Four Strings and the Truth

Sandy Smallens

"Four Strings and the Truth: The Bassists Who Changed Music" features intimate conversations with players who have changed the course of the music that came after them, and continue to do so. We'll uncover their four-string mindset - their influences, approach, artistic practice, and how they go about practicing, playing, composing songs, being in a band and living their lives. Host Sandy Smallens, an indie- and major label-recording artist and bassist of 40-plus years, shines a light on the sometimes unsung (or at least under-sung) heroes who continue to redefine the bass's role in contemporary music, channeling his experience as a music writer and founder of Spotify's original content department. Check out the official pod playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2NJT1Dpc6eGi09uJOuQWKs?si=4d76eeff2b5c4615. Theme music: "TRIBES" by Surface Wound. To purchase that track, check out: https://surfacewound.bandcamp.com. Yell at me here: fourstringspod@gmail.com "Four Strings and the Truth" is an Audiation Original production.

  1. 5d ago

    "Loud Bands Playing Terrible Music" - The Bass-Forward Bands of Caterwaul

    Normally this show features a famous (at least, famous in our world) bassist we've been listening to for decades. But for today's episode, I went in a different direction.  Back in June of this year, I took my second pilgrimage to the Caterwaul Music Gathering, an underground-noise-punk-whatever weekend-long fest that's taken place in Minneapolis, MN for the last five years. In addition to capturing this episode's snazzy cover photo, I came away extremely amped about a slew of new-to-me bands who were putting the bass front and center and squeezing new sounds out of it.  So in true "FSATT" fashion, I bit off more than I can chew and conducted four interviews…starting with one of the festival's co-founders and curators, musician/podcaster/style maven Conan Neutron.  So here goes a longer-than-usual episode which provides the added benefit of hipping you to some new(ish) bass-forward bands that deserve your attention. Just be glad I didn't try to feature all of them, huh. Caterwaul on Instagram "Loud Bands Playing Terrible Music" Stickers and Other Caterwaul Merch  Conan Neutron on Instagram Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends on Bandcamp Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal Podcast BirdHands on Instagram BirdHands on Bandcamp BirdHands "Jungle Boogie" / "The Glow Up" Split Single with Violenteer BirdHands live at Chicago Music Exchange Video Burned or Buried on Instagram Burned of Buried on Bandcamp Burned or Buried live at Reggie's Video Baby Gurl on Instagram Baby Gurl on Bandcamp Baby Gurl "Smack My Bishop" Video

  2. 08/11/2025

    Feeling Minnesota Nice with Greg Norton (Hüsker Dü, Ultrabomb, Buddies)

    We continue to tick off the bucket list, player by player. In the wake of a trip to Minneapolis for the Caterwaul Festival, we chat with Minnesota's favorite son, Greg Norton - who filled his time in-between Hüskers tours as a chef, eventually opening an eponymous restaurant. After going 14 years without touching a bass, and surviving a health scare, Greg is back in the driver's seat: he's got his rejiggered super-trio UltraBomb; a Greg Norton + Buddies tour in which fellow travelers can jump on stage and sing the Hüskers song of their choice; and the debut of his very own signature bass!   We also announce the winner of our IdiotBox Effects Blower Box Deluxe pedal - tune in to find out if you're gonna be bathing your tone in distortion.   Hüsker Dü on Bandcamp (https://huskerdu.bandcamp.com/music) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/16bN8mhtDFdegWbg0z3s10?si=4Aycdgk-QamjQk43e_fdxg)    UltraBomb on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ultrabombmusic/), Bandcamp (https://ultrabomb.bandcamp.com/) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/4u2NU0NKwALURZY2qvtYQb?si=_JkfJPB2RAKRD1yT7DmauA)   Greg Norton Tour info (https://www.songkick.com/artists/2924031-greg-norton/calendar)   Hüsker Dü Live in London 1985 (includes a great version of "Diane") (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CphIHzsxduY)   UltraBomb's YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXttjijPvr-QXDwevC5Iqdg)   Caterwaul Festival in Minneapolis (go next year!) (https://www.caterwaul.org/)

  3. 07/17/2025

    Certain Fate Foretold with Clint Conley (Mission of Burma, consonant)

    Not exactly nine lives, but the quintessentially Boston band Mission of Burma has had at least two: their initial 1979-1983 foray, which yielded such classics as "That's When I Reach For My Revolver," "Academy Fight Song" and "That's When I Escaped My Certain Fate"; and an unlikely reunion in the early 2000s, yielding some equally influential albums as well as as a definitive bio-pic, "Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story" in 2006. Through it all, bassist, vocalist and songwriter Clint Conley has persisted, holding the same media gig for over 35 years (!) and raising a family in the wooded environs outside of Boston. Tune in to hear how this sage bassist and song architect found his sound, and continues to hew to the minimalist stylings of spindly bass lines in outings with the Chris Brokaw Rock Band, among others. ALSO! You have until 7/31/25 to enter to win a "like new" (seriously, I played it once) IdiotBox Effects Blower Box Deluxe pedal (video review here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6URsuLhD4). This is an amazing, bass-specific distortion pedal, with clean signal blend and a low-pass filter - so it will stick out nicely in live settings. It will arrive in its original box with 3M Dual Lock strips on the back, so it's ready for your pedal board.  To enter the contest, please send a screenshot of you recommending one episode of this podcast - your favorite interview - in a publicly viewable place - it can be Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or any social media outlet. Send the screenshot to: fourstringspod@gmail.com, and we'll pick one winner at random on 7/31/25. Please note that previous winners of one of our contests are not eligible for this one. We thank the entrants so far - who hail from around the globe - and encourage you to shoot your shot as well. Mission of Burma on Bandcamp (https://missionofburmamusic.bandcamp.com/music) Mission of Burma on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/5UMQV83wwZCCvRSQCVjZw6?si=1eSFR-5UQRqhuLz14sDIsQ) consonant on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/07xPqvLLSdQTw0Go6sJdk8?si=Su_5kyY0Q0-uRy-cKUqp6Q) "Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14bGcdg2eQo) "Chronicle" on WCVB-TV in Boston (https://www.wcvb.com/chronicle) "Academy Fight Song" by 'Mission of Brokaw' (featuring Peter Prescott and Chris Brokaw) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHko_-sGj-Y) Mission of Burma live at the Williamsburg Waterfront in 2009 with Clint, Peter and Roger all wearing sunglasses at some point (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiMc7RftWa0)

  4. 06/26/2025

    Better Bass-ing with Nate Brenner (Tune-Yards, Naytronix)

    Nate Brenner has been playing music in front of people since he was four, and it shows. He and his musical/life partner Merrill Garbus have carved out a unique place in the indie-pop cosmos: funky, joyful, noisy and heartfelt. Between tours supporting Tune-Yards' just-released sixth album, "Better Dreaming," Nate spends some time with us to unspool his unique approach to the instrument, touching on his musical upbringing, the group's warts-and-all aesthetic, and their compelling ability to carry out live performances of their complex songs as a duo. This is a portrait of artists figuring things out in real time, whether live on stage or in the copious scores they've composed for Boots Riley's various projects.  Tune-Yards on Bandcamp (https://tune-yards.bandcamp.com) Tune-Yards live dates (https://tune-yards.com/tour/) Naytronix on Bandcamp (https://naytronix.bandcamp.com/) Nate's Dad Craig Brenner's latest album "Passages," (featuring Merrill Garbus) (https://www.craigbrenner.com/music) A partial list of cool musicians who went to Oberlin (https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2017/10/bands_and_musicians_you_didnt.html) An Archive of Merrill Garbus's songwriting workshop at School of Song (https://schoolofsong.org/products/songwriting-workshop-with-merrill-garbus-of-tune-yards-copy) Today, we're launching a month-long contest to win a "like new" (seriously, I played it once) IdiotBox Effects Blower Box Deluxe pedal (video review here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6URsuLhD4). This is an amazing, bass-specific distortion pedal, with clean signal blend and a low-pass filter - so it will stick out nicely in live settings. It will arrive in its original box with 3M Dual Lock strips on the back, so it's ready for your pedal board.  To enter the contest, please send a screenshot of you recommending one episode of this podcast - your favorite interview - in a publicly viewable place - it can be Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or any social media outlet. Send screenshots to: fourstringspod@gmail.com, and we'll pick one winner at random on 7/31/25. Please note that previous winners of one of our contests are not eligible for this one.

5
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

"Four Strings and the Truth: The Bassists Who Changed Music" features intimate conversations with players who have changed the course of the music that came after them, and continue to do so. We'll uncover their four-string mindset - their influences, approach, artistic practice, and how they go about practicing, playing, composing songs, being in a band and living their lives. Host Sandy Smallens, an indie- and major label-recording artist and bassist of 40-plus years, shines a light on the sometimes unsung (or at least under-sung) heroes who continue to redefine the bass's role in contemporary music, channeling his experience as a music writer and founder of Spotify's original content department. Check out the official pod playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2NJT1Dpc6eGi09uJOuQWKs?si=4d76eeff2b5c4615. Theme music: "TRIBES" by Surface Wound. To purchase that track, check out: https://surfacewound.bandcamp.com. Yell at me here: fourstringspod@gmail.com "Four Strings and the Truth" is an Audiation Original production.

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