Episode 330: Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius

I'm happy to welcome Grammy-nominated artists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius to the show!!  For two decades now, Holly and Jess have been crafting their unique vocal skills into an amazing sonic blend which combines into a singular, stunning voice -- an iconic sound that has informed the basis of their one-of-a-kind sound.  Holly and Jess are both self-aware and reflective, and they talk to me about their latest challenges, from motherhood, to touring, to what it means to live one's best life. Always seeking to explore new territory, their latest self-titled album explores many of these themes -- and these best of friends share with me their thinking about the future and also reflect upon many of the key landmarks along the way. They're about to embark on a continuation of their History Worth Repeating Tour, a retrospective of their illustrious career documenting through songs and stories that brought them to life. This interview is a fun and wonderful window into these truly unique artists, and I can't wait for you to give this one a listen!!  =============================== Chapters: 00:00 Show intro with Host Josh Rosenberg 02:05 LA roots, Chicago, Cleveland, and the Midwest versus the West Coast 05:41 Jess opens up about gallbladder surgery and being back on the mend 07:12 Cancelling a show, recovering, and pushing through illness as performers 08:14 Performing pregnant, including the National tour and staying onstage late into pregnancy 11:15 How pregnancy affected singing, breath, and body mechanics 13:03 Why Lucius wanted to create its own sound from the beginning 14:57 Writing for months before performing and shaping the band’s identity 16:43 How Danny and Pete helped define Lucius’ studio sound 18:52 Whether the voices felt instantly right or took time to develop 20:28 The dog on the self-titled cover and why they chose it 23:15 Parenthood, changing perspective, and writing from a new place 25:33 Jess on how having a baby changes creative focus and mental space 28:22 Juggling kids, work, and the constant background hum of parenting 30:02 Dolly Parton’s death and what she meant to them 33:22 Dolly as a songwriter, performer, and force of generosity 37:24 How Lucius became such a sought-after collaboration act 41:26 Why artists trust Lucius to bring freedom, not just background vocals 44:14 Touring with Roger Waters and what that huge production meant 47:31 Bringing kids on tour and making family logistics work 51:40 How the self-titled album reflects adult life, family, and evolution 52:37 The “old tapes” in their heads and how parenting surfaces them 54:24 Breaking generational patterns and trying to parent differently 58:13 Raising kids in LA, from mountains to ocean to desert 1:00:05 Coffee, tea, and the practical realities of parenting life 1:01:22 Upcoming shows, the History Worth Repeating tour, and re-recording Wilde Woman 1:03:03 Why revisiting Wilde Woman helped shape the self-titled album 1:03:40 Episode Wrap-up with Host Josh Rosenberg  =============================== For more information on Roadcase: https://linktr.ee/roadcasepod and https://www.roadcasepod.com Or contact Roadcase by email:  [email protected] Roadcase theme music:  "Eugene (Instrumental)" by Waltzer