Mike Stephen broadcasts from his home…while in his pajamas and robe.

Mike Stephen discusses the impact of COVID-19 on Illinois’ finances, learns about the work of Beyond Hunger during the pandemic, and discovers the Secret History of the jazz fusion group The Ashby Ostermann Alliance. In the OTL Wrap Party segment Mike and Producer Collin try to remain positive during the pandemic and, in an OTL first, make a Demolition Man reference. The local quarantine music this week comes from The DeFunked. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen plays some quarantine harmonica in his basement home studio.

Mike Stephen discusses how local musicians are coping without the ability to play gigs with Mike Jeffers, host of Chicago Music Revealed, learns about Tone Deaf Records, a Portage Park record store that now delivers albums, and discovers the Secret History of 60s pop-rockers The Apocryphals. Plus, we debut a new song about COVID-19 from The Black Oil Brothers and in the OTL Wrap Party segment Mike and Producer Collin express hope that local venues will rise again. The local quarantine music this week comes from the late great John Prine. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen (center) from his home studio talks to teachers Dave Narter and Paula Di Dominico about the Teachers Teachwell podcast.

Mike Stephen talks about the impact of the recent pandemic on educational practices with the hosts of the Teachwell Teachers podcast, discusses whether our tech infrastructure is ready for our work from home scenarios with the co-owner of TMC Squared, and learns the Secret History of local blues guitarist Lurrie Bell. Also, this week we have a special guest in the OTL Wrap Party segment: Producer Collin’s wife, Katie Aquino! She’s a local educator and we continue the conversation on the impact of COVID-19 on our education system.   The local music this week comes from The Kynd.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Mike Stephen closes out the Winter Tavern Tour with a stop at The Lantern Haus in Forest Park.

Mike Stephen closes out the Winter Tavern Tour at The Lantern Haus in Forest Park, learns about an online throwback to Chicago of yesteryear called Vanished Chicagoland, and discovers the Secret History of blues pianist Big Maceo Merriweather. This week the local music comes from The Babin Brothers. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged