Pursuing the Muse

Tom Compton
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about songwriting and the paths musicians take to get songs created.

  1. Gatorwater

    6D AGO

    Gatorwater

    Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse. Today, we’re joined by Gary Landess, frontman of the Chicago-based dirty blues rock quartet Gatorwater. Known for their slithering slide guitar and a rhythm section that thumps like a creature emerging from the swamp, the band recently released their heavy new album, Hydrophonic. In this episode, Gary reveals how a warped, unplayable guitar accidentally launched his signature slide style, the mystery of the real-life "Illinois Cowboy" and his spurs, and the family racing boat legacy that inspired the track "Ora Hula Ballroom". And much more... ------------------------------------------------------ https://www.instagram.com/gatorwaterband https://www.facebook.com/gatorwaterg/ https://gatorwater.bandcamp.com/ ------------------------------------------------------ • 00:00 - Intro • 02:02 - Welcoming Gary Landess, frontman of Gatorwater. • 02:27 - Hydrophonic release • 02:58 - The "Old New" Album • 04:15 - Shirk Studios: • 05:17 - Potions and Elixirs • 08:03 - Independent Release Strategy • 09:40 - Banking Music • 11:54 - Meet the Band: bassist Donovan Foote, harmonica Peter Beck, and drummer Olivia Beatty. • 13:23 - Collaborative Songwriting • 16:54 - Vocals and "Growls" • 22:36 - AI and the Future • 23:35 - The "Titanic Green" Resonator • 27:39 - Baritone Experimentation • 30:23 - From Drums to Guitar • 34:24 - "Faking It Till You Make It" • 39:25 - Musical Gateways • 42:25 - Defining the Sound • 43:54 - Modern Influence • 47:53 - "Illinois Cowboy" • 50:31 - "Ora Hula Ballroom" • 58:00 - Streaming Realities • 58:40 - Tales from Phyllis’ • 59:40 - Outro & Contact Info

    1 hr
  2. Justin Warfield

    JAN 30

    Justin Warfield

    Welcome to Pursuing the Muse. Today, we are joined by the legendary Justin Warfield. From signing a solo deal at sixteen on Quincy Jones’s label to his global success with She Wants Revenge, Justin has spent thirty years navigating diverse genres.  Stick around as we discuss how Beastie Boys made it safe for him to be a 'total weirdo' in early hip-hop, the 'perfect storm' involving Lady Gaga that gave his hit 'Tear You Apart' a massive second life, and the 'Willy Wonka' factory experience of the 90s London music scene. Justin has a new album out called "Deathrock Devotionals" under the band name Warfield.  ------------------------------------------------ https://www.justinwarfield.com https://instagram.com/justinwarfield https://linktr.ee/justinwarfield https://justinwarfield.bandcamp.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_fKiWxtJFNyf0pXQc1vK_w https://cleopatrarecords.bandcamp.com/album/deathrock-devotionals ------------------------------------------------ • 00:00:00 - Intro • 00:02:44 - Starting at 16 accidental career and mentorship in composition. • 00:03:41 - The Quincy Jones Connection • 00:04:51 - Architect of Trip-Hop? • 00:07:09 - "Nashville Skyline" Meets Hip-Hop • 00:09:04 - Freedom to be a "Weirdo" • 00:10:20 - The "Perfect Storm" of 1988/89 • 00:13:29 - Transition to London • 00:14:18 - Willy Wonka’s Factory • 00:16:19 - Cycle of Mentorship • 00:19:25 - Alternative Evolution • 00:21:18 - "Growing Up in Public" • 00:22:17 - Birth of She Wants Revenge • 00:26:37 - A 20-Year Partnership • 00:27:51 - How Lady Gaga personally championed "Tear You Apart" for American Horror Story. • 00:28:44 - The WARFIELD Project • 00:32:43 - Solo Autonomy: creative freedom of recording alone versus the collaborative • 00:34:59 - "All the Fun" Mission Statement • 00:38:06 - Songwriting Deep Dive: Reworking "If the World Starts Crashing Down Tonight" • 00:41:35 - Trusting First Instincts • 00:44:31 - Collaborative Process: How Thomas Froggatt and Spencer Rollins add "curveballs" • 00:48:15 - Live Interpretation • 00:49:08 - Mixtape Generation • 00:50:25 - Vulnerability in "A Love So Bold" • 00:52:23 - Looking Ahead • 00:54:23 - Outro & Contact: Instagram and Bandsintown

    57 min
  3. Mark Guarino

    12/23/2025

    Mark Guarino

    Welcome to Pursuing the Muse. This go round we have Mark Guarino, a veteran journalist for the Washington Post and ABC News, and author of the award-winning music history book, Country and Midwestern.  We discuss how Chicago’s role in country and folk history is like an independent research lab. While Nashville became the high-profile factory producing the finished "products" for the mass market, Chicago was the experimental space where the formulas were first discovered, tested, and pushed into weird, new directions away from corporate oversight. Mark's extensive stories reveal a rich century of Chicago's music evolution.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://countryandmidwestern.com https://www.instagram.com/markguarino ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:00:54 – Intro: Tom Compton welcomes Mark Guarino • 00:02:07 – Huskies Pride: Reminiscing about high school days and ill-fated track team experiences. • 00:05:32 – A Decade of Discovery: The ten-year journey of writing Country and Midwestern • 00:07:44 – Human-Centric History: Why focusing on the stories of people is the key • 00:10:01 – The Unique 1990s: the luck of being a journalist in the right place at the right time. • 00:12:12 – An "Injustice" Rectified • 00:13:12 – WLS National Barn Dance • 00:15:33 – "Hillbilly Heaven" in Uptown • 00:20:05 – Stories of Resistance • 00:22:14 – The Gate of Horn • 00:24:29 – Bob Gibson’s Dark Side • 00:28:06 – Old Town School of Folk Music • 00:32:48 – McCarthyism & The FBI • 00:37:08 – The Prine Connection • 00:38:35 – Bob Dylan Deemed Unworthy. • 00:42:44 – A Living Legacy: the University of Chicago Folk Festival • 00:45:15 – From the Will the Circle Be Unbroken resurgence to the modern popularity of Bluegrass. • 00:47:55 – The Spirit of Collaboration • 00:53:44 – 2025 Favorite Releases • 00:57:17 – Van Morrison’s Deep Cuts • 01:03:05 – Closing superlatives

    1h 6m
  4. Brian Dunne

    12/16/2025

    Brian Dunne

    Welcome to Pursuing the Muse. This week we’re diving into the wonderful new album, Clams Casino, with the artist who created it, Brian Dunne. Brian is a singer-songwriter based in New York. He’s known for combining rock and roll with raw, literate self-examination, and he is also a member of the supergroup Fantastic Cat. Stick around as Brian discusses the core conflict of his working-class characters having to choose whether to "sell out or move out", how he produced the album at home, sometimes keeping the "lower quality audio" from original demos to preserve the song’s soul, and why he believes that professional songwriting discipline is like "going fishing" every day. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.briandunnemusic.net/ http://instagram.com/briandunnemusic http://facebook.com/briandunnemusic/ https://briandunne.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bdunne8/videos ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:01:56 - Intro: Tom Compton welcomes Brian Dunne and praises Clams Casino • 00:03:10 - The concept of Clams Casino as the aftermath of the previous album • 00:04:10 - The central theme of the record: Examining personal and public issues through the lens of class and working-class roots • 00:06:15 - The two main characters and the core conflict: whether to "sell out or move out". • 00:07:14 - Discussing songs that explore the duality of letting a dream die, contrasting the pain with the "sweet relief of letting something go" • 00:08:17 - Solo performance feedback • 00:10:08 - Fantastic Cat: How the "super group of sorts"came together, and plans • 00:12:39 - Production shift: Adopting a new process for Clams Casino by prioritizing the "pure" intention and "soul" • 00:14:34 - Using "lower quality audio" demo tracks to achieve an authentic balance,. • 00:15:30 - The "ears" and collaborators who helped refine the record, including Ken Yates, Dan Rohan, Ben Tali, and Don D’Lego. • 00:17:12 - Brian Dunne played about 90% of the instruments on the album • 00:18:11 - Using his humble New York home studio • 00:21:10 - The title Clams Casino: It is a bygone red-sauce menu item that symbolizes working-class aspiration, class pride, and shame • 00:25:33 - Vocal style and influences • 00:27:51 - Guitar influences: Mike Campbell and Robbie Robertson PTM logo created by David Lawrence PTM theme song "Iron Rails" by Joel Corelitz

    52 min
  5. Elijah Johnston

    12/09/2025

    Elijah Johnston

    Welcome to Pursuing the Muse. Today we welcome Atlanta musician Elijah Johnston, winner of the 2022 Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award. His new album, Stupid Soul, blends lush Americana, power pop, and 90s alternative sounds, earning praise for its diversity. Elijah's most recent release is the holiday song "The Joy in Everything". Hear Elijah discuss how recording Stupid Soul became "more scrambled than initially planned, why he tackled Bruce Springsteen’s "Valentine's Day" with a "modernized shot in the arm", and why he actively avoids an "arms race of who can out personal each other" in songwriting ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://elijahJohnston.net https://instagram.com/elijahmjohnston https://www.tiktok.com/@elijahmjohnston https://elijahjohnston.bandcamp.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:01:52 - Intro • 00:02:23 - Discussion of the diverse, hard-to-categorize nature of Stupid Soul. • 00:03:15 - The recording process for Stupid Soul becoming "more scrambled" despite aiming for cohesion. • 00:04:34 - The evolution toward a looser style • 00:05:45 - Catchiness of the song "Ideas" and positive reception • 00:07:57 - Translating the sonically dense album tracks into strong live arrangements • 00:10:02 - Awareness of which songs have the necessary structure to shine in solo acoustic versus full-band settings. • 00:11:00 - Performing the complex vocal arrangements of "Baby Bands" live. • 00:13:29 - Attention to album sequencing • 00:14:41 - The choice of "Leonard" as the album opener • 00:19:35 - Prioritizing universal themes and "ecstatic truth" over transcribing diary entries. • 00:23:48 - Covering Bruce Springsteen's "Valentine's Day" • 00:29:53 - Winning the 2022 Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award. • 00:31:42 - The historical significance of Athens, GA • 00:35:05 - Early musical goals focused on songwriting and melody • 00:39:51 - The spontaneous studio decision that turned an electric guitar song into an acoustic, folky track. • 00:43:40 - Sequencing the album closer, "Football Season," as a simple, climactic loop back to the start • 00:47:22 - Using the horror movie title "I Know What You Did Last Summer" metaphorically to explore the dramatic emotions of young people • 00:52:40 - Songwriting process is generally Melody first, followed by finding words that fit • 00:57:21 - The practice of repurposing strong song sections • 00:58:09 - Recording strategy involves strict budgeting and entering the studio avoiding wasting time. • 01:00:32 - Relying on the Apple Voice Memo app to capture raw ideas • 01:01:49 - The history and camaraderie of the core musical crew. • 01:05:45 - Plans for the next album • 01:07:45 - The goal of making every section of a song the "catchy part" • 01:09:06 - Outro & Upcoming dates, including South by Southwest in Austin

    1h 12m
  6. Gabe Lee

    12/02/2025

    Gabe Lee

    Today on Pursuing the Muse, we are in conversation with Nashville native, Gabe Lee! Gabe is an award-winning songwriter, recently named Saving Country Music’s 2023 Album of the Year winner for Drink The River. Known for crafting songs that blend country, folk, and rock, Lee is celebrated as a versatile performer and profound storyteller. Stay tuned to hear Gabe reveal the working title of his next album. He details the unique experience of recording it in a haunted mansion in West Virginia. And he explains why heartbreak is an incredible motivator for any songwriter. So without further Adie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.gabeleetn.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mistergabelee https://www.instagram.com/mistergabelee https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFZaJ14uIYL-ztx-oM-iSeA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:02:00 - Intro: Tom Compton welcomes Gabe Lee • 00:03:07 - New Single "Wedding Song" • 00:03:39 - The Intense Record Release Cycle • 00:06:01 - Creative Freedom Between Albums • 00:06:48 - Upcoming Record Tone • 00:07:56 - Independent Production • 00:08:35 - A Grungier Sound • 00:09:26 - Producing Solo • 00:10:37 - Working Title: "Brittle County": seemingly strong things can shatter, and seemingly brittle things can be strong • 00:12:35 - Unique Recording Process: Recording eleven songs in a haunted mansion • 00:13:37 - Chemistry vs. Session Musicians • 00:16:59 - Songwriting Origins: Starting songwriting in high school/middle school, channeling emotions and heartbreak • 00:19:07 - Finding His Voice • 00:21:13 - The Leap to Drink the River • 00:23:45 - The Sonic Thread: voice and the thread of storytelling maintain cohesion • 00:26:29 - Affection for Bluegrass • 00:27:32 - Songs Work in Both Worlds • 00:29:28 - Developing Originality • 00:32:09 - The Influence of John Prine • 00:36:10 - Collaboration with King Margo • 00:39:04 - Economics of Touring • 00:43:58 - Musician Networks • 00:45:02 - The Nashville Proving Ground • 00:50:50 - The Art of Sequencing • 00:52:30 - The Emotional Back Half of Drink the River • 00:54:19 - Drink the River Theme • 00:56:38 - The Empathy of Storytelling • 01:02:37 - The Central Message: The title track, "Drink the River" • 01:04:55 - Opening Up to Co-Writing • 01:07:59 - Brian Elmquist Collaboration • 01:08:57 - Outro & Continued Touring

    1h 10m
  7. Jon Nolan

    11/25/2025

    Jon Nolan

    Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse! Jon Nolan is back for his second appearance on the podcast. We are diving deep into his fantastic new album, Slow Cooker. Jon hails from Newmarket, New Hampshire, aka "Shoe Town". He is a seasoned musician, having co-fronted Say ZuZu with Cliff Murphy as well as taking the reigns with his own band, Good Company.  Stay tuned as Jon reveals the raw, emotional story behind the track "Someone's in the driveway," inspired by an end-of-life request from an old acquaintance. You'll also learn how his wintertime music series sparked the album's title, Slow Cooker, which encourages slowing down and taking time. And learn about what the Omnichord actually is. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://jonnolan.net https://jonnolan.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/jonnolannh https://jonnolannh.substack.com https://www.sayzuzu.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:01:48 - Intro: Tom welcomes Jon Nolan back • 00:03:22 - Slow Cooker Origin • 00:06:03 - Recording Location • 00:07:11 - Slow Cooker Sessions • 00:09:28 - Creative Process jealously guarding the joy of playing • 00:14:05 - The Story Behind "Someone's in the driveway" • 00:18:18 - Newmarket History • 00:21:43 - The Cinematic Album • 00:28:55 - "Sea Glass" and the Omnichord • 00:34:08 - Slow Cooker Themes • 00:40:02 - Emotional Core • 00:44:06 - Shifting Moods • 00:50:54 - Bass in the Pocket • 00:52:19 - "Sweat and Blood" • 00:56:30 - Gear Details • 00:59:10 - The closing track • 01:07:11 - Support and Touring • 01:12:20 - The Importance of Community • 01:17:53 - Slow Cooker Sessions (Detailed)

    1h 26m
  8. The Yayhoos

    11/18/2025

    The Yayhoos

    Welcome back to Pursuing the Muse. I’m Tom Compton, and today we’re talking the recent vinyl release of the Yayhoos two albums with half the members of the band: Terry Anderson and Eric Ambel. The Yayhoos are a roots-rock supergroup, featuring former Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird, Eric Ambel of The Del-Lords, Terry Anderson of the Olympic Ass Kickin Team and bassist extradoinaire Keith Christopher. They are known for their loud, unapologetically ragged rock sound.  Coming up you'll hear the chaotic story of recording their debut album, Fear Not the Obvious, live to eight-track in a North Carolina barn; learn how Eric coaxed Keith's stream of consciousness lyrics into a finished song and find out why attending a Yayhoos show was arguably one of the most fun things you could ever do. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.facebook.com/theyayhoos/ https://bloodshotrecords.shop.musictoday.com/dept/yayhoos?cp=113358_113370_116176 https://www.ericambel.com/ https://olympicasskickinteam.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_ericambel/ Champagne stopper: https://a.co/d/8FNkRhk Roscoe's studio tour: https://youtu.be/2b1OAFWi4Dw Wes Lachot: https://weslachot.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- • 00:00:00 - Show intro • 00:02:18 - Intro: Tom Compton welcomes Terry Anderson and Eric Ambel of the Yayhoos • 00:03:09 - The impetus for releasing the two great albums on vinyl. • 00:04:14 - Explanation of acquiring the Bloodshot assets and what led to the vinyl release. • 00:05:39 - Eric Ambel discusses finding the analog tapes for both records and the remastering • 00:07:01 - Discussion of the mastering challenges of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska • 00:09:20 - Differences in mastering for vinyl versus CD • 00:10:59 - Terry Anderson shares his enthusiasm for the new vinyl sound • 00:12:11 - The origin story of the Yayhoos begins: early songwriting sessions • 00:14:04 - Discussion of the band forming after Keith Christopher was brought in and early recordings on a cassette four-track • 00:15:15 - The band formed as a co-op after tour support was pulled, leading them to play songs off all members' solo records. • 00:17:13 - How the band used a "development deal" to record the first album at Terry's dad's barn • 00:19:30 - Recording and songwriting process for the first album • 00:22:12 - The creation of Keith Christopher’s song "For Crying Out Loud" using mumbled vocal takes. • 00:24:40 - The release of Fear Not the Obvious in 2001, coinciding with September 11th. • 00:27:55 - The surreal experience of playing a gig just days after 9/11 • 00:31:19 - The story behind the song "Frozen Head," which appears on all members' solo records • 00:33:05 - The infectious energy and fun of The Yayhoos' live shows, including "crick dancing" • 00:35:45 - Recalling a memorable gig in Spain • 00:39:51 - How the band self-released their second album, Put the Hammer Down • 00:40:40 - The band's highly collaborative songwriting process and how they pitched in to help each other • 00:46:41 - Eric describes the dulcimer/dulcitar instrument used on "Right as Rain" • 00:50:24 - Terry’s favorite aspects of playing with Eric • 00:51:43 - Eric’s favorite aspects of playing with Terry • 00:53:02 - Terry shares the recent loss of three years of his songwriting notes • 00:55:36 - Eric discusses his collaboration with renowned studio designer Wes Lachot • 01:00:32 - Eric mentions a popular video walkthrough of his studio on YouTube • 01:07:11 - Terry's favorite gig memory: playing the Roskilde Festival in Denmark • 01:09:37 - Discussion of the Outlaw Country Cruise • 01:11:55 - Final encouragement to purchase the vinyl reissues before they sell out. • 01:13:00 - Eric promotes his website and Instagram (which includes cat pictures).

    1h 14m
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About

A podcast about songwriting and the paths musicians take to get songs created.

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Compton
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Pursuing the Muse