Renaissance Soul

This episode’s guest is DJ, music historian, and curator, DJ Amir Abdullah. Known for his On Track mixtapes with DJ Kon, Amir currently run his own record label, 180-Proof (founded in 2011), which owns the exclusive rights to release Strata Records’ influential back catalog and unreleased sessions. This is a re-issue of an interview I did with DJ Amir back in December 2018 for the Fresh is the Word Podcast that would fit well as a Renaissance Soul episode. During our conversation, we talked about Amir’s roots in music, his collaborations with DJ Kon and the On Track mixtapes, becoming a music historian and curator, researching music to reissue/unearth, obtaining the Strata Records catalogue, the history and political activism of Strata in Detroit, and Charles Mingus Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden and the stories behind the recordings. PURCHASE/STREAM: CHARLES MINGUS – Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden Follow DJ Amir Abdullah: Web: 180-proof.com Twitter: twitter.com/djamir70 Mixcloud: mixcloud.com/djamir Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/djamir70 Instagram: instagram.com/180proofrecords Instagram: instagram.com/djamir70 Facebook: facebook.com/DJ-Amir-161195730583168 Bandcamp: 180proofrecords.bandcamp.com Twitch: twitch.tv/djamir70 SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com.

For this episode of Renaissance Soul, I’m joined by Dave Stephens, founding member and vocalist of the Troy, Michigan metalcore band We Came As Romans, as we talk about their debut album To Plant A Seed. Originally released on November 3, 2009 via Equal Vision Records, a deluxe edition of the album was released on January 18, 2011 which includes one bonus track and a DVD titled To Plant a DVD. In covering this monumental debut album, we talk about the beginnings of the band through their early touring and their two EPs, Dreams and Demonstrations, both self released in 2008 before getting signed to Equal Vision. We also go track-by-track throughout the album and Stephens shares any stories he has about the song or making of it. We also touch on the vocal contributions of the late Kyle Pavone, who passed away in 2018, from this album. We Came As Romans originally were going to tour this album to both celebrate it and retire the songs from it for live shows when the pandemic hit and were only able to perform a handful or so shows before all live music got cancelled. We discuss the reasoning for that tour as they are set to do a live stream on April 23rd playing To Plant A Seed in its entirety online. To purchase tickets and merch bundles, head over to thebarricade.live. Follow We Came As Romans: Web: romansmerch.com Instagram: instagram.com/wecameasromans Facebook: facebook.com/wecameasromans Twitter: twitter.com/wecameasromans SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword.

For this episode of Renaissance Soul, I’m joined by singer-songwriter, musician, actress, and Detroit rock pioneer and legend Suzi Quatro to talk about her new album The Devil In Me, released on March 26, 2021 via Steamhammer / SPV. Now at the age of 70 with 54 years in the music game, Suzi Quatro helped kicked down the doors for the women who wanted to rock! The Devil In Me is the second time she collaborated with her son Richard Tuckey after 2019’s No Control, a decision made after both their touring schedules were cancelled due to the pandemic. As you will hear, Suzi Quatro has a poetic mind as we talk about her longevity in music and how her career has always been a family affair since her early years with the bands The Pleasure Seekers and ‎Cradle‎ with her sisters. We talk about how the pandemic gave life to The Devil In Me, how working with her son was different on this album, as well as going track-by-track through the album, its videos, and the album artwork. It was an honor to have such a legend on the show who is still going strong after decades making music. Listen closely because she drops a lot of gems of knowledge throughout this episode! Stream/Purchase The Devil In Me: SuziQuatro.lnk.to/TheDevilInMe Follow Suzi Quatro: Web: suziquatro.com Instagram: instagram.com/suziquatroreal Facebook: facebook.com/Suziquatrorocks Twitter: twitter.com/Suzi_Quatro YouTube: youtube.com/user/SUZIQUATROOFFICIAL SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword.

For this episode of Renaissance Soul, I’m joined by Chloë Drallos to talk about her debut full-length album DOOMPOP under the moniker of Zilched. Based on the grunge influences of her teens like Nirvana and Jesus and Mary Chain, this new face of Detroit’s rock scene hits it out of the park with DOOMPOP, a collection of dark and melancholy songs that’s dips into the psyche of the young singer/songwriter during those formative years approaching inevitable adulthood. Together, we go through each track talking about the stories behind them, along with life before writing DOOMPOP, and the making of this album. Stream/Purchase DOOMPOP: linktr.ee/zilchedmusic Follow Zilched: Instagram: instagram.com/zilchedmusic Facebook: facebook.com/zilchedmusic YouTube: youtube.com Bandcamp: zilchedmusic.bandcamp.com SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword.

For this episode of Renaissance Soul, I’m joined by indie singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, and all around jack of all music trades, Fred Thomas, band leader of Saturday Looks Good To Me as we talk about their 2003 album All Your Summer Songs. Coming from the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area, Fred Thomas’ contributions to the Michigan music scene are just as prevalent in Detroit. With a couple local releases for Saturday Looks Good To Me in 2000, All Your Summer Songs was the first real album for this project of Thomas’ – released via Polyvinyl Record Company in 2003. While many of us have a place in our hearts for this album, Thomas’ did face mixed feelings and confusion about what exactly this project is, which we talk about during this episode. The songs for this album were recorded between February 2000 and December 2002 mostly on four-track in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Livonia, and Detroit, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky & The Grange Hall of Rhode Island. Along with diving into the origins of this project, we go track-by-track through the album with Thomas sharing stories about the writing/recording and the collaboration between all the players on this album. Around 20 years later, All Your Summer Songs is an important part of Michigan’s music history. Follow Fred Thomas: Twitter: twitter.com/fredthomasmusic Instagram: instagram.com/fredthomas Follow Saturday Looks Good To Me: Bandcamp: saturdaylooksgoodtome.bandcamp.com Polyvinyl: polyvinylrecords.com/artist/saturday_looks_good_to_me SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword.

For this episode of Renaissance Soul, we go back in time with legendary jazz clarinet player and saxophonist and co-founder of Detroit’s Tribe collective, Wendell Harrison. Back in the end of 2019, the London-based Strut Records released Hometown: Detroit Sessions 1990 - 2014, the first compilation bringing together the modern era recordings of Tribe, Detroit’s acclaimed independent jazz collective. Tribe began as a musical ensemble in 1971 co-founded by saxophonist Wendell Harrison and trombonist Phil Ranelin that soon expanded into a broad amalgam including a live collective and independent record label. Ignored by the mainstream, many African American jazz artists in Detroit and across the US began creating their own small imprints and Tribe emerged alongside other cultural entities to express self determination goals in the city. Recorded at Harrison’s home in Detroit since 1970, he was not short of stories when it came to the Tribe legacy. After talking about the roots of Tribe, we dived into the modern era represented in the compilation learning how the music of Tribe continued stay relevant throughout the changing of generations and technological advances, along with the timeless social and cultural representation of this legendary collective. BUY: strut.bandcamp.com Follow Wendell Harrison: Web: wendellharrison.com Instagram: instagram.com/wendellharrisonwenha SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, we are joined by Detroit hip-hop artist T. Calmese, member of the creative counter-culture collective The Black Opera, and his debut album Time and Time Again. Formerly known as Illite of the Subterraneous Crew (OneBeLo et al), Detroit native emcee T. Calmese has released several solo mixtapes, as well as collaborative albums with fellow Michigan emcees Octane (currently known as Ro Spit) and Vaughan T (of Athletic Mic League). After taking an extended break from making music, the feeling never fully left T. Calmese and a few years ago, he started to pick up the pen again in a journey that would lead us to Time and Time Again. Along with a track-by-track breakdown, Calmese shares with us why he took a break from writing, the joy of just being a fan of hip-hop, and what lead him back to making music that would result in finally making a proper debut solo album. Stream / Purchase Time and Time Again: smarturl.it/T.CalmeseEveryday Follow T. Calmese: Web: theblackopera.com Facebook: facebook.com/TCalmese-173487686010515 Instagram: instagram.com/t_calmese Twitter: twitter.com/T_Calmese SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Hobey Echlin, bassist of the early 90s Detroit shoegaze band Majesty Crush. They were an anomaly in the Detroit music scene as they were compared to bands with the shoegaze sound that typically comes from the UK, but they were oddly connected to so much within the city of Detroit. They were surrounded by other artists who also didn’t fit in any creative box while their lush, dreamy sounds along with the colorful members of the bands (especially vocalist David Stroughter) made them memorable around the city. But it was the passionate lyrics of Stroughter that set them apart and defined them. Majesty Crush captured a vibe of Detroit while pulling from their global influences. The story of Majesty Crush is just as relevant today. With two of their members being Black men (drummer Odell Nails and vocalist David Stroughter), they would have to endure much of the same bigotry that we are still fighting against in the current Black Lives Matter movement. As for Stroughter, he would died during an altercation with the police in Los Angeles in January 2017, as this would be another instance where bring Black, having mental health issues, and how the police deal with such a situation come into discussion. With Majesty Crush, it was as if they were too good of a band for this world. As you’ll hear with this conversation with Hobey Echlin, Majesty Crush were somehow in the most interesting places at the right times, but circumstances were not always on their side. They were definitely a band with a flame that shined too bright. They were special, but sometimes that means that flame burns out that much quick. The story of Majesty Crush is done yet. Third Man Records is set to release Southeast of Saturn, a collection of music from Detroit’s space-rock/shoegaze/dream pop scene of the ‘90s, to be released November 20, 2020 digitally and on vinyl, and it will feature Majesty Crush’s “No. 1 Fan”. Listen in on this episode for an amazing story about how this came to be. Hopefully we can get all three of Majesty Crush’s main project re-released in the future, because as you’ll hear in this episode, it was one of David Stroughter’s last wishes for his music to be heard. Stream “No. 1 Fan”: orcd.co/no1fan Pre-Order/Pre-Save Southeast of Saturn: orcd.co/southeastofsaturn Majesty Crush: Bass – Hobey Echlin Drums – Odell Nails Guitar – Michael Segal Vocals – David Stroughter Discography Love 15 – (LP) (1993 Chameleon/Dali) “Sunny Pie” – (7″) (1991 Vulva) Fan – (EP) (1992 Vulva) “Grow” – (7″) (1992 Davies) Sans Muscles – (EP) (1994 Eternal Funk) “If JFA Were Still Together” – (7″ split with Spare Snare) (1995 Che) SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com.

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Eric Lauder, guitarist of the Detroit thrash/death metal band Plague Years, as we talk about their debut full-length album Circle of Darkness released September 18th 2020 via Entertainment One (or eOne). While the idea of the band has technically been around for about a decade now, Plague Years only started to make it more of a serious band within the past few years with the release of two EPs, 2017’s self-titled EP and 2018’s Unholy Infestation EP. Eric shares with us the origins of the band, how they got signed to eOne, along with his vision for the band has the main songwriter going into making Circle of Darkness. We go track-by-track throughout the album, talk about the videos they shot, along with the album’s amazing cover artwork. Purchase/Stream Circle of Darkness: lnk.to/circleofdarkness PLAGUE YEARS: Tim Engelhardt – vocals Eric Lauder – guitar Rian Staber – bass Mike Jurysta – drums Follow Plague Years: Facebook: facebook.com/plagueyearsdet Instagram: instagram.com/plagueyearsmi Twitter: twitter.com/PlagueYearsMI Bandcamp: plagueyears.bandcamp.com SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Parker Bengry and Chris Williams, just two guys known as The Messenger Birds. The Detroit alternative rockers released their debut album Everything Has To Fall Apart Eventually on October 7th, 2020. We go into the origins of the band as both guys, who have long been close friends, found themselves in countless other bands before finally coming together in 2015 to form this duo. We also go on a track-by-track breakdown of Everything Has To Fall Apart Eventually along with discuss their videos, the album artwork, and having Third Man Records press the vinyl version of the album. While written and recorded throughout 2018 and 2019, the outlook on the world we are living in shown to us by The Messenger Birds on this album is very relevant for 2020. Purchase/Stream Everything Has To Fall Apart Eventually: found.ee/EHTFAE Follow The Messenger Birds: Website: themessengerbirds.com Instagram: instagram.com/themessengerbirds Facebook: facebook.com/themessengerbirds Twitter: twitter.com/TheMssngrBirds Bandcamp: themessengerbirds.bandcamp.com SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by designer, photographer, illustrator, film director, fashion designer, Mario “Khalif” Butterfield to talk about the branding and marketing history behind Detroit hip-hop. We get into how he first found himself in the Detroit hip-hop scene as a designer and photographer, who he met, what he learned, and how he networked throughout the city. Once he got comfortable in his skills, he was able to help improve the visual aspects of Detroit hip-hop starting in the mid 90s advocating that the full product package is important for a music artist. Mario Butterfield has designed a vast amount of album covers for Detroit hip-hop artist under his own name and under the skinnyboysgrafix company that he started with Waajeed. You’ve probably seen his work (many examples below). He shared a lot of lessons he’s learned about design and photography, and how it was implemented into many of the Detroit classic hip-hop albums we all love. So many great stories told in this album because Mario Butterfield was always around and observed a lot, so we get a historical take of Detroit from another perspective. Follow Mario “Khalif” Butterfield: Website: mariobutterfield.com Instagram: instagram.com/mariobutterfield SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Indie-Soul/Americana musician, singer, and songwriter Stephie James to discuss her debut EP, These Days. Growing up in the Detroit area, she helped kick start a DIY coffee shop with her brother that doubled as a music venue when she was teenager. She has since toured with 8-time Grammy Award winner Anita Baker when she was 17, enjoyed years on the road with Nikki Lane (opening her shows and playing in the band), and was an assistant engineer at Dan Auerbach’s studio. Now making Nashville her home, she hasn’t forgotten her soulful Michigan roots, but has been able to hone her skills in the musically vibrant city. During are conversation, we talked about her upbring and how that influenced the making of These Days. We go into a track-by-track breakdown of the EP along with the visuals that accompany. Purchase / Stream These Days EP: ingroov.es/these-days-4 Follow Stephie James: Website: stephiejamesmusic.com Facebook: facebook.com/stephiejamesmusic Instagram: instagram.com/stephie_james_ Patreon: patreon.com/StephieJames SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Detroit hip-hop artist Fatt Father to discuss his latest album King Father that he released back in May 2020. Fatt Father is known as a member of the hip-hop collective Fat Killahz and is a staple amongst the Detroit hip-hop scene for many years now. Fatt Father is not just a clever name, as you will hear in this episode and on this album, as he takes fatherhood seriously and you always feel it in his words. Fatt Father also brings that same energy to the up and coming hip-hop artists in Detroit as both a leader and a mentor. We talk about the events going on in his life surrounding the making of King Father, what “King Father” means, fatherhood, and the themes of the album, as we go track-by-track through the album. King Father is a very personal album for Fatt Father and we talk about the life lessons that shaped the album. Purchase / Stream King Father: fattfather.bandcamp.com SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Detroit hip-hop artist Miz Korona as we talk about her EP titled The Virus released back in April 2020. This release is very timely as she tackles current issues involving the pandemic and the current Black Lives Matter civil rights movement from her perspective. During this very educational and insightful episode with Miz Korona, we talk about her hiatus from releasing music, her reasons for doing The Virus, the personal and social issues she wrote about, and we do a track-by-track breakdown. Purchase / Stream The Virus: Bandcamp (Digital) | Vinyl Follow Miz Korona: Bandcamp: mizkorona.bandcamp.com Online Store: miz-korona-merch.myshopify.com Twitter: twitter.com/mizkorona Instagram: instagram.com/mizkorona SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Detroit hip-hop producer Apollo Brown as we take a look at a very adventurous project of his, Sincerely, Detroit, released on November 8, 2019 via Mello Music Group. We talk about his motivation of doing such a project that included over 50 Detroit hip-hop artists over 21 tracks. Sincerely, Detroit is a love letter to the culture and its one of the most comprehensive looks at the various types of talent coming from Detroit’s music scene. As we go track-by-track during this episode (tracklist below), we hear stories from Apollo Brown about why he chose to include all these artists on this project. Sincerely, Detroit, just for the amount of artists having to coordinate for it coupled with its high quality of artistry, is something we never seen before and may never see again. Purchase / Stream Sincerely, Detroit: smarturl.it/SincerelyDetroit Follow Apollo Brown: Instagram: instagram.com/apollobrown Facebook: facebook.com/ApolloBrown Twitter: twitter.com/ApolloBrown SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, your host Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier is joined by Detroit rap legend Esham as they take a deep dive into his classic 1996 album Dead Flowerz via his own imprint Reel Life Productions. This was the fifth studio album by Esham and it peaked at #38 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was produced by Esham himself along with Lord Maji (who was Mystro of the Detroit hip hop duo Kaos & Mystro). Guests on the album included Zelah Williams, Dice, Bugz, and Drunken Master. The Unholy Esham joins in to talk about what his life was like around the making of Dead Flowerz along with a track-by-track breakdown of the album and so much more. Listen to Dead Flowerz: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music | Amazon | Google Play | Tidal More info on Dead Flowerz: Discogs Follow Esham: Website: acidrap.com Instagram: instagram.com/eshamsmith Twitter: twitter.com/gothominc Facebook: facebook.com/ReelLifeGothom SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW FRESH IS THE WORD: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For this episode, we are taking a deep dive into the debut studio album, Rotting Piñata, from the Detroit rock band Sponge with the band’s vocalist Vinnie Dombroski. Sponge is celebrating its 25th anniversary of Rotting Piñata with a big show at Saint Andrews Hall in Detroit on Wednesday, November 27th. What a better time to reach out and get the dirt on the making of Rotting Piñata and its impact on 90s rock music with huge hits like “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)”. Released in August 1994, Rotting Piñata was a bit of a slow burn for Sponge finally hitting the Billboard 200 until May 1995 with the success of “Plowed”. Rotting Piñata would eventually be certified gold by the RIAA and be Sponge’s most successful album and still feel relevant 25 years later. Vinnie Dombrowski shares with us a track-by-track breakdown of his thoughts and the making of each song on Rotting Piñata, along with the band’s critical impact (or lack there of in some instances) during this time. While songs like “Plowed” and “Molly” were huge for the band and were defining for 90s rock, comparisons to other bands of the 90s like Stone Temple Pilots were noted in the media, but Dombrowski gives us his thoughts on how Sponge differed from them. Members of Sponge on Rotting Piñata: Vinnie Dombrowski – vocals Michael Cross – guitar, backing vocals Tim Cross – bass Joe Mazzola – guitar, backing vocals Jimmy Paluzzi – drums, backing vocals Follow Sponge: Web: spongetheband.com Facebook: facebook.com/Spongerocks Twitter: twitter.com/spongetheband Instagram: instagram.com/spongeville YouTube: youtube.com/user/Spongetheband SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW RENAISSANCE SOUL: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For the debut episode of Renaissance Soul, we go into a deep dive of the album Big Shoes from Detroit hip-hop emcee Big Tone produced entirely by House Shoes, released on June 7, 2019 on House Shoes' own imprint Street Corner Music. Joining us in this deep dive is Big Tone himself to talk about this collaborative album with House Shoes, where their history together as both friends and collaborators shine. Through Big Shoes, we get a glimpse into the world of Detroit hip-hop spanning back to the 90s with all the ups and downs of a city that is always struggling, but always moving. During our deep dive into Big Shoes, we go track-by-track and talk about stories, meanings, and inspirations behind each song on the album. Through those stories, we also talk about the many social and economical issues that have long faced Detroit hip-hop, the city itself, and the black communities. Purchase/Stream Big Shoes: smarturl.it/BigShoes Follow Big Tone: Twitter: twitter.com/AnthonyLarge313 Instagram: instagram.com/anthonylarge313 SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW RENAISSANCE SOUL: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

For the relaunch, we’re joined by acclaimed hip hop journalist Dan Charnas (author of The Big Payback) as he interviews your host Kelly “K-Fresh’ Frazier about my origins in the Detroit hip-hop and music scene, about the original Jay Dee discography I curated and the Renaissance Soul website, and what to expect for the podcast. Through my time in the Detroit hip-hop scene, there’s a lot of insight about the Detroit I can share with my audience and this is just the start, as I would venture out to other music circles with Detroit and have influence outside of Detroit. You’ll learn a lot about me through the subjects I cover on this podcast. Follow Dan Charnas: Website: dancharnas.com Twitter: twitter.com/dancharnas Purchase The Big Payback: dancharnas.com/buy SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW RENAISSANCE SOUL: Subscribe on all major streaming platforms. Please rate and review on Apple Podcast and Stitcher. List of where Renaissance Soul streams: podlink.to/RenSoulPod or just search “Renaissance Soul”. Also available on IHeartRadio. THEME MUSIC Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com. Support via Patreon If you want to support Fresh is the Word, please consider pledging via Patreon at Patreon.com/freshistheword. Support via Paypal If you don’t want to do Patreon, you can donate via Paypal: PayPal.Me/kfreshistheword

Renaissance Soul was originally a Detroit hip hop website started in 2001 by your host Kelly "K-Fresh" Frazier that first centered around the discography of legendary producer Jay Dee aka J. Dilla before it branched out to all Detroit hip-hop and music. In many cases, Renaissance Soul was the first place you heard many Detroit music artists that you love today. With it's revival as a podcast, each episode will focus on specific topics (an album, an era, a legacy, etc) from Detroit music of all genres from the past and present from a historical perspective.  To start things off, a few of K-Fresh's friends from Detroit give their thoughts about the importance of Renaissance Soul.  The Renaissance Soul Podcast is coming (for real this time) Monday, August 17th on all streaming platforms and at freshisthepodcast.com.   For the relaunch, I'll have three episodes available. The first episode will be an interview conducted by acclaimed hip hop journalist Dan Charnas (author of The Big Payback) with your host Kelly "K-Fresh' Frazier about my origins in the Detroit hip-hop and music scene, about the original Jay Dee discography I curated and the Renaissance Soul website, and what to expect for the podcast.   Then episodes 2 and 3 will be a re-release of the two episodes I posted during the original launch of this podcast. Episode 2 is with Detroit hip-hop artist Big Tone about his album "Big Shoes" he made with DJ House Shoes. Episode 3 is the Sponge "Rotting Piñata" episode with lead singer Vinnie Dombroski celebrating the 25th anniversary of this classic rock album. Subscribe everywhere podcasts are streamed. Brought to you by Fresh is the Word (freshisthepodcast.com). Background music by Steve O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com.