Chris Spencer is most known for the brutal, uncompromising and iconoclastic rockers UNSANE. Whose gory and explicit album art was equally as vicious as the music contained within. After 30 years of Unsane he’s teamed up with some friends and collaborators for a much different kind of band, the moody and often slow-burning Human Impact. Chris sits down with Conan to talk about all that during the pandemic.
The mighty bass man of the NC indie rock heroes, the Archers of Loaf comes back on Protonic Reversal to have a talk. It’s been what, 5 years? Time flies! How could it have gone long without an appearance from this swell fella? This time it is everything from the first inklings of “Go Loaf”, all the way to the end… and after! A new single and record, and a tour… right during the pandemic. It’s all discussed. Oh yeah, he also plays in a band called Band of Horses that you may have heard of, did you know that? We talk about that too.
Jerry Casale is a legend. An iconoclast, a prophet and a pioneer who got scalped. As a founding member, and mastermind behind the incredible genre bending band DEVO, Jerry pushed the boundaries of music, music video and mainstream culture. In these insane times, it is true. We are ALL DEVO. Jerry Casale sat down for a long form episode of Protonic Reversal.
(note, while this is a fully formed and fully produced episode there is another episode that began as an addendum and later became it’s own episode. You can find that here.)
The inimitable and unstoppable Andy “Falco” Falkous comes back on Protonic Reversal for another long term episode. Does this qualify him for guest host status? Nobody knows.
A freewheeler you will want to hold onto your hat for, key discussion points include an *ACTUAL* discussion of the American Left (if not the Future of it.) Covid-19 and Misfits beshirted minor villainy. All things *mclusky, and a little discussion of the last christian fitness record.
Toshi Kasai is back on Protonic Reversal! He has a brand new record/project called PLAN D!
–Plan D: Working with tons of different drummers to make a very cool record. -Lieutenant tour (Nate Mendel) -Solo sets opening for Melvins -Working with a number of different bands/clients -Overpreparing/underpreparing for recording. -Making a band/artist feel comfortable -bands arguing for 10 minutes over a part that is 5 seconds. -Tracking at sound of Sirens vs. tracking in other places/studios. -Upcoming bands recorded -“the wrong end of adventure” with destination recording. -“partying” in the studio/recording process
It’s Dale Crover! of the Dale Crover Band, Melvins, Altamont and… well, Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends! He’s been on before, but never in his own episode. And here it is. Awesome.
-Quarantine life. -Dale Crover Band – Sell Out -The Who – Sell Out –Being on a split single and being on both sides. (DCB/NeutronFriends) -Drum record on JNR -Bringing the Dale Crover Band into being an actual band. -Altamont -Recording with Mark Arm and Steve turner of Mudhoney! -Collaborations (Helms Alee!) -Sound of Sirens! -A sense of adventure in the studio/trying new stuff with Toshi -Plan D! -Working on others stuff vs. your own -Nocturnal Habits record -Different kinds of percussion -The KISS style solo records -Melvins @ Gilman/Covered Wagon (San Francisco Days) -Atlantic -Lysol / Lice-all (copyright/trademark vs. generic term) -Mark Deutrom/Lori Black -Covering Going Blind/KISS and then later playing it live with Gene Simmons. -Playing with KISS and playing with Rush. -Double drums with Coady Willis and playing with Jared Warren -Hold it In -Mike and the Melvins -Reconciling with Kevin Rutmanis -P.I.L./Flowers of Romance/Martin Atkins/American Bandstand -Setting up the Melvins space for Ministry -Steven McDonald in Melvins -General quarantine wrap-up, QUARANTIME!
It’s Jem from the band DEAD, all the way from down under. You may not know the name, you may not know the man… but it’s a great episode with a lot to learn from a true heart who is down in the dirt, doing the work.
Steven McDonald has been playing music since he was 12 years old and making records and touring with his brother Jeff as the band Redd Kross the whole time. He’s also played in such bands as OFF!, Melvins, and a live incarnation of Sparks. Redd Kross has a new album out called “Beyond the Door” and Steven and Conan talk about… well, a lot of stuff.
-Postponed tour -Beyond The Door -Dale Crover on drums -Sparks Covers / “When Do I Get To Sing My Way?” -Sparks talk with Conan and Steven. -Georgio Moroder -There really haven’t been that many Redd Kross records for as long the band has been around. -40+ year career/starting in with Redd Kross as a kid! -First show with black flag. (Keith and Robo era) -Then playing with Keith in OFF! years later. -Redd Kross being influence by rock and… well KISS. -Neurotica and recording with Tommy Ramone (after learning to play along to the first Ramones record. -Influencing GRUNGE -Dale Crover interlude -“Big Time Records” -Major label stuff/the “Alternative era”/manuf -Major or minor, anybody can be a dick. -Right thing/right time and taking a 10 year break from actively being in a band. -Getting out of ruts, overlooking things, liking things as identity (punk rock) -Thrift stores over hardcore -oh yeah… THE MELVINS -Joining the Melvins. -Melvins logistics -Superhero team logistics -The wild world of the Melvins. -Bringing the Rock ‘n roll show energy to the Melvins. -“Don’t listen to the records!” -Melvins fans/trolls -Please do not throw things at Steven McDonald.
Tim Midyett returns to Protonic Reversal, for the first #StayHome edition of the show. Tim comes back with a brand new 2xLP Mint Mile record, as well as new experiences from recording and touring with legends of drone: SUNN 0)))
-Quarantine life -Cancelling shows -Playing live vs. not -Ambertron! -Baroque elements and Showing Ambertron to a younger Tim. -Listening to old stuff from way back when. -Playing with people more skilled than you are/playing with people better than you. -Inspiration. -playing with and entering the world of SUNN 0))), a detailed journey! -Michael Dahlquist tour diaries. -Bottomless Pit revisited.
For the 150th episode, one of our favorite guests is back, the unmistakable and always interesting Mr. Steve Albini.
-Making ends meet in the age of quarantine. -The American Health Care system -The slow escalation of risk with a midwest Shellac tour -Playing new songs live, 1/3 of the set is unreleased stuff. -Live experience vs. vegas stage show (the art of surprise and stage expectations) -Billiard Player Song and live evolution of songs -Cheap Trick vs. the Ex -Do the internal meanings of the songs change. -Scrappers -Old songs -Accountability for song content/flawed thinking -Culpability v/ doubling down on dickery. -Jokes vs. just being a jerk (comedians) -Chappelle -Big Black art aesthetic (it was cheaper!) -Big Black: Jordan, Minnesota -Big Black: Seth (his DOG hated black people…)(race in America and privilege) -The Mentors -The name of the band Rapeman -Rapeman: “I have not been held to account” -Blitz tattoos. -Dave Riley of Big Black remembered -The Girl on the Third Floor soundtrack (with Tim Midget and Helen Money) -The End of Radio Peel sessions
The one and only Billy Gould finally comes on Protonic Reversal! Billy and his coharts have an awesome new The Talking Book album. A project that evokes eno-like soundscapes as well as 70s film soundtracks. Conan and Billy talk about that, many things Faith No More and… Milk Cult?
-Talking Book II-70s film soundtracks -9 year gap -Structured but not structured -“It’s not ready until it’s ready” -Adding a member to a very subjective and subconscious enterprise -Not the same as getting a new band member. -Milk Cult! -Faith No More going into new directions the audience didn’t necessarily expect -Being known as a “rock guy.” -Old San Francisco -(Men of) Porn -Playing in Jello Biafra’s band -Faith No More reunion and complex relationships. -Songs with problems “We fixed ’em!” -Getting the call from Wayne Kramer to play in the MC50 -The pressure. -Playing with Brendan Canty -“If you do something, see it though -Choose a journey where you don’t care about the destination. -The many moods and styles of guitar players of Faith More. -FNM as alchemy -Slap bass demo tapes -touring vs. recording -Live shows with Talking Book -Kool Arrow: the genre is “good”
Protonic Reversal Ep192: Phil Manley (Trans Am, Terry Gross, Life Coach) https://www.protonicreversal.com/2020/08/13/ep192-phil-manley-trans-am-terry-gross-life-coach/ via @Conanneutron #podcast #protonicreversal #transam #philmanley
Conan Neutron’s Protonic Reversal this week:
8/4: Tuesday, Ben Widenhaus (Federation-X, Von Wildenhaus)
8/9: Thursday, Steve Von Till (Neurosis)
both at 8e/7c/6m/5p
http://Radionope.com live and then podcasted everywhere. #protonicreversal
Protonic Reversal Ep190: David Pajo (Slint, Papa M, Zwan, Household Gods, Tortoise, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, Dead Child, Stereolab) https://www.protonicreversal.com/2020/07/29/ep190-david-pajo-slint-papa-m-zwan-household-gods-tortoise-yeah-yeah-yeahs-interpol-dead-child-stereolab/ via @Conanneutron #davidpajo #protonicReversal #podcast
