Alden Hellmuth is a NY based saxophonist and composer. Following her acclaimed 2024 debut album Good Intentions, Hellmuth returns with the aptly titled Tether, an eight-track exploration of jazz, punk and freeform improvisation. Alden share’s the inspiration behind the new direction and sound on Tether, what it was like writing for two basses and how mixing and processing played a role on not only in the production, but the composition as well. The two discuss the significance of texture in Alden’s recordings and she unpacks the personel that contributed to Tethers ambiance. Alden tells us how she was likely “tricked” into playing the saxophone at a young age, she shares her experience of first discovering the magic of improvisational music and how she eventually steered toward free noise rockers Deerhoof and Otoboke Beaver. We get some insight into Alden’s writing and recording process and hear a couple tunes.

Alden Hellmuth

Leiter Recordings

Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global South

They also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)

Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.com

Episode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 12 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokid

Ep supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Kuma Coffee

Izotope

Kevin Barnes is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for of Montreal. aethermead, of Montreal’s 20th studio album is due out June 5th via Polyvinyl Record Co. Kevin shares the unusual heartbreak story behind the new record, why it felt right to go with a more collaborative approach and how the invented record title relates to a very important part of his daily routine. He tells us how limited time shaped the record and brought more life than expected into the songs. The two discuss Kevin’s lyrical approach, how it can be a complicated version of projection and why that may inform the listener’s experience. Kevin tells us how he wound up teaching a course called “Songwriting Crimes and Recording Atrocities” at Bennington College, why making a music video with his daughter was a special experience and we sample a couple new tunes for aethermead.

of Montreal

Polyvinyl Record Co.

Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global South

They also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)

Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.com

Episode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 12 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokid

Ep supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Kuma Coffee

Izotope

Distrokid

Nick Thorburn is the singer and founding member The Creem, a new collaborative project with Ratatat’s guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Stroud. Their debut release The Taste of Cherry is due June 5th, with two irresistible singles Goodbye and Taste of Cherry available now.

After a quick catch up from the Mister Heavenly bandmates, Nick shares the slow blossoming story behind The Creem and how it finally came to fruition. The two discuss the 70’s FM sound, how those artists we’re celebrating the Beatles in a new way and why The Creem is its own elaboration of that era. Nick tells us why starting a new band is still fun and how collaborations give him new freedoms and push him to build new skills. He shares his experience of making the new record with guitar wizard Mike Stroud, how they divvied up duties and what role the Catskills may have played on the overall vibration of the record. Finally, some breaking news, Nick tells us about his new book Pear Shape (out June 16th via Fantagrafics), shares some of the titillating themes and how it’s fruitily related to The Creem.

The Creem

Fantagraphics

Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global South

They also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)

Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.com

Episode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 12 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokid

Ep supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Izotope

Kuma Coffee

Schecter Guitars

Mini Serrano and Jojo Lavina-Maldonado are the founding members of the Philadelphia based band Cold Court. Their debut EP Hands Up is out June 19th with lead singles Burn and Nina available now. Mini and JoJo tell us how they’re music interest and proficiency evolved from their pre-teens to now and why they are increasingly relinquishing genre mixing rules to create their own identity. We learn why Hands Up was a sonic shift for them, how it is a product of experimentation and frustration and the two un-pack the lyrics on the single Nina. We learn how the instrumentation of the band is always evolving, we hear a few tunes and Jojo and Mini hip Joe to Philly Style Pizza.

\ (^_^) /

Cold Court

Cold Court Live

Singles

Shows

Philly Style Pizza

Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global South

They also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)

Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.com

Episode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokid

Ep supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Heil sound

"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

Kuma Coffee

Alexander Attitude and Kendra Cox are the founding members of Seattle based Telehealth. Their second full length and Sub Pop debut Green World Image will be available May 15th. Alexander and Kendra share the origin and evolution of Telehealth, how they secured an airtight record deal with Sub Pop and why the band partially functions as a coping mechanism. We learn how their pessimistic and satirical approach make’s sense of tech culture’s destruction of human culture and relieves the anxiety of a tech driven future. They unpack the structure and lyrics behind the single Things I’ve Killed; Alexander and Kendra share their writing technique and what they do when they are stuck in the process. The three discuss why backing tracks are a function practically and better performance and we hear a couple new singles from Green World Image.

Telehealth

Sub Pop

Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global South

They also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)

Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.com

Episode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokid

Ep supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Heil sound

"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Kuma Coffee

Distrokid

Izotope

Jacob Turnbloom is the singer, guitarist and founding member of Mrs. Magician. The newest record Spiritual Hangover is due out May 15th via Swami Records. Jacob tells why the new record is driven by a heftier sound, what inspired that and how the magic of The Foo Fighters Studio 606 brought it to fruition. He tells us how his song-writing perspective has evolved, what role humor plays in his lyrics and why he’s increasingly involved in the visual presentation of Mrs. Magician. The two celebrate the virtues San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill venue, Joe tells a quick tour story about The Black Heart Procession opening for The Ex and we hear a couple new tunes from Spiritual Hangover.

Mrs Magician

Swami Records

Link to Studio 606 video

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs.

For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Heil sound

"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Distrokid

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Evan Cartwright is a composer, collaborator, and drummer for the band Cola. Cola’s third LP, Cost Of Living Adjustment is due out May 8th via Fire Talk Records. Evan tells us how the band allowed themselves more time and space in the writing process for Cost Of Living Adjustment and how that contributed to the sound of the record. Joe and Evan discuss the of the newest single Conflagration Mindset, Cola’s songwriting process and Evans history with the band. The two drummers delve into the freedoms and limitations of playing with tracks, the importance of the energy in the live performance and we hear a couple new tunes.

Cola

Firetalk Records

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs.

For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Distrokid

Heil sound

"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Rae Chen is a singer, songwriter and guitarist operating under the moniker tofusmell. His debut full length album All My Time is due out April 24th via Hardly Art. Rae tells us how he grew up in Florida on the edges of both a pop punk and worship scene, and why he picked up the guitar and eventually found himself in Winnipeg. We hear how his approach to writing gives a feeling of sonic closeness, how he responded to more production on All My Time and the role ambiance plays on the new record. Joe and Rae discuss how collaboration is important to the visual side of tofusmell, why he looks forward to the “band” version of live performance and we hear the new single (me tomorrow).

tofusmell

Hardly Art

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs.

or 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Heil sound

"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.

Carla J Easton is a Glasgow based singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. Her newest record, I Think That I Might Love You is due may 8th via Ernest Jenning Records. Carla tells us why the new record is more guitar focused than her previous releases and how it changed her view on the creative process. We learn why she in more comfortable with her lyrics and how that has has translated into a more evocative delivery on I Think That I Might Love You. Carla share’s her collaborative experience of making the record and why a more live approach captured the energy she was looking for. She explains how her brother’s advice at a young age influenced her artistic life and we sample some new tunes.

CARLA J EASTON

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs

Ruinous Media

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

Mentioned in this episode:

Distrokid

Izotope

Schecter Guitars

Billy Fuller is a song writer, bass player and founding member of the band Beak>. Billy’s debut solo album Fragments is a sonic journey that spans time as it collects fragments of Billy creating alone in his home studio over the last few years. The songs not only inspire the visual, but they hypnotize, pulse and guide the listener through a hazy, atmospheric, and groovy motorik landscape. Fragments is available April 3rd via Invada Records, with two singles out now. Billy tells us how this record came to fruition, and he shares his process for compiling the songs, which were selected from a pool of 60+ pieces. He tells us why Fragments is a great example of Billy enjoying himself, we learn what his main goals in songwriting are, and he shares his approach to tracking songs. Joe and Billy discuss the making of the video for the single Three Blind Mice, Billy tells us why he celebrates owning the sole responsibility for the success of Fragments and Joe hedges on his usual critique of Billy’s artistic output.

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs

Ruinous Media

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

Mentioned in this episode:

Schecter Guitars

Izotope

Distrokid

Bach Artillerie is made up of multi-instrumental wizards Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) and Curt Sydnor. This absurdist take on the nine canons from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations and his Brandenburg concerto no. 5. will be released on April 24th via Ernest Jenning Records. We get a unique perspective from both Greg and Curt not only on Bach’s musicality, but his work ethic, the root of his dissonance and why Bach has a grounding influence on their own music creation. They discuss how a Lutheran work ethic relates to music making today and why being less productive may be better for our species in general. Greg and Curt explain why it’s important to “play tempo to the room”, they share their experience of making the record in one day and the three discuss why AI is more of an indication of a lack of trust rather than a lack of competence. Curt tells us how a re-arrangement of a Deerhoof song brought he and Greg together, we hear a new tune and somehow the topic of The Red Hot Chili Peppers sneaks into the conversation.

Bach Artillerie

Ernest Jenning Records

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.

This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.

Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH Distrokid

Episode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs

Ruinous Media

Our newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.