H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

Norm Winer, former WXRT Program Director, backstage at the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction (Harris Theater, 9/27/26), with WXRT's Terri Hemmert and Wendy Rice. Hog Pod Music Chat hosts Pete Jansons and Mike Orfanos catch up with Norm on how XRT found new bands first, the Belmont bus, Beatles talk, Lonnie Brooks, bowling with Buddy Guy, the Sex Pistols, and what made WXRT different.Sorry about the audio! We recorded this one backstage at the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Harris Theater, 9/27/26) while the event was bustling around us.Explicit language: this episode includes a few swear words.CHAPTERS0:00 Teaser0:44 Backstage with Norm Winer2:17 Bowling with Buddy Guy4:50 It wasn't the building, it was the people5:30 What Norm misses most7:08 The antenna jump7:27 Will there ever be another 90s?8:39 The Bumper on Belmont9:09 Norm recalls XRT playing Genesis early10:12 The Sex Pistols and the punk switch11:15 Waiting for Norm's call13:12 The ratings book13:57 The end of an era at XRT16:21 Old dog, new tricks17:17 Pete on Norm's influence17:55 Bonus backstage performanceHog Pod Music Chat. Chicago music, told by the people who lived it.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hogpodBe a guest or book us: [email protected] the email list: https://hogpodlist.subscribepage.io

Lorena Vallejo – drummer, percussionist and psychotherapist.Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike sit down with drummer and psychotherapist Lorena Vallejo to talk about what music does for the mind.She tells how she started playing drums, how a move from Mexico to the Midwest led her to a Chicago Black Sabbath tribute band, why a gong meditation at a festival stuck with her, and how she sees sound, rhythm and drum circles help people feel connected. Along the way: winding down after a show, breathing and coping tools, the stigma around mental health, how music affects the brain, the myths about hidden backwards messages in records, Mexican and Latin music, AI and therapy, her first big concerts, and one very important Pop-Tart question.CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open0:56 Hog Pod intro1:06 Music and mental health2:13 A charity tribute night and a drum jam4:41 Drums, percussion and sound healing7:15 Learning drums and moving to the Midwest13:13 After the show: sleep, stress and honest questions17:36 Breathing, therapy and the stigma22:30 How music affects the brain24:23 Backwards messages and hidden meanings in records32:12 Music, community and drum circles40:22 Mexican music, Latin rhythms and rock48:08 AI, therapy and mental health50:16 First concerts and favorite shows56:31 Pop-Tarts and where to find her bands60:37 OutroHOSTSPete JansonsMike "Bongo" OrfanosSubscribe to HOG POD for more Chicago music conversations.SUPPORT THE SHOWPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hogpodBe a guest or book us: [email protected] the email list: https://hogpodlist.subscribepage.io

Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike sit down with Chicagoland booking agent and working musician Joseph Preissing (AJP Music Haus / A Sure Thing) for an inside look at the local music business.How he got started booking bands, why so many bars hire a DJ after the band, where the live-music crowds went, how he protects the bands he books, the $5 cover charge debate, the odd private-event gigs that actually pay, summer concert series that book the same bands every year, and his first stadium concert.Find Joseph: https://ajpmusichaus.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hogpod | Be a guest or book us: [email protected]

The Flock – Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Class of 2026.Backstage at the Harris Theater in Chicago on induction night, Sept. 27, 2026, original members of The Flock and today's line-up sit down with Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike to tell the story, 50 years later.How a suburban high-school band turned into a jazz-rock band on Columbia Records, how their roadie turned out to be a classically trained violinist, the Kinetic Playground showcase that started a record-label bidding war, opening night at the Olympia in Paris, the big festivals, and the day Led Zeppelin's crew pulled the plug on them at the Bath Festival.Plus: the kid who grew up across the street from the band's house and ended up playing in it, and how The Flock came back together for Ravinia and the Hall of Fame.CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open: Led Zeppelin pulled the plug0:57 The Flock live3:12 Hogpod intro3:22 Backstage at the Harris Theater: how The Flock got in5:57 Original members, 50 years later7:50 Eleven musicians on stage tonight8:36 How it started: the roadie who played violin, the Kinetic Playground, the record deal16:15 Opening night at the Olympia in Paris and the big festivals18:22 Everyone they played with, and Bath 197020:48 Jimi Hendrix walks into The Scene21:49 The kid across the street: how The Flock came back26:49 A harmonica player joins The Flock27:30 From The Mauds to The Flock28:47 Soul Machine, Spencer Davis and the Aragon33:48 "We really should be awarding the fans"34:03 OutroTOPICS: The Flock, Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026, Harris Theater, Chicago jazz rock, 1960s Chicago bands, Kinetic Playground, Columbia Records, Olympia Paris, Bath Festival 1970, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, RaviniaHOSTSPete JansonsMike "Bongo" OrfanosSubscribe to HOG POD for more Chicago music conversations.SUPPORT THE SHOWPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hogpodBe a guest or book us: [email protected] the email list: https://hogpodlist.subscribepage.io#Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #TheFlock

Chicago clubs want cover bands—but where does that leave original artists? Zacky Manic spent almost 10 years making Mood Swing, re-recording songs as his singing, guitar playing and production skills improved.Zacky joins Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike to talk grunge roots (he heard Nirvana at two years old), running the studio at Harper College, why Chicago clubs book cover bands over original acts, his struggle to get booking emails answered, and the story behind his song "Butt Rock."Plus: the greatest grunge singer of all time, seeing Korn at Alpine Valley as a kid, and the Pop-Tarts debate.CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open: Why "Butt Rock"?0:49 Zacky Manic – Butt Rock (official video)4:37 Hogpod intro4:47 Harper, the home studio and 10 years on Mood Swing9:49 Grunge roots: Nirvana at two12:27 What is grunge? The Seattle sound18:02 Ten years to make Mood Swing19:12 Building a band21:10 Booking original music in Chicago24:00 Covers vs. originals27:12 Tribute picks and the Green Day voice28:37 How he writes songs32:07 Chicago loves cover bands34:58 "I'll do it myself"36:18 Instagram, Spotify, TikTok39:39 Greatest grunge singer of all time41:40 Velvet Revolver, Spoonman, Temple of the Dog44:06 Why call it Butt Rock?44:58 First concert: Beach Boys, then Korn at Alpine Valley47:50 Favorite movie: Silence of the Lambs50:25 The white van speaker scam52:00 Pop-Tarts, toasted or not53:09 OutroTOPICS: grunge, original music, Chicago cover band scene, home recording, booking gigs, Layne Staley, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, KornZACKY MANICLinktree: https://linktr.ee/zackymanicSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dNmXG7aCKKPF6vNTFTXyAApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/zacky-manic/1887815964Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zackymanicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zackymanicButt Rock (official video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BK3txbkfsHOSTSPete JansonsMike "Bongo" OrfanosSubscribe to HOG POD for more Chicago music conversations, and follow Zacky through the links above.SUPPORT THE SHOWPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hogpodBe a guest or book us: [email protected] the email list: https://hogpodlist.subscribepage.io#Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #Grunge

Casper Alexander — the Peoria-raised rapper, stage manager and promoter behind CHISongwriter — says 400,000 TikTok followers don't mean much at the door. He's spent 15 years booking, performing and building shows, and he's seen the gap between online clout and real ticket sales firsthand. Casper stage-managed the Mosquitoes' set at this summer's Lincolnwood fest, and now he's on the other side of the mic. We get into the 319/309 Tour across central Iowa and Illinois, why booking in Peoria is harder than Chicago, what 10 years of 309Fest taught him about selling sponsors, why he went from AI skeptic to using it as a blueprint, how COVID pushed him into full-time freelance, Drake vs. Kendrick vs. the '90s — and a lightning round that settles toasted vs. untoasted Pop-Tarts. 🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Cold open — 400K followers vs. the door1:57 CHISongwriter performance7:17 Stage-managing Chicago's summer fest season9:05 Riot Fest storms & the mud problem11:40 Bongo's rain-boot rule12:43 The 319/309 Tour13:44 Iowa City vs. Peoria — Gabe's & hometown venues16:38 Chicago vs. Peoria — town politics & cancel culture18:36 400K followers vs. ticket sales19:30 Rapper vs. band — who pays the players?21:40 AI in songwriting — from skeptic to blueprint24:11 Data centers, water & the power grid26:38 309Fest — 10 years, 8 editions28:28 Selling sponsors — pride & mental health30:08 The three sponsorship tiers32:43 Booking politics & security33:29 "Why should you be on this show?"35:24 COVID → full-time freelance36:39 Cubby Bear story — East Coast vs. West Coast37:30 Drake vs. Kendrick today40:01 What's next — "What's for me will be for me"41:53 Acting & modeling — Smashburger, All Steel44:56 CHISongwriter.com & artist consulting45:57 One song won't sell out the Garden46:32 Lightning round — first concert, favorite movie, Pop-Tarts50:14 Wrap 📍 Chicago - Peoria - Iowa City - 309Fest - CHISongwriter - Hip-Hop - Independent Artists - Stage Management - Festival Production - Riot Fest - Live Music 🎤 Guest Links — Casper AlexanderWebsite: https://www.chisongwriter.com/X: https://x.com/CHISongwriterYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CHISongwriter ❤️ Support Hogpod — https://www.patreon.com/hogpod 🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike). 📞 Booking — [email protected] #CasperAlexander #CHISongwriter #ChicagoMusic #PeoriaMusic #309Fest #ChicagoHipHop #IndependentArtist #StageManager #RiotFest #DrakeVsKendrick #AIMusic #LiveMusic #ChicagoMusicScene #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #Hogpod

What happens when a Chicago singer takes Ratt's "Round and Round" and drops Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night" right on top of it? The guys cheer, their faces fall, the girlfriends rush the stage, and by the chorus the whole room is back.Casey Torrey fronts Remix Riot, a Chicagoland festival band that mashes rock and metal anthems with pop hits. Think "Smoke on the Water" under Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." She also sings in Acousticatz, her duo with pianist and guitarist Eric Floden.Casey tells Pete and Bongo Mike about the mashup she "hated and loved at the same time," how Remix Riot came together with Dan Banker, Larry Neubauer, TJ Wilkes and Randy, why music purists don't always love the mashup idea, and how she went from Tennessee church soloist to Monster Jam regular to one of the busiest voices in the Chicago scene.Plus: the Coterie charity shows, a Slayer tribute that sounded like one very long song, Dolly Parton's time-capsule song, Prince's vault, Def Leppard in the round, Lord of the Rings in Legos, Steven Tyler's lyric monitors, and the Pop-Tarts question.🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 The mashup she hated and loved02:03 Remix Riot live mashups05:20 Meet Casey Torrey06:00 The Coterie & Mike Dermont08:35 Acousticatz with Eric Floden09:17 What is Remix Riot? Smoke on the Water + Poker Face10:43 From Blue Sirens to Acousticatz11:54 Bongo's tambourine gets confiscated13:16 Why Chicago musicians support each other15:33 How Casey caught the music bug16:18 Monster Jam & her first band, Pet Rock18:03 Dolly Parton's time-capsule song19:36 Prince's vault21:24 Gatlinburg, stick shifts & Chicago people23:38 COVID collabs & Amy Grant24:34 Johnny Cash, the Man in Black25:18 How Remix Riot was born27:28 How they pick the mashups28:45 Devil Went Down to Georgia + Summer of '6930:04 Ratt meets Katy Perry at the Vixen32:04 A rocked-up "Royals" & the guitar-solo payoff33:26 Run-DMC, Aerosmith & "Walk This Way"36:15 Purists vs. mashups37:19 "Is this the same song?" A Slayer tribute38:04 Sampling & borrowing chords39:28 "When I sing, I make people happy"40:37 Cover bands complaining about covers42:06 Broken Peach & being first44:36 Congrats on the engagement45:52 De Beers, Blood Diamond & a lab-grown ring47:35 Bongo's serious questions47:59 First concert: Def Leppard in the round51:00 Worst concert & Pete's Aerosmith '8453:51 Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings in Legos56:57 Pop-Tarts: love 'em or hate 'em?58:05 Steven Tyler's lyric monitors1:00:30 Where to see Casey next📍 TOPICS IN THIS EPISODECasey Torrey - Remix Riot - Acousticatz - rock pop mashups - Chicago music - Chicagoland music scene - live music - cover bands - the Coterie - Def Leppard - Ratt - Katy Perry - Aerosmith - Run-DMC - Dolly Parton - Lord of the Rings🎤 FEATURED LINKSRemix Riothttps://remixriotband.comhttps://www.facebook.com/remixriothttps://www.instagram.com/remixriotmusichttps://www.youtube.com/@RemixRiotBandhttps://www.tiktok.com/@remix.riotAcousticatzhttps://www.facebook.com/purrcatzNext up: Acousticatz, Fri Oct 9 at Reefpoint Brew House, Racine WIRemix Riot returns for the 2027 festival season❤️ SUPPORT HOGPODhttps://www.patreon.com/hogpod🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Bongo Mike📞 [email protected]#Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #CaseyTorrey #RemixRiot #Acousticatz #Mashup #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic

What makes a mosh pit one of the friendliest rooms in music? Elise McLearen says metalheads are all show on the outside and soft at heart underneath — the same crowd that runs full speed into each other will drop everything to pick you up off the floor.Elise joins Hogpod with fellow Diva Lisa Orduna and guitarist and scene-supporter Adam of Lombardy Black to talk about the Ronnie James Divas: an all-women Dio, Rainbow and Black Sabbath benefit raising money for kids' cancer care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital.We get into why Lisa's connection to this one runs deep, the Dio deep cuts nobody ever plays live, Elise's signature "helicopter" headbang, and how a rock star by night runs a corporate brain by day. Then Bongo Mike opens the floor: when a band has zero original members left, is it still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen and Chris Cornell all come up — and it turns into the best argument of the night.Plus the next benefit already on the calendar — Bark at the Moon, a Halloween show for a no-kill animal shelter — and, of course, a heated verdict on the Pop-Tart.KEY MOMENTS(Times are close but confirm against the final MP4.)00:00 Metalheads are soft at heart02:29 Meet Adam & Lombardy Black05:25 Who is Elise? Sabbatha, My Metal Heart & the Ronnie James Diva origin09:00 The Divas & the band behind them12:00 Raffle prize: a signed Vinny Appice "Heaven & Hell" package16:00 Dio deep cuts nobody plays19:30 The helicopter headbang22:00 Inside the mosh pit28:30 "Kill the King" is 235 BPM31:30 Rock star on stage, corporate brain by day38:00 Bark at the Moon: the Halloween animal-shelter benefit40:00 Branding the benefits: ALS Cooper & what's next46:00 Lisa: why this one is personal48:00 What hard rockers actually wear50:00 When is a band still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen53:00 The Pop-Tart questionTOPICS IN THIS EPISODEElise McLearen - Ronnie James Divas - Lisa Orduna - Lombardy Black - Dio - Black Sabbath - Rainbow - Lurie Children's Hospital - Childhood Cancer Awareness - Chicagoland music scene - heavy metal - mosh pit - Bark at the Moon - One Tail at a Time - tribute bands - Foreigner - Kansas - QueenFEATURED LINKSElise McLearenhttps://elisemclearen.comBark at the Moon Benefit (Oct 31)https://elisemclearen.com/batmRonnie James Divashttps://elisemclearen.com/ronnie-jame...Lombardy Black  / lombardyblack  Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospitalhttps://luriechildrens.orgOne Tail at a Timehttps://onetail.orgSUPPORT HOGPOD  / hogpod  Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike "Bongo" [email protected]#Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #ChicagolandMusic #RonnieJamesDivas #Dio #BlackSabbath #HeavyMetal #EliseMcLearen #LurieChildrens

Can a Joliet museum really move Illinois' Rock & Roll Hall of Fame into a downtown Chicago theater — and pull it off? Ron Romero — Founder, CEO & Board Chairman of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 — is back on Hogpod with Rob Stepen to break the news: for the first time, the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction leaves the Joliet Rialto for the Harris Theater in downtown Chicago on Sunday, September 27. Bob Sirott hosts a Class of 2026 that runs from Curtis Mayfield and Kevin Cronin to Terri Hemmert, WDRV/The Drive and Brunswick Records — with a special performance from Jim Peterik. We get into rebuilding after the 2024 Joliet storm, the relight of Gigantar (the 24-foot Route 66 guitar) the night before, Ron's Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band, the new Amplify Illinois program, and the deep-cut history behind American Breed. And mid-show, Chicago music-media legend JVO (James VanOsdol) crashes the room — turns out he was the guy at the door. If you love rock & roll, Chicago music history, Route 66, or the stories behind the artists who built the scene, this one's for you. ▶️ Watch the full episode: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19PYN6uXyC/ 🎟️ GET TICKETS — Illinois Rock & Roll HOF Induction · Sun Sept 27 · Harris Theater, ChicagoOpen Seating $75 · VIP Meet & Greet $75 (pre-show with Kevin Cronin, Jim Peterik & The Plain White T's — extremely limited)Buy: https://my.harristheaterchicago.org/11006/11026Event details: https://roadtorock.org/event/2026-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/ 🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 JVO crashes the show — the guy at the door02:49 Terry Hemmert, XRT & the "way-back machine"04:30 How Ron landed Bob Sirott as MC06:27 Coco Taylor, the Cubby Bear & committing Hogpod to Sept 2707:36 The rider — malort, gyros & two cans of Pringles08:39 Inside the Harris Theater — "acoustically perfect"09:34 "The secret is a much bigger budget" — Rialto vs. the new house10:34 The sponsors — and how to become one14:22 Gigantar spoiler — relighting the 24-foot Route 66 guitar (Sat 9/26)15:42 Rebuilding after the July 2024 Joliet storm16:51 Ron's band — Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band17:26 American Breed's hidden history — Gary Loizo & Pumpkin Studios19:46 Amplify Illinois — recognizing regional & local bands20:28 The Generations lineup + upcoming shows24:38 Museum membership & the NARM pass — 1,800 museums29:17 Rob's 6th-time "Too Sixxy" robe30:17 "The biggest handmade guitar in the world" 🎸 FEATURED LINKSIllinois Rock & Roll Museum — https://roadtorock.org/Insperity — https://www.insperity.com/The Generations — https://www.thegenerationsmusic.com/ ❤️ Support Hogpod on Patreon/ hogpod 🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons & Mike "Bongo" Orfanos🎤 Guest: Ron Romero, with Rob Stepen — plus a surprise drop-in from JVO (James VanOsdol) 📧 Booking — [email protected] #Hogpod #IllinoisRockAndRollMuseum #Route66 #ChicagoMusic #MusicHistory #Joliet #RockAndRoll #RonRomero #JVO #HallOfFame #Podcast

What happens when the powerhouse voice fronting three Chicago bands turns out to spend her days as a senior HR executive? Tamara Woodruff is back on Hogpod — and this time the biggest surprise isn't a song. She fronts Pacific Sound Company (a West Coast tribute running LA to Seattle), sings lead in the country band Wildfire, and runs an acoustic duo on the side. By day? Thirty years in human resources, a master's in the field, a senior HR business partner at a 900-person global firm. "People look at me funny when I say I'm in HR," she says. Music is the alter ego. With Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos, Tamara traces how her Linda Ronstadt tribute Blue Bayou grew into Pacific Sound Company — three lead singers, four-part harmonies, and a songbook running from Fleetwood Mac and Journey to Heart and Santana. She digs into the craft, too: the terror of a silent concert hall versus a loud bar, building a 40-song set in a spreadsheet, why some legacy bands should've hung it up, and the West Coast sound nobody else in the room is covering. Plus: Pacific Sound Company presents Blue Bayou — an all-Linda Ronstadt night — Thursday, September 11 at The Venue in Aurora. 🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 Cold open + intro03:22 Tamara's back: the Wisconsin ranch gig & 40-song spreadsheet09:25 Summer gigs and sweaty stages10:19 Empress wraps after four and a half years11:05 Alex James joins — first lead: Hendrix's "Fire"14:18 Blue Bayou becomes Pacific Sound Company (LA to Seattle)16:20 "We don't need another Journey cover band"19:49 Building the four-part harmonies21:54 Wildfire — joining an established country band23:07 Opening for Corey Farley at Nico's26:06 Headlining the Vixen + a three-show weekend31:15 Full-time job by day, gigs by night35:49 Wait — she's a 30-year HR pro?38:41 Inside a 900-person global HR role39:09 Her music alter ego40:47 Harassment training & workplace culture44:28 The Goat Village co-bill with the Mosquitoes45:20 Blue Bayou returns: all-Linda night in Aurora (9/11)47:49 The Raue and the art of the concert hall48:37 Why silence is scarier than a loud bar55:38 Linda Ronstadt's illness57:01 Should legacy bands hang it up?1:03:41 Worst concert ever: Aerosmith at Poplar Creek1:07:00 The night the car went in the pond 📍 TOPICS IN THIS EPISODETamara Woodruff - Pacific Sound Company - Blue Bayou - Wildfire - Chicago music - Chicagoland music scene - live music - cover bands - tribute bands - West Coast tribute - Linda Ronstadt - four-part harmony - concert halls - Fleetwood Mac - Journey - Heart 🎤 FEATURED LINKSBlue Bayou (Linda Ronstadt tribute)https://bluebayoutribute.com/ Tamara Woodruff  / tamarawoodruffmusic   ❤️ SUPPORT HOGPOD  / hogpod   🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike "Bongo" Orfanos 📞 [email protected] #Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #TamaraWoodruff #PacificSoundCompany #BlueBayou #Wildfire #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic #TributeBand #LindaRonstadt