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“I love the smell of rock and roll burning holes inside my soul” He is our libertine Lord of Lard… Raymond Watts of checks in from overseas, just as his newly-released “PAIN IS GOD” album has taken over all my recreational listening time. Car Con Carne is presented by Siren Records in McHenry. Fair warning: If you try to do your holiday shopping there, you’ll probably end up buying more for yourself. It can’t be helped.

“I love the smell of rock and roll burning holes inside my soul” He is our libertine Lord of Lard… Raymond Watts of checks in from overseas, just as his newly-released “PAIN IS GOD” album has taken over all my recreational listening time. Car Con Carne is presented by Siren Records in McHenry. Fair warning: If you try to do your holiday shopping there, you’ll probably end up buying more for yourself. It can’t be helped.

“I love the smell of rock and roll burning holes inside my soul” He is our libertine Lord of Lard… Raymond Watts of checks in from overseas, just as his newly-released “PAIN IS GOD” album has taken over all my recreational listening time. Car Con Carne is presented by Siren Records in McHenry. Fair warning: If you try to do your holiday shopping there, you’ll probably end up buying more for yourself. It can’t be helped.

There’s a time, When they will win. There's not an answer, To every question. First shot misses. Wrong War is a new band that spits attitude and punk rock ethos. Their debut, “Fixed Against Forever” is an accomplished, loud, frantic middle finger that announces itself as a soundtrack for anyone who’s ever felt disenfranchised by relationships, government or the world at large. Dan, Dave, Matthias and Pat from Wrong War join me for tonight's episode. Car Con Carne is presented by Siren Records in McHenry. Record Store Day Black Friday is coming up on 11/27. Head to Siren for your must-have RSD vinyl!

First to close, last to open. Local music venues remain in a state of existential peril. CIVL (Chicago Independent Venue League) has put together a live streaming event to raise awareness and funds. The CIVLIZATION CONCERT SERIES kicks off Friday night, and to talk about that, as well as the current situation with Chicago music venues, are Tim Tuten (The Hideout) and Matt Woodburn (Chop Shop). Car Con Carne is presented by my favorite record store, Siren Records Mchenry (3902 Main St.). As the holidays approach, check out their deep selection of classic punk, metal and alternative on vinyl. Or do what I did: Visit their audio room and scoop up some kickass vintage stereo components to punch up your living space!

Well, here we go… home stretch before Thanksgiving. To talk about Thanksgiving food, Fall food… food, in general… I’ve invited Debbie Sharpe, owner of the Goddess and Grocer, to join me for a rare Saturday night Car Con Carne recording! Car Con Carne is presented by my favorite record store, Siren Records in McHenry (3902 Main St.). As the holidays approach, check out their deep selection of classic punk, metal and alternative on vinyl. Or do what I did: Visit their audio room and scoop up some kickass vintage stereo components to punch up your living space! https://www.facebook.com/SirenRecordsMchenry/

“the crushing bliss of autumn's kiss i can't tell you what it means”   Kill Scenes is back with a new album of gloomy-yet-poppy post-punk, and Sean, Margo, Andrew and Jon are here to talk about it on episode #501.   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

Today marks a milestone. Welcome to Episode #500 of Car Con Carne. Because this year is… what it is… I wasn’t able to stage a proper celebration for this episode. Instead, for the first time ever on Car Con Carne, this episode is guest-less. It’s just me, for better or for worse. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

As the world is slowly transitioning to nonstop holiday music, so too is the pop punk community. “A Gutter Pop Christmas,” a compilation of pop punk bands doing holiday songs, comes out on Cyber Monday. Zac Buzzkill of the Radio Buzzkills joins me tonight to talk about the release. Also, because he’s Zac Buzzkill, I truly have no idea if this will end up being the best or worst episode of the year. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

It’s OK not to be OK. Hope for the Day makes its fifth pandemic appearance on Car Con Carne, as I’m visited by HFTD Director of Education Mike Vinopal and Director of Public Policy Joel Frieders. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

"Like Bazooka Joe bubble gum stuck to the bottom of your combat boot." That’s the perfect way to describe Hayley and the Crushers (not my line, though I wish it was). I also enjoy the band’s self-description: “Poolside glitter trash trio.” Hayley Crusher Cain checks in from the west coast tonight! Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

Chris Connelly is one of the most prolific artists of our time. Beyond his early work in the 90s with Ministry and Revolting Cocks, his solo discography now stretches well beyond 20 releases. His new album, the Goth AF-named “Graveyard Sex,” is exceptional. Connelly sits shotgun in the virtual car tonight to talk about his career.   Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat You, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

Legendary Chicago restaurateur and sausage man Hot Doug returns to the show to talk about the future of his meat, life after Hot Doug's, his new-ish podcast, Taylor Swift and the pandemic's impact on independent restaurant owners. “There are no two finer words in the English language than 'encased meats,' my friend.” Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery and a pound of “Mother Chucker” burgers with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

The experimental, dark, arty and poetic sounds of Jack of None challenge me and inspire me. The three siblings that comprise the bi-country band (Philippines and U.S.) join me on the release day of their new EP, “The Purpose of the Moon,” a 7-song collection whose music mirrors the 7 stages of grief. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

DAMMIT, JERRY! Sure, 2020’s been a crap year, but it did give us a Parks and Rec reunion. The wonderful Jim O’Heir (Jerry on Parks & Rec) joins me tonight from L.A. for a truly memorable episode of Car Con Carne.  Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

Shannon Candy’s first solo album, “So Long,” was released last week, and it’s a fuzzy, buzzy collection of indie rock greatness. Shannon joins me tonight to talk about the album and her life and times in the Chicago scene. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

The pandemic’s forced us all to find new ways to do old things. I’ve been especially interested in seeing how different businesses have innovated around the public health crisis. I’m joined tonight by Mike Vanderbilt, a movie fanatic who’s transforming Rock Island Public House in Blue Island into a drive-in movie location. Car Con Carne is sponsored by Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne! http://www.happytomeatu.com

If there was a Chicago music yearbook for the 90s, Triple Fast Action would have been voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” They had the songs… the talent… the rock swagger. Everything. Alas, there are no sure things in music. Their time on major record label, Capitol, was brief and largely uncelebrated. For their second album, they went totally independent and created the album that Triple Fast fans acknowledge as the better of the two, “Cattlemen Don’t.” It’s a portrait of a band in peak form. And it’s seeing a proper vinyl release… the reissue’s coming out in January. To look back, and look forward, I had Triple Fast Action drummer and super accomplished musician and music industry friend Brian St. Clair and Triple Fast manager Dave Frey on tonight’s podcast.   Car Con Carne is sponsored by the fantastic Happy To Meat U, Chicago's online butcher shop serving the EXACT same Prime steaks and chops that you get at local steakhouses. Get FREE next-day local delivery with my promo code: CARNE. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! Help support the people who help Car Con Carne!

The three guys in Model Stranger have stuck together for 10 years and are on the verge of releasing their new album, “Phases.” Big riffs, melodies, inventive songwriting and rock and roll swagger make for a lethal combination. They’re spending their Friday night on Car Con Carne!

I’m a fan of Blind Adam’s world-wise, emphatic vocals and everyman lyrics; they’re both front and center throughout Blind Adam and the Federal League’s music. Country punk? Americana? Punk and western? I dunno. It’s just solid American songwriting, coming from right here in Chicago.   Adam’s music is informed by social consciousness and the protest songs of decades past. With a new album temporarily sidelined by COVID, he recently released the album’s least likely single, “An Act of Desperation,” as a response to current events. He joins me tonight for Car Con Carne.