Dramatic Sneezer, Nat’s band in Rock Star Romance and the remainder of The Rock Star’s Wife series, hails from the fictional Chicago suburb of Vienna-on-the-Lake. A number of well-known and up-and-coming bands call the Midwest home. Here are 20 bands from the Midwest. For the purposes of this blog, the Midwest is the Great Lake states and Iowa.
Illinois
Bands from Chicago have their own post. Click here to read more.
Bands from downstate Illinois also have their own post. Click here to read more.
Indiana
Sirens
Sirens at Warped Tour in Indianapolis in 2013. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Sirens formed in Terre Haute in 2011. Current members are Joey Fenoglio (frontman), Logan Pollaro ( guitar 2014–present) and Zhea Erose (drums, electronics). The band has released one album. It performed on Warped Tour 2013.
Iowa
Slipknot
Slipknot at Metaltown 2009. Photographer: BiblioteKarin. Public Domain.
Slipknot formed in Des Moines in 1995. The band is known for its costumes and masks. Its fans, known as Maggots, have a reputation for rowdiness and have been known to set fires at outdoor venues, among other things.
Slipknot’s members went through a period of drugs, alcohol and partying early in their careers, and the band has gone through a number of lineup changes. Current members are Corey Taylor (frontman), Mick Thomson (guitar), Jim Root (guitar), Alessandro Venturella (bass), Jay Weinberg (drums), Shawn Crahan (percussion), Michael Pfaff (percussion), and Sid Wilson (turntables and keyboard).
The band has released seven albums, the most recent, The End, So Far, in 2002.
Stone Sour
Stone Sour at Heineken Jammin’ Festival 2007. Photogragher: HeavyMezza89. Public Domain.
Stone Sour formed in Des Moines in 1992. It released six albums before going on hiatus in 2020. Its most recent album, Hydrograd, was released in 2017.
Members are Corey Taylor (frontman and guitar), Josh Rand (guitar), Christian Martucci (guitar), Johny Chow (bass) and Roy Mayorga (drums).
Michigan
Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet onstage at the Red River Valley Fair, West Fargo, North Dakota, July 14, 2017. Photographer: Troy Larson. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Greta Van Fleet formed in Frankenmuth in 2012. Current members are Josh Kiszka (frontman), Jake Kiszka (guitar), Sam Kiszka (bass and keyboards) and Danny Wagner (drums).
The band has released three albums, most recently Starcatcher in 2023.
I Prevail
I Prevail in 2017. Photographer: Fearlesscontent. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
I Prevail formed in Southfield in 2013. Current members are Brian Burkheiser (clean vocals),
Eric Vanlerberghe (clean and unclean vocals), Steve Menoian (lead guitar), Dylan Bowman, (rhythm guitar) and Gabe Helguera (drums).
The band has released three albums, most recently True Power in 2022.
Pop Evil
Pop Evil performing in 2016. Photographer: Ralph Arvesen. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Pop Evil formed in North Muskegon in 2001. Current members are Leigh Kakaty (frontman), Nick Fuelling (lead guitar), Dave Grahs (rhythm guitar), Joey Walser (bass) and Hayley Cramer (drums).
The band has released seven albums, most recently Skeletons in 2023.
The Raconteurs
The Raconteurs in Stockholm in 2006. Photographer: Frida Borjeson. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
The Raconteurs formed in Detroit in 2005. Current members are Jack White (frontman and guitar), Brendan Benson (guitar), Jack Lawrence (bass), and Patrick Keeler (drums).
The band has released three albums, most recently Help Us Stranger in 2019.
Taproot
Taproot in 2013. Photographer: Dsbrneyedgrl. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Taproot formed in Ann Arbor in 1997. Current members are Stephen Richards (frontman and rhythm guitar), Taylor Roberts (lead guitar), Phil Lipscomb (bass) and Jarrod Montague (drums).
The band has released seven albums, most recently SC\SSRS in 2023.
The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe 2015. Photographer: Anthony Norkus. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
The Verve Pipe formed in East Lansing in 1992. Current members are Brian Vander Ark (frontman), Brad Vander Ark, Channing Lee, Lou Musa, Randy Sly and Zach Dubay.
The band has released seven albums, most recently Threads in 2021.
The White Stripes
Meg & Jack White at Primavera Sound 2007 in Barcelona. Photographer: Michael Morel. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
The White Stripes formed in Detroit in 1997. Members were Jack White (frontman, guitar, piano, and bass) and Meg White (drums and percussion).
The band released six albums before breaking up in 2011.
Minnesota
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum in Urbana, Illinois, in 2010. Zweiter von links: Michael Bland (drums), Mitte: Dave Pirner (front man), Rechts: Dan Murphy (guitarist). Photographer: Daniel Schwen. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Soul Asylum formed in Minneapolis in 1981. Current members are Dave Pirner (frontman and rhythm guitar), Ryan Smith (lead guitar), Jeremy Tappero (bass), Winston Roye (bass) and Michael Bland (drums).
The band has released 12 albums, most recently Hurry Up and Wait in 2020.
Ohio
Beartooth
Beartooth at Rock am Ring 2019. Photographer: Andreas Lawen, Fotandi. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Beartooth formed in Columbus in 2012. Current members are Caleb Shomo (frontman), Zach Huston (lead guitar), Will Deely (rhythm guitar), Oshie Bichar (bass) and Connor Denis (drums).
The band has released four albums, most recently Below in 2021.
Black Veil Brides
Black Veil Brides performing at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, on April 30, 2022. Photographer: Zeddawg. Public Domain.
Black Veil Brides formed in Cincinnati in 2006, although it is now based in Hollywood. The band is known for body paint, black face makeup and stage costumes. Current members are Andy Biersack (frontman), Jake Pitts (lead guitar), Jinxx (rhythm guitar and violin), Lonny Eagleton (bass) and Christian “CC” Coma (drums).
The band has released six albums, most recently The Phantom Tomorrow in 2021.
Filter
Former Filter bassist Army Sgt. Frank Cavanagh rocks out with arms held high as he is reunited with the band before his deployment to Iraq. Filter performed before a crowd of about 5,000 servicemembers at the Operation: MySpace concert on Mar. 10, 2008 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Public Domain.
Filter formed in 1993 in Cleveland. Frontman Richard Patrick is the only permanent member.
The band has released eight albums, most recently The Algorithm in 2023. It is best known for “Hey Man Nice Shot.”
Hawthorne Heights
Hawthorne Heights taken on April 14, 2007 at the en:University of Scranton by a member of the University of Scranton Programming Board. Photographer: Russoc4 at English Wikipedia. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Hawthorne Heights formed in Dayton in 2001. Current members are JT Woodruff (frontman and rhythm guitar), Mark McMillon (lead guitar and unclean backing vocals), Matt Ridenour (bass), and Chris Popadak (drums and percussion).
The band has released seven albums, most recently The Rain Just Follows Me in 2021. It originally was named A Day in the Life.
Mushroomhead
Former member Mushroomhead Jeffrey Hatrix in stage outfit in 2015. Photographer: Kanamies666. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Mushroomhead formed in Cleveland in 1993. It is known for horror-themed masks and costumes while performing live.
Current members are Steve Rauckhorst (frontman), Dave Felton (guitar), Joe “Jenkins” Gaal (guitar), Ryan Farrell (bass and keyboards), Steve Felton (drums and percussion), and Robbie Godsey (drums and percussion). Two others are currently on hiatus.
The band has released eight albums, most recently A Wonderful Life in 2020.
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails in 2013. Photographer: Al Pavangkanan. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Nine Inch Nails, also called NIN, formed in Cleveland in 1988. Frontman Trent Reznor is the only permanent member.
The band has released 14 albums and EPs, most recently Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts in 2020.
Starset
Starset performing in 2021. Photographer: Jake Brunton. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Starset formed in Columbus in 2013. Current members are Dustin Bates (frontman, keyboard, soundboard and guitar), Brock Richards (guitars), Ron DeChant (bass and keyboard) and Adam Gilbert (drums and percussion).
The band has released four albums, most recently Horizons in 2021.
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots at Press 2015 conference of Soundbox in Bangkok. Photographer: Sry85. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Twenty One Pilots, also spelled twenty øne piløts and twenty | one | pilots, formed in Columbus in 2009. Current members are Tyler Joseph (frontman, guitar, bass, percussion and keyboard) and Josh Dun (drums, percussion and trumpet).
The band has released six albums, most recently Scaled and Icy in 2021.
Wisconsin
Garbage
Garbage live in Reno in October 2018. Photographer: Jonathan Cook-Fisher. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Garbage formed in Madison in 1993. Current members are Shirley Manson (frontwoman), Steve Marker (guitar and keyboard), Duke Erikson (bass and keyboard) and Butch Vig (drums).
The band has released seven albums, most recently No Gods No Masters in 2021.
Here’s the 4-1-1
This blog is a companion piece to Rock Star Romance available in eBook, paperback and hardcover. A college grad still reeling from an amicable breakup falls for a rock star who’s given up on love in this contemporary, second-chance romance. Buy now.
To listen to the songs mentioned in Rock Star Romance, follow The Rock Star’s Wife on Spotify.
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