John Tottenham, the happiest man in the poetry business, joins Lydia and Tim for a second time. To recap, John is the author of The Inertia Variations, an epic cycle on the subject of work avoidance, indolence, and failure. Antiepithalamia & Other Poems of Regret and Resentment, a sequence of mean-spirited love poems, was published by Penny-Ante Press.

A sonic and cinematic interpretation of The Inertia Variations by The (Matt Johnson) was released in late 2017. While he would never call himself an artist, his paintings and drawings have been exhibited at galleries in Los Angeles and New York.

John's final collection of poetry, The Hate Poems, representing the dregs of his output between the years 2012 and 2015, was published by Amok Press in late 2018. John has also written a novel.

Mark Morgan was the guitarist for the legendary noise/avant-rock outfit Sightings, a band that got its start in 1997 when Mark put up flyers looking for musicians in New York record shops. He also did a stint in one of the lineups of To Live and Shave in LA with Rat Bastard and Tom Smith. Currently, Mark's band Rump State is going on tour in Europe later this month.

This week, Tommy Grenas, also known as Tommy L. Cyborg, joins the Lydian Spin. Tommy is a singer, songwriter, synthesist, and electronic musician who began his career in 1982 with the Belfast garage band The Swamp Rats. His career continued in 1987 with the Los Angeles-based Pressurehed. In 1992, Tommy founded Farflung, and then in 1995, he co-founded the Anubian Lights with Len Del Rio. Tommy played guitar in Nik Turner's Space Ritual and the legendary band Hawkwind. He also performed with Helios and Chrome. Additionally, Tommy has played and collaborated with Lydia, The Brain, Cluster, and many others.

Photo by Nedda Asfari

Rita D'Albert is a multi-talented producer and creative force behind the wildly popular Lucha VaVOOM - a Mexican wrestling, burlesque, and comedy extravaganza that has captivated audiences around the world. Her innovative approach to blending the worlds of wrestling, burlesque and rock and roll has earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base. Rita is also an accomplished musician, having played with a number of bands over the years, including the legendary all-female garage rock group The Pandoras. With her love of music and her passion for spectacle, Rita brings a unique and high energy perspective to all of her creative endeavors.

This week's episode is the Valentine's Day Cleanser Special.

Valentine's Day can be overwhelming, whether you're single or in a relationship. So, to help you take a breather and clear your head we put together a special mix of Lydia's songs and spoken word.  Whether you're feeling the post-Valentine's Day blues or not, sit back, relax and enjoy.

Pieces Include:

• Smoke in the Shadows(0:00 - 4:45)
• Wretched Possibility(4:50 - 9:45)
• The Summer of My Discontent(9:48 - 14:21)
• End of My Rope(14:23 - 17:42)
• Another Man Comin'(While the Bed is Still Warm)(17:43 - 22:22)
• Tiny's Tight Spot(22:22 - 33:54)
• Your Love Don't Pay My Rent(33:54 - 37:31)
• Bad For Bobby(37:31 - 40:47)
• Mahakali Calling(40:47 - 45:12)
• Cursed Folly 3(45:12 - 48:20)
• Where You Gonna Run(48:20 - 52:35)
• Still Burning(52:35 - 59:57)

Since 1999, Eastern European punk band Gogol Bordello, led by Ukrainian frontman Eugene Hütz, has been filling up rooms with an energy that could run a whole city - latest album Solidaritine is no exception, going back to their hardcore roots. The band has lit up stages around the world alongside System of a Down, Primus, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, dueted with Regina Spektor, appeared in films like Liev Schreiber’s Everything Is Illuminated with Elijah Wood and Filth and Wisdom helmed by Madonna, cutting albums with legends Rick Rubin and Steve Albini. Russia's war in Ukraine is personal for Eugene & the band, who have been tirelessly advocating for Ukrainian solidarity, partnering with Nova Ukraine, ArtDopomoga and beyond.

Masha Alyokhina is a member of Pussy Riot — a feminist collective of artists and activists that came to prominence in 2012 when five members, including Masha staged a performance of the group’s anti-Putin song Punk Prayer: Mother of God Drive Putin Away in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The Pussy Riot members were arrested and convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and the three were sentenced to two years in prison for the offense. Masha has been recognized as a political prisoner by the Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners. Amnesty International named her a prisoner of conscience due to the severity of the response of the Russian authorities. After multiple arrests and periods of imprisonment, Masha left Russia and has openly criticized the war in Ukraine. She continues her work as an activist, artist and musician.

  Since the early Eighties Martin Bisi has run Brooklyn's legendary BC Studio  where he has worked on albums with the likes of Sonic Youth, Iggy Pop, Swans, William Burroughs, Helmet, Jim Thirlwell (Foetus) and even Afrika Bambaata.  BC Studio was originally founded in 1979 under the name OAO Studio. Initially Martin was working alongside Bill Laswell and Brian Eno, but by 1983 they had left the partnership and the studio was renamed. Since then, Martin has continued to work with a wide array of artists and styles, from No Wave through to Hip Hop.

Jim Sclavunos is a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. Jim has been a member of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds since 1994 and is a co-founding member of Grinderman. Alongside Lydia, he was an integral part of the New York No Wave scene in bands Teenage Jesus & The Jerks and 8 Eyed Spy. Jim was co-editor of No Magazine, before joining Sonic Youth to record their first album Confusion Is Sex.

Jim has been writing and recording new material and producing various projects, as well as continuing his regularly featured DJ slot on Soho Radio. The first release from his lockdown collaboration with singer Polly Scattergood In the Absence of Light came out in 2021. Jim also made his acting debut in director Mars Roberge’s feature film Mister Sister playing the role of Sonny. He has also appeared in the BBC period drama The Pursuit of Love. Jim continues to tour and record with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

This week Lydia and Tim sit down with Kelley Deal and Josephine Wiggs. Dayton, Ohio native Kelley is a musician who has been a member of many bands including, Protomartyr, The Amps, The Kelley Deal 6000, and The Last Hard Men. English Bassist Josephine has been in her share of bands as well, including The Perfect Disaster, Honey Tongue & Ladies Who Lunch. 

Kelley and Josephine are also bandmates in the much-beloved band The Breeders. August 2023 will mark the 30th anniversary of band's smash hit Last Splash. To celebrate, their record label 4AD will rerelease the album with new material. In the fall, The Breeders will be touring to support the album.