Various Things

Todays interview is with James Hoffer. I first met James in the mid-1990s, as he was playing in bands like Thread, later known as Forefront, around the Richmond Punk Scene. And together with bands like Indypendant, they were part of a group of bands from south of the river, here in the Richmond Hardcore scene. And over the years, James has kept on playing in bands, and writing and releasing music. So it was awesome to catch up with him, and talk about his experience growing up, getting into punk, and what the process is like now, as a musician playing in a few different bands, such as Dead Format, Full Collapse, and Rough Age.

Today's interview is with Pedro Aida. Pedro is a musician, a vocalist and guitarist that began playing in punk bands in the 1990s. He also is known as a recording engineer, who got his start at Richmond's Sound of Music, before opening his own studio, Audio Verite. Currently he plays in three bands, the band Fire Sale, which is kind of a punk rock supergroup, Shotclock, and The Iron Roses, in which he is most active. It was great to talk to Pedro, and learn about how he came into engineering and punk rock. And also talk about some of the technical aspects of things from studios, to good vocal practices, and song writing. We cover a lot in a relatively short time. I love when these episodes have practical information mixed in with stories, and this a great example of one.

For 20 years, Jenny Mcgurk made things for the sets of the film, video, and ad industry. And then one day, she realized it was not fitting where she was at in life any more. So she took a class on something she was interested in, and a whole new world opened for her, a life of work in the spiritual realm. Today, she offers a variety of spiritual services, painting, readings, as well as connecting her love of history and storytelling together, in offering tours of of the city of Richmond, all drawing on a continued love for learning, and sharing.

Todays conversation is with musician, and recording engineer, Chris Unrath. Chris has been playing in bands around Philadelphia, since 1980. First in the punk band No Milk, then again in the more alternative band, Baby Flamehead, which kind of blew up for a bit. And today, he's still playing in rock bands. But perhaps my favorite band of his, was when he was in Helen Back and the str8-razors, in the 2000s, partially because thats how i met him, but also, because that band fucking rocks. It was really cool to get on the phone with Chris, and learn his backstory, anow hes just been wanting to play that chunky, rhythm guitar, and doing it, for most of his life. Chris currently plays in the Philadelphia band, The Action Party.

Todays episode is with Earl Yevak. Earl is a musician, artist, and tattoo artist, currently located in Denver, Colorado. I've known Earl since the late 1990s, from hanging our and going to hardcore shows here in Richmond, VA. So this conversations goes into topics that go WAY back, from his life in Straight Edge and Hardcore, being one of, essentially, the founders of the Guerilla Crew, joinging the Army reserve and deploying to Iraq, his decision to leave both his faith as well as straight edge, and a quest to keep pushing himself and evolving as a human being, all the while making music and art, and Tattoos.

I met Bo here in Richmond, Virginia, around 1994, when he sang for the band Uphill Down, and worked at the local indie record store, Soundhole. And between those two things, Bo kinda changed my life. One, by the model of his band and how it operated to us young southisde Richmond, VA punk kids, even going so far as to record us, and help us source tapes, and two, from his recommendations of music we'd get whenever we came in looking for something new to listen to. He was just being the person he is, and because of it, I think many folks felt his influence.So it was great to catch up with Bo, and talk a little about those earlier days, and bands, and also to see where that journey has lead him now, as an adult, still making art and punk rock music, and doing it well. An example of which would his bands new record, which will be releasing soon.

Today's interview, is with Rob McAdams. Rob is the director of Partners in The Arts, a group working out of the University of Richmond, to integrate the arts into learning in local schools. The result, is the creation of programs that capture, and awaken a students creativity, to bring a deeper understanding and exploration to the subjects they may engage in. Its kind of amazing. And Rob has done this internationally, working to bring this integrated learning to students in Brazil and Guatemala. So it was awesome to sit down with Rob and find out how they manage to do this, as well as his own journey of how get to where he is today.

Todays interview is with Doug Nunnally of The Auricular. Doug started reviewing music around 2009, on his music blog, and quickly discovered the depth of music here in the city of Richmond, VA. Since then, Doug has gone on to extensively document and champion this music, most notably with The Auricular, a online publication that serves as a distillation of his love for exposing, appreciating, and encouraging Richmond music. And in the spirit of this mission, in Doug created The Newlin Music Prize, a prize given to a local band each year, judged by, at last count, a jury of over 80 music-related journalists, photographers, documenters, etc. And Doug does all of this, as a side job. So I was excited to get to talk to Doug, and learn what feeds this love of music, and how it all started.

Today's interview is Jeff Grant. Over the years, we've spoken to Jeff on this podcast a few times, first back in 2014, then in 2019, and now in 2023. And each time we check in, Jeff seems to be doing something new and awesome. From running a record label and making music with his band Full Sun, to opening a group of coffee shops, hopscotch coffee, in Bloomington, Indiana where he has lived for the past decade, to now, becoming a parent, starting to make and show his visual art, opening a new restaurant, as well as playing in a new band, The Barbed Wires... Jeff is one of those folks that keeps evolving and finding new ways to bring cool things into the world. So these check ins are a blast for me, to get to learn what he is up to. I hope you find it interesting as well.

Today's interview is with Ryan Groat. Ryan has been a guitarist, playing in hardcore bands for the past two decades. He got his start playing with his teenage friends in the hardcore band, Down To Nothing. This is where I first met him, when I recorded some of their early recordings, and quickly it became apparent the amount of talent he had for guitar, and enthusiasm he had for hardcore. After playing in DTN for 8 years, he left the band and started Fire and Ice, then later, Mutually Assured Destruction, his current band, all the while also playing over the years for the Richmond hardcore band, Bracewar. It was awesome to sit down with Ryan, and learn his path, and see his enthusiasm for hardcore, and learn how discovered this music, and what each band has meant to him.

Today's interview is with musician and designer, Dan Tulloh. I first met Dan back when we were both in our teens here in Richmond, and I quickly discovered him to be an amazing guitarist. His guitar work is something that blends heaviness, melody and structure, in a way I have found few artists to be able to pull off, shaping the bands he has played with, like Indypendant, From Earth To Ashes, Scarlet, and Sptifire. So it was awesome to get to catch up with him, and also learn about his professional life as a designer, and even talk about parenting a little bit. All in all, this was a great conversation to have, and I hope you enjoy listening to it, as much as we had having it.

Today's conversation is with someone who is making a big difference in the lives of the young kids who call her their teacher, Robin Cullum. I first met Robin years ago, and through bits of fate, I've gotten to know her more and more. Robin teaches kids that are deemed to have special needs. They may receive this designation for a variety of reasons, but the main thing they have in common, is that teaching to the lesson, is probably not going to work for them. These kids need to be engaged in different ways, to stoke their interest, and pull them into the fold. And Robin has come with ways to be an effective educator to them, so effective, that she has won awards for her teaching. This is one of those episodes, where what we talk about, transcends a lot of the specifics, and gets more into larger changes and happenings in our society. The kids are our future, after all. And the strategies and techniques Robin has developed, may be the way to move forward, while building relationships between educator and student, based on mutual respect and understanding, and teaching to the strengths of a student, rather than just trying to make them all fit the same lesson plan.

Todays interview, is with musician, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and instructor, business owner, woodworker and overall awesome person, Trey Martin. Trey has had a few instances in his life, to pursue things tothe point where he became really good at them, one on the path of woodworker, starting from an early age, and two, in his path of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, started later in life. And where some folks may personally master something, Trey has also been able to hone a completely different set of skills, to translate these paths into not only personally satisfying work, but to create viable businesses around them. If you ever owned a business around something you love, you know, its a different skill set that the one required for your passion. So it was awesome to get to talk Trey, find out about how got into the world of making things himself, and to learn of the approaches he takes in trying to take something he is passionate about, and put it into the world, in a way that can both last, and sustain him. We also talking about some of the early 90s Richmond punk scene, that we grew up around.

Today's interview is with author, and academic, Chris L Terry. Chris spent his teen years singing in the Richmond, VA punk scene, where I first met him, and he has gone on from that to become both an author, and teacher. Chris' writing draws from his personal life, and offers a place of reflection to his experiences growing up as a human being of mixed race, in the south, admist the 90s, and punk rock. He is currently co-editing the book, Black Punk Now, to bring more visibility to the prevelance of black punk rockers in the narrative of punk rock. It was awesome to talk to Chris, and hear about how he came into building the life hes living, what he has found to work for him on his personal path, and what he is working towards.

Today's interview is with artist, Jack Lawrence. Jack began showing his work in late 90s, and over time, has built up a skill level that is truly astonishing for any painter. His work, painted so realistically you think it's a photograph, is usually made from staged sets he creates by hand, transforming his personal spaces, hiring actors to stand in, and then pulling that moment together, with the painting, as the record of the moment. As you can probably imagine, his work is an extension of a precise vision he wants to execute. And with this life around painting, he began struggling with, and then overcoming, a variety of addictions, resulting in him now, evaluating how to re approach painting, and life, from the mindset of sobriety. It was awesome to get to talk to Jack, and understand some of the amazing bits of his process, as well as heartening to hear his own reflections on life, and what makes value to him.

Today's interview is with musician, James Menefee. James started playing punk rock in the early 90's as the bassist for the band Fun Size, and over the course of that decade, took the band, from a band that self-released their own recordings, and played locally, to one that was on a label, and had toured the country. And later, formed River City High, a band that left off where Fun Size ended, and allowed James to explore a wider sense of musical influence, as well as became signed to MCA records. To me though, James was someone who, being older than my 14 year old self, and having gotten into punk and playing shows a few years before me, He was someone I looked up to in the 1990s southside Richmond scene. And at that early age, watching the way his band did things, inspired me, and folks like me, to try and do our own things as well.

Today's interview is with Jason Bayless. For the past few decades, Jason has worked as an activist working towards radical change, with an emphasis on decreasing the exploitation and suffering of all living beings. From working with PETA to uncover abuse in Ringling Brother's circus, to working to extend the voice of the Zapatista community to his own, Jason's work has centered around tapping into both community, as well as the better elements of people, to try and elevate the standards by which we all live, to a more humane and respectful level. And for the past five years, Jason has operated the Radical Guide website, providing folks with a directory of spaces, and places of importance, that are part of the history of radical struggles the world over, places that may not appear on your local google map. And most recently, Jason has begun to catalog the personal stories of how and where, folks became attuned, and radicalized, to this persistent stream of struggles, giving personal narrative and history, to some of the places in the guide.

Talking about art, earliest memories, Roblox, Youtube, etc. Bonus interview with a cat.

Today's interview is with Cody Jones. Cody grew up with a love for two things: DC Hardcore, and toys. And after pursuing a career in education, decided to leave a comfortable career to open his own toy store, the Toy Lair, here in Richmond, VA. Now a year in, Cody and his friends are bringing the worlds of underground art, and toys together in a really awesome way, from curating a selection of new and vintage items, to bringing new ones to life through their own production work.

Today's interview is with a visual artist many here in Richmond simply know as Oura, or Mister Oura. For the past few decades, Oura Sananikone's illustrative and graphic art an d characters have been a fixture in the Richmond, VA art scene, working across mediums from everything from zines to toys. And recently, with friend Cody, opened the Toy Lair shop in Carytown, here in Richmond, VA. So it was exciting to get to talk to Oura, and get insight into the person behind the art, how working across mediums comes into practice, and the way one structures their life to be a working artist, while maintaining personal balance and health.

Today's interview is with Jason Boyer. Jason began playing music in hardcore bands, and tattooing, while stil just in his teens. By the time i met him, he had developed into an amazing tattooist, and also had started on the musical path that he continues to this day, forgoing the more traditional band approach, to make his own music, on his own, first under the name, Nerve City. Today, His musical work has continued on that path and developed into a self-recorded, self-directed process that now includes the hand manufacturing of the release format, usually cassette, as a seamless part of the production process, with as much attention paid to the graphics and pressing production, as to the writing and recording, each done in a separate room of his home. His current work is being released under the moniker, Service Learner, where much of the audio he produces, are studies of what he is learning in the studio. And when it's not a musical day, maybe he produces a zine instead. Its a fucking fascinating process. So getting to talk to Jason, and learn how thia all works, was quite awesome to me. Note: When Jason agreed to do this interview, he had been up all night, kinda ramped up off adrenaline, after having to deal with some drama in his neighborhood. So I greatly appreciate him taking to the time to put that aside, and get into explaining what his creative world looks like. And so here we are, my interview with Jason Boyer.

Today, to celebrate my 50th episode, we are interviewing my friend Dave Brown, who we had our first podcast with 10 years ago when I started this. Dave was my first guest, because, when I looked around the folks in my life, my world, he has consistently been a person that inspires me, and who I respect a lot. And since the time I interviewed Dave, he has gone through some big life changes, that took him from being a person that was already so awesome to me, to him being in an even more awesome place, both personally and professionally. From changing places in his career to a more rewarding job, to having his fourth son and being able to be in a position to really absorb and experience that, and all the changes that come from these kind of things happening in your life, a very awesome thing to share. So being able to share that here, makes me really happy.

Todays interview, is with my friend, Zo, who you may know as yourbro, zo, host of the polkadotrabbit podcast, or from where I initially met him, as the singer of the 1990s Richmond hardcore band, indypendant. for years, zo has been a person in my life, that has met me with a deep energy, a focus on truth, that has resonated, and challenged my conceptions of the spiritual realms, and the physical world around me. And in that process, has awoken parts of myself to things inside myself, and changed the way I conceptualize and view my own life. And it is with that understanding, and a great respect for him, that I share our interview today.

Today's episode is with Adam Nathanson. Adam grew up in New Jersey, and in the 1980s began playing in Hardcore punk bands around New York City, first with bands Mister Softee, and Trauma, then with life's blood, and band that ultimately led to the band Born Against. After Born Against, Adam went on to form an even more musically interesting band, called the Young Pioneers. In this conversation we discuss his path in music, the stories of these bands, and also, the politics, from the political climates during some of the bands, to the one we are living in now.

Today's guest is Tim Towslee. We last talked to Tim back in 2017, about his experiences working as a teacher, teaching high school students, a job he had been working for over a decade. But in the last five years, some things had changed. Tim had become demoralized by the roles he was being expected to fill, and deeply effected, like any human being would be, by the issues he was witnessing among the students he was tasked with instructing, And it took a personal toll on Tim, resulting, as many situations lead to, with him turning to alternate ways to cope with both the stress and emotional toll of the work, in his case, by turning to alcohol. Tim's story today is one of being one of those teachers tasked with making up for the multiple failures of the system around us and feeling those personal effects, and his struggle, and success, in gaining back his own life, and mental health.

Michael is one of those rare folks, that combines talent, passion, and drive, in a way that makes them very good at what they do. And over the years, he has learned how to be, the photographer he has wanted to be. In this interview, we talk about Michaels experience working in the photography world, from his first job as a digital archivist at Magnum, to the grind of working as a photojournalist, to switching over to working freelance photography and the differences a change of pace in city can make. He also gives great advice the whole way through. This is a great interview for anyone that works in the creative fields to listen to.

Todays interview is with Jason Orr. Jay got his start playing guitar, with the band benchmark in Woodbridge, Virginia in the early 1990s, and by the late 90s, had moved down to Richmond, to play guitar with the hardcore band, Hate-O-Four. He then went on to play with one of my favorite bands ever, Dead Serious. He also contributed vocal duties with Press Your Luck, and the infamous Barfight.

Today's interview is with Marty Key. Marty is the owner of Steady Sounds, a record store which stood here in Richmond, VA, and became a fixture of Richmond culture in the 2010s. And also, Marty is a musician, starting out as the frontman for the Richmond Punk Group Bad Guy Reaction in the 1990s, and later, playing bass for a whole host of bands, from Bratmobile, to Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Young Pioneers, and Live from Hollywood Cemetery. Music seems to play a big part in his life, so it was great to talk with him, and get his thoughts on Richmond, the history of some of these bands, and the history of Steady Sounds.

Those sounds you heard at our opening, are of Lucky and Lo Lem, both rescued Northern white-cheeked Gibbons, which were recorded by today's guest, Primatologist Caroline Rowley. Caroline got their start in this field, as an undergrad at Tulane University, and then went on to Central Washington University for a Masters in Primate Behaviour and Ecology. And over the past few years, has applied these studies, most notably, as the director of the Endangered Primate Rescue Center, in the Cuc Phuong National Park, in northern Vietnam. But the thing that may stand out the most about Caroline, is the empathy, and compassion they have for the living world around us, and their personal passion and dedication to try and make things better, first through understanding them scientifically, then taking those findings, and trying to make the changes that seem to make sense. In short, Caroline is one of those folks that you hope exists in the field of science. And they are definitely real, and have a lot to say about the world we are living in.

Today's interview is with Taylor Steele. Taylor was the singer for the 1990s hardcore band Four Walls Falling. As vocalist, he delivered leftist politics with a concern for both animal welfare and the environment, backed with a lyrical positivity that encouraged the listener to believe in their own power, and capabilities, a foundation that served as an inspiration for many future Richmond punks, as well as folks in the punk scene at large. And Taylor's presence in the scene extended beyond the band, for many years the house he lived in, at 805 West Cary St, here in Richmond, Virginia, became a place for touring bands to play, as well as a place to hang out. And as Taylor got older, he also kept going to shows, kind of illuminating that sense of possibility, that he has always seemed to hold. So It was exciting to talk to Taylor and get to learn about his start in the 1980s Richmond punk scene, playing in the bands Pledge Allegiance, Four Walls, and Joyburner, his influences in both music, and in ethics, As well as to hear some cool stories and reflection on punk, and Richmond punk's, path through the past few decades. It was a great conversation, Taylor is both very thoughtful and very humble, and I think you will enjoy it as well.

Today's interview is with activist, Krissi Vandenberg. Since the 1990s, Krissi has been involved with the outreach group, Vegan Action, and since 2000, has served as the executive director, leading the organization to certify many vegan products on store shelves, offering folks a researched, and verifiable way to make cruelty-free choices. It was awesome to talk with Krissi, and hear her story of getting into activism, taking over the reigns of vegan action, her hope for a planet more kind to animals, and the one thing she wants to see happen in her lifetime.

Today's interview is with artist, Alix Petrie. The first time I saw Alix's paintings, I was blown away. There was a unique style, a language, that just made my brain happy. And in getting to know her, I got to see her actually paint, which is one of those moments where, doing what she does so well, a person transforms, before your eyes, and you realize, this is what this person was born to do. And all of it left such an impression on me, that it inspired me in my own art as a musician, and to even take up oils myself. So sharing this interview with you, was something I really wanted to do. But also, something I feel privileged to do: Alix is a fairly private person, and would rather cast light on those around her than on herself. So her agreeing to do this, and to be able to share her thoughts and ultimately, her artistry with the larger world, speaks of something else in her: the faith she places in good.

Todays interview is with Giustino Riccio. For almost 30 years now, Giustino has played the timbales in the Richmond Virginia-based salsa band, Bio Ritmo. And more recently, has been studying, experimenting, and crafting, some amazing pizzas, first for friend in a restaurant, then as an extension of the Galley restaurant here in Richmond. Now Guistino is gearing up to share these pizzas with friends starting in mid-April, via a joint venture with his spouse, Ellen Cockerham Riccio, a symphony violinist, offering violin and pizza, for small groups. Giustino is one of those folks who you can tell is motivated by passion, and a need to experiment, and to understand. And as a result, this conversation not only takes us through his history, but also, some of the findings of such experiments along the way.

Today's interview is with tattoo artist, Amy Black. Since the 2000s, Amy has been doing custom tattoos here in Richmond Virginia. And along the way, began offering realistic cosmetic tattooing to survivors of breast cancer. In this interview, we talk about how she got started, how she came to work with cancer survivors, what its like running her own shop, as well as her personal experience with Buddhism, and what it is like to meet the Dali Lama.

I met Thomas Barnett around 1993, when he was the singer for the band Inquisition. As a young punk here in Richmond, inquisition showed a path for me and my friends, that was both inspiring and empowering, both in their content and in operation. Thomas had a clear love for both people, and punk rock. And it came through so clearly. At any show, you could find him, talking with folks in the crowd, regardless of if he was there play. And over the years, managed to keep those loves kindled, and apply them to new bands, Strike Anywhere, Great Collapse, as well as to new generations of punk rock. This interview, doesn't take the normal form of a various things interview. Usually, it is me highlighting someone else. But with Thomas and his own way, he wanted to talk about me too. Which in itself, just goes to show what kind of person Thomas really is. I think to him,music, punk rock, is a dialogue. Just like any community should be. We talked for a bit, so there are a couple interludes. But it was an amazing conversation, covering everything from the way we approach music, to Black Lives Matter, the Pandemic, Antifa, and the hope and optimism we have, for both human beings, and punk rock.

Todays interview is with Rob Huddleston. Rob is a musician and songwriter, who since the early 1990s, has been making music in the vein of punk rock, first as bassist for the, I will call them legendary, richmond punk band inquisition, then as a guitarist and singer in the band Ann Beretta, as well as with music released under his own name. It was awesome to talk with Rob, get an overview of his forming experience in the late 80s, early 90s Richmond punk scene, touring, and ultimately, the experiences one has when writing and sharing songs with the world at large.

If your from Richmond, Virginia, you may be familiar with the record store, Vinyl Conflict. For the past 9 years, it has been owned by today's guest, Bobby Egger. Bobby is a fan of punk and hardcore music, who as you will hear today, has taken the skills hes honed over the years, to help make an impact in the culture of punk rock and independent music, either with the store itself, it's record label, or his labels, Head Count, and his hip-hop imprint, Fantastic Damage. In this interview we go over Bobby's path through hardcore and labels, his experiences of running Vinyl Conflict, and some thoughts on both bands and business, in the current covid-19 pandemic.

If you've spent anytime observing the Richmond Hip Hop Scene, you may have come across an Emcee by the name of BlackLiq,or Black Liquid as he used to be called. It may have been hearing him emcee, or perhaps, or acting as DJ on one of the two radio shows he hosts. But if you get the chance to talk to him, you will realize that the philosophy shared through his works, does not stop where the art does. Some folks talk about art as life, but with BlackLiq, it's a philosophy lived, based on a wisdom developed from his own life, observing and orienteering, his own path. And in a time where so much emphasis is put on what is easily shared, it is a nice break, to hear from a person that shoots for something deeper, more contemplative, and so honest.

Todays interview is with artist Kate Parnell, Kate is an amazing artist who, with her project Garfieldfrommemory, has found a way to transcend many of the boundaries of both art, and social media, and make a unique connection with people that resonates in a way with folks that is almost hard to describe. She also is co-creator of the Washington DC-based zine, HorseCorn, where she publishes anything related to horses, or corn, in a way that delivers art free from many limitations. I knew Kate growing up here in Richmond, and recently reconnected with her! So I am stoked to be able to share some of the things behind her work, and her personal story, with you! Note: Around 4:40, we discuss an attempted suicide. If folks would like to skip this, jump to around 6 minutes.

Today's interview is with Mark Miley. Mark Miley is a recording engineer, who, in the 1990s and 2000's, recorded a TON of bands at his Glasshand Studio here in Richmond. And if you listened to music from this city, chances are, he may have recorded a record by a band you loved. And when he wasn't recording, he was playing drums with his band Armwood, a genre defying band that is still continue to push boundaries and make awesome music.

Greg Kusterbeck is a multi-instrument musician, who gained notoriety in the mid-90s Southside Richmond Punk scene as the bassist of Uphill Down, and recently has been releasing music with his band Slugging Buddha, as well as 92FU. On the recording front, he has crafted himself a business mixing recordings for punk rock bands, from his Teal Wave studio, at his home in Florida.

For almost three decades, Kirsten Gray has been helping artists to share their work with the world, via her art gallery, the Eric Schindler Gallery, located in the Church Hill neighborhood, of Richmond, Virginia. I was excited to talk with Kirsten, and find out how a gallery works, what she looks for in both art and artists, and also, her thoughts on what artists should do when approaching a gallery to represent them.

This weeks guest is Israfel Sivad. Israfel is an author who has built a prolific collection of releases, focused on documenting his personal story of struggles with mental health. His latest book, Disorder, continues in this format, and takes the reader back to the beginning of that journey. I got to know Israfel in the south-side Richmond Virgina punk rock scene in the early 90s, where both out bands would play shows together, at St Edwards, a local church that let kids out on punk rock shows. For more information on Israfel and his new book, disorder, visit www.israfelsivad.com

We talk to a seven year-old about Minecraft, Pokemon, and the Sims.

We first talked with musician Jeff Grant in 2014 about making music and running his record label. However, since that time, Jeff has gone on to co-found the Hopscotch Coffee shop in Bloomington, Indiana, and become a father. So I called up Jeff to find out more about his business, and life as a musician, business owner, and father.

This episode is with BCMusic1st. BC is a multi-talented artist, a hip hop artist, who, with his traditional understanding of hip-hop, has adapted his life to mold into the traditional four elements of hip hop. So today, we talk with BC about how he approaches each art, his history in making culture, and how he approaches these things not only as a rap fan, but also as a father.

For a while now, Andrew Clarke has been the co-owner of 821 Cafe, a unique, and popular restaraunt here in Richmond. I say uniqe, because it is one of the few places in the city that has such a divere crowd. You will see a family, next to a punk rocker, next to a VCU student, next to a bar regular. And the place gets busy. So I wanted to talk to Andrew, who I met growing up, and who I played in a band with when I was younger, about how he got into the food business, why he decided to do the cafe, and what's it like running such a busy thing as both a parent and musician.

Tim Towslee has lead an interesting life, from working at record stores, to roadeying for touring bands, to learning other trades like barbering, or working at a tattoo shop. But it was his drive for learning, and his realization of the issues in the public education system that drove him to what he spends most of his time on, teaching. In this episode, we talk with Tim about how he got into punk culture, how he decided to become a teacher, how the process of developing knowledge occurs in the school system, and I get his thoughts on things like attention in a social media culture, and on the rise of 'alternative facts'. This was definetly just a sliver of what Tim and I can talk about, and I plan on having him back in the future for a part two.

For some folks, punk rock is more than a genre, it's their way of life. For the past twenty years, that calling, to make music, do things yourself, and connect with a community has been heard by todays guest, freeman martin. As the singer in a number of bands, and as a tattoo artist, freeman has left his mark on a lot of things in richmond. But also, he's a collector of these things. So I was excited to get to talk with him, about making music, culture, and life, which threw him a curveball three years ago, to which he took that punk attitude and overcame. Freeman can be found tattoing at Saunders Tattoo, and you can hear his latest band, park sparrows, at parksparrows.bandcamp.com.

Since the 2000s, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has been gaining a popularity in the united states at an increasing speed. Today, you can find Gyms that specialize in Jiu-Jitsu with realtive ease. But it hasn't always been that way. Andrew Smith was one of the folks that this art caught on with, and over the past decade he has been working to become both a highly skilled practioner, as well as, a teacher of the craft, through his Richmond Virginia-based Gym, Revolution BJJ.