Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer
Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

Ruinous Media

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Episodes

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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 [email protected]. Tour Stories is produced by Ruinous Media. http://www.ruinousmedia.com/tourstories/

Recent Episodes

The Check-In with Kevin Barnes-of Montreal
MAY 15, 2026
The Check-In with Kevin Barnes-of Montreal
Kevin Barnes is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for of Montreal. aethermead, of Montreal’s 20th studio album is due out June 5th via Polyvinyl Record Co. Kevin shares the unusual heartbreak story behind the new record, why it felt right to go with a more collaborative approach and how the invented record title relates to a very important part of his daily routine. He tells us how limited time shaped the record and brought more life than expected into the songs. The two discuss Kevin’s lyrical approach, how it can be a complicated version of projection and why that may inform the listener’s experience. Kevin tells us how he wound up teaching a course called “Songwriting Crimes and Recording Atrocities” at Bennington College, why making a music video with his daughter was a special experience and we sample a couple new tunes for aethermead. of MontrealPolyvinyl Record Co. Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global SouthThey also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.comEpisode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 12 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokidEp supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Mentioned in this episode:Schecter GuitarsKuma CoffeeIzotopeDistrokid
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29 MIN
The Check-In with Nick Thorburn-The Creem-Pear Shape
MAY 8, 2026
The Check-In with Nick Thorburn-The Creem-Pear Shape
Nick Thorburn is the singer and founding member The Creem, a new collaborative project with Ratatat’s guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Stroud. Their debut release The Taste of Cherry is due June 5th, with two irresistible singles Goodbye and Taste of Cherry available now.After a quick catch up from the Mister Heavenly bandmates, Nick shares the slow blossoming story behind The Creem and how it finally came to fruition. The two discuss the 70’s FM sound, how those artists we’re celebrating the Beatles in a new way and why The Creem is its own elaboration of that era. Nick tells us why starting a new band is still fun and how collaborations give him new freedoms and push him to build new skills. He shares his experience of making the new record with guitar wizard Mike Stroud, how they divvied up duties and what role the Catskills may have played on the overall vibration of the record. Finally, some breaking news, Nick tells us about his new book Pear Shape (out June 16th via Fantagrafics), shares some of the titillating themes and how it’s fruitily related to The Creem.The CreemFantagraphicsTour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global SouthThey also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.comEpisode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 12 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokidEp supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Mentioned in this episode:DistrokidIzotopeKuma CoffeeSchecter Guitars
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39 MIN
The Check-In with Cold Court
MAY 1, 2026
The Check-In with Cold Court
Mini Serrano and Jojo Lavina-Maldonado are the founding members of the Philadelphia based band Cold Court. Their debut EP Hands Up is out June 19th with lead singles Burn and Nina available now. Mini and JoJo tell us how they’re music interest and proficiency evolved from their pre-teens to now and why they are increasingly relinquishing genre mixing rules to create their own identity. We learn why Hands Up was a sonic shift for them, how it is a product of experimentation and frustration and the two un-pack the lyrics on the single Nina. We learn how the instrumentation of the band is always evolving, we hear a few tunes and Jojo and Mini hip Joe to Philly Style Pizza. \ (^_^) / Cold CourtCold Court LiveSinglesShowsPhilly Style PizzaTour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global SouthThey also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.comEpisode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokidEp supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Mentioned in this episode:Heil sound"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Schecter GuitarsIzotopeDistrokidKuma Coffee
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29 MIN
The Check-In with Telehealth
APR 24, 2026
The Check-In with Telehealth
Alexander Attitude and Kendra Cox are the founding members of Seattle based Telehealth. Their second full length and Sub Pop debut Green World Image will be available May 15th. Alexander and Kendra share the origin and evolution of Telehealth, how they secured an airtight record deal with Sub Pop and why the band partially functions as a coping mechanism. We learn how their pessimistic and satirical approach make’s sense of tech culture’s destruction of human culture and relieves the anxiety of a tech driven future. They unpack the structure and lyrics behind the single Things I’ve Killed; Alexander and Kendra share their writing technique and what they do when they are stuck in the process. The three discuss why backing tracks are a function practically and better performance and we hear a couple new singles from Green World Image. TelehealthSub PopTour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring coffee each year. They source their coffees direct from origin and pay well over fair trade pricing to farmers. This guarantees the highest quality, while supporting rural farming communities throughout the Global SouthThey also just launched an instant coffee… (Joe’s favorite instant)Find everything Kuma at Kumacoffee.comEpisode supported by our friends Izotope This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable 20 plug-ins for mastering mastery. Use code FRET10 at checkout.Ep supported by @distrokid. Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. @thetourstories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH @distrokidEp supported by Heil Sound. For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Mentioned in this episode:Heil sound"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Kuma CoffeeDistrokidIzotope
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31 MIN
The Check-in with Mrs Magician-Jacob Turnbloom
APR 17, 2026
The Check-in with Mrs Magician-Jacob Turnbloom
Jacob Turnbloom is the singer, guitarist and founding member of Mrs. Magician. The newest record Spiritual Hangover is due out May 15th via Swami Records. Jacob tells why the new record is driven by a heftier sound, what inspired that and how the magic of The Foo Fighters Studio 606 brought it to fruition. He tells us how his song-writing perspective has evolved, what role humor plays in his lyrics and why he’s increasingly involved in the visual presentation of Mrs. Magician. The two celebrate the virtues San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill venue, Joe tells a quick tour story about The Black Heart Procession opening for The Ex and we hear a couple new tunes from Spiritual Hangover.Mrs MagicianSwami RecordsLink to Studio 606 videoOur newest sponsor Kingston Union is YOUR store for the legendary Winos.This episode supported by our friends at Izotope. This episode is produced with Ozone 12, the newest from Izotope. Head over to izotope.com now for savings on all their production software. Go check out Ozone 12 and RX 11 and master with the best and solve the unsolvable. Use code FRET10 at checkout.Ep supported by Distrokid . Distrokid now offers Bandzoogle where you can build your bands website and store in minutes. Tour stories listeners get 30% off at distrokid.com/vip/tourstories. GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE! ITS EASY WITH DistrokidEpisode sponsored by Schecter Guitars. Schecter Guitar Research is one of the world’s premier guitar companies, offering electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and USA Custom Shop instruments to musicians around the world.Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles. They offer high-quality instruments with professional components at an affordable price. Go Schecter for all your guitar needs.For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.Mentioned in this episode:Heil sound"For 60 years, Heil Sound has provided innovative, professional quality sound for stage, studio, broadcast, and podcast. Grammy-winning artists and sound engineers worldwide trust Heil microphones for their legendary sound. To find out more about the full line of Heil microphones and products, visit heilsound.com.DistrokidIzotopeSchecter Guitars
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24 MIN