Obligations at the Lounge

Obligations lives!!! (We were just on summer break.) Howie and Scully are back with special guest: influencer and French Quarter vintage clothing store owner Chris Olsen.  He popped into the King Room to discuss his journey into French Quarter small business advocacy and beyond.  He shares how growing up he developed a love for antiques from his father and how his previous job in advertising set him up with the tools required to advocate publicly for causes specific to the French Quarter.  He tells us the role he played in saving the French Quarter School, helping the restaurant Mona Lisa renew its lease, and drawing attention to the senseless removal of the world famous decades old Tujagues sign.  He gives us his views on the current mayoral race (spoiler: he's voting for his friend Joshua Starkman!!! JK) and explains why it is important as business owners to weigh in on politics regardless of consequences.  And if you missed his sold out Vintage Fest at House of Blues, don't worry -- he shares the news that there are more on the horizon!!!Clint Maedgen of Preservation Hall/Bingo Show/Liquidrone shares two hot tracks from his new band -- Bandapandas!!!If you like this episode and would like more, you can donate to our humble podcast on Venmo @rscully73

Singer/Songwriter, BJ's Bartender and Bestie Sabine McCalla stops by the King Room to tell Scully and Howie about her new single that just dropped on Garhole Records and the upcoming full album release.  She shares stories of growing up with Haitian activist parents, living in Africa for two years as a child, attending a service oriented university in North Carolina, having hidden fiddle and photography skills, and how she came to make New Orleans home.  Super group surf rock band (Identities undisclosed), The Helots provide two live tracks from their January 18, 2025 show a BJ's 

Rick stops by the King Room to talk to Howie and Scully about growing up in Onion Town, Hanging in Athens, GA during its heyday, being saved from certain death by the late Paris Nesbit who also wrote a song about Rick (featured mid-interview),  being forced by the law man to take an alias and hide out in 9th ward in the 90's,  regaining his sense of smell on Decatur Street around the same time he met the Morning 40's, how the Old New Orleans Rum distillery became the Morning 40 practice space and all his good times with Johnny Depp.  Conor Donohue provides to hot live tracks (stick around for the full track at the end - it fucking kills)

Queen of Krewe of Dreux (and basically the universe), Nancy Montoya pops into the King Room to talk to Howie and Scully about how much she loves the Lounge.  She shares how the late Gilbert Lopez introduced her to BJ's almost 30 years ago and how it remains dear to her heart.  She tells of being a part of helping Carlos and Dewann re-open BJ's after Katrina and how the photo of her in a boy scout uniform in front of a tank with national guard soldiers came to be.  She discusses the origins of the giant foam vagina she constructed for the "Pimps and Ho's" party she used to throw for her birthday (Breaking news: Its coming back this year!!!), how meeting Fabio at a Metairie mall in the 90's led to the creation of the Fabulous Hair Club for Men, and how she uses 70's porn as a sleep aid. 

Robin walks a block and a half from his house to join Howie and Scully in the King Room for a chat about our beloved neighborhood.  He tells how he came to New Orleans looking for inspiration many years ago and how he continues to find it; he explains what its like to play multiple instruments in several different bands including washboard with Tuba Skinny (BJ's regulars),  drums with James McClaskey (BJ's every Sunday), and violin and mandolin with his own Italian band The Gloworm Trio (every Wednesday at Vaughan's).  He shares the grueling but invigorating experience of playing the Jazz Fest and gigging every night when its done.  Scully contracts Robin -- also a blacksmith -- to forge some one of kind hooks to go under the bar and on the wall so he doesn't have to keep "hanging his coat on a nail." Howie reveals her love of bells!!!We listen to three of his own compositions recorded by Tuba Skinny.

The Boudin Man joins Howie and Scully in the King Room to discuss DJ'ing on WWOZ, restarting his father's old record label, and the importance of giving Ninth Ward musicians their due.  He tell us how as a child he spent many nights recording bands with father for Houma Records. (His mother send the kids to keep pops from being a "rascal." ) He shares how he fell in love with radio at a young age and how it taught him that money ain't everything.  He tells of his love and admiration for legendary WWOZ DJ Billy Dell and his ongoing archival project of radio show "Records from the Crypt." (We hear a little from Billy himself.) He says BJ's Lounge is his favorite music venue because "they take care of the musicians." Thanks dude!AJ provides us with three great 1960's tracks from the Houma Records reissue compilation which you can find at Euclid Records New Orleans or Good Earth Records in Bay St. Louis.

A tuxedoed "Mayor" Starkman joins Howie and Scully in the King Room for a discussion about the campaign.  Yes It is real; he will be on the ballot! He shares several of his policy proposals including elimination of liability for all corporations, encouragement of bribery, expansion of bureaucracy (it creates jobs!), and a promise that on day one he will send all Louisiana bound hurricanes to Florida.  He celebrates current Mayor Cantrell saying, "She flew so I could run!" Find out more on Instagram @starkmanformayorLater we are joined by musician and influencer Joshua Starkman who explains how and why he made New Orleans home, how he deals with the ups and downs of an online life, whether "Have a Great Day" is sarcastic or sincere, and why its important that the artist persona be multi-dimensional.James McClaskey and the Rhythm Band provide three hot live tracks!!!

Legislative Chair of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Meg Garvey joins Howie and Scully to explain why all Louisiana voters should say NO!!! to the four amendments on the March 29 ballot.  Hint: They are all a means by which Jeff Landry can further consolidate his power in an effort to  turn Louisiana into a modern feudal state. 

Fran joins Howie and Scully in the King Room to discuss how drinking a High Life at BJ's Lounge can help restore the wetlands. She shares how she once feared the "boogey man" of coastal erosion while growing up in south Louisiana. But she channeled that into action and by college she and a couple friends decided to fight back by developing their own nonprofit glass recycling company which is now producing millions of pounds of sand per year.  She explains how climate change apathy may be worse than climate denialism, what it's like to do a TED talk, the origins of the Bar Wars initiative of which BJ's is a competitor, and how she may never escape her trademark pink hair highlights.  Sabine McCalla provides two hot live tracks from her band's November 22, 2025 performance and BJ's.  

Elliot and Kate join Howie and Scully in the King Room to discuss the fight to stop the activation of the long dormant Alabo Wharf and its connecting rail lines in the lower Ninth Ward.  They explain how Sunrise Foods International (Qatar, Turkey, Canada) and Port of Orleans are fast tracking a plan that has been in the works for over a year but was only made public in September.  If the plan goes forward, they say, the historic neighborhood of Holy Cross will potentially suffer from harmful grain dust,  an active rail line running just feet from front doors, and blocked traffic throughout the neighborhood -- most notably at two points on St. Claude; there are no benefits for the community. Find out more at stopthegraintrain.comAnna Moss provided two live tracks from her amazing performance at BJ's on Friday 1/3/25