MICRO SPY

In this episode, I speak with Justin Pearson, probably best known for his work in The Locust and one of my all-time favorites, Swing Kids. He is the founder of Three One G records and also plays in Dead Cross with Mike Patton of Faith No More, and Dave Lombardo of Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies. Justin is also one half of the assaulting electronic endeavor, Planet B in collaboration with Luke Henshaw. He just finished recording the second Dead Cross record and will be touring with The Locust later this year.

Needless to say, there's a lot going on in Justin’s world.

We discuss everything from ethics, hatred and violence within the punk community, creativity and expression, and the difference between "what we are vs. who we are", as people who grew up in the punk scene and are still trying to figure it all out.

This is the first time Justin and I have ever spoken, though the conversation felt as if we’ve already met — so without further ado, here is episode 004 with Justin Pearson of The Locust, and Dead Cross.

We talk about his beginnings with recording, the Oakland punk scene, work/life balance, and using ACDC's Back In Black as a sonic reference point for all his recordings.

In this episode, I speak to Alexis Marshall, vocalist of the band, Daughters.

In November 2018, Daughters released their first LP in almost 6 years. It was followed by 15 months of grueling and unrelenting touring that just wrapped this past December.

Their critically acclaimed record, ”You Won’t Get What You Want“ has sold over 40,000 copies and has since amassed a devout and loyal following.

The band went from playing DIY punk shows in their hometown, Providence, Rhode Island, to playing festivals and shows to thousands of people all over the world.

It’s incredible to see a band from the underground rise to this level while maintaining full integrity and creative clarity of their work.

My band toured with Daughters this past fall, and it completely changed our perspective on the meaning of catharsis. Seeing them live gave me such a deeper understanding of the band’s artistry, talent, and focus. It was truly inspiring.

Alexis and I discuss life after tour and the challenge it brings, his relationship with music and performing, the importance of ambiguity in his lyrics, the struggles of his earlier years, and so much more.

So without further ado, here is my conversation with Alexis Marshall of Daughters.

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Hey everyone, my name is Erik Ratensperger and welcome to the first episode of Micro Spy, a podcast that takes a closer look at the lives and work of musicians and creatives I admire.

My first guest is Sean Leary of the San Francisco-based hardcore band Loma Prieta. I first met Sean in 2019 when I reached out to him to see if Loma would like to join my band Jeromes Dream on our first tour in 18 years.

I fell in love with their blistering and beautiful version of hardcore, their aesthetic, and the instant resonance I had specifically with their song, “Love”, the opening track on their full-length album, Self Portrait, released on Deathwish in 2015.

I can keep going on about how much I love this band and how much of a privilege it was to tour and get to know them this summer, but I’d like to dive right into my conversation with Sean where we talk about his musical history, his influences and how he is still obsessed with making music, the process, and what’s next.