Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends

The Metallica Report is coming! Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source for your news. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi, long-time rock scribe and editor of the band's online mag, So What!, and Renée Richardson, a well-known Bay Area radio personality who now oversees the band's foundation, All Within My Hands.   Steffan and Renée will keep you in the loop each week with updates, features, and interviews. They'll also get YOUR questions answered by those in the know. It's your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day. The first report drops this Wednesday July 26! http://metallica.lnk.to/TheMetallicaReport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

American Prankster is a deep dive with the iconic Wavy Gravy, unfolding his fascinating,historic and hilarious lifestory as an original Beatnik, comedy pioneer, hippie icon and pioneering activist who uses humor as a weapon.   Sharing stories that even he'd forgotten with producer/host, Rainbow Valentine, of Disorganized Crime: Smuggler's Daughter, Wavy gets down to the very nit of the grit and reminds us what it means to be human. From Ben and Jerry's ice cream to Woodstock to the Acid Tests and running a pig for president, Wavy Gravy is an essential part of American counter culture history and more.  You will hear stories of his childhood, teen, army, college and beatnik years with Bob Dylan, Tiny Tim, Martha Graham plus tales of his comedy life with Lenny Bruce, Del Close, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters and his friendships with music icons like Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, Mama Cass, Joan C. Baez and more!  Wavy shares absurdist yarns from his lifelong activism using humor as a weapon, along with pals, Abbie Hoffman, Jackson Browne, the Yippies and traveling roadshows of hippies. Plus how psychedelic globetrotting led to the SEVA Foundation and Camp Winnarainbow.  Wavy's 8+ decades of embodying American Pranksterism, inspiring millions down the tie-dye colored path of life and spreading his ethos of Basic Human Needs, is a fundamental part of American, comedy, activist, music, food and global history. Plus he's hilarious and a born storyteller. "When you get to the very bottom of the human soul, when the nit is slamming into the grit and you are sinking but you reach down to help someone else, that is when everyone gets high and you don't even need LSD to do that...and that's when I passed the acid test." – Wavy Gravy, American Prankster "He's like our Rabbi..." - Trixie Garcia American Prankster is a proud part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Real Me,” a new production from Pantheon Podcasts premiering Tuesday, Oct. 5, follows the emotionally powerful stories of young songwriters and performers with cancer who found hope, healing and connection through music. Presented by Teen Cancer America (TCA), the national non-profit founded by rock icons Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, “The Real Me” highlights the moving experiences of cancer patients in TCA's Play It Back program, which matches them with music professionals to write, perform and record fully produced studio versions of their original songs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BADLANDS is a brand new podcast from Jake Brennan, creator and host of the award-winning music and true crime podcast, DISGRACELAND. BADLANDS is a new anthology that blends hardcore history and true crime, with transgressive stories from the worlds of celebrity, sports, and beyond. Season One of BADLANDS, entitled HOLLYWOODLAND , explores the true crimes and scandalous careers of Hollywood’s most legendary stars and sheds new light on some of Tinseltown’s most enduring mysteries, like the deaths of Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood.  You'll hear some Hollywood history you may not be aware of, like the tale of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, one of the silent era’s biggest stars, who saw his life destroyed after being charged with a depraved crime. Hear sensational stories about River Phoenix, Bruce Lee, Lana Turner, Dennis Hopper, and more.  If you love true crime , you love DISGRACELAND OR if you love movies, then you will love this show. Every Wednesday, get new episodes of Badlands Season 1: Hollywoodland wherever you listen to your podcasts. Or binge the entire season right away on Amazon Music.  Welcome to BADLANDS. Where bad just got worse.

Rosemary Butler. Legendary vocalist, songwriter, producer and dear friend.  We met many years ago through her work with Linda Rondstadt, and I recently had the pleasure of designing her latest album cover ' You Just Watch Me'. Her stunning mezzo- soprano voice (with a 4 octave range) has taken her all over the world singing with iconic artists like Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, and the list goes on and on.  Rosemary shares her delightful tales about her journey in the studio, on tour buses, backstage, inspirations, and life.  https://rosemarybutler.com/ This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts

It has been a while folks...but Kosh is back! Jim Shea's advertising work in NYC led him to Los Angeles where he began photographing celebrities for the entertainment industry. His images soon began to appear on album covers, movie posters and in publications such as Rolling Stone and Interview Magazine. Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Elton John and the Eagles are among the iconic recording artists he has photographed. Photography has not remained Jim’s sole passion, however. and many will recognize him foremost for his directorial abilities. The evolution into directing came when record labels began recruiting Shea to shoot and direct music videos based on his inventiveness and extensive experience as a photographer with prominent musicians. Whether on a Hollywood set directing Barbra Streisand or shooting Jimmy Buffett on a South Seas island, Jim is most at home when he is creating images, regardless of the setting. As a director he joined forces with many of the artists with whom he had developed relationships through his photographic work, including Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Glenn Frey. His unique approach to video established him as a creative pioneer in the field. Have a listen as Kosh sits down with Jim and tells the stories of many of the fabled artist adventures he has had. This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts.

Kosh sits down with Neal Preston, who is considered the greatest rock photographer alive today. His career spans over 4 decades and his archive is one of the music industry’s largest and most significant photo collections. He has worked extensively with almost everyone in rock music, including Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and many more. Neal's behind the scene stories of Rock and Roll are as riveting, as they are charming. His most recent Book "Exhilarated and Exhausted" is a no-holds-barred complete retrospective of his 50 year career. Produced in collaboration with Preston, this book marks the first time he has allowed unrestricted access to his legendary archive, which is considered one of the music industry’s most significant and extensive photo collections. You'll find all the latest news about Neal Preston at: www.prestonpictures.com

Kosh sits down with studio mate (their individual studios are literally next to each other) and legendary Mastering engineer Peter Doell! Renowned engineer Peter Doell’s experience spans a wide spectrum of musical genres, and includes an incredible variety of top artists, scoring hits for both indie and major label projects.  Kosh and Peter discuss three giants in particular he worked with, Miles Davis, Tom Dowd and Frank Sinatra. From Grammy-winning jazz, pop & rock albums, classical records, Oscar-nominated film scores and soundtracks, Emmy winning TV themes, video games, Super Bowl commercials and more… Peter has experience engineering, mastering, and creating music that reaches the heart, and moves the audience. Count on Peter to consistently deliver the best mastering and musical recordings possible. After stints at Capitol Recording Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Universal Mastering, Pete is currently available for top-quality mastering projects through AfterMaster Audio Labs, in Hollywood, California. Learn more about Peter Doell here

Kosh is back with new friend, photographer extraordinaire Glen Wexler! Glen Wexler was one of the first artists to use digital imaging technology as a tool in the creative process. His career began by designing album covers for clients like Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, ZZ Top, and KISS, and continues with an international client base ranging from Microsoft and Pfizer to Warner Bros. Pictures and Time magazine. He has a new book out on on Dark Springs Press called “The 80’s Portrait Sessions” featuring stunning black and white photographs of such artists as Bob Weir, David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Michael Schenker, Dale Bozzio, Kiss, Michael Jackson as well as other musicians, actors and models. Listen as Kosh and Glen get to know each other and have a mutual appreciation session from two legendary rock n roll artists. https://glenwexlerstudio.com/ https://www.darkspringpress.com/purchase/glen-wexler-the-80s-portrait-sessions

Continuing with our Holidays celebration, this edition of Art of Rock, our host Kosh brings into Aftermaster studio his dear friend director, comedian and actor and Academy Award winning writer, Adam McKay. Adam has a new film out today called “Vice”. The story of Dick Cheney (played by Christian Bale), an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today. In 2016 Adam won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film The Big Short. He is founder of the comedy website and production company Funny or Die. He is a founding member of the Upright Citizen Brigade comedy troupe and spent six years on the writing staff of Saturday Night Live from 1995-2001. He has written and/or directed many features including Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights, The Other Guys (all with frequent collaborator Will Ferrell) and most recently The Big Short and now Vice. Today Kosh and Adam spend most of the hour talking music of course and how Adam uses this to great effect in his films. Enjoy a Christmas snack and take a listen as these two old friends break it down. Then go out and see Adam’s most recent film or settle in with a yule log for some old time Netflix fare by him and his friends. VICE - https://www.vice.movie Adam McKay on Twitter @ghostpanther Kosh - https://www.koshdesign.com

It is a special English Happy Christmas edition for Kosh and Friends because our host invites his son, John Kosh Jr. and grandson Atticus, into the studio to reminisce about family, the holidays and mostly about Kosh Jr. being on sets while rock n roll stars like the Eagles, Don Henley, James Taylor, and more babysit! It's a warm and thoughtful hour that is intended to remind everyone what the holidays are really about and that is family. Enjoy, put a yule log on the fire, bake some Christmas pie, roast a few chestnuts and listen as we get a taste of English Christmas. https://www.koshdesign.com https://www.oxfamamerica.org

Episode 6 is a deep dig with the pioneering engineer and producer Lenise Bent. Lenise comes form a family in love with music. She was one of very few women in the technical field of audio engineering in the 1970's. First hired at L.A.'s Village Recorders, along with three other women, by Spam scion, George A. (Geordie) Hormell II, who thought women would make superior engineers, Lenise is the sole survivor from that initial hire. She has had a long career in both music and film. She bagan at Village Recorders climbing up the ladder of responsibilities and then her first legendary record she worked on was the seminal Steely Dan album 'Aja' and things just snowballed from there. Throughout the late 70's and 80's she worked on albums by Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp, Blondie and many more. In the 90's her career took a different turn as she went into film and television audio post production for Disney, Dreamwork and many other studio sound departments. Now she does it all, music and movies! Engineering and producing! She also is very involved in helping other women make an impact in the business by supporting the Women in Music and SoundGirls organizations. She also has been an active board member and educator at the Audio Engineering Society and is very passionate about audio restoration and preservation. More on Lenise here: https://www.facebook.com/lenise.bent https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072710

Episode 5 of ‘Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends’ finds Henry Diltz in conversation with Kosh. While they have known each other for decades they only worked together once, but crossed paths constantly with similar clients. Henry Diltz is a legendary photographer and musician active since the 1960’s. He is famous for capturing the laidback Laurel Canyon scene of the early 1970’s, the cover of The Doors album, ‘Morrison Hotel’ and the Woodstock music festival, where he was dubbed the “official photographer”. He got his professional start meeting the Monkees, photographing them and actually playing on a few of their tracks. First recognized as a musician for the Modern Folk Quartet, where he began shooting pictures of the group to shooting album covers for James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James and The Eagles, Desperado albums, as well as over 200 others. Henry is still working and is co-founder of the Morrison Hotel Gallery (Los Angeles, Maui, New York). Check out his new exhibit “Listening Through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz at NAMM’s Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad California, now through October 28th, 2018. Details here: https://www.museumofmakingmusic.org/exhibits/diltz More on Henry: http://www.henrydiltz.com/ Buy Henry's Photos: https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/default.aspx museumofmakingmusic.org

In Episode 4 of ‘Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends’ our host spends an hour with friend and super producer/engineer Val Garay at Aftermaster Studios in Hollywood. Garay is nine time Grammy nominated producer and winner of 1982’s record of the year with “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes.  Val has garnered over 100 Gold & Platinum records.  He was also the owner and designer of the renown L.A. 1980’s  recording room, ‘Record One Studios’, where numerous hit albums were made before it was sold to Ocean Way Studios in 1988. He has worked with The Motels, Mr. Big, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Burdon, Dolly Parton, Pablo Cruise, James Taylor, Queensryche, Neil Diamond, Dramarama, EZO, Ringo Starr, Linda Ronstadt, Sarah Brightman, Katrina, Nicolette Larson, Kenny Rogers, Santana, Reel Big Fish, Joan Armatrading and many others. Kosh and Val discuss his San Francisco upbringing with a famous father, going from artist to engineer to super producer, making hit after hit owning the premiere studio in 80’s L.A. and still living the dream as an in demand producer. Learn more about Val Garay and what he is doing at the moment here: http://www.valgaray.com

In Episode 3 of ‘Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends’ our host invites long time collaborator Aaron Rapoport to Aftermaster Studios in Hollywood to discuss their years of working together. Rapoport is an American photographer, best known for his photographs of musicians. In a career that spans over three decades, Rapoport has photographed in a wide variety of areas including commercial photography, but his work in album covers is particularly well known. Kosh and friend Aaron dive into some uncharted territory, like where is Cher’s tattoo exactly? Lots’ o fun with REO Speedwagon and Kevin Cronyn. The real story of the flight case featured on “Eagles Live ‘80”. The two do get serious as they discuss working on the Lynyrd Skynyrd album, “Street Survivors” just before the infamous plane crash. A must hear to believe. Aaron is still a working photographer based in Los Angeles. Check out his work here: http://www.aaronrapoport.com

In Episode 2 of ‘Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends’ our host brings into Aftermaster Studios in Hollywood the great photographer and long time collaborator, Robert (Bob) Blakeman. Kosh and Bob have been working together since the early 1980’s. Lot’s of big pop names are discussed and secrets revealed, Rod Stewart and Linda Ronstadt reappear from EP1, along with The Motels, the Pointers Sisters, and the great Jimmy Webb with his original Ford Cobra. Also, we get a peak behind one of the most famous beer campaign glamour posters ever shot(see above), as well as the time Bob was allowed to shoot infamous Oakland Hell's Angel, Sonny Barger. Originally a SoCal native Robert Blakeman was educated in the MFA program at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. Starting an independent studio in the late 1970’s, he very quickly began shooting industrial and fashion with Levi Strauss, Joseph Magnin and Anheuser-Busch, including one of the most famous of the beer maker’s glamour shots of the 1980’s. He also owned the historic Engine Company 17 firehouse in downtown Los Angeles that helped launch the City’s revitalization project in the early 2000’s. Listen in as Kosh and Bob relay stories through their careers and the rock n roll world. Check out Bob Blakeman's work here: http://robertblakeman.com/index.html

In Episode 1 of ‘Art of Rock with Kosh & Friends’, the mononymous Kosh sits down with long time collaborator Ron Larson to discuss several albums they worked on together.  From Rod Stewart, Jon Anderson, REO Speedwagon, Kim Carnes and David Lindley to Linda Ronstadt, with whom they won a pair of Grammys for the albums “Get Closer” & “Lush Life”. Ron was trained as a graphic designer at Cal State Fullerton and two weeks before graduation was hired to help finish the logo design for an upcoming low budget sci-fi film, something called Star Wars.  Yeah, that one. It was just the beginning of a long and fruitful career making posters and other visuals for numerous music and film productions. Kosh and Ron will tell stories working together, the highs and lows, the fun and gags, on many classic album covers, some of which we are certain are in your collection.