Reliving My Youth

I catch up with Jeff East, who played young Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. He tells me his experience making the classic movie, including the memorable train scene, and his relationship with Christopher Reeve.

I catch up with Dean Dinning, lead bassist of Toad the Wet Sprocket, whose hits include “All I Want”, “Walk on the Ocean” and “Something’s Always Wrong”. Dean talks about his musical family, the band’s start and why they decided not to take an advance from the record company. Toad’s last album, “New Constellation", broke records via Kickstarter.

I catch up with Brian Vander Ark, lead singer of the Verve Pipe, who spent four years in the army before beginning his music career. The Verve Pipe hit it big with “The Freshman”. Brian tells me the long journey of the song and why the follow up album failed. Their song, “Colorful”, was featured in the movie, “Rock Star”. Brian had a role in the movie. The Verve Pipe still put out albums, including a couple of children’s album and performs.

I catch up with Robin Wilson, lead singer of Gin Blossoms, whose latest album Mixed Reality comes out Friday. Robin talks about the lasting effect of their hit album, New Miserable Experience, that album featured the hits “Hey Jealously” and “Found Out About You”.

I catch up with Mike Reiss from The Simpsons, whose new book, Springfield Confidential, comes out June 12. We touch upon more than just The Simpsons. Mike was a writer on Airplane II, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, ALF, Sledge Hammer! and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. Mike and his writing partner, Al Jean, were show runners of quite arguably the best seasons of The Simpsons, seasons three and four. Mike talks about the memorable Michael Jackson and baseball episodes. We touch upon The Critic and Queer Duck as well.

It’s the one-year anniversary show! I catch up with John Oates, who recently released his memoirs, Change of Seasons. We discuss why he chose to write about his life. We get the stories behind some of Daryl Hall and John Oates’s biggest hits.

I catch up with Leslie Easterbrook, who played Callahan in the Police Academy movies. She tells me about her experience making the original, why she wasn’t in the second one and if she has an update regarding the proposed remake. Leslie played Rhonda Lee on Laverne and Shirley. She talks about working with Penny Marshall. Leslie sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XVII. She has a great story about it.

I catch up with Joe Bouchard, founding member of Blue Oyster Cult, who talks about his latest album, Playing History. Joe was part of BOC for their major hits, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You”. Joe gives his thoughts on the iconic Saturday Night Live skit and which cast member portrayed him. Joe left the band in 1986. He talks about why he left and what he has been doing since.

I catch up with Jack Hues of Wang Chung, whose biggest hits included “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Dance Hall Days”. Jack tells me about the band’s name and I try to get out of him the meaning of “everybody Wang Chung tonight”. The band had music featured on “The Breakfast Club” and did all of the music for the “To Live and Die in LA” soundtrack.

I catch up with Jean Louisa Kelly (Uncle Buck, Mr Holland’s Opus), who tells me how she got started in the business and why it was like working with John Candy on Uncle Buck. Jean tells me why she left acting for a bit and went to college. She talks about how special her role in Mr. Holland’s Opus really was. Jean has released a few albums, including her latest, For My Folks, she tells me why this one is so special to her.