James Inman is a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a formerish standup comedian, a computer whiz, and a collector of both vintage speakers and sundry Elvis Costello albums.

He's a hoot, and a trip, and a man that's wise beyond his years (Note: Shouts out to the local public library.), and he did -- for the record -- say (once we'd wrapped) that it was cool to leave everything in.

As usual I was part of the conversation when we taped and a different part of it during edits, and normally I'm ready to move on once I've played both roles. This time, though, I think maybe I'm still processing everything that I learned. In fact, I'm not sure of all that I didn't know before we had our conversation. And trust me -- it was a good one.

Ashleigh Blackwell gets the honors for the official official-official one-year anniversary of Badass Records Podcast. That is, some spacing occurred between the recordings and airings of the first two episodes, but -- from the third installment on -- I've managed to get one up per week. This being #52 means a year's worth now lives on the Internet, and -- you know -- that's kinda cool.

Anyway, Ashleigh's wise and witty. She's bold and beautiful (Wasn't there a TV show with a similar name?). She's a daughter and a sister and an aunt and a dog lover and a marketplace force, and she's also a great person to know, even if only a little.

So, I'm very thankful that she stopped by and rapped music and life with me. Our conversation went a bunch of different directions, and I tip my hat to her for her fearless engagement and rawness from start to finish.

This week's installment of Badass Records Podcast is Episode #51, and I'm pleased as punch to announce that my guest is the one, the only -- Eva Saviano.

I know we touched on it in our conversation, but -- to be sure -- I wanted to peek in a few spots to make sure I had her professional title correct, and while I didn't find conviction within my search, I did find one of the best bios I've ever seen in my life, so I'll share how she has described her self and add a few details after:

Uncommonly frank and, frankly, uncommon. 

Sound your funky horns...it's Episode #50 of Badass Records Podcast, and what a ride it's been so far!

I hope there're many more episodes to come and that you'll keep tuning in to see the latest and greatest conversations with all of my amazing guests.

But, now -- without any further ado...let me tell you about how excited I am to share this week's episode with you.

Sometimes, as we make our way through our days, we stumble upon opportunities for new connections. I could be sitting here typing these words, preparing to drop my 50th podcast episode, and the road to today could've looked different. That difference could've been tiny; it might've been huge. And who knows. Maybe everything'd be just fine.

It's Episode #49, party people!

I can't properly express how excited I was to sit down and talk life and tunes with MABkc.

Hoo boy! I am so excited for him and all that he lovingly has on his plate: wife and child(ren), new location(s) for Industry Soundz, paused recording projects calling him back, and perhaps a podcast in the near future. It's all real fantastic stuff, and I hope that each of those things continue to bring him joy and prosperity.

When I opened the door to welcome Cole Welch into my home, one of the first thoughts I had was that he looked familiar, and it turns out that we not only went to high school together, but were on swim team together for a season as well.

Great start to meeting a perfect stranger.

Anyway, for Episode #48 of Badass Records Podcast, we waxed philosophic and touched on a few of Cole's favorite records. And they are these…

Tabitha Jurgensmeyer is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a pro's pro, an adventurer, and an absolute joy with whom to talk.

All things considered, Tabby J. said, "Yes" to doing an episode (no. 47) of Badass Records Podcast where many might've declined in haste.

For that -- and for all of her admirable qualities -- I have a ton of respect for her.

We chatted Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the phenomenon that was the duo of Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds, Boyz II Men, So So Def Bass All-Stars, and Dr. Dre. Specifically and respectively, we covered some P.J.fandom, Californication (1999), Live at Luther College (1999), II (1994), Vol. II, and 2001 (1999).

This is a weird one.

For me.

Tony Berrios and I have played hockey together for about five years.

I'm not sure if the number's actually five. It might be seven or it might be three and-a-half.

I just don't know anymore.

Point being: I have come to know Tony pretty well, and -- if you'll pardon the cliche -- they certainly broke the mold when Tony was born.

He is -- without question -- one of the super-fantasticist human beings I've ever met.

Oh, The Kid....

What can be said about The Kid that hasn't been said already...

He's a son and a brother and a husband and a dad and a musician and a super-student of music.

I love that The Kid's folks're still hangin' and that he and all of his siblings found and chose fantastic partners. And they all have beautiful children and they're just...they're just a really good clan.

So, I was stoked that I got this cat to come chat with me for Episode #45, and when he chose Mr. Bungle, I couldn't've been less surprised.

Sammy Sanchez is a son, a brother, a boyfriend, a bartender, and a music aficionado in the truest sense of the word.

Having recorded Episode #30 with his father, Cesar, I was pleased as punch to get to sit down with a member of the next generation, and wax both tunes and philosophical.

Sammy selected Small Change (1976) by Tom Waits, Pink Floyd's Animals from a year later, and LCD Soundsystem's 2010 release, This is Happening, and boy were they a treat to discuss with him.

Andrew LeRoy is a son, a brother, a husband, a father three times over, an attorney, and an all-around good dude. He hosts a mean trivia night and calls a decent game of hoops, both from the same stage, nonetheless.

But before I get ahead of myself, I need to be serious for a moment.

Shortly after we started recording, I discovered that the guest of Episode #43 was on the phone with the late Tom Pickert when he was murdered five years ago in front of his home in my neighborhood. Tom was a married man and a father of two (one of his sons was in my daughter's elementary-school class) who was shot in the back of the head by a coward, and -- if things continue to trend in the way that they are -- that sorry excuse for a human being will ultimately die behind bars.

Kadesh Flow is a son and an MC and a trombonist and a fantastic human being who was kind enough to sit with me for a spell so that he could share a bit about both himself and a few of his favorite records.

We touched on the following:

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John (1973)

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco (2006)

Trombone Shorty's Backatown (2010)

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West (2010)

Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

If you wanna learn more about Kadesh, you should Google him. He's on the socials, he's got a Bandcamp, and a YouTube page. Find out where he's gigging with one of his many outfits. Buy/stream some of his music. Get yourself some merch'.

Tara Davis is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, a business owner, a hostess, an aunt, a fashionista, a friend, and one heck of a next-door neighbor.

Tara's three super-fantastic daughters and her super-dope husband make for quite the clan on the other side of the fence, and our collective families have compiled some fun memories over the last six or seven years. And even though their plates are pretty dang full, both dad and mom have made the time to come do an episode of the podcast with me, leaving me feeling pretty darn grateful.

Tomaski is a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a businessman, and a friend of a friend that agreed to come sit in a virtual stranger's basement for a couple of hours to discuss music, and I can't thank him enough for doing so.

We talked about some of his worldly travels, his love of Brazilian culture, and of course, a few of his favorite records. They are the following:

Jake Truelove is a son, a brother, a partner, a father, a business owner, and a tried-and-true fan of the greatest rock-and-roll band in American history.

I was pleased as punch to get Jake in the chair for Episode #39 of Badass Records Podcast, and we were able to mix it up over not only his favorite Phish album, Live in Brooklyn (2006), but also his current love, Goose.

I've known Jake for most of a decade and he's a go-getter that knows what he wants, and makes no bones about the way in which he gets there.

John Ingle, a.k.a. "Jingle," (or, Son of Bingle) sacrificed a portion of one of his recent Saturdays and sat with me in the Badass Records Podcast studio for a hot minute to chat about his upbringing, his creative endeavors, and a few of his favorite records.

John's one of the smartest guys I know. His archived level of detail, intellect, and understanding go way beyond my comprehension, and for those (among other) reasons, I consider it an honor and a privilege that we got to chew the fat for a few hours.

When he's not writing screenplay scripts at the local coffee shop or kicking it with his son, Archer, John can likely be found taking in some playoff baseball or revisiting one of his favorite cinematic relics.

During Episode #38, we talked about John Coltrane's Giant Steps (1960), Double Nickels on the Dime (1984) by Minutemen, and The Low End Theory (1991) by A Tribe Called Quest.

            Jeff Shifley carved out some time from his busy schedule to come kick it with me of noon on a Sunday. We enjoyed a couple of beverages and attempted to dissect a few of his favorite albums: Jane's Addiction's Ritual de lo Habitual (1991), Phish's Hoist (1994), and one of the most badass records of all time, Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin (1975).

            In addition to sharing our novice-like expertise on a truly fantastic trio of releases, we also talked about work and parenthood and growing up and the weird thing that is this world we live in today.

            It was a really great time, and I couldn't be more pleased that we found a window on the calendar to bullshit and just be a pair of duderinos.

Mike Beck is one of the greatest guys I know.

He has led a humble, hard-working life. He carries many a kind notion in his soul, and has invoked more laughter in others than one could possibly calculate.

He's a son that made his parents proud, a funny brother, a loving husband, a caring father, and a fantastic dude to have as an uncle.

Although he was admittedly nervous, Mike made the trek from Lee's Summit to sit with me and kick around a few details about his list of badass records, and we did so for Episode #36. Mike picked Led Zeppelin II (1969), Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's Deja Vu (1970), Moondance (1970) by Van Morrison, 1973's Yessongs, and Rumors (1977) by Fleetwood Mac.

Bryce Gilman.

What a piece of shit. Dude's more than a few sandwiches shy...

Oh, my God. Relax. It's jokes.

I love this dude like the kid brother I never had, only I give thanks every night to the man upstairs that this guy wasn't actually my younger sibling. 'Cause...fuuuuuck that. What a pain in the dick.

Anyhoo...Bryce fucking Gilman. Junior...Bee Gee...dipstick...so many possibilities.

What a guy, though. He's...so many things...son, brother, father, part-time co-parent, successful professional, Cross Fit junky, closeted homosexual...

I mean...that last detail was a shortish-lived inside joke that originated and remains in poor taste, but...when you walk around like Atlas, you're gonna get the occasional globe thrown in your face.

Louis Pagan is a doctor, a microbiologist, an astrophysicist, and a neurosurgeon.

I'm kidding, but he's that kinda smart where you wonder if the dumb noises coming out of your word hole when you're talking to him are landing in his ears as actual words, or just, like...the sound of dumping your recycling into the garage bin.

In truth, he's a son, a brother, an uncle, a musician, a producer, and a sound engineer. Oh, and he runs marathons, too, in case you weren't already feeling shitty about yourself.

All jokes aside, Louis kicked it with me for an hour or so for Episode #34, and we attempted to dissect Chevelle's This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) from 2004, Tool's 10,000 Days from 2006, and a record called The Great Misdirect, released in 2009 by Between the Buried and Me.