It's possible that you have never heard of Kel McBride. But, if you've been in Bloomington for any length of time, it's virtually impossible not to have heard of one of the many events that were her brainchildren. Here are a few: Eroticon, Bleeding Heartland Roller Derby, Bloomington Krampus Rampage and Bazaar, Ms. Lake Lemon Pageant. This is not an exhaustive list. She has also been a sex educator and a death and dying educator, having published The Death Changing Experience: An Oddball's Guide to Creating a Life and Death Plan. Currently, she teaches traffic safety for teens. Oh and by the way, one of her many concussions took place while having sex in a car. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

In 1996, fresh out of high school, Ben Swanson teamed up with his older brother Chris and their friends Eric Weddle and Jonathan Cargill to start a record label. The label began in the Swanson's house. Their first release was that of fellow North Dakotan, June Panic, but the partnership that set them on their spiritual path was with Jason Molina of Songs: Ohia and, later, Magnolia Electric Co. Reliable legend has it that when the Secretly boys originally reached out to Molina, he told them they could put his music out on the condition that they show up at his performance in a NYC record store. Their subsequent road trip changed indie rock history. And it all started, and continues, right here in Bloomington, the town where everything is better than fine and nothing can go wrong. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

"Dance is for everybody. I believe that the dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people," said Alvin Ailey, the visionary American dancer and choreographer. And yes MFers, we used a quote as the hook because it captures the philosophy we gleaned from Kay Olges, board president of Windfall Dancers, Inc. Kay took us from her early years pursuing a career as a ballerina in North Carolina to her many decades in Bloomington as a speech-language pathologist, mother, and lifelong dancer. We are also joined by our West Coast correspondent and former guest, Asher Waite-Jones, and Virginia Hojas, Josh's way-better half. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

People were always like, "Lesley Davis is so awesome," but we were like, "Don't tell us who's awesome, ya lil bitches. We'll find out for ourselves." We said that because we're a couple of real men who find things out for themselves. So we did—and yeah, Lesley is a force of nature. Bloomington owes her a goddamn thank you for living here. Following a personal diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome, she channeled her rich professional and life experiences into local and global accessibility advocacy. Thanks to Lesley for illuminating us, and hopefully you too. Episode links: AccessAbleUSA Accessible Bloomington uReport Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

In April and May of 1986, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe walked the streets of Bloomington and recorded Lifes Rich Pageant at Mellencamp's Belmont Mall Studio in Brown County.* So how could we resist getting in the wayback machine to dig up some stories? David Brent Johnson, our college rock oracle, led us back to 1986. Along the way we heard from Zirque Boner, James Combs, Mark McCormick, Kelly Walsh, Barb Stahl, and Lawrence Wells.  *By the way, that's not a typo. According to music journalist Tim Peacock, "Peter Buck stated: 'We all hate apostrophes. Michael insisted, and I agreed, that there's never been a good rock album that's had an apostrophe in the title.'" "Talk About The Pageant: When R.E.M. Came To Bloomington In 1986," David Brent Johnson. Barb Stahl's website: https://stahlstudios.com  Arson Garden's Music Family Tree page: https://musicalfamilytree.com/bands/arson_garden  Pass Me By, a Figment's song from the Second Story show. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

Think of this as the Page Six episode of our interview with Patrick and Marina Fiore of Le Petit Café. After we learn about their relationship with a curious building on the near west side and with TD's CDs and LPs, we get into the celebrity sightings. Of course, we are treated with a few Mellencamp moments, but they also take us in the wayback machine to the cast of Breaking Away and to other famous musicians who have dropped in to the cafe over the years. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

As we were setting up our recording gear in the dining room, Marina Fiore materialized with two plates of warm apple tarts with streusel topping and brie pastries, accompanied by handfuls of walnuts. She told us that Patrick thought the young men–he was referring to us two, of course–might need a little energy before the interview. This was our portal into the hospitality and warmth of Patrick and Marina Fiore, who opened this iconic Bloomington restaurant almost fifty years ago, serving hippies, academics, and townies who drunkenly arrived thinking it was still the greasy spoon that had been there only months before. Their fifty years of Bloomington stories made this one into a two-parter, so look for the second episode when Josh finally gets his shit together. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

In 2007, Josh Snowflake, Kenny ChrisTmas, and Holiday Mike recorded their first album, Crazy for ChrisTmas, which might never get its due as a cult classic, despite the fact that its themes are timeless: drugs and alcohol, excrement, capitalism, insanity, familicide, general murdering, and, of course, ChrisTmas. This episode is not for everyone. In fact, it's probably not for anyone. Merry ChrisTmas to all and to all a good fight–preferably with a family member right before ChrisTmas dinner. Click here for more Hung Stockings ChrisTmas cheer! Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

Sleeper started a hotel bar and created a community. He owns a Sleeper's Bar in the Cascades Inn, and Brad sits at his bar pretty regularly. In fact, last weekend, at the first annual Sleeper's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Brad was the most honored honoree because he has lured teachers, coaches, and even his wife Jenn into this townie bar. As for Sleeper, he's a bit of a Forrest Gump, so we get to hear about his run-ins with everybody from RFK Jr. to TJD–and about his bar, of course. If you haven't been to Sleepers, get yer ass up there. Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.

Our production schedule is a little cattywampus because Chris has run into some health problems, which we discuss on the pod, so honestly, if you're not feeling like hearing about some asshole's health problems, maybe don't listen to this one. We also get into horror movies and porta potties. The light at the end of the tunnel is that we already have our November interview in the bag: we posted up at Sleepers Bar in the Cascades Inn with Sleeper and one of his regulars, Brad Engel. Here's to waking up some feelings a little bit: Somewhere Over the Rainbow Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod. And thanks as usual to badknees WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support:  Support Bloomington Stories Contact & Follow: Instagram Facebook Bluesky YouTube Threads [email protected]  Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.