On Pretty Much Pop, a philosopher, an actor, and a sci-fi writer (often with entertainment industry guests) talk about media and how we consume it: TV, film, music, novels, games, comics, comedy, theater, podcasts, and more. Most of what (other) people like is pretty weird when you think about it, so thinking about it is what we do.
What makes for a "cult band"? Not just a small audience, because Grateful Dead fans are an archetypical cult. Not just a devoted, emotionally invested audience; no volume of Swifties make Taylor Swift qualify as a cult act. Does the music have to be somehow inaccessible, or the fans snobby? Your host Mark Linsenmayer and three other musicians try to figure it Continue Reading …
NEM#152: Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) Builds His Capacity
Glen led smooth alt rock legends Toad the Wet Sprocket from '88 to '97 through six albums, has released 7 often folky solo albums (and 3 more Toad albums since their reunion) since then plus various side projects. We discuss "Old Habits Die Hard" by Toad (a 2020 single), "Leaving Oldtown" from his latest solo release, Swallowed by the New (2016), and "One Wind Blows" from Continue Reading …
Pretty Much Pop #99: The Music of Your Youth w/ Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle podcast)
What long-term effects do songs that we're exposed to early have on our adult tastes? As children we (hopefully) learn to love music, but then our critical faculties and peer pressure kick in, and many early influences become unacknowledged or transformed into guilty pleasures. Is the generation gap in musical taste really just due to how styles change over time (and we old Continue Reading …
NEM#151: Cathal Coughlan (Fatima Mansions, Microdisney): Pyschogeographic Tales
Cathal started in Ireland in 1980 with Microdisney, and after five albums with then broke that up to form Fatima Mansions in 1988. After seven albums with them, he started a solo career and has now after a decade-long hiatus (during which he released a few collaborations) has come back with his sixth solo release Song of Co-Acklan. We discuss "Unrealtime" and (in closing) hear Continue Reading …
NEM#150: Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes): Punk + 40s Melodies (+ Occasional Jesus)
Josh formed Chicago-area punk band Smoking Popes in 1991 with his brother Matt, and his other brother Eli joined soon after. They released three albums and several EPs in the 90s then broke up after Josh became a Christian. He then released an album and a half as Duvall and then reformed the Smoking Popes, who have released three new albums since 2008. He's also released some Continue Reading …
NEM#149: Rod Abernethy’s Return to Acoustic (from Video Game Soundtracks)
Rod released his first album "Solo" in 1975, played in some bands, but after losing on Star Search, turned to soundtrack work, emerging only in 2018 with three straight albums of acoustic singer-songwriter and instrumental material. We discuss "My Father Was a Quiet Man" (and listen to "Whiskey & Pie") from Normal Isn't Normal Anymore (2021), "How to Forget" from The Man Continue Reading …
NEM#148: David Cross (ex-King Crimson): Electric Violin Dinosaur Battles
David played in perhaps the most revered line-up of King Crimson at the end of its original run from '72-'74. He's been an actor and teacher, then released his first "solo" album (as Low Flying Aircraft) in '87, then eight more under his own name or as The David Cross Band plus several collaborations. We discuss "Predator" by Cross and Jackson from Another Day (2018), "The Continue Reading …
NEM#147: Steve Almaas: From Punk to the Rodeo
Steve was in one of Minneapolis' first big punk bands, The Suicide Commandos, but after one album in 1977, he soon left for New York City and eventually hit it relatively big with two records on IRS as Beat Rodeo, with a solo career continuing the country-rock style beginning in 1992 through nine albums. We discuss "The Way I Treated You" (and listen to "Goodbye Nicolina," Continue Reading …
NEM#146: Nels Cline Writes Jazz Fusion (And Plays Guitar for Wilco)
Though best known as lead guitarist for Wilco since 2004, Nels has recorded 30+ instrumental albums, often as band leader. We discuss "Headdress" by The Nels Cline Singers from Share the Wealth (2020), "The Nomad’s Home" from Coward (2009), and "Fives & Sixes" from his first solo release, Angelica (1987). We conclude by listening to "Imperfect Ten" by The Nels Cline 4 from Continue Reading …
NEM#145: Jay Gonzalez: Concise but Colorful
Jay is best known as sideman for Drive-By Truckers since 2008 but has written songs for Athens bands like The Possibilities and Nutria since the 90s and has three solo releases. We discuss the title track (and listen at the end to "I Wanna Hold You") from Back to the Hive (2021), "&#%&#!" and "Shenorock Lane" from The Bitter Suite (2015), and "Turning Me On" from Continue Reading …
NEM#144: Dennis Davison (The Jigsaw Seen): How Much Is Enough?
Dennis fronted the Baltimore punk band Ebeneezer & The Bludgeons in the late 70s, and after some transitional projects moved to L.A. where his '60s-ish guitar pop band The Jigsaw Seen released nine albums from 1989-2015. We discuss "Museum Piece" (and listen to "Shadow on a Tall Tree" at the end) from his debut solo album, The Book Of Strongman (2020); "Idiots with Continue Reading …
Pretty Much Pop #84: Musician Memoirs w/ Laura Davis-Chanin
There's been an explosion of rock and roll autobiographies in recent years, with pretty much every music legend (and many others) being invited by some publisher or other to write or dictate their story. What's the particular appeal of this kind of recounting, what's the connection between writing and reading these books on the one hand and producing and listening to the actual Continue Reading …
NEM#143: In Search of Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, etc.)
After joining Jellyfish in 1993 just before its demise, Eric's big break came when he was asked to sing for Slash's Snakepit. After an album with them, he returned to Roger Manning from Jellyfish for an album as Imperial Drag, then worked as sideman (e.g. for Alice Cooper) and studio guy while releasing an album and an EP as Sextus. He's now back with Roger (and Tim Smith) in Continue Reading …
NEM#142: Rebecca Rego: This Is Your Life!
Folky, soul-singing Rebecca has had six releases since 2007. We discuss "Mama" from her solo EP, Songs for Cleaning Women, Pt. 1 (2020), "No One Knows Me" by Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen from Speaking of Witches (2019), "Gave Me" by rego off of From the Royal Arcade (2009), and we end by listening to "Cruel" from Lay These Weapons Down (2016). Intro: "Call My Mother" from Continue Reading …
NEM#141: Robert Forster (The Go-Betweens) Looks Back Novelistically
Robert co-fronted the Australian-born post-punk band The Go-Betweens through nine albums in the '80s and '00s with Grant McLennan before the latter's death in 2006 and has also released seven solo albums. We discuss "No Fame" from Inferno (2019), "Here Comes a City" by The Go-Betweens from Oceans Apart (2005), and "On My Block" by The Go-Betweens from Before Hollywood Continue Reading …
NEM#140: Larry Keel: Hillbilly Shredder to Singer-Songwriter
Larry has appeared on 20+ albums since co-founding Magraw Gap in 1990 and then becoming bandleader on '97. He's known for his lightning flat picking and has more recently added a good dose of social commentary and fundamental questioning to his songwriting. We discuss "Mars’ Cry" (and listen to "Try") from American Dream (2020), "Crocodile Man" from One (2019), and "Diamond Continue Reading …
NEM#139: Don Rauf’s Life In A Blender
Don started the NY-based Life in a Blender in the late 80s and has put out ten albums of tunes with off-kilter lyrics and increasingly elaborate arrangements. We discuss "The Ocean is a Black and Rolling Tongue" (and listen at the end to "Soul Deliverer") from Satsuma (2020), "Falmouth" from We Already Have Birds That Sing (2014), and "Chicken Dance" from Two Legs Bad (1997). Continue Reading …
NEM-Pretty Much Pop Crossover: Story Songs w/ Rod Picott
Plenty of songs purport to tell stories, and the narrative ballad of course has a long enough history that the two forms certainly aren’t alien. But how do our listening practices conditioned by pop music jibe with recognizing and understanding narrative? Singer/songwriter and short story author Rod Picott joins Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast hosts Mark Linsenmayer, Continue Reading …
Mark Lint’s PEL Network Holiday Party 2020: Merry Chatting and Songs
Join the office Christmas party at the PEL network. The hired band is Mark Lint’s Dry Folk, playing their entire album, and the guests are considerate enough to only talk between the songs. BYOB! Mark holds mini conversations on philosophy, art, and life with all the PEL and PMP co-hosts, plus special guests Ken Stringfellow (a guy who played with REM and Big Star also sang Continue Reading …
NEM#138: Markus Reuter: Composer or Tap Guitar Hero?
Markus began composing as a teen, "found his tribe" in getting connected to King Crimson's Robert Fripp in the early 90s, and has put out 40+ solo and collaborative albums of experimental music since 2000, including work in Stick Men with Crimson's Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto. We discuss "Swoonage" from Truce (2020), Boon from Marcus Reuter and the Matangi Quartet Continue Reading …