Late last year, Joe returned to his hometown and recorded a live episode featuring: Victor DeLorenzo (Violent Femmes); Dan Didier (The Promise Ring); Shane Hochstetler (Call Me Lightning); and Jon Mueller (Rhythmplex, Volcano Choir). This episode is co-produced by WMSE and Colectivo.
Leah Shapiro's bombastic energy and spacious sense of time helped launch Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to new creative galaxies, but her early years with the band were plagued with misfortune. She tells Joe about growing up with free spirited parents in Denmark; studying music business; losing her friend and mentor, Michael Been of The Call; and recovering from a debilitating brain condition.
Jason McGerr fell in love with music at an early age, and drumming provided him with solace during a somewhat challenging childhood. He tells Joe about seeing Santa Claus; his teaching style; joining Death Cab For Cutie and helping propel the band to mainstream success; his quest for self improvement; and balancing his career with fatherhood.
Mitchell Feldstein's deceptively simple grooves contain a universe of poetic nuance. He tells Joe about growing up in Philadelphia, losing his parents at an early age, joining the inimitable band Lungfish, earning a master's degree in social work, being a "good nihilist", and why he is no longer compelled to play music.
A native of New Jersey, Jim Derogatis raised the cash for his first drum kit working odd jobs, such as scraping gum off of school desks. He is perhaps best known as a music writer; but Jim has also toured and recorded with bands for over 30 years. He tells Joe about his childhood in New Jersey, Catholic guilt, how his writing and drumming are fed by the same creative energy, and an early encounter with Lester Bangs.