Radiolab – "The Loudest Miniature Fuzz"
Release Date: April 21, 2010
Hosts: Jad Abumrad, Robert Krulwich
Featured Guests: Erin Dyer & Aaron Sanchez (Buke and Gase)

Episode Overview

In this Radiolab short, hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich put music front and center, spotlighting the Brooklyn-based duo Buke and Gase. The episode explores how the band’s unconventional instruments, intertwined personal history, and creative sound embody Radiolab’s playful, curious spirit. Through conversation and live rehearsal snippets, listeners journey into the fuzzy, energetic world of Buke and Gase, learning about the innovation and emotion underpinning their distinctive noise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Music at the Heart of Radiolab

• Although music is always woven into Radiolab’s sound design, it’s rarely the explicit focus. In this episode, the team flips the script, digging into what makes one band, and their sound, so captivating.
  • Jad Abumrad: “Music is very important to the show. It’s never the explicit topic, but it’s always there.” (02:07)

2. Discovering Buke and Gase

• The band was introduced to the Radiolab team by producer Karen Havelik, as they were seeking a “Southern but twangy, with an edge” ambiance for a previous segment about hookworms.
• What was initially a left-field choice ended up being a sonic revelation for Jad—distinct from what the show needed, but “so right in so many other ways.” (02:53–03:45)

3. Describing the Indescribable: Buke and Gase’s Sound

• Erin Dyer presents a whimsical analogy to capture the feeling of their music:
  • Erin Dyer: “Imagine a recently retired schoolhouse janitor riding the back of a big horse…galloping over different scenes…like a calm rose petal surfaced pond…then a party with topless beachgoers…then an angry mob with pitchforks chasing rabbits who’ve stolen carrots and cabbage…” (04:06–05:24)
• Aaron Sanchez offers a more succinct version:
  • Aaron Sanchez: “It’s like…the loudest miniature fuzz.” (05:42)

4. Live Rehearsal: "Two Frog"

• The hosts allow the band to showcase their sound with a raw performance of "Two Frog" in their Brooklyn apartment.
• Robert notes the characteristic “hookwormy" quality—a callback to the origin story.
  • Robert Krulwich: "It's so hookwormy. I mean, like, right from the get go." (07:49)

5. DIY Instruments: The 'Buke' and the 'Gase'

• Erin Dyer plays the “buke,” a heavily customized baritone ukulele with added strings, pickups, and stereo outputs.
  • Erin Dyer: “The buke is a baritone ukulele…It's really light…has two pickups.” (08:07)
• Aaron Sanchez plays the “gase”:
  • Aaron Sanchez: “A hybrid between a guitar and a bass…two of the strings are bass strings…the bass strings go to their own bass amp, the guitar strings go to their own guitar amp.” (08:35–08:50)
• The band incorporates percussive elements: Aaron plays kick drum with his foot; Erin wears ankle bells. (09:04–09:15)
• Robert Krulwich: "So this is like one of those people who walk around, like, in central Europe with like nine instruments doing them all simultaneously." (09:21)

6. Evolution of a Partnership

• Buke and Gase's creative collaboration began after meeting in 2000 and playing together in a band called Hominid (2003). The band dissolved due to personal reasons—specifically, a breakup—leading to a years-long silence between Erin and Aaron.
  • Erin Dyer: “We broke up because we were dating at the time.” (10:53)
  • Aaron Sanchez: “We didn’t speak for like three years.” (11:21)
• Eventually, Aaron reached out with a casual email about Erin’s cycling hobby, rekindling both their friendship and musical partnership.
  • Erin Dyer: “He said, so how’s the cycling going?” (11:38)

7. Emotional Undercurrents in the Music

• Jad speculates about the tension and “possessed” feeling that pervades their music, linking it to the duo’s layered personal history.
  • Jad Abumrad: “There’s something about your music that feels possessed…by some sort of…history you guys have together.” (12:02–12:14)

8. Playful Banter and Inventive Language

• The episode is marked by the hosts’ and band members’ playful tone—stringing together technical curiosity, personal history, and inside jokes, maintaining the trademark Radiolab style.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Erin Dyer describing the music: "Imagine a recently retired schoolhouse janitor riding the back of a big horse...galloping over different scenes..." (04:06)
• Aaron Sanchez coining the episode title: "It's like...the loudest miniature fuzz." (05:42)
• Robert Krulwich, humorously suggesting an instrument innovation: "Wouldn’t it be cool if the bass string was actually an elongated and taut hookworm?" (08:56)
• On their past relationship:
  • Erin Dyer: "This is the first time you’ve ever said that."
  • Aaron Sanchez: "We’re bandmates."
  • Erin Dyer: "Oh, not even friends? Jesus Christ." (10:56–11:04)
• Jad speculating on the music’s emotional charge:
  • Jad Abumrad: “There’s something about your music that feels possessed…by some sort of…history you guys have together.” (12:02)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:07 — Radiolab’s relationship with music
• 02:53–03:45 — Discovering Buke and Gase for the hookworm segment
• 04:06–05:24 — Erin Dyer’s colorful analogy for their sound
• 05:42 — "The loudest miniature fuzz" description
• 06:53–07:47 — Live rehearsal: "Two Frog"
• 08:07–08:33 — Explanation and demonstration of the 'buke'
• 08:35–08:50 — Explanation of the 'gase'
• 09:47–10:40 — Performance: "Bundle Tuck"
• 10:42–11:24 — The band’s personal history and breakup story
• 11:38–11:44 — The reconnection
• 12:02–12:14 — Discussing angst and emotion in the music

Additional Notes

• The band’s performances and creative process are interwoven with warm, sometimes teasing conversation among all participants.
• Listeners are invited to see Buke and Gase live at Radiolab’s event, and can find more about the band through Radiolab's website.
• The episode fits Radiolab’s ethos: curiosity-fueled, sonically inventive, willing to chase the strange and intimate connections that music can forge.

For Further Listening

• Find more about Buke and Gase’s music and upcoming performances through radiolab.org.
• Explore earlier Radiolab episodes for similar blends of experimental sound, storytelling, and science.