Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

Chris Maestro is the owner and founder of the iconic bar Bierwax. Located in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn, this bar marries two of Chris's loves: craft beer and vinyl. In our discussion, Chris discussed what motivated him to open this space and how he's managed to survive in a very competitive landscape (in a very expensive city to own a business) for almost a decade. This chat also covers Chris's upbringing as the child of two immigrants, the culture clashes he endured as a kid, how religion and metal played significant roles in his adolescent years, and how he manages entrepreneurship with being a husband and a dad. 

Jesse originally appeared way back in episode 106, almost four years ago. A lot has happened since that time, and Jesse takes us through the changes that have occurred in his life recently. We talk about his pivot away from education and into the mental health space, we talk about why white guys can be so incredibly awkward (he speaks from a place of knowledge!), and we discuss everything from parenting to suburban life, from taking a more active role in discovering and forming community to his future as a musician. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

In this episode, I have a great chat with music industry legend Tom DeSavia. Tom is a longtime A&R executive, a podcaster, an activist and an author. He co-wrote the book Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk with John Doe. Tom and I sit down to talk about coming of age in the music industry, what's changed and what hasn't. We talk about how the last few years have found him continuing to learn more about himself and others, and how understanding and empathy remains important to him. Tons of food for thought here, and I hope you enjoy our conversation!

So, Greg and I have known one another for over two decades. We met as members of the Epinions music writing community and have maintained a steady friendship ever since. Weirdly (or maybe not weirdly?) for knowing one another for such a long time, this podcast recording marks one of the first times we've actually had a voice-to-voice conversation. Is this the future? I dunno. I guess it's a little odd to know someone for 40% of your life but solely through email and text messages. Anyway, there was zero awkwardness during our conversation, and we cover topics ranging from Buddhism to writing as a meditative practice to being Black sheep-ed and being totally okay with it. I hope you enjoy our chat!

Thomas Acox was the last person I interviewed before I decided to take some time off and recalibrate. When I felt comfortable recording episodes again, I listened to our previous conversation and decided to invite Thomas back for a full refresh.

The two of us have known one another for well over a decade, so we bring a fair amount of history into our conversation. It covers the rediscovery of Thomas's art skills, his Jersey roots, being a published author (and working for 1-800-GOT-JUNK), navigating the loss of a parent and how therapy changed his life.

Erik Jensen is an actor, director, producer and artist originally from rural Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn. He's acted in a lengthy list of shows, films and plays over the course of his career, and Brooklyn, Minnesota (which he co-wrote and co-directed alongside his wife, Jessica Blank) will receive a theatrical release later this year. Read an amazing article about the creation of this film here.

Erik and I talk about the film and some of its themes, including generational trauma and forgiveness. We also discuss the art of the apology, what Erik has learned raising a teenager, making music, and Erik's battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer and how important his community was during his journey. Erik is a solid dude who exudes warmth, I'm grateful to have gotten the chance to record this conversation, and I REALLY hope you enjoy our chat.

A quick explanation for why there's been no new episodes for several months. After taking some time to reflect, I am looking forward to bringing the Detoxicity podcast back.

The first time I interviewed Chris was four years ago! He and his bandmate in Wax Owls, Gerry Hirschfeld, stopped by in Episode 51.

Well, some time has passed, hasn't it? Chris and I reconnected earlier this summer for a wide-ranging, lengthy conversation (I feel like it's been a while since the last episode, so this one is a little long to make up for it!) in which we discuss everything from what it takes to be a good attorney to navigating East Coast life vs. West Coast life. In between, we chat about being children of immigrants, the loss of community that's come with the digital age, and more.

I'm excited to bring you the latest episode of Detoxpod-featuring my chat with musician and journalist Shawn Setaro. Shawn is a journalist who currently works for Complex as a court reporter. He authored a book on the Tekashi Six Nine case, and most recently covered the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial. Shawn helps me unpack some of my disillusionment with hip-hop in recent years, but in addition to playing the role of my therapist, we chat about his musician background and quiet retirement from that field, we talk about what drove him into journalism. We also talk about embracing his Jewish background to advocate for peace and equality, run through a list of favorite hip hop artists of all time, and more. Hope you enjoy our chat!

In this episode, Singer-songwriter YawnyBlew joins me for a powerful conversation about music, identity, and resilience. From his roots to his evolution as a queer R&B artist, Yawny opens up about authenticity, mental health, and navigating an industry that hasn’t always embraced him. A heartfelt discussion about love, healing, and making space for the next generation.