JWN

Nora Roy grew up in the Charleston area but relocated to Brooklyn to further pursue her music career. The pandemic brought her back to her hometown for a brief period and it was during that time I got to see her perform as well as work in the music business in other ways which we’ll touch upon in this episode. She lists Dolly Parton alongside Sharon van Etten & PJ Harvey as her influences and it shows in all of the best ways. Her songs are heartbreaking with a splash of pop & shoegaze.

Travis Maynard is the General Manager of Food & Beverage & Hospitality at the Volvo Car Stadium on Daniel Island in South Carolina. Before he took that gig he used to book shows & events in the Columbia, SC area, so when the opportunity came up to create the Club Court Concert series he jumped at the opportunity. This is an interesting discussion about building music scenes and organizing creative events that I know you’ll enjoy.

The first concert of the series is happening on Thursday, July 8th 2021 featuring Atlanta singer/songwriter Angie Aparo as well as previous JWN Podcast guest Jordan Igoe.

Alexandria Searles is an artist that goes by her chosen name Morowa Mosai. She describes her artistic style as Afrocentric and Empowered Femininity. It’s hard to pin down just one artistic medium as she paints traditional paintings as well as murals, creates resin based sculptures and jewelry, and is a graphic designer.

During our conversation, rapper R Dotta stopped in to join the discussion. Born Rashad Taylor, the Charleston City Paper named him the Up-and-Comer of 2020.

Aaron Utterback is a musician who grew up in Charlotte, NC along with his lifelong friends & bandmates in the indie electro-pop band Human Resources. When they decided to relocate to Charleston, SC they quickly fit right into the music scene. Aaron’s also played bass with bands like Brave Baby & has collaborated with many other artists as a session & gig player. We had a great in-depth conversation about music, the current state of the scene, and what it’s like living as a working musician & creative. He also performed the Human Resources song Sylvia & revealed just who Syvia really is and why she won’t choose a side!

Jordan Igoe is a singer/songwriter & multi-instrumentalist who grew up in Charleston, SC. She’s collaborated with some of the best musicians in the south & she’s a staple in the music scene simply because music is a part of her talented soul. She has a stockpile of original songs she’s written over the years and was gracious enough to perform one of her unreleased songs here.

Michelle Tompkins is a licensed professional counselor who practices expressive arts therapy where she uses multiple creative techniques to help people find the solutions to their problems from within. She believes that most people already possess the answers they’re looking for, but the traditional clinical ways alone aren’t always the most complete way to help people see them. She treats therapy as an art form as well as a science by using tools such as visual journaling which we discuss at length, as well as other ways to communicate alternatively.

Aggie Flores is an artist, singer & songwriter who came to Charleston, SC after living & working all throughout the USA. Born & raised in Argentina, this energetic & creative soul traveled on a mission to find herself & in the process found the love of her life as well as her amazing band, the Wildflowers.

William Kiser & Candace Patterson met a crossroads of their respective lives & found each other to be the yin to the other’s yang with a love of art as the glue that brought them together. After an epic adventure in Mexico they bonded together in love as well as professionally & formed the creative team known as Dos Bandidos.

Susannah Elliott is a photographer who loves to take environmental portraits with heart, light and music. I met Susannah through our mutual love for concert photography. A French teacher by day, at night she loves to photograph music as a way to fully engage with the performance and capture the magic that exists when a performer is connecting with their audience. We had such a fun time talking about photography, art, music & life through a creative lens.

Landon Carter is an artist of many different mediums and styles. Recently he’s delved into the multimedia realm combining acrylic paint and resin to create small 3D ecosystems carefully put together over several weeks. Landon’s story of how he found purpose though his art is one of nonstop growth and discovery.

Marissa Sumwalt is an artist & musician currently based in Charleston, SC. Her musical identity with her band is known as “Maya Gold”, and they capture a psychedelic indie rock sound. Her artistic identity is “Marvels By Marissa” featuring acrylic sculpture, abstract paintings & more. Marissa’s degree in philosophy combined with her life’s experiences have strengthened her ability to overcome the challenges of life through a creative voice.

Kate Ritchie is a mixed media artist who is constantly exploring new ways to create. She’s become known lately for her collage based artwork that explores the ideas of nature & sacred geometry. She has such a positive and outgoing personality that I couldn’t wait to get a chance to sit down and talk to her about her art!

This special episode is all about NFTs, or “Niftys” as they’re often referred to. NFT stands for Non Fungible Token and it’s a technology that’s revolutionizing the digital art world. Vik Hart (who’s also my guest on episode #70) joins me as co-host because he had no idea what an NFT was prior to this recording and I though he’d be the perfect person to bounce my understanding of what an NFT is and more importantly what it means to the future of digital art.

Madison White’s life story is one that is fueled by creative endeavors including opening a music school & studio with her husband right here in Charleston, SC. From fashion, acting, writing, and even stand-up comedy she has built upon all of her life experiences with a creative focus. Now she’s the GM at Tempest, which is a restaurant who opened its doors in Aug. 2020 & was just named as the “Best New Restaurant” in the country by USA Today’s readers!

This week’s solo episode covers a recent trip to the land that forgot COVID, AKA Florida. I then discuss Phoebe Bridgers on SNL and her resultant Twitter war with David Crosby. Also, I take a dive into the recent news of the Mandalorian’s Gina Carano getting fired by Lucasfilm.

Brett Nash is a multi instrumentalist who is an invaluable part of the independent music scene in South Carolina. He’s performed with well over 50 musical acts over the last 10 years including bands & projects he’s fronted such as Secret Guest & Tempt Controler (yes, Controler with one L). We sat down to talk about music & life as the scene’s Swiss Army Knife of talent, and he even wrote a song on the spot to help raise awareness to the fact that he doesn’t own a functioning computer & kinda needs one.

This solo episode reflects a bit more where last week’s solo show touched regarding anxiety and digs a little deeper into depression as the gravity of our situation lingers on. I take a quiz on the old Interwebs to figure out just how messed up I might be from it all!

On this solo episode I talk about the stressful time leading up to this week and the ways it’s manifested in my life, from crazy nightmares to physical pain, I try to find some light despite all of the darkness I’ve been feeling. I also bring back the news! Today’s news topic revolves around transgender comedian Eddie Izzard and her fundraising/awareness feat of running a marathon every single day in January of 2021. 

Amanda Lane Evans is a professional dancer and choreographer currently based in Charleston, South Carolina. Besides dancing professionally, she’s a dance instructor as well as a certified Barre and Yoga teacher. She’s such an upbeat and positive self-proclaimed “bun head” and she provides an honest account of what it takes to become a professional dancer.

On this solo episode, I have a very special guest! That means it's not actually a solo show, doesn't it? My lovely wife Amy comes on to discuss our nutty week. I start out the show talking about how Amanda Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate stole the show at President Biden's inauguration before Amy comes into my studio to chat and eat her dinner.

Amber Vasquez is an artist who at the time of this recording is at the tail end of her apprenticeship as a tattooist. I wanted to talk to her about how she got to this point in her career to get a snapshot of what it’s like to embark into a career in tattooing from the perspective of someone who’s at the beginning of theirs.

She’s a strong and intelligent person who’s drive coupled with her discipline are key ingredients beyond her talents that paint the picture of someone destined to succeed.

On this solo episode I talk a lot about mental health. My personal struggles of not being able to do the healthy things I love to do because of the pandemic & how that’s weighing me down. I spend most of the episode talking about the fallout of the band Beach Slang after the band’s manager Charlie Lowe made allegations of mental abuse & the circumstances that led to front man James Alex checking into an inpatient facility after attempting to take his life.

Punk News articles referenced in this episode:

Taylor Lee Czerwinski is a portrait & lifestyle photographer, artist, & musician based in Charleston, SC. She’s also the founder of 9 To 5 Magazine, which is a print magazine that focuses on music and art submitted by readers.

Here’s how to connect with Taylor:

On this solo episode I get back to my regular routine of talking about fun stuff I did or experienced, and tell fun stories of days gone by while dreaming of sunsets and ocean breezes while reporting the latest creative news. Who am I kidding… I vent. I ramble and get stuff off my chest about one of the most historic days in the history of the USA. If you don’t want to hear about my views on politics and current events, please skip this episode.

Shaquille Fontenot is a private chef, recipe developer, educator, and serial entrepreneur specializing in 100% plant-based cuisine and strategic brand growth. One of her companies, FairyFresh Foods, offers private dining, meal-prep, and consultation services in Charleston, South Carolina and the surrounding areas. Her mission to bring healthy foods to the community expands into all facets of her life, including a sense of activism and community development based on equity, not just equality.

Welcome to the 1st show of 2021! It’s a solo show and on this episode I talk about the holidays, the new wave of infections in my area, and a few of my favorite records that came out in 2020. There’s also a bit about the two major Christmas movies, Wonder Woman ’84 & Soul. I briefly dance into the political world but I maneuver my way out of it pretty quickly. All in all, the message is clear - Take good care of yourself this year and you can change the world!

Some songs in the podcast:

About a year after she first picked up a guitar, Presley Randall formed her band Baby Yaga and started writing, recording, & performing original music. Her natural ability to put her mind to something and generate results is uncanny. The Post & Courier just named Baby Yaga’s fist EP, which is entitled “F*ck” as one of the year’s best records from South Carolina. That’s not an easy feat to pull off considering the name of the record along couldn’t even be printed in the southern newspaper’s feature! She’s also taken to the visual arts to explore her spirituality and how that connects to her understanding of sexuality. On top of all that she’s also been organizing women’s support groups to help empower women in the community.

Happy holidays to those who celebrate! This episode is mostly a discussion about dealing with holiday depression. I skipped the news on this one just ‘cause I wasn’t feeling newsy.

Chad Dyar is a photographer, musician, and artist who found his way into a career in professional photography by working at a photography studio before he even owned a camera. After he did get his own gear, he decided to a take an adventure and capture landscapes across America, Thailand, & Bali. His love of capturing spaces landed him a career in architectural and real estate photography.

He recently tapped into his love of art and artists to help organize the “For the love of art” Art festival in Charleston, SC, and that’s where our conversation today begins.

As the year winds down, I discuss how we’ve adapted to a being safe while living our lives. I also feel like I’m narrowing down where I want to see my creative projects going, and I talk about dealing with what happens when one of your favorite artists gets canceled.

Erel Pilot grew up in Brooklyn and recently relocated to Charleston, SC to pursue her musical project entitled P!lot. She also hosts a show on Charleston’s Ohm radio called Song Story in which she interviews musicians about the stories behind their songs. We had a fun and introspective discussion about her creative background and the influences of her environment which informed her decision to move to the south. She’s a unique artist with an honest approach that is quite endearing. She also performs one of her songs live in the studio using her trusty Casiotone MT-45 keyboard!

After a special guest introduction, I talk about end-of-year best-of lists, putting your emotional eggs in one basket, creating photos with intention, Instagram’s poor handling on time sensitive information, nature’s fleeting beauty, and more!

Patrick Pricket’s signature style of bold color portraits that are broken down into shapes with thick lines may have been born out of his love of 80’s cartoons, or maybe it was his time spent as a tattooist, but his representation of how he sees the world around him is uniquely his. He’s captured the attention of the Charleston art scene which has led to a career in television and film art production. His story is brutally honest and fun, and I know you’ll enjoy this conversation.

I’m feeling good about life due to an upcoming road running race and training for a Marathon in March of 2021 because these are things that feel “normal” for me. I also talk about morning routines as well as Goo Goo & Ga Ga.

Chris Smith has been a professional photographer for over 25 years. Along with his wife & business partner Cami, his specialty is pretty much everything - From weddings to professional sports & everything in between, Chris & Cami Photography have an impressive award-winning portfolio. He also has a wanderlust and a passion for motorcycle riding, and recently collaborated with colleagues to produce a series on YouTube documenting the Trans-America Trail, which is a ross-country adventure ride of a lifetime featuring mostly off-pavement travel.

Kalyn Oyer is a Charleston native who covers arts and entertainment for The Post and Courier, the oldest newspaper in the south. She starts off this interview flipping the roles & interviewing me because that’s just what she does, but we segue into how she started photographing music festivals professionally & we go on to dissect her career as a journalist from there.

On this solo episode I talk about the unavoidable subject of the 2020 United States elections & the anxiety surrounding it for me. When people downplay the affects of something like this on a person who’s deeply invested in it, it’s just painful & cruel. I come to the realization that I do this to others sometimes & dissect the horror of that realization. Also, I discuss the new streaming idea for artists from Spotify as well as how Kanye West performed in his first foray into the world of politics.

When Matt Zutell created Coast Records, it was intended as a way to bring his various creative pursuits together under one moniker. As a multi-instrumentalist, record producer, sound engineer, & songwriter he’s since attracted the talents of various other creatives to find Coast Records become not only a vehicle for his own work, but as a platform to expose other artists as well. When he isn’t playing drums for the band Human Resources or mixing a recording project, he’s also running sound for the iconic Royal American in Charleston, SC.

On this solo episode I talk about shopping for holiday gifts before Halloween as well as going to Disney World during a pandemic. I discuss the members of AC/DC hunting the Loch Ness Monster, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark coming clean on that old Tom Waits album cover, the game show Jeopardy throwing gas on the old White Stripes vs. Black Keys fire, and David Bowie’s new biopic featuring podcast pioneer Marc Maron. All that and much more!

What do you think of my Halloween costume? Is it Phoebe Bridgers or Donnie Darko? You decide!

Emily Heller is a running enthusiast who created her own YouTube channel in 2019 that filled the void of women’s voices in the world of running shoe review videos. Emily’s channel “Run Like Hell(er)” provides an inclusive look at the competitive world of running shoes. As her channel grows, subscribers have become fascinated with her honest & professional approach and have become intrigued with her distinct personality. I also wanted to uncover more about her creative background and career. Even if you’re not a runner, I know you’ll get something out of this conversation about doing what you love and creating something that’s bigger than you ever imagined it could be. Also, yes, Ruby the dog gets some much deserved love during this discussion as well.

I start off with a story about an angry customer and how doing the right thing makes everyone happy. I do get a little political during this episode because, well, we’re deep into this nutty election season. I quote Carl Sagan in response to the Trump jab at Joe Biden’s support of science. I also cover Shepard Fairey’s Time Magazine cover, The TikTok challenge that’s bringing awareness to dementia, Sasha Baron Cohen’s new film making waves, the Velvet Underground’s new documentary, & why I think Run The Jewels is making the world a better place.

Here’s some links to stories and media referenced in this episode:

Music wasn’t always Pip The Pansy's passion, but the need to create and share her art has carried her though some of the worst obstacles the music industry could conjure up. After a rough start in the business, she emerged with her current identity as a more realized version of herself that continues to evolve without compromise. This was such a fun conversation and I had a blast getting to know more about her and her art.