Shows / Caropop
Caropop
There may be nothing more inspiring and entertaining than relaxed, candid conversations among creative people. Mark Caro, a relentlessly curious journalist and on-stage interviewer, loves digging into the creative process with artists and drawing out surprising stories that illuminate the work that has become part of our lives. The Caropopcast is for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the music, movies, food and culture that they love.
Episodes
CaropopDennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper)
Bassist Dennis Dunaway was—and is—one of the key figures in the 1970s rock band, Alice Cooper. That’s right, the band Alice Cooper, which recorded seven albums…
CaropopChris Stamey 2025
When I spoke with Chris Stamey way back for Caropop Ep. 30, he shared a sheet music collection called Marvelous Melodies Songbook, New Songs Vol. III. Several…
CaropopMay Pang (John Lennon)
May Pang was John Lennon’s companion for the late-1973-to-early-1975 period that has become known as Lennon’s “lost weekend.” Although Pang has used that…
CaropopJim Davis (Mobile Fidelity)
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has been a top audiophile label since its 1977 founding and 2001 reboot after Jim Davis, president of the high-end audio equipment…
CaropopJohn Hall (Rickenbacker)
John Hall has been CEO of the family-run Rickenbacker guitar company since 1984, right around when R.E.M.'s Peter Buck was inspiring a generation of jangly…
CaropopDavid Lowery 2025
David Lowery is looking back while pushing forward. The brainy, witty Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker frontman just released a two-CD, three-LP solo album…
CaropopZev Feldman, 'Jazz Detective'
Zev Feldman, a.k.a. the “Jazz Detective,” has turned his crate-digging passion into a career: He tracks down previously unreleased recordings and jumps through…
CaropopVicki Peterson & John Cowsill
Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill, who are married to each other, have been making music for many years but recently released their first album together, Long…
CaropopChad Kassem (Acoustic Sounds)
Called "the Wizard of Vinyl" by the New York Times, Chad Kassem has devoted his professional life to the cause of great-sounding records. In addition to…
CaropopMitch Ryder
With mid-‘60s hits such as “Jenny Take a Ride!” and “Devil with a Blue Dress On,” Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels all but created the rock ‘n’ soul rave-up…
CaropopJason Jones & Steve Woolard (Rhino, Yes, Talking Heads)
How does a label execute ambitious rerelease campaigns for its key artists, in this case Yes and Talking Heads? We talk with Rhino A&R directors Jason Jones…
CaropopKevin Godley, Pt. 2 (Godley & Creme)
As this episode kicks off, Kevin Godley and his longtime songwriting and creative partner, Lol Creme, have just left 10cc, so instead of being part of hits…
CaropopKevin Godley, Pt. 1 (10cc)
“If we did something that was too drab, too normal, too obvious, we'd say, ‘Nah, let's give it a kick in the ass.’” That’s how Kevin Godley describes the…
CaropopCheryl Pawelski (Omnivore, Wilco boxes)
Omnivore Recordings co-founder and four-time Gramny-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski has figured out how to do what she loves for a living. She went from…
CaropopPatrick Milligan 2025 (Rhino, Record Store Day)
Rhino Records has 47—yes, 47—releases coming out on Record Store Day (April 12), but that’s not all that’s been keeping Rhino Senior A&R Director Patrick…
CaropopPeter Holsapple 2025
Over the past year, Peter Holsapple has toured with the reunited dB’s and enjoyed the overdue U.S. vinyl releases of their classic first two albums; seen the…
CaropopJoe Harley (Blue Note Tone Poet)
Joe Harley oversees some of the best jazz vinyl rereleases around as producer of Blue Note’s acclaimed Tone Poet series. Harley picks the titles, and, as he…
CaropopJoe Boyd 2025
Producer Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention/Richard Thompson, R.E.M.) has written a massive, highly entertaining, illuminating book about world music…
CaropopMike Mills (R.E.M.)
Mike Mills of R.E.M. and the Baseball Project and a new supergroup with Darius Rucker is here, and we’ve got questions: How did R.E.M. come to share all…
CaropopDave Alvin, Pt. 2
Part 2 of our conversation with guitarist-songwriter-singer-storyteller Dave Alvin begins with him discussing musical biopics and the one that put him off the…
CaropopDave Alvin, Pt. 1
Dave Alvin has had such an epic career that we’re going to need two episodes to fit it all in. Much of Part 1 spotlights Alvin’s values as a musician. As he…
CaropopBob Jackson (Badfinger)
Do you know the tragic story of Badfinger? Behind such life-affirming songs as “No Matter What,” “Day After Day” and “Baby Blue” and the much-covered power…
CaropopNora O'Connor (The Flat Five)
Nora O’Connor is a super collaborator, someone who loves singing harmonies and makes everyone sound good. She’s a member of the Chicago all-star group the Flat…
CaropopMacie Stewart (Finom)
Macie Stewart, half of the Chicago-based duo Finom, is one of those musicians who can do almost anything. She’s a classical pianist and violinist who wrote her…
CaropopMichael Jerome (Richard Thompson, The Third Mind)
Michael Jerome had been drumming in a post-industrial metal band when he auditioned for Richard Thompson in 1999, little knowing he would be this brilliant…
CaropopKevin Gray 2025
It's time for our fourth annual check-in with masterful mastering engineer Kevin Gray as he comes off yet another crazy-busy year. What new did he and Doors…
CaropopSteven McDonald (Redd Kross)
Redd Kross, a band overdue for massive appreciation, is having a moment. There’s a new page-turner of a memoir, Now You’re One of Us, co-written by brother…
CaropopBruce Spizer (Beatles U.S. 1964 Albums in Mono)
Beatles author Bruce Spizer wrote the liner notes for the new vinyl box The Beatles U.S. 1964 Albums in Mono, and here he digs into the history of these…
CaropopSteve Conte
Steve Conte became lead guitarist in one legendary band, the New York Dolls, and co-wrote half of his latest album, The Concrete Jangle, with the main…
CaropopDon Was, Pt. 2 (Blue Note President)
Don Was may be an accomplished performer and producer, as covered in Pt. l, but he’s also got quite the day job: president of Blue Note Records. How did this…
CaropopDon Was, Pt. 1 (Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, B-52's)
His ‘80s band Was (Not Was) scored a top 10 hit, “Walk the Dinosaur,” but Don Was has had an even greater impact on the music world as a producer. In 1989 he…
CaropopCaropop Happy Thanksgiving 2024
Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you so much for listening to Caropop since our launch in the fall of 2021. We’re now 157 episodes and more than three years in, and…
CaropopGraham Gouldman (10cc)
Graham Gouldman already had written classic ‘60s hits—including the Yardbirds’ “For Your Love” and “Heart Full of Soul,” the Hollies’ “Bus Stop” and “Look…
CaropopGrant Achatz on Charlie Trotter
“It felt like I just stepped into a rodeo, and they shut the gate behind me.” That’s how Grant Achatz describes his first day of working in the kitchen of…
CaropopSusan Cowsill
Susan Cowsill was the kid sister of the family band the Cowsills, and she made an indelible impression singing “and spaghetti’d!” on the Cowsills’ 1968 hit…
CaropopSima Cunningham (Finom)
Sima Cunningham has had two albums released this year: Not God from Finom, her band with fellow Chicago singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Macie Stewart…
CaropopIain Matthews (Fairport Convention)
Iain Matthews was an early member of the pioneering British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, singing on its first two albums and leaving during the…
CaropopJoan Osborne
Joan Osborne is best known for a certain big hit yet has amassed an impressive career since then. Her latest album, Nobody Owns You, may be her most personal…
CaropopScott Lucas (Local H)
When the young Zion, Ill., band Local H shrunk from four members to two, leader Scott Lucas decided he liked the guitar-and-drums attack and has stuck with it…
CaropopMark Caro, by Steve Dawson
To mark Episode 150 of Caropop, we’re doing something different. My friend Steve Dawson— an awesome singer-songwriter who was my guest back on Episode 10, as…
CaropopIsaac Slusarenko (Jackpot Records)
This week’s episode takes us behind the scenes of an independent record label and record store out of Portland, Oregon: Jackpot Records, with its founder Isaac…
CaropopJohn Stirratt (Wilco, The Autumn Defense)
Immediately after Uncle Tupelo co-leaders Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy parted ways 30 years ago, bassist John Stirratt and his fellow bandmates followed Tweedy…
CaropopSteve Wynn: Rockin' Author
The Dream Syndicate/Baseball Project singer-songwriter-guitarist just released a new memoir, I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True, and solo album, Make It…
CaropopJeff McDonald (Redd Kross)
Jeff McDonald’s band Redd Kross is marking its 45th anniversary this year, which is all the more impressive given that the singer-songwriter-guitarist is…
CaropopCaropop End of Summer Message
Wanted to let you know that we’re taking the last three weeks of August off, and we’ll be back the Thursday after Labor Day, Sept. 5, all refreshed and ready…
CaropopSteve Cropper & Jimmy James
When I spoke with guitarist Jimmy James a few weeks ago for Caropop Ep. 143, he cited Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the M.G.’s. as a key inspiration. Listen…
CaropopJimmy James (Parlor Greens, True Loves)
Jimmy James is a fantastic, funky guitarist who never plays more than is needed yet can seize any moment. This Seattle native is a longtime member of the big…
CaropopChris Stein (Blondie)
Guitarist Chris Stein was a driving force behind Blondie and, with longtime songwriting/personal partner Debbie Harry, co-wrote many of its classic songs…
CaropopPete Best (The Beatles)
After a fluky financial windfall, Mona Best bought a Victorian mansion in Liverpool, opened the Casbah Coffee Club in the cellar, and the Quarrymen, an early…
CaropopHappy Independence Day, 2024
With the Fourth of July falling on a Thursday, we encourage your independence to explore the 140 Caropop episodes so far. Go to Caropop.com/caropopcast—you can…
CaropopGraham Maby (Joe Jackson)
Graham Maby is one of rock’s most revered bassists, known especially for his work with Joe Jackson. Maby and Jackson were in another band together in England…
CaropopWill Rigby (The dB's)
Drummer Will Rigby provided the propulsion, grooves and furious fills for the dB’s, a North Carolina foursome who launched their collective career in New York…
CaropopVicki Peterson (The Bangles)
Vicki Peterson wrote, sang and played lead guitar on many of the Bangles’ best songs, even if they weren’t the ones that made the band famous. In a smart…
CaropopAbey Fonn (Impex Records)
Impex Records has been releasing stellar audiophile recordings since Abey Fonn founded the small label in 2009. Impex’s offerings have included 33 and 45 rpm…
CaropopDon Dixon, Pt. 2
After co-producing R.E.M.'s Murmur and Reckoning, Don Dixon got calls from other bands, often southern and jangly, seeking his services. He produced three…
CaropopDon Dixon, Pt. 1
Don Dixon already had spent 13 years playing, singing and writing with the North Carolina indie band Arrogance when he joined Mitch Easter to co-produce…
CaropopWilliam Bell
William Bell is a soul legend who scored an early hit for Memphis’s Stax Records with 1961’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and wrote and sang such much-covered…
CaropopSteve Albini, 1962-2024
We were devastated to hear of Steve Albini’s death at age 61 of a heart attack. He was a titanic figure in the music world and a mensch among musicians who…