Wanda Orme

Wanda Orme in Bombay Beach, CA

In addition to being a poet, sculptor, photographer, storyteller, and thinker, Wanda Orme is also a hilarious problem solver (an even funnier problem creator) and one of my new favorite people on the planet. We spent a little time in the van chatting about art, loss, life, and the bizarre miracle of Bombay Beach, CA. Share and Enjoy! 

Links

WandaOrme.com

Wanda's Instagram


Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Bjørk - Oceania


Akasha (Wanda's Piece in Bombay Beach, CA)

Constructed in fibreglass, installed temporarily for Earth Day 2020 at shore of the Salton Sea, now permanently in the town of Bombay Beach.


Calling to the waters that connect all life, Akasha is a symbol of hope and continuity – things slip through the cracks, life finds a way and through this unusual genesis new ideas are born. Where there is water there is life. This is about hope in a ‘hopeless’ place. At the shore of a dying sea, what can be done?


Hope is something that we extend before us, it is a brave anticipation. Balanced between an awareness of the present and an idea of a possible future, it is a kind of double vision. Akasha is gentle yet defiant, reaching and delving – an unfolding potential, a vision of the possible.

A lure cast to the beyond – to the unfolding depths of sky and earth.


Situated in an area where water once was, its form echoes the flows that have shaped landscapes which to us now appear dry. Akasha calls out to our innate belonging and participation in the processes which animate the world, reawakening our awareness of the continuity between all things — reminding us that it is to the expanse that our souls belong.

Andrew CouchComment
Gallo!

I'm pleased to share my early morning, coffee-fueled conversation with Christopher Gallo - but just call him Gallo. As a highly skilled cinematographer, storyteller, filmmaker, and director of photography for film and television, Gallo has taste, style, and a searing sense of humor. As a collaborator and neighbor at the Bombay Beach Biennale, he was a hilarious delight to be around. We talked about his recently completed documentary, "Healing Cube," his East Coast roots, his artistic influences, and what it's like to be a damn good dad. Share and Enjoy, Friends!

Tunes in this Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Picture in a Frame - Tom Waits

Links

GalloDP.com

Gallo's Instagram

Gallo's Mom

Andrew CouchComment
Eric Kaplan

Next up in our Bombay Beach series is writer and philosopher Eric Kaplan. He's so profoundly got his shit together he sent in a proper bio!

A native of Flatbush, New York, Eric Kaplan began writing for Spy magazine and the Harvard Lampoon before getting his first television-writing job on The Late Show with David Letterman. Before THE BIG BANG THEORY, he worked on other shows including Futurama (for which he won an Emmy), Flight of the Conchords, Malcolm in the Middle, and Andy Richter Controls the Universe. Kaplan created "Zombie College" for icebox and co-created "The Drinky Crow Show" and "Mongo Wrestling Alliance" for Adult Swim through his company Mirari Films. Kaplan has his PhD from UC Berkeley in philosophy on the comic in the philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard. His book Does Santa Exist: A Philosophical Investigation was published by Dutton in 2014 and has been called by Matt Groening "the funniest philosophy book since...well, ever." His science fiction and philosophy have appeared in the New York Times.

We touched on philosophy, writing, comedy, summer camp, and the many blindspots in my worldview. We completely failed to talk about his inherited collection of blues records, his daring and courageous work in the Himalayas, and what it's like hosting a podcast with Tao Ruspoli. Always leave 'em wanting more, right? Share and Enjoy!

Links

Terrifying Questions - Eric's Podcast

"Does Santa Exist?" - Eric's Book

EricLinusKaplan.WordPress.com - Eric's Blog

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Bobby Womack - Natural Man

Andrew CouchComment
Cody the Roadie

Sweet, thoughtful, capable, and talented, Cody Orrell, aka Cody the Roadie, joins the program. Straight from the Lower East Side of Bombay Beach, California, Cody took a chunk of time out of his busy schedule to chat with me about music, working with high-level musicians, repairing and maintaining iconic gear, and more. Cody has worked with some of the most talented and successful musicians on the planet, including Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Roger Waters, and, not to be outdone, Foreigner. Oh, and the end of the episode features an original tune by Cody - a complex and beautiful portion of a 9-minute sound bath. This one was a treat. Share and Enjoy!

Tunes in this Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Cody the Roadie - Sound Bath

Andrew CouchComment
Sean Guerrero AKA Montana Slim

AKA - Montana Slim & Traveling Robot Orphanage

Whoooa! Hold your horses, cowboy. Pull up a chair and open a cold one for this here podcast episode with my friend and yours, Sean Guerrero. Now Sean, you see, he's not yer' everyday artist. That feller is a sculptor, a welder, a performer, a traveler, a seeker of wisdom in a land of lost souls, and a mighty good foster parent to a plane full of robot orphans. We yammered on about Bono, a giant glowing orb needlessly showing the desert pictures of itself, train-rattled skin care, art happenings in Fat City, The Bombay Beach Biennale, terrifying health conditions, time travel, space rockets in the night sky, and a whole lot more. I reckon you'd best take yer time with this one. Y'all share and enjoy now.

LINKS -

Bombay Beach Biennale

Chromesean.com

Fat City Gallery

TUNES

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Nate Porter - Let the Good Times Last

Andrew CouchComment
Tao Ruspoli Returns!

Straight from the Lower East Side of Bombay Beach, Tao Ruspoli (filmmaker, photographer, musician, explorer, Impresario, and co-founder of the Bombay Beach Biennale) rejoins the program for a history lesson and a cup of coffee. We talked about the Biennale, traveling studios, meeting the right friends at the right time, and Being in the World. Share and Enjoy!

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Links

Tao’s Youtube - Tao’s Website - Tao’s Grandfather - Tao’s Airbnb - Bombay Beach Biennale - Tao's Instagram

Andrew CouchComment
Dr. Carl Schoch

Dr. Carl Schoch - Oceanographer, Adventurer, Gentleman.

Do you know how wind works? Do you know where a Herring gets its breakfast when making more Herring? Have you any idea how to untangle the complexity of the near-shore environment along the coast of North America? Well, our guest, Dr. Carl Schoch sure does! Dr. Carl is an oceanographer, a traveler, an adventurer, and a world-class sweetheart. The following episode is a re-print from the Raised By Whoops Fake Radio Show from the halcyon days of 2022. Back when the only thing we had to worry about was what to worry about next. Since then, Dr. Carl has cycled from our house near San Francisco to Mexico and the length of the continental divide from Banff to Mexico. As if that weren’t enough, he’s now preparing for a 1,500-plus-mile kayak journey through the Inside Passage from Skagway, Alaska, to Victoria Island, BC. Be sure to follow Dr. Carl on Facebook to keep up with all of his endeavors.

Links 

Track his adventure - CoastView.org - Facebook - Instagram

Tunes

Original music by Pale Cricket

Goin' Home - Dan Auerbach (Performed by Pale Cricket)

Andrew CouchComment
Dan Piraro Returns!

Dan Piraro returns to the show from his hideout in Mexico. We talk about the political climate in the United States, Dan's spiritual journey, meditation, and psychedelic trips that have led to profound revelations about consciousness and existence. Dan also talks about his graphic novel, Peyote Cowboy, and his subscription newsletter, "The Naked Cartoonist." We had fun...you might too!

Tunes in this Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Los Panchos - El Burro Soccaron

Links

Bizarro.com - Dan's Oil Painting - Dan's Previous Episode of the MTP - Peyote Cowboy

Andrew CouchComment
Brent Houzenga

The post-Mardi Gras forever hangover, growing up in a small town, the influence of artistic parents, the DIY mentality, found photos, the importance of creativity in parenting, and the reflection on time and forgotten lives - this episode has it all! Give ol' Brent a listen, and go get yourself some art made with a sense of playful and loving curiosity! Also, a special musical interlude by Brent with his eight-year-old son on drums (Unusual Creatures). Additional music featuring Brent and his partner, Angela Calonder (Ghost Orchids), closes out the show. If I could, I would be paying Brent for his appearance on the show...

Links

Houzenga.com - Instagram

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Unusual Creatures - Daddy Was A Bank Robber

Ghost Orchids - Great Escape

Andrew CouchComment
Joshua Davis

Thanks to our mutual pal, Jim O'Connor, I was able to sit down and chat in person with New York Times best-selling author, award-winning film producer, editor, co-founder of Epic Magazine, and man of many odd-ball talents, Joshua Davis. We talked about his new podcast with Kyle MacLachlan, Varnamtown, his first book, "The Underdog," handling neighborly disputes with a sandwich, writing, seeking the truth, and the undeniable value of trying new things. Be sure to check out Varnamtown, Epic Magazine, and many past, present, and future projects courtesy of our new pal, Joshua Davis!

Links

Epic Magazine - Varnamtown - Kyle MacLachlan's Instagram - Spare Parts - Highlander - Article In The Guardian

Tunes in this Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Lovin'

Andrew CouchComment
Vera Sola

Join me in conversation with multi-instrumentalist, writer, poet, singer, and brilliant human being in general, Vera Sola. We talk about dreams, music, exploding doormats, and her new record - Peacemaker (available everywhere you buy music).

Get her record, see her live, and follow her trajectory here - VeraSola.com

Read a Review of Peacemaker Here

Check out my pal Dan Piraro's Newsletter Here

Tunes in this Episode

Delicado - Oscar Aleman

Hands - Vera Sola (Courtesy of City Slang Records)

The Line - Vera Sola (Courtesy of City Slang Records)

Andrew CouchComment
The Return of Charris Ford and Monkey Tooth

Whooa!!! After a multi-year hiatus, the Monkey Tooth Podcast is back! This reintroduction to the show kicks off with our friend and our very first guest back in 2018, Charris Ford. We mix up the show with a heartfelt discussion of self-love, black holes, and, of course, a tiny taste of beatbox. Please tell your friends - Monkey Tooth has returned and is bringin' the heat!

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Twain - Good Old Friend

Links

1st Podcast with Charris

The Ford Family

Charris & Dulcie

Introducing the Raised By Whoops Fake Radio Show!

Raised By Whoops!

Fake Radio for All!

Monkey tooth has come and gone, but coming April, 1, The Raised by Whoops Fake Radio Show (from the minds of Glenn Vanderkloet and Andrew Couch - 1/2 of the Monkey Tooth crew) will bring you a whole new experience. Featuring original music, original stories, and a little something you can either love with all your heart or reject completely. Give it a try! - Available everywhere you listen to Fake Radio, or @ www.rbwpod.com

Michael Veneziano

Meet our new pal, Michael; a multi talented, self-educated sawyer, arborist and man of the people. I sat with him (outdoors and at a safe distance, of course) at the unparalleled O2 Artisans Aggregate in West Oakland to talk about trees, hard work, community, the government, and more. Share with friends!

Links

O2 Artisans Aggregate - Ponderosa Millworks Instagram - Ponderosamillworks.com

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Esquivel - Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (Merry Xmas from the Space-age Bachelor Pad)

The Gore-Tex Cocktail Umbrella in My Heart
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My own death and a chemically induced peek into the void are not the only topics on my mind. I was gifted with a unique perspective enhancing experience which sang to me with a mix of hope, bravery, kindness and enormous heaps of sadness; my visit to the cardiac surgery wing of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco.

Tunes in This Episode

Chris Barber - Petite Fleur

Justus et palma Florebit - II Modo

Ray LaMontagne - Truly, Madly, Deeply

Elvis Perkins - Sing Sing

A Friend from the Road - Cristina Torres
Cris & Fam.jpg

After six years on the road, the Torres family decided to go home; timing is everything. Tune-in to find out how living an unconventional lifestyle can offer stability as civilization crumbles! Share and enjoy!

Links

O Nosso QuintalYoutube - Cristina & Tiff Podcast

Tunes in this Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Melanie - Brand New Key

Blondie - Heart of Glass

No Virus for Hullabaloo

Susannah Rigg is a travel writer, living in Mexico City. She shares her impressions of the changing soundscape of the city from her apartment while on pandemic-lockdown. Thoughtful, evocative and enough to make us want to drive down there all over again. Share and enjoy!

Links

Clafund.org - Undocumented Workers and Families - Susannah’s Website - Susannah’s Episode of the show - Cover Photo Credit, Nikhol Esteras

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Cumbia

Mulatu Astatke - Ené Alantchi Alnorem (I Can't Live Without You)

Cumbia

Mexico City Soundscape

Go Self-Help Yourself!

A broken wrist couldn’t stop this guy from pretending he could play piano; what’s your excuse, bro?

No matter how many times we save Pelé’s life, he’s always a little nervous we might leave him behind with a stranger. If we had done that, he’d be in good company with this character.

Here’s a little episode about “Self-help”. I read an article (with the author’s permission of course) by Kyle Thiermann about the book, “Atomic Habits”. Amazingly, it isn’t about microscopic nuns, but rather about getting your shit together, one minuscule step at a time. I also read you a letter from our pal in Alaska, Nate Atwood. Nate is in deep prep-mode for the Alaskan winter, all while battling the effects of 30 years of undiagnosed Lyme’s disease. Come for the stories, stay for the music, and learn how to get any horrible jingle out of your head with a simple trick I’ve been using for decades! Share and enjoy!

Links

Clafund.org - Undocumented Workers and Families - Kyle’s Website - Nate of The North

Tunes in This Episode

Strange Days - The Doors

Castles made of Sand - Jimi Hendrix

Má Vlast (My Fatherland) Vltava (The Moldau River)

Frazey Ford - Three Golden Trees

Mose Allison - I Don't Worry About A Thing

Update in Smoke
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In this smoke filled episode, we read a couple of letters from previous podcast guests, Joel Solomon and Bill Gilbert. Bill lives in Beirut, Lebanon, and works in the US embassy there. Joel Solomon lives in British Columbia, and works to revolutionize how wealth is invested. We also talk about what's happening with us (Tiff, Andrew & Pelé), and we share some music from Elvis Perkins' new album, "Creation Myths". Tune in for great stories, good music, and a little bit of that sweet ol' ramblin!

Links -

Clafund.org - Undocumented Workers and Families - Elvis Perkins - Joel Solomon - Bill Gilbert

Tunes in This Episode

Oscar Aleman - Delicado

Elvis Perkins - Half Life

Wilco - Wishful Thinking

Ihsan Al-Munzer - Shish Kebab