KCRW Podcasts

Fanatic! We hope you’ve been digging our summer season shows. The new Osees album, Intercepted Message is really good. Can’t wait to get the tracks onto the show for you. Civic has tour dates - https://www.civicivic.com/shows New Melenas album - https://melenas.bandcamp.com/album/ahora My new book Sic is back in print The second edition has a sligh…

This week on The Treatment, Elvis sits down with Brooklyn Sudano, daughter of disco icon Donna Summer and co-director of the new documentary “Love to Love You, Donna Summer” on Max. Next, writer Aidan Levy discusses his book on the jazz great Sonny Rollins, “Saxophone Colossus: Sonny Rollins.” And on The Treat, writer Sam Wasson talks about a “thri…

Jonathan Rosen, writer and author of “The Best Minds: The Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions,” tells the story of his childhood best friend Michael Laudor and his demonic battle with schizophrenia. The story is a cautionary tale of what can happen when good intentions lead to the worst possible outcome. Rosen describes…

Abra Berens, a native Michigander, uses peak-of-the-season fruits in a wide array of preparations. From the Underground Railroad to the Oregon Trail, KCRW's Tyler Boudreaux traces the history of the Black Republican cherry. High in sugar and acid, cherries are in full swing at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, and Clemence de Lutz has a recipe for …

On this Memorial Day, Press Play rebroadcasts some favorite interviews from the year. In South India, a couple adopts an abandoned baby elephant named Raghu, showing how humans and animals can thrive together. Author Alex Prud’homme explores the appetites of more than two dozen U.S. presidents in “Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a Hi…

As week three of the writer’s strike continues, other unions and guilds show solidarity while studios cut costs to see quarter stock increase. Plus, we revisit our long pre-strike conversation with Tony McNamara, whose viciously satirical series “The Great” has just returned for its third season on Hulu. McNamara talks about his fascination with Ca…

The Western world, in the midst of being primed for a war with China, often has a limited understanding of who this supposed enemy is. Is it a communist force ready to challenge the U.S.’s capitalist and hegemonic structure? Is it an economic ally providing an indispensable factory floor for our corporate interests? Or is it somehow a combination o…

Born and raised in Los Angeles, teenage trio Forsythia blend a heady mix of indie-pop hooks with dabs of shoegaze on their debut single “Pretty Lungs.” Each member contributes their A-game to a different aspect of music making: Eli shoots their videos, Nami designs merch, and Riley’s stage presence ups their game. Forsythia “aspire to create an env…

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally announced his bid for president. He did it on Twitter with Elon Musk, the platform’s controversial owner, and it did not go well. After 25 minutes of silence and delays, DeSantis finally gave his speech. Will the rocky start marr his campaign, or does it not matter? Then, it’s the third anniversary of George Fl…

After a record-breaking rainy season, LA’s hills are blanketed in fresh, green foliage. That’s great news for local foragers who spend their free time harvesting edible plants. A local designer, a clothing line using dyes from plants, and an environmental group are collaborating to make clothes using these invasive plants. Festive and messy jacaran…

Loquat trees seem to be everywhere in SoCal this season. Eat the egg-shaped, apricot-colored fruits fresh off trees, or use them to make jams, syrups, chutney, and more. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says debt ceiling talks are continuing with President Biden. They went better on Wednesday, but lawmakers remain “far apart” on some issues. Tina Turne…

Part of the high school graduating class of 2023, San Gabriel-based CERES began taking ukulele and vocal lessons in middle school. Music was the antidote to process complex feelings and experiences in high school, where she spent lots of time writing and crafting songs. She’s eager to begin playing around town and has recently added bass to her rep…

Last year, the state approved hundreds of millions of federal dollars to help child care providers through the pandemic. Eight months later, most payments haven't arrived. Set in California and Florida, TC Boyle’s latest novel “Blue Skies” finds humor plus hope in the climate change crisis. As the WGA strike continues, a Santa Monica-based nonprofi…

The LAPD will soon get a $280,000 robot dog that’s meant to help officers avoid dangerous and potentially violent encounters. Activists are raising privacy concerns. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launches his long-expected presidential campaign on Twitter alongside Elon Musk. The move signals a shift in the conservative media landscape. British Thomas …

Seventeen-year-old Brayden Nguyen is a junior in high school, focusing on music with an emphasis on songwriting, but his musical prowess extends beyond his years. Piano lessons started at age 5, followed by drums, keys, and guitar. His passion to create songs from his life experiences is what keeps him focused. Nguyen is a young creator to be watch…

Catalytic converter thefts more than tripled in LA County last year, and some victims are replacing the $3,000 car part just to have it stolen again. So Yun Um’s new documentary “Liquor Store Dreams” explores her upbringing in and around her family’s Hawthorne business, plus her complicated relationship with her immigrant parents. The Nickel Diner …

The Dodgers reinvited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to their Pride Night celebration, after disinviting them over conservative backlash. KCRW looks at the leveling of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Russia claims to control the once lively city, but Ukraine denies it. As California prepares for an EV future, KCRW looks at Norway, where…