Posts in Q&A
CeeLo Green Talks New Album, “Crazy,” and Influences From the Ancestors Lookin’ Through Stacks
CeeLo Green Talks New Album, “Crazy,” and Influences From the Ancestors Lookin’ Through Stacks

Singer extraordinaire CeeLo Green released his latest album, CeeLo Green is Thomas Callaway, on June 26. The record, produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, is the first release in the past five years for the spirited, soulful vocalist. Green, who has worked extensively in his career with Outkast, The Dungeon Family, and Danger Mouse (in the world-famous duo, Gnarls Barkley), is a flexible, malleable performer. He also boasts a sponge-like mind that began absorbing the histories and idiosyncrasies of music from an early age. In this conversation, Green talks openly and honestly about myriad topics, from studying music in Atlanta to what made the ubiquitous Gnarls Barkley 2006 song “Crazy” such a hit. Green also talked about staying true to himself despite difficulties in his life and how the song, “The Way,” from his new LP, signifies that effort.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Behind the Song: Merrilee Rush, “Angel of the Morning”
Behind the Song: Merrilee Rush, “Angel of the Morning”

On February 7th, 1968, Bell Records released the swelling, sweeping ballad, “Angel of the Morning,” recorded by the stunning vocalist, Merrilee Rush. The track, which was written by Chip Taylor, hit #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and, over 50 years later, has amassed more than three million YouTube views. Since its release, a number of artists have covered “Angel of the Morning,” but it’s Rush’s version that hit the airwaves first and has since survived the test of time. We caught up with the powerful-voiced performer to talk about the song’s release, how she came to sing the empowering lyric, what it’s like to be partially responsible for a timeless hit, how it affected her career and much more.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
Portugal. the Man Speaks on Music, Portland, Launching the PTM Foundation, and Indigenous People
Portugal. the Man Speaks on Music, Portland, Launching the PTM Foundation, and Indigenous People

By now, you’ve likely heard the music of the Portland-via-Alaska-based band, Portugal. the Man. The group has a number of hits, but their most ubiquitous is, “Feel It Still,” which seemed to run the world for months on end in 2017. To date, the song’s video has racked up nearly 300 million YouTube views. But what you might not have heard is the poignancy and urgency with which the band’s front man, John Baldwin Gourley, speaks about very real and very serious problems – namely, those that have to do with the treatment of indigenous people and the general welfare of the human race.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
HANNIBAL BURESS AND FLYING LOTUS SWEAT THE DETAILS
HANNIBAL BURESS AND FLYING LOTUS SWEAT THE DETAILS

Watching comedian Hannibal Buress’s latest special, Miami Nights, which he released on YouTube a few weeks ago, one notices new subtleties in the comedian’s practice. Buress has that glint in his eye, like the comedy greats. In conversation, it’s there too; he remains curious and inquisitive. He wants to know more, and not just the tricks of his own trade. Buress is diving into tech and music, which is likely he wanted to join his friend, the producer Steven Ellison (Flying Lotus), here. Ellison, who’s worked with Adult Swim for years creating bumps and beats for the TV channel, is a keen thinker and detail-oriented musician who has risen to fame with his surreal sense of sound. We caught up with both Buress and Ellison to talk about making Miami Nights, Buress’s new foray into songwriting, Ellison’s experience working with Dr. Dre, and more.

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Q&AJake UittiInterview Magazine
Donita Sparks of L7 on Her New Web Series “The Hi-Low Show”
Donita Sparks of L7 on Her New Web Series “The Hi-Low Show”

Donita Sparks always catches your eye. Whether she’s on stage playing her smirking brand of rock ‘n’ roll in her notorious group, L7, or if she’s creating her beloved new web series, The Hi-Low Show, Sparks is often bright, flashy and oddly memorable. Her new series is a blender-mixed collection of rock videos, skits, found footage, and whatever else Sparks can slice up and slide into the recipe. L7, which was often grouped into the grunge gaggle in the ’90s and was signed for a time to the infamous Sub Pop record label, released a new record in 2019, Scatter the Rats, which hits as hard as any in the band’s collection. We caught up with Sparks to talk about her origins in music, what it’s like to produce her bizarre new web show and why she likes to infuse a subversive quality into much of what she creates.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Nissim Black Opens Up On New Music, Being “Hitler’s Worst Nightmare”
Nissim Black Opens Up On New Music, Being “Hitler’s Worst Nightmare”

Rapper, Nissim Black (born Damian Jamohl Black), is a deep-thinking, philosophical artist with a wide range of experience, interests and fans. Black, who was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, had gone through a number of transitions in his life, from religious to professional to even moving from the United States to live today in Israel. Black, who, smirking, refers to himself as “Hitler’s Worst Nightmare,” is an important person in today’s rapidly changing world. A devout Orthodox Jew, Black is a student of theology as much as he is a student of raps and lyricism. Part-RUN DMC, part-Rabi, Black, who recently released songs like “Mothaland Bounce” and “Best Friend” that have earned over five-million YouTube views combined, has a voice worth listening to in many arenas and on many stages.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
Mark Duplass and Julian Wass on the Final Season of HBO’s “Room 104”
Mark Duplass and Julian Wass on the Final Season of HBO’s “Room 104”

HBO’s anthology series, Room 104, which debuted July 28, 2017, is premiering for likely its final season tonight (July 24). The series, which tracks the happenings of all kinds in a typical American hotel room, was created by Mark and Jay Duplass (aka the Duplass Brothers production team) and has featured guest stars like James Van Der Beek, Rainn Wilson, Mahershala Ali, Luke Wilson and Charlyne Yi. Escapades have centered on self-mutilation, boxing matches, dance-offs, awkward dating scenarios, and much more. Room 104 is truly a different bird in the flock of television programs. There are no recurring characters or plots—the only constant is the room, its two beds, bathroom, television, and single door. We caught up with show creator, Mark Duplass, and his colleague, Julian Wass, who has scored, written, and directed episodes. Together, we talked about the family tree that Room 104 has grown into, how episodes are pitched, and what it takes to create a successful show.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
The Naked and Famous Share Tons of Details About Writing, Growth, Positivity of ‘Recover’
The Naked and Famous Share Tons of Details About Writing, Growth, Positivity of ‘Recover’

Los Angeles-based Indie electronic band, The Naked and Famous, which was founded by Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers, makes music that turns the paint on your walls to candy. The band, which released its latest LP, Recover, today, makes big, oceanic compositions with bright crests and at-times chilling sonic valleys. But, due to their years together and the close relationship that time has engendered, the band’s music can also be pared down to its bones and stand sturdy with simply two harmonizing voices and an electric guitar. From head-to-toe, The Naked and Famous, which was originally formed in Auckland, New Zealand, but now resides in the City of Angels, has created a formidable body of work.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
The Origins of Breaking with Its Biggest Name, Crazy Legs
The Origins of Breaking with Its Biggest Name, Crazy Legs

Throughout the history of American art, there are certain people everyone knows by a single name: Madonna, Beyoncé. Others, like Slash or Prince, are known for their catchy given nicknames. But the artist that takes the proverbial cake with a nickname above all nicknames is the one and only breaker, Crazy Legs. Born Richard Colón, Crazy Legs is an inventor and one of the country’s most recognized and prolific dancers. Crazy Legs help invent breaking (or dancing dynamically to hip-hop music). He was there from the virtual beginning in the mid-to late-70s and beyond. Crazy Legs, who appears in popular movies like Flash Dance and Wild Style, has also appeared on Late Night television shows and traveled the world spreading hip-hop culture.

More recently, Crazy Legs and pioneering rapper, Kurtis Blow, are currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of Blow’s seminal song, “The Breaks,” first released in 1980. The track, which is a tribute to breakers in the South Bronx, helped cement the art form worldwide through verse. On Thursday, June 25th, Blow and Legs appeared on the Red Bull Dance Instagram channel to commemorate the song’s release. We caught up with Crazy Legs, a proud Puerto Rican-American, to ask him about his early days with the Rock Steady Crew, what it was like spreading dance across the world, how he got his nickname and much more.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Left at London Shares What Went Into “Do You See Us” and “As Blue As A Bruise”
Left at London Shares What Went Into “Do You See Us” and “As Blue As A Bruise”

Seattle musician, Nat Puff (aka Left at London), creates music that sounds like it was poured from the pitcher of her heart. Blood, sweat and tears saturate the artist’s songs, which have raised eyebrows and earned the attention from the prominent Emerald City radio station, KEXP 90.3, and fans around the world. Puff, who has a loyal and passionate fan base, burst into public consciousness in 2018 with her Transgender Street Legend Vol. 1 EP, which included the hit, “Revolution Lover.” Left at London also released The Purple Heart EP in 2018, which boasted the earworm, “Felt Like I Had Died.” We caught up with the songwriter to talk about her most recent singles, “Do You See Us (feat. NOBI)” and “As Blue As A Bruise,” which we are also happy to premiere here today.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
My Favorite Album: Heidi Gardner of “Saturday Night Live” on Tenacious D’s Self-Titled Album
My Favorite Album: Heidi Gardner of “Saturday Night Live” on Tenacious D’s Self-Titled Album

Comedian and actor, Heidi Gardner, who is known for her many roles on Saturday Night Live and for her voice work on the animated show, SuperMansion, pursued her career in comedy a little later in life than some. While laughter had always been part of her world, for a while she never knew she could find a job that paid within the ranks. In the meantime, before earning a role on the most prestigious sketch show in the world, Gardner appreciated the work of the talented musical and comedic duo, Tenacious D. In fact, the band’s eponymous debut LP (from 2001) is Garnder’s all-time favorite record. And though, as you’ll see below, she struggled a bit to admit that to the world, Gardner stands by the record in full, both for its creative prowess and for how it helped strengthen the relationship she had with her older brother. We caught up with the Bailey Gismert creator to talk about all things Tenacious D.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Interview // Serious Books: A Conversation with John Martin
Interview // Serious Books: A Conversation with John Martin

Looking back on it, it seems like an incredible risk in 1965. At the time, Los Angeles-native John Martin, a manager of a large office supply store, decided he would dedicate one-quarter of his monthly income in perpetuity to a relatively obscure writer with a penchant for drinking. But Martin, as it would turn out, bet on the right horse. His deal with L.A. poet, novelist and short story writer, Charles Bukowski, would end up making history—and the both of them hundreds of thousands of dollars, too. Bukowski, known as the poet of skid row, wrote poetry books like Love is a Dog From Hell and novels like Ham On Rye and Women. Together, he and Martin helped to change modern American writing, bringing poetry and prose to a street level where they could be read and enjoyed by the “common reader.”

Martin, born in 1930, is now retired from the publishing house he founded, Black Sparrow. He has sold the rights to Bukowski’s work and the work of a few other authors to ECCO, a subsidiary of Harper Collins. Black Sparrow, in its modern form, continues to exist, publishing work, though it’s stewarded by new publishers and editors. We caught up with Martin to talk with him about his early love of literature, his $100 deal with Bukowski, “insiders” versus “outsiders,” his other favorite authors and much more.

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Q&AJake UittiPoetry Northwest
NYC Nurse Creates Handmade Blankets For Her Patients & Their Families With Love
NYC Nurse Creates Handmade Blankets For Her Patients & Their Families With Love

When Nurse Ally Marcello sees a problem, she covers it with love.

The Long Island Jewish Medical Center ICU nurse has recently begun an effort to make personalized blankets for her patients and their family members. She started making the blankets right before COVID-19 hit. What started as a simple act has grown to where Marcello is receiving donations of both time and money to help buoy the effort. And, in the midst of a pandemic, she is able to provide a small memory and keepsake to those who lost loved ones.

The simple act of offering a handmade, personal blanket to a sick patient or their worried loved one creates a goodwill well beyond the labor it takes to stitch it together. As a result, Marcello has become an inspiration both in person at her hospital and online amongst fellow nurses.

We caught up with Marcello to ask her about the origins of the blankets, what they’ve meant to her patients and how she might see her program grow.

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Q&AJake UittiNurse.org
Original Lady A Responds To New Lady A Lawsuit, Explains Whirlwind Timeline
Original Lady A Responds To New Lady A Lawsuit, Explains Whirlwind Timeline

The word Antebellum refers to the time period before the American Civil War. It marks a prosperous time in the American Southland when the region made money hand-over-fist on the back of slaves. In 2006, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, formed a country group in Nashville and called the group, Lady Antebellum. The trio kept the name until about an hour ago when, after pressure from outside forces, they agreed their name was inappropriate. The band then tried to assume the name Lady A, instead. But there was a problem. The prominent Seattle blues singer, Anita White, has been going by the name Lady A since 1987.

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Q&AJake UittiAmerican Songwriter Magazine
BIG FREEDIA BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH THE POWER OF ASS
BIG FREEDIA BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH THE POWER OF ASS

New Orleans bounce rapper Big Freedia (born Freddie Ross) has a gripping voice that belongs in a museum. Whether she’s adding a booming bit of spice to Beyoncé’s “Formation” or dueting with Lizzo on “Karaoke,” Big Freedia is prominent and powerful, and rose the ranks of New Orleans rowdy bounce scene performing her signature hypnotic, repetitious style of rap. That sound can be heard on her latest EP, Louder, which was released just before much of the country ground to a halt. The sudden stasis left Freedia in a weird limbo, unable to perform songs that were designed specifically to make crowds turn up. But when we caught up with her on Juneteenth, Big Freedia’s unshakeable spirit showed no signs of damage.

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Q&AJake UittiInterview Magazine