It's been a rough couple weeks for everyone, but DEVO are bringing some extraterrestrial cheer early with a holiday drop at Hello Merch. Plus: We're going to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard this weekend, The Dismemberment Plan's Emergency and I turns 25, and WASTOIDS is screening Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at Hello Lincoln December …

Everyone's got opinions on Steely Dan, so Marc and John are finally sharing theirs—and they don't agree! They've also each got some oddly personal ties to the Dan's 1973 7-inch "My Old School" b/w "Pearl of the Quarter." Drop the needle on this episode and find out who's in and who's out on the latest episode of the Spindle. Call us anytime at 1-87…

Decoy is back with WASTOIDS Music News, where he drops a heap of music stories on you. We're brought to you by Hello Merch, which allows bands to make whatever merch they can dream up—like deathdrinks, a cocktail recipe book companion to Survival Guide's 2023 Double Helix Records album deathdreams. With deathdrinks, she concocted a distinct beverag…

Previous Industries is an indie rap trio featuring Chicagoans Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, and STILL RIFT. Their debut Service Merchandise (Merge Records) pairs sly and hilariously heartbreaking musings with laidback beats by Child Actor, Quelle Chris, and Smoke Bonito. The writer George Saunders once said, “Nostalgia is, ‘Hey remember the other ma…

You know the Sex Pistols for their album Never Mind the Bollocks..., but the subsequent soundtrack to their 1978 film The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle was just as good! Marc and John dig into a 7-inch from that album, "No One is Innocent" b/w "My Way," exploring how the Pistols flew to Brazil to record the A-side with a fugitive, and how Sid Vicious t…

In the world of cult bands, Memphis power pop band Big Star reigns mythically. And while the former teen heartthrob Alex Chilton might be the first member who springs to mind, guitarist and songwriter Chris Bell figures heavily in the band's tragic saga. In this episode of The Spindle, John Howard and guest co-host Jason P. Woodbury drop the needle…

When you think of Oklahoma band The Flaming Lips, you probably don't think of singles. They're mostly known as an album rock band—and they already had three full-lengths out by the time they released their first 7-inch, part of the nascent Sub Pop Singles Club. 1989's "Drug Machine" b/w "Strychnine/(What's So Funny Bout) Piece Love and Understandin…

This is the Band Shirt Day Podcast. In this episode, Dylan Gette King and Jason P. Woodbury share band shirt stories from Oliver Ackermann of A Place to Bury Strangers who describes the torn and frayed charm of his favorite Minor Threat shirt, pilfered from his older brother. And then Jess Abbott of Tancred takes us on a guided tour of some of her …

This week on the news, Decoy says HELLLLLLO to Sleater-Kinney. Formed in Olympia in 1994, Sleater-Kinney was one of the defining bands of the riot grrrl movement. After releasing seven studio records, the band entered a hiatus in 2005 but returned with full force with No Cities to Love, released in 2015. The band’s latest is called Little Rope, rel…

In the late '70s, The Specials took the UK by storm with their hybrid of punk and reggae and an explicit anti-racist stance. A few years later, the band was coming apart—but not before they made an amazing final 7", the chart-topping, zeitgeist-capturing "Ghost Town." John and Marc dive into this great single on the latest episode of the Spindle. C…

On one hand, a band shirt is a simple everyday item, the kind of thing you might take for granted. But when you start thinking about it, the topic encompasses so much more: band shirts help us tell stories about ourselves and what music means to us. And that’s why we’re here: to think a little more about band shirts and the holiday invented to cele…

Nada Surf may have broken in the '90s with the sardonic mega-hit "Popular," but songwriter Matthew Caws isn't big on living in the past. On the band's new album, Moon Mirror, out September 13th from New West Records, he sets his sights on the present moment, focusing on the anxieties, hopes, and fears of our age while never losing sight of the hope…

Decoy Deloy is back with a news bulletin from the Hello Lincoln loft studio. In this episode, he shares some history and a new merch drop from People Under the Stairs, a legendary underground rap duo who have recently resurfaced at Hello Merch. Then, an interview with two more legends: Steve and Jeff McDonald of the mighty Redd Kross. Fresh off rel…

In 1967, Columbia decided to debut a new band called Moby Grape not just with an album—but also five simultaneously released 7-inch singles! Fall On You w/Changes Sitting By the Window w/Indifference 805 w/Mr. BluesOmaha/w Hey Sunday Hey Grandma w/Come in the Morning It might've been a dubious marketing plan, but it produced a ton of great music, a…

Decoy Deloy is back with more Music News brought to you by Hello Merch. Here at Hello, we don’t mess around: we do merch, we do it right, and we put artists first. And this week, we’re pleased to announce a fresh new addition to the Hello fam: that’s right, the legendary DEVO is in the house. Formed in Akron, Ohio in 1973, DEVO has gone on to inspi…

On their new album Oyster Cuts, Australian indie rockers Quivers blend jangle rock, synth-dappled new wave, and catchy indie-pop. Echoing the strum and chime of classic alt-acts like The Go-Betweens and R.E.M (they devoted their entire 2020 album to cover songs from the latter), Sam Nicholson (guitars), Bella Quinlan (bass), Michael Panton (guitars…

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock's venture into the land of hip-hop beats and turntable scratches, "Rockit", was ubiquitous on the dance floor and MTV's rotation, but its origin story is more interesting than you might think. John and Marc dig into the grooves of this groundbreaking '80s staple on the latest episode of the Spindle. Call us anytime at 1-8…

This is Music News, brought to you by Hello Merch! This week, we're psyched to share new tie-dyes from ROAR, check out the news from visionary filmmaker David Lynch & mysterious vocalist Chrystabell, scope a new (archival) video from Get Up Kids, listen to new tunes from Torres & Fruit Bats, and reflect on recent bummer news from Ween. Call us anyt…

Decoy Deloy is back with music news you need to know. Up first, dive into classic progressive pop band 10cc's new merch collection at Hello Merch; then, dig into the Desert Daze 2024 lineup, featuring Jack White, Cigarettes After Sex, Say She She, Molchat Doma, and so many more. Then, give the claymation video for Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, The Jic…

My Bloody Valentine were a great band from the start, but the 1990 Glider EP broke their floodgates open, as Kevin Shields turned the band's mix of thick guitars, heavy bass, pounding drums, and heavenly vocals into a soundworld of its own. After a little bit of a summer hiatus, Marc Masters (author of High Bias: The Distorted History of the Casset…

Decoy Deloy shines a light on Synthesizer, the brand new album from one of the wildest bands we've ever seen: A Place to Bury Strangers. For their 7th album, A Place to Bury Strangers decided to pull out all the stops: the 12” vinyl LP is packaged in a cover that can be assembled into a noise synthesizer. That’s right, the vinyl is packaged in a ci…

Born in Venezuela, raised in Nicaragua, and musically christened in New Orleans with his band Lawn, Rui Gabriel is currently based in Indiana. On his debut solo album Compassion—out now from Carpark Records—he layers indie rock guitars, drum loop beats, and harmony-laden vocals that feel like Yo La Tengo snuggling up with Primal Scream or Len if th…

This is Music News, a weekly update of music you need to hear and stories you need to know with your host, Decoy Deloy. On this week's installment, Andy and Candy of Phoenix-based power poppers Astrologer drop in to discuss their brand new single "Out of Control," the first taste of the forthcoming Astrologer Fleetwood Sprawl. They joined us to dis…

There were many great punk bands in Los Angeles in the late '70s, and The Weirdos might've been the best. But were they even punk? John and Marc drop the needle on their first 7-inch, the Destroy All Music EP, to figure out exactly how The Weirdos do— and don't!—fit in. Call us anytime at 1-877-WASTOIDS. More podcasts and videos at WASTOIDS.com | F…

"There's a Bladee lyric: kill whatever part of you that isn't true to the heart of you." Ring ring. Tom Krell of How to Dress Well responds to answering machine questions from 1-877-WASTOIDS from folks like Andrew Dost (fun., Metal Bubble Trio) and Patrick McDermott of North Americans. Covered: the mystic visions of Thomas Merton, NBA dream rosters…

Your Vortex boys are back and so is the Clickhead live chat. On this special online odyssey, Sam and Jason dig into the "Gen X Soft Club" aesthetic and find themselves wondering what exactly makes Gen X different from Millennials and Gen Z. Covered: The MTV generation, indiesleaze, McBling, Y2k and Y3k, blobitecture, Dexter Holland of The Offspring…

John and Marc explore the late period of Mark E. Smith's legendary group The Fall, focusing on 2013's "Sir William Wray" 7-inch, with insights from special guest Steve Pringle, author of the comprehensive Fall book You Must Get Them All: The Fall on Record. Call us anytime at 1-877-WASTOIDS. More podcasts and videos at WASTOIDS.com | Follow us on I…

This time around, John and Marc drop the needle on Warren Zevon's most famous single, 1978's "Werewolves of London" backed with "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner." If you've ever turned on a classic rock radio station you've no doubt heard these songs, but do you know their inside stories? And what makes them so much more than "novelty" hits? Th…

Formed in the South Bronx by four African American sisters, ESG coined a sound with their very first release: the "You're No Good" 7-inch, released on England's famed post-punk label Factory. Marc and John dig into how they got there, and why their sound was so unique—and so often sampled, without the sisters seeing much in the way of credit or cas…

It's time to tumble down internet rabbit holes once again with Sam and Jason on an all-new Click Vortex. On this episode, they set the time machine in motion and travel back to April 1994, to reflect on that momentous month. Discussed: Kurt Cobain & Nirvana and Courtney Love & Hole, Blur (and their infamous recent Coachella performance), the tale b…

If you're of a certain age, you've probably heard The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," a '60s top 10 staple that got a later boost when it soundtracked a crucial scene in the 1978 frat comedy Animal House. But did you know it was also a target of the FBI? Marc and John dissect this 1963 hit and why it got kids dancing and adults griping, on this new episo…

Sam and Jason are back on the bi-coastal swing, digging into the wild world of Beatles covers, encompassing the great to the terrible. To kick the clicks off, Jason rounds up selections from Vortex favorites PM Dawn, Todd Rundgren, Tom Jones, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, plus left field takes from Boris and Merzbow, Spooky Tooth, Sinéad O’Connor,…

While Marc and John are gathering new 7″ singles to play for you, we’ve got a Spindle Rewind from the archives: here’s the guys on the On the Corner epic, this alternate version/sonic collage presents five and a half minutes of textural, mind blowing jazz fusion. Though the electric era found Miles seeking a wider audience, this single demonstrates…

Hey, this is WASTOIDS With, featuring interviews with some of our favorite musicians from a rotating cast of WASTOIDS. This week, we’re hanging out with Will Anderson of Hotline TNT. He’s been traveling the offroads and byways of the American rock underground for years, often working in a more offline capacity, but his latest, Cartwheel, has opened…

Sam and Jason had a very special guest ready to roll for the 50th episode of Click Vortex, but when they postponed, they decided to honor their inner chatterbox and just riff off the dome. Topics covered include their favorite musical biopics, like Walk Hard and La Bamba, the forthcoming Timothée Chalamet Dylan movie, the Beatles Cinematic Universe…

In 1988, Dead C. member Bruce Russell started Xpressway Records, which quickly became a vital center for New Zealand experimental music. This week on The Spindle, John and Marc dip into the 1991 compilation that Xpressway put together for Chicago's Drag City Records, I Hear the Devil Calling Me—12 tracks in less than 12 minutes and all of them a jo…

Fronted by bassist Ned Russin (Title Fight), Glitterer crafts strident and melodic songs with nods to classic D.C. punk like Fugazi and Nation of Ulysses. Initially a solo project, the band's latest album Rationale finds Russin joined by a cast of collaborators including keyboardist, guitarist Connor Morin, and keyboardist Nicole Dao. The record's …

Sam and Jason contend with audio demons and fictional bands. Thrill as they look at Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert's satirical 1970 romp Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Dirk Diggler's stunning tunes from Boogie Nights, 2001's hard rock daydream Rock Star, 2000's record store comedy High Fidelity, Hanna-Barbera and Syd & Marty Croft's late '60s children…

Marc and John are Nirvana agnostics—neither big fans nor big detractors of the Seattle trio. But they do really like the 1990 single "Sliver" b/w "Dive", so on this episode they delve into what makes both songs really good—and what it was like at that weird moment when Nirvana was getting bigger but hadn't yet gotten massively, world-wide huge. Tun…

Sam and Jason are back, armed with two turntables and a microphone. Err, make that two SM7-Bs and an aux cord. The Click duo is looking at the world of samples, pressing play on tunes by Cornershop, Beck, Oasis, Insane Clown Posse, the Verve, Fatboy Slim, Doja Cat, Wu-Tang Clan, Gorillaz, Beastie Boys' sample-delic Paul's Boutique and even more. An…

While Marc and John are gathering new 7" singles to play for you, we've got a Spindle Rewind from the archives: here’s the guys on the 1978 single from Public Image LTD, ”Public Image” b/w “The Cowboy Song.” Dropping the needle on this strident and stark recording, John and Marc dig in on its attendant Beeheartisms and John Lydon's uncompromising a…

LA skate punks FIDLAR specialize in brash, direct tunes. Drawing on a legacy of hard rock and punk, they join us backstage to answer fan questions from the 1-877-WASTOIDS hotline. On this special episode, they share their favorite kind of pancakes, records that inspired them and outline the band's official cigarette replacement policy. Call us anyt…

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but if it's a record instead maybe that's OK? This week on Click Vortex, Sam and Jason are talking covers: good, bad, and ugly from artists like the Beatles, Big Bear, Megadeth, Molly Hatchet, Rolling Stones, and more. Get hip to Hipgnosis, learn the secret history of Sgt. Pepper's iconic sleeve, and…

This time around Marc and John delve into the origins of Royal Trux, via their first 7-inch and second release, "Hero Zero" b/w "Love Is..."—not coincidentally, the record that launched the now-legendary label Drag City. Find out how Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema got the magic working from the get-go on this episode of The Spindle. Call us anyt…

This week on Click Vortex, Sam and Jason discuss internet pioneers and music culture. With the online landscape morphing into something new, we look back on the ways artists like Radiohead, Prince, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren, and Sam's band The Format, and services like the Internet Underground Music Archive and Napster connected fans directly to m…

This time on the Spindle, Marc and John delve into the concept of "bubblegum" pop via 1910 Fruitgum Company's "1,2, 3 Red Light" b/w "Sticky, Sticky", a single so good that it's been covered many times: listen in for versions by Talking Heads, Pooh Sticks, and Apache Dropout. Call us anytime at 1-877-WASTOIDS. More podcasts and videos at WASTOIDS.c…

Is a CD revival underway? This week on Click Vortex, Sam and Jason weigh in on the humble compact disc, discussing its merits, drawbacks, packaging and more. Learn about how Sam brought creative energy to The Format's packaging, watch some vintage news clips, and find out if CDs really are more durable than records. Call us anytime at 1-877-WASTOID…

As 2023 winds to a close, Marc and John take a look back at the first year and half of the Spindle, each choosing their 10 favorite 7-inches from what's been covered so far, plus a few favorite episodes too. From freak out jazz edits to New Zealand rock, experimental rock to classic R&B, there's a little something for everyone here. If you're new t…

This week, your Click Duo Sam Means and Jason Woodbury wander into the frosty wonderland with special guests Anita Means and DJ Johnny Volume. Exploring both Anita and Johnny's yuletide playlists, they riff on classics from Phil Spector's immortal Christmas comp, JD McPherson's rockabilly cheer, Vince Guaraldi, CJ Ramone, various Beatles, Adam Sand…

This week on WASTOIDS With, we’re hanging with Marc Masters. You know him best for his work with NPR, Bandcamp, Pitchfork, and of course his biweekly WASTOIDS show with John Howard, The Spindle, where each episode focuses on a different 7” record. This talk concerns Marc’s latest book, High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette. Marc was inte…