TraegerMethod Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 47: Star Athena (Olympia bands Subdebs, Flying Tigers) Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

Episode 47 Jason catches up with his ex-wife, Los Angeles raised, former Olympia punk, now fellow Portlander Star Athena.

The two talk about Star's experience growing up in Los Angeles. Raised in a westside apartment down the hall from Punky Meadows, frontman of Casablanca recording artists Angel. Her brother Heath played in many LA bands, doing a stint with Angry Samoans among others. She talks about how as a teen going to punk shows she was repulsed by the sexual violence and harassment she experienced in the crowd, but that it didn’t crush her love of music.

Star and Jason met in the very early 90’s when she was a DJ at influential college station KUSF in San Francisco and he was working for Jello Biafra at Alternative Tentacles. They discuss those vital years in SF before tech dollars leveled the city’s culture and the music industry was exploding with alternative grunginess.

They go on to explore their move to Olympia after attending the International Pop Underground Fest and they recall what they both saw as the D.I.Y. pastoral punk paradise they found in their new home. They get into her two bands Flying Tigers and SubDebs who both released vinyl on K Records.

It’s not all about the past; Star explains how her diagnosis of Autism in her forties has given her a greater level of understanding and self-acceptance. She also shares some of the techniques and practices she uses today to mitigate the stress and anxiety of life and the challenges of living with multiple chronic illnesses.

It’s an uplifting conversation that went on much longer than one episode could hold. Hopefully Star will be back for a part two soon!

Thank you for listening!

Star's instagram (links to her projects in her linktree)

Music:

SubDebs 'Telephone TV'

SubDebs 'Overtime'

TM theme by jason

Support the pod:

Monthly: thru Anchor/Spotify

One time: Venmo @Jason-Traeger-1

Episode 46: Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile, Sex Stains, Riot Grrrl) Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

TM pod 46 is a first for the podcast in three ways: it is the first episode recorded with a guest face to face, it’s the first one recorded outdoors and it’s the first time Jason has talked with singer, writer, podcaster, and OGRiot Grrrl Allison Wolfe.

The two old friends cover her formative years in Olympia, where they met in the mid 90’s. They explore Allison’s multi-decade, ongoing run fronting more than half a dozen punk bands beginning with her ground zero Riot Grrrl band Bratmobile through to her pandemic era project Magic Witch Cook Box.

There is a lot of focus on the Olympia music scene of the 80s and 90’s. The two ask how a compact little town in an out of the way corner of the country produced such a diverse, remarkable and influential group of bands. While simultaneously acting as the setting for the first sparks of one of the most impactful grassroots political movements of the era; Riot Grrrl.

Special attention is paid to the DIY festival culture of Oly that began almost exactly 30 years ago with International Pop Underground and continued with subsequent Yo-Yo a Go-Go’s and Alison’s own brainchild LadyFest, an indie feminist gathering that would go on to inspire an international series of like minded festivals of the same name.

The conversation starts with honest talk about the formidable challenges maintaining hope and motivation in a world gone mad and ends with a celebration of the possibilities that arise when small groups of motivated people get together to create culture in a community bonded by friendship and creative self expression.

Thanks for listening and supporting the podcast! You can make a one-time donation: Venmo: Jason-Traeger-1 or monthly recurring donation thru Anchor.

LINKS:

ALL THINGS ALLISON

Music:

Drop from M.A.D. ‘Holocaust’

Bratmobile: ‘I’m with the Band’

Deep Lust: 'Think Yr the Better One

Cool Moms: 'USAGI'

Sex Stains: 'Land of La-La'

Bratmobile: Live at Jabberjaw 6/27/93

TM pod theme by Jason

Episode 45: Eugene S. Robinson (Oxbow/ Whipping Boy/ Author/ Martial Artist) Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Episode 45: Jason speaks with acclaimed writer, musician and martial artist Eugene S. Robinson.

Listeners will recall his previous appearance on TM pod ep. 38 which explored the enigmatic late 80’s/early 90’s bay area Rollins doppelgänger Mark Sperry.

This time Jason focuses on Eugene’s incredible life story: his days as a kid coming of age on the gang dominated streets of Brooklyn, his teen years split between the discotheques and punk clubs of 70’s Manhattan, to his long and legendary career in music that began as a student at Stanford, fronting early 80’s bay area hardcore originals Whipping Boy and evolved into his 30 plus years with globe trotting avant-rock masters Oxbow.

As if that thread of his story weren’t enough, through it all he has worked prolifically as a widely published journalist and novelist and has trained in martial arts, from boxing in his youth to his daily practice today in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Oh, and he has a few podcasts of his own!

Listen and you'll have to agree: Eugene S. Robinson might just be the world’s most interesting man.

LINKS:

Oxbow

Eugene's Substack

Eugene S Robinson Show Stomper! Podcast

If the Shoes Fit Podcast

Music:

Whipping Boy "Human Farm"

Oxbow "A Cold & Well-Lit Place"

TM pod theme by Jason

Episode 44: Bucky Sinister (writer, stand-up comic, east bay punk) Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Episode 44 is a conversation with Los Angeles based writer, stand-up comic, competitive kettle-bell athlete and old school East Bay punk (via Arkansas) Bucky Sinister.

The conversation begins by revisiting a subject explored in prior episodes, the late 80’s / early 90’s SF Henry Rollins-doppelganger Mark Sperry, who was a friend of his in that period. He offers insight and shares his admiration for Sperry.

The two get into Bucky’s biography, his discovery of punk rock, his move from Arkansas to California in the 80’s and his near fatal struggle with drugs and alcohol during his days crashing in the punk houses of the east bay. He shares his story of recovery and the revelation of his late life diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

He tells us how throughout his life writing stories and performing comedy and poetry has been not only an essential steam-valve release of creative self expression but also a means of finding community and a sense of belonging. He describes how inspiring it was to arrive in the bay area just as the emerging ‘spoken word’ movement associated with the punk scene was flowering.

Jason and Bucky also talk at length about a specific project he has undertaken to compile an oral history of beloved SF musician, the late Lance Hahn and his very prolific band J Church. Lance died of a congenital heart disorder in 2007 but his memory lives on in all who knew him.

Thanks for listening! BIG thank you to all supporters! You too can support the pod through the Anchor app

Bucky's instagram

Bucky's writing blog

Bucky's novel Black Hole

Bucky's books on recovery

Music:

J Church: 'Foreign Films' and 'No Jazz'

TM Pod Theme by Jason

Episode 43: Pete Chramiec (Verbal Assault Reunion Shows) Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

This week Jason talks with TM pod regular, Pete Chramiec about the recently announced Verbal Assault reunion shows scheduled to take place Sept. 2021 in New England. Pete shares his concern that the newly surging Covid-19 Delta Variant may lead to the postponement of the dates but as of now they are very much a go. He talks about his recent trip back east to practice with the band and how much fun it was to revisit their set after a silence of 30 years.

The two get deep into the reeds with talk about the equipment used to get the VA sound and a rundown of guitarists (all from Washington D.C.) who most influenced his style and approach to playing in a hardcore band. Jason reminds listeners that Pete won 'Best Guitarist' in the 1989 FlipSide readers poll (Flea got best bassist, Fugazi best new band). Along the way he spills the recipe for ‘New Englands best clam chowder’ and tells us why the pineapple is a symbol of Newport R.I., and why it has nothing to do with 'the swinger lifestyle'.

It’s mostly all fun with a little climate catastrophe and fascism talk too.

Thanks for listening and for supporting the pod!

Music:

Verbal Assault ‘Trial’

Government Issue: ‘Jaded Eyes’

The Clitboys ‘Gay’s Okay’

Verbal Assault: ‘Learn’

TM pod Theme by Jason

Episode 42: Fernando 'Ferny' Cruz Jr / Run For Your Fucking Life Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

This week Jason talks with Fernando ‘Ferny’ Cruz Jr. about his formative musical years with San Diego (more specifically Chula Vista) hardcore madmen Run For Your Fucking Life.

The band cut a swath of music and mayhem through endless house parties, desert generator shows and clubs from 1994-2001. The 2019 passing of their beloved singer Jason Weedon has inspired the remaining members to reissue their classic self titled LP this summer on 31G records. Ferny tells us about the trials and tribulations of life in a band who lived as intensely as the played and singer Jason's enduring legacy as a performer, connector and scene maker.

The conversation also explores what it meant then and still means today to play in a band in an underground music scene that straddles an international border.

TO PREORDER RFYFL's LP reissue and a chance to win one of 50 recently discovered original 7"EP's (with new cover) click HERE

Music:

RFYFL:

'88 Kid,

My Dead Friends and Those Who May As Well Be Dead

TM POD Theme by Jason

Episode 41: Brian Walsby (artist) Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

The last time this week’s guest Brian Walsby and Jason talked was in December of 1985 at a show in Northridge after Brian took an impromptu turn as the singer for The Descendents when Milo was delayed making it up from San Diego where he was going to college.

This conversation is the two catching up on everything that has happened in their lives in the subsequent 36 years since that evening, leaving out nothing ...Maybe a few things were left out but all the most important stuff was covered like the fact that at one point Jason and Brian had between the two of them drawn every Maximum Rock N Roll scene report header. We also learn that the Neos ‘Hassibah Gets the Martian Brain Squeeze’ is Walsby’s favorite hardcore 7” ep of all time.

Thanks for listening and for supporting the scene!

Brian's Website

Brian's Youtube Channel

Music:

Neos 'Destruct'

No Labels 'Jane Doe'

TM Pod Theme by Jason

Episode 40: Alison Braun (Photographer, 'In The Pit') Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

Episode 40: Jason catches up with legendary west coast punk rock photographer Alison Braun about her prolific work capturing the fire and fury of So Cal punk in the 80’s and Seattle metal/grunge at the beginning of the next decade.

Her photographs published under her punk nickname ‘Mouse’ were a ubiquitous sight in the pages of MRR and Flipside and can be found on many classic record sleeves and inserts of the era. Like her contemporaries Ed Colver, Gary Leonard and Robbie Robinson, Alison’s work is an essential contribution to the documentation of the west coast underground culture in that pre-digital era.

Alison’s recently released book ‘In the Pit’ is a collection of some highlights of her vast body of work and is a mandatory addition to any punk library.

LINKS: AlisonBraun.com

Alison's Instagram

Her gallery show in Portland opened 6/10/21 at Wyrd War in Portland

Thank you for listening!

Music:

Bl’ast ‘Only Time Will Tell’

Dr Know ‘Mr. Freeze’

TM theme by Jason

Episode 39: Greg Lipman (Leading Edge Fanzine, old-friend) Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

TM pod 39 is a conversation with Jason's old friend since teenage years, San Diego punk and fellow Leading Edge fanzine maker Greg Lipman.

The two talk about Greg’s life as an expat in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam where he has made his home for the past decade. He describes what life has been like through the Covid-19 epidemic and what its like today under lockdown as the country deals with the arrival of the Delta variant.

About a half hour into the conversation the two trip down So Cal punk memory lane. It’s a fun, loose chat between old friends. Thank for listening and supporting the pod!

Music:

5150 'Target of Insanity'

Skullbusters 'Rat Race'

Both from 1983's 'Our Blow Out' Comp of SD punk.

TM POD THEME by Jason

Episode 38: The Mystery of Sperry Feat. Eugene Robinson (Oxbow, Whipping Boy), Nathan Carter (artist) and Jeremy Adkins (Bay Area Punk) Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

Episode 38 is a BONUS companion follow-up further exploring the mystery of late 80’s / early 90’s Bay Area writer, spoken word artist, musician and Rollins doppelgänger Mark Sperry. A topic introduced in episode 36 by Jason and guest Martin Sprouse.

It seems the two are not alone in their enduring fascination with the lengths Sperry went to in that era to fully adopt the style, attitude, sound and even tattoos very similar to those of Henry Rollins. The homage was so complete it transcended mere influence and entered the realm of performance art. Many questions came up about Sperry’s philosophy, self awareness, and intention behind the project.

After the episode aired Jason heard from several listeners about their experiences with Sperry and shares some of their stories here in Ep 38. The first guest is old school Bay Area punk, musician and stand-up comic Jeremy Adkins, who like his friend Sperry was a Rollins devotee at the time, but not nearly to the same extent. He then speaks with Brooklyn based artist Nathan Carter about his experience playing bass at two practices with Sperry’s band Third Rail in the early 90’s. The episode closes with a genuine punk rock legend, author, musician Eugene S. Robinson (Oxbow, Whipping Boy) who shares some stories and impressions of his one time friend and sometime collaborator.

Not all questions are answered but some light is shed on an artist who confounded and inspired sometimes in equal measure the select few who were aware of his prolific output at that very specific place and time the was the Bay Area at the start of the 90's.

Nathan Carter's Art

Nathan Carter instagram

Eugene S. Robinson OZY editor at large

Eugene S. Robinson Oxbow

Jeremy Adkins instagram

Sperry's band Third Rail

Music:

Third Rail 'Losing it'

TM pod theme by Jason