Kyle Thomas is a musical lifer. Best known to audiences under the moniker King Tuff, Thomas first heard the siren call of rock and roll as a young child when he was given his first record player. That simple gift was a sort of rosetta stone moment for Kyle that led to an existence fueled by the power of rock and roll.

Growing up in Brattleboro, Vermont, Thomas began playing in bands at a very early age, immersing himself in the world of hardcore. By the time he had reached the end of high school, Kyle was exploring American underground bands like The Modern Lovers, and soaking up The Smiths. Soon, he began working under the moniker King Tuff and began his own record label, MUP in 2005.

For the last two decades King Tuff has churned out some of the most exciting and interesting records in the world of indie rock. Refusing to be pinned down with a narrow genre definition, Thomas continues to draw his own connections between seemingly disparate sonic worlds as he easily meshes elements of folk, power pop, southern rock, and even metal into his work.

During our conversation, Kyle shares some of the evolution behind his sound, including the ways he has seen his songwriting change and mature. We cover some of the massive changes in the music industry since Kyle first started some 20 years ago, as we dive deep into the rising costs of touring. Kyle also shares why most venues suck, and he reminds us all of the importance of the album cover, even in the age of spotify.

Kyle Thomas has not only built an impressive legacy of recorded work, he is also an incredibly affable dude that I found to be a delight. He is, in short, a great hang. So come join me and King Tuff as we talk Vermont, psych-folk, musical Yodas and so much more.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Kyle for joining me. You can find King Tuff’s work wherever you get your music. Please buy local whenever you’re able.

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

Dorothy Parker was one of America’s greatest wits, and one of its finest writers. Born into privilege, Parker lived a life of contrasts. Her scathing wit and razor sharp humor made her famous, but that quick tongue shielded a low self-esteem. At the height of her powers, Parker found herself the de facto leader of the famous Algonquin Round Table, a weekly collection of intellectuals and writers at the center of Manhattan’s cultural elite. Yet she often looked down upon the Round Table, seeing it as little more than tawdry entertainment.

Film historian, and author Dr. Gail Crowther’s new book, Dorothy Parker In Hollywood charts the path of Parker’s journey west in search of work and a new life in the Los Angeles sunshine. The book takes a deep look at Parker’s strained familial relationships, and wrestles with the author’s destructive relationship with alcohol. Crowther also paints an excellent portrait of Parker’s personal life that was largely fueled by the affection and assistance of her husband, Alan Campbell.

Activism was a central part of Parker’s entire adult life, working with left-wing causes to fight against fascism in Spain and then in Italy and Germany. Parker also devoted much of her life to the struggle for civil rights in America, and even bequeathed her estate to Martin Luther King, Jr. after her death. In fact, her dedication to various progressive causes was so intense that she was surveilled by the FBI for years and was even blacklisted for a time. Whether she was fighting fascism, battling bigotry, or trading barbs at the Round Table, Dorothy Parker always punched up. Join me and Dr. Gail Crowther as we take a fulsome at Dorthty Parker in Hollywood and beyond.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Gail for joining me. You can find her new book, Dorothy Parker In Hollywood wherever you get your books.

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

John Gallagher, Jr. is a true 21st century, multi-hyphenate. Cinephiles and television aficionados will recognize him from his various screen roles that include The Newsroom, Short Term 12, and Westworld. Those more familiar with the world of Broadway probably know Gallagher from his work in the hit musical Spring Awakening, for which he won a Tony. Folks with their ear tuned toward the indie rock underworld can also find John hard at work as an excellent singer and songwriter.

Gallagher grew up the son of musicians who opened up a whole world of creativity and expression early in their son’s life. As a child, John fell in love with acting. He quickly found himself booking paying gigs, eventually landing in New York where he connected with the creators of a new musical called Spring Awakening that would eventually go on to win a trio of Tony Awards, and take Broadway by storm. This critical and commercial success on Broadway led to a host of on-screen opportunities for Gallagher, including the role of Jim Harper on HBO’s The Newsroom.

Despite all of his acting success, John continued to hone his chops as a songwriter and singer. In 2016, he released his debut album Six Day Hurricane under the moniker Johnny Gallagher. While maintaining a very busy day job on set, Gallagher released two more full length albums, 8th and Jane in 2021 and Goodbye or Something in 2024.

As his third LP was set to enter the world, Gallagher also found himself hard at work on Swept Away, a new musical built around the songs of The Avett Brothers. The production was set to open in November of 2024 and it seemed poised for a massive run. With a new album in hand, and a soon to be hit show on the horizon, John Gallagher, Jr. was riding high. Sadly, things don’t always go according to plan. Despite critical acclaim, Swept Away failed to move enough tickets and its run was cut short after just a few weeks in production. Meanwhile, John’s new album Goodbye or Something had also failed to make much of a mark on the cultural landscape.

Two years later, things have brightened significantly for Gallagher. His new EP, Almost OK began as an imagined two song 7-inch, but has blossomed into something more significant. With notes of wrecked romances, paranoia, depression, and seismic life changes, Almost OK plays like a shimmering diary filled with regret, hope, and vulnerability. There are notes of power pop, Laurel Canyon folk, and even a dash of Dad Rock all lending these five songs a sense of playfulness that belies many of its heavier lyrical themes. This is a fascinating conversation that not only hits upon John’s journey in acting and music, it covers the magical power of live performance, and so much more.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to John for joining me. You can find his new EP, Almost OK wherever you get your music. 

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

Music historian and author, Kent Hartmann describes his pair of books about the Los Angeles music scene of the 1960s and 1970s, as the AM and FM sides of LA. The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll’s Best-Kept Secret is a deep dive into the origin story and artistry of the legendary backing band that played on hundreds of top 40 hits. Goodnight LA focuses on Los Angeles in the 1970s, and the handful of studios that gave the city its signature sound. This pair of terrific tomes captures the impact, experimentation, and influence that Los Angeles has had on modern American music.

During our discussion, Kent charts out some of the luminaries that were a part of the Wrecking Crew including Hal Blaine, Carol, Kaye, Glen Campbell, and Leon Russell. We look at how the efficiency and creativity of these players made them a hot commodity, and how they helped to shape the sound of American music as they recorded countless hits with The Beach Boys, The Monkees, The Mamas & The Papas, The Carpenters, Frank Sinatra, and hundreds more.

Shifting into the FM side of the discussion, Kent and I focus on a handful of the studios that forged the now famed Los Angeles sound of the 1970s. Acts like Tom Petty, Loggins & Messina, Fleetwood Mac, Warren Zevon, and Linda Ronstadt crafted punchy, polished recordings that brought hit after hit. Much of that sound was shaped by backing players like Waddy Wachtel, and by the engineers and producers working daily in studios like Sound City and Sunset Sound.

While many might see Los Angeles as just a movie town, its impact on our American musical landscape has been massive. Kent Hartmann’s work on The Wrecking Crew and Goodnight LA has helped to shine a light on the often overlooked artistry of session musicians and given us a window into a vast and varied musical scene that is still evolving some fifty years on.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Kent for joining me. Please go grab a copy of The Wrecking Crew and Goodnight LA wherever you get your books. Always shop local if you can. 

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

Alan Sparhawk came of age in rural Northwestern Minnesota, the son of a construction worker, part-time farmer, and occasional musician. While music was a regular presence in the house, farm life didn’t provide for much cultural exploration, until Sparhawk found himself at college in the city of Duluth where he was able to gain access to a world with movies, music, and other folks interested in music and culture. For a time, Alan began playing in Zen Identity, a band based out of Superior, WI. After bassist John Nichols joined the band, he and Sparhawk began joking about starting a new band that was completely different from what was happening on the top of the charts.

Formed in the wake of the alternative revolution led by Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Low set out to play a quieter, slower, and more intentional kind of rock and roll. Focusing on slower tempos, stripped down arrangements, and quietly beautiful harmonies, Low excelled at bringing out the most essential elements within a song. This deliberate approach was eventually dubbed “Slowcore” by the indie music press, and Low found themselves often lumped in with bands like Bedhead, Codeine, and Ida to name a few. While this label largely fits, the feature that truly sets Low apart as a band, even within the Slowcore movement, is the gorgeous voice of drummer, Mimi Parker

Sparhawk and Parker had been married for some time, and had even played together casually around the house, but Alan admits having to coax Mimi into joining the band. It’s marvelous that he did, for her talent was undeniable. Together, their two voices soar across the entirety of the Low catalog, which includes 13 full length albums, 10 EPs, and a cache of singles and live recordings. Low found themselves critical darlings, and toured across the world for nearly 30 years. They are one of America’s great independent bands.

Tragically, Low came to an end in 2022, when Mimi Parker lost her battle with cancer. During our chat, Alan and I talk about the grief that he has endured since losing his wife. We also discuss the joys of working with Mimi, who often nailed vocal recordings in a single take despite feeling sheepish about performing. We also cover the math teacher/nun who sold Alan his first bass amp, and we even unravel how to find the spark for a song.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Alan for joining me. You can find out all about his work in Low and his new solo musical efforts at https://www.alansparhawk.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

Alex Amen has gotten a lot of mileage from his brief time on the planet. Although he wasn’t born until 1999, Amen has already lived on both of America’s coasts, and explored much of its rugged natural beauty. He has spent time living in a commune, made his home on an island, and even scaled some of the west coast’s most intimidating mountains as a free climber. Amen has packed all of this life and more into the 9 years since he first left his Gulf Coast hometown in Texas in the hopes of finding a brighter, and bigger world than he could in Sugarland.

Having garnered all of these life experiences before the age of 30 gives Amen the vibe of an old soul. Alex brings this same timeless approach and attitude to his debut album, Sun of Amen, out now on ATO Records. The album’s ten songs play like a lost folk-country classic that hangs like a ghost freed from time. There are nods to Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, and John Denver, but Amen never loses the power and purpose of his own voice.

During our discussion, Amen shares what a powerful influence John Denver’s songs were as a kid travelling to the Colorado Rocky Mountains with his family. We cover the limitations of his hometown and the pathway that he found to a bigger world. There are stories of climbing the Sierra Nevadas, forays in film school, and even finding a commune in the middle of Anaheim, California in 2017. This is a fascinating conversation with a young artist who is wise beyond his years, and who has lived more life in 27 years than most folks do in a lifetime.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Alex for joining me, you can find his new album Sun of Amen wherever you get your music, and check out his website at https://alexamen.com/ for more info. 

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

Stephin Merrit is one of the most esteemed songwriters alive today. For three and half decades he has been the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist at the heart of the New York based band, The Magnetic Fields. The band was formed in 1991 by Merrit and his friend and musical collaborator Claudia Gonson. Over the next five years The Magnetic Fields would release a quintet of excellent albums built around Merrit’s genre-fluid songs, and unique arrangements that often featured cello, ukulele, hand percussion, noisemakers, and other unusual instrumentation.

Things changed completely in 1999 with the release of the now infamous 69 Love Songs, a towering three record set of tunes that pushed and pulled at the seams of what makes up a love song. The triple album was an unexpected hit with critics and audiences alike, thrusting Merrit into a new spotlight with praise flowing from outlets like The New York Times, which just counted Merrit as one of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, as well as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and NPR.

While The Magnetic Fields continues to be an ongoing entity, Merrit has also branched out in his creative work with forays into composing for musical theater, scoring for films, and even writing a book of poetry. Merrrit also writes and records music with a pair of other bands, The Gothic Archies and Future Bible Heroes.

During our conversation, Merrit and I discuss his itinerant upbringing with a single mother, and he shares some of his earliest musical memories. We also delve into Merrit’s unique writing style, and the way that he hangs on to his melodies after he writes them, all based around an important lesson that he gleaned from Swedish greats, ABBA.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Stephin for joining me. You can find his work in The Magnetic Fields wherever you get your music, and check out their website at http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/magneticfields for more info on the band and Stephin’s ongoing work.

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 Lynch is a director known to spark wildly different reactions from cinephiles and movie fans. There are legions of fans who claim Lynch as one of the great American auteurs, and see him as one of the finest filmmakers that the world has ever produced. There are also those that will stand tall and proud to proclaim Lynch a cinematic charlatan, and nothing more than a self indulgent weirdo filming his most outlandish fantasies. But say what you will of his work, David Lynch was a completely unique voice in the history of cinema.

Author and film scholar Mike Miley has taken on the herculean task of unpacking Lynch’s work, its origins, and its impacts on American culture. His new book, David Lynch’s American Dreamscape takes a deep look at the ways that Lynch was a master at showing us the underbelly of a seemingly idyllic American existence, one filled with cherry pie, carefree teenagers, and white picket fences. Author, and friend of the pod, Sarah Kendzior has also written deeply about the ways that Laura Palmer’s arc in Twin Peaks serves as an allegory for the Epstein Scandal and America’s rampant mistreatment of women.

Miley and I dive deep into Lynch’s world to learn where the filmmaker found the fuel for his completely singular cinematic sensibility. We explore the impacts that Lynch has had not just on the film world, but also in the realms of music and literature. Miley also paints a direct line between Lynch’s filmic outlook and some of the sacred texts of children’s literature.

Before we even get into the subject at hand, Mike and I begin the conversation with a chat about him seeing the Jason Narducy and Michael Shannon band playing R.E.M.’s Life’s Rich Pageant album, which eventually leads to some chatter about Wilco and even a bit of discussion on the state of modern day Dad rock. Rest assured, we get to the Lynch stuff after just a few minutes. So, please buckle up, this is a fascinating chat that looks deeply and thoughtfully at one of the most original artists this country has ever produced. Here now are me and author Mike Miley on David Lynch, America, and 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 his new book David Lynch’s American Dreamscape online at the link in the show notes. You can learn more about Mike and all of his work at https://www.mikemiley.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

Hey gang. Last Monday you may have noticed that we had a double dip on the podcast. At 5:00 am that day, I released a terrific chat with New Zealand indie rock legend, David Kilgour.

Later that morning while working in the Sheddio, a technical glitch on Substack caused me to also post a second episode of the day, this time with the legendary Robyn Hitchcock. While the timing on the episode was a bit of a bummer, it was a treat to share this conversation with the world. As such, I’m reposting it here this morning. If you haven’t already taken the time to listen to this one, be sure to put it in the queue. Robyn and I go deep on a wide variety of issues. Enjoy the replay.

Robyn Hitchcock has been living like an artist since childhood. Born to eccentric, artistically inclined parents, Hitchcock quickly took to drawing, painting, and music. The family lived something of a sheltered life surrounded by music, art and literature, making Robyn’s transition to school social life quite challenging. By his late teens and early twenties, Hitchcock began playing in The Soft Boys, releasing a pair of now legendary albums that were largely ignored at the time of their release.

After the dissolution of The Soft Boys, Hitchcock set out as a solo artist, recording for a small label, but success eluded him there as well. For a time, Robyn stepped back from music, working odd jobs and writing about concert and record reviews for music publications. During this hiatus, it became clear that the solo records, and even some of The Soft Boys material had made its way to America where it had found a small, but loyal audience. Buoyed by this newfound support, Hitchcock set back to work with a new backing band, The Egyptians, and made a string of excellent records that helped to cement his reputation in both America as well as in his home country.

Over the intervening forty years, Robyn Hitchcock has continued to release a catalog of legendary work that spans from psych rock to gentle folk and jangle pop. He has toured and record with members of R.E.M., Scott McCaughey, Andy Partridge, and a cadre of other terrific artists. His 25th album, The Confuser will be out in July on his own imprint, Tiny Ghost Records.

During our roving chat, we covered some of the stark cultural differences between the United States and Great Britain, as Robyn shares his belief that America has both the best and most awful things to offer the world at large. We unpack why music has become a mostly DIY endeavor, even for folks like Robyn Hitchcock, and how that has shaped the nature of the business and the experience as a musician, and Robyn even shares how rough it is for a man living on a libtard diet to find a good meal on tour in America.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Robyn for joining me. You can find out all about him and his work, as well as his upcoming tour dates at https://www.robynhitchcock.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

Damien Jurado has fully embraced the digital behemoth as a delivery method for his music. In an era when vinyl, t-shirts, and touring are said to be the economic engine for artists, Jurado has doubled down on the value of his own work. In recent years, Jurado, an acclaimed singer/songwriter with an impressive catalog that spans more than 25 years, has taken to releasing his work in a digital format via Bandcamp and then eventually, to streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music.

As a truly independent artist, this approach has allowed Jurado to work much more quickly and more efficiently as he releases his new work. By distributing solely in a digital format, Jurado doesn’t incur the hefty costs and lengthy wait times of vinyl production. And surprisingly, Jhe has seen his fans invest more heavily in digital releases than they do in the releases that are also available on vinyl or CD.

As a music lover who has spent a life collecting vinyl records and glorifying physical media, I was fascinated by Jurado’s pragmatism and his results. We dove deep into the real costs, both economic and environmental, of making physical products like vinyl and Compact Discs. Jurado shares his path from hardcore to the life of an acoustic singer/songwriter, while even offering up a bit of advice to budding young songwriters.

Let’s get into it.

Cheers,

Matty C

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End Credits

Thanks so much to Damien for joining me. You can find out all about him and his work at https://damienjuradomusic.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