Why were some books removed from the Danville Correctional Center? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen explores the removal of certain books in Danville Correctional Center with local author Vee Harrison, gets the lowdown on new music from the band Ascendant from vocalist and keyboard player Kael Mboya, and looks back on 20 years of The Secret History of Chicago Music in the Chicago Reader with its creator and author Steve Krakow. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen discusses the future of Chicago’s lakefront with Emily Reusswig, VP of Conservation at Openlands, talks about the importance of inclusion in media with Anthony Williams, the founder of Second Glance Productions, and gets the lowdown on new music from Chicago-based bluesman Rob Moore. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Mike Stephen discusses ongoing efforts to fight homelessness in Chicago despite the chaos in the federal government with Carolyn Ross, president and CEO of All Chicago: Making Homelessness History, learns the Secret History of 1980s rockers called Ruffian, and then chats about a new local festival highlighting marginalized voices with festival founder Jaqueline Wade. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we meet Chicago’s “Taping Guy” and learn why he taped thousands of live music performances in Chicago. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Aadam Jacobs, a Chicagoan who has recorded thousands of local live music performances, about why he’s making his collection public and then discusses the ongoing civil rights work of The Surge Institute with executive director Ulric Shannon. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.