Bandsplain

By The Ringer

What's Bandsplain about?

Bandsplain is a show where host Yasi Salek invites experts to explain cult bands and iconic artists - and why people love them - using a curated playlist to help you understand the hype.

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Bandsplain episodes:

05.02.2024
Pearl Jam: Part 2 with Kevin Clark
Yasi and Kevin return this week to find Pearl Jam on the verge of falling apart (spoiler alert: they didn't). We pick back up as the band enters the studio to record the excellent “Vitalogy.” Ticketmaster emerges as the band’s...
04.30.2024
24 Question Party People: Madi Diaz
Singer-songwriter Madi Diaz comes by the pod to talk about her beautiful album 'Weird Faith,' the importance of Bikini Kill on her artistic journey, daddy’s girls, saying yes to life, revenge fantasies, and more! Host: Yasi Salek Guest: Madi Diaz Producer: Chris Sutton Additional...
04.25.2024
Pearl Jam: Part 1 with Kevin Clark
This week on Bandsplain, we dive into the music of Pearl Jam. In the wake of the dissolution of Green River and then Mother Love Bone, a new band coalesces, and explodes after adding an enigmatic frontman in the form...
04.23.2024
24 Question Party People: Grace Cummings
Singer-songwriter Grace Cummings comes on the pod to talk about her gorgeous new album, 'Ramona', being a theater kid, loving Alice In Chains, her favorite member of Wu-Tang Clan, and more. Host: Yasi Salek Guest: Grace Cummings Producer: Chris Sutton Additional Production Supervision: Justin...
04.18.2024
Green River, Mother Love Bone, and Temple of the Dog with Patty Schemel
Welcome back to another season of Bandsplain. This episode we're talking about Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, and the greater Seattle music scene, all leading up to the explosion of "Grunge," and of course, more specifically,...
04.16.2024
24 Question Party People: Mark Arm of Mudhoney
Mark Arm of Mudhoney comes by the show to discuss the sewage tunnel boring machine named after his band, the record store that changed his life, surfing at Kelly Slater’s ranch, being radicalized by KISS and Aerosmith, seeing Robert Goulet...
04.09.2024
24 Question Party People: DIIV
DIIV stop by the show to talk about their excellent new album, 'Frog in Boiling Water.' We also discuss the thoughtful use of AI, educational rap songs, fate, artisanal coffee, Hipster Runoff, and the ethics of egg bites. All that...
04.02.2024
24 Question Party People: Maya Hawke
On this week’s '24 Question Party People,' Maya Hawke comes by to chat about her upcoming album, 'Chaos Angel.' The discussion also includes the importance of song lyrics, thinking everyone is mad at us, Kris Kristofferson, our love of 'House,'...
03.26.2024
24 Question Party People: Justice
This week on '24 Question Party People,' Gaspard and Xavier of Justice drop by to discuss their new album, 'Hyperdrama'; what they’ve been up to for the past eight years; and why making music is self-indulgent and that’s OK. Plus,...
03.19.2024
24 Question Party People: Blu DeTiger
Blu DeTiger comes by the show to talk about her new album, 'All I Ever Want Is Everything'; looking up to Bernard Edwards of Chic; being a new 'Grey’s Anatomy' fan; going to Burning Man as a child; and which...
03.12.2024
24 Question Party People: Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids
Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids drops by the show to talk about his book, 'Red Letter Days.' We also touch on important subjects like the animatronic bears that played "Crocodile Rock" at ShowBiz Pizza, how to properly cook...
03.05.2024
24 Question Party People: Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy
Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy joins us this week to talk about the band’s excellent new record, “I Got Heaven.” Topics vary from the glory days of MTV, pig jokes, "the work," fourth-wave feminism, and a demonstration of the omnipresent...
02.27.2024
24 Question Party People: Anthony Anzaldo and Ross Farrar of Ceremony
This week, we come to you live from Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles, California, for a very special episode of '24 Question Party People' with Ross Farrar and Anthony Anzaldo of Ceremony, on the eve of their front-to-back performance...
02.20.2024
24 Question Party People: Chelsea Wolfe
Chelsea Wolfe stops by '24 Question Party People' to talk about her new album, 'She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She,' as well as a myriad of other topics, including why people hate Geminis so much, 'Kiki’s Delivery...
02.13.2024
24 Question Party People: Joe Talbot of IDLES
Joe Talbot of IDLES joins us this week to discuss approaching things with love in a loveless time, sparring on an empty stomach, and the soothing properties of office jazz, as well as tapping in with bell hooks and the...
02.06.2024
24 Question Party People: Dave 1 and P-Thugg of Chromeo
Chromeo come by the show to talk about Proust, how codependency is trending, and relating strongly to Will Ferrell's and John C. Reilly's characters in 'Step Brothers.' Plus, they tell us about their new album, 'Adult Contemporary.' All that and...
01.30.2024
24 Question Party People: Mary Timony
Singer-songwriter and guitar powerhouse Mary Timony has been making gorgeous music for decades, both in bands like Autoclave, Helium, Ex Hex, and Wild Flag and as a solo act. Her latest solo effort, 'Untame the Tiger,' releases next month. Mary...
01.16.2024
24 Question Party People: Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker drop by the show to chat about a variety of things, ranging from very on-brand to totally out of left field, including NPR heartthrob Kai Ryssdal, telling lies at the city dump, couples counseling,...
01.09.2024
24 Question Party People: Orville Peck
It's a new year, and we are back with a new episode of '24 Question Party People.' To kick things off, we are joined by the masked man himself, Orville Peck. Yasi and Orville discuss connecting to the song “Fast...
12.21.2023
24 Question Party People: Kurt Vile
On this week's second helping of '24 Question Party People', Kurt Vile stops by to discuss his not-so-rigorous (but very successful) haircare routine, as well as his beautiful new EP. In addition, Yasi and Kurt share their love of modern...
12.19.2023
24 Question Party People: Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene
Kevin Drew stops by the program to talk about the first records he bought, which were in some order: Beastie Boys, Madonna, Cowboy Junkies, and the Jesus and Mary Chain, making him the Doogie Howser of music appreciation. We also...
12.12.2023
24 Question Party People: Evan Dando of the Lemonheads
On this episode of '24 Question Party People,' we talk to Evan Dando about moving to Brazil, new Lemonheads music, the art of letting Boston hardcore legends stay in your closet for undefined amounts of time, and whether he’s more...
12.07.2023
Bandsplain x 60 Songs That Explain the 90’s LIVE
Rob Harvilla, Chris Ryan, and our intrepid host Yasi Salek converge onstage at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, California to do a live draft episode in honor of Rob’s fantastic new book 60 Songs That Explain the 90’s. A...
12.05.2023
24 Question Party People: Kat Moss of Scowl
Despite being raised with the belief that nobody is special, Kat Moss is a special front person for a special band. Since their inception, Scowl have become one of the hardest working bands out, constantly touring and releasing challenging, catchy,...
11.30.2023
Blondie with Mel Ottenberg
First isn’t always best, and Blondie found that out the hard way. One of the first CBGB bands, the rag tag group started out as a “No Ambition Just Vibes” project before fate and a terrible recording contract motivated them...
11.28.2023
24 Question Party People: Bret Domrose, Rob Mailhouse, and Keanu Reeves of Dogstar
Bret Domrose, Rob Mailhouse, and Keanu Reeves of Dogstar join us for a very special episode: our first-ever three-person party. The group discusses its new record, 'Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees'; the thrill of hearing Discharge for...
11.21.2023
24 Question Party People: Alicia Bognanno of Bully
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11.16.2023
One Album Wonder: Box Car Racer with Anna Zanes
Box Car Racer is a weird and wild look into the mind of Tom DeLonge. At the height of Blink 182’s success, Tom and Travis set out to make a harder record, a side project. Things are not always what...
11.14.2023
24 Question Party People: Nathan Willett of Cold War Kids
Nathan Willett of Cold War Kids is on the show to talk about the soundtrack of morning school drop-off, the complexities of personal faith as seen through the prism of peak Pitchfork, the CWK shampoo commercial that could have been,...
11.09.2023
Incubus with Chris Deville
From cutting their teeth playing backyard parties to testing their mettle on the road as the sensitive misfits on the Nu Metal circuit to becoming one of the more experimental bands in popular rock, Incubus have always had a strong...
11.07.2023
24 Question Party People: Gavin Rossdale of Bush
As the frontman of the band Bush, Gavin Rossdale has written a ton of guitar-rock bangers and captured the hearts and minds of a generation of fans who, like Yasi, probably don't know what the song "Swallowed" is about. This...
11.02.2023
Mazzy Star with Meaghan Garvey
Some bands would prefer that you do not perceive them, and Mazzy Star are one of those bands. How does a duo that rejects the concept of modernity so thoroughly come to achieve the prominence and cult-like devotion that Mazzy...
10.31.2023
24 Question Party People: Jeff Rosenstock
Jeff Rosenstock has been making good, heartfelt music for most of his life. The singer, songwriter, and composer for children’s show 'Craig of the Creek' stops by the show to talk about his new record, 'HELLMODE,' the good and bad...
10.26.2023
Rancid with Michael Bingham
From the ashes of Operation Ivy rose Rancid, a hard-working generational punk band from the fertile grounds of the East Bay. This week Michael Bingham from the band Spiritual Cramp joins us to chart the course and enduring music of...
10.24.2023
24 Question Party People: Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem are dadded and in their mild era. Brian Fallon comes by the show to discuss this stage of life, describe what pork roll is to an increasingly worried Yasi, and explain why he doesn’t get jumpy around...
10.19.2023
100th Episode! Mailbag with Rob Harvilla feat. Producer Dylan
We celebrate our 100th episode with special guests - our beloved listeners. America’s favorite podcaster and Bandsplain father figure Rob Harvilla joins us for a mailbag episode to answer your burning questions, and occasionally dole out unsolicited advice. Plus, a...
10.17.2023
24 Question Party People: Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince of The Kills
This week on '24 Question Party People,' we have a first—two guests at the party. Together, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince of The Kills reflect on their long-standing friendship, making their first record in seven years, learning new things to...
10.12.2023
The Singles Soundtrack with Sean Fennessey
In addition to being a gorgeous rom com, the movie Singles also ended up preserving the Seattle music scene of the early 90’s in film amber. Cameron Crowe’s homage of vignettes to his adopted home brought together now iconic artists...
10.10.2023
24 Question Party People: Dustin Payseur of Beach Fossils
On this week's '24 Question Party People,' Yasi checks in with Beach Fossils' Dustin Payseur about ICP, a candy-forward diet, touring with Post Malone all summer, and the gorgeous new Beach Fossils album, 'Bunny.' Host: Yasi Salek Guest: Dustin Payseur Producer: Jesse Miller-Gordon Associate...
10.05.2023
The Afghan Whigs with Chris Ryan
This week Chris Ryan joins us to discuss the first Sub Pop band East of the Mississippi, the Afghan Whigs. Afghan Whigs are a band that has always been exactly themselves, fronted by an iconoclast who approaches putting together albums...
10.03.2023
24 Question Party People: Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker comes on the program with the unexpected mission of expressing support and admiration for the Sex Pistols' seminal debut single, “Anarchy in the U.K.” OK, he also came on to tell us about his beautiful new record, 'Carolyn’s...
09.28.2023
The Smiths: Part 2 with Naomi Fry
Welcome back to the Bandsplain episode that doesn’t see a good reason why it should smile. We join our heroes once again, to find them restless in Manchester (for now). Things move quickly for the quartet and as quickly as...
09.26.2023
24 Question Party People: Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and Folk Implosion
Celebrated musician and fellow podcaster Lou Barlow joins the show this week to compare podcasting styles and scheduling preferences and to share best practices for filing systems and great hacks for spreadsheets. Yasi and Lou don’t really do any of...
09.21.2023
The Smiths: Part 1 with Naomi Fry
Manchester, so much to answer for. From 1982 to 1987, The Smiths produced more goddamn gorgeous beautiful songs than many other artists do in their entire careers. How did something so fragile burn so brightly in such a dark corner...
09.19.2023
24 Question Party People: Slug of Atmosphere
If you were given $5 to go away in 2007, that would be worth $7.40 in today’s economy. Fortunately, Yasi’s fee has gone up in the years in between, and she reunites with Slug this week to discuss this inciting...
09.14.2023
The 1989 Music Draft with Chris Ryan, Rob Harvilla, and Jon Caramanica
Chris Ryan, Rob Harvilla, and Jon Caramanica join Yasi in the Thunderdome to pick their favorite songs and moments from the year that started the 90’s: the last year of the 80’s. Can someone’s own take also be their draft pick?...
09.12.2023
24 Question Party People: Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys
This week on '24 Question Party People' we are joined by Yasi's mate Matt Helders, founding member and legendary drummer of the Arctic Monkeys. Matthew joins us from backstage somewhere on the eastern seaboard to weigh in on his experiences...
09.07.2023
Death Cab for Cutie with Michael Tedder
Death Cab for Cutie emerged from the Pacific Northwest in the late 90’s and came to embody the indie sound of the mid aughts, rising to fame alongside the teenage melodrama they helped soundtrack. Today they are still releasing meaningful...
09.05.2023
24 Question Party People: Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie
On this week’s show, Ben Gibbard comes on to chat with Yasi about life, death, and the truth. Other big topics include: Daryl Hall—one of the greatest vocal ad-libbers of all time? Can a live performance make you want to...
08.31.2023
Television with Evan Laffer
Arguably the band to start the CBGBs scene paving the way for the Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Blondie and more, was a band called Television. One of the most innovative bands of the early New York "punk" scene, Television...

What's Bandsplain about?

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Bandsplain episodes:

Pearl Jam: Part 2 with Kevin Clark

24 Question Party People: Madi Diaz

Pearl Jam: Part 1 with Kevin Clark

24 Question Party People: Grace Cummings

Green River, Mother Love Bone, and Temple of the Dog with Patty Schemel

24 Question Party People: Mark Arm of Mudhoney

24 Question Party People: DIIV

24 Question Party People: Maya Hawke

24 Question Party People: Justice

24 Question Party People: Blu DeTiger

24 Question Party People: Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids

24 Question Party People: Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy

24 Question Party People: Anthony Anzaldo and Ross Farrar of Ceremony

24 Question Party People: Chelsea Wolfe

24 Question Party People: Joe Talbot of IDLES

24 Question Party People: Dave 1 and P-Thugg of Chromeo

24 Question Party People: Mary Timony

24 Question Party People: Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney

24 Question Party People: Orville Peck

24 Question Party People: Kurt Vile

24 Question Party People: Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene

24 Question Party People: Evan Dando of the Lemonheads

Bandsplain x 60 Songs That Explain the 90’s LIVE

24 Question Party People: Kat Moss of Scowl

Blondie with Mel Ottenberg

24 Question Party People: Bret Domrose, Rob Mailhouse, and Keanu Reeves of Dogstar

24 Question Party People: Alicia Bognanno of Bully

One Album Wonder: Box Car Racer with Anna Zanes

24 Question Party People: Nathan Willett of Cold War Kids

Incubus with Chris Deville

24 Question Party People: Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Mazzy Star with Meaghan Garvey

24 Question Party People: Jeff Rosenstock

Rancid with Michael Bingham

24 Question Party People: Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem

100th Episode! Mailbag with Rob Harvilla feat. Producer Dylan

24 Question Party People: Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince of The Kills

The Singles Soundtrack with Sean Fennessey

24 Question Party People: Dustin Payseur of Beach Fossils

The Afghan Whigs with Chris Ryan

24 Question Party People: Darius Rucker

The Smiths: Part 2 with Naomi Fry

24 Question Party People: Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and Folk Implosion

The Smiths: Part 1 with Naomi Fry

24 Question Party People: Slug of Atmosphere

The 1989 Music Draft with Chris Ryan, Rob Harvilla, and Jon Caramanica

24 Question Party People: Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys

Death Cab for Cutie with Michael Tedder

24 Question Party People: Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie

Television with Evan Laffer