Interview with Allison Lapinski

Allison Lapinski is a writer and DJ currently based out of Chicago. She worked at the great college radio station WLUW 88.7FM and has a wide range of experience behind the scenes in underground music. We were stoked to talk with Allison about her experience at WLUW, why radio stations are important, her thoughts on the Chicago scene, and more. Enjoy!

Allison Lapinski

WLUW 88.7FM  PERSONAL WEBSITE

Remove Records: Thanks for doing this interview! Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Allison: I’m originally from suburban Detroit and moved out to Chicago for college a few years ago. A lot of my interest in art and radio definitely stems from listening to Motown and soul and just having such an incredible and historical music city near me as a kid. Now I’m post-grad  and hoping to keep working in music in some capacity. 

How did you get involved with the radio station WLUW? 

I started off at WLUW as a volunteer DJ, with my slot being on Tuesdays from 2am-4am. This was a bit difficult for me, because the station was downtown and I lived on the north side. But I made it work because I loved it and I loved finding new and old music every week for my show. Then I found out that the station could send you out to shows for coverage on the blog (https://wluw.org/news-and-events/). I really quickly fell into music journalism from there, and would interview touring bands and be able to discover some amazing Chicago venues as a broke college kid. The summer of 2019, I became the Music Director at the station, which meant I picked all the new music and was in charge of a massive CD library. The graduating senior told me it would be the best job I would ever have, and I believe that to be true. 

What was your favorite part about working at WLUW?

The people. I met so many strange and cool people, whether it was the DJs or the radio promoters, or a random band that contacted me. I think it also helped open me up a lot more and just be able to listen to people's stories and learn more about their creative processes. I also loved helping film live sessions with bands, where we’d have them come in and perform some songs and then put them up on YouTube: 

(Photo of Burr Oak's live session prior to COVID)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uc4lFnbMZM

What have you been listening to lately?

Cher Strauberry, Pontiac Stags, Ganser, Prince, and Olivia’s World are some that I’ve been frequenting.

Do you make music? Are you in any bands?

I do not. But maybe I will actually work on learning the guitar this summer. 

What are your thoughts on the music scene in Chicago? Any favorite local bands, venues, or record stores?

The scene in Chicago has so much going on, especially pre-pandemic. Humboldt Park is home to some of the best DIY house shows I’ve been to. And then sprinkled throughout the city are jazz clubs, dance halls, and old punk clubs. I used to average probably 2-3 shows a week just because there was always something to go see. My favorite venue is Schubas Tavern. I am really excited because the Metro just announced an industrial music fest this fall with some really great goth and new-wave bands like Clipping. and Pixel Grip, a great disco punk band.

Why should people listen to record stations in the modern age?

Local and college radio stations have a lot of ties to the success of 90s punk bands, and I think the spirit of that has still continued. The people who work at those stations typically care about musicians and new music in a different way than the algorithm on Spotify or whatever. There’s something different when it is more personal. 

An old photo of the station circa the 1970s-90s.

How do you feel about the future of music/art?

I think that true music and art will always find a way of persevering itself. 

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