Accolades

In episode 23 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices) about Tony McPhee, a blues guitarist from Humberston, United Kingdom. He is the founder of The Groundhogs. An early version of this band backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s. He is often credited as Tony (T.S.) McPhee. He was given this name by the producer Mike Vernon who suggested adding ‘T.S.’ to his name.

In episode 22 of Accolades Video Series I talk to singer-songwriter, trombone player & actress Alanna Vicente about Peggy Lee, a jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress from Jamestown, North Dakota, United States. Her career spans over seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman’s big band, Lee created a sophisticated persona, writing music for films, acting, and recording conceptual record albums.

In episode 21 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Jeffrey Lewis (The Bundles) about Diane Cluck, a singer-songwriter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. She describes her music as intuitive folk. She began taking piano lessons at the age of seven and was classically trained on scholarship at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music. Although known as a solo performer, she has often collaborated with others, including CocoRosie, Toby Goodshank and Herman Düne.

In episode 20 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Geoff Farina (Karate) about David Plotz, a journalist from Washington, D.C., United States and podcast host of the Slate Political Gabfest, with Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson.

In episode 19 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Page Hamilton (Helmet) about John Stowell, a jazz guitarist, composer, author, and lecturer from New York City, New York, United States. He holds his guitar in a diagonal position, which facilitates playing close, piano-like voicings more comfortably. He has been a contributing columnist for several magazines, including Down Beat, Guitar Player, and Canadian Musician and has been an artist-in-residence at schools worldwide.

In episode 18 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Oliver Ackermann (A Place To Bury Strangers) about LaTosha Brown, a community organizer, political strategist and consultant from Selma, Alabama, United States. She is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a voting rights group first noted for its work on the 2017 U.S. Senate special election. Brown focuses on issues related to political empowerment, social justice, economic development, leadership development, wealth creation and civil rights.

In episode 17 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Kim Coletta (Jawbox) about Nellie Bly, a journalist, industrialist, inventor and charity worker from Cochran’s Mills, Pennsylvania, United States. She was widely known for her record breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne’s fictional character Phileas Fogg. She was a pioneer in her field and launched a new kind of investigative journalism.

In episode 16 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) about Will Johnson, a musician, singer-songwriter, author, and painter from Kennett, Missouri, United States. He is the lead singer of the bands Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel. Called one of the most prolific artists in American indie rock, Johnson has also released solo records, and is a member of the bands Monsters of Folk, New Multitudes, and Overseas, and has also performed as part of the Undertow Orchestra.

In episode 15 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Wouter van Asslbergh (Shht) about Andrej Tarkovsky, a filmmaker, theatre director, writer, and film theorist from Zavrazhye, Soviet Union. He is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential directors in thehistory of Russian and world cinema. His films explored spiritual and metaphysical themes, and are noted for their slow pacing and long takes, dreamlike visual imagery, and preoccupation with nature and memory.

In episode 14 of Accolades Video Series I talk to Blaise Garza (Violent Femmes) about Steve Mackay, a tenor saxophonist from Daly City, California, United States. After sitting in with the Stooges on several occasions, he formally joined the group two days before they left Detroit for Los Angeles to record Fun House in May 1970. In 2003, Mackay rejoined the Stooges when they played their first show in twenty-nine years, and he remained with the group until he died in 2015.