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Lady Gaga, Keg Parties, and Park Bench Perspectives

From their park bench, Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa catch up about Mike attending a Lady Gaga concert and joking about painkillers for his bad knee, then give a shout-out to classmate Ron Barry’s “BarryFin Day” podcast. They discuss building a listener community around their shared hometown of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and begin reminiscing about favorite local places and teen hangouts: Park National and Carlson fields near the water tower, the Cedar Lake Road train trestle keg parties and police run-ins, Meadowbrook and Cedar Lake “Bareass Beach,” Knollwood Mall, Burger King across Highway 12, Brookview Golf Course, Coast to Coast Hardware, Cooper/Cooper Cameo theaters, and learning to drive at the Honeywell lot. They invite listeners to be guests, tease future St. Louis Park history topics, plug FootPainAuthority.com, and note Carlos’s novel “The Ghost of Lake Ossis” and baseball-law newsletter.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:25 Catching Up
01:02 Lady Gaga Night
02:10 Show Highlights
03:03 Bad Knee Remedies
03:52 BarryFineDay Podcast Shoutout
05:18 Hometown Favorites Setup
05:39 Little League Landmarks
06:53 Train Trestle Keggers
08:01 Keg Party Economics
10:30 Basement Parties And Cops
13:04 Meadowbrook And Beach Spots
14:02 Next House Party Tease
14:11 Running From The Cops
14:41 Why We Do Dumb Stuff
15:06 Prefrontal Cortex Myth
16:25 Staying Curious As Adults
18:04 Talking Yourself In Or Out
19:11 Risk Calculations And Law School
21:08 Norwood Mall Memories
22:19 Golden Valley Adventures
22:44 Golf Courses And Marty
23:59 Coast To Coast Hardware
25:56 Cooper Theater And Honeywell
27:17 Inviting Friends On The Show
27:51 Next Episode Tease
28:24 Projects And Sign Off

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2246264

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From their “park bench perspective,” Carlos and Mike (“Hammer”) welcome Mike’s Gen Z daughter, Georgia, to discuss generations and music. They joke about Gen X vs. baby boomers, naming conventions like Gen Alpha/Beta, and how streaming and Bluetooth changed music discovery compared with radio. The group sets homework for a cross-generational song exchange to review next week: Carlos assigns The Ramones’ “I Want to Be Sedated,” Mike assigns Neil Young’s “Comes a Time” (favoring the Live Rust version), and Georgia assigns “Stateside” (Zara Larsson remix) and Olivia Dean’s “Man, I Need.” They also touch on music videos, artists’ views on digital music and Guitar Hero, pop-culture drama, and how music shaped family memories, including funerals and concerts Georgia attended as a child.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:31 Meet Georgia
00:53 Generations Explained
02:28 Music Swap Setup
04:17 Old School Picks
07:38 Modern Pop Pick
10:10 Mike Picks Neil Young
12:40 Second Georgia Song
14:30 Pop Culture Tease
14:46 Pop Culture Tea
15:20 Fleetwood Mac Drama
16:51 Music and Grief
19:58 Signs and Synchronicity
20:30 Billie Eilish Question
22:12 Mom's Music Influence
24:42 Katy Perry Obsession
27:43 Wrap Up and Song List

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43TAzoJWwrwFcvM9Zry110?si=ueoRSc5uS_KJuGEsnueIbg

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Rockin' the SLP Park 2

Carlos Figueroa and co-host Mike Hammer chat on Park Bench Perspectives about how music and pets mark life’s timeline while reminiscing about growing up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. They joke about their limited musical talent, Carlos’s LaBelle’s electric guitar that Mike borrowed for lessons, and invite listeners to submit a jingle for the podcast. Memories include hearing “Come Sail Away” at the Piccadilly Circus arcade at Ridgedale, bus adventures to Southdale and skipping school for a Twins opening day at Met Stadium, and Mike bringing home a puppy from 31 Flavors in an ice-cream pail. They discuss Walkmans, punk/new wave, a signed Ramones “End of the Century” cover from cousin Susie, Neil Young’s Live Rust, changing attitudes toward alcohol and marijuana, house parties and bands, and the Zenith house era with dogs Cosmo and Windsor, then close with listener feedback requests and Mike’s insole business plug.

00:00 Welcome to the Bench
01:12 Guitar Dreams and Lessons
02:23 Need a New Theme Song
02:53 Music and Memory Triggers
04:31 Arcade Days at Ridgedale
05:25 Bus Adventures and Mischief
06:54 Puppies at 31 Flavors
10:11 Moped Plant Caper
13:00 Headphones Punk and Mr Baum
14:09 Ramones Devo and Cousin Susie
15:37 Babysitting Chaos and Apple Tossing
17:11 Big Kid Pranks and Chubby Checker
17:39 Pickup Game Memories
18:09 Neil Young Tape Era
19:49 Reefer Madness Talk
20:45 Stoner vs Drinker Labels
24:30 Ride Shares and Cabs
25:27 Band Names and Trivia
26:54 Local Venues and Bandshell
28:42 House Shows and Parties
30:31 Zenith House Stories
32:07 Wrap Up and Thanks

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Park Bench Perspective: First Albums, Concert Memories, and Music Discovery

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer discuss music from their “park bench” perspective while joking about Carlos’s recent knee surgery and lack of musical talent. They reminisce about early records and where they bought them (Shopper City, Down in the Valley), including first albums like The Who’s Tommy, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Sean Cassidy, and Saturday Night Fever, and talk about influences such as an older sister and radio. They cover favorite artists and genres spanning the Rolling Stones, Doors, Led Zeppelin, REO Speedwagon, Queen, Prince, punk (Ramones, Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop), and rap, and recall concerts and ticket-buying experiences including Paul McCartney, Neil Young (with the Shocking Pinks), Devo, George Strait, and Paul Simon/Bob Dylan. They briefly detour into early cable TV and music video channels, plug Foot Pain Authority insoles and Hammer’s Substack, and invite St. Louis Park musicians to join future episodes.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:32 Knee Surgery Catchup
01:06 Why Music Matters
02:24 First Albums Debate
05:05 Early Influences Stories
07:44 Guilty Pleasures And Queen
09:27 Punk Rap Country Mix
11:01 Concert Memories McCartney
12:50 All Night For Neil Young
14:19 Neil Young Breaks The Rules
15:21 Tailgate Heat and Chaos
16:11 Neil Young Live Memories
17:02 Kidhood Movie and Music Discovery
17:39 Hunting Punk Imports
18:34 Old School TV Tech
21:15 Cable Hacks and Early Videos
23:24 Prince and MTV Era
24:27 Albums and Genre Detours
26:39 First Concerts and New Venues
28:47 Adult Shows and War Stories
29:19 Sponsor Plug and Substack
30:44 More Music Ahead Closing

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On this episode of Park Bench Perspectives, Mike Hammer and Carlos kick off spring by talking baseball—how T-ball and Little League shaped their Minnesota childhoods, expanded their friendships and rivalries, and later became a bond through their own kids. They reminisce about the Twins as a constant “soundtrack to life” on WCCO, old players and eras, and the appeal of small-ball fundamentals like bunting, stealing, and hit-and-run. They share stories about curveballs, pitching machines (“Juggs”), town ball traditions, and a Little League moment when Mike was told to pitch inside and hit a batter. The conversation also touches on MLB’s financial imbalance, fears of a future work stoppage, and a plug for FootPainAuthority.com plus Mike’s Substack and Carlos’s in-progress novel.

00:00 Bench Intro Theme
00:50 Show Welcome Banter
01:08 Future Topics Tease
01:48 Spring Means Baseball
02:04 T-Ball Childhood Days
03:33 Girls In The Game
04:23 Twins Return And Fears
05:31 Town Ball Tradition
07:07 Twins Memories And Voices
09:51 Stealing Home And Small Ball
13:15 Cheating And Pitch Guessing
16:01 Curveball Shock Story
17:24 Pitching Machines And Fungo
19:45 Beanball Confession Setup
20:20 Little League Hit Batter
22:20 Baseball Radio Memories
22:45 Why Baseball Works
24:54 Pitch Clock Debate
26:16 Seat Upgrading Game
28:18 Dodgers Money Problem
30:27 Beep Baseball Origins
34:33 Backyard Baseball Days
37:22 Sponsors And Signoff

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Park Bench Perspectives: Growing Up in a Smaller World

First off Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa really appreciate all the great feedback. We recorded this episode before receiving comments but rest assured SLP Food Part 2 is on the agenda for next week.

Park Bench Perspectives, as two longtime friends chatting on a virtual park bench about their lives, the St. Louis Park, Minnesota community they grew up in, and current events. They discuss how friendships can resume effortlessly after years and reflect on how their childhood world felt geographically small, expanding through bikes, sports, and later broader social circles, contrasting that with how the internet expands kids’ worlds today. They reminisce about the Eliot neighborhood and Eliot Elementary, teachers and school memories, hiding chocolate milk, and sports and biking adventures, including Evel Knievel-inspired jumps. They recall anxiety about mixed-grade “Team Room,” Eliot’s closure, being merged with rival Cedar Manor, and resulting friendships. They touch on social anxiety, learning about people through conversation, bar-industry dynamics around “freebies,” and invite viewers to comment and join the community.

00:00 Theme Song Intro

00:39 Welcome to the Bench

01:02 Why the Bench Matters

01:33 Old Friends Chemistry

03:02 Growing Up Pre Internet

03:45 Eliot Neighborhood Boundaries

04:33 Sports and Skating Days

05:47 Bikes and Dirt Jumps

07:20 Eliot School Memories

07:38 Chocolate Milk Heist

09:57 Name Stories and Chuck Norris

11:27 Teachers and Team Room Anxiety

13:23 Childhood Crush Memories

13:33 School Closure Shock

14:05 Rival Schools Merge

15:58 Classroom Chaos Stories

17:18 Friendships Over Time

18:16 Small Talk And Anxiety

20:18 Avon Collectibles Tangent

21:08 Bar Friends And Freebies

23:39 Growing Up And High School

24:05 Community Call And Signoff

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.”

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, andI write essays on my Substack about institutions, technology, and change. https://substack.com/@carlosmfigueroa

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.

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Fan Feedback, St. Louis Park Food Memories, and Pig Roast Stories

Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa open the episode by reading early listener feedback, including a Minneapolis commenter questioning whether Hammer is the real 1984 graduate, which they clarify by distinguishing him from an older Mike Hamer. They discuss how suggestions are expanding their focus beyond their childhood neighborhood and recall St. Louis Park-area staples such as Beaks Pizza (including an all-you-can-eat contest and a late-night cash-register robbery), Lincoln Dell deli, Schlotzky’s, My Pie, Clark’s submarine sandwich, and the McDonald’s by the high school during open campus and smoking-era rules. They share stories about skipping school to make pizza, Rocky Rococo’s heart-shaped pizza while watching Luke and Laura’s wedding, Carlos’s family pig roasts and an epic joint graduation party, plus the Lions Club pancake breakfast and paper route memories. Carlos plugs his Substack and a baseball-law feature, “The Ballpark Barrister.”

00:00 Show Intro and Tease
00:18 Theme Song and Greetings
00:54 Fan Mail and Feedback
01:10 The Mike Hammer Mystery
02:22 Listener Ideas and Expanding Town
03:41 Beaks Pizza Memories
04:47 Pizza Contest with Joe
05:50 Beaks Robbery Story
07:02 Lincoln Del Deli Love
08:41 More Local Eats Roundup
09:14 McDonalds Open Campus Days
10:32 Skipping School for Pizza
11:45 Homemade Crust Hacks
12:03 Open Campus Pizza Runs
12:41 McDonalds and Cafeteria Classics
14:11 Rocky Rococos Memories
16:11 Pig Roast Block Party
18:28 Graduation Party Chaos
20:04 Lions Club Breakfast Talk
21:15 Bennigans and Paper Route Donuts
22:55 Substack Plug and Sign Off

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.”

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos Figueroa

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, andI write essays on my Substack about institutions, technology, and change. https://systemsunderpressure.substack.com/s/the-ballpark-barrister

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.

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In this episode

• Minnesota March weather and the false promise of spring
• Why baseball and spring were inseparable growing up
• Meeting before kindergarten at Elliott Elementary
• Little League, Cub League, Babe Ruth, and neighborhood baseball memories
• Kite flying across from Elliott and the legend of razor-blade kite wars
• Opening Day rituals, stirrups, and looking right in a baseball uniform
• St. Louis Park restaurant memories, including:
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Yangtze Restaurant
• David Woo’s
• Perkins
• Embers
• Mr. Steak
• Jolly Troll
• Bridgeman’s
• Farrell’s
• Carriage House, bowling, pinball, and Saturday hot dogs
• How food places become part of a town’s identity
• Listener callout: favorite St. Louis Park restaurants, past or present
• Sponsor mentions and Carlos’s upcoming novel, The Ghost of Lake Osakis

Notable moments

• Mike and Carlos realizing they forgot to actually introduce themselves
• The case for proper baseball stirrup height, argued like it’s constitutional law
• A wonderfully chaotic detour from restaurants into MSG, hot dogs, and marijuana policy
• The reminder that old neighborhood places were never just businesses—they were landmarks in people’s lives

Mentioned in this episode

• Elliott Elementary
• St. Louis Park baseball
• Sols
• Koch’s Sporting Goods
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Yangtze Restaurant
• David Woo
• Perkins
• Embers
• Mr. Steak
• Jolly Troll
• Bridgeman’s
• Farrell’s
• Carriage House
• Foot Pain Authority
• The Ghost of Lake Osakis by Carlos Figueroa

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.”

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, and talks briefly about his Substack writing on institutions, technology, and change.

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.