Joe Pera isn’t someone with a musical background, but he plays one on TV. The incomparable actor and comedian is the star and namesake of Joe Pera Talks With You, an acclaimed Adult Swim series that focuses on the life and lessons of a soft-spoken and cordial middle school choir teacher in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Though the show’s topics—that touch on everything from bean arches to lighthouses to breakfast foods and everything in between—vary from episode to episode, music actually plays a surprisingly significant part in the series. On top of the main character’s occupation itself, songs have been specifically written for Joe Pera Talks With You, and one unforgettable episode even focuses entirely on a song by The Who.
Recently, during his press blitz leading up to the show’s Season 3 premiere on November 7, Pera spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about some of Joe Pera Talks With You‘s musical moments, what to expect from the new season, the experience of filming in Milwaukee and the U.P., and the work composer Ryan Dann and other crew members have done to add to the emotion and the absurdity of on-screen moments. Over the course of the conversation, Pera talked about bands he’s listening to now, recent concerts he’s attended, and the inspiration for the “Baba O’Riley” episode.
My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering and Lakefront Brewery. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. You can also listen to rebroadcasts of previous My First Band episodes on WMSE every Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers”) and Advance Base (“Your Dog”).