Live Wire with Luke Burbank

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Ashley C. Ford and John Green Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

In this "Best of Books" special, Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share conversations with two of Live Wire's favorite guests from 2021: writer Ashely C. Ford discusses her celebrated debut book Somebody's Daughter, which follows her experience growing up in Indiana with an incarcerated father; and bestselling author and vlogger John Green (The Fault in our Stars) discusses his new collection of essays, The Anthropocene Reviewed, which expands upon his podcast to review different aspects of our human-shaped world, from Diet Dr. Pepper to sunsets.

Penny Lane, Omar El Akkad, and The Dip Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the strange things listeners love that remain otherwise unpopular; filmmaker Penny Lane discusses her new HBO documentary about instrumentalist Kenny G and what makes his music so polarizing; writer Omar El Akkad unpacks his award-winning novel What Strange Paradise and how writing fiction freed him after a decade-long career in journalism; and Seattle soul revivalists The Dip perform "Sure Don't Miss You."

Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt of 99% Invisible, Shayla Lawson, and Colin Hay Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss some mysteries we can never seem to solve; 99% Invisible podcasters Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt unveil the hidden world of everyday design in their companion book The 99% Invisible City; writer Shayla Lawson takes the lead role in her new collection of essays This Is Major, in which she celebrates Black womanhood; and Colin Hay, former frontman of Men at Work, performs a moving acoustic version of their hit song "Overkill."

Gary Shteyngart, Atsuko Okatsuka, and The Lowest Pair Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello discuss the kindest things our friends have done; author Gary Shteyngart takes us into the world of fictionalized friendship in his latest book Our Country Friends, already lauded as the Great American Pandemic Novel; comedian Atsuko Okatska explains why getting married is more childlike than staying single; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform their brand new tune "Mount Rainier."

Ijeoma Oluo, Jill Lepore, and The Bengsons Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello make some small wishes for the future; Jill Lepore, historian and staffer at The New Yorker, tells us about the first American company to predict voter behavior through the use of computers; writer Ijeoma Oluo envisions a future free from racism and sexism in her book Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America; and indie folk duo The Bengsons spread a little hope with their viral hit "The Keep Going Song."

Tom Scharpling, Mohanad Elshieky, and MAITA Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reminisce about the best moments of the last 18 months; writer and radio host Tom Scharpling (The Best Show) explains how his dislike for Billy Joel began as a teenage misadventure to Madison Square Garden; comedian Mohanad Elshieky describes why navigating checkpoints is better than talking to his Uber driver; and indie rock group MAITA perform "A Beast" from their album Best Wishes.

Rachel Bloom, Natalie Diaz, and Kevin Morby Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss unresolved (minor) childhood grievances; Emmy Award-winning entertainer Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) makes the case against inside jokes in her new collection of essays I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are; Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natalie Diaz explores the connection between poetry and basketball; and singer-songwriter Kevin Morby performs "Campfire" from his latest album Sundowner.

Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe, Todd Haynes, and Melanie Charles Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal their go-to karaoke songs; Mötley Crüe co-founder and bassist Nikki Sixx describes how his love of storytelling propelled him from a small town kid to a heavy metal icon; Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven, Carol) unpacks his first documentary feature The Velvet Underground, which looks at the lasting legacy of the 1960s experimental rock group; and genre-bending powerhouse Melanie Charles performs a "reimagining" of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto" from her new album Y’all Don’t (Really) Care About Black Women.

Cristina Costantini & Kareem Tabsch and Anaïs Mitchell Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get into the spooky season and share some memorable Halloween costumes; filmmakers Cristina Costantini & Kareem Tabsch reveal the man behind the cape in their Netflix documentary Mucho Mucho Amor about famed Puerto Rican astrologer Walter Mercado; and singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell takes us to the underworld of Greek mythology to discuss her Tony Award-winning folk opera Hadestown, before performing one of its hit tracks "Wedding Song."

Nick Offerman, Phoebe Robinson, and Adia Victoria Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello chat about household rules we struggle to enforce; actor and humorist Nick Offerman discusses his newest book Where the Deer and the Antelope Play and how he squares his life in Los Angeles with his agrarian sensibilities; comedian and "Dope Queen" Phoebe Robinson explains why no one is allowed to sit on her bed in their outdoor clothes; and singer-songwriter Adia Victoria describes how working at an Amazon fulfillment center gave her the space to write her newest album A Southern Gothic, before performing one of its haunting tracks "My Oh My."

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