Donate today to "Powering Independence," a fundraiser for 47 members of the Chicago Independent Media Alliance, including CHIRP! All gifts will be split evenly among the members. Thanks!
CHIRP Podcasts
CHIRP's exclusive artist interviews, conducted on-location and produced entirely by CHIRP volunteers. Subscribe to the feed to receive new interviews with local and national acts every week.
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
Download this episode Subscribe to all podcasts Subscribe to all Artist Interviews podcasts
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
Download this episode Subscribe to all podcasts Subscribe to all Artist Interviews podcasts
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
Download this episode Subscribe to all podcasts Subscribe to all Artist Interviews podcasts
Artist Interviews Warm Human Interview
This week, Features co-director Jessi D speaks with Chicago-based sludge pop trash princess, Meredith Johnston aka warm human. They discuss how the purchase of a new instrument usually inspires the creation of an album, navigating loss by letting the creative process loose on her newest album, Hometown Hero, and how dealing with a uterine fibroid removal in the days of the Roe v. Wade overturn inspired the single "PUSSY IS A GUN."
"And so, honestly, I don't remember a lot of it, but I do remember that I just kind of said 'yes' to every single thing that I came up with. I was like, 'yep, great, yep, great.' And that was just so liberating, and maybe that's because I didn't have the capacity to be nervous or comparative. As an artist, I can get so bogged down with, 'well, this doesn't sound like what other artists are making,' or 'this doesn't sound like this artist that I've been listening to on repeat lately.' I just didn't have any of that. I was like, we're going for it. We're wailing." - Meredith Johnston, on the creative process of her newest album Hometown Hero
Warm human will be playing at the Empty Bottle on Saturday, June 24th with Jimmy Whispers and Sports Boyfriend.
Produced by Jessi D.
Photo Credit: Gavin McDonald
Download this episode Subscribe to all podcasts Subscribe to all Artist Interviews podcasts
Artist Interviews The Bollweevils Interview
Daryl Wilson is the lead singer of the seminal Chicago punk band The Bollweevils. Formed in 1989, the group has released many records and been through many iterations over the decades, but as Daryl shares in this interview with Features Department Co-Director Mick R, their latest album Essential is the best that the band has ever sounded. Tune in to hear how the record came together over the course of more than a decade, the band's awesome relationship with local punk label Red Scare, and why they'll never change their style.
"It's our coming out party, to say 'Here's The Bollweevils!' ... it epitomizes how far we've come... and you can hear it now in how it sounds, better than before." - Daryl Wilson, discussing the decision to re-record thier classic song "Bottomless Pit" for their new record Essential.
Essential is out on Red Scare.
The Bollweevils will be playing a record release show with the Brokedowns on 5/27 at the Chop Shop.
Produced by Mick R.
Image Credit: Paul Catani
Download this episode Subscribe to all podcasts Subscribe to all Artist Interviews podcasts