The Trap Set with Joe Wong
Episodes
311: Stan Lynch (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Speaker Wars, Don Henley, etc.)
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stan's Lynch's swinging, powerful groove and chiming backing vocals propelled Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ascent from bar band to one of the great...
310: Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, Raw Impressions)
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past 40 years, Lou Barlow's body of work--with bands like Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and as a solo artist--has immensely impacted Joe's life. Lou...
BNS: Dave Elitch 2: Self Awareness Boogaloo
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Elitch returns for a bonus episode to discuss his new course, Staying Out of Your Own Way. At its best, learning to play an instrument can be the...
RIP: Steve Albini (Roland)
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Albini died yesterday, May 7, at the age of 61. Here's Joe's conversation with Steve from 2017. Originally intended to be a gag episode featurin...
309: King Coffey (Butthole Surfers)
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
King Coffey tells Joe about: growing up in a single-parent, Christian household; his 40+ year tenure with Butthole Surfers; his interest in Buddhism; ...
308: Guy Picciotto (Fugazi, Rites of Spring, Happy Go Licky, etc.)
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Guy Picciotto's work in Fugazi and Rites of Spring had an immeasurable impact on Joe's life. As a producer, Guy has helped artists such as Blonde Redh...
307: Jim White (Dirty Three, Xylouris White, etc.)
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For over thirty years, Jim White has been the drummer of choice for many of the most compelling songwriters working. Now, with assitance from producer...
306: Teresa Esguerra (Prism Bitch, Built to Spill)
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The latest incarnation of Built to Spill will undoubtedly be remembered as one of that band's most potent lineups in its 30+ year career. Teresa Esgue...
305: Marnie Stern
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trap Set is back, and so is Marnie Stern. Marnie burst onto the NYC rock scene in 2007--seemingly out of nowhere--with a unique blend of virtuosic...
RIP: Jeremiah Green
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremiah Green, drummer for Modest Mouse, passed away 12/31/2022 of cancer. This is a re-post of our conversation from 2017. We at The Trap Set are se...
304: Patricia Brennan
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patricia Brennan is an improvisatory mallet percussionist who as been hailed as one of the instrument's new leaders. As a sidewoman, she's worked with...
RIP: Viola Smith
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we're revisiting our 2017 conversation with the fantastic Viola Smith, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 107. We'll be back next week w...
303: Nate Smith
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last two decades, Nate Smith has emerged as one of his generation's most innovative drummers. His unique style marries a deep, earthy sense o...
302: Rick Allen (Def Leppard)
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rick Allen's driving, tuneful style propelled Def Leppard to massive popularity during the 80s and early 90s. The band recently released its twelfth s...
RIP: Mimi Parker (Low)
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mimi Parker--best known as drummer, vocalist, and co-founder of the band Low--passed away on November 5th after a battle with cancer. Here is Joe's co...
RIP: DH Peligro (Dead Kennedys)
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
DH Peligro, best known as the drummer of Dead Kennedys, died in an accidental fall at his home in Los Angeles on 10/28/2022. Here is Joe's conversatio...
301: Questlove
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We return from hiatus with Academy Award-winning filmmaker, author, and entrepreneur Questlove, in what Questlove calls, "the best, most open intervie...
300: Joe Wong Interviewed by Jon Wurster
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, The Trap Set is back for Episode 300. Following the tradition of our previous centennial episodes, Joe is interviewed...
RIP: Gabe Serbian
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On Saturday, April 30th, Gabe Serbian died one day shy of his 45th birthday. Here's Joe's 2016 conversation with Gabe. If you're in a postion to help,...
RIP: Howard Grimes, RIP
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The great Memphis-based drummer, Howard Grimes, died at the age of 80 last week. Here's Joe's 2015 conversation with Howard, a true original whose ing...
299: Hugo Burnham (Gang of Four)
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Hugo Burnham, drummer of Gang of Four. Formed in Leeds in 1976, Gang of Four was one of the most explosive and influential bands to e...
298: Cindy Blackman Santana
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is Cindy Blackman Santana, an artist of exceptional skill who--over the past four decades--has made compelling contributions to the ...
297: Alan Braufman
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're back from hiatus! Alan Braufman was a vital member of the New York Loft Jazz scene of the 1970s. His 1975 opus, Valley of Search, was re-issued ...
296: Jesse Shreibman (Bell Witch)
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe speaks to Jesse Shreibman, drummer of Seattle band, Bell Witch.
295: Chris Frantz (Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads)
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Frantz discusses Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, and his new memoir, Remain In Love. Also, make sure to check out Joe's new album, Nite Creatures, ...
294: Eric Slick (Dr. Dog, Adrian Belew, Solo Artist)
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Slick talks about his jazz musician grandfather, his childhood in Philly, the residual scars from growing up "a fat kid", his obsession with Mad ...
293: Alicia Bognanno (Bully)
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe talks to the multifaceted Alicia Bognanno about her career as the creative force behind Bully and as an audio engineer. Friend of the show, Mary L...
292: Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys, Beat Odyssey 2020, Solo Artist, etc.)
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mixmaster Mike discusses his challenging childhood; his ascent to the top of the competitive DJ world; the development of his singular DJ style; joini...
291: Steve Jordan
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Jordan is one of the most distinctive and prolific drummers in the history of recorded music. He is also an in-demand producer and record label ...
290: Sam Coomes (Quasi)
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Sam Coomes, a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who is perhaps best known as one half of the duo, Quasi, a band he co-fou...
289: Doug "Cosmo" Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival, Solo Artist)
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest is Doug "Cosmo" Clifford. Best known as drummer of Credence Clearwater Revival, Doug's powerful, tuneful playing laid the foundation...
288: Johanna Warren
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Johanna Warren, author of haunting songs, beautifully sung with an ethereal yet rhythmically adventures delivery. Johanna and Joe met...
287: Jim Eno (Spoon)
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Though Spoon's style has evolved radically over its 25 year existence, Jim Eno's drumming has been consistently tasteful, disciplined, and composition...
286: Sharon Van Etten
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most compelling artists to emerge in the past twenty years, Sharon Van Etten presents startlingly vulnerable songs with a sublimely confide...
285: Matt Barrick (Muzz, The Walkmen, Jonathan Fire*Eatter, Fleet Foxes)
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Barrick is an incredibly dynamic drummer adept at leading the listener through unexpected sonic adventure. Matt began his career with Jonathan Fi...
284: Jim Keltner
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Keltner is one of the greatest and most prolific drummers to emerge during the age of recorded music; His discography--a spine running through the...
283: Angel Olsen
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe welcomes Angel Olsen, one of his favorite contemporary songwriters, to The Trap Set. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely...
282: Lenny White (Miles Davis, Return to Forever, etc.)
22 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We've taken the last few weeks off to make room for important social dialogue. We're happy to return with a beautiful conversation with one of the all...
BNS: Sahir Hanif (Masters of Maple, Ghost Tech.)
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Sahir Hanif, founder of tour production company Ghost Tech and of Masters of Maple, a drum manufacturer. Masters of Maple has teamed ...
281: Honus Honus (Man Man)
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Ryan Kattner, also known as Honus Honus, keyboardist, vocalist, and creative leader of the band Man Man. Dream Hunting in the Valley ...
280: Jenn Wasner (Flock of Dimes, Wye Oak)
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Jenn Wasner, a multi instrumentalist and singer who is one half of the duo Wye Oak. Jenn also creates solo work under the name Flock ...
279: Andy Stack (Joyero, Wye Oak)
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Andy Stack, all multi instrumentalist and singer who is one half of the duo Wye Oak and who also releases solo material as Joyero. He...
278: Roger Manning, Jr. (Jellyfish, The Lickerish Quartet, The Moog Cookbook, Beck, etc.)
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Roger Manning, Jr. is keyboardist and founding member of bands such as Beatnik Beach, Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, and The Moog Cookbook. Roger's latest ...
BNS: Charles Connor Revisited
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of the late, great Little Richard, here's our 2017 conversation with Richard's drummer and friend, Charles Connor.
277: Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchie, P.S., Eliot, etc.)
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Katie Crutchfield began making bedroom recordings as a teenager in her native Alabama. She began touring while still in high school and co-founded the...
276: Mac McCaughan (Superchunk, Merge Records, etc.)
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 1989, Mac McCaughan co-founded the band Superchunk and the label Merge Records, both of which are still thriving today. Mac and Joe discuss: compos...
Tony Allen, RIP
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today the world lost, Tony Allen, the great genius that--along with Fela Kuti--created the style known as Afrobeat. We're sharing Joe's conversation w...
275: Julianna Barwick
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Julianna Barwick, an artist that employs electronics, voice, and loops to build warm and expansive planets of sound! During the age o...
274: Sean McGuinness (Pissed Jeans)
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sean McGuinness is a brutal shredder with a heart of gold. He discusses falling in love with drums; his excellent band Pissed Jeans; operating Lunar I...
273: Johnathan Rice
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Songwriter Johnathan Rice joins Joe to discuss: his upbringing in Virginia and Glasgow; the serious academic ambitions that resulted from being the fi...
272: Dot Wiggin (The Shaggs)
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dot Wiggin co-founded The Shaggs, along with her sisters Betty and Helen, in 1968. As the band's primary songwriter, she is the author of some of the ...
271: Georgia Hubley (Yo La Tengo)
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Yo La Tengo's Georgia Hubley joins Joe from Montauk, NY to discuss: her animator parents; her background in visual arts; her band-specific drumming st...
270: Duncan Trussell (The Midnight Gospel, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour)
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Duncan Trussell--comic, host of The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, and co-creator of the stunning new Netflix Series The Midnight Gospe...
BNS: "Dreams Wash Away"
18 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe shares "Dreams Wash Away", the first song from his forthcoming album! You also can stream the song on a service of your choice here: lnk.to/Dream...
269: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With a formal background in sound engineering, classical guitar, and composition--coupled with a deeply curious mind--Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is the aut...
268: Andrew Becker (Human Potential, Medications)
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Becker's dexterous, explosive drumming first gained recognition when he played in Dischord band Medications. Since then, Andrew has created fou...
267: Areif Sless-Kitain (Brokeback, The Eternals, Regulator Watts)
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From an early age, drummer Areif Sless-Kitain exhibited a stunning level of musical maturity and a distinctive creative voice. Joe witnessed this firs...
266: Thor Harris (Swans, Thor & Friends, Bill Callahan, etc.)
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Thor Harris is a percussionist known for his work with Swans, Bill Callahan, Rob Halverson, Devendra Banhart, and his own ensemble--Thor & Friends. Th...
265: Makaya McCraven
11 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Makaya McCraven is a drummer, composer, and producer whose innovative work draws a creative through-line between generations of seemingly disparate av...
264: Sean Solomon (Moaning)
11 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sean Solomon tells Joe about: taking lessons with the late Richie Hass of Saccharine Trust; growing up with a musical father and uncle; his early affi...
263: Emil Amos + Britt Walford Returns (Holy Sons, Grails)
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today, an experimental three-part episode! First, Britt Walford returns to answer listener questions; then, we turn over the host seat to Britt as he ...
262: Meg Baird (Meg Baird + Mary Lattimore, Espers, Heron Oblivian, Watery Love
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Meg Baird is drummer, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Meg her musical journey playing with her sister Laura in what would become known as The Bair...
261: Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Brian Eno, XTC, Paul McCartney, etc.)
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you had to choose the catalog of just one Trap Set alumnus to listen to during quarantine, you could do no better than today's guest, the incompara...
260: Billy Conway (Morphine, Jeffrey Foucault, etc.)
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Billy Conway joins Joe from his home in Montana to discuss: growing up in small-town Minnesota; attending Yale on a hockey scholarship; teaching in th...
259: Kid Congo (The Pink Monkey Birds, The Gun Club, The Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guitarist and vocalist Kid Congo Powers has been a key member of several paradigm-shifting bands such as The Gun Club, The Cramps, and The Bad Seeds. ...
258: Brian Chippendale (Lightning Bolt, Black Pus)
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Chippendale is perhaps best known as the drummer and vocalist for the Providence duo, Lightning Bolt. A band perfectly suited to Chippendale's s...
257: John Congleton (the pAper ChAse, Music Producer)
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
John Congleton and Joe first met 22 years ago in Denton, TX. John's band, the pAper chAse shared a bill with Joe's band at the time. In the intervenin...
256: Meg Remy (U.S. Girls)
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As U.S. Girls, Meg Remy has achieved an impressive songwriting balance between the familiar and the wholly unexpected. She joins Joe to discuss: why s...
255: Britt Walford (Slint, The Breeders, Languid and Flaccid)
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Britt Walford, perhaps best known as the drummer for Slint, a band he co-founded in Louisville in 1986. During its brief lifespan, Sl...
254: Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn (Sylvan Esso)
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe is joined by Sylvan Esso to discuss: Elmer's Glue mohawks, Corona anxiety, songwriting, existential dread, and slap bass! During the age of social...
253: Rick Smith (Torche)
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Torche's Rick Smith first met when their respective bands shared a bill in Dallas, TX, in 2008. The two reconnected last year when Rick was in...
252: Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service)
29 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Gibbard is best known as the vocalist and guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie, and as co-founder of The Postal Service. Ben and Joe discuss: songwrit...
251: Andrya Ambro (Gold Dime, Talk Normal)
29 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Armed with a background in orchestral percussion, hand drumming, and jazz studies, Andrya Ambro possesses a uniquely compositional drum set style and ...
250: Billy Martin (illy B; Medeski, Martin & Wood; John Zorn; Bob Moses, etc.)
28 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Billy Martin joins Joe to discuss: how his parents met at Radio City Music Hall (she--a Rockette, he--a musician); his childhood affinity for Jacques ...
249: Matt Sharp (The Rentals, Weezer)
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Sharp and Joe gulped down thick, black coffee and hung out for well over two hours. We discussed: Matt's itinerant childhood as the son of a gove...
248: Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top, The Moving Sidewalks)
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The legendary Billy Gibbons joins Joe to discuss: his love of Fugazi; studying percussion with Tito Puente; attending art school in Hollywood; Roky Er...
247: Mike Bordin (Faith No More, Ozzy Osborne)
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Bordin delivers trance inducing rhythmic patterns with earth-shattering power. This inimitable style places him in the pantheon of all-time great...
246: Chad Clark (Beauty Pill, Smart Went Crazy)
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chad Clark's parents were attorneys positioned at the vanguard of the civil rights movement, representing the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and...
245: Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rocket Juice & the Moon, Atoms for Peace)
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Before attaining massive success with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea was a wild child, roaming the streets of Hollywood. He and Joe discuss: the unfamili...
244: Cedric Bixler-Zavala (The Mars Volta, At The Drive-In, De Facto, etc.)
22 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cedric Bixler-Zavala is best known as the explosive vocalist for bands like The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, but he is also an accomplished drummer...
243: Joan Wasser (Joan As Policewoman)
21 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joan Wasser began her career as a session musician for artists like Elton John, Lou Reed, John Cale, and Sparklehorse. It wasn't until she was in her ...
242: Sean Tillmann (Har Mar Superstar, Heart Bones)
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sean Tillmann and Joe met when Sean played in Joe's basement in the late '90s. Sean tells Joe about: his early love of community theater; the origins ...
241: Buzz Osborne (Melvins)
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly 40 years, The Melvins have been an astounding live band and peerless in their prolific ability to create a consistently adventurous body of...
240: Meshell Ndegeocello
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Because many of you are on lockdown due to the Corona virus outbreak. We're bringing you new episodes of The Trap Set every day for the foreseeable fu...
239: Laura Veirs
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Life has slowed down as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, so we're using the extra time at home as an opportunity to create and release a new epis...
238: Mike Post (Rockford Files, A-Team, Van Halen, Dolly Parton, etc.)
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Post started out as a studio guitarist, recording on hits such as Sunny and Cher's "I Got You Babe." As a producer, he won a Grammy for "Classica...
237: Jeff Friedl (Beta Machine, Devo, A Perfect Circle, etc.)
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Friedl drums with well-considered precision and a soulful groove. Jeff and Joe were born in the same year and discovered some interesting similar...
236: Jason Sutter (Cher, Marilyn Manson, Foreigner, etc.)
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Sutter is a consummate professional with a command of the craft of drumming that has allowed him to thrive in seemingly disparate situations ran...
235: Money Mark (Beastie Boys, Beck, Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Solo)
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Creative polymath, Money Mark, visits The Trap Set to discuss: working as a carpenter at a film studio; why his parents' bi-racial marriage forced the...
234: Hunt Sales (Hunt Sales Memorial, Tin Machine, Iggy Pop)
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hunt Sales discusses his itinerant childhood (his father was legendary comedian, Soupy Sales); being mentored by Shelly Manne; beginning his professio...
233: Ben Lee (Noise Addict, Solo Artist)
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Like many children of the 90s, Ben Lee started a band that was inspired by artists such as Sonic Youth, The Breeders, and Sebadoh; but remarkably, tha...
232: Josiah Wolf (Why?)
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Josiah Wolf possesses a uniquely compositional drumming style, coupled with a gift for dynamic sensitivity. He tells Joe about Why?, a band he co-foun...
231: Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes, Trigger Hippy)
11 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Gorman's natural sense of groove and knack for rhythmic hooks helped propel the Black Crowes to massive success. Over the course of a two hour c...
230: Janet Weiss (Quasi, Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag, Elliott Smith, etc.)
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Janet Fucking Weiss! 2019 has been an eventful year for Janet Weiss. She left Sleater-Kinney after a twenty-four year run and soon after suffered a ma...
229: Anna Waronker (That Dog)
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Anna Waronker was born into a storied music family, but--as a child--she dreamed of working at the post office or becoming an accountant. Her gift for...
228: Mary Lattimore (Solo Artist, Thurston Moore, Meg Baird, Kurt Vile etc.)
23 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Lattimore deploys her classical harp training to construct immersive, improvisatory sound worlds. A relentless road warrior, she routinely spends...
227: Paddy Boom (Scissor Sisters, Solo Artist)
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paddy Boom began his career in the 1980s New York punk scene. In the early 2000s, his metronomic groove helped launch Scissor Sisters to wild internat...
226: Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)
09 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Carrabba's gift for melodic hooks and his sincere, vulnerable lyrical approach won him a devoted and durable fan base. He tells Joe about: growi...
225: Hugh Grundy (The Zombies)
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hugh Grundy's catchy rhythmic hooks and swinging groove helped The Zombies become on of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time. He a...
224: Ali Koehler (Vivian Girls)
25 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ali Koehler's propulsive drumming paints vivid pictures with a deliberately minimalist palette, but--due partially to an abusive teacher--she has alwa...