From the shapeshifting subleties of his spiritual practices in sound, tonal texture, and electrifying emotion, to the carefully cinematic essence of his eager expressions behind the scenes, there isn't much the West Coast-based, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Blake Mills can't do. He's come a long ways since his classic 2010 debut "Broken Mirrors," while simultaneously capturing the critical chemistry of some of your favorite artists in between his sonic shifts and radical responsibilities in the studio. 

On this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we sit down with Mills for a long-awaited chat to discuss his most recent effort with legendary bassist and all-around master of melody, Pino Palladino, "That Wasn't A Dream." A breathtaking entry into the fundamentals of fusion, ritualistic rhthms, and lucid language between two incredible artists, Mills take us on a journey through his unique process, atmospheric approach, and tonal theories, while we kick back and marvel at the totality of his techniques, amighty attention to detail, and much more.

Chicago-based drummer, producer, and multi-displinary artist Spencer Tweedy has played music as long as he can remember. Growing up in a musical household, to say the least, Spencer gravitated towards his father Jeff Tweedy, founding member of such notable acts as Unlce Tupelo and Wilco, and his profession by quickly navigating his very own unique path in music. On this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we speak to Spencer about the critical connection he has with music, participating in bands like Case Oats, Tweedy/Jeff Tweedy, who is set to release their brand-new triple LP "Twilight Override" later this year, touring with Waxahatchee, the balance of life, and work, the climate of the music industry, and much more. 

Hailing from a period in time that, to this day, continues to birth bands and artists all around the world, New York-based multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and one-half of perhaps one of the most influential bands of its time, The Holy Modal Rounders, Peter Stampfel has been creating music, and art for well over half a century. From the Rounders to the death-defying dynamics of The Fugs, and a million other lives inbetween, Stampfel's poetically prolific body of work is compelling to say the least, as the veteran musician takes us on a journey from one end of the galaxy to other end of the table in a cosmic conversation that ignites the spirit of creative change. His most recent effort, "Song Shards," carefully captures the essence of youth, eager advertisments of the past, and a friendly reminder to stop and appreciate the small things as the 46-track collection unfolds into a beautiful flower of friendliness. 

Sharing the same timeline as ATL-based singer-songwriter, poet activist, and lyrical legend Speech, born Todd Thomas, of the acclaimed American hip hop group Arrested Development, is something that should bring us all a little comfort and peace in these crazy times. Having first established the groundbreaking group nearly four decades ago, Arrested Development pried open our culture's sore soul with perhaps one of the most influential albums, not just in hip hop and conscious rap, but in American music, 1992's "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of...." Over the next three decades, the artist would go on to record several albums with the group, as well as eagerly establishing a solo career that covers just as much groovy ground as time continues moving forward, and history horrifically repeats itself.

On this episode of The Self Portrait Gosple Podcast, we speak to Speech about his more formative years growing up in Tennessee before planting poetic roots Georgia in the mid to late 1980s, the influence of Southern hip hop on the world at large, the polarizing politics of the Trump administration, music's melodic meditation on the mind, the group's new album "Adult Contemporary Hip Hop," which was intentionally released on the Fourth of July, and much more.

Jack Cooper is one of those musicians you follow no matter the artistic anatomy of the individual's journey into the universally unknown. His atmospheric approach is organic and built on the brilliance of his peers, while bravely bridging the gap between the contagious contents of the 1980s and 1990s soundscapes. From his time in Mazes, The Beep Seals, and everything he eagerly evaulated, and put all his poetic power into his latest outfit, Modern Nature. 

On this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we speak to Cooper about his rural upbringing in the UK, the influences of bands such as Oasis, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, to name a few, the critical conditions of the world, and our place in it, and eventually forming Modern Nature. Releasing a series of titles on Bella Union, Cooper has returned to the sonic stratosphere with perhaps the band's most epic effort yet, "The Heat Warps."

From his homeland in New Zealand to the Big Apple, to Boston, where he formed one of the most influential bands, Galaxie 500, to the sophisticated sounds of Luna with his now wife Britta Phillips, Dean Wareham has accomplished so much in his forty-plus-year career. Settling in New York in the mid to late 1970s, the veteran musician caught some of the most anarchic acts of the decade, such as The Ramones, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids, before relocating to the city's sister scene in Boston to attend HU, where he met his future friends, and bandmates Naomi Yang, and Damon Krukowski, and the rest is, well you get the idea. 

With one foot forward, a swift wind of whispering words left in his wake, Wareham doesn't look back. His poetic prolificacy is pure, passionate, and personal, and nothing is more liberating than keeping the tonal truck running. For this season premiere of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we're honored to have Wareham on to tell his sonic story, while simultaneously exploring the past, present, and future of music and melodic memory. We touch on our shared obsession with Dylan, his new album "That's The Price Of Loving Me," returning to his home in LA, and certain events that have taken place, the legacy of Galaxie 500/Luna, and much more.

In this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we wrap up the 7th season of the show with the wonderful oppurtunity to finally sit down with one of our harmonic heroes, the great Will Oldham of Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Someone who needs no introduction, Oldham has been on our hearts, and minds for many years as we spin a youthful yarn of memories and reflection on some of the world's greatest artists who are no longer with us, such as David Berman and Michael Hurley. Oldham breaks down his latest masterpiece "The Purple Bird," which was released earlier this year on No Quarter, as well as the back-to-back "High and High and Mighty," and the brilliant "Hear The Children Sing The Evidence" with fellow friends and musicians Nathan Salsburg and Tyler Trotter.

We prasie our mutual friend, and incredible inspiration Ryan Davis, Bill Callahan, and cover Willie Nelson's abstract approach to guitar playing at this stage in his career. Oldham remains one of the most intense and softly sophisticated songwriters of his generation, with a career that has challenged the mind, body, and soul in ways that still stir the evidence of something extraterrestrial. We couldn't be more honored to occupy the same frame in history as him, and so many others out there doing brilliant work. 

In this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we speak with British-born, Chicago-based musician, producer, and all-around man of the times, James Elkington, a household name in Chicago's rich and complex music history. From his early days with the math rock outfit Elevate back in the UK to joining Thrill Jockey's long-running supergroup Brokeback, led by the legendary Douglas McCombs of Tortoise, Elkington has navigated a challenging landscape of hard work, unwavering dedication, and a keen eagerness to learn and explore the endless possibilities found in music's melodic memory bank.

With a solo career steeped in radical descents into the poetic psyche, Elkington's atmospheric ability to evoke both the past and present is showcased in release such as "Ever-Roving Eye," "Me Either," and 2025's "Pastel De Nada." Reflecting critical changes in today's music, art, and culture, Elkington discusses the contrast between writing and recording his music versus producing others, generational gestures from one person to another, the Golden Era of 1980s culture, future works, and much more..

"GWW, "A Life Of Scare," The New Man, and much more"

Just like our little operation, Evan Laffer and Ian Grant first launched their podcast, Jokermen, during the paralyzing pandemic to not only shed lyrical light and spin an endless yarn on the liberating legends that stand as their subjects but to find perfect peace and creature comfort in their harmonious heroes during one of the most horrendous times in contemporary history. Revealing the melodic meditation and stunning zeitgeist of some of the greatest minds in music, art, and cosmic culture, from The Beach Boys to Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Randy Newman and, or course, our subliminal soothsayet and sonic savior, Bob Dylan, Laffer, and Grant have provoked the ultimate unity by focusing on these legends in a way that is both tasteful and wildly addicting. 

Laffer, who is also a poet, first found soalce in Dylan's work some years back and has since dedicated a great deal of his life, time, and radical research to the complex chameleon and his ever-changing landscape of lyrical liberation and esoteric energy. While this episode acts as a meeting of the minds of two people who are indefinitely obsessed with the "Great White Wonder," it will also mostly likely provoke a series of creative conversations and "Dylanistic" digestion into the daring depths of society's subconscious without a lifeguard in sight. Join us as we begin to peel back these lysergic layers of history by introducing a more abstract approach to a world that hass been scoured by scholars, where a "Simple Twist Of A Fate" will take you much further in this life of tremendous twilight that you ever could have imagined. 

From the intimacy of Iranian culture and its historical heritage, New York-based musician and artist Rahill Jamalifard grew up in Michigan in a family who vauled music with great admiration. Having placed herself in the creative core of her community's music scene, Rahill fell in love with the land of Lou Reed on a simple trip to "The City Of Dreams" before deciding to move there indefinitely over a decade ago.

Influenced by her surroundings and their anciet teachings, Rahill pulled from the great Brion Gysin and his Dream Machine while effortlessly embodying the city's atmosphere and befriending its poetic population. While occupying a gig in the fashion industry, she began fronting bands such as Habibi and Roya before embarking on a wonderful solo career that has shapped her into a fierce force of soulful sound and a destination for melodic meditation. While a huge Spring tour supporting La Luz is on the horizon, Rahill has established an electrifying entry in music that will age gracefully as time progresses.