We're in City Arts Magazine!

Huge thanks to City Arts Magazine for showing The Wasted Years some love in print! I can't believe they used that photo! (photo courtesy of Mike Spine, taken at Cape Disappointment, WA)

Man, I really need to get some new episodes posted. I have two in the editing process right now - Into the Storm and Mike Jaworsky and Drew Church from The Cops and like 20 other bands.

Coming soon.
Aaron

Episode 7.2 - The Making of Solyoni's Prairie Monsters, Part 2

Part 2 of 2.

The second part of The Making of Solyoni's failed road trip album "Prairie Monsters," in which we discover the fate of the Honda Accord, the connection between all-you-can-eat spaghetti and rap-rock, and how to use a wolverine claw in place of a rape whistle.

You can view a photo essay of the road trip here.

And you can download the album for free or a suggested donation here.

Podcast is available by subscribing at iTunes, or by streaming below.

Peter Falk in The Brinx Job, the film that inspired Solyoni's "Gold Mime Robberies."

Episode 7.1 - The Making of Solyoni's Prairie Monsters, Part 1

Part 1 of 2.

This two-part episode was a labor of love for me. In 2002, two of my best friends attempted to deliver a Honda Accord from Akron, Ohio to Seattle, WA while simultaneously writing an album about their experiences on the road. The goal was to record the album once they arrived in Seattle, with me - a hopeful young musician and engineer - twiddling the knobs. The car and one of the two friends never made it. (No, he didn't die. He just got stranded, and then went home.) The car delivery may have been a failure, but the album lived on in our hearts. Two years, three states, five recording locations, seven musicians, and many, many beers later, the album was completed and released. Solyoni has gone through many incarnations since, and its members have spread across the nation, but the joy of making this album has held us together, albeit loosely and with sporadic output.

I sat down to record this story with Solyoni founders and main songwriters Dan Lurie and Dominic Aulisio, and once we got going, it was hard to stop. Basically, we got drunk and recorded a whole bunch of material. This isn't exactly a "tour" story. It's the tale of a roadtrip, a crazy idea, and how a group of young fellas from Ohio came to the great Northwest, learned a thing or two about making music, and maybe actually grew up a little.

Chances are, you've never heard the album Prairie Monsters. You can go here and download it for free, or for however much you care to donate.

I hope you enjoy this one. Part two will post soon.

Available by subscribing at iTunes, or streaming below:

Episode 6 - G. Stuart Dahlquist

I am a lucky guy. I keep getting to make podcasts with musicians from some of my favorite bands. G. Stuart Dahlquist is one of these people. I'm a huge fan of Southern Lord Records, and Stuart was instrumental in the early years of this highly influential label, recording albums and touring with Burning Witch, SunnO))), and Goatsnake (fuck yeah!). Currently, Stuart composes and plays in two other amazing and very different projects; Asva and Brokaw. But would you believe that prior to this illustrious career, Stuart was in a heavy funk Chili Peppers-esque party band with a million dollar record deal on MCA? Or that the best show he ever played was in a grocery store in Entiat, Washington, population: 1,112? Or that you really shouldn't allow he and Stephen O'Malley to wander freely, in Amsterdam, on mushrooms? Find out about this and more on Episode 6 of The Wasted Years.

Available by subscribing on iTunes, or streaming below:

Episode 5 - Ben Verellen

You might know him from his band Helms Alee, or his company Verellen Amplifiers.

You might know him from his reunion shows with his old band Harkonen - but you probably don't know him from any of Harkonen's original shows, which he describes, simply, as "bummerly."

Then again, you might know him as Botch's little brother; the roadie with the pink fanny pack crouched behind the drumset with a homemade light show and a 40oz. of OE.

Ben Verellen is all of these things, and a real nice guy to hang out with to boot. Ben and I delve into some tour stories, and also get to philosophyzin' about the nature of The Tour, and how not to let it bring you down.

This podcast features music from Helms Alee's amazing second album Weatherhead, available at www.hydrahead.com or at most fine independent record stores.

Podcast is available by subscribing at iTunes, or streaming below:

I also highly recommend you check out Helms Alee's video for 8/16.

Photo: Faith Coloccia

Episode 4 - Smooth Sailing

You wanna know who would be a hilarious band to go out on the road with? Smooth Sailing, that's who. But beware, you'd also have a pretty high chance of a van breakdown, becoming a fugitive from California law, shitting yourself, and/or death by flying car. But at least you'd know these guys always had your back, even if that sometimes included Jackass-like pranks resulting in loss of hair, beer, or both. I had a really fun time listening to Ryan, Jake, and Chris weave their tales like only a tight band of road warriors can. Smooth Sailing has the recipe down pat: good friends, good adventures, good music. 

This podcast features music from the Smooth Sailing album "xoxo" available for purchase here: www.smoothsailingtheband.com

Podcast is available by subscribing at iTunes, or streaming below:

More good things to come

In the process of setting-up, scheduling, and editing with some mighty fine musicians:


Michael Jaworsky of The Cops and Virgin Islands, and impresario of the always fantastic Mt. Fuji Records.


Working a connection (fingers crossed) to talk with some dudes who've toured extensively with American blues legend T-Model Ford!


One of my favorite new discoveries in Seattle, Smooth Sailing, is going to tell some tales in between performances of their crazy-ambitious theatre engagement Blood/Sailing. I love seeing heavy intelligent bands branch out into experimental performance territory like this!


All this this and much more coming your way soon!
- Aaron