Conversations with Calcaterra Ken Calcaterra

“It was just my heart was just going like, like 180 or something. It was just that, yeah, just crazy. But then kind of got used to it. You don't get as nervous anymore. Now it's just second nature.“ -James Brown describing the experience of first playing with Geoff Tate on Conversations with Calcaterra

“We're not in it for the glory. We're just in it to make sure everything just sounds perfect. And just so we put on a good show or whatever.” – James Brown describing the role of members of Geoff Tate’s band on Conversations with Calcaterra

“It's the power of music, I guess. And for me, just to even be playing in America and just being here, this is just me just living my dream and this is just me just being who I am, and who I think I'm supposed to be. That's cool.” – James Brown on Conversations with Calcaterra

Who are the musicians who back a known singer? James Brown is a young gunslinger who plays in Geoff Tate’s (Queensryche) international band and he loves every moment of the journey.
Is it the life of a rockstar? On stage he is living the life of a rockstar but off stage he is a working musician who utilizes his talents to serve the songs. Learn more about this Irish native who grew up with the blues but has embraced the art of late century hard rock.

Intro Song: Take Hold of the Flame (Queensryche) – Recorded Live at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville

Outro Song: Don’t Look Back (Mark Daly and the Ravens)

Check out James’ guitar work on his work Mark Daly and the Ravens on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MpEIIzqkSXS02dOu03azv?si=mBh0DGE9SBaU3tA9fpCyCAVisit Ken @

www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsor:
Rock Star Tacos at Gaslight – http://rockstartacos.com
Party like a rock star dining on a delicious creative menu at one of Ken’s favorite eateries.

“Art or humor can both be defined by taking two things that don't seem to be connecting and connecting them and making a third thing. And I thought, Man, that is really cool. That is an awesome quote.“ – Mike Steimel sharing a quote from a successful band manager on Conversations with Calcaterra

“So kind of songwriting is and producing music, it's just about choices, choosing from things that already exist and putting them together.” – Mike Steimel sharing a quote from a successful band manager on Conversations with Calcaterra

“However, when that happens where I get a weekend and I get to really write a song that I'm super proud of, it definitely helps put my mind at ease and makes me in a better mood when I go back to work and I realize, okay, this is how I make the money to support myself, to give me that studio space and give me the tools that I need to be able to make music.” – Mike Steimel on Conversations with Calcaterra

Creative endeavors require time and motivation and with a demanding full-time gig can be near impossible which makes the work of Mike Steimel that much more meaningful. Mike has music placed in numerous TV shows, films and commercials and enjoys producing artists and deep-sea fishing. His love of the ocean was fostered when he became a treasure hunter after high school and continues today in recreational activities. Mike has played in a number of bands over the years including Just Add Water, Spur, The Jonathan Cour Band and Good Looking Animals. His new EP is his first solo effort.

Check out Mike’s music on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/6S05IZv7uQc7SbE8913bkr?si=PDcyszsMRf26HlcNPD5sOw

Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsor:

Rock Star Tacos at Gaslight – http://rockstartacos.com
Party like a rock star dining on a delicious creative menu at one of Ken’s favorite eateries.

“Baseball was boring to me…I wanted to get up and down. I wanted to run and jump so Basketball was perfect for me. Now at 5’ 11” and white probably not the best choice looking back at it. I took my body to the limit.” – Mark Morrison on Conversations with Calcaterra

“The odds…crazy! Three to 5 years to survive if you survive the surgery. 50/50 chance to survive the surgery, 98% all these different numbers. I just shut that out. I’m not dying!!! – Mark Morrison on Conversations with Calcaterra

“If you want to teach then you gotta reach and that’s what I felt that I was reaching to these kids. Whatever you needed, whatever I had that day. If a kid said he was hungry I’d gave him my lunch, I bought them lunch. That was for me the reality check of how good I had it. - Mark Morrison on teaching in inner city schools on Conversations with Calcaterra

When going to high school did you ever wonder who your teacher was away from school? Certain teachers leave a lasting impression on their students and add a multiplier for coaches. Mark Morrison has served his students and athletes for two decades and is one of those educators who will never be forgotten. Mark joins Ken to discuss his career, his victory over brain cancer and the life experience which shaped him into a man who is “Making His Mark” on the world.
Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

Rock Star Tacos at Gaslight – http://rockstartacos.com
Party like a rock star dining on a delicious creative menu at one of Ken’s favorite eateries.

Dr. Mark Holland
First Capitol Chiropractic and Rehab – St. Charles, MO – 636.946.7777 – http://chrioandrehab.com
Chiropractic of Wildwood – Wildwood, MO – 636.458.7575 – http://chiropractorwildwood.com
Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis – Downtown – 314.588.9100 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com
Chiropractic of North County – 314.847.8888 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com
Alton Chiropractic – Alton, IL – 618.465.2222 – http://altonchiropractic.com

Rust Bucket Rembrandts – http://rustbucketrembrandts.com

“One of my favorites was the metal trivia night. We had tons of people coming in, all cocky with their cool shirts. They left crying because they didn’t know half the answers.” – Rebecca Schaaf on Conversations with Calcaterra

“His mad genius drew me to him. Made me fall in love with him a little bit.” – Rebecca Schaaf about Wil Pelly on Conversations with Calcaterra

“Cheap Trick was in town and their crew needed to be fed. We shut down the shack early and ran down to Riverport. They were on the bill with ZZ Top. Ted Kornblum of Magnatone Guitars and Amplifies was there. He said hey Wil does Billy (Gibbons) know you’re here? Wil’s like Billy doesn’t know who I am. Billy walks in and see the Rockstar Dust, lifts his mustache and blops some into his mouth. He turns to Wil and says, Boy, are you responsible for this?!” – Rebecca Schaaf on Conversations with Calcaterra

The Rock Star life is more of an attitude. It’s loving what you do and being the best at it. Rebecca Schaaf runs Rockstar Tacos at Gaslight on the Hill in St. Louis with here partner chef and fellow musician Wil Pelly. They’ve fed, broke bread, and partied with many Rock Stars including Alice Cooper and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top to name a few. Guests at Rockstar Tacos are treated as Rockstars to delicious meals from on of the most creative menus in nation and some leave with valued prizes after trivia while others including the host of this podcast leave nursing their wounded pride after facing the Queen of Trivia’s four challenging rounds.

Ken speaks with Rebecca about the culinary delights of Rockstar Taco’s at Gaslight on the Hill, Will Pelly’s genius memes and many topics of pop culture as well as a trivia faceoff. Who won? Listen in and find out.

Rockstar Tacos at Gaslight – 4916 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
Twitter – RockstarTaco
Instagram - @rebeccaschaaf

Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

Rust Bucket Rembrandts – http://rustbucketrembrandts.com

Dr. Mark Holland
First Capitol Chiropractic and Rehab – St. Charles, MO – 636.946.7777 – http://chrioandrehab.com
Chiropractic of Wildwood – Wildwood, MO – 636.458.7575 – http://chiropractorwildwood.com
Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis – Downtown – 314.588.9100 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com
Chiropractic of North County – 314.847.8888 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com
Alton Chiropractic – Alton, IL – 618.465.2222 – http://altonchiropractic.com

“There is no time to go over songs because they (Darren Vorel and Tom Higginson) literally drop them on me at the last second. So I gave up on learning the songs and found that just going into the studio is like F you guys. You’re going to get what you get. – Eric Vorel on Conversations with Calcaterra

“I find all the things I’m immersed in that I don’t have time to think about anything that troubles me. That’s the addiction behind the art. It’s happiness in the work.” – Darren Vorel on Conversations with Calcaterra

“Every single person I believe is an artist. It takes different forms and different shapes…it’s what you find beautiful in the moment of something you’re creating.” – Eric Vorel on Conversations with Calcaterra

“I went through such a bad experience with the breakup which caused this band to happen. I almost didn’t want to do this band but Eric was there and said somebody is going to need this record like you needed the records you were listening to.” – Darren Vorel on Conversations with Calcaterra

Music has the power to the heal, both the artist and the listener. This is the origin of the Chicago based band TLB fronted by Darren Vorel who began writing songs to vent his pain after a major break-up. Uncertainty kept him from taking the songs to the next level until his brother Eric encouraged him to share his feelings with the world. They then formed the band with childhood friends Tom Higginson and Dave Tirio of the Plain White T’s back in 2013.

Ken speaks with the Brothers Vorel about their music, growing up in
an artistic family, influences and life in general.

www.darrenvorel.com – www.tlbkicksass.com

Twitter - @darrenvorel - @VorelEric - @tlbkicksass

Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsor: Dr. Mark Holland

First Capitol Chiropractic and Rehab – St. Charles, MO – 636.946.7777 – http://chrioandrehab.com

Chiropractic of Wildwood – Wildwood, MO – 636.458.7575 – http://chiropractorwildwood.com

Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis – Downtown – 314.588.9100 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com

Chiropractic of North County – 314.847.8888 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com

Alton Chiropractic – Alton, IL – 618.465.2222 – http://altonchiropractic.com

“People will give me a recording of a show but I don’t listen. Once I do I’ll realize how bad I am at this.” – Javier Mendoza on Conversations with Calcaterra

“Because of Covid I don’t think I’ll ever want to play a show without a drummer anymore…because of playing at home all all the time, playing these live streams.” – Javier Mendoza on Conversations with Calcaterra

“There’s never a perfect show. Once it’s perfect it’s over, right?” – Javier Mendoza on Conversations with Calcaterra

Javier Mendoza (Hobo Cane) is a prolific singer/songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. His roots are in Spain and St. Louis, Missouri. Javier’s diverse catalog has grown over the years with nearly one album released every year since his debut Album Tinta y Papel. 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of “Step Into My Place.” Javier recently banded together musicians from all over the world to record “Respira” which has raised close to $10,000 dollars to help struggling musicians.

Respira - https://youtu.be/hMEQm5_wBas

Javier Mendoza Band – Colors - Directed by Ken Calcaterra - https://youtu.be/evtcQnSW_iI

www.hobocane.com
Twitter - @hobocanemusic

Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on Ken’s video and photography work and Conversations with Calcaterra

Special Thanks to this episode’s sponsor: Dr. Mark Holland

First Capitol Chiropractic and Rehab – St. Charles, MO – 636.946.7777 – http://chrioandrehab.com

Chiropractic of Wildwood – Wildwood, MO – 636.458.7575 – http://chiropractorwildwood.com

Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis – Downtown – 314.588.9100 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com

Chiropractic of North County – 314.847.8888 – http://mystlouischiropractor.com

Alton Chiropractic – Alton, IL – 618.465.2222 – http://altonchiropractic.com