Interview with : The Problem With Kids Today Take It! is the third and latest album released by The Problem With Kids Today, theConnecticut-based trio of Tate Brooks, Silas Lourenco-Lang, and Reena Yu. The album wasrecorded in a shed in Tate’s backyard in Branford, CT with Joe LeMieux producing. They arereleasing Take It! via their In The Shed Records imprint on CD, digital download and streamingservices on August 22.Following an eye-opening experience in a large studio as well as their first ever tour, The Kidswere ready for a change. They were tired of being corralled by pencil-pushers, desk jockeys, andSuits. 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 perfectlygood shed in Tate’s yard. Why hire a producer who may or may not understand the sound? Theyhad long-time friend and Connecticut DIY staple Joe LeMieux who was passionate about theproject. 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 ByVoices 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 intothe wee hours before catching a few precious hours of sleep on Tate’s floor. Do it all again thenext 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 grouptakes inspiration from the long canon of English rock, from the mod-infested beaches ofBrighton to the cobblestone streets of Glasgow, still reverberating with a DIY ethos. Bands likeThe Jam, The Who, and The Replacements bled into the brains of the band and informed thealbum as a whole - from the songwriting to the cover and even the photo shoots. It might finallybe 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 stressand insecurity that comes along with it rising to the top. “The Beginning of the End of theWorld” touches on the poppier side of the group, with the yearning categorically reminiscent oficonic 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?”, areborn to wear leather. Most carve out a space all their own. One of the many highlights of TakeIt! 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 KidsToday as a whole. Uncompromising, unceasing, unstoppable.Take It! is the culmination of 20-something years lived, a turn away from youthful indulgenceinto informed expertise. It sits at a new height of Tate and Silas’s songwriting, with razor-sharpperformances and unforgettable melodies, and a determination to be heard. Mods and Rockerswill riot on the streets once again from the first strum of Take It! by The Problem With KidsToday. 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 theband Ruby Blue for three records before relocating to the United States where she launched hersolo 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 sawher release Slingshot (2011), Blue Dress On (2013), Bad Poetry (2014), and Sudden Exposure toLight (2019). Praising the latter, American Songwriter affirmed, “She’s the real deal,” and GlideMagazine 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 televisionactress. Among dozens of credits, she has appeared in celebrated classics such as The SpanishPrisoner (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 hasappeared 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 onstage, 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  

Interview with  Don Gordon and Jeff Modzelewski of The Whiskey Drinks   The Whiskey Drinks are a band of seasoned acoustic musicians, known for blending genres into a captivating musical experience. Their instrumental prowess, stage charisma, and intense musicality have propelled them to rapid popularity in the local scene of Cleveland, Ohio. With a history spanning over three decades, their sound leaves a lasting impression that keeps audiences coming back for more. Rooted in traditional American music, The Whiskey Drinks blend old-time, blues, and protest influences with hints of funk, hip-hop, alternative, and pop music. Their versatile sound captivates audiences in intimate barrooms, lively festivals, and any place where people want to relax, unwind, and toast to better days ahead. Upcoming Shows! OCT 4 wild maple Fest Chardon OH OCT 17th Album release at Winchester in Lakewood OH Info linked below  https://thewhiskeydrinks.com  

Interview with Benny Coleman of The Quasi Kings About The Quasi Kings: Formed in Columbus, OH in the Spring of 2016, the The Quasi Kings have quickly “cemented [their] place as the sprawling, multi-instrumental next generation of Columbus reggae.” (Columbus Dispatch). The band, led by brothers Zach (vocals, saxophone, percussion) & Benny Coleman (vocals, bass), varies in age, musical backgrounds, and taste, leading to a worldly & distinctive collage. Their premier offering, 2018’s Throwaway Culture EP, features catchy hooks, tight vocal harmonies, and a unique blend of reggae, rock, and hip-hop. Their latest album, Eye of the Storm, takes things a step further with songs like “Booze”, a raucous Sabbath inspired tune, and the dubby, horn driven “Cut It Out”. Their live shows are high energy, captivating and ever-evolving. The Quasi Kings have had the privilege to play with the likes of Stick Figure, Rebelution, Sublime, Steel Pulse, Tropidelic, Badfish, Fortunate Youth, Third World, Israel Vibration, Dark Star Orchestra & more. Visit thequasikings.com for tour dates & more info. https://www.thequasikings.com     Tickets for HR of Bad Brains with C-Level, and Benny Coleman of The Quasi Kings at The Winchester Lakewood OH Oct-10-25 : https://thewinchestermusictavern.com/tm-event/hr-of-bad-brains-w-c-level-benny-coleman-of-quasi-kings/

Richard Lloyd of TELEVISION!  Richard Lloyd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known as a founding member of the influential New York rock band Television. His inventive, melodic guitar work helped define the band's sound on their landmark 1977 album Marquee Moon. Outsie of Televsision, Lloyd has release several solo albums and worked as a session guitarist, earning respect as a pioneering figure in punk and alternative rock. This is a previous conversation I had with Richard from 2020. If you're in and or near Ohio don't miss out !         Richard Lloyd of TELEVISION  SEP 8TH Winchester OH with C-Level Richard Lloyd Tickets   H.R. of Bad Brains with C-Level and Benny Coleman of The Quasi Kings OCT 10th Winchester OH  H.R of Bad Brains Tickets !    

Interview with Willie Nile ! The Great Yellow Light is filled with passionate guitar-driven, melodic songs, a mix of anthemicrockers and sensitive ballads with a subtle socio-political message throughout. Willie was joinedin the studio by his core band Jimi Bones – electric & acoustic guitars, backing vocals, Johnny Pisano – bass, backing vocals and Jon Weber – drums, providing soaring lead vocals, electric guitar and piano himself. Besides Earle, special guests include Irish music icon Paul Brady on vocals, The Hooters’ Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian on keys and strings respectively, Black 47 members Larry Kirwan, Fred Parcells, and Chris Byrne and legendary sidemen Waddy Wachtel and David Mansfield. Nile’s love for life and music has powered his 45-year recording career. The Buffalo, NY native made his way to New York City in the early 1970s. After establishing himself as a popular presence on the downtown club scene, Willie attained national recognition through his widely acclaimed first three major-label albums — Willie Nile, Golden Down and Places I Have Never Been. Next, he then embarked on the indie route with a long series of well-received album releases including Beautiful Wreck of the World, Streets of New York, House of a Thousand Guitars, The Innocent Ones, American Ride, World War Willie, New York At Night, Children of Paradise, The Day The Earth Stood Still, the acoustic If I Was a River, and the covers collection Positively Bob: Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan. Working on his own terms has allowed Willie to expand his audience to encompass much of the planet. He’s toured North America and overseas regularly building a sizeable and devoted following for his incendiary live performances. His loyal fan base includes such admirers as Bruce Springsteen, with whom he’s guested onstage on multiple occasions, and Pete Townshend, who personally requested him as the opening act on the Who’s historic 1980 U.S. tour. The list of avowed Nile fans also includes Bono, Lou Reed, Ian Hunter, Graham Parker, Jim Jarmusch, Little Steven, and Lucinda Williams, who once remarked, “Willie Nile is a great artist. If there was any justice in this world, I’d be opening up for him instead of him for me.” Appropriately, an Austrian filmmaker is currently making a documentary film about Willie, with new footage shot in Italy, England and America. http://willienile.com/ https://www.facebook.com/willie.nile  

Interview with Michael "Miguel" Happoldt of Sublime, The Ziggens, Perro Bravo, and Skunk Records. Listen to The Ziggens new surf Epic Well Qualified To Represent The L.B. sea, Vol 1, and Vol 2 here: Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/album/2S4KiTerZoted6WEsjmpws?si=4fcr6_6jQ-uydV2z5Hhnzg Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-ziggens/65727399 Keep up With The Ziggens and Skunk here : https://www.instagram.com/skunkrecords https://www.instagram.com/theziggens https://www.facebook.com/SkunkRecords https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063538901887 https://theziggensofficial.com Pre Save Vol 2 here : https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/theziggens/well-qualified-to-represent-the-lb-sea--vol-2?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=Email+&utm_source=SendGrid   About Michael "Miguel" Happoldt : While studying at California State University, Dominguez Hills, Happoldt met alternative rock group the Ziggens. He began recording and producing with the group and eventually joined to record their first album, C0002. Inspired by the punk rock and DIY movements of SST, BYO and Dischord Records tracks, in 1989 Happoldt created the logo and label Skunk Records and released the Ziggens' album on cassette. In 1990, Happoldt moved to Long Beach, California, where he met Sublime's Bradley Nowell at a party. Happoldt invited Sublime to make some live-to-DAT recordings. Intrigued by the Ziggens' cassette release, Nowell played a four-song demo for Happoldt, which Nowell had recorded before meeting Happoldt, and asked him to put it out on Skunk Records. Happoldt has been involved in some capacity with the Long Beach Dub Allstars, the supergroup Volcano, Lucky Boys Confusion, Unwritten Law, Slightly Stoopid, and Long Beach Shortbus.

Interview with Allen and Barb Vest of Double Vee. Allan was the primary songwriter, lead vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist for indie/orchestral pop band Starlight Mints, producing and releasing four albums between 2000 and 2009, with legendary producer Dave Sardy co-producing the critically acclaimed debut album, The Dream that Stuff was Made Of. Major motion pictures and television series have utilized his music, with TV shows including Malcolm in the Middle, Californication, One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl and movies including Barnyard, Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj and The Art of Getting By. The BBC mini-series Demons effectively used "Eyes of the Night" off the 2006 album Drowaton as the series' theme song. Allan's instrumental scores have been featured in Disney animated shorts, writer/director Mickey Reece's movies Seducers Club and Punch Cowboy, and in projects by Canada-based writer/director Erahm Christopher and features helmed by award-winning director Bradley Beesley among other productions. Allan has produced and arranged music for clients including Francine, Skating Polly, Student Film and Bishop Allen. He also composed the theme music for the podcast In Sickness and In Health with Dr. Céline Gounder.   Barb’s diverse background includes sixteen years in public radio where her achievements included writing, hosting, and producing Filmscapes, a nationally syndicated film music program. She edited a music webzine for several years and marketed and produced eight garage sale/shows featuring local bands and merchants. While Barb’s vocal music history includes appearing in themed cover shows and providing backing vocals on recordings for local bands, her love of music began with her family, with her grandmother regularly putting a tape recorder on her piano bench and singing along to her original compositions, before she passed away after a sudden heart attack at the age of 57.  Barb grew up singing around the piano with her mother and sister.  She enjoyed writing poetry and short stories during her younger years and loves exploring the inventive worlds of lyrics and songwriting with Allan.  When they're not creating new music, Allan and Barb enjoy working with clients…teaching, recording, producing music and videos and more. In their free time, they like to travel, watch movies, hike, and spend time with friends and family. Favorite hiking trails include Angels Landing at Zion National Park, Precipice Trail at Acadia National Park and the Cape Lookout Trail in Oregon. They love concocting meals in the kitchen together and especially savor making Caesar salads at home and trying them anytime they're on the menu at a new restaurant. They’re grateful to be producing music and appreciate the support of their listeners.  http://doubleVee.net.http://doubleVee.bandcamp.com.http://YouTube.com/@doubleVeeBand.http://Facebook.com/doubleVeeSongs.http://Instagram.com/doubleVee_band.  

Interview with Arad Evans of The Whimbrels. The Whimbrels is an outer-borough masterpiece. The sound is dense, polyrhythmic, hard, and sweet, hooks and riffs to save your soul pop out at unexpected moments. The players’ credits--The Glenn Branca Ensemble (dating to the 1980s), The Swans, J. Mascis--predict the guitar- driven, sonic onslaught of The Whimbrels, captured on their startling debut. A Whimbrels show involves racks of guitars, tuned in different and unconventional ways with the players constantly switching between them. The Whimbrels album showcases this. There are counterpoint choirs, dueling e-bows phase against each other, chunking, poly- and cross- rhythmic interludes, soaring arias of distortion from Westberg and Evans’ strangely melodic and inventive guitar. Evans’ and Hunter’s vocals front a three-guitar line up tuned every way but normal. The ax men are veterans with contrasting styles that come together in a potent whole. The beats are smart and unrelenting. The album concludes with the instrumental Four Moons of Galileo, four short sections with the inner two framed by shimmering walls of descending, slowly evolving harmonies. The title recalls the four moons discovered by Galileo, suggesting the many more then lurking unknown in space. ARAD EVANS (guitar, vox, primary songwriter) was a member, recorded and toured with Glenn Branca’s ensemble from the 1980’s until Branca’s death a few years ago. He is founder and still performs with Heroes of Toolik. In addition to Branca, he has played with Quiet City, Rhys Chatham, Ben Neill, John Myers’ Blastula, The SEM Ensemble, The New Music Consort, Virgil Moorefield’s Ensemble and many other groups. “A truly inventive and surprising guitar player.” (Rick Moody, The Rumpus Aug. 25, 2016). www.thewhimbrels.com Facebook: The Whimbrels Instagram: the_whimbrels

Interview with : Robert Scheffler Songwriter, singer and guitarist Robert Scheffler has been called a “songwriter’s writer” and“unquestionably one of the best performers in the New York area” by local reviewers. Previousrecord releases include Needles (EP), Pretty Town and Life of Luxury (including tracks producedby Jim Rondinelli [Wilco, Matthew Sweet]). His work has appeared on dozens of TV shows andseveral short film soundtracks. One song, “Rendezvous,” figured prominently (and dubiously) ina movie that The New York Times labeled “an unpalatable mush.” The film wasn’t great but itwasn’t all that bad–Emmy Rossum was in it.When Scheffler isn’t writing songs, he’s making furniture. His partner John knew his latestproject was all but finished when Scheffler started making trips to the lumberyard. www.robertschefflermusic.com https://www.instagram.com/robertscheffler_music/  

Interview with Chris Stamey. Chris Stamey began writing and playing music in grade school in Winston-Salem, NC, in themid 1960s, in what is known now as the Combo Corner scene. In 1976, while studying musiccomposition at UNC-Chapel Hill, he self-released Sneakers, one of the very first American“indie” records. The following year, he relocated to Manhattan to play and record with AlexChilton in the burgeoning CBGB rock scene, then formed The dB’s with fellow Carolinians WillRigby, Gene Holder, and Peter Holsapple, with whom he made several acclaimed records oforiginal material, including Stands for deciBels (self-produced with Alan Betrock)and Repercussion (produced by Scott Litt). During the next decade and a half in New York, Stamey worked with a wide variety ofmusicians. He recorded well-received solo records for A&M and Warners and was a partof Anton Fier’s Golden Palominos project, alongside an international touring cast thatincluded Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Jack Bruce (Cream), Carla Bley, and Bernie Worrell(Talking Heads, George Clinton). He continued recording and producing upon returning to NCin 1993. His recent releases include The Great Escape, Lovesick Blues and Euphoria, as well as FallingOff the Sky with The dB’s and A Brand-New Shade of Blue with the Fellow Travelers. As aproducer and a featured singer/songwriter with the Paris-based Salt Collective project, hecollaborated with Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Juliana Hatfield, Richard Lloyd (Television),Matthew Sweet, Peter Holsapple, and Susan Cowsill, among others. As a producer, arranger,and mixer, he has worked with over a hundred artists, including Ryan Adams, AlejandroEscovedo, Kronos Quartet, Flat Duo Jets, Skylar Gudasz, Branford Marsalis, Tift Merritt,Le Tigre, Those Pretty Wrongs, and Yo La Tengo. From 2010-2018, Stamey was orchestrator and musical director for an international series ofconcert performances of Big Star’s classic album Third, alongside Big Star’s Jody Stephens, RayDavies, members of the Posies, R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, Wilco, and Yo La Tengo; ThankYou, Friends, a concert film of these arrangements, was released by Concord in March 2017. He currently tours as a member of Jody Stephens’s Big Star Quintet, whose line-up includes MikeMills (R.E.M), Pat Sansone (Wilco), and Jon Auer (Posies). His original radio musical about theearly ’60s in Manhattan, Occasional Shivers, premiered nationwide on Christmas Day 2016. A“songwriting memoir,” A Spy in the House of Loud (Univ. of Texas Press), was published in2018, followed in 2019 by his first printed collection, New Songs for the 20th Century, with acompanion two-disc CD (Omnivore Recordings).  open.spotify.com/artist/1i7YYagcULgnW5Qilsto1dmusic.apple.com/us/artist/chris-stamey/4034250youtube.com/channel/UCG3O3S8Zg_WJoz2uTt_duig#instagram.com/mrstamey/?hl=enfacebook.com/chrisstameymusic/twitter.com/chrisstamey songkick.com/artists/186319-chris-stameybandsintown.com/a/78299-chris-stameydeezer.com/us/artist/1279457tidal.com/browse/artist/3611403qobuz.com/us-en/interpreter/chris-stamey/515742audiomack.com/chris-stameymusic.amazon.com/artists/B008LPNC4M@chris-stamey.bsky.social  

Interview with Bennet Cerven of The Trouble Notes.   Hailing from three different continents, The Trouble Notes blend folk traditions from around the world with a driving, modern energy that transports audiences on a musical journey like no other. Their signature sound, led by Bennet Cerven's virtuosic violin melodies, combined with Florian Eisenschmidt’s dynamic guitar rhythms and Julian Lardis’ powerful percussion, creates a truly immersive live experience. Having played at some of the world’s most iconic festivals—including Glastonbury, Boomtown, and Fusion Festival—their performances are not to be missed. TICKETS for Thursday July 3RD Negative Space Cleveland OH:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-trouble-notes-at-negative-space-cleveland-tickets-1286009261319     The Trouble Note's Info  https://thetroublenotes.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheTroubleNotes/

Interview with John Leon of The Royal Arctic Institute. John returns for the third time to talk about The Royal Arctic Institute's new self titled album.  The Royal Arctic Institute is a cinematic instrumental post-jazz group from New York City. They have been recording and releasing records since 2017. Since forming in 2016, the band has been a revolving door of different musicians comprising several different lineups. The current lineup is composed of drummer Lyle Hysen (Das Damen, Arthur Lee), guitarists John Leon (Roky Erickson, Summer Wardrobe, Abra Moore) and Chris Robertson (Elk City, James Mastro), and bassist David Motamed (Das Damen, Two Dollar Guitar, Arthur Lee, Townes Van Zandt). The band name is a reference to the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. All four members of the Royal Arctic Institute have spent decades playing in various ensembles, working as studio musicians, backing musicians, and touring musicians.This self-titled fourth full-length recording from The Royal Arctic Institute is the first to include guitarist Chris Robertson. According to the band, Robertson is a crucial addition to the group, as he provides an added dimension to The Royal Arctic Institute sound and creative process, particularly because this debuts the group as a two guitar quintet. The decision to present this new album as a self-titled record is tightly connected to the band’s excitement about their current musical direction.The new album also marks the first time The Royal Arctic Institute is working with Ray Ketchum of Magic Door Recording. Ketchum, often noted for his engineering and recording work on the last handful of Guided by Voices albums, helped steer the band towards an approach which allowed for a rich and fully developed sonic experience. Ketchum’s keen and well attuned ear in the studio made it possible for The Royal Arctic Institute to focus more on the nuances they had been developing on previous releases, something apparent on “Twigs Of Cries, Feathers Of Sobs.” As guitarist John Leon points out:         https://www.theroyalarctic.com/

Pete Francis founding member of Dispatch returns to Zig At The Gig. Tickets for June 13th. Pete Francis Tickets for June 13th Winchester Lakewood OH   Long Legged Fly C-Level and Pete Francis Pre- Save Link https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/clevel/long-legged-fly-feat-pete-francis Pete Francis Heimbold grew up in Riverside, Connecticut, taking early influence from the reggae music of Bob Marley along with classic songwriters like Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell. While attending Middlebury College in Vermont, he connected with fellow musicians Chad Urmston and Brad Corrigan. The trio formed Dispatch, a rangy roots-inspired indie band who became a fixture of the East Coast club, festival, and jam circuits. Between 1996 and their 2002 hiatus, Dispatch released four studio albums and a live record, building a sizable audience through heavy touring and grassroots promotion. Francis stepped out in 2001 to make his solo debut with So They Say, an album that bore some resemblance to his work in Dispatch and contained several songs they had played live together. When the group officially announced their hiatus, he kicked into gear, issuing a prolific string of albums through his Dragon Crest imprint. In addition to solo releases like 2003's Untold and 2008's Iron Sea and the Cavalry, he also teamed up with Craig Dreyer for the 2006 joint album Everything is One. Meanwhile, Dispatch continued to gain new followers despite their hiatus and in 2007, they reunited for a charity concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. After a surprise sellout, two more dates were added, both of which also sold out. Francis then teamed up with fellow New Englanders Barefoot Truth for a 2009 EP, then issued his fifth solo album, The Movie We Are In, in 2010. In 2011, Dispatch officially reformed and resumed touring and recording. Although the band occupied much of his focus, Francis continued to record on his own, releasing 2013's Immodal Implozego and a 2015 compilation, Dragon Crest Collective, Vol. 1. In 2019, after three more studio albums with Dispatch, Francis left his longtime group and resumed his solo career in earnest. For a few years he focused on singles and EPs like Humble Down and Sun Fuzz, both of which were released in 2021. He also built his own home studio and began self-producing his music. With its vibrant electronic sounds and drum loops, 2023's PTRN SKY! marked a tonal shift for Francis and was his first home-recorded album. The following April he explored his reggae influences on the sunny EP Neon Light Blind.

Interview with Steve Short of Brahctopus and formally of Stationary Pebbles. June 13th Pete Francis of Dispatch with C-Level, and Brahctopus at The Winchester Lakewood OH.  Pete Francis Tickets About Brahctopus. Brahctopus is fronted by a ukulele-wielding vocalist with a passion for lyricism. Three unique guitarists and a keyboard wizard feed off one another for ripping solos and lifting harmonies while the bass and drums create rhythmic bliss. The most recent release is an episodic concept album that coincides with the first volume of a graphic novel, the Proto Terrestrial Freedom Movement. Available on all streaming outlets! www.brahctopus.com  

Interview with Ryan Fletterick of Songs For An Unknown God.   Songs For An Unknown God" is the musical project of Cleveland-based folk singer-songwriter Ryan Fletterick. He is known for his evocative storytelling and stripped-down acoustic style. Ryan's music is described as a blend of confession and meditation, with songs that aim for the soul rather than the charts. Wax Mage Vinyls https://waxmage.com/products/songs-for-an-unknown-god-100-miles   Tickets June 13th Pete Francis, C-Level, Songs for Unknown God, and Brahctopus https://www.ticketweb.com/event/pete-francis-of-dispatch-the-winchester-tickets/14338833?utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=lakewood-events&fbclid=IwY2xjawKQ0RpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFNaG4wSG5zekhoU0ZITDU0AR4XHNyU_5f4vhFHaTeu5Qk8HJQPBDFyyIfqAFcnVraB5aAeXzWkXRxhJrucQQ_aem_bhIXCC5WaldgghTt1pS25A

Brooklyn-based goth-folk duo Charming Disaster’s upcoming album The Double—their seventh full-length release—explores the world that exists behind the one we know, featuring songs inspired by nature, mortality, magic, ritual, and literary genres ranging from science fiction to Victorian horror. The new album was co-produced by band members Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris with longtime collaborator, recording engineer Don Godwin. All but one of the ten tracks were recorded at Tonal Park in Takoma Park, MD, with one song recorded by circus music composer Peter Bufano in Boston, MA. The Double will be released on CD, as a 12-inch colored vinyl LP, and on all digital platforms on May 16, 2025. The vinyl will be released in a 2-disc package that also includes Charming Disaster’s 2024 compilation Time Ghost, a collection of singles released over the last decade.   The Double invites listeners to step across the border of an alternate reality, where spells are cast, time travel is possible, plants are taking over civilization, and vampires lurk in the shadows. Adventures in the darkness lie beyond the threshold.   The album’s ten songs include “Black Locust,” a lullaby about mortality; “New Moon,” a magical nature ritual; “Trick of the Light,” a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula; “Time Machine,” in which Charming Disaster change the past and start over again; “Scavengers,” a walk in the woods with vultures and bones; “Beautiful Night,” a defiant response to struggles with depression; “Vitriol,” a tribute to artist Thomas Little, who turns guns into ink; “Haunted Lighthouse,” a swashbuckling sea voyage; “Gang of Two,” a true crime adventure; and “Green Things,” a love letter to what grows between the cracks (and its inevitable takeover).   The album features an array of talented collaborators. Co-producer Don Godwin, who has worked on Charming Disaster’s entire discography, contributed bass, drums, and horns as well as engineering and mixing. “Haunted Lighthouse” features Broadway percussionist Mike Dobson along with circus composer Peter Bufano, who played piano and accordion and engineered the track at Cirkestra World Headquarters in Boston, MA (with additional tracking at Tonal Park). “Scavengers” features cello recorded by Kate Wakefield of the duo Lung, who also created the string arrangement for “Beautiful Night.” Stefan Zeniuk of Gato Logo contributed saxophone to “Green Things.”   In conjunction with The Double, Charming Disaster is releasing the second edition of their “oracle deck” (similar to a Tarot deck). The Charming Disaster Oracle Deck contains 72 cards (including 12 new cards for the second edition), each representing one of the songs from Charming Disaster’s discography. The cards feature illustrations commissioned from more than thirty different artists. The deck can be used as a divination tool, or as a visual accompaniment to Charming Disaster’s music. The duo themselves use these cards in their live performances to determine the set through the element of chance.   Charming Disaster was formed by Bisker and Morris in 2012, inspired by the gothic humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, the murder ballads of the American Folk tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret. Together the duo write songs that tell stories about myth, magic, and mortality, using two voices to explore dark narratives and characters with a playfully macabre sensibility.   On their critically acclaimed albums Love, Crime & Other Trouble (2015), Cautionary Tales (2017), and SPELLS + RITUALS (2019), Charming Disaster explored death, crime, folklore, and the occult. On Our Lady of Radium (2022), they turned their attention to science and explored the life and discoveries of pioneering scientist Marie Curie. On Super Natural History (2023), they united the natural world and the metaphysical realm in a musical cabinet of curiosities.   The duo put out two releases in 2024: Time Ghost, an album-length collection of songs release

Knox Chandler’s career has spanned for over four decades including long stints as a member of The Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cyndi Lauper band, extraordinary experiences in recording and performing live around the world. Chandler’s also performed, recorded, arranged and produced, working with acts such as REM, Depeche Mode, Grace Jones, Marianne Faithful, Natalie Merchant, Tricky, The Creatures, Dave Gahan Paper Monsters and The Golden Palominos etc. Knox spent a decade residing in Berlin, Germany, while he explored sound-scaping.  He developed a technique he calls “Soundribbons, which he recorded and performed in its own right as well as applying it to different genres and mediums . He composed, recorded, toured, produced, and wrote string arrangements for Herbert Grönemeyer, Jesper Munk, Pure Reason Revolution, The Still, TAU, Miss Kenichi and the Sun, Mars William’s Albert Ayler Xmas, Rita Redshoes, Them There, The Night, etc. While living in Germany received a Post Graduate certification in education and was the head of the guitar department at BIMM College. Chandler returned to the States to be near family and now resides in the New Haven Connecticut area. The Sound is the solo debut of much-travelled musician / producer / arranger / painter Knox Chandler. This project is a musical / visual memoir depicting the shift in his surroundings from the urban to the rural, specifically the Connecticut shoreline off the Long Island Sound and the impact of this dramatic change of environment on his consciousness and the art-work that leads to.   At The Sound ‘s core is Chandler’s “Soundribbon” style of meditative, powerfully cinematic instrumental performance on guitar, accompanied by upright bass and percussion which comprises the audio component of the release. The visual portion is a book of paintings, photographs, sketches and written meditations, interpreting nature through technology. The blending of these mediums is Knox’s attempt to make the diaristic intent of his music explicit. The Sound is being released on Knox’s new label Blue Elastic on May 30. The album is available on digital download and on streaming platforms on its own, or the book comes with a download code. https://knoxchandler.bandcamp.com/ https://knoxchandlermusic.com/ https://www.facebook.com/knox.chandler.3/ https://www.instagram.com/knoxchandler/     C-Level Pete Francis Tickets : https://www.ticketweb.com/event/peter-francis-of-dispatch-the-winchester-tickets/14338833?utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=lakewood-events