Has it been one year already?! Welcome to Episode 52!
The Mouthpiece and The Drum Muffin return to discuss the challenges and rewards of the last year of the Movin’ Air Podcast. Find out about scrapped episodes, heart-warming tales and feedback, and the overall take-away from each. We also chat about what to expect coming in 2016 and few more personal tid-bits. We’re only getting started folks, but what a great start it has been!
Today we chat with hard-working perfectionist, introvert, Konrad Sauer about what makes up the fabric of his creative, just-give-it-a-try, life. There are no excuses for this guy. We examine topics as diverse as growing up in a Mennonite community, who his biggest influences were and why, the role of parents, furniture building, and what is behind the good fortune of his long-term marriage. Finally, we discuss transitioning a hobby to a full time successful business and the beautiful blurred lines between his business, and personal, relationships. An interesting life? Come and find out for yourself.
What path does your career take when your earliest childhood memory is of a piano being moved? A piano player of course! In this episode we talk with world traveller Mark Willms, about being on the road with bands and pop stars, as well as solo adventuring to locales such as Tokyo, Dubai, Seoul and Switzerland. The discussion runs the gamut from his brother’s suicide to living in a nudist camp to putting out his first solo album after playing in bands for decades. And wait until you hear about hanging with the great Bill Murray. Another revealing conversation.
They call him “Raflar The Wanderer” and we discover why in this week’s episode. This gentle giant chats with us about growing up in the bar scene, bouncing, DJing, and the cautious tale of where his tattoo came from. Ralf gets into the details of fantasy role-playing and why he calls himself an extroverted-introvert. We chat about trance music, prog-rock, web design, and how recharging in the outdoors informs his artwork. Will he be remembered as an honorable, creative person who loves to make people smile? Come for a listen and you decide.
This professional musician has lived a full life, no doubt about it. Married and signed to a major label at 19 years old, Steve has spent the better part of his career playing in bands and touring the world. His projects have varied widely, from playing with Ian Thomas, Ronnie Hawkins and The Roadhouse Band, to recording with Larry Gowan and appearing on Second City TV, to performing to audiences of 50K with an international Cantonese pop star! We also chat about living in Tokyo, being a perfectionist, getting remarried to a younger woman, and the advantages and disadvantages of having children late in life. Great stories, and man, what a radio voice, he could easily take my job.
The son of hippy counterculture parents, John tells us all about his musical education; from playing violin, to doing live sound, to finally settling into his career as a Juno award winning engineer, working with likes of Tom Cochrane, Triumph and Voivod. We discuss the ups and downs of the industry, professionalism, and his thoughts on music as an art form. Further discussion has us delving into the world of mental health and marrying his teenage sweetheart.
Growing up in a small town in Ontario, Canada, restless, this adventure seeker was always looking to break out and explore the world around him. Andrew’s early life had him touring Canada with rock band, the Rheostatics, and getting married to a woman 12 years his senior while taking on the responsibility of her young children. Later we learn of the tragic loss of his first wife, and find out at 38 years old, alone, with 4 children, how his faith and general approach has carried him to rediscover life in many fascinating and exciting ways.
Welcome to Part 2 of Mark Auld’s race thru life.
We pick up in this episode discussing his first marriage, a further tumultuous relationship, and his continued spiral into drugs and alcohol, depression, and his attempt at suicide. More years of counseling, and an arrest follow, before Mark begins to turn things around. New and amazing changes in his life offer a strong foundation and meaning to his life, something he can finally sink his teeth into in a positive life-restoring way. Another honest and reflexive story of redemption.
We’ve got another two-parter for you, my AirHead Hardcore. Every once in a while a life-story is so jammed packed with information and adventure, we need to split it up, and Mark’s is most certainly one of those.
Mark takes us on a long and wild journey of turmoil and chaos. He explains his live hard, die young attitude, and how his heavy substance taking bandaged his insecurity and depression. In this episode we learn of his thrill seeking, bone breaking ways, jumping snowmobiles, leaping off cliffs, and his complete lack of concern for his well being. Morphing from preppy guy to rocker to charismatic leader, we dig deep into his young man’s psyche. No stone gets left unturned in this gripping tale.
We leave off Part 1 with Mark heading out West to see where the road takes him. Come on back next week for Part 2…it only gets more intense.
Growing up in a large Mennonite family, Jim, a solitaire man, graciously opens the door to his life, allowing us to bare witness to his battle with depression and his “experimental” attempt at suicide. His life’s exploration takes us on hitch hiking adventures across Canada, career stops as a life guard, ambulance driver and Youth Pastor, his studies in psychology and theology, health concerns, a divorce, and finally on to the greatest passion in his life, teaching. An interesting journey to say the least, leveling off with his joy of canoeing our great waterways, and volunteering at folk festivals.
