Bios

Short Punks in Love is a folk-rock power trio from Chicago, Illinois. The band formed in 2006 with Brian Cremins on guitar and vocals and Pearl Ratunil on drums. In 2008, harmonica whiz Bob Kessler joined the group, bringing with him his clarinet, bass harmonica, and Loop Station. They are currently recording their third CD at Litterbox Studios and Tricycle Studios in Chicago.

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.

Bob Kessler discovered the harmonica as a teenager, first copying solos by Bob Dylan and Neil Young. In 2003 he joined Chicago blues, folk, and parlor jazz band Bakelite 78, which went on to play numerous clubs and festivals in Chicago and recorded two CDs before disbanding in 2008. In 2009, Bob began private studies with jazz harmonica master Howard Levy, played with The Panda Feathers, a band created for the stage production "Bad Guys in Suits" at the Apollo Studio Theater in Chicago, and joined Short Punks in Love with Pearl and Brian.

SPiL will be embarking on the Midwest Spread the Love Tour 2009 this summer!

SPiL photos courtesy of Paul Natkin: www.natkin.net