CHIRP Radio Podcasts

This week, Features contributor Liz Mason speaks with Mike Odd, manager of Drive Thru Metal group Mac Sabbath, based in Los Angeles but born from the bowels of Outer Space. They discuss the honor of playing the Weird Al stage at this year's upcoming Riot Fest, transcending the "parody band" label, how drive thru metal is intended to keep you away from the drive thru, and their serious merch game. "So if you think that you're experiencing it by watching a video on YouTube or something, I got to tell you that every single person that I've ever talked to that's seen it for the first time, whether it be an agent or a club owner or a fan, they've all said, 'oh, I thought I knew what it was, but I had no idea it was going to be like this.'" - Mike Odd on Mac Sabbath's theatrical live performances Mac Sabbath will be playing the Weird Al stage at Riot Fest on Friday, September 19th, and Reggie's on Thursday, September 18th. Produced by Liz Mason. Photo Credit: Jeremy Saffer

This week, Features contributor Dillon Woodward speaks with Nickole Regala, Frankie Sripada, and Sophia Williams of Chicago-based psych rock band Daisychain. They discuss the creation of their first full-length album, All In A Name, working with powerhouse producer Sylvia Massy, and creating a safe space in their shows being a female-fronted rock band in a male-dominated scene. "We get on stage, we want to be just a powerful force." - Nickole Regala of Daisychain Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Vicki Holda

This week, Features contributor Matty G speaks with Chicago-based artist Jessica Risker. They discuss her first full-length album in seven years, Calendar Year, how the leading single from the album "City Hours" is the "dystopian apex" of the album, and the podcast project born out of the pandemic that combines her musicianship with her therapist career, "Music Therapy with Jessica Risker." "There's always a gap between what you imagine something you make could be and then your capacity to actually pull that off. And even though there's certainly more room for growth, I really feel like this is my best work." - Jessica Risker on her new album Jessica Risker will play an album release show for Calendar Year at Constellation on September 5th. Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Rachel Winslow For a transcript of this interview, please visit the blog.

This week, Features contributor Noah Haynes speaks with Quinn Dugan, Ruby O'Brien, and Theo Williams of Chicago-based three-piece UNIFLORA. They discuss pushing themselves in new directions on their latest album, More Gums Than Teeth, their creativel influences from detective novels to Animal Collective, and how their sound will evolve once they graduate high school. "I think being a young band is kind of part of the allure, but I think at a certain point it'll switch over and it'll just be, oh people just like us 'cause we make good music." Ruby O'Brien, UNIFLORA Produced by Noah Haynes. Photo Credit: Carlos Lowenstein Read the transcript here.

This week, Features contributor Liz Mason speaks with Chicago-based hip hop artist Amanu, aka Spiderface. They discuss the futuristic concept album Kaiju Green that takes place in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, the hip hop collective Greenlights Music groupchat, and his exploration of the relationship between technology and everyday life. "Don't give in to despair. Find that thing, whatever that thing is that gives you joy and light, and embrace that and fight." - Amanu aka Spiderface Produced by Liz Mason. Photo Credit: Johno Rose

This week, Features contributor Sophia Ramirez speaks with K.O. Weakley aka TYGKO and Cam Stacey, co-owners and co-founders of DIY music venue, Bookclub in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. They discuss their DIY roots and the journey to go legit, the built in community-based ethos in the former Elbo Room space, and K.O.'s music project, TYGKO. "I also love that we are talking about it as an evolution because I do literally refer to OG Book Club as Charmander and legit Book Club as Charmeleon for the Pokemon fans. What's the Charizard version? You'll have to wait and see." Produced by Sophia Ramirez. Photo Credit: Bookclub

This week, Features director Marjorie Alford speaks with Chicago based rock'n'roller of the apocalypse Laila Eskin of Heet Deth. They discuss Heet Deth’s birth in a hot practice space one fateful September afternoon in 2019 where Laila tuned her guitar to “almost a fart” and never looked back, the story behind Heet Deth’s unique look as they leaned into “the new bad future”, the writing of Heet Deth’s sophomore album Bad Reading, and what’s next for the band as the hunt for a new drummer unfolds. “I doomscroll because I'm looking for answers. Or relief. Or connection. But the thing that kind of heels doomscrolling is being actually connected to the people outside. Or just being outside. Or just throwing my phone.” - Laila Eskin of Heet Deth Bad Reading is out now on all music platforms. Produced by Marjorie Alford. Photo Credit: Heet Deth

This week, Features contributor Dillon Woodward speaks with pop violinist Lapis Stone AKA Lapi On The Beat. They discuss the origins of the name Lapi On The Beat, Lapi's genre-blending and genre-creating style, the new single You Got Me, life as a street performer, and Lapi's goals as an artist. "This is something that is a fixture in culture. Street musicians - artists in general - we do provide something. Whether it's a service or a product, it is valuable." - Lapi On The Beat Lapi On The Beat's mixtape The Populator will be released June 29th exclusively for download and streaming only on Bandcamp. Photo Credit: Anton D. Produced by Marjorie Alford.

This week, Features contributor Safiya Ratliff speaks with Tara Shedor of Chicago-based rock 'n' rollers Everyday Specials. They discuss the creation of their new EP Doggy Bag and the various dog references contained within, their college-era battle of the bands musical roots, and writing songs about the socialist values of now-defunct car manufacturer Saturn. "Politics are infused in everything. I feel like it comes through and we want our songs to, you know, actually remark about the world in addition to being fun. And we're out here having fun, but we're having fun in blazing fires around us, right?" - Tara Shedor of Everyday Specials Photo Credit: Tom Moffitt Produced by Brian Szpak.

This week, Features contributor Michal Gliszewski speaks with Jeff Kelley, Heather Perry, and Karissa Talanian of Chicago-based post-punk group Plum. They discuss moving out of their "Chicago band hustle" phase of musicianship, the process behind writing their debut album Can't Hold Onto It, and a special string of live performances, including a train tour through Japan and opening for Jack White at a secret show at Reggie's. "Doing so many shows in such a short time span in such an unfamiliar context, I think we got a lot tighter. We got a lot more confident in our ability to play. If we can play these songs jet lagged on the tiniest stage we've ever been on, we can play them anywhere, any context." - Jeff Kelley of Plum Produced by Liz Mason. Photo Credit: Shannon Marks

This week, Features contributor Noah Haynes speaks with Sean and Ben Chicago-based cow punk band 96 Cougar. They discuss their newest full-length album, Forklift Radio, the evolution of "cow punk" as their genre, their love of releasing music on tape, and being a band of inside jokes. "I think we kind of have an unofficial rule of no idea is too dumb as long as it rocks." - Sean, 96 Cougar 96 Cougar will be playing Cafe Mustache on April 14th. Produced by Noah Haynes. Photo Credit: Chris Semel

This week, Features contributor DJ Ninja speaks with jazz vocalist and composer Keri Johnsrud and woodwind specialist, performer, recording artist, and composer Shawn Maxwell. They discuss their musical beginnings, their collaborative album C8H10N4O2, and the nods to hometown Joliet in the tracklisting. "Composing and coming up with tunes that tell stories, I feel it's a lot easier for me now than it was 20 years ago. I feel like I have so many ideas and if I could, I'd probably put out an album a month." - Shawn Maxwell The Keri Johnsrud-Shawn Maxwell Band will be playing at City Winery on Tuesday, April 8. Produced by DJ Ninja. Photo Credit: Michael Barton

This week, Features contributor Juliet Davidson speaks with Lauren Owen of Staring Problem, a Chicago-based DIY proto-goth/shoegaze/no wave/dark wave three-piece. They discuss the band's 15-year run and various makeups, their newest album, Equinox, and the joys of collaborating. "I thought it just felt like a more balanced time, coming out of COVID; looking for balance and acknowledging like the light and dark of everything. Just trying to find a harmony and then equating that with the physical season change of equinox." Lauren Owen on the naming of Staring Problem's release, Equinox Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Tina Mulroney

This week, Liz Mason speaks with Chicago-raised Latina DJ and Producer Christine Gutierrez and E of Dark Chisme, a Seattle-based dark wave band. They discuss Christine's DJ career in Seattle and how it led to the inspiration behind their performing name, the emotional guidance behind when to write in English and when to write in Spanish, and their comics and zine publishing studio, Really Easy Press. "I am huge on mariachis and Mexican traditional singers, and I love the way that they sing out loud and you can just feel it in their soul what they're singing. I wanted to capture that in the music." - Christine Gutierrez Produced by Liz Mason. Photo Credit: Bella Petro

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Darren Keen of Chicago one-man electronic band PROBLEMS. They discuss the genesis of his project PROBLEMS, Darren's transplant journey from Nebraska to New York back to Nebraska before finally landing here in Chicago, his booking company Personal Space Booking and their upcoming all day fest Personal Space Lost Weekend, the importance sobriety played in his music career and life, and taking over booking for The Burlington. Coming here to Chicago with some sobriety under my belt and working here in the scene ... doing what I do now it's the realization of a dream I couldn't have had otherwise." - Darren Keen of PROBLEMS on sobriety. Catch PROBLEMS this Sunday, 01/26 at CHIRP Night at the Whistler, alongside Speed Babes. Produced by: Marjorie Alford Photo Credit: PROBLEMS

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Renn Fontana and Lex of Chicago based post-hardcore band Rat Chasm. They discuss the singles Sorry Carly and Wasteland Centerfold, the recording of their album First Feed while Lex was still aclimating to the band, and the struggles of growing up queer. First Feed is out now. Catch Rat Chasm live February 20th at Empty Bliss. Produced by Marjorie Alford. Photo Credit: Cori Knox

This week, Features contributor Josset Yarbrough speaks with Kathy Patino, aka Girl K. They discuss her songwriting process behind her newest release, My Future, her collaboration with Chicago Argentine HEARTGAZE, and her inspriation move from indie rock to glamorous pop. "I don't know if it's necessarily my dream to be a famous musician, but music itself is my dream and I just want people to hear what I'm making, and I want to have fun making it." - Kathy Patino aka Girl K Produced by Brian Szpak. Photo Credit: Alicia Patiño

This week, Features contributor Matty G speaks with Ari and Nate of Chicago-based indie rock group Billy Joel Jr. They discuss their first EP, Rubberhose, the diversity of their band and therefore sound, and of course, their love of the Beatles. "I like the question of diversity, right? Having a diverse sound, we also have diverse members from different parts of the world and the country that kind of come together in Chicago, almost like an analogy for the larger melting pot of Chicago." - Nate Dorian of Billy Joel Jr. Produced by DJ Ninja. Photo Credit: Bailey Radnitzer

This week, Features contributor Sophia Ramirez speaks with Emily Haden Lee, a singer-songwriter and artist originally from Missouri who is now based in Chicago. They discuss her new album, The Woman I Would Be, and how her pregnancy has affected its release, how her grief surrounding the loss of her father and brother have shaped her writing, and collaborating with her husband on the album. "I think I'm glad that I have finished this album before I'm having a child and moving into this new chapter of mine [...] Releasing this music, I feel like I'm sort of releasing that time in my life." - Emily Haden Lee Produced by Sophia Ramirez. Photo Credit: Sarah Elizabeth Larson

This week Features director Marjorie Alford speaks with Angel Lunetta of Chicago-based ethereal experimental metal band Alenia. They discuss the band’s inception and current line-up, their song writing process, Angel’s one woman production company Voodoo Masochist Productions, and advice for artists looking to break into the scene. I think it’s very important to be patient with yourself because being an artist, any type of artist, is a whole process. - Angel Lunetta of Alenia Produced by Marjorie Alford Photo Credit: 106 Fever