Zig At The Gig podcast

Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate

Interview with  Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate.

Steve Wynn is a singer, musician and songwriter. He led the band the Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 in Los Angeles, afterward began a solo career, and then reformed the Dream Syndicate in 2001

 

 

Steve's info : (links to Medicine Show release )

https://www.stevewynn.net/dream_syndicate_medicine_show.php.

 

Steve's Bio:

Steve Wynn was born in Santa Monica, California in 1960 and got his first guitar (a nylon-string acoustic) when he was nine, shortly after which he wrote his first song "Sing My Blues". He formed his first band "The Light Bulbs" that same year and the band made the circuit of parties and school functions; the band's oldest member was ten years old. By the time he was 13, Wynn had played in bands with such colorful names as Purple Passion and Sudden Death Overtime, alternating between his own early originals and songs by Neil Young, The Rolling Stones and The Who.

In the years that followed, Wynn found himself sidetracked by a strong desire to become a sportswriter. Abandoning his electric guitar for a notepad, pen and typewriter Wynn found himself on the other side of the interview, speaking to football, basketball and baseball players and dreaming of one day seeing his name on the masthead of Sports Illustrated.

During his high school years, Wynn entertained notions of becoming a sportswriter but the excitement and immediacy of the punk rock explosion of 1977 brought him back into the world of songwriting and performing. He found himself writing and playing guitar for UC Davis (near Sacramento) New Wave pioneers "Suspects", a band for whom Wynn wrote over 100 songs, none of which he has performed since. A move back to Los Angeles with Suspects lead singer Kendra Smith was the first step towards the formation of The Dream Syndicate, the band with whom Wynn would gain national and eventually international acclaim.

The Dream Syndicate played together for the first time in December 1981 and within three weeks had recorded its self-titled first EP. The record was released in April 1982 and followed six months later by the band's debut album "The Days of Wine and Roses", an album which fans and critics alike still consider one of the best and most important rock albums of all time. Those early years are represented here by "When You Smile" and "That's What You Always Say," songs which have been covered, respectively, by Concrete Blonde and Luna. The band was almost immediately signed by A&M Records for whom it recorded the landmark "Medicine Show" (the title song opens this compilation), a record that was recently named one of the 40 best rock albums of all time by the London Guardian and whose songs have been covered by REM and The Black Crowes among many others.

Several years of worldwide touring (including several trips to Europe and Japan and Australia) followed before the band broke up at the end of 1988. Wynn has said "As proud as I was of The Dream Syndicate, our music and our accomplishments I felt we had reached our peak and everything that followed would have been a disappointment. I wanted to be a band that broke up while we were still doing our best work."

In 1990 Wynn came back with his first solo offering "Kerosene Man," an album of incredible diversity that showed Wynn's enormous growth as a songwriter and record-maker. The songs "Carolyn" and "Tears Won't Help" were among the most-played songs that year on Modern Rock radio stations and his video for "Carolyn" was in regular rotation on MTV for six weeks. The follow-up "Dazzling Display" was Wynn's most elaborate production to date, a dizzying synthesis of the best rock music of the previous 30 years featuring the talents of, among others, REM's Peter Buck, Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano and members of The Bangles, The Turtles and the touring bands of Lou Reed and Tracy Chapman.

A four-day writing vacation in Richmond, Virginia with the House of Freaks' Bryan Harvey turned into the side-project supergroup Gutterball who released two albums, garnered overwhelming press response and built a frenetic cult following; the Black Crowes took the band out as its opening act even before the first Gutterball record was released. Not one to stand still, Wynn followed the success of Gutterball with the more introspective "Fluorescent", an album whose single "Carelessly" picked up heavy radio play throughout the US and Europe.

In 1994, Wynn moved to New York City. He harnessed the excitement and energy of his new home in his record "Melting in the Dark". The two albums that followed,"Sweetness and Light" and "My Midnight", found Wynn settling into the sound that would define the next phase of his solo career.

In 2001, Steve went to Tucson and recorded the double album "Here Come the Miracles" which was released to overwhelming critical acclaim. The album was seen as a stunning comeback and appeared on many year-end critics' surveys along with winning Best Alternative Rock Album by the American Federation of Independent Music. The album was followed by "Static Transmission" and "...tick...tick...tick", both also recorded in Tucson with his new backing unit "The Miracle 3" and which were viewed as part of a "Desert Trilogy" that is seen by many as the best work of his career.

But Wynn has never been one to settle into an easy or predictable groove. Since the last of the desert trilogy he has recorded "Cast Iron Soul", a new Danny & Dusty album with Green On Red's Dan Stuart, joined forces with his wife and drummer Linda Pitmon and legendary Spanish producer Paco Loco to concoct the twisted pop side project "Smack Dab", and collaborated with the Walkabouts' Chris Eckman in Slovenia on the lush and lavish "Crossing Dragon Bridge", a record that made up a tandem of new releases in 2008 with "The Baseball Project", a baseball song cycle collaboration with Pitmon and also Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck of REM and the Minus 5.

In the midst of such a prolific recording career, Wynn has still found time to average over 100 shows a year all over the world. He has found himself as welcome in Rome, Oslo, Athens, Brussels, London and Madrid as he has in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. And for the devoted fans he has made in these and many other cities, his extensive discography of music reflects the consensus among fans: that Steve Wynn is one of the most adventurous, accomplished and exciting songwriters of the last few decades. If all of this is still news to you, just put on this cd and get ready to join the legions of people who have enjoyed Wynn's dazzling display of songs over the last 25 years.

 

Nick Hexum of 311

Interview with : Nick Hexum of 311

Nick Hexum is a singer, rapper, songwriter and guitarist who is the frontman for the alternative rock band 311 and The Nick Hexum Quintet.

Tickets for Nick Hexum and Water Tower Band at Grog Shop CLE OH Mar -31-26 : https://grogshop.gs/tm-event/nick-hexum-with-water-tower/

Nick's Info :

https://www.nickhexum.com

https://311.com

 

Robert Deeble

Interview with singer songwriter Robert Deeble.

Born in 1966 in Long Beach, California, Robert cut his teeth as a songwriter in the gritty
underground of the LBC, which introduced him to longtime collaborators like drummer Stephen
Hodges (Mike Watt/Tom Waits) and folk heroine Victoria Williams, who helped launch his early
records. His 1998 release, EarthSide Down, earned notice for its orchestral textures and spirit-
infused lyrics—reminiscent of Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake. By his third album, Paste had
described him as “truly an arresting talent, able to gain entry to places rarely imagined by most
songwriters. Following his This Bar Has No One Left EP in 2005, Deeble completed a Master’s
degree in psychology—a journey that has deeply informed his songwriting and emotional
perspective. His 2012 album Heart Like Feathers marked his musical return, with themes of

Robert Deeble - Bio

depression and struggle but with “a redemptive hope that brought glimmers of light (Performer
Magazine).” Robert emerged again in 2018, with one of his more personal works, Beloved. Born
from his experience of fostering and then adopting a child with his wife, the album captures the
agony and tenderness of temporarily caring for a child, the heartbreak of letting her go, and,
finally, becoming her parent. Robert’s recordings over the years have featured such industry
veterans as Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists), Jen Wood (The Postal Service), Tomo
Nakayama and others. He has shared bills with artists such as Low, IDA, Jason Molina, Sam
Phillips, M. Ward, Over the Rhine, Mike Watt, Damien Jurado, David Bazan and Victoria
Williams.
The Space Between Us shows Deeble to be a craftsman of understated, emotionally resonant
songwriting. Or as Bandcamp put it, "Every new record from Seattle musician Robert Deeble is
like stumbling across some secret grotto.

 

Robert's info: 
https://robertdeeble.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Deeble

https://robertdeeble.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.instagram.com/rdeeble/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/robert.deeble.music/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/42LPbMxQThbZsibL4OdqMZ

 

Jerid O'Connell of The Rousers

Interview with Jerid O'Connell of The Rousers.

The Rousers were formed in 1977 in New York CIty by Jeff Buckland (vocals), Bill Dickson (rhythm guitar), John Hannah (bass), Tom Milmore (lead guitar) and Jerid O'Connell (drums). They auditioned at CBGB, where they were noticed by famed Max's Kansas City booker Peter Crowley. The Rousers genial "Rhythm and Twang" sound soon earned them a following, and the band performed all around the New York area, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Boston.

The Rousers released a single in 1981 on Jimboco Records of "Party Boy" and "Don't Let the Band Stop Playing" produced by MC5 legend Wayne Kramer. (An early limited edition included a red FlexiDisc of "Christmas Party".)

In 1982 Sal Capozucca and Brett Wilder respectively took over on drums and bass. This lineup continued until 1984. Jeff Buckland left music and went on to a successful career in animation. The other members went on to various other bands (Bill and Brett joined The Backbones, Tom and Sal to Syntax Error, Treasure Head, etc.) and continued to play and record in the New York area.

Around 1986, the Praise Jockeys were formed with Bill, Brett, Tom and Sal. The band featured a heavier, riff happy sound. Their "Look at My Face" CD was released in 2021.

Bill, Tom and Sal next formed The Mockingbirds with keyboard player Chris Pondish. The Mockingbirds released the CD "Broken Times" in 2021. That band transformed into The Shambles (Bill, Tom, Sal and Rob Noname). Brett continued to play in several bands, including The Vacant Lot.

Around 1995 The Rousers began playing as a quartet with Bill on vocals and guitar, Brett on bass, Tom on guitar and Sal on drums. This lineup recorded several songs at Purple Light Studio in Brooklyn which was released as "All the King's Men" in 2021.

Brett left to pursue his musical muse, sometimes rejoining The Rousers, but mainly going his own way. The Rousers continued with Bill now on bass and vocals. Henry Kandel was added on saxophone from about 2000-2002. After that, the Rousers recorded and performed as a trio. The band released a CD ("Playing the Rock and Roll For You") in 2012, and an EP in 2018 ("Kickin'"). Drummer Sal Capozucca died of Covid May 13,2020.

 

Pick up a copy for The 1979 Sire Session here :

https://www.leftfordeadrecords.com/

1979-sire-session

Smitti Supab of Captain Buckles

Interview with Smitti Supab of Captain Buckles

After years of incubating, Captain Buckles has found its own trademark sound steeped in
the grooves and funk of New Orleans and the elements that make American music
emotionally moving and stylistically unique. The band jams hard while emphasizing
musical exploration and dynamic subtlety, showing the inspiration from of icons like The
Meters, Allman Brothers, and The Band but utilizing those influences to create a style all
their own.
The members of Captain Buckles include New Orleans born-and-raised Rob Davis and
drummer Ezell Smith Jr., as well as Los Angeles transplant Smitti Supab on bass,
Pennsylvanian keyboardist Phil Breen (yep, the group has two guys tickling the 88’s),
who’ve both played professionally in the Crescent City for 13+ years. Florida ex-pat Alex
Mallet is the newcomer of the crew having arrived a mere eight years ago. Before
forming Captain Buckles, the members had performed with each other in various line-ups
for years between touring as backing musicians with national and international acts like
Eric Lindell, Samantha Fish, Russell Batiste, John , Glen David Andrews,
and many others. They transitioned to working as a distinctive, butt-shaking unit all their
own two years ago, a no-nonsense brotherhood of hard-working sidemen, championing
good vibes and an intense love of music.

 

Captain Buckles Info:
www.captainbucklesband.com 

facebook.com/captainbucklesband

instagram.com/captainbucklesband

open.spotify.com/artist/3q8yPNmKITP14G9YOEnnrV

www.youtube.com/@captainbucklesband

music.apple.com/il/artist/captain-buckles/1758847494

www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0D9WR9Y79/captain-buckles captainbucklesband.bandcamp.com

 

 

 

Todd Forman (Aka DR Todd ) saxophonist for Sublime , Sublime with Rome, and Jelly Of The Month Club

Interview with Todd Forman (Aka DR Todd ) saxophonist for Sublime , Sublime with Rome, and Jelly Of The Month Club.

Todd began his professional music career as sax player for Sublime in 1989. Since then he has gone on to track albums and play with dozens of acts, including ​​a world-tour for two years with Sublime with Rome from 2009-2011. ​

Todd then built a music studio and founded Jelly of the Month Club, a band for kids aged 1-100. Jelly strives to be the best first musical handshake for children with a focus on music appreciation and music education. ​

In 2017, Todd joined forces with Adrian Young, of No Doubt fame, to form the Moxy Brothers production team. They compose, play and produce for independent artists and score music for movies and other commercial ventures.

Todd's Info:

https://www.toddforman.com

Order a copy of Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. Sea vol 1 on vinyl here : https://dongiovannirecords.com/collections/preorders/products/bert-susanka-well-qualified-to-represent-the-l-b-sea-2x12

 

Brad Conyers of The Ziggens

Interview with Brad Conyers (aka Brad Ziggen ) of The Ziggens.

Brad is a drummer, singer, and songwriter who has an incredibly diverse musical career from playing with the Ziggens to working with Glen Campbell. Brad shares stories that span from the basement beginnings, encounters with KISS, playing with sublime, all the way up to the Ziggens last release Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. SEA vol 1, and 2.

 

Order a copy of Well Qualified to Represent the L.B. Sea vol 1 on vinyl here : https://dongiovannirecords.com/collections/preorders/products/bert-susanka-well-qualified-to-represent-the-l-b-sea-2x12

 

A bit on The Ziggens : The Ziggens are an American band based out of Huntington Beach, California, United States, whose self-described style of "cowpunksurfabilly" combines elements of cowpunk, surf, rockabilly, punk, ska, and country. The Ziggens were led by Bert Susanka who sang and played rhythm guitar. Other members include Dickie Little on lead guitar, Jon Poutney on bass, and Brad Conyers who plays the drums and provides background vocals.[3] The Ziggens have been playing since the early 1990s and have developed a strong following in Southern California. The Ziggens were contemporaries with Sublime and were originally signed to their label Skunk Records. Their song "Big Salty Tears" was covered and popularized by Bradley Nowell on the Sublime acoustic album. The Ziggens, and more specifically Susanka, were also mentioned in the Sublime song "Greatest Hits". Also, their song "Outside" is sampled in the Sublime song "Smoke Two Joints" for the line "Smoked cigarettes 'til the day she died!".

Michael Hampton aka Kidd Funkadelic of Parliament Funkadelic

After receiving his first guitar at age 10, a determined Michael became self-taught with the
help of his bedroom radio, spending days on end playing along with Jimi Hendrix, Wes
Montgomery and B.B. King records. After studying jazz guitar in high school, an impromptu
backstage audition for George Clinton in 1974 earned 17-year-old Michael a seat on the
Parliament mothership alongside the immortal Eddie Hazel, under the name “Kidd
Funkadelic”.

Hampton has spent the past half-century playing nearly 400 shows with the band, in 25 countries across 6 continents. Highlights include multiple appearances at world-renowned
festivals like Montreux Jazz, Glastonbury, Reading, Woodstock ’99, Coachella, Bonnaroo,
Roskilde, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock, and Isle of Wight, and venues like the Apollo Theater, The
Fillmore, Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Troubadour, Red Rocks, The
Beacon, and Sydney Opera House. Among Hampton’s Funkadelic writing credits are group staples like “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” and “Funk Gets Stronger”, both released during the group’s late- ’70s/early-’80s hit run. His lead guitar is also embedded in the DNA of 90s hip-hop’s G- Funk movement—Dr. Dre’s “Let Me Ride” samples Parliament’s “Mothership Connection”, Ice Cube’s “Bop Gun” borrows elements of Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove”, while De La Soul’s “Me Myself and I”, Digital Underground’s “Kiss You Back”, and Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name?” all draw from Funkadelic’s “(Not Just) Knee Deep”.
Michael’s colleagues include George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker,
Charlie Wilson, Dewayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight, Fred Wesley & The JB’s, Chuck Treece,
Dean Ween, Primal Scream, Digital Underground, Too $hort, and Deee-Lite. Michael’s
contributions to the Parliament Funkadelic catalog have also influenced famed artists like
Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Outkast, D’Angelo and Janelle Monáe, among many others. As
of 2025, Michael has appeared on over 30 separate major label releases.

Though best known for his role in the funk guitar pantheon, Hampton is also an
accomplished multi-instrumentalist, with drums, keys, and synth programming credits
across the Parliament discography.

Michael Hampton's info

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/michaelwhampton/

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rhBe5DqUbACYzqerQa9R0

TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@ma_wa_ha

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/p/Michael-Hampton-100040199001670/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@MaWaHa

 

H.R. of Bad Brains & The Human Rights Band

Interview with H.R. of Bad Brains & The Human Rights Band Ezekiel Zagar, Dane Foltin, Hektor Bee, & Sean Mclaren.

 

Bad Brains had a massive impact by shattering racial stereotypes in punk and hardcore, pioneering a genre-bending musical style that fused punk, reggae, funk, and metal, and inspired countless bands across rock, metal, hip-hop, and alternative music. Their ethos of a "Positive Mental Attitude" (PMA) and the raw energy of their live shows also created a lasting spiritual and creative movement for generations of musicians.

 

Hear H.R.'s new album, keep updated with tour dates, and snag a copy of I've I got The P.M.A ! with link below

HRmusichttps://bio.site/HRmusic

 

H.R. has teamed up with C-Level, recording a track for their forthcoming concept album. The track is called What's Left and can be heard using links below.

Spotify

Band Camp

 

Corey Ledet Zydeco

Corey Ledet Zydeco returns to the show to talk about his new live album Live In Alaska !

Have accordion, will travel. That’s been Corey Ledet’s motto for most of his three decades as a
zydeco musician. During a tour of Russia, Ledet enjoyed VIP treatment with his own security detail. Fans were eager to touch his band’s zydeco rubboard, a metal vest that’s worn over the shoulders to scratch out a rhythm. Fascinated admirers dubbed it the “magic instrument.”
With trips to Hawaii, Canada and throughout Europe also on his resume, Ledet yearned to
preserve the energy of those road shows. But the time and place for a live recording never lined
up. “When the Anchorage Folk Festival came up, I said this might be a good opportunity,” said
Ledet, 44, a two-time Grammy nominee. “So I talked to the people over there about it.
“When I got there, they had all the equipment to record. I got to thinking about Clifton
Chenier, a lot of his live recordings were done away from home. It worked for the King of
Zydeco. I said, ‘Let me try this’.” The result is Live in Alaska, the first live album for Corey Ledet Zydeco and his mysterious, new accordion, “Black Magic.” After sifting through three days of recording, the band settled on 11 tracks that demonstrate Ledet’s title, “The Accordion Dragon.”
The album features live renditions of English and Creole hits from Ledet’s previous 15 CDs.
“Alaska Funk,” a new track, is an impromptu, onstage jam with Ledet and his skilled, Louisiana
entourage. “We created that song live on the spot,” said Ledet. “Like I told the audience ‘It’s amazing when you have great musicians, you can almost create a song off the top of your head’.”
Improvisation is in his Ledet’s blood.

Corey Ledet was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and spent his Summers with relatives in
small-town Parks, where he was exposed to their Kouri-Veni language and Creole traditions.
This molded and shaped Corey’s world in a profound way. This culture has its roots in
Louisiana, but eventually spread across the country, including into neighboring Texas. When he
returned home after Summer, Corey was able to remain immersed in the Creole culture he

learned to love. He learned everything he could about Creole culture – the traditions, the food,
and most importantly, the music -- so that he could incorporate it into all aspects of his life.
His love for Creole/Zydeco music was instant and hard to ignore. Ledet studied the originators
of the music like Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, and Boozoo Chavis. His studies branched out
to include any (and all) Zydeco artists.  At the age of 10, Corey started picking up shows as
drummer for Houston’s Wilbert Thibodeaux and the Zydeco Rascals and slowly learned his way
around the main instrument of the style – accordion. He came to truly love every type of
accordion: the single-note, triple-note and piano key … as well as still more exotic species! He
worked at building his skills and coming to know knew each one intimately.
By the time he graduated from high school, Ledet was certain that music would be the focus of
his future. Eventually, he moved to Louisiana to be fully immersed in his beloved Creole culture.
To this day, Corey Ledet remains true to his family and cultural roots and looks for ways to
incorporate them in his musical work and style of living. He’s created his own unique style out
of the diverse influences of the many musicians he’s studied, blending old and new styles of
Zydeco, and more!
https://www.facebook.com/corey.ledet.39

www.coreyledet.com

https://www.instagram.com/coreyledetzydeco/