Car Con Carne

The members of Calidius Timebomb (Steve Brooks - vocals, Jon Richter - guitar, Zubius - bass Paul Schmidt - drums) jumped in the car for a quick chat after their performance at Punk Rock Tacos in Villa Park! __ Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there (Booth 2415)! Alex Ross is one of the all-time greatest artists to ever render your favorite comic book heroes and villains. Car Con Carne is thrilled to work with Alex Ross Art. SDCC runs from Thu, Jul 20, 2023 – Sun, Jul 23, 2023 __ Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automation.net). A truly smart home, bar/restaurant/intelligent office, etc. is never a one-size-fits-all proposition.  Get a quote by visiting Easy-automation.net, or call at 630.730.3728

Veruca Salt’s Louise Post just released the very personal and very powerful “Sleepwalker,” her first solo album.   Louise returns to Chicago for a concert at Lincoln Hall on July 20. In advance of that, we talked about the songs from, and the inspiration for, the new album. We also chat about whether this release means anything for the future of Veruca Salt, and what about Chicago makes Louise smile.   Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there (Booth 2415)! Alex Ross is one of the all-time greatest artists to ever render your favorite comic book heroes and villains. Car Con Carne is thrilled to work with Alex Ross Art.   SDCC runs from Thu, Jul 20, 2023 – Sun, Jul 23, 2023   __   Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automation.net). A truly smart home, bar/restaurant/intelligent office, etc. is never a one-size-fits-all proposition.  Get a quote by

Days before their career-best new release “Content” comes out, Kevin, Alyssa and Ken of Guardrail join me for a fantastic dinner interview at Southeast Evanston’s go-to Mexican restaurant, La Principal (700 Main St, Evanston, IL 60202, Laprincipalevanston.com).   Joining us for food and conversation was La Principal owner Eric Young, and we’re grateful for his hospitality and delicious food. We tried the Mushroom Al Pastor tacos and the Quesabirria de Res tacos. Both were great, but I’d kill a drifter for more of those Quesabirria tacos. We also tried La Principal’s Esquites, which are the perfect Mexican appetizer/side.   As we talked, it started raining hard. If it sounds like someone is drumming on the car, it’s not the band … it’s the weather.   As for the band, “Content” really does sound good. I asked Guardrail a lot about it, and they happily obliged.   Torrential downpour aside, this is a fun one. Please visit La Principal and support Guardrail!   __ Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ros

Dick Biondi was an absolute radio legend. He died last week at the age of 90, after a 67-year career that paved the way for generations of broadcasters.   He was the first guy in the states to play the Beatles on the air. He was on the ground floor for the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis, as well as plenty other early architects of modern music.   Biondi was inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998. Specific to Chicago, his voice was heard on WLS-AM, WCFL, WMAQ, WBBM FM, WJMK and WLS-FM.   Biondi’s passing has made me think about the importance of radio during his lifetime, the value of community involvement and the thrill of shared pop culture experience.   With that, I wanted to invite someone on for this episode who could help us learn more about the radio legend. And for that, I’m turning to my old WGN colleague, Scott Miller. Scott’s the morning host at WJBC, the “Voice of Central Illinois,” and he worked with, and knew, Dick Biondi for decades. (Associated image: Courtesy Scott Miller) Car Con Carn

Naked Raygun is one of the greatest bands to ever “whoa whoa” their way onto a Chicago stage, and their influence continues to loom large on the generations that follow in their footsteps.   With that, a new Raygun tribute compilation is on the way: “Godspeed…  A Tribute to Pierre Kezdy.” Scheduled for release on July 28, the album features NR covers from the likes of Face to Face, and J. Robbins. Also featured on the comp are a “who’s who” of former Car Con Carne guests, including Josh Caterer, Pegboy, the Bollweevils, the Methadones, the Brokedowns and Death and Memphis. All proceeds from the project go to the family of Pierre Kezdy, who passed away in 2020.   The guys behind the compilation, Curt Harrison (the Usuals) and Pat Mineau (Grey Trash Aliens), jumped in the car to talk about putting the project together, as well as the impact of Naked Raygun’s music.    Oh, and there’s food in this episode … wonderful food from the recently-opened Rogue’s Corner in Elgin (109 E. Highland). Owner Matt Habib shared

Robert Lloyd (Nightingales) and Janet Beveridge Bean (Freakwater, Eleventh Dream Day) join me to talk about their timeless and compelling new collaboration, Lloyd/Bean. This is an album that will completely take you by surprise; the sort of thing you’ll find yourself wanting to share with friends.    We talk about how the collaboration came to be, what informed the song selection, how the band came together, and what future plans (if any) might there be for this transcontinental project.   Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there!   There’s plenty of cool stuff to drool over and purchase at alexrossart.com. Take a visit, and let me know your favorite piece!  

Car Con Carne visits Plainfield for a visit to Sovereign (24216 W Lockport St, Ste B), along with singer/songwriter Colleen Wild.   Sovereign owner Raf Gomez jumps in the backseat to preview some of Sovereign’s new menu, including their apple chicken sausage poutine, chicken and brussels sprouts. Raf also talks about Sovereign’s history, and its place on the Plainfield landscape.   Making this episode extra special, Colleen Wild (“one of the hardest working performers in the metropolitan area”) performs in the car (“Haunted”). Colleen also talks about her new band (Colleen Wild and the Haunted), her musical and singing background, and her artistic inclinations. She’s a one-of-a-kind talent, and Car Con Carne is lucky to have her on this episode. ### Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there!   There’s plenty of cool stuff to drool over and purchase at alexrossart.com.

Bullet to the Heart (Draven and Audrey) joined me for this episode recorded at Flipside Brewing (7144 W 183rd Tinley Park). Flipside owner Erik Pizer jumped in the car to share some of his food menu and talk about the fantastic beers at the brewpub.   I talked with Bullet to the Heart about their excellent new EP,  Death, Oddities & Romance, specifically many of the lyrics and images it conjures up. We also chat about the “Revenant” video, recorded at Hellsgate Haunted House!   As all this was happening, I was enjoying the hell out of my Flipside Nashville Hot sandwich. Hope you enjoy the hell out of this episode.   Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there!   There’s plenty of cool stuff to drool over and purchase at alexrossart.com. Take a visit, and let me know your favorite piece!  

This brunch episode was recorded with James and Vince of Glory Days and Jacqui Litvan of Central Cafe in Highland Park (664 Central).    Glory Days has a new single out (“Cheers”),  along with an accompanying video. You can also see them at Ravinia on June 23, as part of a line-up headlined by Dashboard Confessional and Counting Crows! We talked about the new single, the Ravinia show, and some Glory Days background.   Jacqui from Central Cafe shared some of Central Cafe’s delicious pastries (blueberry and chocolate scones, coffee cake, lemon bars) and very-necessary hot coffee. Jacqui shared Central Cafe’s history, and talked about its relationship with the Highland Park community. We also talk about the extensive menu at Central Cafe (Lobster Roll Thursdays! Banana Coffee Smoothies!).    Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there!   There’s plenty of cool stuff to dro

The Arias brothers (Fernando, David, Erick and Luis) of Avantist jump on the show 48 hours before headlining Empty Bottle for their “Hexagon” single release show.   We talk a lot about their avant garde, singular style and the blood connection that enables their sound and vibe.   Avantist is a super cool band. If you can’t make it to the Empty Bottle, be sure to stream their music and try to catch them at the next live gig!   ## Car Con Carne is proud to be sponsored by Alex Ross Art (alexrossart.com). San Diego Comic Con is fast approaching. If you’re going, make sure to visit Alex Ross Art while you’re there!   There’s plenty of cool stuff to drool over and purchase at alexrossart.com. Take a visit, and let me know your favorite piece!  

Old friend/returning hero Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes) joins me for a heart-stopping volume of delicious food from Chicago Culinary Kitchen (2391 N Hicks Rd Palatine, IL 60074).   When Josh and I rave about the food in the episode, please know that we weren’t exaggerating, We didn’t try anything that wasn’t exceptional.   Greg Gaardbo, co-owner of Chicago Culinary Kitchen, jumped in the back seat to walk us through what we were eating and to talk about the restaurant’s history, and what’s coming around the corner.   Also discussed:   *New Smoking Popes song (with Sincere Engineer!) coming at the end of June! More to follow shortly thereafter! *The Rise Against residency: What was it like to do that show? *Where is Josh’s head at as he’s writing new Popes songs? *Josh can be surly: What’s that like? *Proof of Josh’s wholesomeness: his enthusiasm for Bubble Up *Why is Father’s Day a sh*t show?  *The CCK menu: We try tacos, pastrami, brisket, chicken, beans, corn bread, turkey, burgers… it was an orgy of food. *

Karen and Ivan of Bellhead join me for hot dogs from Herm’s Palace in Skokie (3406 Dempster).   The new EP, “Good Intentions” is fantastic, and we focus a lot on those songs. We also talk about tour stories (including Nazis and warring comic book shops!), merch concepts and a close encounter with the Weinermobile.   See Bellhead:   Cactus Club in Milwaukee on 6/8 Burlington July 12 Empty Bottle 8/2   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automation.net).   A truly smart home, bar/restaurant/intelligent office, etc. is never a one-size-fits-all proposition. Your Easy Automation Pro will meet with you to determine your needs and then customize the system for you. From the family room, bar to the boardroom, it’s under control.   Get a quote by visiting Easy-automation.net Or just call at 630.730.3728

Today's Snack comes from The Artist Formally Known as Vince Band. "Magazine Pages" is the first single from the new six-track album, "A Problematic Opera," and it rocks. TAFKAVince features Vince SanFilippo on vocals and guitar, Lauren Kurtz on vocals, Brian Chinino on drums, percussion and backing vocals, Chris Geisler on bass, percussion and backing vocals and Vee Sonnets on guitar, backing vocals and keys.

Graham Bonnet’s voice is a singular force in rock and roll. You can hear the power and muscle in his singing through his time in Rainbow, Alcatrazz, MSG and so many more bands. Most recently, he put out the age-defying hard rock monster “Day Out in Nowhere,” an album that checks all the boxes for fans of his work, to say nothing of rock fans in general.   Graham Bonnet Band will be at the Arcada in St. Charles on June 17, and he’ll be bringing his deep catalog with him.   Graham joined me before the tour started to talk about: *”Day Out In Nowhere” *The enduring appeal of “Since You’ve Been Gone” *Aging and rock and roll *Relationships with former guitarists *Replacing Ronnie James Dio in Rainbow *The staying power of Rainbow’s “Down to Earth” album *The pure rock charisma of Graham Bonnet   Graham is effortlessly charming, with a long history of music that we only scratched the surface of. Hope you enjoy listening to this. See you at the Arcada! ___ Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automa

¾ of Chicago area pop-punk band Fluorescents (Tyler, Bobby, Sasquel) join me for a chat outside Gene & Jude’s.   Over hot dogs, we talk about their upcoming show at Cobra Lounge (6/2), as well as:   *Their “ripping” cover of “Party in the USA” *Band history *The eerie thing that all their new songs have in common *Sasquel is the most trusting member of the band *The band’s recent successful East Coast tour *TikTok success, and what’s driving it *The dark place “Sober Lullabies” came from   ____   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Suburban Roofing and Siding, a family-owned company that provides interior and exterior home remodeling services, offering services to the Chicagoland area. Their staff has more than 40 years of collective experience.   Roofing, siding, windows, gutters...they do it all! Call their friendly team to get started today!    Call 224-677-6149 or visit SuburbanRoofingandSiding.com   -   Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automation.net).   A truly smart home, bar/rest

It seems crazy, but Ugly Kid Joe hasn’t toured the states in 27 years.   On the eve of the band’s appearance at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Ugly Kid Joe shredders Klaus Eichstadt and Dave Fortman join me for Vietnamese food in a hotel parking lot.   Discussed in this episode: This is the first sober Ugly Kid Joe tour Why it took this long to tour the states since the band got back together 13 years ago The recent “Rad Wings of Destiny” album Rock gods, from Ozzy to Eddie Van Halen The interesting source for some of the new album’s more memorable guitar riffs What life was like when the band exploded in the early 90s The recording process for “Cats in the Cradle” Touring with Ozzy and Def Leppard Why the band broke up in the late 90s Dave’s highlights as an album producer (Evanescence, Mudvayne, Slipknot, Godsmack, etc.) Klaus is even-keeled   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Suburban Roofing and Siding, a family-owned company that provides interior and exterior home remodeling serv

(Rejected episode headlines: “Next to Stew,” “Driven to Cheers”)   The legendary Stewart Copeland joins me for an interview in advance of his Chicago area performance of “Police Deranged for Orchestra” at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on May 19.   Discussed in this episode: -Turning Police songs into orchestral arrangements. -How to handle “lead singer” responsibilities for this tour. -Is Stewart comfortable diving back into the past and Police history? -The overall “massiveness” of the Police, circa “Synchronicity.” -His New Age Grammy wins. -What’s the current status of Oysterhead? -We also go through a handful of Police songs to get his thoughts/gut reactions on each. -We also settle the question of which Stewart Copeland 80s soundtrack collaboration is better: Adam Ant (Out of Bounds) or Stan Ridgway (Don't Box Me In).   Don’t miss Stewart Copeland on May 19. It’s a rare opportunity to see Stewart in that type of setting, let alone playing THOSE songs.   ___   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Suburban Roof

Gary Numan is an innovator, synth wizard and influence to artists and fans alike. I caught up with him backstage at the Rave in Milwaukee for a longform chat about his career and worldview. Some of the topics discussed:   His upcoming acoustic performance experiment/endeavor The brilliant ‘Intruder’ album His feelings about touring (spoiler: he loves it) Thoughts on a handful of specific songs, including “Metal” and “Are Friends Electric?” The notion of “legacy” as it pertains to his career   This was a bucket list interview for me, and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you.   __   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Suburban Roofing and Siding, a family-owned company that provides interior and exterior home remodeling services, offering services to the Chicagoland area. Their staff has more than 40 years of collective experience.   Roofing, siding, windows, gutters...they do it all! Call their friendly team to get started today!    Call 224-677-6149 or visit SuburbanRoofingandSiding.com - Car Co

  The Bollweevils return with their first studio album since 1995: “Essential’ (out May 6 on Red Scare)!   Returning favorite Dr. Daryl Wilson joins me to go track-by-track through the new album as we eat Middle Eastern food from Pita Inn in Naperville.   We also learn that someone in the Bollweevils camp thinks that Daryl is ostentatious. Worse, they think that’s a good thing. _   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Suburban Roofing and Siding, a family-owned company that provides interior and exterior home remodeling services, offering services to the Chicagoland area. Their staff has more than 40 years of collective experience.   Roofing, siding, windows, gutters...they do it all! Call their friendly team to get started today!    Call 224-677-6149 or visit SuburbanRoofingandSiding.com - Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Easy Automation (easy-automation.net).   A truly smart home, bar/restaurant,intelligent office, etc. is never a one-size-fits-all proposition. Your Easy Automation Pro will meet with you to det

Wrong War returns with a new song called "Who's Hiding Now!" Wrong War formed in Chicago in 2019 and features Matt Weeks on lead vocals. In addition to being at the helm of Council Records, Weeks played and toured extensively with the widely influential bands Current, Calvary, and Ottawa. On guitar and bass, respectively, are Patrick Keenan and Dave Pawlowski, who played together in The Phenoms. Salvo Beta drummer Dan Smith, along with Weeks, is responsible for much of the band’s relentless, aggressive sound. Smith also handles all noise and sampling.