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Guitar Guru, Dale Turner, currently an instructor at Hollywood’s Musicians Institute and Guitar World magazine columnist, talks about his days as a guitar books/magazine transcriptionist, his lawless teenage efforts to Promote Vaiism, and his album Mannerisms Magnified — on which he played every instrument himself.

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From his website:

The former West Coast Editor (1996-2007) of the now defunct Guitar One magazine, in addition to working as a performing/recording musician and producing engineer, Dale Turner is an instructor at Hollywood’s Musician’s Institute (where he teaches Jimi Hendrix-style rhythm guitar improvisation, music theory/ear training, sight-reading, and rhythmic independence for the singing guitarist), and author of 50+ instructional books/transcription folios (his latest being Power Plucking – A Rocker’s Guide to Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar). He also writes a monthly acoustic guitar column for Guitar World magazine, and is featured in their Lick of the Day App. for iPhone/iPad.

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Acting Teacher, D.W. Brown, talks about the difference between cravings and desires, the defense mechanism known as Dissociation we are taught as children (and why it makes us bad actors), and why artists must play by different rules than everyone else.

He is the author of You Can Act!, a Complete Guide For Actors. (And believe me, it is.)

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From his website:

D.W. Brown is the co-owner and head instructor at the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio. He began his acting career early at the age of 15 in his hometown theater company in Tucson, Arizona Starring in “Desire Under The Elms”. He later came to Los Angeles where he starred in films such as “Fast Times At Ridgemont High,” his own series, “Jo’s Cousin,” and performed numerous leading roles in film and on television.

Still continuing to act in the theater, D.W. Brown turned his attention to the art of writing and directing. Working with The Ensemble Studio Theater, he developed plays for production, directing his own works as well as those of others. It was one of these plays, “Fleas,” that The Los Angeles Times raved: “…trumpets Brown’s ear for dialogue…” He directed, “Porno Stars At Home,” that won awards for both leading ladies. He has written and directed short films; including: “One Clean Move,” starring Harry Hamlin and Gary Busey, honored at The Taos Film Festival and purchased by The Sundance Channel, and “The Need For Flowers” that received a “Best Actor” nomination at The Method Fest Film Festival last year. He has co-produced and co-written the feature films: “Allie & Me,” “Brooklyn Babylon,” and “Perfume” (a Sundance Festival selection).

D.W. discovered a profound appreciation of the Mesiner Method after exstensive training and subsequently he became an instructor. He has trained actors, writers, and directors for the past twenty years at The Joanne Baron/DW Brown Studio. He has conducted seminars with actors such as Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Benicio Del Toro and Martin Sheen and directors such as Sam Raimi, Tom Shadyac, and Martha Coolidge. Several of the aforementioned he has coached.

He has directed over seven hundred scenes, coached our greatest stars on numerous major films and provided the first instruction for many who are now professional actors. DW has just finished writing a comprehensive book on acting: “You Can Act”.

He has just completed principal photography on the feature film ‘On the Inside’ that he wrote and directed. The film stars Nick Stahl and Olivia Wilde.

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Alfred Hitchcock said that “Seventy-five percent of directing is casting.” Hester Schell tells us why. We also discuss why there aren’t more blockbuster tragedy movies, how to get rejected by a film festival jury, and a creative writing project involving a tunnel!

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From her website:

Hester Schell is the author of “Casting Revealed: A Guide for Independent Filmmakers and Directors“, due in January 2011 from Michael Wiese Productions. She has taught film-acting at De Anza College, Notre Dame de Namur University, SF School of Digital Filmmaking and Film Arts Foundation. She is the creator of The Directors’ Retreat: Working with Actors, a weekend intensive for directors. Speaking engagements include Indie-Club, the Connecticut Screen Writers Association and the San Francisco Black Film Festival.

She will be directing a feature-length film based on an award-winning script, later this year in Massachusetts. The recent plays and screenplays she authored include: Colony Collapse, The Dark Room, Soul’s Messenger, and A Cup Of Coffee, written for the New England Russian Theatre Festival.

She has recently directed: Provincetown Playwrights Festival, New England Russian Theatre Festival. Shorts: Ju$T Under A Million (narrative comedy), which premiered at the Beverly Hills High Definition Film Festival and airing on cable in Austin, Dallas and Atlanta on the Hottv channel.; Blankets for Afghanistan (documentary) broadcast through Free Speech TV. Other film festivals include: Cannes, Cinequest, San Francisco International Film Festival, Rochester and Boston Film Festivals and others.

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In this narcissistic and self-conscious episode, Carl King talks about his multiple personas, his experiences with telepathic beings from another dimension, and why he stopped making music. (And of course, Steve Vai.)

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From his website:

Some of you may already know I was once a mighty performance artist and musician under the pseudonyms: Sir Millard Mulch & Dr. Zoltan Øbelisk. Through that medium, I have performed, collaborated, stood around in a room, or engaged in creative business ventures of questionable importance with Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Nick D’Virgilio, Morgan Agren, Paul Mazurkiewics, Trey Spruance, Steve Vai, Eman Laerton, Dave Meros, Nils Frykdahl, Lale Larson, Larry Boothroyd, Will Maier, and Devin Townsend. I’ve occasionally shown up in Modern Drummer, DRUM!, Kerrang, and Decibel Magazine. I’m taking a long and indefinite break from music. I have no plans to play again.

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Paul Chitlik has written for Twilight Zone, Who’s The Boss?, and Pamela Anderson’s V.I.P. In this episode, he teaches us some good writing habits, tells us where the best homemade pasta can be found, and critiques the Atlas Shrugged Movie Trailer.

Find out why they call him the Rewrite Mentor.

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From his website:

Screenwriter/producer/director Paul Chitlik has written for all the major networks and studios. He was story editor for “The New Twilight Zone,” and staff writer for Showtime’s “Brothers.” He was coordinating producer for “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “U.S. Customs Classified,” starring Stephen Cannell, directing episodes of both. He wrote and produced the first network movie in DV, “Alien Abduction,” for UPN. He wrote, produced, and directed “Ringling Brothers Revealed” for Travel Channel. He has written features for Rysher Entertainment, NuImage, Promark, and others. He received a WGA award nomination for his work on “The Twilight Zone,” a GLAAD Media Award nomination, and won a Genesis Award for a Showtime movie. He has taught screenwriting at UCLA, Loyola Marymount University, ESCAC (the film school of the University of Barcelona) and EICTV, in Havana, Cuba. He has consulted for Ibermedia, the Spanish language consortium, the Chilean development fund, and various production companies in the US and abroad. He began teaching residential workshops in 2008. They’ve been held in Italy, Spain, the U.S. and will be in France in 2011.

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In the late 1970s, Anthony White, an L.A. session drummer, auditioned for and played with the legendary Frank Zappa. He discusses his abrupt departure from the band after being replaced by upcoming percussion virtuoso David Logeman.

In this candid telephone interview, we discuss the audition process, L.A.’s studio climate in the late 1970s, what it was like to fill the gap between Terry Bozzio and Vinnie Colaiuta, the rehearsal sessions for You Are What You Is, his practice habits, and the psychological events that led to Anthony’s eventual retirement as a session drummer.

Anthony shared many dark business insights, which could help any struggling drummer who is seeking commercial success in the realm of progressive or math rock.

Find out more about Anthony White and his production / engineering / live lighting and sound career at his “under construction” website, Anthony White Productions.

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It’s been discussed once or twice that marketing professionals are driven by money, will suggest artists do things that compromise their artistic integrity to sell a record and enjoy exploiting naive teenage demographics — right?

WRONG! Meet Andy Alt, Interactive Marketing Director for Steve Vai — who not only manages Steve’s online presence (website, works with leading technology partners, encourages two way communication through social media, videos, forum), but also creates his very own, heartfelt music in an artsy duo called Swimming In Trees. (Imagine somehow blending that “Indie Hipster From Silverlake” sound with Eddie Van Halen Guitar Shredding. Impossible? Listen to them and find out!)

It turns around Andy is as creative and philosophical as any abstract-minded artist, a self-taught multimedia wiz who uses any tool available to share his fun ideas. I’m not at all surprised Vai has partnered with him.

In this episode we talk about a new website he and Steve are starting called GuitarTV.com (coming soon!), a new hybrid instrument Andy has built, and what will get a guy like Andy to leave his creative fun (house) to go see other musical artists and what gets his attention.

From his website:

Andy Alt has brought his guitar playing into the music world of Los Angeles through live performance, recordings And film. He can Be heard on Fox’s “Back To You” TV Series, Epic Records’ “Shut Up Stella”, USA Television Network “Characters Welcome”, Music Research And Studio Recordings At Walt Disney/miramax Studios, Gina Schock through Interscope Records, Long-term Relationship (Feature Film).

He can be seen on YouTube Live opening up and playing with The Roots, The Black Keys, Poogie Bell, Clipse, Gina Schock Of The Gogos, Zack Wiesinger, Ashley Mendel Feat. Ben Kenney, Mia Sable, The Black Heartthrobs, Travisty Theory, Blitz The Ambassador, Becky (Keanu Reeves’ Post-dogstar Project), Joe & The Jungle, Tara Johnson, 2nd Day Crush, The Dirges & American Idol Finalists Shane Simon & Gina G.

Simultaneously, Andy has kept up his interest in innovating brands through concepts and marketing and is the founder of Bands and Brands. In his portfolio, you’ll find a diverse set of forward-thinking brands such as Ibanez, Guitar Center, Fender Musical Instruments, Guitar Center, Ovation/Adamas Guitars, Steve Vai, Favored Nations, Intel, Belkin, Sun Microsystems, PayPal, Lamps Plus, Simple Green, Bonne Bell, Openeco.org, St. Bernard Project, Zapzyt, Dixon Drums, Worst Case Scenario, University Games, eJamming.com, UCSD, Gibraltar, Deca.tv & Reunion Blues.

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Who here doesn’t remember the 1980s show Real Gibbons on Nickelodeon? I’m not afraid to admit I still have a worn-out (and now autographed) VHS tape with the first 3 episodes, but still haven’t been able to find any clips on YouTube. Well, here’s the man who started it all. After 12 years of being inspired by his shows, I’m honored to present this candid interview with the temperamental director-producer, Jymuloxx Cortribbonz. Guess where Adult Swim got all their animation techniques? You guessed it.

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I met Micah Chambers-Goldberg at a U.F.O. Convention. Turns out he’s a bad-ass animator, illustrator, artist, and all-around creative genius.

If you don’t believe me, watch this video he directed and animated for “Things That Go Bump In The Night.”

…and listen in to the above episode as I am intimidated by not only his monster-building skills, but his calm, spiritual personality.

From his website:

Micah Chambers-Goldberg, known for his unique ability to transform the whimsical imagination into fantastical imagery, is a versatile and accomplished artist in Animation, Illustration, Film, and Fine Art.

While Micah conveys the wondrous beauty within the ridiculous and supernatural, he maintains an authenticity in all forms of his artistic expression. His current film projects include Who Stole the Mona Lisa?, an animated short commissioned by Astral Artists (slated to run at the Kimmel Center for The Philadelphia International Festival Of The Arts in 2011) and Things That Go Bump in the Night, a live-action/stop-motion animated music video for Tommy Space and the Alchemists. He is also completing illustrations for the children’s book, The Princess and the Peanut (published release in 2011).

Micah, who currently resides in Los Angeles, received his BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. During his time at UARTS, Micah not only interned at Dreamworks Feauture Animation Studios but also completed his thesis film, Brain Juice, which took “Best in Show” and was well-received in film festivals all over the world. Upon Micah’s relocation to Los Angeles, he spent several years painting live, on-stage, for Def Poetry Jam poets and musicians, as well as illustrating published children’s books such as Stone Soup and Even Superheroes Get Diabetes. He also designed toys and showroom environments for JAKKS Pacific, the third largest toy company in the U.S. Most recently, Micah wrote and directed an award-winning short film, The Lifter Upper, which is currently traveling the film festival circuit and attracting much attention and critical-acclaim.

Now, as a renowned filmmaker, animator, illustrator, and fine artist, Micah Chambers-Goldberg continues to inspire his audience to see life in a broader spectrum of color and possibility.

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WOW! Our 200th Episode.

Who better to celebrate it with, than the guy who was interviewed on it, comedian Dan Oster?

In this special episode, Dan talks about his experience on mainstream comedy television, teaches us some technique and theory behind sketch writing and celebrity impressions, and the launch of his own web series.

From his website:

You might best remember Dan from the bio that you are currently reading, Beyond that, he has worked as a cast member on the hit Fox television series MADtv and performed in Amsterdam with famed sketch/improv comedy theater Boom Chicago where he also acted as assistant director.

Dan is the driving force behind Titled Sketch Project, having conceived of it after noticing the water level rise every time he sat in his bathtub. According to legend, following this discovery, he ran down the street, dripping wet and without his clothes, shouting, “I’m naked! I’m naked!” That day, TSP was born.

A Los Angeles native, you can currently find Dan performing with fellow cast members Jen Burton and Lauren Flans in Lost Moon Radio, a brilliantly-written live sketch show and kindred comedic spirit to TSP. Dan is also one of the original members of The Improv Space theater, having been involved with them since 2000. He continues to perform and teach there whenever possible.

Among the things Dan is not proud of is the fact that he spent a year as a karaoke jockey and that he once had a guest appearance on ABC’s Hank.

Check out this link to see Dan’s latest Character Reel.