Zig At The Gig podcast

Interview with  Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate. Steve Wynn is a singer, musician and songwriter. He led the band the Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 in Los Angeles, afterward began a solo career, and then reformed the Dream Syndicate in 2001     Steve's info : (links to Medicine Show release ) https://www.stevewynn.net/dream_syndicate_medicine_show.php.   Steve's Bio: Steve Wynn was born in Santa Monica, California in 1960 and got his first guitar (a nylon-string acoustic) when he was nine, shortly after which he wrote his first song "Sing My Blues". He formed his first band "The Light Bulbs" that same year and the band made the circuit of parties and school functions; the band's oldest member was ten years old. By the time he was 13, Wynn had played in bands with such colorful names as Purple Passion and Sudden Death Overtime, alternating between his own early originals and songs by Neil Young, The Rolling Stones and The Who. In the years that followed, Wynn found himself sidetracked by a strong desire to become a sportswriter. Abandoning his electric guitar for a notepad, pen and typewriter Wynn found himself on the other side of the interview, speaking to football, basketball and baseball players and dreaming of one day seeing his name on the masthead of Sports Illustrated. During his high school years, Wynn entertained notions of becoming a sportswriter but the excitement and immediacy of the punk rock explosion of 1977 brought him back into the world of songwriting and performing. He found himself writing and playing guitar for UC Davis (near Sacramento) New Wave pioneers "Suspects", a band for whom Wynn wrote over 100 songs, none of which he has performed since. A move back to Los Angeles with Suspects lead singer Kendra Smith was the first step towards the formation of The Dream Syndicate, the band with whom Wynn would gain national and eventually international acclaim. The Dream Syndicate played together for the first time in December 1981 and within three weeks had recorded its self-titled first EP. The record was released in April 1982 and followed six months later by the band's debut album "The Days of Wine and Roses", an album which fans and critics alike still consider one of the best and most important rock albums of all time. Those early years are represented here by "When You Smile" and "That's What You Always Say," songs which have been covered, respectively, by Concrete Blonde and Luna. The band was almost immediately signed by A&M Records for whom it recorded the landmark "Medicine Show" (the title song opens this compilation), a record that was recently named one of the 40 best rock albums of all time by the London Guardian and whose songs have been covered by REM and The Black Crowes among many others. Several years of worldwide touring (including several trips to Europe and Japan and Australia) followed before the band broke up at the end of 1988. Wynn has said "As proud as I was of The Dream Syndicate, our music and our accomplishments I felt we had reached our peak and everything that followed would have been a disappointment. I wanted to be a band that broke up while we were still doing our best work." In 1990 Wynn came back with his first solo offering "Kerosene Man," an album of incredible diversity that showed Wynn's enormous growth as a songwriter and record-maker. The songs "Carolyn" and "Tears Won't Help" were among the most-played songs that year on Modern Rock radio stations and his video for "Carolyn" was in regular rotation on MTV for six weeks. The follow-up "Dazzling Display" was Wynn's most elaborate production to date, a dizzying synthesis of the best rock music of the previous 30 years featuring the talents of, among others, REM's Peter Buck, Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano and members of The Bangles, The Turtles and the touring bands of Lou Reed and Tracy Chapman. A four-day writing vacation in Richmond, Virginia with the House of Freaks' Bryan Harvey turned into the side-project supergroup Gutterball who released two albums, garnered overwhelming press response and built a frenetic cult following; the Black Crowes took the band out as its opening act even before the first Gutterball record was released. Not one to stand still, Wynn followed the success of Gutterball with the more introspective "Fluorescent", an album whose single "Carelessly" picked up heavy radio play throughout the US and Europe. In 1994, Wynn moved to New York City. He harnessed the excitement and energy of his new home in his record "Melting in the Dark". The two albums that followed,"Sweetness and Light" and "My Midnight", found Wynn settling into the sound that would define the next phase of his solo career. In 2001, Steve went to Tucson and recorded the double album "Here Come the Miracles" which was released to overwhelming critical acclaim. The album was seen as a stunning comeback and appeared on many year-end critics' surveys along with winning Best Alternative Rock Album by the American Federation of Independent Music. The album was followed by "Static Transmission" and "...tick...tick...tick", both also recorded in Tucson with his new backing unit "The Miracle 3" and which were viewed as part of a "Desert Trilogy" that is seen by many as the best work of his career. But Wynn has never been one to settle into an easy or predictable groove. Since the last of the desert trilogy he has recorded "Cast Iron Soul", a new Danny & Dusty album with Green On Red's Dan Stuart, joined forces with his wife and drummer Linda Pitmon and legendary Spanish producer Paco Loco to concoct the twisted pop side project "Smack Dab", and collaborated with the Walkabouts' Chris Eckman in Slovenia on the lush and lavish "Crossing Dragon Bridge", a record that made up a tandem of new releases in 2008 with "The Baseball Project", a baseball song cycle collaboration with Pitmon and also Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck of REM and the Minus 5. In the midst of such a prolific recording career, Wynn has still found time to average over 100 shows a year all over the world. He has found himself as welcome in Rome, Oslo, Athens, Brussels, London and Madrid as he has in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. And for the devoted fans he has made in these and many other cities, his extensive discography of music reflects the consensus among fans: that Steve Wynn is one of the most adventurous, accomplished and exciting songwriters of the last few decades. If all of this is still news to you, just put on this cd and get ready to join the legions of people who have enjoyed Wynn's dazzling display of songs over the last 25 years.  

Interview with : Nick Hexum of 311 Nick Hexum is a singer, rapper, songwriter and guitarist who is the frontman for the alternative rock band 311 and The Nick Hexum Quintet. Tickets for Nick Hexum and Water Tower Band at Grog Shop CLE OH Mar -31-26 : https://grogshop.gs/tm-event/nick-hexum-with-water-tower/ Nick's Info : https://www.nickhexum.com https://311.com  

Interview with singer songwriter Robert Deeble. Born in 1966 in Long Beach, California, Robert cut his teeth as a songwriter in the gritty underground of the LBC, which introduced him to longtime collaborators like drummer Stephen Hodges (Mike Watt/Tom Waits) and folk heroine Victoria Williams, who helped launch his early records. His 1998 release, EarthSide Down, earned notice for its orchestral textures and spirit- infused lyrics—reminiscent of Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake. By his third album, Paste had described him as “truly an arresting talent, able to gain entry to places rarely imagined by most songwriters. Following his This Bar Has No One Left EP in 2005, Deeble completed a Master’s degree in psychology—a journey that has deeply informed his songwriting and emotional perspective. His 2012 album Heart Like Feathers marked his musical return, with themes of Robert Deeble - Bio depression and struggle but with “a redemptive hope that brought glimmers of light (Performer Magazine).” Robert emerged again in 2018, with one of his more personal works, Beloved. Born from his experience of fostering and then adopting a child with his wife, the album captures the agony and tenderness of temporarily caring for a child, the heartbreak of letting her go, and, finally, becoming her parent. Robert’s recordings over the years have featured such industry veterans as Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists), Jen Wood (The Postal Service), Tomo Nakayama and others. He has shared bills with artists such as Low, IDA, Jason Molina, Sam Phillips, M. Ward, Over the Rhine, Mike Watt, Damien Jurado, David Bazan and Victoria Williams. The Space Between Us shows Deeble to be a craftsman of understated, emotionally resonant songwriting. Or as Bandcamp put it, "Every new record from Seattle musician Robert Deeble is like stumbling across some secret grotto.   Robert's info:  https://robertdeeble.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Deeble https://robertdeeble.bandcamp.com/music https://www.instagram.com/rdeeble/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/robert.deeble.music/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/42LPbMxQThbZsibL4OdqMZ  

Interview with Jerid O'Connell of The Rousers. The Rousers were formed in 1977 in New York CIty by Jeff Buckland (vocals), Bill Dickson (rhythm guitar), John Hannah (bass), Tom Milmore (lead guitar) and Jerid O'Connell (drums). They auditioned at CBGB, where they were noticed by famed Max's Kansas City booker Peter Crowley. The Rousers genial "Rhythm and Twang" sound soon earned them a following, and the band performed all around the New York area, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Boston. The Rousers released a single in 1981 on Jimboco Records of "Party Boy" and "Don't Let the Band Stop Playing" produced by MC5 legend Wayne Kramer. (An early limited edition included a red FlexiDisc of "Christmas Party".) In 1982 Sal Capozucca and Brett Wilder respectively took over on drums and bass. This lineup continued until 1984. Jeff Buckland left music and went on to a successful career in animation. The other members went on to various other bands (Bill and Brett joined The Backbones, Tom and Sal to Syntax Error, Treasure Head, etc.) and continued to play and record in the New York area. Around 1986, the Praise Jockeys were formed with Bill, Brett, Tom and Sal. The band featured a heavier, riff happy sound. Their "Look at My Face" CD was released in 2021. Bill, Tom and Sal next formed The Mockingbirds with keyboard player Chris Pondish. The Mockingbirds released the CD "Broken Times" in 2021. That band transformed into The Shambles (Bill, Tom, Sal and Rob Noname). Brett continued to play in several bands, including The Vacant Lot. Around 1995 The Rousers began playing as a quartet with Bill on vocals and guitar, Brett on bass, Tom on guitar and Sal on drums. This lineup recorded several songs at Purple Light Studio in Brooklyn which was released as "All the King's Men" in 2021. Brett left to pursue his musical muse, sometimes rejoining The Rousers, but mainly going his own way. The Rousers continued with Bill now on bass and vocals. Henry Kandel was added on saxophone from about 2000-2002. After that, the Rousers recorded and performed as a trio. The band released a CD ("Playing the Rock and Roll For You") in 2012, and an EP in 2018 ("Kickin'"). Drummer Sal Capozucca died of Covid May 13,2020.   Pick up a copy for The 1979 Sire Session here : https://www.leftfordeadrecords.com/ 1979-sire-session

Interview with Smitti Supab of Captain Buckles After years of incubating, Captain Buckles has found its own trademark sound steeped in the grooves and funk of New Orleans and the elements that make American music emotionally moving and stylistically unique. The band jams hard while emphasizing musical exploration and dynamic subtlety, showing the inspiration from of icons like The Meters, Allman Brothers, and The Band but utilizing those influences to create a style all their own. The members of Captain Buckles include New Orleans born-and-raised Rob Davis and drummer Ezell Smith Jr., as well as Los Angeles transplant Smitti Supab on bass, Pennsylvanian keyboardist Phil Breen (yep, the group has two guys tickling the 88’s), who’ve both played professionally in the Crescent City for 13+ years. Florida ex-pat Alex Mallet is the newcomer of the crew having arrived a mere eight years ago. Before forming Captain Buckles, the members had performed with each other in various line-ups for years between touring as backing musicians with national and international acts like Eric Lindell, Samantha Fish, Russell Batiste, John , Glen David Andrews, and many others. They transitioned to working as a distinctive, butt-shaking unit all their own two years ago, a no-nonsense brotherhood of hard-working sidemen, championing good vibes and an intense love of music.   Captain Buckles Info: www.captainbucklesband.com  facebook.com/captainbucklesband instagram.com/captainbucklesband open.spotify.com/artist/3q8yPNmKITP14G9YOEnnrV www.youtube.com/@captainbucklesband music.apple.com/il/artist/captain-buckles/1758847494 www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0D9WR9Y79/captain-buckles captainbucklesband.bandcamp.com      

Interview with Todd Forman (Aka DR Todd ) saxophonist for Sublime , Sublime with Rome, and Jelly Of The Month Club. Todd began his professional music career as sax player for Sublime in 1989. Since then he has gone on to track albums and play with dozens of acts, including ​​a world-tour for two years with Sublime with Rome from 2009-2011. ​ Todd then built a music studio and founded Jelly of the Month Club, a band for kids aged 1-100. Jelly strives to be the best first musical handshake for children with a focus on music appreciation and music education. ​ In 2017, Todd joined forces with Adrian Young, of No Doubt fame, to form the Moxy Brothers production team. They compose, play and produce for independent artists and score music for movies and other commercial ventures. Todd's Info: https://www.toddforman.com Order a copy of Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. Sea vol 1 on vinyl here : https://dongiovannirecords.com/collections/preorders/products/bert-susanka-well-qualified-to-represent-the-l-b-sea-2x12  

Interview with Brad Conyers (aka Brad Ziggen ) of The Ziggens. Brad is a drummer, singer, and songwriter who has an incredibly diverse musical career from playing with the Ziggens to working with Glen Campbell. Brad shares stories that span from the basement beginnings, encounters with KISS, playing with sublime, all the way up to the Ziggens last release Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. SEA vol 1, and 2.   Order a copy of Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. Sea vol 1 on vinyl here : https://dongiovannirecords.com/collections/preorders/products/bert-susanka-well-qualified-to-represent-the-l-b-sea-2x12   A bit on The Ziggens : The Ziggens are an American band based out of Huntington Beach, California, United States, whose self-described style of "cowpunksurfabilly" combines elements of cowpunk, surf, rockabilly, punk, ska, and country. The Ziggens were led by Bert Susanka who sang and played rhythm guitar. Other members include Dickie Little on lead guitar, Jon Poutney on bass, and Brad Conyers who plays the drums and provides background vocals.[3] The Ziggens have been playing since the early 1990s and have developed a strong following in Southern California. The Ziggens were contemporaries with Sublime and were originally signed to their label Skunk Records. Their song "Big Salty Tears" was covered and popularized by Bradley Nowell on the Sublime acoustic album. The Ziggens, and more specifically Susanka, were also mentioned in the Sublime song "Greatest Hits". Also, their song "Outside" is sampled in the Sublime song "Smoke Two Joints" for the line "Smoked cigarettes 'til the day she died!".

After receiving his first guitar at age 10, a determined Michael became self-taught with the help of his bedroom radio, spending days on end playing along with Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery and B.B. King records. After studying jazz guitar in high school, an impromptu backstage audition for George Clinton in 1974 earned 17-year-old Michael a seat on the Parliament mothership alongside the immortal Eddie Hazel, under the name “Kidd Funkadelic”. Hampton has spent the past half-century playing nearly 400 shows with the band, in 25 countries across 6 continents. Highlights include multiple appearances at world-renowned festivals like Montreux Jazz, Glastonbury, Reading, Woodstock ’99, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Roskilde, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock, and Isle of Wight, and venues like the Apollo Theater, The Fillmore, Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Troubadour, Red Rocks, The Beacon, and Sydney Opera House. Among Hampton’s Funkadelic writing credits are group staples like “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” and “Funk Gets Stronger”, both released during the group’s late- ’70s/early-’80s hit run. His lead guitar is also embedded in the DNA of 90s hip-hop’s G- Funk movement—Dr. Dre’s “Let Me Ride” samples Parliament’s “Mothership Connection”, Ice Cube’s “Bop Gun” borrows elements of Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove”, while De La Soul’s “Me Myself and I”, Digital Underground’s “Kiss You Back”, and Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name?” all draw from Funkadelic’s “(Not Just) Knee Deep”. Michael’s colleagues include George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker, Charlie Wilson, Dewayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight, Fred Wesley & The JB’s, Chuck Treece, Dean Ween, Primal Scream, Digital Underground, Too $hort, and Deee-Lite. Michael’s contributions to the Parliament Funkadelic catalog have also influenced famed artists like Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Outkast, D’Angelo and Janelle Monáe, among many others. As of 2025, Michael has appeared on over 30 separate major label releases. Though best known for his role in the funk guitar pantheon, Hampton is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, with drums, keys, and synth programming credits across the Parliament discography. Michael Hampton's info Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michaelwhampton/ Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rhBe5DqUbACYzqerQa9R0 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ma_wa_ha Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/Michael-Hampton-100040199001670/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@MaWaHa  

Interview with H.R. of Bad Brains & The Human Rights Band Ezekiel Zagar, Dane Foltin, Hektor Bee, & Sean Mclaren.   Bad Brains had a massive impact by shattering racial stereotypes in punk and hardcore, pioneering a genre-bending musical style that fused punk, reggae, funk, and metal, and inspired countless bands across rock, metal, hip-hop, and alternative music. Their ethos of a "Positive Mental Attitude" (PMA) and the raw energy of their live shows also created a lasting spiritual and creative movement for generations of musicians.   Hear H.R.'s new album, keep updated with tour dates, and snag a copy of I've I got The P.M.A ! with link below HRmusichttps://bio.site/HRmusic   H.R. has teamed up with C-Level, recording a track for their forthcoming concept album. The track is called What's Left and can be heard using links below. Spotify Band Camp  

Corey Ledet Zydeco returns to the show to talk about his new live album Live In Alaska ! Have accordion, will travel. That’s been Corey Ledet’s motto for most of his three decades as a zydeco musician. During a tour of Russia, Ledet enjoyed VIP treatment with his own security detail. Fans were eager to touch his band’s zydeco rubboard, a metal vest that’s worn over the shoulders to scratch out a rhythm. Fascinated admirers dubbed it the “magic instrument.” With trips to Hawaii, Canada and throughout Europe also on his resume, Ledet yearned to preserve the energy of those road shows. But the time and place for a live recording never lined up. “When the Anchorage Folk Festival came up, I said this might be a good opportunity,” said Ledet, 44, a two-time Grammy nominee. “So I talked to the people over there about it. “When I got there, they had all the equipment to record. I got to thinking about Clifton Chenier, a lot of his live recordings were done away from home. It worked for the King of Zydeco. I said, ‘Let me try this’.” The result is Live in Alaska, the first live album for Corey Ledet Zydeco and his mysterious, new accordion, “Black Magic.” After sifting through three days of recording, the band settled on 11 tracks that demonstrate Ledet’s title, “The Accordion Dragon.” The album features live renditions of English and Creole hits from Ledet’s previous 15 CDs. “Alaska Funk,” a new track, is an impromptu, onstage jam with Ledet and his skilled, Louisiana entourage. “We created that song live on the spot,” said Ledet. “Like I told the audience ‘It’s amazing when you have great musicians, you can almost create a song off the top of your head’.” Improvisation is in his Ledet’s blood. Corey Ledet was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and spent his Summers with relatives in small-town Parks, where he was exposed to their Kouri-Veni language and Creole traditions. This molded and shaped Corey’s world in a profound way. This culture has its roots in Louisiana, but eventually spread across the country, including into neighboring Texas. When he returned home after Summer, Corey was able to remain immersed in the Creole culture he learned to love. He learned everything he could about Creole culture – the traditions, the food, and most importantly, the music -- so that he could incorporate it into all aspects of his life. His love for Creole/Zydeco music was instant and hard to ignore. Ledet studied the originators of the music like Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, and Boozoo Chavis. His studies branched out to include any (and all) Zydeco artists.  At the age of 10, Corey started picking up shows as drummer for Houston’s Wilbert Thibodeaux and the Zydeco Rascals and slowly learned his way around the main instrument of the style – accordion. He came to truly love every type of accordion: the single-note, triple-note and piano key … as well as still more exotic species! He worked at building his skills and coming to know knew each one intimately. By the time he graduated from high school, Ledet was certain that music would be the focus of his future. Eventually, he moved to Louisiana to be fully immersed in his beloved Creole culture. To this day, Corey Ledet remains true to his family and cultural roots and looks for ways to incorporate them in his musical work and style of living. He’s created his own unique style out of the diverse influences of the many musicians he’s studied, blending old and new styles of Zydeco, and more! https://www.facebook.com/corey.ledet.39 www.coreyledet.com https://www.instagram.com/coreyledetzydeco/  

A Brief History of Blindness is the follow-up to Life, the critically acclaimed 2023 album debut from French songwriter-guitarist Stéphane Schück’s international collaborative project, The Salt Collective. The new album is a widescreen exploration of hope, memory, and resilience that features contributions from Aimee Mann ('Til Tuesday), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Andy Partridge (XTC), Jason Falkner (Jellyfish), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Chris Stamey (The dB's) and more. While The Salt Collective’s first outing was recorded remotely with many vocalists and instrumentalists working separately on multiple continents at different times, A Brief History of Blindness features the core musicians gathered in the same space interacting together in real time. The bulk of the music was laid down by Rob Ladd (The Connells) on drums, Gene Holder (The dB’s) on bass, Stéphane Schück on guitars & sound design, Mitch Easter (Let’s Active) on guitars, and Wes Lachot on organ, piano, and Nord. These full-band sessions took place at the Fidelitorium (Kernersville, NC), with other work at Studio Ferber (Paris), and various home studios. The album was produced by Chris Stamey and mastered by Dave McNair.   French songwriter-guitarist Stéphane Schück’s international collaborative project, The Salt Collective, is releasing the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2023 album debut, Life. Their second full-length release, A Brief History of Blindness, is a widescreen exploration of hope, memory, and resilience that features contributions from Aimee Mann, Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Andy Partridge (XTC), and Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) among others (writing credits and list of featured performers below). A Brief History of Blindness is being released on 12” LP vinyl, CD, digital download and streaming services by Propeller Sound Recordings November 21.   https://thesaltcollective.bandcamp.com/album/a-brief-history-of-blindness

David Barrett is an award-winning composer, songwriter, and producer whose work has touched millions across genres and generations. He is best known as the writer of “One Shining Moment,” the beloved anthem that has crowned the NCAA Basketball Finals for nearly four decades, inspiring audiences with its timeless celebration of achievement. Sung most famously by Luther Vandross, the song remains one of the most recognizable and enduring motivational pieces in the American songbook.   Barrett’s career, however, reaches far beyond a single song. He has written extensively for television and film, composing themes for the Olympics, the PGA, the U.S. Tennis Open, with multiple networks including CBS, ABC, PBS and the CBC. His scoring work has earned two Emmys for PBS documentaries on legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes and renowned author C.S. Lewis, as well as a silver medal at the New York Film Festival for the short film Don’t Cross That Line.   A versatile artist, Barrett has toured widely as a performer, including an extended tour opening for the legendary Art Garfunkel. His songwriting spans a wide emotional and stylistic range—love and loss, sunshine and darkness, children and criminals—always delivered with a lyrical honesty and what one reviewer described as “a heartbeat.” His acoustic guitar work flows from Americana to ragtime, while his vocal storytelling brings intimacy whether on a national stage or in a small folk club.   Barrett describes his creative life as “a winding road of songs, compositions, and scores—some uptown commercial, some not—but all a sure measure of my days and nights.” From his earliest days to his unexpected rise as a composer whose work became a fixture of sports and cultural broadcasts, Barrett has remained grounded in the simple act of writing with “a guitar in my lap.”   That guitar has yielded hundreds of songs, some finding their way to unlikely places and extraordinary audiences. Yet despite the national spotlight, Barrett continues to value the power of a song shared in an intimate room, connecting directly with listeners. His career reflects both paradox and perseverance—an artist at once widely celebrated and humbly self-effacing, whose music always carries the imprint of authenticity, imagination, and heart.     https://www.davidbarrett.com

Interview with Jeff Tripoli ! Jeff Tripoli is an American drummer, percussionist, and vocalist, raised in Syracuse, New York. With over 30 years of experience, his journey began in the clubs of Upstate New York, where he started performing professionally at just 17 years old. Jeff’s drumming style reflects a diverse blend of musical influences and genres. Both on stage and in the studio, he has played with a wide array of artists and bands across Rock, Funk, Blues, Soul, Alternative, Bluegrass, Zydeco, Americana, Celtic, Folk, and World music. At the heart of his dynamic sound lies a drive to create fresh rhythms and unique artistic perspectives. He has toured extensively across the U.S., Canada, and Europe for more than 15 years, with appearances at music festivals including Grey Fox Bluegrass, The Great Blue Heron, Sterling Stage, Finger Lakes GrassRoots, Shakori Hills GrassRoots, North Texas Irish Festival and Canada's Irish Festival. Since 2015, Jeff has been a member of Canadian Celtic folk-rock band The Town Pants, touring internationally through cities like Vancouver, Buffalo, Toronto, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, and Dublin. He’s featured on their 2018 release Something To Say. The Town Pants blend Irish traditional, folk-rock, and roots-Americana into their signature Celtic-Roots-Rock sound, showcased across six studio albums, two live albums, and a famously high-energy live show that’s earned them a global fanbase.   "Natural Habitat" is an avant-garde percussion album that explores the raw, organic essence of sound. Using natural materials and unconventional techniques, it weaves earthy textures with hypnotic rhythms and spacious atmospheres. Trippy and immersive, each track feels like a sonic ecosystem—alive, evolving, and untamed. Natural Habitat invites listeners into a deep, meditative journey through the wild, primal pulse of the natural world.   Jeff's Info

In His Wake is the debut release from PINES, a new project from Detroit-born artist Josh Hight, a former member of early 2000s post-punk outfit The Detachment Kit and solo artist under the name Irons. The EP was recorded in East Sussex produced by Richard Norris (The Grid). In His Wake is being released via Semaphore Records on 10” LP vinyl, digital download and streaming services September 5. In His Wake was shaped by grief, disillusionment, and a search for something beyond the visible world. The songs here are intimate and expansive, fusing the weight of lived experience with a sense of mysticism and emotional pull. This is music made from memory, distance, and quiet intensity, possessing a rich sonic depth, blending shoegaze, slow-burn Americana, and dreamlike psychedelia. Special guests include Andy Bell (Ride, Oasis) on guitar, Emmett Kelly (Bonnie “Prince” Billy, The Cairo Gang, The Hard Quartet) on guitar and bass, and vocals from Dottie Cochran of Deary. The title track, “In His Wake,” is a reflection on being the only surviving child in a family touched by loss—haunted by absence but also frustrated by the dullness and complacency of adulthood. “Fifteen” explores a formative relationship marked by imbalance, looking back on it through the lens of maturity, with all its contradictions intact. “Uriel” is a ritual invocation—part hymn, part apocalyptic prayer—calling to the archangel in a time of digital saturation, collapse, and the possibility of transcendence. A professional photographer and director, Hight’s creative work lives at the intersection of image, sound, and emotion. His musical vision is is raw, cinematic, and steeped in atmosphere. Richard Norris’ first production was Jack The Tab, the seminal acid house album co-created with Genesis P-Orridge of Psychic TV. He went on to work with artists including Joe Strummer, Sun Ra, Robert Fripp, and Dave Ball of Soft Cell as part of The Grid, as well as Erol Alkan in the psychedelic duo Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve. Josh met producer Richard Norris at a Stone Club event in London, where they discovered they lived minutes from each other in Lewes. What began as a collaboration on film soundtracks soon evolved into a deeper creative partnership. The EP was recorded at Norris’ Metal Box Studios in Lewes. Instagram – @p.i.n.e.s www.richardnorris.bandcamp.com  

Interview with the return of Alex Hall !  Alex Hall of Alex Hall's Figure head, and formally of Aliver Hall. The Northeast Ohio-based progressive rock band Alex Hall’s Figurehead has a new release Ledgewood! On all streaming platforms Alex's Info /Music https://wearefigurehead.bandcamp.com/...   / alexhallsfigurehead     / alexhalls_figurehead      / alex hall's figurehead - topic  

Interview with Antonia Tricarico. Antonia Tricarico is an incredible photographer who is working on releasing a new book Be My Rebel. "Be My Rebel is a photography book born from my belief that powerful images can shift perceptions, raise awareness, and spark empathy. This project captures the raw intensity and emotion of protest—from the quiet determination of a young climate activist to the unstoppable unity of a crowd marching for women's rights." Antonia Tricarico on Be My Rebel.  Link to kickstarter!  Be My Rebel Book Kickstarter  Antonia Tricarico was born in Potenza, in Italy’s Basilicata region. At 16, she joined the Feminist Collective of Potenza. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in the Law School at La Sapienza University in Rome and became active in the Women’s Health Collective in Trastevere. She worked with Paolo Bedini’s AZ Music agency, where for nearly a decade she helped bring renowned musicians to Italy. In the 1990s, she was involved in Rome’s Rights to Housing movement and supported squatting public buildings with and for immigrants, for their right to housing. In 1997, after moving to the United States, she began pursuing photography more seriously. In the past years, she has worked as an archivist for Pulitzer Prize–winning Washington Post photographer Lucian Perkins and collaborated with independent labels such as Tolotta Records, Dischord Records, Kill Rock Stars, and Youth Action Research. Her photographs are represented in both private and public collections, including the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution, the permanent exhibition and special collections archive of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC (Punk and Go-Go music archives), the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library at the University of Maryland,the DC History Center, and the Library of Congress. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. She is the author of three books: • Frame of Mind: Punk Photos and Essay from Washington, DC, and Beyond, 1997–2017 (Akashic Books, 2019) • The Inner Ear of Don Zientara: A Half Century of Recording in One of America’s Most Innovative Studios, Through the Voices of Musicians (Akashic Books, 2023) - Oltre l'Influenza-Italian Novel-Sensibili alle Foglie Publisher-Rome,Italy 2023 Her work has appeared in Photo Review, Guitar World, Kerrang, All Music, Razorcake, Chicago Reader, The Oregonian, The Quietus, The Echo, Exclaim!, Fretboard Journal, Washington City Paper, and Washingtonian.   Antonia Tricarico website.

Interview with : The Problem With Kids Today Take It! is the third and latest album released by The Problem With Kids Today, the Connecticut-based trio of Tate Brooks, Silas Lourenco-Lang, and Reena Yu. The album was recorded in a shed in Tate’s backyard in Branford, CT with Joe LeMieux producing. They are releasing Take It! via their In The Shed Records imprint on CD, digital download and streaming services on August 22. Following an eye-opening experience in a large studio as well as their first ever tour, The Kids were ready for a change. They were tired of being corralled by pencil-pushers, desk jockeys, and Suits. They were ready to take back control. So they did.  Why pay to go to a fancy studio and be told what they can and can’t do? There was a perfectly good shed in Tate’s yard. Why hire a producer who may or may not understand the sound? They had long-time friend and Connecticut DIY staple Joe LeMieux who was passionate about the project. Why wait for some label to deem it worthy to release? They’ll just put it out themselves.  So, the band and Joe cleaned out the shed and turned it into a home studio even Guided By Voices would be jealous of. Finally, it was time. For 8 days in the middle of October, Silas, Reena and Joe moved into Tate’s house. Wake up early. Record all day. Drink and smoke into the wee hours before catching a few precious hours of sleep on Tate’s floor. Do it all again the next day. That was the routine. There were only two rules. Keep it simple. Keep it fun.  The result is Take It!. An album that wears its Pastels badges proudly on its sleeve. The group takes inspiration from the long canon of English rock, from the mod-infested beaches of Brighton to the cobblestone streets of Glasgow, still reverberating with a DIY ethos. Bands like The Jam, The Who, and The Replacements bled into the brains of the band and informed the album as a whole - from the songwriting to the cover and even the photo shoots. It might finally be the answer to the age-old question: “Mods or Rockers?” …and the answer might be Both. Lead single “I Dunno” captures the energy and rawness of youth in a bottle, with all the stress and insecurity that comes along with it rising to the top. “The Beginning of the End of the World” touches on the poppier side of the group, with the yearning categorically reminiscent of iconic Sarah Records groups like East River Pipe and the Sugargliders. Some hits, like “Anymore”, are right out of the Mod playbook and others, like “What Happened to You?”, are born to wear leather. Most carve out a space all their own. One of the many highlights of Take It! is the medley that comprises most of the second half. While on one hand it illustrates a step- up in the ban;s songwriting, it also encompasses the principles of The Problem With Kids Today as a whole. Uncompromising, unceasing, unstoppable. Take It! is the culmination of 20-something years lived, a turn away from youthful indulgence into informed expertise. It sits at a new height of Tate and Silas’s songwriting, with razor-sharp performances and unforgettable melodies, and a determination to be heard. Mods and Rockers will riot on the streets once again from the first strum of Take It! by The Problem With Kids Today.  https://www.instagram.com/theproblemwithkidstoday/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/TPWKT/ https://theproblemwithkidstoday.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@theproblemwithkidstoday175  

Interview with Rebecca Pidgeon. Rebecca returns to talk about her new album Unillusion.   Rebecca Pidgeon was born in Cambridge, MA and raised primarily in Edinburgh, Scotland, gravitating towards music as a child. Mom and Dad introduced her to the likes of James Taylor, while she eventually discovered both Kate Bush and The Sex Pistols on her own. She fronted the band Ruby Blue for three records before relocating to the United States where she launched her solo career. Fan favorite albums followed including The Raven (1994), The New York Girls’ Club (1996), The Four Marys (1998), Tough On Crime (2000), and Behind the Velvet Curtain (2008), four songs appearing in the critically acclaimed film Red Belt. The ensuing decade saw her release Slingshot (2011), Blue Dress On (2013), Bad Poetry (2014), and Sudden Exposure to Light (2019). Praising the latter, American Songwriter affirmed, “She’s the real deal,” and Glide Magazine noted, “Pidgeon’s prolific work as a songwriter and vocalist is akin to the self- immersion she undertakes for her mesmerizing performances on camera.” In addition, she has captivated audiences on-screen as a much sought-after film and television actress. Among dozens of credits, she has appeared in celebrated classics such as The Spanish Prisoner (1997), State and Main (2000), and Heist (2001) opposite the likes of Gene Hackman, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Additionally, she has appeared in blockbusters a la Red (2010) and NETFLIX’s Bird Box (2018), to name a few. Unillusion offers eloquent testimony to Rebecca Pidgeon’s continuing power as a storyteller on stage, screen or the recording studio with an uncanny ability to blend narrative depth and musical intimacy in a way that feels both timeless and current. Rebecca's Info :  http://rebeccapidgeonmusic.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/7da523apYjG6oJePP5MZwG https://www.instagram.com/rebeccapidgeon/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuLq5dzPwlVw4FzeUdysVMg https://www.facebook.com/rebeccapidgeonmusic https://twitter.com/rebeccapidgeon?lang=en  

Interview with Lucas Ward and Elisa Fantini of The Silver Snails.  The Silver Snails are a fully independent pop music project based in the medieval wine country of Romagna, Italy, with strong ties to the West Coast. Anchored by the husband and wife team of Lucas Ward and Elisa Fantini, their mission is to open human hearts through song. The Silver Snails draw from a diverse palette of musical influences including classic rock and pop, Beethoven, electronica, Irish, jazz, Nigerian, Kawali, Asian folk music, and more. Silver Snails's Info:  https://www.thesilversnails.com    

Interview with Howard Wuelfing. Descenes and Discords: An Anthology https://www.diwulf.com/products/available-for-presale-descenes-and-discords-an-anthology https://www.diwulf.com Howard Wuelfing‘s career in Public Relations follows in the wake of decades of music journalism contributing to the Washington Post, Creem, Spin, Your Flesh, Forced Exposure, Boston Rock andThe Village Voice over the years. Early in his career, Howard in publised the influential D.C.-based fanzines DesCenes and DisCords. Howard also has had an active career as a musician, playing with bands, Half Japanese and The Slickee Boys as well as leading local DC twisted-pop micro-legends The Nurses, Underheaven and New Jersey’s Love Pushers (featuring Jersey Beat fanzine editor Jim Testa, future Chicago Sun Times writer/author Jim DeRogatis and Crocodile Shop’s Mick Hale). Howard's info:  https://www.howlinwuelf.com