Stereo Embers: The Podcast

"Joachim Cooder Could Hear His Daughter’s Voice While He Was Underwater" An avid swimmer, Joachim Cooder found that after his daughter was born three years ago, he thought he heard her voice underwater when he was swimming laps. Now a father of two, it’s not just the sounds of his kids’ voices that Cooder hears and his new EP Fuchsia Machu Pichu is a testament to the sonic elements that Cooder hears transmitted from the world-at-large. A stunning seven song effort of gliding rhythms, stirring percussion, and organic grooves, Cooder’s new EP is a family affair that includes guest appearances by his father Ry Cooder, his wife Juliette Commagere and his brother-in-law Robert Francis. Joachim talks to Alex about fatherhood, the elusive songwriting process, playing Jim Keltner’s drums and temporarily naming his newborn son Snackpack. They also both confess to losing track of time while living in a state with no weather...

“David Klotz Nursed His Broken Heart With Vintage Synthesizers” A few years ago David Klotz had two heartbreaks going on at once: the break-up of his band, (the critically acclaimed sepia pop outfit Fonda)and the break-up of his marriage. And it turned out that both events were intertwined, as Klotz was married to Fonda singer/keyboardist Emily Cook. So David Klotz did what anyone would do in this situation: he began collecting vintage synthesizers. While amassing an arsenal that included a Roland Jupiter 4, a Crumar Performer and a Korg Rhythm 55-B, Klotz met singer/songwriter Erica Elektra. The two found they shared a love of The Human League and OMD and from there, Dream System 8 was born. Klotz, who is an Emmy-Award winning Music Editor (“Stranger Things,” “Game Of Thrones”) talks to Alex about finding a musical partner whose tireless work ethic rivals his own. He also talks about My Bloody Valentine, raising his son in a digital age and why he doesn’t write when he’s heartbroken.

Xavier Boyer Cut His Date Short On Valentine’s Day How nice of a guy is Xavier Boyer? So nice that not only did he agree to talk to Alex on Valentine’s Day, he cut his dinner date short with his girlfriend to do it. While she lounged at the restaurant where they’d been eating, Xavier climbed into his car and chatted with Alex about his solo album Some/Any/New. They also talked about Tame Impala, chasing after pop songs, healthy artistic competition, the current state of Tahiti 80 and where Xavier stands on Phoenix. Charming, friendly and honest, Xavier Boyer is truly one of pop music’s good ones...

“Wendy James Has Always Been Ferociously Independent" Growing up in London, Wendy James always had to fend for herself. Her home life was emotionally bereft and the young James was often left to her own devices. Streetwise, independent and unfailingly self-reliant, James learned early on that the only person she could truly count on was herself. Right in the middle of recording her new solo album Queen High Straight, the former Transvision Vamp singer talks to Alex about her love of Bob Dylan, the importance of her fans and how to remain artistically vital after thirty years in the business.

“Elizabeth Nelson Got Depressed A Week Early” Elizabeth Nelson thought daylight savings was a week before it was actually set to take place. So, the singer of the Paranoid Style tells Alex, she got depressed about the waning light a week earlier than she needed to be. But being in the D.C. outfit the Paranoid Style is nothing to be depressed about. Redolent with thorny takes on the modern world, politics and relationships, the band sounds like Naomi Klein fronting the Attractions. Signed to Bar/None,The Paranoid Style some of the sharpest, catchiest and most literate music around. Nelson talked to Alex about They Might Be Giants, growing up in Long Island and how Bob Seger claps...

"Ben Vaughn Loved Music So Much, He Didn’t Care If He Made Money Doing It" Growing up, Ben Vaughn loved music so much he didn’t care if he made money doing it. In fact, he figured he wouldn’t ever make money doing it. He committed himself to the creative life, followed his own artistic impulses, toured with his band and kept making records. In 1995 with grunge still dominating the charts and Britpop ascending, Vaughn did the only logical thing a musician could do: he made an instrumental album. Although on the face of it, it was the least commercially viable thing he could have done, it turned out that it was THE most commercially viable thing he’d ever done. He explains how Instrumental Stylings changed his fortunes and launched his career into a whole new stratosphere. Ben also talks about Van Morrison, The Gun Club and sharing a van with the Dead Milkmen. Also, he and Alex re-write “Marrakesh Express” and Ben remembers signing a poster for Alex when he was a 17 year old punk. Alex was the punk, by the way...

"Bianca Marais Used To Watch Diff’rent Strokes" For anyone in America who grew up in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s, the above headline probably doesn't seem like a very big deal. But for the South African-born author Bianca Marais, it was a very big deal, indeed. Contorting the antenna of her television into the lock-picking bunny ears format, Bianca was able to beam in a station that was broadcasting American sitcoms like “The Jeffersons” and “Diff’rent Strokes.” The experience was the first time Bianca saw black people who weren’t repressed and it marked the beginning not only of a new racial understanding but an organic deprogramming from the institutional racism South Africa tried to instill in its citizens. Bianca talks about how her debut novel Hum If You Don’t Know The Words was received in South Africa, the intricate censorship of her home country and when she first heard hip-hop. We also talk about sea monkeys, Laura Branigan and whether or not South Africans can control the weather… (www.biancamarais.com)

“Terra Lightfoot Is Terrible At Kiss Pinball” Well, who isn’t? Terra tells Alex she’s never been any good at playing Kiss pinball, but she needn’t worry, because she’s super good at playing music. The Canadian singer/guitarist’s new album New Mistakes is a scorching set of soulful stomp, ragged roots rock and bluesy thunder, all played with sincerity and heart. Terra talks to Alex about taking up Cello as an adult, having never seen the Blues Brothers and the in-fighting in the artisanal bracelet industry. Along the way they also talk about punk rock, haircuts and high school clothes…Alex and Terra sound like two people who’ve known each other for years, making this one of our most entertaining episodes yet.

"Mark Bryan Is Finally Using His College Degree" Almost 30 years after graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, singer/songwriter Mark Bryan is finally putting that degree to good use as host of the Emmy Award-winning program "Live At The Charleston Music Hall." Bryan, who also created the show, tells Alex about how the process from conception to inception took about five years. He also talks about his new solo album Songs Of The Fortnight, what it's like to teach college and his love of Scruffy The Cat. He also spills some of the beans about the new Hootie and the Blowfish album that’s in the works…

"Colin Moulding Tells Me What His Favorite XTC Album Is" He really does. But the former XTC bassist tells me a lot more than that. He details his return to pop music as one half of the band TC&I, an outfit he’s formed with ex-XTC drummer Terry Chambers. And he doesn’t stop there. Moulding talks about XTC and the current state of his relationship with Andy Partridge, he offers a warning for younger bands and he enumerates how Paul McCartney’s bass playing on Revolver was...cheeky.