Quad Cities Underground: 1999-2005: From the Vault Music Series, #1

By Chad V. Holtkamp

Before the hit reality TV show American Pickers brought fame to the region, the Quad Cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois were best known as the hometown of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke, football great Roger Craig, as well as the radio broadcast beginnings of future president Ronald "Dutch" Reagan.

American Pickers brought fame to the region, the Quad Cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois were best known as the hometown of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke, football great Roger Craig, as well as the radio broadcast beginnings of future president Ronald "Dutch" Reagan.

American Pickers brought fame to the region, the Quad Cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois were best known as the hometown of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke, football great Roger Craig, as well as the radio broadcast beginnings of future president Ronald "Dutch" Reagan.

American Pickers brought fame to the region, the Quad Cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois were best known as the hometown of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke, football great Roger Craig, as well as the radio broadcast beginnings of future president Ronald "Dutch" Reagan.

Writer Chad V. Holtkamp began his own career with an entertainment column focused on the happenings of the local music scene. Between 1999 – 2005, his "Quad Cities Underground" column appeared monthly in The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus newspapers.

The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus newspapers.

The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus newspapers.

The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus newspapers.

As Y2K fizzled and the millennium safely turned, the local music scene in the Quad Cities proved fertile ground for a wide variety of musical styles. Everything from hardcore punk, country, rock and pop, to improvisational jazz and fusion was featured in the "Underground."

Dive deep into the days when bands released physical CDs burned at home on Pentium-based Dells and candy-colored iMacs, back before the creation of YouTube and the iPhone, and even MySpace and Facebook.

With feature stories on bands like Wicked Liz and the Bellyswirls, Intensity!, Bruised, Mommy's Little Monster, Dani Lynn Howe, Provoke, and The Angsted, relive the golden era of Napster and GeoCities homepages in Quad Cities Underground.

Quad Cities Underground.Quad Cities Underground.

Quad Cities Underground.Quad Cities Underground.

Quad Cities Underground.Quad Cities Underground.Quad Cities Underground.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Briefcase Media Group
• Release date: Sep 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781945982361

Book preview

1

Liz and the Bellyswirls

New faces in Q-C Underground

New columnist Chad Holtkamp profiles new act Liz and the Bellyswirls

September 19, 1999

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Hello, Quad-Cities!

Welcome back to the Underground. I’m your new host, Chad Holtkamp. Many of you may recognize my name from these very pages, having been featured in past Underground columns as the lead singer and guitar player for my former band, Marshmallow Tree. (Yes, you read that former correctly; more on that later in the column.) You may have also seen me as a solo artist at area coffeehouses and bookstores.

First, I’d like to wish the former Q-C Underground columnist, Toni Wilson, the best of luck with her new endeavor as editor of her college newspaper. Toni is a great writer so I’m sure she’ll do an excellent job.

Some of you may wonder how I came to write this column. Well, to begin with, in addition to being a musician, I’m also a writer. I heard that the Underground position was opening up and thought it would be a great chance to put my college education to use. I had mentioned to Dispatch and Rock Island Argus Entertainment editor Sean Leary that I was a freelance writer as a student at Northern Iowa in the early ’90s, covering the Cedar Falls music scene for our college paper. I sent him a few samples of my work, he liked them and here I am.

Now that you’re up to speed, let’s get my inaugural column underway with a profile of one of my favorite new local bands: the newly-named Liz and the Bellyswirls (the band has dropped the Wicked that once preceded its name).

It seemed for a while this spring and summer, the opening band of choice for top local acts such as Sugar Nipples, The Lovedogs, Spatterdash, and Lynn Allen was Wicked Liz and the Bellyswirls. After forming in January, the band played in front of large crowds unfamiliar with its music and quickly established themselves as a fun band to watch.

The quartet, made up of brothers Leo and Bob Kelly on guitar and bass, Greg Hipskind on drums, and Liz Townsend on vocals, soon began counting many of its headliner’s fans as its own. When your guitar player is also a member of another popular local band, Spatterdash, lining up people to come see you perform doesn’t take much prodding. Although it does take some work on the guitarist’s part, as is the case with Leo Kelly, who occasionally performs double duty with both bands in the same night.

The group traces its beginnings to a few years back at a party for Bob and Leo’s younger brother. Bob was hanging out in the basement playing acoustic guitar when Liz came down and asked him to show her how to play The Redemption Song by Bob Marley. She also told him about wanting to learn to sing and play guitar.

She started singing a song a capella, and I thought ‘Ah, gorgeous voice,’ he said. After that, he didn’t think much of it and went back to Japan to finish out a two-year teaching stint.

However, after getting back, he and Leo hooked up with Liz and played together for a while as a country band with a friend of Leo’s on drums. Then they joined up with Greg in January and refocused their sound, leaning more towards pop-rock with a dash of r&b.

The group’s focus on an eclectic mix of cover songs sets it apart from many of its peers. Rather than simply playing whatever is on the radio right now, Liz and the Bellyswirls draws on the members’ wide-ranging tastes in music, playing everything from Pete Townsend and Ozzy Osbourne to Chris Isaak and Sheryl Crow.

The band’s favorite song is Three of Us in a Boat, a catchy pop tune by Jaco Pierce that instantly sounds familiar, but one that few have ever heard.

In the south and in Florida, everyone knows who Jaco Pierce is, Bob said, but nobody up here had even heard of him. That’s the ideal pop song. Three chords and you’re out.

We try to avoid the typical female singer songs and go for something off the wall, Greg added. Then Liz’s voice adds a different element to it.

Her voice really is one of the biggest assets of the group. Powerful and sultry, it floats above the music and draws in the listener. Her looks don’t hurt either, judging by the large contingent of male fans down front at most of the group’s shows.

Its name is another thing that draws attention due to its humorous originality. It came about during one of the rituals every band encounters.

We were sitting around one night throwing out names, Leo said. Suddenly I threw out Bellyswirls and everyone stopped for a second and didn’t have a clue what I was talking about.

He didn’t really know himself but it sounded different and cool. He then christened their singer Wicked Liz and it stuck — for a while, at least.

I was so scared when I got up with them the first time and had to introduce myself as ‘Wicked’ Liz, Townsend said, and I didn’t really know what to say between songs.

There are no worries anymore. Not only has the group dropped the Wicked monicker, but Townsend has certainly gained a lot of experience on stage.

Having played one show unexpectedly on its own in June, the band sets out as an official headliner Friday at Boozie’s in downtown Davenport. It is adding to its repertoire of cover songs and has also added Amy Jones, who will guest on backing vocals and tambourine. Also included are original songs penned by Leo and Greg, slated for inclusion on a recording project scheduled for January. An EP release will follow in the spring.

After that, the band is looking to branch out to the college towns around the region and just continue to have fun playing. Check them out for yourselves. You are sure to have a wickedly good time.

Odds and ends

♦ Oprah Winfrey created a craze in the publishing industry with the start of Oprah’s Book Club. Now the Quad-Cities has a chapter all its own. Every other Thursday at 6 p.m., Brentano’s Bookstore at Northpark Mall in Davenport holds a discussion group on a different title from Oprah’s Book Club.

The next meeting is this coming Thursday. The group will be discussing Where the Heart Is, by Billie Letts.

♦ Theo’s Java Club in Rock Island has nearly completed its expansion. This involved purchasing the space of the store next door earlier this year.

In the process, the Java Club management uncovered an old tin ceiling and tile floor. According to Theo Grevas, the owner of Theo’s, the seating area will nearly double with 50 more chairs and a stage area for bands and performers.

Check out the new-look Java Club later this fall.

♦ Kanga Gallery is holding its next exhibition Saturday. Titled Very Deep Green, the exhibit will showcase local works and also feature a live performance by Chrash.

♦ Star Wars mania is still with us. Planet 93.5, in conjunction with Pepsi, is sponsoring an auction featuring limited-edition Star Wars Pepsi collectibles such as jackets, cans, and life-size figures of your favorite Episode I — The Phantom Menace characters. All proceeds will benefit local charities. Tune in to Planet 93.5 for more details.

♦ And finally, yes, it’s true, my band, Marshmallow Tree, called it quits this month after nearly four years on the scene. As is the case with many bands, conflicting commitments and decreasing enjoyment signaled that it was time to move on to other things. My roots remain, however, in music, and I’m currently working on a solo recording project with Dave Ruby of DR Productions. Look for a possible album sometime next spring.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed my first run through the Underground. I’ll see you next month!

2

Profusion

Profusion shows determination to make it

Q-C act features sound unique to area music scene

October 17, 1999

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It’s been a busy month in the Underground. So let’s just dive right in with a profile of one of the more original bands in the area—Profusion.

Vince Lombardi once said "The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.’’

Lombardi, the former coach of the Green Bay Packers, was applying that to football, but it could apply to anything in life, the music business included. Being successful in the music business is something many bands dream about. For most, it remains a dream simply because of a lack of determination. Though the trappings of success equated by heavy rotation on MTV and sold-out tours may not be part of the present reality of the Quad-Cities’ abstract rock band Profusion, its members show the determination to be successful on their own terms.

Having worked hard to develop a following for its unique brand of music, Profusion is set to unveil its debut CD this week with a release party at 9 p.m. Thursday at RIBCO. Trying to capture the ever-changing nature of its songs on disc, the band recorded with Rob Cimmarusti earlier this year at Reel Trax studios, and is excited with the results.

For those who haven’t had the chance to catch Profusion live, they are more experimental than most area bands. They forego the typical verse/chorus/verse/chorus song structure in favor of extended instrumentals broken up by the occasional vocal line.

According to guitarist Chad Ramsey, We are just kind of doing our own thing. Nobody really changes anything for it.’’ Adds vocalist and bass player Derek Kirkman, We’re not trying to mold it for people. We’re trying to make it (the music) because that’s how we feel.’’

The group began in 1997 when Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Kirkman played together in the Geckos with Angi Frangipane (vocals/keyboards). After a falling out with the lead singer, they formed Profusion. Drummers came and went until they were almost ready to give up their dream and do something else. They gave it one more shot and in the summer of 1998 found John Chapman through a mutual friend’s dentist’s assistant.

We had one practice and then didn’t see each other for a month because we didn’t have a place to practice,’’ Mr. Chapman said. Then Stickman’s started letting us practice there twice a week.’’

Once they had a practice space, they began to figure out their goals. Getting four musicians focused on one goal and determined — and talented enough — to make it happen is difficult for any group. However, the members of Profusion have played in enough bands over the years to avoid the pitfalls in reaching their goal.

Ms. Frangipane summed it up best, saying, "Our goal is to quit our jobs and just create.’’

That goal takes hard work and the band isn’t afraid to put in the time, practicing twice a week and doing up to four shows per week when necessary while still working day jobs.

In addition to an intense work ethic, the band has a true democratic spirit. Everyone in the band is supportive of the other’s talents and feels they are all equal with no one star or front person.

As for the music this veritable mutual admiration society creates, it is reminiscent of the art rock of the mid-to-late ’70s. While acknowledging their influences, which range from the classic rock of Santana and Led Zeppelin to more modern and experimental bands like Primus and Phish, the band members try not to sound too much like them in order to create their own original sound.

And though their music may take some getting used to, especially for listeners weaned on the formulaic pop heard on Top 40 radio, given time and exposure the band has been gaining fans of all ages, including some in unlikely places.

The band played a show this summer at the Mississippi Valley Fair, hardly a haven for non-commercial, non-country music. Expecting the worst from the crowd who boot scootin’ boogied to the country band that played before them, the members took the stage taking bets on how long it would take them to clear the room. Amazingly, the opposite happened.

This whole crowd of people all of the sudden started dancing, with these four country guys leading the way,’’ said Mr. Chapman. It was pretty surreal.’’

Though Profusion has been playing regularly in the area for over a year, releasing a CD has opened new doors for the band. Club owners who never returned members’ calls are suddenly calling them to book shows and they are gigging steadily.

In addition to Thursday night’s CD release party at RIBCO, the band is also playing at Peabody’s in Moline on Friday night. From there, it will continue to play in the area while trying to break into other markets around the region. With the determination these four musicians have, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Notes and news

♦ Local rock act The Lovedogs has joined the Vans Shoes family. Vans will supply the band with promotional items and support for the group’s upcoming release "Hummer’’ on LDI Records. The ’dogs join a roster of acts that includes Green Day, Blink 182, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and NOFX.

♦ The Lovedogs is currently working with engineer Billy Peiffer at River Cities Studios in Davenport on the follow up to its 1998 "Release the Hounds’’ CD. Vans is the second corporate sponsorship for the band. It joined forces with Budweiser in June.

♦ The Dragon’s Sanctum (3213 23rd Ave., Moline) will be holding a Battlefleet Gothic Miniatures Demonstration on Oct. 25. Shawn Dravetsky will be the Gamemaster for the evening and the demo is from 6 p.m. until closing. For more information on this free demonstration from Games Workshop in England, call the store.

♦ Borders Books and Music in Davenport (4000 E. 53rd St., Davenport) is continuing its eclectic schedule of goings-on with events ranging from Pokemon Tournaments on Mondays at 7 p.m. to classical music from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sundays in October. NineDollarMellonBaller will bring its modern rock from Cedar Falls to Borders on Friday. The group plays from 8 to 10 p.m. Don’t miss it!

♦ The movie Whiteboys,’’ which was filmed in the area during the summer of 1998, is finally premiering around the country. The story of three white kids from Iowa who dream of being rap stars and keeping it real’’ in Chicago features Danny Hock and Dash Mihok (Benvolio in "Romeo and Juliet.’’) Snoop Dogg also makes an appearance as does yours truly as a Hollywood record executive in the cornfield dream sequence. Check it out at a theater near you in the coming weeks.

♦ With the recent demise of Screamers, one of the few venues in the area where local hard rock and metal bands could play, fans and bands alike are venturing up to the Pig Pen in Clinton. You can check out local faves Yeah Right there on Nov. 6. The band is currently writing material for an upcoming project and playing shows around the region. Check out www.yeah-right.com for more details.

Well, that’s all for the Underground scene this month. As always, support your local arts and entertainment scene. You never know when you might be able to say, "I saw them when...’’

See ya next month.

Chad Holtkamp is a correspondent for the Dispatch and Rock Island Argus. He also performs as a solo singer/guitarist around the Quad-Cities area.

3

Listen

Listen boasts eclectic sound

Quad-Cities group mixes everything from bagpipes to hard rock

November 21, 1999

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Thanksgiving greetings from the Underground.

We in the Quad-Cities have a lot to be thankful for, even though many are unaware of all the great things offered by our entertainment scene.

But then again, that’s what this column is here for — to clue you in on some stuff you might not have heard of previously.

And here’s another profile of a band you may have missed but you should definitely check out...

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Listen

Imagine the following scenario: The band at the local club finishes a song and the stage is dark. Suddenly, a strange but familiar sound echoes through the darkened club. You can’t believe what your ears are hearing until the lights come up and you see it with your own eyes. There it is, right before your very eyes: a bagpipe, on stage at a rock and metal bar.

Fantasy, you think? Au contraire mon frère. Quad-Cities progressive rock band Listen brought just such an instrument on stage with them at a show earlier this year at Screamers.

It’s just one of the unique traits belonging to a band with influences ranging from science-fiction and mythology to jazz and classical music.

Though the band may describe itself as "commercially challenged,’’ its fans are supportive of its efforts to bring these disparate genres into its own style of art and entertainment.

The members, who played together in various bands over the last 10 years, include percussionist James Harker, keyboardist/vocalist Chris Benner, guitarist Darin Sutton, and bassist Jim "Red’’ McAnally.

They definitely have their musical chops together as a band and are united in their vision of the group both technically and thematically.

In fact, in order to keep the technical side together during the sometimes lengthy onstage improvised jams, a few of them have sworn off alcohol completely during shows and the others keep it to a minimum.

No cliched overindulgence will ruin an otherwise stellar musical performance for these guys. According to Mr. McAnally, at the ready with another of his trademark quips, "You can’t do the chops with your head full of hops.’’

The philosophy makes a lot of sense, considering the music these guys play.

They don’t just write their songs, they orchestrate them, constantly tinkering and tweaking the arrangements until the finished product suits their mood. Each member contributes to the writing process and each also provides vocal duties.

That leads to some spectacular harmony work.

Full of intricately woven keyboard and guitar lines, songs begin with one groove but suddenly change in a different direction three or four times within a song.

Like the unknowing crowd in the movie "Amadeus,’’ some fans begin clapping in appreciation before the song is over and are quickly silenced when the next part of the song kicks in and they realize their error.

The band recorded its debut CD, "Close Your Eyes and You’re There,’’ earlier this year at Remasters studio in LeClaire and released it a few months back.

However, never being ones to stand still, the band is already working on songs for a follow-up disc for release next year.

In support of the release, the band is playing where it can with the limited number of venues catering to this style.

Peabody’s in downtown Moline has been a recent favorite of the band, as was Screamers before it closed its doors. Shorty’s in Davenport is another club the band frequents.

And it seems that with positive reviews of its CD at various online zines, the band is gaining fans not only at the local and regional levels, but nationally and internationally as well.

The band is setting its long-term sights not only on the Quad-Cities region but also on the highly favorable European market.

According to Mr. Brenner, Europeans are more open-minded about their style of music than Americans.

European radio and clubs aren’t as rigidly formatted as their American counterparts and several of the band’s friends have successful careers abroad. Right now, though, we’re focusing mainly on the regional level and hopefully will attract some label attention,’’ he said. Distribution and tour support would help a lot.’’

For those who wish to add their support to Listen’s cause, check out the Get A Life! Calendar for future shows or stop by and give them a listen on the Dispatch and the Rock Island Argus’ Quad-Cities Jukebox. The group will have a track from its CD added to the jukebox in December.

For those with Internet access, check out the band’s website at http://welcome.to/listen. Depending on the connection, it takes a while to load but looks cool when you finally bring it up.

Odds and ends

♦ Calling all singers! Rising from the ashes are local raves Circle 7, who are currently auditioning singers in advance of the group’s imminent departure to the sunny climes of Orange County, Calif.

According to band member Greg "Tut’’ Tuthill, the group thought they were dead in the water after the band’s breakup in 1998.

However, after learning that their debut album made an impression with the powers that be on the west coast, they are relocating after the first of the year to capitalize on that buzz.

They’d like to head out with a singer in tow, so if you think you are up to it and don’t mind moving, give Tut a call.

♦ Former Next Big Thing’’ Veruca Salt is slated to play at RIBCO on Dec. 11. On the strength of its modern rock hit Seether,’’ the Chicago-based band rose to prominence on Geffen Records in 1994.

The band later opened for Bush in May 1997 at The Mark of the Quad Cities while its Bob Rock-produced "Volcano Girls’’ quickly faded from local radio.

Now, here’s your chance to catch them at RIBCO. DreamWorks artists The Cupcakes will open the show.

♦ In support of the re-release of its now self-titled debut album, Einstein’s Sister will be playing at Borders Books and Music in Davenport on Dec. 4.

The remastered album features seven new bonus tracks culled from live and alternate takes.

For those looking for an excuse to road trip, Douglas and Tucker