Freda Love Smith's guest appearances

Freda Love Smith

Nerds On Tour

The Jumpsuit Podcast

The LIFERS Podcast

Caropop

Jeff Murphy

Sam Phillips

Ryan Smith

Blake Smith

Keith Smith

Judd Apatow

Robbie Fulks

Kathy Valentine

Nina Simone

Kelly Hogan

Steve Albini

Steve Dawson

Jody Stephens

Amy Landecker

Ozzy Osbourne

OwlTail

Drummer Freda Love Smith recently hung up her sticks after a long career playing in bands from Blake Babies to Antenna, Mysteries of Life and the Sunshine Boys. She also wrote Red Velvet Underground, a perfectly titled memoir that covers her rock ‘n’ roll life and her passion for cooking. Here she reflects on growing up in Bloomington, Indiana, and teaming up with John Strohm and, later in Boston, Juliana Hatfield to form Blake Babies. How did Allen Ginsberg come to name the band? Why didn’t that band last, and how did she feel about Hatfield’s solo success? What supernatural force named Antenna? How hard was the decision to retire? What’s she writing now? And why are rock ‘n’ food so entwined? 

Drummer Freda Love Smith recently hung up her sticks after a long career playing in bands from Blake Babies to Antenna, Mysteries of Life and the Sunshine Boys. She also wrote Red Velvet Underground, a perfectly titled memoir that covers her rock ‘n’ roll life and her passion for cooking. Here she reflects on growing up in Bloomington, Indiana, and teaming up with John Strohm and, later in Boston, Juliana Hatfield to form Blake Babies. How did Allen Ginsberg come to name the band? Why didn’t that band last, and how did she feel about Hatfield’s solo success? What supernatural force named Antenna? How hard was the decision to retire? What’s she writing now? And why are rock ‘n’ food so entwined?

Freda Love Smith is retiring. She’s an indie-rock icon who’s been in more bands than you’ve had hot meals. Her first band —the fabled Blake Babies— helped define the late ‘80s/early ‘90s Boston music scene. Her tight, multi-faceted style of drumming evokes everyone from Moe Tucker to Ringo Starr. But that part of her life is about to end in a little over a month when —due to a variety of reasons— she’ll pick up her sticks for the final time when she performs at the long running Hot Stove Cool Music benefit at the Metro. At least that’s what SHE says. Time will tell. Regardless — she’ll always be cool. On this episode we talk to Freda about “Breaking Away”, moving to Boston, the first time she quit music, macrobiotic cults, Mysteries Of Life, living in a hobbit hole, Some Girls, her foodie/rock memoir “Red Velvet Underground”, her forthcoming book about Angela Atwood, Scott yammers on about “Network”, Jane Pauley, Sunshine Boys, and Freda is retiring.

67. LIFERS - Freda Love Smith

Joyce and Seana talk to Freda Love Smith.

Joyce and Seana talk to Freda Love Smith.

Episode 5: Freda Love Smith, I Took My Shirt Off Like Any Other Guy Drummer

Blake Babies

Freda Love Smith, once Juliana Hatfield's bandmate in the Blake Babies, is now a lecturer at Northwestern University whose recently published memoir, "Red Velvet Underground," combines rock, parenting, finances, and recipes.

Freda Love Smith, once Juliana Hatfield's bandmate in the Blake Babies, is now a lecturer at Northwestern University whose recently published memoir, "Red Velvet Underground," combines rock, parenting, finances, and recipes.