Virgin Ears

THE SECRET EPISODE! Not actually, but we're still glad you're here for another conversation centering around music paralysis, curiosity, discovery, and the human experience. Today on the show, the Spicy Boys had Phoenix, AZ-based comedian and friendly neighborhood Erick Biez (a.k.a. Tony Gonzalez) by for a chat on Graveyard's 2018 LP "Peace" We taped this episode early in 2022 and given Erick's ilk [as a comic], we found particular value in dusting this episode off and getting it to your earholes. By all objective assessments, it's been a rough year and sometimes we just need a little silliness and levity. So we hope the official Season 2 Poker Night Episode brings you a laugh or two or three and also opens your heart and mind to some tasty hard rock with some deep soulful vibes. Check out the full show notes here for all kinds of tasty accoutrement.

Victoria Shen is a life-force of insanely creative ideas and commanding performances. We had a lot of fun sitting down with her and talking about her process, how she creates sound devices, AI rendering, iron oxide tattoos, and so much more. Be sure to check the show notes on our website to get in on more of the fun!

Have you ever bore witness to the sparking of an amazing friendship: one which will transcend time and space, stand up to the weathering of the ages, and bring mere mortals to the edge of pure wonderment and awe? Season 2 Episode 12 is one such moment, so hold on and get ready for the ride along with your hosts, Connor and Andrew, and their guest Sim Bartholomew of Sydney-based orchestral-experimental-math-post-rock ensemble SEIMS. Originally conceived as a learning project, SEIMS' "FOUR" debuted at #7 on Australia's Independent charts following its release in October 2021 and will be featured on the Saturday main stage at ArcTanGent 2022 in Compton Martin, England this August. Check out the spiciest of spicy show notes on virginearspodcast.com Oh, and remember: send memes.

It's been a really interesting experience kicking off a podcast as a "pandemic project" – rarely, if ever, sitting in the same room as co-hosts and almost never sharing a space with our guests. Despite the challenges of producing this show remotely, these conversations have remained engaging, enlightening, fun, and have quenched the thirst that is our curiosity for human beings.  In today's episode, we broke the mold a bit and invited the entire roster of Phoenix, Ariz. based "downer shoegaze" ensemble Ghost Island to join us in a discussion of Sigur Rós' 2002 LP "( )" We hope you enjoy today's episode with our guests Roddy, John, and Michael of Ghost Island. Get the full SHOW NOTES HERE. NOTE: In this episode, John (of Ghost Island) posits that Hammock brought a significant following to the project from previous projects which, as John suggests, were religious in nature. Hammock has disagreed with this assumption. Virgin Ears, at its core, is a project that seeks to highlight experiences from diverse and varied backgrounds. Virgin Ears values all opinions and perspectives as a means to kick off discussion and discourse and as such will not amend this episode to exclude this statement (00:18:48) and instead include this note.

One of the best things about this podcast is getting to connect with truly amazing creatives that we know or know of by just a few degrees of separation; people that have been locked in some lovely binary orbit with us, drifting through time and space. This episode's guest is one such person. Micah Hummel is a percussionist and musician based out of Portland, OR who has an incredible list of contribution credits to his name and who, by way of the pandemic, will be releasing his first solo offering later this year on an instrument he, for all intents and purposes, just picked up. We hope you enjoy today's episode with our guest, Micah Hummel. Get the full SHOW NOTES HERE.

This season has truly been a joy to book and record. We have had the opportunity to connect with some incredibly intelligent, kind, and fun creatives, like the guest of this episode: Ivana Dama.  Ivana Dama is a sound artist and researcher who is challenging the was ways we think about and produce sound. She is a current artist in residence at The Har­vest­works Art and Tech­nol­o­gy Pro­gram on Gov­er­nors Island, with her work Command and Control. Listen in to hear more about her fascinating work and find the deeper show notes HERE.

CJ Boyd brought to us the lovely, experimental sounds of Cher Von and her Banyan Tree EP. This is a great entry point for anyone curious about exploring experimental music. ‍ CJ Boyd dropped a live album, via Gold Lion Arts, in February of 2022. All of the proceeds go directly to the Tucson Abortion Support Collective! Please go out and support our lovely guest, and most importantly, the idea that women, trans people, and gender nonconforming individuals have ownership over their own bodies and the basic human right to have safe access to abortions.   Donate to Tucson Abortion Support Collective Here Visit Show Notes Here

Jess Tsang brings her discerning palate to spicy town this week and wows the Boys with the sweet and dynamic sounds of Ben Sertetan's  2020 release, Youth Pastoral. Jess came to us from Brooklyn, NY, where she lives, works, and inspires as a percussionist and sound artist/innovator as well as a curator of beer-flavored sonic vibrations. Jess has also recently released an album of solo work called Sound Shadows; check it out!   Click Here for Show Notes

Join the Spicy Boys, along with Timothy OBrien, as we navigate what it means to be mindful about our intake of various objects, eating a cake made almost exclusively out of ghee, and -- of course -- the sultry sounds of The Life and Times in their 2009 release, Tragic Boogie. Timothy OBrien is an incredibly gracious and talented musician, known for his work with Celebration Guns. He also owns and operates Midtown Music Lessons and has recently released a solo album: Mantra   Click Here for Show Notes

Emily Cross of Loma, Cross Records, and the Steady Waves Center for Contemplation joined Andrew and Connor for a spirited discussion on the impressively broad ranging sounds of Satoshi & Makoto's CZ5000 Sounds & Sequences; an album that was recorded using only the Casio CZ5000. We hope you enjoy our chats on the desert's influence on all who experience it, the impermanence of life (and coping with that realization), and the soon-to-be CREOSOTE SHOW!  Click here for the show notes on virginearspodcast.com

In this episode, Andrew and Connor catch up with Nate Dohse, President of AGD Entertainment in Nashville, TN. Nate selected Ruston Kelly's 2020 album "Shape & Destroy", in part about getting sober – follow the conversation on stops at the music industry, Spotify, sobriety, and more spicy topics! Click here for the show notes on virginearspodcast.com

Join Connor and Andrew for a conversation with Zak Henderson, Community Manager at Spotify Podcasts and Frontman of Dusty Sons, where we dive deep on WOOZE's 2017 EP, Get Me To A Nunnery. Click Here for Show Notes

Join Connor and Andrew for a conversation with Logan Voss of the Chicago-based happy, heavy math rock ensemble Snooze for a deep dive into Daniel Johnston's hyper-influential 1983 "unfinished album" Hi, How Are You. Content warning: In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics that some listeners may find challenging or traumatic, including: mental illness/health, psychosis/psychotic episodes, drug use, suicide, depression, and commercial exploitation of mental illness or issues of mental wellness. While we discuss these topics as a mean to remove the stigma around speaking about them, if these are sensitive topics, you my want to skip this episode. Check the show notes on here for a summary of the discussion if you're still looking to connect with new artists or new things.  

We had the opportunity to sit down with Seancarlo Ohlin of Fuzz Coffee Roaster (among many other things) to discuss their special bootlegger pressing of KGLW's psychedelic surf-rock album, Teenage Gizzard. Fuzz Coffee has paired the album alongside 3 incredible coffees as the fifth installment of their Artist Series. Per usual, we launched of on many tasty tangents, the likes of exploding coffee cans, 8-bit music, and the process of pressing vinyl. This was a fun one! So pour yourself a cup of coffee and "Sip 'N' Listen" with us.   Show Notes

Hot dang, gang! We made it back for Season Two of the Virgin Ears Podcast. In this season, we're endeavoring to expand upon the groundwork laid in the first season by bringing you all diverse and unique perspectives from all over the place. We hope you'll tune in for the first full episode of Season Two on January 26, 2022; wherever you get your pods!   Thanks to Connor for the sounds in this episode. 

Well gang. We made it! Connor and I have really had a blast exploring all that this thing could be (that's a lie, we definitely could have made it way weirder) in its infancy and we're ready to take the diapers off the pod and get it set up with some pull-ups...we probably can't say say that...oh, trademark law. In this episode, Connor and Andrew reflect on the season, check in with one another on what they wish they could have covered, and discuss what they're hoping for in season two. If you're short on time, check out the TL;DL (too long, didn't listen) but we hope you'll hang around for the full hour. While we're away from the mics (and we won't be, entirely) head on over to virginearspodcast.com to get caught up on the back episodes from season one, or check out some of the brand new editorial content we'll be launching like the Runagon Infinity Fitness Regimen, Spicy Dog Vegan Ranch, and more. Love you all. Thanks for the support. Share this thing with a friend and we hope to have you all back in no time at all.

Virgin Ears - Episode 016 - November 4, 2021 Guest: Luke Messimer (Mississippi Man) Artist: The Rosewood Thieves - Album: Rise & Shine Artist Bandcamp Album Bandcamp Artist Spotify   Andrew's Favorite: Track 10, Heavy Eyes Connor's Favorite: Track 3, When My Plane Lands Luke’s Favorite: Track 8, Junkyard Julie   Connect with Luke and all of his creative endeavors Mississippi Man Bandcamp Luke Messimer Spotify Mississippi Instagram         Remember, gang: If you like these artists, albums, or ideas; support them! Bandcamp is an amazing platform that supports artists and creatives first. Snag a digital download or buy some merch and physical media. *We are not sponsored by or affiliated with Bandcamp. Check out our companion content on Instagram and follow along with our Spotify playlist. IG: @virginearspodcast | Spotify playlist: https://spoti.fi/2LVoXi4 Email: spicyboys@virginearspodcast.com Web: www.virginearspodcast.com

Virgin Ears - Episode 015 - October 22, 2021 The High Desert Episode   Field recordings, sound design, and production: Andrew Jeweleye Special thanks to: Sarah for always including me in her adventures, Connor for allowing me the space and time to explore this weird experiment in sound.     Remember, gang: If you like these artists, albums, or ideas; support them! Bandcamp is an amazing platform that supports artists and creatives first. Snag a digital download or buy some merch and physical media. *We are not sponsored by or affiliated with Bandcamp. Check out our companion content on Instagram and follow along with our Spotify playlist. IG: @virginearspodcast | Spotify playlist: https://spoti.fi/2LVoXi4 Email: spicyboys@virginearspodcast.com Web: www.virginearspodcast.com

Virgin Ears - Episode 014 - October 6, 2021 Artist: Subtle – Album: For Hero: For Fool, Yell & Ice Artist Bandcamp For Hero: For Fool on Spotify Yell & Ice on Spotify Artist Spotify   Andrew's Picks: Favorite Moments Track 1, A Tale of Two Apes I from For Hero: For Fool, 00:00 Track 5, Midas Gutz from For Hero: For Fool, 00:00 Track 9, Return of the Vein from For Hero: For Fool, 00:00 Track 1, Falling from Yell and Ice, 03:00 Track 8, Sinking Pinks from Yell and Ice, 00:00  Overall Favorite Track 11, The Ends from For Hero: For Fool Track 9, Requiem for a Dive from Yell & Ice   Connor's Picks: Track 10, Call to Dive from For Hero: For Fool (music and lyric pick), 01:13  Overall Favorite Track 5, Midas Gutz from For Hero: For Fool     Remember, gang: If you like these artists, albums, or ideas; support them! Bandcamp is an amazing platform that supports artists and creatives first. Snag a digital download or buy some merch and physical media. *We are not sponsored by or affiliated with Bandcamp. Check out our companion content on Instagram and follow along with our Spotify playlist. IG: @virginearspodcast | Spotify playlist: https://spoti.fi/2LVoXi4 Email: spicyboys@virginearspodcast.com Web: www.virginearspodcast.com

Virgin Ears - Episode 013 - September 22, 2021 Artist: Deradoorian- Album: The Expanding Flower Planet Artist Bandcamp Album Spotify Artist Spotify   Andrew's Picks: Favorite Moments Track 3, Violet Minded, 03:55 Track 8, Ouneya, 01:17 Track 10, Grow, 01:52  Overall Favorite Track 9, The Eye   Connor's Picks: Track 1, A Beautiful Woman, 01:05  Track 3, Violet Minded, 5:06   Overall Favorite Track 8, Ouneya     Remember, gang: If you like these artists, albums, or ideas; support them! Bandcamp is an amazing platform that supports artists and creatives first. Snag a digital download or buy some merch and physical media. *We are not sponsored by or affiliated with Bandcamp. Check out our companion content on Instagram and follow along with our Spotify playlist. IG: @virginearspodcast | Spotify playlist: https://spoti.fi/2LVoXi4 Email: spicyboys@virginearspodcast.com Web: www.virginearspodcast.com