DeKalb Rocks! Reunion vids

Hey folks! What a magnificent, historic weekend! I'll have stories and pics up shortly, but in the meantime, here's a link to my DeKalb Rocks! YouTube video playlist with tons of live clips from the weekend. Dig in!

DeKalb Rocks! Reunion Countdown - 1

Last song, people! It begins tomorrow night at Abbey Pub in Chicago. The DeKalb Rocks! Reunion, featuring the reunion of the original Otis Ball & The Chains. We start the show off at 6:30 sharp! And I have an excellent surprise guest lined up. We do it all over again on Sunday at Otto's in DeKalb! Birthplace of Otis Ball & The Chains! Show starts at 5 with a video presentation in the Underground. The rock starts at 6 and we hit the stage at 7:30. You have been warned!

And we close out our week of sneak previews with the one, the only Charles Manson's Birthday. No choice but to. This version is the demo featuring the last DeKalb version of OB&C. Killer, Kathy Howard on drums and Leslie Frank on keys. Produced and recorded by our buddy WEZ-L. That's WEZ-L up thar.

Grab it or watch it!

So one more once, folks. It's gonna be a good one. Here's all the info. See ya there!
Abbey Pub, Chicago Sat Aug. 22
Otto's Dekalb Sun Aug. 23

DeKalb Rocks! Reunion Countdown - 2

Sure, it's been almost 20 years since I played DeKalb, but I ain't ripping cobwebs from my guitar for these shows! No sir! Yes, you'll hear the old hits this weekend, but I've got new material too! And it's good! And I still make videos too!

From the man who brought you Charles Manson's Birthday, presenting Fire Needs Oxygen! Grab it or watch it!

DeKalb Rocks! Reunion Countdown - 3

Well, I said all the songs in this week's countdown were gonna be in the setlists this weekend for the DeKalb Rocks! Reunion shows. But I can't guarantee today's selection. It was never in a setlist. It was only played as a final song and I only called it on special occasions. Had to FEEL it.

Having said that, I have a good feeling about this weekend. I am strong, I am invincible. I Am Otis.

Biggie Smalls, Biggie Smalls, Biggie Smalls.

Grab it or stream it.

DeKalb Rocks! Reunion Countdown - 4

Here's one of the last songs I wrote in DeKalb. Almost made the first album. But I didn't quite finish it in time. So it made the second album, Favorite Love Songs. Which remains unreleased. I'm really happy with this home recording. Still sounds good to me. Just lil ol' me and my drum machine. And you'll get to hear it in DeKalb this Sunday!

While I got ya, I'm going on early both nights! Get there by 6:30 or cry all the way home.

Grab it or stream it.

DeKalb Rocks! Reunion Countdown - 5

The big shows are days away! Saturday night at Abbey Pub in Chicago and Sunday night at Otto's in DeKalb! Come early! Stay late! We're gonna rock the days away hyah at the MP3 Club. Every day this week, I'll be posting a set list sneak preview.

We're starting off with an old favorite. Walk On Water goes way back. It was one of the songs on my first demo that got me my record deal. They Might Be Giants sang the back ups on the album version. And it's the song I sang at Day of Action while the parade crossed the Kishwaukee River. (If you listen closely to the last chorus on the album version, you'll find a secret nod to my old hometown.)

But this is the original home demo recorded in DeKalb in '86 on my 4-track Tascam cassette recorder, back at the First St ranch. Killer on bass and joining in on the back up vox. A couple years later, we cut a full band demo with our buddy and producer WEZ-L.

This song been berry berry good to me. You can hear it live this weekend.

Grab it or stream it.

Here In the happy hunting Grounds

Here we go, folks. As I write, the party starts one week from tonight. It's been a whole lotta work, but a labor of love, to be sure. Never had any interest in my high school reunions and I never spent more than a year at any one college, so that was out. But I left my heart in DeKalb. (Thanks to STD for pointing out the capitol K.) I can't wait to see all my old pals and palettes! And I'm very excited to be promoting an all-star line-up that never could have happened at the time. We really have the cream of the crop from a decade of DeKalb bands. Once in a lifetime! Well, actually twice. Sat Aug 22 at Abbey Pub in Chicago and Sun Aug 23 at OTTO'S! (Everybody gotta go Otto, OTTO!) And I GUARANTEE! you need to attend both shows for the full spectacular. Each show boasts its own surprises, unique to the evening. Plus fun memorabilia to be purchased and jealousize yer non-attending buddies with.

But there is one thing I am looking forward to above all others. and that is the opportunity to go totally bonkers over happy hunting one mo time. The songs of Matt Parker partnered with the guitars of Tim Fowler is about as winning a rock combo as I have ever heard in my life.

I arrived in DeKalb in the summer of '85. The first time I saw hh musta been fall of '85 at Two Fool's. Mighta been the first show after Fowler and drummer Dave Fishman had left DeKalb's Blatant Dissent. At the time, Two Fool's was the place to be. A basement punk club. Really just a basement. But so many bands came through that joint. And underage were welcome. So it was a great opportunity to hobknob with the local high schoolers. And watch em get drunk for the first time.

(Note on Two Fool's - Owned and operated by Larry Henrikson, the owner of the exceptional Axe-In-Hand guitar shop. I bought my Strat and my blue thin-body Alvarez acoustic from Larry. Here's a note from his son posted to the DeKalb ROCKS! Facebook group.

It was for the most part a fun experience living on the property and hearing the bands play.

The Two Fools really was a coffee house at one time. Originally called Juicy John Pinks back in the mid seventies. They moved out and I think operated downtown for a time. Two friends took over the space and the Two fools was born. I'll have to sit down and think about the details, come back later and post. Anyway, they sold sandwiches, soft drinks, and other easy food/meals. I thnk eventually it failed, but my father continued to rent out the space to bands and groups for a place to perform. A variety of bands and music. I can't say I remember everyone who performed down there. Dress for success, Blatant descent, ring thirteen, Get smart, etc, as well as bands that evolved from some of these groups. I think my brothers band performed there, not sure which one. I even played there once back in the spring of 86, horribly I might add and received the honor of being called a poser which was exactly what I intended to do.

I was btw, the skinny guy usually sitting behind the counter up at the Ax. I apologize if I ever pissed anyone off. I wasn't always crazy about cleaning up the messes. Please feel free to share any stories, hopefully I won't be too embarrassed.

I'm happy to see any pics of the old property. Sadly, it's all been torn down. I still have dreams that I'm working and living there.)

But I digress. The happy hunting I first fell in love with was the three piece. Frank Mundo came in on bass sometime in '86, freeing Parker up to play second guitar. And adding an extra ... enthusiasm to the mix. This version of the band broke up in '88, just before I left town. I'm very happy to report that I documented one of their last, if not their very last, shows. An afternoon show on the MLK Mall at Northern Illinois University.

The band reformed after I left. First with Tom Ellett on drums, replacing the Fish Man, and Parker back on bass. When Parker and Fowler moved to Chicago, the band had one more go round with Tom Rose of Blue Green God on bass and Sport on drums.

I dunno for sure what to expect from these reunion shows. I haven't asked too many questions cuz I wanna be surprised. And I understand there will be surprises. (You better be searching Priceline, Mundo!)

For all the fans and friends, and all those who want to find out what the big deal is, I recently unearthed a tape Fish sent me back in the day of an unreleased album recorded in '89 with Tom Ellett on drums. Plus I tacked on some demos from the Fishman era. Cover art with liner notes included in the zip. Grab it NOW! What are you waiting for? As good as the best Placemats albums.

And here's a vid from the aforementioned '88 NIU show, courtesy of ME!


Seriously. happy hunting alone is worth heading out for the shows this weekend. But WAIT! THERE'S MORE! The Service, Blatant Dissent, SubVerts, Ring 13, blackcandlelove, Dan of Smile! AND OTIS BALL & THE CHAINS! I haven't even started talking about my end of this pardukee. But check back on Monday. It's the final countdown!