Episode 176, Hanna Nicole
Episode 175, Blair Johnson
Episode 174, Miguel Antonio
Episode 173, Tasha Ransom
Episode 172, GFM Recording Studios
Episode 171, Vanessa Kramer
Episode 170, Ernie Yates
Episode 169, John Knell
Episode 168, Marcus Rattler
Hanna Nicole was kind enough to join me for Episode No. 176. She is a daughter, a sibling, a model, an influencer, an entrepreneur, and she is also the brand manager for Health X Fitness, a clothing brand that specializes in athletic/lounge wear for women. When we sat down a couple of Saturdays ago, we talked about family, growing up in a small town, being the oldest of five kids, joining the armed forces as a parachute rigger, transitioning back to life after services, the launch and the learning curve of getting her modeling career off the ground, and -- wouldn't ya' know -- we talked a little bit about some of Hanna's favorite tunes as well. For this particular conversation we strayed from the Badass Records podcast norm, and went with a playlist that Hanna curated under the guise of giving me a snapshot of her influences. It varied in both style and genre, and featured nearly 40 total tracks from more than two dozen artists, including Morgan Wallen, Polo G, Rod Wave, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, P!nk, Hannah Montana, Dan + Shay, and Maroon 5, just to name a few. I appreciated the opportunity to approach an interview from a different perspective, and enjoyed checking out what she aptly titled, Podcast Music. Having said all of that, here are the digital-world pertinents from my conversation with Hanna Nicole: she's on Instagram at @hannn.niccc Health X Fitness's handle is @hxf.apparel @lavishpicnicskc is a spot for you to check out as well Hanna's bio/portfolio/contact info can be found at hannnicolemodel.kavyar.site find her making waves over on the Tok as well Thank you to Hanna for the share of her valuable time and her effort in creating the playlist, and thank you to you for supporting the podcast. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio content contained within this episode. They are clips from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Dust Bunnies," and that track can be found on his 2015 release, B'lieve I'm Goin Down..., c/o Matador Records.
In the first couple of these solo episodes I did, I tried to time the tracks playing with me listening to the same clips. Turned out to be tedious and lacking in desirable results. The last one I did featured a five-spot of albums, and I went a different direction. Maybe it was better; maybe it wasn't. I think I ultimately realized that the script didn't mesh with the song excerpts in a very story-friendly fashion, so I (possibly subconsciously) tried to do a better job on that particular piece this time around. Either way, producing these guestless installments is far from the muscle memory I've built over the last three years and change, so it takes quite a bit longer to turn them around and get them out, which is why my search for guests continues to be one of the most important pieces to keeping this thing going. So...e-mail me if you'd like to be on or suggest someone. It's badassrecordspodcast at g mail dot com. This was a fun one to do, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the usual. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I own the rights to none of the audio samples contained in here. They're all snippets from tracks off of the following records: Life Is...Too $hort (1988), c/o Zomba Recording LLC Flying in a Blue Dream (1989), c/o Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment Acid Tongue (2008), c/o Warner Records Inc. A Deeper Understanding (2017), c/o Atlantic Recording Corporation søn of dad (2023), c/o Big Loud Records
Miguel Antonio is a son, a sibling, a husband, and a father of four. He's a solo musician, and he's also a member of Run With It Band. Of greater importance, he is my guest for Episode No. 174, and of even greater importance, he is the host of the #LiveandCreate podcast. I cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed sitting down with Miguel to bullshit for a handful of hours, and I am grateful for his time. Please give him a follow at @justthemiguel on Instagram, and give the band a follow over at the ol' @runwithitband. What's more is that you can get a few more deets at runwithitband.net. And if you do anything after reading these words, please find the podcast; Miguel is really putting in the work and putting out a quality product. Parts of our conversation (which can be found where you stream or on YouTube or at the site) involved musicianship, work/life balance, family, Sync, performing, being a bandmate, and a bunch of other things. And somewhere in the mix, we managed to have a quick look at a few of Miguel's favorite albums. Those were these: Live's Throwing Copper (1994) Meteora (2003), Linkin Park Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) Yeezus (2013), Kanye West Making Movies' Xopa (2022) GNX (2024), Kendrick Lamar Getting ready for Miguel and I's conversation was both super-fun and an absolute trip, so I hope you'll give it a spin. Happy Fourth of July to a notion of America that maybe isn't there right now, but still exists out there in pockets, like morning fog evaporating off of a lake's surface. There is love. And we can selflessly use it as fuel. We just have to want to. Note: This week's goof is a solitairy one, and it involves me saying that, "Back to the Hotel" was a Rappin' 4-Tay song, but it's N2Deep. My bad. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the audio clips featured in this episode. They're cuts from a tune by Ike Turner & Kings of Rhythm. I dunno how the thing ended up in my thing, but it's a darn-good record, and I'm not saying anything about the artist beyond that. The record -- since you were curious -- came out in 1969, and it's called Black Man's Soul. Oh...and the tune's name is, "Black Angel," and we're fortunate enough to hear it c/o the fine, fine folks over at TufAmerica.
Tasha Ransom is an artist. More specifically, she is a musician, a painter, a photographer, and a writer. She's also a great conversationalist, and she is my guest for Episode No. 173. Tasha stopped by last week and sat across from me at the table. We swapped a great many phrases and touched on things like growing up, family, self-discovery, and music. Somewhere in the mix, we managed to have a brief gander at a few of her favorite records. Those were these: Our Mother the Mountain (1969), Townes Van Zandt T. Rex's Electric Warrior (1971) 1 (2000), The Beatles Red Elvises' Drinking with Jesus (2008) Please consider giving Tasha an Instagram follow at @tasharansomart; you can see pics of some of her work there. Find her via that same handle on YouTube, where you can check out her music videos, and find even more information at tasharansomart.com. Many thanks to Morgen Agesen for batting .500 with her awesome list of referrals. You can check out my conversation with her (Episode No. 166), and while you're in that neighborhood, John Knell and Ernie Yates episodes also appear (also courtesy of Morgen's connections). And many thanks to those who have supported the podcast. My only derp for the week was that I goofed up the UKG and the Run the Jewels lineups. I do now recall that UKG is Pimp C. & Bun B., and that Run the Jewels is El-P and Killer Mike. And I will recall that all the way up until the next time I don't. Anyway... copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. I snatched those little portions from a tune called, "Sacred Sands," off of Allah-Las self-titled release from 2012, c/o Innovative Leisure.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls -- It is my privilege to share with you that Brian Kraemer and Nic Aguero of GFM Recording Studios in Blue Springs joined me for a fine, fine conversation that became Episode No. 172 of this here podcast. Their spot lives online at gfmrecording.com and I encourage you to follow them on Instagram, as well. They are learned (shouts out to Chuck) in the recording arts and geared for creating custom beats, mixing, mastering, and are just the right fit for artists, bands, agencies, and all of your Sync needs. During our conversation, we talked about family, upbringing, serving in the armed forces, faith, trauma, and so much more. And somewhere in the mix we took a peek at a few of their favorite albums, which were these: Pink Floyd's The Wall (1979) Holy Water (1990), Bad Company Sublime's 40 oz. to Freedom (1992) Smash (1994), The Offspring Dave Matthews Band's Crash (1996) Ænima (1996), Tool Korn's Life is Peachy (1996) self-titled (1997) Third Eye Blind Blink 182's Enema of the State (1997) Significant Other (1999), Limp Bizkit Sevendust's Home (1999) Chronic 2001 (1999), Dr. Dre Disturbed's The Sickness (2000) Morning View (2001), Incubus Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing (2002) Ocean Avenue (2003), Yellowcard As I Lay Dying's An Ocean Between Us (2007) It was a short list, but we managed to get through it with ease. So, please consider the fellas at GFM for any and all of your recording needs. You can book with them online, D.M. them on the ol' 'Gram, or give them a buzz if you like at 816-598-8810. Very thankful for the time and talk with Brian and Nic. Fantastic guys. And thank you for your support of the progrum. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets I lifted from a Blues Traveler tune called, "Whoops," which can be found on their 1993 release, Save His Soul, c/o A&M Records. Note: I mistakenly spoke about the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias" opening notes when I was clearly thinking of how the song "Shakedown Street" starts. As John Popper sang, "Whoops."
Vanessa Kramer is a daughter, a wife, a mother, an author, and one heck of a fun, funny, and sharp conversationalist. She's also my guest for Episode No. 171, which gives me great honor to say. Vanessa and her husband, Kyle, stopped by for what turned out to be a delightful chat a couple of weeks ago, and we rolled through the morning and into the afternoon, talking family, upbringing, marriage, partnership, parenthood, publishing, and so much more. We also managed to devote a little bit of time to a few of Vanessa's favorite albums, which were these: Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles Fleetwood Mac's Rumors (1977) The Black Parade (2006), My Chemical Romance Of Monsters and Men's My Head Is an Animal (2011) folklore (2020), Taylor Swift Of Vanessa's many wonderful attributes is the fact that she has managed to publish four books in the last three years! Those are these: Great Divide (2023) Great Desolation (2024) My Mother's Spirit (2024) Temporarily, Forever (2025) All four titles can be found on Amazon and elsewhere. Learn more about my guest at vanessakramerauthor.com and please consider following her at @vanessakramerauthor on Threads, TikTok, Instagram, and/or Facebook. Also part of Vanessa's bag is her admirable role in the seriously cool publication, KC Book Beat, a nonprofit that celebrates and promotes the Kansas City (and surrounding) literary community. Find out more about them on Instagram or at kcbookbeat.com. Many thanks to Vanessa for the time and the good energy, and many thanks to all of you that support the show. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a song by The Doors. It's called, "The Changeling," and it comes from their 1971 album, L.A. Woman, c/o Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company.
Ernie Yates of Stone Eagle joined me for Episode No. 170, and it was an honor and a privilege to meet him and chat for a few. Ernie's pipes Stone Eagle's blues-influenced, southern/stoner rock, and you can keep tabs on them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter; and you can check out their stuff where you stream. Were you to seek them out in the digital world, you'd likely find "Sirens" from April of this year and their EP, Backside of the Mountain, from 2024. But enough about Stone Eagle; let's talk Ernie. Ernie's a son, a brother, a father, and the flavor of dude you definitely want in your corner. Chill but sharp, relaxed but focused, funny and real. He -- along with Nick Nöthing -- also hosts an online radio show. It's called, "The Midwest Connection," and it can be consumed Wednesdays at 8:30 on bicradio.com. Please check out their fun format. Anyway...Ernie and I talked about life and the discovery of influential music. The latter part of that included a couple of his favorite albums, which were these: Bleach (1989), Nirvana Soundgarden's Superunknown (1994) 'Twas but a short list and a brief chat (as these conversations tend to go), but a good one, nonetheless. Thank you to Ernie for donating a sliver of his precious time, and thank you to all whom support the podcast. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio tidbits included in the production of this episode. They are snippets from the epic track, "Hunger Strike" from the self-titled Temple of the Dog record from 1991, c/o UMG Recordings, Inc. "And that's all I have to say about that."
I may've mentioned this before, but -- more often than not -- when I open the front door to greet a guest, it's our first time meeting one another. And the vibes in that initial moment vary. Sometimes they're neutral. Occasionally they're curious. Every now and again, the good energy is palpable, and such was the case when I met John Knell on my porch. John is a local artist, a son, a husband, a father, a fantastic conversationalist, and he joined me for Episode No. 169. We chewed the fat for a good little bit a couple of weeks ago, covering family, memories, John's mixed-media art approach to pop culture and sports, and of course, a few of his favorite albums, which were these: Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles Van Halen's Fair Warning (1981) Achtung Baby (1991), U2 Many thanks to John for the time and the solid chat. Please consider checking out his work at johnknell.com, and follow him on Instagram at @johnny_kc. And many thanks to those of you that support the podcast. Cheers. Note: I was mistaken in claiming that the U2 song, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was the feedback/sustain king. What I meant was, "With or Without You." copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips I poached from a Kurt Vile tune called, "Lost my Head there" from his fantastic 2015 release, B'lieve I'm Goin' Down, c/o Matador Records.
Marcus Rattler joined me for Episode No. 168, and -- while none of my guests have been mental slouches -- Marcus has to be one of the sharpest dudes I've sat down with to date. Mr. Rattler is a son, a sibling, a father, and a musician. He's one heck of an educated guy, and he brings good energy with him as he navigates this life. Marcus plays steel pan and drums in sundry outfits, and you can check out his content on TikTok (@marcus.rattler.music), on Instagram (@marcusrattler), on Facebook, and on YouTube. He's got a really great story, incredible vision and ambition, and plenty of positive to spread across Mother Earth, be it in the Kansas City area, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Miami, or Chicago, he's bound to bring the good juju with him. I was lucky enough to sit down with Marcus for a couple of hours and talk life goals, his band Legerdemain, his wish to work with Tech N9ne, and a few of his favorite musicians, too, which were these: Jonathan Scales Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers Tech N9ne Eric Whitacre Many thanks to Marcus for his time, his kindness, his clarity, and his good nature. And many thanks to you for supporting the podcast. Note: I fucked up and referred to works by William Carlos Williams, mistakenly calling them E.E. Cummings' works. disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a Parliament tune called, "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (The Bumps Bump)," which comes from their 1975 release, Mothership Connection, c/o The Island Def Jam Music Group.
"The purpose of this record is to demonstrate a neglective factor in funnel pickup design. Namely, the ability of the pickup to stay in contact with the groove modulation over a wide range of frequencies and intensities. In other words, to track the groove..." -- DJ Magic Mike, "The House of Magic," Bass is the Name of the Game (1988) I've been peeling back the layers of the music-world onion for as long as I can remember. One of my fondest chapters in that book of memories is the chunk in which my cousin, Rob, lived near me. It was a twoish-year stretch; he and his family lived in Shawnee, KS for a minute, and in Ottawa, KS for another (They've otherwise always been FLA/NJ people.). When he/they moved to the area, though, I'd just entered my first full season as a bona fide (in my mind) music connoisseur. Rob had been doing his own heavy lifting as well. And we got to merge. That pair -- or trio -- of years were incredible for me. Truly life-changing. I got to spend time with my four cousins and my aunt and uncle; had they never made the move, I'd barely've ever known them. They treated me like one of their own, coming to get me on Fridays and returning me on Sundays, seldom leaving the burden on my mom. It was so fantastic. The kids all got along. Frank and Maureen loved each other and showed tons of affection. I felt like my every need was catered to. And Rob and I became closer friends than either of us knew we needed. It's one of the fondest memories of my youth. We ate like kings and were both doted on and left to our own. We played baseball and wrestled and went places in their big-ass van. But more than anything, Rob and I both shared a love of music. And we turned each other on to stuff. And shopped for cassettes. One of the artists my cousin turned me on to -- via his then-freshest release -- was DJ Magic Mike. And I loved it. And I turned a bunch of my homies on to it. It was a pivot in my music education, and my gratitude for that experience has never faded. I love doing this podcast because I get to meet folks. I get to meet them and learn about who they are (in person!) and what they're in to, and what some of their favorite albums have been. It's really been great, and I've felt grateful from Day 1 that this is a thing that I'm doing in Kansas City, because it's a beautiful town with lots of amazing people in and around it. So this one's a me episode because I hit a patch. I talk about five of my faves, which're these: Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (1975) Junta (1989), Phish De La Soul's Stakes Is High (1996) Mushroom Jazz (1997), Mark Farina Kurt Vile's Wakin' on a Pretty Daze: Deluxe Daze (Post Haze) (2013) And that's all I have to say about that. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode (and it's a lengthy list this go-round 'cause I've included some song snippets from my selections) but -- for intro/outro purposes only -- they are snapshots from a tune called, "The Seed (2.0)" by The Roots from their 2002 release, Phrenology, which is a Geffen Records Release c/o UMG Recordings, Inc.