DeKALB | Singer-songwriter Michael McDermott will come the House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway, Thursday.

The Chicago native recently moved back to the Windy City after spending a year in Los Angeles.

Northern Star: Since you woke up this morning, what is the strangest thing you’ve seen?

Michael McDermott: Good question. I actually thought I saw a person laying in the street, but it was just a jacket.

NS: What would you have done if it had been a body?

MM: I probably would have just called 911, because it looked pretty limp and lifeless and it didn’t seem like I could have performed any lifesaving measures for said corpse.

NS: What kind of jacket did it turn out to be?

MM: It was a blue running jacket. Like a sweat jacket. Could’ve been gray.

NS: What’s your favorite thing to do in Chicago?

MM: Other than go to Cubs games? Well, there are a number of fine drinking establishments I like to frequent. Being friends with lots of people who own bars definitely has its perks.

NS: What kinds of songs do you find yourself writing?

MM: I’ve experienced a lot of things that run the gamut from the maniacal to the mad to the morose, so usually the songs find something there. But it’s not always my experiences — sometimes it’s people you’ll meet in the bars.

Even the most crazy person you meet isn’t that different from you once you get to know them. It’s the story of things that makes the music tolerable. I know that’s not the best advertisement for my music, but whatever.

NS: Who are some of the most exciting musicians you’ve played with?

MM: Well that’s tricky, because with someone like Jakob Dylan from the Wallflowers, he’s a friend, so playing with him is always a lot of fun. Playing with someone like Van Morrison is a dream for me, but when it happened, I didn’t get to meet him or anything.

So, and no offense to Jakob, playing with Van Morrison was cooler. But it’s more fun to play with your friends.

NS: Last question. Drink of choice?

MM: Jack and diet.