Stereo Embers: The Podcast

“Shapes & Forms" There’s nothing Sandra Bernhard can’t do: she’s an actor, a singer, a comic, a radio host, an author and a pioneer of the one-woman show and the list goes on. I was going to say that in many ways, Sandra Bernhard is the Shohei Ohtani of entertainment, but that’s not totally accurate because she’s been around longer, so the right way to say it is Shoehei Ohtani is the Sandra Bernhard of baseball. The Michigan-born, Arizona-raised Sandra Bernhard is nothing short of a cosmic force. She’s been in over 40 movies like The King Of Comedy, Playing Mona Lisa and Zoolander and she’s been in over fifty television shows like The Richard Pryor Show, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Larry Sanders Show, Dr. Katz, Broad City, American Horror Story and the Sopranos. Her CV is packed with riches, so keep in mind this is just me sifting through the gold and it’s really a partial list because there’s so much. She’s performed on Broadway, appeared on Letterman almost 30 times, put out a handful of great albums, and wrote three amazing books, including the essay collection Love, Love and Love. She’s got a great run of shows on the West Coast as part of her Easy Listening tour, where she’ll play her favorite songs as a kid. Then, under the Shapes& Forms banner she’ll have a multi-night stand at Joe’s Pub in New York City at the end of the month. Along with her Sandyland Squad Band, Bernhard will play new material and old favorites. www.sandrabernhard.com (www.sandrabernhard.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) Stereo Embers IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Here And Now” Letters To Cleo may seemed to have suddenly shown up on the pop culture landscape in 1994, but the fact is, the Boston outfit had been grinding it out on the club since 1990. Their single “Here and Now” was an instant classic—a melodic dose of perfect pop stomp that showcased singer Hanley’s powerful vocal delivery. The band tore through the ‘90s, releasing three perfect albums (Aurora Gory Alice, Wholesale Meats And Fishes and Go), appeared as the house band in 10 Things I Hate About You, played SXSW, and playing with everyone from Cheap Trick to Neds Atomic Dustbin. Oh, and I almost forgot: In 1996, playing Mary Magladene, Hanley co-starred with Extreme’s Gary Cherone in the Boston Rock Opera’s performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. In the early 2000’s, Hanley was the singing voice for Rachel Leigh Cook in Josie and the Pussycats and though the band called it a day that same year, they did record 15 new and original songs for the Kids’ WB cartoon Generation O! That will become important in a second, but just to round out the corners here, Hanley toured as a back-up singer for Miley Cyrus’ Hannah Montana venture, put out a handful of great solo releases, sang the National Anthem at Gillette stadium for the Patriots and got to work on her new career, composing all-original songs for animated TV shows like Doc McStufins, DC Super Hero Girls, and Harvey Girls Forever, to name a few. How’s that career going? Well, in 2022 Hanley won an Emmy for songwriting on We The People. So I’d say, not too shabby. On that front, she and her writing partners Michelle Lewis, Dan Petty and Charlton Pettus created Disney Jr.’s Kindergarten: The Musical and Hanley is also co-executive director of Songwriters of North America (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songwriters_of_North_America), an LA-based non-profit which advocates for fair pay and other rights for songwriters. As for Letters to Cleo? Well, the band may no longer be a full-time concern, but they pop up here and there to play gigs. They just completed a mini-November tour and they have a show on Jan 9th in Madison at the Majestic. Get your tickets now. Well, listen to the show, THEN get your tickets. Or multi-task. We know you can do it. www.letterstocleo.net (www.letterstocleo.net) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) Stereo Embers: IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Thanksgiving Day Special" There's a lot of things I miss about being a kid--somebody else driving, somebody else making dinner, not having to pay bills, not having to shave or get gas or pay rent--I was just going mention one or two things, but apparently I'm not pleased about being an adult. The reason why I brought this up is because the one thing I really miss about being a kid are the holiday TV specials that mark time. From The Grinch That Stole Christmas to It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, those specials helped keep me grounded as a kid. They made the calendar kind of stop and forced me to realize where I was and who I was with.They felt like something tangible. I wish I could do something like that for you here on the podcast and the closest I can come is my chat with Justin of 98 degrees. To me, it feels Thanksgiving-ish. At first it's sort of a talking points interview, but then something happens and it just kind of takes off and it takes off in a way that has to do with actually caring about other people. I'm not going to say too much more, but I will say this. This is our Thanksgiving special and I'm very proud of it. I'm thankful for this chat with Justin, I'm thankful he opened up and I'm thankful you get to hear it. And THANK YOU, for continuing to support this podcast. www.98degrees.com www.bombshellradio.com www.embersarts.com www.stereoembersmagaine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Who We Are” The London-born pianist, singer, composer and bandleader Ashley Henry is one of the most inventive, fascinating and altogether thrilling musicians out there. Educated at the Royal Academy of Music, Henry’s work is informed by a love of classical music sure, but also a love of jazz, trip-hop, reggae soul, dub and hip-hop. Imagine if Mozart was a big fan of Digital Underground. It’s kind of like that. Henry has played all over the world, he’s performed in the Unisia International Piano Competition, is the youngest musician to be on the bill at the Piano Trio Festival and he’s covered everyone from The Enemy to Nina Simone.The guy has range. His new album Who We Are, which is the follow up to his debut Beautiful Vinyl Hunter, is a ravishing blend of styles; from the soulful album opener Love Is Like A Movie to the dreamy “Fly Away” to the sax-tinged hip-hop of “All For You,” Who We Are is an assured album that’s filled with self-possession, musical diversity and a heart full of joy. www.ashleyhenrymusic.com (www.ashleyhenrymusic.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) Stereo Embers: Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Unbreakable Heart" The Texas-born Amber Martin has no regrets. The singer/songwriter has lived quite a life and it's one that found her moving coast to coast in the name of art. But geography aside, Martin moves relentlessly forward and doesn't look back with revisionist repentance. She'll tell you all about that, so let me fill you in on the other stuff. A brilliant and powerful singer with precise phrasing and improvisational smarts, Martin is a force of nature, her live shows punctuated by comedic tales, observational stories and a classic cabaret sensibility. Her career has a lot of highlights, so let me give you a partial list: She opened for Joan Rivers, sang with Sandra Berhnard, recorded with the Scissor Sisters, performed on Broadway, had several solo art residencies and starred in the live variety show Cassette Roulette with the Tony Award winning John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The follow-up to her AM Gold album, Martin's Unbreakable Heart is a wicked blast of classic country played with reverence and playful fun. From Devil Came Down The Dancefloor to I Want You To Be A Real Man, Unbreakable heart is played with precision, heart and a lively wink. The album features Mitchell, Rufus Wainwright and Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters. A writer, a singer, a choreographer, and a dancer, Amber Martin is also a fabulous conversationalist. We had a blast and I think you will, too. www.ambermartin.org www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Shot Of Blue" Well, if the name Tom DiCillo sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen the movies he’s directed, like Living In Oblivion, Box Of Moonlight, The Real Blonde and the Grammy Award-winning documentary on the Doors When You’re Strange, which was narrated by Johnny Depp. Over the course of his winning career, DiCillo has directed Brad Pitt, John Turturro, Dave Chapelle, Catherine Keener, Steve Buscemi and Kathleen Turner. A man of many talents, DiCillo is an actor, director, writer and a cinematographer. But he’s also a brilliant singer/songwriter whose has just released his debut solo album Shot Of Blue. A meditative and haunting song cycle of love, mourning and hope, DiCillo’s compositions are redolent with rippling guitars, undulating percussion and crooning vocals that soar with cosmic cool. A dark blend of stirring surf and burning balladry, Shot Of Blue is a pure dose of jangling night music made for the restless souls in all of us. It’s stunning work. I can’t wait for you to meet Tom—he’s a great guy and he also happens to be a close friend of mine, so this is going to be fun. www.tomdicillo.com (www.tomdicillo.com) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"What About You?" With time running out on 2024, Spooky Mansion are checking in with one of the best albums of the year. The California outfit's new long player What About You? is a rousing blast of scruffy surf and west coast soul. Led by braintrust Grayson Converse, Spooky Mansion are one of the most inventive and exciting bands around.Filled with winning tracks like "Weather," "Long Time Ago,", and "The River," What About You? is filled with horny swagger, bluesy howl and scrappy indie rock. Converse is an enigmatic frontman by night, but by day he works as a contractor and the duality of his life is something we cover in this chat. We also cover a whole lot more--a seafaring father, growing up in California and the reality of romantic notions. This is a great chat--you're going to love this guy. www.spookymansionofficial.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Para Llevar" You might know Johnny Delaware from the South Carolina alt-country outfit SUSTO, but the singer/songwriter's new solo album Paro Llevar reminds us that he's a musical force even when he's away from the band he co-founded with Justin Osborne. SUSTO's five albums, including Ever Since I Lost My Mind and 2023's My Entire Life are roots rock classics and the band has a pretty rabid global fanbase, but the South Dakota-born Delaware, who was a collegiate runner, is no stranger to going it alone. His new solo album Para Llevar is produced by Delaware himself, who also plays a majority of the instruments on the album. A stirring and dreamy blend of gliding psychedelia, Latin American rhythms and blissful rootsy grooves, Para Llevar is one of the most moving albums of 2024. It's filled with philosophical ruminations, personal revelations and internal meditations and it's inviting, engaging and downright beautiful; it brings to mind everyone from Paul Simon to Elliott SmithHow does Mexico fit into all of this? Well, long story short: he went there and fell in love. With the country and a girl. I'll let him tell you all about that and so much more. www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Underwater Detection Method" I always knew the San Francisco-born musician Greg Lisher as a guitar player. As a member of Camper Van Beethoven and the Monks of Doom, Lisher's imaginitive and distinct playing remains instatnly recogniziable. But for his new solo album Underwater Detection Method, Lisher decided to make a left turn and make the keyboard the central instrument on the album. A riveting 12-song collection, Underwater Detection Method is a series of synthesized soundscapes made up of dreamy dub, prowling post-punk, artful ambient fills, swirling electronica and elegant prog rock detours. The instrumental album is nothing short of experiential; it's like being given a tour of the cascading hills of a Dali-colored parallell universe with Lisher acting as your trusty guide. From the stirring "All Things Japanese" to the musical finesse of "Snowblind," Underwater Detection Method is a riveting and evocative listen. www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Backbone" The Australian-born Kasey Chambers has been in this game for a long time. At sixteen she and her family formed the ARIA Award winning Dead Ringer Band, who put out four perfect albums, including Living In The Circle and Home FIres, which won best Country album in 1996. In 1999 she decided to go solo and hit the ground running with her debut The Captain. How did that decision pan out? Well, let's just say this: Kasey's solo career is an endless reel of highlights. With almost fifteen albums to her credit, Chambers has been piling up acclaim from the beginning--if you think I'm exaggerating, try these numbers: She's had five number one albums, won fourteen ARIA Awards, ten APRA awards, had four top ten singles, won nine Country Music Association of Australia awards, and put out two books--A Little Bird Told Me and Just Don't Be A Dickhead and Other Profound Things I've Learnt. She's collaborated with Paul Kelly, Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, and Foy Vance, she was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2018 and she's considered by many to be one of the most important Australian artists of all time. Her new album Backbone is a riveting blend of roots rock and lilting country; Chambers' voice is truly wondrous; it's graceful, it's stirring and it's as vulnerable as it is commanding. Backbone is another winning entry into Chambers discography and new book is a hilarious and insightful admixture of philosophy and life lessons from the world at large. I loved this conversation; it goes thousands of unexpected directions, each one an endless joy. https://kaseychambers.com/ www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers: Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)