Ep. #23 – Feat. Insane Ian

Prepare your ears for Insane Ian, parody artist and comedy musician extraordinaire from Baltimore, Maryland. Also a member of the The Funny Music Project (a.k.a. The FuMP), Ian is here to chat with Matt about how he got started down the path of hilarity, and about what goes into creating a solidly funny sketch on a comedy album. His latest album, Internet Famous, has a title track featuring Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America. Hear about how that connection developed, the origins of the FuMP, about music, movies, gaming, and more, in this Insane-ly entertaining interview!

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Ep. #22 – Feat. Mega Ran

Back to nerdcore! This week we take an excursion through the life of Mega Ran, nerdcore rapper hailing from Phoenix, Arizona. For the full excursion, fans can now purchase a documentary that was released about Mega Ran’s life called MEGA-LO-MANIA. With Matt, however, he discusses recent projects such as his latest solo record, Mega Ran Com: Mission, as well as a collaborative effort with fellow nerdcore rapper Storyville called Soul Veggies. Touching upon an upcoming record and the concept behind its inspiration, they also chat about how gaming has influenced his life & music, what it feels like to be officially licensed by Capcom as an indie artist, and his unique transition from a teaching career to full-time rapper.

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Ep. #21 – Feat. Kyle Stevens of Kirby Krackle

Matt has sure taken a slice out of the nerdcore community, but today he sidesteps towards… “nerd rock!” by introducing Seattle-man Kyle Stevens of Kirby Krackle. Apart from Kyle’s roles as frontman, singer-songwriter, and guitarist for the band, Kyle can tack on “founder of the Charging Hippo Brewing Co.” to his résumé. Along with Kirby Krackle’s latest LP, Mutate, Baby!, the band has also ventured into the world of podcasting, with their series: The Kracklekast. On this podcast, however, you can hear Kyle discuss everything from his decision to pursue nerd rock, to Kyle & Matt’s initial meeting at the NY Comic Con, to a whole slew of complimentary digressions on comics, video games, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Enjoy!

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Ep. #20 – Feat. Graham Elwood

This week we welcome special guest, Graham Elwood: comedian, documentarian, and podcast host. An influencial figure in the work of Crash Chords, Graham’s presence in the podcasting community is just as revered as his standup career, particularly as host of the Comedy Film Nerds podcast (co-hosted by Chris Mancini). He is also one of the creators of the podcast festival in L.A. called L.A. Podfest. Having released a documentary on his time performing for the troops in Afghanistan (called Laffghanistan), he is extending his interest in documentaries to a project called “Ear Buds”, a documentary about podcasting. Matt and Graham chat about his latest album, Palm Strike Dance Party (featuring a self-titled song written with former guest Mike Phirman), and about the many branches of the podcasting industry collectively changing the face of entertainment.

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Ep. #19 – Feat. YTCracker

For today’s episode, Matt confronts the seasoned nerdcore talent of YTCracker. A humble artist with big ambitions, YTCracker’s extensive discography has brought him to his latest release, Introducing Neals, a narrative about a not-too-distant future where web security and piracy prevention have become privatized. A chat on the origins of this musical concept reveals further plans of a possible film adaptation. Also hear Matt and YTCracker discuss the importance of sacrifice when making art, and the need to decompress. With some final jibber-jabber on League of Legends, dive into this jam-packed discussion!

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Ep. #18 – Feat. Mike Phirman

First appearing on Crash Chords in a 2010 interview, following the release of The Very Last Songs I Will Ever Record (Part 1), Matt welcomes back one of the most creative comedy musicians to emerge from the west coast, Mike Phirman. With his humble self-released ditties, Phirman’s capacity for brilliant satire also extends to a penchant for over-blowing benign subjects, such as breakfast, streetmeat, and children’s games. Whatever subject is at his whim, he consistently extracts a hilarious and addicting adventure. This time around, Matt and Phirman discuss the process behind writing a great comedy-music song, Phirman’s many influences, how certain tracks came together, and finally the peculiar position he is placed in as a full-time family man — thus caught between writing funny kids songs and writing funny songs for adults.

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Ep. #17 – Feat. Beefy

Beefy is Matt’s guest today! And not only is he here to promote his nerdcore-laden LP, Grown Up (featuring the likes of MC Lars, Mikal kHill, Adam WarRock, and MegaRan), he’s also here to discuss the fascinating impact producers have had on his many albums. From there, Beefy also discusses a less-common tribulation facing artists: balancing a steady job, a family, and his art all at once. Onward to a mutual joy for the online game League of Legends, come step into the world of Beefy with your host, Matt Storm!

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Ep. #16 – Feat. Adam WarRock

Today we arrive at the long-awaited appearance of rapper and Philadelphia native, Adam WarRock. Another pillar in the annals of nerdcore, WarRock is also known for his sincere raps about life in all respects. His latest release, Gifted Student, was produced by previous guest to the podcast Mikal kHill and was released on January 22nd, 2015. Matt and WarRock discuss this working relationship, along with their shared addiction to Magic: The Gathering. Then we hear about WarRock’s participation in the annual 24-hour Rap-A-Thon, a charity event, for which (in its latest run) Adam contributed over 18 songs — written, produced, and released, in just 24 hours. This and more chitter-chatter with today’s prolific artist and your host, Matt Storm.

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Ep. #15 – Feat. ShyBoy

Matt is invited behind the DJ booth for this exclusive interview with the singer-songwriter, producer, and DJ/mashup artist, meekly known as ShyBoy. Once a member of the band Hypnogaja, ShyBoy discusses the band’s dissolution but reaffirms a working relationship with its members. His solo work, however, has taken flight with two LPs, Lost In Space and Water on Mars, not to mention his newest EP, Daisy Pusher. Solo work aside, his career is complemented by a recent residency at the club, Bootie, at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, which he discusses alongside his fondness for making mashups. Fielding a vast array of musical tastes (and an ode to Donna Sommer), ShyBoy leaves time for a chat on Sci-fi and comic books for his & Matt’s “spinning” dialogue.

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Ep. #14 – Feat. Sulfur

Dishing out another serving of nerdcore for our referentially-inclined fans, today’s interview demands a certain callback: In CCA Ep. #8, Matt had the pleasure of speaking with Mikal kHill of the two-piece rap group, ThoughtCriminals. Now, Matt completes his cross-examination of the duo by taking on its other member, Sulfur. Like Mikal kHill, Sulfur keeps the tradition of nerdcore alive with his own solo career, and with his new EP, Enter the 36th Chamber — a work that entirely concerns the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Discussing this, his love of gaming, and dropping some hints at an upcoming full-length, get the full scoop on Sulfur’s many talents with today’s interview.

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