Too Much Effing Perspective

The Lumineers are heading out on a world tour in January, 2026, so it feels right to encore our delightful conversation with the band's co-founder, drummer, and piano player Jeremiah Fraites. Jer loves Radiohead and an unexpected side-bar about the infamous 1993 MTV Beach House performance, which TMEP co-host Alex attended as Radiohead's tour manager, nearly hijacked the interview. Fortunately, we...

Nancy Wilson's been in the news a lot this year -- jamming live with Chappell Roan on a badass cover of Heart's hit song "Barracuda"; having beloved instruments stolen in Atlantic City; and, along with sister Ann, pulling Heart's songs off Amazon Music to protest Jeff Bezo's coziness with Donald Trump. When El Presidente called the Wilsons "a pair of aging rockers desperate for relevance." When he...

Lead singer Raine Maida gives us a “peace” of his mind with stories about the time Sammy Hagar tried to get Our Lady Peace kicked off the Van Halen tour; how his band snuck out of the infamous Woodstock 99 before the festival went up in flames; and how pathetic Kiss’ costumes look like without the band members inside them. In this short VIDEO, Raine describes what it's like when Nickelback is sudd...

Gary Kemp, whose career highlights as a musician and actor include writing Spandau Ballet's seminal hit "True," tells us about about the time David Bowie almost made Gary's son late for a playdate; going on a bender with Duran Duran the night before the 1984 Band Aid recording session: and why he and his old mate, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, charted different musical paths even though they were fan...

Just in time for Spinal Tap 2: Ed Begley Jr. is our very first TMEP Show guest who actually appeared in "This Is Spinal Tap." In Ed's memorable scene, he shows up as Spinal Tap's original drummer John “Stumpy" Pepys looking like Buddy Holly behind the kit -- instant classic. Begley tells us about the time Harry Nilsson surprised him with a dinner invitation at John and Yoko’s place at The Dakota;...

This week the feature film, Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues, premieres in theaters across the USA starting on Friday, September 12. To mark the occasion, Allen and Alex give some inside scoops about Spinal Tap’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live which VIP Allen got to attend in person. Tap on IG: @spinaltap Find everything Spinal Tap here: https://spinaltap.com --- ***http://distrokid.com/vip/tmep**...

Enjoy an entire Quick Tap dedicated to the guy who wrote “Good Day Sunshine” because, well, it sounds like he spreads that wherever he goes - Beatles bassist Paul McCartney. Yes, that same Macca who is making a much talked about cameo appearance in the feature film, Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues - coming out on September 12th!!! You'll hear from host of the Bad Decisions podcast, Scott Nathan, a...

Ben tells us about living the rock star life whilst traveling around Japan with Sean Lennon, Sophia Coppola, Spike Jones, and the Beastie Boys; how magic timing led to being offered the headline slot at Coachella with Ben Folds and Ben Kweller only to have one of his bandmates turn it down; and how his song “We’re All In This Together” became the theme song for COVID quarantine. Check out this sho...

Multi-instrumentalist Grasshopper revs up some stories about working with The Band legendarians Garth Hudson and Levon Helm; how Mercury Rev was once booted off stage by the mayor of Denver for being too loud; and the time he lunched with psychedelic drug evangelist Dr. Timothy Leary. Find Mercury Rev tour dates and music: https://www.mercuryrev.com Mercury Rev on IG: @theMercuryRev --- ***http://...

Singer Nina Ljeti, from L.A.’s power quadrophonic band Kills Birds, tweets about the time a producer responded to his unrequited love for her by erasing the band’s entire album; what Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon said about their song “Worthy Girl”; and opening for the Foo Fighters at what would be Taylor Hawkins’ final show with the band. In this short VIDEO, Nina describes how a post-Foo Fighters sho...

Top Trump impersonator JL Cauvin spills the Goya beans on why the President is trodding on the Constitution like a Druid stomping on a tiny Stonehenge. Find out who would play what instrument in Prssident Trump's private White House rock band; how he’s taking America to 1.1, um, we mean 11; and which musicians would be inducted into the MAGA rock ’n’ roll Hall of Fame. Enjoy this short VIDEO where...

The Notorious C.H.O. tells us how ABC TV hired a consultant to teach her to be *more Asian* for her 1994 sitcom All-American Girl; about winning a contest to open for Jerry Seinfeld when she was fifteen; and the rankings of her top three favorite sex toys. Margaret's new music album, Lucky Gift, is out now. Find Lucky Gift tracks and lyric videos: https://margaretcho.com/music/lucky-gift/ Margaret...

We're excited, you're excited, everyone is excited about the long-awaited release of the Spinal Tap 2 feature film on September 12, 2025. So let's tap into summer and go to 11 as we get fired-up for the cinematic event of the year! Hear how you can join us, the TMEP Show crew, to participate in the fun AND get insider info on our upcoming episodes featuring comedienne-extraordinaire Margaret Cho,...

Late May and early June 1983 is when The Police's defining song "Every Breath You Take" was released and promptly steamrolled its way to #1 in the UK (hitting the top spot on June 5th) before conquering America a month later. While Sting's creepy-but-catchy ode to obsessive surveillance was busy becoming the band's biggest hit and the year's most-played song, Copeland admits the trio was so dysfun...

The 49th anniversary of Jim Morrison and the Doors taking the stage for the first time as the house band at LA's legendary Whisky a Go Go is May 23, 2025. Just over a year later their song Light My Fire would go to #1 on the Billboard charts. But none of that compares to the release An American Werewolf in Paris -- a film in which future Modern Family star Julie Bowen makes history with a werewolf...

Peace and reconcilation are possible. Devo's Gerald "Jerry" Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh being together on the road for their "50 Years of De-Evolution... Continued!" tour is evidence that warring parties can not only put down their arms, they can pick up their instruments and make the music that we all need right now. Find a Devo Summer 2025 tour date near you: https://clubdevo.com/tour Catch the...

OK Go's new album, "And the Adjacent Possible," delivers a full-on OKGo-ian video for the song Love that rivals the legendary videos that put them on the map including A Million Ways, The One Moment, Upside Down & Inside Out and, of course, the GOAT - treadmill extravaganza Here It Goes Again. Not to be outdone, the TMEP Show has its own VIDEO featuring the Danimal, OK Go drummer Dan Konopka, tell...

Among auspicious April events in rock 'n' roll history, April 13, 1983, is the date that Violent Femmes released their beloved, eponymous first album and gifted the world with Blister in the Sun, Add It Up, Gone Daddy Gone, and other instant classics. The album has ascended to the status of "generational hand-me-down" according to Violent Femmes founding member and our fellow Milwaukeean, Brian Ri...

People Have the Power: A Celebration of Patti Smith is taking over Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Luminaries including Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe, Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Ben Harper, Kim Gordon, Flea, The National's Matt Berninger, Susanna Hoffs, Chrissie Hynde, and many others are participating in the festivities. https://musicof.org/ And, damn, if this epic event d...

With the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary still freshly in the rearview, we're revisiting our conversation with the OG Californian himself, Fred Armisen. Also, Fred's heading out for a Spring '25 tour - info on his IG @sordociego. See our VIDEO where Fred unpacks the non-endearing quality of stars getting fussy over food in the dressing room. WATCH HERE: https://youtube.com/shorts/48o_bA1Hnmc...

In recognition of Kurt Cobain's February birthday (he would have been 58 on 2/20/25), and 30 years since the release of Garbage's first album with the hits songs Stupid Girl and Only Happy When It Rains, we're bringing back our epic conversation with fellow Packers fan Butch Vig. Catch the VIDEO with Butch recalling a raucous night at the Hollywood Palladium with the Butthole Surfers and L7 where...

Allen and his band, Happiless, put out a song — Hopscotch Town — way back in 2014 that sounds pretty prescient today. It's about a place where the people in charge convince the people they rule that economic prosperity trumps individual freedom. Sound familiar? And when will those egg prices come down, anyhow? Hopscotch Town is a catchy piece of pop confection wrapped around a big chunk of poison....

Before January wraps, let's celebrate that 39 years ago this month on January 18, 1986, the Replacements got banned for life from SNL. In the middle of playing "Bastards of Young" on live TV, singer Paul Westerberg yelled to guitarist Bob Stinson, "Come on, F*cker!" during this guitar solo. In a combo platter of VIDEO and audio featuring one of our favorite guests, Tommy Stinson tells the story of...

The TMEP Showoffs are getting into show business, and especially the motion picture business, by finally posting VIDEOS featuring some of our favorite guests. Feel the tug at your heartstrings as Zia McCabe from the Dandy Warhols shares the story of her emotional encounter with personal hero Willie Nelson at the Glastonbury Festival. WATCH HERE: https://youtube.com/shorts/OobVtKwGuQg In this early...

On the year-ending TMEP Show wrap up, Allen reveals the startling results of his 2024 Apple Music Replay and Alex reveals the show’s secret plan for world domination for 2025.  Find Graham Parson's Squeezing Out Sparks album: https://www.grahamparker.net/Squeezing_Out_Sparks.html -------------------------------------------------- ***http://distrokid.com/vip/tmep***  Get your original songs into Sp...