Memory Tracks

I learned about this Neil's musical taste through his son, Stuart, my episode 1 guest. When Neil found himself stranded in Austin over the last month, we had a chance to tape this episode where I got a much better understanding for some of the coolest 70s and 80s UK hits from Neil's youth. Bonus content at the end for more on great Scots and Neil's mobile disco. So Long - Fischer-Z Silver Machine - Hawkwind Delilah -The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

First episode in a longtime with a special guest, my friend Gaby DeLeon. Hear about SXSW discoveries and the omnipresence of Selena growing up in Texas. Rise to the Sun - Alabama Shakes Bad Romance - Lady Gaga Techno Cumbia - Remix - Selena

Lisa has become such a great friend to me over the years after I first met her working with her husband Doug. She hired me as an intern at a tech company, we bonded, and the rest is history. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon Cut-Out Witch - Guided By Voices New Beat - Toro y Moi

For the 50th episode, my friend Frank joins to chat about a few tunes from his life. Longtime Austin pal through SXSW adventures, Frank is the one who encouraged me to start recording episodes again after the long hiatus. Pablo in Dub - Augustus Pablo Refractions in the Plastic Pulse - Stereolab Rise - Doves

Another long break between episodes, but happy to be back here talking with Austin-based songwriter Ali Holder. We chat old country tunes, music that gets you through hard times, and hidden gems from an under-appreciated 90s movie about witches. Faded Love - Willie Nelson ft. Ray Price Wake Up - Arcade Fire Crystal - Stevie Nicks

My friend Josh brought me three songs paired with three whiskeys to drink along with. I'd recommend you follow his lead by listening along with some bourbon. Let it Be - The Beatles To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to be High) - Ryan Adams Bread & Water - Ryan Bingham

After too long of a break, a new episode is finally here. In 2009, I met Andrew at his co-owned gallery and art collective space in Chicago called Oh No! Doom. Years later, our paths randomly crossed here in Austin at a Deafheaven show, so I asked him to come on and give me his three songs. Creeping Death - Metallica The Great Southern Trendkill - Pantera Ghost Fields - Murder by Death

Truly enjoyed this episode with my climbing buddy, Mike Gallagher, who brought a wide selection of tracks to the table. Mike shares stories about connecting with his dad later in life, moving across the country, and more. Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin Sense and Sensibility - Millencolin Rivers and Roads - The Head and The Heart

Miguel came on as a recommended guest from a previous episode, and it was great to meet him and chat about music. I'm now educated about the Jimi Hendrix of the Accordion. Miguel's passion for the Chicano music he continues to be inspired by shines in our conversation. Quiero Besarte A La Noche - Esteban Steve Jordan Bad Indian - The Gun Club Take Your Time (Don't Blow Your Mind) - Part Time

Loved having Lina on the podcast to close out my January tapings. She shared some heartfelt songs and her strong connections to each one. These stories moved me as a testament to music sticking with you in meaningful ways, and I'm incredibly grateful we were able to have the conversation. Oh Yoko! - John Lennon The Beast In Me - Johnny Cash Drove Me Wild - Tegan & Sara

Amber was my first boss of my professional career and ever since has been a close friend of mine with whom I've been itching to have on the show. We shared a lot of laughs on this episode, and I always love when someone has the chance to profess their absolute devotion to a particular artist like Amber does in her last song selection. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley Let Your Heart Not Be Troubled - Band of Heathens Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin

Besides Jordan's excellent taste in sports teams (Houston Strong), he's got great taste in music and sense of how a song can thread in and out of your life in meaningful ways. Enjoyed having him on the show to explore that with him and these tracks. Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You) - UGK ft. Outkast Never Would Have Made It - Marvin Sapp DNA. - Kendrick Lamar

Charlie and I spent a fair amount of time geeking out about guitars and production value, especially when one of his song was on my own shortlist of potential Memory Tracks. Turn the bass up in those headphones for the first track to hear the GOAT, James Jamerson. For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder Shellshock - New Order Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (Live at El Mocambo) - Stevie Ray Vaughn

From chasing down bands at Java Jazz to falling in love with her husband more than 12 years ago, Sarah shared her stories connected with these songs as if they were just yesterday. Loved having her on as a long time Austin friend and thoughtful selector of tracks. Yellow Lights - Cruiserweight Thanx for Staying - Reggie and the Full Effect Apparat - Komponent (Telefon Tel Aviv RMX)

Darby has been hopping around the globe over the past year, including a significant portion of her time working in the middle of the Outback in Australia over the past year. I managed to catch her back in Austin for a bit to record this episode. Everything I Once Had - The Honorary Title MAN O TU - Nu Strictly Reserved for You - Charles Bradley

Loved having Bryan on the podcast to run through his songs. A long ago SXSW acquaintance, over the years I've seen him stay super busy in the music community of Austin. As a creator of Pop Press International, regular contributor at Austin Monthly, author of 33⅓'s The Beat Happening, and an English teacher, Bryan is all about unpacking the impact music can have on individuals. Tonight, Tonight - The Smashing Pumpkins Debaser - The Pixies The Moon - The Microphones

Honored to have Lars Nilsen on the podcast. I've spent more than 10 years in Austin seeing things that he has programmed in the film community here. It was a real pleasure to meet him in person and listen to his stories tied back to some great songs. Sometimes certain tracks just "harmonizes with your being," as he puts it. Atlantis - Donovan Turn of the Century - Royal Trux Darlin' - The Beach Boys

Its great when a guest's episode inspires someone else to raise their hand and want to come on the show. In this case, Jess took interest after hearing her husband, Eddie, on episode 29. I had fun getting to know Jess better and hear her take on songs that I was familiar with myself. Twist and Shout - The Beatles Dosed - Red Hot Chili Peppers Strange Vine - Delta Spirit

Orville brought great music knowledge and insight about songs I was not too familiar with. I dug them. We know each other from playing music together, but hearing his stories tied back to these tracks gave me a greater appreciation for Orville's musical influences and what they mean to him today. I Wish I Was a Girl - The Pink Fairies Used To - Wire Flipper - Way of the World

After a bit of an absence, we're back with episode 32 and an amazing guest who's stories really connected to an excellent selection of music. Hearing Shawnasee explain her evolving association to Franks Ocean's opening Channel Orange track, pre- and post- child birth was heartfelt, and I really enjoyed how she articulated her memories against the framework of this episode. Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll) - George Harrison Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips Thinkin Bout You - Frank Ocean

If you listened to episode 12, you'll remember Gabby making mention of her dad, Emilio, and his eclectic music taste that developed growing up in Puerto Rico. It just so happened that Emilio was in town this past weekend and he wanted to come on the show after hearing about it from his daughter. A former radio host himself, Emilio was a natural and I truly enjoyed hearing his stories of sailing to Bob Marley, working alongside his brother's musical career and more. Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra Africa Unite - Bob Marley & The Wailers Cosas Buenas - Millo Torres Y El Tercer Planeta

Episode 30 feels like a milestone, so I was happy to bring Cina on as my guest for this episode. He's a music nerd as good as any, and I loved learning about his path from crafting chip tunes to crawling Radiohead forums as a kid. We also agreed that his last pick is one of the most unexpectedly difficult karaoke songs to ever pull off. Bonus: Cina's cover of Africa - https://soundcloud.com/cinasaffary/africa-toto-cover-ds-remix. 2 + 2 = 5 - Radiohead Avril 14th - Aphex Twin Africa - Toto

Eddie is the last of the 4 key influencers for me starting this podcast, so having him on was extra special. It has been a longtime coming, and he happened to pick a couple of songs that I have strong attachments to as well. Enjoyed hearing about his memories with each of these, and going back to the years when they became important to us. Stand by Me - Ben E. King El Scorcho - Weezer Young Liars - TV on the Radio

I've been looking forward to bringing Jakob on this podcast since the beginning. I'll confess that I had a few too many bourbons through this episode, but the conversation was genuine and I'll always hold this episode dear to my heart. There's a lot to unpack with these songs, and I really enjoyed hearing Jakob's stories around them. It's Beginning to Rain - Jimmy Swaggert Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle Real Love - The Beatles

Eva brought a great selection of tracks from some artists that I really love, and we enjoyed swapping stories tied back to them. Be it a thoughtful gift from a future brother-in-law or an exchange of songs between first love, Eva she shares how these songs have remained important to her over the years. First David Byrne feature in the podcast! I Want You - Erykah Badu Painter in Your Pocket - Destroyer And She Was - Talking Heads

Look at that beautiful new cover art! Josh gets to be the lucky first episode with my new logo, designed by my friend and future guest, Alexis Kraus. And what a good episode to debut the styling with! Josh is a former podcast host himself, and fellow music lover, so this was an incredibly enjoyable episode to record. Really enjoyed hearing more about his range of stories across classical music, hip hop and more. Night on Bald Mountain - Modest Mussorgsky Gone - Ben Folds Silky Tay's Theme - Phonte

Bryson is a long time friend who I also happened to play music with in past bands. This is the the dude who really turned me onto D'Angelo back in college, for which I am eternally grateful. Loved our chat, but forgot to take a picture, so I'm borrowing an old band promo art designed by future podcast guest, Jakob Clark. Jazz Crimes - Joshua Redman Spanish Joint - D'Angelo Brother John - The Wild Tchoupitoulas

After some scheduling rearrangements, this episode came somewhat spontaneously as last episode's guest, Patty, suggested Tiffany take a seat behind the mic after I had an unexpected opening. She was a terrific guest, and helped continue my push to properly listen to R.E.M. like previous guest Joshua urged. Go - Pearl Jam Nightswimming - R.E.M. Manchester - Kishi Bashi

Patty took to the Memory Tracks concept right away. She confessed that it took her months to narrow down her three songs, so future guests... don't feel like you are the only one stressed. We chat about Patty's college years, moving to Austin, and bonding with coworkers over drinks and music. Enjoy this one! Fool in the Rain - Led Zeppelin Never is a Moment - Jimmy Lafave Dancing Queen - ABBA

Had the pleasure of chatting with my friend Jess Abbott while she was in town for SXSW with her band Tancred. We covered ground with camping trips, babysitters, Romeo + Juliet, ghost stories and more. Enjoy this one, and if you haven't already listen to her awesome record, Out of The Garden from last year and catch one of her shows this summer. All I Really Want - Alanis Morissette Nice & Slow - Usher Two Small Deaths - Wye Oak

One of my favorite parts of SXSW is hosting foreign travelers, and this year I welcomed Leticia from Brazil. She took to the Memory Tracks concept right away and we shared a wonderful conversation about some Brazilian musicians and more. Aria Cantilena from Bachiana brasileira No. 5 - Heitor Villa-Lobos, Bidu Sayão Onde Anda Você - Toquinho, Vinícius de Moraes Je ne veux pas travailler - Pink Martini

Rachael said she was surprised when I asked her to come on the podcast, because she didn't think of herself as big a music fan as other guests. I reminded her that this show isn't about being a music nerd -- it is about exploring the stories written in your brain forever tied to certain songs. Luckily, she agreed and we ended up having an awesome conversation. Take It Easy - The Eagles You and Tequila - Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter Work It - Missy Elliott

I always love hearing the origin stories of people's musical tastes. My friend, Brant, shared the beginnings of his love for metal and how he immersed himself in the many iterations of the heavy sound over time. We forgot to take a photo of this one, so enjoy the album cover mascots from two of the songs we discuss. Moonchild - Iron Maiden Playing with Spiders/Skullkrusher - Overkill Cosmic Sea - Death

From geeking out on Radiohead to learning more about pioneering synthesizer music, Joshua was a wealth of knowledge and interesting stories and connections to some great songs. I've known Josh over the years to have some very eclectic taste, and lots of passion for creativity in music, so it was really fun getting to unpack these songs with him. Pyramid Song - Radiohead Clair de Lune, No. 3 - Claude Debussy, Isao Tomita You Are Everything - R.E.M.

Jason is not only a friend, but also now a bandmate. Very cool to have this conversation about music and his stories tied back to these songs. He sought out the first track for years before finally hearing it, and based on our chat, the wait was worth it for him. Wham! - Lonnie Mack Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes Intervention - Arcade Fire

Rabie is an old friend from high school that truth be told, I never really got to know that well growing up. But he's been in Austin, like me, for a while, and after a few run-ins and some props on the podcast were exchanged, I knew this would be a fun interview to tape. He brought the first official Kanye song on the podcast, and it goes for 12 and half minutes with a spoken history lesson, but I felt it was important to let the track ride all the way through. He also was the first to pick a completely fresh track, with a memory tied to as recent as the past weekend, and I respect that. Inhale - Common The Last Call - Kanye West Bigger Than Me - Big Sean

Ramon is one of my best friends from college and one of the more knowledgeable music fans I know. He's known for his hot takes, and he didn't disappoint in this episode. Ramon's taste is all over the map, but for this episode, we stayed true to his passion for hip hop and covered some of the greats. Ex-Factor - Lauryn Hill Guess Who's Back - Scarface (featuring Jay-Z, Beanie Siegel) B.O.B. - Outkast

I had never met Caitlin until she stopped by to do a taping as she drove across the country back home to LA. A few weeks prior she had met a friend of mine and listener of the show, who ultimately connected us and encouraged us to tape this episode after realizing our similar interests and passion for music. Then I found out she had a good Bowie story, and of course my curiosity was piqued. Modern Love - David Bowie Bouncin Around the Room [live version 1994] - Phish Verdis Quo - Daft Punk

Andy O'Connor is the most metal guy I know. He's been a good friend since college, and I really enjoyed talking music with him. We explored music's importance in his life, and not just the fact that he's a professional music journalist, but that he first and foremost is a fan of so many types of music itself. This was a fun one! Don't Close You Eyes - Kix Still Return - Harold Budd and Brian Eno Where You Rest Your Head at Night - Planning for Burial

Gabby was an awesome guest, sharing stories of her dad passing down great music, unplanned moments of friendship at music festivals, and finally a really educational introduction to Puerto Rico history and music. I learned a lot from this one, and loved getting to know more about this awesome co-worker and friend. Neon Experience - Júniús Meyvant Psychic City - Classixx Remix - YACHT Ah-Ah/O-No -HéctorLavoe, Willie Colón

Sam and I share a complete devotion to all things Prince, and our common love of one of the greatest musicians of all time warranted an episode where all 3 songs came from 1 artist. It was wonderful to hear how these songs came to define Sam's growing up in the 80s in the middle of the country. I feel like we could have geeked out for hours on Prince material, and this was only the beginning, but I hope you find new ways to appreciate The Purple One through this episode. Dirty Mind - Prince Something in the Water (Does Not Compute) - Prince The Beautiful Ones - Prince

I don't want to spoil the second half of the Wallis interview, but I can say that this was a very, very special conversation. I truly love these wonderful human beings and appreciate them coming onto the show. Hands on the Wheel - Willie Nelson (Matt) The Old Kind Of Summer - The Black Heart Procession (Joy) Maggot Brain - Funkadelic (Matt)

Approaching my 10th episode, I cheated a bit and decided to do something different. I interviewed two very good friends, who happen to be married to each other, at the same time. Walking into the interview, Joy and Matt did not know what tracks the other had selected. We revealed each track one at a time, ultimately splitting the episode into 2 parts. Here's part 1. You Talk Too Much - Run-D.M.C. (Joy) I Used to Love H.E.R. - Common Sense (Matt) Catch - The Cure (Joy)

Not only was Michelle an awesome guest with great selections and stories, she introduced the tradition of PLUR to me (see that Memory Tracks bracelet she made me), which you will have to listen for to learn about yourself. On a Good Day - Above and Beyond Sky High - Big Gigantic The Journey - Tom Misch

If you ever meet Chris Wright in person, it will only take you a minute to realize he's one of the best dudes there ever was. Chris and I have been going to shows together for years, and he once helped sneak me into Wrigley Field at 1:00 in the morning for a Pearl Jam show. While we don't get into that story, he shares a wide range of music with a few stories throughout his life. Ha Ha Ha - Flipper One More Bottle - Paw Fill in the Blank - Car Seat Headrest

Alvin will probably be my only guest that goes from a Dave Matthews Band song to Three Six Mafia's Project Pat, and I was totally here for it. He also brings us our first Christmas song reference, and I'm convinced he's picked the best version of a classic. But honestly I wish we had thought to play North Memphis on repeat. #41 - Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds North Memphis - Project Pat Silent Night - The Temptations

Brought on my good friend and former bandmate, Paul Banks, to talk about some special songs. We actually taped this while watching Game 7 of the World Series, and when we wrapped, hustled over to Deep Eddy bar during the rain delay to catch the ending. One week later, the file was still on the editing room floor when I read the news of Leonard Cohen's passing. Paul says that his last song selection, a cover of a Cohen song, is his favorite song ever. I decided to tack on the original version at the end of the podcast, because it is such a beautiful song, and I'm glad Paul was able to share that. Think of Rain - Margo Guryan Mother's Eyes - Jump Little Children Heart with No Companion - Ron Sexsmith/Leonard Cohen

Really enjoyed chatting with Mor in this episode. An AirBnB guest of mine, originally from Israel, living back and forth between there and Atlanta, I asked her on the first night of her stay if she would be interested in taping a podcast. Lucky for me, she's always wanted to be on a podcast, and was eager to take part in this one. Reckoning Song (One Day) - Asaf Avidan Marlene on the Wall - Suzanne Vega California Rain - Goldroom, Nikki Segal

Ever wonder what it would be like to have Lin-Manuel Miranda as your english teacher, and accidentally sub-tweet him lyrics of teenage love? This is just one of the amazing stories from my talented and hilarious friend Margaret Kaminski, another Los Angeles guest in town generous enough to sit down for the third episode of Memory Tracks. Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits Sweet Talkin Woman - Five Iron Frenzy Funny You Should Ask - The Front Bottoms

A quick weekend visit to Austin from an old friend, Doug Marshall, current Los Angeles resident and photography and music nerd resulted in the taping of episode two. The Grudge - Tool Untitled ("Popplagið") - Sigur Rós Says - Nils Frahm

For the first episode, I sat down with my good friend, Stuart Gray, who initially inspired me to start recording Memory Tracks. As - Stevie Wonder Words (Between the Lines of Age) - Neil Young Only You (And You Alone) - The Platters