Badass 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.).