago interracial Metal band Through N Through gets an anti-violent message through to those who inflict gang violence on innocent victims. They also will hope to relate to veteran U.K. punk fans. In opening for legendary U.K. punk band, Sham 69, Saturday night at Reggie's Rock Club.
He was a almost forgotten co-founder of legendary Power Pop band, Off Broadway. But five years after he helped Cliff Johnson put that together, Mimi Betinis began a sweet run with Pezband. So many heartfelt song arrangements. Mimi started up a long awaited solo career with his 2010 album, All That Glitters. He dropped by our Kat 105.5 studio thirteen years ago this week to make new music memories along with resurrecting old ones.
Fire up the device of choice and let it scorch the cyberwaves ablaze with the original Chicagoland music soundtrack of:
The Horrids-Salt For The Devil's Wounds
The Horrids-At The Graveyard
Through N Though-Barrio Nocturno
DethWarrant-Left My Heart In Elgin
Hotlips Messiah-Mutants Unite!
Convoy-Father
Phosphene-Michael
Dream Alazia-Wither (Memories)
Now It's Dark-Bother Me
Mimi Betinis (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/16/11)
Mimi Betinis-Walk With Me
Mimi Betinis-Love Is Just A Thin Veneer
Mimi Betinis-Say The Word
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Local Loft Episode 332
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
This one is for all the Twin Pipe Papas & Cool Rockin' Daddies (yes, there's a Springsteen reference here to his overplayed 40 year old (as of June 4th) patriotic huge album).Your special day is on the way this Sunday.
If you're neither of the above, you can still play it and rock on. A ginormous cyber slice of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop.
It will be dreamy in two ways. A donut loving Chicago punk trio, and a veteran tiger eyed rock survivor from Berwyn (BUUR-WIN!). to start things off, Develin, a bunch of aging rockers from Streamwood who don't rock their age. Melodic modern day hard rock & metal for those who are big fans of Avenged Sevenfold, Pop Evil and Seether. Singer Jeffery Staad & his drummer brother Stevie join me with songs of assigning blame and keeping the lifeline of a relationship breathing. Both from their just released second EP, Bloodline. They play with 95 Will Rock Bandemonium finalists, True Love Devil, July 27th at Alibi Events Center in Wonderlake.
Chicago Punk Trio Sex Dream might add a donut desert to the Punk Rock Tacos menu, as they headline the 48th edition, Friday night at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. Look at their new music video. Plenty of Homer Simpson's favorite food are sprinkled thoruhout. Vehicular rock veteran Jim Peterik returns inventing a new American Dream (no punch Sylvester Stallone cameos on this one, unlike his second big band's #1 1982 single).
!3 Monsters won't scare any Punk Rock Tacos pogo'ers as they stalk and rock the outdoor stage in the second Punk Rock Tacos outdoor Summer shows, August 10th. Singer Deb Sonzo will mix beauty and an Alternative Rock beast, like she did when they tore it up at Wire in Berwyn, seven years ago this week. We rock back to it.
The early Dad's Day gift of original Chicagoland music that keeps on giving all year and listen long. You'll unwrap:
Develin-Who's To Blame
Develin-Lifelines
Ture Love Devil-Bullet Down
Racing The Sun-Peace, Love & Doves
Enuff Z'Nuff-Kiss The Clown
Private Instigators-Too Pretty For Prison
Sex Dream-Spike
Jim Peterik's World Stage (featuring Dave Milkaulskis)-American Dreamer
Survivor-Summer Nights
13-Monsters (interview from Wire in Berwyn Local Loft Episode 60 6/12/17)
13-Monsters-Overlook
!3-Monsters-Water's Edge
Monday Jun 03, 2024
Local Loft Episode 331
Monday Jun 03, 2024
Monday Jun 03, 2024
June is jammin'! (even after the Jam is through)
The 3 R's (Rock, Resurrection and reformation) will be in abundance on this 331st trip around the Chicagoland area's original metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene. Get ready for many abrupt surprises.
September's Rest, after an extensive period of hibernation (7 years 2017-24) is quickly springing back into action. Guitarist Bobby Gershak joins me to talk about their immediate plans.
Bullet To The Heart hasn't been resting for even a second , and will deliver a Traumatic fourth album (not just in name) come August. The first blunt rocking force from it, has a gothic, undeniable music video where opening doors lead to a not so dead end for singer Audrey Queen. I'll open up their new single.
No headbangers were harmed as Legions Massacred by Queens 4 held concert court at Bobby McGee's (later Star Bar) in Chicago Ridge. Holly Smith rocked her way to a title of Queen Of Grease Monkey Rock, as fiery frontwoman of Hot Dang, ten years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Rise up and pogo to this ripping and slightly resurged original Chicago music soundtrack of:
September's Rest- Goodbye
September's Rest-Fallen
Fallen Echoes-Schizo
Josh LeGrett-Dancing On The Edge
Face The Fire-Balance
Bullet To The Heart-Fight
Genotype-Defiance
Sound Of Fire- (featuring Kadie Kirby of Genotype) Fallen Friend
Hot Dang-Stay Golden, Ponyboy
Legions Massacred By Queen 4 (Holly Smith interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/5/14)
Vicious Attack-Engaged In Genocide
False Hope Fades-Clean
Hot Dang-Death's Intentions
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Local Loft Episode 330
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Tuesday May 28, 2024
The power of rock compels you!
Whether it's rebellious punk, brain splitting metal, or intelligent alternative rock, you're possessed by the groove, the thought-provoking lyrics. It's an important part of your life. Yet, nowadays you can't groove to what you want on the very medium that introduced you to it, radio. There it's only background music, a soundtrack for cashflow of business clients. Here, on Local Loft, the music is a soundtrack for life flow. So breathe it in. The original Chicago area punk, metal, alternative rock and power pop.
Band names can be misleading. The Reganomics is not a total 80s retro throwback to the time that a former actor who was buddies with a bumbling chimpanzee named Bonzo became the 40th U.S. President. This 4-man Chicago has a modern day cliche ridden approach to writing a catchy punk song. They join me to not live in the past, as they open for Brainbleed during their record release show, Saturday at Livewire Lounge.
Kankakee's Carrying Torches has something important to say in their new single and the new music video clip that goes with it. You might want to put down your infernal I -device for this and keep your eyes on the life's road ahead.
Kryssie Ridolphi makes an incomparable metal and punk singer and made the crossover from one genre to the other seamlessly. We rock back to the second time she left the headbanging past of Deadmanswake behind for Evil Engine. They rocked a Memorial Day Weekend crowd at Reggies, five years ago this week. We rock back to it.
We cast out another Chicagoland original rock soundtrack of:
The Reganomics-The Four Cliches
The Reganomics-Dear Jaymes
Daywalker-Indy
John David Daily-I Can't Live Without You
Redneck Remedy-When It Rains It Pours
Carrying Torches-All For Nothing
Shaper-Task Paralysis
Leigh Evin & The Lowdown-Wrong
Deadmanswake-Far Be It From Me
Evil Engine (interview from Reggie's Music Joint-6/1/19 Local Loft Episode 103)
Evil Engine-Upstanding Citizen
Evil Engine-Egression
Monday May 20, 2024
Local Loft Episode 329
Monday May 20, 2024
Monday May 20, 2024
Music louder than the deafening coo of cicadas!
Play this loud enough and ya might scare the multitude of them away. Music soothes and drives away the savage beast insect. It's another swarm of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop. The Chicago Punk band Brainbleed first melted faces here back in January. They return with a second follow up album to their full-length debut Mangled Truth, which included a warning about boozing too much and avoiding the scary task of being a designated driver because of it. The band's vitriolic female singer has a lot to be pissed off about. Drummer Jim Brainbleed joins me again as they get ready to host a new record release show at Livewire Lounge Saturday, June 1st.
The Midnight Calls has worked out very well for singer Taran De Pablos after a five-year run in the old school progressive metal band Fierce Atmospheres. Their new song and music video is a nice throwback to the ragged bluesy bar rock of Faces & early to mid 70s Rolling Stones. It will shine it's ever loving light on you here.
The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club once became the next Fab 4, when they played on the same historic stage as a certain legendary band of Liverpudlians. They just may bring a group of screaming girls with them in a Memorial Day Weekend show at Reggies Music Joint this Saturday May 25th.
Providing plenty of hiss and melodic notes, the futuristic band Lighttribe featured one of the best virtuoso keyboard players who is current the keyboardist in Kankakee Alternative band Carrying Torches. They launched themselves into The Kat 105.5 studio 14 years ago this week. We rock back to it.
The Cicada noise cancelling soundtrack contains:
Brainbleed-Who the Fuck Are You?
Brainbleed-Stupid Drinking Song
The Reganomics-The Four Cliches
Of Wolves-Inside (Steve's Head)
Shrineburner-Let Worship Die
The Midnight Calls-So Cold
Carrying Torches-Conversations
Tennis Court Oath-Who Knew?
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-The Lift
Lighttribe (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio, broadcast on 5/27/10)
Lighttribe-Sun On My Head (live in studio)
Lighttribe-Whispers and Waves (live in studio)
Lighttribe-Deadly Lady Machines
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Local Loft Episode 328
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Rewind, replay, re- rock ( maybe I should've recorded this Local Loft on analog tape)
Episode 328 comes just a week after underground recording studio pioneer Steve Albini leaves this world too young. He was a champion of old school, technically warm and precise analog recording technology. Producing and editing all his artists on analog reel tape. I have a small tribute, including a forgotten burst of grunge from a well known but obscure all female Chicago rock duo.
I won't completely obsess over the methods Steve used to capture the sound of any act he either produced or engineered. But there will be an obsession, of a North Side Chicago Punk band's graphic way of telling a story of a decapitating seductive romance where ties (and human body parts) are completely severed. This Obsession relays the story (in bloody music video fashion) which won't be shown as a prop shown to illustrate the graphic nature of the lyrics, when they play the next Punk Rock Tacos. June 14th in Villa Park. Singer Mark Kronenbourg of This Obsession joins me with all the heart ripping details on how the video came to life (as a life was torn apart).
New fans of Chicago industrial metal giants Ministry were not sympathetic at first when they released their debut album With Sympathy 41 years ago this week. As they changed music direction to a more intense heavier metal sound, they built up a huge fanbase. They'll reinvent the debut as a modern new metal reboot, as they prepare to hang it up later this summer with a new final album. I'll give you the scoop on how Al Jorgenson and the band will go out with a very sympathetic fan base backing them.
Don't call them metal. Although it was their signature sound, Chicagos' Comfort Scarcity never felt comfortable about being grouped in with the hair metal signature acts like Poison & Cinderella. I caught up with the four-man band before they played Q Bar in Darien five years ago this week. We rock back to it.
What else should it be? No apologies, just the original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop soundtrack you crave and will have a major obsession over. Crank it up and feel the sonic crunch of:
This Obsession-Cannibalism
This Obsession-A Short-Lived Tragedy
The Run Around-White Coats
Racing The Sun-Neil Peart's Mustache (produced by Steve Albini)
Veruca Salt-Disinherit (produced and engineered by Steve Albini)
Ministry- Here We Go
Ministry-Just Stop Oil
Comfort Scarcity (interview from Q-Bar in Darien Local Loft Episode 102 5/17/19)
Comfort Scarcity-Target Acquired
Confort Scarcity-Dark Repertoire
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