Welcome to the first episode of TVD Radar!
If you haven’t already, meet Val Emmich, he’s a New Jersey renaissance man: author, actor, and musician. He’s a real Jersey boy and a fellow alum of Rutgers University. You’ve probably seen him and not realized it. He’s been on 30 Rock—as Liz Lemon’s younger love interest—and had a major role in HBO’s Vinyl.
If you’re into curling up with a good book, you’ll want to check out his delightful novel, The Reminders which was published by Little, Brown and Company in 2017. In fact, his writing abilities are so admired that when the creators of the Broadway smash Dear Evan Hansen were looking for an author to write the young-adult version of their show, they chose Val. Of course, it debuted at #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
But, wait. What we’re here to discuss is Val’s excellent musical career. After building a loyal fanbase in the early 2000s, Emmich was signed to Epic Records’ Red Ink imprint who released his Slow Down Kid album. Val hasn’t slowed down and has independently released an impressive catalog of music during the last two decades. His latest release, Acting the Optimist is a tightly knit, efficient 10 track album; it’s loud, clever, focused, and continues to unfurl itself after several spins.
Originally recorded as a Zoom chat, join Evan and Val as they discuss the album’s emotional creation, life during pandemic times, songwriting, and more. You’ll hear that discussion and the entire record in this episode.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Sharp Notes each Saturday evening at 6pm and TVD Radar on Sundays at 5AM on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
