Washed Up Emo

Today we welcome Jason Heller, writer for NPR, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. He’s also been a longtime Denver resident who was there at the beginning of the 90s emo era. Little known fact, he was a band called The Blue Ontario with members of Christie Front Drive around then too. He was also very good friends with Matt Bellinger, a member of Planes Mistaken for Stars who recently lost his life. Jason wrote a beautiful piece for the local paper Westword and I thought it would be great to have him on to talk about Denver in the 90s and his memories of Matt. Even if you didn’t know Matt, it’s worth hearing Jason talk about the time period. He speaks with great detail and I found the information so fascinating, I cut myself heavily from the episode. It was that good.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Didier from The Promise Ring, Maritime, Vermont and currently Dramatic Lovers was a huge part of the recently released Jawbreaker documentary “Don’t Break Down.” To find out more about his experience helping make this film a reality and producing, we spoke on the phone while Dan was at the water park with his girls. Also, I recorded a portion of the Blake Schwarzenbach and Dan Didier’s Q&A at the end of a screening recently in Brooklyn. It’s a little hard to hear the questions but you can figure out by the answer what was asked. Apologies for my loud laughs or writing my question down on a piece of paper. Through all that, I thought it was worth hearing Blake’s answers to playing more shows, his favorite songs, etc. Hope you enjoy and go see the documentary if you can! Learn more at www.dontbreakdown.com  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we welcome Ian Metzger from Dear and the Headlights and The Gentle Hits. The Gentle Hits had an album come out late last year and Dear and the Headlights put out a couple records on Equal Vision Records in the mid 00s that were sorely overlooked by many. I recently connected with Ian again and we spoke about his time writing The Gentle Hits record.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've known Adam longer than most people that I've interviewed but for some reason, we waited until year 6 to do this. I think it was because every time we hung out we ended up just talking about the NBA. Finally, a couple weeks ago, we hung out at his apartment in Brooklyn to talk about his musical career.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Van Deusen's last band The Lonely Forest went on indefinite hiatus in 2014. I'd been waiting to see what one of my favorite vocalists was going to do. Patiently I wanted and thankfully in June, John released a new solo album.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have Chris Leo. He was in Native Nod, a band referenced often as an originator of screamo. Then he went on to form The Van Pelt that is well loved and should be mentioned a lot more than they are when you talk about the history of emo. The Van Pelt have some reunion shows coming up and it was high time to have Chris on to chat. I even went to New Jersey for this!  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cory Castro from Free Throw is our guest for episode 104! Free Throw just released their best work to date on Triple Crown Records, “Bear Your Mind,” and it's very worthy of your time to spend some time with it. Part of the new era of bands from the independent scene, Free Throw would have fit just as good in the 90s as they do now.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest for episode 103 is the amazing singer for Foxing and his new side project called Smidley. The self-titled album is one of my favorites of 2017. Conor was one of the most open book guests I've ever had on the podcast. A voice you need to hear and see live.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we welcome Polyvinyl Records co-founder Matt Lunsford to talk about the last 20 years of the label. The label is responsible for some groundbreaking albums that still get mentioned to this day. Matt and I chat about some bands that helped start the label off on a good foot, when they realized that American Football was selling a lot of records in the 00s and the aesthetic of loving the music and doing good by the bands. It’s a damn good reason they’re still around.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fitting for episode 101, we go back to school with one of the forefathers of emo and welcome Seth Nanaa from Indian Summer. Indian Summer were around less than a year in the early 90s but spawned many after them with their experimentation and not to be missed live show. Seth has gone on to live a very full life and still to this day, holding onto the ideals of music being something you do for love, not money. If you even have the slightest interest in where this genre began and why it’s where it is, this episode is a great start.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For episode 100, we're honored to have the founder of Warped Tour, Kevin Lyman.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we welcome Brett Detar from The Juliana Theory. The band recently announced a reunion tour so it was time to get Brett to talk with us on the podcast. Little did I know but Brett and I were both at a Sunny Day Real Estate show NYC back in 2000 and he noticed my Washed Up Emo shirt at SDRE’s reunion in 2009 as well. After my mind was blown with those two facts, Brett and I talked about his past including obsession with Fugazi, his history with Zao and what happened at The Juliana Theory’s first practice. Along the way and more than most guests, Brett was brutally honest with what went wrong with their career. It was really refreshing to have someone just lay out all their cards like that. In the end, the band followed their own muse and caught a ton of heat for it and in my opinion, just a little bit ahead of their time.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Wilson from Set Your Goals took time to chat with the podcast!  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 97 we welcome Tim Kasher from Cursive, The Good Life and a very successful solo career to boot with a just released album entitled “No Resolution” on 15 Passenger Records. Tim and I chat about his early bands, one that opened up for 311 in high school, his desperation to be on Caulfield Records, the influence of Fugazi on him and what he’d love to be doing in the future and at 70 years old. I couldn’t be happier to check Cursive off the list of bands for the podcast and after speaking with Tim, it was worth the wait.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sorority Noise, wrote to me, the album of the year. It’s called “You're Not As _____ As You Think” and it’s out March 17th on Triple Crown Records. If you’re listening to this in future, it’s out now. In this episode, lead singer and guitarist Cameron Boucher and I go through the new album track by track, what he can’t sleep without and discuss a band’s place in today’s political climate. Finally we chat about what he’s dreaming about next. Photo of Cameron Boucher by Christopher Leaman, as seen on TheFader.com Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is Jay Adelberg? Jay booked the El 'N' Gee club in Connecticut from 1991-2001 and was one of the first to jump on the emo boom by booking The Get Up Kids, Saves the Day early on and even Brand New’s first show in CT. Jay then transitioned to Hot Topic in 2001 as the music buyer. Simply, if you bought music in Hot Topic from 01 to 2012, he was responsible. Jay talks about the changes Hot Topic had to make over the years, how he learned from his own mistakes and when he knew it was time to leave the company. This episode is really about going with your passions wherever they take you right.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 94, A Tribute to Jon Bunch. To give some context, last year at this time, episode 57 of the podcast with Jon Bunch was to my knowledge the last interview Jon did. It was incredibly sad but also a place for people to learn about Jon forever. I was so honored to have spoken to him and be able to share his story. Last March there was a benefit show in Santa Ana California for Jon’s son Jack. It had an amazing line up of bands and people traveled from all over the world for the show. I had the pleasure of being in southern California for the event and saw first hand the community that came out for Jon. Seizing the moment, a friend of Washed Up Emo, Ed Curley, took it upon himself to interview people in the crowd. From fans, bands and those involved in the event, Ed took time to ask about Jon, the event and what it meant. You’ll hear many common themes and many kind words said about Jon. All walks of life and those that knew him for 30 years or none at all. It was truly a celebration of music, friends and

Today we welcome Eric Tobin from Hopeless Records. Tobin and I met during my days at Equal Vision and since crossed paths many times over the years. It was high time to have a chat. Recently on the roof of my work during lunch, Tobin and I talked about his history in the business. What was really great about this episode was that It touches on many things young and old bands ask about. A truly deep look into the thoughts and actions of an independent label that’s doing some big things. It’s our little version of This Could Be Your Life.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 92 is with producer, musician and Donut Friend owner Mark Trombino. Mark has had a huge impact on the independent scene not just drumming for Drive Like Jehu but for being a producer, mixer or engineer on some of the most important records of emo. From Boilermaker, Garden Variety, Knapsack, No Knife, Rocket from the Crypt, Mineral, The Jealous Sound, Finch, The Starting Line, Weston, Motion City Soundtrack, Pinback, All Time Low just to name a few… and of course can’t forget his work with Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World. We discuss growing up in Orange County, CA, his time in college learning how to record plus insight into many of the albums he was a part of and how his talents had to evolve as emo hit the boom in the mid 2000s. I also ask extensively about working with Jimmy Eat World and learn why “Goodbye Sky Harbor” was sixteen minutes. Finally, we spend time talking about his most recent success, Donut Friend. Mark explains how he started the store, the donut puns and the time Ian from Fugazi came

Episode 91 we welcome writer Leslie Simon. Leslie worked at Alternative Press for years and you probably know her for the books “Everybody Hurts” and “Wish You Were Here.” She also has a book called “Geek Girls Unite.” A veteran of the scene, knows everything about emo and hung with every band we know and love, Leslie essentially talks me off the ledge for the episode, what a great therapist.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/washedupemo)   Washed Up Emo is a partner of the Double Elvis podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices