With a surprise January 1 new album drop, Ben Kweller has delivered a perfect 8-song, 28-minute pop masterpiece. He shares the reason why Circuit Boredom clocks in under half an hour as well as spilling some Spotify playlist secrets and the magic of email marketing in this engaging and entertaining conversation.

“Beautify Junkyards plays a unique blend of tropicalia, dream pop, and folk. Their songs are like wandering inside a dreamscape.”

If there could be an official soundtrack to 2020, Activity’s debut, Unmask Whoever would be a worthy submission as it’s dark, cold, paranoid and, at times, creepy. Travis Johnson shares how the band formed, what they are trying to accomplish, and what the future holds.

Having undergone a rebranding of late, we caught up with Nobel Barz, an artist known for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop into more soul and indie, even rock-orientated territories, to see how he has survived a difficult year and what we can expect from his new musical persona.

“HULL, U.K. FIVE-PIECE BDRMM’s debut album resonates from musical touchpoints far deeper than one would expect from a newer group. Drop the needle on any song, and you’ll be reminded of The Chameleons, DIIV, and even Pale Saints.”

Emma Swift discusses how it took a global pandemic for the world to hear her interpretations of Bob Dylan classics and deep cuts, shares what it’s like as a touring artists to pivoting to singing into her laptop camera, and gives her thoughts on another singer with the same last name.

Paul Banks (Interpol), Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman), and Matt Barrick (The Walkmen) talk about the new Covers EP from their group Muzz

Bob Forrest talks about how Thelonious Monster reunited for the outstanding Oh That Monster, how the songs came together, and how “Sammy Hagar Weekend” will forever be the band’s most well-known song.

In Part 1, Bob Forrest of Thelonious Monster shares his thoughts on the current state of rock music and how the internet has enabled a culture that he isn’t particularly fond of.

With the release of Chew This Slow, Kris Butcher explores the reaches of his melodic and pop capabilities. Kilo Bravo reaches well beyond the alterna-rock gauntlet, from post 80’s self-deprecating pop, to Rubber Soul-era folk melodies and classic riffs that set the hook quick and deep…

Legendary guitarist Mike Campbell discusses his band The Dirty Knobs and his time with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

With the latest album, “Woke Up In Hollywood”, finally getting a live outing after an unforeseen pandemic-related delay, I sat down with Jim Styring, guitarist with UK Power-Pop outfit It’s Karma It’s Cool to find out how their year has been, get a potted history of the band and find out what the future holds.

Zero 7 co-frontman Henry Binns discusses the band’s new EP, Shadows, as well as their celebrated career overall

The Cadillac Three frontman Jaren Johnston discusses the band’s new album, Tabasco & Sweet Tea (their second release this year), Southern pride, and making sure they – and their fans – always have a good time

Travis frontman Fran Healy discusses the band’s new album (10 Songs), fatherhood, and how his poverty-stricken childhood has driven him throughout his life

With day gigs in other bands, Andy Platt and Shawn Lee have found a creative outlet for their “yacht rock”-inspired smooth rock sounds in Young Gun Silver Fox. The duo discuss their new album, Canyons, and how the pandemic laid waste to 2020 tour plans.

With her wonderful reinterpretation of the Steve Winwood classic “Higher Love” just released I sat down with Beth Snapp to find out how it all came about, her UK connection, what it means to come from such a rich musical location and what the future holds for her.

With her latest single and response to the recent tragic events in Lebanon, “Beruit Fire,” now out I sat down with Tatiana DeMaria to find out about her approach to making music, her inspirations, the differences between being a musician in both the UK and the US and the silver linings which she found in the recent lockdown.

“We were very much of our time. A product of our times. Shaped and moulded by the explosion of creativity that made the Sixties in Britain so vital, so exciting. You only get one big chance in life. That was ours.”

“We called ourselves The Sidekicks. We then changed our name to The Key. I wasn’t happy about this and came up with the name Kaleidoscope. It was at this phase, as you say, that Pete and I started writing together and kept in the more progressive type of music.”

“Our approach to music has always been DIY. My first job was at a big label and I saw them spending artists’ money on ridiculous dinners, payola, etc. Their exploitation of the artists was disgusting. It seemed more pure to integrate recording and releasing into our daily lives so that we could do things exactly as we wanted them.” – Rorika Loring

“The ability to experiment endlessly is both the best and worst part of technology. Like everyone, we benefit, and suffer from it. We hated getting off of tape, but our writing process requires maximum flexibility to rearrange songs. Aside from multiple reverbs and a whammy, what’s really important is the instrumentation.” – John Loring

With their debut album Crescendo of Silence just hitting the public domain, I sat down with West of House main man Erick Bieger to discuss the band, its influences, the challenges of recording and releasing music under pandemic restrictions and where it all goes next for the Californian quintet.

Throwing Muses frontwoman Kristin Hersh discusses the band’s latest album (Sun Racket), her unconventional songwriting style, and her belief in music as prayer.

ARIELLA is a really cool duo whose musical pathway has gone hand in hand with their personal relationship. I sat down with Ariella and Nichlaas to find out more about their story, how they dealt with releasing music under the strictures of lockdown and where everything goes from here.

Erasure singer Andy Bell discusses the band’s new album, The Neon, and looks back on how he and bandmate Vince Clarke first met.

I Like Trains has always made music which explores interesting social and political idea. With their latest album, KOMPROMAT delving into topics such as social media, fake news and how technology and information is manipulated, often for political gain, it seemed the perfect time to find out a bit more about the band, the music and their view of the world as it stands at the moment.

With new single “Brag About” being launched amid all the restrictions of lockdown, I talked to Anastasia Grace and Maxamillion Haunt about the problems that such conditions impose on creativity, what it’s actually like being siblings in a bad and where things go next.

Johnny Chops recent release “Hope Is Contagious Too” felt like the perfect rallying cry as we gradually emerge from the lockdown world and into a slightly altered new reality. I sat down with the man himself…virtually and at a very safe distance…to find out how he had coped with the strictures of lockdown, what the song means to him personally and what the future looks like for him and touring musicians like him.

With a career stretching back into the 80’s it was great to catch up with The Wolfhounds to discuss what has changed along the way, musically and otherwise, what it’s like having someone like Stewart Lee championing your music and the advantages which come with being an under the radar band.

With a new album “Make Things Better” being released, I sat down with Town Meeting to discuss, releasing new material in such unusual times, influences and labels, the journey which got them here and what that journey looks like going forward.

Modern English frontman Robbie Grey discusses “I Melt With You,” and why the New Wave classic as relevant today as ever

Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon of The Bacon Brothers discuss their new album, The Way We Love, why their childhood in Philadelphia stoked their creativity, and how they continue to stay inspired

The new album from Kevin Daniel seems to blend a wide range of sounds from the great American songbook. With this album being released at a time when the music industry seems to be on pause, I asked him about his musical influences, what he learned about himself during those months of imposed isolation and where things go from here.

Josh Radnor (of How I Met Your Mother fame) also has a band, Radnor & Lee, with Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee, and they’ve just released their second album, Golden State

Diet Cig discusses the impact COVID-19 had on their new album and the move to being completely online.

Suzi Quatro – the first true female rock star – talks about Suzi Q, the documentary about her extraordinary life that premiered on July 1

With a brace of singles out to pave the way for the new EP, Sitting Up Straight I caught up with Devon to talk about her music, pop covers and making music in and after lockdown.

Bully returns with their third album and new optimism.

With two gloriously sonically opposed singles and a new full length album, The Quiet Earth now in the public domain, I sat down to talk to The Academy of Sun*s *Nick Hudson about new music, where it comes from, where it is going and what it is saying, as well as what he might have learned during lockdown nd perhaps what the future holds.

New England songwriter/guitarist Tom Guerra is back with his fourth solo album, the sublime Sudden Signs of Grace.

Broads have a track record of making fascinating and cinematic music, and a recent turn towards an even more minimal approach and a collaboration with Milly Hirst has lead to some of their most striking and understated music to date. I sat down with the East Anglian duo to find out more.

Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson and his longtime songwriting partner Leslie Mandoki discuss their new single, “We Say Thank You,” that gives thanks to frontline workers during the pandemic

Sparks keyboardist and songwriter Ron Mael discusses the band’s new album – their 24th one! – as well as his unique songwriting sensibilities, and why this band endures

London Plane leader David Mosey explains how his darkwave band is emerging as one of the more esoteric and exciting bands in the New York City music scene.

Donita Sparks of L7 discusses the band’s new single, her livestream show, and why some people are terrified to talk to her.

“People are going to re-evaluate what their time means to them and see how valuable it is to have time to focus on yourself and the things you want to do.” – Esther Mulders

“The fact that we have always been associated with hardcore a little bit makes us a bit more free of barriers in some ways because we’re not trying to please a “indie” crowd or not trying to please a “hardcore” crowd or any crowd for that matter.” – Victor Beaudoin

The Orange Kyte have described their music as “A loose cacophony of visceral sonic tomfoolery, fixed together with pop-informed melody, three safety pins, and some scotch tape,” but there is obviously much more to their music than this self-deprecating description admits. So I thought that the only way to get to the heart of the matter was to corner the band and ask them to let me in to their fascinating world.

Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson talks about how the resilience she’s gained during her legendary career is helping her navigate the current COVID-19 crisis.

With _ F I S H B O W L / T E R R E S T R I A L_ about to land in the public marketplace, I sat down with the artist behind Alienbaby Collective, Liu Mottes to find out how this new musical path came about, what are its drives and inspirations and where it all goes next.

With a new album Going Home about to be released, I sat down with Therese Karlsson and Tim Spelman to find out about the band’s unusual beginning, its fascinating development, influences, hidden depths and where they are heading next.