The Musician Interviews from Creative Ops

Alfonso Civile of the Lansing-based metal band Heartsick joined me for a discussion via the magic of the internet. A few of the things we talked about: the 20 year history of the band (formerly Know Lyfe), how they're adapting during the stay-at-home order, what they have planned for the future,  the band's creative process, and more! Alfonso is super creative, and just a really nice guy. I hope to have him back sometime; I could've talked to him way longer. Hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.  Find out what else he and the band are up to, how to watch/listen/support them in these odd times: Facebook @heartsickband Twitter @heartsickband Instagram @heartsickband Heartsick Official YouTube Still reading? Really? OK. Well…if you like Creative Ops, one way to let me know: rate the show. Or leave a review.  Or subscribe. Or do any combo. If you do all 3, I'll be your best friend for a whole day (weekends and holidays excluded). Check out my website, www.christophertallon.com, for show updates, blogs, and random fun! Follow and connect with me, Christopher Tallon, on social media. I'm on Instagram, FaceBook, and Twitter. Still reading? Why? Go listen.  -CT

Hey folks! Dajon joined me on Zoom from CA to talk about his new EP "Love, Dajon" and all the things that went into making it. We went back to early musical influences at age 6, to how he's rockin now, in his mid-twenties. Energetic, awesome music. I. Can't. Stop. Listening. Check out Dajon on IG, FB, and Twitter And check out his producer's band Oh! The Horror … Thanks to the supporters of this show  Hey Guys Media Group, Baby Farm Soaps, & River Town Adventures. You're dear to me as people, and you inspire me as a creative. … Thanks for listening! Subsribe, rate, yadda yadda… Check out http://www.christophertallon.com for more on the show and its host.

As a drummer, I was excited to nerd out with my new buddy, Jake Bryan. Jake is the drummer for HEARTSICK, the Lansing-based band that's been playing loud music for 20 years. I started following this band even before Jake joined. As you'll find out, he joined the band around the same time I left the Lansing area for good. Jake came from a musical family, where his passion for drumming was highly encouraged from a young age. In his teens, he found his passion as a traveling performer with the school band when they performed in Florida and New York City. Before joining Heartsick, he played drums in a Final Fantasy themed metal band–something I wasn't aware was a thing. Follow all the fun stuff:  Jake's IG @bryantalmadge Heartsick  Official Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Spotify Apple Creative Ops Podcast Website (shows, descriptions, links) Apple Spotify (Host) Christopher Tallon's Website  Buy Us a Coffee! Friends of Creative Ops IRIE Kitchen River Town Adventures Baby Farm Soaps Hey Guys Media

FRIENDS OF THE SHOW River Town Adventures: Instagram | Facebook | Website Hey Guys Media Group: Twitter | Facebook | Website Baby Farm Soaps: Facebook Fresh Coast Seed Co: Instagram TODAY'S GUEST: Pedro "The Roadie" Rodriguez Pedro has been a roadie for over 20 years, spending a good deal of that time as the tour manager for the band KMFDM. He talks about his various roadie gigs, landing a dream job with KMFDM, starting the Karuna Art Collective in Philadelphia, making music and art, collaborating, and bringing up young creatives. FOLLOW THE HOST @christopher_tallon on IG @TallonWrites on Facebook and Twitter FOLLOW PEDRO: Pedro on IG: @pedrotheroadie Karuna Art Collective on IG: @karunacollectiveart Pedro on FB: @pedrotheroadie Karuna Art Collective on FB: @karunacollectiveart HEAR PEDRO (aka Namo Maitri): Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube

Joe Bockheim was kind enough to invite me to his house for a sit down. We talked about music, home ownership, having kids, and all kinds of fun stuff. Check out The Legal Immigrants here: The Legal Immigrants website Instagram: @legalimmis Facebook: @thelegalimmigrants Spotify (Want more? Google them…) . . . Thanks everyone. Go to http://www.christophertallon.com and/or follow me on your favorite social media platform, I'm @tallonwrites on all the big ones. If you like the show PLEASE rate AND review it wherever you download it. It means a lot. Thanks!    

Get your tickets for the Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids using this link with the promo code HEARTSICK at checkout and you'll A) Support the band directly, and B) Get $5 off admission! .  .  . Alfonso and the guys from Heartsick, a hard rocking band from Lansing, Michigan, are old friends of mine. On top of being an incredible group both musically and as live performers, that's why I'm happy to support them ahead of their next festival performance. See, last year they cause such a ruckus amongst the crowd on the Lookout Stage the organizers asked them not only to come back this year, but to open the show on SATURDAY JULY 16 on the Main Stage at 1:20pm. Alfonso talks about how they got involved with the festival and where the energy for their insane live shows (they have all been known to puke after a show…) comes from. You don't want to miss these guys. They are fantastic. And cool guys.  .  .  . $5 OFF TICKETS UPHEAVAL FESTIVAL website and info guide Heartsick on YouTube (Try the song "VICE CITY". My kid loves it, haha.) Heartsick on Spotify .  .  . And if you're a fan of the podcast, go over to http://www.christophertallon.com. You can follow me on social media, find out more about the podcast, and get links for my book Switchers, a sci-fi/horror time-travel novel. I can even sign and personalize a copy for you! (If you're in the US…) Thanks everyone!

Some call him Brandon, some call him Dante, some call him Dante Cope. I'll introduce him by his full legal name, you call him want you want, I guess… Brandon Dante Copeland is a multi-talented musician (mainly sax, but other wind instruments, too), beat maker, rapper, producer, who also plays guitar, keys, and a little drums. Originally from Jackson, MI, he now lives in Grand Rapids and is a key member of the artistic and musical community. He also hosts art, music, and community events in the downtown GR area. A very cool guy doing very cool things. . . . Come to the 106 Gallery in Grand Rapids, MI, Thursdays thru mid-December 2022 (Except Thanksgiving, duh…) for THE THING TO DO THURSDAYS!!! . . . Catch up with the man here: IG: @dantecope FB: @dantecope Twitter: @dantecope Spotify: Les Créatif Apple Music: Dante Cope; Les Créatif