Brendan Hunt, the laconic Coach Beard of Ted Lasso, opens up about the Beatles and his relationship with his mom in his @steppenwolfthtr.bsky.social one-man show, The Movement You Need. He opens up about doing all that plus the new Ted Lasso season on the new Caropop. caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Not since The Christmas Mouse have I been exposed to such an irritating/amazing ear worm. Proceed with caution:

We lost Dave Mason yesterday plus Alan Osmond. In tribute to the latter, I offer this serving of awesomeness: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXcj...

Your Friday Cage Match: Agatha Christie vs. Dorothy L. Sayers. Discuss.

With @recordstoreday.bsky.social coming up, Tim Peterson of Squeezebox Books & Music tells Caropop how it all works: the science of ordering, the Taylor Swift effect, the first-in-line fans or flippers, the hot titles and sleepers and the overall impact on business. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKXf...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: This is a special Record Store Day-themed episode.

On the heels of the big Axpona audiophile conference in Schaumburg, Northwestern's Medill School is hosting a two-day conference called Audiophile. It's about audio content creation and storytelling and has nothing to do with high-end sound quality.

Late Friday night dialogue, I go first: "Are we gonna let it all hang down?" "What?" "Are we gonna let it all hang down?" "What are you talking about?" "It's after midnight." "Oh, Jesus." "Gonna shake your tambourine? Gonna shake your tambourine?"

Your Friday Cage Match: James Brown 1956-1967 vs. James Brown 1968-1979. Discuss.

And while you're listening to @markcaro.bsky.social's latest Caropop, be sure to order a delicious Bayless Family pizza from Piece, benefitting @pawschicago.bsky.social!

Chef Rick Bayless reflects upon almost 40 years of his game-changing Frontera Grill, that "Top Chef Masters" victory, the White House state dinner he prepared, how he makes O’Hare’s best food, what happened to my favorite granola and more on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Chef Rick Bayless reflects upon almost 40 years of his game-changing Frontera Grill, that "Top Chef Masters" victory, the White House state dinner he prepared, how he makes O’Hare’s best food, what happened to my favorite granola and more on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He has been nominated for Emmy Awards and acted on stage but has received many more accolades for his primary profession.

This is in X's "Today's News" right now: "Chicago Bulls Trade Patrick Williams in First Transaction by Artūras Karnišovas." Um...no.

I just told my wife that we're listening to only James Brown until things improve.

Your Friday Cage Match: Salmon vs. Tuna. Discuss.

Gary Klebe tells the unlikely, inspiring story behind the classic power-pop band Shoes and describes what led him to release his first solo album in a half-century-long career--all on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Gary Klebe tells the unlikely, inspiring story behind the classic power-pop band Shoes and describes what led him to release his first solo album in a half-century-long career--all on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Should news organizations do April Fools jokes? a) Sure, April Fools is fun, and everyone gets it. b) No, enough people distrust news organizations already.

Your Friday Cage Match: In Color vs. Heaven Tonight. Discuss.

Chicago baseball teams: 6 Their opponents: 24. Happy Opening Day, everybody!

Ronnie Barnett takes us through the thrills and heartbreak of his life with Kim Shattuck and the Muffs—and offers some record-collecting notes because he’s that kind of guy—on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Ronnie Barnett takes us through the thrills and heartbreak of his life with Kim Shattuck and the Muffs—and offers some record-collecting notes because he’s that kind of guy—on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He was a rock journalist who found a better line of work in playing bass in a band.

ESPN is touting a piece presenting a "path to the men's Final Four for every Sweet 16 team." Here's mine: Win the next two games.

With the great Dave Davies somehow back in the news, we've posted his excellent Caropop episode on YouTube, so you can hear his thoughts on "Lola," the Kinks plus the higher power of love and what it means to be alive. We’re all living on a thin line, after all... www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCPk...

Miles Davis may have been one of the world’s most celebrated jazz bandleaders, but he didn’t know what to expect when his “second great quintet” arrived in Chicago's Old Town for a late December 1965 engagement at the Plugged Nickel club... @chicagotribune.com www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/23/m...

Mary was in the mood for something uplifting. I took her to see "Sirat." Now I owe her one.

In 2019, Little, Brown hired me to write a readable version of The Mueller Report. I did my best. If you'd like to know what's actually in it, this may be your best bet. www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/mark-...

Part of the reason the Mueller Report had so little impact was that it wasn‘t written in a very readable form. My friend Mark Caro fixed that in his writerly 2019 book “The Special Counsel: The Mueller Report Retold.” Still worth reading. @markcaro.bsky.social

Your Friday Cage Match: "Dog Day Afternoon" vs. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Discuss.

On the new Caropop, Vince Wilburn Jr., Miles Davis' nephew and '80s drummer, takes us into the trumpeter's legendary Plugged Nickel sets, shares what it was like to be Davis’ nephew and tells what happened when Davis took a fall with Wilburn behind the drum kit. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Thinking how if this were, say, 15 years ago, that KPop production number would have sent @scottlpowers.com 'round the deadline bend.

By @markcaro.bsky.social !

“Miss Miriam Chetwood, a young heiress who lives near Oaklawn, is forced by the conditions of her father’s will to be secluded from all male society until she comes of age...She is guarded by two maiden aunts, and...no man has ever been able to speak to her.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/15/v...

Your Friday Cage Match: Any Song Called "Tonight" vs. Any Other Song Called "Tonight." Discuss.

White Sox radio announcer Len Kasper explores his band, Sonic45, and the intersection between music and baseball broadcasting on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

White Sox radio announcer Len Kasper explores his band, Sonic45, and the intersection between music and baseball broadcasting on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He's his band's bassist and chief songwriter but not singer.

Your Friday Cage Match: The Kinks' "I Need You" vs. The Beatles' "I Need You" vs. America's "I Need You." Discuss.

Does receiving a rave P. 1 Sunday NYT Book Review cement an author's career? Does a writer need a so-called platform? Does one's sales track rule all? Author Christine Sneed shares publishing-world tales and hard-earned wisdom on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: Her first novel received a rave review from Curtis Sittenfeld on P. 1 of the Sunday New York Times Book Review.

Your Friday Cage Match: Bob Dylan's "I Want You" vs. the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" vs. Elvis Costello's "I Want You." Discuss.

I'm getting really tired of being bombarded with negative campaigning from the super PAC backing Laura Fine, including these two that came in the mail today. You're in the same party. Do better.

Graham Parker shares his story and music industry tales with @markcaro.bsky.social's Caropop podcast. #singersongwriter #authors #rockmusic #rockandroll #pubrock #booksaboutmusic #britishrock #70s #70srock #60s #60srock #davidbowie #rootsmusic #americana #backtoschooldays #daveedmunds #rockmusic

I failed to tag @thegrahamparker.bsky.social on this. Follow and listen to the man.

The great Graham Parker tells his fascinating origin story and conveys his current feelings about how the system is rigged against musicians trying to make a living, all on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He had a lifetime to make his first album and six months to make his second one.

Your Friday Cage Match: Pairs Figure Skating vs. Solo Figure Skating. Discuss.