Local Loft

"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

"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
 

"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

"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
 

"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)

"This here music smash up the nation. This here music cause a sensation" (Revolution Rock, from London Calling-The Clash. released 12-14-79)
 
Yes, original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop will cause a moving and grooving sensation in you once you first hear it. Whether you headbang, slam dance, mosh. break dance, pogo. The music will make you happy and sometimes, sad.
Holidays are joyful, well not for everyone. This festive time of year can also be killer, and not in a rocking good way. The four piece Chicago punk band Brainbleed has just released a new holiday tune which frowns upon being merry. Hung With Care does not mean be happy as you hang your stockings and wait for the jolly old fat man in the red suit to gift you on Xmas Eve. I talk with singer Kera Coleen and bassist November. Who will shed tears before and after the big presents under the tree distribution day. Brainbleed will be one of seven bands playing Macabre's annual Holiday Of Horror. Saturday, December 27th at Reggie's Rock Club and Music Joint in the South Loop.
If you're a gifted axeman, you may get the post-Christmas present of being Sinister Fate's new guitarist. I have all the surprise spoiling details. Plus, Hotlips Messiah is worshipped by the Chicago Reader as best punk band of the year.
No language barriers prevented Road's End from rocking a snow driven packed crowd from being rocked at Wire In Berwyn, nine years ago this week, We rock back to that.
Everyone, smash up your seat, and rock to this original soundtrack of Chicagoland music:
Brainbleed-Hung With Care
Brainbleed-Empty
Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre-Nobody Likes You Booster (Featuring Eddie Eskevel Of Smash Potater)
Bones-Noose
Macabre-Your Window Is Open
BlockChain Coalition-Silent Night A Re-Imagination
Material Issue-Merry Christmas Will Do
Sinister Fate-Meet Mister Scratch
Lady Strange-Psycho Love
Won't Stay Dead-Lay Beside Her
Hotlips Messiah-Robotron 2084
Road's End (Interview from Wire in Berwyn-12/14/16 Local Loft Episode 45)
Road's End-The Descent
Road's End-S-21

"Two sides to every story. Somebody had to stop me. I'm not the same as when I began." (Public Image. From the album First Issue by Public Image Limited. Released 12/8/78. Virgin Records U.K.)
There are many sides to the story of how an original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop band began their musical journey. They have no intention of calling it quits. And you, the avid music fans have no intention of slowing down your search to find the newest and freshest music talent. Consider Local Loft your all access genre guide to the wide variety of bands and artists.
The Hyss are a Chicago progressive doom metal band with a lethal name.  They will slither onto the stage of Reggie's Music Joint in Chicago's South Loop this Thursday night, December 11th. With rocking tales of sinister tree men and scientists featured on their third album, Hyss 3-The Hyssening. Singer Pat Kennedy, guitarist Dave Fitzgerald and drummer Mike Scales join me to talk about the reptilian origin of their name, and the whole tree men inspiration.
While the anticipation of a new second GraveRegin album, Icon Of The Accursed continues, Veteran guitar shredder David Demon Shankle unleashes another awesome face melting set of axe solos with the power metal band Wings Of Destiny. This one links an apple bearing maiden with a chained-up lover (in its music video)
Ten years before joining his father and becoming part of the heaviest rock band from the Kankakee, Illinois area, Redneck Remedy, John David Daily Jr. introduced himself through the bluesy Southern Rock Band Sixty-Three from the Watseka region of K3. They rocked the roof off Star Bar In Chicago Ridge ten years ago this week.
Get a solid image that constantly relays in your brain (and reverberates through both earlobes) of this stellar lineup of original Chicagoland music.
The Hyss-Science Mountain
The Hyss-Gnome Ken Bone
Psython-Crack (H)orse
Wings Of Destiny (Featuring David Shankle)-Walking in Shadows
GraveReign-No More Yesterdays
Mimi Betinis-A Christmas Song
Cliff Johnson & Mimi Betinis-Christmas Everyday
Sixty-Three (interview from Star Bar, Chicago Ridge-12/12/15 Local Loft Episode 15 )
Sixty-Three-How I Roll
Sixty-Three-Outta Here
 

"The battle is getting harder" (Armgeddion Time-The Clash. B-side to London Calling single. Released 12-7-79)
The battle to find any radio station that showcases original Chicagoland Metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop is a no win battle. unless you're an established proven national act with a shitload of hits, radio will ignore your band's creative music output. But with Local Loft, the focus is always where it should be.
Old school thrash metal is far from dead. Those who crafted and introduced it to masses of fans are now handing their distinctive guitar power chords and thunderous lightning-fast drumming down to a much younger generation. The three members of Ottawa thrash trio Hero's End were not born for another two decades when Metallica, Megadeth, Metal Church and Exodus brought melodic progressive thrash metal to the mainstream. Yet, singer/guitarist Daniel Doloski, bassist Bryce McLaughlin and guitarist Brent McLaughlin play timeless melodic metal with a touch of unclean vocals so synomimus with modern day nu metal. They have just released their debut EP, Facade. I talk with all three of them.
Veteran Chicago rocker Danny Lynch rocks on without his longtime namesake band. He's put together two new mostly solo projects. Vacation Tree Killers follows Society Of Hooligans, and keeps an old school bluesy balls out rocking groove he first unleashed in 1983 going strong and proud.
Steve Eldrige began pounding away behind the drum kit at age 15 with Delightful Downfall in 2008. He's come along way, branching out into a multitalented singer and produced. Sky Machine was a radical chance to industrial metal. They rocked the rafters off Wire In Berwyn nine years ago this week.
 Thrashing though the never-ending way too early snow mounds are the heavy accumulation of original Chicagoland music. Piled up on this soundtrack are:
Hero's End-The Myth Of Hope
Hero's End-Facade
End Of Anarchy-The Ripper
Sushi-Transylvanian Vacation
The Effigies-No Love Lost (2025 remix)
Wolfdozer-Playing With Fire
The Elephant March-Big Adventure
Vacation Tree Killers (featuring Danny Lynch)-The Ballad of Homer Mudd
Lynch-Help Me
Prison City Brigade-Shitty Presents
M & R Rush-Heavy Metal Christmas
Sky Machine (interview from Wire In Berwyn Local Loft Episode 44 12/4/16)
Sky Machine-Liar
Sky Machine-Disgrace
 

"An amateur band rehearses in a nearby yard. Watching the telly and thinking about your holiday....That's Entertainment" (from Sound Affects-The Jam released 11-28-80 Polydor Records U.K.)
 
Many of the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop bands you'll hear on this four hundredth eighth episode of Local Loft are indeed amateurs, but many are also seasoned professional musicians and singers, They're here to entertain you and have you rocking back for more.
A Year Ago Today has a proven over 12 month track record as local support for HED PE. The four-man newcore metal band from the Illinois/ Wisconsin state line. was also a co headliner for Solar's album release show for thier full length debut album, Frantically Calm back in March. Both bands will light up hte stage at Rockhaus in West Dundee on Black Friday with Indign and Strident Escape. I talk with A Year Ago Today guitarists Adrian Schupp and Jake Smith about the the lyrical inspiration behind their second  single, Mob Action. and the perfection of singer Bryan Selch.
Danny Lynch is one of rock's greatest storytellers. The story of his music journey was left unfinished and put on an extended hiatus. The band who featured his last name made a big comeback in 2010 with their new solid hard rock EP Window Of Your Soul. Since calling it quits with Lynch in 2019, Danny has formed Society Of Hoodlums, with ex Lynch drummer Frank Pace. I have their new highly visual and psychedelic second single. And I'm forever thankful that I captured though the magic of terrestrial radio airwaves, Lynch in The Kat 105.5 studio with a special totally electric set on Thanksgiving night 2010, It was the perfect ear watering music soundtrack to a, mouth watering turkey dinner. No turkeys on music menu on this night.
Feel it melt in your ear lobes as your face melts from the intense precision playing of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop. Fully cooking and ready to rock off the poundage of a seven-course meal are:
A Year Ago Today-Waves
A Year Ago Today-Mob Action
Indign-The Final Hunt
Strident Escape-The Mute King (Song #5)
Extraction Point-Hold Fire
Avernus-Return To Dust
Macabre-The Black Night
Veilside-Crawl Back To You (with Danny Lynch on harmonica)
Society Of Hoodlums-Mirage
Lynch (electric set in The Kat 105.5 studio-11/25/10)
Lynch-M.A.D.
Lynch-Anymore
Lynch-Sister Mary

" I never thought it would come to this...another case of Hit or Miss." (The Damned-Black Album, released 11-17-80, Chiswick Records)
You aren't missing a thing, when it comes to extensive coverage of the original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene.
 
With a distinctive powerful voice, Stephanie Jennings is impossible to miss. Both intimate and authoritative, Stephanie powers Solar's futuristic, down to earth melodic blend of power rock and metal. The Rockford band's fourth album, Frantically Calm is their most ambitious, solid record. They blast off to West Dundee to rock Black Friday, November 28th, with Indign, A Year Ago Today, and Strident Escape. Stephanie joins me once again, with the story of how the track Convoy, was created in the raunchy, beers raised high rough style of the swamp rock four piece, fronted by Brian Corbin. It's not a tune about them.
 
David Demon Shankle has come along way, since contributing his masterful, virtuoso guitar shredding to American progressive metal act Manowar. He uses his six-string axe as a battle weapon, sculpting new futuristic images of Tolkien-esque warriors, in a new tune by Wings Of Destiny
The Southwest Chicago swamp metal band, Convoy first trucked into the Kat 105.5 studio, fifteen years ago this week. Even in a stripped down, acoustic jam, their hard hitting, beer-soaked hard rock lost none of its or swamp drenched nature. Singer. Guitarist Brian Corbin, and drummer Mike (Makalu Gee) Getz joined me to drop off a load of killer, boozy and bluesy swamp rock. 
You'll be rocked from your head to your Solar Plexus, as you headbang through the cyberspace cosmos to the original Chicagoland music soundtrack of:
Solar-Convoy
Solar-Shifter
A Year Ago Today-Mob Action
Wings Of Destiny (featuring David Shankle)-Masters Of War
GraveReign-Destination Aftermath
When We Was Kids-Ozymandias
The Flying Luttenbachers-ID:Vomit
Convoy (interview with Brian Corbin and Mike Getz in The Kat 105.5 studio-11/10/10)
Brian Corbin And Mike Getz-River Of Solo (acoustic in the Kat 105.5 studio)
Convoy-This I Know
Brian Corbin and Mike Getz-Flood Of the River (acoustic in The Kat 105.5 studio)