Psychedelic Currents, Modern Fires

The storm outside was real, but the conversation turned into shelter. We sat down with John Treanor of Tombstones in Their Eyes to trace the long arc from childhood piano lessons and punk’s fearless ethic to the fully realized pulse of Asylum Harbor. What emerged is a candid look at how modern psychedelic rock, shoegaze, and dream pop can still feel dangerous, beautiful, and cohesive—an album you play all the way through, not a playlist fragment.John walks us through the band’s origin story, from Dropbox demos with James Cooper to the steady climb through EPs and albums that shaped their sound. We unpack the contrast between Sea of Sorrow’s heaviness and Asylum Harbor’s unified mood, why he writes fast instead of chasing perfection, and how that urgency translated into organic college radio momentum well beyond the typical promo cycle. Along the way, we swap scene notes on Spacemen 3, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Dandy Warhols, The Black Angels, and other psych staples, plus overlooked gems like Guitaro and Jesus On Heroin that deserve fresh ears.Visual identity matters here too: the recurring ship‑in‑a‑storm artwork, a metaphor for getting through life, created by different artists each release, with Asylum Harbor’s striking cover from South Africa’s One Horse Town. We also talk discovery in 2020s rock—how Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are feeding a healthy underground—and why album flow, deep harmonies, and longer tracks still build a deeper bond than instant singles ever could. John closes with news of a bigger live lineup featuring dual female vocalists, a focus on becoming a powerful stage act, and smart, targeted touring on the West Coast with an eye toward the East.If you care about psychedelic rock, shoegaze, and the art of making records that hold together like a film, this one’s for you. Hit play, share it with a friend who lives for deep cuts, and if it moved you, subscribe and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.Send us Fin-mail!Support the show