In the fall of 1989, Marshall Sahlins taught a class titled Structure and History with a level of humor comparable to his brother's Second City Theater.

Phone Messages

119 I Just Remembered (James 16)

Disneyland opened in 1955.  Although it is not the oldest theme park, its position within a media empire helped create the power of its myth.

124 Out in California (Grandma 6)

Prank calls continue to be popular even though most of us have the ability to filter unwanted solicitors with caller ID and voicemail.

138 The Longest Beep (unknown)

The word "Man", was used as a form of greeting back in the 16th century, but in the contemporary U.S. it most likely comes from African American jazz musicians.  Willie Mays inspired a song by The Treniers and a generation to say "Hey" instead of "Hi".

165 Hey Man (James 21, 22)

Lynn Throckmorton was known for his research comparing the evolutionary speed
of fruit flies, but from 1986 until his death in 2009, his academic career
appears to be lost.

166 Has it really come to that (Bill)

The late eighties saw a burst of ads for 1-900 numbers that promised to relieve your feelings of loneliness.  But the phone sex business can be traced at least back to the 1970s.

186 Call Me I'm Always Here (Jason 7)

Trixie Records was a Chicago based label that released eight records in
the early nineties, including by DragKing and Sabalon Glitz.

189 It's Robin (Robin)

The Chicago International Film Festival claims to be the longest running film festival in North America.  Three years before it began, The University of Chicago's Documentary Film Group put on its own festival.

190 Just Rambling (Julia 6)

In the 1990s, Chicago indy label bands like Dragking would sell their discs on consignment at Ajax Records, Dr. Wax, Wax Trax, Tower, and Reckless Records.  The last of these is the only one still in business.

192 Red 34 (mystery Ben)

Billy Joel's Piano Man was inspired by playing at a bar in Los Angeles.  Two classic piano bars from that era, Nye's Polonaise Room in Minneapolis and The Red Fox Room in San Diego continue to thrive after more than fifty years in business.

193 Piano Man (Chris 29)

The life of a pastor's wife in mid twentieth century midwest involved missionary work and potlucks but also social clubs to discuss books and hear lectures about graphonalysis.

194 You Know My Number is Changed (Grandma 8)

In the 1920s, JR Stewart was one of many companies that manufactured banjo ukuleles during the first uke boom.  Ukes became popular again in recent decades thanks in part thanks to Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.

195 Not Ready for Marriage (Chris 30)

Batteries Not Included in Lincoln Park, had a brief life in the 1980s showcasing scrappy young bands ready to surprise.  The 1980s club Gaspars in Lakeview, became Schubas and continues to host live music several days a week.

196 Santa Claus (Chris 31)

In the mid 1990s, a Destroy All Music Festival held at the Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Wicker Park featured bands like Carnival de Carnitas, Scissor Girls, Blowhole and DragKing.

197 Thank You For Your Attention (Ben 15)

In the summer of 1990, a series of murders spread fear across Gainesville Florida.  Nearly eighty years earlier, the collapse of a small bank led to tragedy on the lower east side of Manhattan.

198 Gainesville (Julia 7)

In the initial years of Television, Game shows were a popular part of networks' prime time schedule until a 1959 investigation revealed they were often scripted. During the 1970s and 80s, daytime TV broadcast shows like Password and 25,000 dollar Pyramid.  In 1999, Who Wants to be a Millionaire brought the genre back to network Prime Time.

199 We're On For Thursday (Chris 32)

In 1977, the Fonz jumped over a shark on the TV show Happy Days. Although the show went on to have six more successful seasons, it became a symbol of decline and something that everything from baseball teams to podcasts should avoid.

200 The Last Message (unknown)

This episode contains all the messages and interviews with Sikay Tang.

Special Sikay Episode

In this episode I explain the origins and purpose of the Phone Messages podcast. I realized later that I had recorded only on one channel--apologies!

1 The Explanation

This week I discuss my friend Jason Veitzer and our plans to see Sun Ra at the 1988 Chicago Jazz Festival.

11 Jason's First Message (Jason 1)

This week I discuss going to see Sun Ra at the 1988 Chicago Jazz Festival.

12 Sun Ra (outgoing 4)

In this week's message I talk about going to see Edward Wilkerson's Eight Bold Souls at Salon of Modalisque and Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble at Lower Links in September of 1988.

14 Energetic Days (outgoing 5)

This week's messages is the third from my mom.

15 Three Moms (mom 3)

In 1989, 1.4% of U.S. households had cell phones while 28% had an answering machine.  In 2020, there are 1.29 cell phones per person in the U.S. and only 40% of households still have a landline.

84 Five of Twelve (James 9)

In the 1960s, most soda pop was sold in reusable glass bottles, but in the 1970s these were replaced by cans and plastic.  The last Coca Cola plant to produce reusable bottles closed in 2012.

92 The Poet (Andy 1)

When Thomas Frank moved from the University of Virginia to the University of Chicago to begin graduate school, the Baffler, which self identified as The Journal that Blunts the Cutting Edge, moved there as well.

95 I wish you the best of luck (Andy 2)

Superstar: the Karen Carpenter Story, the 1988 film directed by Todd Haynes, was prohibited from future exhibition in 1990, but bootleg copies continue to proliferate online.

97 I'll Find Some Music (Andy 3)

Michael Jordan began playing for the Chicago Bulls in 1984.  During the first several years of his career, one could see him play at Chicago Stadium for as little as three dollars and fifty cents.

98 I Played Pro Ball (Chris 19)

The first pager system was used by the Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn. Although associated with drug dealers, by the 1990s beepers became popular among teenagers, who developed elaborate codes based on numerical displays.

99 The Beeper (Chris 20)

K's First Case, written by L.G. Alexander, is a Longman reader for students learning English as a second language.  It's 1975 publication in Hong Kong helped inspire an act of self-naming.

101 I want to move (Sikay 5)

In 1975 The Foundation for the Community of Artists published a Health Hazards Manual, an early effort to warn painters about the risks of poor ventilation.  Another risk involved being stranded somewhere in Chicago after midnight without a ride home.

102 I'll figure something out (Anjali 2)

In 1991, Arnold Schwarzenegger made a guest appearance on the Saturday Night Live sketch Pumping Up with Hans and Franz.  Charles Atlas, legendary bodybuilder from an earlier era, appealed to kids with a comic strip story of sandy revenge.

106 Mr. Girly Man (James 13)

This podcast will play and discuss old phone answering machine messages.  In the late 1980s, while living in Chicago, I selected certain messages to be duplicated using a double cassette recorder.  Playing them back leads me to explore the intersection of personal history and the larger social and cultural context through the lens of an outdated technology.
New episodes will be posted Sundays.

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