Joe Rihn is a DJ, musician and writer with endless enthusiasm for his hometown of Los Angeles. His show Audio Days explores the wide world of electronic music and beyond with particular attention to artists pushing the boundaries of sound.

In this special interview episode of Audio Days, influential UK artist Mark Stewart discusses his body of work, his creative processes and the music that has inspired him along the way. After beginning his career as the frontman of Bristol’s celebrated post-punk band The Pop Group, Stewart went on to break new ground in electronic music through his work with dub producer and On-U Sound Records head, Adrian Sherwood, along with drummer Keith LeBlanc, bassist Doug Wimbish and guitarist Skip McDonald. Having performed as members of the Sugar Hill Records house band on early hip hop classics including “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LeBlanc, Wimbish and McDonald provided the instrumental foundation for Stewart’s 1985 album, “As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade,” as well as other projects such as Tackhead and Fats Comet. With his new record “VS.,” which releases April 8, 2022 on Emergency Hearts, Stewart continues in that collaborative spirit. In addition to including names like KK Null, Stephen Mallidner and Mike Watt in its roster of uncompromising artists, VS. features contributions from late musicians Lee “Scratch” Perry and Mika Vainio.

Following the hour-long interview segment, this episode features a mix of industrial, synth-wave and left-field cuts from the orbit of Mark Stewart and beyond.

INTERVIEW SEGMENT TRACKLIST:
The Pop Group – She is Beyond Good – Y
Television – Little Johnny Jewel – The Blow-Up
Sparks – Here in Heaven – Kimono My House
Roxy Music – Virginia Plain – Roxy Music
Sex Pistols – Bodies – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
Restriction – Four Point Plan – The Bristol Reggae Explosion: Best of the ’70s and ’80s
The Pop Group – Thief of Fire (Dennis Bovell Dub Version) – Y in Dub
Gray – Drum Mode – Downtown 81
Liquid Liquid – Cavern – Optimo
Kool DJ Red Alert – WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM 1980s radio snippets
The Wild Bunch – Rocking Down To The Sounds Of The Wild Bunch Crew mix snippet
The Wild Bunch – Machine Gun (Down By Law) – Friends and Countrymen 12”
Massive Attack, Smith & Mighty – Any Love – radio snippet
Mark Stewart + Maffia – Blessed Are Those Who Struggle – Learning to Cope With Cowardice
Pumpkin – King of the Beat – King of the Beat 12”
Mark Stewart – Hypnotized – As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade
Mark Stewart – As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade – As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade
Keith LeBlanc – Get This – Major Malfunction
Fats Comet – Dee Jay’s Program – Dee Jay’s Dream
Tackhead – What’s My Mission Now? – What’s My Mission Now? 12”
400 Blows – Radio Pressure – Pressure 12”
Front 242 – U-Men – Geography
Man Parrish – Hip Hop Be Bop (Dub) – Bustin’ Out 1982: New Wave to New Beat Vol. 2
Ministry – Just Like You – Twitch
Phuture (DJ Pierre) – Acid Tracks – Acid Tracks 12”
Visage – Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix) – Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix) 12”
Underground Resistance – Jupiter Jazz – World 2 World 12”
Fad Gadget – State of the Nation – Fireside Favourites
Rema Rema – Rema Rema – Wheel In The Roses
23 Skidoo – IY – Seven Songs
Mark Stewart – Lee Skratch Perry (Alpha Adrian Sherwood and Peter Harris Mix) – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. Nun Gun – Outlaw Empire (Adrian Sherwood Dub Mix) – VS.
Pansonic – Koilinen – Clicks_+_Cuts Volume 1
African Head Charge – Primal One Drop – My Life in a Hole in the Ground
Mark Stewart feat. Pansonic, Ye Gods – Cursed Child – VS.
Zeni Geva – Terminal Hz – Maximum Implosion Disc 1 (Nai Ha/Superunit)
Mark Stewart feat. KK Null – New Error – VS.
Minutemen – D’s Car Jam/Anxious Mo-Fo – Double Nickels on the Dime
Mark Stewart feat. KK Null, Mike Watt – All My Senses – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. Front 242 – Rage of Angels – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. Consolidated – The Last Enemy (Mark Stewart Black Mix) – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. Mallinder Random – Cast No Shadow (Leather Strip Mix) – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. E Random – Ghost of Love – VS.
Mark Stewart feat. Ye Gods – “?” – VS.
Master Musicians of Joujouka – Take Me With You Darling, Take Me With You – Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka
Mark Stewart – Hypnotized – As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade
Mark Stewart + Maffia – Don’t You Ever Lay Down Your Arms – Learning to Cope With Cowardice
Subway Sect – Nobody’s Scared – Nobody’s Scared 7” Single
Penetration – Don’t Dictate – 7” Single
The Pop Group – Feed the Hungry – For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?
Mark Stewart – Anger is Holy – Mark Stewart
Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
The Slits – So Tough – The Peel Sessions
Gang of Four – Ether – Entertainment!
Mark Stewart – Stranger – Mark Stewart
Mark Stewart – These Things Happen – Pay it All Back Vol. 3 (On-U Sound Compilation)