The Trap Set with Joe Wong
386 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 645 ratingsEach Episode, Joe Wong speaks to a different musician about life.
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Episodes
BNS: Carla Azar Revisited
July 31, 2019 07:23 - 46 minutes - 63.3 MBThis week, we're renovating Trap Set HQ; so we're sharing one of our favorite episodes, featuring the great Carla Azar. This episode was recorded a few years ago. Carla is currently busy with several projects, including a new Autolux album. We'll return in August with some of our most intense episodes to date!
218: Steven McDonald (Redd Kross, Melvins, Off!)
July 24, 2019 05:50 - 1 hour - 133 MBWhen he was eleven years old, Steven McDonald co-founded a band with his older brother, Jeff. That band, which soon became known as Redd Kross, became a fixture on the late 70s LA punk scene and--remarkably--is still active today. Steven tells Joe about: precociousness; opening for Black Flag at an eighth grade graduation party; the joy and pain that came along with identifying as a punk; having a romantic relationship with a 26-year-old woman when he was 13; hanging out with Raymond Pettibo...
217: J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, GI, Channels, Office of Future Plans, etc.)
July 17, 2019 04:43 - 1 hour - 127 MBAs a member of influential bands such as Jawbox, Burning Airlines, and Channels, J. Robbins exhibits an exceptional gift for unorthodox yet unforgettable vocal melodies counterbalanced with jagged, angular guitar hooks. For over 20 years, he's built a parallel career as an in-demand producer for artists such as: Faraquet, Braid, and The Promise Ring. This is one of our most emotionally intense and life affirming episodes.
216: Aaron Harris (Isis)
July 10, 2019 05:16 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBAaron Harris comes from a family of ship builders. Although he broke from tradition to become a drummer, his drumming is finely crafted and architectural, evoking images of a sleek and efficient sea vessel. Aaron tells Joe about: music as an escape; leaving his hometown; working as a bike messenger and at Boston institution, Newbury Comics; co-founding the influential band, Isis; moving to Los Angeles; his parallel career as a composer; and celebrating his impending parenthood.
BNS: Sara Lund Revisited
July 03, 2019 05:06 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBThis week, we're taking off for the holiday; so we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes, featuring the incomparable Sara Lund. Sara is still playing with Nocturnal Habits and Hungry Ghost. If you're in Portland and you'd like to study with Sara, please hit up our friends at Revival Drum Shop.
215: Ray Barbee
June 26, 2019 09:30 - 1 hour - 97.8 MBSkateboarding and music have been forever intertwined. This week’s guest, Ray Barbee, while best known as a pioneering skateboarder, is also a serious musician. Ray tells Joe about: coming from a musical family; being consumed by skateboarding; going pro and sustaining a 30+ year career; his parallel passion for music and photography; and raising a family.
214: Jeff Parker (Tortoise, AACM, Solo Artist)
June 19, 2019 06:27 - 1 hour - 84.3 MBJeff Parker—one of his generation’s preeminent guitarists—talks with Joe about: his aversion to formal education, despite having teachers as parents; attending Berklee; living in Chicago, “the creative music capital of the world”; Band Leader Syndrome; how environment affects art; and completing artistic works in the face of self-doubt.
213: Greg Anderson (Sunn O))))
June 12, 2019 07:56 - 1 hour - 102 MBGreg Anderson of Sunn O))) discusses the creation of the band’s massive sound; the evolution of the creative dynamic with his partner Stephen O’Malley; musical monogamy; collaborating with the legendary Scott Walker; running Southern Lord Records; and how being a father affects his relationship with music.
212: Hayden Menzies (Metz)
June 05, 2019 05:55 - 56 minutes - 78.1 MBHayden Menzies drums with a sense of controlled bombast; his beats are often as memorable as melodic hooks. He tells Joe about his musician parents; his tight relationship with his brothers; learning to navigate happiness; and balancing his work as a musician with his parallel career in visual art.
211: Mindee Jorgensen (Dale Crover Band, Dangerously Sleezy, ModPods)
May 29, 2019 05:45 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBMindee Jorgensen experienced a devastating loss at an early age and found solace in music. She tells Joe about: growing up in Iowa; marching band; making lifelong friends through punk rock; leaving home at 17; moving to LA; "The Hot Box", her weed-inspired podcast; and playing drums for one of her musical heroes, Dale Crover.
210: Mary Timony (Ex Hex, Helium, Autoclave, Wild Flag)
May 22, 2019 05:01 - 1 hour - 88.8 MBA consistently adventurous artist, Mary Timony inhabits the intersection of virtuosity and experimental abandon. Her diverse, decades-spanning body of work firmly establishes her as one of her generation’s preeminent songwriters and instrumentalists. She is also one of Joe’s closest friends. Mary tells Joe about: growing up in DC; becoming a musician in spite of her traditional upbringing; battling depression; playing with Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag, and Ex Hex; developing an acumen for ...
209: Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think, Film Composer)
May 15, 2019 06:11 - 1 hour - 110 MBCraig Wedren is a Midwest native whose father owned a fast food chain. He spent some time in DC, fronting the influential band Shudder to Think, while developing a career as a film composer, eventually moving to LA. In many ways, Craig’s life has the most parallels to Joe’s of any Trap Set guest. Craig and joy discuss: divorce; Little Tavern; DC; Shudder to think; Musical Ecstasy; becoming “muted”; emerging the “muted” state via life coaching; vulnerability; and film composing.
208: Jay Bellerose (Sam Phillips, T Bone Burnett, Plant/Krauss, Paula Cole)
May 08, 2019 04:18 - 1 hour - 85.2 MBOver the past forty years, Jay Bellerose has earned a reputation for musical excellence and rarified artistic integrity. He tells Joe about: growing up in large family in Maine; losing his father at a young age; working as a baker; the importance of being musically selective; and why he likes living at a deliberate pace.
207: Aldous Harding
May 01, 2019 06:20 - 1 hour - 91.3 MBOver the course of three excellent albums, Aldous Harding has distinguished herself as an incredibly compelling songwriter with a singular voice. Aldous and Joe discuss: impermanence, inner voices, the significance of standing up, and achieving exceptional feats as an ordinary person.
BNS: Brian Blade Revisited
April 24, 2019 04:52 - 1 hour - 106 MBThis week, we're hard at work recording new episodes, so we're sharing one of our all time favorite Trap Set conversations featuring the singular genius, Brian Blade.
206: Bardo Martinez (Chicano Batman, The Doves)
April 18, 2019 07:39 - 43 minutes - 60.1 MBBest known as the lead singer for LA band, Chicano Batman, Bardo Martinez has recently embarked on a solo career. Joe spoke to Bardo last year in front of a live audience at Ace Hotel, Palm Springs.
BNS: Mimi Parker Revisited (Low)
April 10, 2019 04:18 - 37 minutes - 51.1 MBThis week, we revisit one of our favorite episodes, featuring the great Mimi Parker of Low.
205: Tucker Rule (Thursday)
April 03, 2019 07:45 - 46 minutes - 63.9 MBFor 20 years, Tucker Rule's crisp, authoritative drumming has laid the foundation for the band Thursday. Tucker discusses: his childhood obsession with baseball; recording and touring shortly after learning to play; working with a boy band after Thursday went on hiatus; and why planking is an essential part of his daily workout routine.
204: Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone LIVE (The Zombies)
March 27, 2019 04:28 - 1 hour - 82.9 MBThe Zombies are, simply put, the greatest rock band in the world. This week, the band's co-founders Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone discuss: the formation of the band; why the group's initial tenure was so brief; why Colin was never jealous that Rod made more money as a songwriter; a day job with Mr. Smelly; the production of their classic Odessey and Oracle album; collaborating on Colin's revered One Year album; and why they are glad they evaded massive popularity in their youth. This episod...
203: Ian Mackaye Pt. 2 (Minor Threat, Fugazi, The Evens, etc.)
March 20, 2019 06:37 - 1 hour - 95.5 MBThis Week: Part Two of our conversation with Ian MacKaye. Four years ago, we began The Trap Set with Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty. As we expand the show from drummers-only to all musicians, it only makes sense to begin with Brendan’s bandmate, Ian.
202: Ian MacKaye Pt. 1 (Minor Threat, Fugazi, The Evens, etc.)
March 13, 2019 07:29 - 1 hour - 97.2 MBAs a member of bands such as The Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Embrace, Fugazi, and The Evens—as well as co-founder of Dischord Records—Ian MacKaye has been involved in the creation and dissemination of an extraordinary amount of classic recordings. Ian met with Joe at The Dischord House in Virginia for a wide-ranging conversation that lasted nearly three hours. In this week’s installment, Ian discusses: his childhood in the Glover Park neighborhood of Washington DC; his grandmother’s advice col...
201: Brooks Headley (Born Against, Oldest, Universal Order of Armageddon, etc.)
March 06, 2019 06:50 - 1 hour - 95.1 MBBrooks Headley fell in love with music while listening to Dr. Demento on his grandmother’s radio. He’s also had a lifetime obsession with food, leading to a career working in--and eventually owning-- restaurants. He talks to Joe about: having pragmatic dreams; being raised by an incredible, single mom; drumming for bands such as Universal Order of Armageddon, Born Against, Skull Kontrol, and (Young) Pioneers; cooking for the 1% at high-end restaurants; and how his love of fine food and pun...
200: Episode 200 Spectacular!
February 06, 2019 06:08 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBTo celebrate our 200th episode, past guest and friend of the show Patty Schemel returns, this time to interview Joe. They discuss how creating The Trap Set has affected the trajectory of Joe's life, and Joe talks about changes in store for the future of the show. Then, he answers listener questions. Thanks to all of you for listening!
199: Larry Herweg (Pelican, INTRCPTR)
January 30, 2019 05:08 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBLarry Herweg’s commanding drumming has helped shaped Pelican’s dense, longform compositions for nearly 20 years. He tells Joe about: growing up in Illinois; being a late (musical) bloomer; how a bad experience turned him off from lessons; the challenges and rewards of playing in a band with his brother; working at Whole Foods; and escaping retail to become a real estate agent.
BNS: John Good (Drum Workshop)
January 23, 2019 04:59 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBIn this bonus episode, Joe talks to John Good, vice president of Drum Workshop.
198: Zach Lind (Jimmy Eat World)
January 16, 2019 07:24 - 57 minutes - 79.6 MBFor 25 years, Zach Lind has carved a creative niche within the often rigid parameters of modern rock. He talks about: manufacturing pressure to force the creative process along; growing up with a professional baseball player for a father; being raised in a Conservative Baptist environment, and ultimately leaving the church; "musical monogamy" with the remarkably consistent Jimmy Eat World.
197: Mona Tavakoli (Raining Jane, Jason Mraz, Ebi)
January 09, 2019 04:42 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBMona Tavakoli is a modern polymath whose impressive versatility and fierce creativity have resulted in a 20 year tenure in Raining Jane, along with collaborations with artists such as Jason Mraz, Ebi, and Pat Benatar. She visited Trap Set HQ for a wide ranging conversation about: Strawberry Shortcake albums; a Tori Amos focus group; hanging out with Al Gore and Richard Branson in Antarctica; becoming Little Miss San Jose 1984; creating a signature cajon; and co-founding the non-profit Rock n...
196: Budgie (The Slits, Siouxsie Sioux and The Banshees, The Creatures, John Grant, etc.)
January 02, 2019 02:15 - 1 hour - 77.6 MBBudgie has the rare ability to metabolize influences ranging from taiko to dub, from gamelan to punk to Indian classical, all into a singular, uniquely fiery artistic identity. His poetic sense of rhythm has graced recordings by a range of iconic artists, but he is perhaps known for his partnership with Siouxsie Sioux. Budgie tells Joe about: a strange sense of freedom after losing his mother at a young age; his youthful attempts at abstract expressionism; why he thinks of music in visual te...
BNS: Steve Gadd Revisited
December 26, 2018 08:53 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBWe're closing out the year by revisiting a pensive conversation with one of the greatest drummers of all time, Steve Gadd. (This episode was recorded in 2015 and originally released in early 2016.) Thanks to all of you for making Trap Set a big success in 2018; here's to 2019!
BNS: Bill Cardwell (C&C Drum Company)
December 19, 2018 09:10 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBThis week, a fascinating bonus episode with Bill Cardwell--drum builder and co-founder of C&C Drum Company. Dozens of our guests have played Bill's drums; get to know the deeply compelling person behind the instruments.
195: Bryan St. Pere (Hum)
December 12, 2018 05:59 - 1 hour - 110 MBIllinois band Hum created an expansive sound world, and Bryan St. Pere’s drumming is the beacon that guides the listener through thick fields of distortion. Bryan tells Joe about: his fascination with Bugs; loving Neil Peart so much that he used Pert Plus shampoo as a child; coming from a “family of struggle”; having a tightly wound temperament; why recording Hum’s landmark albums was excruciatingly painful; and how the band dynamic has evolved, now that Hum is back in the studio.
194: Jason Gerken (Shiner, Molly McGuire, Season of Risk, Birth Defects, etc.)
December 05, 2018 04:28 - 48 minutes - 66.7 MBJason Gerken likes to party. He also has the unique ability to make unexpected musical choices sound natural and powerful. Jason tells Joe about: why his parents tried to prevent him from becoming a drummer; working with beloved KC bands Shiner and Molly McGuire; his day job managing a bar; a brush with death; learning to work through negative self talk; and an impending Shiner reunion.
193: Nabil Ayers (The Lemons, The Long Winters, 4AD, Sonic Boom)
November 28, 2018 06:31 - 1 hour - 85.7 MBNabil Ayers was born into a deeply musical family and began playing drums as a toddler. Eventually, he toured and recorded with bands such as The Lemons and The Long Winters, his experiences as a drummer serving as the foundation for what has become an impressively multifaceted career in the music business. Nabil tells Joe about: being raised by a single mom; getting his first drum set from his uncle, free jazzer Alan Michael Braufman; the few interactions he’s had with his biological father...
192: Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets, etc.)
November 21, 2018 08:39 - 50 minutes - 69.6 MBKevin Haskins's spare, hypnotic style laid the foundation for goth luminaries, Bauhaus. He tells Joe about: growing up in Northampton; seeing bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin; how the burgeoning punk scene gave him confidence to pursue music; playing the now-classic "Bela Lugosi's Dead" for the first time; the sense of devastation he experienced after the breakup of Bauhaus; working with subsequent bands such as Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets; and passing on his love of music to his c...
191: Aaron Sterling (John Mayer, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Liz Phair, etc.)
November 14, 2018 06:37 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBAaron Sterling's percussive prowess would have gotten him plenty of work during the golden age of the recording studio, but his attention to sonics and ability to self engineer make him a quintessential studio drummer for the modern paradigm. He discusses: overcoming social anxiety; working at California Pizza Kitchen; his largely unwavering musical confidence; how he built his career without compromising his values; and musical empathy.
190: Parker Kindred (Joan As Police Woman, Jeff Buckley, Amen Dunes, etc.)
November 07, 2018 04:26 - 1 hour - 91.6 MBParker Kindred has a supernatural gift of musical intuition. His intensely imaginative, lyrical playing style imbues the music with a deep hypnotic subtlety. Joe joined Parker in his Williamsburg apartment to discuss: being “inside one’s body”; why identifying as a drummer makes him feel like a loser; working with artists such as Joan As Police Woman and Jeff Buckley; and what he would ask other versions of himself if he could travel through time.
189: Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey, Marianne Faithfull, Bat for Lashes, Cold Specks, etc.)
October 31, 2018 05:25 - 1 hour - 73 MBRob Ellis possesses the dynamic touch of a concert musician, the ferocity of a punk rocker, and the compositional sense of a New Music luminary; but it's Rob's extraordinary capacity for musical empathy that make him the perfect collaborator for iconic songwriters ranging from PJ Harvey to Marianne Faithfull. Rob tells Joe about his early memories in 1960s California; his Navy officer father, whose death at an early age cast a shadow on Rob's personal development; attending an elite public (...
BNS: Rob Ellis on Addiction and Recovery
October 31, 2018 05:11 - 10 minutes - 12 MBIn this bonus mini-episode, Rob Ellis discusses his struggles with alcohol and the decision to become sober. Be sure to check out Rob's introspectively intense full-length episode, also available this week.
BNS: Steven Drozd Revisited
October 24, 2018 04:54 - 51 minutes - 70.1 MBWe're hard at work on new episodes, so this week, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations with Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips. Steven has a new podcast of his own called Sorcerer's Orphan. See you next week!
188: Brendan Buckley (Shakira, Volumen Cero, JJ Lin, Teagan and Sara, etc.)
October 17, 2018 07:37 - 55 minutes - 76.8 MBBrendan Buckley’s omnivorous musical taste, disciplined approach, and granular attention to detail make him well-suited for work with artists such as Tegan and Sara, Roberto Carlos, Volumen Cero, JJ Lin, and—for the last 20 years—Shakira. Brendan tells Joe about: growing up in New Jersey, his tiger mom, what it takes to play a choreographed pop gig night after night, improvising with Damien Rice, how losing his sister at a young age shifted his outlook on life, and his permissive but caref...
187: Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, Earthworks, UK, Genesis, Bruford)
October 10, 2018 05:03 - 1 hour - 94.2 MBBill Bruford’s instantly identifiable sound and brilliant sense of composition made him the defining drummer of the progressive rock movement; but at age 60, after four decades in the music business, Bill unceremoniously walked away. Bill tells Joe about: being a young jazz elitist; "leveraging himself sideways" from an upper-middle class family to the seedy life of a musician; doing a lot with “a modest amount of talent”; the creative dynamics of Yes and King Crimson; how he achieved his ...
186: Rat Scabies (The Damned)
October 03, 2018 04:25 - 1 hour - 91.4 MBRat Scabies and his influential band, The Damned, were integral members of the fledgling UK punk community. Rat's controlled bombast earned him comparisons to Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell. He and Joe met in Soho to discuss: Rat's post-war childhood in the outskirts of London; his father's job as an underground soft porn merchant; his theory on geography's key role in bands; the inner workings of The Damned; and his quest for The Holy Grail.
185: Fay Milton (Savages, 180dB)
September 26, 2018 06:06 - 48 minutes - 66.4 MBA classically trained percussionist, Fay Milton possesses an adventurous compositional sense and keen sonic sensitivity that helped Savages become one of the most exciting, critically-lauded bands of the last decade. Fay and Joe met in Soho, London, to discuss: why there is hope in the darkness; the lack of surfer dudes in Australia; Savages; Fay's new Project, 180db; and the desire to have children amidst the instability of a life in music.
184: Mick "Woody" Woodmansey (David Bowie, Art Garfunkel, U-Boat, Holy Holy)
September 19, 2018 06:36 - 1 hour - 87.1 MBWoody Woodmansey propelled the legendary Spiders from Mars to international stardom and helped the post-war generation escape the prison of banality. Woody tells Joe about growing up in Northern England; his life as a plumber and factory worker; how fate led him to discover music; writing music and touring with David Bowie; craving uncertainty; living a life of excess; and re-defining himself when the magic carpet of rockstardom was pulled out from under him.
BNS: Tessa Pollitt (The Slits)
September 12, 2018 16:24 - 34 minutes - 78.6 MBIn this Bonus Episode, The Slits bassist, Tessa Pollitt, sat down with Joe after a recent screening of "Here to Be Heard", a documentary about the band.
183: Nate Wood (Kneebody, Four)
September 05, 2018 03:15 - 52 minutes - 59.9 MBNate Wood has a gift for mastery when it comes to the mechanics of music; but he also possesses a creative clarity that transcends mere virtuosity. He talks about growing up in a musical family; his theory of genetic determinism; his approach to learning instruments; and how his new project, Four, might be his salvation when the robots rise to annihilate the human race.
182: Ryan Pope (The Get Up Kids)
August 29, 2018 09:19 - 48 minutes - 66.7 MBRyan Pope's metronomical groove and uniquely memorable beats helped The Get Up Kids become one of the most influential rock bands to emerge from the Midwest during the 1990s. Ryan tells Joe about: his incredibly close relationship with his brother/bandmate Rob; growing up Mormon and losing his faith; re-defining himself when the band ended its initial run; and his life as a serial entrepreneur.
181: Alan Cage (Quicksand, Seaweed)
August 22, 2018 05:24 - 58 minutes - 80.3 MBFormed in 1990 in New York City, Quicksand drew inspiration from the energy of their native hardcore scene. Powered by drummer Alan Cage's dexterous groove, the band's angular compositions ushered in an influential new strain of heavy music. Alan tells Joe about: growing up as a mildly mischievous kid on Long Island; the formation and creative dynamic of Quicksand; working as a labor organizer when the band broke up; his fear of becoming a father; and becoming a father!
180: Adam Topol (Jack Johnson, Culver City Dub Collective, etc.)
August 15, 2018 05:43 - 47 minutes - 65.7 MBAdam Topol's formative years were spent listening to Kiss and punk rock, but he soon discovered a lifelong passion for jazz and world music that influenced his diverse career. He tells Joe about growing up in Lake Tahoe; his self-taught entrepreneur father; why art and academia feel at odds; why he never thought that he could make a living playing music; getting sober; his connection with deep Jack Johnson; and starting his percussion company, Roots EQ.
179: Matt Helders (The Arctic Monkeys, Iggy Pop)
August 08, 2018 04:26 - 51 minutes - 70.3 MBThe Arctic Monkeys started out as more of an aspiration than an actual band--its members were teenagers who had just started playing their instruments. But--after gaining some online notoriety--the band was catapulted to massive popularity, releasing a string of number one albums in their native UK. Matt Helders talks to Joe about: growing up in Sheffield; struggling with feelings of "unearned" success early in the band's career; evolving as an artist; the thrilling fear of writing his solo ...