Toshi is the renowned producer of bands like Melvins, Tool and so much more. He’s not only the master mind of the incredible Plan D, but has a fantastic new record called Based on True Stories, that is full of gypsy jazz, backmasking, filters and glitches but is… mostly acoustic? We take a deep song-by-song dive into that as well as what bands do and don’t get right about recording, writing and everything else and a bit of insight about how somebody who works so hard on the creativity others finds time and space to innovate himself.
What a treat! All four members of Oklahoma City Noise-rock/sludge superstars come on Protonic Reversal to talk about their awesome new record God’s Country in-depth. An in-depth song by song discussion! Along with talk of logos, art direction, the Oklahoma scene and a surprising amount of 90s swing revival discourse.
Almanac Man is a great newer band from Denver, with a great new record called For Your Cause. Song by song breakdown of that record, as well as a comprehensive overview of the long lived, 2-bass and drums Chicago trio Bear Claw. Chris Metcalf of Life and Times and playing in Rented Rooms and lots, lots more.
The mighty Die Kreuzen vocalist and frontman has a brand new dark acoustic duo called DeadFinger. Learn all about that here, as well as a detailed run through of the entire history of Die Kreuzen, key moments and records, what came afterwards and lots more. Reunions, shouting out newer bands, post-Die Kreuzen activities, The Crosses (a band playing the first self titled Die Kreuzen LP front to back, faves from Oct File & originals!) and fans spanning generations.
Tom Waits, Harvey Milk, Melvins, Captain Beefheart and more! Turning a solo project into a band and into the same band but with a different lineup. One guitar vs. two guitars. The story of Kal Marks coming back during COVID. The story of playing with Kowloon Walled City, Gentrification and not caring about what is cool. A DETAILED song-by-song walk through of the new record: My Name is Hell, available at Exploding in Sound Records.
Cool! It’s the guitar man from the mighty Descendents and ALL (and FLAG!). Listen in as Stephen and Conan talk about: bringing the prog to the downstrokes, growing up in a musical family, wireless or wired (never knobs), ALL (the album and the band), Everything Sucks, 9th and Walnut, oh yeah, and some dude wore a t-shirt too.
For episode 300, it was time for something COMPLETELY different. Don’t worry, it isn’t only: “When are you going to have _ on?” or “How is babby formed?”. It’s a nice blend of IMs, e-mails and live comments all answered in a live environment.
Part 2 of the epic episode with Mike Kunka! (Part 1 is here) We talk about the later days of godheadSilo, Enemymine, Dead Low Tide, Smoke and Smoke and what exactly the deal was with that reunion tour in the middle of winter a few years back.
Mike Kunka is an American bass guitarist best known as a member of the group godheadSilo. He has also been a member of the groups Dead Low Tide, Smoke and Smoke and Enemymine, based out of Washington state. All that and Three Men and a Baby with Melvins. We talk about… all of that! And lots more. Guardians of the Threshold! this is part 1 of a 2 part episode. (Editor’s note… Mike’s connection is not always the best, FYI)
Jem of the mighty DEAD (Australia) returns to Protonic Reversal to talk about re-pressing Raving Drooling, releasing UP YOURS, We Grit Our Teeth, CLUB DEAD, multiple versions of the band and lots, lots more. (not touring though!)
Wait, what?! That’s right, it is the most comprehensive breakdown of all things Don Cab you are likely to hear. Album by album, For Respect to American Don, and even World Class Listening Problem and Punkgasm. The art on 2 and What Burns. Using technology to solve problems. Is he playing? What happened with Bellini? All that and and so much more answered here.
A comprehensive history of the band Flipper from the genre defining band’s mighty drummer! The positivity of LIFE, the synare of Sex Bomb and the sax solos. Public Flipper Limited, Gone Fishin’, Blow’n Chunks, vs. Studio 54 (Really!), Being Rick Rubin’s favorite band, losing Will Shatter, Krist Noviselic (!) and David Yow (!), joining the group. Who exactly is Fletcher from the Garden? All of this and SO MUCH MORE!
Lubricated Goat! CRUNT! the Art Gray Noizz Quintet! Stu Spasm (aka: Stu Gray) is a legend in underground music. Find out who in Lubricated Goat liked Motley Crue a little too much, playing with Charles Tolnay and Guy Maddison (respectively!), Playing naked on television, getting stabbed in Berlin and various activities in between, CRUNT, the evolution and reveal of The Art Gray Noizz Quintent. The live record (recorded just as lockdown hit). Lydia Lunch and tons, tons more. Is it the definitive Stu Spasm interview? It. just. might. be.
Well, well, well! It’s Will Brooks of Dälek, coming in hot with a fantastic new record called Precipice. One that features a guest appearance by young up and comer Adam Jones of (*checks notes*) TOOL, even. Listen in as Will and Conan talk about sharing the stage with everybody from Godflesh to Prince Paul, playing for yourself, the MEDITATIONS series and streaming on twitch, redoing the entire record when COVID hit, collaborations with FAUST, ALL THAT and a song by song walkthrough of Precipice!
SAVAK have a new record, their 5th! Human Error/Human Delight, it’s a great rocker and has a wild array of bass players, just like the band. It’s been 192 episodes since Sohrab was last on and 208 since it was a full episode, and Michael Jaworski has NEVER been on. Here that is finally rectified as we do a song-by-song of Human Error/Human Delight, and also talk about carrying on as a band as real life responsibilities and adulthood happen, and many other hilarious topics. NO BLUES! NO JAZZ! NO ARBITRARY BORDERS!
THIS CROSSOVER GOES TO 11! That’s right, it is the the classic (and endlessly quotable) Rob Reiner Mockumentary. With a round table discussion that includes Gerald V. Casale of DEVO, Brian Teasley (Birdstuff) of Man…or Astro-Man?/Polyphonic Spree and St. Vincent and so much more! The first ever crossover between Conan Neutron’s Protonic Reversal and Movie Night Extravaganza. “It’s such a fine line between stupid, and uh…clever.”
Angela and Dylan are back… after 102 episodes and a full year to talk about their new record GRIND. Thoughts on discussion on touring in the age of COVID, continuing on without Rebecca. Bringing in new folks to the band. What adornments and embellishments an extra year (!) of sitting with a record provides, why trying too hard to be what is wanted in the moment is bound for unhappiness and a freewheeling breakdown of each of the new album’s songs.
That’s right, it’s Conan’s old friend the mighty Jon Weisnewski, host of the excellent TOMORROW WE DIE! An podcast about touring under adverse conditions that is probably a cousin to Protonic Reversal. Also, the mighty AKIMBO, SANDRIDER and now… NUCLEAR DUDES.
Are you looking for a comprehensive history of the Akimbo Discography? How about the origin of Sandrider? How about exactly what the heck is a Nuclear Dude and why should you care? How about ALL THAT, Alternative Tentacles, the perils of trying to record two albums at the same time and SO. MUCH. MORE. ok?
Wow! It’s the amazing Lenny Kaye! Guitarist, songwriter, Creator of NUGGETS and Author! His new book: “Lightning Striking: Ten Transformative Moments in Rock and Roll.” and it is AWESOME. Tales of creating songs with Patti and beyond. Horses! Easter! Radio Ethopia! and records made in recent decades soon. Rocking, writing, being a critic, a curator and providing a spotlight on the things you love. Because the Night. It’s a great talk with the Rockenteur, one and only… Mr. Lenny Kaye!
Wow! It is THE LIVING JARBOE, artist, singer, musician and ICON. Coming at last to Protonic Reversal to talk about the reissue, remaster and reimagining of the Skin/World of Skin record “blood, women, roses” being reborn as Jarboe – Skin, Blood, Women, Roses. CRY ME A RIVER, Eat or sleep tour, Hauling heavy vintage keyboards up and down stairs (and reloading sounds during power outages), BIRTHRIGHT and Swans, living in very dangerous environments, visual art, and making unique things. Only Lovers Left Alive and Jozef van Wissem. All that and collaborations with Jesu and Neurosis, Helen Money and Kris Force. People! It’s Jarboe!
The legendary singer and front-man of the iconic and influential The Pop Group comes on Protonic Reversal to talk all about that legendary band, as well as the Rip it Up And Start Again documentary on the “post-punk” scene. Which also refuses to just be a museum piece. Additionally lots about a brand new record of collaborations called VS, including with such folks like KK Null of Zeni Geva and Mike Watt! Lee “Scratch” Perry and lots more. Matt Groening! The Minutemen! Dispatches from that very special time in music that the Pop Group started. As well as returning to that music after many years. Taking the piss, etc. Lots of talk about moving forward and evolving.
Absolutely devastated to hear of Mr. Mark Lanegan’s passing. Here is a repost of episode 146, which came out before his book and just after Somebody’s Knocking was released. This episode was a couple weeks before COVID hit. What an incredible voice, and interesting man! There’s a lot of laughs in this episode. Enjoy.
-Doing the video with Travis and Joe (and Donel!) -Video with Jimmy the cab driver (reprising that character after years) -Making the other video at the Salton Sea with still photographs -“Don’t mind the crickets.” -The book! “Sing Backwards and Weep” (and companion piece record) -Recording the companion piece record to the book and linking the songs to it. -“A pandora’s box of shitty memories.” -Working with Rob Marshall of Humanist. -Making a double record/great double records. -Opening for Watt -Blues Funeral -Meet and greets at the merch table and getting ghost pain from shaking hands. -Complicated hand shake non-engagement -Older audiences. -Picking a setlist with so much material. -Ripping off Leonard Cohen -Rated R and joining Queens of the Stone Age -Gutter Twins with Greg Dulli -Playing on each other’s records, vs. working on things together. -Meeting Greg Dulli (and initially wanting to kick ass ass) -“Secret beef!” -Josh Homme in Screaming Trees -Walking the streets with Josh Homme, and Josh being misidentified as a cop! -The Conner brothers. -The story of the Screaming Trees. -Publically learning how to make records -Different crowds knowing different eras of the music. -Artist vs. entertaintainer vs. guy who stands there and sings. -Stooges and being in Iggy’s sights
KRÜLLER is the brand new album by Author & Punisher, the brainchild of Tristan Shone. We do a song by song breakdown at the end, but speak a but about the entire Author & Punisher catalog, as well as COVID hitting at the end of being on tour with TOOL. Why you must always have the correct tables. The logistics of getting so much hardware overseas for a tour. Bringing in people to collaborate on newer things. Accidentally pestering Neurosis backstage. Beastland! Drone Machines! And now Drone Machines the COMPANY, bespoke controllers designed to last and weather in a cool way straight from the A&P live show. All that and so much more!
That’s right! it is the proto-punk/rock ‘n roll icon himself. The mighty Deniz Tek. Perhaps you’ve head of RADIO BIRDMAN, friend? Anyway, let’s run through the discography and those wild days of bringing the motor city mayhem to Australia with a band that excited future record nerds and Seymour Stein but got as many lumps as you can handle as well. Listen in to a rock ‘n roll lifer whose modus operandi is to remember that rock ‘n roll is FUN as well as brutal and true. All that plus: ICEMAN! Fact or fiction. Records with James Wiliamson Tekona Coffee!
The incredible Steve Fisk of Let Them Eat Jellybeans fame. A wild and winding talk with the legendary producer and musician that stretches the epochs of time. Keyboard inspirations, finding and creating community. Punk rock, Pell Mell, Pigeonhed and more. An insider’s view of Seattle during the early 90s GOLD RUSH of grunge and a surprising amount of talk about Northern Exposure. Oh yeah, how about a pretty exhaustive insiders view on the Screaming Trees from the beginning to the major label era? Yes, Steve was there. The storied and varied discography of Unwound, recording Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc. Ladies and gentlemen: IT’S STEVE FISK!
Tight Bros From Way Back When were a damn hell ass rock band at a time where that wasn’t as appreciated as it should have been. That band is only one reason why Quitty is such a legend in certain circles. Nudity, Mukilteo Fairies, the list goes on. Of course why talk about that when he and Conan can opine about that little known Beatles GET BACK film, as well as “Why Am I Doing This? (A Film About Touring)“. In all seriousness, lots of Tight Bros talk, Nudity… and some about the man eventually ended up at the Law offices of Rock and Roll.
At last! It is the incredible Toko Yasuda. One third of the much missed and criminally underrated Enon. Live member of St. Vincent’s band, The Lapse, and… more. Hear all about finishing things and being lazy, being a bandmember vs. being a hired hand. Choreography and practice, joining up with the Sleater-Kinney live band for The Center Won’t Hold live tours. PLVS VLTRA (Story and the pretentious spelling), some stuff about the Lapse and oh yeah… the first Blonde Redhead record!
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.
Ep274: John Mohr, Mike Greelees, Tom Zaluckyj (TAR) https://www.protonicreversal.com/2021/12/06/ep274-john-mohr-mike-greelees-tom-zaluckyj-tar-2/ #protonicreversal #podcast #tarband
