John Roderick

What's the fundamental difference between an authentically cool city and a contrived, gentrified one? What makes a great music and arts scene, and can deliberate government action actually make a city cool? That’s the topic we take up with our guest (and Gen X contemporary), the legendary indie rock frontman of The Long Winters and one time Seattle City Council candidate John Roderick, now the host of the popular (and omnivorous!) Omnibus podcast that he founded with Jeopardy host Ken Jennings. In the episode, we nostalgia trip with John about the fading of the hipster scenes of our youth, starting with our cohort’s misconceived impulse to 'facilitate' an art scene, as if urban cool can be jumpstarted with a couple of free parking spots outside local music venues. Roderick calls bullshit: the scenes from the '80s and '90s that we wax nostalgic about weren't created. They gestated organically because kids were bored and had something to rebel against, space was dirt cheap, and the grittiness of the urban environment was real. That more authentic youth culture, born in abandoned light manufacturing spaces in declining cities, has evaporated in this era of blue city affluence and progressive permissiveness, Roderick argues, adding that cosmopolitan adults’ indulgent embrace of 'pure justice' and 'absolute equality' has stripped teen life of its necessary friction. What's left, he contends, is a culture marked by 'disconnect and malaise and bitching.' As our paean to the past continues, we get into how Gen X, perpetually the punching bag, never stood up for itself, allowing Millennials to define new cultural rules that were simultaneously affirming and uptight. But true urban cool may be poised for a comeback: Roderick has hope that Gen Z, rebelling against the cultural conformism that took root in the 2010s, are starting to tell older generations to "shut up and leave us alone." That desire for distance and defiance is what cool cities are built from, from the bottom up, even if, all three of us conclude, we are entirely unqualified to opine on what the hell the kids are planning to do next. Our editor is Quinn Waller. Please send your feedback, guest and show ideas to bluecitypodcast@gmail.com Support the show

Once again, John Roderick is joining me to talk about the world for an hour. Is it safe to travel to the USA right now? Will Taylor Swift become the next president? And how did John end up being featured as an example in Ali’s university textbook? Uns unterstützen: https://bunq.me/Hackalife iBan: DE83370190001010207052 Steady: https://steadyhq.com/en/auch-interessant/about Der Gast: John Roderick Seine Podcasts: Omnibus https://www.omnibusproject.com Roderick on the line https://www.merlinmann.com/roderick/

Nic's guest on this episode is musician, singer, songwriter, podcaster, John Roderick. John is the lead singer and guitarist of the Seattle band The Long Winters and co-hosts the podcasts Roderick On The Line with Merlin Mann and Omnibus with former Jeopardy! champion and current host Ken Jennings , but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of his remarkable life. Nic had a great time talking with John, and as a result this episode clocks in at a TSOS record 1hr 58 mins!

John Roderick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roderick_(musician) The Omnibus https://www.omnibusproject.com Adam Savage covering John https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-uhY7Z67Kc Roderick on the Line http://www.merlinmann.com/roderick/ep-406-december-to-remember.html Noam Chomsky didn’t died. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/noam-chomskys-wife-reports-famed-linguists-death-false-111230880 Ken Jennings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Jennings

On this week's show, we have a candid chat with Seattle indie rock musician-turned-podcaster (Roderick on the Line, Omnibus) John Roderick. The Long Winters frontman was an early Fretboard Journal subject and guest on our podcast. This time around, we talk about John's break from music-making, the new songs he's been writing, the perils of pedal collecting and so much more. We also reminisce about the PNW indie rock community of the late '90s when John often shared a bill with Death Cab for Cutie, discuss the challenges of getting the band together when you're all in your 50s, and learn about the hacks that may (or may not) overcome writer's block. We also talk gear. John is a gearhead and former employee of Emerald City Guitars. He has a unique perspective on guitars, amps, and pedal collecting and has been a friend of the Fretboard Journal since its inception. I think you'll love it. Follow John here: http://www.johnroderick.com/ Must-listen: John on Song Exploder talking about "The Commander Thinks Aloud": https://songexploder.net/the-long-winters John performing in our 2012 12 Days of Fretboard project: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/twelve-days-fretboard-john-roderick/ Fretboard Summit 2024 Registration: https://fretboardsummit.org Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print edition and reserve your copy of Fretboard Journal 54: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription This week's show is sponsored by: StewMac: https://stewmac.sjv.io/R5jvRR (Affiliate link) Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com Izotope: https://www.izotope.com (Use the code FRET10 to save 10%) Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com (Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order) Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Love the podcast and want to support it? We have a Patreon page just for Fretboard Journal fans and loaded with bonus content. https://www.patreon.com/Fretboard_Journal

What makes a song a good road trip song? This is something Katy has been musing over for several years now. What better person to ask than a musician who has crossed the country on tour numerous times? This week, Katy sits down with musician and podcaster John Roderick to talk about the allure of the American road trip, as well as what you should listen to while you are doing it. John talks about his experience hitchhiking across the US as a recent high school graduate, and even hopping on a freight train, and how it sparked a love for overland travel. Now that his band touring days are over, he has begun taking road trips again, this time with his 90-year-old mother and his 12-year-old daughter. He also describes how, as a native Alaskan, the continental US often felt like a foreign country growing up and how that was one of the things that encouraged him to begin exploring the country. He also shares his simple strategy for introducing both order and randomness into a road trip, as well as taking you places you wouldn't otherwise go. John Roderick is the co-host of Roderick on the Line and Omnibus with Ken Jennings . He is the lead singer and songwriter for The Long Winters and has also toured with the band Harvey Danger. You can find him on his website , Instagram , Facebook , and Threads . ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website .) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting serv

Last week John Roderick of The Long Winters stopped by High Gain HQ to chat. Three old guys in a room? Literally, what’s NOT to talk about. So we let the tape run long enough for each of us to compare/contrast our various old man ailments, the cost of socks and Young People These Days. Enjoy part 2, in which we dive into John’s music, and get to hear him playing his 1977 Fender Starcaster some more. Check out John Roderick on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/JohnRoderick Like the show? Like, follow, subscribe: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thehighgain Instagram @thehighgain Web https://www.thehighgain.com

This week John Roderick of The Long Winters (to name just one of his many endeavors) stops by High Gain HQ to chat. This was our first in-person, host-to-guest exchange since the darkest days of COVID-19, so we let the tape run. The result? A two-parter! Enjoy part 1, in which we get a healthy dose of what makes Roderick tick...

This week Christian and Larry sit down with legendary Seattle musician and internationally known podcaster, John Roderick. Over the years John has carved out a life in the arts, music, and culture. Roderick fronted The Western State Hurricanes and The Long Winters, as well as had stints playing in Harvey Danger, with Jonathan Coulton, and a handful of other bands. Along the way he's also carved out a remarkable career as a podcast cohost of Omnibus with Ken Jennings, Roderick on the Line with Merlin Mann, and others. He's run for Seattle City Council, is a founding member of the Seattle Music Commission, and was named King Neptune at Seattle's Seafair festival in 2017. Needless to say, there was plenty to talk about! Enjoy! Check out all things John Roderick at http://www.johnroderick.com . Chime in with thoughts, recs, and general Story Forward conversation at our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1171329766614324 Also, find Storyforward on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Big thanks to Jared Bostrom and Brett Badostain for their editing and producing magic. Thanks to EaseDrop Studios - ease-drop.com - for hosting us on their fantastic network. Find Story Forward's podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Like and review us if you've enjoyed this season of PLAYLIST (or previously aired) episodes. As always ... Keep the Story Moving Forward! Support Story Forward by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/storyfort-presents-voices-of-t Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/storyfort-presents-voices-of-t/106598aa-190f-4917-ae8d-b771d53fa4b6

If you’d like to support this show, go to Maximumfun.org/join to become a Max Fun Member for as little as $5 a month! You’ll help keep this show going and be eligible for tons of great bonus gifts, including special bonus episodes of Go Fact Yourself. Happy Max Fun Drive! To celebrate we’ve brought on a pair of Max Fun podcasters. John Roderick hosts the show “ Friendly Fire .” It started out as a way to make fun of war movies; But the show has since evolved into a look at culture and humanity through film… while still finding a way to make fun of war movies. John’s new album with his band, The Western State Hurricanes. is entitled Through with Love . Moujan Zolfaghari is one of the co-creators and voices on the improv comedy sci-fi show “ Mission to Zyxx .” If you’ve never heard the show before, it’s got all the hilarious jokes from a good improv class combined with the professional sound design and cohesive story of a radio drama. Plus, she gets to play the voice of an actual spaceship! What’s the difference: That’s so dirty What’s the difference between obscenity and profanity? What’s the difference between dirt and ]soil? Areas of Expertise John Roderick: Muscle cars, The GMC RV, the Judas Priest albums British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance . Moujan Zolfaghari: Celebrity relationships and divorces, Farsi phrases and the movie Gremlins , Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong John Roderick Moujan Zolfaghari With guest experts: Vinny Costa, editor of Street Muscle Magazine . Joe Dante , director of hit films, including Gremlins and its sequel. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded within multiple homes at a safe social distance. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell . Mask-wearing by YOU. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Tony Hale ( V eep , Arrested Development , Mr. Roboto VW Commercial ) and John Roderick ( The Long Winters , Friendly Fire ) join Jordan and Jesse live on stage at The Punchline comedy club in San Francisco as part of the 2019 SF Sketchfest. They give away the infamous "Destroy the West" robot, play a game delving into the obscure corners of Reddit, and John Roderick pulls of a musical magic trick with the help of some very talented musicians in the audience. This special extra live episode is coming to you in celebration of the MaxFunDrive! This is the best time of year to support the MaxFun shows you love, including Jordan, Jesse, Go ! Go to MaximumFun.org/Donate right now! Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjjgo

What can I say? John Roderick is like my brother, driving me crazy much of the time but I love him a lot. Like anyone close to John I've spent countless hours having discussions with him, like this one, late in to the night. Usually with some iHop pancakes and strawberry milkshakes..... We've been in two bands together. One as bandmates (Harvey Danger) and one with him as the leader (The Long Winters). I can tell you with confidence that I preferred to play with him as a peer, though. John, as he states himself, has a lot of "ideas". You can listen yourself to some of them in my upcoming Couch Riffs Podcast. Our conversation was a whopping 93 minutes long. Sheesh. It has been something like 12 or 13 years since the last record was recorded by The Long Winters. I tracked some guitar (and bass that was unceremoniously recorded over after I quit mid-session) on that record and I think it is a really sweet collection of tunes. I would love so much for John to find the inspiration to commit himself to making the simplest and best record The Long Winters has ever created. Hell, maybe it is a solo record and not The Long Winters? What do I know? What I do know is that John, like tons and tons of musicians and other creatives, is full of self-censorship (except when it comes to talking, duh) based in undeserved doubt. Roderick and I share a love of some, but not all, of the classic hard rock and metal bands. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and this band: Def Leppard. The thing that ALL of these bands have in common? Twin guitar attack and harmonies. We, unfortunately, didn't "completely" nail the harmonies here but I think that all in all we did okay considering that this is a first and only take, like all Couch Riffs episodes. But, what's more is this is a FIRST for Couch Riffs! John SINGS on this episode. And, I should say he did a great job. Thank you for being game for this, John. You were and always are a great conversationalist, player, and friend (sometimes almost always). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/couch-riffs/support