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Today I’m joined by DEREK NIEDRINGHAUS & LYLE HODGES, who were both involved, in different ways, in the making of Centaur's debut album, In Streams.
Derek plays bass in Centaur, & does art design for the band, including the iconic & oddly soothing Gaudí-inspired In Streams cover. He also plays bass in CASTOR, who just re-released their discography in remixed & remastered form as a vinyl set called Moving Backgrounds, on Earth Analog Records. He previously made music in Sarge, the Big Bright Lights, & National Skyline, among others.
Lyle was a studio assistant, tape op, & White Russian maker during the recording of In Streams. He's also been in many bands himself, including Amphibian, Tractor Kings, The Mezzanines (NYC edition), & he currently performs in ELECTRIC STALLION & CHROME CHRIST. He runs Twin Radar Records as well.
In this episode, we talk about Centaur’s hazy origins, the precarious ecosystem of the recording process, & the healing flows of pure volume.
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https://matttalbott.bandcamp.com/album/in-streams
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https://castorindierock.bandcamp.com/album/moving-backgrounds
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:34 // "Fields" (Centaur)
04:58 // Hearing & Seeing HUM
13:51 // Centaur Origins
16:55 // Recording In Streams
26:35 // Working with Keith Cleversley
37:30 // Release Date
41:29 // In Streams Artwork
50:28 // Sonics & Atmosphere
53:18 // "Placencia"
59:06 // The Champaign Sound & Writing Lyrics
01:04:58 // In Streams Themes
01:11:29 // "Life Begins"
01:18:58 // "The Same Place"
01:34:31 // "In Streams"
01:45:14 // Cover Songs
01:47:29 // "Strangers On 5"
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Today I’m joined by SCOTT KIMBLE & DON KING from the Champaign, Illinois band TERMINUS VICTOR.
Their most recent album, EVERENDING, came out in 2023, & was tracked by Matt Talbott @ Earth Analog. It’s textured, it’s heavy, a little sludgy, a little spacey; it’s awesome from front to back. Highly, highly recommended. Link in the show notes.
Before T-Vic & its predecessor HUSHTOWER, Scott played in Little Black Spiders, Wicked Walls, & the Falbonauts, & Don played in Social Imaginary & Bristle.
We make a couple references here to a previous conversation the guys had with Sven from the Champaign is Also a Band podcast, in which they go deep into the fan-favorite song “This Isn’t Real.” Link below.
In this episode, we talk about early ‘90s gig-watching, the power in restraint, & the importance of keeping things “noily.”
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"This Isn't Real" Discussion (C.I.A.A.B.)
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”In the Den” (2/24/18)
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:22 // "Stress in the Midwest" (T.V.)
03:38 // The Blind Pig
09:42 // Early T-Vic Shows
14:04 // "Taking the Advantage" (T.V.)
15:20 // From Duo to Trio
18:28 // Everending LP
24:07 // Recording @ Earth Analog
27:57 // Songwriting for Everending
30:59 // "To the Very End" (T.V.)
37:59 // "This Isn't Real" (T.V.)
40:02 // Hearing & Seeing HUM
46:24 // Inlet
52:19 // "In the Den" Discussion
01:28:11 // "Here Comes Everything" (T.V.)
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Joining me today from Scotland is GEOFF EVANS, an admin for the fan-driven HUM Reddit & Facebook groups.
With over 13,000 members between them, these pages have helped keep the band in the public consciousness for decades, & they're both reliable sources of news, discussion, & music recommendations.
In this episode, we talk about the joy of the live experience, wearing your fandom on your sleeve (literally), & the parallel universes of unreleased music.
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"Inklings" Versions:
Chicago, IL // 2010
Austin, TX // 2011
Chicago, IL // 2011
Charlotte, NC // 2015
Gainesville, FL // 2017
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:26 // HUM Tattoo
04:53 // Hearing & Seeing the Band
07:42 // Fan Socials
15:28 // "Inklings" Discussion
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Today’s conversation is with JOEY GINALDI, drummer of the Pennsylvania bands MAGIC AMERICA & CLEVER HOUR.
Magic America just released their debut album, Get in the Truck, a couple weeks back on Funeral Party Records. The first video, for the song “Carried by Angels,” is now up on YouTube.
Clever Hour, which also features Jake Clarke from Superheaven & Evan King from Magic America, put out their 5-song self-titled debut EP in 2024. Links below.
Joey’s also recorded and/or toured with many other bands from the northeast, including Knifeplay, Webbed Wing, Pony, Thought Patterns, Euphoria Again, & others.
He’s also an accomplished graphic designer, having done album art, layouts, shirts, & other merchandise for Superheaven, Drug Church, Destiny Bond, Foxing, Teethe, Run for Cover Records, & many many more to come. The best place to see all of that is on his Instagram, also linked below.
In this episode, we talk about hometown DIY pride, the transcendent impact of the band Curve, & the elements that make a perfect song truly perfect.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.” Donations only, no paywalls.
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https://www.instagram.com/joeyxginaldi
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https://magicamericaphl.bandcamp.com/album/get-in-the-truck
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Magic America, "Carried by Angels" Video
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https://setterwindrecords.bandcamp.com/album/demo-24
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:33 // "Burning Desire" (Clever Hour)
03:56 // Philly Roots
07:33 // Local Bands, First Bands
22:31 // Clever Hour EP
23:33 // "A Worried Existence" (Clever Hour)
28:03 // Magic America LP
29:44 // "Texting the Dead" (Magic America)
35:06 // Discovering HUM
40:36 // "I Hate It Too" Discussion
01:13:44 // Design Influences & Approach
01:19:57 // "Lights On" (Magic America)
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Joining me today is RAY HARKINS, vocalist of the Southern California melodic hardcore bands TAKEN, MIKOTO, & — most recently — BLOODGUILT.
Taken burned brightly from the late ‘90s until 2004, releasing one LP & 2 EPs on Goodfellow Records. They’ve since added a demos & b-sides compilation, a collected version of the first 3 records, & a 2018 EP titled With Regard To, on Other People Records. Links below.
Ray’s also run the DIY music & culture podcast, 100 WORDS OR LESS, for the better part of a decade, with over 670 episodes in the archive. He’s interviewed everyone from Ken Andrews & Page Hamilton to members of Fleshwater & Bleed to the Jesus Lizard, Quicksand, & dozens of other scene lifers crucial to the growth & expansion of underground music.
In this episode, we talk about the Big Bang of music culture in ‘90s Orange County, the shifting meanings of heaviness, & the waveform pathos of the EKG machine.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.”
Donations only, no paywalls.
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:29 // "The Most Feared Thing" (Taken)
03:32 // '90s Orange County
14:17 // LA/OC Venues
21:00 // Taken
27:57 // Hearing HUM: YPAA & DIH
36:45 // "If You are to Bloom" Discussion
01:13:05 // "Eternity was on Our Lips" (Taken)
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Today I’m talking with LAURENT SCHROEDER-LEBEC & LARRY HERWEG, from the Chicago heavy rock band PELICAN.
Since 2001, they’ve released 7 LPs, plus a host of singles, splits, EPs, live albums, & compilations. Their most recent record, FLICKERING RESONANCE, is highly recommended & came out a couple months back on RUN FOR COVER RECORDS.
Pelican just finished a run of US shows & are currently touring Europe thru mid-August. They’ve also got plans for new material on the way.
In this episode, we talk about the Midwest music underground, loudness as celebration, & the elemental interplay of riffs & percussion.
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https://www.pelicansong.com
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https://pelican.bandcamp.com
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"I'd Like Your Hair Long" (120 Minutes)
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:09 // "Evergreen" (Pelican)
03:13 // Playing @ Loose Cobra
06:21 // Fireside Bowl & Chicago Scene
21:22 // Flickering Resonance LP
21:40 // "Gulch"
27:53 // "Cascading Crescent"
34:17 // Song Titles
42:57 // Recording @ Earth Analog
46:10 // Hearing/Seeing HUM
55:44 // "I'd Like Your Hair Long" Discussion
01:33:43 // "Pining For Ever" (Pelican)
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Joining me today is BALTHAZAR DE LEY — singer, guitarist, bassist, producer, engineer, studio technician, &, most recently, amp maker.
In the early ‘90s, he joined HUM, which was, back then, written in all lowercase. He played bass on their first record Fillet Show, & toured & wrote songs with them over the course of several years.
He then formed & fronted the band MENTHOL, formerly known as Mother, whose 3 beloved LPs combined off-kilter riffing & synth lines with surrealistic & Faustian tales of the '90s alt rock signing boom.
When Menthol parted ways, he began engineering records for other bands. He then worked as a studio technician for the Smashing Pumpkins for close to a decade.
In 2017, he founded BALTHAZAR AUDIO SYSTEMS, where he designs & builds vacuum tube guitar amplifiers. He also plays guitar in the Chicago shoegaze band LIGHTFOILS. Links below.
In this episode, we talk about youthful insouciance, a specific strain of ‘90s midwestern space rock, & the endearing & enduring power of smallness.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.”
Donations only, no paywalls.
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https://www.balthazaramps.com
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https://lightfoils.bandcamp.com
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:35 // "What's Your Rationale?" (Menthol)
04:19 // The Breeders Amp
06:30 // Bad Flannel
09:11 // "Frustration" (Bad Flannel)
12:10 // Joining HUM
15:16 // Rick & Rose
17:24 // Fillet Show LP
20:00 // "Space Gun" (Poster Children)
25:20 // Early HUM Influences
28:40 // Menthol
29:39 // Mud Records
35:22 // "Walk of Shame" (Menthol)
36:40 // Ardent Studios
40:00 // Writing Lyrics
44:23 // "Dry Heaves" (Menthol)
48:36 // "Bedheaded, Red-Eyed, & Bewildered" (Menthol)
49:57 // '90s Alt Rock Gold Rush
58:13 // Menthol Artwork / Danger: Rock Science!
01:04:21 // "Hello Kitty" Discussion
01:28:58 // Lightfoils & Balthazar Audio Systems
01:32: 21 // "Strange Living" (Menthol)
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Today I’m talking with the artist, musician, filmmaker, & sociocultural prophet GERALD V. CASALE. In the early ‘70s, Jerry co-founded the mutant-pop performance art group DEVO, who have since released 9 studio albums, 10 EPs, a soundtrack, 10 live albums, 16 compilations, 25 singles, & 9 video albums, not to mention creating some of the most distinct & unforgettable images in American music history.
DEVO are currently touring North America in celebration of their 50th anniversary. A feature-length documentary on the band will premiere on Netflix on August 19th, & recently they’ve been restoring & rereleasing their early short films, including 1976’s THE TRUTH ABOUT DE-EVOLUTION.
Most of our conversation explores Jerry’s music video filmography from the ‘90s, when he worked with bands like HUM, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Silverchair, & many others.
In this episode, we talk about the power of the moving image, the suffocating everyday presence of screens, & the struggle to prevent your vision from being smothered by the suits.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.” Donations only, no paywalls.
Thanks for listening.
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https://www.geraldvcasale.com
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https://clubdevo.com
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:31 // "Mechanical Man" (DEVO)
03:15 // Early Cinephilia
05:11 // D.I.Y. Filmmaking
07:08 // "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" Video
12:28 // Production Process
13:57 // VFX & "Girl U Want" Video
17:12 // '90s Video Work
22:57 // Foo Fighters, "I'll Stick Around" Video
27:22 // Soundgarden, "Blow Up the Outside World" Video
31:08 // Silverchair, "Freak" Video
34:44 // HUM, "Green to Me" Video
43:44 // "Auto Modown" (DEVO)
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Today’s guest is JACOB GIVENS, TikTok phenom, musician, podcaster, actor, writer, & comedian.
His enthusiasm for music has attracted over 500,000 followers across his social media platforms, & he’s racked up millions of views from viral videos about iconic moments in 90s alternative & beyond.
He also runs the podcast WATERPROOF RECORDS, where he’s done episodes on HUM, the Flaming Lips, Deftones, the Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, & many more.
In this episode, we talk about the pull of theatricality, the power of ‘90s vocal hooks, & the feral euphoria of palm muting.
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If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.”
Donations only, no paywalls.
Thanks again for listening.
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TIMESTAMPS:
03:19 // Tulsa to Champaign
07:59 // Reaction Videos & Silent Film
17:56 // "The '90s Alt-Rock Vocal Hook Supercut"
22:54 // HUM on MTV
28:22 // “Green to Me” Discussion
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Today’s guest is the multi-talented JEFF GARBER — singer, guitarist, composer, producer, & engineer. From the mid-to-late ‘90s Jeff played in the Champaign, IL indie rock band CASTOR, who released 2 LPs, a single, & some compilation tracks, all of which have just been remixed, remastered, & pressed to vinyl on Matt Talbott’s EARTH ANALOG label. That set is called Moving Backgrounds; it’s now up for pre-order on POLYVINYL RECORDS. Link below.
Jeff’s next project, NATIONAL SKYLINE, which he started with Nick Macri (C-Clamp), Derek Niedringhaus (Castor), & Jeff Dimpsey (HUM), put out over a dozen releases, some on indie labels & some self-released.
He moved to Los Angeles in 2001 under the suggestion of producer/engineer/mixer Ken Andrews (Failure). Along with Andrews, Tim Dow, & Solomon Snyder, he formed YEAR OF THE RABBIT, who signed with Elektra Records & released their stellar self-titled album in 2003, followed by tours with A Perfect Circle & Pete Yorn.
After the demise of Elektra Records, he trained as an engineer & producer under Andrews throughout the 2000s. With the release of National Skyline’s 2009 epic Bliss & Death, Garber drew the attention of several key figures at MTV. That self-released album had several songs featured on TV shows The Hills, Jersey Shore, & Teen Mom.
Jeff went on to provide thousands of music tracks for shows on ABC, NBC, Fox, AMC, & many more. He's been awarded SESAC’s Honors in Cable Television & also received network TV honors at BMI.
He's currently the composer for the Netflix hit series Virgin River & Full Swing, & he writes & records music in his basement studio in Altadena, CA.
In this episode, we talk about the magnetism of college towns, end-of-the century anxiety, & endless endless layers of guitars.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.” Donations only, no paywalls.
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https://www.polyvinylrecords.com/products/castor-moving-backgrounds
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TIMESTAMPS:
03:15 // "Pontiac" (Castor)
04:34 // Castor News
08:40 // Origins
14:07 // "Trackstar" (Castor)
15:26 // Influences & Inspirations
18:31 // "Anecdotes" (Castor)
23:52 // Recording with Matt Talbott
26:52 // National Skyline
30:06 // "Reinkiller" (National Skyline)
35:52 // Year of the Rabbit
37:57 // The Gospel of Fantastic Planet
40:11 // YOTR Live
41:17 // "Let It Go" (Year of the Rabbit)
46:56 // Showcase Showdown
52:50 // Electra 2000 Tape
55:40 // Inlet LP
1:00:36 // "Folding" Discussion
1:30:13 // "Dust Gun" (Castor)
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"Folding" Live in STL (2018)
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Sat down today with Carson Wilcox, the drummer of the Dallas, TX bands BLEED & NARROW HEAD.
Bleed just released their excellent S/T DEBUT LP on 20 Buck Spin. It fuses a wide range of styles from the alt-metal of the late '90s & early 2000s, but it's also got elements of lesser-cited bands like Curve, Filter, & God Lives Underwater. It's a super cool compound of things. I also highly recommend the SOMEBODY'S CLOSER EP that came out a couple years before it.
Bleed are currently touring the West Coast with One Step Closer until early June, & this October Narrow Head are going on the road with Rival Schools.
In this episode, we talk about owning your influences, '90s-specific mutations of the “Paradise City” riff, & why drummers going slightly off-grid can work so well.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.” Donations only, no paywalls.
I appreciate all the support so far, & thanks, as always, for listening.
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https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/bleed
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https://narrowheadtx.bandcamp.com
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:21 // "Marathon" (Bleed)
03:24 // Bleed LP: Mixing & Influences
10:19 // "Silver" (Bleed)
12:10 // Programming & Post-Production
15:40 // "Ash Anywhere" (Narrow Head)
17:09 // Hearing (& Playing) HUM
27:44 // "Firehead" Discussion
48:30 // "Through the Cylinder" (Bleed)
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Today’s guests are RICK VALENTIN & ROSE MARSHACK from the Champaign, IL indie rock band POSTER CHILDREN. They co-founded the group in 1987 & have since released 12 LPs, along with various singles, EPs, compilations, & a feature film.
They’ve been on indies, majors, & everything in between, & they took an avant-garde approach to music tech & media — doing enhanced CDs, early mp3 releases, DIY websites & design, & the proto-podcast podcast RADIO ZERO, which they’ve broadcast from 1998 to the present.
Rick & Rose also run 12 INCH RECORDS, home to bands like HUM, Love Cup, Dis-, & their non-Poster Children projects Salaryman & Thoughts Detecting Machines. They also also teach in the School of Creative Technologies @ Illinois St. University.
In 2023, Rose published her first book, PLAY LIKE A MAN: MY LIFE IN POSTER CHILDREN, which is absolutely essential reading for anyone who cares about indie & alternative culture in the last 4 decades. It’s a cool mix of genres, moving from tour diary to music criticism to scene history & beyond.
They’ve been on my Mount Rushmore of possible guests for a long time, & it was super fun & revealing to get granular with them about all things rock, whether indie or major, from the late ‘80s to today.
In this episode, we talk about regional style, the Champaign-Urbana band member maze, the idea of rock music as both art & technology, & much much more.
If you’d like to back the podcast, click “support the show” at the bottom of the notes & then “see membership options.” Donations only, no paywalls.
Thanks for listening.
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https://posterchildren.com
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BOB MOULD (Letterman)
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STEVE ALBINI, "The Problem with Music"
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POSTER CHILDREN, R.T.F.M. Enhanced CD Tour
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TIMESTAMPS:
03:01 // “Eye” (Poster Children)
03:57 // Opening for Bob Mould
09:34 // R.T.F.M. LP
12:50 // “Dream Small” (Poster Children)
13:45 // Enhanced CDs
20:47 // Mark Rubel & Pogo Studio
29:01 // HUM Member Genealogy
34:44 // 12 Inch Records
40:38 // Fillet Show LP
50:44 // “Space Fuck”
59:02 // “Formaldehyde”
01:01:21 // “Hortense”
01:03:56 // “I Like It”
01:12:06 // YPAA Vinyl
01:15:01 // Play Like a Man Book
01:21:22 // Art & Science
01:28:26 // “Matter Crush” (Poster Children)
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Today’s guest is CARLOS RAMIREZ, co-founder & editor-in-chief of NO ECHO, a worldwide hardcore website that just celebrated its 10th anniversary. It’s a vast & respected resource for all things hardcore, metal, & punk, updated daily across the web & the usual social media platforms.
Carlos played bass in the mid-to-late '90s NYC powerviolence band BLACK ARMY JACKET, who released their discography compilation Open Casket in 2023 on Brainscan & State of Mind Recordings. He later played in LAKOTA, DENY THE CROSS, & HOPE COLLAPSE.
In this episode, we talk about the ‘90s revival in underground music, the ambivalent status of genre tags, & the way certain riffs can unify & transcend different styles of music.
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NO ECHO Playlists (Spotify)
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:16 // "Hope for the Haunted" (Lakota)
03:26 // Starting NoEcho.net
13:26 // '90s Revival & Genre Tags
21:43 // Hearing HUM
26:06 // HUM @ Irving Plaza
30:04 // Vibes vs. Songs
32:46 // "Dreamboat" Discussion
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Today’s guest is CHRIS ENRIQUEZ, music industry professional by day, drummer to many many bands by night.
Chris has worked for a wide range of heavy music media, including Revolver, Guitar World, Loudwire, Brooklyn Vegan, The Hard Times, Alternative Press, & as of 2025, he left all brands to join NEW NOISE MAGAZINE.
In the late ‘90s & early 2000s, he played drums in the influential Long Island post-hardcore band ON THE MIGHT OF PRINCES, whose full story is told in the documentary film Hold on to a Time, which Chris produced & directed. Link below.
In the mid-2000s, he moved to New York City, where he drummed in Primitive Weapons, who toured with Quicksand, Glassjaw, Dillinger Escape Plan, Thursday, & others.
He’s since joined SPOTLIGHTS, JULIE CHRISTMAS, & the reformed ORANGE 9MM, all of whom have upcoming shows you can check out on his Instagram, @chrisenriquezdrums. He also does remote drum sessions for musicians around the world.
In this episode, we talk about what makes certain ‘90s bands timeless, the aesthetics of texture & imperfection, & what it would be like to drown in sound.
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On the Might of Princes, Hold on to a Time (Documentary)
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Chino Moreno, Baker's Dozen (The Quietus)
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Radiohead, "No Surpises" (Grant Gee)
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:42 // "The Particle Noise" (Spotlights)
03:38 // Deftones @ MSG
06:05 // Post-90s Longevity & Punk Roots
17:19 // "Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons" (Primitive Weapons)
18:12 // Joining Orange 9mm
21:35 // "Suspect" (O9mm)
22:58 // '90s 2.0
25:21 // HUM on MTV
27:38 // Hearing Electra 2000
32:50 // "Double Dip" Discussion
01:04:15 // Upcoming Shows
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Today’s guest is BRAD WOOD, super-producer, mixer, engineer, & musician.
Brad’s done hundreds of records, many of which are by some of my favorite bands — Tar, Sunny Day Real Estate, Codeine, Veruca Salt, Seam, Liz Phair, Triple Fast Action, Far, That Dog, & so on.
Brad also worked on HUM's second album Electra 2000, a couple of their early singles on 12 Inch & Mud Records, & on “Diffuse,” which was originally a compilation track but later added to the reissues of E2K on Martians Go Home & Earth Analog Records.
In this episode, he looks back on recording some of those early albums, gives a verbal virtual tour of his former studio, Idful Music Corporation, which was a crucial nucleus of '90s indie & alternative culture, & talks about the ways in which classical music motifs emerge in heavy riffing.
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https://www.bradwoodmusic.com
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"Diffuse" Live // 1995
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:16 // 30th Anniversaries
05:50 // Atonal Hooks
06:31 // "Seether" (Veruca Salt)
09:02 // "25" (Veruca Salt)
11:13 // Idful Music Corporation
16:09 // Early-Mid '90s Chicago Scene
21:16 // "Dont Feed the Suits..."
24:26 // Studio Psychology & Perfectionism
32:23 // Recording HUM
40:09 // Electra 2000
45:46 // "Diffuse" Discussion
01:08:57 // "Cave-In" (Codeine)
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Today’s conversation is with KELLII SCOTT, the drummer of FAILURE. He’s also played in Liquid Jesus, Blinker the Star, Veruca Salt, Dumpster, Campfire Girls, & others.
Since the pandemic, Kellii's been doing remote drum sessions for any musician looking for percussion work on their recordings. Message him on Instagram @kelliiscott for details (link above).
In this episode, we talk about the post-Sunset Strip LA rock scene, the legacy of Failure's hit song “Stuck on You,” recording their landmark album Fantastic Planet, why drumming with restraint is so difficult, & the ways in which the touring life feels like a mission into deep space.
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:11 // “Petting the Carpet” (Failure)
02:42 // Underheard L.A. Bands
04:37 // “Mindray” (Lusk)
05:51 // “Stuck on You” Video & Legacy
17:27 // Recording & Sequencing Fantastic Planet
27:28 // Fantastic Planet Closers
38:44 // Hearing HUM & Becoming Penpals
40:52 // Resisting the “90s Band” Tag
45:46 // 2015 Tour; Seeing HUM in the 90s; BSP note
49:42 // Inlet
57:57 // “Desert Rambler” Discussion
1:34:14 // Failure Documentary & Next LP
1:36:40 // Remote Drum Sessions
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Today I’m talking with PHIL HARDER, a filmmaker who’s directed music videos for HUM, Low, Failure, Babes in Toyland, Firehose, Local H, Bailter Space, Afghan Whigs, Seaweed, & many others.
In 1985, he & producer RICK FULLER started HARDER/FULLER FILMS, a music video & commercial production house that generated a wide range of visual work across 4 decades.
In December of ’97, they shot the “Comin’ Home” video with HUM at the Icehouse in Minneapolis, using a mixture of DIY effects & big budget gloss, staging the band in a psychedelic dream of espionage, locusts, & trippy liquids.
In this episode, we talk about the material quirks of the film format, the rise & fall of MTV culture, & what it was like to be in the nerve center of the ‘90s visual world.
(Phil broadcasted from a boat in Amsterdam; excuse the cabin noises...)
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:24 // Firehose, "Walking the Cow" (Intro)
03:00 // Video to 8mm to 16mm & Beyond
08:57 // A Band Apart
09:46 // Foo Fighters, "Next Year"
13:33 // Bailter Space, "X"
18:33 // Treatments & Creative Control
23:12 // Incubus, "Drive"
26:22 // '90s Budgets / Failure, "Stuck On You"
31:19 // Visual Effects & Retro Digital
37:05 // Didjits / HUM, "Comin' Home"
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phil-harder.com
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Today’s guest is JASON GERKEN from SHINER. He’s one of your favorite drummers’ favorite drummers, & he's also played in HUM, Molly McGuire, Gunfighter, The Birth Defects, & a handful of others.
Shiner’s first record, Splay, was recently remixed & remastered via SPARTAN RECORDS, who also just reissued the band’s second, third, & fourth LPs — Lula Divinia, Starless, & The Egg.
Shiner are about to play some dates in the Midwest, including one at Matt Talbott’s bar Loose Cobra in Tolono.
Jason played & toured with HUM in 2015, on a run of shows all over the U.S. with Mineral & Failure, & he’s got lots of cool insights into the successes & challenges of those gigs. It’s telling that we both occasionally drift into the present tense when describing Bryan’s drumming because that stuff will obviously always feel contemporary.
In this episode, we talk about finding space to tour, getting that phone call to join HUM, the intricacies of practicing & playing with the band, & drowning in lots & lots of drum fills.
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SHINER Reissues // Spartan Records
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GERKEN Interview // Drummers on Drumming Podcast
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PAGE HAMILTON Interview // Chris Demakes a Podcast
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TALBOTT Intro // Pittsburgh '98
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:24 // "The Egg" (Shiner)
03:08 // Upcoming Gigs
06:05 // The Egg LP
11:12 // "Jaded Eyes" (Government Issue)
14:23 // "Pills" (Shiner)
17:22 // Drumming Influences
19:27 // HUM in KC
20:23 // The Phone Call, Practicing, & Playing
27:49 // "Comin' Home" Discussion
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Today I’m talking to COLEY DENNIS, guitarist & founding member of the Athens, GA rock band MASERATI. They’ve covered tons of sonic territory, from post-hardcore to electronic to psychedelia to heavy disco to space rock & beyond. He’s also got a new loud & dreamy rock project called RED DWARF STAR, beaming in from Lausanne, Switzerland where he now lives.
In this episode, we talk about the culture shock of the expatriate life, plugging into the early 2000s Athens music scene, & the striking harmony of the light & heavy.
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:05 // “This is a Sight We Had One Day from the Mountain” (Maserati)
03:09 // Switzerland
05:42 // Athens ‘00s
11:36 // Maserati Then & Now
15:23 // Red Dwarf Star
18:05 // “Lady Aurora Borealis” (R.D.S.)
22:27 // HUM on MTV
27:29 // Inlet & Enter the Mirror
30:31 // “Wallwalker” (Maserati)
32:03 // “Cloud City” Discussion
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“Cloud City” @ AV Fest // 2011
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Today I'm talking to TOM MULLEN from WASHED UP EMO.
Tom’s been in the music business for decades, doing digital marketing, executive work, & an array of creative projects at labels like Vagrant, TVT, Equal Vision, Sony, & others.
He started the Washed Up Emo website in 2007, & has since expanded it into a podcast with over 250 episodes, a book series, & a DJ night.
In this episode, we talk about how the changing media landscape of the late 90s & early 2000s intersected with alternative music culture, the ambivalence around "Midwest emo" as sub-genre & brand, & where Hum might fit within that specific context. We also explore one of the band’s most beloved b-sides, looking at its strange place in their discography. Where does it truly belong?
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SMILE POLITELY Interview: Matt Talbott
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:16 // Booking Hopesfall & Saves the Day
05:00 // Early Podcasting Landscape
13:43 // Curiosity & Connection
17:35 // Washed Up Emo Podcast
20:15 // "Midwest Emo,” the Anachronism
24:19 // HUM re Emo
34:27 // WRUV, MTV, & the Cat's Cradle
36:37 // The Quiet-Loud
39:52 // Pre-YPAA Sessions
46:45 // DIH Reissue Playback @ Sony
51:45 // "Boy with Stick" Discussion
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Other songs: Deftones, "Minerva" // Title Fight: "Head in the Ceiling Fan"
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