Share
The Creative Asylum
Michael Hill (Tombs, Necromaniacs) - EP209 - The Creative Asylum
Season 2, Ep. 209
•
Prepare to go deep with Michael Hill — the incendiary guitarist, singer, and founder of Tombs, a band that has relentlessly pushed the boundaries of metal, hardcore, and intense and experimental heaviness for close to two decades. In this conversation we trace Michael’s musical evolution from the early days of forging his current sound in the present moment, where his creativity continues to thrive not just through music but through thoughtful focus on being present and being intentional. Beyond brutal dark riffage, Michael hosts two podcasts — the horror-focused Necromaniacs and the genre-spanning Everything Went Black — platforms where extreme music, art, and community collide in mind-expanding ways.
This episode also dives into the urgency of free thinking and resistance, as we discuss why it’s essential for artists and citizens alike to push back against the rising tide of authoritarian and fascist impulses in the current Trump regime. We talk about why questioning power isn’t just good politics — it’s vital to protecting creativity, human rights, and the very culture that makes music matter.
TOMBS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL1nmsjw_uvq05qHZAu66kQ
Everything Went Black: https://everythingwentblackmedia.com/everything-went-black
Necromaniacs: https://everythingwentblackmedia.com/necromaniacs
* * * *
PLEASE FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Website:
https://www.TheCApod.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheCApod/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/CreativeAsylumCA/
More episodes
View all episodes
210. Adem Tepedelen (Kim Thayil Biographer) - EP210 - The Creative Asylum
53:12||Season 2, Ep. 210In this episode, I sit down with an old friend, rock journalist and author Adem Tepedelen to dig into his latest and most anticipated project: Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown with Soundgarden and Beyond, which is the authorized autobiography of Kim Thayil of Soundgarden which Adem worked on with Kim over the period of three years. Adem discusses how the project came to fruition - writinga book with one of heavy music’s most innovative guitarists, unpacking the stories, history, and creative evolution that shaped a cornerstone band of the Seattle sound. We talk how the book captures both the myth and the reality of a key member of an underground scene that changed rock music forever.We also explore Tepedelen’s broader career as a respected rock and roll author, discussing his previous published books, Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion, with Steve Turner of Mudhoney and A Fabulous Disaster: From the Garage to Madison Square Garden, the Hard Way with Gary Holt of Exodus and more recently, Slayer.
208. Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, Big Star) - EP208 - The Creative Asylum
01:08:17||Season 2, Ep. 208In this episode we sit down with the immensely creative co-founder of The Posies, Ken Stringfellow. A songwriter and guitarist whose harmonies and songs have been a critical element to some of the best power pop to ever come from the Pacific Northwest, Ken and Posies co-founder Jon Auer, were part of the resurrection of Big Star, a band that was hugely influential on both of them. Beyond Big Star and Posies, Ken’s released several solo records, further evidence of his prowess as a songwriter and performer. In this conversation we navigate some of the tougher chapters in his story with candor and care — including the public controversy that has surrounded him in recent years and his recent cancer diagnosis— not as sensational headlines, but as parts of a complex life lived in the spotlight and in the studio. This conversation is at once a celebration of enduring musicianship, a reflection on resilience and mortality, and an honest look at what it means to keep creating through highs and hardships. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering his work, this episode offers insight, honesty, and some perspectives whose adult life has been committed to creating some of the most timeless music to come out of Washington State.
207. Hiro Yamamoto (Truly, Soundgarden) - EP207 - The Creative Asylum
51:14||Season 2, Ep. 207This week we sit down with Hiro Yamamoto — co-founder and original bass player of Soundgarden, one of the most important bands from the Seattle Music explosion that changed the course of rock forever. Hiro’s musical journey is rich and expansive. From the thunder of early grunge to the expansive psych-rock of TRULY, and his instrumental surf-punk band, the Bellingham-based Stereo Donkey, he's now back into the spotlight with the re-release of TRULY’s seminal Fast Stories…from Kid Coma (which includes an upcoming tour that’s got fans buzzing). Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the founders of Soundgarden, Hiro reflects on a lifetime of riffs, risks, and reinvention.This episode however goes well beyond his musical journey. Hiro and I talk about how the experience of being a Japanese-American — and a person of color has shaped some of his attitudes. At a time when our country is wrestling with disturbing echoes of its worst moments, the racially targeted rhetoric to threats against due process and a codified rejections of basic human rights, Hiro identifies why it's important that your voice be heard if you have a platform to speak from. We explore how those challenges intersect with art, identity and community, and why voices like his matter now more than ever. Join us for an episode that’s equal parts musical history, genuine reflection, and the urgency of the challenges that face us as a nation.
206. Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, The Third Mind) - EP206 - The Creative Asylum
01:03:42||Season 2, Ep. 206In this episode, a deep and wide-ranging conversation with Victor Krummenacher — songwriter, bassist, and creative heart behind Camper Van Beethoven, co-founder of Monks of Doom, and a singular voice in alternative music with a remarkable catalog of solo records to his credit. Victor’s musical journey has always been adventurous, exploratory and deeply human and with that, we talk about The Third Mind, his most recent collaborative band that he's a part of with Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Alvin (The Blasters), drummer Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson, Better Than Ezra, John Cale), guitarist David Immergluck (Counting Crows, John Hiatt), and singer/songwriter Jesse Sykes (from Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter)Well past his influential musical career, we talk about the state of art and music-making in the age of AI. Victor shares candid views on why he believes the current AI push may not be the boon many claim will be the future for the creator economy, and what that means for musicians, storytellers, and the future of creative work. The question in my mind is: HOW do we stake out our claim in the creative world where technology threatens to replace the very humanity of real creative energy and effort?
205. Peter Bagge (HATE Comics) - EP205 - The Creative Asylum
01:00:50||Season 2, Ep. 205Few cartoonists have captured the anxious, abrasive, and darkly hilarious spirit of American life quite like Peter Bagge. Best known as the creator of HATE, the iconic Fantagraphics series that defined a generation of alt-comics readers, Bagge’s work blends elastic cartooning, savage satire, and razor-sharp social observation. Mentored early on by Robert Crumb during his time editing Weirdo, Bagge absorbed the underground tradition and detonated it—filtering punk attitude, suburban dread, and grunge sensibilities into a style that’s unmistakably his own.In this episode, Bagge reflects on a career that moves effortlessly between the margins and the mainstream. Based in the Pacific Northwest, he’s brought his distinctive voice not only to Fantagraphics and independent comics, but also to unlikely institutions like MAD Magazine and even Marvel, where he put his stamp on an issue of Spiderman. The conversation dives into influence, craft, cultural satire, and longevity—offering insight from an artist who has never stopped pushing at the boundaries of what comics can say, or how loudly they can say it.
204. Kira Roessler (Black Flag, dos, Oscar Winner) - EP204 - The Creative Asylum
57:42||Season 2, Ep. 204Kira Roessler is a rare artist whose creative impact started in the 1980s as the bassist for Black Flag during one of the band’s most explosive and influential eras. She later co-founded dos with her then-spouse, Mike Watt, writing deeply personal, minimalist music that pushed punk’s emotional and structural boundaries to new areas of exploration.Beyond the world of SoCal punk, Kira has managed an equally remarkable path in the film industry, building a career as a sound editor that culminated in winning an Academy Award as part of the team for Best Sound Editing for Mad Max: Fury Road. In this conversation. Kira reflects on creativity, diligence and focus as templates for a work style that spans different areas of expertise. Always maintaining her DIY ethos, Kira remains passionate about staying true to her values while also being disciplined with how she approaches her work and creativity.
203. Jeff P!nkus (Butthole Surfers. Melvins) - EP203 - The Creative Asylum
48:36||Season 2, Ep. 203This is a fun one - a conversation with Jeff “JD” Pinkus, best known for his work with the legendary Butthole Surfers as well as his stint as the bass player with Melvins. Jeff's approach to music is unique - he has his own sense of warped psychedelia, a genuine reflection of his sometimes wildman mind. In this episode, we begin to understand his fearless spirit and boundary-pushing ethos, qualities that have made him a cult icon and a relentlessly creative visionary.Beyond the distortion and zany demeanor, JD brings a singular voice with his trippy solo banjo work, an experience that has to be experienced live to fully appreciate. We talk about his early days first getting onboard with one of the most uncompromising bands in indie rock, the playfulness behind some of his more beloved projects, and the unpredictable journey of making music on his own terms. This is a conversation with a true architect of some weird and wonderful sounds. It was great to catch up with him!
202. Joe Lally (Fugazi, Messthetics) - EP202 - The Creative Asylum
50:31||Season 2, Ep. 202Joe Lally is one of those bassists whose playing has largely defined ideas of what punk and post-punk can be. Best known as a founding member of Fugazi, Lally’s deeply, sometimes dub-inflected feel and tight rhythm-forward approach have influenced an entire generation as a critical component of Fugazi’s fiercely independent and uncompromising approach to being in a band. In more recent years, he’s continued to push boundaries with The Messthetics, a band that he plays in with Fugazi drummer Brendan Candy and Jazz virtuoso guitarist, Anthong Pirog. While sounding nothing like Fugazi, The Messthetics create a textural, instrumental intensity that is every bit as compelling as their lineage.In this episode, Joe talks about how he approaches creativity in his work—then and now—offering insight into collaboration, restraint, and the power of groove as a form of expression. If you’re a lifelong Fugazi fan or are someone fascinated by the true spirit of independent music, this conversation goes deep into the mind of a musician who has always played with purpose and intent.