Today I’m speaking with 2 fixtures of the Champaign-Urbana music scene, MARK BALDWIN & KENT WHITESELL.

In the ‘90s, Mark sang & played guitar in the highly influential Love Cup, a band name you’ve heard in almost every episode of this show. Their discography was small but their impact was huge, gradually perfecting what Mark has called the “heavy but pretty” sound at ear-splitting volumes.

Since then, he’s played in Absconder, California Mummy (with Matt Talbott), The Shit People, & The Mezzanines, who just released a new record called Sugarpants this year. There’s lots to explore in his ever-expanding discography on Bandcamp, links below.

Kent started playing in & recording with power-pop bands in high school, including The Martyrs, Schoolyard Truce, The Outnumbered, & Three Hour Tour, with whom he’s working on new material this year. In 2010, The Martyrs released a CD reissue of their discography, including their first & only record, plus compilation tracks & other extras.

He’s also produced dozens of Champaign bands at his local studio, Clubhouse, from the ‘80s & ‘90s through today, including HUM’s first record, Hot Glue Gun, Mother, 16 Tons, Corndolly, Hardvark, & many others.

In this episode, we talk about Champaign’s early indie & alternative scene, the importance of Jane's Addiction, & the telepathic thrill of improvising songs in public.

There were some technical difficulties toward the end of the interview, so the song conversation is a little abbreviated.

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LOVE CUP BANDCAMP

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MEZZANINES BANDCAMP

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LOVE CUP INTERVIEW

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THE MARTYRS BANDCAMP

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TIMESTAMPS:

03:04 // "Billfershort" (Love Cup)

04:52 // Mark & Kent's Early History

06:06 // Kent's '80s Bands

06:55 // "Trends of the Turmoil" (The Martyrs)

08:19 // "Boy on a Roof" (The Outnumbered)

12:06 // Mark's First Bands

15:34 // Clubhouse Studio

18:03 // "Strangled with Flowers" (The Flat Earth Society)

20:55 // Love Cup Demos & Tearing Water EP

25:35 // "Tearing Water" (Love Cup)

27:30 // Jane's Addiction, the "Heavy But Pretty," & Local Touring

38:06 // ...Grefus Gronks & Sheet LP

46:47 // "Nothing in Particular" (Love Cup)

49:00 // Meeting HUM Members

53:50 // "Roar, I'm a Tiger" Discussion

01:07:00 // "Scientifically Yours" (Love Cup)

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This week I’m talking with MATT MCGUYER & ALEX WALLWORK of the Evansville, Indiana bands FAERIE RING & AMBLARE.

On August 21, Faerie Ring will release their self-titled third album on KING VOLUME RECORDS. It was produced, engineered, & mixed by Tyler Watkins, Alex Kercheval, & Morgan Satterfield @ Postal Recording in Indianapolis & mastered @ Sound Artillery in Miami by Jonathan Nuñez of Torche. Two singles are out already, & -- in my opinion -- this record is the band’s best work yet. Pre-order links below.

Across the month of July, they’re passing through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, & Indiana, with hopefully some more dates in more cities later this year. Not to be missed.

In 2024, Amblare released their self-titled debut on Melodic Virtue, & if you haven’t heard it, pause this & play that. (Link below.) The album features the late Bryan St. Pere’s final recorded drum work, & it’s a beautiful testament to his craft & personality behind the kit. His playing is the first thing you hear on the record, as it should be.

In this episode, we discuss amplifier worship, crawling deeper into love, & vibrational empathy at the micro-scale.

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FAERIE RING

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"NEW GODS" VIDEO

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"FATTEST WITCH" VIDEO

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AMBLARE

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EPISODE 001: AFTERNOON WITH THE AXOLOTLS

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:37 // "New Gods" (Faerie Ring)

03:56 // Faerie Ring News

11:15 // Live Show Ethos

15:50 // New Singles & Videos

24:07 // "Fattest Witch" (F.R.)

25:32 // Amblare to Faerie Ring Chemistry

32:45 // Hearing HUM, Meeting Bryan

36:25 // BSP's Drum Approach

42:38 // "Puppets" Discussion

01:15:49 // What's Next

01:20:27 // "Mine'd" (Amblare)

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Today’s guest is BOB NANNA of the bands BRAID & HEY MERCEDES. 

Earlier this year, POLYVINYL RECORDS reissued the entire Hey Mercedes discography on vinyl, & in 2023 they released a 25th anniversary remixed & remastered edition of Braid’s Frame & Canvas. Obviously, those are highly recommended. Links below.

His other projects include Lifted Bells, The City on Film, Friction, & -- as we’ll discuss in a few minutes -- the explosive but under-heard ORWELL, who released a compilation LP called 1995 on EXPERT WORK RECORDS.

He has an extensive archive of both original solo work & cover songs on his Bandcamp, also linked below.

In this episode, we discuss genre-fluid shows, the Champaign-Urbana/Chicago nexus, the joys of alliteration, & the sonics of the psychonautic state.

[Editor's note: the Castor song title we couldn't remember is "Stay Lo"]

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BRAID @ CBGBs '97

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BOB NANNA BANDCAMP

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HEY MERCEDES REISSUES

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BRAID, FRAME & CANVAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY ED.

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ORWELL, 1995 LP

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02:20 // “A-List Actress” (Hey Mercedes)

03:35 // CBGBs Flyer & Fireside Lineups

09:00 // Champaign/Urbana/Chicago Scenes & Venues

15:41 // Touring with (& Covering) Castor

20:53 // “Moving Backgrounds” (Bob Nanna/Castor)

21:49 // Orwell, 1995 LP

23:12 // “Ph9 Green” (Orwell)

25:25 // “4242” (Orwell)

29:06 // “9.30” (Orwell)

30:40 // HUM & Braid Shows

32:27 // “The Pod” Video & DIH Fandom

35:42 // “The Pod” Discussion

01:02:22 // Upcoming Shows

01:04:16 // “A Dozen Roses” (Braid)

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Today’s episode features a couple of LTG alumni, LYLE HODGES & KEITH M., & they’re back to discuss the first 2 Slide Away shows. 

We talk about the '90s rock scene’s newest youth infusion, bask in the hypnotic audiovisual spectacle, give thanks to everyone who made it happen, & pick some standout moments from an unforgettable weekend.

Links to these guys’ previous episodes & various musical projects in the notes below.

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LYLE:

ELECTRIC STALLION // CHROME CHRIST

EPISODE 024: CENTAUR'S IN STREAMS

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KEITH:

MEMORY ENTRY // THE NEW SCENE PODCAST

EPISODE 025: THE INUIT PROMISE

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Today’s guest is DOMENIC PALERMO of the band NOTHING.

This past February, in-between tours of Japan & the U.S., they released their 5th album, A SHORT HISTORY OF DECAY, on RUN FOR COVER RECORDS. It veers from raw downer lullabies to overdriven beat-based raptures of distortion, sometimes even within the same song.

Nothing will play their second album, TIRED OF TOMORROW, in full at all 6 dates of this year’s Slide Away Festival, which begins this Friday & Saturday (May 15th & 16th), in New York City, then moves to Chicago & L.A. the following weekends.

As everyone listening already knows, HUM are headlining those shows, marking their first live performances in almost 7 years.

Nicky started the festival in 2024, & it’s already featured a multi-generational variety of shoegaze-adjacent bands like Swervedriver, Astrobrite, Swirlies, Whirr, Knifeplay, Mo Dotti, & many others.

In this episode, we discuss the logistics of festival curation, night-capping at a pseudo-strip club, the weary routines of touring, the kaleidoscopic gloom of songwriting, & meeting Kevin Shields when you can barely stand up.

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SLIDE AWAY '26

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"VERTIGO FLOWERS" VIDEO

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:35: “Cannibal World” (Nothing)

04:07: Japan & M.B.V. Shows

18:24: Album Titles

22:08: Touring Logistics

24:29: Slide Away Prep & Production

32:00: Lineups, HUM, & '90s Influences

43:24: Tired of Tomorrow LP

49:39: “Vertigo Flowers” Song & Video

57:59: “Curse of the Sun” (Nothing)

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I’m joined today by JAY RYAN — bassist, guitarist, screenprinter, poster-maker, author, teacher, & longtime shining star in the HUM-verse.

For 3 decades, Jay’s been designing & making posters & prints at his studio THE BIRD MACHINE for artists ranging from HUM & Matt Talbott, to Stereolab, Melvins, Shellac, the Flaming Lips, Seam, & Silkworm, to his own band, DIANOGAH.

He’s published a trio of richly illustrated books brimming with his designs, from the 90s to now, with lots of helpful captions that situate the works in their respective times & places. The first book is called 100 Posters, 134 Squirrels, & it was followed by Animals & Objects In & Out of Water, & then No One Told Me Not to Do This. Links to everything below.

Dianogah recently released a discography box set titled 1995-2008, which compiles their 4 full-lengths & another LP of singles & compilation tracks. The sets have sold out, but you can still get the remastered audio from their Bandcamp, also linked below.

In addition to Dianogah, Jay plays in the live presentation of Chicago band THE MOST DISTANT OBJECT, who are set to release their second record, VOLITION, on May 4th.

In this episode, we discuss the productive limitations of screen printing, dig into the scratchy histories inside his images, & try to make sense of the ups & downs of the angsty bounce.

[We refer to quite a few posters during the conversation, & a PDF of those is linked below as well.]

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JAY'S BOOKS

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DIANOGAH

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THE MOST DISTANT OBJECT

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POSTERS WE DISCUSS

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TIMESTAMPS:

03:05 // "Lone Tree Point" (Dianogah)

04:11 // Line Work

11:50 // The Bird Machine

15:53 // Gig Poster as Concept & Challenge

24:25 // HUM Posters

32:42 // Matt Talbott Solo Posters

38:34 // Early '90s & Electra 2000

49:24 // "Pinch and Roll" Discussion

01:08:07 // "The Smallest Chilean" (Dianogah)

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Today’s conversation is with JONATHAN PEREZ, co-founder & guitarist of TRAUMA RAY. 

This past February, they released their CARNIVAL EP, a highly recommended 5-song trip through the warped abstractions of the psyche. It takes their sound in more meditative & even ambient directions, while also intensifying the pulverizing riffs & rhythms they’re known for.

Following the success of their U.S. run with Loathe last fall, they’re just a couple weeks away from a nationwide co-headlining tour with GLIXEN, which goes from April 10 to May 16.

Jon also writes & records music as JUAN CORDERO, & he released his debut LP, SONGS ABOUT GHOSTS, via SUNDAY DRIVE RECORDS back on Halloween 2023. FFO: Duster, Bedhead, Lowercase, Sparklehorse, & so forth.

In this episode, we move song-by-song through the Carnival EP, talk about surviving the love/hate relationship with your own music, & explore the overlap between everyday life & the cosmos.

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CARNIVAL EP

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SPRING 2026 TOUR DATES

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SONGS ABOUT GHOSTS LP

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HUM @ CHINA CLUB / CHICAGO '93

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:30: "Chameleon"

03:44: Carnival Record Release Show

08:44: "Hannibal" Video

10:36: Carnival EP

14:18: "Carousel"

18:38: "Hannibal"

23:19: "Méliès"

28:50: "Funhouse"

34:12: "Clown"

40:03: HUM's Influence

42:36: "Liftoff"

47:32: "Pewter" Discussion

01:06:39: "Breath"

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Today’s guest is GABE VAN — producer, mixer, engineer, singer, songwriter, & guitarist.

He owns & operates AKIRA AUDIO in Woodland Hills, CA, where he’s done a wide range of in-house sound work across music, film, fashion, TV, & web media.

There he's recorded thousands of sessions, most frequently with drummers KELLII SCOTT of FAILURE & BEN KOLLER of CONVERGE.

He’s also gone on the road to do live sound with Failure, Autolux, Local Natives, & others.

His band MOSSBREAKER released their first album, Between the Noise & You, in 2017 on Glory Kid Records. Check the Bandcamp links below to hear that, along with an early EP, singles, & more recent demos. They opened for HUM & Mineral at the Regent Theater in LA in September 2015.

In this episode, we discuss finding your niche, the stress-tests of guitar tech'ing, & the way sound travels through the memory-space of time.

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https://www.akiraaudio.com

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https://mossbreaker.bandcamp.com/album/between-the-noise-and-you

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HUM on Modern Rock Live [1998]

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:25 // "Runway" (Mossbreaker)

03:37 // Akira Audio

07:53 // Recording Schools

12:55 // Working with Ken Andrews

19:55 // "Between the Noise & You" (Mossbreaker)

23:06 // Hearing HUM

26:45 // "Ms. Lazarus" Discussion

49:31 // "Shamer" (Mossbreaker)

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Today’s guest is TOM WINDISH — a highly respected veteran booking agent, manager, A&R executive, & label owner.

Across three decades, he’s worked at every level of the music industry, from booking shows out of his college dorm room to navigating the global circuits of some of music’s biggest names. His booking roster has included artists of many genres, ranging from HUM, New Radiant Storm King, & Smog to Billie Eilish, M83, & Lorde.

He’s also a frequent speaker at music industry conferences, sharing his experience & guidance with audiences around the world.

In this episode, we talk about bringing bands to campus, the complexities of long-distance calling, & what appeared on HUM’s very first rider.

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:08: Mowing Lawns, Buying Tapes

03:43: College Radio & Booking Bands

10:55: Poster Children & HUM @ Campus Pub

14:33: Venue Networks

16:51: Long-Distance Calls

19:23: Reconnecting with HUM

22:29: Howard Stern Show

26:43: Alternative Boom

33:50: "Yume Utsutsu" (Lamp)

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This week I’m talking w/ DAVID CHAVEZ & RACHEL STANG from the Kansas City band FOREVER ☆. 

A few months ago, they released a 7-song EP called 2ND GEN DREAM on À LA CARTE RECORDS, & it’s bursting with euphoric waves of guitar, smeared ethereal vocals, & the manic energy of drum n bass. 

Highly recommend checking that out, along with their 3 SERIES EP from 2023. Links below.

David also works at SEEN MERCHANDISING, where he probably had a hand in screen-printing the HUM shirt you’re wearing right now.

In this episode, we talk about the mechanics of the breakbeat, the acoustics of sonic weapons, & the cosmic patterns of deep space.

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https://foreverstar.bandcamp.com/music

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TIMESTAMPS:

02:08 // "Heat Seeking Missile" (F☆)

03:25 // 2nd Gen Dream EP

12:23 // 2GD Layout

15:55 // "Blade Silver Metallic" (F☆)

22:10 // "Competizione" (F☆)

27:40 // Discovering HUM

35:22// "Little Dipper" Discussion

58:56 // "Your Angel Speaks" (F☆)

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