Better To... Podcast with D. M. Needom

Send us Fan Mail William stops by to discuss his latest release Dream Vessel as well as the many styles of Chicago music. **** William Covert announces the release of 'Dream Vessel' via Coup Sur Coup Records. Exploring the territories on the intersection of improvised music, jazz and ambient soundscapes, Chicago-based musician is happy to present his newest release. After more than 15 ye...

Send us Fan Mail Terry was a guest back in 2022 is back again to talk about his continuing cancer battle and his new book:  Four Truths and a Lie, Ancient Wisdom For Living Your Modern Purpose. ***** Terry Tucker is an author and sought-after speaker who passionately believes in the transformative power of a good story to motivate, inspire, and encourage others. His purpose is to help people lead...

Send us Fan Mail Wendy Stonehenge stops by the show to discuss the Candy Whip's new EP, inspiration, Ai and more. ****** Oakland, CA-based CANDY WHIPS released their new covers EP MOONLIGHT via Josie Cotton's Kitten Robot Records On August 26th ! The EP features classic tracks “ Duke of Earl ” (originally recorded by Gene Chandler), “ Earth Angel ” (The Penguins), and “ Bad Boy ” (Jive B...

Send us Fan Mail Lawrence stops by to discuss his latest release, as well as writing, creating and film making. ***** Lawrence C. Connolly’s books include the collections This Way to Egress , whose titular tale of psychological horror was adapted for the Mick Garris film Nightmare Cinema ; and the Bram-Stoker-nominated Voices . He is currently collaborating with his brother Christopher Connolly, A...

Send us Fan Mail Phil stops by the show this week to discuss creating music, his new full length LP Decadence and more. ***** Waverly Drive is the solo project of Phil Galloni, a studio engineer/producer and multi-instrumentalist. The Chicago native who has been running Voltiv Sound (Los Angeles, est. 2015) released the debut EP “Living in a Fantasy” in Nov 2022, EP2 “Now I Know” in July 2023, and...

Send us Fan Mail This week on the show Marla Mase stops by the show to discuss her daughter Lael Summer Feldman. We discuss her life and death as well as The Lael Project. The Lael Project is the vision of Marla Mase, Lael’s mother, to encourage open discussions about suicide, mental illness, eating disorders, and depression. It is her belief that through the sharing of stories, music and song, he...

Send us Fan Mail Laura stops by the show, to discuss her latest release, Chicago, growing up Catholic, and more. ***** Laura Sawosko's songs not only reflect her personal journey, but draw you into your own, through ruthless honesty and vivid imagery.  Her vocal technique is raw and unrehearsed which parallels her guitar, while the piano introduces another unexpected layer of melodic and tech...

Send us Fan Mail This Week on the show author David Boop stops by the show to discuss, writing, editing, Star Wars & Star Trek and much more.  ******* David Boop is a Denver-based speculative fiction author & editor. He’s also an award-winning essayist, and screenwriter. Before turning to fiction, David worked as a DJ, film critic, journalist, and actor.  David’s novels run the gamut, such...

Send us Fan Mail BettySoo stops by the show to discuss her latest release, If You Never Go Away , Childhood trauma, Life, inspiration, and more.  ******** BettySoo’s vocal prowess is a thing of wonder. A world-class instrument of deft phrasing and purity, a voice that knows when to hold back and when to dive in. At her own live shows, taking a verse onstage with friends or singing harmonies in ses...

Send us Fan Mail Trigger Warning : Loss of a Parent due to Suicide is discussed. If you are sensitive to this topic please skip this episode of the podcast.  Lew stops by the show to discuss, finding his voice, moving across country to pursue his dream, his father's suicide, his debut album Fool's Gold and more. ****** “ ’ No Room In Hell ’ is a rose-tinted daydream and an embodiment of...

Send us Fan Mail Crispian Mills stops by the show and we discuss, romanticism of the US and Rock n' Roll, Energy, death, knowledge and more. *** Kula Shaker is Crispian Mills (guitar/vocals), Jay Darlington ( Hammond organ), Alonza Bevan (bass) and Paul Winter-Hart (drums), the original line-up who regrouped for the first time since 1999’s Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts . “We're not emb...

Send us Fan Mail This week Danny Maxwell, Craig Fort and the band's mascot Tim stop by the show to discuss, their latest release 'Burn Cruise' , ghosts, the psychology behind the music and more. ***** Since 2016, Leafblower’s patented brand of psych-tinged post-rock has whiplashed crowds of bobbing heads and pumping fists. The band released a demo, a live set, a single—but all the w...

Send us Fan Mail Uli Bella from Ozomatli stops by the show to discuss the 30 Revolutions Nationwide Tour , the LA raids, mental health, being a caregiver, Richard Simmons and more.   **** If the city of Los Angeles had a soundtrack, it would be Ozomatli. Since their formation in 1995, the six-piece, multi-genre band has been a cultural force, blending Latin, hip-hop, funk, reggae, and global influ...

Send us Fan Mail Tracy stops by the show to discuss her latest release, Sky Too Wide. We talk about people pleasing, connect over a Helen Reddy song, 'You and Me Against the World', her reimagined song 'Jumping Bean', and so much more. ***** Tracy Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist turned alternative singer-songwriter who rose to fame in 1996 with her twice G...

Send us Fan Mail Luke stops by the show to discuss his musical journey, which started at the age of 7,  how the pandemic changed his life, a separate identity from being a singer/musician, and more.  **** Luke Marzec’s life has always been about music. He picked up the violin aged 7, the sax at 10 and the piano soon after. At just 11, his natural talent earned him a place at the prestigious Royal...

Send us Fan Mail Leonard Goldberg stops by the show to discuss his latest release, A Scandalous Affair, from his Daughter of Sherlock Holmes mystery series. We also discuss how his research career led him to become a writer. We talk about his process and more.  **** Leonard Goldberg is an internationally bestselling author of the Joanna Blalock series of medical thrillers. His novels, acclaimed by...

Send us Fan Mail Eef Barzelay stops by the show to discuss his latest release, 'Oh Smokey', as well as life, death, and so much more.  ***** Eef Barzelay of CLEM SNIDE, some what cheekily. For Eef, the intersection of hope and resignation is the genesis of his tenth album OH SMOKEY and a focal point of his upcoming tour. “I know fans like the older songs and the covers I've done, so...

Send us Fan Mail Vox of the Chameleons stops by to discuss his long career, his evolution, their new record, the world, and more.  ***** Having released their first studio recordings in over 20 years in 2024 (Where Are You? of new material and Tomorrow Remember Yesterday which consisted of re-recorded archival tracks), Chameleons have been gearing up the release of their upcoming album Arctic Moon...

Send us Fan Mail Pete stops by the show to discuss The Dandy Warhols, Studio vs performing, when he learned guitar, and more. **** Following a triumphant 2024 with the release of their overwhelmingly critic-hailed twelfth studio album ROCKMAKER featuring Frank Black , Slash , and Debbie Harry , a packed-to-the-gills national tour, and a completely sold out West Coast 30th Anniversary-as-a-band str...

Send us Fan Mail Neville Keighley a.k.a. Belouis Some stops by the show, and we step back in time. We talk about touring with Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Queen. The spicy video for Imagination and more. ******* Belouis Some (real name Neville Keighley), singer-songwriter from London, released his first album Some People in 1985 on Capitol EMI Records. After initial recording in London, the album...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Waldoch stops by the show to discuss his new group, The Hallelujah Ward’s, and new album Everybody Swoons . We also talk about how sometimes having a brat moment got him recognized and more. ***** Everybody in Milwaukee knows Mark Waldoch. Either they met him working at the legendary Atomic Records, behind a bar at one of Milwaukee’s leading cocktail locales,...

Send us Fan Mail Ian Dench of the band EMF stops by the show to discuss his upcoming tour, new music, the staying power of the song 'Unbelievable', and so much more, including working with Beyonce. *******  EMF British dance-rock quintet, EMF formed in Cinderford, England, in October 1989. All five original members were veterans of the local music scene before founding EMF, whose name su...

Send us Fan Mail Steve Smith of the Vapors stops by to discuss their latest release, Wasp in the Jar, their upcoming tour, and their longevity career.  ***** Best known for their massive 1980 worldwide hit “Turning Japanese,” The Vapors continue to bring their individually styled brand of music to fans old and new in the form of high-quality live performances and the ongoing development of critica...

Send us Fan Mail Christian, the lead singer and bassist for The Ritualists, stops by the show to discuss bass playing, the new album Too Pure to Cure , cooking, history, and more. ***** NYC-based The Ritualists’ upcoming album, Too Pure To Cure (out now) is a trip. Produced and mixed by GRAMMY-winner Mario J McNulty ( David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Prince ), the album is packed with the band’s sign...

Send us Fan Mail Limahl stops by the show to discuss his latest release, how taking a chance with Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran helped his band get a record deal, coming out to his Mum, and so much more.  ******* “The original ‘70s track has been a favorite on my 'Evening' playlist for a long time,” says UK music topliner LIMAHL about his reimagining of the classic folk/rock hit “ A Horse...