Finding local bands both past and present has now become a lot easier for music fans.

A website called My Hometown Bands, created by Sacramento native Mark Chiolis, has been locally launched in an effort to provide music fans an online venue to engage with songs, photos and biographies from bands in their region.

Not only do fans benefit from the new site, but bands also receive a new online tool for sharing and cataloging their musical careers.

About two and a half years ago, after rummaging through piles of old music videos and recordings, Chiolis realized he had an invaluable hoard of great music paraphernalia that needed to be shared with others.

Chiolis said he believed there had to be other people looking for this great music. Shortly thereafter, the idea for myhometownbands.com was born.

Essentially, the website informs and involves music fans in local music history while simultaneously enabling new bands to make a place for themselves in the story.

“I don’t play the music myself, but I’m helping to provide the music for people,” Mark said, “I’m helping to proliferate this music that is still very good.”

Around the same time, Johnny Pride, of ’80’s-era Sacramento-based bands The Features and Pride and Peril, had finished digitizing and mastering some of his band’s older material.

“We were looking for ways to get our material out there,” Pride said.

Chiolis’ vision for the website would provide just the platform Pride needed to share old songs and band photos.

“Everything ’80’s is new again. People are enjoying the sounds of that period,” Pride said.

The website allowed for Pride, and other bands and musicians like him, to post musical memories in a place where fans could go and enjoy them.

Other local bands have joined and uploaded material to the site, including Buddy Davis and Rhythm Coalition, Charlie Peacock Band, Rutabaga Boogie Band, Sedona, Steelwind, and The Runners.

Bands are able to create profiles on the site displaying photos, music and a biography. Artists can share as much or as little information as they desire. The purpose, however, is to share otherwise unobtainable music and information with curious fans.

“Information is only as good as what artists input, but fans can take advantage of a solid database,” Chiolis said. “The financial logistics of maintaining the site are viable because the artist posts their own material.”

Other than the exposure, bands will also enjoy the fact that there are no up-front costs to join. In fact, opportunities to make money from song sales are available through each band’s personalized media player.

Fans can search for their favorite bands by name, song titles and band members through the site’s built-in search function. Another way to navigate the site is by selecting a state and then region from the map of the United States stretched across the site’s front page.

Chiolis said his goal is to have all of this musical information linked together so searching within the site will bring fans exactly what they’re looking for and, hopefully, more.

Growing up in the Sacramento area brought Chiolis into contact with a number of local musicians, so his efforts have been focused on soliciting local bands to join the site.

Promotion for the site is already in progress, as it was advertised at The Features reunion concert in July at The Press Club in Midtown. Future promotion for the site will take place at an upcoming concert featuring Sal Valentino at Fairy Tale Town in Land Park on Sept. 12.

“I believe in the site so strongly that I promote it any chance I get,” said Pride, who is still playing, recording and writing new music as often as possible. Pride said he sees the website as a tremendous resource for fans to interact with music from years past.

Current local bands are also encouraged to set up profiles. Chiolis said he believes the site can benefit newer bands by exposing them to fans making regional searches.

Chiolis said his site acts a service to bands and fans alike.

“I don’t expect to get rich and retire off of the site,” he said, “but if I can pay for the website and have an occasional beer now and then, I’ll be happy.”

You can view or join the site today, as it’s being tested in the Sacramento area. A complementary Facebook page has also been created for people to stay up to date with new developments on the site.

Photos two and three are of the site creator Mark Chiolis.

Photos four and five are of Johnny Pride and The Features.

Photo six is of Buddy Davis.

Photo seven is of Buddy Davis and the Rhythm Coalition. 

All photos courtesy of Karen Bakula.