Sam Prekop Talks Shop on WBEZ's Morning Shift

Sam Prekop (SAIC 1984–86), guitarist and singer for the Chicago-native band The Sea and Cake, joined WBEZ’s Morning Shift show to discuss their newest album, Any Day after a six-year hiatus. Tony Sarabia, the host, describes their trademark sound as having “subtle shifts in melody, perfectly placed guitar and the right dose of percussion, all topped off with the somewhat whispery vocals of Sam Prekop.”

Prekop, a self-taught guitarist, learned his trade while at SAIC where he started a band and began learning how to play. The band members were and still are visual artists outside of their music. Released this month, Any Day’s album cover features a photograph taken by Prekop that he uncovered during his move to the Pilsen neighborhood. The photograph is of an old TV with boxes, mugs, and other household items stacked around it. “What struck me about the photo is that it’s not that old but it feels like it’s from another time entirely.” says Prekop on Morning Shift. Prekop considers himself to be a late bloomer to photography. “Not being able to paint on tour—it was a great way to stay visually engaged and make use of [the down time]. It sort of makes sense of traveling. You get to another level of places you haven't been to [and] examine it,” he says.

To hear more about The Sea and Cake’s new album, Prekop’s “creative dictatorship,” and how his artistic practice inform his music, check out WBEZ's Morning Shift segment online.