Interview: Last Good Thing Shares Their Next Big Moves

Last Good Thing is a hot topic in Chicago currently, and quickly rising through expanding within and beyond their local scene. Allie Loven, Owner of Starwave Magazine had the honor of speaking with Maddie Regan, Last Good Thing’s vocalist give us an insight on what to expect from the band this summer now that Josh Palkin, Hiro Morrisey, and Kyle Williams have officially been announced this past January as a part of Last Good Thing’s launch as a full band!

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Allie Loven: Hi, Maddie, thank you for taking the time to talk with me on behalf of Starwave about your work with your band Last Good Thing

Before we dive right into everything, Starwave as a whole wants to give you the congratulations that are in order: from finding your Tik-Tok solo clips to watching from not too afar of your full band announcement/launch this past January has been so incredible to see!  Can you share a little more about where you personally started your journey within the music industry/the local scene and how Last Good Thing came to be?

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Maddie Regan: Thank you so much! So far this year has been such a blast and we’re psyched that we’re able to get out there and play. I started in the local scene pretty young, in eighth grade. I did a lot of theater and one of my friends from a musical I was in asked if I wanted to start a band with her and some of her high school friends (so cool). I had recently taught myself how to play guitar so of course I thought, who better for the job? 

We covered everything from Simple Plan to Whitney Houston to One Direction… Our first show was a side stage at the Northalsted Market Days super early in the morning and I’m pretty sure a few people who were still out from the night before were the only ones in the crowd, haha. 

The next summer, we upgraded and played more shows around our community - we performed at the high school, the public library, the Taste of Des Plaines, Battles of Bands, and eventually made our way back to Market Days on the main stage - still way too early to claim that we technically opened for Karmin. Over the next few years, my best friend and I split from this band and formed our own acoustic duo, covering anything and everything under the sun that interested us. We played local fests, variety shows, and community events - known best for our cover of Paramore’s “Still Into You”. 

After high school, we parted ways and I went on to pursue film instead of music, but of course - Covid put a stop to basically everything other than working. I started posting TikToks of my original music when I’d write it, but, like most, was focused on surviving. Cut to a few years later, toward the end of 2023, working in a traditional 9-5 office job, writing more music than I had in years,

I stumbled across an old video of Frank Iero getting on a soapbox during a show and talking about how “you need to find what you’re passionate about and run for your life toward that thing” and I literally dropped my head on my desk. I felt so stupid. All I had wanted for the vast majority of my life was to make and play music and here I was reading some other guy’s email 40 hours a week. I decided right then that by the end of the next year, one way or another, I’d have music available on streaming. - Maddie Regan

The name Last Good Thing - yes, of Fall Out Boy’s “Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy” reference - had been thrown around for a while, living solely in my Notes app as some theoretical goal. By February 2024, I had created a TikTok account using that name specifically to post original music, gaining a few hundred followers - by June, I had connected with a local producer, Chuck Macak who expressed interest in working together, and by September, we started tracking what would end up being “Wish You Were”.

At this time I was just writing solo, but Chuck had a few fantastic musicians in his circle that he got to play on these tracks and he eventually introduced me to Hiro, Josh, and Kyle. From our first practice, we connected both musically and socially, becoming fast friends and forming Fortnite squads. From then on it’s been such a blast getting to write and play with this group, and we have so many exciting things we’re working on that pull from everyone’s unique experience in the music scene. 

Allie Loven: Starwave Magazine is not a Chicago based publication, but many of us have, or had, a heavy involvement in the Chicago music scene for over a decade. We are always on the hunt for more music made by, not only talented, but also genuine artists; so, I was instantly refreshed finding and getting to connect with you! Your band name itself is exactly what drew us to your work at the start. Can you speak more on the meaning behind calling yourself “Last Good Thing?” 

Maddie Regan: Last Good Thing, of course, started as a Fall Out Boy reference. I have a whole Notes list of potential band names, EP names, song titles - all that I’ve pulled from random bits of my life - that has probably been running for upwards of ten years. Last Good Thing had always stood out to me, though. I always knew that if I were able to put together a band, that’s the name I’d fight for, and I don’t really think I fully understood why until I was entering back into the scene. 

I think I saw the change as it was happening before I left the scene as an artist in 2016, but now that I’m back, I’m seeing it full force - everyone is so humble. And listen, I am not at all saying that’s a bad thing, I think it’s fantastic that people value camaraderie over competition and genuine connections over coattails. I think, though, as most things do, things might have swayed further in that direction than originally intended. 

It’s important to think that what you’re doing is fucking badass. You should think that your band is talented, that you write music that rocks, and that you can bring the house down. The music industry is tough, it’s heartbreaking, it’s a money pit - if you’re going to put yourself through hell, you have to truly believe that you have what it takes to stand out from the crowd. If you have to be the last good thing out of the current scene to bring it to new heights and break the standard, then be it! All in all, it’s an aspirational name for me, and what I hope could be a rallying call to the rest of the scene. Also I do love that Fall Out Boy song. 

Allie Loven: I mean, who doesn’t love a good FOB reference!? I have my own announcements on the way, for my personal work beyond Starwave Magazine, and I’ll just say I also have a reference to a band that meant and means a lot to me in the branding, titles, creative direction, a few words that stick with you out of a whole industry definitely means something!

Now that we are already halfway through 2025, which naturally no one likes to talk about; is this what you expected so far? Did you set any self specific 2025 goals for your music career; do you feel your original solo project is finally growing into what you wanted it to be? 

Maddie Regan: It’s June and I swear to you it was March about four seconds ago. 

The goal for 2025 was originally just to play live. We were able to get four great singles out there in the early months, but my focus was on getting back into the Chicago scene physically, establishing our presence as a gigging band, and getting our name and songs into people’s heads. With some great shows now having passed and some amazing shows lined up, we’ve been able to divert more attention to the future of the music itself. Going into the second half of 2025, our goal is to get into pre-production and demoing for an EP. 

What’s crazy is that this never felt like a solo project to me, despite the fact that I was literally working completely by myself for the first six months of its existence, haha. I always knew the music that I was writing and the energy of this project was meant for a full band - and I always knew that I’d much rather work and write in a band setting than as a solo singer/songwriter. But to answer your question, it’s absolutely grown into what I hoped - and knew - it could be. I feel super lucky that all of this came together how it did, that everyone involved is super onboard for the vision of this project. 

Allie Loven: It is so refreshing to hear that you had a happy experience and that the full vision for your project is finally coming to fruition as you knew it could. You just played your first full band show with Latenightsinmycar. [a longtime fellow local band] this past April! How do you feel it went performing together now all at once live? It seems the audience must’ve been receptive to your performance live, especially with the social media support, following not only this show, but also following the additional May 6, ‘Rookie Rochaus’ show! 

Maddie Regan: Dude, playing with Latenights was fucking amazing. That show at Bottom Lounge was so electric, we were so happy to be there. The crowd was amazing and so receptive for our first full band performance, it really gave us a confidence boost. We had only been playing together for about a month and a half at that point, and we felt super tight, but it was still such a relief to see the shock on people’s faces when we told them that we’d only been playing together for a month and a half, haha. We got some really great feedback from that show, things we’re trying to aspire to keep up and things to polish, but overall the reception was wonderful. That was a really awesome show. And to follow it up a few weeks later with Rookie of the Year and Rochaus made it feel like less of a one-off lucky night, and more like the engine was just starting to heat up. 

Allie Loven: With all of that being said, you have two more upcoming shows this summer that have been announced already! Sneaking up THIS WEEKEND— June 11, 2025, Last Good Thing headline a [17+] show at, Chicago’s beloved local venue, Cobra Lounge (6/11: cobra tix) with Career Day (NYC), arstella, and Woonds. With this show coming in less than a week— what is one thing you would tell someone [thinking about] coming out your first headlining show on Friday, June 11, 2025!?

Maddie Regan + Josh Palkin:

“Don’t stand so close to the stage, because of the pyrotechnics*.” - Josh Palkin

*Last Good Thing does not employ the use of pyrotechnics.

We enjoy putting on an exciting fun show, even if you’ve never seen or heard of us, you’ll walk away singing our songs, having had a good time. We’re enjoying playing just as much as you guys want to enjoy yourselves on a night out. 

Allie Loven: I love that genuine response, Maddie! Now, Last Good Thing’s second show this summer, was just recently announced within the past few weeks. Returning to Rochaus, opening along fellow local musicians, including the headlining band, When the Sun Sets. Being with some of the artists working just days before this announcement was a definite sign that this show is exactly what, specifically the Chicago/Midwest local scenes have needed— intentionality in highlighting and booking genuine artists!

How long have these two summer shows been in the works? What would you tell people coming out to see you live this summer to expect from Last Good Thing? What do you expect or want most from these shows this summer, beyond new supporters!? 

Maddie Regan: We were sort of invited to play this When The Sun Sets show immediately after we finished our Bottom Lounge set. Like, I’m pretty sure we were hanging by the merch tables with their bassist, Rob, and he was just like, you guys should definitely play this show. And that was that, haha. The upcoming show at Cobra Lounge with Career Day actually came up before we had even practiced as a band, but, after we had released Wish You Were, and, started the push to make connections both in our local scene and also bands that we like around the world - thanks social media! We connected with Career Day, who hail from New York City, and they were looking to fill up a Chicago date and we were more than happy to jump on board. 

Allie Loven: Thank you for taking the time to set aside and speak with me about Last Good Thing’s next great chapter for 2025 and what to expect from you all this summer!

Maddie Regan: Thank you guys for having us! We’re so stoked to be here and to be playing these shows, and super excited to rock out with When The Sun Sets.