Anthony Vacarro joined Beach Bunny as bass player in 2019 and has been playing lead guitar since 2022. He also has his own band, Helicopter Leaves and has put out two great records - Get Stuck In (2023) and his latest, Sabrina Nickels out in 2026. We talked with Anthony about the differences of being in those bands - from local gigs to playing Madison Square Garden. And we talk a lot about the Chicago music community.

Time stamps:

1:40 - Congrats on the new record - Sabrina Nickels. How did that process work?

4:05 - How different is it working with Sean O'Keefe on a Beach Bunny record vs. Helicopter Leaves?

10:10 - Is the new Helicopter Leaves record more focused than the first one?

13:45 - You made the first record at your grandfather's home studio and the new one at a full studio. What led to that decision.

15:25 - Grandpa Sam taught you to play music - how old were you?

18:35 - Tell us about your love for Pavement.

24:40 - How did you enter the Beach Bunny orbit?

30:45 - What was your Dad's band?

32:00 - You volunteer to play bass with Beach Bunny.

37:10 - How have you accepted the popularity of Beach Bunny?

41:05 - What's been the most surreal part of being with Beach Bunny?

48:20 - Can it be more fulfilling to be playing Helicopter Leaves songs in front of 100 people than playing Madison Square Garden?

49:20 - What has been the response to Sabrina Nickels?

51:05 - What are the plans for Helicopter Leaves this year?

54:40 - Your family must all be proud of you.

58:10 - You've inspired John Perrin to work on his own music.

61:40 - Deep dish or thin crust pizza?

66:05 - Favorite places to play music in Chicago and favorite places to see music in Chicago?

69:20 - What do you appreciate most about the Chicago music scene?

74:20 - Favorite cheap drink?

76:55 - What's happening in the next 6 months?

Steve Baker is the co-owner of Chicago Fret Works. After starting his career as an English teacher, he began working on guitars in 2000, learning his craft at Bryan Galloup's School of Luthiery in Michigan. In 2008, after working together at another Chicago guitar shop, he and Dan Wolf partnered up to go out on their own with Chicago Fret Works. Now eighteen years in, they've worked on instruments by many famous musicians - including lots from Wilco - as well as everyday guitars used by students at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Steve shares a bunch of those stories with us and we talk a lot about the Chicago music community.

Time stamps:

02:00 — How or when did you get into music?

07:48 — Who's your favorite Beatle?

09:06 — What's the most recent thing that's cracked open for you musically?

15:32 — When did you start? How did you learn? What's your journey through the guitar world?

17:47 —how do you start dipping your toes into the guitar repair world?

21:55 — Did it click right away, being in bands?

24:49 — So how did you decide, where's this going?

27:46 — How does that come about? (re: going full time at the shop)

29:30 — Was he like, "you're dead to me" or "fuck yeah, go for it"? (re: telling the boss)

34:18 — Do you have plans for the 20th anniversary celebration?

37:48 — When did you feel, have you felt like, "yeah, we've made it"?

40:14 — How did that relationship with Wilco develop?

45:47 — Do those guys fall in love with something and say, "you've got to keep this thing going"?

48:12 — How did you get that opportunity? (re: tuning guitars for shows)

50:52 — So what's your greatest [story]?

58:54 — Is it hard to find people? Is it a good career working as a guitar tech? Is it hard to get people who know what they're doing nowadays?

69:18 — Are you a deep dish or thin crust pizza fan?

71:10 — What is your favorite venue to see a show at?

72:37 — What do you think makes Chicago a unique music scene?

75:30 — What's your go-to cheap drink?

79:02 — What's happening [at Chicago Fretworks for the next couple months]?

79:12 — What's the easiest way if I have a guitar that needs to be fixed? What's the best way? Do I just come in with it? Do I call you ahead? Do I send you an email?

79:50 — What are your hours?

Rob Miller co-founded Bloodshot Records in 1993 and ran the label until it was sold in 2021. He recently published a great new book, The Hours Are Long But the Pay is Low - A Curious Life in Independent Music. Rob joined us to talk about his history with Bloodshot and to share his thoughts on the book. We spent a lot of time talking about our mutual love for Chicago.

You can find out more about Rob and his book at his website: www.robmillerwriting.com

Rob also has a couple of events coming up in April:

Milwaukee event 4/15 - www.eventbrite.com/e/rob-miller-author-of-the-hours-are-long-but-the-pay-is-low-tickets-1982587294969?aff=oddtdtcreator

Chicago event 4/16 - www.oldtownschool.org/classes/detail/?courseid=8056