The late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt wrote songs popularized by artists like Willie Nelson and Norah Jones but his own career was derailed by alcoholism and gambling. Today, we hear why he was underappreciated by the casual music fan, but revered by musicians. Also: Members of the indie-rock band Arcade Fire join us to talk about their latest album, "Neon Bible." And finally: the Brooklyn-based Afro-beat ensemble Antibalas packs the studio to play live songs from their new record, "Security." This is a repeat edition of Soundcheck.
Townes Van Zandt: The Musician's Musician
Townes Van Zandt wrote songs including "Pancho and Lefty" and "If I Needed You" for artists like Norah Jones and Merle Haggard. Today, John Kruth, author of To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt explains how his music remains despite his own unrealized dreams ...
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is arguably the hottest indie band around at the moment, having arrived on the scene just two years ago. Today, bassist Tim Kingsbury and drummer Jeremy Gara talk about being holed up in a 19th-century church near Montreal to live, work, and eventually produce their latest album, "Neon ...
Antibalas
Brooklyn's Antibalas, widely considered the leading Afrobeat band in the U.S., packs the studio to perform music from their politically charged new album, "Security."
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