For our 8th Episode, still with a Parental Advisoryon iTunes, we are honored to welcome three of the righteous dudes from beloved Chicago institution, Permanent Records. Dave, Robert and Jamie get around the table to talk about in-stores, Boris and other favorite bands. Then Dave gets Permanent Records founders Lance and Liz on the phone all the way from LA to talk about Permanent's Bronze Anniversary and the party we'll be hosting with them at the Bottle on Oct 27 celebrating the release of Oozing Wound's newest LP.  This month we also welcome one of our favorite local bands, Running to discuss higher education and other "high" exploits.  They'll be joining in the celebration on October 27 and then will be returning to the Bottle to open the two sold out Thee Oh Sees shows here in November.Under all the band talk and shit talk, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month. See you in November?Subscribe/Listen on iTunesPodcast Oct 27"Western Child" - Touched By Ghoul - Oct 31"#1 Dad" - Running - Oct 27, Nov 25 & Nov 26"Drug Reference" - Oozing Wound - Oct 27"Dog Bite" - Natural Child - Nov 12"Cold Days From the Birdhouse" - Twilight Sad - Nov 23"Moonraker" - Tüth - Nov 4

Brain Case Empty Bottle Podcast

Noah Leger Empty Bottle Podcast

For our 7th Episode, still with a Parental Advisoryon iTunes, we are honored to have Brian Case and Jered Gummere around the table to talk about the various ways they have been musically bowling us over for over a decade. From Brian's time with the 90 Day Men, joining the Ponys - including an amazingly hindsight-hilarious tour story involving Duran Duran's tour bus - Brian's work in Disappears, Jered's work in Bare Mutants and their respective bonkers solo projects, it was pretty great to spend time talking to these regular guys about their killer musical output.  This month we also welcome the drummer that makes the girls weak, Noah Leger, to chat on being the guy to take Steve Shelley's place and the many ways working for Blue Man Group changes lives.A member of the Empty Bottle family, Connor Roche, was recommended to the Bottle staff through Noah because of his rad fucking attitude and ability to grow astounding mustaches. Connor is currently showing cancer who's boss and we are honored to be hosting a benefit for Sweet Relief, a charity that Connor supports, that offers assistance to musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while fighting illness. He's rad - we're lucky to know him and the Bottle and Blue Man staff, as well as the plethora of people who are in his corner, will be celebrating him at the Bottle on August 15.Under all the band talk and shit talk, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month. See you in September.Subscribe/Listen on iTunesStream it herePenicillin Baby - "Daddy Drove A Hearse" - August 23Reigning Sound - "North Cackalacky Girl" - September 1Jacco Gardner - "Chameleon" - August 18New God - "Firework" - August 13Marian McLaughlin - "Arcane Circadian" - August 20Gel Set - "Don't Need $ Cuz I Got A Gun" - August 22Wizard Castle - "10,000 Sword Salute" - Chicago Food Social on August 24

Everything's Great?

Welcome back to the Empty Bottle podcast, Everything’s Great? Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.For our 6th Episode, now on iTunes, we are pleased to welcome velvet-voiced old friends Chris Hansen and Mike Lust from Pinebender and Tight Phantomz, talking about how they met, touring together and their shared love for Petty of the Tom variety. Give a listen to discover Bob & Chris’ meaning of “Jagg Off” and why Lust is singing into a Coors bottle in the photo. We also welcome four, count em four, fellas up to the office, sirs Kevin Kujawa, Seth Bohn, Ethan D’Ercole and Jesse Woghin of Mannequin Men to talk about Calibrated Crematorium, friendship, drinkin and WTF. This month we’re sadly missing a dispatch from our favorite roving reporter Ronnie as she is being a five year old at summer camp. It’s a real friendship/funship episode and we hope you enjoy it - under all the hilarity, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month. See you in August.Download/Listen on iTunesStream It HereDeath - "Freakin Out" - July 12 and at the Empty Bottle stage at West Fest on July 13Fresh & Onlys - "Who Let The Devil" - July 16J Fernandez - "Real Flowers" - July 14MSA YSA - "Why" - July 18Crocodiles - "I Wanna Kill" - July 29Heaven - "Colors In the Whites of Your Eyes" - July 23Pinebender and Tight Phantomz - July 15Mannequin Men - West Fest on July 13 and the Empty Bottle on August 9Heavy Times - July 29Photo credit: Robert B. Johnson

Welcome back to the Empty Bottle podcast, Everything’s Great?  Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.This month we are officially on iTunes– find us, subscribe and have us plop into your iTunes every single month. We are pleased to welcome the wonderfully coiffed Zach Medearis and Aaron Orlowski from Outer Minds upstairs this month to talk about their storied musical history together – there was a lot of solid content about drugs, tattoos and Frito pie that we’ll have to save for a “very special episode” of the podcast (coming soon).  We also grab some beers with Matthew Hannigan and Jason Balla for a soundman edition of Staff Infection where we learn about how the dashing men got into the biz, hear stories from as near as the stage downstairs and as far away as Russia. Our favorite roving reporter Ronnie also plays dress up and discusses flying and meditation with the one and only King Khan, all the way from Berlin. It’s seriously some of the best international reporting we’ve heard all year. Under all the hilarity, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month. See you in July.Download/Listen on iTunesStream it hereRadioactivity - "Sickness" – June 20Ne-Hi - "Since I've Been Thinking"- July 14 (and Earring on June 9)Morgan Delt - "Obstacle Eyes" – June 9Allah-Las - "Had It All" – June 14Crystal Stilts - "Star Crawl" – June 18Chain Gang of 1974 - "Death Metal Punk" – June 11Saintseneca – “Happy Alone” – June 15King Khan & the Shrines – “Born to Die” – June 16Outer Minds – “We Are All Stone” – July 11Photo credit: Robert B. Johnson

Welcome back to the Empty Bottle podcast, Everything’s Great?  Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.This month we are gearing up for the return of the HoZac Blackout by featuring interviews with people who’ve played before and one legend that will be playing this year. We’re pleased to welcome Jered Gummere - of Ponys, White Savage, Bare Mutants (who played the fest in 2012 opening for Roky Erickson) and Dick Vain fame upstairs to talk about music, tours and general shenanigans. Bob & Christen also grab some beers with Rebecca Valeriano-Flores – with Kevin on Skype - to talk songwriting and her two bands Tyler Jon Tyler and Negative Scanner (who played the fest in 2013). Our favorite roving reporter Ronnie also lands one helluva interview with Handsome Dick Manitoba from the legendary Dictators (who will be playing the Blackout on Saturday this year) to talk Beach Boys vs. Beatles and discuss the wonder of Thor’s hammer. It’s seriously some of the best investigative journalism we’ve heard all year. Under all the hilarity, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month.  See you in June.May 2014 PodcastThe Hussy: “Blame” – May 21A Giant Dog: “All I Wanted” – May 17Wooden Indian Burial Ground: “Helicopter” – May 28Gary Wilson: “Gary’s In the Park” – May 30Tyler Jon Tyler: “Separate Issue” – Negative Scanner – May 26The Dictators: “Baby, Let’s Twist” – May 17

Welcome back to the Empty Bottle podcast, Everything’s Great?  Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.This month we’re pleased to welcome Luca Cimarusti - to talk sex and his band Basic Cable - and Bruce Lamont and Eric Chaleff - to talk sex and the scene at the Empty Bottle a decade ago - into the back room for some drinks and jokes and sex talk. Our favorite roving reporter Ronnie also talks with Cole from the Black Lips about rainbows and denim.  Under all the hilarity, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle and Empty Bottle Presents shows in the coming month.  See you in May.April 2014 PodcastBasic Cable – “Blonde Ambition” – April 12Child Bite – “Puke For the Youth” – April 20Greg Ashley – “Awkward Affections” – April 9Clear Plastic Masks – “So Real” – April 13Black Lips – “Funny” – April 26Jenny Hval – “I Called” – April 18

Welcome back to the Empty Bottle podcast, Everything’s Great?  Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.This month we're pleased to welcome Matt Williams, Erin Page, Brian Costello and Mike Lust into the back room for some drinks and jokes.  Under all the hilarity, you'll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle and Empty Bottle Presents shows in the coming month.  See you in April.March 2014 PodcastRunnies - You Can't Win - April 3Useless Eaters - Addicted to the Blade - March 21Lizzo - Batches and Cookies - March 19 @ SubTYvette - Pure Pleasure - March 24Twinkwind - Do It - March 22Outer Minds - We Are All Stone - March 21Adelyn Rose - Let the Right One In - March 20Meat Wave - 15 Years - March 30Miniature Tigers - Swimming Pool Blues - March 19Vaadat Charigim - Odisea - March 18

Everything's Great BLOOD

Welcome to the Empty Bottle podcast, “Everything’s Great?”  Every month your hosts Bob Johnson, Kevin Graves and Christen Thomas will be giving you the front door and back stage stories from the Empty Bottle, inviting members of the Bottle, friends, family and staff up to the back of the office to tell stories, talking to bands that will be playing the Bottle in the coming month and playing tracks from those bands.February 2014 PodcastThis month's soundtrack:Sweet Cobra – “Complaints” February 8Radar Eyes – “Fall Into Place” February 18The Casket Girls – “Same Side” February 24Courtney Barnet – “Avant Gardener” February 18Cheap Time – “Exit Smiles” February 14Lord Dying – “Summoning The Faithless” March 3Party Downers – “No Compromise” February 8A note on Sweet Cobra and Party Downer’s songs from Jason and Grumpy:Both songs are currently unreleased (and unmastered) so they will have a debut on the podcast - they aren't quite finalized.“Complaints” is from our forthcoming full length entitled Earth. Recorded by Matt Talbot of HHUM and Kurt Ballou of CONVERGE at Talbot's Earth Analog Studio near Champaign, IL. Mixed by Kurt Ballou at Godcity in Salem, MA.The song is significant to us because it is the first one we wrote after Mat's passing. We had recently returned from a West Coast tour as a 3 piece with Pelican, and we were able to spend time with Mat before he moved back to the Seattle area to be closer to his family. A few weeks later he passed away on Thanksgiving Day. We didn't play music for close to a month, and when we met up at our rehearsal space and started trying to play music, this song just sort of came out of us from out of nowhere. Generally speaking, the lyrics deal with people that focus too much on the negative aspects of their life and complain about very trivial things in the grand scheme of things– while there are other people out there that are dealing with actual real struggles in life, but still focus more on the positive aspects of things, overcoming obstacles, and enjoying life to the fullest. Even in the face of his sickness, Mat was always motivated and eager to play music and enjoy life with his friends. He was an inspirational person to be around. The song really came together quickly and organically– and it also felt very different from our earlier stuff. There is an earlier recording of the song that will be released on an split 7" with the band Get Rad that will be available at the show.THE PARTY DOWNERS song is called "No Compromise"...which is a Mat Arluck reference...just kind of sums up what he was about.  Case in point the actual phrase Arluck Time originally just referred to the time after he got home from work when he would just relax and decompress for a bit...don't call or knock on his door just yet, it's "Arluck Time." That song is unreleased as of yet.