The Self Portrait Gospel :: Podcast

Season 8 Ep. #8 - Marissa Nadler

Now based in East Nashville, not too far from our little operation here in Tennessee, the subliminal songstress and mistress of melodic mastery, Marissa Nadler, has been gracing the alchemical airwaves for nearly two decades with her majestic meditations on life, death, love, memory, and several other elements of the human experience. Having signed with the Brooklyn-based label Sacred Bones Records in 2013 for the release of her monumental classic "July." She has since carved a captivating path of poetic perfection and otherwordly observations into the heart and soul of some of the most trepidatious topics that her peers Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan articulated so well throughout their careers.  We sit down to speak with Nadler about her new album "New Radiations" and just how private and personal this material is compared to her previous releases throughout her incredibly disciplined discography over the years, while simultaneously balancing being your own boss in the radically opinionated world that is the internet. "New Radiations" is a brilliant collection of songs that uplift the soul from the overwhelming depths of darkness by shining a lavish into the cryptic corners of the room, only to reveal the spiritual significance of beauty in its simplest form.

Season 8 Ep. #7 - IIyas Ahmed (Grails)

We're back for another exciting episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast with our friend, the talented multi-instrumentalist, artist, and fellow Nicolas Cage enthusiast, IIyas Ahmed. Pulling up a digital chair to chat with us about his visceral vision of the world and the people in it, the never-ending landscape of jazz, and its related juxtaposition, Ahmed tells the tonal tale joining the melodic machine that is Grails, his favorite films, a solo career that spans over two decades, and the intimate instincts it takes to be an artist in this day and age. Having come from a Greek/Pakistani background, Ahmed, like most of his generation, connected with the critical climate of the punk and hardcore bands of the 1980s before establishing a more spiritual setting on the melodic meter of self-discovery and existential expression. While exploring the atmospheric alchemy of instrumental music and its cinematic nature, Ahmed's overall style and approach are undeniably universal, as he confidently communicates a language that is both lyrical and legitimate.  

Season 8 Ep. #6 - Blake Mills

From the shapeshifting subleties of his spiritual practices in sound, tonal texture, and electrifying emotion, to the carefully cinematic essence of his eager expressions behind the scenes, there isn't much the West Coast-based, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Blake Mills can't do. He's come a long ways since his classic 2010 debut "Broken Mirrors," while simultaneously capturing the critical chemistry of some of your favorite artists in between his sonic shifts and radical responsibilities in the studio.  On this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we sit down with Mills for a long-awaited chat to discuss his most recent effort with legendary bassist and all-around master of melody, Pino Palladino, "That Wasn't A Dream." A breathtaking entry into the fundamentals of fusion, ritualistic rhthms, and lucid language between two incredible artists, Mills take us on a journey through his unique process, atmospheric approach, and tonal theories, while we kick back and marvel at the totality of his techniques, amighty attention to detail, and much more.

Season 8 Ep. #5 - Spencer Tweedy

Chicago-based drummer, producer, and multi-displinary artist Spencer Tweedy has played music as long as he can remember. Growing up in a musical household, to say the least, Spencer gravitated towards his father Jeff Tweedy, founding member of such notable acts as Unlce Tupelo and Wilco, and his profession by quickly navigating his very own unique path in music. On this episode of The Self Portrait Gospel Podcast, we speak to Spencer about the critical connection he has with music, participating in bands like Case Oats, Tweedy/Jeff Tweedy, who is set to release their brand-new triple LP "Twilight Override" later this year, touring with Waxahatchee, the balance of life, and work, the climate of the music industry, and much more. 

Season 8 Ep. #4 - Peter Stampfel (The Holy Modal Rounders)

Hailing from a period in time that, to this day, continues to birth bands and artists all around the world, New York-based multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and one-half of perhaps one of the most influential bands of its time, The Holy Modal Rounders, Peter Stampfel has been creating music, and art for well over half a century. From the Rounders to the death-defying dynamics of The Fugs, and a million other lives inbetween, Stampfel's poetically prolific body of work is compelling to say the least, as the veteran musician takes us on a journey from one end of the galaxy to other end of the table in a cosmic conversation that ignites the spirit of creative change. His most recent effort, "Song Shards," carefully captures the essence of youth, eager advertisments of the past, and a friendly reminder to stop and appreciate the small things as the 46-track collection unfolds into a beautiful flower of friendliness.