Vinyl Emergency

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Episode 115: R.E.M.'s "Monster" Turns 25 Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

Today, we focus on R.E.M.'s polarizing yet passionate ninth album from 1994, Monster. Craft Recordings just released a 25th anniversary package available on 1LP, 2LP, 2CD or 5CD/1Blu-Ray formats, available at remhq.com or wherever you buy music. Growing up, renowned visual artist Chris Bilheimer's first introduction to what record covers looked like was -- serendipitously -- by staring at R.E.M.'s early classics like Murmur. In his words, he's since spent his career "stumbling into little tiny pockets of music history," creating landmark album artwork for iconic groups like Neutral Milk Hotel, Weezer and Green Day. Since the mid-90's, Chris has been R.E.M.'s official in-house art director, collaborating directly with frontman Michael Stipe on new releases, deluxe reissues, compilation packages and more. Today, Chris shares some remarkable stories about rebuilding the Monster artwork from scratch for this re-release, how stacks of portfolios containing original R.E.M. cover art were nearly lost forever, working with Jeff Mangum on the visuals for In The Aeroplane Over The Sea and how Chris' design for American Idiot may have helped save a child's life. Visit bilheimer.com to get a snapshot of his work through the years. In 2002, trailblazing music journalist Matthew Perpetua started Fluxblog, one of the web's first MP3 blogs, setting the course for how artists were discovered and music would be consumed in the 21st century. Since then, he's become a music editor for BuzzFeed and a contributing writer to outlets like Pitchfork and Rolling Stone. In this episode, Matthew details his first memories of R.E.M., why he was particularly chosen to contribute liner notes to the Monster anniversary project and how this record makes more sense in 2019 than it may have in 1994. Keep up with Matthew via fluxblog.org or Twitter, @perpetua.

Episode 114: Joe Pug Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

It almost sounds like a song in itself: An acclaimed musician on his big album release day, three years in the making, finds himself on jury duty for a murder trial. As crazy or poetic as it may sound, that was the story for Maryland-based Joe Pug back in July, as his latest LP The Flood In Color hit shelves. Though born in the mid-'80s, his tales of destruction and redemption ring with a wisdom that could reflect an artist twice his age, effortlessly penning critical and emotional snapshots of the human condition. The Working Songwriter, Joe's monthly podcast since 2016, also allows him to plug into the minds of friends in the same boat, exchanging stories and unique perspectives on crafting music. On today's program, Joe details how the limitations of vinyl only add to its mystique, why he's using today's postmodern methods of promotion, whose albums filled his childhood basement, why the artwork for Weezer's self-titled debut bucked the trends of its era and how talented people survive a media that's dying around them. Stop by JoePugMusic.com for news, tour dates, social media, info on The Working Songwriter and more.

Episode 113: Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters Oct 08, 2019

Show notes

As a member of Foo Fighters for the last twenty years, guitarist Chris Shiflett is regarded as one of the most consistently versatile personalities in rock: From his punk roots in Rat Pack and core Fat Wreck Chords alumni No Use For A Name to goofing off with sped up covers in Me First & The Gimme Gimmes to one-off back-up duties for Norah Jones to recording his own albums drenched in country music's Bakersfield sound. He's even parlayed his engaging demeanor and inquisitive mind into hosting and producing the popular Walking The Floor podcast, interviewing authors, fellow musicians, athletes and the like about their inspirations, struggles and successes. Earlier this summer, Chris also released "Hard Lessons," his third solo LP and second with renowned, Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb. Before the Foo's headlining slot at last month's Pilgrimage Festival just outside Nashville, Chris sat down to discuss the heavy influence that Hanoi Rocks wielded, his new Pro-Ject turntable, which songs brought him to tears as a kid, his 11-year-old son's new fascination with vinyl and more. Visit ChrisShiflettMusic.com, WalkingTheFloor.com and FooFigthers.com for news, social media and more. Look for "Hard Lessons" wherever you get physical or digital music.

Episode 112: Matt Pond Sep 24, 2019

Show notes

Racking up an astonishing 13 proper albums within the last two decades -- not including singles or EP releases -- Matt Pond has solidified himself as one of the most prolific singer-songwriters working today. Though the name Matt Pond PA was retired in 2017 (a moniker for his recording and touring band of which he was the sole consistent member), his work over the last 12 years with musician and engineer Chris Hansen has led to film and commercial scoring, as well as An Orchestrated Impulse, a new multi-sensory collaboration with visual artist Eva Magill-Oliver, comprised of twelve paintings each paired with an instrumental composition in a different key. On today's show, Matt muses about The Minutemen's "Double Nickels on the Dime," why he's had to abandon three completely separate record collections over the years, the Beatles-influenced stage name he almost went by when he moved to Brooklyn and how his mom's confusion between John Waite and Tom Waits paved Matt's musical journey. The installation of An Orchestrated Impulse debuts October 11th at the O+ Festival in Kingston, NY with full performance details at orchestratedimpulse.com, and accompanying music available for digital download at anorchestratedimpulse.bandcamp.com. Visit mattpondpa.com for news, social media and more.

SECOND SPIN: Dan Didier (October 2017) Aug 27, 2019

Show notes

Enjoy this encore presentation of Episode 73, featuring our conversation with Dan Didier of The Promise Ring and Maritime. "Don't Break Down," a documentary on the influential punk trio Jawbreaker which Dan co-produced, was released earlier this month on iTunes, Amazon, YouTube and other digital outlets. His current musical project Dramatic Lovers can be found online at dramaticlovers.com.

Episode 111: Matt Ross-Spang Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

In a relatively short amount of time, Matt Ross-Spang has grown from Sun Studio tour guide to one of the most sought-after producers and engineers in music. Having moonlighted behind the boards at Sun after business hours while juggling high-school, Matt helped bring the historic studio back to its analog roots and eventually stepped out on his own at the behest of Grammy-winner and Nashville studio staple Dave Cobb. This led to Matt engineering releases for John Prine, Jason Isbell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Amanda Shires and Josh Ritter, as well as helming records for Margo Price, Lucero and Iron & Wine's latest collaboration with Calexico. Recently, Amazon even plucked him to produce, curate and debut a unique digital audio series featuring Al Green's first new recording in nearly a decade. To sum it up best, NPR describes Ross-Spang as "a music history geek with a brilliant ear for blending studio precision with spontaneity," while Rolling Stone touts him as "one of the most trusted arbiters of the Memphis sound." That last moniker rings especially true this month, as Sony/Legacy celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of Elvis Presley's most pivotal years by releasing a massive 11CD box set and 2LP vinyl edition of performances from August 1969 at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. All originally recorded to 8-track and newly mixed to analog by Matt, this string of shows is especially notable for featuring a full orchestra and the live debut of one of the King's biggest hits, "Suspicious Minds." Recorded at Sam Phillips' iconic studio in Memphis, today's interview features Matt's insight on the psychology of recording, examples of records where the room acts as an instrument, his trajectory within the industry and how a career in documenting music has changed the way he listens. Matt's social media and additional information on his work can be found at southerngrooves.com. To learn more about Sam Phillips Recording Service, visit samphillipsrecording.com.

Episode 110: Gotta Groove Records Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

For close to a decade, Cleveland's Gotta Groove Records has earned its reputation as "the artist's preferred pressing plant." By having their quality assurance team play every 25th LP or 7" that comes off their presses, they're known for going the extra mile and implementing some of the highest standards in the industry, whether manufacturing limited 100-copy runs or thousands upon thousands for worldwide distribution. On the cusp of their 10th anniversary, Gotta Groove sales and marketing VP Matt Earley chats about where they've been, where they're going and how the vinyl business can stay vibrant and innovative. Visit GottaGrooveRecords.com and follow @gottagrooverecs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SECOND SPIN: Rosanne Cash (July 2017) Jul 16, 2019

Show notes

Enjoy this rerun of Episode 64, featuring our conversation with the great Rosanne Cash. Tour dates and more are available at rosannecash.com, and her latest album She Remembers Everything is available wherever you get music.

Episode 109: Susan Nadler & Evelyn Shriver (Shady Ladies of Music City) Jul 02, 2019

Show notes

Since the late 1970's, both Evelyn Shriver and Susan Nadler have worked with an impressive list of country music's biggest names. Armed with their shared PR experience, the duo headed up Asylum Records as the first women to ever helm a major country music label and flipped Nashville's Music Row on its ear, building longtime partnerships with Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Lorrie Morgan, Randy Travis and more. Their countless years of experience, legendary debauchery and hilarious stories of life behind-the-scenes and on the road are now part of a new podcast courtesy of Momument Records called Shady Ladies Of Music City, which encourages listeners to submit their own country music rumors for discussion on the program, to find out if they're tall tales or legendarily confirmed stories. Today, Susan and Evelyn sit down to discuss the homogenized state of mainstream country radio, Pittsburgh's National Record Mart (the first music store chain ever in the United States), the industry's reaction to the launch of the compact disc, their childhood memories of 45RPM singles, and how to get rid of gold records. Podcast info, social media and more are available at shadyladiesofmusiccity.com.

Episode 108: Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

Over three proper full-lengths and nearly a decade of touring, NYC quartet Soul Coughing merged spoken word, jazz, hip-hop and various avant-garde subgenres into a sound completely their own, notching a few 90's college radio and alt-rock hits in the process. This year, vocalist/guitarist Mike Doughty is on the road celebrating the 25th anniversary of their critically-acclaimed debut LP Ruby Vroom, performing a "real-time remix" of the record from start to finish with a new backing band. On today's show, Mike heralds Led Zeppelin IV, Miles Davis' hand-painted cassette collection, Memphis' Goner Records and the countless master tapes or unearthed treasures lost to the 2008 Universal Studios fire in Hollywood. He also discusses leading a creative writing class for prison inmates, and their inquiries as to how musicians get paid for songs they've listened to in jail. Find the recent vinyl reissues of Soul Coughing's discography wherever you buy music, and visit mikedoughty.com for tour dates, social media, solo material and more.

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