Peter Jesperson has had an incredible career in music. Initially inspired by watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, Peter took a job at legendary record store Oar Folkjokeopus in 1973 and became the primary DJ at Jay's Longhorn in 1977. He was a co-founder of Twin / Tone Records the following year. Along the way, Paul Westerberg dropped off the famous demo tape for The Replacements. Peter eventually became the manager for the 'Mats and spent time of the road with R.E.M. After overcoming some personal issues (he's now been 33 years sober!), Peter moved to LA and worked with New West Records and with artists like Vic Chesnutt, Jack Logan, The Flatlanders and many more. Most recently, he has written a fabulous new book, Euphoric Recall. We talked about his life and threw in some Chicago stories. Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:

2:45: What was the impetus to write your book/how do you even start?

4: What is the arc of putting your life's work to paper?

9:15: When did you decide you wanted to make music your life?

12: You got your start at Oar Folkjokeopus, that had to have helped, right?

19:44: How did the founding on Twin/Tone Records come about?

26: Are streaming services a good thing? Is the lower barrier of entry a good thing?

31: Tell us about meeting Paul Westerberg

41:45: When did you know The Replacements were going places?

50: What is it like trying to manage The Replacements?

53: What do you think separates Midwestern scenes versus more coastal cities?

60: How did The Replacements find out about The Vertebrats?

64: You've worked with some pretty successful bands, as they are on the way up, what is that ride like?

70:45: Did the success of R.E.M. bother/impact Paul and The Replacements?

82:45: Any thoughts on why Paul Westerberg wasn't more successful as a solo artist?

87:30: Has anything surprised you about the reception to Euphoric Recall?

95:40: Thick or thin crust pizza?

96: Do you have a favorite venue in Chicago?

96:20: What do you think makes Chicago a unique music scene/city?

98: Any music that will make your end of the year best of list?

101:38: What is your go to cheap drink?

102:20: Anything you'd like to plug on the way on out of here?

Mike Maples started Liquid Mike in 2021. In that short time, the band has already put out five albums of songs - including their most recent one, Paul Bunyan's Slingshot. Hailing from Marquette, Michigan (that's the Upper Peninsula, folks), Mike balances his job as a mailman with writing a ton of songs, playing guitar, singing and touring. You can check them out in Chicago at Concord Music Hall on 12-11-2024.

Time Stamps:

2:20: So many different ways to describe your music, how do you describe Liquid Mike's sound?

4: Is the shortened length of songs inspired by any musicians?

9:30: When did you start playing guitar and writing your own songs?

13:45: How has the relative geographic isolation of living in the U.P. impacted your music?

16:31: What was it like to be out on your first big tour?

19: How is your first Chicago show at Riot Fest?

21:13: Have you been approached by any labels?

23:30: Are there other great bands playing in the U.P.?

28: What was it like when your music started blowing up?

31:40: Are you intentional about not being intentional about your use of social media?

38: How did your upcoming tours come together?

44:10: How many times have you been to Chicago?

45: Deep dish or thin crust pizza?

49: What does Chicago music mean to you?

51:33: Did you stick around Riot Fest and check out any bands?

54:08: What is your go-to cheap drink?

58: Anything else you want to plug on the way on out of here?

Very excited to welcome Elizabeth Moen to the show! Originally from Iowa, she now calls Chicago home. Her self-titled first album was released in 2016 and her latest, Live at Lincoln Hall came out earlier this year. She's working on a new one with Spencer Tweedy producing. We talk about that, as well as her story about meeting Eddie Vedder, her current tour with Jeff Tweedy and her love for Bruce Springsteen's music. She also has a new single out in advance of her big show at the Empty Bottle on 11/16. As always, we talk about her thoughts on Chicago!

Tickets for the Empty Bottle show on 11/16 --

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/elizabeth-moen-family-junket-empty-bottle-tickets/13606304

Time stamps:

2: Elizabeth is in Woodstock

6:18: What was the first song that you felt like you mastered?

9:22: Was your amazing voice evident early on?

15: Please share your story about meeting Eddie Vedder!

18:30: Tell us about the first open mic in Iowa City. Is there a scene in IC?

20: Was Chicago always on your radar in terms of where you wanted to move?

23: Spencer Tweedy is producing Elizabeth's next album

28:21: How close is the band to who appeared on your live album?

30:45: How do you balance going out alone versus having the band together?

34: Are you more collaborative in the music process or do you drive what is created?

38: Do you want to do it all, or do you think you'd be more successful if you stuck to one type of music?

41:17: Are you playing any of the new songs on tour, how has tour been going so far?

43: Do you feel like you are learning anything watching Jeff Tweedy perform every night?

48: What is it about Bruce that you like, and what's your favorite Springsteen album?

55:21: Thin crust or deep dish?

58: What is your favorite show to see a show at, and what is your favorite venue to play in Chicago?

67:45: What makes Chicago such a unique music city?

72:20: What is your go to cheap drink?

78:18: What else do you want to plug on your way out?

Ian Robinson has been performing as Black Guy Fawkes for almost ten years now. He joins us on the podcast to talk about his musical journey, meeting Frank Turner, his challenges as a black artist and the battle to maintain positive mental health. Ian is working on a new album and also has a great podcast called "Fawkes & Friends". He'll be playing the Color Club in Chicago in October.

Time stamps:

2: What was your introduction to music, when did you decide music was going to be your thing?

6:41: What is the scene like on Cumberland?

8:44: How do you overcome a scene where you don't necessarily feel like you belong in?

11:37: How difficult is it to get together and plan a tour?

14: Do you take your new friends in stride, or is it like what the fuck is going on?

17:15: How do you handle the highest of highs and then the lowest of lows?

20: How have your musical influences inspired you as a songwriter and performer?

22:40: Being a black musician in a music scene that's not thought of as a traditionally black genre, does that present challenges to you, do you feel extra pressure being black in that scene?

28:44: How surreal was it meeting Frank Turner? How cool did you play it?

33:45: Are we working on any new music?

37: Tell us about Fawkes & Friends

42: What can someone expect at one of your shows?

44: PNOTS and Black Guy Fawkes at Color Club in Chicago on 10/4!

45:50: Deep dish or thin crust?

47: Where did you play when you've played in Chicago?

47:30: What do you think makes Chicago a unique music scene?

49:35: What's your go to cheap drink?

51:45: What else would you like to plug on the way on out of here?

55: What's your favorite Bob album?

It's our 50th episode! Time for a celebration!

We are very pleased to have Abby Monroe and Josh Dihle on the show for our 50th. Abby and Josh are the owners of Color Club, a Chicago venue that hosts an eclectic array of events. In 2020, they purchased the building on Elston Avenue that previously was home to the Chicago Latvian Association. Their intention was to create "a gathering space for Chicago's creative community." We talk about how they have done just that - hosting all sorts of events - poetry, dance, art, music and more. And, of course, we talk about how they came to open "The Sugar Hole" - the world's only puppet powered ice cream walk-up window. And they also tell us what they love about Chicago.

We like the space so much that we our hosting our 50th episode celebration party at Color Club in September. Email us if you need an invite!

Time Stamps:

2:07: How and when did we decide we wanted to take on this experiment?

5: How haunted is Color Club?

6:15: What are some of the learnings you have found in working together over the past couple of years?

7:30: How did people react to your ideas for the space?

9: What is the process like for renting space at Color Club?

12:30: What is a typical day in the life like for you?

14: Walk us through buying the space right as Covid was starting.

17:31: Have there been any moments where you've felt like you were in over your head?

20: What are some of the oddest ideas people have presented to you?

25: How did you come up with the name Color Club?

29: What does the future of Color Club look like several years down the line?

30: How do you find the balance between being a couple and being coworkers?

32:45: Do the two of you consider yourself music fans?

34: Do you have a dream event to host at Color Club?

36: What about Chicago makes it such a good art scene?

38: Deep dish or thin crust pizza?

40: Favorite venues to see art at in the city?

42:30: What do the next six months look like for Color Club?

John Mohr and Mike Greenlees have been playing music together for a long time. They first got together in Dekalb, Illinois at Northern Illinois University in 1983 with the band Blatant Dissent. In 1988, they transitioned to the post-hardcore band Tar, based in Chicago. And now, in 2024, they've released a fantastic new album with their latest quartet, Deep Tunnel Project, with Jeff Dean and Tim Midyett. We talked with John and Mike about how this all happened - and shared our mutual love of Chicago!

Time stamps:

3: How did you meet?

8: how would you describe the career of Blatant Dissent?

 9:10: was there a conversation where you decided to keep making music full time?

12: how did you end up on Touch & Go?

17:30 how did the decision to end Tar come about?

18:30: how did you start working with Steve Albini?

25:22: how did it go from Tar to Deep Tunnel Project?

31: at what point do you bring in other people to play with you?

33: why was it important to you to have Chicago musicians?

42: was it the intention to always put out an album?

44: is there a song on the album that you feel is the most representative of the band?

47:45: favorite song to play from the album?

50: how did you end up on Comedy Minus One?

51:30: what’s the response been like to the record?

55: what are the next steps for Deep Tunnel Project?

62:40: deep dish or thin crust pizza?

64: favorite venue to play at?

67:40 what makes Chicago such a unique music scene?

72:38: go to cheap drink?

74:40: anything to plug on the way out?

We are excited to have Dean Zelinsky on the show. While still in his teens, Dean founded his first guitar company, Dean Guitars, starting it from scratch. He talks to us about how a couple of trips to the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan inspired his dream. After setting up his first factory in Evanston, Illinois, Dean went on to build iconic guitars for musicians like Dimebag Darrel, Billy Gibbons, Michael Schenker, Leslie West and Brad Paisley. Dean later moved on and currently builds guitars as Dean Zelinsky Private Label Guitars. He shares with us some of the innovations he's incorporated into his latest designs. We also talk about a few crazy stories and some of his favorite things about Chicago. Dean also has his own podcast, The Dean Zelinsky Show and you can hear even more stories about his guitar journey at https://www.deanzelinskyguitars.com/pages/podcast.

Time Stamps:

2:15: when did you first show an interest in guitars?

4:36: When did you first start to tinker with how guitars worked?

7:40: Did you really think you could figure out how to repair a guitar?

10:30: What in you made you a doer?

12:30: What was the reason behind the Gibson Guitars tour?

17: How did you start the company?

21: How much back and forth to make the guitar perfect?

25:13: How do you start to build the company/approach guitar stores to sell your guitars?

32:35: What is your mindset as things are taking off?

35: What changed everything for Dean Guitars?

42: Is this the time that you decide you wanted to sell the company?

45:16: When did you get rock stars playing your guitars/how did you sell guitars backstage?

54:37: How did the fur guitars come to be?

60: What's still driving you to make guitars?

70: Favorite venue to show your guitars, favorite venue to see a show?

71:30: thin crust or deep dish fan?

73:35: What makes Chicago unique?

76:30: What's your go to cheap drink?

79:25: Anything you'd like to plug on the way out?

Taylor Hales is the studio manager and recording & mixing engineer at the world-famous Electrical Audio recording studio. He also fills a bunch of other roles at the studio. We talked with Taylor about how he got his start in music and his internship at Electrical Audio. He filled us in on the inner workings at the studio. And he shared many stories about his employer, co-worker and friend, Steve Albini. This was a very emotional episode and we are so grateful to Taylor for sharing this with us.

Time stamps:

3:45: How did you first meet Steve and start working at Electrical Audio?

8:45: How often does an intern actually get hired here?

9:45: What was your life like leading up to working at Electrical Audio?

11:55: At what point did you decide that you wanted to make your passion your career?

15:18: Was your start at Electrical Audio what you expected?

17:16: Did you pick people's brains while you were interning?

18:26: What was day one like here as an intern?

20:07: What does a studio manager do at Electrical Audio?

25:07: Was your intention with the internship to get to stay forever?

28:34: Have you thought about what it was about you that led to you getting a job there?

29:45: It seems like your experience with Steve was different than how people viewed him

32:18: Have you learned anything about Steve that has surprised you since he passed?

34:45: How did Steve's disdain for money translate into how you helped him run a studio?

36:09: What are some of your favorite albums Steve produced?

40:21: What are some of the things you've taken away from Steve with how you record a band?

43:11: Did Steve actually think producing was an important job?

46:45: What are some magic moments you've had at Electrical Audio?

48:45: How do you honor Steve moving forward?

52:38: From a recording engineer perspective, what are some of the things that Steve made a lasting impression on?

55: What is it about Steve and Chicago that fit so well together?

57: When you think about Chicago music, what do you think about?

58: Have you become an audio snob from working at Electrical Audio, and do you have a favorite Chicago venue?

61:43: Deep dish or thin crust fan?

62:35: What happens with Shellac moving forward?

63:36: What is your go to cheap drink?

64:35: Anything you think people should know about Steve that we haven't talked about?

Brandon Lewis of Punkerton Records joins us for the latest After Hours episode. Brandon's record label is out of Ohio and supports a number of awesome punk rock bands. It's a labor of love for him and he works hard to provide full support to his bands - from recording, to artwork, to tour bookings and more. Four Punkerton Records bands will be playing the upcoming fForest Fest in Morris, IL on June 1st - Bad Year, The Boy Detective, KNIVES and Middle-Out. Come on out and check out some great punk music - 12 bands for only $10.

Time stamps:

2:15: How did you get started in music?

15:50: It seems like things happened in reverse for you

19: It's good to hype up all the other bands on the label

22:10: How did you develop a relationship with Stacey and Eric from fforest fest?

27:34: Tell us about the bands. that are plying fforest fest

37:48: The whole fforest fest team is unbelievable

42:50: Looking forward to seeing you out there

Stacey Dee is a singer and guitar player in the California punk band Bad Cop / Bad Cop. She's also known affectionately as Stacy Fucking Dee because, well, she's a badass! She's been playing in punk bands for a while now and Bad Cop / Bad Cop is one of the best. They've already put out 3 great LP's - Not Sorry, Warriors and The Ride - and they've got a new one in the works. Stacey shared some great stories here, including some of her struggles, and how she's in a great spot now. Fuck yeah!!!

Time Stamps:

2:18: Bad Cop/Bad Cop - How did the band come together?

7:10: What is your creative process like?

9: What are some of your earliest musical influences?

13:11: Did you ever get to tell The Go-Go's your story?

17: Has playing music exclusively with women been a deliberate choice?

18:23: As women in music, what are some of the challenges you've faced?

26:50: Fat Mike, what's it been like working with him?

29:33: There is a new album on the way!?

34: What has it been like going into the studio with someone new?

36: How do all these festival dates come together?

41: Anything you'd like to share about Frank Turner?

42: What are some Bad Cop/Bad Cop songs that really encapsulate the band?

45: When you think of Chicago and Chicago music, what do you think of?

45:45: Are there things you always want to do when you come to Chicago?

50:17: Thick or thin crust pizza fan?

52:10: Do you have a favorite venue in Chicago?

54: Who are some of your favorite Chicago bands?

59: What is your go to cheap drink?