Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost welcomes former Congressman, political commentator and host of The Social Contract podcast, Joe Walsh joins the Ghost to talk the madness of the Trump administration and the cult of MAGA.
Just this past week, Walsh made a surprising decision to register as a Democrat. His move from Tea Party firebrand in 2010 to now is important. We need more conservatives to break with the Trump Republican Party.
#Resist #ImpeachTrump
Links:
The Social Contract with Joe Walsh - https://socialcontractwithjoewalsh.substack.com/
Joe Walsh on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/walshfreedom.bsky.social
Joe Walsh apologizes for Tea Party past - https://www.pbs.org/video/joe-walsh-apologizes-past-and-attacks-trump-bspjgo/
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost welcomes musician Gary Lightbody of UK rock band Snow Patrol. Lightbody discusses the band's history and their latest album, The Forest is the Path. Snow Patrol is currently on tour in the UK, with European dates this summer as well.Links:Snow Patrol
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost welcomes cinematographer Juanmi Azpiroz (Shadow Force - in theaters now).
Azpiroz discusses his role as cinematographer, how he got his start, his multi-film collaboration with Shadow Force's co-writer/director Joe Carnahan (Wheelman, Point Blank, Boss Level, El Chicano, and Copshop), his and Carnahan's shared love of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and he teases the pair's upcoming films RIP (starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Steven Yuen due out later this year on Netflix, and Not Without Hope starring Zachary Levi and Josh Duhamel - no release date just yet).
Shadow Force from Lionsgate is now in theaters.
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Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost welcomes Michelin-starred chef Christian Hunter (Chicago's Atelier).
Hunter, who has also been a James Beard finalist, joined me back in September of last year to discuss the future of Atelier (currently crowd-funding for a larger space with more foot traffic). Hunter has essentially left Atelier in the hands of Bradyn Kawcak, who was Executive Sous Chef before handed the reins as Executive Chef, but is still credited on the restaurant's website as "Founder Emritus."
During the interview, Hunter describes his humble beginnings, his time in Kentucky, coming to Chicago to open Atelier, how and why he walks around Chicago so much and discusses La Verne’s, a project intended to be more casual than Atelier that, sadly, is on hold for the time being.
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Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost welcomes back author/political strategist Rick Wilson (The Lincoln Project, as well as being one of the strongest anti-Trump voices for years) to discuss the chaos and insanity of the second Trump administration. With particular focus on Trump's capitulation to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Wilson details Trump's subservience to Putin, Marco Rubio selling his soul and more.
Wilson is, for my money, the one person who speaks full truth about what Trump, his cabinet of evil morons and the entire Republican party are doing to dissolve democracy and give away as much money as possible to people like the stupidest Bond villain ever, Elon Musk (as well as other billionaires/corporations), and trying to take away Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security from all of us.
We are in the most dangerous time in American history. Trump and his band of authoritarian lunatics need to be stopped. Not just for liberals, but for all Americans. He's lied to the people who voted for him and he has dictator visions. Call your congressional representatives and tell them to do their job - protect America, keep their oath to the constitution and work for ALL Americans.
Only we can stop him.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with musician Holly Minto of UK rock band Crawlers.
Minto, interviewed in the middle of a tour this past fall in support of Jane's Addiction and Love & Rockets (which fell apart the week of this conversation) discusses her excitement of touring the states, her reticence to jump into the pit these days, dealing with anxiety and more.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with actor Penelope Ann Miller about her role as Nancy Reagan in the film Reagan (which is in theaters now). Miller discusses working on the film, her research into Reagan, as well as touching on her work in The Freshman (with some funny stories about star Marlon Brando), Carlito's Way and The Relic. Reagan is in theaters now. Links: Penelope Ann Miller Reagan
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with actor/author/filmmaker Nick Searcy, who appears as James Burke (former Chief of Staff for President Ronald Reagan) in the film Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid as Reagan and Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan (check the shows for my interview with Miller). Searcy discusses his work in the film, his book Justify This: A Career Without Compromise, his time on the classic FX drama Justified as Chief Deputy Art Mullen, as well as his start in theater and his big break as the abusive husband in Fried Green Tomatoes. Reagan is in theaters now. Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with Michael Muser, director of operations and co-owner of Chicago's two Michelin-starred restaurant Ever.
Muser discusses his and Ever's executive chef/co-owner Curtis Duffy's relationship, which stretches back to their time at Avenues at The Peninsula, moving to Grace (both restaurants are no more, but were highly rated, Grace ended its run with three Michelin stars) and then opening Ever during the pandemic.
He also talks about how important service is to him and Duffy, the restaurant's feature placement on the hit FX series The Bear, and the things that are most important to him.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with filmmaker Jennifer Phang about the hit Disney original movie Descendants: The Rise of Red (currently on Disney+ and hitting The Disney Channel on August 08th). The Rise of Red is the highest rated original movie premiere on the streaming service.
Phang (pronounced Pong) discusses how she and her team worked to ensure that this fourth installment of the Descendants franchise would be a true crowd pleaser. She also talks about her career in independent film (Half-Life, Advantageous), TV work (The Boys, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), as well as the movies made by Asian filmmakers that inspired her to become a filmmaker.
Descendants: The Rise of Red is streaming now on Disney+ and coming to The Disney Channel on August 08th.
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Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with current James Beard nominee Jenner Tomaska chef and co-owner of Micheline starred restaurant Esme in Chicago.
Tomaska, who got his start working under notable chefs like Erick Williams, Dave Beran and Grant Achatz, opened Esme with his wife Katrina Bravo during the pandemic and has gone on to receive immense critical acclaim.
He discusses Esme's fusion of food and art (the restaurant collaborates with local artists to shape their menus), where he came from and how he got to where he is now.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with filmmaker Michael John Warren about his new Paramount+ docuseries Lolla: The Story of Lollpalooza which chronicles the creation and evolution of the music festival created by Perry Farrell.
Warren discusses his history of going to that first groundbreaking Lollapalooza, which included Jane's Addiction, Ice-T, Siouxsie & the Banshees and Nine Inch Nails. He also talks about the unique pleasure of interviewing artists he has revered for decades. Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza is airing now on Paramount+
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Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with Bear McCreary about his new concept album, graphic novel and future tour (with a preview performance at the Fonda Theatre on May 12th), The Singularity.
McCreary, who you may know for his scoring work on The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Foundation and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, started work on The Singularity all the way back when he was a teenager.
The Singularity features a wide variety of guests including Rufus Wainwright, Slash (Guns 'n Roses), Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Joe Satriani, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) as well as his brother Brendan McCreary on vocals across the album.
Actors Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy), Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead) and Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead, Black Panther) provide spoken word pieces as well.
McCreary also discusses how he was connected with the late, great composer Elmer Bernstein as a young musician just starting out and disucsses becoming Bernstein's protege.
The Singularity is out Friday, May 03rd digitally and on May 10th on CD & vinyl. The graphic novel is out via Image Comics on May 08th. See The Singularity performed live on May 12th at the Fonda Theatre (links for all below).
Links:
Bear McCreary Site
Purchase The Singularity on CD & vinyl
Purchase / Listen to The Singularity digitally
See Bear McCreary and guests perform The Singularity on May 12th at the Fonda Theatre
Purchase The Singularity graphic novel via Image Comics
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with filmmaker Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby) to discuss his new film,, The Greatest Hits, from Searchlight Pictures (now streaming on Hulu).
Benson talks about the making of the film, from the writing stage to filming during Covid and getting it released. He also takes time to discuss his work on Marvel's Black Widow and what his experience was.
The Greatest Hits is streaming now on Hulu.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with chef/restaurateur John Manion (El Che Steakhouse & Bar) about his newly opened restaurant Brasero in Chicago's West Town neighborhood.
Manion talks about how Brasero came to be and what diners can expect when visiting. The restaurant has strong ties to South American cuisine, cocktails and wines. Manion lived in South American as a child and has always had strong ties to the cuisine across his years as a chef.
Links:
Brasero - https://www.braserochicago.com/
El Che Steakhouse & Bar - https://www.elchechicago.com/
John Manion Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/juanmanjuan/
Brasero Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/braserochicago/?hl=en
El Che Steakhouse & Bar Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/elchechicago/
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with musician Shannon Larkin, drummer for the hard rock band Godsmack.
Larkin discusses the band's upcoming Vibez Tour, which is making a stop at the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, IN (in addition to many other venues) and how this tour is different from the band's last coast-to-coast trek through America. The band will be performing acoustically and lead singer Sully Erna will tell some stories about the band and the songs played.
Things take a bit of a political turn as Larkin and the Ghost discuss situations going on in the country. And, despite disagreeing on some issues, they prove that people can respectfully disagree on these issues.
Check out this interesting interview and look in the links section for how to find out more about Godsmack and their tour.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with James Beard award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer of Chicago restaurant Kindling.
Along with discussing Kindling, Chef Sawyer talks about his career cooking with such luminaries as Charlie Palmer and Michael Symon (even appearing along Iron Chef Symon on numerous episodes of Food Network's Iron Chef America). He also goes into the issues he had with substance abuse and maintaining his sobriety.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with musician Stella Rose about her album, Eyes of Glass (out now on KRO Records), her music career and just a little bit about growing up the daughter of Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan.
Links:
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with filmmaker Mel Eslyn about her new film Biosphere starring Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass, which is available in theaters and on video now.
Eslyn talks about working with Mark and Jay Duplass' production company, co-writing the film with Mark and working with both him and Brown in this unique film centering on possibly the last two men on Earth.
Links:
Biosphere - https://www.biosphere.movie/
Mel Eslyn - https://www.instagram.com/meleslyn/?hl=en
Welcome back to the Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Podcast. On this week's episode, the Ghost speaks with musician Peyton Bighorse of rock band Skating Polly about the band’s new album, Chaos County Line, out today, June 23rd, via El Camino Records.
Peyton talks about the new album, their tour (which stops in Chicago on June 24th at Beat Kitchen), the band’s move from Oklahoma to Tacoma, WA, as well as the multitude of luminaries that have sung the band’s praises since their inception (including Calvin Johnson, Exene Cervenka, Shirley Manson, Courtney Love and Viggo Mortensen).
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