Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

SPRINTS is a raucous 4-piece post-punk band from Dublin comprised of vocalist and guitarist Karla Chubb, bassist Sam McCann, drummer Jack Callan and new guitarist Zac Stephenson.  Their newest record, All That Is Over, is due out on September 26th via Sub Pop records. The band shares their experience recording at La Frette Studios, why they were more confident making All That is Over Now, and how...

Luke Silas is a film and tv composer and founding member/drummer of chiptune wizards, Anamanaguchi. Their new LP, Anyway ( due out 8/8 via Polyvinyl Records) is beautiful pivot from 8 bits to full throttle rock.  Luke tells us how the band’s work on the Scott Pilgrim show inspired the vibe of the new record, why they don’t like to repeat themselves and how Anamanaguchi realized they now love opera...

Flowers for the Dead are a DC based trio comprised of guitarist/vocalist Jessie Szegö, bassist Ella Buskirk, and drummer Ten Bears. Their newest EP, First Place, is produced by Justin Pizzoferrato and due out August 1st. The three share their experience recording the new record, how a newfound confidence shaped the process to a more collaborative effort. We learn how this new version of the band c...

Alicia Gaines is the singer, bass player and founding member of Chicago based Ganser. Their third and newest record Animal Hospital is due out August 29th via Felte Records. In this episode Alicia shares how the unintentional formation of Ganser came about and why she felt l she needed to unlearn here formal training.  She tells us why she views songwriting as a game of sorts, why the new record r...

Madeline Kenny is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Oakland, Ca. Her 5th record, Kiss From The Balcony is due out July 18th via Carpark records and is a follow up to her acclaimed release New Reality Mind.  Madeline shares her early relationship with music and why an education spilt between formal piano training and an all-ages punk venue proved to be a rounding experience. ...

Allison Wolfe is the singer and a founding member of Bratmobile.  Following a 2 year hiatus, Bratmobile is back with a string of shows on the West Coast, including their second appearance at the Mosswood Meltdown Festival, hosted by John Waters.   Allison gives us a quick history of Bratmobile, how the band presently operates and why the band continues to come back together despite distances, othe...

Alan Sparhawk is a singer, songwriter and a founding member of the Duluth based band Low, where he has built decades of stirring music with his wife and lifelong creative partner Mimi Parker. Following Mimi’s passing in 2022, Alan has released two solo records, the first titled White Flowers, My God and the most recent Alan Sparhawk with Trampled By Turtles, both available now via Sub Pop Records....

Greta Kline is a singer, songwriter and founding member of NYC based band, Frankie Cosmos. The newest record, Different Talking, is due out June 27th via Sub Pop Records and is led by three rousing singles.  Greta shares her experience growing up in a New York DIY community and how she evolved from a supportive to a creative role in the music scene.  She tells us how new bandmates have not only ch...

Jack Cooper is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of the band Modern Nature. Modern Nature’s newest record The Heat Warps is due out August 29th via Bella Union. The first single Pharoah is out now and available everywhere. Jack shares the motivation behind starting Modern Nature, the bands sonic evolution and why the new record has a more direct and immediate vibe. He tells why h...

Matt Dowling is a multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Baltimore based SWOLL. SWOLL’S newest record, Avoid Attach is due out September 26th with the lead single Scar is out now on all digital platforms.  Matt gives us the lowdown on the Baltimore scene and shares his DC to Baltimore migration experience.  He tells us why he picked up the bass after years of piano training, what led him to...

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...

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 fo...

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 obs...

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 Suic...

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 B...

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...

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 w...

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 synthesi...

JP Hasson is a musician, comedian and visual artist based in Los Angeles. For the last 2 decades he has toured and recorded with his conceptual music/comedy acts Pleaseeasaur and JP Inc. He is also the founder, CEO and creative director at Hasco Enjoyments, the combined works of JP Hasson and JP Inc.  Hasco Enjoyment’s latest effort, WOW!, a lush and dreamy instrumental album, is available now eve...

José Medeles is seasoned composer, drummer, author, owner of Revival Drum Shop and most recently, brand manager for the legendary and exquisitely revived Slingerland Drum Company. José shares his journey from working drummer/shop owner to his new position celebrating and advocating for his favorite drum company.  He tells us why he initially resisted the position, what pushed him to except it and...

Aaron Beam is the singer and bass player for Portland based Red Fang. In celebration of 20 years in the riff business, Red Fang releases Deep Cuts , an extensive 26-song collection of non-album tracks, covers, and previously unreleased singles, out now via Relapse Records. In this episode, Aaron paints a picture of the of the early aughts Portland scene and how it provided the exact ingredients ne...

This episode of Tour Stories is not an episode of Tour Stories. This is the debut episode of the new podcast Rock For Likes. Inspired by a lively text thread, 2 former members of Modest Mouse (Dann Gallucci, Joe Plummer) and 1 current member (Simon O'Connor) share their opinions, experiences, and alleged knowledge of rock in a rapid-fire exchange of narrative free good times.  A trifecta of goofs,...

Basia Bulat is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter based in Montreal. Since 2007, she has recorded 7 records and toured the world extensively.  Her newest release, Basia’s Palace is out now via Secret City Records. In this episode, Basia explains her lifelong attraction to Montreal and what motivated her to finally move there from her hometown of Toronto. She shares her experience of gr...

Joe's conversation with Stephen Hodges just keeps giving! Stephen shares the secret behind his drumming technique on the Tom Wait's Swordfish Trombone , which leads Joe and Stephen to an insightful conversion on how Stephen controls and changes sonic dynamics, reverberation, and the sound fields of the many albums he's recorded. Stephen gives us an eloquent, philosophical and practical lesson on c...

Dax Riggs is a singer songwriter and guitarist based in Lafayette, Louisiana. He has spent much of his career in the worlds of metal, punk-blues, and psych rock, starting with the heavy sludge band Acid Bath as a teenager then moving through country-punk, folk and gospel along his journey. His newest record in 12+ years, 7 Songs For Spiders (out now via Fat Possum) is a honed and realized expressi...