Mike
Author Archives: Mike
Mike
October 5, 2009
An Interview with Brandi Carlile – HuffPost 10.5.09
Mike Ragogna: Brandi, how does your new album Give Up The Ghost differ from your previous releases? Brandi Carlile: Well, the first one was recorded before we ever got a record deal, so we recorded it by ourselves with a series of pseudo-producers, engineers, and studios, and a lot of it was recorded in my house. It […]
Continue reading
October 2, 2009
An Interview with Author David Comfort on The Rock & Roll Book of the Dead – 10.2.09
Mike Ragogna: Since your new book discusses the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, and Jerry Garcia, of course, there’s going to be a lot of controversy surrounding it since everyone wants to see their heroes in a good light. With all the information that’s already out […]
Continue reading
September 28, 2009
- in Entertainment Interviews , Jason Mraz by Mike
An Interview with Jason Mraz – HuffPost 9.28.09
In the few short years following the release of Jason Mraz’s 2002 debut album Waiting For My Rocket To Come, the young San Diego singer-songwriter has had the longest running hit onBillboard‘s Pop Singles chart (“I’m Yours,” 70 weeks), has become a Grammy award-winner, has earned a Songwriters Hall Of Fame trophy, has opened for The […]
Continue reading
September 25, 2009
- in Dan Zanes , Entertainment Interviews by Mike
Interviewing Dan Zanes – HuffPost 9.25.09
Mike Ragogna: Unlike a lot of children’s music that talks down to kids, dumbs-out the topics, or is so corporately-synthesized that all the honesty and joy is sucked out, your recordings do the opposite. Didn’t you get the memo? Dan Zanes: We’re making music for everybody. At our shows, kids are only half the audience. […]
Continue reading
September 21, 2009
- in David Gray , Entertainment Interviews by Mike
An Interview with David Gray – HuffPost 9.21.09
Mike Ragogna: Draw The Line seems like a return to the sound of your earlier recordings. Was that a conscious decision? David Gray: I think it’s a degree of going backwards in order to go forwards. The music has been quite inward looking for a while with the last few records anyway. Suddenly, that’s changed, and rather […]
Continue reading
September 21, 2009
- in Advice for New Artists , David Gray by Mike
David Gray – HuffPost 9.21.09
Mike Ragogna: Do you have any advice for young artists just starting out? David Gray: Understatement is always the key, and whispering is louder than screaming. Don’t forget, you can turn the fader up, you don’t have to sing louder. Let the PA or mixing desk do the work. It took me a while to […]
Continue reading
September 17, 2009
- in Advice for New Artists , Vic Chesnutt by Mike
Vic Chesnutt – HuffPost 9.17.09
[Note: This was a nice exchange that revealed a little about this physically challenged artist’s creative process that might inspire others.] Mike Ragogna: “Flirted With You All My Life” seems to be an ode to “death.” Vic Chesnutt: Yes, it is. MR: When you’re writing songs like this, are you coming at them as a […]
Continue reading
September 17, 2009
- in Entertainment Interviews , Vic Chesnutt by Mike
An Interview with Vic Chesnutt on At The Cut and the Healthcare Debate – HuffPost 9.17.09
Mike Ragogna: It’s obvious this was a very special record for you to make, both from the quality of the songs and the packaging. What’s at the heart of At the Cut? Vic Chesnutt: Well, I didn’t come at it thinking it would be an album about childhood or introspection or hallucinated memoirs. In fact, I […]
Continue reading