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.

http://splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-51-jimmy-macmillan-friends-and-friends-of-friends-in-endtimes

My guest this week is Gavin Riley. He’s the man behind Gavin Riley Smoke Machine, a years-in-the-making Choose Your Own Adventure rap epic. We first met in 2006, and he became part of Height With Friends in 2009.

We talk about his first group Rowan and Hastings, and about his first solo album from the mid-2000’s. He explains how his current project initially connected unconnected songs in his live set, and how he’s slowly fleshed it out into a tight, compelling story. We talk about the intensity of spending years on one thing, and about how he isn’t anxious to knock it out and get to another thing.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s “He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper.” This episode is hosted by Splicetoday.com.
http://splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-50-gavin-riley-choose-your-own-adventure

Height Zone World 49. 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.
http://splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-49-cutmayor-hy-what-s-going-on-in-reality

My guest this week is David Jacober. He’s a member of Holy Ghost Party and Dope Body, and he also works as a solo artist. We first met when we played a show together in 2009, and I’ve been a fan of both of his bands ever since.
He talks about his childhood in Arbutus, and his teenage collaborations with (his current bandmate) Zach Utz. He tells me about Dope Body being slowly courted by Drag City Records and how working with them led to their band gaining traction in Europe. We commiserate about the inherent wackness of being compared to Rage Against The Machine and Kid Rock.
Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Boo-Yaa Tribe’s New Funky Nation. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.
http://splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-48-david-jacober-most-known-unknowns

My guest this week is Chad Dawson, aka 83 Cutlass. He made his debut with a self-titled EP in 2012. We met recently when him and I played the parts of Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna, (respectively) at a Wu-Tang tribute show.

He talks about being equally inspired by the older R&B he heard at his grandmother’s card parties, and the hip-hop his younger uncles were digging. He talks about his days as a graffiti writer, and how graffiti inspired his approach to music. We talk about his debut EP, and the full-length album he’s working on now. Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to King Tee’s Payback’s A Mutha. This episode is hosted by splicetoday.com.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-47-83-cutlass-a-gagillion-hearts