By Theron Moore

“The idea of 80 Reasons started with an intent, a purpose. That intent was to give the area a different offering of 80’s hair metal. Other acts dish out the poppy glam hits of the 80’s whereas 80 Reasons takes the same decade, adds some beef and shakes it up. We cover the heaviest from the era of big hair, big guitars and most importantly, big attitude. Want loud?! Want heavy?! 80 Reasons will fulfill both!”

            The above? Straight off the band’s bio on their Facebook page.  I couldn’t have said it better.  It’s good and it’s refreshing to see musicians and bands celebrating 80’s metal.  That was my era, I grew up in it and to this day, I still embrace it.  So does Rockford music vet Russ Kutak.  And he’s not afraid to wave that banner loud and proud.  Horns to the sky, folks…,

AMFARS:  Let’s head back to the 80’s for a moment.  You were around in Rockford at that time, looking back at that era of local music right now in 2019, which bands still stand out as, say, the five most influential bands (unsigned / local) that paved the way for local hard rock & metal bands today in Northern Illinois.  Who gets ranked and where?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): Well, in Rockford, RIPT was the big one. There were others like Essie Ecks, and For Christs Sake, Diamond Force was also Big. Of course I loved a band from Janesville called Raven Bitch too.

AMFARS:  Right now in 2019, when you look back at the 80’s era of local music in Rockford, do you still see it dynamic and exciting or do you view differently?  In your opinion, what made that era of local music so good (or maybe not so good)?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): I view it differently, in good and bad ways. Everything is much plainer today. Guys doing gigs in the same clothes they wear around the house and a hat on. In the 80s how we looked was important. There was a certain pageantry to it back then. Big hair, leather and lace and hairspray bandanas, bracelets, you know. However, I will say, todays scene seems to be much more tight knit, whereas it used to be more of a cut throat competition back then.

AMFARS:  Tell me about 80 Reasons and how the band was started.  What was the shared creative vision when everyone got together and decided to throw down musically?  Where did everyone want to see this band move professionally and creatively?  Was it always viewed as a tribute band or was there talk of writing original music?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): Yes, it started as a tribute but not with the outfits and stuff. It was purely music. We added the wigs and goofy stuff later. We wanted to play the 80s songs you don’t hear the other tributes do. They all play, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” Great song, but how many times can ya hear it? In contrast, we do “I Won’t Forget You”. Plus, we go deep track with covers by WASP, DIO, Faster Pussycat, Kix, etc. Not your average setlists.

AMFARS:  I noticed in the “About” section of your Facebook page, the band mentioned that you do a heavier take on 80’s metal.  Are you talking about doing Dio versus Bon Jovi, for instance, or tackling covers of Megadeth? 

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): Well no Megadeth yet, but yes more like Dio vs Bon Jovi. More of the gritty side, AC/DC, GNR, Judas Priest, etc.

AMFARS:  Do you remember what got you into rock N roll in the first place?  Was there a particular record or concert you attended that convinced you, “Hey I wanna be a rock star just like them.” 

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS):  It was pretty much all of it. Not to date myself, but growing up, music just hit me. Early Def Leppard, Ted Nugent, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, even music like Tom Petty and Foghat. It was the coolest thing ever. Music really hit me hard as a kid and these guitar-based tunes were sayin’ everything I was thinking.

AMFARS:  So, then, prior to 80 Reasons, what bands have you been in and how far back does your band history go? 

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): First band ever, was about 1983. I borrowed a friend’s bass and jammed with these cats. We had 4 songs, but no name. Then I started a band playing guitar called Hidden Image around 1986. Orig/Cover. Then we started another in 1988 called White Trash. Orig/Cover. In 1992 started a band called BURN orig /cover. 1998 Final Warning which was remnants of the other bands orig/cover.

In1999, Diamond Dog happened, orig/cover. Shortly after that started Pulse 8 which eventually became Pulse 18, a RAMI hall of Fame band. 2014 Wykkyd Vykkyr and Iron Cross. Was a member of As One at this point too.

In 2015 I was in the all original national act Huguenin and released the album “Where From Here.” 2017 to current, I started 80 Reasons , also joined Point Zero 8 on lead guitar this same year. Still doing 80 Reasons, also play bass in a side project called Peace Freak.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Peace Freak also boasts in it’s ranks, a one Mr. Ian Serrano who has an interview on this blog as well…,

AMFARS:  Does Rockford still have a viable, exciting music scene when it comes to hard rock and metal or is it kind of a tiny niche community of bands nowadays?  Which local bands should be mentioned and which local clubs are still waving the banner of rock N roll?  Also, are the crowds showing up and into what you’re doing?

80 REASONS: Yes, it still has a great scene. My favorite club is Whiskeys Roadhouse but we have plenty doing shows every weekend, as far as great bands there are plenty. I’m not gonna make a list cause someone always gets left out. There’s plenty of local pages showing where the bands are in Rockford. Look up a page called RAWLE on Facebook. (Rockford Area Weekly Live Entertainment) and go see everybody.

AMFARS:  Here’s a quote from Bob Seger’s song, “Old Time Rock n Roll” – “…Today’s music ain’t got the same soul I like that old time rock and roll…”  Do you like what you hear on modern rock radio these days or do you find yourself going back to the 70’s and 80’s?  If you’re not connecting with the music you hear on radio these days, what is it lacking, in your opinion?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): There’s a lotta music I hear no soul at all in, and the problem with that is, it’s not up to me to decide, except for myself. In fat it may speak volumes to someone else. There’s a lot of good stuff too. I don’t care much for the screaming-growling stuff, I’ve always been more about melody.

AMFARS:  How do you feel about being musicians in the digital age?  2019 going forward is all about blogs, vlogs, podcasts, social media, etc.  Do you feel like this digital push into the future is taking away the soul of music or adding to it?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS):  I don’t think it’s changing the music at all, just the business.

AMFARS: Mandatory question I’m asking everyone: If video killed the radio star, what has the internet and/or social media killed?

Russ Kutak (80 REASONS): The music industry as a whole.

Top Ten List:

What 10 bands / records / songs / TV shows / movies / books are you currently into?

I don’t know. I Just found a bunch of new original Adam Sandler movies on Netflix.  I’m also a big Breaking Benjamin fan – mainly the older stuff.  Kind of been rediscovering Megadeth lately, too. “Foreclosure of a Dream” is a cool song…