Bill started in the mid-60s with Sons of Champlin and released 8 albums with them between 1969-1977, moved to LA to become a session singer, wrote some Grammy-winning tunes, and released two solo albums before joining Chicago in 1981 as their growling soul singer through their most famous period, releasing six more solo albums during and after his tenure with them (which ended in 2009) in addition to numerous collaborations.

We discuss “Alone” from Livin’ for Love (2021), the title track from He Started to Sing (1995) (with music by Bruce Gaitsch and Janie Clewer), and “Right On” by Sons of Champlin from Welcome to the Dance (1973). End song: “Plaid” by Chicago from Stone of Sisyphus (recorded 1992, released 2008). Intro: “Please Hold On” from Chicago 17 (1984) (co-written with Lionel Richie and David Foster). Learn more at billchamplin.com.

Bill’s early Grammy co-writes were Earth, Wind & Fire’s “After the Love Has Gone” (1979) (see Bill playing it live in 2023), and George Benson’s “Turn Your Love Around” (1981) (see Bill playing it live in 1993). Watch Sons of Champlin live in 1973. Hear the 2003 live version of the Sons of Champlin playing “Right On.” Bill brings up their earlier tune “Rooftop” as a statement of their ’60s politics. (They got very disco by the end of the ’70s.)

The excluded (now bonus) track for Chicago 16 that Bill wrote solo that I refer to was “Daddy’s Favorite Fool.” Any fan of that album should check out the album Bill recorded immediately prior, Runaway, which likewise features collaborations with David Foster, Toto, and also Kenny Loggins and others. Another Chicago tune that we reference from Chicago 17 is “We Can Stop the Hurtin‘,” which Bill arranged the vocals for. Watch Bill singing the classic early Chicago tune “Make Me Smile” (which he did not write, of course), and probably the Chicago tune you recognize him from, i.e. the Dianne Warren-penned “Look Away” (as sick as Bill became playing this song, he created his own acoustic arrangement of it). Another ’80s moment of singing fame was with “In the Heat of the Night.”

One for Chicago that Bill did write (more or less according to their ballad formula is “I Believe” from Chicago 18. This is by contrast to his much more harmonically adventurous solo tune “Party Time in DC.”

Recently, Bill recorded three albums as Champlin Williams Friestedt; here they are live (featuring Bill’s wife Tamara). Here are Bill and Tamara playing as a live duo.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Dean has released about 20 albums, starting with three ’88-’90 with his Harvard classmates as Galaxie 500, then started fresh in New York as Luna, releasing 7 albums and some EPs through 2005 (plus a later reunion), then continued with his Luna bassist and now spouse Britta Phillips as Dean and Britta for 5 albums, interspersed with now four albums under his own name (plus an album of country covers with Cheval Sombre).

We discuss “We’re Not Finished Yet” (and listen at the end to “The Cloud Is Coming” from That’s the Price of Loving Me (2025), “Love Is Colder Than Death” from Emancipated Hearts (2013), and “23 Minutes in Brussels” by Luna from Penthouse (1995). Intro: “Strange” by Galaxie 500 from On Fire (1989). More at deanwareham.com. Check out Dean’s autobiography Black Postcards.

Hear all of “Strange.” We also mention Galaxie 500’s first single, the lyrically repetitious “Tugboat.” See them play it live (and slower!), and then Dean & Britta’s live interpretation.

Watch the full 2006 documentary about Luna, which starts out with a live version of “23 Minutes in Brussels.” Here’s Luna live on MTV’s 120 minutes back in the day. Watch a show from the 2017 reunion tour, and here’s one from as recently as last December.

See the video for “Love is Colder than Death.” Here’s one from his collaboration with Cheval Sombre. Here’s a playlist of Dean’s Luna videos and other things.

Here’s Francoise Hardy’s “La fin de l’ete” which Dean mentions as the inspiration for “Love Is Colder Than Death.” (I’m not sure which Serge Gainsbourg track he was referring to as providing the basis for “We’re Not Finished Yet,” but here here’s Serge singing a waltz on TV, so we’re in the same neighborhood.

Dean mentions his producer for the new album (and the Galaxie 500 albums) Kramer; he also collaborated quite a bit with one of my past guests, Jad Fair.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Peter recorded with Chris Stamey as early as 1972, and they reconvened as The dB’s in the ’80s. Peter has released six albums as the dB’s, three more as a duo with Chris, four co-fronting the Continental Drifters, and three solo albums. He has also been a supporting/touring member in several bands including REM (e.g. on the Out of Time album), Hootie and the Blowfish, and currently The Paranoid Style.

We discuss “Larger Than Life” from his new solo album The Face of 68), “Don’t Mention the War” from Game Day (2018), and “She Won’t Drive in the Rain” (co-written with Kristian Bush from Sugarland) by The Db’s from their reunion album Falling off the Sky (2012). We conclude by listening to “Where Does the Time Go” by Continental Drivers from Better Day (2001). Intro: “Amplifier” by The Db’s from Repercussion (1981).

To read Peter’s words, check out halfpearblog.blogspot.com. Here’s the NY Times piece he wrote about how musicians need to get day jobs. Peter’s bandcamp page only has a couple of things on it, but one of them includes the live version of “Don’t Mention the War,” as well as an updated take on “Amplifier.”

Watch the original video for “Amplifier.” Another dB’s video (featuring Stamey, who had left by the “Amplifier” video) is for “Neverland.” Here’s one for “Don’t Mention the War.” Watch the dB’s live back in 1984 and during their 2012 reunion. Here he is live solo in 1988 and in 2022. Here he is playing one of his tunes live backed by The Blue Dogs. Watch Peter singing and playing keys for Continental Drifters in 2001.

Watch Peter playing keyboards with Hootie on Letterman. Peter is with REM, hiding out of focus in a hat playing rhythm guitar here between Bill Berry (playing bass?) and Mike Mills on keys. You can hear Peter on the new Paranoid Style album, The Interrogator.

Hear Peter with Rittenhouse Square in 1972 (with Chris Stamey and Mitch Easter), singing his song “Like Wow.” Another pre-dB’s tune of his is “Big Black Truck” (1978).

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

JR is one of our most recorded session drummers, playing on over 200 US Billboard Hot 100 songs and 50 Grammy winning tunes. He was Quincy Jones’ drummer of choice and played on “We Are the World” and with Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie, Herbie Hancock, Barbara Streisand, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga, and too many others to name. He was a member and contributing songwriter for Rufus in the late 70s/early 80s, has released two solo albums, written for soundtracks, produced other artists, and has led various combos over the years. He is currently promoting his auto-biography King of the Groove.

We discuss “Gonna Be Alright” (with Maya Azucena) from The Bronx, USA soundtrack (2020), “Flight 81” from his first solo album, Funkshui (2004), and “You’re Really Out of Line” by Rufus (written with Hawk Wolinski) from Seal in Red (1983). End song: “Tal Shia” by SRT from Vanguards of Groove (2023). Intro: “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood (1986). More at johnjrrobinson.com.

Watch JR play along to one of his songs for his group TRW. Watch SRT play a whole concert. JR refers to his reworked version of Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice” where you can clearly hear him singing the choral parts. Here’s a tune from his duo Bridge 2 Far from 1989. JR mentions his first song for Rufus (with Chaka): “Dancing for Your Love.”

 Watch him tell the story and play along to Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You.” Here he is playing along with an Eric Clapton tune that he played the studio version of. He tells the story about the intro to “Higher Love” and much more length in this interview. JR in our interview mentions his electronic drum work on “Ya Mo Be There.”

Listen to my interview with Ivan Neville, featured on “You’re Really Out of Line.”

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Django is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who released his first solo album in 1996 and has released seven albums with The Old Ceremony since 2004 plus several more solo releases.

We discuss The Old Ceremony songs “Too Big to Fail” (and listen to “Hangman’s Party at the end) from Earthbound (2024), “The Disappear” from Walk On Thin Air (2009), and “Reservations” from Our One Mistake (2006). Intro: “Beautiful” from Folding Stars (1996). More at theoldceremony.com and djangohaskins.bandcamp.com.

“Too Big to Fail” has a video. Here’s an earlier video (featuring Ed Asner!) Hear all of “Beautiful.” Watch the band live in 2023. Here he is solo acoustic. Hear Django’s new Christmas song. See him singing with the Big Star live project (also with one of my past guests, Chris Stamey).

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Iain started as Ian, the male singer in Britain’s Fairport Convention in the late ’60s, but quickly left that band to start a couple more and then move to the US for a lengthy solo career. He has in total released close to 50 albums, including many collaborations.

We discus the title track from How Much Is Enough (2024), the title track from God Looked Down (1996), and “Road to Ronderlin” by Matthews Southern Comfort from Later That Same Year (1970). End song: “St. Theresa’s Ghost” by Ian Matthews and the Searing Quartet, from Joy Mining (2008). Intro: “Book Song” by Fairport Convention from What We Did on Our Holidays (1969), which was co-written with my previous guest Richard Thompson. Learn more at iainmatthews.nl.

Hear all of “Book Song.” Hear “If You See Thro’ My Eyes,” a central early solo tune (that also features a harmony with Fairport’s Sandy Denny); this is also the title of Iain’s 2018 memoir. Listen to the big single by Plainsong, “in Search of Amelia Earhart.” (1972). Here’s one of the tunes he made with Michael Nesmith shortly after moving to America in 1973. Here’s the Baker’s Dozen 2017 duo version of “God Looked Down.” Here’s that later (2013) re-working of Matthews Southern Comfort’s “Road to Ronderlin” that Iain refers to, and here they are playing it live.

Watch Iain live with BJ Baartmans. Here he is solo. Here he is live with The Salmon Smokers. Watch Iain’s band live in 1983, and in 1994. Here he is live with Richard Thompson playing their biggest hit together, “Woodstock” by Joni Mitchell. Watch Fairport Convention live in their initial (pre-Sandy Denny) configuration.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Loudon has released 30 albums since 1970. He’s the quintessential singer-songwriter, relying on crafty, personal lyrics delivered dynamically and typically solo with acoustic guitar (though sometimes piano, banjo, ukulele, or a cappella), though his studio work has varied in production style and orchestration level over the years.

We discuss “How Old is 75” from Lifetime Achievement (2022), “Road Ode (Live)” from Career Moves (1993), and “Be Careful There’s a Baby in the House” from Album II (1971). We wrap up by listening to “Missing You” from Last Man on Earth (2001). Intro: “The Swimming Song” from Attempted Mustache (1973). Learn more at lw3.com.

Hear all of “The Swimming Song.” Perhaps his bigger hit is the novelty song “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road.” Here’s “The Suicide Song.” Hear the song “One Year” that we mention about a unique child-rearing situation. Here’s “Motel Blues,” the song we mention that was covered by Alex Chilton. Another he mentions is “Rufus Is a Tit Man.”

Here he is acting in Knocked Up. His most famous song from that soundtrack, “Daughter,” was actually written by Peter Blegvad. Here’s one of his recent big band covers (by Irving Berlin). Listen to his Grammy-winning album of Charlie Poole songs.

See a 2017 live version of “Be Careful There’s a Baby in the House.” Watch a whole live set from 2024. Watch him playing ukulele. Watch a live solo set from 1976. Here he is performing with his kids (who are famous in their own right).

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

This Chicago singer/songwriter fronted Dolly Varden for six albums from the ’90s through 2013. He also started releasing solo records in 2003 and has just released his seventh.

We discuss “A Mile South of Town” (and listen at the end to “Oh, California”) from Ghosts (2024), the title track from The Dumbest Magnets by Dolly Varden (2000), and “Bronko Nagurski,” a 1989 recording by the early iteration of Varden, Stump the Host. Intro: “Saskatchewan to Chicago” by Dolly Varden from For a While (2013). More at stevedawsonmusic.com and dollyvarden.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “Saskatchewan to Chicago,” and watch Dolly Varden play it live. Watch the video for the first single off the new album, “Time to Let Some Light In” and the one for “Oh, California.” Here he is live with his solo band. Hear Steve’s Funeral Bonsai Wedding album (2014).

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Though Dale is known as the long-time drummer for Washington sludge-metal band Melvins (’88-present), he’s also a guitarist and singer who led the band Altamont though four alternative rock albums (’97-’05) and has now released his third full-length, stylistically varied solo album.

We discuss “I Quit” from Glossolalia (2024) featuring Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, “Bad Move” (co-written w/ Dan Southwick) from The Fickle Finger of Fate (2017), and “The Bit” (co-written with Buzz Osborne) by Melvins from Stag (1996). End song: “El Stupido” by Altamont from The Monkees’ Uncle (2005). Intro: “Spread Eagle Beagle” by Melvins from Houdini (1993). More at dalecrover.com.

Dale’s solo debut was an EP released under the Melvins name back in 1995. Watch the Melvins documentary. Hear the Melvins acoustic versions in full of “Bad Move” and “The Bit.” Watch Dale play “The Bit” live solo. Watch a recent Melvins live take. Watch Dale’s solo band live in 2018, and a fancily effected live take on “Bad Move” in particular. Here’s a drummer-focused song from live Melvins. Here he is playing “El Stupido” live. Hear all 10 min of “Spread Eagle Beagle.”

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

If you like our podcast, check out Heavy Metal 101.

As a young person in NYC, Amy played briefly in a punk band, then in the “cow punk” band Last Roundup with her brother, and then in a vocal trio called The Shams that released an album and an EP around 1993. She finally emerged as a full front-person as a solo artist in 1997; she’s since released nine solo albums plus three more with her husband Wreckless Eric, who now serves as her producer.

We discuss “Bricks” from Hang In There With Me (2024), “Genovese Bag” by Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric from A Working Museum (2012), and “Beer and Kisses” from Diary of a Mod Housewife (1997) feat. John Wesley Harding. End song: “Dancing with Joey Ramone” from Little Fugitive (2005). Intro: “Dark Angel” by The Shams from Quilt (1993). More at amyrigby.com.

Listen to Amy’s memoir podcast Girl to City. Watch the video for “Dark Angel.” Hear the Last Roundup 1987 album Twister. Watch The Shams live. Watch the video for “Bricks.” Watch a video by Amy and Eric. Watch the video for her new song “Dylan in Dubuque.” Watch a full live solo concert. Here she is playing “Dancing with Joey Ramone” live with Eric.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Sponsor: Try out online therapy at betterhelp.com/nakedly and get 10% off your first month.