The Lydian Spin

Mishka Shubaly is a nonfiction writer and storyteller known for essays on addiction, recovery, endurance, and reinvention. After earning an MFA in fiction from Columbia University, he toured as a musician before returning to writing. His seven Amazon Kindle Singles all became bestselling titles, praised for grit, dark humor, emotional honesty, and vulnerability. Each summer, Mishka teaches a nonfiction writers workshop at Yale Summer Session, helping writers refine their craft.

This week's episode features a conversation with critic, Byron Coley, whose work has covered experimental music and independent culture. Byron discusses Now Jazz Now, the newly published, fully illustrated 270-page softcover book edited by Eva Prinz, with a preface by Neneh Cherry and an afterword by Joe McPhee.

Now Jazz Now brings together the perspectives of Mats Gustafsson, Neneh Cherry, Joe McPhee, Thurston Moore, and Byron, compiling personal archival selections of recorded works that orbit free jazz and free improvisation. Structured around 100 essential releases presented chronologically—but explicitly rejecting hierarchy or competition—the book...

Stand-up comedian Ben Roy is also an actor, writer, podcaster, and musician. He began his career in Denver, developing his stand-up at Comedy Works, and has since appeared at festivals including Just for Laughs, the New York Comedy Festival, and South by Southwest. His television credits include HBO's Funny as Hell and Comedy Central's Adam DeVine's House Party, Corporate, @midnight, and This Is Not Happening.

Ben is a co-creator, writer, and star of the truTV series Those Who Can't, which ran for three seasons. He hosts the podcasts 97.9 The Rat Race on the All Things C...

Photo Maurice Nunez

Harley Flanagan began performing in the city's punk scene at age 11 as the drummer for the Stimulators. In the early 1980s he founded the Cro-Mags, a band widely cited for its influence on later hardcore, punk, and metal groups. His memoir, Hard Core: Life of My Own, frames his career within the broader evolution of New York's punk and hardcore movements. Harley has also been active in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for decades, directing the kids' program at Renzo Gracie's New York academy. In recent years he has continued recording and performing while participating i...

Martin Atkins's three decades in the music industry in nearly every aspect of record production, gives him a rare perspective on the music business past, present, and future. After early success as a drummer with Public Image Ltd. and later work with acts like Killing Joke, Ministry, and Nine Inch Nails, he launched his own projects including Pigface and the influential Invisible Records. He has since become an author, speaker, and educator, sharing his expertise at major conferences and now teaching music business at Millikin University. A father of four, he lives in Chicago with his wife...

Longtime friend and collaborator of Lydia and friend of The Lydian Spin, Jasmine returns to the show. She is a filmmaker and artist who wrote letters to Aileen Wuornos and later conducted a filmed interview with her on death row in 1997. Jasmine's footage appears in the new Netflix documentary Aileen: Queen of Serial Killers; Wuornos had asked her to record her story before the execution to provide an account she felt the media had misrepresented. Jasmine is working on her own documentary, which is currently in progress. Jasmine and Lydia have also collaborated on the d...

Excepter is an experimental music collective formed in Brooklyn in 2002. John Fell Ryan (sometimes called "Jeff") founded Excepter and has remained a central member, providing vocals, synths, and electronic instrumentation. Lala Harrison Ryan has been involved in the group since at least 2006, contributing vocals, programming, keyboards, and flute. 

Paul Roessler is a musician and record producer based in Los Angeles. Active since 1978, he was part of the early L.A. punk scene and played keyboards with band including The Screamers, Twisted Roots, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender. His work includes solo albums such as Abominable, Curator, and The Drug Years, as well as collaborations with artists including Nina Hagen and Mike Watt. Paul is currently a producer at Kitten Robot Studios and is the brother of musician Kira Roessler and son of underwater photographer Carl Roessler.

Carlo McCormick is a pop culture critic and curator living in New York. He is the author of numerous books on contemporary art and artists and has lectured and taught extensively at universities around the United States. His writing has appeared in Aperture, Art in America, Art News, Artforum, High Times, Spin, Vice, and countless other magazines.

Chris Connelly is a Scottish-born musician and writer whose career spans from the industrial and post-punk scenes of the 1980s to a wide range of solo and collaborative projects. Beginning with Rigor Mortis (later Fini Tribe) and continuing through Revolting Cocks, Ministry, and Pigface, Chris's work is an exercise in constant reinvention and movement between genres. His later solo work, including Whiplash Boychild, Shipwreck, and Blonde Exodus, reflects a shift toward melodic, literate songwriting, while his books and collaborations, such as The High Confessions, demonstrate his continuing interest in music as narrative and experimentation.

Gary Lippman is a writer, artist, and attorney. He has worked with New York's Innocence Project and is the author of the acclaimed new book I Wish Therefore I Am.

His play Paradox Lust ran off-off-Broadway in 2001, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Paris Review, and VICE. Gary's visual art can be found at apocalippy.com.

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Dave Naz played in various LA punk bands including Chemical People, Down by Law, and The Last touring the USA and Europe from 1985 til1997, until an exhibition featuring Larry Clark, Nan Goldin and Diane Arbus, inspired him to pick up a camera.

As a photographer his work revolves around the varied identities and personae of our time. His photos have appeared in GQ, Maxim, Stern, and Salon. Several of Naz's photos appear in the artwork of Richard Prince. He has published 17 books with the 18th on the way.  

Shane Embury is longtime bassist for the grindcore/death metal band Napalm Death, which he joined in 1987 and has remained with ever since. In addition to Napalm Death, he has been involved in numerous side projects and bands across the extreme metal spectrum, such as Blood from the Soul, Lock Up, Brujeria, and Venomous Concept. Before his bass‑career, he played drums in early death metal and grindcore efforts like Warhammer and Unseen Terror. He lives in Birmingham and is an enthusiast of horror, science fiction, and comics.

As a Ph.D. candidate working in one of America's largest music archives at Middle Tennessee State University, he's presently completing a book tentatively titled The Architects of Punk & No Wave: The Literary Impulses of the New York Underground in the 1970s. The project explores how punk and no wave...

Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke) is an English drummer recognized for his work with Siouxsie and the Banshees (1979–1996) and the percussion-driven project The Creatures (1981–2004). He  lost his mother at age 12, and that early loss becomes a central theme in The Absence: Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer, where he also writes candidly about his marriage with Siouxsie Sioux, struggles with alcohol, and the power dynamics in both his personal and musical life. His drumming is praised for being offbeat, tom-tom-intensive, and for bringing melodic and rhythmic invention rather than just keeping time.

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Paul Cantelon grew up with music in his blood—his mother played trumpet in the Philadelphia Symphony, his father was a preacher. A prodigy on violin, he debuted at UCLA's Royce Hall at 13, then studied piano across Geneva, Juilliard, and Paris. At 17, a bike accident left him in a coma and wiped out his memory; he had to relearn music from scratch. He went on to co-found the band Wild Colonials, release solo piano albums, and score films like The Diving Bell & the Butterfly, The Other Boleyn Girl, and W.. He's also written for silent film classics lik...

Shawn "The Defenestrator" O'Connor is a founding member and drummer of the St. Louis band Yowie. Outside of music, he works as a clinical psychologist. Shawn is also something of a luddite, aiming to be the last adult in America without a cell phone.

Pamela Des Barres, born in California, emerged from the 1960s Los Angeles rock scene as both participant and witness. Introduced to Captain Beefheart in high school, she soon immersed herself in the vast Los Angeles demimonde, befriending and dating musicians from The Byrds to Led Zeppelin. With Frank Zappa's guidance, she co-founded the performance collective the GTOs, documenting her experiences in diaries that became the foundation of her seminal memoir I'm With the Band. She later married rocker Michael Des Barres—also known to television audiences for his role as the assassin Murdoc on MacGyver. Pamela herself went...

Comedian Eddie Pepitone, dubbed "The Bitter Buddha," blends caustic humor with existential musings, delivering performances that ricochet between volcanic rants and self-effacing confessionals. A veteran of New York's improv scene and a familiar face on television—from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Bob's Burgers—Eddie's work straddles the line between working-class outrage and oddly serene insight. Offstage, he channels his restless wit into podcasts, social media, and quirky web series, carving out a singular space in comedy that is equal parts fury and philosophy.

Shannon Sky is a poet, author, photographer, publisher, and activist born in Chicago. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University. 

Shannon is an off the radar, gender queer, underground poet. She previously worked in electoral politics, successfully advocated for juvenile justice reform laws in Chicago, lobbied Congress to fund public health care, and currently consults on green environmental projects. 

She is the founder of Latter-day Beat Books. A world traveler, Shannon has explored all 50 states and 35 countries on four continents.

Tianna Kennedy is co-owner and operator of Star Route Farm. She has lived in Tucson, the Bay Area, Nottingham, and Brooklyn. For over a decade, she has been farming in the Catskills, which now serves as her home base.
Tianna is also part of the crew of Apollonia, a 64-foot steel-hulled schooner retrofitted for sail freight on the Hudson River. She contributes to cargo operations and deck work as the vessel transports goods between upriver farms and downriver markets using wind and recycled vegetable oil.

Dougie Bowne is a producer, drummer, guitarist, and composer who entered New York's avant-garde scene in his early twenties after a chance street encounter with a member of John Cale's circle, who invited him to jam simply because he was carrying a bag of drum sticks and "looked cool". Unfamiliar with Cale at the time, Dougie nonetheless accepted—and that serendipitous moment launched him into the heart of the Downtown scene. Since then, he has collaborated with an eclectic roster of artists, including John Cale, Iggy Pop, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, The Lounge Lizards, Marianne Faithfull, as well as...

Dan Peck is a tuba player, improviser, and composer. He performs with ensembles such as ICE (not that ICE) Wet Ink, and has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and NYC Ballet. He has toured internationally with his doom jazz trio The Gate and collaborated with artists such as Ingrid Laubrock and Anthony Braxton. Dan teaches at New Jersey City University and runs Tubapede Records, which focuses on experimental media from the NY area and beyond.

San Francisco-based artist Philip Zimmerman has exhibited in San Francisco, Portland, and New York City over the past thirty years. Known for his sculptural work, Philip's pieces explore themes of death, beauty, and symbolism through intricate assemblage. His craftsmanship has been compared to that of Renaissance painters, noted for its exceptional detail and technical skill. Philip also made a film about Kenneth Anger check it out!

Lydia and Tim are on tour, which means no intro this week. Here is a message from Lydia on the eve of Independence Day: 

"There has never been a better time for a People's Revolution than this July 4th, when the fireworks you'll be watching will mirror the explosion in our heads after Diaper Donnie and his band of criminal Republicunts have severed every safety net that has semi-protected veterans, children, women, working families, and nature herself. Total fuckery. Have a good weekend, and blow something up."

This week's guest is Kilynn Lunsford. H...

David Gordon was born in New York City. He is the author of ten books.  His first novel, The Serialist, won the VCU/Cabell First Novel Award, was a finalist for an Edgar Award, and was made into a feature film - in Japan. He has also written five books in the on-going Joe the Bouncer series. His new novel, forthcoming from Mysterious Press in July 22, is a neo-noir called Behind Sunset, is set in LA in the 90s, and takes place in the last glory days of the print porn industry, the celebrity spirituality/wellness world, an...

JT Habersaat was dubbed the "Godfather of Punk Rock Comedy" by Chicago Now and launched The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour in 2007, which he headlined for over a decade. His latest special Swamp Beast hit #1 on the Amazon Comedy Charts and was released by 800 Pound Gorilla / Warner Music Group. He curates the Altercation Comedy Festival in Austin, which Vulture named one of the top comedy festivals in the world. JT has toured with Lydia, appeared on Comedy Central, released albums on Stand Up! Records, and creates custom action figures collected by artists like Patton Oswalt, John Carpenter, and...

Lydia and Tim are busy this week, so there's a brief break from guests until next week. With everything happening in the streets, we've put together a quick episode along with a couple of song suggestions to help lift your spirits while you're out protesting.

Lydia Songs:

Tim Songs:

Steve Doughton is a Portland-based filmmaker whose works explore themes of alienation, connection, and displacement. After establishing himself in New York's experimental film scene during the 1980s, Steve returned to his hometown, where his filmmaking evolved into something more sustained and emotionally resonant. Earthlings, his latest feature adapted from a short story by longtime collaborator Jon Raymond, continues his exploration of isolated individuals brought into uneasy intimacy—this time through a dinner party that confronts issues of race, class, and belonging in a distinctly Portland setting. Though shaped by his experimental roots, Steve's recent work is grounded in c...

Pianist Matthew Shipp makes music where free jazz and modern classical meet. In the early '90s, he played in the David S. Ware Quartet and soon began leading his own sessions, often with bassist William Parker. He has recorded many duets with musicians such as Roscoe Mitchell and Mat Maneri. He began playing piano at five and focused on jazz by age 12. He studied with Robert "Boisey" Lawrey and later attended the New England Conservatory after brief studies with Dennis Sandole. He moved to New York City in 1984, where he met William Parker, and has since...

Grace Bergere is a songwriter and musician from Downtown Manhattan. She will be touring the West Coast with Puzzled Panther in late July, supporting Gogol Bordello for the second time. On June 4th, she'll appear at Scott Lipps' Lipps Service Live at The Bitter End with Eugene Hutz, and on June 7th, she'll perform with Joseph Keckler and Bibbe Hansen at Art Yard in New Jersey. Her debut album A Little Blood was released on Eugene Hutz's Casa Gogol Records, which also put out her cover of All Tomorrow's Parties featuring Thurston Moore.

Photo: Augustin Rebetez

Swiss-born Dejan Gacond places words at the center of his artistic projects—shared through installations, books, and stage performances. For 15 years, he and Kit Brown have imagined and built A Kaleidoscope of Nothingness.

Since 2013, Dejan has collaborated with Lydia, a poetic friendship marked by 13 performances within the installations. He also translated several of her texts into French, including V.I.T.R.I.O.L., published by Au Diable Vauvert in 2022.

His collaborations extend to writer Tony O'Neill, filmmaker Sabrina Sarabi, and the band And Also The Trees. His latest boo...

Elliot(Eli) Hoffman is the drummer for Car Bomb, a band that formed in the early 2000s from two groups, Neck and Spooge, in Rockville Center, New York. His drumming is influenced by artists like Vinnie Colaiuta and Thomas Haake. Hoffman started playing drums around the age of 10, participated in drum corps during junior high, and later took lessons that shaped his technique. Checkout car Bomb's official site.

Hannah Marie Marcus is a Manhattan-born musician and olfactory artist whose work spans folk, slowcore, Cajun, and experimental sound. The Hannah Marcus Years: 1993–2004 collects recordings with collaborators including Tim Mooney and members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. She has since scored films, toured with Matana Roberts, and performed scent-based works.

In this episode, Overachievers and Underachievers, we sit down with artist Justin Gradin and poet John Tottenham—two creators who dig into the absurd, the anxious, and the unpolished truths of life. From Gradin's grotesquely layered visual chaos and insomnia-fueled narratives, to Tottenham's hilariously bitter verses on failure, resentment, and reluctant ambition, this conversation explores the fine line between doing too much and doing just enough.

Both Justin and John have new books out in 2025. Checkout Justins new book on Fantagraphics Pageant.  John's book Service is out on Penguin Books.

Gavin Friday, former Virgin Prunes frontman, has built a solo career rooted in electro-pop and theatrical storytelling, with collaborations including U2, Sinead O'Connor, and Laurie Anderson. He has also composed award-winning film scores and worked with artists like Quincy Jones, Fifty Cent and Scott Walker. Known for constantly evolving rather than revisiting past glories, His latest album, Ecce Homo, was released in 2023.

English musician Graham Lewis is a  founding member of the legendary post-punk band Wire. Known for his minimal yet charged presence as bassist, vocalist, and lyricist, Graham helped shape the band's stark aesthetic since 1976. Beyond Wire, he's explored experimental sound through projects like Dome, He Said, Hox, and UUUU. An art school background and fascination with the underground shaped his career. Graham is based in Uppsala, Sweden.

Pat Thomas is a historian and editor whose latest work, Dispatches From The Literary Underground: Evergreen Review, compiles and reprints the first 100 issues of Evergreen Review (1957–1973) in full color. Drawing on interviews with former staff and new essays from cultural commentators, the book documents the magazine's role in publishing and promoting voices that shaped the postwar counterculture—writers, radicals, musicians. Pat approaches Evergreen not as nostalgia, but as evidence—archival, visual, unembellished—of how literature and politics intersected in print.

Frank Hurricane is a musician and storyteller blending blues, folk, and spoken word. His album Quintorian Blues showcases his mix of humor, adventure, and spirituality. Recently featured on PBS in an Emmy-nominated documentary, known for his eclectic style, combining country blues with hip-hop influences to create a unique and immersive experience.

Photo By: Julia Gorton

Adam Sobel, nephew of Sumner Crane of the band Mars, studies extreme weather and climate dynamics, focusing on tropical cyclones, severe convection, and precipitation. A professor at Columbia since 2000, he combines theory, observation, and simulation to understand atmospheric behavior and assess risk. Adam also hosts Deep Convection, a podcast featuring conversations with leading climate scientists.

Rose Tang is a musician, multidisciplinary artivist, and event curator who leads over 30 groups in New York and Seattle. Her music, described by record labels and critics as experimental, free jazz, post-punk, noise, and "Weird Shit", blends diverse influences and unconventional sounds. A Mongol from Sichuan, Rose plays piano, electric guitar, and percussion, while also performing vocals, spoken word, and movement. Her music has been released by ESP-Disk' and 577 Records, and she has organized and hosted concerts in New York and California.

Beyond music, Tang has performed stand-up comedy at the Peek Pique Peak Festival...

Dave Markey is a self-taught filmmaker and musician who has documented underground music and punk culture for over four decades. His films, including 1991: The Year Punk Broke and Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, capture the energy of the punk scene with a direct, DIY approach. He has worked with Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Black Flag, and the Circle Jerks, among others. His latest documentary, The Secret Lives of Bill Bartell (2025), explores the influence of a key figure cultural figure, bull rider and cop Bill Bartell.

Jack Rabid has spent 40 years documenting underground music as the founder and editor of The Big Takeover. His writing has appeared in Spin, Creem, Village Voice, and dozens more. He drums for Even Worse, Leaving Trains, Last Burning Embers, and Springhouse. He hosts The Big Takeover Show on realpunkradio.com. Based in Brooklyn with his wife and two kids, he remains a fixture in punk journalism and radio.

Tony O'Neill, a British-born writer now in the U.S., has built a career that moves between fiction, non-fiction, and screenwriting. A former musician who played with Marc Almond and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, he made his literary debut with Digging the Vein in 2005, followed by noir-tinged novels like Sick City—now edging toward a TV adaptation with Bret Easton Ellis. Tony's work has found an eager audience in France, where 13e Note Editions translated much of his output. He's also co-authored bestselling memoirs and worked with screenwriters like Jim Uhls. When not writing for The Guardian or...

Ali Smith, a portrait and documentary photographer, moved to the UK from NYC, where she built a career shooting for The Guardian, The New York Times, and more. She's shot campaigns for Rimmel, Disney, and Johnson & Johnson and published two acclaimed photography books—Momma Love earned praise from The NY Times and Gloria Steinem. Her work, rooted in gender equality and environmentalism, includes a grant-funded project on incarcerated mothers. She's exhibited and taught internationally, mentoring young women in photography. Also a writer and former touring musician, her memoir The Ballad of Speedball Baby dropped back in January 2024 vi...

Bruce Moreland grew up in West Covina California, playing in glam rock bands with his brother Marc before diving into LA's punk scene in the late '70s. He hung around The Masque, played bass for The Weirdos, and co-founded Wall of Voodoo, recording on most of their albums between stints in and out of the band.

He later formed Black Cherry, played with Nervous Gender, and co-wrote a track for Concrete Blonde. After Marc's death, he started Ravens Moreland, shifting to vocals and guitar. 

  Matilda Joon      Dominique Stringfellow   In this cuntroversial episode we feature the dynamic poetry of Matilda Joon, and an in depth conversation between Lydia and Dominique Stringfellow concerning the need for female empowerment to replace the ever present imbalance in sexual relationships which have spiraled out of control.

JD Pinkus, who set a Georgia Boy's State 100-meter freestyle relay record in 1980, left swimming behind in 1985 to tour with the Butthole Surfers, later playing bass for Melvins, Helios Creed, and others. He took up the 5-string banjo, releasing albums like Keep On The Grass (2018), Fungus Shui (2021), and Grow A Pear (2024). JD splits his time between the road, the studio, and the mountain he now calls home.

Mike IX Williams, the voice of New Orleans for lack of a better term "sludge" pioneers Eyehategod, embodies the unrelenting grit of the genre. Raised in High Point, North Carolina, he gravitated toward rebellion and punk before finding his footing in the music scene of late-70s New Orleans. Over the years, he's faced addiction, incarceration, Hurricane Katrina, and a liver transplant, emerging as a testament to survival against the odds. Mike's music channels the chaos of a life shaped by struggle and defiance, capturing an unvarnished reflection of the world around him.

Randy Blythe, frontman of Lamb of God, will release his second book, Just Beyond the Light, on February 18, 2025. The book combines memoir and philosophy, detailing his approach to maintaining perspective through challenges. Randy writes about his childhood, touring, sobriety, and the lessons shaped by his life in music and art.

During New Year's week, we noticed a significant dip in our numbers—likely because everyone is enjoying a well-deserved break. Good for you! We'll be back next week, refreshed and ready, with exciting new guests joining us each week.

In the meantime, enjoy this extended intro. Cheers to a eh uh fantastic 2025??

Elliott Sharp is a composer and multi-instrumentalist active in New York City's avant-garde music scene since the late 1970s. With over 85 recordings across genres such as contemporary classical, jazz, noise, and electronic music, he incorporates elements like algorithms, Fibonacci sequences, and literary themes in his experimental compositions. In the 1980s, he developed the Virtual Stance project, utilizing personal computers in live performance. Elliott plays guitar, saxophone, and bass clarinet, and leads ensembles including Terraplane, Orchestra Carbon, and SysOrk.

Yva Las Vegass is a groundbreaking musician and queer icon whose journey from immigrant busker to trailblazing artist has shaped the soundscape of both Venezuelan folklore and American alternative music. Born in Venezuela, Yva began her musical career as a busker, performing on the streets of Seattle after immigrating in the early 1980s. Her unique fusion of traditional Venezuelan rhythms and melodies with the raw energy of punk and alternative rock became a hallmark of her sound, which she introduced to the American music scene in the 1990s.

Throughout her career, Yva has been involved...

Joey Killingsworth, the driving force behind Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre, has spent close to 20 years blending outlaw country with thrashing riff rock to build a loyal following. A Memphis native with deep musical roots—his father, Bo Jack, played with rockabilly legend Eddie Bond—Killingsworth initially resisted country music but later embraced it, launching the Massacre as a vehicle for his diverse influences. Known for creative collaborations and tribute projects, he's worked with legends like Jello Biafra and Greg Ginn.  Joey is also a booking agent who works with both Lydia and Tim.

Anton Newcombe is the creative force behind The Brian Jonestown Massacre, a band he founded in 1990. He is a  prolific songwriter and a hands-on producer. Anton has collaborated with artists like Tess Parks and Dead Meadow and even scores the films and television such as the film Moon Dogs. Beyond music, he runs his label, A Recordings Ltd., likes to cook  and supports causes like Oxfam during his tours.

Daniel House is an entrepreneur and musician, he i the co-founder and bassist of Skin Yard, a band that played a pivotal role in shaping the grunge sound in Seattle and served as a starting point for many influential musicians. Initially purchasing C/Z Records as a platform to release his own music, Daniel transformed the label into one of the cornerstones of the Seattle music scene, championing acts like The Melvins and Built to Spill. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2003, he launched online projects, including DownloadPunk.com and RocknRollDating.com.

Oliver Edward Ackermann is a musician and innovator best known as the founder of the Brooklyn-based effects pedal company Death By Audio and the frontman of the rock band A Place to Bury Strangers, often called "the loudest band in New York." A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Oliver has crafted custom effects for legendary bands such as U2 and Nine Inch Nails. His work is driven by a passion for cultivating a vibrant artistic community, exemplified by the iconic Death By Audio venue.

While Lydia and Tim have been busy on their respective tours, finding time to record new episodes has been challenging. In the meantime,  take a trip down memory lane revisiting a memorable moment from the early days. Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles in January of 2019, Lydia and Tim sat down with the legendary burlesque star and actress, Kitten Natividad. In this candid conversation, Kitten shares how she transitioned from a conventional career to burlesque, her experiences with director Russ Meyer, and her fond memories of Tom Selleck and Sean Penn's bachelor party. Sadly, in 2022, Kitten passed a...

Kevin Rutmanis is a bassist and experimental musician, known for his work with bands like Cows, The Melvins, Tomahawk, and hepa.titus. Recently, he has teamed up with visual artist Gina Skwoz for the project Lords and Lady Kevin, creating boundary-pushing music. Their latest release, Last Days At Hot Slit not to be confused with the Andrea Dworkin book of the same name is due out December 6, marks a collaborative effort with Trevor Dunn. 

Oliver Edward Ackermann is a musician and innovator best known as the founder of the Brooklyn-based effects pedal company Death By Audio and the frontman of the rock band A Place to Bury Strangers, often called "the loudest band in New York." A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Oliver has crafted custom effects for legendary bands such as U2 and Nine Inch Nails. His work is driven by a passion for cultivating a vibrant artistic community, exemplified by the iconic Death By Audio venue.

This episode of The Lydian Spin is filled with haunting reflections and fierce critiques. Lydia opens by reading a sharply worded Daily Beast op-ed from Michael Ian Black on the high stakes of the upcoming election. She then dives into the Shimmy Disc release Poe: To One in Paradise (for Hal Willner), a limited edition LP that celebrates Edgar Allan Poe's gothic verse. This 13-track album featuring luminaries from across poetry, literature, theater, and music—honors the late Hal Willner.

On Side A, listeners are treated to To One in Paradise by Joan as Police Wom...

Writer, Oxbow alum, Bunuel frontman and friend of the Lydian Spin, Eugene Robinson, joins Lydia and Tim to read from his memoir A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer's Row and share other entertaining stories from his life. Catch Lydia and Eugene at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall on November 9th.

Drummer Sim Cain played with the  Rollins Band from 1987 until 1997. Before joining Rollins Band, Sim played in the instrumental trio Gone, alongside future Rollins Band bassist Andrew Weiss and Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn.  He has also recorded with artists like David Poe, Marc Ribot, David Shea, and played in Elliott Sharp's Terraplane group. Cain appeared on Ween's 2004 album Quebec and performed with blues legend Hubert Sumlin in the early 2000s.

Babeth Mondini-VanLoo  is an artist, filmmaker, and cultural ambassador. She studied art under Joseph Beuys in Germany and earned a Master's in Film & Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1977. Babeth is the programming director and founder of the first Buddhist television station in the West. Her art, often described as Social Sculpture, emphasizes spiritual activism. She has created over 60 documentaries on topics such as the science of the mind, Buddhism, punk music, and poetry. Her subjects have included the Dalai Lama, Joseph Beuys, Meredith Monk, the Sex Pistols, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Babeth directed the 1990 fi...

Jim Jones is the legendary frontman for Thee Hypnotics,  The Jim Jones Revue, and the explosive new project Jim Jones All Stars.  Since the late 80s, Jim has been known for his wild, and intense live performances.  Lydia, Jim and Tim discuss a myriad of subjects including: touring, underground rock n roll, and in the distinctly British sense, cunts.

Composer/guitarist Nick Sadler was the guitarist for the rock band Daughters. In addition to this he has played bass and co-authored songs for the band Way Out. Nick also composes music for film and television.

Steve First is an actor, writer, and comedian known for his roles across TV, film, and stage. He gained recognition starring in the Gold Spot commercials for Orange and as a supporting actor in Little Britain. As his alter-ego Lenny Beige, he created and starred in numerous TV shows and live performances. Steve's acting credits span popular shows like Holby City, Friday Night Dinner, and The Serpent Queen, as well as films such as Disobedience and Walk Like a Panther.

Peter Jesperson, is a legendary figure in the music world—DJ, label founder, tour manager, and lifelong music enthusiast. He is best known as the former manager of The Replacements and founder of Twin/Tone Records, Peter joins Lydia and Tim to talk about his journey through the industry and his memoir Euphoric Recall, which is a deep dive into his incredible career.

A San Antonio-born vocalist, lyricist, and artist, Suzy Bravo has performed in heavy metal, punk, blues, and soul bands. Formerly the front woman for bands like The Rocket 350 (later Suzy Bravo & The Rocket 350), Witchcryer and Temple of Love., she is also in the  Plasmatics cover band named Tits Out..

Nicky Miller is a Berlin-based, genderqueer interdisciplinary artist with roots in France and Vietnam. Specializing in film, performance art, and creative writing, Nicky's work explores LGBTQ+ sexualities and identities, often tackling politically sensitive topics like sex work, BDSM, and queer practices. Their award-winning films, including Twisted Distinction and Pink Lips, have been showcased at international queer film festivals, challenging societal norms and redefining perceptions of queer identities.

Travis Jeppesen, is an American novelist, poet, artist, and art critic who is currently based in Berlin. He has authored several notable works, including The Suiciders, Poems I Wrote while Watching TV, and See You Again in Pyongyang. His latest book is Settlers Landing.

Jennifer Charles is a proud childless cat lady writer, singer/songwriter, actor, and poet, best known as one half of the New York cult band Elysian Fields. She has performed and collaborated with artists worldwide, singing in over 10 languages. Notable projects include Lovage with Mike Patton and Dan the Automator, and her Sephardic Diaspora group La Mar Enfortuna. Elysian Fields has created original music for television, film, and stage, including works by Jim Findlay and the French dance company Affari Esteri. Jennifer originated the role of Girl Angel in the Pulitzer-winning opera Angel's Bone and played Emily...

Chris Mars, is an American painter and drummer best known for his drumming in the iconic Minneapolis band The Replacements. After leaving the band in 1990, he pursued a solo music career before shifting his focus to visual art, where he gained recognition for his nightmarish, surrealist paintings. Chris continues to create art inspired by personal themes, including his brother's struggle with schizophrenia.

The Lydian Spin's latest double feature showcases interviews with members of two standout bands: Catatonic Suns and Tina Kit. Catatonic Suns brings a mesmerizing blend of '90s indie DIY sensibilities with layers of psychedelia. Tina Kit captivates with their energetic, howling performances, represented by photographer and musician Cole Flynn Quirke. Patrick Shields, Jake Christman, and Caleb Strobl, the entire band, speak for Catatonic Suns.

Steve Wynn, frontman of The Dream Syndicate, has released over 25 albums and had more than 300 songs recorded by artists like REM and The Black Crowes. He has played over 2000 shows in more than 25 countries. He is also known for his solo work and projects like Gutterball and The Miracle 3. Steve joins Lydia and Tim from New York to read from his book I Wouldn't Say it if Iit Wasn't True: A Memoir of Life, Music, and The Dream Syndicate.

Acclaimed poet Anne Waldman has been a key figure in the Outrider experimental poetry community for over four decades. Her work, rooted in the Beat, New York School, and Black Mountain traditions, elevates feminist and activist themes through powerful performances. A prolific author with over 60 books, including Fast Speaking Woman and The Iovis Trilogy Waldman also co-founded the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University.

Kramer is a musician, composer, and record producer whose creative ideas can be found all over the American cultural landscape. He is known as the founder of the record label Shimmy-Disc. He was a member of  New York Gong, Shockabilly, Bongwater, and Dogbowl & Kramer, and has toured with Butthole Surfers, B.A.L.L., Ween, Half Japanese, and The Fugs. As a producer, Kramer's notable work includes collaborations with Galaxie 500, White Zombie, GWAR, Daniel Johnston, and Urge Overkill.

Richard Cabut is an author, journalist, and musician. He is the author of the post-punk novel Looking for a Kiss, which has been adapted for the screen. Richard's journalism has been featured in prominent publications like The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, NME, and The Independent. He co-edited the anthology Punk is Dead: Modernity Killed Every Night and contributed to several other notable works. His short fiction and poetry have been published in various acclaimed books and magazines. Additionally, he played bass for the band Brigandage and co-wrote tracks for The Necessary Animals.

Marianna Simnett is an artist and musician newly based in New York, known for her vivid and visceral explorations of the body as a site of transformation. Her psychologically charged works challenge both herself and the viewer, creating radical new worlds filled with untamed thoughts, strange tales, and desires. Her current work titled Winner is on view at the Hamburger Bahnhof, which the Berliner  called  "a campy love letter to the world's most laddish sport(soccer) and its players"

Hey have you heard the news? Jesus Lizard is back! They've dropped a new album and are hitting the road for a tour. To celebrate this exciting comeback, we're jumping on the Jesus Lizard bandwagon. So, we're bringing you a replay of our classic interview with the one and only David Yow.

Matt Katz-Bohen,  began playing piano at age 7, expanded his repertoire to include cello, violin, and guitar. An alumnus of New York City's LaGuardia High School, he became the guitarist and Music Director for the drag queen rock troupe The Touchables, collaborating with notable artists like Jody Watley and Lady Miss Kier. Introduced to Debbie Harry at the Squeezebox party, Matt soon joined Blondie on keyboards for their 2008 world tour. As a co-writer of Blondie songs and a musical director for NYC's Bowieball party, he has also written for RuPaul and toured with Boy George and Tony Bennett.

Timo Ellis is a musician, composer, and producer from New York City. Over the past two decades, he has appeared on nearly 100 albums and collaborated with artists like Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, and Mark Ronson. His music spans genres, including rock, punk, metal, soul, and electronic. Timo's progressive sludge band, Netherlands, has been active since 2010. He also composes and produces music for TV, web, and film, with clients like MTV, CNN, and Harper's Bazaar, continuously creating new music daily. Timo will join Tim, Lydia and Kevin Shea on tour this summer as part of Big Sexy Noise

Blag Dahlia has been a force in the punk rock scene for nearly four decades, starting with his 1985 band The Suburban Nightmare, which soon evolved into The Dwarves. Despite never achieving massive commercial success, The Dwarves have left an indelible mark on both hardcore and punk. They've always eschewed mainstream conventions, forgoing major label support in favor of raw, unfiltered expression. As such, they're live shows, notorious for their intensity and unpredictability. The Dwarves have a new album out titled Concept Album.

Raoul Björkenheim, a Finnish-American guitarist and composer, has spent four decades crafting original music from New York City and Helsinki. Known for his expressionistic and lyrical guitar style, Raul calls his ongoing work "investigative guitarism." His eclectic discography spans over 50 albums, including ambient soundscapes and free jazz, with compositions ranging from duos to big bands. Though his large-scale works for symphony orchestra remain unrecorded, he has scored music for over ten films and dance productions. Collaborating with renowned musicians like Bill Laswell and Mats Gustafsson, Raul's work is featured on labels like ECM and Rune Grammofon. H...

John Colpitts, also known as Kid Millions, is a drummer, composer, drum teacher. He is best known for his work in the band Oneida and his percussion group Man Forever. Check out his latest Man Forever album Music From the Accident. This coming July, Oneida releases a new album Expensive Air out on the Joyful Noise label.

Austin Texas denizen Gary Lindsey, is the dynamic frontman of Gary Lindsey and the Pleasure Tide . He joins Lydia and Tim to discuss his travels, life in music including performances alongside Hank Williams III. Gary is a versatile artist capable of donning different musical personas, from gypsy roots jazz to beatnik poetry, akin to the transformative spirit of Tom Waits. 

New York City pianist/keyboardist Alex Marcelo believes in the power of music as a positive and uplifting force. He studied at the Harlem School of the Arts and then went on to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he focused on African-American Music/Jazz Piano Performance and Composition under the tutelage of renowned saxophonist Yusef Lateef. Alex and Tim were classmates at UMass, and it was there that they became close friends and musical collaborators. Since those halcyon days in Western Massachusetts, he has performed all over the world, including at the North Sea Jazz F...

There is a lot happening at the Lydian Spin! Lydia and Tim are both touring and we're recording and editing the next batch of interviews, set to debut next week. Meanwhile, Lydia, a big Melvins fan, is thrilled about the recent release of their new album, Tarantula Heart. To share her excitement, this weeks episode features a new intro combined with a rebroadcast of an interview with Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne. This interview, conducted during the peak of Covid restrictions, also serves as an interesting snapshot of where we all were just 200 episodes ago. Enjoy!

The cover photograph for the second and final Richard Hell and the Voidoids album, Destiny Street features a woman standing in the background. For years, this woman was unfairly credited as "unknown woman." However, the truth is that the woman is Anne Militello, who would go on to become an accomplished lighting designer and professor at CalArts. Anne's journey began while working for the now infamous rapist Harvey Weinstein back when Weinstein and his brother were concert promoters in metro Buffalo. Seeking to leave The Nickel City but not yet prepared for New York City, she embarked o...

Meredith Monk is truly an American treasure. She is a composer, performer, and interdisciplinary artist. Her unique contributions to music and experimental theater have spanned over six decades. Meredith's body of work combines elements of music, voice, movement, and visual art.  Through these mediums, she explores the myriad ways one can freely as a human express themselves. Meredith's art has made her a visionary of the avant-garde. We are thrilled and lucky to have her on the Lydian Spin. 

Jeffrey "Chairman" Couch fronts the Portland, Oregon band Nasalrod, known for their frenetic, genre-bending, manic art-punk style. Nasalrod's music attempts to look beyond punk's boundaries, all the while retaining the genre's adventurous spirit. Jeffrey and Lydia crossed paths at one of her last Portland shows, where he invited her to participate in Nasalrod's latest video. Although Lydia declined, she was impressed by the band's music and invited Jeffrey to appear on the Lydian Spin.

  Dan Levenson is a visual artist based in Los Angeles who engages in installation, performance, video, painting, and sculpture. His artistic endeavors revolve around the concept of an imagined institution, the State Art Academy, Zürich (SKZ). Dan's paintings adhere to the formalist teachings of this fictitious academy, employing metrically sized canvases divided geometrically to produce rational and reproducible abstract compositions. Through performance, installation, and video, he further develops the narrative of this fictional institution. Each painting bears a unique title, symbolizing a student from the State Art Academy, Zürich, with no repetition of names. In 2004, Dan used a com...

Berlin based band Cuntroaches is composed of Claire Panthère(drums), David Hantelius(bass) and Martina Schöne-Radunski(guitar, vocals). Together they unleash a ferocious blend of hardcore-infused no wave. Their music is a cacophony of intoxicating chaos. They have a new album coming out on Skin Graft Records.

Trans woman Swedish-US American writer Alvina Chamberland, co-authored All that is mine: Rape, Stigmatization and Reparation, which was published in 2015. In 2018, she released Locked Out – A nostalgic account of growing up for freaks. Her works have appeared in journals and newspapers in Swedish and English. Her book Love the World or Get Killed Trying is out now.

Ben Greenberg has played in over 50 bands, including The Fugue, Archaeopteryx, Bloody Panda, The Men, Little Women, and his project Hubble. He attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, joining the avant-garde band Zs. Ben is also involved in recording music through his recording studio Circular Ruin, having recently recorded Couch Slut's latest album.

Sandy Ewen, is an experimental guitarist, artist, and architect based in Brooklyn, NY. She focuses on texture and timbre in her guitar playing, using various objects and extended techniques. Her recent recordings include collaborations with Jason Nazary, Maria Chavez, Lisa Cameron, Roscoe Mitchell, Damon Smith, Weasel Walter, and Keith Rowe.  Sandy has played internationally at festivals  such as the Moers festival, Wels festival, and Molten Plains festival. Sandy also creates video art, digital animations, slide projections, and microcollages to accompany her music.

At 14, budding draftsman and tattoo artist Eddy Deutsche left his birthplace, Detroit, for the west coast, immersing himself in the local punk rock scene. It was there that he honed his tattooing skills through trial and terror. Initially struggling to get a start as a professional due to his young age, Eddy eventually found a mentor who guided him into the industry. Now residing in Nashville with his children, he continues to pursue his passion for tattooing. In this episode, he reflects on his journey from a rebellious punk rock kid to a respected figure in the...

Cynthia Ross co-founded the all-girl band the B-Girls in Toronto before relocating to New York City. The band quickly made a mark, touring with acts like the Clash and sharing stages with Iggy Pop, Blondie, and others. In this episode, she reminisces about her musical journey, her relationship with Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys, and shares some of her poetry and writing.

Wayne Kramer, the guitar force behind MC5, has passed at 75. His raw sound and defiant spirit set the stage for punk rock. From Detroit's streets to global stages, his music was a call to arms. Beyond the music, he championed change, founding Jail Guitar Doors U.S.A. His legacy as a rebel and visionary lives on. Rest in power, Wayne. As a tribute this week we are replaying Wayne's appearance on the podcast. 

Musician and friend of the podcast Thurston Moore discusses his latest book, Sonic Life which has garnered widespread acclaim. The book is a  meticulous work of research and a heartfelt homage to Thurston's formative years. The memoir paints a vivid picture of the downtown Manhattan music scene of the late 1970s and '80s. Sonic Life is an essential read for fans of music and cultural history alike.