The Lydian Spin

Kevin Rutmanis is a bassist and experimental musician, known for his work with bands like Cows, The Melvins, Tomahawk, and hepa.titus. Recently, he has teamed up with visual artist Gina Skwoz for the project Lords and Lady Kevin, creating boundary-pushing music. Their latest release, Last Days At Hot Slit not to be confused with the Andrea Dworkin book of the same name is due out December 6, marks a collaborative effort with Trevor Dunn. 

This episode of The Lydian Spin is filled with haunting reflections and fierce critiques. Lydia opens by reading a sharply worded Daily Beast op-ed from Michael Ian Black on the high stakes of the upcoming election. She then dives into the Shimmy Disc release Poe: To One in Paradise (for Hal Willner), a limited edition LP that celebrates Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic verse. This 13-track album featuring luminaries from across poetry, literature, theater, and music—honors the late Hal Willner.

On Side A, listeners are treated to To One in Paradise by Joan as Police Woman, Eldorado by Edgar Oliver, To My Mother by Thurston Moore & Eva Moore, The Valley of Unrest by Eric Mingus, A Dream Within a Dream by Britta Phillips, and Evening Star by Teller.

Side B includes Fairy-Land by Anne Waldman, Dreamland by Lydia, The Sleeper by Larry 'Ratso' Sloman, Silence by Chloe Webb, Imitation by Rick Moody, The Lake by Jennifer Charles, and finally, an archival recording of Allen Ginsberg reading The Bells. Kramer's composition ties the collection together with an atmospheric score, keeping Poe’s spirit alive for a modern audience. A special thank you to Kramer for allowing the Lydian Spin to play the album. Happy Halloween!

Writer, Oxbow alum, Bunuel frontman and friend of the Lydian Spin, Eugene Robinson, joins Lydia and Tim to read from his memoir A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer's Row and share other entertaining stories from his life. Catch Lydia and Eugene at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall on November 9th.

Drummer Sim Cain played with the  Rollins Band from 1987 until 1997. Before joining Rollins Band, Sim played in the instrumental trio Gone, alongside future Rollins Band bassist Andrew Weiss and Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn.  He has also recorded with artists like David Poe, Marc Ribot, David Shea, and played in Elliott Sharp's Terraplane group. Cain appeared on Ween's 2004 album Quebec and performed with blues legend Hubert Sumlin in the early 2000s.

Babeth Mondini-VanLoo  is an artist, filmmaker, and cultural ambassador. She studied art under Joseph Beuys in Germany and earned a Master's in Film & Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1977. Babeth is the programming director and founder of the first Buddhist television station in the West. Her art, often described as Social Sculpture, emphasizes spiritual activism. She has created over 60 documentaries on topics such as the science of the mind, Buddhism, punk music, and poetry. Her subjects have included the Dalai Lama, Joseph Beuys, Meredith Monk, the Sex Pistols, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Babeth directed the 1990 film Kiss Napoleon Goodbye which starred Lydia and Henry Rollins. Her work has been exhibited and is held in collections worldwide.

Jim Jones is the legendary frontman for Thee Hypnotics,  The Jim Jones Revue, and the explosive new project Jim Jones All Stars.  Since the late 80s, Jim has been known for his wild, and intense live performances.  Lydia, Jim and Tim discuss a myriad of subjects including: touring, underground rock n roll, and in the distinctly British sense, cunts.

Composer/guitarist Nick Sadler was the guitarist for the rock band Daughters. In addition to this he has played bass and co-authored songs for the band Way Out. Nick also composes music for film and television.

Steve First is an actor, writer, and comedian known for his roles across TV, film, and stage. He gained recognition starring in the Gold Spot commercials for Orange and as a supporting actor in Little Britain. As his alter-ego Lenny Beige, he created and starred in numerous TV shows and live performances. Steve's acting credits span popular shows like Holby City, Friday Night Dinner, and The Serpent Queen, as well as films such as Disobedience and Walk Like a Panther.

Peter Jesperson, is a legendary figure in the music world—DJ, label founder, tour manager, and lifelong music enthusiast. He is best known as the former manager of The Replacements and founder of Twin/Tone Records, Peter joins Lydia and Tim to talk about his journey through the industry and his memoir Euphoric Recall, which is a deep dive into his incredible career.

A San Antonio-born vocalist, lyricist, and artist, Suzy Bravo has performed in heavy metal, punk, blues, and soul bands. Formerly the front woman for bands like The Rocket 350 (later Suzy Bravo & The Rocket 350), Witchcryer and Temple of Love., she is also in the  Plasmatics cover band named Tits Out..