Three on the Ones and Twos

Today's guest is our friend Kevin Phillips, talking about one of our collective favorite bands, albums and artists - "What to say about such a complex and abundant subject that's been a longstanding touchstone for aficionados of repetitive noise and abrasive melody! As a nearly life-long disciple of Mark E. Smith and his unrepentant arrangements, I chose The Fall's debut album, ‘Live at the Witch Trials', for our discussion.  As hypnotizing or electrifying as the Fall became in dozens and dozens of moments across their 31-album catalog, ‘Live at the Witch Trials' contains the unrefined initial surprise attack stream of consciousness rhythmic repetition amid scrambling guitar strings that must surely become trademark joy of any fully realized Fall fan!!  A challenging gateway to a musical landscape that developed into a myriad of different compelling and/or disorienting studies of the initial concept! Enjoy!!

Today's episode is with our good friend Blake Rainey regarding one of the greatest albums of all time, The Replacements "Tim": Ultimately, I chose the Replacements “Tim” because I knew it would be a lot of fun to talk about with Tom and James. Anyone who seriously loves rock n' roll and indie music in general has had a relationship with the Replacements at some point, be it good or bad. They always felt like kindred spirits to me, growing up a lost and lonely wild-spirited teen in small-town Georgia. Yet they were city kids who came into their own with a budding music scene already in place, and in their backyards, which was equally foreign and fascinating to me. “Tim” seemed to have it all - solid anthemic rockers and devastating ballads, with some throwaway lyrics and serious wordplay happening side-by-side. To a musical teenager, it was like the coolest way an American rock band could ever dream of writing a song. They were fun and dangerous, dumb and smart, and energetic like no other band that played by their own set of rules, success be damned. What's not to love?p.s. The Tim remix album is the shit.  Blast it! https://www.facebook.com/blakeraineyandhisdemons/https://blakerainey.bandcamp.com/

Our special guest on today's episode is our dear friend Melanie Harmon, who is also joined by Chad Wiener as a guest host as well. Melanie and Chad go back to our high school days of attending shows at the Masquerade in Atlanta, and all the fun, thrilling, scary, formative times we had. The Primus show around 1991 at the Masquerade was a legendary show that we have discussed on other episodes (e.g. Kelly Hester's Episode 37), but it was nice to revisit one of their great albums with a lifelong superfan of their music. This was a nostalgic epsiode, and we thank Melanie for being a part of it and sharing her love of Primus!

On today's episode, we have a conversation with our old friend (and James' oldest friend), Chad Wiener - along with special guest host Melanie Harmon! "Hailing from Matton, Illinois, the Didjits released their first album on Touch and Go, “Hey Judester,” in 1988. The world, or at least my small world, would not be the same. Gravitating towards any and all punk bands in the summer of 1989, the Didjits was one band that stuck out to me. They had attitude, humor, loud guitars, shrieking vocals, deafening drums and bass,but, most of all, just in-your-face rock'n'roll with all the punk brashness and arrogance you could handle. This record (really, dubbed cassette, but I would come to buy it later, and even the CD with their first record, “Fizzjob”) would have heavy rotation in my car or home stereo, and it would shape the sound, attitude, and lyrics of the band I would come to form with friends Jason Albert, James Joyce, Eric Minnick, and Brian Lysne, the Midget Farmers. There is never a dull moment on this record, from the blazing speed of “Max Wedge” to the slow grind of “Under the Christmas Fish” to the ballad my band covered, “Dad,” and nine other songs that Rick Sims likely wrote while high. So, come join me, Chad Wiener, with Cassy, James, and Melanie Harmonas we return to the early 90s to relive the glory days of the second coming of punk."

Out guest on today's episode is our new friend Jacob Gunter @whereis.jacob, @moonage.music : Although Youth of America isn't my favorite Wipers album, it holds a special place in the Wipers discography, particularly of their early work. Stylistically it feels transitional without any loss of conviction, almost as if Greg Sage is putting down stakes. Songs like Pushing the Extreme could be a repudiation of Punk's abandonment of core principles, and with songs running past the 10 min. mark it's clear the Wipers were not playing to anyone but themselves. They made the road by walking. Youth of America, and the Wipers, are a relatively new discovery for me. It's not an album that I've lived with for a lot of years so I'm still growing into it. That does makes it a bit more challenging to speak about; however, in response to the personal and immediate impact they and Greg Sage have had on me I wanted to shine a light on it. If I had heard YOA and the Wipers years ago, I likely would have listened too fast and missed them. As it turns out, they're exactly what I need now.Greg Sage forever!

From our good friend and guest on today's show, Diane Coll: "Late 1979. Young teenage girl strolling by the local headshop/record store in LaGrange, IL spots an album in the storefront window.  She buys it without hearing a song on it. I mean, who could resist the stark white backdrop and Chrissie's cool red leather jacket.  Young girl goes home and has a full 47 minutes of jaw-dropping glee and empowerment. It was okay to be angry, to be vulnerable, to be sexual, and to be in charge, all unapologetically. Young teenage girl's life was forever changed, and she didn't leave her bedroom until every note of the guitar solo on "Kid" was learned.  Her favorite line, "I'll never feel like a man in a man's world," remains her favorite today."

Our guest for this episode is our good friend from Philadelphia, Jason Clouser "I picked Mush by Leatherface because I'd never heard of them before 5 years ago. Tom Cheshire introduced them to me. And this record instantly became one of my favorites . Frankie's a monster singer, beautiful lyricist and this record deserves to be talked about!" 

Tom Cheshire provided the testimonial for one of our favorite bands and albums, I believe the first greatest hits compilation of our show, Ramones Mania! "Sometimes it's fun to break the rules, or just reinvent them. Although this isn't an album, RAMONES MANIA is a greatest hits record, it's the first Ramones record I bought. Later I bought every individual album. They were that important to me. Coming from their neighborhood, Forest Hills, Queens, New York, made me love them even more. Hometown Heroes gone good. My Brother Scott once referred to The Ramones as our Beatles. I knew Casey and B Kinch would be the perfect people to talk to about this record. We all discovered this band and this particular record about the same time, through skateboarding and BMX bikes, and our weird friends, and in the case of B Kinch, his babysitter. The Ramones are comic book characters that have come to life, that sing about weird beautiful things and about being outsiders, and we all connected with it. This is my favorite greatest hits record. I hope you enjoy this episode. Also BLAST this whole record from start to finish. You can thank me later."  - Tom Cheshire 

On today's episode, we talk to our friend Alli Yarbrough about Feel the Steel! "So the reason i chose this specific album, Feel the Steel, is because it got me thru the pandemic. I started listening to it in Oct of 2020 and it really made the rest of Covid bearable. I love that Steel Panther doesn't take themselves too seriously; however, they are SERIOUSLY badass musicians. They used to be a Van Halen cover band called Atomic Punks, then Metal Skool and finally Steel Panther. Michael Star has the pipes, Satchel has the guitar chops, Stix Zadinia has the rhythm with his drums and Lexi Foxxx has the bass groove, the lip gloss and hairspray. Casey got us tickets to see them in 2021 and paid for a Cameo happy birthday song to me from the one and only Satchel. And at their show, they knew i was going to be there, so they wished me a happy birthday and dedicated a very raunchy song to me! This album is so fun to listen to. If you don't take yourself too seriously either, i recommend you FEEL THE STEEL"

From our dear friend and guest on today's show, Chad LeBlanc: "I picked this record because when I first heard it at age 12 it completely changed everything for me. Musically it inspired me in countless ways - and it made me realize that puffy hair and good looking dudes weren't necessary to be awesome. They looked like dudes who hang out at the gas station and drink beer from quart bottles. Perfect. 80 is my single favorite piece of music of all time. Cheers!"

From Rick Moore, our longtime friend and guest on the show: "The first time I saw John Reis play was around Thanksgiving ‘95. Rocket from the Crypt at Midtown Music Hall. It was the best show I've ever seen. Circa Now was the record. Blue sparkle were the shirts. Well spanked Les Paul Customs and well vented 100W JCM 800s. Hot Snakes in Nashville a few years ago was almost as good. I don't follow much new music, but I can count on Reis for steady content that's always good and relevant. It's extraordinary talent, occupying a significant place on the map for 35 years. It should be heralded". Thanks Rick for your great pick, and go see Skin Jobs whenever they are playing in town!

De La Soul's Three Feet High and Rising is a very personal and important album to us – in fact anyone coming of age in the mid to late 80s should have a special place in their heart for this music they created back in 1989. It was fun, it was creative and groundbreaking, it was everywhere. But unlike Paul's Boutique, It Takes a Nation of Millions or Low End Theory, Three Feet High and Rising was lost to time. It did not stay in the public consciousness to be rediscovered by later generations as the albums have been out of print and unavailable for streaming, and this is one of the tragedies for a group that was so amazing and influential. We have wanted to talk about this album since the very beginning of Three on the Ones and Twos, but there was always another that somehow took precedent. Then we heard the catalogue was coming back into print and would be available for streaming, and we got really excited again. But sadly Trugoy the Dove (Plug Two) did not get his victory lap, passing away less than three weeks before these albums were given a new life. Every person between the ages of 45 to 55 who grew up on these albums revisited a part of their childhood on that weekend of March 3rd, and we wanted to celebrate this album and a group that meant so much to all of us. Enjoy the episode!

From James Joyce (Three on the Ones and Twos Cohost): DEVO is one of my favorite bands of all time – in fact, I don't even consider them a “band” but really an artistic movement, philosophy and way of life. These five weirdos from Ohio created a place for themselves as true artists, making music, videos, graphic design that has lasted an entire lifetime, all of this both inside and outside mainstream culture and business worlds, with a great sense of humor, absurdity and fun. They are truly subversive in so many ways and massively influential - everyone has a picture of DEVO in their mind, but when you really pay attention to what they are truly saying and doing, you see how deep and profound the message becomes. And their message of De-Evolution only gets more and more relevant as time goes on – no other band has prepared us for modern times more than DEVO. De-Evolution is Real - Duty Now for the Future!From Cassy (Three on the Ones and Twos Cohost): This one is really special. Devo is one of those bands that a ton of music we love wouldn't be the same without. There's no denying their legacy is imperative to the formation of new wave, electronic and even performance art as we know those things to be today. In Episode 56, Me, Tom and James (aka 1499) sit down with good friend, musician and Three on the Ones and Twos team member, Brian Kincheloe, to discuss the first release from this iconic band, the incredible Q: Are We Not Me? A: We Are Devo! The Mothersbaugh brothers, Casale brothers along with Alan Myers on drums had such a unique perspective right out of the gate - backed up with the talent needed to execute it -  that the likes of legends Iggy Pop, Robert Fripp, David Bowie and Brian Eno (who won out in the end) vied for the opportunity to produce their debut record. That's crazy impressive! The end result is this phenomenal masterpiece which we enjoyed discussing immensely. Watch until the end for the Cameo video from Jerry Casale that Sue got James a year and a half ago for Christmas along with a short clip of Devo's fantastic performance from last year's Cruel World festival. And in the famous words of the man himself, de-evolution is real! Cheers!

From our good friend and guest on today's episode, Jon Phipps: "Reckoning is the first R.E.M album I truly fell in love with, top to bottom. This record was the American Fab Four's thumbing-your-nose at the notion of a 'sophomore slump.' Every song on this evergreen, crystalline and beautiful record has its own unique brawniness and mood and story all behind it. This record grabbed listeners by the ear and made them realize that this quartet from Athens, Georgia was nothing to be fucked with."

During the pandemic two friends, Andy Gish and our Episode 8 guest, Kim Ware, created the Kimono My House Facebook page for musicians to have a platform to perform during quarantine. Tom thought up an idea of a show on KMH which would include sets by Blake Rainey, Lars Nagel and himself. Dubbed THE BLT show, it quickly became a regular weekly thing with incredible rotating musicians from all over the country. As quarantine slowly and safely let up and venues reopened, that same community of musicians and music lovers began playing shows together in person.  A few weeks ago, at the Star Community Bar, a fantastic lineup met for BLT Fest 2 (you may remember BLT Fest 1 at Waller's where we had a wonderful conversation with our Episode 39 guest, Daniel Gay from Worcester, Massachusetts) and we again took the opportunity to sit down with a couple guests from out of state to discuss their record picks. First up is our friend, Vic Burgess, aka Chattanooga Vic, from, you guessed it, Chattanooga Tennessee. Vic gave us several great record choices and we settled on the fantastic No Depression by Uncle Tupelo, which inspired the creation of the alt-country periodical of the same name and helped define a genre. Here's what Vic had to say about the experience: "A great quality about music, and art in general, is how perspectives can change when discussed and evaluated by a group of friends. One outside observation can turn a song or a whole album on its head. Discussing this album with my friends who had different takes on it opened my mind up to different angles that I hadn't thought of before." - Vic Burgess  We couldn't agree more, Vic! We're so excited to have finally had Vic on as a guest and to share the awesome conversation we had about this iconic record which kicked off the legacies of Wilco and Sun Volt, took inspiration from both punk and country, then blended them together so seamlessly the album title is sometimes used as a synonym for the entire alternative country genre. No Depression by Uncle Tupelo is a true gem and if you haven't heard it yet you should definitely put that on your list. James couldn't be at the Star Bar the Sunday of the BLT Fest but he will be back for Episode 56. Be sure to check out Vic's band, The ExLaws, and some of his solo work at the links below. Cheers! – Cassy https://www.facebook.com/TheExLaws/ https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vicburgess/a-fool-and-his-money-will-soon-party

From our guest on today's episode and our good friend Mike Shina: "I heard this album from my friend Tal Bayer, he turned me on to Dexys but this record changed everything. It's soul and gospel and spiritual. I met Tom Cheshire, he was living in Tal's laundry room. We were discovering so many things and discovering us and becoming artists ourselves. This record was the soundtrack of all of it. It's beautiful and religious and flawed and perfect."

Our guest today is Travis Thatcher - here is what he had to say about Dubnobasswithmyheadman by Underworld: "This was the first album of the re-invented form of Underworld with Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, eschewing their prior new wave pop for a more focused electronic sound. Working with a young Darren Emerson (who went on to a huge career as a DJ), dubnobasswithmyheadman established the archetype of Underworld's future releases and received high praise from the music press at the time. I discovered Underworld through the Wax Trax (US) single release of Cowgirl which also appeared on the Hackers movie soundtrack. Thankfully the tune and the record it came from have aged far better than the movie (hack the planet!). As a teen growing up in Eastern PA, I had never heard anything that sounded like them. I was immediately hooked and closely followed their subsequent output. Learning more later about their background in the group Freur and the earlier new wave incarnation of Underworld, their evolution made a lot of sense to me. Dubnobasswithmyheadman was one of the records that Ben and I bonded over when first forming Judi Chicago. Karl Hyde's vocal delivery is a really great example of using voice as an instrument - you can focus on the texture and timbre and get just as much out of it as you can from his words. Mmm Skyscraper is also a big favorite. The stream of consciousness lyric style is something I am always able to get lost in. I also always dug how much guitar was on this record and how the guitar parts are treated and mixed so seamlessly with the electronics." 

From our guest Ben Coleman: In London and the surrounding area in 1994, Jungle music was the most exciting thing around, experimental, multicultural, utterly new and totally local. “Jungle Mania 2” encapsulates the moment that this underground scene erupted from the clubs and pirate radio stations of London into the national consciousness (and childhood record collections) of Britain, after the top 40 breakthrough success of “Original Nuttah” by UK Apachi & Shy FX.The details of the release speaks to this underground/mainstream tension: it was released on Telstar, who specialised in compilations and telemarketed major artist compilations like Slade's “Crackers (The Christmas Party Album)” (1985), “Morning Has Broken (20 Religious Favourites)” and (setting a dancefloor precedent) the popular pop/rave “Deep Heat” compilations of the late 80s and early 90s.Evidently, Telstar were fairly agnostic about the content of their releases and were just giving the kids what they wanted, and they wanted “35 Of The Most Cantankerous, Ruffneck Jungle Ryddims Ever”! Jungle Mania 2 album was duly advertised on commercial TV and was available at Woolworths, and I will go out on a limb and say it was probably the double cassette that was rocking most bedroom stereos.The sleeve notes give some indication as to where all of this art has sprung from. The ‘licensed in association with…” section is an extensive list of 25 labels, some of whom are legendary in the breakbeat scene: Aphrodite, Ibiza, Ganja, Moving Shadow, Reinforced, S.O.U.R., Suburban Base. These were the roots of the scene, a totally grass-roots, London based phenomenon that sprang from the ashes of acid house and hardcore rave, fusing breakbeats with dub basslines and ragga MCing to spawn a new, darker dancehall hybrid. At this time the scene was resolutely DIY- a good portion of the artists featured on this compilation owned and managed the labels releasing the music, or worked in the record stores selling self-released white label 12”s, or DJ'd on the many pirate stations that were proliferating across the tower blocks of the city. This is truly Underground music, but packaged by the people who brought you “Rock Legends (12 Timeless Rock Classics)”, and with a funny googly-eyed face on the front.For the “full-on live experience” the sleeve notes advise that we “check Jungle Mania events in the London area”. Jungle Mania was (and still is, 30 years on) one of the biggest and best promoters of Jungle events in the UK, and were perfectly positioned to be the brand name for these compilations.What to say about the music? To this day, for many die-hard listeners and collectors, Jungle (and its more straight-faced twin sibling Drum and Bass) has never topped the 1994-95 era, during which the clash of cultures and styles exploded in black plastic shards of brilliance, experimentalism, hilarity and rhythmic innovation. For more reading, I highly recommend “Generation Ecstasy”, by Simon Reynolds, and check out my own project “Can't Stop the Pirates” here, where there is loads of links to documentaries, and an amazing archive of pirate broadcasts from back in the day: https://www.bencolemansounds.com/piratesBen Colemanwww.bencolemansounds.comRedline Artist

When my friend Joana Fernandes texted me to say she'd be in Atlanta I couldn't miss the opportunity to have her as a guest on the show. I knew she'd come up with some awesome record choices to talk about but I wasn't sure what they'd be. Out of all the fantastic choices she gave, Tom, James and I decided to go with Kick by INXS. Four of the twelve tracks were top 10 hits - the record dominated the charts at a time the three of us were figuring out who we were and what direction we wanted our lives to take. Kick came out the year I moved from a relatively small town in Wisconsin to the San Francisco Bay Area and the world opened up to me - a new sensation. I couldn't have picked a better record to talk about with a dear friend from my high school days; the songs could be heard everywhere the year our worlds collided. Thank you, Joana! I love you and I'm so happy you're our 50th episode guest, just in time for your next 24th birthday. We had so much fun shooting this episode and reminiscing about our idyllic teenage years in late ‘80s Marin, I forgot to mention one of the most interesting things I learned about INXS in my research for this episode. Did you know they briefly considered being a Christian band? It's true! Be sure to watch to learn more fun facts and, if you don't already, get to know my friend Joana a little bit. She's pretty spectacular. This episode is dedicated to the loving memory of our high school friend, Samay Israel. - Cassy

Denise Medow has worked behind the scenes in production on Three on the Ones and Twos since its very first episode. She does not want the limelight. She won't even let us take a picture of her. She just believes in being a team player and doing everything that is needed to get the job done. We asked her if she would be a guest on the show. We've asked her several times. She has said no every time. Then a couple of months ago she came to us and said she didn't want to be a guest but there was a record she wanted to hear us discuss.  She wanted us to discuss Operation Ivy, the Energy album. She was smiling but dead serious and said "this is my go to record, it brings a smile to my face, it makes me happy, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to celebrate all of the good things in life, love and friendships."Thank you Denise.Tom Cheshire - Co-Founder, Three on the Ones and Twos

Today's episode is The Harder They Come soundtrack, featuring Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals and several others. I am personally writing the testimonial, but actually this is a mutual pick between the three of us. We love this album so much, it is the perfect introduction to the music of Jamaica in the late 60s/early 70s, and puts you in the best mood whenever you put it on. We played this record at Cabinista! before filming this episode, just feeling the good vibes and was so inspiring and uplifting, but also brought back strong memories from our collective past. It is one of our favorite albums of all time, and honestly surprised it took this long into the show before we talked about it! Enjoy the episode, and listen to this album at least once a year, especially if you need some cheering up and want to have a good time with your friends. James Joyce - Three on the Ones and Twos. 

From our friend and special guest Mack Cole: "I picked this record because when I first heard it at age 12 it completely changed everything for me. Musically it inspired me in countless ways - and it made me realize that puffy hair and good looking dudes weren't necessary to be awesome. They looked like dudes who hang out at the gas station and drink beer from quart bottles. Perfect. Orion is my single favorite piece of music of all time. Cheers!"

From our dear friend and guest for this episode, Matt McCalvin: "Trout Mask Replica is a one of a kind rare album, it's simultaneously in the future and the past, blending delta/Chicago blues with the skronk and spazz of free jazz It's a bold and direct challenge to the ears. Fast and Bulbous!"

This is a special double episode celebrating "GothVember" combining 44 and 45 where we talk with guests Jenny Watts and Karen Horn Smith of Fossil & Hide simultaneously about their record picks, Phantasmagoria by the Damned and First and Last and Always by The Sisters of Mercy. In their own words:I chose the album by the Damned, Phantasmagoria, their 6th album released in July of 1985. This was the first Damned album that was made without the infamous Captain Sensible (although he did help write the song 'Is it a dream') AND the Damned's first goth album. Rat Scabies drumming on this record is nostalgic to me of a theme from an old western. Some would argue that this album is not a tried and true Damned album because of its lack of "punk" attributes but I disagree.  Without Dave Vanian, the Damned would not be the Damned. This is the one and only album by The Damned where Dave Vanian truly shines in all of his dracula glory with it's catchy, non-serious yet very thought out amazing vocals, goth glory and punk nostalgia. If you are a "punk" Damned album fan only, listen to Phantasmagoria about a hundred times and you will eventually get it!  - Jenny WattsI chose First and Last and Always by The Sisters of Mercy. The first time I heard the Sisters of Mercy was in 1990 on my local college radio station WFWM. The song was This Corrosion off of their second album Floodland. I was 15 and living in a small mountain town in western MD. My only source for alternative music was the local college radio station and MTV's 120 minutes, which I watched religiously every Sunday night. I remember being totally blown away by This Corrosion and so I begged my mom to drive me two towns over to Camelot music to see if they had any SOM tapes at the store. The only cassette they had was the band's debut album First and Last and Always so I bought it and it changed my 15 year old existence. I couldn't get enough of Andrew Eldritch's deep voice and gloomy lyrics. I love every song on this album and it has been in constant rotation since I first discovered it.  Andrew Eldritch can deny it all he wants (eye roll)  but the Sisters of Mercy hands down defined the goth sound of the 80's and have influenced countless other bands. I had the best time discussing this album! Thanks James, Cassy and Tom! - Karen Horn Smithhttps://www.fossilandhide.com/https://www.instagram.com/fossil_and_hide/

From our friend and guest on this episode, Lyra Stephens: "I heard the Misfits for the first time when I was 13, and, even though it was from a very bad recording on a mixed tape, I immediately fell in love. After hearing much better recordings, my love for them grew substantially.Once I could understand what Glenn Danzig was singing about, I appreciated the songs even more. He has a distinct voice, cool imagination, fascinating ideas, and a way with words. Strangely, the Misfits' album, Static Age, was released almost twenty years after it was recorded. With just 30 hours of studio time, they put together an album that contains songs that changed the punk rock landscape. The album was recorded in 1978, and, because they had trouble finding a record label who wanted it, was released in 1995. It was first found in the box set, then, about a year later on an album of its own, with a bonus song. The album art for Static Age is rather macabre, and very much in keeping with the distinctly creepy aesthetic the Misfits used on so much of their t-shirt graphics and artwork over the years. The Crimson Ghost skull is an iconic punk rock symbol that almost everyone recognizes because it is so visually memorable and stunning.  The Misfits brought a brand new sound with creative, spooky imagery to the music world. They even had a fan club, the Fiend Club, that they used to market their products, which was an uncommon practice, and a great idea. Uniquely haunting, the Misfits have been, and continue to be, the backbone of punk rock.

Today's pick was from our friend and guest Sean Zearfoss: "I first heard the Stone Roses by way of their second, almost universally panned second album, Second Coming. Perhaps because I didn't read any press on the album before I heard it, I didn't know what I was supposed to think about the band or the album. I liked it, especially “Ten Storey Love Song.” From there, I got The Complete Stone Roses shortly after, which gave me more of an idea of what they did best: catchy, Byrds-ian, psychedelic pop songs. I was already sold by the time I finally found their debut Stone Roses. The years I took to get there are perhaps the most circuitous way to find one of the most important and best albums of all time. Stone Roses has those same psychedelic pop songs, but what works most about the album is that it works as a genuine whole. In other words, it's a perfect album. The songs are both tangible, like you've been hearing their sounds your entire life, but also otherworldly, as if these textures are from a time and space beyond. If we put our best on the Voyager spacecraft, this is what returned to us from the other direction. And while most people call out John Squire's guitar on Second Coming, here, the band moves as a unit, as one cohesive whole towards the stratosphere. There is perhaps no more arrogant opening to an album than Ian Brown's “I want to be adored” refrain. Here's a band (and especially an album) worthy of such of a grand request."Check out Sean's amazing work in Small Reactions here!https://smallreactions.bandcamp.com/

From this week's guest Chet Knight: "Simply put, the RedSkins are unique. There's still only one Socialist Soul band made up of skinheads and former punk musicians. And they deserve to be heard."Check out the album on Youtube and Spotify - Enjoy the episode!

From Cassy: REM is one of those bands that undeniably impacted our generation. Whether their music is your thing or not – it made its mark. But for us this was so much closer to home, both literally and figuratively. They're so woven into the tapestry of our lives it seems crazy that in a year and a half this is our first REM episode and it was picked by our friend, Jon Phipps, all the way from Jefferson, North Carolina. But this wasn't just about REM for us. This was about a very special place that made a huge impact on our young adult selves which carried over into all the corners of our lives. This episode is our love letter to Athens. We're sorry it took us so long. In the end, Jon Phipps was unable to travel into town for the festival and we had to shoot the episode without him. He's already picked another fantastic record (but you'll have to wait to find out what it is) and we're excited to have him on as a guest soon.

From our friend and today's guest Daniel Gay "I chose Philip Glass' “Solo Piano” because it's the most transportive record I've ever heard.  It's music for all seasons of life; it can be warm, cold, stark, ambitious, unrelenting, but more than anything it's constantly beautiful.  Each track, each arpeggiated run.  It's reference points have always resonated with me.  Kafka, Ginsberg, the Dali Lama, Buddhism, social justice, anti-authority.  For more than 25 years, this music has accompanied me through the births of my kids, deaths, degrees, jobs, marriage, love and loss, and I attribute some of its power to helping me quit alcohol and remain on a path of alcohol sobriety.  It's mindful music, not in the “Life is Good” hippie way, but in the way that it centers me.  It's classical music for punk rockers, or  music for thinkers and dreamers.  Glass won't physically  be around much longer, but the next generation, guys like Richter, Tiersen, O'Halloran…they'll push the minimalist form forward and continue to inspire people to step out of their boxes, focus, and be conscious of the beauty of the world and my place in it."Enjoy the episode, and check out Daniel Gay's YouTube Channel! Here is the link: Daniel Gay YouTube ChannelAlso Daniel Gay's Bandcamp page:Daniel Gay Bandcamp Page

In the words our our guest for this episode and friend Will Greene: "I chose the Duster album due to how much the longevity of the players in the record impresses me.  Through blistering HC bands in the nineties (Mohinder) to a complete shift to another style and type of music (Duster) in the late nineties - switching to other bands to only come back and reignite Duster almost 20 years later with the cat album in 2019.  Incredible - and the album is just another perfect step forward with the type of sound they had always been striving for.  I find it beautiful and inspiring."

From Kelly Hester: "The Melvins Ozma record is my favorite record for many reasons but mainly cause it blew me away when I first heard it and changed how I looked at heavy music. The Melvins have an incredible catalog spanning several years but this album , to me, is the most unique.  I hope you enjoy hearing my perspective on this gem."Check out Kelly's Death Pickles in their Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/KellysDeathPickles 

Greg King is our special guest on this week's episode of Three on the Ones and Twos. We honestly had no idea what record he would pick for us to discuss, but when he told us it was “Forever Came Today” by The Flesh Eaters, it all made sense. I can see Chris D.'s influence on Greg's style and persona as a frontman of GG King, and is a perfect fit for Jesse Smith's pick on the previous episode as a classic LA band from the punk era that does not get enough attention. Enjoy the episode, and listen to some Flesh Eaters! 

This was Jesse Smith's pick - testimonial forthcoming!

From Randy Michael: "Bob Dylan is Jesus in my house. He's the Raekwon, the chief of the rock n roll. He's the first person to make me care about lyrics but he did it in a way where he's the hero - whether he's right or wrong. I love this album."

From Rebecca Merchant: "I chose this album because it's been one of my constants since it came out in 1990. I was 14 going on 15, just on the other side of a bunch of bad childhood stuff and starting to learn what it was like to no longer be a child. Getting all of my music from MTV's 120 Minutes, which I taped every Sunday night because my parents wouldn't let me stay up that late. I would then watch the episode over and over until I had to record over it on the next Sunday night. Imagine little Becca, sitting on the carpeted floor in front of the tube TV, mouth open, trying to process the “Dirty Boots” video. Every song on that album rages, even “Scooter and Jinx” (which has a fun origin story, btw). Cameo by Chuck D? C'mon, it doesn't get better than this. Thanks to Cassy, Tom, and James for having me on and for loving this album along with me."

From Tom Cheshire: "This one here is a no brainer. Actually, I take that back. I hate to use the term game changer, but that's actually what this record is. When I heard this record it changed everything. It changed the way I listened to songs, it changed what I expected to hear in songs and it certainly changed the way I approached and wrote songs. This is a perfect record. It is a movie soundtrack without knowing it. It is my favorite New York record. I see the wet dark streets and I hear people screaming out the windows. I hope you dig it too."

The Constantines "Shine a Light" was originally the pick of our good friend Derek Wallace. He was all set to be our guest but had to cancel last minute because of Daddy Duties. You know what they say in the business, the show MUST go on. With his approval we went and did the episode anyway. Luckily, we all had a lot to say. This is such a great record. I had many late nights myself listening to it with Derek, singing along and dissecting each song. Thank you Derek for your pick. Please BLAST this record and enjoy this episode. 

From Georgie Harris: Grievous Angel was the album that taught me how to sing with another person in the most meaningful ways. Gram and Emmy Lou's sonic and artistic partnership has been a constant beacon and reminder of the only sort of collaborations I'd like to have: complimentary, supportive, honest, and equitable. This record is one I can play on repeat in the same way many of us will put on a familiar movie or tv show to keep us company in the background. The harmonies hit. The genre-making power is immortal. The palpable spirit of creativity is soul-soothing. I hope you enjoy hearing us talk about it as much as I love this album. 

From James Joyce: To me this is an album unlike any other ever made. It sits in a dreamy part of your subconscious: atmospheric, experimental, abstract, meandering, confusing, cluttered, but always beautiful, surprising and engaging. Like so many of Miles' albums, In a Silent Way set the precedent for entire genres of music, cutting paths that lead to post-rock, post-jazz, post-music, post-everything you have known before. This can be the record you listen to with your friends at 4AM to wind down after a long night of jamming at the practice space, or something to peacefully start your Sunday morning. It is a wonderful soundtrack to long road trips, long plane rides, long periods of inactivity of any kind where you can just let the music wash over you without having to think or act. Just when you think the songs are going to end, they start again and you have wonderful cyclical quality that makes the album seem like it will go on forever. Listen for the rest of your days!

From Cassy: To the best of my knowledge, the first time I heard Echo and the Bunnymen was sometime late in 1987 after the release of their self-titled “grey album” which produced hits like “Lips Like Sugar” and, my personal favorite from their eponymous release, “The Game.” I fell for their sound quickly and didn't understand why both the critics and the band itself were underwhelmed by the final product until I went back through their earlier catalogue. I could have easily picked Crocodiles. I almost picked Ocean Rain. But my heart belongs to “The Cutter” and all things Porcupine so, of course, it won out in the end. I hope you enjoy this episode where I profess my undying love for my favorite Liverpool band and if all you know by Echo and the Bunnymen is “Bring on the Dancing Horses” from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack or the undeniably beautiful “The Killing Moon” because it was featured in Donnie Darko, I beg you to give a listen to Porcupine (or Crocodiles, or Ocean Rain, or …) because they are all truly sublime from start to finish. ❤ - 

From Tom Cheshire: This album to me is like an old film with Frank Sinatra in it. It is black and white and is up there with the best of 'em. It is a classic and there are certain times through out it, that the film is in color. I see the words painted on the screen in front of me. I see the words on walls and in the sky. I see Irish men and women coming into New York on a boat from overseas. I see and feel their struggle and pain and I see them almost happy. It is dark and haunting and sad and beautiful. It is poetry in motion, it is Poguetry in Motion. 

From Caroline Mask: It should come as no surprise that I would choose a Radiohead album for my episode but The Bends might be a bit unexpected.  While not my favorite Radiohead record, it was my introduction in the fall of 1995 to one of my top three favorite bands of all time and one which I still consider one of the most groundbreaking sophomore records ever.  It was Radiohead starting to dig their heels in and realize that they could and would reinvent themselves with every record they made.  Sulk and Black Star are my favorites.  I have loved so many people in my life through this band and a live Radiohead show is the closest thing to a spiritual experience I will ever have.  Just the best. 

This record means a lot to me, as will become abundantly apparent if you decide to listen to or watch this episode. It came out when I was 17 years old, and the way it hit me was magical. It was music that I felt I had always wanted to hear, but it didn't exist until this album was created. I'm going to let the episode speak for itself, but this record and this band mean a lot to me, as a musician and as a human, and I hope my enthusiasm for it will turn other people on to it. Enjoy, shitkickers.

I chose Persona Non Grata by Exodus, as it is honestly one of my new favorite albums of all time. It is such a strong and bludgeoning return since the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza and the release of "Blood In, Blood Out" in 2014.  After significant delay due to Gary Holt stepping into the late Jeff Hanneman's shoes of Slayer and of course the pandemic, the album is absolute sonic and thrash perfection. Exodus has always been one to capture the signs of the times,encapsulate major occurrences and tackle subject matter deemed too dark for many others, always to great effect. What makes Exodus great and the Thrash titans they always have been is on full display on this record. From Persona Non Grata to Antiseed, this record fucking slams and is a MUST listen for any fan of Exodus or the Thrash genre as a whole.  Hails! - Matthew Darrow

I chose Extras by The Jam as it's always been my favorite album of theirs and I think it's so underrated. It beautifully captures their range from punk to mod to the influence of Motown and how Paul took that to the Style Council. It has great stripped down versions of some of their harder songs like Eton Rifles and Thick as Thieves, which has a little flub that makes it feel so vulnerable. The rawness of Paul in these versions lets you hear just how talented he is as a songwriter and also how British he is. It's a perfect collection of unreleased tracks, covers, and rarities. Also, the first time I met Cassy we bonded over our shared love for The Jam and listened to this album and gushed all over it - Brenda Hall.

From Anna Kramer: When James asked me if I'd like to talk about Faces on “Three on the Ones and Twos”, I was excited because no one's ever asked me to talk about them before. They're such a huge influence on me but I don't know if that's something you can really hear in my songs and/or guitar playing. I picked the album “A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse” because it's the album of theirs I've played over and over again. It's my go-to, and though I love every band members performance on the album, it's really all about Ron Wood for me. His guitar sound inspires and motivates me. Thanks Ronnie and thanks James, Cassy and Tom, for asking me to nerd out about it with y'all! Enjoy. 

From Timo: In the intro to EAV Rudio I explain that “Everybody loves ska, some people just don't know it yet.”  You can see this is true when everyone from my local friend Nanci Agetro to international superstars Peter Dinklage and Oscar Isaac has been in a ska band.  But I'll add a caveat: everyone loves ska once they figure out where they fit in the world of ska.  Is it current music (please don't say 4th wave, just don't) or is it all the way back to its origins in Jamaica long before I was born?  Maybe it's my personal doorway through the 3rd wave in the Skasplosion of the 90s.  Or the final option: the 2nd wave out of England that stormed the shores of the US in the late 70s/early 80s.  2nd wave rudies will  understand what I am about to say, if not, there is no better introduction and summary to that time period than the ever-popular Dance Craze.  Some of the most influential bands of the scene ‘picking it up' on this two record release.  And although there may be one or two bands missing, find out all about it when I discuss this iconic album with the Three On The Ones and Twos crew.

From Timo: In the intro to EAV Rudio I explain that “Everybody loves ska, some people just don't know it yet.”  You can see this is true when everyone from my local friend Nanci Agetro to international superstars Peter Dinklage and Oscar Isaac has been in a ska band.  But I'll add a caveat: everyone loves ska once they figure out where they fit in the world of ska.  Is it current music (please don't say 4th wave, just don't) or is it all the way back to its origins in Jamaica long before I was born?  Maybe it's my personal doorway through the 3rd wave in the Skasplosion of the 90s.  Or the final option: the 2nd wave out of England that stormed the shores of the US in the late 70s/early 80s.  2nd wave rudies will  understand what I am about to say, if not, there is no better introduction and summary to that time period than the ever-popular Dance Craze.  Some of the most influential bands of the scene ‘picking it up' on this two record release.  And although there may be one or two bands missing, find out all about it when I discuss this iconic album with the Three On The Ones and Twos crew.

This was Casey Yarbrough's pick as our latest guest. In his words, here's why he picked it... I chose Sick of it All because that album always delivers when whatever mood strikes. From being tired of everything in this world, to the camaraderie of my best buds drinking all night. Here's to 27+ more years of better moods than worse! - Casey Yarbrough Make sure to like and subscribe...

We are doing something special - just yesterday the Three on the Ones and Twos crew sat down with TT Mahoney and Jeffrey Butzer to discuss the 1965 soundtrack to the Charlie Brown Christmas special by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, and also their upcoming shows celebrating this album and the holiday season at the EARL on December 10, 11, 12 (must be 21 or older - tickets available HERE), Madlife Studios in Woodstock on December 14th (all ages - tickets available HERE) and the  40 Watt Club in Athens on December 16th (also all ages - tickets available HERE). This is a "bonus episode" with no YouTube video so it can be a quick turnaround, and TT and Butz both share some great stories with us that couldn't be told on WABE or anywhere else, hence the explicit content button is pushed. So thanks TT Mahoney and Jeffrey Butzer for their beautiful music, Brian Colantuno and Trackside Tavern for their hospitality, PBR and Jameson for the drinks, Matt Darrow for camera work, Greg Pettay and Brian Kincheloe for post production, Billy Inman as Executive Producer and spiritual advisor. And you, the listener of course!

From Rod Hamdallah: Honored to have sat down and talked about one of my favorite albums on Three on the Ones and Twos. My choice is Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band's 1967 release, “Safe as Milk”. This album struck me the first time I heard it and influenced my music quite a bit. I love how Bluesy/Psychedelic and obscure the songs are, while Beefheart's “Howlin' Wolf-style” singing layers it perfectly. This album is still one of my top favorites and always will be.