What Am I Making Podcast

In 1980, a five year old Alicia Witt appeared on the television program That’s Incredible, during which she recited a scene from Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet. That performance was eventually seen by a casting director looking for children with the ability to recite complicated words, and by the tender age of seven, Alicia found herself on the set of David Lynch’s Dune. That experience led to a lifelong friendship with Lynch and placed young Alicia on a path that would see her spending a life in the worlds of film, theater, and music.

Since her debut in Dune, Witt has compiled an impressive list of credits in film and television as well as on the stage. She worked again with Lynch as a cast member of the original Twin Peaks series, she appeared on The Sopranos, and she has worked with a variety of other great filmmakers like Alexander Payne, Alison Anders, and John Waters, just to name a few.

In addition to Witt’s esteemed acting career, she is also an accomplished singer, pianist, and songwriter, with more than thirty years of performing under her belt. I caught up with Alicia while she was just beginning a tour in support of her brand new album, Between Heaven and Earth. The album is a tribute to Witt’s lifelong relationship with Lynch, and explores the profound impact he has made on the trajectory of Alicia’s life.

During our conversation Witt and I discussed some of the details of her friend David, and the ways that their friendship opened up a world of possibility and creativity. We covered Alicia’s early days when she first discovered the worlds of art, film and music, and we even talked about some of the places that innate curiosity and wonder has taken her.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

Doug Gillard is a bona-fide guitar hero. His six string contributions to Guided By Voices, Cobra Verde, Gem, Nada Surf, and Death of Samantha have helped to carve out a brilliantly individual sonic space within the rock landscape. But Doug Gillard is far more than just a guitar god. He is also a terrific songwriter, arranger, and singer.

Gillard grew up in northwestern Ohio in a rural farm community sandwiched between Sandusky and Cleveland. An innate musical talent appeared as early as age 5 when Gillard first began writing songs, even sending early reel to reel recordings to his older sister who was living in Germany. As soon as he graduated high school, Doug made his way to Cleveland in search of music, film, and culture.

Almost immediately upon arriving in Cleveland, Gillard began playing in a series of outfits including Death of Samantha before joining Cobra Verde. Bob Pollard of Guided By Voices was so impressed with Cobra Verde that he enlisted them to become his backing band for the GBV album, Mag Earwhig. Pollard and Gillard would go on to have a legendary partnership that would result in a slew of incredible albums billed under the Guided By Voices moniker, as well as a series of terrific releases under the name Lightships and one record billed simply as, Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard.

In addition to his work as a collaborator and bandmember, Gillard has also released a half dozen full length records as a solo artist, including his brand new album, Parallel Stride. During our conversation Doug and I covered his early years in the Cleveland music scene and his experiences working with the mercurial legend that is Bob Pollard. We also hit upon the benefits of limitations in creativity, and discussed the effects of a childhood in the rust belt.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Doug for joining me. You can find out all about his music, find tour dates, and learn more at https://www.douggillard.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

David Nance grew up in the quiet confines of Grand Island, Nebraska, a lonely little spot on the Great Plains that offered little in the way of cultural excitement, save for a few kids sporadically staging punk shows at makeshift venues around town. These shows offered a glimpse of the vast cultural world that might exist beyond the borders of Grand Island.

Eventually, Nance relocated to Omaha where he began experimenting with four track recording and songwriting. Over the course of several years, Nance unleashed a slew of self-produced recordings that included original full length albums, and a series of covers albums where he has tackled legendary records like Beatles For Sale and Goat’s Head Soup, among others.

In 2013, Nance relocated again to Los Angeles with his wife where he continued to work on recordings. During his time in LA, David amassed a haul of unfinished songs, but found himself unable to complete an album. Tragically, Nance was later called home to navigate the loss of his younger sister.

2024 saw the release of David Nance & The Mowed Sound via Third Man Records. The album is a raucous affair that conjures the golden era of The Rolling Stones, a less jammy version My Morning Jacket, and early 70s Kinks. During our conversation, David and I discussed the ways that limitations in recording, like working with a four track recorder, have opened up new veins of creativity. We covered the concept of songwriting as a form of journaling, and so much more.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to David for joining me. You can find out all about David’s music, find tour dates, and learn more at https://davidnance.bandcamp.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

After nearly 40 years, 13 full length albums, and millions of miles of touring, it’s fair to call Teenage Fanclub a legendary band. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in the waning days of the 1980s, The Fannies - as their fans affectionately call them - have forged a sound built upon chiming guitars, jangly hooks, and resplendent three part harmonies. In 1991, the band’s second album, Bandwagonesque was chosen by Spin Magazine as the best record of the year. Nirvana’s Nevermind finished second. Not only did Spin get it right in that year end list, I would offer that Bandwagonesque isn’t even the Fannies at their peak.

The band has always been powered by shared songwriting duties. For the first thirty years of the outfit, Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley, and Gerard Love all contributed songs to the band, with each writer taking the lead vocal on his own tunes. With a trio of songwriters in the band, Teenage Fanclub were able to take the best selections from each writer to craft albums littered with great songs and three unique perspectives on life and songcraft.

In 2018, Gerard Love left Teenage Fanclub. While many bands would have seen that as a sign to pack it in after 30 successful years, Blake, McGinley, and company have charged forward, releasing three full length albums in roughly seven years. The band’s new album, Do Not Dare To Dream was recorded in the far northwest of Scotland in the Hebrides Islands.

During our conversation, Blake and I discussed the effects of place on recording an album. We talked about the ways that our surroundings can drastically shape what we create. We also hit upon some of the advantages to stealing away from the world to make a record. We discussed being in an outfit with shared songwriting duties, and we talked about the healthy competition of having multiple writers in the same band. It is all of that and loads more with me and Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Norman for joining me. You can find out all about Teenage Fanclub’s music, get tour dates, and learn more at https://www.teenagefanclub.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Growing up in Bordeaux, France at the crack of the millennium, Theo Lawrence was inundated with the shiny pop music of the era. Eschewing the sounds of the moment, Lawrence found himself entranced with the golden era of American Country Music from the 1950s and 60s, as well as the haunting sounds of first wave rock and roll. Theo managed to find new meaning in those old songs and stories.

Since 2019, Lawrence has proven himself a decidedly prolific and nimble artist, releasing a slew of recordings that are informed by honky-tonk, classic country, cumbia, first wave rock and roll, and bossa nova. Whether releasing singles, EPs, or full length albums, Theo Lawrence is an artist with a unique voice, vision, and sound; one that feels like an intercontinental version of an updated classic.

During our conversation, Theo and I discussed his migration from France to Texas. We talked about his early years in Bordeaux and the way they have shaped his Texas persona. We covered the influence of his family and his French upbringing, as well as hitting upon his unabashed love for America. Theo shares his experiences on a 75+ date tour with the legendary Alison Kraus & Union Station, and we explore the necessity of a childlike approach to creativity.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Theo for joining me. You can find out all about her music, get tour dates, and learn more at https://www.theolawrencemusic.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Mary Gauthier sees herself as a true troubadour; a solo artist traveling the country, traipsing from town to town with her satchel filled with songs and stories. Gauthier’s songs are steeped in lived experience, granting her a sort of faith in humanity. “I think deep faith comes from lived experience, more than religion,” Mary says. “Remember, I’m 37 years sober now. I’ve watched tens of thousands of people get into a better place and have a better life after facing down horrible stuff. I’ve seen redemption, I’ve seen and lived the alchemy of rebirth in this life. I want to reclaim some of these words. They are about the human experience. They don’t belong to any denomination.”

Although she waited until her early 30’s to begin her musical career, Gauthier sings with the unmistakable languor of her native Louisiana, writes with the bluntness of Boston, where she was once a successful restauranteur, and rewrites with the fierce precision of Nashville, her home for many years. Gauthier’s brand new album, Reckoning is political, personal, and spiritual all at once. By touching on the intimate details of the human experience, Gauthier paints a delicate and detailed portrait of a certain slice of American life at a crucial point in our national history.

For her part, Gauthier believes that somehow, we will get through the ravages of the Trump years. She has a private, patient optimism in her fellow human beings. As she says in her new record, she believes that a Reckoning is on its way. During our fascinating discussion, Mary and I talked about her late start in music as well as covering some of her path to sobriety and the ways that decision has altered her life forever. Mary talks about the value of learning to live one day at a time, and the importance of being at the merch table after every show to say thank you to her fans.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Mary for joining me. You can find out all about her music, get tour dates, and learn more at https://www.marygauthier.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Raised on the bars and backroads of Beaumont, Texas, recording artist and songwriter Pug Johnson’s mission is simple: be a gateway. He wants listeners who think they don’t like country music to find him, feel something, and go digging into the long, rich history the genre was built on.

On his third full‑length, From a Beaumont Bar, Johnson doesn’t soften the past so much as define it, turning the bruises and barroom debris of his messier years into solid country gold heartbreak songs – sharpened by hindsight and delivered in a borderline‑nasal drawl that probably owes Shotgun Willie a few rounds.

The result is a rueful songbook that doesn’t romanticize the past so much as report it, line by line, from a stool that’s seen too much. Deliberately old‑fashioned in the best way, the record nods to Bob Wills, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Merle Haggard while staying rooted in lived experience. By mining the memories of his past mistakes and the musical legacies of his heroes, Johnson has crafted a collection that not only bears the weight of history but hopes to blossom into something timeless.

During our conversation, Pug and I cover his early years growing up in the melting pot of east Texas. We talk about the collision of Cajun and Texas cultures in and around Beaumont, as well as exploring the truck rides that led to Pug discovering the world of classic country music. We talk dive bar culture, and even explore the lost art of humor in songwriting.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Pug for joining me. You can find out all about Pug, his music, and his tour dates at https://www.pugjohnson.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Like so many children of his generation, Mike Connell fell in love with rock and roll the moment that he saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Growing up in Raleigh, NC and Georgia during the 1960s and 70s, Mike was obsessed with the jangling cacophony of the British Invasion. In addition to the Beatles, Mike and his brother David, tore through the catalogs of The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks absorbing a new sonic vocabulary littered with ringing choruses, chiming guitars, and an unshakable sing along power.

Unwilling to just sit by the sidelines, Mike and David formed The Connells in 1984 and began playing gigs almost immediately. Their debut album, Darker Days - produced by the legendary Don Dixon - arrived in 1985 on Black Park Records to critical acclaim, and immediate comparisons to another southeast band on the rise; R.E.M.

1987 saw the band release their sophomore effort, Boylan Heights with Mitch Easter at the controls. At this point, The Connells became a full time touring outfit and rode the college circuit for well more than a decade. The band would eventually release 9 studio albums in their first 17 years, all while maintaining an ambitious road schedule.

To celebrate more than four decades as a band, The Connells are set to release a 40th anniversary edition of Darker Days, which arrives on October 26th of this year. The new release features a complete remaster of the album as well as a couple of bonus tracks not featured on the initial release. I sat down to talk with Mike Connell for an in-depth conversation on the history of the band, the anniversary release of Darker Days, and so much more.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Mike for joining me. You can find out all about The Connells, the 40th anniversary edition of Darker Days and so much more at https://theconnells.bandcamp.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Nicole Atkins grew up on the Jersey shore in a family that her own father described as “trash with cash”. While her rowdy and athletic family were not musical, they loved the nightlife and knew how to throw a party. Nicole was never an adept athlete, instead gravitating towards music and the arts, with her family remaining supportive from the beginning of her artistic journey.

Neptune City, Atkins’ major label debut arrived to some acclaim in 2007 and even landed her opening slots on massive tours with The Black Keys and Nick Cave. However, middling sales left her in a sort of musical limbo. She dutifully continued to churn out solid records, but at some point Atkins felt as though she had lost the spark behind her creative self. A move to Nashville with her husband helped Atkins to find a true community of songwriters and musicians that helped her to recapture a sense of purpose in her own work.

One of Atkins’ longtime friends and champions in the music industry was legendary singer and songwriter, Chris Isaak, who after hearing some of the songs that Atkins had written for her next album, offered to sign her to his Wicked Game imprint, a subsidiary of Sun Records. With a label and small budget in place, Atkins reached out to Wilco multi-instrumentalist and producer Pat Sansone to steer the sonic ship. Working together Atkins and Sansone created a sonic landscape that pays homage to Lee Hazelwood, Scott Walker, and Roy Orbison, while showcasing Atkin’s unique voice and stylistic approach.

Drama, Atkins’ stunning new album feels much like a timeless classic that has been tucked away for decades just waiting to be rediscovered. For her part, Atkins asserts that she hopes to “write modern songs that could be part of the Great American Songbook.” But in her own way. “I’m not trying to rehash or celebrate some bygone era,” she says. “I’m just taking what I like melodically from the past, and channeling it into my songs. I like to make them deeply personal. The question I come back to is - how do I make this sound exactly like me?”

With Drama, Nicole Atkins has found the truest version of her recorded self so far.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Nicole for joining me. You can find out all about her tour dates and recordings at https://www.nicoleatkins.com/

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking

Growing up in the wilds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Jeremy Porter knew that he needed to get where the action was. That meant getting out and getting south to a city like Milwaukee, Chicago, or Detroit where music, culture, and art were readily available. After high school and a year at Northern Michigan University, Porter decamped for the Detroit area where he hoped to continue his education, but more importantly to try to find a life in rock and roll.

Jeremy cut his teeth and built a series of bands before throwing his full weight behind his current outfit, Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. That band is a dexterous trio built around Porter’s aching songs, and a hard charging rhythm section. Since the formation of The Tucos in 2010, Porter and company have released seven full length LPs, an EP, and a three album career retrospective, as well as appearing on a host of compilations and tribute projects. The band’s terrific new album, Sell Their Souls was just released in August.

Jeremy is also a dedicated live performer, routinely playing throughout the country either with the trio or as a solo performer. We talked about the realities of life on the road, and we investigated the changing ways in which people are socializing, drinking, and entertaining themselves, which is drastically shaping the face of live music venues across the country. We also discussed the enduring power and resilience of Jeremy’s adopted home city of Detroit. We covered its ups and downs, dove into its vibrant music scene, and even waxed a bit poetic about our beloved Motown.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Jeremy for joining me. You can find out all about his tour dates and recordings at https://www.jeremyportermusic.com

The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.

Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.

You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.

Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.

You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking