Episode notes
Recorded live at the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Yasi is joined by Sabrina Teitelbaum (a.k.a. Blondshell) to dig into Life Without Buildings, the Scottish cult band whose single and singular 2001 album, 'Any Other City,' is still worth talking about today. They discuss the band’s jagged sound, their art school roots, and the second life they found when “The Leanover” went viral on TikTok two decades after it was released. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Sabrina Teitelbaum @blondshellProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin…
Bandsplain
by The Ringer · English · Music
Bandsplain is a show where host Yasi Salek invites experts to explain cult bands and iconic artists—and why people love them.
More from Bandsplain
-
21 May 2026 · 4 hr 2 min
Madonna: Part 3 With Paul Hamann
Yasi is joined by creative director Paul Hamann as they continue the Bandsplain Madonna deep dive. They discuss Madonna’s celebrated acting role in Evita and the lasting vocal changes that came with it, her career-elevating work of Ray of Light, the ahead-of-its-time Music, and how the increasingly fraught political situation in America impacted one of her most misunderstood works, American Life. Plus: motherhood, mysticism, the perfect pop single that landed on the Austin Powers soundtrack, and how Madonna kept finding new ways to bend pop stardom around her own evolution. Episode…
-
14 May 2026 · 4 hr 37 min
Madonna: Part 2 with Patrik Sandberg
Yasi is joined by writer and Bandsplain MVP Patrik Sandberg for Part 2 of the Madonna epic. This chapter follows Madonna from 'Like a Prayer' through 'Bedtime Stories' as she alchemizes religion, sex, fashion, and controversy into one of the most fascinating and powerful runs in pop music history. They talk about the history of “Vogue,” the groundbreaking Pepsi commercial, her major leap with 'Erotica,' the much-discussed 'Sex' book, and, of course, the backlash and what it meant for her creativity. Plus: the reinventions, the Cher beef, her acting career, all the incredible music and…
-
7 May 2026 · 3 hr 34 min
Madonna: Part 1 With Mel Ottenberg
Yasi kicks off Bandsplain’s multipart Madonna epic with returning guest and fashion icon Mel Ottenberg. They discuss Madonna’s childhood and upbringing in Michigan, her dance career and the formative relationships that led her to New York City, her history playing in bands, her immersion in the club scene, the breakthrough singles that made her impossible to ignore, her first three albums, and all the major collaborators, major looks, and major breakthroughs along the way. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 1 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Mel Ottenberg…
-
16 Apr 2026 · 2 hr 28 min
PERFECT SONG: ‘Boys On the Radio’ with Patrik Sandberg, Plus An Interview With Hole Bassist and Author Melissa Auf der Maur
Yasi is joined by writer Patrik Sandberg to break down one of Hole’s (many) perfect songs “Boys on the Radio.” They talk Courtney Love’s evolution, her relationship with critics, and the inspirations, intentions, and alternative culture of the 90’s that influenced it all.Then, Melissa Auf der Maur stops by to discuss her new book, Even the Good Girls Will Cry. She discusses her time in Hole, her friendship with Courtney Love, and her wide-ranging life as an artist.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg, Melissa Auf der Maur @xmadmxProducer: Rob…
-
9 Apr 2026 · 3 hr
The Runaways With Patty Schemel
Yasi is joined by legendary drummer Patty Schemel (Hole) to tell the story of The Runaways, the all-girl teenage band that changed the course of history. They get into the band’s lasting influence, the surprising origin of the song “Cherry Bomb,” the band’s complicated history, and why The Runaways still matter. Episode PlaylistListen to The Runaways playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patty Schemel @pattyschemelProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices.…
-
2 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 55 min
Our Favorite Music of 2026 So Far, With Chris Ryan. Plus, an Interview With Angel Du$t’s Justice Tripp.
Yasi is joined by Chris Ryan for a quick trip into the mailbag before they each reveal their favorite new music from the first three months of 2026.Next, Yasi talks with Justice Tripp of Angel Du$t and Trapped Under Ice about Angel Du$t’s latest album, 'Cold 2 The Touch,' and the road that brought him there. Episode PlaylistListen to Our Favorite Music of 2026 So Far playlist here CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Chris Ryan (@chrisryan77) and Justice Tripp (@jurtice)Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesVideo Production: Jamie Yukich and Donald LoBiancoAdditional Production…
-
8 Oct 2026 · 2 hr 49 minNew
Interpol with Sarah Lewitinn
Sarah Lewitinn (music journalist, restaurateur, and the artist formerly known as Ultragrrrl) joins Yasi to revisit Interpol and the early 2000s New York landscape they emerged from. They discuss their international origins, the dogged Joy Division comparisons, and the pressure to follow up on an instant classic, as well as the steady and surprising arc of their career and output leading up to their latest album, this year’s 'This Mirror Weighs a Ton.' Episode Playlist Listen to the Interpol Playlist here Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guests: Sarah Lewitinn…
-
1 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 40 min
The Indie Sleaze Draft with Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey
It’s draft day, and Yasi is joined by Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey for a generational Indie Sleaze Draft. But first, what actually counts as indie sleaze? Are the Strokes so important that they get their own category? And can you win by simply drafting Yeah Yeah Yeahs in every category? (You can if you draft with your heart.) Plus: the return of Sparks (not the band)! Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guests: Rob Mahoney @robmahoney and Sean Fennessey @seanfennessey Producer: Rob Sundermann Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles…
-
24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 27 min
Perfect Song: "House of Jealous Lovers" by The Rapture With Jason Stewart
Jason Stewart (How Long Gone) joins Yasi to talk about “House of Jealous Lovers,” the Rapture’s cowbell-powered anthem that fused punk and dance and helped define the electroclash era. They discuss the band’s early days on Sub Pop, the song taking shape in the hands of James Murphy and DFA, the band’s move to a major label, and the fallout that followed. Plus, a look back at Cinespace Tuesdays in Hollywood, DJing across the globe, and an important question: Why was will.i.am everywhere all the time? Subscribe on YouTube CREDITS: Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guest: Jason Stewart @themjeans…
-
17 Sep 2026 · 3 hr 4 min
Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Jenny Eliscu
Journalist Jenny Eliscu joins Yasi to talk all things Yeah Yeah Yeahs, from their wild early days in New York to their place as one of the most important bands of the 2000s. They discuss the term indie sleaze, debate whether the Yeah Yeah Yeahs deserve the crown as the era’s best band, break down why “Maps” remains an all-time classic, and explore the tensions that have shaped the band throughout its career. Plus, growing up in the spotlight, surviving the hype, and where the Yeah Yeah Yeahs fit in today’s music landscape. Episode PlaylistListen to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Playlist here.…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
