He answers the question what made Hüsker Dü so influential and discusses the late 80s transition into his solo career with Workbook. He touches on the Sugar era and the remarkable run he’s enjoyed with his current band featuring Jon Wurster and Jason Narducy. Bob also shares thoughts on his latest album Here We Go Crazy with honorable mentions to Pere Ubu, My Bloody Valentine and Steve Albini. He selected Deerlady, Justice featuring Tame Impala, Hannah Jadagu, Nada Surf, Momma, and Peter Xan for a radio show that was the initial idea for the hang.

This is a 30-minute version of the interview. I ended up cutting 10 minutes out of this and getting the rights to use videos for songs that we played. That version is posted on Bob’s YouTube page.

Morphine – Early to Bed
Iggy Pop – Nightclubbing
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Burning
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Hong Kong Garden
Nada Surf – Blankest Year
Fishbone – Party at Ground Zero
Living Colour – Glamour Boys
Hannah Jadagu – What You Did
T Rex – The Groover
Lemonheads – My Drug Buddy
Big Star – Feel
Gang of Four – Damaged Goods
Skunk Anansie – An Artist Is An Artist
Lou Reed – Vicious
The Strokes – Hard to Explain
Jesse Malin – Turn Up the Mains
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – Bad Reputation
Buzzcocks – What Do I Get
The Linda Linda’s – Oh!
The Clash – Brand New Cadillac
Lambrini Girls – Cult of Celebrity
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake
Prince – Rock n Roll is Alive (and it Lives in Minneapolis)
New York Dolls – Looking For a Kiss

You can listen to my set via this Spotify playlist  created by Ms. Kara Tucker, who is a friend of my technical advisor/spiritual guru for the Webster Hall gig Steve Reynolds.

I interviewed New York based Indie Rock trio Sunflower Bean on the occasion of the release of their new album Mortal Primetime. In 2016, the then 20-year-olds hit us with their formidable debut album, Human Ceremony, establishing them as an essential New York band. The band’s fans couldn’t have hoped for a better ride in the subsequent years. Sunflower Bean have been honing their craft, building on impeccable influences and, as we touched upon in my conversation with the trio, simply growing up.

Photo Credit: Gus Philippas.

Singer and guitarist Kieran Shudall and guitarist Joe Falconer of English Indie Rock band Circa Waves appeared at WFUV for an interview and live performance of 2 songs taken from their new album Death & Love, Pt. 1: “Like You Did Before” and “Let’s Leave Together.” They also performed “T-Shirt Weather” from the band’s debut album, Young Chaser.  Hear them along with the chat HERE.

Photo Credit: Eric Holland.

Former The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn and Canadian singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards visited WFUV for a chat about Finn‘s latest album Always Been, which Edwards sang backing vocals on for 6 songs. Also playing was a world premiere of Edwards’ song, “Save Your Soul,” from her new album, Billionaire. Hear the interview HERE.

Photo Credit: Alex De Corte, PR.

Kim Deal’s fingerprints are on some of the most essential rock of the last forty years. Her bass playing and vocals were the soul of the Pixies, while her writing, guitar work, and production came to the fore leading The Breeders. Now we’ve got what we’ve never had before, a solo album.

As Deal explained in our conversation, all of her favorite music came from bands, so doing a solo project was never something she had in mind. However, as circumstances unfolded and the appeal of an alter ego like Tammy (and the Amps) ebbed, she warmed to the notion.

Over a period of years, Deal crafted an album worthy of a Kim Deal billing: Nobody Loves You More. For this session, she recorded a few songs at Electric Lady Studios in the West Village. Deal felt she might not necessarily enjoy the best reputation at the house that Jimi built as she was less than an ideal client during a hazy stretch of the late 90s when she bounced around a handful of New York studios.

She also touched upon her relationship with her mom, which spurred the poignant session closer, “Are You Mine?” and spoke of her friendship with the late Steve Albini, whose last work at his Electrical Audio studios in Chicago was for Nobody Loves You More.

Deal also explained how she came around to featuring strings and brass on the new LP, and how the spiffy album cover was inspired by Bas Jan Ader, the Dutch performance artist.

Hear 3 new songs from Nobody Loves You More, along with the chat HERE.

When I did an interview with the four members of the Pixies in 2019, new bass player Paz Lenchantin had great things to say about Kim.

Photo Credit: Noah Griffel, PR.

Alternative folk band The Lumineers appeared at WFUV for an interview and pre-recorded performance of 3 songs taken from their new album Automatic: “Same Old Song,” “Keys on the Table,” and “Plasticine.”  Hear them along with the chat HERE.

Photo Credit: Nina Westervelt, PR.

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jason Isbell appeared at WFUV for an interview with pre-recorded acoustic performance (at The Beacon Theatre in a special soundcheck WFUV set) of 3 songs taken from his new album Foxes in the Snow: “Bury Me,” “Foxes in the Snow,” and “If We Were Vampires.”  Hear the songs along with the chat HERE.

Photo Credit: Gus Philippas.

Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand appeared at the Power Station at Berklee NYC for an interview and live performance of 3 songs taken from their new album The Human Fear: “Bar Lonely,” “Audacious,” and “Night or Day.”  Hear them along with the chat HERE.