On this episode of Walls of Sound, we sit down with John Strohm, who went from being a teenage hardcore punk drummer to founding the Blake Babies and becoming the guitar player for the Lemonheads. He served as president of Rounder Records and has represented artists like Alabama Shakes, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Phoebe Bridgers, The Civil Wars, Ruston Kelly, Sturgill Simpson, Billy Strings, and The Red Clay Strays. We talk growing up in a small college town, early hardcore scenes, the economics of van tours in the 80s, and life-changing venue experiences. It’s a conversation about building a life in music and how those early scenes still shape the work today.

In this episode of Walls of Sound, hosts Brian Teasley and Ryan Murphy head to Muscle Shoals to sit down with Traci Thomas, the publicist and longtime manager for Jason Isbell and many others. She shares hard earned lessons about slow growth, artist care, and why small rooms are the lifeblood of any scene. Thomas also talks about tending the legacy of Muscle Shoals and pushing it forward into a vibrant live ecosystem through community spaces, thoughtful venue culture, and events like ShoalsFest. From the lore of overly packed shows at the Slow Bar to the complex realities of touring, this is a grounded conversation about building sustainable careers and keeping a music town alive.

In this episode, Brian and Ryan talk with NYC music historian Jesse Rifkin, author of This Must Be the Place and creator of Walk on the Wild Side tours, about the vanished venues and shifting scenes of New York City. They explore how DIY culture, real estate, and memory collide in a city that keeps reinventing itself. It’s a love letter and a cautionary tale for anyone who has ever gotten lost in the noise.