Why did you join Pacific Voices? Krista - it was the dead middle of the pandemic, & her other singing group was not able to meet; upcoming concert theme, "Wisdom of the Ages"; Q: where is the best place to listen to a choir, outside, or in a building? A: a capella means "in the style of the chapel," referring to music performed in a church without musical accompaniment, so a church is the best place to hear a choir - but this weekend's concert is in a hall built for spoken word; Mitch joined Pacific Voices because he was raising 4 kids, & needed to re-connect with *his* passion; how do they visually spice up their music? Not so much, but they have a surprise for the upcoming show; impact of Pacific Voices on their lives? Tommy: connected to community; Camilla: Family (after arriving in 2023 & knowing no one); Most enjoyable aspect of Pacific Voices? Tommy: creativity.

The "+ 1" is Bonnie Holmer-Orange (tenor), currently chair of the Pacific Voices Choir Council.

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" & "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

When we spoke in 2023, we discussed how bad things had gotten...& now we pine for those days!! "What's transpired in the last year, and even the last 2 weeks, is an administration that is off the rails!!" California is facing a deficit, with cuts to medical / medicare where state funding is interleved with federal funds....& the cuts are being felt, & will be felt; the insults & assaults are adding up, pushing independents away from the administration; how frame Democrats? "One size does not fit all." - candidates need to fit their district, & address what the issues are at the local level; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech at Davos 2 days ago, that "Middle countries cannot acquiesce to bullying." Listener Q: "Why can't Dems vote together?" A: it's a Big Tent, with Diverse Voices - so it's a tightrope walk, built on relationships; The Grateful Dead Archive in Monning's Senate District (U.C. Santa Cruz McHenry Library); Bobby Weir's passing - the youngest in the group - leaves behind a legacy of music; the cultural front can be a wedge to face Goliath / monolith, & address the collective mental health crisis; Qs for the next generation? What sparked DJ Spark Plug's interest in joining KZSC? A: building community. Mood on campus? A: Pessimism, with opportunities disappearing, but organizing; Government CAN work, as evidenced by Monning's youth in Pasadena marred by smog alerts & unable to play / practice outside - government got the lead out of gas, and mandated catalytic converters to reduce smog.

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" & "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

Joe got the nickname "Rooster" back in the Way Out West trio days; Larry is dreaming up a Bob Weir tribute for tomorrow night's show; Larry has written a ton of songs since the Sweet Rain CD 3 years ago, and this Monday they will be in the studio recording a song with lyrics written by Bobby Peterson, who wrote the lyrics to Unbroken Chain & Pride of Cucamonga; CD sales? Physical media sales suffering due to the financial devaluation of recorded music in the era of streaming - CDs become a promotional tool, a "business card" - this puts a premium on live music, especially for jam-oriented bands; have to raise prices for live music (tomorrow night's double bill, with Broken Compass Bluegrass, is $30); "Music is religion...and requires feeding / watering / nurturing and a culture of support." - Joe Craven; The Money Question: Joe - everything requirs feeding & watering...wind up making a go of it if you have enough eggs in the basket; Larry - "if you rehearse, it's not new!" Joe - David Lindley never rehearsed, "rehearsal is for cowards!"; but vocals need rehearsal, and new things need rehearsals; sometimes there are train wrrecks, which are OK, "as long as you get it back on the rails!", the Grateful Dead would have train wrecks, and you could hear the crowd voice their appreciation when they got it back on the rails.

Painted Mandolin is Joe (percussion, stringed instruments, vocals) and Larry (guitar, vocals), plus Matt Hardle (guitar, vocals) and Dan Robbins (bass).

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

Back in the district; last night, presented an award at the Santa Cruz Warriors arena to the Harlem Globetrotters celebration 100 years; just starting the 2nd year of a 2 year legislative session; "2 year bills" that were held over have been heard in policy committee - the deadline for new bill submittals is Feb. 20; Assemblymemember Pellerin's bill package is not finalized - working on public safety, mental health, consumer protection, AI...one bill that has received a number is AB-1548, the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority - now that it has a #, it's in a "30 day introduction hold" when the rules committee will assign it to a policy committee; last year, Assemblymember Pellerin advanced 10 bills, and all 10 were signed by the governor; 2 year bill: Janus (Roman god of new beginnings & doorways) single license, also clean up AI in elections bill; Governor's "State of the State" address - in person - first time since 2020: California as a leader, highlighting 9% reduction in homelessness, but also laying out a need for a federal aid package for LA after last year's fires; California budget: the governor released his "first draft" budget on 1/10 - it fills in gaps left by slashed federal funding, but it's cautious - the governor projects a $3 Billion deficit, vs. the GAO's $18 B projection in November (does the governor look out of "rose colored glasses"?) - looking ahead to a "May Revise", and a state constitutional requirement to have a budget out of the legislature by June 15; looking at the horrific murder of Maddy Middleton with the County DA, & how to balance juvenile perpetrator hearings for early release against the victim's family having to re-live the tragedy every 2 years...also traumatizing testimony & pictures triggering jurors, and how to offer mental health services after jury duty; proposed "billionaire tax" ballot measure - the need is real, but how to address it.

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" & "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

woke up in Denver, and headed to Estes Park; new CD is all about family, including Jackson's 4-year-old daughter, and parenting, and Jackson has nicknamed it the "Tired Dad Album"; Jackson's been a touring musican for years, and that life has shifts & stresses; "Home Improvement" is about fixing up the house - a DIY lament; Jackson uploads songs through Distro Kid, and Spinitron picks it up, also a new service called the "Mechanical Licensing Collective"; The Money Question: are you able to make a living playing music, and if so, how? A: It's highly variable...royalties are not good...but being on the road selling workshops, & "experiences" help - but the biggest help is coming to a show & purchasing merch / CDs directly; if not buying at a show, CDs/music are best purchased through Band Camp, where the artist may set a minimum price, but it's up to the purchaser to put their price down ("Band Camp is a little shop that allows someone who likes their music to support that musician directly through, at times, a generous purchase price." Dangerous Dan has some bad news for Jackson re: the new song, "Dinosaur Bones": there is no Nobel Prize in Geology, Paleontology or Earth Sciences! Discussion of Jackson's role as a promoter - hosting shows, but not making money from them.

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

The day is off to a busy start, with Darwin (her dog) off to Doggy Day Camp, & a pot of pea soup on the stove! Deep dive into Prop. 50 re-districting initiative passed, and Texas' re-districting struck down for "racial gerrymandering" by the District Court - language in Prop. 50 that it would kick in only if Texas re-districted was removed from the initiative...3 or 4 days before the legislature voted on it! Prop. 50 includes a sunset (2032) - Assemblymember Pellerin says that what we need is a nationwide system of independent re-districting committees; 2025 election hindsight? It's "affordability"!, + what's happening on the streets & withholding food from seniors & children; California fighting back against Washington's swipes ($80MM for food banks, health care affordability, keeping hospitals open, fighting back against assault on the planet); preview of 2026 bill themes and discussion of "2-year bills" submitted in 2025 but not passed or vetoed; the last day to move bills that involve $$ is 1/16, the bill deadline for house-of-origin in 1/23; touring new La Bahia today, tomorrow is the unveiling of the sign designating part of Highway 9 after Sgt. Guswailer - it's also "International Survivors of Suicide Loss Dan", soon after (11/19) the anniversary of Assemblymember Pellerin's husband's suicide; eBike bills needed! The Harbor Bridge closure & how to get some functionality before the 3 year completion timeframe.

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" & "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.

Phone interview with Comdedian/Writer Richard Stockton reguarding his upcoming preformances and life as a comdian.

Includes his suggestions for the "Mount Rushmore of Comedians" :)

An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.