Episode 9 - Brandon Lackey

Brandon Lackey is a producer and engineer from Baltimore, MD.  He runs The Lineup Room, where this podcast is recorded. He also runs Mania Music Group, along with his partner Dwayne Lawson.

We talked about facing up to some of the tougher aspects of the music business, and having the moxie to stick with your dream when the universe sets you back. I’ve always admired his ability to not take things personally, and keep steamrolling through this rap game. I was glad to get his philosophy down to tape.

This time, Mike Riley hooked up an homage to Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. We laid it all down with the help of The Lineup Room.

Episode 8 - Mickey Free

Mickey Free is a rapper, producer and comedian out of Baltimore. Mick and I have been friends since second grade, and official best friends since sixth grade.

We talked about our very early music-making ventures. Mick went in about some of the confusion and ambivalence he’s felt in trying to make a place for himself in the music world. He told me about his recent entry into standup comedy, and his recent travels with the Wham City Comedy Tour.

This time, Mike Riley hooked up an homage to EPMD’s Strictly Business. It all went down at The Lineup Room.

Episode 7 - Ben O'Brien

My guest this week is Ben O’Brien, the hilarious comedian. He’s the main man behind Wham City Comedy. We go back to 2004, when I first started playing shows with his then-band, Nuclear Power Pants.

He gave me a very articulate breakdown of how the standup comedian game is different than being a musician, an artist or anything else. He breaks down how rough tours and shitty open-mic nights have made him into a more solid comedian. He gave me the inside scoop on Live Forever As You Are Now, his collaboration with Alan Resnick, which aired on Adult Swim.

Artwork by Mike Riley. Recorded at The Lineup Room.

Episode 6 - Tim Kabara

Tim Kabara is a Baltimore-based music writer and musician. He was a part of the bands Within, The Unheard Ones and Legendary Champions before shifting his focus to writing. He’s been a consistent supporter of all tight Baltimore things, so much so that R.M. O’Brien called him Baltimore Music’s MVP.

I’ve always wanted to pick his brain about bands, shows and times from Baltimore’s past. We talked about 90’s Baltimore, and how things have evolved over the years. I learned a lot from talking with him. I loved his idea that there’s no point in pining for some cool thing from the music’s past, because a cool thing is always happening right now.

Artwork by Mike Riley. Recorded at The Lineup Room.

Episode 5 - Jenn Wasner

Jenn Wasner fronts the bands Wye Oak, Dungeonesse and Flock Of Dimes. She’s a really intense and interesting person, and I was glad to be able to get her take on things.

This is a heavy one. She gets deep about the internal struggles that arise when using your highest passion as a means to pay the bills. She talks about feeling more like a songwriter than a performer, and about wanting to to trade in her life of constant touring for a life based on songwriting and producing. She dropped knowledge about songwriting, explaining how self-acceptance made her able to smash a bout of writer’s block.

Artwork by Mike Riley. Recorded at The Lineup Room.