Advertise on podcast: Spinning Platters presents: How Did I Get Here?

This is the story of Scott Simoneaux, the booker for ATG Live, an offshoot of ATG- the organization that brings touring productions of Broadway shows to big cities around the country. He's bringing touring bands and one-off events to those theaters while they are dark. In the Bay Area, this includes the original stars of Airplane! hosting a Q+A this Friday, as well as Robert Plant and Art Garfunkel shows coming up. We talked about how he found himself starting this career by simply liking a band and wanting to help them, taking him from New Orleans to Los Angeles and all the way in between. We also both realized we had stumbled across this book about the Stooges by accident.  Learn more about ATG Live here!

I wish I could say that no AI was used on this podcast. I hate AI, but I also don't have a budget for a producer, so I use Riverside.com to help edit these. I know. I told Julia Kugel and Scott Montoya of Soft Palms, whose book "How To Be Self-Reliant In The Music Industry" is out now, and they are not fans of AI, either. They are smart folks that have been through a lot with Soft Palms, as well as their own bands, The Coathangers and The Growlers, and Julia's solo project, Julia, Julia. Soft Palms have a new single out NOW, and their upcoming record, In Echo, is out TODAY! They will also be touring the US and EU this late Summer and Fall. Tour dates here.

Eddie Argos is the lead singer of the British cult band Art Brut. They are currently on the road touring to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic debut, Bang Bang Rock n Roll. We talked about music, and name-dropped a bunch of very specific bands that only people born in 1979 think about (The Pipettes, Crash Test Dummies, The Donnas). Art Brut have just released a greatest hits record, A Record Collection, Reduced To A Mixtape, as well as a box set, Sorry That It Doesn’t Sound Like It’s Planned! Battling Satan, 2009 -2020. Just click on the title to order. Tour dates HERE!

How Did I Get Here is back for its first episode of 2026. And my chat was with the amazing musical comedian Sydney Kane ahead of her bringing her one-woman show, Wife Material, on a West Coast tour! We talked about, well, a bunch of the usual tangential silliness, all while learning about how she found her voice and her way into comedy. Sydney Kane is bringing Wife Material to SF for SF Sketchfest at Eclectic Box on Sunday, January 25th (Tix Here) and to LA at Hudson Backstage Theater on February 16th (Tix Here). Follow her on Instagram for more everything. And, if you really want to learn about all things Bay Area Burrito, here is such a bonkers and well-researched guide that I will still argue is wrong at times.

20-Year-Old Jayden Binnix, aka Black Polish, just released their second album, YUNA, a concept album about a succubus that feeds off the souls of men. It's pretty bonkers and amazing, and we had a wonderful chat about this record, their early work, being a non-binary artist on a major label, and, as usual, a bunch of nerdy wormholes are stumbled upon. YUNA is out TODAY from BMG. Stream it at your favorite DSP!

Today's episode of "How Did I Get Here?" features the amazing psych duo Ghostwoman. We talked at length about music, being in a band, and what to do when you find an excellent musical partner that happens to live on an entirely different continent! Ghostwoman's latest record, Welcome To The Civilized World, is out TODAY (September 5th!) on Full Time Hobby. You can either stream or order it delivered to your home FROM THIS VERY LINK!

Last year, I had the opportunity to see The Sonics play at Great American Music Hall. It was a fantastic show, but I was particularly entranced by the Chicano Soul / Retro Garage band opening, The McCharmly's. We had the opportunity to speak to lead singer Angie Monroy about her musical journey.  The McCharmlys are on the road with SadGirl and put on one helluva live show. Tour Dates here. You can also pick up records and download music from their Bandcamp page.

Molly Neuman is a rock n roll legend. She is the drummer for Riot Grrl groundbreakers Bratmobile. She was also a member of The Peechees and The Frumpies. AND she helped run Lookout Records in the late 90s. AND managed The Donnas. AND was Vice President at early digital music distributor eMusic. This is only a small portion of her career. She's now President of CD Baby and hitting the road with Bratmobile this Summer: 7/18: Los Angeles CA @ The Belasco w/ Death Valley Girls, Trap Girl, doors 7pm (all-ages) 7/20: Oakland CA @ Mosswood Meltdown (all-ages) 8/21: Vancouver BC @ Hollywood Theatre w/ PISS, Necking, doors 7pm (all-ages) 8/22: Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall w/ Roselit Bone, All Girl Summer Fun Band, doors 7pm (all-ages) 8/23: Olympia, WA @ South Sound Block Party w/ Team Dresch & more (all-ages, children under 12 free!)

Odds are that you don't know the name Kathy Foster, but you've probably seen her live a few dozen times. She's probably best known as the bassist for Portland punks The Thermals. Or as a member of the supergroup All Girl Summer Fun Band. Or any of the 8,565,233 other bands she's been a part of. Alas, after decades of backing up other acts, she's released her debut solo record under the alias Roseblood. We talked about her pathway to rock, with some adventures and misadventures along the way. We even touched on the time she played "Faith" and "Rebel Rebel" with Sleater-Kinney, where her band Hurry Up got their name from, and a LOT of time talking about how amazing Maggie Vail is. Roseblood's self-titled debut is out now and can be found on Bandcamp or wherever you stream your music from.

Nadia Quinn is an NYC-based singer, songwriter, comedian, writer, and actress, and she probably has 100 other jobs that we neglected to cover. We had a great conversation about family and comedy and the stress of comedy music. Nadia has TWO appearances at SF Sketchfest this week. She is part of the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band at Great American Music Hall on February 1st and brings her own show, The Nadia Quinn Show, to The Lost Church on February 2nd. The State's Ken Marino and Thomas Lennon are expected to crash both events. I plan on attending both shows, so if you see someone who looks like a visually impaired Jack Black, feel free to say hello!

Most people know Demi Adejuiygbe as the mastermind behind the legendary "September" videos. What you may not know is that he was a writer on The Good Place, possibly the greatest TV show ever, as well as The Amber Ruffin Show. As per the usual, we talked about his career, how he works, and, of course, there is a healthy dose of cat talk, complete with advice on how to properly AirTag your feline. Demi has a sold out show at Great Star Theater on Friday Night as part of SF Sketchfest doing his classic one-man show Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip , as well as appearing as part of Stamptown! at Club Fugazi on Saturday, January 18th. A limited number of tickets are available at the door, so I suggest you line up now for any and all of his SF Sketchfest appearances.

Zoe Ko is a pop/rock songwriter who has gifted the world some great, highly infectious singles and an EP in 2023. 2024 has been incredibly productive for her, and we had a great chat about nurturing your career, finding your people and your sound, and a lot about her future, including touring and what we should expect in the studio. Zoe Ko's latest single, "Lucky," can be found here. Her website is here, but her Instagram is the best place for new news as it drops!

Jennifer Clavin has been near the top of my interview bucket list since the inception of this site, a whopping 15 years ago. (!) I've followed her career through Mika Miko to Bleached, watching her mature as a songwriter while I've matured along with her, with her music helping me navigate my life. She's recently stepped out from behind the comfort of a band and has released three singles as a solo act under the alias Dear Francis. We discussed her career, her craft, and even hit on the joy of rescuing animals. She's been posting links to her new music ⁠here ⁠as it's ready to share. She's playing Heavy Manners Library in LA on Sunday, October 27th. This is her first EVER solo show, and I'm sad I can't come down for it. But you should if you are in Southern California. Tickets ⁠here⁠!

Noga Erez is a brilliant MC who, after years generating buzz in the underground, is putting out her major label debut, The Vandalist on September 20th. We had a great discussion about influences, working with Missy Elliott, her epic KIDS livestream, and even managed to discuss the complexities of promoting a record while living in a politically volatile country.

I didn't know what to expect when I got on a call with Victoria Bigelow. All I knew about her was that I'd kinda fallen in love with her head-swimmy brand of reverb-drenched country and shoegaze. We ended up talking a LOT about music in general, the struggles with being a DIY artist in this modern era, and getting the seal of approval from Willie Nelson. Her latest release, Songs For No One, Vol 2, is out now on Immortal Records, which was, in fact, Korn's first record label. Her latest video, "Forever Now And Then," is a stunning piece of filmmaking. Enjoy!