Zum Podcast with George Chen

I got to fill in for Rob Barber (The Urxed)'s dublab spot this month - and it was a great timing to promote the 25th anniversary of Zum and the new Zum Audio Vol 5 compilation that is coming out on Aug 18th (of course there are delays on the physical - even for a CD) Here's the link to the archive , but I thought it'd be worth sharing on the ol' podcast feed as well. TRACKLIST: Slower Than – Last...

This was originally going to be part of a new podcast interview series with Scott Pinkmountain ( https://www.scottpinkmountain.com/ ) but he ended up going a different direction. I still thought it was an interesting conversation where I talk about my background in music and comedy. Also taking a moment to let you know, if you are in the Bay Area, we are doing a Zum showcase at Noise Pop! Tuesday...

From episode 137 of Sup Doc , my other podcast about documentaries. First-time director Arthur Jones and producer Giorgio Angelini share the twisted tale of artist Matt Furie's most famous creation becoming a meme identified with the Alt Right. They chronicle Furie's attempt to reclaim Pepe the Frog for good and share the process of starting in comics and animation all the way to premiering at Sun...

Slightly different format show - my radio show from 9th Floor is no longer on iTunes so I thought I'd throw it up here, a mix of music and talk. My interview guest Chris Thomson (Circus Lupus, Ignition, Lunch Meat, Soulside, Unrest) recorded July 25. 2015 Playlist: Mdou Moctar – A Fleur Tamgak – Afelan (Sahel Sounds) Everybody Row – Escape Plan – The Sea Inside 7” (Vitriol Records/ 301 Collective)...

Zum Podcast Episode 24 - Michael Morley ----------- Exciting to meet up with Mr. Michael Morley of The Dead C, Gate, 2 Foot Flame, and much more. Legendary New Zealand music and art figure, I had a chat with Michael at a Gate show with Ramleh in San Francisco. We touch on his art career, other music projects, daily life in Port Chalmers, and even the recently departed David Bowie. Special thanks t...

If this is your first time checking out the show, welcome! I created this hourlong FCC clean version of the show for KGPC 96.9 FM (aka 9th Floor Radio at Peralta College) in Spring 2015. I made some bleep sounds for the swearing and tried to pick the chunks that I found the most interesting. These are my talks with Calvin Johnson (K Records, Beat Happening), Ron Lynch (Adventure Time, Home Movies)...

Zum Podcast Episode 23 - Jamie Stewart  ----------- Jamie Stewart is nearly indistinguishable from his 15+ year moniker performing as Xiu Xiu. Though he pals around with Prurient and Merzbow, he's finding new paths to blaze, taking on a Twin Peaks tribute and just trying to make it as a touring musician in the post-physical age. Avid traveller with an undeniable work ethic making challenging music...

Zum Podcast Episode 22 - Calvin Johnson  ----------- Despite some technical glitches, I managed to preserve most of my conversation with Calvin Johnson. If you're not familiar with K Records and Beat Happening (which comprise the last chapter of Our Band Could Be Your Life), he's also been in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System, Go Team, Hive Dwellers, and solo performance. We're driving across th...

Zum Podcast Episode 21 - Ron Lynch  ----------- Comedian Ron Lynch has a lengthy career appearing in unexpected places, from voice work on shows like Dr. Katz, Home Movies, Bob's Burgers, and Adventure Time, to film, commercials, and TV (Sarah Silverman Program, even the Golden Globes). He's also the voice of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, which brought him back to town. We talk about his...

Zum Podcast Episode 20 - Carla Bozulich/Evangelista  ----------- First time trying a multi-microphone interview with a multi-headed beast, this round it's Carla Bozulich and her Evangelista bandmates Tara Barnes and Dominic Cramp. I'm joined in the interview by Mike Keegan. Carla's music projects have included Ethyl Meatplow, Geraldine Fibbers, Scarnella, and most recently Evangelista who have put...

Zum Podcast Episode 19 - Allison Wolfe  ----------- Allison Wolfe is a legend in the punk scene and best known as the singer of Bratmobile, one of the original Riot grrrl acts. Creating the Girl Germs zine and spearheading Ladyfest, Wolfe throws out a larger than life persona as an activist and musician. The influence of that '90s moment even lead to an eye-opening trip to Georgia. We hung out in...

Zum Podcast Episode 18 - Anthony Bedard ----------- Anthony Bedard is at an overlap in the Venn diagram of music and comedy. As a musician he was in the notorious and recently reunited Icky Boyfriends as well as the Resineators, Hank IV, Little Queenie, and Leather Uppers. He's also the music booker at the Hemlock Tavern for about a decade and in addition to inaugurating the comedy series Club Chu...

Zum Podcast Episode 17 - Eric Cash ----------- Comedian Eric Cash had a pretty eclectic past as a street performer, circus ringleader, and punk singer before arriving at his current craft. We talk about his life bouncing around the US with a crew of tattooed, vomiting, and drugged out clowns, berating SF tourists, shooting apples off people's heads Burroughs-style, painting on boobs in New Orleans...

Zum Podcast Episode 16 - Robert Horton ------------- Robert Horton and Neil Campbell just completed the album Trojandropper, so I delivered copies to his house and crashed dinner. We talked about the lengthy process for Trojandropper and his history in the Bay Area punk and poetry scenes as a member of Appliances, ISM, Plateau Ensemble, and collaborations with players in many genres over the past...

Zum Podcast Episode 15 John Benson ------------- "John Benson vs. The People of California" -------------Some technical glitches in my chat with John Trevor Benson, but that seems appropriate given our topics of discussion - the legacy of Free Radio Berkeley, Barrington co-op, pre-internet touring, having a Harley dad, being sober, fixing wheelchairs, and converting a former police bus into a venu...

Zum Podcast Episode 14 - Mark Gergis ----------- How does one go from hanging out in the weirdo Oakland rock scene of the early '90s to arranging/producing collaborations between Omar Souleyman and Bjork? That's just part of the story of Mark Gergis, who works with Sublime Frequencies and recently started his own Sham Palace label. Sham Palace just released a collection of New Wave Dabke. If you d...

Zum Podcast Episode 13 Nate Denver ------------- Nate has been in several bands (Total Shutdown, Nate Denver's Neck, Dig That Body Up It's Alive, and one with me called Sobretooth that we didn't even get to talk about!) and has authored/illustrated the book "Wait, You're Not A Centaur." I caught up with him at his Los Angeles home whilst attending to his burbling baby daughter Sadie. He just compl...

Zum Podcast Episode 12 ------------ George is joined by special guest Sara Wintz to pose the eternal question: what is a hoarder, and am I one?  ------------- THE ETERNALS - Babalu's Wedding NAHAWA DOUMBIA - Kungo Sogoni - La Grande Canatrice Malienne Vol 3 (Awesome Tapes From Africa)  THE RAINCOATS - Red Shoes - Odyshape (We ThRee reissue) MOLLY THOMPSON - Small (live video Dec 9, 2011) CYNTHIA D...

Zum Podcast Episode 11 ---------------- ALVARIUS B - Well Known Stranger - Baroque Primitiva (Abduction) PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED Poptones - Second Edition ABE VIGODA - World Heart (7" version from split with Mikaela's Fiend) (Zum) HIGH CASTLE - Farewell To Limbs - Spirit Of The West (Zum) KUBLAI KHAN - Ricky The Dragon Steamboat (Chocolate River Deconstructions) GEORGE CHEN - Fishbone Soldier - 3/8/1...

Zum Podcast Episode 10 ANIKA - Officer Officer (Stones Throw) ANTIFAMILY - I Of The Law (Difficult Fun) GA'AN - Arms Can Speak - Black Equus (Captcha) BORIS - Hope - Attention Please (Sargent House) WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - Subterranean Initiation -Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord) VAN DYKE PARKS - Wall Street (Bananastan) ARTHUR DOYLE - Stormy Monday - No More Crazy Women (Carbon) BESTIAL MOUT...

Zum Podcast  Episode 9 --------------- ASTRAL SOCIAL CLUB - Works in Progress April 2008 - Bread #1 LITURGY - Sun of Light - Aesthetica (Thrill Jockey) VHOLTZ - unreleased 12" track RENE HELL - Bending (Voice) - The Hilton (Type) MEREDITH MONK - Masks - Mercy (ECM Records) GLASS GRAVES - KIT "Rain" Remix - Revocation HIGH CASTLE - We Were Lovers - Spirit of the West (Zum) SLEETMUTE NIGHTMUTE - In...

ROBERTO CACCIAPAGLIA - Find Your Way - The Ann Steel Album (1979) MOONDOG - Enough About Human Rights - The Viking Of Sixth Avenue DUNES - Phonetics (Mexican Summer 2010) TRASH KIT - Sunspots (Upset The Rhythm 2010) CELESTE - Un Miroir Pur Qui Te Rend Misérable - Morte(S) Nee(S) (Denovali 2010 http://denovali.com/celeste/) LUDICRA - Truth Won't Set You Free - The...

COWTOWN - Wii Arms DELTA 5 - Mind Your Own Business BASTARD NOISE - U.S.A. Today EXTREME ANIMALS - Witch Tricks LANDED - Osama Oxy Contin SIGHTINGS - Tar and Pine THE ART MUSEUMS - What Are They Saying (In a Paris Cafe) THE MONOCHROME SET - He's Frank DYMAXION - Cognitive Dissonance Penitentiary MESH - Beautiful Deceiver (Sound Collector compilation) SCOUT NIBLETT - I.B.D. ERICA POMERANCE - You Us...

JACK ROSE Cathedral et Chartes - Kensington Blues JACK ROSE Tex - Pasture Music Festival and Jubilee 2004 CAROLINA TAR HEELS Peg & Awl - Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER Laser To Laser A FOREST OF STARS Male - The Corpse of Rebirth (Transcendental Creations) JONNY GREENWOOD Future Markets - There Will Be Blood Soundtrack PAUL F TOMPKINS New Dads - Freak Wharf...