Champaign Is Also A Band
One songwriter, one song. Podcast about stories & songs of Champaign-Urbana music. In each episode Sven sits down with a person from the C-U music scene to hear the story & the background of a favorite song they’ve written.
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Episodes
Friday Aug 25, 2023
Friday Aug 25, 2023
In this bonus episode Sven chats with Mike Carpenter (He/Him) (EP37) of Decadents about their new album "Lost in Translation" - Available now on all the streaming services and on Bandcamp at: https://decadents.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-translation
Friday Aug 18, 2023
Friday Aug 18, 2023
Sven chats with Robbie (He/HIm) and Chris (They/Them) about their song "Breathless" off of the album "Unfriendly Reminder"
SONG: Breathless
ALBUM: Unfriendly Reminder
BAND: Rude Echoes
Favorite treat: Mandarin Jarritos/Hi-Chews
Photo credit: Marciel Shepard
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Sven sits down with Clayton Burke Deering (He/HIm) to chat about his song "Wild Thing," collaborating with Kenna Mae (EP13), playing pedal steel in his solo project Neon Gravel, what makes a good music scene, and his favorite non-musical things.
SONG: Wild ThingALBUM: No Immediate Plans
BANDS: The Fights, The Rebekah Songer Band, Tractor Kings, Cole Bridges & the Overpass, Emily Anne Band, The Landovers, Neon Gravel, and The Clayton Burke Band
Cover Photo: JP Goguen
Friday Jul 14, 2023
Friday Jul 14, 2023
Sven chats with Red (They/Them) and Grey (They/She) of Red's Head about their song "Glitch," creating a DIY venue, and their favorite non-musical things.
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Sven chats with Carrie (She/Her) & Liz (She/Her) about their song "Cheers to This," the CU music scene, and their favorite non-musical things.
SONG: Cheers to This
ALBUM: Merryann’s at Midnight
BANDS: Carrie: none Liz: First Gig, Girls Rock, Poisoned Rationality
Favorite treat: Carrie: unsweetened iced tea, caramel corn Liz: sprite or hot tea
Photo credit: Carrie
Friday Jun 16, 2023
Friday Jun 16, 2023
Sven chats with Clint (He/Him) and Chris (He/Him) of MOONSYDE about their song "IKKE!," the race they feel like finishing, playing house shows, and their favorite non-musical things.
SONG: IKKE!ALBUM: Single BANDS: Clint: Illini Contraband (cover band), performed locally on campus(Joe’s, Canopy Club, Wesley Church), Noontime Performer at the Illini Union Bandside UIUC (met other band members)HIDEOUT formerly called Hip-Hop Collective (met Chris)MOONSYDE (current band)
Chris: Kuri Ken (solo artist)HIDEOUT (aka Hip-Hop Collective, served as President for ~3 years)MOONSYDE (current band)
Favorite treat:
Clint: Black Sugar Bubble Tea/Choco Boy (chocolate biscuit)
Chris: Beach Plum La Croix / A phattttt Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
Photo: Josh Blustein
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Sven chats with IamLostTwo (He/Him) about his song "Grounded," creating a musical soundscape, being true to his sound, and his favorite non-musical thing.
SONG: Grounded
ALBUM: Released as a Single
BANDS: Half House Studios, Hip-Hop Collective UIUC/HIDEOUT, IamLostTwo independent artist
Favorite treat: Earl Grey, Honey as sweetener
Photo credit: Lost and Grey Photography
Friday May 19, 2023
Friday May 19, 2023
Sven meets up with José Guzmán (He/Him) in the lobby at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts to talk about his composition "Holande Pa Uste" as performed by the UIUC Latin Jazz Ensemble, finding a musical connection with blending different Puerto Rican musical traditions as well as West African styles, and his favorite non-musical things. José is running the 2023 Chicago Marathon for his favorite charity: Mercy Home, you can donate to his fundraising here: https://marathon.mercyhome.org/chicago2023/jguzman
SONG: Holande Pa Usteperformed by UIUC Latin Jazz Ensemble. Soloists: Matthew Storie on alto sax, Jack Cassidy on trumpet, and Kurt Reeder on piano.
BANDS: Mr. Chair (Madison, WI), KASA Quartet, Eddie Barbash with KASA Quartet, The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Favorite treat: Almond croissant or Banana bread with black coffee.
Photo credit: Herminio Rodriguez
Friday May 05, 2023
Friday May 05, 2023
Sven chats with Jules Rose (She/Her/They/Them) about her song "Run" off of her album "One Year," working with Half House Studios (BEP25), we talk about her first performances, the CU music scene, and her favorite non-musical thing.
SONG: Run
ALBUM: One Year
Favorite treat: Black Coffee/Uncrusables
Photo credit: MacKenzie Archibald
Friday Apr 21, 2023
Friday Apr 21, 2023
Sven chats with Carissa Yau (They/Them) about their song "I-57," some local shoutouts, acting, and their favorite non-musical thing
SONG: I-57ALBUM: UnreleasedFavorite treat: SalamiPhoto credit: Kati Yau