Two Guys on Block Island

Edie Blane is a force of nature. She has spent nearly her entire life on Block Island. At 93 years old, that means that Edie has seen a lot come and go. Luckily for all of us, her memory is sharp as a tack. Her stories...are priceless.

Through hurricanes, economic upturns and downturns, a world war and moped infestations Edie has observed life on Block Island with a keen eye. Her early days on Block Island could be described as hard-scrabble yet idyllic. Although life was never easy, there was a simplicity to it that is hard to find these days.

People come to Block Island in search of this "simpler way of life". Some find it, some don't. Edie knows nothing else. Her legacy as one of the pillars of our island's community is indisputable. From serving as switchboard operator all the way up to her tenure on the town council, Edie has represented Block Island as one of its true matriarchs. Her love for the place can be felt the moment one is in her presence. Edie is truly an island treasure.

When Rich and Marc decided to pull the trigger and launch the TGOBI podcast, they sought out the advice of a veteran broadcaster with deep ties to Block Island...

Bob Kocak earned his nickname "Buzz Knight" during his early days in radio (hint- it has something to do with Boz Scaggs). That would've been sometime in the 1970's when Buzz served as a DJ at a number of major market stations. During our conversation Buzz talks about his journey through the industry and cold calling Howard Stern (then program director at WRNW in Briarcliffe Manor, NY) while job hunting. 

But for as much as Bob enjoyed his career in radio, he has enjoyed his time spent on Block Island in equal measure. A long time visitor for many years, Bob and his wife eventually purchased a home and spent many summers as "locals". We talk to Bob about what drew him to Block Island and the things he loves to do when he's here. Spoiler alert: he likes to take walks. Little did Bob know that those walks would lead him to begin his own podcast...

"Takin' A Walk" hosted by Buzz Knight dropped it's first episode in early November of 2021 and the name of the cast says it all. Buzz invites an array of personalities to well...take a walk with him and chat. The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. Rich and Marc compare notes with Buzz about the podcasting experience. 

Here's the scenario...You're walking on a deserted Block Island beach and come upon a seal pup. It just seems to be laying there. Is it ok? Is it hurt? Is it sick? What exactly do you do?

You call Sarah Callan, Mystic Aquarium's Marine Life Rescue Coordinator. Or you can just listen to our interview with Sarah where she explains how to tell if an animal is in distress or simply just taking a break from swimming around and catching food.

In this delightful chat Rich and Marc learn all about the path Sarah took towards her latest position at Mystic Aquarium. Turns out it's an interesting one! Initially Sarah went all the way to Australia to play ice hockey but on the way back to the USA she took a six month detour to a deserted island off of Hawaii where she studied marine life.

These days Sarah spends her time nursing everything from seal pups to manatees (yes, they sometimes make their way up to New England!) back to health. To say she loves her work is an understatement. And Sarah is ALWAYS happy to talk about some of the simple things we can do to help protect our environment and our underwater allies.

In their first conversation of Season Three- Rich and Marc sit down with groundbreaking comedian, actor and island local Steven Wright to find out exactly what drew him to Block Island and why he comes back year after year. 

If you're a fan of Steven's work and are expecting a behind the scenes look at his career in show business you may be disappointed. With so much of Steven's history having already been discussed elsewhere (including a star-making first appearance on the Tonight Show where Steven was summoned to the couch by none other than Johnny himself) the Two Guys focus almost entirely on Steven's Block Island experience.

As you might guess- Steven's insights into what make Block Island such a special place is very...Steven.  The journey begins on an Amtrak train between New York City and Boston and involves a premature departure from said mode of transportation. In the years that followed the island took ahold of Steven and offered him a second version of what many would consider an already amazing life.

And while the conversation is at times cerebral and a touch surreal- it's also REALLY REALLY funny. But that's probably not a shocker. So stop applying spot remover to your dog and press play on what is sure to become one of Rich and Marc's most incredible episodes ever!



 

We're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

Whew! What a long, cold winter it was! Thankfully spring has begun which means Rich and Marc have come out of hibernation and are READY for Season 3!

In this episode the Two Guys catch up on what happened over the winter both in their own lives and on Block Island. Turns out it was a pretty uneventful winter for once! 

But that doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about. Between the impending broadband internet upgrade, public transportation issues and general island stuff, there's plenty of ground to cover as the specter of summer looms large with throngs of tourists eager to escape the cabin fever brought on by yet another surge in Covid cases over the winter due to the Omicron variant.

Rich and Marc also talk about what to expect in Season 3 including their first ever LIVE podcast on Thursday June 2nd at 8pm at Captain Nick's! This is YOUR CHANCE to see the Two Guys on Block Island LIVE and in person doing what they do best in their natural habitat. And of course...that habitat is...a bar.

Rich and Marc close the books on Season Two of Two Guys on Block Island with a recap of their favorite moments, memories and a look ahead at what to expect for Season Three!

Part Two of our conversation with Everett Littlefield...

WARNING: This episode contains adult language. Like...more than usual. 

Anyone not wanting to shell out a few hundred dollars to see The Rolling Stones these days would be just as well served springing for the ten dollar cover charge at Captain Nick's when The Blushing Brides are in town. The "World's Most Dangerous Tribute to The Rolling Stones" has been doing back to back weekends at the end of July/early August for over 20 years and frontman Maurice Raymond has a lot to say about it!

But don't mistake Maurice for a mere Mick Jagger impersonator. He's a consummate performer and an innovator. He claims the Blushing Brides are the VERY first tribute band of ALL TIME; ahead of even Led Zeppelin tribute Physical Graffiti and Pink Floyd tribute The Machine. 

While that fact may be up for debate what's not is Maurice's undeniable knack for story telling and masterful use of hyperbole. We discuss Maurice's early hard-scrabble days as the son of radical leftists on the mean streets of Montreal. It was on these streets where music offered Maurice an alternative to the less savory, hash-dealing path he found himself on. 

From there Maurice dealt with a ruthless record business, the perils of life on the road and even extreme shade thrown by none other than Mick Jagger himself.

Oh yeah...and Maurice LOVES Block Island! He also explains what keeps him coming back year after year (besides the gigs) and offers his thoughts (and there are many) on what Block Island does well and could be doing better. 

Start Me Up!

What's your favorite ingredient to cook with? We like cucumbers. Especially cool ones. And there is no cooler cucumber than Winfield's head chef Berke Marye.

Rich and Marc sit down with one of Block Island's most celebrated culinary wizards to find out what it takes to turn out FANTASTIC food night after night. We discover that it's a whole lot of hard work, dedication, leadership and teamwork. And Berke has indeed assembled a team; a well-oiled machine capable of consistently delivering top-notch noshes to a sometimes VERY picky clientele.

But Berke's artistry is not confined to the kitchen. An accomplished visual artist and musician; Berke talks about his creative process across a multitude of mediums. Whether he's holding a guitar, paintbrush or knife; Berke approaches everything he does with a sense of purpose, a respect for tradition and an innovative eye for new and exciting directions.

We dare you not to get hungry listening to this episode!