BV Interviews: A Podcast About Music

This week we've got an interview with The Darkness' Justin Hawkins that is just now making its podcast debut, but was actually recorded in early 2025 as The Darkness were getting ready to release their eighth album, Dreams on Toast. We discussed guitar solos, how he can still hit all those notes two decades on, his Justin Hawkins Rides Again YouTube channel, and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein Darkness photo by Simon Emmett

This week we're talking Kelley Stoltz, who has been making amazing DIY pop out of San Francisco for over 25 years for such labels as Sub Pop, Third Man and John Dwyer's Castle Face. His latest is If You Don't Know Me, Buy Now! and is his first of possibly three albums out this year. In addition to his own music, Kelley also spent time as an auxiliary member of Echo & The Bunnymen and Robyn Hitchcock's band, and also produces other artists' albums (Sonny and The Sunsets, Thee Oh Sees). We talked about how his new album works could work as an entry point for the uninitiated, and how he thinks he's only truly found his own sound in the last decade. We also talked about his time living in New York City in the '90s where one of his jobs was sorting Jeff Buckley's fan mail, his path to home recording, the unique sounds of the Ebow, how he went from being a Echo & The Bunnymen superfan -- who had his own tribute band that include Pavement's Spiral Stairs -- to being an actual member of the Bunnymen, and how he ended up playing in Robyn Hitchcock's band. Plus: five records he thinks everyone should own and lots more.

This week we're talking Glenn Donaldson who is the man behind San Francisco's funny, charmingly gloomy The Red, Pinks & Purples. His latest album Acknowledge Kindness is his first for Fire Records and his most accomplished Reds Pinks and Purples record yet. Glenn and I discuss the making of the album, its musical inspirations and lyrical themes, how Bandcamp helped him return to songwriting after a few away from the music biz, and the very local artwork for his records. We also talk about balancing sincerity and humor, the exaggerated version of himself that exists on his songs, the current crop of Bay Area indie bands, why The Reds Pinks & Purples haven't played New York, five albums he thinks everyone should own and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to Mike Ness who has led SoCal punk icons Social Distortion since 1978. The band just released Born to Kill which is their first album in 15 years. It's been a long time coming, delayed further by Covid and Mike's cancer diagnosis and successful treatment. Mike discusses the making of Born to Kill, the '70s inspirations behind it, and working with producer Dave Sardy and collaborators Lucinda Williams and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. We also talk about how beating cancer energized his desire to make even more music, Social Distortion's upcoming tour with The Descendents and The Chats, early Social D documentary Another State of Mind, playing Little Steven's Underground Garage Cruise, five records he thinks everyone should own, and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week, we're talking with Swedish singer-songwriter José González who just released his fifth album Against the Dying of the Light. He's currently on tour in North America and our conversation happened the day before it started in Boston. We discuss his new album and its somewhat apocalyptic themes, including AI which you'll learn he has a more complicated relationship with than some do. We also talk about his use of distortion in his mostly acoustic music and how that will play out on this current tour which is at rock clubs and not the seated theaters of his last few tours. He also tells us how his punk and post-hardcore youth continues to influence his music, what he listens to when he runs, the acclaimed video for his cover of The Knife's "Heartbeats" and how he may be doing more covers in the future, and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein photo: Ellika Henriksson

This week we've got a true iconoclast: filmmaker, provocateur, author, hitchhiker, tastemaker, Sub Pop and Third Man Recording Artist, festival MC and all around legend John Waters. He's currently on tour with Going to Extremes: A John Waters 80th Birthday Celebration. John and I talk about what he's doing on his birthday tour, and on his actual birthday which is April 22. We also talk about how Donald Trump has ruined bad taste for everyone, how John Waters has influenced punk and vice versa, his first punk show, casting The Dead Boys' Stiv Bators in Polyester, getting L7 to be in Serial Mom, his long-running job as host of Oakland's Mosswood Meltdown, rules of etiquette, and lots more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein Photo: Greg Gorman

This week we're talking to Carl Newman of Canadian indie rock institution The New Pornographers. The band's 10th album is titled The Former Site Of and it might be their most synth-forward record to date. Carl and I discuss that topic, among many others including how lyrically this album is different from their previous nine. We also talk mandolins, tiki bars, and payphones, plus memorable New York City shows, and we finally get to the bottom of whether The New Pornographers are indie sleaze or not. The answer may surprise you! This is a fun one and keep an ear out for Carl's dog Banjo making an appearance in the background of this one. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking MEMORIALS, the duo of Verity Susman from Electrelane and Matthew Simms of It Hugs Back and Wire. Their excellent second album is titled All Clouds Bring Not Rain and is a technicolor psychedelic pop extravaganza that ranges from baroque folk to krautrock to Doors and Pink Floyd-style wig-outs and many points in between. Verity and Matthew discuss how this album differs from their debut, Memorial Waterslides, and why they went to remote Southwestern France to make part of it. We also talk about the duo's origins, the wide array of unusual instruments used on the album, translating their often complex studio arrangements to their duo live setup, touring with Stereolab, their upcoming spring tour, the value of playing loud, Simms' production work, what came of pandemic Electrelane "reunion," five records they think everyone should own and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek who's fourth solo album, The Mirror, is out this week via 4AD. It was made with Big Thief drummer James Krivchenia in the producer's chair and together they envisioned a joyous rock record with an ambient sound design that really gives the album a unique sound. Our discussion gets into the production of the album and how guitarist Adam Brisbin played a major role in the way it sounds, embracing hope in dark times, plus the many guests on The Mirror including Adrianne Lenker, Jolie Holland and more. We also talk about Buck's new band Kisser which is led by his partner, Germaine Dunes, his upcoming tour plans, five records he thinks everyone should own, a little food talk, and more. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to indiepop legends Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey whose bands include Talulah Gosh, Marine Research and Heavenly who this month will release their first album in over 30 years. It's titled Highway to Heavenly and is out via the Skep Wax, the label they run together. Our hourlong conversation covers a lot of ground, including the new album, how TikTok turned their '90s song "P.U.N.K. Girl" into a 2020s viral hit, being part of the International Pop Underground, how Amelia's career as an economist came in handy for indie bands on streaming services, Heavenly's upcoming North American tour, their label Skep Wax, the dreaded "T" Word, and more. Lots more. Pick up the all-Heavenly issue of Jane Duffus' Zine Things Happen we mention near the end of the episode here. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

This week we're talking to Ryan and Gary Jarman, two thirds of long-running Wakefield, UK sibling trio The Cribs. They just released Selling a Vibe, their terrific ninth album and first in five years, which they made in Brooklyn with Patrick Wimberly of Chairlift as producer. It debuted at #5 on the UK album charts so congrats Cribs on that. We discussed the new album and how having a long pause between records actually made it better. We also talked about The Cribs recent US tour with The Rapture, some of their earliest New York shows, the CMJ festival, how both Ryan and Gary live in the US now -- New York and Portland respectively -- plus Johnny Marr, Janet Weiss, reality television and more. One note: due to some technical difficulties our conversation gets cut off a little early but there is still plenty to listen to. -- Credits: Hosted & produced by Bill Pearis Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein

Flogging Molly leader Dave King opens up for the first time about the traumatic brain injury that he suffered earlier this year that doctors say nearly ended his life. He was told by doctors as he was leaving the hospital that he was a “miracle.” During our conversation, Dave spoke about the scary incident that required him to undergo three brain surgeries and led to him spending three weeks in a coma, and the road to recovery he’s been on every since. His mood was nothing but positive and uplifting, and he says that, considering what he’s gone through, he’s doing really well. As he steadily recovers, he’s preparing to make his return to the stage at the October 2026 edition of Flogging Molly’s Salty Dog Cruise. He also mentioned potential plans to play Warped Tour in 2026 and he told us that he’s already been writing new Flogging Molly songs. He also reminisced about the band’s memorable first Warped Tour appearance, working with Steve Albini, and more. ** Credits: Hosted & produced by Andrew Sacher Mixed and mastered by Nick Gray Theme music by Michael Silverstein Cover photo by James Richards IV

Have you subscribed to BV Weekly yet? BrooklynVegan now has two podcasts! There's this one, BV Interviews (formerly known as The BrooklynVegan Show), as well as BV Weekly, a recently launched podcast in which BV founder Dave Levine and longtime editor (and original BV Interviews host) Andrew Sacher chat weekly about the biggest stories and trending topics in music, new albums, live shows, and more. New episodes go up every Friday morning. Like and subscribe now!https://linktr.ee/bvweekly