Synthesis Radio » James Barone

The Sword, April, 2008

James Barone — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:40:11 +0000

The Sword’s Age of Winters hit me like a sort of metal epiphany. I still haven’t recovered from the shock. My wardrobe got blacker, the art of Boris Vallejo started to look cool again, and I had fantasies about a buying a big Ford Econoline van so I could get a dragon painted on the side and take bong hits in the back.

That was just a fantasy, though.

With Gods of the Earth, The Sword are back even heavier than before, and with songs like Mother, Maiden, Crone and The Frost Giant’s Daughter, their songs have even more of a mythic scope. Gods of the Earth came out yesterday, and if you haven’t gotten it already, you’re slipping. Either way, you can hear me and The Sword’s drummer Trivett Wingo shoot the shit for a while in this here interview.

Download this podcast and listen to it in your van HERE [right click save as]

The Sword Official Site

The Sword MySpace Page

Trivett Wingo of The Sword

Pretty and Nice, April, 2008

James Barone — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:53:28 +0000

PRETTY & NICE are the four horsemen of pop doom. The glitchy pop quadrangle formed 3 years ago between Burlington, VT and Boston. The group currently resides in a yellow house in Boston preparing to emerge and destroy your life with catchy hooks and bad irony. James Barone of Synthesis.net met up with the guys at this yeats SXSW in Austin, Texas. James didn’t really go into the interview with a gameplan – so the conversation took on a life of its’ own. Here’s 30 minutes of scattered discussion. Listen to the song Grab Your Nets after the interview.

Download this podcast HERE [right click save as]

Pretty and Nice Official Site

Pretty and Nice MySpace Page

Pretty and Nice speak with James Barone at SXSW.

Sons and Daughters, February, 2008

James Barone — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:16:58 +0000

Sons and Daughters is famous for unique electro-indie rock that incorporates rockabilly, punk, blues and basically whatever else they are inspired by. Their new release, This Gift, is a testament to their quirky talent. With a new producer, the album is a remarkable improvement from past releases, offering a crisper, more eclectic sound with brighter vocals. “Darling” is probably the most danceable jam so far to come from Sons and Daughters, while “Rebel With The Ghost” mixes Motown with dirty garage rock. Unfortunately, the album is brought down by the dull repetitiveness of “The Bell,” and “Goodbye Service” seems to have a lack of cohesion and drive. Nonetheless, it is a strong album and the best so far to come from Sons and Daughters.
-Janae Lloyd

In this interview, Sons and Daughters guitarist Scott Paterson speaks with James Barone of Synthesis.net

Download this podcast and listen to it with your son or daughter HERE [right click save as]

Sons and Daughters Official Site

Sons and Daughters on MySpace

Domino Records

Buy Sons and Daughters Stuff!

Sons and Daughters guitarist Scott Paterson speaks with James Barone of Synthesis.net

Paz Lenchantin, August, 2007

James Barone — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:37:49 +0000

As a member of both Zwan and A Perfect Circle, and with credits on albums such as Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf and VietNam’s eponymous 2007 release, Paz Lenchantin has one of the most diverse resumes in rock. Currently, the talented Argentinian-born multi-instrumentalist has been working on solo projects as well as backing Guy Blakeslee in her new band, Entrance. At this year’s SxSW festival in Austin, Texas, Synthesis met up with Paz Lenchantin on the beautiful grounds of the French Legation Museum, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, where she was taking a moment away from the festival’s chaos to play a game of catch with her dog.

Download this podcast and listen to it while trippin’ balls HERE. (right click, save as)

Paz Lenchantin MySpace page

Official Website

Entrance Band

Paz Lenchantin speaks to Synthesis at SXSW 2007.

Synthesis Digital i08, Circa Survive

James Barone — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:46:50 +0000

Download your FREE Synthesis Magazine i08 PDF Featuring Circa Survive, Polyphonic Spree, Robert Smith of The Cure, Mooney Suzuki, and much much more!

In this issue’s cover story, Circa Survive frontman Anthony Green mentions that Breaking Open the Head – A Psychedelic Journey
into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism, a book by Daniel Pinchbeck, played a part in inspiring his band’s latest record, On Letting Go. The book is a personal memoir chronicling Pinchbeck’s experiences with psychedelic drugs. According to the inside flap, the book is “a vivid account of psychic and intellectual experiences that opened doors in the wall of Western rationalism and completed Daniel Pinchbeck’s personal transformation from a jaded Manhattan journalist to shamanic initiate and grateful citizen of the cosmos.” Unfortunately, I haven’t read it. But I did catch an interview with Pinchbeck a little while back on The Colbert Report. At the time, he was plugging his latest book, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl. In it, according to Publishers Weekly, Pinchbeck “has set out to create an ‘extravagant thought experiment’ centering around the Mayan prophecy that 2012 will bring about the end of the world as we know it, ‘the conclusion of a vast evolutionary cycle, and the potential gateway to a higher level of manifestation.’” I haven’t read that one either. Pinchbeck sort of looked like that old dude who still lives in the dorms, but he had plenty of interesting things to say about shamanistic religions, Mayan prophecy and how we may be headed toward a dramatic spiritual shift in our society. I never really experimented with drugs; I mean, I took them, but it’s not the same thing. Mostly, I just smoked pot. When I was younger I thought it would open my mind, but while I think it helped me get over myself a bit, it never really led me to some major epiphany. It enhanced my enjoyment of cookies and milk and helped me realize the subtle comedic genius of Taxi, but that’s about it. I took LSD once and it was a good time, but it didn’t transform my worldview. The only thought I remember with any clarity is sitting on the stoop of my friend’s house and seeing what I believed was the grass of his front lawn slowly crawling over the concrete of the walkway leading to his front door and thinking that this was how the world would end—that nature would somehow reclaim everything. I know. Deep. Maybe I was doing the wrong drugs. Maybe if I was hanging out with Hopi tribespeople instead of watching television, things would be different. But I always thought Reverend Jim Ignatowski was pretty spiritual. Elsewhere in this issue you’ll be able to delve deeper into expanding worldviews with Texas choir-poppers The Polyphonic Spree. Also, Tyson Vogel and Adam Stephens of Two Gallants talk about playing live in kitchens, BART stations and major summer festivals.

Enjoy.
–James Barone.

Free PDF Synthesis Magazine i08

Tori Amos, April, 2007

James Barone — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:14:38 +0000

James Barone interviews the lovely Tori Amos.
New album American Doll Posse available May 1, 2007 on Epic Records.

Check out more on Tori Amos here:
toriamos.com

Download the full podcast HERE.

Tori Amos. Interviewed by James Barone

Tenacious D, December, 2006

James Barone — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:31:43 +0000

Kage and Jables took a break from their plans for world domination to speak with Synthesis editor James Barone about the film and the album, and to give a glimpse into the ongoing power struggle between the two sole members of The Greatest Band on Earth.
APOLOGIES FOR POOR AUDIO QUALITY. WE ALMOST DIDN’T POST IT, BUT SOME OF THIS MATERIAL IS TOO GOLDEN TO BURY FOR ETERNITY.

Visit www.tenaciousd.com and www.tenaciousdmovie.com

Download full Tenacious D Podcast.

Kage and Jables take a break from their plans for world domination to holler at Synthesis.

Liam Lynch, December, 2006

James Barone — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 23:58:38 +0000

Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny director/co-screenwriter Liam Lynch. Aside from his work as a writer, director and a musician, His video podcast, Lynchland has featured many of his famous friends. Lynch, fresh out of post-production speaks with Synthesis Editor James Barone.

Download full Liam Lynch Podcast.

Metalocalypse p.2, July, 2006

James Barone — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:50:02 +0000

James Barone interviews Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha about thier new creation Metalocalypse, an ode to death metal characters, that runs on Adult Swim. This is the second in a 2 part series.

Download full Metalocalypse Part 2 Podcast.

Metalocalypse p.1, July, 2006

James Barone — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:52:45 +0000

James Barone interviews Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha about thier new creation Metalocalypse, an ode to death metal characters, that runs on Adult Swim. This is a 2 part series; stay tuned!

Download full Metalocalypse Part 1 Podcast.

Lacuna Coil, March, 2006

James Barone — Wed, 24 May 2006 18:44:59 +0000

Lacuna Coil is interviewed by Synthesis metal-head James Barone.

Download the Lacuna Coil Podcast

LACUNA COIL exhibits a miraculous eloquence in their collision of melody and metal. They also maturely exhibit enchanting gothic overtones and poignant melancholy to build their ethereal musical landscape.

Upholding the emotive yin/yang tradition of vocal interplay between the dulcet tones of Cristina Scabbia and the deliberate vocals of her male singing partner Andrea Ferro, is a dynamic exploration of soulfully somber and stunningly enigmatic musical alchemy.

Lacuna Coil site

Serj Tankian of System of a Down pt.1 , October, 2005

James Barone — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 00:50:04 +0000

Serj Tankian of S.O.A.D. interviewed by James Barone. October, 2005. Download

FULL MP3.