Flies In The Kitchen

    As Promised (albeit a little late), here is Michael Clem's followup conversation, updating us on all things Clem. In the span of the time from my initial interview and today as I am releasing this, Mike has releaased "60¢ a Gallon," his newest full leangth album!  We talk a bit about that, as well as creative community, the ruts we find ourselves in, and how to get out of them.  It was a great talk.  You can find 60¢ a Gallon on all your streaming platforms, as well lots of great videos from his open mics and shows on his YouTube channel. Also, we spoke about a few of his inspirations when it comes to songwriting, including Jeff Tweedy, particularly his book, "How to Write One Song" and Mary Gauthier. That's it everybody!  See you soon!    

  This is Michael Clem's Episode!   The Myth, the Magic, The Mysterious! 25% of eddie from ohio, 100% wit, grit, & spit!  So Here we are, back together again.  It's been a long time since we've hung out, so it's good to see you! I give a little update at the top of the episode, but suffice it to say, it's good be back after a long hiatus! Michael Clem is on the show today, with a conversation we had oh, about a year ago (still moving forward, ya'll, just not too swiftly). Mike is a smart, witty, hilarious, thoughtful and supersweet guy who is always up for a good stroll along a mountain path, which is by coincidence the very thing we did! I first knew Mike from eddie from ohio, a folk rock band I fell in love with in the 90s and followed steadily until they hung it up just a few years ago. It was cool to get to know him over the years as a colleague and a friend, and was so excited when he agreed to do this podcast.   You might remember I interviewed former bandmate, Robbie Schaefer, back in 2019, and we

“Our theme music was composed by BJ Leiderman.” If you’ve tuned in to NPR over the last 44 years, the likelihood is pretty great that you have heard this on-air credit. It’s because when BJ sold his themes to NPR, he made it a part of his contract that he would receive spoken recognition for his work. Little did he know he’d become one of the most recognizable names on the network. BJ’s NPR credits include Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, Marketplace, Car Talk, and Science Friday.   BJ  has been in the music making business his entire life, and it encompasses much more than 30 second jingles (although he is damn good at them).  In 2017, BJ released his debut album of original songs, entitled “BJ”, although that wasn’t his first choice. “Natural Public Leiderman” didn’t sit all that well with NPR’s lawyers, so he went with the more eponymous title.   So much to share with all of you good folks!  If you click on the album above (the NPR-approved version), you’ll be directed to his web

Some of you may remember a few years back when I uploaded a reading of "The Velveteen Rabbit."  That was a recording I had made for librivox.org, an online archive of literary works in the public domain, recorded by volunteers all over the world.  Recently I recorded a few poems for an anthology they were putting together and I thought I'd share them with you. I hope you enjoy them! I've included the text below. The Indian Burying Ground - Philip Freneau In spite of all the learned have said,     I still my old opinion keep; The posture, that we give the dead,     Points out the soul's eternal sleep. Not so the ancients of these lands—     The Indian, when from life released, Again is seated with his friends,     And shares again the joyous feast. His imaged birds, and painted bowl,     And venison, for a journey dressed, Bespeak the nature of the soul,     Activity, that knows no rest. His bow, for action ready bent,     And arrows, with a head of stone, Can only mean that life is spent,     And not the

I've known about David Wilcox since I first heard "East Asheville Hardware" back in the mid 90's working at a summer camp.  I was absolutely captivated and delighted at what I was listening to, and knew that this was something that I needed to pay more attention to, being a budding songwriter myself.  What followed was a few decades of wonder and inspiration at the levels of depth to which a songwriter can go when it comes to communicating an idea.  David is in a realm all to his own, and you get a good sense of this right off the bat in this episode. Please do yourself a favor and make some time in your day to explore davidwilcox.com for loads of music, events like workshops and retreats, his tour schedule, and even a way to find which song can cure that which ails ya. David is part of that sweet "Asheville Contingent" including David LaMotte, Barbie Angell, Chuck Brodsky, and Jamie & Ian Ridenhour, all of whom you can catch up on from previous episodes. I was really hopeful to speak with David at some p

Y'all. This woman right here has a story to tell, and it is massive.  I met with her a week ago today (as of the uploading of this episode), and we chatted about her brand new memoir "Looking for Innocence", as well as a whole lot of other things, and there were still topics we left out.  So I encourage you to do your own research and find out as much as you can about Paisha, and follow what she's up to (spoiler - it's a lot). Here are a few things we talked about for you to check out: Paisha's Bandcamp Page Her Youtube Music Page Melissa McFadden:  Walking the Thin Black Line Edie Driskill's Podcast, The Future of Policing in Columbus Betty Lavette: A Woman Like MeAmerican History Maker (And Paisha's Cousin's Aunt!) Margaret Peters Also, Here are a couple of pictures of Paisha's Pottery: As well as a video of her Tiny Desk Concert submission featuring her song, "The Chicken or the Rent"

  Eric and I first crossed paths when I made my way to Espresso Yourself Music Cafe, in Powell, Ohio, for an open mic night shortly after moving to Ohio.  I consider myself really fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience the community and great vibes from EYMC before it closed in 2012.  Eric and I talk a good bit about all that, plus a lot more.  I met up with him at his farmhouse just out of town, where he spends his days gardening and tending to his bonsai trees. Eric is a great songwriter with a great story, and I'm excited to share it with you.  Not all stories are sunshine and roses, though, and this one has its share of stormy weather.  But it was a great talk, I liked the direction it took, and I hope you will too.  Check Out Mr. Eric's Music here, and find out what he's up to these days. You can also hear music from his band from a few years back, Chittenden Hotel -- which we never even got a chance to talk about!

  My first impression of Dre Peace was a wall of sound that almost knocked me over..  Which would have been embarrassing since I was sharing a stage with him at an event called Music in the Round.   I had to know more about this guy just from the music and poetry coming from his mouth.  Afterwards I learned a bit more about his story that locked it in for me.  I had to get this guy on the show.  So I am beyond excited to share this conversation with you.   Here is a link to the Facebook Live video that Dre's manager was able to capture of his performance of "Change", which we chat a lot about. I had a few issues including it on this page, so feel free to follow the link to watch it.  There was a lot of reverb in that room, so it was hard to hear all the words, so I've included the lyrics below, along with a version performed by Dre and Liquid Crystal Project. (Along with a couple other videos you will enjoy!) I had a great time chatting with Dre, and man, does he tell a good story.  The hits don't stop coming

TJ George has been very busy.  He has been workin on a pretty epic project for, well, to hear him say it, several years now.  It is finally coming to life, as of January 7, 2022.  TJ is a songwriter here is Columbus, and his new album, "Heroes and Legends" will be an achievement that he has been working towards for a long time.  We got to sit in my living room and chat about it, along with a bunch of other great stuff, including the magic of cul de sacs, being young and fearless, and following (or not following) one's dream. You can find TJ at, yep, you guessed it, www.tjgeorge.com.  You'll be able to buy the new album there, but if you're in Columbus, try and make it to the Release Party on Jan. 14.  It'll be at Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza in Worthington, one of Columbus's finest venues for live intimate musical performances in a listening (and delicious) environment.  Get your tickets here, and join the discussion at the Facebook Event Page. And of Course, he's all over the place to listen, like Spotify, Y

  I was home from college on a fall break in 1997 when I found out John Denver had died in a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean.  It wrecked me.  This brief tribute will explain a little bit of why.    Also, here is the video from the recording I shared in the episode, along with another one I filmed in my sister's treehouse last summer to the sounds of the forest choir.

I first met James Houston when I decided to start learning karate in my mid-20s, living in a small, southwestern Virginia town along the New River. I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for karate, only that it seemed like there was a good blend of experience, and I knew that I wouldn't be the only one who had no idea what he was doing.  We began each class with what is known as the Dojo Kun, five statements spoken aloud, each beginning with the number 'one', presumably to indicate equal importance.  It went like this:   One. To seek to attain perfection of character. One. To live with politeness and discipline. One. To honor the code of ethical behavior. One. To strive for excellence through efforts. One. To refrain from impetuous conduct.     It was really what drew me in, initially, the idea that this morality code was primary, just as much, if not more important, than the physical conditioning and fighting.  More Miyagi Do as opposed to Cobra Kai, you might say.  In the two years that I studied w

Loss is a weird thing, isn't it?  The day I recorded this, I had found out a friend had died.  Just out of the blue.  Hit by a truck while running.  It was a big blow.  I had already decided on a topic, and on its face, it seems like the wrong direction...  But really, my friend Jeff was one who lived a life of gratitude.  And I'll miss him. This episode will  be the last of this series.  I have had a good time doing it, and I probably will do more, eventually, and I have an idea for a theme.  I'll keep you posted on that, so stay tuned. Keep Creating!  I will.

Speak when you are angry, and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret. - Ambrose Bierce As I write this, I have 34% left on my laptop, and I'm getting on a plane in 2 hours.  I'm heading out to my next job, in Burbank California, and this has been a real challenge keeping my eyes open long enough to finish this post.  Boy, will I be excited to sleep on the plane!  I will however, miss the cool morning walks I've been taking here in Indianapolis. It's where I've been recording these short episodes I've been bringing you, and I have one more to share next week.  This one, however, is about Anger. I'm finding that it's not taking much for me to get angry about things happening in our world.  I'm also finding that it isn't as easy to describe what anger is, as it is to describe what it is not.  I learn a bit of a lesson today, in what is best when it comes to dealing with anger.  Maybe it'll strike a chord with you as well. See you in California.  Hey, maybe I'll find an even cooler place to take walks a

In 1983 a movie came out with a star studded cast, including Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, and the two 1980s teen heart throbs pictured above, Ralph Macchio and C. Thomas Howell.  The movie was called "The Outsiders", and it featured a couple of rival gangs in 1965 Tulsa Oklahoma, the Greasers and the Socs. This episode takes a little look at a specific scene in that movie that has stuck with me my whole life (well, the last 33 of it years anyway).  It instilled in me a sort of philosophy of living, as well as a budding interest in poetry.  I've included the scene below so you can watch. Prepare for the shmaltz. It was a sweet moment in the film, for a couple of kids who were hoping for better things in their futures.  Who doesn't want to look ahead to good things?  Is Robert Frost suggesting that it's all futile?  Nothing good will ever last? Is there such thing as hopeful anticipation? Is it even practical?  I ponder these things in the parking lot. In case you haven't

Hey everybody!  I have something pretty cool to share with you.  I've decided to give myself a little break from producing the full episodes of Flies in the Kitchen, because I've been out of town a lot working a contract job that has long hours.  My time has really just gotten chewed up (That wasn't the pretty cool part).  I wanted to put something out there for you guys though, so I've decided to take some inspiration from Robbie Schaefer and his "Walk With Me" Podcast he's been sharing with his Patreon Community.  In it he takes morning walks along bike trails, riverside paths, and other scenic and beautiful sounding locations, sharing thoughts and perspectives about a number of important topics of meaning.  I also have been taking early morning walks, in the parking lot where I'm working (night shift), and so when I listened to his podcast yesterday morning, while I was walking, watching the sun come up, I decided, hey, why can't I do something like that? Be warned, it's not as serene as Robbie's, you'll m

Lately I've been looking at a lot of my Facebook memories, and being amazed at how oblivious we all were to what life would look like just one year later.  Large groups closely gathered around tables, no masks, sharing pizza, and laughing.  So much laughing.  It will be interesting to see the memories as March approaches, and the gradual realization of what we would be getting ourselves into. Boy, did we have no earthly idea. This episode is almost like a throwback, although instead of a year earlier, it's about four months earlier (although it almost feels like a year).  Right in the earlier stages of COVID-19, the new concept of "social distancing", some folks choosing to wear face masks - before it was a requirement, and self-quarantine. And this is what Barbie Angell was in the beginnings of.  She was self-quarantining before it was cool.  We chatted back in early April, when I was busting out a group of four interviews from North Carolina to share with you.  This was early on, when there were 20,000 dea

I first met David LaMotte at a weekend retreat in the WV mountains where he was performing.  He and his newly-wed wife Deanna were there, and it was fun hanging out with them both.  As it goes, though, with many traveling gigging musicians who bounce around the world bringing music and great joy to thousands, my memory of the moment was a little more vivid than his.  On the night of his performance, after most everyone had retired to their respective cabins, David and a handful of us hung out of the porch of the camp lodge with a few guitars and just made some music.  It was pretty grand. And this is David.  Behind the professional touring musician, he really is one who yearned and still years for close community, regardless of whether that community is filling a theater, a church, a concert hall, or a campfire.  He has spent his career trying to build and nourish that community, through 12 albums, three books, two trios, a massive move to Australia to study Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of

Deep among the rolling hills and misty mountains of Western North Carolina lives a charismatic young man who has already, in his first 20 years on earth, managed to release 3 albums and 5 professionally produced music videos, sharing with the world music that is complex, rich, intense, vulnerable, cathartic, energetic, and gently explosive.  This kid is Ian Ridenhour, and I'm really excited to finally get a chance to sit with him and pick his brain a little. Ian has been playing music since before he knew what music even was.  All he knew was that that spoon and that pot made a sound that shook his little musical genius into being, and it hasn't stopped since.  I have so much to share with you on here, so I will stop yammering and start sharing.  Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on his shows, in person or virtual.  He has a website where you can buy his music and merch, and a YouTube channel where you will find a whole mess of videos, including the ones we chatted about during our conver

When Chuck Brodsky was 21, he made a decision that he was going to follow his passion to become a songwriter who tells stories that matter. He hitchhiked from his hometown in Philadelphia to San Francisco and never looked back. I've been wanting to chat with Chuck for a long time. His songs have always held my attention because of their raw, honest, straightforward storytelling. His style is very much his own, but based on some early heros, like Bob Dylan, and his ability to weave great long narratives into music. We talked a lot about craft here, about how you can write a song that isn't about you, but clearly describes who you are.  About paying attention and being mindful of the little moments that are important, and have an impact.  To essentially just be who you are, for your own sake, and not to fit into a pre-designed mold that you might expect others to expect from you. Unfortunately, there was a lot we never really got to chat about in this episode. There is just so much to talk about, and so little

  This is a first. My buddy Zach Whitney loves the woods.  He loves to go hiking in the woods whenever he can.  So I thought it'd be fun to take a walk with Zach and record a conversation about music, mindfulness, and nature.  Three things I knew he knows a thing or two about.  It was a really great talk and I hope you enjoy it. Zach is a thoughtful and intentional songwriter with a growly and gruff exterior... I've always loved my side conversations with Zach, and I really wanted to pick his brain.  He ended up picking mine just as much.  Which I didn't mind. Have a listen to some of Zach's tunes.  I've included the three from the episode: "Front Porch Music", "How the World Came About", but also "More Like The Wind" (or "More Like The Moon", however you're feeling at the time).  Honestly, there are so many songs... You really need to check out his Soundcloud. Be sure Keep up on his Brothers (Me & Little Brother?) shows, ESPECIALLY at First Fridays at Gabby's Place,  his solo shows, his Songwriter Round