By upful LIFE
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The podcast currently has 81 episodes available.
To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Phish “retirement” shows, hop in the wayback machine to revisit the historic, chaotic, at-times catastrophic Coventry festival, hosted in northern Vermont way back in August 2004. Twenty years later, Episode 080 colorfully unspools an oral history of this fateful weekend, reflecting upon the legendary traffic jam, difficult weather and its consequences, plus inspired creativity, community action, local heroes lending helping hands, and determined phans hiking up to 20 miles into the fest.
The focus of this podcast is not the band’s atrocious, nerve-wracked, debilitated performances or their precarious situation at that moment in time, as those aspects have been long addressed ad nauseum. Instead, we shine a light on the humanity, heroic efforts, sad turns of fate, and collective connection that defined what was an epic journey to some, and a traumatic experience for others. After I sounded the alarm for last minute submissions, a dozen brave Coventry survivors were kind enough to contribute short personal stories for this wacky, wild, wide-ranging oral history.
In addition, last week saw the unveiling of ‘JAM - The Documentary’, a 27-minute DIY film from Alex Daltas that dissects this monumental excursion to say goodbye to The Phish from Vermont at Coventry. The motion picture is mostly sourced from his own pre-festival footage, and a smattering of news reports; it took Daltas two decades of dedication to bring this patchwork vision into tremendous fruition. Alex slides thru to open up about the adventures of Coventry & then the 20 year odyssey of manifesting this movie.
Rent/Buy JAM- The Documentary HERE
Jam the Documentary - story/press release
B.Getz 'Era Ending Event' -
Pharewell My Phriend JamBase 8.20.04
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Twas an honor and privilege to welcome legendary DJ/producer/multi-instrumentalist GREYBOY to Episode 079!! A career highlight for this program to facilitate a wide-reaching, ever-rare interview with the man born Andreas Stevens, who's pioneering 90's work on Ubiquity Records set, raised, and re-raised the bar for West Coast acid jazz and trip-hop. Greyboy's solo canon is long revered for blurring the lines between hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, and beyond; he's also the visionary behind rare-groove ragers The Greyboy Allstars. Released June 2024, Greyboy's latest LP Word On the Street represents an artistic rebirth and musical revolution tied to the broadening of his palette and a personal evolution.
1988 DMC Regional Champion. Recovering midcentury modernist. Responsible for wrangling together esteemed boogaloo bandits The Greyboy Allstars, hence their moniker and sonic blueprint. Over the course of three decades, DJ Greyboy has worked with musical and cultural luminaries that span genre and generation, his music oscillates between styles yet remains consistently Era Correct.
Grey shares a few of his leftfield non-musical passions that are sure to surprise even the most attentive fans of his timeless tunes. During this sprawling 90-minute conversation, Greyboy was stoked to explore the inspirations, losses, and motivations that gave us his most recent LP, Word On the Street. Plus unpacking seminal releases Greybreaks, Freestylin', Land of the Lost, and reflections on crucial collaborators. Grateful that Grey was such a open book, and seemed quite happy to hop in the sidehack and bomb the hill down memory lane. Give Thanks for Greyboy.
After wrapping with Grey, we check in with Spencer from For The Funk Of It Festival, slated for Aug. 6-9 in NorCal, to get the 411 on this year's throwdown on the Feather River.
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GREYBOY: "Unwind Your Mind", "Grey Royale", "Word on the Street"
Dwell Magazine article about Greyboy's house restoration
Greyboy - Word On the Street album on BandCamp
Check out FOR THE FUNK OF IT FESTIVAL August 9-11 in NorCal
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Welcome Florida-bred, Denver-based electronic producer duo MZG to Episode 078! Zach and Charles Weinert are wildly talented yet humble and hilarious, studio wizards who can cook up with the best in the game. Many of us have long been convinced these two handsome gents are destined for superstardom, if not global EDM domination. I've had the privilege of watching the evolution of their craft, careers, collaborations, and trademark sound since before they were even performing as a duo, as well as call them real-life homies for nearly 15 years. Get ready for the Twinzies Takeover!
Topics include: growing up twins, coming of age in Northeast Florida, separate musical journeys, Greenhouse Lounge/Sir Charles, exploring Ableton, discovering festival culture, finding Soundtribe Sector 9, figuring out Phish, collaborating with Big Gigantic, The Floozies, Griz. Spirit of Suwannee/Hulaween magic, moving to electronic mecca Denver, distilling/focusing their sound. Unveiling house side-project Duplex. A classic tale of the ol' switcheroo, plastic bong/pocket-p*ssy/kazoo with a country cop, plus barrels more laughs and memories. We run thru a few of the most nuclear MZG bangers to finish strong.
Bio: Twin brothers, Zach and Charles Weinert, spent many years working on separate musical projects, but in 2015, they relented to the inevitable and joined forces to create MZG. Shorthand for “monozygotic” (the scientific term describing identical twins), the name MZG describes the unique bond these two share. After honing their craft in Jacksonville, FL, the pair began playing out for audiences. MZG’s reputation for setting dance floors aflame saw them soon sharing the stage with like-minded acts such as RL Grime, Herobust, and Opiuo, as well as earning residency at Florida festival mainstay Suwannee Hulaween. They've also appeared at festivals Sonic Bloom, Okechobee, and Electric Forest, among others. Rooted in Colorado the past six years, the brothers have wasted no time in making a mark, performing with respected state staples Big Gigantic, Griz, The Floozies, Barclay Crenshaw, and Manic Focus. These self taught musicians and producers deliver bass driven, hip-hop influenced electronica while sharing a chemistry on stage that is natural and infectious.
"One 2 Shtep", "BANGA," "FAYDED2023", "FTCU Flip" - MZG
unknown unreleased joint from Duplex
Stay up on all things MZG ---> Bandcamp, Instagram, Soundcloud, Spotify
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Welcome NY-bred, Nashville-based PETER LEVIN, a keyboardist/singer/producer to Episode 077! A veteran of multiple music scenes, bands, and geographies, Peter Levin has written/performed with numerous artists who've appeared on this show, & dozens more who have not. A well-respected musician, songwriter and producer, across 3 decades Peter has collaborated with legends like the late, great Gregg Allman, cultural institutions such as the Allman Brothers Band and Blind Boys of Alabama, rising stars i.e. Amanda Shires, and appears on the award-winning album The Highwomen.
Late last year, Levin released the fantastic record under his own name: 'Saturday Night, Sunday Morning'. The LP features an all-star slate of contributors that dot his musical journey, including guitarists/friends-of-the-pod Adam "Shmeeans" Smirnoff and Eric Krasno. Most recently, Peter has been an integral member of the Allman Brothers tribute ensemble 'Trouble No More', with our hero Nikki Glaspie, among others. Peter Levin was kind enough to take some time to drop in and explore his career and collaborators, a conversation that took place at the very end of 2023.
Special Thanks to Solaris Entertainment Studio for making Peter available for this interview.
After Peter's interview wraps, we head right into the Summer Tours 2024 Preview segment with returning fave Jason Abrams, co-host of the Rock n' Wrestling Connection Podcast, my friend of nearly 35 years and an encyclopedia of both rock n' roll and pop culture.
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"The Chain" [Fleetwood Mac cover] - The Highwomen
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Agent 23 aka Cactus aka Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, welcome to The Upful Life Podcast! A founding member of pioneering Asheville-based live hip-hop collective Granola Funk Express (GFE). A progenitor of "family hip-hop" with his Secret Agent 23 Skidoo project, which took home a Grammy in 2019 for Best Children's Album. Cactus is a published author of several books, and a prolific educator around the country for kids of all ages and backgrounds.
From train-hopping, to Rainbow Gathering kitchens, to rap ciphers at Phish festivals, this conversation is a colorful strut down memory lane for any GFE fan. And my man makes sure to spread the love around the krewe. Similarly, Cactus takes us through the birth of his daughter Saki, her transformation into MC Fireworks, and the heights their inspiring hip-hop connection took this beautiful family. These days, 23 and his 'Secret Agency' collaborate with students and symphonies, to wed classical music, global indigenous instruments, and storytelling to the elements of hip-hop. Cactus has also evolved into a successful educator, bringing hip-hop into the classroom as a multi-faceted teaching device.
bio
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is an internationally touring, purple velvet tuxedo wearing family funk phenemenon. Combining the positive, primal power of hip hop with the surreal storytelling of science fiction, 23 Skidoo has concocted a potent potion that wows family crowds across the planet. After a decade of touring nationally as a rapper and producer in Granola Funk Express, he released his first kids' hip-hop album in 2008.
The ingredients of his magic spells include reverence for the boundless mindstates of young children, respect for the culture and DNA of hip hop, funk and soul music, and a deep belief in the power of the imagination to change the world in positive ways, both personal and universal. At the 59th Grammy Awards in 2019, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo won Best Children's Album for his record Infinity Plus One. At the 57th Grammy awards [2017], his record The Perfect Quirk was nominated in the same category. Book Weirdo Calhoun and the Odd Men Out won Silver at the 2014 Moonbeam Awards.
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo & Asheville Symphony - The Beat Bach Symphonies
Dennis Cook feature article on GFE - 2006
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"Dreamland Theatre" Agent 23 feat. Adam Strange
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Live n' direct from their studio in Vienna, Austria, iconic electronic producer/DJ duo KRUDER and DORFMEISTER tap into the Upful LIFE. On Episode 075, Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister pull up for a colorful, career-spanning conversation, both fellas waxing nostalgic, and piloting the wayback machine through the pair's prolific, pioneering journey in sound. Our chat starts at the 22min mark.
Listening to these two fine gentleman humourously reflect on their embryonic origin story and enduring connection was nothing short of a pinch-me, bucket-list, feather-in-the-Kangol experience for your humble narrator, as K&D music remains among the most sacred in my lifetime playlist.
Kruder & Dorfmeister Bio
During the 1990s, Vienna, Austria-based producer/DJs Kruder & Dorfmeister helped invent the electronic music genre known as downtempo/trip-hop. Their presence has loomed large over the scene ever since, despite a relatively small discography as a duo. With 1993 EP G-Stoned- the first release on their similarly titled record label - the pair established a laconic, smoked-out, organic sound & aesthetic rich in live instrumentation. K&D are well-known to incorporate acid jazz, dub, house, atmospheric drum & bass, hip-hop, bossa nova, funk, soul and beyond into their trademark, succulent sonic gumbo.
The duo built up a lengthy résumé of remixes for a diverse smattering of artists, including Roni Size, David Holmes, Depeche Mode, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Several of these were aggregated on the landmark double-album The K&D Sessions (1998), which was lavished with much critical acclaim upon release and its reputation continues to age like a fine wine. Over the years, the two producers remained active with solo work and adjacent projects (most notably Tosca, Dorfmeister's duo with Rupert Huber, and Peter with Peace Orchestra). 1995, a fantastic full-length studio album of original material that had been mysteriously shelved for a quarter century, was unearthed and released in 2020.
Eternal thanks to Peter & Richard for the time, music, & energy. -bg
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"Speechless" - Count Basic [K&D drum & bass remix]
"Useless" - Depeche Mode [K&D remix]
"Everybody Loves the Sunshine" [Roy Ayers remixed by NETSKY]
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Welcome ROGERS STEVENS, guitarist/co-founder of Blind Melon - as well as Towne & Stevens - to Episode 074! A dream come true for your host, an unabashed lifelong Blind Melon fanatic. Rogers joins the pod from his cozy home studio just outside Philadelphia for a 90-min conversation about his career - past, present, and future.
A peek inside Rogers' process making records with Nathan Towne, and Stevens finally finding his singing voice later in life. Working with Rene Lopez again, long after Extra Virgin and The Tender Trio. Growing up a rocker in rural Mississippi. Embarking on the storied sojourn from the Deep South to the Sunset Strip, arriving at the peak of glam-rock hair-band decadence. Rogers pulls up in a Cadillac, sittin’ in the back, opens the passenger door and invites us on a wacky, wild, reflective ride through the galaxies of yesteryear in the Blind Melon wayback machine.
Buckle up fam, this ep is my love letter to anyone who ever treasured this beautiful band, and those of us who still grieve deep for the dearly-departed Shannon Hoon.
Background:
In 1990, 23-year-old Shannon Hoon first met Rogers Stevens in Los Angeles after taking a bus from Lafayette, Indiana to SoCal. A year or so earlier, Stevens and bassist Brad Smith had relocated to L.A. from West Point, Mississippi, where they graduated high school and worked on the kill floor of a local slaughterhouse. Stevens connected with Shannon through a mutual friend in Hollywood; Hoon - hometown homies with W. Axl Rose and already making waves on the West Coast - swiftly reeled off a couple of tunes for Rogers. Immediately taken with Hoon’s voice and mesmerized by his presence, they decided - on the spot - to form a band together.
Blind Melon consisted of Stevens, Hoon, Smith, drummer Glen Graham, and guitarist Christopher Thorn. A promising, multi-hued, idiosyncratic brotherhood that was sadly short-lived. Dreamy single “No Rain” blasted the band into superstardom pretty quickly, and their self-titled debut went triple platinum in the tailwind of the huge hit. In less than five years, the quintet released a strong pair of studio albums, while touring at a furious clip. They appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, SNL, MTV, Canada's MuchMusic, and threw down a legendary set at Woodstock '94. Headlined clubs and theaters, opened stadiums for The Rolling Stones, supported Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Lenny Kravitz, Neil Young, and numerous others.
After the monster success of their debut CD, Blind Melon set about refining/redefining their unicorn sound, as evidenced on sensational sophomore record Soup. Critically-panned and a commercial disappointment at the time, over the course of nearly three decades Soup has proven a celebrated fan favorite. A gumbo of compositions and performances that transcend era and genre, Soup is a magnificent work of high art in the Crescent City voodoo tradition. When Hoon died suddenly from a drug overdose, on tour in New Orleans in October 1995, the band was evolving rather organically, though still finding their stride. A posthumous collection of B-sides and outtakes, the gripping Nico (named for Shannon's daughter Nico Blue Hoon - only a few months old when he tragically transitioned) was released in 1996, an emotional nod towards what could’ve - and should’ve - been.
These days, Rogers Stevens is an attorney who lives in the Philly suburbs with his family. He’s currently workshopping songs with Nathan for the next Towne & Stevens record. I offer the deepest of bows & eternal thanks to Rogers Stevens for his time, energy, the music and memories. Rest easy, Shannon Hoon & Long Live Blind Melon!
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Blind Melon - "Time" (1995 > 1992 > Woodstock '94)
sourced from the film Letters From a Porcupine
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Episode 073 proudly welcomes a pair of prolific special guests: the magnificent multi-instrumentalist, multimedia enchantress, self-confessed storyteller, bard, and muse: Ms. MARYA STARK sits down for a colorful, career-spanning conversation. Chased by a second, equally-illuminating chat with WREN LIZABETH, an herbalist, permaculturist, and educator, the founder of alternative holistic health/self-care collective The NOHM Co., & elixir line The MerTails.
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Marya Stark found her voice in the high desert, and marks a memory as a very young child singing herself into an ecstatic state as the embarkation point for a lifelong dalliance with sound art and music therapy. A decade-long run of critically-acclaimed records would patiently and intentionally unfurl; a career cannon punctuated by emotionally-charged, introspective songcraft, frozen time capsules illuminating her own lived experiences. Nascent explorations in soul retrieval and energetic psychology through expressive arts and ritual performance.
In September 2023, Marya Stark released her fifth solo LP, Weightless; an exquisite collection of songs soft and vulnerable, human and dreamy. She's also 1/5 of the acapella supergroup Starling Arrow with Tina Malia, Ayla Nereo, Leah & Chloe of Rising Appalachia. When not composing music or performing onstage, Marya Stark mentors artists and women. She teaches courses in The Art of Voice, Cultivation of the Muse, and songcraft. Stark is the founder of the Temple Of The Muse, leading inner alchemy through immersive expressive arts containers and womb wisdom. Marya Stark currently lives in Grass Valley, California.
Ep.073 also includes a deep dive with a dear friend, the renowned herbalist/entrepreneur Wren Lizabeth (fka Jill TrAshley), founder/owner of The NOHM Co., as well as The MerTails (elixirs as mixers), Village Witches Elixir Bar, plus much more. Based in Asheville, NC, Wren Lizabeth is a familiar fixture at music festivals all over the country and internationally. Often tending bar with The NOHM or Village Witches, as well as curating nourishing meal plans for retreats & parties, or sourcing/making herbal medicine for The MerTails elixir line. Art is her first love, as such the plate and the cup are her canvas. Wren believes our food is our medicine.
Wren is passionate and motivated to educate about decentralizing and divesting our dependence on modern day supply and demand cycles and trends. Her work is often focused on rooting them back into local bioregions with her own hands, and creating/nurturing collaborators in such spaces. Wherever Wren goes (including our hangs and this podcast) she sparks profound conversations about conscious consumption, with a goal to expose the accessibilities we have to better facilitate living in sync with our natural surroundings, one bite or sip at a time.
Vibe Junkie JAM
"God Morning" - Ra-Be 333 feat. Marya Stark
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Welcome Alex Wasily to Ep.072 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast*! #VeryGood trombonist with NOLA institution Dumpstaphunk since 2016; musical director of Francis Comes Alive, Neal Francis new 11-piece big band experience and concert film. Teacher and student, the crew cheerleader and a masterclass mentor, plus expert mixologist and host with the most. Alex was kind enough to bring his huge personality, beautiful journey, and insightful perspectives to the show for a lengthy conversation.
With a passion for life, art, the hang, and the pursuit of unity through music, alex wasily has made a standout approach to music that can be attributed to his unique unyielding optimism and positive outlook on what most would consider a wild way to live. He goes by many names. a-waz. waz. my dawg. ya boy. the forever hang. Egyptian born, American raised, all soul, and all hang. alex was born in alexandria, egypt and raised in savannah, georgia. performing music is alex's way of taking you out of what may have been a depressing day and into what might be the wildest night of your life.
Alex regularly performs and tours the world with Dumpstaphunk and is Neal Francis’ music director when the 11-piece goes on the road. he also throws the funkiest party in Los Angeles every monday at Gold-Diggers at his series simply called Very Good Mondays™.
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"Hard to Face the Music" - Idris Muhummad [1976]
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Alex Wasily trombone masterclass
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A very special guest many moons in the making, please welcome dear friend and fearless leader PAUL LEVINE of Hulaween, Purple Hat Productions, co-founder of Bear Creek and Purple Hatters Ball, Suwannee Resonate, and all-around ambassador of Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. Paul is a major force of nature in our little sliver of the musical universe, responsible for so many epic endeavors over the years. On the occasion of the 10th Hulaween, Paul the Wolf finally slides through the pod to discuss the joys, journey, success, teammates, peaks, valleys, tragedy, community, and the Spirit of Suwannee dream. After our conversation, BG runs thru the Hula 2023 schedule and gives you a handful of can't miss picks.
James Casey was a longtime saxophonist/vocalist with Trey Anastasio Band, he logged time with Lettuce before that, founded hybrid electronic squad Animus Rexx, performed in various ensembles with The Nth Power, and sat in with countless bands and artists across genre and geography. A certified musical genius, he was a personal friend to me and so many others in the jam diaspora. Offstage, James Casey was somebody I admired for the way he moved through life: determined, ambitious, graceful, loving. From when we met in 2011 til our last interaction, he was always very kind to me. I wanted to say a few words about the man while the wound is still fresh. Rest easy, James Casey.
Paul Levine interview: After recognizing the ingenuity, resiliency, and longevity of HULA, naturally Paul and BG hop in the wayback machine for treasured memories of Bear Creek, the long-defunct, bitter-cold, beloved funk olympics hosted in those same spiritualized woods on the banks of the Suwannee River. From there, we love on Lettuce for a good long while, as Levine was instrumental in the band's SE regional come-up, Bear Creek was LETT HQ for seven glorious years, and he remains a major ally and asset to the squad. Paul offers poignant recollections of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, revisits Purple Hatters Ball, talks Mama Margie, plus music and community as medicine in the wake of tragedy and grief.
Thank you Paul, for EVERYTHING.
Scott T - 'Get Back (to the River)'
Scott T workshop on the history
of the Spirit of Suwannee (Hula 21)
James Casey - Music As Medicine (mini-doc)
Hurricane Idalia Fundraiser for Sonny Perez at SOSMP
ECHT! Live mini-set 2023
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