Podcasts – Trip City

First up, Dean Haspiel sits with comedian/actor, Angry Bob, at the Remedy Diner in the lower east side of New York City and discusses Angry Bob’s comedy roots and origins, and so much more. Plus, you get to sit with Dean and listen to Angry Bob unleash unholy brown hell on the final night of Reverend Jen’s Anti-Slam at the Bowery Poetry Club! If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience the NYC alt-comedy scene, here’s your chance. [Angry Bob and Dean Haspiel. Photo by Seth Kushner] For our second half of the show, Jef UK interviews comedian Brooke Van Poppelen, and the two discuss her origins performing stand-up, always hustling to get to the next gig, her transitioning to writing for television, and all the blogs, one-woman-shows, and hangovers in between. [Brooke Van Poppelen. Photo by Laina Karavani]   The TRIP CITY podcast is produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, Seth Kushner and Jeffrey Burandt. [Angry Bob Death Gaze. Photo by Seth Kushner]      

  Jeff Newelt, AKA JahFurry, interviews Aline Kominsky-Crumb and her best friend / artistic collaborator Dominique Sapel. Aline Kominsky-Crumb is an American underground comics artist, and wife of cartoonist Robert Crumb. Dominique Sapel is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in the South of France. They were both in NY for the opening of “Miami Makeover: Almost Anything for Beauty”, an exhibit at The Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art. They “set out to entirely re-imagine their body image. Donning new outfits, wigs, jewelry, nails, makeup and padding in just the right places, the two artists remade themselves in the image of a modern Miami woman.”  [Dominique Sapel, Cookie (subject), Aline Kominsky-Crumb, art from the exhibition by Kominsky-Crumb and Sapel] [Alex Rae & Thor Parker of Midtown Comics] Jef UK interviews Thor Parker and Alex Rae about their upcoming reality show, Comic Store Heroes, debuting on the National Geographic Channel, Friday, 7/13/12, at 8 PM. Comic Store Heroes uses America’s largest comic book retail store, Midtown Comics, as a backdrop to follow the lives and passions of comic book store employees and patrons. The group also discuss selling your old comics, creating a space for fans to interact with pros, and the success or failure of bundling digital download codes with print books in brick-and-mortar stores. [Kushner & Irving at their book launch at powerHouse Arena, 4/12, the cover to Leaping Tall Buildings] Dean Haspiel sits with author Christopher Irving and photographer Seth Kushner to discuss the origins of their new book, Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins Of American Comics, a love letter to the comic book industry.  The book tells the  history of comics through 75 creator profiles including; Art Spiegelman, Stan Lee, Grant Morrison, Harvey Pekar, Joe Simon, Fran Miller, Brian Michael Bendis, Jamie Hernandez and many more. [A look inside Leaping Tall Buildings] The TRIP CITY podcast is produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, Seth Kushner and Jeffrey Burandt. Photographs by Seth Kushner.  Kushner & Irving photo by Joseph Eisenstein. Miskiewicz photo by Miskiewicz.

Author Chuck Klosterman is interviewed by Ron Scalzo, who guest-hosts and guest-produced this episode.  Topics discussed include Klosterman’s latest novel The Visible Man; his books Killing Yourself To Live, Fargo Rock City, Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs; his love of watching football; the finale of the ABC TV series Lost; current shows he admires like AMC’s Breaking Bad; Guns N’ Roses and Radiohead; his writing philosophy and much, much more. The featured song is  “Not For You” from the album If It Takes All Night by The Head Set. Plus, a new anxiety-ridden edition of “Ronnie’s Story,” relating to Chuck Klosterman. Special thanks to BookCourt, Brooklyn’s premiere independent bookstore. Be sure to view Seth Kushner’s CulturePOP Photocomix Profile on Chuck Klosterman, based upon this interview.  Pick up Chuck Klosterman’s works here. [Ron Scalzo interviews Chuck Klosterman at his Brooklyn home] The TRIP CITY podcast is produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner.  This episode is guest-produced by Ron Scalzo. Photographs by Seth Kushner.

  Comics legend Jim Salicrup is the editor-in-chief of the all ages publisher Papercutz, which publishes Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Bionicle, Geronimo Stilton, The Smurfs, and The Three Stooges,  among other titles. But he might be best known for working twenty years at Marvel Comics where he edited books such as The Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers and the entire Spider-Man line, culminating with the creation of Spider Man #1 by Todd McFarlane which sold over 3 million copies. Jim sat with Chris Miskiewicz for an in depth interview giving his insight on what it was like to work in the classic Marvel Bullpen with creators such as Stan Lee and Jim Steranko, as well as a general overview on comics over the last 40 years, and where that market has gone and is going. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. Photographs by Seth Kushner.

    Dean Haspiel and writer, Tim Hall, interview comedian/writer/performer, Lizz Winstead, who is best known for co-creating THE DAILY SHOW, and they discuss her life and career and her new book, LIZZ FREE OR DIE. Teenage heartthrob Jef UK talks to author Charles Soule about his upcoming Image Comics collection 27: Second Set, his recently announced graphic novel Strange Attractors from Archaia Entertainment, and his Slave Labor Graphics series Strongman, as well as the pride and pitfalls of making it as a writer in the first decade of the new millennium. Read Charles’ comic Sal & Chrys on Trip City by clicking HERE.   (Tim Hall, Lizz Winstead, and Dean Haspiel) (Charles Soule) (Charles Soule and Jeffrey Burandt aka Jef UK) The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. Photographs by Seth Kushner.  

In Episode 13 of the TRIP CITY podcast, guest host Ron Scalzo talks with Brooklyn-based band Burlap To Cashmere, where such topics discussed include the band’s history, the advantages and disadvantages of being independent artists, and more.  Also, we present three of the band’s original tracks from their self-titled sophomore album. [Ron Scalzo interviews Burlap To Cashmere] Then, Seth Kushner talks with Ron Scalzo about their long personal history, Ron’s indie record label Bald Freak Music, his music projects Q*Ball, Hooper and Return To Earth, his ‘A Dozen Movies…’ series at Trip City, and baldness.  Also, a brand new song by Q*Ball featuring Chris Pennie, “A*Pathetic Song.” [Steven Delopoulos, John Philippidis & Theodore Pagano] Photos by Seth Kushner.  The TRIP CITY podcast is guest produced by Ron Scalzo.

In episode 12 of the TRIP CITY podcast, we present a recording of the “Harvey Pekar Tribute” from last year’s Miami Book Fair, featuring Harvey Pekar’s wife, Joyce Brabner, Cleveland artist, Joseph Remnant, The Pekar Project & Cleveland editor, Jeff Newelt, and The Quitter & American Splendor artist, Dean Haspiel. Plus, an interview with Zip Comics publisher of Cleveland, Josh Frankel, and a story about his “worst date ever.” Please make sure to check out Dean Haspiel’s “Anatomy of an American Splendor cover,” and Seth Kushner’s CulturePOP on the late, great Harvey Pekar. Harvey Pekar portrait by Seth Kushner.  The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner.   [Josh Frankel and Chris Miskiewicz at HANG DAI Studios]      

In this episode of the TRIP CITY podcast, Chris Miskiewicz interviews Danish writer and graphic novelist, Palle Schmidt, about his work in comics and fascination with noir. Followed by Palle and Danish artist, Peter Snejbjerg [of Starman and DC/Vertigo Comics fame], having an in depth discussion about the current Danish comics market. Also, Jef UK interviews Scott Ogden about self taught “outsider” artists, their personal influences, and Scott’s company, Make Skateboards. Debuting this week is Chris Miskiewicz and Palle Schmidt’s supernatural detective webcomic, THOMAS ALSOP in “The Case of Dead Uncle.” Plus, a new song by American UK:  “Stoop Sale.”  [Scott Ogden on the roof of HANG DAI Studios in Brooklyn, NY] Palle Schmidt is the writer/artist of The Devils Concubine published by IDW. Photographs by Seth Kushner. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner.

Seth Kushner interviews cartoonist, Becky Cloonan, about her new work on Conan The Barbarian for Dark Horse Comics, her self-published mini-comic Wolves, collaborating with writer, Brian Wood, and more! Pals since high school, Dean Haspiel sits down with writer/filmmaker, Larry O’Neil, and they talk about their early rebellions, their passion for comic books and movies, the business of making comic books and movies, FEAR CITY; their one and only, lost & found, comix collaboration, and Larry’s latest short film, TRONT’S QUEST, the sensuous and provocative tale of a Dungeons & Dragons game gone wrong. And our featured closing track is “Bigdate” from the Brooklyn based band, The Divide. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. Becky Cloonan photo by Seth Kushner [Dean Haspiel & Larry O’Neil at HANG DAI Studios, 2/28/2012. Photographed by Seth Kushner]    

Dean Haspiel has a candid conversation with actress/playwright/filmmaker, Halley Feiffer, the daughter of famous satirist/playwright/cartoonist, Jules Feiffer, and writer/actress/comedian, Jenny Allen, and they discuss Halley’s career, the differences between theater and film, and what it means to let your kitchen faucet drip. And, check out Halley’s brilliant short play, Thank You So Much For Stopping. Seth Kushner & Amy Finkel traveled to New Jersey to the Chiller Theater, a nostalgia fan convention, and they talked with such stars as Burt Young from Rocky, Carol Spinny, the puppeteer and voice behind Sesame Street’s Big Bird, the kids from  the original Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Frank Vincent from The Sopranos, and many more. Also, be sure to view, Icons of Pop, Seth’s gallery of photographic portraits of all the cool stars they met including Martin  Landau, Bruce Dern, and many others. Our featured closing track is “ND Passerby” by the band, Late Cambrian. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. [Halley Feiffer and Dean Haspiel] [Richard Kiel aka “Jaws” from the James Bond films with Amy Finkel] Photographs by Seth Kushner  

  In TRIP CITY podcast #8, Dean Haspiel conducts an interview with author, Jonathan Vankin, and they discuss his years as a journalist and writer, his time shepherding literary graphic novels as a senior editor at Vertigo/DC Comics, his thoughts behind conspiracy theories and whether or not man truly walked on the moon, and the unproduced screenplay he wrote for Japanese filmmaker, Takashi Miike. Dean also talks to singer/actress, Kirsten Holly Smith, who has devoted herself to researching, writing, and producing her musical about the legendary Dusty Springfield, where she sings a live version of “Son of a Preacher Man” in the confines of Hang Dai Studios. The podcast also boasts four poems by two New York poets, Caits Meissner and Tishon, from their first collaborative book, The Letter All Your Friends Have Written You, as well as, a spoken-word performance of Chris Miskiewicz’  “Nineteen Year Old Polish Girl Down the Block ,” accompanied by the music of Vezio Bacci [of the London band, Big Linda]. Please be sure to check out This weeks TRIP CITY highlights Seth Kushner debuts The Schmuck Diaries with “Mein Roommate,” a 4th Reich ridicule to his monthly Schmuck comix series, and also offers “My Youth In Comics,” a Personal Pop essay. Dean Haspiel delivers two Room Tone stories and wonders when to say goodbye in “The Last Time,” and, while on crutches, confronts a deranged GG Allin in “Body English.” Jef UK drops another installment of Time Bum with art by Paul Ahern, and debuts his new monthly comic series, Thomas The Headless Boy, with artist Aaron Bir. Chris Miskiewicz emits two Signals [his spoken-word series] with the Philip K. Dick inspired, “Which You?” and reveals the reason why he types in public with  “The Writer.” Plus, new installments of Dan Goldman’s Gringo-in-Brazil essay series, Toucannui, Jen Ferguson’s urban fable, Metrollpolis, Ron Scalzo’s A Dozen Movies That Scared The Shit Out Of Me, Revisited – Part 4: Pinocchio, with gorgeous art by Rick Parker, Jennifer Hayden takes us for a “Night walk” in S’Crapbook, and the final episode of  Jonathan Vankin’s Please Don’t Change The Facts, memories of a mercenary journalist at the world’s largest newspaper, with art by Simon Gane. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. –Vankin & Smith portrait by Seth Kushner

In this episode of the TRIP CITY podcast, Dean Haspiel interviewed his father/author/archivist, James Haspiel, during Thanksgiving last year, and they talk about James’ friend, the late, great Marilyn Monroe. They contrast MM’s impact on society 50-years after her death and James tells a moving story about a 12-year old Wisconsin boy. Also, Seth Kushner talks to author/cartoonist, Bob Fingerman, about his latest novel, Pariah, and they look back at his graphic novel, Beg The Question, and discuss “speculative memoir.” Plus, “Film Noir,” an unpublished song from the vaults of the psychedelic rock band, Swinger 8. This weeks TRIP CITY highlights: Ever wonder what happened to those Pro Wresting giants from the 1980’s? Seth Kushner knows in, “Wrestling with Big Fat Freddy,” while the second installment of poet/author, Sandra Beasley’s Modern Alice, keeps TRIP CITY tumescent with “Knock Knock.” Plus, “The Magical World of Shrinq’I’Dinqs” by Krista Dragomer. Dean Haspiel drops two prose pieces from his Room Tone series;  “The Icebox” and “Fire Man.” Plus, a personal profile on his mother, Barbara Haspiel: Saving Souls and Protecting Lives, which makes the perfect compliment to Seth Kushner’s CulturePOP: James Haspiel – The One and Only. Dan Goldman launches, TOUCANNUI, his “Gringo in Brazil,” bi-weekly non-fiction series, and Jonathan Vankin delivers two more parts of his 5-part series, “Please Don’t Change The Facts – Memoirs of a Mercenary Journalist at the World’s Largest Newspaper.” Finally, there are new episodes of Nick Bertozzi’s LAD ZEPPELIN,  Nick Abadzis’ SUBTERRANEAN STORIES,  Americans UK madness from Jef UK, and a couple more spoken-word Signals from our TRIP CITY podcast producer, Chris Miskiewicz. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. Bob Fingerman portrait by Seth Kushner [James Haspiel and Dean Haspiel in Brooklyn, NY on Thanksgiving Day, 2011]  [Chris Miskiewicz doing what it takes to produce the podcast. Photo by Paul Bosche]

This week at TRIP CITY, Jef UK interviews author, Jonathan Lethem, about his new book collection, The Ecstasy of Influence: Nonfictions, Etc., and previous works. We also interview cartoonist, Joe Infurnari, about his new graphic novel, MUSH! Sled Dogs With Issues! [in collaboration with The Colbert Report writer, Glenn Eichler], and discuss his process and Yale arts roots. Plus, brief interviews with cartoonists who attended the 2011 Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Festival, and our featured closing track “Hotel Room” by Swinger Eight. This weeks TRIP CITY highlights: Seth Kushner launches his new comix series, SCHMUCK, with artist, Kevin Colden, who will also be posting a new episode of BABY WITH A MOHAWK. Author, conspiracy theorist, and comix writer/editor, Jonathan Vankin, debuts his weekly, 5-part series, “Please Don’t Change The Facts – Memoirs of a Mercenary Journalist at the World’s Largest Newspaper,” with illustrations by artist, Simon Gane. Also, “Back on Nervous Street,” a comic collaboration by Jonathan Lethem & Dean Haspiel, Time Bum #1 by Americans UK, and a new S’CRAPBOOK comic by Jennifer Hayden. Plus, much more. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. [Dean Haspiel, Jonathan Lethem, Jef UK, & Seth Kushner at Hang Dai Studios in November, 2011] [Joe Infurnari at Hang Dai Studios post Spanish food meal] [Chris Miskiewicz craps out our latest podcast] Jonathan Lethem portrait by Seth Kushner

TRIP CITY Podcast #5 highlights Dean Haspiel’s couch interview with cartoonist, Dan Goldman, from October, where they discussed Dan’s comics career, his process,  the digital revolution, and the future.  This holiday special was broadcast “live” from the Trip City Xmas Party at the top of Hang Dai Studios. The party features “Christmas Murderer” by Jef UK, a “live” performance by Americans UK where they played jams from their album, “Live From Another Dimension,” an intimate interview with a famous theoretical physicist, an impromptu lesson about how to get an Emmy Award in “How To In Two,”  and the debut of the band, The Something of Hope, with their Xmas song, “And so this is ChrisMis.”   Please view the Dan Goldman gallery and RED LIGHT PROPERTIES: A Series of Tubes. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, and Seth Kushner. Dan Goldman portrait by Tomas Rangel    

TRIP CITY Podcast #4 highlights Krista Dragomer‘s interview with Miranda July at Hang Dai Studios from November, where they talked about her new non-fiction book, It Chooses You (McSweeney’s, 2011). Krista and Miranda also discuss art fears, feminist art-makers, and dirty limericks.  Other topics discussed:  Miranda’s most recent film is The Future (2011), which she wrote directed, and stars in. Her previous film, Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), which won a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and four prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, including the Camera d’Or. Her fiction, which has appeared in The Paris Review, Harper’s, and The New Yorker; her collection of stories, No One Belongs Here More Than You (Scribner, 2007), which won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Her videos, performances, and web-based projects, which have been presented at sites such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and in two Whitney Biennials. Seth Kushner interviews Krista Dragomer about her sound art, her graphic novel project, THE OPEN, interviewing Miranda July, and more. Dean Haspiel interviews nomadic poet/writer, Sandra Beasley, about her memoir DON’T KILL THE BIRTHDAY GIRL: TALES FROM AN ALLERGIC LIFE, and she gives an intimate performance of her poem, “Vocation,” from her book,  I WAS THE JUKEBOX, and talks about her new TRIP CITY series, MODERN ALICE, debuting this week with her story, “Hot For Santa.” Plus, the Edison Woods single, “Dance me to the End of the World” from The Wishbook Singles. Edison Woods a staple of the Williamsburg music scene is the music project of Julia Frodahl, who grew up in an odd little town in Northern California with an unusual population of two-step saloons and Wurlitzer organs. Edison Woods is a mini-orchestra that includes many textural sounds, strings, reeds, piano. The band has released four albums since 2001, has enjoyed collaborations with wonderful artists including Simon Raymond (Cocteau Twins) and Mark Van Hoen (Slowdive, Mojave 3), and has also written original music scores for artists including Mimmo Paladino, Joey McKneeley, and Katie Workum . Here’s a link to the Edison Woods music video for “Last Night I Dreamt I would Last Forever” off of the album Nest Of Machines. Go to Itunes for a complete list of Edison Woods past and present albums. Special thanks to Krista Dragomer, Dean Haspiel, Seth Kushner, Sandra Beasley, Juliet Litman, Miranda July, Edison Woods, and BookCourt, the premiere independent book store in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, NY. Please view Bleeding the Dream: Film Stills from a movie project by Krista Dragomer & Rashin Fahandej, and a graphic novel excerpt from The Open, by Krista Dragomer & Beatrice Marovich. The TRIP CITY podcast produced by Chris Miskiewicz, Dean Haspiel, Seth Kushner, and Krista Dragomer. Miranda July photos by Seth Kushner