Frets with DJ Fey

While growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a young Beth Bombara took piano lessons in grade school. By the time she was entering high school, she had become interested in another instrument: her Mom’s electric guitar. She formed a punk band, Green Means Go, wrote some songs with her bandmates, and before long was playing for local audiences and gaining a loyal following. After a

The dB’s debut album Stands for Decibels was released in 1981, the album was praised by critics and over time, came to be loved by many fans who consider it a landmark power pop jangle classic. Stands for Decibels has now been reissued through Propeller Sound Recordings digitally and on CD, but also for the first time in the US on vinyl. My guest today on Frets is singer-songwrit

Brinsley Schwarz met Nick Lowe at school in the 1960s. They played in various bands with different group names and different members. In 1969, the band took the name of their lead guitarist, Brinsley Schwarz. On their studio albums, all from the 1970s, the band was made up of Brinsley along with Bob Andrews, Nick Lowe and Billy Rankin, with the addition of Ian Gomm on guitar and vo

In 1968, St. Louis band The Aerovons were getting noticed in clubs around town. Still in high school, their leader and singer, Tom Hartman, was composing their songs. The band was being managed by Tom’s mother, Maurine. She was determined to see her son and his bandmates make it big. Tom was 16 years old when he, his band and his manager mom made their first pilgrimage to England

Rick Holmstrom has played guitar in and with many bands over the years, backing West Coast blues and soul bands including William Clarke, Smokey Wilson, Johnny Dyer and Booker T. – He’s also enjoyed a very long run with the great Mavis Staples, who he’s touring with again this year. An amazing guitarist. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with Rick.Photo by Greg

You might know her from some of the bands she’s been in or collaborated with, Pink Slip Daddy, The Friggs, Bubble Gun, Palmyra Delran and the Doppel Gang, The Coolies and more as well as her solo songs and albums. You also know her from her very fun and fantastic radio show Trash Pop Treasures on Little Steven’s Underground Garage. On the show today – the one and only Palmyra

A founding member of the profoundly influential band Television, Richard Lloyd has led a fascinating life. He covers a lot of that life in his book Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s and Five Decades of Rock and Roll: The Memoirs of an Alchemical Guitarist. In addition to his time with Television, he played on albums by Matthew Sweet and John Doe and has produced many

Tyler Armstrong grew up in Springfield, Illinois and as a young kid, started banging on pots and pans, developing a love for percussion. Through his parents, he was exposed to both Contemporary Christian music and also secular music. Through his older sister, he also heard a great mix of pop and punk. Tyler appreciated good music, no matter what the genre. His dad was into classic

In the early 1980s, Rick Miller formed the first lineup of Southern Culture on the Skids. Rick had grown up dividing time between his father’s home in North Carolina and his mother’s home in California. Mary Huff, from Roanoke, Virginia was a cello major who also played bass guitar. Upon hearing that Rick’s band was looking for a replacement bass player, Mary joined and also

Obeid Khan, founder of Khan Audio, has been building high quality recording audio devices since 1991. He’s the man behind St. Louis Music’s Ampeg revival and Vintage Club series, Reason Amplifiers and the highly successful Magnatone revival. Throughout the years of his career as a guitar amplifier designer, Obeid has always had an appreciation for the recording medium and its t