If you asked Black Guy Fawkes, he’d probably tell you that he never thought in a million years he’d be able to interview President Bill Clinton. It may have something to do with this show sounding a lot like another show that airs on a certain cable "news" network.

Also, he certainly wouldn’t have expected that the President would bring other Presidents along, or that they’d have a punk band called President Bomber. It’s even looking like Black Guy Fawkes may make an appearance on his own Mount Rushmore, playing with the Presidents (and A Day Without Love) on the 10th of May at the Deep End in Frostburg, MD. 

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out Music | Black Guy Fawkes (bandcamp.com)or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show. The show also now has a playlist of music from guests that have appeared, and guests who will be appearing, and you can check that out on Spotify as well: Fawkes & Friends: The Playlist - playlist by Ian Robinson | Spotify

The realities of the music business are something Kayleigh Goldsworthy knows a lot about–whether it’s streaming royalties, merch sales, acting as a hired gun for other projects, or direct support via Patreon, she has had her hands in it. This episode, she takes a deep dive in with Black Guy Fawkes and his dilettante pal on the intentionality of stagecraft and persona, the joys of being a “hired gun,” the economics of creating music, merch, and selling direct to fans via Patreon, and provides another contender for the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia. For more of Kayleigh, hit up her website or subscribe to her Patreon.  

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out Music | Black Guy Fawkes (bandcamp.com)or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show. The show also now has a playlist of music from guests that have appeared, and guests who will be appearing, and you can check that out on Spotify as well: Fawkes & Friends: The Playlist - playlist by Ian Robinson | Spotify

Everyone in this special episode is going to be at Pouzza Fest in Montreal this May except for Ed, and he’s real salty about it. But you, dear listener–if you go (Pouzza Fest: Montreal's Punk Festival – May 17-18-19, 2024), you can not only see Black Guy Fawkes, but today’s guests as well–Brittany Luna and Tim Hildebrand from the amazing ska band Catbite! And, hey, if you’re in the UK, they are headed your way to open for Hot Water Music (!) on a ton of dates. As Philly cats, they can also tell you the best cheesesteak in the 215, their upcoming limited edition deluxe re-release of their 2021 album Nice One, and a whole lot about the actual history of ska–they’re the real deal. For more info on Catbite, visit www.catbite.net.

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out https://blackguyfawkes.com/ or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show. The show also now has a playlist of music from guests that have appeared, and guests who will be appearing, and you can check that out on Spotify as well: Fawkes & Friends: The Playlist - playlist by Ian Robinson | Spotify

It gets real Appalachian today on Fawkes and Friends, when Black Guy Fawkes and his decidedly-not-a-professional-musician sidekick talk to Ol Whitetail. While her roots are in western Pennsylvania, she’s lived and done music all over the oldest mountain range on the continent–Nashville, Canada, and Pittsburgh. She talks about her influences, her travels, and the importance of mass transit options for both access to spaces and for it’s mental health benefits.

For more Ol Whitetail, you can find her music on all streaming services (including our very own guest playlist on Spotify), and can purchase her music or her poetry collection through her Bandcamp page: Music | Ol' Whitetail (bandcamp.com)

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out https://blackguyfawkes.com/ or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show. The show also now has a playlist of music from guests that have appeared, and guests who will be appearing, and you can check that out on Spotify as well: Fawkes & Friends: The Playlist - playlist by Ian Robinson | Spotify

If you saw Black Guy Fawkes perform at Lost Evenings in Anaheim in September of 2023, you may have met today’s guest, as she offered to man his merch table while he played. Also, if you’ve played the video game “Clone Hero,” it’s highly likely you smashed buttons in time to her band Begin Again’s song “I Ws Nvr Yr Grlfrnd,” as that appearance helped that song up to 97k and counting streams on Spotify. Ashley discusses a whole lot of things with Ian and Ed: a rough band break up from a previous group, the process of putting new songs together under a new identity, the troubles that face online communities, and what exactly California pizza is. You can find more of her music at the Begin Again page on Spotify: Begin Again | Spotify

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out https://blackguyfawkes.com/ or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show. The show also now has a playlist of music from guests that have appeared, and guests who will be appearing, and you can check that out on Spotify as well: Fawkes & Friends: The Playlist - playlist by Ian Robinson | Spotify

Honestly, without Frank Turner, this episode’s guest, there wouldn’t even be a Fawkes and Friends. His music inspired Ian to make the kind of music he does as Black Guy Fawkes, and Ed’s music taste took a genuine shift the first time he heard Frank’s Love Ire & Song album. If you want to hear Frank talk about South America, Noel Coward, Ted Lasso, and the awfulness of Oasis fans, that’s all here, but so is a lot of talk about last year’s Lost Evenings festival in Anaheim, California, this year’s Lost Evenings in Toronto, Ontario, his upcoming tenth (!) album Undefeated (which will be available everywhere on May 3rd), branching out into music production, and so, so much more. And definitely go check out the video for his latest single "Do One."

In addition, in the intro, Ian talks about an upcoming benefit show taking place in Frostburg, MD: Hunger Moon Fest. Fight food insecurity and help take on student lunch debt at Hunger Moon Fest! Rock out at City Place on Saturday, February 24 from 3PM to 10PM with beer, grub, and music from American Meat Industry, The Power, Brickyard Folly, President Bomber, The Downstrokes, Black Guy Fawkes, and more! If you’d like to donate towards eliminating $5,000 of student lunch debt in Allegany County Public Schools, you can do so at the donation link here: Savage Mountain Punk Arts

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out https://blackguyfawkes.com/ or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show.

Still so many tech issues but, hey, the show is bringing that punk rock/DIY aesthetic to one of the hosts favorite punk and DIY artists–MJ Bones. Bones joins Black Guy Fawkes and his very-under-the-weather pal Ed to discuss gigging with Kimya Dawson, casual racism in surprising places, why pizza in Connecticut is so damn good, and how they got started doing the whole ukulele thing in the first place. It’s a love fest all around, with copious use of the N-word by the two of the three people on the recording who are allowed to use it. 

For the full experience, listen on Spotify Premium, where you'll get to hear the artist featured song: “Maybe” by MJ Bones.
For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out https://blackguyfawkes.com/ or https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show.

The first full episode of Fawkes and Friends couldn’t ask for a better guest than Johnny Marriott of PET NEEDS. Black Guy Fawkes and his pal did a very punk thing–released this episode despite the many, many tech issues they had during the interview (there’s a reason Ed talks so much this time). But they hope the content makes up for it–you’ll get to hear all about the creation of PET NEED’s third album Intermittent Fast Living (due out 2/16/24, or 16/2/24 in the civilized world), the “Bottom of the Pops” campaign to drive the album to UK chart dominance, and the very important, divisive answer to the question “what’s better–Chicago or New York pizza.”

Artist featured song: “Sleep When I’m Dead” by PET NEEDS

Also, a quick note: Black Guy Fawkes has a late-breaking announcement. He's partnering with Savage Mountain Pun arts to raise money for lunch debt in Allegany County Public Schools, playing the Hunger Moon Benefit. The goal is to wipe away $5,000 in school lunch debt in a community that has a median household income of less than $24k. More info (and the ability to donate) can be found on Black Guy Fawkes's social media pages.

Founded with humble bedroom-band beginnings by brothers Johnny and George Mariott only a matter of years ago, PET NEEDS’ career has been sky-rocketing ever since the release of their acclaimed debut ‘Fractured Party Music’ back in 2021. From getting signed to SOLD OUT shows, rave reviews to rabid fans, and embarking on extensive global tours with the likes of Frank Turner, The Lottery Winners, Skinny Lister; demand for these four lads from Essex has been on a trajectory with the stratosphere. Joined by Jack (drums) and Ryan (bass) the band are readying to announce details of their third studio album, following the explosive debut and showstopping Frank Turner-produced follow-up ‘Primetime Entertainment’.

Having attracted attention with their relentless live shows and powerful studio releases, PET NEEDS have attracted praise from the likes of Backseat Mafia, The Rodeo, Times Radio, NARC Magazine and more with the latter dubbing ‘Primetime Entertainment’ as a record of “joyous experimentation”.

Following an extensive UK, US and European tour supporting Frank Turner last year, 2023 has seen PET NEEDS support The Lottery Winners across the UK, The Bouncing Souls and Skinny LIster in the US, Flogging Molly in Europe and complete their own headline tours.

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out ⁠https://blackguyfawkes.com/⁠ or ⁠https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/⁠. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple Music⁠, and ⁠Amazon⁠. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show.

Here it is–the very first episode of Fawkes and Friends. Some have called him “the Wayne Brady of folk punk,” others have called him a “punk rock griot,” but here, folks simply call him Black Guy Fawkes (or Ian Robinson). He has brought his brand of Appalachian folk punk across America and, now, he’s bringing it to Spotify with this podcast, where he and his pal Ed talk to musicians and other creatives about their creative processes and social justice.In this introductory episode, he’s not only the host, but also the guest, and Ed asks him about his music career, his influences, what he wants this podcast to accomplish, and his Mount Rushmore of Cats from the musical Cats. 

Artist featured song: “The Great Sisyphus,” by Black Guy Fawkes.

For more Black Guy Fawkes, check out ⁠https://blackguyfawkes.com/⁠ or ⁠https://asbestosrecords.bigcartel.com/⁠. He’s also on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, etc as Black Guy Fawkes–spelling is extremely important here and, not surprisingly, he’s on music streaming services as well: ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple Music⁠, and ⁠Amazon⁠. You can probably find Ed drinking in a karaoke bar or in the crowd at a punk show.