BV Interviews: A Podcast About Music

This week we're talking Kelley Stoltz, who has been making amazing DIY pop out of San Francisco for over 25 years for such labels as Sub Pop, Third Man and John Dwyer's Castle Face. His latest is If You Don't Know Me, Buy Now! and is his first of possibly three albums out this year. In addition to his own music, Kelley also spent time as an auxiliary member of Echo & The Bunnymen and Robyn Hitchcock's band, and also produces other artists' albums (Sonny and The Sunsets, Thee Oh Sees).

 

We talked about how his new album works could work as an entry point for the uninitiated, and how he thinks he's only truly found his own sound in the last decade. We also talked about his time living in New York City in the '90s where one of his jobs was sorting Jeff Buckley's fan mail, his path to home recording, the unique sounds of the Ebow, how he went from being a Echo & The Bunnymen superfan -- who had his own tribute band that include Pavement's Spiral Stairs -- to being an actual member of the Bunnymen, and how he ended up playing in Robyn Hitchcock's band. Plus: five records he thinks everyone should own and lots more.

This week we're talking to Doublespeak, a synthpop supergroup featuring Vince Clarke of Erasure, Yazoo and Depeche Mode, Neil Arthur of Blancmange, and producer and synthesizer expert Benge. They've just released their self-titled debut album which features electropop covers of songs by The Carpenters, The Magnetic Fields, David Essex, Young Marble Giants, ABBA, and more.

 

We talked separately with Vince Clarke first, and then Neil and Benge together and we all talked about how the project came to be, how they picked which songs to cover and which were the most difficult to do. We also discussed the projects future, including writing and recording a few Doublespeak originals, plus updates on new albums from Erasure, Blancmange, and Benge's band Wrangler, plus a little food talk, five records they think everyone should own, and more.

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Credits:

Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis

Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray

Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking Glenn Donaldson who is the man behind San Francisco's funny, charmingly gloomy The Red, Pinks & Purples. His latest album Acknowledge Kindness is his first for Fire Records and his most accomplished Reds Pinks and Purples record yet.

 

Glenn and I discuss the making of the album, its musical inspirations and lyrical themes, how Bandcamp helped him return to songwriting after a few away from the music biz, and the very local artwork for his records. We also talk about balancing sincerity and humor, the exaggerated version of himself that exists on his songs, the current crop of Bay Area indie bands, why The Reds Pinks & Purples haven't played New York, five albums he thinks everyone should own and more.

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Credits:

Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis

Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray

Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to the one and only Robyn Hitchcock about his 50-year career, his new album The Confuser, and his biggest electric-band tour in decades. We also talk about how REM and MTV’s “120 Minutes” helped his US profile back in the '80s, his current Nashville-centered touring band, and working with his wife Emma Swift, producers Paul Fox, John Leckie, Jon Brion, and Dave Rawlings.

 

Plus: polka dots, Robyn's new memoir Stranded in the Future, five records he thinks everyone should own, and lots more.

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Credits:

Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis

Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray

Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to Mike Ness who has led SoCal punk icons Social Distortion since 1978. The band just released Born to Kill which is their first album in 15 years. It's been a long time coming, delayed further by Covid and Mike's cancer diagnosis and successful treatment.

 

Mike discusses the making of Born to Kill, the '70s inspirations behind it, and working with producer Dave Sardy and collaborators Lucinda Williams and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. We also talk about how beating cancer energized his desire to make even more music, Social Distortion's upcoming tour with The Descendents and The Chats, early Social D documentary Another State of Mind, playing Little Steven's Underground Garage Cruise, five records he thinks everyone should own, and more. 

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Credits:

Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis

Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray

Theme music by Michael Silverstein