Exploring the Energy with Anzo & Friends
Welcome to Exploring the Energy with Anzo & Friends, a series of conversations with host and lifelong music lover, Andy "Anzo" Staib, and his friends and family. Together, they explore the common threads that bond them all together - namely their shared love of music, family, friends, life, loss, and love. The show was born from the notion that music helps keep us all connected throughout our collective long strange trip. We all have a story to tell, and here are a few of those stories. So join us, and let’s see where the energy takes us! #IFE #NFA
Two Peas in a Pod with Karen & Chris Reilly
To know Chris Reilly is to love him. And he is most certainly loved by so many and considered family to so many, especially to the Staib family. As my girls like to say, "Mr Reilly is my favorite". And thanks to Chris, I've had the good fortune to know his sister, Karen, who I now consider a friend too!
It being October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - at the time of the interview, Karen shares her story about how Chris and Karen lost their mother Nancy to breast cancer when she was just 51 years old, and...
The Age of Joe Faria, with special guests Joe Jr and TJ Staib
As of the date of this interview with the Joe Faria Sr & Jr father-son duo and my nephew TJ Staib, the Faria & Staib connection runs 14+ years deep between Joe Jr and TJ, over 36 years deep with Joe Sr, and over 40+ years with Joe Sr's wife, Danielle (Saladino) Faria, and me. Safe to say we all go way back!
It was an honor to have this trio in the studio for a look back at their respective journeys at Chaminade High School and to learn about how Chaminade alum garner respect simply by having the name "Chaminade" on th...
Greetings from The Greek with Paul “Pablo” Bauer & Rachel Whitley & Co
What a treat gathering this tribe to celebrate Jerry Garcia’s birthday at the iconic Greek Theater in Berkeley, California with Dark Star Orchestra. And gathering this tribe was no small feat, with my guests and I representing California, South Carolina, New York, and Hawaii, all under one roof (and later in one very cramped Uber)!
The episode is recorded in two segments. First, with fellow Canterbury Saint, Paul “Pablo” Bauer and his better half, Rachel “Rāche” Whitley, our host & fellow Saint, Hollister “Paco” Keville, and my concert wingwoman and oldest daughter, Hannah Staib.
Pablo and Rache...
Team McAuley with Sean, Tim, and Alec "Big Al" McAuley
What an honor to have the McAuley patriarch Alec "Big Al" McAuley and his two sons, Sean & Tim, in the studio for a trip down memory lane about music, sports and sports legends, and most of all, about love & family.
The spotlight was on Big Al by design, and he did not disappoint. He brings us back to his life growing up the eldest of 10 children, playing high school basketball with Lew Alcindor (aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and his connection with the one-and-only Henry "Hank" Aaron. He tells the story of baby Sean arriving four weeks early and ho...
Back in the Studio - with Matt “Pooch” Kiernan & Friends
After a brief hiatus, it's great to be back!
I'm joined by my friend Matt “Pooch” Kiernan and his band of brothers - Bernie “Bonzo” Kiernan (his actual brother), Scott “Deece” DeSimone, and Gary “needs-a-nickname” Catania.
Matt and I recently become fast friends through our mutual love of music, our love of our family, our passion for golf, and a new shared friendship with his brother and their two closest friends of over 50 years. I'm honored to call them all my friends now.
Matt is my co-pilot in this interview and he helps us navigate our w...
Grateful Fred's Visionary & Founder – Stephen McMennamy
This one-on-one conversation was a while in the making, and so well worth the wait.
Being a longtime customer of Grateful Fred and a fellow Deadhead, I’m honored to have hosted the founder of what I consider to be one of the premier Grateful Dead product producers in the country, Grateful Fred, Stephen McMennamy - https://grateful-fred.com/collections/badges
The episode is in no way intended to be an “infomercial” for either Grateful Fred or the podcast (I invited Stephen to be my guest, no strin...
Reconnecting with John “Spiff” Macario
My friend, John Macario, returns to the show and we pick up right where we left off back in late 2024 when he first shared his amazing story.
It’s been 19 months since John lost the love of his life and fellow Deadhead, Meg, at age 52 to complications following a liver transplant. We catch up on how he and their 12-year old daughter, Gloria, are doing facing the world together as the dynamic duo. John shares how single parenting is going, and how every now and again he gets out to fuel his soul with live...
ACE - A Tribute to Bob Weir, Part II with Ted “The” Bahr & Paul “Nud” Schmitz
In Part II of the continuing celebration of Bobby Weir and his life well-lived, I’m joined by lifelong Deadheads, Ted “The” Bahr and Paul “Nud” Schmitz. Nud kicks off the conversation by sharing his thoughts on Bobby’s one-of-a-kind “rhythmic-lead” style, and how this unique approach to the guitar was unlike any rhythm guitarist. We walk through the early days in the mid-60’s when, as Nud puts it, Bobby “couldn’t play very well, and couldn’t sing very well either” through his mastery of the axe by the early and mid-70’s.
Ted brings his Top 20 Bobby...
ACE - A Tribute to Bob Weir, Part I with Tim McGuire & Kevin Campion
Bobby Weir - October 16th, 1947 - January 10th, 2026
This one hurts, and feels very much like the closing of a chapter. Yet at the same time, we CELEBRATE. We celebrate the amazing life of founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bobby Weir, and we kick off with two lifelong Deadheads - both previous podcast guests - Tim “Tmac” McGuire and Kevin “Camp” Campion.
Tim leads the way, recalling his early days admiring Bobby’s peaceful energy, his kindness, and lightly poking fun at his Daisy Duke short shorts, purple Polo’s, ponytail, te...
Get Busy Living. Get Busy Giving. with Erik “The Swede” Larson
As much as unexpected and tragic loss tests the human spirit, sometimes it can become the catalyst for good. And that is exactly the mission that my friend, Erik Larson, has embraced after suddenly losing his best friend, Greg Kline, in August of 2020.
Greg had a motto that he lived by, Get Busy Living, and Erik embodies all that is about getting busy living. But now, he’s also embodying getting busy GIVING.
Erik Larson, who many refer to as “The Swede” because of his Scandinavian good loo...
The Gray Club Chronicles with Rich Gray
Huntington, Long Island - home to so many of the amazing people that I am lucky to call my friends and family - continues to create new bonds and new friendships. In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, I could not be more grateful for those connections.
Thanks to a few of those lifelong friends, I’ve been recently connected to a fellow Huntingtonian, a fellow music-lover, fellow golfer, fellow genuinely happily married man and fellow father-of-three daughters. A friend that truly gets what it means to Get Busy Living. I’m proud and fortunate to call...
The Great Debate with The Boys From Bergen
In somewhat of an unconventional "studio" setting - namely a gutted former restaurant under renovation and equipped with only a table, a few folding chairs, a cooler of beer and an extension cord - 6 fellow music lovers travelled from across the Eastern Seaboard to Downtown Huntington to discuss and debate a subject that has been the hot topic among the group for over 6 years. "What are the Top-5 greatest American rock-&-roll bands of all time." Key word - American.
No Stones. No Beatles. No U2. No Led Zeppelin (#sorrymeyers). The criteria as to what makes a band...
Life Inside the Grateful Dead’s Inner Circle with Dennis McNally
This one was a big deal for me. My guest, Dennis McNally, isn’t just a reknowned author, music historian, and publicist, he’s someone I’ve long considered somewhat of a “celebrity” in my world. From 1984 to 1995, Dennis was the Grateful Dead’s publicist and part of the band’s inner circle.
He’s written five books, including the classic Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead, and his latest, The Last Great Dream - How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties. He’s married...
50 Years of Love & Friendship with John “Dino” DeNatale
My friendship with John “Dino” DeNatale began in kindergarten over 50 years ago in the early 1970’s in Huntington’s own Flower Hill School. In this episode, John and I look back on our five decades of connection, the memories that shaped us along the way, and the big-picture lessons that we’ve learned and carried forward to this day.
At the heart of our conversation is a simple truth: LOVE is all that matters.
But before we dive into the big picture, Dino covers a few of his wilder days in the 90’s...
Shooting Star: A Tribute to Jonny Staib
It’s a tall order to try to capture the true color and the complete character of my cousin, Jonny Staib, in one conversation. Which is why I chose to invite four guests on this episode of Exploring the Energy to help me paint the full picture of this amazing human being. I’m proud to introduce a select few of his closest friends and family - including brothers Timmy and Tommy Sheerin, my cousin Diana San Venero, and last but certainly not least, Steve “Sonny” Peer. Together we share our collective “Jonny Stories.”
Timmy, Tommy, D...
Saddle Up with Kim & Gregg Carlin
What a treat hosting one of the best and most beautiful couples I know, Kim & Gregg Carlin.
Kim, being a southern girl and all, kicks off our conversation by sharing her love of country music and explains why she gravitates to the likes of Chris Stapleton, Toby Keith, George Strait, and Willie Nelson. She comes clean explaining that she’ll be at Madison Square Garden the night after our interview with “another man” seeing the Chris Stapleton concert. No worries of a Coldplay Kiss Cam moment though, since that other man is actually her son, Hamilton ;)
...
Trusting the Universe with Robyn Pray
My relatively new friendship with Robyn Pray is undoubtedly a result of the universe connecting the two of us. Here’s how that happened and why this episode means so much to me.
In the summer of 2023, I received a very kind and somewhat mysterious note from a name that I didn’t recognize, though I did recognize the sender’s address - Keeseville Free Library in Keeseville, New York. Admittedly not being an avid reader or library-goer, I thought to myself “who and why is anyone from any library reaching out to me?”
Turns out, Robyn h...
A Fireside Chat with Villanova Wildcat Peter Russell
I was honored and proud to host yet another member of the Villanova Wildcat Crew, my friend Peter Russell.
To say that Peter and I have a few things in common would be an understatement and it wouldn’t do our friendship justice. First and foremost, we both appreciate energy, and we embrace the people that exude positive energy, starting with two of the most beautiful souls in the universe, Rainer “TITAN” Jenss and Tom Staib. God rest both of their souls.
Peter shares how he became a Wildcat and what thos...
Truckin’ to Charleston with Lilly Jo Staib
Now in their 20’s and all having left the nest, it’s not often I get to spend extended one-on-one time with my daughters. This is why this episode is so special to me.
A few weeks ago my youngest daughter, Lilly, and I embarked on a 12+ hour roadtrip from our home town of Greenlawn, Long Island to Charleston, South Carolina where Lilly will join her sister, Hannah, and call it home for a while. Along the way, Lilly shares what she’s been up to since graduating from University of Delaware in May of...
Podcaster, Author, Entrepreneur, Music Lover, Family Man, Friend & Neighbor - Dan Pashman
The title may be a bit of a giveaway, but unlike all previous episode show notes where I share a preview of the content, in this very special episode, I invite listeners to learn about my guest, Dan Pashman, by tuning in and finding out Dan’s amazing story for themselves. In other words, I’ll keep you in suspense!
Join us, and let’s see where the energy takes us!
Anything’s Pastable https://www.sporkful.com/anythings-pastable/
The Sporkful https://www.sporkful.com/
Mission Impastable https://www.sporkful.com/tag/missio...
Inaugural Episode, Live from U.S. Brews with Gunny & Nud & Company
It was intentional and by design that the official rebrand of the podcast from Grateful Dad & Friends to Exploring the Energy w/ Anzo & Friends kicked off at a local, music-centric brewery, aptly named, U.S. Brews.
What better place to explore the energy?!
In the inaugural episode, I’m joined by U.S. Brews owner & founder, Brian “Gunny” McGunnigle and Paul “Nud” Schmitz, with special cameo appearances by Kevin “Camper” Campion, Billy “Vic Thrill” Campion, and Billy “Mad Larry” Ryan. We start by sharing the story behind the rebranding of the podcast and why I ch...
Unpacking The Notes With Jason Darby
I've known Jason Darby for over 45 years, and while we've long shared a deep bond through our love of family, golf & tennis, and music, I was still surprised by the depth of his knowledge when it comes to the guitar—and especially his passion for legendary players like Eddie Van Halen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Keith Richards, to name a few.
Our conversation kicks off with a trip down memory lane, back to the late ’70s on the Bay Hills Beach tennis courts, where a young Jason was my tennis “pupil.” From there, we fast for...
A Conversation with Mr. Michael “Sketchy” Rice
Circa Fall 1982, I first met Mike Rice in Huntington High School’s 9th-grade math class, where we became fast friends and “partners in crime.” In fact, it turns out it wasn’t until we sat down on this Thursday afternoon in February ‘25, some 43years later, that we discovered our connection goes back as far as 1974, when we shared the same kindergarten class in Flower Hill Elementary School.Fast forward to 2025, Mike (aka “Sketch”) brings us back to his early days growing up “south of 25A” In Huntington and being inserted into the Huntington Bay party scene and the broader edginess of what wa...
Heart-to-Heart With Fellow Canterbury Saint, Justin Rubin
My friend of 50+ years, Justin Rubin, joins me and shares his recent experience facing the L.A. Wildfires and how the fires have affected his closest friends in the surrounding areas, and how L.A. is rising to the occasion as they enter the rebuilding process.
He relives his journey of his early days at Canterbury School when his world was rocked by the loss of his brother, Greg, from a brain tumor in 1984, followed by the loss of his sister, Carolyn, in 2004 from the same type of brain tumor that took Greg, exactly 20 y...
A Look Behind The Curtain With Will Retherford
Grateful Dad & Friends would not exist if it weren’t for my guest, Will Retherford, who founded and owns the Tulsa-based production company, Citizens of Sound.
I have my friend Lawrence Zarian - who some of you may know from his regular appearances on The Kelly Clarkson Show or from his podcast, You Are Beautiful With Lawrence Zarian - to thank for connecting us. Although it’s my GUESTS who are the focus and who provide the content, Will does the behind-the-scenes heavy lifting by recording every episode in real-time, mixing, editing, and publishing each G...
Love Stories - With Lindsey & Will and Anzo & Margs
Love really IS in the air as we approach Valentine’s Day. On today’s episode, I’m joined by the love of my life, my bride Ms Margs, and our friends, Lindsey Janes and Will Derasmoto, to celebrate their love and to toast to their recent engagement!
The conversation includes the story of how, despite the age gap and despite being in different phases of life during the early days of their relationship, they became the couple that they are today. Similar to Margs and my story, in VERY short order, Lindsey & Will pulled off “The Trifecta” b...
Riding The 2025 Energy Train With Dave “Fetts” Fetterolf
The Energy Train keeps rolling with an unforgettable guest: Dave “Fetts” Fetterolf. A dynamic personality with boundless energy, Fetts is a man of many talents—insane athletic ability, a battery that never quits, a wildly successful career, and his most important role of all - husband and proud father of three.
In this episode Fetts opens up about his journey, sharing how he overcame dyslexia to earn a spot at Cornell University, where he played Division 1 tennis and met his wife, Erica, on their very first day of freshman year.
He rev...
Ringing In 2025 With Film Producer and Music Lover, John “Johnny Gowanus” Hennegan
Kicking off Season 4 and ringing in 2025 with a cool cat that has widened my musical lens TENFOLD, Mr. John “Johnny Gowanus” Hennegan.
Although I’ve known John since the early 80’s and we’ve run with the same group of guys over the years, I had zero clue just how broad his taste in music is, so a big shoutout to Erik “Swede” Larson for suggesting I invite John to be a guest on GD&F in the first place! You were 100% right, Swede!
John reminded me just how much Run DMC and The B...
A Conversation With Another “Wise Old Owl,” My Friend, Mr. Tom White
Similar to Season 2, Episode 1 when I sat down with Doug “Pops” Smith, who I like to refer to as a “Wise Old Owl”, in this episode I have the pleasure of connecting with a friend that I consider in the same first-class league, Mr. Tom White.
Tom and I met when I first called on the five-generation Italian food products company, Pastene & Co, soliciting their label business back in the early 2000’s, and although he was a client for the next 15+ years, first and foremost Tom remains a friend and confidante. We share common bonds that i...
SAY YES. DON’T WAIT. A tribute to Rainer Jenss with Tim “Tmac” McGuire
I don’t always subscribe to the notion that “everything happens for a reason,” but as the universe would have it, the recent loss of a mutual friend, Rainer “TITAN” Jenss, has reconnected me with a gentleman that I am now proud to call one of my closest friends and confidants, Tim “Tmac” McGuire.
Among many of his distinguished designations, Tmac is the youngest of 8 children, a Villanova Wildcat alum, husband, and father of three, president of the National Merit Scholar Association, lifelong Deadhead and avid music fan.
Ti...
Love Is Real, Not Fade Away with John Macario
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, show the ones you love just how much they mean to you, and share your appreciation and gratitude for the gift of life, the gift of love, and the gift of energy that we all share. Thank you ALL for the gift of YOUR love and our collective friendship.
Nobody embodies the mindset of gratitude more so than my friend, John Macario. Though John and I have yet to meet in person, we recently connected via a communal, music-centric group that we both belong to on social media. I was struck by...
A Rare and Different Tune with Beau Carino
To those that know him, the man needs no introduction. For those that don’t, his name is Beau Carino and he’s the founder of one of Long Island’s hottest live music venues, Beau’s Bar, in the village of Greenlawn. For nearly 20 years, Beau has attracted some of the finest talent in the area, ranging from young guns like Dog In A Pile to veteran guitar virtuosos like Jeff Matson, lead singer and guitarist for Dark Star Orchestra.
In Season 3, Episode 8 Beau takes us back to his early days when h...
Life, Loss and Love, with Austin Koerner and Hope Staib
With the exception of a select few cameo appearances by my previous guests’ significant others, this is the first episode where I sit down start-to-finish with a young couple, none other than my daughter, Ms. Hope Staib, and her significant other, Mr. Austin Koerner. Hope and Austin share their story, and their musical tastes and interests, and they reveal what’s on the horizon as Austin aims to become a firefighter and Hope looks to keep our five-generation family business relevant. Austin explains how he is coping with the loss of his mother, Jamie, after she lost her fight...
Rocking Against Hunger, The Extraordinary Story of Syd Mandelbaum
S3, E6 begins with the story of the Mandelbaum family in the late 1930’s and 40’s, and includes the harrowing tale of those family members who miraculously survived the holocaust, and the tragedy of those family members who didn’t. He describes the day his Aunt Regina saved his mother from certain death during the Nazi “selection process” in 1942 and how that one single act of courage ultimately saved generations to follow.
Syd recounts how he became inspired by the events of the holocaust to feed the hungry, to serve the impoverished, and to fight bias...
Completing The Trifecta With Billy Campion
To complete the “Campion Brothers Trifecta”, I was beyond stoked to host Mr. Billy Campion, otherwise known as Young & Tender Willoughby, or The Captain, and in later years, Vic Thrill. For those that know Billy, founding member and front man for The Bogmen, you’re in for a real treat in this episode. For those that don’t know The Bogmen, or Vic Thrill, you’re in for a real treat in this episode.
Billy takes us back to his early days growing up as the youngest of six children, all of whom were...
Texas Talk with Mark Hamer
On S3, E4 of Grateful Dad & Friends, I’m proud to host a friend who could easily have a career in radio, one of my closest music, golfing, and paddle tennis wingmen, Mr. Mark Hamer.
Mark takes us back to his Texan roots and shares how and when he discovered his love of “music with an edge”, including The Clash, Traffic, Talking Heads, Mott the Hoople, and of course, the good ol’ Grateful Dead. Tune in as he tells his story of taking his 90-year old parents to a Dead & Company show… in a...
One More Saturday Night With The Peer Family
On the final day of Dead & Company’s 30-show residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, I was honored to sit down with Huntington natives and fellow Deadheads, brothers John and Tommy Peer and Tommy’s son Thomas Peer. We spent our time together reminiscing about the multigenerational Peer + Staib family bond, the Huntington shenanigans that we shared together and a few war stories of old.
Tommy & John brought us back to the glory days of when the Peers and Staibs were roommates post-college at their legendary animal house on Carly Avenue...
In High Gear At The Sphere With Paco Keville
In my second trip of the summer to catch Dead & Company at Sphere in Las Vegas, I was honored to host my friend of 40+ years, fellow Canterbury “Saint” (term used loosely), avid Deadhead, and all around amazing human being, my cohort Paco “Pac” Keville. By the grace of God, Pac has recovered from a near-death car accident only a few short weeks prior and was firing on all cylinders when we sat down together at The Venetian. He brings us back to his early days growing up in San Francisco, to his decision to trade the familiar comforts of the Bay...
My Friend of the Devil, Tommy Mills
To kick off Season 3, I’m joined by lifelong friend and fellow Deadhead, Tommy Mills, with a special cameo by his better half, Ms Karin Mills. Karin proved to be an integral part of my conversation with her husband in that she served as “fact checker” for the tales being told, and I’m proud to report that Karin confirmed that all but one of the reported antics were, in fact, accurate. Well done Karin!
Similar to two of my previous guests, Doug “Pops” Smith and Rob “Monkey Man” Diestel, Tommy and I share a brotherly bond h...
Season Two: A Look Back
BIG thanks to all my guests on Season 2, it was an honor and a privilege to have hosted each of you! I loved my field trips to record the remote interviews in Charlotte, Hilton Head, and Las Vegas as well. Special shoutout to the Citizens of Sound team behind the scenes that help me create each episode of Grateful Dad & Friends - Will & Charis Retherford, and Leslie Dinsmore. You all ROCK! Join us, and let’s see where the energy takes us! #IFE
Join us, and let’s see where the energy takes us!
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