Perry Serpa's guest appearances

Perry Serpa

Adobe And Teardrops Podcast

The Department of Tangents Podcast

Valerie June

Tyler Childers

Sarah Shook

Courtney Marie Andrews

Lucy Isabel

Parker Millsap

Jason Isbell

Rod Melancon

Robert Ellis

Hayes Carll

Justin Townes Earle

Lucinda Williams

Lily Tomlin

Emma Willmann

Janelle Monae

OwlTail

I have known Perry Serpa for several years as a press guy. He has been a regular in my inbox, sending me notices about new music. A couple of years ago, I was surprised when he sent me a press release about his own music, helming a band called The Sharp Things. After doing my homework, I found out he is a skillful pop and rock craftsman, and I featured a print interview with him about Everybody Everybody on the Department of Tangents blog. Then, a couple of months ago, I got an e-mail detailing his latest album, Wherefore Art Thou? I had just gotten used to Serpa as himself, the musician. And with this album, he changed identities yet again. Serpa is a big fan of the Nick Hornby book, Juliet, Naked, which is about a retired rock star named Tucker Crowe, his biggest fan, Duncan, and his long-suffering partner, Annie. Duncan is active on a community board of “Crowologists,” fans who obsess over Crowe’s music, especially his masterpiece, Juliet, and where he might have gone since he stopped making music.  Hornby names every track on Juliet in the book, describes several songs, and even provides a few lyrics. All of this began to roll around in Serpa’s head as he read the book, and then read it again. He started to write the songs on Juliet, or at least the tribute album Hornby mentions, Wherefore Art Thou? After a few years of letting all of this digest, writing and rewriting and recording, Serpa released his album in October. It’s as all-over-the-map stylistically and dynamically as Hornby describes, and consequently, very much in line with what Serpa does with The Sharp Things. There is the country duet, “Dirty Dishes,” the Dylan-esque rocker “And You Are?,” the fuzzed out “The Twentieth Call Of the Day,” and the epic album closer, “You and Your Perfect Life.”  I caught up with Serpa by Skype to talk about the mind trip of paying tribute to an album and artist that don’t exist, and what’s next for the project. After the conversation, stick around to hear this week’s featured track from Serpa’s album, “You and Your Perfect Life.”

I have known Perry Serpa for several years as a press guy. He has been a regular in my inbox, sending me notices about new music. A couple of years ago, I was surprised when he sent me a press release about his own music, helming a band called <a href="http://www.thesharpthings.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Sharp Things</a>. After doing my homework, I found out he is a skillful pop and rock craftsman, and <a href="http://nickzaino.com/departmentoftangents/2016/05/11/interview-musician-and-publicist-perry-serpa-of-the-sharp-things/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">I featured a print interview with him about Everybody Everybody on the Department of Tangents blog.</a> Then, a couple of months ago, I got an e-mail detailing his latest album, Wherefore Art Thou? I had just gotten used to Serpa as himself, the musician. And with this album, he changed identities yet again. Serpa is a big fan of the Nick Hornby book, Juliet, Naked, which is about a retired rock star named Tucker Crowe, his biggest fan, Duncan, and his long-suffering partner, Annie. Duncan is active on a community board of “Crowologists,” fans who obsess over Crowe’s music, especially his masterpiece, Juliet, and where he might have gone since he stopped making music.  Hornby names every track on Juliet in the book, describes several songs, and even provides a few lyrics. All of this began to roll around in Serpa’s head as he read the book, and then read it again. He started to write the songs on Juliet, or at least the tribute album Hornby mentions, Wherefore Art Thou? After a few years of letting all of this digest, writing and rewriting and recording, Serpa released his album in October. It’s as all-over-the-map stylistically and dynamically as Hornby describes, and consequently, very much in line with what Serpa does with The Sharp Things. There is the country duet, “Dirty Dishes,” the Dylan-esque rocker “And You Are?,” the fuzzed out “The Twentieth Call Of the Day,” and the epic album closer, “You and Your Perfect Life.”  I caught up with Serpa by Skype to talk about the mind trip of paying tribute to an album and artist that don’t exist, and what’s next for the project. After the conversation, stick around to hear this week’s featured track from Serpa’s album, “You and Your Perfect Life.”

DoT EP75 Musician Perry Serpa

Juliana Strangelove

Dan Andriano

Joe McMahon

It’s another live episode! Rachel is great at weddings, but Von skips them and cuts straight to the party. Also, Rachel divulges some family secrets. Von spills a few secrets, too -- about the Power Rangers. Also, Is Von drunk?! Short answer - no*. *Long answer - Von is slurring his speech because he keeps getting his own audio delayed in his headphones during this live recording. Even though he could have been drinking as well. Music in this episode:  The Hold Steady - “Eureka” (Eureka w/Esther) (Confusion In The Marketplace w/T-Shirt Tux) Juliana Strangelove, “Far From Moscow (Single) Town Mountain - “Life And Debt” (New Freedom Blues) Perry Serpa, “Dirty Dishes” (w. Laura Cantrell) (Wherefore Art Thou?)   Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room - “My Human Being” (Party Adjacent) Tender Glue, “Rudy” (Closet Leftovers) William Elliott Whitmore - “Don’t Pray On Me [Bad Religion cover] (Kilonova) JP Harris “Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing” (Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing) Joe McMahon - “It All Went Black” (Another Life) Marcus: The Apex Predator!, “What Say You?” (The Fury of Almost)     Rachel wrote a comic! Check it out here! Send us music via SubmitHub. Send us money via Ko-fi or Patreon. Contact Von via linktr.ee/vonreviews and say hi to Rachel on Twitter @adobeteardrops

It’s another live episode! Rachel is great at weddings, but Von skips them and cuts straight to the party. Also, Rachel divulges some family secrets. Von spills a few secrets, too -- about the Power Rangers. Also, Is Von drunk?! Short answer - no*. *Long answer - Von is slurring his speech because he keeps getting his own audio delayed in his headphones during this live recording. Even though he could have been drinking as well. Music in this episode: <ol> <li>The Hold Steady - “Eureka” (Eureka w/Esther) (Confusion In The Marketplace w/T-Shirt Tux)</li> <li>Juliana Strangelove, “Far From Moscow (Single)</li> <li>Town Mountain - “Life And Debt” (New Freedom Blues)</li> <li>Perry Serpa, “Dirty Dishes” (w. Laura Cantrell) (Wherefore Art Thou?)  </li> <li>Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room - “My Human Being” (Party Adjacent)</li> <li>Tender Glue, “Rudy” (Closet Leftovers)</li> <li>William Elliott Whitmore - “Don’t Pray On Me [Bad Religion cover] (Kilonova)</li> <li>JP Harris “Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing” (Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing)</li> <li>Joe McMahon - “It All Went Black” (Another Life)</li> <li>Marcus: The Apex Predator!, “What Say You?” (The Fury of Almost)  </li> </ol> Rachel wrote a comic! Check it out <a href="https://www.artemathecomic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>! Send us music via <a href="https://www.submithub.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SubmitHub</a>. Send us money via <a href="http://www.ko-fi.com/adobeandteardrops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ko-fi</a> or <a href="https://patreon.com/adobeandteardrops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. Contact Von via <a href="http://linktr.ee/vonreviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">linktr.ee/vonreviews</a> and say hi to Rachel on Twitter <a href="https://www.twitter.com/adobeteardrops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@adobeteardrops</a>

Episode 33 - The Hold Steady, Juliana Strangelove, Town Mountain, Perry Serpa, Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room, Tender Glue, William Elliott Whitmore, JP Harris, Joe McMahon, Marcus: The Apex Predator!