SlackChat

SlackChat is honored to get to interview the godfather of the Columbia, Missouri music scene, Richard King!  Hear about how he came to Columbia and his establishment of the "old" Blue Note, the move to the "new" Blue Note, acquiring Mojo's and selling it all and taking over Cooper's Landing.  We all owe Richard King and his long time partner in crime, Phil Costello, a debt of gratitude for all a great music we've been able to experience in Columbia.  Do not miss this one. Check it out!

Part III of the Chump Change trilogy (listen to James "Smitty" Smith and Kenneth Brantley for Parts I and II).  Jake talks to Pete Szkolka about his time playing in Chump Change and other bands in Columbia, Missouri, his recording studio, his education in music and growing up on the south side of Chicago.  Please excuse the cat created minor recording issues for about ten minutes near the beginning of the interview.  

Part II of the Chump Change trilogy (or more), Kenneth Brantley takes us through an enthusiastic, and, at times, surreal portrait of growing up in St. Louis, moving to Columbia, and the music scene throughout the midwest. Buckle in for this roller coaster ride through a bizarro funhouse.  More great history of St. Louis, Columbia, and Jefferson City from the 50s through the present that shouldn't be missed.

Gary Pinkel was head football coach at the University of Toledo from 1991 to 2000 and the University of Missouri from 2001 to 2015. Coach Pinkel has the most wins of any head coach in the history of both the University of Toledo football program and the University of Missouri football program.  Coach Pinkel led the 1995 Toledo team to a Mid-American Conference championship. Gary Pinkel was inducted into Toledo’s athletic hall of fame in February 2009.  Pinkel led Missouri to three Big XII North Division championships and two SEC East Division championships.  Pinkel released his autobiography "The 100-Yard Journey: A Life in Coaching and Battling for the Win" (Triumph Books) in September 2017.  In 2022 Coach Pinkel was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Jake interviews Myron Wang about succeeding his father at the helm of Alaskan Fur Company, a family retail fur fashion business founded in 1926.  Myron is also a scuba diver and world class underwater photographer who has met Jacques Cousteau and whose photos have appeared in Cousteau's books.  His amazing photos have been sold all over the world.  Check out his fascinating decades-long journey in business and life!

Longtime bass player for the legendary Columbia, Missouri based Chump Change Band, James "Smitty" Smith, Jr., lays down the knowledge about Babe Martin and the numerous blues legends the Chump Change band played with all over the Midwest and beyond.  Smitty has lived his whole life in Columbia, so he's a treasure trove of Columbia history, too. We changed our music for this one to feature Chump Change, so sit back and soak it all in thanks to Smitty!

Jake saw Xavier Charles carrying his skateboard on the MKT Trail in Columbia, Missouri, and convinced him to sit down with Jake at Three Story Coffee and tell his story.  This one was recorded outside on the upper deck of Three Story, so please excuse the noise.

Check out Jake's interview with the inimitable Carl "Zig" Zigler.  Outstanding stuff!

Jake talks with Pam Newman about her life with, of course, a large helping of Columbia, Missouri history.  Check it out!

Kevin Walsh arrived in Columbia, MO in the 70s from Scranton, PA. For Kevin, like a Scranton party, a COMO party don't stop.  KW drops some serious knowledge about Columbia.  Try to hold on.