I Wish More People Were Here

About I Wish More People Were Here

"I Wish More People Were Here" would be a great epitaph for a musician. I'm a musician. Instead of being dead though, I'm doing this podcast. My name is Morgan Geer (https://drunkenprayer.com/). I perform on all sorts of stages from Albuquerque to Zagreb. On this podcast, I'm philosophizing with friends who follow their star in a drink ticket marketplace and still manage to keep the lights on, outside and in. Or don't. Fellow musicians discuss how our calling can be sustainable, physically, financially and psychically. We'll hopefully come away with insight to the effort and mentality it takes to get from the front door of a warm home to the back door of a cold bar.

Publisher

Morgan Geer

Category

arts · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

5 Feb 2026

Latest episode

11 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Oct 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Claude Coleman, Jr. (Ween)

   Ep 14 "Ain't Gonna Call Claude Coleman Jr, Junior Anymore" This episode appeared first on 9/27 at Patreon.com/DrunkenPrayer (https://www.patreon.com/c/drunkenprayer) I play bass in a Honky Tonk karaoke band and my partner in the rhythm section is Claude Coleman Jr. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Coleman_Jr.) We're responsible for hundreds of songs, and with a gig like that you get to know your co-pilot pretty well. Claude is also the world class drummer for Ween. Now he's also in Drunken Prayer, and we're going to tour the Northeast US to support the new Drunken Prayer gospel album, Thy Burdens. music: "I Think I Don't Mind" by Amandla

2. 

   27 Sept 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with The Handsome Family, pt. 2 of 2

   Episode 13: “The Family That Handsomes Together" The Handsome Family (https://handsomefamily.com/) are my favorite working band. "Far From Any Road" by The Handsome Family (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handsome_Family) is the iconic opening theme song for the first season of the HBO crime drama series True Detective. This is part 2 of 2 with the modern day pioneers of dark and surreal country music. music: "Preaching from the Hanging Tree" (unreleased) written by Morgan Geer, sung by Brett Sparks

3. 

   13 Sept 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with The Handsome Family, pt. 1 of 2

   Episode 12: “The Family That Handsomes Together" "Far From Any Road" by The Handsome Family (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handsome_Family) is the opening theme song for the first season of the HBO series True Detective (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Detective). Ringo Starr really really loves country music. I vaguely remember the first time I heard "Don't Pass Me By" off the White Album. As a little guy I inexplicably loved electric blues, but I could not get into its screeching-harpie of a cousin across the tracks. So the song was a bit of left field surprise, with the pounding drums and off-kilter, almost Cajun fiddle. I'd always thought of folk-based music as happily calcified and comfortingly predictable. But this was odd. A personal approach unconcerned with convention or pretense. I thought of that song when I heard that Ringo had bought every Handsome Family release, all at once. I saw one day that Brett Sparks of The Handsome Family was selling his antiquated drum machine. I bought the ting not knowing anything about how to use it. I just loved, and still do, their music so much I wanted some of that dark magic to rub off on me. I don't know if the Sparks ever cashed Ringo's check. https://handsomefamily.com/ (https://handsomefamily.com/)

4. 

   30 Aug 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Alex McMahon, pt. 2 of 2

   Episode 10: "Nachos for Two" There's no better musical philosopher I know than Alex McMahon (https://www.casitarecords.com/news/alex-mcmahon-exists), guitar player for The Handsome Family among others. We had such a great craic I had to break our talk into two parts. I was editing this episode, pt 2 of my conversation w Alex McMahon, when I got the news Dolly Parton passed on. Rest In Cotton, Miss Dolly. "Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them." Matthew 7:16 The Gral Brothers (https://www.desertrecords.us/artists/the-gral-brothers/) The Handsome Family (https://handsomefamily.com/) "Yellow Chimney" & "Waiting" by A McM

5. 

   23 Aug 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Alex McMahon, pt. 1 of 2

   Episode 10: "Nachos for One" Alex McMahon (https://www.casitarecords.com/news/alex-mcmahon-exists), guitarist for The Handsome Family, is a walking embodiment of the book and cover theory. He looks nice enough, probably a pleasant read, but inside his pages are bewitching stories of cosmic entropy fit for a Flannery O'Connor novel. The Gral Brothers (https://www.desertrecords.us/artists/the-gral-brothers/) The Handsome Family (https://handsomefamily.com/) "Waiting" by A McM

6. 

   15 Jul 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Matt Beveridge Bean Rizzo

   Episode 9: "The Joy of Righteous Anger" Matt Rizzo is the son of 11th Dream Day's Janet Bean and Rick Rizzo. His latest release as Horizon of Darkness (https://horizonofdarkness1.bandcamp.com/album/lightning-vs-sunshine) was recorded at The Loft in Chicago and features Spencer Tweedy (https://spencertweedy.substack.com/p/tormented-by-cologne) on drums and Mark Greenberg (https://www.intonationmusic.org/mark-greenberg) on guitar. Matt has a rare genetic disorder, Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome which - I've read - stops the brain from getting enough energy. I won't begin to try and explain, you can look it up if you're interested. Needless to say, life can be incredibly challenging. Matt is only the eighth person in the world to be diagnosed with Glut1 (https://www.g1dfoundation.org/matts-music/). He's a poet, a musician, a Special Olympic power-lifter. To say Matt has a unique perspective on the human experience is an understatement. horizonofdarkness1.bandcamp.com (https://horizonofdarkness1.bandcamp.com/) horizonofdarkness.bandcamp.com (https://horizonofdarkness.bandcamp.com)

7. 

   31 May 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Greg Amici

   Episode 8, "The Atypical Ingenuity of Greg Amici" Greg Amici is a rock and alternative singer-songwriter whose newest album, Tragicomic, blends absurdist rock, Americana, ska, folk-punk, and classic rock into a darkly witty, literary-driven sound. A Columbia-educated writer and third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Greg brings an unusual mix of storytelling craft and life experience into his music. Recently, Greg returned to music after a 16-year hiatus following a vocal injury on stage at CMJ. GregAmici.com (http://GregAmici.com) Listen to Greg's new album Tragicomic through his Bandcamp page (https://gregamici.bandcamp.com/album/tragicomic).

8. 

   10 May 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here: Mother's Day with Bebe Kern

   "Babies Don't Let Your Mamas Grow Up To Be Cowboys" For this Mother's Day episode we have this baby's mama, Ms. Bebe Kern, in the crib. From The University of Alabama's Million Dollar Marching Band through San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury scene of the late '60s, in New Orleans second line parades and Appalachian string summits, my mom is a fascinating eye-witness to music history. Believe it or not there are musicians who for one reason or another keep themselves going by just answering to the music itself and not chasing fame or income. The song is the game and they play like proud cats on the hunt, with little tunes dangling out of their mouths and word-nip in their fur. My mother is one such animal. She's as excited to find and share music as she is to play with it and eat it. And she doesn't suffer fools. Her appreciation of the primitive and arcane, and trained knowledge of theory make her one of the sharpest musicians I know and the best mentor someone like me could hope for. She instilled in me respect for the power of words, rhythm, and the 7th chord.

9. 

   3 May 2026

   I Wish More People Were Here with Jimmy Brad Ray

   Episode 6, "Jimmy Brad Takes Seriously What The Gods Meant For Fun." James Bradley Raymond: "The Pied Piper of Southern Garage Rock"; dive bar residents from NYC to Atlanta and Austin, TX know Jimmy Brad as the world's friendliest (and clumsiest) frontman, the face of Jimmy and the Teasers. To North Carolinians, he and his bands were ubiquitous darlings of Sleazefest in Chapel Hill and the Heavy Rebel 4th of July Weekender in Winston-Salem. Closer to home, for me though, he's the caretaker of Teaser Ranch, a rest stop and recording house for the exotic and mundane. Today Jimmy Brad gives us a bird's eye look at NC's ridiculously fertile rock scene. Referenced: The Tigerbeat Foundation for Musicians (https://www.upbeatatl.org/)UpBeat! is a non-profit created to provide a sense of community by assisting musicians in need. Support this podcast: www.patreon.com/c/drunkenprayer (http://www.patreon.com/c/drunkenprayer)

10. 

    19 Apr 2026

    I Wish More People Were Here with David Childers

    Episode 5, "You Never Know What's Gonna Happen When The Ball Starts Rollin'" David Childers is probably most widely known for "The Prettiest Thing (https://www.davidchilders.com/press/2017/5/2/huffington-post-an-exclusive-first-look-at-david-childers-new-album-run-skeleton-run)", a song the Avett Brothers have covered for years and a fan favorite. In North Carolina, the Mount Holly native is known as NC Music Hall of Famer, Class of '25. He's recently been working with Abe Partridge (https://abepartridge.com/the-satan-you-re-a-liars) on "The Satan, You're a Liars". I was honored to add some guitar parts to his album, Interstate Lullaby (https://www.davidchilders.com/discography). David Childers has faced death and come out joyfully on top.

11. 

    5 Apr 2026

    I Wish More People Were Here with J.D. Pinkus

    “The Ether Bunny Speaks" Easter episode JD Pinkus (https://www.jdpinkus.com/), ladies and gentlemen. He of Butthole Surfers, Melvins, Honky, Daddy Longhead and The Jackofficers. The man who drove John Paul Jones to quit drinking. His newest release, "Grow A Pear (https://shimmy-disc.com/collections/jd-pinkus)" is available on Shimmy Disc. His current mission, the Frijoliness Church of West Asheville.

12. 

    22 Mar 2026

    I Wish More People Were Here with Robert Greer

    "I Wish More People Were Geer" The Asheville based band Town Mountain (https://www.townmountain.net/) recently announced it was calling it quits and our little mountain town has only begun to wipe away its bitter bluegrass tears. I first hung out with Robert Greer at a pickin' party out in the country after a show at The Orange Peel. In this episode I talk to the lead singer, guitar player and co-founder of Town Mountain about the peaks and pitfalls of the touring game, and about his new life in Nashville, TN. I Wish More People Were Here is listener supported directly at www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer (http://www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer)

13. 

    8 Mar 2026

    I Wish More People Were Here with Janet Beveridge Bean

    "Janet Bean: Not a Carny in a Laundromat" Steve Earle! Guy Clark! Wilco! The Mekons! I Wish More People Were Here. In this episode we get to know one of Chicago's most appetizingly named performers. "Janet Beveridge Bean (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/janet-beveridge-bean-mn0000339398)" should be a household name. With Catherine Irwin (https://thrilljockey.com/products/cut-yourself-a-switch), Janet founded alt-country's famously defiant duo, Freakwater (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freakwater). They toured the world with Townes Van Zandt and had the audacity to turn down a recording deal from Steve Earle. If two dudes from the mid-west had a rootsy string band with punk rock angst in the '90s, they probably would've gotten super famous, I tell ya what. She plays drums in 11th Dream Day (https://eleventh-dream-day.bandcamp.com/music), the band she put together with Rick Rizzo in Chicago. Over the last 30 odd years the band has put out 16 albums and found themselves on Aylantic Records for a few years. They're stalwart darlings of the celebrated Chicago indie scene. Then there's The Freakons (https://freakons.bandcamp.com/album/freakons), sort of mash-up of The Mekons (https://mekons.bandcamp.com/album/horror) and Freakwater. I initially thought this going to be a Missy Elliott tribute group. It's actually inspired in part by Jon Langford (https://jonlangford.de/), who’s from Wales, and Catherine Irwin, who’s from Louisville. "Death, Earth’s destruction, and lost love either are at the forefront or lurking just under the surface of these songs like the coal that links them all." - Glide Janet Bean has toured or played with Neko Case, Nick Cave, P.J. Harvey, Murder By Death, Warren Ellis, Tortoise and Wilco. And that's just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I Wish More People Were Here is listener supported directly at www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer (http://www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer)

14. 

    22 Feb 2026

    I Wish More People Were Here with John Howie Jr.

    "John Howie Ruins Everything" In North Carolina, if you're a music fan of any stripe, you know the name John Howie Jr (https://johnhowiejrandtherosewoodbluff.bandcamp.com). John is a singer and writer who grew up in a trailer in the Wake County woods. He's a Chapel Hill stalwart inevitably bound for the NC Music Hall of Fame. He plays country music - straight, no chaser, with the soulful baritone of a backwoods Barry White. His current outfit, John Howie Jr and the Rosewood Bluff (https://johnhowiejrandtherosewoodbluff.bandcamp.com/album/the-return-of), is beloved by fans, critics, and fellow musicians. His previous band, The Two Dollar Pistols (https://www.yeproc.com/artists/two-dollar-pistols/) is known world-wide as a gold standard modern Honky Tonk Country Music. John also made a classic duets record with Tift Merritt, (https://twodollarpistolswithtiftmerritt.bandcamp.com/album/two-dollar-pistols-with-tift-merritt) and played drums with Sarah Shook and the Disarmers (https://sarahshookthedisarmers.bandcamp.com/album/sidelong), and the infamous Chapel Hill band, Snatches of Pink (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snatches_of_Pink). And he does it all sober as a judge. Now anyway. John Howie Jr on BandCamp: https://johnhowiejrandtherosewoodbluff.bandcamp.com (https://johnhowiejrandtherosewoodbluff.bandcamp.com) I Wish More People Were Here is listener supported directly at www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer (http://www.patreon.com/drunkenprayer)

15. 

    5 Feb 2026

    I'm Glad You're Here

    Introducing a self-care / philosophy podcast for musicians.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.