Rock Talk 9/20 with 7 Dollar Stereo… followed by pops and whistles

Technology is a bitch. We belly-crawled out of bed the day after FourFourFest to bring you the latest episode of Rock Talk with 7 Dollar Stereo chatting up its big Outland Ballroom show Saturday night, as well as previews of last Tuesday’s Future Leaders of the World show at Nathan P. Murphy’s and this Friday’s show with Ha Ha Tonka, Macon Greyson and The Cropdusters at Lindberg’s, but the radio gods (not to be confused with Primitive Radio Gods) intervened. So instead we have the interview with 7 Dollar Stereo, and, well, we’ll pretend like the rest happened, too. Enjoy after the break.

Rock Talk 8/16 with The Sociables, Shinebriter, Sunrise Cassette and the dreaded wambats-versus-robots debate

Some important questions were answered during last night’s episode of Z 106.7’s Rock Talk, questions that were frankly long overdue for resolution:

1. What the hell happened to The Sociables, and when can we finally see them again? Do they have their album ready?

2. What the hell happened to Shinebriter, and when can we finally see them again?

3. Why the hell did Sunrise Cassette have to change its name, and when can we finally pick up the new album?

4. Who the hell is crazy enough to debate whether wambats or robots would rule the post-apocalyptic world, and who would preside over such madness?

The last is the irreplaceable Simon Nytes of Z fame, the next-to-last is Chris and Scott (the men behind the website you’re reading right now), and the rest is answered after the break in most entertaining fashion.

Rock Talk 8/9 with The Archimedian Point and The First Teenager Ever

Sunday Night’s Rock Talk on Z 106.7 featured not one but two live in-studio performances, one an intriguing guitar-and-drum combo from The Archimedian Point and the other an unusual show by melodic indie-rockers The First Teenager Ever featuring a slew of interesting percussion devices such as paint cans, wood sticks and more. If you’re a fan of Rock Talk’s guests breaking the instruments out and showing you what they can do right over the radio waves, this is a good show to check out. We also look ahead to some of August’s big upcoming live-music events during Four from The FourFour. After the break, it is so on.

As heard onstage: E-Man to host Q102 local show Friday nights

Showgoers at last night’s Primer 55/Offset/Extreme Hate Frequency/Fiera show were in for an interesting surprise when Q102 DJ E-Man took the mic to bring Primer 55 onstage. Two bits of news, in fact. First, “The Evolution,” E-Man’s weekly overnight all-metal show on Sunday nights, is dead. Instead, E-Man proclaimed from the stage, he will begin hosting a local-music show on Friday nights in the near future, likely starting at 10 p.m. Knowing E-Man’s affinity for metal music, it’s likely local metal bands will be the most immediate benefactors, but it remains to be seen. In the meantime, we can all bask in the boon of attention local radio is giving music in the city, with “Rock Talk” Sunday nights on Z 106.7, “The Blues Show” with Dr. Bob on US97 Sunday mornings and Q’s weekly spotlight show, “15 Minutes of Fame.” Ahhh… feel the local-airwaves goodness.

Rock Talk 8/2 with Offset, Bringers of the Dawn, Ryan Piotrowski of Rock On Music Video Competition and Good Times

Hungry for good local-music radio? Here’s a recipe:

Ingredients:

Offset

Bringers of the Dawn

Ryan Piotrowski of the Rock On Music Video Competition

Good Times

Instructions:

1. Add Offset to talk about opening for tonight’s Primer 55 show at The Outland Ballroom. Stir gently in a large bowl.

2. Add Bringers of the Dawn and a series of quirky-yet-amazing, shirtless in-studio musical performances.* Mix with above.

3. Add a dash of Ryan Piotrowski discussing the upcoming screenings for the Rock On competition at Moxie Cinema

4. Add 1 cup of Good Times talking about Wednesday’s Bloody Battle of the Bands at Remington’s Southside (1655 W. Republic Rd.), sprinkling performances from other participating acts to make up Four from The FourFour.

5. Stir gently over low heat until done.

Just like that, you’ve got last night’s episode of Rock Talk on Z 106.7, which can serve as many people as you’d like and leaves a satisfying, heartburn-free feeling at the end of the desired serving. Way better than takeout, take it from us. Best of all, it reheats well the next day, as you’ll find out after the break.

* They used the shirts to muffle the drum kit inside the studio. Trust us, it was necessary. However, ladies, if you’re curious we hear there may be video available later.

Rock Talk 7/26 with HeartPunch, The Seed, Washington Irving and Knife*Death

We’re calling this episode an instant classic. Consider: HeartPunch, the local “supergroup” comprised of members of Fuller’s Earth, The Skeletons and The Domino Kings leads off with acoustic performances and some healthy discussion of their show this Friday; The Seed dropped by ahead of their second CD release party of the year, happening Friday at The Outland Ballroom; we were finally able to have Washington Irving come by the studio and discuss its August 1 show and why it has to be a farewell; and to finish the night Knife*Death flipped the whole show on its ear with an insanely funny “interview” and played tracks from the new Phallic Malice EP coming out Wednesday night. It’s a show bursting at the seams with awesome, and it begins after the break.

Rock Talk 7/19 with Fern, The Radiance Effect and Future Leaders of the World

Chances are, if you read that list of guests, that you fall into one of two camps:

1. “Who the heck is Fern?”

2. “Whoa. Hold up. Fern was on the show?! I remember when I saw them play (insert show lineup here)! Are they back together or something?”

We’ll answer those in order:

1. Fern was a local alternative-rock group from the middle and late ’90s that rose to considerable prominence and opened for big-ticket touring acts when they came to Springfield. The resulting exposure netted the band a record contract. The band split up in 2002 when drummer Jay Sandidge left the group.

2. Yes. They were on Rock Talk on Z 106.7.

3. They are back together, and playing at Randy Bacon Photography Studio & Gallery July 25 (aka this Saturday) with The Republic Tigers.

We were also lucky enough to catch The Radiance Effect on a once-in-a-blue-moon day off while in Springfield and duly took advantage since they have another once-in-a-blue-moon event coming up: a show in their hometown (in August, details TBA) and a new album (due out in August). Finally, we caught up with Phil Taylor of Future Leaders of the World as the band prepped in New Orleans for its upcoming tour, which includes a stop in Springfield at The Outland Ballroom this Thursday night with Formant, Assembly Line Gods and The Final Piece. It was a big night, and we’ve got the whole thing for you to listen to after the break.

Rock Talk 7/12 with Nocturnal Nation, Berch and Dan Magnum of Forever Endeavor Productions

Rock Talk, Z 106.7 FM’s weekly local-music radio show on Sunday nights, is all about bringing the unknown artist to the listener. Sunday night’s episode was all about never-been-on-the-show artists: Nocturnal Nation came by to talk about its upcoming Outland Ballroom show on July 18; new college-rock group Berch came by for two jaw-dropping acoustic performances ahead of their July 16 show at Nathan P. Murphy’s and the Four from The Four Four was comprised entirely of FourFour Fest submissions by artists who haven’t been played on Rock Talk before. In with the new, people!

Okay, there was once exception to the never-been-on lineup: Dan Magnum, head honcho of local showbringers Forever Endeavor Productions, returned to the program with a slew of upcoming must-see shows for local music lovers. It’s gonna be a huge summer. Hear it all by performing familiar clicking activities on the link below. 

Rock Talk 7/5: Local Music Appreciation Night, Part Deux

It was an idea so good, and so popular, we had to do it again. In fact, it came up the night of the first Local Music Appreciation Night, which was held in honor of 4/4 Day. That was a fun occasion to assemble two hours’ worth of local-music songs to play; this time we did it just because. Okay, okay, if you need a reason:

1. Saturday was July 4

2. We love America

3. Americans love music (we’re keeping this premise as vague as possible)

There ya go. So behold, two MORE hours of nothing but songs from Assembly Line Gods, As Of Now, The Bootheel, Bottlefish, Daniel Maple of The Never Saints, Formant, Jam Room, Jeb Venable of The Cropdusters, Odd Things Happen When It’s 60 Below (that’s right, an old-school track!), Poor Man’s Vision, Roots Of Mankind, The Rugs, The Seed, Speakeasy, Trash Angels, Troy and The Eric Weiler Band. Tune in, turn on and rock out after the break.

Rock Talk, 6/28: Underground Blues Division, The Nova Heat and the best pitchman ever

When it comes to Rock Talk on Z 106.7, we like to think it’s the listener that always wins. In the world of television pitchmen, our guests seemed to agree: Billy Mays, the voice of OxiClean who died yesterday at age 50, could kick Shamwow seller Vince Offer’s a** at selling stuff. Gone but not forgotten, impersonations of Mays peppered our interviews with both Underground Blues Division and The Nova Heat, both of which have major CD release shows coming July 10. TNH’s singer songwriter, Jason Loftin, even stuck around to lend a hand with Four from The Four Four to close out the show. We laughed a lot and pitched some great local music (like it needs a pitch), though never as good as the master. In the end, of course, you win, dear listener. Enjoy the spoils of victory after the break. 

Rock Talk 6/21/09 w/Mark Bilyeu, Holstein, Roots Of Mankind, This Night Is Forever, James Davis Memorial

A packed studio, an equally (and sometimes more) packed hallway, a local-music legend, a band to watch with a new album, some cool shows to discuss… yup, it’s another edition of Rock Talk on Z 106.7 FM. Not just any episode, though; Mark Bilyeu of Big Smith and solo fame got us started off (see him Wednesday with Backyard Tire Fire at Lindberg’s, btw. It will be awesome); followed by Holstein with new tracks from Blood On James River, out this weekend; then Roots Of Mankind discussed its Scene Unity Show Saturday at Remmington’s Downtown; This Night Is Forever explained its origins in New Jersey and how it got on Glass Bottom Boat Ride‘s DVD filming at The Outland Ballroom; and we put together a Four From the Four Four with artists from the upcoming James Davis memorial show at Nathan P. Murphy’s. It was a busy night and a truly grand show. Find it all after the break.

Rock Talk 6/14 with Tuck & Abney and The Short Histories of Powerful Nations

Diversity is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Last night’s episode of Rock Talk on Z 106.7 was an example of local-music diversity at its best. It started with a sit-down talk with local acoustic duo Tuck & Abney to talk about the group’s maddeningly busy schedule of shows, accompanied by two in-studio performances. That was followed by an appearance by thinking-man’s hard-rock group The Short Histories of Powerful Nations, who previewed their new album, A Brief Treatise on Land Ownership Vol. 1, and its corresponding release show this Friday. Oh, and did we mention the all-new-tunes edition of Four from the FourFour? Experience local-radio goodness after the break.

Rock Talk 5/17, ft. Assembly Line Gods, Extreme Hate Frequency, John Henry & The Engine

We rocked it hard on Z 106.7’s Rock Talk this week. Really hard. Local metal group Assembly Line Gods dropped in early and happened to bring instruments in hand. Sweet, we thought; how ’bout a couple songs? They obliged with a couple of outstanding acoustic renditions of tunes you’ll recognize if you’ve seen them live. Extreme Hate Frequency followed that up with some album tracks and talk of opening for Stemm this Saturday night at The Outland Ballroom. Finally, John Henry of John Henry & The Engine joined us via telephone line to discuss influences, the joys of playing Springfield and the next opportunity to do so–this Saturday at The Outland. To put a nice bow on the evening, we wrapped up with Four from The FourFour, a very non-metal collection of songs by artists breaking up, playing festivals, rockin’ old school and, well, that we just really like. Give it all a listen after the break.

Rock Talk, 5/10: Mother…

So Mother’s Day came and went, as did our weekly Sunday-night local-music ritual known as Rock Talk on Z 106.7. Busy lavishing wonderfulness on Mom last night? It’s cool; you can listen to the entire episode after the break. In the mix you’re going to hear The Bootheel talking about its Outland Ballroom show with The Cropdusters, The Hundred Hand String Band discussing its trip to the MoKan Music Festival this weekend and Lebanon rockers Broken Bridge telling us about dedications to the troops, battles of the bands and the potential for getting locked out of the house. We also impersonate numerous things badly along the way. Listen and enjoy.

Rock Talk (4/19): Afraid Of Monsters, Holstein, Six Shots Till Dawn, The Murlesque

Last night’s episode of Z 106.7’s Rock Talk rocked harder as the night went on. Believe it or not, we didn’t plan it that way. We kicked off with local ambient rock group Afraid Of Monsters playing a softened (we won’t call it acoustic) in-studio set, followed by Holstein debuting never-before-heard tracks from their upcoming album, Blood On James River. Metal group Six Shots Till Dawn chatted about the upcoming Stemm show they’re opening for with Extreme Hate Frequency and Formant, and The Murlesque dropped in to talk about its Friday-night performance at The Blue Room at Billiards of Springfield with Glass Bottom Boat Ride and The Secret. In all, it’s a VERY packed show, and we have it for you in full after the break.