Reaching this milestone shouldn't go unmentioned and so it shan't; I'm pretty gosh-darn jazzed.

The year it took to get this thing alive and breathing felt like two, and the two years of recording episodes I'm closing in on have flashed.

And I'm embarrassingly proud of the whole thing.

I've had upset and disappointment, frustration and humiliation. I've laughed and smiled more than I knew was imaginable, had more than a couple late nights trying to meet self-imposed deadlines, met a bunch of really cool people, and learned a ton of neat things while listening to a bananas amount of music.

Mike Garry is a son, a brother, a dad, a businessman, a podcaster, a friend to many, and he's my guest for The Wayne Gretzky Episode, a.k.a., #99.

Mike and I connected via a pair of mutuals, and sitting down to chat with him about his journey was a pleasure and a treat.

We talked about The Kansas City Chiefs Football Club, microdosing, life, family, and his adventures with the Let Freedom Trip podcast.

Peregrine Honig is a daughter, a sister, a wife, an aunt, a friend to many, and an artist (or so she's told).

She's also my guest for Episode No. 97.

And before you read any more about her, please know that she has a solo show on display right now in two spaces. And before I tell you where they are, know that one of them closes this Saturday, December 23, 2023. So you literally have to go today, tomorrow, or the day after that. Otherwise you'll have missed out on a tremendous opportunity to see some super-cool pieces that were crafted by one of Kansas City's own.

I had the pleasure of meeting Shawn M. Stewart when we convened to record Episode No. 96 of Badass Records, and what a delight our conversation was.

Shawn is a son and a brother and a husband and a father and a musician and a fantastic fat-chewing partner.

Please consider checking out his musical endeavors on Soundcloud, Spotify, or on his Web site, and thank you in advance for tuning in to our chat.

Shawn and I talked musicianship, recording, and many of the other ins and outs of artisanship, as well as life and love and the pursuit of happiness.

Mr. Mojo Risin'!

Yes, yes, it's Episode #94, featuring the astute-and-talented Andrew Morris, ladies and gentlemen.

What an absolute treat.

I can't tell you how excited I was to become acquainted with this perfect stranger and rap the evening away talking life and music. Many thanks to Andrew for being so giving of his time.

Please give it up for #KCgirl, April Lemon, y'all!

Yes, yes. It's Episode No. 93, and it's one heckuva party, for sure.

April and I go back a few clicks to the early 2000s, when we were doing the hospitality-industry thing together, which -- for the record -- were such good times. Thank you, Mark & James, for opening cool joints.

Anyway...April is in the event-planning/P.R./promotions world these days, and you should check her out both here and here.

It was really fun seeing April and getting to hang out with her after some 20 years. And, it wouldn't be an episode of Badass Records if we didn't touch on a few of April's favorite records. Those were these…

Dan Jones, Dan Jones, Dan Jones.

What an absolute treat it was to meet the Squidmaster himself and chat a little bit about his life, his journey as a musician, and a few of his favorite records along the way.

Dan and I had a fantastic phone call at some point over the summer, and my gratitude for him seeing our conversation through is really firing on all cylinders. Even now, three weeks after we sat down together.

Those albums worthy enough to make Dan's cut for Episode #92 included the following…

What's crackin', y'all?

If you read these on the reg', thank you. I appreciate you.

You might know that I'm prone to screw things up from time to time when a) interviewing, b) recording, c) producing, and d) all of the above.

Nothin' sweeter than doing it on consecutive episodes, though.

Yep.

I goofed. Again. And as a result, the guest video comes in late. So...my apologies to Will Moulthrop, my partner in crime for Episode No. 91.

It's the Ryan O'Reilly episode, y'all...#90!

Okay. Silliness? Check. Now let's get the gaffe outta the way. In a nutshell, I was so excited to have this week's guest in the chair that I literally forgot to hit "record" on her camera. So...no video, which is a shame as Meg Kumin's face is far too adorable to waste on the incompetencies of a cotton-headed ninnymuggins such as myself.

I did, however, take the liberty of plastering the video file with some of my favorite pieces of her photography, which you can view/purchase at megkumin.com, so there is that aspect, which makes this episode even uniquer than it already was.

Sometimes I nerd out and assign the jersey number of one of my favorite (current or former) players from one of my favorite teams to the episode I'm posting about. So, for Episode No. 89, the default move would be to go Otis Taylor. I could also throw in Jason "Big Diesel" Dunn or Keith Cash, but -- since Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes came up in this episode's conversation, it's gotta be the Andre Rison episode.

And what a trip this episode was. Figuratively and literally.

Don't tell my guest from Episode No. 29 (as he is a hater through and through), but -- but -- it's the Tony Gonzalez episode!

That' right. Rollin' along towards the big podcasting c-note, here we are at Episode No. 88, and I couldn't be more stoked to say that my guest is none other than the esteemed three-peat-appearance, Sammy Sanchez.

The first time Sammy joined the podcast (Episode No. 44), we ran through a few of his favorite albums; the second time around (20 episodes later), we devoured the Tom Waits library.

What up?

Back with another solo episode, and this time we're checking out Medeski, Martin, & Wood's 1996 release, Shack-man.

It's an all-time fave, and I had a blast diving in to it.

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the show.

Nineteen eighty-six was wild. The Royals had just won their first World Series. We watched the Space Shuttle Challenger launch on a wheeled-in A/V cart (with its top-shelf television). Saturday Night Live was about to enter one of its golden eras. D.A.R.E. was alive and breathing fear into the minds of kids, and Kansas City police officers handed out Chiefs cards to area youth wherever and whenever they could.

Eighty-six, however...as in the service-industry term, holds an entirely different meaning: We're out of that item; it's been 86'd. And I'd like to let you know that my interview with Krysztof Nemeth for Episode No. 86 was something much closer to the former than the latter.

It's Episode #85! It's Marc Boerigter! It's Don Denkinger! It's...it's...Shwaggy Roaches!

Yes, yes, my friends. Stoney-Doom! was in the house talking band life, Kansas cannabis law reform, and some of that sweet, sweet music.

Please give them a follow on the ol' Instagram machine and check out their bandcamp as well, where I'm sure you'll be able to find some sweet snacks for the members of your gang.

Steve Tulipana is a son and a brother and a husband and a musician. He's also the co-owner of recordBar and miniBar, as well as partner in Lemonade Park. Last but not least, he's my guest for Episode No. 84.

I'm beyond pleased that Steve took some time out of his very-busy, very-demanding schedule to come sit with me and talk a little bit about his story as a musician in many outfits, a recording artist, and an owner/operator/partner of multiple live-music venues.

Sometimes I have one or more of these things locked, loaded, and ready to drop; other times I'm scrambling, and this week was an example of the latter. Needless to say, I'm pleased to've put the finishing touches on this installment in the 11th hour, and am now ready for a nap.

Being sensitive has got to be one of the oddest characteristics about being a human.

During my correspondence via D.M.s (as a total stranger) with Til Willis, I had a small moment of panic. It was the kind of moment wherein the rabbit hole of questioning the way you go about life doesn't suddenly gape, but it doesn't not open a little bit, either.

Anyway...it was a handful of months back, and we were swapping messages. He -- at one point -- used the phrase, "Like I said," and I might as well have just made myself a shit sandwich and eaten it.

You blew it, Dipstick, I thought. Way to go.

Hi.

I'm Blair Johnson, and I host this thing.

Normally I'm writing these deals up about the episode's guest; today I don't have to do that.

I will anyway, though. Just for grins.

I'm a son and a brother and a dad and an uncle and a pretty big, goddamn nerd.

The point of this podcast is to chat with people about some of their favorite music. So, today, I chat with you about one of my favorite albums, Play Pause Stop by Benevento/Russo Duo.

Whew.

What an experience it was to put this one together. Second time recording away from the studio. Second time sitting down with a venue owner/operator, and possibly not the last.

But I doubt they'll get much better than Jeffrey Calkins.

Aztec Jeff, everybody! Aztec Jeff!

Jeff and I connected a number of weeks back, and I never could've imagined finding myself in a situation wherein a prospective guest wants to not only do an episode with me, but have me do it in their space. And, let me tell you: The folks don't get much friendlier and the spaces don't get much finer than Jeffrey Calkins and the Aztec Shawnee Theater.