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Links:David Wax MuseumSuz SlezakSuz's SubstackEp 28 - The Wood BrothersThe WoesClub PassimPatreonEp 30 - Duquette JohnstonEp 3 - The Milk Carton KidsSubstackClick here to watch this conversation on YouTube.Social Media:The Other 22 Hours InstagramThe Other 22 Hours TikTokMichaela Anne InstagramAaron Shafer-Haiss InstagramSend us your feedback!The Other 22 Hours FeedbackAll music written, performed, and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.
They've always been musical alchemists -- melding worlds and traditions together, taking on the big questions, and crafting bold musical narratives. On greatly-acclaimed previous albums like Guesthouse and Line of Light, they've created poetic anthems addressing mortality, embracing our shared humanity, and, of course, longing for love. And they've done it while fusing everything from roots-Americana to psychedelic rock to Mexican folk traditions. And yet somehow, the new album by David Wax Museum sees the band achieving a whole new level of depth and dimension, of scope and scale. Fittingly enough, it's called You Must Change Your Life. Suz Slezak and David Wax are the creative couple at the heart of Charlottesville, Virginia's David Wax Musuem. Their heartfelt, deeply personal approach to songcraft is matched by a sound that's all their own, and by a wildly inventive, boisterous live show. They've been building a hardcore fanbase over their nine albums and countless miles on the road. Mid-2023 saw the release of what they call their "magnum opus" -- a Latin term that literally means "great work", and which in the ancient world of alchemy signifies transformation and transcendence. They describe You Must Change Your Life as "an openhearted manifesto -- a collection that embodies, then transcends bedrock elements of the band's 15-year career." David Wax Museum fans can rejoice that their magnum opus is finally out in the world, just released in spring 2023 via Nine Mile Records. And they can also be glad that David Wax himself is here to savour the moment, too; as he and Suz will tell us, an unexpected and terrifying health concern interceded in the band's journey, just as they were on the verge of this album's triumphant release. Suz and David joined us for a heartfelt conversation from their barn/studio in Charlottesville, Virginia, to talk about how they became a band, then a couple, and eventually a family; and how their creative journey has led from Harvard University to folk music studies in Mexico, from what seemed like a never-ending tour, to their backyard barn, and eventually to the syncopated truths conveyed on this truly transformative album. To paraphrase the chorus from the song ‘Luanne', this new record is a shape shifter and a fate twister; constructing a colourful, multi-layered dream world which speaks to both the most earthly and the most ineffable sides of our human existence. As David sings in ‘Summer Wrapped in Gold': "My heart still beats to that syncopated truth.” Producer: Scott Zielsdorf | Host: Grant Stovel | Graphics: Shaun Friesen | Music: Doug Hoyer
On this week's Talkhouse Podcast we've got a pair of songwriters who come from different scenes but whose convergence sparked a longtime friendship and even some collaboration: David Wax and Will Oldham. David Wax is half the core of the band that bears his name, David Wax Museum—the other half is his wife and longtime musical partner Suz Slezak. The duo has been making records and touring the world for the past 15 years or so, largely independently and definitely marching to the beat of their own drummer. Their blend of Mexican-flavored folk and other traditional-sounding influences has been called “Mexo-Americana,” but that's really just a starting place. It's charming, engaging, and always searching. David Wax Museum's latest album is called You Must Change Your Life, and it was inspired by both a health scare that Wax had recently and by their choice of producer, Dan Molad, who's a member of Lucius, among other major accomplishments. Check out the title track from You Must Change Your Life right here. Perhaps you can hear how Wax might get along with today's other guest, Will Oldham. Oldham is of course known as the songwriting genius behind Palace Music and Bonnie Prince Billy, and he's been making timeless music since the early 1990s; his latest album is a collaboration with Bill Callahan called Blind Date Party. Oldham is also an actor, which is touched on in this conversation; you may have seen him in one of Kelly Reichardt's movies, or in A Ghost Story which, if you haven't seen it, please do, it's amazing. In this conversation, Wax and Oldham talk about how they were able to connect at a folk festival. They talk about how Oldham exists sort of outside the machinery of the music business, and how that's helped and occasionally hurt (but mostly helped). They touch on the rare songs that Oldham has licensed for film and TV, and David asks Will to come to he and Suz's barn to play for a blindfolded audience. It'll make sense when you hear it. Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to David Wax and Will Oldham for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform, and check out all the great written pieces we've got on Talkhouse.com. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by The Range. See you next time!
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at basicfolk.com/donateEnter to win the Basic Folk/BGS Sweet Prize Pack: https://woobox.com/2mythq or http://basicfolk.com/newsSuz Slezak is one-half of the extremely talented and thoughtful band David Wax Museum. Suz, along with her husband David, has been touring and performing their Mexican-inspired, Americana folk act since 2009. Along the way, the two got married, had a couple of kids, and settled pretty finely into the pandemic with bi-weekly and then weekly live streams. All the while, Suz has been living with her bipolar disorder, which has impacted her life in incredibly unbelievable ways. She's also been pretty vocal, especially lately, about how she interacted with her brain health, mental health, and treatment for both of those elements, which includes her intense journey with medications. Her Instagram is filled with brutally honest posts about the difficulty of finding meds that continuously help her stabilize her brain.On her new album, Our Wings May Be Featherless, Suz is addressing her life from the perspective of a person who is bi-polar, a mother, a touring musician, and a creative person. She digs into the power of acceptance, traumatic birth, and grief. In our conversation, we talk about what a special musician she is and how she's been able to cultivate and keep a childlike wonder alive through her playing. This conversation is heavily rooted in Suz's journey with her bipolar disorder and you'll learn a lot about her experience as she is very open. She addresses the choice to share her experiences publicly and how the sharing impacts her. About the album she says: “I hope you will also hear the way that a song, or any piece of art, can transform haunting pain into sounds and rhythm, allowing it to finally diffuse. I have needed to make this record for a long time. The relief I feel that it is finally emerging into this physical realm for you to enjoy is immense.” SUZ!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Musician Suz Slezak joins Rhett from her home in Charlottesville, VA to talk about her new solo album, the moment when she realized that she could make a living as a musician, and talks about her struggle with bipolar disorder. The two discuss managing one's self critic and why it's important to remember that your fantasies might come true. Suz Slezak is a fiddle player and one half of the pioneering folk duo David Wax Museum. Our Wings May Be Featherless is the debut solo album from Suz Slezak, co-founder of the pioneering indie folk band David Wax Museum. The nine-track album was produced by Anthony da Costa (Joy Williams, Yola, Sarah Jarosz) and recorded throughout 2020 in Nashville and in Slezak's homebase of Charlottesville, VA. It is a stunning and poignant collection of songs, an emotional tour de force, displaying the artist's breathtaking lyricism, multi-instrumental breadth, and her ability to weave some of life's most difficult moments – traumatic childbirth, a best friend's suicide, and her own public struggle with bipolar disorder – into an Americana masterpiece. Available on March 4.Be sure to listen to Rhett's interview with David Wax, the other half of David Wax Museum.Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Co-produced by Kirsten Cluthe in partnership with Nick Ruffini (Revoice Media). Editing by Justin Thomas. Production Assistance by Matt Bavuso. Music by OLD 97's. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it. Please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Today I welcome Suz Slezak, mother and musician, to the show. For Suz harmonizing with another human being is a sacred act of sharing breath. This lifelong love of harmony is how she, as if by accident, fell into music as a career. Suz grew up TV-free on her family's Virginia homestead, in an endless loop of fiddle-playing and singing led by her father, a Catholic seminary dropout, as she, her brothers and a gaggle of fellow homeschoolers traversed gravel roads in their beat-up station wagon en route to choir rehearsals and music lessons.While not on a path to pursue music, it seemed to be following her. Convinced by her now-husband to join his band, the two eventually fell in love and for the past fifteen years have co-fronted David Wax Museum - earning accolades from the New York Times to NPR, performing on CBS Saturday Morning, and even playing Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg's wedding.After years touring and co-fronting the band, Suz's debut solo album, Our Wings May Be Featherless, comes out March 4th. It is a breathtaking journey through some of her life's most painful and poignant moments - losing a best friend to suicide, her public struggle with bipolar disorder, and a traumatic childbirth. Today we listen to a few of the new songs and hear about the stories behind them.Thanks to Ian Seda from Radio Kingston for engineering today's show!Our show music is from Shana Falana !!!Feel free to email me, say hello: she@iwantwhatshehas.org** Please: SUBSCRIBE to the pod and leave a REVIEW wherever you are listening, it helps other users FIND IThttp://iwantwhatshehas.org/podcastITUNES | SPOTIFY | STITCHERITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i-want-what-she-has/id1451648361?mt=2SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/77pmJwS2q9vTywz7Uhiyff?si=G2eYCjLjT3KltgdfA6XXCASTITCHER: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/she-wants/i-want-what-she-has?refid=stpr'Follow:INSTAGRAM * https://www.instagram.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast/FACEBOOK * https://www.facebook.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcastTWITTER * https://twitter.com/wantwhatshehas
In this week's interview, I sit down with David Wax. David is the singer, songwriter, and founder of the incredible "David Wax Museum." In today's episode, we discuss life at the smallest college on earth, living with intention, bringing Mexican folk music to Boston, and making music and conversations that are inclusive. We get back into David Wax Museum's new album, "Euphoric Ouroboric." David and Suz also currently have a fundraiser right now for building a music studio in their backyard. Please enjoy part deux of my interview with David Wax, and please remember to stick around after the interview to hear Me and Crystal's weekly post-interview wrap-up. She had a headache.
In this week's interview, I chat with David Wax. David is the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and founder of the incredible, “David Wax Museum.” In today’s episode we discuss their first big TV sync, with the use of "Big Sur" on the Netflix show, “Firefly Lane.” We chat about "Guesthouse," Bike Injuries, ankle injuries, and getting the whole town of Charlottesville in on the making of the music video for Guesthouse. We also discuss David’s growth and new role of a music engineer over the last year during the pandemic, and how David Wax Museum’s 8th full length album, Euphoric Ouroboric, released on April 16th came to be. David and Suz also currently have a fundraiser right now for building a music studio in their backyard. I’m excited to share this first half of my interview with David Wax, and please remember to stick around after the interview to hear Crystal and I’s weekly post interview wrap-up.
David Wax is one half of the duo David Wax Museum, which he formed in 2008 with his wife Suz Slezak. He joins Rhett from his home in Charlottesville, VA. to talk about how the pandemic enabled him to build a studio and dig into the process of home recording, and the two discuss why music is more important than ever right now. David explains how he handles self doubt by finding opportunity in crisis, and tells Rhett about the time they blindfolded an audience during a live performance. The new David Wax Museum album Euphoric Ouroboric is out now.Upcoming episodes of Wheels Off include composer/playwright Masi Asare, writer Tony Weaver Jr., The Doors’ John Densmore, author Lily Brooks-Dalton, author Zibby Owens, and more.Revisit Season One of Wheels Off with Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Will Forte, Lydia Loveless, Allison Moorer, Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and more. Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted by Rhett Miller. Produced by Rhett Miller, Kirsten Cluthe, and Nick Ruffini. Editing by Justin Thomas). Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven.This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like this podcast, please leave us a rating or review on iTunes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
David Wax started visiting Mexico in 2001 and there he became enamored with the music of Central Mexico, particularly with styles of son music. He would spend summers going back to Mexico while studying at Harvard: Latin American History and literature. He was able to get a Harvard Fellowship which allowed him to live in Mexico for a year immersing himself in the music through attending fandangos and learning from locals. In 2007, he was introduced to Suz Slezak, an old time and Irish fiddle player who would later become his bandmate, wife and mother of their two kids. The pair lived in the Boston area until about 2015, where they moved to Suz's hometown of Charlottesville, VA.They've toured like crazy throughout their career, even bringing their kids along and incorporating them into their on-the-road lifestyle. David says: "This band started as a DIY project where we basically said 'yes' to the universe, never turned down a gig, and happily played people's living rooms.” David and Suz have stayed fairly nimble throughout their history and have seen a lot of the industry turn on its head. David Wax Museum have been a buzz band, an NPR darling and the hottest ticket in town, and have come out the other side of that fairly unscathed and grounded. David speaks to the changes he's experienced over the years with a particular focus on how he's remained resilient during a year with no touring. Now going into year 2 of lockdown, David Wax Museum are about to release MANY things in 2021. First up, is their new record: Euphoric Ouroboric. They have been releasing new music in advance on their Patreon page, so follow and support them there to stay up to date on the latest! And fear not! Suz will certainly be getting her own episode of Basic Folk!! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
This episode of the Fret Success Guitar Show (FretSuccess.com) we see me interviewing David Wax and Suz Slezak from the very unique and fantastic David Wax Museum. I was lucky to pull them aside during their time in Calgary for the Block Heater Festival 2020 (Calgary Folk Music Festival). I had the pleasure of filming some of their performance, which is interleaved within the interview, you should definitely watch. David Wax Museum have an extensive discography, not just in number but in the variety of music they bring to their fans; they are a very unique band with a purpose that shines through their music and the way they talk about the process. We touch on lots of things including the songwriting process, guitar playing, harmonies, string arrangements, what's next for the band and living with bipolar disorder. This weeks news discusses the the PRS SE20 Parlour Guitars, Bruce Springsteen Live Show with Dropkick Murphy's and Sad News on Bruce Dickinson's Wife. Plus music from Jibbers, Paul Gilbert and Jason Isbell. Episode Content and Timings: Episode Intro: 00:20 News: 01:21 Track - Jibbers - Free: 05:23 Guitar Lesson - F# Min 7 Chord Lesson: 09:00 Track - Love Is The Saddest Thing - Paul Gilbert: 11:25 Track - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Be Afraid: 15:26 Artist Spotlight - David Wax Museum: 18:40 Track - David Wax Museum - Uncover The Gold: 56:55 Buy the music from the featured artists: Jibbers: https://www.facebook.com/jibbersband/ Paul Gilbert: http://www.paulgilbert.com/ Jason Isbell: https://www.jasonisbell.com/ David Wax Museum: https://www.davidwaxmuseum.com/ Sign up for free guitar lessons at: https://fretsuccess.com/fret-success-academy-sign-up/ Hope you enjoy! Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/fretsuccess.com Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fretsuccess_guitar_lessons Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk6VVyT7_nhnLeEagYYeW5g Thanks for stopping by! Dan Support the show (https://fretsuccess.com/fret-success-academy-sign-up/) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-fret-success-guitar-show/support
David Wax and his wife, Suz Slezak, form the core of the band David Wax Museum. Their new album, Line of Light, features songs that are reflections on and reactions to events of the past few years: family life, the tragic events of 2017 in their hometown of Charlottesville, and in the country and world at large. While thematically consistent, the varied production of the cuts on the album (produced by Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket) make for a compelling, and ultimately, uplifting listen. In the episode David also discusses how his time in Mexico studying the musical and related social/cultural traditions there continues to inform both his process and the band’s live performance; his early attempts at a mini rock-opera about brainwashing; and blindfolded concerts.
We met with David Wax and Suz Slezak - appropriately enough in a guesthouse where they were staying with their own family of four. They are on a 10 city tour as a duo - humming along the way with new creations of melodies and lyrics while at the same time teaching their kids a thing or two about language, culture and the road. Their music will both soothe and surprise you, treating the ears with harmonies and often unexpected but pleasant repetitive lines and hooks - – it is an anthropological journey into their own Mexo-Americana connection. This 2 piece is usually a 5 piece band and - spoiler alert - the upcoming touring show seems to be expanding to a 7 piece in a town near you soon. Blindfolds optional... Song List: Song 1: Every Time Katie (Guesthouse) Song 2: Wheelbarrow Baby (Electric Artifacts) Song 3: Guesthouse (Guesthouse) Song 4: Harder Before It Gets Easier (Knock Knock Get Up) Live Song 1: Time Will Not Track us Down (Guesthouse) Live Song 2: Lavender Street (Everything is Saved)
Husband-and-wife duo David Wax and Suz Slezak, known as David Wax Museum, returned to the Barn for the second time to share their rousing Latin-folk-inspired indie rock. They performed a stripped down set of songs from their latest EP A La Rumba Rumba, a celebration of the Latin folk music that inspires them most, as well as tunes from their fourth full length album, Guesthouse.
Where Did You Come From? (December 26, 2015) “Where Did You Come From?” is the title of the first track on Suz Slezak’s newest album, a collection of lullabies called Watching the Nighttime Come. Slezak and David Wax, both members of Mexo-Americana band David Wax Museum, perform live in the studio—and share some challenges and triumphs of taking their baby on the road. And: In their book Balancing the Big Stuff: Finding Happiness in Work, Family and Life, Miriam Liss and Holly Schiffrin (University of Mary Washington) find that “having it all” isn’t a matter of having more, but achieving a balance in life. They dissect the myths of helicopter parenting and gender issues to give concrete steps toward reaching harmony among our roles in life. Miriam Liss is a recipient of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award. Later in the show: Adoption in America With the success of TV shows like Modern Family and Parenthood, it’s clear that the way Americans think of family is starting to change. Yet Linda Seligmann (George Mason University) says for trans-racial and trans-national adoptions there are still many cultural barriers. And: Carmen Balogh talks about what it was like growing up in a blended family. Plus: Forgiving others is hard, but forgiving ourselves is harder. Everett Worthington (Virginia Commonwealth University) learned this painful lesson after his brother committed suicide in 2005. One of the country’s foremost experts in the study of forgiveness, Worthington tackles the subject in his upcoming book Moving Forward: Six Steps to Forgiving Yourself and Breaking Free from the Past.
“Where Did You Come From?” is the title of the first track on Suz Slezak’s upcoming collection of lullabies Watching the Nighttime Come. Slezak and David Wax, both members of Mexo-Americana band David Wax Museum, perform live in the studio—and share some challenges and triumphs of taking their baby on the road. And: In their new book Balancing the Big Stuff: Finding Happiness in Work, Family and Life, Miriam Liss and Holly Schiffrin find that “having it all” isn’t a matter of having more, but achieving a balance in life. They dissect the myths of helicopter parenting and gender issues to give concrete steps toward reaching harmony among our roles in life. Later in the show: With the success of TV shows like Modern Family and Parenthood, it’s clear that the way Americans think of family is starting to change. Yet Linda Seligmann says for trans-racial and trans-national adoptions there are still many cultural barriers. And: Carmen Balogh talks about what it was like growing up in a blended family. Plus: Forgiving others is hard, but forgiving ourselves is harder. Everett Worthington learned this painful lesson after his brother committed suicide in 2005. One of the country’s foremost experts in the study of forgiveness, Worthington tackles the subject in his upcoming book Moving Forward: Six Steps to Forgiving Yourself and Breaking Free from the Past.
Last year, Boston's David Wax Museum couldn't play the Newport Folk Festival without first winning a contest. But talk about making the most of an opportunity: The band was everywhere at Newport last year, passing out CDs and signing bands up to its mailing list when it wasn't breaking spontaneously into song every chance it got. Since that breakthrough, the group has found a national audience for its recent album Everything Is Saved, which finds David Wax mixing the roots of American and Mexican folk music while Suz Slezak gives the band's music the percussive edge that can only come from a stick dragged rhythmically against a donkey's jawbone. Hear David Wax Museum perform live at the 2011 Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.