Naomi Yang is an artist that has defined her career with incredible pivots into various collborations and projects over the last 4 decades. Having been part of the renowned NYC based trio, Galaxie 500, in the mid to late 80s, Yang takes us on an adventure through her early days of attending highschool with futrue G500 bandmates, college as an architect major, pursuing music, the NYC scene of the 1980s, the emotional rollercoaster of being a band in the public eye, eventually going on to form Damon and Naomi, republishing out-of-print books, starting a music label, her documentary entitled "Never Be A Punching Bag For Nobody" and much more. 

On this episode of the Self Portrait Gospel Podcast we speak to frontman and guitarist Martin Courtney of New Jersey based group Real Estate about growing up outside of NYC, seeing bands for the first time in the city, The Beatles, meeting long time friend and bandmate Alex Beeker, forming Real Estate in the mid 2000's, connecting with the Woodsist folks for the band's debut LP, signing with Domino Records, group's most recent effort entitled "Daniel" and much more. Enjoy! 

Born and raised in the countryside of Ohio, Nashville, TN based musician and visual artist Michael Ruth (Rich Ruth) saught creative refuge in a more music driven community with like minded people as his horizons began to expand. Eventually coming into his own as a musician, Ruth connected with locals such as Spencer Cullum Jr. and the folks over at Third Man Records and since been on journey that only just begun. His most recent album entitled "Water Still Flows" is an exploratory narrative driven by poetic textures and atmospheric rythms and in Ruth's own words is his 'greatest effort yet'. Enjoy!

On this very special episode of the podcast we speak to Buoy about his youth growing up in various locations around the east coast in a milirary family, begining his music journey through wind-instruments before connecting to percussions, his love and early influence of hip-hop, punk and jazz, eventually meeting longtime friend and bandmate Seth Olinsky, forming Akron/Family, meeting the great Michael Gira of Swans/Young God Records and joining him for the Angels of Light, life after A/K, a career as a solo musician, the harsh reality of where music may, or may not be heading and much more. Enjoy!

An absoutle cherished gem in both the music world and the articulated documentation of the creative human process, Chasny is one of the greats of our generation and a sincere force of nature to be cherished for all of time. On this very special episode of the podcast we explore Chasny's youth growing up in Northern California listening to metal music, being first introduced to the guitar and his unique scholar approach to the instrument, becoming interested in more underground music such as Sun City Girls, influences from the east coast and their growing appreciation of his style of music, touring with the late Jack Rose in the early days of Six Organs of Admittance, albums such as "Asleep on the Floodplains", "Hexadic - Triology", "Burning the Threshold" and his most recent effort on Drag City entitled "Time is Glass".

On this special episode of The Self Portrait Gospel :: Podcast we explore the songwriter's daredevil youth, the influence of the ocean and the surrounding elements, how he got into playing music and sonwriting, the constant fountain of songs and material that flow from his unique mind, meeting longtime friend and creative partner Kyle Field of Little Wings, recording the amazing trilogiy: "Just a Minute", "Anyway" and "Echo Me On" and much more. Enjoy!

Making an epic return with her most distinctive effort to date, Timony followed up her long awaited LP "Ex Hex" with "Untame the Tiger" on Merge Records and is ready to share this one with the world. On this episode we explore the musician's youth growing up during the influential punk scene in WA, her relocation to Boston to find herself both personally as well as creatively, forming the incredible group Helium, becoming a solo artist, eventually moving back home, her process of writing and recording "Untame the Tiger" and much more. Enjoy!

Born and raised in Michigan, the now North Carolina based musician joins us to talk about her childhood growing up with her older siblings, relocating to Philly where she participated in an experimental outfit influenced by the likes of Sun City Girls, the Long Hots trio, releasing her 2016 debut "Out of Love", her groundbreaking LP "Trouble Anyway", the pandemic and its effects on creatives, her 2021 follow up "No Medium", sharing space with heros MBV and J Mascis and her most recent effort "Bite Down" on Merge Records. Enjoy!

Boston legend Rick Maguire has been writing and recording music under PILE for nearly two decades now. With the projects '07 debut entitled "Demonstrated" initiating Maguire's distinctive career, the musician has gone on to to release an outstanding body of work with titles such as "Dripping", "Magic Isn't Real", "A Hairshirt of Purpose", "Green and Gray" and 2024's "Hot Air Balloon - EP". On this episode of the podcast we explore Maguire's youth and how he got into music, Weezer's "Blue Album", recording PILE's groundbreaking "Dripping" on Exploding in Sound, touring with the band as well as solo, Nashville and back to Boston, Covid, 2024's plans and much more.

Born and raised in Pasadena, CA, Hanson grew up with a very influential mother, who is also a songwriter, making this the perfect base for a career in music himself in the years to come. With the growing skateboard scene at the time, Hanson soon found himself gravitating towards the arts and the creative individualism that comes with the territory. He would later go on to form Wand, releasing titles such as the band's 2014 debut "Ganglion Reef", "1000 Days", "Perfume" and "Spiders in the Rain". In 2016 Hanson released his solo debut "The Unborn Capitalist From Limbo" and has since released two more albums with 2023's "Western Cum" putting a particularly interesting light on the musician. Hanson, along with Wand, have a very productive year planned as they gear for a tour with the legendary RHCP, which Hanson says is just insane to fathom. I have no doubt the guys are working on new material and have something up their sleeves. Enjoy!