Stand-up comic Marc Maron is best known as the agreeably neurotic/TMI host of his insanely popular WTF podcast, as well as the star of his own IFC show, Maron. Fellow stand-ups are the most frequent WTF guests, though Maron often spends quality airtime with musicians—especially good musicians. A chat with Stephen Malkmus was a recent music-related gem, highlighted by Maron’s thoughtful, probing interview style that he usually reserves for the likes of Jimmy Walker and Yakov Smirnoff.
Which brings us to the part where Marc Maron played guitar on a new Trapper Schoepp & The Shades song. In the intro to his latest episode, Maron reveals that during a recent trip to Nashville, he was approached by Shades drummer Jon Phillip, bassist Tanner Schoepp, and manager Ben Perlstein. Much to Maron’s surprise/delight, the Milwaukee band took him up on a spur-of-the-moment offer to sit in on their recording session with producer Brendan Benson. Maron spent the day laying down a guitar track for a song, and was even paid a $100 session fee by a grateful Trapper. From Maron’s blog:
I also did a studio session while I’ll [sic] was there. Yeah, I am now officially a paid musician. I ran into a guy named Jon Phillip at a restaurant. He’s a fan and also the drummer for a band called Trapper Schoepp and the Shades. He was with Tanner Schoepp, the bass player, who is also into WTF. They said they were recording down the street. I asked if they needed me to play guitar on anything and THEY LET ME! I spent the day in a recording studio cutting a track. It was amazing. I had a blast. We did it at Brendan Benson’s studio and he was producing. They threw me a little cash afterward which I thought was a nice gesture because I just wanted to play. I hope I make the cut.
You can listen to Maron recount the story around the 7:00 mark of episode 498 (with guest RuPaul!) here.