The Billibub Baddings Podcast

I studied jazz music in high school, and those years with Maynard, Winton, Quincy, Buddy, and others played an important part in developing my music collection. I also developed an appreciation for the depth and range of emotions jazz covers, and jazz was all I listened to when I wrote Billibub Baddings and The Case of The Singing Sword. I am most fortunate to have these talented musicians setting atmospheres and tones by graciously offering their music to this podcast.

Show your appreciation for their works by purchasing their music from CD Baby and iTunes Music Store.

(in order of appearance)

Rubber Band Banjo

A friend of mine sent me Rubber Band Banjo’s “Naked Under Leather” and I knew I had found my theme for Billibub Baddings. RBB is a self-educated musician who likes to tinker around with new forms of music making. Starting off as an electronic musician in November 2001, RBB’s first full-length album was entitled Hybrid Musical Organisms, self-released in March 2002, followed by the second full-length album Gather Your Junk Together in December 2002.

Hypermutator (from where “Naked Under Leather” comes from) was released on MEME Records in May 2005 and distributed via CD Baby/iTunes. Hypermutator purposely fuses and jumps between IDM, krautrock, jazz, video game music, cut-ups, drums ‘n’ bass, dub, and no-wave. Tracks from this album have somehow appeared on over 30 podcasts to date and played on several radio stations, including Don Campau’s No Pigeonholes show in the San Francisco Bay Area and Australia’s ISON Live Radio.

And now, Billibub Baddings.

Evan Stone

Truth be told, I didn’t find Evan Stone. Even Stone found me. On MySpace.

I get many “Friend Requests” on MySpace which means I’m checking out many profiles to see how legit the request is. Evan set up, in my opinion, a brilliant profile. It was not tricked out with any wacky graphics or videos, the details of what he did were clear, and finally, his audio player worked. His first track, “youandthenightandthemusic” (from Sticks and Stone, Vol. 1), came through my browser loud and clear, led to a dialogue between us, and finally brought the songs “For My Friends” and “East of the Sun” to the Billibub Baddings podcast.

Evan Stone has toured the United States with trumpeter/bandleader Maynard Ferguson and traveled throughout Australia and New Zealand with pop artist Toni Childs. Evan formed the Progressive/New Thing Rock band Salty The Pocketknife which released their debut recording in 2003. When not leading his own bands throughout the west coast, Evan tours with the Greg Adams Band (Tower of Power) and pop artists Aly & AJ.

George Hrab

I met George at Dragon*Con 2006 at a live recording of Michael and Evo’s Wingin’ It!, owned a complete collection of his works within the month, and bought a copy of Vitriol for Philippa Ballantine during her visit from New Zealand. George covers a lot of ground in his music, but it was the smooth and sultry blues of “Think for Yourself” that sold itself as a terrific theme for the Billibub Baddings podcast.

George has made it a lifelong obsession to challenge the image usually associated with drummers. It was as a drummer that he performed for President Clinton at the White House, entertained 5000 fans at the Astrodome during Super Bowl XXXVIII’s festivities, played gigs at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center and New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, and even shared the stage with Elton John at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center.

George, however, frequently steps outside his role as a drummer. He has released his fifth independent album titled “Interrobang”, once again writing and performing on guitar, bass, keys, vocals and drums. This award winning album was premiered and performed in its entirety by George’s ten-piece rock-fusion-funk-classical-jazz band, The Geologic Orchestra.

George’s efforts have not only been noticed by the New York Songwriters’ Circle, where he successfully performed at their famed Bitter End showcase, but have also been recognized by various radio and television stations, including performances and interviews on NPR affiliate WDIY, WZZO, RCN-4, WLVR and on XM’s Slice of SciFi.