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Funkatopia

Funkatopia Live

A Music podcast

#77 in Music · 🇮🇹
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About the show

Podcast by Funkatopia

Newest episodes

Interview - Sue Ann Carwell

2 hr 7 min

Funkatopia’s Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome the iconic Sue Ann Carwell as she shares her stories of the earl days of Minneapolis with Prince, Jesse Johnson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and more from the true Minneapolis roots. Then she talks about her amazing career that had her performing vocals and arranging for artists including Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and so many others. It’s a treasure trove of stories that you won’t soon forget.

Interview - Jimi Hazel (24-7 Spyz)

2 hr 11 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome 24-7 Spyz founder and guitarist Jimi Hazel. We chat about the origins of Spyz, the past members, new music, Jef Lee Johnson, Jesse Johnson, the black rock movement, and so much more.

Interview: Sandra St. Victor - Full Interview Only

2 hr 38 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with soul icon Sandra St. Victor to talk about her illustrious career starting with The Family Stand and then an incredible solo career that allowed her to work with legends like Curtis Mayfield, Prince, Chaka Khan, Lalah Hathaway, and so many more, It's an incredible interview packed with over 2-1/2 hour of unheard stories, memories, and celebration.

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 201 episodes

Interview - Sue Ann Carwell

2 hr 7 min

Funkatopia’s Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome the iconic Sue Ann Carwell as she shares her stories of the earl days of Minneapolis with Prince, Jesse Johnson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and more from the true Minneapolis roots. Then she talks about her amazing career that had her performing vocals and arranging for artists including Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and so many others. It’s a treasure trove of stories that you won’t soon forget.

Interview - Jimi Hazel (24-7 Spyz)

2 hr 11 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome 24-7 Spyz founder and guitarist Jimi Hazel. We chat about the origins of Spyz, the past members, new music, Jef Lee Johnson, Jesse Johnson, the black rock movement, and so much more.

Interview: Sandra St. Victor - Full Interview Only

2 hr 38 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with soul icon Sandra St. Victor to talk about her illustrious career starting with The Family Stand and then an incredible solo career that allowed her to work with legends like Curtis Mayfield, Prince, Chaka Khan, Lalah Hathaway, and so many more, It's an incredible interview packed with over 2-1/2 hour of unheard stories, memories, and celebration.

Ask Michael Bland

2 hr 12 min

Another evening focusing on Funkatopia cohost and NPG drumming legend Michael Bland as we ask questions from the audience and beyond. More Prince stories! 80's! Album covers! Madness!

09-29-2026 - Free 4 All - Oh Lawd

1 hr 46 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland reunite after a 2 week hiatus to discuss Michael's post about the Prince Estate that caused some waves, more AI chat, new music, and more. Note: Some video components included that won't translate well to audio, but they're not long. Just hang tight.

Free4All - TV and Album Anniversaries & More

1 hr 38 min

The dastardly duo of Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland chat about some iconic album and TV show anniversaries, musical memories, traveling with Prince, and much more.

09-01-2026 - Calabama Gate

1 hr 17 min

Mr. Christopher does a last minute show (literally) to discuss the tough week for Prince fans including a Jon Bream review of the state fair, a scathing Rolling Stone review of Timeless, and an admission from the Estate that horn tracks were added to the song Calabama on Prince's new album. Should we be upset? Was it warranted? What started out as a quick show ended up taking on a life all its own.

Free 4 All - Michael Bland and Mr. Christopher

1 hr 33 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss the passing of Dolly Parton, Prince's new album Timeless, the struggles of artists and live music festivals, and so much more.

NPG's Michael Bland and Mr. Christopher Free 4 All

1 hr 33 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down for another iconic Free 4 All to discuss Michael Jackson, Prince in AI, Prince's new Timeless album global party, TickBang, and more.

Interview: Andre Cymone

1 hr 46 min

Mr. Christopher welcomes Minneapolis legend André Cymone to discuss his new album The Resurrection of Funk, AI, Spotify vs. Bandcamp, Prince stories, and much more.

Prince, AI, and Steve Parke

2 hr 17 min

Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland welcome Prince photographer Steve Parke to discuss the overwhelming influx of AI images of Prince and the effects on actual photographers. Plus we peek into Steve Parke's brand new book Prince: Black White Color. VERY HEAVY VISUAL SHOW.

07-07-2026 Soundstage and Free 4 All

1 hr 52 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland dive into brand new music from artists around the globe reviving the celebrated Soundstage segment. Plus we discuss the latest music news, and other rabbit holes.

Free 4 All w Les Cleveland

2 hr 10 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome drummer Les Cleveland (Prince, Larry Graham, Patti LaBelle, Lil Kim, Anita Baker) to discuss his journey and new album Emerald City. They also being another iconic Free 4 All to discuss the 250th birthday of the U.S., the World Cup, and when musicians and artists should hang it up.

Interview - Minneapolis Funk All Stars

2 hr 16 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the Minneapolis Funk All stars featuring appearances by St. Paul Peterson, Elisa Fiorillo, Dr. Matt Fink, Oliver Leiber, and Jerome Benton. We discuss their latest new single Gotta Keep the Funk Alive and dig a little into each legendary player on stage to give them their flowers and learn a little about the historic contributions to the Minneapolis sound. Plus we chat about new music topicality, rumors, and conjecture.

Prince Celebration 2026 Recap

3 hr 43 min

Mr. Christopher recaps the full week of the Prince Celebration 2026 and beyond with NPG Legend, Michael Bland. Join the crew as we talk about the new upcoming Prince album Timeless, new box sets arriving, a dozen unreleased tracks, panels featuring Bootsy Collins, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lisa Coleman, and more. Plus the review of a full purple star studded concert with NPG and Revolution members, with special guests like Bilal, Miguel, Sounds of Blackness, and more! It's 3-1/2 hours of event coverage. Get your groove on.

Pre-Prince Celebration-Hangout 05-26-2026

2 hr 18 min

Mr. Christopher takes one last glance at the Prince Celebration welcoming special guests Ma and Nandy McClean (aka The Twinz) to discuss their participation at the NPG/Revolution performance at the Armory, and Maya's Awakening event at Paisley Park. Plus, at the top of the show, special guest Dr. Fink stops by to share info about his event with the Minneapolis All Stars in Los Angeles.

Free 4 All - The Curse of AI

1 hr 46 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland talk about the curse of A.I. in art and music, the music business in general, the changing of the music genre guard, the upcoming Prince Celebration, and other events and topicality.

2026 Prince Celebration Schedule Discussion

2 hr 13 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland walk through the intense 2026 Prince Celebration Schedule. Get ready for information overload deconstructed and crafted for actual human consumption. We cover day by day explaining the difference between VIP and General Admission, the events, the speakers, the transportation, the hotels, and so much more. We even discuss the off the track events going on for folks that want to purchase single day tickets and have more freedom to do a wide array of funky happenings. We talk about it all. Buckle up.

Q&A Session with Michael Bland

2 hr 8 min

Join Mr. Christopher as he enjoys a Q&A session with Michael Bland to find out what we all want know. Discover stories of his parents, his favorite cereal, his favorite cartoons, girls on the road, Prince's practice sessions, Nick Jonas, UFO's, and SO much more. It's a roller coaster.

Free 4 All - Prince's 10 Year Transition Minneapolis Review

2 hr 27 min

The dynamic duo is back as NPG legend Michael Bland joins Mr. Christopher who returns from his Minneapolis journey to recap the 10 year anniversary of Prince's transition and the events at Paisley Park and beyond. A very candid conversation regarding his lengthy discussions with members of the Prince Estate. Mr. Christopher makes an argument for their efforts and challenges amidst a tidal wave of negativity and pushback from the Prince fam. You don't want to miss this show as he reveals details from behind the purple curtain including reasonings for release cancellations, the Hollywood star, and cease and desists.

40 Years of Prince's Parade with Dr. Fink

1 hr 52 min

Funkatopia's Mr. Christopher welcomes Prince and the Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink as they dissect Prince's album Parade on the eve of its 40th anniversary. They dive into the album track by track analyzing instrumentation, lyrics, players, and stories. It's a broadcast worthy of one of Prince's greatest albums.

03-17-2026 Mayte, Gilbert Davison, and Kirk Johnson

2 hr 10 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland are joined by Live 4 Love (Mayte Garcia, Gilbert Davison, and Kirk Johnson) to discuss the cancellation of Prince's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 10 year anniversary of Prince's death, LA events, and other insightful topics.

Interview - Ella Feingold

2 hr 0 min

Funkatopia Live sits down with guitar icon Ella Feingold who discusses her upbringing, being mentored by Spanky Alford, how funk inspires her, and her Grammy award winning touches with bands like Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .paak), Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Charlie Hunter, Janet Jackson, and others. And also how her Instagram attracts the cream of the crop including The Smith's Johnny Marr, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, and even an audition for Prince's band.

Interview: Soulive (Alan and Neal Evans)

1 hr 34 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Al Evans and Neal Evans of Soulive to discuss the band's newest album Flowers. We discuss NPG's impact on Neal, the beginnings of Soulive, the genius of Van Hunt, the future of music, recording in Iceland, and so much more.

Interview: Cassandra O'Neal

1 hr 49 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with keyboardist Cassandra O'Neal to discuss her career which includes NPG, Macy Gray, Mary J. Blige, Jay Z, and so much more. It's an incredibly loose and fun interview that you don't want to miss.

Mr. Christopher's Rumor and Conjecture Show

2 hr 2 min

Mr. Christopher takes a deep dive into the latest news regarding the restrictions placed on Prince's band the New Power Generation limiting them from using the band name and also playing shows focusing solely on Prince. He also discusses the potential implications for tribute bands. He also discusses the upcoming 10 year anniversary of Prince's passing and what, if anything, may be coming. Plus a healthy dose of rumor and conjecture.

2026 Grammy Getdown Free 4 All

2 hr 24 min

Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland discuss the 2026 Grammy Awards covering the major highlights including political statements, D'Angelo, Roberta Flack, Jellybean Johnson, and more. It's a breakdown as only the Funkatopia dynamic duo can do it.

01-20-2026 Free 4 All w/ Michael Bland and Mr. Christopher

2 hr 16 min

Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland discuss the battle between Apollonia and the Prince Estate, the loss of Earth's gravity later this year, Madhouse 8, Questlove, and many other ridiculous tidbits.

01-13-2026 Free 4 All

2 hr 5 min

Join Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland as they launch 2026's first Free 4 All of the year. We look back on NPG Music Club, a discussion about Prince in the AI world, recent passings, the ongoing Stranger Things effect and missed opportunities, and much more randomness and rabbit holes.

Interview - Sam Jennings - The NPG Music Club Discussion

2 hr 8 min

Mr. Christopher sits down with one of the masterminds of the NPG Music Club, Sam Jennings. They discuss what worked, what didn't, the challenges, and how a re launch could solve so many problems that the Prince Estate is experiencing with distribution and meeting a rabid fanbase and their expectations. Unrealistic or not.

12-16-2025 - Free 4 All

2 hr 29 min

Join Mr. Christopher and NPG/Soul Asylum drummer Michael Bland as they discuss the 50th anniversary of Parliament's Mothership Connection, the 11th anniversary of D'Angelo's Black Messiah, and also chat about their first vinyl memory and first album bought with their money. Plus tons of other topics including what it must be like to be famous and under total scrutiny, overtone singing, and the magic of nostrils.

12-02-2025 - Around the World in a Day Unboxing

2 hr 9 min

Join Mr. Christopher as he unboxes the Deluxe edition of Around the World in a Day alongside NPG drumming legend Michael Bland. It's a first-hand reaction as Mr. Christopher avoided reading or viewing all online reviews and unboxings to have a complete surprise. We also discuss Record Store Day and the Because Sound Matters Purple Rain vinyl release.

11-25-2025 - Jellybean Johnson Celebration

2 hr 31 min

Join Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland as they reflect on the life of Jellybean Johnson who recently transitioned. Also, a brief discussion on the remastering of Around the World in a Day and expectations and early reactions.

11-11-2025 Free 4 All

2 hr 16 min

Join Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland as they discuss the Grammy nominees, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, bands that are still not inducted, and other random topics.

11-04-2025 Free 4 All - 4th Day of November

2 hr 18 min

On the 4th day of November, we need a purple high. Join Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland as we discuss the Save the Date announcement from the Prince Estate for the 2026 Prince Celebration and what we might be able to expect, the Diamonds and Love bootleg drop, public feedback from the Purple Rain Broadway play, amusement parks, and much more.

Interview: Lisa Coleman (Interview Only)

1 hr 17 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland welcome celebrated Prince and the revolution keyboardist Lisa Coleman,. We discuss her early days, Joining Prince's band, writing issues, problems on the road, the amazing Wendy and Lisa albums, and so much more. It's a purple-licious show, but with the focus on the ladies.

10-21-2025 - Free 4 All: What Do U Want From the Estate?

2 hr 11 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss what the Prince Estate is planning to release. We also discuss the user wish list and expectations around releases and what they want to see. A very lively discussion filled with hopeful, but realistic banter.

Danny Bedrosian - Prince's Controversy - D'Angelo

2 hr 35 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Parliament Funkadelic's keyboardist Danny Bedrosian to discuss his new book covering P-Funk's 1975 where they dropped Chocolate City, Let's Take it to the Stage, and Mothership Connection. Then we reflect on the passing of D'Angelo and look back at his legacy. Then we close it up celebrating the 44th anniversary of Prince's Controversy released in 1981 and talk about the album track by track.

09-30-2025 Purple Artifact Show

2 hr 23 min

Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland welcome Eric Rogers of the Paisley 5 & Dime, an online purple auction house and community that specializes in Prince memorabilia and artifacts. We'll show and discuss some of the most rare items from Prince's long and storied career.

The 20 Best Debut Albums Free 4 All (09-23-2025)

2 hr 29 min

Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland to showcase their 20 favorite debut albums from a wide variety of music styles. Funk, neo-soul, rock, and more are all celebrated in this temporary visit into the music minds of the Funkatopia Live crew.

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland Free 4 All - 09-16-2025

2 hr 18 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland discuss the remastering of Around the World in a Day and discuss other purple topics, plus a surprise guest appearance by celebrated Prince photographer Steve Parke.

Free 4 All w/ Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland (09-09-2025)

2 hr 18 min

Funkatopia hosts Mr. Christopher and NPG legend Michael Bland have an open discussion about the challenges with new Prince releases in a posthumous world. From rabid fans to misinformation to what you can probably actually expect. Plus, we open the phone lines to let the audience chime in to share what they would like to see. It's an action packed purple geek out session Free 4 All.

Interview: Tommy Barbarella

1 hr 38 min

NPG keyboardist Tommy Barbarella joins Mr. Christopher and NPG drummer Michael Bland to catch up on music history, learn new stories about each other, talk about gear, and so much more.

Interview - Photographer Allen Beaulieu

2 hr 0 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with celebrated photographer Allen Beaulieu, the man responsible for the infamous photos of Prince's most genius eras including 1999, Dirty Mind, Controversy, and many others. Note, that this is a very visual show, so apologies to audio only listeners, but there are enough stories to warrant this journey.

Interview: Jesse Johnson - The Final Interview

3 hr 13 min

Jesse Johnson does his final interview ever (?) with Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland talking for over 3 hours on a variety of topics including playing inside of Paisley Park, new music, COVID, conspiracy theories, iPhone vs. Android, and much more including claiming that this will be his last interview that he will ever do. That means you HAVE to listen.

Interview: Guitarist Mike Scott

1 hr 47 min

Guitarist Mike Scott sits down with Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland to discuss his humble beginnings and his decision to stay in Minneapolis which led to his work with Prince, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and beyond.

Interview: Maya McClean

1 hr 34 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with Maya McClean. While she was mostly known for performing with her sister with Prince as The Twinz, she now shares her journey to becoming a spiritual life coach, life on her own, working with Prince, and much more including her upcoming album Awakening. She also graces the show with a full performance of her song Waterfall. It's a super spiritual mind journey of discovery for herself that she wants to share with the world.

Interview: Jerry Hubbard

2 hr 15 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the legend behind the scenes Jerry Hubbard. He has been a solid pillar in the Minneapolis music scene from childhood. He's played with Prince, The Time, The Family, Jesse Johnson, was on Michael Jackson's label and so much more. Take a deep dive into Minneapolis music history as we discuss Minnesota's deep musical history discussing bands like Grand Central, the original Sonny Thompson version of The Family, Flyte Tyme, Alexander O'Neal, Morris Day, and so much more. Hold your nose, because it's a baptism of Minneapolis music and it's about get funky in here.

Interview: The Time Band

1 hr 26 min

Mr. Christopher and Michael Bland sit down with the Time Band featuring Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Tori Ruffin, and Ricky Freeze Smith to discuss their history with Morris Day and the Time, their Masterclass, and plenty of behind the scenes stories.

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