Sweat Equity 1999
The St. Louis Music Archive is dedicated to preserving, maintaining, and curating music and media specific to the St. Louis region. From forgotten live recordings and self-released albums to rare radio broadcasts and local compilations, the archive exists to honor the rich, diverse musical history of St. Louis. This city has always carried a quiet but undeniable musical weight—whether through blues, rock, jazz, hip-hop, or underground scenes—and our goal is to make sure those sounds aren’t lost to time.
Waterleftfrog Publications has taken deliberate steps to gather as much St. Louis–specific music and related media as possible into a centralized location. While we know we don’t have everything, we’re committed to expanding the archive a little at a time. Each month, new recordings, documents, and artifacts are added—whether it’s an obscure 7" single, a long-forgotten live tape, or flyers and photos from a long-gone venue. This is an ongoing project, shaped as much by community involvement as by our own research and collection efforts. As part of that mission, Waterleftfrog recorded and produced three separate compilations of St. Louis singer-songwriters: Sweat Equity, Elbow Grease, and Storm Damaged—each one capturing a moment in the region’s evolving music scene.
We also use YouTube as a tool to help connect people with St. Louis music history. While some material is uploaded directly, we also share links to others doing similar archival work—highlighting rare uploads, live footage, and historical overviews from fellow collectors and historians. The goal isn’t just to hold everything in one place, but to help build a broader web of access and discovery.
Due to copyright limitations and artist rights, not everything in the archive can be posted or made public. We work carefully to respect those boundaries while still preserving the material in a way that ensures it isn’t lost. Our aim is preservation first, access when possible.
If you have recordings, media, or stories related to St. Louis music history—whether from major acts or hidden neighborhood legends—we’d love to hear from you. You can reach us at waterleftfrog@gmail.com to discuss contributions, collaborations, or questions about the archive. Every piece added helps keep the story alive for future generations.
All music produced under waterleftfrog Publications—including projects by Miles Closer, The Daniels, and various archival releases—can be found by searching waterleftfrog on all major streaming platforms. This includes YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, and Tidal. Whether it’s new music, reissued compilations, or archival recordings, simply search for waterleftfrog to explore the full catalog.
Sweat Equity is a compilation album produced and recorded by Rob in 1999, capturing the raw, diverse spirit of the St. Louis singer-songwriter scene at the turn of the millennium. Recorded live over a single weekend, the project brought together a wide range of local artists—each contributing one take, no overdubs, just stripped-down performances that showcased the honesty and immediacy of their songwriting. The sessions were intimate and fast-paced, with a DIY ethos that mirrored the album's title: real work, real songs, and real moments. Sweat Equity stands as both a snapshot of a vibrant creative community and a testament to the belief that sometimes, the most powerful music comes from simply hitting “record” and letting it happen.
The links below take you to the full Sweat Equity album, the live CD release party recording, and two special waterleftfrog podcast episodes that reflect on the project. These podcasts explore the making of the album, share stories from the sessions, and revisit what the compilation meant to the local music scene then—and what it still means today.
Sweat Equity the compilation
Elbow Grease 2000
Elbow Grease the compilation
Storm Damaged 2001
Sweat Equity Live CD Release
Storm Damaged the compilation
Eric Ketzer is one of those rare musicians who blends technical skill with raw emotion in a way that feels completely effortless. A long-standing figure in the St. Louis music scene, Eric’s songwriting carries a quiet intensity—thoughtful, melodic, and always grounded in real human experience. In our interview, we talked about his early days as a guitarist and the evolution of his writing, tracing his journey through various bands, solo projects, and collaborations. What stood out most was his humility—despite his talent, Eric approaches music with the same curiosity and openness that drew him to it in the first place.
Our conversation felt less like an interview and more like two longtime friends catching up about the thing that still lights us up: songwriting. Eric brought stories, insight, and a deep sense of craft to the table, reflecting on the balance between letting a song breathe and putting in the work to shape it. We played a few tracks and revisited some of his lesser-known gems, and by the end, it was clear—Eric Ketzer is not just a great musician, he’s a lifer. The kind of artist who reminds you why we do this in the first place.
The waterleftfrog Podcast about Sweat Equity parts 1 and 2
Storm Damaged is the third and final installment in the trilogy of compilation albums produced by Rob, following Sweat Equity and Elbow Grease. Recorded in 2001, Storm Damaged captures the emotional aftermath of a shifting music scene, as well as personal changes among the artists involved. The performances are still raw and immediate—recorded live with minimal production—but there’s a different kind of energy here. The songs lean more reflective, more weathered, as if the musicians had been through something and come out the other side. The title Storm Damaged reflects both literal and metaphorical upheaval, giving the compilation a deeper, more layered resonance.
The links below feature the complete Storm Damaged album, the live CD release party, and two waterleftfrog podcast episodes that dive into the making and meaning of the project. In these episodes, Miles revisits the atmosphere of those sessions, the artists who contributed, and the sense that this compilation marked the end of an era. Together with the previous albums, Storm Damaged rounds out a powerful and personal trilogy that chronicles the spirit, struggle, and soul of a unique moment in St. Louis music history.
Interview with St. Louis Singer Songwriter, Eric Ketzer
The waterleftfrog Podcast with Eric Ketzer
Elbow Grease is the follow-up to Sweat Equity, recorded and produced by Rob in 2000 as a continuation of documenting the rich, under-the-radar talent in the St. Louis singer-songwriter scene. Like its predecessor, the album was recorded live in a single weekend, with each artist performing stripped-down versions of their songs—no frills, no overdubs, just the essence of the music captured in real time. The title Elbow Grease speaks to the same DIY spirit and collaborative energy that drove the first compilation: a group of artists coming together, putting in the work, and creating something lasting through grit, heart, and community.
The links below include the full Elbow Grease album, the live CD release party recording, and two waterleftfrog podcast episodes dedicated to the project. In these episodes, Miles reflects on the songs, the artists, and the experience of pulling together another unforgettable weekend of music. It’s a document of a moment in time—honest, handmade, and deeply rooted in the creative soul of a city that’s always had more to say.
The waterleftfrog Podcast about Elbow Grease parts 1 and 2
Lotsoflove and their album Electric Jesus Music
Lotsoflove and their album Electric Jesus Music
The waterleftfrog Podcast about Storm Damaged
Lotsoflove was a pioneering Christian rock band from the 1970s, fronted by Rob’s mother-in-law during her early years in Fort Worth, Texas. Long before “Christian rock” became a defined genre, Lotsoflove was blending electric guitars, analog synths, and gospel-inspired harmonies to create a sound that was both bold and ahead of its time. Their music, often performed in small churches, youth halls, and local festivals, carried a message of love and faith wrapped in the experimental spirit of the era. The band’s recordings—fuzzy, soulful, and undeniably earnest—have become a cherished piece of family and musical history.
In our interview and episode dedicated to Electric Jesus Music, we dug into the story behind Lotsoflove: their homemade recordings, their fearless approach to genre, and how their music quietly echoed through time. What makes this project so special isn’t just its historical value—it’s the sincerity and spirit captured in each track. These weren’t polished studio professionals chasing trends; they were believers with instruments, making something authentic in the only way they knew how. Revisiting their songs now, decades later, you can still feel the electricity—the passion, the groove, and the faith that held it all together.
The waterleftfrog Podcast interview with Rose from Lotsoflove