Funkatopia Live
- Episodes
- 201
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 11, 2026
About the podcast
Podcast by Funkatopia
Episodes 201
Interview - Sue Ann Carwell
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 …
Show notes
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)
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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
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.
Welcome 2 America - 5 Year Anniversary Album Chat w/ Morris Hayes, Shelby J, and Elisa Fiorillo
Mr. Christopher welcomes special guests Morris Hayes, Shelby J, and Elisa Fiorillo to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Prince’s posthumous album Welcome 2 America. We walk through the album track by track …
Show notes
Mr. Christopher welcomes special guests Morris Hayes, Shelby J, and Elisa Fiorillo to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Prince’s posthumous album Welcome 2 America. We walk through the album track by track and share the stories and details behind the music.Prince, AI, and Steve Parke
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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)
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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 …
Show notes
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
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
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 …
Show notes
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.
These are the latest 40 of 201 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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