OTL: Episode #460- A Chicago teacher returns from the Arctic, The Secret History of VCSR’s Music, Visiting the Sugar Beet Co-Op

Mike Stephen talks with:   Urban Prep Academy math and science teacher Alex Kmicikewycz about visiting the Arctic Circle after being named a 2015 Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about 1980s synth collective VCSR for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music; and   Sugar Beet Co-Op general manager Chris Roland about the new local and sustainable cooperative grocery store in Oak Park.   Meanwhile, we spin a tune from an actual tortilla record.   This week’s local music is provided by Adam Fitz.   Dressed-for-success OTL host Mike Stephen visits the brand new Sugar Beet Co-Op in Oak Park.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #458- Chicago water tower paintings, A mobbed-up cop’s story, The Secret History of local Elvis impersonator Rick Saucedo

Mike Stephen talks with:   Artist Kevin Swallow about his This Must Be the Place Chicago cityscape show at Firecat Projects;   Writer Sam Reaves about co-authoring Fred Pascente’s story in Mob Cop: My Life of Crime in the Chicago Police Department;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about Elvis tribute artist and underground psychedelic musician Rick Saucedo for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music; and   WGN Radio newsman Dave Schwan who files a report on the 100th anniversary of the Eastland Disaster in the Chicago River.   This week’s local music is provided by Doug James and the Pocket.   Artist Kevin Swallow tells OTL host Mike Stephen about his This Must Be the Place show at Firecat Projects in Bucktown.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #456- Utilizing IL urban wood, Illuminating TIFs in Chicago, The Secret History of Chicagoland’s 60s garage rockers The Riddles

Mike Stephen talks with:   Illinois Wood Utilization Team chairperson Edith Makra and IIT College of Architecture studio associate professor Paul Pettigrew about giving dead urban trees new life;   TIF Illumination Project lead organizer Tom Tresser (support their Indiegogo campaign!); and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about late-’60s suburban rockers The Riddles for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   This week’s local music is provided by Farkus.   OTL host Mike Stephen visits Illinois Wood Utilization Team chairperson Edith Makra and IIT College of Architecture studio associate professor Paul Pettigrew at the IIT Architecture Model Shop.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #452- A visit to Rebecca Zemans Jewelry Studio, Previewing the Chicago Scots’ Highland Games, and the Secret History of Chicago’s 90s rockers Green

Mike Stephen talks with:   Rebecca Zemans, owner/designer at Rebecca Zemans: Sculptural Designs in Jewelry studio, in Ravenswood;   Gus Noble, president of Chicago Scots, about the 29th Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games in Itasca; and   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about alt-poppy almost-buzz band Green for this week’s edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music.   This week’s local music is provided by Antony + the Tramps.   Outside the Loop host Mike Stephen III and his son Mike Stephen IV are suited up in their Blackhawks gear ready for Game 5!   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.