Badass Records: Recent Episodes
Blair Johnson
As we roll into the birthday-weekend celebration of the United States of America, one might imagine coming out the other side of the festivities thinking a little more of the greater good than of the self. Maybe that's a lost cause at this juncture, but I don't believe that to be true. There are plenty of decent folks and resources and programs (or at least perhaps there were) in this country that we could -- at the very least -- spend a few seconds thinking about how one could serve one's neighbor. Or put the self second in a few of our daily walks.
And speaking of folks that land north of the decency line, I'm pleased to share with you that Jocelyn Olivia Nixon is my guest for this week's episode of the podcast.
Jocelyn was kind enough to come chew the proverbial fat with me last week, and I really enjoyed meeting her and sitting down to converse for a few. We talked about family, personal journeys, songwriting, making music and releasing it, gelling with bandmates, live performances, and quite a bit more. We also talked about a couple of her favorite albums, which were these:
Bob Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
Revolver (1966), The Beatles
If you'd like to give Jocelyn's Instagram a follow, you can find her at @jocnix26, and her band's IG is @thecreepyjingles. The Creepy Jingles have four singles on Bandcamp and a brand-new full-length release entitled Washed Up as well. You can also find their stuff on the streaming platforms. Regarding Washed Up, shouts out to Enigmatic Brunch Records for putting the thing out.
So please consider checking out their music and giving them a follow on the 'Gram. They do good stuff.
Many thanks to Jocelyn for the communication ahead of time and for making the commitment to come chill with me for a minute. And many thanks to all of you that support the program.
Happy Fourth.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a new Kurt Vile tune called, "Red Room Dub." It's a track from his newest album, Philadelphia's Been Good to Me, c/o Verve Records, an overnite kv incorporated release under exclusive license to Verve Label Group, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Your assignment for the week -- class -- is to find someone cooler than Cass Jones.
And once I've graded all of your papers, I'm pleased to share with you that I will be modifying all of your Fs to As, because -- that's right -- it's an impossible ask.
We're putting up something in the form of Episode No. 214, and I couldn't be happier to share that @cassjooones on Instagram is my guest, and what a hoot I had chatting with her.
Cass can also be found at cassjonescreative.com, and -- of greater importance, perhaps -- motelvenus.studio, come July 15th of this summer.
The Jones clan -- when they're not busy roasting one another -- would happily call Cass a sibling and a daughter, a solo camper and a dog lover. They might also call her hilarious and be right in doing so.
Cass and I talked design, illustration, brand strategy, her gig with The Pitch, and a bunch more. Included in said "more," was a short list of some of her favorite albums. Those were these:
Ice Cube's Lethal Injection (1993)
Destroy All Astromen! (1994), Man or Astro-man?
Dethklok's The Dethalbum (2007)
Keep your eyes peeled for the Motel Venus stuff; it's bound to be rad.
Many thanks to Cass and to all that support the progrum.
Note: Moonflower was not the Santana album was thinking of, I don't think. If Google's right, I think maybe it was Borboletta (1974).
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Wizzow track called, "Saturday," which is found on Wiztrumentals (2025), c/o wizzydabeatwow.
Very pleased to welcome Sammy Sanchez back in to the podcast studio for another exciting look at an artist's discography, and this time -- for Episode No. 213 -- we dove in to the Queens of the Stone Age catalog.
If you've not caught previous episodes with Sammy, you can check him out on Episode Nos 44 (first appearance), 66 (Tom Waits), 88 (Beck), 113 (Radiohead), and 187 (King Gizzard & the Wizard Lizard). And if you wanna know how that train got rollin', check out Episode No. 30 with his dad, Caesar, which was also a fun time.
Queens of the Stone Age has eight records to date, each one different than the previous. They are:
self-titled (1998)
2000's Rated R
Songs for the Deaf (2002)
Lullabies to Paralyze (2005)
2007's Era Vulgaris
...Like Clockwork (2013)
Villains from 2017
2023's In Times New Roman...
Sammy and I talked about a bunch of stuff across this chat, and beyond QotSA albums, we touched on Pink Floyd, the World Cup, the ever-awesome Phil Collins, and more.
In this case, more means a bunch of different things, but I'd like to focus specifically on his growing local empire of trivia nights, which has sprung from once a week to Sunday-Thursday affairs, all in different locations. Follow Sammy on Instagram at @sammysanchez1123 and peep his bio to see the spots.
Always grateful for Sammy's time and insight. Couldn't do this series without him.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Led Zeppelin tune called, "In the Light," which can be found on their 1975 masterpiece, Physical Graffiti, c/o Atlantic Recording Corporation, a Warner Music Group Company (marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company).
It's good fun for the dork in me this week as we're dropping a palindrome episode, and I couldn't be happier than to share that Brian Hurtgen joined me for the 212th installment of the program.
Brian is a son, a sibling, a parent, a partner, and a wearer of many band hats.
We talked family, musicianship, band life and the learning curve that sometimes comes with it. We also talked about life, death, and being a sage person as you walk the path.
Brian's outfits include Major Matt Mason USA, Holiday at Sea, The Creepy Jingles, and Bye American. You can find stuff from each of those bands on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and I Heart Radio, and you can also find some solo material of his on those platforms.
In addition to all of that, we had a peek at a few of Brian's favorite albums, which were these:
Siamese Dream (1993), The Smashing Pumpkins
Radiohead's The Bends (1995)
LP2 (1995), Sunny Day Real Estate*
Starflyer 59's The Fashion Focus (1998)
Low Level Owl, Vol. 1 + 2 (2011), The Appleseed Cast
Meeting Brian was a treat, and sharing time with him for some quality conversation was a privilege.
Oh, and don't forget to check out Brian's pop-up record store, BlacKCat Vinyl. The store's Instagram handle is @blackcatvinylkc; Brian's page is @waxmusic79.
- In my fumbling preparation efforts, I completely overlooked the Sunny Day Real Estate record, and we therefore did not discuss it on the show. My apologies to both Brian and S.D.R.E.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Delegation track called, "Oh Honey" from 1978, c/o State Records.
Hi, hello, hey, and howdy!
Episode No. 211 features the super-fantastic Scott Devouton of Sound Ridge Studio!
My conversation with Scott involved details associated with creating a recording space, the development of chops as a musician, and you can check it out in a number of places. Namely, here!
Scott and I talked about family, growing up, life path-walking, and so much more. We also happened to touch on a few of his favorite (at the time) records, and those were these:
Odelay (1996), Beck
John Legend and The Roots' Wake Up! (2010)
Lotta Sea Lice (2017), Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile
Scott's Ill Fit Records (as well as Sound Ridge Studio) can be followed on Instagram at @soundridgestudio, and their Web site is soundridgestudio.com. Find their stuff on YouTube, Facebook, and Bandcamp, and also know that Scott has a couple singles on the streaming platforms, too.
Badass Records podcast would love to thank you for tuning in to the show, and supporting it in whatever way you see fit.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Grateful Dead tune called, "China Cat Sunflower." Samples from this particular track were lifted from their Europe '72 record, c/o Warner Bros. Inc., Manufactured by Warner Strategic Marketing.
Welcome to Episode No. 210, and shouts out to my guest, Flare Tha Rebel.
Many thanks to my good friend, Keith, down at Brewery Emperial for letting me know about Flare Tha Rebel's existence, and -- before I get ahead of myself -- be absolutely sure that you check out Flare's new album, Dear City, which is available on streaming platforms.
Our conversation was super-solid, and we talked about a lot of really cool organizations that Flare supports, and you can check them out within the "Do Something" tab of his Web site, flaretharebel.com.
Follow him on Instagram at @flaretharebel. His stuff can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, I Heart Radio, and YouTube.
We talked about the new album, playing live with bandmates, Woodland Ave., and a bunch more. Included there somewhere in the mix were a few of Flare's favorite albums, which were these:
Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers), (1993), Wu-tang Clan
A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders (1993)
God Loves Ugly (2002), Atmosphere
Santigold's Santogold (2008)
Phoenix (2009), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
One thousand thank-yous to Flare Tha Rebel for the time, and to all of you that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio segments contained within this episode. All four of them are clips from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Air Bud," from his 2013 release, Wakin' on a Pretty Daze (Deluxe Daze [Post Haze]), c/o Matador Records.
Dane Bridges was kind enough to return to the Badass Records podcast studio for another fascinating conversation. During our chat, we talked school, work, band life, recording, gigging, life changes, Major Matt Mason USA, Grindstone, Holiday at Sea, From Me, Straylight, and a bunch more.
In that mix, we also talked about a few albums that're important to Dane. Those were these:
Refused's The Shape of Punk to Come (1998)
The Fragile (1999), Nine Inch Nails
Shiner's Starless (2000)
Morning View (2001), Incubus
Karnivool's Sound Awake (2009)
Give Dane a follow on Instagram at @gd_bridges for more on all of his musical endeavors, and make sure you find releases from each of his aforementioned acts on Bandcamp and the streaming platforms.
Many thanks to Dane for making Episode No. 209 a treat!
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from the title track of Preservation Hall Jazz Band's 2013 release, That's It!, c/o Sub Pop Records.
Shouts out to James Carter of You Found Music for connecting me with three fantastic Kansas City people, each of them cool in their own regard. Christian Dixon joined me for Episode No. 202. Julie Bennett Hume stopped by to say hello a few weeks later, and today -- I'm pleased to share that singer/songwriter/musician David Luther is my guest for Episode No. 208.
David and I talked family, health, writing and recording, playing gigs, and a bunch more. Naturally, we had a look at a few of David's favorite albums, which were these:
Garth Brooks' No Fences (1990)
Ten and Vs. (1991, 1993), Pearl Jam
Gin Blossoms' New Miserable Experience (1992)
Throwing Copper (1994), Live
Jason Isbell's Southeastern (2013)
David has two LPs, four singles, and an EP on the streaming platforms. His Web site is thedavidluther.com. Follow him on Instagram (@thedavidluther), or see what he's up to on Facebook and YouTube.
If you're reading this upon release time, you can catch David tomorrow, Friday, May 1, at Walnut Creek in Weston. He'll do some Minnesota shows with the aforementioned Julie Bennett Hume, and be back performing locally on May 22nd, at KC Wine Co. in Olathe, KS.
Many thanks to David for the time, and thank you to all of you that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Vitamina." It's a cut from the 1964 release, Tributo A Noro, by Kako's New York After Hour Orchestra, c/o Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Hello!
Pushing into the early 200s here with the Badass Records podcast, and I was lucky enough to host Phil Craven last week for Episode No. 207.
Phil is a son, a sibling, a down-to-Earth dude, and a musician in both Whiskey for the Lady as well as Dimension Bill Edwards.
This is my favorite time of year yet, as a) NHL playoffs are happening, and b) it's not hot yet, so I was thrilled to have some first-round action on in the background while editing this fantastic conversation with a little bit of playoff hockey in the background.
Anyway...Phil and I talked growing up, trimming bud, discovering music, learning instruments, the incredible journey of being a bandmate, the Walnut Valley Festival, and -- wait...I feel like there was something else...oh, yeah! -- a few of Phil's favorite albums, which were these:
Nirvana's Nevermind (1991)
Pure Guava (1992), Ween
Phish's Rift (1993)
Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy (1996), The Refreshments
Tool's Lateralus (2001)
It was awesome chatting with Phil, and I encourage you to to follow Whiskey for the Lady on Instagram at @whiskeyforthelady, or on Facebook, or keep tabs on whiskeyforthelady.com. They're KCMO Thrashgrass that you don't wanna miss out on. And don't forget Dimension Bill Edwards. Find them on the streams.
Many thanks to my newfound huge following in Vietnam (shrug emoji), and a super-huge thank you to those of you that have supported the podcast stateside for however long.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Fishbone tune called, "Ma and Pa" from their 1988 release, Truth and Soul, c/o Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
It's that time of the week again, and I'm excited to share that Sean Moran of KC Film Project is my guest for Episode No. 206.
Sean is a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, a photographer, and one heck of a fun guy with whom to chat.
We sat down a couple of Saturdays ago to chat all about KC Film Project and a few of the things the team are working on. To keep your finger on the pulse, follow them on Instagram at @kcfilmproject. We also talked family, growing up, traveling, business endeavors, leaving technology largely behind in the world of photography, and -- of course -- we talked about a few of Sean's favorite albums, which were these:
Jimmy Cliff's Struggling Man (1973)
Enema of the State (1999), blink-182
50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Trying (2003)
Honorable mention to Eric Clapton and his 1977 release, Slowhand. The same goes for both Escape, the 1981 Journey record, as well as Sound and Color, Alabama Shakes' release from 2015.
Chatting with Sean was a treat, though, and I can't recommend the Instagram follow enough. Cool KC things are forthcoming via the Film Project, and you'll have to check out our conversation to learn more about it.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Benevento/Russo Duo tune called, "Powder," which is from their 2006 album, Play Pause Stop (which I mistakenly referred to as self-titled), c/o Royal Potato Family.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
My guest this week is Julie Bennett Hume, whom is a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mother, and a singer/songwriter.
Follow Julie on Instagram at @julie_bennetthumemusic, check out her Web site, juliebennetthume.com, and find her stuff on Facebook, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and CD Baby.
Julie has released three solo albums, Late Bloomer (2017), Vinegar (2019), and The Lorelei (2025), as well as a duo project called The Multiverse (2021). She's also a co-host of She Talk Wha'? on KKFI, Saturdays at 3:00, which you should definitely tune in for.
For Episode No. 205, Julie and I talked about family, growing up, writing and recording, gigging, and so much more. We also had a peek at a few of her favorite albums, which were these:
Europe '72 (1972), Grateful Dead
The Roches' self-titled release (1979)
Rickie Lee Jones' Pirates (1981)
Good As I Been to You (1992), Bob Dylan
Catch Julie Wednesday, April 15th at 7:00 p.m. at Hammers Dueling Piano Bar at 3901 Broadway in downtown Kansas City, and be sure to check out that KKFI program of hers; it covers a lot of cool stuff.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a DJ Quik tune called, "Black Mercedes" from his 2006 release, Trauma Instrumentals, c/o Mad Science Recordings.
Matt Jack joined me for Episode No. 204, and it was awesome sitting down with him.
Matt's a son, a husband, a father, a professional, a bandmate for many outfits, and a super-sharp dude.
Beyond following Matt's Death By Science Fiction outfit on Instagram (@deathbyscifi), you should definitely check out their stuff on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify. And above all, be sure to get your tickets now for JackChella at The Rino on Friday, April 3.
Five -- count 'em, five -- of Matt's bands will be offering a set of live music, and it's the second year that Matt and The Rino have put on this event. It's a don't-miss.
For our conversation, Matt and I talked growing up in OKC, moving to KC, learning instruments, making records, gigging, and so much more. We also talked about a few of Matt's favorite records, which were these:
Yellowcard's Ocean Avenue (2003)
self-titled, Blink 182 (2003)
Futures (2004), Jimmy Eat World
Foo Fighters' Echoes, Silence, Patience, Grace (2007)
Forget and Not Slow Down (2009), Relient K
Many thanks to Matt for the time and the energy he put in to making this happen, and many thanks to all of you that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Meute tune called, "LoCKeDoWN2," from their 2024 release, Empor, c/o TUMULT serviced by NEUBAU Music.
J. Ryan Landry is a son, a sibling, an artist, a super-sharp fellow, and a fantastic conversationalist. He's also my guest for Episode No. 203.
Mr. Landry and I hit it off right away, talking about common acquaintances, growing up in JoCo, hoops, and the like, and we were only getting started there.
We chatted school, caricature art, his Web site, skipperart.com, his Instagram handle, @hippyskippyart, and his latest project, KC Art Van Gogh, in Raytown. They have studio spaces, membership options, and classes, and can be found at kcart-vangogh.com, reached by phone at 816-388-0089, or via e-mail at kcartvangogh@gmail.com.
Somewhere in the mix, we touched on a few of J. Ryan's favorite albums, which were these:
The White Album (1968), The Beatles
Van Morrison's Moondance (1970)
self-titled (1980), The Pretenders
U2's The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
Version 2.0 (1998), Garbage
Please be sure to give J. Ryan an Instagram follow, and to also check out KC Art Van Gogh's Web site. Many thanks to Mr. Landry for a delightful conversation, and many thanks to all of you that support the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Phish track called, "Brian and Robert," which is from their 1998 release, The Story of the Ghost, c/o Phish Inc.
Christian Dixon is a son, a sibling, a musician and a songwriter, and he's my guest for Episode No. 202.
If you're so inclined, you can give Christian an Instagram follow at @christiandixonmusic. You can find him on Facebook and Tiktok. You can peruse his Web site, christiandixon.bandzoogle.com. You can find his EP and his singles on Apple Music and Spotify. And I'll also encourage you to check out James Carter's "You Found Music" out there on the Web; he's the guy deserving of the kudos for connecting me and Christian.
During our conversation, we talked about life, growing up, family, mental health, self-discovery, service to others, and a bunch more. We also talked about a few of Christian's favorite albums, which were these:
Glory, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1989)
Switchfoot's Vice Verses (2011)
Vessel (2013), Twenty One Pilots
Phoebe Bridgers' Stranger in the Alps (2017)
Punisher (2020), Phoebe Bridgers
This is a long one, and that's certainly not desirable for some of the potential viewing audience, especially for a brand that's making zero clips or short-form content, but it's worth it. Christian is sharp, personable, and full of great insight, so I do hope you'll tune in.
Thank you to him for the time, and to all of you that support the program.
Note: Tom Cruise. Not Tom Hanks in Magnolia. Yeesh.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune entitled, "Berkeley Jam," that was spawned from a live Phish performance. I poached it from Live Phish Downloads 8.06.10 (The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA) from 2011, and it's available to me and you c/o Who Is She Music Inc.
Just like that we're off and rolling into the 200s, and I couldn't be happier than to share that Parker Mason is this week's guest on the podcast.
Parker is a son, a sibling, a partner, and a bandmate in various acts around Kansas City.
Check out @haikusforemus, @car.microwave, and @wearelandlion, all on Instagram.
Parker and I chatted growing up, diving into music and the Internet, wearing different role hats in bands, and the music-scene community around town.
We also talked about a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles
Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane over the Sea (1998)
I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (2005), Bright Eyes
Sufjan Stevens' Carrie and Lowell (2015)
Circles (2020), Mac Miller
Not every guest I interview is as sharp and up to the task of having entertaining conversation as Parker was, and for that I consider myself lucky. Many thanks to him and to all of you that support the show.
Note: Emitt Rhodes was the name I was looking for.
Side Note: Heavy-duty congratulations to the United States Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Teams for bringing home double gold in Milan. Super, super cool.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Slide Five track called, "Up & Out." It's the leadoff number from their 1996 release, Rhode Trip, c/o Ubiquity Recordings, Inc.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls --
Please allow me to introduce my wonderful guest, Carlton Rashad, to the podcast.
Carlton is a son, a sibling, a singer, a songwriter, a performer, and a fantastic human being. He also makes an appearance on this program for the esteemed 200th episode, which -- if I'm not lying -- is pretty cool.
Know what else is cool?
Carlton.
He has a Instagram -- @imcarltonrashad -- you can follow. He has a Facebook, a TikTok, a Threads, a YouTube, and he has his stuff on Apple Music and Spotify. He's the 2021 Best Male Vocalist per the Kansas City People's Choice Awards, and he's a Kansas Citian through and through.
Carlton and I talked about his lifelong existence as a performer and a singer, a person with music always in his life, and his affinity for manifestation. We also talked about a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Get Lifted (2004), John Legend
Mary Mary's self-titled release (2005)
Future Sex/Love Sounds (2006), Justin Timberlake
Lalah Hathaway's Lalah Hathaway Live! (2015)
the entire Beyonce catalog
Please go check out Carlton's stuff, and -- while I have you -- thank you for your continued support of the Badass Records podcast.
copyright stuff: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune by Robert Walter's 20th Congress called, "Inversion Layer." It's a track from his 2013 release, Get Thy Bearings, and we have access to it c/o The Royal Potato Family.
Ryan Johnson is a son, a brother, and a musician. He's also a super-sharp dude, and he's my guest for Episode No. 199.
Both Ryan's solo and full-band outfits write, record, and gig around town, and if you give him an Instagram follow -- @foxlinband -- you can see that he has some upcoming gigs, including one tomorrow night!
Ryan was kind enough to share a little bit of time with me the Tuesday before last, and we talked about growing up, family, music memories, writing tunes, gigging live, his ongoing fight with cancer and challenges that he faces living with not only Multiple Myeloma, but Borderline Personality Disorder as well. We also talked about a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
REO Speedwagon's Hi Infidelity (1980)
Take Offs and Landings (2001), Rilo Kiley
Bright Eyes' I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (2005)
Mean Everything to Nothing (2009), Manchester Orchestra
The Decemberists' The King Is Dead (2011)
Meeting Ryan was a treat, and chatting with him was delightful. Find Foxlin's stuff at foxlinband.wixsite.com, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and Bandcamp.
The Bandcamp platform has something in the way of seven EPs, two full-length releases, and a pair of singles. Lots of good stuff. And the Web site has some very valuable resources for anyone that may be in need.
Thanks to Ryan for the time; thanks to all that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are samples of the title track from Phish's 1990 release, Lawn Boy, and is available to listeners c/o Phish Inc.
Laura Boland is a daughter, a sister, a significant other, a musician, and an old-school soul. She's also my guest for Episode No. 198.
When wearing her musician cap, Laura goes by the moniker, Elska, and you can find her stuff at elskamusic.me, and you can follow her on Instagram at @elskalullabies.
Laura was kind enough to stop by and visit with me about growing up, life moves and changes, writing, recording, mixing, incorporating Alex Alexander into the Elska fold, and a number of other things, including a few of her favorite albums. Those were these:
Heaven or Las Vegas (1990), Cocteau Twins
Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
Fur and Gold (2006), Bat for Lashes
Chelsea Wolfe's Pain Is Beauty (2013)
Many thanks to Laura for her generous donation of time and good energy, and thank you to all of you that support the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this clip. They are snippets from a Bob Dylan tune called, "Man in the Long Black Coat," which you can find on his 1989 release, Oh Mercy. It has featured in this episode and is available to us all c/o Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
"Mama always said that dying was a part of life...but I sure wish it wasn't."
-- Forrest Gump
My journey as a fan of the Grateful Dead is -- from my perspective -- and interesting one in that I went from the tiny handful of FM-radio hits to Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of the Grateful Dead, and I didn't love it. At all, really.
Some time later everything changed.
I wasn't certain about the lineup and why the vocals sometimes didn't sound like Jerry Garcia's voice, but I eventually figured it out, and -- in typical fashion for myself -- I fell in love with Garcia's playing, Garcia's voice, and the sometimes-lovely keyboard playing. And that was kind of it.
It took me until the formation of Dead and Company to form my admiration and respect of -- plus love for -- Bobby Weir. Seeing the occasional photo of him in Birkenstocks (and ultimately barefoot) on his on-stage rug in addition to the occasional Instagram post of him in yoga poses, etc. really solidified my belief that this was a truly special human being.
I struggle with a number of things, and among them is the constant need for the reminder that social media isn't real life. So, when Bobby's passing was shared with the world, I bristled at verbiage in posts that started with phrases like, "I'm devastated."
At the same time, I also kind of understood.
Bob Weir -- from my vantage point -- was in incredible human, and we are so, so lucky that we shared living moments with him.
I say all of that to say this: Nicolette Paige joined me for Episode No. 197 and even though I didn't know her prior to her ringing my doorbell (and scarcely know her now), she seems like a delightful person. She -- I think -- is all about energy and love and positivity, and we could use a few more Nicolettes on this planet right now.
Mrs. Paige and I talked about family, growing up with incredibly supportive parents, putting on shows, seeing clients, peddling products, managing screen time, as well as a few of her favorite albums, which were these:
Bob Marley's Exodus (1977)
Bruised Orange (1978), John Prine
Jimi Hendrix's The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
Mama's Gun (2000), Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu's New Amerykah, Part I (4th World War) (2008)
Follow her at @nicolettepaigemusic on Instagram. Check out her Web site, soulchildawakenings.com, and -- if you're so inclined -- you can follow Soul Child Awakenings on the socials we know as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. She's also got two albums -- self-titled + The Other Side -- available via the streaming platforms.
A big thank you to Nicolette for the time and the vibes. A super-big thank you to you for supporting the podcast, and a massive thank you to Bob Weir, for being an absolute treasure.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips featured in this episode. They are snippets taken from the leadoff track of Bob Weir's 2016 record, Blue Mountain. It's a fantastic album, and I encourage you to check it out in its entirety. We have it available to us today c/o TRI Studios LLC, which is distributed under license by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
This is the Badass Records podcast, and I'm pleased to let you know that Episode No. 196 features none other than Joel vs Joel's very own, Joel Stratton.
Joel vs Joel's debut album, Smile in the Mirror, came out in August of last year, and Brad Smith (Episode No. 108) of Enigmatic Brunch Records was the wizard behind the curtains of making that happen.
But let's not let that detract us from Joel.
I am thankful for the opportunity to've sat with Joel and talked about his release, his approach, and, well, a few of his favorite records.
I know. It's the same old stuff every week(ish) here, but that turns out to be the actual skinny, so...his list looked a little something like this:
Talk Talk's The Colour of Spring (1986)
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002), Wilco
Elliott Smith's From a Basement on the Hill (2004)
Tinks (2014), Pether Schlamb
Anyway, please consider giving Joel an Instagram follow; you can find him at joelvs_joel_, and -- again -- his stuff is out there for both streaming and purchase. Check it.
Thank you very much to both Joel and to anyone/everyone that supports the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio pieces found in this here episode; they ain't mines. I managed ta' lift 'em from the ranks of a dusty, forgotten bin in the corner of my uncle's barn in Republic, and I figured they was worth sharin', so here's the skinny: This is an R.L. Burnside tune. It's one of many fine, fine cuts he shared with the world. This one in particular's called, "Got Messed Up," and I snagged it from his phenomenal 2000 release, Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down, c/o Fat Possum Records. So there. Put that in your royalties pipe an' smoke it.
Andrew Turner of Andrew Turner Auctions sat down with me a handful of days ago, and we talked about some stuff.
Our Episode No. 195 conversation involved a little about growing up, family, life visions and the shifts therein, being a gigging musician, and so much more.
It's been a couple of weeks since an episode of Badass Records dropped, and -- yes -- most of that is associated with the craziness of the holidays, and I mention that to mention this: I hope that somewhere in the insanity of it all that you always have that feeling. And by "that feeling," I mean that moment that flitters in and out a few times every holiday season where you go, I'm happy to be on this planet with these people in this moment. It's really one of the few things left to us. That and being in nature and witnessing good acts.
This world is a weird one right now, and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to sit down and talk with people.
In talking with Andrew, I learned about his Web site, his social-media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Threads). I learned about the grind behind his weekly auctions and the energy that goes into promoting them. I also learned about a few of Andrew's favorite albums. And those were these:
Richard Hell & The Voidoids' Blank Generation (1977)
Double Nickels on the Dime (1984), Minutemen
The Darkness' Permission to Land (2003)
The Black Parade (2006), My Chemical Romance
King Princess' Cheap Queen (2019)
Dragline (1992), PAW
I really enjoyed my chat with Andrew, and appreciate all that support the show. If you'd consider giving Andrew a follow on one (or other) of his situations, and think about attending one of his auctions, it'd make my 2026.
Cheers, everybody.
copyright disclaimer: It's too late for me to dial up the appropriate verbiage, but the simplest version of the message is that the audio samples in here aren't mine; they belong to the artist. That's always the case; I'm always only trying to put together a quality program and promote music. In this particular situation, I have borrowed a few snippets from Durand Jones & The Indications. The tune's called, "Love Will Work It Out," and it's one of the numbers off of his 2021 release, Private Space, which appears here (and everywhere) c/o Dead Oceans.
Ay, yo!
Life be life-in' right now, and I'm feelin' it; the usual stress of holiday hosting and shopping and scheduling and all the other stuff has my mind crinkled and my right shoulder blade in a knot.
It's a lot.
Sometimes, though, a little dose of blessing floats your way, and I couldn't be more grateful to share with you that I had the pleasure of meeting (and sitting with) the beautiful and the savvy, the sharp and the hilarious, the talented and ambitious, Kimology!
That's right.
Kim is a daughter and a sister. She's a flippin' playwright and a singer. You might see her modeling, or you might catch her making short films. She's featuring in videos and on Tech N9ne tracks. She's got her own (The Kimology Show) progrum, and co-hosts another (But Did You Listen to the Album?). And atop all that, she was kind enough to join me for Episode No. 194.
Few people know this (and it doesn't matter outside of my sphere), but this is a hard gig to maintain when it comes to the soliciting of strangers, the interview prep, the editing and the uploading.
Seldom -- and I do mean seldom -- do I interact with someone so lovely, so prompt, and so willing to come share a piece of this thing I curate. And, boy am I lucky that my algorithmic signals crossed paths with Kim's.
We talked about family, growing up, performing, directing, producing, writing, singing, recording, and a ton more.
We also talked a little bit about a few of Kim's favorite albums. Those were these:
Bad (1987), Michael Jackson
Boyz II Men's Cooleyhighharmony (1991)
T.E.V.I.N. (1991), Tevin Campbell
Toni Braxton's self-titled release (1993)
Never Say Never (1998), Brandy
Kim is @iamkimology on Instagram. Both of her shows can be viewed on YouTube, and the But Did You Listen to the Album? podcast has an IG handle as well; it's @bdyltapod. So, please subscribe to both of her situations, and support a lady that's doing good, is good, and will brighten your week.
'Preciate you for reading this.
copyright disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. All those things considered, I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets of one of the greatest album-opening tracks of all time, "Hot Sauce," by Big John Patton. You can find it leading off his 1986, six-track ripper, Blue John, c/o Blue Note Records and Capitol Records, LLC.
Alright, now...
Thanksgiving is in the rearview, and we are officially in the thick of holiday madness!
And, in wishing you happiness and sanity getting through it all, I'm pleased to share that Rodd Fenton joined me for Episode No. 193.
Rodd is a son, a sibling, a husband, a producer, an engineer, a guitarist in a band, and he has an A+ em-dash game, to boot.
Rodd's production/recording company is called Solstice Audio. You can follow them at @solsticeaudio on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, and their Web site is solsticeaudio.com.
His band is Field Daze, and their stuff is on the 'Gram at @fielddazekcmo, and you can find them on the Web at fielddazekc.com.
It was a true treat meeting Rodd and chatting with him a couple of weeks ago. We talked gear, guitars, recording, making music, and we also took a look at a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Between the Heart & the Synapse (2005), The Receiving End of Sirens
Coheed & Cambria's Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005)
Broken Bride (2005), Ludo
The Dear Hunter's Act II: The Meaning of, and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading (2007)
Peripheral Vision (2015), Turnover
Please consider giving Solstice Audio a look for your next recording project, and definitely check out Field Daze. Many thanks to Rodd for the time and energy, and cheers to all of you that support the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. All things considered, I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are samples from a track entitled, "Ride On" by AC/DC. The tune comes from their 1976 release, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and exists c/o Australian Music Corporation Pty Ltd.
I'm feeling a tiny bit too gassed to look it up, but I think this is maybe the fourth-consecutive episode of the podcast to drop on Thanksgiving.
Thursdays aren't fantastic for metrics it seems, but what's more likely is that this thing just isn't really marketable in terms of audience growth.
And that's okay. There was never a pipe dream to have it all blow up. It's always been about connecting with people and sharing stories. And I'm pretty proud to be closing in on 200 episodes/four years of sittin' down with folks to talk about life and music.
Point being, nobody's really paying attention to anything on Thanksgiving; they're all movin' around and preparing and whatnot. Most folks, anyway. And I want to give a special shoutout to those that aren't: To those that have spent or do spend this particular holiday without friends or without loved ones -- shouts out to you. You are loved, even if sediments of solitude occupy a portion of your day. Or your life.
I don't know how the way current times feel compares to The Depression or Civil Rights or the late '70s when there were gas lines or any of the rest of it. I just know that it makes me a little sad everyday that people are being ugly to each other.
It almost feels criminal to discover yourself enjoying something like a little time away from the grind when there are people out there that would give anything to have the grind be a part of their lives.
So, I'd like to just...share a human moment, and say that I appreciate all of you that are currently inhabiting the planet. I mean, if you're fuckin' with other people and doin' creepy shit that ain't kosher -- well -- knock that off.
People in traffic annoy me often. Same with comments-section campers. And don't get me started on the homeslices and the girlfriends that think that what's happening in the United States right now is fine. Lemme tell ya': Fine would be fantastic. <Marcellus Wallace voice> Shit's "pretty fuckin' far from okay."
So hopefully today some of you can wiggle yourself into that once-familiar feeling of things being okay, and you can enjoy your sweet potatoes, and compliment the pie crust, and -- of course -- offer to do the dishes.
Anyway...Matthew Naquin is this week's guest. He was kind enough to share some of a Tuesday evening with me a couple of weeks ago, and together we hammered out Episode No. 192.
We talked about his illustrations (Check him out on Instagram at @thesanmateo.), his music (thesanmateo.com plus Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music), life, family, comedy, and a bunch more, including a few of his favorite records, which were these:
U2's The Joshua Tree (1987)
Gentlemen (1993), The Afghan Wigs
Portishead's Dummy (1994)
F# A# Infinity (1997), Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Radiohead's Amnesiac (2001)
Check out our chat, and check out all things Matthew Naquin/San Mateo. Cheers and thank you.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976: Allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. That being said, I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a DJ Shadow tune called, "What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 (Blue Sky Revisit)," and you can find this cut on his 1996 release, Endtroducing, c/o Mowax Recordings, A&M Records, Ltd.
Every Now and Zen I wax a little existential on here; doing so at least gets in the neighborhood of scratching that writer itch.
Daylight Savings has been over for a bit, and I think we're all still adjusting to it getting dark at 5:00 (soon to be 4:30), bracing for the holidays, and stirring the miniature marshmallows of emotion into the cocoa that is the forthcoming cold.
I have a fat bundle of youth basketball games to look forward to watching to, and the last week or so with my high-school-freshman daughter has been decent, better perhaps than it was at the end of October, so that's where my focus is attempting to be right now: on the positive.
On that note, I continue to be excited about the podcast continuing to roll in the direction of its 200th episode, and this week's was a bunch of fun.
Chris Clark of Blue Oyster Culture Club (as well as Sisters of...) joined me for Episode No. 191, and I really enjoyed getting to know him and talking about his experiences growing up, making pals for life, joining bands, and making music. We also had a look at a few of Chris' favorite albums. Those were these:
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Season to Risk's self-titled debut (1993)
Sunny Day Real Estate's Diary (1994)
Show (1994), The Jesus Lizard
Sigur Rós' () (2002)
Find Chris on Facebook or Instagram (@beerdedclark) to keep tabs on all things B.O.C.C., and find the two Sisters of... releases on Apple Music or Spotify.
Thanks to Mr. Clark for making the trek down to K.C. from St. Joe, and props to all of you that support the show.
Note: Bill Brownlee's other Web site is called There Stands the Glass; I called it something else by mistake during my conversation with Chris.
copyright disclaimer: I used snippets of Robert Plant's "Big Log," for this episode, and they're not mine; I own zero rights to them. It's a cut from his 1983 release, Principle of Moments. Plant came up in our conversation, and was very much on the brain once I hit that portion of the episode edit. So, I quickly poked at Plant's solo hits looking for this one, and when I found it I remembered that I've always found the name to be stupid. Until a few moments ago when I glanced at the song's Wikipedia page:
"'Big Log' was written in the middle of winter. We'd run out of fuel for the fire. We found the remains of an old tree lying outside, which was about 15 feet long, but had nothing to cut it with. So we put one end in the fire and slowly burnt it, till it was hollow."
And now I love the name. Kudos to guitarist Robbie Blunt for writing some super-fantastic licks for this tune. Timeless.
What is up, everyone?!
We're back -- after a small pause -- with another episode featuring a guest, and I'm thrilled to share, regardless of how LinkedIn-y that sounds -- that I was lucky enough to see my interview with Phil Kilmer to the other side.
Meaning, it took a year and-a-half to make it happen. Which is fun!
In that vein, I'll pause for two seconds to say thank you to anyone that's ever replied to my outreach, and everyone that has helped me to see an episode come to finished-product state by committing, showing up, and being awesome. I'm really excited to see that the 200 mark is right around the corner, and -- as of this moment -- I have a small dose of confidence in me that we'll get there.
Where it goes from there is anybody's guess.
Anyway...Phil Kilmer is a son, a boyfriend, a father, a presence in academia, a physical therapist, a doctorate candidate, and I'm -- in botching this list -- not even doing his whole Curriculum Vitae justice.
Regardless, we talked about Frost on the Flint Band, the Lovegrass Music Festival, being a musician, a diehard soccer fan, and...well, we also had a decent look at a few of Phil's favorite albums, which were these:
Live at the Old Quarter (1977), Townes Van Zandt
John Prine's Bruised Orange (1978)
Uprising (1980), Bob Marley
Split Lip Rayfield's Never Make It Home (2001)
Renewal (2021), Billy Strings
Chatting with Phil was super-fantastic, and I'd be remiss to not encourage you to give both the Walnut Valley Festival as well as the Lovegrass Music Festival consideration when planning your next bit of PTO. Thank you, Phil, and nutrition and health to you all.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips contained within this episode, or within any of these episodes, for that matter. In this instance, I poached snippets from a Gregory Isaacs tune called, "Night Nurse Dub 2," from his 1982 release, Night Nurse, c/o Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
I'm equal parts excited to share this episode and sad that the project has come to a close, but before I get all emotional, know that the Apple Music playlist that serves as a companion to this episode can be found here. If that isn't your platform and you want me to create one for you for yours, D.M. me on Instagram or drop a comment on the YouTube post; happy to do it.
It's Episode 189 then and this is my first crack at a discography-series installment all by my lonesome.
I was explaining this to my son earlier in the week, and he was not only curious but felt bad for me having to do one alone. And then he was stunned when I told him how much longer it takes to record and produce an episode without a guest as well as how much shorter the final product is.
Anyway...I started poking around at the J.J. Cale catalog a few months ago, and I've finally made it through all 15 albums three times. And I really can't tell you what a delight it's been.
Now the challenge will be to avoid my favorites (the playlist), and really step away from his work for a little bit so that it'll be somewhat fresh and enjoyable when I feel like revisiting.
There is so much to appreciate within Cale's rich collection. Crafty lyrics, stellar musicianship from all involved, groove, funk, blues, dexterity, love, lust, companionship, and so on. This exploration has made me a fan for life, and I hope that by sharing it I've piqued the interest of someone else, too.
Cale's albums:
Naturally (1971)
Really (1972)
Okie (1974)
Troubadour (1976)
5 (1979)
Shades (1981)
Grasshopper (1982)
#8 (1983)
Travel-Log (1989)
Number 10 (1992)
Closer to You (1994)
Guitar Man (1996)
To Tulsa and Back (2004)
Roll On (2009)
Stay Around (2019)
Snippets of favorites from each appear chronologically in this episode; full versions on the aforementioned playlist.
Talk to each other when you're out there doing human things in the world. It can make a difference.
copyright disclaimer: The intro and outro clips from this episode are not my property. They come from a Portugal. The Man tune called, "Thunderdome [W.T.A.]," from the 2023 release, Chris Black Changed My Life, c/o Atlantic Recording Corporation.
Ladies and gentlemen -- Please put your hands together for Holly Day!
Holly is a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mother of two, and a darn fine TikTok'er.
She's also my guest for Episode No. 188.
I had the pleasure of meeting Holly about a decade ago, and she's just as awesome as she was back then. We talked a little bit about growing up, parenting and navigating the world as adults, as employees, and as appreciators of music. Speaking of which, Holly and I took a peek at a few of her favorite albums, which were these:
Salt-N-Pepa's Very Necessary (1993)
Crazy Sexy Cool (1994), TLC
Backstreet Boys' self-titled (1996)
The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), Eminem
Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
Reconnecting with Holly was a treat, and you should follow her on TikTok; she's @hollydayerday, and she's real funny. And buy some stuff from her there!
A thousand thank-yous to Holly for making this happen. It was a blast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Mark Knopfler tune called, "Boom, Like That," and you can check it out on his 2003 release, Shangri-La, c/o Straightjacket Songs, Ltd., under exclusive license to Mercury Records Limited.
It has been a hot minute since the last installment of a discography-series episode dropped, and I couldn't be happier than to share that I was able to convince Sammy Sanchez to join me for a breakdown of the King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard catalog.
Sammy and I go all the way back to Two Thousand and Twenty-Two, when I met him for the first time after having his awesome father, Cesar, sit down with me to talk music and life.
I've gotten to know Sammy via these (now five total) podcast conversations, and that lane of my life is richer for it.
In our initial conversation, we talked LCD Soundsystem, Pink Floyd, and Tom Waits. Our second installment peeked into the Tom Waits discography. We did a Beck episode, and a Radiohead episode, and now...it's Kay Gee & the Elle Double-you, baby!
How does one attempt to describe King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard? Well...they're an Australian rock band that has broken the mold of prolific studio recordings. In short, they formed in 2010, and have dropped 30 records in that span, and no, there are no typos in this sentence.
Thirty records!
Beyond that, you just have to see for yourself. They can get heavy. They sometimes journey. And -- from time to time -- they jam. Here's the collection (to the best of our knowledge):
Willoughby's Beach (2011)
12 Bar Bruise (2012)
Eyes Like the Sky (2013)
Float Along -- Fill Your Lungs (2013)
Oddments (2014)
I'm in Your Mind Fuzz (2014)
Quarters! (2015)
Papier Mache Dream Balloon (2015)
Nonagon Infinity (2016)
Flying Microtonal Banana (2017)
Murder of the Universe (2017)
Sketches of Brunswick East (2017)
Polygondwanaland (2017)
Gumboot Soup (2017)
Fishing for Fishies (2019)
Infest the Rats' Nest (2019)
Chunky Shrapnel (2020)
K.G. (2020)
L.W. (2021)
Butterfly 3000 (2021)
Butterfly 3001 (2022)
Ominium Gatherum (2022)
Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava (2022)
Made in Timeland (2022)
Laminated Denim (2022)
Changes (2022)
Petro Dragonic Apocalypse (2023)
The Silver Cord (2023)
Flight b741 (2024)
Phantom Island (2025)
And there you have it. And in case you were curious, yes, that was exhausting to type and italicize. So, yes, I can imagine how you totally didn't read it at all.
Regardless, Sammy and I motored through the thing and did so (in my estimation) with some sense of efficiency; we didn't dawdle and we certainly didn't speed.
Needless, to say, I hope there's a way for some folks to find this conversation enjoyable, be they K.G. & the L.W. fans or not. It was certainly fun and rewarding to do it.
Many thanks to Sammy for his knowledge and his energy, and thank you to all of you that support the show.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode (or any other, for that matter). These particular selections are clips I poached from a tune called, "Packet Man," by Digital Underground. It can be found on their 1990 release, Sex Packets, and is available to us c/o Tommy Boy Music, LLC.
Allison Mendoza, a.k.a. @buffaloroamks on Instagram, is my guest for Episode No. 186.
Allison is a sister, an aunt, an embroiderer, and a lover of instant-film photography.
She's also a person with whom I enjoyed talking a great deal.
We talked about growing up, family-business life, and -- yes -- we also took a peek at a few of Allison's favorite albums. Those were these:
Amor Prohibido (1994), Selena
Fleetwood Mac's The Dance (1997)
Evermore (2020), Taylor Swift
The 1975's Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022)
Romance (2024), Fontaines D.C.
Please check out all of Allison's stuff, including her Web site, buffaloromaks.square.site. It's good stuff, and you don't wanna miss it.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode, or any of the previous ones, either. In this scenario, I chose a tune by The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, and it's a tune called, "Sander's Lament," which is off of their self-titled 2015 release, c/o Plaid Room Records LLC.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls -- Please put your virtual hands together for this week's guest of Badass Records podcast, Josephine Tsaur!
Jo' is the fantastic mastermind behind Hidden Gems KC, which you can follow on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and/or YouTube.
Hidden Gems KC is the channel you need to follow to find out about all of the cool stuff you might not know about in Kansas City, so -- as Kid Fry Cook once said -- please run up her numbers.
Jo' and I talked about family, creativity, education, leap taking, discovery, and a bunch more, which included two of Jo's favorite albums:
Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown (2009)
Kpop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) (2025)
I super-enjoyed Jo's energy, and really appreciate her time.
Thank you to Jo', and thank you to all of you that support the podcast.
"Buy a Chrysler!"
copyright disclaimer: For whatever reason, I had an itch to go retro on this one, and so, I did. Regardless, I don't own any of the rights to any of the audio samples contained in this episode (or in any other, for that matter). And -- funny (to me) story -- I Googled something about the podcast the other day, and it listed this track as the official song for the show (which probably explains the itch) in not so many words. And I giggled. And felt proud. I don't think anything should be flagged unless you're actually just clearly trying to make money off of someone else's stuff. But...if you're proppin' it up?! Shouldn't that count as promotional and not cause content to be earmarked? At any rate, in this episode I nabbed snippets of "Inversion Layer" by Robert Walter's 20th Congress. It's off of his 2013 release, Get Thy Bearings, and it's available to both you and me c/o The Royal Potato Family. Never have I ever had anything flagged because of including clips from this tune, and so -- I have long since considered making it the show's official anthem. But I keep not doin' that. Anyway, it's a killer track, and people should know about it.
Please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to the Badass Records Podcast stage...Andrew Dodderidge, ladies and gentlemen!
Andrew is a son, a sibling, and a lover of both music and movies. He's a guy that dabbles in photography, but really gets the creative grease hot when it comes to putting words in print. In fact, he does that very thing for Kansas City's very own, The Pitch.
My guest for Episode No. 184 was kind enough to share a little bit of time with me a few Saturdays ago, and we chatted family, growing up, a Kansas state-college house divided like no other, writing and editing, loss and longing.
We also managed to chat a little bit about a few of Andrew's favorite albums, which were these:
Big Star's #1 Record (1972)
Alligator (2005), The National
Thousand Foot Krutch's Welcome to the Masquerade (2009)
Home, Like NoPlace Is There (2014), The Hotelier
Charli XCX's How I'm Feeling Now (2020)
Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewdodderidge, but also -- he's more active on Twitter. And please be sure to check out Andrew's writing for The Pitch at thepitchkc.com/author/andrew-dodderidge.
Many thanks to not only Andrew, but to all of the fine, fine folks at The Pitch that continue to do the heavy lifting to keep that publication alive. Our city is greater for both your efforts and your results.
And thanks to those of you that continue to support the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. Or any episode, really. In this particular case, I have lifted said snippets from a tune called, "Sugar Craft." It's a track by Medeski, Martin & Wood, and it comes from their 1998 release, Combustication, which is just an absolute treat of a record created by one of the finest trios to ever grace American-rock stages. And we have access to said album c/o Blue Note Records.
Kate Taylor is a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mom, and an expert craftswoman. She's also my guest for Episode No. 183.
Learn more about Kate's awesome artwork at @matchboxkansascity on Instagram. Find her on Facebook at Matchbox KC, or reach out to her regarding a commission piece you'd like her to create for you at matchboxkansascity at gmail dot com. She's also on Threads.
It was lovely meeting Kate and learning a little bit about her story. She's often posted up at First Fridays, so keep your eyes peeled for her setup there.
Kate and I talked about the awesomeness of being Gen Xers. We also talked about the the fantastic live-music scene in Lawrence, KS (both now and especially when we were coming up). We also talked about a few of Kate's favorite albums, which were these:
Janis Joplin's Pearl (1971)
Hunting High & Low (1985), a-ha
They Might Be Giants' Flood (1989)
On How Life Is (1999), Macy Gray
Many thanks to Kate for carving some time out of her busy schedule and making the trek over to chat with me. Additional thanks to her for the cool gifts she brought me, and thank you to all of you that support the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are cuts from a tune called, "Glide," which Phish released as part of their 1992 record, A Picture of Nectar (c/o Elektra Entertainment).
I can't take credit for it 'cause Suzie told me that one of her friends already made the statement, but typing, saying, or thinking Suzannah Johannes sounds like you're talking about a cousin of Roseanne Rosannadanna.
Regardless...Suzannah Johannes -- my guest for Episode No. 182 -- is a resident of one of the finest towns this side o' The Mississippi'.
It's called Elle Eff Kay if you're keepin' score at home.
Anyway...Suzannah was kind enough to drop by to chew the fat with me about collaborating, writing music, and working on those live-performance chops.
Our chat was also a little timely as Suzannah has a) just released a new album, Kansas City: Hans Bronze Boulevard, which is available on vinyl and via the streaming platforms, and b) a second album coming to us in January: Los Angeles: The Missing Album.
You can get either via her Web site, suzannahjohannes.com, or at her Bandcamp.
I really enjoyed our conversation, though, and suspect that you might, too. We covered growing up in a small town, life's detours, being surrounded by supportive friends and loved ones, and making music. We also touched on a few of Suzannah's favorite albums, which were these:
Astrud Gilberto's The Shadow of Your Smile (1965)
Coney Island Baby (1976), Lou Reed
Sybille Baier's Colour Green (2006)
Hanz Bronze's self-titled release from 2015
Chase Me (2024), Brooke Tuley & the Moon Travelers
So, check out Suzannah's new release, give her a follow on Instagram at @suzannahjohannes, and come see her perform at The Ship, on Thursday, September 11.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within these episodes. The promo beds, the intro/outro, that is. In this particular case, I sampled Kurt Vile's "Goldtone" from his 2013 release, Wakin' on a Pretty Daze (Deluxe Daze [Post Haze]), c/o Matador Records.
Mikey Wheeler is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a musician, and a tattoo artist. He's also my guest for Episode No. 181.
Every now and again I wax emotional about what a good human with whom I've had the privilege of sitting on the other side of the table of, and when I do so it is 100 percent not in an effort to speak any less of the other fine folks that've been kind enough to join me.
We've all got a story or stories. We've all rowed the channels of life in one form or other.
Being that this show is what this show is, though, it's difficult to manage my time wisely enough to get folks to sit in the chair opposite mine. And it's a whole other cart of magic beans to land someone that's as sharp, articulate, benevolent, and wise as the likes of a Mikey Wheeler.
I said this while we were rolling, and I don't want to ruin anything by repeating any thing that doesn't warrant it, but this one's an exception: Shouts out to Mikey's mom, Debra, his siblings and his grandma and his uncle. Shouts out to the friends and bandmates Mikey's made along the way. Shouts out to his wife and all his work homeys, too. This is a conversationalist, and were I of the means to launch a podcast network, I'd try to get Mikey to be a part of that content with some consistency.
Mikey earns his living inking humans and he does so down at Windhorse Tattoo. The joint's visible online at windhorserising.com, and you can roll your IRL bones in there at 901 E. 31st Street in downtown KCMO. Give them a buzz at 816-283-0500, and toss 'em a follow on the old IG at @windhorsetattoo. At this very moment, I can't personally speak to the fruits of Mikey's labor, but he's got a handful of repeat customers, is perpetually acquiring new, and -- per our conversation -- he's booked out six to eight months. So if you've ever been on the fence and one of your hesitations has been because you don't know who to go to in Kansas City, pick up the phone and call Windhorse; I suspect they can set you straight.
Anyway...Mikey and I talked about the wild life experience of growing up in a way that didn't necessarily look like that of those around you but winding up grateful for the very manner in which it happened, regardless.
We talked hoops, tatts, Steely Dan, Slint, Mike Patton projects, the glorious benefit of attending absolutely dynamite shows where everyone present is just jazzed to the gills about being there. We talked about the idea of there being two kinds of people -- those who care about humanity + everyone else -- on this planet. We man-crushed over Daniel Day-Lewis like a couple of goobers, and we talked about being in bands and making music.
It was awesome.
Follow the dude on Instagram at @mikeywheelertattooer, and stay tuned for the entirety of our chat; I don't typically edit much out, anyway, but this one clicked the whole way through. It'll be worth your time.
copyright disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the audio clips contained within these episodes. In this one particularly, I lifted snippets from a tune called, "Theme from the Bottom." It's a track from the 1996 record, Billy Breathes, that the greatest band in American rock history, Phish, released, c/o of Elektra Entertainment Group. I'm not doing anything non-Fair Use here, though, YouTube, so please stop blocking me from receiving the monetary sums I'm not yet qualified to earn.
Thank you.
Eric Martens is a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, and the owner of Border Brewing Co.
He's also my guest for Episode No. 180.
Eric was kind enough to carve out a small slice of his Tuesday evening a week or so ago to come spend it with me. And for that I am grateful.
Border Brewing Co. is located in the proverbial heart of downtown KCMO at 512 E. 18th Street, and you can give them a holler at 816-469-5287 or find their stuff online at borderbrewco.com.
Eric and I talked growing up, education, musicianship, leap taking, and the brick-and-mortar challenges that face a business owner in the 2020s. We also talked a little bit about a few of Eric's favorite albums, which were these:
Kind of Blue (1959), Miles Davis
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds' Live at Luther College (1999)
Hot Fuss (2004), The Killers
The MGDs' Wake Up (2016)
Border Brewing Co. has channels on the social-media outlets on the Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter platforms, so if you were to give them a follow, I'd be much obliged.
Many thanks to Eric for the time and the fantastic conversation, and a tip of the ol' fedora to all of you that support the program.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Wheelhouse," which I snipped from his B'lieve I'm Goin Down record from 2015, c/o Matador Records.
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
This is Episode No. 179, and it features the lovely Sherrie Ortiz, who is the owner of Just One Day Travel Tours.
Sherrie is a daughter, a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, and a business owner. You can find out more about Sherrie's Kansas City-based guided-tour operation at justonedaytraveltours.com, as well as on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Sherrie and I talked about her previous life in the retail-bakery world, her leap to launch Just One Day Travel Tours, as well as a few of her favorite albums.
Those were these:
IV (1971, Led Zeppelin
Rush's Moving Pictures (1981)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), Pink Floyd
Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More (2009)
Check out our conversation, learn about Sherrie's business, and give her a follow on the ol' social medias.
Thank you for your support of the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Ride the River," by Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale. This track can be found on their 2006 record, The Road to Escondido, c/o EPC Enterprises, LLP, under exclusive license to Surfdog Records.
FYP too local? IYKYK, amirite?
@Dus10 is (if I'm not mistaken) the first TikTok-er I've connected with and seen an interview through to the end.
And I'm a better person for it.
@Dus10 is a son, a sibling, a father, a human, a man, and a Kansas Citian (whether he wants that last part to be the case or not). He's also my guest for Episode No. 178.
@Dus10 and I sat down for a few to chew the life fat a couple of weeks ago, and what a conversation it was. We talked growing up, family, marriage, divorce, fatherhood, men's mental health, connecting IRL, and so much more.
We also talked about a few of @Dus10's favorite albums, which were these:
Motion City Soundtrack's Commit This to Memory (2005)
Monta at Odds (2008), Gringo
Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012)
A Moon Shaped Pool (2016), Radiohead
Making Movies' I Am Another (2017)
If you're on the Tok, please give @Dus10 a follow. He's working hard to create meetup opportunities with other folks in Kansas City, and has already made several connections and participated in a few gatherings. Think he's got that handle for most of the socials, too, if TikTok's not your jam. Make sure you check out his Discord, too. It's called Let's Hang Out KC. And if you poke around in those places, you're likely to find his anonymous voicemail-message number where you can call, leave your thoughts, and get stuff off of your chest.
Thank you, @Dus10, for the time and the opportunity to sit down together. And thank you to all of you that support the podcast.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a J.J. Cale tune called, "Woman I Love," which I found on his 1972 release, Naturally, c/o Universal International Music B.V.
Gather 'round, gather 'round! It's Episode No. 177, and I am stoked to share with you that this week's guest is Joshua James Warren of Joshua James & The First Aid Kit.
Joshua joined me for a conversation about growing up in Arkansas, pit-stopping in St. Louis, and calling Kansas City home (for the time being, anyway). We also talked about the gigs he puts on at Grinder's, The First Aid Kit's singles and EP (available where you stream) their current LP project, and lots of stuff in between all of that.
We spent a few moments peeking at a few of his favorite albums, too, which were these:
For Emma, Forever Ago (2007), Bon Iver
John Mayer's Where the Light Is (Live in Los Angeles) (2008)
Camp (2011), Childish Gambino
Hobo Johnson's The Fall of Hobo Johnson (2019)
Find Josh on Instagram at @joshuajameswarren, and give the band a follow, too, at @joshuajameshasaband.
Many thanks to this fine, fine musician, camper, human, and bandaid, and thank you to you all for supporting the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a J.J. Cale cut called, "Hey Baby" from his 1976 release, Troubadour, c/o Universal International Music B.V.
Hanna Nicole was kind enough to join me for Episode No. 176. She is a daughter, a sibling, a model, an influencer, an entrepreneur, and she is also the brand manager for Health X Fitness, a clothing brand that specializes in athletic/lounge wear for women.
When we sat down a couple of Saturdays ago, we talked about family, growing up in a small town, being the oldest of five kids, joining the armed forces as a parachute rigger, transitioning back to life after services, the launch and the learning curve of getting her modeling career off the ground, and -- wouldn't ya' know -- we talked a little bit about some of Hanna's favorite tunes as well.
For this particular conversation we strayed from the Badass Records podcast norm, and went with a playlist that Hanna curated under the guise of giving me a snapshot of her influences. It varied in both style and genre, and featured nearly 40 total tracks from more than two dozen artists, including Morgan Wallen, Polo G, Rod Wave, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, P!nk, Hannah Montana, Dan + Shay, and Maroon 5, just to name a few.
I appreciated the opportunity to approach an interview from a different perspective, and enjoyed checking out what she aptly titled, Podcast Music.
Having said all of that, here are the digital-world pertinents from my conversation with Hanna Nicole:
- she's on Instagram at @hannn.niccc
- Health X Fitness's handle is @hxf.apparel
- @lavishpicnicskc is a spot for you to check out as well
- Hanna's bio/portfolio/contact info can be found at hannnicolemodel.kavyar.site
- find her making waves over on the Tok as well
Thank you to Hanna for the share of her valuable time and her effort in creating the playlist, and thank you to you for supporting the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio content contained within this episode. They are clips from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Dust Bunnies," and that track can be found on his 2015 release, B'lieve I'm Goin Down..., c/o Matador Records.
In the first couple of these solo episodes I did, I tried to time the tracks playing with me listening to the same clips. Turned out to be tedious and lacking in desirable results. The last one I did featured a five-spot of albums, and I went a different direction. Maybe it was better; maybe it wasn't. I think I ultimately realized that the script didn't mesh with the song excerpts in a very story-friendly fashion, so I (possibly subconsciously) tried to do a better job on that particular piece this time around.
Either way, producing these guestless installments is far from the muscle memory I've built over the last three years and change, so it takes quite a bit longer to turn them around and get them out, which is why my search for guests continues to be one of the most important pieces to keeping this thing going.
So...e-mail me if you'd like to be on or suggest someone. It's badassrecordspodcast at g mail dot com.
This was a fun one to do, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the usual.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I own the rights to none of the audio samples contained in here. They're all snippets from tracks off of the following records:
Life Is...Too $hort (1988), c/o Zomba Recording LLC
Flying in a Blue Dream (1989), c/o Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Acid Tongue (2008), c/o Warner Records Inc.
A Deeper Understanding (2017), c/o Atlantic Recording Corporation
søn of dad (2023), c/o Big Loud Records
Miguel Antonio is a son, a sibling, a husband, and a father of four. He's a solo musician, and he's also a member of Run With It Band. Of greater importance, he is my guest for Episode No. 174, and of even greater importance, he is the host of the #LiveandCreate podcast.
I cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed sitting down with Miguel to bullshit for a handful of hours, and I am grateful for his time. Please give him a follow at @justthemiguel on Instagram, and give the band a follow over at the ol' @runwithitband. What's more is that you can get a few more deets at runwithitband.net. And if you do anything after reading these words, please find the podcast; Miguel is really putting in the work and putting out a quality product.
Parts of our conversation (which can be found where you stream or on YouTube or at the site) involved musicianship, work/life balance, family, Sync, performing, being a bandmate, and a bunch of other things. And somewhere in the mix, we managed to have a quick look at a few of Miguel's favorite albums. Those were these:
Live's Throwing Copper (1994)
Meteora (2003), Linkin Park
Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Yeezus (2013), Kanye West
Making Movies' Xopa (2022)
GNX (2024), Kendrick Lamar
Getting ready for Miguel and I's conversation was both super-fun and an absolute trip, so I hope you'll give it a spin. Happy Fourth of July to a notion of America that maybe isn't there right now, but still exists out there in pockets, like morning fog evaporating off of a lake's surface.
There is love. And we can selflessly use it as fuel. We just have to want to.
Note: This week's goof is a solitairy one, and it involves me saying that, "Back to the Hotel" was a Rappin' 4-Tay song, but it's N2Deep. My bad.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips featured in this episode. They're cuts from a tune by Ike Turner & Kings of Rhythm. I dunno how the thing ended up in my thing, but it's a darn-good record, and I'm not saying anything about the artist beyond that. The record -- since you were curious -- came out in 1969, and it's called Black Man's Soul. Oh...and the tune's name is, "Black Angel," and we're fortunate enough to hear it c/o the fine, fine folks over at TufAmerica.
Tasha Ransom is an artist.
More specifically, she is a musician, a painter, a photographer, and a writer. She's also a great conversationalist, and she is my guest for Episode No. 173.
Tasha stopped by last week and sat across from me at the table. We swapped a great many phrases and touched on things like growing up, family, self-discovery, and music. Somewhere in the mix, we managed to have a brief gander at a few of her favorite records. Those were these:
Our Mother the Mountain (1969), Townes Van Zandt
T. Rex's Electric Warrior (1971)
1 (2000), The Beatles
Red Elvises' Drinking with Jesus (2008)
Please consider giving Tasha an Instagram follow at @tasharansomart; you can see pics of some of her work there. Find her via that same handle on YouTube, where you can check out her music videos, and find even more information at tasharansomart.com.
Many thanks to Morgen Agesen for batting .500 with her awesome list of referrals. You can check out my conversation with her (Episode No. 166), and while you're in that neighborhood, John Knell and Ernie Yates episodes also appear (also courtesy of Morgen's connections).
And many thanks to those who have supported the podcast.
My only derp for the week was that I goofed up the UKG and the Run the Jewels lineups. I do now recall that UKG is Pimp C. & Bun B., and that Run the Jewels is El-P and Killer Mike. And I will recall that all the way up until the next time I don't.
Anyway...
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. I snatched those little portions from a tune called, "Sacred Sands," off of Allah-Las self-titled release from 2012, c/o Innovative Leisure.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls --
It is my privilege to share with you that Brian Kraemer and Nic Aguero of GFM Recording Studios in Blue Springs joined me for a fine, fine conversation that became Episode No. 172 of this here podcast.
Their spot lives online at gfmrecording.com and I encourage you to follow them on Instagram, as well. They are learned (shouts out to Chuck) in the recording arts and geared for creating custom beats, mixing, mastering, and are just the right fit for artists, bands, agencies, and all of your Sync needs.
During our conversation, we talked about family, upbringing, serving in the armed forces, faith, trauma, and so much more. And somewhere in the mix we took a peek at a few of their favorite albums, which were these:
Pink Floyd's The Wall (1979)
Holy Water (1990), Bad Company
Sublime's 40 oz. to Freedom (1992)
Smash (1994), The Offspring
Dave Matthews Band's Crash (1996)
Ænima (1996), Tool
Korn's Life is Peachy (1996)
self-titled (1997) Third Eye Blind
Blink 182's Enema of the State (1997)
Significant Other (1999), Limp Bizkit
Sevendust's Home (1999)
Chronic 2001 (1999), Dr. Dre
Disturbed's The Sickness (2000)
Morning View (2001), Incubus
Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing (2002)
Ocean Avenue (2003), Yellowcard
As I Lay Dying's An Ocean Between Us (2007)
It was a short list, but we managed to get through it with ease.
So, please consider the fellas at GFM for any and all of your recording needs. You can book with them online, D.M. them on the ol' 'Gram, or give them a buzz if you like at 816-598-8810.
Very thankful for the time and talk with Brian and Nic. Fantastic guys.
And thank you for your support of the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets I lifted from a Blues Traveler tune called, "Whoops," which can be found on their 1993 release, Save His Soul, c/o A&M Records.
Note: I mistakenly spoke about the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias" opening notes when I was clearly thinking of how the song "Shakedown Street" starts. As John Popper sang, "Whoops."
Vanessa Kramer is a daughter, a wife, a mother, an author, and one heck of a fun, funny, and sharp conversationalist. She's also my guest for Episode No. 171, which gives me great honor to say.
Vanessa and her husband, Kyle, stopped by for what turned out to be a delightful chat a couple of weeks ago, and we rolled through the morning and into the afternoon, talking family, upbringing, marriage, partnership, parenthood, publishing, and so much more. We also managed to devote a little bit of time to a few of Vanessa's favorite albums, which were these:
Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles
Fleetwood Mac's Rumors (1977)
The Black Parade (2006), My Chemical Romance
Of Monsters and Men's My Head Is an Animal (2011)
folklore (2020), Taylor Swift
Of Vanessa's many wonderful attributes is the fact that she has managed to publish four books in the last three years! Those are these:
Great Divide (2023)
Great Desolation (2024)
My Mother's Spirit (2024)
Temporarily, Forever (2025)
All four titles can be found on Amazon and elsewhere. Learn more about my guest at vanessakramerauthor.com and please consider following her at @vanessakramerauthor on Threads, TikTok, Instagram, and/or Facebook.
Also part of Vanessa's bag is her admirable role in the seriously cool publication, KC Book Beat, a nonprofit that celebrates and promotes the Kansas City (and surrounding) literary community. Find out more about them on Instagram or at kcbookbeat.com.
Many thanks to Vanessa for the time and the good energy, and many thanks to all of you that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a song by The Doors. It's called, "The Changeling," and it comes from their 1971 album, L.A. Woman, c/o Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company.
Ernie Yates of Stone Eagle joined me for Episode No. 170, and it was an honor and a privilege to meet him and chat for a few. Ernie's pipes Stone Eagle's blues-influenced, southern/stoner rock, and you can keep tabs on them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter; and you can check out their stuff where you stream. Were you to seek them out in the digital world, you'd likely find "Sirens" from April of this year and their EP, Backside of the Mountain, from 2024.
But enough about Stone Eagle; let's talk Ernie.
Ernie's a son, a brother, a father, and the flavor of dude you definitely want in your corner. Chill but sharp, relaxed but focused, funny and real.
He -- along with Nick Nöthing -- also hosts an online radio show. It's called, "The Midwest Connection," and it can be consumed Wednesdays at 8:30 on bicradio.com. Please check out their fun format.
Anyway...Ernie and I talked about life and the discovery of influential music. The latter part of that included a couple of his favorite albums, which were these:
Bleach (1989), Nirvana
Soundgarden's Superunknown (1994)
'Twas but a short list and a brief chat (as these conversations tend to go), but a good one, nonetheless.
Thank you to Ernie for donating a sliver of his precious time, and thank you to all whom support the podcast.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio tidbits included in the production of this episode. They are snippets from the epic track, "Hunger Strike" from the self-titled Temple of the Dog record from 1991, c/o UMG Recordings, Inc. "And that's all I have to say about that."
I may've mentioned this before, but -- more often than not -- when I open the front door to greet a guest, it's our first time meeting one another. And the vibes in that initial moment vary. Sometimes they're neutral. Occasionally they're curious. Every now and again, the good energy is palpable, and such was the case when I met John Knell on my porch.
John is a local artist, a son, a husband, a father, a fantastic conversationalist, and he joined me for Episode No. 169.
We chewed the fat for a good little bit a couple of weeks ago, covering family, memories, John's mixed-media art approach to pop culture and sports, and of course, a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles
Van Halen's Fair Warning (1981)
Achtung Baby (1991), U2
Many thanks to John for the time and the solid chat. Please consider checking out his work at johnknell.com, and follow him on Instagram at @johnny_kc.
And many thanks to those of you that support the podcast.
Cheers.
Note: I was mistaken in claiming that the U2 song, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was the feedback/sustain king. What I meant was, "With or Without You."
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips I poached from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Lost my Head there" from his fantastic 2015 release, B'lieve I'm Goin' Down, c/o Matador Records.
Marcus Rattler joined me for Episode No. 168, and -- while none of my guests have been mental slouches -- Marcus has to be one of the sharpest dudes I've sat down with to date. Mr. Rattler is a son, a sibling, a father, and a musician. He's one heck of an educated guy, and he brings good energy with him as he navigates this life.
Marcus plays steel pan and drums in sundry outfits, and you can check out his content on TikTok (@marcus.rattler.music), on Instagram (@marcusrattler), on Facebook, and on YouTube. He's got a really great story, incredible vision and ambition, and plenty of positive to spread across Mother Earth, be it in the Kansas City area, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Miami, or Chicago, he's bound to bring the good juju with him.
I was lucky enough to sit down with Marcus for a couple of hours and talk life goals, his band Legerdemain, his wish to work with Tech N9ne, and a few of his favorite musicians, too, which were these:
Jonathan Scales
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers
Tech N9ne
Eric Whitacre
Many thanks to Marcus for his time, his kindness, his clarity, and his good nature. And many thanks to you for supporting the podcast.
Note: I fucked up and referred to works by William Carlos Williams, mistakenly calling them E.E. Cummings' works.
disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Parliament tune called, "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (The Bumps Bump)," which comes from their 1975 release, Mothership Connection, c/o The Island Def Jam Music Group.
"The purpose of this record is to demonstrate a neglective factor in funnel pickup design. Namely, the ability of the pickup to stay in contact with the groove modulation over a wide range of frequencies and intensities. In other words, to track the groove..."
-- DJ Magic Mike, "The House of Magic," Bass is the Name of the Game (1988)
I've been peeling back the layers of the music-world onion for as long as I can remember.
One of my fondest chapters in that book of memories is the chunk in which my cousin, Rob, lived near me. It was a twoish-year stretch; he and his family lived in Shawnee, KS for a minute, and in Ottawa, KS for another (They've otherwise always been FLA/NJ people.). When he/they moved to the area, though, I'd just entered my first full season as a bona fide (in my mind) music connoisseur. Rob had been doing his own heavy lifting as well. And we got to merge.
That pair -- or trio -- of years were incredible for me. Truly life-changing. I got to spend time with my four cousins and my aunt and uncle; had they never made the move, I'd barely've ever known them. They treated me like one of their own, coming to get me on Fridays and returning me on Sundays, seldom leaving the burden on my mom.
It was so fantastic. The kids all got along. Frank and Maureen loved each other and showed tons of affection. I felt like my every need was catered to. And Rob and I became closer friends than either of us knew we needed. It's one of the fondest memories of my youth.
We ate like kings and were both doted on and left to our own. We played baseball and wrestled and went places in their big-ass van. But more than anything, Rob and I both shared a love of music. And we turned each other on to stuff. And shopped for cassettes.
One of the artists my cousin turned me on to -- via his then-freshest release -- was DJ Magic Mike. And I loved it. And I turned a bunch of my homies on to it.
It was a pivot in my music education, and my gratitude for that experience has never faded.
I love doing this podcast because I get to meet folks.
I get to meet them and learn about who they are (in person!) and what they're in to, and what some of their favorite albums have been.
It's really been great, and I've felt grateful from Day 1 that this is a thing that I'm doing in Kansas City, because it's a beautiful town with lots of amazing people in and around it.
So this one's a me episode because I hit a patch. I talk about five of my faves, which're these:
Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (1975)
Junta (1989), Phish
De La Soul's Stakes Is High (1996)
Mushroom Jazz (1997), Mark Farina
Kurt Vile's Wakin' on a Pretty Daze: Deluxe Daze (Post Haze) (2013)
And that's all I have to say about that.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode (and it's a lengthy list this go-round 'cause I've included some song snippets from my selections) but -- for intro/outro purposes only -- they are snapshots from a tune called, "The Seed (2.0)" by The Roots from their 2002 release, Phrenology, which is a Geffen Records Release c/o UMG Recordings, Inc.
My guest for Episode #166 is a daughter, a fiancée, a mother, and an artist.
She has a tremendous aura about her. She's been blessed with compassion, intelligence, talent, determination, fantastic conversational skills, and she has boldly faced that which life has dealt her.
Her name is Morgen Agesen, and she deserves steadfast applause for being an awesome human being.
As Executive Assistant for Art Garden KC, Lead Designer for Worlds of Fun, and In-House Muralist for Vignettes Bar, Morgen still manages to find time for her own work, and on top of all that, she made a hearty trek to my place for a healthy chunk of one of her Saturdays, leaving me both impressed and grateful.
We talked growing up, family, moving, navigating both the rocky seas and consistency of curve balls that life often presents, as well as both the creation and the vending of art. We talked about the coolness behind the purpose of such a thing as Art Garden KC (artgardenkc.org & @artgardenkc on the Socials), and it wouldn't've been a proper episode of Badass Records if we didn't have a peek at a few of her favorite records. So, we did, and those were these:
Jagged Little Pill (1995), Alanis Morissette
Gorillaz' Demon Days (2005)
Alopecia (2008), Why?
Fiona Apple's The Idler Wheel... (2012)
While I'm happy that you have read this far (and I don't want you to quit now), I'd be tickled if you considered giving our conversation a view or a listen. But beyond that, please give Art Garden KC a follow (or at least a look-see). They are a fascinating source for facilitating popup markets and festivals in a way that joins artists and vendors with the community, and I can't speak loud enough to the importance of having such an organization in our midst right here in Kansas City. So, please use them. Consider them. Know about them. Share about them.
Thank you for supporting the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from an aptly named tune called, "Saturday," which is a Real Estate song from their 2017 release, In Mind (c/o Domino Recording Co Ltd).
I couldn't be happier to share that -- not only is the wonderful Lisa Alpert back, but -- the Becoming a Swifty series has had new life breathed into it.
Yes.
It's Episode No. 165 of Badass Records, but installment number four of Taylor Swift talk.
If you didn't happen to catch Lisa's first episode, please check out No. 147, and -- in today's episode -- take note of all of the phenomenal guests Lisa has sent my way.
Anyway...Lisa and I had a fantastic conversation in which we mulled over family dynamics, the path to becoming a death doula, the necessary courage of launching a writing project, and we eventually made our way to talking about Lisa's favorite Taylor Swift albums, which were these:
folklore: the long pond studio sessions (2020)
Midnights (2022)
The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
Talking Taylor Swift isn't my absolute favorite thing, but talking Taylor Swift with awesome people who are passionate about this incredible artist is for sure a thing that I super-enjoy.
So, I'm hopeful that you'll take a chance and listen to our conversation. It's a really good one, even if Miss Swift isn't your jam.
Thank you, Lisa. I'm a better person for knowing you, and I really appreciate your time and energy.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips I stole from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Stuffed Leopard," which can be found on his 2022 release, (watch my moves). That album exists courtesy of -- say it with me now -- A Verve Records Release; overnite kv incorporated, under exclusive license to Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
After a couple of weeks off for rest and recalibration, Badass Records is back with a new episode, and this one features the fantastic Cole Bales of Black Light Animals.
Cole is a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a bandmate times two, and he's my guest for Episode No. 164.
Black Light Animals has an upcoming RecordBar gig. That's Thursday, May 1st at RecordBar. They also have a new album out. It's called Last Call Love Songs, and you can find it digitally or get yourself a vinyl copy via their Bandcamp, or at blacklightanimalsband.com. Cole's also a member of The Freedom Affair, and they have a gig, Friday, May 2nd at The Madrid. So, please check them out, too.
My conversation with Cole involved growing up, the art of recording and producing, bandmates, family, and -- of course -- a few of his favorite albums. Those were these:
The White Album (1968), The Beatles
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (1970)
Exile on Main Street (1972), The Rolling Stones
The Black Keys' Brothers (2010)
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2018), The Arctic Monkeys
It was both a pleasure and a joy meeting Cole and chatting with him. Follow @blacklightanimalsband on Instagram, and make sure you're dialed in with all that Cole has going on.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a track called, "Rich Woman" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and it's the leadoff track from their 2007 release, Raising Sand (c/o Rounder Records, distributed by Concord).
Pleased as punch to share that Til Willis made his return to Badass Records after an 80-episode gap; if you're doin' the math at home, he was here for Episode No. 83 back in September of 2023, and it was a great one. Highly recommend you visit (or revisit) it.
This time around -- for Episode No. 163 -- it was smooth sailing' for Til and I to pick up where we left off last time, and talk about a healthy bunch of cool stuff.
At the forefront of said stuff, Glass Cactus, the new album from Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy, drops today, Thursday, March 27th. Not only can you acquire your own physical copy of this latest release at tilwillis.net, or via tilwillis.bandcamp.com, you can stream it or download it from either of those places or wherever it is that you stream your music.
There's more, though: We chewed the fat about songwriting, recording, gigging, a super-cool sound space in Rangely, CO, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the episode's list of badass records, which -- by the way -- are all friends, acquaintances, and partners of Til's. Those records were these:
Miracle Mule (2004), The Subdudes
Pierced Arrows' Descending Shadows (2010)
Growing Season (2013), Gardenheads
Faceman's Wild & Hunting (2016)
Santa Lucia (2019), Windwolves
Til's on Instagram and Facebook, and certainly worthy of a follow, in that he not only posts cool stuff about his life and music/band updates. He shares art. Yes, Til makes cool collages and shares not only those, but the occasional version of stuff he creates in other mediums, so please consider checking him out.
It was both a pleasure and an honor to welcome Til back to town from LFK, and I couldn't possibly dork out any harder about how the timing of our talk -- plus the coinciding release of this episode and Glass Cactus -- worked out. Thank you, Til. And cheers to those Erratic Cowboys.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They belong to a fine, fine artist by the name of Sly5thAve, who put out a swanky cover of "Let Me Ride" in 2017, c/o Tru Thoughts.
It was an honor and a privilege to meet Marilee Rose and chew the life-story fat with her a couple of weeks ago.
She is a daughter and a sibling and a mother and a fiancee. She's a years-long entrepreneur, a lover of planning and travel, and a gangster in her own right. She's also my guest for Episode No. 162.
Marilee and I talked growing up, being a businesswoman, acknowledging adversity and flourishing in spite of it, and being an artist/creator, a connector, a dreamer, and one who manifests. We also talked a little bit about a few of her favorite albums, which were these:
The Very Best of the Everly Brothers (1964)
No Need to Argue (1994), The Cranberries
Everclear's Sparkle and Fade (1995)
All Eyez on Me (1996), Tupac Shakur
Post Malone's Austin (2023)
Find Marilee on Instagram at @marileerose1. Check out her IG photography page, which is @wildrose.photography.kc. Her Web site is wildrosephotography.com, and be sure to find her Air BnB link on her personal Instagram page as well, as new developments there will be happening soon.
Chatting with Marilee was a blast, and my only notes correction would be that I foolishly said "Isley Brothers" when Righteous Brothers was the artist name I'd meant. Thank you to both Marilee and to everyone that supports the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are samples I poached from a DJ Logic song called, "J.J. Bailey," which comes from his 2001 release, Project Logic (c/o ropeadope Records).
Please put your hands together for Mr. Jamie Campbell!
Jamie is a son, a brother, a husband, an actor, a stand-up comic, and he's also my guest for Episode No. 161.
Find Jamie at jamiecampbellcomedy.com, on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and where you stream. If you go the YouTube route, be sure to check out his hour-long special, Big Dad Energy, and if you go the social-media route, keep an eye out for not only his upcoming new hour (courtesy of Dry Bar Comedy), but also a handful of movie projects he's got in the works.
I enjoyed visiting with a working comic who's skilled in the art of creating specials, touring and gigging, and writing new material. And talking with Jamie in general was a great time. Whilst we visited, we touched on a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend (1971)
Rancid's Let's Go (1994)
Whatever and Ever Amen (1997), Ben Folds Five
Outkast's Aquemini (1998)
White Pony (2000), Deftones
Many thanks to Jamie for gifting me some of his valuable time. I have always had an admiration for those in his field that put in the real work. And thanks to any and all that support Badass Records.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Ron's House," which is a DJ Logic track from his 2001 release, The Anomaly (c/o ropeadope Records).
Derrick Benitz joined me for Episode No. 160, and I'm super-grateful that he stuck with me through a period of correspondence, ultimately making the trek over in late January to bullshit with me about photography, growing up, Spotify playlists, and being happy/healthy in life.
Find Derrick on Instagram under the @nomadphotog handle, and please peep his handsome Web site, derrickbenitz.com.
Whilst we were fat chewing, Derrick and I managed to touch on a few of his favorite albums. They were these:
Metallica (1991)
Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992)
Continuum (2006), John Mayer
The Decemberists' The King Is Dead (2011)
From the Wreckage (2014), The Wind & the Wave
Taylor Swift's 1989 (2014)
Really enjoyed Derrick's company. Really appreciate all that support the show.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets I lifted from a song by the greatest rock band in American history. Song's called, "Roggae." Album's from 1998, and titled The Story of the Ghost. All of that's here c/o Phish Inc.
Solomon Alpert joined me for Episode No. 159. Solomon is a son, a brother, a husband, a father figure, and a Reentry Counselor at Benilde Hall, a facility which helps folks by fostering sustained recovery, stable housing, economic self-sufficiency, and improved mental and physical well-being. An honorable career and facility, to say the least.
This week's guest came highly recommended courtesy of his wife, Lisa, who joined me for Episode No. 147 (and is tentatively slated to join me once more, this time for the newest installment of Becoming a Swifty), and he did not disappoint. There's nothing better than a healthy mix of good vibe and qualifiable intelligence.
Solomon and I talked about growing up, being first-borns, education, figuring out one's professional self, and a bunch more. We also talked about a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Heaven or Las Vegas (1990), Cocteau Twins
Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville (1993)
Chutes Too Narrow (2003), The Shins
Toro y Moi's Freaking Out! (2011)
If You're Reading This It's Too Late (2015), Drake
Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion (2015)
Many thanks to both Solomon and to everyone that supports the show. This is a look into (mostly) Kansas City folks, who they are, what they're into, and what tunes make them groove.
Cheers, y'all.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are snippets from Benevento/Russo Duo's, "Walking, Running, Viking," which I probably used already once before, so shame on me. It's from their 2006 release, Play Pause Stop, however, and we're blessed with its existence c/o Royal Potato Family.
Pleased to've met Jeremiah James Gonzales and learned all about Redder Moon for Episode #158. Redder Moon's blend of gothic new-wave/post-punk can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Bandcamp. They've got something in the neighborhood of eight releases available to check out, including a single from late last year, with more stuff coming soon.
Jeremiah was kind enough to share a portion of an evening in January with me, and I enjoyed hearing about his songwriting, recording, and band history. We talked about growing up, family, friends, and a few of his favorite albums, too, which were these:
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988), Iron Maiden
The Cure's Disintegration (1989)
Angel Dust (1992), Faith No More
Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
Badass Records podcast episodes air Thursdays where you stream and on YouTube. You can keep tabs on the show via Twitter and Instagram. Everything lives on the site (badassrecordspodcast.com), and guest inquiries should be delivered to badassrecordspodcast at gmail dot com.
Thank you for your support of the progrum.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio content contained within this episode. They are clips from a STS9 track called, "Tokyo," which is from their 2005 release, Artifact, c/o STS9.
Ladies and gentlemen...It's Lukas!
The brain child behind Sentimental Creatures was kind enough to make the hour-long commute to the B.R.P. studio amidst winter conditions last month, and I was grateful he did, as we talked growing up, God, earning first-gig cap feathers, and a ton more.
Lukas and his outfit can be found on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, plus all streaming services.
Learning about all that has transpired in a short time for both Lukas and Sentimental Creatures was exciting, as was our conversation about a few of his favorite records, which were these:
Prince's self-titled, (1979)
Hysteria (1987), Def Leppard
Jeff Buckley's Grace (1994)
self-titled (2013), The 1975
Fun chat with good people.
While we were talking, we both reminisced about our respective third-grade teachers. And even though the particular memory I shared about mine wasn't anything profound, it did jostle fond memories of my time in Sarah Sangster's Annistown Elementary classroom in Snellville, GA.
Miss Sangster had great energy and the real "it" required for getting kids' attention and keeping it. She was always bright, cheery, witty, caring, and juggled savvy with empathy like no other I'd had (or would have). I've Googled former teachers before, and this one had me quasi-curious as to whether she was still at it, or even around; I was saddened to learn that she had passed a couple of years ago. She married in 2000, and became Mrs. Davenport, which made me happy for her. Shouts out, though, to Miss Sangster. May you rest in peace.
Anyway...please consider giving Sentimental Creatures an IG follow, so you can stay in the loop with upcoming gigs and release updates. Thank you for supporting the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Galactic tune called, "Cineramascope," from their 2010 release, Ya-Ka-May, c/o Anti Inc.
Amber Lea is a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother figure to her husband's two kids. She's an incredibly intelligent woman with a great sense of humor that has taken on the challenge of facing health and medical issues with an admirable sense of strength.
She's also the owner of Dear You Tattoo (4470 Rainbow in KCK), and she's my guest for Episode No. 156.
I usually chat with my guests for a few minutes before we launch into the conversation, and somewhere along the way in that transition, I cut off Amber's name in introducing her, and went straight in to Dear You details, so my apologies to Amber for that oversight. Talking with Amber was really great, though.
Every once in a while, I get to sit down with someone who gets the art of conversation and the concept of being real in doing so, and Amber is, for sure, one of those rarities; I consider our chat to've been a blessing.
We talked about family and growing up and the pursuit of genuine customer service. We shared a couple of laughs about a few random things like Cheech & Chong, and raved over a few MTV Unplugged (which has been around for 29 seasons and over 100 episodes!) performances. And of course we talked about a few of Amber's favorite albums, which she was kind enough to break into two lists:
All-Time Faves
Ministry's With Sympathy (1983)
Pretty Hate Machine (1989), Nine Inch Nails
Portishead's Dummy (1994)
Mezzanine (1998), Massive Attack
Modern Brain Ticklers
Services (2015), Tempers
Public Memory's Wuthering Drum (2016)
I'm Waving, Not Drowning (2020), Matte Blvck
Health's Disco4, pt. 1&2 (2022)
Please check out Dear You on Instagram (@dearyoutattoo), or peruse their super-handsome Web site, dearyoutattoo.com. They've been at it for going on a decade, and will definitely make you feel valued as a customer.
On a personal note, this marks three full years of weekly episodes for the podcast, so I'm pleased to've gotten this thing off the ground and kept it alive for this long. Now on to the next 52 weeks!
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Vandenburg Suite," by The New Mastersounds. I lifted it from their 2005 album, This Is What We Do, c/o One Note Records.
Kyle Maggart of Brothers Music in Shawnee joined me for Episode No. 155, and I enjoyed the heck out of our conversation.
His joint can be found at 12206 Johnson Drive, and they can be reached at 913-766-3869, or followed on Instagram as @brothersmusickc.
We talked about growing up, getting into music at a young age, starting a business, and collecting a ton of vinyl.
Naturally, we talked about a few of Kyle's favorites, which were these:
Blue Train (1958), John Coltrane
The Band's Music from The Big Pink (1968)
There's No Place Like America Today (1975), Curtis Mayfield
Toots & the Maytals' Funky Kingston (1976)
Graceland (1986), Paul Simon
UGK's Too Hard to Swallow (1992)
I'd be remiss if I didn't give shouts out to the late, great Patrick "Potshake Dubwise" DuBois, and his fantastic KDUR FM radio show, Roots, Ragga, Radio, out of Durango, CO's Fort Lewis College (Go, Skyhawks!). Patrick was as kind as they come, and I'll always be grateful to him for both that and for showing me a few corners of the college/community-radio ropes.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't give Kyle props for saying that Southern American Gospel might be the next frontier. One of the cooler collection of words spoken to date on the podcast.
Please consider paying Brothers Music a visit if you're in the area, and give them an Instagram follow. Thank you to Kyle, and to everyone who tunes in.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. I poached them from an Andrew Gabbard tune called, "Cloud of Smoke," off of his 2023 release, Cedar City Sweetheart, c/o Karma Chief Records, a division of Colemine Records.
Jamie Searle, a.k.a. @jjeromemusic, joined me for Episode No. 154, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to've met him and gotten to know him a little bit.
Jamie is a son, a husband, a father, a musician, a songwriter, a producer, and he's the guy that runs The Westport Bowery, so holler at him for any of your booking/entertainment needs for that venue.
Our conversation touched on family, growing up, the lenses of perspective and identity, making art, being outdoors, and the love of music, just to name a few topics. While we were in that last neighborhood, we did pause for a moment to look at a few of Jamie's favorite albums, which were these:
Rubber Soul (1965), The Beatles
Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack's self-titled release (1972)
Thriller (1982), Michael Jackson
Nirvana's Nevermind (1991)
Malibu (2016), Anderson .Paak
Jamie's other Instagram handles are @chromaticcontact, @mbandskc, and @westportbowery, so please consider giving his @jjerome account a follow, and -- while you're there -- have a peek at those, too. For more information on what goes on at the Bowery, check them out at thewestportbowery.com.
Thank you to Jamie, and to all of you for supporting the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Lemon Jelly tune called, "Ramblin' Man," which comes from their 2002 effort, Lost Horizons (c/o XL Recordings LTD).
James R. Wilson, Jr. is a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, an artist, and -- amongst many other things -- he's my guest for Episode No. 153.
James and I sat down to talk about family, growing up in KCK, fatherhood, the world of creating and making art, skating, and his creations on both YouTube and Instagram.
We also talked a little bit about a few of James' favorite albums, which were these:
Easter Everywhere (1967), 13th Floor Elevators
Muzak Orchestra's Muzak Stimulus Progression 1976 (1976)
The Infamous (1995), Mobb Deep
Propaghandi's Less Talk, More Rock (1996)
Please consider giving James a follow on any or all of his IG channels, which are @waxtron, @waxtronindustries, @ducketsruckus, & @terranova.tapes; his YouTube is Waxtron Industries. And please keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming art show on Saturday, April 12, at Alcott Art Center.
Many thanks to James and to all that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples found within this episode. They are clips from a Joe Russo track, called, "Molly & Anni," which I lifted from his 2019 release, Phér•bōney, c/o Woodlot Recording.
Ladies and Gentlemen --
Please put your hands together for...Jason Adams!
Hey, hey, hey...It's the second freaking week of January in 2025, and -- to quote my future ex-wife, Gwen Stefani, "this shit is bananas."
Stoked, nonetheless, to have Jason in the studio.
It was lovely to meet him, and I'm jazzed to tell you that, together, we made Episode #152 happen.
Jason is the brains behind Supplemental Sound, and you should not only check his work out on his site, but you should also consider giving him a follow on Instagram.
It was fantastic meeting Jason, and learning a little bit about him, such as what a few of his favorite records are, which're these:
Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Purple Rain (1984), Prince and the Revolution
Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral (1994)
EAT ME, DRINK ME (2006), Marilyn Manson
Billie Eilish's When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019)
So, please check out Supplemental Sound.
Please make sure your pets and loved ones are fed and warm.
Please be safe out there.
And, please be kind to one another.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Black Day," by Monolink. It comes from their 2019 release, Amniotic, c/o Embassy One.
Robert Bearce is a son, a sibling, a husband, and a father. He's the brains behind The Free Rent Band, and he's my guest for Episode No. 151.
In addition to his numerous other talents, Robert is also an app developer, a music lover, and he's the founder of Briar Fest (briarfestkc.com). It was a pleasure to meet him, and chat with him about his journey so far. We touched on writing, recording, the longevity of the band, his seemingly fearless knack for birthing ideas and launching them into the world.
We, of course, also talked about a few of Robert's favorite albums, which were these:
Led Zeppelin IV (1971) Eat a Peach (1972), The Allman Brothers Band
Johnny Cash's American V: A Hundred Highways (2006)
In Time (2013), The Mavericks
Please check out Robert's Free Rent Band & Publishing page on Facebook, and find their content on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
Many thanks to Robert, and Happy 2025 to you all.
Note: In discussing the movie, Friday, I mistakenly called Chris Tucker's character Craig, instead of Smokey.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Joachim Pastor single called, "Fixi," from 2016, c/o Hungry Music.
The list of descriptors to accurately depict Luke Harbur, a.k.a. musicbyskippy, would rival Santa's gift list, so I'm only touching on a few here. He's a son, a brother, a transplant survivor, an artist, a producer, a beatboxing specialist, an entrepreneur, a wonderful human being, and he's my guest for Episode No. 150.
Luke's stuff all lives at musicbyskippy.com, but you can also find him on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, Apple Music, Spotify, etc.
Luke and I talked about family, life experiences, career visions and dreams, the creative process, and a bunch more. Somewhere in that mix was a short list of a few of his favorite albums. Those were these:
Vampire Weekend's Contra (2010)
The Human Condition (2016), Jon Bellion
J. Cole's KOD (2018)
Meeting Luke and learning a little bit about both his journey and his trajectory was an absolute delight. Please consider taking a moment to check him out. Give him a follow, and subscribe to his newsletter.
A few corrections: Family Ties, not Facts of Life. Sheesh. In that show, Stephen and Elise are the parents, not the dads. Double sheesh. And, Happy 2025 to you all. Not 2026 (yet). Lord...
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from an Oliver Koletzki tune called, "Bring Me Home," from his 2014 release, I am OK, c/o Still vor Talent Records.
"And the man on the cuts! Twice as nice with the slice...his name ain't Tommy...but he's my boy!"
Yes, that's right. A little apropos-of-nothing (Chicago's own) Liquid Soul quote to celebrate the fact that Dylan Johnson joined me for Episode No. 149.
Very pleased that Dylan joined me for this conversation, and I feel it's important to let you know that his stuff is as follows: dylanjohnsonlive.com; humbledpride.com;, and dylan_johnson_music on Instagram. You can find stuff to listen to on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon, Pandora, and Deezer, and -- while you're pokin' around -- make sure to give 2022's Suburbs a listen.
I really enjoyed getting to chat with Dylan. We talked a little bit about family and growing up, being part of a band that's been both together and homeboys for decades, and we also talked about the process of writing, recording, and producing an album. Not lost in the mix was a little segment about a few of Dylan's favorite albums, which were these:
Van Morrison's Astral Weeks (1968)
August & Everything After (1992), Counting Crows
Ben Folds Five's self-titled (1995)
Rain or Shine (2010), O.A.R.
Lana Del Ray's Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019)
Talking with Dylan was educational and entertaining. He seems to have that "it" button, and I wish him nothing but the best with both his current and future projects. If you're in KC, I think you can catch him at The Pour House Friday evenings. Check him out.
Thank you to Dylan for his time, and thank you to all of you that support the show.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are samples taken from a Widespread Panic single from this year (!) called, "Blue Carousel" c/o Widespread Records. I mean, I have always loved me some Widespread, and -- while this tune's riff sounds a lot like the initial heartbeat of "Greta," I had to tag it and show them some love.
I was pleased as all get-out one day this summer when Dr. Erika C. Martin messaged me on a thread I'd started a few weeks prior. She mentioned she'd be coming through town the following day and -- were I available to schedule something last-minute -- she'd be happy to slightly alter her travel plans to come sit and chat with me for a few.
She is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Emporia State University. She's a biostatistician and a science correspondent for the Fish Nerds podcast, and she's the Editor of Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. She's also a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mom, a collector of stringed instruments and vinyl records, one heck of a singer/songwriter/guitarist, and she's my guest for Episode No. 148.
Erika and I talked family, growing up, academia and education, science, podcasting, and a bunch more, which included a few of her favorite albums. Those were these:
This Is the Moody Blues (1974), The Moody Blues
Red Hot Chili Peppers' One Hot Minute (1995)
'V' is for Vagina (2007), Puscifer
N.A.S.A.'s The Spirt of Apollo (2009)
Good Company (2014), The Dead South
I'm always impressed and thankful when someone makes the trek in from Lawrence or Manhattan or anywhere, really. The gift of time is invaluable, and when folks travel to donate it via sitting in my basement home studio with me for a chunk of time, I'm grateful. When someone cuts a four-hour road trip in half, though, and hangs out with me for two hours in the interim, well...that's just aces.
And Doc Martin is for sure an ace, herself. So, many thanks to her for the trust, the time, and the conversation, and thank you to you for supporting the podcast.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Donny Gone," by The Jazzual Suspects. I found it on their self-titled release from 2018, c/o Om Records.
When Facebook suggested Lisa Alpert as a person I might know, I peeped her profile, and thought, this lady seems pretty cool. And oftentimes, that hunch is accurate. Not always, but often. This one was no exception.
Lisa Alpert is cool, rad, awesome, and good vibes, and that's precisely the sort of thing I'm seeking when looking for guests.
Lisa's a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, a business owner, and a muthaf***in' hustle. Ya' betta' ax somebody. For those reasons and more, she's my guests for Episode #147, and I couldn't be happier that we made this conversation happen.
Please check out Lisa's business, Manifest Collaborative. It's a non-profit that specializes in marketing, fundraising, brand development, public relations, and a bunch more. Learning about some of Lisa's professional endeavors and personal experiences was so much fun. We talked about family, pursuing dreams, and -- of course -- a couple of her favorite albums. Those were these:
self-titled, Tracy Chapman (1988)
Give Up (2003), Postal Service
Sufjan Stevens' Come On, Feel the Illinoise (2005)
Plans (2005), Death Cab for Cutie
Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience (2013)
Sound & Color (2015), Alabama Shakes
Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book (2016)
Harmony of Difference (2017), Kamasi Washington
Future Islands' People Who Aren't There Anymore (2024)
And we gave a tiny bit of honorable-mention action to Taylor Swift, Saves the Day, The Quintet, Beyonce, Qveen Herby, Fleet Foxes, TLC, and Lil' Wayne.
A thousand thanks to Lisa for both the time and the awesomeness. I can't wait to book her again for the Becoming a Swifty series.
Cheers, y'all.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Heiko Voss tune called, "I Think About You," off of the 2003 EP of the same name (c/o Kompact Pop).
Hey!
This is so fun.
I'm so happy to've been afforded the opportunity to record a small handful of on-location conversations, but none of those have been as exhilarating as my conversation with Ella Gantz (for Episode #146) of Perry Farm to Fork.
Ella and her sisters own and run the lovely co-op of sorts that offers local produce and proteins and other goodies to the fine folks of their Perry/LeCompton community. They are fifth-generation farmers and you can find out more about their operation on their Facebook page. You can give the shop a buzz at 785-379-3650 or shoot them a message at perryfarmtofork@gmail.com.
Ella was kind enough to have me out to their spot after hours on a Saturday evening back in August. We talked about growing up on a farm, showing animals, managing land and crops, family, and more. We also talked a little bit about a few of Ella's favorite albums, which were these:
Eric Church's Carolina (2009)
Hell on Heels (2011), Pistol Annies
Flatland Cavalry's Homeland Insecurity (2019)
Having the opportunity to meet Ella was a treat, and getting to see their space was super-cool. Thanks to her and her crew, and thanks to all of you that support the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Gabo's Last Resort," by The South Hill Experiment. The track comes from Moonshots, their 2023 release, c/o The South Hill Experiment.
Brock Wilbur is a son, a brother, a husband, and an author. He's my guest for Episode No. 146, and he's also the Editor-in-Chief of The Pitch, Kansas City's independent source for news and culture.
It was a pleasure to meet Brock and learn about the different stops his life journey have taken him to, and I'm grateful for both the time and the conversation.
We talked about family, being a stand-up comic, a published author, a podcaster, a supporter of different walks of life, and a proponent of mental health. We also talked about his love of music, live shows, vinyl records, and living in Los Angeles for a spell. Naturally, we touched on a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Beck's Odelay (1996)
The Ugly Organ (2003), Cursive
Death From Above 1979's You're a Woman, I'm a Machine (2004)
Brock is one of the most intelligent folks I've had the opportunity to sit and visit with and I'm pleased that I took the opportunity to pass along my gratitude for the work he and his crew put in at The Pitch. This print/online publication has been a part of my fabric for decades, and it's super-satisfying that it continues to survive in 2024. If you're not already a regular reader, please consider picking one up the next time you see one of their stands. And -- as they frequently remind their Instagram followers, their Web site never has a paywall.
You can follow Brock on Instagram at @brockwilbur. Check out some of his fine journalist work at authory.com/brockwilbur, and you can also get a copy of his book, Postal, from 2020 on Amazon.
Many thanks to Brock and to those that support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips found in this episode. They are samples from a tune called, "Happy Now," by Låpsley, and it can be found on her EP from this year, A Guilty Heart Can Never Rest (c/o Believe UK).
In late July, I was honored to have Tracy Hoth back in my home again, and it took both time and convincing to get her here.
Nearly a decade ago, I hired her for some professional-organization help, and she was fantastic. Our package was broken into tiers, and -- due to some critical life changes -- we had a little bit of a gap in between tiers one and two. Many moons later, she appeared in the people-you-might-know section of one of my social-media platforms. I reached out and pitched her on the idea of doing a podcast episode with me. She declined, saying that she wasn't much of a music person.
I rolled up my sleeves and explained why I thought we could have a good conversation, and -- to my delight -- she accepted.
Tracy is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother of four, and probably many other amazing things (that I don't know about), too. I do, however, know that she is a life coach, a professional organizer, and the host of The Organized Coach podcast, which you can find on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
So, we talked about her professional endeavors, her family, the detour they experienced a little over nine years ago, and we managed to talk about music, too. When I asked Tracy for a list, she gave me a collection of songs, sentiments, memories, and artists. I took the liberty of squeezing that into my format, and -- having done so -- her list looks like this:
The Run, Appaloosa, Run soundtrack (1966)
John Denver's Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971)
Fancy Free (1981), The Oak Ridge Boys
Britt Nicole's Say It (2007)
Lauren Daigle's discography (2015-2023)
I had a lot of fun sitting and chatting with Tracy. I'm not only thankful that she was courageous enough to do something she didn't think she'd be a good fit at, but grateful that she took the time to commute down to the studio and collaborate with another local podcaster.
So, thank you, Tracy.
You can find out more information about Tracy's awesome business and podcast here.
I appreciate the support you all give the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips taken from a tune called, "Welcome Back" off of Muzak Orchestra's Muzak Stimulus Progression 1976, c/o Muzak Archives.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Whatcha' got to say?!"
I don't have any "Hollywood Swingers" action to share with you, but I do have some equally exciting news, and that's that Robert Flynn finally made it by the studio and we sat down together for what wound up being Episode No. 143 of this here podcast.
Robert was on my initial-initial outreach list while I was trying to get this thing live and off the ground, and some three years later, here we are.
Robert's a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, an Eagle Scout, a scout leader, a former attorney, a high-school government teacher, and a good many other things. We once went through the CRHP program together and have two kids in the same grades together. He's also something of a Deadhead, and when we first talked about trying to make this happen, I think I was asking folks about their all-time-favorite album (singular) as opposed to the current iteration that typically involves several.
Regardless, the Grateful Dead's American Beauty (1970) was Robert's immediate selection, and it's one of my all-timers, as well, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bullshit with him about it.
A number of things transpired since our conversation was recorded, namely the passing of Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and the presidential election here in the "good-ol'" United States. No doubt some of us are singing a version of "U.S. Blues" this week, but that's neither here nor there.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this chat, and I hope you will, too.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from American Beauty's leadoff, "Box of Rain," and it exists c/o Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
"Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle o' Brass Monkey," it's another new-episode Thursday, and I'm geeking out to share with you that Bill Belzer joined me for a fantastic conversation.
So great catching up with Bill, and learning about our mutual love of the greatest band in American rock 'n' roll history, and it was equally fun learning a little bit about Bill's band, Miss Boating.
Bill's over on the 'Gram as @billzer, and Miss Boating deets can gleaned from YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Apple Music, and/or Bandcamp.
Such good people, this Belzer kid, and he's got a Substack, here.
And while you're getting to know the band, be sure to check out Jewel in the Trash, their full-length release from June of this year. Loved hearing about their process.
Bill and I also chatted about a few of his favorite records through the years, and they are these:
Hard Again (1977), Muddy Waters
Chuck Mangione's An Evening of Magic: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1979)
Entertainment! (1979), Gang of Four
Hüsker Dü's Candy Apple Grey (1986)
Blood and Chocolate (1986), Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Super-fun experience. Grateful for the time. Thank you to Bill and to those of you that support the program.
Notes:
- Jon Fishman's Sirius XM satellite-radio show is called The Errant Path, not The Beaten Path.
- Bill hates hashtags. Just thought I'd put that here.
- shouts out to Bill for bringing up badass record, Houses of the Holy
- Candy Apple Grey previously appeared on L. Ron Drunkard's list in Episode No. 131.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this podcast episode. They are snippets from a Trey Anastasio tune called, "Push on 'Til the Day," which is a cut from his 2002, self-titled studio debut.
Greetings!
It's new-episode Thursday, and I'm pleased to say that Dan Perez was my guest for Episode No. 141. Dan is in four bands: 1) a smallish trio outfit with his brother; 2) Whiskey Mash Band; 3) Helping Phriendly Bluegrass Band; and 4) The Kaw Valley Hop Pickers.
Dan's silky bass notes in each of those conglomerations don't entirely comprise him, though; he's a son, a sibling, a Phishhead, and a husband (I think he said).
I had Dan's Whiskey Mash bandmate, Billy Brady, on for Episode No. 65, so check that one out if you missed it (but not before you get into Dan's episode).
Dan and I chewed the fat for an hour or so, and it was solid-good times getting to know him; I learned a bunch, had some laughs, and enjoyed Dan's good-vibe energy. Naturally, we talked about a few of Dan's favorite albums, which were these:
The White Album (1968), The Beatles
John Hartford's Aereo-Plain (1971)
A Live One (1995), Phish
James Brown's The 50th Anniversary Collection (2003)
Epic list, really. A perfect mix of familiar with glad-to-know-yas.
Note: My gaffes for this conversation include calling it "Tahoe Jam," when it's actually called "Berkeley Jam," and citing "Chalkdust" when it shoulda been "Tweezer" (in regards to the 2012 Phish performance at Starlight Theater in Kansas City.
Anyway, I'd tell you to give Dan a Facebook follow, but he doesn't really post there, so plug one or all of those band names into your search bar, and you'll get there.
Thank you, Dan. I appreciate the time.
And thank you to those of you that read these, listen, etc.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets I've stolen from a tune called, "All My Friends," by Channel Tres. It's a cut from his 2023 EP, Real Cultural Shit, and we are graced to have access to it via Channel Tres Inc., under exclusive license to RCA Records.
It's kinda wild for me to think about the fact that -- two years ago -- I was publishing Episode #40 (w/Tomaski), and here we are...turning the final-chapter pages of 2024. I think that they call it, "Q2" in the corporate world, but it's the final period of our calendar year, here in Humansville.
And what a fun ride it's been.
David Kaufman joined me for Episode #140, and he did not disappoint.
David's over on the 'Gram with the @davesthename handle. He's a camera operator and an editor. There's a great piece about him over on boldjourney.com, if you wanna check that out, and -- perhaps of greater importance...his stuff's also at theoutriders.com.
David and I talked about family, education, careers, music, and a ton more, but we also had a brief look at a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2001), The Bouncing Souls
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' By the Way (2002)
Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012), Kendrick Lamar
Pleased, then, to be consuming the content.
You guys are great.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from the Peggy Gou single, "Nab," which was released in 2021 c/o Gudu Records.
Very pleased to share that Bob Walkenhorst joined me for Episode No. 139, and it was a privilege to get to know him a little bit.
I really enjoyed gaining a little bit of insight into Bob's perspective of the live-music scene in 1980s Kansas City as he and The Rainmakers really found their writing and gigging groove.
As a 71-years-young rock star, Bob's still gigging twice a month at Mike Kelly's Westsider, and you can glean more details about those shows if you give his Facebook page a follow.
His Web site, bobwalkenhorst.com is absolutely full of treats, including 12 LPs, unique prints, a book, and the means for you to hire him to do music for your private events.
Bob and I of course chatted up a few of his favorite records, and those were these:
Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends (1968)
A Tramp Shining (1968), Richard Harris
Joni Mitchell's Blue (1971)
Warren Zevon's self-titled album (1976)
Early Days (1994), The Watersons
Find all of Bob's music on Apple or Spotify and don't forget to check out his book, Whirlybird Day, whilst perusing his Web site.
Thank you for your support of the progrum.
Note: I flubbed an author/title situation during my conversation with Bob: Stephen King's book is called On Writing Well; Writing Down the Bones is by Natalie Goldberg.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Pick Me Up," by The Deadbeats from their 1999 album, Lounging, c/o Space Hopper.
Forrest Saucier joined me for Episode No. 138, and it was an absolute treat to get to know him a little bit.
Forrest is a son, a sibling, a partner, a man of numerous hats, and he's an important figure over at Tyler's House, which is a youth-oriented, non-profit organization over on the Kansas side that -- for my money -- is an amazing concept that needs more eyeballs on it and more of the community's dollars in its bank account.
In the world of interviewing, it's always refreshing to have a quick, sharp, eloquent guest on the other side of the table from me, as I tend to offer plenty of "Um"s and "you know"s and generally fumble for the words I seek, so thank you to Forrest for being who he is and what he is.
I enjoyed learning a little bit about his journey, and -- as per youzsh -- we managed to have a quick look at a few of Forrest's favorite albums over the years. Those were these:
Morning View (2001), Incubus
Motion City Soundtrack's Commit This to Memory (2005)
Camp (2011), Childish Gambino
Watsky's x Infinity (2016)
You can follow Forrest on Facebook and Instagram, and you can find most of the Tyler's House deets at either their Web site, on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. They've got a great program going over there, and they could use some funds and some grassroots word spread, in case you happen to be a person that can help in either (or both) of those directions.
Many thanks to Mr. Saucier for the time and the flexibility and the conversation. And many thanks to all of you whom support the show.
Note: Snorg Tees, not College Humor
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a track called, "I Like It," by The Brand New Heavies. I lifted it from their 1997 release, Shelter, c/o The Bicycle Music Company.
Hooray for Episode No. 137 being out and available to all of you fine listeners and viewers!
I'm stoked to share that Carley Martin Verbeck and I were able to sit down together and chat about all things Carley and her band, Scotch Hollow. Her husband Mark and I perused portions of his journey that led to the two of them meeting/ultimately forming the band back in Episode No. 116, so to have the other half of the duo join me was a blast.
Carley -- beyond being a wife and Scotch Hollow's frontwoman -- is also a daughter and a sister and a mom. We talked about growing up, family, education, careers, gigging, recording, ebbing and flowing with Scotch Hollow's pulse, and plenty more. We also had a peek at a few of Carley's favorite albums over the years, and those were these:
Lullabies of Birdland (1955), Ella Fitzgerald
Big Mama Thornton's In Europe (1966)
Wide Open Spaces (1998), Dixie Chicks
Clutch's The Elephant Riders (1998)
Please join us and please check out Scotch Hollow over on their Web site, or on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, and/or Spotify.
Thank you to both of the Verbecks, and thank you for your support of both the podcast as well as local music, however it is that you choose to express said supports.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a single by Parcels called, "Tideuprightnow," which they released in 2018 c/o Because.
I have the utmost gratitude for Bill Brownlee gracing me with an appearance for Episode No. 136.
Bill is so many things, and I confidently say that barely knowing him.
What he is above all -- at least at this moment -- is generous for taking time out of his life to come sit with a perfect stranger, and I couldn't be happier about the conversation that resulted from his decision to do so.
Bill and I talked about his careers in the record-label industry and as a writer for The Kansas City Star. We discussed his fine, fine work over at Plastic Sax as well as There Stands the Glass, both of which I encourage you to make regular visits to, as the writings are keen and important to the Kansas City music scene. We also talked about a few of Bill's favorite records, which were these:
Stevie Wonder's Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974)
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978), Bruce Springsteen
Alison Krauss' Now That I've Found You: A Collection (1995)
The College Dropout (2004), Kanye West
Moor Mother's Jazz Codes (2022)
Bill's a great Instagram follow if your feed's missing a little something, but beyond you checking out his written work on the aforementioned Web sites, I'm excited for folks to dig in to this conversation. It was a great one.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Hale to the Man," by Brian Hyland. I lifted it from his 1977 release, In a State of Bayou, c/o Private Stock Records Ltd.
DJ Prodigy is a son, a brother, a partner, a father, and he's armed with an artillery of skills that would impress most any artist. He's also my guest for Episode No. 135.
Prodigy splits his time between Kansas City and Arizona, and while in town, he squeezed a chat with me in in between a handful of gigs. For that I am grateful.
We talked about growing up, finding one's way, producing, making records, dancing, beatboxing, and a bunch more. We also talked about a few of his favorite records, which were these:
Parliament's Mothership Connection (1975)
Strikes Again (1978), Rose Royce
Zapp & Roger's Zapp (1980)
Dangerous (1991), Micheal Jackson
Many thanks to Prodigy for stopping by and chewing the industry fat with me. You can (and should) follow him on Instagram. His Facebook stuff and his SoundCloud stuff is under Prodigy Productions. So check him out and make sure to see him live whenever you get the chance. No tellin' which of his many toys he may bust out.
Thanks, as always, to those that support the show. Much appreciated.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune by Stavros called, "Should've Brought an Umbrella" from the 2015 EP, Silent Spring, c/o Moodfamily.
Marty Wall is a son, a sibling, a husband, a long-time former Kansas City-radio D.J., and a voice-over artist. He fronts three different live-music acts, has some rich K.C. knowledge, and he's my guest for Episode No. 134.
Marty and I talked about music collections, radio formats and programming, gigging, family, and more. We also had a peek at two of his favorite albums, which were these:
Elton John's Honky Chateau (1972)
Spilt Milk (1993), Jellyfish
It was a great joy to meet Marty and learn a little bit about him. I continue to have tremendous gratitude for the folks that say "yes" to joining me for some conversation. I spent some time listening to Marty on the Kansas City airwaves as a younger person, and I dug hearing about both his educational and professional trajectories. Many thanks, Mr. Wall.
You can poke around at Marty's professional digs (and/or hire him) here, and you can keep tabs on at least two of his current live-music situations here and here.
Cheers, y'all.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a single called, "Handbrake," that an outfit called Micatone put out in 2012, c/o Sonar Kollektiv.
James Harmon is a son, a partner, a father, and a good-vibes kind of human being. He co-owns and co-operates Jammin' Nuggets Music with his lady friend, and you can find their spot at 115 S. Ohio in Sedalia, MO.
James and I talked family, growing up, passion projects becoming real-life projects, record-store shopping, making connections through music, and more. We also talked a little bit about a few of James' favorite albums, which were these:
Kind of Blue (1959), Miles Davis
Kiss' Animalize (1984)
Prison Bound (1988), Social Distortion
I'm grateful for James taking some time away from the store to come and shoot the breeze with me on a Saturday. It was a pleasure to meet him, learn a little bit about him, and learn about what getting a brick-and-mortar record store open in the fuzz of pandemic was like.
You can follow Jammin' Nuggets Music on Facebook and Instagram, and if you have any questions for them you can give them a shout at 660-951-1070.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "LoCKeDoWN2" by Meute (MOY-tuh), an 11-piece, techno marching band out of Hamburg, whom have been a super-fun discovery for me this year. They've got four records out, including Empor from this year, and they are a really rad YouTube rabbit hole, if you're so incline. This tune, though, comes from Empor, and that record exists c/o TUMULT serviced by NEUBAU Music.
Josh King is a sibling, a husband, a father, and an insanely intelligent human being. He mans the six-string, the vocals, and the mixing for the band, Low Forest, and he's my guest for Episode No. 132.
Josh and I talked growing up and education, Missouri-style. We touched on Low Forest's fascinating collection of releases on Bandcamp, where to follow them (Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, and we had a peek at a few of Josh's favorite albums, which were these:
Hum's You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995)
Fantastic Planet (1996), Failure
Portishead's Roseland NYC Live (1998)
Small Explosions That Are Yours to Keep (2005), Mitchell Akiyama
Elder's Reflections of a Floating World (2017)
The fact that Josh has a super-sharp mind, a warm-and-open heart, and might very well be a vessel for delivering space rock to Kansas City may or may not be related to the fact that he is a pretty soft-spoken fellow. One would think that I'd be able to recognize that early enough in the conversation to adjust the levels at this point, but...it's not easy being the 2024 version of Al Franken's Mobile One-Man Uplink Unit. So, apologies if he's tough to hear at times.
It was a true pleasure meeting Josh, and knowing that his presence is out there adds to my occasionally stout belief that there's good in the world moving things in the right direction.
Thanks for tuning in.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are cuts from a tune called, "Witchoo," by Durand Jones & The Indications. I lifted it from their 2021 release, Private Space, which exists for us c/o Dead Oceans.
L. Ron Drunkard, bassist for Red Kate, joined me for Episode No. 131, and it was a hoot.
We talked about band life, making records, supporting local music, news, politics, the awesomeness of Bob Mould, the lameness of touring acts frequently skipping Kansas City, and a ton more.
We also talked a bit about a few of Mr. Drunkard's favorite albums. Those were these:
Devo's Are We Not Men (1978)
Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978), The Clash
AC/DC's Highway to Hell (1979)
Throb Throb (1984), Naked Raygun
Hüsker Dü's Candy Apple Gray (1986)
Wrong (1989), NoMeansNo
You can follow Red Kate on Instagram and/or Facebook, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and Spotify. For sure check out black-site.org for a look at the really cool record-label cooperative they've created. And you certainly wanna give Exit Strategy, their 2023 release, a listen.
I'm grateful for the time and energy L. Ron brought to the table. He knows how to make good conversations great ones.
Note: I mistakenly called Frank Zappa's narrator character on Joe's Garage, L. Ron Hoover, which I'm embarrassed to admit. He's obviously The Central Scrutinizer and makes reference to someone spending too much time at The First Church of Appliantology with L. Ron Hoover. Sheesh, Rook'.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this clip. They are cuts from a single called, "Always Remember Us This Way," by Linear Phase. They released this number in 2021, c/o revised.studio.
Josh Plunkett is a son, a sibling, an entrepreneur, a business owner, a photographer, a videographer, and a world traveler. He's a guy that has figured out a thing or two about his allotment of time on this planet, and he's also my guest for Episode No. 130.
Our streams crossed paths somewhere in the Instagram world, and -- speaking of -- you can find him/his work there in not one, not two, but three places. You can also check out his handsome Web site, on which you might find yourself inclined to buy a print, hire him for a shoot, or even rent his space.
Josh was kind enough to give me a chunk of one of his Tuesday evenings a couple of months ago, and self-aware enough to warn me that he has no qualms going long in the discussion department. Little did he know that that was just fine with me.
Our conversation was fascinating and worth me not spoiling too much of it before you get in there and check it out for yourself. I will say, however, that we talked a bit about family, self-exploration, the human experience and what it can sometimes look and feel like out there amongst the others. And of course we had a peek at a few of Josh's favorite records. Those were these:
Pulp Fiction: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994)
Korn, self-titled (1994)
Microworlds (2023), CloZee
Give Josh's work a peek and give him a follow, if you're so inclined. He may be the right fit for your photoshoot wishes, your studio-space needs, or your longing for travel. And don't forget to check out the Merch' store on the Web site. It might be a good place for you to get an early start on your holiday lists.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are cuts from a single called, "Shooting Stars," by Bag Raiders. It's a 2009 number that was maybe only digitally released via both the single format and the EP format (which features three other variations of the tune), but made its way to our ears c/o Bang Gang 12s, under exclusive license to Modular Recordings.
I'm very excited to share that Dr. Alberto Villamandos joined me for Episode No. 129, and we talked a little bit about life as Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages & Cultures at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Go, Roos!
We also talked about him being the recipient of the 2024 Chancellor's Award for Community Engagement.
Dr. Villamandos was kind enough to share a portion of his evening with me amidst busy end-of-semester pressures, travel plans, and the many other things that keep his plate full, so I must extend some heartfelt gratitude for his generosity.
We touched on his undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate studies, as well as growing up in Pamplona, Spain. And of course we had a peek at a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
Radio Futura's La Ley del Desierto (1984)
Enemigos de lo Ajeno (1986), El Último de la Fila
Pixies' Doolittle (1989)
Galore (1997), The Cure
The Best of Depeche Mode, vol. 1 (2006)
You can find Dr. Villamandos' book, El Discreto Encanto de la Subversión: Una Crítica Cultural de la Gauche Divine on Amazon or you can check it out at the UMKC library. Oh, and shouts out to the Dr.'s honorable mentions, Trainspotting: Music from the Motion Picture as well as Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Thanks to any and all that support the show.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a Talking Heads tune called, "Two Note Swivel," from their 1983 release, Speaking in Tongues (c/o Sire Records (manufactured and marketed by Rhino Entertainment Group - A Warner Music Group Co.)).
Jeremy Clark of Tracer Heights was in the house for Episode No. 128, and dang it if it isn't always refreshing to chat with a fellow Phishhead.
Trust me: I'm not trying to pigeonhole Jeremy or say that that's all there is to say about him. There's a ton more. Rare is the opportunity, though.
Anyway...Jeremy's a son and a brother and a bandmate and one heck of a sharp dude; I really enjoyed getting to know him a little bit. We talked a fair amount about Tracer Heights, what they're all about, and what his role as the bassist looks like. We also talked about a few of Jeremy's favorite albums. Those were these:
Pet Sounds (1966), The Beach Boys
Nine Inch Nails' Broken (1992)
Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness (1995), The Smashing Pumpkins
The Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin (1999)
Person Pitch (2007), Panda Bear
So, please check out our conversation. These chats are almost always awesome; this one was no exception. And please check out Tracer Heights. Find out more about them at tracerheights.com, on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Bandcamp. They're rock, blues, and bluegrass with the spirit of psychedelic improvisational music, and they're gigging often here in K.C.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are cuts from a track called, "Grand Funk," by Jackie Mittoo from his 1971 effort, Wishbone (c/o Light in the Attic Records).
Lauren Textor was my guest for Episode No. 127, and my mind is still reeling from everything that she has accomplished at such a young age.
I have no real direct reason to be as proud of her as I am, but I am, nonetheless. And I truly feel that she is just getting started.
There're a number of ways in which one could keep tabs on this daughter, sibling, writer, producer, girlfriend, lover of Ireland, bandmate/cat mom. And those'er these: Muck Rack, Instagram, etc.
Lauren and I talked about a good many things, and of course a part of all that were a few of her favorite albums. Those were these:
Al Stewart's Year of the Cat (1976)
Time (1981) Electric Light Orchestra
Tom Petty's Wildflowers (1994)
In the Magic Hour (2016), Aoife O'Donovan
Lorde's Solar Power (2021)
Meeting Lauren and having the opportunity to sit down and visit with her was an experience I won't soon forget. Many thanks to her for her time and positive energy. Oh, and anyone that considers Tom Petty to be their ghost dad his a-okay in my book.
And thank you to all of you that support the podcast.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are cuts from a Phish track called, "Breath and Burning," which comes from their oft-trashed (but not wisely so) 2016 release, Big Boat (c/o 1016 Phish). As Machines Within guy once said, "Eff all the haters."
Myla McCune, in all of her loveliness, graced me with her presence for Episode No. 126.
She's a daughter and a sibling and a sculptor and a gal that's not afraid to take on challenges. You can find her on Instagram or at mylalamar.com, if you're interested in checking out her work or commissioning her to do a piece for you.
Myla and I talked about school and art and family and growing up and gender-role expectations that're maybe midwest-rooted. We also talked about a few of her favorite albums. Those were these:
Jim Croce's Don't Mess Around With Jim (1972) Back to Black (2006), Amy Winehouse
Duffy's Rockferry (2008)
The Fame (2008), Lady Gaga
It was a privilege and an honor that Myla made time for me amidst her then-busy, end-of-semester schedule. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for cool stuff to continue to come from her neck of the woods. I understand she's been traveling, a bit off of the grid, and spending time with family back home for the summer, so I'm happy for her that her 2024 seems to have been full of a variety of good stuff.
Thank you to Myla and to all of my guests. The e-mail address is badassrecordspodcast over on the Gmails if you're feeling like you'd like to be one or know of someone that would. My appreciation goes out to all who've supported the show in the various ways that that's possible.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips I've poached from a track called, "Dirty Listening," by Groove Armada. It comes from their 1998 release, Northern Star, c/o Tummy Touch Records LLC.
Philip Clark is a son, a brother, a husband, a vinyl collector, and a music lover. He has hosted a radio show and a podcast, and has been a vocalist for B.A.T.S., The Dead Laughter, and Johnny Switchblade.
He was also kind enough to be my guest for Episode No. 125 of Badass Records.
Philip and I covered a decent amount of ground in just under two hours, and a good portion of that was centered on discussing a few of his favorite albums. Those were these:
Kind of Blue (1959), Miles Davis
Shawn Phillips' Collaboration (1970)
Station to Station (1976), David Bowie
Patti Smith's Radio Ethiopia (1976)
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980), Dead Kennedys
Misfits' Walk Among Us (1982)
Doolittle (1989), Pixies
Danzig's Danzig II: Lucifuge (1990)
Let Love In (1994), Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Modest Mouse's The Lonesome Crowded West (1997)
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998), Neutral Milk Hotel
Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile (1999)
The Decline (1999), NOFX
Songs: Ohia's The Lioness (2000)
Something About My 20s (2016), Four Arm Shiver
Chatting with Philip was a lovely time, and -- once you've checked out our conversation -- you should ready yourself to see him perform reunion-style, live with Johnny Switchblade as part of the 3rd Annual Darryl Memorial, Saturday, July 13th, at Farewell (6515 Stadium Drive in Kansas City). There are three other acts on the bill. Doors at 7:00; music at 8:00.
Thank you to Philip and to all of those that support the podcast.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Phish tune called, "Silent in the Morning," which I snagged from their 1993 release, Rift. This album is must-listen for all music lovers. It's an indisputable badass-record touchstone, and exists c/o Elektra Entertainment, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States.
When Rich Wheeler shows up, shit gets weird.
I'm kidding. I stole a version of that verbiage from a Facebook post from a few months back. A musician that had just gigged with Rich wrote it with high-praise-worthy intentions, and I loved the heck out of it.
So, Mr. Wheeler was kind enough to lend me a portion of one of his Saturday afternoons not too long ago, and I was clumsy enough to screw up the video portion of our conversation, so...audio-only it is. And thank the heavens that I didn't botch that portion of the thing, 'cause this chat was next-level.
Rich just might be the sharpest dude I've chewed the fat with so far, and believe me -- there've been some sharp ones.
I really enjoyed learning a little bit about him, his experiences, his horn-playing savvy, not to mention a few of his favorite albums, which were these:
McCoy Tyner's The Real McCoy (1967)
Nude Ants (1980), Keith Jarrett
Maceo Parker's Life on Planet Groove (1992)
Blackstar (2016), David Bowie
Rich jams, gigs, and records with a number of folks around town. You can find him on such releases as Live at Jardine's by the Brandon Draper Quintet. He's in tight with the Draper Family Band, he's currently working on a project with Jackie Myers. He gave Blue Note Records props, which is aces in my book. He's a huge Joe Henderson fan, and he just might be the dopest tenor-sax player in the region.
Many thanks to Rich, and much love to all of you who support Badass Records.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They're cuts from a track called, "Turn It On," by The Greyboy Allstars, which comes from their 2022 release, Get a Job (c/o Knowledge Room Recordings).
As the beat goes on, I found myself lucky enough to sit down with Brian McCarty, and visit with him about his life and his journey as a musician.
It's Episode No. 123, and this one was a treat.
Please join me and Brian as we talk about his roles in The Matchsellers, Greg Blake & Hometown, plus his duo setup.
We also poked around at family and growing up, the pursuit of dreams, happiness, and the appropriate life path to walk. We also took a peek at a few of his favorite records, which were these:
Black Sabbath's Paranoid (1970)
Newgrass Revival (s/t), (1972)
Dead Milkmen's Big Lizard in My Backyard (1985)
Del & the Boys (2001), Del McCoury Band
I feel very grateful to have had this conversation with Brian, and to have gotten this podcast to the place it has come to live. Thank you to those of you that support it, and best of luck to Brian in his future endeavors.
Note: Apologies to Bob Stewart; the name of the University of Missouri-Kansas City publication is New Letters and its radio-companion piece is New Letters on the Air. Letters, not voices.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained in the intro/outro/promo portions of this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Madison," which comes from Drugdealer's 2022 album, Hiding in Plain Sight, c/o Mexican Summer.
Maura Dayton. Awesome human being.
Maura -- in all of Maura's awesomeness -- is a daughter, a sister, a student, a bandmate, an expert in a good many things, and Maura's also my guest for Episode No. 122.
Maura might've had the greatest set of parents in all of American rock 'n' roll parenting history.
Who knows.
Either way, Maura's a person that knows a thing or two about music, has passion for music, loves playing music, and -- oh, yeah -- did I mention that Maura absolutely crushes it in the world of professional photography and can write copy to go along with it?
You should check out Maura's Instagram page, and -- why'll you're there -- keep in mind that Maura also plays six-string for Catfight out of Lawrence, KS.
There's a hundred other reasons why you should check out my conversation with Maura and stop paying attention to this snoozy episode verbiage, but...I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that meeting Maura was a treat, and I'm super-pleased that we had our visit.
Oh, and, shit...I almost forgot: We talked a little bit about a few of Maura's favorite albums. Those were these:
Doolittle (1989), Pixies
Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral (1994)
Glow On (2021), Turnstile
Knocked Loose's A Tear in the Fabric of Life (2021)
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained in this video. They are snippets from a Phish tune called, "Waste," which is from the 1996 release, Billy Breathes. It's here courtesy of Elektra Entertainment, and -- and I don't say this often -- if it's not a part of your library, it should be. It's 1,000 percent a badass record.
I hate to sound repetitive with my gushing, but man was Episode No. 121 a treat.
FK Menace came through and pulled no punches; we could've gabbed all evening.
I can't describe how fun this was. What an amazing journey for an awesome dude that is legitimately living the dream.
FK's a son, a brother, an artist, an activist, a DJ, a producer, and he's a guy you'd really struggle not to respect and admire. Solid, solid human being.
We talked a little bit about growing up, art school, inventing one's self, life lessons, and so much more. We also talked a little bit about a few of his favorite records. Those were these:
Curtis Mayfield's Superfly (1972)
The Infamous (1995), Mobb Deep
Delinquent Habits' Here Come the Horns (1998)
Mista Don't Play (Everythangs Workin) (2001), Project Pat
MF Doom's MM..Food (2004)
The Good Book, Vol. 2 (2017), The Alchemist/Budgie
You can peep some FK Menace action on his Web site or on his Facebook page, but for sure follow him on Instagram on both his personal page as well as on Sabados.
Blessed. Thankful. Humbled.
Get some.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples featured in this episode. They're cuts from a track called, "Inversion Layer," by Robert Walter's 20th Congress off of their 2013 effort, Get Thy Bearings (c/o Royal Potato Family).
Jackie Myers!
Very excited to have met this lovely lady who's a highly educated human being, a professional pianist, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a dog lover, and a fantastic conversationalist.
Mrs. Myers stopped by for Episode No. 120, and we talked family, the road, recording, writing, experimenting, gigging, and more.
We also talked a little bit about a few of Jackie's favorite albums, and those were these:
Ella & Louis (1956), Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Miles Davis' Four & More (1966)
Tapestry (1971), Carole King
Joni Mitchell's Mingus (1979)
Skol (1979), Oscar Peterson & Stéphane Grappelli
Steve Lehman Octet's Travail, Transformation, & Flow (2009)
Give Jackie Myers Music a follow on Facebook and/or Instagram. You can find her stuff on Bandcamp or where you stream/download your music, and her Web site is jackiemyersmusic.com.
You can catch her live this evening (or Saturday) at Chaz on the Plaza, and be sure to keep your ears peeled for an upcoming studio release. I know it's going to be an exciting listen.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Phish tune called, "Magilla," which can be found on the badass record, A Picture of Nectar (1992), c/o Elektra Entertainment.
Damon Arredondo is a son, a brother, a father, an entrepreneur, a dreamer, a brewer, and -- based on the four hours I spent with him in my basement studio -- an amazing human being. He's the owner and founder of Rizoma Liquid Creations, and he's my guest for Episode No. 119.
Damon and I talked about growing up, family, heritage and culture, parenthood, collaborations, mental health, and beer, to just mention a few topics.
We also talked about a few of Damon's favorite records, which were these:
Sunrise over the Sea (2004), The John Butler Trio
Balmorhea's Stranger (2012)
Pedestrian Verse (2013), Frightened Rabbit
Dirty Heads' Sound of Change (2014)
Origin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2023), Kris Bowers*
Rizoma continues to search for a location to call home here in Kansas City, and -- while that search continues -- Damon has been selected to participate in the Crafted for Action Conference in Atlanta next month. And if I may speak on behalf of Damon, he needs your contribution to see this important step in the process through. If you trust me when I say that Damon is good people, or if you enjoyed our conversation here on the podcast, or if you're just a kind/giving person at your core, please take a moment to learn a little bit more about this portion of Damon's journey to seeing his dream through. You can do so here.
It was a privilege to meet Damon and an honor to share some time with him. I appreciate you being here and supporting the podcast, and if you are able to support Damon, well I appreciate you for that, too. Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are samples from a tune called, "Bassackwards" by Kurt Vile. The track is from his 2018 release, Bottle It In (c/o Matador Records), and I'm not going to tell you that the album is a badass record, but I will tell you that Mr. Vile is a lifetime member on the Board of Badassery. So take those tidbits and decide for yourself.
*Damon loves the Stan Walker tune, "I AM" from this soundtrack, not necessarily the entire collection. I chose to list the soundtrack as part of his list just because I'm a dork like that and couldn't have a lone track listed all by its lonesome.
Kathryn Hunter is a daughter, a sibling, a wife, and the proprietor of both Voodoo Hippie Girl's Free Spirited Threads and Wasted Land Apparel. She's a dye artist/designer, a brilliant mind, a lover of books and music, and she's my guest for Episode No. 118.
Meeting Kathryn was a treat and sitting down with her to talk family, upbringing, and her passions was both enlightening and entertaining. And it wouldn't be an installment of Badass Records if we didn't examine a few of her favorite records.
Those were these:
Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light (2012), Woods of Ypres
Mr. Blotto's Thread (2013)
Blue Mountain (2016), Bob Weir
Starset's Divisions (2019)
Please consider giving Kathryn a follow on Instagram for one or both of her outfits, and definitely consider giving that Bob Weir record a spin if you aren't already familiar with it. Thank you to Kathryn and thank you to all who support the show.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Reba," which I lifted from the 1990 Phish album, Lawn Boy (c/o of Phish Inc.). It's historically been something of a polarizing track, but one detail remains undebatable, and that is this: Phish is the greatest rock band in American music history, and this release -- their sophomore effort -- is, without question, a badass record.
Mark Verbeck is a son, a brother, a husband, and a father. He's also a classically trained musician. He's one-half of Scotch Hollow, and he's my guest for Episode No. 117.
Mark and I talked about that band life, how music's taken him from central PA to Nashville to Chicago, and finally to KC. We talked about gigging, recording, and how parenthood challenges each of those things.
We also talked a little bit about a few of Mark's favorite records.
Those were these:
Robert Johnson's King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)
Doc Watson* (1964)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) Far Beyond Driven (1994), Pantera
Check out Scotch Hollow on bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, and at scotchhollowmusic.com. Many thanks to Mark for his time, and to you for pausing your day to check out our conversation.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a track called, "Up & Out," by the amazing Slide Five. The tune comes from their 1996 release, Rhode Trip, c/o Ubiquity Recordings, Inc.
It's important to me to own gaffes, and I gaffed the eff outta talking Doc Watson by saying multiple times that this was the first episode of Badass Records* to have a Doc Watson record appear on it. It wasn't; Brooke Kafka had one on her list just a handful of episodes ago. My apologies to both Brooke and to the late Mr. Watson. I musta been running on fumes.
Chris Kinsley joined me for Episode #116, and our coming together for this conversation resulted via collaboration with Chris's band, Arson Class, Sid Sowder's toomuchrock.com, and myself.
Sid's Too Much Rock project has a number of intriguing aspects to it, i.e. concert reviews, stills, and footage. It also has a weekly podcast that is rapidly approaching the 700-episode mark. More pertinent to today, however, is the revitalization of his Too Much Rock Single Series, which -- with the release of Arson Class's new single, "Junior" -- celebrates its 11th installment.
Tomorrow, then, Friday, May 3rd, Chris and Arson Class will be celebrating "Junior"'s release with a live set at Sister Anne's Records & Coffee, at 901 E. 31st Street, here in Kansas City.
"Junior" will be available for purchase at area record stores, via a few online retailers, as well as directly from the band. It is only available as a limited-edition 7" vinyl pressing, and features an Arson Class cover of John Cougar's "American Dream" as its B-side.
Chris sat down with me to discuss family, band life, serving in the military, and -- of course -- a few of his favorite records.
Those were these:
Horse Bites Dog Cries (1986), D.I.
The Cramps' Flamejob (1994)
Do or Die (1998), Dropkick Murphys
Arson Class has an EP, an LP, and a pair of singles you can purchase or access from their bandcamp page. You can also find their stuff where you stream your music. You can give them a follow on Facebook or Instagram, or catch them live on either May 18th at Centennial Skate Park in Lawrence, KS, June 1st at miniBar in Kansas City, or on July 20th at Scene of the Crash in Sioux City, Nebraska.
Too Much Rock can be followed on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Bluesky, and you can tune in to my conversation with Sid in Episode #105 of Badass Records.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are portions of a track called, "Your Friendly Neighborhood Sugar Man" by The Sugarman 3. The tune comes from their 2012 release, What the World Needs Now, c/o Daptone Records.
When Tisha Cash told me she was on board to do an installment of Becoming a Swifty, I thought, Well, how cool is that?!
This is the third episode of this series and I've now done talks with someone from my personal life, a complete stranger, and now -- thanks to Tisha -- someone from the professional world.
And what a fun chat it was.
Tisha and I go back roughly a decade ago to the time when I was about to become a parent for the second time, but we hadn't seen each other for a good little bit, so it was great to catch up with her and find out what's been happening in her world.
We talked about a number of things and eventually made our way to talking the one and only, Taylor Swift. And while we recorded this before Miss Swift's new record dropped, we were able to talk not only about the anticipation of said drop, but also what Tisha's favorite T-Swift albums are. Those were these:
Red (2012)
1989 (2014)
Folklore (2020)
Evermore (2020)
So, many thanks to Tisha for making the trek down to the studio and doing an episode with me. Many thanks to the Swifties that have checked out the previous installments of the series (Episode #95, featuring Sophia Reade and Episode #98, featuring Christie Smerchek).
If you'd like to share a little bit about your journey to Swiftydom, drop me a line at badassrecordspodcast over on the Gmails. We'll see if we can't get you in the chair.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Time to Move On," by the late, great Tom Petty. The track comes from his 1994 release, Wildflowers, which is an all-time, undisputed record of badassery. It exists c/o 1994 Warner Records Inc.
David Regnier was kind enough to share a portion of his Saturday with me, and together we recorded Episode #114, in which we talked a little bit about life, a little bit about doin' that live-music thang, and a little bit about a few of David's favorite records.
Those were these:
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol II (1971)
Exile on Main Street (1972), The Rolling Stones
Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman (1981)
EP 7 (1988), Fugazi
Lhasa de Sela's La Llorona (1997)
It was great getting to meet David and learn about his previous projects, i.e. Dead Voices (searchable on bandcamp), and know that he may have upcoming gigs with either one musician, a handful of musicians, or with David Regnier's Optimist Club.
Thank you for checking out the show.
copyright disclaimer: In the interim between recording and release of this episode, the greatest band in American rock history quietly dropped a new single as part of a forthcoming July 12 album release. Phish's "Evolve" is that single, and it is the title track of said forthcoming album, which will be their 16th. The samples contained, then, within this episode are from that tune, and I do not own the rights to it. It appears c/o 2024 Phish Inc.
I'm very pleased to welcome Sammy Sanchez back to the program for a record-setting fourth appearance on the Badass Records podcast. And none of our chats have been brief ones.
Sammy initially came around for Episode No. 44, in which we discussed a few of his favorite records: Pink Floyd's Animals (1977), Rain Dogs (1985) by Tom Waits, and LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening (2010).
For his second appearance, we tackled the Tom Waits discography, and that was super-fun and very educational. On his last go-round, we unearthed all of the Beck albums, and I think we're both glad we did that.
This time, though, Sammy took the suggestion lead, and we decided we'd examine the studio albums by one of his all-time-favorite bands, Radiohead. If you're keeping score at home, those'er these:
Pablo Honey (1993)
The Bends (1995)
OK Computer (1997)
Kid A (2000)
Amnesiac (2001)
Hail to the Thief (2003)
In Rainbows (2007)
The King of Limbs (2011)
A Moon-Shaped Pool (2016)
Sammy's one of the most intelligent guys I've ever met, and this rich conversation we had was full of gems, i.e. the reminder (for me) that he longs to one day be a contestant on Jeopardy!.
In the meantime, he's continuing to launch a new career, set aside a little nest egg, prepare for some quasi-upcoming travels, and possibly start a podcast of his own.
Anyway, thanks to Sammy for his time and energy. And thanks to you for checking out the show.
p.s. I meant Yo, Flaco, not Yo la Tengo.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are clips from a Gramatik track called, "Bright Day," which can be found on their 2009 release, Sb2 (c/o P&C 2014 Lowtemp).
Zach Bauman joins me for Episode No. 112 of Badass Records, and we discussed a number of things in the world of photography.
Please check out his Web site here, and consider giving him a follow on Instagram and/or Twitter.
It was a pleasure meeting Zach and getting to learn a little bit about him, and -- while we were at it -- we talked about a few of Zach's favorite albums. They were these:
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
The Rolling Stones's Sticky Fingers (1971)
Siamese Dream (1993), Smashing Pumpkins
The Strokes's Is This It (2001)
Whether you're a return visitor or a first-timer to the program, thank you for checking it out.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are clips from a track called, "Bertha Butt Boogie," by The Jimmy Castor Bunch. This tune appears on their 1974 release, Butt of Course...(c/o Atlantic Recording Corp., marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company
Pleased to've met Brooke Kakfa as we sat down for Episode No. 111.
Brooke is a daughter, a sibling, a friend to many, a lifelong musician, and a member of many bands. Find either her personal or her professional page on Facebook, give her a follow on Instagram, and be sure to check out her primary outfit's Web page, which -- if you happen to be reading this on the day it drops -- includes a Dames of the Dead show tonight at Mike Kelly's Westsider, here in Kansas City, from 7:00-10:00 p.m., CDT.
Not to worry, though, if you catch this late; the Dames have a number of gigs listed through early June, the most recently announced being a spot at the one and only Boulevardia on Friday, 6/14, so hats off to them for that.
Brooke and I talked a little bit about growing up, family life, education, working in the hospitality industry, and the juggling of roles in the numerous musical outfits in which she either leads or participates.
We also talked about a few of her favorite albums (or in some cases, tunes from them) over the years. Those were these:
Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan's Two of a Mind (1962)
The Electrifying Eddie Harris (1968), Eddie Harris
Les McCann and Eddie Harris' Swiss Movement (1969)
Europe '72 (1972), Grateful Dead
Doc Watson, The Essential Doc Watson (1973)
Mingus (1979), Joni Mitchell
Mingus Big Band's Nostalgia in Times Square (1993)
Under the Table and Dreaming (1994), Dave Matthews Band
Michael Brecker's Two Blocks from the Edge (1998)
Wake Up to Find Out: Live at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, 3/29/90, (2014), Grateful Dead
So, please check out all things Brooke Kafka online, and make sure to catch one of her live gigs. She is successfully managing a very full plate, and her projects are worth a peek. Thanks, Brooke, for your generous time and energy. The podcast has been made richer by way of your appearance.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Daft Punk track called, "Something About Us," which can be found on their 2001 release, Discovery (c/o Warner Music France/ADA France, 2001, Daft Life Ltd.).
Mark Manning is a son, a brother, a partner, and -- based on the chunk of an evening I spent with him for Episode No. 110 -- one heck of a fine human being.
He's also the host of the Wednesday MidDay Medley on KKFI, 90.1 FM here in Kansas City, so please consider tuning in to his progrum.
This came up in our conversation and bears repeating here: Mark gets it. He understands what good content should sound and feel like, and he's a fantastic conversationalist, so -- even though this particular chat ran a little long -- it was worth every minute.
What, you might be asking, could Mark and I have talked about for over three hours?
Well, let's see...
We dove into community radio. We spent some time talking gardening. We looked at potatoes, KCK, LGBTQIA, McDonald's, Mark Kelpe, Iris DeMent, pouring concrete, Greek and dorm life, David Bowie, Little Richard, theater, and hate crimes.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a few of Mark's favorite albums, which were these:
Blue (1971), Joni Mitchell
Bowie's Hunky Dory (1971)
Moon Shadow (1972), LaBelle
Prince & the Revolution's Parade (1986)
It's unclear to me why you're still here reading this when you could be listening to our conversation, but...to each his/her own.
Either way, thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Halfway to the Moon," and that track is by Phish, the greatest band in American music history. And that cut comes from a badass (haters be damned) record from 2014, called Fuego (c/o 2014 Phish).
It's Episode #109 and -- as is often the case -- I'm very excited to have a return guest join me for a conversation.
Not only was this time no exception, this time was a visit I was really thrilled about, in that it was MABkc back to chew the fat with me about his new release, 90's Baby.
If you missed the first go-'round with MAB, please consider checking out Episode #49, and if you like(d) what you saw/heard there, please use MABkc as your search on your audio platform of choice to check out any (or all) of his previous releases. There are EP options, LP choices, and singles to buy/download/stream. And if you're in the market for some studio time for your own project, visit industrysoundz.com. While you're there, you can purchase your own time package or some beats or even some merch'. And while perusing your studio-time package, make sure to check out the array of talented engineers available to assist.
90's Baby, though, is a must-listen. It's nine tracks, 25 minutes, full of good stuff, and it just dropped in late January.
Catching up with MABkc was a delight, and I'm always stoked to try and support local artists and their projects in any way possible.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Young Men Dead," by The Black Angels, which appears on their 2006 release, Passover (c/o Light in the Attic Records).
Brad Smith stopped by to record Episode No. 108 with me, and it was an absolute treat to meet/get to know him.
I'm excited for you to get to know him a bit, too, but before you dive in to our lovely conversation, please know that you can catch his band, Eggs on Mars, tomorrow (Friday, March 8th, 2024) at Hillsiders in KCK.
That's in Strawberry Hill, specifically at 403 N. 5th Street.
And if you can't catch them there, be sure to follow them on Instagram so that you can keep tabs on their goings-on, i.e. their mini regional tour in April, which features gigs in both Oklahoma and Missouri.
Anyway, apart from being the Eggs' frontman, Brad's also a baller (see: Pleasant Hill Roosters High School boys basketball record books), and a heckuva nice guy.
Brad and I talked family, friends, gigging and recording, live performances, and -- of course -- a few of Brad's favorite records, which were these:
Friends (1968), The Beach Boys
The Band's self-titled album (1969)
After the Gold Rush (1970), Neil Young
Emitt Rhodes' self-titled album (1970)
Overgrown Path (2012), Chris Cohen
In addition to the good, ol' IG, Eggs on Mars has a bandcamp page, which I encourage you to visit, so that you can check out awesome releases like last year's Warm Breakfast.
So, get your buns on over to Hillsiders tomorrow, check out our chat, and -- as always -- thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio snippets contained in this episode. They are clips from a song called, "The Wind," by Babe Rainbow off of their 2021 release, Changing Colors (c/o Babe Rainbow/Eureka Music).
Thirty episodes ago, that week's guest discussed with me the notion of this podcast being a one-man weekly endeavor.
"That's a grind, man," he said. "That's a grind."
He was right when he made that comment, and it made me realize that that was a good summation of what the thing had been to that point. And it hasn't changed. It really is a grind to do the outreach and the scheduling, the interviewing and the editing, the prep and the getting the thing to the places it needs to be.
There are five essential components that make it all worthwhile:
1) meeting new people and hearing their stories
2) getting exposed to music I've either never heard of or listened to before
3) having guests tell me that they've enjoyed the interview
4) experiencing real-life, there's-still-good-in-the-world moments with each interaction
5) personal weekly pride in task completion and productivity
So, when I sit in the chair across from a total stranger like DINKC, and I get to learn about him, his family, his culture, his story, his wishes and dreams, and I then get to put it out there for whoever might be interested in sharing that same experience with me, it's worth it. You cannot put a price tag on the opportunity to meet a guy like DINKC. Now, I only sat with him for a couple of hours, and -- who knows -- we may never see one another for the rest of our lives. As DINKC says and lives and is, Death Is Not Knowing Certainty. It doesn't matter, though; my life and my time on this planet are richer for those two hours, and nothing can change that.
So, please check out our conversation. DINKC is a son and a brother and an uncle and a father and a husband and an artist. He's a businessman, a dreamer, a friend to many, and an asset to the Kansas City metro area.
We talked about his upbringing, his culture, his values, his art studio -- DINKC Studios (600 Ohio Ave. in Strawberry Hill), and we also talked a little bit about some of his favorite records, which were these:
Ritchie Valens (1959), Ritchie Valens
Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die (1994)
Barrio Bravo (2001), Celso Piña
You can give DINKC a follow on Instagram here and here, and you can check out Zoe Strohm's The Pitch article on him here.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples featured in this episode. They are clips from a track called, "Slow Jam" by Vieux Farke Touré off of his 2009 album, Fondo (c/o Six Degrees Records).
Pleased as punch to have had Kirstie Lynn join me for Episode No. 106 of Badass Records, and I'm just as excited to have you check out our conversation.
I ran into Kirstie in the ol' downtownage, and -- before I knew it -- we were swapping e-mail messages in order to get this chat on the books.
She's a classically trained opera singer, a songwriter, a musician, a live-music performer, a veteran of the gigging road, and -- if my two hours with her are a good measuring stick -- she's one heck of a fascinating human being. One might even go so far as to say wonderful.
We talked about the east coast, continuing education, opportunities, family and friends, relationships, and so much more. We also took a peek at a few of her favorite records, which were these:
Ladies of the Canyon (1970), Joni Mitchell
Angel Olsen's Halfway Home (2012)
Bury Me at Makeout Creek (2014), Mitski
Big Thief's Masterpiece (2016)
Nothing for Me, Please (2023), Dean Johnson
Please check out Kirstie's array of musical offerings at kirstielynn.com. You can buy, download, or stream her stuff on Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, and -- to keep in the know -- you should follow her on Instagram.
Thank you very much, Kirstie Lynn, and thank you, kind listener, for being here.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Thievery Corporation tune called, "Tower Seven" from they 2011 release, Culture of Fear (c/o Primary Wave Music).
Sid Sowder! Episode No. 105! Too Much Rock!
Wow! So much coolness.
I was honored to meet and visit with Mr. Sowder, who has been doing his Kansas City music-community thing for a quarter of a century! Insane!
Too Much Rock is his Web site, and I would really appreciate it if you would check it out. Even if just for a moment.
He shoots concerts and curates his footage and images from numerous local live performances. He cranks out a weekly podcast that has been dropping weekly half-hour episodes for more than 12 years. And -- and! -- he produces a vinyl singles series! It's pretty wild.
Sid was kind enough to share a little bit of his time with me, and we chatted life, this passion project of his, and a little bit about a few of his favorite albums. Those were these:
Paranoid (1970), Black Sabbath
Joe Jackson's Look Sharp! (1979)
Entertainment! (1979), Gang of Four
Angry Samoans's Inside My Brain (1980)
The Crew (1984), 7 Seconds
So, check out Too Much Rock. Check out my conversation with Sid. And, I don't wanna be that guy, but...sometimes ya' gotta be that guy: Please support local music.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips taken from a Gang Starr track called, "From a Distance (featuring Jeru the Damaja)," from their 2019 record, One of the Best Yet (c/o 2019 TTT/Gang Starr Enterprises, LLC).
Richard Davis is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a veteran, and a local musician.
He's also a fascinating dude with a fascinating story, and he's my guest for Episode No. 104.
I'm thankful that our paths crossed when they did, and I was able to talk him in to swinging by to sit down for a bit.
We chatted life, growing up, recording music, and of course, a couple of Richard's favorite albums. Those were these:
King Crimson's Discipline (1981)
The Story of the Ghost (1998), Phish
Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade's Live Frogs, Sets I & II (2001)
Amputechture (2006), The Mars Volta
Khruangbin's Con Todo el Mundo (2018)
It was a pleasure and a joy to visit with Richard, and -- since our conversation -- he put out a new, 40-minute, 10-track release called, G.O.A.T. (Guitar Over Assorted Trash), which you can find here on Apple Music. While you're there, be sure to check out his other full-length release plus his single and pair of EPs. If Spotify's your jam, you can check out some of his stuff there. He's got some stuff on Amazon Music, and probably most places you might think to look, i.e. SoundCloud. Whatever the case may be, please check him out and consider giving him a follow.
If you're still reading, thank you for being here, and thank you for supporting the podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a track called, "What's the Use" by Phish, which I lifted from their 2000 release, The Siket Disc, c/o 1999-2015 Phish.
Fritz Hutchison trekked over on a January snow day and sat with me for two hours to bullshit about music and life, and I gotta tell ya' -- it was one of my favorite conversations in recent memory.
I couldn't put a finger on it until several days after we recorded, but there were a number of reasons why I was -- more so than others -- looking forward to this interview. My son -- perpetually eyeing in some fashion or other my calendar of upcoming guests -- made me giggle a time or two about Fritz's upcoming date. And after an oral-surgeon appointment for both of our kids, my ex-wife helped me connect that dots that I know his dad.
Neither of those mattered, though.
It just turned out to be that Fritz is a charismatic dude with a great sense of humor, a wild world of knowledge in his head, and he's a pretty darn good musician, too, it turns out. It was as if the cosmos was telling me I had a good guest on the books, and Fritz -- even though I managed to just...boorishly butcher his name several times -- did not disappoint.
It's Episode No. 103, and one could follow this episode's guest, were one so inclined. He's on the good ol' Instagrams, and he's got himself a handsome bandcamp page, too.
Anyway, we talked life and family, musicianship and gigging, recording, and loving music. And we may've gone a skosh overboard in our heralding of Deep Purple's "Highway Star," but...what's a guy to do.
During the music-loving portion of our talk, we did pause briefly from shenanigans to mention a few of Fritz's all-time-favorite albums, and those were these:
Milestones (1958), Miles Davis
Deep Purple's Machine Head (1972)
Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 (2006), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Big Thief's Two Hands (2019)
Suffice to say that this was a fun one, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips featured in this episode. They are samples from a track called "Can It All Be So Simple" by El Michels Affair, from his 2012 release, Enter the 37th Chamber, c/o Fat Beats Records.
Delighted to've had the lovely Autumn Hayes join me for Episode No. 102.
Stream her single, "If You Stay" wherever you get your digital music, and be sure to check her out on Facebook and Instagram.
In our conversation we talked about growing up with music, developing relationships with stringed instruments, plus recording and gigging. We also talked about a few of Autumn's favorite records. Those were these:
Moving Pictures (1981), Rush
Peter Gabriel's So (1986)
Journey, Greatest Hits (1988)
Hope you enjoy our chat. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a track called, "Rational Culture" by Tim Maia from his 1975 release, Racional, Vol. 1 (c/o Vitoria Regia Discos Ltda.).
Ethan Brown is one of my favorite human beings on the planet.
He joined me 20 months ago for Episode No. 14 (which you should totally check out), and he's back again for the second installment of Wu-Tang 101, in which we examine the solo work of the Rebel INS.
Yes, indeed. It's Episode No. 101, and we're talking Inspectah Deck.
Under zero pretentiousness and -- in my case -- even less than zero knowledge, we took a peek at the following albums:
Uncontrolled Substance (1999)
The Movement (2003)
The Resident Patient (2006)
Manifesto (2010)
Chamber No. 9 (2019)
And when I say "peek," I mean we paused our chat about life, love, basketball, and The Kansas City Chiefs Football Club to talk for a second about a few hip-hop records.
I, for one, could do this with Ethan all day. He's that awesome.
So, thank you for checking out our conversation. I appreciate you stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Joe Satriani tune called, "Day at the Beach (New Rays from an Ancient Sun)," from his 1989 release, Flying in a Blue Dream (c/o Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment).
Reaching this milestone shouldn't go unmentioned and so it shan't; I'm pretty gosh-darn jazzed.
The year it took to get this thing alive and breathing felt like two, and the two years of recording episodes I'm closing in on have flashed.
And I'm embarrassingly proud of the whole thing.
I've had upset and disappointment, frustration and humiliation. I've laughed and smiled more than I knew was imaginable, had more than a couple late nights trying to meet self-imposed deadlines, met a bunch of really cool people, and learned a ton of neat things while listening to a bananas amount of music.
So, thank you to all of you that have helped and supported me, been guests on episodes, offered feedback and compliments, liked, subscribed, streamed, downloaded, and shared. I truly appreciate you.
Jessica Johnson hopped in the chair for this particular century mark, and I had some good fun with her. She's a daughter and an aunt, a friend to many, and has been called everything from "Mom/Mama" to "The Cruise Director." And I'm proud to call her my sister.
We peeked at Jess's journey from childhood to today, giggled at her being a true shot caller, and paused for a moment to chat about a few of her favorite records. Those were these:
Tech N9ne's The Calm Before the Storm (1999)
2001 (1999), Dr. Dre
Passion Pit's Manners (2009)
Midnights (2022), Taylor Swift
Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the 100th episode of Badass Records.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are clips from a Phish tune called, "David Bowie" from their 1989 album, Junta (c/o Phish Inc.).
Mike Garry is a son, a brother, a dad, a businessman, a podcaster, a friend to many, and he's my guest for The Wayne Gretzky Episode, a.k.a., #99.
Mike and I connected via a pair of mutuals, and sitting down to chat with him about his journey was a pleasure and a treat.
We talked about The Kansas City Chiefs Football Club, microdosing, life, family, and his adventures with the Let Freedom Trip podcast.
And of course we talked about music, which included a few of Mike's favorite records:
Harvest (1972), Neil Young
Pearl Jam's Vs (1993)
The Bends (1995), Radiohead
Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
As part of the Neil Young portion of our conversation, I need to add a few notes:
1) Tim Drummond plays bass on that record.
2) Harvest has features by James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and The London Symphony Orchestra!
3) The Neil Young/Lynyrd Skynyrd thing is nicely summed up here.
So, that's that. Please check out our chat and Mike's podcast. Next up: triple digits!
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Why Don't You Quit" by Eddie Harris off his 1970 release, Come On Down! (c/o Atlantic Recording Corp. manufactured by Warner Strategic Marketing).
Christie Smerchek is a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a mom, a dental hygienist, and a top-notch Taylor Swift fan.
I'm absolutely thrilled that she was willing and able to join me for the second installment of Becoming a Swifty, and -- much like my inaugural guest in the series -- she killed it.
We talked a little bit about a few of her non T. Swift favorites, i.e. The Postal Service's Give Up (2003), Final Straw (2003) by Snow Patrol, Imogen Heap's Speak for Yourself (2005), and Even If It Kills Me (2007) by Motion City Soundtrack, but a bunch of our focus went both in the direction of Miss Swift's career trajectory, as well as Christie's top three Taylor Swift albums, which were these:
Speak Now* (2010)
1989* (2014)
Midnights (2022)
We also talked about Christie's fortune in the department of catching T. Swift live and in concert, her fun-and-noble efforts in the Noonday Collection department, and so much more. So, please join us in our lengthy conversation, and make sure you give Christie a follow over on the 'Gram!
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained in this episode. They are samples from a tune called "Horn" by a band named Phish. The track comes from Rift, their 1993 release, c/o Elektra Entertainment, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States.
*While I have listed the original release year for these records, it remains imperative to know that -- for all intents and purposes -- Taylor's Version is the one you should seek, stream, and purchase.
Peregrine Honig is a daughter, a sister, a wife, an aunt, a friend to many, and an artist (or so she's told).
She's also my guest for Episode No. 97.
And before you read any more about her, please know that she has a solo show on display right now in two spaces. And before I tell you where they are, know that one of them closes this Saturday, December 23, 2023. So you literally have to go today, tomorrow, or the day after that. Otherwise you'll have missed out on a tremendous opportunity to see some super-cool pieces that were crafted by one of Kansas City's own.
Please consider making your way down to Studios Inc Exhibit Hall -- at 1708 Campbell St., KCMO 64108 -- to see her show, Player, in the next 72 hours.
Please also consider checking out Understudies & Auditions at Blue Gallery (118 Southwest Blvd., KCMO 64108) between now and December 30.
You can find out a little bit more about Peregrine's work on her site, or you could consider giving her a follow on the 'Gram.
I found our conversation to be a delight, and I couldn't be more grateful for Mrs. Honig taking the time out of her super-busy schedule to come sit down with me to talk about life, family, art, and music. The latter part of that -- by the way -- included a few of her favorite albums. Those were these:
Nina Simone's I Put a Spell on You (1965)
The Trinity Sessions (1988), Cowboy Junkies
The Fugees's The Score (1996)
Animal Serenade (2004), Lou Reed
Mike Dillon's Functioning Broke (2016)
A great list from a great new acquaintance.
Many thanks.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples found within this episode. They are snippets from a cut called "Changes, Pt. 1" by Neal Francis, a 2019 single made available to you and I c/o Karma Chief Records, a division of Colemine Records.
I had the pleasure of meeting Shawn M. Stewart when we convened to record Episode No. 96 of Badass Records, and what a delight our conversation was.
Shawn is a son and a brother and a husband and a father and a musician and a fantastic fat-chewing partner.
Please consider checking out his musical endeavors on Soundcloud, Spotify, or on his Web site, and thank you in advance for tuning in to our chat.
Shawn and I talked musicianship, recording, and many of the other ins and outs of artisanship, as well as life and love and the pursuit of happiness.
We also talked about a few of Shawn's favorite albums, which were these:
Something Else by the Kinks (1967), The Kinks
Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs (1970)
Live at Leeds (1970), The Who
AC/DC's If You Want Blood You've Got It (1978)
The Last Days of Oakland (2016), Fantastic Negrito
Many thanks to Shawn for the time and the energy and the conversation.
Blessed and grateful.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples found within this episode. They are samples from a tune called, "In the Bath," by Lemon Jelly from their 2000 release entitled Lemonjelly.ky, c/o XL Recordings, Ltd.
I'm so very excited about this episode for a variety of reasons.
For starters, it's the first installment of the Becoming a Swifty series that I hope has a number of future guests (Note: Number two's already on the books!). This is an idea that's been cooking in the back of my brain for a good little bit, and it's always nice to see an idea come to fruition, whatever that may look like. And -- before you come for me, Swifties -- know that I'm aware that some of you may not care for a particular piece of the series spelling. The only thing I can say to that is that it's my show. I'm the language nerd, and I'm allowed to geek out in whatever aesthetic fashion I see fit. I do actually love the music of Taylor Swift, but probably not as much as you, and certainly not enough to defy the laws of grammar on that particular level. "And that's all I have to say about that."
Second, my guest is a very cool, very-special homegirl, whom I've known for a good many years, and hadn't seen in nearly 20. So, to say I was stoked to have these two worlds collide is for sure an understatement.
Sophia Reade is a daughter, a sibling, a niece, a granddaughter, a mom, a partner, a friend, a hoot, and one of the hippest Swifties I know. I'm so very delighted that she agreed to join me, and I couldn't be more thankful for the gift and expense of her time, as she drove in from St. Louis just to sit and talk life and music with me. I'm also very joyful that she was born with a strong will and has managed to overcome a lot of bullshit that life has put on her plate. And I don't use that term lightly. We all deal with bullshit, but it's oftentimes -- for many of us -- small stuff that we maybe make too big of a deal out of.
Not in Sophia's case.
The hand of bullshit she was dealt for most of her younger years is preposterous, ridiculous, and unfair. And I know that there are plenty of folks that have dealt with more, but they're mostly not in my circles. Sophia is, and has been in varying sorts, for nearly three decades.
Finally, I'm grateful that I've been able to keep this thing alive for what is now 95 episodes, and it looks like we'll make it not only through the end of the year, but to that big century mark, which is maybe both dope and silly at the same time. I dunno. It's been so many things, this journey. Fun, educational, exciting, challenging, stressful, surprising, disappointing, anxiety-provoking, a source of pride.
Back to Miss Reade, though. We talked about many things Taylor Swift, and that included her discography:
self-titled (2006)
Fearless (2008)
Speak Now (2010)
Red (2012)
1989 (2014)
Reputation (2017)
Lover (2019)
Folklore (2020)
Evermore (2020)
Midnights (2022)
We also mentioned a few non-Taylor albums that are special to her. They're these ones:
Ceremonials (2011), Florence & the Machine
Lourde's Pure Heroine (2013)
Strange Desire (2014), Bleachers
Again: Such a treat. So thankful in so many ways.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples present in this episode. They are clips from a Karl Denson song called "Who Are You?" From his 2001 effort, Dance Lesson #2 (c/o Blue Note Records).
Mr. Mojo Risin'!
Yes, yes, it's Episode #94, featuring the astute-and-talented Andrew Morris, ladies and gentlemen.
What an absolute treat.
I can't tell you how excited I was to become acquainted with this perfect stranger and rap the evening away talking life and music. Many thanks to Andrew for being so giving of his time.
We talked road life, life in Germany, the craft of musicianship, instrument making, and -- of course -- of a few of Andrew's favorite albums. Those were these:
Die Dreigroschenoper (1928), Kurt Weill & Bertoit Brecht
Loretta Lynn's All-Time Greatest Hits (2002)
Sleep with One Eye Open (2011), Chris Thile & Michael Daves
Wonderhills' Someday You'll Be Waiting (2019)
Absentee Ballads (2020), The Hermanos Brothers
Please check out The Matchsellers on bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook, or their very own corner of the Web.
It was a joy and a privilege to conduct this interview. Thank you for checking it out.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are samples from a song by Galactic called "Today's Blues," which is from their 2015 album, Into the Deep (c/o Mascot Label Group/Provogue).
Please give it up for #KCgirl, April Lemon, y'all!
Yes, yes. It's Episode No. 93, and it's one heckuva party, for sure.
April and I go back a few clicks to the early 2000s, when we were doing the hospitality-industry thing together, which -- for the record -- were such good times. Thank you, Mark & James, for opening cool joints.
Anyway...April is in the event-planning/P.R./promotions world these days, and you should check her out both here and here.
It was really fun seeing April and getting to hang out with her after some 20 years. And, it wouldn't be an episode of Badass Records if we didn't touch on a few of April's favorite records. Those were these:
Animals (1977), Pink Floyd
P.J. Harvey's Rid of Me (1993)
MTV Unplugged in New York (Live Acoustic) (1994), Nirvana
Please consider reaching out to April if you have any interest in putting on or participating in a live-music event. She's also a resource for promoting your stuff and making certain your gig will be a fun one.
Cheers to her and thank you to you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips featured in this episode. They are excerpts from a song called "Goddess on a Hiway" by Mercury Rev. I plucked it from their 1998 record, Deserter's Songs, c/o Mercury Rev.
Dan Jones, Dan Jones, Dan Jones.
What an absolute treat it was to meet the Squidmaster himself and chat a little bit about his life, his journey as a musician, and a few of his favorite records along the way.
Dan and I had a fantastic phone call at some point over the summer, and my gratitude for him seeing our conversation through is really firing on all cylinders. Even now, three weeks after we sat down together.
Those albums worthy enough to make Dan's cut for Episode #92 included the following:
Ozark Mountain Daredevils, self-titled (1973)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Zuma (1975)
Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed (1977)
Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
Zen Arcade (1984), Hüsker Dü
The Meat Puppets' Up on the Sun (1985)
Alien Lanes (1995), Guided by Voices
Please consider checking out danjonesmusic.com, and give the Squids a look-see and a follow on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find their stuff on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube.
And if you see Dan out and about on there on them crazy streets, please buy him a cup of coffee. Or a cold beer. Or a meatball grinder. I'll VenMo you if you do.
Thanks.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples found within this episode. They are cuts from a track called "White Sands" by Tommy Guerrero off of his 2018 release, Road to Knowhere (c/o Too Good).
What's crackin', y'all?
If you read these on the reg', thank you. I appreciate you.
You might know that I'm prone to screw things up from time to time when a) interviewing, b) recording, c) producing, and d) all of the above.
Nothin' sweeter than doing it on consecutive episodes, though.
Yep.
I goofed. Again. And as a result, the guest video comes in late. So...my apologies to Will Moulthrop, my partner in crime for Episode No. 91.
Should only take me about 10 dozen more of these to devise a foolproof approach.
Nevertheless...many thanks to Will for coming over stranger-style and chewing the New Jersey fat with me for a minute.
We talked about growing up in and around recorded and live music on the east coast, and how that helped shape Will into the fine fellow and father that he is today. We also discussed a few of Will's favorite records, and they were all Rolling Stones albums. We touched on them in this order:
Beggars Banquet (1968)
Let It Bleed (1969)
Sticky Fingers (1971)
Exile on Main Street (1972)
It was a pleasure to meet Will and educational to learn about his story, which you can have a peek into over on the 'Gram.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this podcast episode. They are all cuts from a track called "T.I.B.W.F." by The Budos Band off of their self-titled, 2005 debut, courtesy here of Daptone Records.
It's the Ryan O'Reilly episode, y'all...#90!Okay. Silliness? Check. Now let's get the gaffe outta the way. In a nutshell, I was so excited to have this week's guest in the chair that I literally forgot to hit "record" on her camera. So...no video, which is a shame as Meg Kumin's face is far too adorable to waste on the incompetencies of a cotton-headed ninnymuggins such as myself.I did, however, take the liberty of plastering the video file with some of my favorite pieces of her photography, which you can view/purchase at megkumin.com, so there is that aspect, which makes this episode even uniquer than it already was.And speaking of Meg, she's a daughter and a sister and a wife and a mom. She's also part of the communications team for the University of Kansas, and a staff photographer as well. She teaches and is enrolled in the PhD program, she's a for-hire photographer for maybe six or seven more years. She's traveled to some pretty rad places, done some pretty cool things, and -- in addition to numerous other admirable qualities -- she's a terrific storyteller.So, Meg and I talked a little bit about her background and some of her adventures. We touched on a couple of hardships she's been through, and how she has managed to continuously mold herself into an amazing person while facing adversity. And, of course, we talked about a few of her favorite records along the way. Those were these:Paul Simon's Graceland (1986)Doolittle (1989), PixiesDe La Soul's Stakes Is High (1996)The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), Lauryn HillCatching up with Meg tickled my fancy, as did having her on the show, so I'm gracious and grateful for both the time and the opportunity. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed being a part of it.Cheers.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio samples. They are clips from a cut called, "Christmas Down Under" by Phosphorescent off of his 2018 album, C'est La Vie, c/o of Dead Oceans.
Sometimes I nerd out and assign the jersey number of one of my favorite (current or former) players from one of my favorite teams to the episode I'm posting about. So, for Episode No. 89, the default move would be to go Otis Taylor. I could also throw in Jason "Big Diesel" Dunn or Keith Cash, but -- since Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes came up in this episode's conversation, it's gotta be the Andre Rison episode.And what a trip this episode was. Figuratively and literally.My guest Dan Henk is a trip. And his story's especially a trip. And while he's a boyfriend and a business owner, an author and a podcast host, a cancer survivor and a widower, getting to Dan was no short trip, either.Yes, that's right. Detective Dumbass here thought it'd be a good idea to travel outside of my home region to interview a guest. I had two folks in L.A. and one in Chicago involved in talks, but the one that wound up working was none other than one of the owners of Abyss Fine Art & Tattoo Studio in Long Beach, NY. So, on two hours of sleep, I took a 7:00 a.m. flight to Queens, Ubered to Mr. Henk's joint, set up, interviewed him, broke down, Ubered back to JFK, and caught a 7:00 p.m. flight back to KC.And my back still hurts.Regardless...it was a fun adventure, and I'm grateful to Dan for sharing his time and his spot to let me roll in and talk life and music with him.In addition to talking about Dan's story, we also talked about a few of his favorite records. Those were these:Metallica's Ride the Lightning (1984)Atomizer (1985), Big BlackSlayer's Reign in Blood (1986)...For Victory (1994), Bolt ThrowerDeadguy's Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)It was good times and aggressive oldies.Check out Dan's Web site, though. Give his podcast a gander. Peep his spot, toss him an Instagram follow, and shop his list of publications. Guy's a content machine.Thanks for viewing, listening, reading, and -- above all -- being you.Cheers.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained in this episode. They are clips from De La Soul's "Held Down (featuring Cee-Lo)," which comes from their 2001 effort, AOI: Bionix, c/o A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited.
Don't tell my guest from Episode No. 29 (as he is a hater through and through), but -- but -- it's the Tony Gonzalez episode!That' right. Rollin' along towards the big podcasting c-note, here we are at Episode No. 88, and I couldn't be more stoked to say that my guest is none other than the esteemed three-peat-appearance, Sammy Sanchez.The first time Sammy joined the podcast (Episode No. 44), we ran through a few of his favorite albums; the second time around (20 episodes later), we devoured the Tom Waits library.I asked Sammy back for a third time, and the catalog we landed on was none other than that of Mr. Beckenstein McBeck-McHugh. Or, as some folks refer to him: Beck.And what a treat it was!Neither of us liked some things. Both of us liked a considerable amount. And we differed a bit on favorites and deplorables.Ric Ocasek voice "If you're curious..." here're those albums:Golden Feelings (1994)Stereopathic Soulmanure (1994)Mellow Gold (1994)One Foot in the Grave (1994)Odelay (1996)Mutations (1998)Midnite Vultures (1999)Sea Change (2002)Guero (2005)The Information (2006)Modern Guilt (2008)Morning Phase (2014)Colors (2017)Hyperspace (2019)Aside from Beck's studio work, we talked music-listening habits, YouTubers, social-media platforms, and we of course took a healthy King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard detour.It was great fun to chat, and a good visit as always with Mr. Sanchez.copyright disclaimer: The audio samples in this episode are not mine. They are from a tune called, "Broken Drum" off of Beck's 2005 effort, Guero, c/o Geffen Records.
What up?Back with another solo episode, and this time we're checking out Medeski, Martin, & Wood's 1996 release, Shack-man.It's an all-time fave, and I had a blast diving in to it.Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the show.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio samples. They are clips from various selections off of the aforementioned MMW record, c/o Gramavision Inc.
Nineteen eighty-six was wild. The Royals had just won their first World Series. We watched the Space Shuttle Challenger launch on a wheeled-in A/V cart (with its top-shelf television). Saturday Night Live was about to enter one of its golden eras. D.A.R.E. was alive and breathing fear into the minds of kids, and Kansas City police officers handed out Chiefs cards to area youth wherever and whenever they could.Eighty-six, however...as in the service-industry term, holds an entirely different meaning: We're out of that item; it's been 86'd. And I'd like to let you know that my interview with Krysztof Nemeth for Episode No. 86 was something much closer to the former than the latter.Yes. The Emmaline Twist baritone guitarist interview was phenomenal. It was educational. It was exciting.The 85 episodes that came before it were all good fun to do and to produce and to be a part of. They're all special in their own way. But sometimes, a guest just has a flair for conversation, and a knowledge base unique enough to turn your head like that of a sitting dog who's just heard a fascinating noise.So, I really hope you'll join us for this one.We talked a bit about Krysztof's band history (and gave good pause for the current outfit(s)), and -- as you might already know -- it wouldn't be an episode of Badass Records if we didn't spend a little bit of time talking about a few of his favorite records. Those were these:Ultravoxx's Vienna (1980)New Gold Dream (1982), Simple MindsTones on Tail's Pop (1984)The Top (1984), The CureThe Sisters of Mercy's First and Last and Always (1985)Please check out Emmaline Twist's bandcamp page and give them an Instagram follow. And while we're hangin' out in the ask department, you could totally get a head start on your Christmas shopping over at the B.R.P.'s store.Peace and love.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the musical audio clips featured in this episode. They are snippets from a song called, "Thinking Like a River" by a band named Babe Rainbow. The track can be found on their 2021 release, Changing Colours, and was made available to me (and you) c/o Eureka Music.
It's Episode #85! It's Marc Boerigter! It's Don Denkinger! It's...it's...Shwaggy Roaches!Yes, yes, my friends. Stoney-Doom! was in the house talking band life, Kansas cannabis law reform, and some of that sweet, sweet music.Please give them a follow on the ol' Instagram machine and check out their bandcamp as well, where I'm sure you'll be able to find some sweet snacks for the members of your gang.This was a really fun one to do, and I'm grateful for the time commitment Shwaggy and Bluedream the Great (who kicked it on the couch and didn't get captured on camera) made in order to make it possible. Note: I'm told Doobie Stoopid was otherwise occupied and couldn't make the trek.Anyway, we talked about family and upbringing and concerts and, well...that stoner life. And we of course talked about a few of Shwaggy's favorite records over the years. And those were these:Dirt (1992), Alice in ChainsDeftones's White Pony (2000)Lateralus (2001), ToolMastodon's Crack the Skye (2009)Man on the Moon (2009), Kid CudiSo, go check out Stoney-Doom! And while you're at it, check out the City and Colour cover of "Rain When I Die" by Alice in Chains that we talked about in our conversation. It's breathtaking. You can find it on YouTube as part of the MoPOP Founders Award 2020. Killer stuff.Thank you.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio samples contained in this episode. They are all excerpts from a Khruangbin tune called, "Rules - Scientist Dub" which is a bonus track from their Hasta El Cielo (Con Todo El Mundo In Dub) record from 2019, c/o Night Time Stories Ltd under exclusive license to Dead Oceans.
Steve Tulipana is a son and a brother and a husband and a musician. He's also the co-owner of recordBar and miniBar, as well as partner in Lemonade Park. Last but not least, he's my guest for Episode No. 84.I'm beyond pleased that Steve took some time out of his very-busy, very-demanding schedule to come sit with me and talk a little bit about his story as a musician in many outfits, a recording artist, and an owner/operator/partner of multiple live-music venues.Sometimes I have one or more of these things locked, loaded, and ready to drop; other times I'm scrambling, and this week was an example of the latter. Needless to say, I'm pleased to've put the finishing touches on this installment in the 11th hour, and am now ready for a nap.Getting these things scheduled, recorded, and shareable with the world is -- as Mr. Sprehe so eloquently put it a few episodes back -- a grind. It's a worthwhile one, though; there're a lot of great people in and around this city, and I hope you enjoy getting to hear a little bit about them.As is always the case, our conversation involved a number of different details, but the common denominator in all of these chats is a mutual love of music. Mr. Tulipana was kind enough to share a few of his favorite albums with me, and those were these:David Bowie's Hunky Dory (1971)Duty Now for the Future (1979), DevoEinsturzende Neubauten's Zeichnungen des Patienten O.T. (1983)Double Nickels on the Dime (1984), MinutemenSLOVENLY's Riposte (1987)Please be sure to check out our chat as there are a couple of timely shows happening within a day or a handful of days when this drops. And speaking of time, we're nearing the end of the voting round for The Pitch's Best of KC contest, wherein you can vote for Badass Records for Best Local Podcast, which you can do here.As always, thank you for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio clips presented in this episode. They come from a tune called, "Rolling On," by The Murlocs, and it can be found on their 2016 album, Young Blindness (c/o Uncle Murl).
Being sensitive has got to be one of the oddest characteristics about being a human.During my correspondence via D.M.s (as a total stranger) with Til Willis, I had a small moment of panic. It was the kind of moment wherein the rabbit hole of questioning the way you go about life doesn't suddenly gape, but it doesn't not open a little bit, either.Anyway...it was a handful of months back, and we were swapping messages. He -- at one point -- used the phrase, "Like I said," and I might as well have just made myself a shit sandwich and eaten it.You blew it, Dipstick, I thought. Way to go.The summer went by and I'd all but chalked up this attempt to invite someone on the podcast to be a wash. Then -- right around the time he'd mentioned his availability would open back up again -- he messaged me. And I didn't even remember how much of a failure I'd felt like so many weeks ago.Things, as they say, aren't actually always as they seem, I guess.And this goes both ways. Or...numerous ways. Or...all of the ways. I dunno.Point being: Life is hard sometimes; try and remember to take it easy on yourself.But...BUT!...Til Willis and Episode #83.I like the number 83. It's the year the youngest of my siblings was born, and, well...it's just kind of a robust number, both in numeric value and in appearance.And robust is a good word, perhaps, to sort of, kind of describe Til Willis.He's a fascinating dude with an incredible life story and a journey that's full of making music, performing it live, recording it and releasing it, and -- most of all -- loving it.We really vibed over a couple of artists, so I hope you'll check out our conversation, which -- by the way -- included a few of his favorite records, and those were these:Bone Machine (1992), Tom WaitsLiz Phair's Exile in Guyville (1993)Time Out of Mind (1997), Bob DylanRonny Elliott's Magneto (2002)Tiny Voices (2003), Joe HenryI also hope you'll check out a few of the places his music can be found, such as his own bandcamp, his Web site, his other project, or his other-other project.That's it!Vote for Badass Records for Best Local Podcast in The Pitch's annual contest.Thank you!copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a track called, "Strolling Sloth" by Arc De Soleil off of their 2020 EP, Libertalia (c/o Epidemic Sound).
Hi.
I'm Blair Johnson, and I host this thing.
Normally I'm writing these deals up about the episode's guest; today I don't have to do that.
I will anyway, though. Just for grins.
I'm a son and a brother and a dad and an uncle and a pretty big, goddamn nerd.
The point of this podcast is to chat with people about some of their favorite music. So, today, I chat with you about one of my favorite albums, Play Pause Stop by Benevento/Russo Duo.
It came out in 2006, features nine tracks, and runs for just under 50 minutes. It's remarkable, incredible, emotion-packed, and a bona fide bit of badassery. Two dudes, a handful of gear, and no words were more than enough to paint the marvelous story this picture tells.
Please join me for the 15 minutes it takes to explore a handful of excerptions from this tremendous record. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio snippets. The intro piece comes from Medeski, Martin & Wood's, "Bubblehouse" off of their Shack-Man (1996) LP, c/o Gramavision Inc. The rest comes from Benevento/Russo Duo's Play Pause Stop album from 2006, c/o Royal Potato Family.
Whew.
What an experience it was to put this one together. Second time recording away from the studio. Second time sitting down with a venue owner/operator, and possibly not the last.
But I doubt they'll get much better than Jeffrey Calkins.
Aztec Jeff, everybody! Aztec Jeff!
Jeff and I connected a number of weeks back, and I never could've imagined finding myself in a situation wherein a prospective guest wants to not only do an episode with me, but have me do it in their space. And, let me tell you: The folks don't get much friendlier and the spaces don't get much finer than Jeffrey Calkins and the Aztec Shawnee Theater.
Please check out Episode No. 81, and learn a little bit about the theater's history, Jeffrey's adventure in getting it revived, refreshed, and operational, and of course, a few of Jeffrey's favorite albums.
Those were these:
Wish You Were Here (1975), Pink Floyd
Donald Fagen's The Nightfly (1982)
Licensed to Ill (1986), Beastie Boys
Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York (Live Acoustic) from 1994
America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001), various artists
The Aztec Shawnee has a bustling schedule featuring movie screenings and sundry live-music performances. Details on their Web site, https://aztecshawnee.com/. They're located at 11119 Johnson Drive in Shawnee, Kansas, and you can give them a buzz at 913-207-4148.
Many thanks to Jeff for his hospitality and positive energy. And to you for listening to our conversation.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio clips. They are snippets I poached from a Greyboy track called, "Dealin' with the Archives," which comes from his 1997 release entitled, Mastered the Art (c/o Ubiquity Recordings Inc.).
Duke Ross is a son and a brother and a husband and a father and an all-around righteous dude.When he's not otherwise occupied behind the steering wheel of a tow truck, he can likely be found in the crowd at a Dead & Company show, or -- perhaps -- on a Mexican beach with a cold cocktail in his hand.Duke and I connected a little over two years ago via a Facebook group called Kansas City Dead Heads. He was pedaling some merch', and I said, Yes, please.Fast forward about 30 months, and I'll be darned if he wasn't down to swing by the studio to record a podcast episode with me.And I couldn't be happier than him choosing to do so.We had a great time chatting and getting to know one another. Or at least I did.We talked a fair amount of Dead & Co., but we also reminisced about growing up in the '80s and MTV and the funny paths life sometimes takes us down. And, of course, we talked about a few of Duke's favorite albums.They were these:Queen's The Game (1980)Get Lucky (1981), LoverboyDuran Duran's Rio (1982)Hysteria (1987), Def LeppardMilli Vanilli's All or Nothing (1988)The 20/20 Experiment (2013), Justin TimberlakeReally good time. Thanks to Duke, and to those of you who stopped by to give Episode No. 80 (a special number for Duke!) a listen.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips taken from a live performance of the title track to Phish's second studio effort, Lawn Boy (1990).This version was recorded on July 25, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY as part of The Baker's Dozen 13-night run of shows, but the studio version comes c/o Elektra Records, marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
Dane Bridges is a son and a brother and a boyfriend and a music instructor. He's also the bassist for Chowk.Dane was kind enough to stop by for Episode No. 79, talk a little bit of background and a lotta bit of music.And somewhere along the way, we had a peek at a few of his favorite records. They were these:Failure's Fantastic Planet (1996)Songs for the Deaf (2002), Queens of the Stone AgeInterpol's Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)Station (2008), Russian CirclesJaye Jayle's No Trail & Other Unholy Paths (2018)Meeting Dane and having the opportunity to sit down and chat with him was a real treat. Once you've checked out Chowk's bandcamp that I linked in the opening sentence, please give them a follow on Instagram so that you're up to snuff with all of their goings-on.Thank you.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or intro/outro audio clips. They are samples from a tune called, "Join Hands" by Groove Armada. It's a track that comes from their 2001 album, Goodby Country (Hello Nightclub), c/o Zomba Records Limited.
Dave Schloss is a son and a brother and a husband, and a father. He's an entrepreneur, a killer ice-hockey teammate, and he once had the pleasure of calling me his next-door neighbor.Dave, and his wife, Anna, made career pivots and left their beloved Chicago life for some adulthood in Kansas City, going from downtown to midtown to the north town while they were here, but've recently found themselves enjoying a healthy dose of island time down in the the ol' Sunshine State.Their crew was back in town for a bit to relax and hang with family, and I was lucky enough to steal a couple of hours with him to record Episode #78.In our conversation, we talked about family and band life and school and, of course, a few of Dave's favorite albums.They were these:Honky Chateau (1972), Elton JohnThe Specials's self-titled (1979)Dookie (1994), Green DayWilco's Summerteeth (1999)Continuum (2006), John MayerPleased as punch that Dave made the time. Thank you, my friend. And thank you, Mrs. Schlanderson!Find older episodes, merch', etc. over at the site.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips. They are bits I lifted from a track called, "Black - Red" by Dr. Dog. I found it (or it found me) on their 2010 record, Shame, Shame (c/o Anti, Inc.).
A number of things come to mind when thinking about some of the pieces of redundancy one tends to encounter when hosting a podcast. Some of it is -- of course -- necessary. Some you hope to avoid. Still some are just plain unavoidable, such as gushing with gratitude and thanks for those that decide to join me for an episode.
It's no lie or exaggeration when I say that every episode is special, and that every guest is a treat. Patrick Sprehe for Episode #77 (Paul Coffey!) was no different.
Patrick is the face and the effort behind Center Cut Records, a local label here in Kansas City whose "mission is to illuminate the amazing collection of musical talent in Kansas City and solidify its place in the national discussion about sonic art."
It's a great aim and a fantastic focus, and I wish them all of the success they ever imagined possible and more. It goes without saying then that I was honored that Patrick was giving of his time and energy, and he joined me to talk about some of the amazing folks working in the KC music scene.
We also talked a little bit about Patrick's journey in life, and it wouldn't be an episode of Badass Records if we didn't also have a peek into some of his favorite albums over the years.
They were these:
João Gilberto & Stan Getz's Getz/Gilberto (1964)
One (1974), Bob James
The Cars, self-titled (1978)
Wild Planet (1980), The B-52s
Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Talking Kansas City and music and some of our city's fine, fine people was nothing shy of a blast. I'm grateful for the opportunity and thankful for the learning experience Patrick was able to provide.
Please check out Center Cut Records on Instagram, and consider exploring some of the artists that they have worked with (as well as those they haven't).
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are all clips from a track called, "Fine Corinthian Leather" by Charlie Hunter. The tune comes from his 2008 record, Baboon Strength (c/o SideHustle). I landed on this tune by accident around the time I was doing post-production for Patrick's episode, and, I gotta tell ya' -- the Chrysler/Ricardo Montalbán/David Letterman details about the term's origin story is something else. Makes the already-great Lee Iacocca bit from Saturday Night Live even greater. And it makes me grateful that this song was written, recorded, and released in my lifetime.
It's the John Tait episode of Badass Records!That's right. It's #76. Only this conversation had nothing to do with former Kansas City Chiefs, B.Y.U. alum, or left tackles at all. Nope. This one's all about Beers. Jason Beers.Yes, the banjo-wrangling, bass-playing, prolific writer/recorder of music was kind enough to give of his time and swing by for a chat about gigging, releasing material, and -- of course -- a few of his favorite records.Those were these:The Doors, self-titled (1967)Ragin', Full-On (1986), fIREHOSENomeansno's Wrong (1989)28 Big Ones (2000), Bill DoggettDwight Diller's O Death! (2015)Whether you like our chat or not, Jason's bandcamp can be found here, and please do visit it, if for no other reason than to see the music-cranking machine that he is. In all seriousness, give some of his stuff a listen. You won't regret it. And you can of course follow him on social media.Final token plug: My Web site has a Merch' page.There. I said it.Thanks for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo/intro/outro audio. They are all clips from one song. That song is called, "Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps)." It's from a record called Friday Afternoon in the Universe by the trio, Medeski, Martin & Wood. That album -- in case you were wondering -- just might be the pinnacle of badass records, and it appears here c/o Rykodisc Inc.
Yo!This was one for the ages.Having being fortunate enough to be invited up to Sk8bar in St. Joe, I gladly accepted and -- while there -- was able to connect with Danny "Dr. 47" Phillips to record Episode # 75 of Badass Records podcast.Such a challenge. So much fun. So worth it.Seriously.I didn't know how I would attempt to make myself comfortable in someone else's space. I didn't know if I'd know how to set up all of the gear once I'd taken it apart for the first time, and I didn't know how I'd do (at all) attempting to conduct an interview beneath all of those details.But, alas...the stress and the anxiety were completely unwarranted.Brandon and Jesse welcomed me into their home away from home, and Danny was a gracious host/guest.He was every bit of (unsolicited) awesome as advertised, and was quick to quell the worries of my brain that a booker/promoter for a live-music venue would feel too busy to be participating in an interview for a podcast.And, the chat was -- in my mind -- perfect.We talked a little bit about the ol' life thing. The work thing. The...just...you know...doin' it thing. And of course we talked about a few of Danny's favorite records.He gave me a substantial list, and -- for shits and giggles -- I broke it in half.Here's what that looked like:List A:Sticky Fingers (1971), The Rolling StonesFleetwood Mac's Rumours (1977)Outlandos d'Amour (1978), The PoliceThe Lemonheads's It's a Shame About Ray (1992)Siamese Dream (1993), Smashing PumpkinsNirvana's In Utero (1993)A.M. (1995), WilcoList B:At Folsom Prison (1968), Johnny CashBig Star's #1 Record (1972)My Aim Is True (1977), Elvis CostelloThe Ramones's Rocket to Russia (1977)Last Splash (1993), The BreedersBad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction (1994)In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998), Neutral Milk HotelIf you want to get a hold of Danny for band-booking purposes, here are what I believe to be the best ways:1) Contact Sk8bar -- either via the landline (after 5:00 p.m. Central) at 816-689-0507 or via Facebook.2) Holler at Danny either via his Instagram or his Facebook page.3) You can also find him on Twitter, if you please, but, I digress...My chat with Dr. 47 was fantastic. Please consider giving it a view or a listen. Please check out Sk8bar, and please check out the Merch' store on the podcast's Web site. Even a sticker purchase helps.Anyhoo...as Jamal a.k.a. Jamel says, "Be kind, be good to each other, and help keep great music alive."At least that's what I think he says.Thanks for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a tune called, "Terrapin Station Medley" by the Grateful Dead off of their 1977 album, Terrapin Station (c/o Grateful Dead Productions. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company).
Adam Browning is a son, a brother, a music fanatic, and he is my guest for Episode #74.And speaking of podcasts, he co-hosts his own! It's called ChemTrails with Adam & Sean and you could check it out here, were you so inclined.Anyway...it was a blast having Adam. He brought notes!We talked a good bit about life, his podcast with Sean Harris (Episode #62, if you're keepin' score at home.), and, well...a few of his favorite records.They are these:Black Sabbath's Vol. 4, (1972)Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers (1984)VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson (1998)Clutch's Elephant Riders (1998)Feathers & Flesh, Avatar (2016)So, please give our conversation a listen, and please -- while you're on the site looking at Sean's episode -- don't forget to check out the Merch' store before you leave.Thanks for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are samples I poached from songs called, "Happy Friends" by The Greyboy Allstars off of their 1997 album, A Town Called Earth (c/o Knowledge Room Recordings), and, "Althea," by the Grateful Dead from their 1980 Go to Heaven record (c/o Grateful Dead Productions. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company), respectively.
Shane Hatfield is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and a music super-fan. He's also the host of "The Scene with Pretty Boy," which airs Fridays at 10 p.m. Central on KPGZ, 102.7 FM out of Kearney, MO.You can also catch the show online, Mondays at 7 p.m. (and again at 10 p.m.) Central on Counterclockwise KC Radio, via either Live 365 or the TuneIn app.Shane was cool enough to swing by and record Episode #73 with me, and our conversation did not disappoint. We talked a little bit about growing up and family, hobbies and interests, his experience in broadcasting, and some "Scene" history. We also talked about a handful of his favorite records, and they were these:Replicas (1979), Tubeway ArmyGary Numan's The Pleasure Principle (1979)Timepieces: The Best of Eric Clapton (1982)Pink Floyd's A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)In God We Trust (1988), StryperIt was a treat to meet Shane and spend some time getting to know him. Please consider checking out our chat. And while I'm in ask mode: Tune in to "The Scene with Pretty Boy" this Friday (or next Monday), and don't forget to peek at the Merch' Store. You just might find the perfect gift for yourself!copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are samples taken from tracks called, "Inversion Layer" by Robert Walter's 20th Congress off of their 2013 release, Get Thy Bearings (c/o Royal Potato Family), and, "Soul Flower (Remix) by The Pharcyde off of their 1992 release, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (c/o The Bicycle Music Company).
Matt Smith is an O.G. homey, and I can't even begin to tell you how stoked I was to get him in the chair for Episode #72 of the Badass Records podcast.When I hatched this hair-brained idea in January 2021, Matt was a first-ballot must-have, and I couldn't possibly be more honored to have seen the thing through. Doesn't happen without Matt first saying he'd do an episode then getting me a list and ultimately carving a slice out of his busy week in town to come bullshit with me. So...many, many thanks, Matt.Like most of us, Matt's a lot of things. He's a son, a brother, a husband, a dad, a friend, a Chiefs fan, an executive producer, a hard-core lover of music, a great guy, and a good friend.It's always awesome to message with him, and hopefully catch him while he's in town, but it was really good to sit down with him and have a peek into his career lens. And...you know...chat records, too. Here're a few of Matt's faves:The Joshua Tree (1987), U2Pearl Jam's Ten (1991)Automatic for the People (1992), R.E.M.The Smashing Pumpkins's Siamese Dream (1993)No Code, Pearl Jam (1996)Please give our conversation a listen, and keep your eyes peeled for cool things coming from Matt's end. Beyond his current work projects, he might have a new, fun endeavor in the creation stages, and just maybe he'll get that pod' off that ground with that lovely lady of his.Thank you for your support, and don't forget to check out the Merch' Store!copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are samples taken from tracks called, "Inversion Layer" by Robert Walter's 20th Congress off of their 2013 release, Get Thy Bearings (c/o Royal Potato Family), and, "We're Ready" by Boston off of their 1986 release, Third Stage (c/o Geffen Records), respectively.
Shane Powers is a son, a brother, and a ladyfriend-haver. He's also a bunch of other things, but of utmost importance in this moment, he can occasionally be found manning the vocals and one of the guitars for Sirens in the Suburbs. And if I'm being honest, Shane really brought some big energy to Episode #71.We talked a little bit about band life, supporting live music, and songwriting, just to name a few topics.And we of course peeked at a few of Shane's favorite records. They are these:The Clash's London Calling (1979)Nevermind (1991), NirvanaThe Misfits's Static Age (1996)Reinventing Axl Rose (2002), Against Me!The Lawrence Arms's Oh! Calcutta! (2006)Metropole (2014), The Lawrence ArmsSo, please check out Sirens in the Suburbs. Be it Spotify, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or live, they'll get your grease hot.And please check out our conversation. All of these chats are fantastic from my perspective. I bet Shane's'll be good from yours.Oh! And please don't forget to peep what's available in the store!Thank you.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are from a track called, "Equinox" by Liquid Soul off of their self-titled 1996 debut (c/o Music from Mars), and one of the most badass cuts of all time, "TV Dinners" by ZZ Top, off of that token-of-1983-badassery record, Eliminator (c/o Warner Bros Inc., Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing, a Warner Music Group Company). Whew!
Brandon and Jesse Rock were kind enough to trek down to K.C. from St. Joe so we could (of course) talk a little bit about some of their favorite records, but also so that we could cover what is currently their lives, Sk8bar.What is Sk8bar, you say?Well, I'm glad you asked.It's a skateboard shop, a bar, and a live music venue at 501 Francis Street in St. Joseph, Missouri.You can find their Facebook page here, their Instagram here, or you can give them a holler after 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday at 816-609-0507.Please check them out, give them a follow, keep an eye on their live-show calendar, and put it on your own calendar to go see a gig at their joint.Here are Jesse's selections:Little Wheel Spin and Spin (1966), Buffy Saint-MarieTownes Van Zandt, self-titled (1969)The Day the Country Died (1983), SubhumansBabes in Toyland's Fontanelle (1992)And here are Brandon's:VI (1987), Circle JerksSub Society's No Legs to Stand On (1989)13 Songs (1989), FugaziType O Negative's Dead Again (2007)I really enjoyed meeting these two and talking music with them, but there are a few notes about this interview that seem pertinent enough to make.For starters, the sound on their end isn't amazing. My setup is geared for one-on-one interviews, so I had to figure out where to seat two guests, and keep my fingers crossed that their shared mic would be sufficient, which it darn near wasn't. So, I apologize if you have to strain to hear them. The second piece is that we kind of found a window in which to sit and chat late in the game, so my prep for the conversation was not up to par. And perhaps as a result of feeling frazzled about pulling things off, I fumbled during Jesse's list and essentially skipped over her Subhumans record almost entirely. My apologies to both Jesse and Subhumans for that.Nevertheless, a good conversation between a still-somewhat-novice podcast host and a pair of badass-but-soft-spoken business/life partners. What they're doing is rad and I'm grateful they stopped by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are from a track called, "Equinox" by Liquid Soul off of their self-titled 1996 debut (c/o Music from Mars), and from, "You're the Kind of Girl" by Lee Fields & The Expressions from 2012's Faithful Man (c/o Truth & Soul Records), respectively.
If you ever wanna feel stupid or not crisp-and-clear, have a conversation with Jesse Kates of The Sexy Accident.Wow.I've been lucky to have a ton of tremendous and amazing people join me for episodes of the Badass Records podcast, but this guy...he just -- as the kids say -- hits different.You should -- were you so inclined -- check out his bandcamp, buy some of his merch', keep tabs on when his outfit's giggin' next, etc.Really great stuff.Jesse and I talked about a number of things, included in which were -- of course -- a few of his favorite albums. I botched things a touch, but they were these, nonetheless:Seamonsters, The Wedding Present (1991)The Cure's Wish (1992)Icky Mettle by Archers of Loaf (1993)Long Fin Killie's Houdini (1995)1972, Josh Rouse (2003), andQuadiliacha's Es Muerto (1997) (the one I botched)I hope you'll check out this chat; I thought it was awesome, but then again...I always do.Cheers.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a tune called, "Fantastic Man" by William Onyeabor. This, I found, on his 2013 record, World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who Is William Onyeabor? (c/o Luaka Bop, Inc.).
Nigel Woodberry is a son, a brother, and -- among many other things -- an awesome dude. He's also the host of the Beers with Nigel podcast, though, and he was kind enough to swing by and record Episode #68 with me.We talked a good bit about his podcast, a little bit about his background and his many lives, but we also talked about a few of his favorite records, and they are these:Van Halen's 1984 (1984)Spellbound, Joe Sample (1989)Babyface's Tender Lover (1989)Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z (1996)Drake's Nothing Was the Same (2013)So, please check out our conversation, and please check out Beers with Nigel. Thank you for stopping by. Buy some Merch'!copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from an Ernest Ranglin track called, "54-46 Was My Number" from his 1996 release, Below the Bassline (c/o Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited), and Holy Wave's, "California Took My Bobby Away" off of their 2016 album, Freaks of Nurture (c/o Suicide Squeeze Records).
If I've seen 80 Phish shows, I've seen at least half of those with one of the best dudes I've ever known, Jake Watson.He moved from KC to Charleston a few years back, but I was lucky enough to nab a few hours of his time on a recent visit back home, and he was kind enough to spend some of that time with me recording Episode #67.In addition to discussing the most-excellent human being that Jake is, we chatted about a few of his favorite records over the years, and they are these:Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)Paul Simon's Graceland (1986)Paul's Boutique, Beastie Boys (1989)Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend (1991)So, check out our conversation. Check out the Merch' store on the Web site. And check out that Phish Dick's, "Light."Notes/edits: 1) Mule Variations (not "Versions") 2) get out of the '80s (not "'90s")copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from Medeski, Martin & Wood's "Dracula" from their 1996 release, Shack-Man (c/o Gramavision Inc.), and the title track of Phish's Lawn Boy (1990), c/o Phish Inc., respectively.
Sammy Sanchez is back!This time, we dug in to the entire Tom Waits discography, and what a ride it was.Sammy's first appearance on Badass Records was on Episode #44, in which we discussed a little LCD Soundsystem, a little Pink Floyd, and a little Tom Waits. And during that conversation, it occurred to me that I needed a Tom Waits fan with whom to geek out. And you know what? Sammy was game!Here's the list of what we covered:Closing Time (1973)The Heart of Saturday Night (1974)Nighthawks at the Diner (1975)Small Change (1976)Foreign Affairs (1977)Blue Valentine (1978)Heartattack and Vine (1980)Swordfishtrombones (1983)Rain Dogs (1985)Frank's Wild Years (1987)Bone Machine (1992)The Black Rider (1993)Mule Variations (1999)Alice (2002)Blood Money (2002)Real Gone (2004)Bad As Me (2011)Sammy was just as fantastic this time around as he was a few months back, and I'll definitely have him back for another run through some artist's body of work. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to get this off the ground, and thankful that it's still got a pulse.So thank you for stopping by and giving Episode #66 a listen/view. Please visit the Merch' store at badassrecordspodcast.com and drop me a line at badassrecordspodcast at gmail dot com if you're in the Kansas City area and interested in doing an episode.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from Medeski, Martin & Wood's "Dracula" from their 1996 release, Shack-Man (c/o Gramavision Inc.), and Ward Davis's, "Good and Drunk" off of his 2018 Asunder EP (c/o Ward Davis Music). Both are artists versed in badassery, and you should check out their stuff.
Hopefully this week's guest has already forgiven me for butchering both the pronunciation and spelling of his last name, even though I had them written in front of me.His name is Jason Buice and he's a son, a brother, a husband, a musician, a bandmate, and a heck of a nice guy.He was kind enough to drive in from LFK to record Episode #65 with me, and boy was our conversation a fascinating one.We of course talked about a few of Jason's favorite albums, and they are these:Thriller (1982), Michael JacksonU2's The Unforgettable Fire (1984)Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987), The CureNirvana's Nevermind (1991)OK Computer (1997), RadioheadBut we also talked a little bit about Jason's path down the river of musicianship. For starters, you can find his solo EP, Both Sides (2019) on his bandcamp, and he's got a couple of other projects there, too. And we talked about his current project, Chowk, whom you can follow on Instagram, and I encourage you to do so as they have plans to record an album here in the coming weeks. Finally, if you're catching this is some form of real time, you can catch Chowk performing live on the radio on Sunday, May 14th on KKFI, 90.1 FM. They'll be on around 9:00 p.m. Central Standard as part of the Under the Radar program.Anyway, Jason's fantastic, and the vibe around Chowk feels like they're gonna be, too, so check him and them out, and don't forget to visit the Merch' store on the Web site. You should totally hook yourself up with a Fresh Socks t-shirt.Thanks for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips taken from The String Cheese Incident's "Bigger Isn't Better" off of 1997's Born on the Wrong Planet (c/o SCI Fidelity Records) and "Sundown" off of Gordon Lightfoot's (R.I.P. in Peace) 1974 record of the same name (c/o Reprise Records (marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company)), respectively.
Billy Brady is a son, a brother, a fiancé, a musician, and a guy -- if you're reading this at the time of release (Thursday morning, May 4, 2023) -- you might be able to catch on 90.1, KKFI FM this morning at 10:00 Central Standard. If you're catching this on Thursday or Friday, you can catch him and the Whiskey Mash Band playing live at Lemonade Park in the West Bottoms of Kansas City (tickets available here).If you didn't catch that in time, you can check out the Whiskey Mash Band's stuff here, or you can find their stuff on places like Facebook, Spotify, etc.Anyway...Billy was kind enough to stop by and talk, so we recorded Episode #64 together and chatted live music, and a little bit about a few of his favorite records, which were Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys (1970), The String Cheese Incident's Carnival '99 (2000), and Phish's Farmhouse (2000).Our conversation was a hoot and there are a lot of good things on the horizon for Billy and his outfit(s), so please give him a follow, catch him live (plenty of summer dates on the books), and consider supporting live, local music whenever and wherever you can.I know I fudged something in this interview, but I'm spacing it now.Oh, well.Thanks for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the promo or the intro/outro audio samples. I lifted them from Benevento/Russo Duo's, "Nashville" off of Play Pause Stop (2006), c/o Royal Potato Family and The String Cheese Incident's, "Bigger Isn't Better" from 1997's Born on the Wrong Planet (c/o SCI Fidelity Records), respectively.
Rob Davis is a son, a sibling, a father, a fiancé, a chef, a baseball aficionado, and a brethren in Phish of the truest kind. I was thrilled and honored that he carved out a slice of time for me so that we could sit down together and record Episode #63 of the podcast.We swapped stories of our partying days and our musical journeys that ultimately led to our discoveries of the greatest band in American rock history.The albums that Rob tabbed for his episode are as follows:Tea for the Tillerman (1970), Cat StevensGeorge Winston's December (1982)The Final Cut (1983), Pink FloydPhish's Junta (1989)One from the Vault (1991), Grateful DeadIf you're in the Kansas City area and have a hankering to sink your teeth into some of Rob's vittles, you can sample his wares at Marina 27 Steak & Seafood out at Lake Lotawana, and if you do, please consider treating him to a round of golf on one of his rare days off.And if you're scouring the Internet, please visit the Merch' store of the podcast's Web site and consider treating yourself to a hoodie or a sticker or -- my personal new favorite -- a custom t-shirt.Give our chat a listen if it sounds intriguing to you. And as always, thank you for stopping by.episode edit: It's not called "Strawberry Letters." Rather: "Strawberry Letter 23."copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio for the show's promo or the show's intro/outro. The former comes from the closing track to Benevento/Russo Duo's 2006 record entitled, Play Pause Stop (c/o Royal Potato Family); the track's name is "Memphis." The latter comes from "Golgi Apparatus" off of Phish's 1989 release, Junta (c/o Elektra Entertainment Company).
Sean Harris is a son and a brother and a husband and a father. He's also the brains behind Counter Clockwise KC, a Lee's Summit-based online radio station.I was fortunate enough to have him join me for Episode #62 of the podcast, in which we talked music, family, travel, and -- of course -- a few of Sean's favorite records.Those were these:Pink Floyd's Animals (1977)Fair Warning (1981), Van HalenDe La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)Ten (1991), Pearl JamPlease check out Counter Clockwise KC. You can find it on Facebook or Instagram, Live365, or via the TuneIn mobile app. Counter Clockwise KC, the alternative to the alternative.And while I'm askin' ya' to check stuff out, don't forget to browse the store through the Merch' tab at badassrecordspodcast.com.Note: I made a foolish gaffe when talking Medeski, Martin & Wood records: It's not Shack-Man and Bubblehouse, but Shack-Man and Combustication. And I always forget to mention the John Scofield records, too. Oops. I'm a dummy.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips I lifted from a song called, "Photograph" by Heartless Bastards. It's track seven from their 2021 release, A Beautiful Life (c/o Sweet Unknown Records, marketed and distributed by Thirty Tigers).
Hey, hi, and hello!Episode #61 of the Badass Records Podcast was a very special one, in that the one and only Elwyn M. Grimes, Jr. made a return appearance to the show, and he did so under the guise of tackling two of the most important discographies in hip-hop history, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.Twas no small feat, but we got after it and had a good time doing so, especially considering that -- as of March 3, 2023 -- the De La catalog is finally available via streaming services. 'Bout. Damn. Time.The list looks like this:3 Feet High and Rising (1989), DLSPeople's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990), ATCQDe La Soul Is Dead (1991), DLSThe Low End Theory (1991), ATCQBuhloone Mindstate (1993), DLSMidnight Marauders (1993), ATCQStakes Is High (1996), DLSBeats, Rhymes & Life (1996), ATCQThe Love Movement (1998), ATCQArt Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000), DLSA.O.I.: Bionix (2001), DLS The Grind Date (2004) DLSPlug 1 & Plug 2 Present...First Serve (2012), DLS...and the Anonymous Nobody (2016), DLSWe Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service (2016), ATCQAnd you'd better believe there was a Ric Flair, "Woo!" gettin' through all that.I talked too much on this one and probably bored Elwyn to pieces, but boy did we appear to be having a good time, so many thanks to him for coming and hanging with me a second time. Catch him on Episode #3 if you missed him the first time around.Peace!copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from the best one-two punch in hip-hop history, "Dinninit"--> "Brakes," which are tracks off of Stakes (c/o A.O.I., LLC Under Exclusive License to Chrysalis Records Limited, a.k.a. not Tommy Boy Records).
Only a few folks that I know could do me such a solid as diving in to the Wu-Tang library, and it pleases me more than you know to welcome the J.P.G. back to Badass Records Podcast.The Jett Pakk was kind enough to indulge me on my Wu-Tang exploration, and we sat down to have a brief chat about the group's studio discography, which looks like this:Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993Wu-Tang Forever, 1997The W, 2000Iron Flag, 20018 Diagrams, 2007A Better Tomorrow, 2014Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, 2015I can't speak for Mr. George, but I very much enjoyed this assignment, and I'm looking forward to taking a knife and fork to the individual discographies.Please give our chat a listen and let me know which Wu-Tang record(s) gets your nod. And don't forget to hit the Merch' store. Get you a sticker and a t-shirt. Thank you for stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune called, "Wu-Tang Forever," by Logic (featuring Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, Jackpot Scotty Wotty, U-God, Masta Killa, and GZA). The track comes from his 2018 record, YSIV (c/o Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.).
Ian "The Cheeto Flow" Hallowell is more things than I could possibly list here in one of these bio-type thingys, but I can for sure say that he is a saxophonist, a son, a brother, a nephew, and one heckuva badass dude.I mean...wow.Amazing hang.Glad we got to chat about a few of his favorite records, which are these:Blacknuss (1971), Rahsaan Roland KirkRodrigo y Gabriela & C.U.B.A.'s Area 52 (2012)Harmony of Difference (2017), Kamasi WashingtonProdigy Productions's Prodigy (2021)Dirty Horse (2022), MartinAnd what a ride they were.It's the Badass Records Podcast, where hopefully you have the opportunity to appreciate some music and a little bit of conversation. Appreciate you stopping by.copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune called, "The Squirming Coil," which was the leadoff cut to Phish's sophomore effort, Lawn Boy (1990). It (c/o Elektra Records, Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company) remains one of the best first tracks to one of the best albums in rock history. Or whatever history. Jam-band. I dunno. How 'bout that record-label mouthful, though? Haven't typed one quite that long prior. Anyway...point is you should listen to Lawn Boy. Several times. It's in the Mount Rushmore talks of badass records. Promise.
Gay Joey is an absolute badass for swinging by the Badass Records Podcast studio to record Episode #58 with me, and it was an absolute pleasure chatting with him.He is a son and a brother and an uncle and a server and a friend to many and an all-around fantastic guy.As this home-grown, one-person operation has learned before, however, goofs, and gaffes, and glitches happen; they probably always will. This rendition unfortunately falls under that category as the primary source for audio failed and was unretrievable. So...I had to use the camera audio, which is ghetto and annoying and comes with the sweet nuisance of hearing the actual camera run most of the time, but I really enjoyed this conversation and wanted to put it out, nonetheless.So, the audio's shitty. And I wish it weren't, but we -- nevertheless -- talked some Madonna (Like a Virgin, 1984) and some 2Pac (All Eyez on Me, 1996), and a number of other things, too.Thank you for stopping by. Please check out the revised Merch' page on the Web site (badassrecordspodcast.com).copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called, "Evening Song" off of Phish's 2020 release, Sigma Oasis (c/o Phish Inc.), which is 100 percent a badass record. You should own it now, even if only digitally.
Brett Batliner.
Whew. It's even a mouthful to type.
I kid, I kid.
Brett Batliner cooked for me a dozen years ago, and we've somehow managed to stay in quasi-contact since. What fun times those were, too. Me. The fearless leader amongst a dozenish 19-year-olds. Yikes.
Anyway...Brett's a great guy. He's a son and a brother and a boyfriend and a pet lover and a guitarist and a rapper. And unfortunately for Brett, he's also a service-industry guy. Run, Brett! Run far and fast!
My conversation with Brett for Episode #57 was a hoot, though. We talked family and musicianship and recording. We talked about that ski-bum life and skateboarding, and, of course, Brett's favorite band of all time: 311.
This is the third episode to feature a different 311 record (which may be rivaled only by Wilco here on the Badass Records Podcast), and Brett's choice was Transistor (1997). We had a good time breaking it down, and I think it's safe to say that we both enjoyed the conversation as a whole.
Thanks for stopping by, and please be sure to buy Brett a Jager Bomb if you see him out there on them streets.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called, "Countach" by Ratatat, which is off of their 2015 record, Magnifique (c/o XL Recordings LTD).
I met Jon Brick about 37 years ago, which is pretty bananas to think about. We were fresh off of not only a Royals World Series parade, but also having watched Space Shuttle Challenger explode on that television screen atop the wheeled-in A/V cart of our fifth-grade classrooms, which -- one might say -- was a little ways away from hosting a podcast and creating award-winning feature documentary films, the latter of which the guest of Episode #56 can say.
Jon's a fascinating dude. He's seen a handful of the world's parts and had some incredible-sounding experiences along his journey's path. And what a place he's in now professionally <cues the closing moments to Chicago's "Beginnings">.
He's a son and a brother and a producer and a drummer and an outdoorsman, and you can sample some of his work over at jonbrick.com, if you please. And -- while you're at it -- you like-to-be-in-the-know types could give one of his socials a follow if that's a thing you're prone to do.
Anyway...not only was it really great catching up with Jon and learning about some of his story, he picked an absolutely dynamite duo of records, too, which had me pretty geeked up, to say the least. Had we been in opposite chairs, I can't say my picks would've looked much different.
Jon chose not only one of the best double albums -- Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (1975) -- of all time; he followed it up with one of the most incredible records ever recorded in Radiohead's OK Computer (1997). And what a treat it was to look back upon them.
I can't thank Jon enough for taking some time from his busy schedule to come sit in my basement for a bit and help me keep this thing afloat.
And speaking of, if you'd like to make an appearance, hit me up at badassrecordspodcast at gmail dot com.
Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples I poached from the title track of Def Leppard's 1987 Hysteria (a Virgin EMI Records release c/o Mercury Records Limited). I'm not gonna call it a top-to-back badass record, but it's gotta lotta niceness in it.
Being blessed with three amazing sisters is literally the gift that never stops giving. I am lucky to not only have each of them in my life, but also thankful to be exposed to some of the great things in each of their lives.
Since today's guest is something of an introvert, I was surprised when she agreed to join me for for Episode #55, and thrilled at how fun our conversation turned out to be.
She's a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a great friend, an impressive-seeming professional, a fantastic person with whom to sit down and visit, and my middle sister Megan's homegirl, Leah Twibell.
Leah tabbed Green Day's Dookie (1994), Weezer's The Blue Album (1994), and Crash by Dave Matthews Band (1996) as three of her favorite records, and this proved to be a trio that did not disappoint.
My chat with Leah was a blast. Thank you for checking it out.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro video. They are samples from a song called, "Horn" by Phish, and the tune comes from their 1993 record, Rift (c/o Elektra Entertainment, a division of Warner Communications, Inc.). And in case you were curious, this album is the trailhead to the path of badass records. Ya' heard?
Steve Woods is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a handyman, a fine, fine golfer, a funny dude, and a friend. He's also a chef at heart, a valuable employee to his bosses, and an all-around good guy.
I'm still trippin' out over the fact that we've known each other for longer than two decades, and I couldn't have been happier than I was to see him on my front porch for Episode #54 of Badass Records Podcast.
Like most of my guests, Steve's story is a fascinating one, so we dug into it a little bit, and we of course talked music, too. The good doctor shared with me a few of his favorite records, and they are these:
The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses (1989)
The Stone Roses's Turns Into Stone (1992)
Nowhere, Ride (1990)
Ride's Going Blank Again (1992)
Hear It Is, The Flaming Lips (1986)
The Flaming Lips's Oh My Gawd... (1987)
Hit to Death in the Future Head, The Flaming Lips (1992)
everything from the Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, and Son Volt catalogs
the entire Steely Dan catalog
Hats off to Steve for taking time out of his busy calendar to sit down with me and chat. I hope you'll give our conversation a view or a listen.
These episodes are recorded in-person in Kansas City. If you or someone you know would make a good guest, please reach out at badassrecords podcast at gmail dot com. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track by Jenny Lewis called, "Little White Dove," which I lifted from her 2019 album called On the Line (c/o Warner Records Inc.).
James Inman is a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a formerish standup comedian, a computer whiz, and a collector of both vintage speakers and sundry Elvis Costello albums.
He's a hoot, and a trip, and a man that's wise beyond his years (Note: Shouts out to the local public library.), and he did -- for the record -- say (once we'd wrapped) that it was cool to leave everything in.
As usual I was part of the conversation when we taped and a different part of it during edits, and normally I'm ready to move on once I've played both roles. This time, though, I think maybe I'm still processing everything that I learned. In fact, I'm not sure of all that I didn't know before we had our conversation. And trust me -- it was a good one.
Among many other topics, we touched on a few of James's favorite records, and they were these:
Imperial Bedroom, Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1982)
The Clash's London Calling (1979)
Mummer, XTC (1983)
Quite the collection.
I hadn't seen James in the better part of 10 years before we sat down together, so I'm pleased that he agreed to come by for the hang. James is a poster child for the just-be-yourself campaign, and I hope -- be it one day in the cards -- that I can at some point watch him turn out a live set in the comedy scene.
Anyway, check out his book and his two albums and his movie over at jamesinman.com.
Thank you, James, for being an amazing part of Episode #53.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune called, "Inversion Layer" by Robert Walter's 20th Congress. They put out a record called Get Thy Bearings (c/o Royal Potato Family) in 2013, and that track is from this album. I've used it before. On Episode #1. This would be the first episode of year two, so...little selfie shoutout. Cheers.
Ashleigh Blackwell gets the honors for the official official-official one-year anniversary of Badass Records Podcast. That is, some spacing occurred between the recordings and airings of the first two episodes, but -- from the third installment on -- I've managed to get one up per week. This being #52 means a year's worth now lives on the Internet, and -- you know -- that's kinda cool.
Anyway, Ashleigh's wise and witty. She's bold and beautiful (Wasn't there a TV show with a similar name?). She's a daughter and a sister and an aunt and a dog lover and a marketplace force, and she's also a great person to know, even if only a little.
So, I'm very thankful that she stopped by and rapped music and life with me. Our conversation went a bunch of different directions, and I tip my hat to her for her fearless engagement and rawness from start to finish.
Her musical journey fascinated me in that it moved from the comforts of her folks' tuneage to the neighborhood of boy bands, where it stopped only for a hot minute. From there it was on to bigger and badder, and a noteworthy bond with the 1991 Skid Row record, Slave to the Grind, was forever forged.
So, please check out our chat. It was a good one.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips taken from a Guru track called, "Transit Ride," which comes from his 1993 release, Jazzmatazz (c/o Virgin Records America, Inc.). This album wasn't -- by any means -- the birthplace of badass records, but it's certainly a stop on the tour. If you're unfamiliar, I highly recommend you familiarize yourself. You won't regret it.
This week's installment of Badass Records Podcast is Episode #51, and I'm pleased as punch to announce that my guest is the one, the only -- Eva Saviano.
I know we touched on it in our conversation, but -- to be sure -- I wanted to peek in a few spots to make sure I had her professional title correct, and while I didn't find conviction within my search, I did find one of the best bios I've ever seen in my life, so I'll share how she has described her self and add a few details after:
"Uncommonly frank and, frankly, uncommon.
A sucker for the written word from a very young age, an owner of The Word Lover's Dictionary, a grammar and punctuation cowgirl, enthusiastic copy editor, bold copy writer, occasional blogger, careful proofreader, and all-around word nerd.
I lead with a friendly attitude, a sense of humor, meticulous attention to detail, snappy style, and pen in hand.
Effervescent. Ebullient. Energetic."
I've known this gal for the better part of 20 years. I read that little passage, and all I have to say is, Can confirm. In addition, Eva is a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a friend. She's a girlfriend, an empath, a tenderhearted loyalist, and the quickest dang wit this side of The Everglades. She's also someone you should yield to in rollerskating traffic, but that's a story for a different episode.
I'm grateful that she took a chunk of an evening over her holiday visit to sit down with me and bullshit about life and music. It's possible that the list of her favorite music is endless, but we -- nevertheless -- talked about a few of her favorite records, and they are these:
Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill (1995)
Dilate (1996), Ani DiFranco
Weezer's Pinkerton (1996)
When the Pawn Hits... (1999), Fiona Apple
Neko Case's The Worse Things Get... (2013)
There's a reason I keep doing these with next to no traction and very little merch' sales (Note: Swag for sale!), and it's because I love it. Putting something together like each of these 51 episodes is fun and challenging, and well -- ya' can't beat the company, really.
This episode is my new favorite. Seriously. Such a hoot. Many a laugh. And just plain good conversation. So, I hope you'll check it out. Peace and love to you and yours. Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips I poached from a song called, "Right Down the Line," which comes from Gerry Rafferty's City by City (1978), c/o Parlophone Records, LTD. I can't tell you that City by City is a badass record because I've only listened to this track (about 467 times) and "Baker Street," but it is one of the badassest songs ever recorded.
Sound your funky horns...it's Episode #50 of Badass Records Podcast, and what a ride it's been so far!
I hope there're many more episodes to come and that you'll keep tuning in to see the latest and greatest conversations with all of my amazing guests.
But, now -- without any further ado...let me tell you about how excited I am to share this week's episode with you.
Sometimes, as we make our way through our days, we stumble upon opportunities for new connections. I could be sitting here typing these words, preparing to drop my 50th podcast episode, and the road to today could've looked different. That difference could've been tiny; it might've been huge. And who knows. Maybe everything'd be just fine.
Things went the way they went, though, and I wandered across a connection with Steph' Rupp. And instead, everything is great.
She's a daughter and a sister and a business owner with an electric smile. She's a designer, a photographer, and a professional ultimate frisbeer with a killer sense of humor. She's a dog lover, a soon-to-be wife, and a cheese connoisseur like no other. And above all of that, she's my Web/design gal.
I'll pause here for the thunderous applause in your head to subside.
<still pausing>
Although she initially turned down an invite to join me on the B.R.P., she -- of her own accord -- changed her mind and surprised me one day in a cute, little, nonchalant corner of an e-mail message about something else. And to paraphrase, she did so because she believes in examining new things and challenges.
What's not to love.
Steph' Rupp gave me a heckuva list of records to touch on, and they were these:
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) & The Black Parade (2006), My Chemical Romance
Fall Out Boy's From Under the Cork Tree (2005), Mania (2018) + everything in between
They're Only Chasing Safety (2004), Define the Great Line (2006), & Voyeurist (2022), Underoath
Loveless' Loveless I (2021)
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), Kendrick Lamar
If that's not a (Nature Boy) Ric Flair, "Woo!" right there, I don't know what is.
But...but.
Checking out her records was a treat. Our chat was a treat. And she...is a treat. So please check out this super-special episode, and don't forget to give the Merch' page a peek on your way out.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a tune called, "Yo!" which I borrowed from the badass record, Bass Is the Name of the Game (1988) by DJ Magic Mike (c/o Warlock Records).
It's Episode #49, party people!
I can't properly express how excited I was to sit down and talk life and tunes with MABkc.
Hoo boy! I am so excited for him and all that he lovingly has on his plate: wife and child(ren), new location(s) for Industry Soundz, paused recording projects calling him back, and perhaps a podcast in the near future. It's all real fantastic stuff, and I hope that each of those things continue to bring him joy and prosperity.
Anyway, MAB picked six records, two a piece by three different artists. And they are these:
Me Against the World (1995) and All Eyez on Me (1996) by 2Pac
Jay-Z's The Dynasty (2000) and The Black Album (2003)
From Me to U (2003) and What the Game's Been Missing (2005) by Juelz Santana
After some nine years since our first meeting (and like my guest mentioned), it was amazing that we were able to reconnect and make this conversation happen. Please consider giving it a view or a listen, and don't forget to check out the Merch' line on your way out. Thank you for winding up here.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune by Phosphorescent called, "My Beautiful Boy" and the track is from his 2018 album, C'est La Vie (c/o Dead Oceans).
When I opened the door to welcome Cole Welch into my home, one of the first thoughts I had was that he looked familiar, and it turns out that we not only went to high school together, but were on swim team together for a season as well.
Great start to meeting a perfect stranger.
Anyway, for Episode #48 of Badass Records Podcast, we waxed philosophic and touched on a few of Cole's favorite records. And they are these:
Over-Nite Sensation (1973), Frank Zappa
Rush's Caress of Steel (1975)
Desire (1976), Bob Dylan
The Police's Synchronicity (1983)
Life's Rich Pageant (1986), R.E.M.
Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream (1993)
August & Everything After (1993), Counting Crows
The Color & the Shape (1997), The Foo Fighters
Porcupine Tree's In Absentia (2002)
Sky Blue Sky (2007), Wilco
It was a really good time, so -- just like I always say about this time -- I hope you'll check out our chat. Buy some merch'!
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from "Chase" by Giorgio Moroder off of Midnight Express (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), c/o The Island Def Jam Music Group.
Tabitha Jurgensmeyer is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a pro's pro, an adventurer, and an absolute joy with whom to talk.
All things considered, Tabby J. said, "Yes" to doing an episode (no. 47) of Badass Records Podcast where many might've declined in haste.
For that -- and for all of her admirable qualities -- I have a ton of respect for her.
We chatted Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the phenomenon that was the duo of Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds, Boyz II Men, So So Def Bass All-Stars, and Dr. Dre. Specifically and respectively, we covered some P.J.fandom, Californication (1999), Live at Luther College (1999), II (1994), Vol. II, and 2001 (1999).
Please check out our conversation and -- more importantly -- please remember to be kind to one another.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from the Londonbeat smash hit, "I've Been Thinking About You" off of their 1990 release, In the Blood (c/o Geffen Records).
This is a weird one.
For me.
Tony Berrios and I have played hockey together for about five years.
I'm not sure if the number's actually five. It might be seven or it might be three and-a-half.
I just don't know anymore.
Point being: I have come to know Tony pretty well, and -- if you'll pardon the cliche -- they certainly broke the mold when Tony was born.
He is -- without question -- one of the super-fantasticist human beings I've ever met.
Like...he has a serum in his blood that I'd love to distill and drop beneath my tongue before my morning coffee. He's always in a good mood. Super-smart. Awesome sense of humor. Great dad. Spectacular hockey player. The list goes on.
But...but...
Tony and I recorded this episode almost six weeks ago, and his interview did not go without the token number of gaffes; in this one I talked too much and I probably spent too much time in the beginning talking to him about his mother.
Tonight -- as I write this (after we played an awesome game of hockey together) -- Tony has probably nestled himself into bed and will embark upon another trip to Chicago in the morning. And things don't appear to be looking amazing in that the message from Tony's mom's doctor to Tony and his sister were to be prepared.
As in, Come up and prepare to send for the wife and kids.
Tony's mom is in I.C.U., and so is Tony's mom's mom, and the former doesn't know about the latter.
It's a hard thing for me to envision: having a deep, meaningful relationship with a parent into my 40s (Note: Oh, and, happy belated birthday to Tony, too.).
Anyway, I kid you not when I tell you that choosing the intro/outro audio for this episode was one of the hardest decisions I've made in recent memory. I landed where I did because, well...I'm not exactly sure, but I feel good about it, and sometimes that's as deep as a thing goes.
Regardless of all of that, Tony dropped by and we bullshitted about Nirvana and Pearl Jam and A Tribe Called Quest and Common. I mean, we touched on those first three artists, but mostly I gushed about Common, and Tony was like, Yeah, dude...I know.
Specifically, we talked about In Utero (1993), Ten (1991), The Low End Theory (1991), Resurrection (1994), and One Day It'll All Make Sense (1997).
It was good, good fun, though.
Tony's the best. I wish him and all of his people peace and love, and I won't even begin to try and articulate how grateful I am that he carved out a little time to do an episode with me.
Where you at, Moose?
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from the title track of Chuck Mangione's 1977 record, Feels So Good (c/o A&M Records/UMG Recordings, Inc.).
Oh, The Kid....
What can be said about The Kid that hasn't been said already...
He's a son and a brother and a husband and a dad and a musician and a super-student of music.
I love that The Kid's folks're still hangin' and that he and all of his siblings found and chose fantastic partners. And they all have beautiful children and they're just...they're just a really good clan.
So, I was stoked that I got this cat to come chat with me for Episode #45, and when he chose Mr. Bungle, I couldn't've been less surprised.
Really dug our conversation.
Hope you check it.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro video. They are samples from a track called, "Something About Us," which I've lifted from Daft Punk's 2001 record, Discovery (c/o Warner Music France/ADA France, (patent symbol) 2001 Daft Life Ltd.).
Sammy Sanchez is a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a bartender, and a music aficionado in the truest sense of the word.
Having recorded Episode #30 with his father, Cesar, I was pleased as punch to get to sit down with a member of the next generation, and wax both tunes and philosophical.
Sammy selected Small Change (1976) by Tom Waits, Pink Floyd's Animals from a year later, and LCD Soundsystem's 2010 release, This is Happening, and boy were they a treat to discuss with him.
Being in the presence of two amazing humans such as Sammy and his father were blessings, to be sure, and -- even though Cesar tipped me off that his boy knows a ton about music -- I was blown away at today's guest's knowledge and attention to detail.
Sammy is the kind of dude the world needs more of right now, and -- until we have that -- I think we really just need to root for the ones we do have and know about.
So, even though I know he's destined for a life of greatness and joy, I'm pulling for him, nonetheless. He's got a bright future ahead of him, and -- if I play my cards right -- maybe we'll sit down together again sometime soon.
Thank you for giving our conversation a listen.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called, "No Way" off of David Gilmour's solo, self-titled debut from 1978 (c/o David Gilmour Music LTD. under exclusive license to SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT).
Andrew LeRoy is a son, a brother, a husband, a father three times over, an attorney, and an all-around good dude. He hosts a mean trivia night and calls a decent game of hoops, both from the same stage, nonetheless.
But before I get ahead of myself, I need to be serious for a moment.
Shortly after we started recording, I discovered that the guest of Episode #43 was on the phone with the late Tom Pickert when he was murdered five years ago in front of his home in my neighborhood. Tom was a married man and a father of two (one of his sons was in my daughter's elementary-school class) who was shot in the back of the head by a coward, and -- if things continue to trend in the way that they are -- that sorry excuse for a human being will ultimately die behind bars.
That last fact obviously doesn't bring Tom back to life or heal the wounds felt by his friends and loved ones, but it helps knowing that -- at least in one instance -- true punishment for acts of senseless gun violence can exist in the world.
I hope that those closest to Mr. Pickert have stepped beyond the trailhead of the healing path, and are able to conjure fond memories of him when they desire.
I'm grateful for Andrew being so generous of his time, though, and it was super-fun to sit with him and discuss a handful of his favorite records. They are these:
Kind of Blue, Miles Davis (1959)
Run DMC's Raising Hell (1986)
Paul's Boutique, Beastie Boys (1989)
Green Day's Dookie (1994)
Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
Please check out our conversation and -- as you navigate the world this holiday season -- please be nice to people. You never know what they might be going through at the time.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called, "Intro" by xx, which is the leadoff cut from their 2009 record, The xx (c/o Young/XL Recordings Ltd).
Kadesh Flow is a son and an MC and a trombonist and a fantastic human being who was kind enough to sit with me for a spell so that he could share a bit about both himself and a few of his favorite records.
We touched on the following:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John (1973)
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco (2006)
Trombone Shorty's Backatown (2010)
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West (2010)
Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
If you wanna learn more about Kadesh, you should Google him. He's on the socials, he's got a Bandcamp, and a YouTube page. Find out where he's gigging with one of his many outfits. Buy/stream some of his music. Get yourself some merch'.
Seriously. It was righteous to see him on stage and a treat to have him in the chair, so please check out our conversation.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called "Who Are You?" off of Karl Denson's Dance Lesson, No. 2 album (2001), c/o Blue Note Records.
Tara Davis is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, a business owner, a hostess, an aunt, a fashionista, a friend, and one heck of a next-door neighbor.
Tara's three super-fantastic daughters and her super-dope husband make for quite the clan on the other side of the fence, and our collective families have compiled some fun memories over the last six or seven years. And even though their plates are pretty dang full, both dad and mom have made the time to come do an episode of the podcast with me, leaving me feeling pretty darn grateful.
I've eaten at their Thanksgiving Day table, co-hosted (and attended) school functions with them, camped, had drinks around both their island and their fire pit, and watched our kids do gift exchanges, but having both Tara and Kyle (Episode #20, 6/14/22) do their own episodes of Badass Records Podcast really afforded me the opportunity to hang with them and get to know their stories.
And what fun it was learning about Tara's. We talked a little bit about her musical journey (and what a ham and a cornball she's been along the way), and came to the conclusion that Coldplay's Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) was such a pivotal record for her.
All considered, I couldn't be more pleased to be dropping a tFarley (Note: Check her out on the 'Gram!) episode on Thanksgiving Day. As she herself said, it was "meant to be."
And you, my friends, are meant to be checking out our conversation, so thanks for being here, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of yours.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune called "Lucy" by The Dining Rooms, and this track is from their 2001 record, Numero Deux (c/o Milano 2000).
Tomaski is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a businessman, and a friend of a friend that agreed to come sit in a virtual stranger's basement for a couple of hours to discuss music, and I can't thank him enough for doing so.
We talked about some of his worldly travels, his love of Brazilian culture, and of course, a few of his favorite records. They are the following:
Caetano Veloso's Transa (1972)
Babylon By Bus, Bob Marley & The Wailers (1978)
Metallica's Master of Puppets (1986)
Skid Row, Skid Row (1989)
The Cure's Disintegration (1989)
Achtung Baby, U2 (1991)
Check Your Head, Beastie Boys (1992)
Baile das Formigas, Noites Do Norte (2015)
Please consider giving our conversation a view or a listen, and please let the B.R.P. know if you (or someone you know) would like to be a guest on an episode. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They are samples from, "Walking, Running, Viking" by Benevento/Russo Duo, which comes from their 2006 record, Play Pause Stop (c/o Royal Potato Family).
Jake Truelove is a son, a brother, a partner, a father, a business owner, and a tried-and-true fan of the greatest rock-and-roll band in American history.
I was pleased as punch to get Jake in the chair for Episode #39 of Badass Records Podcast, and we were able to mix it up over not only his favorite Phish album, Live in Brooklyn (2006), but also his current love, Goose.
I've known Jake for most of a decade and he's a go-getter that knows what he wants, and makes no bones about the way in which he gets there.
He's the third fan of the Denver Broncos Football Club that I've had on as a guest, and -- thankfully -- it's all bad-punchline jokes for that AFC West franchise this season. And here in the heartland, we of course hope that that trend continues.
I'm glad you're here reading these words, and since you've come this far, please consider doing me a solid and give our conversation a listen or a view. When this drops, we'll be 10 days into November, which I think is deep enough into the calendar year to officially call this the holiday season. To that end, I hope that the coming weeks find you hanging with friends and loved ones whose company you enjoy.
Cheers to you and yours, and consider being kind to strangers as we start the journey toward 2023.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips taken from a tune called, "A Go Go," which is the title track from a 1998 John Scofield record (c/o The Verve Music Group, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) that features Medeski Martin & Wood. That last phrase should be enough information to let you know that A Go Go is, in fact, a badass record.
John Ingle, a.k.a. "Jingle," (or, Son of Bingle) sacrificed a portion of one of his recent Saturdays and sat with me in the Badass Records Podcast studio for a hot minute to chat about his upbringing, his creative endeavors, and a few of his favorite records.
John's one of the smartest guys I know. His archived level of detail, intellect, and understanding go way beyond my comprehension, and for those (among other) reasons, I consider it an honor and a privilege that we got to chew the fat for a few hours.
When he's not writing screenplay scripts at the local coffee shop or kicking it with his son, Archer, John can likely be found taking in some playoff baseball or revisiting one of his favorite cinematic relics.
During Episode #38, we talked about John Coltrane's Giant Steps (1960), Double Nickels on the Dime (1984) by Minutemen, and The Low End Theory (1991) by A Tribe Called Quest.
Our conversation was not "short and sweet," like that one Bob Dylan wrote about in "You're a Big Girl Now." Instead, it was quasi-lengthy and educational. It was also good fun. Hope you'll check it out.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They are samples taken from a track called "Syeeda's Song Flute" that Medeski Martin & Wood included for their 1993 record, It's a Jungle in Here (c/o Rykodisc Inc.), and even though that particular track's a Coltrane cover from the very album Mr. Ingle selected, it's featured on one of the undisputed badassest records of all time. If you don't have it in your library, please remedy that today. It'll set ya' free.
Jeff Shifley carved out some time from his busy schedule to come kick it with me of noon on a Sunday. We enjoyed a couple of beverages and attempted to dissect a few of his favorite albums: Jane's Addiction's Ritual de lo Habitual (1991), Phish's Hoist (1994), and one of the most badass records of all time, Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin (1975).
In addition to sharing our novice-like expertise on a truly fantastic trio of releases, we also talked about work and parenthood and growing up and the weird thing that is this world we live in today.
It was a really great time, and I couldn't be more pleased that we found a window on the calendar to bullshit and just be a pair of duderinos.
When Jeff's not busy parenting or husbanding or slingin' brown paper bags, you can probably find him on the diamond or on the court wearing his coaching hat.
He's a hell of a guy. I do hope you'll check out our chat.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the inro/outro audio clips. They are samples taken from a tune called "Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)," which is off of the new (April) Kurt Vile album, watch my moves, which you can (and should) stream or buy in one of all of the places in which one does such things. Said track, by the way, comes to you and I courtesy of Verve Records, c/o overnite kv incorporated, under exclusive license to Verve Label Group, a division of UMG Recordings. Whew! Didja' catch all that? 'Cause it was kind of a lot.
Mike Beck is one of the greatest guys I know.
He has led a humble, hard-working life. He carries many a kind notion in his soul, and has invoked more laughter in others than one could possibly calculate.
He's a son that made his parents proud, a funny brother, a loving husband, a caring father, and a fantastic dude to have as an uncle.
Although he was admittedly nervous, Mike made the trek from Lee's Summit to sit with me and kick around a few details about his list of badass records, and we did so for Episode #36. Mike picked Led Zeppelin II (1969), Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's Deja Vu (1970), Moondance (1970) by Van Morrison, 1973's Yessongs, and Rumors (1977) by Fleetwood Mac.
In addition, we discussed retirement and bucket lists and parenthood and family and holiday traditions and music festivals, as well as a couple of other things I'm probably forgetting.
So, please check out our chat, and please take Mike's community-curated Spotify playlist out for a spin. I know it was a project he enjoyed, and he'd really enjoy you enjoying it, too.
Anyhoo...that's all for now. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a track called "I've Been Working," which I lifted from Van Morrison's 1970 album entitled, His Band and the Street Choir (c/o Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company).
Bryce Gilman.
What a piece of shit. Dude's more than a few sandwiches shy...
Oh, my God. Relax. It's jokes.
I love this dude like the kid brother I never had, only I give thanks every night to the man upstairs that this guy wasn't actually my younger sibling. 'Cause...fuuuuuck that. What a pain in the dick.
Anyhoo...Bryce fucking Gilman. Junior...Bee Gee...dipstick...so many possibilities.
What a guy, though. He's...so many things...son, brother, father, part-time co-parent, successful professional, Cross Fit junky, closeted homosexual...
I mean...that last detail was a shortish-lived inside joke that originated and remains in poor taste, but...when you walk around like Atlas, you're gonna get the occasional globe thrown in your face.
Regardless, to say that I felt honored to have Mr. Gilman join me for Episode no. 35 would be an understatement. Bryce is like family, and since he has his own demanding family, scoring some time with him in the chair was nothing shy of a treat.
He picked a Flaming Lips record, and -- while initial polls closed with said selection being "pretty gay" -- it turned out to be a fascinating choice. And they turned out to be a super-intriguing band. They really did. Really envelope-pushing and innovative and impressive.
So, please consider giving our chat a watch or a listen. We kicked around siblingdom, parenthood, partying in our youth, concerts, the pursuit of happiness (which may or may not include the occasional waft of kindness), and of course At War with the Mystics (2006). It was a joy to have him. It was fun to focus on just one record for a change, and maybe one day I'll get him in the chair again to discuss another one. And who knows, maybe next time he'll get a babysitter.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a tune called, "Uknowmylife" off of Greyboy's 1997 record entitled Mastered the Art (c/o Ubiquity Recordings Inc.).
Louis Pagan is a doctor, a microbiologist, an astrophysicist, and a neurosurgeon.
I'm kidding, but he's that kinda smart where you wonder if the dumb noises coming out of your word hole when you're talking to him are landing in his ears as actual words, or just, like...the sound of dumping your recycling into the garage bin.
In truth, he's a son, a brother, an uncle, a musician, a producer, and a sound engineer. Oh, and he runs marathons, too, in case you weren't already feeling shitty about yourself.
All jokes aside, Louis kicked it with me for an hour or so for Episode #34, and we attempted to dissect Chevelle's This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) from 2004, Tool's 10,000 Days from 2006, and a record called The Great Misdirect, released in 2009 by Between the Buried and Me.
When he's not running or rehearsing or gigging, Louis can perhaps be found doing the profesh thing at Chapter 2 Recording Studio.
'Twas indeed a treat having him and chewing the fat about music, his parents and family, the industry, and much more.
Check out his Red Finton stuff, and keep an eye out for his upcoming release, Karate at the Mall, as well as a few other treats over at his Web site, lpaudioproducer.com.
Thanks for stopping by. Please share with a friend.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from kind of a shitty tune from kind of a shitty record by the best rock band in American history. You know 'em as Phish. Said shitty track is called "Seven Below"; album's from 2002 and called Round Room (c/o Elektra Entertainment Group, Inc. Marketed by Rhino).
Phish. When even your shittiest album can sneak onto the Badass Records Podcast.
When I told my good buddy in Maine that I was preparing to do a Badass Records Podcast episode with Adam Wilke, he asked me to let him know when it dropped as he'd always considered today's guest as something of an "exotic mystery," and when I heard that, I thought he'd nailed it. Or at least I could see how someone who'd only met him once would say that.
Now, though...things're different.
Now, I've had Adam Wilke in the chair, and -- I gotta tell ya' -- I consider myself a lucky dude for having had this opportunity.
I've always wondered if and when jazz would work its way into my life, and were it to, would it stay. I still swim around in that same lake of curiosity, but I feel closer to it now. Its depths seem less unknown, its waters once murkier. I feel compelled to depart from the single-Sonos-in-the-kitchen situation, to return to the exploration of a household sound system. The notion of filling multiple rooms with jazz rattles around in my brain, suggests the added perk of education.
Anyway, Episode #33 -- or as I like to call it, The Zdeno Chara episode -- was really fun.
Adam's had a fascinating go of things, and once you've had a listen, I think you'll agree: We gotta get this guy giggin' again!
But before I get ahead of myself, it's important to own the fuck-ups, first. Long story short, a camera crapped out on me (again), and I skipped one of my guest's records (again). And I had to figure out a way to be okay with it so that the show could -- as they say -- go on. So, that's what I'm doing.
I hope I've figured out a way to avoid SD cards frying out on me for now, and I need to be a little more careful with my preparation approach, but even if I iron out those wrinkles, I'm certain to make errors in other ways down the road. It's an imperfect thing, this process, when you're the one doing it all. And none of those goofs or gaffes make the thing any less fun or cool (to me), so...gotta roll with it.
Adam and I examined the following records, though:
Ellington at Newport (1956)
Monk Plays Ellington (1956)
Full House (1962) by Wes Montgomery
Grant Green's Idle Moments (1965)
Sinatra at the Sands featuring The Count Basie Orchestra (1966)
Miles by the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1957)
Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1958)
Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1960)
Miles Smiles, the Miles Davis Quintet (1967)
B.B. King's Live at the Regal (1965) was part of the gig, too, but I accidentally overlooked it in transferring Adam's list from one place to another to another. I'm checkin' it out now, though, and you should, too. He also said he'd been into anything by Charlie Parker, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, and Tito Puente, so I dug in to Jam Session (1952), Feelin' Red (1979), The Real McCoy (1967), and 1957's Night Beat, respectively, so that we could chew the fat on those cats for a second or two.
This was such good fun, though. I hope you find it enjoyable, too. If you'd like to join for an episode or you know someone that'd be a good fit, please reach out via comment, e-mail, D.M., text, phone call. Whatever works. Whether you acknowledge it or not, the world deserves to hear your story. And theirs, too.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a tune called, "The Browns at Home" by The Greyboy Allstars from their 1994 record called West Coast Boogaloo (c/o Knowledge Room Recordings).
I got to hang out with Josh Dubois and record Episode #32 of Badass Records Podcast at the same time, which --
Ya' heard?
We chatted Car Seat Headrest and Beastie Boys and parenthood and hip-hop and film production and documentaries and how good life is and can be and man...it was fun.
Things like Killer Mike and restored Pontiacs and match.com might've come up, too. As did some serious all-around knowledge from this cat I barely know.
Cliche, sure, but I feel blessed to've tip-toed my way to two and-a-half dozen of these so far, and -- to be truthful -- I wake up every day hopeful that the ride will continue.
So, if you're into doing things that're both relatively helpful for another human and potentially entertaining for you, please do me two (Note: I know. I'm a tool. Sorry.) favors and give both https://www.mayonnaisecommercial.com/ and this conversation with Josh a visit. There're no prizes, but maybe you feel better. Maybe you feel like creating. I dunno.
Anyway, Josh deserved more credit than I gave him for his feature-length film debut happening at the beginning of October at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, KS here in a couple weeks. Super, super cool. I'm very happy for him and proud to know a human having an accolade sprinkled in to their life.
And, oh, that fatherhood sash with that girl-dad badge sewn on it. Not sure it gets any better than that.
copyright disclaimer. I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are both clips from a Beck song called, "Emergency Exit" off of his 2011 record called, Guero (c/o Geffen Records).
It's Episode #31, and I couldn't possibly be more stoked to write that the first return guest to Badass Records is none other than the esteemed Josh George, who helped break in the set with Episode #2, which was one helluva conversation if you happened to miss it. In that episode from six months ago, we talked parenting and family roots, and being in the game. We also spent some time looking in to Outkast and Eminem, just to name a couple.
This go-'round, however, Rage Against the Machine and Run the Jewels were our topics of choice, but we also revisited raising kids and -- somehow -- we leaned a little in the social and political directions, too. Nothing too too scary, but an envelope or two might've been delicately pushed.
Anyway, it's a weird time to be alive; we're not in the food chain, but a lot of folks have a platform, and the division of wealth has perhaps never been so palpable.
So, if you're reading this, I have two asks: please share this episode with a friend once you've consumed it, but more importantly -- do something nice for someone today. A donation, a compliment, a simple hello. Nothing major, but once it's done, sit with how it felt for two seconds. Maybe you like it. Maybe you'll consider doing it again.
Anyway, Josh is a treat of a guest, and he's near the top of the list when I think about with whom I'd like to talk hip-hop. So check out his episodes and if you think of someone who's got a great life story (Hint: We all do.) and that someone happens to like music even a little bit, please drop me a line at badassrecordspodcast over on the gmails. I thoroughly enjoy these chats with people that are in sort of one bubble of mine or another, but I envision that stepping outside of those networks would be cool, too.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from a track called "Run On," which comes from Moby's 2000 release, Play (c/o Little Idiot). It's a badass record, and you should go stream it now. Or next Tuesday. Or in May. Whatever seems proper.
Everyone that has sat across the table from me for an episode of Badass Records Podcast is a remarkable human being in his or her own way. Some have been even-keel while others have been hilarious. Some have been creators or artists at points in their lives, and some of them still are. Some have been shy and/or lulling, while others likely had more to say than time would allow. No two guests are alike, though, and Cesar (pronounced SAY-czar) Sanchez might be the most joyous human I've interviewed to date.
The contents of our conversation for Episode #30 tell an amazing (to me) story of love and strength and challenge and fortitude and sated flavor of happiness in life, so I'm excited for you to give it either a listen or a watch.
Thanks to Cesar, I learned a good bit about merengue and the king of that genre, Juan Luis Guerra, as well. This guy hails from the Dominican Republic and has had a really impressive career. Cesar chose two of his albums: the 1989 release Ojala Que Llueva Cafe (I Hope It Rains Coffee), and his record from the following year, Bachata Rosa. He also tabbed Fleetwood Mac's Rumors (1977), and mentioned a few other of his American faves, but -- in all honesty -- I think we could've discussed all 14 Guerra albums for even longer than we chatted about his three overall selections.
I'm pretty pumped to be 30 episodes deep, and remain excited to have a few more on the books. This has been a super-fun experience, and a learning mechanism in more ways than I can list, but -- truth be told -- I'd love to have you (or that friend you know that'd be perfect for it) do one with me, too.
So, if you wanna chew the fat with me about your life and your favorite music, hit that e-mail field on the Web site or comment on one of the social-media platforms. Or D.M. me. Or call or text if you have my number. These conversations are fun and healthy and you should have one with me, too.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a song called "Morse" by Nightmares on Wax, and I poached it from their 1999 record, Carboot Soul (c/o Warp Records Limited).
Long-time good friend Bill Mauch graced my presence for this week's episode, and we had a grand, ol' time talking Metallica, roasting Russell Wilson, and exploring everything from Iowa to family to high-school biology class.
Bill shares his living space with one of the most amazing crews in town, and I can't thank him enough for making the time to come hang on a busy Saturday.
We go back to the late '80s, are in touch via text regularly, and yet somehow I never knew that he had an affinity for country music that's maybe even bigger than his love of the metal kings's self-titled/black album.
And what a badass record it is.
Unrelated, this has been a tough week of mental-health sledding and, as a result I found myself down a TikTok rabbit hole that led me to the Hulu program, Normal People. I'm almost 24 hours removed from binging the lone season, and -- while I'm still unsure if it helped or hurt -- I can't recommend it enough. I know. It's two years old. I don't watch much television. Seriously, though. Amazing show.
Anyhoo, Episode #29 of this podcast was good fun, and I hope you're already giving it a whirl as you read this.
Cheers, everyone.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They're excerpted from a song called, "Quiet Please," which I've plucked from the 1998 record Galactic put out called Crazyhorse Mongoose (c/o Volcano Entertainment, III).
You know that line in The Green Mile? The one in which Eduard Delacroix -- after stepping out of his cell to walk to his impending death -- tells Brutal, Paul, Dean, and Harry that he wishes he "coulda met you guys somewheres else"?
That's kinda how I feel about Kenton Campbell, which is not to say I'm not grateful for knowing him at all; I am. I just think that -- perhaps under different circumstances, perhaps had a couple of zigs been zags instead -- we mighta been good buddies. Who knows. Maybe we'd even occasionally hoop together.
I say all that to say this: Mr. Campbell didn't owe me a shingle's worth o' shit, but he took time out of his busy schedule regardless, and he swung by for Episode #28 of the Badass Records Podcast, and I'm super-stoked that he did.
I suspected that -- were he to commit to doing an episode -- his selections might include a curve ball or two. I wasn't wrong and I wasn't disappointed.
We discussed Lil' Wayne's Tha Carter II (2005), DMX's Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998), Master P's Ghetto D (1997), Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), and Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), and all five were a true treat to dissect with Kenton.
We also talked about parenting and housing and language and life. We briefly visited basketball and culture, and family and what life might be like in the recording industry, and all of it was great fun.
I could bore you with a dozen more details about how I'm blessed that folks -- amongst and within all of the hiccups and rejection -- continue to say, Yes, to be a part of this endeavor, but I'll spare you them.
It's been about a half a year since this thing went live, and I still have faith that the universe is allowing for it to happen because it exists as tiny doses of good stock in humanity. To that end, if you enjoy this conversation (or any others you may've stumbled across), please consider sharing with a friend.
Thank you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio samples. They are clips from a tune called "Got Messed Up" off of R.L. Burnside's 2000 record, Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down (c/o Fat Possum Records), which I can assure you is an essential album from the library of badass records.
Dan Gedman might be the smartest dude I've ever had a sit-down conversation with, and he certainly has the deepest voice of any I can recall, which is a batshit combo if you're in to running metrics on how stupid you think you might be.
Whew.
What a chat, though. I've never gone into an interview thinking I'll be less prepared than my guest, but never did I imagine feeling dumber and less knowledgable than a guest who didn't prepare at all! Yyyikes.
Anyway, Dan is a really awesome dude. He just is. I hate to distill it down to that, but -- if we're being honest -- that's all any guy wants...is to be known and remembered as an awesome dude.
Now, I'm obviously not married to Dan, and I'm not his business partner, but he has always been the nicest guy I run across. He's an A+ host with fine-tuned hospitality skills. He's a funny fellow, and -- well -- goddamn it if he doesn't know the shit out of his music.
Christ.
Dan's a son and a brother and a husband and a father to three and a business partner and a music-savvy cat, but he's also just...he's doing it right. I think. You know...from the outsider standpoint.
He runs this thing called Liquid9. I'm still not sure what they do. They might traffic Russian mail-order brides (Note: Joke! It's a joke! Take it easy...), but I think they produce music videos, among other sleek, industry kinds of things.
Regardless, Dan's for sure a have-back.
I felt humbled having him on, and -- while we covered a few records -- there're for sure more where that came from, and I'm legit' excited about what our next visit might look like. The ones we touched on today include the following:
Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan (1975)
Outlandos d'Amour, The Police (1978)
Tim, The Replacements (1985)
Copper Blue, Sugar (1992)
Midnight Marauders, A Tribe Called Quest (1993)
Illmatic, Nas (1994)
Heartbreaker, Ryan Adams (2000)
Is This It, The Strokes (2001)
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Bright Eyes (2003)
Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River (2005)
I'd be pleased as punch if you gave this conversation a listen. They don't get much better.
One final note: I fuck up a lot on this thing.
A lot.
It's hard to focus on the questions and listen to the answers and keep the thing moving and be aware of the time and of every thing you have said on every other episode.
Point being, I used to scoff like a little punk at podcasters for such things. And to hopefully make up for that, I want to point out my mistakes when I become aware of them. In this case, Dan wasn't the first guest with biological parents that're both still alive and together. Jason (episode #1) was, but...that was six months ago, and I'm an aging human.
I'm far from perfect. Really far. If you know that and listen anyway, praise be to ye.
Blessings.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio samples. They are both clips from "Next to You," by Poolside, off of their 2012 release called, Pacific Standard Time (c/o themselves).
Lisa Hill is one of my favorite human beings.
I really mean that, and because this is true, it pains me to say that technical difficulties occurred during her interview; her camera wound up having its SD card go haywire.
So...the majority of her video was never accessible for upload. Not sure how the opening third of that content made it safely to the other side and the latter portions didn't, but what's done is done.
I'm pleased that we were able to capture her lovely mug whilst discussing family and life, and I also had the wild idea to drop a bunch of pertinent stills into the software where footage of her should be, so who knows. Maybe that's a new thing I try to incorporate for future episodes.
Anyway, getting Lisa's butt in the chair flirted with harassment, so I'm beyond grateful that she not only ultimately committed, but showed up, and -- I'm pretty sure -- had a pretty good time during our conversation.
Lisa and I logged a few hours under the same service-industry roof a half a lifetime ago, and she was one of my favorite people then, too. In fact, I'd posit most of our co-workers would agree.
Many are the times when I find myself blessed in affirmation of this notion that you should -- essentially -- be nice to people because you never know what they might have going on. Lisa has had a fascinating ride since we last collected a paycheck from the same employer, and the pandemic bubble that might be in all of our rearviews proved no different.
We talked a little bit about family and life and work and -- believe it or not -- we made our way down an alley of the musical avenue as well. She tabbed Beastie Boys's Paul's Boutique (1989) Depeche Mode's Violator (1990), Sinead O'Connor's (She now goes by Shuhada Sadaqat.) Universal Mother (1994), and Keep It Like a Secret (1997) by Built to Spill as her badass records.
It was a pleasure having her join me for episode #26, and maybe one day she'll join me again for another chat.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They come from the title track of Budapest Eskimos, a 2006 record (c/o Mole Listening Pearls) by The Lushlife Project.
Jason Fetters is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and a gosh-darn, hard-workin' fellow that's been in some form (or other) of a leadership role for the last 20 years.
My guest for Episode #25 of Badass Records Podcast will be the first to trash you, to Photoshop an eggplant emoji onto a picture of your face, and to blindside check you while you search for your family at Oceans of Fun. He'll do all of those things, but he'll also have your back when you need him to.
I've never known a Northlanders (Editor's Note: For non-Kansas City folks, there's a special breed of humans that -- for one reason or other -- have chosen to make their dwelling place on the wrong side of the Missouri River; it's creepy and backwards up there, and that's just the kindling for that dumpster fire.), to be so stylish, so suave, and so punctual, but Mr. Fetters is all of those things and more.
He pointed his unnecessarily large truck in the proper direction and landed in my driveway to talk Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Chiefs football, his pipe dream, and much more. I had to leave my eight-year-old son in charge of the house whilst we spoke, so if you'd do me a solid and give this thing a view or a listen, I'd appreciate it.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They are both from a track called "Sagittarius by Moonlight," by The Olympians. It's the closer to their self-titled 2016 record (c/o Daptone Records), which ranks high on the charts of badassery. You know...if you're into that kinda thing.
Eric Barkley is a son, a brother, a father, a lifelong chef, a one-time lover of baseball, and a guy who'd rather be nowhere else than casting his line in the lake.
I was lucky enough to steal some time away from the chef, and he swung by of an evening so that we could talk R.E.M., Metallica, and Tool for Episode #24 of Badass Records Podcast.
Eric was kind enough to walk us through his service-industry education and experience, and if you stick around for the end of our conversation, you'll find a nugget or two regarding gear for trout and bass fishing.
As part of our musically based chat, though, I learned some cool things about Maynard James Keenan and his primary outfit. Fascinating guy. And so is Chef Barkley. I learned some cool things about him, too.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are both samples from a track called, “Marching into the Hate Machines (Into the Sun),” which comes from the 2005 Thievery Corporation release entitled The Cosmic Game (c/o ESL Music, Inc.) and features The Flaming Lips.
George Clarke is a son, a brother, a father, and the General Manager for Charlie Hooper’s Bar & Grille.
I once had the pleasure of cheffing for George at another neighborhood location, and that short-lived stint forged a friendship that has managed to last a decade (and counting).
George -- like many of his service-industry counterparts -- puts in long hours, and so the fact that he went out of his way to not ignore all of my annoying text messages and eventually committed to a date and time (and showed up!) did not go unnoticed in the least.
We talked a little bit about seeing concerts across many years and listening to music in our youth, and we may’ve also touched on the occasional difficulties of shaving layers of the party life off of the quasi-expected professionalism of a restaurateur. As my guest for Episode #23, George had tabbed 311’s self-titled record, Pearl Jam’s Ten (both 1991), and A Live One by Phish (1995), all three of which were good fun to mildly dissect.
A hang with the GeoClarke is all but a guaranteed good time, and this Badass Records Podcast chat was no exception. If you enjoy(ed) it, please consider sharing with a friend.
Cheers.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are both samples from a track called, “El Gaucho Rojo,” which comes from the 2000 release entitled Muy Divertido! by Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos (c/o Musica Tropical).
Christian Joseph dropped by the Badass Records Podcast studio for episode #22, and we discussed his affinity for skin ink, motorcycles, music, and the life of a restaurateur.
The man with more middle names than you have professed his love specifically for Morrison Hotel (1970) by The Doors, Guns 'N' Roses's Appetite for Destruction (1987), and White Pony (2003) by Deftones, but that wasn't all we discussed.
We talked about live music, professional endeavors, and the challenges that being a family member can sometimes present.
Christian is a son, a brother, a father, and the owner of Plate Restaurant Group. He and I go back about eight or nine years, and have seldom passed up an opportunity to crack wise with one another. I couldn't be more grateful than to be gifted the time of such a busy individual who came by my place to bullshit for a couple of hours. It was truly a blast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They are from "The Fat Boy Goes to the Cinema," and "Get Some Money to Her" off of Albumen (1996) by The Egg, c/o Indochina.
Brad Buckner is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a retired kindergarten teacher, and a lifelong musician that fancies -- among many other things -- the kick drum of the late John Bonham, and the cymbal work of the deceased Neil Peart (R.i.P. in peace to both of those unequivocal legends).
Double 'B' dropped by in a virtual-stranger sense and kicked it with me for episode #21, and we chatted about Led Zeppelin's first record, Rush's Moving Pictures, and Axis: Bold as Love by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. And, boy was it a good time.
Mr. Buckner is the foothold of a couple of local KC music outfits, KC Green and Tiki Brawlers. You can keep up with both bands via their respective Facebook pages, and check out the Brawlers' stuff on YouTube.
Please consider giving this episode of Badass Records a listen or a view, and if you happen to dig it, please tell a friend. Thank you for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro videos. They are samples from two tracks off of Liquid Soul's 1996 self-titled debut, "Equinox," and "What a Story," respectively (c/o Music from Mars).
Kyle Davis is a son, a brother, a husband, a father to three adorable daughters, and the co-proprietor of Cicada Co., a design-and-build company.
Kyle was kind enough to give of his super-busy schedule and come sit with me for episode #20 of Badass Records Podcast. He chose Radiohead's In Rainbows (2007) as his musical selection, but we didn't limit our conversation to just that record.
The Cicada crew's fine, fine work is visible on the Web (cicadaco.com) and evidence of their fantastic work can be found on the 'Gram at @cicada_co.
A single father of two couldn't ask for better neighbors, and -- were they not corner-lot dwellers -- I'm sure the folks on the other side of their home would say the same thing.
Please consider giving our episode a view or a listen, and if you dig it, please tell a friend. And above all, please remember to be a good neighbor.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from "Is There Anybody Here That Loves My Jesus" and "Jelly Belly," both of which are from Shack-Man (1996), c/o Gramavision, Inc.
Jordan Gooch is a daughter, a sister, and a dog mom.
We met in the service industry around a decade and change ago back when I was a first-time new dad and she was feeling her way through the post-high-school/early-college years. We would -- on occasion -- cross paths behind the restaurant and swap stories about life and music over cigarettes, so I knew that once I got this project off the ground, she would be a good candidate for an episode.
It took a handful of tries to get Jordan in the room, but from jump street, her selection for what wound up being episode #19 was Circa Survive's On Letting Go.
Spiders and tornadoes kept her up most of the night before we recorded, but she rallied, showed up, and did a C- job of pretending like she wasn't going to fall asleep across the duration of our chat.
So, shouts out to her, and shouts out to you if you happen to give our conversation a listen or a view. And a lil' extra something for you if you tell a friend.
Thanks for stopping by the Badass Records Podcast.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are clips from "Sagittarius by Moonlight," by The Olympians from their self-titled 2016 release, c/o Daptone Records, and Ween's "Bananas and Blow" from the 2018 record of the same name (c/o Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group), respectively.
Shawn Damm is a son, a brother, a husband, a proud father of two, and an all-around righteous dude.
He's written more return addresses in the top-left corners of envelopes than he can literally remember, and unless you wanna be told to go fly a kite, don't tell him what to do.
Mr. Damm was kind enough to join me for a fantastic conversation about life and love and children and music. We had a couple cold ones, cracked a lot o' wise, and tried to burn the place to the ground.
Movies came up, and books were discussed. Cars and jobs were touched on. We examined college failures and discovered our love of Too $hort was mutual.
As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what we didn't cover.
Eventually we got around to Shawn's selection for this episode (#18), which was Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut from 1991, and it was fun to re-discover what a banger that record was.
Please give our chat a listen or a view, and if you're feeling intimidated by the episode length, take comfort in the fact that I cut out the first 50 minutes just for you. 'Cause I'm a thoughtful podcast host like that.
Anyway, please tell your friends about Badass Records, and please send any potential interview candidates that come to mind my way.
Thank you, and have a pleasant tomorrow.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from "Mercury's Odyssey," by The Olympians from their self-titled, 2016 album, c/o Daptone Records.
Dave Tschirhart is a son, a brother, a father, a husband, a lover of music and tattoos, and he is also the proprietor of Blue Valley Tree & Outdoors.
He's a friendly, knowledgable dude, that was pretty pumped to come do an episode of Badass Records Podcast with me, and his selections did not disappoint.
Please have a view on YouTube (channel link in bio) or a listen via the Web site -- badassrecordspodcast.com -- and perhaps you'll enjoy us talking AC/DC Back in Black and Def Leppard Pyromania enough to tell a friend.
Thanks for stopping by.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio samples. They are clips from Morcheeba's, "The Great London Traffic Warden Massacre" off of their 2002 release entitled Charango, c/o China Records, LTD.
Joe Strobl joined Badass Records Podcast for episode #16, and I'm not sure what we didn't cover: being engaged, smoking briskets, Anthony Bourdain, pro wrestling, Wakarusa, high school, family, Chiefs season tickets, collecting vinyl, Bruce Springsteen, Swedish visas (or the lack thereof).
You know. The typical Tuesday-evening fodder.
Joe chose My Morning Jacket's Z, The '59 Sound by Gaslight Anthem, and everybody's favorite Wilco record, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, as his initial dabbles into records of badassery.
Early in our conversation I called Joe, "something of a unicorn," and later supposed that perhaps he was striped. He said it was a testament to his family going through stuff together and having that bring them close together. That sentiment hasn't left me since and I don't imagine it ever will.
I barely know Joe. He's a friend of my youngest younger sister and we've only really seen each other at gatherings for a number of years. He's always been a sweetheart in my mind, though, and the kind of human he has always struck me as being now resonates as certain truth, and I can't help but tie that to his upbringing. It in fact makes me hopeful that I am perhaps a little ways down the path to raising quality people that will always have a good relationship with their family and always be kind to those that they meet while out in the world.
Joe owed me nothing, but he gave of his time, nonetheless.
He took from the busy vault that is his soon-to-be-married life, and drove to my house to talk music for the better part of three hours, and for that I am grateful. When I really decided to roll with this project, I had an undecipherable feeling pushing me forward and I think that that feeling was this notion that talking to one another face to face about our lives and the twists and turns in them carries with it a good bit of worldly medicine. And I think a good bit of worldly medicine has felt something along the lines of necessary for the past 26 months, if not the last six years.
So, that's the unconscious impetus here, I guess; the ingredients and the steps for doing a cool thing exist, and if it's potentially mutually beneficial, why not do it.
Someone told me a couple of months ago that this project is "a brilliant idea and the world needs more music love and such if it's ever going to heal and thrive, again. I know you can make this something truly great and you are well on your way."
I don't know how much of that is true, but I hope all of it is. I love that sentiment and love the person that delivered it.
I also love Joe Strobl for hanging out with me and being a part of whatever mix this is.
"Thanks for stopping by. And, please: Enjoy yourself."
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from Kurt Vile's "Wedding Budz" off of his It's a Big World Out There (And I Am Scared) EP from 2013, c/o Matador Records. You should get you some Wakin On a Pretty Daze (Deluxe Daze [Post Haze]) stat. It's good for the soul.
Bet.
What is there that I could possibly say about this human being?
It's a lengthy list, actually, and I know how we're all doing with attention spans these days. And that's fine. I know that -- if you care -- you'll read it, and if you don't, you won't. No big deal.
I don't, um, mean to shun any of the previous guests of Badass Records Podcast, because they've all been super-fantastic. They really have.
I've had my eye on this particular calendar date, though, and I feel really grateful that this conversation happened and did so with a quote/unquote timeliness as it pertains to the go-live launch date of this project, and that's because the nuts and bolts of this thing involve and require an investment to not only give time, but to be personal and honestish and vulnerable. And when the person you've known longer than most anyone on the planet agrees to sit down with you, you wanna do them right.
Relationships are kinda like jobs. You gotta show up, clock in, and put in your 40 per week. At the very least. Or else the job essentially ends, right? And sometimes we take relationships for granted, and sometimes the fact that we've done just that (whether we realize it or not) does an unidentifiable bit of damage to the living, breathing thing that is the relationship. And sometimes we nurture and enable relationships when we probably shouldn't, and that has the potential to be damaging, too.
Either way, they're delicate. Like newborns. You gotta support the neck and always have a burp cloth and a spare diaper on hand and don't be late for feedings or sleep, 'cause any one of those things can fuck shit up for the long-term.
And I really like this relationship. It doesn't look like it always has, which has been a huge challenge for me to deal with and adjust to, and I haven't necessarily done a bang-up job at that, but I keep trying, and I think that maybe -- whether we know it or not -- that's all we really need from the important people in our lives: that they try.
Anyway, this gal is one heck of a daughter. She's a pre-school director. She's a Hollywood fanatic. She's witty and she's organized. She's determined. And she makes one heck of a Mitt Romney video.
She picked Crash by the Dave Matthews Band (1996), Everyday by Widespread Panic (1993), Live's 1994 release entitled Throwing Copper (1994), and a little blue number Phish put out that's called Rift (1993). If Yoda were here, he might say, Strong...with the early-to-mid-'90s...is this one.
She also did her due diligence (not a Badass Records Podcast requirement, you should know) with her selections, in that she pondered and pondered and made a list and checked it twice. She's thorough like that. And she's epic, too. A can't-miss if you're new to B.R.P. She's amazing. She's a hoot. And she definitely makes my top-three-sister list.
Tiffany Johnson, ladies and gentlemen.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio clips. They are samples from "Colors." This is a monster, mega-track from Black Pumas's self-titled 2019 release (c/o ATO Records, LLC), and because the inclusion of two 10-second clips of that song that bookend a three-hour, original-content conversation, this episode will probably get a YouTube copyright claim slapped on it, which means that -- were this episode ever to one day be monetizable -- I don't get to have any of that. But whatever. That's not the point here. The point is to have quality conversations with quality human beings about quality music. That's what we do, and that's what we did. As my daughter might say (in signing off on a TikTok video), "So...yeah...."
Ethan Brown means so many things to both me and the world. Besides the titles of son, brother, father, husband, friend, bartender, boss, and expert, he has earned the right to be called kind, thoughtful, clever, witty, warm, and a bucketful of other things, too. He’s the portal to what’s hip. He’s a vehicle for what’s hilarious. He’s the embodiment of passionate when it comes to the things he loves, and his presence is the elixir you need to right yourself.
Ethan blew my mind with his selection of badass records, except for that he really didn’t.
That is -- right, wrong, or otherwise -- I had a natural expectation that what he would come up with would leave me feeling like a musical novice, and I was not off the mark in unintentionally thinking that that would be the case.
I mean…
It’s hard to believe that I’ve somehow managed to churn out 14 of these sons o’ guns, and not one guest has disappointed me. In fact, I’ve really, really enjoyed every last one of the conversations and the records that accompanied them. All of them have been fun; a large majority have been surprising and educational. And if you like nice, round numbers like I do, the 15th installment wound up being the perfect slot for Ethan in that each privilege I get in the form of hanging with a fantastic human while chatting life and music refuels the tank that often feels somewhat depleted upon the conclusion of producing a finished episode. And it seems as though laughter is the primary component in the fuel of said recharging; no one has made me laugh harder than Ethan, and that’s a tribute to his electric personality.
Ethan and I have seen the other side of midnight together a time or two, and each of those occasions were both some of the best nights I’ve ever had and precursors to the worst mornings rememberable (or barely rememberable). I recall one evening at a Waldo watering hole in which we were having shots of some concoction called Five Alive.
I know. Makes you think akin to fruit punch, right? Nope. Pretty gross, actually. But we had more than one a piece. And the next day we agreed to forever call those red beverages, Hello and Have a Shitty Tomorrow. On another occasion, I had to be retrieved -- due to overindulgence -- from his housewarming party, and between his front porch and my then-fiancee’s car, I lost my keys and stepped directly in the mud I’d been attempting to avoid. Pretty sure a portion of the evening (once safely home) was spent on the bathroom floor.
Anyway, Ethan picked Hailu Mergia’s Tezeta, Super Ape by The Upsetters (a Lee "Scratch" Perry outfit), El-P’s Fantastic Damage, Too Hard to Swallow by UGK, and GZA’s Liquid Swords. And if you’re anything like me, first glance at that list might yield a heavy dose of, Huh?! Turns out, the thing’s a pile of gems.
And that’s kinda the point of this whole deal. I enjoyed this conversation so much. Hope you do, too. Thanks for stopping by. If you happened to share this episode with a friend, I wouldn’t be mad at ya’. And if you’re viewing on the YouTube channel, it’d sure be swell if you hit “like,” and “subscribe” on your way outta here. Oh, and by the way, if you happen upon Ethan out there on them streets, please refer to him by his true given name, Pipecock Jackson. Thank you. That is all.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the intro/outro audio clips. They are samples from Coolbone’s cover of the Bill Withers tune, “Use Me,” and it’s off of their 1996 record called Brass-Hop, c/o Broadcast Music, Inc.
Adam Boyd joined the Badass Records Podcast for episode #13, and what a treat it was to have him. We go back some 15ish years to the good, old service industry, a time in which we'd occasionally agree to disagree on this, that, or the other. These alleged debates were -- in my experience -- almost always light-hearted, in the spirit of quality conversation, and often over a post-shift cold one.
Adam was always one of my favorite F.o.H. soldiers, and -- though we seldom see one another now -- he remains one of my favorite humans; I suspect his wife and kids feel lucky to have him both a) in their lives, and b) out of the business, as the saying goes.
When it came time for calendars and brass tacks, etc., we -- by way of happenstance -- broke a few BRP barriers, in that this conversation not only included more badass records than any of the previous, but it also shattered the existing longest-run-time mark, clocking in at just a smidge over four hours. I imagine the Wednesday morning after our chat to've been a foggy one for Mr. Boyd at the ol' jobby-job, but, hey -- when you're hashing out 15 records -- it's gonna be a minute.
Anyway, Adam's list arrived via the text-message machines and included the following albums (in this order):
Nirvana's In Utero (1993)
This Year's Model (1978) by Elvis Costello & the Attractions
the infamous London Calling (1979) by The Clash
Pink Flag (1977) by Wire
the game-changing Loveless (1990) c/o My Bloody Valentine
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan
the currently-on-display-behind-Tom-Segura's-chair (2 Bears 1 Cave Podcast) Ready to Die (1994) by The Notorious B.I.G.
Prefab Sprout's 1985 record titled Steve McQueen
the 1976 self-titled album by The Modern Lovers, which I accidentally skipped
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (1969), Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Joy Division's 1979 release, Unknown Pleasures
Paris 1919 (1973), John Cale
The Velvet Underground's 1969 self-titled debut
a 1968 number called Odyssey & Oracle by The Zombies
Either/Or (1997), Eliott Smith
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968), by The Kinks
Many thanks to Adam for being willing to dust off the ol' communication lines and share his unofficial COVID-19 music project with me, and extra-special thanks for being willing to come sit in my basement and bullshit about it for four hours. Please consider giving our conversation a view or a listen, and please -- if you dig it -- pass it along.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio, but -- as per yoozsh -- they're too good not to use. They are samples from 2Pac's "I Ain't Mad At Cha (featuring Danny Boy)" from his 1996 record, All Eyez on Me (c/o) Interscope Records, and "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" off of the Talking Heads's 1978 release entitled More Songs About Buildings and Food (c/o Sire Records).
Nick Leckey is a son, a brother, a husband, and a father. He's a lot of other things, i.e. a token work-place professional, both president and a member of the KC Incognito Vacay Association (K.I.V.A.), and you know what else he is? He's a goddamn Super Bowl champion (New Orleans Saints, 2010).
My guest for episode #12 of Badass Records has a lot of great qualities about him, but my favorite is perhaps is sense of humor and infectious laugh. Seriously. He's one of the the best matches I've ever encountered when it comes to cracking wise on an even keel, so this conversation was a hoot.
Nick was one of the first potential guests I reached out to when this thing started to sprout, so it pleased me to get him on the books and eventually in the chair. He selected Cornershop's Handcream for a Generation and Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as his pair of excellent LPs, and they were a trip to visit and revisit, respectively.
He doesn't have a ton of interest in boosting his Twitter following, but were you to be so inclined, you could find him at @mrleckey on that platform. And, hey -- if you're nice, he might even like your comment. I mean...probably not, but you can always hope, right?
Anyway, give our chat a view or a listen, will ya'? You'll giggle at least once. Guaranteed. If not, I'll hook you up with a free sticker whenever it is I get around to getting my merch' line up and running. Here's the catch, though: If you do giggle, ya' gotta tell a friend about the podcast. Deal?
Peace.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio, but they're righteous clips from a kickass song -- Natural Self's "Feet Keep Moving" from their 2008 release, The Art of Vibration (c/o Tru Thoughts) -- so I'm doing it, regardless.
I had the pleasure of hosting Ian Gordy for episode 11, and when I say pleasure, I mean it was a true joy and a privilege to be gifted his time to talk music, which is really what this thing is all about.
Sometimes -- across this pandemic -- I've heard folks say things like, People need people, or, We need each other. Hell, my old man was saying that 25 and 30 years ago.
It's a strange thing to contemplate, though. I mean, we've kinda carved ourselves into these seemingly self-sufficient grooves, but what we've really done is eliminate a lot of direct, one-on-one contact with others, and I feel like these kinds of conversations are a sort of food for the soul. At least they are for me, anyway.
I don't know where this thing will go; I'm now kinda, sorta three months into recording episodes and the growth has been snail's-pace, to say the least, but I really, really dig it. It's good to see people. It's good to talk to them about where they've been and who they are and where they're going. It's lovely to hear them open up about their journeys and be true and honest and, yes -- vulnerable with both me and the Internet. I like to think we're learning from each other.
Anyway, I've known Ian for a minute, and he's always been one of my favorite dudes. He's always had a sense of humor and an angle of determination about him, and I couldn't be happier for him when it comes to where he's landed in life, and I'm excited for him and his family and all that they have ahead of them. I suspected Mr. Gordy'd nab a Hendrix album, and my hunch proved correct. Electric Ladyland was such a treat to revisit and, boy did I learn a lot about what I thought I knew but didn't from this conversation.
So many thanks to him and his family for the time. And thanks to Ian for another fantastic chat about life and music. And, hey...if you enjoyed this, please tell a friend. Cheers, everyone.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio samples. They are both from The War on Drugs's A Deeper Understanding, which is a goddamn grand slam (2017) of a badass record, if ever there was one. The samples come from "Thinking of a Place" and "Strangest Thing," c/o Atlantic Recording Corporation.
Jason Gerken is one of my favorite human beings on the planet and I barely even know him.
As I was telling the guest from Episode #9, it feels like every episode I do is my new favorite conversation, and this one was no different.
It takes a lot of courage to say yes to doing an interview about your life and your music and it takes even more to show up and see it through. I can't exactly say why, but I just had a hunch that our conversation in this one would be a hoot, and it did not disappoint.
Jason has been behind the Shiner kit for some time now, and it was exciting to learn about the other projects he's participating in as well.
He chose -- without hesitation -- Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road -- as his badass record, and that blew me away twice (once with how quickly he responded and the second time for how completely unaware I was that this record is so packed full of non-hit gems).
Anyway, Jason and I touched on the local-music scene, back pain, lotus poses, beer being what's for dinner, record labels, bein' on tour, not being a mixologist, the whiskey-in-a-cup kinda bartender he is, Bandcamp, squirting, and STDs. And other stuff, too.
Find Shiner stuff at shiner.net and him on the 'Gram as @meatsuit_jasongerken. Thanks for viewing and/or listening. Pass the episode on to a friend, eh?
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio intro/outro. They are samples of "Un Simple Histoire," by Thievery Corporation (from their 2002 The Richest Man in Babylon album) c/o ESL Music, Inc., and "You Wish," off of Nightmares on Wax's In a Space Outta Sound (from 2006) c/o Warp Records Limited, respectively.
Jason Proffitt is a father, a retired beer-league goaltender, and one of the coolest cats you'll ever meet. Even when he's angry at you for playing shitty defense in front of his net.
In this week's episode of Badass Records, Jason and I dissected musical snobbery, chatted about good, great, and goofy people, dipped our toes in the Frank Zappa and Jenny Lewis waters, and talked about a few pivotal points of our musical journeys, which -- for him -- included his introduction to The Cult's album, Electric. We also spent a decent chunk of time envisioning ourselves to be stand-up comedy experts, so take that forever it might be worth.
We enjoyed the shit out of ourselves in this conversation and we hope you'll dig it, too.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They contain clips from Thievery Corporation's "All That We Deserve" from their 2002 record, The Richest Man in Babylon, c/o ESL Music, Inc., and Groove Armada's "My Friend," from their 2001 release entitled Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub), c/o Zomba Records LTD, respectively.
There's no way in the human world to compile a collection of words that will do justice to who Matt "Bus" Barr is, and -- even though I'm gonna try -- one could only attempt to grasp what a phenomenal person he is after knowing him for almost 30 years.
He is, nevertheless, a son, brother, a father to three, and perhaps above all an artist.
Bus has had a really fascinating musical journey and turned a lot of people on to a lot of things they probably never would've heard of otherwise. He's been on Grateful Dead tour at age 16, in a band at age 25, had an entire gallery display of his own original work, lived with a pot-bellied pig, dealt with Type I Diabetes since age 10, been a teacher and a principal, made both a children's-music album and book, and, well...we're not even scratching the surface of his life list with those mentions.
In true-to-self fashion, he did not -- as the kids'er saying these days -- understand the assignment put forth to him for this episode of Badass Records, and that's totally okay; it didn't derail things in the slightest, and in fact made them even more interesting than they were already going to be.
I love this guy with all of my heart, and couldn't be more grateful that -- at one point in his youth -- he was certain he would not live past the age of 40. I couldn't be happier that he's still around, and as a tribute to his fantastical, still-ongoing life, please give our conversation a view or a listen.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio featured in the intro/outro clips. They are samples from Mr. Scruff's "Jazz Potato," from his 2005 record, Mrs. Cruff, c/o Ninja Tune, and Frank Zappa's "A Little Green Rosetta," off of the 1979 masterpiece, three-act album, Joe's Garage, c/o the Zappa Family Trust, respectively.
Britt Whitehead is a son, a kid brother, and a father of two. He's one of the smartest dudes you'll ever meet, so if you need a guy like that on your payroll, you should hire him. And while you ponder that, you might also chew on the idea of giving him a pile of U.S. currency to restore that favorite piece of furniture you've always been wanting redone.
Anyhoo, let's not overlook the idea that Britt joined for an episode of Badass Records to talk about The White Album (or The Beatles' self-titled double LP, if that's what gets your rocks off) that remains a legendary recording 54 years after its release.
I'm always nervous before recording an episode, but Britt really ratcheted up my anxiety when he showed up with pizza, a binder full of notes, and his above-my-paygrade brain.
What a great conversation, though. We talked Zeppelin, Zappa, and jazz, and we goofed around with a funny list of double albums that spans 1966-2011.
I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did, and please consider sharing with a friend, if so.
It takes a lot of courage to say yes to being recorded talking on camera, and even more to show up and do it. There's probably a Will Smith joke in there somewhere, but hell -- those things are writing themselves these days.
Anyway, shout out to @JamelAKAJamal, just...generally speaking, but also specifically within the context and creation of this episode. Be nice to people and help keep great music alive.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio. They are samples from "Thinking of Omara" by Nightmares on Wax's N.O.W. Is the Time (Deep Down Edition) 2014 release (c/o Warp Records Limited) and Slide Five's "Heavy Rotation" from their 1997 release called People, Places, & Things (c/o Ubiquity Recordings Inc.).
Matt Graunke is a brother and a son and an uncle and a cat lover. He's also been one of my best friends for nearly 40 years, and in this installment of Badass Records, we talked about life in Lawrence, KS, relationships with our homeboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Beastie Boys.
Although we didn't do Licensed to Ill half of the justice it deserves, it was a fantastic hang, nonetheless.
Funny story about Matt: When it came time for my ex-wife and I to tab our wedding-party members, we not only narrowed it down to eight; we also paired which girls would walk with which boys, and the only hubbub that arose from our decision was which of my sisters would traverse the aisle interlocking arms with today's guest; "I wanna walk with Matt" became a line that would live in infamy.
So, if you're on a mission to find an awesome human who serves as an example of how one should treat others, look no further than Graunk'. And, yes, he's the original. Tom Brady's partner in crime holds zero candles to my bro' from 1985.
Many thanks to those of you who have listened or viewed previous episodes, and to those who're just now jumping in, welcome. We're happy to have you.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio tracks. They contain samples from Little People's "Above the Clouds" (from their 2006 album, Mickey Mouse Operation), c/o Illicit Recordings, and DJ Krush's "On the Dub-ble" (from his 1994 album, Krush), c/o Shadow Records.
Erik Hess is a husband, a father of three, a note-taker, and a collector of music, memorabilia, stats, jewelry, and hair-care products.
In Episode 5 of Badass Records, we not only talked about what an oddball Russell Wilson is and how much his new team overpaid for him, but we also talked about the distinct possibility that the band 311, the comedian Carrot Top, and retired NFL quarterback Jay Cutler might be entirely interchangeable entities.
I never in a million years expected that I would participate in a conversation in which Def Leppard would come up a minimum of three times. Nor did I anticipate that the person that was telling me the story would have -- at one point in college -- partied with 311.
That band's debut album, Music, was unequivocally decided to be Mr. Hess's most badass of records, but it must share his personal Mt. Rushmore with Beastie Boys's Paul's Boutique, and Lenny Kravitz's Let Love Rule.
We also learned that -- not only did he develop a later-in-life affinity for country music -- but Erik will pass on zero opportunities to trash both the Kansas City Chiefs as well as my decision to attempt to stay in my marriage house post-divorce when I clearly cannot afford to. And finally, there's a pretty good chance that this guest has been to more Major League Baseball stadiums than you have.
Thank you for listening/viewing. If you have a friend who likes to talk about Def Leppard and hair metal, please point them in the direction of this episode.
copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the intro or outdo audio clips. They are Greyboy's "Lite Bake" from his 1989 debut album, Freestylin' (c/o Ubiquity Recordings Inc), and Echophlexz's "Gravy Funk" from their 2009 Club Boulevard (c/o Catmusic & More BV).
Tanya Sieber is a mother of two, an entrepreneur, and a vessel through which music is manifested and shared.
She has sailed many musical seas, including being baptized by Pink Floyd's The Wall at age eight, playing bass guitar in a band in her college years, to today, in which she finds her singer/songwriter self frequenting the recording studio and releasing original tracks out into the ether. Or the ethos. Take your pick.
Follow her on Instagram (@tanyasieber.music), Twitter (@MusicSieber), or Facebook (Tanya Sieber Music) for social-media updates. More importantly, you can access her music on bandcamp (tanyasieber.bandcamp.com), which appears to be a digital source for music streaming that maybe puts a little more coin in the artist's pocket than others might, so please consider supporting her there.
Regardless, you can find both her 2021 album, Beautiful Scars, and her brand-new single "Marked" there on her bandcamp. As for her yet-to-be-released single, "Sweet Night," dig in here to Episode #4 of Badass Records for a sneak listen.
We talked a lot about her stuff in this conversation, but we also dabbled in Soundgarden, Jethro Tull, and a heavy dose of Sheryl Crow, not to mention sundry others.
A few notes from the backside of the production glass:
1) The Badass Records Podcast has a slogan, and that slogan is, Badass Records, where the doorbell rings and the dog barks. Only took three and-a-half episodes for that to become truth.
2) Late in the episode, a ticking or a static sound of some sort becomes audible. I don't know what it is or what caused it, but I heard it during both the recording and editing processes, and am as aware of its existence as I am my inability to remedy it.
3) I didn't mute our mics (because I didn't and don't know any better) when we listened to Tanya's tracks, so if you're hearing a faint echo of sorts in or around those three segments, that's why.
copywright disclaimer(s): I do not own the rights to the intro/outro audio tracks; they are The Deadbeats' "Funky for You" (from their 2021 album, Lounging) c/o Space Hopper, and Morcheeba's "Be Yourself" (from their 2000 record called Fragments of Freedom), c/o China Records, Ltd. I do, however, have permission to play Mrs. Sieber's stuff on both the Internet and on YouTube, because -- Duh, Admiral Algorithm -- she's the guest of the episode and the owner of the content.
Elwyn M. Grimes, Jr. is not a private detective for hire. Not yet, anyway. He is, however, a husband, a father of three, and a sweetheart. Before he became any of those things, though, he was a son.
In Episode 3 of Badass Records, we talk rap, hip-hop, R&B, grunge, and more. We got a few things wrong in our De La/Tribe discussion, but we didn't sit down together to have a perfect conversation. Instead, we examined a few of our own musical-journey tributaries, and illustrated our appreciation for friends, family, record stores, and stereo systems.
While Elwyn tabbed It Was Written by Nas, What's Going On by Marvin Gaye, and Pearl Jam's Ten, I felt a great sense of gratitude learning how his late father helped shape a little bit of the the onset to his son's travels with music and artists and albums.
A quick Google will tell you that, "The most common interpretation of a cardinal is a message from a departed loved one. Whenever you see one, it signifies that they are visiting you. They generally appear when you need or miss them the most. They also come through moments of joy and sorrow to let you know they will always be there for you."
Now, I can't tell you that this is precisely what Elwyn feels when he sees a cardinal, but I have a hunch it's pretty close, and I not only thank him for his time and his share, but I hope that he feels that be-there-for-you part in his heart whenever he has that experience. Having Elwyn on the podcast was a treat, and even though he backs the Las Vegas Raiders, he kinda makes up for it with his passion for the crimson and blue. Rock Chalk, baby.
Josh "Jett Pakk" George is a father of three, a skater at heart, and a retired muthafuckin' hustla'.
In Episode #2 of Badass Records, we wax nostalgic about Led Zeppelin and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but not for long, as those relics remain but a dusty launchpad into the world of hip-hop, breakdancing, and rap.
Today's guest initially tabbed ATLiens by Outkast, but did so with a caveat; the first two Eminem records must not go unremembered or undignified. As we dove into the early work of both of those artists, two things became clear: a) There's no possible way either The Slim Shady LP or The Marshall Mathers LP get made in America today, and b) Outkast may very well have been the last bastion of old-school rap, as only Generation X knew it.
That is, times have changed; Eminem's first two records would've likely gotten him cancelled in the version of America we know as 2022. As for Outkast, let's just say they carried the baton for multiple legs of the marathon, and when they got to the handoff point, there was no one there to meet them.
This episode with J.P.G. was a wild one. Please give a listen or a view. Ya' betta' ax somebody.
Jason Fisher is a father, a writer, and the proprietor of Armadillo Storage Company in Durango, CO. He roots for the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Red Sox, but really finds pleasure in supporting the Denver Broncos Football Club, and that last part is a painful phrase to type. Jason once held the esteemed position of Editor-in-Chief for Fort Lewis College’s The Independent newspaper, and still makes up one-third of The Iron Triangle, a trio of ex-Independent editors that dabbled in the blog world over at House of Georges. He currently spends a little too much on green citrus and occasionally tweets here.
In this inaugural episode of “Badass Records,” we lost his video near the 1:00:00, and mine died about 20 minutes later. Learning curve, eh?
Anyway, he did not choose any albums that’re older than his record-buying habit, and he most certainly did not choose Jason Isbell’s Southeastern. He once chose Exile on Main Street, but we both forgot I’d asked him, ‘cause we’re awesome like that. He ultimately threw Guns N’ Roses’s Appetite for Destruction and N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton at me, and I think he kinda meant it.