Podcasts about The Dream Syndicate

"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

Toronto's legendary Change of Heart are back baby! After 27 years, the members of the post-Smile line-up of the band have a new album, In the Wreckage, and are hosting two shows at the end of the month in Toronto! To celebrate this, bassist/lyricist Rob Taylor and Guitarist/Singer Ian Blurton joined us to discuss one of their early influences, The Days of Wine and Roses by California's The Dream Syndicate.

If you've ever heard the phrase "this could only happen in LA", you'll know that Los Angeles is a fascinating and bizarre city, with millions of transplants clogging up the freeways, trying to make their mark in the entertainment capitol of the world. For those who grew up here, this stuff is old hat. For example, Morty Coyle and Jordan Summers are LA natives and literally went to high school with rock stars and movie stars. University High School in West LA has a long and fascinating history, and to take a glance at a list of former students at Uni High is to have your mind blown. This place is legendary for a reason and ATTT is delighted to have Morty and Jordan give us a guided tour, and help us count down the 10 greatest musicians and singers those hallowed halls have yet produced. Picks 10-6 are featured here in Part 1.Morty and Jordan make great music as members of LA stalwarts All Day Sucker. Explore their catalog at their websitehttps://www.alldaysucker.net/We've lowered our prices, but not our standards over at the ATTT Patreon! Those who are kindly contributing $2 a month are receiving an exclusive monthly Emergency Pod episode featuring our favorite guests and utilizing our patent-pending improv format in which we miraculously pull a playlist out of thin air. It's the long-awaited return of Chrissy Olsen, in an all new episode, out February 1st! Find out more at https://www.patreon.com/c/alltimetopten

The founder of this profoundly influential group talks about their early days in Los Angeles, touring with REM and U2, and his recently published memoir.

This week, we are joined by one of the legends of the American Underground, STEVE WYNN (The Dream Syndicate), who picked the jaw-dropping THE TAMI SHOW from 1964 to discuss. We also talk about the excitement of being young in the studio for the first time, the four elements that make a great record and how The Fall inhabited all of them, working with Peter Buck, being a snobby music snob, Chris seeing The Dream Syndicate open for R.E.M. on their Reckoning/Medicine Show Tour, how they evolved from Days to Medicine Show, watching The TAMI Show with the Pasiley Underground members in the theater, how the film and its sequel, the TNT SHOW, were split up into yet a different third film, Van Halen opening for Sparks, the feeling of the music industry hanging in the air in L.A., how the director also made the Elvis Comeback Special and the Star Wars Holiday Special, the narc energy of Jan & Dean, Smokey Robinson's voice going out during his perfomrance int he film, Mick Jagger finding out how to be Mick Jagger in this performance, The Stones vs. James Brown mythology, Marvin Gaye & The Blossoms, how the Velvet Underground lifted a song from Marvin Gaye, the incredible power of Leslie Gore's perfomrance, Dennis Wilson (almost) stealing the film with his drum performance, Keith Moon, Steve seeing The Beach Boys on the Surf's Up tour, Billy Kramers' high creep factor even though Lennon/McCartney kept writing songs for him, the Americana trend over in Europe 84, X, The Supremes, Diana Ross' voice slaying and her eye makeup killing, The Barabrians transcending time, Tony and The Tigers and more!So throw your cape off your back and struggle back to the microphone with us on this week's Revolutions Per MovieSTEVE WYNN:https://www.stevewynn.net REVOLUTIONS PER MOVIE:Host Chris Slusarenko (Eyelids, Guided By Voices, owner of Clinton Street Video rental store) is joined by actors, musicians, comedians, writers & directors who each week pick out their favorite music documentary, musical, music-themed fiction film or music videos to discuss. Fun, weird, and insightful, Revolutions Per Movie is your deep dive into our life-long obsessions where music and film collide.The show is also a completely independent affair, so the best way to support it is through our Patreon at patreon.com/revolutionspermovie. By joining, you can get weekly bonus episodes, physical goods such as Flexidiscs, and other exclusive goods.Revolutions Per Movies releases new episodes every Thursday on any podcast app, and additional, exclusive bonus episodes every Sunday on our Patreon. If you like the show, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing it on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!SOCIALS:@revolutionspermovieBlueSky: @revpermovieTHEME by Eyelids 'My Caved In Mind'www.musicofeyelids.bandcamp.com ARTWORK by Jeff T. Owenshttps://linktr.ee/mymetalhand Click here to get EXCLUSIVE BONUS WEEKLY Revolutions Per Movie content on our Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's show, we wrap up the merry month of Debts-cember (and the year in general) with the most honorable of mentions, the runners-up that fill our cup, the best of the rest of 2024  All this & much, much less! Debts No Honest Man Can Pay is over 2 rock-solid hours of musical eclectica & other noodle stories. The show started in 2003 at WHFR-FM (Dearborn, MI), moved to WGWG-FM (Boiling Springs, NC) in 2006 & Plaza Midwood Community Radio (Charlotte, NC) in 2012, with a brief pit-stop at WLFM-FM (Appleton, WI) in 2004.

"I get so excited when any of my friends or bandmates are doing well," Steve Wynn. Thank you to our good friends Debbie and Gerry at our sister podcast "It's Another Sunday Podcast" for the recommendation for this episode's guest. Steve Wynn is a life long musician know for his affiliations with bands like The Dream Syndicate, The Baseball Project, Gutterball, The Minus 5, Rainy Day and his solo projects. We welcome you to listen in on this conversation and enjoy Steve's insights into record making, song writing and finding and keeping life long friends. Steve has just released a book in memoir form titled "I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True" that touches on his 64 years and all the highs and lows that came along in them. It is available wherever you purchase your favorite books, including Steve's BANDCAMP page where you can also have it personally inscribed. Steve's resume includes more than 25 albums, 300 recorded songs, over 3000 shows in more than 25 countries. His songs have been recorded and/or performed by REM, Luna, Concrete Blonde, The Black Crowes, Yo La Tango, Eleventh Day Dream and many more. Steve has been featured in magazines spanning the globe, including People, Rolling Stone, Uncut, Mojo, Entertainment Weekly, NY Times, The LA times and many more. Check out and follow Steve at www.Stevewynn.net and find out when he will be in your area with one of his many projects. This was one of our favorite episodes to be part of and John & Mark were honored to spend some time with a genuine legend in the industry. "Buckle Up" for this one... Steve is taking us on a ride! For more information about the Musicians and Beyond Podcast with hosts Mark Lawhorne and John Surabian visit ⁠www.musiciansandbeyond.com⁠. IG: @musiciansandbeyond FB: @musiciansandbeyond X: @MusiciansBeyond YouTube: ⁠⁠   / @musiciansandbeyond⁠   Email: musiciansbeyond@gmail.com If you would like to be a sponsor our show or offer an item to be presented to our guests reach out to us at musiciansbeyond@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/musiciansandbeyond/support

Steve Wynn has released well over 30 albums during the last 25 years, with his bands The Dream Syndicate, Danny & Dusty, Gutterball, The Miracle 3, The Baseball Project and more with quite a few solo records in the mix.He's played over 2,000 shows in more than 25 countries and his songs have been recorded and/or performed by R.E.M., Luna, Concrete Blonde, The Black Crowes, Yo La Tengo and Eleventh Dream Day, among others. Steve has been featured in Rolling Stone, Mojo, Uncut, Entertainment Weekly, People, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times and many publications worldwide.His new book, I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True: A Memoir Of Life, Music, And The Dream Syndicate covers a lot of Steve's life. From his childhood in California to forming bands and opening for bands like R.E.M. and U2, to recent times, playing solo and also with his band The Baseball Project. It was a great experience to talk with the very prolific Steve Wynn.Photo by Guy Kokken. Check out Guy's work here.Save on certified Pre-Owned iPhones, Androids, AirPods, Macs, Smartwatches, accessories, and more at Plug Tech. – http://plug.tech/DJFEYBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Thanks for listening to Frets with DJ Fey. You can follow or subscribe for FREE at most podcast platforms. If you play guitar and are interested in being a guest, or have a suggestion for one, send me an email at davefey@me.com. You can also find information about guitarists, bands and more at the Frets with DJ Fey Facebook page. Give it a like! And – stay tuned…

"I get so excited when any of my friends or bandmates are doing well," Steve Wynn Thank you to our good friends Debbie and Gerry at our sister podcast "It's Another Sunday Podcast" for the recommendation for this episode's guest. Steve Wynn is a life long musician know for his affiliations with bands like The Dream Syndicate, The Baseball Project, Gutterball, The Minus 5, Rainy Day and his solo projects. We welcome you to listen in on this conversation and enjoy Steve's insights into record making, song writing and finding and keeping life long friends. Steve has just released a book in memoir form titled "I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True" that touches on his 64 years and all the highs and lows that came along in them. It is available wherever you purchase your favorite books, including Steve's BANDCAMP page where you can also have it personally inscribed. Steves resume includes more than 25 albums, 300 recorded songs, over 3000 shows in more than 25 countries. His songs have been recorded and/or performed by REM, Luna, Concrete Blonde, The Black Crowes, Yo La Tango, Eleventh Day Dream and many more. Steve has been featured in magazines spanning the globe, including People, Rolling Stone, Uncut, Mojo, Entertainment Weekly, NY Times, The LA times and many more. Check out and follow Steve at www.Stevewynn.net and find out when he will be in your area with one of his many projects. This was one of our favorite episodes to be part of and John & Mark were honored to spend some time with a genuine legend in the industry. "Buckle Up" for this one... Steve is taking us on a ride!!! For more information about the Musicians and Beyond Podcast with hosts Mark Lawhorne and John Surabian visit ⁠www.musiciansandbeyond.com⁠. IG: @musiciansandbeyond FB: @musiciansandbeyond X: @MusiciansBeyond YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/@musiciansandbeyond Email: musiciansbeyond@gmail.com If you would like to be a sponsor our show or offer an item to be presented to our guests reach out to us at musiciansbeyond@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/musiciansandbeyond/support

Because we're readers and whatnot, this week we get literate on y'all and discuss some of our favorite rock n' roll memoirs. Our Third Lad knows a thing or two about great rock memoirs, because he just published one...singer, songwriter, guitar hero, baseball aficionado, and now author...Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate! His memoir, I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True, is out now from Jawbone Press, covering his earliest days as a kid in LA falling in love with music, and down the road that took him to and through the first era of The Dream Syndicate. As a companion to the book, Fire Records simultaneously released Steve's first new solo album in 14 years, Make It Right, featuring songs that were inspired by the process of writing his memoir and reflecting on his life, from his beginnings in "Santa Monica" to present days on "Roosevelt Avenue". Steve is currently touring the eastern part of the US, with west coast and European dates to follow in early 2025, promising "a night of songs and stories" that you won't want to miss. Keep up on the latest news at https://stevewynn.net. During our conversation, we also cover: The Paisley Underground - the LA neo-psych scene that also spawned The Bangles, Three O'Clock, The Rain Parade, Green on Red, The Long Ryders! The lasting legacy of their classic 1982 debut The Days of Wine and Roses! What's in store for the out of print Dream Syndicate records Medicine Show (1984) and Ghost Stories (1988)? The 21st century return of the Dream Syndicate! Living with a drummer! (Don't worry, it's his wife Linda Pitmon, not Tommy Lee...) Little Steven's Underground Garage Cruise! Baseball! His supergroup The Baseball Project with Linda Pitmon, Scott McCaughey from Young Fresh Fellows / The Minus 5 and Mike Mills and Peter Buck from R.E.M. Also, who is Steve rooting for during the 2024 World Series? You won't want to miss this...and we wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate returns to the show to talk to JoE Silva about his memoir and his new solo album "Make It Right." Plus new indie sounds from Yesness, Wussy and a classic from The Orb.

Kristi Callan in conversation with David Eastaugh Vocalist and rhythm guitarist originally from Texas. Kristi Callan has performed with Wednesday Week, David Gray, Wondermints, Cruzados, Dave Davies, The Ventures, Big Soul, Lucky, The Roswell Sisters and others.  Founders of the band were the sisters Kristi and Kelly Callan—daughters of actress K Callan. The sisters formed their first group, The Undeclared, in 1979. The duo evolved into a trio, Goat Deity, in 1980, when they were joined by Steve Wynn. Wynn left to concentrate on his other band, The Dream Syndicate, and Kjehl Johansen (of The Urinals) joined on bass guitar, with the band name changing again to Narrow Adventure. With David Provost replacing Johansen in 1983, the band became Wednesday Week (named after the Undertones song), and they released their debut EP, Betsy's House, later that year.[1][2] Further lineup changes followed, with Provost being replaced by Heidi Rodewald at the end of 1983, and Tom Alford joining on lead guitar in early 1984. In 1985, David Nolte (of The Last) replaced Alford, giving the band its most stable lineup.

On this episode, Marc talks with Steve Wynn, author of “I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True: A Memoir Of Life, Music, And The Dream Syndicate,” published in August of 2024. It's an entertaining and insightful memoir of his music-obsessed life, from his childhood biking to the store to buy records, to his days as a record store clerk and radio DJ, to his co-founding of the Dream Syndicate, the LA band  whose debut album “Days of Wine and Roses” is a classic of 80's post-punk.As Wynn writes, “I had somehow and against all odds gone from being a music-obsessed record-store clerk making songs in his father's basement to being an underground sensation navigating a major label bidding war, theater tours with the coolest bands on a similar but loftier ascension, and then descending to a contentious flameout and the ultimate crash and burn, all within those three short years.”We hope you enjoy Marc's conversation with Steve Wynn!

On this week's show, we pour one out for the late Kris Kristofferson, spend quality with new records from Alan Sparhawk, The Hard Quartet and Steve Wynn, and spotlight the sprawling new compilation Cardinals at the Window, a benefit to raise money to help the communities of Western Notrth Carolina that were affected by Hurrican Helene. All this & much, much less! Debts No Honest Man Can Pay started in 2003 at WHFR-FM (Dearborn, MI), moved to WGWG-FM (Boiling Springs, NC) in 2006 & Plaza Midwood Community Radio (Charlotte, NC) in 2012, with a brief pit-stop at WLFM-FM (Appleton, WI) in 2004.

Esta semana, dedicamos la sesión de Rebelión Sónica, a la importante banda estadounidense de avant-pop Mercury Rev, con música de su nuevo álbum “Born Horses” y del celebrado “Deserter's Songs” de 1998. “Born Horses” fue lanzado el 06 de septiembre por el sello Bella Union y es primer LP del grupo con canciones inéditas desde “The Light in You” de 2015, pues su anterior trabajo “Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited”, es de covers de la legendaria cantante estadounidense. El miembro original Jonathan Donohue dijo sobre el álbum: “Desde nuestro comienzo a mediados de los 80 con David Baker hasta la grabación de “Born Horses” con los nuevos miembros permanentes, el pianista nativo de Woodstock Jesse Chandler y la tecladista austríaca Marion Genser, hemos celebrado la confianza tácita en la "estatua que ya está dentro del mármol". No hicimos “Born Horses” arrojando arcilla sobre arcilla, sino que permitimos que el tiempo revelara lo que siempre estuvo ahí”. Por su parte, el guitarrista Grasshopper y también fundador, explicó: “Cuando Jonathan y yo nos conocimos por primera vez, algo que nos unió fue “Blade Runner”, tanto la película de Ridley Scott como la banda sonora de Vangelis: esa sensación del pasado y el futuro, el ambiente inquietante del cine negro y el romance del futuro". En el Bandcamp del grupo se explica que “el título del álbum, que lleva el nombre de la majestuosa y ondulante sexta canción 'Born Horses', fue elegido porque sus palabras resuenan a lo largo de todo el disco, abarcando la idea de vuelo ("Soñé que nacíamos caballos esperando alas") y la frase "Tú y yo” que aparece en diferentes momentos del álbum. Éste no es el concepto de dos personas separadas, sino que de dos partes de uno mismo”. El texto agrega que “más inspiración la proporcionaron los espíritus del arte minimalista Tony Conrad y del poeta Robert Creeley, acólitos del pensamiento y la acción progresistas que enseñaron en la Universidad de Buffalo, la ciudad donde se formó la banda. Entre otras credenciales, Conrad fue miembro del Dream Syndicate de LaMonte Young junto con John Cale antes de formar The Velvet Underground. Creeley fue uno de los poetas estadounidenses más importantes e influyentes del siglo XX, asociado a Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg y los poetas de Black Mountain”. Al final del programa, viajamos al pasado en la historia de Mercury Rev, para escucharlos con material del elogiado álbum de 1998, “Deserter's Songs”. Rebelión Sónica se transmite por radio Rockaxis los jueves a las 10 y 22 horas, con la conducción y curatoría de Héctor Aravena.

Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate reflects on his career, the resurgence of vinyl, the collectable nature of his rare vinyl releases and the creative process behind his latest album "Make It Right" and autobiography "I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True".  Topic Include: Steve's experience moving from physical media (vinyl, CDs) to digital formats for convenience on the road. Nostalgia for his time working at Rhino Records and its influence on his music career. The unique music community and culture at Rhino Records, where Steve worked and networked. Steve's gradual shift away from collecting vinyl and embracing digital media. The evolution of the record industry from the 1980s to present, particularly how vinyl has returned. The role of music curation in record stores and its importance for music discovery. Steve's reflections on his long music career, ensuring his albums are still released on vinyl. The process behind finally releasing Sweetness and Light on vinyl after many years. How European record labels helped support Steve's career in the 1990s when U.S. labels were less involved. Curating and filtering music as a key element for making a record store stand out. The strategy behind releasing his new album Make It Right alongside his autobiography. Steve's thoughts on the practicality and challenges of touring with vinyl versus digital formats. The difficulties and satisfaction of managing his own music career independently for over 30 years. Experiences with bootleg releases of live performances and navigating music rights issues. Steve's approach to improvisation in music, particularly during live performances and recording sessions. The creative freedom Steve found in balancing spontaneous music creation with planned studio work. Inspirations behind Dream Syndicate's album covers, including their homage to classic jazz designs. Steve's take on recording technology, from analog to digital, and how it has influenced his process. The importance of capturing the immediacy of live music, and how it can surpass overproduced studio albums. Reflections on how Steve's songwriting process is influenced by his background in sports journalism, focusing on brevity and clarity. Steve's view on minimalism in songwriting, using fewer words to evoke more emotion and meaning. His thoughts on how jazz and rock influences shaped Dream Syndicate's sound and aesthetic. The evolution of his career, from making records in the 1980s to navigating the modern digital landscape. Steve's challenges with securing master rights to his older albums and his recent success in reclaiming Medicine Show. The role of collaboration in his music, particularly with new band members who bring fresh perspectives to his creative process. Steve's reflections on how the resurgence of vinyl impacts both artists and the music industry today. His thoughts on the balance between maintaining artistic integrity and the pressures from labels to produce commercially viable hits. The impact of the 2008 Universal Studios fire on master recordings and the uncertain status of some of his work. The importance of remaining adaptable in the music industry, especially with changes in distribution and technology. How Steve manages the intersection of being both a musician and his own manager, keeping both roles distinct yet complementary. The early records and mega collectibles of his career Interview wrap up Learn about Steve's releases and tours here. Extended, Commercial-Free & High Resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Hello friends! Musician and author of White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story, Sean Kelley and Continental Drifter and Guitar player of The Bangles, Vicki Peterson are my guests for episode 1428. White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story follows ten disparate musicians from humble beginnings at a dive bar residency in Los Angeles through lineup changes, addiction, marriages, divorces, and industry letdowns. The Continental Drifters, composed of members of The Bangles, The Cowsills, The Dream Syndicate, The dB's, and more, found each because they'd been burned by the music industry and sought refuge in a freewheeling environment where they could experiment without constraint. When everything fell apart in New Orleans a decade later, they ended up with so much more. White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story Drops next Friday, Sept. 27 along with We're All Drifters: A Tribute To The Continental Drifters, a 2 CD tribute album featuring Marshall Crenshaw, Kim Richey, Rosie Flores and more. Go to continentaldriftersbook.com for book and album info. Go to continentaldrifters.com for music, photos, merch and more. We have a great conversation about the book, the journey of the Continental Drifters and more. I had a blast getting to know Vicki and Sean. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you pod.   If you feel so inclined. Venmo: www.venmo.com/John-Goudie-1  Paypal: paypal.me/johnnygoudie 

Steve Wynn is the founder and creative force behind the influential L.A. rock band The Dream Syndicate, which never quite made the leap to mainstream, but they were probably one of your favorite bands' favorite bands. In addition to a solo career, Steve has played with many of gene's heaviest hitters, including four albums with The Baseball Project, which also includes Peter Buck and Mike Mills of REM, Scott McGaughey of The Young Fresh Fellows, and Lita Pitmon of Filthy Friends. Steve recently published his first book, I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True: A Memoir Of Life, Music, And The Dream Syndicate, which is published by Jawbone Press. His new solo album is called Make It Right and is available from Fire Records.   

“Lived Through That” is the companion podcast to my book where I look at influential musicians of the 80s and 90s and where they are today. On this podcast, we'll delve deeper into a single pivotal moment in the lives of some of the artists I feature in that book, as well as other artists I love and admire. The stories they tell are open, honest, and inspiring. Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate is our guest this week to kick off our fantastic fall season! The Dream Syndicate were part of Los Angeles' “Paisley Underground” scene that also included folks like The Bangles and The Three O'Clock. Their debut album from 1982, "The Days of Wine and Roses," is considered a classic today, and kicked off a long career for Steve and the band. Steve has a new memoir that just came out, “I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True” and a new solo record to go with it, “Make It Right.” On the episode, he shares with us a story about suddenly being thrust onto a much, much larger stage in the early days of the band. Musical credits: "Molly Molly" by Blue Dot Sessions "Santa Monica" by Steve Wynn "Sing My Blues" by Steve Wynn More about Steve and his books and records can be found here. Be sure to look out for my books, "Lived Through That" and "80s Redux" where ever you buy your books! You can find out more about my work and the 80s and 90s books at my website ⁠here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Kelly & Mark Walton are this episode's guests. Sean is the author of White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story, the authorized biography of the Continental Drifters due September 27th. Mark is the band's bassist and founding member. The book follows ten disparate musicians from humble beginnings at a dive bar residency in Los Angeles through lineup changes, addiction, marriages, divorces, and industry letdowns.  The Continental Drifters, composed of members of The Bangles, The Cowsills, The Dream Syndicate, The dB's, and more, found each because they'd been burned by the music industry and sought refuge in a freewheeling environment where they could experiment without constraint. When everything fell apart in New Orleans a decade later, they ended up with so much more. Purchase a copy of the book White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters StoryPurchase a copy of the album White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental DriftersPurchase the White Noise & Lightning + We Are All Drifters Tribute Album BUNDLE Visit ContinentalDriftersBook.comVisit ContinentalDrifters.comEpisode Playlist ---------- BookedOnRock.com The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:FACEBOOKINSTAGRAMTIKTOKX Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

Today, the Spotlight shines On trailblazing songwriter and now memoirist Steve Wynn.Steve first hit public consciousness in the early 1980s with his band The Dream Syndicate, frequently mentioned in the same breath as REM and The Replacements as the pioneers of American indie rock.The Dream Syndicate's initial run did not outlast the decade that birthed them, but Steve's career did, with over 30 years of solo albums and collaborations to his credit—including a relaunched Dream Syndicate in the early 2010s.Steve's latest projects are something of a pair—I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True, a memoir recounting his early life through the initial run of The Dream Syndicate, and Make It Right, a new album of music inspired by the writing and reflections for the book.Our conversation spanned Steve's formative years, his musical relationships over time, his process, roads not taken, and a glimpse into his near-term future activities, which include a bunch of time on the road promoting the book and dates with the indie rock “supergroup” The Baseball Project.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Steve Wynn's album Make It Right)–Dig DeeperVisit Steve Wynn at stevewynn.netPurchase Steve Wynn's memoir I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True from Bandcamp or AmazonPurchase Steve Wynn's album Make It Right from Fire Records, Qobuz, or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choiceFollow Steve Wynn on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter (X)Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On trailblazing songwriter and now memoirist Steve Wynn.Steve first hit public consciousness in the early 1980s with his band The Dream Syndicate, frequently mentioned in the same breath as REM and The Replacements as the pioneers of American indie rock.The Dream Syndicate's initial run did not outlast the decade that birthed them, but Steve's career did, with over 30 years of solo albums and collaborations to his credit—including a relaunched Dream Syndicate in the early 2010s.Steve's latest projects are something of a pair—I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True, a memoir recounting his early life through the initial run of The Dream Syndicate, and Make It Right, a new album of music inspired by the writing and reflections for the book.Our conversation spanned Steve's formative years, his musical relationships over time, his process, roads not taken, and a glimpse into his near-term future activities, which include a bunch of time on the road promoting the book and dates with the indie rock “supergroup” The Baseball Project.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Steve Wynn's album Make It Right)–Dig DeeperVisit Steve Wynn at stevewynn.netPurchase Steve Wynn's memoir I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True from Bandcamp or AmazonPurchase Steve Wynn's album Make It Right from Fire Records, Qobuz, or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choiceFollow Steve Wynn on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter (X)Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Wynn discusses his new memoir ‘I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True' and musical career. Steve The post Steve Wynn – The Dream Syndicate appeared first on The Strange Brew .

What to say about REM? It might actually be hard for teenagers today, or even 20-somethings, to appreciate how big R.E.M. were in the 90s. For a while, even when they were reinventing themselves, or tackling themes not especially conducive to pop hits, they just seemed to keep getting bigger. They signed the most expensive record deal in history in 1996. They are one of the biggest selling bands of all time, having shifted something like 90 million albums.  Formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia, they released 15 studio albums (only one of which I don't like), before retiring with dignity in 2011. I respect them for their decision, but as a fan, would I love them to tour again? Yeah, of course I would. They have been, and still are, adamant it won't happen, but they recently reunited to perform one song for the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, which they were inducted into earlier this year. I of course ask Mike about that decision and whether they may have talked themselves into a corner over the band's future prospects.  I also wanted to ask about the status of the band's reissue campaign. They've gradually been reissuing their back-catalogue with additional material. 1997's “Up” was the latest to get the anniversary treatment, and I was curious if 2001's “Reveal” was going to be next up. Anyway, R.E.M. are one of my favourite bands and I'm so glad this happened. In addition to R.E.M. stuff we touch on Mike's recent tour with The Baseball Project, a band in which he plays alongside last episode's guest, Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate. Mike also tours with Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, another previous guest, and so we talk about their plans to perform Big Star's incredible second album “Radio City”. Let me know what you think. Instagram: @sendingsignalspodcastX: @signalspodcast

Steve Wynn is a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a key band in the so-called Paisley Underground scene of the early 1980's. Their debut album “The Days Of Wine And Roses” was recorded in three overnight sessions and released in 1982. It's one of the great indie-rock touchstones and a phenomenal debut. The band had high-profile support slots with the likes of U2 and REM, but the rest of the 1980's saw them struggling to capitalise on their potential, and by the end of the decade they had disbanded. Steve continued to have a prolific solo career, as well as side-projects such as The Baseball Project, a supergroup featuring Mike Mills and Peter Buck of REM, who only write and perform songs about baseball. The Dream Syndicate reformed and released the first of several comeback albums in 2017. They remain an ongoing concern, but for now Steve is about to release an autobiography, charting his fascinating childhood in California, and the rise and fall of The Dream Syndicate. It's a story of record stores, college radio, tour buses, major label shenanigans, told with warmth, humour and honesty. It's also accompanied by a new solo album entitled “Make It Right”, released on the same day as, and intrinsically linked to, the book. I've probably said this a lot, but this was genuinely one of my favourite conversations I've had for the podcast. I really hope you enjoy it. Instagram: @sendingsignalspodcastX: @signalspodcast

Steve Wynn, frontman of The Dream Syndicate, has released over 25 albums and had more than 300 songs recorded by artists like REM and The Black Crowes. He has played over 2000 shows in more than 25 countries. He is also known for his solo work and projects like Gutterball and The Miracle 3. Steve joins Lydia and Tim from New York to read from his book I Wouldn't Say it if Iit Wasn't True: A Memoir of Life, Music, and The Dream Syndicate.

Steve Wynn in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.stevewynn.net/ https://stevewynn1.bandcamp.com/merch http://jawbonepress.com/i-wouldnt-say-it-if-it-wasnt-true/ Founding member of The Dream Syndicate, whose debut album, The Days Of Wine And Roses, is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the indie/alternative rock scene of the 1980s. He has also enjoyed a prolific solo career, touring the world on a regular basis and performing and recording in groups such as Danny & Dusty, Gutterball, and The Baseball Project (also featuring REM founders Mike Mills and Peter Buck). He scored two Norwegian hit TV shows, Dag and Exit, and his songs have been covered by Luna, Yo La Tengo, and Concrete Blonde, among others. I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True is his first book.

Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate for a deep dive into his early career. The hosts also review new albums by desert blues master Mdou Moctar and harmony magicians Finom.Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/Soundops It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee!Donate to Al Otro Lado Here: gum.fm/charityVolunteer with Al Otro Lado Here: alotrolado.org/volunteerJoin our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundopsFeatured Songs:The Dream Syndicate, "That's What You Always Say ," The Days of Wine and Roses, Ruby, 1982The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967Mdou Moctar, "Oh France," Funeral for Justice, Matador, 2024Mdou Moctar, "Funeral for Justice," Funeral for Justice, Matador, 2024Finom, "Haircut," Not God, Joyful Noise, 2024Finom, "Cyclops," Not God, Joyful Noise, 2024The Dream Syndicate, "Forest For The Trees," Out of the Grey, Chrysalis, 1986The Dream Syndicate, "The Days of Wine and Roses," The Days of Wine and Roses, Ruby, 1982The Dream Syndicate, "Medicine Show," Medicine Show, A&M, 1984The Dream Syndicate, "The Side I'll Never Show," Ghost Ship, Enigma, 1988The Dream Syndicate, "The Longing," The Universe Inside, ANTI-, 2020The Bangles, "Hero Takes A Fall," All Over the Place, Columbia, 1984Joni Mitchell, "A Case of You," Blue, Warner, 1971See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey everyone! This episode about the Roger Corman (RIP) film Slumber Party Massacre came out today, so we've decided to let everyone hear this bonus Patreon episode to celebrate Corman's legacy. And if you're enjoying this show, please consider supporting Patreon.com/RevolutionsPerMovie, where you will get the bonus episodes, stand-alone shows (like Coffee with Krummeancher & A Very Opinionated Look at URGH! A MUSIC WAR), physical goods sent out to you and to also reserve your copy of the upcoming Flexidisc with Peter Buck of R.E.M. & Vanessa Briscoe Hay of Pylon that is coming this Fall! Thanks everyone...enjoy!In this bonus episode, I'm joined by horror filmmaker Jim Hickcox & film critic Craig Wright of Split Tooth Media, who will be turning us on to the heavy metal horror that is SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE 2!  We discuss the backstory behind the film, how it got changed by Roger Corman, how critical the horror movie community is, creating dance sequences in movies, famous monsters vs. fangoria, promotional items that were sent to video stores, horny boy creeps in horror movies, sequel success rate, the garage band members that are the heroes of the movie, whether a guitar with a drill on the end is the best murder device in a film ever, as well as the fact that Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate is a definite six-degree part of this film!So don't go to sleep (or go all the way) in this week's exclusive Bonus Episode of Revolutions Per Movie!LIMITED EDITION REVOLUTIONS PER MOVIE SHIRT (available until June 9th 2024)revolutionspermovie.bandcamp.com Click here to get EXCLUSIVE BONUS WEEKLY Revolutions Per Movie content on our Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Descorchamos el 2024 con una selección de pasajes musicales y guitarras etéreas para envolver esos sueños que queremos alcanzar. Feliz año nuevo. (Foto del podcast por Michael Ochs; Lou Reed)Playlist;(sintonía) VELVET UNDERGROUND “New age”TELEVISION “The dream’s dream”TOM VERLAINE “Breakin’ my heart”LUNA “Marquee moon”THE OUT CROWD “Drugsick”THE DANDY WARHOLS “(Tony, this song is called) Lou Weed”ROARING 420’S “Hey Lou”THE FEELIES “Let’s go”THE DREAM SYNDICATE “When you smile”LOU REED “Coney Island baby”Escuchar audio

The Baseball Project is a band devoted totally to baseball. (Guess that's kinda self-evident by the name.) But the group is also made up of some pretty damn good musicians- Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Scott McCaughey, Linda Pittman and Steve Wynn. (They've had some other bands that have done okay for themselves.) The band put out their third long-playing record this summer and it's a great listen, even if you're some sort of heathen and don't like baseball.For more information you can check out the band's website, or follow them on Facebook.

Patrick Nickleson is the author of The Names of Minimalism: Authorship, Art, Music, and Historiography in Dispute, an academic study that radically reconsiders the origins and boundaries of musical minimalism. Uninterested in searching for the earliest work of musical minimalism, or even in doing the admittedly necessary work of expanding the canon to include lesser known but equally important figures, Nickleson instead underscores a different set of shared traits that he sees in (early) minimalism: the importance of collective authorship, often collaborating in a form of “bandness”; the priority of recording to tape over written scores; and distinguishing between “(early) minimalism” and the later canonization of Minimalism as we know it since the early 1980s. In addition to the book, we discuss searching for obscure records online, our shared love of Constellation Records, and the influence of Tony Conrad. Read more, including a tracklist, at www.acloserlisten.com TRACKLIST Godspeed You! Black Emperor - “Steve Reich” SP INTRO John Cale - “Terry's Cha-Cha” [Glenn] Branca - “Lesson No. 3 (Tribute To Steve Reich)” Terry Riley - “[Excerpt]” Steve Reich - “Pulses (2)”  Philip Glass - “Part 5 (Beginning)” Rhys Chatham & His Guitar Trio All-Stars - “Guitar Trio Pt. 1, Buffalo” Glenn Branca - “Structure” Tony Conrad - “Tony Conrad  April 1965” Angus MacLise / Tony Conrad - “Untitled (recorded October 18, 1968 at Tony Conrad's apartment)” La Monte Young - “Pre-Tortoise Dream Music” Tony Conrad - “The Heterophony Of The Avenging Democrats, Outside, Cheers The Incineration Of The Pythagorean Elite, Whose Shrill Harmonic Agonies Merge And Shimmer Inside Their Torched Meeting House [excerpt]” Tony Conrad with Faust - “From The Side Of Machine” John Coltrane - “Africa” GENG PTP - “(alice coltrane)” Dickie Landry - “Kitchen Solos” Eliane Radigue - CHRY-PTUS (Version 2006, Giuseppe Ielasi) Morton Feldman - “Page 1, System 1, Measure 1” John Coltane (McCoy Tyner solo) - “Naima [excerpt]” Observer All Stars and King Tubby - “Rebel Dance” Philip Glass - “Two Pages (For Steve Reich)” Albert Ayler - “For John Coltrane” Radiohead - “How To Disappear Completely” Godspeed - “Deathkamp Drone" Nicholas Papador and the University of Windsor Percussion Ensemble - "Stasis" The Noiseborder Ensemble - [Improvisation on A-Ha's "Take on Me"]  (Live at Media City, Windsor ON, 2009) The Dream Syndicate with La Monte Young - “Day Of The Holy Mountain (excerpt 2)” Jon Gibson - “Cycles” ( Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - “Fuck Off Get Free (For The Island Of Montreal)” Ornette Coleman - “Friends and Neighbors (instrumental) / “Friends and Neighbors (vocal)” Rhys Chatham - “Two Gongs (1971)” La Monte Young - “B Flat Dorian Blues 19 X 63 (5th day of the Hammer)” Terry Riley /  Don Cherry “Descending Moonshine Dervishes” Sonic Youth - “Pendulum Music (Steve Reich, 1968)” Tony Conrad - “ten years alive on the infinite plain (#1)” [Live at the Kitchen, 1972] Tony Conrad, “Four Violins (1964)” Henry Flynt - “You Are My Everlovin” Catherine Christer Hennix - “The Electric Harpsichord [excerpt]”  Raven Chacon -  “Singing Toward The Wind Now / Singing Toward The Sun Now”  Angus MacLise / Tony Conrad / John Cale - “Trance #2” John Cale - “A Midnight Rain of Green Wrens at the World's Tallest Building” Angus MacLise / Jack Smith / Tony Conrad - S.O.S. (Ca. 1968) Mt. Zion - “side one _ sow some lonesome corner so many flowers bloom” Angus MacLise - “Tunnel Music #2” [1965] John Cale / Tony Conrad / Angus MacLise / La Monte Young / Marian Zazeela - “Inside the Dream Syndicate Volume I: Day of Niagara” -—- Sound Propositions produced by ⁠Joseph Sannicandro⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/soundpropositions/support

We fix our gaze upon another of the legendary record labels of the O3L era, Slash Records. Slash was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by the late Bob Biggs. Over the course of its 22 year run as an active label, Slash released slew of classics by the likes of The Germs, X, Violent Femmes, Fear, The Blasters, Los Lobos, Rank and File, The Del Fuegos, The Gun Club, Dream Syndicate, Misfits, Robyn Hitchcock, Burning Spear, BoDeans, Faith No More, Failure, Green On Red, Grant Lee Buffalo, L7, The Chills, Rammstein, Soul Coughing, The Verlaines, and more. Boasting such an eclectic and iconic roster, how are we possibly going to pick our Top 5 songs from the label? We'd better call in the reinforcement! We'll take "Great O3L Third Lads" for $1,000, Alex. "This talented singer/songwriter just released his highly anticipated brand new album, Mug, on one of the best modern indie labels, Big Stir Records." "Who is Dolph Chaney?" Yes, this week's Third Lad is rockin' Chicagoland indie-pop singer/songwriter/guitarist Dolph Chaney, and you'll be seeing his "mug" all over in the near future, because his new album is pretty dang special. It's full of memorable melodies, indelible hooks, witty, intelligent lyrics, and playful production. Mug continues Dolph's evolution from '90s lo-fi troubadour to widescreen guitar pop auteur. Get it now at https://bigstirrecords.com/dolph-chaney. We go in depth with Dolph on his wonderful new album, critical cats, recording career, songwriting process, alliance with Big Stir and producer Nick Bertling, 2016 Jeopardy! appearance, and Mug merchandising (from mugs to...thongs??). Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Summer of No Light" The Philadelphia-raised Kip Berman had a musical life before he was the Natvral and that life could be found in his band The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. The beloved New York outfit was around for a little over a decade, calling it a day in 2019 after four perfect albums of indie pop that brought to mind everyone from Aztec Camera to Belle and Sebastian. Berman's 2021 debut as The Natural was the scorching beauty of an album called Tethers, which, for those of you keeping score, was my favorite album of the year. His sophomore album Summer Of No Light is a straight-up killer. It's got all the howl of Basement Tapes era-Dylan and the raw pop smarts of early Dream Syndicate, and it's one of those records that grabs you from the beginning, leaving you mesmerized by its raw and tender power. I love this album. It's somehow feral and polished and it's filled with the most achingly lovely hooks you'll hear all year. www.thenatvral.bandcamp.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.embersarts.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

We fix our gaze upon another of the legendary record labels of the O3L era, Slash Records. Slash was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by the late Bob Biggs. Over the course of its 22 year run as an active label, Slash released slew of classics by the likes of The Germs, X, Violent Femmes, Fear, The Blasters, Los Lobos, Rank and File, The Del Fuegos, The Gun Club, Dream Syndicate, Misfits, Robyn Hitchcock, Burning Spear, BoDeans, Faith No More, Failure, Green On Red, Grant Lee Buffalo, L7, The Chills, Rammstein, Soul Coughing, The Verlaines, and more. Boasting such an eclectic and iconic roster, how are we possibly going to pick our Top 5 songs from the label? We'd better call in the reinforcement! We'll take "Great O3L Third Lads" for $1,000, Alex. "This talented singer/songwriter just released his highly anticipated brand new album, Mug, on one of the best modern indie labels, Big Stir Records." "Who is Dolph Chaney?" Yes, this week's Third Lad is rockin' Chicagoland indie-pop singer/songwriter/guitarist Dolph Chaney, and you'll be seeing his "mug" all over in the near future, because his new album is pretty dang special. It's full of memorable melodies, indelible hooks, witty, intelligent lyrics, and playful production. Mug continues Dolph's evolution from '90s lo-fi troubadour to widescreen guitar pop auteur. Get it now at https://bigstirrecords.com/dolph-chaney. We go in depth with Dolph on his wonderful new album, critical cats, recording career, songwriting process, alliance with Big Stir and producer Nick Bertling, 2016 Jeopardy! appearance, and Mug merchandising (from mugs to...thongs??). Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Tricca is a massively talented singer-songwriter, a poet, and beautiful fingerstyle guitarist.  Italian by birth, Emma works between Rome, London and New York making gorgeous psychedelic folk rock records - her latest is called 'Aspirin Sun' it is out now and it's rather wonderful.  You may have seen Emma on tour with such luminaries as Robyn Hitchcock, Dinosaur Jr. or Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets - that wonderful band put together to play early Pink Floyd songs.  If not, then I hope this interview may serve as an introduction to some very beautiful music. What I really enjoy about Emma's work are the amazing textures she creates with her full band that also includes Dream Syndicate's Jason Victor on electric guitar as well as Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth on drums and Pete Galub on bass. That is quite a line-up...in many ways the cream of the New York art rock scene.  This interview was recorded on a hot day at the beginning of summer and I had invited Emma to visit me at home to get her out into the countryside and away from the heat and grit of London. And, In a Life on the Fretboard first, I had the pleasure of making some music with a guest - in this case one of Emma's songs which I have been semi-obsessed with since I first heard it. The link to that is in the description below. I'm on Telecaster and Emma is playing my Gretsch White Falcon - I hope you enjoy it!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK71DfcHPOc You can support this podcast here: https://michaelwattsguitar.com/tip-jars/4745 Download Emma Tricca's latest record here https://emmatricca.bandcamp.com/album/aspirin-sun Thank you to my sponsors for this episode: Microtech Gefell Microphones https://www.microtechgefell.de Mirabella Guitars https://www.mirabellaguitars.com

In early ‘80s California, a new kind of music was brewing that blended the psychedelic sounds of the '60s with the modern day post-punk ethos. This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot reflect on the Paisley Underground movement. They'll discuss the prominent bands like The Bangles, explore what made the scene so special and explain its impact on indie rock. Jim and Greg will also look back at the 1964 hit by The Shangri-Las, "Leader of the Pack," almost 60 years later. Plus, they'll review the new record from The Hives. Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9T Become a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvc Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnG Make a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lU Send us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah  Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops   Featured Songs: Rain Parade, "What's She Done to Your Mind," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967The Hives, "Bogus Operandi," The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, Disques Hives, 2023The Hives, "Trapdoor Solution," The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, Disques Hives, 2023The Hives, "Countdown to Shutdown," The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, Disques Hives, 2023The Hives, "What Did I Ever Do to You?," The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, Disques Hives, 2023Rain Parade, "What's She Done to Your Mind," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983Green on Red, "Sixteen Ways," Gas Food Lodging, Enigma, 1985The Beatles, "Tomorrow Never Knows," Revolver, Parlophone, 1966X, "Los Angeles," Los Angeles, Slash, 1980Rainy Day, "I'll Keep It with Mine," Rainy Day, Llama, 1984Rainy Day, "Sloop John B," Rainy Day, Llama, 1984Tony Conrad and Faust, "The Side of the Machine," Outside the Dream Syndicate, Caroline, 1973The Velvet Underground and Nico, "Sunday Morning," The Velvet Underground & Nico, Verve, 1967The Dream Syndicate, "The Days of Wine and Roses," The Days of Wine & Roses, Ruby/Slash, 1982Rain Parade, "Talking In My Sleep," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983Rain Parade, "This Can't Be Today," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983Rain Parade, "Kaleidoscope," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983Rain Parade, "Look at Merri," Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Restless, 1983Mazzy Star, "Fade into You," So Tonight That I Might See, Capitol, 1993The Bangles, "Going Down to Liverpool," All Over the Place, Columbia, 1984The Mamas & the Papas, "California Dreamin'," If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, Dunhill, 1966The Bangles, "Dover Beach," All Over the Place, Columbia, 1984The Bangles, "In a Different Light," Different Light, Columbia, 1986The Bangs, "Getting Out of Hand," Getting Out of Hand (Single), Downkiddle, 1981The Bangles, "Walk Like an Egyptian," Different Light, Columbia, 1986The Bangles, "Hero Takes a Fall," All Over the Place, Columbia, 1984The Bangles, "Manic Monday," Different Light, Columbia, 1986The Three O'Clock, "When Lightning Starts," Sixteen Tambourines, Frontier, 1983The Three O'Clock, "Her Head's Revolving," Arrive Without Travelling, I.R.S., 1985The Three O'Clock, "On Paper," Vermillion, Paisley Park, 1988Rain Parade, "As Real As Real," 3 x 4: The Bangles, The Three O'Clock, The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Yep Roc, 2019The Dream Syndicate, "Hero Takes a Fall," 3 x 4: The Bangles, The Three O'Clock, The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Yep Roc, 2019The Chills, "Kaleidoscope World," Kaleidoscope World, Flying Nun, 1986The Verlaines, "Death and the Maiden," Juvenilia, Flying Nun, 1987Echo & the Bunnymen, "Bring On the Dancing Horses," Songs to Learn & Sing, Sire, 1985Mercury Rev, "Car Wash Hair (Full Pull)," Yerself Is Steam, Columbia, 1991Slowdive, "Alison," Souvlaki, Creation, 1993Tacocat, "Grains of Salt," This Mess Is A Place, Sub Pop, 2019The Shangri-Las, "Leader of the Pack," Leader of the Park (Single), Red Bird, 1964Twisted Sister, "Leader of the Pack," Come Out and Play, Atlantic, 1985Best Coast, "Boyfriend," Crazy For You, Mexican Summer, 2010Juice Newton, "Angel of the Morning," Juice, Capitol, 1981  Support The Show: https://www.patreon.com/soundopinionsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baxie talks to former member of The Fresh Young Fellows, Scott McCaughey. Scott is currently involved with The Baseball Project--an excellent Super Group that includes Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate, his wife drummer Linda Pitmon, plus Peter Buck and Mike Mills from REM. They've just released their fourth album "Grand Salami Time"...and yes, it's about baseball. Scott talks about the album, baseball, and the upcoming tour (which includes stop in Cambridge on August 19th and at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, Connecticut on August 20th). But we also talk about collaborating with REM for the last 29 years and about the stroke that he recovered from in 2017! This one was a lot of fun! Listen on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and on the Rock102 website. And thanks again to Z&M Home Buyers for their support!

Tras dos años de parón recuperamos una serie de programas que nos acompañaron en estas fechas durante 10 años consecutivos. Te ofrecemos el volumen 11 de la colección Surf en la Azotea, una selección de temas instrumentales, paradisíacos y evocadores, con melodías seleccionadas desde nuestras valijas subterráneas. Se trata de un episodio sin palabras ni interrupciones, intentando transportarte con esta sesión de atardecer a una playa solitaria y hermosa. Relájate… y disfruta.Playlist;THE LIVELY ONES “Night and day”THE VENTURES “Blue sunset”KING RICHARD and THE KNIGHTS “Lonely by the sea”THE DREAM SYNDICATE “The lonely bull”THE SANDELLS “Wild as the sea”LES JAGUARS “Le repos du jaguar”ATILLA and THE HUNS “The lonely huns”LOS STRAITJACKETS “In my room”LES AGAMEMNONZ “Theme”THE WAVE CHARGERS “Squalidae”THE SADIES “Lin cotontail”THE RED PLANETS “Rebel rebel”THE MANAKOORAS “La rosita”LOS FRENÉTICOS “Blue corasao”MESSER CHUPS “Blue velvet”DEX ROMWEBER “Out of the way”THE SAFARIS “Lonely surf guitar”SATAN’S PILGRIMS “Manzanita”THE VOLCANICS “Surfer’s melody”BERT WEEDON “Yearning”THE LANGHORNS “The eternal wave” Escuchar audio

Way out summer goodtimes this time around on Dynamite Hemorrhage Radio, where we've got new beachtastic material from FAMOUS MAMMALS (pictured), LEDA, Михаил Минерал, RED PANTS, VOLUNTEERS IN POLICING PROGRAM and more - plus killer reissues from Burnt Envelope and The Dream Syndicate and the usual far-out frenzy of music from deep in the Dynamite Hemorrhage library. Track listing:FAMOUS MAMMALS - Crayon WorldRED PANTS - Century PhaserNOTHING PEOPLE - Twinkie DefenseTHE RONDELLES - CatastropheAPE LOST - Noise Isn't NoiseTHE SAVOYS - Can It BeWAYOUTS - No TimeBURNT ENVELOPE - I'm ImmatureKILLDOZER - Cotton BollsSCRATCH ACID - Spit a KissURGE OVERKILL - The Polaroid DollPAMELA - I'm Nobody (Cold Shoulder)LEDA - 2Михаил Минерал - InfaTHE GARBAGE AND THE FLOWERS - It is ObviousVOLUNTEERS IN POLICING PROGRAM - No FlowersDREAM SYNDICATE - Like Mary

It's always a good feeling when artists you haven't heard from in a while come back with some of their strongest work. California's Rain Parade were one of the key bands of the Paisley Underground, the name given to indie bands like the Bangles and the Dream Syndicate who were focusing on melody and steeped in Big Star and the Byrds. Their '83 debut is still a masterwork of any genre. After switching to a major label, the usual challenges ensued and the band ceased, though the members all went on to other projects. This summer sees the release of the first Rain Parade album in 38 years, Last Rays of a Dying Sun, and it might be their strongest yet. Matt and Steven join us to discuss what motivated the new album, their collaboration process, the passing of Steven's brother and original member David Roback who went on to form Mazzy Star, and much more. It'll be hard to knock this album off my best of the year list. Enjoy!  www.patreon.com/thehustlepod www.flatironrecordings.com

Emiel Spoelder fell under The Dream Syndicate spell almost by accident. He went to see a Ryan Adams concert and the opening band was Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3. He fell in love with the band immediately, in particular, singer Steve Wynn. He met Steve and his mother, and she “suggests" Emiel make a documentary about her son. And that's exactly what he did! Of course, it wasn't that simple. Emiel lays out all the ins and outs of making an independent film on our podcast. It's a fascinating listen and the good news is, The Dream Syndicate: How Did We Find Ourselves Here? is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emiel Spoelder fell under The Dream Syndicate spell almost by accident. He went to see a Ryan Adams concert and the opening band was Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3. He fell in love with the band immediately, in particular, singer Steve Wynn. He met Steve and his mother, and she “suggests" Emiel make a documentary about her son. And that's exactly what he did! Of course, it wasn't that simple. Emiel lays out all the ins and outs of making an independent film on our podcast. It's a fascinating listen and the good news is, The Dream Syndicate: How Did We Find Ourselves Here? is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Jeff and Soraya talk with Steve Wynn and get an update on The Dream Syndicate's documentary, the new CD box set, The Baseball Project's new song and album, and upcoming tour dates.

We're heavying-up on the reissues this episode, with great new or recent unearthings from SHIZUKA (pictured), CRAWLING WITH TARTS, DREAM SYNDICATE, LES ABRANIS, THE PARTICLES and COME, plus truly new stuff from JEANINES, CELLBORG, LEGLESS TRIALS, DEBT RAG and LENA KEMMLER. Somehow there's an inordinate amount of duos played as well, and we wrap the whole thing up in a mere 62 minutes.Track listing:LENA KEMMLER - Was JetztCRAWLING WITH TARTS - Ithurial's SpearSHIZUKA - Lunatic PearlTHE LEGLESS TRIALS - Son of Animal ManDEBT RAG - Jeff's WorldJEANINES - Tilt In Your EyeKARL'S DOG - Strange FeelingsTHE PARTICLES - Family LifeWET MEAL - Head SetWIRE - Former Airline (demo)CHRONOPHAGE - AbsurdityTHE WRECKS - Couldn't Believe ItCHEAP NASTIES - Destroy All PlanetsLES ABRANIS - Chenar Le BluesTHE DREAM SYNDICATE - That's What You Always SayTOILING MIDGETS - Before TrustCOME - Dead Molly (Peel Session, 1992)CELLBORG - Washtebahn

Eat a tablet, pray for great musi,c and prepare to love this brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!A.C. Newman is a founding member of the band The New Pornographers. The band's newest album is Continue as a Guest, and A.C. will explain why the title was born from a sense of existential dread that he felt during the pandemic. We'll also hear about a project from A.C. that failed to get off the ground: a broadway musical set in a gritty version of the Archie comics universe (years before “Riverdale” was ever a thing).Sukh Ojla is a comedian, playwright, and author. She got her start in comedy attending a free workshop. The twist? She thought that it was to work on her writing. She stuck with comedy and also eventually became a published author with her debut novel Sunny. The only downside is that she's had to come to terms with the permanence of books compared to a stand-up set.Our guests will compete to answer trivia about companionship through music and books.Areas of expertiseA.C.: Marvel Legends action figures, the Paisley Underground, and SCTV (in particular, “5 Neat Guys”).Sukh: The movie Rocky IV, the book Eat, Pray, Love, and Greek deities.What's the difference: Jagged Little Pill.What's the difference between a claw and a talon?What's the difference between a tablet and pill?Appearing in this episode:J. Keith van StraatenHelen HongA.C. NewmanSukh OjlaWith guests expertsSteve Wynn, of the band The Dream Syndicate.Michael Quercio, of the band The Three O'ClockDebbi Peterson and Vicki Peterson, of the band The BanglesElizabeth Gilbert, author of many books including Eat, Pray, Love and founder of The Onward Book Club.Theme Song by Jonathan Green.Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.Seeing our upcoming live shows in LA by YOU!

On this episode, Jeff and Soraya talk about The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade (acoustic) 2023 UK tour with guest Clive Jones.

Episode 164 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "White Light/White Heat" and the career of the Velvet Underground. This is a long one, lasting three hours and twenty minutes. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-three minute bonus episode available, on "Why Don't You Smile Now?" by the Downliners Sect. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Errata I say the Velvet Underground didn't play New York for the rest of the sixties after 1966. They played at least one gig there in 1967, but did generally avoid the city. Also, I refer to Cale and Conrad as the other surviving members of the Theater of Eternal Music. Sadly Conrad died in 2016. Resources No Mixcloud this week, as there are too many songs by the Velvet Underground, and some of the avant-garde pieces excerpted run to six hours or more. I used a lot of resources for this one. Up-Tight: The Velvet Underground Story by Victor Bockris and Gerard Malanga is the best book on the group as a group. I also used Joe Harvard's 33 1/3 book on The Velvet Underground and Nico. Bockris also wrote one of the two biographies of Reed I referred to, Transformer. The other was Lou Reed by Anthony DeCurtis. Information on Cale mostly came from Sedition and Alchemy by Tim Mitchell. Information on Nico came from Nico: The Life and Lies of an Icon by Richard Witts. I used Draw a Straight Line and Follow it by Jeremy Grimshaw as my main source for La Monte Young, The Roaring Silence by David Revill for John Cage, and Warhol: A Life as Art by Blake Gopnik for Warhol. I also referred to the Criterion Collection Blu-Ray of the 2021 documentary The Velvet Underground.  The definitive collection of the Velvet Underground's music is the sadly out-of-print box set Peel Slowly and See, which contains the four albums the group made with Reed in full, plus demos, outtakes, and live recordings. Note that the digital version of the album as sold by Amazon for some reason doesn't include the last disc -- if you want the full box set you have to buy a physical copy. All four studio albums have also been released and rereleased many times over in different configurations with different numbers of CDs at different price points -- I have used the "45th Anniversary Super-Deluxe" versions for this episode, but for most people the standard CD versions will be fine. Sadly there are no good shorter compilation overviews of the group -- they tend to emphasise either the group's "pop" mode or its "avant-garde" mode to the exclusion of the other. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Before I begin this episode, there are a few things to say. This introductory section is going to be longer than normal because, as you will hear, this episode is also going to be longer than normal. Firstly, I try to warn people about potentially upsetting material in these episodes. But this is the first episode for 1968, and as you will see there is a *profound* increase in the amount of upsetting and disturbing material covered as we go through 1968 and 1969. The story is going to be in a much darker place for the next twenty or thirty episodes. And this episode is no exception. As always, I try to deal with everything as sensitively as possible, but you should be aware that the list of warnings for this one is so long I am very likely to have missed some. Among the topics touched on in this episode are mental illness, drug addiction, gun violence, racism, societal and medical homophobia, medical mistreatment of mental illness, domestic abuse, rape, and more. If you find discussion of any of those subjects upsetting, you might want to read the transcript. Also, I use the term "queer" freely in this episode. In the past I have received some pushback for this, because of a belief among some that "queer" is a slur. The following explanation will seem redundant to many of my listeners, but as with many of the things I discuss in the podcast I am dealing with multiple different audiences with different levels of awareness and understanding of issues, so I'd like to beg those people's indulgence a moment. The term "queer" has certainly been used as a slur in the past, but so have terms like "lesbian", "gay", "homosexual" and others. In all those cases, the term has gone from a term used as a self-identifier, to a slur, to a reclaimed slur, and back again many times. The reason for using that word, specifically, here is because the vast majority of people in this story have sexualities or genders that don't match the societal norms of their times, but used labels for themselves that have shifted in meaning over the years. There are at least two men in the story, for example, who are now dead and referred to themselves as "homosexual", but were in multiple long-term sexually-active relationships with women. Would those men now refer to themselves as "bisexual" or "pansexual" -- terms not in widespread use at the time -- or would they, in the relatively more tolerant society we live in now, only have been in same-gender relationships? We can't know. But in our current context using the word "homosexual" for those men would lead to incorrect assumptions about their behaviour. The labels people use change over time, and the definitions of them blur and shift. I have discussed this issue with many, many, friends who fall under the queer umbrella, and while not all of them are comfortable with "queer" as a personal label because of how it's been used against them in the past, there is near-unanimity from them that it's the correct word to use in this situation. Anyway, now that that rather lengthy set of disclaimers is over, let's get into the story proper, as we look at "White Light, White Heat" by the Velvet Underground: [Excerpt: The Velvet Underground, "White Light, White Heat"] And that look will start with... a disclaimer about length. This episode is going to be a long one. Not as long as episode one hundred and fifty, but almost certainly the longest episode I'll do this year, by some way. And there's a reason for that. One of the questions I've been asked repeatedly over the years about the podcast is why almost all the acts I've covered have been extremely commercially successful ones. "Where are the underground bands? The alternative bands? The little niche acts?" The answer to that is simple. Until the mid-sixties, the idea of an underground or alternative band made no sense at all in rock, pop, rock and roll, R&B, or soul. The idea would have been completely counterintuitive to the vast majority of the people we've discussed in the podcast. Those musics were commercial musics, made by people who wanted to make money and to  get the largest audiences possible. That doesn't mean that they had no artistic merit, or that there was no artistic intent behind them, but the artists making that music were *commercial* artists. They knew if they wanted to make another record, they had to sell enough copies of the last record for the record company to make another, and that if they wanted to keep eating, they had to draw enough of an audience to their gigs for promoters to keep booking them. There was no space in this worldview for what we might think of as cult success. If your record only sold a thousand copies, then you had failed in your goal, even if the thousand people who bought your record really loved it. Even less commercially successful artists we've covered to this point, like the Mothers of Invention or Love, were *trying* for commercial success, even if they made the decision not to compromise as much as others do. This started to change a tiny bit in the mid-sixties as the influence of jazz and folk in the US, and the British blues scene, started to be felt in rock music. But this influence, at first, was a one-way thing -- people who had been in the folk and jazz worlds deciding to modify their music to be more commercial. And that was followed by already massively commercial musicians, like the Beatles, taking on some of those influences and bringing their audience with them. But that started to change around the time that "rock" started to differentiate itself from "rock and roll" and "pop", in mid 1967. So in this episode and the next, we're going to look at two bands who in different ways provided a model for how to be an alternative band. Both of them still *wanted* commercial success, but neither achieved it, at least not at first and not in the conventional way. And both, when they started out, went by the name The Warlocks. But we have to take a rather circuitous route to get to this week's band, because we're now properly introducing a strand of music that has been there in the background for a while -- avant-garde art music. So before we go any further, let's have a listen to a thirty-second clip of the most famous piece of avant-garde music ever, and I'll be performing it myself: [Excerpt, Andrew Hickey "4'33 (Cage)"] Obviously that won't give the full effect, you have to listen to the whole piece to get that. That is of course a section of "4'33" by John Cage, a piece of music that is often incorrectly described as being four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence. As I've mentioned before, though, in the episode on "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", it isn't that at all. The whole point of the piece is that there is no such thing as silence, and it's intended to make the listener appreciate all the normal ambient sounds as music, every bit as much as any piece by Bach or Beethoven. John Cage, the composer of "4'33", is possibly the single most influential avant-garde artist of the mid twentieth century, so as we're properly introducing the ideas of avant-garde music into the story here, we need to talk about him a little. Cage was, from an early age, torn between three great vocations, all of which in some fashion would shape his work for decades to come. One of these was architecture, and for a time he intended to become an architect. Another was the religious ministry, and he very seriously considered becoming a minister as a young man, and religion -- though not the religious faith of his youth -- was to be a massive factor in his work as he grew older. He started studying music from an early age, though he never had any facility as a performer -- though he did, when he discovered the work of Grieg, think that might change. He later said “For a while I played nothing else. I even imagined devoting my life to the performance of his works alone, for they did not seem to me to be too difficult, and I loved them.” [Excerpt: Grieg piano concerto in A minor] But he soon realised that he didn't have some of the basic skills that would be required to be a performer -- he never actually thought of himself as very musical -- and so he decided to move into composition, and he later talked about putting his musical limits to good use in being more inventive. From his very first pieces, Cage was trying to expand the definition of what a performance of a piece of music actually was. One of his friends, Harry Hay, who took part in the first documented performance of a piece by Cage, described how Cage's father, an inventor, had "devised a fluorescent light source over which Sample" -- Don Sample, Cage's boyfriend at the time -- "laid a piece of vellum painted with designs in oils. The blankets I was wearing were white, and a sort of lampshade shone coloured patterns onto me. It looked very good. The thing got so hot the designs began to run, but that only made it better.” Apparently the audience for this light show -- one that predated the light shows used by rock bands by a good thirty years -- were not impressed, though that may be more because the Santa Monica Women's Club in the early 1930s was not the vanguard of the avant-garde. Or maybe it was. Certainly the housewives of Santa Monica seemed more willing than one might expect to sign up for another of Cage's ideas. In 1933 he went door to door asking women if they would be interested in signing up to a lecture course from him on modern art and music. He told them that if they signed up for $2.50, he would give them ten lectures, and somewhere between twenty and forty of them signed up, even though, as he said later, “I explained to the housewives that I didn't know anything about either subject but that I was enthusiastic about both of them. I promised to learn faithfully enough about each subject so as to be able to give a talk an hour long each week.” And he did just that, going to the library every day and spending all week preparing an hour-long talk for them. History does not relate whether he ended these lectures by telling the housewives to tell just one friend about them. He said later “I came out of these lectures, with a devotion to the painting of Mondrian, on the one hand, and the music of Schoenberg on the other.” [Excerpt: Schoenberg, "Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte"] Schoenberg was one of the two most widely-respected composers in the world at that point, the other being Stravinsky, but the two had very different attitudes to composition. Schoenberg's great innovation was the creation and popularisation of the twelve-tone technique, and I should probably explain that a little before I go any further. Most Western music is based on an eight-note scale -- do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do -- with the eighth note being an octave up from the first. So in the key of C major that would be C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C: [demonstrates] And when you hear notes from that scale, if your ears are accustomed to basically any Western music written before about 1920, or any Western popular music written since then, you expect the melody to lead back to C, and you know to expect that because it only uses those notes -- there are differing intervals between them, some having a tone between them and some having a semitone, and you recognise the pattern. But of course there are other notes between the notes of that scale. There are actually an infinite number of these, but in conventional Western music we only look at a few more -- C# (or D flat), D# (or E flat), F# (or G flat), G# (or A flat) and A# (or B flat). If you add in all those notes you get this: [demonstrates] There's no clear beginning or end, no do for it to come back to. And Schoenberg's great innovation, which he was only starting to promote widely around this time, was to insist that all twelve notes should be equal -- his melodies would use all twelve of the notes the exact same number of times, and so if he used say a B flat, he would have to use all eleven other notes before he used B flat again in the piece. This was a radical new idea, but Schoenberg had only started advancing it after first winning great acclaim for earlier pieces, like his "Three Pieces for Piano", a work which wasn't properly twelve-tone, but did try to do without the idea of having any one note be more important than any other: [Excerpt: Schoenberg, "Three Pieces for Piano"] At this point, that work had only been performed in the US by one performer, Richard Buhlig, and hadn't been released as a recording yet. Cage was so eager to hear it that he'd found Buhlig's phone number and called him, asking him to play the piece, but Buhlig put the phone down on him. Now he was doing these lectures, though, he had to do one on Schoenberg, and he wasn't a competent enough pianist to play Schoenberg's pieces himself, and there were still no recordings of them. Cage hitch-hiked from Santa Monica to LA, where Buhlig lived, to try to get him to come and visit his class and play some of Schoenberg's pieces for them. Buhlig wasn't in, and Cage hung around in his garden hoping for him to come back -- he pulled the leaves off a bough from one of Buhlig's trees, going "He'll come back, he won't come back, he'll come back..." and the leaves said he'd be back. Buhlig arrived back at midnight, and quite understandably told the strange twenty-one-year-old who'd spent twelve hours in his garden pulling the leaves off his trees that no, he would not come to Santa Monica and give a free performance. But he did agree that if Cage brought some of his own compositions he'd give them a look over. Buhlig started giving Cage some proper lessons in composition, although he stressed that he was a performer, not a composer. Around this time Cage wrote his Sonata for Clarinet: [Excerpt: John Cage, "Sonata For Clarinet"] Buhlig suggested that Cage send that to Henry Cowell, the composer we heard about in the episode on "Good Vibrations" who was friends with Lev Termen and who created music by playing the strings inside a piano: [Excerpt: Henry Cowell, "Aeolian Harp and Sinister Resonance"] Cowell offered to take Cage on as an assistant, in return for which Cowell would teach him for a semester, as would Adolph Weiss, a pupil of Schoenberg's. But the goal, which Cowell suggested, was always to have Cage study with Schoenberg himself. Schoenberg at first refused, saying that Cage couldn't afford his price, but eventually took Cage on as a student having been assured that he would devote his entire life to music -- a promise Cage kept. Cage started writing pieces for percussion, something that had been very rare up to that point -- only a handful of composers, most notably Edgard Varese, had written pieces for percussion alone, but Cage was: [Excerpt: John Cage, "Trio"] This is often portrayed as a break from the ideals of his teacher Schoenberg, but in fact there's a clear continuity there, once you see what Cage was taking from Schoenberg. Schoenberg's work is, in some senses, about equality, about all notes being equal. Or to put it another way, it's about fairness. About erasing arbitrary distinctions. What Cage was doing was erasing the arbitrary distinction between the more and less prominent instruments. Why should there be pieces for solo violin or string quartet, but not for multiple percussion players? That said, Schoenberg was not exactly the most encouraging of teachers. When Cage invited Schoenberg to go to a concert of Cage's percussion work, Schoenberg told him he was busy that night. When Cage offered to arrange another concert for a date Schoenberg wasn't busy, the reply came "No, I will not be free at any time". Despite this, Cage later said “Schoenberg was a magnificent teacher, who always gave the impression that he was putting us in touch with musical principles,” and said "I literally worshipped him" -- a strong statement from someone who took religious matters as seriously as Cage. Cage was so devoted to Schoenberg's music that when a concert of music by Stravinsky was promoted as "music of the world's greatest living composer", Cage stormed into the promoter's office angrily, confronting the promoter and making it very clear that such things should not be said in the city where Schoenberg lived. Schoenberg clearly didn't think much of Cage's attempts at composition, thinking -- correctly -- that Cage had no ear for harmony. And his reportedly aggressive and confrontational teaching style didn't sit well with Cage -- though it seems very similar to a lot of the teaching techniques of the Zen masters he would later go on to respect. The two eventually parted ways, although Cage always spoke highly of Schoenberg. Schoenberg later gave Cage a compliment of sorts, when asked if any of his students had gone on to do anything interesting. At first he replied that none had, but then he mentioned Cage and said “Of course he's not a composer, but an inventor—of genius.” Cage was at this point very worried if there was any point to being a composer at all. He said later “I'd read Cowell's New Musical Resources and . . . The Theory of Rhythm. I had also read Chavez's Towards a New Music. Both works gave me the feeling that everything that was possible in music had already happened. So I thought I could never compose socially important music. Only if I could invent something new, then would I be useful to society. But that seemed unlikely then.” [Excerpt: John Cage, "Totem Ancestor"] Part of the solution came when he was asked to compose music for an abstract animation by the filmmaker Oskar Fischinger, and also to work as Fischinger's assistant when making the film. He was fascinated by the stop-motion process, and by the results of the film, which he described as "a beautiful film in which these squares, triangles and circles and other things moved and changed colour.” But more than that he was overwhelmed by a comment by Fischinger, who told him “Everything in the world has its own spirit, and this spirit becomes audible by setting it into vibration.” Cage later said “That set me on fire. He started me on a path of exploration of the world around me which has never stopped—of hitting and stretching and scraping and rubbing everything.” Cage now took his ideas further. His compositions for percussion had been about, if you like, giving the underdog a chance -- percussion was always in the background, why should it not be in the spotlight? Now he realised that there were other things getting excluded in conventional music -- the sounds that we characterise as noise. Why should composers work to exclude those sounds, but work to *include* other sounds? Surely that was... well, a little unfair? Eventually this would lead to pieces like his 1952 piece "Water Music", later expanded and retitled "Water Walk", which can be heard here in his 1959 appearance on the TV show "I've Got a Secret".  It's a piece for, amongst other things, a flowerpot full of flowers, a bathtub, a watering can, a pipe, a duck call, a blender full of ice cubes, and five unplugged radios: [Excerpt: John Cage "Water Walk"] As he was now avoiding pitch and harmony as organising principles for his music, he turned to time. But note -- not to rhythm. He said “There's none of this boom, boom, boom, business in my music . . . a measure is taken as a strict measure of time—not a one two three four—which I fill with various sounds.” He came up with a system he referred to as “micro-macrocosmic rhythmic structure,” what we would now call fractals, though that word hadn't yet been invented, where the structure of the whole piece was reflected in the smallest part of it. For a time he started moving away from the term music, preferring to refer to the "art of noise" or to "organised sound" -- though he later received a telegram from Edgard Varese, one of his musical heroes and one of the few other people writing works purely for percussion, asking him not to use that phrase, which Varese used for his own work. After meeting with Varese and his wife, he later became convinced that it was Varese's wife who had initiated the telegram, as she explained to Cage's wife "we didn't want your husband's work confused with my husband's work, any more than you'd want some . . . any artist's work confused with that of a cartoonist.” While there is a humour to Cage's work, I don't really hear much qualitative difference between a Cage piece like the one we just heard and a Varese piece like Ionisation: [Excerpt: Edgard Varese, "Ionisation"] But it was in 1952, the year of "Water Music" that John Cage made his two biggest impacts on the cultural world, though the full force of those impacts wasn't felt for some years. To understand Cage's 1952 work, you first have to understand that he had become heavily influenced by Zen, which at that time was very little known in the Western world. Indeed he had studied with Daisetsu Suzuki, who is credited with introducing Zen to the West, and said later “I didn't study music with just anybody; I studied with Schoenberg, I didn't study Zen with just anybody; I studied with Suzuki. I've always gone, insofar as I could, to the president of the company.” Cage's whole worldview was profoundly affected by Zen, but he was also naturally sympathetic to it, and his work after learning about Zen is mostly a continuation of trends we can already see. In particular, he became convinced that the point of music isn't to communicate anything between two people, rather its point is merely to be experienced. I'm far from an expert on Buddhism, but one way of thinking about its central lessons is that one should experience things as they are, experiencing the thing itself rather than one's thoughts or preconceptions about it. And so at Black Mountain college came Theatre Piece Number 1: [Excerpt: Edith Piaf, "La Vie En Rose" ] In this piece, Cage had set the audience on all sides, so they'd be facing each other. He stood on a stepladder, as colleagues danced in and around the audience, another colleague played the piano, two more took turns to stand on another stepladder to recite poetry, different films and slides were projected, seemingly at random, onto the walls, and the painter Robert Rauschenberg played scratchy Edith Piaf records on a wind-up gramophone. The audience were included in the performance, and it was meant to be experienced as a gestalt, as a whole, to be what we would now call an immersive experience. One of Cage's students around this time was the artist Allan Kaprow, and he would be inspired by Theatre Piece Number 1 to put on several similar events in the late fifties. Those events he called "happenings", because the point of them was that you were meant to experience an event as it was happening rather than bring preconceptions of form and structure to them. Those happenings were the inspiration for events like The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, and the term "happening" became such an integral part of the counterculture that by 1967 there were comedy films being released about them, including one just called The Happening with a title track by the Supremes that made number one: [Excerpt: The Supremes, "The Happening"] Theatre Piece Number 1 was retrospectively considered the first happening, and as such its influence is incalculable. But one part I didn't mention about Theatre Piece Number 1 is that as well as Rauschenberg playing Edith Piaf's records, he also displayed some of his paintings. These paintings were totally white -- at a glance, they looked like blank canvases, but as one inspected them more clearly, it became apparent that Rauschenberg had painted them with white paint, with visible brushstrokes. These paintings, along with a visit to an anechoic chamber in which Cage discovered that even in total silence one can still hear one's own blood and nervous system, so will never experience total silence, were the final key to something Cage had been working towards -- if music had minimised percussion, and excluded noise, how much more had it excluded silence? As Cage said in 1958 “Curiously enough, the twelve-tone system has no zero in it.” And so came 4'33, the piece that we heard an excerpt of near the start of this episode. That piece was the something new he'd been looking for that could be useful to society. It took the sounds the audience could already hear, and without changing them even slightly gave them a new context and made the audience hear them as they were. Simply by saying "this is music", it caused the ambient noise to be perceived as music. This idea, of recontextualising existing material, was one that had already been done in the art world -- Marcel Duchamp, in 1917, had exhibited a urinal as a sculpture titled "Fountain" -- but even Duchamp had talked about his work as "everyday objects raised to the dignity of a work of art by the artist's act of choice". The artist was *raising* the object to art. What Cage was saying was "the object is already art". This was all massively influential to a young painter who had seen Cage give lectures many times, and while at art school had with friends prepared a piano in the same way Cage did for his own experimental compositions, dampening the strings with different objects. [Excerpt: Dana Gillespie, "Andy Warhol (live)"] Duchamp and Rauschenberg were both big influences on Andy Warhol, but he would say in the early sixties "John Cage is really so responsible for so much that's going on," and would for the rest of his life cite Cage as one of the two or three prime influences of his career. Warhol is a difficult figure to discuss, because his work is very intellectual but he was not very articulate -- which is one reason I've led up to him by discussing Cage in such detail, because Cage was always eager to talk at great length about the theoretical basis of his work, while Warhol would say very few words about anything at all. Probably the person who knew him best was his business partner and collaborator Paul Morrissey, and Morrissey's descriptions of Warhol have shaped my own view of his life, but it's very worth noting that Morrissey is an extremely right-wing moralist who wishes to see a Catholic theocracy imposed to do away with the scourges of sexual immorality, drug use, hedonism, and liberalism, so his view of Warhol, a queer drug using progressive whose worldview seems to have been totally opposed to Morrissey's in every way, might be a little distorted. Warhol came from an impoverished background, and so, as many people who grew up poor do, he was, throughout his life, very eager to make money. He studied art at university, and got decent but not exceptional grades -- he was a competent draughtsman, but not a great one, and most importantly as far as success in the art world goes he didn't have what is known as his own "line" -- with most successful artists, you can look at a handful of lines they've drawn and see something of their own personality in it. You couldn't with Warhol. His drawings looked like mediocre imitations of other people's work. Perfectly competent, but nothing that stood out. So Warhol came up with a technique to make his drawings stand out -- blotting. He would do a normal drawing, then go over it with a lot of wet ink. He'd lower a piece of paper on to the wet drawing, and the new paper would soak up the ink, and that second piece of paper would become the finished work. The lines would be fractured and smeared, broken in places where the ink didn't get picked up, and thick in others where it had pooled. With this mechanical process, Warhol had managed to create an individual style, and he became an extremely successful commercial artist. In the early 1950s photography was still seen as a somewhat low-class way of advertising things. If you wanted to sell to a rich audience, you needed to use drawings or paintings. By 1955 Warhol was making about twelve thousand dollars a year -- somewhere close to a hundred and thirty thousand a year in today's money -- drawing shoes for advertisements. He also had a sideline in doing record covers for people like Count Basie: [Excerpt: Count Basie, "Seventh Avenue Express"] For most of the 1950s he also tried to put on shows of his more serious artistic work -- often with homoerotic themes -- but to little success. The dominant art style of the time was the abstract expressionism of people like Jackson Pollock, whose art was visceral, emotional, and macho. The term "action paintings" which was coined for the work of people like Pollock, sums it up. This was manly art for manly men having manly emotions and expressing them loudly. It was very male and very straight, and even the gay artists who were prominent at the time tended to be very conformist and look down on anything they considered flamboyant or effeminate. Warhol was a rather effeminate, very reserved man, who strongly disliked showing his emotions, and whose tastes ran firmly to the camp. Camp as an aesthetic of finding joy in the flamboyant or trashy, as opposed to merely a descriptive term for men who behaved in a way considered effeminate, was only just starting to be codified at this time -- it wouldn't really become a fully-formed recognisable thing until Susan Sontag's essay "Notes on Camp" in 1964 -- but of course just because something hasn't been recognised doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and Warhol's aesthetic was always very camp, and in the 1950s in the US that was frowned upon even in gay culture, where the mainstream opinion was that the best way to acceptance was through assimilation. Abstract expressionism was all about expressing the self, and that was something Warhol never wanted to do -- in fact he made some pronouncements at times which suggested he didn't think of himself as *having* a self in the conventional sense. The combination of not wanting to express himself and of wanting to work more efficiently as a commercial artist led to some interesting results. For example, he was commissioned in 1957 to do a cover for an album by Moondog, the blind street musician whose name Alan Freed had once stolen: [Excerpt: Moondog, "Gloving It"] For that cover, Warhol got his mother, Julia Warhola, to just write out the liner notes for the album in her rather ornamental cursive script, and that became the front cover, leading to an award for graphic design going that year to "Andy Warhol's mother". (Incidentally, my copy of the current CD issue of that album, complete with Julia Warhola's cover, is put out by Pickwick Records...) But towards the end of the fifties, the work for commercial artists started to dry up. If you wanted to advertise shoes, now, you just took a photo of the shoes rather than get Andy Warhol to draw a picture of them. The money started to disappear, and Warhol started to panic. If there was no room for him in graphic design any more, he had to make his living in the fine arts, which he'd been totally unsuccessful in. But luckily for Warhol, there was a new movement that was starting to form -- Pop Art. Pop Art started in England, and had originally been intended, at least in part, as a critique of American consumerist capitalism. Pieces like "Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?" by Richard Hamilton (who went on to design the Beatles' White Album cover) are collages of found images, almost all from American sources, recontextualised and juxtaposed in interesting ways, so a bodybuilder poses in a room that's taken from an advert in Ladies' Home Journal, while on the wall, instead of a painting, hangs a blown-up cover of a Jack Kirby romance comic. Pop Art changed slightly when it got taken up in America, and there it became something rather different, something closer to Duchamp, taking those found images and displaying them as art with no juxtaposition. Where Richard Hamilton created collage art which *showed* a comic cover by Jack Kirby as a painting in the background, Roy Lichtenstein would take a panel of comic art by Kirby, or Russ Heath or Irv Novick or a dozen other comic artists, and redraw it at the size of a normal painting. So Warhol took Cage's idea that the object is already art, and brought that into painting, starting by doing paintings of Campbell's soup cans, in which he tried as far as possible to make the cans look exactly like actual soup cans. The paintings were controversial, inciting fury in some and laughter in others and causing almost everyone to question whether they were art. Warhol would embrace an aesthetic in which things considered unimportant or trash or pop culture detritus were the greatest art of all. For example pretty much every profile of him written in the mid sixties talks about him obsessively playing "Sally Go Round the Roses", a girl-group single by the one-hit wonders the Jaynettes: [Excerpt: The Jaynettes, "Sally Go Round the Roses"] After his paintings of Campbell's soup cans, and some rather controversial but less commercially successful paintings of photographs of horrors and catastrophes taken from newspapers, Warhol abandoned painting in the conventional sense altogether, instead creating brightly coloured screen prints -- a form of stencilling -- based on photographs of celebrities like Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor and, most famously, Marilyn Monroe. That way he could produce images which could be mass-produced, without his active involvement, and which supposedly had none of his personality in them, though of course his personality pervades the work anyway. He put on exhibitions of wooden boxes, silk-screen printed to look exactly like shipping cartons of Brillo pads. Images we see everywhere -- in newspapers, in supermarkets -- were art. And Warhol even briefly formed a band. The Druds were a garage band formed to play at a show at the Washington Gallery of Modern Art, the opening night of an exhibition that featured a silkscreen by Warhol of 210 identical bottles of Coca-Cola, as well as paintings by Rauschenberg and others. That opening night featured a happening by Claes Oldenburg, and a performance by Cage -- Cage gave a live lecture while three recordings of his own voice also played. The Druds were also meant to perform, but they fell apart after only a few rehearsals. Some recordings apparently exist, but they don't seem to circulate, but they'd be fascinating to hear as almost the entire band were non-musician artists like Warhol, Jasper Johns, and the sculptor Walter de Maria. Warhol said of the group “It didn't go too well, but if we had just stayed on it it would have been great.” On the other hand, the one actual musician in the group said “It was kind of ridiculous, so I quit after the second rehearsal". That musician was La Monte Young: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "The Well-Tuned Piano"] That's an excerpt from what is generally considered Young's masterwork, "The Well-Tuned Piano". It's six and a half hours long. If Warhol is a difficult figure to write about, Young is almost impossible. He's a musician with a career stretching sixty years, who is arguably the most influential musician from the classical tradition in that time period. He's generally considered the father of minimalism, and he's also been called by Brian Eno "the daddy of us all" -- without Young you simply *do not* get art rock at all. Without Young there is no Velvet Underground, no David Bowie, no Eno, no New York punk scene, no Yoko Ono. Anywhere that the fine arts or conceptual art have intersected with popular music in the last fifty or more years has been influenced in one way or another by Young's work. BUT... he only rarely publishes his scores. He very, very rarely allows recordings of his work to be released -- there are four recordings on his bandcamp, plus a handful of recordings of his older, published, pieces, and very little else. He doesn't allow his music to be performed live without his supervision. There *are* bootleg recordings of his music, but even those are not easily obtainable -- Young is vigorous in enforcing his copyrights and issues takedown notices against anywhere that hosts them. So other than that handful of legitimately available recordings -- plus a recording by Young's Theater of Eternal Music, the legality of which is still disputed, and an off-air recording of a 1971 radio programme I've managed to track down, the only way to experience Young's music unless you're willing to travel to one of his rare live performances or installations is second-hand, by reading about it. Except that the one book that deals solely with Young and his music is not only a dense and difficult book to read, it's also one that Young vehemently disagreed with and considered extremely inaccurate, to the point he refused to allow permissions to quote his work in the book. Young did apparently prepare a list of corrections for the book, but he wouldn't tell the author what they were without payment. So please assume that anything I say about Young is wrong, but also accept that the short section of this episode about Young has required more work to *try* to get it right than pretty much anything else this year. Young's musical career actually started out in a relatively straightforward manner. He didn't grow up in the most loving of homes -- he's talked about his father beating him as a child because he had been told that young La Monte was clever -- but his father did buy him a saxophone and teach him the rudiments of the instrument, and as a child he was most influenced by the music of the big band saxophone player Jimmy Dorsey: [Excerpt: Jimmy Dorsey, “It's the Dreamer in Me”] The family, who were Mormon farmers, relocated several times in Young's childhood, from Idaho first to California and then to Utah, but everywhere they went La Monte seemed to find musical inspiration, whether from an uncle who had been part of the Kansas City jazz scene, a classmate who was a musical prodigy who had played with Perez Prado in his early teens, or a teacher who took the class to see a performance of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra: [Excerpt: Bartok, "Concerto for Orchestra"] After leaving high school, Young went to Los Angeles City College to study music under Leonard Stein, who had been Schoenberg's assistant when Schoenberg had taught at UCLA, and there he became part of the thriving jazz scene based around Central Avenue, studying and performing with musicians like Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, and Eric Dolphy -- Young once beat Dolphy in an audition for a place in the City College dance band, and the two would apparently substitute for each other on their regular gigs when one couldn't make it. During this time, Young's musical tastes became much more adventurous. He was a particular fan of the work of John Coltrane, and also got inspired by City of Glass, an album by Stan Kenton that attempted to combine jazz and modern classical music: [Excerpt: Stan Kenton's Innovations Orchestra, "City of Glass: The Structures"] His other major musical discovery in the mid-fifties was one we've talked about on several previous occasions -- the album Music of India, Morning and Evening Ragas by Ali Akhbar Khan: [Excerpt: Ali Akhbar Khan, "Rag Sindhi Bhairavi"] Young's music at this point was becoming increasingly modal, and equally influenced by the blues and Indian music. But he was also becoming interested in serialism. Serialism is an extension and generalisation of twelve-tone music, inspired by mathematical set theory. In serialism, you choose a set of musical elements -- in twelve-tone music that's the twelve notes in the twelve-tone scale, but it can also be a set of tonal relations, a chord, or any other set of elements. You then define all the possible ways you can permute those elements, a defined set of operations you can perform on them -- so you could play a scale forwards, play it backwards, play all the notes in the scale simultaneously, and so on. You then go through all the possible permutations, exactly once, and that's your piece of music. Young was particularly influenced by the works of Anton Webern, one of the earliest serialists: [Excerpt: Anton Webern, "Cantata number 1 for Soprano, Mixed Chorus, and Orchestra"] That piece we just heard, Webern's "Cantata number 1", was the subject of some of the earliest theoretical discussion of serialism, and in particular led to some discussion of the next step on from serialism. If serialism was all about going through every single permutation of a set, what if you *didn't* permute every element? There was a lot of discussion in the late fifties in music-theoretical circles about the idea of invariance. Normally in music, the interesting thing is what gets changed. To use a very simple example, you might change a melody from a major key to a minor one to make it sound sadder. What theorists at this point were starting to discuss is what happens if you leave something the same, but change the surrounding context, so the thing you *don't* vary sounds different because of the changed context. And going further, what if you don't change the context at all, and merely *imply* a changed context? These ideas were some of those which inspired Young's first major work, his Trio For Strings from 1958, a complex, palindromic, serial piece which is now credited as the first work of minimalism, because the notes in it change so infrequently: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "Trio for Strings"] Though I should point out that Young never considers his works truly finished, and constantly rewrites them, and what we just heard is an excerpt from the only recording of the trio ever officially released, which is of the 2015 version. So I can't state for certain how close what we just heard is to the piece he wrote in 1958, except that it sounds very like the written descriptions of it I've read. After writing the Trio For Strings, Young moved to Germany to study with the modernist composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. While studying with Stockhausen, he became interested in the work of John Cage, and started up a correspondence with Cage. On his return to New York he studied with Cage and started writing pieces inspired by Cage, of which the most musical is probably Composition 1960 #7: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "Composition 1960 #7"] The score for that piece is a stave on which is drawn a treble clef, the notes B and F#, and the words "To be held for a long Time". Other of his compositions from 1960 -- which are among the few of his compositions which have been published -- include composition 1960 #10 ("To Bob Morris"), the score for which is just the instruction "Draw a straight line and follow it.", and Piano Piece for David  Tudor #1, the score for which reads "Bring a bale of hay and a bucket of water onto the stage for the piano to eat and drink. The performer may then feed the piano or leave it to eat by itself. If the former, the piece is over after the piano has been fed. If the latter, it is over after the piano eats or decides not to". Most of these compositions were performed as part of a loose New York art collective called Fluxus, all of whom were influenced by Cage and the Dadaists. This collective, led by George Maciunas, sometimes involved Cage himself, but also involved people like Henry Flynt, the inventor of conceptual art, who later became a campaigner against art itself, and who also much to Young's bemusement abandoned abstract music in the mid-sixties to form a garage band with Walter de Maria (who had played drums with the Druds): [Excerpt: Henry Flynt and the Insurrections, "I Don't Wanna"] Much of Young's work was performed at Fluxus concerts given in a New York loft belonging to another member of the collective, Yoko Ono, who co-curated the concerts with Young. One of Ono's mid-sixties pieces, her "Four Pieces for Orchestra" is dedicated to Young, and consists of such instructions as "Count all the stars of that night by heart. The piece ends when all the orchestra members finish counting the stars, or when it dawns. This can be done with windows instead of stars." But while these conceptual ideas remained a huge part of Young's thinking, he soon became interested in two other ideas. The first was the idea of just intonation -- tuning instruments and voices to perfect harmonics, rather than using the subtly-off tuning that is used in Western music. I'm sure I've explained that before in a previous episode, but to put it simply when you're tuning an instrument with fixed pitches like a piano, you have a choice -- you can either tune it so that the notes in one key are perfectly in tune with each other, but then when you change key things go very out of tune, or you can choose to make *everything* a tiny bit, almost unnoticeably, out of tune, but equally so. For the last several hundred years, musicians as a community have chosen the latter course, which was among other things promoted by Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, a collection of compositions which shows how the different keys work together: [Excerpt: Bach (Glenn Gould), "The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II: Fugue in F-sharp minor, BWV 883"] Young, by contrast, has his own esoteric tuning system, which he uses in his own work The Well-Tuned Piano: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "The Well-Tuned Piano"] The other idea that Young took on was from Indian music, the idea of the drone. One of the four recordings of Young's music that is available from his Bandcamp, a 1982 recording titled The Tamburas of Pandit Pran Nath, consists of one hour, thirteen minutes, and fifty-eight seconds of this: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "The Tamburas of Pandit Pran Nath"] Yes, I have listened to the whole piece. No, nothing else happens. The minimalist composer Terry Riley describes the recording as "a singularly rare contribution that far outshines any other attempts to capture this instrument in recorded media". In 1962, Young started writing pieces based on what he called the "dream chord", a chord consisting of a root, fourth, sharpened fourth, and fifth: [dream chord] That chord had already appeared in his Trio for Strings, but now it would become the focus of much of his work, in pieces like his 1962 piece The Second Dream of the High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer, heard here in a 1982 revision: [Excerpt: La Monte Young, "The Second Dream of the High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer"] That was part of a series of works titled The Four Dreams of China, and Young began to plan an installation work titled Dream House, which would eventually be created, and which currently exists in Tribeca, New York, where it's been in continuous "performance" for thirty years -- and which consists of thirty-two different pure sine wave tones all played continuously, plus purple lighting by Young's wife Marian Zazeela. But as an initial step towards creating this, Young formed a collective called Theatre of Eternal Music, which some of the members -- though never Young himself -- always claim also went by the alternative name The Dream Syndicate. According to John Cale, a member of the group, that name came about because the group tuned their instruments to the 60hz hum of the fridge in Young's apartment, which Cale called "the key of Western civilisation". According to Cale, that meant the fundamental of the chords they played was 10hz, the frequency of alpha waves when dreaming -- hence the name. The group initially consisted of Young, Zazeela, the photographer Billy Name, and percussionist Angus MacLise, but by this recording in 1964 the lineup was Young, Zazeela, MacLise, Tony Conrad and John Cale: [Excerpt: "Cale, Conrad, Maclise, Young, Zazeela - The Dream Syndicate 2 IV 64-4"] That recording, like any others that have leaked by the 1960s version of the Theatre of Eternal Music or Dream Syndicate, is of disputed legality, because Young and Zazeela claim to this day that what the group performed were La Monte Young's compositions, while the other two surviving members, Cale and Conrad, claim that their performances were improvisational collaborations and should be equally credited to all the members, and so there have been lawsuits and countersuits any time anyone has released the recordings. John Cale, the youngest member of the group, was also the only one who wasn't American. He'd been born in Wales in 1942, and had had the kind of childhood that, in retrospect, seems guaranteed to lead to eccentricity. He was the product of a mixed-language marriage -- his father, William, was an English speaker while his mother, Margaret, spoke Welsh, but the couple had moved in on their marriage with Margaret's mother, who insisted that only Welsh could be spoken in her house. William didn't speak Welsh, and while he eventually picked up the basics from spending all his life surrounded by Welsh-speakers, he refused on principle to capitulate to his mother-in-law, and so remained silent in the house. John, meanwhile, grew up a monolingual Welsh speaker, and didn't start to learn English until he went to school when he was seven, and so couldn't speak to his father until then even though they lived together. Young John was extremely unwell for most of his childhood, both physically -- he had bronchial problems for which he had to take a cough mixture that was largely opium to help him sleep at night -- and mentally. He was hospitalised when he was sixteen with what was at first thought to be meningitis, but turned out to be a psychosomatic condition, the result of what he has described as a nervous breakdown. That breakdown is probably connected to the fact that during his teenage years he was sexually assaulted by two adults in positions of authority -- a vicar and a music teacher -- and felt unable to talk to anyone about this. He was, though, a child prodigy and was playing viola with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales from the age of thirteen, and listening to music by Schoenberg, Webern, and Stravinsky. He was so talented a multi-instrumentalist that at school he was the only person other than one of the music teachers and the headmaster who was allowed to use the piano -- which led to a prank on his very last day at school. The headmaster would, on the last day, hit a low G on the piano to cue the assembly to stand up, and Cale had placed a comb on the string, muting it and stopping the note from sounding -- in much the same way that his near-namesake John Cage was "preparing" pianos for his own compositions in the USA. Cale went on to Goldsmith's College to study music and composition, under Humphrey Searle, one of Britain's greatest proponents of serialism who had himself studied under Webern. Cale's main instrument was the viola, but he insisted on also playing pieces written for the violin, because they required more technical skill. For his final exam he chose to play Hindemith's notoriously difficult Viola Sonata: [Excerpt: Hindemith Viola Sonata] While at Goldsmith's, Cale became friendly with Cornelius Cardew, a composer and cellist who had studied with Stockhausen and at the time was a great admirer of and advocate for the works of Cage and Young (though by the mid-seventies Cardew rejected their work as counter-revolutionary bourgeois imperialism). Through Cardew, Cale started to correspond with Cage, and with George Maciunas and other members of Fluxus. In July 1963, just after he'd finished his studies at Goldsmith's, Cale presented a festival there consisting of an afternoon and an evening show. These shows included the first British performances of several works including Cardew's Autumn '60 for Orchestra -- a piece in which the musicians were given blank staves on which to write whatever part they wanted to play, but a separate set of instructions in *how* to play the parts they'd written. Another piece Cale presented in its British premiere at that show was Cage's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra": [Excerpt: John Cage, "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra"] In the evening show, they performed Two Pieces For String Quartet by George Brecht (in which the musicians polish their instruments with dusters, making scraping sounds as they clean them),  and two new pieces by Cale, one of which involved a plant being put on the stage, and then the performer, Robin Page, screaming from the balcony at the plant that it would die, then running down, through the audience, and onto the stage, screaming abuse and threats at the plant. The final piece in the show was a performance by Cale (the first one in Britain) of La Monte Young's "X For Henry Flynt". For this piece, Cale put his hands together and then smashed both his arms onto the keyboard as hard as he could, over and over. After five minutes some of the audience stormed the stage and tried to drag the piano away from him. Cale followed the piano on his knees, continuing to bang the keys, and eventually the audience gave up in defeat and Cale the performer won. After this Cale moved to the USA, to further study composition, this time with Iannis Xenakis, the modernist composer who had also taught Mickey Baker orchestration after Baker left Mickey and Sylvia, and who composed such works as "Orient Occident": [Excerpt: Iannis Xenakis, "Orient Occident"] Cale had been recommended to Xenakis as a student by Aaron Copland, who thought the young man was probably a genius. But Cale's musical ambitions were rather too great for Tanglewood, Massachusetts -- he discovered that the institute had eighty-eight pianos, the same number as there are keys on a piano keyboard, and thought it would be great if for a piece he could take all eighty-eight pianos, put them all on different boats, sail the boats out onto a lake, and have eighty-eight different musicians each play one note on each piano, while the boats sank with the pianos on board. For some reason, Cale wasn't allowed to perform this composition, and instead had to make do with one where he pulled an axe out of a single piano and slammed it down on a table. Hardly the same, I'm sure you'll agree. From Tanglewood, Cale moved on to New York, where he soon became part of the artistic circles surrounding John Cage and La Monte Young. It was at this time that he joined Young's Theatre of Eternal Music, and also took part in a performance with Cage that would get Cale his first television exposure: [Excerpt: John Cale playing Erik Satie's "Vexations" on "I've Got a Secret"] That's Cale playing through "Vexations", a piece by Erik Satie that wasn't published until after Satie's death, and that remained in obscurity until Cage popularised -- if that's the word -- the piece. The piece, which Cage had found while studying Satie's notes, seems to be written as an exercise and has the inscription (in French) "In order to play the motif 840 times in succession, it would be advisable to prepare oneself beforehand, and in the deepest silence, by serious immobilities." Cage interpreted that, possibly correctly, as an instruction that the piece should be played eight hundred and forty times straight through, and so he put together a performance of the piece, the first one ever, by a group he called the Pocket Theatre Piano Relay Team, which included Cage himself, Cale, Joshua Rifkin, and several other notable musical figures, who took it in turns playing the piece. For that performance, which ended up lasting eighteen hours, there was an entry fee of five dollars, and there was a time-clock in the lobby. Audience members punched in and punched out, and got a refund of five cents for every twenty minutes they'd spent listening to the music. Supposedly, at the end, one audience member yelled "Encore!" A week later, Cale appeared on "I've Got a Secret", a popular game-show in which celebrities tried to guess people's secrets (and which is where that performance of Cage's "Water Walk" we heard earlier comes from): [Excerpt: John Cale on I've Got a Secret] For a while, Cale lived with a friend of La Monte Young's, Terry Jennings, before moving in to a flat with Tony Conrad, one of the other members of the Theatre of Eternal Music. Angus MacLise lived in another flat in the same building. As there was not much money to be made in avant-garde music, Cale also worked in a bookshop -- a job Cage had found him -- and had a sideline in dealing drugs. But rents were so cheap at this time that Cale and Conrad only had to work part-time, and could spend much of their time working on the music they were making with Young. Both were string players -- Conrad violin, Cale viola -- and they soon modified their instruments. Conrad merely attached pickups to his so it could be amplified, but Cale went much further. He filed down the viola's bridge so he could play three strings at once, and he replaced the normal viola strings with thicker, heavier, guitar and mandolin strings. This created a sound so loud that it sounded like a distorted electric guitar -- though in late 1963 and early 1964 there were very few people who even knew what a distorted guitar sounded like. Cale and Conrad were also starting to become interested in rock and roll music, to which neither of them had previously paid much attention, because John Cage's music had taught them to listen for music in sounds they previously dismissed. In particular, Cale became fascinated with the harmonies of the Everly Brothers, hearing in them the same just intonation that Young advocated for: [Excerpt: The Everly Brothers, "All I Have to Do is Dream"] And it was with this newfound interest in rock and roll that Cale and Conrad suddenly found themselves members of a manufactured pop band. The two men had been invited to a party on the Lower East Side, and there they'd been introduced to Terry Phillips of Pickwick Records. Phillips had seen their long hair and asked if they were musicians, so they'd answered "yes". He asked if they were in a band, and they said yes. He asked if that band had a drummer, and again they said yes. By this point they realised that he had assumed they were rock guitarists, rather than experimental avant-garde string players, but they decided to play along and see where this was going. Phillips told them that if they brought along their drummer to Pickwick's studios the next day, he had a job for them. The two of them went along with Walter de Maria, who did play the drums a little in between his conceptual art work, and there they were played a record: [Excerpt: The Primitives, "The Ostrich"] It was explained to them that Pickwick made knock-off records -- soundalikes of big hits, and their own records in the style of those hits, all played by a bunch of session musicians and put out under different band names. This one, by "the Primitives", they thought had a shot at being an actual hit, even though it was a dance-craze song about a dance where one partner lays on the floor and the other stamps on their head. But if it was going to be a hit, they needed an actual band to go out and perform it, backing the singer. How would Cale, Conrad, and de Maria like to be three quarters of the Primitives? It sounded fun, but of course they weren't actually guitarists. But as it turned out, that wasn't going to be a problem. They were told that the guitars on the track had all been tuned to one note -- not even to an open chord, like we talked about Steve Cropper doing last episode, but all the strings to one note. Cale and Conrad were astonished -- that was exactly the kind of thing they'd been doing in their drone experiments with La Monte Young. Who was this person who was independently inventing the most advanced ideas in experimental music but applying them to pop songs? And that was how they met Lou Reed: [Excerpt: The Primitives, "The Ostrich"] Where Cale and Conrad were avant-gardeists who had only just started paying attention to rock and roll music, rock and roll was in Lou Reed's blood, but there were a few striking similarities between him and Cale, even though at a glance their backgrounds could not have seemed more different. Reed had been brought up in a comfortably middle-class home in Long Island, but despised the suburban conformity that surrounded him from a very early age, and by his teens was starting to rebel against it very strongly. According to one classmate “Lou was always more advanced than the rest of us. The drinking age was eighteen back then, so we all started drinking at around sixteen. We were drinking quarts of beer, but Lou was smoking joints. He didn't do that in front of many people, but I knew he was doing it. While we were looking at girls in Playboy, Lou was reading Story of O. He was reading the Marquis de Sade, stuff that I wouldn't even have thought about or known how to find.” But one way in which Reed was a typical teenager of the period was his love for rock and roll, especially doo-wop. He'd got himself a guitar, but only had one lesson -- according to the story he would tell on numerous occasions, he turned up with a copy of "Blue Suede Shoes" and told the teacher he only wanted to know how to play the chords for that, and he'd work out the rest himself. Reed and two schoolfriends, Alan Walters and Phil Harris, put together a doo-wop trio they called The Shades, because they wore sunglasses, and a neighbour introduced them to Bob Shad, who had been an A&R man for Mercury Records and was starting his own new label. He renamed them the Jades and took them into the studio with some of the best New York session players, and at fourteen years old Lou Reed was writing songs and singing them backed by Mickey Baker and King Curtis: [Excerpt: The Jades, "Leave Her For Me"] Sadly the Jades' single was a flop -- the closest it came to success was being played on Murray the K's radio show, but on a day when Murray the K was off ill and someone else was filling in for him, much to Reed's disappointment. Phil Harris, the lead singer of the group, got to record some solo sessions after that, but the Jades split up and it would be several years before Reed made any more records. Partly this was because of Reed's mental health, and here's where things get disputed and rather messy. What we know is that in his late teens, just after he'd gone off to New

Effervescent record producer/podcaster John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dream Syndicate, Dinosaur Jr., Drive-By Truckers) and Tony Award-winning actor/musician Michael Cerveris (The Gilded Age, Fun Home, Tommy) join us in the Feral Zone as we take a break from recording to chat. John has seen a lot since his start in 1979 as an intern at the famed Record Plant recording studios in NYC. We discuss John’s illustrious career as well as his work with Michael and the band on the next Loose Cattle record. Forced ping pong with Meat Loaf, Gene Simmons’ book of groupies, boudin balls…all that and more. Topics include Dockside Studio, a first single, Americana music, a traumatic memory, a magical experience, 10,000 hours, the bayou, isolation, Jay Gonzalez, mutual admiration, an analog mindset, creative solutions, a Redd Kross track, trusting the process, Mark Lanegan, picking takes, a subtle method, mentors, Jack Douglas, nightmare sessions, a legendary brother, going AWOL, being lucky, Cindy Lauper, William Wittman, Zebra, Randy Jackson, Jimmy Iovine, Louie Michot, the Red Rockers, moving faders, Shelley Yakus, forensic audio, Horsegirl, young bands, Wet Leg, Michael Imperioli, and much more. Intro music: "Trucker Takes A Wife" by Styler/Coman Break and Outro Music: "Antiversary" and "Eating Birthday Cake" rough mixes from the new Loose Cattle record in progress Support the podcast: Paypal or Venmo Join the Patreon page here. Shop for Troubled Men’s Shirts here. Subscribe, review, and rate (5 stars) on Apple Podcasts or any podcast source. Follow on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled Word. Troubled Men Podcast Facebook Troubled Men Podcast Instagram Iguanas Tour Dates René Coman Facebook Michael Cerveris Homepage Michael Cerveris Facebook Michael Cerveris Instagram John Agnello Homepage John Agnello Facebook Loose Cattle Homepage

Comedian and columnist Stewart Lee remains “grateful to the people who brainwashed me into listening to Bob Dylan during a period of emotional and physical weakness.” He remembers seeing Dylan live at Hyde Park with his kids (“one of the greatest nights of my life”) as well as the time he alienated the audience at a Teenage Cancer Trust Benefit. “It was a good gig. 'Cause it was true. Self-sabotage keeps you alive. Chaos and confusion create a bubble that protects you.” Stew namechecks Dylan, Mark E. Smith, Jerry Sadowitz, William Blake, Roky Erickson and Mozart as fellow artists who “develop a split personality that says: what if I make him do this?” Warning: listeners should keep in mind that Mr Lee is “a cultural bully from the Oxbridge Mafia who wants to appear morally superior but couldn't cut the mustard on a panel game.” (Lee Mack)This is a review (Dominic Maxwell, The Times) of Stewart's current show, Basic Lee: "If someone says they're going back to basics, can they be trusted? When Stewart Lee tells you he is going back to basics you sniff only fresh mischief in his chortlingly bold smush of sarcasm, satire, self-commentary and alternately lugubrious and exultant flights of fancy. It is hard, Lee tells us, to try to be funny in these days of frenetic social and political change. So he bookends this new show, which he wants to stay relevant until its tour ends in 2024, with a reworking of a routine he first performed at the start of his career in 1989. Self-plagiarism? Actually, Lee could profitably spend the rest of his career rejigging old routines, much as Miles Davis was able to find endless new takes on Stella by Starlight. At his best, as he delivers a comedy show that is a kind of lecture about comedy shows, he cheeks the crowd so surely that the effect is insulting yet intimate. Basic Lee is one of his more pretzel-shaped evenings. If its inner logic isn't always easy to grasp, who cares when something is rendered with this much wit and verve? What's it all about? It's all about two hours long, it's all very clever, but, basically, Basic Lee is very funny.""What would it be like if Bob Dylan from the 60's took a look a stand-up comedy today?"The Dream Syndicate's cover of Blind Willie McTell (1988)Steve Wynn, Murder Most Foul (2020)WebsiteTwitterTrailerEpisode playlist on AppleEpisode playlist on SpotifyListeners: please subscribe and/or leave a review and a rating.Twitter @isitrollingpodRecorded 16th November 2022This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts