Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Michigan

The Best Midwestern podcast, with hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel, continues to explore the US midwest state-by-state, here's what Greg has to say about this outing: "On the second episode of our year-long project to deep-dive into the music history of each of the 12 Midwestern states we look at Michigan, discussing and playing clips from blues, Motown, proto-punk and punks acts, all the way up to the best current bands from the Mitten State." Click below to check it out or subscribe in iTunes.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Indiana

The Best Midwestern podcast, with hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel, is back with a new season. Here's what Greg has to say about the show's ambitious new project: "On the first episode of our year-long project to deep-dive into the music history of each of the 12 Midwestern states we look at Indiana, from Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1910s and 20s to indie and punk rock one hundred years later." Click below to check it out or subscribe in iTunes.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 57 - An Interview with Brendan Kelly of Ska Battle Champions Slapstick

On this episode of the Best Midwestern podcast hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel we celebrate Slapstick’s victory in their Ska Battle Tournament by sitting down with Brendan Kelly, who dishes some stories from the band’s history and gives insights into certain songs. They also review the new EP by Thoughs of Ionesco.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 56 - Ska Battle Finals / Rise Against / Cheap Trick

On this episode of the Best Midwestern podcast hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel announce their Ska Battle tournament finals matchup! They also review the new records by Chicago’s veteran punks Rise Against and Rockford, IL’s even-more-veteran rockers Cheap Trick.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 54 - Ska Battle Final Four Matchups / Matt Pryor / Doktra

On this episode of the Best Midwestern podcast hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel announce the Ska Battle tournament Final Four matchups and have another appearance by Scott's wife Aubrey Welbers with her two cents. We also have reviews the new album by post rock / math rock band Doktra (Indianapolis) and the new solo record by Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids (Lawrence, KS).

Podcast 8 years ago

Episode 350

Every 50 episodes of the Punknews Podcast we try something special, and for episode 350 we tried to pack as many interviews into the show as we could. This episode features chats with bands, labels, record stores, and people behind the scenes. That includes Western Addiction, Screaming Females, Natterers, Burger Records, Tsunami Bomb, Crazy and the Brains, Jupiter Records, Chotto Ghetto, and punk rock PR mastermind Melanie Kaye. Check it out below.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 54 - Ska Battle Round 2 / Pet Symmetry / The Addisons

On the Best Midwestern podcast with hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel, the skanking continues! The results are in from round 1 of our ongoing Midwest Ska Battle, and in this episode we preview the matches for round 2. We also review new stuff by Chicago bands Pet Symmetry and up-and-comers The Addisons.

Podcast 8 years ago

Episode 349: Punk Rock Bowling

On episode 349 of the Punknews Podcast, Adam White, John Gentile, and Ricky Frankel take a deep dive into the upcoming Punk Rock Bowling events. We discuss the festival line-ups and club shows for the New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Denver editions of the annual punk gathering, playing some tunes from festival bands along the way. This episode we also chat about some other recent news, including the upcoming Jeff Rosenstock tour, the new Chotto Ghetto projects, and upcoming music from bands like Rancid, The Coathangers, and Sam Coffee and the Iron Lungs.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 53 - SKA BATTLE / Droughts / What Gives

In our first ever Best Midwestern tournament, hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel pit 16 Midwest ska bands past and present against each other, bracket style! Listen to the episode and go to Challonge to see the brackets. Afterward, head to the Best Midwestern Facebook page or Twitter to vote! We also review two Chicago bands’ new albums, the long-awaited album by Droughts and the debut of the new indie rock supergroup What Gives.

Podcast 8 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 52 - The Midwest Ska Episode!

After hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel had so much fun talking about Slapstick last time, they decided to dedicate an entire skank-able episode of the Best Midwestern Podcast to Midwest ska. Aubrey, Scott's wife, joins us as we delve into bands big and small in the genre. Blue Meanies, MU330 and The Suicide Machines are discussed along with many, many more.

Podcast 9 years ago

Best Midwestern - Episode 51 - The Slapstick Family Tree

On this episode of the Best Midwestern Podcast, hosts Greg Simpson and Scott Heisel take an in-depth look at all the bands that spawned from Chicago’s ska punk legends Slapstick, from Alkaline Trio to The Lawrence Arms and all the lesser known but great bands.