John Faye

This episode of the pod brought me back to The Tasty (see Ep. 31).. a lovely vegan spot in south Philly, where I met up with singer / songwriter / producer Max Davey and her partner in crime, multi-instrumentalist and producer Steve Novoa. I’ve known Max for a lot of years - we first met in the early 2010s when I was the open mic host at Dobbs on South St., but that really feels like a lifetime ago for both of us. In much more recent history, Max Davey has made a mark in the Philly music scene in 2023-24 with a string of eclectic singles. In addition to some killer originals, Max and Steve have released some intriguing cover versions of songs by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dave Matthews Band, and Deathcab for Cutie.

Both Max and Steve have come a long way in their personal journeys, processing tragedy and grief in their lives to come to new perspectives on the creation of their art and the value of being present. They are wonderful humans and a musical force to be reckoned with. 
I hope you enjoy this conversation!


JKF ❤️

I'm still smiling about my hang with Katie Feeney at the Oregon Diner in south Philly. Katie is a no-nonsense belter with a voice capable of delivering melodic Americana twang with a healthy dose of Robert Plant bravado. Hence, perhaps, the name Roberta Faceplant. At once an alter-ego and a band moniker for the well-oiled country-inflected machine she's been leading into venues all over the greater Philadelphia area, "Roberta," as she affectionately calls it, started as a way to for Katie to land a gig she wanted for an artist that sounded way more rootsy than her funk rock collective You Do You. And so, on a lark in 2018, Katie planted the seeds of a character she has no problem leaning into, unabashedly yee-hawing in front of crowds just trying to match her energy.

The debut Roberta Faceplant EP - "Yee Haw Stuff" - drops on July 26, 2024. 
The songs range from honky tonk ravers like the title track and "Lucille," to the sincere country balladry of "Morning Joe."

In addition to fronting Roberta Faceplant, You Do You, and playing a big role in RF bassist Nick Anastasi's passion project Honey Butter, Katie is also one of Philly's most beloved open mic hosts, running Tuesday nights at Milkboy South St. after having done time at Dobbs on South (my old haunt when it was called "Legendary" Dobbs), and all the way back to pre-pandemic days at Connie's Ric Rac in the Italian Market.

This was honestly one of my favorite conversations for this show and I know you're going to be thoroughly entertained by her takes on such diverse topics as Mexico, Steely Dan, and clowns like me! 🤡

IG: @robertafaceplant

Enjoy!
JKF ❤️

Btw.. a few annotations on this episode, as a lot of names get thrown around out of context which you may not be familiar with.. I may not get all of them, but here's what I can think of:

Will Drinker - local film maker and videographer and brother to TatD Ep. 27 guest Emily Drinker

Drew (Parker)- Katie's hubby and guitarist in Roberta Faceplant and You Do You

Nick Anastasi - Roberta Faceplant bassist, bio writer, and the man who cares the most

Annalise (Curtin) and Doug (Lowman) - You know Annalise from our collab single "Ghost Writer".. her bf Doug plays in the metal band Divide The Tides

Paula and Jim (Minacci) - they run the "Sexton Sideshow," promoting indie arts and music events at Old Swedes Church in south Philly

Frank Tartaglia (RIP) / Ron Bauman - Co-owner and GM of Connie's Ric Rac, a south Philly music venue located in the heart of the Italian Market.

Mykk Hoffman - guitarist for Roberta Faceplant, as well as Emily Drinker and the Funky T

I met up with my friend Jace Miller at Silk City on Spring Garden St. for this latest episode of TatD. A revered Philly diner - a little more on the upscale side than your typical greasy spoon - Silk City has vibe to spare. It's also a spot that hosts full-on rock shows and other eclectic musical events in its back room. You could hear someone sound checking for a show around the time we sat down to catch up on a Wednesday at 5:30 - that no-man's land between the end of the afternoon and the beginning of the evening. Over a beef short rib grilled cheese (me) and a meatball salad special (him), we got into all kinds of topics from the panic of thinking your cat ran out the front door during a washing machine delivery, to tales of sadly departed former bosses in the concert booking industry (RIP Bryan Dilworth), to realizing your band sounds better with fewer people in it.

Since the early aughts, Jace has been the frontman and band leader of Alright Junior, one of Philly's most consistent alt-rock juggernauts. The band has an impressive tenure as well as an impressive resume of prestigious opening gigs, having shared stages with Incubus, Toadies, Young The Giant, Cake, and many more. Their own brand of 90's infused rock has never gone out of favor, and they deliver it with impressive precision both live and on record.

Catch Alright Junior at Brainfest on May 25, 2024 at Broken Goblet Brewing. Wheatus will be headlining the show and all proceeds benefit the American Brain Tumor Association.

I hope you enjoy this fun diner convo!
~ JKF ❤️

 **Host's Note**
Streaming platforms have become a huge pain in my a$$ by flagging recent episodes for what I can only assume is the use of very short clips of both my and my guests' music. It didn't used to be this way, but here we are. So, unfortunately, episodes on said platforms will no longer contain music clips or even my own theme song, which I now kind of regret releasing as a single. I'll be using an acoustic version of “Talking At the Diner” for intro / outro bumpers and, sadly, no guest artist music clips. However, episodes that DO contain all that good stuff will henceforth be made public on my Patreon after one week of exclusivity to my subscribers. So, while I will still post these altered episodes on streaming platforms for continuity, I encourage you to listen on Patreon and subscribe if you would like to further support the show. Thanks! ~ JKF 
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For this episode of "Talking At The Diner" I went back to my home state of Delaware to a spot in Wilmington called Goober’s. I got to sit down with my good friend and Grammy-nominated artist Darnell Miller.

Darnell came up through the Pentecostal church and began a decades-long music career playing gospel music at Faith City, which is a church I had always heard about as a kid in Newark, DE. The circles Darnell fell into through that experience took him on countless tours with gospel superstar Tye Tribbett and he’s got some great stories about his life on the road.

Darnell is also a solo artist, band leader of the Souldaires, a music educator, and on top of all that.. he is a bonafide metal head! Prepare for Stryper, Whitesnake, Poison, and "Balls To The Wall" by Accept to be name-checked! 🤘🤓🤘

Now THAT’S the kind of musician I wanna hang out with!

JKF ~ ❤️

I first became aware of Kelsey Cork and the Swigs during pandemic times when my Instagram was blowing up with posts referencing their snarky single “That’s Cool (Good 4 U).” Since that time Kelsey and the Swigs have been on a creative tear, releasing the EP “Weird Bones” in 2021 and the full length album “Lollygagger” in 2023. All of their releases are packed full of fun, catchy songs with just the right amount of sass and punk rock attitude.

Kelsey, her bandmate Jacinda Arellano, and I - yes, this is the first episode of TatD with two guests(!) - had an incredibly fun time chatting about music, Jacinda's new job managing a toy library, and Kelsey's second career as a hypnotherapist, while noshing on tater tots (smothered in bacon jam) at the Broad Street Diner in South Philly. Coincidentally, I happened to meet up with these two rock 'n' roll badasses on International Women’s Day.
Kelsey, who plays guitar and sings, and Jacinda, who plays bass, have been making music together for a long time, and although the Swigs have seen their share of personnel comings and goings, these two form a tough-as-nails core, which keeps the band’s heart beating strong at all times. 

Kelsey and Jacinda are also housemates, and together with their partners they run one of Philly’s coolest DIY house venues, the Dumpster Out Back. Having attended a couple shows there last year, I found it to be the warmest, most welcoming DIY space in Philly, with good vibes and smiles for miles.
Our conversation definitely put a smile on my face and I’m sure it will put one on yours too, so without further ado, I encourage you to check out this fun episode with two mainstays of the Philly indie scene.
JKF ❤

I met up with Katie Hackett at a south Philly vegan diner called The Tasty. Katie is the driving force behind The Lunar Year, an art rock project that serves as an umbrella for a very broad spectrum of sounds and styles. Since its inception in 2017, the band has gone from dreamy piano-based songs to to guitar-based ferocity, which can include everything from beautiful melodic moments to onstage poetry readings to envelope-pushing sonic storms of feedback depending on the mood of the band.

In my conversation with Katie, I found her to be interesting and introspective, a musician whose unique journey as an artist really captivated me. As yet another member of the Philly music community who successfully balances her creative life with the challenges of the music business and simply surviving in the world, Katie is definitely a voice to be reckoned with.

In addition to being the driving force behind the Lunar Year, Katie is also a co-creator of the Sweet Juice Fest - a now annual all-day music - art - and food experience entering its third year. I had the opportunity to attend last year’s Sweet Juice and it was - for me - honestly one of the best shows and best days of 2023.
I left The Tasty feeling inspired and excited about what’s to come for all Katie’s endeavors in 2024 and beyond. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

~JKF ❤

You can follow The Lunar Year on IG @thelunaryearofficial and you can also check out the website for Sweet Juice Fest at sweetjuicefest.com 

My special guest for this episode of the podcast is none other than Jim McGuinn.. no, not the guy who sang for the Byrds in the 60's. This Jim McGuinn is a Philly musician, who has seen the music business from more sides than most. He’s been a songwriter, guitarist, and bassist in many bands, including his latest project The No Good Crowd, he’s also run his own indie record label, and most people know Jim from his long career in radio. 

He’s currently the assistant program director at WXPN in Philadelphia, but I met him almost three decades ago during his tenure as program director at TWO major modern rock stations in Philly.. WDRE and Y-100, both of which were instrumental in launching the Caulfields to the next level. 

Jim has lived in several parts of the country. He just returned to Philly last year after 13 years as program director at The Current - a Minnesota Public Radio station in Minneapolis, and over the span of his radio career, Jim has met and befriended countless bands and artists, many of whom are household names. I was particularly excited to sit down with Jim because we really share a lot of things in common, including our deep love for the genre we most get associated with as artists: you guessed it - power pop! He had some great stories to tell about all this and more when we met up at Sam's Morning Glory diner in south Philly. Please enjoy my conversation with Jim on this very special 30th episode of "Talking At The Diner!"

Jeremy Savo is a super-talented musician and songwriter who is originally from the greater Philadelphia area - south Jersey to be precise. His band Out of the Beardspace has spent the last decade PLUS as one of the most popular groups in the regional jam scene, not only due to the fact that literally every member of the band is a bonafide virtuoso on their instrument, but because they single handedly created and nurtured one of the biggest independent music festivals on the east coast. 

Beard Fest began in 2012 in the band’s guitarist Zach LoPresti’s back yard and blossomed into the annual 3-day celebration of creative energy it is today. BUT in 2024, things are a little different because in Jeremy Savo now lives in Maui. That’s right - he packed his bags and his guitars and moved to Hawaii to begin a brand new adventure in both music and life.

When I visited my sister in Hawaii recently, I got a chance to spend the day with Jeremy - he took a short flight from Maui to the island of Oahu and we saw some incredible sights, hit an open mic, and had a great conversation at the Liliha Bakery (which I regret to say I mispronounced as "Alihi" in the podcast.. go 'head make your dyslexia jokes ;). We talked about all kinds of stuff but I was particularly interested in how he made the decision to make a fresh start and move 5,000 miles away from a pretty well-established music career. I'm confident that Jeremy is the kind of guy who will succeed wherever he calls home!

I met up with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rob Tait at Little Pete’s, which is tucked away in a 60’s-era high rise called the Philadelphian. Rob has been methodically building up to the 2024 release of his full length Americana album called Here and Now with a couple of killer singles in 2023 - “Matilda” and “Space Fire.” His third single “End of the World” is out now and you can hear a nice snippet of the song in the pod. You can stream Rob's other songs HERE. 

This was my first opportunity to really sit down and chat with Rob, who in addition to leading the Rob Tait band, also plays drums with quite few notable Philly artists including John Gilbride, Emily Drinker, Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, and more.

Our conversation went off in all kinds of interesting directions from nerding out on great drum performances (like Gilson Lavis's sick pocket on "Tempted" by Squeeze) to discussing how an artist trying to find their audience navigates the music business in the streaming era.

I hope you enjoy my chat with Rob!

~JKF ❤

Over the past couple of years, Emily Drinker has released a full length album, played at Firefly and the Philadelphia Folk Festival, and opened for artists like Pat Benatar and JD Souther, and along with her band and housemates has brought the Philly music community together with a festival thrown in her backyard called CINNAMiN Fest. 

Her soulful folk pop goes down smooth whether she’s performing with her powerhouse band the Funky T or in a more intimate format incorporating live looping, Emily is an artist who has found a way to do what she does using every weapon in her considerable arsenal.

She is someone I personally consider a top-shelf vocalist and she has had some incredible and unusual experiences in her travels as a working musician. She's also happens to be so much of a regular at Bob's Diner in Roxborough that they know to save a corn muffin for her anytime she stops in.

I hope you enjoy my wonderful conversation with Emily at Bob's Diner.. where they offer a monumental eating experience! 😁