Tag Archives: Interview

Meeting the Godfather of Shock Rock: Alice Cooper

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DSC08936As you know by now, one of my passions is music. And I love meeting the artists whose music inspires me. One of those individuals is Alice Cooper, whom I was lucky enough to meet this past Friday when he was in Philadelphia with Motley Crue.  Continue reading →

A Conversation with David Morrell

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It’s rare that you meet a thriller writer with a PhD, but that’s David Morrell. He perfectly mixes fact with fiction, and has an immense appreciation for and understanding of the thriller genre. Morrell is a co-founder of International Thriller Writers, and he’s the father of John J. Rambo. Without his novel First Blood, the iconic film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone wouldn’t exist.

I first met David at ThrillerFest in 2013 and have enjoyed getting to know him better over the past couple years. Below is an interview I conducted with David. We cover everything from what inspired him to become a writer to what it was like working on a novel while his son was struggling with a rare disease. After you’ve read it, please make sure to pick up a copy of David’s latest novel, Inspector of the Dead. It’s receiving rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

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A Conversation With Enoch Anderson

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I’m a huge Barry Manilow fan and one of my favorite albums of his is 15 Minutes; so, when I had the opportunity to interview the key songwriting partner on that record, I jumped at it. As you’ll see in the interview below, Enoch Anderson has worked with a variety of artists on myriad projects. Currently an English professor who completed a PhD program in his 40s, Anderson is an inspirational artist who is constantly reinventing himself. Interviewing him was a great honor, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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ThrillerFest X: David Morrell Interviews Nelson DeMille

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I just returned from New York City where I attended, for the third year in a row, ThrillerFest, the premier annual conference for mystery and thriller writers. This event, hosted by International Thriller Writers (ITW), is heaven for established writers, aspiring writers and fans of the genre. Attendees get to learn from and network with the best writers in the industry. It’s a fabulous environment that inspires everyone to take their reading and writing to the next level.

I captured a ton of great content during this amazing conference, and over the next several weeks and months I will share with you what I learned and experienced, including photos, videos, highlights from panels, and interviews.

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A Conversation with John Lescroart

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John Lescroart is an exceptional author who I had the good fortune of meeting at ThrillerFest last July. He is a New York Times best-seller with more than 25 books to his name, and his latest novel, The Fall, which came out in May, has been receiving phenomenal reviews.

Below is an interview John was kind enough to do with me. I hope you enjoy it.

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Michael Des Barres Is The Key To The Universe

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Any time I get to talk to the wonderful Michael Des Barres, it’s always a treat. He’s an incredibly talented artist brimming with charisma and bursting with positivity. While some may know him as Murdoc from MacGyver, I know him best for his impressive body of work as a musical artist. Speaking of which, Michael has a new album out called The Key to the Universe. It’s an excellent follow-up to his last studio album, the equally fabulous Carnaby Street. If you enjoy balls-to-the-wall classic rock, then I highly recommend both of these albums.

Michael took the time to sit down with me and discuss The Key to the Universe. We covered everything from his recording the album in Rome to writing one of the tracks with guitar virtuoso Steve Stevens. It was a fun interview and I hope you enjoy it.

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Lynne Abraham’s Vision For Philadelphia

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Philadelphia is a city on the rise. Steeped in history and bristling with possibilities, the City of Brotherly Love is poised to become a world-class city. This is why the next mayoral election is so important. With the right person in office, Philadelphia will ascend into the stratosphere. With the wrong person in office, Philadelphia’s potential will barely hover above the ground. After hearing all of the candidates speak on myriad issues, I can confidently say that Lynne Abraham is the right person for the job.

I’ve known Lynne Abraham for many years. We live in the same neighborhood, and I used to ring her up at the food store when I worked there part-time as a cashier. What impressed me about her was that despite her great success, she was always grounded. I’ve had the good fortune to meet many famous and successful people, and I admire those that don’t let it go to their head. Lynne is one of those people. She’s nice to everyone she meets and isn’t ostentatious in any way, shape or form.

Tonight I saw Lynne take part in the Mayoral Candidates Forum on Equitable Development, and she was easily the most intelligent, genuine and compelling person on the panel. While the other candidates have certain qualities that would be good in a Mayor, they aren’t the total package. Lynne is.

Earlier this week I interviewed Lynne Abraham so I could learn more about her vision for Philadelphia. Going into the interview I thought she was a great person. After it was done, I liked her even more. I hope you enjoy it, and make sure to vote on May 19.

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A Conversation With Harlan Coben

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I’ve interviewed many authors over the past few years, but it wasn’t until recently that I got to interview my all-time favorite: Harlan Coben. With over 60 million books in print and his last seven consecutive novels debuting at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list, you could say Harlan is a favorite among many readers, and with good reason. His thrillers are unpredictable and compelling, and they feature fully-realized characters that stay with you after the final page has been turned.

Harlan’s newest novel, The Stranger, is being released in the U.S. on March 24. Stay tuned for my review of the book, which I’m sure is fantastic. Until then, check out my interview with Harlan below, where we discuss everything from Governor Chris Christie to driving in the fog with your headlights on. Enjoy!

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A Conversation With Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander

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On Thursday night I went to go see the Robin Zander Band (RZB) perform in New York City, and it was a terrific show. I had first seen Robin with Cheap Trick a few months back on KISS Kruise IV, and I also attended one of his solo acoustic shows during the cruise. Both concerts were great, and the RZB performance this past week was just as compelling. It was two hours of fun classic rock in an intimate setting, and I got to meet Robin after the concert. Check out the band’s website for upcoming tour dates as they put on a show you don’t want to miss.

In addition to attending a great concert and meeting Robin, his band and his son, I had the opportunity to interview Robin Zander on Friday right before he hit the stage. We talked about everything from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to KISS to new Cheap Trick music. Also included below are photos and videos from the RZB concert in New York City. Enjoy!

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A Conversation With Deen Castronovo

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Revolution Saints: Doug Aldrich (left), Deen Castronovo (center) and Jack Blades (right).

Today, I interviewed one of my all-time favorite drummers, Deen Castronovo of Revolution Saints, Journey and formerly Bad English. Deen was a pleasure to speak with and we covered a lot of ground, everything from his drumming as a child to his current project with Revolution Saints. Speaking of which, make sure you pick up a copy of their debut album when it’s released on February 24. It’s the greatest melodic rock album I’ve heard in years – stay tuned for my review of it. Until then, enjoy my interview with Deen.

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