Episodes

  • The Check-In with Peter Negroponte-Guerilla Toss

    The Check-In with Peter Negroponte-Guerilla Toss
    May 23 2025
    Peter Negroponte is the drummer and a founding member of Guerilla Toss. Guerilla Toss’s newest single, Psychosis Is Just A Number, produced by Stephen Malkmus, is out now via Sub Pop Records. Peter shares his early experiences with music growing up in Manhattan, eventually attending a music conservatory and how that all led to forming Guerilla Toss. Peter and Joe dig into some drum talk, discuss the bands writing and recording process’s and the two compare their views on “overproduction” We have a look into how band translates their records into live performance, and we learn why Stephen Malkmus came to produce the new single. Guerilla Toss Sub Pop Records
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    41 mins
  • The Check-In with Rebecca Shiffman

    The Check-In with Rebecca Shiffman
    May 16 2025
    Rebecca Shiffman is a singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles via NYC. Her newest record, Before The Future, is set to release on July 25th and includes studio contributions from Chris Cohen, Tim Carr (Perfume Genius, Hand Habits), SASAMI and Luke Temple (Here We Go Magic). Rebecca shares her experience growing up in Manhattan with culture forward parents and how a high school classmate with a four-track recorder opened the door to the power of DIY creativity. Joe the Rebecca discuss the forthcoming single Little Mr. Civility (out May 20th), what the inspirations are behind the song and how it conjures up memories of early parenting. Rebecca tells us why Before The Future is stacked with heavy hitters, how her lyrics dictate the direction of each song and why she decided to take more of a producer role with the new record. Rebecca Shiffman Rebecca Shiffman Tour Stories is now supported by @tandemdrums, maker of Drops drum mutes. Joe’s absolute favorite drummute for live, rehearsal and the studio. visit ⁠Tandem Drums⁠ Please visit and support ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Distrokid⁠⁠ for continued exclusive listener discounts. ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is ⁠⁠Distrokid⁠⁠. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive. Ep supported by ⁠@betterhelp⁠. Your well-being is worth it. Visit ⁠betterhelp.com/tourstories⁠ today to get 10% off your first month.
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    31 mins
  • The Check-In with Natalie Lew-Sea Lemon

    The Check-In with Natalie Lew-Sea Lemon
    May 9 2025
    Natalie Lew is a Seattle based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Sea Lemon. Sea Lemon’s dream fuzz pop debut LP, Diving For A Prize, is out May 30th via Luminelle Recordings. Natalie shares her performance adjacent music experience growing up in the Seattle music scene and how a move to New York led her to the picking up a guitar and singing. Joe and Natalie discuss the observational approach to her lyrics, and she explains the refrain on the song Stay, a current single. Natalie tells us how Crystals (feat. Ben Gibbard) was transformed from a big rock song to a darker shoe gazer and why the drums (Sean T. Lane) remain the center piece. We learn why the direction and sound of Diving For A Prize exposed a new musicality within herself and we hear a couple new tunes Sea Lemon Luminelle Records Tour Stories is now supported by @tandemdrums, maker of Drops drum mutes. Joe’s absolute favorite drummute for live, rehearsal and the studio. visit ⁠Tandem Drums⁠ Please visit and support ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Distrokid⁠⁠ for continued exclusive listener discounts. ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses ⁠⁠Izotope⁠⁠ and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is ⁠⁠Distrokid⁠⁠. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive.
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    30 mins
  • The Check-In with David Bazan-Headphones-Pedro The Lion

    The Check-In with David Bazan-Headphones-Pedro The Lion
    May 2 2025
    David Bazan is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Seattle. Over the past 30 years he has released dozens of collaborative and solo records as Pedro The Lion, Headphones and David Bazan. This year he celebrates the 20th anniversary of Headphones with a remastered version of the 2005 release, complete with bonus tracks and additional liner notes by David Dark (out now via Suicide Squeeze Records). Joe asks David to look back into 2005 and share the motivation behind shifting from Pedro The Lion to a minimal synth based project and why he almost got talked out of it. David shares some details behind the recording and why building a different drum sound for each song proved to be a fruitful endeavor. David tells us how he’s working through a “burnout spot”, how his life has recently changed and why rehearsing once a week with Pedro The Lion has reinvigorated his playing. Joe and David geek on Beak, talk anti-Elon bumper stickers and we hear a few tunes. David Bazan Suicide Squeeze Tour Stories is now supported by @tandemdrums, maker of Drops drum mutes. Joe’s absolute favorite drummute for live, rehearsal and the studio. visit Tandem Drums Please visit and support ⁠Izotope⁠ and ⁠Distrokid⁠ for continued exclusive listener discounts. ⁠Izotope⁠ is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses ⁠Izotope⁠ and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is ⁠Distrokid⁠. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive.
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    36 mins
  • The Check-In with Sextile

    The Check-In with Sextile
    Apr 25 2025
    Sextile is an electro-punk duo based in Los Angeles. They’re newest record, Yes, Please is due out May 2 and is their sophomore release on Sacred Bones. On Yes, Please, founding members Melissa Scaduto and Brady Keehn offer up their most realized and personal record yet, all with an overflowing trifecta of visceral, frenetic and heady energy. Melissa and Brady share their musical backstory, how Brady found music in his disciplined upbringing and why Mellissa initially resisted dance music. We get the origin story of Sextile and how they made their first record on a $250 budget in sober living situation. We learn why Yes, Please has more emphasis on lyrics the previous records and why Mellissa is nervous about a particular song. The duo share their writing and recording processes on Yes, Please, how they adapt to the current touring climate and why Nick Zinner operated as their front of house engineer for a split second. Joe, Brady and Mellissa discuss the delights of Japan and we hear a couple new tunes. SEXTILE SACRD BONES Please visit and support Izotope and Distrokid for continued exclusive listener discounts. Izotope is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses Izotope and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is Distrokid. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive. Ep supported by @betterhelp. Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com/tourstories today to get 10% off your first month.
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    47 mins
  • The Check-In with Regulator Watts-Arief and Cret

    The Check-In with Regulator Watts-Arief and Cret
    Apr 18 2025
    Cret Wilson (bass, vocals) and Areif Sless-Kitain (drums) are two-thirds of DC based 90’s post punk band, Regulator Watts. Along with singer and guitarist, Alex Dunham, the band was relatively prolific during their short run, releasing several records on Slowdime Records with support from Dischord, including The Aesthetics of No-Drag and The Mercury EP. For the first time on vinyl, The Mercury LP is available now via Solid Brass records. Cret, Areif and Joe compare notes on their same era different coasts rock scenes, Cret and Areif illustrate the power of the connectivity of 90’s DC music and all three share their love for Circus Lupus and The Black Cat. Cret and Areif share their experience recording with Geoff Turner (Grey Matter), the three discus the importance of freedom and play in the studio and how earnestness plays a role in writing and recording. We hear about Cret and Arief’s new projects, what’s next for Regulator Watts and we listen to a few new tunes. Regulator Watts Solid Brass Records Please visit and support Izotope and Distrokid for continued exclusive listener discounts. Izotope is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses Izotope and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is Distrokid. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive. Ep supported by @betterhelp. Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com/tourstories today to get 10% off your first month.
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    46 mins
  • The Check-In with Takiaya Reed-Divide and Dissolve

    The Check-In with Takiaya Reed-Divide and Dissolve
    Apr 11 2025
    Takiaya Reed is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and doom metalist who performs as Divide and Dissolve. Her newest record, Insatiable is due out April 18th via Bella Union. Takiaya tells why she has always had not just a want, but a need to play multiple instruments. We learn how her approach changed for recording Insatiable, what kind of recording environment she feels most comfortable in and why she set aside the consideration of live performance when writing the new record. Joe and Takiaya discuss “psychological volume”, why her song titles function as lyrics and we hear a couple new tunes. Takiaya Reed Please visit and support Izotope and Distrokid for continued exclusive listener discounts. Izotope is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses Izotope and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is Distrokid. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive.
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    32 mins
  • The Check-In with Sade Sanchez-LA Witch

    The Check-In with Sade Sanchez-LA Witch
    Apr 4 2025
    Sade Sanchez is the singer and guitarist for Los Angeles based band LA Witch. Their newest record, DOGGOD, (out now via Suicide Squeeze Records) is an a more reverb drenched, Mancunium post-punk expansion on their garagy sound, with a deeper exploration into to love and spirituality. Sade tells us out how the band found themselves recording at the celebrated Motorbass studio in Paris, how synthesizers influenced the direction of the record and why they are embracing the sonic space that was created. She explains the idea behind the title DOGGOD and why the street Rue Des Martyrs parallels with some of her lyrics. The two talk about the power of touring before recording, the ins and out of traveling to France with a dog and we hear a couple new tunes. LA Witch Suicide Squeeze Records Please visit and support Izotope and Distrokid for continued exclusive listener discounts. Izotope is the leader in audio repair, mixing and mastering. Ruinous uses Izotope and you should too. Trust us. The best way to get your music into the worlds ears is Distrokid. Artist keep 100% of their royalties and their mobile app is smartly designed, easy to use and perfectly intuitive.
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    23 mins