Chris “Bean” Weng has been drumming and singing at the same time since he was 12 years old. Now he does it every night as the drummer for Heartache Tonight, one of the Midwest’s premier Eagles tribute bands — playing 35+ shows a year at theaters and festivals from Chicago to Michigan. Oh, and his first concert was Frank Zappa at the Uptown Theater in 1976. Yeah, Bean’s been around.We dig into how Heartache Tonight was born, why New Kid in Town is the hardest Eagles song to pull off live, what happens when the guitar players won’t stop at the end of Hotel California, and how Bean landed in Ralph Covert’s Bad Examples after 20 years in the Chicago scene. Plus — Pacific Sound Company, the West Coast music project that’s turning heads at Mickey Finn’s..🎶 NEW KID IN THE WEST — The Hogpod AI Album inspired by this episode[HYPERFOLLOW LINK].🎧 All Hogpod AI Albums on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6BN8V….🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Opening — Heartache Tonight performs Take It Easy (live)   • Take It Easy (Eagles Cover) – Heartache To…  5:31 Ralph Covert and the Bad Examples connection8:08 History of Heartache Tonight11:10 Bean’s artwork — painted by JP and the Cats’ Jim Tulk16:19 How hard is it to drum and sing at the same time?17:52 Best singer/drummer of all time? Henley, Levon, Karen Carpenter?25:17 Blue Bayou transition — Tamara Woodruff show clip   • Tamara Woodruff (Blue Bayou) – Linda Ronst…  27:11 Mike Ostrenga show clip   • 🎸 Bassist Mike Ostrenga from Empress Joins…  28:29 Pacific Sound Company — West Coast music comes to Chicago29:00 Playing three guitars together — how do you stay in your lane?29:47 The stink eye — what happens when you screw up on stage30:30 What is the hardest Eagles song to play live?31:45 The Hotel California ending — guitar players going for a day32:50 Has any Eagles member ever shown up to a Heartache Tonight show?35:48 Upcoming Heartache Tonight shows37:06 From originals to tribute — how the Chicago scene evolved41:22 Tom Carey and the Ghost Runners43:00 Sharing the stage with Joe Cocker, Kansas, and Slash46:00 Jimi Sohns shout out — RIP47:44 Jimi Sohns performing Gloria with Chick Norris at Joe’s Live53:39 Bongo Mike question segment — first concert, favorite movie, pop tarts.📍 Topics in this episodeEagles Tribute – Heartache Tonight – Pacific Sound Company – Bad Examples – Ralph Covert – Drumming and Singing – Chicago Music Scene – Hotel California – Frank Zappa – Summerfest – Joe Cocker – Jimi Sohns.🎤 Guest LinksHeartache Tonight: https://www.heartachetonight.comHeartache Tonight Band: https://www.heartachetonight.com/the-…Heartache Tonight Calendar: https://www.heartachetonight.com/cale…Pacific Sound Company:   / pacificsoundcompany  Tom Carey Music: https://tomcareymusic.net/Bad Examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad….❤️ Support Hogpod  / hogpod  .Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#HogpodChicago #ChicagoMusic #EaglesTribute #HeartacheTonight #ChicagoMusicScene #TributeBand #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #DrummerWhoSings #PacificSoundCompany #BadExamples #RalphCovert #HotelCalifornia #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic

Rich Sawyer spends his weekdays inspecting buildings in South Elgin — and his weekends channeling Chris Stapleton across the country. The guy went from frustrated Chicago-area musician complaining about not getting festival slots to flying coast-to-coast, doing meet-and-greets after 1,000-person shows at Joe’s Live, and turning down the gigs he once begged for. This is that story..Tennessee Whiskey Chicago is widely recognized as the United States’ #1 Chris Stapleton tribute act. Rich leads the band while holding down a government building inspector job since 1998 — and he’s about 2 years from retirement. The music life and the day job life are about to collide..🎶 All Cattle No Hat — Hogpod AI Album #6:https://open.spotify.com/album/5DwLurfVwuDmFhJgGwRKS6.🎧 All Hogpod AI Albums on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/album/5DwLurfVwuDmFhJgGwRKS6.🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 White Horses from Matt’s Barn https://youtu.be/SLtS3niaTko?si=ruuQR2XvS9lZ0VGX12:34 Chris and Amy Poboski Wedding Bash15:00 Happy Birthday Beth Miller Party15:20 Rich Sawyer joins the show17:38 Tennessee Whiskey Chicago intro19:53 Rich Sawyer’s background29:57 Early vs late show start — why Rich demands the early slot36:20 Why Chris Stapleton — is country even country anymore?42:10 How COVID launched Tennessee Whiskey Chicago47:43 Ed Warm — Joe’s Live / Joe’s on Weed Street Country Force https://youtu.be/oZGIIOKiQKQ?si=U-oVlz8dTHxJcN3648:47 Has Rich been in contact with Chris Stapleton?52:14 Chicago country music up and comers — Justin Wallace https://youtu.be/Ne728N5YmSw?si=tkOTXtlnEsKBD6NZ55:28 Beard maintenance57:00 Rich Sawyer influences growing up59:24 Three Amigos1:02:50 Upcoming shows https://www.facebook.com/TennesseeWhiskeyBandChicago/events/?id=100085364674088&sk=events1:04:25 Bongo Mike question segment.📍 Topics in this episode — Chris Stapleton tribute – Tennessee Whiskey Chicago – building inspector – Joe’s Live – COVID music scene – Chicago country – Justin Wallace – beard maintenance – early shows vs late shows – festival oversaturation – Seventh Heaven – Sundance Saloon – Mosquitoes band – Steel Drivers.🎤 Guest Linkshttps://tennesseewhiskeychicago.comhttps://www.facebook.com/RichSawyerMusic/https://www.facebook.com/TennesseeWhiskeyBandChicago/events/?id=100085364674088&sk=events.❤️ Support Hogpod — https://patreon.com/hogpod.Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#HogpodChicagoMusicPodcast #ChicagoMusicPodcast #ChrisStapleton #TennesseeWhiskeyChicago #ChicagoCountry #TributeBand #ChicagoMusic #HogPod #PeteJansons #BongoMike #ChrisRhodes #CountryMusic #ChicagoMusicScene #JoesLive #SundanceSaloon

Desiree Starr Harris of Libido Funk Circus and Disco Circus brings the heat to Hogpod. She quit EMI with a one-year-old at home to bet everything on funk and disco. Pete nearly killed a disco ball mid-show. Basement laser parties. Peeps and Pop-Tarts hatred that became an AI song. Thirty years of Chicago disco that never dies..🎶 Album 5 — “Follow the Call of the Disco Ball” — 8 AI-generated tracks ripped straight from this conversation:https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/hog….🎧 All Hogpod AI Albums on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZ….🎤 Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes.🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Disco Circus live performance — opening sizzle reel   • The Disco Circus Sizzle Reel!  1:03 Hogpod Music Albums on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZ…1:11 Rat Bastard Song   • RAT BASTARD 🐀 Punk Rock Groundhog Day | Ho…  3:01 Happy Birthday Beth4:37 Mindy Shulman Live Streamhttps://www.youtube.com/live/EBlo_LTK…5:49 Desiree joins9:40 Libido Funk Circus background — 30 years, Desiree 23 years15:45 Alliance Music17:50 Joey DeMarco21:39 The bands are Desiree’s number 1 source of income24:04 How did Disco Circus evolve26:45 Why is disco so special after all these years27:23 Debbie Harry/Blondie — punk or disco28:25 Disco ball Pete incident33:30 Mock Star show   • Mock Star 🎸 Full Band: Axl Watched, Bret M…  34:34 Rhodesy gives Desiree heads up on album creation35:08 Album for this week36:20 8 track players39:10 The magic of the disco ball48:10 Tour of Desiree’s basement48:39 Desiree worked at EMI — records on basement wall52:05 Coming out of college getting into music business53:42 Best places to play for a disco bandhttps://impactfuelroom.com/1:03:02 Jim O’Connell show   • Jim O’Connell (Anchors Away, Snapshot) | H…  1:03:05 Desiree sings Tears of a Clown with Jimmy from Coterie Motown1:09:24 Bongo Mike question time.📍 Topics in this episode:Chicago disco bandsChicago tribute bandsLibido Funk Circus historyDisco Circus bandChicago live music sceneBand booking in ChicagoWorking musician lifeAI generated music podcast.🎤 Guest Links:🎸 Libido Funk Circus:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oha3…libidofunkcircus.com🕺 Disco Circus:discocircusband.com📘 Facebook:  / desiree.stephensharris  🎵 Desiree’s tracks:https://open.spotify.com/track/4k5RuD…https://open.spotify.com/track/40gn18…https://open.spotify.com/track/2M5X1S…https://open.spotify.com/track/40KOEQ….❤️ Support Hogpod:  / hogpodsupporters  .Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes..📞 Booking:beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #LibidoFunkCircus #DiscoCircus #ChicagolandMusic #AIMusic #Disco #Funk

🎸 Welcome to the Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast! 🎸Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike sit down with the FULL Mock Star lineup — Jack Kole (vocals), Phil Slate (drums), Diablo (bass), Stevie Starr (guitar), Nicky Neutron (keys), and new keyboard wizard Frank Lucas — for a deep dive into 80s arena rock, the Chicago music scene, and what it takes to bring 1985 back to life in 2026.🔥 In this episode:🎤 Mock Star opens for Bret Michaels at a sold-out Crown Point show🎸 Axl Rose & Slash watch from a window while Mock Star plays GNR songs outside in 115-degree heat🤝 The 2-year pursuit of keyboard legend Frank Lucas — and the one text that finally worked🥁 Phil Slate’s first concert: Elvis Presley with Dionne Warwick opening at the Cleveland Coliseum🎵 Why 80s arena rock is more popular NOW than it was 10 years ago🎯 Cover bands vs. tribute bands — why a cover band takes 45 min to book, a tribute band takes 30 seconds🏟️ Ron Onesti’s Arcada Theatre — 100 years of music, and the man who cooks for every band in the room🎹 Six-part live harmonies, zero backing tracks — what makes Mock Star different🎟️ Upcoming show: Hobart Theater, Hobart Indiana — Saturday March 14th⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 – Opening / Wolfie Jam recap13:03 – Mock Star intro — full band joins15:37 – Mock Star’s last Hogpod appearance    • Jack Kole of Mock Star Talks Chicago 80s R…  17:54 – What songs does Mock Star cover?21:30 – Why is 80s music so damn popular?24:32 – Concert ticket prices & why cover bands are winning35:45 – Marketing a cover/tribute/original band in 202642:50 – Ron Onesti, Bret Michaels & the Arcada’s 100th year46:21 – Upcoming show: Hobart Theater Sat March 14th   / 18bnhqtvcd  48:22 – Bongo Mike question segment (first concerts + Pop-Tarts)56:30 – Live chat with Mindy Shulman https://www.youtube.com/live/EBlo_LTKguA🎤 MOCK STAR:Website: https://www.mockstarrocks.comFacebook:   / mockstarrocks  🎵 HOGPOD AI ALBUM — “RON ONESTI’S MEATBALLS”8 AI-generated tracks inspired by this episode — on Spotify and all platforms!https://open.spotify.com/album/[Spotify Link TBD]✅ SUPPORT THE SHOW:👉 Patreon:   / hogpodsupporters  👉 Merch: https://hogpodmerch.creator-spring.com📅 NEW EPISODES every Tuesday!Want to be on the show? Contact Beth Miller: Beth@hogpod.org | 708-287-3692Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Chris “Rhodesy” RhodesBooking: Beth Miller — Beth@hogpod.org | 708-287-3692#Hogpod #MockStar #ChicagoMusic #80sRock #ArenaRock #CoverBand #TributeBand #ChicagolandMusic #LocalMusic #LiveMusic #JackKole #BretMichaels #RonOnesti #ArcadaTheatre #Chicago80sRock #HogpodMusicChat