Derek John

Indie rocker Mitch Davis recently got to collaborate with his childhood idol: 80's guitar hero Billy Squier. Davis performs as Orba Squara -- his new album features Squier and brings everything full circle. Produced by Studio 360's Derek ...

Black is not just a skin color; it's a quality of voice. Sarah Jones, the Tony Award-winning performer, talks with linguist John McWhorter about what it means to sound black today. They look at how Barack Obama has used his "blaccent" to drive audiences wild. Produced ...

New York, NY —

The movie "Manhatta" was released back in 1920. It was a silent, black and white film, only six minutes long, with ground-breaking photography that captured the rapidly expanding metropolis. Now, almost 90 years later two filmmakers, have created a modern homage to "Manhatta" that showcases ...

Graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister's favorite album cover of all time is one of Warhol's notorious designs: The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers, with the fully operational zipper. Produced by Derek John. And Cale reveals Warhol's inspiration for the Velvet Underground's signature banana cover.

Gene Winfield has been creating futuristic cars for nearly 50 years, including the vehicles in "Blade Runner" and the Delorean in "Back to the Future." At 82, he's still working. Studio 360’s Derek John headed into the Mojave Desert to see Winfield's custom hot rod ...

'No Particular Place to Go' as Chuck Berry sang in 1964 is as good a metaphor as any to describe the current plight of the U.S. auto industry. It was just announced that the once mighty Pontiac is no more, and at least two of the Big Three are in serious danger of being relegated to museum status. Ironically, a museum is where I recently saw an exhibit celebrating General Motors' 100th (and perhaps final?) anniversary.

It's like an amazing ad hoc auto museum, with open hoods and idling engines. Every week hundreds of car nuts gather at this diner parking lot in Burbank, CA to show off their big, beautiful, all-American machines. Produced by Studio 360's Derek John.

At the Dub Magazine car show at the L.A. Convention Center, photographer Jae Bueno introduces us to the customizers behind tricked-out Cadillac Coupes and fancy pin-stripes. Produced by Studio 360's Derek John and Ave Carrillo.

Kurt's brother David Andersen went to L.A. to pursue rock n' roll thirty years ago, but today he's one of the top piano technicians in southern California. Now rock stars are his clients, along with film composers and jazz musicians. Produced by Studio 360's Derek ...

Kurt's brother David Andersen is one of the top piano technicians in Southern California -- he's also an accomplished rock n' roller (and a total ringer for The Dude from 'The Big Lebowski' ). Kurt visited him at home in Malibu and at work on the pianos of some leading lights in jazz and film composition.

When Studio 360 recently caught up with the up-and-coming BLK JKS in Los Angeles we stumbled onto a bit of a musical scoop. Hanging out "back-stage" with the South African band before their show at the LA Natural History Museum, we were fortunate enough to hear a brand new unreleased song from their forthcoming full-length (expected this summer).

New York, NY —

Back in 2007 hip-hop’s biggest star Jay-Z was looking for beats to rap over on his new album American Gangster. The album called for a certain late 60s, early 70s vibe. But the art of sampling old funk and soul records to make rap beats ...

Stephen Talasnik's drawings, on view now at the Queens Museum, are detailed blueprints of fantastical architecture. They're inspired by the museum's Panorama - a meticulous scale model of New York City. Produced by Eric Molinsky and Derek John.

Sun Ra was from Alabama - or from Saturn - depending on who you ask. He’s not the only musician to ride on the Mothership Connection. As professor Tricia Rose points out, the Afro-futurist urge to escape Earth continues to this day. Produced by Studio 360's ...

New York, NY —

In 1983, "Wild Style" was the first movie to bring hip-hop -– rap, graffiti and breaking -- out of the shadows and on to the big screen. There's a new 35-millimeter print of the movie showing all next week at Film Forum, and it’s the ...

Exactly 25 years ago this month, the largest audience ever for a TV movie tuned to ABC to watch a simulated nuclear holocaust. “The Day After” focused on a group of survivors in the heartland of Kansas. Studio 360's Derek John grew up nearby. He ...

Black is not just a skin color; it’s a quality of voice. Sarah Jones, the Tony Award-winning performer, talks with linguist John McWhorter about what it means to sound black today. They look at how Barack Obama has used “blaccent” to drive audiences wild. ...

On America’s first highways, road signs were hand-painted on wood. When interstates became standardized, so did the typeface. But in all sorts of conditions it still looks fuzzy. Designer Don Meeker helped bring signage back into focus. Produced by Derek John.

New York, NY —

Thursday night in Williamsburg two of hip-hop’s most innovative turntablists DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist invade McCarren Pool. WNYC’s Derek John caught up with DJ Shadow about his lifelong obsession with records. The performance features eight turntables spinning only 45 rpm records. 45s spin faster ...

Kurt heads back to his hometown. No longer just beef and Warren Buffett, Kurt finds a vibrant indie rock, film, and visual arts scene there. Artists, politicians and philanthropists –- including filmmaker Alexander Payne and Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst –- tell ...