After the February 2005 release of his first solo CD, Bob Musial is poised to break the tag of local musician. For the past five years, Musial has been performing for thousands of people as the singer/songwriter for the modern rock band, Planet Strange.
He has taken the next step in a direction, that of a solo artist.
Many of you may have seen him perform somewhere in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs over the past 10 plus years. His bands have been an opening act for a diverse array of acts, from Guster and America, to The Fixx and Outfield to Harvey Danger and even the Marshall Tucker band. Musial’s band Planet Strange continues to have their CD played in rotation at US Cellular field during Chicago White Sox home games. Some of his songs were used as a music bed for Jade Dragon Tattoo Parlor TV spots and featured on MTV Undressed. His bands have all been featured on some local radio music show and cable access television.
Lately, he has been performing as a solo act. He has been a regular at the House of Blues songwriter in the round series on Mondays. You may have seen or heard him at numerous Borders Books & Music Stores, formerly a regular at Potbelly Sandwich Works in Lombard, IL. He has hosted Open Mic Night at J.D. Muggs in Addison, IL. You might have even caught him on the Carmen & Silvy show on ESPN radio. Bob has been doing his fair share of performing all over.
Now, his long awaited full-length solo CD is available to sell at shows. The debut disc logs nine original songs and one cover by a Tucson, Arizona band known as the Sidewinders
(Rich Hopkins of the Sidewinders produced Musial’s first ever CD release by his previous band, The Scapegoats) thus, paying homage by covering a personal favorite track of theirs.
Adding their talents to this solo release is a couple of Bob’s good friends. Featured on several tracks is violinist John Ling, and providing some great harmonies is Dan Cramer, a longtime friend who now resides in Wisconsin. Both of these musicians join Musial at shows from time to time, when their schedules permit.
Musial takes great pride in his music and has devoted two and a half years into making this CD. “I only hope people will give it more than one listen,” Musial states from his Villa Park home. He continues, “This is how most songs were created, on just a guitar with vocals. I wanted to keep that vibe on this CD and not add much instrumentation.”
