We’re pleased to welcome Alex Pappademas and artist Joan LeMay on today’s episode. Together, they have created a tremendous and deeply entertaining new book about one of Aquarium Drunkard’s favorite bands: Quantum Criminals: Ramblers, Wild Gamblers, and Other Sole Survivors From The Songs of Steely Dan.
Category: Podcast
Transmissions :: Janaka Stucky
Our guest this week is mystic poet, writer, publisher, and performance artist Janaka Stucky, who’s been hailed as “extraordinary” and “riveting” by no less an occult authority than Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Today on Transmissions, he discusses adapting his epic poem Ascend, Ascend with Lori Goldston, and reflects on the dread-soaked nature of reality.
Transmissions :: Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan’s songs were too imaginative and powerful to be lost to the sands of time. Though her 1970 album Just Another Diamond Day was barely heard on original release, it became a freak folk foundational document. Recently, Bunyan published her first book, Wayward: Just Another Life. She joined us to discuss the book, that journey, and what it felt like to have her work rediscovered—and why she hates being called a “folk” singer.
Transmissions :: Elkhorn
This week on Transmissions, Jesse Sheppard and Drew Gardner, the psychedelic folk duo Elkhorn. Their new album, On the Universe In All Directions, finds Jesse once again at his familiar 12-string acoustic guitar, but instead of Drew joining with his trademark Telecaster, he’s moved over to vibraphone and drums for this outing. From Buddhism to John Fahey, from time slips to Aquarium Drunkard itself, this conversation unfolds and wanders, we hope you enjoy it.
Transmissions :: Jana Horn
This week on Transmissions, we’re joined by writer and musician Jana Horn. Her new album The Window is the Dream is out now on No Quarter Records. Writing about it, Andy French at Raven Sings The Blues calls it, a “delicate exfoliation of dream and reality.” When she’s not penning oracular folk rock songs, Horn teaches fiction at the University of Virginia and writes short fiction. She joins us to discuss it all.
Transmissions :: Surya Botofasina
“At this point, I feel that the music I want to be a part of at least, is a music, a sound, a frequency that advocates and promotes some sort of introspection, back to the here and now.” This week on Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions: spiritual avant-garde jazz keyboardist Surya Botofasina, who joins us to discuss Everyone’s Children and growing up in Alice Coltrane’s spiritual community in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Transmissions :: Eddie Chacon
In 1992, Eddie Chacon broke out as one-half of Charles & Eddie. Chacon was just a kid growing up in Castro Valley, California, when he decided he would be a music star. These days, he’s making oracular, synth driven soul music that draws equally on the mile deep grooves of Sly Stone’s drum machine and the cosmic synth hymns of Alice Coltrane. His latest album is called Sundown, out now from Stones Throw.
Transmissions :: Adrian Quesada
Today on Transmissions, Adrian Quesada is best known as one-half of The Black Pumas, his duo with singer/songwriter Eric Burton. But Quesada’s musical output is varied: he’s worked with Brownout, a Latin hard rock-tinged outfit, Grupo Fantasma, Adrian Younge, and many more. In 2022, he released his debut solo album, Boleros Psicodélicos, followed that same year by Jaguar Sound. He joined us to discuss his trajectory, his worldwide success, his roots in hip-hop, and much more.
Transmissions :: Sharon Van Etten
Songwriter Sharon Van Etten joins Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions to discuss the 11th anniversary of her landmark album Tramp, her origins, her collaborators, and of course, her time on Twin Peaks: The Return, and why she was worried watching that show with her son in the house.
Transmissions :: The Zombies
Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone of The Zombies join us on the Transmissions podcast to discuss new music, their classic single “Tell Her No” and landmark LP Odessey and Oracle, their relationship to super fan Tom Petty, and of course, we had to ask them about the fake Zombies that toured in the wake of the band’s late ‘60s breakup.
Transmissions :: Andy Shauf
Today on Transmissions, we’re joined by Saskatchewan-born songwriter Andy Shauf to discuss getting sober, God, and how these big topics relate to his latest album of introspective folk pop, Norm. Fans of his ‘70s-styled songcraft will still find lots to love here, but as we discuss, the production is deeply rooted in modern experimentation and the anything goes sonic possibilities of digital recording.
Transmissions :: Dorothy Moskowitz (The United States of America)
Psych pioneer Dorothy Moskowitz of The United States of America joins us on the Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions podcast to discuss her new collaboration The United States of Alchemy and new album Under An Endless Sky.
Transmissions :: Philip Selway (Radiohead)
Philip Selway, best known as the drummer in Radiohead joins us on Transmissions to discuss his third album, Strange Dance. It’s a sweeping and textural listen, envisioned by its creator as something like a “Carole King record meets Daphne Oram.” We caught up with Phil to dig in. Along the way, we discuss his songwriting approach, explore why he decided to forgo playing drums on this new outing, touch on the side project arrangements enjoyed by Radiohead, the band’s relationship to peers like Portishead, Wilco, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, the 20th anniversary of Hail to the Thief, and much more.
Transmissions :: Lou Reed Archive
Today on Transmissions, a tremendous conversation with Jason Stern and Don Fleming of the Lou Reed Archive. From the contents of the archive to under-recognized albums from Reed’s discography, this talk covers fascinating aspects of Lou’s life, offers insight into his art, addresses controversies, and much more.
Transmissions :: Mac DeMarco
We’re hanging out with Mac DeMarco this week on Transmissions. His latest album forgoes lyrics in favor of instrumentals. It’s called Five Easy Hot Dogs and it came about as the result of series of recording sessions Mac underwent while on a road trip. We caught up to discuss life in LA, quitting smoking, the influence of heavy grade players in his orbit like Thundercat, and more.