Welcome to the first episode of Beneath the Nexus! Starting things off I thought I'd feature Mike Kurtz. Mike has been one of my long time friends with a talent of multiple artistic endeavers. From graphic design, to all aspects of video production, to even making music knowing how to play guitar, bass, vocals, producing, and drums! We learn about his journey from Pittsburgh to how he made it to Arizona and everything in between.

Timecode Table of Contents:
6:00: Blue Yeti
7:03: AI music mimicking voices, Rick Astley, Michael Jackson, Smash Mouth, Japanese
8:18: Are you surprised Mike is the first person to be on an episode?, Undependable friends
9:03: What are the rules of the podcast?
9:44: Why I picked Mike first
11:56: Mike growing up: Life in Pittsburgh
14:46: My past places I lived + people from west coast vs east coast
20:16: Mike’s Experience at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in the 90s vs My Experience at The Art Institute of Phoenix in the 2010s
43:14: What lead to both of us picking The Art Institute
51:30: The flaws of The Art Institutes’ educational system, economic structure, and how it’s different in the real world
1:03:01: People not wanting to work with me because I don’t like Star Wars
1:05:11: Talking about Mike’s major that didn’t exist later on
1:06:47: Mike’s band Burgundy Jurk, LIneup changes from 90s to 2023 (Making it all solo vs with others), and the routine of working with others
1:16:56: Start of part 2
1:17:17: Unethical behaviors that was happening at The Art Institute of Phoenix
1:26:22: The audio project I did at Art Institute of Phoenix that went really well
1:27:02: Learning from past social mistakes, evolving from it, and ending friendships because of it
1:37:54: What’s changed now in my 30s vs. my 20s and how that affects you internally and socially
1:52:45: How did Mike form Burgundy Jurk
1:58:47: Making money and the behind the scenes of the music industry
2:05:39: How the music industry worked in the 90s vs. in the 2020s
2:12:37: Why Burgundy Jurk never signed to a record label
2:15:21: What genre Burgundy Jurk is, how rock and metal fits into society, and how Mike writes his music
2:23:54: What got Mike and Burgundy Jurk to migrate from Pennsylvania to Arizona?
2:27:20: Why these episodes are long
2:31:26: Mike’s early life in Arizona
2:34:45: How did the job environment change in Arizona versus in Pittsburgh?
2:36:25: How Mike started working at my high school, getting involved with the TV show we both worked on, working at the Palomino LIbrary, and being involved music/video production events/classes at my high school
2:40:04: The musical talent at Desert Mountain and how big some of them got (Alec Benjamin, Nick Rossi [Born of Osiris], Adam Friedman [Songland, Black Eyed Peas], Michael Longfellow [Saturday Night Live])
2:44:21: Life at Desert Mountain after losing the job at the library & the demise of the music events
2:46:51: Legacy of Desert Mountain High School alumni vs. The Art Institute of Phoenix alumni and the industry standards
2:50:40: How computers enhanced the video production/visual effects industry over time
2:53:53: Bring back Rock Rev for a 2031 high school reunion
2:56:02: Mike’s freelance side gig to forming his own company
3:01:10: Talking more about the medical company Mike and his wife started
3:02:59: What medical classes are being taught at this company?
3:06:20: Why should people in the medical field go to you guys to learn?
3:08:41: Why should people go to you for graphic design work, to record music, or for video production?
3:11:20: Different styles of mixing in metal music and how it’s evolved over time
3:17:18: Talking about the How Anti-Vaxxer Thinks videos in 2022; what I loved and what I regretted
3:26:42: How my view on the Covid vaccines has changed over the years
3:39:45: Why Mike and I work so well both professionally and personally + How people can get a hold of you