H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene cover art

H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

By: HogPod Chicagoland's Hyper Local Music Chat
Listen for free

About this listen

 Welcome to HOG POD: Chicago's Music Scene Unplugged! Hosted by Mike Orfanos, Mike Dermont, and Pete Jansons, we dive into Chicago’s vibrant music scene. From classic rock to indie vibes, we bring you exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and live performances. Discover local legends and emerging artists while exploring the city’s diverse music culture. Tune in for special episodes featuring tribute bands and live events!HogPod Chicagoland's Hyper Local Music Chat Music
Episodes
  • SAMMY DAVIS JR. COOKED FOR US: The 1970s Sunset Strip Bust That Ended Everything

    SAMMY DAVIS JR. COOKED FOR US: The 1970s Sunset Strip Bust That Ended Everything
    Apr 28 2026
    At 75, Debora Masterson is gigging on bass in Chicago — and her debut novel is about the Sunset Strip rocker she loved at 15, the federal drug bust that killed his band Freedom Quest, the bowl of chocolate mescaline on their coffee table, the Hawaii cult he joined when she left him, and the reunion thirty years later that became twenty beautiful years..Plus: the time Sammy Davis Jr. cooked dinner for the whole cast in his Chicago apartment with Jesse Jackson there, Debora warming up alone in a Lincoln Center rehearsal room when Mikhail Baryshnikov walked in, the bowl of chocolate mescaline on a Reseda living room coffee table at age 22, and how she finished her husband's book five and a half years after he passed..🎶 He Taught Me Bass — Hogpod Album #11 inspired by Debora's story:https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZRM23....🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 The love story tease — 1965, two kids, sex drugs rock and roll, Vietnam0:14 Why her story belongs in Chicago1:08 Meet Craig Ingraham — the real Mr. Jukebox1:46 Met at 15 and 18 — fake IDs in the San Fernando Valley4:01 Freedom Quest forms in 1973 — the monster band that almost made it4:48 The roadie was a fed — drug bust kills the band5:48 Grammy legend David Benoit's teenage start6:46 The bowl of mescaline on the living room table8:21 He vanished to Hawaii — and joined a cult9:30 Manson was in the Valley too9:57 Sammy Davis Jr. cooks for the cast (Jesse Jackson's surprise visit)13:30 Alone in a room with Baryshnikov17:00 North Beach Summer of Love (not stripper joints)22:00 The Catalina Island Chi-Chi Club summer23:00 Cat's Meow Supper Club, Fort Wayne, the road to Chicago29:30 He never made it to Chicago — he's here in spirit now40:09 The seizures that ended his music42:34 Where to buy Freedom Quest — Bookshop.org over Amazon46:33 Pop-Tarts, Valley Girl, gag me with a spoon46:35 The 420 surprise — a 75-year-old's viral reaction.📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Music Memoir - Debut Novel - Sunset Strip - 1960s - 1970s - Freedom Quest - Sammy Davis Jr - Baryshnikov - North Beach - Catalina.🎤 Guest Links — Debora MastersonWebsite: deboramasterson.comBook on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ573WV4Atmosphere Press: https://atmospherepress.com/books/fre...Bookshop.org: bookshop.org (search "Freedom Quest Debora Masterson")Craig Ingraham music: craigingraham.com/musicApple Music — Freedom Quest album: / freedom-quest .❤️ Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod.Hosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike)..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusicScene #DeboraMasterson #FreedomQuest #HeTaughtMeBass #CraigIngraham #ChicagoAuthor #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #HogpodMusicChat #DebutNovel #MusicMemoir #SammyDavisJr #SunsetStrip #BassPlayer
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Crossing Decades: Jen Brown, Sgt Sparkles, Doc Zeiger | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    Crossing Decades: Jen Brown, Sgt Sparkles, Doc Zeiger | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast
    Apr 21 2026
    Jen Brown, Dave "Doc" Zeiger, and Damian "Sgt Sparkles" Thompson of Crossing Decades join Hogpod to break down what happens when six Chicago musicians decide to cover every decade from the 60s to today — in blocks, with costume changes, and one country song per show because the crowd demands it..Plus: the Sergeant Sparkles origin story, their 8-minute mashup built on AC/DC Back in Black, Dave's WSOP run sitting with Scotty Nguyen and Lane Flack, and why the bathroom at Penny Road Pub was the best green room in Chicagoland..🎶 Hogpod Chicago Local Music Chat on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZ....🎧 New album drops this week — "GAME FILM" — Hogpod Album #10.🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:55 Cheryl Scott weather love1:13 Big Head Todd at Rivers Casino2:37 Dave joins the show8:48 Kicked each other's ass at School of Rock10:00 413 origin story11:48 Jen and Doc join the band a week apart13:04 Meet the six-piece Crossing Decades lineup15:17 How Damian became "Sergeant Sparkles"17:06 Who books the band21:08 Rock Goddess nickname origin22:55 From 413 to Crossing Decades rebrand27:02 The fan-voted name change28:28 "We play a little bit of everything"33:09 The guitar-tuning challenge35:38 Opening for 7th Heaven38:37 The 8-minute Back in Black mashup breakdown40:48 Blank Space, Taylor Swift, fast42:21 Costume changes on stage45:37 Jen hates Save a Horse, but the crowd wins46:27 "If the crowd's into it, it's my favorite song"48:41 Mickey Finn's three-hour show math51:23 Dirty Nelly's catacombs and green rooms52:19 Penny Road Pub bathroom nostalgia53:41 Upcoming: Rookies in Elgin, Mickey Finn's56:26 First concert round — Rush Power Windows Tour57:56 Jen's Metallica Saturday detention skip58:48 Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Slippery When Wet59:43 Spider Mike's first Van Halen Sammy1:01:07 Dave's WSOP run with Scotty Nguyen and Lane Flack1:05:01 Best music movie — Casablanca and Adam Sandler soundtracks1:09:37 Pop-Tart with butter, Family Guy style1:12:00 Butter on a Pop-Tart changes everything1:12:22 Rookies in Elgin, end of June.📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Cover Band - Tribute - Bar Band - Rock - Country - Pop - Metal - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 2000s - Today.🎤 Guest Links — Crossing DecadesFacebook: facebook.com/Crossing.Decades.ChicagoWebsite coming soon: crossingdecades.comContact: 847-302-6561.❤️ Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod.Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Spider Mike..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusicScene #CrossingDecades #HogpodMusicChat #ChicagoLocalMusic #CoverBand #TributeBand #BarBand #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #413Band #RockGoddess #SergeantSparkles
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Joey De Marco on Writing Jazz, Windsor's Music Scene & AI | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    Joey De Marco on Writing Jazz, Windsor's Music Scene & AI | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast
    Apr 14 2026
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
No reviews yet