148. LIFERS - Joel Spencer

There are all kinds of lifers. There’s the lifer that starts a band and then spends their life playing in that band. And that’s great. Then there’s the lifer that starts a band, watches that band fall apart, returns to the hometown scene that made him (in this case the wonderful and influential town of Champaign, Illinois), and then dedicates his life to giving back and cultivating the community around him. And in the process finds a life far richer and rewarding than he could’ve imagined — while simultaneously honoring the very ethos that made him start a band in the first place. Might as well stop being coy about this — we’re talking about our ol’ buddy Joel Spencer of the criminally (CRIMINALLY!) overlooked band Menthol. And his story has got us a bit sentimental and misty eyed over here. Sorry. On this episode we talk to Joel about reuniting a summer version of Menthol, the ‘90s Chicago music scene, the ‘90s Champaign music scene, Honcho Overload, Smoking Popes, Triplefastaction, Capitol Records, lasers shooting out of Louise Post’s mouth, two versions of DANGER: ROCK SCIENCE, that infamous practice space on Broadway, the Winter Dance Party, and the indestructibility of Herb Rosen. This is a good one. We’re glad we know you, Joel Spencer!