The Dark Stuff Dave Splash

For episode 118, I interview Rick Galusha. Rick has been a fixture in the Omaha music community for decades. For around 25 years, Rick worked for the Homer's Record Store chain. He began as a clerk behind the counter at the chain's first store, and worked his way up to being president of the company.
Homer's began in Omaha with one store. By the 1990s, Homer's had 17 locations in Nebraska and Iowa, and had bought out its two local competitors. As the fate of the music industry began to turn in the late 90s, so did that of Homer's. As of the time of this posting, Homer's is down to one location in downtown Omaha. Rick Galusha saw it all firsthand.
In the interview, we discuss the origins of Homer's and how Rick first became consumed by music. The conversation then veers into a general discussion about the decline of the music industry and of the record store. 
Somewhere around 2005, Rick said goodbye to the record business and moved on to a different career. He still keeps one toe in the musical waters, if you will, by hosting a weekly radio show called Pacific Street Blues and Americana. The show airs Sunday mornings from 9am-noon (Central Standard Time) on KIWR, 89.7 The River. The station streams at 897theriver.com, and Rick archives the show at kiwrblues.podomatic.com.
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash
 

We return with part two of my interview with Orenda Fink for episode #117. If you haven't heard part one - episode 116 - please go back and listen to that one first. Seriously. 
Orenda Fink is a recording artist who has been making music since the late 90s, beginning with the bands Little Red Rocket and Azure Ray. After Azure Ray went on an indefinite hiatus in 2004, Fink embarked on a solo career. As you'll hear in this episode, that solo career has also seen frequent collaborations with other artists, and the formation of two additional bands.
Fink's current release, Blue Dream, is out now on Saddle Creek Records. She is currently on tour in support of the album. Look for tour dates at OrendaFink.com.
This episode contains portions of the following songs: "Set the Woods On Fire" by Art In Manila, and "Alabama" by Orenda Fink. The music underneath my voice in the intro and outro is "Holy Holy" by Orenda Fink. All songs ©the artist.
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash

For episode 116, we have part one of my interview with Orenda Fink. Orenda has just released her third solo album, Blue Dream, on the Saddle Creek Records label, and is about to embark on her first tour in a few years.
Orenda's musical journey began when she met singer/songwriter Maria Taylor at a performing arts school in Alabama. The two began writing songs together, and eventually formed the band Little Red Rocket. LRR was signed by Geffen Records while Fink and Taylor were barely out of high school! Following some personal tragedy, LRR broke up, but Fink and Taylor stayed together and formed the band Azure Ray.
It was around this same time that Orenda became involved with the Omaha music scene, and Azure Ray was signed to Saddle Creek Records, which was home to Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive, at the time. Orenda would eventually re-locate to Omaha, and marry Todd Fink, who is the lead singer of The Faint.
When Azure Ray went on an extended hiatus in 2004, Orenda Fink began her solo career with the 2005 album, The Invisible Ones. Her restless artistic spirit had her continuing to form new bands and collaborations, and she also recorded with Art In Manila, O + S, and toured as a member of Rilo Kiley.
In our interview, Orenda and I discuss the inspiration behind the new album, Blue Dream, as well as the making of the record and her upcoming tour. We then delve into Orenda's entire career, including the reunion of Azure Ray. Our discussion was pretty long, so I have decided to make this a two-part episode. Part Two will be episode #117.
This episode contains portions of the following songs: "Blue Dream," and "This Is a Part of Something Greater" by Orenda Fink, and "New Resolution" by Azure Ray. The music underneath my voice in the intro and outro is "Holy Holy" by Orenda Fink. All songs ©the artist.
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash

For episode #115, I interview Dave Rosenhiem, who is currently the singer for Bay Area indie band Winchester Revival. We discuss the new band and its new record, Eyes in the Canopy.
Dave and I share some history, and we take a trip back to the 1990s to discuss his old band, Hugh. He and I met in the early 90s when I started an independent record label called Mafia Money Records. Hugh was the first signing, and together we released three CDs and two 7" singles.
At the tail end of the 90s, Rosenheim transitioned from being an artist to creating an online music magazine and later to a website called MusicFans.com. Recently, he left the business world to lead an environmental non-profit called The Climate Registry.
Winchester Revival's music can be found on their bandcamp page: http://winchesterrevival.bandcamp.com/
This episode features the following music: Winchester Revival - "Chemical Yellow"; Winchester Revival - "Submarine Bell" (portion); Hugh - "Seeds"; Hugh - "Grapeviner"; Hugh - "Albuquerque". Underneath my voice during the intro and outro is "Ashtrayland" by Hugh.
All songs ©the artist who performed them.
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash

For episode 114, I bring you part two of the interview with Omaha music legend, Dereck Higgins. In part one, we went through Dereck's musical childhood, his earliest bands, and his time in bands Digital Sex and RAF. Part two picks up exactly right where the first one left off.
We discuss Dereck's move into ambient and electronic music, the formation of his record label (DVH Recordings), his introduction to the online Vinyl Community, his collaborations with filmmaker/musician Nik Fackler, and all of his current projects.
Remember that all of Dereck's music can be purchased through his bandcamp page: dereckhiggins.bandcamp.com.
This episode contains snippets of the following music: "War Statement" by Dereck Higgins, "Drebump" by Dereck Higgins (© Dereck Higgins), "Saw a Blind Dad" by In Dreama (© Team Love). The music embedded under my voice in the intro and outro of the podcast is "Passing Apparition" from Dereck's album Sonospheres (©2013 Dereck Higgins).
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash

For episode #113, I have part one of an interview with Omaha music legend, Dereck Higgins. Higgins has been making music and playing in bands in the Omaha area since the 1970s. Two of his bands from the 1980s - Digital Sex and RAF - are considered by many to be the foundation of the modern Omaha indie music scene. Most people know about Bright Eyes, The Faint and Cursive. But the Omaha music scene did not start there, obviously; it began decades earlier, and Higgins was right there in the middle of it.
Dereck Higgins is still playing in bands and performing today. He also makes music as a solo artist and releases it through his website: http://dereckhiggins.bandcamp.com.
Dereck has also achived some notoriety from his popular Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/dereckvon. His videos are among the most popular in the "Vinyl Community" - an online group of record collectors and enthusiasts who show the world their collections and offer insights into the artists. Over the years, Higgins' videos have gone beyond the normal "VC" subject matter, and often times venture into politics and social commentary. They are a lot like diary entries that he shares with the world at large.
Since Dereck and I both live in Omaha, I had him come down to the bunker (aka my basement) for the interview. We spoke for over an hour; and because I wanted to include some snippets of music along with the interview, I have decided to make this into a two part episode.
In part one, Dereck discusses his earliest days as a child fascinated with music, his meeting famous jazz musicians like John Coltrane (who used to stop by his childhood home both to "jam" and to "score"), and his early difficulties being a black rock musician in an overwhelmingly white music scene.
Part Two will be the next episode - #114.
This episode contains snippets of two Digital Sex songs - "Dervish Dance" and "When Feelings Change." Both are ©Digital Sex. The music embedded under my voice in the intro and outro of the podcast is "Passing Apparition" from Dereck's album Sonospheres (©2013 Dereck Higgins).
Thanks for listening. Enjoy.
©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast
Look for The Dark Stuff online at www.thedarkstuff.com and on twitter @davesplash