High-Resolution Group Photograph:
Short-Form Biography:
THRIFT STORE HALO is:
- Frank Gradishar (Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar)
- Cory Hance (Guitar, Vocals)
- Scott Proce (Drums)
Thrift Store Halo (“TSH”) is an American Indie Power Pop band hailing from Chicago, Illinois. Originally formed in 1994, TSH released one EP and one LP before taking a near-20 year break in 1998; the band returned in August, 2017, with a new, six-song EP, “POP-ROCKET”. The band's songs have charted over 241 times on various indie charts, including 33 Weeks on the Radio Indie Alliance Overall Top 40 and have been played on 75+ radio stations around the world.
On April 20, 2018, the trio released a new, two-song, double A-side single, "Every Time With You" b/w "Concrete Sky". The single immediately gained impressive radio plays on over 75 FM/internet radio stations around the world and quickly entered indie radio charts. "Concrete Sky" entered the Radio Indie Alliance Overall Top 40 at #20 on March 26, 2018, soon after reaching #1 on April 9, 2018. On April 23, 2018, it regained ground, and landed at #2.
Accomplishments & Accolades:
SPOTIFY :
Our songs have been played over 105,000 times, on Spotify, with a monthly average 4,100+ listeners. .The two-song single, "Concrete Sky"/"Every Time with You" has been played over 22,500 times and songs from the "Pop-Rocket" EP, meanwhile, have surpassed a combined 27,000 plays!
INDIE CHARTS & RADIO:
- 41 total entries on the Radio Indie Alliance Overall Top 40!
- 281 total indie chart entries!
- "Concrete Sky" charted 26 times to date on various indie radio charts, including four consecutive weeks on the Radio Indie Alliance Overall top 40, reaching #1 on 4.9.18, and #2 on April 23, 2018. It also reached #1 on two indie radio charts (Monie's New Music Top 10 (UK) on 3.23.18 and IT Matters Radio (California) 4.9.18) and #1 on The Mikecast Radio Show (Uk) TOP 10 (April 23, 2018).
- "Every Time With You" has charted 16 times to date on various indie radio charts, reaching #1 on the KOR Radio Top 10 (UK) on 4.16.18.
- "Every Time With You" chosen for inclusion on the 2018 International Pop Overthrow CD Compilation
- “Stay Away” included on the “POP GEEK HEAVEN - Best of 2017 CD Compilation”
- “POP-ROCKET” EP named #4 in David Bash's Top EPs of 2017!
- “Let's Not Wait” named a Top Track of 2017 by Ice Cream Man Power Pop & More!
- “I’m Not Through” was #3 in Monie's New Music (UK) 2017 Year End Top 15!
- “I’m Not Through” was one of the 30 Top Tracks of 2017 by the Biscuit Boys on SRB Radio (UK)!
- “I’m Not Through” was #2 on Top 10 Indie Artists of 2017 on RBR Classic Rock Radio Indie in New Zealand!
- “Get Over You” included in the “Stuff 2017 was made of” best-of list by Chasing the Essential! “Pop-Rocket” named one of five “Essential EPs of 2017” by Chasing the Essential!
- "POP-ROCKET" named Album of the Week on “Pop Dreams” ~ Radio Dio ~ St. Etienne, France!
Our songs, including “I’m Not Through”, “(Love By) Misadventure”, “Get Over You”, “Stay Away”; “Save Me From Myself”, “World Gone Mad”, have received amazing radio airplay on over 70 FM and internet-based indie radio stations around the world, including: Japan, Sweden, England, Scotland, France, Spain, New Zealand, Canada & The US! Favorable reviews in: “Power of Pop”; “Broken Hearted Toy”; “Power Pop News”; “Pop Rock Records” and articles in "Startrip Magazine” (Japan)! Our song "I'm Not Through" featured on Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More "Rocking Road" compilation!
IN ADDITION ~
- "I'm Not Through" and "(Love Bt)Misadventure" have been added to a slew of radio stations and programs all over the US and the World: Banks Radio AustraliaAU (Au), VALLEY FM 89.5 (Au), Military Veterans Radio (UK), Radio VGR (UK), EN5 RADIO (UK), Monie's Indie MUSIC Promotions's New Music (UK), EDA (UK), NOVA (UK), OBAN FM (Scotland), New Vision Radio (NY), KZUU (Mo), Q108 (Kingston/CAN), AMI (Fl), It Matters (CA), Sully Mc Fly at 365 Radio Network (15 stations), Belter (UK), Aggie (Tex), FONR (Iowa), Rockers Dive (USA), Wolfman (UK), TABC (Tex), Dandelion (UK), Merseyland (UK), KCC Live (UK), Castledown (UK), Live Wire (UK), KCC (UK), Gashouse (Philly), MDOR (S. Carolina), KIXE (Omaha), WORT (Wis), Radio Wey (UK), and Future (UK)! Woody (Canada), Sheppy (UK), KMNR (Mo), Camglen (UK), KTEP (Texas), Bounce (DC), Lucky Star (Co), WMPG (Me), Full Impact (Ohio), Gabbie Cabbi @Biscuit_Boys (UK), Cuilin (UK), Rock Radio (Ireland), FM4 (Germany), Top Rock (USA), KB Radio (Canada) Music Authority (USA) WITR (NY), Fame (South Africa) ACRN (Fargo)!
- "I'm Not Through" is receiving strong plays on The Biscuit Boys Show on SRB Radio (UK) and has been added to the September playlist!
- "I'm Not Through" off "POP-ROCKET" EP made rotation on KOR Radio, Pop that Goes Crunch, and other indie stations!
- "I'm Not Through" featured on The Power Pop Show (8.4.11, 8.11.17, and 8.18.17)!
- "I'm Not Through" featured on the Chasing the Essential Radio show (featured on Episodes #96 and #97)!
- "Get Over You", "I'm Not Through" and "Stay Away" have been featured on The Music Authority!
- "Save Me From Myself" featured on Ice Cream Man Power Pop Show (200th Show) broadcast in several countries!
- "Let's Not Wait" featured on Ice Cream Man Power Pop Show (8.22.17) broadcast in several countries!
- TSH is now in regular rotation on WBOM (Rockford, IL)
- "Stay Away", "Get Over You", "I'm Not Through", "(Love By) Misadventure", "Save Me From Myself" and "Let's Not Wait" have been featured in regular rotation on "The Secret Weapon" show on woodyradio.com!
- TSH was the subject of an hour-long artist spotlight on Rick’s Record Podcast on 8.17.17!
- "(Love By) Misadventure" has also been featured on the “Razor & Die Show” (WLUW, Chicago) on August 5, 2017 and September 1, 2017.
- "(Love By) Misadventure" is on daily rotation on several 365 Radio affiliates!
- TSH has been featured on the Breakfast Show on SHMU (Aberdeen, Scotland)
- "Get Over You" was featured "Simon's Big New Thursday Thing" on 6 Towns Radio in the UK!
- "I'm Not Through" featured on Ice Cream Man Power Pop Show's Best of 2017 Compilation entitled "Rocking Radio" , which was released digitally on 7.28.17!
- Mike "In Tokyo" Rogers in Japan featured "I'm Not Through" on his “WTF?” (WhatTheFunday), a hugely popular Sunday live show on InterFM 89.7. The show reaches literally millions of listeners.
TSH "World Gone Mad" Songs featured on TV shows:
Album tracks have been featured on "Party of Five", "Smallville", "Pensacola Wings of Gold", MTV programs "Parental Control", "Undressed", and "Making the Video (R.E.M.)" as well as programs on the the Oxygen Network.
TSH "World Gone Mad" Songs featured on Radio:
Chicago radio stations including WXRT (93.1) and WKQX (Q101.1), national college radio and international radio (the record was even "Album of the Week" in Saint Etienne, France on Radio Dio 89.5). On internet radio, featured on "Pop That Goes Crunch", Chicago's "CHIRP Radio" and "Razor & Die" broadcasts, France's "Pop Dreams", Florida's "Rick's records Podcast" and Canada's "WoodyRadio.com" by DJ Boris Boden to name just a few!
TSH Has Opened For International Acts:
- The Zombies
- Eric Burdon and The Animals
"NEW SINGLE" and "POP-ROCKET" Press Quotes:
"THE NEW SINGLE"
Richard Rossi of Power Pop News said: “Thrift Store Halo has a new single coming out and while we’re not in the habit of reviewing singles, this one warrants an exception. From the muscular guitar in the beginning of “Concrete Sky” to the Graham Parker like delivery, I found the new one from Thrift Store Halo to be totally engaging. The flip side, “Every Time With You” is different from the former but is equally engaging. Become familiar with Thrift Store Halo if you aren’t already. The new single comes out April 20.”
Kevin Matthews of Power of Pop said: “New music from Thrift store Halo! Check out the new singles “Every Time With You” and “Concrete Sky”! The former has a strong Elvis Costello meets The Who vibe while the latter has a midtempo 90s Pop Underground agenda that conjures a slew of the right sounds. An insistently melodic chorus is the reward!”
Power Popaholic said: “It’s classic Power Pop calling to mind Elvis Costello, Paul Weller and Nick Lowe”
Terrence Flamm of Broken Hearted Toy/Illinois Entertainer said, “Thrift Store Halo recently returned from hiatus with a new album filled with radio-friendly alt rock songs. It’s a different approach from the power pop of their earliest efforts, but fans of catchy tunes with harmony vocals will be onboard.”
"POP-ROCKET"
Richard Rossi of POWER POP NEWS reviewed the "POP-ROCKET" EP and said: "Catchy tunes that fit well within the classic power pop template used by bands such as Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne and early Tom Petty. “I’m Not Through” is first rate guitar pop with it’s shout aloud chorus and memorable melody. It’s easy to like the bouncy “Let’s Not Wait” and “Save Me From Myself” has the catchy chorus and crunchy guitars that place it head and shoulders above the others. While it’s only one of several quite enjoyable songs on Pop Rocket, it’s the standout single for me."
"Pop Rocket sure lives up to its name as it punches through the wishy-washy brain-numbingly wall of most new pop and rock music to deliver a crystal clear sound and vision of power, melody, energy and rhythm. Sure, it’s classicist in nature and references to classic rock pervades – Cheap Trick, The Stones et al – but in this age of ham-fisted attempts at connecting with millennial audiences, it’s reassuring to find songs like “Get Over You”, “I’m Not Through” and “Let’s Not Wait”, which never pander and simply aim for the best that Power Pop Rock N Roll can be." ~ Kevin Matthews of Power of Pop
"Catchy tunes that fit well within the classic power pop template used by bands such as Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne and early Tom Petty. “I’m Not Through” is first rate guitar pop with it’s shout aloud chorus and memorable melody. It’s easy to like the bouncy “Let’s Not Wait” and “Save Me From Myself” has the catchy chorus and crunchy guitars that place it head and shoulders above the others. While it’s only one of several quite enjoyable songs on Pop Rocket, it’s the standout single for me." ~ Richard Rossi of POWER POP NEWS
"..the new album is a bit leaner, reminding me a bit of IKE in their prime. Stand our tracks: "Get Over You" and "I'm Not Through". Dennis Pilon at www.poprockrecord.com
"WORLD GONE MAD" Press Quotes:
"Short, catchy rock 'N Roll in the spirit of Gin Blossoms and The Smithereens." ~ Chicago Tribune
"This is Classic Chicago Pop Music! A little Pezband, a little Off Broadway, and even a little Cheap Trick!" ~ Richard Milne, 93.1 WXRT Chicago
"Beatlesque vocals and hooks aplenty" ~ Amplifier Magazine
"A must for power pop fans...Great Fucking Pop Band!" - Yeah Yeah Yeah Magazine
"...a gem of an album...reminds me of the high-water marks of pop geniuses Cheap Trick and The Outfield, rocking, danceable and melodic" ~ Mike O'Cull, In the Mix Chicago
"...Unabashed, vulnerable, three-chord melodic rock in the vein of The Raspberries or early Cheap Trick." - Illinois Entertainer
"Gutsy guitar oriented material that continually holds the listeners attention." - Twist and Shake
"Wicked harmonies, reach-out-and-grab you lyrics, thunderous drums and power pop guitars!" ~ Showcase Chicago, Magazine
"Fantastic Chicago Pop! Blending the best parts of Cheap Trick, Material Issue with the sounds of the Gin Blossoms and Teenage Fanclub!" ~ Gerard Girard, Host "Pop Dreams" Radio Program, Radio Dio, Saint Etienne, France
"World Gone Mad...is a tasteful collection of power pop gems! (3.5/4 Stars)" ~ Northwest Herald
For Booking & Press Contact:
Frank Gradishar
Email: fgradishar@usa.net
Phone: 630.880.4929
Please message for mailing address.
Recommended If You Like:
Well written, catchy songs with hooks that get stuck in your head, like bands and artists such as:
Cheap Trick, The Strypes, Fuzzbubble, Teenage Fanclub, Jet, Gin Blossoms, The Replacements, Urge Overkill, Material Issue, Velvet Crush, Weezer, Something Happens, Fountains of Wayne, Jellyfish, The Muffs, Redd Kross, Stereophonics, The Jam, Big Star, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Del Amitri, and Paul Weller.
Label, Publisher Affiliation, Music Rights Membership:
Frank Gradishar and Scott Proce are BMI affiliates and Lance Tawzer is an ASCAP affiliate. The band releases its albums on its own Hi-Beam Records label, in association with Pravda Records and Pravda Music Publishing and its subsidiaries, Samovar Groovathon Music (BMI) and Pennybark Music (ASCAP).