You can watch this discussion as unedited video.

It’s a new, discussion-only format, just for this episode (and perhaps some rare ones in the future)! When we write, how much is planned vs. improvised? How much is inspirational vs. double-or-triple checked? How does this factor weigh into how much music we release, how eclectic our sound is, and how well we improvise with others?

This discussion features three returning guests:

• Roger Joseph Manning Jr. was the keyboardist/singer for Jellyfish and Imperial Drag, and more recently as a solo artist and with the Likerish Quartet. Hear his solo episode. The end song on this episode “I’m Startin’ a Band” from his Radio Daze EP (2023).
• David Christian is the singer/guitarist for Britain’s Comet Gain. Hear his solo episode. The intro music to this discussion is “Love and Hate on the Radio” from Radio Sessions 1996-2011.
• Portland-based Rachel Taylor Brown has released 10 solo albums. Hear her solo episode. Her song choice relevant to this discussion was “Stagg Field.”

Hear a pre-release of Mark’s 8-person band’s new demo.

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Illinois singer/bassist Paul had his first release in 1985 and joined with drummer Ric Menck to form a band that was eventually called Velvet Crush, which released six studio albums from 1991-2004. He has since played a lot in Matthew Sweet’s band and has now released two albums with drummer John Richardson under the name The Small Square.

We discuss “Can’t Let Go (Oh, Tommy)” by The Small Square from Ours & Others (2023), “California Incline” by Velvet Crush from Stereo Blues (2004), and “Flower Field” by Choo Choo Train from Briar Rose EP (1988). Intro: “Hold Me Up” by Velvet Crush from Teenage Symphonies to God (1994). End song: “SML” from The Small Square (2015, remastered 2023). More at smallsquaremusic.com and actionmusik.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “Hold Me Up,” and watch Velvet Crush play it on Conan. Here’s another, mellower live track called “Why Not Your Baby.” Watch some of a live reunion show. Hear Paul’s first single “Halo” (1985). Watch Paul harmonize with Matthew Sweet (with Ric in the band too), and accompanying Matthew and Susanna Hoffs on guitar on an interesting cover tune.

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Graham is the quintessential British singer-songwriter. Though often compared to Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson, he started before either of those guys, with his first album as Graham Parker & the Rumour coming out in 1976. He released five albums with them by 1980 and then went solo for another 15 albums (sometimes with a backing band, sometimes entirely solo). Then The Rumour reformed for two albums and has now morphed into The Goldtops.

We discuss “Lost Track of Time” by Graham Parker and the Goldtops from Last Chance to Do the Twist (2023), “Going There” by Graham Parker & The Rumour from Mystery Glue (2015), “She Wants So Many Things” from Struck By Lightning (1991), and “Between You and Me” by Graham Parker & The Rumour from Howlin’ Wind (1976). Intro: “Local Girls” from Squeezing Out Sparks (1980).  Hear more at GrahamParker.net.

Watch the video for “Local Girls.” Another big song from that album (Squeezing Out Sparks) is “Hey Lord Don’t Ask Me Questions,” and the opening track is “Temporary Beauty.” An ’80s hit (my introduction to Graham) was “Get Started, Start a Fire.” Wikipedia says his only US hit was “Wake Up (Next to You).” (For an “album artist with no hits,” he sure had a lot of produced videos back in the day!)

Watch the live film of the Rumour reunion tour. Hear a live, relatively recent take on “Between You and Me.” Watch a complete solo show from 2022. Watch a complete classic show with The Rumour from 1977.

Graham has written a few books; I read his first novel, the fictional but based on his experience as a musician, The Thylacine’s Lair. A fun, recent release from Graham is The Middlesex Demos, which show what his writing and singing was like in 1973; listen to to the folky “Stay Here Loving You.” Hear his first single (from 1976), “Silly Things.”

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Coming from a family who played traditional cajun music in Louisiana, violinist Louis and his accordion-playing brother Andre have released nine albums (plus some live releases and EPs since 2001), winning two Grammy awards, plus Louis has had a couple of releases under the name Michot’s Melody Makers, and he just released his first solo album.

We discuss the title track (and listen at the end to “Ti Coeur Bleu” from Rêve du Troubadour, that 2023 solo album, plus “Marée Noire” from Mammoth Waltz (2012) and “Mexico One Step” from Bayou Perdu (2005). Intro: “Grand Marais” by Michot’s Melody Makers from Blood Moon (2018). Learn more at louismichot.com and lostbayouramblers.com.

While the Ramblers started rather traditional (though with some very energetic stage theatrics), they’ve increasingly added electronics, electric guitar stunt-work, and other atmospherics while still using traditional folk melodic and structural elements and keeping to strictly Louisiana French lyrics. 

A couple of these songs feature my past guest, New Orleans guitarist and producer Mark Bingham.

Watch Louis accept a Grammy in 2024. Watch the video for Rêve. Hear all of “Grand Marais.” Watch Louis’ solo act live from last summer, and watch a Ramblers set from the same time. Here’s Louis playing truly solo. 

Watch a short film about Mammoth Waltz including Scarlett Johansson, Dr. John, and Gordon Gano. Here are the Ramblers back in 2010. Watch the video for the new solo tune we mention featuring Louis rapping and sax play Dickie Landry. Hear that 40 second single “Luciole.” Watch Louis live singing in English with Poguetry, the Pogues tribute band featuring Spider Stacey.

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After Matt’s “paisley underground” band Rain Parade recorded two albums and an EP from ’83-’85, he was a member of Crazy Horse (taking the Neil Young guitar role in Neil’s absence), and released a few albums intermittently as he worked in law enforcement. Now that he has retired, he’s back devoting all his time to music, and Rain Parade has been touring and released its first album of the millennium.

We discuss the title track from this 2023 release, Last Rays of the Dying Sun, then the title track by the Hellenes’ I Love You All the Animals (2018), and “Blue” from Rain Parade’s Glass Palace EP (1984). Finally, we listen to “Reason for Living” from the self-titled album by Boatclub (2008). Intro: “What She’s Done to Your Mind” (a 1982 single). More at rainparade.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “What She’s Done to Your Mind.” Matt refers to the Rain Parade classic “No Easy Way Down,” which in this live form represents the band at its most psychedelic. They’re still playing it in 2023. Watch Rain Parade live in 1985. Watch Matt live in 2011 playing two Rain Parade songs solo. 

The single from the new album is “Angel Sister,” sung by Matt’s co-writer and bassist Steven Roback. Steven’s post Rain Parade project, to which Matt eventually became a contributor, was Viva Saturn. 

Another song from the 2018 Hellenes album we mention is “So Depressed,” featuring Big Star elements including their drummer Jody Stephens. A very nice song from his 2000 solo debut (the album was called Hellenes) is “Understand.” Matt released an album in 1986 with my former guest Tim Lee as Gone Fishin’, which included this song Matt wrote called “Home.” Here’s a song Matt played lead guitar on by Crazy Horse in 1989.

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Sponsor: Get the ultimate gift: A custom-written song from Songfinch. Use songfinch.com/NEM to get free Spotify streaming for your song. Listen to the song Mark commissioned.

Bruce is best known for his first album The Way It Is (1986), but has come light years since then through 18+  albums, experimenting with different styles, playing over 100 shows with the Grateful Dead, and scoring numerous projects for Spike Lee. He’s won three Grammys and recorded with music royalty including Elton John, Ornette Coleman, Branford Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and Stevie Nicks.

We discuss “Sidelines” (feat. Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend) from ‘Flicted (2022), “My Resolve” (feat. James Mercer of The Shins) from Non-Secure Connection (2020), and a new live version of “Shadow Hand” from the 25th Anniversary Edition of Spirit Trail. End song: “Cast-Off” (feat. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver) from Absolute Zero (2019). Intro: “The Way It Is” (Live from Köln, 2019). More at brucehornsby.com and bruuuce.com.

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Here, of course, is the original “The Way It is.” Listen to the 2019 NYC Epicenters version in full. My favorite single from that first album was “Every Little Kiss.” An early tune recently featured prominently in the second season of the TV show The Bear is “The Show Goes On.”  You may or may not recall that Bruce co-wrote Don Henley’s hit “The End of the Innocence”; watch Bruce play that live with several jazz greats. Hear the original 1998 version of “Shadow Hand.” Bruce’s 2004 “Halcyon Days” features both Sting and Eric Clapton. 

The track that Bruce co-wrote for Bon Iver’s album is “U (Man Like).” Watch the video for “Days Ahead,” another single from Bruce’s newest album ‘Flicted. Here’s the video for “Sidelines.” Watch a lyric video for “Cast-Off.” Watch Bruce and James Mercer performing “My Resolve” over the Internet during the pandemic. 

Watch Bruce play piano with The Grateful Dead in 1991. Listen to Other Ones (Grateful Dead after Jerry Garcia’s death) play a classic Hornsby tune, “White-Wheeled Limousine,” live in 1998. His own version of that (from 1995’s Hot House), featured Pat Metheny and Béla Fleck. Watch him live in 2012 with Bob Weir and Branford Marsalis playing his tune “Standing on the Moon.”

Listen to Bruce on The Art of Longevity podcast. Here he is on Sodajerker. Bruce’s appearance on Ezra Koenig’s Time Crisis podcast is on time-crisis-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_126">#126, and you may be able to hear it with an Apple Music subscription.

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Image by Kat Fisher. Audio editing by Tyler Hislop of Pixelbox Media.

After winning a TV reality competition in 2007 to become Sandy in Grease on Broadway, Laura went on to perform on (and off) Broadway in shows like South Pacific, Bonnie & Clyde, Anything Goes, and Cinderella. In 2021 she left Broadway over anti-vax sentiments and now stars in Hallmark Channel films while writing and recording country songs.

We discuss her 2023 singles “Getaway” (co-written with Raquel Cole and produced with Brett Boyette) and “Enough” (co-written and produced with Jay Denton), her performance of the Bonnie & Clyde song “How ‘Bout a Dance,” from Dream a Little Dream: Live at at the Café Carlyle (2012), and we conclude by listening to her 2022 Christmas duet with Chuck Wicks, “Fell for You.” Intro: “Hopelessly Devoted” from the Grease Soundtrack (2007). More at lauraosnes.com.

In addition to her singles, she released a 2022 EP; listen to “Bitter.” We mention her Christmas duet with Tom Wopat. Here she is singing “My Favorite Things.” Here she is live singing “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Here’s a bit of footage from the Broadway Bonnie & Clyde, and a more official “overview” of that musical. Here she is doing some live cabaret. Here she is singing “Hopelessly Devoted” on Broadway. Watch a clip from the finale of NBC’s Grease: You’re the One That I Want of Laura’s progression through the show.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Sponsor: Get the ultimate gift: A custom-written song from Songfinch. Use songfinch.com/NEM to get free Spotify streaming for your song. Listen to the song Mark commissioned.

Jason plays bass for Bob Mould’s band, is a touring member of Superchunk, and has been making the promo rounds as he tours as guitarist with actor Michael Shannon to play R.E.M.’s debut Murmur live for its 40th anniversary. He’s a singer-songwriter who played as Verbow in the 90s, and more recently as Split Single.

We discuss two Split Single tunes: “Bitten by the Sound” from Amplificado (2021), “Monolith” from Fragmented World (2014), plus Verbow’s “Fan Club” from Chronicles (1997). End song: “Blood Break Ground” from Callado (2022). Intro: “He’s a Panther” by Verböten (his first band, when he was but a tween, live in 1983). Learn more at splitsinglemusic.com.

Watch Jason with Michael Shannon playing REM. Watch the video to one of his big Split Single singles “Untry Love,” and “Satellite,” another single from the newer album. Watch Jason in his home environment (including several solo performances). Watch him backing Bob Mould. Watch the video for “Flag,” the first single by the pre-Verbow band Jason & Alison. Watch Verbow live playing their biggest hit, “Holiday.” Watch Verboten on TV, and here he is talking about the history and the musical.

I’ve featured the solo work of Alison, Jason’s cellist partner in Verbow, on NEM#101, and have also talked to Bob Mould for NEM#170.

Audio editing by Tyler Hislop.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Sponsor: Get the ultimate gift: A custom-written song from Songfinch. Use songfinch.com/NEM to get free Spotify streaming for your song.

Eric Goulden started in 1977 as label-mate to Elvis Costello and Ian Dury, but after three albums he went indie and was an early practitioner of home recording, releasing albums in the second half of the ’80s under various band names like Captains of Industry and The Len Bright Combo. He eventually re-embraced his Wreckless Eric moniker and now records on his own and with his wife Amy Rigby, bringing his total output to around 29 albums. He sees the songwriting portion as a minor part of what he does; it’s all about creating unique and exciting sounds for the recording.

We discuss “Standing Sunday Morning” from Leisureland (2023), “Another Drive-In Saturday” by Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby from their self-titled debut (2008), and “Depression” by Le Beat Group Electrique from their self-titled album (1989). We conclude by listening to “Father to the Man” from Transience (2019). Intro: “Whole Wide World” (single version, 1977).

Watch a recent live Eric solo TV performance. Here he is with a band in 1977 playing “Whole Wide World,” a bit faster in 1980, and back slower again in 2014. Watch him and Amy harmonizing. Watch Le Beat Group live in 1989 live on MTV. Hear a track from the 1984 album yet to be placed on the streaming services.

Audio editing by Tyler Hislop.

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Tom is best known as a steel guitar player who has guested with artists like Alejandro Escovedo, John Doe, and Sonny Smith. He started in the late ’80s as the lead guitarist and backup songwriter for the Philadelphia energetic alt-country band Go to Blazes. After five albums with them, he moved to San Francisco in 1997 and has since released six solo albums of Dylan-esque, lyrically driven folk-rock.

We discuss “Desperate” from 24th Street Blues (2023), “Chickenhawks and Jesus Freaks” from That Cool Blue Feeling (2013), “Bloody Sam” by Go To Blazes from Any Time… Anywhere (1994), and listen to “Etch A Sketch” from Show Business, Baby (2017). Intro: A Waylon Jennings cover, “Brand New Goodbye Song” (2008).

Watch the official video from one of Tom’s new songs “The Mission Is on Fire.” Hear all of “Desperate (Redux)” and “Brand New Goodbye Song” (Hear Waylon’s original version of that). Tom’s song featured on Justified was “Haunted,” which he wouldn’t let me use as the intro song for this interview, as he says it’s not representative of his sound. Hear Tom play steel guitar with Sonny Smith, and on this version of the classic “Sleepwalk.“

Image by Lauren Tabak. Audio editing by Tyler Hislop.

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