Strung Out

Send us Fan Mail Rachel Drew grew up the daughter of folk-musician-sweethearts, who met in 1972.  They played the old venues such as No Exit in Chicago's Roger's Park neighborhood.  As a kid, she knew she had the music within her, her mind spinning melodies of her making and lyrics to boot.  Finally, Drew took that step into the world of singer-songwriting, taking up where her parents le...

Send us Fan Mail David Rocco Facchini is an artist's artist.  He's at once a visual artist, making amazing sculptures out of found objects, such as bits of old movie equipment, he's a storyteller, a stop motion movie maker whose most recent film was featured at the Cannes Film Festival, and also an adventurer of sorts.  He recently set out in a Sprinter Van to explore the psyche of...

Send us Fan Mail David Rocco Facchini is an artist's artist.  He's at once a visual artist, making amazing sculptures out of found objects, such as bits of old movie equipment, he's a storyteller, a stop motion movie maker whose most recent film was featured at the Cannes Film Festival, and also an adventurer of sorts.  He recently set out in a Sprinter Van to explore the psyche of...

Send us Fan Mail This is part two of an interview with multi-talented songwriter/musician and visual artist Nicholas Barron.   His art studio/gallery in Rogers Park Chicago is just off the lake and it could be said that his studio and gallery serves also as a neighborhood consulate of goodwill and creativity. Nicholas pours his heart into his abstract paintings and his passion for his craft resona...

Send us Fan Mail It is no secret that the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago is home to a lot of artists.  Musicians, painters, sculptors, theater companies and the people who make them happen.  So it is not surprising that Nicholas Barron has an art studio just this side south of the Evanston border.  In this 2 part series, we meet Barron the musician.  His unique fingerpicking style, accompanie...

Send us Fan Mail Wanna have a listen to two upcoming tracks to the new Switchback album Red or Blue? Here they are!  Plus some news about upcoming Switchback fan tours, the ongoing fight to keep Switchback's trademark from being abused and news about the new art exhibit of Marty's work taking place at The Gallery in Peoria, IL.  Support the show We are always grateful to have you listeni...

Send us Fan Mail Mosquitoes, lost art, new music, Labor Day....what else? Support the show We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links: SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK MARTIN'S WEBSITE: http://www. MARTINMcCORMACK.COM   (note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!) MARTIN'S MUSIC: Music |...

Send us Fan Mail It was a hot week in Chicago and yet, Chicago was tepid compared to the rest of the news from other parts, which really were burning!  From the Fulton County Jail to landing a rover on the south pole of the moon.  There were assassinations, insinuations, and altercations this past week that came fast and furious.  Listen in for the expert take on the current events with Sandeep Go...

Send us Fan Mail Martin sits down at the Hoosier Pie Company in Evanston, IL., to eat pie with writer, sports writer, band critic and music lover, Paul Schneider to talk about the state of the arts, AI, book publishing, loud fire engines and should Paul McCartney be praised or excoriated for releasing a posthumous Lennon demo as the Beatles?    Support the show We are always grateful to have you l...

Send us Fan Mail The first part of this podcast has Martin talking about International Left-handed Day, the Tragedy happening on Maui and the Big Island with the wildfires in Hawaii.  The second part is some sounds from the countryside near Indiana Dunes National Park.  This is the first attempt at recording some audioscapes.  Listen In!  Support the show We are always grateful to have you listeni...

Send us Fan Mail Sandeep Gopal and Martin relax in the backyard of the vast 10,000-acre estate and talk about politics, heat waves and sun bears.   Support the show We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links: SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK MARTIN'S WEBSITE: http://www. MARTINMcCORMACK.COM   (note---you can get my we...

Send us Fan Mail Martin spent a week over in Ireland on tour and shares some of the conversations he had with people from Northern Ireland, particularly the town of Enniskillen in County Fermanagh.  Change is slowly happening in Ireland and the day of an united Ireland is not that far-fetched or far-off.   Listen to the reasons given and you may be surprised.  Support the show We are always gratef...

Send us Fan Mail Jenny Bienemann is a powerhouse.  She works at fundraising for the Music Institute of Chicago, a job that requires a great deal of patience, communication and passion.  She is a mother; she is wife to fellow singer-songwriter Robin Bienemann.  She gives songwriting workshops.  She publishes haiku poetry and has sessions in which artist carve songs from the haiku she creates.   She...

Send us Fan Mail Softspoken, funny, a natural storyteller.  Those are the first words that come to mind when talking to Ron Lazzeretti.  But he is a hard-working songwriter, crafting lyrics and biting down on each word to see if has gold, or fool's gold.  Ron Lazzeretti is an artist. And like so many singer-songwriters around Chicago, feeds that habit by working "side gigs." He is a...

Send us Fan Mail Martin's birthday is a week from now, and so this podcast has a quick world news roundup of some of the significant events happening.  Then a song in the raw from the current new album Martin is working on as a surprise for our listeners.  We next look to what's going on artistically in the Martyworld:  Switchback's new album, the art exhibition being set up for The...

Send us Fan Mail Saxon Stone is a visual artist/sculptor.  His inspiration comes from living in Chicago, observing nature on his foraging runs to find natural objects from mushrooms to lichens, wood and rock.  He believes in the concept of bringing nature into a room and his various pieces of rock walls, planters and the like very much look as if one was transported to a preserve in their home.  ...

Send us Fan Mail The singer-songwriter Al Rose has been a fixture on the Chicago Independent song circuit.  Coming into the studio with eight albums under his belt, Rose is thoughtful, funny and honest when it comes to the struggles and joys of being an independent artist.   Rose and his wife have also successfully operated a beloved Chicago business, the Kopi Cafe , located in the Andersonville n...

Send us Fan Mail We resume our series of the Philosophy of Art.  And, we are going to lean a bit toward some great singer-songwriters that call Chicago home.  Back in the 1960's through the early 1980's, Chicago was a mecca for singer-songwriters.  Great, legendary names like Goodman, Koloc and Prine were part of a scene that attracted crowds and record scouts alike.  Many other great si...

Send us Fan Mail On a gloomy and rainy June day, Sandeep and Martin decide to cheer things up a bit by talking about topics so depressing that the gloomy day feels great.  Tune in.  Support the show We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links: SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK MARTIN'S WEBSITE: http://www. MARTINMcCORMA...

Send us Fan Mail Martin and Sandeep talk about this hideous "Chicago" drink called Malort.  And the talk careens into Indian food, Indian takes on other cultures food and ultimately, our heroes figure out that the market is ready for an Indian American Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.    Support the show We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links...

Send us Fan Mail Martin talks about a gravestone that had an impact on him while visiting the Rosehill cemetery.  It is dedicated to a soldier, whose comrades couldn't find his body after the battle of Shiloh.   Jeramiah Powell is remembered on that stone in Rosehill only to be lost to our current 21st century world.   Martin reflects on Shiloh and Powell and how lucky we are that he died for...

Send us Fan Mail We're back again with Paul Schneider to talk about music, bands, bands that breakup, bands that have band members die, bands that have bandmembers swap partners, bands that have a political agenda, bands that don't have a political agenda, bands that have only one original member left and bands who keep the band name after ditching or losing the lead singer....tune in. ...

Send us Fan Mail Back in the day, people would geek out around the record player, spinning 45's or LP's and listening to their favorite band, read the lyrics and liner notes.  Those days are long gone, but never fear, guys.  Paul Schneider, journalist and music snob joins Martin to have that sort of chat people used to have, sitting on the floor with the record spinning.  We run the rang...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to STRUNG OUT.    We return to Around the Campfire, where Pastor Drew Jacques of St. David's Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ontario and Martin McCormack chew the fat and talk about life.   One of their shared interests is what Pastor Drew calls "Znippetz" which are everyday overheard or read bits of unsolicited and often innocent comments that reveal...

Send us Fan Mail STRUNG OUT has now had over 3500 downloads and we are starting into the fourth year of having the weekly podcast without missing a beat.  In addition to STRUNG OUT, Martin McCormack maintains his art website and has a weekly blog there as well as the Buy Me A Coffee website.  His channel on YouTube has hundreds of episodes of the Mr. Marty Show as well as original kid video cartoo...