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Itâs not always what we say, sometimes itâs more about what we leave out; the silence in between our words can speak volumes. The same can be said of music, particularly the music of Roger Eno who has recently released a companion piece of sorts to his last release titled, The skies, they shift like chords (2023). This newest album is an extension to some of those musical thoughts and is named the skies: rarities. This release also continues his relationship with the Deutsche Grammophon label.
Eno has a long history of creating music, heâs released a number of solo albums, but has also composed for film and other media outlets. Of course, heâs also worked with his brother Brian Eno for many years, beginning with 1983âs Apollo which also featured Daniel Lanois.
As youâll hear Eno explain, his recent exploration is a sort of artistic pattern of his that more musicians might consider trying out. Instead of releasing an album and moving onto the next idea, Roger continues to find ways in which each of his albums might be expanded, either built upon or deconstructed. In this conversation, Eno shares his process which gives us the opportunity to see the skies - musical and otherwise - from Rogerâs vantage point.
Rogerâs music might be considered very âseriousâ to many folks, but - as youâll find - in our chat, we have a lot of fun.
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When we talk about an individual being artistic, usually weâre referring to the visual or graphic arts field, and every so often, music. However, an infusion of art is really necessary in any branch of knowledge: coding, medicine, logistics, education or any other field for that matter really all require a bit of an artistic eye to be elevated to its pinnacle.
Isaac Watters uses his inherent artistry in two fields where heâs been successful: you may have seen some of his work as a set designer and art director, but heâs also an architect. When heâs not immersed in either of those careers, heâs focused on music. Recently, Isaac has released his latest album, New Space and Time and while heâs got a number of concepts that are unique to his music, on this record he further explores concepts relating to the natural world and the way we humans inhabit it.
So, think about your own life. You may not work with a paintbrush in your hand and you may be completely tone deaf. But Iâve got a hunch, that if you look within yourself, thereâs a skill that you have that others think is incredibly artistic. -
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Is your passport up-to-date? If itâs not, now might be the right time to submit your application to ensure itâs valid. Because youâre going on a bit of an international trip: from Brussels to Denmark and right here back to the good old United States of America. Youâre taking a little bit of an excursion and youâve got the best excuse to do so: good music.
Nicolas Michaux has been listening to plenty of great music over the course of his lifetime and now - on this third full length album - heâs putting those influences together and mixing them with his own voice. And depending on his mood, his voice may be singing in either English or in his native tongue, Francais.
His latest record is titled, Vitalisme (which he helps me to pronounce) and itâs focused on his current worldview that - even though it was recorded on a small island off of Denmark called SamsĂž - it still reflects the anxieties and fears that we we face together, not as citizens of a specific country, but as denizens of this planet we call Earth.
So, itâs time to start wrapping up your time in the departure lounge because the announcement has been made to begin boarding. But - as with any trip abroad - prepare yourself to be surprised not at our differences, but by our collective similarities. -
Who didnât love hanging out in grandmaâs basement? There were always a lot of fun things down there. If you were lucky, there might have been an old stereo console crafted out of impossibly heavy wood tucked between the air hockey table and a dart board. Itâs possible too, that it still worked. The dials would light up and a DJs voice wafts in from across the airwaves: these are magical and musical moments. Those consoles were great, and maybe a new generation of listeners might appreciate such a unit in their own living environment.
Enter Debra and Scott Salyer who began their journey as furniture makers in the early 2000s in San Diego. While balancing their day jobs building custom furniture, they started developing early concepts for a modern record console.
In 2016, their passion turned into a full-time venture after meeting Greg Perlot, a former senior executive at Sonos. Greg, who had experience in wireless HiFi, shared their vision of combining the convenience of streaming with the timelessness of vinyl, and together they set out to reinvent high-fidelity audio for a new generation. Itâs at this point that the three of them founded Wrensilva.
What began as a simple idea grew into a pioneering company focused on merging analog and digital music experiences. With a talented team based in San Diego and beyond, they are reviving HiFi audio with cutting-edge design. Today, from their updated workshop, they create beautiful pieces that blend art and technology and they endeavor to redefine the future of HiFi for music lovers worldwide.
I recently wrote a piece for Michael Fremerâs Tracking Angle site where I explored - first-hand - one of Wrensilvaâs console models. I encourage you to check it out, but on this episode, we sit down to Scott Salyer and hear - first-hand - the story of how he and his team are creating what is no doubt the best hifi console on the market today. -
Light and dark have been engaged in an eternal dance since the earliest of times. Youâve all seen the yin and yang which - if nothing else - illustrates that complicated symbiosis between good and evil: you canât have the hero if you donât have the villain. Itâs just one of those conundrums of humanity. Writers, poets, filmmakers, artists of all ilk have explored this deeply, and will continue to do so as itâs a concept thatâs hardwired into the human experience.
You can look at the balance of values through many different lenses. Anastasia Minster has decided to explore light and dark through the experience of love. Her latest album, Song of Songs peels back the layers of common experiences when it comes to that most confounding of human feelings: thereâs no greater experience than being in love with someone who loves you back, but there's possibly no worse feeling than unrequited love, or losing your kindred spirit.
Anastasia joins us on this episode to explain how she perceives love, but she also shares the details of this new album, recorded in Canada with the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Song of Songs is a fusion of classical and jazz elements that satisfyingly dovetail with Anastasiaâs artistic, scholastic and psychological intellect. You might want to sit in the front of the class so you can keep up. Here, thereâs an empty chair right next to me. -
Technologyâs growth in the last decade has been astounding. I donât have to tell you how AI has just begun to impact our lives, and we all grit our teeth peeking to witness its evolution. But, though it all, thereâs a timeless beauty to the still photograph. Even our 21st century blogs and social media are - in many ways - simply a digital photo book for us to flip through. Humans love looking at pictures and - as with vinyl records - we enjoy that experience even more when it is coupled with a tactile element: the paper, the saturated color, the feel, the smell, and - of course - the artistry behind the lens.
Eilon Paz isnât so much a record collector, heâs more a collector of record collectors. Paz is a photographer who noticed the uniqueness of record collectors, just as the new wave in vinyl popularity was taking hold. He took his profession and his passion and pointed his camera at record collectors and their collections. First on the web as a blog, his project became a well-regarded book titled, Dust & Grooves which was first published in 2014.
Now, Eilon has released Dust and Grooves, Vol. 2: Further Adventures in Record Collecting, and heâs also expanded his online presence and offerings. Believe me when I say I did not realize the size and scope of the book until I held a copy in my hands. Eilon has outdone himself with a collection of photographs of collectors from around the globe, paired with interviews that describe their methodology and allow a reader into their thought process when it comes to vinyl.
Sometimes, itâs more fun to see someone else's collection of something rather than have it yourself. In this way, the book and Eilonâs photographic journey is appealing to those outside of the record collecting world as well: itâs an opportunity to see the passion and care that these collectors dedicate to their libraries and the humanity intertwined within. Eilon loves a good record collection, but itâs the collectors themselves that really catch his interest. -
Some guys just do it all. Today we speak with Andy Babiuk about the newest release from the Chesterfield Kings who have been rock and roll torch-bearers over the last forty plus years. The album is titled, Weâre Still All The Same. Take that musical pathway, connect it with Little Steven - and his Wicked Cool Records label - and first youâve got a story about a meat and potatoes rock band that continues to preach the garage rock gospel in the 21st century with the help of one of the dayâs most active rock and roll champions.
Or, the conversation could shift into Andyâs exhaustively complete authorship of the incredibly successful books: Beatles Gear, Rolling Stones Gear or The Story of Paul Bigsby. These books delve not into the minutia of famous musiciansâ lives, but instead tell the tales behind the instruments that they held in their hands while making the timeless music that they made: the guitars, the amps, the effects, and the studio tools. Howâd they get them, whatâd they do with them, and whereâd they go. All of them, fascinating reads.
Thereâs even another path available when speaking with Babiuk. Itâs possible to simply discuss a day in his life running his own guitar shop in Rochester, NY, Andy Babiukâs Fab Gear. Itâs not just any guitar store, the shop specializes in the vintage instruments that were responsible for the sounds you hear on some of your favorite records recorded in the 20th century. They do repairs too. They worked on the 1964 Fender Stratocaster that Bob Dylan used to âgo electricâ at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and change the course of music history. You know, stuff like that.
As you can see, thereâs no shortage of angles I can take in this chat with Andy and - as youâll soon hear - I did my best to get to it all, and we even went to a few unexpected places. Luckily, for us, Andy is ready to share his unique insights on his involvement in several aspects of a life spent in rock and roll: you could say heâs an open book. Perhaps the next story he writes will be about himself. Thereâs certainly plenty there to explore. -
I donât know when you first found out about the role of a session musician, but for me, it was associated with The Monkees. I remember not quite understanding how a band could make music, yet still not play all of the instruments on the record. Well, my youthful naĂŻvetĂ© was obliterated when I learned that there exists a highly skilled, dedicated, professional group of elite musicians who slip in the studio to lay down tracks that uplift whatever the star performer may have created.
On keyboards, thereâs one session musician who stands above many others: heâs played extensively with the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and even the Beatles. Not only did he share that rarefied air with those heavyweight champs of classic rock, but his keyboard parts were sometimes integral to the artistic and commercial success of the song.
Youâve heard the wild electric piano solo on the BeatlesââRevolutionâ, you know that haltingly beautiful piano part in the Rolling Stoneâ âSheâs a Rainbowâ, and youâre familiar with the majestic grandeur of the piano part that supports Joe Cockerâs âYou are so Beautifulâ.
So when you learn about a musician such as Nicky Hopkins, whoâs reputation may be a bit unsung, what are you to do? Well, if youâre a filmmaker like Mike Treen, you make a documentary about him. And you gather as many first hand witnesses to Nickyâs expertise as possible, including Peter Frampton, Dave Davies,and even Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.
Mike Treen joins me to talk about his film titled, The Session Man. We explore how he pieced together different elements from Hopkinsâs life and presented it in a cogent and easy to follow narrative that showcases the ups and downs of this special musician's life. -
As Bruce Springsteen once sang, âtwo hearts are better than oneâ and that certainly is the case with The Heavy Heavy. Not only does the name of the band have a second helping of Heavy, but the group is fronted by two musicians who, youâll soon find out, act as a team when it comes to decisions about the groupâs sound and direction.
About a decade ago, Georgie Fuller and Will Turner met under musical circumstances and havenât looked back since. While their first musical collaboration leaned toward an acoustic Laurel Canyon sound, this new iteration is different. Will works hard to find the initial spark for his tunes, rummaging through his mental database of vintage rock, pop, soul, and Motown. He brings the composition and riff-laden guitar chops and everything is great, but then thereâs Georgie. Georgie packs with her a commanding voice and knows how to employ those vocal dynamics correctly for full effect. But she also knows how to nudge her partner along when it comes to his compositional creations and she is an integral part of shaping the groupâs sound in the studio.
The band has found critical success and also have landed plum gig after plum gig. These elements combined allow the group to find an audience for their retro modern sound. In this episode, we discuss their genesis and working relationship and also how they are riding the roller coaster that theyâve recently been on. Luckily for us, Iâm able to speak with both Will and Georgie because as Bruce Springsteen sang. Well, you remember what he said. -
Sometimes, the only way to find yourself is by getting a little bit lost. Israel Nebeker - lead singer of the band Blind Pilot - experienced this first hand. The band came strongly upon the music scene in 2008, gaining particular media attention for their âbike tourâ which brought them from Bellingham, Washington all the way to San Diego, California with nothing but their instruments and bicycles in tow.
Noteworthy activities like these - and two well-received albums - placed them in front of viewers of Last Call With Carson Daly, before audience members at Lollapalooza, and even all the way to Late Night with David Letterman where Dave mistakenly referred to the group as âBlind Spotâ. It was a good time to be in an indie-folk band from Portland.
However, after the release of their last album in 2016: radio silence. The band went on hiatus as they reconfigured their relationships, struggled with writing, and - of course - made it through that pesky pandemic where no one did much of anything.
However, after a trip to Scandinavia, Nebeker tapped into a well of creativity and inspiration leading him to write enough material for his first solo album and a brand new Blind Pilot record which has just been recently released, In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain. As they say, when it rains, it pours.
So, join Israel and me as we dig into the long spiritual and creative journey heâs been on and how Blind Pilot regained their vision. -
Imagine hearing a style of music that has become very popular; a genre you might hear on a TV commercial, or maybe on your favorite streaming program, or perhaps coming from a car window as it passes you by the street. Now, try to pretend that the style of music youâre hearing was popularized by your dad.
Seun Kuti goes through this process often and - along with his siblings - have become the next wave of afrobeat music makers who have followed in the footsteps of their famous father, Fela Kuti. Fela was the architect of the afrobeat sound. Its infectious rhythms lifted African sounds to another level, but also redirected those influences as heard in American music back to the homeland.
Seun - with Egypt 80 - have released a brand new album titled, Heavier Yet. The project finds Lenny Kravitz acting as executive producer and also features Felaâs original engineer Sodi Marciszewer; he is behind the board on this album in the role of artistic producer. But, wait, thereâs more: the son of an Afrobeat pioneer joins together with the son of a reggae pioneer. Damian Marley and Seun collaborate on one of the albumâs penultimate tracks: âDeyâ.
Seun and I were both a little excited to be having our international chat between New Jersey and Lagos, Nigeria. We both hope youâll find the technology as enthralling as we did. We discussed his new album, of course, but as youâll find, Seun is up for talking about anything. Settle in to hear about some history, a few surprises, and some really exciting music. -
You donât need to be using your vocal cords to sing. There are other ways to do it, you donât even need to be a human being! Birds sing, the wind sings while youâre standing on the beach watching the surf, and maybe you could even say that an air conditioner sings in the background as it cools your room on a hot Summer day. Just because something is singing doesnât mean it has to come from vox humana. In the case of Delicate Steve, itâs his guitar that does the singing, and itâs a distinctive voice that his instrument has.
On his recently released new album Delicate Steve Sings, Steve Marion takes the voice of his guitar and applies it to mostly an original cadre of songs, however, he throws in a few covers for good measure, some youâll definitely know, and a few that may be new to you. But no matter what song heâs playing, heâs working hard on this album to make sure that those songs have the unique singing voice that his guitar has exhibited over the last 8 albums that heâs released.
On this episode, we of course talk about his new record, and about how some critics may have misunderstood what he was trying to do on this album, but how it only goes to prove to himself that heâs on the right track. Do you know what your voice sounds like? You donât have to use your vocal cords, or a guitar. What is it that you use when you really sing? -
Itâs amusing how certain traits and talents seem to run in familiesâlike an unbreakable thread woven through generations. Perhaps you hail from a long line of carpenters or artists, each passing down their skills. Music, in particular, has a remarkable way of flowing through bloodlines. While styles may evolve, the gift of rhythm and melody remains timeless, transcending the boundaries of space and time.
Nikka Costa understands this instinctively. Drawing on the rich legacy of her father, renowned arranger and producer Don Costa, she has infused his best qualities into her own vibrant blend of funky, soulful rock and roll. Though she was young when her father passed away, she carries with her a treasure trove of musical memoriesâmost notably, a hit recording from 1981, â(Out Here) On My Own,â and an unforgettable duet with her fatherâs longtime collaborator, Frank Sinatra, performed on the White House lawn, no less!
Throughout her extensive career, Nikka has explored various musical styles, but on her latest album, Dirty Disco, she takes a deep dive into the propulsive sounds of the dancefloor. In this episode, she joins me to discuss her new record and how those familial musical influences continue to resonate in her work today. -
Itâs easy to overlook, but for some, music isnât just a passionâitâs a livelihood. While many might juggle music as a side gig or serious hobby, others dive headfirst into a full-fledged career as a musician. As with any pursuit intertwined with money, the path ahead is rarely smooth. Yet, artists like Brian Ray not only navigate this complex terrain but they truly thrive there.
We could delve into his collaborations with Smokey Robinson, retrace the dedication he poured into his years with Etta James, or explore his legendary - and current - stint as Paul McCartneyâs guitarist. Today, however, we focus on his latest solo endeavor, My Town, released under Little Stevie Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records label.
Brian has generously shared his musical prowess with others, but a listen to My Town reveals that he still has plenty of expertise left over for himself. Brian and I chatted about the creation of this album, the invaluable lessons he's gleaned from working with industry icons, and some of the realities of life on the road. -
Itâs not exactly a comeback. Instead, the dBâs are reconnecting with their loyal audience, who have always valued their brief but impactful body of work. The New York City band (by way of North Carolina), crafted a distinctive sound by blending edgy late-'70s NYC new wave and punk with the Southern indie-rock essence of Big Star. This fusion produced a unique mix of jagged rock and roll, complemented by thoughtful lyrics and intricate songcraft.
During their peak, the dBâs released just two albums with their original lineupâChris Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Will Rigby, and Gene Holder. Both Stands for Decibels and its quick successor Repercussion came out in 1981. Although the bandâs original run was brief, they released a well-received reunion album in 2012. Meanwhile, each member has continued to pursue music outside of the dBâs.
This year, the dBâs have partnered with Propeller Sound Recordings to reconnect with long-time fans and attract new ones. Notably, their first two albums were initially available in the U.S. only as imports. While the albums have been reissued in various formats over the years, this is the first time they will be released on vinyl in America. Both records have been remastered and are available in different color variants.
In this episode, band members Peter Holsapple and Will Rigby join me to discuss their upcoming live performances with the original lineup and their excitement about introducing and reintroducing their music to fans who cherish the sound they created that has captivated so many âin the knowâ music lovers over the years and how these fresh releases might find new ears, too. -
The Beatles confidently proclaimed that âLove is all you needâ during the summer of - well, you know - love (1967). And while no one can argue with the fabsâ proclamation, the 21st century finds human beings on a search to define exactly what love is and how it can mean so many different things to just as many people. We each have our own love language, but just like everything else on planet Earth, itâs our individual perceptions of those feelings that sometimes cause our miscommunications.
Enter Suzanne Jamieson who has released a string of albums that arenât exactly childrenâs music, theyâre more like bundles of concepts and catchy music appropriate for the whole family. Her newest album is titled Love Is... and explores varied paradigms of love, providing context for each exploration backed with a purely pop production provided by co-producer and co-writer - and three time Grammy nominee - Jason Rabinowitz who himself has been recognized for his work with his childrenâs group, The Pop Ups.
So, hang out with Suzanne and I as we discuss her new album, performing for a diverse audience and a few special friends that she and I have in common. We can all agree that love is all we need, but letâs take a moment with Suzanne to explore exactly what love is. -
There has been tremendous growth in the topic of vinyl records and record collecting over the last decade or so. There are podcasts (like this one), articles, and video channels dedicated to folks who blab about their treasured collections, and then there are those who shout from the rooftops about new releases the minute the news gets out. But what about holding a face-to-face conversation with another person about our beloved discs? When was the last time you looked someone directly in the eye and engaged in some good old analog repartee?
If youâre going to chit chat with an individual about this topic, then Corey duBrowa should be at the top of your list. After years of writing about music for publications like Rolling Stone, and GQ, he no doubt commands a strong understanding of the subject matter. Thatâs not to mention the other exciting side of his career: a world of global corporate communications for many brands and companies that would be familiar to you. Like all good communicators, he has focused his interest on a brand new book that heâs written exploring the format of the EP. Itâs titled, An Ideal for Living: A Celebration of the E.P. â Extended Play (Hozac Books) and it contains a history of the unique format coupled with reflections about noteworthy EP releases through the ages from his many friends and colleagues.
While our conversation via video featured me holding up many of the albums weâre discussing, you - dear listener - are relegated to using your imagination to fill in some of the blanks. Iâm confident youâll catch on. The discussion youâre about to hear is quick-witted, exciting, and chock full of absorbing details and anecdotes. This talk with Corey was a delight and Iâm certain that youâll have as much fun as I did by just listening. -
Itâs not everyday that one gets to speak with âThe Most Beautiful Woman in Norwayâ - according to Elle Norway - but thatâs just a bi-product of the fact that this episodeâs guest is a multifaceted personality who has made successful inroads in the music, fashion, and modeling industries.
Maya Vik is a Norwegian bassist, songwriter and singer who - in addition to her previously mentioned skillset - is also infatuated with a sound thatâs very near and dear to my nostalgic heartstrings: the late 80s and early 90s. Her newest release, Hustlebot leans strongly on the FM offerings of those years and achieves a compelling simulacrum of a time when youngsters clad in Guess jeans roamed Americaâs sprawling shopping malls.Maya - of course - infuses her own Nordic spin into the sound.
So, join us and find out more about how she juggles her many talents, the path that led her to the bass guitar, how she connected with the excellent producer, Initial Talk, and what her next plans are. Given Mayaâs history so far, thereâs no telling what surprises are in store. -
Thereâs nothing like the sound of an old Motown record. Whether you hear it in your hometown of Detroit, or turn it up in Kathmandu; it doesnât matter, the music is great regardless of location and - truth be told - those recordings are inimitable. One could say they encapsulate a certain time and place, but that wouldnât be fair to the level of sorcery that was achieved in Motownâs studios during their hey-day. It wasnât just music they were creating, instead it was an almost existential sound; sure, go ahead: they made magic.
Motownâs catalog is vast and while much of it has been grafted onto the American experience of the 60s and 70s, there are many recordings that still wait to be re-discovered by music lovers and record collectors. Elemental Music was founded by Jordi Soley in Barcelona in 2012 and is best known as a jazz reissue label. Recently, however, theyâve been given the opportunity to reissue a significant chunk of the Motown catalog. Achieving this keeps these important Motown milestones in print, but the label is also committed to doing it right so these releases proudly represent the timeless grooves located within their cardboard sleeves.
Joining me on this episode from Elemental is Kevin Keeley. Together, we discuss the process that Elemental is undertaking to bring these eternal tunes to a new generation of vinyl lovers. In a nutshell, this show is a guy from Ireland who works for a record company in Barcelona talking to a fella in New Jersey about music made in Detroit more than half a century ago. If that doesnât show the worldwide, timeless appeal of Motownâs music, then I donât know what to tell you. -
Itâs not easy to be consistent in show business, to continually release albums and to perform at a high caliber at all times. However, some musicians have the ability to hand in strong works through most of their careers. There are performers who have built lifelong bonds with their dedicated fans because of these reasons.
Raul MidĂłn is one of those artists and he has recently released a strong new album titled, Lost and Found which finds the multi-instrumentalist experimenting with and exploring several different genres and voices. And - if my data is correct - although heâs released albums since his first solo release in 1999, this is the first time one of his records has been released on vinyl.
This is fitting, too, as Raul joins me soon after participating in this yearâs Making Vinyl conference which took place in Nashville, TN. As youâll hear, at the conference, Raul found a new appreciation for vinyl, not just from the auditory point of view, but through other facets that youâll soon learn about. One way to remain as consistent as MidĂłn has over the years is to continue to challenge yourself to create the best work possible. In this interview, Raul will share a little bit of his process of doing just that. - Vis mere
