About this episode

Pelle Almqvist and James Smith discuss their musical journeys and the evolution of their respective bands.

On this week’s Talkhouse Podcast we’ve got a couple of dynamic frontmen who’ve brought a ton of personality to rock and roll over the years: It’s Pelle Almqvist and James Smith.  Pelle Almqvist, aka Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, is the singer for the Swedish band the Hives, who make garage rock, punk rock, or simply rock and roll, depending on who you’re talking to—that question comes up in this conversation. The Hives broke through back in the early 2000s with the monumental album Veni Vidi Vicious and the song “Hate to Say I Told You So,” and they’ve since amassed an incredible catalog alongside an earned reputation as one of the most exciting live bands you’re ever going to see. The Hives went quiet for a while but came roaring back in 2023, and last year they released their seventh record called The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, a brilliant title if I’ve ever seen one. Check out the title track from that album right here. The other half of today’s conversation, James Smith, is the singer/talker/kinda rapper at the helm of the British band Yard Act, whose first album—2022’s The Overload—immediately announced them as a serious musical force. Smith’s voice is the slick…

People in this episode

Host: Talkhouse

Guests: Pelle Almqvist, James Smith

Topics covered

• rock and roll
• music conversation
• band dynamics
• album releases
• live performances

Keywords

• Pelle Almqvist
• James Smith
• The Hives
• Yard Act
• rock music
• album discussion
• live performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Hives, Yard Act

Books & works: Veni Vidi Vicious, Hate to Say I Told You So, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, The Overload, You’re Gonna Need A Little Music

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