Nashville Demystified

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“New Nashvillian” Alex Steed uses being a total outsider as an excuse to unearth the city’s rich history.

Knack Factory / We Own This Town


    • Apr 25, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 61 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Nashville Demystified

    Lucy’s Legacy: Talking Lucy’s Record Shop with Mary Mancini

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2022 49:32


    Talking with Mary Mancini about about the legacy of Lucy's Record Shop, the punk and “alternative” music venue of 90's Nashville.

    Kevin Guthrie Won’t Tell You He’s an Artist

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 60:21


    We talk with artist Kevin Guthrie about his time in Nashville and his development as an artist even though he gets a little weird about accepting the term.

    Getting Deep with Caitlin Rose

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 59:48


    Talking with Caitlin Rose about music making, living with tricky brains, and being weird kids.

    Steven Hale on Nashville’s Record Number of Overdoses

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 55:00


    Journalist Steven Hale joins for a chat about the opioid epidemic, fentanyl poisoning and how it has impacted Nashville.

    The Bell Witch Part 2: The Story, the Newspaperman and Some Theories

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 46:35


    Behold! The second installment of our two part series on The Bell Witch.

    The Bell Witch Part 1: Stories About a Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2021 28:35


    The CRT read on The Bell Witch that nobody asked for... but needs to be told.

    Craig Havighurst on The Station Inn and Venue Health

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2021 34:12


    We talk with writer and journalist Craig Havighurst about the history of the Station Inn and its fate after the passing of owner JT Gray.

    health venue station inn craig havighurst
    And… We’re Back with Maggie Rose

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 40:52


    Nashville Demystified RETURNS and catches up with the splendiferous Maggie Rose.

    Getting Sleazy with LG of Thelma and the Sleaze [Rebroadcast]

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2020 47:57


    Rebroadcast: Alex Steed speaks with absolute force of nature Lauren Gilbert, aka LG, aka band center of gravity for Thelma and the Sleaze.

    Greetings From New Nashville: An Interview with Steve Haruch

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2020 36:06


    We talk with writer, editor, and filmmaker Steve Haruch about his new book Greetings from New Nashville, a series of essays on how Nashville became the It City it is today.

    Christine “Teeny” Jarrett Was Wrestling’s Grand Dame

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2020 42:07


    Christine "Teeny" Jarrett was Professional Wrestling’s grand dame. We get to know her rag to riches story by talking to her grandson and biographer Brennon Martin.

    Appreciating David Berman, Ascending Menthol Mountains

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 45:34


    A cast of friends pay tribute to David Berman and Menthol Mountains; bringing his inspiring blog to life.

    The Nashville Flame and other 1980s Fever Dreams [Rebroadcast]

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 29:39


    Before taking you down a fever dreamy rabbit hole of 1980s Nashville, Alex delves into the legend of the Nashville Flame—a friend of other-worldly humanoids and foe to murderous biker-gangs.

    Tony Alamo, Susan Alamo, Cults and Sequined Jackets: A Conversation with Author Debby Schriver

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 48:26


    We talk Tony Alamo, the children of his cult, the horrible act befallen to his wife, Susan Alamo through a conversation with author Debby Schriver.

    Tristen Talks Please Vote Nashville and Civic Engagement

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 20:00


    Tristen Gaspadarek talks with Alex Steed about the origins of Please Vote Nashville how being a DIY musician overlaps with civic engagement.

    Marlene Twitty-Fargo is a Foul-Mouthed Angel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2020 39:43


    Marlene Twitty-Fargo is the drag persona of Tim White, leader of the band The Twat Biscuits and is a ton of fun.

    Nick Gulas was Nashville’s King of Wrestling

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2020 41:34


    As a teenager in 1920s Birmingham, Alabama, Nick Gulas left his job at a bakery to learn the ropes (pun intended) of working in the wrestling business. Once he knew a thing or two, he came to Nashville and made both the city and the sport his life for over 40 years. For a good […]

    Rabid Dogs, Spanish Flu and Acid Attacks: 1918 Was Wild

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2020 26:20


    A Spanish Flu adjacent episode in which pieces from the Tennessean from that time are visited.

    Sex in the Time of COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2020 33:21


    I took a break from heavy stuff this week to talk sex in the isolation age with Tessa Lowe of Primrose Path Boutique.

    The 1998 Nashville Tornados: Dark, Mile-Wide Wall

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2020 20:33


    A piece about the day of the 1998 tornado itself. K-Ci & JoJo were huge and the winds were catastrophic.

    The 1998 Nashville Tornados: The Invisible Hand

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2020 22:04


    Part 1 of a three part miniseries about the 1998 Nashville tornadoes.

    Music City Tales from the 1980s: Lower Broad and the Ascendance of the High Class Drunk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2020 41:10


    How did Lower Broad manage to ascend into a tourist destination in the later half of the Reagan Era? Also, a few words about that fucking tornado.

    Music City Tales… Companion: Deporting Sex Workers, Legalizing Prostitution and Bombing Strip Clubs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2020 24:26


    A bit about sex work during the Civil War and some unbelievable tales about The Classic Cat II, Nashville’s longest running, and probably most storied, strip clubs.

    Music City Tales from the 1980s: Meet Hoot Jackson [Lower Broad Part I]

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2020 35:47


    How Lower Broad went from being the sort of place most folks didn’t engage with after dark to becoming a budding tourist destination.

    One time Carlene Carter was Awarded a Key to the Jail

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2020 43:41


    Today we talk with the wonderful Carlene Carter. This is not an official installment of Music City Tales from the 1980s, though it’s strongly related. Let’s say that it’s a companion episode.

    Music City Tales from the 1980s: From Rural Purges to All Nashville All the Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2020 36:49


    In March of 1983, WSM launched The Nashville Network, TNN for short. Today we look at how televisions show like Hee Haw, and a phenomenon called “The Rural Purge” made all of this possible.

    Music City Tales from the 1980s: Growing Up Opryland

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2020 25:34


    If you were a kid in Nashville in the 1980s, you will forever have THE ultimate insider Nashville conversation starter in your back pocket; Opryland USA.

    Music City Tales From the 1980s: Prologue: Last Ticket to Bonertown

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2020 17:56


    Alex Steed introduces a new 10-part series about Nashville in the 1980s by having a look at the infamous Mayor Bill Boner and his Donahue appearance.

    To Space and Back with The Weird Sisters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2020 36:45


    Nashville Demystified gets too stoned interviewing The Weird Sisters, so they turn their chat into a sound collage.

    Sean Nelson is Back in Nashville, Everybody!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2020 46:57


    Sean Nelson is a writer / music journalist / haver-of-opinions / singer / musician best known for his published works in The Stranger and as member of the band Harvey Danger.

    Anthony Simpkins of GemsOnVHS

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2019 52:37


    Anthony Simpkins runs the popular YouTube channel, GemsOnVHS. We talk genre, curation and the empathetic power of music.

    Phoebe Hunt, Mystical Indie Folkie

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 45:35


    Phoebe Hunt is a fiddler, singer/songwriter and yogi. She came to Nashville by way of Brooklyn by way of Austin and we talk about everything from music-as-a-healing-force to past lives.

    Maya de Vitry Adapts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2019 33:39


    Singer-Songwriter Maya de Vitry speaks on her experiences finding herself as a solo artist, the benefits of working at Starbucks and breaking out of the bubble of Nashville.

    Talking Motown Monday and Mortality with Jacob Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2019 49:34


    Alex Steed speaks with Jacob Jones; one of the DJ's behind internationally acclaimed dance party Motown Monday.

    Mercy Bell / Remembering Acuff’s Run for Governor

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2019 59:18


    Host Alex Steed takes us through the time Roy Acuff ran for governor and then speaks with pop-folk, or folk-pop, or pop-alt-country artist, Mercy Bell.

    Erin Rae’s guide to Nashville, Boundaries and Antiques

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2019 69:55


    Erin Rae is a musician based here in Nashville. She is a delight. Here she shares her history in the town, insights on establishing boundaries as a working musician, and tips on where to get the best antiques in town.

    Bebe Buell is a Force of Nature

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2019 57:40


    She is one hundred percent personality. She has *lived.*

    Getting Sleazy with LG of Thelma and the Sleaze

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2019 45:26


    Alex Steed speaks with absolute force of nature Lauren Gilbert, aka LG, aka band center of gravity for Thelma and the Sleaze.

    When Mother Teresa Came to Nashville: The NunBun Remembered

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2019 24:57


    Alex takes time to remember Nashville's most infamous pastry, Bongo Java's NunBun.

    Tennessee’s Death Penalty with Journalist Steven Hale

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2019 69:17


    Steven Hale, journalist for the Nashville Scene, talks with Alex Steed about Tennessee’s death penalty and his coverage of it.

    All things Third Man with Ben Swank

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2019 43:10


    Third Man Records co-owner Ben Swank moved to Nashville literally days before the label launched. His history is intrinsically tied with the city.

    The Nashville Flame and other 1980s Fever Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2019 28:06


    Before taking you down a fever dreamy rabbit hole of 1980s Nashville, Alex delves into the legend of the Nashville Flame—a friend of other-worldly humanoids and foe to murderous biker-gangs.

    What kind of human do you want to be? feat. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza and Tristan Scroggins

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2019 65:44


    Today we’ll talk with Robyn Henderson-Espinoza. Robyn lives here in Nashville and is a queer, non-binary, Latinx poet and holds a PhD in theology. I also talk with Tristan Scroggins - a mandolinist and all around bluegrass wizard who writes about how strange it is to live life on the road as a traveling musician.

    Remembering David Berman

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2019 13:23


    Alex spends time with David Berman's blog, Menthol Mountains, to try to get a sense of his relationship with the city and his relationship with the world at large.

    Nashville’s White Supremacist Bombings w. Betsy Phillips

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2019 64:14


    Alex Steed talks about Nashville’s history of white supremacist violence with author and historian Betsy Phillips.

    The Importance of Being Ernest with Justin Lloyd

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019 33:28


    Mini-episode with Jim Varney nephew and documentarian, Justin Lloyd.

    Remembering Jim Varney / Ernest P. Worrell [and Jenni Lyn Gardner of Della Mae]

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2019 88:05


    Jenni Lyn Gardner, of Grammy nominated Della Mae, and Daniel Butler, a man with a rich Nashville history and experience working with Jim Varney, aka Ernest P. Worrell.

    Sick Teachers and Bachelorette Party Fever Dreams

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2019 45:05


    A bachelorette fever dream that leads into a explanation of the Metro Nashville Public Schools Teachers ongoing plight.

    Honkytonk Badonkadonk and Carolyn Kendrick

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2019 52:21


    Jack Evan Johnson and Cybelle Elena discuss their zine Honkytonk Badonkadonk and we catch up with Carolyn Kendrick on her move to Nashville.

    Home, Wood Panel Discounts and Pride feat. Ellie Buckland [Lula Wiles] and Bluegrass Wednesday

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2019 53:36


    Eleanor discusses why professional musicians’ concepts of “home” can be especially unique. Evan and James discuss Bluegrass Wednesday's at the American Legion Post 82.

    Racist Encounters, Small and Large

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2019 21:17


    Typically Nashville Demystified is conversation and interview heavy, but again I am just off vacation and so I am without an interview. And, and this is the focus of what follows, on my way back from BNW airport my Uber driver used the n-word twice. I discuss what unfolded, how my Northern friends shouldn’t believe […]

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