Books Shows Tunes & Mad Acts

Jeff Berkley, musician, producer, and go-to guy for all things music in San Diego, talks about the current climate for musicians, as well as the old days at Java Joe's in Poway and Ocean Beach. With many projects in the works, he brings us up to speed on who is doing what in town and his new band "Jeff Berkley and the Banned" (we also feature one of their new songs!). Jennifer, Bill, and Jeff mull...

Poet and novelist Sarah Blake joins us to talk about her new genre-bending novel,  Clean Air , a post-apocalyptic narrative centered on one small family and town that (as if they don't have enough to worry about) must cope with a serial killer. It's a fascinating original book about survival, anxiety, and motherhood, but also funny and hopeful. Sarah talks about world-building, her own health expe...

CEO and co-founder, Josh Simons, joins us to talk about Vampr, the world's premier social network for musicians. Founded by two sympathetic Australian musicians, Josh (of Buchanan) and Baz Palmer (of Hunters & Collectors), Vampr has grown to over one million users and has facilitated over seven million connections. Josh takes us inside the algorithms to explain how like-minded musicians find e...

Something that makes the United States special is our constitutional protection of free speech. CEO of Pen America, Suzanne Nossel, joins us to talk about her new (really great) book, Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All , and important aspects of open discourse in today's political and social context. Suzanne addresses the tension between free speech and equity/inclusion considerations, h...

Author and anthropologist Levi Vonk joins us to discuss his book Border Hacker , co-narrated with Axel Kirschner, a fascinating character caught between countries. Guatemalan by birth but raised in Queens, Axel was deported from the US and met up with Levi when they both joined a migrant caravan traveling through Mexico. Border Hacker  is the story of their friendship, their adventures in navigati...

On the occasion of the publication of his new book, join scientist and author, Danny Nielsen, to talk about writing, reading, and other matters. The new book, Straight Flossin' and Other Stories of the American West, is an exploration of desert landscapes and the flora, fauna, and human characters who inhabit them. Danny talks about what motivates him to write and offers advice for how to keep at...

An irreverent, saying-the-quiet-part-out-loud look at the publishing industry from the Big Five of traditional publishers to self-publishing—particularly the financial aspects of your options. We focus on the likelihood of landing a Big Five contract, whether you even want that, and what you can expect from that experience. We talk in depth about the pros and cons of using an Author Services compa...

Join William Stout, artist and illustrator, with a specialization in paleontological art, to talk about his long career and getting famous slowly. The span of his work is enormous, both in terms of time, from the sixties to now, and across media: murals, posters, record covers, comics, trading cards—and over 70 movies. He is known for bootleg album covers, such as Who's Zoo, and his cover of Fires...

Join Paul Rock and David Jenkins of The Wild Honey Foundation, a non-profit that raises money for charitable causes through cultural events, passing on the passion, creativity, and idealism found in music to future generations. Paul and David reminisce about some of their greatest shows going back decades honoring The Lovin' Spoonful, The Kinks, Brian Wilson, Buffalo Springfield, as well as their...

Writer and podcaster, Dan Stalcup, is back to talk more about Enlightened, the HBO show about Amy Jellicoe, who returns from rehab determined to change the world. In this second of two episodes, we discuss the larger themes the show wrestles with: capitalism, meaning, and work, while never missing a chance at a funny line. Written by the great Mike White, the show was before its time and did not f...

Returning guest, writer and podcaster, Dan Stalcup, is back to talk about the HBO show Enlightened, written and produced by the great Mike White and starring Laura Dern, Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Sarah Burns, Timm Sharp and Mike White himself. Laura Dern as Amy returns from rehab to her corporate job, fired up to share her newly-discovered spiritual enlightenment with the world only to discover the...

Join Indiana University English Department Chairman and word nerd Michael Adams to talk about a recent acquisition of an enormous collection of dictionaries and associated material by the Lilly Library. The Kripke Collection is a lexicographer's dream, full of books on slang, pirate terms, erotic language, obscenities, regional terms, as well as ephemera, pamphlets, archival material about making...

Today we sit down with Lisa Sanders, longtime San Diego musician and recent Hall of Fame inductee, and hear about her many projects, from new songs to furniture making, as well as her long association with other musicians and local venues. She reflects on her long career and the various rabbit holes that have brought her to now. She also provides valuable advice for musicians who are just starting...

Life coach and author Corrinn Davis joins us in the midst of the current crisis when so many of us seem to be on edge or full-blown mad, as reflected in road rage and homicide statistics. We talk about how anger can displace other painful emotions, for better or worse, and how it can be redirected in positive ways. We speculate about what we're seeking when we feed on other people's anger. She pro...

English writer, classics teacher, and former police officer, Mark Knowles, joins us to talk about Reacher, the Amazon series; Killing Floor, the book it's based on; and its British author Lee Child. We analyze what's the same or different between the show and the book, what we like about Reacher, and how he resembles a classic Homeric hero. We also talk about stuff that got changed in the show and...

Welcome to the world of Curio and Co where founders, Cesare Asaro and Kirstie Shepherd use their flair for nostalgic design to create souvenirs from a past you wish had existed. They join us from Vienna to talk about the sense of playfulness their creations spark, as well as the research, analysis, and plain old work required to make design elements that hit the mark. They talk about being develop...

The Dutch Oven Daddy, Ned Adams, joins us to talk about all things cast iron: what it's good for, how to evaluate it, how to maintain it (especially the secrets of proper seasoning), and how to bring it back from a rusted state, using science! Ned also talks about his personal journey with cast iron, what got him started with it and its meaning to him today, as well as where to find the cast iron...

After working in record stores for over 30 years, Eleni has heard it all—and knows a lot! She shares her approach to providing information to those in need and to writing music reviews that can help a searcher find music they love. Raised in a large Greek family and exposed to a wide variety of music, Eleni moved to the desert as a teenager and began her career in music retail. Here she regales us...

Join Professor Jason Aukerman, Director of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies, to learn about Bradbury's life and work, the creation of the center, and surprising discoveries in the archives. We discuss Fahrenheit 451 in which Bradbury cautioned us about the danger of mass media and censorship, topics even more relevant today. Jason discusses his approach to teaching writing and Bradbury's litera...

Singer/songwriter, blogger, and memoirist Amy Rigby joins us today for a wise and fun conversation about her 30-year career, including her CBGB days, having Ronnie Spector feature one of her songs, meeting Wreckless Eric, writing her memoir, and work during the pandemic. Known for her clever, funny, and sometimes vengeful lyrics, Amy is beloved by her fans (including Jennifer's mom!) for her insig...

Join author Rosanne Tolin to discuss her book More Than Marmalade , the only biography of Michael Bond, the author of the beloved Paddington stories. Did you know Paddington was inspired by the Kindertransport refugees fleeing Germany and arriving in London with just a suitcase and a name tag? Bond, a dropout, worked for the BBC and as a struggling writer for many years before finally finding succ...

Join singer/songwriter, musician, producer, composer and radio host Ben Vaughn talking about his many hats, how he got started in music and his gypsy career. In a wide-ranging, informal, and fun discussion, he describes doing a sound check in two different Ramblers (yes, the car) to pick the right one, getting a gun pulled on him in the producer's booth, his love for Mickey Lee Lane's Shaggy Dog,...

A Norwegian pig farmer may not sound like a femme fatale, but Belle Gunness lured dozens of men to their death and became Indiana's most notorious serial killer. Author  and researcher Jane Simon Ammeson joins us to discuss her new book about Belle, including the latest discoveries about her gruesome deeds and mysterious disappearance. A creepy but fascinating episode. Jane's websites: https://jan...

Join Jennifer Hartman, director of Rogue Detection Teams, to talk about using rescue dogs in scientific work to locate and analyze threatened animal species. We cover dog selection and training (though the dog bounders are often learning as much from the dogs), the physical requirements of the work, what can be learned now through DNA analysis of animal scat, the benefits of using dogs in a non-in...

Join relationship expert Melinda Blau while she discusses her book about the importance of acquaintances and weak ties in building networks, expanding our boundaries, and just making us feel better. With specific examples and tactical advice about how to initiate a conversation, nurture a relationship, and let it go, she gives us food for thought for the new year. She also presents the science of...