Studio Walls--November 20, 2024

 

A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.

November 17, 1964—Beatles release "I’m a Loser"

=Buckinghams guitarist Carl Giammerese talked to us about his band's hit-making cover of the Beatles classic.  

November 17, 1973—"Heartbeat is a Lovebeat" hits #1. 

=We interviewed the lead singer of the song, Tony Defranco 

November 18—Mickey Mouse Day. 

=In 2002, Johnny Kaempfer reviewed of Mickey’s Magical Christmas on the John Landecker show. 

November 18--Kevin Nealon birthday

=My brush with Kevin story is told in this episode. 

November 18, 1983—Christmas Story released. 

=We interviewed the kid who played Scut Farkus: Zach Ward. 

November 19, 1995—Toy Story released.

=Debbi Derryberry is the voice of the aliens. Cool story of how that came to be is told in this interview. 

November 19, 2021—Mick Rock passes away

=We interviewed the legendary rock photographer just a year or two before he passed. The link to that interview is below.

November 20, 2010—First class inducted in Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.

=CLHOF Founder Don Evans gave us minutia about some of the Hall of Famers 

November 20--Joe Walsh birthday

=My Joe Walsh story is told in this episode.  

November 20--Bo Derek birthday

=My Bo Derek story is told in this episode. 

November 21, 1985—Feud of Steve & Garry/Larry Lujack live on the air.

=Catherine Johns witnessed some of the mayhem and told us about it. 

November 21—Harold Ramis birthday

=He cut an audio ad for our AMISH Chicago Advertising firm.

November 21, 2021—Tribune profiles Ugly Buildings Tour with Mike.

=That article inspired us to interview him.  

November 21, 1931—Release date of “Frankenstein” 

=Boris Karloff's daughter Sara came on the show to tell us all about her father, the star of that film. This week also marks the birthday of both father & daughter (November 23)

November 21, 1874—Aston Villa founded 

November 21, 1885—Southampton founded

(Two more reasons to listen to this...)

November 22--Mick Rock birthday

=The late great rock photographer had some incredible stories. 

November 22--Howard Sudberry birthday

=We interviewed Howard in this episode. :

November 22—Rodney Dangerfield birthday. 

=Comedian Larry Reeb told us a memorable story about his comedy pal Rodney. 

Studio Walls--9-4-24

 

A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.

Here are a few from the archives...

September 1--Lily Tomlin birthday

=I shared my brush with Lily story in this episode of Minutia Men. Not one of my proudest moments.  

September 1—Coyote Peterson birthday  

=We interviewed the danger hunter earlier this year. 

September 1, 1965—First issue of Tiger Beat released

=We talked to one-time cover boy Tony Defranco.

 

September 3, 2019—Rick meets soccer announcer Arlo White at Wrigley

=I stalked him to get this photo. He had to snap it for me because I'm such a technical moron. I've told that story in a previous episode of Minutia Men.

September 3, 1980—Pekin high school officially drops the nickname Chinks. =Sportscaster Howard Sudberry was a graduate of that school and confirmed that story. 

 

September 5, 1882—Tottenham Hotspurs founded

=Have we mentioned that Free Kicks is back for another season?

September 5, 1962—Ken Hubbs sets fielding record for consecutive put outs without an error 

=We have the audio.

September 5, 2023—Debut of “While You Were Out” by Meg Kissinger. 

=Really enjoyed our interview with Meg. 

September 6, 1994—WGN Morning News TV show debuts

=On this 30th anniversary of the show, check out our interview with the show's star,  Larry Potash. 

September 7—Stewart McVicar birthday

=Who is Stew? He's the man behind the Club 400 podcast. Rick was a guest on the show in 2019.

Studio Walls--8-28-24

 

A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.

Here are a few from the archives...

August 25—Birthday of Gene Simmons

=Loverboy’s Doug Johnson told us a story about opening for KISS at their very first gig.  

August 25, 1994—Natural Born Killers released. 

=Duane Scott Cerny told us a story about his dealings with Oliver Stone during the making of that film.  

 

August 26, 1972—Summer Olympics begin in Munich

=Dwight Stones represented America and reminded us what it was like at that memorable Olympic games. 

August 26, 1817—University of Michigan founded.

=Chuck Swirsky was the broadcaster for their basketball games for a few years. It wasn't exactly a first-class operation at the time, which he told us all about in this episode.  

 

August 27--Dave Sinker birthday

=We had the comedian on the show a few years ago.  

 

August 28, 2015—“We are your friends” debuts

=Max Joseph was the director. He told us all about it. 

 

August 29—Michael Jackson birthday

=We've been told two great Michael Jackson stories. One by record producer/engineer Bill Schnee, and one by the one time teen idol Tony DeFranco. 

August 29--James Finn Garner birthday

=The NY Times Best Selling Author was on this episode of Minutia Men Celebrity Interview. 

August 29--Elliott Gould birthday

=My brush with Elliott was told in this episode. 

August 29--Mr. Blackwell birthday

=My brush with the famous clothing designer was told in this episode.  

August 29—Jerry Seinfeld birthday. 

=Kevin Matthews once invited Jerry to perform in his comedy jam. Jerry sniffed out the audience pretty quickly.  

August 30--Carmen Fanzone birthday

=We talked to the former Cubs player in this episode.  

 

August 31--Zack Ward birthday

=Who is Zack? He played the bully in Christmas Story (Scut Farkus). He also bullied us a bit. Only guest we ever called a dick live on the air. 

Studio Walls--August 14, 2024

 

A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.

Here are a few from the archives...

August 11, 2017—Rick and Dave fill in on WLS Radio

=It was one of the two times we were given that shot, filling in for Bob Sirott. A clip is still on the WLS site.  

August 11—Steve Wozniak birthday

=We spoke to one of his first investors in Apple, Ronald Wayne. 

August 11--Barry Butler birthday

=Maybe the best photographer of Chicago. We interviewed him about his methodology for getting those incredible shots.  

August 11--Chris Hemsworth birthday

=We've never spoken to the star of Thor, but we have spoken to his stuntman, Bobby Holland Hanton. 

 

August 12, 1994 Baseball goes on strike

=If it happened in the 90s, there must be a Landecker and the Legends parody song, right? Of course there is. It's called "Baseball Striking Again" and it's on the CD Landecker & The Legends, Volume 1.

August 13—Danny Bonaduce birthday.

=We've not only interviewed Danny himself (which you can hear here), but we've also interviewed one of his high school classmates, Tony DeFranco of the DeFranco Family. He has a great Danny story.  

August 13, 1978—Tom Skilling debuts on WGN-TV

=He told us all about those early days on Channel 9. It was a very different time. 

August 13, 1982—Fast Times at Ridgemont High debuts. 

=We interviewed the guy who played Damone, Rob Romanus. Very entertaining interview.  

 

August 14, 1874—Freeman Bernstein birthday 

=Who is Freeman Bernstein? He's the man who hustled Hitler. The author of the book Hustling Hitler told us all about it in this episode.  

August 14--David Crosby birthday

=Comedian Mike Toomey once opened for CSN, and told us what that experience was like. 

 

August 15, 1969—Original Woodstock

=We have spoken to someone who was supposed to perform there (Essra Mohawk), someone who wrote a book about it (Will Wagner) and someone who did the lights for the concert (Chip Monck)

August 15--Vicki Quade birthday

=The woman behind Late Night Catechism was a fun guest.

August 15--Jimmy Webb birthday

=I told my Jimmy Webb story on this episode of Minutia Men. It's unlike any other Jimmy Webb story you've ever heard. 

 

August 16--Emily Strayer birthday

=Emily is in the Dixie Chicks, and she has no idea about this, but the Dixie Chicks once nearly got me fired. I told the story in this episode. 

August 16—Tell a Joke Day

=Every episode of Minutia Men has at least one.

August 16, 1996—The gorilla Binti Jua saves a little boy at Brookfield Zoo.

=This happened in the 1990s, so obviously there's a Landecker and the Legends song about it, right? Right. It's on our third CD, "Baby Boomers" 

August 16, 1999—Who Wants to Be a Millionaire debuts. 

=Little Tommy Kaempfer played the game. He was 4. We have audio.

 

August 17—National honeybee day

=We talked to Coyote Peterson, who has been stung by virtually every kind of insect imaginable, including honeybees.  

August 17, 1999—President Clinton apologizes to country.

=Remember apologies? This one happened in the 90s, so yes, there is a Landecker & The Legends song. It appears on Landecker & The Legends, Volume 5.

August 17, 1991--Ebony & Ivory debuts on WLUP AM 1000

=Yes, I have every tape of every show. Unfortunately, they are on cassette. Here's a picture of us from that era...