The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Lucinda Williams discusses her recent creative surge with multiple tribute albums, paying homage to the masters, Folkways days, post-stroke recovery and the new album World's Gone Wrong
Topics Include:
Lucinda announces her 18th album "World's Gone Wrong" releasing January 23rd
Reveals dramatic shift from releasing albums every 3-8 years recently
Credits husband-manager Tom Overby for keeping creative momentum going post-stroke
Explains how new band members made working out songs fun
Describes creative process challenges between inspiration and studio deadlines
Shares need for quiet, private spaces to write freely
Reveals hotel rooms as unexpected creative sanctuaries like John Prine
Discusses how songs emerge either formed or requiring detailed work
Explains editing process of refining and "trimming the fat"
Details collaboration with Tom Overby on "We've Come Too Far"
Talks recording at Ray Kennedy's Room and Board studio
Shares Steve Earle connection from Car Wheels on Gravel Road
Laments losing song ideas when unable to record immediately
Recalls taking control in studio despite band's initial surprise
Tells sweet story of meeting Ringo Starr at Capitol Records
Discusses transformative Beatles albums from early work to Sergeant Pepper
Names Bob Dylan as her North Star musical mentor
Explains The Doors' influence especially their dark poetic imagery
Connects tribute album work to preparing for original songwriting
Previews future projects including Neil Young tribute and stroke treatment
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Erik "Smelly" Sandin discusses NOFX life after touring, new music, sobriety through the NOFX hurricane, the Las Vegas incident controversy, the upcoming NOFX Retrospective at the Punk Rock Museum and more.
Topics Include:
NOFX didn't break up, just stopped touring, still recording new music together
Band recorded 6-7 new songs three months ago in the studio
Mike constantly writes new material, has lots of unreleased songs ready
January 16-18 NOFX retrospective exhibit opening at Las Vegas Punk Rock Museum
Smelly will give personal tours but doesn't know what artifacts they'll display
Never kept any memorabilia from 42 years, always gave everything away immediately
Shocked that original PMRC records now sell for $5,000+ on collector market
Band relationships remain same, they talk regularly but need space between tours
Currently playing drums with Randy from Pennywise, Cameron Webb
Fills in with the Vandals when Josh Freese tours with other bands
Recorded drums on Vandals' Christmas album 30 years ago, including transgender song
Early drug experimentation began with acid at 16, escalated quickly into addiction
Became homeless junkie living on streets for years during darkest period
Got clean in 1992, has maintained sobriety for over 30 years now
Joined NOFX through classified ad, instant chemistry with Mike during first jam
Band went through multiple lineup changes before finding the classic NOFX formula
Fascinated by ancient mysteries like underground Turkish cities, pre-Incan megalithic structures
Favorite museum artifact: Joe Strummer's original "London Calling" lyrics with water stains
His museum tour focuses on how punk rock saved his life story
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

The Ramones influenced generations despite critical dismissal and radio absence. Ramones tour manager Monte A Melnick reveals insider history, promotional collectables, diplomatic strategies for handling volatile band dynamics and the journey of the revival and current cultural adoration of the band.
"On The Road with The Ramones" book is available here.
Topics Include:
Monte Melnick's bonus edition adds 40 pages to his Ramones road stories collection
Full-color book features posters, tour passes, and interactive visual design beyond typical text
Monte served as diplomat, psychologist, babysitter, and mediator between wildly different band personalities
Managing crazy crews, promoters, and venues doubled the nutty people Monte handled daily
He delayed writing until after Joey's death to avoid discussing uncomfortable personal problems
Frank Meyer co-authored as musician and Ramones fan, earning full credit beyond ghostwriter
Book structured as oral history combining new interviews with archived quotes from multiple sources
Early reviews dismissed the Ramones as "crap" unlike today's celebrated 10/10 album ratings
Sex Pistols' anarchy lumped Ramones into punk danger zone, killing radio station support
Major acts like Talking Heads, B-52s, and Blondie opened for Ramones before surpassing
The band never considered quitting despite frustration, constantly seeking new producers for radio
Johnny Ramone insisted on maintaining consistent sound while others wanted musical growth experimentation
The Ramones acted as "Johnny Appleseeds," inspiring kids worldwide to form their own bands
1996 Lollapalooza tour revealed Metallica and Soundgarden formed bands inspired by Ramones performances
Record labels rarely interfered except removing "Carbona Not Glue" fearing potential lawsuits
The Simpsons appearance was considered an honor with special studio recording and commemorative jackets
John Holmstrom created Rocket to Russia artwork and illustrations later used for merchandise
Monte immortalized in song lyrics: "Monty's driving me crazy, it's like being in the Navy"
1977 "It's Alive" album represents peak original four members captured in live perfection
The Ramones legacy: showing kids worldwide they could form bands without virtuoso skills
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Johnny Brennan reveals how The Jerky Boys' underground cassette tapes became an American comedy phenomenon, spreading from NYC musicians to Howard Stern's radar before landing an Atlantic Records deal and finding success with voiceover work on Family Guy.
Get yerself (or a friend) a Cameo holiday video from Johnny Brennan here
Topics Include:
Johnny Brennan reveals The Jerky Boys infiltrated American vocabulary for over five decades
People still answer phones with "tough guy" and use Jerky Boys catchphrases daily
Johnny started creating characters on tape for his brothers back in the 1960s
Father's threat to "put boot in ass" drove kids to creative outdoor activities
Nine-year-old Johnny was already doing fake sportscasting with neighborhood friends on tape
Looking through Buy Lines magazine for trucks sparked idea to record prank calls
First recordings made on boombox intended just for family gatherings upstate New York
All characters based on real people: Frank Rizzo was Johnny's father's personality
Sweet innocent voice character came directly from observing his mother's speaking style
Friend Kamal discovered forgotten tapes and declared them funniest things he'd ever heard
Kamal distributed copies to musician friends throughout NYC's Village music scene underground
Tape trading exploded nationwide through word-of-mouth before internet or computers existed
Howard Stern desperately searched on-air for mysterious Frank Rizzo character's true identity
Atlantic Records' Ahmet Ertegun signed band after discovering underground cult phenomenon spreading
Johnny's mom actually came up with "The Jerky Boys" name for the act
Catchphrases like "sizzle chest" and "milky licker" were completely spontaneous during calls
Johnny spent incredible week with Ozzy Osbourne filming The Jerky Boys movie
Currently voices Mort Goldman on Family Guy for over twenty-one consecutive years
Records at professional studio thirty seconds from home, works with hardcore bands
Offers personalized Cameo messages, giving special shoutout to Australian fans after forty years
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

SNFU founders Marc and Brent Belke discuss band history, rare recordings, records, vinyl reissues on Trust Records, upcoming events at the Punk Rock Museum & more.
Topics Include:
Marc and Brent Belke join from Vancouver and Victoria to discuss SNFU's December 5th Punk Rock Museum exhibit and album re-release.
The exhibit coincides with Trust Records' re-release of SNFU's debut album "...And No One Else Wanted to Play" with extensive extras.
The re-release includes a 53-page booklet with rare photos, interview excerpts, and a full record of early demos and alternate versions.
The exhibit features band paraphernalia, posters, t-shirts, and artwork, originally displayed at a Saskatchewan museum last summer before moving to Vegas.
Marc and Brent will provide guided tours at the Punk Rock Museum and participate in a roundtable discussion on December 5th.
The brothers describe Edmonton's early 1980s scene as intimate with only 50 people, mixing new wave, rockabilly, and emerging hardcore sounds.
Getting punk records in Alberta meant ordering from New York stores via mail, waiting two months, and receiving only 25% of selections.
Pivotal records included Bad Brains' ROIR cassette, Let Them Eat Jellybeans compilation, Sex Pistols' debut, and Minor Threat's Out of Step.
The LA hardcore scene heavily influenced SNFU, with bands like Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, and Youth Brigade making significant impressions.
SNFU formed when Marc and Brent's band lost members, recruiting bassist Curtis and drummer Evan Kaufmann based on personality over experience.
Singer Chi Pig brought irreverent humor and sarcastic lyrics that became central to SNFU's identity and separated them from serious hardcore bands.
The band recorded their debut album in two weeks with limited preparation, creating the raw energy that defined their sound.
Early SNFU combined hardcore speed with melodic elements, drawing from both aggressive punk and bands like The Damned and Buzzcocks.
The band signed with BYO Records for their second album, appreciating the DIY ethos and direct artist-to-label relationship.
SNFU toured extensively across North America, playing everywhere from established venues to DIY spaces and experiencing varied punk scenes nationwide.
The brothers discuss how the band's legacy feels incomplete, with the Trust re-release helping emphasize positive aspects of their history.
Brent left SNFU to attend music school, studying jazz and strings, and now works creating music for film projects.
Marc emphasizes Trust Records' meticulous approach, taking four years to perfect the release compared to SNFU's tendency to rush.
Both brothers have never visited the Punk Rock Museum and look forward to experiencing it while giving tours on December 5th.
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide