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We're back! On this new episode of Regarding Tampa, we catch up with friend of the show and previous guest, Gat$. We talk how the internet has affected music, his new project, and his upcoming hiatus. You can catch his last show at the Orpheum on February 9th, where he'll be opening for Isaiah Rashad.

Our guest on this episode of Regarding Tampa is the legendary Florida director and ‘godfather of grindhouse,’ William Grefé. Known for films such as Sting of Death, The Death Curse of Tartu, Stanley, and Mako, The Jaws of Death, Grefé has been writing and directing movies in and around the state for over 50 years. He’ll be in town this Saturday for a 40th anniversary screening of his film Impulse, which stars William Shatner and was shot entirely in Tampa. In our conversation with William, we talked about that film and how both filmmaking and Florida itself has changed since he made his first movie, 1963’s The Checkered Flag.

This episode is part two of our feature on the COSAC homeless shelter in Haines City, FL. In this episode we talked to Sean Canoni, the founder of the foundation and also a resident of the shelter who made the move from Hollywood to Polk County.    

This episode of Regarding Tampa is a little bit different than our usual episodes. We had the chance to live at the COSAC Foundation's Stay Plus Inn, a motel and shelter for the homeless. After being an institution in Hollywood, FL for over ten years, the city paid them 10 million dollars... just to leave. So they packed up over 150 residents and moved to a motel in Haines City. These are the stories of the people who call this place home and the ones who keep it running. 

We're back! For our first episode of this season, we sat down with Sean O'Brien, cofounder of Brokenmold Entertainment (who we previously interviewed last year) and Tom DeGeorge, the cofounder of Crowbar. In our wide-ranging conversation, we talked to them about Brokenmold and Crowbar's new Reel Deal Thursday movie series, this year's Plan B Block Party, and the shifting views and perceptions of Ybor City and the Tampa music scene.

For our first episode of 2015 we caught up with our guest from the very first episode of Regarding Tampa, local musician Jeremy Gloff. Jeremy, who turns 40 today, just released his 19th album, a greatest hits record of songs he's written since moving to Florida in 1998 called Hurricane Lullabies. We talked to Jeremy about why he decided to release a greatest hits album, the release/birthday show he's playing at New World Brewery and about what he's been up to since we last talked to him a year and a half ago.

On this episode of the show our guest is local up-and-coming rapper, Gatsby. He's been garnering attention online and in the press for his newest mixtape, Starship Jericho, which, as you might be able to tell from the title, is about life in Tampa, space and former WWE champion (and Tampa resident) Chris Jericho. We talked with Gatsby about the mixtape, the local hip hop scene and how he got his start.

Our guests on this week's episode are Chris, Susan and James from the local St. Pete punk rock band Permanent Makeup. The band, which released an album last year and a 7" this year, just got back from a tour of the midwest and are currently working on recording their new album, which should be out next year. We talked with them about touring, the local scene and about, well, music in general.

Our guest on this week's episode is Jonathan Berlin from the Jacksonville-based psych pop band Sunbears! Although they're not from Tampa, the city has almost become the band's second home as they've just released their second full-length album, Future Sounds, on the local New Granada label and play shows here multiple times every year.    We met up with Jonathan before the band's album release show at New World Brewery and talked about Future Sounds, cutting their own records with a record lathe and how they came to become so connected to the Tampa scene.

On this episode of Regarding Tampa we talk to local horror movie director Andy Lalino about the obscure Tampa-based 70's exploitation horror movie Satan's Children. Shot in the Tampa/Lutz area in 1973 by a cast and crew of WTVT 13 employees and USF theatre majors, the film never received much of a widespread release but has amassed a cult following. In our conversation with Andy we talked about the upcoming 40th anniversary screening of the film at the Tampa Theatre, how he tracked down members of the film's cast and crew, and horror movies in general. 

For our special Halloween episode, we met up with Jill Witecki, the marketing director for the Tampa Theatre. Operating nearly continuously since 1926, the Tampa Theatre is not only a beloved local landmark, but is also listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Amongst other things we talked to Jill about the Theatre's Nightmare on Franklin St. film series, local Tampa horror and the history of the Theatre and all of the work that goes into running it.

On this week's episode of Regarding Tampa we caught back up with Jesse Vance, the founder of St. Pete's own Venture Compound. In the ten months since we last interviewed him for the show the Compound has become a certified nonprofit, he has restarted his own Pangea Records label and he is currently organizing this year's St. Pete Noise Fest which takes place at the end of the month.

Our guests on this week's episode of Regarding Tampa are Phil Benito and Sean O'Brien, the founders of local concert promotion company Brokenmold Entertainment. Since starting Brokenmold in 2007, they have promoted hundreds of shows and events in the Bay Area including the Antiwarpt Festival, Lebowski Fest and the Plan B Block Party, which began last year and continues this Saturday at various venues in Ybor City. In our convesration at New World Brewery we talked to Phil and Sean about what all goes into promoting a show, how they got started, and about this year’s Plan B Block Party.

Our guests on this week's episode are the founders of History Bike Tampa, Eric and Katie Turner. History Bike Tampa, which started last year, offers free (with suggested donation) bike tours covering varying aspects of Tampa's history and culture the first Saturday of every month. We talked to Eric and Katie about how they came to start History Bike Tampa, the preparation and research that goes into each tour that they run and about their interest in Tampa's history.  

Our guest on this week's episode of Regarding Tampa is Laura Burnes, who is the founder of The Burger Online, a St. Pete-based website that covers arts and music in the Bay Area. Since its founding last December the site has become known for its monthly Artist Spotlight feature, which profiles local musicians including Zulu Wave, Sonic Graffiti and Kristopher James and has recently launched We Built This City, new monthly column to highlight the people who contribute to and help build the Bay community. We talked to Laura about making it in independent media, how the internet has affected the journalism world and just about what's currently going on in the Tampa Bay area.

On this week's episode of Regarding Tampa our guest is local artist Brandon Geurts. Brandon's unique art has drawn attention in Tampa and Orlando's metal scenes over the past couple of years and he has done pieces for well known artists including Black Sabbath, High on Fire and Marissa Nadler. In our conversation with Brandon we talked about his art and inspirations, the DIY art culture in Tampa and Orlando and the ways the internet has affected artistic exposure.

On our first episode back after a short hiatus our guests are Ariel Cortes and Michael Barrow from local Tampa indie rock band Zulu Wave. The band, which has been around since 2011, has played several high profile shows both in and out of the Bay Area including this year's Gasparilla Music Festival, WMNF's Tropical Heatwave and New York's CBGB and CMJ Festivals. In our conversation with Michael and Ariel we talked about how they got together, touring and where they can go in Tampa's music scene. We also get an exclusive listen to the song 'Mesh Head' from their upcoming album Jagorilla, which is set to be released on September 30.    

Our guests on this week's episode of Regarding Tampa are local independent wrestlers David Mercury and Eddie Taurus, who wrestle for local promotion American Championship Wrestling (ACW). We had a fun sit down with David and Eddie and talked about how they've been wrestling together for 14 years the wrestling scene in Tampa, working with legends in the ring, and how the Internet has changed the business.

Our guest on this week's episode of Regarding Tampa is Major Scott Macksam, a retired Army officer of 20 years who is an organizer for the American Soldier exhibit currently showing at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. Scott is also involved in programs helping veterans in the Tampa Bay area with health issues and finding employment and aims to start an art gallery that will showcase art created by veterans. 

On this week's episode of Regarding Tampa our guest is Tampa-based artist Natalie Kuehn. Kuehn, who recently painted the artwork for the poster of this year's Gasparilla Music Festival, is a member of the Ybor Art Colony and has had her work shown at several exhibitions in the city over the past couple of years. We sat down with Natalie to talk about her history as an artist, the Ybor Art Colony and the art scene in Tampa and some of her recent projects.