RiYL

Episode 357: Yuna

18 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2006, a 19-year-old Yuna auditioned for Malaysian reality singing show, One in a Million, ultimately making it into the top 40 prior to elimination...

Episode 356: Peter Frampton

11 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In February, “Peter Frampton Finale—The Farewell Tour” was announced. Running through October, the tour would find the musician going on the roa...

Episode 355: Bonus - Michael Mwenso (of Mwenso and the Shakes)

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At 15, Michael Mwenso was on stage with James Brown. It took the Sierra Leonean teenager four years to convince the godfather of soul to let him up th...

Episode 354: Mark Oliver Everett “E” (of Eels)

03 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Prior to The Deconstruction, Mark Oliver Everett took a break. Four years passed between albums. Honestly, it’s not too long for most musical acts p...

Episode 353: Eli Valley

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In March, a comic by Eli Valley landed him on the radar of Meghan McCain. There was nothing extraordinaire about the piece from a cartoonist who has l...

Episode 352: Neyla Pekarek

21 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On a day in late October 195, Kate Slaugherback singlehandedly killed 140 rattlesnakes to protect herself and her young son. When she ran out of ammun...

Episode 351: Keith Knight

13 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The K Chronicles has been an alternative weekly staple since the 90s. The strip, which mixes the personal with the political, has weathered the bumbli...

Episode 350: (Bonus) Tarriona 'Tank' Ball

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A veteran of the New Oreans slam poetry scene, Tarriona “Tank” Ball’s career only really caught  fire when she embraced her musical impulses. S...

Episode 349: Ben Lindbergh

06 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017’s The Only Rule Is It Has to Work, Ben Lindbergh and co-author Sam Miller detailed the season they spent running an independent baseball tea...

Episode 348: (Bonus) Kelsey Wroten

04 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In Cannonball, Kelsey Wroten tells the story of a a young writer dealing with the successes of her first novel. After her debut graphic novel became a...

Episode 347: Bill Griffith

29 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Seeing Freaks at 19 was a formative experience. A small public viewing of the film in a Greenwich Village loft left Bill Griffith feeling baffled and ...

Episode 346: Edie Fake

23 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Released last year on Secret Acres, Little Stranger presented a much welcome retrospective of Edie Fake’s more recent comics work. The book collects...

Episode 345: Kevin Devine and Andy Hull (of Bad Books)

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

2010 to 2012 was a busy time for Bad Books. By the end of its first two years, the band had two LPs and a tour under its belt. It was easy enough to h...

Episode 344: Rachel Kramer Bussel

16 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Law school didn’t work out for Rachel Kramer Bussel. After failing to complete her studies as NYU, she began writing erotic on the side, while worki...

Episode 343: Jim Rugg

09 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Like many of his fellow Pittsburgher cartoonists, Jim Rugg’s work lives at a fascinating cross section of mainstream and indie comics culture. It’...

Episode 342: Joseph Flatley

02 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In Satan Goes to the Mind Control Convention’s eponymous essay, Joseph Flatley visits a convention of therapists dedicated to uncovering repressed m...

Episode 341: Bonus - Cara Beth Satalino (of Outer Spaces)

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When she arrives for the interview, Cara Beth Satalino has her luggage in tow. She’s gearing up for a handful of shows ahead ahead of the release of...

Episode 340: Matt Saincome (of The Hard Times)

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The way he tells it, The Hard Times was a hit right out of the gate. Some perfect combination of zeitgeist and internet algorithms had the satirical s...

Episode 339: (Bonus) Natalie Wall

21 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

 Launched in summer 2018, the Awkward Sex and the City podcast maintain the magic the has made the stage show of the same name a hit with New York Ci...

Episode 338: Mort Gerberg

18 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Released in February, Mort Gerberg on the Scene is a loving celebration of the long time New Yorker cartoonist. For half a century, the artist has tak...

Episode 337: Lou Doillon

12 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From the sound of it, Lou Doillon was surprised as anyone by her own musical successes. Her 2012 debut put her new career on the map, earning her a Fr...

Episode 336: (Bonus) Jnr. Williams

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We get the chance to talk to a lot of great seasoned artists, but there’s a wonderful change of pace to interviewing one who’s just getting starte...

Episode 335: Bruce Hornsby

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been a long day of press, but Bruce Hornsby is firing on all cylinders when he arrives for one final interview. Absolute Zero is the artist’s...

Episode 334: (Bonus) Julian Glander Live at Books Are Magic

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Live from Book Are are Magic in Brooklyn, we sat down with Julian Glander to celebrate the launch of his new Fantagraphics title, 3D Sweeties. The boo...

Episode 333: Bridie Monds-Watson (of Soak)

28 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Before We Forgot How to Dream arrived, most of the coverage understandably centered on the songwriter’s age. At 19, Bridie Monds-Watson has rel...

Episode 332: (Bonus) Shunsuke Aoki

24 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I first met Shunsuke Aoki on a trip to Tokyo last year. The roboticist’s work fascinated me. From its brain-controlled cat ears and a robotic pillow...

Episode 331: Lauren Weinstein

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2015 Carriers became Lauren Weinstein’s most critically acclaimed work to date. The five-part webcomic series found the cartoonist winning widesp...

Episode 330: John Famiglietti (of Health)

14 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The band calls it “dog.” It’s an ever present quest to get heavier, and with each subsequent record, Health’s members demand more of it. Other...

Episode 329: John Paul White

07 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Beulah hit like a tidal wave, marking a swift end to John Paul White’s music hiatus. It was a well-deserved break after the dissolution of the Gramm...

Episode 328: Ryan Lindsey (of Broncho)

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A lifelong Oklahoman, Ryan Lindsey is a happy Tulsa resident, these days. Half of Broncho resides in the Sooner State’s second largest city. The oth...

Episode 327: Hannibal Buress in Africa

24 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A few minutes into our conversation, Hannibal Buress injects mid-question, “How is it my first interview in Nigeria is with a white dude?” busting...

Episode 326: Nick Thorburn

17 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Penguins arrived late last year, it was the latest in a long line of projects from a seemingly restless artist. The Fantagraphics book found Nick...

Episode 325: Matthew Murphy (of The Wombats)

09 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A move to Los Angeles may have mellowed Matthew Murphy out a bit. The warm weather and sunshine has tends to have the effect on people, and the result...

Episode 324: Mimi Pond

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2014, Drawn & Quarterly published Over Easy. It was a story that had been percolating for decades in cartoonist Mimi Pond’s mind, but life, famil...

Episode 323: Ed Solomon

24 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In a career spanning four decades, screenwriter Ed Solomon has worked on some of Hollywoods biggest titles, from X-Men to Charlie’s Angels. But it’...

Episode 322: John Vanderslice returns

17 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A lot can happen in six years. It’s the entire lifetime of some prominent bands. John Vanderslice has certainly been through plenty, including the d...

Episode 322: (Bonus) Lu Olkowski

10 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Unhappy as a creative director at Nickelodeon during the heady days of Ren and Stimpy, Lu Olkowski left the board room and offices behind to pursue he...

Episode 321: Michael Franti

10 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Relentless optimism may well be Michael Franti’s defining characteristic. It’s a rare trait, especially in these days of ideologically-driven, soc...

Episode 320: (Bonus) Vera Sola

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Prior to Shades, music had never been a full-time pursuit for Vera Sola (Danielle Aykroyd). Splitting time between New York and Los Angeles, voice act...

Episode 319: Liana Finck

03 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s never quite clear where the memoir ends and the fairy tale begins in Passing for Human, and for Liana Finck, the distinction is incidental at b...

Episode 318: (Bonus) FEELS

30 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Due out in February, Post Earth is only their second full length, but the members of FEELS going way back. A quartet of of Los Angeles natives, the me...

Episode 317: Douglas Rushkoff returns

26 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Douglas Rushkoff asks you to chat, you say yes. We’ve spoken to the visionary media theorist a dozen times over the years, and each opportunity...

Episode 316: (Bonus) Taleen Kali

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After years of writing about music, Taleen Kali decided to create it. She began performing live sound collages, before heading in a more rock oriented...

Episode 315: Georgia Webber

19 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2012, Georgia Webber stopped talking, save for 15 or so minutes a day. The act of vocalizing had simply become too painful. A year later, she began...

Episode 314: John Roderick

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You’d think you’d have your fill of a man with four concurrent podcasts. And yet, John Roderick always seems to bring something new to the table. ...

Episode 313: Jon Glaser

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Best know to many for guest starring roles on popular show like Park and Recreation and Girls, Jon Glaser has been a mainstay in the alternative comed...

Episode 312: (Bonus) Sam Spiegel

30 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of the more memorable spots in recent memory, "Wu Tang In Space Eating Impossible Sliders” does pretty much what it says on the tin. The web ser...

Episode 311: Nick Drnaso

29 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sabrina seemingly came out of nowhere, only to land on the top of nearly every best of 2018 list. Nick Drnaso’s second book-length work (following 2...

Episode 310 - Adam Thompson (of We Were Promised Jetpacks)

27 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a familiar refrain. The 15-year itch. It’s the perfect time to look back and how far a group as come — and wonder aloud how much gas is lef...

Episode 309 (Bonus) - Laura Gibson

22 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You don’t get to choose your audience. Especially when you’re playing a free to the public show at South by Southwest to promote your first record...

Episode 308: Taylor Goldsmith (of Dawes)

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh off a hike up Mount Kilmanjaro with his fiancee (now wife) and a ritualistic beard shaving, Taylor Goldsmith sits down to talk about Dawes’ la...

Episode 307: V. Vale

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

RE/Search’s North Beach office more closely resembles a library or museum. It’s a wonderfully crammed space that also serves as publisher V. Vale’...

Episode 306: Chris Barron (of Spin Doctors)

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Somewhere along the line Chris Barron quite literally lost his voice. The condition, vocal cord paralysis, left Spin Doctors frontman barely able to s...

Episode 305: Tom Tomorrow

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In an age of uncertainty, This Modern World has remained a rare consistent. For nearly 30 years, the strip has offered a staunchly leftist take on the...

Episode 304: (Bonus) Doe Paoro

16 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A trip to India changed everything for Sonia Kreitzer. It’s the kind of cinematic-style quest for knowledge so many seek out and so few actually ach...

Episode 303: Marissa Nadler

11 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Eight albums into her career, Marissa Nadler is still discovering aspects of her musical life. For My Crimes finds the Boston-based musician fighting ...

Episode 302: Matt Pryor and Jim Suptic (of The Get Up Kids)

04 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After that first breakup, the press tends to regard everything as a reunion show. As Matt Pryor and Jim Suptic are quick to note, however, The Get Up ...

Episode 301: Colin Newman and Malka Spigel (of Immersion)

28 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The van is running late. Never underestimate the traffic in from D.C. When Malka Spigel and Colin Newman do finally arrive, they’re both a bit wiped...

Episode 300: Michael McDonald

21 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, three top 10 solo hits and one of the defining voices of his generation — but through it all, Michael McDonald has ...

Episode 299: Jon Auer (of The Posies)

14 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A few hours before the kickoff of the Posies’ 30th anniversary show at the Bowery Ballroom, Jon Auer is feeling reflective. It’s the perfect momen...

Episode 298: Bonus - Matt Costa

10 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It seems Matt Costa has a guitar within arm’s reach at any given moment. As I fumble around setting up my recording rig, he pulls the acoustic out o...

Episode 297: Lizz Winstead

07 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When she arrives, Lizz Winstead is quick to note that she’s a bit frustrated at having missed Trump’s latest impromptu press conference. Not so mu...

Episode 296: Damien Jurado

30 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Backstage at the Murmrr theater, the band is about to sit down to eat some fancy local Brooklyn pizza. It’s a strange space — a plush 700-seat the...

Episode 295: Shannon Shaw (of Shannon and the Clams)

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Released in June, Shannon in Nashville finds the singer embarking on her own for the first time, after a half-dozen albums with backing band, The Clam...

Episode 294: Alexander Orange Drink (of The So So Glos)

16 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Asked how long he’s been Alexander Orange Drink, Alex Zarou Levine pulls a packet out of his backpack and tosses it on table in front of him. “Tha...

Episode 293: Richard Elfman

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Richard Elfman laughs, he commits his entire body to the act. It’s deep, hearty and infectious. The consummate entertain and raconteur, Elfman ...

Episode 292: Tony Millionaire

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 2016, Tony Millionaire drew his final Maakies. For nearly a quarter of century, the strip ran weekly in alternative papers like The New York Press,...

Episode 291: Ivan Brunetti

26 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I can count on one hand all of the cartoonist whose work has unfailingly made me laugh out loud. Ivan Brunetti’s strips are up toward the top. You d...

Episode 290: Judd Winick

19 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The last time we spoke, we were backstage at New York Comic Con. It was a short, manic conversation, with the first Hilo book having only just been pu...

Episode 289: Bonus - Van William

14 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“Green Day was the true reason I learned how to play guitar,” Van William says with a smile. “‘When I Come Around,’ when that video came out...

Episode 288: Penelope Houston (of The Avengers)

12 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We grab a seat on the “punk couch,” an old piece of living room furniture covered in band name tags. Penelope created is as part of an installatio...

Episode 287: Bonus - Uni

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“We kind of want to be more of a factory than a band,” says bassist Charlotte Kemp Muhl, drawing clear inspiration from Andy Warhol’s stomping g...

Episode 286: Michael Kupperman

05 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“I felt like it was a noble thing to do, to help people laugh,” says Michael Kupperman. “I’ve had that beaten out of me, a little bit.” The ...

Episode 285: Bonus - Matt Groening

04 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I met Matt Groening very briefly years ago, while attending a small indie comics show in Brooklyn. He was there as a fan — and to support longtime f...

Episode 284: Matt and Kim

28 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt greets me at the door of the duo’s spacious Brooklyn home. We walk past a fireplace mantel showcasing multiple MTV Moon Men. We chat for a bit ...

Episode 283: Bonus - Paul Bakija (of Reagan Youth)

28 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Reagan Youth only released a single album during its first incarnation, but the group of anarcho-punks from Queens had a profound impact on the New Yo...

Episode 282: Kevin Allison returns

22 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“I think there’s something radical, defiant and necessary about continuing to tell the truth in a very compassionate way in a world that is scream...

Episode 281: Allen Ravenstine (of Pere Ubu)

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the early 90s, Allen Ravenstine quit music. Just like that, to hear him tell it. The founding keyboardist for pioneering art-punk legends Pere Ubu ...

Episode 280: Ian Parton (of Go! Team)

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“I’m pulled in a million different directions,” says Ian Parton. The musician is describing the inspiration that led to the creation of the Go! ...

Episode 279: Nicole Hollander

01 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 2012, Sylvia drew to a close. For the first time in more than 20 years, Nicole Hollander found herself without a daily comic. But the lifelong Chic...

Episode 278: Jenna Weiss-Berman

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Launching a media property is never easy, but from the outside, at least, the story of Pineapple Street’s early days certainly seem charmed. The net...

Episode 277: Dana Buoy

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dana Buoy’s two LPs feel like the work of two different bands. The first is a clear successor to front man Dana Janssen’s work in the beloved frea...

Episode 276: Royston Langdon (of Spacehog, Leeds)

16 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“Music doesn’t happen when you try really hard,” Royston Langdon explains, toward the tail end of our conversation. “Keith Richards didn’t w...

Episode 275: Fatoumata Diawara

02 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You would be hard-pressed to find an artist as passionate — or joyful — about their art than Fatoumata Diawara. It’s catharsis and happiness and...

Episode 274: Ophira Eisenberg

27 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

She’s a comedian, a radio host and a writer, but above all, Ophira Eisenberg is a storytelling. That much is immediately clear a few minutes into a ...

Episode 273: Eugene Chadbourne

20 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For 42 years, Eugene Chadbourne has been wonderfully, definitely and sometimes frustratingly independent. A one-man journey into avant-garde folk and ...

Episode 272: Goat Girl

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

By the time their self-title debut dropped last month, Goat Girl was already a buzz band. The South London quartet had signed to Rough Trade two years...

Episode 271: Adrian Tomine

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

“The rewards of being a successful cartoonist would not be enough to make for a happy life,” says Adrian Tomine. It’s something that’s changed...

Episode 270: Patrick Stickles (of Titus Andronicus)

29 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

 Valentine’s Day casts a slight pall on the conversation, as we sit down just ahead of Titus Andronicus’ latest record, A Productive Cough. There...

Episode 269: Yoni Wolf (of Why?)

23 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We start by talking about food. Something most musicians take for granted on road, but Yoni Wolf’s struggles with Crohn's disease have made him acut...

Episode 268: (Bonus) Kevin Kendrick (of A Big Yes and a Small No)

19 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

2008’s Jesus That Looks Terrible on You was a delightful debut from a promising New York indie pop band. In the intervening decade, however, things ...

Episode 267: Pete Bernhard (of The Devil Makes Three)

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I first heard The Devil Makes Three bleeding through the thin walls of Santa Cruz house all hours of the day and night. The trio had only just formed ...

Episode 266: Becky Stern

08 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I first met Becky Stern back in 2011, when she appeared on the Engadget Show as a blogger for Make Magazine. At the time, she was showcasing a hoodie ...

Episode 265: Julia Wertz

01 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been nearly five years since we sat down with Julia Wertz, and naturally plenty has changed. Her latest book, Tenements, Towers and Trash is a ...

Episode 264: Laila Biali

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Vancouver-born and Toronto-based, Laila Biali has toured with some of the biggest names in music, from Sting to Suzanne Vega. The pianist/singer is al...

Episode 263: Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A decade after releasing Some Loud Thunder, Clap Your Hands Say took the album back on tour. A lot has changed for the band in the intervening ten yea...

Episode 262: Luke Lalonde (of Born Ruffians)

12 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

2018’s Uncle, Duke and the Chief finds Born Ruffians performing with their original lineup for the first time in half a decade. Such a return is alw...

Episode 261: Elizabeth Powell (of Land of Talk)

06 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In May of last year, Land of Talk returned after a seven year hiatus. At the height of her powers, following tours with bands like Broken Social Scene...

Episode 260 (Bonus): Minus the Bear

04 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Five years between in records is a drop in the bucket for many groups. For Minus the Bear, however, it marks the longest gap between albums in the ban...

Episode 259: Elise LeGrow

19 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The track list for Playing Chess is nothing if not bold. The 11 tracks that make up Elise LeGrow’s debut LP represent some of the legendary Chicago ...