Mike Giant interviews Rime MSK with special guest Persué at Mike's studio in San Diego, California on December 22, 2023. Topics discussed include: Honesty, fear of conflict, Thich Nhat Hanh, porn, intimacy, self-reflection, self-work, squirters, transmitting feelings, bullying, running from police, aging graffiti scene, energy of youth, Futura, sta…

Mike recalls memories from living in London and San Francisco in 1998. Topics discussed include: "Claire", Keri, Dek, Brighton, The Moon, throwups at Meanwhile, graffiti over graffiti, UFO, Abstract, Phunkateck, Ed Rush, Optical, Sage, Eklektic, GHB, Grove Park Yard with Egs, Network SouthEast trains, Trans Am show, Camdentown, Psycho, breaking car…

Mike recalls memories from living in London in 1998. Topics discussed include: Losing weight, skateboarding daily, Wandsworth, Tom and Honor, Brixton, Dogstar, Prince Albert, The Sun, Irish red cream ale, Guinness, Keri, crooked teeth, The Plumber, Soho and Covent Garden, black latex, after-hours bars, night bus, sneaky sex, Nicole, Wired magazine,…

Mike recalls memories from living in San Francisco and London in 1997. Topics discussed include: Oak Street house, “Allie”, Noah Hurwitz, @111MinnaGallery, latex pants, waxing, Skin Two, loft on 11th, @california_choppers, the red bathroom, Patsy Cline songs, pre-sex routine, condoms, loft on Natoma, 6th Street, mirrored wall, cat attack, @dozegree…

Mike gives a recap of his recent road trip through the South. Topics discussed include: The Silver Skillet in Atlanta, heavy police presence, Little 5 Points, The Clothing Warehouse, poster sale at Swag Shop in Edgewood, @killermike (Run The Jewels), active shooter, barber shop vibes, cheap shots in plastic bottles, Benihana, the Blue Flame, smokin…

Mike gives a recap of his recent road trip through the South. Topics discussed include: Invite from Bee Gats to show with him in New Orleans, August road trip to St Louis, considering a move out of California, leaving San Diego on April 26th, 250K+ Prius, $5.29 a gallon, traveling with M, smoking joints on the highway, Campo Border Patrol Station, …

Mike has a conversation with Dr. Cole Marta and Brooke Balliett, LMFT of the California Center for Psychedelic Therapy. Recorded Sunday, April 2nd at the Center. Topics discussed include: Preparing set and setting for a psychedelic trip, dosage differences in individual people, Ego Death, surrendering to a trip, resistance, Creatives, sharpening by…

Mike recalls memories from living in San Francisco in 1996. Topics discussed include: Ben Lovejoy, apt at 8th and Geary, worst roommate ever, coke fiend girlfriend, blood splattered walls, Damon Soule, Oak Street house, anarchist John, Food Not Bombs, feeding soup to the homeless, Burning Man, Masako, internal allergy, Maseo, pulling off a daytime …

Mike continues to recall memories from living in San Francisco in 1995. Topics discussed include: 8th and Geary apartment, Kodik Joe, Clifton Carter, working at Think Skateboards, The Dirty Dildo, High Speed Productions, Conqr, RJD2, George Washington High School, Cram, regional handstyles, Club Deco, DJ Qbert, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, scratching in…

Mike recalls memories from 1995. Topics discussed include: Photographic memory, moving to 8th and Geary with Ben Lovejoy, America Online, trading porn, personal ads, Sugar Daddy, shoulder massage in the round, back door access, King Street Garage, Club Universe, raver pack, flag dancers, bathrooms at gay clubs, video sex parties, Alexandra, awkward…

Mike recalls memories from the last half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Black and grey fineline tattoos in Albuquerque in 1980, weekend flea market, Catholic and prison imagery, tattoo magazines, Guy Aitchison, biomechanical style, first tattoo, Mr. Went, jail rigs, Sharpie backpieces, Joker IHU, graffiti armband, issues with visible tattoos, G…

Giant's interview with Alysha Nett. Recorded at Alysha's home near Kansas City, MO on August 18, 2022. Includes interjections by her partner Mike Fuentes. Topics discussed include: Growing up near Wichita, creepy basements, tornados, Varsity sports, drunk at school, country girl stuff, MTV, music videos, Britney Spears, MuchMusic, Real World San Fr…

Mike recalls memories from the last half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Working at Think Skateboards, Wade Speyer, Phil Shao, pre-drawn graphics, Eric Ricks, Dan “Cancerman” Drehobl, lip tricks, High Speed Productions, Paul Zuanich, being good at one thing, Fausto Vitello, The Widowmaker, meeting Jake Phelps, skater bar, Ben Lovejoy, getting hi…

Live recording of a vinyl set by DJ Jae at The End Up in San Francisco on a Saturday night in 1994. Converted to MP3 from the original audio tape by Davis Livingstone in Boulder, Colorado in 2016 .Michael LeSage

Mike recalls memories from the first half of 1994. Topics discussed include: Living in San Francisco, working at Think Skateboards, NYE at the Fillmore, phone card numbers, Cole EMB, writing letters, weekly international calls, 5 Fulton to 15 Third, roach coach, decaf coffee, sack lunch, $375 rent, Jae, circle dancing at raves, sound/body connectio…

Mike Giant discusses his experiences in the fine art world as well as how to navigate it. Topics discussed include: Agree, Futura, graffiti writers moving into galleries, art “investors”, 1991 Albuquerque Museum mural show, connector photos, reasons to work with a gallery, stable of collectors, trusting in value, Sharpies, 50/50 split, galleries re…

Mike recalls memories from 1993. Topics discussed include: The Beach Zone, Rob Russell, sending a package of samples to Think Skateboards, Burton snowboards, Tribal Gear, ASR Trade Show in San Diego, Olé Madrid, first E high, moving to 1933 McAllister, Everlasting Tattoo, initial excitement, futon, Psycho City, skateboarding down Haight Street, har…

Recollections of my early years as a graffiti writer. Subjects discussed include: High school PE class (1988), Subway Art, Breakin’ movie, John aka Tank, Frisco Bus Style, Castoner wildstyle tags, Dan-O (aka Wizdom and Omen), The Frontier restaurant, SHARP Skinheads, exchanging blackbooks, KWS crew, racking with Agree, the Garden Section scheme, mi…

Recollections of my early years as a graffiti writer. Subjects discussed include: photographic memory, moving to New Mexico, Cholo graffiti, Breakin movie, Subway Art book, Hip Hop graffiti, Olde English font, Thailand, seeing a writer at work for the first time, Uptown SK8 Posse, Matt Linnell (Circus), Albuquerque ditches, USP, difficulties with s…

90min mix meant for moments of heavy marijuana consumption. Ambient, dub, jungle, downtempo, juke and more with spoken word from Mike Giant https://soundcloud.com/itsufo mikegiant.comMichael LeSage

Giant's interview with his old friend Justin Kerson. Recorded at Justin's home in Northern California on March 19, 2021. Topics discussed include: Growing up Marin County, Tupac, Ben Harper, Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead’s last show at Shoreline, LSD, Dark Orchestra, MoTown, Orange Sunshine Theory, the psychedelic experience, sharing tattoos, ego…

Mike speaks on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. Recorded January 17, 2021 in his studio in San Diego, California. Based on material previously published in the "Buddhist Basics" zine.Michael LeSage

Mike's interview with his old friend DJ Eldon. Recorded in Eldon's home in Albuquerque, NM on October 19, 2020. Topics discussed include: Meeting each other during the early 90s rave scene, born in 1959 in Albuquerque, growing up in a large Hispanic family, graduated top of his class at Del Norte, radio program at the University of Albuquerque, sou…

Mike's interview with his friend and mentor Wane COD. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on October 13, 2020. Topics discussed include: Agree’s tutoring, Top 3 New York writers, Wane, Hims, Know, IGT, Can Control, Ghetto Art, Bomber, Hype, Albuquerque Aerosol, Huffer, studying zines, San Diego vacation, born in London, moved to Nort…

Part two of Giant's interview with his friend Joy Shannon. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on July 5, 2020. Topics discussed include: Ed Hardy changing sanitation standards in tattooing, latex gloves, the Old Timer Splotch, tattooing in photo booth, re-using needles, Crown Needles, cartridge needles, loupe, fineline tattooing, ca…

Part one of Giant's interview with his friend Joy Shannon. Recorded in Mike's studio in San Diego, California on July 5, 2020. Topics discussed include: Culture magazine, art/music writing, offering a tattoo apprenticeship, growing up in Santa Ana, early years in Chicago, Irish bloodline, Celtic art, history of Celtic tattooing, tattooed mummies, V…

Giant's interview with his old friend Tony Bonetti. Recorded at Tony's home in Sunnyvale, CA on Sunday, June 14, 2020. Topics discussed include: Ramon Altorre, tattoo trip to New Mexico, ultra violence, San Jose, the Tech Boom, initial links to the tattoo world, The Skullz Press storefront, being an excellent tattoo collector, Chris Trevino, “A Tat…

Mike presents a guided meditation in the Vipassana tradition over a digital mix he made featuring tracks by Steve Roach. Recorded April 20, 2020 by DJ Artistic at Lower Left Studios in San Diego, California.Michael LeSage

Mike presents a mix of jazz vinyl records featuring outstanding percussion. Recorded on Monday April 13, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA. Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”) Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Mosaic, “Mosaic” Max Roach, Bitter Sweet, “Mendacity” John Coltrane, The Africa brass Sessions - Vol. 2, “A…

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, choir, synths, soundtracks, dub and breaks. Recorded on Monday April 13, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA. Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”) DJ Rap, Proper Talent 001, “Get Under” LTJ Bukem, Suspended Space, “Suspended Space” Underground Crew, Jungle Warfare, “Melody …

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, choir, synths, soundtracks, dub and breaks. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA. Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”) Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi, “Koyaanisqatsi" Nightmares on Wax, Smoker’s Delight, "Nights Introlude" Jean Michel Jarre, Oxygene,…

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, synths and breakbreat vinyl records. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA. Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”) Ice-T, The Iceberg, "Shut Up, Be Happy" (featuring Jello Biafra) Digital, Portica Recordings, “Clipper" Soundmurderer & SK-1, Rewind Re…

Mike presents an eclectic mix of spoken word, synth and breakbeat vinyl records. Recorded on Monday April 6, 2020 by DJ Artistic at the Lower Left Studio in San Diego, CA. Playlist: (Artist, Album, "Track Title”) Yogananda, Chants and Prayers, "God, Christ, Gurus” Kitaro, Ki, “Sun” The Orb - Orbsessions Volume Two, “Shem Version” Sixtoo, Antagonist…

Michael LeSage

Michael LeSage

Giant's interview with Dave Persué, a fine artist based in San Diego, California. Recorded in their studio in Miramar on Monday, October 23, 2019. Topics discussed: Per-Sway, growing up in San Diego, Star Wars, sports, getting forced outside to play, drawing, Nikol Schattenstein, William Randolf Hearst, inspirational mother and grandmother, absent …

Giant's interview with Mike Maxwell, a fine artist based in San Diego, California. Recorded in Giant's studio in Miramar on Monday, October 21, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in El Cajon, isolation fostering creativity, discovering graffiti as an early teen, Tower Records, 1990s graffiti magazines, childhood drawing inspirations, readin…

Giant's interview with Bobby Ruiz, owner of Tribal Streetwear. Recorded in Mr. Ruiz’s office at the Tribal headquarters in San Diego, California on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960s, Hacienda Heights, moving to south San Diego in 1972, initial exposure to lowriding, skateboarding, gang cult…

Giant's interview with Francisco Agudo, a tatttooer and fine artist currently based in Los Angeles. Recorded in Francisco's guest house in Mid City, Los Angeles on July 5th, 2019. Topics discussed include: growing up in the East Bay, writing graffiti at 12 years old, playing with freight trains, the late 1990s Bay Area graffiti scene, youth sports,…

Giant's interview with Deb, a fine artist and muralist from Australia, currently based in Los Angeles. Recorded in a guest house in Mid City, Los Angeles on July 4th, 2019 during the set-up for a party. Topics discussed include: a difficult birth, growing up in Melbourne, art programs in private/public school, vandalizing desks, anorexia, recovery,…

Giant's interview with Leo Gonzales, a tattoo artist and fine art painter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Recorded in Mr. Gonzales' home on June 30, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in Pojoaque, NM, drawing at 2 years old, replicating Disney characters, Garfield, Prince Valiant, Dungeons and Dragons, The Hobbit, browsing book and album …

Giant's interview with Mike Peters, a custom automotive fabricator based in Denver, Colorado. Recorded in Mr. Peters' garage in Northglenn, Colorado on May 12, 2019. Topics discussed include: Moving to San Diego from Denver in 1983, skateboarding, running into cars, litho printing in high school, hot rod/custom family, car shows in the 1980s, lowri…

Mike's interview with Jeremy Fish, an artist based in San Francisco, California. Recorded at Black Book Gallery in Denver, Colorado on April 14, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in the Northeast, Saratoga Springs, smuggling, art teachers, winter activities, crafty moms, Lee J. Ames, Hip-Hop, DJ Pink Panther, BMX, skateboarding, Caroline S…

Mike's interview with Derek Keenan, an artist based in Denver, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's home in Boulder, Colorado on March 31, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in Arvada (Colorado), ’57 Chevys, learning from older siblings, organized sports, skateboarding, BMX bikes, Yellow Designs, DIY entrepreneurship, art education, Colorado Instit…

Mike's interview with Derick Montez, a tattoo artist based in San Francisco, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Boulder, Colorado on March 15, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in the North Valley of Albuquerque, drawing, attention to detail, skateboarding, browsing at magazine racks, Scribble mag, graffiti writing at 12 years old, pur…

Mike interviews Damon Soule, a fine artist based in Grass Valley, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Bouler, Colorado on February 15, 2019. Topics discussed include: Live painting at Mirus Gallery in Denver, collaborating with Oliver Vernon and Mars1, the Denver art scene, growing up in Atlanta in the 1970s, H.R. Puffnstuff, childhood influence…

Part two of Mike's interview with Damon Soule, a fine artist based in Grass Valley, California. Recorded in Mike's home in Bouler, Colorado on February 15, 2019. Topics discussed include: The dead junkie, The Pork Store, hiding from cops, pot brownies, climbing out of closets, cafe/salon shows, drawing on discarded blueprints, Art World tiers, Juxt…

Mike interviews Ben Lovejoy, a creative director based in Boulder, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 30, 2019. Subjects include: growing up in Massachusetts, breakdancing, skateboarding, leaving high school early, working as a janitor, Innerskate 91, skate camp, the New England Hardcore scene, “friendship books”, Dave Schrie…

Part two of Mike's interview with Ben Lovejoy, a creative director based in Boulder, Colorado. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 30, 2019. Subjects include: Spacegallery, Robert Goldberg, starting an ad agency, tattoos, sobriety, meditation, Dharma Punx, Waldorf Roulette, Boulder, cycling, live speaking, “Scream to Meditate”, the Gaia…

Mike interviews Rebecca Ashley, a tattoo artist based in Denver. Recorded in Mike's studio in Boulder on January 8, 2019. Topics discussed include: Growing up in rural Connecticut, drawing dragons, moving to Georgia, bias in teaching, Psycho Tattoo, Neurosis, heavy metal’s connection to classical music, getting started in the tattoo business, Pearl…