DeKalb Rocks Reunion poster

I went to school in DeKalb Illinois at Northen Illinois University from 1986-1990. It was a great time to be there as the peer group I met in the visual arts and in the music community was truly gifted as well as insane. When I was in High School I saw Blatant Dissent open up for Naked Raygun at the metro in the fall of 1985, my senior year. They were amazing. I bought the "Is there a Fear " single from their singer, John Mohr and chatted him up on the DeKalb Scene "You'll love it! There's great clubs like Two Fools and bands like Ring 13!" I was so excited.
Cut to 25 or so years later. My time at NIU resulted in an art degree, some deep friendships and a total obsession with music. I was lucky enough to work at the college town record store, Record Revolution (which sadly, like so many other music stores has now closed for good) and put on punk shows with my pal Greg Dunlap, (Defoliants, Jesus Lizard, Friends of Betty, Tar, Watchmen...the list goes on)with whom we put out a music fanzine called THIS.
So this facebook group pops up called "DeKalb Rocks". Reminiscing starts, and before you know it, Tom Rose has organized a freaking REUNION of bands that havent played in some cases 25 years. 2 nights at the Abbey pub in Chicago and Otto's in DeKalb, respectively. Blatant Dissent. Subverts. Ring 13. Happy Hunting. Otis Ball and the Chains. The Service. Dan Chambers even played a few SMILE songs. (If there could be a SMILE reunion, I could be a happy, happy man.)
Mike Greenlees and John Mohr and Otis all emailed me at the same time and asked if I could make a poster. How could I say no? Or, in the words of Blatant Dissent "How could I lose?"

I tried to keep the drawing loose and punk, like the way I wished I could have drawn back in college. DeKalb is sort of famous for Corn, if ya didnt already know.

Here's hoping it happens again next year!!!