Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

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The Check-In with Johnny Marr Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Johnny Marr is a guitarist, a singer, a producer and all around wonderful human. If you've listened to the radio in the last 3 decades, you've heard Johnny. He co-founded The Smiths, he was in The Pretenders, The Pet Shop Boys, formed Electronic with Bernard Sumner, was a member of The The, he was a Crib (The Cribs) , worked with Hans Zimmer on the 2021 James Bond theme, has produced 5 solo records and....closest to home for Joe, was a fellow member of Modest Mouse from 2002-2006. In this episode, Joe and Johnny talk rock n roll health, his experience as a relapsing studio rat, the importance of real connection with his listeners and how inner feelings are NOT his vehicle for writing lyrics. We hear a couple songs from his new record Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 (out end of February 2022) and discuss the recording process. And alas, Johnny shares the experience of his first week with Modest Mouse and how throwing himself into unknown waters has always been an interesting, challenging and shaping part of his life.
Music by Johnny Marr, Joe Plummer and Palm Frauds
Art by Zak Sally
https://johnnymarr.com/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Distrokid

Schecter Guitars

The Check-In with Rob Crow Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Rob Crow is a singer, guitarist and founding member of San Diego luminaries Pinback, Physics, Heavy Vegetable and Goblin Cock to name a few. His newest effort, PLOSIVS, includes John Reis (Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt), Atom Willard (Against Me!, The Offspring) and Jordan Clark (Mrs Magician). In this episode Joe and Rob talk west coast hardcore, the process of making the new PLOSIVS record and why taking his kids on tour is so important to him. Also Rob also tells us the tale of the Jersey Devil and we hear some tunes from both his newest solo record and the new PLOSIVS single Hit The Breaks (out on Swami Records soon). All this and.....surprise! Rob gives us a couple bonus tour stories!
Music by PLOSIVS, Rob Crow, Hew Time and Joe Plummer
https://swami-records.myshopify.com/
https://robcrow.bandcamp.com/
http://www.tgrec.com/bands/band.php?id=17

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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

The Check-In with Nick Delffs. Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

Nick Delffs is a singer and songwriter living in Boise, Idaho. He has toured, recorded and is a founding member of The Shaky Hands and Death Songs. More recently, Nick has focused more on his solo efforts and has found a home at Mama Bird Recording Company. In this episode Joe and Nick catch up on their time in Portland, the significance of delay in both reggae and their own music, and Nick shares his experiences traveling to India, where he may have been hypnotized. We hear a few tunes from Nicks newest record, Childhood Pastimes (out now, Mama Bird Recording Co.) and Nick tells us how a musical fast helps him with the writing process.
Music by Nick Delffs, Palm Frauds and Joe Plummer
http://www.mamabirdrecordingco.com/nick-delffs

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Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Distrokid

Schecter Guitars

Holey Low and the Bad Seeds- Zak Sally Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Zak Sally is a visual artist and musician from Minneapolis, MN. He is also the artist behind all the Tour Stories portraits. He has recorded and toured extensively with the band Low and is a founding member and songwriter for The Hand. Zak and has also written, illustrated and published several graphic novels for his publishing company La Mano and Fantagraphics. In this episode, Zak shares his experience touring with Soul Coughing and "opening" for Hole. He also us tells why seeing Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds in Seattle was one of his favorite rock n roll shows ever. Old friends Joe and Zak do a little catch up on their friendship and rehash an absolutely ridiculous conversation they had about analog recording.
Music by Zak Sally and Joe Plummer

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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Distrokid

Izotope

The Check-In with Charlotte Cornfield Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Charlotte Cornfield is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto. Like many other musicians she spent most of 2020 writing and eventually recording a new album. The new release Highs in the Minuses (out Oct. 29 co/released on Polyvinyl and Double Double Whammy Records), is sonically simpler than her previous release, but lyrically still retains a space for personal reflection and self awareness. In this episode Joe and Charlotte discuss why she felt this new record was best suited for a band performance, how and why she got back into skateboarding and what it means for an introvert to lose social skills. Charlotte also shares her experience at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and how that led her to her working with Howard Bilerman at Hotel2Tango.
https://www.polyvinylrecords.com/artist/charlotte_cornfield
http://www.dbldblwhmmy.com/categories/charlotte-cornfield
Music by Charlotte Cornfield and Joe Plummer

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Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Steven Bamidele Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

Steven Bamidele is a singer, songwriter and producer from the UK by way of his birth place, Jebba, Nigeria. He is currently residing in North London. His newest neo-soul heavy EP Uncrowded (Out 10.15.21 on Park The Van Records) is a reflective look at the world from isolation and his own identity as a person of mix-race during ever expanding BLM movement. In this episode Joe and Steven discuss his growing up in Suffolk, how writing Uncrowded allowed him to untangle his thoughts on identity and why producing for others is a useful tool in expanding his own production knowledge. Steven shares his current heavy rotations and Joe and Steven exchange holiday drink recipes.
Music by Steven Bamidele and Joe Plummer
https://www.parkthevan.com/label/steven-bamidele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz1qSaTUnx8

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

The Check-In with Anand Wilder Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

Anand Wilder is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. After the break up of his band Yeasayer and the onset of a global pandemic, Anand felt it was time to buckle down and start and finish and his solo record, I Don't Know My Words (out 2022 on Last Gang records). Not only did he record the record himself at his home in Brooklyn, he co-wrote, acted in and co-produced a gorgeous video for the first single Delirium Passes, which is an adaptation of the James Joyce story, The Boarding House and features actor Ben Sinclair. In this episode, Joe and Anand talk about his surprise half brother, vasectomies, Anand's drum recording technique, psychedelic frog licking and why Anand loved the process of making his video. Also, Anand explains why he's taking a "weak" trio on the road rather than a "power" trio to support his new record. And...... we get a surprise visit from the one and only Ryan Kattner, aka Honus Honus.
https://lastgang.com/
Music by Anand Wilder and Joe Plummer

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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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

The Check-In with Buzz Osborne Oct 01, 2021

Show notes

Buzz Osborne is a founding member, singer and guitarist for The Melvins. Buzz and The Melvins have consistently released a record and toured annually for over 30 years. In addition to The Melvins, he has toured and recorded with Fantomas and released several solo records. In this episode Buzz tells us why Jon Spencer is one of his favorite guitarist and shares his philosophy on simplicity and how it applies not just to his guitar playing, but golf, tennis and photography. We also hear a couple tunes from the new Melvins acoustic record Five Legged Dog , (October 15th Ipecac Records) how it was made and why Pete Townsend was an inspiration for the release.
Music By The Melvins and Joe Plummer
https://www.ipecac.com/
https://www.ipecac.com/artists/melvins
https://jonspencerbluesexplosion.com/
https://www.ipecac.com/artists/fantomas

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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Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Distrokid

Izotope

John Schmersal "Shirt Pant and the Left Handed Bass" Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

John Schmersal is a songwriter, singer and producer. For the past 20 years he has recorded and toured as the guitarist and/or keyboardist for bands Brainiac, Enon and most recently, Caribou. In this episode John shares his stories of a pantsless show and impromptu tailoring, broken bass strings and how he pulled off an entire festival show without monitors. Joe and John discuss the virtues of preparedness, the rules of shorts in rock n roll, and whether people really care if you're nude anymore.
Music by Enon and Joe Plummer

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Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Distrokid

Pat Graham "East Berlin, Crowded West Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

Pat Graham is an American photographer living in England, by way of Washington DC. Pat began in the early 90's DC punk scene, photographing Fugazi, The Make Up and many other Discord and local bands. He eventually made his way to another thriving scene, the Northwest, working with a young Modest Mouse and documenting the Riot Grrl scene with the likes of Bikini Kill and Bratmobile. In do time, Pat got the itch to hit the road and began photographing not just live shows, but the culture surrounding a traveling band, capturing the challenges, the good times and the bad times that comes with touring. In this episode, Pat tells us about a tooth extraction in East Berlin while traveling with June Of 44 and shares his experience touring with Modest Mouse pre Lonesome Crowded West.
Music by Modest Mouse and Joe Plummer
This episode is dedicated to Matt Hoyt. Rest In Power, I know you'll get a laugh out of this one.

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:

Distrokid

Izotope

Schecter Guitars