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Low Times » Podcast

Summary: Low Times is a music podcast hosted by Tom Scharpling (The Best Show on WFMU), Daniel Ralston and Maggie Serota. Every episode of Low Times features in-depth discussions with performers and personalities in the music world. Our guests reveal hidden talents, unusual interests and talk about their lives on and off the road.

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  • Artist: Tom Scharpling, Daniel Ralston and Maggie Serota
  • Copyright: © Copyright Low Times Podcast

Podcasts:

 Bob Mould and John Darnielle | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:19:43

Maggie Serota caught up with Bob Mould in the lobby of his hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Mould was the frontman for Hüsker Dü and Sugar in addition to writing and recording music as a solo artist. Maggie sat down with Bob and discussed the process of writing his memoir See a Little Light, his tenure as a writer for WCW, and some quality time spent with Jello Biafra. Daniel Ralston spoke to John Darnielle, leader of The Mountain Goats, in Brooklyn on Monday. They spoke about John's recent all-metal cover set at Hopscotch Festival, the transition from lo-fi to hi-fi that took place around the release of Tallahassee, and staying in control of the show when the audience is laughing. John also discussed his plans for the rest of the year, including his upcoming novel. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 18 Play:

 A.C. Newman and Luke Temple | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:12:37

A.C. Newman is best known as the main songwriting force behind The New Pornographers in addition to his work as a solo artist. Tom Scharpling catches up with Newman as they discuss Carl's early bands, his relationship with fellow New Pornographer Dan Bejar, the "perverted science" of writing pop hooks and his forthcoming solo record Shut Down the Streets. Luke Temple is the leader of Here We Go Magic, the Brooklyn lo-fi outfit that recently made headlines for picking up a hitchhiking John Waters. Temple sits down with Daniel Ralston and talks about making the leap from being a solo artist to leading a band, giving up control in order to achieve success and what it means for a current artist when they don't get Pitchfork's golden seal of approval. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 17 Play:

 Dave Wakeling and Rebecca Gates | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:04:29

Dave Wakeling is famous for fronting 2-tone ska pioneers The Beat, or The English Beat as the band is known on this side of the pond. Wakeling also formed General Public with English Beat member Ranking Roger. He chatted with Maggie Serota on his seeing local bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin in his youth, touring with the likes of The Clash and The Talking Heads and touring in a band that promoted racial unity to crowds full of skinheads. Rebecca Gates is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who is probably best known as one half of The Spinanes before embarking on a multi-faceted career in the arts in addition to starting a solo career. She sat down with Daniel Ralston to discuss her thoughts on the future of buying and listening to music as well as the challenges and rewards of making a living as a musician. They also share some enthusiasm over their mutual love of cycling. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 16 Play:

 Matt Pinfield, Lauren Flax, Ollie Ackermann, Brian Venable and John Stubblefield | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:38:55

Matt Pinfield is a TV and radio personality. Last week, he spoke with Tom Scharpling about his early days in radio, hanging out at City Gardens and how he came to be on television. Lauren Flax is a Brooklyn based DJ and producer. She talks to Maggie Serota about the transition from mixing other people's music to creating her own as well as her new project CREEP. Ollie Ackermann is the singer and guitarist in A Place To Bury Strangers, the Brooklyn-based noise rock band. Daniel Ralston caught up with him at the Orion Festival to talk early shows, getting caught up in a wave of hype and playing shows with his heroes. Finally, Daniel caught up with Brian Venable and John Stubblefield from Lucero and talked about seeing hardcore bands play in their hometown of Memphis and the different reactions their parents had to them getting interested in punk. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 15 Play:

 Jean Grae, Mike Doughty and Ross Farrar | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:34:26

Jean Grae is an emcee and producer who came up through New York City’s underground hip hop scene in the late 90s. She has collaborated with the likes of Talib Kweli, The Roots and Mos Def. Jean sat down with Daniel Ralston and discussed guest verses, growing up in Chelsea, and how it must suck to be a teenager now, in the era of Twitter and Facebook. Her new record Cake or Death is set to be released in 2012. Mike Doughty is a singer-songwriter and author of the memoir The Book of Drugs. Mike fronted the band Soul Coughing throughout the 90s before the band disbanded at the close of the decade. Since then, he’s embarked on a prolific solo career. He talked with Maggie Serota about his years of substance abuse, his disdain for 90s nostalgia and his tumultuous relationship with the former members of Soul Coughing. Ross Farrar is the vocalist for the Bay Area hardcore band Ceremony. Ross spoke to Tom Scharpling about trying to reconcile a band’s urge to evolve artistically with an audience’s expectation for a consistent sound from one record to the next. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 14 Play:

 “Weird Al” Yankovic, Cosmo Baker and Tommy Stinson | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:16:26

"Weird Al" Yankovic is a musician, comedian and actor who is mainly known for his prolific catalog of songs parodying various pop, rock and rap hits. His interview with Tom Scharpling may surprise listeners as it is first and foremost a discussion about music rather than comedy. Cosmo Baker is an internationally known DJ and producer. In his chat with Maggie Serota, Baker talks about summer jams, his favorite moments from his wildly popular monthly hip hop party The Rub, and Elton John. Tommy Stinson is best known as the bassist for The Replacements as well as the bassist for the current incarnation of Guns N' Roses. He's also released two solo albums. Stinson sits down with Daniel Ralston and discusses working with the likes of Axl Rose and Paul Westerberg, the early days of The Replacements, and the differences between his freewheeling solo shows and the elaborate military campaign that is Guns N' Roses.  Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 13 Play:

 Ezra Koenig, Colin Hay and DJ Spooky | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:29:02

Ezra Koenig is the frontman for Vampire Weekend, one of the biggest indie bands of the past decade. He talked to Tom Scharpling at the end of April about the band's polarizing image. Also, Tom recounts his run-in with Vampire Weekend backstage at SNL. Colin Hay was the singer and chief songwriter in Men at Work. He now tours solo, to wide critical praise. He spoke to Daniel Ralston about going from selling out stadiums to playing to four people in a 5-year span. He also recounts his appearance on The Larry Sanders Show. DJ Spooky is the pseudonym of turntablist, DJ, producer, artist and author Paul D. Miller. Maggie Serota sat down with Miller in his Manhattan apartment to discuss the challenges of juggling the many facets of his various careers and intellectual pursuits. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 12 Play:

 Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Podcast (Part 1) with Christian Finnegan | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:03:10

This Special Edition of the Low Times podcast covers the highs and lows of some the most iconic musicians of all time, and Perry Farrell. In Part 1, our guest, comedian Christian Finnegan joins hosts Tom Scharpling, Daniel Ralston and Maggie Serota to discuss some of his favorites. Then, Tom Scharpling reveals his highlights and lowlights for three of his all-time favorites. (NOTE: We have legitimate respect for all of the artists featured, and we understand that it is impossible to have a spotless career.  Part of loving an artist is recognizing that every once in a while, they release a "Graffiti Bridge".) Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Podcast (Part 1) with Christian Finnegan Play: Watch! Peter Gabriel - Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Prince - Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Jane's Addiction - Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Rod Stewart - Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Paul McCartney - Oh Yeah!/Oh No! Jay-Z - Oh Yeah!/Oh No!  

 Eric Erlandson, Gary Waleik and Jeff Ziga | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:37:34

In episode 11, we talk to three musicians with a very diverse set of experiences. Eric Erlandson is best known as the guitarist of Hole, a band fronted by the provocative and frequently unpredictable Courtney Love. Gary Waleik was the guitarist for Big Dipper, arguably one of the most underappreciated indie bands of the late 80s. Jeffrey Ziga, a Philly punk veteran drops by to tell us an insane tour story. Eric Erlandson was a founding member of Hole, one of the most significant rock bands of the 90s. Erlandson talks with Maggie Serota about his relationship with Courtney Love, his friendship with the late Kurt Cobain and his recently released book of prose poems entitled Letters to Kurt. Gary Waleik was the guitarist for late 80s indie darlings Big Dipper. Waleik talks with Tom Scharpling about the span of his career, beginning with his early days playing in bands with his family. He also discusses the collection Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology, put out by Merge Records in 2008.  Jeffrey Ziga is a veteran of a number of Philadelphia based hardcore and punk bands, including Knives Out and Affirmative Action Jackson. In this episode, Ziga sits down with Daniel Ralston and recounts a particularly nightmarish tour disaster he endured with his recently defunct band Gods And Queens. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 11 Play:

 Ben Lee and Barry Adamson | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:31:05

Despite being just 33 years old, Australian singer/songwriter Ben Lee’s musical career has spanned nearly 20 years. He sat down with Daniel Ralston for a lively and revealing chat about the process of defining personal success, the balance of selling songs to commercials while still maintaining artistic credibility and the challenges of holding onto his youthful idealism in his more experienced years. Barry Adamson has played bass for such seminal acts as Magazine and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds before striking out into a long and prolific solo career. He sat down with Maggie Serota to discuss his 35-year career working with such luminaries as Nick Cave and Diamanda Galas, scoring soundtracks to movies that don’t exist and writing his first song at the tender age of 10. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 10 Play:

 Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:27:57

Tom Scharpling spoke to Dave Wyndorf from Monster Magnet in Dave's kitchen in Red Bank, New Jersey. Dave tells Tom about playing in Norman Mailer's house, getting invited into a limo by Gene Simmons as a 17-year- old, and his time being super unknown, super famous and everything in between. Photo: Peter Wafzig Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 9 Play:

 Lou Barlow (Part 2) and Dean Wareham | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:33:07

In the second part of his interview, Lou Barlow tells Tom Scharpling about Sebadoh’s complicated relationship with its label, touring with The Flaming Lips and being crowded out of the changing musical landscape of the late 1990s. Part 1 Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta) sat down with Maggie Serota and discussed his acting gig on Law & Order, his experience growing up and raising kids in New York City and uncomfortable relationships with former band mates. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 8 (Part 2) Play:

 Nils Lofgren and Lou Barlow | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:19:33

This episode of Low Times features two legendary performers. One is the classic definition of a side-man, handling lead guitar for what is arguably the biggest band in the world. The other is the leader of a number of iconic indie bands and a solo performer who is constantly reinventing his sound. Nils Lofgren is the guitarist in The E Street Band. He spoke to Daniel Ralston via telephone about joining Neil Young's band at the age of 17, his love of basketball, the re-emergence of Bruce Springsteen as the go-to influence for younger bands and the loss of the great Clarence Clemons. Lou Barlow, the man behind Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion, spoke to Tom Scharpling at Barlow's home in Los Angeles. In Part 1 of their interview, they talk about the first records that Lou loved, his prank phone calling phase and the early days of Deep Wound and Dinosaur Jr. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 8 (Part 1) Play:

 Mark Robinson, Karl Hendricks and JD Samson | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:15:21

There are many parallels and overlapping subjects from our three guests this week. This episode of Low Times features stories about starting out in music and carving out an identity within it. Tom Scharpling talks to Mark Robinson of Unrest, Air Miami and Flin Flon about the early days of Unrest and the continued success of his highly influential label, Teen-Beat Records. Daniel Ralston sits down with Karl Hendricks in Pittsburgh to discuss Karl's first gig (in a mental ward), his introduction to punk and hardcore, and his vigorous defense of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Maggie Serota speaks with JD Samson of Le Tigre and MEN about playing in an iconic band, working with Christina Aguilera, and JD's controversial piece for The Huffington Post about life as a touring musician. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 7 Play:

 Peter Prescott, Sharon Van Etten & Vito Roccoforte | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:46:01

This episode is jam-packed with great stories from a bona fide legend, a hotly tipped up-and-comer and the backbone of a band that changed music in the 2000s. Tom Scharpling spoke to Peter Prescott from Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns about moving on from 'Burma'  and eventually getting back into it. Maggie Serota talked to Sharon Van Etten about her time booking shows and the time she moved back in with her parents. Daniel Ralston spoke to Vito Roccoforte from The Rapture about working with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake and the band's  time opening for the Sex Pistols. Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Download: Episode 6 Play:

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