Coming to you from the studios at the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66. It's the Rock and Roll Chicago podcast Hey everybody, it's Ray the roadie and this is Hollywood Mike ho ho ho on a glorious wonderful crappy shitty Wednesday Yes, it is. What's going on? We haven't been here for a while. 

Yeah, I know life got a Hold of us. Yes, it did. Absolutely. 

Absolutely. How was Thanksgiving? Great. Yeah smoked my bird, man First time I smoked a whole bird, you know about fabulous. 

I can never figure out how to get them inside the little rolling Yeah, it's tough Yeah, not only did I smoke my turkey. Yeah, I smoked the cranberries for the sauce. Oh You getting all oh, yeah shit with it. 

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we did that. 

We did that on Friday. Mm-hmm When the Bears beat the Eagles, yeah sure you heard the bear I heard about that. Yeah. 

Oh my god So so you were with your well Future son-in-law, I guess is the best right the Eagles fan the Eagles fan a little rivalry going So you must have had fun with I was great. I did I tried to keep my Jubilance to a minimum. Yeah. 

Yeah. Oh, yeah, I would not have been all over it No, we tried something a little bit this different this year, too. I I used Gordon Ramsey's Method for making the turkey great. 

Okay, and yes, I just swear at it I did and being called it an asshole and everything. What are you doing? no, but I stuffed it with all kinds of citrus fruit and and bacon and Wow turkey was done. I guess hold all that crap out dumped it all out left it in the pan We roasted turkey and put that on the stove and use the potato smasher to smash all the juices out of that. 

Mm-hmm Added some fresh tomato. It was fantastic. It was so good. 

I mean you could sip it like awesome. It was fantastic. Awesome That's very cool. 

I was thinking man next time smoke the cranberries So good, I actually smoked them on Wednesday Yeah, you know it's cuz I hadn't got them done early and so now we're I mean, we're so close to Christmas now Yeah, good. Well, cuz I mean Thanksgiving was like a week late this year. Yeah, it was it was real late Yeah, it's never it's never that late cuz it's like I almost have no shopping days left until Christmas Yeah, yeah, it was late. 

Well, anyways, anyways, how was your Thanksgiving? It was great. I didn't smoke anything That was not But that all sounds really good We uh, we just had some turkey and then you know did the did the thing and then Black Friday came around and bear down We we got a victory. So that was that was my Thanksgiving big Bears fan huge big huge Bears fan I'm actually going to the Browns Bears game and then the following week to the Packers and Bears. 

Oh, wow Yeah, I got back-to-back back-to-back games That's pretty cool, that's pretty cool for those of you that don't know you're listening to Ryan Craig, yes You're you're you're oh, I will not do a December game at Soldier Field. I'm all about it. I'm all about that bare weather That's that's what we call it. 

You know, we need the snow. We need the freezing like that's what it's all about Well, you know that second game the second Packers game. It's now a Saturday 7 o'clock 7 p.m. Oh, so they changed it Yep Saturday so I don't I can go crazy on a Saturday night instead of a Sunday night and come to work, you know So I hate the way there. 

I hate the way they're doing that stuff nowadays in the NFL I mean, they're switching game schedules and up in the whole night It's like I'm now I'm probably gonna miss the game because Cadillac grooves probably playing a gig somewhere They changed Sunday from noon till 330. So the Packers game this week is like 30 Yeah, and I don't know I don't think they're gonna do that to Cleveland and then they did They did flex it they change it. Yeah, they flex it that one as well It's a 325 and I know that the Detroit one is still open. 

It's still a TBT on all schedules Nobody knows when they're gonna put it out there. Yeah, I don't like that. I mean I get it you have a I mean I get it It's a rivalry and it's probably gonna get more, you know ratings in the whole bit for the NFL But people schedule their entire day Ryan. 

It's not like it's not like baseball where there's gonna be a you know If you miss this game, there's one tomorrow. No, it's not like that, right? Black out their entire day to see the Bears again. I like then it becomes a moving target. 

I like noon games Yeah, 330 dead bugs me, but really like a Sunday night game where I got to wait all Friday and a Yeah Yeah, especially on a Sunday cuz come you know, 330 rolls around I'm ready to just fall asleep in the recliner and I miss half the game. So I'm there already Yeah, it's it's it's a long day already with you if you wait that long. So yeah, absolutely Well, hey go Bears man. 

Let's have a bear. Yeah bears fan in the studio I think more often than not we've had people we've had musicians in the studio and sometimes musicians can be a little artsy-fartsy Yeah, it's not sports Yeah, yeah, let's talk about the Bears. Yeah, we're not really in the sport No, you gotta die hard with you today. 

I actually I went to school. I was gonna be a sports analyst So this is I'm familiar with all this podcast. This is this is right up my alley. 

Cool Yeah, I told my son to do the same thing. He's but you're probably just like him He knows every sports that yeah, even decades before he was born He can tell you the sports stats and the names of people and their numbers and who they played for and the whole bit I told him he should go into that because it's one of the only jobs that you can have where I mean You can be wrong all the time and you don't get fired for it. Nobody knows Yeah, that's that's the other job you can you're you're pretty much being paid to give your opinion and argue with other people All right, so how you doing man, you doing all right, I'm doing good it's a You know, we're in the winter. 

So, you know taking a little break, which has been good You know Bears games obviously being off on Sundays But I've been slowing down obviously into the into the winter and trying to focus on on the craft. Yeah Yeah, were you were you busier earlier in the year? Oh my goodness Yeah, this summer was was one of the best summers that we've had probably as a musician myself and the band You know a lot of good shows but just like, you know hoofing it, you know I'm one of those guys that's like, you know, you got to work the hardest of the room Yeah So it's like if I could book as many as I can to get our face on out That's what we're gonna do and then on top of that seeing if that opens the door and that's what that's what happens So we've been blessed with that right you playing mainly around the Chicago area or you're traveling all for the most part You know like the band the guys they they're more up like in the DeKalber area. So Sycamore on Pingering Grove Like in the hills that's where they're from But I'm from Pietone. 

So usually like the proximity of where we're playing is yeah, it's all over the map We try to like stretch it on out, but usually it's like an hour drive or wherever going Well, we played in Wisconsin We've you know I'm trying to get it kind of like a broader area to the Iowa area because I know that there's really good shows over there Indiana's another great spot. I've done a couple acoustic shows over there and then Nashville as well. Yeah, nice nice So where do you guys rehearse? I Noticed that on your website when I was looking at everybody's all over the place. 

Where do you rehearse? So we are drummer. He's got a perfect basement for us and he's got he's got hole He's got two sets of his drum kit over there and his and his wife is gracious enough for us to play in his basement But he lives over in Pingering Grove. So it's a wrong. 

Yeah. Oh my goodness from Pietone Yeah, yeah, and when you're hoofing it during the during the summer, you know, you can't really get a practice sense So a lot of our times have been practicing on the fly, you know like at our shows So it's good that now we're kind of you know digressing, you know Taking a little break or we could focus on that and do more practices and the winner Yeah, that's got to be taking you two hours to get there about so now so yes I now live over Midway. So midway still like an hour But if I came from Pietone, I tell you what that would have been. 

Yeah, that's a hike two hours every single time Yeah, I went to a wedding in Pingree Grove one a couple years. Mm-hmm. There are no hotels out there No, we don't stay in Schaumburg because it's so it's so new. 

I mean, it really is It's so new and everything's kind of moving out west, you know Toward that area. Yeah, and so I have a cousin that lives out there and I think he may have bought like the first new house You know there and he's only been there for a few years, but well I was there I was there for some reason Why was I there? Oh Because I was visiting my mother last week and I had to head back It was around 530 or so. So I hit the GPS and it said don't get on 90 you asshole It literally said that don't get on 90 shithead go So I went straight down 47 and ended up yeah, I'm seeing the signs to go that way but it yeah, it's terrible Hmm. 

Yeah, there's nothing. I mean the Couple that got married they reserved rooms at a hotel in Schaumburg Yeah, and then got buses those big old windy city charter buses and hauled everybody and we still had like a 30-minute drive out There was on the bus. Right? Yeah, we my friend he might have been to the Apple Orchard. 

That's over there That's where we yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I'm familiar with that wedding spot over there That place is really cool. 

Really cool. But I don't think they I don't think they do weddings anymore I think somebody ruined the the happiness on something Because I got recently married about two weeks ago. Yeah, so recently married. 

Yeah, so We had our marriage but like when we were looking we were thinking of going back over there because it is a really nice spot You know, the shuttle issue is is obviously something but when we looked into it, they were they said they're like, yeah We're taking a halt on weddings for now. So I don't know what happened. Yeah No, let's YouTube it Tune in next week That's interesting because especially if they said it that way we're gonna not doing the wedding Which is a big moneymaker. 

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

No kidding. Yeah, somebody tried to climb an apple tree and fell out of her So they must have been yeah, or or worse taking one of those golf carts and ramping it or something like that Yeah, sure. That'd be crazy. 

All right, so tell our listener, you know What do you do? What's your style? He said listen To the one that's listening, I'll be doing good Bob. Yeah. Yeah, so actually it's probably Chris Thanks Chris, we appreciate I know Chris is probably listening right shout out to you brother So yeah, like I play country and rock a little bit of alternative any of the hits that people like to hear Obviously, that's something you got to get for the crowd, but I I love me some original music I love writing songs and and collabing with people. 

So, you know, like I you know, I go to Nashville and I do it at heart But I I try to keep the flame of original music, you know over this area. So I think that's still important Yeah, but primarily country and rock is right up my alley. Yeah. 

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

I like a good blend You know, you have to have a good blend especially around here because we are lacking for places that are really accepting Yeah original music in this area Yeah, you got to throw in the cover songs to keep people around and to throw your original music in there Yeah, I like to have a good mixture of that Even if even if somebody has enough music to play an entire night of all original music. Nobody wants to hear it No, you know Yeah, you know, yeah, I mean if you're going for an hour, okay great show us what you have But if you're going someplace and you're there all night long You don't want to listen to four hours of music or never heard before you got to throw in some other stuff there I totally get that Well, you gotta you gotta also think like the venues also want you to keep those people in there, right? And that's that's something to keep, you know, keep yourself, you know on your toes of making sure that you're you're blended to the crowd But also like if you get those people who are listening they like what you played on Bob Seger They like what you played on Kenny Chesney now I'm gonna be like hey, this is my song and then maybe you got a fan out of that, right? You know, so it's like you got to work both ways. Exactly. 

Yeah. Yeah, we're pretty good. Pretty good I have another question that gets turned away. 

I lost my train of thought. Let me catch So, how'd this all come together Yeah, so, um, well for solo reasons It's a classic, you know story of you know You you get your heart broken and you pick up the guitar and I did that when I was 21 years old I was in college and I picked up the guitar Tried to learn in a couple of songs started off with actually Bob Seger's Night Moves I did my hero was one and another song that I learned and then Fix you drink by Chris Jansen was another song. So those are my first three that I that I played on strawberry wine From Deanna Carter. 

So that's a little throw off for some of our listeners that were that are wondering what song that is That's a lady that sings so I got I do some lady songs if I could hit the high notes with these tight jeans But I I did that and then I would go to open mics I was clearly clueless at some of the old videos that my friends would show me and like it completely changed I found my voice doing open mics got my first gigs and then I just went from there I played original music played and you know the local dive bars that are around here and then I realized like I'm starting to find some some of my niche and At that point, that's where I again had this like crazy thought Okay, I'll go to Nashville and I'll I'll go down and do some writers rounds and this is when I first started so I did that, you know played a couple original original songs and You know, it started from there and I started getting a good following I moved up to Wisconsin Dells for one of my full-time jobs. So like after leaving here I grinded my teeth up in the Wisconsin Dells area and then Afterwards left Wisconsin came back down here and I was like, you know what? I want to start a band and that's how that started found found some of the guys it took a minute to to get a nucleus of a group as all bands take and You know, we've been we've been playing as a band for about two and a half three years So this is gonna be our junior year going into this this summer. So Definitely has been something so we've seen the climb of that and I've been you know Blessed with like how how much we've seen the growth since we started. 

So how'd you like playing that circuit for the Family Fund Center? They're oh my goodness you know, I Wisconsin Dells I will say like there's there is a lot of like the kids areas That's this for sure, but there is a night nighttime in that area in Wisconsin. Yeah, so there There was definitely like there was some some shows that you know You get the you get a different group. Sometimes it's all kids Sometimes it's all the adults that have been drinking on their you know, their their family vacation or even a bachelor a bachelorette Yeah, that's true. 

That's true. It is shocking. It is shocking how Like the afterlife there or afterlife hours Y'all are a little different. 

Yeah. Yeah, I spent time, you know many many years ago God like over 30 years ago That's when I learned that Disney World is much better for adults. Oh, yeah Yeah, you go to you go to Disney World as an adult and go to the bars and all that stuff in Disney World It's way better than when you're a kid I spent yeah, I spent time playing kind of playing that circuit and stuff like that. 

No kidding. Yeah good for you That's awesome. I've always wanted to do that. 

But yeah, the Wisconsin Dells area you got to do something for the adults You got to keep them keep them going, you know do something But uh, actually one of a funny story what one of my first shows that I did in Wisconsin I didn't know how to change strings This is how new I was to playing music didn't know how I didn't know no so like I didn't have like, you know the glorified Little tools that we have now as musicians to to fix your your strings and everything So I had a gig at at the time It was called the river riverfront Terrence right off of the river across the street from showboat Which is one of the big venues over there and I broke three four strings On my guitar and I had to finish the show with two strings. Wow. Yeah, that's a lot of stress So I I you want to know how much of a train wreck that that was Hey a buddy guy taught himself how to play the guitar with a 2x4 and a wire. 

Yeah. Oh, yeah Wow, wow, I can't I can't fathom that that you didn't know how to I mean, I guess I guess it That happens well, you know, I think that you you get bad habits as you go Yeah, and I taught myself off of YouTube YouTube was the first way I've learned how to play guitar So I would just would watch these these videos and I didn't realize that I had a tendency of doing palm mute so hard So I would palm mute and I would do it so much in a three-hour show You're breaking strings and you consistently break strings and it's just you know, one goes two goes three goes Yeah, here comes get on the train this is gonna go off the rails So yeah, I remember somebody asked me once did you learn to play your guitar and like YouTube or something like? I had to buy a book. Yeah Actually, it was worse than that. 

We had to keep moving the needle back on the record there, too Yeah, my god to replay that to replay that part of the record. That's right and try not to scratch it Let's try to pick it up. You know, he's get the little That's the beauty of what it used to be I tell you I wish I actually wish that was going on So yeah, it was actually there was a lot more Simplicity in that. 

Yeah, then having to have my phone. Okay now I gotta have Spotify There was a simplicity of just you know doing that little record scratch and moving the needle back for a second You know picking up doing it again. It was so simple to do it that way. 

Yeah, but it's funny Yeah, I was actually in Guitar Center in Joliet a couple weeks ago And I always like to go in in the afternoons when there's nobody there and the kids are not out of school yet So all you hear is just everybody's trying to play the Inter Sandman riff. Oh, yeah So I'm in there and I'm just kind of browsing around and everything and this guy walks in he's got like three guitars And the guitar tech is always there Actually, by the way, really good guitar tech at the Guitar Center in Joliet and And this guy comes in he goes. Yeah, so I've got this guitar here I was told that there's like tens on here size 10. 

He called it size 10 You know and then this is size 11 and this is size 12 And I you know, I try to change my strings like once every three years. They say you should do some maintenance I tried to change my strings like once every three years and stuff and I just kind of cut I turned around I caught the attention. I caught the eye of the of their guitar tech He kind of looked at me and he's like every three years, you know This guy thought that the strings on the guitar were like the spark plugs on the car Where it's just like, you know So it's like he bought these guitars and he kept the strings on the guitar that he bought the guitar with I mean He's like, yeah, he's like this guitar. 

I've had it for like 10 years. I don't think I've ever changed the strings on this Can you imagine what it sounds like Some flavor That had a freak him out when he got new strings, yeah, I know there's like whoa, that's not my guitar So either he plays so much that he keeps the rust off of them because you can do that Yeah, you know the oil on your fingers, right? And he's just got a light touch or he doesn't play at all You know, he takes the thing out like every three years just you know, whatever Wow Can you imagine though? I mean if they are all rusty instead of probably a science experiment growing in every single groove Get your tetanus shot. Seriously. 

Yeah, so I guess I guess and I I don't think he understood that I can do this myself, right? Yeah He's like I got to buy a whole new guitar now because these strings are just Oh my god, I trade my car and when my windshield wipers don't work I Streak yeah Yeah, it's done So, well, you know what it's that time where we need to hear this guy. Yeah, that's right and play all six strings. Yeah Yeah, actually, you know what? We should actually just cut four of them We're gonna be right back take a little break be right back you're listening to the rock and roll Chicago podcast Hey everybody, it's Ray the roadie and this is Hollywood Mike of the rock-and-roll Chicago podcast If you've been joining our weekly program, we have great news for you Just tune in to Road to Rock radio on Mondays at 7 p.m Central time and you can hear a rebroadcast of one of our past episodes then again on Thursdays at 7 p.m You can hear our most current episode brought to you by the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 So go to Road to Rock org scroll down and click on radio station. 

That'll bring you to the Road to Rock radio A station committed entirely to the great music from Illinois from Chicago blues born on Maxwell Street to today's rock-and-roll and everything in between 24-7 all music with its roots in, Illinois Your Sunday nights just got a whole lot bluesier Get ready for the bus stop blues show that takes you deep into the soul of the blues with classic hits road stories and live jam sessions Hosted by blues man Kevin Purcell and me the one and only road bill the bus stop blues is two hours of non-stop blues banter and badassery check out the bus stop blues podcast at the bus stop blues Calm where you can listen on Spotify iHeart Apple podcasts or any other major podcast Platform up on board the bus stop blues where the blues never stops rolling And now for the first time tonight Ryan Craig Didn't know that time was a stick around growing up in my hometown In that small town USA where I was born and raised on back roads to a fishing hole John Mellencamp on the radio Sing and sway Memories we were making Every now and then I get to thinking about My hometown And down on Main Street is where you see some old-time friends and a local dive bar Some things don't ever change like when the sky is clear and you see all the stars We've got our own check in We fly that old American flag In that small town USA where I was born and raised on back roads to a fishing hole John Mellencamp on the radio. We were singing and swaying Our memories we were making Every now and then I get to thinking about My hometown It's Sunday morning church, it's late nights around a bonfire. It's where we learn It's where I call home, it's where I grew up It's what made me In that small town USA where I was born and raised on back roads to a fishing hole John Mellencamp on the radio. 

We were singing and swaying Memories we were making Every now and then I get to thinking about my hometown My hometown My hometown Shut up guys Jesus Christ. Yeah, very nice good song Thank you guys. Like I said, somebody sounds like Brett Michael You gotta give us some So self-taught by watching YouTube, yes, it can be done who was your YouTube instructor gosh, I think it's Marty music Yeah, no, he actually, you know, he actually knows what the heck he's talking about, yeah, you know I find him every once in a while if I have to learn a new song. 

It's like, okay, how do you play it? Yeah, it's it's it's done. Why invent the wheel? How do you play this song? There's always some idiot showing you how to play the songs and he's always like the first guy to pop up and he knows what He's doing. No, she knows. 

Yeah. Yeah What's cool about it is is he will show you if there if it's a guitar that if it's a song It's got two guitar parts in it. Yeah, he'll say now here's the way I play it. 

Mm-hmm Even though it's only one. I can only play one guitar Here's the way I play it to kind of fill in the other guitar part and he shows me and it's like oh, that's pretty cool He's like, oh he's like he's at the Country Music Awards, here's Marty music Yeah, he's one of these youtubers that's a millionaire yeah He's actually doing something, right? Yeah, no kidding just by sitting around learning how to play songs. Yeah teach other people how to do it So where does the songwriting come from? You know, I always love the creativeness. 

I love stories My favorite musicians were always very like story written. So that song, you know, I spoke about John Mellencamp I was born and raised off of John Mellencamp my dad You know taught me the 80s and he would even we would be driving in the car when I was a little kid and he would Tell me okay, like who's this on the radio, you know back in the day when radio actually like meant something We're actually like had not such a rotation, you know, like how it used to be Yeah, and before before John Mellencamp there used to be this guy. His name was John Cougar. 

He was really Yeah, but yes, it was just John Cougar, you're right, right he just went by John Cougar Mm-hmm, then it was John Cougar Mellencamp. Then it was John Mellencamp. Mm-hmm. 

I don't know what he is Yeah There you go, but no The music the music and creativeness of songwriting. I think just was a spark I always loved that aspect of things and especially when you go to like Nashville You know It's it's cool to actually like sit there and listen to songs that are on the B side of what people are Putting out now or it's not like this. It needs to be catchy It's actually gives you like a picture of what the song is about So I just love that aspect of it and I think it just you know got to me in my heart So that you know, that's how I started picking up the guitar. 

I was like, I want to do that. So yeah It's so funny that you mentioned John Cougar Mellencamp, right because I was I was literally having the conversation a couple weeks ago My son and a bunch of his friends. They all they're the same thing. 

They're they're all in their early 20s I think I'm gonna play guitar now yeah, and so and so I always give these guys people you need to listen to and I mentioned John Mellencamp and one guy was Like John Mellencamp because his his father was in the group of people that for some reason picked on him because when he first came around everybody accused him of being like A Midwestern version of Bruce Springsteen. Yeah, which I don't believe at all because I hate Bruce Springsteen. I'm sorry Bruce Cybers, I don't like your music. 

I'm sorry. I don't Bruce that's Mike not Ray. I love you. 

Yeah, I'm sorry. Sorry Bruce Yeah, I mean, you know, yeah, whatever We're over that That's a lawsuit for Bruce Springsteen. Yeah. 

Yeah. No, that's why I said that I think I think his song right? I think his songwriting is great. I just performance. 

I Seen him in concert I'd prefer to listen to the songwriting part of it than anything else and the proof of that is other people have done songs that He's written and they've been like hits. Oh, yeah Yeah, right, right, but um, but but poor John Mellencamp got accused of trying to copy Bruce Springsteen I didn't think that at all, but I've been a huge fan of his forever I don't know why people would always crap on John Mellencamp. I don't know why I don't know why either I know like recently he you know, like he does have like that like old man attitude I think where he's like, you know, I'm not gonna play the show for some reasons But you know, I've always loved the music of John and I'm you know, same with Bob Seger Bob Seger's another one It's like, you know, oh, yeah Motown like those guys that were just, you know Putting the craft out there and it was it doesn't mean it's just Bruce Springsteen because he had a raspy voice It's you know, there's other guys that have songs of their own. 

So yeah. Yeah. Yeah I play a couple of Mellencamp songs. 

My favorite song still to this day is the song that Brought him to the show. Gave him a seat at the table. I was you're too young to remember remember to show solid gold. 

Mm-hmm And Andy Gibb and Marilyn McHugh right where the hosts of that show and it was on WGN here in Chicago and John Mellencamp was like an 18 year Old kid. He was going as John Cougar and he performed ain't even done with the night and that is still my favorite That is still my favorite song is same. Yeah. 

Yeah. Yeah, nothing. The problem was coming from the Midwest Could be Midwest didn't put out, you know solo artists like that, right? No, right, so they don't give no no cred Yeah, yeah, who knows whatever? Yeah. 

Yeah, he proven him wrong. Yeah, but Your interest in Seeger where'd that come from? Because I'm a Seeger fan too. We're like we're like, yeah Long lost. 

I tell you like we got the same taste, but I know the Bob Seger again Was that is just the songwriting aspect, you know against the wind like when I was a kid You know younger and listen to that song. I Honestly did not like like it. It wasn't something that just sparked but now being like in the songwriting realm I'm like that is an amazing song that he wrote About that theory of go running against the wind if you if you're a runner like, you know, and you're outside That is like the perfect analogy of like it's tough Especially if it's cold and that's that's what that song kind of like was interpreting but like in a relationship So it was like super cool. 

And then like I said night moves was another one. My favorite song is like a rock By Bob Seger. I love that. 

I always I tell my wife I'm like at my funeral. This is this is the song I want you to play Yeah, like I always loved him as well and he he comes I believe him from Michigan So he's he's a Motown guy. So like, you know, you know probably that Midwest Atmosphere of like, you know, that's probably why I think like in Certain areas in certain states. 

You definitely could see a difference in people's taste and I don't know if it's because of the way of Living but it's definitely something that like those guys John Mellencamp and Bob Seger those two dudes that are like 100% right up my alley, you know, I'm 32 years old I wasn't there when they were in their heat, right? But you know, that's something that I can listen to every day all day Yeah I was about a 10 year old kid when against the wind came out and every time I hear that song I I'm transported back to the backseat of my father's car as he's driving me to like Little League practice or whatever It's it has that kind of memory. Yeah. Yeah. 

Yeah, and I have this conversation all the time I travel a lot for what I do in my day job And Yeah, where are you from and I don't try to explain to people Where I'm from the city that I live in because nobody's ever heard of it You know the only city anybody's ever really heard of from Illinois is Chicago Yeah, but I just but I just say I'm from Illinois Yeah They automatically go all Chicago because people don't understand people people all around the country think that the entire state of Illinois is Chicago right, they don't understand that Chicago is a dot on that map of Illinois and the rest of it is all farmlands basically and There's this there's this Americana and country aspect to the music that artists from Illinois will write Yeah, because we've got that we've we've got that farmland that country that down-home type type of man Yes, they people don't realize that. Yes, it's a different. It's a different aspect Like you just said we're it's like, you know, we're we're like, uh, we're an exit off of the interstate Yeah, you know I'm saying like it's not we're not in a dot and into you know the city but like yeah There's so much more to this this, you know state thing and there's so many musicians like that It's just an it's filtered with so many musicians that are from Illinois that have that have had success and there and they have different Genres that they go through. 

I think that's why Illinois is so good with musicians is because there's different aspects You can have somebody who is rock you could have somebody country. You can have somebody who's hip-hop This is what that state that's I love that about, Illinois. Have you given him the 50-cent tour? Yeah. 

No, not yet No, not yet. You will afterwards you can we get to give you the 50-cent tour of the part of the museum That is open here But one thing I'll tell everybody if you're ever in the area during the afternoon come by because what we're talking about right here Yeah is what is on display on the first floor the only floor that that is really accessible to the public right now There's a wall this wall right over here with a bunch of people Pictures of people that are from the state of Illinois. Okay, and when you see who they are, you're gonna be going I didn't know that dude was from Illinois. 

I didn't know that she's from, Illinois I didn't know and it's shocking It really is and from from opera to gospel to country to rock and roll to blues all people from the state of Illinois Yeah, and people don't realize that about this state. I I can't wait to walk around it I already know some of them I could imagine it that there's something I'm gonna be surprised with. Yeah, that's awesome Anybody playing I come to the museum Let me tell you that winter hours are now ten to four. 

Ah, there you go Why not Why not? Yeah, so when it comes to the music those people that are listening to it, they want to feel something They want it. They want to relate to what you're singing, you know You write something about it something might happen in your life, but it might have happened in somebody else's life And that's that's what they're looking for and they hear that they latch on to that. Yeah well, and you know like Just touching back back on that. 

I think that like how we're talking about likes Places in the state and then also like other states You could tell it in in the crowds that we play at right, you know, like if you go over, you know It's like Wisconsin. I'm you know played a lot in Wisconsin, but when we're back up there that place is louder than truck There's there's people that are going at it and and they they'll they'll clap every single time to a song They listen to you. They want to hear your originals. 

They want to hear you as just a musician and I think that's awesome Like, you know, there's there's just so many things so many people that you know Do this journey and there's so many other places in areas that are just like, you know, they gravitate to authenticity, right? Right, isn't it great when you find a place like that? Yeah, it's so refreshing Oh, you mean I can come in here and I can I can play my own. Yes. This is great Instead of being the background music, right, you know, I gosh I love that so much Yeah, you do realize that Wisconsin is the drunkest state. 

Oh, yeah Yeah, they do that right? I don't know about their football team, but well, well, you know, like we say the more you drink the better We're gonna sound so there you go. That's probably why they go rocking. Yeah Speaking of rock, let's get another song from you Yeah, we'll come back and we'll talk about some gigs and everything cool. 

All right, you're listening to the rock and roll chicago podcast That sounds nice 2 a.m. Comes rolling around i've been doing my best to drown you out Sitting at the bar staying out late Jack and coke seems to do the job until the whiskey starts to wear off You're breaking me down like you own the place I've been trying to drink your memory away Drunk every night till the morning comes I long the next day Till I get gripping on that Bottle of black to make it last hoping your memory will never come back and drink your memory away Then maybe i'll be okay 2 a.m in a bar stool They go together when I hear a tune It brings you back to another place It doesn't matter where i'm at i'm pouring more in that glass Running from you like you're the enemy Because i've been trying to drink your memory away Drunk every night till the morning comes I long the next day Till I get gripping on that bottle of black to make it last Hoping your memory will never come back and drink your memory away Then maybe i'll be okay Just running away Me I've been trying to drink your memory your way Drink your memory your way Drink your memory your way Drunk every night till the morning comes I long the next day Till I get gripping on that bottle of black to make it last Hoping your memory will never come back and drink your memory away Then maybe i'll be okay Just running away Me What was that You got me did I did I accidentally hit this button before I hit that one maybe Are you gone gone again? No, there we are There you go. You're back. Yeah, I don't know which one of these controls that anymore. 

I think I think you just scratched the record That's what it is That's what we were talking about earlier. You had to move the record back Okay, and then play it back That's hilarious that isn't record scratch. Oh my god, that's hilarious that's new. 

Yeah, that's new we got Look at that So you said uh the band itself you guys are kind of like on hiatus now and just uh, yeah regrouping you do any solo work yeah, so a lot of solo work, uh, usually in the in the Uh winter and in the fall that's usually when I do the solo. Um on occasion if there's like a thursday or wednesday Uh sundays, obviously, you know trying to trying to just like fill the tank, you know, I would say Um, and then off i'd love to do like, um charity work sometimes, you know playing for autism, you know events playing for you know Things that like, you know get my heart going to you know If that if that means that it's like an hour out of my day To do something then then that's something I do acoustically, uh for the most part, but yeah Yeah, you got gigs coming up or yeah, so we uh, our our next gig we have um on saturday. We're at stolen saddle Uh down in wrigleyville. 

So that's that place is rocking. It's uh, they they've redone their inside. Um, And it used to be another bar. 

I can't remember off time I had it's gonna take me a minute to think of that but uh, they have a whole christmas set up Oh nice, it's like you go downtown. It's like it's one of those bars. It's like You're you're a winner. 

What could that be where we're going on friday? Yes um Where were you guys going? Well, we are going to the pop-up bar called santa babies. Yeah Uh, well, it might be that but but they but it's a pop-up bar inside of I think that's where we're gonna be I think it is maybe it is we're gonna be there on friday. What are you guys doing over on friday? Um, we just have reservations to go in there and have dinner and have a couple guys got a date Of course How cute We're dating yes The secret's out. 

Yes. That's right. There's more than just the podcast. 

Yeah, that's that's right. That's right secrets out Heck yeah, but uh, yeah, we're uh, we're um, we're playing there saturday and then uh, I got a few We're playing in nash vegas later in the in the december months. So december 19th. 

I got a couple chamber of commerce events Uh to work with some of the the towns over by me and mantino and peatone Um, and then I got a couple over in the winter, uh, probably going back up to the dells, you know, uh Showing my face again and then some nashville trips Um, but mainly just focusing on writing for the winter so we can get more songs on out I'm thinking of doing some like acoustic, uh, you know a six six ep Um, you know trying to do that as well. So I get more material that's out so people could hear. Yeah Where can people find you like social media wise and stuff? Well, you can find my only fans account on uh, That's one of the long long ones you can see a lot of good feet on that one but um, yeah so, uh, no, you can find me on a uh, ryan craig music, uh 33 on instagram. 

Uh, ryan craig band on facebook and ryan craig live on Uh our website. I know that there's so many ryan craigs That it's like you sometimes just need to work around that. I can't change my name so, uh, hopefully we can get a blue hashtag around that that name soon, but um, But yeah, so that's where you can find me on on all my platforms. 

Very good. Very good. Sounds good Well, this is a lot of fun. 

Yeah. Yeah, this was great. Thanks for coming out coming in. 

Yeah. Thanks guys See you out there The rock and roll chicago podcast is edited by paul martin theme song courtesy of mnr The rock and roll chicago podcast does not own the rights to any of the music heard on the show The music is used to promote the guests that are featured