Rabble Rabble

Last night Rabble Rabble rocked it hard at Glasslands. They were first in the lineup for the night, preceding Implodes and Joan of Arc in what turned out to be a interesting sampler of the Chicago music scene. They started their set when the room seemed empty at first, but they didn’t skimp on the energy. I’m always impressed when bands can play like they’re just doing it for themselves regardless, and Rabble Rabble showed that. In fact, it seemed that a small crowd appeared out of nowhere because people heard them and had to check it out. Even the bouncer outside later said, “Man, that guy’s a sick guitar player!” referring to Ralph Darski.



Ralph Darski and Matt Ciarleglio

Really, everyone in Rabble Rabble is a sick player and performer. Their style incorporates punk, psych, and a bit of metal, with polyrhythm change ups in the middle of songs, and some animalistic hoots and hollers thrown in for fun. All three of the frontmen traded vocals, with Todd McCafrey and Matt Ciarleglio switching between guitar and bass on a couple songs. Drummer Kaylee Preston held it down well as the backbone. When I say they rocked it hard, I mean that the guys headbanged so hard I could smell their shampoo. All of their songs were basically the soundtrack to having a good time, and a good time it was. Rabble Rabble knocked their songs out with ease, ending on “Why Not,” off their new 7”. - bestnewbands.com

Rabble Rabble were selected as the first band to kick off Chicago's Psychedelic Week in Feburary. They were selected to start the psychedelic celebration because of their approach to the psych sound. They are extremely aggresive and punk influenced.

If they didn't sound insane enough, they've refined their sound and come out with two new songs "Long Hook" and "Why Not" that pushed them even closer to the edge.

Think if Iggy Pop took too much acid while trying to scare Lou Reed into running back home for his safety blanket. That's what these two new songs sound like.

Both singles can be heard on Soundcloud: "Long Hook" and "Why Not".

"Why Not" is a full on assault to Rabble Rabble's instruemnts with a guitar rhythm track that never stops churning and keeps your head spinning throughout the entire song. The lead guitar melody tracks are more like mini-solo's that will have you jumping up and down and sweating at their free show at the Empty Bottle May 23rd with We Are Hex and Distractions.



Continue reading on Examiner.com Rabble Rabble's New Singles! - Chicago Local Bands | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/local-bands-in-chicago/rabble-rabble-s-new-singles#ixzz1RuFtHnBc - examiner.com

Seeing “Jailbait” and “Bangover” listed as the names of two available singles by Chicago quartet Rabble Rabble, you start to get a sense of their intentions. Low-end Stooges sleeze with a yelpy punker in the front and reverbed psychedelia in the back give this heavy rock a mature swagger.

This summer, Rabble Rabble recorded a session with Coach House Sounds and the result was an amplification of their vinyl-friendly bass, warmth only an analog recording could bring out. The band insisted on democratic answers to my interview questions; below is their group effort.

Rabble Rabble’s CHIRP and Coach House Sounds Live session is streamable at coachhousesounds.com starting Tuesday, November 9th!

What the dumbest thing you’ve ever done in a basement?

We were doing a photo shoot for our album at Ottoman Empire (R.I.P) over the summer and they had a show the previous night so the basement was still pretty trashed. One of the bands that played had a giant cardboard/plastic vagina as a prop that was sitting in a corner and was covered in olive oil (yes, olive oil) to create a “wet” visual effect.

Being the young, innovative, individuals that we are, we all climbed into this giant wet vagina and did a Beatles-esque stack-up. It was pretty gross. Those pictures might not surface for awhile… Also Salvia…

Tell me about a coach you had as a child. What did you learn from them?

Rabble Rabble never went to school. We all coach each other and help each other out when we’re having life or other problems. Got have each others backs in a band like this, you never know when a fight is gonna break out.

For instance, we played at Mortville in January and there were some crust punks that were starting some shit with us. They were trying to grab our microphones and getting all up in our shit when Matt started strangling one of them and fighting him.

Kaylee saw what was going on and got out from behind her drums and started fighting these punks too and then Ralph and Todd joined in. It was an all out Band Vs. Audience brawl for a minute.

What do you like about Chicago, and what makes it special to you?

Chicago is a city of diversity. If you get sick of hanging out in Wicker Park getting wasted at the Flat Iron with a bunch of post-art school cats, then go to Pilsen and get mugged. Now that you don’t have a wallet, go to Lincoln park and peddle outside of the Pita Pit so you can get enough money to catch the 74 bus back to your apartment in Logan Square. Safe and sound!

Never a dull moment. Keeps you tired at the end of every day. Plus the sense of camaraderie and general love that is developing in the music community is a breath of fresh air compared to New York or L.A.

Tell me about your CHS session—what did you like about it? Was there anything that surprised you or was spontaneous that came out in the recording?

We recorded our set sometime in June just before Radar Eyes did. It was brutally hot. In fact it might have been one of the sweatiest one hour periods of our lives, and we have played many a sweaty basement shows. That day was exceptional hot however.

Also, our session includes two songs that at the time happen to be very new. “Why Not” and “Long Hook”. We are quite certain that both songs have grown a lot since then but it’ll be nice to hear the early stages of our first steps into new territory after recording our first LP “Bangover.”

What’s happening? What are your current/upcoming shows or releases?

We are doing a radio program on December 15th for Vocalo 89.5 FM. Then we have the Chicago Music Blogger Showcase at the Sub-T with White Mystery, Hollows and Radar Eyes on December 18th. That’s all that’s confirmed as of now. But we may be doing a few out of town gigs and a DIY space or two. November is gonna be filled with a lot of experimentation and new song writing.

As for releases, we are actually gonna release a full studio-recorded single of those two new songs that are on the CHS session, “Why Not” and “Long Hook” sometime early next year. We are also hard at work on new material for our next album and things are sounding EPIC! - CHIRP

Rabble Rabble played a show for the release of their new single Why Not/Long Hook on Gimme That Sound Productions at the Empty Bottle on Monday. The show was packed and everyone was feeling it. Two very awesome bands opened up for Rabble Rabble, Distractions and We Are Hex.

Distractions played first and were very quiet. Distractions have a nice down tempo sound. The band had almost eight members and many instruments. At times there were a three electronic keyboards going at once, and there was even a saxophone player, a few guitarists, bass, drums. The thing that caught my attention about Distractions was that even though they had a large amount of members in their band, they didn't seem to be stroking their ego. The band as a whole knew how to work together as a well oiled machine and I think that is something that is missing from a lot of music these days. Their guitarists weren't greedy taking up all the sound. Their singer didn't come off as the center of attention. Distractions was the perfect 'eye of the storm' to the hurricane that We Are Hex would bring next.

We Are Hex was about as impressive as a four piece band can get AND they've got a girl singer. What else could you ask for? I had never heard We Are Hex before they came on the stage, and I (as well as everyone else in the Empty Bottle) have converted to their intense blend of hardcore punk and freaky psychedelic rock. Every song We Are Hex played sounded better than the last and their energy never stopped. I almost felt that the crowd didn't give as much as the band did as there were some people standing still and some people giving the "Chicago Stare" while We Are Hex tore it up.

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Rabble Rabble was next and displayed their songs perfectly. They went through most of the songs their fans are familiar with. "Long Hook" was a total crowd pleaser, whether fans knew the song by heart or not as well as the older ones. They stepped right on stage and started ripping everyone's eardrums in half. There wasn't a moment of the show that the crowd wasn't dancing or banging around. There was even a mini-mosh pit that started to form towards the end, whether you think moshing at a psych show is appropriate or not, it was still pretty endearing.

Rabble Rabble's new single is ready for you to put in your record player and thrash around all summer. If you couldn't make it to the show, you can still stream the single, or buy it on vinyl or high quality digital download here. You can also listen to We Are Hex's new record here and Distractions here.



Continue reading on Examiner.com Show Review: Rabble Rabble Single Release with We Are Hex and Distractions - Chicago Local Bands | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/local-bands-in-chicago/show-review-rabble-rabble-single-release-with-we-are-hex-and-distractions#ixzz1Ru4Tsvye - examiner.com

We arrive to the Rabble Rabble 7" Release Show at Empty Bottle to find a line. It was 11:30, when they were scheduled to go on. Distractions and We are Hex played earlier.

10 minutes later...




Sold out. Everyone threw beer all over each other.


Rabble Rabble band dot com
- GONZO Chicago

Rabble Rabble, Chicago’s up-and-coming flower punk outfit, will become “video bloggers” for this year’s South By Southwest in Austin, Texas.

While Rabble Rabble won’t be playing any official South By South West shows, they will be taking Austin by storm in mid-March when they conquer the SXSW underground circuit with multiple parking lot shows, house parties and even gigs sponsored by PBR.

Luckily for us, the band will be documenting it all via a video blog, which will be seen exclusively right here on LoudLoopPress.com!


When Rabble Rabble aren’t throwing down some of the meanest psych-blues this side of the Mississippi River, they’ll bring their video camera wherever SXSW takes them. Expect to see Rabble Rabble running around Austin checking out other SXSW happenings, general band shenanigans and exclusive interviews with major acts, SXSW underground bands, concertgoers and even random street folk.

But seeing how Rabble Rabble are born and bred Chicagoans, they’ll focus in on windy city acts that are cavorting around the Texas capital. You’ll get an insider’s look at how the bands we love here in Chicago are handling themselves down in Austin.

When things slow down enough for the band to catch their breath, they’ll edit together a three to five-minute daily update with the best footage, interviews and general band craziness from the day. Then the next morning, the footage will go live right here.

Rabble Rabble’s first confirmed SXSW show is on Wednesday, March 16, so expect to see the first video blog shortly thereafter.

If you’ve ever wanted to see what really goes on at SXSW, Rabble Rabble’s video blog will no doubt keep you informed and entertained. For more information, check out RabbleRabbleBand.com or SXSW.com or keep it tuned right here!
- Loud Loop Press

rabble rabble played last night at the empty bottle and are off to SxSW to prove to the indie kids that CHICAGO really might be more hip than portland or brooklyn......

they play infectious psych influenced punked out garage..... yes some blue cheer, some stones, a bit of 80s post punk/college rock and a whole lotta of nuggets box set listening....

rabble rabble should be put in the record bins next to the black lips, wooden shjips and the oh sees.... though this is not some cookie cutter garage psych bullshit....this is great high energy fuckin rock n roll.

....check these guys out when they play their next show in chicago.....(or if you happen to by in austin.....) - Tiny Grooves

This post is going to start off my week of Chicago's psychdelic bands and who better to kick it off other than the hardest working psych band in the city? Rabble Rabble.

Their sound relies heavily on their signature post-punky Gang of Four inspired guitar based tracks. Instead of pulling on the super trippy, delayed, washed out, and freaky side of their psychedelic influences Rabble Rabble takes a side of the genre that is closer to where it came from. Something very raw, blusey, and Rolling Stones circa Majesties Request comes through the speakers and frankly, it almost sounds better when you turn it up all the way and you stereo can't handle it. You can get a taste of their live energy on their first live recordings here.

Their kick-ass mentality is what comes through in the music. It'll make you want to dance, headbang, groove, whatever your fancy. They combine the energy of a punk band with the organization and layers of a psychdelic band, and with that, they will are the perfect band to kick off this week of Chicago psychdelic bands.

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However, those are old and somewhat dated. The band plays shows frequently and has put themselves out there more than any artist in Chicago in the past year. You can stream their new album Bangover for free on the band's website here and grab a vinyl copy while you still can as well for $10 and be part of something grand.

Rabble Rabble will be playing a benefiet show for West Town Bikes, February 25th. You can find and add it to your calendar on Facebook here.

And if your'e going to Austin's SXSW, you'll be able to catch them there as well, holding down the fort for Chicago.



Continue reading on Examiner.com Chicago Psychedelic Week Day 1 - Rabble Rabble - Bangover - Chicago Local Bands | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/local-bands-in-chicago/rabble-rabble#ixzz1R9JoNiXZ - examiner.com

Chicago, IL – May 11, 2011. Chicago psych punks Rabble Rabble had the opportunity to record with renowned engineer Stephen George at his Hudson Valley-based Gimme That Sound Studios during the band's east coast summer tour of 2010. The recordings will be available on vinyl and digitally on Monday, May 23rd, 2011. In celebration, the band will be headlining a free show at Empty Bottle, Chicago, that night with We Are Hex and Distractions supporting. A subsequent two-week east coast tour kicks off June 1st.

Formed in 2008, Rabble Rabble has previously released an LP and two EPs, including a 2009 record documenting the band’s blistering live show. Rabble Rabble has showcased at SXSW and taken the Windy City by storm, landing features and airplay on Loud Loop Press, Deli Chicago, Windy City Rock, Radio One and CHIRP Radio.

George, who began his music career as a drummer for industrial rock pioneers Ministry, has built up an outstanding and eclectic resume as an audio engineer, having worked with Le Tigre, Mos Def and The Cars, amongst countless other influential artists.

Rabble Rabble (Ralph Darski (Guitar, Bass, Vocal), Todd McCafrey (Guitar, Bass, Vocal), Kaylee Preston (Drums), Matt Ciarleglio (Bass, Guitar, Vocal) cut two tracks with George, which he decided to release on his Gimme That Sound imprint, home to the Brooklyn-based indie rock band My Pet Dragon. “A” side “Why Not” is a grungy pile driver well suited for fans of classic Monster Magnet and Mudhoney, while “B” side “Long Hook” starts out as bratty garage rock before evolving into aggressive 21st century psychedelia a la Crystal Castles.

“ [Why Not] sounds like there’s a party in your ears and everyone’s tripping on acid” - Loud Loop Press

“[Long Hook] has bratty vocals and 60's spy guitar that evolve into a blistering acid freak-out!” - Radio One Chicago - Music Industry News Network

Ready to party? You should be as Chicago flower-punkers Rabble Rabble are about to release a brand new 7? that will no doubt be the soundtrack to your crazy summer Saturday nights.

The 7? was recorded during the band’s East Coast tour last summer at Gimme That Sound Studios with producer Stephen George at the controls and will be available digitally and on vinyl on Monday, May 23. The record features the two wildly awesome tracks “Why Not” and “Long Hook.” Of course, this wouldn’t be “LISTEN” post without a song, would it?

From the seven-inch’s A-side, we’ve got “Why Not” available for your listening pleasure. From the get go, “Why Not” hits with a full head of steam and never lets up with its frantic, guitar-heavy groove. The song sounds like there’s a party in your ears and everyone’s tripping on acid. Seriously. Anyway, listen to “Why Not” below:



Dig it? Then perhaps you’ll want to celebrate the 7? release with Rabble Rabble on Monday, May 23, at the Empty Bottle. And, like most Mondays at the bottle, the show is FREE! YEAH!!! - Loud Loop Press

Rabble Rabble used to be the band that showed up on just about every single good bill in Chicago. Then they were the band that documented their trip to Austin, TX, giving us one SXSW vlog a day. As if they weren’t already the hardest working band in Chicago (didn’t they just release a live LP in March?), now Rabble Rabble is finally going to be the band that takes over your record player.

During their tour of the east coast last summer, Rabble Rabble recorded two songs at Gimme That Sound Studios. The resulting 7? will be released on May 23rd at the Empty Bottle.

Now, I’ve never been overly impressed with Rabble Rabble’s recordings; I think they have much more to offer in a live setting. But the new 7? from Chicago’s psych poster boys (and girl) is a different story. The lead off track “Why Not?” gives listeners that same psychotic psychedelia they’ve come to know and love from Rabble Rabble, but this time in a more controlled environment. ”Why Not?” would feel right at home in any movie chase scene (think Duel on Acid).

The b-side, “Long Hook” sounds like a lost track from the Kinks’, Village Green Preservation Society, but on speed and a whole bunch more acid. Though most of the song is sung through three-piece chants, the lead vocals even sound like Dave Davies on this one.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Rabble Rabble’s new 7? at the Empty Bottle on May 23rd with Distractions and We Are Hex - Chicago Garage

Rabble Rabble recorded with producer Stephen George at Gimme That Sound Studios during the band's east coast summer tour of 2010. The recordings will be available on vinyl and digitally Monday, May 23rd. In celebration, the band headlines @ Empty Bottle, Chicago that night with We Are Hex and Distractions supporting; FREE show!


The first single, "Why Not", is a raunchy garage stomper that's perfect for any dingy punk pub. Mix in a little psychedelic rock guitar solo and you've got a pretty good mix.

"Long Hook" sets it off with manically spuddering guitars that evolve into another mind melting psychedelic guitar solo. Looking forward to what else these guys have to offer with their new record out this month. - Royal Jelly

When they describe the music of RABBLE RABBLE as “scorching,” you better not take it for granted, because before you know it you will be face down in the dirt wondering what just the hell just hit you.

Chicago’s own obliterating psych-freaks Rabble Rabble have a new 7? freshly recorded under their belt, and with the help of Gimme That Sound Productions, will release their 7? to the masses on May 23rd. Filling that out is over seven minutes of absolutely sprawling and unsettling psych-punk with a hell of a nasty attitude – coming together with roaring guitars, throbbing bass lines, and fierce vocals, which makes for a colossal sound that will knock your pants off and singe your eyebrows clean off your head. These guys don’t give it a rest from the moment things kick off in “Why Not,” which is a highly entertaining number that has some unexpected changes to keep you on your toes at all times. Amongst the fury you’ll find shredded guitar chords, electrified solos and enough energy to push you into next week. Hear for yourself in these fiery jams below! - The Styrofoam Drone

Local rousers Rabble Rabble will release a new single on vinyl and digital download Monday. The single has two new tracks, “Why Not” and “Long Hook,” recorded at a converted barn a recent East Coast tour stop--an apt setting, because of how the quintet’s manic blend of punk and psychedelia translates in concert. (Which is to say, “barn-burning” is an entirely appropriate adjective).
“Why Not” introduces a post-punk edge into the group’s sound, with the two-chord stomp and staccato yells sitting nicely against classic Fugazi tracks like “Margin Walker” and “Lockdown.” (The wah-wah-heavy breakdowns and solos are more akin to Ride’s early EPs).
“Long Hook,” meanwhile, has a surf-y new-wave vibe with counterpointing guitars and a brisk tempo doing the musical heavy work.
Rabble squared will celebrate the release of the new single with a free show at The Empty Bottle on Monday. Plustapers Distractions and LA-based We Are Hex also play.
To listen to “Why Not” and “Long Hook,” head to Rabble Rabble’s bandcamp page. - Chicagoist

Got this thrown my way and thought I would tell the internet what I thought about it...

Rabble Rabble is a band from Chicago. That's a great quality to have in a band... being from Chicago. The city apparently breeds a sort of artful grit and attitude unmatched by places like LA, San Francisco, and New York. Chicago bands have a sort of uninstigated confidence that makes their music seem important. Rabble Rabble reflects this phenomenon fantastically. This single is a delightful psych/garage adventure which exudes both professionalism and playfulness. A noisy yet "together" pop sensibility An experimental maturity. It's a Chicago thang...
The 7" specifically is a melodic bag full of reverberated wah and catchy vocal hooks. It's almost like a psychedelic grunge thing. Like a psychedelic version of Mudhoney... (maybe that's just me). I like it.

P.S. Everything I just said about Chicago is probably bullshit... except the part about the band. They are still great. Listen to this.
- History In A Minor Key

During the summer of 2010 Chicago psych punk rockers Rabble Rabble stopped by a barn in upstate New York to record a session with producer Stephen George for Gimme That Sound Productions. The recordings will officially be released on 7-inch and digitally Monday, May 23. In celebration the band is playing a free show at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. Rabble Rabble will be supported by We Are Hex and Distractions. For those who live outside the Chicago limits, you can check out the band’s latest singles, “Why Not” and “Long Hook” bellow.
- Pop Matters

Releasing a single these days is not what it used to be. Most people don’t own a record player or even know how to use them. It used to be that a rock band could put their best two songs on a smaller vinyl that would give you a taste of their new album and direction. Also, before the days of MP3s making, stealing and acquiring music easier than ever conceivable in the past, people actually spent money on music without knowing if they’d like it or not. And there weren’t awesome websites like Pop ‘stache that were out there to help you along the way.

That is where the lost art form of the single had its niche for years. Up until the 1990s, people were still making singles on CDs. I remember getting a few when I was younger and finding that sometimes there’d be an extra track or two that wasn’t on the real album, or there’d be a different edit of the song altogether. After Napster and music downloading killed what was the music industry, there has been a resurgence in vinyls and the life of the single.

The only people buying music now are the true audiophiles; the people who go to shows every weekend and actually care about supporting a band with their hard earned money. The people who know if they get some merchandise it’ll mean the difference between the band being able to make it to another show or not.

That said, Chicago’s Rabble Rabble has cornered the market on what a contemporary single release should look like.

Rabble Rabble threw a single release party earlier in May to mark the release of their newest two songs, “Long Hook” and “Why Not?” They brought local Chicago band Distractions to open up the set, and Indianapolis hard rockers We Are Hex built up the energy before Rabble Rabble took the stage.

The vinyl was for sale at the merch table the whole night. Rabble Rabble members were in and out of the bar as people hung out and watched the other bands. The digital tracks were up for streaming a week or so before the show, so people addicted to the information age could get a taste of the tracks before the show. Rabble Rabble took the stage and killed it.

They took the manic energy that was in the air and created the perfect canvas to display their old songs against their two new singles and created a great show for everyone there.

“Long Hook” and “Why Not?” are stylistically Rabble Rabble’s best. They have taken their own personal blend of chaotic and bubbling over energy that long time fans have grown to know as Rabble’s signature. “Long Hook” is a ghostly track that shows Rabble Rabble has grown as a band.

If their debut work was Rabble learning to walk and subsequent releases after that were Rabble learning to run and jump, this single is Rabble showing us that they can do handsprings and back flips. This single is Rabble Rabble showing they can do macroeconomics tripping on LSD while juggling knives. Both songs are fluid and confident. They have that mix of punk and psychedelic kicked up to 11 so you’ll know its Rabble Rabble without question.

This is the way a single should be dropped. Most of the time when you ask someone what a ”single” means to them, they’ll say something about Lady Gaga or the Top 40. The real, beating heart lifeblood of the single is nowhere near those categories. - Pop Stache

This is a live band. Rabble Rabble's draw is healthy enough that last Halloween, despite playing against a Roky Erickson show, the band packed a performance at a venue that will remain nameless.

At times in concert, the group presents a Black Lips styled garage, but in this Giant System video, the quartet seems to have moved towards out-music: those ghostly moans bedding down atop a persistent bass line and messy, yet appropriate drumming. - Time Out Chicago

Describing Chicago quartet Rabble Rabble’s music as “punk” is wrong. I say this not because I hold some idealized standard of what punk rock should be, but because it’s too simple to be accurately descriptive. Rabble Rabble’s music fully embodies the punk rock spirit on its latest album Bangover through frenzied, disjointed compositions while managing to incorporate blues and psychedelic rock influences.


Named for the inevitable discomfort that follows a night of extreme headbanging, Bangover captures what it feels like to attend a Rabble Rabble show. To do this, the band decided to capture a few of the tracks live in its practice space. Album opener “Doubt it,” is one of those tracks.

“Doubt It” takes the listener to that space by including the obligatory pre-show chatter that one would encounter at any show. The chatter fades as bassist Matt Ciarleglio kicks off the song with a groovy, swirling bass line. Vocalist and guitarist Ralph Darski lets out a distant, ghostly wail throughout the song. It becomes his signature as the rest of the album roars on.

Second track “$300 Hoodie” keeps the momentum going, emitting a wild psychedelic rock guitar jam – featuring guitarist and co-vocalist Todd McCafrey – that should have you swaying in your chair if not out of your seat and dancing. Songs like “Baptism,” “Cheatin’ Blues” and album closer “Take Me Home” showcase Rabble Rabble’s country-tinged blues chops with chugging guitar riffs and speedy drums beats (courtesy of Kaylee Preston).

“Romba” is the definitive Bangover song, encapsulating the entire Rabble Rabble experience into a three-minute long song. It is a multi-layered, fast-paced punk-style jam with vocalists Darski and McCafrey trilling and ghostly hollering over the entire experience.

There are no dull moments on Bangover. Rabble Rabble recreates its live experience and leaves the listener yearning to be in that room with them. If for nothing else than to show off some kick-ass dance moves inspired by the band’s frenetic jams. - Loud Loop Press

Chicago quartet Rabble Rabble has quickly been making a name for themselves in the eclectic Midwestern music scene. Between being voted Chicago band of the month in the November 2009 issue of Deli Magazine, to playing the exclusive launch party of the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP), Rabble Rabble continues to gain a rabid following of its psychedelic blues rock.
With solid and fantastic beats from drummer Kaylee Preston, swirling surf-like guitars and rolling bass from Ralph Darski, Todd McCafrey, and Matt Ciarleglio respectively, their particular brand of psych rock sounds like a combination of The Centurians and The Lively Ones — though, mixed with some Cream and slight Hendrix licks. “Lady” starts off with a quick blues riff and driving drums, coupled with a great howling vocal line. “Take Me Home” leans more toward the surf rock side of things and delivers a fantastic punch.

Their live shows are known to be stuffed with high energy and all the expected psychedelics, promising nothing but a raucous good time. They have a few gigs planned out for 2010 in the Chicago area, and are currently working on snagging more for the future. As with most bands today, they do a lot of DIY work, and have released a few limited release cassettes, which they sell at their shows (Can someone explain this new cassette obsession these days?).

Unlike most buzz bands today, however, I’ve heard great things about Rabble Rabble not from the internet, but from surrounding friends. In fact, it seems like this band prides themselves on this sort of old-school approach. While they have a good handful of songs to sample on their MySpace page — which I highly suggest you go check out — you’re really better off seeking their live show. Their sound fits this style, though. It’s just the right combination of grime & shine and blues & drugs that always make for a good ol’ time.

So, if you’re in the Chicago area, or you’re just looking for something new and fantastic to get your mind off of work, check out Rabble Rabble. I might not be a friend of yours, but I promise they won’t disappoint.
- Consequence of Sound

Rabble Rabble used to be one of those bands that seem to turn up on every third bill in town. By their own estimate, in 2009 they played more than 80 times in Chicago. And this year they had 35 shows between January and early July, when they left for almost a month on a tour of the south and east coast.

Singer and guitarist Ralph Darski, who founded Rabble Rabble about four years ago with fellow singer-guitarist Todd McCafrey, knows that local gigs often provide diminishing returns. Playing a lot can get your band in front of a lot of people, but it also tends to burn out your regular fans. "January of this year we played seven shows in the city. Which is insane to think about. . . . I mean, why the fuck would you do that? It was kind of stupid in terms of the business end of being a band," he says. "But I mean, we love playing shows and having a good time. So we'd play a bunch of DIY shows and Cole's." Not at all by coincidence, Cole's is where Darski and bassist Matt Ciarleglio have arranged to meet me—the Logan Square dive is one of their regular neighborhood bars.

Constant gigging not only whipped the band into shape—they're now an enviably tight rock machine—but also colored the content of their lyrics. "A lot of the songs are just about that," Darski says. "Just kind of playing shows. And having a good time. And being with your friends and your community."

Bands that play out as often as Rabble Rabble has don't usually keep it up forever. A lot of them simply wear themselves out and break up—it can be pretty tough on morale to work so hard if your crowds aren't getting any bigger. Luckier bands get popular enough to move up to better slots on bills at larger venues, where it's even more important to have a good draw—meaning the economics of the business discourage playing every week.

This looks to be the direction Rabble Rabble are heading. Over the past few months they've gone from being the band whose name you see on every flyer in town to the band you see talked about on every music blog in town—including popular outlets like Loud Loop Press and Consequence of Sound. They've also hit several of the other milestones you tend to see these days in the bios of up-and-coming Chicago indie-rock bands, like releasing a cassette version of their 2009 EP Jailbait on Plustapes last November, being filmed in their practice space for a Giant System video in July 2009, and racking up spins on CHIRP Radio.

In August Rabble Rabble released their debut LP, Bangover, on Commune Records, a label they run with the bands Great Society Mind Destroyers and Dark Fog. (It was the first vinyl LP for Commune, which started as a CD-R label in March 2009.) Since then the band has attracted even more attention, and the album's ten songs are good enough that I can only imagine bigger things on the way.

The four members of Rabble Rabble have distinctly different musical tastes. Darski is a huge fan of psych rockers like the 13th Floor Elevators and the Black Angels. McCafrey's the "pop Beatles guy" of the group. Ciarleglio is into punk and garage, and loves the Stooges and early Stones. And drummer Kaylee Preston has a singular combination of favorites: hip-hop and psychobilly. Thankfully Bangover—the name comes from the particular kind of neck pain you get the day after a night of head banging—doesn't simply careen from one style to the next. (Just thinking about a psychobilly song segueing into a power-pop cut makes my ears hurt.) Rather they've agreed upon a common ground at the nexus of stomping garage, tense punk, and acid-fried psychedelia. The Stooges comparisons they've earned in reviews—like the one CHIRP posted alongside an interview on the station's blog—aren't just hyperbole.

Rabble Rabble are pretty committed to the do-it-yourself ethos, and their label isn't the only thing they help run. Darksi was part of the crew that opened the Logan Square coffee shop Cafe Mustache over the summer, and Ciarleglio does sound for DIY shows at places like the Crown Tap Room, which hosts a sporadic schedule of garage rock. (Their ventures occasionally overlap—Commune recently released a compilation CD of music curated by Cafe Mustache.) The band recorded Bangover on their own, working in their Humboldt Park practice space with extremely modest gear.

"It was really ghetto," says Ciarleglio. "I mean we have a pretty small space. It's maybe like 15 by 10. And we just brought in mattresses and blankets and just sectioned off all the instruments and totally ghetto rigged everything."

"We couldn't even see each other because there was a mattress in the middle of the room," Darski adds.

"It was literally like we were playing in some, like, childhood insane asylum," Ciarleglio says. "It was kind of cool. Maybe you can hear a little of that."

I definitely get some couch-fort anarchy from the record—its fidelity is low, but it crackles with energy. "The album is about us playing live," says Darski. "And we wanted to give that experience as much as possible."

One of Bangover's highlights is a song called "$300 Hoodie." It's got maniacal dueling lead guitars, a chorus that sounds even more like the Stooges than usual, and one of my favorite song titles in forever. At first I thought it was about the superexpensive hoodies you can find at places like Barneys, but it turns out the story behind it is funnier than that. "Todd, he basically bought this hoodie from American Apparel, I believe," Darski says. "And he thought he had enough money in his bank account to cover this hoodie. He was like, 'Oh, I think I'm going have a dollar left in my bank account after I buy this.' And he ended up getting some fucking charges on his bank account and it cost him like three hundred dollars. He was like, 'I'm so pissed off because I owe this bank account like a hundred dollars for buying this hoodie.' And so he came into practice and he just started playing this riff and we made a song that night."

In the spring the band plans to release a seven-inch recorded on this summer's tour with former Ministry drummer Stephen George, who has a studio in a refurbished barn in upstate New York—it's coming out on his label, Gimme That Sound. They've got some shows booked as well, including a December 18 Beats and Blogs concert organized by a coalition of 18 Chicago music blogs, at least five of which—CHIRP, Giant System, Loud Loop Press, Coach House Sounds, and the Deli—have recently featured Rabble Rabble. They're also playing on New Year's Eve, though they're keeping the location under wraps for now.

In 2011 it's going to be a bit harder to catch them out. They're finally starting to dial back the frequency of their local performances, saying no to almost all of the five or six show offers Darski says they get in an average week. Since returning from tour in August they've played a relatively sane seven times in town. They need to avoid spreading their crowd too thin and pissing off venues—and it's just as important to look after their own mental health.

"Sometimes it's fun to meet these bands and people at shows," Darski says. "It ends up being a nice connection. But that's far and far between. I mean, if you play three shows a week, the chances that all three shows are going to be great are very slim." - Chicago Reader