The Steer

Novelist Chris Harding Thornton

Thu, 7 Jan 2021 18:05:00 +0000

We talk to writer Chris Harding Thornton about her debut novel, Pickard County Atlas, out this week on MCD Books. We discuss overrated bands, noir, life as an opera major, working at a record store in the 1990s, what our families think about our writing, and the books we hate.

Chris Harding Thornton--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Chris Harding Thornton) — Thu, 7 Jan 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Some songs to accompany our talk with novelist Chris Harding Thornton and her new novel Pickard County Atlas. Tracks from PJ Harvey, Jesus Lizard, The Jam, Pulp, His Hero Is Gone, Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five, Rocket from the Crypt, Meat Beat Manifesto, Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and George Jones.

Musician Matthew Kallman (of Real Estate)

Mon, 7 Dec 2020 17:00:00 +0000

We chat to Matthew Kallman of the band Real Estate about ordering records from paper catalogs in the '90s, adaptability, music biographies, the cultish earnestness of The Blue Nile, instrumental music, Real Estate's new album The Main Thing, and his work as music supervisor for the new HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True.

Halloween Special!

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (joshua james amberson, karleigh frisbie brogan) — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000

On our bonus Halloween episode, we ask: What is Halloween music? Is Halloween music actually spooky? And, if not, what makes music spooky? To figure out the answers to these questions, we discuss and listen to everything from goth to surf, horrorpunk to horrorcore rap, old-time music to modern outsider artists, singing saws, theremins, and novelty songs.

Replay: Musician & Multigenre Writer Dao Strom

Thu, 1 Oct 2020 23:48:23 +0000

A replay of our conversation with Portland-based writer, musician, and visual artist Dao Strom. We also get caught up with her about her evolution as an artist in the time since this interview and talk about her new book Instrument, as well as its companion album Traveler's Ode.

Essayist Elena Passarello

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:05:03 +0000

Superstar Oregon essayist Elena Passarello discusses what it’s like to write and think deeply about Elvis Presley in 2020. We chat about her short-lived attempt to be the world’s first prominent female Elvis tribute artist, find out how to sleep in Elvis’ childhood bedroom, and learn all about her SECRET VEGAS WEDDING. We also consult Public Enemy, Gillian Welch, Nick Cave, and Lester Bangs for their thoughts on the so-called King of Rock & Roll.

Elena Passarello--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Elena Passarello) — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:00:15 +0000

Songs to accompany our chat with essayist Elena Passarello and her writing project on Elvis Presley. Within: deep-cut songs by Elvis, songs about Elvis, songs written for (or almost performed by) Elvis, and songs we wish Elvis would have lived long enough to cover.

Chelsea Bieker--Playlist

Thu, 3 Sep 2020 17:00:23 +0000

Songs from our conversation with novelist and short story author Chelsea Bieker. Nina Simone, Reba McEntire, Blink-182, Selena, and more.

Novelist & Short Story Author Chelsea Bieker

Thu, 3 Sep 2020 17:00:22 +0000

Our conversation with Portland writer Chelsea Bieker about her new novel Godshot, and her upcoming short story collection Cowboys and Angels. Within: lost mothers, the power of Nina Simone, Blink-182 t-shirts, the pelvic floor.

Journalist & Music Writer Santi Elijah Holley

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:00:08 +0000

Our chat with Portland journalist and music writer Santi Elijah Holley. We talk about his upcoming Bloomsbury 33 1/3 book, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Murder Ballads, as well as his book-in-progress on the Shakur family and the history of black liberation movements. We also take a deep dive into the folk ballad "Stagger Lee."

Santi Elijah Holley--Playlist

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:00:08 +0000

Some songs to accompany our chat with journalist and music writer Santi Elijah Holley on his upcoming 33 1/3 book, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' Murder Ballads. Four essential versions of the folk ballad "Stagger Lee," as well as 2Pac, Gil-Scott Heron, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Reintroducing

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Joshua James Amberson, Karleigh Frisbie Brogan) — Thu, 6 Aug 2020 17:00:12 +0000

Reintroducing The Steer and introducing our new co-host Karleigh Frisbie Brogan. Joshua and Karleigh discuss friendship, pandemic writing, upcoming guests, new music recommendations, and the importance of college radio in the 1990s

Reintroducing--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (joshua james amberson, karleigh frisbie brogan) — Thu, 6 Aug 2020 17:00:11 +0000

Some tunes to accompany our reintroduction to The Steer, and the introduction of our new co-host Karleigh Frisbie Brogan. Songs from (in order) Brittany Howard, Aldous Harding, Babytooth, Greentea Peng, Frances Quinlan, Soundgarden, Allison Crutchfield, Morphine, Waxahatchee, Steve Young, Sara Renberg, Freedy Johnston, Yaara Valey, and Ora Cogan.

Bill Carty--Playlist

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 18:00:04 +0000

Music from the Bill Carty episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Gang Starr, Tierra Whack, Frank Ocean and Yo Yo Ma, among others.

Poet Bill Carty

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 17:00:33 +0000

Joshua and Jeff talk to Seattle-based poet Bill Carty. Topics discussed include: writing under the joy/ pressure of having two young children, the mastery of Gang Starr, growing up in Maine, and his 2019 poetry collection Huge Cloudy, nominated for the 2019 The Believer Book Award in the Poetry category.

Stephen Steinbrink--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (stephen steinbrink) — Thu, 9 Jul 2020 18:00:25 +0000

Music from the Stephen Steinbrink episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Dear Nora, Prefab Sprout, Lake and Stephen Steinbrink, among others.

Songwriter Stephen Steinbrink

Thu, 9 Jul 2020 17:00:17 +0000

Jeff and Joshua talk to Oakland-based indie-pop songwriter Stephen Steinbrink. Topics discussed include: Olympia, Washington; audio books; the kindness of LAKE; stained glass refurbishing; therapy; psychedelics; Arthur Russell; and why short stories are the best tour read.

Margaret Malone--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:00:05 +0000

Music from the Margaret Malone episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Erik Satie, John Coltrane, The Notwist and Juana Molina, among others.

Short Story Author Margaret Malone

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:00:05 +0000

Jeff and Joshua talk to Portland short story writer Margaret Malone, author of the PEN Hemingway finalist book People Like You. Within: writing rituals, anti-comparison living, the magic of the live reading, the wizardry of Juana Molina, and the imagined height of Bill Callahan.

Andre Perry--Playlist

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:15:14 +0000

Music from the Andre Perry episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Mobb Deep, The Grateful Dead, Sasami, Kendrick Lamar and Brittany Howard, among others.

Essayist Andre Perry

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:00:03 +0000

Joshua and Jeff talk to Andre Perry about listening to Kendrick Lamar live in Iowa City, making music in San Francisco, the nuances of The Grateful Dead, co-founding the Mission Creek Festival, and his debut essay collection Some of Us Are Very Hungry Now.

Kyle Morton--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Thu, 28 May 2020 20:00:26 +0000

Music from the Kyle Morton episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Tracks from Kyle's solo album What Will Destroy You are featured, as well as a few from Kyle's band Typhoon.

Songwriter Kyle Morton (of Typhoon)

Thu, 28 May 2020 20:00:26 +0000

Joshua and Jeff talk to Kyle Morton, Typhoon frontman Kyle Morton and noted solo musician, about reading history; growing up in Salem, Oregon; the nuances of good lyric writing, among other far-flung topics.

Performance Artist & Memoirist Gabrielle Civil

Thu, 14 May 2020 20:00:30 +0000

Joshua and Jeff talk to writer and performance artist Gabrielle Civil about Prince, Bjork, Solange, how to both define and come to terms with success, and her new book Experiments in Joy, longlisted for the Believer Book Award in the non-fiction category.

Gabrielle Civil--Playlist

Thu, 14 May 2020 20:00:30 +0000

Music from the Gabrielle Civil episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Prince, Digable Plants, Bjork, Nina Simone and Solange, among others.

Season 2 Intro

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, joshua james amberson) — Mon, 11 May 2020 17:00:10 +0000

New Steer co-host Joshua James Amberson and Jeff Alessandrelli discuss the upcoming season of their music/writing podcast/radio show The Steer.

Season 1 Outro

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 03:23:34 +0000

The Steer says goodbye to Season 1 of the show and talks about what's coming up in Season 2.

Dream Poet Mathias Svalina

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, mathias svalina) — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 17:30:15 +0000

Jeff talks to Mathias Svalina, poet and proprietor of the Dream Delivery Service, about deodorant, Michael Crichton, Mary Roach, Virginia, bicycling, solitude, being a college radio disc jockey, traveling vs. staying in one space mentally and physically, and music. A lot about music. At the end Mathias also reads some of his “choice” dreams—stick around for it.

Mathias Svalina--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, Mathias Svalina) — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 17:30:15 +0000

Music from the Mathias Svalina episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include UUVVWWZ, Boyracer, FKA Twigs and Shudder To Think, among others.

Writer & Multimedia Artist Felicity Fenton

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, felicity fenton) — Tue, 6 Aug 2019 17:00:03 +0000

Jeff talks to ambidextrous author and artist Felicity Fenton about 21st century social media stratification and the potential for freedom, why Yoko Ono deserves all the praise she gets and then some, and how traveling can paradoxically make an artist feel a greater sense of home. Listen until the end when Felicity also reads from her amazing essay User Not Found!

Felicity Fenton--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, felicity fenton) — Tue, 6 Aug 2019 17:00:02 +0000

Music from the Felicity Fenton episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Yoko Ono, Sonic Youth, Liquid Liquid and Love, among others.

Patty Yumi Cottrell--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, patty yumi cottrell) — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:46:57 +0000

Music from the Patty Yumi Cottrell episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Fiona Apple, Casino Versus Japan, Aphex Twin and Bill Callahan, among others.

Novelist Patty Yumi Cottrell

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (jeff alessandrelli, patty yumi cottrell) — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 17:00:03 +0000

Jeff talks to acclaimed novelist and 2018 Whiting Award winner Patty Yumi Cottrell about fantasy league basketball, growing up in the suburbs, and giving Fiona Apple some possibly unwanted marijuana after a soul-stirring concert. Stay tuned until the end when Patty also reads an excerpt of an essay about cats!

Novelist & Publisher Dan DeWeese

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Dan DeWeese, Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 9 Jul 2019 18:00:17 +0000

Jeff and Sunny talk with PDX writer, editor and Propeller Books publisher Dan DeWeese about Sade, George Michael, what the term oppositional defiance means both generally and in terms of his own life, and why he can’t listen to Travis Scott too loudly when his son is in a one mile vicinity of him.

Dan DeWeese--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 9 Jul 2019 17:00:04 +0000

Music from the Dan DeWeese episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Pink Floyd, Travis Scott, Sade and Willie Nelson, among others.

Maxine Hong Kingston--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (maxine hong kingston, Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:00:03 +0000

Music from the Maxine Hong Kingston episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. All of the songs are from Joe Kingston's album "Songs for Trixie."

Novelist Maxine Hong Kingston

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (maxine hong kingston, Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:00:03 +0000

Maxine Hong Kingston, winner of the National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal, reveals a life without music, having no feeling for the sounds that mysteriously thrilled everyone around her, devoting her ear instead to seeking out the rhythms of literature, penning nine books including The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts*. It wasn’t until her son Joe developed as a musician that she began to revisit the many songs she had walked past but never touched. She and her husband Earll Kingston join Sunny in the studio.

Poet & Essayist Elisa Gabbert

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 17:00:01 +0000

Jeff talks to Elisa Gabbert about her new book The Word Pretty, cancel culture, karaoke, growing up in Texas and nostalgia-as-musical-memory, among other topics.

Elisa Gabbert--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 17:00:01 +0000

Music from the Elisa Gabbert episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Interpol, Peter Gabriel, Ratatat and Miley Cyrus, among others.

Charles Valle--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 28 May 2019 17:00:17 +0000

Music from the Charles Valle episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include The Spinanes and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Literary Journal Editor Charles Valle

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli, charles valle) — Tue, 28 May 2019 17:00:17 +0000

Jeff talks to long time Fence Magazine editor Charles Valle about the details of editing a literary journal for 15+ years, musical taste as one grows older, and the cultural experiment that is Ian Svenonius, among other far-flung topics.

Jenny Chu--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli, jenny chu) — Tue, 14 May 2019 17:00:12 +0000

Music from the Jenny Chu episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include Alan Menken and Mariah Carey.

Writer & Activist Jenny Chu

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli, jenny chu) — Tue, 14 May 2019 17:00:12 +0000

Portland-based writer and activist Jenny Chu talks with Sunny and Jeff about growing up as a restaurant baby and what that term means exactly, her love of Disney musicals, and the nature of nostalgia vis-à-vis romantic and familial relationships.

Ed Skoog--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 17:00:03 +0000

Music from the Ed Skoog episode of The Steer, as heard on www.Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Artists include The Dixie Cups, Aaron Neville, Ernie K-Doe and Irma Thomas, among others.

Poet Ed Skoog

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli, Ed Skoog) — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 17:00:03 +0000

Ed Skoog jaws with Jeff and Sunny about New Orleans music and New Orleans life, how and why he started playing banjo, Big Star, and the myriad of direct and indirect musical references in his amazing poetry collections Mister Skylight, Rough Day and Run the Red Lights.

Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 02:42:33 +0000

10,000 Maniacs--Because the Night

Nirvana--Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Sonata for Violin and Cello (1920-22): I. Allegro / Maurice Ravel played by Nigel Kennedy & Lynn Harrell

Black Sabbath--Black Sabbath

PJ Harvey--In the Dark Places---Live at Sydney Festival

10,000 Maniacs--Because the Night--3:39

Ane Brun--All My Tears--2:06

Thom Yorke--Analyse--Live (2006)

Patti Smith Group--Because the Night

Essayist Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 02:28:56 +0000

Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel talks to Sunny and Jeff about her recent essay collection Fear Icons, how as a child growing up in a conservatively religious home Ozzy Osbourne was a near stand-in for ol Saint Nick himself, and what a “shadow text” is vis-a-vis the framework of* Fear Icons*.

John Beer--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Wed, 3 Apr 2019 16:51:45 +0000

The music that John Beer talked about, as heard on KZUT 99.1 FM LA. Tracks include: Ellen Arkbro - Three, Ellen Arkbro - For Organ and Brass, Eve Egoyan - Simple Lines of Enquiry Movement 10 & 11, Sarah Davachi - for piano, Sarah Davachi - for voice.

Poet John Beer

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Wed, 3 Apr 2019 04:27:25 +0000

Poet and pub quiz player extraordinaire John Beer, whose poetry collection "The Waste Land and Other Poems" won the Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America, talks about his eclectic tastes in music, a brief life in Berlin, and the importance of poetry critics. He's a busy man but "sometimes," he says, "I just sit and listen to music."

Jamondria Harris--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 02:14:34 +0000

Jamondria Harris' EP "meroitic," plus tracks from Alice Coltrane and Cocteau Twins. As heard on the radio episode of our show, broadcast on 99.1 FM Los Angeles.

Poet & Multimedia Artist Jamondria Harris

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 02:14:22 +0000

Interdisciplinary artist Jamondria Harris talks about growing up in the vastness of Texas, how Alice Coltrane impacted their life, and their sound art including the work they do under the name meroitic. Jamondria also reads an excerpt from their new collection "quaerere," out now from Magic Helicopter Press!

Novelist & Short Story Author Sam Lipsyte

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:59:41 +0000

Acclaimed author and former frontman of the grunge/not-grunge band Dungbeetle, Sam Lipsyte talks about his early successes and failures, his surprise love for teaching, getting an award from President Ronald Reagan as a kid, and his new novel Hark, published by Simon & Schuster.

Sam Lipsyte--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 5 Mar 2019 01:59:00 +0000

Music from the Sam Lipsyte episode, as heard on Dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles. Also, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem talks about overcoming failure.

Wendy Bourgeois--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 00:10:00 +0000

Tracks from musicians talked about during Wendy's interview, as heard on dublab.com and KZUT 99.1 FM Los Angeles.

Poet & Essayist Wendy Bourgeois

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Poet and essayist Wendy Bourgeois talks about growing up working class, shoe shopping, conservative relatives, her love of minor key country & western music, and her new book of essays "The Devil Says Maybe I Like It," published by Propeller Books.

Willy Vlautin--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 5 Feb 2019 00:10:00 +0000

A track from the Pogues, then music from Willy's bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines.

Novelist & Songwriter Willy Vlautin

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 5 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Critically acclaimed novelist and musician Willy Vlautin ("Lean on Pete," "The Motel Life") talks about growing up in Reno, Nevada, writing his early work at horse tracks in Portland, Oregon, and how much a brief encounter with Pogues-singer Shane MacGowan meant to him. His band, The Delines, is currently touring their newest album The Imperial.

Dao Strom--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 00:05:00 +0000

Music by Dao Strom, music talked about in her interview, and tracks that are particular favorites of hers. Full playlist on our website.

Musician & Multigenre Writer Dao Strom

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Born in Vietnam, Dao Strom grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills, where she first began writing and thinking about the world as a beautiful place yet filled with contradiction. She talks with us about learning to play music in Iowa City, how she maintains her creativity from project to project, Cat Power, and why people are occasionally surprised by her love of folk and country music. Strom's latest book is You Will Always Be Someone From Somewhere Else and, recording as The Sea and The Mother, her latest album is a 6 song EP entitled Sense.

In addition to her own creative work Strom is also a founding member of She Who Has No Master(s), a collective of women writers of the Vietnamese diaspora, co-director of a PoC library collective/social engagement project, De-Canon, and the editor of diaCRITICS.

Janice Lee--Playlist

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 8 Jan 2019 01:58:00 +0000

Music that Janice Lee talked about in her interview.

Russian Circles--Harper Lewis

Scarlett O’Connor--Black Roses
(from TV show "Nashville")

Godspeed You! Black Emperor--Storm

Scarlett O’Connor & Gunnar Scott-- When The Right One Comes Along
(from TV show "Nashville")

Mihály Víg--Old

Russian Circles--Youngblood

Multigenre Writer & Publisher Janice Lee

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 8 Jan 2019 01:42:00 +0000

Janice Lee talks about her secret dance performances and how the music of "Godspeed You! Black Emperor" carries her through writing sessions. Lee is the author of KEROTAKIS (Dog Horn Press, 2010), Daughter (Jaded Ibis, 2011), Damnation (Penny-Ante Editions, 2013), Reconsolidation (Penny-Ante Editions, 2015), and The Sky Isn’t Blue (Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2016). She is Founder & Executive Editor of Entropy, Co-Publisher at Civil Coping Mechanisms, Contributing Editor at Fanzine, and Co-Founder of The Accomplices LLC. After living for over 30 years in California, she recently moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon where she is an Assistant Professor of Fiction at Portland State University.

Songwriter & Story Writer Laura Gibson

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 02:00:00 +0000

Musician (and writer) Laura Gibson discusses the nature of her MFA experience at Hunter College, the role author Colum McCann has had on her writing life, New York City living vs. Portland living, screenplays, and her new album Goners.

Novelist Jonathan Lethem

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 01:57:00 +0000

Acclaimed author Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn, Fortress of Solitude) talks about making art while the world is on fire, writing female characters, his life-long love of music, and of course, his newest book, The Feral Detective, published by Harper Collins.

The music played during our interview was taken from Lethem’s list of music for his novel from the always excellent Large Hearted Boy.

Further music writing by Jonathan Lethem:

Jonathan Lethem on the Music of his Life

Being James Brown

The Genius and Modern Times of Bob Dylan

The Ecstasy of Influence

Poet Eileen Myles

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Eileen Myles, Jeff Alessandrelli) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 21:28:00 +0000

Legendary poet Eileen Myles discusses their relationship with nostalgia, shares memorable readings, talks about dealing with fans and press, and Elliott Smith and The Beatles, among other musical artists.

Poet Justin Phillip Reed

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 21:16:00 +0000

National Book Award winning poet Justin Phillip Reed talks about growing up in the south, metal shows, The Deftones and why the character Ruby Rhod of "The Fifth Element" is Chris Tucker's career-defining role.

Poet Gina Myers

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 21:06:00 +0000

Gina talks about growing up in Saginaw, Michigan, life in Philadelphia, and the music and shows that have been a part of her life.

Sunny and Jeff talk about the new show

thesteerradioshow@gmail.com (Jeff Alessandrelli) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 21:02:00 +0000

Sunny and Jeff talk about the show, themselves, and where this is going.