John Huston is the guitarist and singer for Chicago power-trio STOMATOPOD, who are releasing their 3rd record Competing with Hindsight. We get into a little of each of the Stomatopod records, the history of the band, the Pawners Society and lots more.
Well, hey, hey! It is the incredible Kim Coletta of Jawbox. A free ranging discussion about covid times, revisiting old material, holding the angle while the guitars do crazy things and a whole lot more. Covid kids, picking material for new shows, breaking news that can’t be broke (finger to the lip), Bill leaving and Brooks coming in and why WON’T COME OFF should absolutely be in all of the Jawbox live sets. A far ranging discussion with a consummate badass that also touches just a wee bit on the incredible DeSoto records.
William Goldsmith is the incredible drummer for Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft and now… Assertion, he was also in the original lineup of the Foo Fighters with SDRE bandmate Nate Mendel and it wasn’t the nicest time. Hear all about creating and playing at a furious pace in Assertion. Number songs! “Make it pink!”, the weirdness of playing late night shows with such personal music, cumulative loss and isolating from everybody. Making amends after many years and so much more. Dave, call the man.
WILD TYPE DROID! That’s right, new Failure record suckers.. song by song breakdown of it, as well as all the details of the weeks long improv sessions that made it , COMFORT, MAGNIFIED, FANTASTIC PLANET, THE HEART IS A MONSTER… all the things! Reconvening without being a nostalgia act. Deep dive into all of the FAILURE things, right?
Well hey there, it is 3/4 of the mighty Tar! A deep dive into the discography, the mythos, the digging through shoeboxes for all of the awesome ephemera that led to The TAR Box Set (Vol. 1). Lots on reconvening, long (really long) distance practice, doing something that means a whole hell of a lot for some people, and more than a little discussion about various songs and song titles.
2/3 of CHERUBS! Come on Protonic Reversal. Discussion of the “brand new” SLO BLO 4 FRNZ & SXY,2 Ynfynyty, Icing, Immaculada High, The mighty HEROIN MAN, and using the studio to make something truly noisy and cool and IN THE RED, competing with yourself to make something worthwhile. How much coffee it ACTUALLY took to regroup the band? Realizing that it works. Why King Coffey of Butthole Surfers wasn’t a great fit on drums, but was a great fit as a label guy. Challenging yourself as a band and connecting with fans new and old.
The incredible Tim Quirk is most known for the excellent and clever band, Too Much Joy. He’s also an excellent writer, and has been at the ground floor for a FEW stages of the digital music revolution. Bob Seger! The Incredible depths of “Seasons in the Sun.” Witness as we discuss the many records of TMJ, including the NEW ONE “Mistakes Were Made” and the even NEWER one, 12 months of joy, which has the songwriting itself crowdsourced. As well as 2 Live Crew, LL Cool J, the major label rollercoaster, what constitutes goofy vs. serious music. Bozo the clown and all that stuff.
The amazing Joe Carducci has a new book of screen plays called Western Stories. We speak of that, as well as the timeless Rock and the Pop Narcotic, the greater history of the creation of independent distribution systems and the architecture for the American DIY world. We also get into the Velvet Underound (and doc!), stand-up comedy, Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture, Enter Naomi, the changes in rock criticism, journalism, musical availability and cultural gates and gatekeepers past and present (looking at YOU, Rolling Stone) and so much more. It’s a very freewheeling conversation
He’s back! He’s back! After episode 208‘s comprehensive rundown of Sloan’s career (so far) the mighty Mr. Murphy is back to tell us all about Tuns and Trans-Canada Highwaymen and fill in some of the spots we missed. the Hit and Run ep (and the ACTUAL hit and run behind it), Silence Trumps Lies. Sloan on the OTHER Conan, a deep dive in Murder Records. Punk rock shows… Trailer Park Boys. Sloan: Founded in Fairness ™ and invested in each other.
After episode 206‘s epic length discussion of the Cows, it is only fair to do a deep dive into the discography of the mighty Heroine Sheiks! Especially now that Out of Aferica is being released on vinyl for the FIRST TIME. Hear how this very specific keyboard music came together as a NY band that was operating along with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and such. Shannon Selberg is a deep thinking and an interesting guy, let’s listen in on the man’s criminally ignored second act and lots, lots more.
The Mighty Ben Verellen on Protonic Reversal at last. Conan and Ben talk a little about the Harkonen tour where they played along with a cd, layered harmonies, HA origin story, the 8/16 “Beavis and Butthead video”, as well as an album by album run through of the many wonderful Helms Alee records. Verellen Amplifiers! Bar House. ‘Tis a delight!
The relentless Trevor Dunn is back! This time with SpermChurch an international poly electro collaborative duo with electronic artist Sannety, releasing the brand new merdeka atau mati on his brand new label Riverworm Records. In this episode we discuss, growing up in Humboldt county and the origins of Mr. Bungle as well as the beginning and “cybernetic caveman” of the Raging Wrath of the Eastern Bunny demo. Fantomas origins, collaborations, and a run through of Disco Volante, California, the Mr. Bungle s/t amongst others. RETROVERTIGO, jazz pick up bands and lots more. All of that and a whole lot about this fascinating new release and collaboration.
The return of the Faith No More bass man! The early (grubby) days, and a deep, deep dive into the FNM discography. The myth and reality of Chuck Mosley. Rakija! Herzog and Kinski. Coming back to the band and all the various personalities. Kool Arrow! Last time we talked about MC50, Talking Book and (shockingly) Milk Cult, this is the detailed deep dive into the world of FNM you didn’t know you needed.
All Souls is a fascinating newer band! Although he lives in Los Angeles now, running the excellent Eastside Rehearsal studios, Tony and Conan know each other from the bay area heavy/noisy rock world. All Souls is a bit of a different animal though. Hear all about their touring with the Jesus Lizard, Melvins and TOOL, the band’s origin story and concept. Erik Trammel and Matt Price! Whatever happened with Last Days of Ancient Sunlight? This episode has a good overview, if not totally comprehensive look attheTotimoshidiscography. Some background on Tony’s… well… background. Rig Rundown! All that plus Tony’s tales of tour managing and road crewing bands like Neurosis, High On Fire, Melvins and more.
San Antonio’s The Grasshopper Lies Heavy have been making uncompromising heavy music for over 10 years. They have a brand new one “A Cult That Worships a God of Death“ out on Learning Curve Records. The record is examined on a song by song breakdown, as well as hearing more about splits with Gay Witch Abortion, touring Japan, what does and does not sell t-shirts and the hunt for tuning pegs in a foreign land. Get heavy, people!
Pt 2! of Ep253’s Pt.1. Heavy focus on Only Ghosts and Ross Robinson, recording that record as a destination recording and then a detailed song by song breakdown of Arrows. Also taking bands on tour you like and paying it forward, deep dive on songwriting and lots more.
John Adams! Game of Thrones! Fury Road! Oscars and Emmys. The divided worlds of sound editing and music and a stunning career in a cool profession. Endurance contest BF practices. Instrumental Flag vs. with Vocals. Touring. Slip it in! Loose nut! Process of Weeding Out! DOS and Watt, Billie Holiday! Songwriting and idea jotting. The incredible story of Kira’s stolen (and recovered) bass. All of that and so very much more, Kira Also, Kira has a solo record coming out on Kitten Robot Records! Hey, it’s Kira, she’s an icon and a badass, dig in.
The one and only Johnny Temple! Not just the low end master at the mighty Girls Against Boys, but also proprietor of the incredible Akashic Books. Getting book advice from Henry Rollins and 2.13.61, Black Sparrow Press and what is different from the music biz vs. the book biz. Lots of talk of the stylish and sly house of GvsB. The specialness of Kill the Sexplayer, Reconvening in Prague in 2017 for Scott McCloud’s birthday and a whole lot more.
The iconic, unmistakable and mighty Erica Dunn of Mod Con and TFS stops in to chat many things musical, Covid and what not. The existential whiplash of hitting it hard on the road and playing music to the dead stop of the pandemic. Thrill to the brand new Mod Con single Ammo (and subsequent album!) and hear a bit about the tantalizingly mysterious new TFS album DEEP STATES. The path to playing music FOR REAL, playing live shows again, the origins of Palm Springs. What makes You Let My Tyres Down such a unique and cool song. Layers and layers, space in Mod Con and maximalism in TFS… all that and more, more, more!
Dana’s band Wavebreaker is an intersectional rock band centering the needs and lived experiences of girls, women, and femmes of color. A passionate advocate for progressive politics, Wavebreaker is explicitly political, pointed and ready to rock in the name of freedom and equality. Enter: Interdependence. Formed from the excellent Batwings Catwings and featuring members of Turbo Lightning at the Mae-shi, listen in as Dana talks about the overall game plan and strategy of walking the walk politically while still making great tunes, standing rock, rocking while being a female POC, skating and lots more.
One of Conan’s favorite front people in music returns to Protonic Reversal. The incredible and inimitable Lindsey Charles of The Cell Phones. Direct and honest lyricism, powerful presentation and the incongruity of a spazzy band with great pop hooks. Lesley Gore is discussed, Halloween albums, and a little bit of each one of the the three full lengths this uncompromising and badass band has released. INCLUDING 2020’s Best 20 of 2020 NUMBER ONE RECORD, Battery Lower. Song by song!
Exhalants are a great band from Texas. 2020’s ATONEMENT was on the Protonic Reversal Top 20 of 2020. We do a SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN of that very record (RICHARD! LAKE SONG)… as well as a roundup of Exhalants live experiences, the first record, split with Pinko, the value of a live record during a pandemic that people cannot experience live music. Gentrification, local band bills and lots, lots more.
The Gary have a new one out called FALLOW. Their first with drummer Anthony Castaneda. The long running Texas rockers have a unique sound and a unique voice. Check out bass player and singer Dave Norwood talk about taking the leap towards singing *AND* playing, what starts in the head vs. how the song turns out. Literary catnip. Chub, dust bowl, taprooms, “the Well(tm)”, National Parks, Valhalla! Fair Weatherer! Call The Dogs! All that stuff and lots, lots more. Including a song by song breakdown of the latest near the end. The Gary is a unique and iconically American band. It’s about dang time Dave was on.
Rye has an amazing arc! From sweaty basement post-hardcore/noise rock rippers, to anthemic big rock power houses. Much of this is outlined in the excellent documentary “Rye Coalition: The Story of the Hard Luck 5“, but listen in as Dave talks about everything from splits with KARP and the LAST SHOW at Princeton, John Sherman… wasted, touring with Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters all the way to hobnobbing with the rock ‘n roll elite and going for the brass ring. Through it all: the friendship is the through line. Along with some killer riffs. And stay tuned for a very revealing protonic exclusive!
The enigmatic rocker Mike Lust has a brand new record called Demented Wings. We go deep into a song by song breakdown of that record, as well as a lot about the legendary doublealbum SILK PRISON by Tight Phantomz. Phantomz on Breaking Bad! Lustre King and about a million things more.
The mighty Red Fang is back with a brand new record called ARROWS. Listen it as Aaron speaks with Conan about: Party Time to Red Fang, Prehistoric Dog! Making a band that keeps the heavy, but spares the sextant, being handpicked by Metallica for Orion fest and still being able to be a little star struck. Thoughts on memories on the S/T, Murder the Mountains and Whales and Leeches and the in-depth story of Red Fang’s totally badass appearance on David Letterman. Also, check out PART 2!
From Come and Codeine, to The New Year and MVF, to his excellent solo albums, Chris Brokaw has done QUITE A BIT. In depth Codeine talk (the unreleased second record?!?), Come through the ages, The New Year origin and more, playing with Clint Conley of Mission of Burma in Consonant, the Martha’s Vineyard Ferries. So much! So much music talk. Oberlin! NY. All that plus a track by track run through of the excellent Puritan record that came out early this year. Let’s do it!
Eric of The Bismarck‘s comprehensive documentary on touring “Why Am Doing This?” has been setting the internet on fire! The harsh but hilarious focus on smaller bands, shared experiences, touring etiquette and where adventure can turn to compulsion and trauma. Eric and Conan get into all of the details of creating this wonderful document, what did and didn’t make it in. Unique challenges and pitfalls, and lots of other things.
Yes, you read that right. One of the founders of DEVO suggested turning the tables on Conan for the 7 Year and 250 episode milestone. What, we are going to say no? Although nobody could have predicted that Conan’s mother would be killed in a car crash that week. That is discussed, as well as what set Conan on his creative path. The complicated legacy and catalyst of Clay Wofford, the origin of Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends, Protonic in the time of COVID (a piece of wreckage after the shipwreck), getting on stage in front of people, the genius of Toshi Kasai and asking Dale Crover to be part of Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends. Lessons learned from all of that. New Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends plans, being too angry to write music. Hall monitors and following rules that don’t make sense. Getting out there and so much more. LOOK, it’s Jerry Casale of DEVO talking to Conan Neutron. Cool? Cool.
(PS: If you want to hear Gerald Casale talk about DEVO, check out: Part 1 and Part 2 of his award winning protonic appearances* and the Something for Everybody 10 year special. More DEVO than you can shake a stick at there.)
Protonic Rewind! One year back: Ep221: Brian Teasley (Man... or Astro-Man?, Servotron) https://www.protonicreversal.com/2021/01/16/ep221-brian-teasley-man-or-astro-man-servotron-2/ via @ProtonicPod
