Poetic Wax

In 2016, hazy Brooklyn psychedelic rock duo Psychic Ills released Inner Journey Out, their fifth album. Tucked in this droning masterpiece is a country-tinged track called "I Don't Mind." It was the first single from the album and it included a surprise guest by Mazzy Star lead singer Hope Sandoval. This is the story of the album, how they landed the guest spot by Hope, and the tragedy that struck the band just a few years later.

Damien Jurado didn't think a partnership with Richard Swift would work. Within a few days, they'd built a friendship that would extend over four albums and six years until Swift's passing in 2018 at the age of 41. This is the story of "Saint Barlett" and the collaboration that completely rewired Damien Jurado's sound.

In 1990, a small Tuscon, Arizona garage band called The Marshmallow Overcoat got a rare MTV momen, and behind it are a few overlooked stories worth telling: 1) a brief look at the band's frontman Timothy Gassen, who passed away in 2019, 2) an EP named for a real American sculptor, and 3) the quirky "13 Ghosts" music video that hit MTV 120 Minutes.

The Origins of Ziggy Stardust and why David Bowie felt guilty about stealing part of the The Legendary Stardust Cowboy's name. Here's what he said in a 2002 interview.

In 1997, Belle and Sebastian released "A Century of Fakers" and "Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie" on the EP 3..6..9 Seconds of Light. And despite avoiding interviews and press photos, they scored their first UK Top 40 hit. This is the true story behind the EP's creation, from the Glasgow open mics as Lisa Helps the Blind to the band's meteoric rise between If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy with the Arab Strap. Stuart Murdoch and Belle and Sebastian built one of indie pop's most devoted fanbases in indie rock and indie pop history while staying almost completely out of the spotlight.

Courtney Barnett's "Pedestrian at Best" was written in a single last-minute studio session, with the vocal take you hear being the first time she ever sang the lyrics out loud, and it became the searing lead single from her 2015 debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. Built around the wordplay between "pedestrian" and "pedestal," the song channels the pressure and hype of sudden indie-rock, complete with a clown-costume music video and a 2016 Saturday Night Live performance. This is the true story behindthe songwriting, the studio session, the meaning, and the music video that turned it into a breakout hit.

This is the story behind Courtney Barnett's debut album "Sometimes I Sit And Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit." It includes borrowing money from her grandmother, Winnie the Pooh, and what came after the hype behind "The Avant Gardner."

The story of Built To Spill's "Car" and a look at the rare homemade and handmade 7-Inch single. The song originally found its way onto this before being re-recorded for There's Nothing Wrong With Love from 1994 and given a second single on Up Records.

"Pure Morning" was the perfect Placebo single after the success of "Nancy Boy." Here's what Brian Molko said about the song, and why it worked so well.

Parallel Lines is one of the most popular new wave albums out there. Released in 1978, the album helped Blondie break through in the United States after two albums that gained them international buzz but failed to take hold in the US. But behind the scenes, things didn't quite go as planned. This is why Debbie Harry and the rest of Blondie HATED the Parallel Lines cover art, and how their manager Peter Leeds went behind their back to push it through without their permission.