In the early 2000s, Matt Bowden spearheaded drug law reform in NZ by selling safer alternatives to meth. His "party pills" made millions, and Matt spent his money shooting steampunk video clips as his rocker alter-ego, Star Boy. On this ep, we hear how Matt set out to make positive change, but inadvertently pioneered a market of synthetic drugs.
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Meet the Steampunk Godfather of Synthetic Drugs

Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait&nbsp;of 'what it was like' to be there.
Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal Production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Society & Culture

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Documentary

In 2015, Hurricane Joaquin roared over the Bahamas and sank a cargo ship called the El Faro, drowning all 33 people onboard. It was a mystery how a modern US-flagged ship could sail into a hurricane until its black box was found. In this episode, Julian examines the black box transcript to discover a crew that ignored all their own instincts.
Transcript from the El Faro's black box is here. The US Coast Guard's report is here. And here is an article and a book that was hugely helpful in researching this case: “The Clock Is Ticking”: Inside the Worst U.S. Maritime Disaster in Decades by William Langewiesche Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro by Rachel Slade
TikTok Youtube Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hurricane That Swallowed a Cargo Ship

In 1985, a 17-year-old girl named Shari Smith was abducted from her own driveway and the family's phone started to ring. It was the kidnapper, his voice electronically distorted. He called repeatedly and it fell on Shari's 21-year-old sister Dawn to answer. In this episode, Dawn Smith Jordan recalls what she learned that week about her parents, her sister and her own resilience. TikTok Youtube Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catching My Sister's Killer

When someone in the Saudi royal family buys a private plane, they usually want someone to photograph their new toy. And that's where Nick Gleis comes in. For over 40 years he's been photographing private jets for the world's richest people. On today's ep, Nick shares some stories about his clients and talks about the time he accidentally flew into a tornado. Check out Nick's photos of obscene luxury on his site, here. TikTok Youtube Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Photograph Private Jets for Mega-Billionaires

On April 28, 1996, a man named Martin Bryant fatally shot 35 people at the Port Arthur historical site in Tasmania. For siblings Lorraine and Mick Davies, who had grown up next-door to Bryant, the massacre was not entirely surprising. In this episode, they recount the tragedy's long build-up.
Mick Davies is also an actor and comedian. You can follow his work on Instagram.
TikTok Youtube Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living Next Door to Mass Killer Martin Bryant

In 1991, Ida Sabelis and her partner had sex in an MRI tube, yielding an image that showcased the internal mechanics of copulation and gained global press coverage. Today, we delve into their experience and learnings. What's it like, exactly, to have sex inside a piece of medical equipment?
TikTok Youtube Hosted by Julian Morgans A Superreal production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the Steampunk Godfather of Synthetic Drugs

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