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Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

Joe Plummer and friends share their stories from life on the road. We hear funny, sad and sometimes scary tales from musicians, comedians and writers. He"s also "Checks-In" with artists to hear new music, find out what they"ve been up to and whats next on the creative docket. Have a tour story? Want to get in touch with Joe? Send a message to hello@ruinousmedia.com. Tour Stories is produced by Ruinous Media. http://www.ruinousmedia.com/tourstories/

music music interviews

All Episodes

33:57

The Check-In with Yoni Wolf-WHY?

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/10/02

Yoni Wolf is a singer, songwriter and founding member of Cincinnati based WHY? His newest album Oh Golly/Yes Lord is due out October 30th via Waterlines. Yoni shares his relationship with music as and youngster and how his dad opened his songwriting world with just a few major chords. He tells us how a reductive approached shaped the new record and why Oh Golly/Yes Lord functions as a mediation on both the future and the past. We also get some insight into to his writing process and what

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25:23

The Check-In with Briana Hernandez-Spread Joy

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/09/25

Spread JoyFeel It RecordsBriana Hernandez is the singer of Chicago based band Spread Joy. Their newest record III is out now via Feel It Records. We learn how Briana went from being over the idea of being in a band to becoming the lead singer of Spread Joy. She shares how the band approached the new recorded differently, why they scrapped their first attempt and why slowing down the writing process provided a freshness to III. She also shares her approach to vocal delivery and why recording live in

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30:48

The Check-In with Will Schwartz and Lynn...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/09/18

Will Schwarz and Lynn Truell are two of the four founding members of Imperial Teen. Their newest record All Over You is due out October 9th via Merge Records. Will and Lynn tell us how supportive and caring collaboration plays a role in the bands creative process and longevity. We learn how All Over You reflects the current state affairs and why Will took a playfully pessimistic approach to his writing. The three discuss the resonating power of modular song titles like All Over You, Will and Lynn

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40:34

The Check-In with Cor De Lux

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/09/11

Dawn Moraga and Tim Lusk are the guitarists, singers and founding members of the Kill Devil Hills based band Cor De Lux. Their third full length and Ipecac Records debut Year Of he Horse is due out on September 18th. Tim and Dawn share their live performance focused songwriting process, the evolution of singing duties in the band and why all rehearsals begin with their version of a therapy session. Dawn tells us why her vocals come second to playing guitar in the band, how she’s controls the energy

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22:49

The Check-In with Corin Tucker and Tracy...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/09/04

Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney) and Tracy Sawyer (The Husbands, The Flying Tigers, The Lies) are the founding members of Heavens To Betsy. They are set to release their first project since 1994: baby’s gone, a 16-track mission statement comprising a never-before-heard demo tape originally recorded by Bratmobile’s Molly Neuman. The two tell us how it feels to get back together as both friends and bandmates after a lifetime apart and why they feel better equipped to celebrate the power of these songs

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27:51

The Check-In with Chris Leo-The Van Pelt

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/08/28

Chris Leo is the guitarist, singer and a founding member of The Van Pelt. Their newest record Remain Obscure is out on September 18th via Earnest Jennings records. Chris and Joe discuss the 20+ year journey of The Van Pelt, why the band finds themselves consistently reuniting and the unique circumstances that brought them back together for the new record. Chris tells us how his writing has evolved into what it is today, why it’s still a process in motion and a sustainable vehicle for his

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37:09

The Check-In with THAO

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/08/21

Thao Nguyen is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and multidisciplinary artist based in Oakland California. Her newest record Show Me drops October 30th via Kill Rock Stars. Thao share’s her experience growing up just outside of D.C and how playing small clubs as a teenager and the preconceptions of female musicians motivated her to operate on higher level from the get-go. She tells us what brought her back to recording and touring after a 6-year break, how a desire for communion came out of a personal

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15:45

Michael Cera Revisited

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/08/14

It's that time again, my annual Michael Cera episode. Yes, the first face you see when you open Netflix is Michaels from the forever giving show Arrested Development. Yes, three generations of humans understand ALL the jokes from his hit movie Superbad. And finally, yes he played the most iconic character in film history in Barbie, the most watched film in film history. But none of this helps the guy who played the most powerful bass player in the world in Scott Pilgrim recover his lost/stolen bass

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22:23

The Check In with Chelsey Hahn-Perennial

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/08/07

Chelsey Hahn is a singer, organist and founding member of Perennial. They’re newest record Modernism will be released on September 18th via Earnest Jenning Record Co. Chelsey tells us how the band approached the new record and why capturing their live energy is essential to all of their recordings. She shares the band’s dual vocal and writing process, how their instrumentation allows them to maximize their performance and why playing hi-energy shows is Perennials main objective. Joe and Chelsey

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19:25

The Check In with Jim Blaha-I Will Die In This Jean...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/07/31

Jim Blaha is a singer, guitarist and a founding member of The Blind Shake. His debut solo effort Hang From A Cloud from his new project I Will Die In This Jean Jacket is due out August 21st via Swami Records. Jim shares how his songwriting process became the catalyst for the new record and why it steps away from the punk garage sounds of The Blind Shake. Joe and Jim commiserate on the importance of skate punk in their musical lives, Jim tells us how his vocals and lyrics have evolved and the role

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25:34

The Check-In with Mallory Hawk

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/07/24

Mallory Hawk is a singer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist based in Philadelphia by way of Fayetteville NC. Her self-released debut record Chinook is out July 31st. Mallory shares her experience growing up in a music rich household and why she ultimately settled with guitar as her main instrument. We learn how her songwriting style has evolved for the new record, she tells us the story behind the record title and how a military upbringing influenced the concept. The two discuss Mallory's

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43:11

The Check-In with Lily Wolter-Penelope Isles

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/07/17

Lily Wolter is a singer, multi-instrumentalist and along with her brother Jack, a founding member of Brighton based band, Penelope Isles. Their newest release, 3 is due out September 25th via Bella Union. Lily shares her experience growing up on the Ilse of Mann, how that shaped her relationship with music and what motivated her and her brother to start playing music together. She tells us why the band took a three-year break, what they did with that time, and why Penelope Isles feels stronger

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36:05

The Check-In with Dent May

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/07/10

Dent May is an LA based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His 7th full length record The Big One is due out August 14th via Carpark Records. Dent share’s his experience growing up in Mississippi and why his connection to music was so meaningful both as a child and in his formative years. He tells us how his production approach rides the line of maximalist and minimalist, why he chose to track live and how he wrangled his array of influences to create a unique sound for The Big One. Dent

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48:46

The Check In with Evil Island- Cody Votolato-Johnny...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/07/03

Evil Island have announced their debut album, Terraform The Afterlife, arriving August 14 via Blowed Out Records. Born from the creative firestorm that followed The Blood Brothers' 2024 reunion tour, the record finds Johnny Whitney, Cody Votolato, Mark Gajadhar and Autry Fulbright pushing their collective chemistry into bold new territory. In this episode, Johnny and Cody explain the story behind Evil Island, how The Blood Brothers 2024 tour was the springboard for the new band and why it feels like

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29:42

The Check-In with Dawson Daugherty-Almost Monday

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/06/26

Dawson Daugherty is a singer, songwriter and founding member of Almost Monday. Their second album Thank God It’s Almost Monday is due out September 9 via Hollywood Records and are on tour now with Young The Giant and Cold War Kids. This week Joe reports from the back of a tour bus where Dawson share’s the unique origin of Almost Monday, how surfing played a role in the formation of the band and why Dawson with inspired to delve into songwriting as a youngster. The two discuss the sophomoric pressure

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13:27

Special Episode ! As Many Weirdos As Possible with...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/06/19

This is a special episode. We would like to present As Many Weirdos As Possible, a documentary photography project honoring the Pacific Northwest music scene from 1985 to 1995. A team of photographers is capturing portraits of bartenders, musicians, engineers, journalists and others from the community, in places that tie them to their stories. Through portraits and handwritten memories, it spotlights the creators and unsung figures who shaped a movement that changed the world. In this episode we

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16:58

The Check in with Bob Bert- Beach Bongo Bloodbath,...

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/06/12

Bob Bert is a New Jersey based drummer, writer, and punk rock veteran whose resume includes Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, Knoxville Girls and Lydia Lunch. His debut solo record Beach Bongo Bloodbath is due out June 12th via Bar None Records. Bob shares the process and inspiration behind the new record, which is largely made up of an eclectic collection of covers. We learn how a specific percussion setup shaped the record, how he chose the songs to record and why Beach Bongo Bloodbath is a guitar-free

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22:53

The Check-In with Melanie Radford

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/06/05

Melanie Radford is a bassist, singer and songwriter based in Seattle. Her debut solo album For The Sake Of Stillness is due out June 26th via Jealous Butcher Record. Melanie shares her experience in the Boise music scene and why she shifted her playing from jazz to rock. We learn how For The Sake Of Stillness is both a personal mediation and a need for stillness and grounding. She tells us why field recordings operate as the core of the record and how they operate as a living collaborator. Joe and

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26:59

The Check-In with Beck Zegans

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/05/29

Beck Zegans is a Queens based singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Her newest record Engraving Of Armor is out now via Exploding in Sound records. Beck tells us why Engraving Of Armor has taken her to a new level and sound in songwriting. She shares the collaborative process it took to make the new record and how arranging, mixing, and writing simultaneously shaped the overall sound. We learn how she accidently joined a ska band as a youngster, Joe and Beck discuss the art of the photobooth relay and

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33:57

The Check-In with Alden Hellmuth

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer ·

2026/05/22

Alden Hellmuth is a NY based saxophonist and composer. Following her acclaimed 2024 debut album Good Intentions, Hellmuth returns with the aptly titled Tether, an eight-track exploration of jazz, punk and freeform improvisation. Alden share’s the inspiration behind the new direction and sound on Tether, what it was like writing for two basses and how mixing and processing played a role on not only in the production, but the composition as well. The two discuss the significance of texture in

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348 results

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