Conan Neutron’s Protonic Reversal

Ep127: Steve Albini (Shellac, Big Black, Engineer)

It’s Jeff Pinkus of Butthole Surfers, Melvins, and Honky! It’s an episode of Protonic Reversal.

What more do you need to know?

ok, ok…

Greetings protonic friends, time again for a thrilling new episode of Protonic Reversal. Today is Mr. J.D. Pinkus of Butthole Surfers fame, he also plays in the Mighty Melvins, Honky and has recently released a solo banjo record called: Keep on the Grass. Interview starts at: 14:40

Conan and Jeff talk about the following topics:

-Keep on the Grass, the story behind it and the involvement of Danny Barnes (bad livers)

-different sequences for different formats

-the concept of the full length In general

-the cassette comeback

-Pinkus Abortion Technician

-joining up with Buzz and Dale because of Jared’s impending fatherhood

-picking BHS songs for a Melvin’s set

-Paul Leary songs

-the incredible depth of the Melvin’s catalog.

-different lyrical approaches.

-John Prine

-lots of headphone listening of Chicho music

-live interpretations of Melvin’s songs and arranging the songs for two basses.

-playing with Steven McDonald

-bringing the “creepy old man” vibe to the Melvins.

-playing bass with fingers (a study in contrasts!)

-using a Dark Glass amp from finland

-opening for Sleep with a banjo set

-432 tuning frequency

-playing Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill in Melvins w/Teri Gender Bender

-Daddy Longhead, Skinny Leonard, then Honky

-the double edged sword of Butthole Surfers not listing credits in the records

-Playing with Helios Creed on Activated Condition and the journey of making that into a record.

-half machine lip moves talk

-trash talk about Lenny Kravitz

-On joining the Butthole Surfers and making those classic records.

-drugs and cycles.

-Buzz doesn’t do drugs and probably shouldn’t.

-the Butthole Surfers chapter of “Our Band Could Be Your Life” is total bullshit.

-working with John Paul Jones on Indepdnent Worm saloon and playing banjo on “ballad of naked men” while he plays bass!

-Being a mixture of Steve Martin and Dean Martin.

-banjo as a songwriting tool.

-Doing covers.

-Hairway to Steven, pictographs haven’t translated well for the iTunes age.

-taping fire ants to cardboard and sending them to Chicago “a Texas Trip”

-cockroach snuff movies with Jem Cohen

-talking with Ian Mackaye about weed expenditures

-Double Live BHS, a self released bootleg.

-P.S.Y.

-is it wrong to be weirded out by the fans of your band?

-The band name Honky, and how that can (and has been) misconstrued. Different times and all.

Howdy there, friends and well-wishers of the Protonic Reversal, and welcome to another fine program! On this episode, Conan and Josh got to chat with Sam Coomes of Quasi! We talked of so many things:

Interview begins at 10:53

-recording with Jon Spencer

-the Roxichord

-contrasting music and lyrics

-playing in a two piece, and solo

-consistant learning

-being ill-prepared to start a tour

-the timing of switching keyboard patches

-playing with Jandek

-the three B’s: Ballads, blues, and brutal

-not being a session man

-playing favorites and covers in the set

-the Takeovers

-keeping Quasi fresh and why

-learning how not to resent the popular back catalog

-Hot Shit!/writing political songs during “Shock & Awe”

-keeping honest in songwriting

-musical rapport and confidence

-the role of a producer

-having confidence in your vessel on tour

-being where you were trying to get to

Josh is out this week. The band WORK returns for a Labor Day weekend tour and Protonic Reversal appearance, their new record Stricly Cruis’n is out and that means it’s time to get loose and talk about such things as:

-Kavi’s move to Austin and his annoyance at traffic and delight at Queso

-ZAGNUT!

-Shane Hochstetler and Steven Drozd

-more Zagnut

-The story behind Strictly Cruis’n and the art by Jason Abele

-ZZ Top and Jazz records

-Where does Taco Bell get their food ideas/The Burger King on Brown Deer Road

-band or fashion label?

-end album “jams”

-Current affairs/politics/etc.

-Pronunciation is key.

-Joe shaved! To match the pictures of the band closer.

-Night Dentist

-One of the most memorable shows Jeff has ever seen… at Landmark Lanes, a bowling alley.

A lot of songs are played off of the new record and good times are had.

songs played:

WORK – Whiskey Whiskey Whiskey

WORK – As It Turns Out, He Didn’t Actually Have Tuberculosis

WORK – Everybody Loves Me Like the Hole in My Head

WORK – (…Somebody Loves Me…)

WORK – Jesus Diapered Our Sins

WORK – Mr Tall Octopus

Shellac – End of Radio (Closing Theme)

Hola, amigos! Welcome to another sweet sweet episode of Protonic Reversal! I know it’s been a long time since we rapped at ya, but we’ve got a great episode here with the one and only Toshi Kasai! We chatted about tons of stuff, like:

-the California fires

-Working with a wide variety of bands

-The JapaNeve

-Building a relationship with Melvins

-the secrets of Sound of Sirens

-How to prep for recording

-Coaching the vocalist

-Favorite equipment

-Recording intricacies

-Getting kidnapped by Big Business

-Altamont (the band)

-Networking via playing live

-the platinum records in the bathroom

-Analog vs. digital? Who cares

And much more! Or maybe not much more, but many more words in between. Whatever! It’s a really fun conversation, so we encourage you to enjoy it!

Interview begins shortly after the 17 minute mark

Songs played:

Melvins – Decay of Lying

Mud – Moonshine Sally

Tweak Bird – Lights in Lines

Qui – Awkward Human Interest

Hurry up Shotgun – Speedbath Megawaste

Shellac – End of Radio (end theme)

Well, well, welcome to another episode of Protonic Reversal! Conan and Josh had fun chats with (separately) Mike and John from Tar! First up was Mike, with whom we discussed such whimsy as:

-A 25 year gap between radio call-in shows

-Getting back into show shape

-Picking songs for the set

-Aiming for Barry White, settling for KC and the Sunshine Band

-Being on Amphetamine Reptile, Touch & Go, Dischord AND Sub Pop

-Tar’s Static and Jawbox’s Static

-Cuddly scene beef with Poster Children

-Sharing a bill with Kyuss

-Fitting in on AmRep

-Various lost arts of record buying and making

-Being on T&G to remain control

-Page Hamiltron trash talk

-The effect of Tom’s arrival on the band’s songwriting

-Henry Owings

Then we got John on the line, and talked about:

-The disastrous last tour of Tar

-Writing the last album

-Picking songs for the reunion sets (yeah we asked him too)

-Being satisfied with the end of the band and getting back together

-Treating the vocals like any other instrument

-Guitars what are made of metal

-Henry Owings

Some circuitous topics, yeah? It was a fun conversation, to be sure! Have yerself a listen!

Songs played:

Tar – Barry White

Tar – Land Luck

Tar – G7

Shellac – End of Radio (end theme)

Globetrotting punk rock documentarian John Yingling, of The World Underground, back in the U.S. for a limited amount of time comes back to Protonic Reversal after a 70 episode, and 3 1/2 year break. We speak of all things documentary, talk about his recent work in Indonesia and future plans for short missives, as well as the next chapter in the World Underground and everything to come. Culture shocks coming back to modern America PK14, All that and a hell of a lot of great music from abroad.

Songs played:

Hiperson – Football Game (Chengdu, China)

Dirty Fingers – School (Shanghai, China)

Lonely Leary – Flaneur (Beijing, China)

Grrrl Gang – Bathroom

hedge hog – Meng Ba La Na Xi​(​勐巴拉娜西) (Jogja, Indonesia)

Hello, dear friends, and welcome to another episode of Protonic Reversal! On the day after Jesus’ birthday, we talked to the amazing Jeff Mueller (of June of 44, Shipping News, and Rodan!) and discussed such topics as:

-When your kids see you play

-Relearning via Youtube

-Being a NYC band that draws in Italy

-Packaging as part of the overall art project

-Having and ditching nautical themes

-Meeting social media friends in the real world

-the disappearing DIY aesthetic

-How certain bands don’t get the success they should have

-“Five thirty in the morning happens a lot over there”

-The Shipping News and Jason

-a commonality of experience

-Principal riff writers

-Using the “In the Fishtank” approach on your own records

-Stencilling anything for the merch table

-Distributors hate weird packaging

-The still dire state of record pressing

-Investing the time in finding new music

-Crain

-Half-Cocked

-Cycles of rediscovery

Interview around 14 minutes in.