The Haute Garbage Podcast

Portland MC Mat Randol believes in the challenges of hip hop: to grow and evolve, to live at the edge of his comfort zone, to tell the truth, and to find the joy. On the mic he's dexterous, dynamic, and confessional...but he also wouldn't say no to a few choice sips in the studio. His 2026 is scheduled to be a non-stop banger of releases, collaborations, and live music. Plus, he's a great hang, as you'll hear in...

Night Heron is sexy, smokey, smoldering, sartorial (insert favorite 'S' superlative) Portland lush-pop nurtured to life by frontman and guitarist Cameron Spies—along with a murderer's row of musicians from the vanguard of Portland music. Cameron joined the fellas this week to chat on finding freedom within a defined sonic palette, the producer's ear vs. the creator's ear, wound packing (pro or con?), KEXP g...

In honor of their freshly dropped single "You Guys Wanna Eat Some More Mushrooms?" we're replaying our delightful conversation with the instrumental prog/post rock trio, Childspeak! We get into the freedom of writing music without vocals, the abstract codes of songwriting, conquering hiccups, how ridiculous genre is, and Andy digs his heels back into anti-marketing. Cherish the memories in this one, then go buy the n...

Stand-up comedian Andrea Menchaca is a newly minted member of Portland's Funniest Five and has been building momentum since she began at open mics almost six years ago. We talk about her trajectory, her upcoming comedy special at Milagro and the grant that made it possible, finding the joke with TikTok feedback, butter surcharges for bulk popcorn receptacles, separating your Avatar sex from your Avatar gardening, the bloodspor...

Perfect Buzz is rock 'n roll that looks good in a leather jacket: brash enough to don one in the first place, yet self-possessed and comfortable-in-their-own-skin enough to pull it off without seeming ridiculous. It's that precise balance (along with a finely calibrated combo of riffage, sneer, and melody) that shines through on their brand-new EP "Happy Trails". This week, Patrick Buzz joins the fellas to discu...

Dadweed is an acoustic amalgam; built around the bluegrass staples of stand-up bass, beautiful harmonies, and ample grinning, they also mix in a zesty swirl of pop, country, rock, and even jazz. The trio joined the show this week and graced us with a LIVE, IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE. We also chat about the kismet of "School of Rock" and the Pokemon theme; the art (and science) of kicking sh*t; the universality of melancholy; t...

Bagweed music follows in the footsteps of eclectic, sonically diverse, pop-forward artists like Beck: he combines sounds, styles, and textures that hew toward synthesis and smoothness rather than dissonance. We discuss his brand-new collection of songs, "Thank You for Remaining Still", which dropped just last week and is currently available for purchase. That cleared plenty of room for a healthy dialogue on the difference...

Punk chaos agents Happy Death Men bring a joyous intensity to must-see live shows that occasionally end in vomit. Sam, Cash, and Javi joined the show to discuss bottling that rawness on their records—as they do with aplomb on their 2025 self-titled release. We chat about nut-heavy subreddits, opening for Jack White, what makes for a healthy music scene, Batman's adult diaper play, and the intrinsic appeal of their music to Win...

Killmer is a three-piece rock delight, blending sounds from across the genre and wrapping them in warm, clean production. Their May 2025 release "Primo!" is  meant (at least in this listener's opinion) to be enjoyed by adults, with an attention to craft, mood, and message that also knows how to enjoy itself. Fresh off a tour in support of the album, Killmer bassist and singer Brett joined the show to discuss the desi...

Krautrock superstars Motrik have been a driving, pulsing beat at the heart of Portland music for more than a decade. On the eve of their forthcoming album "Earth," Dave, Erik, and Jonah from the band joined us to chat about humane vermin training, the foundational beat at the core of every song in their catalog, the relaxing innovation of mud-themed recording studios, the mechanics of harmonica care, and the evolving inte...

The Macks are one of the most creative, focused bands in the Northwest, producing banger after banger at a breakneck pace that can hardly keep up with their work ethic and restlessly evolving sound. Their sixth full-length "Bonanza" dropped just a few weeks ago, and Sam and Ben from the band joined us to talk about prolific rocking/rolling with an eye toward improvement, the hail-mary toiletry of the contemporary American...

Cherry Cheeks is fast-paced, punk/art rock with substance and a sneer. Kyle Harms, the creative force of the band, joins the show this week, and more delighted we could not be. We discuss the persona of the punk rock brat, the importance of songs with genuine meaning, embracing the performer within, the erotic potential of deep-faking yourself, and the plight of the proletariat vis a vis the monocle.

Music this week:

• "Therap...

Rock 'n roll rippers Helena Rats are in the house this week! The band's May release "Plague City" embraces the rich possibilities of fast, heavy-tinged guitar music without pretension—though not without an accessible complexity that rewards the true heads. Diego and Jeff from the band pop in to talk about the new tunes, drink-to-performance ratios, the cocktail of ingredients that make up their sound (hint: the ...

Tabor Dance has grown from a single person shaking off the isolation and disorientation of the pandemic into a Portland institution for a community of thousands. This week, the fellas sit down with Tabor Dance President Katrin Dougherty and Founder Mitchell Hartman to hear the TD origin story, how it was shepherded into maturity through growing pains, and how it continues to grow and evolve. Plus, Drew proves how square he is when ...

Prolific Portland beatmaker and bass player MLTZR joins the fellas this week to drape us in warm, sonic blankets. Restless-but-disciplined, MLTZR is in constant search of vibes, grooves, and connections. We talk about the joys of collaboration, success in creation as an act of completion, exhausting his sonic curiosities, THC-infused wetnaps, and snacking on pickle chips. All that plus some license plate detective. None of us deser...

It's the long-overdue return of the great NorthernDraw! And he's brought along his collaborator (and top-shelf guest in his own right) LT Headtrip. The two joined us on Draw's birthday (!) to discuss their newest joint release, the siiiiiiick two-hander "Novel Path". We get INSIDE the music on this one with two born creators, talkers, storytellers, and strip club enthusiasts. You can grab "Novel Path&q...