This week, Car Con Carne crosses over with the “Make Us a Mixtape” podcast, hosted by comedians Paul Faravhar and Marty DeRosa. The premise is simple: Their weekly guest makes them a 5-song mixtape and they collectively talk about the tape, song by song. I chose “Chicago music” as my theme. Here’s what we talked about this week, over food from Big & Littles:

• Paul says Portillo’s makes the best Chicago burger. Marty: “(Picking Portillo’s as the best) is a coward’s move.”
• The art of crafting a mixtape.
• The tyranny of “Make Us a Mixtape”s rules.
• Guilty pleasures: Are they bullshit?
• How do you eat your food? One item at a time?
• My love of Kuma’s.
• My first playlist created for this episode, which was rejected.
• The quintessential Chicago band when I was young: Naked Raygun.
• The appeal of “album play” concerts.
• Paul doesn’t know his Adam Ant history. I assigned him homework.
• The 90s in Chicago music.
• Paul blames record companies for shitty music.
• Indie rock is alive and well in Chicago.
• Guitars are alive and well in Chicago.
• James: “I hate Lollapalooza.” Paul (shocked): “WHY?”
• Paul likes going to Lollapalooza to hang out in the VIP section.
• Paul: “Do you remember the band Live?” James: (inaudible eye roll)
• “I know a lot of recovering Limp Bizkit fans”
• The charm of AM Taxi, and their emergence from the suburban scene.
• The best concert I ever saw… it was a whiiiiiiile ago.
• Paul thought mosh pits started in the 90s.
• Metro is clearly the best rock club.
• I wasn’t young enough or punk enough for Fireside shows.
• The legacy of Wesley Willis.
• Rock over London, Rock on Chicago!
• Paul made a post-break-up mix tape for an ex. Marty and I understand that as being a fucked up move.
• Counting Crows completely fucking suck.
• Paul: “You have to admit that at the time, (Counting Crows)… ” Me: “No.” Paul: “They were the biggest thing…. ” James: “No.”