Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 255

Lots of presents in this podcast. As in present and accounted for. The roll call is the playlist. But every artist represented in the original Chicago area & Illinois metal, punk, alternative rock, & power pop scene figures into the gift of music that's given to you just by listening in every week.
Solar beams their way onto our cyberwaves from the Northwest Stateline region. The Rockford based band features the powerful, heartfelt singing of Stephanie Jennings. She joins me to share her gifted singing voice, which will captivate audiences (with a bluesy & intense mixture of power chords & hardcore metal) who'll see her and the band rock with Convoy, this Saturday at Big Basin Saloon in Channahon.
Veteran guitar shredder T.D. Clark of Aurora works vocals (not his own) into a new Christmas album Under Your Tree ,while one of the Boyzz from Illinoiz, Michael Tafoya, won't unwrap his past tuneage once again, in a pre-holiday gig with guitar virtuoso Gary Hoey, Thursday  night at Reggie's.
Tis the season for charitable gift giving. It was this week in 2017, when the annual 20 Bands Of Christmas was on at Wire in Berwyn. BringThe Fallout was hoping their gift of dark gothic hardcore metal would be widely accepted by a packed audience. We rock back to the mostly incognito five-man group of masked singers.
Along with all these, your mistle toe won't have any trouble shedding a few pounds of pine needles, as your ear lobes are pierced by the wax cleaning loudness of:
Solar-Depths Of Division (with Kevin James of Marks Of Gray)
Solar-Resilient
Marks Of Gray-Broken Bricks
Convoy-Silver Tongue Devil
Eugiene Grey & The Bad Habits-Eight46
T.D. Clark- Ho Ho Ho It's Christmas
Prison City Brigade-Shitty Presents
Nystrodamus-Even The Scale
Tafoya-Life
Bring The Fallout (Interview from Wire in Berwyn-12/28/17 Local Loft Episode 73)
Bring The Fallout-Blaak Army
Bring The Fallout-The Wise Words of Mr. Blaak

Local Loft Episode 254

All fired up, and ready to blaze across cyberspace again. The trailblazers in the original Chicago area and Illinois punk, metal, alternative rock and power pop scene. Okay, not every artist here is the new hottest breakthrough act. But the music they produce will generate many repeated listenings to make them a hot commodity in your music collection. 
With a name like Heet Deth, you might expect a band with a lot of smoke pots, fog machines and onstage explosive fireworks. The Chicago duo of drummer Julia Bard, and guitarist/singer Lalia Eskin makes speakers sizzle and smoke with an intense, excessively screamy blend of hot distorted guitar walls, and ear bleeding vocal screeching on their full-length debut, Hooray. They play their last show of 2022 this Thursday at Cole's Bar in Logan Square, and both join me to preview the gig.
Tis the season to again give the gift of local music. The Chicago metal community will give you a full helping, if you help them make a needy child's Christmas special, by donating a new toy for under the tree. Metal Fest 4 benefits Toys For Tots with a holiday show at Livewire Lounge. I'll spoil the surprise, and reveal the band lineup, including Spring Grove's Luna In Sanguinem.
Punk Pop is known for being upbeat, melodic, and aggressive. New Lenox band Jaded lost none of their poppy aggression in an acoustic setting at The Kat 105.5 studios, eleven years ago this week, We rock back to it.
Along with these, you'll be pogoing like a red nosed reindeer skipping through a blinding blizzard, as I lay a heavy dumping of original Chicago area music on you by:
Heet Deth-Big Bang Boom
Heet Deth-Planet Of The Apes
The Breathing Light-Falling Dove
Solar-Come To Light
Convoy-In The Mouth Of Madness
Cannibal Abortion-Severed Arm Masturbation
Moonbreath-Ascension
The Kind- When You Rock (1981 360 Records 45 mix)
Cliff Johnson/Mimi Betinis-Christmas Everyday
Jaded (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-12/1/11)
Jaded-Something Better (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)
Jaded-Tonight (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)
Jaded-It Really Shouldn't Be That Hard

Local Loft Episode 253

Thanksgiving checklist. Turkey well basted...check. Beer & libations to wash it all down...check Scrumptious soundtrack of original Chicago area punk, metal, alternative rock & power pop!... check that off your list once you give this chock filled podcast a spin.
Trying through aggressive upbeat politically dominated punk rock to restore the gift of freedom to American soil, Voice Of Addiction lashes out with their third full length album, Divided States. Singer Ian Tomele joins me to get the pogoing punk fan to be thankful all year round for their gift of fist pumping, rebellious punk rock, as they headline The Last Great Riot. Sunday, December 18th at Reggie's. 
After brewing up a 2017 debut self-titled EP, and a captivating psychedelic full length album, Witch Of The Future, Joliet's Black Road puts their creative minds to work in debuting out their own beer, Cosmic Stash. You'll get a taste of it, and your excellent taste in Stoner Doom Metal will be more than satisfied at their upcoming December show at Reggies. I have the scoop.
Chicago Southlands metalheads were thankful for a pre- holiday mosh pit at Cheers Lounge in Midlothian. Stuffing their ears full of crunchy hardcore metal was Orinoco, who added a female presence to toughen up the band's driving rhythm section. I dropped in on them at the show five years ago this Thanksgiving week. We rock back to it. 
You'll be flapping your arms like and wall slamming like a beheaded, fine feathered seven course meal, as you savor the ear watering original Chicago area punk, metal & alternative rock sounds of:
Voice Of Addiction-Shinigami
Voice Of Addiction-We're Not Free
Torch The Hive-Evil Men
Black Road-Hash King
Unto The Earth-Demons Of Demolition
Lynch-Rose
Lynch-Mad (live in The Kat 105.5 studio-11/25/10)
Orinoco (interview from Cheers Lounge, Midlothian-10/25/17)
Orinoco-Devil
Orinoco-Terra Firma

Local Loft Episode 252

Can I have a slab of vinyl with that burger? You can have many generous helpings of original Chicago area and Illinois punk, metal, alternative rock and power pop. Your music craving taste buds will thank you for it. 
They nourished the punk rock hunger of a dinner crowd at the monthly Punk Rock Tacos in Villa Park. Chicago Punk trio Torch the Hive urges new fans to dig into more scrumptious grooves as they head to Book Club in the Uptown neighborhood this Friday to debut their new single Seeds, which leaves a bad taste of a psycho dictator in the minds, if not mouths, of listeners. I talk with guitarist & singer, Mike Ruel.
Hold The Ketchup will spin nicely on a non-buffet dinner platter. That meant for 12  and 7 inch vinyl records. I'll have a preview from 2 Minute Minor.
Despite several health scares, they will continue to, as the title to their 2007 EP implies, Keep On Rockin'. Roseland rock veterans M & R Rush return to the concert stage with a new vinyl EP, Goodbye City Lights, & and rock Hobart, Indiana this weekend. I've got the scoop.
Scaring up a futuristic good time, Radio Creeps sunk their teeth into the stage at Waterworks Pizza Bar in Lyons five years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Along with these, another thick, rich Chicago local music soundtrack pours out of your speakers like condiments on a tender juicy, burger patty to:
Torch The Hive-Seeds
Torch The Hive-Molotov Trail
Voice Of Addiction-Shinigami
V Is Fir Villains-Blood In the Rain
Artillery & Storm-Supernova
M & R Rush-Find A Way
Jim Peterik & World Stage (featuring Cathy Richardson)-Live For The Moment
2 Minute Minor-Life Goes By
The Kreutzer Sonata-Hyena
T.D. Clark-Not So Silent Night
Brian Durbin-Dick
Radio Creeps (interview at Waterworks Pizza, Lyons 11/18/17 Local Loft Episode 71)
Radio Creeps-Night Of The Baphomet
Radio Creeps-Alien
 
 

Local Loft Episode 251

This episode is mostly a 2 for 1 deal. Chicago area bands that blend two distinctive styles. In the case of Trash Fiasco, it's a mesh of 50s doo wop and punk grunge like White Stripes. I talk with all three members as they play two upcoming shows at Chip Shop Thursday, and with Real Bad Real Fast at Reggie's Sunday, November 13th.
Luna In Sanguinem supplies the appropriate Rock The Vote tune for Tuesday's election with a new democracy striven number.
Deanna Whalen combined beauty with ball crushing aggressive hard rock as Maid Of Mettle. She made her only appearance in The Kat 105.5 studios 11 years ago this week. We rock back to that.
Along with these, you're headbanging away the last of fallen tree leaves without the power of a blower by kicking it loud to:
Trash Fiasco-In Your Blood
Trash Fiasco-Beach Leech
Real Bad Real Fast-Strike Three
Heet Deth-Garden Of Evil
Shitizen-Nightmare
Luna In Sanguinem-Doomsday Network
Moonbreath-Beat Of Busco
We Killed The Lion-Southern Death Trip
Dead Lucid-Sullen Days
Maid Of Mettle (Deanna Whalen interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-11/10/11)
Maid Of Mettle-The River (acoustic The Kat 105.5 studio)
Maid Of Mettle-In The Garden
 Maid Of Mettle-Sleepless 

Local Loft Episode 250

Trick Or Treat...the bitter and the sweet. Siouxie Sioux was not totally singing about the candy kids crave once it's put in the bags. But about how Halloween has sweet and bitter memories and life experiences. The ear candy your lobes will crave in the next 80 minutes will sweetly satisfy your craving for choice original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop, even if some of the mental images leave a bitter memory or aftertaste.
A real gory rock and roll circus is the only way to describe Chicago Goth Metal band Psychobilly Death Clowns. Singer El Capiton joins me to reveal how wacko this bunch of Kabuki makeup wearing Bozo and Krusty wannabees can be funny and bloody in their cinematic horror film style stage show, and on their debut album, Empowering The Clown. They supplied plenty of laughs and scares this past Halloween weekend with Sinister Fate and the local master of Shock Rock, David Bates at Brauerhouse in Lombard.
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club present a real recurring case of Rock Resurrection on the nocturnally lifeless kick off track to their new tribute to B horror movies EP, Vanishing Point. The Lunatic's Fringe wears their petrified heart on their bloody sleeve in their new single from their second newly released full length album, Resurgence, as they hope to eradicating the world of The Party Of No, who hopes to resort to kidnapping another band member to stop the spread of music as the Joliet area rockers make fans go crazy with rock fury at Redmond's Pub near Midway Airport for a Halloween hangover show November 5th.
Satan's Hallow didn't have to go through too much hell to land an opening gig for forgotten 80s metal band Metal Church. They unleashed a melodic hell fiery fury at Reggie's Music Joint for a Halloween bash six years ago this week. We rock back to my devilishly good encounter with them.
Open you ear canals wide as I stuff your auditory nerves with the sweet ghoulish grooves of:
Psychobilly Death Clowns-Killer Klownz
Psychobilly Death Clowns-Freaky
Sinister Fate-Frankenstein Valentine (featuring Kryssie Ridolphi of Evil Engine)
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Every Night I'm Dying
Dead Living-Sleep Paralysis
The Lunatic's Fringe-Off The Cuff
Macabre-Dracula
Inner Decay-Incubi Et Succubi
Stickfight-Serpentine
Psycho Sister-Dead
Deadmanswake-Murder
Satan's Hallow (interview from Reggie's Music Joint 10/30/16 Local Loft Episode 41)
Satan's Hallow-The Horror
Satan's Hallow- Satan's Hallow
 

Local Loft Episode 249

Amongst the full plate of ear candy, there will be a hauntingly familiar tune. One you know you've heard before but can't remember the artist. Listen frequently and all this original Chicago area metal, punk & alternative rock will stick in your brain tissue, like butterscotch or caramel stick to your fingertips, and you can't wash it off. 
They heavy guitar riffs and thunderous drum beats of Led Pig are hauntingly familiar to anyone who has followed journeyman singer guitarist Drew (Scott) Noffsinger since he started Late Night Hooligan Riff Raff in 2008. Then Decibel Hogg, and Hatter's Riddle Drew rocks even harder with Led Pig, who's playing their first show in over three years at The Uptown in Westmont November 18th. I talk with him about the upcoming show.
With hard hitting graphic lyrics of urban gun violence and even heavier guitar riffs Chicago hardcore punk and metal rockers Whut? release their long awaited third full length album No Hope No Soul. The first preview track from it paints a bloody picture of The Windy City.
Rock opera has come a long way since The Who's narrative Tommy. Blacken The Day is a Joliet progressive metal and alternative rock band with a classically trained operatic singer in Cassandra Ann. They made their stage debut five years ago this week at The Forge in their hometown. We rock back to when I introduced them for the first time.
Along with all this, you're moshing through a bountiful musical trough like a possessed zombie, as we brain feed you the sweet ear candy of :
Led Pig-Death Dodger
Led Pig-The Ghost
Goatbelly-Delta 88
Whut?-C.A.P.S.
Misfire-R.I.P.
Witchcross-Curse of The Werewolf
Macabre-Corpse Violator
The Feral Ghosts-Stranger
Pale Horseman-Grigori
Blacken The Day (interview from The Forge in Joliet-10/26/17 Local Loft Episode 70)
Blacken The Day-Sabotage
Blacken The Day-Burning Disaster
 
 
 
 

Local Loft Episode 248

This one' s a real thrasher. Thrash metal may no longer be the dominant sub-genre of metal today, but it hasn't totally died. In the Chicago area metal scene, it's not all intense unclean vocal driven hardcore. Endgame makes a profound statement with their third EP, Serpent Whispers. Singer Dean Leo combines a melodic emotional vocal delivery that combines the demonic growl of Kiss Gene Simmons with high pitched wail of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, and Metallica's James Hetfield. The ethereal guitar soloing of Tom Theres adds to a very meticulous groove and playing style. Dean and Tom join me to talk about the newly released record.
Branching out further from the progressive melodic hard rock of Frontline, Jason Delismon goes solo, and continues to expand on a history that began as fiery drummer with Analog Digital Disorder (A.D.D.). I have his new single, and two more chances this weekend to check out his former band, as they continue to resurrect a melodic hard rock adrenaline rush, including a Saturday night show at Top Fuel Saloon in Braidwood, near the old radio listening area of The Kat 105.5.
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club evokes the heart ripping horror of the 80s period of car mutilating horror flicks like Christine with a new gruesome tune about killer cars, from their new EP, inspired by classic horror b-movies, Vanishing Point. But it's not as gory a ride as you might expect.
Armored Assault has kept it fast and furious for over eleven years. I hoofed it from the CTA Red Line to Reggie's Rock club as the North Side Chicago hardcore thrashers opened for thrash pioneers D.R.I., five years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Along with these, your mental bag goes into overload mode as we sweeten your brain cartilage with the sonic ear candy of the Chicago area's original metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene with:
Endgame-See How We Run
Endgame-End Game
Poison Boys- Rubber Band
Jason Delismon-Gone Away
A.D.D.-Don't Say
Ditchwater-I.D.G,A.F,
Denial Machine-The Denial Machine
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Killer Trans Am
Psychobilly Death Clowns-Murder Is Art
Armored Assault (interview with Andy "Pindy" Pindelski at Reggie's Rock Club-10/19/17)
Armored Assault-Sewing Circle Pit
Armored Assault-Call The Beast   

Local Loft Episode 247

Better early than never. As Halloween decorations sprout up across many neighborhood front lawns, and trick or treat candy hits store shelves in the middle of summer, we also stuff ear candy in your lobes before the clock strikes midnight on October 31st. Feast our inner ear canals on another bountiful helping of original Chicagoland and Illinois metal, punk. alternative rock and power pop.
Satisfy your urge to mosh and shoe shuffle. The unique combination of 70s Southern Blues based rock and hardcore metal is combined by Northwest Indiana band Chokesetter. They will have you line dancing and body surfing in unison, as they open up for Chicago's premier hardcore punk metal act Whut?, at their upcoming release show for their long awaited third full length album, no Hope No Soul, October 22nd at The Forge in Joliet. Guitarist Steve Dickson joins me to dissect the mixture of Chokesetter's music, featured on their self-titled full length debut album.
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club hits you with a spook tacular soundtrack to those horrific b-movie scare flicks of yesteryear on their new seventh EP. While ex Loveblast singer Brian Durbin will have huge female posteriors shaking to his new aptly named solo single to a Latino music and acting diva.
Sawbuck brought an ethnic twist to a mid 90s Grunge resurrection, when the Pilsen based band rocked Wire in Berwyn, five years ago this week. A rock back to that.
 
Along with all this, you'll feel your skeleton tremor like an 8.1 Richter Scale earthquake as you seismically shake your rump skin to:
Chokesetter-Barnburner
Chokesetter-Bela Lugosi
Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre-Till Death Do Us Party
IHatePeople-I Didn't Care Then
Villainous Grinn-Tend To Scream
Real Bad Real Fast- Don't Kill Yourself
Trash Fiasco-Stay
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Why You Ghosting Me Girl?
Leper-13 Silver Bullets
Brian Durbin- J Lo Of Chicago
Naked Raygun-Prepare To Die
Sawbuck (interview from Wire in Berwyn-10/11/17)
Sawbuck-Black 7
Sawbuck-Home Is Where The Silos Are

Local Loft Episode 246

Putting the ROCK in Rocktober. There's plenty of original Chicago area metal, punk and alternative rock to fill a candy bag (sorry, Charlie Brown, it's not that kind of rock).  This ain't your daddy's old school FM radio promotion, this is always sweet (er than candy) Chicago area local music scene. Hit play and dig in!
Drawing inspiration from modern world peace scenarios, and not ancient and modern-day medieval TV series and films. Chicago's Black Sites rocks you with their second EP, Untrue, featuring extensive instrumental intros and the heartfelt melodic vocals from Mark Sugar. He joins me to talk about their upcoming show Thursday night at Reggie's Music Joint, with west coast Progressive Metal act Hellfire and Peoria's Innersiege.
Plainfield's Endgame returns with a scorching royal house of pain in Serpent Whisper, their first new music for the band since Before It's Too Late four years ago. I've got the first new single off the soon to be released EP.
After moving away from his high-pitched vocal fire as singer of the melodic thrash metal act Fierce Atmospheres, Taran De Pablos gets ready tom unveil The Midnight Calls. He was in Fierce Atmospheres only a year, when he started Hellbound Sons, an old school Led Zeppelin-ish blues rock band. Thye made their blazing debut at Wire in Berwyn six year ago this week. We rock back to it.
Along with all this, you're scaring up a pre-Halloween original Chicago area music treat by letting your ears digest the tasty rock morsels of:
Black Sites-Sword Of Orion
Black Sites-The Night They Came For You
Innersiege- Firewind
Chokesetter-Barn Burner
Misfire-Red Flag
Endgame-The Palace Is Burning
NoneWillFall- What You Get
The Time Beings-Lemonade
Shoes-Tomorrow Night
Hellbound Sons (Taran De Pablos & Rick Morrisey interview from Wire in Berwyn-10/1/16 Local Loft Episode 39)
Hellbound Sons-Heathen (Live at Wire in Berwyn-10/1/16)
Skinwalker-G