Loading...

PODCAST

Beginnings

We all know the stories of how creative people get into the business of creating for a living, but how did they start using their imaginations in the first place? On the Beginnings podcast, writer and performer Andy Beckerman asks well-known and on-their-way-up comedians, musicians, writers, artists and thinkers about their earliest creative acts, their formative childhood experiences, and how they"ve developed both creatively and emotionally over the years. Beginnings is part therapy, part

arts performing arts

All Episodes

01:10:29

Episode 420: Redd Kross

Beginnings ·

2019/09/26

On today's episode I talk to musicians Jeff and Steve McDonald of the band Redd Kross. Originally from Hawthorne, CA, brothers Jeff and Steve started playing music together in 1978, in a band called The Tourists while both were in middle school. A few years later, they changed the name to Red Cross (and eventually Redd Kross), and since then have released seven albums and a number of EPs. In addition to Redd Kross, the brothers perform in a number of other groups, including Ze Malibu Kids with Anna

en

01:18:10

Episode 419: Punam Patel

Beginnings ·

2019/09/12

On today's episode I talk to actor Punam Patel. Originally from Florida, Punam took a circuitous route to the world of acting that eventually led her to performing with Second City in Chicago. After moving to Los Angeles, she booked her first major role in 2015 in the ABC Family sitcom Kevin From Work. And since then, she's acted in Adam Ruins Everything, Alone Together, I Feel Bad, as well as many other shows, and next season will be playing opposite Kenan Thompson on NBC's The Kenan Show

en

01:12:32

Episode 418: Alexander Noice

Beginnings ·

2019/08/29

On today's episode I talk to musician Alexander Noice. Based in Los Angeles, Alex is a composer, guitarist, producer and bandleader who has toured the world performing with many notable artists from Charlie Haden to Art Ensembles of Chicago’s Famoudou Don Moye. From 2008-2013, he led the highly revered art rock/punk trio Falsetto Teeth, and in 2016, he released his first solo electronic album called Music Made With Voices. His newest project is simply called NOICE, and their self-titled debut album

en

01:10:21

Episode 417: Jim Gavin

Beginnings ·

2019/08/22

On today's episode I talk to author and TV writer Jim Gavin. Based in Los Angeles, Jim's fiction has appeared in numerous publications including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Zoetrope and many others. His book of short stories Middle Men was published in 2013 by Simon & Schuster, and the TV show he created, Lodge 49, just debuted its second season on AMC. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

en

01:16:34

Episode 416: Dre Babinski of Steady Holiday

Beginnings ·

2019/08/08

On today's episode I talk to musician Dre Babinski of Steady Holiday. Originally from the Los Angeles area, Dre is a singer, songwriter, violinist, and guitarist. From the mid-2000s on, she played in a number of bands including Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Miracle Days, Hunter Hunted, The Elected, and more. In 2015 though, she started her own project Steady Holiday, and since then, has released two albums, 2016's Under The Influence on Infinite Best Recordings, and her latest Nobody's Watching

en

01:06:54

Episode 415: Sasami

Beginnings ·

2019/07/25

On today's episode I talk to Sasami Ashworth. Raised mostly in Los Angeles in a religious household, Sasami has been making music in the LA area for over a decade. This includes playing French horn in orchestras and studios; playing keys, bass, and guitar in local rock bands like Dirt Dress and Cherry Glazerr; and contributing vocals/string/horn arrangements to studio albums from artists like Vagabon and Wild Nothing. But only recently has she started to record music on her own, and her debut

en

01:12:52

Episode 414: Bleached

Beginnings ·

2019/07/11

On today's episode I talk to Jennifer and Jessica Clavin of the indie rock band Bleached. Born in California and based in Los Angeles, Jessica and Jennifer began playing music as teenagers, and eventually formed the punk band Mika Miko in 2003. The band released a number of albums and EPs on labels like Sub Pop and Kill Rock Stars, but broke up in 2009 due to band members' wishes to return to school and work on other projects. Two years later, Jessica and Jennifer formed Bleached, and since then

en

01:04:13

Episode 413: Ellen Kempner of Palehound

Beginnings ·

2019/06/27

On today's episode I talk to musician Ellen Kempner. Originally from Westport, Connecticut, Ellen began playing music as a pre-teen, and even formed a band in high school. However, it's when she moved to New York for college that she really began making music in earnest, and in 2013 debuted as Palehound with the Bent Nail EP. Since then, she's made three albums: 2015's Dry Food, 2017's A Place I'll Always Go, and her latest Black Friday, which was released by Polyvinyl earlier this month. This

en

01:21:37

Episode 412: Andy Hull and Kevin Devine of Bad Books

Beginnings ·

2019/06/13

On today's episode I talk to Andy Hull and Kevin Devine of the indie rock band Bad Books. While both Andy and Kevin have successful careers with other bands - Andy with Manchester Orchestra and Kevin as a New York-based singer-songwriter, Bad Books is their decade-long collaboration that formed after Kevin began touring with Manchester Orchestra in 2007. Together they've written three albums, a self-titled LP in 2010, 2012's II and III, which will be released this Friday. This is the

en

01:17:42

Episode 411: Nick Turner

Beginnings ·

2019/05/30

On today's episode I talk to comedian Nick Turner. Originally from Virginia, Nick has been performing stand-up for 15 years, and you can see him on Late Night w/ Seth Meyers as well as Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show, and his own Comedy Central Half Hour special. He was a regular cast member on VH1’s Best Week Ever and I Love the 2000’s and is an undefeated champion on TruTV's Comedy Knockout. In addition to all this, his debut album Yelling was released in 2016 on Comedy Central

en

01:10:04

Episode 410: Will Fox

Beginnings ·

2019/05/23

On today's episode I talk to musician Will Fox. Born in Houston, TX, and raised in London, Paris, and the American South, Will spent his adolescence moving from country to country with his family. Back stateside, destined to operate a historic gristmill in the Shenandoah Valley, he instead moved to Los Angeles to become a troubadour. After his stint as a member of the now-defunct LA indie rock band Los Angeles Police Department, Will turned his attention to his own pursuits. His first solo work was

en

01:08:36

Episode 409: Chris Cohen

Beginnings ·

2019/05/09

On today's episode I talk to musician Chris Cohen. Originally from Los Angeles, Chris has been playing in bands since the early 2000s. He played with Deerhoof from Apple O' to The Runners Four, as well as in bands like The Curtains and Cryptacize, as well as on a number of Cass McCombs albums. As a solo artist, Chris has recorded three albums, 2012’s Overgrown Path, 2016’s As If Apart and his latest self-titled album, which was just released at the end of March on Captured Tracks. This is the

en

01:13:11

Episode 408: H. Alan Scott

Beginnings ·

2019/05/02

On today's episode I talk to writer and comedian H. Alan Scott. Based in Los Angeles, H. Alan has been writing and performing for over a decade. He's appeared on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, Ellen, CNN, Fusion and MTV and written for TV Land, VICE, Fusion, Out Magazine, Newsweek and Nerdist. He's the subject of the forthcoming documentary Latter Day Jew, and he also co-hosts two wonderful podcasts: Out on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Podcast and You’re Making It Worse Starburns network. This is the

en

01:17:36

Episode 407: Anna Connolly

Beginnings ·

2019/04/18

On today's episode I talk to musician Anna Connolly. Originally from Los Angeles, Anna grew up going to punk shows as a young teenager, and when her family moved to DC in the 1980s, she and her sister Cynthia became part of a small, nascent punk scene, which later became what everyone knows as “DC punk rock.” Anna spent many of her high school years working at a record store, buying records, and going to shows. Though many of her friends were in bands (Minor Threat practiced in the basement of her

en

01:08:39

Episode 406: Michael Collins of Drugdealer

Beginnings ·

2019/04/11

On today's episode I talk to Michael Collins AKA Drugdealer. Originally from Boston, Michael much more identifies an an artist rather than a musician, even though his music is quite wonderful. He moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and began making music under different drug pun monikers including Run DMT and Salvia Plath, and eventually formed Drugdealer, which he thinks of as more of a collective than a band and includes folks like Ariel Pink and members of Weyes Blood. Their first album The End of

en

01:08:04

Episode 405: Natalie Palamides

Beginnings ·

2019/04/04

On today's episode I talk to comedian Natalie Palamides. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Natalie's path to comedy started with clowning and devised theater with the Obie-Award-Winning Pig Iron Theatre Company. After moving to Los Angeles, she became an official performer at UCB, and since then, has garnered a number of accolades including being named a Just for Laughs New Face in 2016 and Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2017. Natalie is also a voice actor working on a number of

en

01:42:31

Episode 404: Ben Cooper of Radical Face

Beginnings ·

2019/03/28

On today's episode I talk to musician Ben Cooper AKA Radical Face. Hailing from Jacksonville, FL, Ben has been making music since he was a teenager, originally as a way to escape his difficult upbringing. Since 2003, he's released six albums and eight EPs. His latest EP Therapy is out on April 26 via Bear Machine Records, and it's great! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

en

01:14:17

Episode 403: Megan Neuringer

Beginnings ·

2019/03/21

On today's episode I talk to comedian and writer Megan Neuringer. Originally from New York, Megan got her comedy start at UCB, where she was an official performer for over a decade. As an actor, she was a panelist on Best Week Ever and a number of other VH1 shows, and has appeared on Flight Of The Conchords, Fringe, Strangers With Candy, @Midnight, Kroll Show, Comedy Bang! Bang! and much more. And as a writer, she written for numerous shows including Portlandia and Netflix's new show The Fix with

en

01:06:25

Bonus Episode 42: Andy Daly from 2014

Beginnings ·

2019/03/14

I am trying to finish one of the biggest projects of my career so far this week, so I thought I'd put out an episode from the archives! Andy Daly is one of my favorite comedians, and he stopped by the Harlem studio in 2014 while promoting Review. We discuss The Monkees, the fragility of existence, fatherhood, “Cookies On a Shelf”, neighborhood games, living in your imagination, the character of Ridgewood, NJ, trouble with school, and more! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple

en

01:16:05

Episode 402: Mike Deni AKA Geographer

Beginnings ·

2019/03/07

On today's episode I talk to musician Mike Deni AKA Geographer. Originally from New Jersey, Los Angeles-based musician Mike Deni has been writing music for most of his life, and for over a decade as Geographer. In that time, he's released a number of EPs and albums including Innocent Ghosts in 2008, Myth in 2012, and Ghost Modern in 2015. His latest EP New Jersey will be out March 22nd, and it is wonderful! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow me on Twitter.

en

782 results

Similar Podcasts

Comic Book Club

Comic Book Club

Voice of the Arts

WQED Multimedia

Stage Whisper

Andrew Cortes and Hope Bird

BroadwayRadio

BroadwayRadio

Choice Classic Radio Drama & Horror | Old Time Radio

Choice Classic Radio