This Chicago singer/songwriter fronted Dolly Varden for six albums from the ’90s through 2013. He also started releasing solo records in 2003 and has just released his seventh.

We discuss “A Mile South of Town” (and listen at the end to “Oh, California”) from Ghosts (2024), the title track from The Dumbest Magnets by Dolly Varden (2000), and “Bronko Nagurski,” a 1989 recording by the early iteration of Varden, Stump the Host. Intro: “Saskatchewan to Chicago” by Dolly Varden from For a While (2013). More at stevedawsonmusic.com and dollyvarden.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “Saskatchewan to Chicago,” and watch Dolly Varden play it live. Watch the video for the first single off the new album, “Time to Let Some Light In” and the one for “Oh, California.” Here he is live with his solo band. Hear Steve’s Funeral Bonsai Wedding album (2014).

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Though Dale is known as the long-time drummer for Washington sludge-metal band Melvins (’88-present), he’s also a guitarist and singer who led the band Altamont though four alternative rock albums (’97-’05) and has now released his third full-length, stylistically varied solo album.

We discuss “I Quit” from Glossolalia (2024) featuring Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, “Bad Move” (co-written w/ Dan Southwick) from The Fickle Finger of Fate (2017), and “The Bit” (co-written with Buzz Osborne) by Melvins from Stag (1996). End song: “El Stupido” by Altamont from The Monkees’ Uncle (2005). Intro: “Spread Eagle Beagle” by Melvins from Houdini (1993). More at dalecrover.com.

Dale’s solo debut was an EP released under the Melvins name back in 1995. Watch the Melvins documentary. Hear the Melvins acoustic versions in full of “Bad Move” and “The Bit.” Watch Dale play “The Bit” live solo. Watch a recent Melvins live take. Watch Dale’s solo band live in 2018, and a fancily effected live take on “Bad Move” in particular. Here’s a drummer-focused song from live Melvins. Here he is playing “El Stupido” live. Hear all 10 min of “Spread Eagle Beagle.”

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If you like our podcast, check out Heavy Metal 101.

You can watch this discussion as unedited video.

It’s a new, discussion-only format, just for this episode (and perhaps some rare ones in the future)! When we write, how much is planned vs. improvised? How much is inspirational vs. double-or-triple checked? How does this factor weigh into how much music we release, how eclectic our sound is, and how well we improvise with others?

This discussion features three returning guests:

• Roger Joseph Manning Jr. was the keyboardist/singer for Jellyfish and Imperial Drag, and more recently as a solo artist and with the Likerish Quartet. Hear his solo episode. The end song on this episode “I’m Startin’ a Band” from his Radio Daze EP (2023).
• David Christian is the singer/guitarist for Britain’s Comet Gain. Hear his solo episode. The intro music to this discussion is “Love and Hate on the Radio” from Radio Sessions 1996-2011.
• Portland-based Rachel Taylor Brown has released 10 solo albums. Hear her solo episode. Her song choice relevant to this discussion was “Stagg Field.”

Hear a pre-release of Mark’s 8-person band’s new demo.

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Mark led Grand Funk Railroad through 13 hit albums in the 70s and early 80s and has had around eight solo releases. We discuss “Nadean” from For the People (2006), “Not Yet” from Some Kind of Wonderful (1991), and the title track of Born to Die (1976) by Grand Funk Railroad. We then listen to his 2015 single (co-written with Paul Topete) “Take You Out.” Intro: “Closer to Home (I’m Your Captain)” from GFR’s Closer to Home (1970). For more see markfarner.com.

Mark has had a single more recently than “Take You Out,” 2018’s “Can’t Stop.” Watch a full Mark Farner’s American Band show from 2020. Here’s another long interview with Mark that you might like.

Here’s all of “Closer to Home (I’m Your Captain).” Drummer Don Brewer has sole writing credit on Grand Funk Railroad’s biggest hit, “We’re an American Band,” but according to this interview, Mark wrote the music including Don’s main drum part! If you’re unfamiliar with GFR’s story, this Behind the Music episode goes through the really interesting milestones. Here’s one of their live shows from 1972, as a power trio with nearly every song written by Mark. A GFR reunion is unlikely (Don Brewer is running a current version).

Consider contributing to Mark Farner’s Mid-Michigan Flood Relief.

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A special, more topic-oriented yet more self-indulgent exercise, where your host dissects the collaborative chemistry with guitarist Matt Ackerman as the two front men of the band New People (2006-2013).

We discuss “Down So Low” from The Easy Thing (2008), “Manager” from Impossible Things (2011), and “Local” from Might Get It Right (2013). End songs: “At the Time” also from that 2013 album and “We Who Have Escaped” (recorded late 2013, released on Mark’s Songs from the Partially Examined Life). Intro: “Love Is the Problem” also from The Easy Thing. For more, see newpeopleband.com and marklint.bandcamp.com.

Mark made a video for “Love Is the Problem.” Here it is live in 2009 (one of our drummer Julian’s last shows with us). The other studio tune recorded for that album was Matt’s “The Last One,” which the YouTube auto-loader has amusingly depicted as “jazz.” Listen to the original demo of “Manager,” released on Mark’s Black Jelly Beans and Smokes album (1997). The other harsh tune on Impossible Things immediately following “Manager” is Matt’s “Irresistible.” We mention later drummer Nate Pinney as a third songwriting voice: Listen to his New People song “Stalk” also from that second album.

Matt’s current band is Blue Stone. Watch and listen at facebook.com/bluestonemadison.

Though I describe my solo stuff as generally less slick sounding, I actually did the whole New People engineering process for my latest, Mark Lint’s Dry Folk (2018): recording mostly at home but mixing with Jake Johnson at Paradyme Studios. Still, you can hear that it sounds nothing like New People without Matt’s guitar layers.

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Roger rose to fame as keyboardist/songwriter for Jellyfish in the early ’90s, then formed Imperial Drag, The Moog Cookbook, TV Eyes, backed Beck, and finally released two albums under his own name starting in 2006. He’s recently released a solo EP and one with The Likerish Quartet that reunites him with some other members of Jellyfish.

We discuss “Lighthouse Spaceship” by The Lickerish Quartet from Threesome, Vol. 1 (2020), “The Turnstile at Heaven’s Gate” from Catnip Dynamite (2008), “Time to Time” by Malibu (a solo techno project) from Robo-Sapiens (2007), and listen to “Operator” from his solo Glamping EP (2018). Intro: “The King is Half-Undressed” by Jellyfish from Bellybutton (1990). For more, see thelickerishquartet.com and rogerarranging.com.

Roger’s interviews to cover his Jellyfish and production work with Produce Like a Pro are here, here, and here. Here’s the original video for “The King Is Half-Undressed.” Watch Jellyfish live in Germany with the Lickerish Quartet guys. Here’s Imperial Drag (Roger with Eric Dover) playing “Man on the Moon,” the next song I would have added to this interview had there been time. Here’s a video from Roger’s first solo album. Watch the lyric video for “Lighthouse Spaceship” and a video made for the opening track of that EP, “Fadoodle.” Here’s a retro commercial for the EP.

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KatieJane gained fame fronting British grunge band Daisy Chainsaw, left after their first full album but resumed the project under the name Queenadreena for four albums in the ’00s, then partnered with Chris Whittingham in 2007 to live on a boat and play as the stripped-down Ruby Throat for four albums. That band has now become loud again and been re-christened Liar, Flower.

We discuss “My Brain is Lit Like an Airport” and hear the title track from Geiger Counter (2020), then look back to “Hu’u” by Ruby Throat from Baby Darling Taporo (2017) and “Lesions In The Brain” by Lalleshwari (a one-off solo moniker) from Lullabies in a Glass Wilderness (2007). Intro: “Love Your Money” from Daisy Chainsaw from Eleventeen (1992). For more, see katiejanegarside.com.

Watch an animated video from the new album, another video featuring KatieJane’s autoharp, and yet another with her pushing a psychedelic shopping cart. Watch a little Ruby Throat live duo from 2019. Here’s a particularly gorgeous Ruby Throat video from 2010.

Queenadreena’s biggest hit was “Pretty Like Drugs,” and here’s the video for “Love Your Money.” Here’s a full Queenadreena live show from 2004. That super long tune from Lalleshwari that we refer to is “Just One Day of Endless Love.”

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Jim was the main songwriter for Survivor, writing all their hits including “Eye of the Tiger” in 1983, but that was the second lightning strike, the first of which was his 1970 hit “Vehicle” with the Ides of March, a band he started in high school in 1964 and is still in today. He’s co-written hits with Brian Wilson, 38 Special, Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick, etc. and has released over 30 albums.

We discuss his new solo single “Empty Arena” and two Ides of March tunes, “Friends Like You” from Play On (2019) feat. Mindi Abair and “L.A. Goodbye,” recorded in 1992 but originally from Common Bond (1971). End song: “The Spirit of Chicago,” a 1992 recording released on Ideology: Version 11.0. Intro: The title tracks of Vehicle (1970) and The Eye of the Tiger (1983). For more, see jimpeterik.com.

Jim’s released new lyric videos given the current situation for “Empty Arena” and “The Spirit of Chicago.” Watch the official video for “Friends Like You” and a new live, acoustic version performed remotely in quarantine. Watch the Ides live closing a show with “L.A. Goodbye.” Hear the original album version, which for rights reasons, they requested I not use on the show.

See Survivor live in 1985 with Jimi Jameson singing; Jim is on keys. Here’s a video made for “Vehicle” (using the original studio recording and some archive footage from TV), and here he is playing it live solo recently. The Pride of Lions tune we refer to early in the interview with the balls-out chorus (and Jim singing the verses) is “Gone.” Another of his newer Survivor-like projects is this duet with Mark Scherer from 2015.

Jim co-wrote the final Brian Wilson Beach Boys single, “That’s Why God Made the Radio.” He’s re-recorded some of the songs he co-wrote for other artists, like this song that 38 Special made famous. Here’s a recent one he did with Dennis DeYoung from Styx. And here’s one he did recently with guys from the band Chicago.

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Victor started as a singer/songwriter, drummed with the Femmes for five albums in the ’80s, and has since recorded six solo releases and five more with NINETEEN THIRTEEN, plus other collaborations, jazz jamming, and work in the theater.

We discuss “Invisible Shadows” from Tranceaphone (2020), “Carry Me” from Victor DeLorenzo (2013) feat. Malachi DeLorenzo, “Arco, Pizzicato” by Nineteen Thirteen (co-written with Janet Schiff) from The Dream (2016), and listen to “Audrey” from Pancake Day (1996). Intro/outro: “World Without Mercy” by Violent Femmes from The Blind Leading the Naked (1985) (only the cassette version, strangely). More at victordelorenzo.weebly.com.

Here’s a full, straight-from-vinyl (apparently) recording of “World Without Mercy,” which was produced by Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison. Watch the video to “Carry Me.” Here’s that live version of “Arco, Pizzicato.” Here’s another solo tune, the funky “Gossip.” Here he is live with the Violent Femmes back in 1984. Here’s a big drum solo.

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Alev started in Germany with her metal band “Alev” in the early ’00s and has released three atmospheric, idea-filled solo albums since 2009 plus several soundtracks and collaborations.

We discuss “The Chair” (and at the end listen to “Cigarettes & Blow”) from 3 (2019), plus the title track from Two-Headed Girl (2016), “Flowers of Love” from Storytelling Piano Playing Fräulein (2009), and “In this Mouth” by Anoushka Shankar feat Alev Lenz from Love Letters (2020). Intro: “Fall Into Me” from the Black Mirror Soundtrack (2016). For more, visit alevlenz.com.

Listen to all of “Fall Into Me.” Netflix watchers may also recognize her theme from Dark. Here she is playing “Two-Headed GIrl” live with toy piano. Here she is live with the vocal ensemble singing “Cigarettes & Blow.” Watch another song she did with Anoushka Shankar. Here’s an official video to of her ballads, “If Love.” And here’s another particularly interesting song/video: “Song #1.” Here’s one of her early songs with the group Alev.

Alev released a sample library to accompany her recent album, that she walks us through. Watch the Tiny Desk Concert for Alev’s collaborators Roomful of Teeth. Here’s her crazy percussionist Samuli Kosminen live. Alev mentions “Two-Headed Girl” as a reaction in part to Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Two-Headed Boy.”

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Rick played bass on 15 albums with Steeleye Span between 1971 and 2016 and had released five solo albums since 1996 (plus another with his then-wife Maddy Prior).

We discuss “Race Against Time” from Perfect Blue (2018) and two Steeleye tunes: “Cromwell’s Skull” from Dodgy Bastards (2016) and “Samain” from They Called Her Babylon (2004). We conclude by listening to “Bachelor’s Hall” from Steeleye’s All Around My Hat (1975). Intro: “John Barleycorn” from Present – The Very Best of Steeleye Span (2002). For more, see rickkemp.co.uk.

Here’s Rick live at a recent solo gig. Here’s a song he wrote for he and Maddy to sing. Here’s Steeleye live in 2004 doing one of their most Gregorian number, “Gaudete,” with full harmonies throughout. Here’s a full live set from back in 1974 with the “classic lineup.” Here’s the full performance of “John Barleycorn.” On their original Below the Salt version of that song from 1972, Tim Hart sang lead. Here’s a recording he made recently with the bluesy group Burgess, Nicol & Kemp. Here’s the social commentary song “Phoenix” that he refers to from his first solo album.

If you enjoy this, please check out my other Steeleye Span interview, #27 with Peter Knight.

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Jack fronted Wang Chung for five albums in the ’80s, left the limelight to produce, and got a jazz combo going by 2000 which he’s released five albums with, reformed Wang Chung, and only now is having a debut solo release, the double album Primitif.

We discuss “Whitstable Beach” from that album, “Class War and Sex War” by Jack Hues and the Quartet from A Thesis on the Ballad (2015), and “Brahms Blues” by The-Quartet from Illuminated (2006) We conclude by listening to “To Live and Die in L.A.” by Wang Chung from Ochesography (2019). For more see jackhues.com.

See Jack’s band performing “Whitstable Beach” live. Here he is jamming with The Quartet in 2016. Here’s the “Dance Hall Days” video from back in the day and live recently. And the other hits are this and this, plus “To Live and Die in L.A.” “Stargazing” is the lead single from their 2012 reunion album. Here’s a full 1986 gig for the band. Here’s an interview supporting the orchestral album. Here’s the 1995 album Jack did with Tony Banks from Genesis.

Here’s that album that appears to be by the students in his songwriting class. As Jack mentioned, the Thesis on the Ballad EP is built on poems by Kelvin Corcoran. “Brahms Blues” is built on Op. 116 No. 2 and rhythmically inspired by the Miles Davis track “Great Expectations.” Mark’s relevant reference from the Davis catalog is “On the Corner.”

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K.C. has created seven releases of confessional folk (sometimes gospel, sometimes country) since 2000. We discuss “No More Living Small” and listen to “You Couldn’t Stay” from her 2020 self-titled album, then talk about “Broken Things” from Orchid (2010) and “Find My Way Home” from Teeth-Marks on My Tongue (2004). Intro: “Emily” from Times Like These (2000). For more see kcclifford.com.

Here’s another song, “Salt” from the new album. Here she is performing as a duo one of those strongly country tunes she talks about, and with a full band supporting her 2010 album. Read her words about “You Couldn’t Stay” from her blog. She recorded a fundraising video talking about motherhood in advance of her new record. And apparently she appeared on The Biggest Loser a decade ago.

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Illinois singer/bassist Paul had his first release in 1985 and joined with drummer Ric Menck to form a band that was eventually called Velvet Crush, which released six studio albums from 1991-2004. He has since played a lot in Matthew Sweet’s band and has now released two albums with drummer John Richardson under the name The Small Square.

We discuss “Can’t Let Go (Oh, Tommy)” by The Small Square from Ours & Others (2023), “California Incline” by Velvet Crush from Stereo Blues (2004), and “Flower Field” by Choo Choo Train from Briar Rose EP (1988). Intro: “Hold Me Up” by Velvet Crush from Teenage Symphonies to God (1994). End song: “SML” from The Small Square (2015, remastered 2023). More at smallsquaremusic.com and actionmusik.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “Hold Me Up,” and watch Velvet Crush play it on Conan. Here’s another, mellower live track called “Why Not Your Baby.” Watch some of a live reunion show. Hear Paul’s first single “Halo” (1985). Watch Paul harmonize with Matthew Sweet (with Ric in the band too), and accompanying Matthew and Susanna Hoffs on guitar on an interesting cover tune.

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Steve started fronting Cockney Rebel in the early ’70s and has released a dozen albums of of narrative-driven, tuneful songs.

We discuss “Compared with You (Your Eyes Don’t Seem to Age)” and listen to “Only You,” his two originals from his new solo album Uncovered (2020) then look back to “Faith & Virtue” from Stranger Comes to Town (2010) and Cockney Rebel’s “Bed in the Corner”/”Sling It” from The Psychomodo (1974). Intro: “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)” by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel from The Best Years of Our Lives (1975). Learn more at steveharley.com.

Watch the 1975 video for “Make Me Smile” and how he plays it live now. His other big hit was the operatic ballad “Sebastian.” Here’s that original Cockney Rebel line-up performing. Hear the original version of “(Love) Compared with You.” Here he is showing you that new, acoustic interpretation of The Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” Here’s another relatively recent original tune, “A Friend for Life.” And, yes, there is video evidence of his involvement (before the actual musical was staged) of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. And for more evidence of his 1980s activity and celebrity hobnobbing, listen to him singing a duet with Yes’s Jon Anderson on a song written by Mike Batt for a charity event.

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Chris emerged in the early 90s fronting the melodic Gunbunnies and then again as a member of the noisy Skeleton Key, but he’s best known for being half of the production team Elegant Too, producing music for Inside Amy Schumer, Bob’s Burgers, Malcolm in the Middle, etc. Since 2014 he’s returned to form with a pair of solo albums.

We discuss two songs from 2012’s New Store No. 2, the title track and “Most of What I Know I Learned from Women.” We then talk about Elegant Too and their work with They Might Be Giants (feat. Doughty) on “Mr. Xcitement” from Mink Car (2001) and also working with St. Vincent on the Bob’s Burgers tune “Bad Girls” (2013). We conclude by listening to Chris’s “Imaginary Man” from Arkansas Summer (2016). Intro: “Stranded” by Gunbunnies from Paw Paw Patch (1990). Outro: Elegant Too’s theme for ESPN’s 30 for 30. For more see maxwellsongs.com and elegatnttoo.com.

See and hear many more of Elegant Too’s clips (including that ESPN one) on their Vimeo page. Check out their ambient album as well as other tracks by Chris on his SoundCloud page. That second Gunbunnies album that was only mixed and released much later and which Chris is says is better than the first is called Great Big Diamond.

Here’s Skeleton Key with Chris live on MTV in 1997. Watch the video for “Stranded.” Watch the videos for “Walking Through Water” (that Miles-Davisy tune; you can also see it live) “Birdhouse” (the opening track) from the new album.

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Matt led the razor-sharp Trip Shakespeare in the ’80s, releasing his first album with them in ’86, got signed to a major label by the early ’90s, but then stepped back while his brother and co-Tripper Dan Wilson went on to hits with Semisonic, Adele, etc. But by ’98 Matt was back to the front with a solo album, spent many years with co-Tripper John Munson (first as The Flops then Twilight Hours), and has now released his first album as Matt Wilson & His Orchestra (with harp and banjo!), When I Was a Writer.

We discuss “Decent Guy” and listen to the title track from that album, look back to “Dreams” by Twilight Hours from Stereo Night (2009) and “Sun Is Coming” from his solo album Burnt, White, and Blue (1998). Intro/outo: “Toolmaster of Brainard” by Trip Shakespeare from Are You Shakespearienced (1989). For more see minneapolismatt.com.

Hear all of “Toomaster of Brainard,” and watch Matt and Dan playing this live in 2010. Here they are in their live prime in 1988, and here they are as major label gods (with Dan singing) a couple of years later. To round things out, here’s more live footage featuring baritone Dan Munson belting the lead and the brothers singing pretty harmonies.

Here are The Twilight Hours live in 2016, and here’s the full living room show of the Matt Wilson & His Orchestra record release. Here’s the official video for another great song off the new album, “Come to Nothing.” Watch the video for “When I Was a Writer.” 

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Chris has been guitarist for the Dallas/New York-based fusion group Snarky Puppy since its inception in 2004 and his simultaneously headed rock bands (Oso Closo then Foe Destroyer) and most recently explored acoustic guitar duets.

We discuss “M-Theory” from his main band at this point, FORQ, from their album Four (2019), co-written with keyboardist Henry Hey. The intro music is “Rally,” a tune Chris wrote also for that album. We then discuss the title track of Western Theatre by Matt Read and Chris McQueen (2017) and “Coven,” a song Chris wrote for the most recent Snarky Puppy album, Immigrance (2019). We conclude by listening to “Strut” from the self-titled album by Foe Destroyer (2013). For more, see chrismcqueen.com.

Watch Chris and Matt perform perhaps the very take of “Western Theatre” that appears on the album. Here’s FORQ when founding bassist Michael League (also founder of Snarky Puppy) was still in the group on bass (the drums are J.T. Thomas whom we talk about in the interview but never say his last name). Here’s the current line-up.  Here’s an in-studio performance by Oso Closo from 2010 (the singer is Adrian Hulet). 

Here’s Snarky Puppy’s debut of “Coven” (though without Chris on stage). Here’s Snarky Puppy playing with David Crosby. Here’s Chris playing with Michael’s new world-music group Bokanté. Here’s a young jazz band playing in 2018 the song Chris wrote called “Foe Destroyer.” The earlier song that Chris wrote for Snarky Puppy was “Fair Play.“

Here’s Chris talking more about effects pedals. This interview goes a lot more into his history, equipment, etc.

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Alexander Hacke has been the bassist of the German experimental group Einstürzende Neubauten since 1980, and his American-born wife Danielle de Picciotto has been a singer and film-maker in Germany since the late 80s. They started collaborating around 2010 and have released seven albums together. 

We discuss “The Banishing” and “Third From the Sun” from The Current(2019) and “Propehcy” from Menetekel (2017), plus intro music is “Let There Be Joy” from Joy(2018). We conclude by listening to “Survivors” from Danielle’s solo album Deliverance (2019). For more, see hackedepicciotto.de.

Watch the video for another song, “The Seventh Day,” from The Current, and here’s one  for “Awake,” from their first album as hackepicciotto, Preservantia, featuring a lot of Alexander’s throat singing. Here’s video for a song they both sing on called “Ballad of the Lonely Fish” from 2011’s Hitman’s Heel.

Here they are as a live duo in 2019 playing “Let There Be Joy,” and a couple of years earlier playing a longer tune featuring Danielle’s hurdy gurdy. Here’s Alexander talking about his equipment. 

Here are Alexander and his fellow Neubauten member Blixa Bargeld discussing and demonstrating their creative process, and another “making of” documentary about Neubauten. Watch Neubauten live in 2015 with Alexander playing bass. Here’s the group back in 1985.

Here’s Danielle performing solo in 2019. Here’s a clip from her days with The Space Cowboys. Here she is in 1995 interviewed about her visual art (she’s speaking German, but the point is that they’re showing a lot of her art) and then in 2012 talking in English about her art and writing. 

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Julie became a member of the extended King Crimson family in 2006 by joining the Adrian Belew Power Trio. She released two solo albums starting in 2010 then started working with another bassist, Marco Machera, releasing four albums with him, the last three as Echotest. Why two basses? Because Julie often uses technology to change the pitch, timbre, and other elements of her bass to allow her to cover an orchestra’s worth of parts.

We discuss “Ladies’ Legs at the Temperature Hotel” and “No, You Are Dead/The Gate of Light” by Echotest from Daughter of Ocean (2019), “Pi” (feat. Steve Ball, Claire Wadsworth),  from her solo album Terroir (2012), and listen to “Supercell” by Echotest (feat. Mike Visser) from From Two Balconies (2017). Intro/Outro: “Mela” from Julie Slick (2010). For more, see julieslick.com.

Listen to “Mela” in full. Here’s the full EchoTest live set from SeaProg 2019 that Julie mentions. Here are Julie and Marco live with Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and Tim Motzer. See the official video for “Supercell.” Watch video from another Echotest tune, “The Drift.” 

Here’s Julie showing off her raw bass talent.  Watch her playing around with pedals. Here she is live with the Adrian Belew Power Trio playing a King Crimson classic. Here’s a little bit of Start Making Sense live. 

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Michaela has released four albums of carefully styled, lyrically rich country since 2011.  From her latest, Desert Dove (2019), we discuss the title track, plus you’ll hear “By Our Design” as the intro and “Somebody New” as the closer. We also discuss “Worrying Mind” from Bright Lights and the Fame (2016) and “Is This What Mama Meant” from Ease My Mind (2014). For more, see michaelaanne.com.

Here’s the official video for “By Our Design” along with a live version. The single from the album that we didn’t play is “Child of the Wind.” Here’s an earlier video for “Ease My Mind,” and one of those solo sets she doesn’t like to do so much. Here’s a live tune from before she got signed.

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Image by Jamie Stow.

The Monochrome Set has under the leadership of Bid released 15 albums of eccentric British pop since 1980, and he’s had another nine as Scartlet’s Well. His songs often employ a ’60s dance vibe, literary lyrics, and a try-anything approach to arrangements.

We discuss “Eux Tous” from Fabula Mendax (2019), “Walking with the Beast” from Dante’s Casino (1990), “Adeste Fidelis” from Love Zombies (1980), and conclude listening to the title track of Spaces Everywhere (2015). Intro: “Eine Symphonie Des Grauens” (a 1979 single). For more, see themonochromeset.co.uk.

Hear the full song “Eine Symphonie des Grauens.” Another early hit that Bid mentions is “Jet Set Junta.” Watch the band live in the early 90s playing an early classic, in 2008 (still with Lester Square on guitar), and in its current line-up. Here’s a documentary about the band from 2013. Here’s a track from Scarlet’s Well, and that band live.

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Photo by Taryn Alper.

Ken returns from episode #39, this time not to talk about his own music, but more generally about our relationship to music.  Do you just embrace the pure sound, or do you care about who made that sound? One way of seeing where you fall on this issue is whether you care more for singles or to whole albums or careers by artists. 

This is a cross-production with my Pretty Much Pop podcast, featuring co-hosts Erica Spyres (Broadway singer who also plays fiddle and sang in a country cover band) and Brian Hirt (my old and very non-musical friend, though his brother got me into The Rolling Stones, so there’s that).

We talk about what actually grabs us about music, whether being a musician yourself is a key factor in whether you pay attention to the context of a song, how music gets to your ears, singers vs. songwriters, what we think about the notion of “genius,” and how this artist vs. song conflict relates to how we take in other media (e.g. favorite film directors).

Plus you get to hear some of the newly released (well, 2017) final Game Theory album that Ken produced and played on after leader Scott Miller’s death in 2013. The introductory song is “Valerie Tomorrow” (Ken sings) and the closing song is “Laurel Canyon” (Scott sings).

We did some warm-up research for this discussion:

• Artists who hate their hit song: People, BBC, CheetSheet.com.
• Articles about trends in music sales, such as “Will the Single Kill the Album” by Steven Guttenberg, CNet News
• Various articles who call musicians “genius,” like this one about Britney Spears from The Guardian.
• Also, Ric Ocasek (from The Cars) R.I.P. 
• Quincy Jones complaining about Taylor Swift 

Note that Ken sang some harmonies on a tune on my last album, Mark Lint’s Dry Folk.

That other podcast I shout out to at the beginning is Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast.

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Radney Foster

Radney started as a Nashville songwriter and performed in the late 80s as the front half of Foster & Lloyd. He went solo in ’91 and has released about a dozen albums since then that increasingly break away from country music standards into something more personal. 

We discuss two recordings from his latest album, For You to See the Stars (2017), before which he literally lost his voice and hence started writing short stories; we discuss both the story and song for “Sycamore Creek” and for a new recording of an older tune, “Raining on Sunday” (originally written for See What You Want to See, 1999). We then look back to his biggest hit, “Nobody Wins” from Del Rio , TX 1959 (1992) and listen to the 2018 single, “Godspeed (Dulce Sueños).” Intro: “Crazy Over You” by Foster & Lloyd from their eponymous album (1987).

Watch videos for “Nobody Wins” and his other big hit back in the day, “Just Call Me Lonesome.” Here’s the original version of  “Raining on Sunday” and Keith Urban’s hit cover version. Radney’s song “I’m In” was also covered by Keith Urban. Here’s Radney performing “Godspeed,” the Dixie Chicks version, and a new one by Marc Broussard. 

Here’s Foster & Lloyd live on TV in 1988, including an interview. Here they are live acoustic during the 2012 reunion. Here’s “Nobody Wins” live in its 2013 acoustic form, and my favorite version, played faster on the 2001 Are You Ready for the Big Show live album. Here he is in 2018 playing the gorgeous title track to the new album.

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Graham is the quintessential British singer-songwriter. Though often compared to Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson, he started before either of those guys, with his first album as Graham Parker & the Rumour coming out in 1976. He released five albums with them by 1980 and then went solo for another 15 albums (sometimes with a backing band, sometimes entirely solo). Then The Rumour reformed for two albums and has now morphed into The Goldtops.

We discuss “Lost Track of Time” by Graham Parker and the Goldtops from Last Chance to Do the Twist (2023), “Going There” by Graham Parker & The Rumour from Mystery Glue (2015), “She Wants So Many Things” from Struck By Lightning (1991), and “Between You and Me” by Graham Parker & The Rumour from Howlin’ Wind (1976). Intro: “Local Girls” from Squeezing Out Sparks (1980).  Hear more at GrahamParker.net.

Watch the video for “Local Girls.” Another big song from that album (Squeezing Out Sparks) is “Hey Lord Don’t Ask Me Questions,” and the opening track is “Temporary Beauty.” An ’80s hit (my introduction to Graham) was “Get Started, Start a Fire.” Wikipedia says his only US hit was “Wake Up (Next to You).” (For an “album artist with no hits,” he sure had a lot of produced videos back in the day!)

Watch the live film of the Rumour reunion tour. Hear a live, relatively recent take on “Between You and Me.” Watch a complete solo show from 2022. Watch a complete classic show with The Rumour from 1977.

Graham has written a few books; I read his first novel, the fictional but based on his experience as a musician, The Thylacine’s Lair. A fun, recent release from Graham is The Middlesex Demos, which show what his writing and singing was like in 1973; listen to to the folky “Stay Here Loving You.” Hear his first single (from 1976), “Silly Things.”

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Marty and Olivia Willson-Piper

In The Church, he was half of a world-famous twin guitar machine for 30 years starting in 1980 but has also released seven solo albums and been in several other bands, most notably releasing four albums with his old friend Dare Mason as Noctorum.

We discuss two 2019 Noctorum tracks, “The Moon Drips” from Afterlife and “Dancing with Death” from The Afterdeath EP, plus “You Whisper” from his solo album Art Attack (1988). We conclude by listening to “Forget the Radio” from his solo album Hanging Out in Heaven (2000). Intro: “Spark” by The Church from Starfish (1988). For more see martywillson-piper.com and also martywillsonpiper.bandcamp.com.

Here’s The Church live playing “Spark” in 2013 near the end of MWP’s tenure. Here’s Marty recently with Olivia his wife (pictured, and she was also around during the interview) playing acoustically, including “You Whisper.” Here he is playing song songs live solo back in ’90. Here’s a video on the making of the Afterlife album. Here’s Marty running a guitar clinic. Look here to learn about his massive archive of albums (by other people). Here’s more info on The Afterdeath EP (the GoFundMe campaign has concluded).

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Joe has played alongside B.B. King, Ron Wood, and even back to Hendrix, Hooker, and Monk. As a solo artist he’s put out around two dozen albums since 1986. He’s a blues man but mixes in gospel, soul, rock, and many other styles.

We discuss the title track of Hellfire (2012), “Keep the Faith” from Hornet’s Nest (2013) feat. the Jordanaires, the title track from The Gift (1988), and listen to “Soldier for Jesus” from Viva Las Vegas Live (2019). Intro: “Don’t Play Games” from Cold Is the Night (1986). For more, see joelouiswalker.com.

Live versions: “Hellfire,” “The Gift.” Earlier, excellent versions of “Soldier for Jesus”: 2004 and 2012 with the Jordanaires. Here’s the full version of “Don’t Play Games.” Here’s Joe with B.B. King. Here he is doing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” I really like this Rolling Stones cover he did.

Joe talks on the interview about his old roommate Mike Bloomfield who died young; here’s some Bloomfield tribute with Joe and J Geils and others. Here’s some of that Dylan-goes-electric gig with Bloomfield that Joe mentions. Joe also talks a lot here about The Jordanaires; here they are with Elvis and with Ricky Nelson and with Patsy Cline.

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Guy has been a highly sought-after British producer/keyboardist since the early ’90s and is just now releasing his debut album, STET. We discuss “Mono No Aware” and “Dorian” from that album and “Unravel” from Björk’s Homogenic (1997). End song: “Let’s Go” by Frou Frou from Details (2002). Intro: “Crazy,” co-written with Seal from his debut album (1991).

Strictly speaking, Guy’s first solo release was the Piano+ EP in 2018; here’s a tune from that. Here is Guy live with Imogen Heap. Here’s a video for “Must Be Dreaming,” one of the tunes on the Frou Frou album with Imogen and his most recent collaboration with her. The other group he’s been a full member of is Acacia with Alexander Nilere; here’s one of their tunes.

Here’s one of the demos Guy did for Madonna which eventually became her song “Nothing Fails.” Here’s a tune he wrote with Alanis Morissette. Here’s a recent tune he wrote with Alison Moyet. The first song he wrote with Seal was “The Beginning.” Here’s a tune he produced for Britney Spears. Here’s a “classic albums” audio special featuring Guy on Björk’s Homogenic album. Here’s her live band that Guy was the musical director of in 1997.

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Mike is one of our finest bass players, starting with California punk legends MINUTEMEN in the early ’80s and breaking into the majors with fireHOSE going into the 90s. He was so beloved by the alternative community that his first solo album in ’94 was a star-studded affair; Eddie Vedder and Dave Grohl joined his band for the supporting tour. After that, he released three concept albums over the years and has been an in-demand collaborator on dozes of projects as well as backing Iggy Pop in the reformed Stooges, with Porno for Pyros, etc.

We discuss “Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs” by Minutemen from What Makes a Man Start Fires (1983), “The Boilerman” from Contemplating the Engine Room (1997), the first, second, and last sections from Hyphenated-Man (2011), and “I Got Marty Feldman Eyes” from the Big Walnuts Yonder self-titled album (2017). We conclude by listening to “Yeah, We’re Gonna Learn to Fall” by Jumpstarted Plowhards from Round One (2019) featuring Todd Congelliere. Intro: “Walking the Cow” by fireHOSE from Flyin’ the Flannel (1991). For more, visit mikewatt.com.

Watch the entire Minutemen We Jam Econo documentary. Listen to Hyphenated-Man straight through. Here’s the video for “Walking the Cow.” Here’s the video for “Piss-Bottle Man” from that first solo album featuring vocals by Evan Dando from the Lemonheads. Here’s some documentation of the craziness from the recording of Big Walnuts Yonder.

Here’s Mike live in 2019 with his trio The Missingmen. Here he is live jamming with Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore. Watch him rip back in the day with fireHOSE and live on TV in ’95 in front of Vedder and Grohl. Here he his live in 2005 with a group called Banyan featuring Nels Cline. He’s also done several albums as a bass duo called dos with his ex-wife. Here’s a recent recording with the jazzy Unknown Instructors (feat. J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. and drummer George Hurley from Minutemen). He does beat poetry on this track recorded with an Internet collaboration with s.howe called The Island. Here he is live playing a classic Stooges track with Iggy Pop. Here he is backing violinist Chris Murphy.

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Barry started in ’77 playing keys with XTC and after two albums started his own band Shriekback in ’81, with whom he’s had 14 releases plus some solo albums. He’s known for inventive soundscapes placed over solid grooves (usually thanks to drummer Martyn Barker) and philosophical lyrics delivered in a low chant.

We discuss three Shriekback tunes: “Such, Such Are the Joys” from Why Anything? Why This? (2018), “Amaryllis in the Sprawl” from Glory Bumps (2007), and “Stimulate the Beaded Hamster”/”Pond Life” from Naked Apes and Pond Life (2000). We conclude by listening to a solo tune, “Virgin of the Ladder” by Barry Andrews from Contaminated Pop (2019). Intro: “Nemesis” from Oil & Gold (1985). For more, see shriekback.com.

Listen to the early track “Evaporation” that we discuss as featuring Barry singing through a vocoder. Here’s the video for “Nemesis,” and here’s the opening track from the following album “Big Night Music,” often cited as their best album; both prominently feature Dave Allen’s bass and Martyn Barker’s drums. Here they are live in ’84 with Barry singing, and here’s a very different live track from just a couple of years later, with Michael Cozzi instead of Carl Marsh on guitar. Carl originally did most of the lead vocals, as on this early track, and he’s now back in the band as on their new single, “And the Rain.” 

Here’s one of only a couple of Barry’s tunes that XTC recorded, with him using his punk voice. Between XTC and Shriekback, Barry played in a brief Robert Fripp instrumental new wave band between incarnations of King Crimson called League of Gentlemen; here they are live. Here’s a solo single also from that period now available on his Lost Pop Songs album. 

Two of Barry’s solo albums have been just piano and vocals; here’s the tune from that that Barry recommended. Some of those were acoustic re-workings of old Shriekback tunes. Here’s a promo video for Contaminated Pop, which he there refers to it as his first solo album, but I’m counting at least four others, so I guess it depends how much he feel like it was actually released and promoted. Here’s Monstrance, i.e. Barry jamming with Martyn and XTC’s Andy Partridge.

Barry brought up the Robert Wyatt version of “Shipbuilding” as a vocal influence.  Here’s Lu Edmonds playing what Barry referred to as a Turkish banjo, and here he is talking about the Saz.

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John founded the Brooklyn space-rock cooperative Oneida in the mid 90s and has put out 13 albums with them plus four as his solo project Man Forever and several others as collaborations or as Kid Millions, often as long-form, drum-centric instrumentals. He’s also played with Spiritualized, Ex Models, Laurie Anderson, and many other groups.

We discuss two tracks by Man Forever from Play What They Want (2017): “You Were Never Here” (featuring Yo La Tengo) and “Twin Torches” (featuring Laurie Anderson). We then look at Oneida’s “All in Due Time” from Romance (2018) and end by listening to “Nine Years of Facing a Wall” by Fox Millions Duo from Biting Through (2019). Intro: “Sheets of Easter” by Oneida from Each One Teach One (2002). For more, see johnwilliamcolpitts.com.

Here’s Oneida live in 2017 doing a long jam. Here’s John playing live as Man Forever with Tigue, the percussion group featured on the two Play What They Want songs we discuss, and here’s an earlier (2014) live version of Man Forever playing one of John’s lengthy drums-and-singing pieces. Here he is (briefly) backing Laurie Anderson. Here’s an interview with John about his early career and why he goes by “Kid Millions.” Here he is interviewed at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

Image by Lisa Corson.

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Wayne started in the late 70s, was on the first Dead or Alive Album, made his name as guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy’s first full album, then led The Mission UK from 1986 through 11 albums and multiple break-ups to the present. He’s also released two solo albums and some collaborations.

We discuss “Wither on the Vine” from his solo effort Songs of Candlelight & Razorblades (2014), then two Mission songs: “Phantom Pain” fromAnother Fall from Grace (2016) and “Tower of Strength” from Children (1987). We conclude by listening to a 2016 solo single “My Love Will Protect You.” Intro/outro: “Marian” by Sisters of Mercy (music: Hussey/lyrics: Andrew Eldritch) from First and Last and Always (1985). For more, visit themissionuk.com.

I also read Wayne’s 2019 formative autobiography, Salad Daze. Here he is live with Dead or Alive in 1982, then on TV playing “Marian” with Sisters of Mercy. Here’s the video for one of the Mission’s big early hits, “Wasteland.” Here he is live solo playing a that song in 2018. Here’s the Mission playing “Tower of Strength” live in 2016. Here’s his video for “Wither on the Vine,” and one for his 2016 remake of “Marian.” Listen to that very Cure-like tune I brought up from 1994, “Sour Puss.”

Image by S. Bollmann.

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Dave was the original guitarist for Yo La Tengo in the mid ’80s and left to lead The Schramms for six albums plus two solo albums while being an in-demand guitarist supporting artists like Freedy Johnston, Richard Buckner, Kate Jacobs and Chris Stamey.

We discuss three Schramms songs, “Faith is a Dusty Word” from Omnidirectional (2019), “I’ll Believe” from 100 Questions (2000), and “Wild Innocence” from Dizzy Spell (1996), and conclude by listening to another Omnidirectional tune, “The Day When.” For more info, see theschramms.com.

Check out The Schramms’ “New England” video. Here’s a bit of Dave live with Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo. Here’s Yo La Tengo’s version of “The Way Some People Die,” and here’s the Schramms’ version featured at the beginning of this episode from Walk to Delphi (1989). Also, check out radiofreesongclub.com.

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The Residents were formed in 1969 and have released around 50 albums of theatrical, experimental music with humor and humanity. They’re great to freak people out with. The band is anonymous; Homer is the head of their management arm, The Cryptic Corporation.

We discuss “Good Vibes” from Intruders (2019), with music by Eric Feldman who replaced long-time Residents composer Hardy Fox upon his retirement in 2015 (and his death in 2018); “Blue Rosebuds,” both the original Duck Stab (1978) version and the live Shadowland (2014) versions; “Kiss of Flesh” from God in Three Persons (1988); and we conclude by listening to “If Only” from the new Hardy Fox tribute album The Godfather of Odd. Intro: “Fire (Santa Dog)” (1972) (now included on Meet the Residents: pREServed Edition) and outro: “The Simple Song” from Commercial Album (1980). For more, visit residents.com.

You can hear the entirety of Wormwood that I recommended online, and for a catchy track from Animal Lover, try “Two Lips.” They’ve made some great videos over the years; here are some “One-Minute Movies” for a few tracks from Commercial Album. Another landmark that includes footage from their earliest work (before their first album) in video is “Third Reich and Roll” which deconstructs 60s rock tunes. I also mentioned their weird Elvis covers.

Here they are live in 1986 with the famous eyeball masks and Snakefinger on guitar. Here’s yet another version of “Blue Rosebuds,” this time live in 2001 and very different from the two played on the show. Here’s a bit of them live in 2019.

Part of my preparation for this involved reading Never Known Questions: Five Decades of The Residents, and I also recommend Theory of Obscurity: A Film About the Residents. The Residents also in 2018 released a book of fiction in Residents style, Brickeaters.

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John has released 17 albums and 5 EPs of guitar-based post-punk as the Black Watch since 1988. He’s also an English professor who’s published 5 books.

We discuss “Eustacia’s Dream” from Magic Johnson (2019), “Emily, Are You Sleeping?” from Led Zeppelin Five (2011), “Inner City Garden” from The Hypnotizing Sea (2005), and premiere the song “Much of a Muchness.” For more, see johnandrewfredrick.com and find The Black Watch on Facebook.

Listen to all of “Terrific.” Here’s one of their snazzy official videos, for “Beautiful Sleeper,” a sweet, sort of minimalist tune. Here they are live during the Led Zeppelin Five era. Here’s John live solo. Here’s a “book trailer.” Browse more Black Watch video.

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Coming from a family who played traditional cajun music in Louisiana, violinist Louis and his accordion-playing brother Andre have released nine albums (plus some live releases and EPs since 2001), winning two Grammy awards, plus Louis has had a couple of releases under the name Michot’s Melody Makers, and he just released his first solo album.

We discuss the title track (and listen at the end to “Ti Coeur Bleu” from Rêve du Troubadour, that 2023 solo album, plus “Marée Noire” from Mammoth Waltz (2012) and “Mexico One Step” from Bayou Perdu (2005). Intro: “Grand Marais” by Michot’s Melody Makers from Blood Moon (2018). Learn more at louismichot.com and lostbayouramblers.com.

While the Ramblers started rather traditional (though with some very energetic stage theatrics), they’ve increasingly added electronics, electric guitar stunt-work, and other atmospherics while still using traditional folk melodic and structural elements and keeping to strictly Louisiana French lyrics. 

A couple of these songs feature my past guest, New Orleans guitarist and producer Mark Bingham.

Watch Louis accept a Grammy in 2024. Watch the video for Rêve. Hear all of “Grand Marais.” Watch Louis’ solo act live from last summer, and watch a Ramblers set from the same time. Here’s Louis playing truly solo. 

Watch a short film about Mammoth Waltz including Scarlett Johansson, Dr. John, and Gordon Gano. Here are the Ramblers back in 2010. Watch the video for the new solo tune we mention featuring Louis rapping and sax play Dickie Landry. Hear that 40 second single “Luciole.” Watch Louis live singing in English with Poguetry, the Pogues tribute band featuring Spider Stacey.

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Alison was studying classical music when she joined Jason Narducy in 1993 in a duet that grew into two Verbow albums. She’s since recorded four solo cello albums and been a guest musician on over 100 albums, playing with Bob Mould, Superchunk, Anthrax, Broken Social Scene, etc.

We discuss “Become Zero” and “Vanished Star” from Become Zero (2016), then “Beautiful Friends” from Arriving Angels (2013), and listen to “For My Father” by Jarboe/Helen Money (2015). Intro: “New History” by Verbow from White Out (2000); closing music from “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing” from In Tune (2009). For more, see helenmoney.com.

Here’s a whole recent live solo show, and here’s a “Chirp Factory Session” with drummer Will Thomas. Here she is live with Jason Narducy as Verbow. Here she is live with Jarboe. Here she is backing Bob Mould. Here she is performing a Zeppelin tune with Krista Franklin. Here she is talking about rock vs. classical, her effects pedals, and playing with an amp. To give you a taste of her heavy metal session work, here’s a song she plays on by The Skull and one by Disturbed. She also plays on this song by Poi Dog Pondering and this one by Rachel Grimes.

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Photo by Justina Villanueva.

Dan fronted Arizona cow-punk band Green on Red from 1979 to 1992, releasing seven albums and three EPs, and has since released four solo albums and some collaborations, growing increasingly literary, with two of his recent albums accompanied by novels.

We discuss two tracks from The Unfortunate Demise Of Marlowe Billings (2018): “A Killer Now” and “Sky Harbor,” plus “La Passionaria” from Can O’Worms (1995). We conclude by listening to “Who Knows” by The Slummers from Love Of The Amateur (2010). Intro/outro: “Sixteen Ways” by Green on Red from Gas, Food, Lodging (1985). More at marlowebillings.com.

You can only get his novel The Unfortunate Demise of Marlowe Billings here.

Here’s a video for one of the songs from his 2016 album Marlowe’s Revenge, with Mexico’s Twin Tones. Here’s the video for maybe my favorite Green on Red song. Here’s some recent Dan live footage. Here he is showing us Mexico and playing one of his recent songs. Here he is with Green on Red live in 1988. Green on Red have also had some more recent live reunions like this from 2007. And here he is live with Steve Wynn as Danny and Dusty, also from 2007, when they put out their second album.

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Elizabeth got her start in the psych-punk band Meowtain in Olympia, WA, emerged as Globelamp in 2011 with an EP, was briefly a touring member of Foxygen, and has put out three albums since 2014.

We discuss “Everything’s a Spiral” and listen to “Black Tar” from Romantic Cancer (2018), “Controversial/Confrontational” from The Orange Glow (2015), and “Warrior” from Star Dust (2014). Intro: “Hex” from Meowtain (2012). For more, see facebook.com/globelamp.

Here’s an official video for “Breathing Ritual,” from Star Dust. Globelamp’s YouTube channel includes live footage (including some footage with Foxygen and some Meowtain footage) and many many cover tunes, like this Taylor Swift song.

A couple of the artists we refer to in the interview when talking about vocal articulation are Kate Bush and Tori Amos.

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Phil founded New Zealand’s Split Enz with Tim Finn in 1972, recorded a seminal punk single with Suburban Reptiles, had an Australian #1 hit with The Swingers, then moved to solo and soundtrack work until 2006, since which he’s recorded five thickly textured solo albums including extensive one-man-band work.

We discuss the title track from Flightless Bird (2019), “Kite Flying Day” from Play It Strange (2014), and “Lamplight” by Schnell Fenster from The Sound of Trees (1988). We conclude by listening to “No One’s Best Man” from Novelty Act (2016). Intro/outro: “Sweet Dreams” by Split Enz from Second Thoughts (1976).

Here’s the video for “Sweet Dreams” with Split Enz, here’s another early Enz tune, “Spellbound” that he sang lead on (in a scary way), and here’s “The Woman Who Loves You” which features Phil playing the spoons at the end (co-written with Tim Finn, who sings lead). His last song with the band was “Another Great Divide,” which has some of the newer Enz sound. A good, concise documentary about the Enz starts here. Here’s “Saturday Night,” the song Phil did with the Suburban Reptiles, and here’s “Counting the Beat,” that big hit for the Swingers, Here’s “Whisper”, my favorite song from Schnell Fenster. Here’s one of the many tunes that Phil did for a soundtrack. Here’s the video for Phil’s “No One’s Best Man.” Here’s an instrument from a later-career collaboration called The Unthinkables. Here’s a solo tune called “Gutless Wonder” that Phil wrote for the 2016 election. Phil’s solo work really started all the way back in ’77 with a heap of demos like this. Photo by Hayley Theyers.

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Danny drummed with Chicago from its founding in 1967 through 1990 and wrote several songs for the band during the mid-late ’70s, often with David “Hawk” Wolinski.

We discuss “Little One” (and our intro music, “Take Me Back to Chicago”) from Chicago XI (1977), “Street Player” from Chicago 13 (1979), and “Devil’s Sweet” from Chicago VII (1974). End song: “The Real World” by California Transit Authority from Sacred Ground (2013). His book is Street Player: My Chicago Story (2011). For more, see dannyseraphine.com.

Here’s that live performance of “Little One” we talk about that was recorded very shortly before Terry Kath’s death. Here’s the full suite as it appears on the album, opening with “Inner Struggles of a Man.” Other Seraphine/Wolinski Chicago compositions that we mention are “Aloha Mama” and “The Greatest Love on Earth.” The other Seraphine/Parazaider instrumental from Chicago VII was “Aire,” which also included a Prelude that Danny wrote. His first composition on a Chicago album was a drum solo “Motorboat to Mars” (1971).

Here’s the song “Sacred Ground” by California Transit Authority, and here they are live playing some Chicago tracks. Here’s the original group in 1977 playing “Take Me Back to Chicago.”

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Photo by Steve Busken.

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Andrew has put out nine albums and a few EPs of piano-and-vocal-based pop since he was in high school in the late ’90s, first with the more guitar-heavy Something Corporate, then starting in 2004 as Jack’s Mannequin, and then since 2013 as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, with whom he’s had his biggest hits.

We discuss “Blue Vacation” from Upside Down Flowers (2018), “Synesthesia” from The Pop Underground EP, “Me and the Moon” by Something Corporate from North (2003), and conclude by listening to “Swim” by Jack’s Passenger from The Glass Passenger (2008). Opening music: “I Woke Up in a Car” by Something Corporate from Leaving through the Window (2002). For more, see andrewmcmahon.com.

Watch the videos to his most popular songs, “Cecilia and the Satellite” and “Fire Escape.” “Dark Blue” is another big one from Jack’s Mannequin. Here’s a recent live show. Here are a couple of live tracks with him playing solo. Here’s the trailer for Dear Jack, the film about Andrew (narrated by Tommy Lee!).

Photo: Tyler Roberts/Aesthetic Magazine

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Stevie has been recording pop tunes and/or wild experiments nearly continually since the late ’60s, with hundreds of albums, many of them compilations of home recordings.

We discuss “Pop Music” and “Take Back” from Afterlife (2019) and “The House Is Not in Order” by R. Stevie Moore and Alan Jenkins and the Kettering Vampires from The Embodiment of Progressive Ideals (2018) and conclude by listening to “I H8 Ppl” by R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner from Make It Be (2017). Bonus songs: “Pervert” from World War Four (2016) and (at the end) “Goodbye, Piano” from Phonography (1976). Intro: “I Like to Stay Home” from Glad Music (1986). For more, see rsteviemoore.com.

See the video for “I Like to Stay Home.” Here’s one (with puppets!) for “Pop Music” (the 2011 version). Here he is live. Another of his more famous early songs is “Little Man” (1974). An alternate version of “Take Back” that we hear some of is from The Yung & Moore Show: Yung & Moore Versus the Whole Goddam Stinkin’ World.

You may enjoy this 2012 documentary “Tape to Disc.” Here he is live in 2014, and also live in 1984.

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Ian has released ten studio albums and three EPs since 1993, starting as an Austin guitar hero and evolving into an eclectic, subtle Seattle songwriter who teaches songwriting courses.

We discuss “1000 Blackbirds” from Toronto (2018), the title track from Strange Days (2017), and “Abilene” from Luminaria (2004). End song: “Sad Affair” from El Sonido Nuevo (2011). Intro: “Satisfied” from Ian Moore (1993). For more, see ianmoore.com.

Here’s one of Ian’s early performances of “Satisfied.” Here’s a recent performance of another of his old songs, “Blue Sky.” Here’s a recent acoustic solo performance, and here’s a full band set from 2017 that starts with “Strange Days.”

Here’s some of one of Ian’s songwriting workshops. Here’s that first song I ever recorded that starts with smoke and lasers! (And to balance that, here’s my most recent album.)

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Peter started in the hardcore punk band, Sand in the Face (you’ll hear their brief “Teenage Life,” written by Paul Schraft and recorded in 1983 for a compilation), and then used the blues to add depth for his band the Chrome Cranks, which formed in 1988, released four studio albums and a live album in the mid-1990s, then reunited for another in 2012. The band also featured guitarist William Gilmore Weber (GG Allin), drummer Bob Bert (Sonic Youth), and bassist Jerry Teal. Since then, Peter has been a music journalist and author, writing about the Ramones, the Band, and others, with occasional musical projects. We discuss his new single “Bomb Train Blues” (2018) with the band Young Skulls, Chrome Cranks tracks “Dark Room” from The Chrome Cranks (1994), and “Rubber Rat” from Ain’t No Lies in Blood (2012). We conclude by listening to “Purge 4” from Purges by Peter Aaron and Brian Chase (2016). Intro/outro: “Hot Blonde Cocktail” by the Chrome Cranks from Love in Exile (1997). For more, see peteraaron.org.

Here’s the video for “Hot Blonde Cocktail.” Here’s a live Chrome Cranks set from their 2009 reunion, and here they are in 2013. Here’s Peter live improvising with Bill Brovold.

Brian is currently promoting the book he helped Richie Ramone write, I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During and After the Ramones. Here’s Peter talking about his previous Ramones book.

The full, self-titled album featuring Jason by Sand in the Face was released in 1986; you can hear it in full here. Another project I especially liked that we didn’t have time to talk about was his 2012 collaboration with Stanton Warren called Avondale Airforce (2012), which you can listen to here. It mixes trippy, atmospheric guitar instrumentals with more traditional songs, generally much lighter than Chrome Cranks.

Photo by Jen Kiaba.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon. Check out Mark’s new album.

Steve started producing tracks for dance clubs in 2007, producing over 40 tracks before changing up his style in 2013 to slow things down, carve out more space for spontaneous performance, and develop what he calls “audio alchemy” over a few EPs, many collaborations, and two recent albums.

We discuss “Equinosis” from the Mercurial EP (2018), “Superluminal Sound” from his Soul Science album (2016), and the title track from his Wanderlust EP (2013). We conclude by listening to “Origins” by Hedflux and Alex Delfont from Kin (2018). Opening/closing: “Music Is My Weapon” (2007), which you can get on In Retrospect (Selected Works from 2007–2014). For more, see hedflux.com.

Here’s a cool video someone made to “Music Is My Weapon,” and here’s another fan-video track of a relatively early work, “Fractal Funk.” Here he is doing some live DJing.

Here’s Steve explaining “audio alchemy” at great length, and here he is demonstrating some of his equipment. Here’s another interview going more into his background, among other things.

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After Matt’s “paisley underground” band Rain Parade recorded two albums and an EP from ’83-’85, he was a member of Crazy Horse (taking the Neil Young guitar role in Neil’s absence), and released a few albums intermittently as he worked in law enforcement. Now that he has retired, he’s back devoting all his time to music, and Rain Parade has been touring and released its first album of the millennium.

We discuss the title track from this 2023 release, Last Rays of the Dying Sun, then the title track by the Hellenes’ I Love You All the Animals (2018), and “Blue” from Rain Parade’s Glass Palace EP (1984). Finally, we listen to “Reason for Living” from the self-titled album by Boatclub (2008). Intro: “What She’s Done to Your Mind” (a 1982 single). More at rainparade.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “What She’s Done to Your Mind.” Matt refers to the Rain Parade classic “No Easy Way Down,” which in this live form represents the band at its most psychedelic. They’re still playing it in 2023. Watch Rain Parade live in 1985. Watch Matt live in 2011 playing two Rain Parade songs solo. 

The single from the new album is “Angel Sister,” sung by Matt’s co-writer and bassist Steven Roback. Steven’s post Rain Parade project, to which Matt eventually became a contributor, was Viva Saturn. 

Another song from the 2018 Hellenes album we mention is “So Depressed,” featuring Big Star elements including their drummer Jody Stephens. A very nice song from his 2000 solo debut (the album was called Hellenes) is “Understand.” Matt released an album in 1986 with my former guest Tim Lee as Gone Fishin’, which included this song Matt wrote called “Home.” Here’s a song Matt played lead guitar on by Crazy Horse in 1989.

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Portland-based singer-songwriter Rachel has released 10 albums of off-kilter, usually piano-based, lyric-heavy indie rock since the mid ’00s.

We discuss “Maker” and “God” (plus the intro “Gyre”) from Run Tiny Human (2018), “Taxidermy” from World So Sweet (2011), and “Ormolu” from Ormolu (2006), and also listen to “We’ll Have A” from Falimy (2014). For more, see racheltaylorbrown.com.

Here’s the video for another highlight from the new album, “Bag of Bones,” and another one for “up you.” Here she is on another current interview (which I listened to just before talking to her).

Here she is playing live on the radio in 2011, and here’s another, this time on guitar. She appears as a singer (not songwriter) on this song among others by Chris Robley & the Fear of Heights.

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Sam has released sixteen albums of catchy, textured pop music since 1983 (the first few as “Leslie Phillips”).

We discuss “I Want to Be You” and “Tears in the Ground” from World on Sticks (2018), “How to Dream” from Fan Dance (2001), and conclude by listening to “When I’m Alone” from Push Any Button (2013). Intro: “Baby I Can’t Please You” from Martinis & Bikinis (1994). For more, visit samphillips.com.

She’s released two videos for particularly political songs from the new album, “How Much Is Enough and “American Landfill Kings.” Here’s that early song I mention as being particularly catchy, “I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye to You.” Here’s the full track of “Baby I Can’t Please You.”

Here she is live in 1994 with her then-husband, producer T-Bone Burnett, plus Mark Ribot that she mentions on the interview and Jerry Scheff (Elvis Presley’s bassist!), and here she is more recently with violinist Eric Gorfain doing a live “tiny desk concert” for NPR. Here she is way back in 1985 (yes, she wrote this song too).

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After starting in the ’80s with the Trolls and the Bastards of Execution, Dusty has released six albums as a solo artist since 1997.

We discuss a new song, “Pardon My Love,” planned for the forthcoming album Can Anyone Hear Me?, then “Man in the Mirror” from Gliding Towards Oblivion (2018) and “High Flyin’ Bird” (written by Billy Edd Wheeler) by GIANTfingers from around 2003. We conclude by listening to “(Art at) the Speed of Life” by the Dusty Diamonds from 1994. Intro/outro: “Karma” from dust! (2000). For more, see dustywright.com.

Here’s the video for his new single, a cover of Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow,” and here’s another slick video for his 2010 song “Ghosts.” Here he is discussing songwriting. Here he is performing in 2018 with GIANTfingers, and here he is by himself. Here he is in 2014 with his band the Junkluggers.

Dusty interviews other artists on the Dusty Wright show, e.g., Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips and jazz legend Ron Carter. There’s much more on his YouTube channel.

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The new album by your host Mark Linsenmayer is available online at marklint.bandcamp.com, and on Apple Music and Spotify.