Episode Details

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes John to Set Lusting Bruce for a wide-ranging conversation beyond Springsteen. John, a Miami native, describes discovering music early, teaching himself by ear, forming a high-school a cappella group that pursued recording contracts and moved from Miami to New York and Washington, DC, before he left the group around age 25 due to financial realities and marketing challenges. He discusses choosing bass guitar, being left-handed, and returning to the University of Miami by working there to complete a Classics degree and a master’s. A devoted Firefly fan, John recounts contributing to The Signal and attending Awesome Con. He then pitches his six-year Rumcast podcast, explaining rum’s global diversity, additive issues, and entry recommendations, plus their Rumcast Reserve bottlings. John answers the “Mary question.”

https://www.rumcast.com/

01:29 Meet Jon and Tonight’s Topics

02:03 Early Music Spark

03:05 Musical Home and Learning by Ear

05:45 High School A Cappella Crew

07:08 Chasing the Dream to NYC

08:15 MTV Karaoke and Record Deals

09:35 When to Walk Away

13:01 Parents Support and Band Fallout

15:33 Marketing Challenges and Aftermath

16:53 Why Bass Guitar

19:15 Reinventing Through College

21:50 Classics and Love of Latin

24:24 Firefly Fandom Begins

27:24 The Signal and Early Podcasting

30:09 Awesome Con Trip

31:40 Panels and Fandom Fun

32:37 Rumcast Origin Story

36:20 Rum Rules and Additives

41:13 Starter Rum Picks

45:54 Firefly Podcast Pact

46:19 Animated Firefly Hopes

49:48 Why Firefly Endures

52:30 Rumcast Reserve Update

53:26 Thunder Road Mary

56:04 Wrap and Housekeeping

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