WTTS In Conversation

Gary Clark Jr. plays Indianapolis on May 18th as part of the I Made Rock & Roll festival at the American Legion Mall in downtown Indianapolis. He spoke with Matt Pelsor about his new album JPEG Raw, and what it was like to work closely with Stevie Wonder on the new song “What About The Children,” as well as the the album’s themes of over-connectedness and self-consciousness through technology. He also shares his thoughts on playing a festival with the theme of the racial heritage of rock & roll. 

Tickets available here: https://imaderocknroll.com/tickets/

Gin Blossoms founding member and rhythm guitarist Jesse Valenzuela talks with Matt Pelsor about how he really feels about the term “Jangle Pop,” and briefly shares some technical aspects of its performance. He’s also come to terms with ‘playing the hits,’ and will do so at Miller Lite Carb Day 2024 (5/24/24) as they open up for George Thorogood and the Destroyers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

CARB DAY INFO/TICKETS:

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/buy-tickets/Carb-Day/products-carb-day

Crystal McKenzie talks with the Grammy winner about Farm Aid, working with and befriending Brandi Carlile, and teaming up with Norah Jones. Plus some hard topics about her upbringing that led to her activism.

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sheryl Crow spoke with Matt Pelsor ahead of the release of her twelfth studio album Evolution. They talked about bucking her 2019 intent to not release another album and dug into the themes of the forthcoming release, including the title track, and compared a song on the new record to a deep cut from 1996.

For this episode, prog rock solo artist and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett talks with Matt Pelsor ahead of his March 21st show at Brown County Music Center. In an insightful conversation, they talked about his latest album The Circus and the Nightwhale (released Feb 16), plus a lost project with Queen’s Brian May, and the real reason his mid-80s supergroup GTR didn’t work out.

Concert info:

https://www.browncountymusiccenter.com/events/detail/steve-hackett-genesis-revisited

Three-time Producer of The Year Grammy winner Jack Antonoff spoke with Matt Pelsor about the forthcoming self-titled album from his own band Bleachers (due out March 8). They touched on the creative value of limitations, and covered what a typical day looks like in the life of one of music’s busiest producers.

Jeff Tweedy talked with Matt Pelsor about his two latest books: How to Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us Back, and World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life, and Life That Changed My Music. They also touched on his recent productivity, releasing two Wilco albums in as many years (2022's Cruel Country, and 2023's Cousin).

The Heavy Heavy are slated to release a full-length album this year, and indeed already have a busy schedule this coming Spring. We caught up last year before their particularly well-attended set at WonderRoad Festival and talked about how things have changed since they found success in the US.

Kenny Aronoff spent almost two decades as John Mellencamp’s drummer, and has also worked with Melissa Etheridge, Willie Nelson, the Smashing Pumpkins, John Fogerty, and many more. He talked with morning host Matt Pelsor about his time with John Mellencamp, and playing in the Jim Irsay Band.

Portugal. The Man guitarist Eric Howk talked with Matt Pelsor about life in the band now versus before “Feel It Still” became the international mega-hit that it is. They also discuss the song “Who’s Gonna Stop Me,” featuring Weird Al Yankovic, as well as Eric’s perspective of being a wheelchair-bound professional musician in a world that doesn't always accommodate him.

Singer-songwriter Noah Cyrus spoke with morning host Matt Pelsor ahead of her show at Old National Centre this past September. She talked about her past struggles with addiction and how they inspired many of the songs on her debut album The Hardest Part, as well as her collaboration with Vance Joy on the song “Every Beginning Ends,” and how it was a full-circle moment for her career.

Bear Rinehart talks about Needtobreathe’s latest album Caves, and its intentional “bigness.” He also recalls the evolution of Indy shows and the fervent fanbase they’ve enjoyed here over the course of their now 20+ year career as a band.

Needtobreathe performs May 22, 2024 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park

More info & Tickets: https://www.wttsfm.com/events/wtts-presents-needtobreathe/

Jason Mraz kicked off this past Summer with a new album called Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride, and a tour with what he calls his “Superband.” Morning host Matt Pelsor talks with him about both, plus details about an Indiana show from 20 years ago this month. They also discuss his best-known hit “I’m Yours” and what it was like as it was taking off in the mid-to-late 2000s.

Crystal McKenzie talked with legendary singer-songwriter Don McLean about his forthcoming box set, and some of the unique merch on his website. They also discuss a timeless song inspired by a performance of his, and the documentary The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s American Pie, now streaming on Paramount+

St. Paul and the Broken Bones singer Paul Janeway talks to Matt Pelsor about the emotional kickoff to their new album Angels in Science Fiction, and the new song that he considers to be the first love song he ever wrote. They also talk about balancing  fatherhood with touring, and the concept behind the interviewer’s favorite album, Young Sick Camellia.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones play the WTTS Rock To Read concert series at Old National Centre on September 26th.

This year, George Thorogood marks 50 years of performing with his band, The Destroyers. He talks with morning host Matt Pelsor about one of his biggest hits and who it was meant for. They also talk about the only electric guitar model he's ever used, and what it took to have more made.

George Thorogood and The Destroyers play Old National Centre on Thursday, September 14th

Farm Aid is returning to Indiana for the first time in 22 years.

Morning host Matt Pelsor talked with their Cultural Impact Director, Michael Foley, about the focus of the benefit in 2023, and the issues it hopes to highlight.

This year, Farm Aid happens Saturday, September 23rd and features Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and more.

Matt Pelsor talked with Robby Takac about the Goo Goo Dolls' upcoming August 23rd show at TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park. They talked about the songs he wrote for the new album Chaos in Bloom, as well as his successful Buffalo-based nonprofit “Music Is Art,” and why he often performs barefoot.

Crystal McKenzie talked with Melissa Etheridge before her July 25th performance at Brown County Music Center. They talked about her cancer battle, her forthcoming book, and the Broadway show she’s about to start in September.

Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach of Goose spoke with Matt Pelsor last year right after the release of their acclaimed album Dripfield. They talked about recording the album, and the band’s process of recording and releasing nearly every live show they do. Later, they comment on a piece of fan-made merch that has become a source of delight, and confusion, among some fans (including Matt).

Crystal McKenzie talked with Dave Depper of Death Cab for Cutie around the time of their show in Indy last month. They spoke about his early career, as well as his first gig playing with Ray Lamontagne, which happened to be The Late Show with David Letterman, a show he ended up playing again with Death Cab for Cutie just before Letterman retired. He also spoke about his passion for running which he shares with Death Cab founder and frontman Ben Gibbard, and how it got him the gig with the band.

Morning host Matt Pelsor asks Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz about a great “lost” Counting Crows song that only exists on the end credits of the movie Rounders. He also asks Adam about his focus on the sequence of songs on Counting Crows albums, and the songs that were casualties of that obsession. Adam also shares the great rock & roll story about the recording of "Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby."

Counting Crows play TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park on June 17th.

More on that show here: https://www.wttsfm.com/events/counting-crows-with-dashboard-confessional/

Crystal McKenzie talks with blues/rock guitar great Kenny Wayne Shepherd about how radio shaped his career by allowing him to meet his hero, Stevie Ray Vaughan at a very young age. He also talks about playing David Gilmour’s priceless strat on stage at Lucas Oil Stadium with the Jim Irsay Band, and about that band’s curious beginnings more than 15 years ago.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd plays Brown County Music Center on June 6th.

Details here: https://www.wttsfm.com/events/kenny-wayne-shepherd-2/

Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls will bring a solo show to the HiFi on May 20th, so she sat down with Matt Pelsor to talk about her latest album If It All Goes South, including her collaboration with Brandi Carlile on the song “Subway.” 

For more on the May 20th show, click here: ​​https://www.wttsfm.com/events/amy-ray/

Goo Goo Dolls singer Johnny Rzeznik talked with Matt Pelsor about their latest album Chaos in Bloom, and one particularly great song from their 2019 album Miracle Pill. He also reflected on staying sober through the pandemic, and 25 years of "Iris."

Goo Goo Dolls play TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park with O.A.R. on August 23rd.

Details and a link to tickets here: 

https://www.wttsfm.com/events/goo-goo-dolls/

Keyboardist Ben Wilson of Blues Traveler called up Matt Pelsor to talk about the tour that will bring them to Brown County Music Center at the end of April. He also talked about their annual show at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, the hits and misses of his era of the band over the last 23 years, and what it was like joining the band right after the tragic loss of bassist Bobby Sheehan.

Blues Traveler stops at Brown County Music Center on Saturday, April 29th.

Details and a link to tickets here: 

https://www.wttsfm.com/events/blues-traveler/

Shawn Colvin talked to morning host Matt Pelsor about how the tour she’s doing with Marc Cohn has evolved since its initial pre-pandemic iteration, including the involvement of the late David Crosby. She also reflects on her acoustic 30th anniversary edition of her debut album Steady On, and her breakthrough album A Few Small Repairs, including a few details on the song “I Want It Back,” and the breakthrough song “Sunny Came Home.”

Shawn Colvin plays with Marc Cohn at the Palladium at The Center for The Performing Arts in Carmel on April 13th.

Details and a link to tickets here: https://www.wttsfm.com/events/marc-cohn-shawn-colvin/

Norah Jones spoke with morning host Matt Pelsor about her album Pick Me Up Off The Floor, as well as her 2008 indie rock one-off album El Madmo. They also spoke about her rooftop performance at the Empire State Building, and her return to touring following the pandemic. He also informed her of an obscure Norah Jones movie reference she wasn’t aware of!

The music of The Talking Heads will be performed by those who did it first on February 26th at Old National Centre. Former touring member Adrian Belew called up to talk about the tour with Jerry Harrison, working with Bowie, Zappa, King Crimson, and the recent hip-hop revival of another song he co-wrote with Tom Tom Club, the immortal 1981 single “Genius of Love.”

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ann Wilson of Heart spoke with Morning host Matt Pelsor ahead of her Indy appearance with the Jim Irsay Band last Fall. They talked about the then forthcoming show, her latest album Fierce Bliss, and how she’s able to sound just as good as she did decades ago.

The Big Head Todd and the Monsters frontman spoke with morning host Matt Pelsor last week ahead of their Brown County Music Center show about their work with NASA, their Monsters Music Monthly songs, and a new album likely arriving this year.

Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins talks about how Pandemic made them scrap an entire album and write a new one, 2021’s Our Bande Apart. He also teases yet another album that may drop this year, and reflects on the band’s enduring influence on a fanbase that somehow stays the same age as the years progress.

Indiana singer/songwriter/guitarist Strand of Oaks (Timothy Showalter) spoke with morning host Matt Pelsor about touring Europe with Magnolia Electric Company following the death of friend and fellow musician Jason Molina. He also talked about cast in the television show Mayans MC, as well as what it was like to work with Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha on his most recent album “In Heaven.”

WTTS In Conversation is sponsored by IndyGo.

Apply at https://www.indygo.net/employment/

Chad and Brad from Dispatch talk with Matt Pelsor about the inspiration for the title track on their latest album “Break Our Fall,” as well as their recent tour with OAR, and their choice to record a signature song of theirs in Russian in an attempt to inspire peace on the other side of the world.

WTTS In Conversation is sponsored by IndyGo.

Apply at https://www.indygo.net/employment/

Melissa Etheridge talks with Matt Pelsor about her latest release One Way Out, which is a collection of older songs that were never released, plus two live recordings. She shares how she keeps her voice fit for touring, and talks about her relationship with her spouse who happens to be her exact same age.

WTTS In Conversation is sponsored by IndyGo.

Apply at https://www.indygo.net/employment/

The band Cannons have enjoyed another banner year with the release of their album Fever Dream, a headlining tour, and multiple festivals; so it’s hard to imagine them being anxious about being on stage. But they talk about how nervous they were to play their first big crowd, Lollapalooza 2021. They also get into their writing process, and what life on the road has been like.

WTTS In Conversation is sponsored by IndyGo.

Apply at https://www.indygo.net/employment/

Frontman Matty Healy of The 1975 talks with morning host Matt Pelsor about their new album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, which just dropped on October 14th. Matty talks about working with mega-producer Jack Antonoff on the record, and about how he sounds different now compared to their breakthrough single “Chocolate.”

The legendary Jackson Browne chats with morning host Matt Pelsor about his latest album and subsequent tour that brought him through Indianapolis in June. Browne talks about working with his son Ryan on the video for the song “Minutes to Downtown,” and about the decades-long inspiration for the album’s closer “Song for Barcelona,” as well as the album’s ocean-inspired title, Downhill from Everywhere.

WTTS In Conversation is sponsored by IndyGo.

Apply at https://www.indygo.net/employment/

Jonathan talks to morning host Matt Pelsor about how making the new album, Every Shade of Blue, felt like the band’s earlier days because of the unique and healthy way the band came together during the pandemic. He goes into detail on the single “Virginia,” and reveals the superstar he was trying to emulate in part of his performance. He also shares who he feels is the best songwriter in the band (it isn’t him), and the song that made him realize that.

The Head and The Heart play WTTS Rock On The River on September 30th at TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park.

The National drummer talks about 2019’s I am Easy to Find, and the film that goes along with it, as well as the new music coming out later this year. He also talks about what has kept him in his home city of Cincinnati ahead of their concert date at Indy’s TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park on Sunday, September 18th.

Singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson plays the HiFi Annex on August 30! He joins morning host Matt Pelsor to talk about his new album, Boston Accent, as well as passion project Achtung Matty, his U2 tribute released around the 30th anniversary of the iconic Achtung Baby.

The Gov’t Mule frontman joins morning host Matt Pelsor to talk about their latest album, Heavy Load Blues. He explains how the recording process was unlike any other album they’ve done, and hints at the next record–both of which they recorded simultaneously. He also shares the unique way they decide what to play on any given night.

Gov’t Mule plays the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater on Friday, August 19th.

Wilco guitarist Nels Cline joins morning host Matt Pelsor to talk about how the new album Cruel Country came together, and compares its process to Matt’s favorite Wilco album Sky Blue Sky. Wilco plays TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park on August 14th.

Prolific singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco chats with morning host Matt Pelsor about her return to touring after the pandemic, and the funny reason she played three encores at a recent show. Matt also shared the origin story of his fandom for her, and he asked about the inspiration for the title track to her new album “Revolutionary Love,” which sparked some poignant reflection.

Ani DiFranco plays the Rock The Ruins summer concert series at Holliday Park on August 5th.

Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell talks to morning host Matt Pelsor about the various inspirations for the new album Things are Great; breakups, both personal and within the band, as well as musical inspiration from a hotel room in Iceland. He shares on their decision to produce the record internally, and on his appreciation for being able to play out again; as well as why he’s looking forward to coming to Indy specifically.

Band of Horses play with Black Keys July 16th at Ruoff Music Center.

Derek Trucks chats with morning host Matt Pelsor about the new Tedeschi Trucks Band quadruple album project I Am The Moon that comes out in stages throughout the summer. They talked about his unique style of playing, and when he realized he had a style all his own. Finally, Derek explained just what it is he loves so much about his preferred guitar, the Gibson SG.

Tedeschi Trucks Band plays TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park on Tuesday, June 28th