Badass Records

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).