The Trap Set With Joe Wong

In honor of the late, great Little Richard, here's our 2017 conversation with Richard's drummer and friend, Charles Connor.

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 band P.S. Eliot with her sister, Allison. Since 2012, Katie has released music as Waxahatchee. Waxahatchee's latest album, Saint Cloud, was released in March to intense acclaim. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing extra episodes.

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: composing for film, how Mac's relationship with music has evolved over his lifetime; Mac's songwriting process; balancing planning with flexibility; and--when it comes to promoting an album--where an artist's responsibility ends and a record label's responsibility begins. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing extra episodes.

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 with Tony from 2015. Tony Allen, RIP.

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 of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing daily episodes.

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 Inn, a bar and restaurant in his native Philadelphia; and fatherhood!

Songwriter Johnathan Rice joins Joe to discuss: his upbringing in Virginia and Glasgow; the serious academic ambitions that resulted from being the first child of immigrants; abandoning those ambitions to pursue music; a fortuitous meeting with Dave Grohl in suburban Virginia; moving to New York and befriending songwriters such as Jesse Harris and Connor Oberst; getting a major label deal within a year of graduating high school; writing songs for Meryl Streep to sing in Jonathan Demme's final directoral effort; and his recent interest in screenwriting.

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 most astonishingly unique, life-affirming music ever recorded. Dot discusses: forming the band at the behest of her father; her songwriting process; weekly performances at the town hall in Fremont, NH; the surprising legacy of the band; working in a school cafeteria; teaching Sunday school; and Foot Foot.

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 style; and her strong sense of intuition.

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 Gospel. (Joe composed the score for the show!) Duncan and Joe discuss: meeting at just the right time; collaborating on the music for The Midnight Gospel; temporal neighbors; how certain childhood trauma can lead to a heightened sense of empathy; mystic searching; baby flips; and more! Make sure to celebrate 4/20 by watching The Midnight Gospel on Netflix! During the age of social distancing, we're releasing daily episodes.

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/DreamsWashAway Make sure to check out The Midnight Gospel, coming to Netflix on Monday, 4/20! "Dreams Wash Away" makes an appearance in the stunning season finale.

With a formal background in sound engineering, classical guitar, and composition--coupled with a deeply curious mind--Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is the author of beautifully meditative, vast and vivid soundscapes. She and Joe discuss: how her independent study background prepared her for Berklee; how meditation made her a better listener; getting to know one's subconscious mind; her fortuitous discovery of a Buchla synthesizer; medulla therapy; and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. During the age of social distancing, we're releasing daily episodes.

Andrew Becker's dexterous, explosive drumming first gained recognition when he played in Dischord band Medications. Since then, Andrew has created four solo albums under the Human Potential Moniker, including this year's I'm Glad You're Alive. He's also an award-winning filmmaker, and proprietor of the label What Delicate. Joe and Andy have crossed paths in some interesting ways in the past twenty years; hear them catch up!

From an early age, drummer Areif Sless-Kitain exhibited a stunning level of musical maturity and a distinctive creative voice. Joe witnessed this firsthand when he saw Areif perform with Regulator Watts in Milwaukee in 1996. Areif and Joe crossed paths a few years later, when Joe succeeded Areif in the DC band that later became Medications. The two old friends re-connect, and Areif discusses his path from DC to Philly to Chicago; his work as a music writer; and his creative approach in Brokeback and The Eternals.   During the age of social distancing, we're releasing daily episodes.  

Thor Harris is a percussionist known for his work with Swans, Bill Callahan, Rob Halverson, Devendra Banhart, and his own ensemble--Thor & Friends. Thor is also a sculptor, instrument builder, carpenter, and former TX gubernatorial candidate. Thor tells Joe about: being raised by an engineer and schoolteacher near Galveston, TX; studying drums in at Musicians Institute in Hollywood; learning to manage depression and thriving creatively; his love of nature; his infamous video "How to Punch a Nazi"; and the impetus to start his own band.   During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing new episodes every day.

Makaya McCraven is a drummer, composer, and producer whose innovative work draws a creative through-line between generations of seemingly disparate avant-garde movements. He tells Joe about: being raised by musician parents; why he initially resisted pursuing music as a profession; the difference between the "oral musical tradition" in which he was raised and the academic approach he was presented with in college; the decision to start creating work as a bandleader; parenting; and learning when to say yes to collaborative offers. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing new episodes every day.

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 affinity for drugs; turning his life around in the psych ward; the meditative benefits of guitar playing; the band dynamic of Moaning; and his career as an animator. Also, Rob Ellis returns to discuss his new album, The Nostalgia Machine, out today. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing new episodes every day.

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 interviews his friend--today's guest--Emil Amos. Finally, Joe picks up where Britt leaves off for a life-spanning conversation with Emil. Emil is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter perhaps best known for his work as Holy Sons. For over twenty years, he has also been the drummer for Grails. After many years in Portland, Emil has returned to his native NC, from which he spoke to Britt and Joe. During the age of social distancing, we're recording remotely and releasing new episodes every day.

Meg Baird is drummer, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Meg her musical journey playing with her sister Laura in what would become known as The Baird Sisters. She moved to Philadelphia in 1995 and played in bands such as Espers, Heron Oblivian, and Watery Love. Beginning in 2007, Meg has released a stunning series of solo albums that showcase her uniquely compelling and haunting song craft. In 2018, Meg collaborated with harpist and Trap Set alumnus Mary Lattimore on the critically acclaimed duo album, Ghost Forests. She spoke to Joe from her home in San Francisco.

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 incomparable Dave Mattacks! Dave made his recording debut in 1969 on Fairport Convention's seminal album Liege & Lief. From this stunning statement onward, Dave's unique brand of rhythmic adventure has accompanied a who's who of genius songwriters: Nick Drake, Brian Eno, Paul McCartney, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jimmy Page, Elton John, George Harrison, XTC, Loudon Wainwright III, to name a few. Stroll through an abandoned glade and bask in Dave's incredible wisdom. During the age of social distancing, we're recording by phone and releasing new episodes every day.