Jokermen Podcast: In Conversation with Ryley Walker
Episode Date: January 12, 2026
Overview
In this lively, freewheeling episode, the Jokermen hosts (Ian and Evan) welcome acclaimed indie musician, noted Twitter personality, and devoted compact disc evangelist Ryley Walker. The conversation covers Walker's upcoming West Coast tour, his new musical direction, deep dives into cult favorite bands like XTC, the Fall, and discussion of music formats, as well as reflections on Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the changing landscape of indie rock. The tone is playful, passionate, and candid—full of music nerdery, personal stories, and riffs on late-career artistic evolution.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Ryley Walker's Upcoming Tour and New Music
-
Tour with David Pajo/Papa M:
Walker announces a West Coast tour alongside David Pajo (Papa M, Slint, Stereolab), performing dates in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.
[04:07]“I’ve got a bunch of new songs that I’m really excited about...I think it’s in a wonderful new direction. And I think David Pajo is fantastic. He’s a good friend. I think it’s a good double bill.”
-
Solo Set with Experimental Guitar/Max:
Discusses updated solo show, using a laptop and software (“Pull” via Max) to transform his guitar tones.
[05:10]“I’m a laptop guy now...When you plug your guitar into the laptop and make blip blips...it just makes your guitar go bleep, bleep, bloop, bloop. And it makes a bunch of cool sort of out sounds."
Ryley cites David Sylvian's "Blemish" and a spiritual break from classic folk picking.
[06:38]
“If I had to write like a new folky finger picking record or whatever, I’d jump out of a building. I’m just not there anymore. I’d be a spiritually inept person if I had to do that again.”
2. Bob Dylan: Pope of Reinvention
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On Underrated Guitar Eras:
Walker praises Bob Dylan’s 1994 phase and the Woodstock 94 set, especially Dylan’s guitar playing and band.
[09:13]"94...is his best guitar playing I’ve ever seen. He is just actually laying into the fucking guitar.”
The hosts and Walker geek out on underrated Dylan albums (Down in the Groove, Knocked Out Loaded) and discuss the unique culture around Dylan’s late periods.
[08:27]
“Knocked Out Loaded is really good.” — Ryley
[09:24]
“He’s laying into the guitar in a way he never has in any other era.” — Ryley -
Personal Dylan Entry Points:
Walker recounts getting into Bob Dylan in his teens via “classic Bob,” but becoming especially attached to Bring It All Back Home, later growing to love Love & Theft and Time Out of Mind.
[11:39]"My parents weren’t into Bob Dylan...I got into Bob Dylan, like, eighth or ninth grade…Bring It All Back Home was the one that I liked, you know?"
3. XTC: The Cult Faves
-
How Ryley Got Into XTC:
[14:21]“That’s my favorite. That’s like my favorite rock...I got into XTC from the record store guy in my hometown, Rockford, Illinois. Really lucky...he gave me a CD copy of Drums and Wires.”
- Compares XTC’s progression to the Beatles’ studio era, praises English Settlement as the best entry point, and lauds the overlooked, late-career album Apple Venus Volume 1.
[16:04]
“English Settlement. Andy is one of the best songwriters of all time...Dave on guitar—his 12-string guitar playing on English Settlement in particular is great.”
- Compares XTC’s progression to the Beatles’ studio era, praises English Settlement as the best entry point, and lauds the overlooked, late-career album Apple Venus Volume 1.
-
Evangelizing XTC’s Late Era:
[18:31]“Their last record, Apple Venus Volume 1...is my favorite. Like, has many of my favorite XTC moments. It broke up the band...but I think the final result is incredible.”
-
Memorable Moment:
Ryley jokes about wearing an Apple Venus Volume 1 bootleg shirt around England, only to have it recognized “never”—except perhaps by an “old guy in a ponytail.”
[20:14]
4. The Fall, Manchester Music, and Being a CD Loyalist
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On the Fall:
Ryley discusses discovering The Fall via UK music magazines and friends, calling out favorites like Bend Sinister, Grotesque, and late-era records.
[22:40]“I love The Fall. I like all Manchester music. I think Manchester’s super damaged. I think they’re all cross-eyed and drunk and make super up music.”
-
CD Collecting and Format Wars:
Ryley reminisces about the golden age of CD collecting, with peak bargain-bin scores in the mid-2000s, and defends the accessibility, affordability, and tactile pleasures of CDs vs. vinyl.
[26:49]“I just never stopped buying CDs. I love the format. They’re small, you can move around really quick. They sound fine to me.”
Notable Host Quote:
[26:59]"They’re better than vinyl records in virtually every regard. They’re smaller, they’re cheaper, they sound better, they last longer, they’re easier to play.” — Ian
-
CDs and the Young People:
Ryley is pleased to see younger people getting into CDs, highlighting their affordability and discovery potential.
[30:54]“I do notice that, like, kind of younger kids are getting into CDs and it’s cool, you know, they can bring a 20 bill to a record store and get four or five CDs. That’s typically not the case for LPs right now.”
5. The Joys of Late Van Morrison
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Deep Dive into Late-Period Van:
Walker and hosts bond over their shared love for post-prime Van Morrison albums (No Plan B, Poetic Champions Compose, Latest Record Project, Vol. 1) and swap stories about collecting bargain-bin Van CDs.
[33:34]“I keep finding Back on Top from, like, 1999. And I buy that for a dollar and I give it to friends just as like a party favor.” — Evan
[34:44]
“Guru, No Method, No Teacher is probably my favorite. Late Ish Van. I love that record.” — Ryley -
Anecdote: Van Morrison's Backstage Behavior:
[38:33]“Van Morrison came to the side of the stage mid-set...pulled his pants all the way down so his and balls were hanging out, and wiped his and balls off with the towel in front of my friend. So he saw Van Morrison’s balls and dick.” — Ryley
-
Anticipating New Van Releases:
The group jokes about finding hope in the release of each new Van Morrison album, poking fun at the surreal title and cover of Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge (2026).
[40:22]“God, I have something to live for now. January 23rd. That’s…Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge day.” — Evan
[40:29]
“Yeah, I was like, this year I was not looking forward to. I was probably gonna fucking walk in front of a bus. But now I have something to look forward to. A new Van Morrison record.” — Ryley
6. New Music & Indie Rock's Fresh Blood
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Listening Habits:
Ryley shouts out new records by Westerman (A Jackal’s Wedding), the shoegaze band Total Wife, and is “incredibly” enthusiastic about Cameron Winter’s solo debut.
[43:03]“I like the new Westerman record a lot...He’s got a really interesting ear.”
[44:41]
“I think [Cameron Winter]’s like kind of a generational talent. I think he’s going to be around for a long time. I think he’s great.” -
On Geese and the Contemporary NY Scene: Ryley doesn’t know if Geese (and Winter) have a scene per se, but sees them as fresh, weird, and influential on younger bands, pushing back against the doom-and-gloom singer-songwriter trend. [46:33]
“I’m certain at this point there’s like a hundred bands that sound like Geese already.” [47:31]
“When I was working [at a club], a lot of like mopey, hard-on-sleeve singer-songwriter...It’s gotta go…Geese is sort of a silver bullet right now for young bands...it’s wonderful new music.” -
On the Value of Idiosyncrasy:
[49:22]“I think, I don’t know, start of something new in fraction music that I’m excited about for the Young Guns.”
7. Audience Demographics and Career Perspective
-
Walker notes his early crowds were “middle-aged men who collected those sorts of records,” but in recent years has seen more young people at his shows, something that’s meaningful to him.
[52:59]“It was middle-aged men who collected those sorts of records...it’s sort of skewed a bit younger these days...it really means a lot to me that like younger people would say something like that.”
-
He reflects on preferring a steady blend of music and side jobs, reluctant to let the grind of “making a living off music” compromise his enjoyment.
[55:01]“I don’t like the idea of making a living off of music at this point in my life full time. That’s like too stressful for me. I like having a foot in the real world.”
8. Upcoming Gigs and David Pajo/Papa M
- Ryley plugs an upcoming run with Pajo (ex-Slint/Stereolab/Tortoise):
[56:22]“All of your listeners should check those out immediately.”
9. Walker’s Next Record
- Working on a new record of full songs (music and lyrics), first since 2021’s Course In Fable.
[57:59]“Full on songs. It’s got the music and the lyrics…hopefully next year I’ll have a new record out.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
On Creative Stagnation:
[07:31]
“I’d be a spiritually inept person if I had to do that again… I’m just not there anymore.” — Ryley
On Loving the Weird Parts of Dylan:
[09:13]
“94, it’s his best guitar playing I’ve ever seen.” — Ryley
On Apple Venus Volume 1:
[18:31]
“Their last record, Apple Venus Volume 1...it’s up there with English Settlement for me.”
On CDs vs Vinyl:
[26:59]
“They’re better than vinyl records in virtually every regard.” — Ian
On Van Morrison's Stage Antics:
[38:33]
“Van Morrison came to the side of the stage mid-set...pulled his pants all the way down…wiped his and balls off with the towel in front of my friend.”
On Youth & Rock Today:
[52:20]
“Great to see...a 22 year old kid with blue hair actually at a rock show and really digging it.” — Ian
On Perspective as an Artist:
[55:01]
“I don’t ever expect to make a full-time living off of music...I like having a foot in the real world and stuff.”
On Bringing Peace to a Troubled World:
[58:56]
“I bring peace to a nation.” — Ryley
[59:02]
“Ryley Walker: Bringing peace to the United States and Venezuela.” — Ian
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:43 – Ryley joins & banter about NYC, politics, new pronouns, and “Woke is back”
- 04:06 – Tour plans, new music direction
- 05:10 – Embracing laptop & software processing for guitar sound, David Sylvian influence
- 08:27 – Discussion of Bob Dylan’s 80s/90s eras and guitar prowess
- 11:39 – Ryley’s Bob Dylan entry story
- 14:21 – Discovering XTC and their importance
- 18:31 – Defense of Apple Venus Volume 1
- 22:40 – Getting into The Fall, Manchester as a “damaged” scene
- 25:07 – CD collecting philosophy/nostalgia
- 33:34 – Van Morrison late-career fandom and CD bargains
- 38:33 – Ryley’s Van Morrison towel story
- 43:03 – New music recs: Westerman, Total Wife, Cameron Winter
- 47:31 – Changing indie/NY scenes, singer-songwriter fatigue, the Geese effect
- 52:59 – Who attends Ryley’s shows now, evolution of his audience
- 56:22 – Endorsement of David Pajo/Papa M records
- 57:59 – Confirmation of new full-song LP coming
- 58:56 – Ryley’s “ambassador of peace” sign-off
Final Thoughts
This episode is a must-listen for fans of deep-dive music discussion, cult bands, physical formats, and the delightfully odd intersections between the greats (Dylan, Van, XTC) and today’s indie innovative spirits. Ryley Walker emerges as a funny, self-aware voice for creative reinvention, bringing both reverence for the canon and excitement about the weirdos to come.
Find tour dates, album links, and further info in the episode description or at patreon.com/jokermen.