Champaign Is Also A Band

**Inauguration Day Special!!!*

In this episode Sven zooms with Oliver Groff: vocalist, lyricist, and artist behind the band Cactuss.  We talk about his song "The Reason Donald Trump Should Be in the Trash," we talk about the inspiration behind the song, their creative process, working with producer Ryan Groff (EP35), and running a world class CU local recording studio.

SONG: The Reason Donald Trump Should Be in the Trash

ALBUM: Single

BANDS: CACTUSS

Favorite Treat: Bubly and chocolate

Photo Credit: Ryan Groff (EP35)

*Please note: a Ghee-Tar is like a Key-Tar, but with clarified butter.  ;-) 

In this episode Sven zooms with Mike Skibski, Vice President of Music for the Masses UIUC. We talk about his song "I'll Stay With You," Music for the Masses, and planning for the future.

SONG: I’ll Stay With You [Spotify Link]

ALBUM: I’ll Stay With You

BANDS: Solo

Favorite Treat: Blueberry Acai Green Tea and Dark Chocolate Hershey's Kisses

Photo Credit: Jackson Skibski

Refs

Music For the Masses UIUC

Ukelele

Tremolo

Metaphor

Shotgun Microphones [Video]

Vance Joy

RSO [Registered Student Organization]

UIUC Union

The Canopy Club

Introversion

Singer-songwriter

Midwest Emo [Genre]

Math Rock [Genre]

String Harmonics

Tapping

Bottom Bracket [Band]

Rat King Records [Label]

Information Systems

Entrepreneurship

In this episode Sven zooms with Elena and Travis of Soft and Dumb to talk about their song "Tony, Please." Find out if there IS a Tony, being self-conscious about making music, and how to be a band that has only had one live show before COVID-19 locked everything down.

SONG: Tony, Please

ALBUM: Out of Bed

BANDS: Soft and Dumb

Favorite Treat:

Elena: hot apple cider

Travis: cold apple cider

REFS

Star Wars Order

Ghostwriter

Natural Harmonics

DAW [Digital Audio Workstation]

Looper Pedal

2021danceparty [Song]

Inception

Chronologically

Cult Leader

Anthem

Barre Chords

Drop D Tuning

Power Chords

Dissonance / Consonance

Spat [Song]

Birdhouse [Venue]

Hazy Seas [Band]

Dog Mom [Band]

Waluigi's Mansion [Venue]

The Forest [Venue]

King Kruel [Band]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Campy

Call of Duty - Zombies

Freddy Krueger

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Breaking Bad

Joss Whedon

Sitcom

Musical Episode of Buffy -"Once More, with Feeling" [Ssn 6, Ep 7]

"No One Can Speak" Episode of Buffy - "Hush" [Ssn 4, Ep 10]

Light Pollution

Every great episode needs a sequel, EP51 is no exception. Consider this bonus material from part 1.

We talk about Sven finding joy in hip hop, recording an upcoming album, supporting artists, AMS' family history in CU, all the CU hip hop connections he's made, and finally what makes a good scene!

BONUS SONG: "Half (a Life)" from the upcoming album: Strange Days, Stranger Tomorrows

Photo by: Yevgeniya Mazur

Sven zooms with AMS. the Nerd King to talk about Grecian Myth, the "keys" to happiness, why you can't say the word "bear," and a very special teacher from Hyde Park who was a powerful influence on AMS' voice.

SONG: Sisyphus
ALBUM: The Over/Under EP
Lyrics by AMS.
Produced by SAMIYAM.
Turntablism by DJ RTST.
Recorded at Soapbox Music in Chicago, IL.

BANDS:  Boombap Savant and FUTURE CULT LEADERS OF AMERICA, aka FCLA.

Favorite Treat: OJ  - plain and simple

Photo: Sarah Larson

REFS:

SAMIYAM.

Sev Seveer

Sisyphus

Hades

Tantalus (the pear guy)

Ad infinitum

Helping Verb

Breath Control

Metronome

Metalhead

Post-Punk [Genre]

Post-Hardcore [Genre]

HipHop [Genre]

Jazz [Genre]

Motown [Genre]

Funk [Genre]

Soul [Genre]

Classic Rock [Genre]

Psychedelic Rock [Genre]

Universal Zulu Nation [Group]

Metallica [Band]

4 Elements of HipHop

Graff Artist

Breakdancing

Rawkus Records - Soundbombing II

Company Flow [Group]

"Patriotism" [Song]

National Honor Society

Scholastic Bowl

Footwork battles

Breaking Battles

Martin Luther

"Sin Boldly"

Water into wine miracle.

Windmills - Don Quixote 

Roman Catholic Church

Latin Mass

Boy Scouts of America

Cursive [Band]

"Art is Hard" [song]

Blunderbuss

Mad Libs

Igneous

Eagle Scout

Capcom

Mega Man

Yellow Devil

Saying the word "Bear"

Making a custom keyboard

Through hole soldering

Chase Baby (EP38 and BEP09)

"Lifelines" Feat. AMS the Nerd King

The Dissociation EP - Chase Baby

In this episode Sven zooms with Em Baker of Plike.  Find out what recording in a car, a washing machine, and the opening scene in "The Fifth Element" all have to do with her music and collaboration with Yellow Belly.

SONG: Sanity Meter (feat. Yellow Belly)

ALBUM: Soteria

BANDS: Alison Layne (Alice in Chains cover band), Bishop Buzzkill, Plike, Wire & Wasteland, Acting for Cameras 

FAVORITE TREAT:  toss-up between a pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food and a chocolate martini!

Photo Credit: Andres Morales-Torres | AMT Photoworks

REFS

Hellblade [Game] (Senua's Sacrifice)

Yellow Belly [Band]

WitchHouse [Genre]

ChipTune [Genre]

Synth-Pop [Genre]

Pink Floyd [Band]

Dub Step [Genre]

Portishead [Band]

The Fifth Element [Movie]

PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)

Aphex Twin [Band]

The Crystal Method [Band]

Spotify

Myspace

Decatur, IL

DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)

90s Daughter

Jupiter's

The Canopy Club

EDM

VNV Nation [Band]

Paul Oakenfold

NES (Nintendo Entertainment System)

Mass Effect [Game Series]

Star Wars [Movie Series]

Commander Shepard [Character]

Sony

VO (Voice-over)

Mark Hamill

Silent Hill

Oculus Rift

Aliens [Movie]

Ripley [Character]

Alien Isolation [Game]

Play Station

Untitled Goose Game

The Three Stooges

Asheville, NC

Even in the middle of a pandemic, music is still happening and being released.  Sven zooms with former guest Kelsey Sharp (EP6) to talk about releasing an EP in the middle of a pandemic and what goes into each of the four songs on her EP.

You can find "W.W.L.D." available now! 

EP cover art and episode cover by: Big E

Sven zooms with Jemma and Alaina from Familiar Ghosts to talk about their song "Bury Me Alive." Tune in to find out what Starbucks, Google Docs, and Edgar Allan Poe have in common, where the name Familiar Ghosts comes from, and what paint is better: acrylic or oil.

SONG: Bury Me Alive

ALBUM: Daydreams & Nightmares (releases 12/21/20

BANDS: Familiar Ghosts (Formally the Killer Coven)

Favorite Treats:

Jemma: Chai latte & bear claws

Alaina: Moscow Mule & banana bread

Photo Credit: Tim Allen

Refs:

Starbucks

Emoting

Rebranding

Indie folk

Indie rock

Queen(esque) [band]

Chord Structure

Key

Killer Coven [band]

Hands of Fate

Elton John

The Star [Song]

Google Docs

Pop Music

Ballad

Sipyard

NOLA's Rock Bar (Formally Blackbird Urbana)

90's Daughter [Band]

Overworry [Band]

Ingrid Michaelson [Musician]

AJR [Band]

Acrylic Paint

Oil Paint

Watercolors

Tarot

Astrology

Midnight Sun [book]

Midnight Sun [Definition]

Stephanie Myer [author]

Edgar Allan Poe

Pompous

The High Priestess [Tarot Card]

The Star [Tarot Card] 

CW: Mentions misogyny, r*pe, abuse, assault, and people being shitty humans.

Sven zooms with Dexter Anodyne, a musician in Springfield, IL.  Hear the question that Sven is glad he asked, Dexter's favorite venue in Springfield, and her favorite non-musical things.

SONG: Brink of Summer

ALBUM: Weeping Venus

BANDS: Greenhouse Opera

FAVORITE TREAT: Sushi

Photo Credit: Dexter Anodyne

REFS:

Synthesizer

Psychedelic Music

Tool [Band]

Radiohead [Band]

Aesthetic(s)

Nirvana

Heaven

Björk Guðmundsdóttir [Musician]

Beatles [Band]

Looping

Buzz Bomb Brewing Company [Venue]

Vincent Sebastian [Musician]

Interference [Album]

Ricki Marvel [Musician]

Intersectionality

Intersectional Feminism

Blacksheep Cafe [Venue]

Dumb Records [Venue]

Bermuda Triangle [Band]

Twitch

YouTube

Facebook

Influencer 

Bandcamp

Springfield, IL

Peoria, IL

Elitism

Australian Shepard

Lady Gaga

Sven zooms with Keegan in his home in Bloomington, Indiana to talk about his song "Loose Ends." Tune in to find out about the beginning of Ghoul Jr., what the CU Music scene could do better, and Keegan's favorite non-musical thing(s). Trust me, this episode sounds much better than sleeping in together...

SONG: Loose Ends

ALBUM: EP

BANDS: Ghoul Jr./Solo

FAVORITE TREAT: Iced Coffee

Photo Credit:  Veronica Mullen

REFS:

Reis Desantis (Bonus EP 3 "We Are Family")

Southtown Sound - Springfield, IL [Illinois Times article]

Black Sheep Cafe (closed)

Black Sheep Festival

Deadbeat Boyfriend [Song]

My Sibella [Song]

Blips and Chitz [DIY Venue]

Bloomington, IN

Danville, IL

Decatur, IL

217 Strikes Back [FB Photos - V Mullen Media]

Lucid [Band]

CLAW - Champaign Ladies Amateur Wrestling

Ghost Planet [DIY Venue]

Pity Sex [Band]

Yuck [Band]

Nectar [Band]  - (Episode 4)

Data Waves [Band] - (Episode 40)

Blockhouse Bar [Venue]

The Bishop [Venue]

The Bluebird [Venue]

The Canopy Club [Venue]

Rose Bowl Tavern [Venue]

Jaws [Movie]

Study on Green Space and Mental Health

Chinese Evergreen - (Aglaonema Commutatum)

Plant Mode

SvenStock