Joe Kendrick called Gary Louris of the Jayhawks on October 10, 2011, to talk about the original lineup of the band and their new record Mockingbird Time, what it feels like to hear his music at a hardware store, saving turtles by the roadside and more.
Episode 183: Music Gear
What It Is tackles the huge topic of what gear is best for acoustic and electric musicians, with Carol Rifkin and Shaun Williams on the panel. From capos to tuners to guitars and more, this conversation reveals how personal preference is often the only way to answer the question. Broadcast 10-11 to 10-13-11
Episode 182: RIP Wilma Lee Cooper, Wade Mainer and Johnny Wright
What It Is celebrates the lives and music of pioneering bluegrass, old time and country artists Wilma Lee Cooper, Wade Mainer and Johnny Wright. Panelist Carol Rifkin leads this conversation. Broadcast 10-10-11
Episode 181: Ashley Capps Previews Moogfest 2011
Ashley Capps, president of A.C. Entertainment, talks with Joe Kendrick about the upcoming Moogfest as well as memories of Bob Moog and how the concert landscape has changed over the 30+ years he has been in the concert promotion business.
Episode 180: Mood Altering Playlists
Making play lists is becoming easier than ever in the social media age, and What It Is takes a turn at focusing on music that can change our moods. Panelists Barbie Angell and Wendy Lou are joined by host Joe Kendrick in this conversation.
Episode 179: Best Concerts
What makes for a great live music experience? What It Is features Wendy Lou and Barbie Angell with host Joe Kendrick in this conversation on some favorite concert memories and why the shows were special.
Episode 178: Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets
Curt Kirkwood talks with Joe Kendrick about Meat Puppets' new album and tour, how they make ends meet, the breakup of R.E.M. and how they're the only band I can think of that can be logically placed in the same sentence as Nirvana and Grateful Dead.
Episode 177: MTV Turns 30
What It Is looks back at 30 years of music video history as MTV recently celebrated its third decade of broadcasting. Barbie Angell and Wendy Lou join host Joe Kendrick in this conversation which is the full version of the shows edited for radio broadcast.
Episode 176: What It Is Calls Michael Gira
Joe Kendrick talked with Michael Gira of Swans by phone on 9-9-11, ahead of a three night stint in NC cities Raleigh, Asheville and Charlotte. Michael talks about the music he plays for his young daughter, how things are better and worse in the music business now versus years ago, playing with Sir Richard Bishop and more. Note: this is the full version of the show which was edited for radio broadcast.
Episode 175: WNCW Programmer For A Day
Joe Kendrick gives the control room at WNCW over to Barbie Angell and Wendy Lou in this conversation about "what if we played more of x and less of y" at this radio station. The panel is full of ideas for changes in programming and for new means to raise money in this lively conversation. Note: this podcast is the full version of the show that was edited for radio broadcast.
Episode 174: Reviewing Bobby, Josh Carpenter
John Schacht of Shuffle Magazine takes the lead in this episode of What It Is, reviewing two new favorite releases: Bobby's self-titled album and western NC's Josh Carpenter's new disc
Episode 173: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Turns 10
The movie soundtrack that brought old-time, country and Americana music into the mainstream turns 10 years old and is reissued with a disc of extras. Host Joe Kendrick welcomes John Schacht of Shuffle and Kim Ruehl of No Depression to this conversation.
Episode 172: Nevermind Turns 20
Nirvana's major label debut is reissued and is covered twenty years after it rocked the world. Kim Ruehl, John Schacht and Joe Kendrick talk about the impact of Nevermind then and now in this episode of What It Is.
Episode 171: Remembering Amy Winehouse
Kim Ruehl of No Depression and John Schacht of Shuffle join host Joe Kendrick in this conversation about the life and music of the late Amy Winehouse.
Episode 170: London Riots Claim Sony Warehouse
Kim Ruehl and John Schacht return to the What It Is panel and join host Joe Kendrick in a conversation about the unrest in England which caused the burning of a large warehouse filled with music and films.
Episode 169: Producers and Musicians in the Studio
What It Is tackles the broad subject of how producers work with musicians in the studio in this conversation with Jessica Tomasin and Crissa Requate of Echo Mountain Recording Studios, as well as rocker Aaron "Woody" Wood and writer and editor Fred Mills. Joe Kendrick hosts this show which was recorded at Echo Mountain in Asheville. This is the full version of the show which was edited for radio broadcast.
Episode 168: Spotify Debuts in the U.S.
What It Is highlights the American debut of Spotify and talks about other digital music services with Jessica Tomasin and Crissa Requate of Echo Mountain Recording Studio and Fred Mills of Blurt magazine.
Episode 167: Bele Chere Festival 2011
What It Is went on the road for this conversation at Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC for this conversation with Jessica Tomasin, Crissa Requate, Woody Wood and Fred Mills. We talk about the lineup of this year's Bele Chere, it's history and also compare and contrast it with other festivals in the region and the nation.
this is the full version of the show that was edited for radio broadcast 7-18 to 7-21-11
Episode 166: The British Invasion(s)
Joe Kendrick hosts a conversation with Perry Dror, Jeff Eason and Fred Mills about the British Invasion bands from the 60s to today, from Hermans Hermits to Amy Winehouse.
this is the full version of the show that was edited for radio broadcast 7-6 and 7-7-11 which originally aired 11/10/08.
Episode 165: July 4th Music, part 2
What It Is talks up more July 4th music themes with Carol Rifkin, Jeff Eason and Zak Sitter. Broadcast 7-1-10