

Bandsplain
The Ringer
Bandsplain is a show where host Yasi Salek invites experts to explain cult bands and iconic artists - and why people love them - using a curated playlist to help you understand the hype.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 25, 2025 • 54min
Remembering Ozzy Osbourne, with Kory Grow and Rob Harvilla
Rob Harvilla and Rolling Stone senior writer Kory Grow join Yasi to discuss Ozzy Osbourne’s bodies of work with Black Sabbath as well as solo, his incredible impact on not just music but pop culture at large, and his enduring legacy.
Read Kory’s piece ‘Ozzy and Me: How I Got to Know the Real Ozzy Osbourne’, HERE
CREDITS:Host: Yasi SalekGuest: Kory Grow, Rob HarvillaProducer: Rob SundermannAudio Editor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 17, 2025 • 2h 10min
MOVIE NIGHT: ‘Pavements’ With Hua Hsu, Plus an Interview With Director Alex Ross Perry
Yasi chats with New Yorker staff writer, Pulitzer prize–winning author, and known Pavement aficionado Hua Hsu about the 2025 film 'Pavements.' Is it a documentary? Is it a biopic? Is it a secret third thing? Did we like it? All these questions and more are answered. Plus, Yasi has a nice long chat with director Alex Ross Perry about the film and several other things, including but not limited to his take on vocal fry, 'Some Kind Of Monster,' and different approaches to mythmaking.
Host: Yasi SalekGuest: Hua Hsu and Alex Ross PerryAudio Editor: Kevin PoolerAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 19, 2025 • 2h 45min
Elastica with Miranda Sawyer
Boots on the ground from Notting Hill, Yasi unpacks the inimitable Elastica with music journalist Miranda Sawyer. Thanks to their angular, concise music, incredible style, and unapologetic live chops, they seized charts and stages on both sides of the Atlantic in their short but mighty tenure as a band. Miranda puts it best: “Elastica were everyone’s favorite.”
CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Miranda Sawyer @msmirandasawyer
Producer: Liz Sánchez
Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5, 2025 • 4h 41min
The Jesus and Mary Chain with Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite
This week, Yasi is joined by Scottish musician and Mogwai frontman Stuart Braithwaite to talk about one of the coolest and most influential bands of all time - The Jesus and Mary Chain. From the chaotic genius of Psychocandy to the velvet-gloved menace of Darklands and through their break up, and make up, JAMC never made a bad album and we posit that most of your favorite bands would never have existed without them.
SKIP AHEAD:
47:58 – First live gig
01:35:13 – Psychocandy (1985)
02:18:52 – Darklands (1987)
03:20:58 – Stoned and Dethroned (1994)
EPISODE PLAYLIST:
Listen to the songs we talk about HERE.
CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Stuart Braithwaite IG: @plasmatron and Mogwai Official Site
Producer: Liz Sánchez
Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29, 2025 • 1h 45min
Perfect Song: ‘The Man Don’t Give a F*ck’ by Super Furry Animals with Chloë Walsh
Chloë Walsh, a passionate Scotswoman and Super Furry Animals superfan, dives deep into the psychedelic protest anthem 'The Man Don't Give a F*ck'. She shares the song's origins as a bold B-side against the UK’s Criminal Justice Act, highlighting its chaotic brilliance and cultural impact. Chloë discusses the band's playful creativity, the intertwining of Welsh identity and punk rock, and the festive rave culture of the '90s. Their revolutionary spirit shines through, as does the joy of community and resistance in their music.

May 22, 2025 • 2h 40min
Pulp: Part 2 (1994 to Forever?) with Siân Pattenden
Siân Pattenden, a music journalist and dedicated Pulpologist, dives deep into Pulp's journey during the Britpop era. She discusses the cultural impact of their iconic song 'Common People' and the irony of success, contrasting their rise with the challenges of fame. Pattenden also examines themes of class and authenticity in their music, particularly in albums like 'Different Class' and 'This Is Hardcore.' The conversation navigates Pulp's unique storytelling, humor, and the complexities of identity in the music industry, making for an engaging exploration of nostalgia and legacy.

May 15, 2025 • 3h 46min
Pulp: Part 1 (1978! through 1994) with Siân Pattenden
In today’s episode, we trace Pulp's story, starting from high school talent show stars up through the moment they become Britpop major players. Yasi is joined by British music journalist, author, and former Good Mixer regular Siân Pattenden to help red string board the many iterations of Pulp from 1978 through the moment it really clicked with His N Hers in 1994.
EPISODE PLAYLIST:
Listen to the songs we talk about HERE.
CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Siân Pattenden IG: @sian_superman Twitter: @sian_superman Website: Sian Pattenden
Producer: Liz Sánchez
Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

9 snips
May 8, 2025 • 3h 57min
Primal Scream with Chris Ryan
In this insightful discussion, Chris Ryan, a pop culture commentator and host of The Watch, dives deep into the evolution of Primal Scream, a band known for constantly reinventing their sound while maintaining their core identity. They explore how their transition from the euphoric 'Screamadelica' to the gritty 'XTRMNTR' reflects the shifting cultural landscape of the 90s. Ryan shares personal stories about the chaotic Glasgow music scene and the fascinating dynamics that shaped the band's tumultuous journey, revealing the complexities behind their creative process.

May 1, 2025 • 1h 16min
Perfect Song: Radiohead’s ‘Let Down’ with Cole Cuchna
We all know the vibe of Radiohead’s iconic 1997 album OK Computer: paranoia, anxiety, isolation. There are several bangers scattered throughout, like Karma Police and No Surprises. But which song feels the most perfect? Cole Cuchna of Dissect joins Yasi to break down his choice, rooted in musical technicality and evocative artistic expression. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Cole Cuchna @turangalila_ host of DissectProducer: Liz Sánchez Audio Editor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 24, 2025 • 2h 42min
Suede: Part 2 with Miranda Sawyer
In the last episode, we were Introducing the Band and exploring the question: did Suede kickstart Britpop? This episode, Yasi keeps making her case alongside longtime British music journalist Miranda Sawyer. Listen along as they unpack the band’s imperial phase at the height of the Britpop era — from Dog Man Star (1994) to their dispirited split, until they eventually decide to Stay Together. EPISODE PLAYLIST:Listen to the songs we talk about HERE.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Miranda Sawyer @msmirandasawyer Producer: Liz Sánchez Audio Editor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices