Episode 186, Allison Mendoza
Episode 185, Josephine Tsaur
Episode 184, Andrew Dodderidge
Episode 183, Kate Taylor
Episode 182, Suzannah Johannes
Episode 181, Mikey Wheeler
Episode 180, Eric Martens
Episode 179, Sherrie Ortiz
Episode 178, @Dus10
Allison Mendoza, a.k.a. @buffaloroamks on Instagram, is my guest for Episode No. 186. Allison is a sister, an aunt, an embroiderer, and a lover of instant-film photography. She's also a person with whom I enjoyed talking a great deal. We talked about growing up, family-business life, and -- yes -- we also took a peek at a few of Allison's favorite albums. Those were these: Amor Prohibido (1994), Selena Fleetwood Mac's The Dance (1997) Evermore (2020), Taylor Swift The 1975's Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022) Romance (2024), Fontaines D.C. Please check out all of Allison's stuff, including her Web site, buffaloromaks.square.site. It's good stuff, and you don't wanna miss it. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode, or any of the previous ones, either. In this scenario, I chose a tune by The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, and it's a tune called, "Sander's Lament," which is off of their self-titled 2015 release, c/o Plaid Room Records LLC.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls -- Please put your virtual hands together for this week's guest of Badass Records podcast, Josephine Tsaur! Jo' is the fantastic mastermind behind Hidden Gems KC, which you can follow on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and/or YouTube. Hidden Gems KC is the channel you need to follow to find out about all of the cool stuff you might not know about in Kansas City, so -- as Kid Fry Cook once said -- please run up her numbers. Jo' and I talked about family, creativity, education, leap taking, discovery, and a bunch more, which included two of Jo's favorite albums: Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown (2009) Kpop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) (2025) I super-enjoyed Jo's energy, and really appreciate her time. Thank you to Jo', and thank you to all of you that support the podcast. "Buy a Chrysler!" copyright disclaimer: For whatever reason, I had an itch to go retro on this one, and so, I did. Regardless, I don't own any of the rights to any of the audio samples contained in this episode (or in any other, for that matter). And -- funny (to me) story -- I Googled something about the podcast the other day, and it listed this track as the official song for the show (which probably explains the itch) in not so many words. And I giggled. And felt proud. I don't think anything should be flagged unless you're actually just clearly trying to make money off of someone else's stuff. But...if you're proppin' it up?! Shouldn't that count as promotional and not cause content to be earmarked? At any rate, in this episode I nabbed snippets of "Inversion Layer" by Robert Walter's 20th Congress. It's off of his 2013 release, Get Thy Bearings, and it's available to both you and me c/o The Royal Potato Family. Never have I ever had anything flagged because of including clips from this tune, and so -- I have long since considered making it the show's official anthem. But I keep not doin' that. Anyway, it's a killer track, and people should know about it.
Please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to the Badass Records Podcast stage...Andrew Dodderidge, ladies and gentlemen! Andrew is a son, a sibling, and a lover of both music and movies. He's a guy that dabbles in photography, but really gets the creative grease hot when it comes to putting words in print. In fact, he does that very thing for Kansas City's very own, The Pitch. My guest for Episode No. 184 was kind enough to share a little bit of time with me a few Saturdays ago, and we chatted family, growing up, a Kansas state-college house divided like no other, writing and editing, loss and longing. We also managed to chat a little bit about a few of Andrew's favorite albums, which were these: Big Star's #1 Record (1972) Alligator (2005), The National Thousand Foot Krutch's Welcome to the Masquerade (2009) Home, Like NoPlace Is There (2014), The Hotelier Charli XCX's How I'm Feeling Now (2020) Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewdodderidge, but also -- he's more active on Twitter. And please be sure to check out Andrew's writing for The Pitch at thepitchkc.com/author/andrew-dodderidge. Many thanks to not only Andrew, but to all of the fine, fine folks at The Pitch that continue to do the heavy lifting to keep that publication alive. Our city is greater for both your efforts and your results. And thanks to those of you that continue to support the progrum. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. Or any episode, really. In this particular case, I have lifted said snippets from a tune called, "Sugar Craft." It's a track by Medeski, Martin & Wood, and it comes from their 1998 release, Combustication, which is just an absolute treat of a record created by one of the finest trios to ever grace American-rock stages. And we have access to said album c/o Blue Note Records.
Kate Taylor is a daughter, a sibling, a wife, a mom, and an expert craftswoman. She's also my guest for Episode No. 183. Learn more about Kate's awesome artwork at @matchboxkansascity on Instagram. Find her on Facebook at Matchbox KC, or reach out to her regarding a commission piece you'd like her to create for you at matchboxkansascity at gmail dot com. She's also on Threads. It was lovely meeting Kate and learning a little bit about her story. She's often posted up at First Fridays, so keep your eyes peeled for her setup there. Kate and I talked about the awesomeness of being Gen Xers. We also talked about the the fantastic live-music scene in Lawrence, KS (both now and especially when we were coming up). We also talked about a few of Kate's favorite albums, which were these: Janis Joplin's Pearl (1971) Hunting High & Low (1985), a-ha They Might Be Giants' Flood (1989) On How Life Is (1999), Macy Gray Many thanks to Kate for carving some time out of her busy schedule and making the trek over to chat with me. Additional thanks to her for the cool gifts she brought me, and thank you to all of you that support the podcast. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are cuts from a tune called, "Glide," which Phish released as part of their 1992 record, A Picture of Nectar (c/o Elektra Entertainment).
I can't take credit for it 'cause Suzie told me that one of her friends already made the statement, but typing, saying, or thinking Suzannah Johannes sounds like you're talking about a cousin of Roseanne Rosannadanna. Regardless...Suzannah Johannes -- my guest for Episode No. 182 -- is a resident of one of the finest towns this side o' The Mississippi'. It's called Elle Eff Kay if you're keepin' score at home. Anyway...Suzannah was kind enough to drop by to chew the fat with me about collaborating, writing music, and working on those live-performance chops. Our chat was also a little timely as Suzannah has a) just released a new album, Kansas City: Hans Bronze Boulevard, which is available on vinyl and via the streaming platforms, and b) a second album coming to us in January: Los Angeles: The Missing Album. You can get either via her Web site, suzannahjohannes.com, or at her Bandcamp. I really enjoyed our conversation, though, and suspect that you might, too. We covered growing up in a small town, life's detours, being surrounded by supportive friends and loved ones, and making music. We also touched on a few of Suzannah's favorite albums, which were these: Astrud Gilberto's The Shadow of Your Smile (1965) Coney Island Baby (1976), Lou Reed Sybille Baier's Colour Green (2006) Hanz Bronze's self-titled release from 2015 Chase Me (2024), Brooke Tuley & the Moon Travelers So, check out Suzannah's new release, give her a follow on Instagram at @suzannahjohannes, and come see her perform at The Ship, on Thursday, September 11. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within these episodes. The promo beds, the intro/outro, that is. In this particular case, I sampled Kurt Vile's "Goldtone" from his 2013 release, Wakin' on a Pretty Daze (Deluxe Daze [Post Haze]), c/o Matador Records.
Mikey Wheeler is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a musician, and a tattoo artist. He's also my guest for Episode No. 181. Every now and again I wax emotional about what a good human with whom I've had the privilege of sitting on the other side of the table of, and when I do so it is 100 percent not in an effort to speak any less of the other fine folks that've been kind enough to join me. We've all got a story or stories. We've all rowed the channels of life in one form or other. Being that this show is what this show is, though, it's difficult to manage my time wisely enough to get folks to sit in the chair opposite mine. And it's a whole other cart of magic beans to land someone that's as sharp, articulate, benevolent, and wise as the likes of a Mikey Wheeler. I said this while we were rolling, and I don't want to ruin anything by repeating any thing that doesn't warrant it, but this one's an exception: Shouts out to Mikey's mom, Debra, his siblings and his grandma and his uncle. Shouts out to the friends and bandmates Mikey's made along the way. Shouts out to his wife and all his work homeys, too. This is a conversationalist, and were I of the means to launch a podcast network, I'd try to get Mikey to be a part of that content with some consistency. Mikey earns his living inking humans and he does so down at Windhorse Tattoo. The joint's visible online at windhorserising.com, and you can roll your IRL bones in there at 901 E. 31st Street in downtown KCMO. Give them a buzz at 816-283-0500, and toss 'em a follow on the old IG at @windhorsetattoo. At this very moment, I can't personally speak to the fruits of Mikey's labor, but he's got a handful of repeat customers, is perpetually acquiring new, and -- per our conversation -- he's booked out six to eight months. So if you've ever been on the fence and one of your hesitations has been because you don't know who to go to in Kansas City, pick up the phone and call Windhorse; I suspect they can set you straight. Anyway...Mikey and I talked about the wild life experience of growing up in a way that didn't necessarily look like that of those around you but winding up grateful for the very manner in which it happened, regardless. We talked hoops, tatts, Steely Dan, Slint, Mike Patton projects, the glorious benefit of attending absolutely dynamite shows where everyone present is just jazzed to the gills about being there. We talked about the idea of there being two kinds of people -- those who care about humanity + everyone else -- on this planet. We man-crushed over Daniel Day-Lewis like a couple of goobers, and we talked about being in bands and making music. It was awesome. Follow the dude on Instagram at @mikeywheelertattooer, and stay tuned for the entirety of our chat; I don't typically edit much out, anyway, but this one clicked the whole way through. It'll be worth your time. copyright disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the audio clips contained within these episodes. In this one particularly, I lifted snippets from a tune called, "Theme from the Bottom." It's a track from the 1996 record, Billy Breathes, that the greatest band in American rock history, Phish, released, c/o of Elektra Entertainment Group. I'm not doing anything non-Fair Use here, though, YouTube, so please stop blocking me from receiving the monetary sums I'm not yet qualified to earn. Thank you.
Eric Martens is a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, and the owner of Border Brewing Co. He's also my guest for Episode No. 180. Eric was kind enough to carve out a small slice of his Tuesday evening a week or so ago to come spend it with me. And for that I am grateful. Border Brewing Co. is located in the proverbial heart of downtown KCMO at 512 E. 18th Street, and you can give them a holler at 816-469-5287 or find their stuff online at borderbrewco.com. Eric and I talked growing up, education, musicianship, leap taking, and the brick-and-mortar challenges that face a business owner in the 2020s. We also talked a little bit about a few of Eric's favorite albums, which were these: Kind of Blue (1959), Miles Davis Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds' Live at Luther College (1999) Hot Fuss (2004), The Killers The MGDs' Wake Up (2016) Border Brewing Co. has channels on the social-media outlets on the Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter platforms, so if you were to give them a follow, I'd be much obliged. Many thanks to Eric for the time and the fantastic conversation, and a tip of the ol' fedora to all of you that support the program. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Wheelhouse," which I snipped from his B'lieve I'm Goin Down record from 2015, c/o Matador Records.
Welcome, welcome, welcome! This is Episode No. 179, and it features the lovely Sherrie Ortiz, who is the owner of Just One Day Travel Tours. Sherrie is a daughter, a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, and a business owner. You can find out more about Sherrie's Kansas City-based guided-tour operation at justonedaytraveltours.com, as well as on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Sherrie and I talked about her previous life in the retail-bakery world, her leap to launch Just One Day Travel Tours, as well as a few of her favorite albums. Those were these: IV (1971, Led Zeppelin Rush's Moving Pictures (1981) A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), Pink Floyd Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More (2009) Check out our conversation, learn about Sherrie's business, and give her a follow on the ol' social medias. Thank you for your support of the progrum. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from a tune called, "Ride the River," by Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale. This track can be found on their 2006 record, The Road to Escondido, c/o EPC Enterprises, LLP, under exclusive license to Surfdog Records.
FYP too local? IYKYK, amirite? @Dus10 is (if I'm not mistaken) the first TikTok-er I've connected with and seen an interview through to the end. And I'm a better person for it. @Dus10 is a son, a sibling, a father, a human, a man, and a Kansas Citian (whether he wants that last part to be the case or not). He's also my guest for Episode No. 178. @Dus10 and I sat down for a few to chew the life fat a couple of weeks ago, and what a conversation it was. We talked growing up, family, marriage, divorce, fatherhood, men's mental health, connecting IRL, and so much more. We also talked about a few of @Dus10's favorite albums, which were these: Motion City Soundtrack's Commit This to Memory (2005) Monta at Odds (2008), Gringo Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012) A Moon Shaped Pool (2016), Radiohead Making Movies' I Am Another (2017) If you're on the Tok, please give @Dus10 a follow. He's working hard to create meetup opportunities with other folks in Kansas City, and has already made several connections and participated in a few gatherings. Think he's got that handle for most of the socials, too, if TikTok's not your jam. Make sure you check out his Discord, too. It's called Let's Hang Out KC. And if you poke around in those places, you're likely to find his anonymous voicemail-message number where you can call, leave your thoughts, and get stuff off of your chest. Thank you, @Dus10, for the time and the opportunity to sit down together. And thank you to all of you that support the podcast. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a J.J. Cale tune called, "Woman I Love," which I found on his 1972 release, Naturally, c/o Universal International Music B.V.
Gather 'round, gather 'round! It's Episode No. 177, and I am stoked to share with you that this week's guest is Joshua James Warren of Joshua James & The First Aid Kit. Joshua joined me for a conversation about growing up in Arkansas, pit-stopping in St. Louis, and calling Kansas City home (for the time being, anyway). We also talked about the gigs he puts on at Grinder's, The First Aid Kit's singles and EP (available where you stream) their current LP project, and lots of stuff in between all of that. We spent a few moments peeking at a few of his favorite albums, too, which were these: For Emma, Forever Ago (2007), Bon Iver John Mayer's Where the Light Is (Live in Los Angeles) (2008) Camp (2011), Childish Gambino Hobo Johnson's The Fall of Hobo Johnson (2019) Find Josh on Instagram at @joshuajameswarren, and give the band a follow, too, at @joshuajameshasaband. Many thanks to this fine, fine musician, camper, human, and bandaid, and thank you to you all for supporting the podcast. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a J.J. Cale cut called, "Hey Baby" from his 1976 release, Troubadour, c/o Universal International Music B.V.