Center Stage: An Abandoned Albums Podcast

Episode 508 - Justin Kline of Dungeon of Skeletons

Do you like power pop? Well, we've got a band for you!
Dungeon of Skeletons!
Their album Patterns left Geoff speechless, and Keith thought it was the "best album of the year." And they both agree that despite the song title, "Doom and Gloom" is the song of the summer.
Once in a while, everything just clicks, and this episode is one of those.
Frontman Justin Kline stopped by to talk with Keith & Geoff, and the guys had a great chat about all sorts of things. And we're not speaking out of turn in saying some of the stories here might impress you.
This is a Rufus-approved, four-paw-rated episode!
Links
Dungeon of Skeletons Web
Dungeon of Skeletons Bandcamp
Dungeon of Skeletons IG
Dungeon of Skeletons FB
Tinted Windows
The Queers
Book - Go All the Way
 

Episode 507 - Annette and Tony from Venus Hum

On this episode, Keith and Geoff are joined by two-thirds of the electronic pop band Venus Hum, lead singer and lyricist Annette Strean and multi-instrumentalist Tony Miracle. Third member Kip Kubin wasn't able to join.
Venus Hum released their self-titled debut album in 2001, and its follow-up, 2003's Big Beautiful Sky, is firmly embedded on Geoff's desert island album list.
The band's wide creative and musical landscape has led to collaborations with the famed Blue Man Group and Hollywood A-lister J. J. Abrams, among others. 
After the release of the EP Songs for Superheroes, Annette had developed painful vocal fold nodules and needed a speech pathologist to relearn her singing ability. The band didn't break-up but diversified. 
After a two-year hiatus, Venus Hum regrouped and released a new album, The Colors in the Wheel in 2006, which they described as "unconventional, three-dimensional and completely five-sensual" featuring an edgier sound than their previous work. This was followed in 2009 with the release of Mechanics & Mathematics. 
A remix album came in 2016, and in the second half of 2020 the band released a series of singles they later released on the album Kindness Rages On in 2021.
And to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of their collaboration with Blue Man Group on a cover of the iconic Donna Summer disco hit, “I Feel Love,” they've recorded a brand-new version.
Annette and Tony chat it up with Geoff and Keith. 
Stories were told and laughs were had.
LINKS
Venus Hum Website
Venus Hum Bandcamp
Venus Hum IG
Venus Hum YouTube
Venus Hum Wiki
Blue Man Group
J.J. Abrams
The High Llamas

Abandoned Albums Preview of Chronicles

We're giving up a sneak peek at our new podcast Chronicles this week. 
Chronicles is a six-part series hosted by Keith R. Higgons, where he reflects on some of his dating and romantic entanglements over the years.
Mark your calendar - all six episodes drop on July 1. 
 

Episode 506 - Del Barber on Almanac... and more!

Three-time Juno Award nominee (the Canadian Grammy Awards) singer/songwriter Del Barber stopped by Thunderlove Studio to chat with Keith & Geoff about his new album, Almanac, as well as... well, everything.
When Del began writing the 12 songs comprising his eighth album, he adhered more than ever to a prairie aesthetic. Don't worry, we explain that.
Almanac follows Barber’s acclaimed 2021 album Stray Dogs: Collected BSides Vol. 1, made during the height of pandemic restrictions. Stray Dogs, which brought Barber to the end of one season, Almanac doggedly led him into the next.
Keith & Geoff talk with Del about his entire body of work and his influences, and the maturation of his songwriting and performing.  
If you like music in any form, you'll like Del Barber.
LINKS
Del Barber online
Del Barber on Spotify
Del Barber on Instagram
The No Regretskys
The Tragically Hip
Manitoba Canada
Rancid
The Weakerthans
Letterkenny TV Show
 

Episode 505 - Mo Troper on Power Pop, His Career, and the lasting power of ”I Am the Cosmos.”

Mo Troper is genuinely one of a kind, and that’s who joins Keith & Geoff this week.
You should know Mo - Mo is a Portland, OR-based power pop extraordinaire who creates songs with hilarity and hooks that all go hand-in-hand.
But that's not all he is and that's not all the lads chatted about. 
Not to tell secrets outside of school, but Mo perhaps gives the most succinct definition of Power-Pop we've ever heard. And that fits nicely into the discussion on the lasting power of Chris Bell's masterpiece "I Am The Cosmos." 
For those wondering who Chris Bell is, he was a member of Big Star - considered by many to be one of the better Power-Pop bands. 
Did we forget to mention that Mo is also a scribe? He penned an article for Remember The Lightning - A Guitar Pop Journal: Vol 1 (link below) on "I Am The Cosmos". 
And listening to Mo talk about his incredible body of work and his own artist journey is really a treat.
The guys cover a fair amount of ground about a fair amount of subjects, so you'll want to check this one out!
 
LINKS
Mo Troper on Spotify
Mo Troper on Bandcamp
Read Mo’s Writing
Mo Troper on IG
Mo's Bio on Lame-O Records
Remember The Lightning - A Guitar Pop Journal: Vol 1
Remeber The Lightning on Substak
Big Star
 

Episode 504 - Carrie Clark and Jeff Copas of Sixteen Deluxe

This week Keith & Jeff are joined by Carrie and Jeff from the Austin, Texas band Sixteen Deluxe.
Sixteen Deluxe is an American alternative rock band mainly active in the 1990s, recording initially for Butthole Surfers drummer King Coffey's Trance Syndicate label.
They issued one album on Warner Bros. Records and several others on indie labels.
Sixteen Deluxe disbanded in 2000, and re-formed in 2010. In 2012, Sixteen Deluxe was inducted into the Austin Chronicle's Austin Music Hall of Fame.
In a podcast interview conducted with Alex Botten in November 2013, Sixteen Deluxe announced that they were writing new material and recording. In July 2014, the band recorded new material at The Bubble in Austin, TX, with guitarist Smith producing.
On March 29, 2015, Good Records of Dallas, Texas, announced the release of a 7" of newly recorded Sixteen Deluxe material, to be released on Record Store Day, April 18, 2015. The 7" marked the first release of new Sixteen Deluxe material since their 2000 breakup.
LINKS
Sixteen Deluxe on Bandcamp
Sixteen Deluxe
The Living Pins
My Bloody Valentine
King Coffey
Trance Syndicate 
1950s Housewife Tripping
 

Episode 503 - Pete Argyropoulos & Kevin Haaland of Sons of Silver

The energy from musicians in one room borders on magic. Whether or not they say a word, the riffs, the beats, and the rhythms carry their conversation around the room. Sons of Silver feed off this sort of face-to-face energy.
A tried-and-true rock n’ roll band, they plug in and unlock a flood of emotions energized by unbridled guitars, fluid percussion, and a distinct vocal howl. After amassing over 5 million YouTube views and receiving acclaim from Consequence of Sound, American Songwriter, Paste, Substream Magazine, and more, the quintet—Pete Argyropoulos [vocals, guitar], Brina Kabler [keys, vocals], Kevin Haaland [lead guitar] on Adam Kury [bass] conjure this magic on their independent 2022 EP, Ordinary Sex Appeal.
“Our vision is always to put five people in a space, trade ideas, and let the process be very human,” says Argyropoulos. “It’s not manufactured. It’s not autotuned. It’s not done from separate locations. We capture inspiration in the moment. It’s an old school way of doing things. Our goal was to turn that up on this new EP.”
Joining Keith & Geoff in Thunderlove Studio this week are Pete Argyropoulos and Kevin Haaland of the LA-based Sons of Silver.
Easily one of the best rock bands we've heard around the home office in... in a very long time.
Check it out!
Links:
Sons of Silver Web
Sons of Silver on Spotify
Sons of Silver on YouTube
The Band
 

Episode 502 - Marvin Etzioni on Lone Justice, Marvin Country... and a lot more!

On this episode, Keith & Geoff welcome Marvin Etzioni into Thunderlove Studio - he is also known as the Mandolin Man. Etzioni is best known as a founder and bassist for the band Lone Justice.
He is also a noted songwriter, composer, and record producer. He has released three solo albums in addition to performing with loads of artists.
In 1982, Etzioni met Ryan Hedgecock, who shared his love for country and roots music. Hedgecock was already performing with Maria McKee. Hedgecock and McKee asked Etzioni to back them on bass duties, along with drummer Don Heffington and the band Lone Justice was launched.
Etzioni was a member of Lone Justice from 1983 to 1986, during which he encouraged them to write original material, and contributed the songs "East of Eden," "Working Late," "You Are the Light," and "Soap, Soup and Salvation" (written with McKee).
Marvin has produced for numerous artists, including Peter Case, Counting Crows, and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Etzioni's compositions have been covered by Cheap Trick, Victoria Williams, Julie Miller and Judy Collins. Etzioni produced and wrote songs with the Williams Brothers (Andy Williams' nephews Andrew and David). 
Together with David Williams, Etzioni co-wrote "Can't Cry Hard Enough" which became his most successful song.
In the 1990s, Etzioni recorded and released three albums: The Mandolin Man (1991), Bone (1992) and Weapons of the Spirit (1994).Etzioni employs the analog-vinyl-digital (AVD) technique, in which his master tapes are converted first to vinyl, and the vinyl is recorded to digital for the final product.
In 2012, Etzioni released the 2-disc album Marvin Country on Nine Mile Records. On the album, which had been in development since 1985, Etzioni played mandolin, mandocello, guitar, bass, piano, Mellotron, porchboard and keyboards. Included are duets with Lucinda Williams ("Lay It on the Table"),Steve Earle ("Ain't No Work in Mississippi"), Richard Thompson ("It Don't Cost Much"), Buddy Miller ("Living Like a Hobo"), John Doe ("The Grapes of Wrath"), Maria McKee ("You Possess Me"), and the Dixie Hummingbirds ("You Are the Light").
For most songs, the backing band was Heffington (drums), Steve Fishell (pedal steel), Gurf Morlix (bass), Tammy Rogers (fiddle), and Buddy Miller and Duane Jarvis (guitar).
LINKS
Marvin Etzioni 
Marvin Etzioni Bandcamp
George Jones
The Clash
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Counting Crows 
The Bangles
Alt Country
T-Bone Burnett
Martinis and Bikinis