Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation
Casual and candid discussions with musicians, producers and others from Boston and beyond.
Above the Basement offers casual and candid discussions with musicians, artists, producers and others from Boston and beyond. The conversations offer experiences from those shaping Boston's music community and for whom music is a passion. You hear their stories, hardships faced and overcome...and why they love what they do.
09/02/2024
I had the pleasure of seeing Ryan Montbleau last night at Club Passim (along with the fantastic Brooks Forsyth). Brought me back to the awesome conversation we had back in 2018 with Ryan. Thought I would share once again for your listening pleasure.
If you have the opportunity, go see Ryan and Brooks on their tour, as well as Ryan's project with Hayley Jane, Yes Darling.
Enjoy. :)
We first saw Ryan Montbleau back in 2012 in Boston on a Rock and Blues Cruise that featured the Ryan Montbleau Band. It was a full boat and was packed with Ryan Montbleau fans and the band totally rocked the house. Or rather the boat.
09/06/2023
We are very saddened and shocked to hear this. Condolences to her family and friends.
Covault was a tireless supporter of the Boston music scene, with Red on Red and bands like Justine & The Unclean and Justine's Black Threads.
16/05/2023
We are getting a bit nostalgic and misty. We miss you. Cheers to Boston Music from NYC!
What are you listening to?
-Ronnie Hirschberg and Chuck Clough
Always nice to see a re-post from a former guest. Livingston Taylor was a fantastic and welcoming guest!
Yes – we said interestED, not interesting. Not that Livingston isn’t interesting, because he certainly is. This will all make sense in our conversation.
04/02/2023
Chuck Clough, AKA new Producer and Editor of homebasenation - always great to be in the room with you for a conversation. So… who knew Mr. Montel Williams was a musician?
“Everywhere I’ve lived I’ve had a keyboard,” explains Williams, “but they just sit there as decoration. The baby grand is just a prop right now, but I want to turn it into an exercise machine!”
Choosing one winner from all the incredible entries NPR Music receives each year is no small feat — but this year, one songwriter gave a captivating performance that rose to the top.
28/04/2022
We are terribly saddened to hear the news about David Mirabella.
Condolences to his family, friends and the Boston music community.
You name it, there’s a podcast for it. Listen to the sounds of Boston with these eight picks.
17/02/2022
Reflections on Above The Basement – Five Years of Boston Music Podcasting
Back in 2016, friend and fellow bandmate Chuck Clough had a mission: To take a deep dive into the heart of the musician. He set out to build a podcast and asked me to be his cohost. The show would be called Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation, with Episode 001 recorded in Chuck’s basement, setting the stage for climbing the stairs together out of the basement for 199 Episodes to follow. More than 5 years later, I want to thank you Chuck for bringing us all weekly conversations on “more than just the music.” And of course, big thanks to the extended ATB family including Vincent Lorusso, Kristin Clough Canty, James Macdonald, Adam Klein, Eric Lineback, our talented photographers Joe Wallace and Michelle Gendreau and the fantastic cohosts who joined Chuck at the mic - Ike Walker, Jonathan Beakley, and Kristina Latino.
Speaking of fantastic, Chuck said “fantastic” in almost every episode, sort of like when Seinfeld always referenced Superman. He meant it every single time. He is a generous and humble host, patient and he always did his homework. Chuck and I spent time with some of the greatest musicians and artists in and outside of Boston. We ate lots of salty popcorn and drank many frosty pints at The Ninety Nine Restaurant, hosted live shows at City Winery Boston, traveled from New England to England, conversed in bars, museums, concert halls and even tattoo parlors.
As many things go in music, it began with the bass - and the great Alison Keslow who taught us the language of jazz and how to teach music to our kids, and it was the passionate Adam Ezra Group who opened our eyes to activism. We discovered the creative game of artistic telephone with Sally Taylor, and learned about the art of listening with Ed Sheeran and Queen Latifah’s prolific drummer Charles Haynes.
We traveled to Vermont – 'Making friends with Ryan Miller’ a creative force behind Guster, and sat with our shoes off in fancy hotels with Mickey Hart exploring the origins of rhythm, cannabis, and longstanding friendships with Celtics legends, and practically lay in bed with Leland Sklar - Bassist and his tremendous beard to learn about his song-crafting with James Taylor, Phil Collins, and Jackson Browne. In West London we met with the brilliant Tom Odell who shared his song that eerily played during the movie Stronger about the Boston Marathon Bombing, then back across the pond to Roxbury to experience the great Boston Children's Chorus kids and conductors, and to Cambridge with The Story’s Jonatha Brooke who talked harmony, healing and bringing the love of her mother with dementia to the stage.
The Umbrella Arts Center provided us the opportunity to have intimate conversations with The Fray, Old Crow Medicine Show and the amazing Jewel who joined us for a chat on mindfulness and reminiscing on busking on the MBTA. Joe Spaulding and Boch Center's Folk Americana Roots Hall Of Fame brought us further into folk, to sit with the great Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Ani DiFranco and others.
The incomparable Wu Man of Silk Road Ensemble wowed us with backstage with p**a power, we ate deviled eggs with the amazing singer Arnold McCuller who prior to touring with Taylor and Collins had cut his teeth when Hair hit the scene in the 70s. The Boston Globe and ESPN’s Peter Gammons talked music, baseball and giving back to kids, the NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins got spiritual and scientific and even played a few tunes in the board room, Hawaii’s ukulele guru Jake Shimabukuro wrote a brand new song on the spot for Chuck, and Boston’s own Charles Laquidara gave us an education on WBCN Boston shock jock glory days.
We donned the masks during Covid with U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, learning about the legendary Wally's Cafe Jazz Club and the Jazz Poetry connection, and learned about music as medicine with the one and only Dr. Lisa M. Wong. And around the corner back to West Concord we sat with The Washington Post ’s Geoff A. Edgers from the very place he interviews with the likes of Mr. Yo-Yo Ma and Dr. Anthony Fauci .
From Acton, Mass’s own 12-year-old group The Loop to the legendary songwriter and environmentalist Don Henley, Chuck has always been there, mics set up, and ready to roll. His class act style and endless affinity for stickers always kept the booking and recording going, a music-podcast machine for 5+ years.
As Above The Basement hits the podcast pause button, best wishes for your next chapter, Chuck Clough. I have been honored to be “Ron-Mic #2” at team ATB to help tell these stories and take that deep dive behind the scenes with you.
- Ronnie
12/02/2022
After almost five years and nearly 200 episodes, I find it difficult to say that I have decided to put the Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast on hold for now.
While, for the foreseeable future, I will not be publishing any ATB episodes on a regular basis going forward, there are a few unreleased episodes that have already been recorded, and which I still plan to publish. And there may be an occasional ATB special here or there.
So many people to thank - you can read all about them on our newsletter:
The ATB business entity (LLC), our socials, our website, and all our published episodes will remain available online. We will continue to work on some limited projects, like our Boston:LIVE concert series, and we will also be announcing a new non-profit entity shortly.
I do foresee starting up the ATB podcast again in the future, but at the moment, I need to focus on other priorities and efforts.
I would like to thank all our guests, listeners, followers and all those who work so hard to make the Boston music community so incredible.
Thank you for your support. I truly could not have done this without you.
Chuck
24/10/2021
I am very excited to have a conversation with ATB Alum Dr. Lisa M. Wong at the Concord Conservatory of Music to talk about music and medicine!
We will discuss numerous topics, including what happens in your brain when you play music, which great composers were also connected to the medical field, and how music has become more deeply used as a therapy to treat patients.
The musical performance will feature chamber music performed by CCM faculty members Yelena Beriyeva, piano, Egle Jarkova, violin, and Steven Moratto, cello. They will present Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Trio Elegiaque No. 1 and works by Jean Marie Leclair, Astor Piazzolla , and contemporary composer Judith Weir.
Generously supported by Emerson Hospital!
Really looking forward to our discussion and working with the CCM on November 12!
Explore the intersection of music and medicine and delight in a chamber music concert performed by the talented Concord Conservatory of Music faculty.
21/10/2021
Episode 189/190 - a conversation with Red Shaydez (Red Shaydez Music) is published!
OK, let’s talk some sh**t!
Sorry for the potty mouth. Just trying to introduce my next guest appropriately.
Bostonian Red Shaydez is a Do-It-Yourself-er whose name I have heard countless times over the past few years. She is a busy woman and talent. A hip-hop artist, producer, videographer, public speaker, educator, and youth mentor, Red has been nominated and/or won several Boston Music Awards including Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, 617 Session artist of the year and I am sure there are many more coming.
I had the opportunity to sit with her on a rainy day at The Record Co. in their brand-new facility, which is gorgeous.
I was also fortunate to have a former guest - the awesome Brandie Blaze - join me as a co-host, which is why this episode is a two-part-er.
I had a great time talking to Red and Brandie – The first episode is just Red and yours truly – part two is when Brandie Blaze enters the room and then we really start talking some sh**t.
Bostonian Red Shaydez is a Do-It-Yourself-er whose name I have heard countless times over the past few years. She is a busy woman and talent. A hip-hop artist, producer, videographer, public speaker, educator, and youth mentor, Red has been nominated and/or won several Boston Music Awards including....
Together, by Alisa AmadorAn ode to the revolutionary power of friendship. Perhaps the world will always be falling apart. But, maybe it is our purpose on thi...
19/10/2021
Did you know that most of our episodes were recorded at Woods Hill Table in Concord? And several were at Woods Hill Pier 4 in the Seaport?
There is a good reason for that. One of them is that the location and food is awesome.
Exciting news!!!! Starting this Wednesday, October 20, we will be open on Wednesdays. We can’t wait to see you!
18/10/2021
Double episode coming soon!
A conversation with Red Shaydez (Red Shaydez Music)!
With special co-host Brandie Blaze.
And another dude who neglected to tuck in his shirt.
08/10/2021
Our friend Erin McKeown introduces us to her tour mates as she heads out on tour!
Episode 188 - a conversation with Justine Covault of Red on Red Records, Justine and the Unclean and Justine's Black Threads is published!
Right when I first started ATB in 2016, emails asking to be a guest were few and far between.
One of the first requests I ever got that year was from Justine, who I never actually met until this past summer.
Musician Justine Covault had herself just started her band Justine and The Unclean. She’s someone who gets stuff done. From co-founding female-fronted rock festival WhistleStop Rock to starting a monthly residency at The Plough and Stars with 'The Mess Around', Justine has ventured into new territory with her new label Red On Red Records.
Her support and enthusiasm for the Boston music community and for her roster of (mostly) Boston bands are infectious, so much so that the great Sir David Minehan of The Neighborhoods and Woolly Mammoth Sound is collaborating with her to offer Red Mammoth Concerts.
I’ll let her tell the story.
I just wish she had an extra swizzle stick to give me.
Musician Justine Covault had herself just started her band Justine and The Unclean. She’s someone who gets stuff done. From co-founding female-fronted rock festival WhistleStop Rock to starting a monthly residency at The Plough And Stars with 'The Mess Around', Justine has ventured into new territ...
29/09/2021
I spoke with Justine Covault of Red on Red Records last night!
A great chat. Coming next week.
In the meantime, have a gander at her roster. And check out her own music at Justine and the Unclean and Justine's Black Threads!
Red on Red Records. Boston, Massachusetts. The best little label in Boston. Featuring power pop, punk, indie, and Americana. Content and quality obsessed. For artists, by artists. | Artists: The Daylilies Quest for Tuna, Lee Harrington & Lynda Mandolyn, Kid Gulliver, The Chelsea Curve, Linnea& #3...
28/09/2021
Several new episodes coming!
We are talking with Justine Covault of Red on Red Records, Red Shaydez, Alisa Amador, and several others for whom we need to nail down a date.
Linnea Herzog is someone you don’t miss when you walk by her. Or see on stage. And I would surmise at her day job as a neuroscientist at The Broad Institute, you can’t miss her there either.
27/09/2021
Remember that time we talked to Martin Sexton? That was awesome.
With prolific songwriting, unique percussive guitar and beautifully soulful singing chops, Martin's music rises to the surface from deeper themes of unity and optimism.
20/09/2021
A very happy birthday to our friend and amazing talent Ali McGuirk!
She is in LA now for a show and we can't help gloating that we had her on ATB back in the day!
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Videos
Episode 170 - Jonathan Abbott
Anyone who grew up in the Boston area in the '70s will remember the GBH theme music that played on our TV sets while we sat 10 inches away from the TV and watched Sesame Street or the always hip kids show Zoom. No, not the Zoom we all use today, but the 1972 Zoom. That iconic music (which you will hear on the episode) is embedded in our brains, and we are happy to say it is still being used to this day by GBH (formerly WGBH). We had the great opportunity to speak with GBH President and CEO Jonathan Abbott. We caught up with Jon during a snow day and chatted about our memories of the early days, their current goals and projects, including their early transformation to digital platforms, their excellent Front Row Boston program, and all that they do to promote the arts and culture in Boston.
Your moment of Zen, courtesy of the ATB Jeep.
Conversation Performance by RUBY MACK - Episode 165
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Our Story
Above The Basement is a Boston based podcast hosted by Chuck Clough and Ronnie Hirschberg. They have casual and candid discussions with local, national and international musicians, artists, producers and others from Boston and beyond.
The conversations offer experiences from those shaping our music community and for whom music is a passion. You hear their stories, hardships faced and overcome...and why they love what they do.
While music is the common thread, Above The Basement has evolved into conversations that harness human interest, culture and community, bridging into discussions about health, science, education and other aspects of life.
Humanity and humor, culture and community – these themes are embedded in our discussions and frequently dovetail to topics we all relate to in our daily lives such as health, science, education and more.
We have bridged topics like the environment with Eagles songwriter and drummer Don Henley, mindfulness with singer songwriter Jewel, social justice with the amazing organization The Boston Children’s Chorus and healing with Mary Gauthier through the wonderful program SongwritingWith:Soldiers.
We’ve also spoken with fantastic local artists and organizations including Keith Lockhart, Blue Man Group, Sally Taylor, Jennifer Kimball, Moe Pope and Alastair Moock to talk about their own personal missions.
Our guests are truly special and we are honored to be part of their journey, while helping them tell their story.
For more information about us, to subscribe, and also see opportunities to join us in our mission, go to www.abovethebasement.com.
