Lise.FM

I don't know about you, but this podcast is 22...episodes old! Ok, these number puns are way too easy and I should stop. Or not? Lmk. More importantly, Dan and Mariel from Chicago based band FAY RAY (FKA Church Booty) join me on the show this week to talk about their amazing 8-piece band and its journey from their first fateful show in an Urbana student living room to their upcoming release, No Love EP. We also talk about their influences - which range from Stevie (Wonder, not Nicks) to Snarky Puppy to R. Kelly (jkjk). They preview their next couple shows and we get to hear a sneak peek of their new single "Stuck." Oh, and we give a shout out to basically every one we went to college with. Check them out on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp or follow them on Facebook/Twitter/IG!

Sean Neumann, the brains behind Single Player, joins me for a chat about his influences - which range from AC/DC and Shania Twain to the Champaign-Urbana music scene and his awesome friends. He also tells me why his songs are so short, what he loves about playing music with his friends and how journalism ties into his musical ventures.

This week I'm joined by Chicago trip-hop/R&B duo, Deadly Habits, which is made up of Evan Lyman and Animah Boakye. Evan and Animah share their origin story (aka how Buzz Magazine at the U of I brought them together), talk about their shared and distinctly different influences and tell me about their insanely cool debut album, Night Vision, and the accompanying gifs that photographer/visual artist Animah made for each song. At the end of the show, we even get to hear a song from Night Vision, "Under The Serious Moonlight."

To find out more about Deadly Habits and to listen to their album, go to their website: www.deadlyhabits.com or check them out on Bandcamp.

This week, I'm joined by theatre mastermind and old friend of mine, Genevieve Fowler. She tells me all about her upcoming production of "Here Comes the Tide, There Goes the Girl" an original adaptation of Hamlet that goes up this weekend at the Hairpin Art Center in Logan Square. She also tells me about her biggest theatrical influences, explains why theatre provides such an important platform for conversations on social change and together, we berate the dreaded 'talkback.'

Find tickets for the show here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/here-comes-the-tidethere-goes-the-girl-tickets-37352914573

Music this week by @hopboxmusic <3

This week, I’m joined by a man who needs no introduction…but I’ll give him one, anyway. It’s the great Rick Kogan. You may know him from the Chicago Tribune, WGN Radio or the Billy Goat, and if you don’t, you will after listening to this. I’m lucky enough to be Rick’s producer on his Sunday evening program at WGN Radio, After Hours with Rick Kogan, but, after recording this episode of my podcast, I realized just how little I actually knew about his past. I had no idea his Dad was a Chicago newspaper great, who started the first Arts & Entertainment section in any newspaper, ever. I also had no idea that Rick, like me, spent his 20th year of life abroad - the main difference was that he went with no study abroad program or scholarship fund to speak of, and that he gambled 500 of his remaining dollars away in Monte Carlo. Rick tells me all about his early years, his main influences and shares some advice he would have given himself at 24.

Music: Marshall's Field by @FayRayMusic

You know him from Shrink, Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ and Drunk History....the delightful Tim Baltz joins me on the show this week to talk about getting his start on the stage, finding his comedic idols and making the move to LA. He also shares his philosophy on collaboration, talks about his contribution to great podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang and With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus and we nerd out on our shared love for Chicago public access shows from the late 90s and, of course, the Cubbies.

Music this week from @hopboxmusic @crapface and @palettes. <3

This week I'm joined by a literal renaissance man, Arne Parrott, or, as he is known at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, Dylan Robertson. Arne tells me all about his musical and comedic influences - from the Barenaked Ladies and Eminem to Monty Python and Shakespeare. He also plays some of his hilarious songs and talks about why he loves to write music.

Actor, comedian and fellow Cubs fan Chris Witaske joined me on the show this week to talk to me all about his influences: from The Simpsons and Bill Murray to Bob Odenkirk and David Letterman. We also chat about his years at Second City, his move from Chicago to LA, his appearance on New Girl and how he went from auditioning for 3 different parts on Love to landing a spot on the show as a character based on him...whose name is also Chris!

Music this week by @crapface @hopboxmusic and @palettes

Painter & muralist Langston Allston joins me to talk about his installation "When People Could Fly" at Humbolt Park's Slate Gallery. He describes the exhibition's visual narrative, tells me why he wanted to make a "room-sized comic" and shares the stories, artists and music that guided him to the end result.

Visit Langston's website to find out more: www.langstonallston.com.

Music by @thisiszackbruce and @palettes

Tom Hush from No Coast Cinema Podcast on WGN Plus fills-in for Lise on this edition of Lise.FM.

Alex DePompei is a musician and radio host based out of Chicago. He talks about his initial introduction to music and how he became an avid fan and champion of country music.

You can check out his band Junker Bliss at https://junkerbliss.bandcamp.com/ and listen to his show Country Breakfast every Saturday morning from 8-9am on wluw.org.

You can also listen to Tom's podcast No Coast Cinema at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/no-coast-cinema/