Mike Stephen learns about the power of the art of spoken word poetry with the Oak Park & River Forest High School spoken word team. We hear from teacher and coach Peter Kahn as well as some students and alumni. Their upcoming anthology of writing is called Respect the Mic: Celebrating 20 Years of Poetry from a Chicagoland High School. Then, Mike discovers the Secret History of blues pianist and guitarist Lazy Bill Lucas. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

What is the future of tiki bars in Chicagoland? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the future of the tiki bar with Streetsblog Chicago editor & Chicago Reader columnist John Greenfield and local playwright & script writer Hannah Ii-Epstein. Then we learn the Secret History of 1960s Evanston garage-rockers The Peep Show. And Mike announces a programming note and gives an update on the issue of the lack of public bathrooms in Chicago. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

The state’s Student Online Personal Protection Act. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks with a Chicago Public School teacher Jeff Solin about the district’s interpretation of the Student Online Personal Protection Act, discusses Chicago’s Black exodus with Anthony Simpkins of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, and learns the Secret History of the late folkie Michael P. Smith. And Mike is excited that he was mentioned in the 8-Bit Christmas review in the Chicago Sun-Times. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio

Mike Stephen learns about a people’s history of Uptown through the Dis/Placements project from its co-founders Gayatri Reddy & Anna Guevarra and discovers the Secret History of 1980s alt-rockers Stark. And Mike thinks we should open up the fast food drive-thru lanes to bicycles. What could go wrong? To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged