Performance Anxiety
Performance Anxiety is a podcast where host Marc Shea sits down with artists to discuss what happens behind the scenes. Each episode explores the realities of recording, touring, and creating art. Listeners hear wild stories and personal anecdotes from musicians about their careers and creative lives.
Episodes
Matt Devine (Ventilator, Permanent Green Light)
Today’s guest has just reissued a hidden gem. Welcome Matt Devine. Matt has played with a lot of previous guests of this podcast. And after listening to his bands Permanent Green Light and Ventilator, I know why. He talks about how he got into music and the bands he loved growing up. He talks about starting his own bands and keeping the expectations low. After Permanent Green Light formed and diss
Wesley Stace (John Wesley Harding)
Today’s guest is a very interesting artist. I’m pleased to present Wesley Stace, aka John Wesley Harding. He’s just released a new album called One Last Heist and it’s wonderful. Wesley has always been an artist who follows his instincts and they’re currently pulling him into a jazzy stage. But he was gracious enough to step back in time with me and discuss his career, starting even before his deb
Tim (T.R.) Miller
Today’s show is a little different. I’m joined by former podcast guest Timothy Reid. He reached out to me about our subject, bassist Tim (T.R.) Miller. He’s an American bass player who lived in Japan for many years. He’s an important, but possibly underappreciated, figure in the Japanese rock scene. Timothy followed his career for a long time and, eventually, met up with him and even played in som
Side Projects: Collaborations w/Jordon Zadorozny & Stephen Bluhm
Today we’re talking about collaborations. And by we I mean, of course myself, Jordan Zadorozny and Stephen Bluhm. Both Jordon and Stephen have partaken of the fruits of collaboration. Jordon hath tasted the delights on many an occasion whilst Stephen has recently just taken his first bite of the apple of collab.
We talk about our favorites, some that really didn’t turn out so well, an
Darren Michael Boyd
Today’s guest came to my attention through a friend. Welcome guitarist Darren Michael Boyd. Technically, he’s a multi-instrumentalist but let’s keep things simple for the introduction. He first came to my attention through Astrid Young and her cover of Hell Hole for the Teen Cancer America Spinal Tap Tribute. He released a new album last year but that's just the latest in a string of solo albums i
Dizzy Reed (Guns N' Roses)
Today’s guest really didn’t have a choice in what he did. Rock and roll chose him. Please welcome Dizzy Reed to the podcast. You may know him best as the keyboardist and second longest tenured member of Guns N’ Roses but that’s not the beginning (or end) of his story. From learning to play organ from his grandmother to his first gig playing Smoke On The Water on an unusual instrument, all the way
Richard Foos (Rhino Records, Shout! Factory)
Today’s guest is an entrepreneur par excellence. Welcome the founder of Rhino Records and Shout! Factory, Richard Foos. We go back to Richard’s early days and find out how music became so important to him. He talks about his early attempts in the record business and how that eventually evolved into Rhino Records. He then tells how Rhino Records, the record store, became Rhino Records, the record l
Dan Cuddy (Hypnolovewheel, The Special Pillow)
Today’s guest is special. And he has special things. Welcome Dan Cuddy to the podcast. Dan plays bass in The Special Pillow. He used to play bass in Hypnolovewheel. He’s here to talk about Hypnolovewheel’s new compilation, Parallel Universe. It’s a great mix of their music and it has a bunch of really cool songs that are previously unreleased. And of course we talk about Dan’s career. Where did he
Love Jones
So my guests today are just the epitome of cool. They spearheaded the lounge-style music revival of the 90’s. Welcome Ben Daughtrey and Jonathan Palmer of Love Jones to the podcast. The band has just released their fourth album, The Greatest Show and it’s definitely the band’s sound, distilled into six tracks. Before we dive into how the album came to be after a 15 year hiatus, we talk about how t
French Stewart
Today’s guest made me feel…liked. I was fortunate enough to talk with actor French Stewart. And it wouldn’t have happened without the kindness of two wonderful people, Laurel Green and Matt North. Thank you both so much. French’s story is wild. His acting stems from a mix of a high school elective and having a con man for his biological father. He had no idea he was going to college, let alone for
Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch)
Today’s guest has made a career playing with some of the most avant garde musicians in the world. But he didn’t start off with music in mind. Welcome drummer Bob Bert to the podcast. He grew up in a house that wasn’t super musical. In fact, his father, Angelo, was more into sports than music. He was so into sports that he won the Heisman trophy in 1943. But Bob had other ideas.
Bob played some dr
Don Cento (Cento Threeo)
Today’s guest is almost like talking to myself from a parallel universe. Welcome Cento Threeo’s Don Cento. Don’s been creating music for decades in all kinds of ways, all kinds of styles, and in all kinds of roles. He played guitar about as seriously as any teenager until he ran across a flamenco guitar player who performed at his school. That changed everything.
When he was considering colleges
Larry McNeny (Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne)
Today’s guest began his career as a musician but worked his way behind the scenes, managing some of the biggest tours on the planet. Welcome Larry McNeny. He’s just released a book about his career as a tour manager called Blood, Guts, and No Glory. Larry discusses his early aspirations to become a rock star, his encounters with musicians including Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Eric Clapton, Jimm
Johnny Iguana (The Claudettes)
This guest is NOT a musical chameleon. He’s a Johnny Iguana. And he’s the keyboardist/pianist for Chicago’s The Claudettes. They have a jaw-dropping new album coming out in June.But we start by talking about his early work. He’s got an unusual reason for starting piano lessons. Johnny talks about early bands and how he began playing for one of his heroes. He reveals why he left that gig and how he
Daniel Rachel
This episode is a little different. It’s still about music, but from a very particular perspective. My guest is author Daniel Rachel. He’s written some fantastic books like Isle of Noise (about UK songwriters) and The Lost Album of The Beatles. His latest release may be his most controversial. It’s called This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, The Swastika, & The Third Reich. In it, Daniel explores
Patrick Michot (Duskseeker, Rougarou)
Today’s guest is a legacy and I’ve had many of his family members on the show. Welcome Patrick Michot to the podcast. Patrick may come from a legendary Louisiana zydeco family but he’s forging his own path while paying homage to his family’s legacy. So this is NOT a zydeco episode. I’m so thankful that Patrick’s cousin, Louis Michot, introduced me to the music. It’s been a wild journey, listening
George Usher
This guest has just fulfilled a long-term dream. Welcome stalwart of the NYC music scene, George Usher to the podcast. But before moving to New York, he was stealing Beatles songs in Cleveland. He moved to NYC knowing no one and waited a year before playing out. But once he did, he played some legendary venues like CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City. He became a hired gun in the 80’s and reveals the dif
Robert Roth & Hiro Yamamoto (Truly)
This episode is Truly unique. I’m welcoming back an early guest (episode #3) and a new guest because they are in the same band. Welcome back Robert Roth and welcome for the first time, Hiro Yamamoto. Truly is a band everyone should know. Not only is the pedigree amazing, they write the music to back it up and have for 35 years. Robert and Hiro talk about their musical backgrounds; Robert with Stor
Side Projects: Genesis (w/Scott Shea & Jordon Zadorozny)
As the episode title says, this episode is all about the band Genesis. My brother Scott has written two in depth articles about the band’s early years for The Strange Brew blog. Both he and long-time podcast friend Jordon Zadorozny of Blinker The Star join me to discuss the history of Genesis, from Peter Gabriel all the way through Ray Wilson. Check out Scott’s work at scottsheaauthor.com. Check o
Robert Deeble
Today’s guest is deliberate. He’s that way with his music, his lyrics, and his touring. Welcome singer/songwriter Robert Deeble to the podcast. He’s recently released his latest album, The Space Between Us, and it’s a very easy listen. Robert talks about the themes behind the album, how he wrote the music, and who else is on it.
Growing up, he struggled with music in several different ways; from
Erika Switchblade (The Devils)
Today’s guest is fiery. And I have to thank Ian Ottaway for introducing me to her. Welcome Erika Switchblade from The Devils to the podcast. Erika is Italian, in southern Italy. International episodes are always interesting. And Erika sets expectations early. She’s pretty sure this will be the worst podcast I’ve ever done. I disagree.
Erika talks about the first song she ever remembers hearing, p
Smitti Supab (Captain Buckles)
Welcome super nice guy Smitti Supab to the podcast. He’s a bass player for a lot of people. And we talk about a lot of them today. But he’s got his own band, Captain Buckles, that’s released their debut album called Hurry Up. Smitti has had quite an adventurous life and not all of it revolves around music. In fact, music was almost an accident! He went to China to teach, played in ex-pat bands, ma
Side Projects: Family Bands w/Louis Michot & Corey Ledet
Today we’re talking about family bands with two guys who know a thing or two about them; Louis Michot and Corey Ledet. Both of these gentlemen are parts of families with deep musical roots. And they both give us a brief rundown of where they fit in the family tree. Corey’s great grandfather was an early jazz pioneer while Louis’ grandmother was a professional whistler! And Louis talks about their
Stéphane Schück (The Salt Collective)
Today’s guest may be one of the hardest working guests I’ve ever had. Please welcome, straight from Normandy, France, Stephane Schuck. Stephane talks about the music that inspired him as a kid. It isn’t your standard rock and roll background. Maybe part of that is growing up in France, maybe part is just Stephane’s unique angle on music.
He formed a group that eventually came to known as The Salt
Wendy Rae Fowler (Humanist, Mark Lanegan)
Today’s guest is just a badass. I’m so excited about this one that I don’t even want to do too long of an intro. I just want her to tell her story. Welcome Wendy Rae Fowler to the show. She’s got such an interesting story. She plays bass for Humanist in addition to her own music. But her first love was dance. She talks about all her creative endeavors from dance, to acting, to bass, and more.She c
Howard Wuelfing (Descenes, Discords)
It took me about 7 years to get today’s guest. That’s because he was too busy helping other artists with their public relations. Welcome one of my oldest podcasting friends, Howard Wuelfing. Howard was instrumental in kicking off the DC punk scene early on. But he wasn’t originally from the area. Howard talks about growing up just outside of NYC and how that influenced his entire life. He was gett
Josh Hight (Pines, The Detachment Kit)
Welcome photographer and musician Josh Hight to the show. Josh’s story is near and dear to me because it centers around two of my passions: music and photography. And Josh’s story is not a straightforward one, either. Although his parents were both creative (his dad was in advertising and his mom was an interior designer) visual art came later. His first love was music. He’s from Detroit and so it
Lucas Ward (The Silver Snails)
Today’s guest is a true family man. Or is it family band? You know what? It’s both. Please welcome Lucas Ward of The Silver Snails to the show. He take a moment from traveling with his family to talk to me about his unusual musical path. It definitely hasn’t been straightforward. But it’s been incredibly fruitful. He discusses growing up and being friends with Elliot Smith, back when he was known
Limahl (Kajagoogoo)
This isn’t exactly a Christmas episode, although it certainly leans heavily into the season. That’s because my guest today is an 80’s icon who has released a Christmas song. Welcome Limahl to the podcast. You may remember him from the 80’s band Kajagoogoo, and the track playing underneath all this intro stuff. Or you might remember him from the international #1 hit The Neverending Story from the m
Side Projects: Integrity & Perseverance...and Artisanal Sand w/Conan Neutron
Welcome back, Conan Neutron! Conan’s got a new Secret Friends album out called The Way Of The Neutron. The process and circumstances Conan went through creating this album are the inspiration for this episode.It’s all about integrity and perseverance…and a little bit of artisanal sand. But Conan and I thought that maybe, somewhere out there, one listener of this podcast could use a little bit of e
Arwen Lewis
Today’s guest is a challenge. But I don’t mean that in a negative way.Welcome Arwen Lewis to the podcast. She’s a musician and a podcaster. And this show starts off almost like it’s duelling interviews. And before I go any further, I need to thank Astrid Young for the introduction. Arwen has quite the family tree. Her dad is Peter Lewis of Moby Grape. But going back farther, her grandfather founde
The Problem With Kids Today
Today’s guest is plural. I’m fortunate to be joined by the entire band The Problem With Kids Today just before they hit the stage. Tate, Silas, and Reena talk about the music that inspired them, some early band experiences, and how the band came together. Tate tells me about their unusual name, their less unusual previous band name, and gelling as a band because of COVID. These guys are self-descr
Crispian Mills (Kula Shaker)
This week’s guest is very grounded. That could be because he’s British. Or it could be because his career spans several decades. Welcome the singer and guitarist for Kula Shaker, Crispian Mills. This episode is so interesting. Crispian talks about growing up in a family rooted in entertainment. He started playing gigs in pubs at a pretty young age. In fact, his first gig was with Chris Thompson of
Side Projects: The National Symphony Orchestra w/Aaron Goldman & David Teie
This episode of Side Projects is a little different. THey’re all different, if I’m being honest. But this one is…unusual. I welcome two members of the National Symphony Orchestra to the show; principal flute player Aaron Goldman and cellist David Teie.
It’s a quick hitter so I’ll have to have them back on. But we discuss how young they were when classical music grabbed them. They enlighten me o
The Majesty Of Rock: A Spinal Tap Tribute For Teen Cancer America Pt. 3
Welcome to the third installment of our Spinal Tap series. In this episode we welcome four members of Teen Cancer America' Play It Back Program; Nathan Hooper, Savannah Mason, Juan Razuri, and Elissa Waller as well as the co-founder of the program, Kenli Mattus . They all participated in the Tap project by recording a version of The Majesty Of Rock, from Spinal Tap’s second album, Break Like The W
Timothy Reid
Today’s guest is probably the most international guest I’ve ever had. Welcome guitarist Timothy Reid to the show. Timothy comes to us from Japan via North Yorkshire, England. How did he end up in Japan? It’s a really interesting story about obsessions. But that’s not where we begin. We begin with Timothy getting into Northern Soul and the punk band that cemented his musical course. After going to
The Majesty Of Rock: A Spinal Tap Tribute For Teen Cancer America Pt. 2
Welcome to the second installment of our Spinal Tap series. This time I’m speaking with Abby Travis, Chas West, and David Hakopyan. Due to a personal obligation, I had to record this differently than I normally do. I was in the middle of Amish country in PA and I used Zoom for the entire show. Somehow, it became the busiest place on the planet, but only while I was recording. I also discovered tha
Shane Alexander
Today’s guest was a gift and I mean that in a variety of ways. Of course, his music is a gift. This conversation was a gift. But even connecting with him was a gift for which I have to thank Jeremy Toback. Jeremy suggested I listen to Shane’s music. When I did he connected us. Unfortunately, I put the interview date in the wrong month in my calendar and we rescheduled for the next day. That meant
The Majesty Of Rock: A Spinal Tap Tribute For Teen Cancer America Pt. 1
Today is the first of a few special episodes. We’re talking Spinal Tap with Scott Reeder of Kyuss, Kellii Scott of Failure, Dizzy Reed of Guns N Roses, and Jason Achilles, who’s put microphones on Mars with NASA’s JPL. What brings all of these amazing people together? A charity album for Teen Cancer America that I started three and a half years ago. It’s coming out on Sept 16th and the only way to
doubleVee
In an unusual turn of events here, this week I have doubleVee on the podcast…the entire band! Welcome both Allan and Barb Vest to the podcast. They are a duo with a very interesting past and a wonderful new EP.
Allan was a musical late bloomer while his wife Barb has it in her blood, literally. Her grandmother was a composer. That led to a really beautiful project, later on, for Barb and Allan.
Chris Stamey (The dB's, Big Star's Third)
Today’s guest is Chris Stamey. He’s done A LOT! He grew up in North Carolina, playing bass with Mitch Easter and Peter Holsapple. They played in churches and coffee shops because those were the only places at the time that encouraged original music. Around this time he began studying music at the University of North Carolina. He transferred to NYU but because of some weird scheduling issues, his m
Jon Muq
Today’s guest makes me feel blessed because his story illustrates just how fortunate I am. Meet Jon Muq. He’s a singer/songwriter from Austin TX via Uganda. Growing up, music was not a presence in his life. But sound was. He grew up without electricity so music was not a priority. But once he discovered music, it became an obsession; particularly the song We Are The World. Jon learned to play guit
David Motamed (The Royal Arctic Institute, Das Damen)
Today’s guest mellows me out while also thinking about new revenue streams. Welcome David Motamed from The Royal Arctic Institute to the show. Mo, as his friends call him, has a long career in music mixed with a long career as a liver specialist; in medicine, not Silence of the Lambs kinda stuff.He started playing bass with his long-time friend and collaborator Lyle Hysen and wound up with him in
Side Projects: Gospel Music
This episode of Performance Anxiety Side Projects is almost a religious experience. Welcome Morgan Geer of Drunken Prayer and Matt Patton of Drive-By Truckers. Today we’re talking about Gospel music. Morgan and Matt talk about the Gospel music that made the first impact on them and give some great recommendations on where to start your own journey.
Matt and Morgan each give their accounts of how
Lemoyne Alexander
Today’s guest is the definition of commitment. Please welcome Lemoyne Alexander to the show. Lemoyne really had no choice BUT to go into show business. His dad was a session drummer for Chess Records and started a family band starring Lemoyne and his siblings, even though he was way more into martial arts.The story of that band is filled with all kinds of changes, including a Peter Brady-like voca
Arad Evans (The Whimbrels, Glenn Branca)
Today’s guest is a fan of birds. Not really. I don’t know. He’s been in two bands named after birds, so maybe. Welcome guitarist Arad Evans to the podcast. I think Arad may be my first Alaskan on the podcast. Now he wasn’t born there, but he did grow up there. He tells me what got him into music and what kind of music scene there was in 1970’s and early 80’s Anchorage.
Arad moved to New York Cit
Robert Scheffler
My guest today is a regular guy who happens to do a lot of creative stuff! Welcome Robert Scheffler to the podcast. Robert started on guitar after finding the one his mom had when she tried to take up the instrument. He played in school, he played in cover bands (because where he was living, no one wanted originals), he played solo gigs. He played supper clubs where you had to compete with food fo
Willie Nile (Umberto Snortz)
This guest is the very definition of resilience. Please welcome singer/songwriter Willie Nile. He has a new album out called The Great Yellow Light that shows Willie is still in top form. But he has a long, storied career and that’s where we get started. He reveals that music has run in the family for generations!
He went to college because the school needed people in the dorms. It was in the mi
David J. Haskins (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets)
Today’s guest hates traffic as much as I do. Plus he helped invent an entire genre of music. Welcome David J. Haskins to the podcast. He has a new album out, but you may also recognize him from his previous bands, Bauhaus and Love And Rockets. His love of music began with reggae and sneaking into clubs when he was a kid. His biggest inspirations were Bowie, Marc Bolan, and Roxy Music. He started o
David Abbruzzese (Pearl Jam)
This guest just blew me away on every front imaginable. Welcome drummer David Abbruzzese to the show. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because he was in the biggest band in the world at what I consider their peak. Dave played drums for Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994. For me, this was when the band could do no wrong. But, as David tells me, there was a lot of crazy stuff going. That includes
Erika Wennerstrom (Heartless Bastards)
Today’s guest is a family favorite. That means I’m talking with Erika Wennerstrom from Heartless Bastards. There are times when I’m completely blown away that an artist agrees to be a guest on this podcast and this is one of those moments. But Erika was and is incredibly kind and gracious. We start off like we usually do, talking about what got her into music. It turns out that she knew she was go
Knox Chandler (The Psychedelic Furs, Cyndi Lauper)
This week’s guest makes me just want to have fun. No, it’s not Cyndi Lauper. But he did play with her for years. Welcome multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler to the show. He moved around a lot as a kid, so music really meant a lot to him. His parents told him that he used to hug the stereo speakers when he was a toddler. He studied guitar and upright bass in college. But his cello playing got him j
Side Projects: Duos & Funeral Kazoos w/Charming Disaster & Lung
This episode of Side Projects features a duo of duos: Charming Disaster and Lung. So naturally, we started the show by discussing musical duos. Somehow we wrapped everything up by talking about sad kazoo music. I don’t know how we got there. It really doesn’t matter because this episode goes completely off the rails very quickly. But that’s why it’s so much fun.
We do talk about drum shoes, setti
MikelParis (O.A.R.)
Everything about today’s guest is unusual. From writing his first song (which he performed at his high school graduation, unbeknownst to anyone but him) to being in the cast of Stomp before joining O.A.R., to the way he plays guitar, nothing about MikelParis fits into a neat description; with one exception. He’s a great guy! He pursued acting before music and played piano in Europe for a year befo
Zak Loy (Live)
This guest never sits still. Welcome guitarist Zak Loy. If you’re in the Austin, TX area, you might know him from any number of bands or projects like Damesviolet, Alpha Rev, Mother’s Anthem, and more. If you like classic alternative rock from the 90’s, you may have seen him playing guitar for the band Live and he was kind enough to take a break during the final stages of his new solo album, Diner
Bryan Small (The Hangmen)
Today’s guest is Rock ‘N Roll distilled. Welcome Bryan Small of The Hangmen to the podcast. This guy lived the sex, drugs, & rock ‘n roll life until he realized it wasn’t sustainable. Born in Montana and raised in Idaho, Bryan moved to L.A. because his favorite bands were there. From there, every rock ‘n roll story seems to have happened to The Hangmen. There first album was remixed just before re
Modern Drugs
Today’s guests, yes guests, are so uplifting. I’d like to welcome Cara Maurizi, Jim Standerfer, Alan Honeycutt, and eventually Ryan Groff; 4/5s of the band Modern Drugs. This band is so positive it’s almost too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that are too good to be true. They usually are. Or they’re Modern Drugs. But all the members of the band truly love and respect each
Esther Canata (LionGale)
Today’s guest is a blast from my past. Please welcome the multi-talented Esther Canata. Esther and I went to school together. We weren’t great friends (she was a freshman when I was a senior and you know how that goes), but we did know each other. She was definitely the “artsy” one in her class. You know every class has at least one.
We reconnected several years ago through social media, which is
Kevin Shields (Detention, Bigger Thomas)
Today’s guest really brings me back. Welcome central Jersey’s finest, Kevin Shields of Detention and Bigger Thomas. Kevin was a founding member of the central New Jersey punk scene that birthed bands like Bouncing Souls and Vision. He talks about what the scene was like, how it developed, and how it changed. He also talks about life before punk. He was in the Coast Guard and traveled all over; whi
Nikki O'Neill
Today’s guest is a sweet soul. Welcome Nikki O’Neill to the show. She’s a singer/songwriter steeped in classic soul music. But her story is not one of coming up in Memphis or Muscle Shoals, Detroit, or even Chicago, where she’s based, now. It’s LA to Sweden with a quick layover in Poland. But we don’t even start this episode discussing music. We find our first piece of common ground in home applia
Edwin (I Mother Earth, Crash Karma)
Today’s guest makes me feel heavy. If you’re a fan of I Mother Earth, that’ll make sense to you. My guest is Edwin, I Mother Earth’s lead singer. This was such a great discussion, a long time in the making. Edwin talks about growing up in a pretty strict household where his first musical instrument was…the accordion. After ditching that, he started singing in cover bands, playing classic rock like
Side Projects: Getting Into Jazz w/Chris Greene & Mike Baggetta
Today we’re talking about jazz, eventually. My computer crashed so this is take two! My guests are Mike Baggetta from mssv among other projects and Chris Greene of the Chris Greene Quartet. They’ve both been on the show before. I highly recommend going back to their episodes to get their stories. Today I’ve posed a challenge to these guys. What jazz artist or album should I check out if I like a s
James Cook (Captain's Audio Project, Trashcan Joe)
This guest makes me feel like I’m in a Mark Twain novel. Welcome James Cook of Trashcan Joe. He’s got a new project called Captain’s Audio Project and the two bands are like yin and yang. They both have that old-time jazz feel. But where Trashcan Joe is fun, upbeat, and occasionally raucous, Captain’s Audio Project is a little more melancholy.
James grew up in a very musical family but he’s the o
Tex Mosely (Neverland Ranch Davidians)
Today’s guest was bound to happen. Meet Tex Mosely from Neverland Ranch Davidians. Tex and his band were suggested to me a couple of years ago by my friend Ian. I reached out and we tried to get everything to mesh but just couldn’t make it work. A few years later, here we are.
Tex talks about growing up in Philly and having music all around him. His uncle was a professional bass player. Tex start
Side Projects: Creating Sophomore Albums
I've wanted to do this episode for a long time; not just the subject matter, but my guests as well. Today I’m talking about making sophomore albums with Vashti Bunyan and Lucy Kruger; two people who have vastly different experiences making their second albums. Lucy has done it twice with her bands Medicine Boy and Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys. But they were both very different approaches from one a
Clinton Jacob (Mr. Phylzzz)
Today’s guest has the best outlook. Welcome Clinton Jacob of Mr. Phylzzz to the podcast. He’s based out of Chicago but originally hails from Clarksville, OH. Apparently they have quite the gruesome claim to fame. Clinton began his musical career playing in bands that were a little more traditional in their sound and approach, which he hated. But there wasn’t much in Clarksville besides that and de
Maura Pond (Luna Honey)
This guest harkens back to the original concept of this podcast. And she has possibly the most unusual band setup I have ever heard of. Welcome Maura Pond of Luna Honey. And this band has really captured my attention. They’ve got this new take on the no wave sound that spawned bands like Swans, Rhys Chatham, Theoretical Girls, and others. It’s experimental music that’s really accessible. Maura and
Kerry Jones (Death Doula)
This guest had me pining for the 90’s. Welcome Kerry Jones from the band Death Doula. If you’re like me, you may be asking what a death doula is. Fortunately for us, Kerry talks about what it is and why she gave her band that name. She played a number of instruments growing up but never sang. She never thought that singing was a talent that she could possess. She learned how to play guitar during
Django Haskins (The Old Ceremony)
Today’s guest is a busy guy. He never seems to stop working. It’s Django Haskins from The Old Ceremony. And with a name like Django, your future is basically pre-determined. Music was big part of his parents’ (and therefore, his) lives. His parents were a folk duo and had Django playing classical violin at age five. He’s been in rock bands since the age of thirteen. And that includes while he was
John Mlynczak (NAMM)
Today’s guest schooled me…about NAMM, the North American Music Merchants. Welcome NAMM President and CEO, John Mlynczak. Before we get into the meat of what NAMM is and does, John talks about his musical history. Music and music education have always been an important part of his life. He pursued that path from Virginia all the way to LSU; but I won’t hold that against him. He talks about creating
Chris Greene
This guest is not what I expected. Welcome jazz saxophonist Chris Greene to the podcast. I was worried that he’d be a jazz snob but he was the exact opposite. He was happy to teach me what he could in an hour podcast. And that included learning how he got into jazz. It all started to make sense to Chris in high school. He went on to study jazz at Indiana, which is where he started playing in bands
Tartie (In These Trees)
Today’s guest should be musically jetlagged. But she’s not. Welcome the mononymous Tartie to the podcast. She’s from Melbourne and has recently collaborated with Binnie Klein out of Connecticut for a project called In These Trees. It’s an emotional journey of an album. But before that happened, Tartie went through a whole lot of other phases. She taught herself piano at age six. She also started w
Boone Froggett (Otis)
This guest has reignited my love for the blues. Meet Boone Froggett from Otis. Boone is the guitarist, singer, and founding member of the band. We get disconnected a couple of times in the beginning, but we push through and have a wonderful conversation.He grew up in the same town as The Kentucky Headhunters. That band was hugely influential, not just musically, but attitudinally, if that’s a word
Stella Cole
Today’s guest makes me feel old fashioned. Or maybe I want to drink an Old Fashioned. Either way I am fortunate enough to have Stella Cole on the podcast! She blew up TikTok with her faithful renditions of the Great American Songbook. She tells me about how she became obsessed with old music and musicals from an early age. But she was always cautious about pursuing music as a career. Like when she
Miist
Today’s guest makes me feel blessed. Her name is Miist. She’s a singer/songwriter with an incredible story. She grew up in China and had no ambitions of being a musician. She would sing songs with her father as a kid but that was really the extent of her musical experience. She moved to Canada where she was an accountant. But a startling cancer misdiagnosis completely changed her life. She bought
Dave Trumfio (Pulsars)
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