Episode 2 - I talk with my good friend Colin Swegman, aka PT Burnem.

Recorded at The Lineup Room. Art by Mike Riley. 

Episode 2 - PT Burnem (Dumb Enough To Try)

My guest this week is the writer and musician, Tim Kabara. We talk about Baltimore music history, Universal Order of Armageddon, music journalism as advocacy and running an after-school rap club.

Recorded at The Lineup Room. Art by Mike Riley.


Episode 6 - Tim Kabara (It's Always Happening Right Now)

My guest this week is Matt Pless. We talk about our early days making music in Baltimore County, finding an audience in the folk-punk scene, his struggle with being labeled as the 'occupy wall street' act and going on tour for two years.

Recorded at The Lineup Room. Artwork by Mike Riley Comics.

Episode 15 - Matt Pless (The Lightning Rod)

My guest this week is Dan Deacon, the Baltimore-based electronic musician / composer. Dan is one of my oldest friends in this music world, and we’ve clocked many miles on the road together.

We talk about discovering the DIY underground and how he feels that it saved his life. We discuss how coming to Baltimore as an outsider allowed him to ignore the scene’s rules and create a more inclusive environment. He told me how he’s recently learned to rid himself of an addiction to stress and enjoy the fruits of his labor.

As always, this show was recorded at the Lineup Room. Mike Riley’s cover art this week is an homage to The Fat Boys' self-titled debut. 

Episode 24 - Dan Deacon (All of The Satans of Every Religion)

My guest this week is Sam Herring, the frontman of Future Islands. In addition to his role in Future Islands, Sam also rhymes under the name Hemlock Ernst and fronts The Snails. 

Sam breaks down his early years as a rapper, and how he was inspired by west coast underground hip-hop. We talk about his early days in the band Art Lord and The Self-Portraits, and their stronghold in their home base of Greenville, NC in the early 2000’s. He breaks down how his personal struggles forced him to leave town and put music on hold, and how he got himself together and formed Future Islands with his old bandmates. 

This episode was laid down at the Lineup Room. Mike Riley’s art for this episode is an homage to Straight Out The Jungle by The Jungle Brothers. 

Episode 25 - Sam Herring (You Just Have To Start and Don't Stop)

My guest this week is Paulie Think. Paulie is a great MC and a true road warrior on the indie hip-hop circuit. We’ve been friends since 2008, and I was happy to get a chance to learn about his past. 
He tells me about his wild childhood in Chicago and Memphis, and the chaos of being left to his own devices at an early age. He breaks down his entry into rap in the early 90’s, and his rebirth as a one-man DIY touring act in the 2000’s. We talk about his lifelong struggle with addiction, and his journey toward sobriety.
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Fu-Schnicken’s Nervous Breakdown. This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com.

Episode 35 - Paulie Think (Get That God in Silence)

My guest this week is Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk. Gregg is an electronic musician from Pittsburgh, PA. We’ve known each other since I played a show in his parent’s backyard in 2000, and I was excited to get a detailed breakdown of his career.

We talk about his early Pittsburgh-based noise band, The Joysticks, and his background in the noise world. He tells me about the first two harsher Girl Talk albums, and the new direction he forged on 2006’s Night Ripper. His breaks down his new ventures as a hip-hop producer, including his recent collaboration with Freeway. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is a mashup of Big Daddy Kane’s Long Live The Kane, Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, 2 Live Crew’s Nasty as They Wanna Be, and Cypress Hill’s self-titled debut. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.

Episode 39 - Girl Talk (Throwing Televisions at People and Launching Fireworks)

My guest this week is Kate Ferencz. Kate is a songwriter / performer originally from White Plains, NY and now residing in Philadelphia. I got turned onto her music when I played the release party for her Dumb Hearts, Dumb Flowers album, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
We discuss her four solo albums, as well as her band, Evil Sword. We talk about the difference between Philly and Baltimore’s music scenes, and she makes the case for Philly being a better place for avant-garde music. (I can’t see it) She talks about trying to figure out what she wants her show to feel like, and whether or not she’s out to rock the party. 
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to J.J. Fad’s Supersonic. This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com.

Episode 40 - Kate Ferencz (Gather The Power)

My guest this week is Cutmayor HY. He’s a member of Food For Animals and Disturbed Individuals, as well as a solo MC. I’ve been a fan of all his projects, and we’ve played many shows together over the years.
He talks about growing up in Go-go country, and his initial forays into DJing. He tells me about how working in a movie theatre during college led to him joining Food For Animals and touring Europe and Japan with them. We talk about his new methodology for making beats, and his forthcoming sophomore solo album. 
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Brand Nubian’s One For All. This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com.

Episode 49 - Cutmayor HY (What's Going On In Reality)

My guest this week is Jimmy MacMillan. He’s the main man behind Friends Records. We first met when Friends helped me release my album Bed Of Seeds, and I wanted to learn more about how the label came to be. 

He talks about being a superfan of local bands in Columbia, MD, and working as the de facto manager of the bands Pinfold and Evolve. We talk about his partner Bret Yale calling him with the idea of putting out a 7-inch, and how that blossomed into them running a full-blown record label. We discuss the different approaches they’ve had to running a label over the last five-plus years, and what he wants to do with it now.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Heavy D and The Boyz’s 'Living Large.' This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com. 

Episode 51 - Jimmy MacMillan (Friends and Friends of Friends in Endtimes)

My guest this week is Mike Apichella. Mike is the main man behind the band Human Host. He’s spent the past few years creating Towson-Glen Arm Freakouts, an in-depth archive of the early 90’s music and arts scene in north Baltimore County. He currently contributes to Splice Today. (Who also host this podcast) I’ve been a fan of his music since 1996, and I was (very briefly) a member of Human Host. 

He talks about being inspired by the free-form radio of Towson University’s WCVT, and how that station turned him on to Sun Ra and 60’s punk bands like The One-Way Streets. He talks about his friends coming together to form the Towson-Glen Arm scene, and and the people that helped mold it into a movement with long-lasting influence. He talks about the tragic death of his friend Dave Willemain, and how that eventually pushed him to make music and art as a life-long pursuit. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Trick Daddy’s www.thug.com. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.


Episode 54 - Mike Apichella (Part One)

This is part two of my interview with Tom Kessler. Tom is the man behind She Will Rise Media, through which he’s documented hundreds of Baltimore shows. I first met him when he appeared with a camera at my record release show. Tom is a tireless documentarian and supporter of Baltimore music and arts, and I was happy to get his perspective on things. 

We talk about some of the local photographers and videographers he admires, and discuss his insecurities about measuring up to them. He explains the game-changing experience he had while filming Acme Corporation’s 24-hour marathon of Samuel Beckett’s “Play.” He breaks down his long-term plan for She Will Rise, which involves Tom writing and directing his own plays. Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to House of Pains’s self-titled debut. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.

Episode 57 - Tom Kessler (Part Two)

My guest this week is the legendary Sha-Rock, of Funky Four Plus One. They were one of the biggest hip-hop groups in the era before rap records, and they went on to release classic singles in the late 70’s and early 80’s. She was the first female MC in hip-hop, and they were the first hip-hop group to play on Saturday Night Live. She’s one of my favorite MC’s in the history of rap, and it was honor to have her on the show. 

She talks about her initial entrance into hip-hop as a b-girl, and her pioneering use of the echo chamber. (which Run-DMC would later cite as an influence) We talk about their journey from packed shows in the Bronx to a sold-out nationwide tour with Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Sequence, Sugarhill Gang and more. She explains their role in bringing rap shows to the punk rock world for the first time, and the influence they had on groups like The Beastie Boys.

The art this week is an homage to James Brown’s There It Is. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.

Episode 59 - Sha-Rock (Funky Four Plus One)

My guest this week is Doc Waffles, a tight Detroit MC. He’s been releasing great records since 2006’s Golf View Drive. I first became aware of him through his appearances in the Grind Time battle league, and I later became a fan of his music after we played a show together in Detroit.

He talks about his days as a battle rapper, and how he sizes up the battle rap world today. He tells me about his various writing styles, and how he’s continued to change up his approach through the years. We talk about his collaborations with Eddie Logix, and their new album, This Week In Baseball.  

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Sir Mix-a-Lot’s Seminar. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 62 - Doc Waffles (CoOwnaz)

On this episode, I spin some of the tightest tunes I heard on my Talk Singer tour and try not to wake up my tour mates.
Mike Riley's art this week is an homage to Kwame's The Boy Genius. This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com. 

Episode 63 - Height Spinning Tunes

My guest this week is Jeff Blinder. Jeff is one of the most consistent promoters on the US DIY circuit. He’s been the primary force behind many show spaces, including the Spazzatorium in Greenville, NC, and Danger Danger Gallery in Philadelphia. I’ve been playing his shows since 2003, and I was excited to learn more about how and why he does what he does. 

He talks about his first encounters with the world of DIY shows, by way of the vibrant house show scene in New Brunswick, NJ. I ask him about the first shows he set up in Greenville, NC, and we reflect on what made shows in that small college town unique. He talks about restarting his operation in Philadelphia, and makes an announcement about his next move.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Da Bush Babees’ Ambushed. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.


Episode 70 - Jeff Blinder

My guest this week is Uncommon Nasa. He’s an MC, a producer, an engineer, a radio host and the guy behind Uncommon Records. We first met when he took part in the NYC Rap Round Robin. 

He talks about getting his start interning at NYC’s Ozone Studios, and later mixing many key projects for Def Jux artists. He tells me about his love for 90’s NYC hip-hop radio, and how that influenced his Uncommon Radio show. We discuss his new projects, and his recent drive to tour and to grow as a live performer. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to 3rd Bass’s The Cactus Album. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.


Episode 73 - Uncommon Nasa

My guest this week is Al Lover. Al is a great producer currently residing in Austin, TX. We first met when we played on the same bill in Asheville in 2007, and we’ve been friends and collaborators ever since. 

We talk about his early work with North Carolina’s Fist Fam, and his transition from being an MC to creating a one-man instrumental act. He talks about the excitement he felt while first discovering the contemporary psych rock scene in San Francisco, and how his remixes of that music led him down a new path. We reflect on how we went on the worst (but most fun) tour in the history of the music business, and he tells me about his more recent touring success in Europe. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.

Episode 75 - Al Lover

My guest this week is Cody Jones, aka Stillborn Identity. Cody is an MC from Pittsburgh, PA. We’ve played many shows together through the years. He stopped by my house for an interview after his recent Baltimore show. 

He talks about growing up skating and playing in punk bands, and how he entered the hip-hop realm. We talk about the inherent confusion involved in traveling the country playing small shows, and what inspires him to keep going. We also discuss his TheThrowAwayDays zine and his new Slow and Steady EP. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Tha Alkaholik’s 21 and Over. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.


Episode 76 - Stillborn Identity

My guest this week is Mrs. Paintbrush, aka Jackson O’Connell-Barlow. Jackson is one half of Pittsburgh’s Grand Buffet, and he’s put out three solo releases as Mrs. Paintbrush. We’ve been friends since we first toured together in 2000, and he’s always been a rap older brother to me.

We talk about his early influences, and his personal Mount Rushmore of Chuck D, David Bowie, Kate Bush and David Lee Roth. He breaks down his early shows with Grand Buffet, and how he developed into a formidable live performer. We talk about his recent Mrs. Paintbrush releases, and where he wants to take the project in the future. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to The D.O.C.’s No One Can Do It Better. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 77 - Mrs. Paintbrush

My guest this week is Al Rogers. Al is a young MC from Baltimore. He recently released an excellent full-length collaboration with Drew Scott called Luvadocious. 

We talk about how he began making music during his reckless teenage years, and how music put him on a new path. He discusses his first live performances, and his change from doing standard hip-hop sets to putting on energetic dance-heavy performances. He breaks down his new album Luvadocious, and how Drew Scott, Blaqstarr and Baltimore radio host LaDawn Black all contributed to the project. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Outkast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 78 - Al Rogers Jr.

My guest this week is Ultimate Donny, aka Richard Elmsworth. He was one half of Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, and he now plays with Sam Goodwill. We first met when we played a show together in Pittsburgh in 2003, and we’ve been pals ever since. 

We talk about his first music projects, and the formation of Gil Mantera’s Party Dream. He explains how they made the leap from being a weekend warrior band to a full time touring act. We discuss the confusion he felt when the band broke up, and re-entering the music game as Sam Goodwill’s guitarist. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Slick Rick’s Children’s Story. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 85 - Ultimate Donny

My guests this week are BAG$, aka Jimmy Simard and Pete Rae. They’re a hip-hop duo from Kingston, Ontario. We first met when we played a show together in their hometown in 2004. We’ve shared many bills over the years, and Pete has made several beats for my group Shark Tank. 

They describe discovering hip-hop in 1980’s rural Canada, and unveiling their early projects in Kingston in the 90’s. They break down their initial forays into beatmaking via pause tapes and belt-driven turntables, and how Jimmy formed The Makeshift Beat Collective to highlight this oft-kilter aesthetic. We discuss their collaborations through the years, and what led to them teaming up to form this new duo.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Luniz’s Operation Stackola. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 86 - BAG$

My guest this week is Flyin’ Ryan Burke. Ryan is a professional wrestler from Ohio. Our paths first crossed when he took part in Pittsburgh Batman, a play written and directed by (previous Height Zone World guest) Lord Grunge. I’ve always been interested in learning the ins and outs of his hustle.

He talks about being driven to become a wrestler from a young age. He describes making his wrestling debut in a K-Mart parking lot, as well as finding himself wrestling in front of thousands of fans. We discuss the logistics of being a working-class wrestler, and the tenacity it takes to stay in it. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Cash Money and Marvelous’s Where The Party At? This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 87 - Flyin' Ryan Burke

My guests this week are Bito Sureiya and Jiro Sama of DosOtaku. They’re members of the NASA 8 collective. I first saw them last summer at the Ratscape festival, and I’ve been a fan ever since. 

They talk about linking up in high school, and cutting their teeth at Baltimore’s Beet Trip night. I ask them about their NASA 8 collective, and what connects the NASA 8 members around the world. They talk about their passion for freestyling, and how their freestyle skills enhance their writing process. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Stetsasonic’s In Full Gear. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 90 - DosOtaku (NASA 8)

This week, Bleubird returns for part two of our interview. He talks about getting booed at a Los Angeles Shape Shifters show, only to have the legendary Percee P come to his defense. He explains how continuing to fly out and play California shows led to meeting the people behind the Grimm Image label, which led to him starting his Freeebird project. He breaks down the new ground he covered on Cannonball and Ft. Lauderdale.
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Poison Clan’s “Ruff Town Behavior.” This episode is hosted by Splice Today.




Episode 94 - Bleubird (Part 2)

My guest this week is Mikal kHill. He’s a North Carolina-based MC and producer, and a member of Thought Criminals and Malibu Shark Attack. We first met when we played a show together in Charlotte, NC in 2011.

He talks about his early solo efforts, and about how being embraced by nerdcore hip-hop fans helped push his career forward. I asked him about his outlook on balancing music, fatherhood and a day job. He talks his new years-in-the-making solo album, and explains why that will probably be his final solo album.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Y’all So Stupid’s “Van Full of Pakistans.” This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 95 - Mikal kHill

My guest this week is Weird Paul. He’s a Pittsburgh-based musician that’s been putting out amazing albums since the mid-80’s. We first met when we played a show together in Pittsburgh in 2005. 

He talks about releasing about his first homemade tapes in high school, and making his live debut at a Beat Happening show in 1988. He tells me about Homestead Records putting out his Lo Fidelity / Hi Anxiety album in 1991, and the confusion he felt after severing ties with that label. He explains the feeling of being on a windy/rocky path toward success, and says he feels more confident than ever that music is his calling.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Too Short’s “Cocktails.” This episode is hosted by Splice Today.


Episode 96 - Weird Paul Petroskey

Mike Riley and Height catch up and spin tunes from recent HZW guests.

Episode 97 - Mike and Height Spinning Tunes

My guests this week are Don't Cry Paula. They're a hip-hop duo from Little Rock, Arkansas. We first met when we played a show together in Arkansas in the fall of 2013.

They talk about their early solo ventures, and the shared influences that inspired them to join forces. I ask them what it's like to do what they do in a place like Little Rock. They tell me about the making of their recently-released triple album, Rogue Dreamscapes. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to UTFO's Skeezer Pleezer. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 98 - Don't Cry Paula

My guest this week is Heddie Leonne. She’s an MC from Olympia, WA. She’s been in the bands Nextdoor Neighbors, Night Fox and Everybody Weekend. She’s currently working on her solo hip-hop debut. We first met when I played in Olympia with her band in 2007.

She talks about starting Nextdoor Neighbors with her friend Kathy Cote, and the forward momentum they felt during their early years as a band. We talk about the confusion she felt when that project came to halt, and her struggle to regain her composure in the music world. We discuss the newfound freedom she’s established with her solo projects, and the moves she’s made in the Olympia hip-hop scene. 

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to The Fugee’s The Score. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 99 - Heddie Leonne

Height Zone World is back! My guest this month is Vel. He’s a singer-songwriter/rapper from Cleveland. I first got turned onto his music when we played together in Cleveland in 2007, and I got a copy of his debut album, “Meow, Fool!”

He talks about growing up in Cleveland and his entry into music through playing clarinet and jazz bass. He breaks down how he arrived at his songwriting style, and his specific / topical lyrics. We discuss the struggles of getting music out into the world on a budget, and reworking his songs with his new band The Velcats. 
 
The artwork this month (a tribute to Motley Crue’s Girls, Girls, Girls) is by I Taste Sound. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 100 - Vel

My guests this month are ialive and Darko The Super. I first heard ialive when he invited me to play his record release show in Philly. I got turned on to Darko’s music just a few months ago, after seeing them do a dual set in Baltimore. 

ialive breaks down his long history as a hip-hop fan, his first projects and his recent tours. Darko talks about what drove him to want to rap and make beats as a teenager, and his prolific album output. They tell me about creating their collaborative duo album, and the forthcoming sequel. 

The artwork this month (a tribute to Lords of the Undergrounds’s Here Come The Lords) is by I Taste Sound. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 101 - ialive and Darko The Super

My guests this month are The Van Allen Belt. They’re a Pittsburgh-based electronic pop band. I’ve known them for many years, and we’ve played shows together in Pittsburgh and Ohio. I caught up with them after their recent Baltimore show. 

They break down how they came together as a band. They talk about getting invited to open for Stereolab in their early days, and how that experience led them toward retooling their live show. We discuss the art of booking a tour, and the art of enjoying yourself on tour.

The artwork this month (a tribute to Heltah Skeltah’s Nocturnal) is by I Taste Sound. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 102 - The Van Allen Belt

Mike Riley and I talk about Deliver; Mike’s comedy/horror comic set in Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden Of Earthly Delights. He breaks down what it’s like to be embarking on his first crowd-funded venture. I play some songs from my forthcoming album.

Mike’s art this month is an homage to De La Soul’s De La Soul Is Dead. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 103 - Mike Riley Returns

My guests this month are 3rd Grade Friends. They’re a Annapolis-based math rock band. They brought Justice The Genius Child with them, who appears on their forthcoming EP. 

They break down their early collaborations, and how they reunited to start 3rd Grade Friends. They explain the elementary school theme through their discography. Justice talks about starting the ‘what’s dope’ events in Annapolis. 

The artwork this month (a tribute to Onyx’s Bacdafucup) is by I Taste Sound. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

Episode 104 - 3rd Grade Friends (w/ Justice The Genius Child)

I'm Height, a rapper / talk-singer from Baltimore, MD. This is my collection of in-depth interviews with people who set out on lifelong music / art missions.

Height Zone World

Popular tracks