Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer – Details, episodes & analysis

Scott McCloud is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has been a founding member of Girls Against Boys, New Wet Kojak and Soulside. He continues to tour extensively, performs acoustically, and operates in various projects including Agrio and Paramount Styles. In this episode, Scott shares a story where a simple misunderstanding of gratitude leads to a confusing, riotous, and even violent reaction from the crowd when his band Operator opened for Placebo in Lisbon.   Joe and Scott discuss what this good intention turned bad tells us about humans in large groups, selective communication, crowd tipping points and why Scott still thinks about this show today. Music by Operator. A special thank you to John Schmersal for generously funding this episode. GVSB Paramount Styles Agrio Episode supported by Izotope Episode supported by Distrokid

Justin R. Cruz Gallego is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer based in Tacoma, WA. His newest record and Sub Pop debut, Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra), is a cohesive, hooky noise odyssey laden with powerful beats, electronic layering and analog warmth. Justin shares his process of building the new songs and ultimately taking to a live setting. He also tells us how hitting a production ceiling was a healthy motivator to co-producing the record with Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets. We hear how the Latin music he grew up listening to seeped into the songs, Joe and Justin discuss the graduation rate of Berklee College of Music students and we hear a couple tunes. J.R.C.G Subpop Machines with Magnets Episode supported by Izotope Episode supported by Distrokid

Grasshopper is a multi-instrumentalist, lead guitarist and founding member of Mercury Rev. His other projects include Harmony Rockets and his own band Grasshopper and the Golden Crickets. Mercury Rev’s newest record, Born Horses, is yet another intriguing sonic step in the band’s evolution.  Born Horses is out September 6 via Bella Union.  Grasshopper shares his early relationship with music, how seeing Lou Reed steered the young horn-player to playing guitar and why he wound up focusing less on his guitar playing on the new record. He shares the process of writing Born Horses, how Brechtian Theatre and prose influenced the overall sound and why previous projects informed this process.  Joe and Grasshopper celebrate the “utility musician”, Grasshopper tells us a sweet story about his last memory in his favorite Buffalo bar and we hear a couple new tunes. Mercury Rev  Bella Union Episode supported by Izotope Episode supported by Distrokid Episode supported by Thunder Road Guitars

Harper Simon is a singer, songwriter, producer and journalist. His most recent effort is an album and accompanying art book entitled Meditations on Crime. . The release is a vast and collaborative multimedia project that incorporates  an eclectic collection of contributors including writers, visual artists and of course, musicians . It is indeed a full circle meditation on crime, expressed through song, images and word.  In this episode Joe and Harper discuss the genesis of the project and how his relationship to politics motivated him to choose crime as the subject. Joe and Harper talk about the  process of selecting contributors and the importance of cohesion in something this large. Harper shares his  experience recording with long time friend Hal Willner, his plans to play live and we hear a couple tuneshttps://youtube.com/user/HarperSimonMusic Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Randy Randall is the guitarist, co-producer and founding member of No Age. Their 3rd record on Drag City,  People Helping People,  will be released September 16th  with a full North American tour to follow.   In this episode, Randy shares the head space he and Dean were in at the beginning of the recording and why they were itching to get weird. We hear why they feel they are in a perfect position to do whatever they want and how operating  on the notion that "everything is valid" contributed to the sonic architecture of the record.  Randy also tells us why he felt like Scotty Pippen playing with Bob Mould and he hips us to meaning behind Snares Like A Haircut , We hear a couple tunes and Randy offers up the stems from People Helping People.https://www.dragcity.com/products/people-helping-peoplehttps://noage.bandcamp.com/ Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Abraxas is a psych/rock/tropicalia duo of Uruguayan-born/UK-based Carolina Faruolo (ex-Los Bitchos) and Danny Lee Blackwell (Night Beats). They’re releasing their debut LP Monte Carlo on October 28 on Seattle-based label Suicide Squeeze.  In this episode Joe catches up with Danny on the road in France with his band Night Beats and Carolina at her home in Manchester.   Danny and Carolina share the process of making the Monte Carlo,  and how ease and telepathy translated directly to the final recording.  They also discuss how the diverse mixture of influences, the name Abraxas and record title Monte Carlo melded over long distances to make a humid, lush and dreamy listening experience.  We hear how the video functioned as their first gig and we hear a couple brand new tunes. https://abraxasintl.bandcamp.com/album/monte-carlohttps://suicidesqueeze.net/2022/09/abraxas-release-new-single-video-manana/https://suicidesqueeze.net/https://lnk.to/AMC  Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Cody Votolato is a guitarist, singer and founding member of JR SLAYER.  He has spent the better part of his music career touring and writing with bands The Blood Brothers, Jaguar Love, Head Wound City and Telekinesis.  Now,  he has focused and boiled down his artistic output to JR SLAYER, with the new record Not Rotten out September 9 on Memory Music.In this episode, Cody shares his perspective on writing Not Rotten  and the process of recording with Will Yip at Studio 4.  Joe brings up Cody's unique position as someone who has toured since his early teens, how he feels about it now and what may replace it.  The two reminisce on the Built In Sun record and we hear a couple tunes from Not Rotten. https://jrslayer.bandcamp.com/https://www.memory-music.net/ Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Eva Walker is a founding member, guitarist and singer for Seattle based The Black Tones. With one full length record (Cobain and Cornbread) and a Sub Pop single under their belts, The Black Tones are embarking on their first North American tour this fall.   In this episode, Eva shares her experience working with both Jack Endino and Don Farwell,  the importance of a groove and the role trust plays in their writing and performance.  We learn why Eva and Cedric share a free form of expression and how the root of that free spirit lies in both family and the story of a lifelong educator and a bank robber.  The two Seattleites discuss their experiences as transplants and how they were both psyched to be a part of the Sub Pop family.  Eva hips us to some new bands and we hear a couple tunes.  Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Julia Kugel is the singer/guitarist and founding member of The Coathangers.  She will release her first full length solo record , Derealization  on September 30 with Suicide Squeeze Records under the moniker Julia, Julia.  In this episode Joe and Julia discuss why "giving in" is not "giving up" and how her idea of acceptance shaped the record.  Julia also tells us how she dealt with and recovered from losing her voice, why she wanted to sing quietly, and what the motivation was for truly making a record on her own.  Julia shares her fantastic idea to perform the new record live and she hips us to the coolest festival in Long Beach, Happy  Sundays (August 28th).  We hear a few tunes from the new record and Joe threatens to join with Julia, Julia when she plays Seattle. https://suicidesqueeze.net/2022/07/julia-kugel-of-the-coathangers-announces-debut-solo-lp-derealization-under-new-moniker-julia-julia/https://happysundaysfest.com/https://hearjuliajulia.bandcamp.com/album/derealization Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories

Sara Lund is a drummer, drum teacher and the innovative percussive force behind the band Unwound.  After a 20+ year break, Unwound is back and already have a string of sold out shows starting in early 2023.  In this episode Sara shares the complicated and tragic story of the band falling apart and the difficult decision to start up again without founding member and friend Vern Rumsey.  She also explains that the reunion is a celebration of Vern and his contribution to the music and why Jarred Warren is helping them get back on their rock n roll feet again.  Joe and Sara discuss how she went from touring musician to drum instructor, her teaching technique and their views on improvisation.  Joe shares a couple stories from his days as Unwound's "Brodie" and we hear a couple tunes.                  THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO THE GREAT VERN RUMSEY Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.   visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html @thetourstories