Salt Lake Dirt

For Salt Lake Dirt's first Halloween episode, Kyler is joined by writer and director Duncan Birmingham to discuss the world of horror films, psychological thrillers, and cinematic slow burns.

Birmingham is well-known for his work on Blunt Talk, Maron, his story collection The Cult in My Garage, and his horror-comedy film Who Invited Them? During the chat, they touch on growing up in relatively strict households, coming around to horror later in life, and why the genre thrives on unique concepts rather than relying on traditional bankable movie stars.

Be sure to check out the movie recommendation podcast Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time that Duncan co-hosts with Lex Raby, which features its own annual Halloween special. To explore even more of his personal film picks, you can browse through Duncan's curated movie lists on Letterboxd.

Thanks for listening!

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Featured Horror & Thriller Films Mentioned

• The Invitation: 2015
• Obsession: 1976
• The Exorcist: 1973
• House of 1000 Corpses: 2003
• Halloween: 1978
• Psycho: 1960
• Psycho II: 1983
• The Birds: 1963
• Jacob's Ladder: 1990
• Audition: 1999
• The Devil's Candy: 2015 (festival premiere) / 2017 (theatrical release)
• Red Rooms: 2023
• House of the Devil: 2009
• Black Christmas: 1974
• Tenebrae: 1982
• Nightbreed: 1990

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Episode Links:

• Duncan on Linktree
• Duncan's Letterboxd

• SLD Episode 72: Who Invited Them?
• SLD Episode 36: The Cult in My Garage

On today's episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sits down with author and former neurosurgeon-turned-lawyer John Kenyon Rainer to discuss his novel, The Last Wind Walker.

The story centers on Ashe Carter, a young doctor who begins experiencing vivid memories of a past life. A century earlier in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina, he lived among the "Wind Walkers," a legendary clan of mountain healers.

After spontaneously playing classical music at an Easter service, Ashe is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Following surgery that leaves him with coordination issues in his right hand, Ashe is fired from his residency and files a medical malpractice lawsuit against his neurosurgeon, navigating heavy life changes alongside his supportive wife, Mattie.

Rainer draws directly from his own professional background for the narrative, having spent roughly 25 years practicing neurosurgery followed by 25 years practicing law. This experience provided the foundation for the medical and courtroom conflicts depicted in the book.

During the interview, Rainer also reflects on his 1987 debut book, First Do No Harm, and how a family connection led to a rare endorsement from reclusive literary icon Harper Lee. They also touch on his writing process, the blending of multiple genres, and his preparation for a future sequel.

Great book, great chat. Thanks for listening!

PURCHASE The Last Wind Walker

On today's episode of Salt Lake Dirt, novelist and scholar Joseph Coulson discusses his book The Prince of Memphis. The novel explores an alternate music history centered on Aron Beale—the unacknowledged son of Elvis Presley and Clara Mae Beale—whose plans to publish a memoir spark legal battles and intense opposition.Coulson, who holds a Ph.D. in American Literature and serves as President and Chief Academic Officer at Harrison Middleton University, talks about the cultural mythology surrounding Elvis, his approach to writing the book, and the creation of "Midnight Candy," an original song created as a companion track to the project.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase The Prince of Memphis
• JosephCoulson.com
• IG: @princeofmemphis

Today on Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler welcomes back author Daniel Gard'ner to discuss his new Los Angeles-set novel, EXITS, out on November 6 from Close to the Bone Press. Serving as the second installment in Gard'ner's loosely connected LA trilogy, EXITS explores the high-stakes collision between two blue-collar brothers: Jesse, who works in the hospitality industry, and Nicky, a newly released ex-con pulled back into the city's dangerous underworld. During their conversation, Gard'ner shares fascinating insights into his consistent writing process, the intricate dynamics of brotherhood, and what it takes to enact true change when mired in a given path. He also chats about how an outsider's perspective shapes his atmospheric portrayal of Los Angeles noir. It's a fantastic, wide-ranging discussion with a returning favorite, so be sure to tune in!

Thanks for listening.

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Exits
• Follow Daniel on Instagram: @danielgardner222
• SLD Episode 356 - Daniel Gard'ner Desert Songs

Following the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the United States finds its legal and democratic institutions navigating a shifting landscape. To examine this period, Harvard Law School professors Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel E. Charles invited their colleagues to step outside their usual academic routines and contribute to a joint publication. The resulting book, America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, brings together over 60 short, accessible essays without footnotes, written by leading legal scholars. Published by the MIT Press on July 4, 2026, the volume covers topics ranging from the presidency, the Supreme Court, and criminal law to free speech, technology, and economic inequality, capturing diverse viewpoints across the faculty. During a recent episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sat down with Professor Alexandra Natapoff to discuss how the collection was put together and the goals behind it. Natapoff noted that the book is intended to be accessible to a wide audience, including high school history teachers, college students, and the general public. She also mentioned that the MIT Press will make the volume open access starting in 2027, allowing students and educators to read it for free. Links to the book, Harvard Law School's related resources, and the open-access materials (when available) can be found in the show notes.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance
• Additional Resources

Musician and artist Sherri DuPree has spent years as a core creative force behind the band Eisley. Alongside her musical work, she maintains a distinct visual practice, producing illustrations, custom designs, and commission pieces that balance distinct character with personal expression. On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler talks with Sherri about growing up in an art-focused family, making time to illustrate while touring, and the day-to-day realities of making things while raising children. They also discuss the specific challenges of tattoo design work, the value of keeping an analog creative process, and the persistence required to keep making art independently.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Sherri on Instagram
• Listen to Eisley

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SLD Podcast Info:

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews.
• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.
• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

Jihoon Park is a writer from San Jose, California, a PhD candidate at UC Santa Cruz, and a graduate of George Mason University's MFA program. In his debut novel, Stickman, Park explores contemporary alienation, modern masculinity, and the Asian American experience through Juni, a demoralized rideshare driver whose obsession with a childhood classmate who became a notorious school shooter pushes him to the edge of reality. Blending deadpan humor, psychological grit, and surreal elements, the novel examines the dark, uneasy boundaries between internal isolation and extreme violence. In this episode of Salt Lake Dirt, host Kyler Bingham talks with Park about the winding genesis of Stickman, transitioning the core motif from a literal surreal stick figure to a thematic element in visual art, and his academic background teaching Japan's I-novel tradition. They also examine the psychological underpinnings of the protagonist's self-destructive cognitive loops, how immigrant identity shapes myth and fantasy, and the discomfort that arises when literature forces readers to confront ugly human truths.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Stickman
• Jihoon's website
• IG: @jihoon.writer

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SLD Podcast Info:

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews.

• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.

• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

Musician and author Roddy Bottum recently joined the show to discuss his critically acclaimed memoir, The Royal We. Rather than following standard celebrity formulas, Bottum crafted the book using his daily morning writing exercises to focus on sophisticated prose and sharp wordplay. He shared insights into his creative process, which notably omits specific dates and years to keep the narrative focused on emotional truth and personal growth rather than rigid timelines. During the conversation, Bottum also opened up about navigating complex themes such as his early experiences in San Francisco, letting go of shame surrounding his sexuality and past struggles with addiction, and the intense vulnerability of recording the audiobook. Fans of his work can look forward to more writing in the future, as he is currently at work on a new novel alongside upcoming tour dates with Imperial Teen and Faith No More.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase The Royal We
• Imperial Teen
• Faith No More

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SLD Podcast Info:

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews.

• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.

• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

Author and podcast host Tony DuShane joined Kyler on the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt to launch a new, recurring series of thematic conversations. Running once or twice a month, this new format begins with the topic of DEATH, featuring DuShane as the inaugural guest. Tony is the author of Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk, and the host of the podcast Drinks with Tony.

Throughout their conversation, Kyler and Tony explored broader reflections on aging, the realities of hospice care, and navigating complex family dynamics following the loss of a parent. DuShane also shared insights into his writing process, his latest creative projects, and the unique ways we all confront the inevitable. Listeners can find more of his work on his Substack.

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Episode Links:

• TonyDuShane.com
• Tony's Substack
• Drinks with Tony (Podcast)
• Tony on Episode 6 of Salt Lake Dirt

Musician, composer, and guitarist Skip Heller has spent decades carving out a distinct lane bridging exotica, jazz, film noir scores, and vintage roots music. On his latest album, Hypnocoin, he leans entirely into an independent creative process shaped by late-night viewings of 1950s science fiction and classic Italian film arrangements. Rather than relying on standard rock configurations, Heller and his ensemble Voodoo 5—co-led with vocalist Lena—build their sound around unconventional instrumentation like vibraphone, pedal steel, and Latin percussion, favoring analog warmth and careful arrangement over modern production trends. This week on Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler talks with Heller about the reality of running an independent band in Los Angeles, the practical problem-solving behind unconventional arrangements, and the heavy influence of jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie. They also discuss the community of independent labels, artists, and writers that sustain these vintage aesthetics. Be sure to check out Voodoo 5's new album Hynocoin.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Hynocoin
• Killer Kern on Bandcamp
• SkipHeller.org
• IG: @voodoo5exotica
• Skip on SLD Episode 310
• Skip on SLD Episode 105

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SLD Podcast Info:

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews.

• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.

• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.