My guest this week is Weird Paul. He’s a Pittsburgh-based musician that’s been putting out amazing albums since the mid-80s. 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.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-97-weird-paul-petroskey

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.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-95-mikal-khill

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.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-94-bleubird-part-2

My guest this week is Bleubird, aka Jacques Bruna. Jacques is a solo MC, as well as a member of Gunporn, Les Swashbuckling Napoleons and Triune Gods. I first met him when I set up a Baltimore show for his group S.M.T.H. in 2001.

He talks about his early days working with Florida’s Nature Kids, and their ill-fated first and last national tour. We discuss our mutual history of cutting our teeth opening for Pittsburgh’s Grand Buffet. He talks about putting together his own European tours and eventually moving to Europe, but ultimately yearning to get back to the states to make moves.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Poison Clan’s Ruff Town Behavior. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-93-bleubird

Eze Jackson and PT Burnem, (the first and second Height Zone World guests) return for a roundtable discussion of our recently-completed rap round robin tour. I spin a few of their tunes that stood out to me on this trip, plus some tracks by the MC’s on the upcoming northeast leg of the tour.

Mike Riley’s art this week is an homage to Boogie Down Production’s Criminal Minded. This episode is hosted by Splice Today.

http://www.splicetoday.com/music/splice-presents-height-zone-world-ep-92-eze-jackson-and-pt-burnem-tour-recap