The Trap Set With Joe Wong

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 work--a musical universe unto itself. Buzz Osborne discusses: his childhood in WA; feeling comfortable around firearms; being too smart to enjoy school; writing his memoir; the discipline required to maintain a career as a professional musician; dogs; his songwriting process, and more! Because we're in lockdown due to the Corona virus outbreak. We're recording by phone and bringing you new episodes of The Trap Set every day for the foreseeable future.

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 future. Today's episode features the inimitable Meshell Ndegeocello. Meshell has charted a wildly adventurous artistic course over the past 30+ years, and throughout it all, she has retained a unique creative fingerprint. Meshell and Joe talk about: achieving a balance between honoring one's own creative vision and facilitating that of others; Meshell's rich inner world, which she first developed during childhood; the DC go-go scene; becoming a professional musician while caring for a baby; and reconciling the call of the muse with the desire to entertain a crowd.

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 episode of The Trap Set everyday until further notice. We'll record by phone, and--by necessity--experiment with a more raw and immediate production style. It's our hope that these daily episodes will give you a sense of community amidst the larger social distance. Today's guest is Laura Veirs. Laura is a songwriter with over ten albums to her name, both as a solo artist and as a member of the supergroup Case, Lang, Veirs. Laura and Joe talk about how they met during a Fred Armisen comedy show; how they helped each other creatively; and how Laura is experiencing a post-divorce creative renaissance. Touring is on hold, so please make sure to support Laura by purchasing her albums!

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 "Classical Gas" in 1968 and worked with artists ranging from Sammy Davis Jr., to Dolly Parton (on her smash 9 to 5 album), to Van Halen. But Mike is best known as the preeminent television composer of his generation. Often in conjunction with his longtime composing partner, the late Pete Carpenter, Mike crafted thematic earworms that reside in the collective consciousness. The A-Team, Doogie Howser, Quantum Leap, LA Law, Hill Street Blues, The Greatest American Hero, and the entire Law & Order Franchise represent just a slice of a body of work comprising thousands of hours of television music. Mike discusses his decades spanning career, and he and Joe recall the unusual way they became friends.

Jeff Friedl drums with well-considered precision and a soulful groove. Jeff and Joe were born in the same year and discovered some interesting similarities in their respective life trajectories. Jeff discusses being raised in Tuscon by a visual artist and a pharmacist; how drumming kept him from making bad life choices; and how his life changed in 2008.

Jason Sutter is a consummate professional with a command of the craft of drumming that has allowed him to thrive in seemingly disparate situations ranging from Cher to Marilyn Manson. Jason grew up in upstate NY, but through a strange twist of fate, he and his cousin were friends with Joe's next door neighbors in Milwaukee. Jason talks about growing up with an artist father; the business of getting gigs; striving for greatness during formal training; and his side business as a real estate agent.

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 them from their home state; occasionally sleeping in his car after attending LA punk shows; how touring with The Beastie Boys forced him to give up a job remodeling kitchens; his invention--the Echolodeon; and how empathy is a practice rather than a trait.

Hunt Sales discusses his itinerant childhood (his father was legendary comedian, Soupy Sales); being mentored by Shelly Manne; beginning his professional career at age eleven; overcoming addiction; and why he doesn't have a desire to listen to legendary albums he made decades ago.

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, that band--Noise Addict--quickly joined the ranks of its heroes. By the time Ben was 16, he was signed as a solo artist to the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal Records; and by the time he was 18, he moved to Los Angeles. Ben and Joe discuss: the overlooked discipline of "outsider artists"; being ten years younger than your musical peers; and the correlation between artistic and everyday presence. Check out Ben's tour: https://www.ben-lee.com/events

Josiah Wolf possesses a uniquely compositional drumming style, coupled with a gift for dynamic sensitivity. He tells Joe about Why?, a band he co-founded in 2004; his creative partnership with his brother; being raised by Jewish parents who led a Jesus-centric synagogue; becoming part of a creative community; his exercise routine; and shifting self awareness.

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 conversation, Steve tells Joe about: growing up in Kentucky and Maryland; his love of Basketball; channeling obsessive-compulsive tendencies into rhythmic precision; his dysfunctional relationship with his former bandmates; the experience of writing a memoir; and the importance of family. Check out Steve's Book, Hard To Handle; and the new album by his band Trigger Hippy, Full Circle and Then Some.

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 major car accident. Janet tells Joe about growing up in LA; discovering drumming in San Francisco; finding an artistic community in Portland; the creative dynamic of Quasi; the emotional vulnerability required to be a great collaborator; what she loved about playing in Sleater-Kinney; why she left Sleater-Kinney; and her hopes and dreams. It’s Janet Fucking Weiss, folks. Do it up!

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 angular melody and vivid lyricism led her to pursue the family trade after all. She tells Joe about: attending artsy alternative school Crossroads; recognizing her gift for songwriting; the evolving band dynamic of That Dog; co-parenting with another musician (husband and Trap Set alum, Steven McDonald); and the liberating feeling that accompanies scoring for film and tv. Be sure to check out That Dog's upcoming show 11/16 at The Regent in Los Angeles.

Mary Lattimore deploys her classical harp training to construct immersive, improvisatory sound worlds. A relentless road warrior, she routinely spends over 200 days a year on tour, both as a band member and a solo artist. She visited Joe on a rare day off to discuss: falling out of moving cars; growing up with a harpist mom; studying at Eastman; how meeting the Arcade Fire changed her trajectory; improvising with Thurston Moore; evolving from a hired gun to a solo artist; and living life with a "say yes" philosophy.

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 international success. But a series of tragedies derailed his life, ultimately leading him to get back in touch with his creative roots. Make sure to check out Paddy's solo work, featuring alumni of David Bowie's 70s band.

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: growing up in a "wealth adjacent" environment; sleeping in Washington Square Park; how his music was informed by skateboarding; almost committing to a career as a teacher; leaving a band comprised of lifelong friends to develop his own creative voice; how an early backlash to his music affected him personally; and what he's done to evolve as an artist twenty years into his career.

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 and Joe discuss: growing up in post-war England; how he almost wound up spending his life working at a bank; the fine line between hard work and luck as it pertains to his career; recording hits like "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", and the classic Odessey and Oracle album; struggling to find his identity after the band broke up; working as an A&R man for CBS; how drumming saved him during the most difficult time in his life; and the joys of playing with the reunited Zombies, over 50 years after their original run. Be sure to attend Joe's show with Trap Set alum Matt Cameron, Mary Timony, Chad Molter and a 12 piece orchestra, at Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge on November 21, 2019. TICKETS

Ali Koehler's propulsive drumming paints vivid pictures with a deliberately minimalist palette, but--due partially to an abusive teacher--she has always had a difficult time identifying as a drummer. Ali tells Joe about growing up in New Jersey; school band; her talent for resolving interpersonal conflict; playing with Vivian Girls and Best Coast; working in clothing production; becoming a mom; and how she has worked to achieve creative heights despite discouragement from an authority figure during a particularly formative period of her life.

Joe met this week's guest--Jimmy LaValle--on tour over twenty years ago. A lot has happened in the intervening time, and Jimmy catches Joe up on: the genesis and evolution of The Album Leaf; becoming a film composer; and raising a family. This conversation was a reminder of the magic that is felt on early tours and how that feeling is still within reach if we can learn from experience but also maintain some semblance of childlike wonder. In any case, it's always fun to see old friends.

By any external measure, Hrishikesh Hirway is an incredibly successful polymath; but boy, is he ever hard on himself. Or perhaps his success is due—at least in part—to the fact he is so hard on himself…you be the judge! Hrishi tells Joe about: growing up in Massachusetts; the challenges posed by the American pop culture's skewed portrayal of Asian men; attending Exeter and Yale; creating music as The One AM Radio; hosting the popular Song Exploder and The West Wing Weekly podcasts; and the psychological chasm between creating podcasts and writing songs.