Amigos with Mike Finoia

We're into May. Quarantine is still happening. Mike checks in with amigos alum Jim Tews (@jimtews) to discuss life during quartime

The two friends talk snacks, where they get fat, cats vs dogs, and music doodyshame.

Follow @mikefinoia @amigospod and @jimtews on socials. Stay safe and thank you to all of the healthcare workers.

Steve's abound on this weeks Amigos! Phish Lyricist and Musician Steve Pollack (the Dude of Life) and FoxNY's Steve Lacy join Mike via Zoom to reminisce on fun hangs, the stories behind some lyrics, delivering the News in a bare bones studio, and the power of positivity during this shitty situation.

Mike also finally learns the story behind the lyrics to his fav Phish song from day 1

Follow The Dude on Twitter at @officialDudeofLife & @DudeofLife17 and on Facebook at Steve Pollack

Follow Steve Lacy at @stevelacy on IG and @stevenlacy on Twitter.

Follow Mike at @mikefinoia on TW/IG and @amigospod on TW/IG

Let's get our mind off of things. Mike discusses recent gigs, working with the photographer Limor Garfinkle, the beauty of Denver & Burlington, recommendations for long stays home, and a scary ass story from last week. Also some love for the Impractical Jokers peppered throughout. 

Be safe, stay positive, and try to chill. Amigos & Mike Finoia will be bringing you hours of distractions. Be there for each other. 

Vol. 5 of the Still Chasing Interviews; Rebecca Adams. 

Rebecca Adams is the coolest professor in the history of academia. She brought a class of students on Dead tour to study the community surrounding the scene. Her work as Ph.D within the Gerontology Program at UNCG has led to amazing findings about the healing power of music. Give it a listen! 

Volume 4 of the Still Chasing Interviews: Paul Glace. Paul is the founder & developer of PhantasyTour.com, or "PT". When Paul created the site over 20 years ago, he anticipated rabid fans would use the site to place their picks for upcoming tours. Little did he know, he'd create a community forum for fans of many influential bands in the jam scene. 

Mike Finoia's Podcast Series "Still Chasing" chronicles a life dedicated to chasing moments provided by improvisational musicians, particularly the Grateful Dead & Phish. In setting out to tell his own story, Mike reached out to friends, community members, and forefathers of the Jam music scene to discuss what keeps us coming back for more. The following series of interviews were conducted in preparation for the project. 

This week's interview is with Tom Marshall, Phish lyricist & host of Under the Scales Podcast. In this conversation, Tom and Mike discuss his lifelong friendship with Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, the importance of the connection between audience and band, & never before heard stories from The Clifford Ball, childhood and more. Thank you to Tom for his time and thoughts! Keep Chasing!!

Mike Finoia's Podcast Series "Still Chasing" chronicles a life dedicated to chasing moments provided by improvisational musicians, particularly the Grateful Dead & Phish. In setting out to tell his own story, Mike reached out to friends, community members, and forefathers of the Jam music scene to discuss what keeps us coming back for more. The following series of interviews were conducted in preparation for the project. 

This week's interview is with David Gans; Grateful Dead historian, musician, & host of Tales from the Golden Road. Gans penned the analogous "Grateful Dead Concerts are like Baseball Games" which perfectly summates the figures found at a concert. The two discuss a life dedicated, a relationship between audience and performer, and much more. 

FIRST EP of 2020. 

Mike introduces us to his project Still Chasing; a look back on a quarter century of fanaticism for the band Phish and the moments they provide. Through one on one convos with Mike & Co-Host Michael Shields, never before heard interviews with pivotal members of the community and truthful anecdotes about a life on the road, Still Chasing showcases two fan's long strange trip. It's available on Osiris so go give it a listen and thanks for listening to Amigos! 

Mike sits down for another visit with American Badass Artist, David Welker. This time the guys don't talk Phish...instead they talk competitive drinking, crucifixions, questioning reality, questionable decisions that end in physical wreck, their favorite movies, and stinky prints. 

Visit welkerstudios.com for info on David's exhibition happening on 12/29 at Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn. 

Mike is joined by Jenn Kessler (@Phishchicks) to recap Phish's Fall Tour, including the unique small show at The Met. The two discuss the energy at shows, the lights, the fun of seeing the band in small rooms, the Community, tension & release, and much more. 

Check it out, and check out Jenn's page @phishchicks / @JennkesslerArt

Let's all give thanks for our Amigos!!! It's Thanksgiving Eve and MIke is giving thanks, and sharing his favorite November traditional listen, passed down by his Uncle Bill. 

Mike reviews Tool at Barclay's, gets pumped for PHiSH's impending fall run, and talks turkey. Enjoy!!

The second part of a 2 piece interview with Oteil. The guys discuss the loss of Kofi, Oteil's spiritual awakening and how it prepared him for this rough year filled with unnecessary loss. The power of Jerry Garcia's music and the Oteil's approach to playing it to grateful fans is a must hear for any fan. 

Again , thanks to the man himself for taking time out of touring to speak with Mike. Enjoy!!!

In between Dead & Co gigs, Oteil took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Mike. In a deep 2 hour conversation, the two discussed the power of comedy, music, friendship, life, death, and acknowledging the critic within. Through dealing with the death of family and friends & gaining a daughter, this year has been ups and downs for Oteil. And through it all, he continues to be a beacon of light. 

Enjoy and tune in next week for part 2! 

Mike shares an archival chat with the amazingly talented artist David Welker. In this interview from 2015, Welker shares his story of collaborating with Phish on the Rift album cover & the iconic Mike Gordon image, as well as his love for the band and their sense of humor. 

Check out David's work, and keep an eye out for a NYC exhibit of his work around the Phish holiday run! 

Mike is joined by friend and fellow music freak Michael Shields. The Mikes discuss catching 2 amazing events in one NYC night, their shared obsession with WILCO, and an upcoming collaborative project that looks back at a quarter-century of obsessive music consumption. 

Follow Mike at @acrossthemargin and @mikeshza

Subscribe and Follow at @amigospod

Ryan Stasik returns to Amigos for another round. The bassist of Umphrey's McGee, Doom Flamingo, & Omega Moo chats with Mike about hoarding, ghosts, comedy specials, writing new material with his brothers in UM, and much much more. 

Ryan's many musical projects are charging ahead at full steam, so check out everything Ryan at Umphrey's.com and Subscribe / Rate Amigos Pod! Thanks!

Mike is joined by Brent Gill, LA comedian by way of Colorado. Brent and Mike have been buddies for years, and they catch up on Brent's visit to NYC. 

The two discuss avoiding comfort, fear of doing Improv, moving, and service animals.

Follow Brent, subscribe to the pod, share & enjoy! 

After a long summer on the road, Mike is back in NYC, ready to hunker down for a fall full of standup and live music. 

In this episode, Mike recaps his itinerant summer, eating like a piece of garbage in casinos, VRBO disasters, doing standup at a legendary Hollywood club, and much more. Mike also shares a short interview with Karl Denson, one of the most talented, versatile, and hardworking musicians out there. On top of touring his new album, Karl holds the position of sax player on the Rolling Stones Tour. 

Check out all things Denson at karldenson.com and follow @amigos and @mikefinoia on Socials. 

This week Mike talks Psychedelic Therapy with comedian Ari Shaffir and Dr. Will Siu, founder of Kura NYC. Ari & Mike, veteran mAcrodosers talk with the good doctor about the benefits of MDMA & Ketamine assisted psychotherapy, Big Pharma, and setting intentions for a life in the present moment. 

Check out Ari's podcast Skeptic Tank, and his Netflix special, and his standup dates at arishaffir.com and check out Kura.nyc for more information about Dr. Siu. 

Mike is joined by Bass player / comedy junkie Ryan Stasik (Umphrey's McGee, Doom Flamingo, Omega Moo's) on an instant classic episode. Raised by a standup comedian mom, Ryan's love of comedy runs deep, and the two discuss bocce, injuries, bachelorette parties, Dave Attell, Improv, their amazing wives, and so much more. 

Check out Ryan, Umphrey's McGee, and Doom Flamingo wherever fine music is heard. 

Thanks! 

While in Portland Oregon doing standup, Mike took a trip down memory lane (Route 5 South) to visit with Author / Merry Prankster Ken Babbs. This was a special trip for Finoia, as it's been 18 years since Mike visited and interviewed Ken Kesey. Mike and Babbs discuss Mike's first visit, performing on stage with Phish, controlling the tenants that live in our mind, LSD, writing with Kesey, the Grateful Dead and much more. 

This episode is dedicated to the memory of my friend, David Kimowitz. 

This week, Mike is visited by iconic NYC graffiti artists Claudia "Claw Money" Gold. Claw grew up in Queens, made her mark (literally) on the Lower East Side of NYC in the 90's and without trying became an icon. 

Now, Claw is a mentor, entrepreneur, and stylist to the stars. Check out @CLAWmoney on Twitter & @CLAWmoney on Instagram.

The bulk of Phish Summer Tour has wrapped, and real life is setting in. Mike recaps highlights, shares chunks of the live Mohegan Sun podcast (with Guests Tom Marshall, Benjy Eisen, and ZZYZX (David Steinberg & Dawn from Phemale Centrics) which includes some gems from Tom about the very beginnings of Phish lore. 

Mike also chats with Rob Chafin of The Werks about their 10th annual Workout Fest, happening 8/1-3 in Ohio. 

While Mike is neck deep in Phish Summer Tour, we are proud to bring you a gem from the early days of Amigos; an intimate chat with Artie Lange (HBO's Crashing, Howard Stern Show, etc.) Artie and Mike get deep into music, growing up influenced by cool people, and standup comedy. 

This is a must hear for anyone who enjoys fun, and if you don't you are in the wrong place. 

Mike and new Amigo, Bro Bible's Brandon Wenerd, catch up in Columbia Maryland while on Phish Summer Tour. These two clowns discuss comedy, LA vs NYC, Phish, mental health awareness, and so much more. 

Give it a listen and check out Brandon on social media at @brandonwenerd & @brobible 

Recorded the day before Mike's departure on Phish Summer Tour, Mike discusses an amazing night at the Cellar, the miracle that is Skankfest, and Greg Giraldo. 

Greg Giraldo is a standup comedian that is an inspiration to camp Amigos. From his guts to his jokes to his self-doubt, his life (and death) is all too common in the world of standup. Comedian Matt Balaker (author of Greg Giraldo; A Comedian's Life) stops by the pod to talk about Greg, his life, writing a biography, and the life of a dented can. 

Mike & Matt get deep into the brains of a comic. This is a fun one. 

Subscribe, Rate Review on ITunes

Follow Mike Finoia on Spotify

Follow @mikefinoia & @amigospod on instagram & twitter

Mike is joined by fellow comedian / head / baseball fan Scott Rogowsky. (@scottrogowski) The two discuss minor league baseball, Mike's heartbreak caused by the NY Mets, sobriety at shows, turning on to Phish, hiatus' & traffic galore. 

Scott is a great dude, and we're happy to have him on Amigos. 

Mike discusses post show lotion for preventative maintenance. 

Follow us at @AmigosPod on Twitter & Instagram

Follow @ScottRogowsky & @MikeFinoia