Joining me today is BALTHAZAR DE LEY — singer, guitarist, bassist, producer, engineer, studio technician, &, most recently, amp maker.
In the early ‘90s, he joined HUM, which was, back then, written in all lowercase. He played bass on their first record Fillet Show, & toured & wrote songs with them over the course of several years.
He then formed & fronted MENTHOL, formerly known as Mother, whose 3 beloved LPs combined off-kilter riffing & synth lines with surrealistic & Faustian tales of the '90s alt rock signing boom.
When Menthol parted ways, he began engineering records for other bands. He then worked as a studio technician for the Smashing Pumpkins for close to a decade.
In 2017, he founded BALTHAZAR AUDIO SYSTEMS, where he designs & builds vacuum tube guitar amplifiers. He also plays guitar in the Chicago shoegaze band LIGHTFOILS. Links below.
In this episode, we talk about youthful insouciance, a specific strain of ‘90s midwestern space rock, & the endearing & enduring power of smallness.
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https://www.balthazaramps.com
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https://lightfoils.bandcamp.com
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TIMESTAMPS:
02:35 // "What's Your Rationale?" (Menthol)
04:19 // The Breeders Amp
06:30 // Bad Flannel
09:11 // "Frustration" (Bad Flannel)
12:10 // Joining HUM
15:16 // Rick & Rose
17:24 // Fillet Show LP
20:00 // "Space Gun" (Poster Children)
25:20 // Early HUM Influences
28:40 // Menthol
29:39 // Mud Records
35:22 // "Walk of Shame" (Menthol)
36:40 // Ardent Studios
40:00 // Writing Lyrics
44:23 // "Dry Heaves" (Menthol)
48:36 // "Bedheaded, Red-Eyed, & Bewildered" (Menthol)
49:57 // '90s Alt Rock Explosion
58:13 // Menthol Artwork / Danger: Rock Science!
01:04:21 // "Hello Kitty" Discussion
01:28:58 // Lightfoils & Balthazar Audio Systems
01:32:21 // "Strange Living" (Menthol)
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