Law school didn’t work out for Rachel Kramer Bussel. After failing to complete her studies as NYU, she began writing erotic on the side, while working as a paralegal. Twenty years later, she continues to write and edit works in the genre, even after moving to a far more suburban life in New Jersey. In the intervening years, she’s edited dozens of collections, including the Best Sex Writing series. The author sat down with us on a recent trip to Manhattan to discuss a two-decades long career that began as a happy accident and how life away from the big city has impacted her work.

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When she arrives for the interview, Cara Beth Satalino has her luggage in tow. She’s gearing up for a handful of shows ahead ahead of the release of Outer Spaces’ sophomore release, Gazing Globe. It’s a nice spot ahead of a second record, having honed their chops in Baltimore, the trio has held its own alongside indie vets like Ted Leo, Waxahatchee and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

Though the musician explains that she’s not too hung up on expectations. Music has never been particularly lucrative, but there’s a lot to be said for the ability to do what you love in the studio and on tour -- and putting out memorable music along the way. And Satalino and her rotating cast of musical cohorts are enjoying the process more than ever.

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The way he tells it, The Hard Times was a hit right out of the gate. Some perfect combination of zeitgeist and internet algorithms had the satirical site racking up a million page views via social media sites like Facebook almost instantly. It’s a far cry from the sort of hard luck grinding stories one usually hears about the punk scene — but when it’s right, it’s right. Initially focused on the punk and hardcore scene, it’s since grown into a broader view on millennial culture. Founded with few expectations in 2014 by Matt and Ed Saincome and Bill Conway, the site managed to capture much of what made The Onion a phenomenon, while staying focused on a wide range of subcultures. Earlier this year, the site launched an interview podcast, with more multimedia projects in the works, including a book and television show.

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Launched in summer 2018, the Awkward Sex and the City podcast maintain the magic the has made the stage show of the same name a hit with New York City audience. Founder and host Natalie Wall is joined by fellow comedians who explore their own uncomfortable sex stories, celebrating the…less sexy elements of intimacy. Wall joins us to discuss her comedy career, getting personal on stage and the importance of knowing the location of the nearest New York City public restroom.

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Released in February, Mort Gerberg on the Scene is a loving celebration of the long time New Yorker cartoonist. For half a century, the artist has taken on contemporary city life and politics, capturing everything from basketball games to the Nixon administration.  It was the latter topic that found him guesting on The Today Show, live drawing the controversial president alongside Barbara Walters. The New York City native has held down a wide range of different gigs over the course of his career, serving as the editor of the Alaskan Post, running promotional copy for Ziff Davis and teaching cartooning at the Parsons School of Design and the New School. But making art has long been his passion, and at 88, he has no plans to put down his pen any time soon.

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From the sound of it, Lou Doillon was surprised as anyone by her own musical successes. Her 2012 debut put her new career on the map, earning her a French Grammy for Artist of the Year, only to be catapulted to global fame with her 2016 followup. Fame as a singer-songwriter, at least. As an actress, model and the daughter of two famous parents, Doillon has never not been a known quantity, but making music has allowed her to pursue a number of creative passions in a single project. This year’s Soliloquy is the result of collaborations with multiple producers, including Cat Power and Timbre Timbre’s Taylor Kirk, allowing her to explore more musical directions than ever before. On a trip to New York, Doillon stopped by our offices to discuss opening for Madness, feeling old at 30 and why there are so few karaoke bars in France.

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We get the chance to talk to a lot of great seasoned artists, but there’s a wonderful change of pace to interviewing one who’s just getting started. London born and raised, Jnr. Williams released his debut EP Where We Start earlier this year on Arista. The singer-songwriter creates stripped-down, jazz-influenced R&B that taps into earnest and emotional subject matter. In this bonus episode, we discuss Williams’ journey from working at a movie theater to the release of his debut record.

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