Feb. 15, 2018: Brian McKenzie/Geoffrey Cooper/Ronin FM/ViQueen

Brian McKenzie

Singer-songwriter Brian McKenzie is up first to talk about his new album, "Bruising From the Fall." He's been doing music for years, both his solo work and in the metal band Kilgore. Both projects are seeing new developments, and we talk about how he moved from metal to folk and the number of shows both have in the works.

Author Geoffrey Cooper is up next for his new book "The Prize." It's a thriller that's focused on the surprisingly politicized world of the Nobel Prize. Two researchers looking for a new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease are both in the running for the award, and while Pam Weller has a more idealized attitude, for Eric Prescott, it's all about the accolades, and whatever needs to be done to get them. Cooper has worked in the medical research field for years, and so his experience comes to play in the writing process.

Ronin FM is a hip-hop artist with a diverse background across several different projects. Most recently, he released "Origins," and his experience is reflected in the high quality of the music. Ronin is also a highly-educated producer, and he tells us about this part of his career, what he's learned both in the classroom and outside it.

Wrapping up the show is the San-Francisco-based punk band ViQueen, whom Max pre-recorded earlier that week. The band talks about music on the West Coast, shows in Nevada, Portland, and other locations, and experience at SXSW.