Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 310

"24 and there's so much more." (Neil Young-Old Man 1972). 
 
Neil wasn't singing about the year of 2024, but there's so much more original Chicagoland metal, punk & alternative rock & power pop. Not just new music, but new territories where the music is created. 
We've been across the Illinois/Indiana state line before but have never heard anything coming out of the land of The Fighting Irish. from South Bend, Indiana, Jammie Bosstel fronts both Praise The Fallen & Bosstel. While PTF has a radio friendly, melodic hard rock sound, Bostell gets more electronic, even industrial. Bostell is looking to head North to Norridge and open for ex Saving Abel singer Scott Austin. Jammie joins me with PTF's New single about self-motivation helping one to move in a new direction, and a new  Bostell track of not letting social media rule your life.
Fresh off being named Best Chicagoland Alternative Rock band of 2023 on Local Loft Episode 309 Year in Review, Carrying Torches doesn't take a holiday in putting forth a new single fir the new year. It's about Unusually shutting oneself out from the world and sinking into your own isolated one. I'll spin it.
They could have duked it out head-to-head with the giants of Pop Punk (Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World). Rematch from Chicago's North side never got the chance, as they never had another chance to rock Wire In Berwyn live, like 5 years ago this week. We rock back to it. 
Rock in the new of 2024 with fresh, brand spanking new original Chicago rock. Your ears will ring like a historic liberty bell to the chiming guitar sounds of:
Praise The Fallen-Changes
Bosstel-A World Out Of View
Let Them Fight-Down Inside
Carrying Torches-Unusual
Shoes-Burned Out Love
Repentance-Buried By Fear
The Suffering-The Experiment Has Failed
Snuffed-Flock
Heet Deth-Big Bang Boom
Rematch (interview from Wire in Berwyn-1/5/19 Local Loft Episode 94)
Rematch-Face To Face
Rematch-Chicago

Local Loft Episode 309 Year In Review 2023

Nobody's naughty on this list!
I've checked it over once, twice, three zillion times, no maybe. It is very difficult to narrow down to final tallies , but 2023 sure had so many standout bands & songs in the Chicagoland area's ever strong and growing original rock music scene. Debate and disagree all you want, but a list is just an opinionated thing. Along with those who earned top prizes, a few more who need to be applauded for their music creativity and efforts.
And the well-deserved honors in Chicagoland's original metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene go to:
Surf Candy-Fall (Best 2023 original Chicago area newcomer band)
True Love Devil-Bullet Down
Of Wolves-Jesus Jihad (Best 2023 original Chicago area metal album/band-Balance)
Acton's Dictum-Back To Rehab (Best 2023 original Chicago area punk album-Absolute Corruption)
x.Oracles.x-Viagra Song (best 2023 original Chicago area live show-Punk Rock Tacos 33-8/11/23)
The Lunatic's Fringe-Let The Fringe Begin (from Celebration, 9/30/23 The Forge Joliet)
Shoes -Tomorrow Night (best 2023 Chicago area comeback band) (live from the Third Annual Illinois Rock Museum on Rt. 66 V.I.P. Concert-9/16/23)
Phil Angotti ,Ralph Covert, Shoes, Cliff Johnson-Stay In Time (from the Third Annual Illinois Induction V.I.P. Concert Rock Museum on Rt. 66 9/12/23)
Aweful-New Moon (best 2023 Chicago area Rock album-Aweful Self titled, and best 2023 Chicago area rock band)
Carrying Torches-Snow Angel (best 2023 original Chicago area alternative rock band
BlockChain Coalition-Step On A Rocket (best 2023 original Chicago area rock album-The New Normal)

Local Loft Episode308

"Another stupid Christmas song...I think I'll have another beer." (The Business,-Bollocks To Christmas, 1981)
O.K. then, how about the 90-minute gift of many un stupid non-Christmas songs. Another soundtrack of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock, and power pop. There will be at least one Xmas tune in there, that you haven't heard in ages, and it will rock. 
Before you get ready for a bloody good time this Saturday at Macabre's Holiday Of Horror, which will scare up a huge gift of Chicago area metal live on two stages at Reggie's Rock Club and Music Joint, Nequient will give you Nightmares before Xmas with tales of heart wrench drives in intense rain storms and city killers. They are one of nine bands on the bill. Drummer Chris Avergin joins me with a spoiler of their upcoming set at HOH 23.
More spoiler alert news for you fans of the power metal duo GraveReign. They haven't called it quits. Is new music forthcoming in the new year 2024 from Tony Engel and guitar shred demon David Shankle. Open up this podcast before next Monday and find out.
Off Broadway rock ON at their home away from home, Fitzgeralds in Berwyn this Thursday. The spirit of their legendary frontman Cliff Johnson will reveal himself in new singer Jim Cunningham.
Not only a gifted drummer with his first band, Delightful Downfall, Steve Eldridge is a top-notch producer, and has expanded his music vision as lead singer and guitarist of Qualia. He revealed the new band five years ago this week at Wire in Berwyn's annual holiday charity show, 20 Bands Of Christmas. We rock back to when I introduced Qualia to Local Loft listeners worldwide.
One last chance to cheat and open the gift of original Chicago area music before Santa's big delivery day on December 25th. Go ahead, tear into:
Nequient-Death Bridge
Nequient-Golden Age Of The Grift
Macabre-Your Window Is Open
Pete Berwick-Outsider
The Boyzz-Shady Lady (original 1978 Too Wild To Tame Epic vinyl LP cut)
Wings Of Destiny- (featuring David Shankle) Ride The Dragon
GraveReign-No More Yesterdays
Odonrot-Colors Of War
Bones-Blood Lust
Cliff Johnson-Stay In Time (acoustic version)
Shoes-This Christmas
Qualia (interview from Wire in Berwyn 12/22/18 Local Loft Episode 92)
Qualia-Relapse
Qualia-Savage

Local Loft Episode 307

"The new groups are not concerned with what there is to be learned" (Joe Strummer 1978)
I can't totally agree with Strummer here. Many Chicago area original metal, punk & alternative rock bands are serious in learning and growing their music future. Bands who constantly experiment with different styles and even genres. Their plenty of examples of learning something new, especially Through N Through. The four man hardcore metal band from Chicago's Little Village is learning to mix progressive metal of the 70s and 80s with a fierce aggressive nu metal groove. It not just unclean vocals, there are moments of melodic progressive hard rock like Savatage. Guitarist Reuben Garza joins me as Through N Through gets ready for to give an unwrapped gift of hard-hitting metal with gory (yet funny) images, as they co headline Holiday Of Horror, hosted as always by the masters of murder metal, Macabre, Saturday, December 23rd at Reggie's Rock Club & Music Joint.
Aweful rocks through the looking glass in a new psychedelic music video take on a classic Disney fairytale. While Downhill Runner rocks, not skis, through a delicious mound of tortilla shelled ground beef at a pre-Christmas edition of Punk Rock Tacos in Villa Park this Friday.
There won't be mountains of snow this Xmas, seven years ago this week, there was a heave accumulation outside Wire in Berwyn, and five Chicagoland metal acts piled up inside, including Road's End. The ethnic metal act from the north Side brought a Polish touch (but not bilingual) to their music. We rock back to it.
Go ahead and snoop, peruse this advanced holiday gift of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop. The unwrapping includes:
Through N Though-I.C.E. Breaker
Through N Through-Scarface
Macabre-The Big Bad Wolf
Aweful-Just Like Me
The Kozmic Kicks-Love The Insane
Michael Riser-Ride (Live in the Kat 105.5 studio 6/16/11)
M & R Rush-Heavy Metal Christmas
Heartsfield-(featuring Jim Peterik) Lost In A Daze Dream
The Ides Of March-Sharing Christmas
Downhill Runner-Euthanasia
Material Issue-Merry Christmas Will Do
Road's End (interview form Wire in Berwyn Local Loft Episode 45 12/10/16)
Road's End-The Descent
Road's End-S-21

Local Loft Episode 306

"We don't get no volume control, we don't get no soul." (The Stiffs-1981)
You have total control over the loudness of the music. I have complete control over the size of the volume of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop. You crank it up, I'll pump up the tunage.
It will get very loud with the angst fueled aggressive hardcore metal of Chicago's 1837 (ETS). They'll supply the ear exploding thunderous songs about teeth eating nightmares & long lost & forgotten family relations. Singer Calvin Spooner & guitarist/co-founder Josue Nieves join me to talk about their new single Obsolete Man.
Chicago punk pop band Lifting Curses makes a soul sacrifice for a heart healthy romance in their new single. Also, a Christmas throwback that knows no calendar restrictions from the late great king of power pop, Cliff Johnson.
Jetpack Audible did their best to not drown out a crowd of strike determined bowlers, as they rocked Tivoli Bowl, around the corner from the historic movie/ concert theatre in Downers Grove five years ago this week with mixture of modern Punk Pop & 70s stoner rock. We rock back to it.
Unwrapped & unrestricted by the number of plays you get for it on your device of choice. We give you the gift of original Chicago area rock from:
1837-Obsolete Man
1837-32 Counts
Through N Through-Unstoppable
Lifting Curses-Heartscrossed
Prison City Brigade-Shitty Presents
T.D. Clark-Not So Silent Night
Cliff Johnson & Mimi Betinis-Christmas Everyday
Daywalker-Exit Wounds
Of Wolves-Clear Cutting/Bloodshed/Heart To Hand
Counterpunch-Guardrails
Much The Same-Wish
Jetpack Audible (interview from Tivoli Bowl, Downers Grove Local Loft Episode 91 12/5/18)
Jetpack Audible-Reaper
Jetpack Audible-#3
 

Local Loft Episode 305

Are you full yet?
 
The answer to this is always NEVER! when it comes to getting your weekly fill of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop. Indulge all you want with every listen.
Get a bloating earful of progressive metal from across the Illinois/Indiana border. Chasing Allura has gotten recognition opening for Powerman 5000 and Texas Hippie Coalition on national tours last years. They co headline with Chicago's Eyes Of Anguish January 20th at The Quarry Ballroom in Thornton. Singer Eric Marvel joins me with songs featuring tales of corrupt political leader who treat voters like traitors for speaking their own opinions.
Death Pop Radio will rock you away from a stare of Cardiac Arrest with another ticker pulsing tune off their second full length album Medieval Electric, when they co-headline with Block Chain Coalition, Saturday at MT Barrels in Schaumburg. Check your pulse if your head's not banging and toes aren't tapping to it.
Biker brawn and beauty. Angelina Van Arden combined both as the ultra-sexy biker leather clad singer of Devil's In Angels. I introduced her balls out lovely rock personality to Kat 105.5 listeners 10 years ago this week. We rock back to it. 
No leftovers here, just fresh new tunage from around the ever-delectable Chicago music scene.
Chasing Allura-Run For Your Life
Chasing Allura-Treason
My Own Fate-Babylon
Vyals (featuring Louise Post of Veruca Salt)-Widow
Veruca Salt-Disinherit
4Without-Tonight
Solar-Depths Of Division (featuring Kevin James of Marks Of Gray)
Death Pop Radio-Rapid Heartbeat
BlockChain Coalition-Hold On
Angelina Van Arden (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-11/28/13)
Devils In Angels-Hot Summer Days
Devils In Angels-Save Me

Local Loft Episode 304

"I know it's true....it's all because of you." (John Lennon-Now And Then, 1977)
It is all because of the immense talent and original music creativity of bands and artists that this showcase of Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop is beamed across the vast waves of cyberspace. I am just a messenger. Spreading the musical memos of new fresh tunage. No A.I. intervention here. This is all created by innovative human minds.
Rocking you with a plethora of new tunes each week is always my priority. The Joliet based progressive metal band Plethera indeed presents a variety of music styles. Not just modern day hardcore, screamo metal, but melodic, radio friendly hard rock. Singer Alex Cervantes, guitarists Brandon Johnson, & Brandon Rice & drummer Mike Lenci join me to preview Of All Dark Things, which they are set to release as their new third single on December 1st.
An AWEFUL great & splendid time is guaranteed for all with Traci Trouble, Lucy Dekay & Izzy Price's colorful self-titled debut album, not just because of the purple, pink or black vinyl grooves when you drop the needle. I'll spin a Time-less cut from it.
A sexy yet frustrating tale of a Thanksgiving one night stand was included in a one night in studio jam by forgotten Chicago hard rockers Lynch. It was broadcast on Turkey Day 2010 in The Kat 105.5 studio.  I've got the Mad-ening  replay.
They were all fired up and ready to rock a hairy gathering of local Chicago Southlands rock variety five years ago this week. We rock back to the first time Kankakee Alternative band Carrying Torches rocked Mustache Fest at Elder Brewing in Joliet.
 Throw away the pop-up timer. crank up the volume over the Thanksgiving NFL trilogy, and savor this original Chicago area rock soundtrack. Served at piping hot perfection.
Plethera-Trapped Inside
Plethera-Far From Roses
Passengers-Headstones
Aweful-Time
Kozmik Kicks-Love
Joey Kornatowski-World Away
Lynch-M.A.D. (live in The Kat 105.5 studio 11/25/10)
Veilside-Crawl Back To You
Blockchain Coalition-Dirty Little Liar
Carrying Torches (interview from Mustache Fest, Elder Brewing, Joliet Local loft Episode 90 10/18/18)
Carrying Torches-My Fav Part
Carrying Torches-Wake Me Up
 

Local Loft Episode 303

"Do you remember...the 5th of November?" (John Lennon 1970)
 
If not, how about the 18th of November 2010? It was one of the highlights of my slightly over thirty-year career in radio. I interview in person the legendary Cliff Johnson, who surprisingly made the trip down to our Kat 105.5 studio in Kankakee. I knew he would have a lot of Off Broadway history to share with a an ever expanding legion of listeners. But he wanted to move on from the famous Oak Park based power pop band he had fronted for 32 years. Since the in-studio interview first aired on 11-18-2010, I've gotten thousands of requests to play it again to those who wanted to resurrect Cliff's long and remarkable career. It will feel like the first time all over again, when you saw Off Broadway at Chicagofest, Sumer of 1980. But this new episode of Local Loft is not all about history.
Torch The Hive makes their second appearance with third EP, Chemical Thoughts just released in October. Thier new single off it, Deku, has a killer family instinct about it. Singer Mike Freul joins me again to preview the song's storytelling music video, whose release show is December 2nd at Cobra Lounge.
Off Broadway made a huge original On lineup comeback, eight years after Cliff made the journey to our Kat studios. Fist To The Sky punch their way out of a five-year retirement with a new single. Its title may have think the Plainfield based power metal band has returned as a Foo Fighters tribute band, NO! Listen and raise a clenched five knuckles toward the heavens all over again.
Don't bug out too soon or too late, because you'll really like the diverse mix of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop of:
Torch The Hive-Deku
Torch the Hive-Chemical Thoughts
Nightfreak-Surprise!
Fist To The Sky-These Days
Sushi-Beautiful Day In The System
Maid Of Mettle -(Deanna Whalen)-The River (acoustic performance in The Kat 105.5 stuidio-11/10/10)
Maid Of Mettle - (Deanna Whalen)-Even Though
Kevin Lee- (Acoustic performance in The Kat 105.5 studio-10/13/10) Trying To Find My Way Back Home
Ravensthorn-Lust For A Vampire
Cliff Johnson (Interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-10/13/10
Cliff Johnson-1-2-3 (1986 produced by Rick Neilsen)
Cliff Johnson-Kickin' You Out (from his 2010 album, Redemption)
Off Broadway-Just in Time (from the album Fallin In-1997)
Off Broadway-Bully Bully (from the album ON-1979)

Local Loft Episode 302

"We live for this stuff!"
I heard that quote as a sign off for every episode of a bikini travel show I used to watch in the early 2000's. As avid fans of original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop, we do indeed live for the music, as we need a constantly new & different supply of the tunes to keep our blood pumping and to face each day and kick ass & take names. You'll get a constantly diverse music smorgasbord here with every episode.
Elgin based Something In The Shadows is a smorgasbord metal band if ever there was one. They are not just screamo lead vocals and sludgy riffs. There are moments of melodic vocals & folky acoustic tones. They'll showcase this diversity Sunday at W.C. Social Club in West Chicago. I Talk with singer Konrad Gostomski.
He once wrote a song titled Heavy Metal (for the Red Rocker, former Van Halen (Van Hagar singer Sammy Hagar) as a solo tune for the low budget 1981 animated sci fi film of the same name. Jim Peterik has written so many songs of different genres, from horn band driven jazz with his longtime first band Ides Of March (Vehicle) to funky pop rock (Eye Of The Tiger). He is a true rock Survivor. We pay tribute with a birthday salute. He'll turn 73 Saturday.
When New Lenox thrash metal band End Of Anarchy rocked around the Chicagoland from 2012-2016, they were often called a Metallica/Megadeth tribute band. All members, including singer Tommy Denniger were reviving an era of metal way before they were born or in their infancy youth. They convinced me that Metallica's big period (1984-88) was resurrected when they rocked live at Star Bar in Chicago Ridge, seven years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Aging veteran rock fans & young skater punks, come together and groove to this:
Something In The Shadows-Fairytale
Something In The Shadows-Guerilla Warfare
Ceruleum-Frayed
Jim Peterik & World Stage (with Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon)-Dangerous Combination
Jim Peterik & World Stage (with Buddy Guy)-Vehicle
Survivor-Rebel Girl
Black Road-Witch Of The Future
The Bad Examples- Big E Chord
End Of Anarchy (interview from Star Bar Chicago Ridge-11/10/16 Local Loft Episode 42)
End Of Anarchy-The Ripper
End Of Anarchy-Onslaught

Local Loft Episode 301

Open up both ear canals and say AHHH! There's treats a plenty. I've scared up another hour and half worth of ear candy of the original Chicago area metal, punk, alternative rock & power pop assorted variety. Rock out in costume if you must. Although no formal or cheap crude dress code here.
Throw up a devil horn hand sign and prepare for a real screamer with Surf Candy. This early 20s grunge hard rock trio from Chicago will dress like a typical 90s grunge rock band, that means plenty of flannel shirts. As you will find out from singer & guitarist Ian Young, 90s grunge acts like Nirvana aren't the only inspiration for the sludgy sound they will lay down, in a Halloween Night gig this Tuesday at the legendary Val's Halla record store in Oak Park. Ian joins me to talk about the show, as well as Surf Candy's new single Fall.
Macabre will extend Halloween haunting festivities into the merriest season of all. I'll have all the details on their spooktacular 25th anniversary edition of Holiday Of Horror. While Sinister Fate trades hedonism for hobgoblins on their new single, due out the on the day before the big candy and pumpkin fest.
No exorcisms will expel the presence of Beelzebub, as we rock back to seven years ago this week, when Satan's Hallow brought a hella good rock show to Reggie's Music Joint. We rock back to it.
All You Zombies, put a kabash on the brain munching, and ear devour this ghoulishly great original Chicagoland rock soundtrack:
Surf Candy-Fall
Surf Candy-Starvation
Lever-Ms. Lead
Admiral Of Black-Gravewalker
My Sedatious Sister- The Night Of The Angry Beast
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-I Saw A Ghost
The Insiders-Ghost On The Beach
Of Wolves-Killing Spree
Macabre-Dracula
Witchcross-Mistress Of Darkness
Sinister Fate Meet Mister Scratch
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