If I had to give you a few topics that I'm always down to discuss, Taylor Swift would come in near the top of the list. There are so many aspects to her unbelievable career that we could dive into.

Today we're stepping into the business of Taylor Swift. Kevin Evers, editor at the Harvard Business Review, has put together a fascinating book about the behind the scenes of Taylor's career. It's called 'There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius Of Taylor Swift.'

If you're a Taylor fan, or you know one, this book will be a glimpse into some of the themes from her career that you probably didn't know about.

I can't tell you how many days and hours I spent in dusty, or paved, parking lots in various cities watching the Warped Tour. It was a part of my summer every year for about a decade. I wouldn't miss it. As much joy as I found at the Warped Tour, it never would've happened without Lollapalooza.

First launched in 1991 as a farewell tour for Janes Addiction, Lollapalooza ended up launching a series of touring festivals, and even helped to shape the festival scene that we have now.

Authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour have put together what I think is a remarkable oral history of Lollapalooza. They spoke with everyone to create this book called 'Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story Of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival.'

Do you remember that old SNL skit with Chris Farley where he would interview famous people? It was so uncomfortable, but yet funny. He would act like a nervous fan. For example, he interviewed Paul McCartney once and said, "You remember when you were with the Beatles? That was awesome."

I was very concerned that this interview might go down the same path. I'm such a fan of the guests on this episode. Their song Point Your Finger changed the way I hear music. I'm not even exaggerating. The three part harmonies that come out of their mouths are unmatched.

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Trousdale. They have a new album coming out on April 11th, and a tour kicking off on April 30th. Both of which I'm very excited about. Hopefully I didn't fanboy too hard during this conversation and you enjoy it.

If you haven't heard their stuff yet, please check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ted Lasso was a brilliant show that came into the world at the time that we all needed it. It launched in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Everyone was trapped at home feeling helpless, having anxiety and in need of some cheering up. Welcome Ted Lasso.

This show was the unlikely success story during a wild time. I loved it from day one and still rewatch the series from time to time when I need some happiness in my life (which is often due to the current status of the world).

Journalist and author Jeremy Egner got behind the scenes to share the stories with us about how the show was created, how everyone came together and some of the great stories from the cast that we didn't get a chance to see. He puts it all in his new book 'Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts.'

I loved this conversation. If you were a Ted Lasso fan, this is a book you need to read.

I had such a fun time with this week's guest, author B.K. Borison. I came across her latest novel, First Time Caller, kinda by accident. It was sitting in my radio station and caught my eye. I tell the full story in the podcast so I won't share all the details here. But I found out that Borison is from Baltimore, where I live, and the book is about a radio dj, which is my full time job. I just had to check it out and talk to her.

Thankfully, B.K. Borison is up for a good time and we had a great chat. Romance novels aren't usually in my wheelhouse, but I really enjoyed this one. Maybe it's because it pays respect to one of my all time favorite movies. Maybe it's because it takes place in my city. Or maybe it's just because it's a heartwarming story, which is something I need in this crazy world right now.

I hope you check out her new book, and that you enjoy this week's podcast.

We've all heard all the stories about work. We've been told since we were kids that if we work hard that we'll see success, and if we don't, it's because we did something wrong. Or, that we're not working hard enough. We've heard tales from older generations about how they came to this country with nothing but the clothes on their back and turned that into millions.

What if I told you that stories is all they are. It's the tales that have been passed down for centuries that have developed this hard working impression, but none of it is true.

Sure, there are people who have worked hard and found success. But even many of them, whether they admit it or not, had some help along the way.

Adam Chandler joins me this week to discuss his new book '99% Perspiration: A New Working History Of The American Way Of Life.' Chandler goes all the way back to the days of Columbus and the Pilgrims to show how this fallacy of hard work has been a lie right from the beginning.

We really dive into it and I had a lot of fun. I wish I had more time to talk with Adam because this was great. Arguably one of my favorite episodes of this show.

In my first episode back in quite some time, I figured I'd take you on a journey to the literal ends of the earth. Today I'm speaking with scientist, educator and author Neil Shubin. He's spent much of his life doing research in the Arctic and Antarctica. These are some of the last remaining untouched areas in this world. In his latest book, titled 'Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions In Search Of Life, The Cosmos, and Our Future', Shubin discusses a place that he saw his footprints still intact after 6 years.

His descriptions of his time in Antarctica sound almost like fiction, but they are in fact real. I was blown away by so much in this book and it was a true pleasure to speak with Neil. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

For more from Neil Shubin's book - Ends Of The Earth

Neil on social media - BlueSky - Instagram

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while (almost 10 months) but I'm back. I did some soul searching and research into the show and realized it's time to dive back into some fun and interesting conversations. It's time for new topics and brand new episodes! They'll start launching the first week of February!