Steve Albini raised his profile while recording Nirvana, the Pixies, the Breeders, P.J. Harvey and more, but he never became part of the rock machine. He works only on analog equipment, refuses to accept producer royalties and takes pride in remaining accessible to a wide variety of artists. Part 1 of this Caropop conversation takes place at his Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, as he discusses analog vs. digital technology, whether the digital revolution has been more of a blessing or curse, whether the industry has become more or less exploitative of artists, and which band he’d especially love to record. Always sharp and provocative, Steve Albini pushes you to think deeper about the lasting power of music.

When Dave Gregory joined XTC in 1979, he transformed the band through his muscular, melodic guitar playing, occasional keyboards and, on "1000 Umbrellas," a string arrangement. Gregory always found ways to elevate singer-guitarist Andy Partridge’s and bassist Colin Moulding’s tuneful songs, such as “Generals and Majors” and “Senses Working Overtime.” But Gregory, frustrated by Partridge’s controlling ways, quit in 1999, and the band hasn’t released new material in more than 20 years. Although all four members of the classic lineup now live in Swindon, England, they don’t see one another. But Gregory remembers much as he takes us through the creative explosion and eventual implosion that was XTC.

He photographed the Beatles during the Get Back project and in their final photo session. He shot the Rolling Stones during their peak years and was airlifted out of Altamont Speedway with them. He provided the indelible images for Who’s Next and other album covers. Ethan Russell was a young man from San Francisco who moved to London and became a rock ‘n’ roll photographer before that was considered a profession. He bonded with John Lennon yet kept his distance from subjects because his job was to capture moments, not to make friends. His photos tell vivid stories, and so does he in this Caropop conversation.

Chicago-born producer Shel Talmy and the Kinks revolutionized rock with the distorted-guitar attack of “You Really Got Me,” so impressing Pete Townshend that the Who leader wrote “I Can’t Explain” as a Kinks-like song to lure Talmy to produce them too. Talmy did, starting with “My Generation,” and also produced the Easybeats (“Friday on My Mind”), the Creation (“Making Time”) and a young David Bowie while continuing with the Kinks. Now living in Los Angeles, Talmy has tales to tell about all of them, including how the Kinks and the Who behaved in the studio, what Jimmy Page really did on “You Really Got Me” and how corrupt the music business can be. You’ll want to listen All Day and All of the Night.

Mekons concerts are dancing-in-the-face-of-the-apocalypse parties, and at their center is Sally Timms. Her beautiful, pure voice is way better than what you’d expect from a post-punk, country-tinged, what-have-you band, and, as she explains here, she feels duty-bound to spread joy from the stage, especially when times are dark. Typically quick-witted and thoughtful, she discusses the Mekons’ early days in Leeds, England, and their unique, enduring creative process; her longtime friendship with the late Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks; how she and fellow Mekon Jon Langford have embedded themselves in Chicago life; and why she has helped so many strangers get vaccinated.

Carrie Nahabedian is a trailblazing, Michelin-starred chef, a mentor to many and a great talker. She offers an unvarnished look into what it’s like to run a high-end restaurant (Brindille) during a pandemic. Which has hit harder, staffing or supply-chain issues? Why are women leaving the hospitality industry? Why won’t she charge extra on New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day? Why does she hate tented dining in the winter? What’s it like to work with family? What notes do they keep about guest behavior? What are the best ways to make bacon and grilled cheese? Chef Carrie will leave you satiated and hungry.

Not only does Steve Dawson continue to be one of Chicago’s most talented and well-liked singers and songwriters—whether solo or with Funeral Bonsai Wedding or Dolly Varden—but he also has inspired countless other musicians through his innovative songwriting classes at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. His new album At the Bottom of a Canyon in the Branches of a Tree is one of his best. In our book Take It to the Bridge: Unlocking the Great Songs Inside You, Steve and I have a dialogue about songwriting that continues here. Why do some songwriters peak early while others keep evolving? Prepare to be inspired.

Bernie Grundman is a legendary mastering engineer, but what is mastering, and why do people look for “BG” in the dead wax of vinyl albums? He has mastered some of the greatest, and greatest sounding, recordings of all time, including Joni Mitchell's Blue, Steely Dan’s Aja, Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and Thriller, Prince’s classic run and OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. He’s an enthusiastic talker as he discusses working with these famous artists, what he thinks of vinyl vs. CDs, and which sounds better, a pristine original album or one remastered on modern equipment? Prepare to have your ears opened.

Drummer Chris Frantz, who formed one of rock’s funkiest rhythm sections with bassist Tina Weymouth, helped drive Talking Heads to heights perhaps unreached by any other American band. Frantz’s memoir, Remain in Love, could be read as a love letter to Tina, his wife, but not to Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, whom Frantz thinks hogged credit. How did the band create “Psycho Killer” and other songs? How did the Tom Tom Club’s success affect Talking Heads? What does Frantz think of Byrne’s American Utopia? Will Talking Heads ever reunite? Don’t miss the Tina Weymouth cameo!

Part 2 of our conversation with Mitch Easter jumps right into the making of those classic first R.E.M. records: Chronic Town, Murmur and Reckoning. What is that weird pulsating sound that opens “Radio Free Europe”? Why are pool balls colliding in slow motion on “We Walk”? Easter also discusses the ups and downs of his band Let’s Active and his work with the late Scott Miller’s bands Game Theory and The Loud Family. This good-humored producer/performer offers a treasure trove of insights into the recording process. Which record and guitar would he grab if he could save just one of each? You’ll learn that too.