Features

Bringin' down the house
What happens to the world's largest gingerbread house once all the pictures are taken and the officials from the Guinness Book of World Records go home? (01/05/2007)

The session's in session
State lawmakers open the 2007 legislative session. Reporter Nikki Tundel talks with MPR political editor Mike Mulcahy about what might be in store for Minnesota and Minnesotans. (01/02/2007)

North Korea by the numbers
North Korea likes to release photos of its pristine streets and patriotic citizens. But sometimes a picture isn't worth a thousand words. (12/12/2006)

The Top 79
It's that time of year when people can't help but compile lists. The top movies of the year. The top songs of the year. The top reality shows of the year. Today the Iraq Study Group offered up its contribution: the top 79 recommendations for U.S. policy in Iraq. (12/06/2006)

Airlines restore perks - for some
As many air travelers see in-flight amenities disappear, some passengers are being showered with perks. (12/05/2006)

Get into the holiday spirit
When it comes to December holidays, Christmas gets most of the attention. But this month also marks the official celebrations of hamburgers, gazpacho and the game of Bingo. (12/04/2006)

Working in a war zone
The Darfur region of Sudan has been called everything from "a powder keg" to "the next Rwanda." So just who would choose to work there? (11/28/2006)

Amy Sedaris - I Like You
On Nov. 15, Mary Lucia hosted The Current Fakebook with special guest Amy Sedaris. Sedaris is best known as an actress and television writer, but she also enjoys making crafts, cooking and entertaining. Those are the passions that lead to her new book, "I Like You." But during the evening, Amy confessed that she hasn't been entertaining much lately which makes it awkward to stay at someone else's home. (11/22/2006)

Yes, Virginia, there is a possible epidemic
The bird flu might have fallen off the front page. But don't be fooled into thinking all's good. (11/17/2006)

Patriotism in plush
Some people show their support for the troops with bumper stickers or American flags. Others rely on Beanie Babies. (11/13/2006)

Looking for meaning in the midterms
The 2006 midterm elections are over. What happens next? Reporter Nikki Tundel asked editor, blogger and Current newsman Bob Collins to offer his insight. (11/03/2006)

Political parlance
Sure, you could turn to political scientists for pre-election analysis. But why? In honor of the midterm elections, reporter Nikki Tundel convinced editor, blogger and Current newsman Bob Collins to sit down for an interview. (11/06/2006)

Campaign 2006: The voters speak
For more than a year, we've heard plenty of pundits talk about what the voters think. Now it's time to hear from the voters. Nikki Tundel and MPR News talked with several voters in the region to find out whom they intend to vote for in various races and why. (11/01/2006)

How does an anarchist view election season?
Political candidates seem to have commandeered the airwaves. Neighborhoods are thick with lawn signs. And television ads extol the virtues of voting. What's an anarchist to do? (10/30/2006)

Can candidates really deliver what they promise?
Most political candidates don't deliberately make pledges they can't keep. It's just that they don't know any better. (10/23/2006)

Accentuate the negative
Negative campaign ads have been blamed for low voter turnout and political apathy. But some say they actually play an important role in the democratic process. (10/20/2006)

Finding literature in lost letters and lists
Davy Rothbart is a writer and storyteller who started Found magazine - a magazine made up of notes, photos, grocery lists and other stray pieces of paper found where forgotten things drift. (10/19/2006)

Vote of confidence?
If there's ever an acceptable time to approach complete strangers and question them about their personal politics, it's right now. (10/16/2006)

If we build it, they won't come
Something there is that doesn't love a wall - at least according to poet Robert Frost. Still, people have always looked to walls for protection. (10/13/2006) (10/10/2006)

Afghanistan by the numbers
American-led troops invaded Afghanistan in 2001. It took them just 66 days to topple the Taliban government in Kabul. Yet five years later, the war rages on.
(10/09/2006)

Giant Robot gets big
Giant Robot put the spotlight on Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan and Jet Li years before they were in mainstream America's vocabulary. But Giant Robot is much more than a promoter of Asian pop culture. (10/06/2006)

Related stories
American Radioworks: Japan's Pop Power

Tapes 'n Tapes top MN Music Awards
The 26th annual Minnesota Music Awards were held Sunday night in Minneapolis. The awards recognize virtually every sector of popular music in Minnesota. (10/02/2006)

Of Gatsby's wonder
The Great Gatsby. It's on everyone's short list of great American novels. This week at the Walker Arts Center, the theater company Elevator Repair Service brings F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel to life on stage. (09/21/2006)

"The Evening Call" in the morning hours
A journalist once said of Greg Brown's music, "it's fixed in American mythology, cars, wandering, loneliness,love, innocence and the loss of it." (09/15/2006)

Where books go to die
Minnesota writer David Treuer's new book, "The Translation of Dr. Apelles," is set in a location "where books go to die." Oddly, it's also a love story. (09/26/2006)

Bias on the brain
Democrats like to call Republicans irrational. Republicans say Democrats ignore the facts. A new study finds there's truth to both arguments. (09/18/2006)

Making it Macy's
Last year, Federated Department Stores bought May Department Stores. Federated will relaunch all of the Marshall Field's stores it bought from May's, rebranding them under its Macy's label. Should we care? (09/07/2006)

Star-spangled state fair
The Minnesota State Fair is awash in American flags. Apparently, nothing brings out patriotism quite like a barn full of pigs and bucket full of chocolate chip cookies. (08/30/2006)

The Last Side Show
Where have all the bearded ladies gone? There used to be over 100 traveling sideshows in the United States. Now there's just one. (08/28/2006)

Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips
Wayne Coyne, the most dapper man in rock n' roll, joined Mary Lucia in front of a soaking wet crowd of fans at the Minnesota State Fair to discuss animal costumes, Jimmy Page's otherworldly presence, and why he considers the Midwest to be the best place to live. (08/24/2006)

Katrina by the numbers
It's been nearly a year since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast. How do you sum up the largest natural disaster in U.S. history? (08/16/2006)

Jay Heikes and Ordinary Culture
Jay Heikes moved to Minneapolis from Ann Arbor in the late nineties. He played in some rock bands, worked at a local print shop and tried to make it as an artist. He then did what a lot of artists do; he went to grad school and scraped by financially. But then something happened to him that doesn't happen to a lot of other artists: He got into the Whitney Biennial. (08/08/2006)

Insecurity in the pipeline
A small leak shuts down the country's biggest oil field. And you thought the world's dwindling energy supply was only threatened by hurricanes and civil unrest. (08/08/2006)

The gift of life -- on the Internet
You can get pretty much anything on the Internet these days. Cheap shoes. Used futons. A husband. And now people are turning to the Web to find kidneys and livers. (08/07/2006)

The Raconteurs - Live from First Avenue
People like to call them a "super group." And that's understandable considering the band is comprised of Jack White of the White Stripes and singer/songwriter Brendan Benson as well as Greenhornes bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. (08/04/2006)

War effort -- or lack of effort?
According to the popular saying, war is sacrifice. The war in Iraq asks U.S. troops and their families to make sacrifices both large and small. But just what are those on the homefront sacrificing? (08/01/2006)

No sign of a cease-fire
After fifteen days of fighting, the battle between Hezbollah and Israel rages on. (07/26/2006)

A conversation with Lizz Winstead
Comedian and writer Lizz Winstead is most famous for co-creating The Daily Show, but she got her start doing stand up here in the Twin Cities. (07/21/2006)

Success is frickin' hard
Chris "Doc" Wyatt and Sean Covel wanted to make little movies when they graduated from film school. They did make a little movie - it's called Napoleon Dynamite - but somehow it became a huge hit. So how do you follow up on that success? (07/19/2006)

Policy and a Pint: Elections 101
We all know that politics and money "go together." The conventional wisdom says that it takes money to get elected.. But does more money always mean a better chance of winning? (07/13/2006)

Iraq by the numbers
A picture may be worth a thousand words. But sometimes it's the numbers that help us make sense of a situation. (07/14/2006)

Copy cats -- and dogs
Ten years ago, a little lamb named Dolly was born. And things haven't been the same since. (07/08/2006)

Midwest Marvels
Regional travel expert and author Eric Dregni takes the reader on a slightly off-center tour of the bizarre and beautiful across the midwest. (07/07/2006)

Celebrating citizenship
Is it cliché to do a story about immigrants becoming official U.S. citizens on the Fourth of July? Maybe. But is that a bad thing? (07/03/2006)

I always feel like somebody's watching me
Remember that eighties song "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell? It turns out Rockwell was right. (06/30/2006)

First comes love. Then comes marriage?
Countries around the world have been debating gay marriage for years. President Bush has addressed the topic a number of times. And it's a rare day when the issue doesn't show up in the newspaper. But is same-sex marriage the most important issue in the gay community? (06/27/2006)

In so many words
Word up, diddy. You just made your way into the Oxford English Dictionary. The foremost authority on words announces its newest additions. (06/22/2006)

Imogen Heap in concert
Listen to The Current broadcast of Imogen Heap's May 23 Varsity Theater performance. The show features music from Heap's most recent release "Speak For Yourself." (Photo courtesy Vicky Dawe)
Listen (128k mp3)
Listen (RealAudio)

Do you hear what I hear?
A high-pitched tone marketed by a British security company to repel teenagers has found a new use as a ringtone adults can't hear. (06/20/2006)

How AIDS changed American culture
It was 25 years ago this summer that the first cases of AIDS were reported. Since then, the virus has taken 25 million lives worldwide. But the impact of AIDS has also reached beyond the realm of human health. The disease has transformed American culture. (06/16/2006)

Your so-called life
Some say video games simply offer players an escape from reality. But one Twin Cities futurist is convinced today's popular programs can enrich life far from the computer screen. (06/06/2006)

Author Jonathan Balcombe
Scientist Jonathan Balcombe studies animal behavior and believes that if we open our eyes and really look at animals, we can see that they are individuals with a complex array of feelings. (05/25/2006)

Organics go mainstream
Organic foods are more popular than ever. But are the ideals of the organic movement still alive? Or has the term "organic" just become part of the sales pitch? (05/24/2006)

You'll never be as happy as you are now
Imagine how happy you would be if you won ten million dollars. Now imagine how unhappy you would be if you lost your leg. Guess what? According to Daniel Gilbert, your level of happiness probably wouldn't change that much. (05/23/2006)

Paper or plastic?
The question is simple: paper or plastic? But choosing the right answer can be complicated. Just what is the impact of the choice you make in the checkout line? (05/08/2006)

Rounding home?
The Minnesota Twins continue on their quest for a new stadium. (05/01/2006)

How should we treat our enemies?
A local historian says the way the United States treats its prisoners of war has changed drastically since World War II. (04/24/2006)



Post-punk poet Richard Hell
Richard Hell, the man credited as being at the forefront of the first wave of East Coast punk rock, is now a poet and novelist. His latest book of poetry titled "Godlike" is set primarily in the East Village of New York, circa 1972. (04/20/2006)



Chris Walla
Chris Walla is more than just the guitarist and keyboardist for the band Death Cab for Cutie. He's also their un-official spokesman and producer. The Current's Mary Lucia spoke to Walla about his other projects and his current tour. (04/20/2006)



The Future of Minnesota's Environment
We all know we should "reduce, reuse, recycle" - but what effects do the choices we make as individuals and the policies we make as a state have on Minnesota's environment? Steve Seel discussed these topics with Larry Baker, Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota's Water Resources Center, Kristin Nelson, assistant professor for the Department of Forest Resources and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and John Curry, campaign director for the Minnesota Campaign for Conservation.
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Share ways you conserve energy
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One man. Three epics. Sixty Minutes.
Actor Charles Ross began performing a solo interpretation of Star Wars at fringe festivals a couple of years ago. It has since expanded to include "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." He now tours around the country, entertaining geeks everywhere. (04/20/2006)

Your life during a pandemic
Even if you survive a bird flu pandemic, life won't be easy. It's vital to have plans in place to keep societies from falling into chaos. (04/17/2006)

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been touring to support their new record, "Show Your Bones", a mellower but still hard-rocking sophomore effort that, Karen O explains, was not written about her cat. (04/16/2006)

Talkin' about immigration
The state Capitol was the site of two immigration rallies this weekend. Minnesotans came out in support of immigrants' rights as well as limited immigration. (04/11/2006)

Global Warming: Coming Soon to a City Near You?
Many scientists say climate change is the most severe problem the world is facing today. (04/05/2006)

The rise and fall of the United States
America is heading for disaster. At least that's what author and political commentator Kevin Phillips thinks. (04/05/2006)

Come fly with me
The H5N1 virus has killed people in seven countries and infected birds in more than 40 nations. Reporter Nikki Tundel freaks out host and self-proclaimed hypochondriac Mary Lucia with the latest update on the bird flu. (03/29/06)

Minnesotan defends a Rwandan accused of genocide
Nikki Tundel talks with Mary Lucia about how Minnesota lawyer Peter Erlinder approaches his role in defending a Rwandan military officer accused of genocide. (03/24/06)
About Peter Erlinder


South by Southwest
Mary Lucia hosted a badge-free and surprise-filled band showcase at South by Southwest. We had live broadcasts online and on-air, and writer Keith Harris updated us during the conference as well. Check out the performance archive to hear live songs, download mp3s from the artists, and learn more about our South by Southwest bands.
SXSW performance archive
Keith Harris Blogs SXSW
Minnesota bands descend on SXSW

Jim Derogatis and the long-lived "Lips"
Music critic Jim DeRogatis thinks that only a few people in the rock world qualify as geniuses, and that Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips is one of those people (03/09/2006)

George Stoney - 03/01/2006
Stoney is a documentary filmmaker who helped establish public access TV in the '70s. He was also a professor at NYU until he was forced into mandatory retirement about twenty years ago at age 70. He's still out there working and learning.
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Michael Fay - 02/23/06
Mike Fay has probably the coolest job title in the world. He's an explorer. He works in Africa studying the environment. He's walked across the Congo. He just flew over the continent taking pictures of the landscape to document how human beings, mining and modernization are devastating the land. He talked with MPR's Mary Lucia about his travels.
Michael Fay Q & A
Michael Fay on Midmorning


DJ Scanner - 02/22/06
British artist Robin Rimbaud traverses the experimental terrain between sound, space, image, and form, creating absorbing, multi-layered sound pieces that twist technology in unconventional ways
DJ Scanner in studio



The Greatest Songs for Valentine's day
Mark Wheat and Danny Sigelman each played the music to best suit your mood this Valentine's Day. Mark presented "The Greatest Love Songs of All Time" on air, while Danny Sigelman presented "The Greatest Break-Up Songs of All Time" online. Thanks to everyone who sent in requests!

Complete playlists with audio

Mark Wheat discusses the greatest love songs with Midday's Gary Eichten
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MPR's Midday

Policy and a Pint
The Current and the Citizens League presented author Tamara Draut and MPR's own Chris Farrell in a discussion about Draught's new book "Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-somethings Can't Get Ahead."
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Buy the book

From the Mekons to the death penalty - 02/08/06
Jon Langford, former lead singer of the punk band the Mekons, was in town for his show "The Executioner's Last Songs" at the Walker Art Museum. This performance is a blend of concert, spoken word, and visuals about the death penalty.
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Jim Dayton named one of America's top young architects - 02/06/06
One local architect is making sure that at least some of the new lofts in downtown Minneapolis are more than just a condo with a hipper name. Architect Jim Dayton changed the old Bookmen warehouse into sleek, bright units perfect for child-free folks.
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Red House Records' president Bob Feldman dies
Red House Records president Bob Feldman, a champion of folk music who quit teaching 20 years ago to devote himself to his independent label, has died. He was 56.
Continue reading
Morning Show tribute
Dale Connelly: A Friend Indeed

Jim Walsh - 01/03/06
The City Page's Jim Walsh talks with Mary about notable events in the past year and what makes the Twin Cities special in the musical landscape.
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Steve Rudolph - 01/03/06
What do "Welcome to the Jungle," "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and Gary Glitter have in common? They're all songs heard at sporting events throughout the Twin Cities. Steve Rudolph is responsible for picking the music at many of the professional and collegiate sporting events here in the Twin Cities, and he explained some of the rationale that goes into the song choices.
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Twelve Discs of Christmas - 11/20/05
The holidays are always filled with new music, but what music will make the perfect gift? In this one-hour special, New York Times music critic Kelefa Sanneh and Spin Magazine's Will Hermes talk with Mary Lucia about their picks for the music lover on your list (or for yourself).
View Web site

Singing in the Shadow of AIDS - 11/27/05
In 2004, journalist Jonah Eller-Isaacs spent six months traveling alone through sub-Saharan Africa. While living with local families and working with newfound friends, he recorded music of a surprising nature. He found that residents were using music as an effective tool in fighting HIV and AIDS.
View Web site

Jeff Tweedy - 11/06/05
The Wilco frontman sat down with The Current's Mary Lucia during the soundcheck. He talked about life as a musician and a father and pondered the nature of celebrity worship.
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Hard-won harmony: a conversation with Ben Lee - 10/31
While many of us hit our 30s still unsure who we'll be when we grow up, there are a few lucky individuals who are called early and go toward a seemingly prescribed destiny. Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee is, without a doubt, one of those lucky few. MPR's Sally McGraw talked to Ben about his new album and making peace with his countrymen. (Photo: C. Taylor Crothers)
Read MPR News feature


Policy and a Pint
The Current presented another Policy and a Pint on October 24, 2005 at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, along with partners for the event, The Citizens League and The Onion. The topic was "Community and Catastrophe: Building the Best While Preparing for the Worst" and the guests were Greater Twin Cities United Way President and CEO Lauren Segal and Dan Johnson, Executive Director of Homeland Security for Minnesota.
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Monica Sheets 10/12
The Twin Cities artist Monica Sheets has created three temporary tattoos, each illustrating a powerful force in our country: "The Church," "The Corporation," and "The State." Now she just needs a thousand or so people to slap them on and record their experiences on her website.
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Official Web Site

The Physics of Superheros
It's an argument that goes back for decades: When the Fantastic Four's Invisible Woman becomes transparent, does she go blind?

Well, it's actually an argument that probably goes on only among a very select crowd. James Kakalios, a science professor at the University of Minnesota, says we can actually learn some things about science from comics. He's written a whole book about it called "The Physics of Superheroes."
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Buy Book

Zak Sally - 9/28
Zak Sally is best known for playing bass in the Minnesota band Low since the mid-nineties. But he also has another love besides music: making comic books. He started a new publishing imprint called Le Mano. He'll release works by other artists and continue his own work. He just won the Ignatz Award for "Best Comic Collection" for Recidivist.
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La Mano Web site

Chuck Klosterman - 8/9
Rock journalist and pop-culture philosopher Chuck Klosterman talked with Mary Lucia about his new book Killing Yourself to Live.
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David Schimke - 8/8/05
When does a sound become noise? What's music to one person is noise to someone in the car next to you. David Schimke thinks that we should try to think of sound pollution like we do other pollution.
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League of Extraordinary Fringers - 8/5/05
The Minnesota Fringe Festival's bloggers spoke with The Current about their picks for this year's festival.
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League of Extraordinary Fringers

Rik Rippe - 8/4/05
One of the over 150 acts at this year's Fringe Festival is "Glorious Noise," a one-man show by Rik Reppe. He just moved to Minnesota from California this past winter after getting to know the Twin Cities after being in the 2003 Fringe Festival.
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Minnesota Fringe Festival

Chuck Close - 7/21/05
Artist Chuck Close's show opens at the Walker July 24th. He's been creating giant portraits - some nine feet across - for thirty years. He tells Mary Lucia that he didn't set out to create portrait after portrait of himself.
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Chuck Close has big heads (MPR News)

Extra: Patrons react to Chuck Close's painting "Frank"
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Musicapolis - 7/20/05
Marianne Combs discusses the new exhibit at the Minnesota Center for Photography "Musicapolis" which includes 40 years worth of photographs from local music shows.
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Capturing the rock moment (MPR News)

Fifty Songs for Fifty States
89.3 The Current celebrated the Fouth of July with a musical road-trip from sea to shining sea. Moving through the states in alphabetical order, we played at least song for each. Along the way, we stopped to profile some key cities that have helped make American music what it is today.
See the playlist and listen to the entire set

Sound Garden
Two local artists will be asking us to reconsider the racket of everyday at Sound Garden, an outdoor event celebrating noises of all kinds at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
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Walker Art Center

David Isay - 6/30/05
David Isay is the man who dreamed up StoryCorps, a group traversing the country collecting everyday stories from everyday Americans. His goal is to record 250,000 interviews by 2014.
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David Isay on Midmorning
MPR: StoryCorps
Ghetto Life 101

Nile Greenberg - 6/29/05
MTV's "Made" features Minneapolis high school sophomore Nile Greenberg. His dream? To be a freestyle rapper.
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MC Blizzard sample

Quinton Skinner - 6/27/05
Even the most saintliest of us have family members who bug us. In his novel "14 Degrees Below Zero," Minneapolis writer and City Pages theater critic Quinton Skinner explores what happens when a man steps over the line when he tries to change people.
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Gary Hines - 6/17/05
Minnesota's own Grammy award winning group "Sounds of Blackness" will be performing this weekend for the annual Juneteenth Festival in Minneapolis' Theodore Wirth Park. Musical director Gary Hines spoke with Mary about the musical group and their involvement with the event.
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Michael Cunningham - 6/14/05
Author Michael Cunningham has received a good deal of critical attention for his Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Hours." Cunningham has a new book out called "Specimen Days," which consists of three stories in which we meet the same three characters but in three very different settings.
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Literary Friendships Web site

Kenneth Turan - 6/3/05
L.A. Times and NPR Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan is the guy who's opinion is the deciding factor for many people. He's in town for a Regis dialogue with director Alexander Payne (director of Sideways) at the Walker Arts Center. He starts off by explaining why he likes Alexander Payne's movies so much.
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Desdemona - 5/31/05
Intermedia Arts center in Minneapolis is hosting "B-Girl Be: A Celebration of Women in Hip Hop." This summit features local, national, and international girls and women in hip hop. One local hip-hop artist who will be performing is Desdemona, and she spoke with Mary Lucia about the festival and her own work.
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Kathryn Haddad - 5/27/05
When local writer Kathryn Haddad was growing up in the Twin Cities, she felt there wasn't a good artistic outlet for expressing her experiences as an Arab-American. So she helped found Mizna, an organization committed to promoting Arab-American culture. The organization now publishes a literary journal, and it regularly holds events in the Twin Cities that showcase Arab-American writers.
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Julie Caniglia - 5/27/05
Have you noticed this growing trend on newsstands lately? There are magazines that are actually part magazine, part catalog. It started with "Lucky," which calls itself "The Magazine About Shopping." But it now seems that Lucky was only the beginning. Well, writer Julie Caniglia noticed this too, and decided to look into it. Her piece about "magalogs" appears in the current issue of The Rake.
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Rick Fuller/JoLynn Garnes - 5/23/05
If you're familiar at all with The Flaming Lips, you know that they're one of the most wonderfully creative and insane bands of the past few decades. The new documentary "The Fearless Freaks" follows The Flaming Lips across the years. Producer Rick Fuller and editor JoLynn Garnes hail from Minneapolis.
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Jeremiah Creedon - 5/19/05
Technology and pharmaceuticals enable us to alter our bodies and minds in many ways - whether that involves using devices that let the blind see or taking beta-blockers for performance jitters. But some people worry that in our attempts always to improve human performance, we might be losing touch with what it means to be human. That's the focus of a series of articles in the May/June issue of Utne magazine. Jeremiah Creedon was the section editor for the series.
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Joanna Priestly - 5/12/05
Filmaker Joanna Priestly has been dubbed "The Queen of Independent Animation." She was in town for a talk and screening of her films at the Walker Art Center as part of the Walker's annual "Women With Vision" film festival.
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Adam Mansbach - 5/11/05
"Angry Black White Boy" by Adam Mansbach tells the story of a character who's white but who identifies passionately with black politics, music and culture. The character, Macon Detornay, draws national attention by advocating for a National Day of Apology, where whites would apologize to Blacks for past offenses.
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Jake Slichter - 5/4/05
Jake Slichter is the drummer from Semisonic and the author of the memoir "So You Wanna Be a Rock n Roll Star?" It's coming out in paperback next week. Slichter chatted with Mary Lucia about the transition from acclaimed musician to acclaimed author.
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Kara McGuire - 4/28/05
If you're just heading out into the workforce, you may not know where to begin with your job search. Sound Money's Kara McGuire spoke with job recruiters to find out what common mistakes job seekers make, and what can be done to stand out from the pack.
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Todd Solondz - 4/27/05
Director Todd Solondz was in town for the Twin Cities premiere of his new thought-provoking film Palindromes. The movie opens May 7th at the Lagoon Cinema in Uptown Minneapolis.
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Douglas Ewart - 4/21/05
Jazz fans will tell you sax player Ornette Coleman transformed their music. He pioneered the "free jazz" movement, breaking away from traditional jazz improvisations based on chord changes. His work dramatically changed the musical landscape in the 1950's. This weekend there's a big event at the Walker Arts Center honoring Ornette Coleman. It's called Festival Dancing in Your Head. Coleman himself will perform, as will musicians he's inspired, including local musician Douglas Ewart. He's a composer and performer, and he also makes all sorts of crazy instruments himself. Ewart stopped by our studios to talk with Mary Lucia about Ornette Coleman's contributions to the world of music. He says Coleman satisfied something musically he had been looking for for a long time.
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Philip Glass - 4/17/05
As part of the Walker Art Center's grand re-opening, esteemed American composer Philip Glass played two solo-piano performances in the Walker's new McGuire Theater. He stopped right after walking offstage on Sunday morning to speak with Mary Lucia. Glass has a long-running relationship with the Walker Art Center, having helped open the center's pre-existing wing back in 1971.
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Philip Bither - 4/17/05
Mary Lucia spoke with Philip Bither, the Walker's Senior Curator for Performing Arts. Bither reflected on the re-opening weekend festivities, revealed some favorite moments from the Walker's performing-arts history, and looked forward to upcoming events.
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Steve Tibbets - 4/17/05
Guitarist and composer Steve Tibbets has led a quiet life here in the Twin Cities for years, but has garnered an international reputation as the purveyor of an unclassifiable brand of guitar-based experimental music. Prior to his McGuire Theater performance at the re-opened Walker, he talked with Mary Lucia about his career, his collaborations with Tibetan singer Choying Dromla, and his long-standng relationship with, as he fondly calls it, "Walter's Art Center."
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Andrew Bujalski - 4/13/05
The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival runs through this Saturday. The festival includes a host of shoestring-budget films by young up-and-coming directors, including the surprise hit, "Mutual Appreciation." That film's director, Andrew Bujalski, chatted with Mary Lucia about the nature of getting very small-budget films made - and seen.
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Sarah Vowell - 4/12/05
If you're thinking of a little vacation for this summer you could always consider touring the places where presidential assassinations took place. Writer Sarah Vowell would assure you it's well worth your time. She stopped to talk to Mary Lucia about topics ranging from her new book to the most embarrassing question she's been asked by a fan.
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Sarah Vowell on MPR's Midmorning

Greil Marcus - 4/8/05
The idea of writing an entire book around a single song would be considered a daunting task by most authors. Griel Marcus just thought it was a bad idea. However, after first refusing the project, Griel began to realize the cultural impact of "Like a Rolling Stone." It also helped that it was Griel Marcus' favorite song.

Griel spoke to Mary Lucia about the challenges of writing this book and the impact of the song.
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Joseph Scrimshaw
April Fools Day could give us license to pull the wool over your eyes with some fake news stories. But instead we choose to have local writer and actor Joseph Scrimshaw regale you with news items that are so ridiculous you might think they're fake.
20k RealAudio

Brian Newhouse - 3/24/2005
The Minnesota Orchestra has been gaining a lot of national attention lately. MPR's Brian Newhouse give some insight into what the buzz is all about, an insider's view into the world of classical music for those novices out there.
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Archiving Memory documents victims of Nazi persecution
There's a public artwork and photography installation currently on view at the University of Minnesota's Elmer L. Andersen Library through June. It's called Archiving Memory. It's a collection of wall sized photographs of Holocaust survivors and Nazi resisters. Photographer Nancy Coyne is the creator of Archiving Memory. She told the Current's Mary Lucia about the project.
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Jeff Chang - 3/7/2005
Jeff Chang talks about his book "Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Culture." His book is based on original interviews with DJs, rappers, graffiti writers, activists, and gang members and addresses the rise of hip hop from the 1960s to today.
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Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Culture

Dana Gioia, NEA Chairman - 3/3/05
Mary Lucia talks with Dana Gioia about Shakespeare, literacy in America, and the writings of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Gioia also reads one of his own poems. Hear an expanded version of Friday's on-air interview.
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your money's no good here - 2/28/05

People are talking about you, whether you know it or not. Credit reporting companies have your numbers. Sound Money's Kara McGuire discusses the new law which will allow consumers to receive a free copy of their credit report.
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the greatest love songs of all time - 2/14/05

You have spoken, Mark Wheat has answered. Here's what you deemed to be the greatest love songs of all time (that we were able to fit into five hours).
Agree? Disagree? Talk to others about the playlist.