Peter Jesperson is currently the VP of Catalog Production at New West Records, but in the time I have known him he has escaped any nomenclature I would normally use for someone at a record label. The titles that come to mind are more like Chief Fanatic, or Senior Evangelist. To me these better describe the way he talks the work he does. Quite simply put, he is the most passionate music person I know. He exudes a wild enthusiasm and has a reverence for music as a craft unlike anyone else I have ever met.

Peter is widely known as one of the founders of the Minneapolis based label Twin/Tone Records that was in operation from 1977 until 1994. The label was home to such acts as The Replacements, Babes in Toyland, The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum and many more. Over the life of the label over 300 records by more than 100 acts were released.

In the late 90’s Peter joined New West Records, home to artists such as  Kris Kristofferson, Delbert McClinton, John Hiatt and Dwight Yoakam. In his role in A&R he signed artists like Vic Chesnutt, Chuck Prophet and Ben Lee.

I had the good fortune of meeting Peter when our boys began to attend the same school. We hit it off thanks to a shared love of music and literature and I could talk to him for hours about both.

A moment that inspired me greatly happened in 2012 when former Replacements guitar player Slim Dunlap had a stroke and Peter put together the non-profit Songs For Slim. This project brought together an incredible array of talent including, The Replacements, Jeff Tweedy, Joe Henry, Lucinda Williams, Jakob Dylan, and more –  all to help Slim and his family.

I am really excited to have Peter on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. He has been able to sustain a deep passion for music over the course of a lifetime and continues to share that passion with others.
2. He has an amazing ability to remember not only records, but dates and musicians and producers and can roll them into a tale worth listening to.

• What it was like to grow up in Minneapolis
• How refusing to cut his hair landed him a job
• Why he started his first record label
• The record store where it all began
• The moment he heard The Replacements first demo

“If this makes me feel so good, we should try to spread this around” [Tweet This]

PETER’S BEST OF WRITINGS | TWINTONE | NEW WEST RECORDS |SONGS FOR SLIM

Peter Jesperson is currently the VP of Catalog Production at New West Records, but in the time I have known him he has escaped any nomenclature I would normally use for someone at a record label. The titles that come to mind are more like Chief Fanatic, or Senior Evangelist. To me these better describe the way he talks the work he does. Quite simply put, he is the most passionate music person I know. He exudes a wild enthusiasm and has a reverence for music as a craft unlike anyone else I have ever met.

Peter is widely known as one of the founders of the Minneapolis based label Twin/Tone Records that was in operation from 1977 until 1994. The label was home to such acts as The Replacements, Babes in Toyland, The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum and many more. Over the life of the label over 300 records by more than 100 acts were released.

In the late 90’s Peter joined New West Records, home to artists such as  Kris Kristofferson, Delbert McClinton, John Hiatt and Dwight Yoakam. In his role in A&R he signed artists like Vic Chesnutt, Chuck Prophet and Ben Lee.

I had the good fortune of meeting Peter when our boys began to attend the same school. We hit it off thanks to a shared love of music and literature and I could talk to him for hours about both.

A moment that inspired me greatly happened in 2012 when former Replacements guitar player Slim Dunlap had a stroke and Peter put together the non-profit Songs For Slim. This project brought together an incredible array of talent including, The Replacements, Jeff Tweedy, Joe Henry, Lucinda Williams, Jakob Dylan, and more –  all to help Slim and his family.

I am really excited to have Peter on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. He has been able to sustain a deep passion for music over the course of a lifetime and continues to share that passion with others.
2. He has an amazing ability to remember not only records, but dates and musicians and producers and can roll them into a tale worth listening to.

• What it was like to grow up in Minneapolis
• How refusing to cut his hair landed him a job
• Why he started his first record label
• The record store where it all began
• The moment he heard The Replacements first demo

“If this makes me feel so good, we should try to spread this around” [Tweet This]

PETER’S BEST OF WRITINGS | TWINTONE | NEW WEST RECORDS |SONGS FOR SLIM

Erik Hemingway is a father, sailor, traveler, and host of The Family Adventure Podcast where he shares the adventures of families who travel together and live to tell the tale. The story of his own family’s incredible journey has been featured on NBC, FOX and Today.

In this episode we talk about the spark that led to a journey of 16,000 miles aboard a 37 foot Dean catamaran with his family of seven (and in the middle of the adventure becoming eight), and why putting the deposit down on the boat was even scarier than crossing the Atlantic Ocean in it.

I am really excited to have Erik on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. He has been on an adventure that many people dream about but never find the time or courage to take.
2. He has also started a podcast to share the stories of other families like his who are traveling on their own terms.

• Why he was ready for an adventure
• What it was like to drop anchor for the first time
• Homeschooling on the boat
• Sailing up a river in Africa and seeing hippos in the wild
• How he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 16 days with his family of 8
• Why he started his podcast

“If we can do what we’ve done, then absolutely anybody can do it. ” [Tweet This]

FAMILYADVENTUREPODCAST.COM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER |INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

Tripp Lanier is a men’s coach and host of the The New Man Podcast, where has has interviewed experts and authors from a wide range of fields including Laird Hamilton, Tim Ferris, Steven Pressfield, and more.  The tagline of the show is “Beyond the macho jerk and the new age wimp” and it takes off from there. In his podcast he explores many ideas on what it means to be man it today’s world.

I met Tripp through a previous guest on the show, Alex Gibson and was really glad to be able to speak with him about how he started his podcast, some of the techniques he uses with his coaching clients, and what it means for him to serve others.

In this conversation we explore ideas like attachment, projections, appreciation, and small actions we can take to expand our emotional worlds.

Late in the interview he catches me on a math problem about frogs that I have been mulling over ever since (my answer, not the frogs….)

I am really excited to have Tripp on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. He has the ability to clearly articulate common problems that we all face as humans and ways that we can see them with new eyes.
2. As he says in this interview, he makes his living asking questions and I am inspired by his curiosity.

• How he started his podcast
• Why he left a thriving business to become a coach
• Why he meditates
• How he lets his own curiosity drive the show he creates
• The story of the four frogs

“I’m amazed at how much more powerful I feel, when I allow myself to have a dynamic emotional life.” [Tweet This]

TRIPPLANIER.COM | THENEWMANPODCAST.COM | FACEBOOK  | TWITTER

Brandon Schott is a musician and songwriter who has seen his share of challenges and triumphs and yet through it all he finds a way to retain a deep and abiding love for what a song can mean for the soul. From the inspiration of fatherhood to the shadow of cancer, he has consistently turned to music to express his experiences.

Over the last decade he has produced 4 records and is now readying his new EP, Verdugo Park, for release on October 7th, as well as a forthcoming full length for 2015. He has hosted his own show about songwriting called Defying Gravity and founded the non-profit Artists For Healing. The creative juices are constantly flowing and in everything he does honesty, compassion and authenticity seem to shine through effortlessly.

One of my favorite moments in the show is when Brandon talks about how he imagines mixtapes while he meditates and then puts them together later to see if they hold up (spoiler….they seem to). This is a sure sign of someone who has a huge catalog of songs running around their head.

I am really excited to have Brandon on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. His journey of surviving cancer has been an inspiration for me ever since we sat down and spoke about it earlier this summer.
2. He continues to cultivate a sense of joy and wonder about the art of songwriting that is unlike anyone else I know.

• Growing up in England as the son of two Air Force parents
• Meeting the love of his life in High School
• Why he decided to move to Los Angeles
• What it was like to learn he had cancer and become a survivor
• Why he only shaved half of his head
• The woman that saved his life (and he doesn’t even know her name)
• Who his favorite songwriters are what he loves about them

“It’s not mine to keep, it’s only mine to borrow for as long as I need it, and if I don’t need it anymore, then I should share it. ” [Tweet This]

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | BRANDONSCHOTT.COM

DEFYING GRAVITY

Brandon on Soundcloud

Songwriters:

• Elton John
• Billy Joel
• Michael Penn
• Amiee Mann
• Jon Brion
• E from The Eels
• Josh Ritter
• Neil Finn
• Harry Nilsson
• Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields)
• Andy Reed (An American Underdog)

Books:

• The Pilgrimage [Affiliate Link]
• The Alchemist  [Affiliate Link]
• The Artist’s Way  [Affiliate Link]

I’m Too Young For This

Jen Bricker is an acrobat and aerialist, a TV personality and speaker. But most of all she is one of the most down to earth people you will ever meet. I was introduced to Jen by my previous guest Mike Chat and I had the opportunity to sit down with her and talk about her incredible story.

Jen was born without legs and put up for adoption. She was then raised in a small town in Illinois and  grew up participating in all kinds of sports, from tumbling to softball, all the while surrounded by the love and support of her adoptive family.

In a crazy twist of fate, at the age of 16, she discovered that he biological sister was  Dominique Moceanu, the Olympic gymnast who was one of her idols growing up. This unlikely story has been featured on 20/20 and in Dominique’s book Off Balance.

After graduating high school she moved to Florida to work at Walt Disney World. While in Florida she met Nate Crawford, and began to perform as an aerialist. A year later she was a featured acrobat on the Britney Spears Circus Tour.

She has also been featured in Muscle and Fitness Hers, HBO Real Sports, Good Morning America and has spoken at TEDx.

I am really excited to have Jen on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. She has lived such an inspirational life and yet manages to remain humble and is willing to share her story with such vulnerability and empathy for others that when you hear her speak, you feel like anything is possible.
2. Her extraordinary journey is one of resilience,  dedication to a craft, and hard work.

• Growing up in the midwest
• How being born without legs has shaped her view of the world and people
• What it’s like to perform for 30,000 people
• Why she eats clean and takes care of her body
• How her faith impacts her life everyday
• The daily practice that keeps her mind in top shape
• What she plans to accomplish next

“The small decisions that we make daily, are where the battles are won “ - click to tweet!

FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | JENBRICKER.COM

Joel Martin is an extremely versatile musician who is a composer and the driving force behind the power-pop band, The Running Jumps. He plays guitar, pedal steel, and loves the mellotron. I first met Joel years ago through mutual friends and we have worked on many different kinds of creative projects together over that time.

His band The Running Jumps is inspired by the likes of Guided By Voices, Superdrag and the psychedelic leanings of the Beatles. One of the things that I love about the band is the attention to detail in all aspects of the production, down to the incredible artwork that evokes the feeling of the 70′s and yet still retains a modern dreamy flavor.

Joel has worked closely with my previous guest Chris Schwab on many of his films and in the score for Look Closer you can hear just how versatile Joel is as a musician.

Joel is also a raw vegan, and we kick this show off by talking about his reasons for adopting this lifestyle and how it has impacted his energy and focus.

About halfway through the interview we talk about the  life changing car crash that nearly killed him and the journey of resilience that has followed.

I am really excited to have Joel on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. His road has been one of challenges that many of us never face and yet his kind spirit and loving heart continue to shine through.
2. He is a perpetual learner who is always exploring new ways to express his creativity and he is happy to share his enthusiasm with the world. IN THIS EPISODE:
   • What being a raw vegan has done for his energy
   • Training for a half-marathon
   • How Yoga changed his body
   • The ins and outs of being in a band
   • Why surrounding yourself with good people is important
   • What a knee lever is (Hint – Its not connected to your shinbone)
   DISCOVERY QUOTE:

   “Everyday there is another opportunity to challenge yourself with”  - click to tweet!

   CONNECT WITH JOEL:

   FACEBOOK |  THE RUNNING JUMPS

Dallas Clayton is an author and illustrator who brings an incredible sense of joy, wonder, possibility, and adventure with him wherever he goes. The way I like to describe him is a mashup of Dr. Seuss and John Lennon. He works with brightly colored visuals and strong thematic ideas cleverly disguised in words.

His Do-It-Yourself ethic lead him to self publish An Awesome Book in 2009,  and once the internet grabbed a hold of it, it did not let go. He began to ship the book worldwide out of his livingroom and then piled into a van with some friends to challenge the idea of what a book tour could be. He now tours the world world reading to kids and collaborating on murals and showing them what it means to dream big.

He has since published a host of books, including An Awesome Book Of Thanks and An Awesome Book Of Love, and been able to work with a variety of publishers like Amazon and HarperCollins. In 2012 the story of his success was featured in an ad campaign for Google Chrome.

One of the things that I love about him is that early on in his journey he started the non-profit Awesome World Foundation to give away books and promote literacy.

His latest creation is Lily The Unicorn who is being developed as a television show.

I was first introduced to his creations through the short film for An Awesome Book Of Love. You can see the result below and I am sure you will find it as inspiring and moving as I did.

I am really excited to have Dallas on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. His path has been one of exploration, experimentation, and a strong sense of questioning what is possible for himself and children of all ages everywhere.
2. To paraphrase his own words, because he is taking something that makes him happy and using it to make other people happy.

• How growing up in the DIY culture shaped his world view
• When he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life
• How dreaming about a magical marshmallow machine and college can be the same thing
• The author who is a beacon in his life
• How he taught his son about chores by paying him to learn songs
• What he has learned by working with different publishers
• Why he loves people who play the unpopular instrument

“Be grateful for the things that you have on the way to achieving those dreams”  - click to tweet!

DALLASCLAYTON.COM |  INSTAGRAM | TWITTER  | AMAZON

Stuart Davis claims to love the hyphens. Musician-Writer-Director-Comedian-Actor-Painter-Television Host. The list goes on. Whatever title you want to give him, one thing is certain, he will not be contained in a box. He is a creative force who expresses himself with the tools at hand. He spent years living in hotel rooms as he toured around the world and most recently landed on a boat in Amsterdam where as he says, he is firing on all cylinders creatively.

I met Stuart through Alex Gibson who told me about the first time he saw Stuart play live and how he followed him to San Francisco the next night to see him play again. They have worked together on his last five studio albums. Their latest together is Music For Mortals.

Stuart was also the host of the show “Sex, God and Rock ‘n Roll” on HDNet and has recently begun to release a series of videos on YouTube, including an interview with Harvard theoretical physicist Avi Loeb.

I am really excited to have Stuart on the Podcast for two reasons.

1. I love the wild and creative spirit that beams brightly in all of his work and the way he speaks about what he creates and the process behind it.
2. He has interviewed Kermit The Frog and in the world of six degrees that puts me one step closer to Fozzie Bear. Waka Waka.

• Growing up in the Minneapolis
• His first experience with Zen Buddhism
• How his relationship to an audience can be like “spiritual crack”
• What it’s like to live on a boat in Amsterdam with his family
• Why he thinks of things as little rehearsals for death
• What the upside down question mark means for him
• How having children changed his world view

“Balance at the expense of one’s own nature is a false balance”  - click to tweet!

STUARTDAVIS.COM |  TWITTER  | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK

Stuart on NPR

Blair Sinta, Rob Benedict, Luke Adams, Michelle Carmen Gomez, Chris Schwab, Alex Gibson, Mike Garson, and Mike Chat talk about the unexpected discoveries on their roads.