Singsongers

Live from The Library bar in NYC, Nils talks to Dino about polishing turds, Xmas songs, outer space songs, and his band Future Folk. Find his music here: https://futurefolk.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skull Juice merges into Singsongers, exit Dana and Tish and enter Kali Kazoo, up from the gutterpunk scene and no longer sounding like Bob Dylan, but often using the banality of things around her to add meaning to her work. Plus more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before we get into the music, a brief summary of sex - and isn't that the real music? No, probably not. Moon Zappa sits down to talk about Valley Girl, a harsh music review she receieved, and some of her old musical adventures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vomiter or Cole Miner, which type of Singsonger are you? "Sometimes, I'm of the mind if you write some music, the music tells you what the song is about." Inara George joins Dino to talk Christmas, covers, writing with a partner - and a "partner." Listen to her brand new single, Young Adult, here: https://soundcloud.com/imgeorge-1/young-adult-3 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damon Gentry gets in the Christmas spirit with Dino, but only for the first song, and it's a dark one. "At lot of times, honestly, I start with the first line of the song." Our theme this morning is that everything fades, everything dies. But it's all in good fun and Damon has more songs to play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to write some songs. Dana Snyder on slide whistle. Tish on a nearby chair. Together they help Dino finally get started on his Sorry About Everything songs... or do they? It's almost like a continaution of this week's Skull Juice, but all about music and slightly about Joe Pesci. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I learned guitar in high school, but I think piano." Paul Janeway talks about deep Southern Baptist, Alabama, writing on piano, breaking the Tiny Desk during his Tiny Desk concert, those nerds playing horns, writing a specific song (recipe, city, or phone number?), and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Songwriting. How do you do it?" Dino asks Ashi Dala, half of HOTT MTT. Writing can be frightening, so bring a partner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"... right now I have four or five songs fully completed, but need the melodic, lyrical attention [which] takes me the longest." Danny Tamberelli joins to talk about writing on bass and intertwining that with guitar, his band Jounce, exploding drummers, working with Iggy Pop, and more. Find his music and touring schedule here: https://jounce.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob and Dan, 25 years, over 300 songs, trying to write together, trying to break the rules they learned, starting to fuck with each other’s lyrics. They talk about their influences, what happens to the songs you wrote with someone who left, making eye contact with bandmates. You can find their music here: https://www.facebook.com/TheCwords/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The songwriter gets all the credit, but in the background the other band members add their own parts, working the melodies, finding the counter melodies, and building the song with each new take. Dino, Ron, and Church take five cracks at Sorry About Everything’s “I’m Up Here,” with Ron adding to it each time. “This story will continue to be updated.” Bob and Ron's Record Club here: https://www.dahl.com/bob-and-ron/ David Singer And The Sweet Science here: https://davidsinger.bandcamp.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emerging from a coal mine of singsonging, Jenny O tells Dino about a nightmare of writing, seasons of melodic ideas, the process of writing her song ‘Lazy Jane,’ and more and more. Now, remember: it’s all about the vowel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes all you need is a beach chair in your backyard and the sun, shining down like the light of God, and the song writes itself. Psychedelic Cumbia Punks, Thee Commons bring a guitar riff, then a melody, and away they go. Find their music here: http://www.theecommons.com/ Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe @ smarturl.it/singsonger Oh! Check out our survey @ smarturl.it/feralsurvey See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every now and then Dino has a question about rhyming… Leslie Stevens has answers. The constraint of having to rhyme improves her poetry, she says. “Things will emerge…” Try a different chord or - even - instrument if you get stuck. “Every instrument can give you a jumping off point that’s totally new.” She plays a couple of songs and nearly writes one with Dino. Find her music at her website: http://lesliestevensusa.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Egocentric and self-hating? Is that what makes a good songwriter? Polish something up and take a shit on it, says Tim Kasher. Find the right way and put in the ugly chord. Dino and Tim consider the right and the rough and whether one knows what’s a hit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“...what comes out of that mental state is - twisted.” Richard Edwards talks about working through illness and coming out creative on the other side. What else does he want to be asked about? Rhyming?! His daughter joins to sing a song of her own. A family of Singsongers. See his music video for “Moonwrapped” (made by Starburns Industries): https://vimeo.com/216259285 And find his latest album, Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset here: https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/products/lemon-cotton-candy-sunset See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Writing is planning out a conversation.” John ‘Jughead’ Pierson and Dino get frustrated with words, but push through. That’s why we’re here. Mix up your strumming, use your other writing projects to help your songwriting, and a good chorus can be tough, but it helps.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let the open chords control the song. Jesse Hughes and Jorma Vik from Eagles Of Death Metal join Dino to talk writing collaboratively (benevolent dictators), staying horny (jacking on), writing for others and more and more. Feel the audience out, folks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writing drunk, Dino can relate. Writing backward too. Conspiracies, other podcasts, starting his own label, getting emotional, improvisation, Dino and Church get into it all and more with Rikky. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writing about your kids may not always be interesting, but they do affect your songs. Eleni Mandell sits down with Dino to talk about writing after having kids, music that just falls out, her favorite writers, and whether Dino should be working harder on his songs. Find her music at: http://elenimandell.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.