TPM Episode 81: Bobby Whittaker: Return to Mount Kennedy Award Winning Documentary, Music Industry Legend
The Powell Movement
Mike Powell
4.9 • 860 Ratings
🗓️ 6 August 2018
⏱️ 62 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Bobby Whittaker was born into climbing royalty, his dad, Jim, was the first American to climb Everest and was the CEO of REI for many years. Bobby didn't follow in his footsteps, he blazed his own trail through the emerging music scene in Seattle. While having no musical background, Bobby had drive and a personality like no other. He was able to parlay that charisma into a 30-year music career that went from Mudhoney to REM to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Now he's back in West Seattle, working on his conservation projects and promoting his award-winning documentary, "Return to Mount Kennedy"....... Hear his story on the podcast.
Bobby Whittaker Show Notes:
2:00: "Return to Mount Kennedy" Doc that he is part of
5:00: Growing up Whittaker
9:00: Skateboarding in the NW, Hawaii,divorce, and moving out
12:30: What is the scene like before it blows up, his musical background, and random questions about growing up
18:00: Evo (Use the code TPM10 for 10% off at checkout)
RESQWATER (enter the code resqwatertpm for a 20% discount on a 12 pack)
The 10 Barrel Brewery: My favorite is Out of Office Pilsner
20:30: How do you get involved in the Seattle music scene, Sub Pop
23:00: Mudhoney
34:15: Leaving SubPop and Mudhoney
40:00: Working with REM
50:00: Inappropriate Questions
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Look no further. |
| 0:01.6 | This is the Powell Movement. |
| 0:11.6 | Welcome to the Powell Movement. |
| 0:15.1 | I'm your host, Mike Powell, |
| 0:16.9 | and it's a huge week here on Al-Qaeda Beach in West Seattle. |
| 0:23.2 | Sub-pop Records is holding its 30th anniversary event on the beach on August 10th and 11th, and it is going to be absolute chaos |
| 0:28.6 | as they are planning for 60,000 people in a place where they normally don't have more than 10. |
| 0:33.6 | I won't be able to attend this one as I'll be on the mic in downtown Seattle for the annual |
| 0:38.7 | Fred Hutch Obliteride event. |
| 0:41.1 | If you won't be riding for The Cure next weekend, you should check out this free show. |
| 0:45.9 | Mudhoney and a ton of other bands will be melting the faces of Seattleites. |
| 0:49.9 | And in honor of this great event that I won't attend, my guest this week is Bob Whitaker. |
| 0:55.4 | Bob's been in the news lately for his award-winning documentary, Return to Mount Kennedy, |
| 1:00.4 | and he comes from a family of climbing royalty. |
| 1:03.1 | But I'm not really into climbing. |
| 1:04.8 | And Bob's on the show because he's a Seattle music legend. |
| 1:08.2 | From being employee number three at Sub Pop to managing mud honey when they're helping |
| 1:12.6 | create Seattle's scene to graduating to REM and working with the Yeah Yeah's, Bob has some |
| 1:18.7 | amazing Seattle and music history to share. Before we get into the show, I want to ask you to please |
| 1:24.4 | follow me on Instagram at the Powell Movement, share my posts |
| 1:28.0 | on Facebook, and email me if you have something to say or share. |
| 1:31.4 | My email is Mike at the Powellmovement.com, and it's always great to hear from you. |
... |
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