Toronto’s METZ join Vish to discuss each and every song on their 2017 record Strange Peace, which is available in Canada via Royal Mountain Records and everywhere else via Sub Pop. Featuring a special guest appearance by recording engineer Steve Albini. Sponsored by Pizza Trokadero, the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, Grandad’s Donuts, and Hello Fresh Canada.
Jay Ryan is a respected and prolific screenprint poster artist who is based in Chicago, Illinois. He has been making screenprinted concert posters for some of the world’s greatest bands and musicians and festivals for over 20 years and runs his own print shop called the Bird Machine. He has served as vice-president of the American Poster Institute and hailed as a cultural hero by Time Out Chicago. Akashic Books has just published No One Told Me Not to Do This, the third volume of Ryan’s work, annotating and compiling selected screenprints created between 2009 and 2015. I first obtained one of Ryan’s prints when I went to see Fugazi, Shellac, and Blonde Redhead play the Congress Theatre in Chicago on Friday May 8, 1998 and collected two more of his prints on subsequent trips to the city in 2001 and 2006. I’m a fan; we arranged to chat about his work a couple of weeks ago. Sponsored by the Bookshelf, Pizza Trokadero, and Planet Bean Coffee.
Related links: thebirdmachine.com vishkhanna.com
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On July 16, 2016, Alan Vega died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 78. In a statement, Vega’s family said, “With profound sadness and a stillness that only news like this can bring, we regret to inform you that the great artist and creative force, Alan Vega has passed away. Alan was not only relentlessly creative, writing music and painting until the end, he was also startlingly unique. Along with Martin Rev, in the early 1970s, they formed the two person avant band known as Suicide. Almost immediately, their incredible and unclassifiable music went against every possible grain. Their confrontational live performances, light-years before ‘Punk Rock,’ are the stuff of legend. Their first, self-titled album is one of the single most challenging and noteworthy achievements in American music. Alan Vega was the quintessential artist on every imaginable level. His entire life was devoted to outputting what his vision commanded of him.” It was a fitting encapsulation of a man whose work and attitude influenced many of the most significant artists in underground and mainstream music, from every generation really. This episode features personal reflections and first and second hand anecdotes about Vega and Suicide by fans like Steve Albini of Shellac of North America, Jehnny Beth of Savages, Brendan Canty of Fugazi, Kid Millions of Oneida (a.k.a. John Colpitts of Man Forever), Robyn Phillips of Vallens, Priya Thomas, and Mike Watt of the Minutemen.
Related playlist: “I Remember (Live at CBGB’s)” Suicide | “Frankie Teardrop” Suicide | “Down On the Street” The Stooges | “23 Minutes Over Brussels” Suicide | “Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne” Suicide | “Girl” Suicide | “Ghost Rider” Suicide | “Dream Baby Dream” Suicide | “State Trooper” Bruce Springsteen | “Dream Baby Dream” Bruce Springsteen | “Rocket USA” Suicide | “Rocket USA” Oneida ft. Alan Vega | “Dream Baby Dream” Savages | “Ghost Rider (Live at All Tomorrow’s Parties 2010)” Suicide | “Tangerine” Christophe ft. Alan Vega | “I Remember” Suicide
Related links: zerecords.com vishkhanna.com
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