Portland’s Jesse Valencia is many things: musician, activist, filmmaker, author, raconteur. But this week, he adds perhaps his most prestigious appellation: Haute Garbage podcast guest. Jesse’s seminal Arizona (now PDX) band Gorky is celebrating 25 years of killer tunes, and Jesse joins the show to discuss his approach to music, UFO encounters, the origins of his book Keep Music Evil about the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the fight for Portland independent music, and the legacy of the late, beloved Gorky co-founder Ben Holladay. 

Music this week:

• “Action Pants” by Gorky (22:39)
• “First Blood” by Moderator (49:50)
• “AM Radio” by Gorky (1:01:54)
• “Shopping” by Rayon (1:26:04)
• “Swinger” by Salo Panto (1:44:49)

Portland emo math-punk superstars Swiss Army Wife grace us with their presence fresh off the release of their brand-new full length, “I Love You, But I Hate it Here”. For all its volume, emotion, and dynamic, the record never tries to grip too tightly, breathing comfortably and finding a deep flow through the shards and sharp edges. The gang talks discovering satisfaction through vulnerability, the virtues of permissible imperfection, multi-wave-poastmodern-emo meaninglessness, and the causation/correlation among their creative output, Mt. Dew, and geopolitical instability.

Music this week:

• “Idaho” by Swiss Army Wife (15:41)
• “Big Bumming’” by Hummus Vacuum (31:33)
• “Cowboy” by Swiss Army Wife (50:23)
• “Sisyphus” by Citrus Jr. (1:08:15)
• “No Such Thing As Ethical Consumption Under Late-Stage Capitalism” by DMH (1:21:43)

Named one of Portland’s best new bands by the Willamette Week, ethereal indie folk band Essie and the Hum seem to have sprung to life fully-formed, with a musical cohesion and creative clarity that belies their scant 13 months together. The whole band is in the house this week to peel back the curtain on that creation myth and dive into the moments of change and growth that have propelled them so far. We also get into the gremlin-core good looks of Billy Joel; bone-conducting as an audio medium (pro or con?); gnat jewelry;  and paper eating (decidedly pro). 

Music this week:

“I Am a Flower” by Essie and the Hum (22:34)

“Fauna Song” By Rapman Gavin and Jesse the Tree (40:15)

“Raccoon Eyes” by Essie and the Hum (1:06:15)

“Nausea” by Laska (1:24:59)

“La Bruja” by Arteaga (1:42:32)

This is an all-timer, my friends. Portland queer folk collective Complimentary Colors joined us this week, and Ash, Camille, and Hannah instantly made us hope we could be friends IRL…as I’m sure most people hope for in their company. They make beautiful, emotional, honest music and they played three such tunes LIVE in studio. Plus, movie ettiquette, an organic conversation about Taco Bell, and Big Papa Drew. Just enjoy, y’all! 

Music this week:

• "Not Coping Well" by Complimentary Colors (25:48)
• "Moonbeam Girl" by Complimentary Colors (48:37)
• "Fever Pitch" by Complimentary Colors (86:09)
• "Fly Fly" by Zookraught (105:29)

Portland trio Ogre come replete with refined, bruising chaos; a group whose Bandcamp page features a brief style guide (Arial only, please) would likely approve of the pomp and semicolon of this sentence. On the eve of their evolutionary new record "Bryan" (dropping May 29), Grace, Ace, and Nils of Ogre join the show to sow a little discord on the mics. In a sprawling conversation, we touch on Keanu, bowling beers, an abiding love of AI, eschewing stage banter, ogre-on-ogre crime vis a vis Shrek, and occasionally music. You'll effing LOVE it!

Music this week:

• "Arctillion 444" by Ogre (25:30)
• "An L.A. Funeral" by Orcutt Shelley Miller (49:45)
• "Hair" by Ogre (70:13)
• "firmly placed atop YHWH" by Rheumatoid Trapezoid (86:28)
• "Cabin Fever" by Slomosa (115:32)

Portland hip hop may not have a governing sound, but it thrives on sustained commitment, cross-pollination, experimentation, and progression. Slick Devious is the emodiment of that ethos and approach, to which we'd add rare introspection as an artist. All of this makes him a killer MC and an excellent conversationalist, and we get tons of both this episode. The fellas chat about the relative necessity of live performance, what an artist owes an audience in terms of connection, wet handshakes, generational diarrhea, the political ambiguity of the cybertruck, and factory-fresh foods. Slick also graces us with some world-premiere previews of upcoming projects. 

Music this week:

• (Still Untitled w/Cabanna Project) by Slick Devious (34:01)
• "Trim" by Conrizzle (51:04)
• "Enrolled" by Slick Devious (65:15)
• "Runtz (Smoking Runtz)" by Slick Devious, produced by Nate Habits (76:02)
• "Everybody Needs to Be" by Kutiman (93:30)

We often sit down with bands that will ONE DAY be Portland music legends. But it's the rare treat to be in the presence of bands that are legends RIGHT NOW. Such is the case this week, when we sit down with Portland Surf Rock institution Satan's Pilgrims. Seriously, you guys, they're in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and have been in the game since '92! They grace us with an insider's look at the history and meaning of surf, the open mind and open heart of Portland music that has endured for decades, playing the Hollywood Bowl, the brief heyday of pilgrim-themed rock 'n roll, and tons more. You'll love it. Promise.  

Music this week:

• "Surf Lyre" by Satan's Pilgrims (23:57)
• "Crying In A Storm" by Satan's Pilgrim (51:57)
• "Firestorm" by The Von Dwells (69:19)
• "Hope for the Best, Expect the Worst" by Johnny Franco (101:54) 

Gretta Seabird are symbiotes of pop: their beautiful songs bond with and absorb the properties of every sub-genre without ever losing their Seabird-ness. Folk pop? Sure. Dance pop? You bet. Spoon-centric pop? If the mood strikes. The band joins the show this week for an INCREDIBLE in-studio live performance that will break your tender hearts and fill you with joy. We also discuss the value of songwriting challenges, the self-respecting clarinet and the shameful saxophone, giant-sunglass scams (pros and cons), the ineffability of musical cool, and the disappointments of Christian punk. 

Music this week:

• "Cycling" by Gretta Seabird (13:28)
• "The Hand That Holds the Gun" by sewerbitch! (36:35)
• "Goodbye for Now" by Gretta Seabird (56:28)
• "Here" by Gretta Seabird (67:16)
• "Thing" by Mingus Maps (95:26)

Portland duo Utility wring every drop of bombast, power, melody, and even delicacy that it's possible to squeeze from a bass and drums. On the occasion of the vinyl release of their recent album "How to Protect What's Left" and upcoming Midwest tour, Utility drummer and musician lifer Adam Draper joins the show this week. The fellas chat about growing and changing as a person in-and-out of phase with growth as a musician, the cyclical import of heavy music, the challenge of rocking the socks off one's own mother, and the hidden apartment inside the home of YOUR Portland Trailblazers. Plus, some raaaaaaaad tunes!

Music this week:

• "Your Pain is an Ocean" by Utility (18:20)
• "Side FX" by Dykeritz (37:46)
• "Shiny Things" by Utility (58:20)
• "846" by Quando Quando Quando (80:20)
• "Final Piss" by Bobby Shock (96:45)

Dry Socket are the super-heavy, load-bearing wall of Portland hardcore punk music. Their music blends the intensely personal (warts and all) with communal, universal catharsis, and they are just embarking on their biggest year yet. 

To celebrate their upcoming European tour and the March 27 release of their latest record "Self Defense Lessons", Dani and Geoff from Dry Socket stop by to wage the war of the hot dog versus the garbage disposal, discuss authenticity with empathy, growing up hardcore and its complicated legacy, grassroots anti-boofing, and the clear holder of the most hardcore bird (MHB) championship belt. 

Music this week:

• "Abomination" by Dry Socket (17:52)
• "The Hull" by Weft (28:12)
• "Leglock" by Dry Socket (57:46)
• "Bootlicker" by SPY (74:49)
• "Again" by Railing (88:55)