Catch Up on the Made In America Series, Directed by Lance Bangs

Hells yes Danny Brown.

For the past few months, we've been traveling to cities across the States, interviewing local artists and bands and finding out about the places that made them. Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Tacocat, and LA Luz kicked off the Made In America series in Seattle, we got opinions on Denver from Tennis and even Tyler The Creator, checked out Hüsker Dü's old rehearsal space and talked to The Replacements and The Holdsteady in Minnesota.

For St. Louis Nelly was the only option; he told us to go to his favorite hood wing spot. We hopped in Project Pat's Escalade for a tour of Memphis, explored Athens with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Pylon, and Drive-By Truckers, saw Detroit through Danny Brown's eyes, and got a glimpse of Baltimore's DIY scene with Animal Collective, Dan Deacon, and Rye Rye. Philly was all about Santigold, Schoolly D, and Spank Rock, and Amanda Blank and then we ended in Los Angeles with Warren G, No Age, Ariel Pink, and more. Revisit all of the episodes over the long holiday weekend, just in time for Budweiser's Made in America Festival which takes place in Philly and Los Angeles this weekend.

Made In Seattle ft. Ben Gibbard, Sub-Pop, and Tacocat

On our first stop we head to Seattle to talk to Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie/The Postal Service, bubblegum punk pop quartet Tacocat, and spacey surf girls La Luz. Plus we have a snoop around the Sub Pop offices.

Made in Denver ft. Tennis & Big Gigantic

Noisey went to Denver, Colorado to hang out with beatmakers and identical twins Sherwin and Kendrick of Two Fresh. Big Gigantic took us to their favorite venue and then we had an argument about dreads. Meanwhile, plans to go bike riding with bliss-pop husband/wife duo Tennis were scuppered by a pesky tornado warning and subsequent evacuation. Robert Schneider, leader of psych-pop crew The Apples in Stereo, might be more commonly associated with the scene in Athens, Georgia, but Schneider is Denver-born, so his insights were also invaluable. Turns out even Tyler The Creator had an opinion or two about the city.

Made in Minnesota ft. The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, The Hold Steady, and Lizzo

We flew—with director Lance Bangs—to the twin cities of Minnesota: Minneapolis and St. Paul. In episode 3 of Made in America we talked to Tommy Stinson of The Replacements, Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü, Craig Finn from The Hold Steady (and you thought they were a Brooklyn band!), founding member of Babes in Toyland Lori Barbero, and rising rapper and Minneapolis livewire Lizzo. Crammed into this extended ep, we followed Bob down memory lane to his old Hüsker Dü rehearsal space, Craig took us on hunt for the hidden memorial bench for The Replacements' guitarist Bob Stinson, and Lizzo revealed her secret party beach. Obviously we couldn't go to this city without visiting First Avenue & 7th St. Entry—the historic venue that featured in Purple Rain—but what we didn't expect was to find a David Bowie tribute night thrown in aid of stray cats. Well, that's Minnesota for you.

Made In St. Louis ft. Nelly and Tef Poe

We headed over to St. Louis, Missouri, to find out what was up in the city most famous for spawning Nelly. Turns out hip-hop is still the city's most popular export. We hung out on a stoop with underground rappers Tef Poe and Nick Menn (of the Doorway Collective), hit up the city's best record store, and ate some hot-sauce slathered chicken with Shad and Tab of JGE Retro (teenage girls have been known to faint in their presence). And obviously we talked to Nelly, who among other topics, gave Noisey an education in women and how to correctly pronounce the word "everything." He continues to rep his hometown hard.

Made in Athens - Featuring Peter Buck of R.E.M., Pylon, Reptar and More

We spoke with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, joined Pylon's Michael Lachowski for a nosy round his home art studio, plus Dream Boat took us on a hike around Orange Twin Records Converservation Community—a kind of quasi-commune where artists can come live, create, live off the land, play shows, and hang out with goats on the outskirts of the town. We also talked to Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, Reptar, Andrew Reiger of Elf Power, Rob Schnieder of The Apples in Stereo, Five-Eight, and Shade. But what makes this episode doubly special is that director Lance Bangs used to live in Athens in the 80s and 90s. He was fully emersed in the music scene at the time, documenting gigs and parties and performance art pieces, so he's incorporated tons incredible live and candid archival footage here, alongside current interviews and shots from this year's music, art, and film festival, AthFest.

Made in Memphis - Featuring Project Pat, Big Star's Jody Stephens, and Ex-Cult

For this sixth episode of

Made In America - Made in Memphis

, we headed down to Tennessee with director Lance Bangs and promptly got in Project Pat's Escalade for an illuminating trip round his old hood. We also strolled round Stax, took a tour with Big Star's Jody Stephen's round Ardent and pondered the troubled genius of Alex Chilton, crashed The Nots recording sessions at Doug Easley's studios, hung out at Goner Records—responsible for Jay Reatard's early output—and talked to Chris of jittery, motorik art-punks Ex-Cult.

Made in Detroit ft. Danny Brown

Arguably one of the most vital and exciting artists to emerge from Detroit in recent years is Danny Brown. In this seventh episode of Made In America Danny discusses the mentality of local music fans and artists, and the formative effect the city's had on his own music. We also delve into the world of Detroit techno via dance legend Kevin Saunderson (of Inner City and one third of the Bellville Three), tracing the genre's lineage through to DJ/producer Carl Craig. Plus we crash post-punk band Protomartyr's basement rehearsal and talk to Derek from Turn to Crime/Awesome Color for an insight into the city's future.

Made in Baltimore ft. Animal Collective, Dan Deacon, and Rye Rye

As Dan Deacon points out in this eighth episode of Made In America, Baltimore is one of those cities that people and touring bands seems to pass over. Beyond the infamy the city garnered from The Wire and its most celebrated creative and fervent champion, director John Waters, Baltimore's music scene is surprisingly diverse, and thriving in pockets all over the city. They're doing what they want, exactly how they want: from Bmore club to avant electronica to hip-hop to indie rock and Vogue balls. Here we explore it's DIY scene via Animal Collective and Dan Deacon, talk Bmore beats with rising stars TT the Artist and Mighty Mark, and get a dance lesson from Rye Rye. Turns out rhythm is not our strong suit. Plus experimental electronica act Matmos provide insight into how the seemingly disparate scenes intersect and why.

Made in Philadelphia ft. Santigold, Spank Rock, and Schoolly D

Apart from talking extensively with Santi and Schoolly, in the ninth episode of Made in America, Made In Philadelphia, we catch up with RJD2 and DJ Diamond Kuts, trace the influence of the Hollertronix party scene—as started by Diplo and DJ Low Budget—while strolling the streets with Spank Rock and Amanda Blank (and a really mangy stray cat). Plus rising producer (and encyclopedic Philly music fan) Noah Breakfast gives us a glimpse into what it was like to really grow up on the Philly streets, trying to break into parties as an underage kid, face pressed up against the glass.

Made in LA ft. Warren G, Social Distortion, Warpaint, and Trash Talk

We met up with Warren G in Long Beach on the corner of 21st and Lewis—the scene of the "Regulate" video no less—Egyptian Lover demonstrated his 808 prowess, and joined Warpaint at home. Plus we spoke with Ariel Pink, Trash Talk, Sam Spiegel (NASA/Squeak E. Clean), Jennifer Heremma from Royal Trux/Black Bananas, and shot the shit with French transplant Soko. Phew! Elsewhere, Social Distortion singer Mike Ness, Alice Bag of The Bags, and David Yow (Scratch Acid/Jesus Lizard) discuss LA's punk scene, the DIY ethics of which continues to this day—just ask Randy from No Age and the volunteers behind all ages venue The Smell.

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