Shows
Rock 'n' Roll Grad SchoolRock n Roll Grad School #187 Sparks: Entertainment and ArtThis week we sit down with Monte Mallin, the host and moderator of the Sparks: Entertainment and Art podcast and Facebook page.We discuss the beauty and art that is the Mael brothers and their popular group, Sparks. You can watch Sparks: Entertainment and Art on their YouTube page and you can send a request to join the Facebook group.2024-07-2437 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Adam Pohl on BASEBALL 2023: NEW RULES, BIG IMPACTS!Hello friends! Let's get ready for Baseball 2023 - it's going to be different! A pitch clock, limits on defensive tactics, more stolen bases - baseball might just be fun again!
My guest is Adam Pohl - a veteran of the podcast who joined me waaay back in episode four, and talked about his role as the broadcaster for the Bowie Baysox, the Double A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Adam still broadcasts games for the Baysox, but has also taken on an expanded role for the team, and has emerged as a regular broadcaster here...2023-03-1126 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Esther Starobin on SURVIVING THE HOLOCAUST: THE KINDERTRANSPORTGreetings and welcome to episode 58! I had the great honor to talk with Esther Starobin, who shared her compelling story of surviving the Holocaust through a short-lived, British supported program called the Kindertransport ("children's transport") that helped to evacuate Jewish children from Nazi Germany. Only about 10,000 children were fortunate enough to participate in the program; Esther was one of them. Esther shares her amazing story, and also reflects on some lessons from her experience that are applicable today. The picture that accompanies this episode, by the way, shows a young Esther with the family that so generously opened their do...2023-02-1225 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Professor Jonathan Morris on COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE, COFFEE COFFEE!Umm..coffee...am I the only one that goes to bed thinking about how I'm just that much closer to having my first cup of coffee when I get up? Just me? No? Didn't think so! Almost EVERYONE loves coffee! But...how does that little coffee bean become that cup you may be enjoying right now? How did coffee become a global phenomenon? What's the history - including the dark side of the story, and what's coming?
My great guest, Professor Jonathan Morris of the University of Hertfordshire just outside of London (full bio here), discussed all...2023-01-2832 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Alex Grand on COMIC BOOKS - AND REALISM!Hello my friends! Had a great discussion with Dr. Alex Grand about how the comic book industry continues to evolve to meet changing consumer expectations, focused on the idea of comic book realism. Dr. Grand has authored Understanding Superhero Comic Books: A History of Key Elements, Creators, Events, and Controversies - a ground breaking book on how comic books have evolved, and continue to do. Absolutely fascinating conversation - with all my most geeky instincts coming to play!
Dr. Grand looks at how over time, comic books injected greater levels of realism into the story lines - in...2023-01-1423 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Francesca Royster on BLACK COUNTRY MUSIC: LISTENING FOR REVOLUTIONS!Greetings! I had the great privilege to speak with Dr. Francesca Royster, professor of English at DePaul University, on her essential new book, Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions. Dr. Royster masterfully weaves the story of the relationship between blacks and country music, including the whitewashing of black artists for many years; the resurgence of black artists now making country music; and her personal journey as a fan of the genre, from the perspective of "queer theory and black feminism." Dr. Royster weaves it all together in a compelling narrative that is at once sobering, yet also very joyous...2022-10-2328 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Sarah Bonner on RESTORING A CULTURAL ICON - AND MAKING IT BETTER THAN EVER!Greetings everyone! Do you have 20 minutes to enjoy a GREAT story? This is how Sarah Bonner, her husband Tommy Bowes, and their partner, Allan Kresse, revitalized a cultural landmark right here in Maryland - and made it better than ever! Hank Dietle's Tavern was a much loved establishment with a loyal clientele - until it shockingly burned down in 2018. Sarah and her partners took over, reconstituted Hank's and turned it into a premier music venue at the heart of the local music scene. On any given night, you can go to Hank's and hear the best local - and...2022-08-1319 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Josh Angrist on WINNING THE NOBEL PRIZE - AND THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT LED TO IT!Along with two colleagues, MIT Professor of Economics Joshua Angrist won the Nobel Prize in 2021 for their methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships - or put another way, using natural experimental methods to measure trends and seeking to understand outcomes than traditional, more familiar research methods. Dr. Angrist and I had a great talk about his important work, as well as the experience of winning the Nobel Prize itself!
And I should add, we've known each other since High School - which made the conversation all the more engaging and entertaining. Yeah, we weren't the...2022-05-2124 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Michael Kronenberg on THE CHANGING PERSONAS OF...THE BATMAN!Greetings friends! I had a great conversation with graphic design artist Michael Kronenberg on the various ways that Batman has been portrayed over the years. It's really interesting to track Batman's evolution, particularly in light of how his persona evolved not only in comic books, but also in movies and other media throughout the years. This is a classic "I feel like I've only skimmed the surface" episode, but we had fun talking and I'm grateful that Michael spent some time with me.
Michael Kronenberg is the right guy to talk to. He co-authored and designed The Ba...2022-03-2621 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Randy Schmidt on THE LIFE, MUSIC, AND TRAGIC DEMISE OF KAREN CARPENTER.Greetings friends. Today we're talking with Randy Schmidt, who wrote the definitive biography of Karen Carpenter who, along with her brother Richard, was one half of the immensely popular 1970s musical ensemble, The Carpenters. Everyone knows the Carpenters. For me, they were just that "pop act" that I didn't pay much attention to, and didn't really have any thoughts about one way or the other. Then I saw a video of Karen drumming...then I started listening to some of the music and realized what a golden voice she had...and I started thinking about her sad and untimely...2022-03-1228 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Mike Edison, Gary Graff, Chris McKittrick, and Jim Wilson on CELEBRATING CHARLIE WATTS!It's episode 50 folks! And to help celebrate this milestone, I'm joined by four alumni of the So Important Podcast: Mike Edison (episode 28), Gary Graff (episode 5), Jim Wilson (episode 7), and Chris McKittrick (episode 23) - four great guests convening to discuss a topic near and dear to all of our hearts: the late, great drummer of the Rolling Stones, Mr. Charlie Watts, who passed away last August. It's rare for me to have more than one guest, but the conversation was well worth it. Jim Wilson is a professional musician whose solo work reflects his deep love of the band. Chris...2022-01-2243 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!BG (Ret) Ty Seidule on ROBERT E. LEE AND ME: UNDERSTANDING OUR PAST - TO DEFEAT RACISM TODAY!Greetings friends!
Appropriate for the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, I spoke with retired Brigadier General Ty Seidule about his remarkable book, Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause, which was just published in paperback and which is currently Amazon's number one release in American Civil War Biographies. The book is an important history, but it's also a highly personal memoir of how one man, raised in and respectful of the deep traditions of the South, came to view the Civil War as about slavery only, and to s...2022-01-1519 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Amy Edelstein on TRANSFORMING OURSELVES AND THE CULTURE WE LIVE IN!Greetings friends and fans of the So Important podcast! It's the holiday season, and I thought a story of inspiration was in order. And our guest on this episode is very inspiring, to say the least. Spend a little time with Amy Edelstein, who discusses her lifelong personal journey to attain a higher level of spirituality and one-ness with the world - but also to translate her life's lessons into helping others deal with life's stresses and traumas. She has run programs for inner city youth in Philadelphia, written numerous books, and hosts her own podcast.
Amy...2021-12-2420 min
Here We Go with Josh RosenbergEpisode 166-Uncle MonteGood folks, it’s time for an interview and Uncle Monte is ready to deliver in a way that Willie Stargell (Pops!) used to deliver for the those great Pirates teams of the 70’s. For this extra special episode, Josh is joined by the magnificent Monte Mallin for a conversation about the new Sparks documentary, the Beatles (being overrated?), arms control and international security, Chris Elliot, Muy Thai, and the essential Pittsburgh experience. Tune in to hear some thoughts from this fantastic fella in Maryland, who also happens to be a drummer, a podcaster, a black belt, an educator, a stra...2021-12-1551 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Suzanne Romero on THE GEORGE A ROMERO FOUNDATION - AND GEORGE ROMERO‘S LEGACY!I had the great pleasure of speaking with Suzanne Romero, the Founder and President of the George A Romero Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA. Suzanne established the Foundation to secure George's great legacy, and as its comprehensive website makes clear, the Foundation is accomplishing this in any number of exciting ang meaningful ways. We talked about how the Foundation is supporting independent filmmakers, its relationship with the University of Pittsburgh, where all of Romero's films are archived as part of the University's Horror Studies Collection, George's special relationship with another Pittsburgh horror icon, the great Bill Cardille - and of c...2021-11-2720 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Daniel Webster on ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUEDaniel Webster is one of the country's leading experts on addressing the threat of gun violence in this country. As the Director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Webster focuses on the public health aspect of addressing this epidemic. I am grateful that Dr. Webster joined me to talk about this important topic. Dr. Webster's biography is impressive, and I've shared it below for your perusal.
This was an illuminating, important conversation, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to share it with you. I admit, the public hea...2021-10-3021 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Raymond Doswell on THE NEGRO LEAGUES - AND THE NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM!Hello friends! I contacted Dr. Raymond Doswell to talk about the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Doswell is the museum's Vice President and Curator and brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective to the topic. We talked about the museum for quite a while - but what makes the conversation especially meaningful is that Dr. Doswell spent some time at the start of our conversation discussing the Negro Legues themselves - how they contributed to American culture, the opportunities they provided to black ball players who were shut out of the major leagues, and their...2021-09-0225 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Richard Adler on THE RAMONES BEFORE THEY WERE THE RAMONES!Hey gang! Had a very fun conversation with Richard Adler, who knew - and played with members of - the seminal punk band The Ramones. We talked about the early days, as the band was just getting started - and Richard has great stories to tell. He also brings a great perspective to the table. A long-time veteran of the music business, Richard tells some great stories of the early days, in particular with his good friend and original Ramones drummer Tommy Erdelyi - aka Tommy Ramone - and the Ramones guitarist, Johnny Ramone. But of course, Johnny was...2021-08-2622 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Chad Hermansen on THE MENTAL EDGE!What's it like to be a first round pick in baseball's annual draft? What's it like to be facing incredibly lofty expectations - including from a coach who says you "walk on water" - when you're just a teenager? And what do you do with yourself when the pressure is just too much, and things just dont work out?
Well, here's what my guest today, Mr. Chad Hermansen did: he took his experiences and developed a program to help young athletes deal wtih the mental pressures of athletics. Chad could have walked away from sports altogether, but i...2021-06-1223 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!David Wilson on REENACTING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR!Greetings friends! We're rolling along...presenting our second episode since returning from a short break. And what a show it is! David Wilson is an IT consultant with the United States Agency for International Development, in Washington DC. But he is also a dedicated Revolutionary War reenactor, and that's what we talk about today. David gives us a presentation on revolutionary war reenactment, and in his presentation and our subsequent conversation, he shares his thoughts on the importance of this activity in helping us learn from, and appreciate the lessons of, this important part of history.
David...2021-05-2920 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Brian O'Roark on SUPERHERO ECONOMICS!Greetings Friends! Returning from hiaitus with a terrific conversation with Dr. J. Brian O'Roark on Superhero Economics! Dr. O'Roark developed an approach to teaching economics to his students at Robert Morris University - just outside of my hometown of Pittsburgh - by relying on popular culture, and in particular superheroes, to convey complex economic ideas in ways that students and others can relate to and understand, and indeed apply in their everyday lives. Dr. O'Roark is a pioneer in this field; he has written numerous articles on the topic, including this terrific overview, edited a definitive book on the...2021-05-1822 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Bruce Pegg on CHUCK BERRY: THE MUSIC - AND THE MAN!So pleased to chat with Bruce Pegg, who wrote the definitive biography of Chuck Berry back in 2002. The title says it all: Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry. It's available on Amazon, and wherever great books are sold.
Chuck made some of the most important and enduring music in American history. Yet he never seemed to recognize the extent of his own contributions; he usually toured with a pickup band hired by the club or outlet; and he just couldn't stay clear of the law. Racial incidents that he experienced in hi...2020-09-1228 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Michelle Dresbold on ADVENTURES IN HANDWRITING ANALYSIS!Hello friends! It's been a busy time so I apologize in the lag since our last episode...but here we are, back and fresh as ever, with my GREAT conversation with Michelle Dresbold, who is one of the world's preeminent handwriting analysts. We talk about her important work supporting law enforcement, her upcoming book, and many other aspects of her fascinating career. And...well she even analyzes me!
Michelle has an extraordinary website - you can really experience the full breadth of her work there and it's highly recommended. And we talked about her book, Sex, Lies, a...2020-08-2220 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Esman Kurum on THE AESTHETICS OF FILM NOIR!Hello friends, and welcome to this episode of So Important: The Interview Podcast! We're talking today with Esman Kurum, an authority on the cinematography of film noir - the seedy and fatalistic movies that, during the 1940s and 1950s, were often exceptionally beautiful and expressive, with great care and attention to "painting with light," in the words of the great film noir cinematographer John Alton. We talk about Alton and the great cinematography associated with the genre, but we also talk about the music, the characters, the unique storytelling - all the things that made these movies so special. 2020-07-0521 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Yolanda Willis (and Marty Willis) on SURVIVING THE HOLOCAUST IN GREECEHello everyone and welcome to a very special - and very personally meaningful - episode of So Important: The Interview Podcast. This is the compelling, and in the end uplifting, story of Dr. Yolanda Avram Willis, who survived the Holocaust during World War II, in Greece. The story of the Holocaust in Greece is not as familiar as the story in other parts of Europe. But in fact, almost all of the Jewish population of that country was wiped out. This is the remarkable story of how Yolanda survived, thanks to the ingenuity of her father, and the many...2020-06-1326 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Steve Hackett on HIS NEW AUTOBIOGRAPHY!Hello friends!
We're back with the great Steve Hackett, member of Genesis during that band's classic era in the 1970s, creator of well over 25 solo albums, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to discuss A Genesis In My Bed, his long-anticipated autobiography that was almost a decade in the making. Steve talks about what led him to the guitar, his time in Genesis, his prodigious career as a solo performer, and lessons learned from a unique and fascinating life. And I'm happy to report, much improved sound from last time!
Steve's...2020-06-0223 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Gayle Wald on SISTER ROSETTA THARPE!Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A trailblazer; an exuberant and charismatic performer from the 1930s all the way to the 1970s; and a wicked electric guitar player. This amazing woman was raised in, and remained loyal to, her gospel roots throughout her entire life and career; yet she took the secular music world by storm in the 1950s - and had a major, and largely under appreciated, influence on the birth of rock and roll itself. This is her amazing story, as told by the author of the great Rosetta Tharpe biographer, Dr. Gayle Ward.
Dr. Wald's book, Shout...2020-05-1625 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!David Montgomery on SPACE FORCE!Hello friends!
In December, 2019, David Montgomery, Staff Writer for the Washington Post Magazine, wrote an in-depth article on President Trump's proposal for a new branch of the military, to be called the Space Force. In preparing the article,, which can be accessed here, Montgomery evolved from a skeptic over the value of the Space Force to a supporter.
A topic of interest to me personally, I reached out to David to talk about Space Force - how it came about, what it's intended to do, and what the international community might do to promote stability a...2020-05-0219 min
Braapextreme Mix by Tr-Meet & YulianaTr-Meet - Braapextreme Mix 047 #47Braapextreme Mix 047 by Tr-Meet.
Social media:
www.instagram.com/trmeetmusic
www.instagram.com/braapextreme
www.instagram.com/braapextreme…
01. Brosso, DJ Hepri - Moja
02. Ioan - Corre Morenita
03. Matt Caseli, David Jimenez, Martina Camargo - Aguilas del Monte (Sllash & Doppe Remix)
04. Tanit - Sabari
05. D.Ramirez, Mark Knight - Colombian Soul (Sllash & Doppe Remix)
06. CamelPhat, Artbat feat. Rhodes - For a Feeling
07. HI-LO, Chocolate Puma - LazersX999 (Grum Remix)
08. HRRSN, Purple Pill - Just A Little
09. Rauschhaus, Mel7em - Scarab
10. Cecilia Krull - Agnus Dei (Benny Benassi & BB Team Remix)
11. Daniele Di Martino - New Order
12. Simone Vitullo - Mook Ma...2020-04-2300 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Mitchell Nathanson on JIM BOUTON: THE LIFE OF A BASEBALL ORIGINAL!Hello friends! Who's up for a second episode in a row...about Baseball?? I talked with Mitchell Nathanson, Professor of Law at Villanova University and the author of numerous books and articles on the subject of baseball, about his new book on the one and only Jim Bouton, whose 1970 book, Ball Four, was a rite of passage for fellas like me! It was a must-read as a kid, known for its honest and very revealing look at the life of a major league baseball player. But it turns out Bouton's significance goes well beyond that - and that's the t...2020-04-2122 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Jeremy Newberger on HEADING HOME: THE TALE OF TEAM ISRAEL!Hello friends,
Well, we should be deep into the baseball season by now...but life had other ideas, and here we are approaching May with no start of the season in sight. Not to worry...I've been talking with some TOP NOTCH guests to help fill the void, beginning with one Jeremy Newberger, the CEO of Ironbound Films, who talked with me about his fantastic documentary, Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel. If you haven't seen the documentary yet, you should! It is an uplifting tale of grit, and giving it everything you've got - even w...2020-04-1225 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Benny Becker on HIS INVESTIGATIVE WORK IN APPALACHIA!Hello friends and welcome to a new episode of So Important! My guest is Mr. Benny Becker, an investigative reporter focused on issues in the Appalachian region of the United States. Benny is compassionate, thorough, and incisive - as his many stories on the challenges faced by the towns and people of Appalachia bear out. This is the story of Benny's journey, and we also talk about some of Benny's most recent stories.
It was a great pleasure to speak with Benny, and I urge everyone to read his stories, and spend a few minutes hearing what h...2020-03-1816 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Steve Hackett on GENESIS, HIS SOLO WORK, AND HIS AMAZING TOUR!Well my friends, I notice that I tend to describe every episode as "very special," but this one is for sure. I talked with legendary Guitarist Steve Hackett, who was the guitar player in Genesis from 1971 to 1977, when they were at the height of their progressive rock powers. There is nothing like the early, pre-pop music of Genesis, and along with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins (who did ok for himself btw), Michael Rutherford, and Tony Banks, Steve was a big reason why that is the case. He has gone on to record over 25 solo albums and he continues to...2020-03-0827 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dina Gold on ATTAINING RESTITUTION!In 1937, the Nazi regime in Germany foreclosed upon a building in the heart of Berlin that was owned by Dina Gold's family. They received significantly less than market value in return. This is Dina's amazing and inspirational story of all that she did to see that justice for her family was served.
This is a story of determination, commitment, and conviction, and never giving up when the cause is just. Dina's story is an inspiration for all of us, and here it is in her own words.
Dina's book about her effort can be found he...2020-02-0125 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Mike Edison on WHY CHARLIE WATTS MATTERS!Hello friends! Today we're talking with Mike Edison on his new book, Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters. Mike and I share a deep and abiding love for Mr. Watts, the drummer of the Rolling Stones. There are few like him in the rock and roll world, and as Mike and I agree, the world is a MUCH better place with him in it. As Keith Richards says, without Charlie Watts, there's no Rolling Stones. A point on which Mike and I heartily agree!
I love Charlie Watts, and I love this book. And I...2020-01-1121 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Steve Pindar on ROBERTO'S KIDS!All - had a wonderful conversation with Steve Pindar, the Founder of Roberto's Kids, a charitable organization dedicated to building social and community responsibility - through baseball! The organization is named, as you may have guessed, after the great Pittsburgh Pirate, Roberto Clemente. Roberto was a legendary ballplayer, and a great humanitarian as well. We talked about Roberto, how he inspired Steve's organization, and the great work that Roberto's Kids does, all around the world, to meet its mission.
You may recall that last year at this time, we talked with Karen Struble Meyers about the Fred R...2019-12-2816 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Monte Mallin on THE BIRTH OF THE BACKBEAT!Hello friends, and welcome to a special thanksgiving-day episode! Little surprise here for ya - decided to talk about something interesting and important to me - the birth of rock and roll drumming!
Have some fun listening to how the backbeat - the basis of rock and roll drumming - came about. Lots of great music here...and get to know Earl Palmer (pictured), DJ Fontana, Clifton James, and many other greats who developed the feel and sound of early rock drumming. I had a lot of fun putting this episode together, and I hope you have...2019-11-2418 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Moshe Engelberg on THE AMARE WAVE - A NEW BUSINESS PARADIGM!Welcome friends! We're back from a short hiatus and talking with Moshe Engelberg - our first repeat guest - about his recent book, The Amare Wave: Uplifting Business by Putting Love to Work! Moshe talks about an alternative business model to what we're used to - and has the numbers to back up his arguments! It's fair to say that I've known Moshe a very long time...and I always appreciate his positive, and affirmative approach to overcoming the challenges we all face, every day. This is the ethos he brings to his subject, and I am so happy...2019-11-0220 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Gerson Sher on U.S. - SOVIET SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION AND LESSONS FOR TODAY!In the midst of the Cold War, when the United States and the Former Soviet Union had - literally - tens of thousands of nuclear weapons pointed at each other, there were nonetheless efforts to find areas of cooperation. One such area was Scientific Cooperation, where many of the scientists, engineers, and other experts who helped build nuclear weapons found ways to cooperate, in order to perhaps defuse tensions, keep lines of communication open, and advance scientific discovery in the name of advancing common interests.
Dr. Gerson Sher was in the midst of such efforts for many ye...2019-09-0119 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Christopher McKittrick on THE STONES IN NEW YORK!Hello friends! Had a great conversation with Christopher McKittrick on his new book about the Rolling Stones and their career-long relationship with New York City! I thoroughly enjoyed the book and could have chatted with Christopher for hours - like me, he's a dyed-in-the-wool Rolling Stones fan. He also resides in and loves New York City, and had lots to say about the relationship between the city and the Stones. A fun talk and a GREAT read!
Christopher is a prolific writer - a good place to start is on Amazon, where you can check out his...2019-07-2824 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dr. Ben Canha on HOW HUMOR CAN HELP TREAT THE OPIOID CRISISGreetings friends,
I'd like you to meet Dr. Ben Canha, who has written a PhD dissertation on a critically important, and absolutely fascinating, topic: how humor can play a role in helping to treat the opioid crisis in America. Dr. Canha teaches nursing at the University of Maryland. He also spent many years working on addiction treatment issues at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Canha has observed for years how humor can play a role in helping folks deal with addictive health issues; he is one of, if not the, first to apply this to the o...2019-06-2314 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Cesar Brioso on THE END OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL IN CUBA!Well, it's Memorial Day Weekend, and that means baseball! Join me in talking with Cesar Brioso about his recent book, Last Seasons In Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball in Cuba." Cesar is a digital producer for USA Today Sports, where he served as baseball editor from 2003 to 2004, and traces his lineage to Havana - a topic we briefly discuss at the end our conversation.
The book is an absolutely fascinating read, chronicling how the revolution brought an end to professional baseball in Cuba - but never dampened the passion of the Cuban p...2019-05-2618 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Tom Mirenda on PRESERVING ORCHIDS!Tom Mirenda knows orchids. He is the Chairman of the American Orchid Society's Preservation Committee and he has traveled the world investigating, and talking about, the many species of orchids that inhabit our planet. Currently living in Hawaii - a great launching point for investigating the world's orchids - Tom has been a mainstay of the Orchid community for many, many years. He worked for over 15 years as the Orchid Collection Specialist at the Smithsonian Institution, and until recently was the leading Orchid authority at the Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden on the "Big Island," a locale notably lush with...2019-05-1816 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Sweet Lizzie Project on THEIR MUSIC - AND THEIR AMAZING HISTORY!Hello and Welcome! My guests today are Lisset Diaz and Miguel Comas, two members of the terrific young band, the Sweet Lizzie Project. These guys have a story to tell!
Some time ago, PBS went to Cuba to learn more about the music scene there. That led to the migration of Lisset, Miguel, and the rest of the Sweet Lizzie Project band to the United States. Here's the amazing story of how it happened!
I saw the band at a small house party about two months ago and I was instantly hooked. The band resides...2019-05-0122 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Dennis and PJ Aubrey on PHOTOGRAPHING THE GREAT ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC CHURCHES!I had the great pleasure of speaking with Dennis and PJ Aubrey about their wonderfully unique life's work - visiting the great Romanesque and Gothic churches of Europe, and brilliantly photographing and writing about - and now also podcasting about - their efforts. What started out as a hobby has turned into a spiritual adventure for the Aubreys, who have visited over 900 churches to date. What a treat it was to chat with Dennis and PJ.
You owe it to yourself to check out their great work. Their photography is regularly exhibited worldwide, and their website - a...2019-03-1718 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Kat Murti on LIBERTARIAN FEMINISM!Kat Murti is the founder and CIO of Feminists for Liberty, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading the ideals of libertarian feminism. The organization's motto is "anti-sexism and anti-statism, pro-markets and pro-choice." Kat and I talked about the organization, its objectives, and about libertarian feminism - the organization's underlying philosophy.
As listeners know, we don't talk politics on this podcast, but policy is fair game, and Kat's perspective on a number of issues is worth hearing. I appreciate that Kat spent some time with me, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Kat is a m...2019-03-0217 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Rabbi Chuck Diamond on THE TREE OF LIFE ATTACK - AND WHERE WE GO FROM HERERabbi Chuck Diamond is the former Rabbi at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where on October 27, 2018 a lone gunman massacred eleven congregants. His only rationale was that he "wanted to kill Jews."
Rabbi Chuck joined me to share his story. He knew the slain personally, he is a native of he neighborhood where the slaughter took place, and he was a prominent spokesman in the aftermath of the massacre. He is a man of great wisdom with a unique perspective on the events in Pittsburgh, and I am very appreciative that he spent a few m...2019-02-1022 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Stacy Godfrey on THE GREATNESS OF THE BAND GENESIS!Hello everyone,
I had so much fun putting this episode together! I chatted with Stacy Godfrey, a long-time fellow fan of the band Genesis, and a co-host of the terrific podcast, Tabletop Genesis. Listening to her podcast, it became obvious to me that she would be fun to chat with. Why? Well, we both came to Genesis in very different eras of the band's history (me in the progressive 1970s, Stacy in the more pop-focused 1980s). Yet both of us spent time discovering, and learning to appreciate, all of the band's music and I knew that would be...2019-01-2129 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Karen Struble Myers on THE FRED ROGERS CENTER - AND FRED'S LEGACY!Hello friends! A new year is upon us...and as the holiday season proceeds, it's hard not be a bit reflective. Is there more we can be doing to help bring folks together, to encourage tolerance and patience, and respect for each other's feelings? I think there is, and for this special episode, I went right to the source.
Karen Struble Myers is the Associate Director and Director of Development and Communications at the Fred Rogers Center For Early Learning and Children's Media, on the campus of St. Vincent's College in Latrobe, PA. Karen and I talked...2018-12-2217 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Monte A Melnick on THE LEGACY OF THE RAMONES!I had the great pleasure of speaking with Monte A. Melnick, the former tour manager of the legendary rock band, The Ramones. For over 20 years the Ramones toured the world playing to adoring and loyal audiences; but it is only now, over 20 years after their retirement, that their contributions to music are fully appreciated.
Monte was there throughout the duration of their career and brings a unique perspective to what made this band tick through think and thin, good times and bad. It was an honor to talk with Monte about the legacy of this legendary band. ...2018-12-0119 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Tosh Berman on GROWING UP IN WALLACE BERMAN'S WORLD!Hello everyone! I talked with Tosh Berman, an influential and beloved member of the Los Angeles literary scene, on his new book entitled, Tosh: Growing Up in Wallace Berman's World. This book is a masterful story of growing up as the son of the well-known artist Wallace Berman, who is often referred to as the creator of Assemblage Art and was a beloved figure in the early "beatnik" or hippie scene in California. Tosh recounts his unique childhood and talks openly about the cavalcade of luminaries that visited his home, his father's influence in the art world, and the...2018-11-1015 minSo Important: The Interview Podcast!Jonna Murphy on Mental Health Awareness.Hello all,
As I mention in the introduction to this episode, this podcast is a little bit different than the norm, in that we don't just focus on one topic, but we focus on people. My goal is to give all kinds of people the opportunity to talk about something interesting, or important, to them.
Often our topics are lighthearted, perhaps biographical, perhaps cultural, perhaps chatting with a respected teacher about his philosophy, or a musician about their craft. But sometimes we tackle serious issues, such as Poverty. Or, as in this episode, mental health aw...2018-10-2718 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Barrence Whitfield on HIS MUSIC!So, this one is special to me. I first saw Barrence Whitfield and the Savages perform in the 1980s and I have loved Barrence and his music ever since. Led by Barrence and long-time guitarist Peter Greenberg, the Savages put on a full-assault rock and roll attack every time. Describing their sound is never easy. The Savages build their sound on a garage band foundation, adding old-time rock and roll, hard rocking rhythm and blues, soul, and whatever else works to create the classic Savages sound. And at the heart of it all is the Savages full-throated, no-holds-barred lead s...2018-09-2219 minSo Important: The Interview Podcast!Edwin Heijmen on FILM NOIR - THE B-MOVIES!Hello everyone! Had a fun conversation with Edwin Heijmen on one of my very favorite topics - film noir! And we talked about the B-Movie variety - the films made by the major studios to fill out double features in the 1940s and 1950s, or the films made by the so called "Poverty Row" production houses. Made on a dime, cheap sets, no-name actors...all these challenges often led the film makers to find innovative ways to get around these constraints, often resulting in some absolute classic films.
And just for you, Edwin and I give a s...2018-09-0115 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Jeannie Brand on OSCAR BRAND'S LEGACY!Hello everyone!
I so enjoyed talking with Jeannie Brand, the daughter of the legendary folk singer Oscar Brand, on the great legacy of her beloved father. Oscar Brand was not only a prolific song writer and performer in his own right; he also played a critical role in helping to launch the careers of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and countless other great performers. Here's Oscar's story - from one who knows it best!
As part of her ongoing efforts, Jeannie has written a wonderful memoir, The Folk-Singer's Daughter, about growing up the daughter of...2018-08-1818 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Jim Wilson on MAKING - AND COLLECTING - RECORDS!Our guest is Mr. Jim Wilson, a Los Angeles-based musician who has played with any number of artists, ranging from Emmylou Harris to Anthrax, with Henry Rollins and many others in between. Jim is also a gifted solo artist and he just put out a new album entitled Now Playing that frankly, I can't stop listening to, and I urge you to give it a spin! We talk about the making of the album and the great guests who appear on it, and we also features many great cuts from the album!
As if that wasn't enough...2018-08-1115 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Michael Tanner on FIGHTING POVERTY!Our guest today is Michael Tanner, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute who has devoted many years of life to the study of poverty in America, and to developing innovative solutions to this enduring challenge. Michael seeks solutions that transcend the political back and forth of the day, and he can serve as an inspiration to all of us that strive for the day when people of all political stripes come together in search of common solutions to pressing problems. Michael's forthcoming book on the topic, "The Inclusive Economy: How to Bring Wealth to America's Poor," will be a...2018-07-1714 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Gary Graff on the MUSIC INDUSTRY TODAY!Hello friends, our guest today is Mr. Gary Graff, noted popular music journalist and critic. Gary has published extensively on popular music, and his highly acclaimed book on Bruce Springsteen is considered a seminal work. Gary is talking with me today about how the music industry has evolved, some of his concerns in that regard, and what can be done to get things back on track. This is a great opportunity to hear from a keen observer of the music scene, and his words are...so important! Thank you Gary for being on the program!
2018-07-0212 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Adam Pohl on BASEBALL BROADCASTING!Adam Pohl is the play-by-play announcer for the Bowie Bay Sox, the Double A affilitate of the Baltimore Orioles. Here he talks about his journey in broadcasting, his philosophy underlying his approach, and why he enjoys doing what he does. And he's a great guy!
2018-06-1614 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Cantor Lindsay Kanter on her CANTORIAL JOURNEYLindsay Kanter is the Cantor at Temple Emanuel, a reform congretation in Kensington, Maryland. She was kind enough to speak about her Cantorial Journey, her passion for all manner of traditional Jewish music, and what she seeks to achieve when constructing a service. Best of all, Cantor Lindsay shared her beautiful music with us, and it is featured on this episode. I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to like the podcast and follow it, which can now be found in I-Tunes. And please do share. Thanks!
2018-06-0214 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Master RJ Lee on TEACHING THE MARTIAL ARTS!Master RJ Lee is the chief instructor at the Black Belt Martial Arts Center in Kensington, Maryland. Master Lee is committed to teaching the martial arts and other forms of physical fitness, and has thought long and hard about why teaching is so important to him, and how to put his philosophy into practice. He shares his thoughts on this podcast!
2018-05-0616 min
So Important: The Interview Podcast!Moshe Engelberg on SPIRIT!Welcome to the premiere episode of So Important, a podcast dedicated to talking to people about something that is so important to them! To start things off, we'll talk with Moshe Engelberg about spirit - and what spirit means to him!
2018-04-2214 min