Jochen Arbeit is a German musician whose career is marked by his influential contributions to bands such as Einstürzende Neubauten and Die Haut. Beyond his collaborations, Arbeit has also made a name for himself as a solo artist, lending his musical talents to various artistic mediums, including dance theater and movies. His solo works have showcased his versatility and innovative spirit. In addition to his past achievements, Jochen Arbeit has also partnered with Sonja Kosche to explore the limitless realms of sound, demonstrating his enduring commitment to pushing artistic boundaries and experimenting with the auditory landscape.

Dave Dictor, the frontman of the punk rock band MDC, originally hailing from Long Island, New York, pursued his education at Boston University and the University of Texas in the 1970s. Dave co-founded the Reejex in 1979, which later evolved into MDC (Millions of Dead Cops). Relocating from Austin to San Francisco in 1982 and then to Portland, Oregon in 1995, MDC made a significant impact in the early American hardcore punk scene with their politically charged lyrics. The band used various names with the MDC moniker, and Dave Dictor, alongside his band, released influential material through Jello Biafra's label, Alternative Tentacles. After a hiatus in the '90s, they returned in 2000 with new members. In 2016, MDC released Mein Trumpf, a politically charged album, and their anti-Trump slogan was chanted at protests, and adopted by Green Day during a live performance.

John Robb is an English musician and journalist renowned as the bassist and vocalist for the mid-1980s post-punk band The Membranes. He is a prolific writer, contributing to and managing the Louder Than War website, as well as overseeing a monthly music magazine by the same name. John has authored multiple books on music and occasionally appears in the media as a music commentator. In addition to his writing and journalism, he also serves as the frontman for the punk rock band Goldblade. Notably, he has been organizing the Louder Than Words music writing festival in Manchester every November since 2014, and he is a TEDx speaker and a spoken word artist.

Sally Gates is a New Zealand musician and composer currently based in New York. Her avant-rock trio, Titan to Tachyons, recently launched their second album, Vonals under John Zorn's Tzadik Records. This album has received widespread critical acclaim, earning a spot on Spin's Best Metal list and being described as "harnessing virtuosity with an enticingly organic fluidity" by The Wire.

In 2022, Sally was honored with the Wellington Jazz Festival Composer Commission. She returned to her home country to debut her composition Thought & Terraform for solo guitar at the Wellington Opera House, along with a series of other performances across New Zealand.

Sally is known for her "slinky, avant-noir guitar work." She frequently collaborates with various improvisational music groups in New York, notably as a 'secret guest' in a John Zorn ensemble. Some of her recent collaborators include Trevor Dunn, Zoh Amba, Brian Chase, Greg Fox, and Sam Ospovat.

Before her move to New York, Sally Gates released original music as a member of the Miami progressive-metal band Orbweaver. She toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, performing alongside acts such as Gigan, Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky, and Relentless Attrition.

Little Annie, is an artist known for her diverse creative pursuits. Her career spans across music, painting, poetry, writing, stage acting, and even pastoring. She started her musical journey at the age of 16 with Annie and the Asexuals and later ventured into the UK music scene, collaborating with influential figures like Crass and Rubella Ballet. Under the moniker Annie Anxiety, she blended poetry and music, releasing her first EP Barbed Wire Halo in 1981. Little Annie's musical versatility led her to work with renowned artists like The Wolfgang Press, Current 93, and Lee 'Scratch' Perry. She took a hiatus from music in the '90s to explore painting, becoming known for her vivid and surrealistic artworks. Annie eventually returned to music as Little Annie. Beyond her musical career, she engaged in theater, collaborating with actor Bill Rice and touring with Marc Almond. 

Franz Stahl, guitarist of seminal hardcore band Scream, helped shape the band's journey from its inception in 1979. Alongside drummer Kent Stacks(AKA Kent Stax), bassist Skeeter Enoch Thompson, and his brother Pete Stahl, Franz attended school in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, where they discovered the punk and new wave scene of Washington, D.C.  Influenced by the Bad Brains like many other DC punk bands, Scream's fusion of punk with rock and roll set them apart. Their collaboration with Ian MacKaye and Eddie Janney led to the recording of Dischord's first full-length album, Still Screaming, in 1982. Over the years, they experienced lineup changes, with Franz's friend Harley Davidson joining on second guitar, and eventually, a local drummer named Dave Grohl. Scream's legacy endures, with their latest album, DC Special, set to release in November of 2023 on Dischord Records.

Denton, Texas native Rick Eye is a guitarist involved in several bands, including Bitch Teeth, Gay Cum Daddies, Flesh Narc (his main band), and Vomitatrix, with whom he is currently on tour in Europe with bandmates Tim, Weasel Walter, and Gyna Bootleg.

Early in his career, Rick faced a crucial decision: whether to relocate to a cultural hub like New York or to cultivate a cultural scene in Denton. Fortunately for Denton, he chose the latter path. Rick began establishing connections with artists he admired and started bringing them to his town. As a result, Denton has evolved into a thriving center of cool.

Presently, Rick is responsible for booking events at the beloved Rubber Gloves club in Denton, a venue that Tim considers the coolest music club in the United States.

Lydia and Tim are currently on their respective tours, with Tim currently in France alongside Vomitatrix, while Lydia is touring the Southwest with Kevin Shea. This week's episode features a live recording of a spoken word show that took place in Albuquerque last week. The show kicks off with an opening performance by Jessica Helen Lopez, a nationally recognized and award-winning slam poet who proudly holds the title of 2012 and 2014 Women of the World City of Albuquerque Champion. Following Jessica, the show continues with captivating poems and performances by Julia Storch, Maria Aaron Jones, Katie Farman, Rhiannon Frazier, Diane Delgado, and several more talented poets. A complete list of names will be provided soon, as some names were challenging to discern from the audio recording.

Friend of the podcast, musician, and artist Rick Froberg, who fronted Drive Like Jehu and many noted bands, sadly died on June 30th of this year. We have wanted for the last couple of months to do something to remember him, so in his memory, we are replaying his episode. Rick was as talented as he was kind, and he will be assuredly missed.

Abby Travis boasts a prolific career that spans back to the early 1990s, encompassing both significant contributions to music as a touring artist and a sought-after session player. Her diverse musical journey has seen her collaborating with artists such as The Go-Go’s, Cher, Beck, Elastica, KMFDM, Eagles of Death Metal, and Masters of Reality. Other highlights include a performance at the 2017 Women's March in downtown L.A., where she shared the stage with U2's The Edge, Juliette Lewis, and Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk.

Abby has released several solo albums, including The Abby Travis Foundation in 1997, Cutthroat Standards and Black Pop in 2000, Glitter Mouth in 2006, and IV in 2012. She currently resides in Upstate New York and is working on music with her band Sumo Princess.