Podcast 2020.09 Number 9

Fontanarosa – Dawn [from Fontanarosa, released May 29, 2020]

I corresponded with Paul Verwaerde of Fontanarosa.
TMODM: This has been such a strange year. How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
PV: Here in France the Covid crisis is in a summer break and we hope we won’t have to go back to quarantine during those months. This crisis seems far for me because here there is a huge contrast between the start and now. People are living their life as before. It is great but a bit sad to see that a pandemic worldwide crisis won’t change our consumerism habits… :/
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
PV: Working with a band for touring, writing and recording new songs for a first album!

I also had a brief exchange with Tom from Howlin Banana Records, who told me, “The label’s doing OK, only a few postponed releases, and what’s next is business as usual, we’ve got a bunch of new releases scheduled for autumn 2020!”

Korto – Tempor [from EP, released June 05, 2020]

TMODM: This has been such a strange year. How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
Marius: Actually going well. We had more than 30 shows cancelled, like many bands i guess… We’ll tour a bit this fall (if that’s possible) and we look forward to the future!
The three of us were separated during that times, but we tried to compose new songs anyway, two of us on a computer, the other one in his mind!
TMODM: what’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
Marius: We’ll spend the summer hopefully as a “normal” one, with friends and large homes… We have 4 or 5 shows in privates parties (because this is the only thing allowed for this summer so far).. and if we’re efficient, we’ll record a new LP this fall.

Shibumi Loop – Waiting for the Bus [from Just Stuff, released June 05, 2020]

TMODM: This has been such a strange year. How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
SL: These times are definitely really weird. We’re based in Italy, so the situation regarding lockdown and Covid-19 numbers are a little bit more relaxing. We were able to start rehearsing just a couple of weeks ago as lockdown restrictions we’re loosened. So, we can work on more stuff and finish up some tracks that we had to leave halfway before lockdown started.
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
SL: In Italy, we really don’t know when we’ll be able to start performing again, as gigs are still a no-go atm. So we’re gonna start recording some singles to release in the near future.

Tia Carrera – Layback [from Tried and True, released June 12, 2020]

I corresponded with Curt Christenson of Tia Carrera.
TMODM: This has been such a strange year. How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
CC: Such a strange year indeed. Such an understatement.
This year started out with temporary unemployment combined with my dad being really sick and eventually passing in Feb. As soon as that was over the pandemic hit and the shutdowns began. I actually enjoyed being “stuck at home” for the time I got. My better half and I listened to tons of vinyl, cleaned the house, and hung out with our dogs and cat. Things that are always there that I take for granted you know. I like isolation at times. I consider myself fortunate to have a home, job, and the ability to earn an income in this day of uncertainty. I’m back at work now and distance the best I can. I really shouldn’t have any complaints considering what is going on in the world.
I am really bummed that we canceled a month long Euro tour. I’m pretty excited about the new record. It was very much an unplanned recording done to help promote a tour. Right now the tour is being rescheduled for early next year. I hope travel is safe by then but the way the virus is spreading……
TMODM: what’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
CC: Next up in life? What the hell is normal now! I don’t know. I imagine still working on cars, playing music, much of the same. We haven’t jammed since our last rehearsal before SXSW in March. Total bullshit! I hope we can get another recording done and another release next year. We do have plans to do a live video within the next month. Hopefully we are close to getting the details worked out for recording live at a friends farm. We also are talking about the possibility of doing a record release soon at an outdoor mellow on the sidewalk kinda thing. Hopefully we can do that and pull it off in a responsible manner. You know, shit gets hard when you have a couple drinks and puff it up. It’s hard not to fuck up a little when you live life in a analog way if that makes sense? Everybody wants to love on each other in whatever form.
Shit man, I hope people realize anything can be taken away from you at any point. Time to reprioritize a bit. I like playing loud rock and roll and love the interaction with the people who appreciate that. I want that to be a thing again.

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The Daisy Heaves – Land of Nod [from (Like a postcard from another planet), released June 05, 2020]

I corresponded with Ryan Dahl of The Daisy Heaves.
TMODM: How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
RD: Not a whole lot has changed for me right now, i’m still working full time and doing what i usually do. I don’t go out much other than when i go to work anyway, so my world doesn’t feel too different. I’ve been staying busy with writing and recording new music. I’m currently working on two full length albums that’ll be coming out in August. My goal is to see how many albums I can put out before the end of the year.
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
RD: I’m currently working on putting a new live band together. I haven’t had a band to play with since 2018. I have a new drummer and lead guitarist. I just need to find one more guitar player or a bass player, whichever comes first.

Ty Segall & Cory Hanson – She’s a Beam [single released June 05, 2020]

Ty Segall and Cory Hanson recorded “She’s a Beam” and “Milk Bird Flyer” five years ago and these recordings were recently rediscovered. They donated all proceeds from sales of this single to Black Lives Matter for the first week after its release.

Anthroprophh – Too Old [from Toilet Circuit EP, releases August 28, 2020]

I corresponded with Chris Reeder of Rocket Records.
TMODM: How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
CR: Well it has been a very strange time and we have just had to adapt to survive.
The Bandcamp ‘no fee’ days have been a lifesaver! Our ‘Rocket’ shop has had way more sales than normal which has been fantastic, but on the other side of the coin our record shop’s sales have plummeted! New releases do ok on week of release but then, sales drop off to nothing. No one is buying back catalogue online, only new or things they are looking for specifically or second hand, Discogs is thriving apparently. So good and bad for the label tbh.
Obviously bands not playing live and promoting a record is disastrous and so frustrating for all our bands who want to hit the road and play their music. It is a hard time for our bands especially.
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
CR: We have to keep on ‘keeping on’. Release records, though in smaller quantities and just hope we can sell them. That will be determined by how hard the recession hits, I suppose. If people have less money in their pockets then records will suffer. But lets see, I think the future of live music is the biggest worry as the negative impact and fallout from that could be the most disastrous to the world of music that we all love.

Centre El Muusa – Szolnok [from Centre El Muusa, releases June 26, 2020]

TMODM: How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
Misha: Things are getting back to normal here in Estonia. The whole quarantine time was weird and hazy, but still a nice chance to spend more time at home with families.
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
Misha: We are now working on new compositions for our next album.

Comacozer – Sun of Hyperion [from Here and Beyond split LP, released June 10, 2020]

TMODM: This has been such a strange year. How are things going for you in this time of unrest and COVID-19?
Andrew: Yep, it’s definitely been a strange year with Covid. We were lucky in a way as we had recorded ‘Sun of Hyperion’ for the split prior for Psychedelic Salad Records so it was already in the works. Obviously it’s been a drag that we haven’t been able to play any shows since early March. Last show we played was supporting Corrosion of Conformity on their Australian Tour so that was a ripper show to do prior to the pandemic. Thanks god we have been quite lucky here in Australia overall.
TMODM: What’s next for you if/when life returns to normal?
Andrew: Three out of the four of us have kept semi active with other side projects. Rick and James have a psych electronica project called ‘Rusty Souls’ and I have recorded LIGHT PILLARS LP with Toby from Hotel Wrecking City Traders/Gouts/Spider Goat Canyon. Vinyl to be released in a couple of monhts. Rich (bass) became a first time father in May so he has been a little preoccupied of late.
TMODM: Congratulations, Rich! As it happens, I posted Podcast 2020.09 Number 9 on Father’s Day (here in the US, anyway).