EricCast

Barry Williams, of course known as Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch, joins Eric Paulsen for a conversation about the show turning 50 in 2019, where that tiki statue from Hawaii might be, what that last show was like with orange hair and Robert Reed opting out of the episode, and how they're re-doing the original Brady house you saw on TV in an upcoming HGTV show. Find out also about a celebrity cruise coming up in Fall 2019, what celebrity neighbor inspired Williams to go into acting, and his visits to Wizard World, all in this 17-minute interview.

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REO Speedwagon lead singer Kevin Cronin talks with Eric Paulsen about being voted "Top Illinois musicians," their 1985 Live Aid experience (and the logistics behind it), a new book project he's working on, his sons now being in a band, and the coolest place to hang out when playing shows in Milwaukee.

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Blues Traveler had just released their 2018 album "Hurry Up & Hang Around" and were about to play a show in Milwaukee when I got a chance to talk with them. We discuss concert rituals, what they've been up to, and what flatulence-related name they were given on a previous trip to Wisconsin.

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In this brief EricCast episode, I got a chance to talk with Kansas bass guitarist, singer, frontman Billy Greer just ahead of their show at Milwaukee's Pabst Theater on October 12, 2018. It was a fun discussion and I even got to ask a philosophical question towards the end.

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in this 15 minute conversation, Eric Paulsen talks one-on-one with Doobie Brothers co-founder and lead singer Tom Johnston, covering everything from an upcoming concert, their new EP coming out in 2019, and what 8-tracks were like. Also find out how "Black Water" was resurrected to become a hit, his trip back to China Grove, changes in the music and concert industry, even a Jesus question Eric has wanted to ask since he was a kid.

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Eric Paulsen is joined by Kelly Fitzsimmons, serial entrepreneur and author of the new book "Lost In Startuplandia." She has had several successful exits with a variety of companies and investors - and some big failures. Her book eschews the usual "This is exactly how I succeeded and how you will too!" hype and notes how the infinite roads to success and surefire ways to fail. Lost In Startuplandia offers multiple perspectives and real-life examples to allow an entrepreneur to recognize and compare his or her own situation to serve as guidance... or caution. Topics include customer and location strategy, investors and pitfalls, better decision-making and confirmation bias, looking for people outside your own circle, "Zombie startups," and much more. Through the conversation, we also wander into Oculus Rift, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Moore's Law, how VR (virtual reality) programs could dramatically improve gaming, museums, film, storytelling and more, and a variety of topics.

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Just ahead of a Wisconsin concert, I get a chance to talk with Justin Hayward, longtime writer, guitarist, and vocalist for The Moody Blues. In the 9 minutes we have, we talk about the Moodies' getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, his current and upcoming shows and tours, his initial trip to America, and still doing what he loves in 2018. This interview was originally created for my Morning Rewind show on Rewind 92.1/WXXM-FM in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Grand Funk Railroad formed in Flint, Michigan in 1969, fusing R&B with rock and earning quite a name for themselves. From long jams like "I'm Your Captain" to tight pop hits like "Bad Time" to scaring hotel managers nationwide in "We're An American Band," this trio - now a quintet with two of the three original members - continues to tour and bang out the sound and spirit that's driven rock & roll for the last half-century. In this episode of the EricCast, I talk with founding member Don Brewer just ahead of a Wisconsin show. We discuss the band's roots, what's different today, how shows in the South and bringing back a gospel song helped them break through, and why they chose to cover "The Loco-motion," of all songs, and send it to #1 - again.

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Sports Wisconsin actively works to promote the state as a premier destination for sports events of all kinds - and not just the ones you may think of first. Showcasing the state to bring in more events from around the country and the world can make a big impact - and you may be surprised at what Wisconsin has to offer, and has hosted already. We find out more from Cari Greving of Sports Wisconsin.

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In 1978, two Minnesota teenagers inspired by their new love and appreciation for Hollywood's "Golden Age" found themselves on a plane to L.A. to interview Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly after simply sending interview requests in the mail. Who knew that would lead to real, in-depth, in-person interviews with then and hundreds of Hollywood's legends? Dave Fantle and Tom Johnson did just that, interviewing hundreds of stars from Astaire and Kelly to Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Capra, Milton Berle, Don Rickles, George Burns... the list goes on and on. Their new book "Hollywood Heyday: 75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends" chronicles this experience and offers up a unique perspective on these iconic performers. Robert Wagner wrote the foreword to the book, beginning with the phrase "What audacity!" In this EricCast, Dave and I discuss the book and the incredibly unique experiences he and Tom were able to enjoy, with quite interesting stories about many of Hollywood's biggest stars from stage and screen.

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