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The CHIRP Blog

Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writesTop Five Songs About Bicycles

It's a busy time for the bike world. In France, the Tour de France is progressing through its early stages, giving cycling enthusiasts a reason to wake up early (and play Kraftwerk on their eventual commute). In Chicago, cyclists are prepping for this weekend's Tour de Fat, the traveling pro-bike parade and festival sponsored by New Belgium Brewery. In addition to covering CHIRP's much-ballyhooed involvement in this year's Car Trader promotion, we here at the blog have also been listening to unusually high amount of bike-related music. For this week's Top Five, I picked out our five favorites. 

 

1) Hawkwind - "Silver Machine" (1972)

Hawkwind was many things: a pioneering space rock group, designers of a record sleeve that doubles as D&D armor, and one of the few bands to require a separate Wikipedia page just to sort out its membership. You can also add "bike enthusiasts" to that list, at least when it comes to former singer Robert Calvert. Calvert penned the group's biggest (and spaciest) hit, but the sci-fi sound of "Silver Machine" wasn't about a flying saucer; according to a 1981 interview with Cheesecake, it was about the silver racing bike the singer owned growing up. Although he wrote the lyrics tweaking the high-tech aspirations of the Space Race, Calvert didn't sing them. That honor went to former Hawkwind bassist and Motörhead singer Lemmy Kilmister, whose own boyhood sport of choice was a variation of softball played with a freshly polished human skull.

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SKaiser writesThe Week That Was and Will Be: What’s Happening at CHIRP Radio (7/6/15)

SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENTS:

There's a couple days left to enter the New Belgium Tour de Fat car-for-bike challenge. We shared the experiences of 2011 cat trader Dave Pabellon, 2013 trader Johnny Mays and original 2009 trader Joseph Marinaro over the past week. If you're ready to enter, click here for the New Belgium car trader page.

NEW MEDIA:

COMING UP THIS WEEK:

It's the summer of the bicycle. If you have an old bike lying around and would like to donate it to a good cause, please bring it to the Go Albany Park Bike Drive on Sunday, July 12th. Stop by for music provided by CHIRP Radio and free bike repair service.

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SKaiser writesTour de Fat Car Trader Benefits Include Friendly People at New Belgium

This Wednesday marks the deadline to submit your sweet soul to the Tour de Fat car-for-bike challenge. The folks at New Belgium Brewery will take good care of you and we at CHIRP Radio are happy to support the Tour de Fat celebration in Palmer Square this Saturday, July 11th.

Click here if you're ready to give up a your vehicle and commute by bicycle for one year, or longer if you fall in love with two wheels of transport.

We met up with original car trader of 2009, Joseph Marinaro. He enjoys keeping in touch with the New Belgium people and encourages the 2015 car trader to commute by bike as long as possible.

"The freedom and health benefits are amazing and the experiences are plenty and thrilling," he said.

CHIRP: Where do you currently live and what are you doing these days?

Marinaro: In early 2010, I moved to the farthest reaches of the suburbs, Crown Point, IN!!! I still work downtown and make the 50 mile-each-way commute by car, now. While we have bikes, family life (I have a stepson in high school, a stepdaughter in grad school and a four year old son) gets so busy that put exercise is usually hiking, swimming and going to places we have to drive to.

CHIRP: Why did you take the challenge to give up your car? 

​Marinaro: I was fairly new to city life and found owning my Jeep was more of a hassle than it was worth.

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Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Vince Clarke Edition

Today we say Happy Birthday to one of the most accomplished musicians and songwriters from the world of Synthpop. Vince Clarke was one of the original members of Depeche Mode and wrote many of their early songs, including their first UK top-10 hit “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Although their album Speak and Spell put them on the map as a musical force, Clarke and his band mates parted ways soon after its release. No hard feelings, though; While the band went on to international stardom, Clarke teamed up with singer Alison Moyet to form Yazoo (Yaz if you’re in North America) and released two albums, one of which is the underrated classic Upstairs at Eric’s. He then joined forces with vocalist Andy Bell to form the duo Erasure and sail through the charts with Dance-Pop hits like “Oh L’Amour,” “Chains of Love,” “A Little Respect,” and “Breathe.”

Along with having mastered analog and digital electronic instruments, Clarke has produced a fantastic catalogue of music. Wish him a Happy Birthday by taking your MP3 player, pressing the “shuffle” button, and sharing the first 10 songs you hear:

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SKaiser writesIs 2015 Your Year for the Car Trader Challenge?

The deadline is fast approaching to enter New Belgium's Tour de Fat car-for-bike challenge. If you're unfamiliar, take a look at details and enter your spectacular self-made video here.

CHIRP Radio supports the Tour de Fat celebration in Palmer Square on Saturday, July 11. Entries are due by Wednesday, July 8.

In 2013, Johnny Mays took the challenge and says this for the next winner: Don't half ass it. Read on for Johnny's commitment to the yearlong ride.

CHIRP: Where do you currently live and what are you doing these days?

Mays: I live in Houston, TX and work for Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), IT auditing Fortune 500 companies. I also teach yoga on the side.

CHIRP: Why did you take the challenge to give up your car? 

Mays: I was sick of working corporate America life, and I wanted to get out to travel and see the country - on a bike!

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