Happy Thanksgiving from Caropop! www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Your Friday Cage Match: Potatoes vs. Sweet Potatoes. Discuss.

My new Caropop episode is with one of my favorite songwriters, Louie Perez of Los Lobos. He's as insightful and open-hearted as you'd expect. Please listen here: youtu.be/RWLpofDGxJg

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He's part of a great songwriting duo.

Your Friday Cage Match: The Beatles 1967 vs. The Beatles 1968. Discuss.

Bob Merlis ran Warner Bros. label publicity for many years, and on the new Caropop, he tells tales about the Carpenters, Little Richard, Dion DiMucci, ZZ Top, Debbie Gibson, Talking Heads, Devo, the B-52’s, the BoDeans, Madonna, R.E.M. and many more. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Not that I've been nursing this grudge for 25+ years or anything, but does anyone not agree that @aimeemann.bsky.social's "Save Me" should have won the best song Oscar over Phil Collins' "Tarzan" tune?

Your Friday Cage Match: MGMT vs. Tame Impala. Discuss.

I'm so sad to see that wonderful Squeeze/Jools Holland drummer Gilson Lavis has died. He propelled so much great music in such a distinct, powerful way (and was a talented artist to boot). He also was a kind, thoughtful Caropop guest in 2022. RIP. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

On the new Caropop, Paul Kelly reflects on his life as a musician in Australia, his evolution as a songwriter, his song sequel, his years of being “a recreational heroin user” and what he has learned. Is songwriting his way to make sense out of being human? www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He's Australian.

When I spoke with Mike Mills for Caropop in February, he mentioned a new band he had formed with Darius Rucker (Hootie & the Blowfilsh) and Steve Gorman (Black Crowes). Howl Owl Howl performs its second-ever show tonight at @metrochicago.com. Can't wait! www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8IX...

Your Friday Cage Match: Peanut M&M's vs. Peanut Butter M&M's. Discuss.

To mark Caropop Ep. 200, we've got Paul Myers @pulmyears.bsky.social, who recently posted the 200th episode of his Record Store Day Podcast and has written a funny, heartbreaking new book about John Candy. This is a fun chat about Candy, creativity and doing it all. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Where will you be tonight at 7? I'll be at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square seeing @stefanfatsis.bsky.social and Jonathan Eig talk about Fatsis's new book "Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary." Come listen, buy a book and say hi. www.bookcellarinc.com/stefan-fatsi...

Your Friday Cage Match: “Werewolves of London” vs. “Lawyers, Guns and Money.” Discuss.

The great Peter Holsapple @halfpear.bsky.social is at @evanstonspace.bsky.social tonight, touring with Steve Forbert. Some tix still available. Will I see you there? Here's his latest Caropop conversation: www.caropop.com/caropopcast/... And here's the tix link: www.ticketweb.com/event/steve-...

We keep adding new episodes to the Caropop YouTube channel, including the latest ones (Tom Morello, Peter Guralnick...) and "classics" including Steve Albini, Bettye LaVette, Sam Phillips and the three non-Partridge guys in XTC. Please check it out and subscribe. www.youtube.com/results?sear...

Your Friday Cage Match: Rage Against the Machine vs. Audioslave. Discuss.

On the new Caropop @tommorelloofficial.bsky.social reflects on writing political music, including for the new Goodman Theatre show Revolution(s), and weighs its impact. He also talks Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Springsteen, that last Sabbath show & the Cubs. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest: Hint #1: He was in two bands with identical personnel except for the lead singer.

Your Friday Cage Match: Hacks vs. The Studio. Discuss.

Wait, Colonel Tom Parker wasn't like the all-controlling, constipated-looking guy played by Tom Hanks in "Elvis"? Author Peter Guralnick offers a much more complex portrait and bats around various theories about Colonel and Elvis in the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He writes books.

Your Friday Cage Match: Korean Fried Chicken vs. Nashville Fried Chicken. Discuss.

Blurbed as "one of the most Chicago novels I've ever read" by someone from here, Orner's take on provincialism in writing is, for my money, spot-on. Hear all about it, and subscribe for free to @caropopcast.bsky.social!

As he does in The Gossip Columnist's Daughter, his acclaimed new novel blurring fiction and fact around the 1963 death of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Kup's daughter, author Peter Orner makes every word count in this lively Caropop conversation. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Your Friday Cage Match: Ordinary People vs. Quiz Show. Discuss.

On the new Caropop, @emmaswiftsings.bsky.social digs into her new album, life in Nashville with husband @robynhitchcock.bsky.social, whether their sensibilities rub off on each other and “how art can get us through quite brutal experiences by making them beautiful.” www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: She has recorded her own songs and others'.

I guess the Bears offense needed a Flus shot.

Camper Van Beethoven wraps up its tour (but, we hope, not its history as a live band) with a killer “Telephone Free”-and-then-some concert at @930club.bsky.social. They are great and give me joy, and I’m so appreciative.

Your Friday Cage March: Pfizer vs. Moderna. Discuss.

Whether or not you're going to tonight's Baseball Project/Minus 5 show at Thalia Hall, you'll enjoy the latest Caropop episode with the great Scott McCaughey. What it’s like touring two bands with the same personnel? What happened at that truck stop? www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He'll be in Chicago with two different bands soon.

Congrats to @sashaannsimons.bsky.social, @maryldixon.bsky.social and @pksmid.bsky.social on the launch of "In the Loop" and "Say More" at 9 and 10 a.m., respectively, on @wbez.org. We'll be listening as you rock the morning...

Your Friday Cage Match: Monty Python and the Holy Grail vs. This Is Spinal Tap. Discuss.

Any day you can talk with or listen to Robbie Fulks is a good day. On the new @caropopcast.bsky.social he discusses moving from Chicago to L.A., joining Steve Martin's band and creating his own best music at age 62. Here www.caropop.com/caropopcast/... or on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R7N...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He recently performed on a late-night talk show.

With the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio playing two shows at @evanstonspace.bsky.social tonight, check out my Caropop conversation with Delvon about how he creates his cool, feel-good, Hammond B-3-driven instrumental soul jazz. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

In our continued quest to post Caropop episodes on YouTube, we've added some biggies: Pt. 1 of our conversation last year with Colin Moulding of XTC (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVwe...) and the one featuring Graham Gouldman of 10cc (www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzEy...) Enjoy--and please subscribe!

Your Friday Cage Match: Argybargy vs. East Side Story. Discuss.

@caropopcast.bsky.social returns with one half of Squeeze's dynamic songwriting duo: @chrisdiffordlyrics.bsky.social. Share away, subscribe and give a little back if you want at caropop.com

When Squeeze's Chris Difford submits lyrics to Glenn Tilbrook, does he suggest a musical direction? Did he know “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” would be a rocker, “Labelled with Love” a country song? Difford explores their dynamic on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

The August hiatus is over, so it's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He writes lyrics.

Oh, THAT kind of shampoo…

Your Friday Cage Match: "Nashville" vs. "Short Cuts." Discuss.

Any local reviews of Oasis at sold-out Soldier Field last night, first Chicago show in almost 17 years? I see one in Billboard, but that's it so far.

Why “shall be” and not “is”? Does this law take effect sometime in the future?

Your Friday Cage Match: Liam Gallagher vs. Noel Gallagher. Discuss.