Badass Records

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 [email protected].

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.