A Culinary Walk on the Wild Side
NINE VOLT MEDIA (3.21.2025) – The first day of spring brings the release of TASTE LIKE CHICKEN?, a tongue-in-cheek ditty by Wisconsin songwriter Mike Starling. The song is a true story based on the first annual Buggette Feast at the Forest Resource Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota, which he reported on for the La Crosse Tribune.
It’s the second in the SONGS FOR '25 singles release series. Hear it exclusively on Mike’s Bandcamp page, mikestarling.bandcamp.com. (And for the record, yes, he did eat raw mealy worms and cricket cacciatore, all for the cause of journalistic integrity.)
It’s the second in the SONGS FOR '25 singles release series. Hear it exclusively on Mike’s Bandcamp page, mikestarling.bandcamp.com. (And for the record, yes, he did eat raw mealy worms and cricket cacciatore, all for the cause of journalistic integrity.)
NINE VOLT MEDIA (1.29.2025) –Mike Starling celebrates the Lunar New Year with the release of his latest recording Rocket. “This song is for all of us who grew up in the age of Apollo, and wonder, hey man, where did it all go?,” he says. It’s the first in a series of single-song releases the Wisconsin songwriter is planning for 2025. Hear it exclusively on Mike’s Bandcamp page, mikestarling.bandcamp.com.
That's One Small Song for Mankind...
New Bella Brutto Album Features 'Sun God' and Three Other Starling Songs
NINE VOLT MEDIA (11.21.2024) – Songs by Mike Starling figure prominently in a new album release from the Milwaukee band BELLA BRUTTO. The tunes include Sun God, Daddy’s Wallet, Credit Bureau and Experience, the album's title track. Also featured are War Machine by Patrick Coleman and two songs penned by Bella Brutto members – Sonnet by Twila Jean and Dishpit Blues by Bob Mueller, who produced the recordings. Mueller also tapped Starling to sing the lead vocal on Daddy’s Wallet.
"It's the highest honor for any songwriter when another artist wants to cover one of your songs," says Starling, who gigged with group members while living in Milwaukee between 2000 and 2010. "So, a big thanks to Bob and the crew for their cool versions and keeping these songs alive!"
Bella Brutto is Bob Mueller, Tom Plutshack, Twila Jean and Jared Drake. Milwaukee musicians Blaine Schultz and Mark Truesdell also make guest appearances on the Experience album. You can stream and download the album at bellabrutto.bandcamp.com.
"It's the highest honor for any songwriter when another artist wants to cover one of your songs," says Starling, who gigged with group members while living in Milwaukee between 2000 and 2010. "So, a big thanks to Bob and the crew for their cool versions and keeping these songs alive!"
Bella Brutto is Bob Mueller, Tom Plutshack, Twila Jean and Jared Drake. Milwaukee musicians Blaine Schultz and Mark Truesdell also make guest appearances on the Experience album. You can stream and download the album at bellabrutto.bandcamp.com.
Zig and Zag Dancers Do the 'Hoodoo Microdot'
NINE VOLT MEDIA (9.8.2024) – The Zig and Zag Dancers star in a new video promoting the album HOODOO MYSTERY BOX by Mike Starling. The music is a short excerpt from the lead track Hoodoo Microdot. The nine-track, 49-minute instrumental album is available exclusively on Bandcamp.
'Hoodoo Mystery Box' Defies Musical Pigeonholing
MOMENTOUS RECORDS (3.19.2024) – Momentous Records artist Mike Starling marks the 2024 spring equinox with the release of HOODOO MYSTERY BOX. This collection of genre-defying instrumental music is a hypnotic, exotic musical gumbo fueled by deep bass grooves, funky percussion, bloozy guitars and the primal growl of the didgeridoo.
The nine-song release includes several tunes tapped for movie and TV soundtracks including the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, A&E and more, plus three as-yet-unheard new compositions.
Says Starling: "The release date is a nod to a music fan from Alaska, who came up with one of the best descriptions of this music I’m making when he said: 'Makes me wanna wear my moose pelvic headdress and power dance spring equinox mountain chants beside the Matanuska Glacier.'”
The album is out today on Bandcamp.
The nine-song release includes several tunes tapped for movie and TV soundtracks including the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, A&E and more, plus three as-yet-unheard new compositions.
Says Starling: "The release date is a nod to a music fan from Alaska, who came up with one of the best descriptions of this music I’m making when he said: 'Makes me wanna wear my moose pelvic headdress and power dance spring equinox mountain chants beside the Matanuska Glacier.'”
The album is out today on Bandcamp.
La Crosse Songwriter Offers Free Downloads of New Album for Library Donations
LA CROSSE TRIBUNE (12.12.2023) – La Crosse songwriter Mike Starling has made his latest album free to download for the month of December. In return, he asks people who enjoy the music consider making a donation to their local library, acccording to his news release.
“Public libraries are facing tough times,” Starling said. “This is my small way of doing something to help these vital parts of our communities.”
Starling describes his new album DON'T READ BETWEEN THE LINES as “acoustic roots-funk with trombones.” He is backed on the recording by La Crosse area musicians Hans Mayer, Dave Purcell and Mark Lakmann.
The album is available exclusively on the Bandcamp music site at mikestarling.bandcamp.com.
“Public libraries are facing tough times,” Starling said. “This is my small way of doing something to help these vital parts of our communities.”
Starling describes his new album DON'T READ BETWEEN THE LINES as “acoustic roots-funk with trombones.” He is backed on the recording by La Crosse area musicians Hans Mayer, Dave Purcell and Mark Lakmann.
The album is available exclusively on the Bandcamp music site at mikestarling.bandcamp.com.
Acoustic Roots-Funk... with Trombones!
MOMENTOUS RECORDS (11.10.2023) – Momentous Records artist Mike Starling is on a mission. The La Crosse songwriter has been busy sifting through boxes of old cassettes and tapes searching for lost musical gems.
The latest product of this audio scavenger hunt Is DON'T READ BETWEEN THE LINES, a collection of seven songs that got their start back in the mid-‘90s and have now been finalized, re-energized and remastered.
Starling laid down the original tracks in a couple live-in-the-studio recording sessions with guitarist Hans Mayer and drummer Dave Purcell. Trombonist Mark Lakmann is featured on four tracks. The album debuted at a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Planetarium show on Nov. 9 and is now available on Bandcamp. Visit mikestarling.bandcamp.com to listen to the album, read song lyrics and get more info.
The latest product of this audio scavenger hunt Is DON'T READ BETWEEN THE LINES, a collection of seven songs that got their start back in the mid-‘90s and have now been finalized, re-energized and remastered.
Starling laid down the original tracks in a couple live-in-the-studio recording sessions with guitarist Hans Mayer and drummer Dave Purcell. Trombonist Mark Lakmann is featured on four tracks. The album debuted at a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Planetarium show on Nov. 9 and is now available on Bandcamp. Visit mikestarling.bandcamp.com to listen to the album, read song lyrics and get more info.
50¢ Millionaire: Out of the Basement After 35 Years!
NINE VOLT MEDIA (5.1.2023) – The latest release in songwriter Mike Starling's 4-Track Cassette Reclamation Project is out today. Titled 50¢ MILLIONAIRE, it's a full-length record of 15 songs originally written and recorded by Starling and drummer Bob Mueller in a makeshift basement studio in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1986-87 – tracks that have lingered “in the vault” ever since as the two friends went on to other career pursuits and creative projects. From the bloozy opening guitar riff of "Tom Snyder on a Bad Night" to the final fadeout of the wannabe-B-movie soundtrack instrumental "Lake Fly Massacre," the album is bursting with punky lo-fi garage rock grit that sounds remarkably fresh and spirited decades later. It's available exclusively on Bandcamp.
Thunderbird Launches New Cassette Reclamation Series
NINE VOLT MEDIA (3.23.2023) – Mike Starling's new 4-Track Cassette Reclamation Project launches today with the release of THUNDERBIRD: THE UNDERDUBS VOL. 1.
Originally released on cassette in 1992, Thunderbird is the very first collection of guitar-based instrumental music by the Wisconsin-based composer-producer. Recorded with then-brand new consumer four-track cassette technology, the sound is an early example of the "lo-fi" DIY music aesthetic, with the performer and his six-string at the recording controls adding occasional touches of bass, keys, harmonica, homemade hand percussion and early drum machine loops to the 16 concise guitar improvisations.
Originally released on cassette in 1992, Thunderbird is the very first collection of guitar-based instrumental music by the Wisconsin-based composer-producer. Recorded with then-brand new consumer four-track cassette technology, the sound is an early example of the "lo-fi" DIY music aesthetic, with the performer and his six-string at the recording controls adding occasional touches of bass, keys, harmonica, homemade hand percussion and early drum machine loops to the 16 concise guitar improvisations.
The Sons of Distortion Go Digital
NINE VOLT MEDIA (12.21.2022) – Songwriter Mike Starling kicked off the new millennium with a smokin' new band project called THE SONS OF DISTORTION. The resulting CD has long been out of print. Now, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its release, the recording has been restored and streamlined for digital release exclusively on Bandcamp.
The recording paired him up once again with guitarist Casey Virock. Before starting the Minneapolis-based band Porcupine, Virock played in a number of groups with Starling including Buzz Butler and Bean Hoy.
Another Minneapolis connection on the project was producer Mike von Muchow, who played bass and produced the sessions at his Actual Sound Studio in La Crosse, Wis. Kevin Skrenes filled out the sound on drums.
From the contagious opening hook of the funky rocker "Fits Right In" to the final flurry of feedback on the tongue-in-cheek anthem "Last Generation of Rock & Roll," the Sons of Distortion pumped out a potent blast of high-octane post-modern garage rock that still sounds fresh and vital 20 years later.
"Definitely one of my hardest rocking records," Starling says, "and there's a lot of cool ear candy in there too."
The recording paired him up once again with guitarist Casey Virock. Before starting the Minneapolis-based band Porcupine, Virock played in a number of groups with Starling including Buzz Butler and Bean Hoy.
Another Minneapolis connection on the project was producer Mike von Muchow, who played bass and produced the sessions at his Actual Sound Studio in La Crosse, Wis. Kevin Skrenes filled out the sound on drums.
From the contagious opening hook of the funky rocker "Fits Right In" to the final flurry of feedback on the tongue-in-cheek anthem "Last Generation of Rock & Roll," the Sons of Distortion pumped out a potent blast of high-octane post-modern garage rock that still sounds fresh and vital 20 years later.
"Definitely one of my hardest rocking records," Starling says, "and there's a lot of cool ear candy in there too."
A Supersonic Head Trip Through the 20th Century
NINE VOLT MEDIA (11.22.2022) – Three decades after its original release, THE NOISE MUSEUM remains a unique and intriguing entry in the recorded works of Wisconsin musician Mike Starling.
Working in a tiny basement studio with one of the first consumer 4-track cassette recorders, he created a mind-bending 30-minute sonic collage fusing found sound with original music.
The sound bites are culled from everything from vintage radio shows to historic speeches, news reports and selections from interviews Starling conducted during his days as a newspaper reporter.
Originally released in a limited cassette run in 1993, this long-form electronic psycho dub mashup has been out of print for decades. Now, to commemorate the project's 30th anniversary, the original Noise Museum analog stereo mix has been restored and optimized for digital re-release. It is available exclusively on Bandcamp.
Working in a tiny basement studio with one of the first consumer 4-track cassette recorders, he created a mind-bending 30-minute sonic collage fusing found sound with original music.
The sound bites are culled from everything from vintage radio shows to historic speeches, news reports and selections from interviews Starling conducted during his days as a newspaper reporter.
Originally released in a limited cassette run in 1993, this long-form electronic psycho dub mashup has been out of print for decades. Now, to commemorate the project's 30th anniversary, the original Noise Museum analog stereo mix has been restored and optimized for digital re-release. It is available exclusively on Bandcamp.
The City at Night... Remixed
NINE VOLT MEDIA (2.2.2022) – New alternate versions of the music from the THE CITY AT NIGHT film by Mike Starling were released today. Along with the original soundtrack, which blended spoken word and electric guitar, today’s release features two new music-only remixes available online for the first time. All three tracks can now be streamed and downloaded exclusively on Bandcamp.
The original film was produced in conjunction with the "Shifting Focus" group art exhibit featuring the photographic work of Mike Starling, Terry Nirva and Carol Erickson. Starling's contribution was nighttime urban landscapes.
The original film was produced in conjunction with the "Shifting Focus" group art exhibit featuring the photographic work of Mike Starling, Terry Nirva and Carol Erickson. Starling's contribution was nighttime urban landscapes.
'Quiescence' Emerges from the Vault
MOMENTOUS RECORDS (9.9.2021) – The first track from the production team Starling-Huus (aka Momentous Records artists Brett Huus and Mike Starling) dropped today. Titled QUIESCENCE, the 7-minute instrumental is an improvised, free-form jam recorded in one take, totally unplanned and off the cuff. No overdubs, no punch-ins, no post-production trickery. Just a bass, a piano, a loop... and the energy the musicians were feeding off of in that moment.
"This track is all about the restorative power of nature, music and friendship," Starling says. The release is dedicated to the memory of their friend Gene Purcell (1960-2021). Stream and download the track exclusively at Bandcamp.
"This track is all about the restorative power of nature, music and friendship," Starling says. The release is dedicated to the memory of their friend Gene Purcell (1960-2021). Stream and download the track exclusively at Bandcamp.
'I Remember Travel': A Multimedia Project for Our Times
NINE VOLT MEDIA (1.1.2021) – As a reflection of the times, Mike Starling has launched a new project called I REMEMBER TRAVEL. "I'm looking at this as a vIrtual, web-based platform to share stories, photos and music inspired by my pre-pandemic travels, with some occasional thoughts on where we go from here," says the La Crosse, Wisconsin-based writer, artist and musician.
You can read the latest posts at starlingarchive.weebly.com/journeys.
You can read the latest posts at starlingarchive.weebly.com/journeys.
Local Musician Inspired to Preserve Marshlands
WXOW-TV (8.17.2020) – Not too far from the hustle and bustle of downtown La Crosse, people can find a natural getaway at Myrick Park.
Marsh trails surround Myrick Park, and one local musician, Mike Starling, decided to make a free/downloadable album to help preserve the natural beauty of the marshlands.
The purpose of the album is to encourage people to donate to Friends Of The La Crosse River Marsh, a nonprofit that helps maintain the marshlands.
The album is titled "Backwaters" and produced by Momentous Records and Nine Volt Media. There are music videos to some of the songs on the album. The song "The Floating World," features images of the marshlands shot by John Sullivan, a local photographer.
"As a writer and musician in the Driftless-Region, the area has been a big inspiration for me," Starling said. "We live in a lovely place in the country. I can't help but let the beauty of the marshlands get into the music I produce."
The Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is a nonprofit that helps maintain the surrounding marshlands in La Crosse.
Chuck Lee, the president of the nonprofit, said he has received nothing but positive feedback about the album and was very happy that Starling decided to dedicate an album to helping nature.
"I've received lots and lots of emails just this past week from people who have listened to the album who love it, and that is a plus for us," said Lee.
You can listen and download the album here and donate to help the marshlands here.
Story by Lindsay Ford, WXOW multi-media reporter. As of 2022, the original newscast video was no longer available on the WXOW website.
Marsh trails surround Myrick Park, and one local musician, Mike Starling, decided to make a free/downloadable album to help preserve the natural beauty of the marshlands.
The purpose of the album is to encourage people to donate to Friends Of The La Crosse River Marsh, a nonprofit that helps maintain the marshlands.
The album is titled "Backwaters" and produced by Momentous Records and Nine Volt Media. There are music videos to some of the songs on the album. The song "The Floating World," features images of the marshlands shot by John Sullivan, a local photographer.
"As a writer and musician in the Driftless-Region, the area has been a big inspiration for me," Starling said. "We live in a lovely place in the country. I can't help but let the beauty of the marshlands get into the music I produce."
The Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is a nonprofit that helps maintain the surrounding marshlands in La Crosse.
Chuck Lee, the president of the nonprofit, said he has received nothing but positive feedback about the album and was very happy that Starling decided to dedicate an album to helping nature.
"I've received lots and lots of emails just this past week from people who have listened to the album who love it, and that is a plus for us," said Lee.
You can listen and download the album here and donate to help the marshlands here.
Story by Lindsay Ford, WXOW multi-media reporter. As of 2022, the original newscast video was no longer available on the WXOW website.
Review: Starling’s Latest Gives Life to the Beauty of the La Crosse Area Through Collaboration of Music and Photography
LA CROSSE LOCAL (11.20.2020) – Backwaters, Mike Starling’s newest album, is an expressive and unique work, capturing the essence of a place you wouldn’t recognize unless you’ve been there yourself. Starling’s guitar-based record speaks of the natural marshes and wildlife of the Driftless Region without uttering a single word. The result is an instrumental album that flits around the range of sounds from acoustic and electric guitars, combined with a specific vision of the landscapes that define the region.
Starling’s music alone can be visual, and in collaboration with Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh photographers John F. Sullivan and Roger Averbeck, the tracks come alive in the telling images of the marshes. The collaboration is based on an effort to raise funds and awareness for La Crosse’s natural resources, and it does so through the combination of sound and image that recalls a relatable memory of experiencing the outdoors. You can download the tracks free for a limited time, though the artists do ask those who are able to consider donating to preserve the local wetlands of the La Crosse area.
Reviewed by Maeve Miller, La Crosse Local staff writer
Starling’s music alone can be visual, and in collaboration with Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh photographers John F. Sullivan and Roger Averbeck, the tracks come alive in the telling images of the marshes. The collaboration is based on an effort to raise funds and awareness for La Crosse’s natural resources, and it does so through the combination of sound and image that recalls a relatable memory of experiencing the outdoors. You can download the tracks free for a limited time, though the artists do ask those who are able to consider donating to preserve the local wetlands of the La Crosse area.
Reviewed by Maeve Miller, La Crosse Local staff writer
New Album Raising Money for Wetland Preservation
LA CROSSE TRIBUNE (8.9.2020) – A local record label is helping raise funds and awareness for La Crosse’s natural resources.
Momentous Records is teaming up with Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh on the release of "Backwaters," the new instrumental music album by Mike Starling. The label is making the music available free to download for a limited time. In return, the group requests a donation to the Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh to help preserve local wetlands.
Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh will also be an integral part in the visual side of Starling’s new release. Marsh photography by John F. Sullivan and Roger Averbeck will be featured in the videos being produced for the album.
“John and Roger have spent many years capturing the beauty of the marsh and its wildlife, and we’re stoked to showcase some of their finest photography with my music,” Starling says. “It’s a natural tie-in since these new recordings were inspired by living here along the Upper Mississippi and our other local waterways. The La Crosse River Marsh is one of my favorite places to escape — I’ve spent a lot of time hiking and biking on the trails there.”
“Music created by local artists has a way of capturing the essence of our places, spiriting us back to the landscapes that define us,” says Chuck Lee, president of Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the marsh through action, advocacy and education. “This is why Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is honored that Mike Starling and Momentous Records wanted to partner with us on the release of their new album.”
Starling is familiar to music fans in the Driftless Region. As a writer for the La Crosse Tribune, he covered the music and arts beat for many years, and produced and co-hosted the “From the Middle Border” show on Wisconsin Public Radio.
He also played in a number of original music groups including Buzz Butler, Bean Hoy, Betty Brain and the Joe Price blues band.
Learn more and make donations at friendsofthelacrosserivermarsh.com/backwaters.
Stream and download the album at mikestarling.bandcamp.com.
Momentous Records is teaming up with Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh on the release of "Backwaters," the new instrumental music album by Mike Starling. The label is making the music available free to download for a limited time. In return, the group requests a donation to the Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh to help preserve local wetlands.
Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh will also be an integral part in the visual side of Starling’s new release. Marsh photography by John F. Sullivan and Roger Averbeck will be featured in the videos being produced for the album.
“John and Roger have spent many years capturing the beauty of the marsh and its wildlife, and we’re stoked to showcase some of their finest photography with my music,” Starling says. “It’s a natural tie-in since these new recordings were inspired by living here along the Upper Mississippi and our other local waterways. The La Crosse River Marsh is one of my favorite places to escape — I’ve spent a lot of time hiking and biking on the trails there.”
“Music created by local artists has a way of capturing the essence of our places, spiriting us back to the landscapes that define us,” says Chuck Lee, president of Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the marsh through action, advocacy and education. “This is why Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh is honored that Mike Starling and Momentous Records wanted to partner with us on the release of their new album.”
Starling is familiar to music fans in the Driftless Region. As a writer for the La Crosse Tribune, he covered the music and arts beat for many years, and produced and co-hosted the “From the Middle Border” show on Wisconsin Public Radio.
He also played in a number of original music groups including Buzz Butler, Bean Hoy, Betty Brain and the Joe Price blues band.
Learn more and make donations at friendsofthelacrosserivermarsh.com/backwaters.
Stream and download the album at mikestarling.bandcamp.com.
It's a Big Dumb World: The 25th Anniversary Collection
MOMENTOUS RECORDS (3.8.2019) – Guitar-slingin' journalist Mike Starling started the Bean Hoy band project as an outlet for his wry, topical tunes about subjects like road construction, farmer tans and the joys of beater cars and Wisconsin winters. To celebrate the release of the band's Lammie Award-winning debut album, Momentous Records teamed up with Nine Volt Media on a new 25th anniversary video and best-of collection.
The 12-song album, It's a Big Dumb World: A 25th Anniversary Collection, is available for streaming and downloading exclusively at Bandcamp. Numerous top-notch musicians from across the state back up Starling on the recordings, including Casey Virock, Jim Vogt, Hans Mayer, David Purcell, Bob Mueller, Mark Lakmann, Jared Drake, Tom Plutshack, Jason Knox and many more.
The 12-song album, It's a Big Dumb World: A 25th Anniversary Collection, is available for streaming and downloading exclusively at Bandcamp. Numerous top-notch musicians from across the state back up Starling on the recordings, including Casey Virock, Jim Vogt, Hans Mayer, David Purcell, Bob Mueller, Mark Lakmann, Jared Drake, Tom Plutshack, Jason Knox and many more.
Event Kicks Off New Group Photo Exhibit
LA CROSSE TRIBUNE (9.24.2016) – An opening reception for "Shifting Focus," a new group art exhibit, will be held from 2 to 4 p..m. Sunday, Oct. 2 at the La Crosse Public Library.
The show is the first local art exhibit by three La Crosse residents best known for other creative pursuits: Carol Erickson, Terry Nirva and Mike Starling.
“We had known each other for years, but one thing we didn’t know was that we all had a passion for artistic photography,” Erickson says. “It was a pretty cool discovery and we wanted to share it with our friends and the community.”
The exhibit will be on display throughout the month of October.
The show is the first local art exhibit by three La Crosse residents best known for other creative pursuits: Carol Erickson, Terry Nirva and Mike Starling.
“We had known each other for years, but one thing we didn’t know was that we all had a passion for artistic photography,” Erickson says. “It was a pretty cool discovery and we wanted to share it with our friends and the community.”
The exhibit will be on display throughout the month of October.
Milwaukee Band Releases Cover of Starling's Song About Beater Cars
NINE VOLT MEDIA (10.17.2015) – The Milwaukee band Bella Brutto has released a video of their cover of Mike Starling's song "Go Beater Car Go." The video is the second in the band's "countdown to Halloween 2015" series. The group features Bob Mueller (drums, vocals), Jared Drake (bass, vocals) and Tom Plutshack (guitar, vocals). Several kazoos are also heard in this recording of Starling's tune.
New 'Orange' Music Video Debuts
NINE VOLT MEDIA (7.5.2014) – The new music video by the Spirals debuted today on YouTube. Produced by Mark Truesdell and Candice Nokes of the Spirals for their latest song ORANGE, it's a fun and fast-moving visual collage shot in various locales in the US and Italy, including an in-store performance by band members at Wade's Guitar Shop in Milwaukee. Contributing videographers include Mike Starling, Dean Johnson and Rob Gerbasi. The music was recorded by Ron Baake at SubT Studio, Waterford, Wisconsin. Nokes sings and plays acoustic guitar, and Truesdell sings and plays electric guitar, harmonica and Rhodes piano. They're backed by the rhythm section of Carl Raven on drums and Mike Starling on acoustic bass.
Doorway to Amsterdam
ELECTRIC DAYBOOK (2.27.2010) – The absolute best way to imagine Amsterdam is through Mike Starling’s fine art photos… historic architecture, cafes, canals, bicycles, intelligent graffiti, inviting storefronts, and people in a relaxed state of mind. Live Without Dead Time is an exquisite collection of perfectly captured colorful scenes — some are glimpses of another life, some are spontaneous, some reflect a documentarian — all are artistically framed to capture the best of Amsterdam. This book is for the imagination, since the images explode with possibilities and spawn creative thought. As a doorway to a city, Live Without Dead Time is well worth the cover charge.
Review by Jeff Winke, Electric Daybook editor
Review by Jeff Winke, Electric Daybook editor
Starling Exhibiting Street Photography
BELOIT DAILY NEWS (7.25.2008) – Beloit native Mike Starling is exhibiting his photography in Milwaukee. A reception for his “Greece In Blue and White” show will be held Friday, July 25 at the Mercy Hill Gallery, 2625 S. Greeley St., Milwaukee.
A Beloit Memorial High School graduate, Starling went on to study photography while earning a degree in mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. A two-time winner of the Milwaukee Press Club Award, he has worked as a magazine editor and photographer in La Crosse, Milwaukee and Boulder, Colo.
His Greek street photography will be on exhibit at the gallery through Aug. 31. The reception runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and includes live music by Starling and several area musicians.
A Beloit Memorial High School graduate, Starling went on to study photography while earning a degree in mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. A two-time winner of the Milwaukee Press Club Award, he has worked as a magazine editor and photographer in La Crosse, Milwaukee and Boulder, Colo.
His Greek street photography will be on exhibit at the gallery through Aug. 31. The reception runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and includes live music by Starling and several area musicians.
Embrace the Orange Barrel: Why 'Road Construction' Should Be the Official State Tourism Song
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL (2005) – Mike Starling felt kind of bad for state tourism officials this week. After all, they’d paid $22,000 for a song, “Wisconsin – Life’s So Good,” as part of the new $2.2 million campaign promoting the state, only to learn that it sounds suspiciously like a 1995 song song by a British group, Supergrass.
The faux pas got lots of publicity for Wisconsin – it made the international news wires, and tourism officials were teased by people from as far away as China. Yes, the phones were ringing off the hook at Tourism last week, but unfortunately, the callers were nasty reporters, not nice tourists hoping to book a feel-good week in Wisconsin Dells. Even worse, the state had paid for a tune that probably can’t be used.
So Milwaukee songwriter Starling, a giving kind of guy, sent Tourism Secretary Jim Holperin an offer. The state can have his ready-to-go original Wisconsin song for the bargain price of just $10,000. It’s called "Road Construction" and contains such catchy lyrics as:
The faux pas got lots of publicity for Wisconsin – it made the international news wires, and tourism officials were teased by people from as far away as China. Yes, the phones were ringing off the hook at Tourism last week, but unfortunately, the callers were nasty reporters, not nice tourists hoping to book a feel-good week in Wisconsin Dells. Even worse, the state had paid for a tune that probably can’t be used.
So Milwaukee songwriter Starling, a giving kind of guy, sent Tourism Secretary Jim Holperin an offer. The state can have his ready-to-go original Wisconsin song for the bargain price of just $10,000. It’s called "Road Construction" and contains such catchy lyrics as:
We got four seasons
Here in the Midwest
There’s winter, there’s spring
There’s fall and there is
Road construction
“It’s definitely a topic everyone in the state can relate to,” said Starling. “I wrote it back when I lived on West Avenue in La Crosse, and got woke up one morning by jackhammers.”
Starling says Holperin sent back a nice, thanks-but-no-thanks e-mail.
I think he should reconsider. Coming up with the world’s most totally honest tourism song would be a great way to recover from the stolen-song mess.
They could tailor the “Road Construction” campaign to Wisconsin’s different regions and tourism events.
If you were stuck in traffic trying to get to Oktoberfest in La Crosse, you could turn to tourism radio and get “The Orange Barrel Polka.” (“Roll out the barrels, getting to the beer will be a barrel of fun.”) If you were in Milwaukee and could see Summerfest, but couldn’t get there due to construction in the massive Marquette Interchange, your tourism radio would soothe you with that childhood favorite, “On top of Spaghetti Bowl, I’m turning to cheese. I must find a rest room, I hope I don’t sneeze. . .”
And for all those tourists stuck in Interstate 90-94-39 traffic while trying to get up north on a Friday night or back home on Sunday, there’s a song from Creedence Clearwater Revival that’s so perfect you don’t even need to change the lyrics. It begins:
Starling says Holperin sent back a nice, thanks-but-no-thanks e-mail.
I think he should reconsider. Coming up with the world’s most totally honest tourism song would be a great way to recover from the stolen-song mess.
They could tailor the “Road Construction” campaign to Wisconsin’s different regions and tourism events.
If you were stuck in traffic trying to get to Oktoberfest in La Crosse, you could turn to tourism radio and get “The Orange Barrel Polka.” (“Roll out the barrels, getting to the beer will be a barrel of fun.”) If you were in Milwaukee and could see Summerfest, but couldn’t get there due to construction in the massive Marquette Interchange, your tourism radio would soothe you with that childhood favorite, “On top of Spaghetti Bowl, I’m turning to cheese. I must find a rest room, I hope I don’t sneeze. . .”
And for all those tourists stuck in Interstate 90-94-39 traffic while trying to get up north on a Friday night or back home on Sunday, there’s a song from Creedence Clearwater Revival that’s so perfect you don’t even need to change the lyrics. It begins:
Just about a year ago, I set out on the road
Seekin’ my fame and fortune lookin’ for a pot of gold
Things got bad, and things got worse
I guess you know the tune
Oh, Lord, stuck in Lodi again
I can hear you humming along from here.
Story by Susan Lampert Smith, Wisconsin State Journal columnist
Story by Susan Lampert Smith, Wisconsin State Journal columnist
New flick features local folks and footage
ONMILWAUKEE.COM (8.21.2003) – Mike Starling has never met Ryan Walter. Sure, they've corresponded pretty regularly, but chances are they won't shake hands for the first time until August 21, when the film "Coffee Refills are Free" – into which they both put some measure of work – debuts at the Rosebud Cinema in Wauwatosa.
"Last year I got an e-mail from Ryan -- I'm guessing that he found my music on a Web site," says Starling, who served as one of many area artists on the soundtrack for the Milwaukee-based movie written and directed by Walter.
"He just sent an e-mail telling me a little about his project, asking me if I'd like to submit some music. I sent him a couple CDs, and a few months later he told me he chose three of my songs to be on there."
The unconventional collaboration seems to fit the style of Walter, who developed the comedic film about three Milwaukee men coming of age as a "summer project" during time away from his job as a high school psychology and history teacher.
"It came about over the course of a couple years," the 26-year-old Walter says of his film. "I would sit down with different people and I found myself acting in many ways like a reporter, writing down a lot of the interesting things people say in regular conversation ... the absurd things that happen in everyday life.
"I had notebooks filled with material like that, some of it in the film comes word for word out of the mouths of people who said it."
Focusing on three characters portrayed by Milwaukeeans Lucas Wall, John Lewandowski and Brian Hubert and chronicling their interaction as they seek the strength to leave the sometimes-humiliating past behind and carve their own path, the flick features numerous familiar city landmarks. Local moviegoers will recognize Rock Bottom Brewery, The Comedy Café, The Astor Hotel, Howard's Pub and Grill in Mequon, South Shore Park, lakefront scenes of the Milwaukee skyline and Gyros Center West in Waukesha, which serves as a local coffee shop in which the majority of action takes place.
"They talk about some things that only Milwaukee people will know about like Summerfest," says Walter, who indicates the movie would probably most appeal to viewers of college age or a little older familiar with the city. "There are some bars that people will know, a lot of the sites and sounds are Milwaukee-related."
Some of those sounds are included on a soundtrack that offers 30 songs, mostly from area musicians such as Starling. After placing an advertisement for music submissions in a local paper, as well as personally seeking out some individuals, Walter had a wealth of material from which to choose.
"The use of the Internet for independent musicians like myself has been a great thing for us ... this kind of thing wouldn't have happened five years ago," Starling says. "Just because our music is available on the Internet, I've gotten CD sales all over the country and Canada, radio requests as far away as Russia and Brazil. This is a really exciting time for musicians.
"I'm just hoping it sounds good and helps put the point across that [Walter] is trying to communicate," Starling says. "I'm just really looking forward to see how he's using the music and to hear the other bands that he's chosen in the movie."
Starling will have his chance at the film's premiere Thursday at 7 p.m., likely getting a waiver on the $3 admission fee. Walter says he's looking forward to the reaction people have to his creation, a 105-minute effort that involved countless hours of his own personal time.
"The editorial process was the most difficult thing," he says. "We did all the filming over two and a half weeks, but putting the whole thing together was very hard ... it's a very solitary process. I had to sort through about 40 hours of footage for a movie that's about an hour and 45 minutes. It's like basically finding a needle in a haystack.
"What's really nice in the modern era, though, is that this is all within reach for someone like me. If you have an Apple and a camera and a dream you can make a movie ... people are accepting of films that aren't very traditional."
One of the films Walter points to was the zombie-horror movie "28 Days Later," which has already exceeded $40 million in American box office revenue alone with a filming budget of just $8 million. He also mentions "The Blair Witch Project," a low-budget 1999 release that grossed over $140 million and changed the way moviegoers looked at small independent films.
"Refills" is a far cry from a horror flick, evident upon noticing that Walter's production company, lightheartedly named Cheeseheads In Exile Productions, produced the film. Now a New Jersey resident, Walter named his company to reflect his Wisconsin roots in Greenfield.
"That title refers to me being a terminal Cheesehead," Walter says. "It's like a disease with me. Even if I have to go to a bar 15 miles away, I never miss a Packers game, and I always try to get back to Summerfest in the summer."
Walter is equally as optimistic as fervent Wisconsinite.
"With what I've already done in my mind, the movie's a success," he said. "People who have seen it have enjoyed it and have seen something of themselves in it. Hopefully there's going to be a lot of people at the premier, and I hope they laugh. After that, I'm going to kind of send it out to the film festival world and that's basically going to be my little hobby ... stuffing envelopes and sending it out."
First, there's the local premiere, and naturally, the chance to meet some of the people that helped make his "little hobby" a big deal.
"Coffee Refills are Free" will premiere Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Rosebud Cinema, 6823 W. North Ave. at 7 p.m. Tickets are $3. For more information, call (414) 607-9672.
Story by JD Radcliffe of the OnMilwwaukee.com staff
"Last year I got an e-mail from Ryan -- I'm guessing that he found my music on a Web site," says Starling, who served as one of many area artists on the soundtrack for the Milwaukee-based movie written and directed by Walter.
"He just sent an e-mail telling me a little about his project, asking me if I'd like to submit some music. I sent him a couple CDs, and a few months later he told me he chose three of my songs to be on there."
The unconventional collaboration seems to fit the style of Walter, who developed the comedic film about three Milwaukee men coming of age as a "summer project" during time away from his job as a high school psychology and history teacher.
"It came about over the course of a couple years," the 26-year-old Walter says of his film. "I would sit down with different people and I found myself acting in many ways like a reporter, writing down a lot of the interesting things people say in regular conversation ... the absurd things that happen in everyday life.
"I had notebooks filled with material like that, some of it in the film comes word for word out of the mouths of people who said it."
Focusing on three characters portrayed by Milwaukeeans Lucas Wall, John Lewandowski and Brian Hubert and chronicling their interaction as they seek the strength to leave the sometimes-humiliating past behind and carve their own path, the flick features numerous familiar city landmarks. Local moviegoers will recognize Rock Bottom Brewery, The Comedy Café, The Astor Hotel, Howard's Pub and Grill in Mequon, South Shore Park, lakefront scenes of the Milwaukee skyline and Gyros Center West in Waukesha, which serves as a local coffee shop in which the majority of action takes place.
"They talk about some things that only Milwaukee people will know about like Summerfest," says Walter, who indicates the movie would probably most appeal to viewers of college age or a little older familiar with the city. "There are some bars that people will know, a lot of the sites and sounds are Milwaukee-related."
Some of those sounds are included on a soundtrack that offers 30 songs, mostly from area musicians such as Starling. After placing an advertisement for music submissions in a local paper, as well as personally seeking out some individuals, Walter had a wealth of material from which to choose.
"The use of the Internet for independent musicians like myself has been a great thing for us ... this kind of thing wouldn't have happened five years ago," Starling says. "Just because our music is available on the Internet, I've gotten CD sales all over the country and Canada, radio requests as far away as Russia and Brazil. This is a really exciting time for musicians.
"I'm just hoping it sounds good and helps put the point across that [Walter] is trying to communicate," Starling says. "I'm just really looking forward to see how he's using the music and to hear the other bands that he's chosen in the movie."
Starling will have his chance at the film's premiere Thursday at 7 p.m., likely getting a waiver on the $3 admission fee. Walter says he's looking forward to the reaction people have to his creation, a 105-minute effort that involved countless hours of his own personal time.
"The editorial process was the most difficult thing," he says. "We did all the filming over two and a half weeks, but putting the whole thing together was very hard ... it's a very solitary process. I had to sort through about 40 hours of footage for a movie that's about an hour and 45 minutes. It's like basically finding a needle in a haystack.
"What's really nice in the modern era, though, is that this is all within reach for someone like me. If you have an Apple and a camera and a dream you can make a movie ... people are accepting of films that aren't very traditional."
One of the films Walter points to was the zombie-horror movie "28 Days Later," which has already exceeded $40 million in American box office revenue alone with a filming budget of just $8 million. He also mentions "The Blair Witch Project," a low-budget 1999 release that grossed over $140 million and changed the way moviegoers looked at small independent films.
"Refills" is a far cry from a horror flick, evident upon noticing that Walter's production company, lightheartedly named Cheeseheads In Exile Productions, produced the film. Now a New Jersey resident, Walter named his company to reflect his Wisconsin roots in Greenfield.
"That title refers to me being a terminal Cheesehead," Walter says. "It's like a disease with me. Even if I have to go to a bar 15 miles away, I never miss a Packers game, and I always try to get back to Summerfest in the summer."
Walter is equally as optimistic as fervent Wisconsinite.
"With what I've already done in my mind, the movie's a success," he said. "People who have seen it have enjoyed it and have seen something of themselves in it. Hopefully there's going to be a lot of people at the premier, and I hope they laugh. After that, I'm going to kind of send it out to the film festival world and that's basically going to be my little hobby ... stuffing envelopes and sending it out."
First, there's the local premiere, and naturally, the chance to meet some of the people that helped make his "little hobby" a big deal.
"Coffee Refills are Free" will premiere Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Rosebud Cinema, 6823 W. North Ave. at 7 p.m. Tickets are $3. For more information, call (414) 607-9672.
Story by JD Radcliffe of the OnMilwwaukee.com staff
For the Love of the Arts: Milwaukee Musicians with Day Jobs
WUWM 89.7FM (2001) – WUWM reporter Marti Mikkelson interviewed Mike for the station's For the Love of the Arts series.
Mike Starling's original music is heard on numerous recordings and soundtracks, and his stories and photos have been featured in books, films, mags and other media.
This is the news page on the official website of the writer, artist and musician Mike Starling. Starling on bass photo by L. Hinzman. Radio waves illustration (for the textbook Basics of fine-art photography) courtesy Creative Commons licensing via Wiki Commons. Website developed and managed by Nine Volt Media. ©MMXX-MMXXV. All rights reserved.
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