Author Archives: Evan Toth

TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 119: Louis Cato

Supporting a leader isn’t an easy job. The list of responsibilities is long—it’s necessary to pivot with that person, and go with the flow. One must have the ability to look a few yards ahead and anticipate what’s coming just around the corner. If you’ve ever watched a late night television show, watch—or, maybe more appropriately, listen—to the bandleader: the way the music punctuates special moments, how the occasional comments from the host can be countered by a bandleader who is connected and paying attention to the unexpected ebbs and flows that are an integral part of late night television.

Louis Cato may be only beginning his second year as bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but he’s ready to find the spotlight on center-stage, musically, at least. In addition to his work on the Late Show, Cato is a Grammy-nominated and internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter. He has worked with an array of artists including Bobby McFerrin, Snarky Puppy, Jon Batiste, Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest and more. This year he released his newest album titled, Reflections.

So, make a cup of coffee because Louis and I are going to stay up late discussing his new album, the road that led him to late night, and the tricks of the trade involved in supporting an acclaimed talk-show host with one of the most important parts of any late-night program: the music.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 118: Vinyl Williams

So what if it’s a nickname? When people refer to you by the name Vinyl, there’s a reason why. Of course, it also happens to rhyme with this week’s guest’s legal nam—which is Lionel—and you’ll find out the origin of this nomenclature by just staying tuned in.

Lionel (Vinyl) Williams is a California based musician who has created an impressive body of psychedelic work, and he has just released his seventh album, Aeterna. Like his other albums, this one explores the inner (or, maybe outer) reaches of his auditorily psychedelic vision which stretches quite far, and that shouldn’t be surprising, because he’s got some excellent familial genes to rely on: his parents were both musicians and his grandfather also happens to be John Williams. Yes, that John Williams.

So, join me and Vinyl as we talk about musical subgenres, the influence he’s received from his musical family, how he approaches the recording process, and his lifelong trip of musical exploration and experimentation.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 117: Sami Stevens

As large as it seems, the entertainment world is really pretty small. While many folks make the joke about Kevin Bacon and his six degrees of separation from anyone else in the industry, it’s quite possible because everyone in the performing arts world is really only a few steps away from anybody else.

I had my own experience with this phenomenon just a few months ago when I hosted bassist Marty Isenberg on this program to discuss his recently released album featuring jazz covers of music from Wes Anderson films. As I enjoyed his record, I noticed the vocalist who was featured on many of the tracks and whose voice served to tie the project together: Sami Stevens. So, imagine my delight when I learned that she was releasing her first full-length album, Morning, and that she would be available to speak with me on this very podcast! Coincidence, or six degrees of entertainment separation? Whatever it was that led us here, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you accept the invite to learn more about this talented performer and her new work.

Morning is an ambitious first album from any performer, and on this episode you’ll hear Sami explain the process of putting it together, but you’ll also learn more about where she’s come from and, of course, where she’s planning to go. While you’re listening, you might check your social media feeds to learn just how many degrees separate you from Sami Stevens. It’s probably fewer than you think.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 117: John Rzeznik

There are some musical groups and performers whose music is as ubiquitous as having the lights on in a dark room, or water streaming from a kitchen faucet. Some music is more than just songs, it’s as though the words, phrases and messages are ingrained into our psyche. This might not even have anything to do with whether we like the music, or not! It’s just always there: on the radio, of course, but also in echoing hotel lobbies, in the backseat of cramped taxi cabs, in sprawling, neverending mall hallways, and yes—even the occasional elevator ride. Wherever music is, certain songs can be found.

Since 1995, no matter where you’ve gone in the world, at some point, the music of the Goo Goo Dolls has followed you around. You know the choruses and those acoustic guitar riffs almost as intimately as some of their hardcore fans do! To-date, the band has sold over 15 million records worldwide, garnered four GRAMMY® Award nominations, and they have produced nearly a dozen platinum and gold singles combined, and seized a page in the history books by achieving 16 number one and Top 10 hits. It doesn’t matter if it’s “Name,” “Long Way Down,” “Iris,” “Slide,” or “Black Balloon” those songs are our companions, and the lyrics of John Rzeznik are inspiring, especially in the right set of circumstances. The themes of resilience in the face of love, loss, and being lost strike a familiar chord with anyone who stops to listen and soak up the deeper notions that are inside of each song.

Rzeznik joins me on this episode to talk about the band’s new song, “Run All Night,” the band’s recent collaboration with O.A.R on Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down,” and the nationwide tour that they are currently on that will see them performing career-spanning sets at major amphitheaters across the country. So, maybe the next time you’re feeling a little low, a little bit lost, I’ll bet that—wherever you may find yourself—if you bend your ear in the right direction, you might hear John Rzeznik singing a song about staying brave and believing in yourself in the midst of life’s inevitable changes, and that’s a comfort that is much more than just listening to a good song.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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The Best of Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 41: Gary Kemp

Gary Kemp cut his teeth as a band member of the immensely popular 1980s new romantic, synth-pop band, Spandau Ballet. As their chief composer, his participation in the group was fundamental to its success; Kemp is responsible for writing a song that you’ve heard many times—in fact, BMI has awarded it one of the most played songs in American history with 5 million airplays and counting: the 1983 mega-super-hit, “True.”

Kemp released his first solo album Little Bruises in 1995, but now he’s come back again with his first new album in 25 years. It’s called INSOLO and demonstrates his formidable and refined composition chops coupled with his evocative voice. The album was crafted during the pandemic and features some special guests like Queen’s Roger Taylor.

Spandau Ballet is currently on hiatus, but that hasn’t slowed down Kemp. In addition to this new record and his stage and screen acting gigs, he also tackles guitar and vocal duties in Nick Mason’s, Saucerful of Secrets band which performs the early music of Pink Floyd. Kemp also co-hosts the popular music interview podcast The Rockonteurs with Guy Pratt.

Join us as we discuss his clear insights into how he’s approached writing the songs on this new album, the odds of a Spandau Ballet reunion, and to see if he knows my cousin Terry who has been a Spandau Ballet superfan since the early days!

Everything has its time and place, while it’s wonderful to enjoy a small indie band who created a landmark recording on the laptop in their bedroom, don’t discount the seasoned artist who enters the studio to create an expansive and polished masterwork. If you hope to enjoy an expertly executed, blockbuster production this year, Gary Kemp’s new album is the place to start listening.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 116: Joanna Stingray

The Cold War was a time that those of a certain age will remember living through quite vividly, and it included a terrifyingly tangible fear of global nuclear warfare. The Soviet Union was simply seen as an evil empire and the media surrounding America during those years had no problem perpetuating that narrative.

In my case, during the 1980s, it was films like Rocky IV, Red Dawn, or even Spies Like Us that set the diplomatic tone of the time. However, by the early 1990’s, I’d acquired an unusual record titled, Red Wave: 4 Underground Bands from the Soviet Union. I certainly didn’t know what to expect, but I was surprised to discover that the music contained in the album’s grooves was edgy, exciting, and surprisingly contemporary and timeless; it was cool. The Russian bands featured on the album were Aquarium, Kino, Strannye Igry (Strange Games), and Alisa.

Through glasnost and perestroika reforms this record remained in my collection. With the fall of the Soviet Union our Russian relations thawed through the years as they embraced a type of capitalistic culture that seemed somewhat familiar to us Americans. Cold War paranoia, the KGB, wiretaps, and global nuclear warfare gradually faded away.

Recently, however, our collective relationship with Russia has again changed and not for the better. But what an interesting time to learn that the catalyst for the Red Wave album that had been in my collection for so many years has recently released a book, Red Wave: An American in the Soviet Music Underground, detailing her story of how—right in the thick of the Cold War—she fell in love with the underground music and culture of the Soviet Union and how she was determined to bring their sounds to the United States and beyond.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 115: Larry Jaffee and Bryan Ekus of Making Vinyl

Once one delves far enough into a hobby or an interest, they become curious about its inner workings. When it comes to records, you might enjoy those discs on a certain level before you start wondering how music comes from those grooves at all. Who is responsible for producing this material? How are the pressing machines maintained? How does the industry make all of this stuff?

Enter Larry Jaffee and Bryan Ekus—both of whom wear many hats, but who oversee, and co-created—the Making Vinyl conference which is an event bringing together industry professionals, enthusiasts, and experts from the vinyl record manufacturing and music industries. The popular conference serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, networking, and discussing the resurgence and future of vinyl records. The “Making Vinyl” conference continues to be a must-attend event for anyone with an interest in learning more about the nitty gritty of the vinyl trade. Additionally, Larry is an author and professor who literally wrote the book on Record Store Day, Record Store Day: The Most Improbable Comeback of the 21st Century. So, of course we discuss the current happenings at RSD.

If you love records, then there is plenty of information to enjoy in this episode. It’s an opportunity to not just enjoy records from afar, but to begin to scratch the surface in appreciating the hard work and back-end of an industry that grows bigger each day. It’s a chance to investigate and uncover some of the intangibles that make vinyl so darn fun.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 114: Darren Burgos

Artificial Intelligence is a hot button topic of the day. Everyone wonders where the A.I. rabbit hole will lead us, and one of those areas of conversation involves music and media production. For years now, computers have been helping musicians to create their music and also to improve upon whatever it is that they’ve made. From autotune to sampled electronic versions of analog sounds, the digital recording landscape has gone too far to completely turn its back on music production in the 21st century. But, how can this relationship grow without us humans relying too much upon the tools available to us in our digital sheds?

Darren Burgos is doing his part to explore and demonstrate the synergistic connection between digital production and us old fashioned human beings. His recently released album, Connections focuses on electronic pop composition and synthesizers, but his work also ponders the complicated human relationships that live amongst the 0s and 1s. In addition to his work as a musician, Darren is also considered one of the world’s leading experts in Apple’s Logic Pro digital production software; because of this, Darren has taught thousands of new and established musicians how to produce music in the digital realm.

Darren and I discuss his latest release, but also the sometimes perplexing relationship that human beings have with technology; how even with all of our Luddite tendencies, humans have always had an innate and organic need to create and connect with technology. How this relates to music has yet to be fully envisioned, but Darren might be one of the more qualified folks on the planet to imagine what that future looks like. The digital music of the future might sound good, but will it sound human?

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 113: Rob Martinez from Audio Media Grading

Are there records in your collection that you love so much you might consider the possibility of never hearing them again? Such a concept is counterintuitive to a lover of music or sound. Records are made to be played, not hidden away like the dusty storage unit relics in the concluding scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark!

However, I’m sure that by scanning the items on our shelves, there are a few things—perhaps more than a few—that are only there for nostalgic reasons: that copy of our first Beatles 45 that is now scratched and written on; maybe the hastily scribbled Nick Lowe autograph from the early ’80s on an album jacket that’s seen much better days; or, perhaps when a special release hit the market, you had the foresight and clever collecting acumen to purchase a spare. You know, just in case.

Coins, comic books, and baseball cards have long inhabited the world of collectible grading and encapsulation, and if Rob Martinez from Audio Media Grading has his way, so will all physical media associated with sound production. Rob has recently partnered with DJ Steve Aoki to create a process to grade and encapsulate all types of different sound media: vinyl, cassette, CD, and—yes—even 8-track.

The other collectibles mentioned above all feature items that can be extremely lucrative and, of course, their value is reliant upon the condition the thing is in. But who is the ultimate judge of that? For those who aren’t familiar with the collectible grading and encapsulation world, it’s summed up in this way: a customer has an item they believe is of some value, they pay to send that item to a company that will then ascribe a grade to the item, and then the item is encapsulated in some form of thick, nearly impenetrable acrylic holder which is suitable for display. This is done to ensure that the collectible inside retains that grade, so long as the thing stays locked securely within the case.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 112: Stewart Copeland

It’s a real luxury to sit for a while and chat with musicians who have been a part of your life for – well – all of your life. To actually speak with the people who made the sounds that have served as your life’s soundtrack, to ask those things you’ve always wondered about. Who gets to do that? For better, or worse, I’m one of the lucky son of a guns who is allowed to engage directly with many musicians whose work has impacted my life in one way or another for many years. I’m sure you all have some Police records in your collections; what would you ask those fellas if you had a moment of their time?

I asked Stewart Copeland about his newest musical endeavor, it’s called Police Deranged for Orchestra and it features a fresh take on many of the Police classics that you know and love, but they are infused with a new and exciting energy by this musically restless, 7 time Grammy award winning rock star and drumming great. He’s taking the show on the road and wants this new album to serve as a representation of what you might expect in the audience. He’s also completed a new coffee table book titled, Stewart Copeland’s Police Diaries which looks at the lean early years of the Police where Stewart was their drummer, but also their manager.

So, what would you ask Stewart Copeland if you had the chance to chat with him? Well, you’d probably ask questions that are different from mine, but that’s only because his work and music has impacted so many different people in so many different ways that we’d each have our own unique list of comments and questions to bring to him. The best part of speaking with Stewart, however, is listening to him respond! If you’ve ever caught a moment of his interviews, he is funny, candid, intellectual, and straightforward. So, pull up a drum throne; let’s savor the opportunity to speak with one of the greats!

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 111: Sam Blasucci

One never knows what might end up in a songwriter’s sketchpad. It could be random musings about the state of the world, hazy memories about family members, or maybe even inspired creations from the works of other masters. A songwriter’s sketchpad is a diary of sorts for an artist, but can also serve to shed light upon the unconscious interests and influences of the artist themself.

Sam Blasucci recently released his first solo album titled, Off My Stars on Innovative Leisure Records. Listeners will discover a laid-back musical affair featuring Sam as he displays the pages of his metaphorical sketchbook. It’s an organic album featuring the opportunity for an intimate dialogue between listener and artist. Sam is good enough to take us through the journey of the newest album and explain what he had in mind.

We explore the influence that his Italian-American upbringing had and the familial roots that create a certain artistic security. We also discuss the work he’s creating in his other group Mapache, and talk about that most elusive musical instrument, the melodica. It’s one thing to turn the pages of an artist’s sketchbook with the hopes of catching a peek at what the creator was thinking, but it’s even better to have a guided tour from the artist himself. Luckily, Sam doesn’t mind narrating his creations.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 110: Charlie Bruber

Artists need to be inspired to create their best works, and it’s not always easy to have the wherewithal to clearly see the inspiration around us. In fact, for a musician, the insight to this inspiration is often more important than musical or production ability. Listeners love sounds that touch them on an emotional level, but how do you search out that spark? How does the musician find the muse?

This is the journey that Charlie Bruber finds himself traversing on his latest album Finding the Muse, and as you’ll learn, Charlie is open to the idea that there are many sources of inspiration to explore. It may be a famous musician, a vintage keyboard, or something else. In any case, Charlie has created a far-reaching album that delves into all facets of his talents and skills as a multi-instrumentalist and composer. While you’re listening, you may wonder if you’re hearing the same performer, but you’re just seeing all the many different sides of Charlie Bruber.

Charlie joins us directly from his recording studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota and we end up digging through our respective record collections in real-time for a fun back-and-forth about albums we both appreciate. We also discuss Charlie’s other important musical projects, specifically, Black Market Brass on Colemine Records. It’s entirely possible, by joining in on our search for Charlie’s muse, you might be given some direction in finding your own.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 109: Marty Isenberg

One of my old film professors used to say that one had never really seen a film unless they had watched it at least once with the sound off. Audio—be it music, or sound—adds so much detail to a moving picture that sometimes the viewer misses a few visual nuances because they’re also busy listening. While my professor’s approach might be an extreme way to evaluate a movie, there’s no denying that music and film have long had a strong cooperative association. Long before film even had sound, there was always an attempt to fill the auditory gap.

While the days of the chart-topping soundtrack albums are long gone, there are still some directors who lean heavily on the mixtape concept to source sound for their films, and Wes Anderson is one of them. Marty Isenberg is a bassist and composer based in New York City and on July 7th, he’ll release his newest collection of songs pulled from, and inspired by, the films of Wes Anderson. The album will be titled, The Way I Feel Inside and it will be released on the Truth Revolution Recording Collective label. The music is stellar, of course, but the icing on the cake is the album cover which was illustrated by Renan Campus who tapped into the wonder of Anderson’s aesthetic palette.

Marty and I delve not only into the music that Wes Anderson has employed in his films, but we talk a bit about the films themselves. We also discuss the players that Isenberg employed on his auditorily filmic adventure including the outstanding work of Sami Stevens who added vocals to many of the album’s tracks, adding a crucial layer of dynamism and lyrical context to Isenberg’s vision. So, the lights are going down, join me and Marty as we take our seats and listen to the movies of Wes Anderson. Maybe my old film professor should add another layer to his approach: perhaps one should listen to a film at least once without watching it.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 108: Chris Thile

Musical genre can be a very limiting place; it can put fences around the aspirations and creations of musicians, but it can also cause the listener to stay in their own little world without branching out to explore things that they might also enjoy. It takes a strong group of musicians to move beyond those confines and a loyal and dedicated horde of fans and followers who are ready, willing and able to go wherever their favorite artist chooses to lead them.

For all intents and purposes, Nickel Creek is a bluegrass band and features Chris Thile (mandolin), and siblings Sara Watkins (fiddle) and Sean Watkins (guitar), but they stretch the barriers of the genre and bring their fans along for the ride. Believe it or not, even though the band members are all in their early to mid-40s they have been performing together since the late ’80s and so they can read each other’s thoughts musically—and probably otherwise. They have a brand new album on the shelves this year (their first release since 2014) called Celebrants and while it may be a bluegrass record, it is unbound by the confines of any genre: it’s an exciting musical exploration by three excellent musicians with a potent mixture of artistic symmetry and collegiality.

One of those three excellent musicians, Chris Thile, joins me on this episode to discuss the new Nickel Creek album, of course, but to also engage me in a free-flowing conversation about sound, music, composition, working with others, creation, and his own personal musical restlessness and a lifetime of discovery. This talk is a chance to look into the mind of a musician who is always looking out.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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TVD Radar: The Podcast with Evan Toth, Episode 107: May Pang

Life is full of twists and turns; unexpected chapters. Sometimes, we recall certain times and experiences and they bear resemblance to vivid dreams, so much so, we might even ask ourselves, did that really happen? We evolve, we move on, but—no matter where we go—we carry those adventures with us, even if we’re not always aware of the influences.

The life of May Pang took an unexpected detour in her early twenties when she became romantically involved with one of the most famous people on planet Earth, John Lennon. While this period of Lennon’s life is often described as a debaucherous tangent, Pang—who was there at his side through it all—explains it with a bit more context in the new, recently released film she is involved in, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story.

The film tells the tale of how Pang and Lennon met and Yoko Ono’s unique role in their relationship. It also explores Pang’s association with many of the ancillary characters in Lennon’s life. Even though the Beatle’s biography has been exhaustively documented, Pang’s film offers a few surprises that only a true insider would be able to share. May Pang allows me the luxury of asking about some things I always wanted to know. Perhaps I ask a few questions that you’ve always wanted to know about this somewhat mysterious episode. Let’s learn about the ballad of John and May.

Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.

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  • SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL INDIE SHOPS SINCE 2007


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