My First Car

Make them a bassline they can't refuse. Timothy 'Timo' Reed stops by the studio to catch up with me this week.  A fan of history and music Timo is a  bassist currently playing with Green Boots, The Swentones, and Johnny Spud. Back in Davenport Iowa Timo used his first car, a 82 Pontiac Grand LeMans to speed deliver Godfathers Pizza to Happy Joe Whitty. After relocating to North Dakota he dove headfirst into the local music scene, ...

In this episode, I sit down for a cup of joe and a deep conversation with my uncle D.W. Groethe a true cowboy of the arts. A ranch hand by trade and a poet singer-songwriter by calling, D.W. shares stories from a life lived off the beaten path. He may have never technically owned a car, but his first ride was a 66 Dodge van fully outfitted with a fridge, cabinets, and a bed. As lifelong musician he eventually traded in the band lif...

This week I’m joined by Gus Lindgren the owner of Rhythm Records and we share our love for comic book fandom and music. Gus shares stories of his first car a 2005 Chevy Aveo nicknamed "The Flash" and how this lil car became the backdrop for some of his most pivotal moments. A road trip to San Diego Comic Con where he met his future wife and the inevitable wreck that led to a second Aveo "The Flash 2." We also dive into his unexpect...

Singer-songwriter Kit Pines joins me in the studio with stories of reinvention, traveling, and rock 'n' roll. After a few too many close calls she was forced to sell her beloved New Yorker and make some major life changes. Moving in with her guitarist uncle sparked a new chapter by trading bad influences for garage band jam sessions and diving headfirst into the Bismarck music scene. We talk about her creative evolution, thrifting ...

Bass player and rocker for life Dustin Geiger drove the piss out of his first car a 1991 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat. Geiger and I reminisce about years of playing gigs, recording sessions, and the raw energy of the music scene. He takes us on a trip down memory lane sharing the evolution of his early days with Perosity and the band's transformation into the powerhouse that was Omnipotent Belligerence. We also touch on his latest project...

Before he could even drive musician Lucas Conlon had already claimed his first ride, a 93 Chevy Blazer. It didn’t last long before he totaled it but the stories live on. In this episode we talk about ordering CDs by the cover art, growing up in a home buzzing with music, and his early obsession with instruments which carries over to his ever growing collection. Call it musical hoarding or an arsenal of gear, Lucas is all in.  After...

In this episode we ride shotgun with Stacy Sturm, the creative force behind URL Radio. She kicks things off with hilarious tales of her very first cars from a Mercury Lynx barely held together with bubble gum and shoelaces, to a 91 Toyota Tercel that tore up the desert with its killer sound system. Spoiler alert: she’s managed to wreck every car she's owned and a few belonging to friends and family too. But Stacy’s not just a demol...

Singer songwriter Ben Suchy looks back on his early days with deep rooted reverence. From shredding skateboards and snowboards to cruising in his ’93 Dodge Shadow and obsessing over vintage Volkswagen buses, Ben isn't a car guy per se but is quite the YouTube mechanic guy. Ben shares stories of buying and selling vehicles, getting into skirmishes, and breaking his tibia. NGL, I squirmed a little when he talks about that. Ben’s musi...

Musician Kelly McCormack of The Pink Slips opens up about how her journey into music began with a brutal rejection from a choir director that only fueled her passion. We take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about the good old days of playing punk bands. Kelly gets real about facing adversity when a tumor left her on crutches at a young age, an injury made permanent due to a doctor's F-up. Along the way she shares the spontane...

Singer-songwriter Jennifer Lyn began her rebellious days behind the wheel of an 87 T-top Camaro equipped with a deer siren that was more often used to spook friends than wildlife. Building her career from the ground up, Jen started in coffee shops, learning every nuance from guitar solos to mixing, mastering, and the often overlooked business fundamentals. Leading to a collaboration with seasoned musicians to form the blues rock gr...

Here's a laid back and hilarious chat with musician Matt Foster, the creative force behind Penumbra, GreenBoots, Lords of Sorcery, and Inaudible Monster. Matt's 1985 Pontiac 6000 LE, complete with a disco-inspired ceiling lined with CDs, takes us on a nostalgic ride to the old days of the local concert scene. We dive into stories of road trips, camping adventures, and the wild, carefree days of being young, dumb, and full of cumber...

Meet Dakotah Faye, the legit nice guy and rapper whose demo disc got hopelessly jammed in his 2004 Ford Explorer for years until its final demise. Now two years sober and more driven than ever, Dakotah is a powerhouse constantly grinding out music, booking shows, and hitting the road on tour. From being dismissed as a hip-hop artist in North Dakota to proving himself as a true musician and entrepreneur, Dakotah's journey is a testa...

Computer wiz Ryan Schweitzer’s journey on four wheels began with a humble 1989 Chevy Cavalier, but it was his second car, an 83 red Cavalier station wagon, that truly left its mark. With his Ham radio call sign NØSXY emblazoned on the license plate, Ryan sparks a bit of confusion and curiosity among fellow drivers who can't help but wonder what the mysterious code means. We talk about collecting Laserdisc movies, cable access telev...

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Richard Torrance takes us on a thrilling ride through his incredible 60+ years in the music industry. In 1965, Richard cruised into the scene in his parents' sleek 55 Black Cadillac, hitting up drive-in theaters and Big Boy burger joints before leveling up to a Porsche. From his early days of rocking out in The Tradewinds to touring with the Canadian group Gettysbyrg Address, Richard's musical jour...

Kameran Ali of The Funky Arabs takes us back to the early days of forming bands with friends. Kam takes an epic road trip to Denver for Lollapalooza 96 and we end up just BSing about our shared love for concerts despite the skyrocketing ticket prices. Stories of unexpected run ins with musicians, grabbing KFC with Vanilla Ice, and launching 40s at a group of rowdy rednecks. Kameran also opens up about his fascinating journey, born ...