Local Loft Episode 202

Everyone's doing it early, so will I. Getting in the gift giving mood. All I can offer is the gift of music, unwrapped and free of charge. Feel free to headbang and pogo in appreciation of this near 90 minute smattering of Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk, alternative, progressive rock and power pop.

Usually a band or artist will credit a guest performer on any of their music. And Chicago five- man punk pop group The Usuals did acknowledge that Jeff Pezzati of the legendary punk band Naked Raygun as a backing singer on the last track of their new second EP, Man Down. They dedicated the record not to Jeff, but to fellow Usuals member Steve Katzel, who died last year. I'll talk to singer Curt Harrison about the new EP, and an upcoming show that won't hide a large gathering of skate punks in the crowd this weekend in Winthrop Harbor.

Eric Liljehorn tries to disguise himself as a mild mannered version of the spike haired punky singer of Death Pop Radio. The alias nickname doesn't really hide his identity as singer for In Europe Without A Jacket. He'll talk to me about how this trio from Naperville is radically different from Death Pop Radio, as they play in Streamwood on December 11th.

M & R Rush takes their time in recording their first new album in almost four years. And, in a slow but certain return, the Xmas holiday benefit show 20 Bands of Xmas heads up North (not to The Pole) for a post-Covid pandemic show. I'll let you know when and where.

Acoustic hard rock that loses none of its electric fire. Kat 105.5 listeners got that from Northwest Indiana's Jaded. They unplugged and played in our air studio ten years ago this week. We rock back to that.

Along with all this, you're prancing with a wall slamming headbang like a reindeer on a snow covered rooftop as you groove to:

The Usuals- No Disguise ( featuring Naked Raygun singer Jeff Pezzati)

The Usuals-People's Choice

Naked Raygun-Home Of The Brave

In Europe Without A Jacket-The Ones We Love

In Europe Without A Jacket- Life's A Riot

Death Pop Radio-Monster TV

Acracy-On My Own

Fierce Atmospheres-Servant

M & R Rush-Heavy Metal Christmas

Eve Black-Dancing With The Green Fairy

Jaded (Interview/acoustic set in The Kat 105.5 studio-12/1/11)

Jaded-Something Better (acoustic in Kat studio)

Jaded-Tonight (acoustic in Kat studio)

Jaded-It Really Shouldn't Be That Hard