Viewing: Music and politics - View all posts

PPP #28: Kurt Wagner from Lambchop 

In this episode, I talk with Kurt Wagner, founder and singer songwriter behind the band Lamchop,  which make some of the most gorgeously orchestrated indie-pop you’ll ever hear, wrapped around Kurt Wagner’s complex and  exquisite lyrics. 

Wagner lives…

Read more

PPP #27: Mike Watt 

After a much-needed hiatus, Pierre Pressure is back with an extremely special episode. Pierre talks with the one and only Jedi Master of Punk Rock, Mike Watt.
Watt started his bass playing career in the legendary punk band the Minutemen

Read more

PPP #26: Eleni Mandell  

Eleni Mandell is an LA-based singer-songwriter who has been making some of the best music you'll ever hope to hear since her first album, Wishbone, came out in 1996. She's an astoundingly prolific artist with a huge discography, and…

Read more

PPP #25: Tony Scalzo from Fastball 

Episode 25 of Pierre Pressure Podcast features very special guest Tony Scalzo from the band Fastball. Tony is a talented and prolific songwriter who wrote a string of hits for his platinum-selling band Fastball in the late 90s. He…

Read more

PPP #24: Bill Frisell 

After a three month hiatus due to Covid 19, Pierre Pressure Podcast is back! For the new season, Pierre focuses on the tradition of protest music, and how it can inspire us to speak up, stand up, and sing out…

Read more

PPP # 23: PANDEMIC #2 

Part 2 of Pierre's Pandemic Podcast features two guests from Episode 22 and some new guests discussing life during the coronavirus lockdown. Pierre checks in on the phone with two people who had Covid 19 and recovered, a doctor and…

Read more

PPP #21: Chris Wells, The Secret City 

Chris Wells is the founder of The Secret City, and he is a high priest of art. He's been known to tower over people in platform shoes, he leads a congregation of art worshippers, his performances make people feel high…

Read more

PPP #20: JG Thirlwell AKA Foetus 

Composer-producer-frontman-wizard JG Thirlwell has been making astonishing, orchestral, bombastic music for decades. Born in Australia, he teamed up with Nick Cave and the Birthday Party, then joined Prag VEC, and soon formed his enduring solo project Foetus. Operating under plethora…

Read more

PPP #18: THE BREEDERS 

For this very special episode, we reach way back into the vault and present an interview Pierre did with The Breeders in 1992! We unearthed this cassette recording of an interview with all four members of this massively popular and…

Read more

PPP #17: Phil Manley from Trans Am 

Phil Manley is a west-coast based rock musician and producer. He runs El Studio in San Fransisco, and he handles the guitar, keyboards, bass, and vocals in bands Trans Am, Life Coach, Terry Gross, and Oneida among others. His band…

Read more

PPP #16: Lisa Marr & Paolo Davanzo 

Episode sweet sixteen features Los Angeles-based activists, musicians, filmmakers, and educators Lisa Marr and Paolo Davanzo. They run a non-profit called the Echo Park Film Center, and they travel the world spreading their vison of inclusiveness, tolerance, creativity and…

Read more

PPP #15: STEW 

Stew is a singer, musician, composer, playwright, and a powerhouse in the world of music and theater. For years he fronted the band Stew and the Negro Problem. He then went on to create and star in a play called…

Read more

PPP #13: Dorit Chrysler 

Lucky number 13 is my good friend Dorit Chrysler, a theremin wizard from Austria. She came to New York in the 90's and was the singer-guitarist for the scorching art-rock band Halcion. She subsequently went on tho become one of…

Read more

PPP #12: C. Gibbs 

This episode's guest is my good friend and musical collaborator Christian Gibbs. Also known as C. Gibbs, he's a ridiculously talented singer, songwriter, guitarist who's been crushing it for decades. His numerous band and solo projects include Morning Glories, C…

Read more

PPP #11: Willie Green, hip hop producer 

This episode is all about hip hop. Paul Womack, AKA Willie Green, is a New York-based hip hop producer specializing in "art-rap." He produces extremely imaginative, groundbreaking beats for hip hop and pop artists who are not afraid to break…

Read more

PPP #10: Timo Ellis from Cibo Matto, Yoko Ono Band 

This episode's guest, Timo Ellis, is an all around musical powerhouse. He plays drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, and sings, and currently fronts the synth-metal band Netherlands. His musical bio spans an impressive and varied list of projects including Yoko Ono…

Read more

PPP #9: Dawn Landes 

Guest Dawn Landes is talented multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer living in Nashville. We talk about climbing trees with Will Oldham, her touring with Sufjan Stevens, recording with Nashville A-listers, and why bow-hunters are more macho. She performs her original song…

Read more

PPP #8: Roman Elsener and Fa Ventilato 

A very special double episode with Fa Ventilato and Roman Elsener, two Swiss-born, New York-based musicians who have been close friends since their youth and have very different approaches to life and music. We spoke about micropolitics, CD scratching, pillow…

Read more

PPP #7: Paul Brill, film composer 

The guest on this episode of PIERRE PRESSURE PODCAST is Paul Brill, an award-winning composer, musician, songwriter and producer. We spoke in his Brooklyn studio about the possible outcomes for the midterms, shredding your way to success, serving Bernie coffee…

Read more

PPP #6: Mira Cook 

Guest Mira Cook is a singer, pianist, composer, and dancer who performs regularly in NYC as a solo artist, building her songs live using vocal and instrumental loops. She also travels the world as a dancer and teacher with Battery…

Read more

PPP #4: Dylan Nowik, sound design 

Guest Dylan Nowik  is a singer/songwriter, multi instrumentalist, sound designer, and composer. We talked in the California Hill cottage about the world without humans, singing to statues in the forest, and the hopefulness of the rubber band concept. He performs…

Read more

PPP #3: Michael Rosas from Smile, Satisfaction, Flying Sparks 

This episode's guest is singer, songwriter, musician and producer Michael Rosas. We have an in-depth conversation about growing up in Southern California, his foray into break-dancing, taking a knee, and wearing sombreros. We discuss his trajectory from the hardcore scene…

Read more

PPP #2: Fred Cassidy 

My guest is musician, filmmaker, and producer Fred Cassidy. We talk about his background as a French American kid growing up between France and L.A., and we dig into politics, music, immigration, protest, Dick's, and lots of other pithy subjects…

Read more