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That Other Thing I Do: Sound Effect, Episode 70

(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Bernie Williams was once a all-star centerfielder for the New York Yankees. These days, he's a distinguished guitarist.

This week Sound Effect takes a look at some interesting people and "that other thing they do."

Paul Allen Band

We begin by talking to KPLU All Blues host John Kessler about covering the release of Paul Allen's blues/rock album. Yes, Microsoft co-founder and Seahawks owner also plays the guitar, and we hear how he lined up some musical all-stars for his recording project.

Cemetery Tree-nabber

Brittany Cox is an antiquarian horologist. What is that? She restores antique clocks and watches and automata (mechanically-coded, self-operating machines), and she runs a pretty amazing workshop. But after a side trip led her to a cemetery shortly after Christmas, she noticed a lot of trees that people had left at the graves and she felt like she had to do something about it. 

Artist Turned Matchmaker

It might seem a little bit backwards. You might assume that someone working in the tech world would leave that field to let their creative juices flow in the world of art. Susie Lee did the opposite. A Seattle artist, Lee left the art world to become founder and CEO of the dating app Siren.

Clowns And Meteorites 

Professional clown to professional knife maker — that might be the most unusual "other thing" in this week's show. Bob Kramer once, sort of, fell into circus world, learning the art of being a clown from some of the best in the business. Now he creates knives that can sell for thousands of dollars, some of which are made from meteorites. You can't make this stuff up. 

He Calls It Like He Sees It

KPLU's Dick Stein is certainly best known for being a jazz host, in addition to his weekly food chats on the air with writer Nancy Leson. But when the microphone is off (and even sometimes when it is on), he has no shortage of opinions. As our resident advice guru, he answered some listener questions about Northwest etiquette. 

Dust Off The Tassels 

Michelle Mulholand spent the majority of her adult life working a day job and raising a daughter. But before that, one might have known her as Eartha Quake, a burlesque dancer in Seattle. Almost forty years later, she accepted an invite to return to the stage. 

Sound Effect is your weekly tour of ideas, inspired by the place we live. The show is hosted by KPLU's Gabriel Spitzer.