Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

Latest Episodes:

The Check-In with Abraxas Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

Abraxas is a psych/rock/tropicalia duo of Uruguayan-born/UK-based Carolina
Faruolo (ex-Los Bitchos) and Danny Lee Blackwell (Night Beats). They’re releasing their debut LP Monte Carlo on October 28 on Seattle-based label Suicide Squeeze. In this episode Joe catches up with Danny on the road in France with his band Night Beats and Carolina at her home in Manchester. Danny and Carolina share the process of making the Monte Carlo, and how ease and telepathy translated directly to the final recording. They also discuss how the diverse mixture of influences, the name Abraxas and record title Monte Carlo melded over long distances to make a humid, lush and dreamy listening experience. We hear how the video functioned as their first gig and we hear a couple brand new tunes.
https://abraxasintl.bandcamp.com/album/monte-carlo
https://suicidesqueeze.net/2022/09/abraxas-release-new-single-video-manana/
https://suicidesqueeze.net/
https://lnk.to/AMC

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Cody Votolato-JR SLAYER Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Cody Votolato is a guitarist, singer and founding member of JR SLAYER. He has spent the better part of his music career touring and writing with bands The Blood Brothers, Jaguar Love, Head Wound City and Telekinesis. Now, he has focused and boiled down his artistic output to JR SLAYER, with the new record Not Rotten out September 9 on Memory Music.
In this episode, Cody shares his perspective on writing Not Rotten and the process of recording with Will Yip at Studio 4. Joe brings up Cody's unique position as someone who has toured since his early teens, how he feels about it now and what may replace it. The two reminisce on the Built In Sun record and we hear a couple tunes from Not Rotten.
https://jrslayer.bandcamp.com/
https://www.memory-music.net/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Distrokid

Eva Walker-The Black Tones Aug 26, 2022

Show notes

Eva Walker is a founding member, guitarist and singer for Seattle based The Black Tones. With one full length record (Cobain and Cornbread) and a Sub Pop single under their belts, The Black Tones are embarking on their first North American tour this fall. In this episode, Eva shares her experience working with both Jack Endino and Don Farwell, the importance of a groove and the role trust plays in their writing and performance. We learn why Eva and Cedric share a free form of expression and how the root of that free spirit lies in both family and the story of a lifelong educator and a bank robber. The two Seattleites discuss their experiences as transplants and how they were both psyched to be a part of the Sub Pop family. Eva hips us to some new bands and we hear a couple tunes.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

The Check-In with Julia Kugel Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

Julia Kugel is the singer/guitarist and founding member of The Coathangers. She will release her first full length solo record , Derealization on September 30 with Suicide Squeeze Records under the moniker Julia, Julia. In this episode Joe and Julia discuss why "giving in" is not "giving up" and how her idea of acceptance shaped the record. Julia also tells us how she dealt with and recovered from losing her voice, why she wanted to sing quietly, and what the motivation was for truly making a record on her own. Julia shares her fantastic idea to perform the new record live and she hips us to the coolest festival in Long Beach, Happy Sundays (August 28th). We hear a few tunes from the new record and Joe threatens to join with Julia, Julia when she plays Seattle.
https://suicidesqueeze.net/2022/07/julia-kugel-of-the-coathangers-announces-debut-solo-lp-derealization-under-new-moniker-julia-julia/
https://happysundaysfest.com/
https://hearjuliajulia.bandcamp.com/album/derealization

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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

The Check-In with Sara Lund-Unwound Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

Sara Lund is a drummer, drum teacher and the innovative percussive force behind the band Unwound. After a 20+ year break, Unwound is back and already have a string of sold out shows starting in early 2023. In this episode Sara shares the complicated and tragic story of the band falling apart and the difficult decision to start up again without founding member and friend Vern Rumsey. She also explains that the reunion is a celebration of Vern and his contribution to the music and why Jarred Warren is helping them get back on their rock n roll feet again. Joe and Sara discuss how she went from touring musician to drum instructor, her teaching technique and their views on improvisation. Joe shares a couple stories from his days as Unwound's "Brodie" and we hear a couple tunes.
THIS EPISODE IS DEDICATED TO THE GREAT VERN RUMSEY

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The Check-In with Pete Chramiec Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

Pete Chramiec is a founding member and guitarist for the pivotal hardcore band Verbal Assault. After a 20 year break, Verbal Assault are playing again, with shows booked on both coasts in 2022 and throughout 2023. In this episode, longtime pals Joe and Pete discuss what is was like for Pete to get back rock n roll shape , what spawned the reunion and why the shows are so special to him. They also talk Joe's 4th favorite subject, "crossover", how VA's lyrics have come home to roost and Pete tells us how Dave Grohl changed the trajectory of his music career with a single phone call. They play a few tunes and Pete makes Joe laugh a lot.
https://atomicactionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/trial
https://verbalassault.com/
https://www.bicyclehomebuilding.com/

Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.
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The Check-In with Shaun Fleming aka Diane Coffee Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

This week Joe talks with Shaun Fleming-aka Diane Coffee. Shaun is a singer, song writer and multi-instrumentalist based in Southern California. His 4th record, With People (out now on Polyvinyl Records) is a personal reach into the past and a closer, sometimes darker look at the people and experiences that have made him who he is now. In this episode, Shaun shares what motivated him to look back, why he sometimes masks painful memories with uplifting melody, and why this record felt more therapeutic than his previous efforts. Joe and Shaun discuss the process of making With People with his former bandmate Jonathan Rado (Foxygen) and long time collaborator Joe Lefitz and how the power of their shorthand was a key ingredient in the production. We also learn that there just might be a vaccine for Demoitis and we hear a couple tunes.
http://www.dianecoffee.com/
https://www.polyvinylrecords.com/artist/diane_coffee

Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.
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Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Carre' Callaway: Queen Kwong Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

Carre' Callaway-aka Queen Kwong- is a musician, song-writer and podcaster. Like most musicians in the last couple years, Carre' has had a challenging time maneuvering the sudden change in her vocation, but her situation is different. On top of the touring limitations, Carre' was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and two months later, her husband left her. What did she do?....... Naturally, made a record. The newest Queen Kwong record, Couples Only isn't your typical "divorce record" of reflective poetry, but rather a fiercely raw and emotional look at a great loss and a future recovered. In this episode, Carre' and Joe discuss how she navigated these waters, she shares the improvisational process she uses to make records and we hear why Couples Only has an unlikely pop song on its track listing. Carre' also tells us a wild story from her days opening for Nine Inch Nails and we here a couple tunes.

https://www.queenkwong.com/

https://sonicritualrecordings.com/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Nabil Ayers: My Life In The Sunshine Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

Nabil Ayers is a writer, musician and the US President of the Beggars Group. He is also the son of musician Roy Ayers. His search for connection with his biological father is the subject of his new book, My Life In The Sunshine. This book is also a biographical journey of Nabil's musical life.
In this episode Nabil recounts what drove him to pursue his extended family and why he wanted to share this experience in a book. Joe and Nabil discuss the uniqueness of he and his fathers relationship, how writing replaced drumming and why his move from New York City to Salt Lake City as a kid was a great experience. We also learn how Nabil's love for and involvement in music throughout his life has proved to be the building blocks for his position at Beggars Group.
Nabil shares a tour story that involves A LOT of pot and the power of "knowing a guy" and we hear a tune from his uncle and musical guru, Alan Braufman,
https://www.nabilayers.com/
https://alanbraufman.bandcamp.com/

Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.
visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html

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Jessica Boudreaux Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

Jessica Boudreaux is a songwriter, guitarist and producer from Portland, Oregon. Though best known for her band Summer Cannibals, Jessica has recently released a solo EP entitled I Think My Heart Loves To Break that she self produced over the past two years, in which she not only endured an involuntary break in touring, she was also diagnosed with breast cancer. In this episode, Joe and Jessica discuss her response to her diagnosis, the massive change it brought to her life and how she kept herself from being lost in the illness. She shares how her perspective on touring has changed, how making the new record served as a life raft and why making a "pop" record has always been an interesting challenge to her. We hear a couple tunes from I Think My Heart Loves To Break, out now.
https://jessicaboudreaux.bandcamp.com/

Use Code Fret10 for a free month of Music Production Suite Pro and a 10% discount on all other software.
visit https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/ruinous.html

@thetourstories

Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Distrokid

Schecter Guitars