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New interview with Would-Be-Goods plus tips for songwriters from Jessica

Would-Be-Goods in Paris, Sept. 2025. Photo: Ian Greensmith

Happy release day to WOULD-BE-GOODS! 
When Peter Momtchiloff interviewed Jessica Griffin for chickfactor 13 in Y2K, we wonder if he knew he would become partners with Jessica in music and life? Either way, we are happy the Would-Be-Goods restarted as a live and recording pop group in the early 2000s and have played at many of our events, releasing a number of fantastic (albeit) underheard albums on the Santa Barbara label Matinee Recordings. During the pandemic, Jessica wrote a song a day clocking in at 173 songs in total, and just today the wonderful Tears Before Bedtime has been released on vinyl and CD via Skep Wax Records. The current lineup of Would-Be-Goods is Jessica Griffin, Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Railcard), Debbie Greensmith (the Headcoatees), and Andy Warren (Monochrome Set, Adam and the Ants).

Out today! On Skep Wax Records – available via Jigsaw in the US

chickfactor: Is it just me or did the entire UK media just discover the Would-Be-Goods? BBC radio! How does it feel to finally get some press in your home country? It’s about time!!
Jessica Griffin: It’s exciting but also a bit strange. It takes me back to the él Records days, when the Would-be-goods got quite a lot of media attention in the UK (although I think we sold more records in other parts of the world).

The upcoming tour dates seem like the biggest tour you’ve done in ages or ever. Are you excited to hit the road?
Very. I’m a travelling player at heart, and I love being on the road with the band. We’ll be doing shows in parts of the country we’ve never played in before, as well as going back to some of our favourite places. (I’m thinking of Glasgow…)

You became incredibly prolific during the pandemic, writing 170 songs or something. Did that carry on? How regularly do you sit down to write? Do you have a schedule or ritual? Where does it happen?
I’d have carried on happily but after 173 songs I thought it was time to take a break and release some of them as EPs on Bandcamp. That meant doing quite a bit of work on the original demos to turn them into something I felt happy about sharing. It’s hard to keep switching between editing mode and writing mode—one requires tight focus, the other needs the opposite.

I haven’t done much songwriting since then as we wanted to finish the studio album. Then I had to sort out the artwork, make videos, do interviews and so on. But I’m sure I’ll start writing songs again soon—the melodies that come into my mind (especially when I’ve just woken up) are becoming rather insistent! I’ll probably use the same strategy as I used for my song-a-day project, i.e. sleeping on a title and giving myself a tight deadline to finish the song. I usually write them in my head as I’m pottering round the house or walking around the neighbourhood, stopping to record my ideas as voice memos. I get quite a lot of the lyrics this way but at some point I have to write them out so I can look at them and see what needs changing. Then I make a rough demo on Garageband with a programmed drum track and a guitar track.

Jessica, London, 2025.

 How was recording this album different from previous ones?
It took much longer, not only because of the pandemic but also because other members of the band were busy and Debbie now lives some distance away. It wasn’t easy to find times when we could all get together to practise and record the songs.

We approached recording in a different way this time. Usually we’d put down guide guitar (to a click track) and guide vocals, then we’d record the instruments and vocals in layers, starting with bass guitar and drums, but for this album the whole band went into the live room and Jon recorded us playing the song together. We’d do a couple of takes to make sure we had good bass guitar and drum tracks. Other guitars, vocals and overdubs would usually have to be redone or added afterwards. This way of recording captures more of the energy of the band, I think.

Another difference is that I recorded most of my vocals at home, something I learned to do during my lockdown project. I’m more relaxed when I’m singing on my own and the result is more intimate, which people seem to like.

Would-Be-Goods in Paris, Sept. 2025. Photo: Ian Greensmith

How has band activity changed since Mr. Momtchiloff retired?
Peter’s new-found freedom meant we could finish the album more quickly, as he was now free to go into the studio with me on weekdays. He’s been very busy with his other bands too, recording albums with Heavenly and Railcard. 

What kind of potions or elixirs do you use to soothe your singing voice?
I don’t have any secret formulas! Hoarseness hasn’t been a problem for me since I took some classical singing lessons and learned how to support my voice properly, using my abdominal muscles. (I was surprised to learn that I’m actually a soprano, although I don’t tend to use the upper part of my range for the Would-be-goods.) The only potion I drink is tea, which isn’t the best thing for the voice as it’s quite acidic. I make sure I drink plenty of water the day before I have to sing, I never drink alcohol before a show and I’ve never smoked. 

Let’s talk ageism. You are at the top of your game like many women of a certain age so why does society treat us all as if we are invisible?
I don’t know. The older women musicians I know are far from invisible—they get plenty of appreciation and respect. I’ve always had good examples of strong older women in my life and make a point of seeking out good role models now.

What’s on your reading table? What art shows have topped your list lately?
I’m reading ‘The Art Cure’ by a London-based academic who has spent her life studying the effects of making and experiencing art (including music, dance, all forms of visual art, and more) on our minds and bodies. It makes you realise how short-sighted it is of governments to make cuts in the arts as if they’re a luxury, when they really are fundamental to our happiness and wellbeing. 

Our last art show was ‘Radical Harmony’, an exhibition of neo-impressionist paintings at the National Gallery). What really stood out for me were Seurat’s drawings and the luminous portraits of Dutch-Indonesian artist Jan Toorop (who later went full Symbolist and became a massive influence on Gustav Klimt). 

Jessica in London, Brief Lives shoot, 2001. Photo: Gail O’Hara

Can you cook? What’s your specialty? Peter’s?
I’ve cooked since I was a small child – I think it’s an essential life skill. In those days it was mainly baking (bread, scones, cakes, etc) but now I make pretty much everything. Peter is a very good, instinctive cook but his New Year resolution was to cook from recipes. I gave him Fuchsia Dunlop’s book on Sichuanese cooking for Christmas and he is working his way through that (to my great delight). 

Any new cats on the horizon?
Jessica: I’m very tempted but my last cat had health problems which stopped me from travelling for years. I want to enjoy a bit of freedom before succumbing again.
Peter: I’ve told her she can get another cat when she’s 70.

If we came to your neighborhood for one day, what should we do?
I’d recommend a stroll along Golborne Road and the north end of Portobello Road. There are still some interesting independent shops, cafés and restaurants. Further north, next to Regent’s Canal, there’s a lovely little place called Meanwhile Gardens, created many years ago on waste land by volunteers. A walk eastwards along the canal towpath up to Little Venice is a nice thing to do on a sunny day. Portobello Road on a Saturday is much too crowded for me but if you go during the week, I’d recommend popping into Books for Cooks on Blenheim Crescent, a specialist cookery book shop which has a test kitchen at the back, serving very good-value lunches from Tuesday to Friday. (Get there well before 12 and be prepared to queue outside!) There’s a lovely little Swedish bakery, Fabrique, on Portobello Road, and a good Malaysian restaurant called Makan under the Westway flyover. 

Would-Be-Goods. Photo: Mike Jones

Who is the comedian in the Would-Be-Goods?
Peter, Debbie and Andy are all very funny. Andy loves word play (especially puns and anagrams) and all three are good at witty ripostes. I don’t have that quick wit in conversation – I can only think of the perfect come-back long after the moment has passed.

Talk us through your stagewear protocols.
It’s usually a last-minute decision: ‘stripy or black?’ We branched out at last year’s Paris Popfest and wore black trousers with white shirts. I thought we looked rather chic but one French reviewer said Debbie and I (who both wear glasses these days) looked like kindly librarians from a fictional English country village. Actually, that’s not a bad look. 

What’s it like being on Skep Wax?
It’s great. I don’t think there can be a label that is more enthusiastic about its artists and bands and which works harder to get their music out there. I think being veteran indie musicians themselves gives them a huge advantage. 

Jessica in London, Brief Lives shoot, 2001. Photo: Gail O’Hara

What is your favorite London pub and why?
Jessica: It would have to be the Betsey Trotwood in Clerkenwell, epicentre of the London indie scene. The owner and staff create a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, the beer is good (I’m told), and the ground-floor bar is the perfect setting for informal afternoon gigs as well as the occasional party. 

Peter: I also like the Lexington of course, the musical hub of London. A fine old-fashioned pub for social drinking, if there are not too many of you, is the King Charles I in King’s Cross. And in young people’s London, I think of two pubs which are great music venues but also great for a social: the Cav in Stockwell and the Victoria in Dalston.

Do you pay attention to popular music? If so, any songs you enjoy? Or other bands/albums by anyone currently?
Jessica: These days I don’t get to hear much new music unless it’s by bands and artists we know in real life. It’s not that I’m not interested – I keep meaning to listen to the radio more but I go to bed very early these days.

Peter: Strangely, my two favourite albums of last year were by men from Kent: the High Span and the Penrose Web.  I also liked Baxter Dury’s record and, getting a bit closer to Chickfactor territory, Former Champ from Glasgow, whose melodic punch and conciseness reminded me of a less lairy Guided by Voices.

Would-Be-Goods tour dates:
Feb. 21: The Water Rats, London
Feb. 25: The Just Dropped In, Coventry
March 5: Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate
April 3: The Gate Arts & Community Centre, Cardiff
May 29: The Central Bar, Gateshead
May 30: Glad Café, Glasgow

Early Would-Be-Goods

10 tips for budding songwriters by Jessica

1. Feed your mind. Read – not just contemporary fiction. Listen to music from different times and places. Watch old films. Go to art galleries. Everything you experience will combine and ferment and something strange and new will come of it.

2. Keep a notebook of words and phrases that appeal to you – the title of an old film, a chapter heading in a book, a fragment of a poem, a scrap of conversation you’ve overheard. Take the notebook to bed, pick something out before you turn off the light, and sleep on it. Your brain will get to work on it overnight. 

3. Try different ways of sparking musical ideas. Strumming chords on a guitar or piano doesn’t work for everyone. Try taking an intro from an old song and imagining a different course it could have taken, or borrow a bar of a melody and see what you can make from it. 

4. Make yourself write a song every day for a month. It can be a very simple song, even a silly song – it doesn’t matter. The important thing is just to produce something. It’s the best antidote to perfectionism, which leads to writer’s block.

5. Don’t have rigid ideas about the sort of songs you should (or shouldn’t) be writing. Accept whatever comes up and work with it. 

6. When you’re in songwriting mode, go for long walks by yourself. A large park is ideal but city streets are just as good. (Take care when crossing, though!)  I find the rhythm of walking helps my thoughts flow.

7. Record all your ideas, no matter how small: snippets of melody on a voice memo, a line or two of lyrics in a notebook. You think you’ll remember them later but you won’t. This applies especially to ideas that come to you first thing in the morning when you’re half asleep, which are sometimes the best.

8. Sing your lyrics aloud from time to time as you write them – what sounds good to your inner ear might sound clumsy when you’re actually singing it.  

9. Be careful about who you play your songs to, especially when you’re just starting to write. It can be discouraging if the response is lukewarm, or if they love what you’ve written, you may find yourself writing to please them rather than yourself. 

10. Never compare your songs to other people’s. It can discourage you, or lead you astray. Just keep doing what you do and feeding your mind, and your songwriting will get better. 

Would-Be-Goods circa 2004 (Peter, Jessica, Debbie and Lupe Núñez-Fernández) in London, Brief Lives shoot, 2001. Photo: Gail O’Hara

Tears Before Bedtime – out today! 

01 The Gallopers
02 Dr Love
03 Tears For Leda
04 The Back Of Your Bike
05 The Tears Of Cora Pearl
06 The Rose Tattoo
07 Don’t Come Crying To Me
08 Witch Hazel
09 Old Flame
10 Carmilla
11 The Bride Wore Black
12 Madame X
13 Away With The Fairies
14 The Moon Doesn’t Mind

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I WANT IT ALL: my funny valentine gift guide

Hit up a charity shop, flea market, estate sale, thrift store or vintage shop for planet-friendly, affordable gifts.

2026 est merde but there are small ways to show your loved ones some love and support your local community, band, label, bookshop, record store, chocolatier, venue, and letterpress genius on this most corporate and silly of holidays. It has never been more important to vote with every dollar you spend, so consider putting it back into your local community to keep the lights on for musicians, artists, photographers, designers, writers, and other small businesses. Rescue a pup, go birdwatching, build a hummingbird sanctuary or adopt an endangered animal!

You could give them experiences (photography class! a lesson in making fresh pasta! a private karaoke party!), handmade or homemade gifts (how about some protest sign-making materials), incredible edibles, original artwork from an artist you may know, or something that gives a chunk to charity. Skip the red roses (give them living plants or a tree instead!) or the mainstream chocolates! World peace begins with having each other’s backs. We have to right the ship, and it starts with LOVE.

Support an artist! Card by David Shrigley from Shrig Shop (based in Copenhagen). 

Support your favorite band while also getting them a classic album.  

 

Support the greatest artist of all time! Yayoi Kusama tea towels. 

Support your local makers! Rebecca Pearcy tea towels.

Give them your heart along with this one, from Tatty Devine (London). 

 

This guy is so much cuter than those weird little normie plushies. 

Vinyl slipmat that supports musician Mary T and Merge Records. 

A Yoshitomo Nara snowglobe? Yes please. 

For those on a budget: stickers (that also support artists)! This one by Leigh McKolay. 

Red roses die. Books are forever: Support yr local independent bookshop! 

Big box stores are satan, especially right now. Hit up your local small biz like Hatch Show Print in Nashville for swoonworthy letterpress prints. 

As the worst people in the country try to destroy the US Postal Service, strike back by sending your loved ones snail mail. Stamps by Portland Stamp Company. 

Use your imagination and get them something that gives back, like a T-shirt from Bitter Southerner – many of their products benefit good causes. 

Experiences! Get your sweetie concert tickets for upcoming shows like Snail Mail (pictured), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Belle and Sebastian OG album double-header shows, Isobel Campbell, or one of so many great indie pop festivals happening this year! Also: movies, book events, memberships to your local art museum, season tickets for a women’s soccer team, etc. 

 

Snoopy using a vinyl record as a frisbee tote bag! 

Artist Mark Reynolds makes original art based on so many bands and albums. We want them all. Stuff by Mark (based in the UK). 

Books are magic. They last long after the relationship ends (kidding!) 

I NEED one of these. So does your paramour. 

Preorder them this wonderful reissue from the mysterious Connie Converse. 

Even the goths deserve handmade cards.  By Westland Press from BuyOlympia. 

D.C. deserves statehood! Support Free D.C. in their effort to regain control over Washington, D.C., with this cozy hoodie for your galentine. 

Support your local indie labels and bands. It’s a no-brainer.

Get them tickets for upcoming Bikini Kill shows or an ace shirt. 

Precious Recordings of London mines the past and makes the present better. Get any one of these great, beautifully packaged records here.

You can never have too many badges/buttons, and you can also afford them while supporting small labels and bands. 

I mean, DUH. 

Handmade, letterpress, homemade, artist-made cards always rule. These are from Hatch Show Print in Nashville. 

Kawaii AF AND in support of one of the most important nonprofits of our time. See you in court! 

Analog is all the rage, we hear, so why not get them a subscription to one of the few paper magazines worth reading, like Bitter Southerner. Or zines. 

Gorgeous vegan truffles from Missionary Chocolates, just in case anyone wants to know what I WANT. 

Rollbahn notebooks from Little Otsu and many other sweet items for your mid-century desk. 

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the chickfactor best of 2025 lists: round five

Photo Credits: AGSFB by Tammi Bailey, Riley & Kim and Mario & Kim by Riley Riley, Rocketship by Playland Studio

Kim Baxter – All Girl Summer Fun Band + Rocketship
Favorite Music Experiences of 2025

I was super lucky and grateful to be included in some amazing music projects & shows in 2025, including:

All Girl Summer Fun Band opening for Bratmobile at Revolution Hall in Portland!

Super fun (and hot) summer backyard show with AGSFB, The Mistons and The “No” 3.

Goofing off, playing music, and writing and recording a song with Riley (Artsick) in her home studio in Seaside, CA.

Getting invited to record vocal harmonies on the new Artsick record and hanging out with Riley and Mario in Mario’s awesome studio in Oakland. I can’t wait for everyone to hear their new album, it’s so great!

Being asked by Dusty to play keyboards and sing in Rocketship. We’ve been practicing all year getting ready to tour in 2026 to celebrate the 30 year anniversary and reissue of A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness. The songs are so much fun to play and I love playing with Dusty, Nancy & Andy!

Rocketship playing 3 songs for an episode of Playland Studio’s The Big Box Set (playlandstudio.com).

Tracy Wilson

Tracy Wilson – Outer World / Courtesy Desk
In no particular order, here are things in 2025 that brought me great joy:

*Richmond’s Petit Four’s jambon + beurre baguette/my first beef on weck (I also really love visiting Buffalo)

*Kenny’s martini at home/ the fig old fashioned in Memphis at Bar Limina between Gonerfest sets

*Rostov’s Seville orange coffee on the stove after a cold dog walk – we keep it on low heat all December so our house smells incredible all holiday season

*Our rescue dog finally feeling safe enough to sleep soundly in our laps

*A newly renovated/redecorated bedroom and bathroom that feels peaceful yet invigorating.

*Self editing: letting go of things in my my life that no longer served a positive purpose, from bad habits like creating endless to-do lists, to doubles in our record collection, to energy vampire people

*Splurging on getting Veselka delivered to our home for a group of friends on Valentine’s Day and reading love poems out loud between courses.

*Ocean Vuong’s book The Emperor of Gladness that I would suggest to anyone who loves Harold & Maude

*Replacing the gardens around our home with native plants thanks to Ricky at Craft Natives

*Neighborhood friendships with the most incredibly kind, thoughtful, and strong women spanning the ages of 30 something to 70 something.

Tracy’s faves
Dawn Sutter Madell (right) from Agoraphone Music Direction / longtime CF contributor and her plus one, who happens to play in Girl Scout Handbook

Dawn Sutter Madell Top Live shows 2025

Matmos Yoko Ono tribute at The Armory

Fanny tribute featuring Gossip and ESG at Lincoln center

Cindy Lee at Paramount 

Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall

Pulp at Forest Hills

The Tubs/Wedding Present at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Courtney Barnett at Lucinda’s

Devo at Paramount 

Frankie Cosmos at Union Pool

Chicago Underground Duo at Public Records

Team Dresch at Elsewhere 

Big Thief (ft Laraaji, Hannah Cohen, June McDoom & Alena Spanger) at Forest Hills

Patti Smith at The Met (Philly)

Robyn Hitchcock/Sharp Pins at Bowery Ballroom

Girl Scout Handbook/Off Pink Young Ethel’s 

Here’s a photo of the crow on the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds before it dive-bombed my head; it felt like I got hit by a basketball. (Photo: Evelyn Hurley)

Evelyn Hurley – Cotton Candy Favorite moments of 2025

2025 was a busy year, but I had some really lovely moments, here are a few of my favorites:

Riding the mail boat along the coast of Portland, Maine. I was visiting Portland, Maine, in January and had an afternoon free. My friend told me that the mail carrying boats make trips every day to all the little islands outside of Portland and you can pay for a boat ride and see all of the charming and isolated islands. So, I took this ride on a chilly winter day, and the water was so shimmery and bright, it was an invigorating, beautiful boat ride, and an exhilarating way to begin the year.

Visiting our son in Taiwan and visiting Japan. We spent two weeks in Asia visiting our son at school in Taiwan, and it was so exciting to be in a culture that I’ve never been in before and experience the sights and sounds of Taiwan. It was especially thrilling to have our son navigate us through the different subways, pathways, night markets, and museums. Our trip to Japan was incredible: visiting record stores in Tokyo, riding the bullet train, getting dive-bombed by a crow at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, seeing an immersive exhibit of Ryuichi Sakamoto, were highlights of an really wonderful trip.

Eating sushi in a Japanese train station. I know it might sound weird to us Americans considering the state of some of our train stations, but my neighbor told me before I went on this trip that eating sushi in the Tokyo train station was something we had to do! So on our last day we ate the most delicious sushi (while standing up,) and I think about this delectable and time conscious lunch experience quite often.

Riding my ebike to and from work. This might be a strange favorite moment(s), but after riding the Boston T for 25 years, dealing with delays and crowds, etc…, and riding a regular 7 speed for the past 15 years and dealing with the wind and heat, I bought an Ebike this past spring. I was not prepared for the convenience and ease of zipping to and from work along the beautiful North End waterfront bike trail, and looking at the Bunker Hill Monument throughout the year was a thrilling (almost daily) event for me. Highly recommend.

Here’s my Ebike, my favorite 2025 purchase (Photo: Evelyn Hurley)

Stewart Anderson – Boyracer Ten heavy rotations from 2025

WET LEG moisturizer (Domino)

PUPPET WIPES live inside (Siltbreeze)

HELENE BARBIER panorama (Bonsound)

ESSENDON AIRPORT mor (Chapter Music)

BUNNY AND THE LAKERS numbers (Zaius Tapes)

SPARKS mad (Transgressive)

THE MOTORCYCLE BOY peel session (Precious)

LEBANON HANOVER asylum lullabies (Fabrika)

TONY MOLINA on this day (Slumberland)

JESUS AND MARY CHAIN psychocandy 4 X LP reissue (Third Man)

Kristin Thomson – Tsunami  Best live moments in 2025

I’m not sure how many bands I saw in 2025. More than 70 for sure. Here’s what I enjoyed the most:

  • MJ Lenderman, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia.
    Saw MJ just as he stepped up to the 2000+ size venues. So languid, so compelling. Excellent players in his band.
  • Wednesday, Union Transfer, Philadelphia.
    Speaking of MJ, Wednesday’s show supporting their album Bleeds spanned lots of their recorded output. Ferocious guitar sounds.
  • TAKAAT, Jerry’s on Front, Philadelphia
    Stuffed into the very tiny Jerry’s for the trancelike guitars and drums from the Mdou Moctar crew.
  • Pinback and Hammered Hulls, Underground Arts, Philadelphia.
    Two nights! I missed seeing Pinback in the early 2000s so I was captivated by their intricate songs and great vocals.
  • Team Dresch, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia.
    So delighted to see these queercore icons out playing shows again! Like many on this list, they were in fine form.
  • Gang of Four, Turner Hall, Milwaukee.
    A band I never thought I’d get to see, to the point I flew to Milwaukee so I could catch this final tour. Ted Leo and Gail Greenwood were the PERFECT musicians to join original members. Taut, political, perfectly executed.
  • Chimers, Union Transfer, Philadelphia.
    The Saints and Pissed Jeans were great, but I really loved Australia’s two-piece Chimers. Driving guitar and drums.
  • The Lemon Twigs, Ottobar, Baltimore.
    I love them so much. I saw them in Tokyo in January, but this road trip to Baltimore was much more fun. They finished the set with a note-perfect cover of “Good Vibrations” in tribute to the recently-departed Brian Wilson.
  • Lifeguard, Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia.
    Only a few days after the release of their album Ripped and Torn (my fave album of 2025). Another band that has tapped into the best of British post-punk and Mission of Burma.
  • Lambrini Girls, Underground Arts, Philadelphia.
    I’d seen enough online footage to know what to expect, but they were amazing. Unapologetically political. Crowdsurfing out to hold onto ceiling pipes, building a human pyramid in the pit, ripping through their songs. A+++
  • Wand, Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia.
    Lots of jam band fans seem to show up at these Wand shows. Huge range, and always so compelling.
  • Holy Rollers, St Stephens Church, Washington, DC
    The Positive Force 40th anniversary show was their first show in over 35 years and they were *incredible*. 90’s Dischord political band that is so urgent, so necessary.
  • Ink and Dagger, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia
    The basement had been transformed into a creepy dungeon with spray painted bedsheets on the walls and ceiling. Lights off, except for chaotic strobes and flashes, the band, covered in ghoul paint, absolutely ripped.
  • Unwound, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia.
    Playing their 1995 album The Future of What (and nothing else), Unwound was tight, disciplined and unforgiving in its ferociousness.
  • Mekons, Magic Bag, Ferndale, MI.
    I was going to miss the Mekons show in Philly, so Jenny Toomey and I journeyed to Detroit to see them supporting their new album, Horror!  I mean, it’s the full Mekons!!

These hold a special place in my rock and roll heart:

  • Pile, Underground Arts, Philadelphia.
    Why was this the first time I’d seen this band?? Boston’s Pile hints at all the bands I love in the Unwound/Hot Snakes/Jehu lexicon. Blistering, political, unpredictable.

  • Eno on Four Screens, Athens, NY.
    Each viewing of the Eno documentary is different. I mean that. It’s sequencing the clips in real time as you watch it. Now, imagine seeing it playing on four drive-in movie screens at once, each of them playing a different version of the movie. This was amazing on so many levels.
     
  • Rocket From the Crypt and Superchunk, House of Blues, San Diego.
    What’s more fun than RFTC and Superchunk? Together? How about seeing them on Halloween!

  • Peter Schickele Memorial Concert, New York, NY.
    Curated by his daughter Karla (Ida, Beekeeper) and populated with an incredible range of musicians, this loving look at Schickele’s body of work included everything from clever jingles for the classical radio station, to pieces written for 10 bassoons, to a giant singalong at the end.

  • Every show that Tsunami played with Ida on the Coin Toss tour. I think the show at Polaris Hall in Portland was the most special.

  • Scrawl, Deep Cuts, Medford, MA.
    I love Scrawl so much!! This was the first of three shows with Tsunami drummer Luther Gray on the tubs and they were having such a good time. MORE SCRAWL IN 2026 PLEASE.

Stefan Zachrisson As Chickfactor’s Stockholm correspondent I give you my top 10 Swedish music of 2o25. Click on the links, listen to the music, and support the musicians and labels:

Art Longo – Echowah Island (LP, Cracki)

Sternpost – My Silent Dream (song from forthcoming LP unworld.afterpop on Concrentric Circles)

Waterbaby – Beck n Call (single, Sub Pop)

Länge Leve – Jazz på lesbiska (EP, PACAYA) 

Andreas Tilliander & Goran Kajfes – In Cmin (LP, Kontra-Musik)

Civilistjävel! & Mayssa Jallad – Marjaa: the Battle of the Hotels (Versions) (LP, Six Of Swords/Ruptured)

Mythologen – Eurovision (LP, YEAR0001)

World Of Dog – Chihuahua Sunrise (single, Excellent Spaces)

Various artists – Solidaritet med Gazas barn (a digital mixtape with songs from Jens Lekman, Sternpost, Sarto et al, Zeon Light)

Blessings 2 Go – This Stance (single, Correspondence)

Min skugga – Min skugga (LP, Kopotikop)

JJULIUS –  VOL. 3 (LP, Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox/DFA)

Follow Facit, the weekly Substack newsletter from me and my friends, for further musical advice.

Head to our link here to read all five rounds of lists + two extras from Rob Pursey (Heavenly, Skep Wax, etc.) and photographer Theresa Kereakes

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the chickfactor best of 2025 lists: round four

Jed and Alicia at CF30, Union Pool, Oct. 2022 (Photo: Gail O)

Jed Smith – Jeanines

Cindy Lee’s “Diamond Jubilee”. It didn’t come out in 2025 but I don’t think I heard it until earlier this year. It’s a fantastically inspiring piece of work that has lit a renewed creative fire under me.

“I Saw the TV Glow” Again, it came out in 2024 but I don’t think I got to it until this last spring. It has become one of my favorite films of the past 20 years at least. Wears its influences tastefully while still being utterly unique in tone and tenor.

Tony Molina “On This Day” We had a wonderful tour with Tony and Lightheaded this fall, and the new album is absolutely gorgeous. Tony is a masterful songwriter and guitarist.

Lightheaded “Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming” Good pals of ours who just happen to make some of the best guitar pop on the planet. Cynthia’s songwriting reminds me of Linton’s in a lot of ways, with these beautiful, sometimes baroque arrangements and harmonic structures, and Stephen’s lyrics are really evocative and often really moving.

Cassie Ramone “Sweetheart” Cassie G’s new album is absolutely stunning. She’s a real one.

Massage “Coaster” Another wonderful slice of dreamy guitar pop mastery. Great folks, great band.

Time Thief “Time Thief” Our Providence pals put out this terrific and way too short album this year. RIYL Weirdo pop.

James by Percival Everett   Could have been a high-concept slog in lesser hands. I mean, much…. lesser hands. Everett is one of the greatest living writers.

Tsunami / Photo: Janice Headley

Janice Headley (CF, KEXP, team YLT, etc.) 

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/yo-la-tengo-had-scrawl-ana-gasteyer-joe-mcginty-gary-gulman-for-hanukkah-night-3-pics-setlist/

• first and foremost, our beautiful cats who brighten every minute of every day: ribbon, marlys, and maybonne

• the ida / tsunami coin toss tour, which brought me to tears of joy and then fits of laughter (usually at dan’s endearing stage banter)

• tortoise playing with the chicago philharmonic, and the way their collaboration transformed songs i’ve known and loved for decades (sending wishes into the universe for a live album release in 2026?)

• ‘we’ll prescribe you another cat’ by syou ishida

• the lonely island & seth meyers podcast

• the nooworks gentilhomme collection, which reminds me of curtains i had in my childhood bedroom

• cherished time with the mazzucco/watling family in san diego back in the spring

• the ruth asawa retrospective at SF moma

• seeing scrawl for the first time ever, not once but TWICE this year — after being a fan for 30 years

  • finally, our wonderful friends — thank you thank you thank you

Rebecca Odes

Things I liked this year 

stuff I listened to:

Pacific Theme, Mdou Moctar + Michael Colton

Animaru, Mei Semones

Phonetics On and On, Horsegirl

You, Eliza Noxon

It’s a Beautiful Place, Water From Your Eyes

stuff I read :

Banal Nightmare, Halle Butler

On the Calculation of Volume, Solvej Balle

I Feel Famous, Angela Jaeger

Rejection, Tony Tulathimutte

My First Book, Honor Levy

stuff I watched:

Mastermind, Kelly Reichardt

John Proctor is the Villain

Adolescence

Dying for Sex

Such Brave Girls

South Park?

other stuff:

The Pathfinder hemp spirit

D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What leave-in conditioner (RIP)

Le Bon Shoppe pants

Fruit Riot!

Nancy lounging in an extremely comfortable Eero Aarnio Ball Chain in the amazing Oodi Central Library in Helsinki.

Nancy Novotny – DJ Gilliflower

Exhibition: Ithell Colquhoun at Tate St. Ives, Cornwall, UK

Exhibition: Ruth Asawa at SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA

Concert: Lau Nau at Kirpilä Art Collection, Helsinki, Finland

Concert: Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek at Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA

Film: Agnès Varda Forever Festival at Clinton Street Theater, Portland, OR

Film: Gut Instinct (directed by my friend, Doug Dillaman) at Clinton Street Theater, Portland, OR

Comedy: Bruce McCulloch’s Tales of Bravery & Stupidity, Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR

Food: Shizen (Vegan Sushi) on my birthday, San Francisco, CA

Miscellaneous: Thrift Shopping in Finland (my happy place)

Miscellaneous: Singing with Portland Sacred Harp at the grand opening of the new wing of Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR

Miscellaneous: Seeing the current live lineup of Rocketship come together and being part of it (on bass)!

Sukhdev Sandhu: What I listened to in 2025

Mostly Roberto De Simone, Quant’e Bello Lu Murire Acciso (RCA)

But also –

Lauten der Seele, Unterhaltungen mit Larven und Überresten (World of Echo)

Saint Etienne, International (Heavenly)

Teppana Jänis & Arja Kastinen, Teppana Jänis (Death Is Not The End)

Bill Wells Presents: Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Tenniscoats, KAMA AINA and Kazumi Nikaido Live in Scotland (Bison)

Pablo Mirón, Tom Val – So Far From Dreams (No label)

The Humble Bee, Morning Music (Dauw)

Brannten Schnüre, Landschaft Aus Tränen (Quirlschlängle)

Avril A, Housewife Superstar (Memory Dance)

Essendon Airport, MOR (Chapter Music)

Rachel Blumberg – Field Drums / Arch Cape

Music Moments  That Moved My Heart/Inspired Me in 2025 that I can remember RIGHT NOW….

Learned….
School of Song Brian Eno songwriting class

Played….
Arch Cape Show opening for Matmos at Holocene

Field Drums show with Franklin Bruno and friends and Big Top at My Vinyl Underground.

Tami Hart and Kaia at Turn Turn Turn

Michael Hurley Memorial at Cherry sprout park with a bevy of Portland artists including Toody Cole (Dead Moon) and us Croakers

Laurelthirst – Jan 24, 2025- possibly the last time I ever played with Michael Hurley before he left this realm for the cosmic one.

Califone- Baby’s All Right- NYCOld Unconscious- Laverne’s- PDX

Went To…
Claire Rousay show at Holocene

Marisa Anderson and Brìghde Chaimbeul show at Holocene

Tsunami/Ida/TJO/Retsin at Polaris Hall

Family Reunion 2025 – all of it.

One more not music related …
Hiking around Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota.

And likely so many more I can’t remember right now.

Wishing you all peace, happiness, and health

Posted on

the chickfactor best of 2025 lists: round three

Stephin Merritt – The Magnetic Fields
Movies: 

Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse 

Echo Valley 

Homemade Gatorade 

It Was Just an Accident 

The Last Republican 

Peaches Goes Bananas 

Pee-Wee As Himself 

Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass 

Secret Mall Apartment 

This Unremarkable Life 

Riley Riley (Artsick) favs of 2025:

Misc:

Joshua Tree National Park with my family

Shooting with my Hasselblad again

Recording with Mario

Kim Baxter harmonies

Cuddles with my dogs

Music:

Tony Molina (On This Day)

Galore (Dirt)

The Cords

The Telephone Numbers (Scarecrow II)

Books:

Teenage Daydream by Debsey Wykes

You & Me Against The World: 2 Women, 5 Bands, 80’s

Edinburgh by Saskia Holling

Podcasts:

MENOPUNKS Podcast by Alicia J. Rose

Good Luck With That: A Podcast About Skateboarding by Ashley Rehfed, Alex White and Nora

Vasconcellos

Good Hang by Amy Poehler

Handsome Podcast with Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin

Snacks:

Rebel Cheese vegan brie

Bubbies Kosher Dill Pickles

The Paella Mario made at his backyard party

Live shows:

Just A Summer Fling: Remedy & Wren, The Kitchenettes, Ryli

Chappel Roan in LA

Video:

Rocketship live on The Big Box Set

I Love LA on HBO max

Stephen Stec – Lightheaded 

Tour Moments

  1. Having Rob and Amelia from Heavenly drive the band around England, showing monolithic stones and yo-yo tricks to Adam, Cynthia, Madison, and I for a week straight.
  2. My one afternoon with Mt Misery in Glasgow made my whole year worth it.
  3. Late night hangs with Kenji and Adam at Kenjis flat will hopefully replay on my deathbed, I will never forget falling asleep on Kenjis couch to some of the best music I had never heard.
  4. The incredible hospitality of Emanuel, Jeremie, and Hadrien in Paris, and walking out to open our show to a completely packed and sold out Supersonic.
  5. Rachel Love giving me a Dolly Mixture cd in Brighton made me cry almost immediately upon delivery lol

Releases

Aside from all the excellent slumberland releases, like the ones from our tourmates Jeanines and Tony Molina, I listened to the new records by these bands a lot (in alphabetical order!)

Alley Girl

Betty Brite

Jobber

Paper Jam

Playland

Sharp Pins

Winter

WPTR

Cynthia Rittenbach – Lightheaded

Chess

Paris

Chess in Paris

The gym

Touring

Alan Turring

Autocamper and Betty Brite

Tape machine getting fixed

Mei Semones (via Bandcamp)

Gail O – chickfactor editor in chief
Nina Nastasia at Show Bar
Stuart Murdoch book event and solo set at Polaris Hall
Michael Hurley Memorial at Cherry Sprout
Gina Birch at Mississippi Studios 

Saint Etienne – International
Sharp Pins – Balloon Balloon Balloon
Brian Bilston and the Catenary Wires – Sounds Made by Humans
Jeanines – How Long Can It Last
Edith Frost – In Space
Destroyer – Dan’s Boogie
Mei Semones – Animaru
Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
Edwyn Collins – Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation
Marissa Nadler – New Radiations
Robert Forster – Strawberries
Telephone Numbers – Scarecrow II
Dean Wareham – That’s the Price of Loving Me
William Tyler – Time Indefinite
The Real Tuesday Weld – Crow at Christmas
Flinch. – Misery Olympian
The Clientele – Violet Hour on vinyl
Salem 66 – Salt
glo-worm – glimmer on vinyl
The Motorcycle Boy Peel Session
Railcard – Railcard EP
John Roseboro
Shouting Out Loud: Lives of the Raincoats (Audrey Golden)
Teenage Daydream: We Are the Girls Who Play in a Band (Debsey Wykes)
Futsal
Soccer City USA
USWNT
The American people saying HELL NO to this shit
Portland, Oregon – deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
A tough year even beyond the kakistocracy shitshow. I hated missing Sarah Cronin’s wake, YLT Hanukkah, Dromfest/Salem 66 songs, and a few other things, but it is what it is.
RIP, Sarah and Shay 

Franklin Bruno
It’s been decades since I listed, much less ranked, my top records of the year; I discover or rediscover so much older music through reissues or just crate-digging that I’ve stopped distinguishing past and present as a listener. But I can tell you about 24+ excellent shows I saw in 2025: two per month, roughly one rock/pop/“indie” and one jazz/improv/experimental, plus a few outliers. (NYC unless noted.)

Eljin Marbles, The Pick-Ups, Girls on Grass; Sanger Hall, 1/18

Susan Alcorn; Zürcher Gallery, 1/21

The Love Hangover (about 15 artists doing 2-song sets); Berlin Under A, 2/15

Lesley Mok/Lester Saint Louis/Craig Taborn: Bar Bayeux, 2/26

Angela Niescier/Tomeka Reid/Savanna Harris: Jazz Gallery, 3/12

Sloppy Heads; Main Drag Music, 3/14

Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet; Le Poisson Rouge, 4/14

Ida, private show, Laurel Canyon (CA); 4/27

Pomona College Balinese Gamelan; Bridges Hall of Music (Claremont, CA), 5/5

Robyn Hitchcock, Emma Swift, Philosophical Research Society (L.A.); 5/14

Sam Newsome/Anthony Coleman/Brandon Lopez/Nick Neuberg; Bar Bayeux, 6/18

Bug Club, Omni; Bowery Ballroom, 6/26

Mekons, Johnny Dowd; Bowery Ballroom and White Eagle Hall, 7/17-18

Matt Mitchell, trio w/ Kim Cass/Ches Smith, and solo; The Stone, 7/16 and 19

[Wild Card: “Weird Al” Yankovik/Puddles Pity Party; Madison Square Garden 7/12]

Tie: Open Hand, Landowner, Editrix; Union Pool 8/9 and Sable, Room de Dark, Sotto Voce; Bar Freda, 8/22

Gabrielle Stravelli Trio; Mezzrow, 8/12

[Wild Card: Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson; Jones Beach, 8/1]

Haircut 100, Chao; Sony Hall, 9/24 

Cecile McLorin Salvant w/ NY Philharmonic; Lincoln Center, 9/25

Stereolab, Dorothea Paas; Brooklyn Steel 10/2

Sullivan Fornter/David Virelles/Kris Davis; Jazz Gallery, 10/4

[4-way tie]

Anthony Braxton, Composition No. 101 and Syntactical Ghost Trance Music, Roulette; 11/5

[Ahmed], Billy Steigers; Cafe OTO (London), 11/12

Ed Kuepper & Jim White, Mick Harvey; TV Eye 11/17

Tiers de Familia, The Scene Is Now, Deerfrance; Francis Kite Social Club, 11/22

Jonathan Paik/Shogo Yamagishi/Max Nguyen; Close Up, 12/14

Stephen Prina, For The People (of New York), and w/ David Grubbs; MoMa, 12/4 and 12/13

I can’t really list shows I played myself, but I have to put in a word for the absurdly talented people I made music with in 2025: my bandmates in The Human Hearts (Bob Bannister, Pete Galub, Matt Houser); Tsunami, our touring partners Ida, and onstage guests including Richard Baluyut, Clint Conley, Kate Pierson, Sally Timms, and Bob Weston; Laura Cantrell and the States of Country band (Jeremy Chatsky, Kenny Kosek, Mark Spencer); Beth Kaplan (of Salem 66) and Chris Brokaw. Career — no, lifetime — highlight: sitting in with Scrawl (Union Pool, 9/1) to play keyboards on Magazine’s “Song From Under the Floorboards” with Scrawl (Union Pool, 9/1). 

Read round one
Read round two
Read Theresa Kereakes’ list
Read Rob Pursey’s list of his top tees

Posted on

the chickfactor best of 2025 lists: round two

Bridget St. John playing at chickfactor’s Mon Gala Papillons at London’s Bush Hall, 2004. Photo: Gail O’Hara

Bridget St. John: many things I adore 2025

• my three cats – ever loving ever grateful

• the 30+ sparrows who gather beneath my window every morning for black sunflower seeds – ever thankful

• recording and then performing with Wilie Aron, Emily Wittbrodt & David Nagler at The Bitter End

• the FolkEast Festival – such a generous vibe…meeting Sandy Denny’s daughter, Georgia…playing with Jon Wilks… hanging with Diana Matheou… and in the company of my daughter and niece

• attending a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game

• playing The Chapel, SF, and McCabes, Santa Monica, during the April tour with Evie Sands and her stellar band

Jim + cat

Jim Ruiz

The 7 foster kittens and their mother who tore up both our house, and our hearts, last summer. 

Bunty – mother (née Lee Wiley)

Louis Armstrong (pictured)

Frank Sinatra

Gladys (née Blossom Dearie)

Chet Baker

Billie Holiday

Hoagy Carmichael

Bing Crosby

John Jervis – WIAIWYA

Sarah Cronin – Sarah’s death cast a large shadow over an already shadowy year, terrible and unfair and a huge loss… I suspect this won’t be the only time she is mentioned in this year’s lists, as is only right and proper.

Poker Face – Columbo meets the Littlest Hobo starring a live action version of the girl from Brave, and who could ask for anything more. It’s great!

Italian exploitation soundtracks- Still banging on about these, especially those that live in the creepy house between disco and krautrock, with Edda Dell’Orso preempting Liz Fraser in the flat upstairs – there’s a massive (it’s about 8 hours at the moment) playlist here for anyone interested (sorry for big green music machine link)

New music from old bands – Pulp! Stereolab! Allo Darlin! All still wonderful and so much easier than hunting down new bands that sound a bit like them… and new Heavenly next year too!

True Grit Texture Supply – essential and ubiquitous brushes, tools and effects for your graphics package – have spent a LOT of fun hours playing in that sandpit this year

Plumbers- this year I found a good, reliable, affordable plumber and heating engineer- cannot be overstated.

Sade – I love Sade.

Biscuits – yes, biscuits – they are brilliant, especially the cheap own brand ones – what are your favourites? Drop a couple of packs into your basket next time you go for a big shop, and treat yourself when you get home – you deserve it (unless you are a fascist, a billionaire, or a POS PUSA – then you don’t)

Mike Slumberland: Here’s my top ten listens of 2025

Dead Famous People – Wild Young Ways (Tiny Global Productions)

Galore – Dirt (Speakeasy Studios)

Makaya McCraven – Off The Record (International Anthem)

Mitch Murder X Pizza Hotline – Anti Gravity Tournament (WRWTFWW)

Natural Information Society – Perseverance Flow (Eremite)

Paper Jam – This And That (self-released)

Saint Etienne – International (Heavenly)

Sault – 10 (Forever Living Originals)

Satoshi Tomiie & Tuccillo – Delta Dubs (20:20 Vision)

Viola Klein – New Chapter (Meakusma)

Brian Nelson (Black Tambourine, Velocity Girl) 

Graphic Novels, Comics, & Books of 2025 (with no particular order or emphasis)

Gilmore Tamny (Weather Weapon, The Mystery, The Yips) 
These are things that interested and engaged me this year, which I’d recommendo. Some of them came out in 2025, some of them I just discovered this year. No particular order.

TV

  • Who Hired the Hitman
  • The Lowdown
  • Hacks
  • The Diplomat
  • Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
  • Heated Rivalry
  • An Update on Our Family
  • Pokerface
  • Mo
  • The Task
  • The Righteous Gemstones
  • Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke
  • The Pitt

MOVIES/SPECIALS

  • The Perfect Neighbor
  • Deaf President Now!
  • Taurasi
  • Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
  • Fairyland
  • The Wedding Banquet
  • Come See Me in the Good Light
  • The Baltimorons
  • PostMortem, Sarah Silverman
  • Why Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Is America, Josh Johnson
  • Happy Gilmore II
  • Sorry Baby
  • The Secret Agent

MUSIC/LIVE PERFORMANCE
oof I need to listen to more music, BUT songs I found and liked very much this year and a few live shows:

  • Manchild, Sabrina Carpenter
  • Hold On, Ngozi Family
  • Denial is a River, Doechii
  • Chappell Roan generally
  • Scrawl
  • Ben Hersey, Non-Event show
  • Major Stars release show for More Colors of Sound
  • Ravon Chacon performance, ICA

SOCIALS

TIKTOK

·      abbey.joselyn

·      doggystylinguk

·      kobimcnutt

·      nicoleolived

·      noodyxbums

·      ship_spotting_

·      journeyofjackson

·      yoleendadong

·      dpeezy2099

·      oceanscary4K

·      notoriouscree

INSTA

  • koreydior_
  • olya_with_squirrel
  • african_brutalism

PATREON

  • Christine Mcconells
  • The Cottage Fairy

YOUTUBIO

  • Broadway Barbara
  • That Practical Mom
  • Red Squirrel Studios (for cat enrichment–top notch)

BOOKS (all audiobooks FWIW)

  • The Unfinished Harauld Hughes, Richard Ayoade
  • Spent a Comic Novel, Alison Bechdel
  • The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures, Sarah Clegg
  • Birnam Wood, A Novel, Eleanor Catton
  • History Lessons, Zoe B. Wallbrook
  • We Solve Murders, Richard Osman
  • Heartwood, Amity Gage
  • Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man), Jesse Q. Sutanto
  • Generation Darkness, Elizabeth Hand
  • King of Ashes, S.A. Cosby
  • Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe
  • Sociopath, Patric Gagne
  • Rental House, Weike Wang
  • Havoc, Christpoher Bollen
  • Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner
  • Perfume and Pain, Anna Dorn
  • Glory Daze, Danielle Arceneaux

PODCAST

  • The Rest is Entertainment (I listened to nearly every single episode)
  • The White Pube
  • Crissle’s Couch
  • The Art Angle
  • Waldy and Bendy
  • Grits and Eggs Podcast (have not kept up but love what I heard)
  • Darknet Diary (selective listening but some NUTS stories)
  • Wisecrack
  • Scamanda
  • The Read
  • I need to listen to AudioFlux
Posted on

the chickfactor best of 2025 lists: round one

Ed Mazzucco & Laura Mazzucco (Shelflife Records, Tears Run Rings, Autocollants)
Our new kittens Diego & Mo (pictured above)
The Autocollants Reunion
Japan vacation
Highspire “Crushed”
The Cords
Quickly Quickly “I Heard That Noise”
Stereolab “Instant Holograms On Metal Film”
The Blue Herons “Demon Slayer” single
Vinyl Williams “Portasymphony”
Teenage Daydream book

The Umbrellas are proud to present our top 5 most played songs of tour. Various songs we’ve either heard at gas stations or just can’t seem to get out of our heads. Ever wonder what we are listening to driving up to the gig? It’s likely one of these here tunes.

1) J^ke – “this is what falling in love feels like” (2021)

2) Leikeli47 – “Girl Blunt” (2018)

3) Rascal Flatts – “Life is a Highway” (2006) , but we should mention Tom Cochrane’s original holds a place in our hearts

4) Rich Gang – “Lifestyle” ft. Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan (2014)

5) Chris Lane – “I Don’t Know About You” (2018)

Alicia Hyman (Jeanines)

The new Tony Molina record (On This Day) and touring with Tony Molina and Lightheaded

The Cassie Ramone record from 2024 (Sweetheart)

Biscuit and Heidi (my cats!)

Road tripping with Rob and Amelia (Jeanines/Lightheaded UK tour this past summer)

The End of Romance – Lily Meyer (Feb 2026)

Constantly – GG (graphic novel)

Frannie Choi poetry

My friends Zoë and James and their band Time Thief

Kendall Jane Meade – Photo: Jimmy Pham

Kendall Jane Meade

Best Movie: Train Dreams

Best Live Shows: Hannah Cohen, Oracle Sisters, The Ladybug Transistor, Mekons, Peter, Bjorn & John

Best Tour Memory: Visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright museum and Historic District in Chicago

Best Book: Nice Girls Don’t Win by Parvati Shallow

Best Doc: It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley

Best Reason To Release An Album: I made my album SPACE to process complicated feelings around my divorce, but the best part of the process was that it led me back to growing and nurturing my musical community (not to mention my chops).

Best Songs Of The Year: “Long After Midnight” by Flock of Dimes, “Elderberry Wine” by Wednesday, “My Full Name” by Madison Cunningham and every single song on West End Girl by Lily Allen.

Glenn Donaldson (Reds, Pinks and Purples) 

Music continues to be the only thing worth your time…some 2025 gems:

Vulture Feather – It will be like now

Maxine Funke – Timeless Town

Necks – Disquiet

Husker Du – 1985: The Miracle Year

Swiz – Complete Discography

Dania – Listless

Obscuress – Maltha

Christina Carter – Like a Bayou to its Gulf

Drunk Elk – Clear Skies in Effect

Matthew Smith Group – S/t

Caroline – 2

Scrabbled – Plough through the Rust

Lois Maffeo

January – Alan Sparhawk dancing and spinning around at the end of his show in Seattle. Physical release to begin 2025!

February – Listening to List of Demands LP by Damon Locks

March – Singing Strumpet with The Linda Lindas in Seattle.

April – Yo Yo A Go Go panel discussion at Evergreen. Recognition of some hard work that was disguised as magic-making.

May – Listening to the DJ Game radio show on KVMRx.org. DJ brothers Thom and Greg Moore astonish one another with wild hits.

June – Whales came to the Olympia end of the Salish Sea!

July – 25th anniversary of The Transfused – a panel discussion at the library on the queer rock opera conceived and produced in Olympia in 2000. Hear the prophecies of the anti-trans, oligarchical 2020s? I do!

August – Making a real time birthday playlist for a special person. Just call out the songs and hit play!

September – Watching Kicking Giant start their set at Northern Sky Festival by summoning a thunder storm!

October – Portland Frog! (And listening to When Boys Cry by Selector Dub Narcotic.)

November – ASMR Dumpling Making Theater in Tacoma by artist Yixuan Pan

December – Mark Robinson’s astonishing setlist. Hydroplane!

Mark Robinson solo show set list (from Portland). Photo: Adam Possehl

Calvin Johnson (K)

Katie Alice Greer “Talk to Leslie”

Hifi Sean “Waiting for the Sun” (Plastique Recordings) 12″

Ghost Bitch Bruise Tattoo

MC Yellah & Deb Master Gaudencia (Hakuna Kulala) LP

Alga Alga CS

DJ Holographic House in the Dark (Through the Veil) LP

Fostex Nest Accidental Music: Live At Le Voyeur (Little Giant Recording Co.) CS

Heavenly “Portland Town” / “Someone Who Cares” (Skep Wax) 7″ 45rpm

Katy Pinke Strange Behavior (Glamour Gowns Records) LP

Nick & the Nod The Lackey Circle (Chicken Shack Records) LP

Damon Locks List of Demands (International Anthem Recording Co.) LP

Little Angry & the Sweets Screamin’ Inside Your Heart!!! (Antiquated Future) LP

Uncomfortable Police Hazmat Kat (Teen Beat Records) 7″ EP

Briana Marela My Inner Rest (AKP Recordings) CS

Wild Billy Childish & the Chatham Singers “Step Out (Alt)” / “Upside Mine” (Spinout Nuggets) 7″ 45rpm

Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) 

Some favorite books

Margaret Ross, Saturday (the song cave)

Alex Dimitrov, Ecstasy (penguin)

Keiler Roberts, Preparing to Bite (drawn and quarterly)

Alice Chadwick, Dark Like Under (biblioasis)

Ella Frears, Good Lord (rough trade)

Richard Siken – I Do Know Some Things (copper canyon)

Terry Banks  (Dot Dash)

Shows:

Bad Moves – final show, Black Cat, July 26, 2025

Tony Molina — Comet, October 16, 2025

Trupa Trupa – Quarry House, February 27, 2025

Burn Kit – Ottobar, April 16, 2025

Books:

David Hajdu, Positively 4th Street

John Clellon Holmes, Go

Peter Carroll, Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Americans in the Spanish Civil War

Records:

Various Artists, Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65

Sharp Pins, Radio DDR

The Pale Fountains, Complete Virgin Years

Kevin Alvir – MOST ADORED of 2025:

– Zohran Mamdani

– Sharp Pins – “Balloon Balloon Balloon” & “Radio DDR”

– Tony Molina – “On This Day”

– Horsegirl – “Phonetics On & On”

– Golden Apples “Shooting Star”

– Good Flying Birds – “Talulah’s Tape”

– Idle Ray – “Even in the Spring”

– Pee-Wee As Himself (documentary)

– Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake (mind bending young adult animation)

– the Simpsons (revisiting. haven’t watched since the 90s.)

– Superman (movie) (we need hope, yeah?)

Read 2025 list: Rob Pursey on his favorite T-shirts
Read 2025 list: Theresa Kereakes on things she adored this year

Posted on

chickfactor 2025 lists: all the things photographer theresa kereakes adored in 2025

Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64, Eyes of the Storm – a beautifully curated and deftly installed exhibit with about 250 photographs by Sir Beatle.  The exhibit is as much about photography as it is about a young man making documentary souvenirs of a trip to America where he coincidentally is the center of attention.  Even if one wasn’t a Beatles fan, this is worth seeing.  There’s also a book of these photos, entitled Eyes of the Storm as well, which was published in 2023, and one I bought at that time.  It was a delight to see the photos enlarged, sometimes to the size of an entire wall!  A large part of why I enjoyed this so much is that the photos are from 1963 and 1964… the cars, the clothes, the buildings – all with such individuality and character.

Here are 10 records from 2025 that I listened to A LOT and enjoyed for various reasons.  Heavy on the “friends” aspect as it is mostly people I know or have worked with, and artists I have loved my entire life, so their records are like old friends.

  • Life Death and Dennis Hopper – The Waterboys
  • The Melancholy Season – Benmont Tench
  • Horror – Mekons
  • Dear Life – David Gray
  • Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
  • Neil Young – Oceanside Countryside
  • Patterson Hood – Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams
  • Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow
  • Taj Mahal and Keb Mo’ – Room on the Porch
  • Margo Price – Hard Headed Woman

Here’s some writing that I read and enjoyed

  • 33 1/3 John Cale Paris 1919 – Mark Doyle
  • Heartbreaker – Mike Campbell with Ari Surdoval
  • Girl to Country, a Memoir – Amy Rigby
  • We Never Took a Bad Picture – Ashley Roth
  • Separation of Church and Hate – John Fugelsang
  • Newsletter – www.radio-nowhere.com/ – Caryn Rose
Joan Jett & Billy Idol are introduced by Pleasant Gehman on his first visit to Los Angeles in May 1978, promoting Generation X and their recent signing to Chrysalis. Joan was already a punk rock icon as a member of the Runaways. Idol is talking to Pleasant as Joan looks on. Photograph: Theresa Kereakes

Best things of the Year were: 

seeing Amy Rigby in a dive bar in the afternoon, playing acoustic and reading from her book.  It was like a high school reunion, and her first book was about her journey from her PA home to NYC, and this one is about her journey from NYC to Nashville, where I live, and where I saw her perform.  It is a delight to see a woman of my own generation (she and I are a year apart, age-wise) still doing it DIY and making a real good go at it – AND marrying her punk rock dreamboat to boot.

seeing Billy Idol and Joan Jett on tour together.  They have been pals since my punk rock best friend and I introduced them in 1978 and them touring together is the Best Thing of the Year because I feel like my misspent youth has made a material impact on the world.  Billy did all sorts of promo celebrating the wild party we threw for them!  He is still in good voice.  Joan Jett is still a badass, and I enjoyed her ranting from the stage about how we have a hateful White House.  When she sings “Everyday People,” I know she means it.  She too is in good voice.

getting a last minute invite to see Booker T. Jones play in a church converted into a performance space.  Another old familiar fave but, as he said, he’s 81 years old.  He’s got a lot of stories.  He played “Green Onions” about the 4th song in.  He didn’t jerk us around.  He delivered in church, playing organ, piano, AND guitar and singing.

And that’s all I can remember without looking things up, so it’s the memorable best of my year!

Read our interview with Theresa Kereakes and her interview with Melanie Nissen for chickfactor. 

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chickfactor 2025 lists: rob pursey (skep wax, heavenly, etc.) on his top ten t-shirts

The Linda Lindas sporting T-shirts from Heavenly

Rob Pursey (Heavenly, Swansea Sound, the Catenary Wires, Skep Wax Records) on his favorite band T-shirts of 2025

Band T-shirts are pretty much the only clothes I buy these days, apart from when essential items completely wear out and have to be replaced.  There are many advantages to buying band T-shirts, and here are some of them: 

-you can usually get them at gigs, which means you don’t ever have to visit clothes shops.  

– the bands benefit, as the sale of one T shirt is worth about 6 billion streams of their songs on S p o t I f y. (By the same token, T shirt sales don’t help finance AI-based warfare.) 

–  socially, you might be at an advantage wearing a band T shirt, because other people who like the same band might talk to you. Actually, they probably won’t talk to you, because that would be awkward. But some kind of unspoken solidarity might hover in the air.  

For me, the main advantage is that I do really love these shirts. Each one has memories embedded in its fabric. They are like diary entries, reminding you of something you don’t want to forget.

So here are my favourite band t-shirts of 2025. Most of them were acquired over the last twelve months but there are a few older specimens in there too.  

HARD SKIN.  I bought this at the Hard Skin Ladies Night a couple of weeks ago, where a dozen punk-adjacent women joined London’s finest Oi band on stage for a thrilling and raucous hour.  Sean, the lead singer, had taken refuge at the merch stall at the end of the gig and sold me the shirt before being dragged back to the stage for a stupendous encore of ‘If The Kids Are United’.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS.  This might be my oldest band T shirt.  I bought it when ‘69 Love Songs’ first came out, and I wore it again this year when Stephin and his group came back to London and played the songs from the album all over again. I’ve worn the shirt on my many occasions in between these two significant dates, and I have to give credit to the band for making such a durable garment.  The only negative thing about this shirt is that it’s an ‘L’.  The modern 69 Love Songs shirt that I bought more recently is an ‘XL’.  The old shirt reminds me that I should have eaten less over the last 25 years.

TULLYCRAFT.  I got this shirt when Heavenly and Swansea Sound played with Tullycraft in their hometown of Seattle.  They hadn’t played for ages: I guess we infected them with the idea that there is no reason not to resurrect your old band, even if it seems a little undignified.  And of course, they were brilliant.  And they were dignified.  Their songs are timeless, and so is this T shirt.

HOMESPUN FESTIVAL.  I was given this shirt by Bob (Swansea Sound), who had helped organise this DIY festival in Rochester, Kent back in 2016.  The shirt is actually about ten years old.  Bob had stowed the merch away somewhere and only recently re-discovered it in a box in his attic and let me have a couple of the shirts.  The Catenary Wires had played the festival, along with bands like The Claim, Pete Astor and Bob himself.  Back then, me and Amelia shared a stage with loads of people who we didn’t really know at the time, but who would later turn out to be very good friends.   That’s quite a nice story for a T shirt to tell.

RAMSGATE MUSIC HALL.  My favourite venue in Kent, actually my favourite venue in the whole of the UK, makes a new shirt each year to raise funds.  I can’t remember who designed this one – they have a different guest designer each year.  But I like the idea that by wearing it I am making a tiny contribution to the maintenance of the Music Hall.  Like most independent venues, it’s run on a shoestring and driven by a genuine love of live music.  Without it, people in Kent would be much, much poorer.

WASTED YOUTH.  This is my most fraudulent T shirt.  I loved this band when I was very young.  Their two early singles ‘I’ll Remember You’ and Jealousy’ were two of my favourites.  If you like the Only Ones and are quite interested in Bauhuas but could live without their Gothic affectations, I recommend Wasted Youth.  Anyway, they played this year at The Ramsgate Music Hall.  I couldn’t go, because we were playing a show on the same night.  But kind Al, who did sound at the Music Hall, got the shirt for me.  So yeah, a bit fraudulent, but I do love it. 

TULPA.  We put this band’s debut album out in the Autumn of this year.  Have you heard them?  If not, you should.  How can I describe them?  Imagine if Dinosaur Jr decided to record pop songs with a female lead vocalist…  Something like that.  Anyway, it’s been great to get to know Josie, Dan, Mike and Myles and to hear their wonderful music. The sleeve design and the shirts they made were all pretty marvellous too, and here’s a picture of Amelia wearing her shirt.  Mine is currently in the wash, so I can’t wear it right now.

THE LINDA LINDAS.  We became friends with this band because of T shirts.  When The Linda Lindas first started they asked if they could adapt the Heavenly ‘Attagirl’ design to make shirts that they were printing to raise money for a local charity.  We said yeah sure, not expecting them to become a world-conquering indie rock band.  We’ve now got into a bit of a rhythm with them, where we do occasional T-shirt swaps.  That’s how they came to be wearing Riot Twee shirts, and that’s how I came to have my own Linda Lindas shirt.

THE CORDS.  This wonderful band have made a big impact on us in 2025.  Their debut album, as everyone knows, is a total delight.  The band, along with their Mum and Dad (Lou and Marc) have become close friends after we spent a wonderful week travelling round England with them on their first headline tour south of the border.   Marc gave me this shirt.  Like all The Cords merch, it’s a lovely piece of design, and I am proud to wear it.

SASSYHIYA.  If you have heard the Sassyhiya track ‘Crayon Potato’ you will know that Helen and Kathy, Sassyhiya’s songwriters, are very much in love with their cat, Crayon.  Not content with writing a very good song about him, they also made a T Shirt that celebrates his furry existence.  He is a magnificent beast.  I haven’t encountered him in real life and maybe that’s a good thing: it’s never wise to meet your heroes.  The song and the shirt will have to suffice.  This picture was taken at the Skep Wax Weekender back in July, where me and Helen effected a T shirt swap.  A nice memento of a great weekend.

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LD Beghtol tribute album coming in April: Listen to 4 tracks now

Photo of LD from Gail O’Hara’s 2012 photo book which LD designed

It’s been 5 years since LD Beghtol passed away and since then his friends, former bandmates and collaborators have been wanting to pay tribute to him. Now it’s finally happening. His former bandmate in Flare, Charles Newman, will release the tribute album ALL THESE THINGS I THOUGHT I KNEW on his label Mother West. Linda Smith was also the driving force behind getting this thing to come to fruition. LD would have been 61 tomorrow, Dec. 13. Read the press release below.

cover art for All These Things I Thought I Knew – Artwork by Nick Moore / @nicholasmooreart

LD BEGHTOL COMPILATION TRIBUTE ALBUM All These Things I Thought I Knew will be released in April on Mother West 

Album To Feature Renditions of Beghtol’s Songs By Linda Smith, Julia Kent, Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Jon DeRosa (Aarktica) and Charles Newman, Kendall Jane Meade, Dudley Klute, Moth Wranglers, Stephen Coates (The Real Tuesday Weld)  and Doug Hilsinger among others.

LISTEN TO JULIA KENT’S JUST-RELEASED TRACK, “EPHEMERA” HERE.

December 12, 2025; Los Angeles and Everywhere Else: Today, we announce the upcoming release of All These Things I Thought I Knew, a compilation tribute album to LD Beghtol, his life and music.

The announcement falls a day before what would have been LD’s 61st birthday and circa the 5-year anniversary of Beghtol’s passing. The album, slated for an early spring release on Mother West, will feature an enviable array of artists who knew, were inspired by, and collaborated with the artist who passed away tragically in December 2020.

Beghtol is, for many, best known for his role as one of the lead vocalists featured on The Magnetic Fields’ now classic album 69 Love Songs, having voiced heartfelt tracks like “All My Little Words” and “The Way You Say Goodnight.” But LD was a creative force and a prolific artist in his own right, leading the NYC chamber-pop outfit Flare, and all its subsequent incarnations, for over a decade, as well as releasing music under various other monikers like LD & The New Criticism. He was also a part of the experimental pop duo Moth Wranglers and TMF offshoot The Three Terrors.

In addition, LD worked as an art director for the Village Voice and wrote about pop culture for Chickfactor, as well as for Time Out New York, The Oxford American, The Advocate and the Memphis Flyer, his local paper for a time.

Beghtol’s passing inspired friend and singer-songwriter Linda Smith to connect with his former Flare bandmate and producer Charles Newman with the intention of compiling a tribute album of his songs.

Says Smith, “This album is a different kind of tribute album. It is a tribute to a musician by other musicians who knew and/or worked with him. Where other tribute albums may contain versions of well-known songs covered by artists who did not personally know the songwriter, the songs of LD Beghtol are not well known. Those of us included on this album wish not only to remember a friend and collaborator, we also hope to make these witty and memorable songs better known to a world too long unaware.”

Newman follows, “LD and I made so much music together and  played some great shows. I learned a lot from him about music, art and history. My connection with LD deeply shaped the art I make and the way I approach it.  His influence will forever live on in my work.”

All These Things I Thought I Knew features renditions of LD Beghtol’s songs by artists Linda Smith, Julia Kent, Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Jon DeRosa (Aarktica) and Charles Newman, Kendall Jane Meade, Dudley Kludt, Moth Wranglers, Stephen Coates (The Real Tuesday Weld)  and Doug Hilsinger among others.

“I loved him dearly: he was kind, witty, brilliant, unique soul, who felt things deeply but carried them lightly,” says the aforementioned Kent who is a revered cellist and composer. “His music was beautiful, baroque, acerbic, and heartfelt, like LD himself. It was always a joy to see him and chat about everything, from art to books to mutual friends and enemies. Being with him sometimes felt like being in another era: a more amusing and civilized one. He was an unbounded spirit and leaves an outsized hole in the world.”

Kent’s instrumental track, “Ephemera,” to be released tomorrow, December 13th (LD’s birthday) was inspired by the artist himself, and is one of the three original works featured on the tribute album along with a track composed by Stephen Coates (The Real Tuesday Weld). Coates’ song was originally written for LD to voice, and is now finally brought to life by Martyn Jacques of  The Tiger Lillies. The third original track is the Stephin Merritt remix of Flare’s rendition of “Celebrate The Misery,” a song by Seattle band Kill Switch… Klik.

All These Things I Thought I Knew’s first single, “If/Then,” a Beghtol composition, was recorded for the tribute album by Jon DeRosa and Charles Newman was released on LD’s birthday in 2024 to mark the launch of this project. DeRosa, who has released music for decades as Aarktica, and like Newman, was a member of Flare, but was also a longtime roommate of Beghtol’s. It was in their Bushwick railroad apartment that Beghtol first shared a primitive version of “If/Then” with him so many years ago.

“In my mind, ‘If/Then’ is the quintessential LD song,” muses DeRosa. “Everything from its elegantly majestic arrangement to its lyrical brutality and vulnerability seems to bear his fingerprint.”

For more information, visit: https://www.motherwest.com/

For media inquiries, please contact: Perry Serpa/Vicious Kid Public Relations perry@viciouskidpr.com

Here is our 2002 interview with LD from chickfactor…