Caropop

Some songs you enjoy in the background while others take up residence in your bones. Sam Phillips’ music is in the latter category. She was Christian pop artist Leslie Phillips until she outgrew those constraints and, as Sam, began releasing such transcendent songs as “Holding On to the Earth” and “I Need Love” and wonderful albums such as the spirited The Indescribable Wow, the tour de force Martinis and Bikinis and the intimate Fan Dance. What threat did she make to get released from her Christian label? How did she wind up playing a mute villain in Die Hard with a Vengeance? How is she still searching for the euphoric? She’s as perceptive and spellbinding in conversation as in song.

Colin Blunstone has one of the sweetest, most distinct voices in rock, yet his band, the Zombies, has a bizarre history. It broke through with “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No,” then went three years before the release of its second album, the masterful Odessey and Oracle. By then the Zombies had split, and when “Time of the Season” became a hit almost a year later, fake versions of the band, including one featuring members of a soon-to-be-famous group, toured the U.S. Now Blunstone and songwriter/keyboardist Rod Argent are Zombies again, and in a lively, good-humored conversation, Blunstone recounts his spat with Argent over "Time of the Season" and a rollercoaster career that led to a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

He’s been known as Miami Steve, Little Steven and Steve/Steven/Stevie Van Zandt. He’s been Bruce Springsteen’s and Tony Soprano’s No. 2 guy, the artistic force behind Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, the leader of his own Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul and the star of Netflix’s Lilyhammer. He united rockers and rappers to battle South African apartheid with “Sun City,” oversees three satellite radio stations and a record label, wrote the memoir Unrequited Infatuations and he wishes he’d done more. Why does Stevie Van Zandt say the '70s were the worst time to record? Does he think Springsteen's concerts are too long? Why is he so frustrated? No one could tell this story like he does.

The Mekons, the Waco Brothers, Four Lost Souls, the Pine Valley Cosmonauts—those are just some of Jon Langford’s bands, and he’s an accomplished visual artist to boot. Since moving to Chicago from England almost 30 years ago, Langford has become one of the city’s greatest assets, and during the pandemic he has performed constantly in support of small clubs and other good causes. He recalls the influence of reggae and country music on the early British punk scene, how the Mekons never were in a riot until they were, how the band took on Led Zeppelin, and how much he misses the late Wacos drummer Joe Camarillo. He’s also performs two new songs JUST FOR YOU. Listen and enjoy.

When singer-songwriter Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens played their first Big Star concert in almost 20 years in 1993, Stephens said it was the first time the band had performed before a paying audience that actually knew their songs. This soulful Memphis power-pop group’s initial three albums—#1 Record, Radio City and Third/Sister Lovers—barely were heard upon release but now stand as all-time greats. Stephens, the original lineup’s sole survivor and one of rock’s good guys, recalls the contrasting brilliance and instability of Chilton and original co-leader Chris Bell, Chilton’s instrument-smashing blow-up with bassist Andy Hummel, and the inspired work that led the Replacements’ Paul Westerberg to sing, “I never travel far without a little Big Star!” He's also got a great Ringo story...

If you pay close attention to the vinyl world, you know the name of Kevin Gray. He’s been mastering recordings since the early 1970s, and his name is on some of the best-sounding reissues being released, including albums by Blue Note jazz artists, Aretha Franklin, T-Rex, the Kinks, John Prine and a much-sought-after version of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. What distinguishes his work from other mastering engineers, such as previous Caropop guest Bernie Grundman? Does a great master require an all-analog source? What does he think of half-speed mastering? How long does he take to master an album? Does he share Grundman's appreciation for CDs? Does he agree with Grundman that recordings on quarter-inch tape sound better than those on half-inch tape? We’re digging deep, so listen, learn and enjoy.

Camper Van Beethoven bassist Victor Krummenacher is a standout player in a standout band that was peaking when it imploded. This former Wired art director has a journalist’s eye for detail as he recalls how this inventive group sprung from a shambling Southern California scene, covered miles of stylistic ground, recorded songs such as “Take the Skinheads Bowling” and "Pictures of Matchstick Men” (a radio-ready cover the label ordered up for Key Lime Pie) but could not sustain the happy energy of its music. Does he regret leaving in the middle of the subsequent European tour? How did he feel about Camper frontman David Lowery’s subsequent band, Cracker? How did Camper mend fences? Krummenacher, who also has released 10 solo albums, has tales to tell.

Amy Landecker is a working actor of many talents. She was Sarah Pfefferman on the Emmy-winning series Transparent, plays detective Nancy Costello on the Showtime series Your Honor and made an indelible impression as the heavy-lidded Mrs. Samsky in the Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man. She has done tons of voiceover work and is skilled in “Primitive Sound Emanation”—an extremely loud monkey screech YOU WILL HEAR in this conversation. She also discusses the script she's writing, how COVID recently hit her and her husband Bradley Whitford and cost them roles, and how growing up the daughter of a Chicago radio legend helped prepare her for life in Hollywood. Amy Landecker is one of those actors everyone likes and respects. Join the club.

In Part 2 of our Caropop conversation, we dive into the most famous album that Steve Albini produced, Nirvana’s In Utero. Which version does he consider to be definitive? Why does he think the controversy over his mixes, with the two singles remixed by Scott Litt, was overblown and reflects a misunderstanding of how musicians think? How did he feel about creating a new In Utero mix with the surviving band members 20 years later? Also: Do fellow producers resent him for not taking artist royalties and, in theory, driving down rates? And after years of being outspoken, has Steve Albini become a mellow guy? You be the judge.

Steve Albini raised his profile while recording Nirvana, the Pixies, the Breeders, P.J. Harvey and more, but he never became part of the rock machine. He works only on analog equipment, refuses to accept producer royalties and takes pride in remaining accessible to a wide variety of artists. Part 1 of this Caropop conversation takes place at his Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, as he discusses analog vs. digital technology, whether the digital revolution has been more of a blessing or curse, whether the industry has become more or less exploitative of artists, and which band he’d especially love to record. Always sharp and provocative, Steve Albini pushes you to think deeper about the lasting power of music.