My guest this week is Vans_Westly, an up-and-coming MC out of Baltimore. He’s released three EP’s, and is currently working on his debut full-length. I first met him when he hopped on a show I helped set up in Baltimore, and I was excited to learn more about him.
He talks about his past life as a professional wrestling teen, and how his health issues forced him to change gears and focus on writing rhymes. We talk about learning the ropes of being a part of the local music scene, and the challenge of making a name for himself in an over-saturated rap world. I ask him about his forthcoming Loserisms album, and he tells me what separates this project from his past work.
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Whodini’s “Open Sesame.”
Episode 28 - Chris Freeland /
My guest this week is Chris Freeland, the man behind Baltimore’s Beat Babies studio. He’s been a member of Oxes, Frenemies, International Soundscape Internationale and (my early group) Wounds. He’s been a cool older brother figure to me since I was in sixth grade, and he’s produced a lot of my early Height tracks.
He talks about his early days playing in garage bands, and the other 90’s DIY Baltimore bands that inspired him. We talk about the rapid rise of his band Oxes, and his travels with Will Oldham, Cass McCombs and David Pajo. He told me how he’s lost the burning desire to be noticed, and how he’s reimagined himself as a behind-the-scenes studio man.
This episode was recorded at the Lineup Room. Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to The Geto Boy’s “We Can’t Be Stopped.” Check out the episode at Splice Today.
Episode 27 - Katrina Ford /
My guest this week is Katrina Ford, of Celebration and Mt. Royal. She also sang in Lovelife, and the influential 90’s band, JAKS. I’ve been a fan of her bands since I was in high school, and I was excited to get the scoop on her history.
She talks about her chaotic childhood, and how the world of music and art gave her strength in her young adult life. I ask her what touring was like before the internet, in the time of pay phones, landlines and Book Your Own Fucking Life Magazine. She gets real about the frustrations of trying to make it happen in the music business, and explains how she’s been able to persevere through disappointments and keep pressing forward.
It all went down at the Lineup Room. Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Salt and Pepa’s “A Salt with a Deadly Pepa.” Check this episode out at Splice Today.
Episode 26 - Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice /
My guests this week are Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice, of Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. Ed first released a solo record in 2009, before linking up with Devlin to form ESMB the following year. They’ve released two albums together, and they’ve been touring non-stop for the last five years.
Ed talks about starting out in cover bands in a small town in upstate New York, and how he was encouraged to find his own sound upon moving to Baltimore. We talk about figuring out how to appeal to larger crowds as an opening act. We discuss the ups and downs of trying to make a go of it in the music business with no backup plan. It had been a while since I’ve hung out with them and I found their optimism and confidence in their mission to be inspiring.
This week, Mike Riley cooked up an homage to Souls of Mischief’s 93 ’til Infinity. This interview was recorded at the Lineup Room. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.
Episode 25 - Sam Herring /
My guest this week is Sam Herring, the frontman of Future Islands. In addition to his role in Future Islands, Sam also rhymes under the name Hemlock Ernst and fronts The Snails.
Sam breaks down his early years as a rapper, and how he was inspired by west coast underground hip-hop. We talk about his early days in the band Art Lord and The Self-Portraits, and their stronghold in their home base of Greenville, NC in the early 2000’s. He breaks down how his personal struggles forced him to leave town and put music on hold, and how he got himself together and formed Future Islands with his old bandmates.
This episode was laid down at the Lineup Room. Mike Riley’s art for this episode is an homage to Straight Out The Jungle, by The Jungle Brothers. Once again, we’re being hosted by Splice Today.