The Creative Stickup The Creative Stickup

“This podcast is an exercise in not being perfect” says recovering perfectionist Ken Calcaterra. Amen brother.

Fresh off his documentary Emmy, video storyteller, podcast host and my buddy Ken Calcaterra and I interviewed each other just for kicks.
We determine: Larry deserves as much as Bono – Old guys still want to rock – Creative’s wouldn’t be hurt by taking some basic business classes - Never give up and try new shit – Which metal track works for a beer commercial - recovering perfectionism is manifesting itself, The band The Death, Javier Mendoza and our respective start ups. Enjoy!

The Documentary that won the Emmy

http://kencalcaterra.com/pedaling-to-stop-pushing-winner-mid-america-emmy-2016/

The Hard Rock Life

http://kencalcaterra.com/its-a-hard-rock-life-teaser-2015/

McAnallen and Son.

When you meet Ray McAnallen, he’s one of those guys you don’t forget. Cigar, beard, Hawaiian shirt, that certain swagger – is he a private eye in a Carl Hiasson book? A Lost Jimmy Buffet keyboardist who missed the tour bus? Nope, Ray is a St. Louis Ad man.

And what you see is what you get with Ray - he’s been part of the St. Louis ad scene for 30 plus years. From his days as an art director at the height of D’Arcy to his current run with Ad Savants, Ray possesses that always enthusiastic vibe and quick laugh that you can tell brings real fun to insanity of the ad biz.

His son Max not only joined him for the cast, but also has started his own career in the scene, coming up in HR none the less, but now has found his way into the new St. Louis creative endeavor, Startups.

The guys talk about their father/son relationship, what it was like growing up in a household run by a “creative”, advice on keeping it real, and getting ready for the upcoming Agency Jam. Enjoy.

Content, motion, sound and swagger. Antidote is the remedy to rock.

Michael Francis and Ryan Bury started their production studio 8 years ago. It was small and scrappy and defined by a peculiar little space and very good work.
They’ve since grown up and grown out. With a vast and beautiful new space, new look and feel and a fresh sensibility they’ve made their bones and are now comfortably occupying the “Heavy Hitter” category in town. Simply put, they’ve arrived. I caught up with the duo to talk about their current state of creation and reflect a little on what they’ve built together and where they are headed in the future.

They’re feeling so plucky in fact that they’ve decided to bring the Agency Jam back – The one where every agency in town puts a band together, designs posters and t-shirts and then battles it out for supreme bragging rights of rock and design chops. September 14th – mark your calendars.

The Reel
https://vimeo.com/219936318


Music by Flaming Death Trap

Fathers Day Special – Cbabi Bayoc takes on the art of being a dad.

Cbabi Bayoc's artistic work mixes caricature, realism, portraiture, and compassionate observation to create an important and remarkable narrative of the African American family experience. In fact, a few years ago he painted a finished work every day for a year on the subject of fatherhood. Throw in the fact that he and his wife run an incredibly successful and delicious bakery, café and studio called Sweet Art, and Cbabi is an artist who has harnessed his creativity for social change and sweet commerce.

Jeff sat down with Cbabi to talk about where he learned his craft, his Prince album cover experience, and how his name change to Cbabi (Creative Black Artist Battling Ignorance)in college gave him his life’s mission.

Have a listen and enjoy!

http://sweetartstl.com/index.php/about/meet-cbabi

Recovering Creative Director. Chris Aguirre leads the Recovery Revolution.

After nearly 20 years of sobriety and a few years out of the ad business, Chris Aguirre found himself at the point in his life where something had to give. His own battle with depression and social anxiety mixed with a creative’s dark cynicism had pushed him out of the ad business. Worse, it kept him out of ‘the rooms’ as it were, so there was no where to take this sudden desire to give back to those still battling their demons.

So he started Since Right Now (sincerightnow.com/), a highly evolved brand that has become one of the authoritative voices (and by far the best looking) in challenging the old thinking that stigmatized those in recovery.

Since it’s inception 3 years ago, the site has featured interviews, musings, articles, poetry, art, music, comics, merch and wisdom from a venerable who’s who in the space and one theme is woven throughout – the link between getting sober and finding your creativity.

With a possible printed magazine on the horizon, SRN has helped shape the dialogue, soundtrack and visual sensibility of recovering out loud. It’s a place for anyone who may have a problem to go and identify with others who’ve been there before.

It’s been my pleasure to be along for the ride as a co-host the SRN podcast. Check them all out here.

http://sincerightnow.com/pdcst/
http://sincerightnow.com/srn-ntwrk/

Thanks Antidote STL! http://www.antidotestl.com/
Music by Flaming Death Trap.

Check out the Schwinn Varsity Trailer here. NSFW.
https://vimeo.com/213769266

Summer, 1977. Two teenage boys set out on a bicycle journey in an epic search for freedom, America, and a dumpster full of discarded Porno mags.
A little "Stand By Me", a little "Dazed and Confused" and a Whole Lotta Love, writer/producer Richard Eschenroeder has had "Schwinn Varsity" in some stage of development for 15 years.
Jen and I caught up with him and got the story behind the project and the passion it took to keep it alive over time and distance. The idea is an homage to the classic film "Easy Rider", and the trailer was made right here in STL. It's a beautiful piece of work. Put the Pedal to the Metal and check it out.

Music by Flaming Death Trap.