Cris Cohen interviews guitarist, songwriter, composer Marc Bonilla. They discuss:
- His album “Celluloid Debris” 
- Tapping into your creativity
- “You have to be bored in order to create”
- “People are depriving themselves of daydreaming”
- Writing instrumentals 
- Developing music for movies and TV shows
- A great song can be told in different ways
- His work with Keith Emerson
- What he learned from Ronnie Montrose
- His book “Balance Of Power”

​Cris Cohen interviews Dwight Baker of The Wind and The Wave. They discuss:
- How producing other artists has influenced his work with The Wind and The Wave
- “I want people to do what’s in their heart… their art.”
- The key to supporting Patty’s unique voice
- Patty’s different pronunciation of some words in songs
- “I want something behind the vocals that’s real”
- Patty’s lyrics about friends and family members
- Songwriting with different instruments
- No cymbals on the first record
- Their album “Human Beings Let You Down”
- Hearing your song sung back to you from a large audience
- The new Missio album he produced
- And more

Recorded June 17, 2020

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Cris Cohen interviews Thomas Watson of Rainwater Whiskey. They discuss:
- Bringing energy to quarantine performances
- When they made the transition from a cover band to writing their own songs
- The influence of a new drummer
- The song “Before The End Of The Night”
- “Read That Wrong”
- His love of singer-songwriters
- The embellishments he brings to live vocals
- Bounsall guitars

Recorded June 16, 2020.

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​Cris Cohen interviews Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth. They discuss:
- Life is to be enjoyed, not endured
- Sometimes songs are (unconsciously) notes to himself
- Concerts as a constant creative challenge
- Live stream shows and using your imagination
- Lessons learned from Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
- Falling off the drum kit while jamming with The Georgia Satellites
- Laughing to keep yourself from crying
- Why the drums became his primary instrument
- “The best music is made when the human spirit is not only trying to express itself, but is trying to free itself”
- The children’s book he created
- The song “The Avenue”

Recorded May 27, 2020

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Cris Cohen interviews John Easdale of Dramarama. They discuss:
- Their album “Color TV”
- Stripping out most of the instruments from the recording of “You, You, You”
- Being a studio band before being a live band
- How starting out as a drummer influenced his songwriting
- Covering Elliot Smith and Bob Dylan
- The pros and cons of the internet from a musician’s perspective
- The rough edges of the Dramarama sound 
- Listening to country and blues music of the 30s and 40s

Recorded May 20, 2020

​Cris Cohen interviews Stanton Moore, drummer for Galactic. They discuss:
- The live streaming masterclasses he has been doing
- How he develops his live drumming presentations
- The influence of Allen Toussaint
- What Galactic looks for in the singers they work with
- Their album “Already Ready Already”
- Being an independent, self-sustaining band
- Their ownership of and work to preserve the New Orleans club Tipitina’s
- “Play every gig like it’s your own wedding.”

Recorded May 15, 2020.

Cris Cohen interviews K.C. O'Rorke, lead singer and trumpet player of the band Flow Tribe. They discuss:
- Why they built their own studio
- Their song "Longest Night"
- The influence of New Orleans
- Talking their guitarist out of becoming a dentist
- And more

Recorded May 13, 2020.

​I interviewed Jim Weider, formerly with The Band and now with The Weight Band. We discussed:
- What he has been working on during the quarantine 
- Live albums they are preparing to release
- Things he learned from Levon Helm
- His guitar playing technique of using a pick and fingers at the same time
- And more

Recorded May 12, 2020.

Cris Cohen interviews Chris Kennedy of Silversage. They discuss:
- The band's natural tendency to focus on hope
- Introvert offstage, extrovert onstage
- Their song "Strong", born out of the Las Vegas shootings and now an anthem during the pandemic
- Their song "All The Way" being played in the Superbowl

Recorded May 6, 2020.

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Cris Cohen interviews Ben Sesar, drummer for Brad Paisley. They discuss:
- How his practicing during the downtime caused by the pandemic has been more focused
- “Anything you do with less tension is going to be more productive.”
- How Brad communicates his drum part ideas to Ben
- The influence of Neil Peart
- And more

Recorded May 5, 2020.

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Cris Cohen interview Bill Gibson of Huey Lewis & The News. They discuss:
- How he was raised on big band jazz music
- Recording work he has been doing with his daughter Liv Gibson
- The new album, "Weather"
- New songs "One Of The Boys" and "Hurry Back Baby"

He also gives a tour of his home studio.

Cris Cohen interviews Huey Lewis. They discuss:
- The new Huey Lewis & The News album, "Weather"
- New songs "One Of The Boys" and "Hurry Back Baby"
- Touring with Stevie Ray Vaughan
- What makes for a good band member
- Songwriting
- And more

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I interviewed singer-songwriter Michelle Ariane. We discussed:
- Her album "Bridge The Great Divide"
- The intertwining of both strength and vulnerability in the song "Finally Be Me"
- How, as a musician, she is coping with the pandemic
- And more

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I interviewed Big Sam of Big Sam's Funky Nation. We discussed: 
- The live stream shows the band has been doing from his driveway
- Their album “Songs In The Key Of Funk, Vol. 1” 
- The influence of Prince and Morris Day on his songwriting
- And more

Cris Cohen interviews guitarist Matt Jones of Cowboy Mouth. They discuss: 
- Guitar solos
- How he was influenced by Slash
- Cowboy Mouth's new EP, "Open Wide"
- And more

Recorded April 24, 2020.

Cris Cohen interviews Rich Redmond, drummer for Jason Aldean. They discuss: 
- Staying busy in the time of the Covid-19 shutdown
- His book, "CRASH Course For Success"
- His new talk show
- And more

Recorded April 17, 2020

Cris Cohen:
In various interviews you have talked about how you were initially introduced to hard rock in your sheltered upbringing. But what I'm most curious about is what was it was about hard rock and metal that made you gravitate toward it?

Suzy Wilson:
I don't know what it was, but I just know that, after I started listening to it, it was like, I really like this. I like all kinds of music, but that's what I most closely identify with. When I write music. That's typically how it comes out.

Cris:
What is your songwriting process?

Suzy:
Typically I write all the lyrics and I have an idea about what I want the song to sound like. Then I talk with my collaborator, Norman Matthew. He will come up with a riff and I'll go, “Yeah, that's kind of it.” We go through a process.

Cris:
When you convey kind of what you're going for, how do you do that? Do just describe it in general? Do you reference other songs? Do you hum a few bars?

Suzy:
All of that. I try to describe it to them. If they're not quite getting it, I might have them listen to a couple of songs that I'm kind of thinking about. But sometimes people get too literal about that. It's the vibe that the song is giving off (that I am going for). I don't want it to be identical to that song. 
I've done this before with other people. I'd give them like two or three different songs. And they are like, “But they're completely different songs.” 
“Yeah, but they all have the same vibe to me.” 
Other than “vibe,” I don't know how to describe it. There is just something about the songs that are common to me.

Cris:
Yes. And you've worked with some heavyweight musicians. I'm curious also about how often they kind of run with an idea and even take it to a new level that you didn't initially think of.

Suzy:
I definitely did with Joe Vitale. We kind of just let him run with it. 

Cris:
And regarding this self-titled EP, what was the most challenging song to bring to fruition?

Suzy:
I'm not sure that any of them were any more challenging than the others. You know, it's a creative process. Sometimes things take longer than you really want them to take. But that's just the nature of how things go.

Cris:
With your vocals, you have a kind of a calm confidence. Some people, when they get into the hard rock space, the vocals get kind of impatient. They are desperately trying to grab people's attention. But it's like you kind of strut into the room rather than run into the room so to speak. How long did it take to develop that?

Suzy:
That's another good question. I think I've always sung like that. It's just my personality or something that's different.

Cris:
So your onstage persona and offstage persona are pretty much the same?

Suzy:
I think they are. Also, I know it is kind of a weird thing, but I don't get stage fright. I'm more nervous about the performance after it's over than I am before or gearing up for it. I don't know why. I guess because at that point there's nothing I can do about it.

Cris:
You've worked with some heavyweights, Paul Stanley (KISS), Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big), etc. What have you learned from those experiences?

Suzy:
I've played with Cheap Trick a couple of times and Nancy Wilson (Heart) as well. Most of the “rock stars” that I've worked with have been very down to earth. Cheap Trick was one of the first ones that I performed with. And Robin Zander is one of my idols because he has such an amazing voice and I had already told the people that were with me that I was going to be a total fan girl. I really thought that I would just lose it over getting to meet one of my idols. And he was such a nice person and just so down to earth that that didn't happen at all. We had a nice conversation. I wasn't screaming or any of the things I had envisioned. They are so “normal” that you forget about that. You just think of them as a person. Suddenly Rob Halford from Judas Priest is just Rob. He was really a sweetheart.

Cris:
In terms of working with these people who have influenced you, you said in another interview, “It's about taking what influences you and turning it into something that represents you,” which I thought was a great summary of it all. What I'm wondering is how much of that process is natural and unconscious and how much of it is a conscious effort?

Suzy:
I think a lot of it is unconscious. I think Leon Russell was one of the greatest songwriters and especially lyricists. He could take something very complex and make it at least seem very simple. His lyrics are not real flowery. There are not tons of metaphoric sayings, at least not obviously metaphoric. So I myself try not to overdo things when I write. And it's not like I sit down and go, “Oh, I want to write a song that sounds like a KISS song or a Cheap Trick song.” Some of them may end up being that way, but it's not something I consciously start out to do.

Cris:
A lot has been made of the fact that you are launching your career later in life than the average musician, especially the average hard rock musician. What advantages have there been to launching your music career in your 60s as opposed to your 20s?

Suzy:
Well, I kind of started in my 50s, but I'm still working on it in my 60s. I think that I don't take things personally. If somebody doesn't like what I do, I don't care about that. I'm happy with what I do. There are other people out there that like what I do. I've learned that I can't control other people's opinions. I just have to do what I do. And if other people don't like it, then that's their issue. That's not my issue. 

I interviewed Peter Holsapple (The dB's). We discussed:
- Being a multi-instrumentalist
- His extensive work with bands like REM and Hootie and the Blowfish
- His solo album "Game Day"
- And more

Recorded February 20, 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Film production by Jean-Paul Damé and Fire Horse Films, Inc.

I interviewed Mike Vanderhule, drummer for Y&T. We discussed: 
- The key to playing under a guitar solo
- Singing harmony while playing the drums
- His studies with Steve Smith
- And more

Recorded February 16, 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

I interviewed Kenny Aronoff via Facebook Live. Rolling Stone named Kenny Aronoff one of the 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time. Recorded March 26, 2020. We discussed:
- Kenny's autobiography, "Sex, Drums, Rock 'N' Roll"
- Getting the most value out of life
- Finding the ability to persevere through negative experiences
- His work with John Mellencamp, BB King, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, etc.

I interviewed Michael Staertow, guitarist for Lou Gramm. This was done via Facebook Live. We discussed:

• How Lou's vocals influenced his guitar playing
• His work with Slaughter
• The instrumental album he is working on
• And more

I interviewed drummer Chris Fryar of Zac Brown Band. We discussed:
- The new Zac Brown Band album "The Owl"
- Working with Dave Grohl
- Defining what success means to you
- And more

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I interviewed Matt Frenette of Loverboy. We discussed:
- When he started climbing his drum kit during drum solos
- The extra color he gives to songs in concert
- Communicating ideas with lead singer Mike Reno, who started in the music business as a drummer
- And more

​Film production by Jean-Paul Dame and Fire Horse Films, Inc.

I interviewed ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro.  We discussed:
- His new album, "Trio"
- His cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You were Here"
- The album of duets he is working on
- And more
​
Full interview
Excerpts

Recorded January 23, 2020 at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina.

Film production by Fire Horse Films

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I interviewed John McFee of The Doobie Brothers. We discussed:
- Being a multi-instrumentalist
- The upcoming 50th anniversary tour with Michael McDonald
- What he learned from his work with Elvis Costello
- His intense work ethic
- And more

Full interview
​Excerpts

Recorded November 20, 2019 at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina

​Film production by Jean-Paul Dame and Fire Horse Films

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