BIG EGO Tapes

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Conversations with interesting people about music, film, art, philosophy, Del Taco, literature, politics, and more music. Recorded on to a single 60 minute tape with no edits and broken in to two 30 minute parts (Side A and B). Hosted by Chris Schlarb.

Chris Schlarb


    • Aug 7, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 1m AVG DURATION
    • 31 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from BIG EGO Tapes

    Heather Sommerhauser (08.25.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 63:26


    Junatime mastermind Heather Sommerhauser talks about the two years spent making her album Remember The Magic, how she approaches rhythm and songwriting, and being validated in her love for Def Leppard and being an artist for the first time.

    Max Knouse (05.01.23)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 63:42


    Guitarist, songwriter, and sideman for Califone, Alex Dupree, and others, Max Knouse talks about how seriously everyone takes music, knowing what you're good at by how others react, finding inspiration in gear, and being a guitar-for-hire after the pandemic. 

    guitarists califone knouse
    Josh Ottum (05.17.23)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 63:28


    Guitarist, songwriter, and conceptualist Josh Ottum talks about the power of sound, if proficiency is the enemy of the creative process, honest passions vs. post-modern irony, and the effects of listening to Patrick O'Hearn's album Between Two Worlds in the late 80's.

    Alex Sadnik (03.27.23)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 63:27


    Alto saxophonist, arranger, and composer Alex Sadnik talks about his newest album Flight, contending with Charlie Parker, the difference between working for yourself and others in the recording studio, and defining success as an artist.

    Ryan Jewell (05.24.23)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 63:23


    Drummer, percussionist, and studio denizen Ryan Jewell talks about why some drummers sound different even when they're playing the same thing, loving Weird Al Yankovic, and dissecting Al Jackson Jr.'s drum parts for Al Green limb by limb.

    Chris Schlarb (07.01.23)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 62:40


    A rambling solo start to the fourth season of BIG EGO Tapes featuring a general wellness check, an update on the future of the studio, the voice of Stewart Copeland, album release news, photography talk, and other meanderings.

    stewart copeland chris schlarb
    Chad Taylor (06.06.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2022 62:56


    Prodigious drummer & composer Chad Taylor discusses his time spent playing alongside Pharaoh Sanders and Marc Ribot, cutting Sam Prekop's self-titled album, why Stereolab took Chicago Underground Duo on tour, and William Parker's admonition that "The music doesn't care whether you think it's good or bad."

    Maria Elena Silva (04.12.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2022 63:13


    Maria Elena Silva talks about the trust and telepathy of Eros, touring the album, getting COVID, touring again, the American Dream prescription, and balancing her creative and maternal selves. 

    T.J. Masters (04.13.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 63:20


    Guitarist, singer/songwriter, and Guma mastermind T.J. Masters talks about the recording his newest album, "A List of Sightings" before and after the pandemic, how different the record would be if he hadn't shown up for mixing, and the possibility that his next collection of songs will be entitled, "Workingman's Guma."

    Nate Cross (04.12.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 63:28


    Astral Spirits owner Nate Cross pours the sotol and talks about why he still listens to unsolicted demos, releasing 30 albums a year, how record labels are modern day record stores, and being the home for a potential Peter Brötzmann disco album.

    Steuart Liebig (03.31.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2022 63:33


    Bassist, composer, and improviser Steuart Liebig talks about quitting Les McCann's band in 1979, founding the avant-pop group BLOC with Nels Cline, joining Julius Hemphill's JAH Band, auditioning for Oingo Boingo, and why he won't hire drummers younger than 37.

    Devin O'Brien (03.28.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 63:29


    Engineer, photographer, and musician Devin O'Brien has been at the center of BIG EGO from the very beginning. For the last few years Devin balanced his time playing in Cherry Glazerr with jumping into dozens of sessions; documenting both sight and sound with a unique, unified vision.

    Alicia Walter (02.22.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2022 63:28


    Alicia Walter sold her belongings, bought a car, and left New York to record her newest album with a live band of musicians she'd never met in California. In this conversation she talks about the transformative nature of art, fighting perfectionist tendencies, and the ruthlessness of pop music.

    Dave Easley (03.02.22)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 63:28


    A rare in depth conversation with pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley discussing his formative years in Illinois playing in saxophonist Lin Halliday's band, finding his own sound, moving to New Orleans, recording two albums with the Brian Blade Fellowship, duetting with Joni Mitchell, and recording, "Byways of the Moon."

    Jerry David DeCicca (06.17.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2021 57:05


    Jerry David DeCicca on his preferred BLT composition, producing Will Beeley's first album in 40 years, the singularity of "the voice that fell from outer space," computers hiding humanness, and working security at a Rush concert.

    Katie Jo Oberthaler (03.29.21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 62:56


    Equally at home leading a slow dance or a blazing honky-tonk, Katie Jo talks about living out of her van during the pandemic, shooting a video at her childhood roller rink in Wichita, and the dual journeys that lead to the release of her album, "Pawn Shop Queen".

    Danny Frankel (11.13.20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2021 63:07


    Drummer and percussionist Danny Frankel on growing up in Cleveland, playing CBGB's with Urban Verbs in the late 70's, recording demos with Brian Eno, working with producers Steve Lillywhite and Hal Willner, and what retirement means for a musician.

    cleveland drummer brian eno cbgb steve lillywhite hal willner danny frankel
    Alisha Westerman (07.01.20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 63:03


    Singer / songwriter Alisha Westerman on the recording studio as a holy space, group flow state, paranoia, processing trauma, and the spiritual visitation from Ikey Owens that led to the making of her album "Ego Trip".

    Anthony Shadduck (03.07.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2021 56:41


    Bassist, composer, and bandleader Anthony Shadduck talks about why Charlie Haden sitting in with the Minutemen was a pivotal moment, shouldering the burden of the song, discovering music in the 21st Century, and the loss of artist mythology via social media.

    Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon (10.27.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2021 57:11


    Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon on the euphoria and ambition of recording his debut album Namesake, how "Almost Heaven" died and came back to life, why an artist sings a song, and escaping the star-maker machinery of American Idol.

    Mike Watt (01.09.20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2021 56:52


    Bassist, librettist, and musical force of nature Mike Watt on the fear of reruns, the social construct of "winning", being yourself while creating art for a larger audience, working on Ball-Hog or Tugboat? with 17 different bands, recording with Kelly Clarkson, and talking with Jandek about craft beers and Bad Brains.

    Mike Baggetta (03.14.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2019 57:29


    Guitarist & composer Mike Baggetta on the drama behind recording "Wall of Flowers" with Jim Keltner and Mike Watt, turning mistakes into greatness, gigantic looming moments of self doubt, and saying yes to almost everything.

    Meg Duffy (02.21.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2019 61:16


    Hand Habits alter ego Meg Duffy on the demos becoming the record, not sanding off the rough edges of art, working on Placeholder in Wisconsin, music as religion, and the transition from bartending to touring with Kevin Morby to going solo.

    David Lord (01.10.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2019 61:13


    Guitarist and founder of Air House Music Academy David Lord on touring across the United States in a school bus, the best advice he ever received, cultivating his unique compositional voice in isolation, "Wichita Bubble Success", and overcoming the terror of working with his musical inspirations.

    Philip Glenn (01.04.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2019 61:01


    Southern California fiddle shredder Philip Glenn on quitting his teaching job to become a full time musician, making his old time bluegrass album "Outsider" with non-bluegrass players, Nickel Creek and the Ska Crypt, working hard to sound like yourself, and why limitations make art (and Star Wars) better.

    Steve Wynn (01.11.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2019 59:34


    Dream Syndicate co-founder and prolific singer/songwriter Steve Wynn on hitting his artistic stride, writing songs to fill an emptiness, meeting Kendra Smith at UC Davis, looking for musicians in The Recycler, and only wanting to be successful enough to keep working on music.

    Clementine Creevy (01.24.19)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2019 57:11


    Cherry Glazerr frontwoman Clementine Creevy on the punishing joy of playing guitar, the band's new album Stuffed & Ready, choosing punk rock over college (and telling her parents), rumors of going solo, never needing to hear "Santeria" again, and why you can't fuck with Joni Mitchell.

    Ronan Chris Murphy (11.30.18)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2019 65:04


    GWAR producer and King Crimson mixer Ronan Chris Murphy on surviving almost 30 years in the music business, working on the MAFIA III soundtrack in Nashville, collaborating with Robert Fripp, conflict and Bob Clearmountain, reconciling art and success, and how a producer is a hall monitor for musicians.

    nashville gwar king crimson robert fripp mafia iii bob clearmountain ronan chris murphy
    Stephen Hodges (11.21.18)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2019 64:52


    Legendary drummer and Long Beach native Stephen Hodges on playing music for dancers, recording Swordfishtrombones with Tom Waits in 1981, a decade of working with Mavis Staples, wanting to sneak onto Bob Dylan's tour bus, making Contemplating the Engine Room with Mike Watt, contributing to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and why David Lynch is a great "fifth Beatle".

    Gustavo Turner (11.15.18)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2019 65:19


    Prolific writer and photographer Gustavo Turner on the Baconian Theory of Shakespere's authorship, the LA Weekly's right wing trojan horse takeover, trading the muse for money, Bob Dylan's 55 year shamanic state, and the joy of illegal basement shows.

    Tabor Allen (11.12.18)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 64:39


    Cherry Glazerr and Psychic Temple drummer Tabor Allen on writing a rock opera for Mike Watt at age 17, working as a security guard and truck driver, the power of "sessions", being a workaholic, and persevering when no one gives a shit.

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