Unusual Minds

This episode I talk with documentary film maker Joe O'Connell. 

On this episode of the show we have Taylor Morden, documentary filmmaker and producer. he has directed a wide range of short films as well as the documentaries , Pick It Up! - Ska in the 90s, Here's to Life: The Story of The Refreshments Project 88, back to the future part too and his recent the Netflix release The Last Blockbuster, now on netflix. 

Robert Bruce is a pop culturalist and producer of the Kevin Smith's Comicbook Men on AMC.  

On this episode I talk to legendary comic artist Bob Mcleod. 

Today on the show I am honored to have Paul Hirsch, academy award winning editor that has edited over 40 films, including "Star Wars", "The Empire Strikes Back";  Ferris Buller’s Day off, Mission Impossible and Ray. He has worked with titans of the industry including George Lucas, Brian De Palma, Herbert Ross, John Hughes, and for Joel Schumacher. He is also the author of a memoir titled "A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away." Paul thank you so much for coming on the show.

On this episode of the show we have Steven Myers author and documentary film maker researching the how the Great Pyramid was assembled using water locks and barges as well as how the Great Pyramid operated as an efficient water pumping system. Steven Myers has been a guest interviewed in over 130 radio talk shows and is the founder of The Pharaoh’s Pump Foundation is an Oregon based, 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of decentralized, energy efficient, non-polluting energy technologies. You can read more about his research at www.thepump.com

This week on the show we have eminent freemason and author Robert Johnson. Host of Whence came you masonic podcast Rj has a new book out The Master’s Word. We talk the philosophy, and esoterica of freemasonry.

DJ Sep is one of the longest running djs of the bay area. She is the founder, promoter, and main resident at Dub Mission, one of the longest-running reggae parties in the world (1996-2018). It was Voted Bay Area's Best Reggae Club five times in six years, and Dub Mission has featured international artists from across the dub spectrum. For 22 years, Sep was also on Bay Area radio: first on KXSF, Berkeley’s public radio station, and KPFA. Sep has awarded a Bay Guardian Goldie Award and been nominated for Best DJ by San Francisco Weekly Music Awards. She has spun in London, Vancouver, Tijuana, New York, Washington DC, Miami, Portland, Seattle, and Los Angeles and has opened for and shared the bill with Sly & Robbie, Lee “Scratch” Perry, The Wailers, Toots & The Maytals, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Culture, Akae Beka, Big Youth, Quantic, Les Nubians, Rachid Taha, Kinky, and many others.

Gary Kent is an film director, actor, and most notable a stunt man for his appearances in various independent, grindhouse and exploitation films. Over a 40-year period he has worked with such greats as Jack Nicholson, James Caan, Bruce Willis and Garry Marshall. He has directed action and supplied special effects for directors Brian De Palma, Richard Rush and Monte Hellman and has appeared in other low-budget films in the 1960s, including The Black Klansman (1966) and the biker film The Savage Seven (1968). Kent and his experiences as a stuntman served as inspiration for Cliff Booth, the character portrayed by Brad Pitt in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). His experiences have been recorded down in his 2009 memoir Shadows & Light: Journeys With Outlaws in Revolutionary Hollywood  as well as being the focus on the documentary, Danger God and Love and other Stunts.

This week I sit down with actor, re-enactor, history buff and all around old west nerd. Thats right I am talking to Santee from the Arizona Ghostrides.

This week I sit down with the Cleveland Horror hosts with the most The Mummy and the Monkey! We talk the history of horror hosts, our favorite horror movies, nerd culture and the celebration of their 100th episode!

Dr. Rich Perez received his doctorate in cyber security from Colorado tech and works as a security consultant for many fortune 500 companies, he is also the founder, editor and writer for Tango Comics. 

Chuck Dunning is an advocate, facilitator, trainer, and consultant in contemplative practice, with more than 30 years in the professional fields of higher education and mental health. Chuck’s consistent commitment is to the actual practice of contemplative disciplines to facilitate and enhance experiences of personal growth, social wellbeing, and spiritual transformation.

Today on the show we have Sam Stransky an abstract visual artist who’s use of color tries to subvert the senses. She always paints to music and Such as sees specific colors when different musical notes are heard. Because of this she has found her flow as a live painter at a wide variety of shows and festivals across the united states and mexico including Breakaway Music Festival, Wonderbus festival, Deja Voom, BassCenter 11 and 12 thanks for coming on the show.

Dr. Alan Schwartz is a professor of the department of medical education at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He was Berkeley’s first cognitive science major where he focused on cognitive linguistics. He continued at Berkeley for graduate school, in the PhD program in cognitive psychology and, in the later years of that program, in the concurrent Master’s Degree in organizational behavior and industrial relations at the Haas School of Business. He was the editor and chief of the journal medical decision making and has authored the books making medical decisions a physicians guide and the book we are discussing today Listening for what matters avoiding contextual errors.

Today on the show we have Jimmy “Mac” is an award-winning Chicago area radio professional and freelance audio producer. Throughout his radio career, Jimmy worked on or contributed to other shows like the syndicated Howard Stern Show on WLUP he produced shows at the LOOP with celebrity hosts, like Styx lead singer Dennis DeYoung, Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, Siskel & Ebert and many others. Jimmy is the winner of two Chicagoland A.I.R.Awards – 1997: Best On Air Audience Promotion (as voice talent) & 2001: Best Midday Show on a Talk Station (as producer). Jimmy is also a lifelong Star Wars enthusiast and creator of the award-winning podcast Rebel Force Radio (RFR) with co-host Jason Swank.

Nick Gibbons is a improve comedian, writer, director, and editor for Adult Swim and he regularly serves as Host, Director and Writer of "As Seen on Adult Swim." At Adult Swim, Nick is leaned on heavily for his comedic eye on shows like "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" as a producer & writer, "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell"  as a writer  and a creative consultant on the viral juggernaut "Too Many Cooks".

Today on the show we have 42nd street Pete author of numerous books specalizing in the era of Grindhouse cinema. His most notable works include A Whole Bag of Crazy: Sordid Tales of Hookers, Weed, and Grindhouse Movies, Gunfighters of the Drunken Master, 42nd St. Pete's BIG BOOK of GRINDHOUSE TRIVIA, as well as the magazine series Grindhouse Purgatory. He is also an advocate for the restoration and preservation of rare and underground 8mm films with After Hours Cinema which finds these rare and forgotten films and transfers them to the dvd format. He also have a youtube channel where he discusses the history and experiences of the grindhouse and exploitation film subculture.

Tad Stones is an American animator, screenwriter, producer and director, best known for his work for The Walt Disney Company, creating, writing and producing the animated series Darkwing Duck and producing Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Aladdin and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. He also worked with cartoon network adapting Hell Boy to animation. His latest project is as a storyboard artist on the animated series Bob's Burgers.

On this episode I talk to Dave Burlingame banjo player from Cornmeal and bass player from Terrapin Flyer and 40,000 Headmen and Railheart.

On this episode I talk to Russ Adams special effects make up artist who has worked on indie films and major block busters such as Pirates of the Caribbean. He was also featured on the hit show Jim Henson's Creature Challenge and he chronicled his experiences from the show into his new book This is Not That Show.

This week on the show we take a look at whats really going on at the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHAZ. Is it really an armed insurrection of archo-communists, or is it just a bunch of artists hanging out? Find out with our man on the ground Che as he shared first hand experiences and interviews inside the CHAZ!

Joseph C. Alfe graduated from Northwood University, Midland MI with a B.A. in business management, and The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL with a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws. He does not currently practice law, and is pursuing a second master of laws in dispute resolution from Pepperdine Law. He has several publications or forthcoming publications in several legal journals on the topic of constitutional law, including papers on the extraterritoriality of the 4th Amendment, Violent video game restrictions and the 1st Amendment, takings, and municipal tort liability.

Today on the show I have a treat for all of you we have Tom Cook one of the animators that made by childhood he has an extensive career working on a wide variety of animated shows in the 80s show including, Heathcliff, Scobby Doo, and Scrappy Doo, Super Friends, Thundarr the Barbarian, He-Man and the Masters of the universe, and She-Ra Princess of Power. He also transitioned into animating movies such as Jetsons, the movie, Rover Dangerfeild, and We’re Back a Dinosuar Story. He then returned to TV working as a director on King of the Hill, Duckman, the extreme ghost busters, and Godzilla the series. 

Today on the show we have M. Curtis Mccoy. A business man having operated various industries including medical, fashion, manufacturing, distribution, and pharmaceuticals. But after being diagnosed with brain cancer he began reaching out to other business leaders he admired to ask the question How to be successful. His personal journey and philosophies are captured in his book HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL: Think Like A Leader. He also writes for the Success, Motivation & Inspiration blog to motivate and inspire others to achieve more in their lives as well.

Master Daniel Pesina is a gold medal winner in international as well as USA sanctioned martial arts tournaments. He but gained notoriety for his contribution to the Mortal Kombat franchise. He was the co-creator and motion capture actor who portrayed characters such as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile, Smoke, and Noob Saibot. Master Pesina gave physical form to creative concepts and designed the characters' signature moves Master Pesina has also done stunt work for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, played a hitman in the film Book of Swords, appeared in the videogame-based comedy film entitled Press Start and returned for a short film Mortal Kombat Fates Beginning where he played Shang Tsung. Daniel is a teacher at the Chicago Wushuguan School.

Today on the show we have Chicago hip-hop artist and rapper Iowa Rockwell. As a founding member of innovative Chicago based hip-hop group the 3rd Eyelanders, after the group released 2 albums, he began work on his solo career. His first official release, “The Wonder Years Mixtape” was released in June of 2009. That same year culminated in the release of his first studio album, “Changing of the Guards”. Over the next decade Iowa Rockwell would release multiple projects with a wide range of themes and sincerity. After a 6 yr hiatus without an official release, he dropped the album “81” in 2017 which was an extremely personal look at life through his own lens. Iowa Rockwell has joined forces with collaborator Topher Grey on the Stupid Box Podcast, a weekly show that deals with the minds of common society. In January of 2020 he released the B-Sides album with produced Smoke Bonito and his most recent release of an instrumental album called the quatentape as well as being featured on the album stay safe with  netherfrends an album inspired by the social isolation and finding inspiration in an environment of fear.

Today on the show we have Craig Williams a yogi with over 15 years of academic and Gurukula training in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Vedanta and Tantra. Awarded the prestigious titles of Veda Kovid and Yogacharya by the American Institute of Vedic Studies. He has a Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine and is a certified nutritionist and acupuncturist. Not only is he an adept at Hinduism but has studies various forms of Gnosticism, voudon, and other western esoteric traditions.

On this episode we have Lon Strickler is a paranormal researcher, author and publisher of the syndicated 'Phantoms and Monsters' blog. Several of these published reports have been presented on various television segments, including The History Channel's 'Ancient Aliens,' Syfy's 'Paranormal Witness', 'Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files,' and Destination America's 'Monsters and Mysteries in America.' Today we are talking about his book Mothman Dystany: Chicago’s Winged Humanoids. www.phantomsandmonsters.com

Greg Kaminsky received his Masters in Medieval studies from a Harvard affiliate, and has spent decades as a practitioner and scholar of various esoteric and spiritual traditions.  He is also an avid student of Vajrayana Buddhism. Greg is also the creator, producer, and co-host of a long-running podcast (Occult of Personality) that explores esoteric topics with authors and experts in the field. Find out more at www.occultofpersonality.com

On this episode we have Dr. Barbara J. Risman  Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Barbara J. Risman is the author of Families As They Really Are, Gender Vertigo: American Families in Transition and over two dozen journal articles in venues including American Sociological Review, Gender & Society, and Journal of Marriage and the Family. She has been editor of the journal Contemporary Sociology. She has been Co-Chair and Executive Officer of The Council on Contemporary Families, Past President (2015-2016) of the Southern Sociological Society and has previously served as the Vice-President of the American Sociological Association. Barbara Risman has blogged for Huffington Post and wrote op-eds on cnn.com and the Chicago Tribune. Risman has a regular column on PsychologyToday.com titled “Gender Matters". In 2005, Dr. Risman was honored with the Katherine Jocher Belle Boone Award from the Southern Sociological Society for lifetime contributions to the study of gender. She was also named as the 2003 Feminist Lecturer by the Sociologists for Women in Society. In 2011, Dr. Risman was honored with the American Sociological Association’s Award for the Public Understanding of Sociology. Most recently, she was awarded the "100 Women that Mattered" at North Carolina State University. Her new Book entitled “Where the Millennials Will Take Us: A New Generation Wrestles with the Gender Structure” Risman analyzes life history interviews with Chicagoland Millennials. With a sample both gender diverse, and majority minority, this book provides a unique insight into today’s young adults. Follow her work at http://www.barbararisman.com

On this episode we have William Tokarsky an actor that has appeared in bit parts in a bunch of films including Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Anchorman 2, Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle, and tv shows just as Walking Dead, Lodge 49, Doom Patrol and the Watchmen. But he is most notable for his work as a regular on Adult Swim where he has appeared on multiple times on Your Pretty Face is going to hell and in the infamous Short film Too Many Cooks where he played the killer.

Today on the show we have voice actor Carey Means, most notable for being the voice of Frylock on the Adult Swim TV show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. His most recent series was the cartoon Welcome to Wayne on nickelodeon. But he is so much more than a voice actor Carey has been in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Atlanta Opera Chorus. He has also performed on stage at the Georgia Renaissance festival as Sir Richard Do Good. Carey is also a classically trained Shakespearean actor who hails originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He has performed with Theatre of the Stars in such productions as South Pacific and with Actors Express in It's a Wonderful Town. The Burns Agency Online also lists his special skills including both hand modeling and Fencing.

This week on the show we have Ross Taylor from the funk jam Band SOAP, a staple in the thriving Twin Cities music scene. Soap has become a favorite on the festival circuit, performing at Summer Camp Music Festival, 10,000 Lakes Festival , Wakarusa Music Festival, Big Wu Family Reunion, Bella Music Festivals, Prairie Grass Music Festival, Shoe Fest, Wookiefoot’s Project Earth and Shangri-La Festival, as well as sharing the stage with notable acts and performers, such as Tea Leaf Green, Zach Deputy, Bernie Worrell from the Talking Heads, The Motet, Rebirth Brass Band, Hot Buttered Rum, Wookiefoot, Kinetix, Jon Wayne & The Pain, Heatbox, Steve Molitz and more.

On this episode of the program we have Cory Turek a visual psychedelic artist with a focus on expressive linework, colors and symmetry. He also operates a multi-media marketing company beyond exclusive where he has put together posters, album art, logos, and music videos. Graduating from Columbia college in Chicago in graphic design Cory is a jack of all trades with a wide ranging talent base across multiple mediums.

This week on the show we have Eric Mantras mastermind from the musical project Illuminertia which incorporates elements of global grooves, break beat, tribal house, hip-hop, trap, dubstep, glitch & EDM. His songs have made to the top of the bill board charts in two catagories and he has performed on and engineered tracks with many world class musicians including Bubba Jones, bassist of grammy award winning Digable Planets, the vocalist Fior Bassnectar and Earth Amplified, Evan Fraser from Dirtwire and Beats Antique. Illuminertia won the Relix Magazine jamoff in 2010, he has been featured in two issues of Under the Radar Magazine including the Best of the Decade issue.