This week, Features contributor Sophia Ramirez speaks with K.O. Weakley aka TYGKO and Cam Stacey, co-owners and co-founders of DIY music venue, Bookclub in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. They discuss their DIY roots and the journey to go legit, the built in community-based ethos in the former Elbo Room space, and K.O.'s music project, TYGKO.

"I also love that we are talking about it as an evolution because I do literally refer to OG Bookclub as Charmander and legit Bookclub as Charmeleon for the Pokemon fans. What's the Charizard version? You'll have to wait and see."  - Cam Stacey

Produced by Sophia Ramirez.

Photo Credit: Bookclub

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features director Marjorie Alford speaks with Chicago based rock'n'roller of the apocalypse Laila Eskin of Heet Deth. They discuss Heet Deth’s birth in a hot practice space one fateful September afternoon in 2019 where Laila tuned her guitar to “almost a fart” and never looked back, the story behind Heet Deth’s unique look as they leaned into “the new bad future”, the writing of Heet Deth’s sophomore album Bad Reading, and what’s next for the band as the hunt for a new drummer unfolds.

“I doomscroll because I'm looking for answers. Or relief. Or connection. But the thing that kind of heels doomscrolling is being actually connected to the people outside. Or just being outside. Or just throwing my phone.” - Laila Eskin of Heet Deth

Bad Reading is out now on all music platforms. 

Produced by Marjorie Alford. 

Photo Credit: Heet Deth

This week, Features contributor Dillon Woodward speaks with pop violinist Lapis Stone AKA LapiOnTheBeat. They discuss the origins of the name LapiOnTheBeat, Lapi's genre-blending and genre-creating style, the new single You Got Me, life as a street performer, and Lapi's goals as an artist.

"This is something that is a fixture in culture. Street musicians - artists in general - we do provide something. Whether it's a service or a product, it is valuable." - LapiOnTheBeat

LapiOnTheBeat's mixtape The Populator will be released June 29th exclusively for download and streaming only on Bandcamp. 

Photo Credit: Anton D.

Produced by Marjorie Alford.

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor Safiya Ratliff speaks with Tara Shedor of Chicago-based rock 'n' rollers Everyday Specials. They discuss the creation of their new EP Doggy Bag and the various dog references contained within, their college-era battle of the bands musical roots, and writing songs about the socialist values of now-defunct car manufacturer Saturn.

"Politics are infused in everything. I feel like it comes through and we want our songs to, you know, actually remark about the world in addition to being fun. And we're out here having fun, but we're having fun in blazing fires around us, right?" - Tara Shedor of Everyday Specials

Photo Credit: Tom Moffitt

Produced by Brian Szpak.

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor Michal Gliszewski speaks with Jeff Kelley, Heather Perry, and Karissa Talanian of Chicago-based post-punk group Plum. They discuss moving out of their "Chicago band hustle" phase of musicianship, the process behind writing their debut album Can't Hold Onto It, and a special string of live performances, including a train tour through Japan and opening for Jack White at a secret show at Reggie's.

"Doing so many shows in such a short time span in such an unfamiliar context, I think we got a lot tighter. We got a lot more confident in our ability to play. If we can play these songs jet lagged on the tiniest stage we've ever been on, we can play them anywhere, any context." - Jeff Kelley of Plum

Produced by Liz Mason.

Photo Credit: Shannon Marks

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor Noah Haynes speaks with Sean and Ben Chicago-based cow punk band 96 Cougar. They discuss their newest full-length album, Forklift Radio, the evolution of "cow punk" as their genre, their love of releasing music on tape, and being a band of inside jokes.

"I think we kind of have an unofficial rule of no idea is too dumb as long as it rocks." - Sean, 96 Cougar

96 Cougar will be playing Cafe Mustache on April 14th.

Produced by Noah Haynes.

Photo Credit: Chris Semel

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor DJ Ninja speaks with jazz vocalist and composer Keri Johnsrud and woodwind specialist, performer, recording artist, and composer Shawn Maxwell. They discuss their musical beginnings, their collaborative album C8H10N4O2, and the nods to hometown Joliet in the tracklisting.

"Composing and coming up with tunes that tell stories, I feel it's a lot easier for me now than it was 20 years ago. I feel like I have so many ideas and if I could, I'd probably put out an album a month." - Shawn Maxwell

The Keri Johnsrud-Shawn Maxwell Band will be playing at City Winery on Tuesday, April 8.

Produced by DJ Ninja.

Photo Credit: Michael Barton

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor Juliet Davidson speaks with Lauren Owen of Staring Problem, a Chicago-based DIY proto-goth/shoegaze/no wave/dark wave three-piece. They discuss the band's 15-year run and various makeups, their newest album, Equinox, and the joys of collaborating.

"I thought it just felt like a more balanced time, coming out of COVID; looking for balance and acknowledging like the light and dark of everything. Just trying to find a harmony and then equating that with the physical season change of equinox." Lauren Owen on the naming of Staring Problem's release, Equinox

Produced by Jessi D.

Photo Credit: Tina Mulroney

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Liz Mason speaks with Chicago-raised Latina DJ and Producer Christine Gutierrez and E of Dark Chisme, a Seattle-based dark wave band. They discuss Christine's DJ career in Seattle and how it led to the inspiration behind their performing name, the emotional guidance behind when to write in English and when to write in Spanish, and their comics and zine publishing studio, Really Easy Press.

"I am huge on mariachis and Mexican traditional singers, and I love the way that they sing out loud and you can just feel it in their soul what they're singing. I wanted to capture that in the music." - Christine Gutierrez

Produced by Liz Mason.

Photo Credit: Bella Petro

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Darren Keen of Chicago one-man electronic band PROBLEMS. They discuss the genesis of his project PROBLEMS, Darren's transplant journey from Nebraska to New York and back to Nebraska, before finally landing here in Chicago, his booking company Personal Space Booking and their upcoming all day fest Personal Space Lost Weekend, the importance sobriety has played in his music career and life, and taking over booking for The Burlington.  

"Coming here to Chicago with some sobriety under my belt and working here in the scene ... doing what I do now it's the realization of a dream I couldn't have had otherwise." - Darren Keen of PROBLEMS on sobriety.

Catch PROBLEMS this Sunday, 01/26 at CHIRP Night at the Whistler, alongside Speed Babes.

Produced by: Marjorie Alford

Photo Credit: PROBLEMS 

For a transcript of this interview, visit the blog.