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CHIRP Podcasts
Artist Interviews Mitch Clem Interview
This week, Features contributor Ronald Pagan speaks with punk cartoonist Mitch Clem about his recent compendium of his long running autobiographical webcomic, My Stupid Life. They discuss the differences between being online now versus the mid-aughts, looking back on past work with a modern eye, and what in means to be a sell out these days.
My Stupid Life is available on Silver Sprocket.
"Through punk rock, I had discovered DIY and the idea of, hey, if there's a show you wanna see and there isn't anything cool happening in your town, you can book the show yourself. If you're creative in some way, if you're a writer or a musician and you want to make art, then make it. And just put it out yourself." - Mitch Clem
Produced by Jessi D.
Photo Credit: Mitch Clem
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Artist Interviews Neptune’s Core Interview
This week, Features contributor Alyssa Edes speaks with Sofie Richter, Hannah Richter, Jackie Cywinski, and Kaitlin Cywinski of Neptune's Core, a Chicago-based indie rock band made up of two sets of sisters. They discuss using Voice Memos to build out the beginnings of their songs, post-Midwestern tornado musical inspiration, looking at songwriting from an architectural perspective, and listening to CHIRP Radio before school.
"I remember so clearly the first time we performed at an informal open mic at Old Town School of Folk Music. And it felt so magical to be playing music and expressing myself with my best friends." Kaitlin Cywinski
"Adding onto Kaitlin, I feel like there's kind of a confidence in each other and I think being sisters and being best friends we understand each other and we can kind of almost predict what the other person's gonna do, predict how they'll feel after something. We're kinda telepathic in a sense." - Sofie Richter
Produced by Alyssa Edes
Photo Credit: Samantha Monendo
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Artist Interviews Triple Fast Action Interview
This week, Features contributor and DJ Mike Nikolich speaks with Brian St. Clair of legendary Chicago-based indie and alt-rock group Triple Fast Action. They discuss their mid-90s origins and eventual breakup, their newly released collection of 37 rare and unreleased tracks and the process behind bringing the old tech up to spec for rerelease, and their deep connections to Local H and Veruca Salt.
"It turned into this idea with Justin Wexler from Forge Again Records: why don't we put out something prior to all of our stuff while we try to get the rights to put out 'Broadcaster' as a proper reissue? So this is kind of a segue between our two albums that we want to release with Forge Again Records, but it's such a long process trying to get those rights back from Capitol, so we had to do something in the interim." -Brian St. Clair
Produced by Mike Nikolich.
Photo Credit: Marci Rogal
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Artist Interviews Joan of Arc Interview
Chicago-based experimental rock group Joan of Arc has been broken up for several years now, but they will be reconvening for a special performance as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival to provide a live soundtrack to the classic Carl Dreyer film The Passion of Joan Arc. Features co-director Mick R caught up with band members Tim Kinsella, Bobby Burg, and Theo Katsaounis to talk about the band's history with the film and how the story of Joan of Arc inspires them and their art.
"[Joan of Arc] could have had a much more comfortable life. But no one would be inspired by her six hundred years later." - Tim Kinsella
Produced by Mick R.
Image Credit: Joan of Arc
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Artist Interviews LIES Interview
This week, Features contributor Andy Vasoyan speaks with Mike and Nate Kinsella about their new art pop post-rock project, LIES. They discuss their debut self-titled album, temporarily naming songs-in-progress after Robyn and their favorite Robyn songs, how making music as LIES feels like a vacation, and getting excited about the same things musically.
"I'd always wanted to do something that was just me and Mike. I think that we have very similar taste. We can sort of finish each other's sentences musically." - Nate Kinsella
Produced by Andy Vasoyan
Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius
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