It's a cool autumn afternoon in south suburban Will County, just outside Chicago, and Bradley Ard is running around N0where Studios like a madman.

"We're working on three albums, several singles, plus my new band (Radio Nowhere) and the guys from (blues artists) Blister Kings (formerly known as punk rockers The Experiment) are rehearsing here tonight." He pauses for a second as he cues up a track on the studio's mastering workstation. "We have a lot of cool stuff happening that's going to blow a lot of people's minds."

Indeed, the track, "Breakdown", from Blister Kings' upcoming debut album, is very good. Nothing Earth-shattering, but the rhythm section of Rufus Aaronson and James Kryszewski is tight, new frontman/guitarist Johnny Miller's playing is stellar, and keyboardist Chester Layton is an excellent addition.

We listen to two more tracks, the Buddy Guy cover "Damn Right I Still Got the Blues", and a blistering cover of Eric Clapton's Old Love, before he pops the CD out of the player. "That's all you get for now. I think that album is going to put them into the stratosphere".

The next music he plays is decidedly different. The guitar track is driving, familiar. The playing on the track is stellar. After the long intro, the vocal gives it away as a note-perfect cover of Rush's "The Analog Kid". "This is one I wanted to cover for a long time, and I'm so glad I found a band that can pull it of. I had jammed with (bassist) Sam (Andowicz) and (drummer) John (Taylor) off and on or years, but neither of them really wanted to commit to anything. These guys had day jobs they were happy with. Luckily, the circumstances were right, and I finally talked them into doing something." Rounding out the band is lead guitarist Paula Shizuka, who plays a note-for-note solo on the track.

After listening to a track from former cohorts Pressure Plate (he's helping engineer and produce their upcoming major label debut, and judging from what I hear, it's fantastic), we sit down and discuss what led to the splintering of the collective that spawned these bands, the departure of his former frontwoman, and the future of music in Chicago.

CST: So, what happened with The Experiment?

BA: We broke up.

CST: Okay, so what led to (frontwoman) Yumi Kazakawa departing the band?

BA: Umm... You'd probably be better off asking her that. I personally don't know what she was thinking. We were finally having some success, the future was bright, I just... I wish I knew. If you figure it out, let me know.

CST: So you wish her the best?

BA: I suppose. I mean, I really wish things could have kept going, but whatever, what happened is what happened, and now we have two great bands that rose out of that.

CST: So why didn't you just rejoin Pressure Plate? Why strike out on your own?

BA: Well, we'd gotten Christina in the band after Yumi asked me to help her get The Experiment going, and the chemistry she has with those guys is amazing. She's a far better fit than I ever was, and their popularity and recent success is proof of that. She's an amazing player, and I wasn't going to kick her out just because my own band had fallen apart.

CST: What about Rufus and James? Why not carry on with them?

BA: They really wanted to do the blues thing, and I wanted something completely different after the way things went. That's their background, it's what they do best. So we found Johnny and Chester, and the four of them just clicked. It's fantastic. I've been to a few of their shows. Man, they kill it, night after night.

CST: So no bitterness?

BA: None, man. I love those guys.

CST: Did you consider finding a new frontwoman or fronting the band yourself? (ed: Bradley is fronting Radio Nowhere)

BA: Not really. Those songs were Yumi's, and after she left, we more or less put all that to bed.

CST: Any chance at a reunion down the road?

BA: With Pressure Plate, definitely. We have a Christmas thing planned, a big concert, and all our bands are going to be there, so I'm sure we're going to be jamming with each other.

CST: What about an Experiment reunion?

BA: Umm... Probably not.

CST: So you're leaving the door open?

BA: It's closed. Next topic?

CST: Uh, sure. So, when can we expect the albums to come out?

BA: Some time in the next few weeks. I'm so excited about all these. Even Tim (DJ Strike) has some new stuff in the pipeline. He's been doing a lot of recording in his home studio and bringing it by for everyone to listen to. Great stuff! We're just working on overseas distribution, and I think his album will be out shortly after the others.

CST: So that's four new albums?

BA: Yeah. Exciting times, man!

CST: So what's the future hold here in Chicago?

BA: The scene here is so healthy right now. There's a ton of good bands just waiting to be noticed, and we're doing everything we can to help spread the wealth on that. We're going to take over the world. Right now, this is the center of the rock universe. Walk into any club or bar on any night, and you're going to hear good music, and not just bar bands regurgitating covers. Original, new stuff. It's a really good time to be a musician in Chicago right now.

CST: What about for the GranTurismo Collective?

BA: Well, that's been dissolved. Plate got their major label deal, Rufus and James are doing their thing, Tim is killing it. We're all doing our own thing. I mean, yeah, we're all still friends, we all still hang out, I helped write a couple tracks on Plate's album, I'm engineering the sessions for those bands, Mike (Van Goren) is producing my band's sessions, so yeah, we're all still working together. We're just not tied to each other. I am going to put out Blister Kings' first album on the old label (N0where Records), as well as my band's, but after that, when they get a major label deal, then they'll be there. I'm also going to put Tim's solo stuff out, which I'm happy about. But as for being one big unit, no, that's done. It didn't work out how we all had hoped. I still consider those guys family, though, and always will.

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Gene Helmund, Chicago Sun Times

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Pressure Plate is:

Chris Johnson (Vocals)
Mike Van Goren (Guitars)
Pete McNaughty (Bass)
Tim Strike (Keys/Turntables)
Eric Van Goren (Drums)
Christina Polito (Keys/Guitars)

Blister Kings are:

Johnny Miller (Vocals/Guitar)
Rufus Aaronson (Bass)
James Krzyzewski (Drums)
Chester Layton (Hammond Organ)


Radio Nowhere are:

Bradley Ard (Guitars/Vocals/Keyboards)
Sam Andowicz (Bass/Vocals/Keyboards)
John Taylor (Drums/Samples)
Paula Shizuka (Guitars)