This Must Be the Gig

The brilliant Katie Stelmanis of Austra joins the show this week to discuss her latest album and adjusting to life in the pandemic. After performing in other bands, Katie launched the Austra project in 2009, and since then has been producing some of the thoughtful, enigmatic electronic rock out there. While the pandemic may have delayed your opportunity to see her bring that music to life, her new LP, HiRUDiN, was released at the beginning of May, and offers an equally emotional ride. The album’s title is taken from a chemical found in the saliva of leeches, a substance that thickens blood prior to consumption--a process that is achieved in the sticky tracks that just dig right into your veins and refuse to let go. In this chat, Lior Phillips spoke with Katie about how opera proved her gateway to performance, the power of a good show in Eastern Europe, seeing NSYNC as a teen, and so much more. Head here for more info on Austra. Head here for more information on this week's featured non-profit, Chicago West Community Music Center. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, we're joined by the incredible and hilarious Simon Neil, vocalist/guitarist of Biffy Clyro. Since their foundation in 1995, the Scottish hard rock band have built an incredible resume and an adoring following, drawing massive crowds at festivals around the world. Simon is often at the front of that charge, almost never wearing a shirt, rampaging his way across the stage. The trio's upcoming album, A Celebration of Endings, was intended to be released in May, but has since been delayed until August. That difficult choice is fitting for the record, which focuses on getting through some of life's most trying, dark moments and the lessons that come out on the other side. In the meantime, I spoke with Simon about how the pandemic will change the future of touring music, sharing drinks with Dave Grohl, getting upstaged by Martin Scorsese while opening for the Rolling Stones, and completely underwhelming Lars Ulrich of Metallica. Head here for more info on Biffy Clyro. Head here for more information on this week's featured non-profit, My Block, My Hood, My City. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On this week's episode, we're joined by the inimitable, the powerful Jehnny Beth. There are incredibly few performers with Jehnny's intensity, including in her time as the vocalist for post-punk band Savages. Seeing her walk across the outstretched hands of the fans at the front of the crowd is a serious wow moment. That energy has not been contained only in Savages, as Jehnny has also acted, hosted radio and TV shows, and has an upcoming book about sexual liberation and transgression, which was produced with her partner Johnny Hostile. This month, Jehnny released her first album under her own name, To Love Is To Live. Rather than a solo album, she has dubbed it a "personal album." Thanks in part to her collaborative process with artists such as The XX’s Romy Madley Croft and Flood, To Love Is To Live is a triumph, Jehnny's voice honed to an incredibly fine point that she wields with curiosity and passion. In this chat, Lior Phillips speaks with Jehnny about the album's origins, her earliest performance experiences, and so much more. Head here for more info on Jehnny Beth. Head here for more information on this week's featured non-profit, EAT Chicago. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, This Must Be the Gig is joined by Johnny Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls. Since emerging as one of the most exciting voices of the '90s with hits like "Slide" and "Iris", the Goo Goo Dolls have continued to incessantly tour the world, contribute to massive soundtracks, and release new albums that slot in perfectly with fan favorites. Johnny and bassist Robby Takac have now released twelve LPs, including last year's Miracle Pill. As a taste of that record, we're thrilled to share their latest single, "Fearless", in this episode. Plus, if you want more Goo Goo Dolls, you'll be able to catch their "Live From Home" performances this month while the band's unable to tour. Head here for more info on Goo Goo Dolls. Head here for more information on this week's featured non-profit, Assata's Daughters. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, This Must Be the Gig is joined by Ana Perrote, vocalist/guitarist of Hinds. The Madrid-based indie rockers first made their name for raucous live shows and gleeful garage rock off their 2016 debut Leave Me Alone. As the years have gone by, they've further refined and enriched their sound, growing more confident and boisterous without losing any edge. Last week marked the release of their third record, the excellent The Prettiest Curse, which expands the band's sound to include more instruments, more production, and a whole lot of energy. In this conversation recorded in February, Ana and Lior discuss telling off misogynists in the industry, starting the band as a two-piece, why it took longer to catch on in their native Spain than the rest of the world, and so much more. Head here for more info on Hinds. Head here for more information on this week's featured non-profit, Brave Space Alliance Chicago. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We at This Must Be the Gig wanted to share this brief recording to say that our hearts and our minds are with the communities perpetually devastated by police violence, and with the people protesting that tragic reality. We wanted to use this moment to share resources to educate and ways to make a tangible impact. We are not experts, and are compiling information from black voices we’ve learned from in the hopes that we can work together as a community to listen and learn. Black lives matter. Rest in power to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Collins Khosa, Sibusiso Amos, and countless other black men and women murdered. Say their names. We love you all, and hope you stay safe and healthy. *Please excuse some echoes in the audio. We didn't have the opportunity to head into the studio to record, but felt the message was important enough to deliver in whatever way we could. All resources mentioned in the recording are available at our Facebook page. The resource list can also be found here.

This week, This Must Be the Gig is joined by actor, filmmaker, musician, and fearless activist Rose McGowan. Known for her roles in films like Scream and Jawbreaker and TV shows like Charmed, Rose's recent life has been dedicated to bringing the horrors of abusers such as Harvey Weinstein to light and to justice—a subject she faces with boundless fortitude. Most recently, she has turned her passion towards making music, namely the new album Planet 9. Rose envisioned this alternate planet as a child, and has shared an album encapsulating the feeling of hope, escape, and light for herself and for listeners as a comfort, solace, and respite. In this chat, Rose and host Lior Phillips discuss what it took to bring Planet 9 to life, speaking your truth, using music as mind medicine, and so much more. Head here for more info on Rose McGowan. Head here to buy Planet 9 on Bandcamp, where Rose will donate 20% of proceeds to COVID-19 relief organizations. Head here for more information on how to support the Nonceba Shelter for Women, as well as Ashley Kaimowitz's powerful documentary, Uthando Labatwana — For the Love of Our Children. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On today's episode, host Lior Phillips and Engineer Adam celebrate 100 episodes of This Must Be the Gig. After compiling votes from listeners, the duo reflect on 12 fan favorite episode and share key clips. Special memories include Mike Patton reflecting on his music piracy while working at a record store, Alicia Keys recognizing herself in music as a teen, and Jacob Collier contextualizing the process of learning music theory. Plus, Lior and Adam look back at powerful moments with David Byrne, Shirley Manson, and Jenny Slate. And don't forget to stay tuned to the end of the episode for a surprise look at next week's astounding guest! For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

JoJo burst onto the scene at only 14 years old with her 2004 debut single "Leave (Get Out)", an incredible, soulful jam that is already stuck in your head just from reading the title. After releasing two albums as a teen, a dispute with her label led to those tracks being held away for years from any and every online streaming or purchase outlet. After settling the dispute in 2014, she re-recorded the albums and started putting out new music, conveying a newfound strength and ownership of her voice. And that's not even mentioning her acting career, starring in films such as RV and Aquamarine. Today that evolution continues, with her new album, good to know. JoJo breaks her story into three clear chapters, detailing excess, self-realization, and growth in soulful R&B-tinged tunes. In this chat, JoJo discusses sharing her life's trials and joys, what she learned from the late Robin Williams, her Quarantine Island Discs, dreaming of Joni Mitchell, and so much more. Head here for more info on JoJo. Head here for Lior's interview with JoJo for the Grammys. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The absolute legends and loveliest of people, Sylvan Esso join the podcast this week for a delightful chat. The duo of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn produce some of the most propulsive, explosive, heart-pumping tunes and lead the biggest dance parties at festivals around the world. It's nearly impossible to pick a favorite song between their two albums, but luckily last week's surprise live album and concert film collect them all in a perfect bundle. The record is a deliriously beautiful document of their 2019 WITH tour, a sold-out jaunt that saw Sylvan Esso perform on classic stages, such as the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, New York's Beacon Theater, and LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Plus, those performances featured an expanded live band, including former podcast guest Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, Amelia's bandmates in Mountain Man on harmonies, and Adam Schatz of Landlady, among others. In this episode, Nick and Amelia chat with host Lior Phillips about what it took to bring those shows to life, adding saxophone, bass clarinet, and two percussionists to their sound, the Michelin Man inspiration behind Amelia's incredible stage costume, details from the duo's soon-to-be released third album, and so much more. Head here for more info on Sylvan Esso. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app