Pete Dio has been busier than a vulture on roadkill with recent studio time and area gigging. 

First up, Pete Dio and The Old & Dirty just released a three-minute ditty titled “So Long, Good Luck & Goodbye.” 

“It’s just one of those tried-and-true self-motivational breakup songs,” Dio said. “We refer to it as the country funk.” 

The song was recorded at the old Off the Cuff Recording Studio location and mixed at the new spot. This gem is accompanied by a killer cover pic by Travis Grunawalt of a 1953 Harley Panhead parked in front of the downtown St. Joseph Hospital demolition. It is about time someone took advantage of that photo opportunity and leave it up good ol’ Pete to do so. 

The single will be on the upcoming release, Hoosier Honky Tonk, which Dio hopes to release this year. Be on the lookout for another single to be released before then. 

In addition, Dio’s southern punk outfit Snakehandler Church recently made their Cheap Heat EP available on all the major streaming platforms, previously available only on Bandcamp. With titles such as “Drones of Jehovah” and “Burn and Bleed,” you must give it a whirl. 

Snakehandler also just wrapped up studio time with plans of releasing a four-song EP titled Electric Baptism before the end of the year. It is currently being mastered, so it won’t be long. There are also plans to combine both EPs for a full-length physical release which will make a nice stocking stuffer. 

Burial Party EP this month

Burial Party have released a new single, “Burial Party,” from their upcoming Burial Party EP.

Using the band’s name as a song and album title puts them in company with the likes of Iron Maiden, Bad Company, Black Sabbath, and Run the Jewels.

Guitarist Dan Kinnaley recorded, produced, and mixed the five-song effort at his studio, Chipped Tooth Audio, and the mastering was done by Paul Bennett Audio in Valparaiso. 

The EP will be released Oct. 28 with a shindig at The Brass Rail. There, you will be able to feast your ears on the new numbers and get your hands on a cassette of the release. That’s right, folks: the audio cassette is making a comeback. The EP will also be available on your favorite streaming site which is where you can also give the first single a listen. 

Plumdingo mixes things up

Plumdingo is getting a makeover. 

With guitarist Tim Becker’s recent departure, the rest of the crew did a little shuffling, and is now Dusty Brown (vocals/keys), Tracy Earle (drums), Maurice Turner (vocals/guitar), and Travis Brown (bass). 

Turner and Brown had split bass duties depending who was available, but now Turner will strap on the six-stringer. 

“Maurice has a whole long list of great music to add to the shows,” Brown said. “He brings a new energy we really needed. It’s really a whole new type of energy, better than ever.” 

With this different energy, the rock outfit has taken on a whole new identity. That’s why they plan to change the name of the band. That unveiling will take place at their Pike’s Pub show Oct. 28. 

They are also scheduled to perform at Fright Night downtown Oct. 15 and at A’s Bar Code on Oct. 21.

906 Band gets new drummer

Chris Hambrick has recently taken over drumming duties for The 906 Band

Many of you know Hambrick by his solo gigging around town and drum beating for Book of Chill

“The 906 shows are going great,” he said. “We are firing on all cylinders.”

In case you have yet to see The 906 Band, they perform covers from the likes of Dirty Honey, Halestorm, Fleetwood Mac, Greta Van Fleet, and Heart

You can still catch Hambrick strapping on the guitar for his solo performances. Some upcoming 906 shows include Bar 13 on Oct. 22, Rex’s Rendezvous in Warsaw on Oct. 29, and The Latch String on Nov. 4. 

Straightjackets release single

It is hard to believe it’s been six months since Neon Straightjackets released their three-song EP, Scatterbrain. The last leg of shows for the release are coming up before they take a breather and buckle down on a new album. 

They recently released “worryworryworry.,” the first single off the new effort. 

“The song is about struggling with anxiety and depression that comes from living in the lower middle class and going paycheck to paycheck in today’s world … essentially the existential feeling of dread when you become an adult and you’re out on your own,” vocalist/guitarist Larry Stahl said. 

You can catch Neon Straightjackets at Piere’s (Stan’s Room) on Saturday, Oct. 15, alongside local standouts Jonah Leatherman, Jaydid, and Funk Landlords, and at O’Sullivans on Saturday, Oct. 22 with The Last Plane Home and Bebop and The Rocksteadys

Namby Pamby album due out

Mark your calendars: The Namby Pamby will release their long-awaited debut album, Marketplace, on Nov. 12 on all streaming platforms. 

There will be a release party at The Brass Rail that evening with guest performers, physical copies of the release, and merch. 

Stay tuned to Whatzup for further details.