Raise a Glass

Eric and Hunter reprise their discussion of John's Steinbeck's East of Eden. All quotations and page numbers taken from the centennial edition of East of Eden: https://www.abebooks.com/East-Eden-Steinbeck-John-Penguin-Books/32327730762/bd Article exploring John Steinbeck's interpretation of Hebrew: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/steinbeckreview.12.2.0190?read-now=1&seq=5 Levin, Daniel. "John Steinbeck and the Missing Kamatz in East of Eden: How Steinbeck Found a Hebrew Word but Muddled Some Vowels." The Steinbeck Review, vol. 12, no. 2, 2015, pp. 190–98. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.5325/steinbeckreview.12.2.0190. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Hunter shares how he is attempting to get off his mountain's plateau, and how he discovered Jeff Beck.  Correction: the lick Jeff Beck uses to pay tribute to Jimi is from Little Wing, not Wind Cries Mary. My favorite guitar solos: Be My Friend Live (Paul Kossof): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P00-KBLqPwI Sweet Child O Mine (Slash): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7OgIMMRc4 Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35luFxHO5E0 Further on Up the Road (Clapton and Robbie Robertson): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78gR3Dlj7l0 Hotel California (Don Felder and Joe Walsh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09839DpTctU Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKCt8ssC7cs  [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKCt8ssC7cs] Shine On you Crazy Diamond (David Gilmour): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWGE9Gi0bB0&list=RDcWGE9Gi0bB0&start_radio=1 Turn Blue (Dan Auerbach): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5a1Cl_JOJM&list=RDC5a1Cl_JOJM&start_radio=1 Scared for the Children (Jeff Beck): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88mb6yDeQoI Where Were You (the whammy bar song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPgtreCwk8A Please go watch Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott's, thank you. Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBGm7gJtSZE

Hunter talks and plays about some of his favorite guitarists, and how they have shaped his guitar journey. House of the Rising Sun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4bFqW_eu2I All Right Now  by Free: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wiF6b4rxno Be My Friend by Free (Hunter's favorite): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P00-KBLqPwI Joe Bonamassa on Paul Kossoff and Free: https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/joe-bonamassa-paul-kossoff Crossroad Blues by Robert Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ_7nYEpkBo Please don't take my word for it. Read and watch more about Robert Johnson and blues history: https://www.amazon.com/Up-Jumped-Devil-Robert-Johnson/dp/1641600942 https://www.aaihs.org/the-historical-roots-of-blues-music/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_the_blues Other guitarists important to the blues: Muddy Waters, BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Son House, Leadbelly and many more. Jimi Hendrix's effects and partnership with Roger Mayer (a sound engineer who designed the fuzz face and Octavia): https://reverb.com/news/nailing-it-achieving-the-tones-of-jimi-hendrix Origins of slide guitar: https://www.byarcadia.org/post/the-hawaiin-roots-of-blues-slide-guitar More on Slide guitar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_guitar Romans 8:26 "...the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

Eric and Hunter enjoy a tasty potluck meal with Kim's Convenience and Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Tolkien Reader: https://archive.org/details/tolkienreader0000jrrt (read for free) or https://www.abebooks.com/Tolkien-Reader-J.R.R-Rey/32208035121/bd (buy)

Eric and Hunter get back into recording with a grab bag episode.

Eric and Hunter discuss two films that make various Cowboy flavored impressions about violence and manliness.

Eric tries to warm Hunter's cold, cynical heart with his love for the Olympics and the stories we tell about it. Derek Redmond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2G8KVzTwfw Michael Phelps medals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F81cLjRY4to Mikaela Shiffrin's Essay: https://signature.theplayerstribune.com/mikaela-shiffrin-olympics-team-usa-skiing/p/1 Ifixit: https://www.ifixit.com/

Eric and Hunter fall headfirst into East of Eden and barely stay afloat.  American Born Chinese: https://theroastedbookery.com/product/american-born-chinese

Eric and Hunter take different routes through Pokemon and How to Train Your Dragon, back to their childhoods, when there were dragons.

Hunter and Eric raise a glass to the High Kings before and after the concert, featuring a couple covers and some rainbow chasing.

Eric and Hunter delve into the world of Thomas Hardy with Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Hunter's essay: https://write.as/hdansin/a-pure-woman-sits-up-in-a-coffin The Novels of Thomas Hardy (p245): https://archive.org/details/commonreaderseco0000wool/page/7/mode/1up How Should One Read a Book: https://yalereview.org/article/virginia-woolf-essay-how-should-read-book

Eric and Hunter dive headfirst into Part 1 of East of Eden while munching bunny cookies. East of Eden Centennial Edition: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=east%20of%20eden%20centennial%20edition&sts=t&ds=20

Hunter shares some of his favorite games on the PS4 with Eric. Guitar work by Hunter, both inspired by the Outer Wilds soundtrack (Travelers and Timber Hearth).  Lady Knight the Brave's video essay on The Last of Us 1 & 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2lFauyNMVA My wife and I playing Overcooked: https://youtu.be/O2mMI_sXVOg

Eric and Hunter kick off their series of in person game system episodes with a look at the Playstation 2.

Eric and Hunter return to the world of The Witcher. They're a little bit rusty, but the swords are sharp as ever and a couple potions in their glasses get them through. Note: Geralt is in fact 90-100 years old during the events of the Witcher III (according to a lore entry in the game), but Sapkowski never actually states his age. Killing Monsters Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0i88t0Kacs Wolven Storm (Priscilla's Song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SAGrc9cjvY Raxabit gameplay videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEablyCJWxs Detlaff boss fight (SPOILERS, but probably the best showcase of Witcher 3 combat ever): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih27CmFgTPc Guitar by Hunter. It is an instrumental adaption of Wolven Storm and Toss a Coin to Your Witcher. Tavern SFX: https://freesound.org/people/Robinhood76/sounds/209354/

On the first episode of Season 3, Eric and Hunter welcome Jordan onto the podcast to discuss the first three books of Wheel of Time. Much like the Wheel of Time all topics promised in the beginning are covered, but they are weaved throughout and pay off... eventually. Hunter also frequently says 3 and a half when he means 2 and a half.

Eric and Hunter spend a late night session with the N64. Eric shares about the importance of the system to him while Hunter gets a little salty. Epic Beau's parody, "Up B": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM2uCot0Rmo

Eric and Hunter talk (and sing (and 'rap')) about the musical about the namesake of their alma mater. Hunter also mispronounces Samuel Seabury as "Samuel Seavery". Petition and info about Jeff McArn: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/support-for-jeff https://www.hamiltonmonitor.com/post/chaplain-jeff-mcarn-quietly-terminated-for-new-direction

Eric and Hunter rack up lots of points (you decide if they're positive or negative) talking about  Michael Shur's The Good Place. Beware! This will spoil everything! What we Owe to Eachother by T.M. Scanlon: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/What-We-Owe-Each-Other/T-M-Scanlon/9780674004238 The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31429286060&searchurl=sortby%3D17%26tn%3Ddivine%2Bconspiracy&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title3

Eric and Hunter raise a glass to one of Eric's favorite movies, About Time starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, and Bill Nighy. Don't worry, they only make Dad puns on the name of the movie about twenty times. About Time: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2194499/ Sleep deprivation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6473877/ Mindfulness: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mindfulness