Kishi Bashi is a singer, songwriter, film maker and multi-instrumentalist currently based in Santa Cruz, California. His latest full-length Kantos (out now via Joyful Noise Recordings) is multi-genre exercise in duality: a fun, party album that address’s the current humanist role in art, life, and culture, all inspired by a mix of the sci-fi novel’s series Hyperion Cantos and philosopher Immanuel Kant.  Kishi shares the initial motivation behind making a “party’ record and why a significant life change facilitated the work. Joe and Kishi question that role of fast-moving technology in music making, the hopeful notion that humanness will ground us despite tech advances and whether tech will outpace creativity. Kishi hints at a new film project and we hear a few tunes.

Kishi Bashi

Joyful Noise

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This week Joe celebrates Hawaiian music and shares some early to mid-20th century public domain century recordings.

1.   Dreams of Old Hawaii-Varsity Hawaiian Orchestra

2.    Farewell to Thee - Toots Paka Hawaiians

3.   Mai Poina Oe Ia'u- Lani McIntire and his Aloha Islanders

4     Aloha Oe- Hawaiian Quartett

5.   Kuuaina Aliha-Varstiy Hawaiian Orchestra

6.   Ke Kali Nei Au- George Kainapau with George Archer And His Pagans

7.    He Manoa He Aloha- Kaai Glee Club

8.    Kewaii - Palakiko and Paaluhi

9.   Wailana (Drowsy Waters) -Ferera and Franchini

10. Aloha and Goodnight-Varsity Hawaiian Orchestra

Ruinous Media

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Scared of Chaka is an American punk rock band formed in 1993 in Albuquerque New Mexico by guitarist/vocalist, Dave Hernandez, bass guitarist Dameon Waggoner and drummer Jeff Jones. Jones was later replaced by Ron Skrasek. After a 15+ year hiatus, Scared of Chaka is back with a fiery new single and 7 inch on Slovenly Records. In this episode Joe talks with Dave, who is an old pal and former The Shins bandmate. Dave gives a brief history of Scared of Chaka, the story behind the “break up” and explains the vigor and excitement surrounding the new songs and upcoming shows. Joe and Dave share some “band guy” job stories, Dave gives us some real and hilarious insight into the elaborate culture of “ice cream men” and we revisit some outrageous Dillinger 4 tour shenanigans. The two discuss small dogs, cougars and we hear a couple rip roaring tunes.

Scared of Chaka

Slovenly Records

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Lollise is a Botswana born, Brooklyn based singer, songwriter, and multidisciplinary artist. After cutting her teeth recording and touring with the FELA! band and Underground System, she has brought her song writing efforts to the forefront with her debut LP, I Hit The Water, out September 6 via Switch Hit Records. Lollise shares the story behind the new record, why it plays tribute to her family's journey and how it keeps her connection with Botswana. She tells us how the lead single, eDube, is both a message to her deceased father and honors her mother’s experience with his passing.  We learn how intuition guides her writing process, how collaboration played a role on the new record and why she does NOT like playing her song Birthday. Joe and Lollise bond on the power of rehearsal, the beauty of the shekere, their fixation with vintage fashion and we hear a couple tunes.

Lollise

Switch Hit Records

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Duane Denison is a songwriter, guitarist and founding member of Tomahawk, The Denison/Kimball Trio and most notable and widely influential, The Jesus Lizard. The Jesus Lizard have recorded six studio albums, two live recordings and a brace of singles and EPs, with the band’s seventh album, Rack, out September 13 via Ipecac Recordings. Armed with their never dusty, always furious chops, The Jesus Lizard will support Rack with both national and international touring throughout 2024 and 25.  Duane share’s his early relationship with music, why he decided to pick up a guitar and his path from classical training, to heavy, angular rock and jazz. He tells us why The Jesus Lizard are able to retain their energy and intensity over their long career and why quality control is so important to the band.  We also learn how refinement and brutal honesty play a role in the evolution of his guitar playing.  Joe and Duane discuss the celebration of “heavy music” in the UK with bands like IDLES, and we hear a couple new Jesus Lizard tunes.

The Jesus Lizard

Ipecac

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Cal in Red is a Grand Rapids based indie pop project started by brothers Connor and Kendall Wright. Since 2022 they have released 2 Ep’s, a handful of singles and on September 22, they will release their full-length record, Low Low, via B3SCI records.  The fellas tell us why they moved from their hometown of Lansing to Grand Rapids, what their early relationship with music was like and what bands inspired them to begin writing and recording music. We learn how experience and time shaped the new record, why their approach was different and how they share writing, recording and production duties. The brothers share the story of meeting James Mercer, how he wound up singing on the new record and we hear a couple new tunes.

Cal In Red

Episode supported by Izotope

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Joe talks with Greg Mahdesian and Ryan Berti, founding members of Los Angeles based Swerve. Swerve’s newest EP, The Darkroom, a lively and rifftastic look at an era of the band’s life, is out now and includes a wonderful rendition of The Stone Roses hit, I Wanna Be Adored. Greg and Ryan share their relationship with music in their formative years, including the influence of Megachurch rock and a hip older cousin who pointed Greg to the “cool stuff” We learn why System Of A Down carries a significance with Swerve, not only to their cultural identify, but also as a songwriting reference.  They explain how a Supreme court decision inspired a song, why there is more sonic freedom in recording a cover, and why The Darkroom is a not only a look to the past, but a celebration of a new stage both personally and professionally.  Joe, Ryan and Greg discuss the power and the baritone guitar, and we hear a couple tunes.

Swerve

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Grasshopper is a multi-instrumentalist, lead guitarist and founding member of Mercury Rev. His other projects include Harmony Rockets and his own band Grasshopper and the Golden Crickets. Mercury Rev’s newest record, Born Horses, is yet another intriguing sonic step in the band’s evolution.  Born Horses is out September 6 via Bella Union.  Grasshopper shares his early relationship with music, how seeing Lou Reed steered the young horn-player to playing guitar and why he wound up focusing less on his guitar playing on the new record. He shares the process of writing Born Horses, how Brechtian Theatre and prose influenced the overall sound and why previous projects informed this process.  Joe and Grasshopper celebrate the “utility musician”, Grasshopper tells us a sweet story about his last memory in his favorite Buffalo bar and we hear a couple new tunes.

Mercury Rev 

Bella Union

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Dustin O’Halloran is an American pianist and composer with six acclaimed solo albums under his own name. He has scored multiple films and TV shows, won an Emmy for the theme to Transparent and has been nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for his score to Lion, a collaboration with Volker Bertelmann (aka Hauschka). His most recent album, 1 0 0 1, is an instrumental four-movement exploration of the nature of the human mind, implications of artificial intelligence and raises questions of humanity in a world intertwined with technology is out now via Deutsche Grammophon.  Dustin shares how his early relationship with music influenced his trajectory to go from a rock-oriented guitarist and singer to a solo pianist creating instrumental music. He tells us how 1 0 0 1 evolved from a performance dance piece to expansive sonic journey and functioned as a bridge to a new artistic path. Dustin and Joe discuss his process in writing and recording 1 0 0 1, Dustin walks us through the inspiration behind the four movements and he explains why texture drives his creativity. The two celebrate the power of re-amping and we hear two pieces from 1 0 0 1.

Dustin O'Halloran

Deutsche Grammophon

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Nick Thorburn is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist residing in Los Angeles. Nick has fronted and co-founded bands such as The Unicorns, Human Highway, Mister Heavenly and Islands. The newest Islands record, What Occurs, is out now an available everywhere.  In this episode, old pals and current bandmates Joe and Nick get cheeky and personal, touching on their first meeting, what bonds them and why they owe Ryan Kattner all the credit for their friendship. Nick shares the germ of inspiration behind What Occurs, how they wrote and recorded the record on an actual island and why live collaboration is so important to him. We learn how Joe and Nick differ on their view of death, how Nick found his singing voice and why a sense of play is so important to his songwriting. The two predict how and why AI will eat itself, they entertain a very special surprise guest, and we hear a couple new Islands songs.

Islands

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