FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

by Tom Lounges / Editor

RUMBLE RESPONSE…

The response to the upcoming “Region Rumble” has been amazing once again. Over 50 kits have found their way to us from both well-established artists and relative new ones.

Look for the names of the nine artists on our website – www.midwestbeat.com – by November 20th and to appear in a full page ad in our annual December/January double issue.

The “Region Rumble” takes place on January 14th at Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville. Tickets will go on sale later this month at the Star Plaza box office and Ticketmaster. Cost is $10 in advance/$12 day of show.

EVENFLOW RIPPED OFF…

On October 15, Pearl Jam tribute band Evenflow had an entire trailer full of gear stolen during broad daylight from the parking lot of Angelo’s in Merrillville, Indiana. It seems that someone just backed a truck up to the trailer and drove away with it.

Aside from losing their expensive new trailer which enabled the band to recently tour, Evenflow lost the entire contents of that fully packed trailer.

Customized guitars, amplifiers, speaker cabinets, drums, effects pedals, microphones and the band’s entire P.A. system are now all gone, which made it impossible for Evenflow to work until replacement gear could either be borrowed or bought.

Anyone with any information about this brazen daylight theft that has hurt this hard-working group of regional rockers should call (219) 308-8884. There is a $1,000 reward for infot leading to the recovery of the stolen items.

See this month’s “Tom’s Soapbox” column for more on local music victims of theft and a new place on the web created by Chicagoland musician, Bill Hutchison, to help such victims.

CAGE MATCH ROCKS!

The weekly “Cage Match” airing each Sunday on my Night Rock radio (6-9pm on X-ROCK 103.9) show is getting a steadily stronger response each week.

Now in its second month, we have already squared off the music of Deep River Band, The Lazer Band, Echofarm, Farewell To February, Electric X and reigning champions at press time – The Crawpuppies.

Upcoming November “Cage Match” challengers will include the music of: Asteria, Josh Holmes, Kamera, Monkey Cocktail and American Motherload.

Each Sunday the previous week’s champ (determined by online votes at www.nightrock.6string.net) faces a new local challenger.

Any band that holds the champion title for six consecutive weeks wins a $225.00 print/radio advertising package of a 1/8 page ad in Midwest BEAT ($105.00 list) and two Night Rock radio commercials ($120.00 list).

At the end of their six week run, the band is retired from the ring and immortalized for their accomplishment on the Night Rock site’s “Hall Of Champions” page.

Voting starts at 6pm each Sunday and ends at 3pm the following Sunday. FYI: Only one “Cage Match” vote can be registered from each email address to keep “ballot stuffing” from happening.

While at www.nightrock.6string.net, please vote in the weekly “Listener’s Poll” (the icon above the “Cage Match”) and click on the “Request” icon to send song requests and/or dedications.

GULF COAST BENFITS…

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast states, musicians on an international and national level got busy with concerts to help the victims and survivors.

While Pearl Jam, Robert Plant, Steve Hackett, Steve Winwood and The Blues Brothers all got a good deal of press (and deservedly so) for their respective Hurricane concerts here in Chicago, there were also many local artists who did their part.

Here are some figures reported back to us on monies raised for Hurricane charities by local band events...

• Louise Harrison and her Beatles Tribute Liverpool Legends presented “Come Together for Hurricane Relief” on September 24th in partnership with The Sabre Room in Hickory Hills.

With the help of Liverpool Legends, Stockwood (the world’s youngest Beatles Tribute with musicians ages 8-12), Tumbleweed (tribute to the Eagles) and The Ray Charles Experience from Thornton Township High School, Harrison raised $9,600.00 for The American Red Cross.

The “Chicago Classics To The Rescue” relief concert of October 2, co-produced by Yours Truly and Charlie Blum of Merrillville’s Star Plaza Theatre, where the event took place was also a huge success.

The quickly assembled concert featured popular Chicagoland groups from the 1960s and 1970s – The Buckinghams, Cryan Shames, Ronnie Rice, Dirty Dan Buck & The Boyzz, Heartsfield, M&R Rush and Deep River Band – and raised $12,337.00 for The American Red Cross. See Kent Follett’s pictorial of the Midwest BEAT and X-ROCK 103.9-sponsored event in this issue.

• The Star Orchestra’s drummer Marc Jackett, reports the Coffee Creek concerts he organized for jazz, praise and country artists in Chesteron, Indiana raised $4,400 for the American Red Cross, with an additional $2,200 added to their contribution courtesy of his 12-year-old daughter, Sarah Jackett, who raised the money soliciting street donations at Valparaiso Popcorn Fest.

• Kenny Kinsey, bassist of Gary, Indiana’s famous Kinsey Report blues band, organized an event at the Lake County Fairgrounds on October 9 featuring the bands – Steepwater Band, Shuddup & Drive, Planetary Blues Band and The Highway Band.

Kinsey reports they raised $1,350 for the Lake Area United Way and N.W.I. CARE to aid hurricane survivors relocated in Northwest Indiana.

Much respect to the many artists who contributed to the success of these shows.

WHITE SOX GLORY PUT TO SONG…

The White Sox rocked in the world series, causing celebrations in the streets, in the clubs and in the local record studios!

Two region artists have recorded timely White Sox tribute songs.

Sixties chart-toppers The American Breed (of “Bend Me, Shape Me” fame), released a very cool pop salute to The White Sox called – “Rock With The Sox” – produced by Grammy winning engineer and American Breed member, Gary Loizzo.

The second song is by guitarist Joe Jammer, a former roadie for Jimmy Page during his Zeppelin days turned local legend. Jammer’s “Play Ball: White Sox Victory” rocks out harder, as expected.

Like any true South Sider, Jammer still refers to the site of the Sox glory as “Comisky Park” and not as the corporate-bought “Cellular Field.”

BAND BITS...

• Midwest BEAT’s CD reviewer James Laczkowski’s indie-folk music project, Automatic Pilot has been confirmed to play at the “Jeff Buckley Tribute Concert” at The Uncommon Ground (the corner of Grace & Clark in Wrigleyville) on both November 16 and 17. He plays at 7pm.

“It is an incredible honor to be a part of this amazing event; a tribute to a true legend that is one of the many reasons I started writing songs to begin with,” said Laczkowski, whose new CD is titled, Deathless.

More at: www.jameslaczkowski.com

• Transplanted blues guitarist Motor City Josh has released his eighth and latest full length CD – Made In Detroit – a 12 song set. His group celebrated the release on October 14 while on tour at Fuzzy’s in Atlanta, GA.

Though they will be on the road for a while yet, regional fans can expect to hear many of the new tunes peppering Josh’s set upon his return to the blues capital – Sweet Home Chicago.

More info online at: www.motorcityjosh.com.

• The uncannily popular Hoosier retro rock group, History’s End, will celebrate the band’s eleventh anniversary with a throw down on December 11th at 2nd Dimension Night Club in Schererville, Indiana.

Joining them on stage will be Hollowpoint who are reforming for their first live show in three years for this event, and a variety of other special guests, including former members of Gravelbone, Alison’s Mailbox and other early ‘90s region rock bands.

History’s End are re-recording a pair of their early ‘90s original songs for a free, limited pressing CD handout for fans that night. More info and lots of drama can be found online at: www.historysend.com

• On Halloween night, Chicago industrial music icon, Al Jourgensen of Ministry launched his own boutique label – 13th Planet Records – through a joint venture with Megaforce Records (www.thirteenthplanet.com ).

The first release will be a new disc from The Revolting Cocks – Revolting Cocks: Cocked and Loaded – one of the best artists signed to Jourgensen’s former label, Wax Trax Records.

Featuring guest several artists – Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Gibby Haynes (Butt Hole Surfers), Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Stevie Banch (Spyder Baby), and Phildo Owen (Skatenigs) – the Cocks’ CD hits retail on Valentine’s Day.

A new Ministry studio album, Rio Grande Blood, is set to follow in April of 2006 and features the guests Tommy Victor (Prong) and Paul Raven (Killing Joke).

Ministry just released their 25th anniversary anthology – Rantology – completing Jourgensen’s contractual agreement with Sanctuary Records, which retains control of such Ministry titles as – Sphinctour, Animositisomina, Houses of the Molé and Rantology.

“Being clean for three years, I decided it was time for me to get back in the saddle and create an independent and autonomous outlet for Ministry and other side projects again,” explained Jourgensen. “I’m looking forward to developing 13th Planet Records into a successful, prolific, and creatively rewarding artist run label.”

• Veruca Salt is back after four years of silence. Lead singer and founder Louise Post has been writing and recording with producer Rae Dileo (Filter, Army of Anyone), in preparation for the upcoming, long-awaited fourth Veruca Salt album. Since their departure from their label Beyond Music, Louis Post has had time to focus on physical and spiritual health, and focus on new music long awaited songs.

This past year secured the band new management which prompted them to create an abundance of new songs, which they have been in the studio recording laying down for their new EP, Lords of Sounds and Lesser Things. A new full length album, as yet untitled, will be released in Spring 2006.

The band are on their first in front of North American fans since 2001 and European festivals are being booked for 2006. They rock hometown fans on November 6th at Chicago’s Double Door.

John Bowles, someone this columnist respects very much for his pioneering and innovative web radio program One Kind Radio, is putting some of his favorite and best received regional indie artists on CD for a second time.

“I am excited to announce our latest release One Kind Compilation Vol. 2 is due out on November 15, 2005 through our website at onekindradio.com for the low price of $9.99,” emailed Bowles.

The lineup for the disc is a great mixture of ska, punk, power-pop, folk-rock, rockabilly, progressive rock, and even electronica by the local indie artists: Coinslot, Pousto, Shooting Blanks, Takuan Kid, Return of the Dinosaur, Phil Avalos & The Quiet Lanes, The Miasmics, Derek See, Taggy Tones, Reactavox, Danny Dean & The Home Wreckers, Bottle Rocket Blue, and The Ride.

Local and indie bands interested in getting “spins” from John on One Kind Radio can drop him CDs and bios to: John Bowles c/o OKR, P.O. Box 127, Hobart, IN 46342

• Chicago’s brand new full production PINK FLOYD tribute group, Eclipse, will be in-studio guests of mine on November 20th edition of my Night Rock radio show (6-9pm on X-ROCK 103.9) to promote their huge Lake Country Fairgrounds concert/DVD taping on November 26th.

So tune in to hear them play some Floyd acoustic style live on the radio and you just might win a pair of tickets to join me as I welcome Eclipse on stage at 8pm on the 26th for the full electric concert with state-of-the-art lighting on at the Lake County Fairgrounds. www.eclipsechicago.com

Popular Chicago DJ, Mark Zander has found a new home for his popular “Rockin’ Eighties” radio show since leaving WLUP/The Loop.

Fans of hair bands and glam- metal can now hear Zander spinning all the hits of that era on X-ROCK 103.9 (9-11pm) Saturdays starting November 12. I officially welcome Zander to the X-ROCK family on November 6th when he guests on Night Rock. More info: www.xrock1039.com

• Chicagoland doo-wop vocal group, Harbor Lights, have inked a deal with Collectable Records. The label releases their newest CD, Almost Acappella, November 29th. Recorded at Thunderclap Studio in Hammond and engineered by John Carpenter, pre-order it online at: www.oldies.com

• Shuga’love is a new group to area clubs that plays R&B covers ranging from Aretha to Alicia, along with plenty of Motown. Janal Longfellow (ex-Psychobabble) fronts the group – drummers Ken Shield (ex-Sticky Tongue Farm), keyboardist Kurt Birkland (ex-OO Janet), guitarist Todd Longfellow (ex-Mata Hari) and Scott Pazera on bass. More info: www.shugalove.com

• Drummer Jesse Klemz has parted ways with veteran classic rock group Drena Reign. On the throne is Dennis Cantrell (ex-Duchess/Tremor). The group is on hiatus and will re-launch in mid-January.

• Congrats to local musician Mark Konzen who has gone from retail shopper to retail seller. Mark, a long time area bass player on the club scene – Wee B. Toyz, Paddlefoot and currently, Rubber – has opened The Bass Club in suburban Alsip, Illinois. The Bass Club is a cool new retail store dedicated solely to bass guitars and those who play them.

Check out The Bass Club out online at: www.bassclubchicago.com or call him at: (708) 385-3521.

‘Nuff said!

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