Stereo Embers: The Podcast

"Sonic Ranch" Licking his wounds from the breakup of his band Big Car, the Texas-born singer/songwriter Miles Zuniga found himself out west--and when I say out west I mean about ten minutes from where we record this podcast. Miles got a job working at Chez Panisse and hanging out on Telegraph Avenue at Cody's Books and Amoeba Music. The Big Car experience hadn't been great, so Miles was plotting out his next moves while he worked in Alice Waters' restaurant and I'll let him tell you how that all played out, so let's just fast forward to when he moved back to Texas and joined forces with bassist/singer Tony Scalzo and drummer Joe Shuffield to form Fastball. The trio's debut Make Your Mama Proud evinced their penchant for punchy pop genius but it was their sophomore record All The Pain That Money Can Buy that put them on the map. The album's first single "The Way" was pretty much a pop sensation, hitting the number one slot of charts for seven weeks. The next two singles "Out Of My Head" and "Fire Escape" helped fuel the album's Platinum status and Zuniga, a long way now from his Chez Panisse days, found his band with two Grammy nominations. Over the course of their career, Fastball have collaborated with Billy Preston, Steve Berlin, Adam Schlesinger and Charlie Sexton. From Keep Your Wig On to The Help Machine to their latest album Sonic Ranch, their discography is an endless supply of pop riches. Miles is a great guy and this is a very cool chat so let's meet himm www.fastballtheband.com (http://www.fastballtheband.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast EMAIL: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Midnight At The Valencia" Before all this rock and roll stuff, Tom Hollister was a highly touted Rugby player from Wales. I'll let him tell you how his career as an athlete was derailed as a young man in Canada, but let me just say this: when he got back to Wales, he channeled all that athletic energy into another sport entirely: the making of music. In 2010, of all the emerging buzzbands, Cardinal Black was one of the buzziest. Guns N' Roses' longtime manager Alan Niven was overseeing the band's activity and let's just say this: it was active. They were invited by Steve Winwood to record at his studio, they played a killer set at Sonisphere and they flew to the U.S. to record an album. But things didn't go as planned and the band hit pause on a career that was about to kick into overdrive. I'll let Tom tell you about that dark time as well, but, and I don't think this is a spoiler, the dark times are over and Cardinal Black 2.0 are in fighting shape and adding brilliant achievements to their resume' with each passing day. They've hit #1 on the iTunes Rock Singles Chart, they've played sold-out headline shows in all over the world, supported Myles Kennedy, The Struts and Peter Frampton thanks to a personal invitation from the man himself, and played Joe Bonamassa's Keeping The Blues Alive rock cruise. The band's new long player Midnight At The Valencia is a smooth blend of simmering soul, bluesy ballads and shimmering, rootsy genius. Hollister's stirring vocals are drenched with heart and with the brilliant guitar playing of Chris Buck weaving throughout the band's compositions, Midnight At The Valencia is one of those records that evades the timeline. When you put it on it could be 1971 or 1993 or now. Or all of it. I love this record and I love this band and Tom is a humble, thoughtful and kind soul. www.thecardinalblack.com (http://www.thecardinalblack.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast BLUESKY + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Feel Good Now" Alright, let's get the spicy stuff out of the way; yes, the Loft split up onstage in front of 3,000 people while opening for the Colorfield at the Hammersmith Palais. That happened. But a lot happened before and a lot has happened after, so let me catch you up. Formed in 1980, The Loft were one of the first bands signed to Alan McGee's Creation Records. Their wistful pop had jangle and nerve and they tore out of the gates cramming their resume with notable achievements for McGee's lable like being the first Creation band to appear on television, the first top the indie singles chart, the first to be invited on to a major UK tour and the first to record a Janice Long BBC radio session. The Loft were poised to be a huge band, but the public split came before their first album was ever released and so fans could only be left to wonder what might have been had they been able to just get a record on the shelves. Compilations like Magpie Eyes and Once Around The Fair were released over the years, but as we know, great as they may be, it's not the same thing. Singer Pete Astor and drummer Dave Morgan went on the form the Weather Prophets, while guitarist Andy Strickland formed The Caretaker Race and bassist Bill Prince formed The Wishing Stones. Happily, the ice that forms after an argument started to thaw and the Loft slowly drifted back to each other. I'll let Andy and Pete tell you that story, but let me just say this. We're so lucky that it did because the band's debut album is one we finally get to hear and it was well worth the wait. The ten songs on Everything Changes, Everything Stays The Same are perfectly crafted pop gems with spry rhythms, jangling beauty and melodic mastery. I love this record. Pete's been on the show before, and he's a lovely guy to chat with, but having him back with Andy was a real treat. www.tapeterecords.de (https://www.tapeterecords.de) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Imogen Clark by Alex Green Online

"Strawberries" Perhaps best known as one of the co-founding members of the late great Australian band The Go-Betweens, singer/songwriter Robert Forster has been putting out critically acclaimed solo albums since his 1990 debut Danger In The Past. Over the years he added to his solo discography titles like Calling From A Country Phone and I Had A New York Girlfriend, and now the Brisbane-born Forster is checking in with his ninth solo effort Strawberries. The follow-up to 2023's rousing and affecting The Candle And The Flame, Strawberries is startlingly beautiful and emotionally precise. Produced by Peter Moren of Peter Bjorn and John, the eight numbers on Strawberries range from the jangling album opener "Tell It Back To Me" to the stirring blues of "Good To Cry." Elsewhere, the seven minute "Breakfast On The Train" is not only a great song, it also doubles as a great short story; the title track is a brilliant and simple study of the gobbling of strawberries as a metaphor for domestic bliss and the album closing "Diamonds" quite literally reaches new vocal heights for Mr. Forster. This is one of the best albums you'll hear--it's satisfyingly precise, unreasonably melodic and filled with observational wisdom, meditative self-analysis and quietly unforgettable character studies. This is a great chat--I love talking to Robert and I hope you dig listening. www.robertforster.net (http://www.robertforster.net) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) Stereo Embers Bluesky + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Sprinter" The Florida-born Cat Ridgeway is speeding into national prominence. Or, to be more specific, she's sprinting there. Ridgeway's new album Sprinter is an adrenalized blast of hook-filled rock and roll, howling blues and scruffy pop that's one of the most refreshing listens of the year. A commanding presence with charisma to burn, Ridgeway, along with her band the Tourists, are full of a howling punk-rock electricity that summons everyone from the White Stripes to the Foo Fighters. Now Ridgeway is a self-taught musician who plays harmonica, trumpet, trombone, mandolin, bass, piano and guitar and that's incredibly impressive, but having spoken to her, she has an autodidact streak that runs through her life. Hence the reference I made to coffee earlier, but I'll let Cat tell you all about that. Named Orlando's Best Singer-Songwriter for the last three years, Ridgeway has played with Houndmouth, Arcade Fire and Lucy Dacus and she's no stranger to playing music festivals around the country. She's a typhoon of positive energy and you're going to love her. www.catridgewaymusic.com (http://www.catridgewaymusic.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Bluesky + IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Hue Mirror" In Illness as Metaphor, Susan Sontag once wrote: “Illness is the night side of life, a more onerous citizenship. Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick. Although we all prefer to use the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place.” Well, my guest today on the program has recently been grappling with the use of the other passport Sontag is referring to and that grappling has yielded a song cycle that no matter what kingdom you find yourself dwelling in, will be moving, inspiring and transcendent." The Chicago born singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jess Robbins was diagnosed with AS, which is more specifically known as anklosing spondylitis, an aggressive autoimmune disease that can cause debilitating chronic pain as well as spinal inflammation and the fusing of the vertebrae. It's scary stuff, but part of Robbins' emotional healing was finally getting a name to go with the symptoms she'd been having for years. The other part of that healing? Making art. Robbins fronts the band Course and their new album Hue Mirror is an effecting song-cycle about navigating the complex and uncertain terrain of chronic pain, physical vulnerability and the uncertainty of the changes AS could bring. Hue Mirror is an unflinching and meditative look at how human frailty translates into art and that translation is where the beauty of this album really lives. Dark, probing, and unflinching, Hue Mirror is a stirring song-cycle that's punctuated by shadowy rhythms, vaporous percussion and and heavenly vocals. It's moving and powerful work but you don't have to be diagnosed with an illness to relate to it--you just have to be a human being with a big beating heart. After all, we're all facing an uncertain future and Hue Mirror is a way of facing it together. IG: @coursesounds www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Stereo Embers The Podcast IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Dance With Me" The married Michigan duo of Annagail are hard to categorize because of their startling musical range. With The Smiths, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and The Foo Fighters, Annagail's running through their musical DNA, Jared and Jennifer aren't afraid of a folk song or a pop song or a blues song or a roots song. It's fair to say that they're not afraid of anything. More on that in a minute. Filled with aching harmonies, wistful ballads, tender country and infectious hooks, Annagail, who used to operate under the moniker Route Three, may be tough to pin down in terms of genre, so it's easier to simply say they're brilliant at what they do and they do all of it. Jared and Jennifer have a musical symbiosis that's undeniable and profound and a tenth of their personal challenges would be enough to keep someone on the sidelines forever, but not these two. They've not only survived a list of hardships--and I'll let the interview cover that material, but just so you get an idea of how long and serious that list is, we didn't even cover the fire that destroyed their home and and studio--they've emerged from the darkness bursting with light. I'm not joking. But that word joking might be the key here; they have a sense of humor that has allowed them to navigate the trials they've encountered with perspective and wisdom and grace. I love this band. And not only is this a cool chat because they're open and lovely people, it's cool because we've caught them emerging from yet another scary moment with a renewed commitment to their craft. In many ways, this might be the most prolific period in the band's history. In fact, they have so many new albums, I'm not even sure what their latest one is. All I know is their music smolders with soulful resolve, sweeping momentum and harmonic and narrative poise. This is a wonderful chat with truly wonderful people. www.annagail.net (http://www.a) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Remembering Mark Stewart: Throwing Curveballs At The Moon" That's how The Pop Group's Mark Stewart describes the creative process and it might also very well be the perfect description of the Pop Group's career. Unconventional, ferociously innovative, and delightfully idiosyncratic, The Pop Group have never cared about what's happening in the mainstream and instead adhered to the rhythms and sounds that they wanted to make. In this whirlwind of an interview, the Bristol-born Stewart talks to Alex about UFO's, having tea with Sun Ra, The Sex Pistols, and how music bridged the racial divide in his town in the late 70s. He also talks about why he likes to hang out with oddballs, the avant-garde New York scene and a fight he once had with Allen Ginsberg.

“New Girl Syndrome” The New Zealand-born Lisa Crawley has fearlessly created art and then just as fearlessly followed that art all over the world. From a small town in Japan to a cruise ship to Los Angeles, Crawley is not afraid of the hard miles and she's bravely traversed the globe performing wherever she can. Armed with a luminescent voice and melodic muscle, Crawley's work suggests a dreamy mix of Amy Winehouse and Bic Runga. Over the years she appeared in the Tony-Award winning musical Once, opened for Paul Weller, Simply Red and Suzanne Vega, she's performed with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra and she's had her work appear in everything from The Last Days Of Capitalism to Nancy Drew to Good Trouble. Her new EP New Girl Syndrome is an infectious and stirring song cycle that's contemplative, probing and unreasonably catchy. Lisa's a really funny person and her humor is deadpan and sly and it's a fascinating counterpoint to her emotive and affecting songbook. www.lisacrawley.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenbooks.com IG + Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Face Of 68" The Connecticut-born Peter Holsapple isn't hiding his age--his new album Face Of 68 proudly blares it in its title and though the 68 is representative of his current chronology, like our old friend Billy Bragg, he knows that number is a temporary thing and another waits in front of it. So, to honor this moment in his life, Holsapple's third solo album is a celebration of a year in a man's life and it couldn't sound more life-affirming. The d.B.'s frontman, whose output with that beloved outfit include classics like Stand For Decibels and Like This remain timeless classics, is one of music's busiest characters. Here's a quick and partial glance at his rock and roll resume': In the late-'80s, he was a full-time fifth member of R.E.M., He was an auxillary member of Hootie and the Blowfish for nearly 30 years, he was in the indie pop supergroup the Continental Drifters with members of The Bangles, The Dream Syndicate and The Cowsills, and he's currently playing with The Paranoid Style, the reformed d.B.'s and solo shows on his own. Holsapple's Face Of 68 is one of 2025's very best; a smoldering batch of songs that are filled with jangle, shimmer and stomp, Holsapple and his power trio of Robert Sledge of the Ben Folds Five and Rob Ladd of The Connells, play with confidence and nerve. This is a dynamic album with heavy grooves, pop hooks and melodic muscle and the fact of the matter is The Face Of 68 has never sounded better. www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) Stereo Embers: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com) IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Mike Delevante (The Delevantes) by Alex Green Online

"GPYR" I'm admittedly a bit fixated on a 16 year old Josh Joplin getting in the van and driving away from his family, his friends and high school in order to blaze his own musical trail out there in the American wild, but I think I'm mostly fixated on that for both its ambition and its bravery. For starters, it's cool that Josh had the belief the world would find him--and it did. But to know that or believe that at 16 is remarkable--when I was 16 I was staying up late watching Letterman and making mix tapes for girls and had no ambition that would get me in a van by myself and head down the highway peddling my wares. But Josh Joplin did. And we talk about that a great deal because I'm in awe of him doing something most 16 year olds couldn't have done. All these years later, the DC born Joplin has almost fifteen albums under his belt, and each one further proves his uncanny genius. From his first album A Present For Hitler--which is maybe one of the best debut album titles ever--to his new one GPYR, Joplin has demonstrated he's a songwriter of tremendous poeticism and unreasonable melodic smarts. I'll get to GPYR in a second--but before I do, let me give you a few biographical bits; he's toured all over the U.S. as well as Europe and Australia, been on Conan and Letterman, had his albums produced by Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads and the Modern Lovers, had his music appear in shows like Scrubs, Dawsons Creek, Party of Five and Roswell, was neighbors with Dan Zanes of the Del Fuegos, he's put out several fabulous albums with Garrison Starr under the name Among The Oak And Ash and In 2015, Joplin founded the award-winning film production company NarrowMoat. Reuniting with his trusty pals in the Josh Joplin Group, GPYR finds Joplin sounding better than ever. Bringing to mind Reckoning-era R.E.M. and the later work of Tommy Keene, GPYR is a thoughtful blend of jangling indie rock and stirring folk both of which are augmented by sweeping musical architecture that heightens the emotional quality of this powerful, dramatic and altogether thrilling album. www.joshjoplingroup.com (http://www.joshjoplingroup.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooksonline.com Instagram + Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Developer" Formed in the mid-80s in Missoula, Montana by high school pals Tim Midyett, Joel R. Phelps and Andy Cohen and rounded out by Seattle-born drummer Michael Dahlquist, Silkworm remain one of the most singular indie rock bands of all time. They relocated from Montana to Seattle in 1990 and then the real fun began. Their 1994 album In The West was produced by Steve Albini, who actually went to the same high school in Montana, and this is the album where Silkworm really hit their stride. From Garden City Blues to Raised By Tigers, In The West was filled with dark, churning rhythms, brooding percussion and inventive lyrics. Phelps left the band after In The West, but Silkworm kept moving from strength to strength, putting out classic albums like Developer, Italian Platinum and It'll Be Cool. Their close to 15 album discography is near-perfect and repeated listens always yield new sonic surprises. The band ended in 2005 after the death of Dahlquist in a car accident, which also claimed the lives of several of his friends. However, after the death of Albini back in 2024, the high school unit of Phelps, Midyett and Cohen along with drummer Jeff Panall played a tribute show in his honor. One thing led to another and now we have the first Silkworm live dates in over 20 years which will start in September. Look, Silkworm are a fascinating band--check out the documentary Couldn't You Wait? The Story Of Silkworm to get the holes filled in and pick up the re-mastered and expanded version of Developer that Comedy Minus One just put out, but let me just say this: it's hard to think of a more idiosyncratic, and downright appealing band than Silkworm. The innovative word-play, the guitars that rise and fall in big crunchy bursts, the prowling bass-lines and the bursts of stirring percussion make them one of the most enigmatic, unique and altogether appealing bands in recent memory. www.skwm.bandcamp.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) IG & BLUESKY: @emberspodcast

"House Of Steam" Putting it simply the L.A.-born Nels Cline's resume' is so deep, to quote Mark Eitzel, it "would make the ocean proud." The guitarist and composer is one of the most respected names in the business and though he's perhaps best known these days for being the guitarist of Wilco, let's not single story Mr. Cline, because his body of work is varied and extensive. Aside from his early jazz work with his twin brother Alex, he's played with everyone from the Geraldine Fibbers to Mike Watt to Thurston Moore. But that doesn't even scratch the surface. Cline has played on close to 200 albums in jazz, pop, rock, country, and experimental music. Let me give you a few of those 200 to play with: Yoko Ono, Henry Kaiser, Firehose, Wayne Kramer, Rickie Lee Jones, John Zorn, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Neil Finn, Lee Ranaldo and Chris Stamey. And belive me when I tell you that's a heavily expurgated list. Over the years Cline has been in bands with his pal Mike Watt Floored By Four, band with his wife Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto and he's had the Nels Cline Singers, the Nels Cline Trio, and the Nels Cline 4. Now comes The Consentrik Quartet, which is Cline along with saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, bassist Chirs Lightcap and drummer Tom Rainey. Improvisational, experimental and downright wonderful, the band's debut album is a profound blend of rich cycle grooves, unexpected rhythmic excursions, and subtle meter innovations. It's marvelous work. Filled with delicate percussive brushes, virtuoso sax fills, prowling bass lines idiosyncratic sax melodies and Cline's nimble guitar lines moving through each composition with dextrous finesse, it's hard to think of a richer listening experience in recent memory. It's hard to think of a nicer guy as well--Nels is a lovely fellow and now you get to meet him. www.nelscline.com (http://www.nelscline.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast IG & Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Anything At All" Since the late '90s, the Pennsylvania-born musician Denison Witmer has been quietly producing one of the most stirring and affecting bodies of work in modern music. That body of work is also one of the most consistent. With close to fifteen albums under his belt, including Of Joy And Sorrow, Philadelphia Songs and The Ones Who Wait, Witmer's music brings to mind the work of everyone from Paul Simon to John Martyn to Elliott Smith. The Lancaster native has collaborated with everyone from The Innocence Mission to Rosie Thomas, he's toured the U.S. and Europe, did a side project called The River Bends with members of One Star Hotel, and he's been recording for Sufjan Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty label since 2011. Produced by Stevens, his new album Anything At All is his first since 2020's American Foursquare and it's a gentle stunner. From the rousing opener "Focus Ring" to the contemplative "Slow Motion Snow" Anything At All is filled with tremendous sensitivity and poetic elegance. It's a meditation on time, family, and art and rather than stress out about the sand falling through the hourglass, it chooses instead to examine each grain as it falls. It's brave, unflinching and glorious work. www.denisonwitmer.bandcamp.com (http://www.denisonwitmer.bandcamp.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers IG and BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Forwards” For more than 40 years the Welsh band the Alarm have been one of the most consistent acts on the planet, playing songs with conviction, heart and belief. With almost 20 studio albums under their belts, along with a discography that includes live albums, box sets and EPs, The Alarm are one of those bands where you pretty much want everything they put out. From albums like Declaration to Strength to their brand new one Forwards, The Alarm are a completist's band. Speaking of Forwards, it's a remarkable record—singer/songwriter Mike Peters has never sounded better, his voice alive with muscle and belief. The Welsh band have had a remarkable career that's filled with endless highlights-- they toured with U2 and Bob Dylan, played at Queen's Live at Wembley concert in 1986, been on IRS's the Cutting Edge and American Bandstand, had hit singles all over the world even cracking the Billboard Top 50 here in the States, and wrote a song that became the official Welsh anthem for Euro 2020. This is a band that's all about community, support and they remain as vital as ever. www.thealarm.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.embersarts.com Stereo Embers: IG and BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Zoe Ko by Alex Green Online

"23" If I hadn't received an email from Oregon way back in 2010, this episode would never have happened. Out of nowhere, 15 years ago, I got a letter from Dave Cantrell who wrote a very kind email about my 33 1/3 book on The Stone Roses. The lovely things he said were...lovely and deeply appreciated, but what really stood out to me where a couple of things. First of all, Dave and I both grew up in Concord, CA a town here in the East Bay of California. And that's its own specific thing--but the other thing that really stood out was his writing. Error-free, meticulous, generous and grounded, I immediately wrote back and recruited him to write for Stereo Embers. You would have, too. It would be like walking past a park and seeing a guy throw a 105 mile an hour fastball. You want him on your team. And I'm happy to report that he still is.Cut to 15 years later, and not only is Dave a close friend, he's the Senior Editor of Stereo Embers Magazine and his new book 23 is out now. Putting it in music terms, 23 is a perfect mix tape of his work for Stereo Embers--a compilation of pieces hand-picked by Dave that represents his work over the last decade and a half. By the way, I call him the post-punk professor because, whether it's old bands or new. he's one of the leading experts on the genre. In 23 you really get a sense of the range of Post-Punk professor's knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for music. His writing is focused, articulate and precise and he writes with organic momentum and intellectual pace. And unlike many music journalists, Dave's work isn't about him--it's about the music. And that makes the writing driven, selfless and pure. www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Instagram AND Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"What I Deserve" Over the course of almost fifteen albums, Kelly Willis has made a pretty good case that she's one of the greats. The Oklahoma-born singer/songwriter is not only a beautiful and affecting singer, her phrasing is filled with purring vowels, consonants fearlessly taking sharp corners and delicious diction which powers each number with authority, vulnerability and grace. Willis' career has a pretty good stockpile of highlights and here's a few for you: She's collaborated with Allison Kraus, Vince Gill, Jay Faraar of Son Volt and Chuck Prophet, a few of her songs were in Thelma and Louise, she was in the movie Bob Roberts, she's played all over the world, including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass here in San Francisco, put out a holiday album with her ex-husband Bruce Robison and is now celebrating the 25th anniversary of her 1999 album What I Deserve. And what to say about that album? Well, it's an absolute classic and the new edition is a must-have. Kelly is really sweet and very honest and this was a delight. www.kellywillis.com (http://www.kellywillis.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Instagram: @emberspodcast Bluesky: @emberspodcast Editor: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

Stereo Embers The Podcast 0425: Willy Vlautin (Richmond Fontaine, The Delines) by Alex Green Online

"Lookaftering" Well, we talked about doing the thing and the fact of the matter is, the British-born Vashti Bunyan started doing the thing pretty early. In the 1960s, while studying at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art at Oxford, Bunyan was expelled for focussing more on making music than on drawing. So she went home and started making music. When her mother's hip actress friend got the 19 year old Bunyan a face to face with the Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham, he was properly charmed and handed her the Stones track "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind" to record. And so she did. Backed by her own song "I Want To Be Alone," "Some Things" featured Jimmy Page on guitar, but it didn't turn as many heads as Bunyan had hoped. She did another single, sang on a Twice As Much album, and appeared in a documentary about swinging London. So the ball was rolling. Bunyan and her fella hit the road in search of an artistic community and she ended up Holland, The Scottish Highlands and the Cumbrian Mountains. Her journey informed the songs for her debut album Just Another Diamond Day, which is fabulous, but was too fabulous for the time it was released. Look, sometimes the world just has to catch up and it did. But it took 30 years. Bunyan was so disappointed by Diamond Day not really troubling the charts, she hung up her guitar, lived in the Scottish Borders in cottages occupied by the Incredible String Band and raised three kids, putting her music career on mothballs, seemingly for good. The world was quietly catching up however, and Diamond Day had sneakily become a cult classic. It was re-released in 2000 and with Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart championing her work, Bunyan was introduced to a whole new generation, who adored her. Since then, she's recorded two more albums--Lookaftering and Heartleap--and she's appeared on albums by Banhart and Animal Collective, she appeared at London's Royal Festival Hall with The Heritage Orchestra () as part of Massive Attack's Meltdown (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meltdown_(festival)), she wrote a memoir, and was the subject of a full-length documentary. So she's back. Yes. No. I mean, sort of. But I also mean yes. Confused? You won't be for long. To commemorate Lookaftering's 20th anniversary, DiCristina Records is releasing an expanded edition of Bunyan's sophomore album and it's packed with demos, live stuff, fabulous liner notes, lyric sheets and paintings by Bunyan's daughter. Bunyan's music is hard to classify--it's bedroom pop that isn't pop and wasn't recorded in a bedroom but it's got this hushed and fractured quality that's filled with mysterious power. This conversation is a real treat and in the end, there's an unexpected walk across the rooftops that's really cool. IG: @vashtibunyan www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers IG: @emberspodcast Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Run With Me" The Ontario-born Bry Webb formed the underground outfit The Constantines out of the ashes of the emo band Shoulder in 1999. With their jagged guitars, tribal drums, snarling bass lines and Webb's ferocious vocals along with his poetic lyrics, The Guelph-based Constantines were one of those rare bands that seemed to arrive fully formed. From 2004 to 2008, the Juno-award nominated Constantines put out four brilliant albums--their eponymous debut, Shine A Light, Tournament Of Hearts and Kensington Heights. And there's not a false note to be found anywhere--the syncopated rhythms, musical intensity and the sheer muscle and heart that powered every song brought to mind everyone from Fugazi to the Minutemen to The Replacements. This is a partial list of their highlights; they toured with The Tragically Hip and The Weakerthans, were signed to Sub Pop, played Lollapallooza, the Vancouver Olympics and a gig at the legendary Massey Hall. With the band on hiatus, Webb formed a band called The Harborcoats and put out three brilliant solo albums--Free Will, Provider and Run With Me. Redolent with raw intimacy, sensitivity, and poetic grace, Webb's solo work rings with as much conviction as his work with The Constantines. He's been nominated for a Genie Award, he contributed a track to This American Life and he sang back-up on Feist's album Metals. I can't say enough about this guy--he's a towering force and whether he's belting out anthems or staying low in the pocket to deliver some of the most stirring acoustic numbers you've ever heard, Bry Webb is a giant talent who is one of my all-time favorites. His body of work means everything to me and his presence on this show is nothing short of humbling. And he's one of the nicest dudes ever. www.brywebb.com (http://www.brywebb.com) www.brywebb.bandcamp.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers IG: @emberspodcast Bluesky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"If I Was" Midge Ure is a one-man highlight machine. The Scottish born Ivor Novello Award winning musician was in the pop band Silk, the post-punk outfit Rich Kids with Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, the synth band Visage, the rock band Think Lizzy and the new wave band Ultravox. If you were wondering if Ure has range, the answer is: yes. Aside from co-writing Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas with Bob Geldof, helping organize the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute, being the musical director of the Prince's Trust concerts, organizing Live 8 concerts, being appointed the Order of The British Empire, receiving five honorary Doctor of Arts degrees by esteemed universities, and being an Ambassador for Save the Children, Ure has also had a successful solo career, releasing close to ten marvelous albums. Not only that, but he's an author, he's been on Celebrity Master Chef and he turned down an invitation to be in the Sex Pistols. His latest effort is Live at the Royal Albert Hall, a show that was recorded back in April of 2023 and it's just wonderful. In recent years, Ure along with keyboardist Charlie Round-Turner have figured out how to play songs that have a lot of sonic architecture and replicate them in two-man band form. The results are rich and deeply satisfying and Ure will be hitting the road in this Band In A Box format in May for a North American tour. But in the meantime, he's stopped by the podcast for a chat. http://www.midgeure.co.uk www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com) IG: @emberspodcast Bluesky: @emberspodcast

"I Still Want To Share" The London-based singer/songwriter Sophie Jamieson's sophomore album I Still Want To Share is a stunner. The follow-up to her 2022 debut Choosing, which, I'd like to add, was my album of the year, I Still Want To Share is a deft and moving collection of indie folk that's stark and sweeping and textured and spare. I know textured and spare seem to be opposites, and in many ways they are, but impossibly,Jamieson manages to do both; the songs here unafraid to soar into the clouds of the bluest sky or plunge into the black waters of the deepest and darkest of lakes. Jamieson's voice is a wondrous thing; it's woebegone, it's crushingly beautiful and it's emotionally precise, making I Still Want To Share an early contender for album of the year for 2025. www.sophiejamieson.com (http://www.sophiejamieson.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) BLUESKY: @emberspodcast IG: @emberspodcast EMAIL: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Melanie Radford (Built To Spill, Blood Lemon) by Alex Green Online

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Don and Karen Peris (The Innocence Mission) by Alex Green Online

“Merry Christmas, Emily” David Lowery does so many things, his CV needs a sequel. He's a professor, a mathematician, a writer, a musician, a producer and an entrepreneur. He's also the singer of two of my all-time favorite bands: Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. Let's start with the former. Lowery formed Camper Van Beethoven when he was a student at UC Santa Cruz in the early '80s. I was so obsessed with Camper Van when I was in high school I cut class to buy their new album--but I had the wrong day, so I cut class the next day to get it. Totally worth it, by the way. Camper Van Beethoven put out a handful of genius albums likeOur Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and Telephone Free Landslide Victory before temporarily disbanding in 1990. Lowery didn't miss a beat and formed Cracker with guitarist Johnny Hickman and they put out a handful of genius albums like Kerosene Hat and The Golden Age, logged a #1 Modern Rock track with "Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)" and scored three platinum albums. This is only a partial history, by the way; but I would recommend reading up on both bands because they have fascinating histories.Lowery has produced everyone from Counting Crows to Sparklehorse, founded Sound of Music studios, was a seed investor in Reverb.com (), knocked out his PhD and was named a Global IP Champion by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A ferocious advocate for artist's rights, among other things, Lowery launched a pair of class actions alleging major streaming services had failed to properly license and account to independent songwriters. Lowery currently teaches the economics and finance of the music business at the University of Georgia.An authentic career-spanning collection that boasts re-recordings, demos, b-sides and live takes that have never been heard, ‘Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective' is out now. It's a deep and privileged dive into the rich and vast Cracker cataloge and to say it's a treat falls short of the mark. It's a musical treasure chest. Cracker are touring now and will be on the road at the beginning of 2025 and Camper Van will be playing dates as well. www.crackersoul.com Www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com IG: @Emberspodcast editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Swept Away" Is this an emergency episode of the podcast? Kind of. And by kind of, I mean...yes. It is. It's actually quite urgent because art is at stake and without art, we have nothing. This show is about the current creative moment in an artist's life and on that front, this episode couldn't be more on the nose. My guest today on the show is currently starring in a Broadway production that, in spite of its massive critical praise, is set to shut down prematurely on December 29th. We have a lot to go over, but the thesis of the show today is we don't want this production to get Swept Away. Adrian Blake Enscoe is currently starring on Broadway in the musical Swept Away, which is based on the Avett Brothers' album Mignonette and written by John Logan. Centered around a group of sailors who have capsized while on a whale expedition, the show opened up to rave reviews from The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, The Wrap and Deadline. So the question is, if the show has been crushing it, why is it closing early? Well, that's what we're here to talk about today. The New York-born Enscoe has been on the show before with his band Bandits On The Run, and he's a lovely guy and it's great to see him again, but this chat is a sobering reminder that those who create art need you to support it. www.sweptawaymusical.com www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) IG: @emberspodcast Bluelsky: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Shelters" If you think you recognize the name Josh Lovelace, you probably do. Lovelace's full-time job is the keyboardist of the South Carolina outfit NEEDTOBREATHE, a band he's been with since 2011. Lovelace is a busy dude, but the Tennessee-born musician has found time to not only play with NEEDTOBREATHE, but he's also put out a handful of spirited and charming albums for kids under the moniker Young Folk. There's no doubt that Lovelace's creative endeavors have left him satisfied, but another endeavor had been marinating in his brain for a long time and he knew it was time to put the shovel in the earth and break ground. The result of all that personal digging is Shelters, Lovelace's first solo album under his own name. A stirring 11-track song-cycle that's intimate, personal and deeply moving. Shelters is an unflinching look at the wounds of the past and the results are achingly precise and deeply moving. Filled with melodic finesse and interior harmonies and subtle pop immedi. Shelters is a quietly rousing collection of personal fight songs that reminds us the path to healing is always waiting. Www.joshlovelace.com (Www.joshlovelace.com) Www.bombshellradio.com (Www.bombshellradio.com)

“Shapes & Forms" There's nothing Sandra Bernhard can't do: she's an actor, a singer, a comic, a radio host, an author and a pioneer of the one-woman show and the list goes on. I was going to say that in many ways, Sandra Bernhard is the Shohei Ohtani of entertainment, but that's not totally accurate because she's been around longer, so the right way to say it is Shoehei Ohtani is the Sandra Bernhard of baseball. The Michigan-born, Arizona-raised Sandra Bernhard is nothing short of a cosmic force. She's been in over 40 movies like The King Of Comedy, Playing Mona Lisa and Zoolander and she's been in over fifty television shows like The Richard Pryor Show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Larry Sanders Show, Dr. Katz, Broad City, American Horror Story and the Sopranos. Her CV is packed with riches, so keep in mind this is just me sifting through the gold and it's really a partial list because there's so much. She's performed on Broadway, appeared on Letterman almost 30 times, put out a handful of great albums, and wrote three amazing books, including the essay collection Love, Love and Love. She's got a great run of shows on the West Coast as part of her Easy Listening tour, where she'll play her favorite songs as a kid. Then, under the Shapes& Forms banner she'll have a multi-night stand at Joe's Pub in New York City at the end of the month. Along with her Sandyland Squad Band, Bernhard will play new material and old favorites. www.sandrabernhard.com (www.sandrabernhard.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) Stereo Embers IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Here And Now” Letters To Cleo may seemed to have suddenly shown up on the pop culture landscape in 1994, but the fact is, the Boston outfit had been grinding it out on the club since 1990. Their single “Here and Now” was an instant classic—a melodic dose of perfect pop stomp that showcased singer Hanley's powerful vocal delivery. The band tore through the ‘90s, releasing three perfect albums (Aurora Gory Alice, Wholesale Meats And Fishes and Go), appeared as the house band in 10 Things I Hate About You, played SXSW, and playing with everyone from Cheap Trick to Neds Atomic Dustbin. Oh, and I almost forgot: In 1996, playing Mary Magladene, Hanley co-starred with Extreme's Gary Cherone in the Boston Rock Opera's performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. In the early 2000's, Hanley was the singing voice for Rachel Leigh Cook in Josie and the Pussycats and though the band called it a day that same year, they did record 15 new and original songs for the Kids' WB cartoon Generation O! That will become important in a second, but just to round out the corners here, Hanley toured as a back-up singer for Miley Cyrus' Hannah Montana venture, put out a handful of great solo releases, sang the National Anthem at Gillette stadium for the Patriots and got to work on her new career, composing all-original songs for animated TV shows like Doc McStufins, DC Super Hero Girls, and Harvey Girls Forever, to name a few. How's that career going? Well, in 2022 Hanley won an Emmy for songwriting on We The People. So I'd say, not too shabby. On that front, she and her writing partners Michelle Lewis, Dan Petty and Charlton Pettus created Disney Jr.'s Kindergarten: The Musical and Hanley is also co-executive director of Songwriters of North America (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songwriters_of_North_America), an LA-based non-profit which advocates for fair pay and other rights for songwriters. As for Letters to Cleo? Well, the band may no longer be a full-time concern, but they pop up here and there to play gigs. They just completed a mini-November tour and they have a show on Jan 9th in Madison at the Majestic. Get your tickets now. Well, listen to the show, THEN get your tickets. Or multi-task. We know you can do it. www.letterstocleo.net (www.letterstocleo.net) www.bombshellradio.com (www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (www.stereoembersmagazine.com) Stereo Embers: IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Thanksgiving Day Special" There's a lot of things I miss about being a kid--somebody else driving, somebody else making dinner, not having to pay bills, not having to shave or get gas or pay rent--I was just going mention one or two things, but apparently I'm not pleased about being an adult. The reason why I brought this up is because the one thing I really miss about being a kid are the holiday TV specials that mark time. From The Grinch That Stole Christmas to It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, those specials helped keep me grounded as a kid. They made the calendar kind of stop and forced me to realize where I was and who I was with.They felt like something tangible. I wish I could do something like that for you here on the podcast and the closest I can come is my chat with Justin of 98 degrees. To me, it feels Thanksgiving-ish. At first it's sort of a talking points interview, but then something happens and it just kind of takes off and it takes off in a way that has to do with actually caring about other people. I'm not going to say too much more, but I will say this. This is our Thanksgiving special and I'm very proud of it. I'm thankful for this chat with Justin, I'm thankful he opened up and I'm thankful you get to hear it. And THANK YOU, for continuing to support this podcast. www.98degrees.com www.bombshellradio.com www.embersarts.com www.stereoembersmagaine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Ashley Henry by Alex Green Online

"Unbreakable Heart" The Texas-born Amber Martin has no regrets. The singer/songwriter has lived quite a life and it's one that found her moving coast to coast in the name of art. But geography aside, Martin moves relentlessly forward and doesn't look back with revisionist repentance. She'll tell you all about that, so let me fill you in on the other stuff. A brilliant and powerful singer with precise phrasing and improvisational smarts, Martin is a force of nature, her live shows punctuated by comedic tales, observational stories and a classic cabaret sensibility. Her career has a lot of highlights, so let me give you a partial list: She opened for Joan Rivers, sang with Sandra Berhnard, recorded with the Scissor Sisters, performed on Broadway, had several solo art residencies and starred in the live variety show Cassette Roulette with the Tony Award winning John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The follow-up to her AM Gold album, Martin's Unbreakable Heart is a wicked blast of classic country played with reverence and playful fun. From Devil Came Down The Dancefloor to I Want You To Be A Real Man, Unbreakable heart is played with precision, heart and a lively wink. The album features Mitchell, Rufus Wainwright and Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters. A writer, a singer, a choreographer, and a dancer, Amber Martin is also a fabulous conversationalist. We had a blast and I think you will, too. www.ambermartin.org www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

Stereo Embers The Podcast 0410: Tom DiCillo (Living In Oblivion, Box Of Moonlight) by Alex Green Online

"What About You?" With time running out on 2024, Spooky Mansion are checking in with one of the best albums of the year. The California outfit's new long player What About You? is a rousing blast of scruffy surf and west coast soul. Led by braintrust Grayson Converse, Spooky Mansion are one of the most inventive and exciting bands around.Filled with winning tracks like "Weather," "Long Time Ago,", and "The River," What About You? is filled with horny swagger, bluesy howl and scrappy indie rock. Converse is an enigmatic frontman by night, but by day he works as a contractor and the duality of his life is something we cover in this chat. We also cover a whole lot more--a seafaring father, growing up in California and the reality of romantic notions. This is a great chat--you're going to love this guy. www.spookymansionofficial.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Para Llevar" You might know Johnny Delaware from the South Carolina alt-country outfit SUSTO, but the singer/songwriter's new solo album Paro Llevar reminds us that he's a musical force even when he's away from the band he co-founded with Justin Osborne. SUSTO's five albums, including Ever Since I Lost My Mind and 2023's My Entire Life are roots rock classics and the band has a pretty rabid global fanbase, but the South Dakota-born Delaware, who was a collegiate runner, is no stranger to going it alone. His new solo album Para Llevar is produced by Delaware himself, who also plays a majority of the instruments on the album. A stirring and dreamy blend of gliding psychedelia, Latin American rhythms and blissful rootsy grooves, Para Llevar is one of the most moving albums of 2024. It's filled with philosophical ruminations, personal revelations and internal meditations and it's inviting, engaging and downright beautiful; it brings to mind everyone from Paul Simon to Elliott SmithHow does Mexico fit into all of this? Well, long story short: he went there and fell in love. With the country and a girl. I'll let him tell you all about that and so much more. www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Stereo Embers The Podcast 0407: Greg Lisher (Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom) by Alex Green Online

Stereo Embers The Podcast 0406: Kasey Chambers by Alex Green Online

"A Boot And A Shoe" The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Sam Phillips has had quite a career. The Glendale-born musician has almost fifteen albums under her musical belt, including The Indescribable Wow, Cruel Inventions, Martinis and Bikinis, Cold Dark Nights and the newly reissued version of A Boot And A Shoe. We'll get to that in a minute, but before we do, let me give you a partial list of folks she's collaborated with over the years: R.EM., Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, Van Dyke Parks, Marc Ribot, Jim Keltner, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Other career highlights; she's composed scores for Gilmore Girls, Bunheads and the Marvelous Ms. Maisel, she appeared in Die Hard With A Vengeance and Wim Wenders' The End Of Violence (the throat cutting I referenced comes in the former) and her handmade collages on repurposed vintage album sleeves that were found at flea markets.were exhibited at the Gertrude Contemporary in Australia. But back to a Boot and A Shoe. The 2004 album has been given a proper reissue by Omnivore to commemorate its 20th anniversary. Available on CD and on vinyl for the very first time along with new liner notes penned by Phillips, the thirteen track album has never sounded better. Thanks to Phillips' lyrical dexterity and elegant phrasing and featuring numbers like "Reflecting Light," "If I Could Write," "Hole In My Pocket" and "One Day Late," A Boot And A Shoe" remains a timeless classic. www.samphillips.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter (what's left of it): @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"It's Only Rock and Roll" There's a lot to tell about Michael Des Barres, but let's start with the music. In the early '70s, the Sussex-born singer/songwriter fronted the glam rock band Silverhead, who were signed to Deep Purple's label. He decided to try his luck on the West Coast, moving to L.A. and fronting the rock/soul outfit, who were signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records. In '82, Des Barres formed the hard rock band Chequered Past with Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols and Clem Burke of Blondie. That band opened for folks like INXS and Duran Duran and that Duran Duran association proved auspicious as Des Barres was invited by Andy Taylor to replace Robert Palmer as the singer of The Power Station. I know I said Des Barres was a rock and roll chameleon, but at this point he sounds more like a rock and roll shark, doesn't he? He never stops moving. Des Barres fronted The Power Station at Live Aid and along the way he co-wrote "Obsession" with Holly Knight, which became a global hit for Animotion, he put out fabulous solo records, fronted another band called The Mistakes and in 2013 he joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the world premiere of 200 Motels: The Suites, by Frank Zappa in which he appeared as Rance, the narrator. We'll get to his new album in a second, but let's talk about his acting first. Des Barres has so many IMDB credits, it's dizzying. Getting his start at age eight, he's appeared in over 100 television shows and close to fifty movies. Let me run through a few because it's nuts: All you '80s kids might remember him in The Ghoulies, but he was in To Sir With Love, Under Siege, and David Lynch's Mulholland Drive and on television he was on Roseanne, Just Shoot Me, Frasier, Seinfeld, St. Elsewhere and MacGyver. Des Barres is a true rock and roll chameleon, because, like a chameleon, he's able to effortlessly change from situation to situation. That subtle shapeshifting quality makes folks like Des Barres able to basically do whatever he wants because he has massive range and can move through the cultural space with otherworldly ease. Des Barres' new album It's Only Rock and Roll is an affectionate tipping of the hat to the songs of the '70s that he loves. From Roxy Music's Love Is The Drug to Sweet's Fox On The Run to the Faces' Stay With Me, this is a scorcher of a record that features Des Barres sounding better than ever--his delivery still has the same muscular pounce and raw elegance and the 12 songs here are delivered with equal parts affection, admiration and grace. And this interview? An absolute blast. www.michaeldebarres.com (http://www.michaeldebarres.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

"Photograph" Born in Honduras during a military coup, Lily Vakili has had quite a life. Raised on military bases in Thailand, Florida, Puerto Rico and Iowa, Vakili's musical worldview has been formed by the fact that she's been all over the world. Over the course of her fascinating life, she's been a waitress, a dancer, an actress, a filmmaker, a choreographer, a stage director, a human rights researcher, a Harvard-trained biotech lawyer. I mean, those are pretty much all the things. But there's more. A mother and a ferocious advocate for disability rights, Vakili is the real deal; a passionate person who believes in authenticity and truth, Vakili's music is redolent with those very same qualities. A blistering blend of streetsmart punk, smoldering poetry and big rock and roll hooks, The Vakili Band bring to mind the Velvet Underground, The Pretenders and Jimmy Gnecco of Ours. The music is as driving as it is sensual; it's rich, it's textured and it's wonderful. From the Tannersville EP to albums like Honey or Walking Sideways, The Vakili Band's discography is one that's moving from strength to strength. Lily is doing a solo tour with John Douglas of the Trashcan Sinatras www.vakiliband.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Steve Louw (All Night Radio, Big Sky) by Alex Green Online

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Anders Trentemoller (Trentemoller) by Alex Green Online

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Binnie Klein (In These Trees) by Alex Green Online

"All You Need To Know" The Vancouver outfit Mossy Ledge got started in the early '90s and by 2001 they had put in the reps, touring across Canada and putting out two excellent albums and two fabulous EPs. With seven years or so under their rock and roll belts, the band was poised to take the next step in their career. Their sonorous blast of soaring indie pop brought to mind a perfect blend of The Watchmen and Catherine Wheel and with a solid live following and hooks galore, that next step seemed decidedly inevitable. So inevitable, in fact, they decided not to take it. The story of Mossy Ledge is the story of a band whose story should be more familiar, but at the height of their powers, the Canadian outfit opted for curtain number two, which sits in close proximity to curtain number one. The latter is the tantalizing and promising rock and roll dream, while behind the former is the logical and sensible domestic life that holds just as much promise. Behind both curtains are two different kinds of riches and a cool head knows that number two probably makes the most sense in the long run, but number one is a seductive character and behind it danger and desire eye each other carefully. Well, long story short, danger and desire weren't seductive enough and the members of Mossy Ledge stepped away to live their lives. What could have been is a thought exercise that would keep anyone up at night--and let's face it, we all have our own version of that. And look, the Mossy Ledge guys didn't have a bust-up or any severed alliance--they just made a decision and went their separate ways. Until now. Breaking a nearly twenty-five year absence, the band is back and ready to pick up where they left off. This is such a cool story and James Milligan, who sings for the band, is such a cool guy and when he tells the story, you'll totally get it. So let's let him do just that: here's me and James of Mossy Ledge having a chat, right here on Stereo Embers The Podcast. Mossy Ledge: https://linktr.ee/mossyledge www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Hang In There With Me" If you're an artist, you either move West or you move East. In the case of the Pennsylvania-born Amy Rigby, she went east. Landing in New York in the late seventies, Rigby absorbed the music of the city and took assiduous notes about punk rock, indie scenesters and the rhythms of the age. I'm zipping through time here, but if you want to know about Rigby's New York years, read her fabulous memoir Girl To City, which I think is one of the best books about music ever written. She later married Will Rigby of The DB's and played in bands like The Shams and Last Roundup, but it wasn't until the mid-'90s with her solo debut Diary Of A Mod Housewife that she began to flex her songwriting muscle. Hilarious, heartfelt and in many ways conversational, Rigby's work is intimate and familiar and over the course of her winning discography which includes albums like The Sugar Tree, Little Fugitive and her brilliant new one Hang In There With Me, Rigby has proven herself to be one of the most tunefully engaging songwriters on the planet. Her songs have been covered by everyone from Ronnie Spector to John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, she's been praised by everyone from Mojo Magzine to Steve Earle and along with her husband Wreckless Eric, she's made a handful of flawless records. Hang In There With Me is a sterling set of more Rigby classics and frankly, she's never sounded better; nobody writes with such a perfect balance of candor and finesse. www.amyrigby.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Once Was Gleaming" The California-born Tanner Porter is a composer, arranger, performer, vocalist and songwriter. Her voice is otherwordly and wonderful, and set against her complex orchestral arrangements, it evokes everyone from Kate Bush to Tori Amos. Her debut album The Summer Sinks was a stone cold stunner and her new album Once Was Gleaming picks up where Summer left off, offering a stirring and moving song-cycle that's filled with breathtaking musical finesse, and almost cinematic compositional scope. Tanner's orchestral music has been commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra, Albany Symphony Orchestra, the New York Youth Symphony, and Nu Deco Ensemble, among others. She's collaborated on ballets that were premiered by the Boston Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet, had short operas commisioned by Barnard College and Columbia University's New Opera Workshop and she's been busy on Broadway in ILLINOISE, with music by Sufjan Stevens as a vocal/guitar understudy for two roles. Tanner has been a composer-in-residence with the Louisville Orchestra's 2023-2024 Creators Corps, a fellow of the Aspen Music Festival,and her works have been presented at Carnegie Hall, the New World Symphony's New World Center, and the Prototype Festival. She was a 2019 recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Charles Ives Scholarship. Tanner holds degrees in composition from the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Music. Once Was Gleaming is as sweeping as it is dramatic, punctuated by strings and electronica and a voice that soars through it all with inexplicable beauty. It's revelatory work. www.tannerporter.com (http://www.tannerporter.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com) Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast

"Top Of The World" The Emmy Award-nominated Mark Bacino is more than just a craftsman of pure pop magic--he's a producer, composer, educator and journalist. I first got on board with Mark's music in 2003 for his brilliant album Million Dollar Milkshake, which was the follow-up to his equally brilliant debut, Pop Job. Since then, he's put out Queens English in 2010 and fifteen years later he's backed that up with his brand new album Top Of The World. A sterling ten-song set, Top Of The World is filled with hooks galore, but it's also Bacino's most observational and philosophical work yet. Filled with tracks like the thrilling percussive stomp of Not That Guy to the horny swagger of Flop Of The World, Bacino has never sounded more assured. Falling somewhere between Marshall Crenshaw and Mike Viola, Bacino's music is a refreshing and charming streetsmart pop. I call him the Cole Porter of Queens because his lyrics are clever, his timing impeccable and his humor and wisdom always on full display. Bacino is the owner of The Queens English Recording Co., a boutique studio-music production house where he produces fellow artists and composes for TV/advertising. He currently serves as Producer of New Media and Audio Content for Queens Public Television in New York City where he's earned those two Emmy nominations for his audio engineering work and he hosts both the “Queens Creative” and “Queens County USA” podcasts. He also writes for Guitar World, SonicScoop and Songwriter's Market. www.markbacino.com (http://www.markbacino.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast

"Reverb & Seduction" The Portland outfit Federale have been one of the most fascinating and inventive bands of the last twenty years. Led by Collin Hegna, Federale have put out a handful of albums whose affecting instrumental cinemascapes, dark country ballads and psych rock excursions bring to mind a version of and the Dirty Three had they hailed from the verdant and moody Pacific Northwest. The band's new album and sixth overall, Reverb & Seduction is an ambitious and wicked blend of dusty pedal steel, high desert reverb and ominous strings that all add up to a deliciously dark and foreboding feeling that something's going to happen and not only is not going to be good, there's nothing you can do to stop it. With a lineup that boasts members of The Shivas, Roselit Bone, Dandy Warhols, and Rogue Wave, plus a guest appearance by Alex Maas of The Black Angels, Reverb & Seduction is one of the year's very best. As for Hegna, he's a busy fellow--not only does he front Federale, he's been in the Brian Jonestown Massacre for the past two decades, which also makes him the longest serving member of that band, he's a recording engineer and owner of Revolver Studios in Portland where he's produced records by everyone from Roselit Bone to David J. www.collinghegna.com www.federalemusic.bandcamp.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradiocom) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Twitter: @emberseditor IG; @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com