Rob Stepen 🎸 Lost Tapes, Steve Albini & Joey’s Song | Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast

This week on the Hogpod Chicago Music Scene Podcast, we welcome Rob Stepen — Chicago rocker, storyteller, and frontman of The Generations. Rob’s story is incredible: in 1985 he recorded songs that sat forgotten for nearly four decades in his attic. Thanks to legendary producer Steve Albini, those long-lost tapes were restored and re-released as the album Alternate View.Hosts Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Mike Dermont, Pete Jansons, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes are joined by booker Beth Miller to dive into Rob’s journey — rediscovering his analog reels, working with Albini, honoring Flock violinist Jerry Goodman, playing iconic venues like the Des Plaines Theatre, and giving back through Joey’s Song, a nonprofit raising funds for epilepsy research in memory of Joseph Gomoll.Rob shares what it’s like to hear your teenage self on tape 38 years later, how much it really cost to restore the reels, and why passion and service fuel everything he does with The Generations.🔗 Connect with Rob Stepen & The Generations:Website: https://robstepenmusic.com/🎧 Enjoying the show? Support Hogpod on Patreon and help us keep the Chicago music stories alive!https://www.patreon.com/hogpodAre you a band, club owner, or booker and want to be on the show? Reach out to Beth Miller for booking:[email protected] | 708-287-36920:00 Opening Clip WGN 2024 Interview with Rob and the band The Generations https://youtu.be/oY84UxwspXc7:04 Happy Anniversary Mike And Debbie7:39 Chris Rhodes playing with Focal Point in Buffalo Grove12:08 Shoutout to Anthem17:44 Special Guest Rob Stepen18:28 Rob Stepen Intro20:15 Joey’s Song Charity https://www.joeyssong.org/our-story Joey’s Song fights epilepsy with music in memory of Joseph Gomoll, who died in 2010 just shy of his fifth birthday after suffering a debilitating form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome.20:48 Rob tells the story of refurbishing his long-lost album with Steve Albini!23:11 Butch Vig25:42 The Flock Band https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flock_(band)26:51 Jerry Goodman violinist27:42 Des Plaines Theatre and Ron Onesti Hospitality28:54 Rob Interview WGN https://youtu.be/y04t-cyqPwA and Rob’s mastery of marketing plans38:35 Shout out to company Rob works for Insperity https://www.insperity.com/40:53 Coterie Yacht Rock event Sep 28 2pm The Vixen McHenry https://www.facebook.com/share/1K2so91vET/42:01 Sandy Gennaro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Gennaro43:31 Rob, Beth Green Room Story44:53 Mike Gomoll Founder at Joey’s Song Story https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-gomoll/49:42 Shout out to Green Room Manager Jackie Des Plaines Theatre51:53 The Generations Band Story57:18 What was it like to go back and listen to yourself in high school on those tapes58:16 Steve Albini story on refurbishing the tapes the first visit59:35 How much was it to get refurbished?1:01:46 What would Steve Albini say about music and AI if he were alive today1:03:09 Joey DeMarco United Talent Corporation Booking shout out1:08:42 TUTS and other old school bars1:12:50 Differences today vs old school bands1:17:08 Bongo Mike Question Time1:21:48 How to book The Generations? https://robstepenmusic.com/#Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #RobStepen #TheGenerations #SteveAlbini #JoeysSong #DesPlainesTheatre #SandyGennaro #ChicagoBands #MusicPodcast #MikeOrfanos #MikeDermont #PeteJansons #ChrisRhodesyRhodes #BethMiller