Today on Transmissions, author, artist, guitarist, and creator Alan Licht. He’s the author of Common Tones: Selected Interviews with Artists and Musicians 1995-2020, which features insightful conversations with ANOHNI, Tony Conrad, Greg Tate, Yo La Tengo, Kelly Reichardt, Lou Reed, and many more.
Category: Podcast
Nick Lowe :: Transmissions
Nick Lowe returns to our weekly Transmissions podcast to discuss the 20th anniversary of what many consider to be his best album, The Convincer, the influence of the Everly Brothers, and much more.
Neko Case :: Transmissions (Early Access)
Happy Monday. It’s bonus Transmissions time with Neko Case. Before this episode appears later this month in its edited and polished form in the regular feed, Aquarium Drunkard Patreon supporters get early access to this extended edition.
Chris Swanson :: Transmissions
Welcome to Transmissions. Today on the show: Chris Swanson, co-founder of Secretly Group. This year marks 25 years of two of the flagship labels in the group, Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar, and to celebrate they’ve got tons going on—including SC25 Editions, which features titles by Damien Jurado, Anohni, Richard Swift, and more, as well as Merch, with net proceeds benefiting Bloomington’s New Hope For Families. Also of note: Jagjaguwar’s Join the Ritual, a Dungeons and Dragons-inspired release featuring Angel Olsen, Bruce Hornsby, Cut Worms, Jamila Woods, and many more. Swanson joined us to discuss the labels’ roots, artists like Anohni, Richard Swift, Jason Molina, Bon Iver, and much more.
Bela Koe-Krompecher :: Transmissions
This week on Transmissions, a conversation with author and label head Bela Koe-Krompecher on the rock & roll underground of Ohio and his new book, Love, Death & Photosynthesis.
Jon Wurster :: Transmissions
This week on Transmissions, Jon Wurster, the drummer of Mountain Goats, Bob Mould Band, and Superchunk and one-half of Scharpling and Wurster, the long running radio comedy duo as featured on The Best Show. In his wide-ranging talk with Jason Woodbury, he discusses growing up in Philadelphia during the birth of punk and alternative rock, working with Replacements producer Jim Dickinson in the mid-’80s, his experiences at Sun Records, getting the call to join Superchunk, and much more.
Nathan Salsburg :: Transmissions
This week on Transmissions, Alan Lomax Archive curator and guitarist Nathan Salsburg joins us from his place in rural Kentucky to discuss his new album of Hebrew devotional music, Psalms, conceptions of the divine, life as a new parent, and much more.
Rickie Lee Jones :: Transmissions
Ahead of hitting the road on tour, Rickie Lee Jones joins us to discuss her incredible memoir, Last Chance Texaco on Transmissions, documenting her rebellious youth in California and Arizona in the ‘70s, her rise to stardom, run-ins with other artists, and much more, with poetic and literary charm.
John Leckie :: Transmissions
A sprawling talk with record maker John Leckie. As a tape operator at Abbey Road, he oversaw the All Things Must Pass and Plastic Ono Band sessions and rolled tape on Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, Kevin Ayers, Fela Kuti, and more. Soon he began producing records, and he’s gone on to work with Radiohead on The Bends, plus Dr. John, Spiritualized, My Morning Jacket, and many more. He joins host Jason Woodbury this week on Transmissions to discuss his extensive history and much more.
Melvin Gibbs :: Transmissions
A sit down with bassist and composer Melvin Gibbs. Emerging from the fertile New York scene of the early ’80s, he’s worked with a wide ranging roster of artists. He joins us for a talk about rock music, jazz, the George Floyd protests, playing with Sonny Sharrock, and more.
Anika :: Transmissions
This week on Transmissions: Anika. Best known for her work with Geoff Barrow and Mexico City’s Exploded View, she returns with Change, an album of subtle electronic pop, driving bass lines, and lyrics that veer from quixotic to inspiring. Anika joined us for a discussion about her time as a journalist, the shifting state of reality, and crafting an album amidst a global pandemic.
Rodrigo Amarante :: Transmissions
Today on the show, Brazilian singer/songwriter Rodrigo Amarante joins us to discuss his new album, Drama. A lush and enveloping listen, it blends gentle pop with cinematic flourishes. Reflecting on the confines of masculinity, his artistic relationships with Noah Georgeson, Devendra Banhart, Little Joy, Los Hermanos, and much more.
Rose City Band :: Transmissions
It’s a bonus episode for you as we head into the weekend. Today on the show we’re joined by Ripley Johnson of Moon Duo, Wooden Shjips, and most recently, Rose City Band, on punk minimalism, psychedelia, & the perfect rock & roll song.
Tom Scharpling :: Transmissions
Tom Scharpling of The Best Show joins us for a discussions about his new book, It Never Ends, his musical heroes—including Lou Reed and Brian Eno—zine making, mental health, and much more.
Transmissions :: Carlos Niño
This week on Transmissions, a heady conversation with Carlos Niño about spontaneous composition, the influence of hip-hop culture on his work, his radio roots, and his latest, More Energy Fields, Current. “…Frequently, I would say I’m doing some version of super-computing, where I’m completely free in the moment and I’m also bookmarking sections I know I want to get back to.” From his days at dublab to his partnerships with artists like Laraaji and Iasos and much more, we’re glad to have Niño on.