For our very first in-person interview, we got to bother Abstract, a hip-hop savant whose lyrics are sharp and thought-provoking, creating universes one rhyme at a time. Born in New Jersey and raised in Wyoming, we sat down with Abstract (who is friends with our producer) in a fancy hotel conference room in Jackson Hole, and asked him wild shit about his unicycling super powers, shitty jobs, scars, metaphysics and Kanye. Bothering Abstract was rare and unique, like the man himself, so you're not going to want to miss this special episode.

It was pretty impossible for Lizzie Edwards to avoid a career in music. Her grandfather was an opera singer, her grandmother was a classical harpsichordist, and her father was a sideman for various artists including Chuck Berry. Since their (accidental) inception in the early 2010s, Lizzie and the Makers have worked diligently to bridge the gap between what a band within the New York City music scene is supposed to be and what a band within the New York City music scene could be. Their sound is dark without being overtly melancholy and psychedelic without being too out of the box. Getting to bother Lizzie was like barbecued kismet, because we actually found out we have mutual crazy friends in NYC. Listen to find out if she would rather poop her pants in public or get her period while wearing white pants on a white couch.

Getting to interview Keanan Duffty was such a blessing; the dude has lived an incredible life. From dressing the Sex Pistols to rocking out with Bowie, his stories are endlessly amazing, and his answers to our silly questions are insightful, funny, and inspiring. Keanan co-founded the band Slinky Vagabond with Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Clem Burke (Blondie), and Earl Slick (David Bowie/John Lennon), making their debut in May 2007. He is also an award-winning fashion designer, author, and currently serves as Director of Fashion Programs, Provost's Office, at Parsons School of Design in New York City. From swallowing glitter to whatever the hell Cuban heeled winkle pickers are, we were blessed to sit and chat with this living legend.

We had a really nice time bothering Alaia and Ulises of Tres Leches, a band that dutifully resists easy formula. Their music is raucously good fun, with the band switching out instruments as often as the style of their songs, so you can only imagine how much fun it was to interview them. From pet hawks to remedies for Spanish hiccups, find out if they would let their moms cut their hair on this "art punk" episode of Bothering the Band with Tres Leches.

We have a rip-roaring, eye-opening BONUS EPISODE coming at you with Myron Houngbedji, the drummer of the awesomely diverse Baltimore-based angsty indie rock outfit Pinkshift. We discuss the difference between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist, getting hurt while playing the drums, and other hard-hitting questions like how many two-year-olds do you think you can beat up at once but what the number is reduced to if some of them have throwing stars. Open a pack of Splenda and savor that shit while listening to this badass bonus episode of Bothering the Band.

The Brooklyn-based band Drug Couple is all about love: love for making music and love for one another. Sitting down with the music-making, real-life couple, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and Becca Chodorkoff from their Bed-Stuy apartment was like being invited into their world and relationship; we started as fans of their music and now feel like family, because we got deep with the duo, touching on crazy shit like the end of the world, favorite Disney villains and which first lady gave the best handjob. Listen as they debate who cleans the bathroom, who does the dishes, and how their music attempts to showcase a dialogue between genders, as opposed to the one sided soliloquies that define so much of popular music. Their respective personalities provide a dialogue Bothering the Band has not witnessed before, and it was a lot of fun.

We bothered Bret Constantino, vocalist of the bold indie psych rock band, Sleepy Sun, while his daughter climbed on him. With five albums and more than a decade in the music business, Bret embraced the moment and answered our silly questions about naps, sunscreen, Keanu Reeves, vending machine snacks, and other stupid shit. Between being a dad, a musician and a chef, this dude deserves a reward for taking the valuable time to talk to us.

Getting weird with Annie Hardy and Collin Deatherage‎ of Giant Drag, an indie rock band from Los Angeles, California – that we have been blasting loud while walking through life for a long while – was an adventure to say the least. Their mix of poetic punk rock and subtle scream-o music lends itself perfectly to questions about funky neighbors, conspiracy theories, lemons and coffee, and much more mischief. This interview is as rare as a giant hamster hanging out with a giant peacock, and as fun as dicks and curses. Strap in for one helluva a ride.

From one of their clean apartments in Portland, we got to bother all the members of the awesome band, Forty Feet Tall, which straddles the line between indie rock and melodic punk. It was so much fun to chat with the four-piece outfit, composed of Cole Gann (vocals / guitar), Jack Sehres (guitar), Brett Marquette (bass) and Ian Kelly (drums). We tackled the tough stuff and they left it all out on the table, unanimously voting yes on period sex, talking a ton of shit about the character Ross on Friends, and promoting their brand new album, “A Good Distraction”. What started out as a publicity stunt has turned into a lifelong friendship between them and us, so listen to the podcast and listen to their music, because this shit is 4-eva.

Bria McCollum also know as Ergo, Bria is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Atlanta, Georgia, who now currently resides in Nashville where she creates songs that use her background as a classically trained musician and mixes in melodramatic, moving pop with punk, metal, alternative and indie. On top of all that, she has a voice like a choir of angels, and she proves it by singing nice notes during the interview. Much of her work contains deep and literal lyrics about racism, politics, heartbreak, mental health, and love. One day, in the near future, she is gonna be a superstar and you’ll be doing a deep Google dive and stumble upon this interview, in which we got to bother the sweet, young, soon-to-be superstar about comfort zones, quicksand, fast food, rollerskating in a river, and her favorite uncle.

Having written over 300 songs, including the new single "Cannonball" (featuring Cayley Thomas) from the upcoming record Bells of Hope, Eamon McGrath has developed a body of work that could rival that of any artist on the planet. On top of all of that, he has written two critically acclaimed books, and we are so glad he was brave enough to let us bother him about bears, pancakes, creepy vans, and the smell of cold Canadian nights. Give this episode and Eamon’s music a listen because both are darn good.

Sparta lead singer Jim Ward has never been a typical musician. The El Paso native rarely does interviews these days, especially in reference to the band he started at age 17, At the Drive-In. Ward made an exception for us and he has a new solo project coming out, starting with the single “Paper Fish” and then the album “Daggers” on June 11th!

We have been fans of The Head and The Heart since their music found us in the back of a tea house in NYC a long time ago, and how we came to bother the drummer of the band, Tyler Williams, is a study in not giving up on kismet. We simply tweeted at The Head and The Heart, not expecting anything, so you can imagine our surprise when they got back to us and Tyler agreed to do our silly interview series. Tyler Williams is also a songwriter and arranger in the Seattle-based band, but he currently spends his time in Nashville with his wife and new daughter, Eliza, while The Head and The Heart are remotely working on new music for release later in 2021. From t-shirts to the possibility of making out with Danny Glover, his favorite Lumineers song and feeling a ghost with Brittany Howard, listen as we dive into a lot of fun stuff with the talented and super nice Tyler Williams.

We have a badass BONUS episode of BTB this week with Max Motherfucker, the singer of the German hardcore band Christmas. Known for his remarkable live shows, he is an all-around lovely bloke. Max talks skateboarding, educates us on Freikoerperkultur, and what he would do if he found six (not five and not seven) dead tigers in his backyard. Listen loud!

Formerly the frontman of the beloved band Yellowcard, (William) Ryan Key has released two stellar solo EPs, but his new primary focus is scoring television and films. Connecting with Ryan was an absolute joy, topped off by discussing Ryan Gosling, Florida, hope and Star Wars (he co-hosts a podcast dedicated to a galaxy far, far away called Thank the Maker). And we must remind him again to put his house key back on his key chain, and to start journaling. When you listen you’ll know what we are talking about. Website: https://www.williamryankey.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thank-the-maker-a-star-wars-podcast/id1497139499

Talking with Lyrics Born was absolutely amazing. Not only is he a dope ass MC and producer, he is also a chef and now an actor, but more than that he wears his heart on his sleeve and he could not have been more kind and more fun to talk to. From bananas and bandanas to reminiscing about No Limit Records album covers, our conversation was personally priceless, and it shows. On top of all that, LB’s passion shines bright when he talks about the world. His new song ANTI with Cutso is all about anti Asian hate, made with the hopes of inspiring others to step up and speak out against hate of all forms. It was an honor to dive into the heart and mind of this magnificent artist and human, who had us thinking deep thoughts as well as laughing our asses off. If you see him, call him Bartholomew; he’ll know you listened.

Like your 80's hits with a future twist, dreamy hair with moody synths, cryptic lyrics and an indie fix, bothering M.M. Crone was so much fun. Hailing from Montreal, my second favorite city in the world, the band is Margaux Tabary and Philippe. Their music is perfect for mornings, at least that’s when I’ve been listening to it. We thank them both for sitting down with us and doing our silly podcast. Website: http://mmcrone.com/#about

As the bassist for raucous yet soulful indie rock band, Delta Spirit, Jonathan Jameson is a man of many surprising talents. Not only is he a musician, but he is a doting dad, and he is also studying to become a priest. This edition of Bothering the Band is full of surprises and even carne asada. Lastly, before you listen, I must say that their song "Bushwick Blues" is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time, so it was a complete and utter honor to bother Jonathan Jameson. Website: https://deltaspirit.net/

Holy shit! What can we say about this interview? You just gotta listen to it. You will laugh your ass off, because Pat Via and Mitch Mitchell, 2/3 of January Jane who are absolutely hilarious. From not-so-subtle drug references to quoting It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this NSFW Bothering the Band wasn't a bother at all, but pure chaotic fun. Grab a drink, take your pants off and give it a good listen. Website: https://www.januaryjane.com/

As insightful and thought-provoking as it is whimsical and intimate, our interview with Racquel Jones dove deep into existential pathos. She eloquently discusses everything from burgers to the afterlife, as well as her new album, IgnoRANT, which is dropping on April 23rd. The album is an exploration of expression, and a wrecking ball coming at your preconceived notions of women, the world, the future and the right now. An artist, performer and poet, Racquel is a renaissance woman, and an absolute seamless dream to talk to in this interview that went from bothering to blossoming. https://www.instagram.com/racqueljones/?hl=en

One half of Crocodiles, the amazing lo-fi new wave band that seamlessly mixes noise pop with a splash of indie indulgences, Brandon Welchez is a gentleman of the world and he brought that wisdom to this interview, graciously letting us bother him about everything from spitting off the Eiffel Tower to Zodiac signs and killing bugs. Enjoy this episode of Bothering the band with Brandon Welchez (pronounced like the grape juice).

When Lily Mao was 10-years-old, her father gifted her a guitar for Christmas, and from that moment she taught herself to play and sing and has been writing songs since 2008. She performs original music on stages, subway platforms, street corners, anywhere she can connect with people through musical expression. Based in NYC and backed by her band The Resonaters, Lily made us feel lucky that we got to bother her, because (mark our misspelled werds) she is about to blow up. Website: https://lilymaomusic.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_mao