The Upful LIFE Podcast

003: SCOTTY ZWANG (Ghost Light)

Episode 003 of The Upful LIFE Podcast features drummer SCOTTY ZWANG, currently of Ghost Light. Scotty has been an enigmatic persona in the Northeast jam/jamtronica scenes for well over a decade, and is a fixture on the Philly musical landscape. The erstwhile rhythm wizard goes deep in this interview, taking us back to his humble beginnings in New York, learning the drums and joining alternative rock bands as a youth (Code Anchor). We then embark on the lengthy discussion of his entire career arc, including his stint in Sonic Spank, which is when I first encountered him at The Blockley in Philadelphia.

 

 

From there we touch on a variety of projects and endeavors, including the mentorship of KJ Sawka, Scotty joining (and leaving) Greenhouse Lounge and Dopapod, and the creation of his current project Ghost Light, which was formed by JRAD's Tom Hamilton, and includes pianist Holly Bowling, among others. We also take a lengthy and hilarious detour into his history with The Disco Biscuits and affiliated projects. Scotty's story is one of success, failure, and rebounding to bigger and better things. Scotty closes things out with his thoughts on taking a step back from the rock n'roll and EDM party scenes (and the activities that go along with them), as well as his recent choice to go Vegan.

We play a little Ghost Light jam in the intro, so Scotty's interview starts around 12:30 and lasts about seventy minutes.

This episode's Vibe Junkie JAM of the Week is a look back at the astounding collaboration between Jamiroquai's Jay Kay and the debut performance of The Fearless Flyers, a Vulfpeck side project. This magic took place late night the Sunday before Labor Day, at an official afterparty for North Coast Music Festival.

 

 

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Theme Song: Mazel Tov by CALVIN VALENTINE

 

 

002 : CHRIS PERELLA (Ardmore Music Hall, The Blockley, Philadelphia)

Episode 002 of The Upful LIFE Podcast, featuring a long-form interview with Chris Perella, of Philadelphia-area jam hub Ardmore Music Hall (AMH). Before assuming the reigns (and ultimately heading up a team to buy) at Ardmore Music Hall, Chris was manager and talent buyer at storied, infamous Philly club The Blockley, which operated (as CP details, by the seat of it’s pants and skin of it’s teeth) for about five years. I had the pleasure and privilege of working for Mr. Perella at The Blockley for a year and a half or so, during this time period Chris both befriended me and peeled back the curtain of the Philly music scenes/industry.

Beginning in June 2012 through August 2013, Chris Perella hired and employed me through some very dark personal times; I was not back in Philadelphia by choice, I moved back from Florida because my father had become very ill, and my mother was overwhelmed caring for him. It was during this time that I came to know CP both professionally, and personally’ and since then he’s been among the finest humans I’ve been lucky to call a friend in this life. As such, I was anxious to get him onto The Upful LIFE Podcast to discuss his career arc, as well as any number of music culture topics.

Chris Perella interview starts at 10:30 mark

CP and BG take a trip down memory lane, discussing the five years that AMH has been doing the damn thing. Chris really opens up about his former club, the infamous/legendary Philly nightspot #TheBlockley, where I had the pleasure of working for him in 2012-2013. Perella wrestles with what made The Blockley both the dream venue, and his personal nightmare, and we laugh at a few classic nights of yore (including the sold out LETTUCE show in May 2013!). Perella offers insights as to why The Blockley ultimately failed, and how he mined the lessons from that experience to find great success at AMH.

Chris also details his own path from green AF rookie band manager almost overnight to big-market talent buyer, running the hottest room in town with virtually NO experience. He talks about what he’s looking for when booking a new band, and why. We reflect on some gambles he’s taken on young bands years ago. Also sheds light on how he became co-manager of Everyone Orchestra. We get his thoughts on the legacies of Grateful Dead, New Orleans music, The Disco Biscuits and how these entities have affected and influenced Philadelphia’s vibrant music scene, of which he is a major cog. We conclude with an honest and raw exchange about loyalty in this industry. A fantastic (HOUR LONG!) powwow with CP!

Episode 002 ends with the debut segment *VIBE Junkie JAM of the Week* (1:15:25), where I will be placing a spotlight on a excessively dope piece of music every episode. Sometimes I’ll play just a song, other times I’ll discuss it at length. This week’s segment focuses on Lettuce recently busting out D’Angelo‘s “Brown Sugar” (9/20 Berkeley CA), which was a very special moment for the host, and many others. You’ll have to listen in to find out why!

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The Upful LIFE Podcast is available on iTunes!

Theme Song: Mazel Tov by CALVIN VALENTINE

 

001: MICHELANGELO CARUBBA - (Turkuaz), J.A. talks Phish Summer Tour

Pilot episode of The Upful LIFE Podcast, hosted/curated by B.Getz, a music-culture reporter and historian. We’re lucky to have our first guest TURKUAZ drummer MICHELANGELO CARUBBA for a long-form sitdown, which took place during High Sierra in NorCal back in early July. (The early part of the interview takes place while a band is playing nearby, please excuse the background blues; we eventually relocated to a quasi-suitable quarters for the majority of the convo.). Mikey talks ‘Kuazology, their live album 040717, Denny Laine and playing with heroes, his lifelong connection to Tower of Power drummer David Garibaldi. After the music nuggets, Mikey takes a turn for the serious, heartfelt, and inspiring, no-holds-barred recounting the circumstances that led to his sobriety, We spend time detailing his budding relationship with a Vermont-based singer/songwriter. Turkuaz is slated to drop Live in the City, a brand new studio LP, on September 28th.

The episode’s second half features a spirited segment with J.A., one of the host’s lifelong friends going back three decades. J.A. and B.Getz first met in the press box at a KISS show on the Hot in the Shade Tour in 1989. Turns out they both went to Bret Harte Elementary School in Cherry Hill, NJ, and have been best buddies ever since. J.A. is an authority on everything from glam metal to pro wrasslin’, as well as Springsteen and The Rolling Stones. Jason is a noted Delaware Valley Phishtorian, so for this first segment, the old friends get on the phone to chop it up about the state of the union and all things The Phish from VT.

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The Upful LIFE Podcast is available on iTunes!

Theme Song: Mazel Tov by CALVIN VALENTINE