NEM#210: Matt Piucci (Rain Parade) Retires BACK to Music

Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

After Matt’s “paisley underground” band Rain Parade recorded two albums and an EP from ’83-’85, he was a member of Crazy Horse (taking the Neil Young guitar role in Neil’s absence), and released a few albums intermittently as he worked in law enforcement. Now that he has retired, he’s back devoting all his time to music, and Rain Parade has been touring and released its first album of the millennium.

We discuss the title track from this 2023 release, Last Rays of the Dying Sun, then the title track by the Hellenes’ I Love You All the Animals (2018), and “Blue” from Rain Parade’s Glass Palace EP (1984). Finally, we listen to “Reason for Living” from the self-titled album by Boatclub (2008). Intro: “What She’s Done to Your Mind” (a 1982 single). More at rainparade.bandcamp.com.

Hear all of “What She’s Done to Your Mind.” Matt refers to the Rain Parade classic “No Easy Way Down,” which in this live form represents the band at its most psychedelic. They’re still playing it in 2023. Watch Rain Parade live in 1985. Watch Matt live in 2011 playing two Rain Parade songs solo.

The single from the new album is “Angel Sister,” sung by Matt’s co-writer and bassist Steven Roback. Steven’s post Rain Parade project, to which Matt eventually became a contributor, was Viva Saturn.

Another song from the 2018 Hellenes album we mention is “So Depressed,” featuring Big Star elements including their drummer Jody Stephens. A very nice song from his 2000 solo debut (the album was called Hellenes) is “Understand.” Matt released an album in 1986 with my former guest Tim Lee as Gone Fishin’, which included this song Matt wrote called “Home.” Here’s a song Matt played lead guitar on by Crazy Horse in 1989.

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