Center Stage: An Abandoned Albums Podcast

In addition to being an actress, Schuyler Fisk (pronounced Skylar) is a noted singer/songwriter.

From the beginning, she has marched to the beat of her own drummer, carving a low-friction, roots-pop path that favors sincerity over flash and homegrown hustle over industry hype.

After signing with Universal Records and experiencing a bit of major-label chin-channery, Fisk trusted her gut and asked to be released from her contract to ...

Fishbone is a genre-defying band from Los Angeles that emerged in the early 1980s, blending ska, punk, funk, metal, and soul into a high-energy, explosive sound.

Known for their chaotic live shows and fearless musical experimentation, Fishbone challenges genre and racial boundaries in the alternative rock scene. 

With landmark albums like Truth and Soul and The Reality of My Surroundings, and despite commercial ups and downs, Fishb...

Jay Ryan is a Chicago-based musician best known as the bassist for the instrumental post-rock trio Dianogah.

Formed in 1995, Dianogah earned cult status for their unique two-bass lineup and collaborations with recording engineer Steve Albini. Ryan’s melodic, percussive playing helped define the band’s heavy and cinematic sound.

Named after the garbage-loving monster from the original Star Wars film, the band consists of Jay and fel...

Bad Mary—fronted by dynamic vocalist Amanda Mac, her husband Mike Staub on bass and vocals, her father Bill Mac on drums, and David Henderson on guitar—is a Long Island-rooted glam‑punk outfit known for wild energy and sharp wit.

Formed in 2011, draws on ’70s punk (Ramones, Blondie) and theatrical rock influences, blending classic punk, glam, and pop-punk elements into a sound that’s loud, fast, and fun.

A staple of NYC venues like...

Rachel Fannan is a versatile American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and poet. She gained prominence as co-lead vocalist of the psychedelic rock band Sleepy Sun and later fronted the Los Angeles-based rock band Only You.

Fannan has collaborated with various acts, including UNKLE, Anywhere, Black Mountain, and Pussy Riot.

Her solo work spans genres like pop, rock, jazz, and folk. Beyond performing, she is an Emmy-winning ...

This week, we welcome multi-hyphenate Dave Paulson into Thunderlove Studio to talk about Sandusky, Ohio, the album he wrote as a tribute to the Chris Farley movie "Tommy Boy." 

It evolved into a career-spanning conversation with Dave, which included music journalism, major label record deals, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

This is our conversation with Dave Paulson.

LINKS

Sandusky, Ohio, on Bandcamp

The Privates on Bandcamp

Th...

Tricia Halloran is a Los Angeles-based music supervisor and indie music curator with a career spanning radio, film, and television. She hosted Brave New World on KCRW for 15 years, introducing artists like Death Cab for Cutie and The Eels to wider audiences.

Her music supervision credits include Dead to Me, New Amsterdam, Tully, and Sound of Freedom.

Halloran also shares monthly indie music recommendations through her Substack news...

Bill McShane is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Ultimate Fakebook, a power pop trio formed in 1994 in Manhattan, Kansas. Alongside bassist Nick Colby and drummer Eric Melin, McShane helped craft the band's signature blend of catchy hooks and energetic performances.

Their 1999 album, This Will Be Laughing Week, garnered critical acclaim. After disbanding in 2003, McShane explored other projects and later reunited with Ultimate Fa...

Seth Timbs is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist renowned for his sharp songwriting and piano-driven pop-rock.

Seth first gained attention in the late 1990s as the frontman of Fluid Ounces, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee band celebrated for their intricate arrangements and witty lyricism. 

Fluid Ounces carved out their niche with a blend of jazz-inflected piano hooks and power-pop energy.

Following the band's ...

Drawing from life’s experiences, Jess Yaffa has a keen ability to transform personal experiences into relatable anthems. 

Her debut album, Thoughts That Keep Me Up at Night, released on April 4, 2025, showcases her commitment to authentic storytelling. Collaborating with Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby, known for his work with Coldplay and John Legend, Yaffa delivers a collection of songs that are both polished and deeply pers...

Their debut, A Balloon Called Moaning, released in 2009, introduced the band’s signature sound with soaring hooks grounded by a robust backbone of driving bass and drums. They quickly followed this with The Big Roar in 2011, which garnered critical acclaim for its raw intensity and infectious energy, spearheaded by the single “Whirring.”

Subsequent albums, including Wolf’s Law and Hitch, further explored...

Murray Attaway, the distinctive voice behind Guadalcanal Diary, helped shape the American alternative rock landscape of the 1980s. The band blended Southern storytelling with punchy jangle-pop, earning critical acclaim for both its bold sonic experimentation and Attaway's literate songwriting. 

Though the group never reached the heights of some of its Athens, Georgia, contemporaries, the band's influence quietly rippled across coll...

King Missile emerged from the art-punk underground with a sound that defies easy categorization. Blending elements of spoken word, surrealist humor, alternative rock, and performance art, the band is best known for its 1992 hit “Detachable Penis,” a deadpan monologue over a hypnotic groove that unexpectedly broke into mainstream consciousness.

But King Missile is far more than a novelty act—it's the long-running vehicle for the sin...

The Katies were a power pop/alternative rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, active in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Known for their infectious melodies and raw energy, they blended elements of classic rock, grunge, and Beatles-esque harmonies. Their 1999 self-titled debut album gained a cult following, especially with standout tracks like "Noggin' Poundin'" and "She's My Marijuana."

Despite critical acclaim, the band never br...

The Record Company is one of the most exciting modern blues-rock bands, blending raw energy with soulful grooves. Their stripped-down, no-frills approach to rock is reminiscent of classic acts like The Rolling Stones and John Lee Hooker, yet they bring a fresh, contemporary edge.

With gritty vocals, punchy rhythms, and infectious hooks, they’ve carved a unique space in today’s rock landscape. Their musi...

Oppenheimer was an indie pop band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The band was made up of musicians Shaun Robinson and Rocky O'Reilly. Robinson and O'Reilly were previously members of the now disbanded Belfast group, Torgas Valley Reds. They met in 2003, in Belfast. O'Reilly had been mixing sound and recording Torgas Valley Reds, whom Robinson drummed for.

Inspired by their mutual love for Moog synthesizers, vocoders, and airhorns,...

Dick Valentine stands as an icon among modern rock frontmen, recognized for his flamboyant stage presence, witty lyricism, and audacious creative spirit. As lead vocalist of Electric Six, he guides the band’s explosive blend of rock, new wave, and disco influences with a flair that both entertains and provokes. Valentine's distinctive voice and charismatic performances reflect a boundary-pushing approach to songwriting, full of bit...