Billy "Reverend Willie" Kohut

(Lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals)

Billy's first gig was playing acoustic guitar at St. Peter & Paul Sunday mass at age 12. Billy discovered the music of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple and was soon enrolled in a Catholic Military high school, Billy kept playing.  "When you love rock and roll, even a military haircut and a prayer can't stop you".  His musical interests expanded to include Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, John Scofield, Ian Moore and Joe Satriani.  Since his late teens, Billy has played professionally with local Chicago area bands including; Legend, The Corlioni Brothers (music you can't refuse), Outrage, KoloGaro, Ars Nova, Goin' South, Tribute, and Axe Grinder.  Performance highlights include opening for .38 Special and Night Ranger.

Iron Mike Nornberg

(Lead/slide guitar, bass, vocals)

Mike Nornberg (a.k.a. Iron Mike) has been a student of Blues and Rock guitar for over 30 years.  His style of playing is an amalgamation of the styles exhibited by the many great players that forged a lasting impression on his guitar psyche.  He credits players such as Freddie King, Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Gibbons, Duane Allman, Brian Setzer, and Scott Henderson among the many that have shaped his approach to the guitar. 

Mike began playing professionally at the age of 21 as a member of a local Milwaukee southern rock band called Cream City Express.  He performed in several other Milwaukee area groups until a job transfer to Atlanta in 1989 put a temporary end to his gigging. 

When fate brought him back to the Chicago area in 1995, Mike wasted no time in picking up where he left off, hooking up with drummer and soon to be close friend Jeff Reitsma.  This alliance became the nucleus of the band Working Stiff.

Following the Working Stiff project came the forming of the short lived but potent Iron Mike power trio.  While this band was great fun to play in, the inability to find a permanent bass player for the group proved to be a chronic and terminal problem.  This ultimately led to the teaming of former Goin’ South members, Bill and Kevin, both very strong guitar players in their own right, with Jeff and Mike to form the Axe Grinder band.   

Saying of his current guitar playing band mates, Mike was heard to say, “it’s nice to play with guys who are as obsessively compulsive about the guitar as I am!” 

"Joliet" Jeff Reitsma

(Percussion & vocals)

The only non-bass-playing member of the band!  After a 22 year layoff (not exactly like riding a bike) and the inspiration of Iron Mike, he's back to the music, drawing his influence from mentor/jazz great Joe Pulice and The Allman Brother's Butch Trucks.  Turned onto traditional blues in the 70's, but really caught the fever with the rocked up blues of Gregg Allman, Hendrix and S.R.V.  Former bands include Working Stiff, Tribute & Iron Mike.  Live music, what a hobby

Kenny Eichmann

(Bass & vocals)

Kenny Eichmann has played bass for 35 years. He played his first professional gig in the Chicagoland area at the age of 16.
In 1982, he joined a Chicago band named Orphan Allies. They signed a record deal and released an album in Europe in 1986 with Dream Records. That same year, Kenny and another member of Orphan Allies formed a band called Ivory Tiger. They released another record album under the same Dream Records label.
In 1988, Ivory Tiger relocated to Florida and changed their name to Amber Rose. From 1988 to 1991, Amber Rose toured the Midwest and East Coast gigging and opening for national acts Pantera, Night Ranger, Anthrax, and The Steve Morse Band. The band dissolved in 1991.
Kenny stayed in the business and recorded with German blues guitar player Dr. Slide until 1994.
He moved back to the Chicago area where he teamed up with an original blues band Low Down.
Kenny plays bass for Saturday Nights Alive and Crossroads Christian music services at FUMC in Crystal Lake.
Recently, Kenny teamed up with Mike, Jeff, and Willie of Axe Grinder. He plays LAKLAND basses and a SWR bass rig.

 Retired, but not forgotten!

Kevin "Chainsaw" Kelly

(Lead/Slide guitar, bass, vocals)

Retired from band in June, 2006

He's been playing in bands since age 16 (seems like last week), drawing guitar influences from Edward Van Halen, Billy Gibbons, Mick Ralphs, David Gilmore and Gary Rossington.  As a former member of Goin' South, Tribute, Southern Exposure, Ambush & Legend he's had the opportunity to rub guitar strings with the likes of .38 Special, Night Ranger and Molly Hatchet.  Current musical interests include mandolin and Bluegrass.

Retired from band June, 2006.