Yak Channel Podcast Network

Touched By Ghoul is one of Chicago's more celebrated independent bands, and they recently delivered their much delayed and anticipated second album, “Cancel the World.” They join me tonight… just about 24 hours before headlining Liar's Club for New Years Eve! Tonight's show is sponsored by Buona. Take 10% off your online or mobile order at Buona locations with my promo code (CARNE10)!

This week marks the return of a Car Con Carne favorite: Dr. Daryl Wilson! Daryl's the frontman of the long-running Chicago punk institution the Bollweevils (new album out next year!). Dr. Daryl is also a real doctor, so we get into a lot of his experiences and philosophies in this episode.   We covered a lot of ground, including the current state of COVID and Daryl's “punk rock Mount Rushmore.” We also dropped famous names like they were bad habits.   As we chatted, we enjoyed Italian Beefless sandwiches from Buona in Countryside (20 W. Plainfield). We added hot giardiniera to both, naturally.   The clock's ticking…. Through December 31, join MyBuona Rewards and get a free burger or chicken sandwich. It really is that simple: join My Buona Rewards today and get FREE Buona… all new members get 1500 points.

My guest this week is Ike Reilly, a man whose voice, lyrics and songs are entirely unique, original and unforgettable. We talked at length about his musically interesting and wide-spanning new album, “Because the Angels.” We also talk about Ike's music career, specifically from the release of “Salesmen and Racists” forward.    Also covered: Family: Working with them and writing songs about them. Ike's milkshakes bring all the podcasters to the yard. I'll straddle anything. Would Ike ever write a book? How about a screenplay? The latest developments in the Ike Reilly documentary. The song on Because the Angels that had a highly memorable live reaction, and also stands as Ike's favorite recording. For this recording, we met at Buona in Mount Prospect (861 E Rand Rd, Mt Prospect, IL 60056). We made it a hot dog night… he had the Chicago dog and I had the double dog. Ike wisely added a vanilla shake to his order.   Speaking of Buona, Christmas is SATURDAY. If you've procrastinated gifts and stocking stuffers, load up on Buona gift cards. When you buy 25 dollars in gift cards, you get a five dollar bonus card for free (do it in-store or online)!

Tom Higgenson of Plain White Ts/Million Miler is one of my favorite guests. He's a mega-talented guy with an enviable list of accomplishments (Grammy & Tony nominee, VMA nominee, Teen Choice winner), but he's still the humble, hard-working, midwestern guy he's always been.   He jumped in my car to talk about his record label's upcoming holiday special: The Humans Were Here Holiday Extravaganza, happening live Sunday night (12/19). Get tickets at humanswerehere.com. We talked about his label, making music, the divergent 80s path of Million Miler and what's next for the Ts. We also talked a lot about music, which is always easy to do with Tom.   As for dinner tonight? We were lucky to have our meal provided by the amazing people of Buona. We at the Countryside location (20 W. Plainfield). I had the beef & giardiniera pizza, and I swear I could eat that every day for the rest of my life.   Look, the clock's ticking. The holidays are coming up, and if you still haven't figured out food for your office party… your house party… your gathering of friends… let Buona take care of everything. They cater. You party. Try their signature Italian beef as a ready-made sandwich… or a side of delicious rigatoni marinara.. Starting at 12.95 per person… be a hero this holiday season, and feed your guests Buona!  

Non-alcoholic beer was stigmatized for decades. Problem was, most NA products weren't worth drinking. The craft beer revolution's led to companies like Well Being Brewing, which for the past 5 years has been leading the way for non-alcoholic beer. Joining me to talk about Well Being Brewing tonight is its founder, Jeff Stevens Car Con Carne is sponsored by Buona! Take 10% off your mobile or online order with the podcast promo code (CARNE10)!

I'm inspired by the work KT's Kids does to help children who desperately need it. This Sunday night, Liar's Club plays host to the KT's Kids Toy Drive Fundraiser. Joining me to talk about the event are Scott Lucas (Local H), Herb Rosen (Liar's Club) and KT Augustyn (KT's Kids).   We met at the Buona in Skokie (3754 W. Touhy). I had the Combo Bowl, Scott ordered the Plant-Based Italian Beefless, Herb went with the Combo dipped and KT had the beef dipped. And make no mistake, we all had ours with Buona's hot giardiniera.    Help yourself to some Buona! Take 10% off your online or app order with my promo code (CARNE10).   Holiday shopping is a lot easier with Buona gift cards… when you buy 25 dollars in gift cards, get a five dollar bonus card free. I love the whole “one for me, one for you" method of gift buying.

We're diving into the world of fantasy and sci-fi. Otherworld Theatre, on 3914 North Clark Street, has been bringing the theatrical experience to sci-fi and fantasy for close to 10 years now, and their new production, Winter in the Wildwood, looks like the kind of thing that every family should find a way to get to. Otherworld Artistic Director Tiffany Keane joins me to talk about Otherworld's vibe, history and approach. We also talk about lots of nerdy stuff.

Musician Matt Derda joins me for food at 302 Wheaton (302 W. Front St.). We ate the “Wheaton Bowl” (it's healthy, or so I'm told), fries, onion rings and more as we talked about Matt's music and 302 Wheaton's embracing of the local community.

ATOMIKA: GOD IS RED, the independently-created graphic novel by Sal Abbinanti, is being compiled in a new Omnibus edition. Jump on the Kickstarter of Atomika while you can: It closes soon, and there are all kinds of cool extras and goodies you can get from stretch goals already hit!   Sal's a favorite of mine, and it was a pleasure to meet him at Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park. Over Italian sausages, we talked about Atomika's storyline and publication history, the independent and mainstream sides of the comic book industry, Jack Kirby's far-reaching legacy, and Sal's potentially concerning new project title.    Support Sal. Support Atomika. Eat more Italian sausage.   Russian mythology and Italian sausage: Talking ‘Atomika' over Johnnie's Beef with comics creator Sal Abbinanti (Episode 688)

“More bizarre than Battle Royale and far bloodier than The Ring”: Japanese shocker “Suicide Club” can be seen in two midnight showings at Music Box Theatre next weekend.   Joining me to talk about Suicide Club is AV Club Senior Writer Katie Rife!

The value of truth and money are explored (if not eviscerated) in the engaging, slow-burning new movie “The Last Days of Capitalism.” In a very lean, focused way, the film looks at white privilege, social class disparity, prositution and the fabric of social and sexual relationships.  Joining me to talk about The Last Days of Capitalism are Writer/Director Adam Mervis, Lead Actor Mike Faiola and Lead Actress Sarah Rose Harper.

Christmas and Valentine's Day collide in “Cupid for Christmas,” a family-friendly new rom com movie debuting on Hulu this Saturday. Director Blayne Weaver returns to Car Con Carne to talk about the movie's creation.

Have you ever discovered a band from a bygone era and had its music change your life? That's what happened when music fan Eric Clements discovered a handful of cassettes at a thrift store from an 80s Chicago band called the Veil. The discovery led him down a rabbit hole to learn more. And that led him to start a record label to release a Lorna Donley & the Veil anthology, “Time Stands Still.”Clements is on the show today, along with David Thomas from the Veil, to talk about the thrill of music discovery, and the passion it inspires.

As they get ready to share a bill with Moritat at the Hideout tomorrow night, the men of Miirrors join me for a chat about music curation, live music, video creation and more!

After a false start this summer, Car Con Carne is back in the car! This episode finds the car parked outside Village Inn (8050 Lincoln Avenue in Skokie) for a conversation with John San Juan of the long-running Chicago band Hushdrops. Hushdrops release what very may well be their finest recorded output to date, “The Static,” on Pravda Records this Friday (11/12).   Also joining in on the conversation is Village Inn co-owner Desi Mulingbayan, who kindly provided delicious thin crust pizza (½ sausage, ½ pepperoni) to move the conversation along. Go visit Village Inn. Like Desi says, it's the “Cheers of Skokie.”

The first Paranormal Activity made $193.4 million dollars on a $15,000 budget. The franchise is covered in deep, satisfying detail in the new documentary, "Paranormal Activity: Unknown Dimension," directed by Joe Bandelli. Joe joined me tonight to talk about his new doc (available on Paramount+), as well as the found footage franchise he produced: "Hell House LLC."

Dan Vapid and the Cheats return with a new album, “Escape Velocity,” on Friday. Considering Vapid's career has included runs in the Methadones, Screeching Weasel and Riverdales, it may seem audacious to say that he's delivered one of his best works yet. That said… I think he has.   Dan Vapid and the Cheats return to Car Con Carne for a chat about the past, present and future.+

Now that Bhoomi is up and running in the Urbanspace Food Hall (15 W. Washington), I'm catching up with Co-Founders Sukhu and Ajit Kalra to talk about their approach to Indian cuisine.

Artist George Zak is back with new paintings to show off. See them in person at the Liar's Club Spooky Day Kickoff on Thursday 10/28!

The AAW is back with a massive weekend of live action starting Friday in Berwyn. Providing a preview of what you can expect are AAW play-by-play announcer Tyler Volz and Chicago's patron saint of pro wrestling fandom, Kevin Kellam.   Don't sleep on these tickets. See you for the Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament!

500 Miles to Memphis just released their career best album, “Hard to Love,” and Ryan Malott joins me to talk about it. We cover a lot of topics: The new album, politics, the music business, the scourge of social media, alcohol use and abuse, watching horror movies while parenting, the appeal of cassettes and records, and the general awfulness of the “cowpunk” label.

Is Wolfden Brewing haunted? There's an awful lot of lore around the 170 year-old house to support that belief. Wolfden GM Kyle Brauch joined me to talk about the unexplained phenomena at Wolfden, as well as the brewery's "Murder Den" pop-up. We also talked about the beer. Can't forget the beer. Visit Wolfden at 112 W. Lake Street in Bloomingdale.

His dad's last name is what might grab your interest, but Eddie Money's son, Dez, is carving his own path.   He's a singer. A multiinstrumentalist. A reality TV star. And yeah, a guy with pure musical DNA. He joined me tonight to chat about his musical genes, his passion for making videos, and the slow drip way he's presenting music to the world.

Songs From a Scene ‘21 hits Bottom Lounge on 11/5 and 11/6. Joining me tonight at an undisclosed Midwest location to talk about the shows are Stubhy Pandav (Lucky Boys Confusion), Augie Schmidt (the Dog and Everything) and Pat Gilroy (One Life). Get your tickets soon. These shows are guaranteed sell-outs.

Nathan Graham, a favorite guest of Car Con Carne through the years, is back on the show as his new single, “Somebody Else” is taking off!

The Chicago International Film Festival returns on October 13! And it's impossible to miss: North America's longest-running competitive film festival features screenings in theaters, at the drive-in, and online. Joining me to talk about the CIFF's “After Dark Series” is programmer Raul Benitez.

Halloween season is my favorite time of the year, and haunted houses are a big part of it. Joining me tonight to talk about haunted houses 13th Floor Chicago and the Old Joliet Haunted Prison Haunted House is Bryan Kopp, Senior General Manager. (I regret mispronouncing Bryan's last name when I introduced him. I had a hard time reading his name on my screen, and feel awful about it. I made up for it in the end of the interview.)

Frank's son calls him a not nice name, but did he deserve it? His seasonal blues are back but he might have found one of the reasons for them. Plus, he talks about the joy he gets scaring his kids, shopping for a Halloween inflatable, shares a Halloween themed Dad joke, and more!

Fall is in the air so it's time to grab your favorite pumpkin spiced beverage or in Frank's case an overload of your favorite pumpkin spiced beverage. Frank talks about planning a fantastic Fall for his family, finding the perfect pumpkin patch, going to the carnival, his son and school, and much more!

Hey, kids! It's that time of year again! The MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS month-long drive-in event returns to Pilsen and the line-up is spectacular. Co-curator Mike Vanderbilt returns to the show to preview this year's films.

Camille Rose Garcia is a painter, illustrator and musician. In the 90s, she spent her time in the band The Real Minx, whose music has recently been collected in a gorgeous 2-disc 7” package, on Sympathy for the Record Industry. She's on Car Con Carne tonight to talk about music and her stunning artwork.

Ramonescore lives in the songs and attitude of suburban Chicago band Cap Gun Heroes. The band returns to Car Con Carne to talk about their new album, “Last Call for Adderall,” which releases on Friday 9/24.

Cruisin' down Chicago / I just won the lotto BLACKSTARKIDS (Thebabegabe, Deiondre, Tyfaizon) are new, and you need to keep your eyes on them. They chatted with Car Con Carne about the vibes behind their music, and their insatiable lust for pop culture. (photo credit: Jake Kelly)

Miranda Winters (guitar/vocals) of Chicago's Melkbelly talked with Car Con Carne backstage at Riot Fest 2021.

Devon Carson (vocals) and Jeff Dean (guitar) of Airstream Futures catch up with Car Con Carne after kicking off the Rebel Stage earlier in the day on Day Four of Riot Fest 2021.

Jake Floyd (bass) David Eselgoth (vox) of The Orphan the Poet talked with me about their awesome new single (“The Moxie”), playing with Chicago band Friday Pilots Club, and the legit community they've created with their audience.

She is the Jeff Gordon of our generation...she's good at being bad… she is Sarah Greenwell of Gymshorts! Sarah and the band joined me backstage at Riot Fest, where they were hanging out the day before their performance.

Seth Jabour and Harrison Haynes of Les Savy Fav chatted with Car Con Carne before the band tore up the Roots Stage at Riot Fest!   They talked about 90s music, classic Touch & Go artists, playing after being away for so long, and backing up the force of nature known as Tim Harrington

The members of Hepcat played a fantastic Riot Fest set on a picture-perfect Chicago afternoon. The band checked in with me backstage before their performance.

Devon Kay was one of my favorite interviewees at this year's Riot Fest. He's super fun, self deprecating and funny. And his new EP (The Space In Between) is awesome.

My back is broken! I'm interviewing Bollweevils again! RIOT FEST 2021 (Episode 655)   The Bollweevils kicked off my Riot Fest weekend with a fun backstage interview. We talked about their new music on Red Scare, Pete's Hollywood good looks, the pleasures of gin and Dr. Doom teaming up with Sub-Mariner.   #RiotFest2021   MY BACK IS BROKEN! YOU SHOULD SHARE MY PODCAST AGAIN!

Guitars Over Guns. Sounds great to me. The Humanity is the Genre Festival is happening 9/25, from 12-6:00 p.m. in the courtyard of the historic landmark Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church in Bronzeville. Joining me for this episode DJ Lady D and Yin Waster, two musical acts who are part of the overall collective behind the festival and its mission to make kids' lives better… through music.

Three chefs, one show! Chicago Gourmet's “Hamburger Hop” event is happening right now, and joining me to talk about it are Chef Daniel Pineda (Whiskey Business), Chef Yani Sanchez (Takito) and Chef Michael Hernandez  (Azul). We're talking burgers. We're talking food. We're talking Chicago. Join us!

The Beverly Art Walk strolls into its 8th year with another fantastic event on Saturday, 9/18. Spanning from 95th to 111th Streets, Walden to Western Avenue, this year's walk includes 100 artists, pop-ups, gallery exhibitions, home studio visits and more! Joining me to talk about this year's event are Music Curator Chris Castaneda and artist Preston Thomas.

This week on The Daily Life of Frank, he talks about his daughter wanting to listen to the podcast, the new meds he is on, recaps his Labor Day weekend, remembers 9/11, shares a dad joke, and more!

Musician and composer (and former Chicagoan) Marcus Norris is the Chicago Philharmonic's new composer in residence. You can see his epic piece, “Glory,” performed in the Philharmonic's season opening production OUT OF THE SILENCE this Sunday (9/12) at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.   One of the things we talked at length about is how Classical music is a blind spot for people under the age of 60, myself included. He talks about how he discovered and fell in love with Classical, and how he approaches compositions.   As he mentions in the podcast, he'll be at the Out of the Silence performance on Sunday. Be sure to say hi!

A loose collective of musicians delivered one of the year's tightest sets of music. The Joy Thieves recently put out their first full-length (“American Parasite”), and gave us the cathartic, drive fast, live-without-consequences, kind of music that the end of summer was made for.   And when I say “loose collective,” The Joy Thieves' 50+ member roster also includes current, former and touring members of Ministry, Stabbing Westward, Nitzer Ebb, Revolting Cocks, Pigface, KMFDM, Marilyn Manson, , Blue October, Black Needle Noise, 16VOLT, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, and more.

Frank shares about his time in New Orleans, how school is going for his son so far, his Labor Day plans, reads some parenting tweets, watching All Elite Wrestling in the theater and much more! ********************* Full list of parenting tweets via BuzzFeed here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/asiawmclain/brutally-funny-parenting-tweets

Mid-90s. Chicago. Bands across the city were swept up in a record company feeding frenzy the likes of which we'd never see again. You know the names of some of the bands, as a handful were able to establish a fairly large footprint. Others have sadly faded into the ether.   Somewhere closer to the latter of those two distinctions is one of my favorite artists of that era: Pulsars… a band that got one album on Almo sounds, the label started by the guys who founded A&M Records.   Almo did okay out of the chute with a band called Garbage in 1995, and it served to reason that perhaps Pulsars… Dave and Harry Trumfio… would follow down that road to success when their debut came out in 1997.   Alas, they only got one album out of Almo, and their plans for world domination quietly fizzled out at the turn of the century.   Well, they're back. Kinda. Lost Transmissions is a collection of song versions that Almo rejected, some unreleased stuff and general stuff that's been sitting on the shelf.   Joining me tonight is Pulsar Dave Trumfio,  a guy whose career as a music producer started before Pulsars put out their album, and has continued to skyrocket ever since.  He's worked with Wilco, OK GO, the Mekons, Built to Spill, Pigface, My Morning Jacket, the Rentals, Grandaddy, and Wayne Kramer.

Frank and his family are back from vacation and he recaps the full rundown including his son's gas problem, going into Dad mode, being addicted to claw machines, and more. Plus he talks about his son's first day at kindergarten, and more!

Raw. Primal. Awesome. Black metal project Annihilus returns with the follow-up to last year's celebrated “Ghanima” release with “Follow a Song From the Sky.” Luca Cimarusti joins me to talk about forging the album during sheltering-in-place, why the band name should make Marvel Comics fans happy, and where Annihilus fits in the Chicago music landscape.   The show kicks off this week with one Car Con Carne announcement and one Car Con Carne-adjacent announcement!