The LIFERS Podcast

Latest Episodes:

80. LIFERS - Guest Implosion Aug 26, 2022

Show notes

Our guest fell through and Scott is out of friends — so this week we’re going guestless! On this episode we talk with Greg Corner (okay — Scott has ONE friend) about the Joe Cassidy tribute show at the Metro this Sunday, Gabe tries to sell us on Cinderella, best Aerosmith songs, full of shit Boston songs, muscle shirts, “The Sadness”, and Ben stages an impromptu “Song Imploder” on one of Local H’s most divisive songs.

79. LIFERS - Grease 2: Greasy Does It Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

If you follow this podcast at all, you probably know that Gabe is an inexplicably huge fan of GREASE 2. Well, we figured that for our second movie commentary episode, we’d throw Gabe a bone and cue that sucker up (if you happened to catch our Christmas episode where we watched IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, you’ll know what to expect). And in the interest of providing some context and behind the scenes knowledge —as well as providing Gabe with a much needed ally— we asked our friend and GREASE 2 expert Gwen Ihnat to return to the show and help us out. So when we give you the signal — you press play on your copy (or stream) of GREASE 2 and then join us for the greatest step ladder-straddling Michelle Pfeiffer movie of all time. Cool rider, indeed.

78. LIFERS - Brian St. Clair Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

Just in time for the 20th anniversary of HERE COMES THE ZOO — we finally convince former Local H (and Triplefastaction) drummer Brian St. Clair to do the show. On this episode we talk to the bird-watching legend about recording with Jack Douglas, Bobby Brady, the correct way to pronounce Cheap Trick, Rod Stewart’s dick pics, selling Misfits records to Gabe, the break up of Triplefast, being one of the best drummers to ever come out of Chicago, and Brian comes clean about the great Rights Of The Accused poop mystery.

77. LIFERS - Kay Hanley Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

It stands to reason — the longer you stay in the game of writing and performing music, the older your audience gets. But Kay Hanley’s audience has only gotten younger. She went from pumping out the catchiest Cheap Trick influenced alterna-pop for the alterna-kids of the ‘90s in her band Letters To Cleo — to entertaining the kids of THOSE kids writing songs for shows such as “Doc McStuffins” and “DC Superhero Girls”. Along the way, she’s managed to maintain a stellar solo career — and the debut entry in that career (“Cherry Marmalade”) just happens to turn 20 this year. So she’s doing what we all do: Putting that shit out on vinyl and hitting the road. We’ve known Kay for a long time and there’s nobody cooler. On this episode we forget to talk about Josie And The Pussycats, Hannah Montana, and Adam Scott — but we REMEMBER to talk about “10 Things I Hate About You”, Heath Ledger, Mike Denneen, her work with the Songwriters of North America (a foundation she co-founded, by the way), baseball, covering each other’s songs, football, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, growing up across the street from the Wahlbergs, “Melrose Place”, Barry Manilow, and REAL football! We also put Kay’s Rain Man-like ability for remembering lyrics to the Elvis Costello test.

76. LIFERS - Max Crawford Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

Max Crawford has been a revered and respected member of the Chicago entertainment community for over 30 years. He’s a sought after trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist who’s played with Wilco, Poi Dog Pondering, Archer Prewitt, The Waco Brothers, Scott Lucas & The Married Men, and even Willie Nelson. He’s also a long time bartender at the Metro — perhaps you’ve been served by him once or twice at a show. And oh, yeah! He also helps operate the scoreboard at Wrigley Field. He’s a goddamn Chicago treasure and we were thrilled to have him on the podcast. And then Gabe asked him a question…

75. LIFERS - Louise Post Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

In the Chicago music scene of the ‘90s, nobody’s rise seemed more sudden and meteoric than Veruca Salt’s — but that success was the culmination of many years of dreaming, conceptualizing , and waiting patiently for the right group of people to come along. And to hear singer-guitarist Louise Post tell it — a bit of luck and some chance encounters with actress Lili Taylor didn’t hurt either. We’re big fans of Louise around here and we’ve been trying to make this episode happen for well over a year. Luckily, she was able to take a break from recording her first solo album to talk with us about bowling, skiing, hanging out with Kim Deal, St. Louis, burritos, bunny suits, internal combustion, and indie-rock bitchiness. She also managed to paint us one too f the most complete portraits of a lifer that we’ve yet had on this show. Thanks, Louise. This is a good one.

74. LIFERS - Michael McMahon and the Paqui Chip Challenge Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

It’s an excellent day for an exorcism. After singing the praises of Joe Barresi’s awesome remix of Dio’s “Holy Diver” album (and NOT doing that for FX’s “The Bear”), the guys invite Michael McMahon over to the mic to talk about “Raging Bull”, his time as a detective in New York City, AC/DC, and being Justine’s dad. Unfortunately, things did not get very far due to a certain diabolical corn chip… A lot of cursing on this one.

73. LIFERS - Julian Antos Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

If the Music Box Theatre is a church (and to Scott, it definitely is), then Julian Antos is its high-priest projectionist. As the beloved movie house’s technical director —as well as being a co-founder of the Chicago Film Society— Julian has been preaching the celluloid gospel for over a decade. But to hear him tell it, it’s been a lifelong addiction. On this episode we talk about having a 70mm projector in your apartment, “The Master”, working at the Genesee theater in Waukegan, screening “I Saw What You Did”, being an infant at “My Own Private Idaho”, skulking around Facets as an 11 year old, and those mean-spirited “Room” fans. ALSO: Gabe attempts to make the setlist for the Local H show this Sunday at Taste Of Chicago.

72. LIFERS - Matt Walker Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

Is Matt Walker Chicago’s most prolific drummer? Or as Gabe says, “The Skunk Baxter of drums”? Maybe. In any case, we love the guy and on this episode we talk about his pretty amazing career as drummer for (among others) Cupcakes, Filter, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, and fucking Morrisey!!! Also discussed: Michael Shannon, Sons Of The Silent Age, having Sinead O’Connor as a houseguest, favorite Bowie Songs, good parenting, and crumbling in the presence of Chrissie Hynde. It’s a good one.

71. LIFERS - Ed Valauskas Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

Ed Valauskas is good people. Called the Zelig of the Boston rock scene, Ed is your go-to guy if you need to form a quick pick-up backing band for a music legend —or need to record an album full of Olivia Newton-John covers. He’s also the de facto musical director of the annual Hot Stove, Cool Music shows (the Chicago edition is coming up on July 1st at the Metro) and the studio manager at Boston’s legendary Q Division Studios. Did we mention he plays bass? On this episode: Covid, Christian rock, New Haven Pizza, Chicago Pizza, Graham Parker, Mike Deneen, Juliana Hatfield, The Gravel Pit, Tom Morello’s hat, and Scott falls on his ass. Hot Stove, Cool Music info: https://www.ftbnl.org/ Tix: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/4311746/

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