Ep505: Desolë and Reunions: Umlaut's New Album and Mr Bungle Memories
The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
Nate Goyer
4.7 • 579 Ratings
🗓️ 7 July 2025
⏱️ 105 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Melbourne band Umlaut discuss their upcoming heartbreak-themed album "Desolë", inspirations and reflections on Mr Bungle memories and performances.
Topics Include:
- Vinyl Guide podcast video episode with Melbourne band Umlaut
- Band members: Bär McKinnon, Shane, Angus, Danny introduced
- New album "Desolë" coming out July 25th/21st
- "Desolë" means "sorry" in French, originally song title
- Track became album title after Angus suggested it
- Album themes center around heartbreak and personal material
- Bär moved toward more earnest songwriting recently
- Danny wrote some lyrics, band becoming more collaborative
- Bär describes creative process while driving, cycling melodies
- Recording these personal songs felt embarrassing for Bär
- Songs existed for some time before band recorded
- Bär historically very controlling, now trying to relinquish
- Most songs originated with Bär, others contributed sections
- Danny brings different drumming ideas than just copying
- Peter Jackson Beatles documentary inspired collaborative approach
- Final track created spontaneously in rehearsal room
- Bär and Danny worked together 25 years ago
- Different now because they're actually playing together
- Previously recorded separately, rarely rehearsed together
- More open to other ideas and input now
- "Vinny" track completely transformed from Bär's original demo
- Band has revolving door history with members
- Current quartet setup works well for these songs
- All members play multiple instruments during live shows
- Mr. Bungle 2024 Melbourne show at Festival Hall happened
- Only had 12 minutes to work out songs
- Performed "Travolta" with Danny and Bär rejoining
- Teased "Carry Stress in the Jaw" then stopped
- Angus sang backing vocals on Travolta performance
- Security almost didn't let them on stage
- Bär wore boiler suit and scarface shirt
- Extended saxophone solo during the performance
- Considered doing secret sideshow but didn't happen
- Recent health issues caused tour cancellations in October
- Danny considered quitting drumming due to physical concerns
- Band refused to play without Danny
- Health issues resolved, Danny can play again
- Cold Sore is cover of unreleased Mr. Bungle song
- Unreleased Bungle recordings exist on two-inch tape
- Album took about year and half to complete
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Vinyl Guide, the podcast for record collectors and music nerds. |
| 0:10.1 | Here's your host, the biggest record nerd of them all, Nate Goyer. |
| 0:13.4 | Ah, well, look at you all. |
| 0:15.1 | Great to see you guys here. |
| 0:17.1 | This is Nate. |
| 0:19.4 | Welcome to episode 505 of the Vinyl Guide, the podcast for record collectors and music nerds. |
| 0:27.3 | And everyone, I'm back. |
| 0:29.1 | It's July. |
| 0:30.2 | I'm exhausted, but wow, what a month of June. |
| 0:34.1 | As you may know, we had five episode 500s in June, starting with Mr. Billy Corrigan, |
| 0:42.6 | smashing pumpkins, then Billy F. Gibbons, you know from Zizi Top. |
| 0:46.9 | Then Brett Gerwitz of Epitaph Records and Bad Religion. |
| 0:50.8 | Then Fred Schneider of the B-52s, and we wrapped it up with our final episode 500, |
| 0:56.5 | featuring photographer Ed Culver. |
| 0:59.0 | And the response has been just so great. |
| 1:01.0 | Thank you, everyone who's been listening and joining in on the fun. |
| 1:05.0 | I also sent out like 30-something packages of records. |
| 1:08.3 | So they're landing. |
| 1:09.8 | I know people are posting them on Instagram. So thank you |
| 1:13.0 | everyone, everyone who helped make the episode 500 event happen and make it awesome. It was a lot. |
| 1:22.5 | I'm pretty tired. I don't think I'll put that kind of pressure on myself for episode 600, but who knows? |
| 1:28.7 | I just maybe need a breather here. I'm a bit of a maniac. Knowing me, I'll probably get right |
... |
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