Stereo Embers: The Podcast

“Proclaimer Of Things” The co-founder of the legendary Elephant 6 Collective that spawned Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control and her band The Apples In Stereo, Hilarie Sidney has very quietly been one of the most important figures in modern music. By the way, before we continue, I’m sure you’re like Neutral Milk Hotel? Cool. Olivia Tremor Control? Cool. The Apples In Stereo? Cool. Yes, all cool for sure, and all massively influential bands. But even cooler? Sidney was the only woman in that gang of dudes. Which is even cooler. Along the way, Sidney fell in love with a Norwegian fella who also was a musician and they joined forces as The High Water Marks, putting out two fabulous albums of engaging indie pop. Sidney moved to Norway thanks to a Study Abroad fellowship to Norway, married that Norwegian fella and put music aside to raise a family, 2020 ended the High Water Marks' hiatus in the form of the fabulous Ecstasy Rhymes album and now two years later, its follow up Proclaimer of Things is ready to go. A blast of hook-laden numbers that careen and roll mightily away with jangling precision and indie rock smarts, Proclaimer of Things is a stirring collection of spry pop anthems thats both spellbinding and rousing. From her home in Norway, Hilaire talks to Alex about culture, music and Viking Music Festivals…. www.thehighwatermarks.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.bombshellradio.com Stereo Embers: The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Hard To Get (ish)” This is the continued post-mortem of a band that I’ve explored over the course of several episodes of the show. Now, bands break up all the time—big deal. But a band that signed the most lucrative contract for a debut album in the history of Island Records and called it a day after only one record? Not so common. The album in question is Starclub’s 1993 self-titled album. When it hit shelves here in the US, it was all I listened to. Hard to Get, which you just heard, remains my favorite song of the 90s and back then I didn’t get how it wasn’t the #1 song in America. I still don’t. But the bigger question about Starclub is what the hell happened? These were childhood friends who shared a dream and a love of the Beatles and a clear vision for what they wanted for their band. How did they only put out one record? Well, I’ve been obsessing about this for years and the singer Owen Vyse is a close pal of mine and we’ve talked about it, we even did an episode where the band's bassist Julian Taylor appeared with Owen and I was pretty satisfied with the sonic autopsy, because it did provide an explanation about how things went down. But then the guitarist Steve French reached out and asked if he could have his say about the whole thing. And I said absolutely and you’re about to hear that chat. But does this finally put a pin in things or make them more complex? You tell me. What I’ll tell you is the mystery continues. Or does it? Maybe it all makes sense now. Let’s find out by continuing to piece together the story of Starclub. Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“New Kings Of Pop” The Mommyheads got their start somewhere around 1987 or so in New York. They relocated to San Francisco and in the 90s they were Bay Area staples. Their music is a charming blend of wobbly pop beauty that brings to mind everyone from Jellyfish to XTC but the Mommyheads are not just a pop band—they’re an idiosyncratic outfit that, over the course of their career, have thrown sonic curveballs that even their most ardent fans never saw coming. They had a brief dalliance with a major label, signing to Geffen in 1997, but that yielded only one fabulous self-titled album. After they parted ways with Geffen they kind of parted ways with each other, taking a break from recording that lasted almost 11 years. With close to 15 albums under their belts, the Mommyheads output is rich and rewarding. The band have had their songs covered by Jenny Toomey and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, they appear in a Time Warner TV ad, and we're happy to report that the Mommyheads are not only back, they're more creatively alive than they’ve ever been. Their latest two albums New Kings Of Pop and Age of Isolation rank among their finest work. Singer Adam Elk is our guest today and this is one of the most entertaining and interesting chats we’ve ever had. www.mommyheads.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Time Of The Season” The Zombies got their start in the early '60s and since then, they’ve been one of the most enduring bands in rock and roll history, The British outfit, which is led by the core of Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent had a mad streak of singles—She’s Not There, Tell Her No and Time Of The Season—that pretty much cemented their reputation as a massive pop force. Their album Odessey and Oracle is considered one of the greatest albums ever made and in 2019 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Blunstone’s voice is one of the great wonders of the world and the band’s material is ageless, timeless and affecting. Blunstone has put out solo records, appeared on albums by Alan Parsons and Steve Hackett and the band’s recent output like 2015’s Still Got That Hunger demonstrate that they remain as potent as ever. In this chat, the genial Blunstone talks to Alex about his casual relationship with his work ethic, the evil that lurks in the music business, and why he’s not burdened by competition or envy. www.zombiesmusic.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers: Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Click Click Domino" Christopher Turpin and Stephanie Jean were in the Bath-based alternative rock band Kill It Kid who put out three fabulous albums. With a sonic attack that fell somewhere between Nirvana and The White Stripes, Kill It Kid were a ferocious live act that radiated intensity and heart. After the band called it a day Turpin and Jean formed the duo Ida Mae. Influenced by Delta Blues, JJ Cale, John Martyn and obscure British Folk, the band hit the ground running with their 2019 debut Chasing Lights. Having left their native England for the rich musical soil of Nashville, the band dug in and got to work, playing shows all over the world, including the Newport Folk Festival and opening slots for Willie Nelson, Greta Van Fleet and Blackberry Smoke. They’ve recored with M. Ward and T Bone Burnett, been hailed by everyone from American Songwriter to Rolling Stone and the release of their sophomore album Click Click Domino has cemented them as one of the most exciting bands around. A wicked blend of bluesy howl, folky finesse and affecting harmonies, the husband and wife team of Ida Mae bring to mind everyone from Fleetwood Mac to The Record Company. In this intimate chat, the two talk to Alex about their record collections, family support and how to do a Meet and Greet in a COVID world…. www.idamaemusic.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Still The Night” Since the early '80s the Wisconsin-bred Bodeans have been playing some of the catchiest and most compelling rock and roll you’re likely to hear. With nearly 20 albums to their name including Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams, Outside Looking In, Mr Sad Clown and Still, The Bodeans discography is a riveting blend of American music played with heart and soul and truth. They’ve had quite a career and it’s one that found them opening for U2 on the Joshua Tree tour, playing Farm Aid, recording with Robbie Robertson, being produced by everyone from T. Bone Burnett to Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, releasing a killer double live album, having a massive hit with "Closer To Free" and touring all over the world. They’ve gone through many iterations of their lineup, but original member Kurt Neumann is the man holding down the Bodeans legacy and with the addition of legendary drummer Kenny Aaronoff, the Bodeans sound better than ever. In this conversation, Neumann talks to Alex about coping with depression, starting his own podcast and why he loves the Violent Femmes. He also chats about a life-changing epiphany he had at McDonald’s... www.bodeans.com Staring At The World With Kurt Neumann Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/11EvIZy3RXLaEFpHrzczaS www.bombshellradio.com Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Analog Christmas” Arielle is one of those rare talents that comes along where you look at what she’s capable of and it kind of knocks you out. A guitar virtuoso who also is blessed with a four-octave voice, Arielle has played on stage with everyone from Queen in the "We Will Rock You” musical to Cee Lo Green at Coachella. She’s opened for Guns 'n Roses, Larkin Poe and Heart, collaborated with Eric Johnson and Kings and Daughters' Talia Dean and appeared regularly on the TV show “Nashville." She studied at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, put out EPS and albums, including her latest—Analog Girl In A Digital World—and, along with Queen’s Brian May, she designed a guitar, the retro future BMG Arielle. May said of the instrument: "It’s a new dimension. To understand why this guitar was irresistible to me, you have to hold her in your hands. She’s light, smooth, agile and she sings like a bird.” An activist, an artist an engineer and a master technician, Arielle’s gifts are profound and powerful. And she’s a lovely human being. In this open and candid conversation she talks to Alex about her take on possessions, staying in touch with people and why a ride in an ambulance was deeply important to her as a musician. www.imarielle.com www.alexgreenonline.com www.bombshellradio.com Stereo Embers The Podcast: Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Finding Your Voice” Before we get to Kelly Monrow, let’s have a quick chat about Kelly Dowdle. The Oklahoma-born and Texas-raised Kelly Dowdle is an actress who has appeared on Billions, Lucifer and American Crime Story. Growing up, she always knew she loved music, but it wasn’t until recently that she discovered she also loved making it. Kelly found her voice. And her voice kept finding her—so much so, that she named her musical identity Kelly Monrow. Monrow dresses like a dreamy blend of Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks and her music is a cross between '70s cosmic Americana and southern soul. Her new EP PRONOIA is just the start because as an artist, Kelly Monrow is picking up speed and realizing the world is hers to conquer. It’s kind of like waking up with a superpower and going out into the world to test it. Well, the testing is done. Monrow is the real deal and watching her spread her creative wings is going to be one of 2022’s great joys. This is a really cool chat because we cover what it means to find one’s voice and what to do with it when you do. But we also hit some really interesting territory that I’ve never hit before in these chats—I don’t want to spoil anything, but it has to do with maintaining your personal identity in a relationship and how if you’re not careful, you can sacrifice your artistic self without even knowing you're doing it. www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

“Observatory” Now the name Aeon Station might not sound familiar but their music probably does. And there’s a simple reason for that. Aeon Station is basically 3/4ths of the personnel of the legendary New Jersey band The Wrens. So why is the band Aeon Station and not the Wrens? Well, there’s also a simple reason for that but it’s one of those simple reasons that’s actually kind of complicated and probably deserves its own podcast by way of explanation. So let’s just go with this. The band is Aeon Station because it’s not the Wrens. Confused? This should clear things up. The Wrens formed in '89, put out three perfect albums, including Secaucus and The Meadowlands. The Meadowlands came out in 2003 and the band was poised to translate their critical acclaim capitol—of which they had a massive amount—into a profile that was bound to be larger, but, long story short: they didn’t. Now, almost twenty years later, Singer/guitarist Kevin Whelan who shared Wrens songwriting and singing duties with Charles Bissell in a kind of Jones and Strummer way, decided he would step forward with a batch of songs he’d been sitting on, including five that were intended for the follow up to The Meadowlands. Whelan's longtime Wrens comrades—his brother Greg and Jerry MacDonald—play on Aeon Station’s Observatory and the results are nothing short of captivating. A dramatic song cycle of indie rock soundscapes powered by wondrous melodies and lilting choruses, Observatory is stunning work. Falling somewhere between Remy Zero’s Villanelle, Radiohead’s OK Computer and the crunchy beauty of Canada’s Aerogramme, the album is a breathtaking blast of melodic wonder. It’s affecting, it’s arresting and it’s utterly thrilling—it reminds us that whether beauty rises or falls, its always spectacular. In this chat Kevin Whalen talks to Alex about The Wrens’ misadventures, the genesis of Aeon Station, his daily musical practice and what’s in the Whelan musical vaults…. www.facebook.com/aeonstationband www.subpop.com www.bombshellradio.com www.alexgreenonline.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"A Creative Classical Cauldron" Formed in Miami in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble have have completely reimagined what a modern orchestra can do. Sam Hyken and Jacomo Bairos are two of the most respected and in-demand artists in classical music and they’ve come together to create an innovative artistic collective that incorporates dance, mixed media, classical, hip-hop blues and well, pretty much everything else, into its creative cauldron. And what a cauldron it is—bubbling with innovation, nerve, craftsmanship, diversity, equity, equality and life, Nu Deco Ensemble is, quite simply, an astonishing fusion of culture and music that results in one of the most transfixing and inspiring experiences you’re likely to have in the arts. Or anywhere. The ensemble has collaborated with Macy Gray, Larkin Poe, Stephen Marley, Jacob Collier, Kimbra and Ben Folds, and they’re not stopping there. Their album with the Grammy-Nominated Larkin Poe is called Paint The Roses Live In Concert but that’s not even scratching the surface of what these guys do. We’ll let them explain... Nu Deco online: www.nu-deco-org Nu Deco Unfiltered Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nu-deco-unfiltered/id1559846018 www.bombshellradio.com Stereo Embers The Podcast Twitter: @emberseditor Instagram: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com