Mike Giant Podcast

Episode 60: Dalek Jun 29, 2024

Mike Giant in conversation with Dalek at Mike's studio in San Diego, California on June 21, 2024.

Topics discussed include: Tyke, pickup basketball games, Hurley (2009-2015), Mark Parker, Roger Gastman, Black Dot, fashion world, Spacemonkey racing yacht, apartment mural, Cycle, dominatrix girlfriend, sex in SF in the 1990s, unintentional harm, painting freights at night in Chicago, closing out bars, interaction with Chicago PD, etiquette with cops, backing away from a sketchy girl, exhilaration of release, picking up Semz and Nekst from jail, referrals from fellow graffiti writers, writing to T-Dee, meeting Kaws (1995), car stolen in Queens, The Limelight club, Leeway, Sume, flow among creatives in NYC, Alphabet City, squatters, Sidewalk Cafe, Z Bar, East Side Inc, 111 Minna Gallery, Move shows by Rich Jacobs, Chouinard, location flexibility, disinterest in public school, DODDS, 16 years old in Japan (1984), 6’6” white hair, sexual standards, 1982 World Cup trip to Spain, teenage drinking and topless beaches in Europe, Iron Maiden “Number of the Beast” Tour, engaging with a new culture, Japanese cartoons, food mascots, Naval Academy in Maryland, family roots in Annapolis, new wave/punk, MTV, Oceans Two record store, confrontational attitude to punks, trip to Ocean City, meeting skaters, acting out, sleeping on floors, Espo arriving in a limo, lack of compassion/discussion from parents, parenting, honest conversation with children, self discovery through trials, processing childhood trauma as an adult, pressure of life clouding clarity of mind, Let It Go meditation to help sleep, medication, blood disorder, masking vs fixing, chaos bringers, Old Souls, difference in how sons first responded, Shannon’s past lives, realizations on road trips, people watching, investigating emotions, discovering new places, memory recollection, casing neighborhoods before writing graffiti, mind mapping, Web3, global anonymous community, Tunny and Joe, importance of meeting in-person, Art Basel, Buffmonster, Bobby Tribal, Nate Lyons and Kris Markovich, Jay Strickland, Duffs team manager, Shepard Fairey, mailing canvases to artist friends, making connections, pulling off life as an artist, the blessing of support and the impact of murals.

Episode 59: 1999: Part Three Jun 03, 2024

Mike recalls more memories from living in New York City and San Francisco in late 1999. Topics discussed include: Working at East Side Inc, staying with Nalla, Zoe, freelance writing, The Vault, Dom scene, Barmacy and Beauty Bar, Deb Parker, Saoirse, Henna patterns, subletting apt on Grand Street in Williamsburg, after hours club, artist John Copeland, Juice Design, Bob Kissinger, Jason Noto of Morning Breath, sleeve on older fellow, solidarity with granddaughter, martial arts instructor, evidence of personal exploits, hand/throat tattoos, Mormon hardcore kids, The Cock, dance contest winner, Stars girl, client love connection, Elio’s art night, huge Eddie Deutsche snake tattoo, fully suited, Chris Garver, Kaz, weekends in Poughkeepsie, reconnecting with an ex-gf, Pepe Rosso, Two Boots pizza, Benny’s Burritos, MaryAnne’s, Indian Row, Polish diners, Bliss Cafe, return to 214 Clara Street, Paco Excel, weekends at Newskool tattooing walk-ins, commuting to San Jose on CalTrain with a bicycle, Adrian Lee, Jason Kundell, Ron Earhart, Adam Barton, Eric Ross, Brent Patten, Frankenstein bong, buck-toothed panthers, finger waves, being the least skilled tattooer in a shop, Ron’s bagged dually, Uneekbilt box truck, South First Street, Cholas, fist fights, Iguana’s, Michelle, Eklectik, rock climber, tattooing Charles (Charles Atlas) and Xmas tattoo trip to NYC.

Episode 58: 1999 - Part Two Jun 01, 2024

Mike recalls more memories from living in New York City and San Francisco in 1999. Topics discussed include: East Side Inc, Nalla Smith, Dash Snow (Sace), Agathe, Wall Street heist, John the Fencer, Kunle (Earshot), Tom of Finland cop tattoo, Titpig, Sarah Lawrence girl, Brendan Fowler, Ashley Macomber, Isaac Ramos, Wes Lang, Hoboken, layering tattoos, Body and Soul, European tourists, Joe Claussell, Danny Krivit & François K, seamless mixing, thunderstorm, Buter, Laura Ward, Sarah’s visit, lightning storm at Empire State Building, Rocksteady Crew party, Bobby Tribal, Martin Luther King and Hip Hop, “show and prove”, Kevin LeBlanc, cultural appropriation vs client satisfaction, Bill Canales, Jason McAfee, Regina, tattoos with sexual meanings, Flyrite Tattoos, Elio España, Kelly Krantz, Dan Higgs, Rule of Thirds, re-using needles, McAfee’s hand tattoo, The Heart Design, friends choosing flash for each other, Wane COD, bucket fill pieces, CoOp housing, 7A restaurant, out past dawn, Brett’s house party, drinking with Sace, cities at 4am, walking home drunk and shower of shame.

Episode 57: 1999 - Part One May 31, 2024

Mike recalls memories from living in New York City and San Francisco in early 1999. Topics discussed inlcude: living near Golden Gate Park, Imagination Plantation, 3D animation, office fashion, Wild Brain, Fern Gully, tattooing friends at home, Kodik Joe, Chris Woodcock, Sarah, Hotmail, student housing in the Presidio, Damon Soule, 214 Clara Street, Adrian Maseo, Valerie Hursyz, Tweaky Pete, BART tiles, The Simpsons on VHS, Outlaw Dancer, tramp stamp tribal on my sister, tattooing Sadie, Scott Sylvia, A-Team, early posters, James at WARP Records, British electronic music, loud music as a physical force, pot brownies, real house party, solo trip at Yerba Buena, tattooing in the living room, 23, Sope, Benotto track bike, first fixed gear ride, Chris Feasel, FUCK/KILL, the impermanence of tattoos, longevity of fine art works, preserved Japanese bodysuits, Avery and Kamian, NYC visit, staying in Williamsburg with Nalla and Maga, hairless cats, African Grey parrots, NY Tattoo Convention, legalization of tattooing, Tin Tin, The Limelight, Paul Booth, unemployment, East Side Inc, Hells Angels, Andrea Elston, UniMax, cycling over the Williamsburg Bridge/around Manhattan, Biohazard, Ozzy, Rod Stewart, Rhonda Hoelzer, Les Nubians, Scott Campbell, Mr Cartoon, Patrick Conlon, angel tattoo, Kimberly Hooper, street shop economics, yin yang tattoos, “polishing a turd” and NYC Lase.

Episode 56: Rime MSK Dec 31, 2023

Mike Giant interviews Rime MSK with special guest Persué at Mike's studio in San Diego, California on December 22, 2023.

Topics discussed include: Honesty, fear of conflict, Thich Nhat Hanh, porn, intimacy, self-reflection, self-work, squirters, transmitting feelings, bullying, running from police, aging graffiti scene, energy of youth, Futura, staying active on the street, studio paintings on canvas, blackbooks, bombing vs piecing, meeting Nace, cutting back, Agree, All-Out King, various stylistic games, Poor Things, catching a fill-in solo, the courage to break away from the 9 to 5, childhood, relationship with imagination, The Starving Artist, forecasting down times, life as a book, harmony, retreat, diversions, keeping your heart in it, being in nature, excitement of new places, reconnecting with pace of nature, experiencing death, animal vs human energy, Trenton deer, feeding squirrels in Mexico City, graffiti characters, Vivid Playful Depictions of Energy, original content, praise for replication, ball games, gyms, trademark styles, Egs, The Pocket, Ghost, arrows, personality in letterforms, how mood affects style, marker and sticker tags, traveling in an RV, online store, fulfillment from the road, interacting with fan base.

@rime_msk
rimemsk.com

@persue1
@bunnykittyofficial
bunnykitty.com

Episode 55: 1998 - Part Two Nov 08, 2023

Mike recalls memories from living in London and San Francisco in 1998. Topics discussed include: "Claire", Keri, Dek, Brighton, The Moon, throwups at Meanwhile, graffiti over graffiti, UFO, Abstract, Phunkateck, Ed Rush, Optical, Sage, Eklektic, GHB, Grove Park Yard with Egs, Network SouthEast trains, Trans Am show, Camdentown, Psycho, breaking car mirrors, removing fingerprints from spray cans, foiled mission at Uckfield Station, Brighton Yard, window-down on BritRail train, Kill All Cars, high speed car chase, falling through a roof, head wound, returning to San Francisco, brief stay with Claire, Jase, Laura, moving into a room near McAllister and Arguello, Kearny Book and Video, North Beach, cool manager, video arcades, cleaning crew, 4-hour videos for homeless people, The Thursday Guy, poppers (amyl nitrate), growing dislike of porn, Animal, Rosie the tweaker flower salesman, The Swiper, Bigfoot, Sam Flores, Kodik Joe, City Lights Bookstore, Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski, Avery, Skullz Press, Lisa, solo graffiti mission, Justo from Detroit, Dame, 3rd Street Yard, painting fast, getting tattoo from Nalla, Dase ATT, trackside with KR, Krink, failed mission in Safeway Tunnels, Noah Hurwitz, Imagination Plantation, Wild Brain, 2-week notice at porn shop, Twist, texture mapping, Hershey’s kisses commercials, stop-motion animation, Mac and Silicon Graphics computers, Maya, Fern Gully scenes, Toon Render, Golden Eye 007, painting walls with Dalek, getting tattoo equipment from Nalla, red foil National shader, tattooing left leg, tattooing friends for free, 22nd and Illinois wall, Chris Woodcock, Willy Wonka candy, KFC, Jets, replacing bus shelter posters with Apex, Kaws.

Episode 54: 1998 - Part One Nov 06, 2023

Mike recalls memories from living in London in 1998. Topics discussed include: Losing weight, skateboarding daily, Wandsworth, Tom and Honor, Brixton, Dogstar, Prince Albert, The Sun, Irish red cream ale, Guinness, Keri, crooked teeth, The Plumber, Soho and Covent Garden, black latex, after-hours bars, night bus, sneaky sex, Nicole, Wired magazine, Designers Republic, Attik, happy hour at the pub, house parties, housing developments, weed homies with American accents, spliffs vs joints, White Widow, Bored: Snow Skate and Surf Graphics, Patrick Burgoyne, Tomato, DJ Food/Ninja Tune, starting a record label, Will Bankhead, Mo’ Wax records, Futura2000, A to Zed guide, Dek from Art Crimes, Sensa, Irish homies, Valentine’s Day rave at Brixton Academy, Daniel Pemberton, Megatripolis, Sounds of the Asian Underground, Talvin Singh, Squarepusher, heart tattoo on big screen, Rough Trade records, Russell Maurice (Gasface) and Pinky, Egs, Camberwell College of Arts, Maharishi, zines, 12oz Prophet poster, blackbook collages, Photek Kung Fu Night, Wagon Christ/Luke Vibert show, Metalheadz night at The Blue Note in Hoxton, DJ Loxy, sweating ceiling, Fabio and Grooverider, Chemistry and Storm, Goldie, Ser, The Dole, murals, Chromes, Hammerite, undercoat black, radiator white, high security on Chunnel line, production with Ser, morning photo mission and a crazy chase.

Episode 53: 1997 Jun 08, 2023

Mike recalls memories from living in San Francisco and London in 1997. Topics discussed include: Oak Street house, “Allie”, Noah Hurwitz, @111MinnaGallery, latex pants, waxing, Skin Two, loft on 11th, @california_choppers, the red bathroom, Patsy Cline songs, pre-sex routine, condoms, loft on Natoma, 6th Street, mirrored wall, cat attack, @dozegreen, basement studio, loft mural, Future Primitive Sound Session, Twist mural, Doze live painting, @bukueone, @dalek2020, abstract graffiti, collab with @obeygiant at Fashion Valley Yard, tunnel spot with @zanekingcade and @persue1, Paint Louis, “Duhkha”, @saberawr, Texas crew, @ed_rush, Eklectik, Kate O’Briens, Think skateboards, Fausto Vitello, The Chameleon, Kodik Joe, passed out drunk, Irish visitors, move to London, Wandsworth, Tom Brogan, Clapham Junction, A Clockwork Orange, working freelance, veggie sausages, kebab shops, fish and chips, corn on pizza, cheese scone and a coffee, Victoria Station, Spraycan Art, Westbourne Park/Ladbroke Grove, @mode2offical, @original_bando, Fume, Art Crimes (graffiti.org), Auto K spray paint, SER, undercoat and radiator paint, Camden Market, mixtapes, Cantelowes, Stockwell, Kennington Bowl, Meanwhile 2 (Royal Oak), Southbank, Bay Area uniform, London street fashion, Black Market Records, @metalheadzmusic, @mrgoldie, The Blue Note, @loxycylon, @fabioandgrooverider, @ltj_bukem.

Episode 52: Spring Road Trip - Part Two May 18, 2023

Mike gives a recap of his recent road trip through the South. Topics discussed include: The Silver Skillet in Atlanta, heavy police presence, Little 5 Points, The Clothing Warehouse, poster sale at Swag Shop in Edgewood, @killermike (Run The Jewels), active shooter, barber shop vibes, cheap shots in plastic bottles, Benihana, the Blue Flame, smoking weed in the strip club, endless $5 lap dances, breakfast with @keet_313 at Folk Art in Decatur, drive to New Orleans, low water pressure, Gabe/Mortal Machine Studio, @BeeGats, Coop’s Place, alcohol to-go, French Quarter, The Ruby Slipper Cafe, Low Timers, White Lotus, Voodoo Museum, Café Du Monde, Bee’s rapport with street people, poster sale, M’s night out, @dum.slut, absinthe, Rick’s Cabaret, Maya, Summer, Indian Motorcycles, Sugar Bear choppers, drive to Houston, traffic mess, Slab Sundays, Christie’s, vintage row, House of Pies, indoor flea market, airbrushed T, construction crayons, Sylvan Beach, Third Planet, Dragon magazines, missed car show, Colorado strip club, $13 water bottles, Salt Creek Steakhouse, Whataburger, Fort Stockton, missing hotel, Paisano Pete, sopapillas, Lulu’s Stixx pool hall, Lotaburger, passing on our stash, The Thing, Tucson, Bianchi’s, Amy’s Donuts, pizza donation, hot tubbing, KG’s Westside Cafe, buying bullets in Yuma, dumped joint, clove cigarettes, Abby’s BBQ and seeing America from a car.

Episode 51: Spring Road Trip - Part One May 16, 2023

Mike gives a recap of his recent road trip through the South. Topics discussed include: Invite from Bee Gats to show with him in New Orleans, August road trip to St Louis, considering a move out of California, leaving San Diego on April 26th, 250K+ Prius, $5.29 a gallon, traveling with M, smoking joints on the highway, Campo Border Patrol Station, stashed joints, drug dog, inspection, Tatty Talk, poster boxes, “Splash”, using your own designs as tattoos, allowed to go, staying in Gilbert, saguaro cacti, desert dry sauna, strip clubs, M exploring bisexuality/possibility of threesome, flakers, varying rules, Black Bear Diner, Adam and Josh, hot tubbin, Broken Yolk, Knife City, throwing knives, Albuquerque, Little Anita’s, alcohol at elevation, sopapillas, Anodyne, playing pool, resin tables, Delano, Knockouts, old dude, Long Island Ice Tea, Jagermeister, tipping at the stage, glasses fetish, throwing money, raining wrong, pricing, lap dance from “L”, arranging threesome, meeting L in parking lot, surprising M, Chloe Cherry, sharp fingernails, mood lighting, CBD tincture, squirting, 3hr session, M got the shakes from elevation/inebriation, breakfast at Garcia’s, Old Town, Palm’s Trading, repainting wall at Black List Tattoo, M got sunburned, dizziness, poster sale at All Is One, bonus treats, dinner at Cracker Barrel, getting recognized, mysterious lost joint, Caroline’s Choice, Texas and Oklahoma State Troopers, boot outlet, Oklahoma City, Hooters, nude tights, Victor Lopez, street trucks, Uneekbilt, Night Trips, Andrew Blake porn movies, bikers and cigarettes, ceiling twerking, Bentonville, Lauren and Poppy, Walmart Town, visit with Mike Peters in southern Missouri, Waffle House, Nashville, overpriced parking, Black Shag, Parthenon, statue of Athena, Roswell’s Harley, blocked porn sites, Stella Barey/OnlyFans, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Broadway bars/live music, Metallica covers, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Hustler Club, No Hands state, Kimura, exchanging info, Chattanooga, Poor Taste, Atlanta, Skyview Ferris wheel, Gentlemen’s Club.

Episode 50: California Center for Psychedelic Therapy Apr 05, 2023

Mike has a conversation with Dr. Cole Marta and Brooke Balliett, LMFT of the California Center for Psychedelic Therapy. Recorded Sunday, April 2nd at the Center. Topics discussed include: Preparing set and setting for a psychedelic trip, dosage differences in individual people, Ego Death, surrendering to a trip, resistance, Creatives, sharpening by amphetamines, Alex Grey, the Community of trippers, experimenting with shrooms during COVID lockdowns, Ketamine use for preventing suicide, Ecstasy vs Molly, research chemicals, dancesafe.org, Schedule One Drug License, research pharmacies, variations in unregulated street drugs, regular doses, benefits of regulated drugs, clinical benefits for mental health patients, importance of set and setting, protecting friends from bad drugs, buying drugs online, Ketamine’s similarity to Nitrous, Spiritual connection, Ketamine therapy cycle, belief in God, ancient use of psychedelics, Ancient Greeks, Salem Witch Trials, Ketamine primarily used to treat depression and PTSD, common ground of psychedelic trips and deep meditation states, Default Mode Network, changes in cognition/perspective/emotionality, visuals, psychedelic replications, Replications Sub Reddit, trippy dream of Ketamine high, new client intake, prep before treatment, submitting to the process, the power of getting started, center vs clinic, unsafe feeling resulting from trauma, pre-verbal trauma, Ketamine as anesthetic, MDMA’s power to helping client feel safe, treating depression with psilocybin, “Being depressed is the opposite of being excited about being alive”, debilitating depression, spectrum of personality traits, Zendo, Burning Man, lack of guidance at raves, Adavan, duration of trips, staying up overnight on LSD, post-rave kit, inability to fall asleep, feeling a trip coming on, improved dancing ability, DJ RAW, raves as church, the body as a conduit for sound, fractals in nature, tapping into new levels of being, inability to understand language while on LSD, A-Ha moments/changing perspectives, seeing through cultural illusions, “Watching the news on acid is a bad idea”, DMT, feeling of immobility, short duration, NN (orange resin) vs 5MEO (frog venom), Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, 5MEO flashbacks, using cannabis and psilocybin as entry points to the psychedelic experience, tardigrades, importance of good sourcing, situational awareness while high, Erowid.org and FiresideProject.org.

Psychedelictherapyca.com

Givebutter.com/CCPT-TYL

Episode 49: 1996 Mar 25, 2023

Mike recalls memories from living in San Francisco in 1996. Topics discussed include: Ben Lovejoy, apt at 8th and Geary, worst roommate ever, coke fiend girlfriend, blood splattered walls, Damon Soule, Oak Street house, anarchist John, Food Not Bombs, feeding soup to the homeless, Burning Man, Masako, internal allergy, Maseo, pulling off a daytime non-permission spot, Jeff Rafnson, X-Files, Alysha, hospital stories, Barbie cool heads, Chris Woodcock, Scribble Jam, Dalek, Jaser (aka Rapes), Lead, Emit, Pose, East, El Paso, Aug, Fokis, dark freights, colorblind/night vision, oversized photocopies, paintings freight Big5 and Amaze, refrigerator cars, sideshows, Twist (aka Barry McGee), USF wall, C4, Cycle, photo trading with SMK, Gaze, Evade (aka Dave Schubert), Oakland Tracks, Dream, Vogue, Jase, using a messenger bag to hop a fence, inspirations from LSD, ACID piece, Susan Farrell (Art Crimes), Krash, windowpane, GIANT simple piece, stamp, Persué, Nyse, Zane, Heroin, Juxtapoz graffiti interview, Kelly Krantz, Adrenalin skateboards, vagina monster on Front Street and Adore (aka Reyes).

Episode 48: 1995 - Part Two Nov 08, 2022

Mike continues to recall memories from living in San Francisco in 1995. Topics discussed include: 8th and Geary apartment, Kodik Joe, Clifton Carter, working at Think Skateboards, The Dirty Dildo, High Speed Productions, Conqr, RJD2, George Washington High School, Cram, regional handstyles, Club Deco, DJ Qbert, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, scratching in stereo, latex gloves, lying to cops, Psycho City, 4th of July, Fame Whore, Coliseum Yard, TDK crew, Dream, Meut, Friday nights on KUNM, Krash, painting on LSD, Susan Farrell, ArtCrimes (graffiti.org), nonsense words as tag names, symmetrical pieces, using brick walls as a grid, increased focus from cannabis use, consistent straight bars versus tapering curves, creating new styles, 20th and Illinois wall, Twist, Reminisce, KR, Sope and Felon, Front Street wall, Lords crew, Rules of Going Over, trippy Goth girl, The Blue Danube, Shoot a Tagger fliers, Tie’s murder, Amarjit and Narangkar, Sikhs, Sam Flores, painting trucks on Christmas night, refinishing and painting my 1965 Pontiac Tempest.

Episode 47: 1995 Sep 12, 2022

Mike recalls memories from 1995. Topics discussed include: Photographic memory, moving to 8th and Geary with Ben Lovejoy, America Online, trading porn, personal ads, Sugar Daddy, shoulder massage in the round, back door access, King Street Garage, Club Universe, raver pack, flag dancers, bathrooms at gay clubs, video sex parties, Alexandra, awkward threesome, college graduation, squirt isn’t pee, big Goth lady, Hamburger Haven, Robin Williams, Coors Yard, Emeryville, Bukue, Joker, Home Base raves, Lept and Set, individual dance styles, circle dancers, Ernest, San Jose house style, Greg Carroll, UFOs, heavy hallucinations, morning-after Denny’s, Flax girl, Don Fisher, Charles Manson, Sunday nights at Club Deluxe, Swing dancing scene, Tribal Japan tour, Bobby Ruiz, Carl Arellano, Kien Lieu, John Reeves, Zodak, Yokohama (actually Nagoya), Shiori, kyogin, no means no, care packages, shrooms with Carl, foggy death ride, raves in San Diego, DJ Quark, dykes dropping knowledge, Jessica, raver love, Merilee, shuffleboard, Wednesday boyfriend, candlelit bath, menthol gel, Jon, The Family, drying out lsd and deckled edges.

Episode 46: 1994 -Tattoo Sep 05, 2022

Mike recalls memories from the last half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Black and grey fineline tattoos in Albuquerque in 1980, weekend flea market, Catholic and prison imagery, tattoo magazines, Guy Aitchison, biomechanical style, first tattoo, Mr. Went, jail rigs, Sharpie backpieces, Joker IHU, graffiti armband, issues with visible tattoos, Gator, stretching skin, Mom cried, symbolic intensity, Everlasting Tattoo, bottle rocket battles, Mike Davis, Ed Hardy, simple vs painterly coloring, George Campise, Aaron Cain, robotic vs visceral biomech, tribal style, Borneo, Greg Kulz, Nalla Smith, shitty upper leg tattoos, Greg Carroll, Tattoo City, second armband, professional confidence, graffiti humility, how apprenticeships worked, cautious entry into the trade, shop styles, Chris Conn, Colin Stevens, what time of day to get tattooed, Think tattoo on E, MDMA therapy, Igor, Primal Urge, Marcus Pacheco, anti-cop tattoos, second level shop, Tim Lehi, Jeff Rassier, almost getting impaled, learning from tattooers, Adrenalin Skateboards, Sam Flores, Jaya Bonderov and bold tattoos.

Episode 45: Alysha Nett Aug 28, 2022

Giant's interview with Alysha Nett. Recorded at Alysha's home near Kansas City, MO on August 18, 2022. Includes interjections by her partner Mike Fuentes.

Topics discussed include: Growing up near Wichita, creepy basements, tornados, Varsity sports, drunk at school, country girl stuff, MTV, music videos, Britney Spears, MuchMusic, Real World San Francisco, Wichita State, Woodstock doc, New Metal, male-dominated family, cinematography, Hardcore, Napster, MySpace, fashion, thrifting, youth sizes, Paris style, Fast Fashion, changing perceptions of tattooed women, “Lower Back Tattoo”, encouraged by tattooed father, Sabina Kelley, full suits, perceptions of tattooed people, hiding tattoos when helpful, balance of a bust, negative space, symmetrical tattoo placement, Junkie Style, My Little Pony, Lauren Windsor, cosmetology school, working at a salon in Wichita, Model Mayhem, Flickr, Tumblr, traveling as a model, Chicago, 17 in New York City, internship at a brokerage firm, hustling to achieve a goal, incentives, Waldorf Astoria, trading up, changes in image search, modeling for skate/streetwear brands, Philadelphia, the Chinatown bus, Mutter Museum, summers in LA, Moose Limited, working as a buyer, Fuct ad, monetizing/influencing, being a boss, Seasonless Southern California, anxiety, The Hundreds warehouse, REBEL8, move to San Diego, hosting SoundDiego on NBC, bus touring, meeting Mike Fuentes (Pierce the Veil), The Law of Attraction, The California Struggle, detoxing from social media during pandemic, creating healthy boundaries, sensuality, consistency, “brand-safe”, losing sense of self, moving to suburban Kansas City, daily routine, Lightroom and Photoshop, iMovie, Reels, tattoo vs lifestyle feeds, trust your gut and The Block Button.

Episode 44: 1994 - Part Two May 24, 2022

Mike recalls memories from the last half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Working at Think Skateboards, Wade Speyer, Phil Shao, pre-drawn graphics, Eric Ricks, Dan “Cancerman” Drehobl, lip tricks, High Speed Productions, Paul Zuanich, being good at one thing, Fausto Vitello, The Widowmaker, meeting Jake Phelps, skater bar, Ben Lovejoy, getting hit by cars, Albuquerque visit, getting a tattoo from Dan-O, Wizdom, Balinese masks, breakup with first girlfriend, breakup sex, Printtime, Rubylith film, color separations, exposing silk screens, bent screens, vinyl printing, Stephanie, The Pink Projects, Officer Dave “Nasty” Nastari, getting mugged at gunpoint, Tribal Gear chain wallet, Lower Haight, Morgan, Sunday acid trips, Terence McKenna video, Folsom Street Fair, Icon, Candy Canes, Columbus and Broadway, Felon taking punches, 90210 and Melrose Place, Come Unity rave, The Idjut Boys, Cool World rave, Silvia, part-time ravers, Funky Tekno Tribe, Chill Zone, Energy Drinks, range of music at raves.

Episode 43: DJ Jae - Live at The End Up May 08, 2022

Live recording of a vinyl set by DJ Jae at The End Up in San Francisco on a Saturday night in 1994. Converted to MP3 from the original audio tape by Davis Livingstone in Boulder, Colorado in 2016 .

Episode 42: 1994 - Part One May 07, 2022

Mike recalls memories from the first half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Living in San Francisco, working at Think Skateboards, NYE at the Fillmore, phone card numbers, Cole EMB, writing letters, weekly international calls, 5 Fulton to 15 Third, roach coach, decaf coffee, sack lunch, $375 rent, Jae, circle dancing at raves, sound/body connection, The End Up, piss breaks, Think posse, buying LSD at Molotov’s, sending LSD in graffiti blackbooks, Western Union on Upper Haight, 737 Bush Street, smoking on the roof, sexy French neighbors, Cindy Crawford workout, Clay Street flat, beef with Kept, 3-week race, Sope and Felon, graffiti pits, raid in SOMA, Kept arrested, raid in Embarcadero, Sope and Felon get arrested, bailed Felon out, lying to cops, fight with Kept, dissing each other, Kept beef with Revok, Fate, apologizing to Kept years later, trip to Exeter, snorting E, phone card friends, 12 Westover Road, discovering acid house in London in 1990, discovering Jungle, breakbeat techno, Camdentown, Flame, getting pulled over, Jenny, Good Vibrations, Femalia, map point raves, DJ Spun, Bay Area rave style, painting freight trains with Jase BA, flat black Mazda Miata and ghost cars.

Episode 41: Galleries and Museums/The Business of Art Mar 28, 2022

Mike Giant discusses his experiences in the fine art world as well as how to navigate it. Topics discussed include: Agree, Futura, graffiti writers moving into galleries, art “investors”, 1991 Albuquerque Museum mural show, connector photos, reasons to work with a gallery, stable of collectors, trusting in value, Sharpies, 50/50 split, galleries responsibilities, no sell early shows, exclusivity, taking advantage of opportunities versus remaining loyal, Twist, dealing with museums, museums buying art for their permanent collections, getting graffiti in Juxtapoz, Damon Soule, selling artwork in upscale hair salons in the late 1990s, FecalFace, Sketch show at Juice in 2000, downside of galleries owned by wealthy people, ask galleries for references, better percentage of sales at alternative spaces, The Lab show in Baltimore, first solo show (San Jose, 2001), Bob Schmeltzer, WDWA show (Brooklyn, 2002), The Vandal Squad, BEAMS/Upper Playground in Tokyo with Bigfoot and Sam Flores, 5024SF Gallery, Matt Revelli, unpaid show in Denver with Andy Howell and Sam Flores (2002), 55DSL in NYC, MOCADC (2003), pill poppin, group shows, Misanthropy Gallery in Vancouver (2004), Sight, artist-run galleries, 111 Minna Gallery (SF, 2004), Doze Green, Show with Shepard Fairey at Voice1156 Gallery (San Diego, 2005), infamous gang fight, solo show at The Erotic Museum (LA), The Yoga Series, solo show at Nomad in Toronto, first show in Paris (Royal Cheese, 2005), solo show at Lab101 Gallery (LA), solo show at Colette (Paris, 2006), Karl Lagerfeld, Sarah, Fafi, Las Chicas de Burque series, solo show at Best (London), extending stays overseas, Hysteric Glamour group show (Hong Kong, 2006), White Walls Gallery, Andres Guerrero, Justin Giarla, Outre Gallery, solo show at Magda Danysz Gallery (Paris, 2007), three openings (VIPs, collectors, public), Drago Publishing, group show at Iguapop Gallery (Barcelona), getting paid by overseas galleries, solo shows in Australia (2007), solo show at White Walls (2008), solo show at Guerrero Gallery (2010), solo shows at FFDG (2012-16), solo shows at Black Book Gallery (Denver, 2014-17), solo show at ATAK (SF, 2016/17), Inner State Gallery (Detroit, 2016), 6x6’ drawing, online store created (2017), ease of selling work online, getting full value of work sold, difficulty in shopping your work to galleries, using galleries to grow the value of your work, Paris auction, JonOne, accumulation of money vs. freedom, the power of Instagram, withholding a gallery’s access to your social media following, BONUS: botched show at Magda Danysz Gallery (Paris, 2009).

Episode 40: 1993 Dec 09, 2021

Mike recalls memories from 1993. Topics discussed include: The Beach Zone, Rob Russell, sending a package of samples to Think Skateboards, Burton snowboards, Tribal Gear, ASR Trade Show in San Diego, Olé Madrid, first E high, moving to 1933 McAllister, Everlasting Tattoo, initial excitement, futon, Psycho City, skateboarding down Haight Street, hard bail, Dream TDK, Twist, Dug, Bum, ground tags, bus commute to Hunters Point, Thrasher, Printtime, surprise first day, Ben Lovejoy, the closet art department, Espo, On The Go magazine, Sope, Clay Street house, Jase, The Condor, Joker, Dubose Tunnel, IHU crew, Pilot silver markers, KRINK, green and red street boxes, daytime tagging, Josh B, living with alcoholics/coke addicts, Jagermeister, LSD, Felon, crooked Victorian, house parties, sticker tags, When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron, The Art of Sexual Ecstasy by Margot Anand, the perineum, breathing techniques, orgasm/egolessness, spaghetti for months, coffee and muffins, sack lunch, girlfriend visits for Christmas, Sound Factory, Doc Martin, clean E, Mark Farina, Mushroom Jazz, rave near Lake Merritt, security on E, dawn set, Dwel and Jolt, copping drugs on Haight Street, getting hassled, the lost shoe, raves in the soccer fields at Golden Gate Park.

Episode 39: GRAFFITI WRITING: PART TWO (Late 1980s to early 1990s) Nov 22, 2021

Recollections of my early years as a graffiti writer. Subjects discussed include: High school PE class (1988), Subway Art, Breakin’ movie, John aka Tank, Frisco Bus Style, Castoner wildstyle tags, Dan-O (aka Wizdom and Omen), The Frontier restaurant, SHARP Skinheads, exchanging blackbooks, KWS crew, racking with Agree, the Garden Section scheme, milk crate towers, the Escape from Home Depot, 1978 Mercury Zephyr skatemobile, racking fat caps, tossing keys as cover, steaks for guard dogs, leather coats on barbed wire, Grey PVC, the garbage can scheme, IGT by Phase2, Can Control, Skills magazine, Tower Records, bypassing security at Hastings, Cek, losing my shoe to a cop, Doc’s fat cap business, coke demon, LA color schemes, cutting back, chrome effects, student loan scheme, malpractice suit, booze options, Christmas Eve mission, Custom Paint, Krylon racks, potential bomb, Writers Meeting at The Frontier, CMF vs GMW battle.

Episode 38: GRAFFITI WRITING: PART ONE (Late 1980s to early 1990s) Aug 23, 2021

Recollections of my early years as a graffiti writer. Subjects discussed include: photographic memory, moving to New Mexico, Cholo graffiti, Breakin movie, Subway Art book, Hip Hop graffiti, Olde English font, Thailand, seeing a writer at work for the first time, Uptown SK8 Posse, Matt Linnell (Circus), Albuquerque ditches, USP, difficulties with spray paint, GIANT, first freeway spot, PBT, Monolithic, 2ZC, CWK, Agree, NY fat caps, Doc, ATK, classified ad in UK skateboard magazine, Tom Brogan, London, Camden Town, EDM, acid house mixtapes, Street Beat, first meeting with Agree and Doc, buff paint, AOT, The All Time Kingdom, photo trading, Agent, Zore, Rafa, Vez, Chicago, recognizing writers, DTE, SB, Lone, rack and return, vintage paint, Wesk, learning security routes, tagging a crane, MC Rock, Dyse, Cheno, Sero, Quasar, Zodak, Zeno, Brisk, the Euclid Yard, Sake, stencil caps, APS crew, Agree dies.

Episode 37: GIANT UFO!!! Apr 20, 2021

90min mix meant for moments of heavy marijuana consumption. Ambient, dub, jungle, downtempo, juke and more with spoken word from Mike Giant

https://soundcloud.com/itsufo
mikegiant.com

Episode 36: Justin Kerson Apr 03, 2021

Giant's interview with his old friend Justin Kerson. Recorded at Justin's home in Northern California on March 19, 2021.

Topics discussed include: Growing up Marin County, Tupac, Ben Harper, Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead’s last show at Shoreline, LSD, Dark Orchestra, MoTown, Orange Sunshine Theory, the psychedelic experience, sharing tattoos, ego/graffiti, edibles, therapeutic uses of cannabis, finding his postulate, growing up around cannabis, Pompeii, archeological editing, psychedelics in religion, mushroom therapy, inherited skills, family of artists, first tokes at 13, water polo, scare tactics, Humboldt County, Larry Bird, modern access to information, don’t mix drugs, buying from the grower, decriminalize/legalize, family support, job security, tattoos as a symbol of dedication, Shawn Barber, Anthony G. Morris, array of friends, Bigfoot, Ishmael, aliens visiting in 1972, COVID19 vaccine, fighting infection with good health, peace of mind, The Point of Affinity, The Age of Aquarius, 42, light versus dark forces and kharma, degrees in Freemasonry, Hollywood pandemic prepping, Obama, checks and balances, voting for dynasties, packs and tribes versus hives and herds, sports fans, regional flavor, Phylos, Israel, medicinal cannabis, TOTT Global, Rolling High dice set, Sean Desmond, Francisco Agudo, production expenses, stickers, packaging, losing girls over growing weed, and turkey bags.

@justinkerson

Episode 35: The Eightfold Path Jan 18, 2021

Mike speaks on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. Recorded January 17, 2021 in his studio in San Diego, California. Based on material previously published in the "Buddhist Basics" zine.

Episode 34: DJ Eldon Nov 01, 2020

Mike's interview with his old friend DJ Eldon. Recorded in Eldon's home in Albuquerque, NM on October 19, 2020.

Topics discussed include: Meeting each other during the early 90s rave scene, born in 1959 in Albuquerque, growing up in a large Hispanic family, graduated top of his class at Del Norte, radio program at the University of Albuquerque, soul/r&b music, late night radio jumps, Neil Murray, Priests from the East, KUNM, FCC license, Eldon Otis Grier, on-air persona, Wolfman Jack, music director at KRZY, weekend on-air spot from midnight to 6am, meeting country music stars, The Caravan East, Willie Nelson, stagehand work, Waylon Jennings, University of New Mexico, Black radio, sending demo tapes, reel to reel editing, Frankie Crocker, seizing opportunities, moving to New York City, 220 Central Park South, Camp Rising Sun, Jeffrey Troy, Larry Levan at Paradise Garage (late 1970s), Richard Long sound system, good sound, David Mancuso at The Loft, creative mixing, Broadway dancers, locker rooms, baby powder, Body and Soul, Danny Tenaglia, Jim Burgess, playing in key and on beat, Jeno, Garth, Angel Marais, seamless mixing, personal vs. fan satisfaction, Marriott, cafe owner, long sets, London 1990, Beyond Ordinary, Toc and Nona, Industrial music, warehouse raves, resurgence of rave samples, housemusic.com, wallstreet.com, deep house, tea dance, rave inclusivity, tribal connections, outdoor raves, 9-11, musician producers, pandemic creativity, Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, selling mixtapes, Mary Boone Gallery, subway noise, heartbreak, Andy Warhol, Studio 54, flash cubes, Crash, Francisco Clemente, subway graffiti, early Albuquerque graffiti, rave fliers, Mark Farina, DJ line-ups, dawn sets, 4am, hiring an architect, Tadao Ando, Tom Ford’s house, Frank Lloyd Wright, SAMO, Doze Green, the AIDS crisis, Area, the day job and producing raves.

Search for "DJ Eldon" on Soundcloud and Mixcloud to hear a few of his mixes.

Episode 33: Wane COD Oct 26, 2020

Mike's interview with his friend and mentor Wane COD. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on October 13, 2020.

Topics discussed include: Agree’s tutoring, Top 3 New York writers, Wane, Hims, Know, IGT, Can Control, Ghetto Art, Bomber, Hype, Albuquerque Aerosol, Huffer, studying zines, San Diego vacation, born in London, moved to North Bronx, early fascination with subway graffiti in 1978, Min, Spin, readability of graffiti writing, Vin and Rolieo TCS, racking, Kato, Dyan, age gap amongst kids, The Players, early crew fashion, breakdancing, Burn, “motioning”, junior high, blackbook exchange, Michelob, the sneak peak, Agree’s blackbooks, stolen markers, Sey, show and prove, graffiti mentoring, Saturday art class, Bize, Rem 311, urban disarray of 80s/90s, painting at night vs in daylight, the addiction of graffiti writing, Allerton Ave, Tremont Ave, Key, Cav, Kodak 110 camera, making “connecter” photos, photos as evidence, hunting instinct, Blade, Comet, art in motion, graffiti pieces as dynamic objects, Ages, Albuquerque, East, Ghost, Reas, Ven, the Clean Train Era, Went, Ket, the timeless experience of painting transit systems, segregation in Chicago, exposed third rails in the rain, evading gangs, street hustlers, local obstacles, LA freeway writing, “All City”, cleverness, Dero, Poem, Dez, Duster, (UPS guy), studying Dez’s blackbooks, SMK, the 90s photo exchange networks, Graphotism, Phil Kosaka, Espo, On The Go, The Art of Getting Over, the quick wit of Steve Powers, Tower Records and the weekly graffiti magazine study sessions, Bomb the System, Scrapyard, hip-hop shops, Unique Boutique, Spin Art, Baba, Power, finding actuator producers, Doc’s cap business, the tools of graffiti, Roger Gastman, Zebster, tattoo gun, dropping knowledge, the cap sample kit, Liquitex cap, Poke IBM, the cap search, Phantoms, Wallies, window cleaner caps, stock tip style, blackbook writers, taking a wrap and getting kicked out of high school, honor, stepping up to chill cops out, graduating from an alternative high school, apprenticing at a print shop, first logo job at 17, stepping stones and building a resumé, SUNY College, graphic design study, Flashbacks, Mare and Kel, the Mac lab, custom airbrushing, cleaning airbrushes, handmade streetwear, investing in computers, cut and paste, CorelDraw, Gangstarr, occupational kharma, freestyling in blackbooks, outlines on abstracts, Renos, Doc TC5, Persué, Kaze, Jeru tha Damaja, Guru and Premier, working with record labels, Stash, Gerb, Tribal, Third Rail, Risky, ConArt, early streetwear distribution, Writers Bench, GFS, PNB, SeenWorld, Kingpin, resistance to commercializing graffiti, street cred through fashion, authenticity, getting hooked up from friends, Puff Daddy/Sean John, the fallout from 9-11, cooperating with clients, hiding bullshit freelance work, creative freedom, saying No to the wrong jobs, 1200 sq ft studio in Western Mass., working in solitude and lecturing.

@waneonecod

Episode 32: Joy Shannon - Pt. 2 Aug 08, 2020

Part two of Giant's interview with his friend Joy Shannon. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on July 5, 2020.

Topics discussed include: Ed Hardy changing sanitation standards in tattooing, latex gloves, the Old Timer Splotch, tattooing in photo booth, re-using needles, Crown Needles, cartridge needles, loupe, fineline tattooing, carving and printing, support from her students, support from fans, apprenticeships, Nalla Smith, teaching, wardrobe, wig making, learning from Black girls, difficulties for college teachers, concussion, first meeting with Mike, Gifts from the Universe, the LA “Springboard” mentality, moving to Italy, tattoo tribes, side gigs going full-time, Shanti the service dog, Florence Tattoo Convention, Kai Uwe Faust, Druid tattoos, punks, throat tattoos, Laguna College of Art and Design, Ed Swanson, learn what not to do, private/public spaces for tattooing, shops full of specialists, tattoo TV shows, backstory, Karen Roze, private ritual tattooing, benefits of a support system, Paper Crane Studios, COVID restrictions, side projects to maintain a living, Joy Shannon and the Beauty Marks, the “Liam Neeson” video, vocalizing to relieve pain.

Link to "Liam Neeson" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E7JvpBsUz0

joyshannon.com
@joyshannon
@triplegoddesstattoos

Episode 31: Joy Shannon - Pt. 1 Aug 08, 2020

Part one of Giant's interview with his friend Joy Shannon. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on July 5, 2020.

Topics discussed include: Culture magazine, art/music writing, offering a tattoo apprenticeship, growing up in Santa Ana, early years in Chicago, Irish bloodline, Celtic art, history of Celtic tattooing, tattooed mummies, Viking burials, personal tattoo tools, Ancient Ink, self-tattooing, continuing ancient traditions, The Audience Will Come To You, changes in how to enter the tattoo business, “specialty” tattooers, playing music and signing as a child, Elton John, understanding metaphors, costume design, Orange County, being a “weirdo”, Goths in California, avoiding people on the street, cheap used records, 90s home video editing, Headbanger’s Ball, Yo! MTV Raps!, Immortal, Symphonic Metal, the music students, Show and Prove, skater applause, cello, appreciating orchestral music, Jazz standards, inherited skills, Celtic harps, advances in technology, keyboard sensitivity, signing and playing instruments simultaneously, Natural Desire, family music connections, Lyle Lovett, Ancestral Karma, Old Souls, Bodhisattvas, The Magdalene Laundries, Catholicism, ancient Irish history, O’Carolan, Dead Can Dance, tattooing herself, Ogham, messages in a dream states/meditation, old school vs. current modes of tattooing, finding your clientele, tattooing through the pandemic, surviving the AIDS era.

joyshannon.com
@joyshannon
@triplegoddesstattoos

Episode 30: Tony Bonetti Jun 18, 2020

Giant's interview with his old friend Tony Bonetti. Recorded at Tony's home in Sunnyvale, CA on Sunday, June 14, 2020.

Topics discussed include: Ramon Altorre, tattoo trip to New Mexico, ultra violence, San Jose, the Tech Boom, initial links to the tattoo world, The Skullz Press storefront, being an excellent tattoo collector, Chris Trevino, “A Tattoo You Can Read from Across the Room”, the unwritten rules of tattooing, seasonal mistakes, “Suited”, Amuletic, tattoos as markers of life experience, Greg Rojas birdcage, growing up around firearms and hunting, Nature Deficiency Disorder, Great Out Doors, Open Awareness, conservation, wild game, ethical harvesting, process of buying a gun from a licensed dealer, self defense concerns, avoiding mainstream media, sobriety, trigger awareness, Glock and shotgun, AR-style rifles, requirements for firearm purchase, written test, background check, customer cross-section, Tech immigrants, refusing stupid customers, long lines, teaching ladies to shoot, various types of ammunition, advantages of a shotgun, safety restrictions, suicide by firearm, mental health issues, self protection laws, semi-auto versus pump shotguns, "$500 Gun and $4500 in Training”, tie-dye, Positive Mental Attitude, the power and satisfaction of creating things, residential rehab program, recognizing when alcohol is a problem, building confidence through creativity, incremental steps, therapists, seeing and sharing the things that work, Alcoholics Anonymous and Zoom meetings.

@tonethewellknown

Bay Area Gun Vault
363 W. El Camino Real
Mountain View, CA

Episode 29: Guided Meditation Apr 30, 2020

Mike presents a guided meditation in the Vipassana tradition over a digital mix he made featuring tracks by Steve Roach. Recorded April 20, 2020 by DJ Artistic at Lower Left Studios in San Diego, California.

Episode 28: "Jazz Percussion" Vinyl Mix Apr 24, 2020

Mike presents a mix of jazz vinyl records featuring outstanding percussion. Recorded on Monday April 13, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA.

Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Mosaic, “Mosaic”
Max Roach, Bitter Sweet, “Mendacity”
John Coltrane, The Africa brass Sessions - Vol. 2, “Africa”
Buddy Rich, A Different Drummer, “Barney’s Bugle”
Gene Krupa, Percussion King, “Valse Triste”
Elvin Jones, Mr. Jones, “One’s Native Place”
Buddy Rich, A Different Drummer, “Back of the Bus"

Episode 27: "Junglism" Vinyl Mix Apr 21, 2020

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, choir, synths, soundtracks, dub and breaks. Recorded on Monday April 13, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA.

Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”)
DJ Rap, Proper Talent 001, “Get Under”
LTJ Bukem, Suspended Space, “Suspended Space”
Underground Crew, Jungle Warfare, “Melody Madness”
Dark Soldier, Falling, “Falling”
Loxy & Ink, Twisted 3rd Mind EP, “Skitzaphonic”
Soundmurderer & SK-1, Rewind Records, “Badman"
Adam-F, Section 5 Records, “The Bible”
Dom & Roland, Moving Shadow 144, “Can’t Punish Me”
Axis, Points in Time 004, “High Point”
John B & Exile, Planet Mu Records, “Broken Language”
DJ Rap featuring Hooligan, DJ Raps Propa Classics, “Lick Shot"

Episode 26: "Koyaanisqatsi" Vinyl Mix Apr 15, 2020

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, choir, synths, soundtracks, dub and breaks. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA.

Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”)
Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi, “Koyaanisqatsi"
Nightmares on Wax, Smoker’s Delight, "Nights Introlude"
Jean Michel Jarre, Oxygene, "Oxygene (Part I)"
LTJ Bukem, Earth 12001, "Cosmic Interlude"
Stranger Things soundtrack, “Hawkins"
Fort Knox, The Foundations EP, "Got the Funk"
Tomita, The Bermuda Triangle, "The Giant Pyramid and Its Ancient People"
DJ SS, Formation Records presents A Decade of Breaks, "Analogue Signal"
Environments, Disc 4, Ultimate Thunderstorm
White Label
Vangelis, Beauborg, "Beauborg - Part I"
Ink and J. Dub, Architecture Recordings, "Dance of the Titanium Minds"
Beaver/Krause, Gandharva, "Nine Moons in Alaska"
Dillinja, Valve Recordings, “Crunch"
The Harmonic Choir, Hearing Solar Winds, "The Flight of the Sun"
J. Krishnamurti, Mind in Meditation, LP. 3 - Side 1

Episode 25: "Martial Law" Vinyl Mix Apr 15, 2020

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, synths and breakbreat vinyl records. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA.

Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”)
Ice-T, The Iceberg, "Shut Up, Be Happy" (featuring Jello Biafra)
Digital, Portica Recordings, “Clipper"
Soundmurderer & SK-1, Rewind Records, "Search & Destroy"
Tangerine Dream, Rubycon, "Part I"
Massive Attack v Mad Professor, No Protection, "Radiation Ruling the Nation"
Lemon D, Big Bad Bass, "Get Dirty"
Tomita, Kosmos, “Aranjuez"
Dylan + Loxy, Cylon Recordings 6, “Stereotype"
Kryptic Minds, Unkut Recordings, “It"
Tangerine Dream, Exit, "Remote Viewing"
Kung Fu soundtrack, "On Evil"

Episode 24: "God, Christ, Gurus" Vinyl Mix Apr 12, 2020

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, synth and breakbeat vinyl records. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA.

Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”)
Yogananda, Chants and Prayers, "God, Christ, Gurus”
Kitaro, Ki, “Sun”
The Orb - Orbsessions Volume Two, “Shem Version”
Sixtoo, Antagonist Survival Kit Instrumentals, “Amphitheatre"
Steven Halpern, Eastern Peace, “Ming Garden Courtyard”
Audio Pharmacy, Prophecies, “Prophecies”
Jean-Paul Kreder Ensemble, Chants de la Renaissance, “Las! Ou Vas-Tu Sans Moy”
Tobe Nwigwe, The Originals, “Zen Master”
2010 Movie Soundtrack, “Probe”
Beat Junkies, Deeper Concentration, “They Don’t Understand”
Vangelis, Antarctica, “Life of Antarctica”
DJ Wally, The Stoned Ranger Rydes Again, “Drugs In Front of Me”
Kitaro, Tunhuang, “Free Flight”
Yogananda, Chants and Prayers, “Prayer at Eventide”

Episode 23: Adam Hathorn Feb 20, 2020

Giant's interview with Adam Hathorn, a tattoo artist based in San Diego, California. Recorded in Giant's studio in Miramar on Wednesday, February 19, 2020.

Topics discussed: Big Trouble Tattoo, the totem pole of talent, humility, photos of tattoos, Instagram portfolios, growing up in New England, skateboarding and drawing, filming friends, ollies and slap pies, Kien Lieu, Pushead, copying logos, mail order, herbs and druggies, Dogtown skateboards, difficulty with art teachers, ADD and meds, marry rich, Boston, Savannah College of Art and Design, good teachers, BFA in illustration, graphic design, paid to learn, magazine covers, The Hustle, postcards and envelopes, meeting Shepard Fairey, wheat pasting posters, client work vs. personal work, remembering tattoos/clients, tattoo tech talk, acetate stencils, no sketch tattoos, Sam Parker, Hardcore vs. Punk, violence at shows, skinheads, SHARPs, nazis from New Hampshire, trauma from violence, Olde English tramp stamp, underwater welder/tattooer/mentor, Chris Houfek, John Cantrell, graffiti writers hitting the tattoo scene, Grime, Timothy Hoyer, Chris Trevino, Guy Aitchison, graffiti clients, Beat Non Stop, Tommy Target, Twist hates tattoos, self tattooing, Kodik Joe, apprentice phase, National Tattoo Supply, cartridge needles, big hand problems, electric vs. rotary, changes in trade technologies, automation, CNC vs. handmade, dictating your own business values, The iPad Debate, digital output vs. handmade work, tool history, digital fronting, adapting to change, limiting editions/output, The Bottom Line, Alien Arts Tattoo, Art Crimes, Atlanta, Third Eye Tattoo, Tattoo Artist magazine, Gunnar, Crash, Rollo, packages of real media, San Diego, Wynn Body Arts, Guru Tattoo, Giant vs. Giant show, gang fight, opening Big Trouble, the “Don’t Be a Dick” rule, on-street vs. off-street tattoo shops, shop ownership.

@honkeykonger
@bigtroubletattoo

Episode 22: Vernon Courtlandt Johnson aka VCJ Feb 10, 2020

Giant's interview with Vernon Courtlandt Johnson, a fine artist based in Santa Barbara, California. Recorded in his home on August 10, 2014 for Monster Children magazine,

vcjgraphics.com

Please follow this link to see a video of our meeting.
https://vimeo.com/113684648

Episode 21: Dave Persué Oct 28, 2019

Giant's interview with Dave Persué, a fine artist based in San Diego, California. Recorded in their studio in Miramar on Monday, October 23, 2019.

Topics discussed: Per-Sway, growing up in San Diego, Star Wars, sports, getting forced outside to play, drawing, Nikol Schattenstein, William Randolf Hearst, inspirational mother and grandmother, absent father, soccer, discovering alternative music (Visage, Roxy Music, Ultravox, Adam Ant, Duran Duran), Morrisey-style, electric bass, high school bands, discovering graffiti and rap music in 1988, influential older sister, began writing graffiti in 1988, Xpek, Wesk, hanging with crews, Boone’s Farm, experiments with hallucinogens, Acid Mike, Subway Art and Spraycan Art, bombing, Ken Block, DC companies, Mike Vallely, Tony Magnusson, Mike Ternasky, full time graphics work, rubylith, Circa, contracts, designing shoes for Osiris in the 1990s, skateboarding, eating concrete, basketball, graffiti friends, 1.5hr commute, living close to your office, off-site design agencies, corporate paperwork, meeting each other in 1993, first time on E, Olé Madrid, street racing in 1991, mid-11sec 1/4 mile Honda CRX, cops ending parties, San Diego Car Clubs, Tesla drags, El Niño, Alphanumeric, Bunny Kitty is born in 2001, Tiny Shits blackbook/zine, lettering styles, Quasar, Wane COD, Writers Bench, Cey Adams, Instagram community, working behind the scenes, transitioning from commercial to fine art, PJ, Brisk, the Bunny Kitty book/collaborating with mom, Alzheimer’s, maniac kid, shock therapy, minor electrocutions, moving to NYC in 2014, studio practice, Wet Paint Shanghai, 1xRUN, the poster business, Alli, Stella, low overhead, origin of the Wet Paint project, collaborations, Wet Paint Miami, The Museum of Graffiti, Art Basel, getting arrested with Rime and Gorey, Drugs TVC, bold vs. sly, Freeze Means Run, getting kicked out of the Judah Tunnel, advantages of being big, the magic of wall writing, years of graffiti collaborations, sketch vs. freestyle, Stick Up Kids, touring Europe, “European-style” graffiti productions, TAT, FC, FBA, BA, Evan Hecox, playing music/jamming with friends, long walks, San Diego culture, sharing a studio space in Miramar.

@persue1
@wearewetpaint
@bunnykitty

bunnykitty.com
davepersue.com

Episode 20: Mike Maxwell Oct 22, 2019

Giant's interview with Mike Maxwell, a fine artist based in San Diego, California. Recorded in Giant's studio in Miramar on Monday, October 21, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in El Cajon, isolation fostering creativity, discovering graffiti as an early teen, Tower Records, 1990s graffiti magazines, childhood drawing inspirations, reading George Orwell, Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouak at 14, defying parents, atheism, altruistic anarchism, tribal life, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, tribal vs. city mode, criminal accountability, mob rules, sports as tribal/political substitute, Jiujitsu, release of aggressive energy, drinking and smoking at 12, LSD at 15, drawing, the realities of working as an artist, levels of comfort, tattoo apprenticeship in 2000, changes in the tattoo business, tough guy vibe, custom vs. flash tattoos, Ed Hardy, Sailor Jerry, Guru Tattoo, developing a sketch, the ability to draw anything, efficiency, improvement, personality in portraits, changing styles, working simultaneously in multiple styles, solo show as a journal, Blackmarket, sniping jobs, banana and potato installations, street art, Shepard Fairey, Dave Kinsey, ModArt, Barry McGee, San Francisco, DIY ethic, relaxation through drawing, completing tasks early, factors in academic performance, art making as career or not, emotional response to your work, the changing world of galleries, art for selfies, immediate sale vs. public viewing, artists working for corporate galleries at a low return, personal artistic ethics, doing jobs for friends, pre-computer drawing methods, mental exercise, traditional vs. digital methods and tools, kerning, graphic design, Benny Gold, mass media manipulation, dickhead attitude, bargaining, Louis Vuitton, compromises, fair percentages, Morning Breath, artist management, real gallery support, independent living, master it then move on, “Just Do the Work”, commercial vs. fine art, making zines together, repetitive abstraction, exhaustion, street fighting, altering surroundings through creativity and/or controlled violence, firearms, calm resolution, connecting as humans, panhandling, practicing generosity.

@mikemaxwellart
mikemaxwellart.com

Episode 19: Bobby Ruiz Oct 18, 2019

Giant's interview with Bobby Ruiz, owner of Tribal Streetwear. Recorded in Mr. Ruiz’s office at the Tribal headquarters in San Diego, California on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960s, Hacienda Heights, moving to south San Diego in 1972, initial exposure to lowriding, skateboarding, gang culture, moving to Mira Mesa (the suburbs), gang writing, musical influences, stoner culture, high school, Chicano Power movement, appearing in Lowrider magazine in 1981, customizing a 1964 Thunderbird, first experiences with "hip-hop” graffiti while working as a janitor, meeting San Diego writers, earning a bachelors degree with Honors at SDSU in Chicano Studies and Business Management over the course of ten years, difficulties with math, Tommy Guerrero, ska and punk music, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, NWA, Cypress Hill, breakdancing, Rocksteady Crew, the exploitation of subcultures, fashion vs. streetwear, Limp Bizkit, Korn, starting Tribal Gear in 1989, POD, Linkin Park, Los Lobos, Santana, Sublime, Psycho Realm, The Beat Nuts, Lollapalooza, Mixmaster Mike, Suge Knight, Risk/Third Rail, the early years of Streetwear, rubylith, Fat, Stoopid, ASR trade shows, Eazy-E, Boo-Ya Tribe, the 432F show, Bill McMullen, pre-internet indie brands and magazines, Conart, GAT, Japanese buyers, touring in Japan, CCC Satoshi Furuya, VHS camcorder, the Tribal videos, Kien Lieu, John Reeves, Zard, Japanese lowriding, Bosozoku, changing scenes, 1970s Cholo style, going back underground, Dogtown, Jay Adams, Louie Zodak, cutting back with spraypaint, Sake, Joker, Brown, Dyse, MC Rock, photo trading, Phil Kosaka, racking from Kmart, Mr. Cartoon, OG Abel, WCA crew, Chaz Bojorquez, Steve Soto, Carlos Torres, Usugrow, Alex Garcia, Mouse Lopez, the Legacy project/show, Carl Arellano, Pink Floyd, Swank, business decisions/staying exclusive, boutique shops, Big Proof, unpaid celebrity endorsements, Fred Durst, social media, licensing and distribution deals, mall stores in the Philippines, sharing manufacturing, the future of Tribal, RIP Norm and Jesse Valadez (The Gypsy Rose).

Episode 18: Francisco Agudo Jul 12, 2019

Giant's interview with Francisco Agudo, a tatttooer and fine artist currently based in Los Angeles. Recorded in Francisco's guest house in Mid City, Los Angeles on July 5th, 2019.

Topics discussed include: growing up in the East Bay, writing graffiti at 12 years old, playing with freight trains, the late 1990s Bay Area graffiti scene, youth sports, early drawing influences, copying skateboard graphics, Jase, the Upper Playground studio, setting goals, leaving home as a teenager, selling drugs, getting started in San Francisco, local haunts, risk vs reward balance, hassles with police, reputation, Show and Prove, asshole mode, late night transportation problems, evading a house raid, backing out of the drug trade, the college track, taking the right opportunities, storefront studio on Divisadero near Haight, Chad Mooney, Academy of Art, Skullz Press blogspot, Mark Snor, kings, studio assistants, Japanese collectors, monthly studio parties, neighborhood tree panic, city comparisons, Tenderloin studio/apartment, self tattooing, living on Hyde Street, the show outside the window, cracktivity, dead people in public, Dave Schubert, the Baltimore/Philly/DC heads, Felon, integrity, Icon’s loft, East Bay thugs, North Beach, Dolores Park, writing graffiti on Upper Haight, adventures with cops, game-changing beatdowns, daytime MUNI graffiti action, jail time, community service, felony vs misdemeanor, hater judge, the Albuquerque Anti-Graffiti Task Force, the friend in the justice system, good vs bad cops, networking amongst friends, entering tattoo business at Picture Machine, use of aliases, Paco Excel, Jason Kundell, good spots, Fate, Norm, huge graffiti, Everlasting Tattoo, Idle Hands, shop help job, move to LA, cannabis trimming, Midtown Tattoo, skateboard graphics, varying business practices, Marks Tattoo.

@mrfranciscoagudo
@markstattoo_la

Episode 17: Deb Jul 05, 2019

Giant's interview with Deb, a fine artist and muralist from Australia, currently based in Los Angeles. Recorded in a guest house in Mid City, Los Angeles on July 4th, 2019 during the set-up for a party.

Topics discussed include: a difficult birth, growing up in Melbourne, art programs in private/public school, vandalizing desks, anorexia, recovery, pre-internet networking, being a female artist, getting a graphic design diploma mid-20s, the early years of computers and cellphones, pager codes, the effect of cellphones on graffiti writing, modems, the invention of email, AOL chatrooms, traditional vs. digital drawing, the earthquake, reproductions vs. originals, craft vs. idea, finding your audience, Tumblr, getting on Instagram, changes in the art economy, technology appreciation, Melbourne vs. Sydney, San Francisco, Eddie Zammit, the first studio visit, chance encounters, logistics of moving to the US, semi-legal status, working internationally, subletting Giant’s apartment, sketchy landlords in San Francisco, San Jose, Boulder, Jeremy Fish, working on the street, the loss of heritage businesses in San Francisco, Summer of Love, changing neighborhoods, downtown LA, collecting skateboards, getting mugged, Beauty Bar, traumatic brain injury, recovery, chronic migraines, Apex, spray paint, Bigfoot, mops, latex house paint, mural work, 6th Street, pedestrian traffic, Santa Fe, lowrider culture, the new Los Angeles.

@deb

Episode 16: Leo Gonzales Jul 02, 2019

Giant's interview with Leo Gonzales, a tattoo artist and fine art painter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Recorded in Mr. Gonzales' home on June 30, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in Pojoaque, NM, drawing at 2 years old, replicating Disney characters, Garfield, Prince Valiant, Dungeons and Dragons, The Hobbit, browsing book and album covers, frequency range, music/audio books as background noise, mindfulness, Cat Stevens, Kansas, KISS, Lorelei, Sikhs, Logical Nonsense, the punk scene, drugs, The Dark Nineties, tagbanging, Santa Fe vs. Albuquerque, backyard parties, hand poke tattoos, rites of passage, The Decline of Western Civilization, tattooing at school, The Hat, judging people by their tattoos, Dan-O Sanchez, self tattooing, dedication to the craft, apprenticeships, art school, Boris Vallejo’s advice, learning directly from artists, recognizable style, tattoo conventions, Guy Aitchison, Grime, Mike Davis, recognizing tattoos not clients, the pitfalls of getting your own drawings tattooed, quality vs. story, word tattoos, Hardware, assholes in business, good customer interactions, Richard Stell, Lucky 13, Ten In One, Stay Gold, Steve Truitt, body modifications, suspensions, public lynching, fatherhood, Warhammer, 5x Golden Demon Champion, miniature figures, Shawn Warcot, Stranger Things, hiking, the satisfaction of physical exhaustion, skateboarding, Shoggoth, making intestines, Asian Water Monitor, snake breeding, cross platforming.

@cthuleo

Episode 15: Mike Peters May 16, 2019

Giant's interview with Mike Peters, a custom automotive fabricator based in Denver, Colorado. Recorded in Mr. Peters' garage in Northglenn, Colorado on May 12, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Moving to San Diego from Denver in 1983, skateboarding, running into cars, litho printing in high school, hot rod/custom family, car shows in the 1980s, lowrider love, El Cajon, The Phantom, ditching at the ditch, backyard half pipe, skating vert, injuries, tagbanging, witnessing murder, graffiti as a career, Aerosol Psychotics Crew, spray techniques/can control, Sake/spitter caps, (broken chair), aviation, dropping out of high school, 1973 Bulletside Datsun, the Trades, Miracles Truck Club/Negative Camber, 1960s hot rods, 1956 Merc, custom audio, Phoenix, returning to Denver, camaraderie, SEMA 2017, showing work in front of fellow professionals, the critical eye, 1980s punk rock, beach life, Tribal Gear, cruising/bass music (DJ Magic Mike), Rel, shooting, San Diego taco shops, horchata, regional cultures/styles, Cholo style/respect, graffiti identity, Teck, following security patrols, fatcaps on freeways, Bobby Ruiz, 1990s street wear, ASR/432F, speeding through a border patrol checkpoint, times of change/perseverance, the Art Hussle, Uneekbilt, fabrication on Giant’s box van, project stress, workflow, “30,000 Parts”, Denver truck scene, Española, motorcycles, mentorship/Art Night and Trades ethics.

@mikepeters56
@uneekbilt

Episode 14: Jeremy Fish May 02, 2019

Mike's interview with Jeremy Fish, an artist based in San Francisco, California. Recorded at Black Book Gallery in Denver, Colorado on April 14, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in the Northeast, Saratoga Springs, smuggling, art teachers, winter activities, crafty moms, Lee J. Ames, Hip-Hop, DJ Pink Panther, BMX, skateboarding, Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs Skatepark, local pros, Lake George, Burden Lake Pool, Santa Cruz Skateboards/Jim Phillips, high school advertising class, Chuck Gaukel, class clown, Junior College of Albany/painting major, Barry McGee aka Twist, architecture, working drawings, The Twin Towers, The Art Institute, Bush Street, bus routes, silkscreen printing, Winfield Wallpaper, lunch spots, Eddy’s Diner, rubber floors, Good Vibrations/Barry the Beaver, Bear magazine, Folsom Street Fair, Printtime, Think Skateboards, Slap magazine/The Big Stupid, Silly Pink Bunnies, growing art business/traveling, commercial art challenges, Grime, Rick Griffin, North Beach, local relationships, current work, expressing sadness/female energy.

sillypinkbunnies.com
@mrjeremyfish

Episode 13: Derek Keenan Mar 31, 2019

Mike's interview with Derek Keenan, an artist based in Denver, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's home in Boulder, Colorado on March 31, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in Arvada (Colorado), ’57 Chevys, learning from older siblings, organized sports, skateboarding, BMX bikes, Yellow Designs, DIY entrepreneurship, art education, Colorado Institute of Art, industrial design, marker rendering, internships in footwear business, working as a technical aviation illustrator, working as a picture framer, The Peace Corps, The Gambia, village life, Toubobs, African Mahogany charcoal, cultural differences, meditative awakenings, International Jazz Festival of Senegal, weed/psychedelics in Africa, Palm hooch, gender-based experience, Malik Njie, inside jokes/local knowledge, Not Self, hair in a bird’s nest, construction work, work options for felons, Fuzzy, toking on the job, street photography, recycling skateboards, craft fairs, earring hustle, Mukee, $15,000 laser, AT-AT, touring, support from the ladies, viral moment, booth design/fabrication, street-level business development, the stoney teepee, rubbing elbows, Etsy.

mukee.etsy.com
@derek_keenan
@mukee_design

Episode 12: Derick Montez Mar 15, 2019

Mike's interview with Derick Montez, a tattoo artist based in San Francisco, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Boulder, Colorado on March 15, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Growing up in the North Valley of Albuquerque, drawing, attention to detail, skateboarding, browsing at magazine racks, Scribble mag, graffiti writing at 12 years old, purpose, outdated printer paper, graffiti spots, Officer J.D. Knight, Burque writers, L.A. Underground, Jukes, road trip to San Francisco in 2002, cities after midnight, the Dubose tunnel, the Hip-Hip vibe, Baked Potatoes, DIY attitude, graffiti media, city college, Java Joe’s, first fine art show/studio, hospice, Manny at Custom Tattoo, confidence, the non-art side of tattooing, “real jobs”, character, Stay Gold Tattoo, criminal versus public introductions, apprenticeship phase, zia symbol tattoo, Henry Lewis, Mr. Went, guest spot at Everlasting Tattoo with Shawn Barber, Anubis/Haight-Ashbury Tattoo, making good money, tiers of the tattoo business, Picture Machine, Seventh Son, Everlasting, Idle Hand.

idlehandsf.com
@derickmontez

Available now!! "Breakfast Club Book of Tattoo Flash” by Derick Montez, Mike Giant, Matt Howse, Mary Joy Scott and Paul Dobleman. Get yours today from www.tattooflashcollective.com.

Episode 10: Damon Soule - Part 1 Feb 17, 2019

Mike interviews Damon Soule, a fine artist based in Grass Valley, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Bouler, Colorado on February 15, 2019.

Topics discussed include: Live painting at Mirus Gallery in Denver, collaborating with Oliver Vernon and Mars1, the Denver art scene, growing up in Atlanta in the 1970s, H.R. Puffnstuff, childhood influences, combat play/drawings, moving to New Orleans, Varanasi, public school, mathematics, fractals, skateboarding, Thrasher, Florida, Colorado Springs, being a teenage felon, New York City, Ron English, graffiti secrecy/beef, LSD epiphanies, moving to San Francisco, communal skater living, BC Surf’N’Sport, freelance jobs, Astro, racking, Maximum Rock’N’Roll, Twist, New Deal, realizing dreams, printing skateboards, Fit Skateboards, Sam Flores, Oak Street house, Burning Man, Food Not Bombs, the first Dot Com boom, Internet Yellow Pages, buying domain names, Fabric8, 214 Clara Street, Pete the Tweak, breakdancing, Q-Bert, Club Deco, subcultural variety.

Episode 11: Damon Soule - Part 2 Feb 17, 2019

Part two of Mike's interview with Damon Soule, a fine artist based in Grass Valley, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Bouler, Colorado on February 15, 2019.

Topics discussed include: The dead junkie, The Pork Store, hiding from cops, pot brownies, climbing out of closets, cafe/salon shows, drawing on discarded blueprints, Art World tiers, Juxtapoz, Acme Gallery, 111 Minna, cluster headaches, psylocibin mushrooms, micro-dosing, tripping in Tokyo, race safety, trippy visuals, artistic evolution, Dalek, abstraction from fundamentals, biting, mutual inspiration, “Same Same But Different”, Nepal and India, Eastern philosophy, Terence McKenna, Timothy Leary, prohibition, optimistic future, accountability, Millennial thinking, novelty, swarm mechanics, moving to NYC, Joshua Liner Gallery, Salvia, the egoless state, DMT, belief, art business ethics, value, reproductions, rural living in Grass Valley, overhead, living in the same apartment building on Bush Street in San Francisco, Section 8.

Episode 8: Ben Lovejoy - Part 1 Feb 02, 2019

Mike interviews Ben Lovejoy, a creative director based in Boulder, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 30, 2019. Subjects include: growing up in Massachusetts, breakdancing, skateboarding, leaving high school early, working as a janitor, Innerskate 91, skate camp, the New England Hardcore scene, “friendship books”, Dave Schrieber, Tommy Guerrero and Jim Thiebaud, moving to San Francisco, screen printing skateboards, Ron Allen, Keith Hufnagel, Think Skateboards, Fausto Vitello, Craig Stecyk, EMB, House music, SF City College, photography, service bureaus.

Episode 9: Ben Lovejoy - Part 2 Feb 02, 2019

Part two of Mike's interview with Ben Lovejoy, a creative director based in Boulder, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 30, 2019. Subjects include: Spacegallery, Robert Goldberg, starting an ad agency, tattoos, sobriety, meditation, Dharma Punx, Waldorf Roulette, Boulder, cycling, live speaking, “Scream to Meditate”, the Gaia network.

Episode 7: Rebecca Ashley Jan 09, 2019

Mike interviews Rebecca Ashley, a tattoo artist based in Denver. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 8, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in rural Connecticut, drawing dragons, moving to Georgia, bias in teaching, Psycho Tattoo, Neurosis, heavy metal’s connection to classical music, getting started in the tattoo business, Pearl and Whole Foods, humility, making tattoo needles, working for drug addicts, traveling for tattoos, Todd Noble, Thomas Hooper, blackwork, Boulder, backpacking, tattoo exchange, patterns, tribal, Nalla Smith, spiritual tattoos, occultism, Buddhism, archetypes, psychedelics, motorcycles, tattooing at Sturgis, the zen of cycling, Coffin Cheaters, mountain living.

Find her on Instagram: @blackhuntress
Website: missbekki.com

Episode 6: Nani Chacon Jan 01, 2019

Mike interviews Nani Chacon, a fine artist and muralist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Recorded in her studio on December 14, 2018.

Episode 5: JP Rodman Dec 17, 2018

Mike interviews JP Rodman, custom painter and fabricator based in Raton, New Mexico. Recorded in JP's showroom on December 12, 2018.

Episode 4: Sam Parker Dec 07, 2018

Mike interviews Sam Parker aka CERO, a veteran graffiti writer and professional tattooer currently living in Broomfield, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder, Colorado on December 5, 2018.

Episode 2: Killer Mike - Part 1 Nov 22, 2018

Mike Giant interviews Killer Mike, a rapper/entrepreneur from Atlanta, Georgia. Recorded at Black Book Gallery in Denver, Colorado on March 6, 2018.

Episode 3: Killer Mike - Part 2 Nov 22, 2018

Mike Giant interviews Killer Mike, a rapper/entrepreneur from Atlanta, Georgia. Recorded at Black Book Gallery in Denver, Colorado on March 6, 2018.

Episode 1: Phil Guy Nov 15, 2018

Mike interviews Phil Guy, aka "Burrito Breath", a freelance illustrator from Akron, Ohio. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder, Colorado on October 25, 2018.

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