The Double Door Podcast

Double Door co-owners Sean Mulroney and Pete Bruce recorded this episode from Pete's home-with-a-cosmic-sobriquet, SPACE PLANET.

While at Pete's place, Sean and Pete talk about:

• Recording Car Con Carne the previous week with James VanOsdol, and the nickname Pete gave James.
• The revised target date for Double Door's opening in Uptown.
• The evolution of the "Halloween show" concept, and the unlikely New York inspiration behind it.
• The Kinks are still alive.
• Pete's a pretty big deal in the party scene. Just ask him.
• Will Scott Lucas visit the new Double Door? Sean thinks so, adding that Scott will probably like Pete.
• There's been a major change to the blueprints for the Uptown location, which cuts construction time in half.
• Find out what made Sean say, "This is Chicago. We don't fart around. If you're good; you stay good."
• Beach Boys "Pet Sounds": Sean doesn't get it.
• Rock and roll photographer gets a shout-out for managing Brian Wilson.
• Sean wants you to discover the Incredible Casuals.
• Evan Dando is acknowledged as a cool, cerebral musician.
• What was discussed at Sean's house when Evan Dando, Jimmy Chamberlin and Urge Overkill were sitting around the table?
• Musicians are smart.
• Wait… there's going to be a 'secret room' at Double Door??
• Pete gives his mic to James VanOsdol halfway through recording. But why?
• What question makes Sean want to squirt people in the eyes with mace?
• What did Mike Watt do to mess with Sean Mulroney?
• James tells which Double Door show was his all-time favorite.
• Sean tells a shocking story about Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli and his buttocks.

It's our last podcast of the year, and Sean and Pete are joined by special guest Donita Sparks of L7! Here are some of the things covered during the chat:

• Sean tells a story about when he first realized the awesome power of L7 during their SubPop days.
• Find out which famous Chicago band from the 90s said L7 inspired them to become a band.
• Donita talks about some of her less-glamorous touring experiences, including one straight out of "Carrie."
• Who are the "ambassadors of rock," and how did they allow independent artists to successfully tour during the 90s?
• We all miss zines.
• Which Iggy Pop album reference perked Donita's ears up?
• What did the L7 reunion in 2014 feel like for Donita?
• Sean describes L7 live: "That's what rock's supposed to be."
• Sean tries to talk gear with Donita, to which Donita replies, "I hate gear."
• Pete tries to talk about the Grateful Dead with Donita.

Thanks for your listening, and for your support! Please tell a friend about the podcast!

Inviting Avondale Ramblers to play the Double Door space this week led to an awful lot of Ireland talk. And some not-great accents. The best story to come out of Sean's Ireland "Ted Talk" involved Morrissey. Stop me if you've heard this one before…

As for the "Sunday Sessions" this week, Neptune's Core blew the room away. In the words of Sean, 'picture old Veruca Salt.'

As for the business stuff, things are on track with the city and Chicago needs more aldermen like James Cappelman.

Sean's slightly-more-famous brother Dermot Mulroney visited the new Double Door: What did he think of the space?

More importantly, why on earth was this episode recorded at Pe te's house, instead of the new Double Door location?

Welcome to the Double Door podcast, hosted by co-owners Sean Mulroney and Pete Bruce… this is episode six.

Also in this episode…

Sean talks about the not-for-profit organization that Double Door is starting up.

Sean admits that he's a "get rich quick" kind of guy, whereas Pete says he's learned too many hard lessons to share that frame of mind.

And, Block Club Chicago was kind enough to cover the happenings at Double Door. Let's hear it for good local journalism!

When a dangerous loner takes over a neighboring roof for sniper practice, it's time for the SWAT team to take over. Pete talks about the experience.

Also on this week's show:

There was a fire pit inside Double Door?

There's a 4th floor?? (shhhhhh...)

Permits should be in within the next month or so, meaning the timeframe to open the doors to the public should still be intact.

Structural analysis is on the way, too. Pete breaks all those details down.

Sunday Sessions happen every two weeks, and you can be part of them. Follow Double Door on Facebook for info!

Double Door co-owners and co-hosts Sean Mulroney and Pete Bruce give an update on structural developments to the new Uptown spot: Structural engineers are taking X-rays, a mini-excavator had to be brought in, and the "bones" are being exposed.

Also:

Sean also talks about the Double Door's mission to establish the building's landmark status with the city of Chicago.

The basement vault safe still needs to be cracked. Why won't the safecracker return Sean and Pete's calls?

Will the downstairs of the new Double Door really be called the "Brick Shithouse?"

It wouldn't be an old Chicago building if there weren't ghost stories tied to it. So, is the new Double Door location on Wilson… haunted? Just in time for Halloween, Double Door co-owners and co-hosts Sean Mulroney and Pete Bruce explain why it might be. Also in this episode, Sean and Pete talk about some pieces they acquired from the Uptown Theatre that are absolutely legendary.

Sean and Pete are excited because live music was heard at the new location for the first time! The guys recorded this episode right before two bands played at an open house on the club's temporary stage.

Thinking about live music led Sean to think about the Wicker Park days, and that time when no less than the Rolling Stones played the club.

Double Door's history as one of the country's premiere live music venues seemingly came to an end when it was evicted from its Wicker Park, Chicago home in 2017.

That was just the end of THAT part of the story. On this inaugural episode of the Double Door podcast, Double Door owners and show co-hosts Sean Mulroney and Pete Bruce look back on Double Door's beginnings in the 90s, and talk about the future of Double Door, which is being written right now in an Uptown building with a lot of history.