Bassist, librettist, and musical force of nature Mike Watt on the fear of reruns, the social construct of "winning", being yourself while creating art for a larger audience, working on Ball-Hog or Tugboat? with 17 different bands, recording with Kelly Clarkson, and talking with Jandek about craft beers and Bad Brains.

Guitarist & composer Mike Baggetta on the drama behind recording "Wall of Flowers" with Jim Keltner and Mike Watt, turning mistakes into greatness, gigantic looming moments of self doubt, and saying yes to almost everything.

Hand Habits alter ego Meg Duffy on the demos becoming the record, not sanding off the rough edges of art, working on Placeholder in Wisconsin, music as religion, and the transition from bartending to touring with Kevin Morby to going solo.

Guitarist and founder of Air House Music Academy David Lord on touring across the United States in a school bus, the best advice he ever received, cultivating his unique compositional voice in isolation, "Wichita Bubble Success", and overcoming the terror of working with his musical inspirations.

Southern California fiddle shredder Philip Glenn on quitting his teaching job to become a full time musician, making his old time bluegrass album "Outsider" with non-bluegrass players, Nickel Creek and the Ska Crypt, working hard to sound like yourself, and why limitations make art (and Star Wars) better.

Dream Syndicate co-founder and prolific singer/songwriter Steve Wynn on hitting his artistic stride, writing songs to fill an emptiness, meeting Kendra Smith at UC Davis, looking for musicians in The Recycler, and only wanting to be successful enough to keep working on music.

Cherry Glazerr frontwoman Clementine Creevy on the punishing joy of playing guitar, the band's new album Stuffed & Ready, choosing punk rock over college (and telling her parents), rumors of going solo, never needing to hear "Santeria" again, and why you can't fuck with Joni Mitchell.

GWAR producer and King Crimson mixer Ronan Chris Murphy on surviving almost 30 years in the music business, working on the MAFIA III soundtrack in Nashville, collaborating with Robert Fripp, conflict and Bob Clearmountain, reconciling art and success, and how a producer is a hall monitor for musicians.

Legendary drummer and Long Beach native Stephen Hodges on playing music for dancers, recording Swordfishtrombones with Tom Waits in 1981, a decade of working with Mavis Staples, wanting to sneak onto Bob Dylan's tour bus, making Contemplating the Engine Room with Mike Watt, contributing to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and why David Lynch is a great "fifth Beatle".

Prolific writer and photographer Gustavo Turner on the Baconian Theory of Shakespere's authorship, the LA Weekly's right wing trojan horse takeover, trading the muse for money, Bob Dylan's 55 year shamanic state, and the joy of illegal basement shows.