Beginnings

On today's episode, I talk to author Martha Wells. Martha has been a sci-fi and fantasy writer since her first novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, The Death of the Necromancer, the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, The Murderbot Diaries series, as well as media tie-in stories for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering. And this is just a sampling of her work, which it should be noted, has appeared many times on the New York Times Bestseller List. As well, over the last few decades, Martha has been recognized for her writing with numerous Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards, as well as a Philip K. Dick Award nomination or two. And most recently, The Murderbot Diaries novel Network Effect won the 2021 Nebula Award and Hugo Award for Best Novel, while the series itself won the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Series. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Matthew Herd. Originally from Glasgow, Matthew is a Scottish songwriter, composer, and saxophonist living in east London. He's the Musician in Residence at Habs Boys' School and co-directs the Habs Jazz Summer School, and plays in a number of different groups. One of these is his band Seafarers, which he formed in 2013 while studying saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music. Their debut album Orlando was released in November 2020 to widespread acclaim, and their second album, II, is out now, and it's fantastic! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On the 12th anniversary episode of Beginnings taped back in December, I talk to John Linnell of They Might Be Giants! Raised in Lincoln, Massachusetts, John Linnell began writing music with his friend John Flansburgh in high school, and after playing in a number of bands formed TMBG with Flansburgh in 1982. From 1986's self-titled album to today, the band has released over fifty albums, compilations and EPs, has won two Grammys and was even nominated for a Tony Award. John hasn't produced a lot of solo work, but his State Songs album is great, and I wish his Roman Songs EP (sung entirely in Latin) would have been released in the '90s so I could have played it in Latin class to the bemusement of my teacher. Most recently, They Might Be Giants have released a 144 page book and album entitled BOOK, and much like everything else from their 40 year career, it's wonderful! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Logan Lynn. Born in York, Nebraska, Logan eventually moved to Portland after a tumultuous childhood. His musical career began there when he was discovered by The Dandy Warhols.Since 1998, he's released over a dozen albums and EPs on labels like EMI and Caroline, hosted NewNowNext Music on the Logo Network, and in 2021 was named one of the OUT100 in the Performers of the Year category by Out Magazine. This is just a small smattering of his accomplishments. His latest album New Money is out now on Kill Rock Stars! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Wendy Eisenberg. Wendy is an improviser and songwriter who uses guitar, pedals, the tenor banjo, the computer, the synthesizer and the voice. Though often working solo as both a songwriter and improviser, with acclaimed releases on Tzadik, VDSQ, Out of your Head, and Garden Portal, they also perform in the rock band Editrix, and in endless other combinations. Towards the end of 2020, Ba Da Bing! released their album Auto, and their latest, Bent Ring, was just released at the end of last year on Dear Life Records. Both are great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician John Vanderslice. Raised in rural North Florida, Vanderslice was forced into piano lessons as a young child, and eventually picked up the guitar and started writing songs as a teen. After moving to San Francisco in 1989, John made three records as a part of the experimental band MK Ultra, including the critically-acclaimed The Dream is Over. His obsession with recording craft persisted: while working as a waiter at Chez Panisse in 1997, he opened Tiny Telephone Recording as an affordable outlet for the Bay Area's indie rock community. Between 2000 and 2014, John released 10 records on Barsuk, Dead Oceans, and Secretly Canadian, and collaborated as a producer and musician on records by Spoon, the Mountain Goats, Okkervil River, Death Cab for Cutie and Tune-Yards. Taking a break from his own recording, he became a full-time producer for a number of years, and in 2018, John decided to leap back into his solo career with full force, releasing a number of albums and EPs, the latest of which is a tribute to Dave Berman entitled "John, i can't believe civilization is still going here in 2021! Congratulations to all of us, Love, DCB" This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Robert Haimer AKA Artie Barnes. Born in Los Angeles, Robert began playing music with his friend, actor Bill Mumy, in high school, recording songs for their own amusement as Barnes & Barnes. But when Dr. Demento began playing their music in the late-'70s, they started to think of Barnes & Barnes more professionally, bolstered by the popularity of their track "Fish Heads" among a number of others. Since then, they've released over a dozen albums, mostly on Rhino Records, and their latest Pancake Dream is now available on Demented Punk Records. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician and Professor of Religious Studies Daniel Wyche. Daniel is a Chicago-based guitarist, composer and improviser. Working with a wide range of physical preparations, extended techniques, and pedal instruments, his solo recorded work and live performances are characterized by long-form structured improvisations. Both by himself and with a number of collaborators (including former guest Patrick Shiroishi), Daniel has released a number of albums, and his latest, Earthwork, just came out towards the beginning of November. As an academic, he specializes in a number of areas including the works of Michel Foucault, and his first book On the Care of the Self and the Care of the Other concerns Foucault's ethical ideas around self-change. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Jack Cooper. Originally from the Fylde Coast, Jack began playing music professionally in the early 2000s, where after signing to Twisted Nerve Records, he began playing with musician Jim Noir. From 2009 to 2018, Jack played in two bands - Mazes and then Ultimate Painting - releasing a number of albums as well as some solo records, and in 2019, he formed Modern Nature. Their latest album Island of Noise was just released on Bella Union, and it's fantastic! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to actor Rebecca Gibney. Originally from Levin, New Zealand, Rebecca grew up the youngest of six children, and after a somewhat tumultuous childhood, eventually found her way into acting. She first acted in shows like Zoo Family and The Flying Doctors, and in the 1990s starred in shows like Snowy and Halifax f.p. Without going into her full IMDB, Rebecca continued to star in shows and movies including a number of Stephen King miniseries, and in the mid-20teens co-created and co-starred in the wonderful show Wanted. Currently, Rebecca can be seen here in the States every Monday for the next month and a half on the AcornTV show Under the Vines. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician René Kladzyk aka Ziemba. Originally from Michigan, Rene is an El Paso-based musician and writer. As a journalist, she works for El Paso Matters and frequently reports on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. She is also an advocate for music industry reform and creator of the Future Music Industry (a compendium of music industry orgs run by women and non-binary people). And of course, as Ziemba, she's written a number of albums and EPs, including last year's True Romantic and her latest album Unsubtle Magic, out next week on Sister Polygon Records! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Stewart Bronaugh. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Stewart has been playing music for a majority of his life. Professionally, he played for many years as a part of Angel Olson's backing band, and on his own, he's been recording as Lionlimb for over a decade. They released their fantastic first EP Turnstile in 2016, and since then have released two more great albums Shoo and Tape Recorder. Their most recent album Spiral Groove was just released in mid-November on Bayonet Records, and it's an absolute delight! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to actor Brent Jennings. Originally from Little Rock Arkansas, Brent got his start acting professionally in the New York theater scene of the 1970s, both on and off-Broadway. From there, he became a working screen actor appearing in films like Witness, Another 48 Hrs., and Moneyball, as well as TV shows like Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, among many others. Most recently, Brent starred in Lodge 49, one of the best shows of the 21st century, and currently recurs on the CW sports drama All American. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Cedric Noel. Montreal-based artist Cedric Noel has spent the past decade creating music informed by his unique worldview: He was born in Niger to Canadian and Mozambican/Belgian parents, spent his upbringing around the world, and is currently based in Canada. During this time, Cedric has released a number of critically praised full-length albums, EPs and collaborative works of his own, while also playing bass for acts like Ada Lea and many others. His latest album Hang Time is out now on Joyful Noise, and it's great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to comics writer Ram V. An author and comic book writer from Mumbai, India, Ram V's comics career began in 2012 with the award-nominated comic series, Aghori. Since then, he's written a ton of great comics including Paradiso and Blue In Green for Image, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr for Boom, Grafity's Wall for Dark Horse, Swamp Thing, Justice League and Cat Woman for DC, and is co-writing the next run of Venom with Al Ewing! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Patrick Shiroishi. For years, Los Angeles-based saxophonist and composer Patrick Shiroishi has been playing music in numerous bands and ensembles crossing a number of different genres. These include groups such as Corima, Upsilon Acrux, Nakata, In the Womb, Oort Smog, as well as many others. Patrick also records solo under his own name, and this includes his latest, Hidemi, a solo multilayered woodwind journey, about his grandfather's personal experience after getting out of the Japanese-American concentration camps. And it is easily one of the best albums of the year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician and actor Katelyn Tarver. After getting her start performing in prestigious talent competitions as a child in Glennville, Georgia, Katelyn moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She promptly made her TV debut with a recurring role on Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush, then began independently releasing her music while penning songs for other artists. In 2014 she experienced a major breakthrough when "Crazy Stupid Love" (a song she'd co-written for British pop star Cheryl) shot to #1 on the UK Singles Chart. Since then, Katelyn's released a number of singles and EPs, recurred on shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Ballers, and her latest album Subject to Change will be released very soon, in early November! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Buzz Osborne. Originally from Morton, WA, Buzz founded the rock band Melvins in the early '80s, and in 1986, C/Z Records released their first EP Six Songs. Since then, they've released over 40 more albums, EPs and compilations on record labels like Alternative Tentacles, Sub Pop and Ipecac Recordings, and while never achieving mainstream success - if that's even something they sought - the band is both sustainable and hugely influential, influencing everyone from Nirvana and Soundgarden to Helmet, Tool, Mastodon and many others. Their latest album, Five Legged Dog, a 36-song acoustic reimagining of their discography, is out now! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to cartoonist Keith "Keef" Knight. Starting with his K Chronicles in the early '90s, Keith has been a professional cartoonist for almost three decades. In that time, he's started two other series - (th)ink and the Knight Life - and written almost 20 books of cartoons. Keith has been syndicated everywhere, won awards like the Harvey Award and was named one of 2015's History Makers by the NAACP. In addition to all of this, he co-created the TV show Woke, which is partially based on his life, and whose second season debuts on Hulu later this year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician David Thomas. Raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, David is one of the founders of the short-lived but influential punk band Rocket from the Tombs, who split up after about a year, with some members going off to form the Dead Boys, while David founded Pere Ubu. While David would record on and off with the self-described avant-garage Pere Ubu over the next 40 years, he has also recorded with a number of different collaborators under a number of different names, such as David Thomas & the Pedestrians, David Thomas & the Wooden Birds and David Thomas & Two Pale Boys. Earlier in September, Fire Records reissued two classic Pere Ubu albums Pennsylvania and St Arkansas! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Indigo De Souza. Originally from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and later based in Asheville, Indigo recorded her first EP, Boys, in a friend's garage in 2016. Following another short-form release, she delivered her debut album, I Love My Mom, in 2018. She then signed with Saddle Creek, which reissued the debut just weeks before releasing the tempestuous Any Shape You Take at the end of August. And it's one of my favorite things released this year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's special 500th episode, I talk to BAFTA Award-winning comedy writer Arthur Mathews. Originally from Navan, Co Meath, Ireland, Arthur was originally on the path to become a graphic designer until his writing partner suggested they go to London to try their hand at professional comedy writing. Since that day, Arthur has co-created the seminal comedy Father Ted, wrote on some of the best UK comedies of the early 2000s, including Jam, Brass Eye and Black Books, co-created the Simon Pegg-starring sketch show Big Train, and later, with Matt Berry, created Toast of London. And just creating any one of those would have put him in a rarefied pantheon, let alone Father Ted, Big Train AND Toast of London! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician/poet/actor McKenzie Chinn. Originally from Fort Washington, McKenzie is a true triple threat. As an actor, she has appeared on Fox's Empire and The Big Leap, is a 2021 fellow in the Sundance Directors Lab, and wrote, produced and acted in the film Olympia, which made its debut at the 2018 LA Film Festival. As a poet, her work has appeared in numerous publications and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and as a musician, she is part of the Growing Concerns Poetry Collective, whose second album BIG DARK BRIGHT FUTURES was released last fall. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Ramona Gonzalez AKA NIte Jewel. Born in Oakland and raised in Berkeley, Ramona studied philosophy at Occidental College. She remained involved in music throughout her studies, playing in a series of rock bands with her then husband, and eventually starting her solo career as Nite Jewel. After a self-released six-song CD-R titled My CD, which caught the ear of New York's taste-making Other Records, Nite Jewel issued the full-length Good Evening through Human Ear Music. Since then, Ramona has released over a dozen albums, EPs and singles on record labels like Mexican Summer and Secretly Canadian, and her most recent album No Sun was released just last week on her own label Gloriette, and it's great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to TV writer Bill Oakley. Originally from Union Bridge, Maryland, Bill attended Harvard where he spent most of his time writing for the Harvard Lampoon. After graduating, Bill took on a number of different jobs until he and his longtime friend and writing partner Josh Weinstein were eventually hired to work on The Simpsons. Together, the two wrote some of the most classic episodes of the show including "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" and "22 Short Films About Springfield", and were subsequently promoted to executive producer and showrunner during the seventh and eighth seasons. Since then, Bill co-created Mission Hill, wrote for Futurama, Portlandia and Disenchanted, and currently is the showrunner for the delightful HBO Max series Close Enough! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Kath Myers. Originally from Ohio, Kath had a roundabout route into making music that took her from the world of high finance in New York all the way to living the "artist's way" in Los Angeles. Her first album under her own name, Sensitive Groups, was just released in June, and it's fantastic! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to modern composer Terry Riley. Originally from Colfax, CA, Terry began studying composition and performing solo piano in the 1950s. He befriended and collaborated with composer La Monte Young, and through the '60s further refined his sound. Terry's 1964 revolutionary composition "In C" essentially launched what is now known as the Minimalist movement. The piece's interlocking repetitive patterns changed the course of 20th century music, and its influence has been heard in the works of prominent composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, as well as in the music of rock groups such as The Who and Soft Machine, as well as in collaborations with everyone from John Cale to Pauline Oliveros to Kronos Quartet. Since the '60s, Terry hasn't slowed down a moment, and he continues to compose and perform, and his latest recording is 2019's The Lion's Throne, a collaboration with singer Amelia Cuni. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to comedy writer Robert Popper. Robert Popper is a multiple award-winning writer, producer and performer. He's the creator, writer and producer of Channel 4's six-series Friday Night Dinner, he co-created and starred in BBC 2's Look Around You with Peter Serafinowicz, produced the Bafta-winning Peep Show, wrote on season 14 of South Park, script-edited The Inbetweeners, The IT Crowd, and Him & Her, and co-wrote several episodes of Channel 4's Stath Lets Flats, with Jamie Demetriou. Robert also wrote the massive bestselling The Timewaster Letters books under his pseudonym, Robin Cooper, and most recently, created The Timewaster Letters Compendium on Audible! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Joe Jack Talcum. Originally from Wagontown, PA, Joe Genaro AKA Joe Jack Talcum is the guitarist and co-lead singer of the seminal punk band The Dead Milkmen. Formed out of his home recording project dating back to the late '70s, the group didn't really coalesce until Joe went to college at Temple University. Starting with 1985's Big Lizard in My Backyard, they recorded dozens of albums and EPs, and though they broke up in 1995, they've reunited a number of times since for various shows. Outside of The Dead Milkmen, Joe is prolific, recording a number of albums on his own and with groups like The Low Budgets. His latest album Joe Jack Talcum sings Railroad Bill and Other Songs was just released late last year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Anna McClellan began performing original songs in her hometown of Omaha, NE at the age of seventeen and has been actively recording and touring ever since. Her debut, Fire Flames, earned her an opening slot on a Frankie Cosmos tour. Through the doors that tour opened, McClellan eventually met Father/Daughter Records which led to the release of her second full-length record, Yes and No, in 2018. After a stint in NYC, several subsequent tours and meandering, Anna returned to Omaha and recorded I saw first light, her latest effort for Father/Daughter. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to writer Steve Aylett. Born in Bromley, Steve is the author of over a dozen novels, comics and collections of short fiction. He started to get acclaim for his writing with his third novel Slaughtermatic, which was shortlisted for the 1998 Philip K. Dick Award. Slaughtermatic was part of his Beerlight series, and this, along with the Accomplice series, make up the bulk of his most well-known work, although one of his best works, Lint - a satirical, Zelig-like biography of a Philip K. Dick/Hunter S. Thompson/Ken Kesey pastiche - stands relatively alone. His latest comic, Hyperthick, will be released at the end of July by Floating World Comics. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Lou Barlow. Originally from Ohio, Lou formed his first band Deep Wound in 1982, while attending high school in western Massachusetts. Deep Wound's drummer was J Mascis, and when that band broke up, Lou and J formed Dinosaur, later to become Dinosaur Jr. The early years of the band were acclaimed but tumultuous, and after their third album, he was asked to leave the band. Lou then turned his attention to his other band Sebadoh, his side project Sentridoh, and later his other group Folk Implosion. Throughout the years, these projects - including Dinosaur Jr. - have all waxed and waned, but most recently, Lou recorded songs for Dinosaur Jr.'s latest album Sweep It Into Space, which was released in April, and his own solo album, Reason to Live, which was released at the end of May on Joyful Noise! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to actress and comedian Michaela Watkins. Originally from Syracuse, NY, Michaela's career really began when she moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s, where she joined the Groundlings. She was cast on SNL for the 2008 season, and while she only stayed a year, this led to many other incredible roles on shows like New Adventures of Old Christine, Enlightened, Trophy Wife, New Girl, Veep, Wet Hot American Summer, Catastrophe, Get Shorty, Transparent, Search Party, The Unicorn and many other programs. In 2014, Michaela created the show Benched, and while it only lasted one season, it was a delight. And from 2015 to 2018, Michaela starred in the brilliant dramedy Casual, which is easily one of the best shows of the last decade and the spiritual successor to Six Feet Under. Most recently, Michaela co-stars in (friend of the show, friend IRL) Josh Ruben's latest film Werewolves Within. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to bass guitarist and record producer Melvin Gibbs. A native of Brooklyn, He has been called "the greatest bassist in the world" by Time Out New York magazine and was last year's winner of JazzTimes Magazine's Critics Poll in the Electric Bass category. Melvin's wide-ranging musical resume includes membership in bands ranging from the no-wave of Defunkt to the avant-jazz of the Decoding Society, to Power Tools with Bill Frisell & Ronald Shannon Jackson, Rollins Band (where he was nominated for a Grammy), Socialybrium with Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Bernie Worrell, and the Zig Zag Power Trio with Vernon Reid and Will Calhoun of the band Living Colour. As a bassist and producer, he has worked with Femi Kuti, Caetano Veloso, dead prez, David Byrne, Arto Lindsay, and Sonny Sharrock. He is currently a member of the band Harriet Tubman, who The New York Times twice called "The Best Jazz Performance" of the year, and his latest album is 4 + 1 equals 5 for May 25, an EP he recorded reflecting on the murder of George Floyd, was just released a little while ago, and it's great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Isobel Campbell. Originally from Glasgow, Isobel's musical career began with the acclaimed indie rock group Belle and Sebastian. She played cello, keyboards and sang in the group, and after five hit albums, she left the band to pursue a solo career as The Gentle Waves. She kept The Gentle Waves moniker for a few albums, afterward deciding to record music under her given name. Between 2006 and 2013, Isobel also made three albums with Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan, and her most recent album There Is No Other, was released on Rough Trade right before the pandemic crushed society for a year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to Tony Award-winning actor and musician Michael Cerveris. Originally from Huntington, West Virginia, Michael got his start acting in the early '80s downtown scene, and his career has flourished from there. As a theater actor, he's won two Tony Awards, one for playing John Wilkes Booth in Stephen Sondheim's Assassins and the second for his role in Fun Home. Beyond the official accolades though, he's acted in dozens of productions including Hedwig And The Angry Inch. As a TV and film actor, he's had recurring roles in shows like Mindhunter, Gotham, The Tick, The Good Wife, Treme and Fringe, as well as many other roles. And as a musician, he's been working professionally ever since he backed Bob Mould on his Last Dog And Pony Show tour in 1998. Michael's first solo album was released in 2004, but for the last eight years, he's been writing and recording with Kimberly Kaye under the moniker Loose Cattle, and their first official album Heavy Lifting is out now, wherever you get your records from! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to Eisner-award winning comics creator John Allison. John started creating webcomics in 1998 with Bobbins, a series which ran on the early webcomics portal Keenspot. When Bobbins ended, he followed that up with Scary Go Round and then Bad Machinery. In 2013, John pitched a spin-off from Scary Go Round, Giant Days, to Boom! Box, a newly formed imprint of Boom! Studios for established artists outside the comics industry. In 2016, Giant Days was nominated for two Eisner Awards and three Harvey Awards, and in 2019, it won two Eisner Awards, for Best Continuing Series and Best Humor Publication.The success of Giant Days led to further work with independent presses. John went on to write the series By Night for Boom! Studios and is now writing and drawing Steeple for Dark Horse. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to Grammy nominated musician Bonnie McKee. Raised in Seattle, WA, Bonnie had been singing and writing her own songs from a young age, and as a teenager was signed to a label and moved to Los Angeles to record her first album. While critically praised, the album was commercially unsuccessful, and after a while, Bonnie began a second career as a songwriter for artists like Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Adam Lambert, Ke$ha, Christina Aguilera, Cher, Carly Rae Jepsen as well as some of Katy Perry's most famous songs. Recently, Bonnie embarked on a new direction writing, directing, editing, producing and scoring her own short film April Kills the Vibe! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode, I talk to musician Trevor Kampmann. Born in Naperville, IL in the early '70s, Trevor began making music under the name Sea Saw in the early '90s on the indie label Simple Machines, after that recording as hollAnd. Aside from releasing over 12 CDs and DVDs under the hollAnd moniker - many of them on TeenBeat Records, he has worked on countless recordings for bands such as Explosions in the Sky, Cat Power, and Flin Flon (whose song 'Floods' became the theme for CNN's Anderson Cooper 360). Trevor has collaborated often with photographer Mark Borthwick both in music and in various art installations, and he has also produced music for avante-garde fashion designers such as Martin Margiela and ZERO by Maria Cornejo. Kampmann is currently owner of Analogous Digital, a mastering studio in Washington, DC. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Peggy Seeger. Sister of Pete Seeger (the great-grandfather of USA folk revival) and partner of the late Ewan MacColl (theorist and practitioner of UK folk revival), she has carved a special niche for herself in both these countries. Trained in both classical and folk music, her experience spans 55 years of performing, travel and songwriting. A multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, 5-string banjo, autoharp, English concertina and Appalachian dulcimer), she is probably best known for her feminist songs and for The Ballad of Springhill, which is rapidly becoming regarded as a traditional song. Born in 1935, she regards herself as "seasoned and in my prime". She has made 23 solo recordings and has participated in over a hundred recordings with other artists. Her 24th album FIrst Farewell was just released on Red Grape Music, and she is playing a number of dates in the UK in May and October, please check her website for when those are happening. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician and TV writer Clay Tarver. Clay first came to prominence as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the Boston hard rock/punk band Bullet LaVolta in the late 1980s. They recorded a few records for Taang!, RCA, and Matador Records before disbanding in 1991. He then formed Chavez with Matt Sweeney, Scott Marshall and James Lo, and they released two incredible albums and an EP on Matador. As Chavez was waning, Clay's writing career started to take off. Around this time, he wrote Joy Ride, with J. J. Abrams, and later, Clay wrote for all six seasons of SIlicon Valley. His directorial film debut Vacation Friends with John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, and Yvonne Orji will be released this summer! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Matt Sweeney. Originally from northern New Jersey, Matt started playing in bands in high school with his first group Skunk, who released two albums on Twin/Tone records. In the early '90s, he formed Chavez, which went on to release two incredible albums and an EP on Matador. When the band stopped playing together, Matt became a sideman touring with GBV and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, until he formed Zwan with Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan. Although Matt has continued to be a sideman and session musician, his most extensive musical collaboration in the 21st century has been with Will Oldham. Their album Superwolf came out in 2005, and now their latest record Superwolves will be released on Drag City next week! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to comedian and actor Jana Schmieding. Originally from Oregon, Jana cut her teeth performing sketch, improv and characters at the Magnet Theater in New York City. After moving to Los Angeles in 2016, Jana started the Woman of Size podcast, which she hosted until 2019, and most recently, she writes on and co-stars with Ed Helms in Peacock's newest sitcom Rutherford Falls, which debuts on the streaming network next Friday! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Bob Nastanovich. Born in Rochester, but raised in Richmond, Virginia, Bob spent the early part of his life playing tennis and listening to punk rock. While attending college at the University of Virginia, he met his future bandmates Steve Malkmus and Dave Berman, and the three formed the band Ectoslavia with future Yo La Tengo member James McNew. After college, the three moved to Jersey across from Manhattan, where the first Silver Jews songs were recorded. Malkmus formed Pavement around this time with his old friend Spiral Stairs, and Bob joined a little later, essentially as the utility player of the band. Though Pavement broke up in 1999, the band occasionally reunites for live shows, and since then, Bob has spent a lot of his time with his other passion, horse racing, as well as running the record label Broker's Tip Records. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Jamie Stewart. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jamie played in a number of bands as a teenager, including a parody band and a Bauhaus cover group. However, he didn't really find his voice until he formed Xiu Xiu in his mid-20s. The release of the band's first album Knife Play on the Kill Rock Stars imprint 5RC cemented their style, but it was with 2004's Fabulous Muscles that the band really started to break through. Since then, Xiu Xiu has recorded and released another nine albums, toured the world, and their latest album Oh No, was just released at the end of March on Polyvinyl! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Hans-Joachim Roedelius. A pioneer in the field of electronic music, Hans-Joachim Roedelius is considered one of the founders of contemporary popular electronic music. Born in Berlin in 1934, Hans-Joachim starred as a child in a number of UFA films, and during the war was an unwilling member of the German Youngsters in the Hitler Youth, membership being mandatory for all boys from the age of ten. During this time, he also appeared in several propaganda films. He fled Berlin in 1943, moving from one place to another before being conscripted into the National People's Army of East Germany. Again he took flight, only to end up in prison. WHen he got out, he trained as a male nurse, then as a hospice orderly. Having relocated from East to West Berlin, he went on to meander through Europe (as a thatcher, detective, masseur, bartender, janitor and many other things), before finally becoming a freelance artist, with avant-garde music his prime focus. In 1968, Hans-Joachim co-founded the music commune known as "Human Being" and co-formed Zodiak Free Arts Lab, the center of Berlin's underground culture at the time, with conceptual artist Conrad Schnitzler. He formed Cluster a year later, and then Harmonia with Neu! guitarist Michael Rother. In the decades since then, he recorded dozens upon dozens of albums, both solo and in collaboration with everyone from Brian Eno to Tim Story (their album Lunz 3 from 2019 is spectacular), and his latest album Drauf Und Dran, an album of piano compositions, was released late last year. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician and painter Tobin Sprout. Born in 1955 in Dayton, Ohio, Tobin is an American artist, musician and children's book creator. As a musician, he was well known as a founding member of the indie rock band Guided by Voices before going out on his own, releasing his first solo album, Carnival Boy, in 1996. As an artist, Tobin is famous for his photo-realism large format paintings, especially the "Superchrome" series, although he does paint in other styles as well. His children's book, Elliott, about a magician's rabbit who finds the courage to leave his top hat, sold out of its first print run. His latest album, Empty Horses, was released late last year on Fire Records, and like everything else Tobin does, it's great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Sarah Mary Chadwick. New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, Sarah Mary Chadwick has been making music since she was a teenager. In the early 2000s, she formed the band Batrider in Wellington with guitarist Julia McFarlane (now of Twerps). After a number of albums and line-up changes that left Sarah as the only original member, she began writing music on her own. Her first album as herself, Eating for Two, was released in 2012 on Bedroom Suck Records, and since then she's released half a dozen albums on labels like Siltbreeze Records, and her latest Me and Ennui Are Friends, Baby was just released in February with Ba Da Bing Records, and it's fantastic! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to drummer and composer Bobby Previte. Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, Bobby was one of the seminal figures of the 1980s New York 'Downtown' scene that included John Zorn, Wayne Horvitz, and Elliott Sharp, and his original compositions have been recorded and released on labels like Sony, Elektra, Tzadik. He's also led a plethora of diverse ensembles from behind his drums and has collaborated with many of the leading lights in and beyond the world of music, including master composer John Adams, iconic singer Tom Waits, pantheon filmmaker Robert Altman, and most recently, rock legend Iggy Pop. He's also the recipient of the 2015 Greenfield Prize for music and was a Guggenheim Foundation Fellow in 2012, and his latest albums are a series of live recordings called Groundtruther, which you can get on his Bandcamp site now! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to writer and showrunner Ron D. Moore. Originally from Chowchilla, CA, Ron broke into TV writing when he passed a spec script he had written to one of Gene Roddenberry's assistants during a tour of the Star Trek: The Next Generation set. This eventually led to him being hired on the show, and from there he wrote on Deep Space Nine, Roswell, Carnivale, and many otherTV shows until eventually he had the opportunity to reboot Battlestar Galactica for Syfy. The show was a critical and commercial success, ran for four seasons and garnered a number of Emmy nominations. Since then, Ron created the spinoff Caprica, adapted the Outlander novels, and most recently, he co-created and showran the great Apple TV show For All Mankind, which just started it's second season last week! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.