As NPR tells it, Drive-By Truckers' "examination of the Southern psyche is a microcosm of how Americans respond to triumph and tragedy," but their early career incline couldn’t have looked more shattered behind the scenes. The band was close to imploding while crafting 2001’s Southern Rock Opera, through a heatwave in a warehouse, for a paltry $7,000. But when the time came to make their follow-up, Decoration Day — in vocalist/guitarist Patterson Hood’s words, “the most openly beloved thing we’ve ever done” — there was new fuel in the band's tank, with the addition of Jason Isbell, and a real studio and budget to help dial in their vision. Hood recalls it being his funnest recording experience to date, and the final product ended up catapulting the group to cult-like status. Today, on his second visit to Vinyl Emergency, Hood discusses the recently released 4LP Definitive Decoration Day box set, and why he feels the more his band is pushed, the better they become. Follow @dbtph on Instagram and hit up drivebytruckers.com for upcoming solo tour dates.

(To hear Patterson Hood’s previous interview, revisit Episode 144 from February 2021)

This week, singer/guitarist Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World chats about the heavy metal (and instructional breakdance) records of his youth, collaborating on a new track by Jay Som, and how he’s attempting to take his critical ear out of the equation when enjoying music at home. The band’s new EP, titled Something(s) Loud — a collection of post-pandemic material that’s only existed digitally until now — is limited to 1,500 copies on vinyl worldwide and available only at jimmyeatworld.com.

Having spent the last thirty years fronting The Get Up Kids, Matt Pryor has earned an honorary doctorate in sharing intimate, vulnerable moments on record and making them sound catchy as hell. Through albums like Four Minute Mile, Something to Write Home About, On A Wire and Guilt Show, he's galvanized thousands of songwriters to similarly lean into the raucous joys of independent touring while pining for the stability and comforts of home. But on his latest solo effort released last week, The Salton Sea, we get inarguably the deepest and most honest look into Pryor's life yet, from the passenger's seat on the road to sobriety. Today, Matt discusses that journey, how writing daily before dawn has opened him up creatively, and why he's inspired by the way country stars like Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson are blurring the lines between punk rock and honky-tonk. Get The Salton Sea on vinyl, as well as 2026 tour dates and more at mattpryorandthesaltonsea.com.

Hot on the heels of his involvement with a new, one-step vinyl pressing of Wildflowers -- celebrating its 30th anniversary -- Ryan Ulyate talks today about working with Tom on late-career albums like Highway Companion, Mojo and Hypnotic Eye, as well as selecting tracks for The Live Anthology from literally thousands of performances over a three-decade span. Purchase the limited edition one-step pressing of Wildflowers from store.tompetty.com or becausesoundmatters.net.

He may have only turned 40 this year, but Joshua Hedley figures he's already been gigging for 75% of his life. Infatuated with the fiddle and western swing from an early age, he began performing steadily at 12 and had released his first album by 15, before moving from Florida to Nashville, playing almost 60 hours a week up and down Lower Broadway. Ahead of the late-October release of All Hat -- his third LP, courtesy of New West Records -- Joshua chats today about failing in public, the similarities between pro wrestling and Music City's cutthroat country-western food chain, and why he's finally not nervous to put an album out. Pre-order All Hat from JoshuaHedley.com, and keep up with his weekly gigs in and around Nashville via @joshuahedley on Instagram.

Before his profile as a musician exploded, actor Noah Reid thought of his songs as "a little closet that I could put my thoughts and feelings into." But in early 2018, that door came off its hinges. As his character Patrick Brewer, on the eventual Emmy-winning Canadian TV comedy Schitt's Creek, Noah performed a remarkably grounded and unfeigned acoustic cover of "The Best," usually known as a reach-for-the-rafters power ballad, made popular in the late 80's by the incomparable Tina Turner. TV Guide went as far as to say that Noah's contribution created "the most romantic scene on television," and the mania around Noah's take on the tune only grew larger once Schitt's Creek came to Netflix. On the cusp an upcoming tour, he checks in this week to discuss the horror story of his first vinyl pressing, the surreal "cosmic needle drops" of his Amazon Prime series Outer Range and the many ways he treasures music's imperfections. Tour dates, merch, social media and more are available at http://noahreid.com.

A lot has changed since Evan Weiss last came on this podcast over nine years ago -- marriage, a plethora of new music, and a deliberate "one in, one out" strategy to balancing his record collection. But one thing that's stayed the same (perhaps even increasing) is his steadfast drive to spotlight forgotten records of his heroes, friends or total strangers, which he now accomplishes through a Patreon for Storm Chasers LTD; giving subscribers exclusive access to limited runs or releases that never came to turntables until now. On the heels of his latest album with Pet Symmetry, Evan walks us through how love songs and LSD shaped the band's "biggest" LP to date, and what dream releases he hopes are in Storm Chasers' future. Get updates, vinyl and more via petsymmetryband.com, plus catch Into It. Over It. opening for Minus the Bear on select dates this fall. 

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode, originally airing in 2016. 

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Currently a writer on CBS' Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Brian Stack started on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1997, winning an Emmy for writing on the show ten years later and appearing as the caped and mustachioed Interrupter, hapless door-to-door salesman Hannigan and the ghost of old-time radio crooner Artie Kendall, among a slew of other characters. He followed Conan to both his truncated tenure at The Tonight Show and his current TBS program, but moved with his family back to New York and joined the Colbert staff in September of 2015. Having also made appearances on 30Rock, The Office, New Girl and Parks & Recreation, Brian talks today about his love for The Replacements, what vinyl box set he recently bought despite no longer owning a turntable, and yes... what it's like to open for Slipknot. Follow @brianstack153__ on Instagram.

Vinyl Emergency is where your favorite songwriters, producers, record label owners or other personalities who just love music come to discuss how vinyl's mere existence has shaped their lives and careers.

With a new solo album dropping later this month — In the Heart of the Mountain, his first in over 15 years — Lucero frontman Ben Nichols addresses why some of his recent songs feel like graphic novels, how he’s reconnected with the mythological Arkansas of his youth, and the parts of him that still wrestle with his southern heritage. Vinyl pre-orders, tour dates and more can be found at bennichols.net.

A vocal advocate for artist rights and a senior lecturer on all things music business at the University of Georgia, David Lowery discusses today the recent losses of Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, learning accounting while on tour, and how Camper Van Beethoven expanded their legend through record store performances. David's latest release -- a 3LP set titled Fathers, Sons and Brothers -- is available now. Tour dates for all of David's projects are available at davidlowerymusic.com, crackersoul.com and campervanbeethoven.com. Also, check out thehiddenjams.org, in beta testing, as David and a group of current and former students attempt to upset the recorded music algorithm. 

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode, originally airing in September 2022. "Planting By The Signs," S.G.'s latest album, comes out on June 20th.

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S.G. Goodman delivers both a voice and a lyrical wisdom that feel perfectly worn in -- like that of an artist who's been crafting decades worth of masterful, soul-baring material. What's all the more astounding is that she's only a few albums in to what will hopefully be a long, deep career. The publication Bitter Southerner defines her sound as "driven by love, sometimes by defiance, but always by a delight in singing out... like the declaration of an artist who knows exactly who she is, backed by a band that blows the roof off the studio." On today's show, S.G. shares her affection for Herb Alpert's "Ladyfingers," some candid struggles with diagnosed OCD, the unique way in which her Marantz receiver was acquired, and the underappreciated comforts of house slippers. Find tour dates, social media and more at sggoodman.net.

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode, originally airing in April 2021. Wild and Clear and Blue, Sara's latest album as a member of I'm With Her, was released on May 9th.

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Over the last twenty-five years with acclaimed acts like Nickel Creek, I'm With Her and Watkins Family Hour (as well as her own solo material), Sara Watkins has become one of the most prolific musicians in folk and bluegrass. Dig into your record collection, and you'll also find her work on albums from Steve Earle, The Decemberists, Mandy Moore, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett and Father John Misty, to boot. Today, Sara discusses how vinyl has played a major factor in her life, right down to how her dad crafted a makeshift turntable out of a sewing needle and paper. Find Sara's socials, upcoming live dates and more info at SaraWatkins.com.

Jay Ryan and Jason Harvey, bassists for the Chicago-area trio Dianogah, describe the route to -- and surprise release of -- their new, career-spanning 5LP box set. Visit landland.bandcamp.com to order this limited pressing, and follow @dianogah_official on Instagram for more updates.

After 15+ years on the road, Seattle's Minus the Bear said goodbye in 2018... but not for long. Marking two decades since the release of their second album, Menos El Oso -- heralded by both critics and fans alike -- the five-piece are back this year to play the album in full across the country. A sprawling, math-rock masterclass, Menos takes listeners on a globetrotting trail through Spain, Ireland, Los Angeles and more, while vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider inhabits characters seeking escape, be it from fever dreams, crime scenes or soul-crushing day jobs. Today, Jake is joined by guitarist David Knudson, as the pair breakdown Menos track-by-track. Along with host Jim Hanke, they dive into the meanings behind some of the band's most impactful songs twenty years later, and how the genre-bending experimentation of Danger Mouse and DJ Shadow influenced the LP. Catch Minus the Bear at this year's Best Friends Forever Fest in Las Vegas, or on tour cost-to-coast, this fall. Visit minusthebear.com for tickets, social media and more.

On the heels of a fiery new album (Here We Go Crazy), influential indie icon Bob Mould reflects on how record store culture informed Hüsker Dü's formation and why the jukebox singles of his youth still help him get out of the occasional songwriting stalemate. Visit bobmould.com for tour dates, social media and more. 

This is an encore presentation of a previous episode, originally airing in August 2023.

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The two sounds Tommy Prine says he remembers most growing up were having the AM radio on or his father (renowned singer/songwriter John Prine) workshopping tunes at the kitchen table. Journeying through adolescence, his eclecticism later manifested through acts like Outkast and System of a Down. But now, on the heels of This Far South — his debut album — Tommy has found his own unique voice that marries his mom’s Irish wisdom and his dad’s dry Midwestern/Southern wit. On today’s show, Tommy shares why Radiohead’s “Videotape” speaks to him, his experiences working with Nashville talents Ruston Kelly and Gena Johnson on This Far South, and how the artwork for this album feels like both an ending and a beginning. Visit tommyprine.com for your dates, socials and more.

Long before Hot Ones became a viral sensation, there was Man v. Food. Over four seasons on the Travel Channel, host Adam Richman cruised the country going toe-to-toe with fiery chicken wings, monster-sized pizzas, pizza-sized burgers and more. Though the Brooklyn native demolished eating challenges that boggled both the mind and the belly, the heartbeat of MvF was in the small sandwich shops and hole-in-the-wall diners that were suddenly given a national stage. Since then, he's remained an in-demand, jovial educator of eating -- whether helping demystify menus via the YouTube series Pro Moves, embracing UK cuisine through Discovery+'s Adam Richman Eats Football, or tracing the origins of our favorite culinary brands on The Food That Built America (now in its sixth season). On today's episode, Adam dissects the similarities between food and music culture, his vinyl collecting habits, the classic rock staples he first heard through Beastie Boys samples, and the connections he's made with world-class performers who just so happen to be huge MvF fans -- ranging from Warren G to Green Day. Follow @adamrichman on Instagram and watch The Food That Built America on the History Channel, Sunday evenings at 9pm EST/8pm CST. 

Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon (Knives Out, The Shape of Water, Boardwalk Empire, Groundhog Day) and acclaimed musician Jason Narducy (Split Single, Bob Mould Band, Superchunk, Verböten) discuss their friendship through song, and their current tour performing Fables of the Reconstruction -- R.E.M.'s third album -- which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Tickets are available at concertedefforts.com, and you can watch Michael and Jason perform “Driver 8” with their band on The Tonight Show here. Follow @jasonnarducy on Instagram, plus catch the drama Eric Larue -- Michael's first film as director -- arriving in theaters this spring.