NEM#260: Jacqui Hunt (Single Gun Theory Singer) Now Master of Her Synth Domain
Sep 10, 2026
Show notes
Jacqui rose to fame with the Australian electronic dance band Single Gun Theory (three albums released 1987, 1991, 1994), did some one-off collaborations (e.g. singing for Delirium), and released her first solo album in 2008. After some solo singles (and an album as one half of CiiVE), she’s now released her second solo album, Desiderium.
We discuss “Planet” (co-written with Brian Connelly) and listen at the end to “Cycles” from that new album, plus “Myriad” from Auraphonic (2008), and “The Sea of Core Experience” by Single Gun Theory from Flow, River of My Soul (1994) (the core song including lyrics written by Kath Power, with synths added by Pete Rivett-Carnac; Jacqui would add her vocals to create the final version). Intro: “Take Me Back” by Single Gun Theory from Millions, Like Stars in My Hands, The Daggers in My Heart Wage War (1991). Learn more at jacquihunt.net.
Hear all of “Take Me Back.”Here’s a playlist of Single Gun Theory’s other various videos. As Jacqui said, they didn’t often play live, and I’m not able to find any live footage of their tour with Sarah McLachlan or other shows, though according to the description, this is a live audio recording.
NEM#259: Glenn Morrow (Bar/None): Songwriting Re-Emergence
Aug 24, 2026
Show notes
Glenn was a central figure in the Hoboken punk scene, fronting the band “a” in the late ’70s (no released albums) and then The Individuals (one album and an EP) in the early ’80s. His next band, Rage to Live (two albums), was the first release from Bar/None records in 1986, and Glenn then joined the label as a partner and signed They Might Be Giants, Yo La Tengo, etc. He started recording his own music again in the early 2010’s and has now released three albums as Glenn Morrow’s Cry for Help.
We discuss “Sweater Weather” (and listen at the end to “That’s That”) from Our Final Album Vol. 1 (2026), “Our World” by The Individuals from Fields (1982), and “Swimmer” from the self-titled album (1986) by Rage to Live. Intro: “Yellowed Pages” from 2 (2020). More at glenn-morrow.com.
NEM#258: Dan Montgomery: Direct Communication
Aug 10, 2026
Show notes
Dan was Ben Vaughn’s sound-man and released his first solo album of Americana rock in 2004. We discuss “Busted” from his eighth album (produced by Vaughn), the just Dan-and-his guitar effort Dispatches from the Desert, then “Beaumont” from Cast-Iron Songs and Torch Ballads (2023), “Favorite Color” from Rosetta, Please (A Love Story) (2006). End song: “Lookin’ for a Fight” also from the new album. Intro: “Always” from Man from Out of State (2004). More at danmontgomery.bandcamp.com.
NEM#257: Josh Joplin Doesn’t Look Back… Until Now
Jul 28, 2026
Show notes
With his roots in folk, Josh released three rock albums in the ’90s before his big hit “Camera One,” from Useful Music (2001), which is getting a Silver Anniversary rework/reissue (The intro music for this episode is the newly recorded version). He has released seven albums since then, typically as The Josh Joplin Group, but sometimes as Among the Oak & Ash.
We discuss “Goodbye Berlin” from GpYr (2025), “History of I Do” from Figure Drawing (2023) (music by Wes Langois), “Juniper” from Boxing Nostalgic (1997), and conclude by listening to “High, Low & Wide” from the self-titled album by his folk unit, Among the Oak & Ash (2008). More at joshjoplingroup.com.
NEM#256: Bruce Soord (Pineapple Thief): Heartbreaking Prog by Ear
Jul 16, 2026
Show notes
Bruce started as guitarist for the ’90s for Vulgar Unicorn and started Pineapple Thief as a solo project in 1999, though it quickly became a full band (and has for the last several albums been a true 4-way collaboration featuring King Crimson/Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison). He’s released 16 studio albums with Pineapple Thief and four solo albums (plus a collaboration album with Jonas Renske from Katatonia). More at brucesoord.com and pineapplethief.com.
We discuss “Pillars” from Ghosts in the Park (his 2026 solo album) and some Pineapple Thief tracks: the title track from It Leads to This (2024), “Clapham” from 10 Stories Down (2005), remixed for 3000 Days (2008), plus to conclude “Alone at Sea” from Magnolia (2014). Intro: “Private Paradise” by from Abducted at Birth (1999, originally called Abducting the Unicorn).
NEM#255: Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies): Mellow But Energized
Jun 28, 2026
Show notes
Michael is the songwriter and guitarist for the Canadian band Cowboy Junkies (featuring two of his siblings and a childhood friend), with whom he’s released 20+ studio albums and several live albums since 1989.
We discuss “Throw a Match” from Such Ferocious Beauty (2023), “He Will Call You Baby” from More Acoustic Junk (2025), remade from One Soul Now (2004), and “Rock and Bird” from The Caution Horses (1990). End song: ” Unanswered Letter” from The Wilderness-The Nomad Series, Vol. 4 (2012). Intro: “Misguided Angel” from The Trinity Session (1988). More at cowboyjunkies.com.
Follow along in Mark’s notes (Google has inexplicably decided that the file looks dangerous and might warn you of this, but it’s just the same as all the rest of them; you can ignore the warning.)
NEM#254: Teddy Thompson Gets Off the Sofa
Jun 11, 2026
Show notes
Teddy, golden-voiced son on Richard and Linda, is more tied to ’50s/’60s rock and country than he his to his parents’ folk influences, and he’s recorded ten solo albums of tuneful, straightforward but highly idiosyncratic rock and country tunes since 2000.
We discuss “Come Back” (and listen at the end to “So This Is Heartache”) from Never Be the Same (2026), “Move At Speed” from Heartbreaker Please (2020), and “I Should Get Up” from Separate Ways (2006). Intro: “In My Arms” from A Piece of What You Need (2008). More at teddythompson.net.
NEM#253: Synth-Scaper Richard Barbieri (Japan, Porcupine Tree)
May 29, 2026
Show notes
Richard joined the British art-rock band Japan in 1975, playing with them through their five albums, 1982 break-up, and 1991 one-off reformation (as Rain Tree Crow). He continued to collaborate with Japan drummer Steve Jansen, recording four instrumental ambient albums with him (and one pop album in 1987 as Dolphin Brothers), between 1985 and 1995, adding Japan bassist Nick Karn for a couple more albums, plus 1994 album with No-Man singer Tim Bowness and two albums (’12-’13) with Marillion singer Steve Hogarth. In 1995 he joined Porcupine Tree, and this has been his main gig, recording 25+ albums with them. In 2004 he finally released his first solo album, a second one in 2008, and then a steady stream of albums and EPs since 2017 (so around eight solo albums’ worth of material in total).
We discuss “A New Simulation” from Hauntings (2026), “All Fall Down” from Stranger Inside (2008), and “Sleepers Awake” by Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri from Stone to Flesh (1995). End song: “Waiting to Be Born” by Steve Hogarth and Richard Barbieri, recorded 2015 and released as the lead track to an EP by that name in 2023. Intro: “The Experience of Swimming” by Japan, a B-side from Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980). More at richardbarbieri.bandcamp.com.
NEM#252: Folk Legend Tom Paxton
May 12, 2026
Show notes
Tom was an integral member of the Greenwich Village early ’60s folk scene (playing originals regularly before Bob Dylan did). His tunes have been covered by Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Harry Belafonte, and many others. He received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2009.
We talk about “Rebel Gal” from Together Again (2026) (a collaborative album with John McCutcheon), “If the Poor Don’t Matter” from Redemption Road (2015), “Mr. Blue” from Morning Again (1968), and “The Death of Stephen Biko” (with Anne Hills and Bob Gibson) from Best of Friends (live in 1984, released in 2004; the song was originally recorded for Heroes, 1978). Intro: “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound” from Rambin’ Boy (1964). More at tompaxton.com.
Hear the cover version of “Mr. Blue” by Clear Light that we discuss. One of the crazier arrangements by Tom himself from this period is “Icarus” (1971). Not too many years after that, a lot of his material was quite relaxed and safe, e.g. “Something in My Life” from the 1975 album of that name. One of his slick ’80s tunes is “And Lovin’ You,” co-written with Bob Gibson. (FYI Tom’s hero Bob Gibson’s most famous song was “Abeline,” from 1957.)
An important tune from the ’00s for Tom is “Comedians & Angels.” Probably my favorite album from his later career is 2008’s “Looking for the Moon.” Here’s the tune from the new album that Mark mentions, “Lay This Old Guitar Down.” Watch Tom and John perform “Same Old Crap” from their first album together; a lot of their tunes together are funny ones like this. Another funny one from a different recent collaboration (with Jon Vezner; this 2019 live album is credited to Tom Paxton & The DonJuans) is “All My Stalkers.” He has remained politically relevant, releasing “No Kings Here!” last September.
NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning)
Apr 24, 2026
Show notes
After studying at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music, Alan released two albums with folk-rock band Knots and Crosses in the early 90s, put out one solo album in 1994, then became a freelance recording engineer and earned a PhD in ethnomusicology. He released three albums between 2010-2019 fronting Birdsong at Morning and released two more solo albums.
We discuss “Just Like Water” (and listen at the end to “Somewhere There’s a Train”) from Floating on the Dreamline (2026), “The Great Escape” by Birdsong at Morning from A Slight Departure (2015), and the title track to Curve of the Earth (1993) by Knots and Crosses (co-written with guitarist Rick Harris). Intro: “Neon Dreaming,” from Evidence Unearthed (2020), which is just a re-sung and remixed version of the track from Evidence (1994). More at alanwilliamsevidence.com.
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