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Short Punks features a revolving collective of Chicago musicians. "Rosie the Cat" features the tremendous talents of former Bakelite 78 harmonica-whiz Bob Kessler, who also added clarinet and loops to SPiL's most recent songs.

In the fall of 2009, SPiL invited Brian's Ten Hundred bandmate Kevin Henretta, formerly of Plastics Hi-Fi and Dead Electric, to add his distinctive guitar solos and melodic sensibility to a batch of new tunes. Also joining SPiL for some fall and winter dates will be the dynamic rhythm duo of bassist/songwriter Peter Strand and drummer Peter Manis, also of Mystery Train and the Blue State Cowboys.

Brian started playing guitar at 16 after listening to the Velvet Underground, The Replacements, and Jimi Hendrix. He performed in several shoegazer bands in college and formed postpunk trio The Confessors with friends Andy and Tris in Connecticut in 1995. They recorded three EPs and gigged around the Northeast at clubs including TT the Bear's in Boston and CBGBs in New York City.

Pearl became a violin-playing Suzuki kid while growing up in upstate New York and later studied bluegrass fiddle at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Recalling her affection for Larry Mullen, Jr., she took up the drums in 2005 and played her first gig as a drummer with Brian at The Red Line Tap in Chicago in 2006. In addition to adding violin, percussion, and backing vocals to SPiL, she began playing guitar in 2008 and has been writing new songs for the band.

SPiL will be playing full band shows and scaled-down acoustic shows in the autumn of 2009. Come out and see us, or write to us for a copy of one of our CDs!