Why do musicians create what they do? Why do they create in that particular way? Mark Linsenmayer (aka songwriter Mark Lint, and host of The Partially Examined Life) talks to songwriters and composers about specific recordings, which are played in full. We cover lyric meanings, writing and recording techniques, arrangements, band dynamics, the stories behind the songs, and even music theory.
https://nakedlyexaminedmusic.com/podcast-episodes/
NEM#9. Roderick Romero: Psychedelic Treehouse Poet
Roderick Wolgamott Romero founded and fronted the Seattle 90s space rock band Sky Cries Mary, which created beautiful, collaborative music that was beloved by such "world music" champions as Peter Gabriel and David Byrne. So how does a poet get a band? Is a poet's process different from a typical lyricist's?
On this episode of the Nakedly Examined Music podcast, we discuss "Gliding" from Taking the Stage Live: 1997–2005 (2011), "December Snow" from Roderick's in-progress project One Point Moment Still (featuring Romanian techno duo We'd), and "Queen of Slug Theater" from Moon Bathing On Sleeping Leaves (1997).
We also listen to "You Are" from Sky Cries Mary's final studio album, Small Town (2007), and the opening/closing music is "Walla Walla" from A Return to the Inner Experience (1993).
Learn more about the band at skycriesmary.com, as Roderick frequently and casually references his many bandmates including Jon "Juano" Davison (now the new lead singer of Yes), Michael Cozzi, Joe Bass, Ben Ireland, Gordon Raphael, and Anisa Romero. Thanks to Sean Coryell at Eye Contact Maui, who set up this interview and is executive producing Roderick's new album project.
Here's some more Roderick on YouTube: First, a feature about the 2015 SCM reunion concert/benefit. Here's a feature on his treehouse building. Here's a long interview with him from KEXP Seattle that plays a bunch more of his songs and goes further into the history of the band. I also listened to this interview Roderick did with WFDU.
Hear more conversation with Roderick and four more songs (including two more freshly pressed) by signing up for a recurring donation, then clicking here.
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