With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Chuck Prophet's Songs of 'Soap and Water'
Listen
• 0:00
Chuck Prophet in NPR's Studio 4A.
()
Listening to Chuck Prophet's songs, you may recognize shades of Lou Reed, Alex Chilton and catchy '80s pop.
What you may not have heard before is Prophet himself, even though he has released a steady stream of critically acclaimed albums in the past 17 years, notably as the guitarist with the band Green on Red. This year, he released a new CD titled Soap and Water.
Prophet describes putting together an album of songs distinct from one another.
"Well, records are stubborn beasts to wrestle to the ground, and they're not always just the best songs that you have laying around," Prophet says. "I don't know if they're as schizophrenic as people think from one another. Maybe bipolar: I know there's the fast ones and the slow ones. But some songs assert themselves more than others. They just fight to be heard."
Support for LAist comes from
Chuck Prophet and his band recently visited NPR's Studio 4A to perform selections from Soap and Water. Between songs, he spoke with Liane Hansen about putting together his songs, as well as his musical upbringing. Prophet grew up in Orange County, Calif., where "if you shook a tree, five guitar players would fall out."
"People often ask me when I started playing guitar, or why, or where," he says. "I came from a pretty nonmusical family. In fact, I begged for guitar lessons, and I ended up getting golf lessons instead."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high. -
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
Best of LAist