Bandsplain

Whitmer Thomas ('Terminal Crew of Dudes,' 'Weapons') joins Yasi to break down "Iris," the Goo Goo Dolls hit that became one of the defining songs of the late ’90s. They discuss the song’s origins on the 'City of Angels' soundtrack, the band’s punk beginnings, John Rzeznik’s singular and deeply inspiring (to Whitmer) hairstyle, and that iconic, rain-drenched performance of "Iris" in their hometown of Buffalo that somehow made a perfect song even more perfect. Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Whitmer Thomas @whitmerthomas Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for a loaded mailbag, and Yasi is handling this one solo. She’s tackling questions on skin-care routines, the importance of physical media, and the best venues for seeing a show. Plus: Learn whether 24 is too old. (Spoiler: It’s not.) Next, Iceage’s Elias Bender Ronnenfelt and Johan Suurballe Wieth join Yasi to discuss their new album, 'For Love of Grace & the Hereafter.' They talk about the Copenhagen music scene, the epiphany of direction, scoring films, and befriending crows.  Check out Iceage’s ‘For Love of Grace & the Hereafter’ here  Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Johan Suurballe Wieth @iceage Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrien Bridges  Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Fennessey joins Yasi to build the Music Biopic Hall of Fame, from the 1940s to today. Along the way, they consider what makes a great music biopic, why rock and roll lends itself so well to the genre, and why a great central performance doesn’t always mean a great movie. Plus: Yasi’s cocurated Criterion Channel collection, the movies that belong in the trash, and the TV movie that ‘Odyssey’ star Matt Damon really deserved an Oscar for. Check out the curated Criterion Channel collection here. Plus: Yasi and Sean on 24 Hour Party People And the Top 20 on Letterboxd Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Sean Fennessey @seanfennesseyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Jon JonesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by returning guest Patrik Sandberg to revisit the soundtrack to 1980 cult film ‘Times Square.’ They cover the scrapped love story between its two leads, the producer’s efforts to turn the project into the next ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ and the decision to market its sprawling punk and new wave soundtrack ahead of the movie itself. Plus: Patrik’s mini deep dive on legendary producer Robert Stigwood and why the greatest influence 'Times Square’ had might be on the generation that followed it. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges  Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rob Harvilla joins Yasi to revisit the music of the John Hughes coming-of-age classic ‘Pretty in Pink.’ They discuss the film’s defining mix of new wave and college rock, the eponymous Psychedelic Furs song and its misinterpretation, the ’80s classics that were written specifically for the movie, and why ‘Pretty in Pink’ remains one of the decade’s essential soundtracks. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Rob Harvilla @harvillaProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amanda Dobbins joins Yasi to take on the Oscar-, Grammy-, and Golden Globe-winning soundtrack to 'Working Girl.' They trace Carly Simon’s path to penning “Let the River Run,” how the Eagles nearly provided the movie’s defining song instead, and the iconic sneakers-to-heels commuter transition. Plus: Who almost played the lead, how much did that apartment really cost, and gifts from Kansas. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbinsProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanna Robinson joins Yasi to break down one of the defining soundtracks of the ’80s: 'Dirty Dancing.' They get into the real-life tension between Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze that became undeniable on-screen chemistry, the soundtrack’s seamless blend of ’60s nostalgia and ’80s pop hits, Swayze’s surprise turn as a recording artist with the hit song ‘She’s Like the Wind,’ and how the music helped transform a modestly budgeted film into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Joanna Robinson @jowrotethisProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna Month icon Patrik Sandberg is back to help Yasi break down 'Confessions II,' Madonna’s return to the dance floor. They break down the album’s callbacks to New York nightlife, the name-checks from Debi Mazar and Mark Kamins to Basquiat and Keith Haring, and why Madonna is revisiting one of her most beloved eras. Plus, our review (we love it)! CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guests: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Jamie Yukich  Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi and returning guest Bre Morell discuss their favorite new albums that came out this spring. Plus, the new singles from their most anticipated albums of the summer! Next, Yasi talks with Domenic “Nicky” Palermo of Nothing about their latest album, ‘a short history of decay’, his Slide Away Music Festival and so, so much more. Episode PlaylistListen to the Best New Music of Spring 2026 hereAnd in case you missed it, listen to the Best New Music of Winter 2026 episode with Chris Ryan  here CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Bre Morell @bremorell, Domenic “Nicky” Palermo @bandofnothingProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by musician and producer Anthony Anzaldo (Ceremony, Anthony Family) to unpack 'Purple Rain,' the soundtrack that took Prince from rising pop star to household name. They discuss the making of the film, the role of The Revolution, the live recording that became the title track, Morris Day and The Time (and of course, Jerome), and how Prince blended rock, funk, and pop to create a wholly new sound, turning a soundtrack into a blockbuster event and the biggest album of his career. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Anthony Anzaldo @anthonyxfamilyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna Month (OK, six weeks) is coming to a close, and it’s going out with a bang! First, Yasi is joined by the original Madonna influence, her mom, Fattaneh Salek! It all started here, from picking Madonna favorites while still in a stroller to transcribing lyrics for future sing-alongs. Then, Patrik Sandberg is back to help Yasi answer all your burning Madonna questions. What was Madonna’s best hair era? Who would the dream Madonna alt-rock collab be? And most importantly, why isn’t Gen Z properly celebrating Madonna?! Plus, they rank their top five Madonna songs (but we still don’t agree with rankings)! Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Fattaneh Salek and Patrik Sandberg @patriksandbergProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by Amanda Dobbins and Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture to reconsider Madonna’s life on film, including her breakout role in Desperately Seeking Susan, box office hits like Dick Tracy and A League of Their Own, polarizing works like Body of Evidence, and of course her most critically acclaimed film work, Evita. They discuss Madonna the cinephile, the vulnerability required to be a great artist, the unfair criticism that followed Madonna the actress, and what they think her best film is. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins and Sean Fennessey @seanfennesseyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by journalist and critic Caryn Ganz as the Madonna series enters the modern era. They discuss the glittering revival of 'Confessions on a Dance Floor,' the superstar collaborations and pop maximalism of 'Hard Candy,' the spectacle and chaos of 'MDNA,' the leaks, vulnerability, and often misunderstood ambition of 'Rebel Heart,' and the globetrotting experimentation of 'Madame X.' Plus: The Super Bowl, the ageism, the collaborators, and the globe-spanning Celebration Tour that celebrated 40 years of Madonna, along with what they feel is coming next as 'Confessions 2' looms on the horizon. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 4 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Caryn Ganz @mehpatrolProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by creative director Paul Hamann as they continue the Bandsplain Madonna deep dive. They discuss Madonna’s celebrated acting role in Evita and the lasting vocal changes that came with it, her career-elevating work of Ray of Light, the ahead-of-its-time Music, and how the increasingly fraught political situation in America impacted one of her most misunderstood works, American Life. Plus: motherhood, mysticism, the perfect pop single that landed on the Austin Powers soundtrack, and how Madonna kept finding new ways to bend pop stardom around her own evolution. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 3 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Paul Hamann @hamann.coProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by writer and Bandsplain MVP Patrik Sandberg for Part 2 of the Madonna epic. This chapter follows Madonna from 'Like a Prayer' through 'Bedtime Stories' as she alchemizes religion, sex, fashion, and controversy into one of the most fascinating and powerful runs in pop music history. They talk about the history of “Vogue,” the groundbreaking Pepsi commercial, her major leap with 'Erotica,' the much-discussed 'Sex' book, and, of course, the backlash and what it meant for her creativity. Plus: the reinventions, the Cher beef, her acting career, all the incredible music and imagery of this period, and so, so much more. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 2 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandbergProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi kicks off Bandsplain’s multipart Madonna epic with returning guest and fashion icon Mel Ottenberg. They discuss Madonna’s childhood and upbringing in Michigan, her dance career and the formative relationships that led her to New York City, her history playing in bands, her immersion in the club scene, the breakthrough singles that made her impossible to ignore, her first three albums, and all the major collaborators, major looks, and major breakthroughs along the way. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 1 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Mel Ottenberg @melzy917Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded live at the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Yasi is joined by Sabrina Teitelbaum (a.k.a. Blondshell) to dig into Life Without Buildings, the Scottish cult band whose single and singular 2001 album, 'Any Other City,' is still worth talking about today. They discuss the band’s jagged sound, their art school roots, and the second life they found when “The Leanover” went viral on TikTok two decades after it was released. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Sabrina Teitelbaum @blondshellProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by writer Patrik Sandberg to break down one of Hole’s (many) perfect songs “Boys on the Radio.” They talk Courtney Love’s evolution, her relationship with critics, and the inspirations, intentions, and alternative culture of the 90’s that influenced it all.Then, Melissa Auf der Maur stops by to discuss her new book, Even the Good Girls Will Cry. She discusses her time in Hole, her friendship with Courtney Love, and her wide-ranging life as an artist.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg, Melissa Auf der Maur @xmadmxProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by legendary drummer Patty Schemel (Hole) to tell the story of The Runaways, the all-girl teenage band that changed the course of history. They get into the band’s lasting influence, the surprising origin of the song “Cherry Bomb,” the band’s complicated history, and why The Runaways still matter. Episode PlaylistListen to The Runaways playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patty Schemel @pattyschemelProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by Chris Ryan for a quick trip into the mailbag before they each reveal their favorite new music from the first three months of 2026.Next, Yasi talks with Justice Tripp of Angel Du$t and Trapped Under Ice about Angel Du$t’s latest album, 'Cold 2 The Touch,' and the road that brought him there. Episode PlaylistListen to Our Favorite Music of 2026 So Far playlist here CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Chris Ryan (@chrisryan77) and Justice Tripp (@jurtice)Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesVideo Production: Jamie Yukich and Donald LoBiancoAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey to discuss what music best represents the 1980s and build the Bandsplain ‘80s Movie Soundtrack Hall of Fame. They set the rules (sorry, no animated features or scores), decide what truly defines a great soundtrack, and, after some heated debate and meandering side quests, settle on the top 10 Hall of Fame-worthy soundtracks! Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Chris Ryan @chrisryan77 and Sean Fennessey @seanfennesseyProducer: Rob Sundermann Editor: Chris SuttonAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by music writer Arielle Gordon to tell the story of the Get Up Kids, the Kansas City emo band that transformed the genre. They get into the mix of punk energy and big feelings that made the band so influential, the sliding-door moments of what almost was, and the bands that emerged (and dominated) in the third wave of emo that the Get Up Kids helped create.Listen to the Get Up Kids playlist here.Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Arielle Gordon @reallygordonProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi and filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Pavements, Videoheaven) revisit The Decline of Western Civilization films, Penelope Spheeris’s seminal trilogy that began in 1981 with the birth of Los Angeles punk. They discuss the DIY filmmaking that matched the scene it immortalized, the bands and personalities whose legacies were defined on the screen, and the visual language that would influence and shape so much of culture, most evidently in '90s MTV. Next, Yasi is joined by the legend herself, Penelope Spheeris, for a wide-ranging talk about her iconic career, from the Los Angeles punk scene that started it all to navigating the Hollywood studios with beloved comedies like Wayne’s World. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guests: Alex Ross Perry @alexrossperry, Penelope Spheeris Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by artist, author, and musician Pleasant Gehman to discuss the Germs and the chaotic birth of the Los Angeles punk scene, which she witnessed firsthand. They discuss the myth vs. the reality of Darby Crash, the DIY community that formed around the enigmatic singer, and how the Germs became one of the era’s most influential bands despite their short reign. Episode PlaylistListen to the Germs playlist here. CreditsHost: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Pleasant Gehman @princessofhollywoodProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Bandsplain Emo Draft recorded live at Something In The Way Festival with Patrick Flynn (Have Heart, Fiddlehead, How Much Art) and The Ringer’s Chris Ryan. In front of a Boston crowd, they draft their picks for emo bands across the decades (yes, the ’90s get two picks), reveal emo origin stories, and get into the eternal question: which bands are actually emo? CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patrick Flynn @patrickflynnx and Chris Ryan @chrisryan77Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a special Valentine’s Day mailbag, and The Big Picture’s Amanda Dobbins is here to help Yasi solve all your life problems. Should you avoid your ex at concerts? How do you get over a break up, even if they are a loser? Need mixtape help? Plus, vacuum cleaner advice!Next, Yasi is joined by Barry Johnson of Joyce Manor to discuss their new album ‘I Used to Go to This Bar’ (1:01:33). Get a quick tour of their beloved Torrance (they are a Torrance band, confirmed), learn a little Joyce Manor history, and find out which song was written on the Torrance 3 bus.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins, Barry Johnson @joycemanorofficialProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by Ringer renaissance man Rob Mahoney to tell the unlikely story of American Football, whose widespread recognition grew in the decade following their debut (and immediate breakup). They talk through the band’s Midwestern roots, the alternate tunings and jazz-inspired drumming that influenced a generation, and how time and online canonization turned 'LP1' into a cultural touchstone and the American Football House into an Airbnb destination. Episode PlaylistListen to the American Football playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Rob Mahoney @robmahoneyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by skater, photographer, and Sci-Fi Fantasy proprietor Jerry Hsu to break down how music has shaped skate videos, from their DIY, skit-filled ’80s roots to today’s high-budget, cinematic productions.They dig into Jerry’s iconic part in Enjoi’s 'Bag of Suck' video, make the case for Dinosaur Jr. as a timeless skate soundtrack, and reflect on skate videos’ long-standing role in music discovery.Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Jerry Hsu @internetfamousProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi and writer Rob Fitzpatrick head back to Bristol to tell the story of Portishead. They discuss the band’s unique and highly detail-oriented approach to crafting music, the uneasy relationship with fame that followed their success, and how music can be both super popular and wholly misunderstood. Listen to the Portishead playlist here. Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Rob Fitzpatrick @rob_fitzpatrickProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi kicks off 2026 with music and culture critic Shaad D’Souza to talk through their most anticipated albums of the year. Find out what’s coming, what they’re trying to wish into existence, and just how many truly great albums Madonna might have left. Next, Yasi is joined by Kevin Lee Kharas of Real Lies for a wide-ranging interview about his career, the music he’s listening to (or not listening to) and the impetus and inspirations behind Real Lies’ latest album (and Yasi’s no. 1 album of 2025), We Will Annihilate Our Enemies. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Shaad D’Souza @shaad, Kevin Lee Kharas @real_lies_Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Bandsplain has a very special gift for you. Rob Mahoney and Amanda Dobbins join Yasi to draft the dream holiday playlist: Justin Bieber featuring Busta Rhymes? Of course. Lots of Irish stuff? For sure. My Chem? Why not! Yasi finding a place for Counting Crows? You know it! And because those sleigh bells kept ringing, there’s a lightning-round second draft for even more holiday cheer. Bonus gift: You get to explain to your family and friends why Wham!’s "Last Christmas" is your favorite CVS-core holiday song (and what CVS-core is)! Episode Playlist Listen to Bandsplain’s Holiday Playlist here.  Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Rob Mahoney @robmahoney and Amanda Dobbins @akdobbinsProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

That’s (almost) a wrap on 2025, so you know what time it is. Yasi catches up with Chris Ryan to talk about the albums that defined their 2025. No rankings, no drafts, no winners or losers, just two people talking about the records they loved most this year. Come for the predictable Geese love, stay for the Shallowater you didn’t know you needed. Episode PlaylistListen to the best albums of the year playlist here. Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Chris Ryan @chrisryan77Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi is joined by The Big Picture’s Sean Fennessey to dive into the brief, brilliant career of Jeff Buckley. They cover his rise on New York’s café stages and the making of his only studio album, 'Grace,' and they discuss how his singular voice, his wildly varied influences, and his tragic and untimely death helped to shape one of the most enduring myths in modern music. Episode Playlist Listen to the Jeff Buckley playlist HERE CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Sean Fennessey @seanfennesseyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Bandsplain, Yasi and New York Times culture reporter Joe Coscarelli revisit Dig!, Ondi Timoner’s influential 2004 cult documentary that immortalized The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols. They discuss the band’s intertwined legacies, the broken friendships and broken sitars, why Dig! is the platonic ideal of the music documentary, plus last year’s extended cut release, Dig! XX. Be sure to check out Joe’s book Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Joe Coscarelli @joecoscarelli Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Bandsplain, Bre Morell of Crushed joins Yasi to talk about reluctant genre inventing geniuses Massive Attack. We talk through the rich music history of Bristol, their sound system DJ origins, the visual signatures, all the musical influences that fed into their sound, and the many artists that sprung up or morphed their sound in their wake.  Episode Playlist Listen to the Massive Attack playlist here CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Bre Morell @bremorell Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s mailbag time, and once again Rob Harvilla is here to help Yasi answer your most pressing questions. Is 31 too old to go to shows? What would you recommend to impress a hardcore Swedish punk gamer? Why do all the kids these days look like Geese (the band)? And who was stage diving at a Riff Raff show?! Next, Yasi is joined by Militarie Gun’s Ian Shelton to discuss their new album God Save The Gun. And along the way they talk getting over your embarrassment, therapy through songwriting, and some less controversial topics (like God).  CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek ⁠@yasisalek⁠ Guests: Rob Harvilla ⁠@harvilla⁠, Ian Shelton ⁠@militariegun⁠ Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Ryan is back to help tell the Jimmy Eat World story. CR and Yasi talk about the power of the split seven inch, Clarity vs Bleed American, and the magically accidental path from playing pop punk in used clothing stores in Mesa, AZ to their (don’t call it) emo explosion into mainstream success. EPISODE PLAYLIST: Listen to the best of Jimmy Eat World HERE CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Chris Ryan @ChrisRyan77 Producer: Rob Sundermann  Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evan Dando is back with a long-awaited memoir and a brand-new Lemonheads album, and there’s only one guest who could do them both justice: the artist formerly known as Producer Dylan, aka Dylan Tupper Rupert. In this episode, Yasi and Dylan dive into their takeaways, learnings, and surprises from the book, Rumors of My Demise and also discuss the first original Lemonheads album in 19 years, Love Chant (it’s good!). CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Dylan Rupert Producer: Rob Sundermann  Video Editor: Kevin Pooler Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With her 1996 best-selling album Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette bet on herself, turned pain into pop poetry, and gave an entire generation a new emotional vocabulary. She also broke records and made space for an entire wave of worthy female musicians to be heard in her wake. And since then she’s continued to do what she does best - turn her experiences into gorgeous musical reflections on the psyche and the self.  This week on Bandsplain, Alicia Bognanno of Bully joins Yasi to talk about the honesty, vulnerability and power behind one of the most defining voices of the ’90s. Episode Playlist Listen to the best of Alanis here CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Alicia Bognanno @bullythemusic Producer: Rob Sundermann  Video Editor: Ashleigh Smith Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode we’re heading back to the Sunset Strip — a leather clad world of teased hair, tight pants, and pure chaos. Guest Molly Lambert helps us remember the golden era of hair metal, when bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Ratt made the Sunset Strip their glitter covered playground. Turn it up, spray it higher and relive the excess and freedom of the 80s with us.  Episode Playlist: Listen to Hair Metal Fall of Fame ⁠Here⁠ CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Molly Lambert Producer: Rob Sundermann  Video Editor: Ashleigh Smith Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles, Juliana Ress Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We love Mötley Crüe. Mötley Crüe loves partying (so so much). In this episode you’ll hear how Nikki, Tommy, Vince, and Mick put on their make-up and pioneered a genre, how they turned their pain, trauma, talent, and ambition into an unstoppable chart-topping force, leaving a trail of sleaze and destruction in their wake. Cruise down the Sunset Strip with Yasi and her iconic guest Mel Ottenberg, next stop the Cathouse (followed by rehab)!  Episode Playlist: Listen to the best of the Crüe ⁠here⁠ CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Mel Ottenberg Producer: Rob Sundermann  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rob Harvilla and Rolling Stone senior writer Kory Grow join Yasi to discuss Ozzy Osbourne’s bodies of work with Black Sabbath as well as solo, his incredible impact on not just music but pop culture at large, and his enduring legacy. Read Kory’s piece ‘Ozzy and Me: How I Got to Know the Real Ozzy Osbourne’, ⁠HERE⁠ CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek Guest: Kory Grow, Rob Harvilla Producer: Rob Sundermann Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasi chats with New Yorker staff writer, Pulitzer prize–winning author, and known Pavement aficionado Hua Hsu about the 2025 film 'Pavements.' Is it a documentary? Is it a biopic? Is it a secret third thing? Did we like it? All these questions and more are answered. Plus, Yasi has a nice long chat with director Alex Ross Perry about the film and several other things, including but not limited to his take on vocal fry, 'Some Kind Of Monster,' and different approaches to mythmaking. Host: Yasi SalekGuest: Hua Hsu and Alex Ross PerryAudio Editor: Kevin PoolerAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boots on the ground from Notting Hill, Yasi unpacks the inimitable Elastica with music journalist Miranda Sawyer. Thanks to their angular, concise music, incredible style, and  unapologetic live chops, they seized charts and stages on both sides of the Atlantic in their short but mighty tenure as a band. Miranda puts it best: “Elastica were everyone’s favorite.” CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Miranda Sawyer @msmirandasawyer  Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Yasi is joined by Scottish musician and Mogwai frontman Stuart Braithwaite to talk about one of the coolest and most influential bands of all time - The Jesus and Mary Chain. From the chaotic genius of Psychocandy to the velvet-gloved menace of Darklands and through their break up, and make up, JAMC never made a bad album and we posit that most of your favorite bands would never have existed without them. EPISODE PLAYLIST: Listen to the songs we talk about HERE. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Stuart Braithwaite IG: @plasmatron and Mogwai Official Site Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Giving new meaning to “this song f*cks,” Super Furry Animals’ 1996 single “The Man Don’t Give a Fuck” is a psychedelic protest anthem built on a looped Steely Dan sample, fifty f-bombs, and a whole lot of righteous chaos.  In this episode, Yasi is once again joined by Scotswoman and known Super Furry Animals mega fan, Chloë Walsh, to make the case for this song’s perfection (with a bunch of band lore and Welsh history shoehorned in, of course). From its origins as a B-side protest against the UK’s Criminal Justice Act to its transformation into a ravey, 23-minute-long fan favorite gig-closer — “The Man Don’t Give a Fuck” isn’t just a song, it’s a statement. A tanked-up, freaked-out, absolutely uncompromising statement. Let the sample loop. Let the synths soar. The man still don’t give a f*ck. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek Guests: Chlöe Walsh Producer: Liz Sánchez Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So you wanna live like the Common People do? It’s time for part two of the Pulp story in which Yasi and music journalist and Pulpologist Siân Pattenden start back up at the peak of Britpop, tracing how “the great interlopers” of the genre captured the spirit and sound of the time with Different Class, and then soundtracked the comedown with This Is Hardcore — Britpop’s bleary-eyed hangover (or maybe - a conversation with god???). Then it’s into the Weeds: a retreat from fame into nature, the album We Love Life, and the band’s 2000s revival and first new song in over a decade.  EPISODE PLAYLIST: Listen to the songs we talk about HERE. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Siân Pattenden IG: @sian_superman Twitter: @sian_superman Website: Sian Pattenden Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, we trace Pulp's story, starting from high school talent show stars up through the moment they become Britpop major players. Yasi is joined by British music journalist, author, and former Good Mixer regular Siân Pattenden to help red string board the many iterations of Pulp from 1978 through the moment it really clicked with His N Hers in 1994.  EPISODE PLAYLIST: Listen to the songs we talk about HERE. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Siân Pattenden IG: @sian_superman Twitter: @sian_superman Website: Sian Pattenden Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re talking about a band who managed to change their sound every single album while still staying absolutely, totally, and utterly themselves: Primal Scream. Bobby Gillespie and co started in the 80s but they most meaningfully bookended the 90s with their two most notable albums – from the hopeful optimism and upbeat acid house that started the decade in Screamadelica to the dark, caustic grit and gunmetal sounds that embodied the end of the dream on XTRMNTR. Join Yasi and guest Chris Ryan as they chart the history and discography of one the most unique bands of our time, Primal Scream.   EPISODE PLAYLIST: Listen to the songs we talk about HERE. CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Chris Ryan IG: @crashactivated Twitter: @ChrisRyan77  // Listen to the The Watch Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know the vibe of Radiohead’s iconic 1997 album OK Computer: paranoia, anxiety, isolation. There are several bangers scattered throughout, like Karma Police and No Surprises. But which song feels the most perfect? Cole Cuchna of Dissect joins Yasi to break down his choice rooted in musical technicality and evocative artistic expression.   CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Cole Cuchna @turangalila_ host of Dissect Producer: Liz Sánchez  Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices