Doug James & The Pocket

DOUG JAMES & THE POCKET

You probably want to know who we are, right? Well, we make music that matters to us – part blues, part funk, part r&b, part rock. We play real loose with the proportions, though.

In 2010, former Chicago Dee Jay Doug James recruited a veteran band of Chicago musicians to form Doug James and The Pocket. Since then we’ve been tearing through Chicagoland with shows at the House of Blues, Buddy Guy’s legends, the Hard Rock Cafe, Reggies, Harlem Ave Lounge, the Chicago Blues Fest, Ribfest and other venues. We finally captured our energy in a newly released cd “Leg Up”, available for download on itunes, cd baby, amazon, google plus and on bandcamp. Our music can also be heard all over the world on jango & spotify. We’ve appeared on WGN tv-9’s midday music show as well as frequent guests on the Hambone Blues radio show on wcdb 90.9Fm.

We hope that when you listen to us you dance a lot, laugh some, and yes, maybe even think some. That’s what we’re all about. Hope to see you at the next dance.

THE DOWN FI

Craig Bell was an original member of the highly influential Cleveland, Ohio punk band Rocket From The Tombs in the Mid 1970’s. Heralded as an important protopunk group, they were little known during their brief lifetime, though various members later achieved renown in Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys. Craig, meanwhile, migrated to the East Coast where he founded the bands Saucers, The Plan, & The Bell System in the fertile Connecticut music scene of the late 70’s & 80’s. Now living in Indianapolis, Craig has enlisted some of your favorite local degenerates, and fine musicians all, from The Dockers, Order of the Black Hand, The Relatives, and Hypnotic Velvet Propellers. We play old-old school style punk from the time before mohawks & niches. Craig describes their style as “enthusiastically skeptical”. Have a listen….

DREADNOUGHT

Nestled among the Rocky Mountains, it’s hard to escape the influence of nature in Colorado. Maybe they didn’t record in the woods or on the high seas, but Denver outfit Dreadnought breathes fresh air through extreme music like a torrential force of nature nonetheless.

DREW BLOMQUIST

DRUG HONKEY

The first incarnation of Drug Honkey arose in 1997 in the form of Chronic Illogic. Paul Gillis (Honkey Head) having come from the death metal outfits Crematorium & Embodied(which had become Gorgasm by this time) & Adam Smith(BH Honkey) emerging from the drum ‘n’ bass & rave scene in Chicago looked to meld  various styles into one & create something different & original.
Struggles with members & creative differences led to a relatively quick disintegration of Chronic Illogic. Paul & Adam moved forward in 1999 under the monicker of Drug Honkey. Their S/T full length surfaced in 2002. It was a harsh mixture of electronics & weirdness. It was also mostly a studio album as there was very little live instrumentation. Sample driven & meticulously concocted, it is an important piece of the bands history & definitely has strong points, but not something reflected upon regularly as it didn’t fully represent the direction they were destined to venture.
In 2003 it was determined that a full lineup was needed & Gabe Grosso (Hobbs) was recruited on guitar & Jason Sneed(Black Honkey) on bass. Adam concentrated solely on drums & Paul handled vocals/synths/samples. With a solid lineup the band polished their style & vision, the result being the 2005 full length “Hail Satan”. This album introduced the groups experimental/Doom sound that is still present today. It also spawned one of the bands most sought after tracks/videos, “Heroin”. After the release of “Hail Satan”, problems arose with Jason & it was decided to make a change. Ian Brown(Brown Honkey) was chosen as his replacement.
Throughout 2006 & 2007 Drug Honkey played several shows with the new & improved lineup @ several great venues in Chicago including the legendary -Metro- as well as the -Double Door- where the band recorded what would become their live unreleased EP “Quatro de Mayo”. This EP showed extreme promise for the direction the band was headed in. The track “China Black(Heroin Pt. 2)” from the EP was a massive piece of work & ended up earning a spot on their then upcoming full length “Death Dub”.
In July of 2008 the third full length “Death Dub” was released, and this showcased the band @ their dirtiest, heaviest, & most tripped out level thus far. Many great shows were played in support of the album throughout Chicago and the surrounding states in the midwest, one of the most memorable being with Today is the Day.
“Death Dub” was circulated independently quite well throughout the underground & received several great reviews all the while the band continued to play more notable shows with bands such as Buzzov*en, Indian, & Coffinworm to name a few. Throughout this period they garnered the attention of many indiviuals including Kunal Choksi, owner of Diabolical Conquest Webzine & newly formed Diabolical Conquest Records. A deal was struck between the two entities & Drug Honkey’s fourth full length “Ghost in the Fire” was released on May 15th 2012.
Since it’s release the band has promoted the album themselves, along with distros such as CM Distro & Crucial Blast. The response has been great. Several excellent reviews have surfaced for the album thus far.
With the release of their strongest album to date, things are looking better than ever for the band. Together they are in the beginning stages of writing new material with plans of releasing an EP in 2014…
“The only drug you need is Drug Honkey”

E.T. HABIT

EDDIE COHN

EDDIE SPAGHETTI

ENSIFERUM

If Black Metal and Power Metal were to ever have a child (gods forbid save this exception) it would be Ensiferum. Ensiferum uses the melodies and choral arrangements without sacrificing the thrash and black elements.

ESCAPE THE FATE

EZURATE

Pure Armafuckingeddon Soul Raping Black Metal” – the way it should be
from Chicago, IL USA

F. STOKES

FAREWELL FIGHTER

FATALIST

FILLABUSTER

We are an original 4 piece rock band from the south west suburbs of Chicago. Like any good local band we have a lot of hart and little cash. Unlike most bands however we have trouble pinning down a genera we fit into. From what are fans tell us “Fillabuster” has a sound that echos from mid 80’s underground punk up to early 90’s grunge. Our chord progressions are not intended to resemble any specific brand of music and are lyrics are deeply personal and thought out. We would like to make enough money at this to be able to quit our jobs and devote all our time to creating and performing. But the likely reality of being a struggling musician is we will forever be struggling. So we will continue to create our noise and perform simply for the love of self expression.

FOOTWORKINGZ

FORD PIER

CHICAGO DEAD BEATS

CHLOE CHARLES & ALY TARDOS

CHOCOLATE OF CHEESETOWN

Come out for the triumphant return of the ultimate tribute to the greatest rock band of our generation. We take it to the streets of Chicago, specifically the legendary stage of Reggie’s Music Joint. Call up your friends in Chicago. Make it a night. Carpool. Whatever you have to do… just don’t miss this show!

CHRIS TIRITILLI & THE PEOPLE

A Chicago musician, Chris spreads a message of positivity. He blends soul/blues/pop with the likes of John Mayer/John Legend and the guitar playing of Jimi Hendrix/SRV. He has also appeared on the “WGN Morning Show”.

CHUDA

CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE

COSTUME CONTEST

Crowbar

CROWBAR

The moment you hear it, you know it’s CROWBAR. Praised by Pitchfork, VICE, and Metal Hammer. Twice immortalized by Beavis and Butt-Head. The group is worshipped by the heartbroken and downtrodden – those who exorcise their demons in smoke-covered riffs of mournful devastation. A genuine band’s band, with a wide-ranging influence across multiple genres, Crowbar “helped draw up the sludge metal blueprints” (Kerrang!). Celebrating a recent 30th anniversary, Crowbar is led by one of the most beloved figures in heavy metal, riff overload Kirk Windstein. His menacing bellow and smooth drawl put resilient, unrepentant strength behind even the most somber odes to suffering.

Crowbar songs are unapologetic emotional outpourings, with a bare-knuckle resolve alongside its soul-searching vulnerability, reliably delivered with crushing heaviness. Zero and Below, which cements the band’s dense catalog as exactly one dozen studio albums deep, is the most unforgivably doomy Crowbar record since their landmark 1998 effort, Odd Fellows Rest. Zero and Below is reverently old-school, counter-balanced by a resonant melodicism that’s stunningly mature. Songs like “Chemical Gods,” “Bleeding From Every Hole,” and “It’s Always Worth The Gain” demonstrate what Crowbar does better than any other band: powerful, evocative, and crushingly heavy music.

Gargantuan-sounding career-resurgence slabs Sever The Wicked Hand (2011), Symmetry in Black (2014), and The Serpent Only Lies (2016) sits mightily alongside Crowbar classics like Time Heals Nothing (1995), comprising a robust catalog worthy of examination, dedication, and repeat listens. Songs like “Planets Collide,” “Existence Is Punishment,” and “All I have (I Gave)” are anthems as demonstrative of the sludge sound as early songs by Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth represent Thrash.

Sever The Wicked Hand introduced guitarist Matt Brunson and drummer Tommy Buckley to the Crowbar faithful. Symmetry in Black began a partnership with producer Duane Simoneaux. Rolling Stone named it as one of the 20 Best Metal Albums of 2014; Pitchfork praised it as well. Exclaim! honored The Serpent Only Lies as “another worthy album to add to Crowbar’s influential and highly revered catalog.” Rounded out by bassist Shane Wesley, Crowbar and Simoneaux work their magic repeatedly on Zero and Below. As Metal Hammer astutely observed, Crowbar “exists in a genre of one.”

 

CRUCIFORM INJECTION

Czar

CZAR

Chicago melodic doom cryptic sludge, in the key of ursa minor. Formed in 2009 from the ashes of Acumen Nation. Released 2 LPs and 1 EP on Cracknation Records, toured with Killing Joke in 2013, new album coming fall 2015. “Embraces their terse ugliness and yet they shove a lot of their bleak arrangements into elevating, cathartic pastures… they represent what’s innovative and intrepid in American underground metal.” -BLABBERMOUTH. Welcome to a depthless paradise of terror.

 

D.BESS OF PUBLIC PROPERTY

D.MEEKS & MIKEY STREETZ

D’NICK THE MICROPHONE MISFIT

DARIUS KENNEDY

Darius Kennedy is a native Chicagoan, and comedian. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, and the Northern Suburbs of Lake County, Illinois. He has studied at “Piven Theater”, “Second City Training Center”, and “Chicago Actors Studio”. He has been performing in the Midwest for nearly 20 years, opening and featuring for such notable performers as: Dwayne Kennedy, Hannibal Buress, and Josh Blue. With producing credits for “Entertainment Chicago LIVE”, “COCAINE MURDER JAM”, “Bad N Boozy”, “Neapolitan Comedy at the Store”, and “Night Night LATE Night”. He was recently performing on the “Milwaukee Comedy Festival 2019”. His album “The Ballad of Lonny Krivitz” is streaming on Spotify and ITunes, and was recently seen in the film “Tom Of Your Life” featured on Amazon Prime, iTunes, and at Chicago’s Music Box Theater.

DARRIN JAMES BAND

DARRIN JAMES BAND: THE LOVELY UGLY TRUTH

“Brooklyn singer-songwriter Darrin James touches on Robbie Robertson’s gruff soulfulness, Tom Waits’ vaudevillian menace and Paul Westerberg’s ramshackle charm…” Time Out New York

Much is known about the way music impacts the brain; very little is known about its effect on the heart. That instant, visceral sensation when a song connects is universal; while sincerity and authenticity are intangible qualities, they are always present in the positive listening experience. Darrin James has been a guitarist for 15 years and a songwriter for just under a decade, drawing on his love for blues, soul, country and other roots genres to create songs with a timeless quality. “As a songwriter, I have wanted to combine honest, dark lyrics with old school blues and a fusion of styles, to express the emotions and stories of tragic or flawed characters.” Darrin has succeeded mightily at this aim, his debut album, Thrones of Gold earned a wealth of kudos in the music press – The Deli Magazine had this to say, “The man’s got Joe Henry versatility, a crackerjack studio band and a great sense of craft…from a Lovett/Waits blues into a John Prine diatribe then rocketing off with an Elvis Costello pop gem.” The title track placed in American Songwriter’s Lyric Writing Contest with the lyrics appearing in the Nov/Dec 2006 issue. “Crazy World” was used in the segment of Emmy-nominated reality TV fave The Deadliest Catch in which the crew demonstrate advanced cases of “Bering Sea Dementia.”

The Lovely Ugly Truth is the follow up album, and it’s filled with parables that illustrate moral dilemmas and regret, outlaw stories, murder ballads and even a contemporary protest song that confronts the immigration debate. “I have always loved the saddest songs the best, so that is what I write most often,” explained James, who produced the album and assembled an ensemble of New York’s finest players, including staff from Antibalas, TV on the Radio, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Beirut and Arcade Fire. The tracks were recorded between 2007 and 2009 in numerous studios in New York by Matt Gill, who has worked with bands like Fischerspooner, Aimee Mann, The Raveonettes and Aqualung.

DAVID & GOLIATH

DAWN O’KEEFE WILLIAMS AND THE LUCKY DOGS

DEAD WINTER CARPENTERS

DECIBEL HOGG

DECIBEL HOGG is a “Rock and Roll Mutt” that tests the limits of contemporary song writing and instrumentation. The band is livin’ large, making the most of life, drinking beer and lovin’ whiskey. Decibel Hogg is well known for their extremely tight rhythmic grooves and unique vocal stylings offering a new experimental twist on the rock genre as you know it. Live shows are energy packed aimed to stimulate the entire audio and visual experience. CARPE DIEM SUCKAZ!!

DEICIDE

Twenty years ago, an underground cult movement surfaced in Tampa, Florida that revolutionized the metal world. The pioneers of this burgeoning scene, DEICIDE, are still striking fear into hearts of the masses to this day. Century Media Records are extremely proud to announce a worldwide deal with DEICIDE, one of the founding fathers of death metal and easily one of the most influential and controversial bands ever. With a relentlessly brutal sound and uncompromisingly blasphemous lyrics, DEICIDE helped set the standards for extreme metal and have maintained those standards ever since.

DEICIDE led by original members Glen Benton (vocals, bass) and Steve Asheim (drums) have been busy at Audiohammer Studios with Mark Lewis (Black Dahlia, Chimaira) and are looking at a summer ’09 release. The group have reunited with legendary guitarists Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) and Ralph Santolla (Obituary, ex-Iced Earth, Death) and will embark on a two-week European tour in January 2009.

Benton states: “I want to say it is an honor to be an official CM artist. I look forward to working with the fine folks at CM and providing them with our style of metal. I can ensure you that what surfaces will definitely be nothing less than a total bash-your-face-in-from-start-to-finish, bastard. HAIL SATAN!!!!”

Asheim further comments: “I’m happy to be a part of the CM family and look forward to working with them. The new DEICIDE material in the works should be a good way to kick off the new deal. It’s a totally sick new record with a totally sick new label, but the same ol’ sick DEICIDE. See you all in 2009 and hold onto your balls!”

DEICIDE released their groundbreaking self-titled debut in 1990. Recorded at Tampa’s Morrisound Studio (the legendary studio where the band would go on to record all its albums), the vicious debut would soon be hailed as one of the “Top 100 Metal Albums of the 90’s” by England’s metal authority, Terrorizer Magazine. In 1992, DEICIDE followed up their debut with “Legion”, which was an instant success, further establishing their furious musical intensity and vengeful anti-Christian stance. This landmark extreme metal release secured their place at the forefront of the American death metal scene as they rapidly earned a reputation for controversy.

DEICIDE’s appearance and live antics matched the extremity of their music and lyrics. With an inverted cross branded into his forehead, Benton cast himself as the incarnation of pure evil. At shows, he was known to pull such stunts as dousing the crowds with bags full of real animal organs. DEICIDE quickly found themselves banned from clubs, boycotted by magazines, and blacklisted by Christian groups and animal-rights activists. Anti-establishment to the core, DEICIDE embodied the worst fears of the conservative masses, and loved it. Rather than shy away from controversy, DEICIDE provoked it and willingly engaged in it.

DEICIDE stormed ahead into the future, releasing numerous albums engulfed by waves of controversy, as their popularity continued to ferment within the scene. However, it was the 2006 release “The Stench of Redemption” that put the band back on the map as the leaders of the genre. This was their first album to showcase the more melodic leads of guitarists Owen and Santolla which only added to their riotous and enigmatic success. DEICIDE looks forward to taking things to the next level in 2009, promising to deliver the album of their already heralded career.

BAREFOOT FRED

BARREN EARTH

BAT MASTERSON

BEARKAT

BEARKAT, the musical progeny of multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Katy Pearson, is rich with influences of almost every musical idiom.

Born in Columbia, MO, raised in Maryland, Bearkat’s real home is on the road. She will be regularly touring and traveling this great country. With her toes dipped in the traditions of jazz, rock, old-time and the traditional harmony of Bach and the like, Bearkat weaves a new melodic tapestry from old cloth.

Bearkat started back in 2007, releasing her first full length album, “Suitcase Swimmers” in 2008. Now, with 2 albums under her belt (Releasing her EP The Happy in 2010) Bearkat will release her 3rd album, “Houses on a Hill” on September 4th, 2012. This album is truly a labor of love, Pearson and her drummer man/band mate Brian Bringelson playing all of the instruments on the record, which when they counted totaled some ridiculous number of 20 or something! Hunkering down in her parents house for 2 months and then more hunkering back in California, Bearkat and Bringelson have finally completed what feels to be Pearson’s most adventurous record to date.

BELPHEGOR

SUPREME DEATH/ BLACK METAL ART SINCE 1993

BELPHEGOR emerges as one of the most extreme line ups to ever come out of the death black metal scene. The band members themselves describe their hellride as “Supreme Death/ Black Metal Art”

SEYN TODT IN SCHWARTZ

1993: The now legendary demo on Maxi Cd format, BLOODBATH IN PARADISE, is circulated within the underground and earns BELPHEGOR the reputation of an unrepentant, blasting war machine. 1995: The first studio album, THE LAST SUPPER, is released on Lethal Records and is a welcomed collection of infernal hymns for their growing fan base. Following their own path of sin and befitting their ever-evolving anti-religious, anti-life attitude, BELPHEGOR’s logo gets revamped to incorporate two inverted crosses completely surrounded by blood representing the slaughter of Christians and martyrs.
1997: Last Episode Records releases BLUTSABBATH. BELPHEGOR’s sinister reputation continues to gain momentum.

MUSICA INFERNALIA

2000: Stagnation means death! The band spreads their disease once again via NECRODAEMON TERRORSATHAN, logging yet another volume of blasphemy added to The Vatican Library. 2002: BELPHEGOR celebrates their 10th anniversary by capturing a live set with songs played even faster than their original studio recordings on INFERNAL LIVE ORGASM
(released on their own label, Phallelujah Productions).

DIE TOTEN REITEN SCHNELL

2003: Produced at Mastersound Studios, BELPHEGOR cram their high-speed murderous brutality into the 8-track release of LUCIFER INCESTUS, and then tour again throughout Europe. 2005: The band opts to once again to work with Alex Krull at Mastersound to create the morbid GOATREICH – FLESHCULT, and later shredding Europe with the infamous X-Mass Festival and an eighteen dates headliner tour. “We don’t give a fuck about anything and don’t let anyone talk us into doing anything. Only the music counts!”
PEST TEUFEL APOKALYPSE

Produced, mixed, and mastered by Andy Classen at Stage One Studio in Kassel, Germany, and featuring artwork by Seth Siro Anton PESTAPOKALYPSE VI is, on the one hand, a concept album based on The Devil, Pestilence, and The Apocalypse, and on the other, a lesson in infernology. Incorporating unconventional harmonies with dynamic execution and monumentally aggressive vocal work, its multi-language approach (the German verses in “Bluhtsturm Erotika” are taken from the works of Marquis de Sade & Goethe; “Sanctus Perversum” defiles the church’s monopoly on Latin) accurately represents the infernal musical landscape BELPHEGOR comfortably inhabits.

Accept it: our world is necessarily haunted by evil, and when the armies of the dead return with their pestilence to annihilate the living, there will be no better guides while traveling down the fiery road to the endless abyss of Hell than BELPHEGOR.

BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE: BDSM & SATHAN 2008

With their seventh Album, suitably titled BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE, the Death/ Black Metal institution crushes all their previous releases! A real massacre of pounding Death Metal and majestic, hyper fast Black Metal spread out over nine killer songs full of diabolical possession, and pure darkness! BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE is their most mature effort up to day, this time BELPHEGOR have managed to melt ultra blastbeats and heaviness to one union.

The Fleischwerk was once again recorded in three sessions form November 2007 to January 2008 with Andy Classen in the famous Stage One Studios in Kassel/Germany – guarantying a smashing and powerful production.
The concept of the album is inspired by the infamous Marquis De Sade (1740 – 1814), giving the lyrics of the album a blessed touch of Evil. As on the last album, the vocals are held in English, German and Latin.
BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE is once again a lesson in violence and a true offering when it comes to crushing Metal with the extra punch in the face.

BELPHEGOR continue to keep the fucking devil and demonic spirit in Metal music alive…

BIG SEAN

BLACK ANVIL

BLACK BERET

Black Milk

BLACK MILK

As one of the most celebrated producers and rappers of his generation of hip-hop artists, Black Milk has conditioned fans and critics to expect the unexpected with each release. Few producers have earned the notoriety and respect he has as a musician, and when that is coupled with commanding talent as an emcee, it’s no surprise that his solo releases are met with exalted anticipation. His forthcoming full-length album If There’s A Hell Below continues Black’s trend of releasing material that maintains his signature sound while pushing it into new territory.

With more than a decade of industry experience and a rich catalog of recordings, Black Milk has transitioned from one of hip-hop’s young rising stars to a veteran with a uniquely well-rounded pedigree. After scoring his first production credit for Slum Village as a teenager in 2002, he eventually worked closely with the group and co-produced much of their two following albums. His self-released, full-length project Sound of the City (2005) led to his first record deal, and he began to gain international attention for the soul-sample driven style on his proper solo debut Popular Demand (2007). Four solo rap albums (Tronic, Album of the Year, No Poison No Paradise and Glitches In The Break), an instrumental album (Synth or Soul), numerous collaboration albums (Caltroit with Bishop Lamont, The Set Up with Fat Ray, Black and Brown with Danny Brown, Random Axe with Sean Price and Guilty Simpson and Burning Stones with Mel), and 2 singles with Jack White later, Black Milk remains one of hip-hop’s most consistent artists.

Bringing his numerous recordings to life with live band Nat Turner, Black Milk has also been recognized as a genuine and poised performer, one of hip-hop and music’s most acclaimed live acts.

BOBBY CONN + MONICA BOU BOU

Bones

BONES

Formed from the ashes of Usurper in ’09, Apocalyptic Warlord (drums), Carcass Chris (guitars) and Jon Necromancer (bass/vox) are coming to bludgeon your brain with their unique brand of 3 chord heavy metal. Not exactly death metal, or punk, or black metal, but a weird hybrid of all forms of LOUD music.

BRANDON ADAMS

BRANDON HARROD

BRIDGET LYONS