The Haute Garbage Podcast

Dare we even attempt to put a label on the ineffable music of Portland’s CHILD PM? We dare not. But we DO think our conversation with band is definitely something you’ll eff with. To celebrate the summertime release of their new 7”, the duo join the show to discuss the unlikely shared marriage that brought them together, the superiority of step-daddery, and their journey from scorned former paramours to rock superstars. Plus, a killer in-studio LIVE performance for the ages!

Music this week:

When we say "drum-triggered-chip-punk", we promise that whatever images are conjured fall far short of the glorious reality that is Portland's V1DEOBOY. An unbelievable one-person audiovisual extravaganza, he truly has to be seen live to be believed. But he's not too shabby to speak with, either, and we do just that on this week's episode. We dive deep into his genesis as an artist, the inspiration that helped him to develop his approach, and the mind-bending machinations of his performances. Plus, a delightful Foo Fighters sidebar and Drew exposes his Grand Theft Auto Ignorance. 

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Have you ever listened to a gentle bruise on a crisp apple? You're about to! Mookie and Hannah from Portland dream-pop maximalists Laska join the party this week! Fresh on the heels of recording a new batch of songs and a summer of shows, they chop it about the particular alchemy of growing up in the Midwest, their embrace of randomness and fun in the songwriting process, electric fences, the spiritual significance of dice, the existential melancholy of jellyfish, and the relative aesthetic value of echidna genitals.

Music this week:

I'm sure most of you have written a few rock musicals in your day, but WE HAVEN'T! That's why we were so excited to speak with Portland multi-instrumentalist and composer Justin Radford. He takes us deep into the strange, joyous, and ambitious world of In Odin's Name, his Norse mythology-inspired rock musical that has been 15 years in the making. We learn the origins of the work that connected Justin with a far-off French lyricist; we chat about the valid and proper disdain of rock operas, the lost art of the Mexican pizza, the Short Kings of the monster truck...

Portland’s Jesse Valencia is many things: musician, activist, filmmaker, author, raconteur. But this week, he adds perhaps his most prestigious appellation: Haute Garbage podcast guest. Jesse’s seminal Arizona (now PDX) band Gorky is celebrating 25 years of killer tunes, and Jesse joins the show to discuss his approach to music, UFO encounters, the origins of his book Keep Music Evil about the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the fight for Portland independent music, and the legacy of the late, beloved Gorky co-founder Ben Holladay. 

Music this week:

Portland emo math-punk superstars Swiss Army Wife grace us with their presence fresh off the release of their brand-new full length, “I Love You, But I Hate it Here”. For all its volume, emotion, and dynamic, the record never tries to grip too tightly, breathing comfortably and finding a deep flow through the shards and sharp edges. The gang talks discovering satisfaction through vulnerability, the virtues of permissible imperfection, multi-wave-poastmodern-emo meaninglessness, and the causation/correlation among their creative output, Mt. Dew, and geopolitical instability.

Music this week:

Named one of Portland’s best new bands by the Willamette Week, ethereal indie folk band Essie and the Hum seem to have sprung to life fully-formed, with a musical cohesion and creative clarity that belies their scant 13 months together. The whole band is in the house this week to peel back the curtain on that creation myth and dive into the moments of change and growth that have propelled them so far. We also get into the gremlin-core good looks of Billy Joel; bone-conducting as an audio medium (pro or con?); gnat jewelry;  and paper eating (decidedly pro). 

This is an all-timer, my friends. Portland queer folk collective Complimentary Colors joined us this week, and Ash, Camille, and Hannah instantly made us hope we could be friends IRL…as I’m sure most people hope for in their company. They make beautiful, emotional, honest music and they played three such tunes LIVE in studio. Plus, movie ettiquette, an organic conversation about Taco Bell, and Big Papa Drew. Just enjoy, y’all! 

Music this week:

Portland trio Ogre come replete with refined, bruising chaos; a group whose Bandcamp page features a brief style guide (Arial only, please) would likely approve of the pomp and semicolon of this sentence. On the eve of their evolutionary new record "Bryan" (dropping May 29), Grace, Ace, and Nils of Ogre join the show to sow a little discord on the mics. In a sprawling conversation, we touch on Keanu, bowling beers, an abiding love of AI, eschewing stage banter, ogre-on-ogre crime vis a vis Shrek, and occasionally music. You'll effing LOVE it!

Music this week:

Portland hip hop may not have a governing sound, but it thrives on sustained commitment, cross-pollination, experimentation, and progression. Slick Devious is the emodiment of that ethos and approach, to which we'd add rare introspection as an artist. All of this makes him a killer MC and an excellent conversationalist, and we get tons of both this episode. The fellas chat about the relative necessity of live performance, what an artist owes an audience in terms of connection, wet handshakes, generational diarrhea, the political ambiguity of the cybertruck, and factory-fresh foods. Slick also graces us with some world-premiere previews...

We often sit down with bands that will ONE DAY be Portland music legends. But it's the rare treat to be in the presence of bands that are legends RIGHT NOW. Such is the case this week, when we sit down with Portland Surf Rock institution Satan's Pilgrims. Seriously, you guys, they're in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and have been in the game since '92! They grace us with an insider's look at the history and meaning of surf, the open mind and open heart of Portland music that has endured for decades, playing the Hollywood Bowl...

Gretta Seabird are symbiotes of pop: their beautiful songs bond with and absorb the properties of every sub-genre without ever losing their Seabird-ness. Folk pop? Sure. Dance pop? You bet. Spoon-centric pop? If the mood strikes. The band joins the show this week for an INCREDIBLE in-studio live performance that will break your tender hearts and fill you with joy. We also discuss the value of songwriting challenges, the self-respecting clarinet and the shameful saxophone, giant-sunglass scams (pros and cons), the ineffability of musical cool, and the disappointments of Christian punk. 

Music this week:

Portland duo Utility wring every drop of bombast, power, melody, and even delicacy that it's possible to squeeze from a bass and drums. On the occasion of the vinyl release of their recent album "How to Protect What's Left" and upcoming Midwest tour, Utility drummer and musician lifer Adam Draper joins the show this week. The fellas chat about growing and changing as a person in-and-out of phase with growth as a musician, the cyclical import of heavy music, the challenge of rocking the socks off one's own mother, and the hidden apartment inside the home of YOUR Portland...

Dry Socket are the super-heavy, load-bearing wall of Portland hardcore punk music. Their music blends the intensely personal (warts and all) with communal, universal catharsis, and they are just embarking on their biggest year yet. 

To celebrate their upcoming European tour and the March 27 release of their latest record "Self Defense Lessons", Dani and Geoff from Dry Socket stop by to wage the war of the hot dog versus the garbage disposal, discuss authenticity with empathy, growing up hardcore and its complicated legacy, grassroots anti-boofing, and the clear holder of the most hardcore bird (MHB) championship belt. 

To celebrate their recently released fourth studio album, "Shapes Unravel", we're re-releasing our 2024 conversation with Portland mystics Abronia! Eric from the band talks feeling like your inspirations, bands that would have gotten worse, biographies, D&D, psychedelics, practicing for your future, and partial bottom nudity. Rippin' music from this episode includes Abronia, Step Into The Kitchen, Ak’chamel, and M.Aundre. 

Portland MC Mat Randol believes in the challenges of hip hop: to grow and evolve, to live at the edge of his comfort zone, to tell the truth, and to find the joy. On the mic he's dexterous, dynamic, and confessional...but he also wouldn't say no to a few choice sips in the studio. His 2026 is scheduled to be a non-stop banger of releases, collaborations, and live music. Plus, he's a great hang, as you'll hear in this episode. He stopped by to discuss the timely feedback that altered the direction of his musical approach, building the experiences...

Night Heron is sexy, smokey, smoldering, sartorial (insert favorite 'S' superlative) Portland lush-pop nurtured to life by frontman and guitarist Cameron Spies—along with a murderer's row of musicians from the vanguard of Portland music. Cameron joined the fellas this week to chat on finding freedom within a defined sonic palette, the producer's ear vs. the creator's ear, wound packing (pro or con?), KEXP gratitude, Boss horniness, and the authorial voice of High Times. Plus killer music!

Music this week:

In honor of their freshly dropped single "You Guys Wanna Eat Some More Mushrooms?" we're replaying our delightful conversation with the instrumental prog/post rock trio, Childspeak! We get into the freedom of writing music without vocals, the abstract codes of songwriting, conquering hiccups, how ridiculous genre is, and Andy digs his heels back into anti-marketing. Cherish the memories in this one, then go buy the new Childspeak single!

Music this week:

Stand-up comedian Andrea Menchaca is a newly minted member of Portland's Funniest Five and has been building momentum since she began at open mics almost six years ago. We talk about her trajectory, her upcoming comedy special at Milagro and the grant that made it possible, finding the joke with TikTok feedback, butter surcharges for bulk popcorn receptacles, separating your Avatar sex from your Avatar gardening, the bloodsport of comedy competition, and the unanswerable "why???" of still doing d*ck jokes. 

Music this week:

Perfect Buzz is rock 'n roll that looks good in a leather jacket: brash enough to don one in the first place, yet self-possessed and comfortable-in-their-own-skin enough to pull it off without seeming ridiculous. It's that precise balance (along with a finely calibrated combo of riffage, sneer, and melody) that shines through on their brand-new EP "Happy Trails". This week, Patrick Buzz joins the fellas to discuss that new collection of tunes; the art of dank ranking; how to balance a brain full of songs with the finite dosage of a record; the day-to-day joys of zoo-based misinformation; and...

Dadweed is an acoustic amalgam; built around the bluegrass staples of stand-up bass, beautiful harmonies, and ample grinning, they also mix in a zesty swirl of pop, country, rock, and even jazz. The trio joined the show this week and graced us with a LIVE, IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE. We also chat about the kismet of "School of Rock" and the Pokemon theme; the art (and science) of kicking sh*t; the universality of melancholy; the guiding light of melody; and Bigfoot encounters with cryptid cuties. 

Music this week:

Bagweed music follows in the footsteps of eclectic, sonically diverse, pop-forward artists like Beck: he combines sounds, styles, and textures that hew toward synthesis and smoothness rather than dissonance. We discuss his brand-new collection of songs, "Thank You for Remaining Still", which dropped just last week and is currently available for purchase. That cleared plenty of room for a healthy dialogue on the differences between vom and regurge; the art of getting in and out of a song on time; pushing the human limits of food expiration dates; and the expanding joys of songwriting as his skill and knowledge...

Punk chaos agents Happy Death Men bring a joyous intensity to must-see live shows that occasionally end in vomit. Sam, Cash, and Javi joined the show to discuss bottling that rawness on their records—as they do with aplomb on their 2025 self-titled release. We chat about nut-heavy subreddits, opening for Jack White, what makes for a healthy music scene, Batman's adult diaper play, and the intrinsic appeal of their music to Wine Moms.  

Music this week:

This week we talked to Jordan Casner. Jordan is a comedian and Portland's reining funniest person. We talk about comedy when the internet exists, the gauntlet of winning Portland's Funniest Person, live albums, and cool uncles. Music this week from Bela Blaq, Kling Klang, Nikki Nair & Uffie, and Split System. 

This week we talked to fantastic Portland band, Friends Friends. We talk about grocery stores. That’s all. Just tips and tricks to shop till you drop. Plus like, music and stuff. Songs this week from Friends Friends, Twisted Teens, Laska, and Deathcat. 

Killmer is a three-piece rock delight, blending sounds from across the genre and wrapping them in warm, clean production. Their May 2025 release "Primo!" is  meant (at least in this listener's opinion) to be enjoyed by adults, with an attention to craft, mood, and message that also knows how to enjoy itself. Fresh off a tour in support of the album, Killmer bassist and singer Brett joined the show to discuss the desire to do everything music can do, the relationships necessary to collaborate with both support and criticality, the irresistible, horrible allure of self-electrocution, Andy shredding the gnar, and h...

Krautrock superstars Motrik have been a driving, pulsing beat at the heart of Portland music for more than a decade. On the eve of their forthcoming album "Earth," Dave, Erik, and Jonah from the band joined us to chat about humane vermin training, the foundational beat at the core of every song in their catalog, the relaxing innovation of mud-themed recording studios, the mechanics of harmonica care, and the evolving interpretations of the Motrik sound that emerged organically from their new songs.

Music this week:

The Macks are one of the most creative, focused bands in the Northwest, producing banger after banger at a breakneck pace that can hardly keep up with their work ethic and restlessly evolving sound. Their sixth full-length "Bonanza" dropped just a few weeks ago, and Sam and Ben from the band joined us to talk about prolific rocking/rolling with an eye toward improvement, the hail-mary toiletry of the contemporary American mall, the marketability of merch based on individuals, the Juggalo-curious lifestyle, and gearing up for their massive ongoing tour. 

Music this week:

Cherry Cheeks is fast-paced, punk/art rock with substance and a sneer. Kyle Harms, the creative force of the band, joins the show this week, and more delighted we could not be. We discuss the persona of the punk rock brat, the importance of songs with genuine meaning, embracing the performer within, the erotic potential of deep-faking yourself, and the plight of the proletariat vis a vis the monocle.

Music this week:

Rock 'n roll rippers Helena Rats are in the house this week! The band's May release "Plague City" embraces the rich possibilities of fast, heavy-tinged guitar music without pretension—though not without an accessible complexity that rewards the true heads. Diego and Jeff from the band pop in to talk about the new tunes, drink-to-performance ratios, the cocktail of ingredients that make up their sound (hint: the 70s play a role), the languages of rock shorthand, and the simpler times of their teenage fandom. 

Music this week: 

This week we talked to David Weed! We chopped it up about comic books, video games, food that will burn your mouth, secondary condiments, basketball, puppets, and so much more. Oh, we are back! 

Music this week:

David Weed, Grails, Armpit Termites, and Private Lives

Tabor Dance has grown from a single person shaking off the isolation and disorientation of the pandemic into a Portland institution for a community of thousands. This week, the fellas sit down with Tabor Dance President Katrin Dougherty and Founder Mitchell Hartman to hear the TD origin story, how it was shepherded into maturity through growing pains, and how it continues to grow and evolve. Plus, Drew proves how square he is when it comes to the culture of EDM. 

Music this week:

Prolific Portland beatmaker and bass player MLTZR joins the fellas this week to drape us in warm, sonic blankets. Restless-but-disciplined, MLTZR is in constant search of vibes, grooves, and connections. We talk about the joys of collaboration, success in creation as an act of completion, exhausting his sonic curiosities, THC-infused wetnaps, and snacking on pickle chips. All that plus some license plate detective. None of us deserve an episode this good...but here we are. 

Music this week includes: 

It's the long-overdue return of the great NorthernDraw! And he's brought along his collaborator (and top-shelf guest in his own right) LT Headtrip. The two joined us on Draw's birthday (!) to discuss their newest joint release, the siiiiiiick two-hander "Novel Path". We get INSIDE the music on this one with two born creators, talkers, storytellers, and strip club enthusiasts. You can grab "Novel Path" now, and you can check out NorthernDraw's beat showcase, Thirsty City, every last Wednesday at Portland's own Goodfoot Lounge. 

Music this week:

After an unplanned hiatus, the boys come back STRONG with a real Season 2 Hall-of-Fame guest as the GREAT Leo London of The Domestics joins the show! One of Portland's most well-rounded and prolific songwriters, Leo plays some stripped down tunes live, and is an overall super fun, thoughtful thinker on all things music. We get back to our roots with deep dives into the concept of authenticity, fedora self-consciousness, developing a musical taste, and the howling loneliness of the American songbook. 

Songs this week include:

Garreson is a folky, country-y, American-y troubadour with the voice of an angel. But he's also one of the absolute best hangs in the business, and that full range of talents and delights is on display this week. We discuss the energy exchange of live music, the relationship at the center of his forthcoming album Monte, the tragic fate of the common moth, and the works of Clive "The Cuss" Cussler. 

Music this week includes:

In this special edition of the Haute Garbage Podcast, Drew sits down 1-on-1 with the newly minted CHAMPION of the Harry Mack Anomaly Cypher freestyle competition, A'Revolution! A'Rev is a renaissance woman: poet, performer, cybersecurity guru, MC, and founder of Sypher Saturdays (the premiere gathering of DJs and Freestylers here in PDX—and, yeah, she knows how it's spelled!). We talk about sharing the stage with a freestyle legend, the evolution of her artistic life, and what it means to go off the top and drop bars. 

Take 10 seconds and grab a pair of oven mitts before you dive into the second installment of our Treefort adventures...cause this one is HOT! We get cozy with a trio of Boise based artists that blew our socks off during the fest...and we sort of needed those socks, 'cause we underpacked. But TOTALLY WORTH IT if the tradeoff is hanging with producer duo Dose Amigos, Alt rock wizards MYLO BYBEE, and super shredders Dirt Russell. Here's the dope tunes we played this week:

Portland effing LEGENDS Berzerk are on the show this week! It is not hyperbole to say that Berzerk is one of the most important punk bands in Portland's storied music history, dating back to the early 90s—and they are back in the game, recording new music and playing new shows, and they haven't lost their fastball even a tiny bit. Mandy, Yianna, and Tyler came in HOT with stories about toenail collections, shows with AFI and Bikini Kill, and drug-fueled confidence. Plus, incredible music this week by:

Treefort Music Fest is in the books, but the hits keep hitting here at HG! Andy, Drew, and a big, stupid, orange hat really got super lucky this year, with so many amazing bands sitting down for a lil' chin wag during the fest. So, for the next few episodes, we'll be featuring those conversations (along with some killer music) from our time in Boise, ID. We're kicking things off in style with interviews featuring Nick Delffs, The Apricots, and Henry Mansfield!

Enjoy this episode's music: