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I feel like I should write something serious and important to introduce this podcast, like “this is the podcast I’ve waited three years to record” or “here’s a guy whose music has changed my life” or “man, that was a really hot studio the day we recorded this.” I’m probably better off saying that Pete Donnelly is the singer-bassist in The Figgs, the band I have seen more than any other in my life. And my love for them is only eclipsed by my love for Neil Young and The Beatles. So yeah, I was a bit nervous when Pete and I set up a time (Boxing Day!) to record this podcast. There really was no reason for me to be nervous, as I’ve been friends with Pete for over a decade now and have spent some quality (and not-so-quality) with him in a truck and a van traveling to gigs where I was selling merch and carrying gear for the band. No matter. I was still thinking I needed a beer before we spoke.

The reason Pete and I finally got together to record a podcast is his new solo album, When You Come Home. It was released in December (just in time to make the 2011 RT 20 Album list) and features such guests as late NRBQ drummer Tom Ardolino, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and Pete’s Figgs bandmate Mike Gent. In part one of the podcast we talk about why it was time to make a solo album, his upcoming six week residency at Milkboy Philadelphia and his stint in the new version of NRBQ. In part two (coming next Thursday) we’ll talk about plans for The Figgs 25th anniversary and five albums that changed his life.

And here’s a visual preview, the first single from When You Come Home, “Can’t Talk at All”: