Andrew McCarthy is a director, an award-winning travel writer, and—of course—an actor.

His latest book is Walking with Sam (Grand Central Publishing). Looking to create a more meaningful connection with his son Sam before he flies the nest – as well as recreate his own life-altering journey decades before – McCarthy decided the two of them should set out on a trek like few others: 500 miles across Spain’s Camino de Santiago.

Over the course of the journey, the pair traversed an unforgiving landscape, having more honest conversations in five weeks than they’d had in the preceding two decades.  Discussions of divorce, the trauma of school, McCarthy’s difficult relationship with his own father, fame, and Flaming Hot Cheetos, threatened to either derail their relationship or cement it.

Andrew McCarthy has appeared in dozens of films, including Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, Less Then Zero, and cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin. His memoir chronicling this time, BRAT: An ‘80s Story, became a New York Times Bestseller in 2021.

A TV documentary based on BRAT, written and directed by McCarthy, will stream later this year on Hulu.

His television directing credits include, The Blacklist, Grace and Frankie, New Amsterdam, Orange is the New Black, and many others.

McCarthy is the author of a previous travel memoir, The Longest Way Home, and a Young Adult novel, Just Fly Away.

He lives in New York.

Photo: McCarthy at Elvis Presley birthplace, Tupelo, MS, Dec. 2023 (Facebook)

Reed Brake’s album, Visions and Dreams, features 12 original songs that have been road-honed and audience-approved. The quartet pulls from a variety of musical influences to form their own brand of improvisational roots rock.

Based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Reed Brake is Jack Adams (vocals, guitar), Lucas Hales (bass), Justin Hart (vocals, mandolin), and David Phillips (drums).

As for the band’s name: “In Alabama, before they got wiped out, we had these really large canebrakes,” Hart, a professor of forest ecology and management, told The Crimson White.

“For some reason, instead of calling them canebrakes or cane thickets, people call them reed brakes.”  

Cyrena Wages’ album, Vanity Project, is now available.

The album is produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Charley Crockett, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Margo Price).

The LP was recorded at Southern Grooves Studio in Memphis.

Most of the album’s songs were co-written by Wages and Memphis guitarist (and sometime – not often enough! – Thacker guest) Joe Restivo (Don Bryant, William Bell, Otis Clay).