Stereo Embers: The Podcast

“Wayne Barton Is The Leading Writer On Manchester United” Wayne Barton got his start as a sportswriter, but it didn’t take long for his talents to land him gigs ghostwriting autobiographies for notable soccer stars. From there Barton stepped from the shadows and wrote Fergie’s Fledglings under his own name. Focusing on the youth soccer system in Manchester under Sir Alex Ferguson, the book found The Guardian declaring it to be “vibrant and essential.” The follow-up 74/75 found The Independent declaring him to be “The Leading Writer On Manchester United.” So what does one do after being given such a laudatory title? They write a novel about rock and roll, obviously. Barton sits down with Alex to talk about his novel Peach, which focuses on a cross-generational friendship between two musicians at vastly different points in their lives. Barton chats about the transition from soccer to novels, his love of music and the arduous process of writing. He also reveals how he got "Breaking Bad" star Charles Baker to do

“Maira Kalman’s Dog Ate Her Camera” And she thought it was hilarious. In this interview, which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Montclair Presbyterian Church in Oakland, author and artist Maira Kalman talks to Alex about why she would have been furious if her kids broke her camera, but found it comical that the culprit was her dog. A candid chat about the legacy of family insanity, how rooms are related to memory and what to do with all the stuff that we have in our lives, this is Stereo Embers’ first ever live show and we’re proud that the inaugural installment is with the fabulous Maira Kalman. A funny, moving and engaging conversation, Maira also talks about her mother’s underwear, working with Daniel Handler, the forgiveness of animals and how she was obsessed with drawing dogs from the very beginning of her artistic life but didn’t know it until her agent pointed it out…

“The Amazing Kreskin Returns!” When it came time to book a guest for our last show of the 2018 season, Kreskin was our first pick. After all, who better to look ahead to the new year than the best mentalist to ever walk the planet? In his return to the program Kreskin talks to Alex about thwarting a murder, his new book and the truth behind his gravestone. They also chat about Ricky Jay, cannabis for Congress, the upcoming biopic on Kristin’s life and Alex dazzles Kreskin just by mentioning Jason Schwartzman’s name….

“Louise Goffin And I Go The Distance, Part Two” In the second part of my interview with Louise Goffin we really break things down. Louise tells a story about learning a life lesson after hanging out at CBGB’s with Madonna, how she internalized feedback from her parents Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and why she didn’t tell me about her new record All These Hellos the last time we talked. Louise and I also confess that we’re terrible at accepting compliments so we vow to get better at it. To test our new plan, we compliment each other to see how we do…..

“Louise Goffin And I Go The Distance, Part One” Louise Goffin returns to the podcast for the second time this year and she willingly plumbs the depths of the songwriting process, explains how her new album All These Hellos came to be and talks about her experience interviewing folks like Van Dyke Parks and Martha Davis of the Motels on her own podcast, The Great Song Adventure Podcast. In Part One of this conversation Goffin breaks down the rigors of the creative life, looks back at her prolific watershedding days in London and reveals whether or not she’s good at taking criticism. Also, we reminisce about the music videos of the early ‘80s...

“Erica Jong Tells Alex To Wear A Hat And Sunscreen” When Erica Jong gives you advice, it’s probably a good idea to take it. The key for men as they get older, she says, is to wear a hat and sunscreen. And that’s just the beginning of the wisdom Jong dispenses in this interview. The best-selling author of 25 books—her debut novel Fear Of Flying alone has sold almost 40 million copies--talks to Alex about starter marriages, the current political climate and her love of Leonard Cohen. A discursive chat that’s both tangential and linear, Jong also talks about Primo Levi, online dating, survival of the fittest, Judy Collins, and creaky college reunions. She also dishes about her upcoming new book and the vinyl reissue of Vanessa Daou’s Zipless: Songs From The Works Of Erica Jong.

“Vanessa Daou Always Knew She Was On Her Own Planet” Growing up, Vanessa Daou always knew she was meant to be an artist. Growing up in The Virgin Islands, Daou escaped a difficult childhood by immersing herself in the creative world. An avid reader, the young Daou was inspired early on by bookslike Harold And The Purple Crayon and the Little Prince and, taking her cue from characters who fashioned their own universes, Daou began fashioning her own. As idiosyncratic as Stereolab, as smooth as Sade and as timeless as Sarah Vaughan,Daou’s body of work is a seamless, often mesmerizing confluence of electronica, jazz, trip-hop, poetry and soul. In this intimate conversation Daou talks to Alex about the liberation of dance, discovering Leonard Cohen and what it was like to sit down and collaborate with Erica Jong. And speaking of Jong, Daou’s groundbreaking album Zipless: Songs From The Works Of Erica Jong is finally getting released on vinyl in December.

"Justin Jeffre Of 98 Degrees On Pop Music And Social Activism” Justin Jeffre may be widely recognized as one of the four famous faces in the R&B group 98 Degrees, but he keeps a far lower profile while volunteering for the Homeless Coalition in Cincinnati. Jeffre and his bandmates have sold over 10 million albums and are currently on a nearly 40-date pre-Christmas tour called ’98 Degrees At Christmas 2018’, but Jeffre’s heart is as much on the stage as it is helping the homeless. The Ohio-bred Jeffre is no stranger to politics—his Mayoral bid in 2005 taught him that real measurable change happens on issue-based levels and since then Jeffre has been an ardent activist for several political causes that are important to him. In this thoughtful conversation Jeffre talks to Alex about 98 Degrees’ plans for the future, his balance between music and activism and the urgent need for universal health care.

"John Ondrasik And A Melancholy Life With A Lot Of Moments Of Joy" As we all know, happiness is not a permanent state—it’s a place you get to visit, but you can’t live there. And singer/songwriter John Ondrasik is just fine with that. In this interview, the Five For Fighting frontman talks to Alex about how to strike a balance between the creative life and the normal life offstage and he recognizes that somewhere in the middle of artistic innovation and the quotidian routine of daily existence is where true moments of joy can be found. Ondrasik chats about his new record Five For Fighting With Strings, the relief of not having to engage in the rigors of endless album promotion and saying goodbye to his son after dropping him off at college. Ondrasik also talks about Billy Joel, the responsibility he feels towards his audience and whether or not everything gets turned into a song.

“Greg Norton Says You Have To Be Reminded All The Time You Can Be Better” Nobody would fault Greg Norton for resting on his laurels. After all, he played bass in Hüsker Dü, who is one of the most influential and important bands of all time. But Norton is not one of those guys who coasts through life—he’s a hard worker and pushes himself to be a better version of himself every day. Norton joined the Minneapolis-based band Porcupine last year and they’ve just put out a fabulous new six-song effort called What You’ve Heard Isn’t Real. In this interview Norton chats with Alex about having not picked up his instrument in 14 years, what it’s like to play bass in Porcupine, and the three rules he goes by for raising his children. Norton also talks about the importance of taking criticism, his friendship with Grant Hart, what the last Hüsker Dü gig was like and the unpleasantness of having beer cans thrown at you.

"Arleigh Kincheloe Changes Her Son’s Diaper In The Middle Of This Podcast" I’ve interviewed thousands of bands but in this interview with Sister Sparrow, whose real name is Arleigh Kincheloe, something happens that’s never happened before: A diaper change. Kincheloe takes a break in the middle of our chat to change her son’s diaper, but she’s back in a flash and we pick up right where we left off, talking about germs, alcohol and the very specific choice of deciding to live the creative life. It’s an intimate and thoughtful chat wherein Kincheloe also talks about motherhood, the vulnerability of artists and the weird things fans say to her after shows. Sister Sparrow’s new album Gold is out now! Photo by Geoff Tischman

"If You Want Cheery You’ve Called The Wrong Person” Although that statement has an Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here kind of vibe, Ed Kuepper is actually one of the most genial fellows around. The former guitarist (and founder) of the legendary Australian punk band The Saints and the Laughing Clowns talks to Alex about his early interest in composition, the scene in London in the ‘70s and what it was like to dust off the material he wrote over 40 years ago that now comprises his band The Aints! new album The Church Of Simultaneous Existence. Kuepper also talks about his discipline as a guitar player, why he almost quit playing music a few times and the current state of his relationship with Saints singer Chris Bailey.

“Shavo Odadjian Is Always Busy” You probably tell people you’re super busy all the time, but very few people are Shavo Odadjian busy. The System of A Down bassist is one of those guys who runs at his most optimum when he’s got a full day ahead of him. This comes as no surprise—after all, this is a guy who, during his college days, went to class, managed a band, played in a band and worked at a bank. Although System of a Down are one of the biggest bands on the planet and Shavo could sit back and rest on his laurels, one could argue that he’s busier now than ever. HIs latest endeavor is 22 Red, a lifestyle and fashion brand that features pre rolls and vapes that were exclusively made for the company using lab-tested compliant cannabis. In this chat Shavo talks to Alex about where the inspiration for the company came from, why he works best when he’s busiest and what his college counselor told him when he said he wanted to drop out of school and pursue music. Shave also talks about being a dad, his relationsh

“Matt Costa Moves To A Different House Every Time He Makes A New Record” Singer/songwriter Matt Costa is one of the most affecting musicians around and his new album Santa Rosa Fangs is brimming with the hushed pop finesse of Elliott Smith and the lush precision of Roddy Frame’s Surf. In this conversation he reveals that whenever it’s time to make a new record he packs his things and moves to another house. Costa’s fifth album may have been written in a different house than his previous four records, but Santa Rosa Fangs explores the definition of home in a much larger sense. Set against the backdrop of a California that’s both mythical and literal, the album traverses the nuanced landscape of the West Coast in an effort to apprehend life’s tragedies and triumphs. From the aching pull of “Pacific Grove” to the wistful marching pop of “Time Tricks,” Santa Rosa Fangs effortlessly captures the rich textures of Northern and Southern California with novelistic dexterity. In this candid, focused and intimate conve

“The Amazing Kreskin Drops By The Program” And we hope he does again! The Amazing Kreskin stops by for a chat with Alex and they talk about why psychiatrists are crazy, the prescience of the Manchurian Candidate and the power of suggestion. And nobody knows about the power of suggestion more than Kreskin. He's not a magician, an occultist or a psychic who’s equipped with powers of telepathy, precognition, or mind control. But he is a mentalist and a mentalist is someone who, through the power of suggestion, can make you think he can do all the things we just told you he can’t. But what they do better than anyone else is invoke belief and Kreskin’s been doing that since the ‘50s. An entertaining and focused chat, Alex and Kreskin also talk about Bob Hope, Winston Churchill, Hitler and Jaws. And how does the episode close? With Queen’s “A Kind Of Magic,” of course….

“Right Before This Interview Lyrics Born Told His Son There Was No Santa Claus” On a late summer day in September, just hours before our chat, Lyrics Born told his son there was no Santa Claus. He figured it was time. Lyrics Born’s son is 8. If I had a son I’d probably wait until he was…43. But LB explains his thinking behind breaking the news early and not only that, he explains a lot of other things as well in this illuminating chat. We talk about racism, spousal illness, the rising cost of healthcare for independent artists and why LB has no hip-hop exit strategy. We also chat about his new album Quite A Life, what it was like to grow up in Berkeley and why he felt it was time to address in his music the things he hadn’t addressed before.

“Jay Aston Got Mono From The First Girl He Kissed” A rough romantic start for sure, but don’t worry, everything worked out for Jay Aston. While convalescing from his illness, the Welsh teenager started to listen to music in a more forensic fashion than he had before. Taking in Bowie, Eno and Roxy Music, Aston began crafting his own artistic vision. Moving to London with his twin brother Michael, Gene Loves Jezebel garnered immediate attention and were soon signed to a Beggars Banquet offshoot. Within a few years they had become one of the most well-known bands around and with hits like “The Motion Of Love” and “Desire” were poised to crack the U.S. market. But internal strife, brotherly animosity and label woes derailed the band at a pivotal time. In this candid conversation Aston talks to Alex about his relationship with singing, the rigors of the creative process and what it means to be in Gene Loves Jezebel in 2018. He also talks about his penchant for taking long walks, singing in the choir and how he’s

"The Trews' John-Angus McDonald Says Brothers In Bands Will Always Work It Out" And he should know. After all, The Trews' guitar player John-Angus has been in a band with his brother Colin for most of his life. Whether it’s Oasis, The Black Crowes or The Kinks, John-Angus tells Alex that brothers will always work it out no matter what. Although the Kinks have indeed reformed, the jury’s still out on his other two picks. However, the jury is not out on The Trews’ new album Civilianaires. The verdict? It’s a straight-up killer. A blistering batch of breathy muscle (“Vintage Love”), crunchy stomp (“Time's Speeding Up”) and stadium sing-a-longs (“Bar Star”), the band’s sixth album is further proof that the Trews refuse to make the same record twice and are always moving boldly forward. John-Angus talks about the resignation of the band’s longtime drummer Sean Dalton, growing up listening to Guns n’ Roses and The Trews’ habit of post-show analysis. He also tells Alex about R.E.M., fatherhood and having a piano-pl

“Is Tom Bailey The J.D. Salinger Of New Wave?” It’s a fair question. When Bailey sang for the Thompson Twins in the ‘80s, he was everywhere. But in the ‘90s, he was nowhere to be found. Like Salinger, his hiatus was by choice. After years fronting one of the biggest bands in the world, Bailey was nowhere to be found. But while Salinger’s absence from the creative life was an inexplicable mystery punctuated by occasional sightings and not a word to the press, Bailey’s was more domestic. After the Thompson Twins’ demise, he married his bandmate Alannah Currie, had a few kids and moved to Currie’s native New Zealand to start a family. The couple recorded two albums as Babble and then Currie gave up music for environmental activism and art, while Bailey spent his time on scoring film soundtracks and producing other acts. After a 2014 appearance at the Rewind South Festival where he played Thompson Twins songs for the first time in 27 years, Bailey got the pop bug again and rediscovered his love of the paradigm.

“David J Says Peter Murphy Is Keeping Everyone In Stitches” Although it’s hard to imagine the Dark Prince of Goth is also a fountain of chuckles, David J says his bandmate Peter Murphy has been in fine form and keeping everyone laughing while on tour. The two former Bauhaus members have teamed up with a full band for an extensive tour to commemorate 40 years of Bauhaus and they’re crushing it everywhere they go. The former Love and Rockets/Bauhaus bassist/singer talks to Alex about how his reunion with Murphy came about, his relationship with former bandmates Daniel Ash and brother Kevin Haskins and why he’ll never retire. He also talks about reading Ian Curtis’ love letters, the sadness of the Beach Boys and his work with the Jazz Butcher Conspiracy. Alex also tells David J that he’s interviewed 3/4 of Bauhaus and now just needs Peter Murphy to complete the Goth Grand Slam… Photo Credit: Judy Lyon