Essential Tremors
A show in which musicians and other creators talk about the songs that shaped who they are. Distributed by WYPR, Baltimore's NPR affiliate, and hosted by Matthew Byars and Lee Gardner.
Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.
Latest Episodes
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Saxophonist James Brandon Lewis discusses how tunes by Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp and Abdullah Ibrahim, and Sonny Rollins influenced his playing. -
Hear how songs by Jimi Hendrix, Yusef Lateef and Robert Wyatt guided jazz guitarist Mary Halvorson's musical development. -
In this episode, members Jasper Llewellyn and Mike O’Malley of the British group caroline discuss the music that shaped the band’s sound. -
English songwriter Billy Bragg discusses how songs by Smokey Robinson, Little Feat, and The Who have played significant roles in his life. -
Composer Kali Malone discusses how My Bloody Valentine, Hindustani classical music, and Josquin des Prez shaped her art. -
Composer/performer Carl Stone discusses how music by Thomas Tallis, Captain Beefheart, and Sheik Chinna Moulana influenced his work. -
Ashley Capps, founder of the Big Ears Festival, discusses how encounters with the music of Steve Reich, Julius Hemphill, and the Ramones shaped his course. -
Interpol guitarist Daniel Kessler explains how songs by Fugazi, Tappa Zukie, and Aphex Twin helped put him on his creative path. -
In this episode, drummer Brendan Canty discusses how songs by Parliament, Scritti Politti, and King Crimson shaped his music. -
Claire Rousay discusses how tracks by Ryu Hankil, Elliott Smith, and K. Mulhern shaped her work.
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"Tremors" creators and co-hosts Matt Byars and Lee Gardner talk about the genesis and continuing joys of WYPR's long-running muse-of-the-music podcast. -
On the latest episode, Low frontman Alan Sparhawk talks about how the music of Roberta Flack, The Clash, and Pere Ubu shaped his work. -
In this episode of Essential Tremors, composer Ellen Fullman discusses the influence of traditional Ainu music, Central African polyphony, and composer Pauline Oliveros. -
Suzanne Vega has spanned four decades with her deceptively cool singing voice and urbane songwriting. On this episode, she discusses how the music of Bob Dylan, Philip Glass, and Lou Reed guided her path. -
Stephen Morris drove the shift from punk to postpunk as the drummer for Joy Division and New Order, and helped further open postpunk to new sounds. On this episode, he discusses how the music of Can, Terry Riley, and Grandmaster Flash shaped his course. -
Tricky has created his own sound world over the past 25 years, built from broken hip-hop beats, forlorn chanteuses, and shadowy mutters. In this episode, he talks about the impact of Nirvana, Billie Holiday, and T. Rex on his life. -
Singer/guitarist Mdou Moctar has blazed a trail for electrified Tuareg music from his native Niger through the music venues of Europe and the U.S. In this… -
Kristin Hersh has built a devoted following with her one-of-a-kind singing and songwriting, as a solo artist and as leader of the bands Throwing Muses and… -
Brandon Soderberg has worked as a music critic, an altweekly editor, and a reporter on the frontlines of protest. He’s now the co-author of I Got a… -
Amanda Shires has made her mark on American music as a singer, songwriter, and fiddle player, both solo and a member of Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit. On this… -
Thurston Moore's name and work have been ever-present in the last 40 years of underground culture, from his years in Sonic Youth and his solo career, his… -
Bob Mould has turned out decades worth of impassioned singing and songwriting as leader of Husker Du and Sugar and a longstanding solo artist. In this…
