Rob Lundberg’s “Uncontaminated Sound – The Interviews” EP #66 w/ Mickey Leigh

Guided by artistic desire and a true lover of artistry in all of its forms, Robert Lundberg has become a highly regarded photographer and filmmaker lauded for his innovative and versatile documentaries covering the worlds of music, comedy, art, and film. After spending his early years in Massachusetts, Lundberg moved to New York City. It was here that he more actively pursued a full-time career in art and film. Uniquely focused on seeking out the next big artistic challenge, Lundberg chose to pursue one of his most ambitious projects in 2020 when he launched a new documentary series entitled Uncontaminated Sound – The Interviews.

Debuting in early 2020, the series follows comedians, musicians, fine artists, and actors with Lundberg’s primary goal to gain particular insight into their creative processes, which can only be thoroughly deciphered by truly going behind the scenes. With Uncontaminated Sound, Lundberg’s purpose is to offer an intimate look into all of the rarely seen or known “little things” that take place during interviews and other similar social and private interactions with artists and performers. Mainstream features are often heavily and unevenly edited, offering viewers only individual, preferred moments. In contrast, Lundberg is dedicated to delivering to you all of the real, raw, authentic moments that you would never otherwise have the opportunity to experience.

Springtime has returned, and so has Rob Lundberg! After a lengthy hiatus, we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome our friend Rob Lundberg back to doing what he does best.

In this ‘welcome back’ edition of Uncontaminated Sound, Lundberg is joined by musician and songwriter Mickey Leigh. For any fan of classic punk rock, Leigh is a name that is tied to legend and greatness. Born and raised in Queen, New York, Leigh was a pivotal figure in the punk rock explosion of the late 1970s. He’s also the brother of the legendary Joey Ramone, co-founder and frontman of The Ramones. Along with Joey, Leigh formed the influential ’70s punk band Birdland. Like The Ramones, Birdland’s gritty approach to punk rock came to embody the musical movement taking place within the New York underground scene. The genre wouldn’t be where it is today without the contributions of Mickey and his cohorts of the ’70s movement.

Along with being a celebrated musician, Leigh is also a highly accomplished author. He has written several books, including I Slept with Joey Ramone, a touching memoir that looks back at his experiences growing up with his iconic brother and their time navigating the music scene. His books have been widely applauded by fans and critics for how they capture the essence of the classic punk culture, using honesty, humour, and heartfelt expression. Leigh’s dedication to artistic expression has remained a passion of his throughout the decades. He has been an inspiration to many generations of fans and fellow artists, both on the stage and through his literary ventures

Discussing his conversation with Leigh and his return to Uncontaminated Sound, Lundberg says:

“I must apologize for my hiatus as the creatives out there may understand there are certain moments where one hits a creative wall or blockage, and starting in the fall of 2022 and then dragging along into 2023 the blockage stuck. Nothing flowing, no spark, no colour, a few personal health issues, all culminating in: completely zero output.

“However, I’ve started something that I believe in: unscripted conversations with uniquely creative persons of all mediums with no hidden intent besides what I hope are interesting discussions on process, socio-political happenings, new projects, creativity, and more. So re-energized I present to you conversation #66 with Mickey Leigh, or for those whom don’t immediately recognize his name: Joey Ramone’s brother.

“But we don’t dive too deep into The Ramones side of things, as Mickey has repeatedly been asked about his brother over and over again. Instead I hold back my nerdish Ramones fan excitement, while discussing with Mickey NYC venues, Queens, recent projects (including a film), and more!

“Please enjoy one of my favourite conversations to date!”

With his return, Lundberg has more interviews to come with acclaimed artists who have agreed to be a part of Uncontaminated Sound – The Interviews. He has also brought you his ongoing series Uncontaminated Sound, which takes a look behind the scenes to get a look at performers before they take the stage. The series has featured Macklemore’s Gemini Tour featuring Eric Nally (formerly of Foxy Shazam) and Xperience, the late Louie Anderson, Sinbad, Ron English, We Are Scientists, Rufus Wainwright, and more. Lundberg’s photography has been highlighted in publications such as Huffington Post, Paste Magazine and more.