Vinyl Emergency

With his ninth solo record overall, released in February, Frank Turner has claimed his first-ever number one spot on his native UK albums chart. To put icing on that cake, FTHC is his most personal album yet, whether speaking directly about the passing of longtime friend and musician Scott Hutchison or his evolving relationship with his transgender father. On today's show, Frank discusses how FTHC...

For over a quarter-century, Mike Park has been releasing iconic punk, ska and more through his DIY record label Asian Man. Along with Mike's own various music projects, Asian Man helped introduce now long-tenured bands with cult followings (Alkaline Trio, Less Than Jake) to a worldwide audience, and his activism led to large tours like Ska Against Racism and Plea For Peace, aimed at educating ska...

Much of what we love about vinyl records is separate from the vinyl itself: Photographers, illustrators and more play an important role in helping fans connect emotionally or otherwise with their favorite recording artists, especially in the age of social media. Today, three accomplished individuals — portrait photographer Alysse Gafkjen, muralist Kim Radford and live photographer Josh Weichman —...

As co-hosts of the podcast Who Cares About the Rock Hall?, comedians Kristen Studard and Joe Kwaczala examine the history, politics, annual inductions and just-as-annual snubs within the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Originally launched as a simple way for two friends to discuss music, the show has gotten the duo unprecedented access to those behind-the-scenes and in the know -- even arguably swayin...

With 25th anniversaries occurring or looming for some of his earliest work with Alkaline Trio, Slapstick and Tuesday, Dan Andriano is set to release yet another chapter in a storied career next month -- Dear Darkness, his first LP with backing band The Bygones. On today's show, Dan discusses the importance the suburbs play in the story of Chicago punk rock, what kickstarted his interest in writing...

Championed by some today's biggest names on the fringes of country music, singer/songwriter Amythyst Kiah released her most recent album, Wary + Strange, last year to rave reviews. Upon its release, Pitchfork dubbed the record "an intensely personal document (that) examines the realities of being a Southern Black LGBTQ+ woman in songs both defiant and vulnerable." One of those tracks in particular...

This year, the record industry hit arguably its greatest bottleneck yet: Though Taylor Swift and Adele have recently delivered two of the largest vinyl sales weeks of the modern era (with revenue on an incline for physical indie retailers during the pandemic), COVID-19 has made materials like PVC, cardboard, dyes, shrink wrap, paper for inner sleeves and even wood pallets increasingly harder to fi...

Here's a brief update on what you can expect for our final episode of 2021, airing next week, and what's coming up in early 2022!

Over six proper studio albums and a slew of EP's and seven-inches within 15+ years, Seattle's Minus the Bear established themselves as one of indie-rock's most unique, shape-shifting bands. On today's episode, vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider discusses the band's new triple-LP live set recorded over several shows of their last tour in 2018, and how the band focused on the quality of the vinyl master...

Nashville-based producer/singer/songwriter Jon Randall has collaborated with a who's-who list of country royalty for two decades, from Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire and Dwight Yoakam to Maren Morris, Little Big Town and Lyle Lovett. But this past year has brought Jon a bit more out from behind-the-scenes: He's got his first solo album in 15 years available now, as well as The Marfa Tapes — a joint...

Since his first release nearly 40 years ago, Billy Bragg has been crafting equally passionate odes to unrequited romance and political unrest. With the immediate, anthemic presence of an electrified busker, his reputation was cemented early on as one of the UK's wittiest personalities, combining influences of punk, R&B and skiffle. He's also pioneered a long list of strikingly original projects: F...

Enjoy this episode of the podcast Rock And Roll Brunch, with guest Jim Hanke of Vinyl Emergency, from August 2021. Follow @rockandrollbrunch on Instagram and subscribe to the show on YouTube (with full video of every episode), or however you get podcasts!

Natalie Hemby has earned the type of career most Nashville artists dream of, without necessarily being a household name. She signed her first publishing deal before the age of 21, and has co-written hits for superstars like Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow and Lady Gaga, the latter of which nabbed Natalie her first Grammy. Natalie's friendships with fellow singer/son...

Enjoy this encore presentation from February 2020 with guest Jason Narducy of Split Single. His new album Amplificado is out now! 

The child of two professional singers who gigged heavily within their local nightclub scene, Chris DeMakes grew up surrounded by 45's, primarily so his mom and dad could keep up with (and cover) new music. That consistent rotation of entertainment in the house fueled Chris' collector habits early on: Memorizing liner notes and label logos, as well as keeping at least one copy of every record or pi...

Born in Scotland but moving to Australia by the age of 14, Colin Hay grew up around a music shop owned and operated by his parents, who sold everything from pianos to LP's. Finding worldwide success and a Grammy win in the early 80's with Men At Work, Colin has penned some of the most endearing songs of that decade ("Down Under," "Who Could It Be Now?," "Overkill") as well as unassuming yet emotio...

Growing up learning to play drums to his favorite LP's, Will Johnson earned an affection for the album as a beginning-to-end document from an early age. Aside from nearly two decades fronting the influential four-piece Centro-Matic, Will is known in Americana/indie-rock circles as being a serial collaborator: He's joined forces over the years in some capacity with Jason Molina, David Bazan and Jay...

Over the last twenty-five years with acclaimed acts like Nickel Creek, I'm With Her and Watkins Family Hour (as well as her own solo material), Sara Watkins has become one of the most prolific musicians in folk and bluegrass. Dig into your record collection, and you'll also find her work on albums from Steve Earle, The Decemberists, Mandy Moore, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett and Father John Mist...

Beginning strictly as a dance-a-long live show, Koo Koo Kanga Roo has exploded over the last decade -- thanks to digital streaming and word of mouth from elementary teachers -- becoming a hugely popular duo amongst toddlers and grade school kids. Whether rapping about the unbridled joys of pizza, rainbows, monsters or fanny packs, Bryan Atchison and Neil Ostad are approaching 150 million views on...

Enjoy this encore presentation of Episode 46, recorded live 01/14/17 at Pinwheel Records (Chicago) with vocalists/guitarists Bob Nanna and Chris Broach from Braid. 

A songwriter and record collector since the age of 8, Patterson Hood's musical education was through his father's record collection. But what separates David Hood from a lot of dads is the fact that he's a renowned session bassist and producer who has worked with anyone from Aretha Franklin to Willie Nelson -- appearing on classics like The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" and Etta James' "Te...

What do Hulk Hogan, Ed McMahon, the Pink Panther and Hamm's Beer all have in common? Tony Thaxton, host of the podcast Bizarre Albums, joins us today to discuss the unique, obscure or oddly legendary records these pop culture icons created, as well as other LP's put out by actors, athletes, fictional characters and auto companies over the last half-century. Plus, we talk about our mutual fascinati...

In celebration of his debut album's 20th anniversary, this year has seen a massive vinyl reissue/remastering campaign for much of Chris Carrabba's early Dashboard Confessional catalog. This includes two LP's that the majority of his fanbase discovered him with (The Swiss Army Romance and The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most), plus the band's 2002 MTV Unplugged performance and several 10" EP's...

With touring off the table during the pandemic, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jason Isbell and his band the 400 Unit have still kept their momentum: The group's latest album Reunions was released to physical indie record stores prior to digital services earlier this spring, they've played a string of socially-distanced outdoor shows, as well as continue to post archival performances via Bandcam...

Though it already cemented his legacy as one of the world's greatest songwriters, Tom Petty originally intended 1994's Wildflowers to be a double-album. Now over 25 years later, fans can finally hear these long-buried tracks, along with home demos, alternate takes, live cuts, new liner notes from Rick Rubin and more as part of Wildflowers & All The Rest, a mammoth archival undertaking that ranges...