This is the archive page for the category [CCLaP Podcast]; below you should see headlines and summaries of all entries found here on the subject. Click the appropriate link at each to read the entire entry. The official podcast of the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography.

CCLaP Podcast 85: Author Lauryn Allison Lewis | April 23, 2012
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my half-hour talk with Lauryn Allison Lewis, where we gab all about her new book with the center coming out today, the apocalyptic fairytale "solo/down." Also featuring the music of The Beloved and SPEAK. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 84: Author Bonnie Jo Campbell | March 26, 2012
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a one-hour talk with Michigan author Bonnie Jo Campbell, a past National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist whose latest novel, "Once Upon a River," has a strong chance of being nominated for this year's Pulitzer. Click through to download or stream right this moment. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 83: Author Jonathan Evison | March 12, 2012
Today on the CCLaP Podcast, it's my recent one-hour talk with Washington writer Jonathan Evison, author of the popular novels "All About Lulu" and "West of Here," as well as an editor at such litblogs as "The Nervous Breakdown" and "Three Guys One Book." Click through to download or stream right this moment. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 82: Author Sally Weigel | January 31, 2012
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my half-hour talk with Chicago author Sally Weigel, on the occasion of the release of her newest book with the center, the story collection "Get Up Tim." Also featuring the music of Coco Bryce and Earlimart. | Read entire entry

SHOP Podcast 04: All The Writers I Know | January 17, 2012
Today on the SHOP Podcast, produced by the Southside Hub of Production and with files hosted here at CCLaP: It's the December edition of queer lit showcase "All The Writers I Know," hosted by Patrick Gill. Recorded in the library of the historic Walter William Fenn House in Chicago's Hyde Park. | Read entire entry

SHOP Podcast 03: Jumeck Raféal | January 2, 2012
Today on the SHOP Podcast, produced by the Southside Hub of Production but with files hosted here at CCLaP: It's a half-hour reading by local author Jumeck Rafeal from his novel "Calling Queens," in which a modern African-American high-school teacher is transported to the Middle Ages, and inhabits the bodies of the various wives of Henry VIII. Held at the historic William Wallace Fenn House in Chicago's Hyde Park. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 81: Author Ben Tanzer | December 6, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's an hour-long talk with Chicago author Ben Tanzer, on the occasion of the release of his two newest books with the center, the electronic story collection "So Different Now" and the deluxe paper version, "The New York Stories." | Read entire entry

SHOP Podcast 02: Robert Beshara | November 28, 2011
Today on the SHOP Podcast, produced by the Southside Hub of Production (southsidehub.org) and whose files are hosted at CCLaP: It's a half-hour reading by Rober Beshara of his "N.A.R.T.ist Manifesto," a new way of thinking about the relationship between artists, researchers and teachers. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 80: Mathrock Music Special | November 14, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a special themed music episode, this time looking at the genre of "mathrock," which my fellow clueless middle-agers can think of as a combination of Devo, club music, They Might Be Giants, '80s movie soundtracks, and the intense energy of a live punk show. | Read entire entry

SHOP Podcast 01: All The Writers I Know | November 10, 2011
Today on the SHOP Podcast, produced by the Southside Hub of Production and whose files are hosted and distributed through CCLaP: It's the November edition of the queer literary showcase "All The Writers I Know," held in the library of the historic Fenn House in Chicago's Hyde Park where SHOP is headquartered. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 79: Author Katherine Scott Nelson | October 18, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my twenty-minute talk with local author Katherine Scott Nelson, in celebration of her new book with the center, the runaway coming-of-age tale "Have You Seen Me." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast Extra: Audio excerpt from 'Have You Seen Me' | October 18, 2011
Today, a special CCLaP Podcast extra: A twelve-minute spoken-word excerpt from the center's new book, Katherine Scott Nelson's runaway coming-of-age novella "Have You Seen Me," performed by professional voice artist Christopher Sullivan. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 78: Live from the 'American Wasteland' release party | September 16, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a special half-hour live-audience edition, recorded at the center's recent book release party for "American Wasteland," last September 9th at Quimby's Bookstore in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Featuring performances from Delphine Pontvieux, Mark R. Brand and Lawrence Santoro. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 77: August/September Music Special | September 7, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the August/September edition of the center's monthly music special, in which I look back at all the recent music I've been downloading legally for free online, and present the best back to you college-radio style. Today's special features 13 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 08: The Printers Ball | August 30, 2011
Today in "CCLaP After Dark," the center's new video series on various live Chicago literary events: it's a report from this year's Printers Ball, a massive celebration of print media sponsored by Columbia College, the Poetry Foundation and more, one of the largest of its kind in the entire US. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 76: Live from the CCLaP Book Party | August 17, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a special one-hour, live-audience edition, recorded at the center's big book release party at Chicago's Beauty Bar on August 10th. Featuring performances from Jason Fisk, Sally Weigel, Ben Tanzer, Mark R. Brand, Delphine Pontvieux and Robert Duffer. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 75: June/July Music Special | July 25, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the June/July edition of the center's monthly music special, in which I look back at all the music I myself have been finding free legally online in the last month, and present the best back to you college-radio style. Today's special features twelve songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 74: Author Jason Fisk | July 5, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my half-hour talk with Chicago author Jason Fisk, telling us everything we ever wanted to know about his new book with the center, the "micro-story" collection "Salt Creek Anthology" which came out right before the July 4th weekend. Click through to download or stream in real time. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 07: QUICKIES! | June 24, 2011
Today in "CCLaP After Dark," the center's new video podcast series on the various live literary events I'm attending around Chicago this summer: it's a recap from the latest edition of "QUICKIES!," a popular monthly reading held at Wicker Park's Innertown Pub, in which a large group of performers each get exactly four minutes on stage. Click through for the video! | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 06: Literary Death Match | June 13, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's episode 6 of the center's new video series, "CCLaP After Dark," short recaps of various live lit events across the city this summer. Today's episode features an all-comedy edition of "Literary Death Match," a truly global phenomenon started by Todd Zuniga which is now held in over thirty cities across the planet. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 05: Music for a Sleepless Night | June 6, 2011
Today in the special "CCLaP After Dark" summer podcast series: it's an extra-special 75-minute music mix, full of songs that are all a little weird, a little haunting and a little poetic, perfect for your next rainy day or restless night. Click through to download, stream live, or subscribe to CCLaP's iTunes channel. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 73: Author Justin Kramon | May 30, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my talk with New England author Justin Kramon, a graduate of the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop whose first novel "Finny" was put out to critical acclaim last year by Random House. Click through to download, listen to a streaming version, or subscribe to our iTunes channel. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 04: Essay Fiesta | May 23, 2011
Today in "CCLaP After Dark," the center's new video recap series highlighting all the different Chicago literary events taking place around the city these days: it's "Essay Fiesta," a monthly showcase of entertaining true stories with strong ties to the local theater community, hosted by Alyson Lyon and Keith Ecker at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 72: May Music Special | May 16, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast, it's the May edition of the center's monthly music special, in which I look back at all the free legal music I myself have been finding online in the last month, then present the best back to you college-radio-style. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts right around 45 minutes. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 03: Reading Under the Influence | May 13, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's episode 3 of the center's new "After Dark" video series, short recaps of various literary events going on around Chicago this summer and fall. Today's episode covers the sixth anniversary show of the popular "Reading Under the Influence," held at Sheffield's in the Lakeview neighborhood. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast Extra: "Life After Sleep" commercial | May 5, 2011
Surprise -- I made a creepy-feeling sci-fi online video commercial for CCLaP's newest book, the day-after-tomorrow tale "Life After Sleep" by Mark R. Brand. Click through to watch it right this second, then please spread the word if you can and help make this a viral hit! | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 02: Ben Tanzer book release party | May 2, 2011
Today in episode 2 of CCLaP's new video series, "CCLaP After Dark," it's a recap of the recent release party for Ben Tanzer's new novel, "You Can Make Him Like You," hosted by Victor David Giron and Curbside Splendor at Beauty Bar in Bucktown. Also featuring Jason Fisk, Gina Frangello, Tim Jones-Yelvington and Lindsay Hunter. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 71: April Music Special | April 25, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the April edition of the center's monthly music special, the third of four new music specials I've been posting throughout the month of April. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP After Dark 01: Orange Alert Reading Series | April 18, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast, the debut of a new video series - "CCLaP After Dark," short recaps of various live literary events happening all around the Chicago area this summer and fall. Today's episode looks at the Orange Alert Reading Series at The Whistler in Logan Square, hosted by Jason Behrends of Orange Alert Press. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 70: March Music Special | April 11, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the March edition of the center's monthly music special, the second of four new music specials coming every Monday throughout the month of April. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 69: February Music Special | April 4, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the February edition of the center's monthly music special, the first of four all-new music specials coming every Monday throughout April. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 68: Author Mark R. Brand | March 7, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's my talk with Chicago sci-fi veteran Mark R. Brand, detailing everything you ever wanted to know about his new book with the center, the day-after-tomorrow tale "Life After Sleep" which not coincidentally is also being released today. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 67: Winter 2011 Electronica Special | February 7, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's one of only two all-electronica music specials I allow myself to do each year, where songs are literally mixed together by beat like you would hear in a danceclub, and with only one short voiceover at the beginning of the episode. Today's mix features 18 songs and lasts just over an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 66: January Music Special | January 31, 2011
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: After a holiday break, it's the triumphant return of the center's monthly music special, in which I present the best of the free legal online music I myself have been downloading over the last 30 days. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 65: An Evening with Nathan Rabin | January 17, 2011
Today on the podcast, the long-awaited audio transcript of the center's most recent big live event, a long-form interview with AVClub.com head writer Nathan Rabin last month at Chicago's Stage 773 theater complex. The special 90-minute episode also features an opening story by local author Ben Tanzer. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 64: October Music Special | November 9, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the October edition of the center's monthly music special, in which I share my favorites of the free legal online music I myself have been downloading in the last thirty days. Today's special features 16 musicians and lasts just over an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 63b: Author Achy Obejas, part 2 | November 2, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's part 2 of my recent two-hour interview with Chicago author, Cuban-American activist, lesbian-fiction pioneer, Pulitzer-winning journalist and award-winning translator Achy Obejas. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 63a: Author Achy Obejas, part 1 | November 1, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast, it's part 1 of my recent two-hour interview with Chicago author, Cuban-American activist, lesbian-fiction pioneer, Pulitzer-winning journalist, and award-winning translator Achy Obejas. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast Extra: Ben Tanzer reads "After Dark" | September 27, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast, a special extra -- local author Ben Tanzer doing a ten-minute audiobook-style reading of his story "After Dark," from the center's essay collection "99 Problems." Recorded in Chicago's Millennium Park, September 2010. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 62: September Music Special | September 20, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the September edition of the center's monthly music special, where I share the best of the free legal online music I myself have been downloading in the last 30 days. Today's episode features a whopping 16 musicians and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 61: August Music Special | September 13, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the August edition of the center's monthly music special, where I present the best of the music I myself have been finding free legally online in the last 30 days, a little late this time because of a broken computer this summer. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 60: July Music Special | September 6, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's time for the center's July music special (a little late this time because of a broken computer this summer), in which I present the best of all the music I've been downloading free legally online in the last thirty days. Today's special features 16 bands and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 59: Author Ben Tanzer | August 30, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a 45-minute talk with local author Ben Tanzer, his third appearance on the podcast over the years, here this time to tell us everything we ever wanted to know about his latest book for the center, the running/writing essay collection "99 Problems." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 58: Summer 2010 Electronica Special | July 5, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's a special all-electronica show, one of only two I allow myself to do each year, with songs mixed together by beat like you would hear in a danceclub. Today's episode features 16 songs and lasts almost exactly one hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 57: June Music Special | June 25, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the June edition of the center's monthly music special, where I feature college-radio-style the best of the music I myself have been finding free legally online in the last thirty days. Today's episode features 15 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 56: Urban Decay/Urban Renewal | May 31, 2010
Today on the podcast: A recording of CCLaP's first-ever live literary event, held last weekend at the Hyde Park cultural center The Op Shop, featuring brand-new pieces by Sally Weigel, Ben Tanzer, Jason Fisk, Mark Brand and Katherine Hodges. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 55: May Music Special | May 17, 2010
Today on the podcast: It's the May edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, where I feature the best of the music I've been downloading legally online in the last thirty days. Today's special features 15 musicians and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 54: Author Delphine Pontvieux | May 4, 2010
Today on the podcast, it's my interview with local writer and French transplant Delphine Pontvieux, author of the Basque political thriller "ETA." Also featuring the music of Edu K and Most Valuable Players. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 53: April Music Special | April 26, 2010
Today on the podcast: It's the April edition of the center's monthly music special, where I feature the best of the free legal online music I myself have been downloading in the last month. Today's episode features 14 songs and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 52: Author Sally Weigel | March 29, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: Chicago author Sally Weigel, whose debut novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep" was published by the center last fall, today kicking off a two-week virtual book tour that will take her all over the web. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 51: March Music Special | March 15, 2010
Today on the podcast: It's the March edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I share college-radio-style my favorites of all the free legal music I myself have been downloading the last 30 days. Today's episode features 15 musicians and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 50: Author Kyle Beachy | February 22, 2010
Today on the podcast: It's my recent 45-minute talk with local writer Kyle Beachy, author of the 2009 national sleeper hit "The Slide." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 49: January Music Special | February 10, 2010
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the January edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I share my favorites of the free legal online music I've been coming across the last thirty days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 48: Electronic Beat-Mix Special | January 28, 2010
Today on the podcast: It's my second-ever all-electronica beat-mix special, using my dusty old DJ skills from college and way too much time this week in front of Garage Band. Today's episode lasts an hour and features a whopping 19 songs. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 47: December Music Special | January 21, 2010
Today on the podcast, it's the December edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, in which I share my favorites of the free legal online music I've been finding in the last month. Today's episode features 14 bands and lasts just under an hour. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 46: November Music Special | January 13, 2010
Today on the podcast, it's the fourth of four recent music specials, looking back at my favorite free online music of last autumn, from when I was in St. Louis with family recovering from a bicycle accident. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 45: October Music Special | January 6, 2010
Today on the podcast, it's the third of four recent music specials, looking back at my favorite free legal online music from fall of 2009, when I was laid up in St. Louis recovering from a bike accident and away from my podcasting equipment. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 44: Monthly music special (Sept) | December 9, 2009
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: It's the second of four special music episodes coming weekly from now until Christmas, featuring the best free online music I was downloading in the four months I was in St. Louis, recovering from a bad bicycle accident. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 43: Monthly music special (August) | December 2, 2009
Today on the podcast, it's the first of four new music specials from now until Christmas, highlighting all the great music I found for free online in the last four months that I've been in St. Louis, recovering from a bad bicycle accident. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 42: Beat-Mix Electronica Special | June 29, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's a very special experiment, my first-ever beat-mix electronica music special since being a club DJ myself back in college, almost twenty years ago now. Done as a companion piece to an essay I posted on the same day, on the occasion of downloading my 500th free legal song online since opening the center. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 41: Monthly Music Special | June 22, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's the June edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I share the best of the music I myself have been downloading legally for free online in the last thirty days. Today's episode features 13 bands and lasts a little under 50 minutes. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 40: Monthly Music Special | May 20, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's the May edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, where I look back at all the music I've been downloading free legally online in the last 30 days, and present around an hour's worth of the best of it to you "college radio style." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 39: Gapers Block's Andrew Huff | May 11, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's my talk with next-wave journalist and serial entrepreneur Andrew Huff, best known as the founder of popular local arts-and-entertainment website GapersBlock.com. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 38: Monthly Music Special | May 4, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's the April edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I feature a dozen of the best indie-rock bands I myself have come across legally for free online in the last thirty days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 37: Author Charles Blackstone | April 13, 2009
Today on the podcast: An hour-long talk with local author, editor, and sometimes public-radio contributor Charles Blackstone. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 36: (Yet Another) Monthly Music Special | March 30, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's a special surprise second monthly music special, in which I feature the best of the indie-rock bands I myself have been finding online in the last 30 days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 35: Time Out's Jonathan Messinger | March 23, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's my long-awaited interview with "Time Out" Books editor Jonathan Messinger, who also happens to be the co-founder of Featherproof Press, the host of the Dollar Store reading series, and a published author himself. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 34: Monthly Music Special | March 16, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's the March edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, in which I feature the best of the free online indie-rock music I've been finding legally over the last four weeks. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 33b: Author John Domini | February 24, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's part two of my recent talk with American author and Pulitzer nominee John Domini. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 33a: Author John Domini | February 23, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's part one of my recent talk with American author and Pulitzer nominee John Domini. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 32: Monthly Music Special | February 16, 2009
On today's podcast: It's another monthly music special, wherein I feature 14 great free songs that have all been released legally online in the last month. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 31: Monthly Music Special | January 19, 2009
Today on the podcast: It's the January edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I feature the best of the various free music I've come across online in the last month, presented college-radio-style with fades and DJ banter. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 30: Monthly Music Special | December 15, 2008
Today on the podcast: It's the last monthly music special of 2008 (doubling as the last podcast episode ever of 2008), wherein I look back at all the songs I've been downloading legally online in the last month, and share around a dozen of them with you "college radio style." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 29: Monthly Music Special | November 17, 2008
Today on the podcast: It's the November edition of CCLaP's monthly music special, wherein I highlight my favorite dozen indie-rock bands of that month, of the 30 or 40 I've come across for free online. Today's episode features 13 bands, with songs that have all been released within the last 30 days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast Extra: Ben Tanzer's "Life As He Had Known It" | October 27, 2008
Today on the podcast: A special edition! Please enjoy this spoken-word version of the Ben Tanzer story "Life As He Had Known It," from CCLaP's new book "Repetition Patterns." Performed by Jason Pettus, CCLaP's executive director. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 28: Author Ben Tanzer | October 27, 2008
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: A new interview with local author Ben Tanzer, chatting exclusively about his new book "Repetition Patterns," which happens to be CCLaP's first-ever original publication as well. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 27: Monthly Music Special | October 13, 2008
Today on the podcast: It's the October version of CCLaP's new monthly music special, featuring 13 bands from around the world over the course of 45 minutes, cut together with voiceovers like a college-radio show. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 26: Monthly Music Special | September 22, 2008
Today on the podcast: My first new episode in three months! Yeehaw! Here, in honor of the coming autumn, another of CCLaP's occasional all-music specials (now expanded to once a month), 46 minutes featuring twelve bands, cut together with voiceovers radio-style. Enjoy! | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 25: All-Music Special | June 18, 2008
Today on the podcast: It's another of CCLaP's occasional all-music specials, here featuring a total of 12 songs over 45 minutes that have all been released within the last three months. Enjoy! | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 24: Author Cory Doctorow | May 27, 2008
Today on the podcast: A one-hour talk with a personal hero of mine, Cory Doctorow, a popular and award-winning novelist as well as one of the four editors of Boing Boing, currently acknowledged by most as the most popular blog on the planet. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 23: Author Amy Güth | May 19, 2008
Today on the podcast: A one-hour talk with Chicago author Amy Güth, founder of the new Pilcrow Literary Festival. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 22: Author Nick Ostdick | April 21, 2008
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: A 45-minute talk with Chicago author, small publisher and event organizer Nick Ostdick (RAGAD, "Sunbeams and Cigarettes"). | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 21: All-Music Special | March 17, 2008
Today's episode: It's yet another cold, dreary, gray day here in Chicago, which means it's time for another all-music special, collecting up all the indie-rock I've been recently enjoying and sharing it all with you. I hope you like! | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 20: 37signals' Jason Fried | February 19, 2008
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: An interview with tech guru and gentleman philosopher Jason Fried, one of the founders of highly popular Chicago software company 37signals. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast Extra: Ken Kase, "Coffeehouse of Doom" | January 1, 2008
Happy New Year! I've been keeping posting at CCLaP to a minimum this week because of the holidays, but thought I'd put up a final extra to the 2007 podcast for your enjoyment; a recording of musician Ken Kase's song "Coffeehouse of Doom," recorded over Thanksgiving down in St. Louis. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 19: Author Ben Tanzer | December 18, 2007
Today's episode: An interview with Chicago writer Ben Tanzer, author of the coming-of-age novel "Lucky Man," specifically on the trials and tribulations of being a working day-to-day artist in a large Midwestern city. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 18: All Music Special | December 10, 2007
Today on the podcast: It's been a cold and snowy week here in Chicago, hence this all-music episode, aka "I didn't feel like going out in the snow and cold and getting an interview done this week." Seven indie-rock bands featured! | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 17: Musician Ken Kase | November 28, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: A special St. Louis edition, featuring a talk and lots of songs from an old friend of mine, musician Ken Kase. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 16b: Public Radio International's Jesse Thorn | November 20, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: Part 2 of my extra-long talk with Jesse Thorn, host of Public Radio International's "The Sound of Young America." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 16a: Public Radio International's Jesse Thorn | November 19, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: Part 1 of my extra-long talk with Jesse Thorn, host of Public Radio International's "The Sound of Young America." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 15: Split Pillow's Jason Stephens | November 1, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: A 20-minute talk with Jason Stephens, founder of the Chicago film organization Split Pillow, a group that helps underground filmmakers finish and distribute their experimental projects. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 14: Author Elizabeth Crane | October 22, 2007
Today's episode: A half-hour conversation with Chicago writer Elizabeth Crane, author of the story collections "When the Messenger is Hot" and "All This Heavenly Glory." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 13: Reading Under the Influence | October 8, 2007
Today's episode: An eight-minute video report from the fun monthly drunken Chicago literary event "Reading Under the Influence." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 12b: Filmmaker Joe Swanberg, part 2 | October 2, 2007
Today, part 2 of my recent extra-long interview with Chicago filmmaker Joe Swanberg, one of the more well-known of the so-called "mumblecore" filmmakers getting so much attention these days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 12a: Filmmaker Joe Swanberg, part 1 | October 1, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: Part 1 of my recent interview with Chicago filmmaker Joe Swanberg, one of the more well-known of the so-called "mumblecore" filmmakers getting so much attention these days. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 11: Uptown Writers Space | September 10, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: An interview with Julie Saltzman and Susan Karp, co-founders of the Uptown Writers Space in my Chicago neighborhood, along with an "audio tour" of the facilities supplemented with still photos. Click through to listen and see for yourself. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 10: PursueThePassion.com's Brett Farmiloe | September 4, 2007
Today's episode: A talk with Brett Farmiloe, founder of the intriguing creativity/business website PursueThePassion.com. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 09: The Brew N View | August 27, 2007
Today's episode: A three-minute video tour of the infamous Brew N View (held at Lakeview's Vic Theatre at Belmont and Sheffield), wherein recent movies are shown on a giant screen and liquor sold as well, and audience members encouraged to drunkenly shout at the films. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 08: FearlessRadio's Scott Ridgway | August 22, 2007
Today: An interview with an old friend of mine named Scott Ridgway, a writer and on-air personality at online radio station FearlessRadio.com, along with a "soundscape" audio tour of their downtown facilities. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 07: MediaBistro's Chris Benevich | August 13, 2007
Today's episode: An audio interview with Chris Benevich, one of the hosts who make up the Chicago chapter of MediaBistro, a nationwide social network for freelance writers and other media professionals. Also featuring the music of Creative Commons recording artists Cloudy and Guards of Metropolis. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 06: New Recorder/All Music Special | August 7, 2007
Today, an all-music edition of the CCLaP Podcast, also the first to feature my new Zoom H4 high-end digital audio recorder. All right! Featuring songs by Ken Kase, Cats and Jammers, and Fujimo. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 05: Greater Wealth Productions | July 23, 2007
Today: A five and a half minute interview with GW Welsh of the multimedia production company Greater Wealth, shot at a recent fundraiser at Lakeview's Spot6 nightclub. Also includes footage of Chicago writer Kate Cullen, Indiana cartoonist Andrew Dimitt, and Georgia band The North And South, plus the visual artwork of "Corey." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 04: The Harold Washington Library Center | July 16, 2007
Today's episode: A four-minute video tour of the Harold Washington Library Center -- not only the central branch of the entire Chicago Public Library system, but also the largest public library on the planet according to the Guinness Book of World Records. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 03: The Dollar Store Show's Jonathan Messinger | July 9, 2007
Today's episode: A four-minute video interview with Jonathan Messinger -- host of the monthly literary event "The Dollar Store Show," co-founder of small press Featherproof, and Books Editor of "Time Out: Chicago." | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 02: GapersBlock.com's Andrew Huff | July 2, 2007
Today, episode 2 of the CCLaP Podcast: a four-minute video interview with Andrew Huff, editor-in-chief of Chicago arts-and-entertainment website GapersBlock.com. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 01: Literago launch party | June 25, 2007
Welcome to the new CCLaP Podcast! Today, episode 1: a two-minute video report from the recent launch party for Chicago literary website Literago.org. | Read entire entry