Four Strings and the Truth

As we gear up for our next season of Four Strings and the Truth interviews, we’re introducing a new, more bite-sized feature: the Bass-ic Review. This is an analysis of new and recently released albums from the bottom up - i.e., from the point of view of the bass: the playing AND the player. And to kick things off, we’re focusing on the much-anticipated new album from Oklahoma City noise mavens Chat Pile, “Cool World.” Bassist Stin, who co-writes the tunes and has served as de facto producer, puts in the work on the new collection, which is earning huzzahs from fans of loud music across the punk-metal-alt-noise spectrum. Let’s find out how he makes Chat Pile tick. Chat Pile [https://chatpile.bandcamp.com/] (https://chatpile.bandcamp.com/ [https://chatpile.bandcamp.com/]) Chat Pile Tour Dates [https://chatpile.net/shows] (https://chatpile.net/shows [https://chatpile.net/shows]) Chat Pile AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/1g5abvq/we_are_okc_noise_rockers_chat_pile_ama/] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/1g5abvq/we_are_okc_noise_rockers_chat_pile_ama/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/1g5abvq/we_are_okc_noise_rockers_chat_pile_ama/]) Korn [https://kornofficial.bandcamp.com/album/requiem-deluxe] “Prayer To God” by Shellac [https://shellac.bandcamp.com/track/prayer-to-god] (https://shellac.bandcamp.com/track/prayer-to-god [https://shellac.bandcamp.com/track/prayer-to-god]) The Tronographic Rusty Box [https://www.tronographic.com/store/p/rusty-box] (https://www.tronographic.com/store/p/rusty-box) [https://www.tronographic.com/store/p/rusty-box)] Chat Pile Covers Nirvana's "Scentless Apprentice" [https://youtu.be/N2_K13LlROQ?si=JETn-VfUO6vDTbf-] (https://youtu.be/N2_K13LlROQ?si=JETn-VfUO6vDTbf-)

Brian Ritchie is our first guest whose primary instrument - the one that helped make his band Violent Femmes a household name - is an acoustic bass. Today we hear how all that came to be, the band’s path from busking on the streets of Milwaukee to rocking stadiums, and why their approach really hasn’t changed all that much. Along the way he tells some funny stories about early gigs, opens up about a new acoustic bass he’s gotten his hands on and even shares what Flea told him about working with producer Michael Beinhorn. Also - and this will make sense after you listen - here are two updates to things I say in this episode: 1. My amazing engineer/mixer Matt Noble pointed me to lutefish.com, a hardware-software set-up that does enable near real-time jamming over distances less than 500 miles. I haven’t tried it out, because it requires being hardwired to my modem and that’s too far away from my basses. 2. Parquet Courts’ (fantastic) bassist Sean Yeaton doesn’t play a stock short scale bass - it’s a frankenbass made up of the body and pickups of an ‘84 Fender Bullet bass (short scale) and the neck of a ’50s P-Bass reissue (standard scale). It also has a weird hole in it. Violent Femmes [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rpMdBzQXf7aYRnu5fDBJy?si=XfFHPeSkTUyqNHhdWKdAgQ] (https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rpMdBzQXf7aYRnu5fDBJy?si=XfFHPeSkTUyqNHhdWKdAgQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rpMdBzQXf7aYRnu5fDBJy?si=XfFHPeSkTUyqNHhdWKdAgQ]) Brian Ritchie’s solo stuff [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VlujeJlkf1SEspNUbdhq8?si=pREJiCIQQJKztGtRFon1Og] (https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VlujeJlkf1SEspNUbdhq8?si=pREJiCIQQJKztGtRFon1Og [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VlujeJlkf1SEspNUbdhq8?si=pREJiCIQQJKztGtRFon1Og]) Big Johnson Basses [https://bigjohnsonbass.com/] (https://bigjohnsonbass.com/ [https://bigjohnsonbass.com/]) - Brian Ritchie’s next new favorite bass? And here’s a video demo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KeWe0KUznk] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KeWe0KUznk) by its creator. Guitars For Vets [https://guitars4vets.org/] (https://guitars4vets.org [https://guitars4vets.org]) - a very cool charity, check it out This episode is brought to you by "The Bastard Instrument: A Cultural History of the Electric Bass," the essential new book that illuminates the origins and impact of our beloved instrument in all its glory. An amazing read. Buy it at Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/] (https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/) [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/)] or your favorite book slinger. And check out author Brian F. Wright's website [https://www.brianfwright.com/] (https://www.brianfwright.com/ [https://www.brianfwright.com/]) for unreleased content from the book and more of his writing.

Dead Kennedys - the scabrous, Northern Cali-based band that taught the world how to stage dive - created some of the most indelible anthems in hardcore, naming and shaming those in charge and challenging its audience to face hard truths. The band’s gone through a few line-up changes in its 40+ years, but one constant has been the instrumental interplay of bassist Klaus Flouride with guitarist and co-founding member East Bay Ray, along with the hyperspeed precision of drummer D.H. Peligro (who passed in 2022). Live, they’ve worked with vocalist Skip (the Wynona Riders) for longer than original singer Jello Biafra was in the band, and they’re gearing up for more shows. Klaus joins the pod to talk about the band’s history and musical gestalt, his own idiosyncratic solo output (coming soon to a digital music service near you!), and how they may have to update some of their classics for our present day insanity. Dead Kennedys [http://deadkennedys.com/] (http://deadkennedys.com/ [http://deadkennedys.com/]) Recording “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” in the studio [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHLPnGuVSQ] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHLPnGuVSQ) Klaus Flouride’s solo material on discogs [https://www.discogs.com/artist/259342-Klaus-Flouride] (https://www.discogs.com/artist/259342-Klaus-Flouride) Carrion Kids [https://carrionkids.bandcamp.com/] (https://carrionkids.bandcamp.com/) Oranger with Matt Harris [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3euxXTX6KdKGg5ljc592yw?si=HDwUCOSOQ4KFXPWHLBxXAw] (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3euxXTX6KdKGg5ljc592yw?si=HDwUCOSOQ4KFXPWHLBxXAw [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3euxXTX6KdKGg5ljc592yw?si=HDwUCOSOQ4KFXPWHLBxXAw]) This episode is brought to you by "The Bastard Instrument: A Cultural History of the Electric Bass," the essential new book that illuminates the origins and impact of our beloved instrument in all its glory. An amazing read. Buy it at Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/] (https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/) [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/)] or your favorite book slinger. And check out author Brian F. Wright's website [https://www.brianfwright.com/] (https://www.brianfwright.com/ [https://www.brianfwright.com/]) for unreleased content from the book and more of his writing. We have a short interview snip with Brian - listen in for a chance to win your OWN copy of the book, too - but you have to answer a trivia question to enter.

He first caught our ears with the propulsive lines that drove Austin weirdos Scratch Acid; and then David Wm. Sims - and SA vocalist David Yow - decided to set it all on fire, joining forces with guitarist Duane Denison and drummer Mac McNeilly to form noise rock progenitors Jesus Lizard. Now, 26 years after their last studio album, the quartet has returned with a barn burner of a new album, “Rack” (Ipecac), coming out September 13th, and a slew of tour dates. Tune in to find out what makes David, and the band, click, what made them return, and, perhaps, the secret to his much-coveted bass sound and style. Jesus Lizard [https://thejesuslizard.bandcamp.com/] (https://thejesuslizard.bandcamp.com/ [https://thejesuslizard.bandcamp.com/]) Scratch Acid [https://scratchacid.bandcamp.com/] (https://scratchacid.bandcamp.com/) unFact [https://unfact.bandcamp.com/album/bleached-valentine] (https://unfact.bandcamp.com/album/bleached-valentine) Jesus Lizard Tour Dates [https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-jesus-lizard-tickets/artist/1131990] (https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-jesus-lizard-tickets/artist/1131990) [https://www.ticketmaster.com/the-jesus-lizard-tickets/artist/1131990)] Jesus Lizard Book [https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Lizard-Book/dp/1617750808] (https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Lizard-Book/dp/1617750808) [https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Lizard-Book/dp/1617750808)] This episode is brought to you by "The Bastard Instrument: A Cultural History of the Electric Bass," the essential new book that illuminates the origins and impact of our beloved instrument in all its glory. An amazing read. Buy it at Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/] (https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/) [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/)] or your favorite book slinger. And check out author Brian F. Wright's website [https://www.brianfwright.com/] (https://www.brianfwright.com/ [https://www.brianfwright.com/]) for unreleased content from the book and more of his writing. We have a short interview snip with Brian - listen in for a chance to win your OWN copy of the book, too - but you have to answer a trivia question to enter.

You didn’t think we were gonna get through this season without a dispatch from the man in the van with a bass in his hand, did you? Coming to us live and shirtless from his home base of San Pedro, CA, Mike opines on the 40th anniversary of post-punk magna carta “Double Nickels on the Dime,” how he learned new ways to collaborate in the wake of bandmate D. Boon’s untimely death, the ins and outs of his gear (including his signature Reverend bass) and who and what continue to inspire him today. Minutemen [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0z6zRFzl5njXWLVAisXQBz?si=tZiLxjmWTByyEnhgEpureQ] (https://open.spotify.com/artist/0z6zRFzl5njXWLVAisXQBz?si=tZiLxjmWTByyEnhgEpureQ) fIREHOSE [https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MIbrfpc9aH6gsEl2yep68?si=oNFImAltS_qfBOTWMB-S5Q] (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6MIbrfpc9aH6gsEl2yep68?si=oNFImAltS_qfBOTWMB-S5Q) dos [https://dossanpedro.bandcamp.com/album/justamente-tres] (https://dossanpedro.bandcamp.com/album/justamente-tres) Il Sogno Del Marinaio [https://www.facebook.com/IlSognoDelMarinaio/] (https://www.facebook.com/IlSognoDelMarinaio/) mssv [https://mainsteamstopvalve.com/] (https://mainsteamstopvalve.com/) Mike Bagetta / Jim Keltner / Mike Watt [https://mikebaggetta.bandcamp.com/album/everywhen-we-go] (https://mikebaggetta.bandcamp.com/album/everywhen-we-go [https://mikebaggetta.bandcamp.com/album/everywhen-we-go]) - my go-to dinner party music Mike Watt’s hoot page [http://hootpage.com/] (http://hootpage.com/ [http://hootpage.com/]) - everything he’s doing at any given moment Reverend Guitars Mike Watt Wattplower Mark II Bass  [https://reverendguitars.com/basses/mike-watt-wattplower-mark-ii/](https://reverendguitars.com/basses/mike-watt-wattplower-mark-ii/ [https://reverendguitars.com/basses/mike-watt-wattplower-mark-ii/]) - Reverend’s best-selling bass! This episode is brought to you by "The Bastard Instrument: A Cultural History of the Electric Bass," the essential new book that illuminates the origins and impact of our beloved instrument in all its glory. An amazing read. Buy it at Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/] (https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/) [https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Instrument-Cultural-Electric-Tracking/dp/0472056816/)] or your favorite book slinger. And check out author Brian F. Wright's website [https://www.brianfwright.com/] (https://www.brianfwright.com/ [https://www.brianfwright.com/]) for unreleased content from the book and more of his writing. We have a short interview snip with Brian - listen in for a chance to win your OWN copy of the book, too - but you have to answer a trivia question to enter.