The Trap Set with Joe Wong

Joe and Torche's Rick Smith first met when their respective bands shared a bill in Dallas, TX, in 2008. The two reconnected last year when Rick was in Los Angeles, touring behind Torche's excellent new album, Admission.

During the age of social distancing, we're releasing new episodes every day.

Jeff Parker—one of his generation’s preeminent guitarists—talks with Joe about: his aversion to formal education, despite having teachers as parents; attending Berklee; living in Chicago, “the creative music capital of the world”; Band Leader Syndrome; how environment affects art; and completing artistic works in the face of self-doubt.

We're closing out the year by revisiting a pensive conversation with one of the greatest drummers of all time, Steve Gadd. (This episode was recorded in 2015 and originally released in early 2016.) Thanks to all of you for making Trap Set a big success in 2018; here's to 2019!

A native of New Jersey, Jim Derogatis raised the cash for his first drum kit working odd jobs, such as scraping gum off of school desks. He is perhaps best known as a music writer; but Jim has also toured and recorded with bands for over 30 years. He tells Joe about his childhood in New Jersey, Catholic guilt, how his writing and drumming are fed by the same creative energy, and an early encounter with Lester Bangs.

Ronnie Vannucci joins Joe for a discussion about his childhood in Las Vegas; the genesis of The Killers and how they've navigated band dynamics over nearly 20 years; how he regards himself as an artist; and--of course--existential dread.