Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 421

"Have you been a good boy, never played with your toy. Though you never enjoy, such a pleasure to employ. On The Beat, on the upbeat." (The Beat-Elvis Costello, from his second studio album, This Year's Model, released on Radar Records in the U.K., Columbia Records, U.S. on 3/17/78).
 
It's not all upbeat original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative and power pop. But all of it has a beat, and you can groove to it.
There's a lightning-fast beat and rhythm in Hardcore Punk. And when you're pogo dancing or moshing to that rapid rhythm, you don't get the message which spreads like wildfire right away. I'm sure I hear a message of optimism in Sunshine On My Face from veteran Chicago Hardcore Punk Trio I Hate People. It's only one positive message in this very upbeat three man band's full length debut album, Pound It Out. They will put you in a optimistic good time mood, as they co headline with Real Bad Real Fast at the 75th edition of Punk Rock Tacos, Friday Night at Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. I talk with drummer No Rhythm Jim, guitarist Larry and Bassist Ken.
Ephenepic from just north of Kankakee always rocks withe hurricane force grooves. The four members, including brothers Travis (Drums) and Cody (vocals) Zupan survived hurricane force winds as an EF-3 tornado hit South of their homes. They have just released a morbid metal themed full-length album, You Will Die. They first played  a lot of it's tunes at Kankakee Estival Festival last September in Bird Park. I've a cranial melting track off it. And, the Chicago doom punk band Claw Toe, goes into battle with familiar city music venues in a new Trouble-some scenic music video (which features new bassist Traci Trouble, of veteran space punk band Hotlips Messiah)
Served up rocking hot with a side of punchy, celling quaking rhythms, Punch Cabbie rocked a full of Guiness and corned beef crowd at a St. Patrick's Day Massacre night gig at Brauerhouse In Lombard ten years ago this week.
Play your air clover as you jig to this banger soundtrack of original Chicagoland music:
I Hate People-Sunshine On My Face
I Hate People-Untreatable
The Evictions-Teenage On The TV
Ephenepic-Brain Spew
Claw Toe-Chicago Punk Rock Warrior
The Spindles-Prisoner Of War
Alpine Subs-Give It Love, Give It Time
Flatfoot 56-Way Of The Sun
Cutlass-Out In The Cold
The Waterfall King-Filth
The Fiction We Create-The Void's Calling
Punch Cabbie (interview from Brauerhouse in Lombard-3/17/16 Local Loft Episode 20)
Punch Cabbie-Introspection
Punch Cabbie-Vitriol
 

Local Loft Episode 420

"But when you ask in a strange town, they say I don't know, I don't care and I've got to go, mate." (Strange Town -The Jam. Released as a single-3/9/1979 0n Polydor Records. U.K.)
All the towns, cities and even the state of Illinois where these original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop bands and artists hail from might seem strange to you at first, but you'll easily recognize the locations as you become more familiar with the acts through catchy lyrics and music.
Helping many immigrants to become familiar with the surroundings of the Oak Park area, west of downtown Chicago, hardcore punk trio Real Bad Real Fast has teamed up with eclectic Jazz Rock Fusion trio Sons Of Ra, and hybrid rock/hip hop/ jazz band Afrofuturistics for a special fundraiser show for the Illinois Coalition For Immigrant And Refugee Rights. All three bands rocked the foundations of Val's Halla, the legendary record emporium in Oak Park during a Saturday Night show. I catch up with Matt Stanton, Ben Brundige and Ed Dudzinky after Real Bad Real Fast cruised through a scorching 30 plus minute set. It's the first time in six years I caught their fast and furious set, with gruesome tales of a 50 years ago horrifying story of a killer car. Six years ago this week, they took their time to rock a big pre-COVID 19 shutdown crowd at The Outtaspace in Berwyn, which we rock back to end this four hundred and twentieth excursion into the original Chicago and surrounding area's music scene.
The Midnight Calls rock back the calendar clock almost a golden year's span with a new psychedelic metal single. It's a spiritually uplifting turbo charged power rock gem, showcasing the high pitched, ultra raspy vocal style of journeyman hard rocker Taran DePablos. The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club will make another pilgrimage to the première Chicago Power Pop Festival, International Pop Overthrow, at Montrose Saloon, April 17-25th. The veteran power pop quartet leaves no confession unturned in their new single. 
Migrate to your device of choice and get an earful of the podcast that never gives the original Chicagoland music scene an ICE-Y reception:
Real Bad Real Fast-Strike 3
Real Bad Real Fast-Maverick
Sons Of Ra-Replacement Souls (Live)
The Midnight Calls-Objectophilia
The Handcuffs-Pretty Pretty
The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Heavy Conclusions
Satellite Union-Mix Tape
Shitizen-Make It Smell
GraveReign-With Apologies/Romanza
Real Bad Real Fast (interview from The Outtaspace in Berwyn-3/14/2020 Local Loft Episode 121)
Real Bad Real Fast-Comin' In Hot
Real Bad Real Fast-Ronan Farrow
 
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Local Loft Episode 419

"His mission is simple, to add to the score. Look through his reflection. AH, what could be more"
"Calling calling crazy tunes. Look all around you, your life is in ruins".  (Calling The Tune-Skids. From their debut album Scared To Dance.. Released 2-23-79. Virgin Records U.K.)
Listen, the tunes are calling to you!
The original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop tunes will lift you up. Get you out of a ruined life and rejuvenate.  A life that rocks can never be ruined.
With music tales of a ruined relationship, and a loving father lost to his children by fighting in a destructive war. Beneath The Hollow invited fans new and old to mosh away any grief or depression in a Saturday night Chicago area live local metal showcase show at The Forge in Joliet. Joining forces on stage with Next To Eternity, Reckless Redemption, Beheading the Icon, and Subcyst. The personal troubles pogoed away. Fourteen years ago, Beneath The Hollow unleashed their awesome metalcore groove on Kat 105.5 listeners. Drummer Matt DeGroot supplied the pyle driving drum sound. I talk with him and new singer Justin Osbourne backstage.
We Stay In Time, not completely, with a belated birthday salute to Power Pop legend Cliff Johnson, including a recently posthumous release of how taking Quick Turns through cyberspace isn't always a smooth ride.
Almost permanently punching their way out of the scene eight years ago this week, Fist To The Sky, with singer/frontman Mickey Murder, was not dead yet. The Chicago power rock 4 piece made a surprise comeback last Summer at Q Bar in Darien. They had no more rock fight in them after a punchy finale at Wire In Berwyn. We rock back to it.
A non-Olympic gold metal and silver skate blade, winning combination of original Chicagoland music comes with this gala soundtrack:
Beneath The Hollow-Butter
Beneath The Hollow-Godless Endeavors
Reckless Redemption-S.O.L.
All Outta Gum-Deceit
Catapult The Propaganda-F-Bomb
Cliff Johnson-Cyberspace Stalker
Off Broadway-U.S. Girls
Foxdie-Rapid Eye Movements
Escape The Paradigm-Tired Eyes
Fist To The Sky (live from Wire In Berwyn 2-24-18 Local Loft Episode Local Loft Episode 75)
Fist To The Sky-Count Your Blessings
Fist To The Sky-Another Lesson Learned

Local Loft Episode 418

"I wonder what we'll do when things go wrong. When we're halfway through our favourite song. We look up and the audience is gone."
"Will we feel a little bit obscure?" (One Chord Wonders-The Adverts, from the debut album, Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts. Released 2-17-78. Stiff Records-U.K.)
You, as part of an original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock, or Power Pop must never accentuate the negative. how about what will we do when things go right! There will be bad nights on stage or in the studio. Rock on, when they happen and know that there is an audience who will be coming back for more, of their favorite songs from you as a solo artist or band. This podcast focuses on only the music product that goes right.
Chicago Deathcore Metal band Subcyst, will lay down the right pile driving, grinding groove to make a moshing audience, Saturday night stick around at The Forge In Joliet, and never be gone. The lyrical images may be depressing, but the coarse grunt vocal of singer Javier Guana has the fiery power to keep the crowd mesmerized. This band is very mainstream and impossible to fade into obscurity.  Javier and guitarist Rich Boersma join me. They're one of five Chicago area metal bands playing a local metal showcase gig, also featuring Next To Eternity, Reckless Redemption, Beheading The Icon, and Beneath The Hollow.
Tractor Boy whips up a punk hoedown at the record release show for their second full length album, Midwest Loud, the second weekend of Spring in Southwest Suburban McCook. Leftover Ice And Snow from a barbaric winter will be eradicated. Three prominent bands want to get rid of the painful memories of another familiar ICE at an Immigrant Support Benefit show, the first weekend of March at the legendary Oak Park record store, Val's Halla, including hardcore punk trio, Real Bad Real Fast . I have the scoop on both shows.
Rocking out of the ashes of the obscure progressive Joliet metal band Axis Of Time, the future was much brighter and heavier for Orinoco. Their second trip to The Kat 105.5 studio included new fierce screaming singer Anthony Guardiola, 14 years ago this week.
Whether just one, or a zillion distinctive chords reel in your audience, this original Chicagoland music soundtrack will strike an hour an fifteen-minute catchy chord:
Subcyst-A Malignant Gift
Subcyst-Death Wage
Reckless Redemption-State Of Decay
Real Bad Real Fast-Mouthpiece (Live at Livewire Lounge-1/16/26)
Convoy-Almost Lost My Mind
Bad Break-Retired Double Agent
MYLPH-Bio Jesus
Black Cat Heart Attack-A.D.D.
James The Boneless-Frozen Brain
Orinoco (2/18/12 Live in The Kat 105.5 studio)
Orinoco-The Antagonist
Orinoco-Seize The Night
Axis Of Time-The Walking Dead

Local Loft Episode 417

"This is the new song out with the old. This is the new way, New truth be told." (Cockney Rejects-New Song. B-side of the Bad Man 45 single. Released 2-12-80. EMI Records UK)
There's plenty of new original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop songs at your access from up and coming and aging veteran artists and bands. While we totally don't abandon the old, new and fresh take precedent.
Voted best original Chicagoland Metal Album of 2025, last December on Local Loft's Year In Review (Episode 412) Wolfdozer is not your typical hardcore, unclean metal act. With a distinctive harmonica played incomparably by Lucas Theroux, the Kankakee region 4 man band has a down-home country meets hard rock feel. They will rock the foundation of Top Fuel Saloon in Braidwood, Saturday, March 7th, with Convoy and Beyond The Wrath, featuring Ronny Monroe, former guitarist of cult 80s metal band Metal Church. Wofdozer bassist Justin Schroeder joins me to preview the thunderous triple bill.
You don't need many musicians and solo artists to make a noisy lasting impression. Only as a duo has The Human Trials generated a sludgy, tight bloody rock symphony at that, They will make a noisy, static ridden music statement over the terrestrial; radio airwaves of  WZRD 88.3 FM on the campus of Northeastern University on the North Side of Chicago, thus Thursday night, February 12th. I have a front row seat preview.
Firing up a hard rocking good time for the last time before a permanent financial pandemic shutdown, Burned In Effigy tears it up one last time at Wire In Berwyn six years ago this week, we rock back to it.
It's their time to howl and rock supreme. More original Chicagoland music consisting of:
Wolfdozer-Sutures
Wolfdozer-Rattle My Bones
The Human Trails-Derelict (Live At The Bunker September 4th 2025)
Heet Deth-Destroyer
The Lunatic's Fringe-They're Here
Clear Coat-Acid Rain
Thorns Like Us-Never Again
Kevin M. Buck Band- D-Pop
Burned In Effigy (live from Wire in Berwyn 2-15-20 Local Loft Episode 119)
Burned In Effigy-Jupiter
Burned In Effigy-Hades

Local Loft Episode 416

"He talked of hits and tours and lots of cash. And all the time it wasn't on. We were betrayed by Rough Trade Lies." (Rough Trade-Stiff Little Fingers. From thier debut album, Inflammable Material. Released 2-2-79 on Rough Trade records. U.K.)
 
The music business is indeed rough at times. We'll keep the rough nature confined to the groove an of the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop music.  It's not all rough
Mixed in with the hard hitting, intense quality of Joliet Metalcore band Next To Eternity's music is an operatic second set of clean harmony vocals. A Classical Music chord structure is distinctive, along with cinematic, graphic nature of lyrics, and especially music videos. The world of slasher horror films and video games works its way into the images of Book Of The Dead, their third album, dropping on Friday, February 20th . The day after, they will premiere the complete album live, at a local Metal Showcase show, Saturday, the 21st at the Forge in Joliet. I talk with longtime singer/co-founder Sam Rodriguez and guitarist Mike Spillman.
Making his awesome virtuosos guitar shredding presence known in many bands, The Demon, David Shankle, flies away from ethnic power metal band Wings Of Destiny to help cult Chicago Doom Metal act. The Skull, remake a deadly fine feathered signature tune.
Crossing over language barriers and rocking all nationalities equally, the Czech/American rock act 4 Without had a packed house at the legendary Metro grooving on a wintry Saturday night, 10 years ago this week. Led by effervescent petite singer Jana Vox, I got the only full band interview with them, debuting their only English album, Line Of Love.
A persistent plume of original Chicagoland music will hug the cyberwaves and will make you wiggle and pogo back and forth to the sounds of:
Next To Eternity-The Entity
Next To Eternity-Traumatophobia
Beheading The Icon-Criminal Eradication Order
The Skull (featuring David Shankle & Anton Darusso of Wings Of Destiny)-Who Killed The Rooster? (2026 remake)
Wings of Destiny (featuring David Shankle)-Masters Of War
The Rip Ups-Ground Floor
Vortis-Going My Way
Hangry Ghost-No Good
Horace Pinker-Three Against Me
Megan Hosick-That And You
Voodoo Monkey Child (Featurign Jana Vox)-Deep Water Flash
4Without (Live at Metro 2-6-16 Local Loft Episode 18)
4Without-Kill Him First
4Without-Tonight

Local Loft Episode 415

"I wish they could all have their say, and world would change from day to day. No more worries nothing but laughs. Cause the kids on the street are the kids that you meet." (Kids On The Street-Angelic Upstarts Single released 1-26-81. Zonophone/EMI Records U.K.)
 
Whether they start young, in their teens or early 20's, or get a late start in their 40s, 50s or 60s. You'll meet the artists and bands whose original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop music is heard from street to street, city to city all around the world. The bands will have their say, lyrically and musically.
Beginning an eclectic form of symphonic metal in their 20s, 34 years ago, Chicago Doom Metal band Avernus combine modern hardcore screamo, with progressive 70s hard rock. they once co headlined shows with Trouble at the legendary Thirsty Whale in 1996. Their second full length album, Grievances showcases the modern day grunting unclean vocal style of singer Rick McCoy with a sophisticated progressive and lengthy instrumental guitar and bass blend. I talk with guitarist and co-founder Erik Kikke.
Kankakee alternative rockers Carrying Torches give drummer Jon Paul Gray a chance to keep time through his vocal range. A debut as lead singer in a new single about departure. Certainly, a unique one for the four-piece Heartland Garage Rock band.
Tractor Boy plows their way into one of the only remaining underground Chicago rock radio stations for a live concert broadcast.
Before COVID stole the live music spotlight away from Wire In Berwyn, who couldn't stay open after being financially stricken during the pandemic, Skylight Cinema show brightly with a unique mix of old school progressive rock and modern pop punk. We rock back to their only appearance, and the last live show I would experience at the hip music venue south of the incomparable Fitzgeralds, six years ago this week.
Melt Mother Nature's dementia fueled ice and snow grip by getting a rocking hold of this hot mix of original Chicagoland music:
Avernus-Nemesis
Avernus-Return To Dust
Subcyst-A Broken Will Makes The Best Slaves
Carrying Torches-Gone
BlockChain Coalition-Get A Little Closer
John David Daily-Somewhere On The Other Side
Redneck Remedy-Face Of Madness (4-15-25 Local Loft Episode 376)
Tractor Boy-Carnage In Rantoul
Paperboy Riot-Joke
Skylight Cinema 9 from Wire In Berwyn 1-26-20 Local Loft Episode 118
Skylight Cinema-Don't Phase Me
Skylight Cinema-Turn Me Golden
 

Local Loft Episode 414

"No chance of a rebirth, for the last rockers honors" (Last Rockers-Vice Squad first single. Released 1/20/81 Riot City Records U.K.)
Whether resurrected or just beginning, there's always a great chance of established and young original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock, and Power Pop bands and artists being discovered worldwide with every listen to every episode of Local Loft. 
The discovery is sometimes through a special benefit show. The Ed and Jan Kost Cancer Benefit Punk show at Tivoli Bowl in Downers Grove brought a great mix of veterans and beginners. Death in Memphis has been rocking fast and furious since 2014. Their name comes from veteran 80s punk rockers turned college radio staple band The Replacements. I won't give away the secret as to how a lyric in their biggest tribute tune was the basis of Death And Memphis' name. I talk with singer/guitarist Paul Garcia, guitarist Steve Custer, who moonlights for the last time as Steev Zero in Space Age Zeros, also headlining tonight, and drummer Elijah Garcia backstage at Tivoli.
A solid successful live show can lead to a disastrous after party. Tractor Boy found this out after a gig south of the huge college city, Champaign, on their new single.
A change of a rebirth of the illustrious metal band Central Disorder hasn't yet come, after nine years ago this week, when the Southwest Suburban four-man band, lead by Rob Peto, released their biggest album, Eradication, their full-length debut with a killer release show at Sullivan's Pub in Midlothian. We rock back to it.
From first chord to last rocking shred solo, the note-by-note soundtrack of original Chicagoland music consists of:
Death & Memphis-Your Own Worth
Death & Memphis-Solidarity
Space Age Zeros-Cheryl Scott (live at Tivoli Bowl, Downers Grove-1/10/26 The Ed & Jan Kost Cancer Benefit)
Tractor Boy-Carnage In Rantoul
Disrobe-TV Weakly
M & R Rush-Ya Don't Wanna Mess With A Hungry Bear
Sonic Motel-Crazy
Dissona-The Prodigal Son
Next To Eternity-Among The Waves
Central Disorder (Eradication CD release show, Sullivans Pub in Midlothian 1/20/19 Local Loft Episode 94)
Central Disorder-Consumed
Central Disorder-No Salvation

Local Loft Episode 413

"If they ever come through. See this fight right through till the last round. Follow the man whose puttin' out the boss sound of King Rocker."  (King Rocker-Generation X. Second single. Released 1/5/79 on Crysalis Records U.K.)
Follow every episode of the podcast that extensively follows the original Chicagoland area's Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene, and you will discover a band or artist with a BOSS sound.
 
Veteran Chicago rocker Danny Lynch has many followers who stuck with him through the almost four-decade run of his namesake band, Lynch. After they disbanded in 2019, Danny has moved on to two similar sounding, but radically different bands. Society of Hoodlums and Vacation Tree Killers. The first of which has former Lynch drummer Frank Pace. Danny talks with me about how both these new bands came together, and how his glowing image braved desert heat for the three dimensional music video of Society of Hoodlum's debut single, Mirage.
Fighting for the cause, Chicagoland Punk rockers unite for a special cancer benefit show, Saturday night at Tivoli bowl in Downers Grove. Death And Memphis hails from Chicago's North Side, and got thier name from one of the most legendary punk turned mainstream rock bands out of Minneapolis. Accept no Replacements (hint, hint).
Melissa Radice had an intimate, precocious singing style which blended well with the heavy, grinding raw guitar driven power metal of Threatening The Order. As Mother Nature unleashed a biting, frigid cold weather threat, headbangers rocked it away with extreme body heat as Threatening The Order faced stiff competition in a Sunday Battle Of The Bands at Reggie's Rock Club in the South Loop ten years ago this month.
Local Loft's maiden voyage of 2026 through the original Chicagoland music scene set sails with:
Society Of Hoodlums-Mirage
Society of Hoodlums-Freaks At The Ball
Lynch-Be There
Death And Memphis-Not Fade Away
The Run Around-Shots Fired
Maes-Schitzo
True Love Devil-Solitude
Threatening The Order (interview at Reggie's Rock Club 1/17/16 Local Loft Episode 17)
Threatening The Order-Soul inside 
Threatening The Order Something To Prove
 

Local Loft Episode 412

"When others need your time, you say it's time to go. it's Your time." (U2-Like A Song. From the album- War-1983)
 
It soon will be 2025's time to go.  On this edition of Local Loft, the year will rock out with a grind
Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre is a four-man Chicago hardcore metal band who has been slightly inspired by a classic 1974 hardcore horror film about a mechanical grinding weapon wielding lunatic. Fronted by Macho Frost (Josh Kandich), they started rocking in 2014 to complete a school project. Their namesake title track is a pissed off, we're not gonna take it anymore threat to the man behind the leather mask. They will slash their way onto the stage at Reggie's Music Joint, Saturday night, December 27th during Holiday Of Horror, the annual post-Christmas live Chicago area music bash thrown by the masters of Horror Metal, Macabre. Josh joins me, along with a story of how a famous film Terminator inspired a diss song about a favorite toy superhero.
I'll spoil the surprise, of which original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop bands and artists made the often-checked list of the best in the scene over the last 12 months. year in Review 2025.
Let the unwrapping and cheat sheeting begin. The final 2025 gift of original Chicagoland music is:
Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre-Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre
Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre-Nobody Likes You, Booster (featuring Eddie Eskevel of Smash Potater
Macabre-Holiday of Horror
Ur Mom (2025 Best Original Chicagoland Alternative Rock Band)-In My Nature
Tyre Fyre(2025 Best Original Chicagoland Punk Band)-Feed Me (From The Totally punk Anti Government Celebration Of The People Party, Punk Rock Tacos, Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park Local Loft Epiosde 388 7/6/25)
Four Horsemyn (2025 Best Original Chicagoland Metal Band)-Bang Bang (Local Loft Episode 395-8/24/25)
Wolfdozer-(2025 Best Original Chicagoland Metal Album-Volume 001) Down Home (Kankakee Estival Festival Local Loft Episode 399-9/20/25)
The Lunatic's Fringe-(live at A Celebration Best Original Chicagoland Live Show The Forge, Joliet 9/7/25 Local Loft Episode 397) Counterinsurgency
Colleen Wild And The Haunted-Hounded (Live at A Celebration Best Original 2025 Chicagoland Live Show, The Forge In Joliet 9/7/25 Local Loft Episode 397)
Solar-Frantically Calm (Best Original 2025 Chicagoland Rock Album-Frantically Calm and Best Original 2025 Chicagoland Rock Band)