S5 Ep1: Episode 15 - Dead Meadow's Jason Simon on 'Feathers'

In the latest episode of the Matador Revisionist History Podcast, Dead Meadow's Jason Simon joins host Matt Sweeney (Chavez, The Hard Quartet) to discuss the 20th anniversary of 'Feathers,' the album's slightly-troubled recording process, remembering founding bassist Steve Kille, as well as the influence of D.C. hardcore, Trad Gras och Stenar, and 13th Floor Elevators.  Originally released in 2005, Feathers was a departure from Dead Meadow’s earlier work. The songs were moodier and more densely layered, reflecting the arrival of longtime friend and second guitarist Cory Shane. “The sound was intentionally dark and murky,” says Shane. “Sometimes a rolling stone can gather moss.” The album was recorded amidst personal upheavals and a fair amount of pandemonium – from zoned-out late-night basement sessions in D.C. to a fully-gonzo studio date in New York City.

On the latest episode of the semi-semi-regular Matador Revisionist History Podcast, we are joined by Bardo Pond founder and guitarist Michael Gibbons, Carbon Records founder, longtime WAYO host and Bardo-ologist Joe Tunis, and our podcast host Matt Sweeney (Chavez, The Hard Quartet). The conversation marks the 25th anniversary reissue of ‘Set and Setting,’ plus the double LP rarities compilation ‘Melt Away,’ both out TODAY. Michael, Joe, and Matt dig into the earliest days of Bardo Pond— fighting (and then bonding) over a Lester Bowie LP with bassist Clint Takeda, opening for Smog and Royal Trux at Philadelphia’s Khyber Pass, and eventually even tuning their instruments.

Today, March 22nd, sees the release of the first tranche of remastered key catalog titles by legendary San Antonio, Texas band The Butthole Surfers on Matador Records: Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac, Rembrandt Pussyhorse, and PCPPEP. Marking the occasion, the band have unearthed and remastered an alternate version of their 1983 track ‘I Hate My Job’ with a new animated video. Watch / listen HERE.  In addition, the band’s Paul Leary and King Coffey appear on the latest episode of the Matador Revisionist History Podcast. In conversation with Matt Sweeney, they discuss the influence of the Meat Puppets and Run D.M.C., the Texas music scene with Dicks, Big Boys and others, early days on the road, run-ins with the fire department and much more.

Last fall, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of Fucked Up’s ‘The Chemistry of Common Life’– an era-defining punk LP that also just so happened to be the Canadian band’s Matador Records debut. This Friday, our long-in-the-works orange vinyl 2xLP reissue will finally arrive on shelves. Find that ⁠HERE⁠.  Today, you can listen to a brand new digital EP, ‘44th & Vanderbilt,’ which compiles three ‘ChemCom’-era session performances with No Age’s excellent remix of “No Epiphany.”  This episode of the Matador Revisionist History podcast finds FU members Mike Haliechuk and Jonah Falco in conversation with former Matador employee (and current ⁠World of Echo⁠ proprietor), Natalie Judge. They discuss making the record, recording nine months of overdubs, quitting their day jobs, and asking Michael Stipe to jump on the mic for a Feelies cover at the close of their 12-hour long record release show (spoiler: he passed). 

In May, The New Pornographers’ sophomore album ‘Electric Version’ (2003) celebrated its 20th anniversary. A limited blue vinyl reissue hits stands today and we’ve also dedicated this latest episode of our Matador Revisionist History podcast to the record, with the band’s A.C. Newman joining longtime Matador publicist Nils Bernstein for a stroll down memory lane with our host, Matt Sweeney. They discuss how ‘Electric Version’ defied the un-follow-up-able-ness of ‘Mass Romantic,’ how LA neo-hippies Beachwood Sparks inspired the record’s title, and supply a complete track-by-track walkthrough. “As much as it’s this hard-driving record with these exciting songs that have a lot of information, there’s still a lot of ups and downs and emotional twists and turns,” recalls Bernstein. “It’s just hook after hook after hook.” The era-appropriate rarity “Turn” – originally a Japan-only bonus track – is now available on streaming services. Newly pristine remasters of the “All For Swinging You Around” and “The Laws Have Changed” music videos are also now on YouTube.

Today, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pretty Girls Make Graves’ sophomore album, The New Romance. Originally released in 2003, this was the Seattle punk band’s Matador Records debut. After more than a decade out of print, the album will return to us in a limited edition white vinyl pressing in stores on November 3. A deluxe digital version also lands today on digital services and features two b-sides “Magic Lights,” newly available on streaming, and a cover of Bow Wow Wow’s home-taping anthem, “C-30 C-60 C-90 Go!” And what’s more, singer Andrea Zollo and guitarist J. Clark guest on the latest installment of our Matador Revisionist History podcast series alongside producer Phil Ek and our host, Matt Sweeney.  Pretty Girls Make Graves formed in Seattle in 2001. The members – Andrea Zollo, Derek Fudesco, J. Clark, Nick Dewitt, and Nathan Thelen – were already local underground luminaries, owing to their time in punk and hardcore bands like Death Wish Kids, Area 51, and Murder City Devils. The quintet released an EP, a handful of 7” singles, and a full-length, Good Health (Lookout! Records), before getting a cold email from Matador Records founder Chris Lombardi, who may or may not have read a positive review in Pitchfork. A deal was struck and the band decamped to the bucolic Bear Creek studio to track The New Romance with Ek.  On this episode, Zollo and Clark go deep on the band’s early years, talking influences (Drive Like Jehu, Ink & Dagger, Fugazi), rock band do’s / don’ts, and what it’s like to practice riffs in a freezing cold paper maché igloo.

Earlier this year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Bettie Serveert’s debut album, ‘Palomine,' first released via Matador in January of 1993. Today, we’re making a bit more noise, bringing you a Serveert-packed episode of the Matador Revisionist History Podcast. This ninth installment features the band’s own Carol van Dyk and Peter Visser in conversation with host Matt Sweeney (Chavez). They discuss Marcel Duchamp, Groningen’s much-loved Vera club, and their first-ever trip to NYC.  Also worth a mention: Our limited-edition translucent orange vinyl reissue of ‘Palomine’ is out now and includes a reproduction of the “Brain Tag” 7” included with the original pressing. A deluxe digital edition of the album is also available via streaming services and features three era-appropriate bonus songs (two of which are drawn from the ‘Brain-Tag’ 7”) – “Smile”, “Maggot”, and “Get The Bird.” Newly remastered versions of the music videos for “Kid’s Allright,” “Palomine,” and “Tom Boy” are available to watch on YouTube. 

Our core philosophy here at Matador Revisionist History HQ is “What you want, once we’re ready.” And this time, we’re really living up to that. Last summer, we celebrated the 20th anniversaries of Interpol’s Turn on the Bright Lights and Spoon’s Kill the Moonlight – two career-defining records that were released on the very same day in August of 2002.    Around that time, front men Paul Banks and Britt Daniel huddled with our host Matt Sweeney and taped an episode of the RH podcast. Seven months later, we’re finally prepared for you to hear it.   Everybody on this episode goes way, way back: Sweeney met Daniel during Spoon’s first tour. He met Banks when Turn on the Bright Lights was released, which is around the time Banks initially met Daniel. They reminisce about NYC’s Luna Lounge, Paul explains the importance of yelling in an Interpol song, and Britt stakes his claim to the cowboy hat from the “Wild” video.

In April, Yo La Tengo’s landmark 1997 album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One celebrated its 25th anniversary. In this latest episode of our Matador Revisionist History podcast, the band – Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan, and James McNew – joins label co-owner Gerard Cosloy to discuss the record’s history and singular standing within the YLT oeuvre. “We know this is considered a key part of the arc,” explains Kaplan. “If we’re at the merch table and somebody is asking, ‘I don’t have any of your records, which one should I get?’ we know this is the right answer. Whether we feel that way or not, we know we’re supposed to recommend this record.” Further reminiscences include the origin of The Condo Fucks, how a fake Brian Brain tribute album spiraled into real-life drama, and why the working title of “The Lie and How We Told It” was “The Hard Singing Song.”

The season two premiere of our Revisionist History Podcast: a conversation between Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus and Spiral Stairs, reflecting on their debut album Slanted & Enchanted 30 years later. Speaking to host Matt Sweeney (Chavez), the pair discuss preparing for their upcoming reunion tour, dropping out of college to tour with Sonic Youth, and writing “In the Mouth a Desert” after an Earth Day spent tripping on mescaline.