Where does John Wesley Harding stop and Wesley Stace begin (or vice versa)? On the new Caropop, the English singer-songwriter-turned-U.S. citizen discusses his dual identities, his Frank Capra title-mining and his reaction to Elvis Costello snark. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Where does John Wesley Harding stop and Wesley Stace begin (or vice versa)? On the new Caropop, the English singer-songwriter-turned-U.S. citizen discusses his dual identities, his Frank Capra title-mining and his reaction to Elvis Costello snark. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He has done work under a pseudonym and his own name.

I'm so glad I was able to get guitarist Jimmy James together with one of his idols, Steve Cropper, on Caropop. This was a great conversation. As it happens, James' band Parlor Greens is playing tonight at Garcia's in Chicago--check 'em out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4DZ...

Dave Specter was Son Seals’ rhythm guitarist for two years before becoming a bandleader himself. I love hearing Specter play as well as chatting with him at his club @evanstonspace.bsky.social, but I’d never gone in depth with him like we do on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

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

Some friends and I were batting this around the other day: Best bands or artists with a maximum of three studio albums. I'll get you started: Television, Nirvana, Nick Drake, Big Star (if you don't count "In Space")...

The Steve Cropper Caropop conversation is now on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Lt...

Running an audiophile label is not easy, as Shane Buettner has learned in the 10 years since he founded Intervention Records. Has licensing recordings become harder? What dictates pricing? How did he land Sun Records? Buettner tells all on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Running an audiophile label is not easy, as Shane Buettner has learned in the 10 years since he founded Intervention Records. Has licensing recordings become harder? What dictates pricing? How did he land Sun Records? Buettner tells all on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

RIP to one of the greatest guitarists ever, Steve Cropper, who always played exactly what the song called for and nothing more. He was a two-time Caropop guest, first on his own www.caropop.com/caropopcast/... and then with guitarist Jimmy James interviewing his hero: www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

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

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.

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/...

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.

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/...

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...

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.

Wait, Colonel Tom Parker wasn't like the all-controlling, constipated-looking manager 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/...

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!

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

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/...

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c.... @emmaswiftsings.bsky.social @caropopcast.bsky.social

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/...

Had another excellent conversation with @caropopcast.bsky.social the other evening. We’ll see you, Mark, @thaliahallchicago.bsky.social tonight! www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

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

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/...

This is a wonderful episode.

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

Any day you can talk with or listen to Robbie Fulks is a good day. On the new Caropop he talks about moving from Chicago to L.A., joining Steve Martin's band and creating his own best music at age 62. Listen 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!

@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.

Our ongoing quest to post Caropop episodes on YouTube continues, this week with one of my favorite conversations featuring the sublime, super insightful Sam Phillips. Please subscribe if you get a chance (the numbers really help) and enjoy! www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPM4...

One of these things is like the other. Craig Finn explains the Randy Newman connection of his new album and much more on the latest Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Did Craig Finn of the Hold Steady ever consider being a fiction writer, poet or journalist instead of applying his storytelling chops solely to music? How does his memory factor into creativity? Talking music with Finn is a lot of fun on the new Caropop. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He has a band and solo career.

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: She released her first solo album decades after the debut of her post-punk band.

Chris Stamey has a well-thought-out reason for every musical choice he makes. On the new Caropop, we discuss his excellent new album, playing with the Big Star Quintet and dB’s and the connection between “getting the notes in the right place” and creating magic. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

It's time to Guess Tomorrow's Caropop Guest! Hint #1: He played with one late singer-songwriter and released the single of another late singer-songwriter, both of whose songs he has been performing live in a band dedicated to their music.

Why was John Lennon's "lost weekend" not so lost? How close did Lennon get to writing with Paul McCartney again? What did that UFO in NYC look like? May Pang explains in an eye- and ear-opening new Caropop epsiode. www.caropop.com/caropopcast/...

Hint #2: She’s a New Yorker.