The Lydian Spin

Lydia and Tim are on tour, which means no intro this week. Here is a message from Lydia on the eve of Independence Day:  "There has never been a better time for a People's Revolution than this July 4th, when the fireworks you'll be watching will mirror the explosion in our heads after Diaper Donnie and his band of criminal Republicunts have severed every safety net that has semi-protected veterans, children, women, working families, and nature herself. Total fuckery. Have a good weekend, and blow something up." This week’s guest is Kilynn Lunsford. Her Promiscuous Genes, released in June, is a sharp, shape-shifting mix of post-punk, electro, and noise. Built from lo-fi textures, disembodied vocals, and jagged rhythms, it’s a raw, collage-like record that moves between pop impulse and experimental abrasion without settling into either.

David Gordon was born in New York City. He is the author of ten books.  His first novel, The Serialist, won the VCU/Cabell First Novel Award, was a finalist for an Edgar Award, and was made into a feature film - in Japan. He has also written five books in the on-going Joe the Bouncer series. His new novel, forthcoming from Mysterious Press in July 22, is a neo-noir called Behind Sunset, is set in LA in the 90s, and takes place in the last glory days of the print porn industry, the celebrity spirituality/wellness world, and the dark corners of Hollywood.  

JT Habersaat was dubbed the "Godfather of Punk Rock Comedy" by Chicago Now and launched The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour in 2007, which he headlined for over a decade. His latest special Swamp Beast hit #1 on the Amazon Comedy Charts and was released by 800 Pound Gorilla / Warner Music Group. He curates the Altercation Comedy Festival in Austin, which Vulture named one of the top comedy festivals in the world. JT has toured with Lydia, appeared on Comedy Central, released albums on Stand Up! Records, and creates custom action figures collected by artists like Patton Oswalt, John Carpenter, and Raymond Pettibon. In July JT has a new book coming out titled Doing Time: Comedians Talk Standup.

Lydia and Tim are busy this week, so there’s a brief break from guests until next week. With everything happening in the streets, we’ve put together a quick episode along with a couple of song suggestions to help lift your spirits while you're out protesting. Lydia Songs: Time Has Come Today Chamber Brothers Ohio/Machine Gun - The Isley Brothers Ball of Confusion - The Temptations Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Rivival What's Going On -  Marvin Gaye Living For the City- Stevie Wonder War - Edwin Starr Tim Songs: Fables of Faubus - Charles Mingus Fight the Power- Public Enemy Everyday People-Sly and the Family Stone Continuing War on Stupidity- Napalm Death Study No.9 (The Anti-Abolitionist Riots)-Charles Ives.

Steve Doughton is a Portland-based filmmaker whose works explore themes of alienation, connection, and displacement. After establishing himself in New York’s experimental film scene during the 1980s, Steve returned to his hometown, where his filmmaking evolved into something more sustained and emotionally resonant. Earthlings, his latest feature adapted from a short story by longtime collaborator Jon Raymond, continues his exploration of isolated individuals brought into uneasy intimacy—this time through a dinner party that confronts issues of race, class, and belonging in a distinctly Portland setting. Though shaped by his experimental roots, Steve’s recent work is grounded in character-driven storytelling, revealing the quiet, often painful negotiations of human connection across social and emotional borders.

Pianist Matthew Shipp makes music where free jazz and modern classical meet. In the early ’90s, he played in the David S. Ware Quartet and soon began leading his own sessions, often with bassist William Parker. He has recorded many duets with musicians such as Roscoe Mitchell and Mat Maneri. He began playing piano at five and focused on jazz by age 12. He studied with Robert “Boisey” Lawrey and later attended the New England Conservatory after brief studies with Dennis Sandole. He moved to New York City in 1984, where he met William Parker, and has since recorded for labels including HatArt, Thirsty Ear, RogueArt, AUM Fidelity, ESP-Disk, and Tao Forms. Matthew was recently in the news for his comments on Andre 3000's recent 7 Piano Sketches album. In April he release a collection of essays and poems Black Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings.

Grace Bergere is a songwriter and musician from Downtown Manhattan. She will be touring the West Coast with Puzzled Panther in late July, supporting Gogol Bordello for the second time. On June 4th, she’ll appear at Scott Lipps’ Lipps Service Live at The Bitter End with Eugene Hutz, and on June 7th, she’ll perform with Joseph Keckler and Bibbe Hansen at Art Yard in New Jersey. Her debut album A Little Blood was released on Eugene Hutz’s Casa Gogol Records, which also put out her cover of All Tomorrow’s Parties featuring Thurston Moore.

Photo: Augustin Rebetez Swiss-born Dejan Gacond places words at the center of his artistic projects—shared through installations, books, and stage performances. For 15 years, he and Kit Brown have imagined and built A Kaleidoscope of Nothingness. Since 2013, Dejan has collaborated with Lydia, a poetic friendship marked by 13 performances within the installations. He also translated several of her texts into French, including V.I.T.R.I.O.L., published by Au Diable Vauvert in 2022. His collaborations extend to writer Tony O’Neill, filmmaker Sabrina Sarabi, and the band And Also The Trees. His latest books, Sous tes yeux les poches sont des bassines (2025) and Club Nothing (2022), were both published by Label Rapace.

Elliot(Eli) Hoffman is the drummer for Car Bomb, a band that formed in the early 2000s from two groups, Neck and Spooge, in Rockville Center, New York. His drumming is influenced by artists like Vinnie Colaiuta and Thomas Haake. Hoffman started playing drums around the age of 10, participated in drum corps during junior high, and later took lessons that shaped his technique. Checkout car Bomb's official site.

Hannah Marie Marcus is a Manhattan-born musician and olfactory artist whose work spans folk, slowcore, Cajun, and experimental sound. The Hannah Marcus Years: 1993–2004 collects recordings with collaborators including Tim Mooney and members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. She has since scored films, toured with Matana Roberts, and performed scent-based works.