I have been trying for some time to think of a way to involve the visual arts in what I do here at MikeyPod. When my pal Ann Karp and I started talking about an alternate cover art design for the podcast it dawned on me that I could invite some other artists to do the same.

Here’s how it works:
Each month I will feature a new artist with a podcast interview and spotlight entries featuring his/her work. Ann’s design is up at the blog now, and I will be interviewing her soon (after I get some technical difficulties worked out with my soon to be old mixer).

I still have space for a few more artists this year, so let me know if you have any suggestions!

oooooops. my old voicemail expired! Here’s the new one: 206-202-4178 look for a new podcast today!

Yes, it’s been a long time between podcasts, sorry ’bout that! If you need a MikeyPod fix, hop on over to my friend Chef Mark’s show. We had dinner last night and saw Love in the Time of Cholera , podcasting all the way.

I am editing the interview with George Tabb this morning, so it ill be up Monday!

Before the interview with Division Day at Union Hall last Thursday, Ryan (d-day’s guitarist) mentioned Gary Numan’s album, Dance, which he has been listening to recently.

I bought the album about a year ago on e-music and after giving it a few casual listens on the subway, it fell into the abyss that is my ever expanding 120 GB music collection. So of course, the only comment I had about the album (which features the great Mick Karn on Bass) was regret that I had forgotten about it before I really gave it much of a listen.

As much as I love the extremely easy access to music that the internet provides, I really miss the days when buying a CD or two was more of an event. I discovered new music through my friends who were as obsessed as I was or reading music magazines. Buying a CD meant finding out about it, going to the music store to buy it, taking it home and then sitting down and listening to it while reading the liner notes. Don’t even get me started on the joy of making mix tapes sitting on the floor in front of my stereo surrounded by CD cases and an ashtray overflowing with butts.

Today, my rss reader is clogged with entries from music blogs that I rarely read because I get so overwhelmed with the number of unread entries (currently 2687) and the rate at which I download music makes it impossible to really listen to anything all that closely. Oh yeah… and I gave up smoking years ago.

Still, I don’t seem able to slow down. Like a Chihuahua who eats and eats until he pukes, how can I not continue? Is it just a matter of creating a more complex list of iTunes playlists, or maybe I should go back to buying CDs and start listening to music away from the computer where instant messages and twitters drive me from really paying attention to what I am listening too. Is there a way to live in both the past and present of consuming music and maintain a useful balance between them?

[tags]mp3, division day, gary numan, mick karn, iTunes, compact discs, blogs [/tags]

Sorry no podcast for so long. I am currently getting settled into my new apartment in Jersey City and starting a business! Once I get a desk and set up my studio, I will be back to rockin’ the podcasts. Stay tuned!

You may have noticed that the site has been down for over a week, but at last…it’s back! i fear that this may have caused your podcatchers to go wacko, if so I apologize.

I interviewed Dan Mathews from PETA yesterday and will have that included in a new podcast with some other fun stuff late tonight so I am back!

I have been really struggling with homesickness and this eternal-seeming feeling of not being a New Yorker yet, so I figured making this list might help.

Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee

I have no idea why I should be happy that my coffee is shade grown, but ever since the guys at Café Campesino brought a Guatemalan coffee grower to talk to us at Koinonia I have made a greater effort to track down Fair Trade products. Jacks is a tiny little place, but even when it is packed to the rafters, the staff is extremely friendly and attitude free. The vegan cherry almond scones kick ass, and it’s also where I discovered one of my favorite albums of the summer, Radiodread.

Zen Palate Union Square

There are a couple of other locations as well, but this is the one closest to me. While other veggie places offer faux meat shaped food, Zen Palate calls it like it is. The food is consistently delicious and fresh, though the air conditioning leaves something to be desired. It’s my current favorite payday treat. Now if I can just branch out beyond the sesame medallions!

Apple Store Soho

My friend Jeanie and I had a running joke at the level of condescension at the Apple Store in Houston’s Galleria, I assumed that it would be even worse in New York. I have made a few trips to the Soho Apple store and have been just delighted each time with the level of service and organization. I am always in and out really quickly, even when I had to make a trip to the Genius Bar (I get embarassed just saying that name) to get the battery in my MacBook Pro replaced. Now if I could just get some coinage rolling in so I can buy more stuff!

Miss Heather

I have searched for NYC blogs that I love as much as newyorkshitty.com but I have yet to find one that is as consistently laugh out loud funny as this one. It doesn’t hurt that she took me on a sound-seeing tour of Greenpoint, nor that she peppers her scatalogical entries with her extensive knowledge of New York’s history. Besides, how can you not love someone who refers to herself as Greenpoint’s Dog Shit Queen?

Random hilarious encounters with strangers

Case in point: I was eating at The Waverly Restaurant with my pal Liz a couple of nights ago, when all of a sudden this big intimidating looking black guy started singing along with Foriegner’s I Want To Know What Love Is in a full-on soulful falsetto. When I laughed out loud, he just gave me this big smile and thumbs up. Then we both went on about our business like it never happened.

BONUS:

Guidos

There. I admit it. I have a thing for those built, obnoxious, wifebeater-clad Italian dudes. Sue me.

This morning at around 3:30 a siren came blasting down 6th avenue and woke me up. I laid there for maybe fourty-five minutes trying to go back to sleep, but also thinking of just getting up. Finally I decided to wander the streets in search of a twenty-four hour Starbucks. I headed out at about 4:30 i guess, thinking that one of the two Starbucks at Union Square would surely be open. Alas, not, but it was really a fun to trod around the city with everything so empty. Most of the people I saw seemed to be wrapping up their nights. There was a younger looking kid who asked me if I would sell him two cigarettes, but didn’t seem to believe that i didn’t smoke.

It reminds me of when I was younger and in that party lifestyle, a little self-centered in that I thought everyone else was doing the same things I was like smoking cigarettes and…er… huffing lighter fluid. It was strange when I would be out and about still on a weekday morning and see people in business clothes going to work. I remembered in those moments that there were people out there having real lives.

Strangely, I miss being so naive.

Seeing as how I am going on a blind date sometime soon (first date in over two years, I might add), I thought it would be fun to get some input from you guys. Record yourself telling your story and send me the MP3, or just call and leave it as a voicemail: 206-339-6682.

Also, I still have a ton of CC stuff to give away! Listen to the latest episode of MikeyPod to find out how you can win!

Everyone’s favorite Lucky Bitch, Wanda Wisdom, invited me to join her on her show today. It’s been a long time since we have been able to chat. I don’t know why I always forget how much I love her, but I do!

Check it out here!

If you are looking for the Millard Fuller (Habitat for Humanity, The Fuller Center for Housing) interview that she and I talked about in the show:

Part One

Part Two