Mr. Nice Guy
About
Available on
Community
697 episodes
I sat down w indie pop/rock band Pescatarian At Best, consisting of vocalist Benton Belzer, guitarists Mason West and Courtney Martel, bassist Liz Adkins and drummer Nikki Nelson. The band's got three singles out - "Hey Winner", "Pah to Pasture", and "Soap and Butter". We discussed the band's formation, moving to Milwaukee from the Green Bay area, the singles they've dropped, being pro and anti power chords, and what they're working on now. Pescatarian At Best play Bremen Cafe on March 2nd, Cactus Club for their Butterfly Collective benefit show on March 12th, Last Rites on March 19th, Shank Hall on March 31st, Anodyne on April 20th, Promises on June 2nd, and Linneman's on June 9th. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w Jeff Skullman AKA DJ Goodboi. Previously in several local bands, he's picked up DJing over the last few years and has been entertaining crowds in various spots around Milwaukee. We discussed Jeff's old bands such as Sick Jump, getting heavy into DJing during quarantine, binging TV shows, getting weird ads on Facebook, and what Jeff loves to play. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w some folks from Midcoast Collective - Dahlia, DJ Megadon, .Wav and DizzyRandoms - to talk about their newly formed record label, Midcoast Records. Dahlia's album "Sounds Of My Soul" dropped last summer. DJ Megadon's latest mix "A Mix For The Groovy Children" dropped last month. .Wav's new album "Ruminate" dropped two days after Christmas. DizzyRandoms' latest EP "Dyskinesia" dropped in October. Each of them is on the record label as well. Everyone went around to chat about how they got into making music, their latest projects, what they're working on now, Midcoast's model of putting art and social justice in one space, and their goals with the label to come. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w reporter and journalist Ali Shana, who specializes in mental health and drug related news. He currently works as a school counselor and just finished his Master's in educational psychology. We discussed Ali's beginnings as a music journalist evolving into drug and mental health journalism, working w kids, the systemic and material conditions surrounding mental health, uniting the working class, and always being a student in life. Follow him on Twitter - @AliReporting --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Kevin Topel, who has been involved w the Milwaukee music scene for over a decade. He's played in bands The Cavewives, The Delta Routine and The Ragadors plus several tribute groups. We discussed Kevin's origins playing guitar and getting into rock music as a preteen, infiltrating the Milwaukee scene via The Delta Routine, originality and authenticity, bringing a creative edge to tributes, and solo material he's been working on. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w artist, community organizer, model and teacher Annia Leonard, who runs the online metaphysical shop Enchanted Werk. Their products and services include tarot, visual art, resin pieces, chess and domino sets, clothing and more. As a model they represented Milwaukee County for the Mixx Wisconsin USA pageant. They have also worked as coordinator for orgs MKE Good Food Bus and Priceless Incite. We discussed Annia's spiritual journey leading them into Enchanted Werk, their life path number 7, their modeling career and pageantry, Priceless Incite's upcoming pilot program, and the mysticism of time. Annia will be at LA Fashion Week in March! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w hip hop artist Juxt Dame, who's dropped two singles this year already - "BACKGROUND" and "EASIER" Ft. Canel. His last EP "FAR AS I'M CONCERNED" with DizzyRandoms dropped in September. We discussed Dame's exposure to music and poetry from a young age, breaking into the Milwaukee scene, the music he dropped in 2022, having gratitude, and working w his partner on her music. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w artist, promoter, singer-songwriter and movie buff Jake Hess, who was last on Mr. Nice Guy a couple years ago as part of heavy metal band Ahabs Ghost. He's currently focusing on his solo acoustic project Wylie Jakobs, promoting/hosting events at Bremen Cafe and creating art/flyers. In fact, Jake created my current Mr. Nice Guy logo. We had a few drinks and discussed the dissolving of Ahabs Ghost, AI art and the emotion behind creating, hosting the monthly burlesque variety show BremSin, Wylie Jakobs' 2020 album "Unmarked Graves", and Jake's top 10 movies of 2022! BremSin's next edition will be Saturday, January 14th. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w DJ and entertainer Bryan Gorelik AKA BG Good, who runs the booking company Eventspark. He's got residencies at RWB (Thursday), Lucid (Saturday) and The Sofie (Monday). We discussed Bryan's beginnings as a rapper evolving into DJing, his gigs, owning what you play as a DJ, weddings and private events w Eventspark, and some original EDM he's working on. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w reiki practitioner and artist Beth Ann, who coaches under the name Ebb & Flow Integrations. We discussed the art of reiki and how it can be used to heal, overcoming trauma and addiction, Beth's new podcast Ebb & Flow Sessions, art as a meditative process, and we play a language game - check it out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w artist T!ny, whose style has encompassed hip hop, trap, experimental pop, hyperpop, etc. Their most recent single "No Thoughts Head Empty" dropped last week. We discussed T!ny's origins playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager, moving to Milwaukee in 2021, the singles they've dropped this year, their influences, and what they're working on now. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w singer-songwriter Mark Hubing, frontman of eclectic indie rock band Onyx Koan. Their debut album "Still in the Earthquake" dropped last month. We discussed Mark's upbringing in the church introducing him to music, blending styles he likes into Onyx Koan's unique sound, recording "Still in the Earthquake", its themes of purpose and finding your place in the world, and Mark's podcast "Local Cords" where he interviews local musicians w a comedic tone. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w Anna Melamed, who makes custom charcuteurie boards under the name Cream City Boards (@cream.city.boards on IG). We discussed the importance of food at the function, Anna's process for each board, where she gets her supplies, our favorite crackers, and her goal to eventually work in event planning. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w hip hop artist Tha Mid City Kid, whose most recent album "Lettuce" dropped in 2020. Born and raised in Janesville, he's now based in Madison. We discussed Tha Kid writing raps since the age of ten, releasing his first mixtape at sixteen, dealing w anxiety, making music videos for every song off "Lettuce", and who he's collaborating with. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w musician, poet and artist Zack Pieper, whose most recent band has been the eccentric pop band Peeper & Le Play. He's known for his annual "Ghost-Its" mosaic where he draws thousands of pictures of ghosts on post-it notes. We discussed the lo-fi aesthetic, the mosquitos of Horicon Marsh, Peeper & Le Play's latest record "We Buy Gold: Club Frills Vol. 2", the ghosts, and Zack's poetry. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w hip hop artist and podcaster Mad Static, whose most recent EP "Son of Cynthia" dropped in March. His podcast is called Beats, Rhymes & Bodyslams. We had a beer and discussed Static's early mixtape days of the 2000's, getting through 2020, being hard on yourself, his latest EP, and combining rap and wrestling into his podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w indie pop band Bug Moment - Gray Edward, Jas Rosenblatt, Eli Dorsey, and Aidan Hoppens. Their latest singles are "Little Frog" and "Lagoon." We discussed Bug Moment's formation, their eclectic style, Garfield, the new songs, and their upcoming debut album. Bug Moment play Cactus Club on August 2nd, 8th and 13th; then they're at The Back Room at Colectivo for Social Cig's Album Release Party on August 20th! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w three members of the psychedelic chamber music band Social Caterpillar - Kial, Whisper Crystal, and Lazer (minus Eric Ash, much love to him). Their most recent album "When You Woke Up to Dances of Light" was released in March. We had some beers and discussed how Social Caterpillar formed, actual caterpillars, their "Distance" EPs during quarantine, what went into their new record, and Riverwest DIY. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w musician Sam Balistreri, whose played in a number of Milwaukee bands over the years. Most recently he was guitarist of indie rock band NeoCaveman, whose final album "Sun Eater" was released in March. He also plays in the System of A Down tribute band Fight the Heathens. We discussed Sam finding his passion for music teaching, previous bands of his, seeing My Morning Jacket in Chicago, NeoCaveman's last album, and covering SOAD songs. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w alternative pop-indie rock band Loud Library - vocalist/bassist Ben Smith, guitarist Garrett Holm, and drummer Judicael Bationo. Their sophomore EP "Shades of Loud" dropped in 2020. We discussed Loud Library's formation, getting hungry at night, Milwaukee venues we miss, the last EP, and their summer shows - they play Taste of Wisconsin on July 29th, Chill on the Hill on August 9th (National Book Lovers' Day - get it?) and the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on August 12th. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w photographer, filmmaker, and DJ Mahdi Gransberry, who goes by the name FreakishNerd. He's got a house music party coming up w DJ Bizzon and DJ Gemini Gilly at Company Brewing on August 13th. We discussed fans that have the breeze mode function, his first artistic photo being of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles, becoming FreakishNerd, shooting Summerfest, and getting disqualified from DJing at Rookie Night. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w hip hop artist Flowers, whose last album "Fluffy" dropped in 2020. She's got her follow-up album in the works now. We discussed Flowers' band she had when she was 12, our Linkin Park phases, what she wanted to do w "Fluffy", her direction w the new music, and the dope folks she's collaborated with. https://soundcloud.com/user-344598306/sets/0-fluffy --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w wood artist and optimist Ike Wynter, who was a touring musician in the band Narrow Hearts and then worked in junk removal before now making art out of wood full-time. He's the tour manager for Charlie Rocket and the Dream Machine Foundation, who travel to help make peoples' dreams come true across the country. We discussed Ike's passion for scrapping and making old things new, some of his latest pieces, an art show he's got coming up on August 6th, meeting Charlie by chance through finding him in southeastern Wisconsin, and the Dream Machine Foundation's disaster relief efforts after the 2022 Kentucky tornadoes. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w my good friend and comrade Sam Doucas, whom I met through community organizing. She and I bonded through sad indie music; we saw The Microphones in Chicago a few months back. We discussed what postmodernism is, Marxist texts, understanding cultural materialism, the alienation of the self, and existentialism as the dreaded outcome of liberalism among other things. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w two guys from slacker rock band North Warren, vocalist-guitarist Luke Esperes and bassist Will Bull. Their new single "Decomposer" dropped last week. We discussed North Warren's evolution from solo songwriting project to full band, Luke's old house (where it all started), the "Glue" EP from last year, expressing love to those around you, and Buffalo Wild Wings. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w my buddy Jordan Baumhardt, who's known for running the Riverwest Street Hockey Club. All are welcome! We had some beers and discussed Jordan's passion for hockey over the years, hanging out at Bremen Cafe, Riverwest pickup sports, the People's Rink, and Kelly's Ice Cream of Eden, WI. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w my good friend Ari Kohll, whom I've met through the Jewish community here in Milwaukee. They work in violence prevention and homelessness. We shared a variety pack of Great Lakes Brewing (S/O) as we discussed the systemic issues of homelessness and poverty in Milwaukee, funding community not cops, polyamory, jealousy vs envy, and inclusive language. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w artist ThatGuyEli, whose eclectic style encompasses everything from R&B to electronica to rock to hip hop and more. His latest single "Reject" dropped on the 1st of the month. We discussed Eli's musical touch from a young age banging on kitchen bowls, his 2020 album "A Nobody With Ambitions", constantly innovating his sound, feeling like you have something to prove, and the music he's got in store. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w Parker Schultz, who fronts the indie rock band Social Cig. Their most recent singles "From Afar / Hot Red" dropped last month. We discussed the difference between brats and Italian sausage, Social Cig's evolution from DIY project to full band, opening for Wet Leg, their last album "Nothing is Ever For Sure and Everything is Always Changing", and plans for a new album and movie later this summer. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
I sat down w multifaceted artist Zelda RayGun, who is behind the ethical clothing line Always Be A Buddy. They are also a muralist, front the band Delicious Monsters, and host the podcast Zelvis Live From the Moon. We discussed Zelda's dreams of becoming an artist since the age of four, creating art that has utility, what Delicious Monsters is up to, the political nature of art, and talking the paranormal and metaphysical on their podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ben-slowey/support
