Local Loft

"Between floods and power failures"
That described from liner notes how Boston recorded and mixed Third Stage, their third studio album over an almost eight-year period following their second, Don't Look Back. From 1979-1986. The new episode was created and is airing only seven days after the last one, 390 which barely made it to airtime due to freezing up laptops, and a factory refurbished operating system, which wiped out the DAW I produced 390, and five-years' worth of new episodes. All equipment is back to optimal working order. Someday, I must do a live podcast. Given my busy schedule, I can't make that happen now.
 Two big live as they happened 2025 Summer events are showcased. The annual massive Merchant Street Music Fest in downtown Kankakee. Since the easing of the COVID Pandemic grip on the world, I've been to two more. This year's journey to Harold and Jean Miner Festival Square, at the intersection of Schyler and Merchant Street was an enjoyable but slightly painful one for me. I explain how I slipped on my way into the fest and skinned an arm in opening up this episode. Once inside, I meet up with Ur Mom. A diverse, eclectic rock and funk foursome from Park Ridge. Led by the intimate, powerful vocal of Maura Wolf, they had ages young and older in a stone groove. They will be releasing Shrinks For Suburbanites, their full-length debut vinyl LP, September 6th, with a release show at Martyrs Chicago. Their 30 plus minute set included a 12-bar blues number about life during COVID quarantine in May 2020. (Note: a slight equipment glitch from my normally reliable 2 mic PCM digital recorder caused a bit of overload, and part of the interview has garbled sound on my end, not so much from UR Mom's responses. I took the most audible, understandable excerpts from the interview that were not hard to understand. The background was also bass heavy from other bands playing the main stage in close proximity to where I talked with Ur Mom. A record VU level decrease has fixed this issue from happening again) It was fun to chat with this unique hybrid rock and soul band.
I motored up to Tony D's in Elmwood Park, 24 hours later for a bit of rock, roll and redemption. Moshing their way toward salvation is Legions Of Raum. This intense four-man metal band from Chicago goes down a not total dark path on The Decayed, their third full length album. I talk with growling, grunting singer Martin Kisel, Drummer Aseem Pandy, Guitarist Shaun Duran and Bassist Mike McKinney. They first unleashed The Great Beast Evolved, thirteen years ago in The Kat 105.5 studio. This is my first time talking to them in nine years, when Martin slayed the beast at Reggie's Rock Club during the release show for their second album, Fruition.
Carrying Torches lit up the Hill Stage at Merchant Street Music Fest with their new single of Opening Up and moving on from a closed relationship. I'll spin it. Six years ago this weekend back when Wire In Berwyn was still opening up its doors on Roosevelt and Oak Park Avenue in Berwyn, Synovial lays a gut busting slimy reptilian single on a crowd squirming their way to the mosh circle.
This ain't your Mama's ancient original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop mix tape. This Is:
Ur Mom-Sushi (With Your Ex)
Ur Mom-Coronavirus Blues (live at Merchant Street Music Fest, Kankakee-7/25/25)
Vortis-COVID Blues
Carrying Torches-Opening Up
Slap Bunt-Coming of Age
Legions Of Raum-Primordial
Legions Of Raum-The Decayed
The Suffering-Under Attack
Synovial (interview from Wire in Berwyn-7/27/19 Local Loft Episode 108)
Synovial-Aliens
Synovial-525

4th Point-Repay (Live at Beat Kitchen-8/23/24)
4th Point-Out Of Your Mind (Live at The Forge in Joliet-1/27/22)
Fist To The Sky-New Addiction (Live at House Of Blues, Chicago-5/25/12)
All Outta Gum-All That's Left
Legions Of Raum-Atonement
Ur Mom-In My Nature
!3-Monsters-Adventurous
Qualia (interview at The Forge In Joliet Local Loft Episode 107)
Qualia-Pig Latin
Qualia-Lady Luck
 
 

Storm chance.... greater than 60 percent.
There will be hard rock, even heavy metal thunder without the rev of a motorcycle. Seismic drum hits and the sizzle of a buzzing guitar amp. Crank it up, and feel the foundations quake.
This one shy away from the three hundredth ninetieth episode of Local Loft features Artillery And Storm. This five- man Chicago progressive hard rock band came very close to winning their first ever best rock performance by a duo or group grammy award. They got recognized opening for Texas Hippie Coalition last year. Guitarist/founder Dustin Alcock joins me to preview their headlining gig with another rejuvinated reunion of Fist To The Sky, Saturday night at Q-Bar In Darien.
 
When is a queen dethroned? Audrey (Queen) Castrovilllari is parting ways with her own rock royalty, The bittersweet farewell happens in a cinematic morbid new music video from Goth Rockers Bullet To The Heart, where Audrey stages her persona's funeral, complete with her as a featured singer and resurrected spirit. If you can't handle the sad proceedings, use your imagination as I spin the soundtrack. Bullet To The Heart come alive at a July 26th upcoming show in Portage, Indiana.
Joilet Metal trio Habit Of Force changed their musical course in a more Southern Fried Blues Rock and Metal direction with their second full length album, Cleansing Of Hands. Singer/guitarist Rich Truck Collins motored his way to The Kat 105.5 studio to talk about the transformation, twelve years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Another thunderous lineup of original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop is about to erupt. Throw the volume knob all the way up for:
Artillery & Storm-Au Revoir
Artillery & Storm-Suture (I Know)
Fist To The Sky-Down Into Hell
4th Point-Repay
Eyes Of Anguish-Pain
Bullet To The Heart-Echoes
Flatfoot 56-Mud
Enuff Z'Nuff-Fingers On It
Off Broadway-Full Moon Turn My Head Around (Live at Fitzgeralds, Berwyn-1998)
Habit of Force (Rich Truck Collins interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-7/20/13)
Habit Of Force-Cleansing Of Hands
Habit Of Force-Death Threat

"Oh, we got both kinds...Crunchy Punk and Steamy Metal!...but NO Country and Western!"
Rich and Meaty. Local Loft's latest excursion into the ever-expanding Chicagoland original Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene is at the return of the outdoor live music smorgasbord, Punk Rock Tacos. 
Officially billed as The Totally Punk Anti-Government Celebration of the People, it was most definitely a time to celebrate the arrival of summer. Many pogoed their sweat glands off in the mid ninety-degree intense heat, with nary a blood sucking mosquito to be found, but with lots of sizzling ground beef and tortillas, and blazing Marshall Stack Amps outside Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. 
Take The Reins brought a melodic radio friendly blend of Punk Pop and Power Pop to the diverse lineup. The five piece band from the Western Suburbs featuring singer/frontwoman Courtney Boyers rocked on through a sudden power outage with tunes of love from the South Side of Chicago and the soundtrack to a cinematic Hitchcockian music video with a killer instinct. I talk with Courtney and the other four guys in the guys in the group after their superb upbeat set. 
Also rocking the masses were a colorful Father Daughter pairing in Donkey Punch and blazing beginning kickoff to it all from Tyre Fyre.
No laughing matter, The Looney Bin in Bradley is closing for good. The rocking bar and live music establishment, located ten minutes from downtown Kankakee kept the stage inside its door rocking for almost three years following the death of owner/founder Nick Huffman. One last big one two rock punch was delivered by veteran Southern Fried Metal band Redneck Remedy and Swamp Metal act Convoy, back on April 18th. We truck on back to the intersection of Schuyler and Broadway for that sonic boom.
A jam band with a hard rock twist. It was angrier, not so laid-back vocals and an gritter acoustic guitar tone that made Joliet's Mason Avenue unique. Fourteen years ago this week, they motored down to our Kat 105.5 studio, five minutes due West of The Looney Bin.
In another Totally Original Chicagoland music for the masses edition of Local Loft, we serve up, rocking hot!:
Take The Reins-Last Stop Motel (live at Punk Rock Tacos ,Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Take The Reins-South Side Rules
Donkey Punch-Fudge You All (live at Punk Rock Tacos, Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Clear Coat-Acid Rain
Anger-Ain't My Crime
Convoy-Nuthin' Left (Live at The Looney Bin, Bradley-4/18/25)
Redneck Remedy-Face Of Madness (Live at The Looney Bin, Bradley-4/18/25)
The Suffering-Thoughts Of The End
Tyre Fyre-Feed Me (Live at Punk Rock Tacos, Cemitas Poblanas, Villa Park-7/5/25)
Mason Avenue (Live in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11)
Mason Avenue-Jest Is Just (Chicago Bound) Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11
Mason Avenue-Oh Israel Acoustic in The Kat 105.5 Studio-7/10/11
Mason Avenue-Home Away From Home
 

BOOM, BOOM.....POW!!!
You won't just get an ear-splitting sonic blast of colorful fireworks in the next five days, but every time you crank up the podcast that ignites the original Chicagoland Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop music scene. It's a decibel jolt that you have the freedom to volume control.
When last we left the eclectic melodic Chicago hard rock band Chains Over Razors, they were hoping to unleash their radio friendly music combo of harmonious and hardcore angry lead vocals from singer Will Mullen and a catchy yet distorted guitar tone and seismic drumming from Andy V. They pushed back a planned May co-headlining gig with Witchhammer and The Midnight Calls at The Forge in Joliet, cancelled by the venue at the last minute. Now, this weekend , they got the opportunity, this time, opening for three throwback tribute bands, Slipknot, Pantera and Lamb Of God. I talk backstage with Will Mullen and Andy V., who proved the local band support could out rock the remembrances of 11th Hour, Sandblasted Skin and  The Subliminal Verses.
The sizzle of ground beef and tortillas, the rocking heat generated by the Marshall stacks and breakneck speed vocals and rhythm of local and national hardcore and punk pop. Only Punk Rock Tacos could make the killer combination permeate the air over Cemitas Poblanas in Villa Park. The first 2025 outdoor PRT is this Saturday, July 5th. Along with the authentic Spanish cuisine is the authentic native Spanish Punk of Nahuales Underground. Even without English translation, you'll dig what this Chicago hardcore Punk 4 piece throws down. I got a preview.
With the lethal combination of intimate and fiery scathing vocals and futuristic electronic, dirty guitar riffs, Genotype was propelled by the dual singing personality of Kadie Kirby. It's a wall paint peeling birthday salute to her.
Sling shooting their way from their native Joliet, Catapult The Propaganda was the perfect blend of scathing hardcore metal vocals and tight musicianship. They are no more as of 2024. Eleven years ago this week, guitarist/singer Robert Bloodworth and drummer Skip Maskeri made the trip to our Kat 105.5 studio to talk about what makes their hard-hitting sound come alive.
 Crank up the volume output, as Local Loft lights the fuse on another explosive round of original Chicagoland music. The rock arsenal blows your speakers with:
Chains Over Razors-Goodbye To Sovereignty
Chains Over Razors-The Narc
Scarsin-Your Kingdom Is On Fire
Nahaules Underground-Asalto
Take The Reins-Last Stop Motel
Sound Of Fire (featuring Kadie Kirby of Genotype)-Fallen Friend
Genotype-Sordid Love
Catapult The Propaganda (Robert Bloodworth & Skip Maskeri in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/26/14)
Catapult The Propaganda-Marked
Catapult The Propaganda-Convenient Crisis

Hot enough for Ya!!!
Fire up your device of choice and get in the groove to more original hot rockin' from the Chicagoland's metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene.
As another Summer brings many days of excessive sunshine, heat and humidity, it also brings more opportunities to fulfill your hunger for ground beef and live rock. Punk Rock Tacos opens its 2025 outdoor concert extravaganza on Saturday, July 5th. Don't blow out your solid hearing and sensitive ear lobes with too many loud explosions from legal 4th of July fireworks shows (or illegal backyard firework explosions). A sonic blast of live rock features Tyre Fyre. The four-man Chicago sludge rock band has frightening tales of a teen drugstore assistant plotting the murder of her parents, and the inebriated tale of the joy of drinking during job hours. Drummer Chris Walker and bassist John Dolce join me with the behind the music story of Patty Columbo and Day Drinking.
Kankakee's biggest alternative rock band, Carrying Torches fires up another awesome stage show at the biggest Summer festival in the K3 River Valley, while not keeping a closed unraveling of a new single the day they play Merchant Street Music Fest next month.
Rockford has a diverse music scene which is far more than Cheap Trick. On My Six are not just local favorites in the biggest city of the Illinois/Wisconsin state line region. After opening for All That remains, the melodic hard rock band from the Forest City tore it up at Wire in Berwyn, six years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Sizzling through the deepest reaches of cyberspace, this ear watering, set of choice original Chicagoland music cuts. Served up rockin' hot on LL 386 are:
Tyre Fyre-Patty Columbo
Tyre Fyre-Day Drinking
Donkey Punch-Joyful Fear
Disinfect-The Hits Keep Comin'
Eske-Pobresito
M & R Rush-Keep On Rocking (2025 remixed version)
Ides Of March-Keep Rocking
Leigh Evin & The Lowdown-Lost It
Redneck Remedy-Face Of Madness (live at The Looney Bin, Bradley 4/18/25 Local Loft Episode 377)
Slap Bunt-Pasta Thieves
Carrying Torches-Good In Blue
On My Six (interview from Wire in Berwyn Local Loft Episode 105 6/25/19)
On My Six-Bitter Endings Cause Constant Anarchy
On My Six-Fiend
 

Remember The Roar!
A slogan for the Chicago Blackhawks last season at historic Chicago Stadium in 1993. It is also one that will be used as you let the growling, heavy distinctive guitar tones and vocal delivery of the original Chicagoland metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene roar through both ears and into your brain tissue.
On this three hundred eighty fifth edition of Local Loft, Ricky Liontones not only has a chunky, melodic, and psychedelic tones, but a multi ranged singing style that recalls Prince and his high-pitched screaming lead vocal, but also the funky, gruff guitar shredding of Lenny Kravitz and the free form wailing of Jimi Hendrix. Chicago based Ricky and his Liontones Revue recently were discovered rocking a very active crowd of AC/DC fans during an after show for the legendary Australian hard rockers May 24th sold out Soldier Field show. Ricky opens for another iconic band ,Enuff Z'Nuff at The Forge in Joliet. I talked with Ricky about his unique shredding and singing style, and we spin two earth shaking new tunes from third full length album, DejaVolution.
BlockChain Coalition returns with a hard driving new song whose new music video drives one to intimacy. Snuggle up to your device of choice for this one
Merchant Street Music features a familiar burning alternative rock band , who has made their fiery presence known through after shows following daily closing time for the biggest Summer outdoor rock event in the three city Kankakee area. 
As co-founder of one of the biggest power pop bands to emerge from Chicago proper, more like Oak Park, Off Broadway, Mimi Betinis became more popular as singer of Pezband. He put future plans for them on hold, to begin a new solo career with his debut album, All That Glitters, introducing himself to The Kat 105.5 listening audience fourteen years ago this week. We rock back to it.
Local Loft rocks in like a lion (with awesome guitar tones) and out like a sweet eared fan of original Chicagoland music with the Homegrown Tones of:
Ricky Liontones-DejaVolution
Ricky Liontones-Feels Good Tho
The Midnight Calls-Since I've Been Thinking
BlockChain Coalition-Get A Little Closer
Knoxious-Not So Proud
Anger-Listen Up, Man
Convoy-Father
Ur Mom-No Soul
Carrying Torches-Where'd You Go?
Mimi Betinis (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/16/11)
Mimi Betinis-Walk With Me
Mimi Betinis-Love Is Just A Thin Veneer
Mimi Betinis-Say The Word
Pezband-Lovesmith (from Pezband's self-titled album-1977)
 

"Oh I just can't wait...do I look up to date" (The Rezillios-1978)
Whether your original Chicagoland area metal, punk, alternative rock or power pop band sounds up to date, or has retro written all over it, you're hoping to fit into an ever-evolving music scene. Local Loft blends the current with the vintage. This is not a total flashback scenario. We keep up with the changes but also spotlight those who made a past impact or impression.
Fist To The Sky officially rocked live one last time in February 2018 at the former Wire in Berwyn.  The venue was permanently closed due to the financial plunge it took during the Covid 19 Lockdown five years ago. The band is punching their way back into many venues around greater Chicagoland. The return began in November 2023 with These Days, the South Chicago hard rock band's first single in ten years. Now, they return to the stage, at Bottom Lounge, Friday, June 27th. I talk with singer and co-founder Mike Sylvester (Mickey Murder) about what's new and what will be resurrected in the band's hard hitting set. They'll co headline with the cinematic goth hard rock four piece band Bullet To The Heart. A newly released single has them stunting with a first-time duet between singer Audrey Queen and drummer Draven DC. 
From Blue Island to the MTV studios in Upper Manhattan. E'nuff Z'Nuff became a power pop powerhouse band. Co-founder Chip unleashes a mostly new lineup, who'll have longtime fans demanding original singer Donnie Vie return them to their Glam Rock glory days, which began with their self titled debut album in the Summer of 1989. They rock The Forge In Joliet this Saturday, June 14th.
Holly Smith has made a hard rock journey from singer of cult alternative band In 2 The Inferno to grease monkey hard rock act Hot Dang! and now to contemporary pop retro cover band Pop Killers. She also was one third of Chicago Metal Alliance, who showcased a plethora of female fronted Chicago area hard rock and metal bands in Legions Massacred By Queens. Holly stopped by The Kat 105.5 air studio to preview the third annual event, eleven years ago this week. We rock back to it.
It's all featured in this up to date, but throwback sprinkled original Chicagoland music playlist:
Fist To The Sky-These Days
Fist To The Sky- Dagger In The Heart Of The World
Bullet ToThe Heart-Echoes
The Untold-Rust
Toxic Freaks-Too Many Fast People
Cartoon Graveyard-Birdman
Flatfoot 56-Sorry
Ricky Liontones-Illusion Of Choice
Enuff Z'Nuff (featuring Jake E.Lee)-Dissonance
Holly Warbrigade (Holly Smith)-LIve interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-6/5/14
Vicious Attack-Engaged In Genocide
False Hope Fades-Clean
Hot Dang-Death's Intentions

Rockin' The Southlands!
That slogan was forever implanted in my brain when I first became Afternoon radio DJ at The Kat 105.5, in November 1996. I returned to close to where it all began the last weekend of May 2025. five minutes from the site of our 500-foot transmitter tower in Braidwood, Illinois, the Chicago Southlands rocked live at Top Fuel Saloon. Indeed, it felt like The Graveyard Shift & Local Limelight all over again. uniting the metal masses was Oblivion Zero, this fierce progressive hardcore four-man metal band, led by singer Kyle Ripley has just released their fourth EP, Flaws In Sunlight.  Unlike their previous third one, Revenant, this is not a concept album which told the haunting tale of a psycho pirate, who meets his shipwrecked demise. Oblivion Zero served up the entire five track EP to moshing masses onstage. I talk with singer Kyle Ripley, after their foundation shaking release show set. When last we heard from former A.D.D. drummer rock drummer Jason Delismon, he fronted the melodic, progressive hard rock band, Frontline. Now he goes it alone with his second solo single. A treat for any Puddle Of Mudd fan.
Lady Strange, from the far southwest of Joliet suburb LaSallle, evokes music of the long since forgotten glam metal and hair metal era of the mid to late 80s. They will soon open for long since forgotten hair metal band, Trixter. Their new Ep wouldn't sound too out of place in a club where strange and intimate ladies dance from pole to pole. I'll give their tunes a whirl.
We'll rock back to when futuristic space age industrial metal band Genotype rocked live light years ahead with tales of cyber-Wi-Fi gone amok. Six years ago this week, the Rockford band screamed their way into Reggie's in the South Loop. actually, dual personality singer Kadie Kirby took care of the screaming end. 
Forward we go, with the slightest touch of throwback, into the ever-evolving Chicagoland original Metal, Punk, Alternative Rock and Power Pop scene:
Oblivion Zero-New Year New Fear 
Oblivion Zero-Invasion
Next To Eternity-The Entity
Lady Strange-Psycho Love
Enuff Z'Nuff-Freak (with Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick)
Jason Delismon-This Time
Fierce Atmospheres-Fear Is A One Way
Space Age Zeros-My Brooding Friend
Flatfoot 56-Mud
Genotype (interview from Reggie's Music Joint-6/2/16 Local Loft Episode 27)
Genotype-Cyberfi
Genotype-The Awakening

 "I don't want a Holiday In The Sun. I want to go to the new Belsen." (Sex Pistols-1977 )
The original Chicago area's metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop scene never takes a holiday...not on every music intensive episode of Local Loft.
There's always something new to discover, even in music with an old school, retro twist.
Metal has so many different music styles nowadays. Not just the unclean hardcore grunting vocal. Melodic and progressive metal is just as dominant in the scene. Chicago band WitchHammer combines a sophisticated melodic operatic singing style with just a pinch of angry and aggressive vocal. They continue to work on an almost seven year follow up album to their 2018 debut, Blood Of The Fallen. I talk with the Band's Drummer Tyler Mustard and lead singer Paul. They were hoping to give a long-awaited sneak preview of the new album, We Are Coven, this Memorial Day Weekend at The Forge in Joliet, but the show was unexpectantly cancelled.
Seven years ago, the gruesome tale of a shipwrecked pirate's ghost haunting the vessel he once captained became an illustrious cinematic full length debut album by Oblivion Zero. The Central Illinois based metal act returns with Flaws In Daylight, which is not a sequel to The Revenant. They will present the new album in its entirety Saturday night at Top Fuel Saloon in Braidwood. The correct music video soundtrack for the first single gets a spin here. The Outfit takes a few Quick Turns through The Big Apple in a new music video featuring Mike Gorman, once bassist of the legendary Chicago power pop giants off Broadway.
Evil Engine motored their way onto the set of WGN TV Morning News, and rocked live a week after their guest spot at Reggie's Music Joint the thrash Punk band lead by the colorful female singer Kryssie Ridolphi took a swipe at a former billionaire turned two-time president. We rock back to it, six years ago this week.
Take some more time on, not off, rocking out big time to this prime original Chicagoland music soundtrack:
WitchHammer-Watch The World Burn
WitchHammer-Blood In The Water
Chains Over Razors-Purge The Suffering
Beneath The Hollow-Four-Dimensional Regret
Oblivion Zero-Corrector
The Outfit-Hard On Me
Off Broadway-Stay In Time (original 1979 Atlantic 45 rpm vinyl single)
Pezband-Stella Blue (2025 remix)
The Ugly Lovers-Nowhere To Go
Evil Engine (interview from Reggie's Music Joint-5/26/19 Local Loft Episode 103)
Evil Engine-Upstanding Citizen
Evil Engine-Egression