Licorice Pizza — An AMA Hang with Kerry Brown
🎧 Building Community — An AMA Hang with Kerry Brown
By Joseph Perla, Founder & CEO of Hangout.fm
Missed the first post explaining what AMA Hangs are?
Read it here → Introducing AMA Hangs — Music + Conversation = Connection.
For our second AMA Hang we welcomed producer‑drummer‑label‑owner Kerry Brown. From early‑’90s Catherine fuzz‑tones that inspired Siamese Dream to reviving the legendary Licorice Pizza brand, Kerry brought stories, guitar‑pedal lore, and a stack of vinyl to spin.
AMA Hangs are live, music‑fueled conversations on Hangout.fm—part Q&A, part collaborative mixtape, part storytelling session. As we chat, we play tracks in real time, swap memories, invite audience questions, and share the stories behind the songs.
👥 Bios
Joseph Perla
Technologist and music‑industry innovator; founder of Turntable.fm and Hangout.fm.
Kerry Brown
Drummer‑turned‑producer (Catherine, The Smashing Pumpkins), co‑founder of Scratchie Records, owner of
Licorice Pizza Records & Pressing.
💬 What We Talked About
- College‑radio hustles & $50 overnight demos in Chicago
- Producing early Pumpkins tracks and lessons from Billy Corgan
- Why revive the Licorice Pizza name & how to run a pressing‑plant‑plus‑media‑company
- Advice for launching micro‑labels and marketing in one sentence
- Full‑circle moments recording Fleetwood Mac covers with Mick Fleetwood
🎤 Full Interview with Kerry Brown
👋 Warm‑Up & Greetings
Joseph: hey kerry!
Kerry: Hey Joseph!
Kerry: Hey Burdop – I don't hear any popping.
Kerry: Hey Frankie!
Kerry: Hey everybody!
🎸 First Track & Band Origins
Joseph: Tell us about your background and also why you are playing this Catherine song.
Kerry: This song is from my band Catherine.
🍿 Licorice Pizza Backstory
Joseph: And tell us all about Licorice Pizza; there's a movie that came out about it recently!
Kerry: This is a song I produced in the very early 90s—my band was called Catherine. We had three guitar players all running Big Muffs! Billy Corgan practiced in the same space, loved our tone, and used it on Siamese Dream.
Kerry: My background? I was a kid in SoCal hanging out at Licorice Pizza record stores. Never thought I’d own Licorice Pizza Records!
Kerry: Hey Joseph, I'm so happy to be here—this looks great.
Joseph: A dream come true growing up.
🎶 Deep Cuts & Demo Stories
Kerry: Speaking of Billy Corgan and the Pumpkins… this next song was a demo for Siamese Dream. It didn’t make the record, but it’s one of my favorite guitar tones.
Joseph: Tell us about your production background—how did you start in the music industry?
Kerry: There were 34 Licorice Pizzas in SoCal; I thought they were everywhere. At 15 I ran away and joined the rock‑and‑roll circus—loved playing live and recording.
Kerry: In 1986 I moved to Chicago, recorded bands overnight for $50, bought gear, built a bigger studio, became “the demo guy,” including the one you’re hearing now.
🎥 Film & Full‑Circle Moments
Joseph: (This is from the Licorice Pizza movie soundtrack.)
Kerry: Right—and the movie was written by Paul Thomas Anderson next door at Art’s Deli. He didn’t know the title would be Licorice Pizza yet. The cast hangs out here at the store!
Kerry: Gonna hit the vibe meter now!
Joseph: love this one.
Kerry: Wild story: we recorded it last‑minute in Chicago. Many people heard Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” first through this Pumpkins cover—including Gretchen Rhodes, Mick Fleetwood’s singer. I later produced Gretchen & Mick in Maui—full circle.
🐻 Lessons from Billy Corgan
Joseph: Best lesson you picked up from watching Billy Corgan work in the studio?
Kerry: When they’re on, they’re on! Also: people can have different body temperatures—there’s a photo of Billy in a fur coat while I’m shirtless.
🥁 Session Stories: “Blew Away” & “Starla”
Joseph: You played drums on “Blew Away” and produced “Starla.” How did those sessions stretch you?
Kerry: “Blew Away” was hard—James Iha’s demo had drum‑machine fills he wanted played exactly. “Starla” was tracked & mixed in one day with live takes—sometimes speed is magic.
🎸 Founding Catherine vs. Joining
Joseph: Back to Catherine—what convinced you to start the band instead of joining one?
Kerry: Ah shit! Good choice! One of my favorites to produce & drum on. Guitar solo inspired by Aerosmith. It’s in the first Scream movie—scene outside the high school. Wes Craven’s son directed the video. Here comes the solo!
🥁 First Instrument Obsession
Joseph: First instrument you obsessed over—and how did you get it?
Kerry: Drums. “Santa Claus” brought my first kit when I was 4. My brother got a bass the same year.
💿 Vinyl Revival & Pressing
Kerry: Speaking of the ’90s—Licorice Pizza just released the 30th‑anniversary vinyl of L7’s Bricks Are Heavy.
Joseph: Vinyl is back—my kids love it.
Kerry: You can grab it at licoricepizzastore.com. Produced by Butch Vig, remastered with Howie Weinberg. We also own pressing plants in Miami & LA.
🏷 Why Revive Licorice Pizza
Joseph: You could’ve started a brand‑new label—why revive Licorice Pizza?
Kerry: Full circle. Jimmy Greenwood founded it in 1968 as a clubhouse for freaks & geeks. That communal space is missing today—it’s in my DNA.
📈 Advice for Micro‑Labels
Joseph: If you were mentoring a kid launching a micro‑label tomorrow, what’s step one?
Kerry: Understand your art and market yourself. 50 % business, 50 % art, 100 % authentic.
Kerry: One‑sentence branding is key. Also: your audience isn’t just on Instagram—hit every platform and point to a central hub.
🎧 Building Hangout & Community
Kerry: Question for you—what got you into building Hangout?
Joseph: COVID in Berlin—clubs closed, DJs sad. Nothing like Turntable.fm existed. We crowdfunded Hangout; licensing took time but the need for community is bigger than ever.
Kerry: Amazing!
Kerry: Can I upload my own music here?
Joseph: Yes—uploads are part of our deals. Chris will set you up.
Kerry: Next time let’s host listening parties for our new artists!
🍭 Pinball, Licorice & In‑Store Vibes
Joseph: Tell me about the free‑play pinball machine & bucket of licorice.
Kerry: The original stores gave free licorice—so do we. The pinball machine? I took it as payment for a job from a guy who had no cash.
Kerry: We host in‑stores, listening parties, vinyl workshops—building community.
🌱 Advice to Young Kerry
Joseph: If you could send one piece of advice to 25‑year‑old Kerry—fresh off the bus in Chicago—what would it be?
Kerry: Don’t give up. I tell 61‑year‑old Kerry that every day too.
🌟 Dream Collaborations & Farewell
Joseph: Any dream collabs you haven’t had… yet?
Kerry: I feel blessed to have worked with so many—you never know what’s next.
Kerry: This final song—I played drums on it and produced it. You’re taking me in the way‑back machine, Joseph!
Joseph: That’s what music does—that’s why we do this.
Kerry: Who’s jumping up next to DJ? I just “Blew Away”! That was so fun—thank you everyone.
Joseph: Biggest crowd we’ve had in a while—thank you!
Kerry: Follow our socials for upcoming events and giveaways. See you next time!
🎶 Kerry’s Playlist + Liner Notes
Each track came with a story, a lesson, or a full‑circle moment. Here’s what Kerry played, and why:
1. Catherine — “Idiot”
Kerry: Big‑Muff wall of guitars that caught Billy Corgan’s ear.
2. The Smashing Pumpkins — “Plume”
Kerry: Early demo for Siamese Dream; one of my favorite tones.
3. Blood, Sweat & Tears — “Lisa, Listen to Me”
Kerry: A Licorice Pizza shop favorite from my teen years.
4. The Smashing Pumpkins — “Landslide”
Kerry: Many first heard the Fleetwood Mac classic through this cover.
5. Gretchen Rhodes — “Black Magic Woman” (feat. Mick Fleetwood)
Kerry: Recorded live on Maui—full circle with Mick on drums.
6. Catherine — “Whisper”
Kerry: ’90s alt‑rock gem, featured on the first Scream soundtrack.
7. L7 — “Pretend We’re Dead”
Kerry: 30th‑anniversary reissue pressed at Licorice Pizza.
8. The Smashing Pumpkins — “Starla”
Kerry: Recorded & mixed in one day—epic fan favorite.
9. Ferry Townes — “More Than You Deserved”
Kerry: Mixed & pressed by Licorice Pizza; rising singer‑songwriter.
10. Midnight Cowgirls — “Giddy Up”
Kerry: Vinyl‑first release model—one single on streaming, album on wax.
11. Kelsy Karter & The Heroines — “Daughter of the Night”
Kerry: New LP artist, selling vinyl night after night on tour.
12. ILLENIUM × Dabin × Lights — “Hearts on Fire”
Kerry: Crowd request for Lights’ EDM feature—pure energy.
13. The Smashing Pumpkins — “Blew Away”
Kerry: James Iha song; I drummed exactly like the original drum‑machine demo.
🚀 What’s Next
More AMA Hangs are on deck with artists, founders, and tastemakers.
Want to be a guest? DM me on X or visit Hangout.fm. Let’s keep the clubhouse vibe alive—free licorice, pinball, and head‑bobbing encouraged.
Big thanks to Kerry for the stories, the wisdom, and one unforgettable playlist. See you at the next Hang! 🎸