No Wristbands! We Drink For Free Mark & Tom

Jon Snodgrass has a unique way of looking at life. He joins us on this episode and we talk about his philosophy about music, money, baseball and so much more. Jon has a lot of friends and sometimes has them play on his records - like Frank Turner. And Jon has a new record out, barge at will with Bill Stevenson (Descendents) on drums & bass. We also talk about all the things that Jon loves about Chicago.
Time stamps:
1:50: How are you doing today Jon?
2:30: What about Chicago makes it your favorite American city?
5:00: How long ago did you play Chicago for the first time?
7:54: Is it safe to say you plan your tours around ballparks?
15:14: When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician?
26:44: You are a DIY guy, how do you frame success?
39:16: How did you get connected with Frank Turner?
51:12: In 2030 should we be looking for Buddies 3: Old Buddies?
60:31: What excites you about playing Fforest Fest?
66: What is your favorite place to play a show at in Chicago?
68: Favorite Chicago pizza?
73:10: What is your go to cheap drink?

Growing up in Mattoon, IL, Rick Sims (guitar, vocals) spent his early years drinking beer, smoking dope and practicing in the chicken shed in Sullivan, IL with his brother Brad (drums). Joined by Doug Evans (bass), they put together some crazy-ass music and the Didjits were born! From 1986 thru 1993, they put out five great records, including Hey Judester. We talk with Rick about how those records came to be made and we also get into some stories about the intensely crazy live Didjits shows. And we are all stoked about the new Didjits Record Store Day release of Strictly Dynamite: The Best of Didjits coming out 4/20/2024. Of course, we also talk about all things Chicago - and ... is Rick going to play live again???
Time stamps:
2:00: Starting a punk band in Mattoon, IL (really a Sullivan, IL)
3:15: Did you ever eat at the original Burger King in Mattoon?
5:10: What were some of your original influences?
7:45: Dave Landis did all the Didjits record jackets and shared a lot of cool punk rock with the band.
10:15: Touch & Go didn't like the first record Fizzjob.
10:45: What did you like about the 50's crazy performers like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.
14:00: How did you end up getting hooked up with Iain Burgess who produced your first 3 records?
16:00: How did you get the great sound on Hey Judester?
17:00: How did you connect with Touch & Go?
19:40: Hornet Piñata recording experience?
22:15: Did your success catch you off guard?
24:45: Did Doug & Brad encourage the Rick Sims wild-man persona?
27:35: Did your crowd-baiting ever get you in trouble?
29:15: Did you get crap from your lyrical content and could you write those same songs today?
34:00: How did you decide to switch over to Steve Albini for the last two records?
37:05: How did you come to live in Chicago?
38:40: How did The Offspring end up putting "Killjoy Powerhead" on their mega-album Smash in 1994?
41:05: The Didjits breakup is a messy one.
43:35: Record Store Day -- Strictly Dynamite: The Best of Didjits. How did this happen?
47:25: Is it surreal that people are still interested in something that you did 35 or 40 years ago?
50:15: Rick's post-Didjits career.
54:35: Thick or thin crust pizza fan?
55:24: Favorite Chicago venues to play and to see shows?
58:50: What do you show off in Chicago when friends come to town?
61:30: What makes Chicago unique?
64:00: What's your favorite "go to" cheap drink?
65:00: Are you a Chicago lifer?
66:55: Will you play Didjits music live again?

Sean O'Keefe joins us for episode number 42. Growing up in Wilmette, IL, Sean dropped out of Columbia College in Chicago to record his friends' bands. We talk about how he came to produce Take This To Your Grave for his friends, Fall Out Boy. We discuss what's involve in producing, engineering and mixing a record. Sean has also worked with a ton of other bands, including Hawthorne Heights, Motion City Soundtrack, The Hush Sound and Beach Bunny and co-produced "Hey There Delilah" for Plain White T's. He's currently working on the new record for Beach Bunny. Can't wait to hear that one!
Time stamps:
2: What do producers, engineers, and mixers do?
11:33: When you work with a band do you come to them with your thoughts or are you in service of the band?
23: How do you get on Fall Out Boy's radar? How did you come together to make Take This To Your Grave?
33: While recording Take This To Your Grave did you realize how special it was?
38:11: If I want to hire you, what is that process like?
42:45: How did Beach Bunny get on your radar? How did you start working together?
47:45: Has the ease of producing/releasing music impacted your production method/style?
54: What advice would you give a newer band coming into the studio/what kind of common mistakes do you see?
59:48: Thick or thin crust pizza fan?
61:40: Favorite venue to see shows at in Chicago?
63: What do you think makes Chicago and Chicago music special/unique?
67:37: What is your go to cheap drink?
68: Are you a Chicago lifer?

Jason Narducy has carved out quite a career for himself in music. His first band, Verboten (which he began as a pre-teen), was influential in getting Dave Grohl in started music. Subsequently he formed the acoustic duo Jason & Alison, Verbow, Rockets Over Sweden and his current project, Split Single. He's also played with or toured with the likes of Bob Mould, Superchunk, Sunny Day Real Estate, Robert Pollard, Eddie Vedder, Liz Phair, The Pretenders and more. He's got some big 2024 plans, including a tour booked with Michael Shannon where they perform R.E.M.'s Murmur album.
Time stamps:
2: We are here with Chicago music lifer Jason Narducy
3:30: How did you like growing up in Evanston?
4:32: What are some of your earliest Chicago music memories?
6:15: When did you decide you wanted to learn music?
8: How old were you when you formed your first band?
11: Are you surprised you are still talking about Verboten?
15:30: Were you aware of how unique the music scene was in Chicago in the 90s?
17:22: How did you happen in to what you are doing?
23: May I ask you for a top Bob Pollard story?
30:50: How do you decide your next project?
33:45: What musician has been the most influential for you?
37: Are you constantly evolving with what you are doing with Split Single?
40:40: Have you been surprised by the response to your Michael Shannon Murmur collaboration?
47:44: How did you end up getting into the Sunny Day Real Estate orbit?
53:30: Deep dish or thin crust pizza fan?
54:45: Favorite venue to see a show at, and favorite venue to play?
60:50: What is your go to cheap drink?
61:45: Are you a Chicago lifer?

Welcome to 2024 and our 40th episode everyone! We're so happy to be talking with Ken Draznik and James Wald from one of our favorite bands of all-time, The Vertebrats from Champaign, IL. We talk about how these guys got together with Matt Brandabur and Roy Axford and helped create a vibrant DIY music scene in Champaign-Urbana. We also talk about how their short 3-year career created a legion of fans that have continued to love them and influenced a generation of C-U bands. In recent times, Kenny and Jimmy have recorded music as The Surly Bells and are looking for an avenue to release their new music.
Time stamps:
2:25: How did you get into music?
7:45: When do the two of you meet?
9:40: Jimmy did you see this as an opportunity to get in the band?
14: Did playing Mabel's as frequently as you did help increase your musical output?
18: Was it always your goal to play original music?
22:35: Were there other Champaign bands that you were fans of?
25: Why did we stop after 3 years?
30: What brings you back together to make music together again?
33:40: If you'd gotten a record deal, would that have extended the life of the band?
38: Why isn't your music on streaming?
44: What are your aspirations for The Surly Bells?
54: Thick or thin crust pizza fans?
56: Do you have a favorite Chicago venue?
61: When you think of a Chicago band, what bands come to mind?
63: What is your go to cheap drink?
64: Anything you'd like to plug on your way out the door?
65: Thoughts on Jeff Evans

Did you ever wish you had your own music festival? Well, our friends Stacey & Erik Olson are living the dream! In 2022 they put together the first fForest Fest in Morris, Illinois with a few of their favorite punk/folk/Celtic bands. We talked with them about what it takes to run a festival, what makes fForest Fest different and what plans they have as they grow this thing. And they are announcing their 2024 lineup here - see you in Morris on June 1st, 2024!
Time stamps:
1:44: What in you made you think you could pull off a festival?
2:25: What is your background?
4: What's the biggest hurdle to doing your own festival?
7: How far out do you start planning the festival?
9:18: Year three, what are we doing differently?
11:15: Let's talk about the name of fforest fest
12:30: How do you start putting this together?
14:51: Are there any festivals you look to for inspiration?
16:25: What are things you had to overcome with the city to hold the festival?
18:41: What's the furthest people have traveled to attend the festival?
22:30: Who's playing fforest festival 2024?
30:50: Can we say how much this costs?
32:45: What is your go to cheap drink?
34:40: Any band you'd like to try and get on the lineup? name of fforest fest