Dawn of Mantis: True Crime, Mysteries and More

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In this episode we talk about the insane life of Jack Churchill- one of the most highly decorated soldiers of WWII. He was as eccentric as he was fearless though, and often charged into battle wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes. Along with his stellar military career he was an expert archer, an avid surfer and a part time actor. So come along as we examine "Mad" Jack Churchill's amazing life!

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In part 4 of our series, Buddy records many more songs at Norman Petty's studio, and has to get a little sneaky in order to release his newer, far superior version of "That'll Be the Day".  However, as much as Norman helped Buddy by providing him with endless studio time and little interference, we also begin to see him make a few decisions that definitely weren't in Buddy's best interest. 

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In this episode we cover the life of spree killer Elliot Rodger. Elliot was an over privileged kid who desperately tried to impress girls with expensive clothes, fancy cars and designer sunglasses, but despite being a supreme narcissist, he could never bring himself to actually approach them. Instead of blaming himself, he blamed the opposite sex, and grew to hate them as much as he coveted them. This resulted in a short lived killing spree that ended with his own suicide. Come along as we examine this guy’s twisted psyche. 

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In our third episode of the Buddy Holly series, we are joined in studio by singer/songwriter & Nashville musician Casey Twist, which is perfect because we discuss Buddy's experiences in Nashville during his first professional recording sessions for a major label. We also introduce a pivotal figure to the Buddy Holly saga- Norman Petty. Although Petty did initially help Buddy get his career off the ground, he would also take advantage of the ambitious young musician, as was so often the case in those days. Join us as we continue to tell the fascinating story of Buddy Holly, and throw in a few tall tales of our own along the way!

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Rufe Persful was a career criminal who’s first major stint in an Arkansas prison was a pretty sweet gig- he was handed a shotgun and tasked with shooting any fellow inmate who tried to escape. He was good at his job, a little too good,  and his reputation as a traitor followed him throughout several other prisons all the way to the infamous Alcatraz. He was punished passed the brink of insanity, and resorted to some pretty gruesome measures to get off “the Rock”. So come along with us as we discuss this fascinating story! 

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In part 2 of our Buddy Holly series, we continue along Buddy's musical transformation. We also see the beginnings of what would eventually become the Crickets, and discuss Buddy's important and very influential friendship with the one and only Elvis Presley. 

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In our 12th Mini Mantis episode, we cover the attempted murder of pop art icon Andy Warhol. Many strange characters floated in and out of "The Factory", which was Andy's headquarters and ground zero for the production of his art. But eventually Andy's open door policy to drifters, addicts, and others on the fringes of society would almost destroy him. Radical feminist Valerie Solanas entered Andy's bubble in the mid 60s, and after she became convinced that he was trying to steal her intellectual property, Solanas stormed the "Factory" with a gun, and tried to kill Andy. Join us as we discuss this fascinating and disturbing story. 

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In this first part of our 8 part series, we open with a brief synopsis of who Buddy Holly was and how he changed the musical landscape. Then we start at the beginning, with his birth in 1936, and take you through his school years and the beginnings of his musical career with friend and fellow musician Jack Neal. We hope you enjoy listening to the episode as much as we did making it!

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On this episode we talk about a bizarre tale involving two children who appeared out of nowhere near a small village. They were lost, disoriented, and..... green! Yes, you read that correctly. Join us as we tell this odd story and attempt to separate fact from fiction.

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We're kicking off "Music May" with James Dunham! We turned James loose and he's bringing all the knowledge on the Hottest Band in the Land, KISS! We also premier the new DOM theme song! So, go ahead and take a little listen!

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