I don’t like country music, it’s not my thing. The sound of the guitars (shout out to my former boss, and friend Joe Goldmark, he’s an artist). But, the sound of the singing, the vocals, the twang, the vibe. It’s not my thing.

But, I’ll tell you what I do like about it, the one thing I love the cast of characters. The blue collar characters (much like my beloved classic blues). Men and women navigating working class existence, blue collar heartache, pondering love and love loss as some sort of respite. Pondering if crime pays, anti authority, with spiritual crisis as a north star.

The characters, the characters, all managing a turbulent life yet with different bio. Universal troubles, a tale of the tape between performer and existence. They all face these universal struggles from a different place.

My next guest a colorful character, an ambitious soul, hungry for spiritual salvation, and a greek country pop singer songwriter.

I Want You To Know Demetri Thomas

This week on I Want You To Know we talk with artist, musician, performer, formative friend, and one of those people good at everything. She’s also a deep Prince “fam” (fan), so we explore a little Prince fandom post Michael Bland show, and now with ten years after Prince’s passing.

I Want You To Know Samar Nassar

This week, to commemorate the passing of Prince (ten years ago) we have a special show. I talk to New Power Generation drummer Michael Bland. He is one Prince's longest tenured collaborators, a creative partner, and a drummer who weathered Prince's most restless creative period,

Mr. Bland offers insight to his process, Prince's process, and he shares some insight and stories. He also offers what it's like being a drummer to one of the most iconoclastic musicians of the 20th century, and he celebrates his beloved home of Minneapolis and the community that keeps him loved and challenged.

I Want You To Know Michael Bland

This is a remix rerun of an episode I did with Bird Call (aka Chiara Angelicola). Chiara and I came up in the San Francisco music scene together, even collaborated (hear the unearthed live recording courtesy of Not Quite The 80's host DK Coleo. back in his Spicy Meat Parade days, 15 years ago). Chiara and I both moved to LA, so we draw contrasts to home and LA.

Also, hear Chiara and I discuss the creative process, and we reconnect after not speaking to one another for over a decade (sometimes we think we are at odds, when we are not).

Tune into this elevated discussion about life, love, and music. It's one of my favorite episodes.

My next guest is a young stand up comic who sought and found the value of coming up the hard way; doing open mics, sharing bills and stages with older men, yet still finding time to do the Tik Tok comedy thing.

I met her when she was an intern at a historic comedy institution. She missed her first day, or first week or something—due to a startling and horrific incident. And, when she eventually started—I found her to be irreverent, funny, and kind. You’re going to enjoy this.

I Want You To Know comedian Emmie YK

My next guests are a band who value volume, energy, and attitude. At one point this would have been a given for a rock and roll band. But, now we live in a culture where an old codger like me is disappointed by the next generation being softer--telling young folks how soft they are, remembering back to when the next generation was always more devious….but music and culture is in a complete is in a retrograde. But, the next band isn’t ready to stop having fun, and won’t stop pushing the deviousness forward.

I Want You To Know—Los Frankies.

My next guest is a performer, writer, musician… after viewing a friend/colleagues one person show—she felt inspired, but also felt a little aimless in what she should write… she opted to share. She dared to tell everyone, personally, anecdotally-- Schizophrenia Is Funny.

(she's also turning her show into a short film!)

I Want You To Know Alyssa Scholl

Some of my favorite episodes are no longer available online. I wanted to rerun this episode from the archives, the episode where I speak with legendary Boxing analyst and commentator—Jim Lampley.

Jim and I discuss story telling, boxing, his iconic calls, and where boxing is today. He was promoting his memoir “It Happened”. It was a joy discuss Mr Lampley’s career