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Mike Bankhead

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  • I Am Experienced
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Viewing: Music - View all posts

Episode 106 - Taylor Ruckle and our favorite albums of Q2 2023 

Yes, I know that the third quarter of 2023 is almost over, and that I am very late dropping this episode.  I've had some technical difficulties, and I apologize for the delay.  I hope that once you hear the GREAT music we talk about in this conversation, you'll feel super forgiving.

Taylor's review of Good Living Is Coming For You.

 

Taylor's albums

Pearl & The Oysters - Coast 2 Coast
One's a Crowd - Fictorian Era//Bedroom Pomp
McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Bully - Lucky For You
Sweeping Promises -…

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09/25/2023

in Music, music journalism, Taylor Ruckle, music industry, Sweeping Promises, Bully, McKinley Dixon, One's A Crowd, Pearl & The Oysters, Tigercub, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Pony, Joy Oladokun, Kara Jackson

Episode 105 - Black Opry with Holly G 

 

This particular episode is an important one to me, and if you care about authenticity in music, I think it'll be important to you as well.

Country isn't my genre of choice, but I've been making an effort to listen to more of it over the last few years.  To keep it 100, as the kids say, the sound never spoke to me when I was young, and I couldn't see any value for me in that genre.  As I've gotten older, I've learned that country music is a vehicle for Black stories as well, despite what the music industry…

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08/10/2023

in Music, community, Americana, Nashville, folk music, music industry, Levitt Pavillion, collaboration, Black Opry, country, Black musicians, Holly G, country music

Episode 104 - Cherimondis J 

 

Meet the outrageously talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Cherimondis J.   She's a classically trained concert pianist among many other things.  We dig into her music background, her songwriting process, what it's like being a Black musician in the classical world, and the album she put out last year, Dove Archer.  You'll find that Cherimondis thinks very deeply about both music and life, and she has quite a lot of introspective things to say about how her art relates to her life. Why does she…

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07/10/2023

in Music, songwriting, piano, Dayton, cantantes, singers, collaboration, music education, classical, language, creatives, violin, The Ohio State University, Cherimondis J, Dove Archer, Columbus, I Am Experienced

Episode 100 - John Scalzi 

Generally speaking, science fiction authors starting religions is a bad idea

John Scalzi likes pie.  Of course, a lot of us like pie, so that's not the reason I wanted to talk to him for this very special episode with the number on hundred on it.  John Scalzi happens to be my favorite author at the moment, but that's also not our main topic of conversation.  No, dear listener / reader, I'm staying mostly on brand here, and we talk about music.  Scalzi is a musician who lives in Ohio, just like me!  What…

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05/12/2023

in Music, pie, science fiction, art, community, ukulele, author, drums, guitar, punk rock, John Scalzi, Bradford

Episode 99 - Lisa Wagner & Levitt Pavilion 

 

It's pretty cool to live in a place that has a venue where you can see 50 free concerts a year.  That place for us is Levitt Pavilion Dayton, and my guest of honor is their Executive Director, Lisa Wagner.  How do they make sure the concerts are diverse?  How much work does it take to put on a show at Levitt?  How in the world can they afford to deliver 50 concerts without charging for admission?  You'll learn the answers to these questions in this episode.

Levitt Pavilion Dayton

05/05/2023

in Music, pop, Dayton, funk, jazz, art, community, hip hop, rap, folk music, Levitt Pavillion, neo soul, punk rock, Lisa Wagner, nonprofit

Episode 98 - Kyleen Downes 

 

 

Kyleen Downes is a professional musician, and our music community here in the Dayton area is better off for having her here.  I truly enjoy seeing her play live, I like her songs, and I'm sure you'll agree after you hear this conversation that she has an infectious enthusiasm.  She has benefitted from the encouragement of others in her career, and is passing that on by teaching a new generation of folks here in Dayton how to play rock and roll.   Kyleen tells us about how she got started making music, who…

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05/03/2023

in Music, songwriting, Dayton, music video, music industry, guitar, music education, Kyleen Downes

Episode 97 - Tatiana Bonneau 

Tatiana Bonneau is founder and CEO of a company, a wife, a mom to four humans and two non-humans, a runner, multilingual, and an all-around fascinating individual.  I had the privilege to be a guest on her podcast a short time ago, and I kind of sound a little like I know what I'm talking about in that discussion.  Tatiana, of course, knows what she's talking about, no matter what language it's in.  We talk about her business life in our conversation, but we also get into some personal details.  How does…

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05/01/2023

in Music, France, French, branding, running, Tatiana Bonneau, Crimea, Ukraine, Ukrainian, MarkUpgrade, SmartBranding

Episode 96 - Tracey Bunn 

I write when I need to exorcise… a particular emotion or feeling or experience…

 

Tracey Bunn is my first Australian guest. She's a seasoned touring musician and songwriter with lots of stories to tell.  You'll get to hear a few of them in this conversation.  You'll learn how exactly songs come to her and what her songwriting process is like.  You'll learn what her childhood smelled like. You'll learn about the time she spent living in the United States.  All of that awaits you and more!

 

LINKS

Official Website

…

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04/12/2023

in Music, songwriting, singers, guitar, Tracey Bunn, Darwin, Australia, New Orleans

Episode 95 - Taylor Ruckle and our favorite albums of Q1 2023 

 

The first three months of 2023 are gone, and Taylor Ruckle has returned.  We both think that this past quarter was a particularly strong one for new music.  Since we had this conversation, I have listened to the albums of Taylor's top five that I hadn't gotten to yet, and of those, the Screaming Females album was my favorite.  That said, I like them all to some degree, and they're all definitely worth your time.

 

Taylor's interview with Quasi.

 

Taylor's albums

Algiers - Shook
Sunny War - Anarchist Gospel
James…

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04/11/2023

in Music, songwriting, power pop, Taylor Ruckle, Dazy, Cognizance, Brenda Carsey, Meet Me @ the Altar, Yves Tumor, Sunny War, James Brandon Lewis, Screaming Females, Annabel Lee, Vadim Taver

Episode 94 - OriSoaring 

I've actually used this photo of OriSoaring before, back when I did an email interview with her for my blog. We were overdue for a podcast chat, so here she is!  Ori's a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and painter.  You'll get a look into her creative mind in this conversation.

LINKS

Instagram

Soundcloud

Facebook

YouTube

04/07/2023

in Music, art, painting, Atlanta, bass, DIY Music Conference, guitar, creatives, Long Beach, OriSoaring, saxophone

Episode 92 - Dirty Doc 

I make noise. People seem to dig it. That's good enough for me.

 

Dirty Doc most often performs her original songs as Dirty Metal Lefty, and is a musician from Richmond, Virginia. We've spent time together in the occasional hotel lobby at music conferences, bonding over our mutual love of Chris Cornell.  This conversation is a chance for all of us to get to know her better.  You'll learn about her several musical projects, what her songwriting process is like, and how she got to be a guitarist.

 

LINKS

Official…

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04/05/2023

in Music, songwriting, bass, Richmond, DIY Music Conference, guitar, Dirty Doc, Dirty Metal Lefty

Episode 88 - Jed Craddock & Joey Berrios 

 

 

That picture is Jed Craddock.

 

 

 

That other picture with the beautiful bass is Joey Berrios.

 

I met these gentlemen and their manager in Austin at the DIY Musician Conference.  I knew last year that I eventually wanted to invite them to be podcast guests, and we've finally gotten that done.  We talk about their latest release, Runnin' On Empty, which was released on February 14th.  We talk about how each of them started making music, and you'll hear some captivating stories in that part of the conversation…

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03/15/2023

in Music, bass, DIY Music Conference, music industry, Austin, guitar, Jed Craddock, Joey Berrios, San Antonio, Runnin' On Empty

Episode 87 - The Wag 

If you leave a Wag show and you're not smiling, it's probably you…

 

Here's how The Wag's official website introduces the band:  Got songs? Got harmonies? Got fun and unbridled enthusiasm? Then you’ve got The Wag! Hailing from the Bayshore area of New Jersey, this 4-piece unit has been entertaining and moving audiences for 20 years but still sounds as fresh as it did on day one! With 4 alternating lead vocalists, catchy melodies, and sophisticated harmonies, they will take you on a journey of pop rock…

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03/10/2023

in Music, songwriting, bass, singing, singers, music industry, drums, Accordion, guitar, New Jersey, The Wag, Blue Bottles and Copper Coins

Episode 85 - Maxime Cholley (en français) 

…la manière oú j'ai changé la manière de penser que j'avais, ça s'est fait en parallel avec… j'ai commencé à penser en anglais…

 

Ce fois, je parle avec Maxime Cholley en français.  Il est batteur professionel qui vient de Savoie, mais qui habite maintenant en New York.  Il se considère un citoyen du monde. Comment est-ce qu'il a pris la décision de venir aux Etats-Unis pour étudier la musique?  Qu'est-ce que c'était son défi avec la langue anglaise?  Qu'est-ce que c'est son but primodial dans la musique…

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02/17/2023

in Music, jazz, France, French, music industry, drums, music education, Berklee, Maxime Cholley, language, batteur, batterie

Episode 84 - Maxime Cholley (in English) 

The perfect first New York experience of looking at a place that doesn't make any sense…

 

Maxime Cholley is from Savoie, but his travels in music have taken him to Berklee in Boston, to New York, and now he plays all over the world. (In fact, today, as this episode gets released, Maxime is on tour in India.)

You'll learn how Maxime got started playing drums in this conversation, as well as what it's like being a professional musician in New York City. What was it like adjusting to the different pace of life…

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02/15/2023

in Music, jazz, France, French, music industry, drums, music education, New York, S.N.A.K., Berklee, Boston

Episode 82 - Simona Smirnova  

It fascinates me how people have such different backgrounds, but we still come together... and we make music together as one unit...

Simona Smirnova is from Lithuania, but currently based in New York City.  She's a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, teacher, generally interesting person, and true music professional. She specializes in the kanklés, which is a traditional Lithuanian instrument.  (I'd tell you more here, but I want you to listen to Simona talk about it.)

Simona has just…

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02/07/2023

in Music, songwriting, solfege, piano, art, singers, folk music, music industry, music education, Lithuania, kanklés, Simona Smirnova, New York, zither

Episode 81 - Yue Deng-Wu & Spacenotes 

It is a very hard thing to do the thing that you want to do.

 

There I am on Polywork, and I see a posted opportunity from a company looking for people who want to learn piano.  I took piano lessons a few years ago, but once I got enough knowledge to use it as a composition tool, I stopped.  I'd like to learn more.  I responded to the opportunity, which was posted by Vlad Georgescu.  Shortly thereafter, Yue Deng-Wu reached out to me.

Vlad and Yue are cofounders of Spacenotes, a startup company looking…

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02/03/2023

in Music, piano, music industry, Polywork, Yue Deng-Wu, Spacenotes, music education, startup, classical, Vlad, San Francisco, lawyer, Finding the Way Back, Chinese

Episode 80 - Josh & Liv Roush with the film Wrong Reasons 

It's about the right people seeing your product, it's not about the masses...

 

Josh grew up in Middletown, Ohio. Liv grew up in Australia.  They both live in Los Angeles now, and are both musicians and filmmakers. They are currently on the road promoting a new independent punk rock feature film called Wrong Reasons.  Josh wrote and directed the film.  Liv produced and starred in the film.  Kevin Smith is executive producer.  Cameron Mosavian composed the film's score.

Josh and Liv are on the road…

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01/31/2023

in Music, Dayton, Los Angeles, art, director, film, guitar, punk rock, Wrong Reasons, Josh Roush, Liv Roush, Kevin Smith, The Neon, Cameron Mosavian, The Overrides, Bi-Product, Tim Armstrong

Episode 79 - Jovi Espina 

All these songs really mean a lot to me and help me to kind of decipher my thoughts...

Jovi Espina is a songwriter from Virginia who is currently based in Los Angeles. She has been making music since she was ten years old. I got a chance to see her play at an open mic, and I can tell you from my first person observation that she is a very poised performer who plays with confidence.  In this conversation, you'll learn about her writing process, what her childhood smelled like, and all sorts of interesting…

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01/28/2023

in Music, songwriting, piano, singing, Richmond, guitar, Jovi Espina, Act Accordingly, Virginia, Dream Street, emo

Episode 78 - Nina Nepa 

Why am I being so secretive when it's just a song?

I met Nina Nepa in Los Angeles at an open mic event.  Both of us managed to overcome our nerves from being in a room full of strangers and play our songs.  Since listening to her play that day, I've wanted to chat with her about her music for this podcast.  Well here you are, Nina is the guest on today's episode.

Nina is from Pittsburgh, currently living in Los Angeles.  She plays piano and writes songs. She describes herself as a mechanical engineer…

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01/18/2023

in Music, songwriting, piano, Los Angeles, cantantes, keyboards, music video, singers, Pittsburgh, Nina Nepa

Episode 77 - Ben Monat 

Ben Monat is an amateur guitar player from Massachusetts.  You'll be able to feel the enthusiasm he has for the instrument in our conversation.  We talk about his wide-ranging influences, how he got started making music more than 20 years ago, and the value of collaboration.

Visit Ben's YouTube Channel

Ben on Polywork
 

01/13/2023

in Music, guitar, Ben Monat, Polywork, collaboration

Episode 76 - Brenda Carsey 

Let me tell you a tale of blunder, confusion, and woe. I procrastinated when it came to editing my conversation with Brenda Carsey, but it was going to get done in the early afternoon, and everything was ok.  I'd have this episode up and out, ready to tell folks to go listen to Brenda's new album Cognizance on January 9th anywhere you stream music. I'm in my DAW, working on the file, and I clicked the wrong thing... I couldn't see exactly what it was, but strange things were happening, so I tried to cancel…

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01/06/2023

in Music, songwriting, pop, piano, funk, jazz, Los Angeles, bass, singing, guitar, Cognizance, Brenda Carsey, alternative soul, neo soul

Episode 75 - Olivia Frances 

Photo by Libby Danforth

these three hundred songs, they're all assets... they're all pieces of magic that started on a blank piece of paper

 

A few years ago, I arrived at Yellow Cab Tavern to play a show at my favorite curated open mic, Showcase Thursday. I had been told that we had an artist from Nashville in town to play with us that night. It's not every week that we get someone on tour to stop by, so I was very much looking forward to meeting this intrepid individual. The intrepid individual…

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01/03/2023

in Music, songwriting, piano, Dayton, Nashville, Olivia Frances, Cincinnati, Hanukkah, guitar

Episode 74 - Juliet Fromholt & Taylor Ruckle with our favorite albums of 2022 

 

Exactly one year ago, on 30th December 2021, Juliet Fromholt joined me for a chat about our favorite albums of 2021.  I released that conversation the next day, 31st December, and it was Episode ½ of this podcast.  It was so much fun, I just HAD to have her back this year. Taylor Ruckle joins us for this conversation.  You might remember him from Episode 27 and Episode 43, where we talked about our favorite albums of the first and second quarters of 2022 respectively. 

All three of us are completely…

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12/29/2022

in Music, songwriting, Juliet Fromholt, WYSO, Arlo Parks, Lung, Dayton, art, Brandon Berry, music video, podcasting, Fountains Of Wayne, power pop, music journalism, Taylor Ruckle, Oceanator, Feeder, K. Carter, hip hop, Richmond, Billy Woods, music industry, Amanda Shires, Brittany Spencer, Heather Redman, Ty Sorrell, indie rock, bass clarinet, Björk, Booder, Dazy, Enumclaw, Cheekface, The Beths, Momma, Camae Ayewa, Moor Mother

Episode 72 - Cara Van Thorn 

Cara Van Thorn is an Austin, Texas based new swing jazz fusion sort of nineties alternative band that just plays whatever we like to hear...

 

I'm sure you're wondering why this lovely lady is in a room in this nice dress whilst being surrounded by musicians in their underwear.  Well, there's a lot to wonder about Cara Van Thorn, this eclectic band from Austin. This band was founded by active musicians in the metal and punk scenes, and they came together to create a style of music that has more in…

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12/22/2022

in Music, piano, jazz, music video, bass, Austin, Cara Van Thorn, The Way I Hear it in My Head

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