Jokermen

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Catch Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band Live TONIGHT in Los Angeles

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The Jokermen recount the extraordinary story behind the completion, after thirty-seven years, of Brian Wilson's SMiLE. NEXT EPISODE ON BWPS COMING ON THE JOKERMEN PATREON WATCH THE "BEAUTIFUL DREAMER" DOCUMENTARY

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Ian speaks with Robert Polito about After The Flood: Inside Bob Dylan's Memory Palace, his superb new book about the second (and best) half of Bob Dylan's artistic career. BUY "AFTER THE FLOOD"

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The Jokermen are joined by producers Howie Edelson, James Sáez, and Alan Boyd to discuss the spectacular new Love You-era box set release We Gotta Groove. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON "WE GOTTA GROOVE" AVAILABLE THIS FRIDAY

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The Jokermen speak with author, documentarian, friend of the pod, and all-around mensch David Leaf about his All-Star Tribute To Brian Wilson, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this March. WATCH "AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE TO BRIAN WILSON"

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The Jokermen speak to David Shumway about the life, times, and art of Leonard Cohen as assessed in The World of Leonard Cohen, a new collection of essays edited by Shumway. BUY "THE WORLD OF LEONARD COHEN"

The Jokermen join Brian Wilson and company in the year 2000 for an immaculate document of Brian's triumphant return to show and concert recorded at the legendary Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON

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The Jokermen chat with Ryley Walker about becoming a laptop guy, David Sylvian, Bob Dylan, XTC, compact discs, Van Morrison, Van Morrison's dick and balls, Westerman, Cameron Winter and Geese, the new wave of weird, fun, fresh indie rock, expanding his audience beyond record collectors, and more. CATCH RYLEY ON THE WEST COAST THIS WEEK FOLLOW RYLEY ON INSTAGRAM

In honor of Bob Weir, who passed away today at the age of 78, we're unlocking Ian & Evan's positively fried post-show conversation following Dead & Co's penultimate performance in San Francisco on 8/2/25, which previously ran on Never Ending Stories. Fare thee well Bobby 🌹

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The Jokermen are joined by Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) to discuss his superb score for the instant classic MARTY SUPREME, American Hauntology, Donald Fagen, Stanley Kubrick, the blimp and much more. FOLLOW DAN ON INSTAGRAM "MARTY SUPREME" SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE NOW

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The Jokermen embrace the "Do It Again" ethos of the holidays with two late-era Christmas records: Brian Wilson's warm-hearted What I Really Want For Christmas, and Mike Love's aesthetically abrasive Reason For The Season. Plus: a Root Beer Report unlike any other.

Ian catches up with Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear about their just-concluded 2025 tour, revisiting Yellow House, Veckatimest, and Shields, returning to the past with no sense of pressure, community vs. quality of life, solo artists vs. rock bands, the lasting reputation of Grizzly Bear, the GOAT Michael McDonald, and much more. FOLLOW DANIEL ON INSTAGRAM

Ian speaks with author W. David Marx about cultural atrophy, poptimism, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Geese, the "Mike Love Century," The Beatles, the importance of serious criticism, Kanye, Kim, Paris Hilton, new musical genres (or lack thereof), fashion and food scenes vs. music and arts scenes, and Marx's superb new book, Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty First Century. FOLLOW W. DAVID MARX ON INSTAGRAM "BLANK SPACE" AVAILABLE NOW

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The Jokermen consider Carnie and Wendy Wilson's output from the 1990s: the self-titled Wilson Phillips debut, Shadows & Light, and their pseudo-collaboration with Brian, The Wilsons. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON

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The Jokermen discuss the laziest effort yet from the Beach Boys. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON

The Jokermen celebrate Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson's collaborative release Orange Crate Art, as well as the California myth, the reclamation of the SMiLE project, the complicated relationship between art and commerce, and the medium of orange crate art itself. WATCH "VAN DYKE PARKS: EEN OBSESSIE VOOR MUZIEK" ON YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON FOR ACCESS TO ALL EPISODES

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Ian raps with Julian Ehrlich and Max Kakacek of Whitney about living together as bandmates and working together as roommates, recording and producing themselves, dual breakups, The Band, "Acadian Driftwood," favorite Bob records, the Chicago scene, the depressing state of the Bears and the Bulls, basketball fandom in indie rock, "marinating" before tour, the ubiquity of pedal steel, and their lovely new record Small Talk. "SMALL TALK" OUT NOW FOLLOW WHITNEY ON INSTAGRAM

Ian chats with the great John Darnielle about the latest Mountain Goats record Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan, cracking the concept behind the album, collaborating with members of both the Hamilton cast and The Replacements, his upcoming lyrics book, de-centering "John Darnielle" from his work, giving himself permission to look back, becoming an accidental TikTok phenomenon, writing bridges, underrated Bob Dylan records, and much more. "THROUGH THIS FIRE ACROSS FROM PETER BALKAN" OUT THIS FRIDAY "THIS YEAR" OUT DECEMBER 2nd

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The Jokermen forge on into the 90s with Brian Wilson's never-released second solo record Sweet Insanity, the final document of the Eugene Landy era. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON WATCH THE DIANE SAWYER INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE

The Jokermen sift through the wreckage of the Beach Boys in the 1980s to identify the best songs of the decade. LISTEN TO "THAT SONG MAKES ME FEEL SPIRITUAL: BEST OF THE BEACH BOYS IN THE 1980s" on Spotify SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON

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The Jokermen speak with Darian Sahanaja and Jim Laspesa of the Brian Wilson Band about the incredible tour they're on with Al Jardine, the beauty and honesty of The Beach Boys Love You, the excitement around the shows, the new generation of Beach Boys fans, the Lemon Twigs, Norbit, Andy Paley, the upcoming Love You/Adult Child box set, hunting for SMiLE bootlegs, deep-cut early Beach Boys favorites, and much more. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON

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The Jokermen review the twisted tale leading up to the release of Brian Wilson's debut solo album and the rogue's gallery of associated individuals, including Dr. Eugene Landy, Gary Usher, the "Surf Nazis," Melinda Ledbetter, Bob Dylan, Andy Paley, Seymour Stein, Lenny Waronker, and Michael Love—author of the infamous speech at the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. "BRIAN WILSON" (1988) EPISODE COMING THURSDAY ON THE JOKERMEN PATREON

Ian speaks with Cate Le Bon about being sought out by John Cale, producing Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, and Wilco albums, taking time to make the music she needed to make, titles, screaming fans in San Francisco, and her excellent new record, Michelangelo Dying. FOLLOW CATE ON INSTAGRAM "MICHELANGELO DYING" OUT FRIDAY 9/26

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Buck Meek returns to Jokermen for a conversation about living through the Los Angeles fires, recording live in a room with trusted friends and collaborators, Laraaji's powerful zither/iPad loadout, continuing to believe in rock and roll, reaching a new state of equilibrium in Big Thief, and their beautiful new record, Double Infinity. LISTEN TO "DOUBLE INFINITY" FOLLOW BUCK ON INSTAGRAM

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The Jokermen review two very different Beach Boys artifacts from the mid 80s: the 25 Years Together television special and the An American Band documentary. Plus: A&W Ice Cream Sundae Soda. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON WATCH THE "25 YEARS TOGETHER" SPECIAL WATCH "AN AMERICAN BAND"

Ian chats with Meg Duffy about the difference (or lack thereof) between an EP and an LP, working with Blake Mills & Daniel Aged, establishing a solo career while collaborating with other artists, the challenge of writing love songs, bridging the gap between hip non-binary kids and ponytailed guitar guys, and their excellent new Hand Habits record. LISTEN TO "BLUE REMINDER" FOLLOW MEG ON INSTAGRAM

The Jokermen consider the first post-Dennis Wilson effort from The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys (1985). Plus: A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON FOR ACCESS TO ALL EPISODES AD-FREE

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The Jokermen rendezvous with Van Dyke Parks, Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus, Br'er Rabbit, David Newman, and the Brave Little Toaster for a conversation about American myth, cultural appreciation vs. cultural appropriation, and having respect for your audience. SUBSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREON FOR ACCESS TO ALL EPISODES AD-FREE