WNXP Podcasts

This week for What Where When-sday, we talk about an event that kicks off next Wednesday through August 7. Queer Qlassics — that’s “classics” with a “q” — returns to the Belcourt, Nashville’s nonprofit film center. Films will include "The Color Purple" (July 10), "Saint Laurent" (July 17), "The Last of Sheila" (July 24), "Hard Candy" (July 31), and "Hairspray" (August 7). Our special guest is Belcourt historian and archivist T. Minton. 

It’s a challenge to capture the energy of a gritty rock club once an artist graduates to larger stages and better resources. Yet Ty Segall continues to make music that feels as dynamic and spirited as his early DIY days. The prolific musician has released 15 studio albums as a solo artist, and that doesn’t even begin to cover his other projects and collaborations. With every release, Segall pushes the boundaries of what’s expected. He’s proven he’s more than fuzzed out, distorted guitars, but continues to bring a youthful sense of experimentation to everything he does. Clocking in at 66 minutes, his latest solo effort Three Bells embodies this sense of sonic exploration while staying true to Segall’s garage rock royalty status.

Watch Segall perform “The Bell,” “Void” and “My Best Friend” from Three Bells live at WNXP’s Sonic Cathedral here. 

L.A.-based indie artist Hana Vu's sophomore record 'Romanticism' explores the inner workings of her mind at age 22. Working with producer Jackson Phillips (Day Wave), Hana Vu layered synths and beats under her strong vocals and alt-grunge rock leanings on this follow-up to her acclaimed debut LP 'Public Storage.' Her tour stops in Nashville July 30.

There are legends and elders in music, and then there’s T Bone Burnett. He’s produced more than his share of historic projects over the last six decades. This year, he put that care into an album of his own. Reporter Justin Barney went to Burnett’s house to find out how the WNXP Nashville Artist of the Month keeps finding new life in old things.

Nathaniel Rateliff dropped by WNXP in advance of his band, The Night Sweats, releasing its fourth record South of Here on the Stax label out of Memphis on June 28. After performing an early album single "Heartless" solo acoustic, Rateliff sat down to talk about making this record with producer Bradley Cook, getting on top of his perfectionist-leaning anxiety, is his native Missouri the South (?) and hitting the road with another beloved live rock band, My Morning Jacket, this year.

The East Room opened up in 2012 in East Nashville. The independent venue has been a space for up-and-coming local and touring artists as well as a space for dance parties, theater and comedy acts. This week for What Where When-sday our special guest is Taylor Cole, talent buyer and GM of the venue. 

Aaron Frazer fell in love with soul music dancing around his living room to Michael Jackson playing on the turntable as a kid. But, in a way, his love of soul amplified thanks to hip-hop and the first CD he ever owned, Will Smith’s 1997 album Big Willie Style.

Frazer got a soul education at the age of nine listening to the interpolation of “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers, Smith’s “Men in Black” rap to Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots,” the George Benson sample on “Miami,” and the biggest song on the record “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” a melody taken from Sister Sledge's “He’s the Greatest Dancer.” Studying classic hip-hop records helped Frazer develop his instrumentation through the years and some of that hip hop philosophy can be heard on his second solo album Into the Blue.

In Nashville, there are more people who work in the music industry per capita than any other city in the world. It’s the perfect setting for Music Citizens, a series about the people behind the scenes who make music work. 

Episode 1 is about Bruce Fitzpatrick, owner of The End. We’re doing this series at a time when independent music venues like The End are in trouble. And it’s all precariously held together by one 80-year old man who does the job of 10 people.

Voices in the episode include:

This episode was produced by Justin Barney, Emily Siner and Jason Moon Wilkins. Mixing and Mastering by Michael Pollard. Special thanks to Tony Gonzalez, Jewly Hight, Rachel Iacovone, Marquis Munson, LaTonya Turner, Meribah Knight, Jesse Strauss, Carly Butler, Stephanie O’Byrne, Emily Young and everyone who helped.

Institutional support from Metro Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission, Metro Arts Thrive and First Horizon Foundation.

Follow WNXP on social platforms as @WNXPNashville. and for more on Music Citizens you can head over to WNXP.org/musiccitizens/

Daisha McBride was just messing around when she started posting raps from her MTSU dorm room about a decade ago, but quickly got serious about her hip-hop career. She could’ve chased trends, or a record deal. Instead, she’s learned to veer away from what doesn’t work for her while steering towards what does. The paradox is that her new project, an EP titled People Like Me, offers both the clearest view of her creative and professional ethic to date and her most multi-faceted music-making. Senior music writer Jewly Hight, who’s chronicled McBride’s evolution over the years, digs in to the latest phase.