Vintage Annals Archive Visionaries and Outsiders Podcast

Ep. 101: Danielson Artist Enabler Club - A Joyful Noise Recordings Production. A Conversation with Karl Hofstetter and Daniel Smith

Danielson 'Artist Enabler Club'!

Ep. 99: Rich Wexler (Introduction and Two Year Reflection on the Podcast and Page)

More info on Vintage Annals Archive

Podcast

Ep.98: Ryan Cassata (he/him) (Musician/LGBTQ+ Activist)

Ryan Cassata (he/him) is a multi-talented artist signed to Kill Rock Stars. As an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, performer, published writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and transgender motivational speaker, Ryan's music and story has been showcased on prestigious platforms, including The Larry King Live Show, The Tyra Banks Show, CNN, GRAMMY.com, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The New York Times, Newsweek, and The NY Daily News. 

Ryan Cassata has built an impressive career with a remarkable track record of hundreds of national and international performances. He has released seven original and critically-acclaimed musical albums of original music. Notably, Ryan made history as the first openly trans performer at the Vans Warped Tour and has graced renowned stages such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Global Pride, and SXSW.  The Advocate Magazine hailed him as a "Transgender singing sensation," while Paper Magazine included him on their list of "50 LGBTQ Musicians You Should Prioritize." LOGO's New Now Next recognized Ryan as one of the "9 Trans Musicians You Need To Get Into." Acknowledging his impact, Billboard Magazine referred to him as a "true force in the industry." They also featured him on their list of "11 Transgender & Non-Binary Musicians You Need to Know," and premiered his award-winning music video "Daughter," which has amassed over 2 million views on YouTube and 2.8 million streams on Spotify. Ryan's music has been played on Sirius XM Radio and BBC Radio 4, reaching listeners worldwide. In 2019, he proudly received The ASCAP Foundation's Mariana and Paul Williams "Sunlight of the Spirit" songwriting award for his original composition, "Jupiter." His 2021 self-written and self-produced album, Magic Miracle Mile charted on the iTunes Alternative Charts. Ryan's talent has garnered the endorsement of prominent names in the industry, including Ovation Guitars, Marvin Guitars, Figurehead Guitars, Breedlove Guitars, Grover Allman Guitar Picks, Daredevil Pedals, and Equator Coffee.

Ryan has been at the forefront of the transgender liberation movement since his early teens, appearing on the Larry King Live Show at 15 years old, the Tyra Banks Show at 17 years old, and speaking at schools and conferences to educate people on the importance of diversity and equality. With a Masters of Art in Social Transformation (MAST) from the Pacific School of Religion, Ryan was honored with the prestigious 2023 Marcella Althaus-Reid Award for his efforts in queering theology and his work thus far for the Transgender Liberation Movement. Ryan's journey as a transgender activist began at 13 when he joined the LGBT Network's Safe Schools Team after being severely bullied in middle school. Since then, he has become an influential speaker, delivering impactful speeches and sharing his experiences at numerous Middle Schools, High Schools, and Universities nationwide. Notably, Ryan achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest keynote speaker in the history of the Philadelphia Trans Health [Wellness] Conference. Ryan has shared his research and experience at esteemed institutions like Harvard University and the U.S. Capitol. His groundbreaking accomplishments have earned him recognition, including being the inaugural recipient of the Harvey Milk Memorial Award in 2011 from Bay Shore High School (Harvey Milk's alma mater) and receiving a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress in 2019. In June 2023, he was invited to The White House, where he engaged in a taped conversation with Admiral Rachel Levine, leaving a lasting impression on national platforms. 

Ep. 97: Antoine Haywood (Community Media Maker/DJ)

Bio

I am a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. I have a B.A. degree in English from Morehouse College, an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School, and an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. I study community access television, local media ecosystem dynamics, participatory media-making practices and experiences, and media activism history. My dissertation is an multimodal autoethnographic exploration of African American cultural experiences in Philadelphia community access television.

Before Annenberg, I spent fifteen years directing community engagement programs at public access media centers at People TV in Atlanta, GA, and PhillyCAM in Philadelphia, PA. I have served on boards for community media organizations such as the Alliance for Community Media and Radio Free Georgia, and I am currently a member of the Independence Public Media Foundation's board of directors. I have experience writing grants for public educational programs, developing community outreach initiatives, facilitating participatory community documentary film projects, and curating community media events. Along with his professional and academic experience, Antoine enjoys playing guitar, collecting and spinning vinyl records, and producing original video projects. Antoine is a proud father and native of Palm Beach County, Florida.

Ep. 96: Gary Monroe (Photographer)

Bio

Gary Monroe, a native of Miami Beach, received a master's degree in fine arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1977. Upon returning home, he photographed the old world Jewish community that characterized South Beach for a decade, until it vanished. From 1984 through 2000 he photographed throughout Haiti, and later looked at tourism across Florida, especially the "rite of passage" of vacationers at Disney World. Gary Monroe has always photographed throughout Florida and also "wanders aimlessly" to photograph in other countries – Brazil, Israel, Cuba, India, Trinidad, Poland, England and Egypt to name a few. At the turn of the millennium he photographed the landscape, focusing on the transformation of place due to corporate-driven planning. In 2020 he began photographing digitally. Gary Monroe's life's work is housed at Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Library.

Ep. 95: Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story (Documentary - Directed by Jennifer Takaki)

For 50 years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee documented the celebrations, struggles, and daily lives of Asian American Pacific Islanders with epic focus. Determined to push mainstream media to include AAPI culture in the visual record of American history, Lee produced an astonishing archive of nearly a million compelling photographs. His work takes on new urgency with the alarming rise in anti-Asian attacks during the Covid pandemic. Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens.

Corky Lee was born in 1947 in New York to Chinese immigrants who owned two laundries in Queens. He majored in history at Queens College and became a community organizer in Manhattan’s Chinatown in the 1970s. Over the next five decades he photographed countless protests and cultural events in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Lee’s photographs documented the birth and growth of the Asian American movement for social justice and he became known as “The Undisputed, Unofficial, Asian American Photographer Laureate.” His death in 2021 at the age of 73 due to Covid was mourned in the press worldwide.

Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki is a fourth generation Japanese American from Colorado. She began her career in journalism at a Denver TV station and later moved to Hong Kong to work with Encore International. In Hong Kong she produced English-based news programming broadcast in China, India, and the Middle East via Rupert Murdoch’s STAR-TV. In New York, she produced and directed “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story” which premiered at DOC NYC and was supported by the Ford Foundation and The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). She was awarded the prestigious Better Angels Lavine Fellowship in 2023.Running Time: 87 minutes / Language: English / Not Rated

Documentary Feature (USA)

The film will have a nationwide US television release, premiering Monday, May 13 at 10/9C on PBS (check local listings) and on PBS apps to follow, timed to Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May, 2024).

Trailer

Ep. 94: Tommy Peltier (Musician) talks about Judee Sill and the documentary - Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill

Singer/songwriter Tommy Peltier started in the 1960s as a trumpet player, releasing LPs with Roland Kirk under the name The Jazz Corps. In 1970, Tommy switched to guitar and vocals and formed a close friendship with Judee Sill that would last throughout her life. With an acid folk sound not unlike Tom Rapp & Pearls Before Swine, these early 1970's recordings with Judee are released for the first time. Besides Judee Sill on vocals, guitar, and keyboards - the CD also features Lynn Blessing and Wolfgang Melz of the Gabor Szabo Quintet and Dave Parlato of Frank Zappa's "Sleep Dirt" LP. This enhanced CD also includes a video from 1973 of Peltier, Sill, and others performing in a television studio.

Ep. 93: Taste The Biscuit Revisited w/Toasters (Estelle Piper) and Moose (Tom Shaw)

Tom Shaw (Moose)

San Francisco-based wedding & event pianist, cabaret performer, singer-songwriter, actor, and more..

Ep. 92: Drew Powell (Actor/Musician)

From the moment Drew Powell was born, he was drawing attention. The actor, who went on to play a young Hoss Cartwright in the television series “The Ponderosa,” started life as a real Hoss: he set a record at the Indiana hospital in which he was born, weighing in at more than 11 lbs.
Drew grew up in Lebanon, Indiana, outside of Indianapolis. He graduated from DePauw University, where he majored in English Literature and was a Media Fellow, an honors program in media studies. He was active in the theatre department, and wrote and performed in campus television shows and student films.
After graduation, Drew moved to Los Angeles. His first television appearance was a small co-starring role in the hit television series "Malcolm in the Middle." So impressed were the producers of the show that they wrote the role into episode after episode and even named the character after him: “Cadet Drew.” He appeared on many episodes of the show over two seasons.
Next up for Drew was the prequel to "Bonanza" called "The Ponderosa” on which he played Hoss Cartwright. The twenty episodes produced continue to air on cable. Shooting in rural Australia, Drew met and fell in love with Veronica, now his wife, who was a make-up artist on the show.
Drew’s first starring role in a major feature film is in the remake of the 1971 film “Straw Dogs,” directed by Rod Lurie and due for release in late 2010/early ‘11. Other feature film appearances include “Starship Troopers 2,” “The Marine,” “Mexican Sunrise” and “1408” with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Drew has guest starred on numerous television series including “House,” “Leverage,” “Psych,” “ER,” “The Office,” “CSI,” “Cold Case,” “Without a Trace,” “Monk," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Southland."
Playing the role of Bear, Drew starred alongside Paul Reubens in the 2010 stage revival of “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The show was a huge hit and is planning a Broadway run in fall of 2010. In the show Drew gets to perform his lifelong passions of singing and dancing. In "Skirts and Flirts," a monologue show at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles and the Kraine Theater in New York, Drew received rave reviews for his portrayal of Paul, a lonely guitar-playing troubadour, performing original songs inspired by a recent heartbreak. He performed in a version of the show at the 2009 South Beach Comedy Festival, sponsored by Comedy Central, in Miami.
Drew lives with his wife Veronica, son Leo and dog Elsie in Los Angeles. He is a legal resident of Australia and England. (2012)

Ep. 91: Pat Thomas (Counterculture Historian/ Archival Music Producer)

Pat Thomas is a counterculture historian and archival music producer (and liner-note writer) whose expertise and interests have helped him author such books as Listen, Whitey! The Sights & Sounds of Black Power 1965–1975 and Did It! Jerry Rubin: An American Revolutionary. He has  co-curated Invitation to Openness: The Jazz & Soul Photography of Les McCann 1960-1980, co-edited My Week Beats Your Year: Encounters with Lou Reed, an anthology of interviews about the iconic musician, and contributed to The (Original) Adventures of Ford Fairlane: The Long Lost Rock n’ Roll Detective and Kerouac on Record: A Literary Soundtrack. Thomas was a consultant on the PBS documentary The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution and compiled the 3-CD box set The Last Word on First Blues for the Allen Ginsberg Estate (1970s recordings of Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, and Arthur Russell), and the 2-CD set Songs of Innocence and Experience of Ginsberg’s 1969 recordings (with Don Cherry and Elvin Jones) putting William Blake poems to music with vocals by Allen.

Pat Thomas has worked with a range of musicians including Les McCann, Gene McDaniels, Black Panther Elaine Brown, the Watts Prophets, and members of the Last Poets. Other projects include organizing the first-ever American release of Public Image Limited’s debut album (with rare bonus material), Roky Erickson’s 1970s & 80s solo albums, and previously unreleased recordings from Tim Buckley, Judee Sill, The Dream Syndicate, and Herbie Mann with Sonny Sharrock. He was a co-music supervisor/co-producer for the new Judee Sill documentary, Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill.

In addition to Material Wealth, he is also working on a book about comedian/TV personality Ernie Kovacs.

Ep. 90: LOST ANGEL: The Genius Of Judee Sill w/Filmmakers Andy Brown and Brian Lindstrom

LOST ANGEL: THE GENIUS OF JUDEE SILL

In Theaters and On Amazon & Apple TV on April 12

Directed by: Andy Brown and Brian Lindstrom

Produced by: Peter Kenney (Joes' Violin) and Brian Lindstrom

Executive Produced by: Actor/Musician Maya Hawke, Best-selling author Cheryl Strayed, Peter Kenney and Dan Braun

 Featuring: David Geffen, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, JD Souther,  Shawn Colvin, W eyes Blood, Big Thief, Fleet Foxes and many more.

LOST ANGEL: THE GENIUS OF JUDEE SILL will be released theatrically in New York (IFC Center), Los Angeles (Laemmle Noho), Portland (Cinema 21) and key cities on April 12 with a VOD release on all major platforms in the US and Canada.

The never-before-told story of folk-rock icon Judee Sill, who in just two years went from living in a car to appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone. The documentary charts her troubled adolescence through her meteoric rise in the music world and early tragic death. Featuring Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Fleet Foxes, David Geffen, JD Souther, Big Thief, Weyes Blood, Tim Page and more. Executive Producers include Maya Hawke and Cheryl Strayed.

Running Time: 91 minutes / Language: English / Not Rated / Documentary Feature (USA)

Ep. 89: Michael Weinstein (Photographer) Rock and Roll Portraits 

Michael Weinstein’s career began in 1978, after graduating from the University of Michigan with an English degree. During that time, Michael worked as a printer at the Ross-Ehlert Photo Lab (one of Chicago’s most well known) in the black and white film department. Simultaneously, the music scene in Chicago was bursting at the seams. New and exciting acts, including Rock and Roll, Blues and Punk as well as more established musicians were playing in a wider assortment of venues. It was an extremely exciting time, and a rare opportunity to be documenting all of the musical acts that were in Chicago. 

Weinstein spent his days at Ross-Ehlert printing for work, and most nights he would photograph shows and venues all over the Chicago area. On weekends, Michael would develop his film at a place known as The Darkroom - a communal darkroom dedicated to working with both amateurs and professionals. It was an inspirational home base for Weinstein as a young photographer, and a primary influence on his whole career. In the basement of The Darkroom was the office of  Photo Reserve, an agency that specialized in Rock and Roll photography and covered most of the musical venues in and out of the city. Photo Reserve provided Weinstein with access to almost every musical event in the city. As a result, Michael’s Rock and Roll photos appeared in local Chicago publications, as well as most of the major national music magazines including Rolling Stone.

Michael has had the good fortune to photograph full-time ever since. He has photographed portraits for practically every national magazine and has photographed fashion for numerous retailers. For the last 25 years, Weinstein grew his namesake MW Studio, into one of NYC’s top boutique Real Estate and architectural photography studios. 

After spending the past few years archiving all of his music photography from the special period of the late 70s and early 80s, Weinstein premiers this treasure trove of photos featuring some of Rock and Roll’s biggest stars. This collection  - sitting in storage for over 40 years, represents an opening into the past,  and has the quality of a time capsule. Michael wants people to be able to look at a single photo and tap into the emotional and visceral experience of being there. Michael is thrilled to share these images- when Rock and Roll was Rock and Roll! 

Ep. 88: Julia Gorton (Photographer - No Wave scene 1976-1980 and beyond)

JULIA GORTON STARTED HER CAREER AS THE PHOTOGRAPHER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR + PUBLISHER OF THE NO WAVE FANZINE BEAT IT!,  WHICH OFFERED AN INSIDERS VIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN NEW YORK MUSIC SCENE, 1976-1980. 

HER HIGH CONTRAST PHOTOS COMBINED WITH GRAPHIC PATTERNS, DIY LETTERING AND RANDOM COLLAGED ELEMENTS CAPTURED A FLEETING TIME WITH UNIQUE STYLE WHICH SHE CONTINUES TO EXPLORE THROUGH HER PHOTO COLLAGES, T-SHIRTS AND ZINES. GORTON'S PHOTOS OF MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN SEEN IN NY ROCKER, NO MAGAZINE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, VICE/GARAGE, DAZED, I-D AND ON RECORD JACKETS FOR INDEPENDENT LABELS INCLUDING ORK RECORDS, LUST/UNLUST AND ZE RECORDS.

HER PHOTOGRAPHY WAS PROMINENTLY FEATURED IN NO WAVE: POST-PUNK. UNDERGROUND. NEW YORK. 1976-1980 BY THURSTON MOORE AND BYRON COLEY, UNTYPICAL GIRLS BY SAM KNEE AND WHO SHOT ROCK AND ROLL: A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY, 1955-PRESENT BY GAIL BUCKLAND. NOWHERE NEW YORK IS HER FIRST PHOTOBOOK.

HER WORK HAS BEEN SEEN AT KATA GALLERY IN TOKYO, DOOMED GALLERY IN LONDON, THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY, THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM, MOMA, MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN + THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK CITY. 

b. 1958, Wilmington, Delaware

BFA 1980, Parsons School of Design 

Ep. 87: Andy Sweet Photo Archive (Ed Christin)

Andrew John Sweet was a young photographer living and working in Miami Beach in the late 1970s. His life and his art were cut tragically short when he was murdered on October 16, 1982. Andy left an extensive body of work that exhibits a level of creative maturity far beyond his years. His photographs are a testimony to a rich but often overlooked period of Miami Beach’s cultural heritage.

Andy Sweet returned home to Miami Beach after receiving a Masters degree in Fine Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1977, to photograph the old world Jewish culture that then distinguished South Beach. While in graduate school, Andy was part of a small faction of young artist-photographers who were discovering the creative possibilities of color imagery. His beach-ball hues perfectly described the vivid light and lively culture he explored and portrayed, a culture that many others found bleak and pedestrian.

Andy’s aesthetic was as fresh as his colors. He rejected formalist theory and idea-driven imagery in favor of immediate and unmediated responses, of living it up and aligning himself with the people he knew he was privileged to photograph. Andy admired the work of Diane Arbus, and like her he rejected the notion of self-conscious art making. The pure and spirited photograph was what mattered. He knew he was an artist but his aesthetic, his intellect, and his ego required that he conceal this fact in service of achieving the caliber of photograph he desired. Intuitive, but certain, each click of his camera’s shutter release was an affirmation.

He photographed in this way until his death in 1982. He was only 29 years old. Citizens of the City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County were shocked and horrified by Andy’s senseless murder. This native son, affable and fun-loving, who, having entered his artistic prime and was becoming well known for establishing an important visual legacy, was abruptly gone. While mourners overflowed from the sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El, The Miami Herald was preparing a tribute about Andy Sweet; it was the cover story in Tropic magazine, its Sunday supplement. Family and friends sat shiva while the police searched for his killers. Time passed, but the Sweet family and their friends kept an emotional vigil. Andy’s photographs, in boxes containing hundreds of large colorful prints, became their focal point. His archive would represent his richly-lived short life. However, if there was any glory in their undertakings, there would be much more anguish.

Ep. 86: Eric Bresler (PhilaMOCA Venue Manager/Booking)

Upstate New York native Eric Bresler runs all aspects of Philly's award-winning art space the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art (PhilaMOCA).  Since moving to Philadelphia in 1997, he has lived in West Philly punk houses, managed a TLA Video store, and programmed films in dozens of locations throughout the city.  He is married with a four-year-old daughter and nine-year-old corgi.

About PhilaMOCA

Housed in the historic Finney & Son building, a former showroom for mausoleums that dates back to 1865, The Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art (PhilaMOCA) is a multipurpose art space that proudly showcases the best in underground, alternative, and DIY culture with a concentration on film and performance. PhilaMOCA hosts 300+ events a year ranging from film premieres to art exhibitions to fashion showcases.

Accessibility

There are two six-inch steps leading into the building. A wheelchair ramp is readily available by request.

History (as we know it)

Ep. 85: Pamela Renee Smith (Musician/Archivist)

Pamela Renee Smith was born and raised in West Philadelphia on May 6, 1960. Gospel music had been her first passion, followed by her talent for singing the Blues. Singing with the Triumph Baptist Church Choir under the

direction of Rudie Yule and Darlene Davis of the Davis Family, and being a former member of the Martin Luther

King Choir, the State Baptist Convention Choir, the All-City Choir, The Dr. Charles Walker Project at the Academy of

Music, and performing at the Miriam Theatre, Pamela’s passion for music was further ignited. Pamela’s professional beginnings as a champion for live music can be traced to her job as a material coordinator at Hahnemann hospital from 1976-2013. Pamela brought music and Black History Month celebration to that corporate world in the late 1990’s. This was accomplished by having lunch time music, and Black History Month yearly celebrations for the workers and students. Pamela is an independent freelance Blues and R&B singer who believe in giving honor to those who have paved the way for others. Pamela does this by facilitating Black History Month awards, Dr. Martin Luther King awards, Women’s History Month awards, as well a Music Month and Unsung Musicians awards.

Pamela has received many awards and honors for her philanthropic work with musicians and the community. She also has a podcast called The Pamela Renee Smith Daily Show on Spotify. Her skill as a former DJ inspired her to create the Sound of Philadelphia Legends page on Facebook. As a result, Pamela has given awards to many top entertainers such as Dexter Wansel, The Legendary Bluenotes, Stylistics Review, Norman Connors, The Ebony’s, The Sweethearts of Sigma Sound, The Blend, Double Exposure, playwrights Rick Watson and Angela Burton and many others including Shirley Lites, Ali Hackett, Paula Moore, Douglas Payne and Queen Carrie Brown.

Although disabilities have interrupted some of her own ability to travel, Pamela has worn many hats over the years, while serving her community. That included counseling persons with drug addictions. However, she is still a fierce activist, and a strong advocate for universal healthcare. Pamela has been the hostess of the successful Grand Slam Jam Wednesday night open mic at the Crab Tavern for over 5 years. Now in 2021, Pamela is the promoter, producer and facilitator of Pamela Renee Smith Keeping Live Entertainment Live, which features the Gospel, Jazz, Blues, and R&B singing styles that Pamela Renee has been delighting audiences with since the 70’s.

Ep. 84: Daryle Lamont Jenkins (Activist/Archivist)

Daryle Lamont Jenkins is the founder and executive director of One People’s Project (OPP), a Philadelphia-based anti-hate organization that researches, monitors, and reports on right wing groups and individuals that seek to polarize communities.

Ep.83: Ruthann Friedman (Musician) Songwriter of "Windy" (trigger warning suicide)

Ruthann Friedman is one of the most captivating singer-songwriters of the 60s California scene. Yet you’ve probably never heard of her.
If you have, it’s most likely because you know she penned The Association’s irresistible pop smash, “Windy.” But Friedman created many more extraordinary songs, crossed genre lines, and ended up being ignored by the mainstream.
In an era of hippie idealism and wonderment, Friedman hung out with Janis, The Dead, Donovan, Ken Kesey, Van Dyke Parks and Hoyt Axton. She crashed at David Crosby’s pad. And just prior to Grace Slick’s grand entrance, almost landed the lead vocalist role with Jefferson Airplane.
In 1967, with “Windy,” Friedman became just the third female songwriter to reach the number one position on the charts. She wrote and sang songs in the cult flick “Peace Killers.”
Her 1969 solo album, the impressive “Constant Companion” (on Warner Reprise) should have elevated her to Laura Nyro-like status. But it quickly disappeared. Friedman was soon focusing on raising a family.
In 2006, the Water label reissued “Constant Companion,” spearheading a rediscovery of Friedman’s work. Water followed up with a collection of rare tracks, “A Hurried Life,” comprised of home and studio recordings, circa 1965-71. The U.K. label Now Sounds has since released an expanded version of “Constant Companion,” as well as another compilation, “Windy: A Ruthann Friedman Songbook.”
Friedman has returned with her first new album in 40 years, the strikingly beautiful “Chinatown” (Wolfgang Records). Van Dyke Parks guests on piano and accordion. Friedman’s writing proves to be honest, insightful and consistently surprising. Her songs are melodically intriguing and entrancing; lyrically profound and thought-provoking. The material is deeply personal and often reflects the fact that Friedman has never abandoned her social/political conscience. 

Ep. 82: Paul Williams Live Zoom co-hosted by Perry Shall, Stephen Bluhm, Tillie Lams, and Suki Jones

About Paul

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected music creators in the world today; a lyricist and composer who has won an Oscar Award, three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, an Ivor Novello International Award and earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Williams’ timeless classics range from “We’ve Only Just Begun”, “You and Me Against the World” and “The Rainbow Connection” to “Touch” and “Beyond” on Daft Punk’s chart-topping Album of the Year, Random Access Memories on which he also performed, receiving a Grammy as Featured Artist.  As President and Chairman of the Board of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), he is also a leading spokesman for music creators in the digital age.

Ep. 80: Conor Tague (Tommy) How to Dance in Ohio Broadway Musical

My name is Conor Tague. I am an actor / singer and former student of the Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre at New York Film Academy. I am also a person on the autism spectrum, diagnosed at a young age; however, this does not inhibit me in any way... It actually encourages me to work harder doing the thing that I love. I pick things up very quickly, I retain information, and I'm not afraid to commit fully to any character or circumstance. I have also been part of an original musical that has been in workshops and had a World Premiere at Syracuse Stage titled How To Dance In Ohio, based on the award winning documentary of the same name by Alexandra Shiva, where I originated the role of Tommy and will be reprising my role on Broadway this fall at the Belasco Theatre. 

Some things I enjoy doing are puppetry, impressions/character voices, I also create memes to post on my Instagram and TikTok, and I can quote a multitude of movies... just off the top of my head. Hope we get to work together soon! :)

Ep. 79: Nate Wyckoff (film critic/comedian) of Cult and Classic Films Podcast in Conversation with Rich Wexler (Vintage Annals Archive)

CULT AND CLASSIC FILMS is a genre film PODCAST and the only FILM DISTRIBUTOR dedicated to ultra-low budget films that offers guaranteed income-per-sale to filmmakers for their movies, and provides customers with unique, collectible, and entertaining film releases they won’t get anywhere else.

CULT AND CLASSIC FILMS PODCAST a weekly film podcast hosted by film Critic and Comedian Nate Wyckoff where two films—one mainstream and one cult—will be discussed side-by-side by our panel of critics. Catch new episodes every Tuesday!

Ep. 78: Gregg Turkington & Erik Paparozzi (Seasonal Depression Suite Album 2023/Drag City Inc.)

*Buy this album

Ep. 74: Nicole D'Angelo (Access Team/Assistant Music Director/Script Consultant) How to Dance in Ohio Broadway Musical

Nicole D'Angelo (they/she) is a music director, actor, and multi-instrumentalist in the NJ/NYC area. A recovering classical musician, they majored in piano and bass clarinet at Montclair State University before pursuing musical theater full time. Nicole recently made their Broadway debut as assistant music director and script consultant for the new musical How to Dance in Ohio. Other favorite credits include Fun Home (MD, Stageworks 237), The Civility of Albert Cashier (MD, Trans Entertainment Guild), and Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey, EPIC Players). Nicole is proudly Autistic and a passionate advocate for authentic representation and equitable hiring of disabled performers on stage and screen. Ask them for pics of their cats Whizzer and Hope! IG/TikTok: @nicole.m.dangelo

About our How to Dance in Ohio Podcast

Building Moo-Mentum is a very, very unofficial podcast about the Broadway Musical "How to Dance in Ohio". Each interview is a researched conversation (30 min. to hour in length) with host Richard Wexler with those that are involved with the production from cast, crew, and more. 

Ep. 72: Amelia Fei (Caroline) in How to Dance in Ohio Broadway Musical

Amelia (Yi-Hsuan) Fei is a performer from Taiwan. It’s been a dream come true to get to tell this beautiful story since 2021. And now, she is making her Broadway debut with the most loving people! Some previous credits include Avenue Q and The King and I. Endless love to her parents and her Ohio family.

Amelia (奕瑄 Yi-Hsuan) 費Fei is a performer from Taiwan living in New York City, and sometimes, Texarkana, Texas. Being a former literature major, she loves learning while creating each character's backstory. Now, she is thrilled to portray these characters and share their stories with the world. When she is not performing, she enjoys kickboxing and making cool dice for her fellow D&D friends. Amelia is also a voice-over artist who narrates audio-books across all genres. 

Ep. 71: Sammi Cannold (Director of How to Dance in Ohio)

Sammi Cannold is a theater, film, and television director who is one of Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment, one of Variety's 10 Broadway Stars to Watch, and one of Town & Country's Creative Aristocracy. She recently made her Broadway debut as director of How to Dance in Ohio at the Belasco Theater. Sammi has directed at some of the world's most prestigious venues, including The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, and Lincoln Center as well as for the National Symphony Orchestra, CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, Paramount+, Cirque du Soleil, and TikTok. Recent theater credits include Evita (American Repertory Theater, New York City Center -- Critic's Pick), Rent in Concert (The Kennedy Center), Sunset Boulevard (The Kennedy Center), Carmen (Rose Hall, Lincoln Center -- NYT Critic's Pick), Celine Song’s Endlings (New York Theatre Workshop, A.R.T.), Ragtime on Ellis Island, and Violet on a moving bus (A.R.T.). In the television space, Sammi has served as Director of Curtain Up!, live on ABC, and served as Creative Consultant on the 2021 Tony Awards, live on Paramount+ and CBS. Sammi’s first documentary feature film premiered at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre and was released worldwide on AppleTV. Sammi has also served as an Artistic Fellow at the A.R.T., a member of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Cognoscenti, and a Sundance Institute Fellow. Sammi holds a B. A. from Stanford University and an M.A. from Harvard University. 

Ep. 70: Taylor Mac and Earl Dax in Conversation (to promote Bark of Millions)

Bark of Millions

Lyrics and direction by Taylor Mac

Music and musical direction by Matt Ray

A powerhouse collective of international artists ignite an electrifying collision of performance, live music, and drag spectacle in the latest from theater-making renegades Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, and Machine Dazzle. The team unleashes their creativity in a rock opera meditation on queerness, featuring 55 original songs by Mac and Ray and a bevy of costumes by Dazzle. With the fierce elation of a pride parade, Bark of Millions is a luxuriant, provocative spectacle unlike any other.

Feb 5th - 10th NYC

Ep. 69: Mink Stole/Peaches Christ Idol Worship Tour Promo Podcast (2-10 to 2-20) w/special podcast guest Michael Varrati

TOUR INFO

Get ready for an intimate, revelatory, and heartfelt cabaret show starring living legend and cult Wilm icon Mink Stole alongside San Francisco's own drag impresario, Wilmmaker Peaches Christ.

Join them for an evening of storytelling, Wilm clips, and live song in the wildly entertaining and uncensored exposé IDOL WORSHIP, which is guaranteed to be as hilarious as it is revealing. If you're a

fan of John Waters, Divine, drag history, or cult movies, you will rue (no, not that one) missing this one-of-a-kind event.

Mink and Peaches have been close friends for over two decades, starting when Peaches invited Mink to be a special guest at her legendary Midnight Mass tribute to the Waters epic DESPERATE LIVING in 2001. Since then, Mink has appeared in several Peaches productions, including an unforgettable role opposite star Natasha Lyonne in Peaches’ writing/directing feature Wilm debut (as Joshua Grannell), ALL ABOUT EVIL.

Ticket Info

Ep. 66: Awful Library Books Archive

Welcome to the Awful Library Books archive! Your librarians for this site are Mary and Holly. We started this blog back in 2009 to highlight issues in collection development.

We decided to retire the website in summer of 2023. We want to thank everyone for your support of our site. This site is an edited archive of the original site. We have closed comments and this will just be a static archive. 

For any new library folks dropping by, please understand that collection management should be tailored to the wants and needs of your service community. Different kinds of libraries will have different objectives. Do not use our posts as any kind of standard for your library.

Ep 65: The Little Gate-Crasher Book by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer (About Mace Bugen)

Ep. 64: John Kilduff (Let's Paint TV)

John Kilduff is an artist living and working in Los Angeles. In 1987, he received his BFA in Fine Art (Painting) from Otis/Parsons School of Art and Design in Los Angeles and in 2008, he received his MFA in Fine Art (Painting) from UCLA.

Let's Paint TV is an American television show hosted by artist John Kilduff.

Ep. 63: Isis Aquarian (The Source Family)

Biography

-Author Isis Aquarian (Charlene Peters) was the Source Family’s designated documentarian. As one of Father Yod’s 14 wives, she photographed and filmed Father and the Source Family, recorded audio, maintained scrapbooks, and helped manage the Family business. Since the release of The Source Family documentary and her award-winning memoir, The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13, and The Source Family, she has produced a record “Isis: The Crone” (distributed through Drag City), supervised the release of other Source Family music through Drag City, created a Source Family comic book and her own tee shirt line. She has written for and appeared in Flaunt Magazine. She is co-founder and Vice-President of the Source Foundation, and was the associate producer of The Source Family documentary. She has spoken at the International Intentional Communal Conference Association. Isis currently resides in Kailua, Hawaii and is 80 years old. She has a daughter, Saturna, and a granddaughter.

Ep. 62: Patrick D. Pagnano Legacy (Photographer) w/ Brian Greenenwald (Pat's nephew)

We talk to Pat's nephew Brian Greenenwald about his Uncle Pat's work, about Pat's life, and the process of him taking on being the keeper of Pat's work and legacy.

PATRICK D. PAGNANO

Patrick D. Pagnano was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947. As a second generation Italian-American grounded in a devotion to family, honor, and personal responsibility imparted by the Catholic Church and his working class parents, Pagnano maintained a lifelong allegiance with underprivileged communities, recognizing that despite their differences and ethnic backgrounds, they shared a common struggle. Pagnano graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago in 1972, where he majored in photography. After a brief visit to New York with a fellow Columbia classmate, he fell in love with the city’s chaotic, freewheeling energy and knew this was where he had to be in order to pursue his dream of becoming a professional photojournalist. He and his wife Kari moved to NYC in 1974. Over his five-decade career, Pagnano achieved success as a photojournalist and commercial photographer, securing freelance assignments from clients such as Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, and Business Week. Pagnano also had a 20-year relationship with CBS and worked on programs including 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, Late Night with David Letterman, Kennedy Center Honors, Country Music Awards and the Grammys. His most treasured journalistic coverage was of Fidel Castro in 1996, traveling to Cuba with Dan Rather for 48 Hours.

Armed with his ever-present Leica, freelancing provided Pagnano with the time and flexibility to pursue his own passion – the art of street photography. Recognizing the ways in which streets are among the most egalitarian spaces in public life, Pagnano was drawn to scenes that revealed the way environment played a profound role in shaping people’s behavior. Here, people of all

backgrounds converge, creating extraordinary moments of random chaos. In 2002 Pagnano self-published Shot on the Street, a culmination of his color street photography that captures the tension and fleeting juxtapositions of the urban landscape. The title refers to both the act of street photography and the

psychological effects of the street. “It can excite, anger, defeat and inspire. The street’s influence and energy never ceases,” Pagnano observed. Pagnano’s second book, Empire Roller Disco (Anthology, 2022), captures one special night in 1980 at Brooklyn’s legendary roller rink, when the photographer and skaters were perfectly in sync. “I’ve never really thought of myself as an artist,” Patrick wrote in his notebooks. “I feel like I’m just a citizen of the world and should conduct myself responsibly and not isolate myself from reality— photography is just what I do.”

Pagnano’s photographs are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, Art Institute of Chicago, and Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.

He died in New York City in 2018. Patrick D. Pagnano was a man of intuition, feeling, and generosity, someone the world cannot easily replace.

Ep. 61: Dan Low of Long Lost Personals Instagram

Dan lives in Chicago, collects weird stuff including vintage personal ads and can be found rummaging through estate sales on the weekends, or sipping prohibition era whiskey.

Follow his amazing page here

Ep. 60: The Black Version featuring Jordan Black (Creator) and Karen Maruyama (Director)

The Black Version is a completely improvised show that started at the Groundings Theatre in Los Angeles in 2010 to sold out crowds and great reviews. Rolling Stone magazine calls the show “Hot” and the cast a “Comedic A-Team”. LA Weekly says the show is “Red Hot” and “Scores more than its share of belly laughs” while the LA Times calls the show “A Winner”.

The all African American cast of regulars includes show creator Jordan Black along with other comedy veterans Cedric Yarbrough, Gary Anthony Williams, Daniele Gaither, Phil Lamar, and Nyima Funk all under the direction of Karen Maruyama. Special guest performers include Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele of Key & Peele (former original cast members), Wayne Brady, Maya Rudolph, Tiffany Hadish, Niecey Nash, Jerry Minor, Angela V. Shelton, Misty Monroe, and others who come and perform in the show from time to time.

This talented cast has vast film and television credits ranging from Mad TV and Saturday Night Live, to The Boondocks and Reno 911. The show begins when the director asks the audience to suggest a popular film title and then the cast, right there on the copy, improvise the “Black Version” of that film. The show regularly performs at the Groundlings Theater and the Largo at the Coronet.

Ep. 59: "And The Category Is... Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Culture" w/ Author Ricky Tucker in Conversation with Icon Ebony Fierce

And the Category Is.: Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community Hardcover

A love letter to the legendary Black and Latinx LGBTQ underground subculture, uncovering its abundant legacy and influence in popular culture.

What is Ballroom? Not a song, a documentary, a catchphrase, a TV show, or an individual pop star. It is an underground subculture founded over a century ago by LGBTQ African American and Latino men and women of Harlem. Arts-based and intersectional, it transcends identity, acting as a fearless response to the sis-tem-ic marginalization of minority populations.

Ricky Tucker pulls from his years as a close friend of the community to reveal the complex cultural makeup and ongoing relevance of house and Ballroom, a space where trans lives are respected and applauded, and queer youth are able to find family and acceptance. With each chapter framed as a “category” (Vogue, Realness, Body, et al.), And the Category Is . . . offers an impressionistic point of entry into this subculture, its deeply integrated history, and how it’s been appropriated for mainstream audiences.

Ricky Tucker is a writer, an educator, and a culture critic based in NYC. His work explores the imprints of art and memory on narrative, and the absurdity of most fleeting moments. He has written for the Paris Review, Tenth Magazine, Literary Hub, and Public Seminar, among others, and has performed for reading series including the Moth Grand SLAM, Sister Spit, Born: Free, and Spark London.

Ep. 58: Dan Fishback

* This was recorded many months before the Oct/ 7th Attacks

(Singer-Songwriter/Playwright/Activist)

Ep. 55: Anna Biller (Filmmaker/Author/Artist) Bluebeard's Castle New Novel

It was such a pleasure to talk to Anna Biller. I became a fan of her film "Viva" after seeing it in the festival circuit around 2007. I also fell in love with "The Love Witch". The fact that she did most of the costumes and sets and such also just elevated any fandom I already had. Not to mention shooting on film. She has such an amazing artistic and filmmaking vision and her work is just beautiful. She is such a great match for our page and content. I have reached out a few times and got lucky to finnaly get her when she was putting out her novel "Bluebeard's Castle". I got very lucky to get to talk to her about this amazing Jane Eyre inspired gothic love story. I am joined by Otter Castro who is our editor and producer and hit it out of the park as a co-host. Get her book! And watch all of her films.

About the Book

Bluebeard gets a feminist Gothic makeover in this subversive take on the famous French fairy tale — from the acclaimed director of The Love Witch, and for fans of Jane Eyre

When the successful British mystery writer Judith Moore meets Gavin, a handsome and charming baron, at a birthday party on the Cornish coast, his love transforms her from a bitter, lonely young woman into a romance heroine overnight. After a whirlwind honeymoon in Paris, he whisks her away to a secluded Gothic castle. But soon she finds herself trapped in a nightmare, as her husband’s mysterious nature and his alternation between charm and violence become increasingly frightening. 

As Judith battles both internal and external demons, including sexual ambivalence, psychological self-torture, gaslighting, family neglect, alcoholism, and domestic abuse, she becomes increasingly addicted to her wild beast of a husband. Why do women stay in abusive relationships? The answer can be found in the tortured mind of the protagonist, whose richly layered fantasy life parallels that of the female Gothic romance reader. Filled with dark humor and evocative imagery, Bluebeard’s Castleis a subversive take on modern romance and Gothic erotica.

Ep. 54: Illeana Douglas (Actress/Author) Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia Book

It was such a treat and honor to talk to Illeana Douglas about her new book" Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia Book". I don't know of many people who have the wealth of knowledge about film, and also have the ability to write about it such an accessible and organic way. It's an amazing read and reads like a part guided tour, part documentary, and film. Its only $32 dollars and well worth it. It's also a beautiful large coffee table book and includes something for everyone. This was such a pleasure to speak to such a passionate, knowledgable, intelligent, and down to earth person. I implore you to buy the book! and then get her book "I Blame Dennis Hopper" as the books feel like they belong together.

About Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia Book

- Illeana Douglas has long been known for shining new light on forgotten films. Now the celebrated actress and film historian turns her focus to a heretofore unrecognized brand: the Connecticut movie! Told from the passionate perspective of the author who grew up here, and filled with behind-the-scenes stories as well as her own personal snapshots of the places where these films were made, Illeana takes the reader on a cinematic road trip through Hollywood history and Connecticut geography, bringing the breezy, intimate, knowledgeable writing style acclaimed by reviewers of her first book, I Blame Dennis Hopper (2015). 

Illeana defines how the perception of on-screen Connecticut, originally created in Hollywood, has shifted more than that of any other New England state over the decade and offers some surprising conclusions about just what it means to be a “Connecticut movie. ”Films from Hollywood’s Golden Age, such as Theodora Goes Wild, Bringing Up Baby, and Christmas in Connecticut, presented Connecticut as an antidote to the metropolis—a place where you could find your true self. The slogan “Come to Peaceful Connecticut” not only led to Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, but to an exodus of urban moviegoers seeking their dream houses. In post-war America, Gentleman’s Agreement challenged Connecticut’s well-cultivated image, as did the suburban malaise of The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, and contemporary takes on dark suburbia like The Swimmer, The Ice Storm, and Revolutionary Road. From Sherlock Holmes to Mystic Pizza to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; from horror in The Stepford Wives to historical in Amistad; picturesque in Parrish, to perverse in The Secret Life of An American Wife, the Constitution State has been the background for surprisingly over 200 feature films, yet these cinematic contributions have long gone unrecognized; until now. Connecticut in the Movies is not only a keepsake for denizens of the state, but a valuable resource for film buffs everywhere.

Ep. 53: Ashleeta Beauchamp (Burlesque/Magazine Publisher)

Ashleeta Beauchamp is a glamour ghoul intersectional feminist and smut peddler. Ashleeta is a burlesque dancer from Hollywood California. She is also the creator of Peek-A-BOO! Magazine. A playboy style horror magazine that features artful nudes of your favorite monsters alongside social conscious think pieces. You can find her on instagram @ashleeta to follow her various creations.“

Ep. 52: Gene Barretta (Illustrator)

*We mention his new book but this was recorded a year ago.

Biography (written from Gene's perspective)

Gene - I moved 27 times - lived in six states - graduated NYU film school - interned at MTV - made industrial training videos - videotaped surgery - played in a rock band - spent a day with Mr. Rogers - spent an evening with Jim Henson - drew storyboards for Muppets From Space - performed some background Muppets - designed some Muppet characters - animated five short films for Sesame Street - and spent an afternoon inside Abbey Road Studios . . . all in preparation for a career as a children’s book author and illustrator. At least that’s what I like to tell myself.

But I think the seed was really planted long before I knew what the word “career” meant. Every weekday I watched the great children’s TV host, Gene London, as he told (and performed) captivating stories, while images came to life on his drawing table. Fortunately, we became friends and I was able to thank him. Thank you, Gene! Thank you! Thank you!

I write and illustrate most of my books, although I also write for other illustrators and illustrate for other authors. I am thrilled to have several of my books included in school curriculum, and some translated into Spanish, Chinese, and Braille. I am also grateful to have won some awards and honors along the way. One of my biggest honors has been to speak about my work on stage at the 92nd Street Y in New York.