James McNew of Yo La Tengo and Dump joins us to discuss This Stupid World, the 25th anniversary of his Prince covers album, the influence of Sun Ra, playing with Yoko Ono, and more.
Category: Podcast
Transmissions :: Beauty Pill
The 2023 season of Aquarium Drunkard’s Transmissions podcast is officially underway. This week on the show, Chad Clark of Beauty Pill. On January 20th, Ernest Jenning Record Co. releases Blue Period, a double LP compilation featuring music Clark recorded for the legendary punk label Discord Records between 2003-2005.
Transmissions :: Kid Congo Powers
Welcome to the final episode of Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions’ 2022 season. We saved a great one for the finale, on this episode we’re joined by Kid Congo Powers.
Transmissions :: Bedhead
Today on the show, we are joined by the Kadane Brothers, who founded the pioneering slowcore band Bedhead in 1991 in Dallas, Texas. On this episode of Transmissions, we dig into Bedhead’s history and idiosyncratic approach, exploring how they worked “remotely” and by telephone long before remote work was standard, the space carved out by Bedhead’s unique sound, their cover of Cher’s “Believe,” and much more.
Transmissions :: Sam Cohen
On Slow Fawn, Sam Cohen, a producer, songwriter, and musician known for his work with Apollo Sunshine, Yellowbirds, Kevin Morby, Danger Mouse and Karen O, creates a glowing, meditative space. Inspired by Terry Riley and drawing from long jam sessions with his collaborators, it reflects Sam’s desire to “create a world without friction, where you could float and feel joy.”
Joe Rainey :: Transmissions
This week on Transmissions: Joe Rainey. Rainey is a powwow singer of the Red Lake Ojibwe tribe. He’s known for collaborations with Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper and Alan Sparhawk of Low, and in May he released his debut solo album, Niineta on Justin Vernon’s 37d03d label. Created in conjunction with producer Andrew Broder, it pairs his vocals with samples culled from his vast collection of powwow tapes, thundering percussion, and dense, thickly layered soundscapes that evoke the overwhelming haze of modern electronic music.
Transmissions :: Clem Burke of Blondie
This week on our weekly interview podcast, a wide-ranging interview with Clem Burke of Blondie. He joins us to discuss the band’s early years, interactions with luminaries like Robert Fripp and Giorgio Moroder, the fashion forward cultural shift, and Numero Group’s monumental box set collection, Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982. A game conversationalist, Burke brings a quick wit and sharp intellect to this chat, which traces the group’s evolution, early days, and his work as a case study documenting the physical condition of drummers.
Transmissions :: The Comet Is Coming
This week on the show, Danalogue (Dan Leavers), Betamax (Max Hallett) and Shabaka Hutchings, known collectively as the improvisational crew The Comet is Coming. They join us to discuss Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam, the apocalypse, AI, improv tactics and more.
Transmissions :: Ken Shipley (Numero Group)
On an all-new episode of Transmissions: Ken Shipley of Numero Group. October has arrived, but the storied Chicago label was still in the midst of its September ‘90s month celebration of reissues from Codeine, Karate, Current, and Unwound when we taped this conversation. Shipley and host Jason P. Woodbury discuss how the label has evolved, aesthetics, the new Blondie boxset, Shipley’s midwest emo roots and pre-Numero days at Rykodisc and Tree Records, and more.
Transmissions :: Nabil Ayers
With his debut book My Life in the Sunshine: Searching For My Father and Discovering My Family, Nabil Ayers walks a tightrope, balancing personal and familial history with stories about a life spent playing music, working in record stores, and falling in love with music. On this episode of Transmissions, he discusses his work with 4AD, The Control Group, and Beggars Group, and his complicated relationship with his father Roy Ayers.
Transmissions :: Medicine Singers
This week on the show, Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson and guitarist Yonatan Gat join us to discuss their collaborative work as Medicine Singers, which pairs the powwow drum and the voices of the Eastern Medicine Singers with Yonatan’s electrified guitar and contributions from experimental composer Joe Rainey, Ikue Mori of DNA, Thor Harris of Swans, previous Transmissions guest Laraaji, and the late jamie branch. Jamieson and Gat join us to discuss their collaboration.
Transmissions :: Gloria de Oliveira and Dean Hurley
David Lynch sound designer Dean Hurley and German-Brazilian songwriter and singer Gloria de Oliveira join us on our weekly Transmissions podcast to discuss their haunting cover of Jeff Buckley and Elizabeth Fraser’s “All Flowers in Time,” the myriad ways Lynch influenced the project, and the ever elusive nature of time and existence.
Transmissions :: The Stepney Sisters on Charles Stepney
We’re sitting down with Chicago sisters Eibur, Charlene, and Chanté Stepney, who join us to discuss the work of their father, the late Charles Stepney. As a producer and arranger, Stepney was at the helm for incredible ’60s and ’70s work with Earth, Wind & Fire, Rotary Connection, The Dells, Muddy Waters, Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, Terry Callier, and many more before his passing in 1976. But on Step on Step, a mind-blowing new collection from International Anthem, a new vision of Stepney emerges: that of a home recording genius. The Stepney Sisters join host Jason P. Woodbury to unpack who Stepney was, his relationship with his wife and partner Rubie, his love of science fiction, and his status as one of hip-hop’s most sampled composers.
Transmissions :: Chris Forsyth
This week on Transmissions, Chris Forsyth returns to discuss the gleaming power pop and avant-rock of his latest, Evolution Here We Come. Featuring members of Tortoise, Garcia Peoples, the Sun Ra Arkestra, and The Dream Syndicate, it bounds forward with guitar-driven exuberance and sparkle.
Transmissions :: Delicate Steve
Today on an all-new episode of our weekly interview podcast: Steve Marion, better known by his recording name Delicate Steve. He joins us to discuss his naturalistic new record After Hours, Kanye West, Leonard Cohen and more.