Conversation ex Nihilo

Russ Rankin is the lead singer of punk/hardcore bands Good Riddance and Only Crime.  He's also a scout for the WHL Tribe City Americans. He's well known for his outspokenness and activism. He joins Billy via Zoom to talk about his early influences, creativity during Covid, the life of a hockey scout, reaching the summit of success and gaining new perspectives. It's a fun filled hour or so that you're bound to enjoy. Listen to more Good Riddance, listen to more Only Crime, listen to more Russ.

Byrdy Lynn is a business woman and entrepreneur whose book Through the Storm of Early Trauma chronicles the sexual abuse of her childhood and offers advice and insight on how to overcome and heal from such trauma. She joins Billy via Zoom to talk about her book, racism, the death of her good friend and many other things. There are some tears and some laughs as two people from the same generation share some thoughts and feelings, as it were.
Check out more of her story and get a copy of her book here

Musician and artist Phil Puleo  joins Billy via Zoom to talk about attending Rhode Island School of Design, his art and film scoring projects, his time in Cop Shoot Cop and recording and touring with Swans.
Check out Phil's work here!  

Christopher Griffiths is a public speaker, consultant and most recently the author of the book The Fifth Race: Biracial Nationalism. He joins Billy via Zoom to talk about the tenets of biracial nationalism and the movement he founded around them.

Listen up as Peter Aaron from the Chrome Cranks drops by to talk to Billy over Zoom about life in the band and beyond.
The Chrome Cranks were a New York blues-punk band by way of Cincinnati, OH. They recorded seven albums, appeared on several movie soundtracks and were on rotation on MTV with their song Hot Blonde Cocktail. Peter has since gone on to become a music journalist and now edits the Hudson Valley art and culture  magazine Chronogram.
Reminiscences of: CBGB's, Bad Brains, The Cramps, The Dead Kennedys, GG Allin , touring Ukraine and much more are packed into this hour. Enjoy!
This episode is for: Those about to rock in need of saluting.
This episode is not for:  Those who prefer cold brunette mixed drinks.
Check out Peter on Radio Kingston on his show Go Go Kitty here

It's a Jane Austen episode on which Kimberly Brangwin Milham from the Jane Austen Society of North America joins Billy Via Zoom to discuss Austen's work and influence.

This episode is for: People who like their authors long dead, people who have seen Bridget Jones's Diary, fans of Firth.

This episode is not for:  Mark Twain, enemies of the early 19th century (you know who you are,) people who confuse Jane Austen with Stone Cold Steve Austin
 

The author of Dragon Wing and its upcoming sequel Dark Dragon Rebecca K. Busch joins Billy via Zoom to talk about her recent surgical procedure (see episode title,) her writing process in creating both books in her series, Billy's obsession with the infantilization of American culture, Mickey Rourke, loving and not-so-loving fans and of course fairies.

This episode is for:  Fans of fairies, followers of fairies, family members of fairies.

This episode is not for: Fairy deniers, those not fond of plastic procedures, people who prefer buffalo to dragon wings. 

Nikky has worked in the sex entertainment business and currently hosts the podcast Dear Nikky where she shares the sexual fantasies and secrets of her listeners - submitted willingly and anonymously of course. She joins Billy via Zoom to talk about the effect of the sex entertainment industry on culture. It's not as sexy as her podcast but there's some thoughtful insight on repression, double standards, America's predilection for the puritanical mixed with some personal anecdotes of her own. 

This episode is for:  People who tired of looking at sex and want to listen instead.

This episode is not for: People who hate confessions, certain members of certain clergies, people who like their female voices unsexy. 

Heather V. works in the oil industry. She joins Billy via Zoom to talk about her role in the compliance division of her company as well as her personal ambivalence about oil and its role in contemporary life. We get environmental here but not too granola if you know what I mean. There is a great story about Heather's grandmother, some reminiscing about The Beverly Hillbillies, some political talk in which Billy complains even more about the current administration than he has on previous podcasts. Billy goes off a little on Pete Buttigieg. Could it be a jealousy thing and if so, over what? His hair?  
This episode is for: People whose mother is earth, people who are a little disappointed in all of their possessions coming to them wrapped in reams of plastic, people who think about things.
This episode is not for: Jeff Bezos (again,) tycoons, Daniel Plainview 

Jeffrey W. Sass is the author of Everything I Know about Business and Marketing, I Learned from The Toxic Avenger.  He joins Billy via Zoom to talk about his seven year stint in Tromaville and what universal lessons he learned about business and marketing from helping to make films like Troma's War, Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD, Rabid Grannies and others. Learn more about his work and his book here
This episode is for: People who value creativity in marketing, people who want to know more about what schlock cinema can do for them (instead of to them,) those who can't pass the GMAT.
This episode is not for: People who like people telling other people how to manage them in the job of business and marketing, people who hate sharing what it is they do for a living, people who like more Fellini and less DePalma.