On The Record

Milwaukee has no shortage of bars. Though going to and evaluating literally more than a thousand taverns, dives, pubs, and cocktail lounges is a tough an unenviable job (and honestly, it should be), longtime OnMilwaukee bar writer Molly Snyder and Brian West, founder and editor of Alcoholmanac Magazine, have made it their lives' work to tell locals where and what to drink. They were kind enough to join host Tyler Maas at his favorite Milwaukee haunt, Blackbird Bar, to discuss the current climate of Milwaukee bars, future openings, gimmicks, pedal taverns, and how each writer made it their life's work to cover the things we drink.

To help find the best, weirdest, and most interesting events taking place in Milwaukee this spring, host Tyler Maas enlisted the expertise of two of the city's premiere entertainment writers. Milwaukee Magazine and Shepherd Express music writer Kevin Mueller and WMSE radio personality (and occasional Milwaukee Record contributor) Cal Roach joined Maas to discuss the shows they're most excited to see. From Janet Jackson's Bradley Center gig to Bubba Sparxxx's upcoming show at Cudahy's City Lounge, the trio covers a wide range of spring shows...most of which are somehow connected to Andy Kindler.

Milwaukee Comedy Festival and Fringe Fest co-founder Matt Kemple somehow finds enough time to get away from the office to join host Tyler Maas at Milwaukee Record's uncharacteristically noisy work space to discuss his various ventures, the struggles he (and the city's entertainment realm in general) faces, the origin of Milwaukee Fringe Festival, and how helping organize raves in his youth still informs the way he puts on a show today.

Born and raised in the Milwaukee, Adam Carr has taken his love of his hometown and made it into his livelihood. The Milwaukier Than Thou founder/photographer, civic activist, tour guide, storyteller, former radio personality, and all-around local champion recently added author to his résumé. Explore MKE: Your Neighborhood, Our City invites readers—children and adults alike—to look into the endless things that make Milwaukee and special place. Of course, Carr also acknowledges Milwaukee's imperfections and ways it needs to improve as the city's story continues. He joined host Tyler Maas to discuss his immense love for Milwaukee, how his book came to be, the city's deep-seeded segregation, and more.

Halo Of Flies founder Cory von Bohlen (who plays in long-running band Protestant)welcomes host Tyler Maas and Population Control singer Ricky Ramirez into his Riverwest living room to discuss how Milwaukee's metal scene currently stacks up to past decades and against nearby cities, what bands are bolstering that reputation, and why there's a lot to be excited about going forward.

During his short-yet-impressive career as a documentary filmmaker, Milwaukee native Spencer Chumbley has shot for such internationally regarded news outlets as VICE, AL Jazeera, TIME, and more. He's covered everything from riots overseas and community injustice within minutes of his hometown. While in town to screen a new doc, Oil & Water, Chumbley met up with host Tyler Maas to discuss the importance of his latest project, the Corey Stingley case, his path from Milwaukee's hardcore scene to a career in docs, and advice for aspiring filmmakers.

With an on-air resume that spans more than 30 years, few (if any) radio personalities in Milwaukee have witnessed more changes firsthand than Steve Palec. The longtime host of WKLH's "Rock N' Roll Roots" joined 88Nine Radio Milwaukee program director/DJ Jordan Lee and Milwaukee Record's Tyler Maas to examine the state of radio. In an 88Nine side studio, the three hosts—with 40 combined years of radio experience…and, uh, 13 months of podcasting—delved into the current climate of both commercial and listener-supported stations, and explained why specialization is key to maintaining a following in a rapidly changing industry.

Last month, Milwaukee comedian Ryan Holman made a Making A Murderer-related meme that garnered millions of views on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, Imgur, various popular blogs, and more. However, his photo and joke went viral with little-to-no attribution going Holman's way. Similarly, Milwaukee's Hunter Ruth made a Scott Walker image that was spread throughout Wisconsin and beyond a few years ago—again, with no credit for doing so. Host Tyler Maas met the pair in Holman's house to discuss their own experiences making memes, their thoughts on the murky principles of online ownership, and the parallels to theft in the realms of both comedy and journalism. We swear, it's not as intense of a conversation as it sounds.

While home from Washington D.C. (where he now lives following a brief time living in L.A.) to play with Decibully in our Local Coverage benefit, Eric & Magill's Ryan Weber came to Milwaukee Record's studio where he and Decibully bandmate Andrew Menchal spoke about their time in the band, what prompted Weber's Milwaukee exodus, how he and Eric & Magill cohort Eric Osterman wrote with an ocean between them, and experiences from his journeys that will stick with him forever.

Fresh off a run of shows at Milwaukee's Comedy Cafe, stand-up comedian Shane Mauss sits down with host Tyler Maas at Milwaukee Record headquarters to discuss the trials and tribulations of making a living as a road comic. The western Wisconsin native got his stand-up start in Boston before winding up in Los Angeles and bringing his act to comedy clubs throughout the country. Along the way, he released a Comedy Central Presents special and two albums, performed on Conan (five times!), and found his material evolving considerably. Over the course of the hour conversation, Mauss chronicles his path from crouton factory worker to full-time comedian, details the highs and lows of the comic lifestyle, talks about breaking both his feet, and gets into the background of his great and ultra-informative podcast "Here We Are."