Tour Stories

Natalie Lew is a Seattle based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Sea Lemon. Sea Lemon’s dream fuzz pop debut LP, Diving For A Prize, is out May 30th via Luminelle Recordings.  Natalie shares her performance adjacent music experience growing up in the Seattle music scene and how a move to New York led her to the picking up a guitar and singing. Joe and Natalie discuss the observational approach to her lyrics, and she explains the refrain on the song Stay, a current single.  Natalie tells us how Crystals (feat. Ben Gibbard) was transformed from a big rock...

David Bazan is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Seattle. Over the past 30 years he has released dozens of collaborative and solo records as Pedro The Lion, Headphones and David Bazan.  This year he celebrates the 20th anniversary of Headphones with a remastered version of the 2005 release, complete with bonus tracks and additional liner notes by David Dark (out now via Suicide Squeeze Records). Joe asks David to look back into 2005 and share the motivation behind shifting from Pedro The Lion to a minimal synth based project and why he almost got talked out of it.  David shares so...

Sextile is an electro-punk duo based in Los Angeles. They’re newest record, Yes, Please is due out May 2 and is their sophomore release on Sacred Bones. On Yes, Please, founding members Melissa Scaduto and Brady Keehn offer up their most realized and personal record yet, all with an overflowing trifecta of visceral, frenetic and heady energy.  Melissa and Brady share their musical backstory, how Brady found music in his disciplined upbringing and why Mellissa initially resisted dance music. We get the origin story of Sextile and how they made their first record on a $250 budget in sober living sit...

Cret Wilson (bass, vocals) and Areif Sless-Kitain (drums) are two-thirds of DC based 90’s post punk band, Regulator Watts. Along with singer and guitarist, Alex Dunham, the band was relatively prolific during their short run, releasing several records on Slowdime Records with support from Dischord, including The Aesthetics of No-Drag and The Mercury EP.  For the first time on vinyl, The Mercury LP is available now via Solid Brass records. Cret, Areif and Joe compare notes on their same era different coasts rock scenes, Cret and Areif illustrate the power of the connectivity of 90’s DC music and all three...

Takiaya Reed is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and doom metalist who performs as Divide and Dissolve. Her newest record, Insatiable is due out April 18th via Bella Union. Takiaya tells why she has always had not just a want, but a need to play multiple instruments.  We learn how her approach changed for recording Insatiable, what kind of recording environment she feels most comfortable in and why she set aside the consideration of live performance when writing the new record. Joe and Takiaya discuss “psychological volume”, why her song titles function as lyrics and we hear a couple new tunes.

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Sade Sanchez is the singer and guitarist for Los Angeles based band LA Witch. Their newest record, DOGGOD, (out now via Suicide Squeeze Records) is an a more reverb drenched, Mancunium post-punk expansion on their garagy sound, with a deeper exploration into to love and spirituality. Sade tells us out how the band found themselves recording at the celebrated Motorbass studio in Paris, how synthesizers influenced the direction of the record and why they are embracing the sonic space that was created.  She explains the idea behind the title DOGGOD and why the street Rue Des Martyrs parallels with s...

JP Hasson is a musician, comedian and visual artist based in Los Angeles. For the last 2 decades he has toured and recorded with his conceptual music/comedy acts Pleaseeasaur and JP Inc. He is also the founder, CEO and creative director at Hasco Enjoyments, the combined works of JP Hasson and JP Inc.  Hasco Enjoyment’s latest effort, WOW!, a lush and dreamy instrumental album, is available now everywhere in the world.  JP and Joe share their formative rock n roll years in Seattle and compare early lives in small towns where the effort for culture required more creativity than t...

José Medeles is seasoned composer, drummer, author, owner of Revival Drum Shop and most recently, brand manager for the legendary and exquisitely revived Slingerland Drum Company.

José shares his journey from working drummer/shop owner to his new position celebrating and advocating for his favorite drum company.  He tells us why he initially resisted the position, what pushed him to except it and why he wouldn’t hire himself if the tables were turned. The two drummers discuss the importance of sensibility in their craft, which drummers best express that for them and share their personal Slingerland stori...

Aaron Beam is the singer and bass player for Portland based Red Fang. In celebration of 20 years in the riff business, Red Fang releases Deep Cuts, an extensive 26-song collection of non-album tracks, covers, and previously unreleased singles, out now via Relapse Records. In this episode, Aaron paints a picture of the of the early aughts Portland scene and how it provided the exact ingredients necessary to form Red Fang. Joe and Aaron discuss how Deep Cuts is more than a collection of rarities and recollection, and why it’s more of illustrative assemblage of songs that takes them out...

This episode of Tour Stories is not an episode of Tour Stories. This is the debut episode of the new podcast Rock For Likes. Inspired by a lively text thread, 2 former members of Modest Mouse (Dann Gallucci, Joe Plummer) and 1 current member (Simon O'Connor) share their opinions, experiences, and alleged knowledge of rock in a rapid-fire exchange of narrative free good times.  A trifecta of goofs, truths, and largely reliable insight.

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Basia Bulat is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter based in Montreal. Since 2007, she has recorded 7 records and toured the world extensively.  Her newest release, Basia’s Palace is out now via Secret City Records. In this episode, Basia explains her lifelong attraction to Montreal and what motivated her to finally move there from her hometown of Toronto. She shares her experience of growing up in a musical household with an ultra-supportive mother whose values emphasized the importance of not taking anything for granted and approaching all opportunities seriously.  Basia tells us why Jim James encouraged her to dive deeper into p...

Joe's conversation with Stephen Hodges just keeps giving! Stephen shares the secret behind his drumming technique on the Tom Wait's Swordfish Trombone, which leads Joe and Stephen to an insightful conversion on how Stephen controls and changes sonic dynamics, reverberation, and the sound fields of the many albums he's recorded. Stephen gives us an eloquent, philosophical and practical lesson on creating dimension in the sonic space and the importance of allowing the music to present itself. We hear and quick story from his time with Bo Diddley and Stephen shares his experiences recording with John Hammond and Mike Baggetta. <...

Dax Riggs is a singer songwriter and guitarist based in Lafayette, Louisiana. He has spent much of his career in the worlds of metal, punk-blues, and psych rock, starting with the heavy sludge band Acid Bath as a teenager then moving through country-punk, folk and gospel along his journey. His newest record in 12+ years, 7 Songs For Spiders (out now via Fat Possum) is a honed and realized expression of death, life and the door in between. Dax tells us why he left the scene for such a long time, what he learned and how he fell in gospel singing...

Bria Salmena is a vocalist and songwriter based in Los Angeles. She is the frontwoman for the Canadian post-punk band FRIGS, a touring vocalist with Orville Peck and has released two acclaimed cover’s EPs under the name Cuntry Covers. Her newest effort, Big Dog, written with longtime collaborator Duncan Hay Jennings is due out March 25th via Sub Pop Records.  Bria shares her early relationship with music, how Brody Dalle inspired her to start writing songs and why a guitar teacher caused her to subsequently set the guitar down for 6 years. She tells us why Big Dog is a n...

Stephen Hodges is a drummer and composer, born, raised, and based in Long Beach, California. Stephen is the man behind the iconic and culturally permeating drum sounds and rhythms on Tom Wait’s Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones. He has extensively toured and recorded with John Hammond, The Smashing Pumpkins, Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson, and Mavis Staples. He was also handpicked by David Lynch to lend his unique and thoughtful sonic expression to the Twin Peaks: Firewalk With Me soundtrack. His collaboration with Mike Baggetta and old pal Mike Watt, MSSV, will be releasing their 3rd studio album On and On...

Fleamale is a three piece band based in Seattle. Sasha, Vivi and Max tell us how the Seattle punk community brought Fleamale together and how that community influenced their perspective on performing and writing music. Vivi tells us why internet searches challenged her to not only be better at guitar, but a better person. The three tell us why they want to create a space for both underrepresented voices in their scene and an opportunity for more challenging music led by women.  Maxine shares her first touring experience (at 17), Vivi’s tells us how she came around to “old music”...

Will Wiesenfeld, also known as Baths, is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born, raised, and based in Los Angeles. His fourth full-length album Gut, an expression from the stomach, rather than the heart will be out February 21st via his label, Basement’s Basement.  Will shares the idea behind making a relentless, unapologetic and at times embarrassing record and why it wasn’t necessarily difficult for him.  We learn how Gut functions as an ode to his rock influences, why jealousy motivated him to learn how to play an instrument and he shares how his hate to love relationship with p...

Washington DC based Kerosene 454 performed and recorded consistently from 1992-1998. In that time, they released 3 albums, several seven inches records and laboriously toured North America, Japan, and Europe. After 28 years, their sophomore album, Came By To Kill Me will be re-released digitally and on limited edition vinyl on 1/24/25 via Solid Brass Records.   In this episode, Joe talks with singer guitarist Erik Denno and founding member and guitarist James Wall. Erik and James explain the origin and frequently changing line up of the band, how they found each other in an explosion of grunge culture and why they ultimately settled in...

Hello and Thank You All for your support in 2024! More to come in 2025!

Thank you to all my wonderful guests.

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Michael Cera still hasn't recovered his Phantom bass guitar and that's why we are revisiting Joe's favorite episode of Tour Stories with pal and former bandmate Michael Cera.  Now is your chance to help him recover his favorite instrument! Listen, share! Let's get Michael his bass back in time for the new year!

Michael Cera's Films

Mister Heavenly

Phantom Guitars

Episode supported by Izotope

Ep supported by our friends @izotope. Izotope holiday savings start now! Head over to izo...

Jess Sylvester is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. His third full length record as Marinero is called La La La and is set for release on February 14th via Hardly Art. In this episode, Jess shares his rock n roll experiences growing up in the Bay Area, his stint in Guadalajara collaborating with local musicians and how his ultimate move to LA shaped and informed the new record.   He tells us why key changes were so important to his process on the new record, what recording with Chris Cohen was like and explains some of th...

Melissa Weikart is a French American singer songwriter currently based on Strasburg. Her third and newest EP, Easy, (out January 17th) is a sonic and production expansion on her previous work. Melissa shares her experience “growing up French” in Boston, why she appreciates her U.S. music education and how a teacher encouraged her to establish her own voice and process that gave her a musical identity at a young age.  We learn why a collaborative project recomposing Pet Sounds explores the gendered nature of genius, how an accidental recording became the new single, and why Wendy Eisenburg and Lana D...

Shannon Wright is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her eleventh album, Reservoir of Love, will be released on February 7 via Vicious Circle, with the lead single, Reservoir of Love, out now. Longtime friends and touring comrades, Joe and Shannon discuss Shannon’s upbringing in Jacksonville, Florida, where seeing the band Pylon gave here the confidence to play music, her grandmother took her record shopping and she bought her first instrument, a hideous and pokey “metal bass”. Shannon shares her story of a life-threatening health scare, why it changed her outlook on her own life’s freedom, and how t...

Jake Morris is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Portland, Or. Outside of drumming for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, he releases solo records under the name Street Nights. His most recent record, The Long Goodbye is out now via his own label, Community Guidelines. Jake and Joe talk about their early drums lessons and Jake shares how a Living Color song sent him on the path of self-education.  He tells us why a more methodical approach to recording the new record was a more satisfying process and allowed him to not only be more focused, but more creative. T...

Benny Reed is the vocalist, guitarist, and one half of (alongside drummer Johnny Lani) the Australian band, Skegss. Their third full length release, Pacific Highway Music, is out now via Loma Vista Recordings. Benny tells us why the new record, recorded in Los Angeles at two iconic studios (The Village and Fivestar Studios), was a new experience for the band, and how Dave Catching’s studio Rancho De La Luna played a role in the overall sound and gear selection.   Joe and Benny discuss how a songwriting challenge from Benny’s dad resulted in a song about two Australian cultur...

Benny Reed is the vocalist, guitarist, and one half of (alongside drummer Johnny Lani) the Australian band, Skegss. Their third full length release, Pacific Highway Music, is out now via Loma Vista Recordings. Benny tells us why the new record, recorded in Los Angeles at two iconic studios (The Village and Fivestar Studios), was a new experience for the band, and how Dave Catching’s studio Rancho De La Luna played a role in the overall sound and gear selection.   Joe and Benny discuss how a songwriting challenge from Benny’s dad resulted in a song about two Australian cultur...

Nick Thorburn is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist residing in Los Angeles. Nick has fronted and co-founded bands such as The Unicorns, Human Highway, Mister Heavenly and Islands. Nicks newest single Hold (a song for Aaron Bushnell) is dedicated to Aaron Bushnell, an active US serviceman who publicly took his life in an act of extreme protest of the United States support of Israel in the Israel-Hamas war.   Nick tells us why Aaron Bushnell’s self-immolation deeply affected him, how it motivated him to write Hold and why he chose to give all the proceeds to Glia, the life-saving medica...

Danny Davis is the singer, guitarist and a founding member of Oklahoma City based band Husbands. Joe and Danny are currently on tour together, with their respective band’s Cold War Kids and Husbands. Danny shares his first memories of hearing music with his dad on long drives and how his older brother informed his musical tastes as a youngster.  He tells us how 9-5 work life has motivated the trajectory of Husbands; how celebrating life is key to the culture of Husbands and why the synchronicity of the current lineup is influencing their songwriting. We learn how the Meta...

Nik Ewing is a visual artist, a bass player, keyboardist and founding member of LA based band Local Natives. His second LP, ‘Songs For Linnéa, a collection of piano songs written for his first child, is available now under his solo moniker Chewing.  Nik share’s his experience of growing up in a musical household in San Diego, his first bands influences and how that has extended to the Local Natives songwriting.  We learn why he wanted the listener to feel “in the room” on Songs For Linnéa  what he did to make it a documentation of his child’s ear...

This week Joe sneaks in Ep 1 of Ruinous Media's newest podcast, La Jolla Babylon: The Making Of A Suburban Punk.

Your host, musician and writer Aaron Hartman, shares stories about his stormy youth growing up punk in a conservative beach town with his Millennial sister, actor, writer and comedian Katie Hartman. 

What emerges is a series of hilarious, poignant, and brutally honest weekly episodes that delve into the stark differences in their upbringings, despite being siblings.

La Jolla Babylon:The Making Of A Suburban Punk

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Aaron Hartman is a writer, musician and podcaster based in Portland, Oregon. He is a founding member and bass player of Northwest indie legends Old Time Relijun, electro dance-rock pioneers IQU and releases music under the moniker Marine Layer. His newest endeavor, La Jolla Babylon-The Making Of A Suburban Punk, (out 10.18 via Ruinous Media) is a poignant and hilarious podcast where Aaron shares stories about his stormy youth growing up punk in a conservative beach town with his Millennial sister, actor, writer and comedian Katie Hartman. In this episode, Joe and Aaron get to the bottom of their first me...

Pinhead Gunpowder is an East Bay punk band formed in 1991. The current line up consists of Aaron Cometbus (lyrics, drums), Bill Schneider (bass) Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Jason White (guitar, vocals). After 16 years and several EP’s, the band will release their second full length LP, Unt, on October 18th via 1234 Go! Records.  Bill and Jason share the origin of their rock n roll relationship, how the band ultimately formed and why their spacious cadence of activity has never resulted in a lack of enthusiasm or energy for the band.  We learn how Aaron’s lyrical phrasing guides...

James Petralli is the singer, guitarist, and a founding member of White Denim. Their twelfth record “12” is set to be released on 12.12 via Bella Union.  James shares his journey from baseball to rock n roll, how the “absurd career choice” paralleled his dad’s and why learning how to talk about music was his ticket into his formative music circles. James tells us how “12” is drastically different from previous White Denim records, why he thinks being creative is inarguably the most positive thing he can do, and he explains his process of “live mixing”. Joe and James celebrate airport reverberations, wha...

Jayan Bertrand is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of Miami based band Seafoam Walls. Their anticipated sophomore effort, Standing Too Close To The Elephant In The Room, will be out October 18th via Dion Dia Records, with two singles Humanitarian Pt. II and Cabin Fever out now.  Jayan explains how their last stint of touring both inspired and funded the new record, allowing them to go into the studio more clear headed and intentional than their debut release. Joe and Jayan exchange their views on the dilution of counterculture from the perspective of touring musicians and how t...

Soph Nathan is a singer, guitarist, songwriter and founding member of London based Our Girl. Their second full length record, The Good Kind, is due out November 8th via Bella Union. Soph shares the relief and excitement she’s feeling after a 6 gap between the Our Girl records. We hear why the band likes to play songs live before recording them, how the influence of Warpaint came to fruition with the new record and Soph explains how lyrics and music operate as an unconscious coping and adapting mechanism.  Joe and Soph exchange thoughts on “tour health”, celebrate the beauty of pann...

Scott McCloud is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has been a founding member of Girls Against Boys, New Wet Kojak and Soulside. He continues to tour extensively, performs acoustically, and operates in various projects including Agrio and Paramount Styles. In this episode, Scott shares a story where a simple misunderstanding of gratitude leads to a confusing, riotous, and even violent reaction from the crowd when his band Operator opened for Placebo in Lisbon.   Joe and Scott discuss what this good intention turned bad tells us about humans in large groups, selective communication, crowd tipping points and why Scott sti...

Justin R. Cruz Gallego is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer based in Tacoma, WA. His newest record and Sub Pop debut, Grim Iconic…(Sadistic Mantra), is a cohesive, hooky noise odyssey laden with powerful beats, electronic layering and analog warmth. Justin shares his process of building the new songs and ultimately taking to a live setting. He also tells us how hitting a production ceiling was a healthy motivator to co-producing the record with Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets. We hear how the Latin music he grew up listening to seeped into the songs, Joe and Justin discuss th...

Sameer Gadhia is the singer and a founding member of Young The Giant. He also hosts the podcast Point Of Origin, which celebrates the lives and careers of musicians of color in the indie and alternative rock world. In this episode, Joe recovers an early recording where Sameer shares a few YTG experiences of being celebrated in Italy at the height of their hit single, Cough Syrup. We hear about the confusion of covering American Girl in front of a massive, lightly anti-American crowd; classic lip-syncing pranks; the hilarity of an entire country mispronouncing you’re biggest song and some...

Kishi Bashi is a singer, songwriter, film maker and multi-instrumentalist currently based in Santa Cruz, California. His latest full-length Kantos (out now via Joyful Noise Recordings) is multi-genre exercise in duality: a fun, party album that address’s the current humanist role in art, life, and culture, all inspired by a mix of the sci-fi novel’s series Hyperion Cantos and philosopher Immanuel Kant.  Kishi shares the initial motivation behind making a “party’ record and why a significant life change facilitated the work. Joe and Kishi question that role of fast-moving technology in music making, the hopeful notion that humanness...

This week Joe celebrates Hawaiian music and shares some early to mid-20th century public domain century recordings.

1.   Dreams of Old Hawaii-Varsity Hawaiian Orchestra

2.    Farewell to Thee - Toots Paka Hawaiians

3.   Mai Poina Oe Ia'u- Lani McIntire and his Aloha Islanders

4     Aloha Oe- Hawaiian Quartett

5.   Kuuaina Aliha-Varstiy Hawaiian Orchestra

6.   Ke Kali Nei Au- George Kainapau with George Archer And His Pagans

7.    He Manoa He Aloha- Kaai Glee Club

8.    Kewaii - Palakiko and Paaluhi

9.   Wailana (Drowsy Waters) -Ferera and Franchini

10. Aloha and G...