On The Record

While fewer than 80 miles sit between the city halls of Madison and Milwaukee, the two biggest cities in Wisconsin exhibit a world of difference. To dig a bit deeper into the disconnect, host Tyler Maas calls upon prolific Tone Madison contributor Joel Shanahan (who is boosting the capital city's music identity with his excellent electronic project, Golden Donna) and Milwaukee...by way of Madison by way of Milwaukee by way of Madison stand-up comedian Ryan Mason.

Shepherd Express music critic (and Disclaimer co-host) Evan Rytlewski drops by the stately Milwaukee Record offices to talk all things summer. Joined by Tyler and Matt, Evan reveals which Summerfest act he’s most looking forward to (The Isley Brothers), which summer block party is his favorite (Locust Street), and what he really thinks about “Weird Al.” Plus, there’s a fair amount of talk about Danny Gokey and American Idol.

To help shed some light on Milwaukee hip-hop's slow growth, its current climate, and obstacles that still remain, host Tyler Maas asks two of the city's most accomplished, innovative, and prolific rappers—milo and Yo-Dot—to drop by Milwaukee Record HQ and impart their wisdom and share their experiences attempting to build a career in a place that's often misunderstood (if even recognized at all) by other rap markets.

On this week's episode, Tyler Maas smuggles a sixer of Ale Asylum into Burnhearts to fuel a discussion of all things beer with Burnhearts and Goodkind owner William "BJ" Seidel. Joining in the barley banter is up-and-coming Milwaukee craft brewer Tommy Vandervort of Enlightened Brewing Company, who has quickly seen his excellent beer on the tap lines of some of Milwaukee's most renowned beer bars (Burnhearts and Goodkind included).

In advance of 4/20, man, Midwest Real host Michael Phillip talks about efforts to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, a subject he’s talked about with others on his show. He also talks about his show itself, the kinds of guests he seeks out, the topics they cover, and much more.

LIVE! From Club Garibaldi! Musician Joseph Huber! Comedian Ramie Makhlouf! The founders of Milwaukee Day! More!

Milwaukee may be a relatively small city, but its various neighborhoods can sometimes seem worlds apart. Take Bay View and Riverwest, two hubs of local music that are separated by only a few miles yet still retain distinct and defining characteristics. Joining Tyler and Matt this week to discuss the subtle differences between the two neighborhoods are Twin Brother mastermind and Club Garibaldi booker Sean Raasch (Team Bay View), and tireless multi-band musician Myles Coyne (Team Riverwest).

Dan DuChaine and Bill Rouleau of legendary Bay View record store Rush-Mor Records join Tyler and Matt this week for some spirited conversation over dinner at Café India. The group covers a whole host of things related to running a record store in the 21st century: Record Store Day, people flipping records on Record Store Day, the death of vinyl, the resurgence of vinyl, new global release dates, and more. They also talk about the history of Rush-Mor, the Bay View Bash, and Bill’s sizzling chicken tikka masala, which arrives on the table, and on mic, during the course of the show.

Spring is just a few days away, so what better time to talk about spring concerts? Joining Matt and Tyler this week are Milwaukee Magazine music writer Kevin Mueller and 88Nine Radio Milwaukee DJ Dori Zori. Items discussed: spring shows, Coachella, The Rave, ill-fated reunion shows, South By Southwest, Milwaukee Record's one-year anniversary show, a really loud foghorn outside our window.

If you’re looking for hard-won tales of life on the road and some laughs, you’ve come to the right place. In this week’s episode of On The Record, Tyler and Matt welcome Nick Woods and Brett Newski to their plush abandoned factory offices to talk about what it means to be a touring musician in the 21st century. Woods is the frontman for Milwaukee punk band Direct Hit!, and he shares oodles of stories—some good, some bad, most of them hilarious—about life on the road and dealing with things like stolen vans and terrible, terrible gas station food. Newski is a one-man touring machine, spending most of his time on the road and abroad, playing his wily folk rock all across the globe and occasionally finding it used in tampon commercials in Vietnam.