MUSIC is not a GENRE
MUSIC is not a GENRE goes beyond music critique, opinion, and gimmicks to get at the heart of music & how it connects to the world - from the perspective of a TRUE MUSIC INSIDER. Every kind of music is discussed and connected to cultural, social & political issues in unexpected ways. It challenges music lovers to think as if THERE IS NO BOX AT ALL. No music can be confined to a genre. And music itself can't be separated from the rest of the world. SUPPORT MxG @ patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE Nick DeMatteo is a singer/songwriter/producer for the band REC ...
S7 E24 · Mon, April 28, 2025
Jass Bianchi - Interview Edition #43 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 24
I spend an hour with serial entrepreneur Jass Bianchi. She's an award-winning rapper, songwriter, music industry educator, and career coach. She's also CEO of the creative marketing agency, COLOR IN SOUND, and coach at GROW WITH JASS. We talk about her life & career, in both the arts and business. And stay to the end to hear the FEATURED SONG: Jass Bianchi (feat. Tal Heller) - "Say No More" More about Jass: Grow With Jass Color In Sound (Agency) Official Website YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Jass's human rights & mental health advocacy ~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, April 21, 2025
A Hip Hop Recording Session | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's ANOTHER gift BONUS MxTRA episode. It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for two reasons. ONE - so you know what awesome bonuses you get if you join Patreon (link above). TWO - MxG Daddy needs a break this week! This one is a walkthrough of a hip hop recording session. It was the bonus for a Season 6 episode on the history of hip hop production. I go through various clips, explaining why I did what I did, and then play the whole song. To SEE the session, go here: VIDEO VERSION OF THIS EPISODE If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy!
S7 E23 · Mon, April 14, 2025
Steely Dan - From UGH to HUG | MxG - Season 7 Episode 23
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG The Drop – “Flunky Fesh” (from LONG HELD GRUDGES ) This season has been a real stretching experience (country & Christian pop music?!?), and it continues with my take on smooth jazz pop icons Steely Dan. They were the dominant antidote to rock music in the 1970s. Some might say they pioneered yacht rock (insert comment here). They’re back in vogue with the younger generations, and I don’t know why. I explore their history, the music, why they’ve been love/hate anti-rebels since they started, why people are into them now, and why they ever were. And I sort through ALL of my hugs and ughs. Are you a fan of the Dan? Do you just know the hits? Can you not stand them? Do you think they deserve a place in the pantheon of great 1970s artists? And why do you think they’re so popular again? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The best songs that sampled Steely Dan ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Tue, April 08, 2025
New Song Coaching Service!
SONG COACHING I'm starting a new song coaching service! I have decades of writing and producing hundreds of songs for dozens of artists in dozens of genres, and I'd love for you to be one of those artists. I work with you at whatever part of the process you’re in, and take you as far as you’d like to go. Have a vague idea, one line, a few chords, half a song, a full song that needs shaping, a song you already love & want recorded, I meet you where you are and help you realize YOUR vision for YOUR song, from conception to recording & even distribution, or any stop in between. My rates are simple. Pay for as much or as little time as you want, and I also have discounted package deals. Check out the details on my song coaching page (nickdematteo.com/songcoaching). And then if you’d like to hire me as your song coach, or if you aren’t sure & have more questions, send me a message either way and let’s get started! SONG COACHING
S7 E22 · Mon, April 07, 2025
Laura Sawosko - Interview Edition #42 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 22
I spend about an hour with Nashville singer/songwriter Laura Sawosko. Her sixth album, Not What I Do , comes out on April 18. We get into her career - including her big move to Nashville, how she interprets the idea that music is not a genre, and what moves her as a music creator. We also talk about her overcoming a paralyzed vocal cord, and how that's influenced her sound. And stay to the end to hear the FEATURED SONG: Laura Sawosko - "Not What I Do" More on Laura Sawosko See the "Rhinestones for Pearls" video! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Laura's 49-year-old family restaurant! ~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E21 · Mon, March 31, 2025
Meat on Music – A Complete History | MxG - Season 7 Episode 21
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Guest host Meat gives his take on the complete history of music. Plus a bit of his recipe for cacio e pepe. Passion beats precision any day of the week. No questions asked. None answered. Stay silent, dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Meat's Famous Balls ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E20 · Mon, March 24, 2025
Don Cusic - Interview Edition #41 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 20
I spend about an hour with writer, historian and professor Don Cusic. He's the author of over 30 books, including his upcoming biography of Chet Atkins, and teaches "History of the Recording Industry" at Belmont University. We get into country music, music history in general, and the business of music. More on Don Cusic Check out Don's Books! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Don wrote a musical about Minnie Pearl! ~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, March 17, 2025
THE TRUTH ABOUT VINYL | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's a surprise gift BONUS MxTRA episode. It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for two reasons. ONE - so you know what awesome bonuses you get if you join Patreon (link above). TWO - MxG Daddy needs a break this week! This one is tells the truth about vinyl. Yes, we all like to romanticize it. But is the audio quality really better than digital or CDs or cassettes? I lay down the cold, hard facts, and weigh in on my favorite music listening formats. If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy!
S7 E19 · Mon, March 10, 2025
Qais "Q" Masri - Interview Edition #40 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 19
I spend way too little time with Qais "Q" Masri, founder of Q Music Co., author of Press Play on Your Music Career , and a teacher at Music Production for Women (MPW). We talk about his business, his book, his intense passion for music and marketing, and what it takes to release your music properly. Q Music Co. Q's coaching Press Play on Your Music Career Music Production for Women BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: talking shop with Q on REC's new single ~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E18 · Mon, March 03, 2025
Say it LOUD - The History of Protest Music | MxG - Season 7 Episode 18
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Listen You People” (from the album LISTEN YOU PEOPLE ) Protest music has been around far longer than the 1960s, far earlier than America’s history of slavery, and far beyond even the history of the USA. Some might say that protest music has been around as long as people have lived in groups and put words to melodies. Every era has its own versions of protest music – including right now, and all of them are vital. I go through protest music’s long history, its multiple reasons for being, whether or not it’s effective in bringing about change, and how it relates to today’s sociopolitical climate. Are you a fan of protest music? If so, which songs and from which eras? Do you think protest music does anything beyond giving people a voice? Or do you think politics and social issues should stay out of music? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Do artists have a responsibility to speak out? ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E17 · Mon, February 24, 2025
Good LORD People! - The History of Christian Music | MxG - Season 7 Episode 17
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Higher Ground Again” (from the unreleased demo, BLACK-EYED SUSAN ) Christian music has a loooooooooooooong history, likely as old as the religion itself. But it’s only been in the last 70 years or so that Christian music entered pop culture. Since then, it’s been a wildly successful sect of popular music that encompasses a growing number of subgenres, from rock to country to hip hop and beyond. I kneel down and get serious about this often precisely understood form of music, starting with the ancient prehistory, its birthing into the modern music world, its growth and expansion, and even reveal some artists you had no idea were doing Christian music. And I decide once and for all if it’s any good. Are you a fan of Christian music? If so, what kind and which artists? Do you like when popular music gets religious? Or would you rather those worlds remain separate? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Mainstream artists who were actually Christian ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E16 · Mon, February 17, 2025
An Hour with Ralph Tashjian - Interview Edition #39 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 16
I spend an hour with music industry veteran Ralph Tashjian, Founder and Chairman of Intercept Music. We talk about the industry past and present, some of his incredible experiences, the impressive roster of artists he's worked with, what Intercept music does, and what YOU can do as an artist to be ready for success. Intercept Music Intercept on Instagram ~~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E15 · Mon, February 10, 2025
KITE TO CAMDEN: The SONGS! – featuring Cathryn Lynne | MxG Season 7 Episode 15
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ LISTEN TO THE ALBUM REC – Kite to Camden Cathryn Lynne is back! She and I get granular with REC’s epic new album, Kite to Camden. We dig into all 14 tracks. Lots of insight, backstories, musical breakdowns, clips from every song, and yet another appearance by our dog, Olga. Have you heard the album yet? Do any of our revelations surprise you? Do you have different interpretations of the songs? What are your favorite tracks? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: Listen to the KTC ONE-SHOT – all 14 tracks sequenced together in one 54-minute wav file! ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E14 · Mon, February 03, 2025
The Police: Brutally Briefly Brilliant – Book Talk #8 | MxG Season 7 Episode 14
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Sense Of” (from Listen You People ) Get Pete’s book: THE POLICE: EVERY ALBUM EVERY TRACK It’s rare that a band that existed for only a few years could have such a huge impact. Sure, the Beatles, but they’re the exception to almost every rule. So are the Police. The Police were together only nine years (not counting reunions), and released their five albums in just six years. Scant output, but those five albums quickly made them massive, and changed the world of music. I go into their history, discography, and band dynamics, and also discuss my good friend Pete Braidis’ recent book, THE POLICE: EVERY ALBUM EVERY TRACK. Were you a fan of the Police? Which era of theirs do you prefer? Did that fandom continue on to Sting’s solo career? How do you think they impacted music? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: I rank my 40 favorite Police songs ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E13 · Mon, January 27, 2025
Culture Club – Bringing the COLOUR | MxG Season 7 Episode 13
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Scroll Out” (from Sympathy for the Weird ) Culture Club in the 1980s was both very of its time and head of the times. In many ways, they created much of the 1980s aesthetic, both in music and fashion. They also brought forth cultural issues, a musical amalgam, and an overall mode of expression that were far ahead of the times. I go through their history and discography, with special focus on their second album, COLOUR BY NUMBERS, as per Patreon supporter Amelia Ray’s request. Were you a Culture Club fan? Do you feel their cultural impact was as significant as their music? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: a remix mash-up of “Church of the Poison Mind” and Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, January 20, 2025
PODFAST #25 - The PARALLEL WORLDS of Philly and New Orleans | MxG BONUS EPISODE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Deal” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) In this 25th PODFAST, I get personal. Longtime fans might be aware that I’m from Philadelphia, and while I’ve been a New Yorker for a couple of decades, Philly is still my favorite city. My third favorite city in the US is New Orleans, which as a musician and music lover makes a ton of sense. A few years ago, I started noticing a bunch of connections between those two cities. Inspired by watching this year’s Mummer’s Parade (look it up), I decided to finally flesh out these parallel worlds, in music and beyond. Are familiar at all with either city? Are they among your favorites? Do these connections ring true to you? Are there other connections I missed? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S7 E12 · Mon, January 13, 2025
What Kind of COUNTRY MUSIC Do I Even LIKE?? | MxG Season 7 Episode 12
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Here’s Your Hat, What’s Your Hurry?” (from the unreleased country demo co-produced by Mike Farber) Loyal fans of this podcast might be aware that I’m not a huge fan of country music. But some of it I do like, and I’m willing to bet there’s more I haven’t yet heard that I’d also be into. In the true spirit of MxG, I’m dedicating this entire episode to country music – the origins, a decade by decade history, and as many subgenres as I can tackle. Along the way we might both discover some great artists and songs. What’s your relationship with country music? Are you a huge fan? Do you like some things here and there? Or do you hate all of it? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The longest running country music act in history ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E11 · Mon, January 06, 2025
The FREEWHEELING CATCH-UP MACHINE #9 – YOU are the GIFT | MxG Season 7 Episode 11
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Me Happy” (from Kite to Camden ) Life is weird and uncomfortable, full of acres of disappointment strewn with moments of pure fun, love and joy. I’m working to have more gratitude for the good things, because MOST things are good or at least working. That includes YOU. You have consistently engaged with this show, regardless of the madness going on behind the scenes. You have supported me time and again, despite my moaning. I can’t thank you enough. This ninth catch-up episode is dedicated to you. Did I mention you? Did I miss something? What topics would you like me to cover in 2025? Discuss dammit! REC on YouTube ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, December 30, 2024
MxG REPLAY - Non-Christmas Holiday Music
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED MUSIC: Nick's Holiday Playlist Enjoy this MxG REPLAY from the 2023 holiday season, and enjoy your holidays too! We hear non-Christmas holiday music all the time – such as non-denominational winter songs like “Let It Snow”. And there other song collections specific to holidays celebrated by fewer people, though no less cherished & important. There’s about a 100% chance I’m missing some songs, and possibly even some holidays. What do you think I should have included? And is any of this music as special to you as Christmas music? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
Bonus · Mon, December 23, 2024
PODFAST #24 - The BEST HOLIDAY SONG ... and the WORST | MxG BONUS EPISODE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED PLAYLIST NICK'S HOLIDAY MIX Okay so I lied. THIS is the holiday PODFAST for 2024. When I make ranked lists, I often qualify them by saying the numbers are arbitrary and ever shifting. NOT THIS TIME. In fact, for this episode, I don’t need a list at all. I’m going to name the single BEST holiday song – the one that holds up the best, and which seemingly any artist can cover well and not ever ruin. I’ll also name the absolute WORST one, which no artist can bring to life in a way that overcomes its rudimentary composition and plodding pace. Do you agree with my choices? What holiday songs would you nominate as best? Which ones can you just not stand? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S7 E10 · Mon, December 16, 2024
The Amalgam Effect – Musicians Who Consistently Defy Genre | MxG Season 7 Episode 10
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Almost Everything About You” (from Kite to Camden ) What is the amalgam effect ? There are artists whose influences come from multiple sources. Those artists are always listening to something new, or something old they’ve never heard before. They’re insatiable. That hunger shows up in their music, which blends all kinds of sounds and styles into several genres and/or one new genre that defines their career. I talk about this effect, many of those artists, and the difference between them and artists who generally stay in one or two lanes. I also talk about how both staying to strictly in one lane, OR veering into a whole new genre disingenuously, are often what derails an artist’s career, and I mention some of those artists. What artists can you think of who do an amalgam of sound? Do you agree with my picks? Who did I miss? Do you prefer these kinds of artists, or ones who do one thing very well? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: I break down the influences of The Beatles and Prince ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, December 09, 2024
PODFAST #23 - Ambient Music – From Ahhhh to Zzzzzz | MxG BONUS EPISODE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Sunburn” (from THE SUNSHINE SEMINAR) https://www.nickdematteo.com/recthesunshineseminar This is sort of a holiday PODFAST for 2024. We could all use a little relaxation, and what better sound to have on in the background than ambient music. I get into the precursors, the origins, the history, the genres and subgenres. Some of it keeps you engaged by its subtle variation. Some of it lulls you into relaxation or even sleep – by design or by accident. Are you into ambient music of any kind? What’s your favorite? Does some work for you while other kinds get on your nerves? Or do you find it all too slow and dull? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S7 E9 · Mon, December 02, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 8: The 2020s and the Next Big Shift | MxG Season 7 Episode 9
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Way Too Rough” (from the epic new album, Kite to Camden ) In the final part of my albums series, I review what’s been going on this decade, and look ahead to what’s next. Pop music has been dominant for years, and the same has held true for the 2020s. But as we’re about to enter the back half of this decade, changes are coming. Voices are returning to the dynamic range of the 2000s and early 2010s. Rock music is starting to bubble under like it did in the late 1990s. The sound of the 2020s is finally starting to take shape, and is bringing with it a new interest in albums as distinct works of art. Because this episode takes us to 2024, it will also include the best albums of this year, as well as my favorites. What have been your favorite albums of the 2020s so far? Do you feel like music is as strong and diverse as it’s ever been, or are you done with it? What do you see coming in the second half of this decade? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: My favorite albums of 2024 ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E8 · Mon, November 25, 2024
BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 5: The Realest Fake Bands | MxG Season 7 Episode 8
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG Pescelet - "Mind Repuljon" (from the album, IT WASN'T ME ! ) In ROUND 5 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I talk about fake music artists. So many have been created for film, TV and beyond. And while most of them don’t measure up to the real thing, some do, and a few have even transcended their original medium to become stars in their ow right. We also get into how AI has affected the creation of fake artists and fake music over the last 10-20 years. What fake bands or artists do you remember being better than expected? Do you like when a show or movie inserts a fake band into the story? Or do you find most of them to be pale imitations? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E7 · Mon, November 18, 2024
The KITE TO CAMDEN Interview! - Featuring Cathryn Lynne | MxG Season 7 Episode 7
GET REC's NEW ALBUM! KITE TO CAMDEN on Bandcamp KITE TO CAMDEN - THE ONE-SHOT on Patreon ~~~~ FEATURED SONG: REC – “Eat Salvation” (from KITE TO CAMDEN ) My band REC’s album, KITE TO CAMDEN , dropped on November 8. To celebrate that, Cathryn Lynne interviewed me. She asked me all about KTC – where it came from, why I made it the way I did, what it means, and where it’s going next. The interview features song clips from the album, gets into why it’s called KITE TO CAMDEN, and tells you exactly how you should listen to it for maximum effect. Have you heard the album yet? Is there something we didn’t cover in this interview? What do you want to know? And how much did our dog Olga figure into this conversation? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The OTHER interview about the OTHER UNIVERSE ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, November 11, 2024
MxG SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - REC's new album is HERE!
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you a VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. REC's new album, KITE TO CAMDEN, is here! You can hear it ONLY on Bandcamp and Patreon. KTC ON BANDCAMP KTC ON PATREON Electro. Pop. Rock. Hip hop. Funk. Ambient. Straight-ahead-ness. Weirdness. All seamlessly sequenced. BEST EXPERIENCE? Listen non-stop. ALT EXPERIENCE? Check the track listing and start with whatever title piques your interest. TRACKS: 1. Linear A (five12four) 2. Linear B (otherside) 3. allcaps 4. All On Me 5. Almost Everything About You 6. Way Too Rough 7. Rhythm 77 8. Porch Step 9. Song OK 10. Twist My Kite 11. Eat Salvation 12. You Know You're Right 13. Me Happy 14. The Mad Philosopher ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" https://recarea.bandcamp.com/track/wake-up-high ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S7 E6 · Mon, November 04, 2024
An Hour with Alex Gadd - Interview Edition #38 | MxG - Season 7 Episode 6
I spend an hour with Music Podcaster and Customer Experience Professional Alex Gadd. He's the host of The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast, and a musician in his own right. He also has a book coming out in the spring of 2025 about the signature songs of the top bands from the classic rock era. For more about Alex: The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast on YouTube Instagram Facebook TikTok BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Did Alex write and co-produce the movie Road House 2? ~~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E5 · Mon, October 28, 2024
Ear Glamor - AUDIOPHILES Kinda Suck (MUSIC is EVERYTHING #34) | MxG Season 7 Episode 5
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC - "The Mad Philosopher" (from the album, KITE TO CAMDEN, dropping November 8) In the 34th installment of my highly opinionated subseries, MUSIC is EVERYTHING , I dissect audiophiles. While there are clear benefits to listening to and creating music with optimal production values, in the “best” format, on a top-notch system, and in an ideal setting, there are also clear downsides that disrespect the experience of music – and even the music itself. I break all this down from both the listener and creator sides. Are you an audiophile? If so, are you able to enjoy music that doesn’t meet your standards? If not, does it bother you at all when music doesn’t sound as good as it could? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The TRUTH about VINYL ~~~ *intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E4 · Mon, October 21, 2024
Oasis - POSITIVELYMAYBEDEFINITELY Great or At Least Pretty Good | MxG Season 7 Episode 4
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “One Minute Shy of Forever” (from WHAT IT IS ) Oasis is reuniting. The response has been 100% ‘90s. Yay. Whatever. They were great. They were overrated. I’m ready to set the record straight. I go through their music album by album, and talk about what their actual place in history is, including how they spearheaded the THIRD British Invasion, one the record books seem to have overlooked. Are you an Oasis fan? Did you think they were as great as people (and they themselves) claimed to be? What do you think about their reunion? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: There were actually FOUR BRITISH INVASIONS ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E3 · Mon, October 14, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 7.2: The 2010s – ?????????? | MxG Season 7 Episode 3
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Me You & Everyone” (from THE SUNSHINE SEMINAR ) We’re almost at the end! In Part 7.2 of my albums by decade series, I tackle the second half of the 2010s. The continued fracturing in and out of the music world was creating more diversity than ever. But the industry in general was shrinking. Far fewer albums were being released by record labels, and far more music was being posted everywhere online, making self-releases like mixtapes more influential than ever before. While the power to create and share was more than ever in the hands of artists, the power to succeed and make any kind of profit or living was diminishing rapidly. Things were great. Things were horrible. No one knew what the hell was going on. All those outer pressures of industry and format changes, and the inner pressures of artists having to rethink what it meant to release music people would actually hear and to somehow make any money on it, meant that the concept of “album” was being deconstructed and somewhat reformed. What were your favorite albums of the second half of the 2010s? Were you still listening to full albums at that point? Did you have any idea how chaotic things were becoming? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: How businesses, artists and fans can help musicians earn more ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E2 · Mon, October 07, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 7.1: The 2010s – Last Gasps | MxG Season 7 Episode 2
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG The Drop – “Rocket Trip, Man” (from LONG HELD GRUDGES and the soundtrack to the motion picture, DEALeR ) In Part 7.1 of my albums by decade series, I tackle the first half of the 2010s. Physical sales had already started dropping in the 2000s. By the mid 2010s, all physical formats were well under half the market share of digital and streaming, and it was only the beginning. We might forget, though, that until later in the decade, physical sales were still a force. Despite the 2000s being seen as the turning point from physical to digital, it’s really the 2010s where the changeover happened. As it did, the definition of what an album is started to change as well, with packaging and sequence becoming far less important than singles and whatever would get music to sell online. What were your favorite albums of the first half of the 2010s? Do you think albums still had cultural influence? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: How the physical/digital crossover left musicians behind ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S7 E1 · Mon, September 30, 2024
Hey A$$HOLES: MUSIC is not a GENERATION Either (MUSIC is EVERYTHING #33) | MxG Season 7 Episode 1
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch Donate to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC - "You Know You're Right" (unreleased, from the upcoming album, KITE TO CAMDEN ) When I encounter a critic, podcaster, musician or fan who acts like they’re the authority, like their opinion is law, I kinda go ballistic. You already know I believe discriminating based on genre is at best personal bias, and at worst thinly veiled social prejudice. This Season 7 debut episode will go into how generational bias may be the worst bias of all. I’ll also preview some of this year’s topics, and what else might be in store. Whether you believe all music from all eras has about the same mix of quality, regardless of your preferences, or you think today’s music sucks compared to some made-up golden era you wish you were still in, this episode is for you. I’m ready for the love. And I’m ready for a fight. Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: I NAME NAMES ~~~ *intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Trailer · Fri, September 27, 2024
Welcome to MUSIC is not a GENRE
If you're new to MUSIC is not a GENRE, this intro will explain it all. Please consider supporting MxG . This podcasts exists only because of generous listeners & supporters like you. MxG on Patreon Subscribe to MxG on YouTube Official Website of Nick DeMatteo And here's where you can find the music that inspired my creation of MxG , from my band REC: REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube
Bonus · Mon, September 09, 2024
The History of Zines | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Here's the final gift BONUS MxTRA episode. This one is on the history of zines. Paper or digital, they've been around for almost a century. They've covered just about everything, and music of all kinds has been a huge part of that. If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy! ~~~
Bonus · Mon, September 02, 2024
The History of the Digital Music Format | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Here's the third of four gift episodes I call the BONUS MxTRAs. This one is on the history of the digital music format. Once again, it's a MUCH LONGER history than anyone could guess. If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy! ~~~
Bonus · Mon, August 26, 2024
The Women of 1990s Music | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Here's the second of four gift episodes I call the BONUS MxTRAs. This one is all about the women of 1990s music, in every genre. It's arguably the decade when women broke from the pack, and began their ascent to the domination they've achieved in the last ten years. If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy! ~~~
Bonus · Mon, August 19, 2024
The History of Cassettes | BONUS MxTRA PATREON EXCLUSIVE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ With Season 6 over, and a hopeful Season 7 in prep, I'm gifting first of four BONUS MxTRA episodes. This one is all about the history of the cassette, and goes back way farther in history than you could ever guess. If you like these BONS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 30+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon . Enjoy! ~~~
S6 E36 · Mon, August 12, 2024
The FREEWHEELING CATCH-UP MACHINE #8 – LIVE CHAT with YOU | MxG - Season 6 Episode 36
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Season 6 FINALE - The FREEWHEELING CATCH-UP MACHINE #8 – LIVE CHAT with YOU This is the final episode of Season 6, and it’s all about YOU. In fact this time, YOU are actually THERE. I catch up with fan comments LIVE with some actual fans and show contributors, and close with a real-time conversation. Were you one of those commenters? Would you be up for joining in the discussion next time? What do you want to see for Season 7? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E35 · Mon, August 05, 2024
Can BAD PEOPLE Make GOOD THINGS? – MUSIC is EVERYTHING #32 | MxG Season 6 Episode 35
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG The Drop feat. Nick DeMatteo – “Ponmela” (Voltio cover - from IT WASN’T ME ! ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In this penultimate Season 6 episode, I swim around in a topic I’ve been reluctant to get back to: people who have created amazing and often iconic work, yet whose behavior and/or beliefs make them reprehensible to one degree or another. I lay out the premise, and then use musicians and others as examples to further discuss. And, unlike in my Michael Jackson episode, this time around I come to some very concrete conclusions. What’s your take on all this? We’ve all consumed works by heinous people. Which of those do you still appreciate? Which if any have you shunned? Do you think it’s possible to respect a person’s work without respecting them? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Responding to your comments (coming soon) ~~~ *intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" https://recarea.bandcamp.com/track/in-your-dreams-tonight-remastered-2022 *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" https://recarea.bandcamp.com/track/outerloper
S6 E34 · Mon, July 29, 2024
BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 4: Charli XCX | MxG Season 6 Episode 34
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 34 - BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 4: Charli XCX In Round 4 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I discuss Charli XCX. We unravel her history and get into her new album, Brat. We make the case that she's consistently been one of the most idiosyncratic and innovative pop stars of the 21st century. And we somehow get to comparing her to both Drake and Post Malone. Do you know Charli XCX's music? Have you heard Brat? How do you think she compares to other pop stars? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Outtakes! Find out more about Steve: http://steeveecom.wordpress.com http://callinamagician.bandcamp.com/ ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E33 · Mon, July 22, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 6.2: The 2000s – Continuing the CHAOS | MxG - Season 6 Episode 33
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Just About to Die” (from Parts and Labour ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In Part 6.2 of my history of albums, I tackle the second half of the 2000s. It was chaotic and ever shifting, growing and metastasizing all over the place, yet we had no idea where it was headed. Album releases peaked, but by the end of the decade singles ruled again, and sales of CDs and downloads were about even. The internet staked its claim on revenue, distribution, and especially creativity, morphing and expanding albums and music in general in unexpected ways. What are your favorite albums from the last half of the 2000s? Did you listen to them mostly on CDs or as downloads? How did you handle the rapid switch from physical to digital music? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Did the “singles culture” destroy music? ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E32 · Mon, July 15, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 6.1: The 2000s – EXPLOSIONS EVERYWHERE | MxG - Season 6 Episode 32
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “On the One” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Season 6 Episode 32 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 6.1: The 2000s – EXPLOSIONS EVERYWHERE In Part 6.1 of my history of albums, I tackle the first half 2000s. It was a volatile decade full of incredible music and incredible changes. Some of the greatest albums were released, while album sales themselves exploded and then rapidly dropped, upending the industry. In short, the 2000s were explosive in every direction – good and bad. What are your favorite albums from the first half of the 2000s? Do you remember the explosion of music in every direction? Did you feel like you knew where things were going, and were you right? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: A brief history of digital music ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, July 08, 2024
PODFAST #22 - PATREON EXCLUSIVE: The TRUE History of Rock n Roll | MxG BONUS EPISODE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ PODFAST #22 - PATREON EXCLUSIVE: The TRUE History of Rock n Roll Welcome to a very special PODFAST #22. I bring you EXCLUSIVE CONTENT from MxG on Patreon. This is the BONUS MxTRA episode I shared with my supporters for Season 6 Episode 30 on Elvis, and it's all about the TRUE history and origins of rock n roll. You may think it started in the 1950s. You might guess it's origins are in the 1940s. You're right ... and you're SO WRONG. This is the kind of content I provide on Patreon. Please consider joining me there: https://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE/membership ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E31 · Mon, July 01, 2024
An Hour with Amelia Ray - Interview Edition #37 | MxG - Season 6 Episode 31
I spend an hour with writer/composer/performer Amelia Ray. It's as impossible to describe her breadth of music and experiences as it is this conversation - which was one of my all-time favorites. Both of us had a similarly diverse mix of tastes and influences. We get into how that happened, what it did to us, and where it went. We also break down the creative process, and what part economics plays in it. Find out more about Amelia: Amelia Ray Official Join Amelia's Fan Club! Amelia on Instagram Amelia on Facebook BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Jellyfish?!? FEATURED SONG Amelia Ray - "Orderville" (from the forthcoming soul-rock opera, Scenes from an Icelandic Novel ) ~~~~ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E30 · Mon, June 24, 2024
Death is DUMB Volume 17: Elvis – All He’s Crackered Up to Be? | MxG - Season 6 Episode 30
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG Nicky DeMatteo (Dad) – “Suspicious Minds” (Elvis cover – previously unreleased) Season 6 Episode 30 - Death is DUMB Volume 17: Elvis – All He’s Crackered Up to Be? In the 17th volume of my Death is DUMB series, I finally get to Elvis. We know his tragic death, but when was the last time we considered his complete body of music? I survey his career from beginning to end – all the highs and lows, and weigh in on whether or not he deserves the praise on both a cultural and especially a musical level. Are you an Elvis fan? Rabid? Casual? Love/hate? Or just plain hate? Which period(s) do you prefer, if any? How do you feel about his legacy? Do you think he was truly the King of Rock n Roll? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The true origins of rock n roll ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E29 · Mon, June 17, 2024
BOOM BAP - The History of Hip Hop Production | MxG - Season 6 Episode 29
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “all caps” (unreleased, from the upcoming album, KITE TO CAMDEN ) Season 6 Episode 29 - BOOM BAP - The History of Hip Hop Production Hip hop has been a favorite world of mine for decades. I’ve been listening to and creating it since I was a pre-teen, and I’m endlessly fascinated by how it’s evolved. This week’s episode goes over the history of hip hop production, from its start at live shows using drum breaks and other DJ loops, to its use of live disco-ish instruments, to the incorporation of drum machines and synths, and well beyond. I break it down by decade, note key changes and eras, and predict where it’s going next. What’s your favorite era of hip hop production? Do you prefer old school, golden age, or something more specific or contemporary? Where do you think hip hop production is headed next? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Walkthrough of a hip hop production session ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, June 10, 2024
PODFAST #21 - Top 10 Albums FACEOFF | MxG BONUS EPISODE
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ PODFAST #21 - Top 10 Albums FACEOFF FEATURED ALBUM REC – Parts and Labour (2007) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In PODFAST #21, I pit Rolling Stone’s 2023 top 10 albums ever picks against Apple Music’s 2024 picks. Ranking lists are always subjective, and are best consumed as a collection of recommended picks that you can put in any order you want. That said, they’re hella fun to consider. Which top ten list do you favor? Do you agree with either one? What would be your top ten albums ever? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E28 · Mon, June 03, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 5.2: THe '90s Album SUPERNOVA | MxG - Season 6 Episode 28
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Peggy’s Eyes” (from LISTEN YOU PEOPLE ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Season 6 Episode 28 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 5.2: THe '90s Album SUPERNOVA In Part 5.2 of my history of albums, I do the back end of the 1990s. This decade was the peak for albums – both in sales and in size. CDs quickly rose and sold more albums than any other format in history. And they allowed artists to balloon their albums from the decades-long standard of around 40 minutes, to as much as 75 minutes. Albums morphed in a way that eventually obscured their importance as a standalone work of art. At the same time, some of history’s greatest were released in the 1990s. The ‘90s were maybe the most volatile mix of new & retro ever. What are your favorite albums from the second half of the 1990s? Do you feel this was a strong time for albums in general? Can you see how albums – and music culture in general – were changing and dissembling rapidly towards the end of the decade? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Top 10 singles 1988-2002 – where was the rock? ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E27 · Mon, May 27, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 5.1: '90s DIVERSITY or Whatever | MxG - Season 6 Episode 27
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Zuzu’s Petals” (from Your EP and 96/95 ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Season 6 Episode 27 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 5.1: '90s DIVERSITY or Whatever In Part 5.1 of my history of albums, I go through the first half of the 1990s. This decade was the peak for albums – both in sales and in size. CDs quickly rose and sold more albums than any other format in history. And they allowed artists to balloon their albums from the decades-long standard of around 40 minutes, to 75 minutes or longer. Albums morphed in a way that would eventually obscure their importance as a standalone work of art. At the same time, some of history’s greatest albums were released in the 1990s. I take us through 1994, and show how the explosion of album releases and diversity gave us some of the most iconic music ever, but also started the fracturing that would come to define the music scene – and the world – in decades to come. What are your favorite albums from the first half of the 1990s? Do you remember how diverse music was becoming? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Women in 1990s music ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E26 · Mon, May 20, 2024
King's X - ADVENTING the '90s | MxG - Season 6 Episode 26
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Behind the Shadow (original version)” (from Listen You People ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Season 6 Episode 26 - King's X - ADVENTING the '90s This week’s episode is a fan pick! I’m profiling King’s X, the legendary progressive metal funk band. I go through their whole history and catalog. I knew next to nothing about this band, so the discoveries have been exciting. I also dive into their connection (or not) to Christian rock, and how they evolved in ways that to me are far more humanist, and emblematic of a true spiritual path, than artists (or people) who stay devoutly in the full-faith Christian lane. Do you know anything about King’s X? Are you a fan? How did/do you feel about their non-Christian rock status? Can you hear how they influenced so much of hard rock in the 1990s? Discuss dammit!! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: The many parallels between King’s X and Faith No More ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, May 13, 2024
PODFAST #20 - Weird Band Names | MxG BONUS EPISODE
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ PODFAST #20 - Weird Band Names FEATURED SONG: The Drop feat. Buttered Rollins - "Doin' It in My House" (from IT WASN'T ME ! ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE The topic for PODFAST #20 comes from Patreon supporter, Julie. She suggested I do an episode on weird band names. Weird, like beauty and porn, is subjective. My wife thinks all band names are weird. I believe some rise above the rest. I list a bunch of those through history – famous and not so much. I also point out some naming trends that have come and gone and often returned. And I talk about some weird band names I’ve come up with and actually made real. What are some of your favorite weird band names? What are some names I missed? Which names I mentioned do you think aren’t weird at all? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E25 · Mon, May 06, 2024
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #7 – Fan Economics | MxG - Season 6 Episode 25
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Twist My Kite” (new single from upcoming album, KITE TO CAMDEN ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Season 6 Episode 25 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #7 – Fan Economics Get ready for the seventh catch-up episode. More and more of you have been commenting lately, so I gots to do more of these. Lots of talk about Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and others. And a large chunk of comments on economics. There’s a good chance you’re mentioned in this episode. If you haven’t commented yet, what are you waiting for? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E24 · Mon, April 29, 2024
Music Videos – Do They Matter?? | MxG - Season 6 Episode 24
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 24 - Music Videos – Do They Matter?? FEATURED SONG REC – “Final Call” (music video) (from Sympathy for the Weird and RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE SEE ALL REC MUSIC VIDEOS This week’s MxG goes over the history of music videos. They stretch back way farther than you’d guess. I talk about their development, their significance through the eras, and whether they matter at all in relation to consuming, understanding, and enjoying music. Are you into music videos? What are some of your favorites? Do you prefer to consume music this way, or would you rather just listen? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: Porn! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E23 · Mon, April 22, 2024
BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 3: Tierra Whack and Kim Gordon | MxG - Season 6 Episode 23
SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7! Join Patreon for as little as $1/month Donate any amount to the fundraiser ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 23 - BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 3: Tierra Whack and Kim Gordon In Round 3 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I discuss new albums by two solo female artists: Tierra Whack's WORLD WIDE WHACK, and Kim Gordon's THE COLLECTIVE. Though Whack and Gordon come from very different backgrounds, it's surprising how many parallels there are between these two albums. Have you heard them yet? Which do you like, if any? Can you find the parallels between the two? Discuss dammit! Find out more about Steve: http://steeveecom.wordpress.com http://callinamagician.bandcamp.com/ ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, April 15, 2024
Season 6 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
I'm taking a rare week off from bringing you MUSIC is not a GENRE, and using the opportunity to make a special announcement. It's pretty dang short, so listen if you can (hell, do it on 2.0). Once you have, please consider visiting any of these links: GoFundMe - I desperately need your support MxG & REC on Patreon REC on Bandcamp Thank you!
Bonus · Mon, April 08, 2024
PODFAST #19 - Why YOU Deserve $50,000 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #19 - Why YOU Deserve $50,000 FEATURED LINKS: Get the "Give me $50,000" shirt! Get the "Give me $50,000" mug! Read the full manifesto! ~~~~ FEATURED SONG: REC – “Make Me Mic My Mouth” (from Syzygy for the Weird and RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE When we last PODFASTED, I read you my treatise, The $50,000 Manifesto, and discussed each part. The response was underwhelming. This is a topic that deserves more airtime and deeper connections. So I’m dedicating PODFAST 19 to expounding, explaining, & extrapolating the ideas the treatise contains. What I want from you is NOT $50,000. Unless you have it to spare, then fork it the f*ck over! What I do want are your thoughts, questions, protests, cheers, and anything else you’d like to contribute. I’d also love it if you spread the word, either by getting a shirt or mug, or sharing this episode. And if you’d like to donate just a pinch of dough, try one of these links: PATREON BANDCAMP GOFUNDME Let me have it – discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E22 · Mon, April 01, 2024
TWO-Hit Wonders | MxG - Season 6 Episode 22
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 22 - TWO-Hit Wonders FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Scream” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) SCREAM IT EVERYWHERE You’ve heard of one-hit wonders, and you probably know at least a couple dozen of those songs. What you might not know is that many of those bands actually had more than one hit. In this episode, I bust the myth of one-hit wonders by using my criteria to show that most of those artists charted at least twice, if not more. I also talk about other well-known artists who had just a couple of hits. And I discuss how many of these artists had longer & more successful careers than you might think. Which songs or artists come to mind when you think of one-hit wonders? Can you recall those artists having another hit, or does that come as a surprise to you? What non-one-hit wonders did I miss? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Live acoustic original song and cover of a song by The Romantics ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E21 · Mon, March 25, 2024
An Hour with Pete Braidis - Interview Edition #36 | MxG - Season 6 Episode 21
I spend an hour with educator, author, musician & songwriter, Pete Braidis. Pete is a high school teacher in Haddon Township, NJ. He's also the founder, guitarist and principal songwriter of the seminal South Jersey "alt" band, The Ape Cafe, for which I was the lead singer and keyboardist. Listen to Ape Cafe music And Pete is the author of three music books, including the forthcoming The Police: every album, every song , which you can preorder now. Get all his books here: The Police: every album, every song Asia: every album, every song Unstrung Heroes: Fifty Guitar Greats You Should Know FEATURED SONG: The Ape Cafe – “Granny" BONUS EPISODE - Outtakes! ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt or mug! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, March 18, 2024
PODFAST #18 - Give Me $50,000 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #18 - Give Me $50,000 FEATURED LINKS: Read the full manifesto! Get the "Give me $50,000" shirt! Get the "Give me $50,000" mug! ~~~~ Lately I’ve been talking more about how all music careers involve a cost-benefit analysis. Whether a superstar, making a living, or barely making any money at all, every musician must assess and reassess whether it’s worth it to continue, and if so, how. The bottom line is … the bottom line. All artists need money. Money to create. Money to live. Most of us don’t make much, and have to supplement our incomes. Or worse yet, we’re urged to ask for money from fans, friends & family – people who often have as little as we do. I gave this a lot of thought, and realized there’s a solution. I called it THE $50,000 MANIFESTO, and published it on social a couple of years ago. To our ears it might sound radical, even outrageous. But it’s not unprecedented. Plenty of countries and eras have implemented it. So on PODFAST 18, I’m going to read my manifesto in full. I’ll then explain why & how it connects to a podcast about music, and what if anything you can do about it. It’s an episode like no other. Thoughts? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E20 · Mon, March 11, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.2: The 1980s – Pop Vs. Indie | MxG - Season 6 Episode 20
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 20 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.2: The 1980s FEATURED SONG: REC – “In Your Dreams Tonight” (cover of the Agent Orange song, from Syzygy for the Weird and IT WASN’T ME ! ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In the exciting conclusion of Part 4 of my history of albums, we close out the 1980s. We’ve already seen how quickly music changed in the first half of the decade. In the second half, popular music absorbed more of the underground sound and style, creating an even deeper divide that gave even more power to the industry, and drove indie scenes even deeper underground. And as the megastar machine became more and more top-heavy, the underground was preparing for a takeover that even they didn’t see coming. How do you feel about the second half of the 1980s as compared to the first half? Do you prefer it? Does it sound more ‘80s to you? Can you hear how the divide between the super popular and the indie was setting up a major shift in the next decade? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: The history of the CD! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E19 · Mon, March 04, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.1: The 1980s – Indie Vs. Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 19
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 19 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.1: The 1980s – Indie Vs. Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 19 FEATURED SONG: Business of Ferrets – “Komputers & Kognac” (feat. Nick DeMatteo & Pete Braidis, from IT WASN’T ME ! ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In Part 4 of my history of albums, we’ve made it to the 1980s. The 1980s are considered a big decade for singles, so we often forget that some of the greatest and biggest selling albums were released then. I talk about those albums, as well as lesser known notable albums, and how technology influenced their crafting. As synths and recording became more and more affordable, artists were able to take more control over how an album was produced and crafted. This created the first true underground scenes, and split music and album development between the big stars of the industry pop machine and smaller artists of the indie label scenes. NOTE: Because I know more about the 1980s than previous decades, I’m splitting this episode into two parts. This week’s episode will go to 1985. What are your favorite albums from the first half of the 1980s? Do you think these albums hold up to the greats from other decades? How do you feel about 1980s production values in comparison to the 1970s and 1990s? When you think of the 1980s, do you identify more with the first or second half of the decade? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Cassettes! Their history, and their significance in different eras. ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E18 · Mon, February 26, 2024
An Hour with Jed Becker - Interview Edition #35 | MxG - Season 6 Episode 18
I spend an hour with songwriter, composer and teacher, Jed Becker. Jed has composed music for Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go . He’s also the founder and songwriter for the band Joy Buzzer, whose new album, Pleased to Meet You , is coming out on Wicked Cool records later this year. Jed is currently accepting students in Brooklyn. If you want lessons in piano, guitar, electric bass, ukulele, Pro Tools or GarageBand, contact Jed here: https://www.beckersongs.com/ For more on Jed and his music: https://jedbecker.com/ https://joybuzzerband.com/ FEATURED SONG: Joy Buzzer – “Judy, Judy, Judy” (from the forthcoming album, Pleased to Meet You ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jggVSqkutzY BONUS EPISODE - Outtakes! ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt or mug! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, February 19, 2024
PODFAST #17 - Nick’s VIBEMATIC! 1 - Playlist Jan 2024 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #17 - Nick’s VIBEMATIC: 1. Playlist Jan 2024 FEATURED LINKS: Nick's January Playlist on Spotify Nick's January Playlist on YouTube GET THE SHIRT! ~~~~ For PODFAST 17, I’m starting something ELSE new. A playlist review. Every year I make a playlist of songs I like that I can imagine putting on at a party. Last year’s list was too huge to appreciate in any enjoyable way. So this year I’ve decided to make MONTHLY playlists instead. This PODFAST is all about my January 2024 playlist. I make it on Spotify, but for you I’ve also recreated it on YouTube. It’s NOT A MIX. There’s no flow to the sequence. It’s just a collection of songs I like this month, meant to be played on shuffle. As with all my playlists, it’s not just about stuff that recently debuted. It’s anything I ran across that I wanted to hear more than a few times. And it’s always hella eclectic. You’ll be surprised how much discussion this generates. Anything on my playlist that grabs you? What’s on your playlist this month? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E17 · Mon, February 12, 2024
The Kinks – The BIGGEST INDIE BAND in HISTORY | MxG - Season 6 Episode 17
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 17 - The Kinks – The BIGGEST INDIE BAND in HISTORY FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Just the Same” (from 96 / 95 ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE This week’s episode is on the Kinks, the most overlooked and underrated of the big four 1960s British Invasion bands. They have been acclaimed by critics and musicians, and have influenced disparate styles and bands in every decade since they formed. Punk, metal, chamber pop and Britpop are just a few of the genres they helped shape, and in some ways pioneered. I go through their history, their albums, make the case that they might have been more quietly influential than even the Rolling Stones, and argue that it’s possible they’re the biggest indie band in history. Are you a Kinks fan? Where do they fall for you in the British Invasion hierarchy? Do you think they deserve more recognition? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Live acoustic versions of a Kinks song and an original ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E16 · Mon, February 05, 2024
Bleep Boop – Video Game Music is SUPER EPIC LEGEND | MxG - Season 6 Episode 16
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 16 - Bleep Boop – Video Game Music is SUPER EPIC LEGEND FEATURED SONG: REC – “Korean Pop Song” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Video games have been a part of our lives for almost 50 years. Almost all of those games have had music associated with them. Some of that music has become iconic, even to non-gamers. This week’s MxG is all about video game music. Where it came from. How it developed. What it has inspired. I go into the full history, and name check a bunch of legendary & favorite songs & soundtracks. What are some of your favorite video game songs? Can you hum one right now, even though you haven’t heard it in years? Do you think video game music can be as good as “regular” music? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Genres Inspired by Video Game Music ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E15 · Mon, January 29, 2024
Death is DUMB Volume 16: Death is DRUM | MxG - Season 6 Episode 15
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 15 - Death is DUMB Volume 16: Death is DRUM FEATURED SONG: REC – “All On Me (lo-fi)” (from the upcoming album Kite To Camden (lo-fi) ) https://www.nickdematteo.com/recsingleallonme This volume of Death is DUMB is dedicated to drummers. There have been way too many tragic drummer deaths over the decades. I go over as many of them as I can, including some recent deaths tragic or not, and do my best to pay tribute to these great musicians. Were any of these drummers your favorites? Which deaths hit you the most? Are there drummers I totally missed? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Spinal Tap's many dead drummers ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, January 22, 2024
PODFAST #16 - The T-Shirt Hierarchy | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #16 - The T-Shirt Hierarchy FEATURED LINK: The Official REC & MxG Merch Store! ~~~~ PODFAST 16 is all about t-shirts, one of my favorite subjects, and something every music lover should know about. I do a super quick history, go over some of the main types of tees, then lay out my hierarchy of music t-shirt wearers. And I do all this while modeling some of REC & MxG’s own signature shirts, which you can get here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/rec--mxg-merch/ Are you a t-shirt fan? What t-shirts do you own? Where do you fall in the hierarchy? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E14 · Mon, January 15, 2024
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 3: The THREE DECADES of the 1970s | MxG - Season 6 Episode 14
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 14 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 3: The THREE DECADES of the 1970s FEATURED SONG: The Drop – “Stay With Me” (from It Wasn’t Me ! ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In Part 3 of my history of albums, we get to the big one: the 1970s. If the album can be said to have had a heyday (and I say nay), this is the decade when it happened. Sales rose. Creativity soared. Critics still look at this decade as a peak of the album as art. Many fans do too. I name check some of the big albums – creatively & commercially, and include some personal faves. I talk about how the album developed & expanded, as did genres both popular and underground. I also argue that the 1970s was really three decades in one. What are your favorite albums of the 1970s? Is this your favorite decade for albums, or do you feel it’s overrated? Can you hear the difference between early, middle & late decade music? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Artists who went disco! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E13 · Mon, January 08, 2024
There’s NO SUCH THING as a HEYDAY – MUSIC is EVERYTHING #31 | MxG - Season 6 Episode 13
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ FEATURED SONG: REC – “Different People” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE https://www.nickdematteo.com/recthesunshineseminar This is the 31st edition of a subseries I call MUSIC is EVERYTHING, which focuses more on opinion, philosophy, and theories than hard facts. In this edition, I make the claim that no artist or genre actually has a heyday. The music’s quality, sales, and/or critical success all peak at some point, but not always at the same time. Often an artist’s or genre’s best work comes after the popularity has waned, and even after critics have stopped paying attention. How do YOU define heyday? Do you agree with my assessments? What artists do you think did (or are still doing) better work than when they were the most popular, or most beloved by critics? Are there artists/genres you think DID have a heyday, and everything after that doesn’t measure up? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: THE OUTLIER SINGLE PHENOMENON ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E12 · Mon, January 01, 2024
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #6 – How Well-Known IS Well-Known? | MxG - Season 6 Episode 12
Support MxG & REC: Shirts and mugs! Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 12 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #6 – How Well-Known IS Well-Known? FEATURED SONG: NICK – “What It Is” (from What It Is ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Here comes the SIXTH catch-up episode, and it’s a big one. I had a TON of fan engagement in 2023, so there’s a lot to go over. As usual, I dive into fan & contributor comments, and go over a few things I missed and/or thought of after the fact. I ALSO share a bunch of great feedback from people into bands who you THINK would be well-known, but maybe not so much. Like the Bee Gees, Depeche Mode, New Order, and Duran Duran. If you’re one of those aforementioned commenters, thank you! If not, what topic would you like me to tackle in 2024 that you WOULD comment on? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, December 25, 2023
PODFAST #15 - Non-Christmas Holiday Music | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #15 - Non-Christmas Holiday Music FEATURED MUSIC: Nick's Holiday Playlist ~~~~ This week marks the first ever back-to-back PODFAST episodes. It’s a busy time of year, so I wanted to keep stuff tight. For the past few years, I’ve dedicated one December episode to something about Christmas. This year, I’m giving time to non-Christmas holiday music. Some of it we hear all the time – such as non-denominational winter songs like “Let It Snow”. Others are specific to holidays celebrated by fewer people, though no less cherished & important. There’s about a 100% chance I’m missing some songs, and possibly even some holidays. What do you think I should have included? And is any of this music as special to you as Christmas music? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
Bonus · Mon, December 18, 2023
PODFAST #14 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #4: Now IS Then | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #14 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #4: Now IS Then FEATURED SONG: REC – “Porch Step” (exclusive premiere track from the upcoming Kite To Camden ) ~~~~ This week’s PODFAST is the fourth edition of Quick Takes from the Continuum . This time around I do speedy reviews of nine albums. It’s my usual eclectic mix, but they all have one thing in common: they somehow pull from or refer to music from the past. Olivia Rodrigo The Hives The Streets Andre 3000 Duran Duran Juliana Hatfield Dolly Parton The Rolling Stones Ringo Starr I also weigh in on the Beatles’ “Now and Then”. There’s been lots of commentary, much of it even-handed and insightful. But there are a few things missing which I take a shot at filling in, including the REAL REASON this song is so very Beatles & so very true to their legacy. What are YOUR TAKES on any of this music? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E11 · Mon, December 11, 2023
Music Magazines – Believe EVERYTHING You Read | MxG - Season 6 Episode 11
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 11 - Music Magazines – Believe EVERYTHING You Read FEATURED SONG: NICK – “It’s Almost Over” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE This week’s episode is on music magazines. I go over their history & heyday, delineate the five types of mags, name the current most popular mags both in print and online, and throw down on which ones actually do good journalism and are worth reading. Are you a music magazine reader? What are your faves? Which ones do you think cover music as even-handedly as possible? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: THE HISTORY OF ZINES ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E10 · Mon, December 04, 2023
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 2: Coming of Age in the 1960s | MxG - Season 6 Episode 10
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 10 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 2: Coming of Age in the 1960s FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Naked” (from Listen You People ) – STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In the long awaited Part 2 of my series on the history of albums, we hit the 1960s. It’s when the album fully came of age, and set the stage for its dominance in the decade to come. I discuss how the album developed from a collection of songs into a work of art in its own right, and go over some of the decade’s greatest albums, including my favorites. I also talk about how the album – and music as a whole – became a vital part of the social & political culture at large. What are your favorite albums of the 1960s? Do you feel like that was the heyday of albums, or was that still on its way? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA VIDEO: THE HISTORY OF 45s ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E9 · Mon, November 27, 2023
DURAN DURAN – They’re EVERYWHERE EVERYWHERE | MxG - Season 6 Episode 9
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 9 - DURAN DURAN – They’re EVERYWHERE EVERYWHERE FEATURED SONG: REC - "Come A Little Closer (Scared Boy Remix)" (from Parts and Labour ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE This week is on Duran Duran, one of the most influential ‘80s bands, whose legacy & longevity rarely get the notice they deserve. I go through their entire career & discography, discuss their influence as one of the prime originators of electro power pop, and show how more bands owe a debt to them than we realize. Are you a Duran Duran fan fan? Are you aware that they’re still releasing new material? Have you heard bands since then who were clearly influenced by them? Discuss dammit! BONUS EPISODE: MY ACOUSTIC TAKES ON "ORDINARY WORLD" AND AN ORIGINAL! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, November 20, 2023
PODFAST #13 - Death is DUMB Volume 15: George Winston | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #13 - Death is DUMB Volume 15: George Winston FEATURED SONG: NICK - "On the Way Down" (from What It Is ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE ~~~~ This week’s PODFAST came as a surprise and a shock. I learned well after the fact that George Winston, a favorite ambient pianist and musical touchstone of mine, died at the age of 74. I pay tribute to him, and explain in detail why he should be a cherished artist of yours too. ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E8 · Mon, November 13, 2023
The Beatles Part 8 – Infinite Influence | MxG - Season 6 Episode 8
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 8 - The Beatles Part 8 – Infinite Influence FEATURED SONG: NICK - "Regular Day" (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE In Part 8 of my ongoing Beatles series, I talk about their influence. From the moment they started getting attention, other artists knew the world of music could never be the same. I go decade-by-decade, using five elements that illustrate that, since at least 1964, every artist in one way or another has been influenced by them. I also talk about some of the great Beatles covers. What music would you add to my list? Or are there artists I mentioned that you don’t think belong in this group? And do you agree that all post-Beatles music has in some way been influenced by them? Discuss dammit! BONUS EPISODE: MY ACOUSTIC TAKES ON "I WILL" AND AN ORIGINAL! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E7 · Mon, November 06, 2023
BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 2: A Second Look at First Albums | MxG - Season 6 Episode 7
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 7 - BackTalk with Steve Erickson – ROUND 2: A Second Look at First Albums In Round 2 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I discuss early albums of famous artists, and whether or not they're worth a second listen. What famous artist do you think people should explore the earliest work of? Discuss dammit! BONUS BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO on how I put this (and many other) episodes together, including more thoughts on the subject. Find out more about Steve: http://steeveecom.wordpress.com http://callinamagician.bandcamp.com/ ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E6 · Mon, October 30, 2023
Depeche Mode & New Order – The Flipside Twins of New Wave | MxG - Season 6 Episode 6
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 6 - Depeche Mode & New Order – The Flipside Twins of New Wave FEATURED SONGS: REC – “Polymath” (from Syzygy for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) REC – “All Kinds of Right (The Highway 28 Song)” (from Synergy for the Weird ) STREAM THEM EVERYWHERE https://www.nickdematteo.com/reccollection This week it’s the powerhouse double whammy of Depeche Mode and New Order, flip sides of the same new wave / techno coin. I talk about their careers, compare & contrast their mix of darkness & light, and explain why they’ll always be linked together in my mind. Are you a fan of either band? Do you prefer one? Do you remember when you could ONLY be a fan of one or the other? Can you hear their influence on music of the last 20 years? Discuss dammit! BONUS EPISODE ON VINCE CLARKE! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E5 · Mon, October 23, 2023
An Hour with Author Steve Rosen - Interview Edition #34 / Book Talk #8 / Death is DUMB Volume 14 | MxG - Season 6 Episode 5
I spend an hour with Steve Rosen, veteran rock journalist and author of TONECHASER - UNDERSTANDING EDWARD: MY 26-YEAR JOURNEY WITH EDWARD VAN HALEN. We discuss how he came to write this book, his professional and personal relationship with Eddie Van Halen, the band's music, and so much more. For more on Steve and his incredible book: https://www.tonechaserbook.com/ BONUS EPISODE featuring more comments on the book, and my take on Van Halen's career ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
Bonus · Mon, October 16, 2023
PODFAST #12 - Yin is SECRETLY INTO Yang: The LOVEFEST Inside the PROTEST | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #12 - Yin is SECRETLY INTO Yang: The LOVEFEST Inside the PROTEST FEATURED SONG: The Drop – “Rocket Trip, Man” (from Long Held Grudges ) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE ~~~~ Ever hate a genre or artist so much that you’re practically obsessed? It happens to everyone, and methinks we ALL protest too much. In the twelfth PODFAST, I talk about how, deep inside our visceral dislike of certain kinds of music is an attraction we can’t unhook from. And how pulling it apart fosters perspective, understanding, and connection. What bands or genres can you just not stand? What exactly is it about them that you hate so much? How might those elements of dislike be connected to something you actually love? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S6 E4 · Mon, October 09, 2023
The Wombats – MarSUPERIOR Electro Power Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 4
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 4 - The Wombats – MarSUPERIOR Electro Power Pop FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Sick” (from Listen You People - REMASTERED 2023) STREAM IT EVERYWHERE Have you heard the Wombats? Cuz you should. They are one of Britain’s best & most consistent bands of the last 20 years. I just saw them in concert in Philly, and they were INCREDIBLE. They’re also the EPITOME of electro power pop. I have no idea if that’s what they’d call themselves. But when I listen to them, they sound the closest to REC’s music of any recent artist. I talk about their history, the concert, what they’re doing now, and why they are the current torchbearers in a long line of premiere power pop bands. LIVE ACOUSTIC WOMBATS COVER & A BRAND NEW REC SONG Can you picture what an actual wombat looks like? Can you imagine what the Wombats sound like? Have you heard them, and if so, what do you like? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E3 · Mon, October 02, 2023
Death is DUMB Volume 13: The Bee Gees – Brilliant Gents at Busting Genres | MxG - Season 6 Episode 3
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 3 - Death is DUMB Volume 13: The Bee Gees – Brilliant Gents at Busting Genres FEATURED SONG: REC – “You Make Me Wanna” (from Syncopy for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE The lucky 13th installment of MxG’s Death is DUMB series is about the Gibb brothers: Barry, Maurice, Robin and Andy. I talk about how prolific and consistent they were, and how their legacy goes far beyond pop & disco. I also make mention of how & why their career eventually tanked for good in the US, and flesh out that subject in the Patreon exclusive MxTRA video on the Disco Sucks movement . Are you into the Bee Gees? Did you know them first for their pop hits in the 1960s, or for their disco era smash success? Were you aware that they had a long and successful career more than 20 years beyond Saturday Night Fever ? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E2 · Mon, September 25, 2023
Beck – THE Megaclectic Musical Amalgamist | MxG - Season 6 Episode 2
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 2 - Beck – THE Megaclectic Musical Amalgamist FEATURED SONG: REC – “Sparkle Shine Shine” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE This week is all about Beck. He’s been my doppelganger for a long time, and someone I’ve listened to off and on for almost 30 years. I get into his history, influences, and discography, and talk about how he might be THE premiere musical amalgamist. I discuss how he’s still kind of underappreciated. And I explain why he and my band REC are so often compared. LIVE ACOUSTIC BECK SONG! Are or were you a Beck fan? Did you check out after Odelay or Sea Change, or have you followed his work throughout? Do you like how he’s able to bounce from genre to genre, often blending them as well, or is it too ADD for you? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S6 E1 · Mon, September 18, 2023
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #5 – Wrap-ups and Upgrades | MxG - Season 6 Episode 1
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 6 Episode 1 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #5 – Wrap-ups and Upgrades FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Standin’ There” (from 96 / 95 ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE Season 6 is here! First, we wrap up last season with some fan comments, additions, corrections, etc. The usual. Then we talk about what’s coming up this season. Be prepared for some changes. How did you feel about Season 5? What would you like to see in Season 6? Discuss dammit! BONUS VIDEO: Behind the scenes at MxG Studios (a.k.a. Nick & Cathryn's NYC apartment) ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"
S5 E46 · Mon, August 28, 2023
The MxG PARTY – A 200th EPISODE Celebration! | MxG - Season 5 Episode 46
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 46 - The MxG PARTY – A 200th EPISODE Celebration! FEATURED SONG: REC – “If It Feels All Right” (from Parts and Labour and RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE Season 5 is wrapping, and we’ve got the perfect way to end it. I get to celebrate MxG’s 200th freakin’ episode with two of my favorite people: my wife Cathryn and my dad Nicky (and my mom Julie lurking somewhere off camera). We talk about where MxG has been, where it’s going, what we’re all doing, how hella fun and stressful it’s all been, and get down to some real honesty & behind-the-scenes stuff as we eat, drink, and be goddamn merry. Are you sad to see Season 5 end? Can you believe we’re already up to 200 episodes? Are you excited for Season 6? What are YOU drinking right now? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E45 · Mon, August 21, 2023
Metallica – The One True MEGA True METAL Band | MxG - Season 5 Episode 45
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 45 - Metallica – The One True MEGA True METAL Band FEATURED SONG: REC – “Stop It!” (from Parts and Labour ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE I just saw Metallica in concert for the second time, forty years after their album debut. They’re as kick-ass as ever. I’ve been following them for 35 years, and figured a post-concert episode is perfect timing. I get into their history, their phases, some of the business and politics, and make a case for them being the ONLY truly heavy metal band that has had mega-world-wide success. I also talk about why they’re more than just a metal band. Are you a Metallica fan? If so, which kind are you? A fan of their early hardcore thrash albums and nothing else? A Metallica (aka The Black Album) convert like so many? A die-hard follower year after year? How do you think they’ve held up after 11 albums? Discuss dammit! AND CHECK OUT NICK'S OLD BAND APE CAFE! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E44 · Mon, August 14, 2023
Death is DUMB Volume 12: George Michael – BURN That Acoustic Guitar | MxG - Season 5 Episode 44
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 44 - Death is DUMB Volume 12: George Michael – BURN That Acoustic Guitar FEATURED SONG: REC - "Up All Day" (from The Sunshine Seminar ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE https://www.nickdematteo.com/recthesunshineseminar The 12th episode of MxG’s Death is DUMB series is all about George Michael. I go over his life, his music, his legacy, and his death. I also talk about his importance as a singer/songwriter, both for the music itself, and especially for expanding the concept of what singer/songwriter music can sound like, beyond the bounds of the standard “person with an acoustic guitar” cliche. Were you into George Michael and/or Wham!? If not, why not? If so, did you follow him throughout his career, or drop out after FAITH? What biases do you think you might have about him because of who he was, what kind of music he did, how he died, and/or how the media portrayed him? Do you think he qualifies as a singer/songwriter? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Mon, August 07, 2023
PODFAST #11 - Tell Me How You REALLY FEEL About GENRES | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ PODFAST #11 - Tell Me How You REALLY FEEL About GENRES FEATURED MUSIC: Song sampler from REC's upcoming album, featuring tracks 6-8: "Wait, Too Rough", "Rhythm 77", "Porch Step" ~~~~ PODFAST is legit a tween now! MUSIC is not a GENRE has been getting a bunch of new listeners & viewers. I thought it’d be the perfect time to check in. I talk about how MxG got its name, what I really think of genres, how that connects to the world outside of music, and most importantly, get YOUR TAKE on all of this. So, like, how DO you really feel? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S5 E43 · Mon, July 31, 2023
An Hour PLUS with Author Scott Shea - Interview Edition #33 / Book Talk #7 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 43
I spend over an hour with Scott Shea, SiriusXM Producer, and author of ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN: HOW THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS CAME TOGETHER AND BROKE APART. We discuss his amazing book, the music & culture that surrounded the Mamas & the Papas, and everything in between. For more on Scott: https://scottsheaauthor.com/ FEATURED SONG: Nicky DeMatteo (my dad) - "California Dreamin'" (cover of the Mamas & the Papas song, produced by Nick DeMatteo) ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E42 · Mon, July 24, 2023
The Beatles Part 7 – McCartney VII | MxG - Season 5 Episode 42
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 42 - The Beatles Part 7 – McCartney VII FEATURED SONG: REC – “Never Tell” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE In Part 7 of my who-know-how-long Beatles series, I discuss the solo career of Paul McCartney. He’s not only been the most consistent – and consistently good – solo Beatle, he’s also been one of the most consistent and consistently contemporary artists ever, having charted somewhere in the world in SEVEN DECADES. I go over his discography, including works not attributed to him or Wings. I talk a little about his ongoing influence & legacy. And I explain how his constant searching for the new & different is what every music creator should do. Are you a McCartney fan? If not, why not? If so, what era(s) of his do you prefer? Do you think any of his solo work lives up to the Beatles? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E41 · Mon, July 17, 2023
BackTalk with Steve Erickson – South African Music | MxG - Season 5 Episode 41
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 41 - BackTalk with Steve Erickson – South African Music This week kicks off a new series I’m calling BackTalk, wherein a guest and I converse on a topic we think deserves attention. For the first BackTalk, I bring back Steve Erickson, music & film critic, and music producer. We get into South African music – the history, recent & current artists, its future, how the country’s politics & culture have shaped it, and how in the last 100 years or so it has had a particularly & surprisingly close relationship with US music. Select South African music playlist (compiled by Steve): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfrAP6IL7DaXwKJp0cWR2C0hsV2eZMXQn Recommended South African music compilations: NEXT STOP…SOWETO (Volumes 1-4) ZULU JIVE / UMBAQANGA THE INDESTRUCTIBLE BEAT OF SOWETO (Volumes 1-6) AMAPIANO NOW Find out more about Steve: http://steeveecom.wordpress.com http://callinamagician.bandcamp.com/ ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E40 · Mon, July 10, 2023
The Beatles Part 6 – Separating the Sum | MxG - Season 5 Episode 40
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE! Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 40 - The Beatles Part 6 – Separating the Sum FEATURED SONG: REC – “Different Oceans” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE In the “final” edition of my six-part Beatles series, I talk about the post-Beatles world. From 1970 on, the Beatles have been a massive presence everywhere, and their legacy and influence have only grown. I go over official Beatles releases post-breakup, each of their solo careers, Beatles inspired artists & other works, and sum up what all of this means for music, musicians, and the world. Are you into any of the Beatles’ solo music? Are you old enough to remember hoping they’d get back together? Do you feel they deserve the praise & legendary status? Can you think of examples of how their influence has spawned other genres & artists? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E39 · Mon, July 03, 2023
What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 1: History and the 1950s | MxG - Season 5 Episode 39
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 39 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 1: History and the 1950s FEATURED SONG: The Drop – “Classical Space Jazz 1” (from Long Held Grudges ) STREAM THE FULL ALBUM This week I’m kicking off another multi-part series. It’ll focus on the album as art form, and give you my favorites and other notable albums, decade by decade. Since this first part will focus mostly on the 1950s, and there were comparatively fewer albums in those decades, I’ll also talk about the history of the album – why & how it came about, and why it matters. Are you an album fan? Or do you prefer to listen to single songs or playlists? Does music hit you differently when absorbed in album form? What are some of your favorite albums from the 1950s? And/or do you know of any pre-album albums from earlier decades? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E38 · Mon, June 26, 2023
The Cure - Why CAN'T I Be Them? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 38
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 38 - The Cure - Why CAN'T I Be Them? FEATURED SONGS: REC – “Shoot To Kill” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE The Cure – “The Caterpillar” (LIVE acoustic cover by Nick) SEE NICK’S FULL CURE TRIBUTE CONCERT ! This week I give The Cure my usual treatment. History, anecdotes, discography, and how their eclectic output goes well beyond goth & twee synth pop hits. I also talk about my deep personal connection to The Cure. They’re one of my rotating top five favorite bands of all time, and have been a huge influence on my music. AND I tell you all about the Madison Square Garden concert I just saw. Are you a fan? If not, why not? Is it Robert Smith’s voice, or something else? If so, do you have favorite eras, albums, and songs, or are you into all of it? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E37 · Sat, June 17, 2023
An Hour PLUS with NOMAD - Interview Edition #32 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 37
I spend over an hour with NOMAD, music producer, music director, and session/touring guitarist who has been heavily active in the industry since the 1990s. Nomad has toured the world many times over, and has been featured on countless GRAMMY-winning records. NOMAD's compositions are in circulation in over 300 TV shows, commercials, films, as well as chart topping albums. He's also creator of The CareerMusician (TCM) – a social network of pro musicians sharing knowledge and personal experiences in entertainment, and its accompanying podcast. We talk about his career, the music industry in general, and how his course, Pro Level Sessions , will help any home recording musician make their music sound even better. Check out the Ultimate "Flowers" Remake Contest - where you can remix Miley Cyrus' hit for a chance to win exclusive access to Pro Level Sessions AND NOMAD's book, Ethos: The Career Musician's Code. Deadline for entry is June 26, 2023. But don't worry! If you miss out, you can still get Pro Level Sessions . I HIGHLY recommend it. Find out more about NOMAD's career & music here: https://nomadsplace.com/ And follow @TheCareerMusician on social. ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E36 · Mon, June 12, 2023
An Hour with Christian Swain - Interview Edition #31 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 36
I spend an hour with Christian Swain, CEO of Pantheon Media. We talk about music history, the state of music today, and how it all ties into Pantheon's mission. Pantheon Media is the world’s biggest music podcast network. It’s got something for every music fan: history, interviews, stories, commentary, news, reviews & more. You might say it covers the … PANTHEON … of the music world. Check out all the podcasts and find one you love! http://pantheonpodcasts.com/ And listen to Christian’s podcast, Rock N Roll Archaeology : http://pantheonpodcasts.com/rock-n-roll-archaeology Follow Pantheon so you know when a new episode drops: INSTA: @pantheonpods FACEBOOK: @PantheonPodcasts TWITTER: @PantheonPods ~~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E35 · Mon, June 05, 2023
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #4 – I Mostly Just Watch TV | MxG - Season 5 Episode 35
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 35 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #4 – I Mostly Just Watch TV FEATURED SONG: The Drop - "Flunky Fesh" (from Long Held Grudges ) This is the second catch-up episode of the season. Does that mean the season is over? In the immortal words of Jordan Peele, NOPE. And I’ll tell you why. I’ll also go over fan comments and things I missed from the last 14 regular episodes and three Podfasts. It leans heavily toward my TV music episode, since so many of you chimed in on that one. So I’m taking the opportunity to talk a little about why TV is so important to me, from a music standpoint. Did I miss your comment? Are there other things from these episodes you wish I’d mentioned, added, or corrected? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Mon, May 29, 2023
PODFAST #10 - TIME BIAS: This Ain’t Called “PodPAST” | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #10 - TIME BIAS: This Ain’t Called “PodPAST” FEATURED SONG: REC - "Wake Up High" – main theme song to MUSIC is not a GENRE (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Synergy for the Weird ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE In this monumental TENTH edition of PODFAST, I have a good old-fashioned bitchfest about how being old-fashioned in your music tastes is about far more than just music. Agree? Disagree? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S5 E34 · Mon, May 22, 2023
What the Hell is Going ON with Me?! – A Nick Music Update | MxG - Season 5 Episode 34
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 34 - What the Hell is Going ON with Me?! – A Nick Music Update FEATURED SONG: REC – KTC Song Sampler (unreleased samples from REC's upcoming album) HEAR THE FULL SONGS ON PATREON https://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE A buttload has been going on with me lately. That’s generally true pretty much all the time, but the last year or so has been particularly insane. So now is as good a time as any to help you make sense of it all. In this episode, I talk about my new t-shirt company, my three recent albums, and what music is coming next. Here’s some of that: 1. Long Held Grudges - https://recarea.bandcamp.com/album/long-held-grudges 2. RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 - https://recarea.bandcamp.com/album/reccollection-the-best-of-rec-2007-2020 3. IT WASN’T ME ! - https://recarea.bandcamp.com/album/it-wasnt-me 4. NICK archival releases 5. A new remix by JD Lion 6. KTC 7. C+N 8. Even MORE REC I also reveal the name of REC’s next album, AND feature a song sampler from it. You can hear the full songs on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE So whatcha think? Are you into any of this music? Are you as excited as I am for the new music? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Mon, May 15, 2023
PODFAST #9 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #3 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #9 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #3 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Don't Get Me High" (from Syzygy for the Weird ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE In this PODFAST, I give my quick takes on FOUR more or less recent albums, and a fifth take on female driven power pop. 1. Metallica 2. Depeche Mode 3. 100 Gecs 4. Bloc Party 5. Bully and compatriots such as Beach Bunny, Soccer Mommy, Meet Me @ the Altar, and the Linda Lindas What’s your take on any of these? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S5 E33 · Mon, May 08, 2023
The Beatles Part 5 - Breakdown to Basics | MxG - Season 5 Episode 33
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 33 - The Beatles Part 5 - Breakdown to Basics FEATURED SONGS: NICK – “Home To” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE NICK (as RUPERT) LIVE – “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” In the fifth edition of my six-part Beatles series, I walk through their final phase as a foursome. Despite the pull to want to each do their own things, they came together to create two of their most beloved albums. After their years of exploring multi-layered psychedelica, Let It Be and Abbey Road brought them back to basics in very different ways. Though their breakup still stings for many of us, I argue that not only was it inevitable (and not for all the reasons we think), it was also the best possible end. For them and for the music. I also weigh in on the top three of: 1. Their overall best album as a singular work of art; 2. Their most musically creative and innovative album; 3. Their best album as a collection of great singles; and 4. My current favorite album. Are either of these albums your favorite? Do you prefer this period to their other periods? Do you think it was better that they broke up, or do you still wish they’d stayed together? And what are YOUR picks? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E32 · Mon, May 01, 2023
Dickens and Prince … and Nick Hornby? – Book Talk #6 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 32
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 32 - Dickens and Prince … and Nick Hornby? – Book Talk #6 FEATURED SONGS: REC - “SNo Globe” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE NICK LIVE ACOUSTIC PRINCE SET In this banner sixth edition of Book Talk, I dig into Nick Hornby’s Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius. I break down each chapter using quotes & observations, and discuss whether Nick Hornby – excellent author and passionate music lover – was or wasn’t the best person to write this book. One of my missions with MxG is to find connections where none seem to be. Dickens and Prince are two of my all-time favorite artists in any medium, yet I NEVER would have thought to connect them. I love that Hornby has done it, and even though some of the parallels AND some of Hornby’s Prince critique seem like stretches, ultimately the book treats both subjects with reverence and understanding, and it’s a real pleasure and an easy read. Are you fans of Dickens and/or Prince? Would you have thought to connect them in any way? If you read this book, how well do you feel Hornby did? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E31 · Mon, April 24, 2023
The 4T Retrospective – MxG’s First Episodes EVER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 31
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 31 - The 4T Retrospective – MxG’s First Episodes EVER FEATURED SONGS: REC – “Break You” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Parts and Labour ) REC – “Little White Lies” (from Distance To Empty ) REC – “The Garden” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Sympathy for the Weird ) REC – “Xmiss” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) OR STREAM THEM ANYWHERE This week’s episode marks a HUGE FIRST, by reviewing a huge first. It’s the first ever MxG retrospective episode – aka rerun. I’m on vacation, but didn’t wanna leave you hanging. So I compiled the FIRST THREE EPISODES I ever did, back the fall of 2019, before this podcast was even called MUSIC is not a GENRE. You get to see & hear where it all started, where it came from & why it was called “4T”, and how my delivery & duration might have been different, but the content was strikingly similar. Take a trip in the wayback machine with me. It’s freaky cool. What do you think of these episodes in comparison to what I’m doing now? Do you know what “4T” stands for? And do you have any idea what all those other numbers mean? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E30 · Mon, April 17, 2023
U2 - Absorb the FEEDBACK and Listen Through THE HYPE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 30
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 30 - U2 - Absorb the FEEDBACK and Listen Through THE HYPE Book Talk #5 FEATURED SONGS: REC – “Believe the Lie” (from Distance To Empty ) – OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE Nick Live – “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” In this week’s episode, I subdue another bear of a subject: U2. They might be the most successful band in history that’s also the most misunderstood. I try to get past the hype, the personality, and the mischaracterizations, and go straight for the music. I also go through their entire discography, and end with a few big takeaways, some of which might surprise you. Are you a U2 fan? If so, have you been able to follow them through all their changes and despite any media backlash? If you’re not a fan, did you used to be & aren’t anymore, or did you never like them? What do you think most defines them as a band? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E29 · Mon, April 10, 2023
Bono’s Surrender: 500 Pages of Topline Melody – Book Talk #5 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 29
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 29 - Bono’s Surrender: 500 Pages of Topline Melody Book Talk #5 FEATURED SONGS: REC – “Mine Alone” (from Parts and Labour ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE Nick Live - “Song for Someone” (featuring Cathryn Lynne) In the all-powerful Book Talk #5 , I talk about highlights and insights from Bono’s Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story , a memoir/autobiography featuring mostly chronological anecdotes structured around 40 U2 songs. I sort out Bono’s & U2’s approach to music as he sees it, discuss relevant facets of his life, and shine a light on various aspects of his politics & spirituality. I also talk about U2’s 40-track companion album, Songs of Surrender. Are you a Bono/U2 fan? Have you read this book? If yes, what are your takeaways? If no, why not? And either way, what’s your overall impression of Bono as both an artist and a person? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E28 · Mon, April 03, 2023
The MUSIC Self-Help HYPE - DON'T WAIT to GET GREAT | MxG - Season 5 Episode 28
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 28 - The MUSIC Self-Help HYPE - DON'T WAIT to GET GREAT MUSIC is EVERYTHING Edition #30 FEATURED SONG: REC – “Fall” (from Parts and Labour ) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERE In the 30th edition of my MUSIC is EVERYTHING subseries, I dive headlong into music self-help . When is taking the DIY approach the right thing? When do you know you really need help, and what kind of help should you seek out? Should you pay for that help or not? And how long should you wait to get started on your passion? I use examples from my career to illustrate all this, name some names, and end with one HUGE PIECE OF ADVICE. Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight"
S5 E27 · Mon, March 27, 2023
The Beatles Part 4 - Eclectic Experimenters | MxG - Season 5 Episode 27
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ Season 5 Episode 27 - The Beatles Part 4 - Eclectic Experimenters FEATURED SONGS: REC – “It’s All Too Much” (from IT WASN’T ME ! and Synergy for the Weird ) The Drop feat. Nick DeMatteo – “I’m So Tired” (from IT WASN’T ME ! ) OR STREAM THEM ANYWHERE In this fourth edition of my six-part Beatles series, I go over their most experimental phase, focusing on Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles (The White Album), and Yellow Submarine. This is the period (1967-69) when the Beatles’ cohesion was starting to fracture in more ways than one, including the whole concept of what it meant to be “the Beatles”. While it ultimately caused their breakup, it also spurred three albums with the most eclectic array of music the Beatles ever did. And I explain why The Beatles is the one album that epitomizes everything they ever were. Are any of these albums your favorite? What about this era as a whole? Can you hear how both exploration & dissension went hand in hand? Discuss dammit! LIVE ACOUSTIC CONCERT OF ECLECTIC BEATLES TUNES ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E26 · Fri, March 17, 2023
Neo-Soul - OLD Got NEW Got OLD Got NOW | MxG - Season 5 Episode 26
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH Join MxG on Patreon Watch MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 26 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Make Me Break Like Everyday" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Syncopy for the Weird ) This week I talk about neo-soul, the progressive R&B genre of the late 1990s that melded 1970s style soul with a hip hop sensibility. I go over some of the major players, including progenitors & artists who emerged after neo-soul faded out. I also discuss why it was so important to the trajectory of R&B, hip hop and music in general, why it seemed to burn out so quickly, and what happened after. Were you a neo-soul fan? Who were some of your favorite artists? Do you think it burned out because it got too purist, and/or the world had moved on? Or do you think it didn’t burn out at all, but just morphed into the next wave of music & artists? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E25 · Mon, March 13, 2023
TV Music - Where Everybody Knows Your Theme | MxG - Season 5 Episode 25
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 25 FEATURED SONG: The Drop feat. Ape Cafe - "Lock-Load-Love" (theme song to the series, from IT WASN’T ME ! ) This week I dive into TV music. I run down some iconic & favorite TV theme songs from each decade since the very beginning, dividing the list between full-on songs with lyrics & choice instrumentals. My main list is made of songs written specifically for each show, and then I throw in some "honorable mentions" - pre-existing songs used as themes. I also talk about TV music in general, how it very slowly caught up with contemporary music, and how pop songs gradually infiltrated the soundtracks of almost every show. Are you into TV theme songs? Are there ones that to this day you can still sing or hum? Do you think there was a heyday of TV theme songs? How does my favorites list compare to yours? How much popular music have you discovered through watching TV? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Wed, March 08, 2023
PODFAST #8 - Sideways 8: The EXACT NUMBER of Music Genres EVER | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! Support @ $5/month Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! ~~~~ PODFAST #8 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Any Universe" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and The Sunshine Seminar ) In this 8th PODFAST bonus episode, I proclaim that there are only EIGHT GENRES EVER in all of music history and as far as we can see into the future. They are: 1. Folk 2. Classical 3. Improvised 4. Experimental 5. Electronic 6. Rhythm & Blues 7. Rock 8. Rap/Hip Hop Agree? Disagree? Wanna see a copy of the decidedly incomplete list of 1400 genres/subgenres I compiled? Discuss dammit! ~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S5 E24 · Mon, March 06, 2023
UK Hip Hop - The Brits ALWAYS Do It BETTER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 24
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH Season 5 Episode 24 FEATURED SONG: The Drop – “This End Up” (from IT WASN’T ME ! ) This week I spotlight a couple of UK hip hop artists, Dizzee Rascal & The Streets. Both came to prominence in the 2000s, and have sustained careers since then. I talk about how their styles – and UK’s hip hop styles in general – are often more interesting & less restrictive than hip hop from the US, and how that approach seems to apply to all UK music that reinterprets US music. I also talk about the global reach & dominance of hip hop, as it approaches its ostensible 50thanniversary, and how hip hop fits into music culture & music history in light of such an incredible milestone & rich legacy. Are you a hip hop fan? Did you know the two spotlight artists? Are you into any non-US or UK hip hop? Where do you think hip hop belongs in the overall history of music? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E23 · Mon, February 27, 2023
An Hour with Anthony Cirillo - Interview Edition #30 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 23
I spend an hour with Anthony Cirillo. Anthony is president of The Aging Experience ( www.theagingexperience.com ), creator of the Caregiver Smile Summit, a virtual, video-based, on-demand program that features experts across the spectrum of caregiving. He is also the creator of Sage Stream , a Senior Entertainment/Education Network that broadcasts LIVE entertainment to elder care facilities and other locations. You can find out more about Sage Stream here: www.sagestream.live Anthony is a musician & Philly native who has entertained in casinos and resorts, has won several Billboard songwriting awards, recorded in Nashville and been featured in songwriter showcases. You can find out more about Anthony’s music & where he’s playing in the Charlotte, NC area at www.tonyc.live And anything else you'd like to know about Anthony is here: All My Links Here! ~~~ Support MxG & REC: Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNS Support @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSIC Subscribe & see the videos! Listen to REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube Get Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES ~~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E22 · Mon, February 20, 2023
Death is DUMB Volume 11: David Bowie - 14 Subtitles About CHANGE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 22
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 22 FEATURED SONG: REC – “Silence of the Disabused” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Symphony for the Weird ) This week I spotlight David Bowie. He and his entire career can be defined by one word: undefinable. I sort out why that’s the ultimate state of EVERY artist, few of whom ever achieve that, and how the long view can show that all the pieces fit to make one unrepeatable picture. Are you a Bowie fan? If so, when did you get into him, and were you able to explore most or all of his phases? If not, why not? Have you always thought of Bowie as whatever of his music you got into first, or are you able to integrate his full range of expression? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E21 · Mon, February 13, 2023
The Beatles Part 3 – Integrated Innovators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 21
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 21 FEATURED SONG: REC – “The Accumulate” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Symphony for the Weird ) In Part 3 of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their most expansive period, when they left live-based rock recording behind and became full-on studio heads, covering Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper’s (as well as the US release, Yesterday and Today ). This is also when they were the most cohesive as a band, and contrastingly when their disillusionment started to tear at that cohesiveness. I talk about why this is their overall best & most defining period, what makes it so amazing, and which of the three albums is truly the best. Are any of these your top favorite album? Can YOU decide if Rubber Soul or Revolver is better? Where do you rank Sgt. Pepper ? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E20 · Mon, February 06, 2023
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #3 – Fetishizing the Past | MxG - Season 5 Episode 20
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 20 FEATURED SONG: *Anon.* - "Move Ahead, Long Boy" (from It Wasn't Me ! ) We’ve hit the halfway point of Season 5 (more or less), and what a season it’s been. In this third catch-up episode, I give some fan shoutouts, especially to those fans who prompted “music, conversation & connection”, as I so often mention. I make some additions & corrections to most of this season’s episodes. I talk about what’s been going on with me music-wise, and what’s coming up for everything. I also dive into what it means to fetishized the past, and how important it is to contextualize, recontextualize, and stay as connected to the present as you are to those things you know & love. If I’ve missed a comment from you, or some idea/band/fact you think should be here, then let’s discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E19 · Mon, January 30, 2023
The CROONER Episode - Was Frank Sinatra Really ALL THAT GREAT? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 19
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 19 FEATURED SONG: Nicky DeMatteo - "The Lady's In Love With You" (from Blame It On My Youth ) This week I talk about Frank Sinatra. Does he deserve all the praise? What was his best era? How does he rank among vocalists of his ilk? What’s happened to crooning since the 1960s? I also talk about the history of crooning, and break down the five big crooner eras. Are you a Sinatra fan? If so, do you have a favorite period? If not, why not, and what other crooners do you think are better? Are there any crooners of the last 40-50 years you’re a fan of? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E18 · Sat, January 21, 2023
The Greatest ROCK EXPLOSION in MUSIC HISTORY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 18
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 18 FEATURED SONG: REC – “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” (from It Wasn’t Me ! ) This week I talk about the greatest rock explosion in music history. NOT the 1960s. NOT the 1970s. NOT the 1990s. It’s the 2000s. It was also the last time rock music was a truly dominant force in music and the culture at large. Why? And will it be back again? This episode will cover what rock genres & movements were prominent in the 2000s (hint: almost all of them), what new or recent bands were significantly active during that period, and where music was headed after rock was getting all played out. Are you a fan of 2000s rock music? Do you think some other era had an even bigger explosion? Why do you think rock blew up so much, and then seemed to fade away just as quickly? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ 2000s MIX 1 - INDIE COLLEGE-Y ROCK ON SPOTIFY 2000s MIX 1 - INDIE COLLEGE-Y ROCK ON YOUTUBE 2000s MIX 2 - JANGLY INDIE POP ON SPOTIFY 2000s MIX 2 - JANGLY INDIE POP ON YOUTUBE 2000s MIX 3 - EMO SCREAMO POWER POP ON SPOTIFY 2000s MIX 3 - EMO SCREAMO POWER POP ON YOUTUBE 2000s MIX 4 - MELLOW ROCK & ELECTRO ON SPOTIFY 2000s MIX 4 - MELLOW ROCK & ELECTRO ON YOUTUBE 2000s MIX 5 - DANCE & WEIRD ROBOTIC SHIT ON SPOTIFY 2000s MIX 5 - DANCE & WEIRD ROBOTIC SHIT ON YOUTUBE 2000s MIX 6 - NEW NEW WAVE ON SPOTIFY <a href="https://youtube.com/
S5 E17 · Mon, January 16, 2023
The Hundred-Year DECADE SLAM - Every Genre’s PEAK ERA | MxG - Season 5 Episode 17
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official MUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 29 FEATURED SONG: The Drop - "Centerfield" (cover of the John Fogerty song - from It Wasn’t Me ! ) This week I take a trip through time and through all the major genres of music. I proclaim with all my infallible authority & knowledge when each genre was at its peak – i.e. in which decade of the 20thor 21st century was each genre at its overall best. I use the “three Cs” criteria, from which I take an aggregate measure: CREATIVITY – the breadth & depth of exploration; CHARM – how well-loved the music was & how much it connected to the culture’s imagination & zeitgeist; and COMMERCE – how much money did it make for artists & record companies. These are the genres I’ll be tackling: Ambient Asian & African Pop Music Blues Classical Country Easy Listening EDM Electro Pop Euro Pop Film Music Folk Funk Hip Hop Indie/Alt Rock Jazz Latin Metal Musical Theater Pop Power Pop / Emo Progressive Rock Punk & Post-Punk Reggae R&B/Soul Rock Swing Techno/House/Trance/Dubstep/Drum & Bass This doesn’t mean that music wasn’t popular (or even more popular) in other decades. It doesn’t mean it was the ONLY decade when artists were creatively fruitful (or even at a peak). And it doesn’t mean that genre didn’t make lots of (or even more) money in another decade. It’s about the music’s overall impact on the culture, and especially on the world of music in general. Oh and I don’t go into most sub- or ANY sub-sub-genres. Which decades are your favorites for these genres? Are there other decades you think were even better? Discuss dammit! *intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" (cover of the Agent Orange song - from Syzygy for the Weird )
S5 E16 · Fri, January 06, 2023
An Hour with Bob Adams - Interview Edition #29 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 16
I spend an hour with musician & teacher Bob Adams. Bob is a high school Director of Instrumental Music, whose indoor percussion ensemble won the 2021 Coast Championship. He's also an accomplished trombonist who once did a tour that took him to the North Pole. And he's a dear friend & family acquaintance of mine from way back. ~~~ Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official ~~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E15 · Mon, January 02, 2023
The Beatles Part 2 – Strung-Out & Stretching Superstars | MxG - Season 5 Episode 15
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 15 FEATURED SONG: REC – “I’ll Be Back” (from It Wasn’t Me ! ) In this second of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their film albums and the album that was sandwiched in between. It’s one of the least explored Beatles eras, because most of the attention has been placed on the films themselves. While every Beatles phase was transitional, this one might be the most significant, because it bridged the gap between their rock n roll / cover band / imitative years and their upcoming creative outburst of genius and originality. This phase is when they started stretching beyond their influences & exploring what it meant to be themselves. I also talk about how that album in between the films showed that they were overworked, over-toured, and beginning to be over the crazy fame monster. Which songs from these albums are your faves? Which movie do you prefer? How do you rank this era in their career? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
Bonus · Mon, December 26, 2022
PODFAST #7 - Interview with Singer/Songwriter Ashira | MxG BONUS EPISODE
PODFAST #7 In this special episode of PODFAST, I talk to Ashira. She's a singer/songwriter from LA, who's just released her new single, "Saint". Check out ALL her links below, and listen to Ashira everywhere. LISTEN TO ASHIRA: "Saint" "Divine Intervention" FOLLOW ASHIRA: TikTok Insta YouTube Spotify Apple Music EXPLORE ASHIRA: Searching for Justice in LA (Music Supervisor) - Official Selection World Film Carnival - Singapore - Finalist for Rome Prisma Awards https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11674936/ ~~~ Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official ~~~~ *music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 )
S5 E14 · Mon, December 19, 2022
The BEST Christmas Album? – There’s NO SUCH THING! … buuut … | MxG - Season 5 Episode 14
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 14 FEATURED SONG: Nick DeMatteo - "This Christmas" (live cover of the Donny Hathaway song) In this episode I discuss Christmas albums in general. Is there a best? What are my favorites? What are some of my least favorites? Why is it easier to love cheesy holiday music more than any other kind? I also make a case for two songs: one you can’t find a single GOOD version of, and one that doesn’t have a truly BAD version. What are your favorite Christmas albums? Or Christmas songs? What Christmas albums or songs can you just not get into? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E13 · Mon, December 12, 2022
Covers Albums - NOT Your Mom's Oldies Tunes | MxG - Season 5 Episode 13
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 13 FEATURED SONG: The Drop - "Lovely to See You" (from It Wasn't Me! ) In this episode I discuss covers albums and the concept of covers in general. I use a few of my favorite covers albums to illustrate how the best cover songs capture the essence of the original without needing to replicate the sound. And in fact those that DON’T replicate the sound are almost always way better. This episode comes on the eve of my new album debut, It Wasn’t Me! – featuring cover songs & songs made for movies & other like projects. You can hear it on REC’s Bandcamp: https://recarea.bandcamp.com/ What are your favorite covers albums? Do you prefer covers to stay as true to the original as possible, or do you like artists to reinterpret and/or experiment? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E12 · Mon, December 05, 2022
An Hour with Kevin Stroud - Interview Edition #28 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 12
I spend an hour with Kevin Stroud. Kevin is an attorney and podcaster who may be best known as the creator & host of The History of English Podcast - my all-time favorite podcast to listen to. He’s written a book review for the New York Times, and sometimes gives presentations about the history of legalese and legal English. You can listen to Kevin's wonderful podcast on all the major streaming services, and the home website: https://historyofenglishpodcast.com . And please support Kevin's amazing work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyofenglish ~~~ Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official ~~~~ *music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
S5 E11 · Mon, November 28, 2022
Pearl Jam - The New Classic Rock OR Who Was YOUR First Grunge Love? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 11
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 11 FEATURED SONGS: REC - "I'm Gone" (from Parts and Labour ) NICK - "Alive" (live acoustic cover of the Pearl Jam song) In this episode I discuss Pearl Jam, one of my favorite bands born in the 1990s. They’re not just grunge survivors, they’re the new classic rock. They have proven over and again that you can balance experimentation with pop & rock and never compromise your principles. And they were the first grunge band I fell in love with. Are you a Pearl Jam fan? Have you followed them through their career, or did you stop listening after Vitalogy & the decline of grunge? Who was your first grunge love? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E10 · Mon, November 21, 2022
The Beatles Part 1 - Ingenious Imitators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 10
Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH MxG on Patreon MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 10 FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Do You Wanna” (from Listen You People ) This is the first of a six-part series on The Beatles. I’ve broken up their career by what I deem to be their distinct eras, using their British albums as a guide. Though I will incorporate historical & non-musical ideas, most of my talks will center on the music itself, from my usual vantage point of both a creator & a fan. In Part 1, I explain the whole series, and go right into the Beatles’ formation, pre-recording years, and first two albums. What early Beatles songs are your faves? How do you rank this era in their career? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"
S5 E9 · Mon, November 14, 2022
An Hour with Joe DeLuca - Interview Edition #27 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 9
I spend an hour with Joe DeLuca. Joe is a producer, engineer, musician, writer & performer, who owned & operated Why Me Recording in Gibbsboro, NJ for 35 years, recording well over 600 bands. Joe's recent credits include Kurt Bock's Abstract Geometry & singer/songwriter Jeff Ehling. For more on Joe, check out his website: www.JoeDeLucaProducer.com FEATURED SONGS: Mattson / DeLuca - "Too Far Gone" (Bill Mattson - vocals, Brian McMahon - guitar, Dave Kloss - bass, Ritchie DeCarlo - drums, Joe DeLuca - guitar/keys/mixing) Creamcicle Spiders - "I" (Karolyn DiAntonio-Jordon - vocals, Dave Kloss - bass, Ritchie DeCarlo - Drums, Joe Deluca - guitar/keys/mixing) NICK - "Your Sister" (Nick DeMatteo - vocals, Pete Braidis - rhythm guitar, Cary Wallace - lead guitar, Dave Borginis - drums, Chris Leaverton - bass, Joe DeLuca - mixing) ~~~ Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official *intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E8 · Mon, November 07, 2022
Soft Rock AKA Kid Contemporary - Let's Not Do the 1970s Again | MxG - Season 5 Episode 8
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official MUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 28 FEATURED SONG: REC – “Where You Go” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) We all need quiet. It’s restorative – a break from the constant noise we can barely get away from. But when does quiet become TOO quiet? Tracking my music listening is like watching a pinball. Up down left right. I can’t stay in one vibe too long. Give me a couple of hours of any kind of music and I’m ready to switch it up. Better yet, give me a mix that has a little bit of everything, and I’m happy forever. You can count on music to provide you with as much variety as you can handle. Even within one genre, dynamics, attitude & expressiveness go almost anywhere. Think of heavy metal. Then think of the power ballad. Think of jazz fusion. Then think of smooth jazz. Think of rock. Then think of soft rock. Keep that one in mind for a sec, ‘cuz we’re coming back to it. First, let’s talk about pop music. Scan the charts from any given week or month in the last … I don’t know … 80 years. You’re almost guaranteed the top 10 songs will represent a healthy variety of music. Every now and then, one kind of music dominates in a way that screams trend. Jazz vocalists & big band in the ‘40s. Doo wop & rock n roll in the ‘50s. Britpop & folk rock in the ‘60s. Disco & soft rock in the ‘70s. New wave & hair metal in the 1980s. Grunge & hip hop in the ‘90s. Alt rock & R&B in the ‘00s. EDM & hip hop in the 2010s. And where trends go, you’ll find record companies, producers & even some artists cashing in and creating paler & paler imitations until the trend is smothered. Over the last decade or so, one trend in particular has grown to where it’s now clearly the dominant force. And this time it’s not one genre. It’s everywhere. SOFTNESS. Pick a genre. Pop. R&B. Hip hop. Whatever Taylor Swift is these days. In every case the most popular songs are mellow, characterized by soft, midrange sounds, usually lots of soothing or at least inoffensive synths, and vocals that go out of their way to underemote. Take a look at the current Billboard chart. As of today’s podcast recording, you have to go all the way down to #22 to find a song that isn’t mellow. The vast majority of the top 50 songs are simply soft. Considering what the world has been going through the last several years, it’s no surprise the general population needs everything it can get
S5 E7 · Mon, October 31, 2022
Death is DUMB Volume 10: The "27 Club" - Far Bigger Than THE HOLY TRINITY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 7
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH Season 5 Episode 7 FEATURED SONG: NICK – “The Same Way” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) In this episode, I talk about the “27 Club”, an informal set of famous people who died at the age of 27. Specifically for this podcast I focus on musicians. The list is much larger than you might think. I also talk about whether or not there’s any actual significance to this “club”. Who do you remember from the 27 Club? Which deaths resonate more with you, if any? Do you think any of this matters? Discuss dammit! *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Fri, October 28, 2022
PODFAST #6 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #2 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official PODFAST #6 In this episode, I do a quick rundown of eight recently released albums: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down Simple Minds - Direction of the Heart Rina Sawayama - Hold the Girl The Pixies - Doggerel Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9 Dr. John - Things Happen That Way Death Cab for Cutie - Asphalt Meadows Alvvays - Blue Rev *music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E6 · Mon, October 24, 2022
An Hour with John Kiran Fernandes - Interview Edition #26 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 6
I spend an hour with John Kiran Fernandes. John is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, music creator, and owner of the music label Cloud Recordings. He's been a seminal part of the famed Elephant 6 collective, having played with many of its bands, including The Olivia Tremor Control & Circulatory System. John is also the father of musician/artist Jeremy Kiran Fernandes. Find out more about John, and listen to some of his great music, here: Cloud Recordings - music label Cloud Recordings on Bandcamp Shane Parish, feat. John Kiran Fernandes John on Facebook John on Instagram And to read more on the Elephant 6 music collective, check out this book: Endless Endless: A Lo-Fi History of the Elephant 6 Mystery ~~~ Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E5 · Sun, October 16, 2022
Green Day - Proper AND PUNK | MxG - Season 5 Episode 5
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 5 FEATURED SONG: REC – “Three More Minutes” (from Synergy for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) In this episode, I talk about Green Day, the most successful punk band in history. They show that punk music not only has staying power, but can be as popular, expansive & artistic as any other kind of music. I also talk about what it means to be “true punk”. Have you listened to Green Day? Do you think they should be considered “true punk”? Is punk an attitude, a sound, or both? Discuss dammit! *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E4 · Mon, October 10, 2022
The Roots - Things Come Together ALIVE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 4
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 4 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Let It Wreck Your Mind" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) In this episode, I talk about one of my all-time favorite hip hop bands, and one of the all-time best Philly bands, The Roots. They popularized live-band hip hop, helped usher in the neo-soul movement, and are creating a legacy of diverse, socially conscious and slammingly fun music. Do you know The Roots? Do you know them beyond Jimmy Fallon? How do you feel their work measures up to the standard drum machine & sample based hip hop? Discuss dammit! *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E3 · Mon, October 03, 2022
An Hour with Danny Burstein - Interview Edition #25 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 3
I spend an hour with Danny Burstein. Danny is a veteran stage, film & TV actor. He's a seven-time Tony Award nominee, and a 2020 winner of Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Moulin Rouge! He also happens to be a great guy. You can find more info on Danny pretty much anywhere you look. Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Fri, September 30, 2022
PODFAST #5 - REC's New Album Out NOW | MxG BONUS EPISODE
In this short & dangerous episode of PODFAST, I announce that REC's new album has dropped on Bandcamp. RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 is now exclusively on Bandcamp. It's a two-volume set of 30 remastered tracks from REC's eight albums. Listen to it here: RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 For bonus content, including all 30 high quality WAV files, the hi res cover art, and a 16-page insert with a band history, stories on each album, exclusive never-seen photos and artwork, and a sneak peek into what's next for REC, join REC & MxG on Patreon: MxG on Patreon And don't forget all the other ways you can support: MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official *music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E2 · Mon, September 26, 2022
James Taylor - The Resilient Epitome of a Singer-Songwriter | MxG - Season 5 Episode 2
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 2 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Real Life" (from Symphony for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 ) In this episode, I discuss the legendary James Taylor, what it REALLY means to be a singer-songwriter, and how Taylor both epitomizes AND defies the convention. ??? Or how he helped to define that genre?? Are you a fan? Have you heard more than just his greatest hits? Do you feel like the only true singer-songwriters are mellow solo singers playing piano or guitar? Discuss dammit! *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S5 E1 · Mon, September 19, 2022
A to Z for ME - My Sweet Picks & a Season Preview | MxG - Season 5 Episode 1
Support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor MxG on YouTube REC on Bandcamp REC on YouTube Nick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 1 FEATURED SONG: REC - "Some Things Happen" (from Parts and Labour ) In this banner first episode of Season 5, I run down my A to Z master list of favorite music artists. These are not acts I just like – that list would be 100 times longer. These are artists I love and can’t get enough of. Heart artists, you might say. Some of them have already been featured on MxG. Others are in the works, and serve as a preview of what’s to come in Season 5. Here’s the list: Alice In Chains / Ape Cafe / Apples in Stereo Bach / Beastie Boys / Beatles / Bee Gees / Tony Bennett / Leonard Bernstein / Big Audio Dynamite / Bloc Party / David Bowie / Dave Brubeck Chicago / Chopin / The Clash / George Clinton / Phil Collins / Cornershop / The Cure The Dead Milkmen / Nicky DeMatteo / Depeche Mode / The Drop Eminem Foo Fighters / Fountains of Wayne G. Love & Special Sauce / Genesis / Green Day / Vince Guaraldi Hall & Oates / Jimi Hendrix / Hole / Husker Du Indigo girls / INXS Billy Joel The Kinks / Lenny Kravitz Led Zeppelin / John Lennon / LL Cool J Paul McCartney / Metallica / Thelonious Monk / Morrissey New Order / NICK / Nirvana Oasis / Ozzy Osbourne Pearl Jam / Prince / Louis Prima Queen REC / Red Hot Chili Peppers / R.E.M. / Smokey Robinson / The Roots / Run - DMC Smashing Pumpkins / The Smiths / Stephen Sondheim / Soundgarden / Squeeze (retroactively) / Matthew Sweet / Stone Temple Pilots James Taylor / They Might Be Giants U2 Violent Femmes The Who / Wings / The Wombats / Stevie Wonder XTC Yazoo / Yes The Zombies Where do we agree? Where do we disagree? Who should I have included? Discuss dammit! *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Sat, August 27, 2022
PODFAST #4 - YOUR SUPPORT & CHEAT CODES | MxG BONUS EPISODE
Here's how you can support MxG & REC: MxG on Patreon - membership for as little as $5/month MxG on Anchor - monthly membership at whatever rate you can handle Subscribe to MxG on YouTube - subscribing is free, and you can add a one-time donation here: https://paypal.me/MUSICisnotaGENRE REC on Bandcamp - buy REC music once, or subscribe for as little as $5/month Subscribe to REC on YouTube - totally free and one of the BEST places to get REC music Official Website of Nick DeMatteo - sign up free for Nick's newsletter! THANK YOU! *music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Mon, August 08, 2022
PODFAST #3 - The NEW INTRO VIDEO | MxG BONUS EPISODE
*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) SUPPORT MxG ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE ~~~~ In this episode, I reveal the new MxG intro video, which will officially debut soon. You can check out the PODFAST version of the video here: PODFAST #3 VIDEO Here are ways you can support, follow, share & show your love for MUSIC is not a GENRE: MxG on Patreon MxG on Anchor Subscribe to MxG on YouTube Official Website of Nick DeMatteo And here's where you can find all of REC's music: REC on Bandcamp Subscribe to REC on YouTube This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Fri, July 22, 2022
PODFAST #2 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #1 | MxG BONUS EPISODE
*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) SUPPORT MxG ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE ~~~~ In this episode, I do a quick rundown of seven albums that were released on July 15: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - XI: Bleed Here Now Beabadoobee - Beatopia callinamagician - Head Full of Snow Chicago - Born for This Moment (XXXVIII) The Drop - Long Held Grudges Interpol - The Other Side of Make-Believe Lizzo - Special This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
Bonus · Mon, June 27, 2022
PODFAST #1 - Brand New Brand | MxG BONUS EPISODE
*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird ) SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE ~~~~ Welcome to MUSIC is not a GENRE’s first ever PODFAST. This edition of MxG will be bonus mini episodes, starting summer 2022 & continuing periodically through future seasons. This episode is all about the changes happening to the podcast - some coming in Season 5 & some already here. FEATURED LINKS: MxG - Every Episode Ever MxG - The Opinions MxG - The Interviews MxG - Death is DUMB MxG - The Book Talks MxG - The Featured Songs This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E40 · Mon, June 13, 2022
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #2 - Know Your MinaG Terms Edition | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #40
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC - "When It Comes" (from Distance To Empty ) Hard to believe, but this is the final episode of MUSIC is not a GENRE’s monumental Season 4. With every season, MinaG gets closer to its ultimate form & tone. New subseries were added (including this one!). Old segments were fleshed out. New objectives set forth – some achieved & some saved as goals for Season 5. New fans & subscribers. New commenters. New patrons & supporters. And, amidst an extremely up and down year, a renewal of spirit & purpose. Here’s what this week’s wrap-up will cover: 1. Know your MinaG terms – I make up a lot of shit. It’ll be more fun if you understand what these four terms mean: Chronolography, Heart Artist, Death is DUMB, the Share Tingles. 2. Season 4 review – a list of every episode, including fan input, some corrections & additional observations. 3. More fan comments – so many of you lovely people weighed in this year, and I’d like to respond. 4. Chronolographies – as per #1, you know what this is, right? I’ll talk about what I’ve been listening to lately. 5. Look ahead to next season – what’s coming, what’s changing, and how you can be a part of it. Other than doing the best show I can do, the most important thing to me is your feedback. While I’m more or less off for the summer, I’d love to hear from you. Tell me what you liked about this season (or what you didn’t like), and what you want for next season. I’ve got some surprises in store, and would love for you to be a part of that. As always, your support is more valuable than I can express, so please join me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE I’ll leave you with one of my favorite REC singles. It’s about finding love you didn’t even know you wanted. It feels like summer to me. REC – “When It Comes” (from Distance To Empty ) https://recarea.bandcamp.com/track/when-it-comes Hit me with some of your love, and discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E39 · Mon, May 30, 2022
The Show That Never Ends: The Book That WASN'T LONG ENOUGH! - Book Talk #4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #39
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC – “It’s Like This” (from Parts and Labour ) When I’m not into something, I have a miniscule attention span, just like anyo – yeahokaywhatever But when I AM into something, I usually don’t want it to end. As you can guess from a guy who does a Death is DUMB subseries, endings are not my strong suit. It’s one reason I choose my chronolography subjects very carefully. If I’m gonna listen to every single album, I gotta be sure I like the music. I’m the same way with books. I’ve read books nearly 1500 pages long. I’ve read book series with 8 or more installments. The length doesn’t matter. In fact, I was so into those books that even that much wasn’t long enough. The same is true for this week’s subject: The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock , by David Weigel. And it’s true for two reasons. First and foremost, I really did love this book. I’m glad a book like this exists, because precious little has been written about the history of prog rock. Single bands or band threads have been profiled, but not the whole genre. This book is a great primer for anyone who wants to know more about prog rock, and a fun & informative ride for people who are already into it. Plus it goes all the way to present times and very recent prog bands, which reminds readers that this music is still creatively vibrant and evolving. Of course I wished it was longer. But that’s not the only reason. We’re talking about the most intricate, involved, extensive – and yes, LONGEST – form of rock music out there. This is a genre wherein seven minutes is considered SHORT. A quick online survey revealed that there are many prog rock songs that are well over an hour. To my mind, it would be more appropriate, more fitting, and more respectful to write a book as long & sprawling as the best prog rock songs or albums. Moreover, I’d say it’s necessary and really the ONLY way to write a comprehensive prog rock book. It’s clear David Weigel knows & loves what he’s talking about. It would have honored the music and the fans more – and been way more fun – if he’d got as indulgent as the music itself, and just let stories & facts fly until his hands hurt. It’s possible his objective was to make it more digestible for the casual fan. Or the publishing company heavily edited the book. I can understand those reasons for the book being too short. As someone who’s midway between a casual fan and an obsessive, I wanted way more tangents, way more threads pulled, way more roads followed to their end. He makes passing mention of prog-adjacent genres and bands, but doesn’t go far enough in fleshing them out, and leaves o
S4 E38 · Mon, May 23, 2022
Belle & Sebastian - When QUIET Was the REVOLUTION | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #38
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC – “The Garden” (from Sympathy for the Weird ) Everything is part of a cycle. Macro, Micro, Nano, Epochal. Even if it seems something is brand new never-been-done, guaranteed it’s an echo of something else. That’s partly because nothing is created in a vacuum. New works – even ones so bracingly new they blow your head back – are always influenced by old. Every attention-grabbing shift & movement is a response to something that came before. Complex gives way to simple. So-called “high art” gives way to so-called “low art” (distinctions I always dispute but which are useful here). Brash & confrontational gives way to soft & inviting. Sarcasm & nihilism give way to sincerity & faith. And while each iteration of the cycle is different and almost always a step forward, we’re wise to look back for perspective & context, so we can better understand what’s being done & why. It makes the seemingly unfamiliar & possibly offensive feel closer to our experience & thus more inviting. You can trace the cycle of influence & response back to the first time a humanoid repeatedly hit an object with a bone, or made a sound that was useful to make again & again. Let’s not do that here. That’s what I’d call the “$50,000 version” of this podcast. A quicker illustration goes like this: PUNK – a stripped down response to the complexity & bombast of progressive & classic rock HAIR METAL – a melding of punk, metal & glam intended to poke a hole in the straight-edged seriousness of punk GRUNGE – a stripped down, beefed up and more personal & inclusive response to the excesses & overt misogyny of hair metal TWEE INDIE POP & POST ROCK – a quiet, seemingly more contemplative & less guitar driven response to the moshfest of grunge Now, all of this is simplified & very qualified. These kinds of music existed for more reasons than just as responses to what came before, whether socio-political or purely artistic. And their influences were more far-ranging than just “we don’t want to do what they did”. Punk was in many ways a return to the 3- & 4-chord 1950s pop rock AND the 1960s garage rock movement. Hair metal was, as stated, a descendant of glam, but also very blues based, unlike the more classical/progressive based metal of earlier bands. Grunge took a lot from the 1970s – including the relatively flat, midrange EQ. And the grunge counter-response that included twee & post-rock consisted of strains that had been around as long as grunge, and influences that had been around even longer. And this is where this week’s band comes in. Belle & Sebastian are a 1960s AND 1980s influenced indie pop band from Glasgow. They
S4 E37 · Mon, May 09, 2022
Death is DUMB Volume 9: Terry Kath - The Spirit & Sinew of Chicago | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #37
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC – “Ripe” (from The Sunshine Seminar ) Every band has a different dynamic, both for music and for business. Mick Jagger was right business-wise when he called the Beatles the “four-headed monster”, but on the music side they really just had the two heads. Most of U2’s music is driven by two heads as well, but Larry Mullen Jr. started the band, so my guess is business-wise there’s more equality overall. Fleetwood Mac has almost always been a complete mess on both sides, which makes their longevity & artistic success even more striking. Nirvana was that one troubled head for music, and likely pretty equal on the business end. Chicago was a special case. (I say was because they’ve been a shadow of themselves for a long time now, and more on that later.) They morphed. For their musical direction & business decisions to have changed so much and so often, you’d think their personnel did too. Nope. For all of their classic period, they were the core seven (and for a short stretch percussionist Laudir de Oliveira). After the death of Terry Kath & some growing pains (about which more below), their breakout comeback early 1980s period had six original members plus Chris Pinnick & Bill Champlin. After Peter Cetera left, he was seamlessly replaced with Jason Scheff, and Dawayne Bailey took over for Chris. When Danny Seraphine bowed out, Tris Imboden took over & stayed longer than any other drummer. And for the 1990s and almost all of this century, it’s been the core four, Tris, Lou Pardini on keys, and a bunch of other changes. In the last few years, with Walt Parazaider retiring, it’s down to three originals, Lou, and a handful of others who seem to be sticking around so far. Why do I go into that much detail? Two reasons. One, to show how much change a stalwart band needs to endure to have a career this long. And two, to show how this week’s subject – the death of Terry Kath – made more of an impact on both the business & music trajectory of Chicago than any other event in their history. For those of you unfamiliar, a quick history. Terry was one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Top ten in the minds of many. He was also one of the principal vocalists & writers of the band. His passion & dedication to expression above all else gave Chicago a huge part of their initial raison d’etre, and their depth & groundedness. Then in 1978, he died of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot to the head. From that point on, Chicago was never the same. And in many ways never as good. You could say that the death of any core band member changes a band forever, but that’s a sliding scale. Bonham’s death ultimately ended Led Zeppelin, b
S4 E36 · Mon, May 02, 2022
Negative Reviews - Constructive Critique or Pathetic Power Play? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #36
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Not everything in life can be spun into a positive. There are some things that are as objectively not good as you can get. Most of us want most of life to be great. And for those things that aren’t great to be “life lessons” or to have a “silver lining”. But let’s face it. There’s shitty shit out there and that’s that. At the same time, there’s almost nothing that can be deemed 100% bad. Almost everything & everyone has at least one redeemable quality. Society drives us to communicate as simply as possible, to distill our thoughts into memes or sound bites or 280 characters. There’s no place for nuance. No place for the grey. So anything not 100% tends to get lost in the cacophony. What’s worse is we then think the only way to be heard is to shout in kind. But every single time we try, our words get coopted or diminished or misinterpreted. Talking AT is not talking TO, and people will give what they get. But despite the inundation of social media, ads, and abject simplicity, there are other ways to communicate that offer opportunities to say more, to be less reductive & more nuanced, to find more connection & common ground. To actually have a conversation. How we use those ways depends on how much we’ve been pressured into believing that shouting is the only way. Because it’s still possible to talk a lot and only say one big thing: this is great or this sucks. Agree or disagree. Saying that in 500 or 1000 words is just as reductive as shouting it in two. And I’d argue it’s worse because it fools people into believing that you’re coming from a more informed, authoritative place. Fancy words can easily hide simplistic views. And this is where we need to get into negative reviews. I’ve threatened quite often to explain the difference between a review and a critique. So sit tight, because here it comes. A critic is a judge. Which implies power. Which, as we all know, can corrupt. And it does. Big time. So many critics think it’s their job to tear down creations & creators, thoughts & thought leaders, or whatever & whomever they’re reviewing. This is, to be as simple as possible, a pathetic power play. It’s someone with little to no actual power or creative force, trying to take down someone whose power comes from the act of putting something into the world that never before existed, and then waiting to be judged for it. It’s a way to siphon that power, to steal it & wield it for destructive purposes. That’s a “review”. And while some of these reviews do include other more nuanced & constructive thoughts, their overall impression is the worst kind of negative. Biased. Personal. Condescending. Vindictive. Self-serving. Self-aggrandizing. Seeking to destroy & not enlighten. And deliberately
S4 E35 · Mon, April 25, 2022
TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 2) - Interview Edition #24 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #35
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This is the second half of my two-part interview with Bridget Hogan - classical singer, actor & teaching artist, and recently named Artistic Director for Reaching for the Arts. Her credits include roles at: New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, New York City Ballet, Opera NJ, & Resonanz Opera; and oratorio/concert performances at: Carnegie Hall, Toronto Sinfonia, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Summit Music Festival, & Ocean Grove Music Festival. She also founded Silver Thread Productions, a company that produces small scale, integrated arts works. To see and hear more of Bridget, go here: La Voix Perdue – a one-woman show loosely based on the life of Teresa Stratas “Merce Dilette Amiche” , from I Vespri Siciliani by Giuseppe Verdi This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E34 · Mon, April 18, 2022
Meet the BEATLES BOOKS ! – ASK ME WHY We Always Want More - Book Talk #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #34
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED MUSIC: The Drop – “Hey Bulldog” (Beatles cover) REC Cover Tunes YouTube Playlist Nick - "Yes It Is" (a cappella) There is very little anyone can say about the Beatles that hasn’t been said before. They’ve been talked about, written about, critiqued, analyzed & dissected, loved & hated, memorialized & revitalized, covered & copied, and have influenced more musicians than even the musicians themselves realize. But do they deserve it? If you think that question even needs to be asked, you should probably stop reading and return to whatever sick cave of self-hatred you live in. Yes, it’s possible to not be into the Beatles, to even dislike them. But no one with a working brain – and more importantly, working heart – can possibly suggest that they don’t deserve every bit of attention & praise they’ve gotten. It’d be like saying Bach was a trite & repetitive hack, or all Mozart really did was coopt other people’s ideas. Personal opinions aside, the Beatles are objectively one of the greatest creators of music in the thousands of years of recorded history. They’ve infiltrated most cultures in ways few other creators of any art have. At this point, it’s more surprising when someone hasn’t heard of them or at least one of their songs. They just are. This is not my definitive episode on the Beatles. In fact, I won’t be discussing much of their actual music at all. This week, my focus will be on three things: 1. The books in my collection, and the plethora of Beatles books (and movies, TV shows & other media) in general: what they contribute to the greater discussion, and what else possibly could be brought to light by new books – cuz we all know they’re coming; 2. The idea that the Beatles are more than just a band; they’re a near-universal Rorschach test, a way to suss out what kind of a person someone is based on their relationship to the Beatles. Specifically, which Beatles period resonates with you, which one defines what the Beatles are to you, can determine not just the rest of your musical taste. It can also shed light on how you see and relate to the world at large. 3. That the most valuable new thing anyone can say about the Beatles is what they think & feel. Their opinion, assessment, focus, emotion is a unique mix, no matter how much is shared with others. In fact, it’s that combination of uniqueness and commonality that does exactly what the Beatles intended: spread love & connection through music. As a music creator, and a member of PreFab 4
S4 E33 · Mon, April 11, 2022
TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 1) - Interview Edition #23 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #33
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This is the first of a two-part interview with Bridget Hogan - classical singer, actor & teaching artist, and recently named Artistic Director for Reaching for the Arts. Her credits include roles at: New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, New York City Ballet, Opera NJ, & Resonanz Opera; and oratorio/concert performances at: Carnegie Hall, Toronto Sinfonia, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Summit Music Festival, & Ocean Grove Music Festival. She also founded Silver Thread Productions, a company that produces small scale, integrated arts works. To see and hear more of Bridget, go here: La Voix Perdue – a one-woman show loosely based on the life of Teresa Stratas “Merce Dilette Amiche” , from I Vespri Siciliani by Giuseppe Verdi This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E29 · Mon, April 04, 2022
MIXES and the CD-ARRR: At Some Point We Were ALL PIRATES | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #29
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC – “Gold” (from Parts and Labour ) What I’m about to discuss is highly illegal. Some of it. Maybe. Among other things, it’s a primer on what music piracy is & isn’t, and who the real pirates are. But before that, let me tell you why I’m getting into this. As I’ve said a dozen or more times, I’ve been a DJ since I was a teen. I started making mixes by bouncing songs from one cassette player to another. Then I used a mixing board & two turntables to record my mixes with crossfades & other fun punch-ins – again on cassette. I took it live in high school & college. After that, I’d create a mix for our annual Halloween party, and a mega mix every two years. Plus a BUNCH of specialty mixes for friends, lovers & other occasions. There were several technological developments that converged to change everything. · The internet. Sure, it’s actually been around for like 50 years, but most of us know it really took hold in the early-mid 1990s – the days of the AOL disc. · The CD-R (or CD-RW). Introduced in the late 1980s, the tech became affordable about a decade later. That allowed me to record a higher quality live mix than on cassette, using the best songs from two years of my purchases. · The mp3 (and wav). Again, look to the late 1980s for this innovation, and the 1990s for its wider dissemination. What you might recall is that computers & the internet were too slow & weak to handle lots of higher quality files (like wavs), which is why the mp3 was so important. Especially when it came to… · File sharing. Documents & other very small files have been shared over the internet since the 1970s, but again it was the 1990s when this took hold. And it was the early-mid 2000s when it blew sky high – in more ways than one. Remember Napster? MP3.com? LimeWire & FrostWire? Kazaa? The BitTorrent protocol? Once all those came together, I was like a diabetic in a candy store, gobbling up everything I could get my hands on even if it was ultimately a bad idea. Yep, like most of us, I was a music pirate and happy to be one. I created several collections of music that I’d never have been able to afford otherwise, and loved every minute. Fun as hell and incredibly educational, but again, a bad thing to do. But was it? Yes and no – and that “no” is qualified by what came after. Music piracy didn’t die because it was outlawed. (In fact, it’s alive and well with things like free online software that lets you rip songs from YouTube.) It died because music & tech companies got wise. They saw an opportunity to cash in in a big way. They made it hella easier to acquire nearly unlimited music legally – first with Rhapsody/Listen, then
S4 E32 · Mon, April 04, 2022
Heavy Flute & Crime Jazz - Cool is Where You Find It | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #32
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Come A Little Closer” (from The Metrogrande Sessions ) What is jazz? At this point there are so many subdivisions that it’s not easy to define. That word – “JAZZ” – 100% evokes different sounds & ideas in every person’s head. For me, jazz has to have some form of improvisation – freedom within form – and it has to be funky, at least a little. If I were doing a podcast on jazz in general, I’d throw down some more descriptions, and even get into what I think jazz ISN’T. But that’s not what this week is about. I ask the question because this week’s spotlight albums are likely NOT the first things that come to mind when most people think of jazz. Take Heavy Flute – a compilation of jazz cuts from the 1960s & 1970s featuring flute solos. Released in 2000 (and now out of print and nowhere to be found on streaming services), it was an instant classic for me. Say “flute” to someone, and the first words that come to their mind are unlikely to be “funky” or “cool”. Yet this album proves without a doubt that the flute can be both. Ian Anderson knows this. So does Lizzo. And Walt Parazaider of Chicago. The songs on this album range from lyrical to percussive & everything in between. When you listen to it – and I do suggest looking up every song, you’re gonna get a big 1960s/70s vibe. And you’re gonna be surprised at how diverse & freakin’ cool & funky it is. My favorite is no question Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He treats the flute like everything from what it’s meant to be to a percussion instrument to a microphone. What he did was practically punk. The dude weirded out in all the best ways, and clearly influenced Walt Parazaider’s solos. Herbie Mann is a close second fave on this album, but you could start with any track and be blown away. Pun intended. Crime Jazz was released in two parts ( Music in the First Degree & Music in the Second Degree ). Both albums came out in 1997, and are also out of print & impossible to find on streaming. They feature ensemble jazz made especially for crime movies & TV. Think of the themes to Mission: Impossible (the old TV show, not the movie series) or Peter Gunn. Though the first one isn’t featured in this compilation, you will find other compositions by the great Lalo Schifrin. The second was by Henry Mancini and performed by Quincy Jones and his Orchestra. Check out Elmer Bernstein’s tracks too. He's always been a fave of mine. For the FULL TEXT & LINKS, go to: https://www.nickdematteo.com/podcast This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a
S4 E31 · Sat, March 26, 2022
An Hour with Jacqueline B. Arnold - Interview Edition #22 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #31
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Jacqueline B. Arnold. Jackie is a performer, currently on Broadway in the multiple Tony Award winning musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical. We talk about her history on Broadway, on tour, and everywhere else in musical theater and beyond. For more on Jackie, go here: INSTAGRAM: @jacquelinebarnold https://jackiebarnold.com/ And for more info on The Kitchen Chemists, Handmade Full Spectrum Cannabis Infused Topicals, go here: https://thekitchenchemists.com/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E30 · Mon, March 21, 2022
PRE-MO DREAMO EMO SCREAMO GLEAMO FE-MO RAP! … Real Emo DOESN'T EXIST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #30
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED MUSIC: REC – “Break You” (from Parts and Labour ) REC – “Suddenly” (from Synergy for the Weird ) NICK – “Your Sweetness” (from Your EP ) See that link right above this line? It makes me feel … whatever. Basically, I get all “emo” whenever someone tries to define what “emo” is and which bands do or don’t qualify. Not unexpected, I’m sure, since you know well I’ve got issues with “genres”. As with any genre, one band you’re sure belongs is associated with another band that’s a little different. That band is close to another band etc. etc. until five bands down the line you’ve made it from emo to pop punk to Olivia Rodrigo, or emo to goth punk to The Cure. That said, I’m going to dive headfirst into this swirl of emo shite & hopefully resurface with some actual conclusions. So what’s up with all the labels in this week’s title? First, it’s a perfect illustration of the mess we get in with this subject. It’s also an abridged history of where emo came from, when it popped (pun intended), and where it’s going. As to that first thing, your definition of emo depends largely on when you discovered it, possibly more than almost any other type of music. If, like me, you learned about emo in the 1990s, you think of anything before Sunny Day Real Estate as proto-emo, and anything after, say, Jimmy Eat World as NOT emo. If you came to emo in the early 2000s, you’re more likely to call Fall Out Boy & Blink-182 emo acts. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I see as the main emo divisions: For the FULL BREAKDOWN, including PRE-MO, DREAMO, EMO, SCREAMO, GLEAMO, FE-MO, and EMO RAP, go to: https://www.nickdematteo.com/podcast So what is “real emo”? If you know MUSIC is not a GENRE , you already know the answer: There IS NO ANSWER. Qualities of emo can be found quite prominently in some 1980s bands, some grunge bands, and quite a bit of pop music. Some pop punk has emo leanings & some doesn’t. Some metal & prog bands are emo-adjacent. Others aren’t. What makes all this fun is finding the threads & following them until you hit on the “emo” that fits you. You can argue that I was doing emo as early as Sunny Day, such as the song “Your Sweetness” (several years before Jimmy Eat World’s “Sweetness”, btw), but really the influence doesn’t pop up prominently until REC’s Parts and Labour , with the first song being the hands down best example of how emo REC can be. The second song is more in the line of “GLEAMO” than “EMO”. An
S4 E28 · Mon, March 07, 2022
Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres ... This is Where It Gets PERSONAL - Book Talk #2 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #28
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED MUSIC REC – “Brave the World” I’m a peaceful man. Or at least I present as one. I’ve actually got a little too much fire in me, which is a little too easy to set off. Fortunately, with age comes … slowness. I take more time before responding. I sit with my trigger feeling and explore what else might be there. I look for a way to bridge gaps. I … drum roll please … LISTEN before I talk. All of which makes for much better communication, understanding & connection. This is especially useful when my passion for a subject goes beyond all reason, and I’m confronted by someone with an equal passion who doesn’t necessarily see things how I do. What could end up in complete disengagement & animosity turns into an opportunity to learn, respect & bond. It’s a journey. It’s a pain in the ass. And it’s one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have. This week’s book, Kelefa Sanneh’s Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, is one of the most passionate music books I’ve ever read. And because the author is passionate, experienced, informed AND has opinions, the book was both thought- AND emotion-provoking. I was predisposed to skepticism about Major Labels because a friend of mine – himself an excellent writer & critic – mentioned to me that Sanneh defends “genre boundaries”, something you can imagine the MUSIC is not a GENRE creator is not a fan of 😊 But I was too intrigued by the overall subject to pass on the book. So I jumped in with an open mind, equally ready to appreciate & be frustrated by it. And while appreciation won out, it was a close call. And his often deeply personal touch – informed in part by his sense of being an “outsider” both because of his race & lack of musical ability – did a lot to mitigate times when he overreached with subjective judgments or flat out interpreted genres in ways that seem tone deaf to an actual musician. What saved the book for me most were three things: First, he knows his stuff. I want to say “inside and out”, but other than the punk & hip hop sections he mostly came across as an outsider, one more inclined to give “criticism” rather than a “critique”. Second, he was honest throughout about his vantage point & biases, and especially about how wrong his opinions, assessments & predictions have been in the past. Third, he’s close enough to my generation to have similar touchstones & perspectives, even if our takes on certain genres jibe only about half the time. As for the entire pretense of the book, that popular music can be neatly divided into seven genres – eh. I wanted to be more upset about it, but the author unde
S4 E27 · Mon, February 28, 2022
SUPERGROUPS: How SUPER Are They? – Audioslave, Velvet Revolver and THE REST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #27
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: REC – “I’m Gone” (from Parts and Labour ) First off, we need to agree on what makes a supergroup. There are lists based on the conventional definition that it’s a group made up of members from other groups. I’m gonna take that two steps further. STEP ONE (yes, I’ve now planted the NKOTB song in your head): The groups these people came from needed to have been famous on their own – i.e. successful & known, i.e. “super”. This can include solo careers. STEP TWO: The new group they form has to have had some measure of success & renown as well. In short, a supergroup is “a famous new group formed by members of famous old groups.” This stricter definition rules out a ton of groups otherwise called “super”. Some categories that no longer apply: · Groups whose members were in groups no one has heard of. Example: Can anyone name one other group members of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons came from? · New groups almost no one has heard of or remembers. Example: We probably all know Filter, Nine Inch Nails & Stone Temple Pilots, but does anyone remember Army of Anyone? · Glorified side projects, – people mostly from one band, with some side dudes from other lesser known bands. Examples: GTR, A Perfect Circle, Zwan. · Established bands that had another famous person join in for a while. Examples: RHCP with Dave Navarro; Mars Volta with John Frusciante, Queen with Paul Rodgers. · Glorified solo projects – one famous musician forming a band with a bunch of non-famous people. Example: Wings. · Personal favorites – a new group of famous musicians you wish everyone else knew but never quite got there. Example: Tinted Windows. I’m not saying any of these deserve less praise or respect. They’re just not really supergroups. Now that we’ve established the criteria, let’s look at a much shorter list of actual supergroups: TO SEE FULL LIST AND FULL ESSAY, GO HERE: NEW HOME of MUSIC is not a GENRE One thing everyone assesses right out of the gate is whether the new group is better than the old ones. In a few cases – CSNY, Bad Company, Foo Fighters, Madvillain & Run the Jewels – the new groups ARE better. Their music can stand alone with or without their origin groups – one thing I think truly makes a supergroup super. But in almost every case above and any I’ve missed, the answer is no. Them Crooked Vultures is not better than any of the bands those people came from. Neither Broken Bells nor Hollywood Vampires. And certainly not Audioslave or Velvet Revolver. Were they good bands? Yes. Did they bring something new
S4 E26 · Mon, February 21, 2022
Death is DUMB Volume 8: Nirvana - Reopening the Heartbreak-Shaped Box | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #26
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Water Baby” (from Your EP ) I’ve been putting this off since the very first volume of Death is DUMB. For several reasons. It’s confusing & painful. It feels too much like 1994 and yet totally not. It’s laden with commentary & assumptions & prejudices. It’s like what I said about Eminem’s “controversy” – what possible new spin or bit of insight could I provide that would justify a whole episode? But I can’t do a sub-series on major deaths in music and not include this band. That’s just plain cowardice, and abdication of responsibility that should strip me of any claim to being a good music podcaster. So fuck it. Time to reopen the old wound and spill my guts. Let’s get one thing out of the way first. This is not about grunge. Death in music is everywhere, and while several grunge-related deaths have been high profile, they’re no more numerous than in other kinds of music. This is about amazing music, nostalgia in its truest form (“the pain of returning”), and what it all means to me. It doesn’t have to be for or about anyone or anything else. No lengthy history or patchwork biography – you can find those anywhere. No rehashing old arguments or trying to come up with whys and what-ifs. In fact, this isn’t even going to be negative. Yes, death is fucking dumb whether it’s self-inflicted or not, and it became a big part of Nirvana’s story. But before that, the music was the story. And the more time passes, the more the story is overtaken by the music. As it should be. The Monkees. REM. The Beatles. The Smithereens. The Pixies. Punk. Heavy metal. Pop. Harsh dynamics that often obscure the subtle intricacies and songwriting genius. The contrast of expressing the softest vulnerabilities with the loudest shouts. Nirvana did for a generation of musicians & music lovers what those other bands did for Kurt Cobain. They reminded us that in music – and in all art – there’s no such thing as “allowed”. We might seek permission by example, like Cobain did with the Pixies, but that’s us battling within ourselves. The world can fuck off. As soon as you embrace that, what comes out of you is ALL YOU, ALL REAL, and ALL NEW, regardless of what came before. Were Nirvana grunge? Sure, okay. But at heart (and heart-shaped heartbreak), and as I believe they will be seen historically, they were power pop. Beautifully conceived & written pop songs, executed with primal & unopposable force. Freedom within form. Deeply conscientious creation infused with fuck-all abandon. Far too few artists – far too few people in general life – figure this out. We lean into structure & stricture, or we throw ourselves into self-centered
S4 E25 · Tue, February 15, 2022
Can Good Production Save Bad Music? - Fleshing Out the Framework Effect | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #25
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There’s a sort-of old saying: “You can’t put lipstick on a pig.” Meaning dressing something up doesn’t change its inherent nature. Let’s sort this out for real. First, I’m betting you actually can put lipstick on a pig. It might take sedation or some form of restraint, but it can be done. Second, has anyone ever asked the pig if it even wants lipstick? I have a feeling it’s totally fine being what it is. Third and pretty crucial, does the lipstick’s ineffectiveness mean the pig itself is not worthy? Finally and most relevant to this podcast, is this even true? If you put enough “lipstick” in enough areas, can you change the impression the pig makes enough to render its inherent nature virtually irrelevant? Okay and fifth, what does this have to do with music? When you listen to a song, all that really matters is how it makes you feel. Do you like it? Does it evoke the emotion you want it to? Will you want to listen to it again? When it comes to gut level reactions, all the steps the song went through to get to its finished state are immaterial. If you think a song is good, it’s good. If you don’t care for it, it’s not. This is why it’s not just hard but futile to try to judge the quality of any kind of art. But we do. The curious – those of us who take music seriously – do. We’re not satisfied with first impressions. We know instinctively – and often from direct experience – that we’ll find as many people who agree as disagree with our opinion of a song. If consensus says a song is trash, there are likely millions of people who think it’s great. If the accepted wisdom is that a song is genius, there are millions of people who are indifferent to or flat out hate it. This is what makes the process of creating music magical, even illusory. That general impression – trash or genius – is shaped by more factors than most of us are aware of. When we absorb a song, we tend to gravitate towards the big three: lyrics, music, performance. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s the arrangement & instrumentation (does it have guitar, drums, keys, backing vocals, etc.). The recording quality & aesthetic (lo-fi or hi-f, crisp or warm). The riffs & hooks (melodic lines or power chords or anything else not fundamental to the original written song). And the style itself (strictly one genre, a mix of sounds, consistent & comfortingly predictable, all over the place & excitingly experimental). All of those are part of the music production process. I’ve stated often that if a song is good, then it can be played & recorded in just about any way and still be good. It’s why I like to do song covers that are different from the originals. But what if a song isn’t good? What if, when you get down to the basics of the son
S4 E24 · Fri, February 04, 2022
An Hour with Lon Dorsey - Interview Edition #21 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #24
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Lon Dorsey. Lon is a veteran blues, jazz & gospel singer, and was considered a dead ringer in both looks & voice for the great Lou Rawls. He’s the founder of several Lou Rawls fan clubs, and was a friend of his. We talk about his history in music, the blues & jazz music scene in Dallas, Lou Rawls and family, and a whole lot more. TO HEAR LON SING, GO HERE: www.reverbnation.com/booking4lon AND CHECK OUT THESE FAN CLUBS: Lou Rawls – www.facebook.com/groups/lourawwlsfans Lou Rawls Jr. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/145571985519837 “Blues is music tempered between love & hardship.” – Lon Dorsey This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E23 · Mon, January 31, 2022
Box Sets - Do We Even Care Anymore? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #23
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I recently had a conversation with a fellow musician who brought up the point that technology often drives music development. It’s a topic I covered in an older podcast episode, and one I’ve been fascinated by for years. This usually refers to things like amplification, electric instruments, synthesizers, recording devices, digital tech, etc. We often overlook the fact that the way music is delivered to people has done just as much to shape what that music has become. The earliest recording technology used to disseminate music widely was very limited both in sonic quality and duration. One side of a 78-rpm disc could hold only about 3-5 minutes of music. This was the standard until the late 1940s, when 33 1/3 took over and 12” sides could be much longer. From the late 1890s until that point, whatever was recorded either had to be a very short musical piece, or a longer piece broken into many shorter segments. When the first box set came out – ca. 1894 (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT), the few recorded music connoisseurs who existed were into classical music. Most of those pieces were way longer than 3-5 minutes, so they were segmented. To get, say, a full symphony or even one movement onto shellac (the most common material used for 78s), you’d have to divvy it up into SEVERAL sides. It might take at least six sides, or three discs, to complete that movement. Meaning for a whole symphony you’d need a good dozen discs. Which is why box sets have existed since the beginning of commercial recorded music. They HAD to. It’s also why, when single songs became more popular than symphonies, they had to be 3-5 minutes long. Look no further than this fact to understand why that is STILL the standard length range for a pop song of any kind. And when 33 1/3 gave companies the option of having 23 or so minutes per side, that’s when the idea of an “album” morphed from describing a collection of discs – a.k.a. “box set” – to one disc; and also why until the CD era albums could be no more than about 45 minutes total. As for box sets, they continued to pop up as music changed. In fact, the very first ever 33 1/3 album sold was a box set – again a classical piece, in June 1948. That said, today when we think of box sets (if we think of them at all and don’t just create streaming playlists), we usually think of collections of songs or albums from one artist or genre or era. It took decades for the music industry to have enough of a history of recorded material to warrant box sets like these, which is why they became so popular on vinyl and cassette in the 1970s, and on CD in the 1980s & 1990s (the first being Bob Dylan’s Biograph in 1985) – the true heyday of box sets and recorded music in general. Right before the crash.
S4 E22 · Mon, January 24, 2022
An Hour with Steve Erickson - Interview Edition #20 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #22
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I talk for an hour with Steve Erickson. Steve is a music producer and music & film critic. You can find his music on Bandcamp, including is forthcoming album, Very Special Episode . His critiques are published in the Gay City News and on his blog. For more on Steve, go here: MUSIC - http://callinamagician.bandcamp.com/ WRITING - http://steeveecom.wordpress.com/ https://gaycitynews.com/the-best-music-2021/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E21 · Thu, January 20, 2022
The Smithereens - A New Jersey Revival Band That Deserves ITS OWN REVIVAL | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #21
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I was born in Philly. It will always be my first city love – hell, it’s right there in the name. I’ve been a New Yorker for over two decades. It will always be my favorite city. But for the 30 years in between, I was a proud resident of New Jersey, possibly the greatest state in the nation. Alright, some of that last statement may be hyperbole. As a teen I didn’t feel proud. It took leaving NJ to love it. And greatest state? Nope, that I stand by. Whether you agree, one thing we can’t dispute is that a turnpike-load of legendary & incredibly diverse music has come from NJ. Take the 3 artists that most people think of first: Sinatra, Springsteen, Bon Jovi. None of them sound alike. In fact, their only commonalities are their NJ roots & Italian heritage – which OFTEN go hand in hand. Then there's the Fugees/Lauryn Hill & Whitney Houston. Two more legends. And I have to shout out 2 of my all-time faves: Fountains of Wayne & Kool & the Gang. Here’s a list of some of the greatest acts from the greatest state: · The Sugarhill Gang · Blues Traveler · Thursday · The Gaslight Anthem · Looking Glass · Skid Row · The Feelies · Dramarama · Donald Fagen · Naughty By Nature · Queen Latifah · Ice-T · Redman · Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes · Ricky Nelson · The Shirelles · Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons · Dionne Warwick · Sarah Vaughan · Count Basie · Wayne Shorter · John Pizzarelli · Halsey · Patti Smith · Debbie Harry · The Misfits & Danzig · Yo La Tengo · My Chemical Romance · Jonas Brothers · Gloria Gaynor Which band didn’t I include? The Smithereens. I did that to prove a point. Most of these artists almost anyone can identify (okay, maybe not Dramarama & Looking Glass, but overall that’s true). Ask most people who the Smithereens are & you’ll draw a blank. You can say that about other bands. But what makes the Smithereens special is they were once HUGELY successful. They had a string of hit singles & albums in the late 1980s & early 1990s. Their songs were in movies. They performed & recorded with artists as big as Tom Petty, Lou Reed, Julian Lennon, Suzanne Vega & Belinda Carlisle. AND their music was awesome. Listen to “A Girl Like You”, “Blood and Roses”, “Only a Memory” or “Too Much Passion” and tell me I’m wrong. I haven’t heard these songs in years and I can still recall them, because their dynamic mix of revivalist 1960s rock, punk & power pop is well crafted & infectious. It’s a crime that this band has been so forgotten & that many of their releases are so hard to find. I have a soft spot for artists who hang in there for decades.
S4 E20 · Thu, December 16, 2021
Lou Rawls' Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! - Why PLAYLISTS MATTER | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #20
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE A few years ago, I started a playlist called MY Christmas . It’s an offshoot of the Christmas CDs I’ve collected over the decades, which themselves were inspired by the very eclectic collection of Christmas vinyl & cassettes my dad plays every year. The playlist is my declaration of independence from standard Christmas mixes with all the usual suspects. Great songs most of them, but there’s no reason to limit ourselves to just those. So I curate a playlist that might rank as the most diverse collection of Christmas songs anywhere. You can hear it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/76cDL5B7IyCLtqWGkUF6cq?si=272cd5c160bf4215 Every year I add to it. I’m always looking for new material, whether that means actual new holiday songs or old songs I’ve never heard or simply forgot about. That last category includes this week’s topic, the 1967 Lou Rawls album, Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! . It’s a CD I’ve had since the mid-1990s. I can’t remember what prompted me to buy it, but as soon as I did it became a perennial favorite. It’s a great mix of traditional & irreverent, cheese & soul. Which also describes Lou Rawls, one of the greatest pop-soul singers of the 1960s-70s. His is a name you’d hear pop up along with all the other famous crooners of that era. He was one of those dudes who bridged the gap between old & new, and made it seem effortless. And YET, I totally forgot about this CD until last year, when I quickly added several of the songs to my playlist. And here’s why playlists matter. They are the closest mainstream & accessible thing we get to mixtapes, DJ mixes, and/or old school radio stations that would play more than one genre. The best playlists aren’t just a bunch of songs thrown together to serve some general purpose or evoke a certain mood. They’re carefully considered collections of songs that matter to the curator. They do what the best playlists, mixtapes, DJs & radio stations have always done: introduce lesser known interesting material into a mix of better known songs, so those more obscure songs can be exposed to a wider audience. They evoke a mood, serve a purpose, AND move the music conversation forward. They create connection & promote diversity. They bust through genre conventions and laugh at the Clear Channels of the world. I haven’t done this in a while, but this album totally deserves it. My favorite tracks are #s 2, 5, 6, 7 (even with the mucked up lyric!), and 10. In particular, 7 & 10 are two of my favorite versions of two of my favorite holiday songs. I won’t pretend there’s any direct influence, but you can hear the mix of traditional rock, irreverent lyrics,
S4 E19 · Wed, December 08, 2021
Eminem - One of the Greatest Poets of All Time? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #19
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When I choose a podcast topic, I can usually get a handle on my angle with some research, listening & general contemplation. This week I’m gonna come right out and say I need some help. There are certain artists whose output is so dense & prolific that to try to summarize it in one podcast is overwhelming. Dylan comes to mind. Zappa. Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson. Apparently Buckethead holds the record for most albums with 166?!?! With Eminem, it’s not about raw numbers. It’s about density. Few artists of any kind pack as much into their lyrics as he does. Whether you’re into his content or not, anyone paying attention who has any knowledge of wordsmithing has to agree that he is one of the masters. Story & character. Flow, dexterity & clarity. All that, yes. But what blows me away over & over is the wordplay. Internal rhymes. Alliteration. Assonance & consonance. Multisyllabic rhyming! I’m using these words purposely to bring home the point that Eminem is one of the greatest poets of all time. A study was done in 2015 that found Eminem has the largest vocabulary of any music artist ever, beating second place Jay Z by more than 2,000 words. Side note: the top four richest music vocabularies are all hip hop artists, followed immediately by Bob Dylan. I don’t find this surprising at all. And how he uses those words is repeatedly stunning. Take this lyric as one of hundreds of examples: My pen & paper cause a chain reaction to get your brain relaxin’, the zany actin’ maniac in action. A brainiac in fact son, you mainly lack attraction. You look insanely wack when just a fraction of my tracks run. I count NINE multisyllabic near rhymes, in the midst of several coherent ideas making one unifying point. I’d make parallels to the lyrics of Sondheim or Lin-Manuel Miranda for sheer dexterity & ingenuity. If we’re talking legit poets, I’ve seen comparisons to the bigs like Shakespeare, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and many others including the obscure but apt John Skelton. What about beat poets & their raw emotion? Free verse poets and their flow? Certainly slam poetry, which has some connection to hip hop, especially freestyling. Point is, there are way too many elements in Eminem’s lyrics to dismiss it as anything other than poetry. My discussion on the “controversy” in his lyrics? Eminem demands that you go beneath the surface by hitting you in the face over & over. Surface dwellers only hear the “bad language” or disturbing stories, and completely miss the context & often deft characterizations. Has he overstepped? Yes, mostly when dissing other celebrities or music. But overall he is an illustrator of the grotesque – calling it out for the twisted horror that it is. One of my favor
S4 E18 · Fri, December 03, 2021
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #1 - Goomba Edition | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #18
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE It’s been a busy year. Lots of work & lots of changes. There’s not always time to stop & reflect. But that’s all about to change. I’ve been reviewing old episodes – actually listening to my own shite. I noticed more than once that I missed commenting on something, or maybe didn’t even know something at the time. I’m also reading viewer comments & suggestions, and y’all have a lot of awesome stuff to say. So I’ve compiled all of that for this week’s episode & kicked off a brand new series. It’s our chance to get beyond the usual formats & freestyle some talk. And the more you comment & respond, the more often I’ll bring this series back. Here’s what I’m getting into this week: 1. Matthew Sweet – responding to comments from Vinny C, Matte S & Todd C. 2. Chart Action ’83 – responding to a comment from Dr. Hookyeah 3. Billy Joel – fleshing out a comment discussion I had with Jim C. 4. The Hives – lots of news related to wealth distribution 5. Liz Phair – how comparing her to Avril Lavigne was supposed to be a dig 6. New albums from old artists – They Might Be Giants, ABBA, Duran Duran 7. What I’m listening to now – Catching you up on my chronolography 8. Chris Cornell – his solo work & the general idea of reading into lyrics 9. Goomba Music – fleshing out a discussion about popular Italian singers started by Cheryl L. & continued in my interview with Nicky DeMatteo You’ll have to watch to hear all the finer points. As for what I want to correct, there’s a song that needs some love. Of all the REC tunes on Spotify, only “Wonder Wonder” has gotten ZERO listens. I’ll post it at the end of this video as usual, but please if you’re a Spotify user, check the link below and give it a spin. REC – “Wonder Wonder” (from the album Symphony for the Weird ) What else ya got for me? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E17 · Fri, November 19, 2021
Lenny Kravitz - Turning TRIBUTE into TRUTH | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #17
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Tribute music has been around since forever. As soon as a style is old enough to be considered retro, someone cops it. If you’ve been following along with this here podcast, you know that I did an episode on this. I made a distinction between music that is a mere echo of the past – cashing in on nostalgia, and music that adopts & adapts elements of the past in a modern context – to shine a light & breathe new life into music that deserves to live on even more. It’s not always easy knowing which is which. Some bands & producers start out with a fresh take on an old sound, and end up getting caught in the retro swirl. Eventually their production becomes a caricature of itself. Others dive headlong into a retro sound, and over the years develop it into something so unique that it sets off a whole new trend or genre. Pharrell. Elephant 6. Bruno Mars. Dua Lipa. Laura Mvula. Greta Van Fleet. Some of those for me fall into the first category, and some the second. Those categorizations may be the complete opposite for you. There’s a fine line between creative repurposing and lazy pandering to people’s misty-eyed version of what once was, and which one is which is in the ear of the beholder. A perfect example is this week’s artist, Lenny Kravitz. From the get-go, he was clearly mining the 1960s & 1970s. Also from the get-go, critics were divided about which side of the retro line he fell on. Some thought his meshing of old styles with modern soul and funk put a fresh spin on tired sounds. Others thought he relied too heavily on his influences. It’s a debate that’s stuck with him through every album. When I first heard him, it was like several of my musical worlds had converged. Prince mixed with the Beatles mixed with hard rock. At a time when Prince was diverging from his more psychedelic and hard rocking elements, and hard rock itself was at a post-hair-metal/pre-grunge crossroads, Lenny was exactly who I needed. He transcended genre, race & time, bridged gaps, and brought worlds together. He took his influences - his tributes - and turned them into his truth. Other than adding some electronica and 1980s sounds, he’s pretty much stayed the same. Which again, depending on your own tastes, can be so-so or so great. That initial influential blast of Kravitz amalgamation has stuck with me. I love combining funky rhythms with power pop and a touch of psychedelia. You can hear that in a huge way on one of my most recent songs: REC - “No Way Out for Me” (from the album Symphony for the Weird ) What do you think of Lenny’s use of retro elements? Too much of a retread or an effective recontextualizing? Are there other artists whose tribut
S4 E16 · Thu, November 04, 2021
An Hour with Mike Indovina - Interview Edition #19 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #16
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I talk for an hour with Mike Indovina. Mike is a recording, mixing & mastering engineer, and an online educator who runs MasterYourMix.com, which focuses on helping musicians create professional quality recordings from their home studios. He's also a drummer, and author of the Amazon #1 selling book, The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula for Creating Professional Rock Mixes from Your Home Studio. For more on Mike, go here: · MasterYourMix: https://masteryourmix.com/ · The Mixing Mindset book: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/ · Mike's Productions: https://mikeindovina.com/ And to hear some of Mike's work, go here: · Hangtime: https://open.spotify.com/album/0Lgi2fNcKp5GvkD61znygg?si=H6mhHoILSi2YODBmczOLsw · Nothing Serious: https://open.spotify.com/album/777RRe1mp4kKhUCdZWodL3?si=NFSUjfHFQt-QUXPBwB5gzQ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E15 · Thu, November 04, 2021
Why You Like It: The Science & Culture of Musical Taste ... I Know Why I Like It! - Book Talk #1 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #15
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE And now for something completely different from MUSIC is not a GENRE … an entire episode dedicated to a BOOK! This week I discuss Nolan Gasser’s Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste. Find a comfy seat, because it’s a big one. First of all, I LOVE that this book exists. I love that someone cares enough about music to write a 600+ page book just about LISTENING to it. The two biggest impressions you’ll get from reading this are: A. Nolan knows his stuff inside & out; and B. He realllly loves music. It would be an understatement to say this book is comprehensive, thorough, broad & deep. Nolan is voracious for music of all kinds, and reading this book will make you hungry too. As you know, I appreciate anyone – artist or fan – whose musical tastes veer far & wide, who don’t pigeonhole themselves into one or a small handful of artists or styles. I’ve read other very well done books on more specific topics (I’ll discuss those in future episodes) that are a little myopic & insular – i.e. they’re such insider books that the author doesn’t spend a lot of time (if any) connecting that music to the rest of the world. This author is the opposite of that, and why wouldn’t he be! Nolan Gasser is a composer himself, and the chief architect of Pandora’s Music Genome Project. Ever wonder how streaming services have become so good at predicting what a good next song to play is, or what your tastes are in general? It all started with this. I won’t go into the history here (it’s in this book), except to say that a massive amount of resources & human power went into research & development, resulting in the granddaddy of all predictive music algorithms. And while I find all of them to be lesser than an actual human DJ making choices, as the years pass they’re much more hit than miss. Now for the book. Wow. It delivers on the title’s promise in spades. About 2/5ths of it is on music theory – and while I learned most of it in college, it was an incredible refresher. Even though the author says you can skip all that and get to the actual “why you like it” part, I think you’ll understand his reasoning much better if you absorb as much theory as possible. He also includes “interlude” chapters that connect to science, math, culture & psychology. They’re short but quite illuminating. The rest of the book is broken into sections focusing on musical “genotypes”. They’re umbrella terms for a fan’s primary taste: musical theater, pop, rock, jazz, hip hop, electronica, world & classical. Nolan says some stuff about the deficiencies of genre labeling that made me love this book from the get-go, so he’s well aware of how reductive these categories are. Even with that caveat, he manages to flesh o
S4 E14 · Fri, October 29, 2021
An Hour with Patrick Tape Fleming - Interview Edition #18 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #14
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I talk for more than an hour with Patrick Tape Fleming. Patrick is a musician, producer & recording engineer. He's cofounder of the bands Gloom Balloon & The Poison Control Center. His music has been featured in several industry publications, including Rolling Stone, Spin & Billboard. He's produced over 40 albums. Patrick also produced the Olivia Tremor Control documentary, The Realized Film: Dusk at Cubist Castle , celebrating the 25th anniversary of that band's debut album. For more on Patrick, go here: https://gloomballoon.bandcamp.com/ https://thepoisoncontrolcenter.bandcamp.com/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E13 · Fri, October 29, 2021
The Share Tingles, or Why Almost NOTHING is Better Alone | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #13
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE You know the feeling when you’re listening to a song for the first time and it gets to a place - a climax, a drop after a breakdown, a soaring melody, shining harmonies, or a beat that you can’t ignore - that makes your body respond? You might feel butterflies or goosebumps or the need to move. It might stop you from breathing for a second, or compel you to sing along or shout or scream uncontrollably. You might cry, or laugh in utter surprise. You forget everything but the moment you’re in. Whatever it is, it’s as if the song is inside you, flowing with your blood, leaping with your synapses, and you can’t stop your reaction even if you wanted to. The next time you hear the song, you know that moment is coming. The anticipation sends tingles of electricity through you, which builds in intensity until the moment hits and you explode. It’s even stronger than the first time. You know from then on you can count on that song to wipe out any other thought or feeling, and transport you to transcendent bliss. After a while, that feeling diminishes. Maybe you’ve heard the song too many times, or too often in a short span. Or maybe it’s just that you know it so well that the feeling is more a memory than a full on rush. You’ll always love the song, but it won’t ever have the same effect on you. Or will it? Think of that song again. Now imagine you’re talking to someone who it turns out has the same musical taste as you. You find out they’ve never heard the song, and your breath stops for a second and so does time. The only thing you can do next is play that song for them. You imagine being in their place - totally unaware of what’s about to happen. They can feel your excitement, hear it in your voice. So they’re prone to experiencing the song with open ears and an open heart. And you’re prone to hearing it the way they will hear it - for the first time. The moment comes, and because you’re hearing the song through their ears, something amazing happens. That overwhelming feeling you thought would never return comes back stronger than ever. It may as well be your first time too. Your friend is right there too, and both of your feelings converge and grow into something bigger than any individual feeling could ever be. It makes you want to share this song with every other likeminded person, so you can spread the joy and feel it all over again yourself. I call this feeling the “share tingles”, and it happens all the time. It’s what gives music near eternal life. Self-replenishing power. Those mega impact moments in a song or any great work pass on their feelings through everyone who hears them, and the power is multiplied exponentially. You don’t even need to know the person. You could even be in a crowd
S4 E12 · Fri, October 22, 2021
An Hour with Paul Leschen - Interview Edition #17 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #12
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Here's my interview with Paul Leschen. Paul is a musician, composer, piano karaoke expert, and founder of the song series Leschen Sessions & the band Kingship. He has cowritten and staged several musicals, among many other accomplishments. For more on Paul, go here: http://www.leschenandsauter.com/ https://sidgolds.com/new-york/ https://open.spotify.com/album/7FT2FO5EFHdrdqWQhfh4CD?si=Wzh6kzt8Q3OT4xd-9xny9A This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E11 · Fri, October 22, 2021
Billy Joel vs. … Are You People Serious?!? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #11
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Everything in this country – and possibly the whole world – needs to be a competition. Think of growing number of TV shows that pit people’s talents against each other. The Voice, America’s Got Talent, etc. etc. Or hell, think of any entertainment awards show. The conventional wisdom is that conflict makes for a good story. And if you create conflict where none exists, then you’ve REALLY won the game. I did a podcast already on bogus music rivalries, so I won’t go into it too much here, except to say that just about 100% of the time we are forced to compare apples with oranges. We follow the lead of false conflict creators and actively look for similarities and comparisons so we can decide which one is better, even though most commonalities are surface at best. Take this week’s case: the so-called contest between Billy Joel & Elton John, two singer/songwriter/piano players who happened to become famous around the same time. If you know enough about both of them, the first thing that comes to mind is how different they are. Background, overall sound, vocals, songwriting template, creation process, career trajectory, personal life & even piano playing – they only crossed over every so often. Most of the time, ALL of those elements were glaringly different. We all know our judgments are highly subjective, and that they both excelled at what they did. But we need to pick a favorite and justify that pick by saying that person is better. So we twist ourselves up to turn coincidence into sameness, and then tear apart one of them to make our pick look even better. I grew up with both, love & respect both, played covers from both, did recent chronolographies for both, read bios & reviews of both, and have three takeaways: 1. Billy Joel is to the Beatles as Elton John is to the Stones. There are parallels for almost every quality listed two paragraphs above – songwriting, trajectory, etc. 2. My favorite will always be Billy Joel. It also happens that my favorite from #1 is the Beatles. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I contend that if you are more a Beatles than Stones fan, you are more likely to favor Billy Joel. 3. There are almost no critics who favor Billy Joel. It’s mind boggling how great the disparity in praise, accolades, good reviews & overall respect is between these guys. They both deserve it all. They’re both geniuses & legends. So why is it that, for example, Rolling Stone has been way more solicitous to Elton than to Billy? Why do more of Elton’s songs end up on best-of lists? Is it that Billy Joel has always been more direct and open-faced with his intentions, and Elton John had a more winding path – i.e. Billy is no bullshit pop/rock and Elton is artsy rock/pop? There are too m
S4 E10 · Mon, October 18, 2021
An Hour with David Dabbon - Interview Edition #16 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #10
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Here's my interview with David Dabbon. David is a veteran composer, songwriter, arranger, & orchestrator. He was also the Dance Music Arranger for Beetlejuice on Broadway, and an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Music & Lyrics for "Eat Shit Bob" on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. For more on David, and to check out his awesome food blog, go here: www.daviddabbon.com Instagram: @daviddabbon IG food blog: @goodcrazybites This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E9 · Thu, October 14, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 7: Soundgarden - The Epic Voice of Modern Opera | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #9
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Xylophone Ways” (from the album Your EP ) The voice is it for me. When it comes to any popular music, it’s the lead singer who makes or breaks it. The absolute best band or music powered by a vocalist I don’t click with may as well be telephone hold music. Two perfect examples: Some people can’t stand the Cure because Robert Smith’s voice grates on them. I happen to love them in large part BECAUSE of his voice. Some people find Billie Eilish’s music haunting, intimate & enchanting. Her songs are so well done & her voice is wonderful, but it doesn’t move me at all. Which brings us to Soundgarden. They were many things - grunge metal punk progressive psychedelic classic rock pop. They were incredible for many reasons - songwriting, the above mix of styles, live performance, and Kim Thayil’s genius. But to me they were legendary because of Chris Cornell. No voice in the last 40 years has come close to being as epically powerful, yet nuanced & beautiful, as his. I call Soundgarden’s music modern opera because it’s what opera should be. What it’s meant to be. Wrung with emotion, running the full dynamic spectrum, technically sound yet not confined by rules. Cornell was able to convey complete abandon and total control all at once - over a vocal range and intricacy of melody that would confound, or worse constrict, even the best opera singers. You could feel the angst and the vulnerability equally. The struggle and the triumph. The weakness and the strength to endure. Which is what we all thought was happening until 2017. You could say Kurt Cobain’s death was a shock. Or Layne Staley. Jim Morrison or Janis Joplin. But what they all had in common was that A. They were relatively young; and B. They were still in the heat of their worst addictions, recoveries notwithstanding. Cornell’s death was much more of a shock because we all thought he was out of the woods. Like Philip Seymour Hoffman, we all thought he’d exorcised his demons and found a stable path forward. We thought we’d see him age into one of the great modern elder statesmen. Nope. He’s dead. And it sucks. Mostly for him & his family & friends. Also for his band. His fans. And all of music. I can’t say there will never be a voice of his caliber again, but we will never get to hear HIS voice again. Whether in Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave or his solo work, he left us with a tortured beauty both rawer and more polished than Led Zeppelin. And deeper than any metal predecessors who influenced him. As for Soundgarden’s influence on me, it may not be readily evident. But it’s there. All the vocal expression. All the power & c
S4 E8 · Wed, October 13, 2021
An Hour with Leslie Goshko - Interview Edition #15 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #8
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Here's my interview with Leslie Goshko - comedian, musician, writer & host/creator of Sideshow Goshko Storytelling Series. For more on Leslie, go here: lesliegoshko.com IG :@lesliegoshko This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E7 · Sat, October 09, 2021
Fatboy Slim & Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (Book) - Are DJs ARTISTS? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #7
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There’s nothing that gets me going like a good Housemartins song. When you hear one of their mega hits on the radio, it takes you back to a time when… Okay you get it. Practically no one has heard of the Housemartins, the 1980s British jangle pop band whose biggest hit was an a cappella cover of the Isley, Jasper, Isley song “Caravan of Love”. If you were into the Smiths, you should go check them out. And while you’re listening, keep in mind that their bass player was Norman Cook. Another forgotten name, right? Sure, except that in 1996 he adopted the stage name Fatboy Slim and helped to change the face of dance music. Like so many successful DJs, his roots were in music other than dance. In Cook’s case, punk & the aforementioned jangle pop. Throughout all that he was DJing – often as DJ Quentox, but it didn’t come to the forefront for him until the late 1980s when he formed the loose collective Beats International. This was back when sampling was becoming huge, but before any laws were passed to regulate it. Naturally, sampling lawsuits were becoming huge too. And one hit Cook so hard he had to pivot, which in turn helped to infuse his music with even more original ideas & exploration beyond the recontextualizing of sampling & remixing he had mostly been doing. During this time, he worked under the band names Freak Power, Pizzaman & the Mighty Dub Katz, before finally settling on Fatboy Slim, a name he says is “goofy & ironic” like much of his music. As Fatboy Slim, he blew up, particularly his second album, 1998’s You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby . With “Right Here, Right Now”, “The Rockafeller Skank” & “Praise You”, he broke through internationally and never looked back. Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars continued the success, particularly with “Weapon of Choice” & that awesome Christopher Walken video. Since then Cook kept at it in various ways, as Fatboy Slim, the Brighton Port Authority, again as Mighty Dub Katz, and doing remixes for all kinds of artists including Cornershop, A Tribe Called Quest & the Beastie Boys. No matter what Cook does, he’s always exploring & expanding, never settling for rote dance music of ANY kind. He always infuses his music with a variety of sources – samples, funk, electronica, rock, glitch, world, ambient, spoken word – and structures his songs like SONGS and not just seven minutes of danceable music. He’s a DJ. An artist. A musician. And to some that’s controversial. I’ve been a DJ off & on since I was a pre-teen. Even back then I understood that there are many kinds of DJs & many ways TO DJ. Play only the hits. Play the hits but throw in some surprises. Play obscure tunes altogether. Play a mix of genres or play all one kind of
S4 E6 · Fri, October 08, 2021
Nicky DeMatteo - The Mega Q&A! | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #6
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE In this interview edition, Nicky DeMatteo returns to answer your questions & mine. For more on Nicky, go here: https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E5 · Mon, October 04, 2021
Nick DeMatteo - Interviewed by Cathryn Lynne! | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #5
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE In a STUNNING reversal, interviewer becomes interviewee, thanks to the charming & insightful conversational talents of Cathryn Lynne. This here's a talk in wherewhich Cathryn asks Nick a bunch of questions, and they keep jawing until you want more more more. For more on Nick, go here: https://recarea.bandcamp.com REC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkxLpSbRASllUyqANUUcP9Q https://youtube.com/nickdematteo https://nickdematteo.com And you can find Nick and his band REC's music EVERYWHERE. Search for these albums: Synergy for the Weird Syncopy for the Weird Symphony for the Weird Syzygy for the Weird Sympathy for the Weird The Sunshine Seminar Distance to Empty Parts and Labour The Metrogrande Sessions What It Is Listen You People This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E4 · Sat, October 02, 2021
Out of Time NOT Out of Mind – Paying Attention to the Future NOW | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #4
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There’s a lot of great music. There’s even a lot of exceptional music. Just look at Rolling Stone’s recent 500 lists, and then think of all the albums & songs that WEREN’T included but could or should have been. Some of that music is judged to be great when it’s first released. Others weren’t seen as great until time moved on and they were put in context. For music to stand the test of time, it has to do three things: 1. Be good to begin with. This seems like a no-brainer, but there are plenty of albums judged to be great upon release that have since been revealed to have way less substance and quality. That first judgment might have been based on some novelty of sound, production, instrumentation or context. All of those things tend to get subsumed into the new normal, at which point that first iteration is seen in a very different light, one that might show it was the newness and not the quality that made it so popular. 2. Age well. Music that is its own thing regardless of whether it touches in on trends almost always ages well. Music that adheres too closely to current trends without breathing something more personal into it rarely holds up. That means it has to survive multiple shifts in sound & taste. Albums and artists go in and out of fashion all the time. Producers & listeners want more minimalism (and yes it’s possible to have more of less, so definitely quote me on that) so artists who produce layered or complex music aren’t as popular. And vice versa. It’s the albums that are considered great regardless of these changes that will be great forever. 3. Reveal itself more fully over time. Tons of music can captivate an audience on first listen, especially if it’s introducing something new, or recontextualizing something else. Way less music bears repeated listening. That doesn’t mean it’s not good, just that it maybe doesn’t have much else going on besides what we’ve already gotten from it. It’s even rarer that repeated listening reveals the beauty of songs, performances or production choices that weren’t picked up on all those years prior. This week’s podcast is all about that last idea. ... This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S4 E3 · Thu, September 23, 2021
The Hives – Sweden F*cking Rules Cuz It SUPPORTS ITS ARTISTS | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #3
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Remember Roxette? Ace of Base? How about the Cardigans? Avicii? Robyn? Or maybe y’know… freakin’ ABBA?! What do they have in common? They’re all from Sweden. So are Icona Pop, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Peter Bjorn & John, Swedish House Mafia, AND this week’s spotlight band & my favorite Swedish export, the Hives. We here in the USA don’t usually make a point of exploring music from other countries. It has to come to us. Face it, we’d remember the Beatles if at all as a minor British sensation if they hadn’t broken major ground on our shores. It’s how it’s always been and still is to a large degree. Music listening is getting more multi-cultural, but by and large an artist has to break through to the US for anyone to know who they are. America is built on winner-takes-all competition. You get paid well if you already make money. You succeed if you’re already successful. And it's only occasionally merit based. We have a lot of great music, but it’s not because this country actually supports the arts. Other than a handful of generous benefactors and non-profit organizations, if you’re an artist in the USA odds are you're poor & struggling & will continue down that path for years. That’s not the case everywhere. No country is perfect. Poverty, racism & disease are everywhere. But it’s a fact that some countries do some things way better than we do. We’re so America-centric in all ways that we don’t explore how other countries do what they do well. Like health care. Maternity & paternity leave. Respect & support for elders, children & teachers. ACTUAL support for veterans. AND support for the arts. Sweden is known for supporting & promoting their artists. Not just benefactors or organizations. The freakin’ Swedish government. If you’re an artist deemed worthy, the government gives you the ability to live while you do your work. You don’t have to hold down three jobs, or one massively exhausting day job, or live with your parents, or not be able to afford anything. You can live a sustainable life while you’re developing your art & your career. I don’t know all the particulars. I’m sure there are caveats & pitfalls & discriminations. But it’s starting from a place of believing that art & struggle don’t have to be packaged together. That creating art is a profession as valuable & respectful as any other. We like to glamorize struggle because it makes us feel like martyrs for the cause AND because we want to believe there’s a good reason for it. We’re not martyrs. There’s no good reason other than the same one that rules the rest of this country: the haves want to keep what they have & the have-nots can go suck it. This is how we got the Hives. They started in the 19
S4 E2 · Wed, September 15, 2021
Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Califormulation of True LEGENDS | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #2
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Some bands are just around. Every few years they tour & release albums, and we take them for granted. Most of those bands are either past their peak or never really had one. They're largely unnoticed & unacclaimed. But what happens when one of those bands is not only noticed & acclaimed, but has quietly created one solid album & hit after another? That’s when a legend is made. We know the Stones & the Who. U2. Pearl Jam. These are legendary bands familiar to almost anyone. Probably most people can name a hit. They’re always looking ahead to the next tour & the next song or album they can create to keep the dream alive. They’re in a higher league than self-tribute legends like the Beach Boys or Chicago, who still tour & have active careers, but aren’t looking to add anything new to the music conversation. Nor are they like the Beatles or the Beastie Boys, who will always be with us in some way, but can’t continue the way they were. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a special case. They’re just quietly around all the time AND they put out hit albums & songs every few years with remarkable consistency. They keep true to their core but always look ahead to what’s next. Somehow, though, they’re not mentioned in the same breath as U2 or Pearl Jam or the Stones. We take them for granted, dismiss them, possibly because we still think of them as penis-sock-wearing partiers who don’t take anything too seriously. (I’d also put Green Day in this category. I would have said the same about the Foo Fighters a few years ago, but they’ve long since graduated to true elder statesmen legends.) Think of the Peppers’ output. They started as funky punks carving out a special brand of proto rap rock, to where Anthony Kiedis didn’t actually sing until several albums in. They worked with George Clinton on their SECOND ALBUM. Once they added John Frusciante & Chad Smith, they pivoted and created their first bona fide masterpiece, Blood Sugar Sex Magik . All that would already put them in the top ranks of alt bands. But they didn’t stop. After more than 15 years they REALLY blew up. Californication , By the Way , Stadium Arcadium . Three masterpieces. And they keep going. They are undisputed legends whose love for the music keeps them alive in every way. They are the modern-day Stones: They started loosely, with okay material bolstered by a clear sonic vision, paying tribute to their favorite African American music, adding rock to the mix. They stick to their core members, other than periodic personnel changes (which for RHCP means Frusciante deciding when he wants to be in the band). And despite drugs & breaks & everything else, they always come ba
S4 E1 · Sun, September 12, 2021
Some Things Happen – The Flood, the New Season & What YOU Want | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #1
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This podcast used to be something else. It started out in January 2016 as The Thursday Throwback Track (4T), a text & photo blog about my cassette collection. I had no idea at the time that it would be anything more. I stuck with it for well over three years, moving on to my vinyl collection, at which point it dawned on me that it should be a video podcast. I posted my first video in the fall of 2019. By the middle of 2020, I realized this had become something else. So I changed the name to match what I’d already started calling my YouTube channel – MUSIC is not a GENRE. It came from a music recording project I also started in 2016. It made me realize two things: 1. All of this stuff is connected, and should all be under the same umbrella; and 2. Change is inevitable, so why not actively choose it. A few months after I changed the name, I debuted audio only episodes of every podcast. I broke it into seasons. I started a secondary series called MUSIC is EVERYTHING. I launched a Patreon site. I started an interview series. The change just keeps on coming. As this is the Season 4 premiere, it’s fitting that there’s even more change. Just as I had recorded & was about to launch this first episode, my basement studio got flooded by Hurricane Ida. We’re still recovering. We didn’t lose anything too significant, but lots of stuff got damaged. That includes a few dozen CDs, and coincidentally several of the ones I plan to discuss next week. So I decided to ditch the original recording and talk about things as they are now. Some change comes whether you want it or not. One change I DO want is to bring YOU more into the mix. What do YOU want to talk about? What artists should I spotlight? What albums or songs should I discuss in depth? Even if they’re not part of my collection, I’ll go there. What music ideas have you always wished someone would dissect? Who else should I interview? Is there a music-focused book, movie or TV show you’d love to chat about? I’ll collect all your suggestions, and future episodes will be shaped by them. Hell, I may even interview YOU. If genre can’t hold music, then neither can the idea of what this podcast is “supposed” to be. It can be whatever we want it to. Here are some ideas to help spark you: What’s in your collection? What does it mean to be a true fan? Can you be honest about your favorite artists’ weaknesses? Do you favor well-known artists over indie artists? Are you truly open-minded – i.e. do you actively want your opinions to be changed? Do you believe music can change the world, or is it just the soundtrack to change? Do you know someone you think I should interview? Have you listened to any of my music, and if so w
S3 E36 · Mon, June 21, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 6: PRINCE and the EVOLUTION | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Finale! Episode #36
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When we find an artist we can’t live without, our emotions attach in ways that are different from everyone else. We might all share favorite songs or qualities or the overall passion, but each of us finds miniscule facets that no one else can feel. Our overall relationship with that artist is unique. This is as true for obscure artists as it is for wildly famous and legendary ones. Which is to say I’m not going to explain Prince for you. Or run through his history in every detail, or make some grand pronouncement about what he meant to the music world & society on the whole. I’m going to talk about me. About my relationship with Prince – what he meant to me, what he did for me, and what he’ll keep doing until I’m as dead as he is. I grew up Catholic. I learned shame & guilt & fear. I also learned passion & faith & love. It’s all in the religion, as it is in life. When I first heard Prince, I was struggling with adolescence, with sexuality, with belief. I was trying to put the pieces together that society & my upbringing said didn’t fit. But Prince knew they did fit. He knew they could coexist despite the world – the western Judeo-Christian Puritanical world – telling us you had to choose. It was a revelation to me that someone else felt these things could go together, and it changed me. But only on the inside. It took decades for me to reconcile all parts of myself without shame, fear, guilt or rebellion. And all that time, one of the very few refuges in which I felt safe & whole & understood was in Prince’s world. An artist like Prince doesn’t just make music, he creates a world, and then populates it with art & sound & character & a belief system & everything else a world contains. So when it came time for me to express myself – as an artist & much later as a full manifestation of my true nature, it was Prince among very few others who showed me the way. His music yes. Also his humanity. His juxtaposition of mystery & honesty. His melding of sacred & profane. His uncompromising vision & bravery. His struggle & his joy. Every step of the way I listened & watched & absorbed. I wondered & hoped, found answers & more questions. I felt catharsis & disappointment – because he wasn’t mine, wasn’t me, couldn’t ever be exactly what I wanted. But the more Prince he was, the more he shed his artifice to reveal one more layer, the more I loved & respected him. We saw him approaching a period of quiet calm, stripped bare of all but the essentials. We saw him getting to a place where all that had come before was being reconciled and shaped into the white dwarf of Prince’s ultimate truth. Then it collapsed. We’re living in the black hole now – full of the same energy but hiding the light that once was. We have no
S3 E35 · Wed, June 16, 2021
The Foo Fighters - Drummers Who RULE Once They Get OFF the Throne | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #35
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When we think of drummers, we imagine them on their throne behind the kit pounding away, maintaining the beat & structure of songs, and giving them energy they’d never have otherwise. We might see a mic off to the side for some backup vocals or the rare lead vocal. If a drummer comes out from the kit, it’s to take a break or a bow. That’s pretty damn accurate as far as 95% of drummers go (that percentage has been scientifically measured by The Guesstimators). But what about that other (scientifically measured) 5%? What do they do? They rule – on AND off the throne. They not only kick-ass on a kit, they kick it on the mic and in the studio and with a pen & paper. It’s the difference between a titular monarch and one who actually calls the shots. These drummers go from laying the foundation to ruling the entire castle. Plenty of drummers have sung backup or the occasional lead – Roger Taylor, Peter Criss, Grant Hart, even Foo’s Taylor Hawkins. Much respect but they aren’t the subject here. I’m not even talking about all the very worthy drummers who sang lead from the start – like Dave Clark, Mickey Dolenz, Levon Helm, Sheila E., Anderson .Paak, etc. Or the multi-instrumentalists who drummed whenever – McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Todd Rundgren, Prince. And this is absolutely not about lead singers who CAN drum but didn’t play that role in any significant way, like Rick Astley, Chris Cornell or Jack White. This is about drummers who went from virtual silence to running the whole show. I’m talking full frontperson status, like Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Karen Carpenter, Don Henley, aaaaaand Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters are now legends. They’ve been around over 25 years. So Dave Grohl emerges from the destruction of one legendary band to create another. He was already a veteran by 1994, and already writing & recording his own songs. He had a ton of options post Nirvana, but fronting his own band was the next logical step. And boy did the Foos come out of the gate roaring. Grohl recorded almost everything on that first album, which is an indication of how much he needed to ascend. Every step since then has been Grohl and his bandmates – the core of which has been intact for over a decade – doing more & finding more challenges to tackle. Killing it live. Conquering the pop charts – every album has had at least one massive hit, no matter what else was going on in the charts. Recording & writing on the road and making it a TV show. Adding to their sound. Their early work was thrilling to me. It was therapeutic to hear that passion burst forth after Kurt Cobain’s death. It felt like what Nirvana might have done had they continued, because it merged grunge with ea
S3 E34 · Tue, June 08, 2021
It's Olivia's World, We Just Apple Elephant - The Awesome Weird Retro of Elephant 6 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #34
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I love the whole idea of a music collective. It’s pretty much how musicians work anyway. We all bounce between projects and help out each other. We all influence and inspire each other. But very few musicians have had the guts to create an actual collective, and of those, Elephant 6 was by far the most innovative, successful & influential. They were founded in the late 1980s, but really took hold in the 1990s and early 2000s. E6 (which no one calls it) spawned well over 30 bands, of which at least four – The Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, and of Montreal – have had notable success and influence, especially on bands like Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire & Tame Impala. I’d argue they’ve done more to shape the indie scene of this entire young century than any other music. With so many bands, their sound is naturally all over the map. But their core elements stem mostly from the mod/psychedelic/chamber rock/pop of the mid to late 1960s. Think middle period Beatles, Pet Sounds & Smile , the Zombies. Mix that with ‘90s indie rock, alt pop & some synths, and you get … something really weird and really catchy. Also really weird. And very easy to listen to. And weird. If you don’t know any of this music, start with the Olivia Tremor Control. No single E6 band represents their whole aesthetic, but Olivia Tremor Control comes closest. I was disappointed when they disbanded too soon, and sad when Bill Doss, their main driving force (and also the founder of the Sunshine Fix), died so young. Hit up their “singles and beyond” collection, and you’ll be instantly drawn in. Then move on to the Apples in Stereo. To me they created the most complete and most accessible amalgamation of all of the above styles. They also released way more music and had probably the most hit singles. I don’t know as much about of Montreal, except that they are the more ambient & synth-y incarnation of the Elephant 6 sound, and the most modern sounding. They’ve also lasted the longest & released the most music, which has been much more ubiquitous than any of the other bands’ music. As for Neutral Milk Hotel, I know next to nothing about them. I was happy to see their album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea , representing E6 on the Rolling Stone top 500. They had kind of a freak folk vibe. And if you listen to Arcade Fire or bands like that, you will hear a huge influence. Speaking of … So much of music creation is about “permission” and “implant”. An artist comes out who does something unorthodox or otherwise out of place, and a part of the creative mind says, “You’re allowed to do that?!?” Those new or newly contextualized ideas get
S3 E33 · Tue, June 01, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 5: John Lennon - The End Started Here | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #33
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE We can do this forever. Death is a constant. When a celebrity dies – especially too soon & especially one that created something we’re passionate about, we feel it & never forget it. You can go back as far as Franz Schubert & Frédéric Chopin for untimely deaths that shook the music world. Hell, you can go back way farther. Even if we’re sticking with the 20th & 21stcenturies, the list is endless. From the 1950s on, there are hundreds of tragic music deaths. The first that comes to mind (by no means the actual first) is “the day the music died”, when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & the Big Bopper's plane crashed. Then you have the infamous “27 club”, which took shape in 1970-71 with the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin & Jim Morrison, but also includes the Stones’ Brian Jones from the year before, Kurt Cobain & Amy Winehouse way later, and according to the internets over 75 musicians in total, dating as far back as 1892. Then there’s Elvis. The twin mega drummer losses of Keith Moon & John Bonham (both 32). The Lynyrd Skynyrd crash. Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Marvin Gaye. Freddie Mercury. Selena. Aaliyah. And on & on up to Bowie, Prince, Chris Cornell, and all the others I’ve discussed in previous Death is DUMB volumes. So what’s the point of all this? Death is death & loss is loss. What matters is which deaths strike a chord with you. The reason I won’t do an episode on everyone I mentioned above, let alone all the people I didn’t mention, is because while all of them are tragic, only some made a difference to me. The last three for sure. The drummer deaths to some extent. The rest? Varying degrees of not quite as significant. And that’s where John Lennon comes in. I’m old enough to remember Elvis’ death pretty much all the others after him. But the first loss I felt personally was Lennon. You could say he’s the patron saint of Death is DUMB, if not the whole reason why. When I’ve talked about any other death – Adam Schlesinger, Scott Weiland, Adam Yauch, Layne Staley – my ability to articulate what it feels like & why it matters all comes from the impact Lennon’s death had on me. That immediate loss of the future, of possibility, of reunion, of renewal, of hope. The taking away of a vibrant creative and existential energy. For me, the idea of a final ending in a musical life & career all started with John. I’m still not over it. And that’s all I’m saying here. No need to rehash any of his life or death or legacy. Better historians & musicologists than I have done it thoroughly. My only main point is this: we take music personally. We connect and identify with the music and musicians that move us. If that’s 1959 for you, or 1970-71, or 1977, 1980, 1984, 1994, or any year before or since, it’s because tha
S3 E32 · Wed, May 26, 2021
The Grey Album - Sampling, Bootlegs, Mashups & a Beatles Time Twist | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #32
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The conventional wisdom regarding music creation is that it involves instruments, voices & traditional elements of composition like chords, melodies, harmonies, rhythm. That is both true & false. TRUE that most music of the last 500 years has been created with most or all of these elements. FALSE because there are many ways of creating music that involve two or one or none of them. The whole truth is any new music, no matter how it comes about, is an act of creation. When sampling began in the 1980s, some people protested that this was not real creation. EVERY PART of that statement is false. Sampling – using pre-recorded music to create or enhance a new work, began in the 1940s, with the post-modern music movement “musique concrete”, using tape splicing. The term was coined in the 1970s. In the 1980s, sampling entered pop culture in a big way - hip hop and other electronic/rock music. It was a great time for this, because it was brand new to most people, and because the music industry hadn’t yet set usage standards. That’s where bootlegs come in. Once laws were in place that protected existing recorded material, artists had to pay to use samples. OR they could do an end run & put out their work for free. As long as an artist doesn’t make money from a work, anything can be used without penalty. Once the internet was robust enough to handle mass distribution, an artist could release something for free that anyone could get access to. Even if this work didn’t make money, it might make a career. Which is what happened for Danger Mouse – and this is where mashups enter. He had a brilliant idea. Why not take Jay-Z’s The Black Album , mash it up with the Beatles’ White Album , and call it The Grey Album ? There are few people on earth who could afford to buy all that music to sample, so he put it out for free in 2004, and he’s had a flourishing career ever since. He didn’t just sync up tracks from each album, he weaved them in ways that put ALL of the music into a new context. He used old existing things to bring something new into existence. He CREATED MUSIC. Thus, the birth of the mashup – NOPE. Wrong. And this is where the Beatles Time Twist spins through. The Grey Album may have popularized mashups more than anything that came before it, and kicked off a flood of amateur & professional mashups when technology made it easy for anyone to do it. But it wasn’t the first. Not even close. The first mashup was put on wax in 1967 by Harry Nilsson using – you guessed it – Beatles music. More than 35 years before Danger Mouse used Beatles music for his trend setting mashup, Nilsson used Beatles music to invent the whole idea, when the Beatles
S3 E31 · Wed, May 19, 2021
TWO Hours with Shok (Part 2) - Interview Edition #12 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #31
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This is the second half of a two-part interview with Shok - music producer, multi-instrumentalist, & songwriter. He's also the creator of the Not-So Ebb spoof on Nitzer Ebb, producer/host and DJ of the popular Twitch channel MyLiveTube, part of the electro swing band Red Light District, AND a founder of Newgrounds.com - one of the first online entertainment portals. For more on Shok, check out these links: http://twitch.tv/mylivetube http://soundcloud.com/fdaallday http://losttapes007.bandcamp.com http://redlightdistrict.bandcamp.com http://twitter.com/fdaallday http://facebook.com/mylivetube http://instagram.com/losttapes007 This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E30 · Wed, May 19, 2021
The White Stripes - Three-Toned Rock | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #30
SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Rock is like a slab of sidewalk. When it’s hot, it expands. When it’s not, it contracts. In the mid 1960s, rock was super hot. Thus you get complex expansions of the simple rock sound like chamber pop & concept albums. Same for the mid 1970s when prog rock reigned. In the late 1960s when the excesses of the previous eras were being picked apart, rock contracted into the simplicity of blues rock like Led Zeppelin & Let It Bleed era Stones. Same for the 1970s, when punk popped through prog rock’s overinflated balloon. And again in the early 1990s, when grunge stripped away the glam of hair metal. Then there’s the garage rock revival of the early 2000s. By the end of the 1990s, rock had become warmed over grunge, overbearing nu metal, and watered down emo. Another purging was needed, and garage rock came in to do that. The Strokes, the Hives, the Vines, and in a HUGE way, the White Stripes. It’s no accident that the White Stripes called their second album De Stijl , after the Dutch art movement that prized simple geometry & primary colors (think Mondrian). Jack & Meg White restricted both their look and their sound to three colors. Black, white & red. Drums, guitar, vocals. It was a deliberate limitation – a way to explore ultimate freedom within the strictest form. I was slow to jump on the White Stripes train. My first response was that it was reductive in a deliberately artsy way. It was trying to prove a point that you don’t need all this new-fangled stuff to make good music. As much as I love the neo-lo-fi analog rock of Lenny Kravitz & the Stripes & others, I’m not a fan of people who don’t acknowledge the times they’re living in. As they developed, I realized three things. First, I was right about all that, and it’s actually a GOOD thing. That kind of strictured exploration forces ultra creativity. Second, they were writing and performing kick-ass songs, so who cares how or why. Third, they WERE acknowledging the times by very deliberately going against them – by showing that no amount of hype can make a bad song good, and a great song will shine through the most sparing production. I don’t pick sides. I like crazy blown up rock like prog & chamber pop. And I like stripped down sound like the Hives (my fave of that era), early Clash and early Led Zeppelin. As always, good music is good music no matter what it is or where it comes from. Since I pretty much like it all, when I make stripped down music I tend to throw in some more progressive elements too. You can hear that very clearly on these two songs, one from the White Stripes era and one just released: REC – “Som
S3 E29 · Thu, May 13, 2021
TWO Hours with Shok (Part 1) - Interview Edition #11 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #29
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This is the first of a two-part interview with Shok - music producer, multi-instrumentalist, & songwriter. He's also the creator of the Not-So Ebb spoof on Nitzer Ebb, producer/host and DJ of the popular Twitch channel MyLiveTube, part of the electro swing band Red Light District, AND a founder of Newgrounds.com - one of the first online entertainment portals. For more on Shok, check out these links: http://twitch.tv/mylivetube http://soundcloud.com/fdaallday http://losttapes007.bandcamp.com http://redlightdistrict.bandcamp.com http://twitter.com/fdaallday http://facebook.com/mylivetube http://instagram.com/losttapes007 This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E28 · Wed, May 12, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 4: Alice in Chains - Harmony in the Dark | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #28
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Once in a while I profile a band that is a perfect example of why genres & labels don’t work. Alice in Chains is one of those. They’ve always been lumped together with the other Seattle-slash-grunge-era bands – even though if you listened to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, STP, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and whoever else back to back, you’d be hard pressed to say any of them really sound like each other. Nirvana leans punk. Pearl Jam classic rock. Pumpkins emo. STP power pop. And while all of these bands also have some of their roots in hard rock/metal, only Soundgarden & Alice in Chains took metal to its next evolution – progressive rhythmic & harmonic elements with enough breath & quietude to allow softer emotions to poke through. Of those two bands, Alice in Chains hewed to the more traditional metal elements. Which makes sense because their origins were actual metal. Both Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell started out in typical 1980s glam metal bands – playing forms of actual hair metal (seriously, just look up the photos). When they got together to form the new Alice in Chains – copped from Layne’s old band name Alice N’ Chains, they kept the melodic & hammering rhythm elements of hair metal, and made it darker. It helped that both Staley & Cantrell were incredible vocalists whose voices meshed well together. They’d often trade off lead vocals, but it’s when they came together to do those near medieval organum parallel harmonies that Alice in Chains became who they were meant to be. They somehow managed to be dark & bright all at once. Rock hard and accessible – even vulnerable, often in one song. It was a hallmark of grunge that sensitivity & major keys mixed directly with aggression & minor keys. Of all the aforementioned bands, Alice in Chain’s version was the most haunting & fully realized. Which is what makes Layne Staley’s death in 2002 so sick. Not because he OD’ed on a speedball. Not because he suffered for years before trying to kick his addiction. Those are horrific facts that should be mourned and honored as Layne should be. No, it’s because we immediately associate the dark, haunting music with drug addiction & tragic death. We forget all too easily that hundreds of other dark bands have existed without tragedy, that Layne’s death is the exception rather than the rule. It diminishes the loss to say, “Oh of course he died that way. Just listen to the music.” Like so many other bands who successfully merged disparate influences into something entirely new and endlessly captivating, Alice in Chains should not be defined by tragedy. They should be respected and enjoyed for the music they create, the new sounds & ideas they contribute, and the fact that they wer
S3 E27 · Tue, May 04, 2021
Broken Windows Listening – The Reductive & Destructive Choice of Surface Over Substance | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #27
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Music is layered vertically & horizontally. You’ve got the vertical stack of ensemble music – orchestra, band, choir. Then there’s the horizontal layout of composition – chords, melodies, verse/chorus, theme/variation. Which means even an a cappella voice is layered. In each case, you’re dealing with multiple parts that shape the whole. At times one part is dominant, but rarely for an entire composition. For a musical work to make a positive impression, all these parts need to work well together. That doesn’t mean every part does the same work, serves the same function, or is even the same quality. Let’s establish that perfection doesn’t exist. Musicians & singers can do so well that they create the illusion of perfection. Then someone else comes along, does the same thing in a different way & executes it equally well. Neither one is better nor more perfect. They each succeed & each make a different impression. The same is true for parts not as close to perfect. We’ve all loved music that has less than stellar lyrics, passable rhythm, quirky singing or soloing that doesn’t follow strict technique, or just plain sloppy playing. Does this make the music not good? No. The end result is a work that makes a positive impression & contributes something valuable to the musical conversation. “Louie Louie” is no less worthy than “Moonlight Sonata” or “Blue Monk”. So why is it that some of us judge a work based on surface elements like chops or sound or precision? Why do we often dismiss works that have one or more imperfect elements when perfection doesn’t exist? To what standard are we holding these works? Answers to most of those questions are personal – based on taste, emotion, experience, upbringing. But that last question – what standard – I believe there’s one answer to that: the wrong one. When we judge a work to be inferior it’s because we’re using a standard that doesn’t fit, one that may be valid for another work or one’s experience as a listener or creator, but doesn’t apply to most other works in the world. It’s unfair. It’s reductive. And it’s damaging because it not only dismisses the differing experience & origin of that work, it overlooks its depth & its unique & extremely valuable angle of expression. This is exactly how we judge people & communities too. If what we see or hear doesn’t fit our preconception of what a worthy person or community should be – i.e. only what we ourselves have experienced & valued & expressed, we mark that as inferior, in need of help or pity or worse, discipline & control. Judging based on standards that don’t fit is A. quick & shallow; B. highly subjective & prejudiced; and C. the cause of most division & destruction in the worl
S3 E26 · Mon, May 03, 2021
Love @ the Crossroads - G. Love & Philly's Special Sauce | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #26
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I’m from Philly. Born there, lived there a little, grew up near there & was there every week for decades. It’s in my blood in more ways than one. But that pales in comparison to my dad’s experience. He was born there, lived there 30 years, and visited family there every week for many MORE decades. Why does this matter? Because place matters. Not just for family but for culture too. And that very much includes music. Now that I’ve spent over 20 years in NYC, I can tell you there’s one big difference in the two cities: pressure. Both cities are a crossroads of cultures. Both have tons of options & influences & sounds. But whereas NYC is one giant pressure cooker, constantly testing you, Philly lets you breathe, doesn’t ask you to be any more than you are. It’s why so many stage shows & musicians have historically gone there first to get into fighting shape. You NEED to be in fighting shape to thrive in NYC. Philly doesn’t just let you live, it encourages it. In NYC you can do whatever you want too, but you’re on your own until you can prove you’re worth the trouble. This is why Philly music fans, venues & radio are so much better, so much easier to find your place in and be supported. It’s also why Philly music is way more of a mix of styles than NYC music. In NYC, you have every imaginable style of music, but they’re segregated into silos that rarely mix in any significant way. And they’re way more self-conscious about it all. In Philly, every kind of music talks to every other kind just because, and the results are new amalgams that couldn’t have been born anywhere else. Does that make Philly the greatest music city in the US? Probably not. There are too many worthy competitors – New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, etc. But it does put Philly WELL in the top 5, and I’d say even the top 3. G. Love & Special Sauce are a great example of the Philly amalgam. Led by Garrett Dutton, they mix hip-hop, funk, psychedelica, folk, blues, soul & alt rock in a way only a Philly band could do. There are so many other examples of this kind of mixing through the decades. The Philadelphia Sound itself – funk-soul-dance mixed with lush orchestral strings & percussive horns. Think Hall & Oates – folk roots turned to funk-soul-pop-rock. Lil Uzi Vert – lo-fi emo rap rock. Below is a very incomplete list of other well-known artists from the Philly area. Note the variety of styles, both among and within the artists: The Four Aces, Danny & the Juniors, Frankie Avalon/Fabian/Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker/Nicky DeMatteo, McCoy Tyner, Todd Rundgren & Nazz, Jim Croce, Hall & Oates, Gamble & Huff/McFadden & Whitehead/The Stylistics/Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes/Teddy Pendergrass/Sister Sledge/The Delfonics, Patti La
S3 E25 · Tue, April 27, 2021
Some Days are Hard, Some Days are Easy - Bands with Day Names | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #25
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I love naming things. Songs. Albums. Podcasts. Children. The list goes on. Names are powerful. So naturally I’m fascinated by them. In researching this podcast, I wanted to see if anyone has tried to make a comprehensive list of every band name ever in history from all types of music. Nope. And I was kinda happy about that because I would have probably read the whole thing. Instead, I decided we’d have a little fun. I found five CDs from bands that have days of the week in their names. I looked up ALL the bands with day names that have made any kind of impact (i.e. that I could actually find), and it turns out there are HARDLY ANY. I thought since there are hundreds of songs with day names in them that there’d be at least a few dozen bands, but I could only find 17. Of those only 6 (#s 1, 4, 11, 12, 16 & 17 below) have had any measure of fame. And really it’s only FIVE because one of them (#12) changed their name to Radiohead before hitting it big. I was shocked that the list is that small. Here it is: 1. Blue Monday – hardcore punk band from Vancouver 2. Happy Mondays – Manchester Brit pop neo-psychedelia band 3. Hey Monday – pop punk band from Florida 4. See You Next Tuesday – deathcore & mathcore band from Michigan 5. ‘Til Tuesday – new wave alt rock band from Boston 6. Tuesday – punk emo band from Chicago 7. Dead by Wednesday – heavy metal band from Connecticut 8. Wednesday – Ontario pop vocal band 9. Wednesday 13 – aka Joseph Michael Poole – lead singer of Murderdolls 10. Wednesday Night Heroes – Edmonton punk / street punk band 11. Thursday – post-hardcore, screamo band from New Brunswick, NJ 12. Friday Night Boys – pop punk electronica / power pop band from Virginia 13. On a Friday – Radiohead’s original name for their first few years 14. Saturday Looks Good to Me – experimental indie pop band from Michigan 15. The Saturdays – British-Irish electro pop girl group 16. Taking Back Sunday – emo, post-hardcore, pop punk band from Long Island 17. The Sundays – dream pop alt rock band from London As for the five that I have – one album from The Sundays, two from Thursday, and two from Taking Back Sunday – none of these bands are seriously active right now, but when they were I was really into them. The Sundays were one of the best dream pop bands to ever exist. Thursday was one of the pioneering screamo
S3 E24 · Wed, April 21, 2021
An Hour with Fred Sauter - Interview Edition #10 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #24
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Fred Sauter, musical theatre librettist, songwriter, performer, pet care specialist and Task Rabbit extraordinaire. For more on Fred, check out these links: Fred Sauter Official Fred Sauter on YouTube Fred Sauter Live --- Bedbugs!!! The Astronaut Love Show To donate to The Rainbow Lullaby, go here: https://gofund.me/9723571c This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E23 · Wed, April 21, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 3: Beastie Boys - WTF x3 ?!? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #23
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE WTF?!? That’s what goes through my head every time I think of the Beastie Boys. ONE because how is it these self-described funky-punky idiots were one of the main acts that changed the face of music in the 1980s? TWO because how did they then become well respected innovators, outspoken activists & legends, with a long career to rival the biggest acts of any genre? THIRD because how can it all be over?!? So much of the Beastie Boys story makes no sense that it almost DOES make sense that one of them would be dead, and almost a DECADE AGO. But no, not even that computes. These were three guys – great friends, bandmates & collaborators – who always came back together, no matter what happened in the interim. Unexpected successes. Career pressures. Explorations beyond the bounds of accepted form. Life changes. Hiatuses that seemed to go on forever but were way shorter than, say, the wait for Chinese Democracy . No matter what happened, they always came back. And then Adam Yauch died. The soul of the band the way Terry Kath was the soul of Chicago. The difference is while Chicago soldiered on and reinvented in both clever and disappointing ways, the Beasties – now Adam Horovitz & Mike Diamond – realized that carrying on without MCA would NOT be the Beastie Boys. So as usual, when Dumb Death gets in the way, we’re left with memories & reissues & the hopes for more funky innovation crushed. I respect Ad Rock & Mike D’s decision to shift gears, and love that they put out such a freakin’ comprehensive love letter to music, their awesome threesome-ness, and Adam Yauch that is their 2020 mega quad pack Beastie Boys Book , the documentary Beastie Boys Story , the compilation album Beastie Boys Music, and Spike Jonze’s photo tribute Beastie Boys . It was an explosion of beautiful energy that I can only hope results in more. As for the actual music, License to Ill is deep in my DNA. My music wouldn’t be my music without it. Their next three albums moved – LEAPED – the hip hop & general music conversation forward in three different ways, with Ill Communication being my fave because it was a distillation of all three of them. Plus I just love mid ‘90s hip hop. Hello Nasty proved they could top the charts fifteen years out, and was their personal favorite. To the 5 Boroughs reminded me why I love NYC so much, and has lyrics I remember to this day. And Hot Sauce Committee Part Two reminded everyone else that they were in complete command of both creation AND the charts straight to the end. You wanna hear their influence on me? Listen to just about anything, but start here: <a href="https://youtu.be/-4OHnFaYCS
S3 E22 · Thu, April 15, 2021
An Hour with Rich Berta - Interview Edition #9 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #22
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Rich Berta, musician, singer, writer, and the creative force behind That New Life. For more on Rich and That New Life, check out these links: https://ampl.ink/yPnRo https://thatnewlife.bandcamp.com This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E21 · Wed, April 14, 2021
Violent Femmes & Gender Duality - Bands with Perfect Names | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #21
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When a new band finds the right name for itself, it’s magic. They don’t always get it right the first time. Imagine if “Jeremy” was released by Mookie Blaylock. Or if The Hype did “With or Without You”. Or the Young Aborigines scored a hit with “Sabotage”. Those band names do not support the attitude & spirit of the songs. Thankfully inspiration gave us the far more dead-on Pearl Jam, U2 and the Beastie Boys. And those are three of dozens of famous bands that took some trial and error to nail the name. Violent Femmes, however, killed it right off. Sure, it was intended as an off the cuff joke name. But as soon as the two founding members, Brian Ritchie and Victor DeLorenzo, discovered Gordon Gano, it made perfect sense. Brian and Victor had the post-punk rhythm and attitude with an extra shot of weirdness. Gordon had the singing chops - nasal weird kid-like talk-singing that fit so well, and songs that spoke openly about sensitive, painful, awkward feelings without the defensiveness that often pushes singer/songwriters to macho it up. It was raw and new and instantly worked. Their music embodied both the violent “masculine” emotional confusion all adolescents feel, and the vulnerability of undressed honesty often associated with a person’s “feminine” side. And by doing so without apology it showed all that masculine-feminine stuff is bullcrap. There’s no reason to label what a person feels, how they act, or how they express themselves. Open up and say whatever comes out. Get angry and aggressive. Get confessional and insecure. It’s all just being a complete and truly vulnerable human. Did they intend for their name to represent all this? Or their music for that matter? No. The synergy was accidental. The unadorned arrangements (acoustic bass AND drums with no kick!), vocals and words just happened to come together to embody the exact gender duality the name hints at. And they did it with an in-your-face, we don’t care what you think folk punk attitude that influenced a whole generation of bands. They were pre-emo - one of the seminal 1980s bands that gave permission for tons of other bands to get confessional without defense. And I’m included in that group. Whenever I’d write lyrics that felt too raw and revealing, I looked to the Femmes (and the Cure and few others) to reassure me that I didn’t need to hide the words behind aggressive music. Below are an early-ish song and a much more recent one that both show this. NICK – “You Can’t Touch Me” (from the album Listen You People ) REC – “Lost Found” (from the album Sympathy for the Weird ) Do you remember the Fe
S3 E20 · Wed, April 07, 2021
Is POP a Bad Word? - Promoting the NO-BROW Approach | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #20
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE What is pop music? Whatever your head just said is wrong. Or if not, it’s not the whole story. One definition is it’s anything popular. “Pop” is right there in the word, right? But that’s TOO facile. Let’s dig deeper. Where does “pop”/“popular” come from? The shared root means “people”. Like in “populace” or “population”. So pop music is music of the people, by the people, for the people. It’s the “people’s music”. Music made by people is pop music? That seems super broad and “duh” inducing. Well sit down, because I’m going to tell you how it’s even broader than you think. The definitions of “pop music” “popular music” I’ve found online bend over backwards to make distinctions & divisions. They are also WRONG because they all start with the base assumption that there’s a difference between “high-brow” and “low-brow” music – that classical, jazz, avant-garde, world, and several other more esoteric forms are worthy of more status & study than rock, hip hop, soul, country, folk. Not only is the assumption of difference WRONG, the distinctions of “high-brow” and “low-brow” themselves are equally meaningless. People listen to what they want & like what they like. This has never been truer, because the internet gives most of us access to almost every piece of recorded music in history, which includes music created long before sound recording. Assuming one person listens to classical while another listens to hip hop is, plain and simple, profiling . We all have tastes that go beyond our assumed demographic. And by definition, what PEOPLE listen to is POP music. This has included music from every genre & sphere, regardless of status, popularity or financial success. Music floats in & out of the zeitgeist & marketplace all the time. Just like how the stock market has nothing to do with most people’s day to day life, what songs stream the most has nothing to do with the identity of pop. The only way to describe pop music's sound is: everything. It sounds & has sounded & will sound like every kind of music that’s ever existed, no matter what scholars claim. No other definition is useful or constructive. There's no high-brow or low-brow. ALL music is NO-BROW. Is it fun to research the music of different eras? Absolutely. I love hearing the changes & evolution. But these are cross-sections of a body of work that in no way tell the whole story. They’re as representative of pop as a person’s clothing is to their existence – which is to say pretty much not at all. We constantly make distinctions & divisions. Every day – often unconsciously – we make decisions about what things, ideas & people are deserving of more status, respect, popularity, power. It’s human nature to categorize
S3 E19 · Wed, March 31, 2021
Hyper, Social, Short & Canned – They Might Be FUTURE Giants | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #19
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Pop music is wonderful. More diverse than its reputation suggests. But it’s not everything. And while it can often be very accepting of new ideas, it can also be a bully. The bouncer who passes quick judgment from a few superficial cues. That’s why it’s critical that agitators exist. I don’t mean artists who deliberately shun the mainstream and carve a more eclectic, experimental, indie path. I mean those artists who strive to infiltrate the mainstream and shake it up. Trojan horse artists who disguise themselves in pop trappings so they can sneak in more subversive elements. Hyperpop is the latest in a succession of musical styles that take pop music and turn it on its head by going to the brashest extremes. Ultra bright. Ultra fast. Ultra polished. Ultra short. Ultra weird lyrics. Cherry picking elements and mashing them together like mixing up all the Play-Doh colors. It’s brought some cool new points to the conversation, and will most definitely move things forward. But it’s not the first time this has been done. Subversive pop music has been around as long as normal pop. Wherever there’s a movement, there will always be a counter to it. A perfect example of this is They Might Be Giants. The Johns got their start in 1982 and over about ten years infiltrated the mainstream. Sort of. They were doing ultra bright ultra fast ultra polished ultra short ultra weird-lyricked songs decades before hyperpop. In particular, their first four albums stretched what a pop song - and pop album - could be, in all directions. Pop music didn’t love them. They never topped the charts because pop wasn’t ready for them. Like an early 1980s bouncer scoffing at parachute pants, pop took one look at this accordion and guitar duo playing to canned backing tracks and DID NOT LET THEM IN. It couldn’t handle the weirdness. As always, the future has the last laugh. Weirdness is just normality minus a decade or two. Slowly but surely, pop music caught up. Now so much of what they did is becoming a central part of the pop landscape. Short songs and shuffling playlists (see the “Fingertips” compilation). Songs on demand (the pioneering Dial-A-Song). Songs available only online (their Long Tall Weekend album). And so much more. And they influenced so many other artists. Think of all the “bands” that came into existence 20 years after TMBG who are just one or two people playing to backing tracks. No one was doing that in the 1980s and barely even in the 1990s. I’d say that They Might Be Giants are one of the top 20 influences on my music. I’ve performed “solo” tons of times, snuck weird lyrics into otherwise poppy songs, messed with length and form and genre - on one album and even one son
S3 E18 · Thu, March 25, 2021
An Hour with hot glue & the gun - Interview Edition #8 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #18
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Carrie Klein & Joel McGlynn, a.k.a. hot glue & the gun . They are a theater rock collective specializing in CRAFT music, and creators of the Gluey Zoomy Show. For more on hg&tg, check out these links: IG: @hotglueandthegun ( http://instagram.com/hotglueandthegun ) YouTube: http://youtube.com/hotgluethegun website: http://hotglueandthegun.com bandcamp: http://betheglue.bandcamp.com And find them here on the GLUEY ZOOMY SHOW! https://youtu.be/NawBbE7H7dc This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E17 · Tue, March 23, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 2: STP - The Reinventor's Edge | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #17
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Grunge was a thing. Born in the 1980s, came of age in the early 1990s, and got coopted and run into the ground by the end of that decade. It was powerful enough to change the landscape of pop music and culture in general, before pop culture changed it into a parody of itself (Nickelback anyone?). If you were caught in that storm, there were only a few ways out: Quit. Double down and play the grunge circuit. Evolve into a band with more range and depth. Reinvent. This week’s band, Stone Temple Pilots, was a mix of the last two, and even touched on the second one early on and the first one years later. During the Core years, STP sounded like grunge imitators, and you wouldn’t have been at fault to believe they’d end up a footnote, like say Candlebox. But they had depth and range built in from the get-go - back when they were called Mighty Joe Young - that didn’t quite show up until they broke the grunge chains and followed wherever the music took them. Though they piqued my interest with “Vaseline” from Purple , it was Tiny Music... that blew them up big for me. It was like Scott Weiland’s voice morphed from an Eddie Vedder imitation to a punk John Lennon. Their subsequent albums showed the same depth and range, thanks in large part to both Weiland’s vocal and lyrical abilities AND the DeLeo brothers’ incredible composition, performance, and leadership. Listen to their hits compilation, Thank You , and you’ll hear all that from beginning to end. Anyone with a decent knowledge of grunge knows STP is in the Death is Dumb series because of Weiland’s tragic end. I followed his ups and downs closely, saw him try to get it together with Velvet Revolver and the STP reunion, and was crushed when he OD’ed. I’m glad STP is still at it today - despite yet another tragic lead vocalist death (Chester Bennington). The DeLeo brothers deserver more recognition than they’ve received for the success of STP. But it was Weiland who brought that band home for me. His always captivating vocals and desire to push the morphing envelope inspired me to come out of my “dark grunge vocal” period and add more dynamism and brighter, grittier inflections. You can hear the difference clearly when you listen to these two songs back to back: NICK – “Away” REC – “Some Things Happen” Do you know STP? Were you also surprised by how much they changed through the 1990s? What did you think of Weiland? Do you know much about the several other bands he fronted? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. <a href
S3 E16 · Thu, March 18, 2021
An Hour with Gustavo Rodriguez - Interview Edition #7 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #16
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with Gustavo Rodriguez - musician, talent booker, writer, producer & podcaster. For more on everything Gus does, check out these links: IG HANDLE @sandovar SILBIN SANDOVAR - music https://briansilbinandfriends.bandcamp.com/album/brian-silbin-and-friends https://open.spotify.com/album/1MWy3iIozZKssB6wY98u40?si=06YCiOdNQsOeYAXTn8VsiQ FIRESIDE MYSTERY THEATER - podcast https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com/ LIC Bar - Long Island City, NY - Facebook Live Sunday Series https://www.facebook.com/LIC-Bar-119633874719553 This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E15 · Tue, March 16, 2021
When the Clash Became BAD - A Stellar Second Act That's Still SO Punk | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #15
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE One of the many great things about doing chronolographies is finding out the whole family tree of a band. For most bands, a breakup is not the end. I’m not talking about the reunion tour after the farewell tour (times infinity). The main creative forces in a band don’t just stop creating after “the end”. Some go on to solo careers – like Ozzy Osbourne or every Beatle. Some transition into non-band work – say, film & TV scoring like Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo. Some do the retread circuit – cashing in on their own legacy like … name 1,000 of them. Then there are those who reinvent the band experience, who maybe needed the breakup to allow other aspects of their creativity to blossom. Mick Jones is a great example of this. When he left the Clash – who released one more post-Mick album before breaking up for good, he wasted no time starting a new band with a new sound. After two short & unsuccessful runs as founder of the bands General Public & Top Risk Action Company (T.R.A.C.), Jones formed Big Audio Dynamite. They released nine albums over nearly 15 years, before Jones went on to form yet another band, Carbon/Silicon. BAD had a ton of success (as well as at least three names – including BAD, BAD II, and Big Audio), peaking with this week’s album, The Globe. BAD carried on the Clash’s musical mission in many ways. Political songs. A pop sensibility that didn’t shy away from edge either lyrically or sonically. A mix of several types of music, including punk, funk, reggae & ska. But they got even weirder, more experimental, and added other styles like hip hop, dance, Afrobeat, electronica, and heavy sampling. Their lyrics went everywhere too. All in all, it was a vibrant & very successful reboot. The BIGGEST parallel between the two bands is that they both subverted conventional wisdom of what you can & can’t do with music. And once you do that, you’re also by default subverting industry standards & practices. SO punk. I just listened to all of the Clash & BAD’s catalogs. I don’t think I realized how hugely influential BAD was on me, especially from 1985-1991. At least three of their first six albums had songs that immediately came back to me as soon as I heard them – no small thing since the last time I listened to most of this music was when it was new. You can hear that influence even today, especially in one of my band REC’s most recent songs: REC – “Make Me Mic My Mouth” Do you know any BAD or Clash music? Were you aware of the connection between the two? Can you think of other incredible second-act reinventions? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. <a href
S3 E14 · Thu, March 11, 2021
An Hour PLUS with James Castelli - Interview Edition #6 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #14
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend more than an hour with James Castelli, a quintessential polymath. James is a composer, performer, teacher, astronomer, astrophotographer, vintner, family genealogist, and my second cousin once removed. For more on everything James does, check out these links: ORIGINAL MUSIC https://jamescastelliomega.bandcamp.com https://soundcloud.com/james-castelli ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0Eoj2Cky5zjVvRLZWz96Q http://jamescastelliphotography.blogspot.com CASTELLI VINEYARD https://www.facebook.com/Castelli-Vineyard-Malaga-New-Jersey-357510438087426 This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E13 · Wed, March 10, 2021
Death is DUMB Volume 1: Fountains of Wayne - Power Pop BLISS | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #13
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Loss is a constant. Loved ones. A job. The end of a relationship. The end of an era. Your youth. It hurts the most when there’s a lot of love & desire. If we want to love, we have to accept that loss is always eventually a part of it. And so it goes with music. When a favorite band or artist is alive and well, every new album or single or show is exciting. Even if they break up or retire, there’s always hope for one more reunion, one more album. Once a band member or artist dies, it’s over. Forever. And so is that era for you. There’s no way around it. It hurts like hell. When John Lennon died, a tremendous amount of hope died with him. I still feel it. Same for Kurt Cobain, Prince, and countless others. Unreleased tracks or faux reunions like those “new” “Beatles” songs from the 1990s just don’t cut it. It’s trying to hold onto something that is over for good. Only the music and memories survive. Fountains of Wayne, this week’s band, is the first in a series I’m doing on love and loss in music. Early on in the pandemic, Adam Schlesinger, the principal architect and songwriter, died of COVID. He was in his 50s and in the midst of a thriving career. The band had broken up nearly a decade before, but with him and lead singer Chris Collingwood alive, I held out hope they’d do more stuff together. That all ended last April. And it sucks. Fountains of Wayne were one of the few power pop titans that A. influenced the fuck out of me, and B. should have been way bigger than they were. They had their big hit, “Stacy’s Mom”, and that album was phenomenal. But so we’re all their albums, and they had songs even better than that. As prolific and restless as Adam was, there’s no doubt they would have done something again. So that band is done forever. That era of my life is over. Death is dumb. But the music isn’t dumb, and it isn’t dead. It’ll be around forever, and deserves to be heard and loved by way more people. We’re lucky it was made. And I’m lucky to still be around making music. My band REC’s latest album owes a huge debt to Fountains of Wayne. Especially this song: REC – “Wake Up High” And here's a link to the tribute concert I did last April: https://youtu.be/fghgpxoTtok Do you know this band? Is there a band that can never exist again that breaks your heart? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E12 · Thu, March 04, 2021
An Hour with Daniel Cousins - Interview Edition #5 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #12
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I spend an hour with amazing singer/songwriter/producer, audiovisualist, emotional engineer & my good friend & colleague Daniel Cousins. He's also the creative force behind the supernatural electro rock band, Albatross Heights. For more on Daniel and the AH experience, go here: http://albatrossheights.com This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E11 · Wed, March 03, 2021
Liz F*cking Phair - This Title Doesn't Need a Qualifier | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #11
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE We need to get sick. We need to be tired of the same stories again & again. History is NOW, and enough is enough. Too many artists – too many people – have been taken advantage of by those in power, pushed around & forced to either comply or risk major rejection. So many of us have been manipulated, exploited, stepped on, shunted aside – all for money & power. That includes us fans, who are force fed opinions WAY MORE than we realize. Take this week’s shining example, Liz Phair. She came roaring out of Chicago with an album that’s now one of the top 500 greatest of all time. Then she faded. NOPE NOPE NOPE. That’s the narrative we’ve been fed by critics and the industry every step of the way. Thing is, IT’S TOTALLY FALSE. I just listened to her entire catalog, and I’ve come away with one overriding impression. She’s always been herself, always done what she wanted, and always kicked ass at it. Whoever you think she is, she’s not that. Or that’s just a small part of her. Her output is kind of like Bowie’s. Every album does something different. You have the deceptively raw & off the cuff sounding debut, Exile in Guyville . Whip-Smart proved she didn’t just burn out all her creativity the first time around, and was here to stay. It added just enough tightness & difference to indicate she had more places to go. Whitechocolatespaceegg is an absolute songwriting & performing tour de force. She is the titan of making intimate, quirky lyrics & catchy pop melodies go together like they’re meant to be. And don’t overlook her guitar playing. This is my personal favorite. Her eponymous album was PANNED when it came out, because she dared to be power pop. Ridiculous. We’re all so easily duped by production values, critics & fans alike. We think a loosey-goosey tossed off sound indicates more authenticity, and a polished put-together sound is shallower. They’re both affects and it’s all total bullshit. It shows how few critics ACTUALLY LISTEN beyond first impressions. It’s why SO MANY ALBUMS that were first panned end up getting “reconsidered” years later. Somebody’s Miracle – it’s Taylor Swift before Taylor Swift even got started. She takes the stereotypical “singer-songwriter” production mode and spins lyrics, intricacies, & vulnerabilities that would come to define pop songwriting. Funstyle – experimental and going wherever she wanted to. Weird & not afraid to say fuck-you to both genre constrictions and the industry. I suggest listening to this first. If you end up liking or loving it, all the other albums will fall right into place. The point is, regardless of what story we’ve been told or impressions we get before digging deeper, she’s alway
S3 E10 · Wed, February 24, 2021
TWO Hours with Nicky DeMatteo (Part 2) - Interview Edition #4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #10
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The first of a two-part interview with the legendary Nicky DeMatteo, singer, recording artist, piano man, actor, and my father. For more from Nicky, check out these links: Nicky's live performance of Phantom of the Opera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5RzJfsX1U Nicky LIVE virtual concert - https://youtu.be/2c-H52N3GQQ Nicky's recordings - https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E9 · Wed, February 24, 2021
Third Stream Music - The Jazz-Classical Alchemy of Jacques Loussier | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #9
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There’s a frame of mind that insists that the connections between genres are tangential & theoretical at best. Of course, MUSIC is not a GENRE is out to debunk that myth. It’s hard enough to battle that mindset in the popular realm – like how country people don’t like hip hop or rock people don’t like dance. Those boundaries are blurring more & more, thankfully, because of the mish-mosh that is the internet and especially because of young artists like Breland or Rina Sawayama, who don’t see a reason to stay “pure”. When it comes to so-called “highbrow” music – a distinction I reject, by the way – the bias is even stronger. There seems to be a need for high minded people to cling to a false sense of purity in their chosen music. Lovers of classical – or more accurately orchestral – music tend to dismiss anything written from at least Stravinsky onward, if not before. Jazz heads are often so strict about what’s considered jazz that they’ll dismiss all but one or two sub-classifications. Like how Wynton Marsalis once claimed that if a song wasn’t rooted in a blues structure then it’s not jazz. There have been, and always will be, people who are open to blends & mashups & cross-pollination, and people who need very solid & high walls to keep out anything they feel doesn’t fit. But if you’re a true lover of MUSIC – the history & development, the taxonomy and Darwinian evolution – then you know that ALL WALLS ARE FALSE, and have been SINCE FOREVER. If jazz is defined by improv, then are rock guitar solos jazz? If classical is defined by a strict interpretation of written notes, then how do you reconcile the hard fact that Liszt and Chopin and Mozart and even Bach were all known for their dazzling improvisational skills? We think classical music was always set in stone because we only inherited the sheet music. SO not true. Jacques Loussier knew this, and his music is one of the greatest embodiments of the porous boundaries between jazz & classical. He was known for interpreting the works of Bach, Vivaldi, Satie and many others, adding lots of improv in with the familiar melodies, harmonies & rhythms. He was a French pianist whose melding of jazz & classical was known as “third stream”, a term that’s been around since the 1950s. Even though these venerable works don’t need a jolt of improv to make them great, the third stream approach brings them right into the present moment. It makes them feel like they’re brand new. I’ve used classical & jazz elements in many of my songs, probably none more so than “Dream for Real”, based on Pachelbel’s Canon in D. More recently, my band REC’s song “Polymath” uses a harpsichord-like keyboard sound to weave in a couple of classical inspired passa
S3 E8 · Thu, February 18, 2021
TWO Hours with Nicky DeMatteo (Part 1) - Interview Edition #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #8
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The first of a two-part interview with the legendary Nicky DeMatteo, singer, recording artist, piano man, actor, and my father. For more from Nicky, check out these links: Nicky's live performance of Phantom of the Opera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5RzJfsX1U Nicky LIVE virtual concert - https://youtu.be/2c-H52N3GQQ Nicky's recordings - https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/ This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E7 · Thu, February 18, 2021
Sweet Sounds of POWER POP - Why is Matthew Sweet Not a SUPERSTAR?! | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #7
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There are so many things in the music world that make sense. The everlasting popularity of stars like Sinatra or Elvis or the Beatles or Led Zeppelin or Prince or Nirvana or Mariah Carey or Cher etc. etc. Or the more underground and under the radar appeal of bands like Sparks – hugely influential and wildly eclectic, but only deliberately mainstream when they wanted to be. Then there are things that make a whole lot less sense. Why were Nickelback and Kid Rock so popular for so long? Why would someone as prolific and loved as Billy Joel just stop releasing new music? I’m not saying these things don’t have logical explanations. I’m saying so what – there should be different answers. The same goes for this week’s artist, Matthew Sweet. It makes no sense to me that he was never a superstar. Successful? Yes, for a few years in the 1990s. Respected and still has millions of fans? Absolutely. But he’s not like Sparks. He doesn’t do obscure or eclectic niche music (not that that’s not also awesome). He does singer/songwriter power pop based in mostly classic rock sounds. His lyrics and especially his melodies and arrangements are super catchy-hooky. He has substance, broad appeal AND his own uniquely personal take. He has a very accessible voice. He’s personable and versatile and hasn’t stopped releasing new music since his formative years in early-mid 1980s Lincoln, Nebraska & Athens, Georgia. So what’s up, America? What’s your problem? Okay so two things. First, pretty much all of those descriptors could also be about me, so I’m taking this very personally 😊. Second, I think I know what America’s problem is. And yes, I’m singling out America here because this is a pervasive issue. I even hit on this in my recent Bee Gees episode. The issue is that America – or more likely its marketing/business/money structure, has a short attention span and little tolerance for artists who don’t totally blow it out all the time. America’s PR machine wants bigness. It grows what’s already growing, and cuts off what’s chugging or waning, to the point where it atrophies more quickly than it should. And fans who’d probably really dig what the artist is doing don’t hear about it, and rarely have time or the presence of mind to search for it. So it dies on the vine. I’m counting myself in this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost track of a once popular band, only to find out by accident they’ve been touring and pumping out new music non-stop. It would have been nice to freakin’ KNOW ABOUT THIS, but the American PR/money machine has no interest in capturing even a few moments of attention. ... I can’t underestimate the influence Matthew Sweet has had on my work. He showed me how you can w
S3 E6 · Thu, February 11, 2021
An Hour with Stephanie Kay - Interview Edition #2 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #6
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The full interview with Stephanie Kay, sci-fi podcaster, music lover, award winning karaoke singer, and co-founder of The Lambda Quadrant (see below). For more about Stephanie Kay, check out these links: THE NX7062 PODCAST http://bit.ly/2NX7062Podcast www.facebook.com/nx7062 www.twitter.com/nx7062 THE HAWK CHRONICLES - sci-fi audio drama https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-hawk-chronicles LAMBDA QUADRANT - A group for LGBTQ sci fi fans providing safe spaces and supporting various nonprofits. www.lambdaquadrant.com BULLYING CHARITY STARTED BY STAR TREK ALUM www.bekindmerch.org This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E5 · Thu, February 11, 2021
What is a CHRONOLOGRAPHY? - And Why Does It Make The Bee Gees Even More Awesomer? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #5
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When David Bowie died five years ago, I righted a big wrong. I’d been aware of him since the 1970s, knew some of his hits & ‘80s music & offshoots like Tin Machine. Someone I really respected, but kept at arm’s length. So I fixed that and listened to his entire catalog. I was immediately hooked. Not just on Bowie’s legendary shape-shifting music, but on the whole idea of listening to entire catalogs. So I did it again, and again, and again. I’m still doing it. At last count, I’ve gone through well over 50 artist discographies. Truth be told it’s probably more like 150-1000 if you count all the short-lived bands. I call this a “chronolography”. It’s a mashup of “chronology” and “discography”, and here’s how I do it. I start from the artist’s earliest extant recording, and proceed chronologically from album to album - including any non-album singles. I also include solo records from any prominent band member. I read up on each album as I listen - my version of liner notes - including any career or personal info that might somehow connect to the music. And I don’t stop until I reach the last recording. This can be as few as one or two albums - like with the seminal punk band the Germs, or as many as 50 or more, like if you do the Beatles and then every Beatles’ solo career. There are so many reasons why this is a worthy undertaking. Greater appreciation for the artist’s talent beyond their more popular output. Better understanding of where the artist is coming from and what they’re trying to achieve. Discovery of hidden gems and creative offshoots they may not be known for. A detailed illustration of how the artist developed through the years. Placing the artist’s work in context - both as a part of their own career and as a response to the broader music scene. Oh and it’s fun and immersive and most of the music is incredibly good. Plus it takes a lot less time than bingeing a TV show, and you can do it anywhere. Now here’s where it gets way better. A chronolography tells a story. Not just of that music or that career, but of the times they existed, the people involved both in and out of the band, music development as a whole, how the industry and other external pressures influenced the music (or definitively DIDN’T), and even a chunky slice of society and humanity in general. It’s like history meets documentary mixed with a novel and culminating in a time lapsed work of art. It’s so much more important than just a musical exercise. We all have preconceived notions of pretty much everyone and everything we’ve ever encountered. The judgments that shape those notions are largely based on the least amount of information possible. We might know a few songs or one era when the band w
S3 E4 · Thu, February 11, 2021
An Hour with Cathryn Lynne - Interview Edition #1 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #4
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The full one-hour interview with Cathryn Lynne, performer & co-creator of SnerkShirts by FEEK. For more information on Cathryn, go here: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynplusNick https://www.instagram.com/cathrynplusnick/ https://snerkshirtsbyfeek.com/ To see Cathryn in action, go here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfrAP6IL7DaVVeltzGfHd3wT-sHezF_RT This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S3 E3 · Thu, February 04, 2021
You Never Forget Your First - The Triumph & Controversy of George Michael's Faith | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #3
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I found it! My CD collection has been moved twice in the last 18 months, and I have not done ANY reorganizing. Hunting through 600+ CDs to find the only one I want was not something I had any desire to do. So it was a huge relief that this one was sitting right out front on one of the shelves. And why? Because I should have started my trip down CD lane with THIS ONE. It was the first CD I ever bought with my own money. My parents spent a ton of THEIR money to get a CD player, and as I was still living with them off & on, I had access. And of all the CDs I could have bought – and did eventually buy, let’s be honest – George Michael’s Faith was the one that moved me the most. Not enough can be said about George Michael or about this album. So much has already been said that I don’t feel the need to go into detail. I’ll just say that I can still remember the crisp, funky, pristine sound of these songs – and that VOICE. I can still remember what a revelation it was to hear his version of what a singer/songwriter/producer could be. And let’s not forget the HUGE HITS and the controversy that some of his lyrics and his not-yet-out personal life stirred up. We could say that “these days” the scandal of someone singing about sex, let alone gay sex, is laughable. And for many of us it is. But it isn’t. Not really. Because for a huge portion of the population these things are still upsetting, scandalous, sinful, and just plain wrong. So what an incredible triumph for George Michael to not just sing about this stuff, not just do videos & visuals about it, but to do it in an extremely personal way. To be both a master of pop/r&b/dance music and to do it confessionally is an incredible feat, and is what makes this album a major classic. I subsequently wrote a TON of songs inspired by this album, whether like the smash hits "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", “I Want Your Sex”, and my favorite "Monkey", or like the lesser known single and jazz-pop genre exercise, “Kissing A Fool”. You can probably hear more of what he did in my music today than you even could back then. Here’s a great example – my version of singing about sex in a personal way: REC – “Make Me Break Like Everyday” (from the album Syncopy for the Weird ) Do you remember this album? Can you still sing some of the songs even though you haven’t heard them in years? Do you remember how huge he and this album were? Does it make you sad to think of how his life ended? What was YOUR FIRST CD? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app </p
S3 E2 · Thu, January 28, 2021
Everything OLD is SOLD Again - Reissues SAVE the Music Industry | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #2
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Last week we talked about audio formats, and touched on how there have been more than 50. Every time a new format is introduced and actually takes hold, the old formats start a slow process of diminishment to be strictly for collectors, fetishists, and/or nostalgia freaks. They never quite go away, but they eventually become too inconvenient to be mass consumed. Thing is, while the old formats drift into obsolescence, the music itself doesn’t. Sure, trends come and go, but old music maintains a massive fan base. Which means if there’s an album or artist you love but have stopped listening to vinyl or cassettes or CDs or your collection of mp3s, you have to UPGRADE. You have to make a firm decision to reacquire all your favorite music on whatever new format you’re now into. On one level, this sucks. If you’re a collector of ANYTHING, the thought of having to re-collect what you already have is a major money, time & energy drain. On another level, it’s awesome. You get to rediscover music you might not have listened to in a long time, and you can now share it much more easily. But there’s a THIRD level, the one that really counts in the world. And it’s that without these reissues, the music industry would have been bankrupted a long time ago. Just like how every new video format, from as far back as the 1830s stroboscopic animation, has been funded and floated in large part by pornography (look it up – it’s true), the music industry continues to thrive largely because they know they have a built-in audience for reissues of all kinds. If it sold once, there’s a 100% chance it will sell again. You can’t count on buyers to follow your lead to new territory every time the standard shifts, but you can absolutely lead them down that road with the tried & true. I’ve done this hundreds – probably thousands – of times, with every new format, and happily so. At least when funds have permitted. In our current case – CDs, I eventually collected whole band catalogs, among many other upgrades. The very FIRST upgrade I ever bought was this week’s album. It’s not strictly a one-to-one reissue. There was no previous Compact Jazz – The Sampler on vinyl. What this was is a compilation of excellent jazz songs – some well-known & some deep cuts – kind of a primer for people who don’t know jazz well but might want to, or who just want all these songs in one place. Like a mini playlist. It’s all stuff that only existed on vinyl or cassette. I played this CD a ton. Some of these artists I knew and loved. Others I was very happy to discover, even get more into. It’s a damn fine and well curated CD. And it was so incredible to hear all that stuff in such excellent condition. I recommend
S3 E1 · Thu, January 28, 2021
Which Audio Format is Best? - The Answer May Surprise You | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #1
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Before I started podcasting, I was blogging weekly for a long while. I started with my cassette collection. When I finished with those and got ready to transition to vinyl, I took a pause to discuss the history of music formats, from as far back as late 19th century cylinders all the way up to present day streaming. (COOL LINK ABOVE) As I transition from vinyl to CDs, we’re going to do something different. Let’s talk about what the best format is for music listening. Rather than discuss all of the 50 or so options, we’ll limit it to those formats most widely in use in the last 60 years. Namely, vinyl, cassettes, CDs and digital files (principally mp3s, wavs, and cloud-based streaming). Each of these formats has its fans: VINYL warm, crackly romantics CASSETTE tight, sizzly utilitarians CD techno- audio- philes DIGITAL FILE stone colder listeners Yes, there are drawbacks to each. Vinyl and cassettes - the analog formats - warp and break easily. They’re harder to transport, store and play. Sonic quality tends to deteriorate over time. You can only capture a certain amount of the original sound production. These formats color the sonic output in ways that weren’t intended by the artist. CDs and files - the digital formats - can sound “cold” and thin. Like the analog formats, CDs are also harder to transport & store, and to a lesser extent can degrade & suffer other damage. Digital files are harder to catalog and keep track of, and lack a tremendous amount of the other formats’ visual & textual representations. Their sound quality varies greatly, and the most compressed files (low end mp3s) sound as bad as an old tape on a crappy one-speaker boom box. Plus, while digital sound captures a much larger swath of the sonic spectrum in both breadth and depth, it misses the connective tissue that analog captures by default. The spaces between the ones & zeros. So what’s the best format?? When I was young I had only vinyl, and I loved it. When cassettes came, I flipped. I could take them anywhere, even record vinyl onto blank ones and take THEM too. When CDs came, I couldn’t believe the sound quality. I couldn’t take them everywhere because portable players were scarce, so I got around that by recording them onto cassettes. When cars started including CD players standard, I left cassettes behind. It took me a loooong time to stop buying CDs, a good 15 years into the mp3/streaming age. I didn’t like having to download files & then either rip them onto a CD or upload them to a player. At the same time I was collecting them at a rate I could never have afforded otherwise. Once I got familiar with a streaming service I liked, I stopped buying CDs altogether, and
S2 E37 · Fri, January 22, 2021
Vice VERSUS - The Destructive and BOGUS Origins of Music Rivalries | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #37
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE People are passionate about the music they love. (Most people anyway. We won’t mention the others :) ). When that passion runs so deep that it becomes part of their core identity, it can cause fires. They can get insulted by people who don’t like a favorite artist or style. They can get so obsessed with their music that all other music is ignored or deemed unworthy, and that stance spreads to the other music lovers. They can let that feeling run so rampant that it goes from apathy to disdain to outright hatred. I’ve felt all of that. I’m a passionate music obsessive. I used to be so protective of my tastes that I’d be afraid to share them, so disdainful of others who disagreed that I could barely discuss music with anyone ever. I’d cling tightly to my opinions and keep them to myself, or share them only within a like-minded echo chamber. It’s easy to explain and understand the internal reasons why we can get this way. It’s what we’re exposed to as kids and young adults. It makes us feel what we want to. It reflects ourselves back to ourselves in the light we want to see. It gives us a safe space to hide our vulnerabilities from the perceived dangers of the unknown. And it’s important to note that, somewhere in our being - consciously or not, we choose to embrace these exclusionary attitudes. What often gets overlooked are the external reasons. Social pressure to belong to a certain group or demographic. Industry messages that favor one artist or type of music over another, and target those messages only to certain people. Media sensationalism that shirks factual reporting to focus solely on controversy, even when that controversy is completely made up. Critics and journalists whose bias shines through their words more strongly than any attempt at objective analysis. We’re not always aware of these pressures and influences, but they’re always there, imposing restrictions on the otherwise boundless world of music appreciation. Think of all the music rivalries. Beatles v. Stones. MJ v. Prince. Nirvana v. Pearl Jam. Mariah v. Whitney. Tupac v. Biggie. Metal v. Punk. Rock v. Disco or Hip Hop. All of these were either completely untrue, or only true because either fans let their passions divide them, or one of those external influencers hyped up differences to stir up press and money. In some cases, like Rock v. Disco, it stemmed not just from the mercenary pursuit of dollars and power, but also from flat out racism. Which shows that even fake rivalries can get ugly, even dangerous. We have a choice, one that allows us to hold onto what we believe, and still be open to others’ tastes and beliefs and opinions and experiences. Maybe even open to appreciating somethi
S2 E36 · Fri, January 22, 2021
Bad Ocean Freddie 5 Whistle Bird - This is the END of VINYL | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #36
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This is it. We are getting ready to enter Phase 3 of something that started five years ago. These Thursday posts have gone through a lot of changes. Phase 1 was all text and photos, and all about cassettes. Phase 2 was transitional - all about vinyl, starting with texts and photos and morphing into videos, which morphed into a YouTube channel, and even included a name change. Today’s episode completes that phase, and sets up the next, with lots more to come. What I’m saying is today is the last of my vinyl collection. I’ve decided to take the remaining six albums and put them all together, for a good old fashioned multi-genre music talk. None of them were hugely significant to me, but all deserve a spotlight. Below are those six, with a few short notes. You’ll want to watch the video to get more in-depth analyses. -- Bad Company - Every era has a handful of acts that are the quintessential representation of a style - no crossover or muddy waters. Bad Company was that for rock music for the 1970s. -- Billy Ocean - If you don’t like Billy Ocean, you’re missing a piece of your humanity. And how great that he’s reentering the music biz after such a long hiatus. So may hits in the 1980s, though I honestly didn’t remember this one. -- Freddie Jackson - One of those singers - like Peabo Bryson or the late James Ingram - who graced the 1980s with awesome smooth r&b. This was his biggest hit, and one I remember well. -- 5 Star - A British pop/r&b band who had several hits in the 1980s, including five from this album, of which “Let Me Be the One” was the biggest US hit. I often prefer British r&b, because it doesn’t feel the need to adhere so strictly to the genre, something that frequently limits what American r&b can be. -- Whistle - Whistle’s biggest hit. A couple of years after this, they transitioned surprisingly smoothly from hip hop to an r&b vocal group. You should totally see the video for this single. It’s one of the many fun, irreverent ‘80s rap songs that’s peppered with well-known public domain melodies, in this case played by an old-school keyboard sampler patch. -- Charlie Parker - Recorded in 1944, this is prime Bird and supreme bebop. Bebop is one of my top three favorite jazz styles, because it had one foot in early more lyrical jazz and one foot in the hard bop and more dissonant jazz to come. Right in the sweet spot. I got this in college at a thrift store, when I was diving headfirst into jazz of all kinds (other than smooth). I love the song, “Romance Without Finance”, and even covered it in one of my sets last year. And that’s it, people. The vinyl phase is OVER. Next week I’ll kick off Phase 3 - my CD collection. Here’s the link to my band
S3 E35 · Fri, January 22, 2021
Not-So HIDDEN TALENTS - Oh, the Things We DON'T Know About Shaun Cassidy | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #35
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Multitalented people are not rare. The creative brain tends to think that everything has the potential to be something. And if that brain also has talent and interest in an area, that person won’t be able to resist making something new. I can think of a dozen famous people offhand who do at least two things really well. What is rarer is people knowing how multitalented someone is. Most successful artists are known for one thing, two at most. Jamie Foxx is a comedian, actor, & singer. He’s also a songwriter and accomplished pianist. Tom Hanks is an actor and a producer. He’s also a writer & an app designer. Reese Witherspoon is an actor & producer. She’s also a singer & writer. Lupita Nyong'o is an acclaimed actor. She’s also a writer & TV producer. This doesn’t even get into all their non-creative work in business, charity, etc. And these are only four of thousands and thousands. Among that group is Shaun Cassidy. If you know him at all, first of all you’re old. Secondly, you probably know him as David Cassidy’s little brother, or the costar of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries . Or as this week’s album shows, a pop singer. But he’s done way more. I loved this album. So much that I had the accompanying poster on my bedroom closet door. It was mostly because of the cover of The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron". But it was the overall poppiness too. Granted, I was 7 when it came out, but I stand by that pre-teen taste even now, because if we're honest it never really goes away. Then I kind of grew out of him. His next two albums were successful too, and he did lots of TV and stage acting, but I had no interest in most of it. In the mid 1990s, I heard his name again, this time as the creator, writer & producer of American Gothic . I didn’t watch it, but a couple years later I heard his name again, as the creator of Roar, starring Heath Ledger. I loved that show. From then on I kept tabs on Shaun, who has stuck to behind the scenes TV work, including the current show New Amsterdam . And I constantly look out for other less famous things that famous people do well. I’m one of those non-rare polymaths as well. If you’ve been following along, you know that I do this podcast in part to promote my own music - most of which I write, sing, play and produce myself. But I’m also a voice actor, and have done several voice overs for commercials, films and video games. And I’m an actor actor too - stage, film and TV. I’m a writer - fiction, nonfiction and poetry. And a graphic artist and photographer. I’ll even dance if you kick me. I do all this for many reasons. It’s fun. I’m restless. I CAN. I like multiple sources of income. I like bouncing between seemingly
S2 E34 · Fri, January 22, 2021
MUSIC is not a GENRE is ... NOW on PATREON | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #34
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Every so often I like to pause the madness and check in. Do a state of the onion - talk about what layers have been peeled away and which ones are yet to come. I’m not going to add my voice to the thousands of others who need to reiterate what a year it’s been - unexpected suffering discovery triumph etc. All true and all blah blah. I’m just gonna get right to the meat. The onion meat. Nothing gets the fire burning like clarity. And nothing creates clarity like constantly working. In the last 12 months I’ve done nearly 70 podcasts, over 75 gigs, and released five albums with my band REC amounting to over 30 songs. It felt awesome, but what was it supposed to add up to? I’m a firm believer in the best way to learn how to swim is to jump in the pool. I mean, have a few basic survival skills down first. Then frickin’ get to it. And once you’re in, keep swimming until you figure out where you’re headed. It’s exhausting, but all that muscle you build will make the next leg of the journey that much stronger and easier to map out. Toward the end of my 2020 laps - and here’s where I’ll end the swimming metaphor (you’re welcome) - a few things came clear. One is that I love talking as much as I love creating and performing music. And that there’s no reason for them to be separate. Another is that there’s nothing I’d rather spend my work time doing. All this work IS exhausting, but agar it’s resulted in is a world of music I wouldn’t trade for anything. My performances solo, with REC, and with C+N. The completion of Volume One of the Weird Objective. MUSIC is not a GENRE. MUSIC is EVERYTHING. It’s all here. and it’s all staying. But it’s not all staying here. In 2021, I’ll be shifting my focus from YouTube to Patreon. What exactly does that mean? Well first, lots of what you see here on YouTube will still be here. And I’ll still be releasing new podcasts monthly and live shows occasionally. Except for the C+N shows, which will all be migrating to our upcoming C+N YouTube channel - more on that soon! You can still find all the REC music on my REC YouTube channel - get it right here on my Channels page. If you’re looking for everything else, visit MUSIC is not a GENRE on Patreon. And what is everything else? Oh man, get ready. Aside from many of the playlists and special podcasts & performances you see here moving over to Patreon, most of my new podcasts will be released exclusively for Patreon Patrons. And it won’t be just the podcasts series you’ve seen here. I’ll be spinning off several new series, including live interviews, deep-dive genre deconstructions, artist spotlights, special performances, and I’ll even take some of your requests. In the next few weeks, look for me
S2 E33 · Fri, January 22, 2021
How do you GIFT MUSIC these days? - Seriously. I'm asking. | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #33
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Every year I make a list of gifts to get people. I try to intuit their tastes and interests, and get something thoughtful and hopefully meaningful to them. Books. Clothes. Treats. Homemade things. Gadgets and games. But this list is missing something, as it has for the past several years. Music. CDs. Box sets. Vinyl. We all know that the increasing dominance of streaming has made this happened. Physical music sales drop every year. Stores - even major chains - close one by one. While I mourn the lost experience of browsing through stacks of music from all areas to find hidden gems or that one thing I’ve been looking for, I don’t dislike streaming. I love it actually. It’s opened up worlds of music I couldn’t have afforded to explore otherwise. What it lacks in imagination it makes up for tenfold in convenience and malleability. Where I really question all this though is in gift giving. Probably my favorite endeavor each holiday season is to share favorite music with a loved one - buy them a CD that introduces them to something I’m wild about and want them to get into, or one I know they’ll already love. Or every year I’d make mix cassettes/CDs if the list was too eclectic to buy that many albums. It connected me to people on a level that meant more than almost anything else. What now? How do I gift music when anyone can find any possible gift idea in ten seconds on Spotify or iTunes or etc.? You might suggest I creat a playlist and share it with them - a virtual mixtape. I’ve done that. It falls way flat. It gets consumed alongside everything else. Not being able to hold a physical product to visually explore while listening is devastating to the experience. It makes the whole thing super forgettable. You might say screw it. Get them a CD or vinyl anyway. They’ll appreciate the throwback feel and never forget the gesture. I did that too, the first few years when streaming started to take over. Inevitably the album would never be played, and would be added to a collection of other albums that are never played. Yes, even a specially made CD mix, because who takes time to connect and load a CD player anymore? And box sets or special editions are future shelf statues that cost way too much to justify the expense. So what’s the answer? Especially this year, when buying tix to a concert you can go to together is out of the question, how do you gift music? The short of it is I DON’T KNOW. I haven’t found an adequate solution. This week’s two albums were gifts to me from someone cleaning out their collection. I cherish them and will keep them. And if I want to hear their music I’ll probably go to Spotify. Have you gifted music recently? If so, HOW BY GOD HOW? Do you prefer ph
S2 E32 · Fri, January 22, 2021
There's NO SUCH THING as WORLD MUSIC - Except for ... EVERYTHING | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #32
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Calling something “world music” is like calling people “Earth humans”. In other words: DUH. It’s a genre name that has come to mean something simply because the music industry said it should. But when you poke it, when you dig deeper and flesh out what it’s really saying, you quickly discover that it’s nothing more than a American/Euro-centric way to marginalize any kind of music that’s from “somewhere else”. It’s like the term “exotic”. At first it seems innocuous, but when you pick at it you start to understand that it’s actually meant to DIVIDE not UNITE. It’s meant to characterize something or someone less familiar as also LESS RELEVANT than our core culture. And again, as I’ve said so many times, we’re as much victims as we are participants in this. We ALL bristle at times from exposure to something unfamiliar. It’s what we do next that counts the most. Do we accept that off-putting feeling and characterize something or someone as “lesser than”? Or do we try to connect with and understand that “otherness”? So yes, we’ve got work to do. But we’re also VICTIMS in that we’ve been fed misinformation & division at every turn. Every step of the way, since the music industry was born, we have been told to like what “our kind” is expected to like, and to ignore or even demonize music that doesn’t fit in those preordained boxes. Once you see that – once you feel how arbitrary genres & labels are, then your senses start to pick up signs & similarities in things you never thought you’d get into. I say all this because I went through it. This week’s selections, from more or less my formative years, all seemed somehow “foreign” to me when I first heard them. Looking back now from 2020’s pop music vantage point, it seems silly. Every aspect of every one of these releases is SUPER PRESENT in the pop world today, to the point where we barely notice the dozens of non-western influences swirling around. But back then, as with just about every era before & after, music that wasn’t rock or pop or dance or country was what? … “exotic”. It’s doubly silly in these cases because all of these releases are hybrids, merging American/British music with other forms. Again pointing out the futility of trying to describe music by simply giving it a genre label. UB40, The Jets, Gloria Estefan, Nard Ranks - ALL of these put together practically define the 2020 pop landscape. Perfect examples: reggaeton is an offshoot of dancehall, which is an offshoot of traditional reggae, and it’s EVERYWHERE. As is Latin music – and Bad Bunny is at the nexus of both of these styles. That is, IF you mix them with pop/dance/r&b, a la The Jets. So yeah, this week’s five selections are basically the DNA of 2020 music. Non-west
S2 E31 · Fri, January 22, 2021
The COVERS vs. ORIGINALS CHALLENGE! - A Hazy Shade of AWESOME | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #31
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Ever hear an awesome song and find out later that it’s a remake? Or a song you know is a cover and it’s so amazingly good that you like it even more than the original? Both are incredible discoveries, not just because you love the songs, but because they also breathe new life into old tunes AND create a direct connection between eras that might have little else in common. If you’ve been following along all these years, you know that I am very picky about cover tunes. On the one hand, redoing a song because it’s good and you like it is not enough if you don’t bring anything new to it. On the other hand, ripping a song up until it’s barely related to the original might be fun, but it only works if there’s still some tangible spiritual connection between the two. Otherwise why not just write your own song. I’m not talking about repurposing: using words, chords, production elements and/or full samples of songs in service of a whole new song. That’s not a cover, and there are different criteria for when that works (see tons of awesome hip hop tunes). I’m saying that a flat out redoing of a song has to be both good on its own and still do justice to the source material. So it’s doubly rewarding when a song that fits that bill is also even better than the original. And one such song is “Hazy Shade of Winter”, originally by Simon & Garfunkel, and here by the Bangles. First off, the Bangles are an awesome band, one of the pioneering all female groups of the 1970s/80s that showed that “girl groups” didn’t all have to be just vocal pop. They rocked hard, and they brought the pop goodness too. Their version of “Hazy Shade” brings out an energy and aggressive dark side that the original only hinted at, while still sticking very close to it in both spirit and structure. Still, “Hazy Shade” is a bit of a fence-sitter re which is better. It’s a matter of taste and how your era influences what moves you most. Though I don’t think that’s always the case. For example, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” blows the original away. Even the great Dolly Parton herself says that. When I pick a cover to do, it’s because I hear something in it that I want to bring out and emphasize, to couple it with some new elements and shed new light on it. And it’s usually either a lesser known song from a popular band, or a better-known song from an obscure band. A perfect example of this is my band REC’s version of the Beatles’ “I’ll Be Back”, from the new EP, Syncopy for the Weird . It’s not as well known a Beatles song, but I’ve always loved it. I also love the music from Hamilton, one one of the slow groove songs had a beat that I knew would bring out a smoky funkiness in “I’ll Be Back” that’s
S2 E30 · Fri, January 22, 2021
Where DISCO Went When It STOPPED BEING DISCO - The Evolution of Dance Music 1978-1987 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #30
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE FEATURING THESE SONGS: 1978 - Arpeggio - “Love & Desire” 1979 – French Kiss – “Panic” 1983 – Rags & Riches – “Land of 1,000 Dances” 1983 – Pamala Stanley – “Coming Out of Hiding” 1983 – Lime – “Angel Eyes”/”Guilty” 1984 – Temper – “No Favors” 1984 – Wish, Featuring Fonda Rae – “Touch Me (All Night Long)” 1985 – The Bar-Kays – “Your Place Or Mine” 1986 – Eastbound Expressway – “Knock Me Senseless” 1986 – Regina – “Baby Love” 1987 – Herb Alpert – “Keep Your Eye On Me” 1987 – Left Lane – “Bam Bam Bam (I Came Here To Jam)” 1987 – Cyre – “Last Chance” 1987 - Will to Power – “Dreamin’” Yes, it’s time for another mega blast of vinyl. I’ve been saving this set for the right time, and this is it. If you’ve been following along all these years, you know that I was a live DJ for a while in my teens, and have been creating mixes ever since. That teen period was SEMINAL for so many reasons, and because it required my partner and me to have actual vinyl (and cassettes) to mix with at dances & parties, I inherited a LOT of that collection. I’ve highlighted some specific songs & albums that were more significant and/or meant more to me. These 13 12” records – comprising 15 singles – did not individually mean enough to me to spotlight in one podcast, but they were all mainstays in our sets. I’m not going to go into detail here for each one, since that would take PAGES of text. You’ll have to watch the video for that. Instead, I’ll focus on the main point. Dance music is dance music – meaning if you hear a song you think you can dance to, then that’s what it is. BUT there’s a narrower definition of “dance” which originated in the 1980s. And that specific, eponymous kind of dance music grew directly out of disco. Most disco music was created with real instruments – a real funk/r&b/pop/rock band lineup, and/or session musicians hired to simulate that. As the 1970s came to a close, electronic elements were woven into that, primarily keyboard sounds, and sometimes those sounds replaced actual instruments like horn or string sections. When the 1980s rolled up, disco had been considered cheesy for a few years already. Several other types of dance music rose up to fill that void, including post-punk, new wave, techno, house, electro/synthpop, freestyle, hi-NRG, and on and on. Most of these featured predominantly electronic beats & instruments. And ALL of these shared one common element with disco: the four-on-the-floor beat – four kick drums to a measure at around 120-140 bpm. Living through that period, it seemed like this music was far afield from 1970s dance music, that it was newer and fresher and innovative. Th
S2 E29 · Fri, January 22, 2021
The DEMOCRATIZATION of Music - Why TRENDS No Longer Matter | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #29
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Since the beginning of popular music - and depending on how you define it that could mean hundreds of years ago, trends have been a thing. Whether due to music creators pushing through to the next or different level of composition, performance and production; or fans being attracted by something new and different, and/or wanting to jump on the latest bandwagon; or the powers that be - patrons, companies, journalists, critics - deciding what should be hot or what sells best ... what’s been constant is that new styles and ideas of music replace the old. A sound or style that was hot for a while can become cliche or passé, pushing out the old style to near extinction. It can happen subtly over a few years, or overnight in a blink. At first, modern media and the internet sped up this turnover process - like it’s sped up everything. Then about 10-15 years ago, right around when streaming took over as the dominant way to absorb music, the whole thing reached an infinity point, and exploded. Trends started running into each other, overlapping, repeating, dying and regenerating, appearing and disappearing too quickly to take hold and push out anything else. In short, trends in music up and died. When I was starting out in music, and for decades before and a little after, trends were so dominant that you had to be super plugged in to make sure you didn’t fall behind - or worse, get too far ahead. It put a whole other level of pressure on EVERYONE - creators, fans, sellers, chroniclers. You couldn’t just do or like any old thing. You had to keep track of what was currently hot, still hot but fading, totally gone, gone but retro cool again, up and coming, completely off the chart, or any number of other classifications. It was exhausting and suffocating and produced tremendous anxiety. Once you’re on that track, it’s really hard to jump off. You get addicted to believing that it’s the only way to be relevant and succeed, and you’re afraid that if you hop off the track you’ll immediately be done for. So when that infinity point explosion happened, I didn’t notice at first. Then I sensed something was different. And once I became aware, it slowly hit me that IT. WAS. ALL. OVER. And it felt fucking great. Liberating. I started hearing “out-of-time” production values – sounds, FX, ways of writing/singing/performing that didn’t fit into the trending pop landscape. This was initially just in indie music – lesser known acts out of the mainstream. So I didn’t think much of it. I figured it was creatives in their sandboxes building retro castles. Slowly – but really not that slowly – these sounds started showing up on the charts. First as novelties, and then as mini trends. At some point these mini tr
S2 E28 · Thu, January 21, 2021
Why SOUTHERN ROCK Might Just Be IDEAL AMERICA - Or How Little Feat Will Save Us All | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #28
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE First thing I gotta say is I don’t know a TON about southern rock. I know some classic bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top and Allman Brothers. More recent alt bands like My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon, and some of the newer bands like Alabama Shakes and Derek Trucks. I’m not a southern rock expert, or even a giant fan. But I did get into it and learn to respect it pretty early on. I got into Little Feat for a brief period for three reasons. The first was at the time I was looking for any band that had similar qualities to Chicago – jammy rock with horns. The second was I was and still am very much into New Orleans music and the like. The third was I had just discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd. In fact, a few months ago I did an episode on Skynyrd, and talked about how people who don’t know them assume they were and are Confederate southern hicks. And how that’s never been the case. It’s a point worth fleshing out here this week, because the same can be said for southern rock in general, especially from the 1970s & 1980s. People generally believe the stereotypes, and I say this because I believed it. I believed it as strongly as I believed that southerners are generally dumb and racist. Bridging perceived gaps in ideology means being willing to be wrong. It means being open to hearing something you don’t like and still being open to pushing through that to make a real connection. It took a lot to disabuse myself of these notions. Specifically it took desire, curiosity, research, and connection. I had to want to believe differently. I had to be curious enough want to know if I was right or wrong. I had to do my homework and find those answers. And I had to connect to the music, and the people doing the music. And that’s why southern rock might be the ideal American music for our current world. It’s downhome enough to feel traditional and familiar and comforting, but eclectic and inclusive enough to weave together elements of rock, blues, country, folk, pop, and sometimes even metal and jazz. And in the case of Little Feat, it’s even got that New Orleans swampiness. It’s a gumbo of musical styles that has room for many tastes. And the more you learn about it, the more familiar it feels, and the more you see through the prejudices (PRE-judging) to the truth: it ain’t what you think it is. And oh it’s damn good shit. Coming from a pop, jazz/blues and rock background, it took nudges of association to get me into southern rock of any kind. Like I’ve said in other podcasts, finding common elements - things you’re familiar with in one context that you can latch onto comfortably and with some understanding in a less familiar context. For me it was Chicago, Led Zeppelin and the blues. You can h
S2 E27 · Thu, January 21, 2021
Pay MAJOR Attention to the Person Behind the Curtain - The ILLUSION Episodes Part 4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #27
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There are two kinds of people in this world... Okay there are way more than two kinds of people - like, for example, people who don’t care about any of this at all. But let’s forget about them and be reductionist just for fun. As I was saying, there are two kinds of people in this world: those whose enjoyment of a trick is spoiled when they find out how it’s done, and those who still love the show no matter what they know. If you’ve followed my thread up to this point, you know that I’ve been using multiple points of entry to make the argument that all music (and all art in general) is somehow an illusion. Since this is the fourth and final episode in my ILLUSION series, it’s the perfect time to get to the main point, which is that for all true music lovers - and really most of everyone else - IT DOESN’T MATTER. Knowing or not knowing how something is created makes no difference to someone who loves the music. In fact, I’d argue that KNOWING makes the listener enjoy it MORE. Having some idea - or even getting a detailed analysis of - how a musical work is put together, increases appreciation because you see how much effort and craft and thought and inspiration go into its creation, and how even an end result that seems exceedingly simple contains dozens or hundreds of decisions and skills, some of which even the creator is unconscious of. When I listen to a song, the more I relate to it the more I want to know how it came to be - from the reason for its inception to why it sounds like it does, to what the lyrics connect to, to the underlying chord progression, to how a certain passage is played or sung. The more I know, the more into it I get. And when I pull back and just listen for pleasure again, I can still feel it and be carried away by it. I’d say I’m MORE INSIDE it than if I didn’t know as much. No amount of learning and discovering, and overall tipping the scales that much more from ignorance to knowledge, is going to spoil the fun. It doesn’t take away the emotional or psychological impact. It deepens it. It makes the music stick with you longer, maybe even forever, and colors your enjoyment of and connection to every other type of music related to it. Which ultimately is EVERYTHING. We get a lot of information thrown at us from birth to death. Some central and vital. Some peripheral and optional. Some accurate and some ... um ... way less than fucking accurate. Some we want and thrive on. Some we push away and are scared of. Hell, we are still in what’s called the Information Age! Which just means that the things we can know can be found easier and faster than ever before. We all filter this information in different ways and for a multitude of
S2 E26 · Thu, January 21, 2021
Psychedelic, Man. Like, So Trippy. - The ILLUSION Episodes Part 3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #26
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE If you’ve been following along, you might know two things: 1. This is the third episode of my ILLUSION podcast miniseries; and B. I LOVE working in the studio. You might also know where I’m going with this, which is that both of these things are ... DA da da DAAAA ... CONNECTED. From the beginning of recorded sound, engineers and artists have known that it’s not only possible to capture and preserve sounds of all kinds, it’s also possible and FUN to manipulate those sounds. At first, the manipulation was mostly about volume or clarity. Then it was about splicing multiple takes together to create one great version. Then it was about layering - i.e. multitracking elements after an initial performance had been laid down. All of which points to one big revelation: ALL recorded music is an ILLUSION. There’s a vital value to capturing sound as close to pure as possible. But even THAT is illusory. It’s a way to trick the listener into feeling like they’re hearing the performer in real time, in ideal conditions, and with no barrier between sound and ears. But of course we now know the illusion goes way further. A couple of years before the two bands I’m on this week debuted, artists like the Beatles started discovering that the only limit to what you could create in the studio is your own mind. They started crafting sonic worlds that didn’t and often couldn’t exist in the real world. Not just impossible levels of reverb or layering beyond the number of parts that could be performed live, but things lack backward tracking, splicing up sound collages, manipulating vocals or other instruments to sound like something completely different. It’s an extensive list that has mushroomed as fast as technological innovations have allowed it to. These days we take for granted - often without even knowing it - that what we hear in music has come from massive amounts of manipulation (AutoTune, anyone?). It’s the default way most popular music is produced. Which MEANS that we are all basically living in an illusion. - Okay maybe not LIVING IN one so much as surrounded by the SOUNDS OF ILLUSION. And artists like the Nazz (and especially Todd Rundgren as he pushed boundaries in his solo career) and the Moody Blues should be remembered as part of the pioneering generation of ultimate sound manipulation. Swirly, psychedelic, ethereal, ambient, triply, epic, and somehow all so real. The greatest trick of all. So back to me, as always. I don’t just love the studio manipulation I’m able to do. I thrive on it. I’m always adding to my palate and skills, always looking for the limits of my mind, of what I hear in my head that I can bring into the world for others to hear and understand. Like these two songs.
S2 E25 · Thu, January 21, 2021
That Song is SO REAL! ... No. It's not. | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #25
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Every artist gets there. For some, it’s a departure from their normal mode. For some, it IS their mode. For some, it’s a concession to age. For some, it’s a defiant statement of not being pigeonholed or thought of as less “serious”. You know the moment I’m talking about. When an artist writes & records that extra special “heartfelt confessional”, that song that reveals something truer and more personal about them. And I’m here to tell you it’s bullshit. If you watched my podcast on Thursday, you’ll know that this is the second of several episodes I’m doing that deal with illusion in art, specifically in music. This one has to do with the idea that the WAY a song is crafted and recorded tells us something about its content. THIS … is an illusion. It’s one of many forms of trickery that all artists employ for effect. I mentioned on Thursday that art IS artifice. That no matter how “true” a work is, it’s still crafted. The word “craft” itself is used all the time to indicated trickery. Think of “witchcraft”. When you “make up” a song, that song is “made up”, which can also mean it’s “not real”. So many words having to do with art also somehow mean “not true”. Even the word “create” means “form from nothing”. Nothing, meaning something not real. Okay so let’s get back to the main point here, that how a song SOUNDS indicates how true or deep it is. This really is total and complete bullshit. I can tell you as both a listener and a creator that the style – or let’s even say genre – of a song is a full-on illusion. Do certain types of instrumentation better convey certain emotional intentions? Yes. Do artists hope to make listeners feel a certain way by how they produce their songs. Absolutely. Does that mean the lyrics in those songs have the same emotional content, or the same perceived level of depth, or the same intended “meaning”? No fucking way. There are thousands of examples of songs that sound one way and have lyrics that go a completely different way. Or songs whose “deepness” goes as far as how they sound, and whose lyrics don’t nearly measure up – deliberately or not. The style of a song is its clothing. Its skin. It’s not the guts & bones. In fact, many artists get a real kick out of this kind of misdirection, this kind of illusion. For one, it’s fun to mess with people, to buck expectations, to surprise. For another, that juxtaposition adds a whole other level of meaning. It forces the listener to … ACTUALLY LISTEN. To not be fooled by the surface. Lots of songs with amazing lyrics often get short shrift because they’re produced in a way that doesn’t immediately convey “deep meaning”. Pop songs. Rock songs. Dance songs. Power pop. Hard songs that hide sensitive lyrics
S2 E24 · Thu, January 21, 2021
Do We Really Know What's REAL? - The ILLUSION Episodes Part 1 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #24
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Fake. Authentic. Sellout. Integrity. Judgy, aren’t we? Yes, we are. We all know what’s real & what isn’t. What has value and what doesn’t. What is substance and what is fluff. Except we don’t. It’s ALL an illusion. And ILLUSION is what I’ll be talking about in the next few episodes of BOTH of my podcasts. All art is part truth, part trickery. Even the most authentic works – the ones drawn from direct personal experience – have artifice to them. They NEED to, or they wouldn’t be art. It’s right there in the freakin’ word. I’ll be getting more into this in Saturday’s podcast. For now, let’s talk about this week’s pick, which might be the perfect entry into this conversation. If you remember Milli Vanilli, you probably remember two things, and in this order: 1. They were stripped of their Grammy because the blokes performing the songs on stage did NONE of the performing on the recording; and 2. Their album was a huge success, with several smash singles, including this one here, “Baby Don’t Forget My Number”. It was one of five Top Five US hits, three of which went to #1. The songs were everywhere. I remember being on a bus at the time, and everyone on it was singing “Blame It on the Rain”. I’m pretty sure it was the only time I’ve experienced that with any group NOT in a music venue. Things you may not know or may have forgotten. The two dudes were Fab Morvan & Rob Pilatus. Fab is a French singer-songwriter, rapper, dancer & model. Rob was a German model, dancer & singer. They attempted some comebacks, the last of which ended when Rob died from an overdose of drugs & alcohol. Fab is still out there doing music, DJ-ing, and a bunch of other things. There have been scandals in the music & general arts worlds since forever. Plagiarism. Misplaced credit. Outright stealing. Not paying artists their due. Lip syncs that were supposed to be live performances. Etc. etc. But you’d be hard pressed to find one that was as big as Milli Vanilli. There have also been tons of deliberate fakeries. Artists recording music under other names, or writing for other performers under an alias. “Classic” or “vintage” songs that turned out to be completely made up. THEN there are the deeper fakes: artists pretending to be folk or blues or country through their work – some of them actually turning that fakery into darn near the real thing. I’ll be getting more into the stuff in the paragraph in future episodes. But what about poor Milli Vanilli? What are we left with now? As always, you can probably guess my answer: THE MUSIC. I’m not excusing what the record company did, or who went along with it. And I’m quite happy that the real singers got their credit and some recognition (and money!). What
S2 E23 · Wed, January 20, 2021
RETRO is SO Five Years Ago - Society's MEMORY Problem | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #23
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Tons of years ago, I created this cartoon character named Feek. As you can see on this shirt, he’s essentially a big-mouthed head with legs & feet. His whole purpose for existence is to shout things into general space that you’d be too timid to say otherwise. Some of his phrases (or Snerks) are more funny than angry, some the other way around. But ALL of them are observational. About feelings, issues, or the world in general. SIDE NOTE: A couple of years ago, my partner Cathryn & I started the company SnerkShirts by FEEK. We’re now selling Feek t-shirts, and will be expanding to masks & mugs & long-sleeves. SIDE NOTE OVER! One of the phrases I had him shout was, “Retro is SO five years ago.” Get it? Yup Aside from the wordplay, what I was saying was that there’s always something we’re looking back on, something we’re revisiting or recreating. And it doesn’t take more than ten or fifteen years for us to consider an era far past enough for us to characterize it, miss it, and want to recapture it in some way. Think of the musical, Grease. It came out in 1971, barely a decade after the 1950s ended. Or how grunge adopted so much of the 1970s, again barely a decade out. Or how the Neptunes started using 1980s style production and sounds NOT EVEN a decade out. The list is extensive. It’s part nostalgia, part fascination and fetishization, part excitement and rediscovery or even brand-new discovery. It’s reductive, as all nostalgia is, and often tends to overlook the negative in favor of the fond memories. Whether it’s deliberate rose glasses or willful ignorance, the end result can range from clever repurposing or reinvention (like most of the Neptunes’ catalogue or the band Unlocking the Truth) to lovingly faithful homage (like Grease or even The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”) to no more than an echo of substance (like Greta Van Fleet ... so far at least, or most of what the Black Keys do). But repeating the past can be something other than nostalgia. It can be a complete accident. It can be the subconscious thinking it’s created something new and revolutionary that’s been done before, sometimes over and over. It’s the old “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” schtick. Your response to all of the above says a lot about you. It might reveal your age, your era, the era you wish you lived through, or the era you have no experience or knowledge of. It might shine a light on your socio-economic upbringing, whether or not you grew up privileged or semi-privileged or super underprivileged or somewhere in the middle. It might just show how open or accepting you are to anything that sounds good to you. Or it might bring out your inner critic
S2 E22 · Wed, January 20, 2021
What Makes CONTROVERSY Matter - And Why Dancing is ESSENTIAL for LIFE | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #22
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When you think of Madonna, what comes to mind first? Is it her early NYC post-punk-dance period? Her movie career? Her many relationships? One or more of her mega hits? Her near constant reinvention? Odds are it’s at least two of those things (okay, maybe not her movie career). But one thing that runs through ALL of them is CONTROVERSY. From the beginning, Madonna has been a shit stirrer. She’s made bold choices, bold statements, bold stage shows, and sometimes even bold music. She’s never stopped pushing the envelope, whether that’s worked for her or not. Over and over, she’s found what gets under people’s skin, and used that to extreme advantage. Sex. Social issues. Politics. Female empowerment. And to all that I say: so what? Why does any of it matter? There are a ton of people stirring shit all the time, famous and not. What makes what she does matter more than anyone else? Why is she an icon? Why has she been a role model for so many? Why is she not just looked on as a contrarian poking fingers in eyes? Why has she endured, both because of AND regardless of her controversy? If you’ve been following along these 40+ podcasts, you already know the answer. It’s her music. Her art. The work she was put on this earth for. She’s one of so many examples of artists who have never lost sight of their strengths and true purpose. Who has used that to give her voice more volume, to make what she does & says matter more to more people than … than who? Than anyone else who’s lost their thread of inspiration, who’s allowed the volume to drown out the quality, who stops paying attention to the reason why anyone knows who they are, and/or who contributes absolutely nothing of value to society. Do I agree with everything she’s said & done? Hell no! Do I even like all of her music? I’ll let you know when I’ve heard more than 20% of it. None of that matters. What matters, and what makes her controversy matter, is the diligent generosity she performs every time she creates music and gives it to the world. Would we care what Tom Hanks has to say if he sucked at acting? Would we care about Frida Kahlo’s politics if her art was shit? Would we care about Prince’s social & sexual & own-your-own envelope pushing if he wasn’t a hands down genius? No. If these people’s only purpose was giving voice to causes, that’s cool. Like an orator or writer or philosopher or journalist or politician with a conscience, it would be why their main gig. But since these artists’ MAIN GIG is the arts, it’s also the reason their controversy matters at all. And what is Madonna’s main contribution to … not politics or sex or any other conversation … but to MUSIC? She was one of the pioneers who made dance music into
S2 E21 · Wed, January 20, 2021
Multitasking is REAL - Ask ANY Musician | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #21
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Years ago I had a boss who told me multitasking is a myth. That it’s impossible for the brain to focus on or do more than one thing at a time. I took this in as I was mentally reviewing my work schedule for the day, rubbing my thigh casually, and chewing the inside of my lip. It was the first time I’d heard anyone take this stance, but it was far from the last. More & more people started to express this opinion, usually telling me while walking down the street or eating or writing down something else. Sometimes I’d disagree. Sometimes I’d just nod my head. In both cases, what I really wanted to do was shout: Are you crazy?! Are you not observing yourself RIGHT NOW?! Or I wanted to take an understatedly strident tone and describe to them the last time I played a gig as a musician/vocalist. There are two facets to this argument, and I’m going to refute both of them. Let’s do the second part first. I don’t think there’s anyone who will disagree that PHYSICALLY it’s not only possible to multitask, we’re doing it all the time – literally with every breath we take. The body is capable of doing dozens of things at once, and in fact has to to survive. On a more practical level, let’s go back to the musician example. For most musicians, there are at least two appendages actively doing two different things – for drummers it can be all four. Add onto that singing, and someone can physically be doing five different things at once. Yes, they’re all in tandem & in the service of one objective, but this very clearly qualifies as multitasking. I know that’s low hanging fruit. It’s the easy part of this refutation. I know that when people say it’s impossible to multitask, what they’re really saying is the brain can’t focus on more than one thing at a time. So let me dive into tearing this apart too. Let’s make it hard. Let’s dismiss the fact that the brain is running the entire body and then some, which takes multitasking to a level possibly matched only by the most powerful supercomputers. Let’s only focus on the crux of this argument: that the brain CAN’T FOCUS ITS CONSCIOUS ATTENTION on more than one thing at a time. Within the wording of that is its own counterargument. We still know so little about the brain compared to what’s left to discover. But one thing we do know is that its processes are layered. Which goes not just for autonomic processes, but voluntary processes as well, including and especially thought. While we’re talking about one thing, an under layer of our brain could be prepping the next comment, or thinking about something else entirely. T
S2 E20 · Tue, January 19, 2021
THRIFT STORE Gems - Why FOUND SOUND is Always Awesome | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #20
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Back when walking around indoors amongst strangers didn’t cause massive physical anxiety, I used to take every chance I got to pop into a thrift store and see if it had any interesting vinyl. The truth is ANY vinyl you find in a thrift store is interesting. It’s something someone else owned and listened to, that for whatever reason they’re now sharing with someone new. The randomness of thrift store vinyl makes it interesting by default, whether what you find is well-known, a kind of obscure gem, or completely unknown on every level. Which describes this week’s three albums. I found all of these in thrift stores, and bought each of them for different reasons. The Beatles I got because despite having every Beatles song on cassettes & CDs & digital/streaming formats, I’ve never owned an actual Beatles album. I have a 45 of theirs and that’s it. Plus I knew this particular album’s look from my dad having owned originals of all their American albums, and the one I found didn’t look like it. It’s the film soundtrack version. Not obscure by any means, but cool to find and have. Artie Shaw was my first big band love when I was a wee lad, mainly because I’ve always loved the clarinet. And again, I never owned him on vinyl. Finding this big bright package of an album was like the universe saying, “We know.” These days, someone like Artie Shaw is kind of obscure, so this was a nice find. And it’s a damn good collection! Then there’s the famous (?) Eddie Heywood. I’d honestly never heard of him. It was the complete unknown of this album, coupled with the title & Bob Ross–Yacht Rock mashup cover art, that compelled me to get this. I figured I’d never ever run across this album again. It makes me wish there was more blatant cheese in pop music. And it doesn’t disappoint. It’s that certain kind of swingin’ 1950s late-but-not-too-late in the evening lounge jazz, smothered with super sugary strings, and with just enough quality and flourish to rise above Mantovani, yet not quite enough to match Guaraldi or Esquivel. All the music was composed or cowritten by Heywood, who worked with big names like Benny Carter & Billie Holiday, and he even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Who knew? Just to bring it around to something super mega connected, my brain told me that well-known-kind-of-obscure-unknown is a perfect description of how I like to create music. I almost always take some well-known phrases/chord progressions/rhythms, mix them with kind of obscure words & sounds & arrangements, and throw in some completely unknown elements that are unique to me – manipulated sounds or lyrical phrasings that come straight from the weird way my mind mashes words together. OR I do the opposite of all th
S2 E19 · Tue, January 19, 2021
The Identity Bubble - Expanding What It Means to be YOU | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #19
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Several years ago, I wrote and recorded a dark folk song called “You Can’t Touch Me”, in which part of the chorus states: “This face you see is not my own, this body not my real home.” Etc etc then it gets kinda depressing. The point of those two lines, though, was to illustrate the idea that a person’s real identity is not what you see. Or hear. The surface is only a snippet of the whole truth. It’s impossible for anyone to reveal their identity in totality. The complete human is way too complex for that to ever happen. Plus none of us even know OURSELVES 100%. That’s all fine. Part of the joy and pain of living is the constant self-discovery, along with the parts of ourselves we choose to let others discover, intentionally or not. The only thing we DON’T want to happen is for some other person or entity to tell us what we can and can’t share, or who we can and can’t be. It should be up to US ALONE to decide all of that. Hell, it’s already hard enough to figure out without the external constraints. Sure, fear can hold us back. But that’s part of who we are too, if we choose to go that way. In essence, while full self-discovery is wonderful (if as ephemeral as true perfection), anything we are by birth or choice - including our flaws and fears - is and should be 100% fine. Which means when we come across someone who has made a conscious choice to actively flesh out as much of their identity as possible, we’re deeply affected. Impressed. Scared. Titillated. Weirded out. Blown away. The feelings are strong in all directions. Think of David Bowie. Prince. Madonna. Lady Gaga. The never-ending search for THEM wasn’t so much about discovering other facets of their identity as it was expanding the bubble of who they could be. Of bringing in more and more to what it means to be them, regardless of convention or social or media or industry or even FAN pressure. Society has taught us to define who we are early and often, and stick to that until we die. And again, if it’s your choice to comply, that’s cool. But EVEN THEN, parts of all of us bristle when we hit that membrane that supposedly separates us from not-us. Here’s the truth: It doesn’t exist. Or if it does it’s because WE PUT IT THERE. We decide every day what’s in our identity bubble and what isn’t. What external definitions we want to fight against and disprove, and which ones we accept. Who we are - whether as people or artists or you name it - is as boundless as we want to make it. It’s not defined by roles or relationships or appearances or labels or genres, except for those which we choose to say yes to, consciously or not. As a musician, a creator, and as a human, I work endlessly to expand my bubble
S2 E18 · Tue, January 19, 2021
Musical JOKES Get Serious - When a Quirky Idea Becomes the NEXT BIG THING | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #18
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Back a few months ago, I did a whole podcast on how music & comedy are interlinked on multiple levels. Timing. Phrasing. Using conventional forms & ideas to do unconventional things. Another dozen commonalities. But the one that applies the most this week is crossing lines – turning one thing into another – busting through a narrow idea of what a work is supposed to be. Jethro Tull is not a band you’d immediately associate with irreverence or bucking convention. That’s because they’re seen as “classic” now, and deliver a certain flavor of prog rock that is often lumped together with other kinds as over-serious. But stop and think for a sec. If you know their music, one main thing probably comes to mind: flute. NOW name another band where the flute player is considered the front person. Up until the amazing Lizzo, I don’t think I could name any other artist. So right there, not only is that upending convention, it’s kinda funny. The musicianship itself is/was incredible and nothing to laugh at, but the concept of a hard rocking band putting flute front and center is silly. And it worked. It worked like crazy. THEN consider “Thick as a Brick”. For some, this was the height of prog rock indulgence: a nearly 45-minute song with movements and variations and self-serious lyrics. Thing is, it was all meant as a joke. Ian Anderson intended it to be a parody of the concept album form. And then a single-length snippet goes and becomes a hit. And other artists embrace long-form composition in more serious ways. This is one example – not even the most quintessential – of how something that starts out as a joke eventually (and often quickly) becomes adopted as a serious change in the music world. Even a sea change. Examples of this run through all of music history. A vocal delivery meant to mimic or mock becomes THE way to sing if you’re doing a certain style. A keyboard part that sounds weird or wonky or flat-out wacky becomes THE sound in most future production of that style. A rhythm or drum part meant to bust up the form of a song becomes THE NEW FORM of those kinds of songs from then on. Why does this happen? And why is this essential for musical development? People are always looking for something new. ALL people – artists, industry biz peeps, fans. And they like to be taken by surprise. When pop music or one particular style becomes too codified – too ossified, it needs breaking up. And though there are artists who understand the flow of musical development enough to consciously inject that change from a well-thought, theoretical position, most of the sea changes come from those artists who want and NEED to bust up what was, what has been. It’s the “middle finger with a smile” approach t
S2 E17 · Tue, January 19, 2021
In Service of the SONG - Why CHOPS are Often ANTI-MUSIC | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #17
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE We like to keep STUFF in our homes. Stuff we need and stuff we love. Some of it we’re even proud of, and want to show off. Works of art. Family heirlooms. Favorite pieces of furniture. Photos with fond memories. We display that stuff prominently in places that make sense, and give it space to be appreciated. Like the favorite art & photos on the living room wall above the favorite furniture, which has on it some favorite keepsakes. We don’t use grandma’s afghan as a toilet cozy. Or put the couch right in front of a door. We don’t hang photos on top of other photos. Or put 35 ceramic vases in the middle of the kitchen floor. There’s a place for everything, one that supports the value of that thing AND allows it to shine. So, like, what the hell does this have to do with this week’s topic?? Songs and chops relate to this HOW? Here’s how. Musicians create ideas. Words, melodies, harmonies/chords, licks & riffs & solos, etc. They are inspired to bring these out and do something with them. And some they’re even super proud of and want to show off. All of those ideas need a place to live. A piece, composition, backing track, song – a musical framework. One that can provide both strong support and the space to shine. It has to be worthy of containing all that inspiration. Let’s say a framework – a SONG – is only there for support, is kind of slapped together so the musician can get to filling it up with “inspiration”. Or let’s say the underlying song is well-written, but the musician or singer stuffs every second with one big idea after another. There might be some great playing & singing, but so what? It doesn’t hold up. When any one part of a song takes over to the point that it either obscures the song’s purpose, or worse, shatters the song’s structural integrity, it loses the ability to get across the idea it’s trying to convey. It explodes its own shine. And this is where the CHOPS part of this conversation comes in. If you aren’t familiar with this term, it just means being really good at an instrument (including the voice). Some musicians and fans are obsessed with chops. They aren’t just impressed by feats of technical greatness, they INSIST on them. They don’t think music is worthy unless every part of it passes technical muster. To them, it doesn’t matter what context these chops are displayed in, nor how structurally sound the framework is. As long as the chops take the day, then the music must be good music. Ugh. Like, serious gut level ugh. That to me is the height of intellectualism at the expense of heart & spirit. It’s the idea that perfect is better than … well … ANYTHING else. That our flaws need to be sanded away, our kinks worked out, our humanity “corrected” beyond re
S2 E16 · Tue, January 19, 2021
Can We Separate the ART from the ARTIST? - Dissecting the Michael Jackson Elephant | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #16
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Elephants are great. Majestic creatures. Hidden talents. Etc. Etc. They’re not my favorite animal (that would be something in the primate family), but there comes a time when they need to be paid attention to. Hence this week’s topic. I don’t see a strong reason to go over the content of this album. Almost everyone in the world above a certain age knows it at this point, and those who don’t eventually will. Even with the limited time we’ve spent at stores/restaurants this year, I’ve heard songs from this album about a dozen times. So in a sense, this week’s topic is less about actual music and more about that aforementioned elephant. Which is what? It’s the man himself. The notorious legend. The complex history and psychological and emotional labyrinth. Michael Jackson. There is absolutely no disputing that MJ’s music is brilliant. From his time with his bros through the majority of his solo career, milestones and innovations abounded. Not to mention it sounded amazing and is damn fun to listen to. Many many songs have become a part of our lives whether we like it or not. As for the man himself, we’re conflicted. You as an individual may not be. You may have already decided what side of the line you fall on, or that you’re comfortable straddling it. As a society, however, we don’t know what to do with him anymore. We can’t ignore him as we might a lesser known artist or one less relevant to our current times. But we can’t quite embrace him the way we used to. I think it’s great that we’re now at a place where we don’t just sweep things under the rug, shrug our shoulders, and make excuses. It’s something we need to build on and expand to all areas of life – the workplace, personal relationships, etc. When it comes to things like the arts and sports, however, it’s trickier. Can we – should we – separate the art from the artist? Can we say: Hey, this person was flawed, perhaps deeply and disturbingly, yet contributed beauty and genius to the world. Aren’t we the same to some degree? Don’t we hope that, despite our many flaws, we still make a positive difference by existing and doing good? If any of that is true and acceptable, when does a line get crossed past the point of no return? How bad is too bad? Who gets a pass for being a racist, misogynist asshole who hasn’t necessarily done anything flat out wrong, and/or who doesn’t get a pass for being a loving, caring, progressive person who has done some truly heinous things? History is rife with people who were way less than positive forces in the world (Richard Wagner, Ty Cobb), but whose contributions in other ways we still somehow revere. There are no easy answers. As individuals, all our crossed lines are curvy and wi
S2 E15 · Tue, January 19, 2021
The Tyranny of the Many - Majority Rules SUCKS | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #15
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Common – Gael. The White Stripes – The Hives. Beck – REC. If you’ve heard of any of these artists, chances are it’s the first of each pair. And while there are many varied reasons why that might be the case – from forces both internal & external, subjective & objective – there’s one MAIN reason that all of them share. Commerce, politics, and even social constructs all run by majority rules. The more popular and profitable something is, the more popularity and profit it amasses. The bigger something is, the bigger it gets. There’s very little concession made or attention given to those things and people who control and consume a smaller piece of the various pies. In music, this rule – which I call “the tyranny of the many” – manifests in a couple of ways. The most obvious is that artists who aren’t as popular and don’t have as much money/power to determine their own destinies have always naturally been lesser known, obscure, even completely unknown. The other is that bands whose careers did once skyrocket to fame often end up toiling the rest of their careers in relative obscurity, paid attention to by only the most loyal fans. The result in each case is that attention and resources are distributed so wildly unevenly, that the artists who make money and headlines are awarded more of both, and the artists who don’t have to struggle for every penny and every scrap of recognition. So whose fault is this? EVERYONE’S. We’re all guilty. The music companies. The streaming services & radio stations. The distributors. The advertisers. The media. And yes, the fans. We all discriminate – sometimes deliberately, more often without even knowing it. We’re all lazy and scared. We cling to the safe and comfortable, and assume anything outside of that bubble is in some way worse and in all ways not worth our time, attention, or dollars. And it’s no conspiracy. It’s happening openly and in plain sight. Companies & streaming services & distributors & advertisers deliberately choose to dedicate disproportionate resources to the already successful, or acts who are enough like the already successful to cash in on a trend. Why wouldn’t they? It makes them easy money – though not as much as they could be making if their resources were more evenly distributed. The media choose to cover the hot artists to the almost complete exclusion of anyone else. And why wouldn’t THEY? We the fans get excited by big things, big news, big successes, so we gobble up both the articles & reviews & posts & content all these power players spit out. We rarely complain. There’s no reason for them to change tactics because we all tacitly agree that it’s the way things should be – either by cooperation or silence. Ye
S2 E14 · Mon, January 18, 2021
K-TEL was the ORIGINAL "MUSIC is not a GENRE" - Why Compilations are More Important than EVER | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #14
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Rock. Pop. Funk. Soul. Electronic. What do these words have in common? AT LEAST two things: 1. They’re all so-called “genres” of popular music; and B. They’re all included on the two albums in this podcast. Why does that matter? Compilations like these matter more than ever. The music industry learns as it grows. It tries things, and the things that work it doubles down on, then quadruples down on, until they don’t work anymore. So it tries other things and so on and so on. One thing it tried that worked – and by “worked” I mean for promotion, sales & programming – was to create the idea of genres. To target market to people who they assume like a certain kind of music more than other kinds. And fuck if it didn’t work like a charm every step of the way. So the industry kept creating more genres, kept subdividing existing genres, kept narrowing the targets for each one. The many successes of that strategy are hard to dispute, but I’m gonna do it. Here’s one negative effect the industry doesn’t care about: the extreme factionalization of music in all forms of media, which segregates fans and squashes the communal experience of music. Blah blah blah – we might care about that, but that doesn’t sound like a business or money issue, right? WRONG. And this is why the industry SHOULD care about it. The over-targeting of demographics and the over-reliance on genres and categories and labels in general, have so excluded huge numbers of potential fans that every facet of the music industry is LOSING MONEY. It’s leaving money on the table by alienating fans who don’t “belong” in a demographic it has over-defined as more inclined to be into a certain genre. So this isn’t just about lovey-dovey come together-ness. It’s about COLD HARD CASH. And that’s the way to convince ANY INDUSTRY that discrimination and not caring about some people and the communal experience in general is a bad thing. It hurts the bottom line. Aaaaaand why did I go into this rant for this episode? Because K-Tel’s annual hits collections were the exact opposite of this. They were cashing in, sure thing. But more than that, deliberately or not, they were acknowledging that it’s possible and even LIKELY that ONE music fan might actually be into MANY kinds of music. It’s something the industry has majorly dropped the ball on, and has been suffering for years now because of it. It’s something the internet as a business extension is also REALLY FUCKING HORRIBLE at – I mean algorithms now do extreme factional targeting that the pre-internet industry could only dream of. But it’s also something that the CITIZENS of the internet do very well. Some do. And in fact I’d say more do than don’t. More music fans are seeking out
S2 E13 · Mon, January 18, 2021
Music is Music because of the MUSIC - Why LYRICS Will Always Come 2nd | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #13
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE We all know what songs are made of: Music & Lyrics (or at least most have lyrics). When you see credits for a song written by more than one person, or say for a musical, they’ll always list who wrote the music (sometimes called the ‘composer’) and who wrote the lyrics. So it would stand to reason that all good songs have both good music and good lyrics, right? NOPE. EXCEPTIONAL songs – those great, legendary, perennial classics, or the unsung, obscure works of genius – THOSE do have both good music and good lyrics. But a good song, even a great song, doesn’t have to have good or great lyrics to work. WHY? Because of the eponymous definition of what we’re talking about every week: MUSIC. Music is music because of the MUSIC. Without the music side – the composition itself, songs with lyrics are just poems – often not even good poems; and songs without lyrics are … well … nonexistent. Do I prefer good lyrics? Yes, absolutely. Some of the songs I really like have lyrical gems in them, or are on the whole very well written. And I make sure every song I WRITE has the best possible lyrics in the context of what I’m trying to achieve. But there are other songs I like that have average to maybe not so great lyrics, and yet those songs are still good-to-great. On the flip side of that, there are TONS of songs that have good to great lyrics – sometimes even genius lyrics – whose music does not support that quality. The music for those songs is simply there to serve the lyrics, and the end result is often unexceptional, dull, unmemorable. If the music to a song is good, I’ll tap into the lyrics and appreciate them at their level. I’ll want to understand and connect more. If the music isn’t good, I don’t care what the singer is singing about. There’s no connection for me. It may as well be a decent or second-rate poem, or someone’s diary entry. I guarantee you the songs that you most remember are the ones that have great music, no matter what the lyrics are. And the songs that speak to you – your heart songs – have lyrics that speak to you THROUGH THE MUSIC. The music is the medium. The music transmits the message deeper and more effectively than words alone could. It’s one facet of a philosophy I have that when you’re creating music, every aspect of it should be in service of the song . It’s a topic I’ll get more into in a future podcast. When someone is speaking in ANY way – speech, interview, conversation, acting, voice over, spoken word performance, the WAY that person says what they’re saying is even more important than the words themselves. Why? Think of it this way: Give three people the same exact speech. One reads it with no vocal inflection – flatlined. One reads i
S2 E12 · Mon, January 18, 2021
Appropriation. Adaptation. Homage. Integration - HOW You "Steal" MATTERS | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #12
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Every artist steals. There’s a famous quote, echoed by Stravinsky, Bowie, Steve Jobs, that goes, “Good artists borrow; great artists steal.” It’s an open secret among all artists. What it’s saying is that nothing anyone creates comes out of a black hole. Some musicians sometimes wear their influences on their sleeves – like Oasis re the Beatles, or Janelle Monae re Prince. Others naturally take a more subtle approach. Earlier in an artist’s career you can usually hear the stealing more blatantly – like Bowie with the Beatles, or Greta Van Fleet with Led Zeppelin and MAN do I hope they broaden their palate. As artists develop, they’re better able to incorporate their theft into the whole of what they do, in part because they’re just stealing from way more sources. Of course, there’s stealing and then there’s stealing. If someone is fully lifting a song or an idea from someone else without credit or compensation, that’s not kosher in any way. If someone is doing original music, but of a type or in a way that is cashing in on another person’s or group’s hard work and innovation, it’s legal but it’s kinda shitty and unethical. Thankfully, the bulk of musicians love music so much that they’d never want to cheat anyone. In the first case they’d give credit and hopefully also compensation. In the second they’d approach it as a homage to some favorite artist or style. Paul Simon took the idea of homage one step further and actually incorporated and INTEGRATED the artists themselves - Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Anyone who knows this album knows the results were tremendous. And while there’s certainly a conversation to be had about race and cultural appropriation here, I believe all artists involved in this one came out on top and with much respect and love to go around. When I started writing songs, I used favorite artists as templates: the Beatles, Chicago, Prince, the Cure, the Femmes etc. As I developed, and especially now, I have so many influences that the mish-mosh that results is all ME. But there’s NO DOUBT you can still connect the dots all over the place. I have proudly pointed out exact lines or phrasings or instrumental parts or production values and told people exactly where I got it from. Nine times out of ten they’d never think of it. Even if they did, so what? Good music is good music, no matter where it comes from. But to prove the point a little more blatantly, here’s a BRAND NEW song that was clearly influenced by both the White Stripes and Lenny Kravitz: REC - “No Way Out For Me” (from the album Symphony for the Weird ) Do you remember this album? Do you like it? Do you like Paul Simon, and if so was this a favorite
S2 E11 · Mon, January 18, 2021
Why TOP TEN LISTS are BULLSHIT ... and why we should STILL HAVE THEM | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #11
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Everybody loves top lists. They’re easy to digest. They give you immediate reasons to love/hate them, agree/disagree with them. They spark all kinds of responses. We can’t help ourselves, even though we all know they’re subjective and arbitrary. Even though we all know they’re COMPLETE BULLSHIT. If you’ve been following along with my podcasts or live concerts, you’ve heard me talk about my top favorite music artists. If you’ve REALLY been following along, you’ll also recall two weird things about my top artists list. FIRST, my TOP 5 includes about 15 listings. And SECOND, it changes ALL THE TIME. So if that’s the case, is my list an actual “best-of” at all? Yes. And no. YES, because my list absolutely represents my favorites. The artists at or near the top will always be at or near the top. If you expand my list to – say – the top 100, there’s a chance that 95% of it will never change. But also NO, because those rankings are always in flux. My number one will likely always be my number one. But my numbers two through ten are constantly shifting. The #2 band might be #3 or 5 or 7 on a different day. An 11 thru 20 band might pop into the top ten next month, and then pop down to #28 the month after. And that’s not just okay, it’s honest. It accounts for natural human rhythms, changes in mood or context or emphasis, even shifts in opinion or judgment. We all have our unquestionable beliefs, ones that won’t be shaken no matter who says what, or what new experiences or information we bump into. The mistake we OFTEN make, though, is to believe that ALL of our beliefs are unquestionable, immutable, unshakable. If we allow ourselves to be more open to our natural rhythms, to let our vulnerability poke through, we become more aware of how often our minds & hearts shift from one small belief to its opposite. Or more likely our belief shifts one way or another on the spectrum, as the idea of hard & fast opposites is often as delusional as top lists themselves. When we see that these shifts aren’t just there AND THAT’S OKAY, but are actually MORE honest and positive, we start to plug in more to the fullness of our minds & hearts, and how much more dynamic and vibrant the world is. Try it. Instead of making a numbered list, make a GROUP of favorites and a GROUP of second favorites, etc. etc. The inclusiveness and variety of it feel amazing. You’ll start to see the walls of categorization & division dissolve, and possibility expand to a limitless capacity. Whether it’s music or movies or people or politics, we should never have to limit our choices & “favorites” to only those at the top – the ones we’re pressured to pick and stick to. We should be able to choose a group of anything
S2 E10 · Mon, January 18, 2021
We're Living in HOUSE's House - How House Music INVENTED Modern Pop | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #10
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Four on the floor. Boom boom boom. Nothing sounds quite like an 8-0-8. All about that bass. The vast majority of modern music is built on electronic drums. And that vast majority of THAT music is structured around a steady 4/4 beat – y’know something you can dance to. Sure, dance music has existed probably since music was first invented. Rhythm is way to important for it not to have been a key element in separating random noise from deliberate creation. And music doesn’t even have to be labeled as “dance music” for you to be able to dance to it. But there are certain kinds of music designed and labeled specifically for dancing (gavotte, anyone?). Which brings us to house. House started out as basically electronic disco with a deeper kick. It was a way for people without a band to make music they could spin at clubs. In fact, most historians say the term “house” came from the late great Chicago club, The Warehouse, which closed in 1983, right at the cusp of house music’s invention. People wanted music like the music they spun at “the ‘House”. And from there was spawned just about every kind of electronic dance music (EDM) since then. Is all EDM house? No. And though house wasn’t the first ever EDM, it became so influential that just about every kind of electronic music today owes something to house. Now, house isn’t my favorite type of music by any means. Repetition is essential on so many levels, but for me there needs to be more texture, more layers, to keep my attention. That said, I have huge respect for house – as I do for its parent, disco – because it was created to be a safe & inclusive place for the disenfranchised to come together and celebrate being alive. People of color, the LGBTQ community, anyone who felt “other than” among their friends & family. And just as important for me, house emphasizes my belief that DANCING is an essential part of living a good life. Chip E. was a house pioneer. Some even call him the “godfather of house”. I own Chip E.’s “Like This” because I was a DJ in the mid-late 1980s. I knew even then that I couldn’t live without dancing, and moreover wanted to provide the music other people could dance to. I’ve been doing electronic music since the very beginning of my career, and dance music of all kinds. Since my band REC’s album, Distance to Empty, almost all of my music has been electronic in some way. It’s why I classify what I do as “progressive electro power pop”. As for any of my music being a direct descendent of house, there’s less of that. But it’s there. And in fact, this REC single is very clearly house-inspired: REC - “All Kinds of Right (The Highway 28 Song)” (feat. Cathryn Lynne - fr
S2 E9 · Mon, January 18, 2021
ALL MUSIC is BLACK MUSIC - Period. | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #9
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE All music is black music. What? How can that be? What does that actually MEAN? It doesn’t mean that all music has been created or performed by black artists. It doesn’t even mean that all music was invented by black artists. And in fact, I’m not even talking about ALL MUSIC EVER. But – and this is a big one – I AM talking about ALL MUSIC FROM THE MODERN ERA. I’m talking about any music created in the last, let’s say, 140 years. A VERY inaccurate number, but close enough for argument’s sake. Let me restate that: All music that anyone has ever written, performed, produced since the mid to late 1800s owes its existence to black music and black artists. No exceptions. No qualifications. Let’s get the easy ones out of the way first. Every single song of every genre that has ever been streamed or downloaded or played on the radio since … well … the invention of the radio owes a debt to black music. Here’s a pitifully short list of music styles that WOULD NOT EXIST without black music influence, if not outright involvement & invention: country, blues, jazz, rock, pop, dance/disco, techno, a cappella, heavy metal, funk, hip-hop. What about modern classical music? Instrumental & soundtrack music? Yes, yes & yes. What about the thing that just popped into your head that I neglected to mention? YES! Now, those easy ones are easy for two reasons: 1. There’s documentation that proves how all of those styles were either invented by black artists, or were adopted (and yes often also coopted) by white artists directly influenced by earlier black music; and 2. You can frickin’ HEAR IT. As to that second point, I’m going to flesh it out in the context of the second list above. We already know that lots of people inaccurately consider country & rock music to be “white” music. The more we listen & learn, the more we know that’s about as far from the truth as you can get. What we also know is that lots of people consider “high art” forms of music – a designation I think means nothing but I’m using as an expedient – to be “white” music, and they don’t think they’re wrong about that. But they are. If a modern musical work contains any of the following, it’s has absolutely been influenced by black music: dissonance; syncopation; repetition; vocal inflections such as rubato or wailing; telling real stories with real emotion about real life. Yes, all of those things existed before the 20th century, in one way or another; but not in the way they’ve been used in the last … what arbitrary number did I use? … 140 years. There’s one more way to show all of the above is true. Go back in history and read criticisms of various singers/songs/musicians through that entire period. Th
S2 E8 · Mon, January 18, 2021
The ALSO-RANs Matter Too! - Wherein I Connect the Fat Boys with the Kinks | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #8
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Bing Crosby. Frank Sinatra. Elvis. The Beatles. The Cars. Run-D.M.C. Pearl Jam. The White Stripes. Beyoncé. Billie Eilish. Riiiight? But what about… Rudy Vallee. Mel Torme. Gene Vincent. The Kinks. Squeeze. The Fat Boys. Soundgarden. The Hives. Rihanna. Grimes. Every era is defined by its most popular stars. Or is that just how we remember it? Almost none of the stars in that first list were the top sellers of their decades. Were they influential? Absolutely. The best? Debatable but at least top five in all cases. They all deserve their fame & respect. But even they will name check artists from the decade preceding them that were not so famous. Or MORE ACCURATELY – these “also-rans” were very famous in their day, and just didn’t have the sales or historical legs to remain in our consciousness as long. I take for granted that I know not just the big mahoffs, but the second-, third-, and sometimes fourth-tier artists of most eras. Thing is, both revisionist history and subsequent generations often don’t. And what a shame. I’ll take Mel Torme over Frank any day. Squeeze over the Cars. The Hives over the White Stripes. For many of the other top artists, yeah, they’re my faves or just about even. But there’s no way I can diminish the impact of Gene Vincent or the Kinks or … the Fat Boys. The Fat Boys. This week’s pick. A band I was SO into when they came out. A band that maybe didn’t invent but definitely popularized beatboxing. They were the first and biggest to make that happen. A band not afraid to be humorous. Or downright cheesy. Were they better than Run-D.M.C.? Nah. Did I like them more than Run-D.M.C. Nope. But I’d bet most people have heard of THAT band, and very few people remember the Fat Boys, let alone how HUGE they were. So let’s give a moment to all those bands that don’t get as much press or credit, and celebrate how much richer & more diverse every era (or every-THING) is if we dig beneath the surface. My music gets nutty & playful now & then. And yeah, hip-hop has always been a huge influence. As for the Fat Boys themselves, I’ve done some beatboxing, and there’s probably no better song of mine to represent their influence than the same one I shared last week, from my band REC’s brand new EP, Syzygy for the Weird : REC - “Make Me Mic My Mouth” (from the album Syzygy for the Weird ) Do you remember the Fat Boys? Do you remember how HUGE they were? What artists from other eras do you wish people remembered more than the ones everyone already knows? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. <a href="https://anchor.fm/
S2 E7 · Mon, January 18, 2021
Who are Your HEART ARTISTS? - Music You Can't Live Without | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #7
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There’s a lot of music out there. The quantity & variety of music production & release correlates to two main things: A. the world population: there will always be a barely fluctuating percentage of the general population who make music; and B. the increasing ease that technology presents in sharing the music you make, and how much wider the reach each new technology provides: internet posting is easier & reaches farther than emailing mp3s, which was easier & broader than burning CDs, which was easier than making cassettes, which was easier than pressing vinyl, which was easier than printing sheet music, which was easier and reached farther than standing on a street corner singing your song. All of that is great – the more the better. But what DOESN’T change is that, no matter how much music we’re exposed to, each of us is still only ONE PERSON. We might be able to access more kinds of music more quickly than any other generation, but we still have the same finite capacity to digest it all. We’ve all heard about the attention span crisis. People can’t sit with one thing long enough anymore to really get to know and appreciate it. I admit that phones and all the rest make it so easy to bounce from one thing to another, and that capturing someone’s attention for more than ten seconds is a major feat. But the attention span crisis is no newer than any of the other complaints about new technology we’ve heard since the dawn of whenever. So let’s forget about that and get to the point. No matter what’s changed, what you think is better or worse about the present, one thing that will NEVER change is that any true music lover has their favorites. Their take-to-the-grave bands. Their I-don’t-need-to-wait-for-a-desert-island-to-hold-on-tight-to-these singers. I call them Heart Artists. And this is what makes a heart artist: You love and accept everything they do. Even when they miss the mark, go on a wild tangent, or get lost in some other way, you don’t give up. Their music speaks to you on many levels – you hear musical & lyrical nuances that tell a more complete story of existence, so you’re connected to what they do beyond the music itself. You feel more awake and alive when you hear a song of theirs, like the air itself is electroshocking you. They’re a direct link to your spark of life creation – the one that exists in all of us. They’re a safe space in the midst of madness. You want others to know how it feels to love them, and to share in that love with you. It’s not that the love is unconditional, it’s that their very existence and way of being and expressing already meet all the conditions. It feels trite to call them a “favorite”. It would take 1000 words to describe why you love
S2 E6 · Fri, January 15, 2021
Things That Happened BEFORE THEY HAPPENED - Pop Will Eat Itself | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #6
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE We become aware of things when they become an actual thing. When enough people and enough media get wind of something happening, and start to talk about it. It spreads and balloons into a stated genre, or trend, or cultural shift. It gets a label, a NAME. Like how rock n roll supposedly started in the mid-1950s. Of course, that’s all really misleading. What we know as a thing has almost always been around far longer than we realize. Rock n roll songs – like, clear no-bullshit you can hear it rock n roll – existed as early as the 1940s. Cell phones & the internet were not invented in the 1990s. The first mobile phone call was made also IN THE 1940S. The internet has been around since the late 1960s. The first rap song was recorded also in the late 1960s. There are thousands of examples like this in all kinds of fields. The commercial success and/or media/social awareness of something, or the gifting of a name/label, do not designate when it came into being. They just signify when enough people with enough money care about it enough to make it matter more. But as any true music fan (or fan of anything creative) knows, history is way messier. Take Pop Will Eat Itself. This band in its late ‘80s – early ‘90s incarnation was a pastiche of post-punk, indie rock, post-modern glitch/sampling, pop, hip-hop, techno/dance, and metal. It was doing rap rock / nu metal before Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park – they even said back then how influenced they were by Public Enemy and LL Cool J (among others). It was incorporating samples into rock long before Beck. It was part of a nascent electro-industrial scene that existed long before that kind of music blew up in the 1990s. Relistening to this, I remember how into them I was. Enough that I had this on both vinyl and cassette. I remember being blown away by how different they sounded from other British or American bands. How they blended together so many ideas and styles and sounds. It’s one of those bands I wish I’d gotten more into while they were happening. Honestly I don’t think I was ready to absorb their intricacies. But I do know they influenced me. Their social/cultural commentary. Their rap-esque vocal delivery. Certainly their pastiche approach to crafting a song. Their strident rhythms & guitars. The British-ness of their Americanized music. I’ve had all that pulsing through my songs for years, including this one, from my band REC’s brand new EP, Syzygy for the Weird : REC - “Make Me Mic My Mouth” (from the album Syzygy for the Weird ) Are you into industrial music at all like Nine Inch Nails? Do you remember PWEI? They did actually have a handful of minor hits:
S2 E5 · Fri, January 15, 2021
TECHNOLOGY is a NET POSITIVE - 'Cuz It's ALL ON US | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #5
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The modern music world – and “world” in general – is truly amazing. We’ve got just about everything we could want at our fingertips. And so much of it is cheap or free. What we imagine, we can create. Anyone with access to a computer and the internet can think up, work up, and release into the world whatever they want. It’s not perfect. So many people STILL don’t have access to a computer or the internet. And like the disparity between having and not having a college education used to be (and sort of still is), it’s a question of affordability and flat out discrimination, the lack of which creates a nearly insurmountable disadvantage. For those of us plugged in, there are also some drawbacks and side effects, omissions and overwhelms. While it’s great that people can share to their hearts’ content, the glut of new material is impossible to fully digest. That kind of overwhelming volume makes it harder for people to sit still with one thing long enough to appreciate it to its fullest. The ease of finding and digesting our little morsels has devalued ALL of it, something industry players like Spotify & iTunes are super happy about. We as artists might be getting as many listens as, say, the Strokes did in the early 00s, but we’re making miniscule fractions of pennies compared to 15 or even 10 years ago. With this glut, this onslaught of artistic expression that brings with it both the most thoughtful and well-conceived works alongside nearly thoughtless shit spat out in an afternoon, we might conclude that things were better way back when. Thing is, way back when there were people saying the same thing about wayer back whener. And wayer back whener – yep the same thing. Every time a new technology overwhelms us, we assume it’s the technology itself that is flawed. And every time after the overwhelm subsides, and things like TV or radio or books become just another form of mundane media, we realize that it’s not the technology, it’s us. So does that mean we should toss it all and get back to nature? Put on our Luddite hats and carve our stories on cave walls? If that’s you, good on you and I’ll see you in the afterlife if that’s a thing. I say ABSOLUTELY NOT. I say that with every new technology, the benefits inevitably far outweigh the detriments. Access to information is the greatest form of power, because it spurs on revelation and action and change and all the tangible works we do to move this world forward. It’s the thing the powers that be want us to fight amongst ourselves over, so we don’t learn the truth and fight them instead. We can and do learn to handle the pitfalls – misinformation, diminishment of both the value and quality of what we create & consume, the paralysis of
S2 E4 · Fri, January 15, 2021
Who the F@(K is ZEITMAHL?!? - Kinda Connections from my Sorta Dark Past | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #4
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I don’t like not knowing things. Which of course means I’m in a constant state of inadequacy. The more I learn, the more I realize I know WAY less than I think I do, than I want to, or than I ever will. Still I take comfort in chipping away at that Olympus Mons of mystery, shining my pinlight into the Mariana Trench of missing things. Finding one wispy fact in the vast haystack of ignorance. I’m sickening myself with these metaphors. Just like two weeks ago, I kept coming across this week’s album every time I’d leaf through my collection, and I’d pass it by because I had no idea what it was or what to do with it. And just like two weeks ago, I decided to go for it. As follows…. Zeitmahl is a band. Shok is apparently the person whose band this is. He/they have been around since 1990, doing electro industrial goth rock. He/they are still making music. So why do I have this particular album? I have a vague memory from way back then, driving to a friend-of-a-friend’s house. The house was HUGE. The recording studio was HUGE and better than many of the professional studios I’d seen. The dude – whose real name he gave then but I absolutely don’t remember – was … chill, unassuming, and eager to share his music. I went because … I don’t remember other than my friend and I were/are both music heads, and I wanted to connect with other creators in the techno field – the music I was doing at the time. I remember realizing that it was time for me to shift into another kind of music, because I was not interested enough in the very solid music Shok played me to get that good at it myself. Soon after I’d start down the long road to ROCK, that would end in me … returning to electronic music. So this is a connection … kinda, in that we were both Philly suburb dudes of a certain age doing our own music. It’s an influence … sorta, in that it further solidified my desire to be in a full-on rock band. It’s a mystery solved … kinda, in that I still don’t know much of anything about this band or the dude behind it. What does make me happy is that he’s still out there – and THAT is the real connection. Because we’ve both been doing our things regardless of how others define success … sorta. As for the album I have, I think it’s their first. It’s from 1992 and I gotta say I loved relistening to it. It’s goth, techno, rock, pop, industrial, hip-hop, funk. It’s got scant lyrics but what’s there is diverse – social commentary, relationship stuff, anger, psychology. It sounds like … Philly to me. Music from a place where people listen to all kinds of stuff and find cool ways to put it together. It’s so me. This is the single from the EP I wrote/performed/recorded/produced the same year this album came out. More
S2 E3 · Fri, January 15, 2021
Why RECORDED Music is BETTER than LIVE | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #3
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I’m going to tell you why recorded music is WAY MORE OFTEN as close as humans have come to music perfection. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately because of our current social condition. We can’t do in-person live, but we can very much do real-time live online, which has been awesome. As of this podcast, I’ve done nearly 50 online shows, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. It’s been a thrill on almost every level. But I’ll tell you this: The more live I do – in-person or virtual, the more I believe that the vast majority of live music is LAME when compared to the recorded versions. Let’s bust a myth: Spontaneity & surprise & beautifully flawed idiosyncrasies can only come from live music. Ehnnt! (wrong answer buzzer sound) Inspiration & happy accidents can happen anywhere. As a veteran recording artist & producer, I can tell you that quite often the best parts of my songs have come from the “wild” takes or happy accidents I always leave room for. You get all that live too, but it’s fleeting, almost never integral, and both sonically & musically it’s almost always lesser quality. Here’s another myth: Live is always more dynamic and visceral. Ehnnt! Musicians can be equally “in the zone” in the studio, and they have the advantage of finding & using the best version of that. Every good recording artist knows how to be dynamic in any setting, and every good producer knows how to bring that out of artists – even the not-so-good-at-recording ones. As a listener, when you’re in a car, or wearing headphones, or playing music LOUD in a room, a song can affect you so much you start to tingle or shout or cry or sing along. And another: Live is more human and more connected. Ehnnt! EVERYTHING humans create is human – acoustic, electric, electronic, programmed, whatever. And what better way to connect directly with an artist than to hear their song in your head exactly as intended. Artists appreciate this immensely – I know I do. When a recording is done right, when the essence of a song is brought to its fullest realization, it’s the truest version and the closest to the original inspiration. Okay, in every case here you can get all this from the live experience too. And for those artists & listeners who live & die by live, much respect and deference. So why then is recorded music better than live? Ultimately it comes down to one thing. It’s as close to immortality as we can get. Live music lives & dies just like we do. It’s a one-night stand. Recorded lasts as long as our media & media conversions allow it to. That goes for sheet music as much as sound capturing. Recorded music is commitment. Sameness and repetition can fool us into numbness. But follow down that road
S2 E2 · Fri, January 15, 2021
Not the Way I Remember It - Oldies & Our WEAK MEMORIES | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #2
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Let’s face it: we forget WAY more than we remember, both as individuals and as a society. That’s no big revelation. But I’ll go even further and say we MISremember far more than we recall accurately. We are all our own little life chroniclers, each with a unique story of the world. And unless some awesome sci-fi imaginings (such as Ted Chiang’s “The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling”) come true, this will always be the case. With music, you’d think it would be easier to accurately remember a song. NOPE. The only thing that’s easier is you can look it up and find out how on or off your memory is. That’s what happened with this week’s double album, 20 Rockin’ Originals (Vol. 2) . I listened through it while I was creating the above playlist, and my brain divided the songs into three categories: 1. Songs I have little to no memory of or interest in (e.g. “A Rose and Baby Ruth”); 2. Songs I remember vividly, whether I liked them (“Earth Angel”) or not (“Hey Paula”); and 3. Songs I like and know well, but remember them very differently (“Silhouettes”). Of the 20 songs here, slightly more than half were in categories 1 & 3. Why? At base, the human memory function is highly subjective and faulty. On top of that, the time between an occurrence (such as hearing a song) and any point in the future is full of other occurrences that overwrite the original. Cover versions. Live versions. Versions that live in only in the memory. Even with corrective media like recordings & films & written accounts, we’re fighting a losing battle. And that’s totally okay. For me, overwriting is huge. When I listened to “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet”, it sounded SORT OF RIGHT, but not quite. Once I (re)discovered that Deep Purple used the same riff in a song, I knew my memory of these two tunes had merged into one that only exists in my head. When I listened to “Silhouettes”, I had to seek out every cover version. There were MANY. Only problem: none of them sounded right. And that’s because the version I have in my head is the one my dad sang hundreds (thousands?) of times at his gigs, one I’d often join in on. I swear he used a minor IV for the second chord, and none of the recorded versions did that. Of course, I could be WRONG ABOUT ALL OF THIS. That’s the whole point. Perfect example – I had to check my self-honesty after writing that I didn’t like “Hey Paula”. I don’t particularly like it NOW, but I vaguely remember liking it when I was a kid. Memory is a slippery freakin’ thing. Oh and the music itself? It’s a decent collection of mostly second tier doo wop songs, with some soundalike bands (The Hondells = The Beach Boys, Tommy Roe = Buddy Holly) and outliers (“Walk Away, Renee”, “We Ain’t Got
S2 E1 · Fri, January 15, 2021
NEW Season - NEW Format - NEW Thoughts - MORE MUSIC | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #1
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE How do you find THE thing? You have to go back to the WHY. Why am I doing any of this? What do I hope to get out of it? What do I hope to GIVE? Answer these and any other core questions, and that thing that fits all the answers is the one that will stick. THIS IS MY WHY: To share my music. To sell my music. To spread my music everywhere and to everyone. To talk about my love of ALL music. To have that conversation with YOU. To make connections with you AND between all kinds of music – mine or not. To entertain/elucidate/exalt – as one of those Greek dudes said. To break barriers. To show that if labels, divisions, the high art / low art dichotomy, and true objective judgment of merits are at best LIMITING and at worst ALL FALSE in MUSIC, then they must also be LIMITING and ALL FALSE in LIFE. ~~~ A few years ago, I started a project called MUSIC is NOT a GENRE. It was a 60+ song recording project, making the point that genres are at best limiting and at worst deceptive. Good music is good music, no matter what it’s called or what category someone wants to put it in. Genre labels exist because of money and power. They sequester songs into categories to be packaged & sold to target demographics. But underlying all of that are so many assumptions and generalizations that it renders the labels meaningless bullshit. The only reason a label should exist is if the person decides that’s what they want them to be called. It’s a personal choice no one else should make OR question. ANY LABEL applied by an outside force is reductive, and at worst divisive & discriminatory. We see that in the music world AND in all of society. We can’t get away from the stark reality of how damaging labels can be when applied by the wrong hands and used for the wrong reasons. ~~~ We are drawn to what we can identify with & connect to, and what we desire. When we listen to a song we like, we focus on what we already know. We dismiss differences in favor of what feels right. When those differences grab our attention, they can be jarring, intriguing, scary, exciting, off-putting, magnetic. But we know how to integrate them because they exist within the framework of a song we like. When we hear a song we don’t know but sounds familiar, it’s not hard to “get it”, even if we don’t like it. It comes from a similar place and is made of similar elements. It’s a slightly uncomfortable but pretty easy to integrate this kind of song. When we hear a song out of our realm, we feel the same things we do when hearing a foreign element in a familiar song, but not in a comfortable context. The negative feelings often outweigh the positive, and we tend to judge the song/style negatively as well.
S1 E30 · Thu, January 14, 2021
Mixing & Cutting & Scratching 1986 Style - Watch Me SOLVE A MYSTERY | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #30
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I love solving a mystery. These two 12” vinyls have been sitting in my collection for over 30 years, completely ignored. I assumed they were one-offs from local DJs looking to make a buck, that my DJ partner & I found at one of the many stores that catered to this stuff on Chestnut St. in Philly. NOPE. Well, yes, but NOPE. These albums got way more circulation than I ever knew. They were both hatched in … anti drum roll cuz this is no surprise … NYC, by mixing teams looking to make a buck and get some kind of notoriety. I would bet thousands of DJs own(ed) these. And I’d bet they’re two of hundreds or thousands of albums of this kind. They were great for DJs looking to learn how it’s done, get ideas for their own mixes, and especially to fill in gaps in DJing sets with mixing done by the pros. “Bits & PCs 86” was by The Dynamite Mixers. They are Carlos Berrios & Norberto Cotto, and not only did they release “Bits & PCs” from 1985-1998, they are still out there working, though it looks like separately. “Mega – Mix 86” was harder to track down. Some wonderful person put it on YouTube (which I coupled with “Bits & PCs 86” in my playlist above), and listed some song credits, but there’s no artist/DJ credit. So I did some further searching, and I’m pretty sure it was done by Deejay B@m B@m (not to be confused with the much younger DJ Bam Bam), apparently originally from Mexico. It might be a miscredit, but it’s the closet I could come to figuring this out. Cool that all of these mixers are Latino. I listened to these – for the first time since probably 1986, and they reminded me of stuff I’d hear on Philly’s Power 99 FM: whole sets from featured DJs mixing and cutting and scratching. And it reminded me of my own DJing. I never got this good. Not with vinyl anyway. I went through a cassette mixing phase, where I’d record using three cassette players: two to play songs so they could overlap or I could punch in phrases/licks/beats over another track, and one to capture it all. I still have one or two of those efforts, and will def transfer them soon. Me. DJ history. Dance beats. My music. You’ve heard it before. This is about as barebones seminal as it gets. The perfect example of this is … another anti drum roll … a mix I made of my funky tune output from 1986-2020: NICK & REC - “Funky Time Machine Mashup” Have you ever done any mixing or DJing, or even made a mixtape or compilation? Do you have any obscure vinyl you’d love to track down? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anch
S1 E29 · Thu, January 14, 2021
When 1980s Production NAILED IT - Second Tier Singles YOU NEED TO KNOW | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #29
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Ahh 1980s production values. It all started out so well. Crisp, clean, tight, bouncy but slightly dark, and with awesome amalgams of styles and sounds. But after 1982-3 or so, we all know how out of control it got. The big, crashing snare. The overlayered instruments. The cheesy keyboard sounds. The MELODRAMA. It’s a perfect example of why every 10 years or so a new style comes along to clean the slate of excess – in this case grunge. But all of that is true only if we focus on the biggest hits and broadest trends. There were some kick-ass second tier singles in the mid ‘80s that still sound very of their time but managed to keep it tight. The production did exactly and ONLY what the song needed. They weren’t the biggest hits, or the most memorable or representative of their time. But they nailed it on every level. These six 12” singles from my collection all did that. You don’t get tired of listening to them because their production is so choice. And they haven’t been overplayed. And though two of the songs (“Human” and the original Cherrelle version of “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On”) stemmed from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, in general the other common factor is that they were artist driven and independently produced. They were prime examples of the artists following their muses. And the two cover tunes – from Robert Palmer & Pseudo Echo, plus Robbie Nevil’s remake of his own composition, did total justice to the originals – in some ways even outdid them. The 1980s are all over my tunes, especially the crispy-tight version of that era. You can hear this prominently in these two songs: REC - “Whatever We Have To Do To Wake Up High” (from the album Synergy for the Weird ) REC - “KPS (Korean Pop Song)” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) Do you remember these songs? Can you hear the difference in production values between these and other bigger 1980s hits? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E28 · Thu, January 14, 2021
1980s Pop Electro-Funk MASTERS - Why Don't You KNOW THESE??? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #28
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This week is a mega mix of five FORCE-ful artists and eight LPs (and even more on the Spotify playlist – see below), so let’s get to it. Pop electro-funk was HUGE in the 1980s, a real force (expect to see this word often) in the music world. And as far as I’m concerned it all started with Soulsonic Force, led by THEE HIP-HOP LEGEND, Afrika Bambaataa. “Planet Rock” sealed the deal for me as far as electro-infused hip-hop, and almost singlehandedly started the electro-funk movement. Everything else you read about below you can go ahead and credit to Afrika, Soulsonic, and “Planet Rock”. Yes Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Yes OF COURSE Prince. But AS BIG A YES should be shouted out to the SEMINAL band/production team, Full Force. Not only did they have their own hits, such as the impossible to resist “Alice, I Want You Just for Me”, but they wrote & produced (for years after the 1980s) hits for acts small and large, such as The Real Roxanne, UTFO, Samantha Fox, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, La Toya Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Backstreet Boys, Rihanna & James Brown (the first four of which are in my Spotify playlist). So why are they not better known??? How many legendary production teams have kicked that much as for that many OTHER legendary performers and not been lauded and revered and lionized? Do NOT go a step further in reading this without listening to “Alice” and at least three of those other artists. Give them the props they deserve. They’re still out there – all the original members – and still kickin’ it. And finally you have the Force MDs, a band (from Staten Island of all places) that paved the way for all kinds of hip-hop infused r&b and slow jams like new jack swing, quiet storm, Boys II Men, Bell Biv DeVoe, and SO MANY other 1990s acts. Their hit, “Tender Love”, was one of the prime prototypes, and a song I sang & played on the piano over & over. It’s sad that most of the members are now dead. All the more reason to revisit this other vital pop electro funk band. Here's a Spotify playlist with tons of these songs, as well as several of my CLEARLY INFLUENCED songs: The Unheralded FORCEs of Pop Electro Funk - Spotify playlist Do you remember these bands? The songs? Considering how 99% of pop music can now be classified as some version of pop electro funk, do you think these artists should be much better known? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musi
S1 E27 · Thu, January 14, 2021
FREAK OUT and DANCE! - EXCEPTIONS that PROVE the RULE | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #27
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE A few episodes ago, I talked about the musical coming of age – i.e. that point in your life when you start to consciously decide what music is “yours”, not your parents’ or siblings’ or peers’ or whatever the culture tells you it should be. Though I do think it happens to almost 100% of everyone, it’s not a rule. But if it were, like any rule, it’s the exceptions that prove it. This here song by Chic is one of those exceptions. I was almost 10 when “Le Freak” was released. And though by then I’d already gotten into the Beatles and Sean Cassidy and other pop of the day (especially songs my dad played in his live gigs) and Grease and Saturday Night Fever, among many other things, for some reason I remember this song having way more immediate impact on me. It was the first 45 single I bought with my own money, at K-Mart. I didn’t just want it, I NEEDED it. The spare yet compelling and never boring production. The positivity. The call to throw off all the pressure and just FREAK OUT. The infinite funkiness. It’s never left me. Part of the proof of that is that I bought this song TWICE. First, the 45 in 1978 (as discussed in Week 141), and then the 12” single in 1986 – when I was heavily into DJing. I couldn’t imagine a dance set that didn’t include this. And with all the tremendous changes in production, style & taste in those eight years, it shows the genius and perfect-ness of this song that it still hit home. Staccato funk has been a part of my repertoire for decades. Here’s an example that meshes funk & pop & rock & grunge: NICK - “Your Sister” (from the album The Metrogrande Sessions ) Do you like this song? Do you know who Nile Rogers is? Are you into funk at all? What song do you remember being the first one you HAD to own? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E26 · Thu, January 14, 2021
Wanna Learn how to BREAKDANCE? - YES this was REALLY a THING | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #26
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I grew up with rap. Right alongside of it. Okay, so when I was really young it was in proto form (Gil Scott-Heron, etc.), but as soon as I hit my pre-preteens, it took hold of me and never let go. “Apache (Jump On It)” started it. “Planet Rock”, Kurtis Blow, & “Jam On It” continued it. And then Run-D.M.C. and The Beastie Boys cemented it. And all along that journey was everything else that came with rap culture. The big sneaks with the bigger laces. Parachute pants. The movies. And ALL of the dancing – popping, locking, breaking, etc. Yeah, I did it too. I got decent at popping & locking, but really sadly mediocre at everything else. Back when you couldn’t just go to YouTube to learn how to do pretty much anything for free, you had to be resourceful. At least until this week’s record came out, as part of a flood of other records and tapes and books and video cassettes and whatever else. Breakdance is an honest to Yeezus INSTRUCTIONAL LP. There are the songs, of course. But then there’s also the giant poster inside with step-by-step photos for several dances, a definition of breakdancing, and a glossary of related terms like “bite” and “homeboy” and “fresh”. It’s mission was to teach you everything it could about rap culture – and yes it was “rap” to the suburban masses back then. Nowhere on this record will you see the word hip-hop. Though that phrase had been around since the beginning, it didn’t enter the mainstream until really the late 1980s or later. Instructional albums have been around way longer than this one, but usually those were for more established dances. To have the juggernaut K-Tel release an album all about a “street dance” shows you how pervasive rap music was becoming even then. Though none of us could have guessed it would become the dominant and most viable genre in popular music. If you’ve been following these posts, you already know I’ve been writing & producing rap/hip-hop forever. Of those tunes, this one probably best fits what we’re discussing here: REC - "Let It Wreck Your Mind" (from the album Syncopy for the Weird ) Have you ever tried this kind of dancing? What connection if any do you have to early rap? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E25 · Thu, January 14, 2021
Making ART from Digital NOISE - The Art of Noise & George Kranz | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #25
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Instrumentals, especially dance instrumentals, can be super boring. Most of them exist solely to keep the beat & mood going in a club or mix. Comfort food for ravers. With that in mind, and with the strict rules put on songs like this (long intros, BPM within a very small range, breakdowns and buildups coming as expected), not a lot of thought has to go into creating for a dance instrumental to work. And that’s totally fine – it serves its purpose to a T. BUT there are artists who have taken the dance/techno instrumental (or mostly instrumental) to more interesting places. Moby. Fatboy Slim. Skrillex. People who know more about this could name more obscure artists. The pioneers of artful instrumental dance are of course Kraftwerk (RIP Florian). Kraftwerk may have done more to influence 1980s music than any other artist. Listen to them and Depeche Mode back to back and you’ll get it. And then listen to house, industrial, drum and bass, glitch hop, and any other kind of techno or EDM. It is and has been everywhere, for decades. Part of the reason it’s so ubiquitous is because of George Kranz & The Art of Noise. The latter in particular were essentially the Kraftwerk of my generation. They made instrumental dance not only interesting but popular, at a time when Trevor Horn’s (an AoN founder) production/style was dominating much of the charts. It eventually became big-‘80s cliché, overused, and was probably one reason Art of Noise didn’t last long. But while it was big it really set a high bar, and it showed how versatile and expressive sampling could be. And George Kranz reminds us never to mess with German techno. I don’t do a lot of instrumentals, but I DO do a lot of techno glitchy stuff, including this vocally minimal one: REC - “Love In Stockholm” (from the album Distance To Empty ) Do you know these artists? Do you have any affinity for electronic dance music? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E24 · Thu, January 14, 2021
EIGHT Albums from FOUR Bands with NO GENRE CONNECTION | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #24
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Following along with last week’s housecleaning, this week is a smaller and less significant batch of albums. Their greatest commonality is they almost exactly span what would be considered my “childhood years”. Other than that it’s a damn eclectic mix of artists you’d be hard pressed to find listed in the same genre, let alone the same playlist. It’s how I roll. SO … off the top of my head: Psychedelic Furs --Mirror Moves – British post-punk Romanticism at its best. And a lead vocalist who doesn’t for one second compromise or try to hide his origin – i.e. that’s a THICK ACCENT! They’re like The Cure without any Goth leanings. “The Ghost In You” and “Heaven” are forever classics. --Midnight to Midnight – It made me slightly sad, because it was obvious they were shooting for more commercialism. It worked, with “Heartbreak Beat” their highest charting single in the US. But it lacked the quirky ambient heart of their previous works. Even Richard Butler agreed. They’d pump out two more albums before disbanding, after which Butler formed the fairly great Love Spit Love. BUT NOW the Furs are back with their first album since 1991, and what I’ve heard of it so far has been great. Lou Reed --Walk on the Wild Side – The Best of Lou Reed – You can’t hate or disrespect Lou Reed. His work with Velvet Underground alone merits legend status. THEN you have this collection, which showed the genius we all now know him to be. And this only covers up to 1976! --New York – This album is what made me buy the above album. I needed to know more about this dude who sounded like a New York version of Bob Dylan. I can only take his voice for about an album or so, so he’s not one of my top faves. But I loved this album to death, especially the single “Dirty Blvd.” The don’t-give-a-shit vocals paired with sheer poetry show what an individual genius he was. It’s dumb that he’s dead. Talking Heads --Remain in Light – TH are slightly left field for me in terms of taste. Some of their stuff I fall over for. Others I find oddly removed from passion. But through no fault of theirs. This album will always be awesome because it was made during my all-time favorite era of production values, ca. 1978-82ish. --Little Creatures – It sucks to say this, but I preferred TH when they were shooting for commercialism, because they retained all their grit and quirkiness, but made an effort to really connect. This album and their next one (True Stories) were probably the high mark of that. The first and last tracks on here are golden. Yes --The Yes Album – Yes was the best prog rock band. Critics may give that title to Genesis, and I 100% get why. But pound for pound, Yes was more consi
S1 E23 · Sun, January 10, 2021
The Mega 15 Vinyl BLOWOUT - The Cure, Prince, U2 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #23
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When I started these posts 4 years ago, I had NO PLAN. So it’s no surprise I’ve hit a roadblock. I had an idea to do each album individually. Which could have worked if I'd kept to text only. When I kicked off video, it all went 8-track shaped. I took an album as an opportunity to talk about the artist in general, not thinking ahead to what the hell would I talk about for their NEXT album. And every week, when I leafed through my collection, I’d skip over albums from bands I already did. Which created a backlog. THIS WEEK is my chance to rectify that. Get ready for the explosion. THE CURE -- Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me -- Standing on a Beach -- Disintegration PRINCE -- Purple Rain --“Do Me Baby” – Meli’sa Morgan's cover -- Around the World in a Day -- Sign of the Times -- Lovesexy U2 --Boy --October --War --Under a Blood Red Sky --The Unforgettable Fire --Wide Awake in America --The Joshua Tree --Rattle and Hum There you go. Did it feel as cleansing to you as it did to me? Great, now go check out my NEW BOX SET: REC - The Weird Objective - a five-album multi-genre box set Are you into any of these artists? What artists are in your top five? Do you get as obsessed with music as I do? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E22 · Sun, January 10, 2021
Do NOT Even JOKE - The Beastie Boys & "Let It Wreck Your Mind" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #22
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE *If you don’t know the Beastie Boys by now, stop reading this and go find out. Get their EXCELLENT Beastie Boys Book and/or watch the Spike Jonze doc that comes out tomorrow. I might whip through some of their history in the video, but I’m not going to flesh it out here.* Beastie Boys are top 10 for me. Not in a revolving “these 50 bands could easily be my top 10” sense. Real no joke never out top 10. Here’s why: 1. They kicked it off right when I was the age to most appreciate them. 2. They were funny from the get-go – serious about music but never too serious about themselves. 3. They’re from NYC, a place I was in love with decades before I moved here. 4. They showed me that otherwise totally uncool white boys could rap if they wanted to. 5. They took hip hop to places it hadn’t been, yet still respected its roots and the people who pioneered it. 6. They evolved. Musically. Professionally. Personally. They never quit growing and exploring. 7. They mixed it up. They were never content to stick to the boom bap, because they were too curious not to always find something else to weave into their sound. 8. They LOVE music of all kinds. Love and respect and revere and take the piss out of but still know what good listening means. 9. They were never quite what you thought they were. It’s still quite hard for me to believe that Adam Yauch is dead, and has been for eight years. Like Prince or Bowie or Cobain or Lennon, the world doesn’t seem right without them in it. It’s like they’re still here. Do I wish the other two Beasties would still make music? Hell yes! Do I understand why they don’t and totally respect it? Hell yes! But it hurts not to look forward to their next release every few years. So what’s so special about this 12”? First, it’s the only thing of theirs I have on vinyl. Second, these songs were not hits in the USA, yet I liked them better than some of the hits from Licensed to Ill. Third, the B side was written by their compatriots and early tour mates, Run-D.M.C. And fourth, the style from Side A to Side B has a real past-present-future shift. “She’s On It” has that Rick Rubin heavy metal/rap hybrid, while “Slow and Low” pairs a BOOMING 808 kick with what sound like live guitar band samples. It’s more than the subtle shift it sounds like. A song like “Slow and Low” both pulled from the 808-heavy past, and presaged their cut and paste work on Paul’s Boutique. *Side note: my partner and I were down at the site of Paul’s Boutique in the “before days”, and there’s a cool little Beasties tribute mural there.* When their first album came out, and subsequently 12” singles like this one here, my brother and my DJ-ing
S1 E21 · Sun, January 10, 2021
Pre-Musical-Awakening Music - Air Supply & "Up All Day" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #21
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I never understood people who only listen to one or two kinds of music. Life is way more intricate and interesting than that. I believe your emotional maturity and openness are directly reflected in the type of music you listen to (and in other art you consume). I love punk. I love heavy metal. I love hip-hop. I love funk. I love grunge. I love about 35-400 other genres and subgenres, many of which are hard core, kick-ass, in your face. But I don’t play. I don’t front. I don’t posture. I love any music that’s good (subjective, whatever, if you don’t know what I mean then send me a comment!). That includes music that is way NOT in your face. Such as this week’s selection. Musical taste is as nature/nurture as everything else. We’re born with certain proclivities, and then we are exposed to music through our family & friends, which further influences our tastes. BUT I think there’s a point in everyone’s life when they take charge. When they set aside nature/nurture and decide for themselves what music they want to get into. They were choosing and shaping as young’uns too, but this is different. It’s an active, conscious decision to potentially throw out (or more certainly reembrace) everything you learned about music in favor of things that become “exclusively” yours – those passion bands and artists that speak to you and “only you”. The music that makes your tastes distinct from those of your parents or older siblings or other influencers. For me that was around age 15. For others it’s way later or way earlier. Air Supply came to me just before my musical coming-of-age. Y’all know I love songcraft. And these guys had it, or knew it when they heard it. PLUS sometimes you just need to mellow out. To feel the sunset in your ears. To actually see the heartstrings being pulled. That’s what Air Supply is for. Not to mention, there is NO BETTER NAME for a band that provides (yes, present tense – they’re still out there and in fact never stopped) a cool, refreshing breeze of music? Nope. Yes, shortly after their heyday my tastes shifted drastically. But I never let music like this go. And to this day you can hear that in some of what I do. Especially including this song: REC - “Up All Day” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) A quick side note: Air Supply is from Australia. Like INXS. Like Silverchair. Like AC/DC. I’m convinced that bands from Australia and Canada have a way of distilling American-style music into its essential parts, and coming up with versions that are often tighter and more on the nose than what American acts do. Too many examples from both countries to get into here. I’ll discuss this more in my video version.
S1 E20 · Sun, January 10, 2021
From the ASHES of JOY - New Order & "Any Universe" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #20
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Everything comes from something. The Beatles came from a mix of skiffle and American popular music of the 1950s. Bach wouldn’t have been Bach with out the lovely and talented Deiterich Buxtehude. Nirvana name checked both the Pixies and the Monkees, and damn if you can’t hear that convergence. (Fans of New Order, you know where I’m going with this.) Back in the late 1970s, goth emerged from the punk/post-punk scene as its own subgenre. Darker, sparser, more brooding, more atmospheric, but still raw like punk. Bauhaus. Siouxsie and the Banshees, some of what the Cure did. And Joy Division. When you have a suicidal frontman, it’s no surprise what comes out is depressive, even Divisive. But don’t overlook the Joy part of the equation. Ian Curtis and the band created music that reflected the life struggle to wring joy out of pain & suffering. It’s why their music was both dark and danceable. When he died, the remaining band members reformed into New Order – an appropriate name all things considered. And the new order of business for them was to create music that inspired people to move despite the occasional bleakness of life. Which they did. Better & better for years. Hell, their albums in this century often have moments that are as good as their best work. Yes, New Order is still doing New Stuff. When certain fans think of New Order, they then immediately think of Depeche Mode (a band that’s also still pumping out excellent work to this day). Lots of parallels, and fans know well the divergences. The main commonalities are this: they’re both new wave bands merging electronic with rock, creating thumping and often ambiently beautiful songs that lyrically explore the darker aspects of inner & outer life. “True Faith” is one of New Order’s pinnacles, a perfect representation of all of those aspects. So much of what I do involves the exploration of negative or uncomfortable feelings in the context of beat-driven, electronic, ambient, rock music. The most obvious example of this is from The Sunshine Seminar : REC - “Any Universe” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) Do you have any experience with new wave or post punk or goth or techno? Do you remember when you could only be a fan of either New Order OR Depeche Mode, but not both? Do you enjoy when artists illustrate universal feelings of despondency & unsurety et al., but in a funky way? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/s
S1 E19 · Sun, January 10, 2021
Happy Music + Sad Lyrics = Happy Me - The Smiths | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #19
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Life ain’t black and white. That’s not a revelation, and yet we constantly have to be reminded of it, because our brains WANT IT TO BE. It’s much more comfortable to slot things into categories. WELL if there’s one thing you know about me, it’s that I prefer artists who defy categorization. In most cases – like Prince or The Beatles or Bowie – those artists genre hop at will. They don’t let walls or rules contain them. In other cases – like this week’s band, The Smiths – they don’t so much genre hop as they create their own brand new genre. There are so many reasons to love The Smiths. Morrissey’s incomparable voice. Johnny Marr’s genius guitar. The surprising (though it shouldn’t be to anyone who knows them) number of catchy pop hooks. Their not giving a shit about trends. But the thing I’ve always liked best about them is they lived in the grey. They melded happy-ish or lush & mellow-ish songs, with straight up sad and often harrowing lyrics. Like reveling in mud. All good music comes from a place of joy. Even the hardest, bleakest dirge metal is written and performed with joy. Joy is not happiness. It’s the pumping blood and breathing air of life. The Smith’s ability to revel in the joy of sadness was an instant heart-drug to me. Still is. From Strangeways, “Girlfriend in a Coma” is the perfect example of a happy sounding song with bleak lyrics. But really the entire album is exemplary and amazing. It would be unwieldy for me to list the numerous songs I’ve written that juxtapose happy music with sad lyrics. Dozens easily. Really there’s not even one definitive one. So here’s one of the latest: REC - “Lost Found” (from the album Sympathy for the Weird) What do you think of The Smiths? What other artists can you name who have happy music with sad lyrics, OR sad music with happy lyrics (like The Cure’s “Love Song” or Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies”)? Do you prefer black and white music, or do you swim in the grey too? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E18 · Sun, January 10, 2021
The One AFTER the Good One - The Alarm & JUST MISSING the Peak | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #18
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE One of the great things about revisiting the past is finding out how wrong you are. A memory gets stuck in your head, but not in a big & clear way like something seminal or life changing. Then, like a mental game of Telephone, the memory gets warped. It gets stored in your brain as a warp and overwrites the old memory. Other thoughts & feelings get attached to this warped version, which slowly becomes “real” and takes on more significance than it ever had a right to. BUT the overwriting is not digital, it’s analog. It’s like recording on a cassette that already has something on it. Sometimes the original content bleeds through. For years I remembered The Alarm as a pet band – a runt that never quite grew to full size, but you loved anyway. I pumped up this memory and gave it more weight. The Alarm was “my band”. The Alarm’s music inspired me. The Alarm were amazing and should have been big, not the U2 also-rans they eventually became. THEN I pull this album out of my collection, listen to it, read up on them, and realize I’m giving this whole thing way too much credit. It took some digging to find out why I cared about them at all. And I discovered this: They had a minor hit in 1987 called “Rescue Me”. It sounded so much like U2 that I thought, YES, I am ready to get into them. So I waited for their new album, and in 1989 I bought it. This one. And I was underwhelmed. I have very little recall of any of these songs. It’s not a judgment. They were a very good band. Their name still sparks feelings of post-new-wave-Brit coolness in me. It’s just that, like with so many bands I had the wrong impression about, I landed on them just after that particular iteration of their sound peaked – thus “the one after the good one”. We all have an idea of where an artist is heading, and we’re all way more finicky than we let on. If a band meets our unspoken expectations, we love them more. If a band repeats itself, we hang on and hope they keep growing. If a band pivots wildly, we’re confused and have to decide whether we love the pivot for its chance-taking genius, or they’ve lost their way and we’re done with them. And it’s all about what hits the heart. For a brief moment in 1987, The Alarm hit my heart. This album didn’t – didn’t do what I wanted them to do – needy & arrogant & presumptuous. That’s what being a music fan is. And that’s why it’s hard for everyone. Hard for the fan who wants what they want, but not too on the nose or it’s boring. Hard – I say way harder – for the artist, who, if they don’t succumb to the pressures of trends or popularity or what someone else says to do, is only trying to follow the muse. To create from the soul. No, artists can’t expect fans to follow their every whim
S1 E17 · Sat, January 09, 2021
All About My Dad - The Legendary Nicky DeMatteo | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #17
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I’ve been realizing that I have not respected my destiny. The destiny I’ve chosen, that is. I was born into music. I have thrived on music since before I could spell. At every turn, during every boon and through every hardship, music has been my constant companion. Nothing ever been more important to me than music. (THING, not PERSON – people like my kids are on a higher plane.) So why? Why have I undermined & avoided embracing this very clear destiny? Why have I assumed that money and my music are mutually exclusive, or have a tenuous relationship at best? Why have I spent more time searching for yet another day job, instead of writing & recording & performing every chance I can get? Apparently the Universe won’t stand for it. Two years ago, I was “let go” from my 13-year day job at the Bronx Zoo. I freelanced as a musician, actor & voice actor for a while. Then last October, I took another day job at a giant shit show of a company. I quit after a month because I couldn’t stand the work or the people. Then this January I was hired at a very good company with very good people. Still, it’s another day job, and I realized quickly that it’s not my world and never has been. Lo and behold, m-m-m-myyyy corona (apologies to The Knack) came and shut down that company. So I’m back to being day-unemployed, back to freelancing. And what that says among other things is: stick to music, kid. It’s what you’re made for. It’s the one thing that always feels right. This album – my dad’s full-fledged debut as a singer/songwriter – is a big reason why I do what I do. It’s a small but highly significant part of the massive music world that is my dad. All of these songs sank deep into – no, ARE – my blood. They are the DNA of how I write & produce. Original music was never his main focus. Other than this, he’d written a bunch of other tunes before & after, and then released an EP of original country music in 1996 (included at the end of this album at the link above). When he did this album, I was 7. It was one of the first things that opened my eyes & heart to the world of the possible. I was barely a human, but I knew then that music would be my life. Just like my dad. Through all of life’s changes. Career ups and downs. Financial yeses & nos. Family and friends coming & going. It’s always been music. There are many things my dad & I have in common. One that stands out is the joy of busting through genre boxes and playing/singing/writing/recording whatever we want. Of knowing a good song is a good song no matter what it is. There are many differences too. A big one being he staked his claim in the world of cover tunes, while I leapt almost immediately into originals. But the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE is the one tha
S1 E16 · Sat, January 09, 2021
Comedy & Music are FRATERNAL TWINS - Eddie Murphy & the McKenzie Brothers | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #16
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Musicians & comedians have been in love with each other since forever. Talk to any musician or comedian and it’s likely they’ll tell you how much they revere the other profession. I mean, look at how Stephen Colbert & Jimmy Fallon salivate over music of all kinds, and even do some themselves. Yes, you could say artists tend to do and love more than one thing – Kevin Bacon & Jared Leto both have working bands. Tony Bennett & Jim Carrey are painters. J. Lo acts and dances and sings. Etc. Etc. But the love affair between musicians & comedians goes well beyond that. Timing. Delivery. Tone. Pacing. Sets. Breaking up your art into digestible portions that are still somehow cohesive. All of this and more flows back and forth between music and comedy, I’d argue more so than any other two disciplines. I can’t even count the times comedians have crossed over into music (Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Sarah Silverman). Musicians crossing into comedy has not been as prevalent, but it’s happened. Two BIG ones are: Ricky Gervais, who may be known for his comedy now, but started out as a serious musician & even had a new wave hit back in the ‘80s; and the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, who any self-respecting Philly-ite knows was first and foremost a rapper. True music/comedy hybrids – i.e. music intended to be funny – are all over the place (Alan Sherman, Spike Jones, Mel Brooks, Beastie Boys, Flight of the Conchords, Elaine May, Judy Tenuta, Bridget Everett – even the Beatles). Then there are those who do both equally well, with little to no intended crossover (like Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino). I’m old enough to vaguely remember the first season of SNL, a show that has always featured/debuted/respected comedy, music and so many hybrids of the two (like the Blues Brothers). I’ve ALWAYS been as much a fan of comedy as I have been of music. I grew up watching my dad perform countless songs, and he always had moments of straight-up comedy every single night. When I perform, no matter how serious some of my songs are, I am always looking for a laugh. This week’s three albums – Eddie Murphy’s first two (and really his whole early career) and Bob & Doug McKenzie (Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, and really ANYTHING to do with SCTV, still my second favorite sketch show behind Mr. Show) – are albums I bought with my own allowance, money that could have gone to music. That’s how much they meant to me. And don’t forget, both Eddie Murphy and the McKenzie Brothers had big hit singles – “Party All the Time” and “Take Off” (with Rush’s Geddy Lee) respectively. So there you go. At some point in the near future, I’m going to tick stand-up comedy off my bucket list. Until then, here are two perfect examples of how c
S1 E15 · Sat, January 09, 2021
Were the Violent Femmes ... Country? - This is Why GENRE BOXING is Ridiculous | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #15
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE This week is all about country music, so I thought I’d discuss one of my top ten favorite bands of all time: Violent Femmes. Yes, that’s right. The Femmes. And country music. They link. Seriously. Read on, and then go listen to the three albums I’m featuring this week, and it’ll hit you like a pickup truck on fire. Those of you who know anything about the Femmes probably only know the big party hits from their debut 1983 self-titled album, like “Blister in the Sun” or “Add It Up”. That album was a blast of acoustic punk that launched the Femmes as one more post-punk band rewriting the rules of the genre. And if that’s how you know them, then there are at least three things you probably don’t know: 1. Their highest charting single was “American Music” from 1991’s Why Do Birds Sing? (Which also had an awesome cover of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”) 2. They are still around, and in fact released their latest album just last year, which sounds a fuckload like their early stuff. 3. They went through a country music phase. For realz. Their 2nd, 3rd& 4th albums were predominantly country. You could call it alt country (before the term existed), southern gothic, freak folk, country rock or folk punk. Point is, it ain’t just acoustic punk. Listen to almost anything from Hallowed Ground, The Blind Leading the Naked, or 3, and you’re going to hear country music. “Country Death Song”, “Jesus Walking on the Water”. “Old Mother Reagan”, “Breakin’ Hearts”, “Cold Canyon”. “Fat”, “Lies”. Straight-up country twang, y’all. Not that that’s all they did, then or ever. But the fact that they went there in their own special way – that fucking rocks. The Femmes have sunk so deep into my subconscious that it’s hard to pinpoint how they’ve influenced me. There’s a chance that – like with the Beatles or Prince – their influence is somewhere in every song I’ve ever written. Throwing in a rogue lyric here & there to keep things honest & fresh. A vocal delivery that runs the range from whispery to strident to plaintive to balls out abrasive, but always with emotion. Unafraid to get negative but still keep it popping. There are so many songs I can use as an example, but DUH I have to go with the one that was named after possibly my favorite Femmes song (from Hallowed Ground): REC - “Never Tell” (from the album Distance To Empty ) Listen to the Femmes’ “Never Tell” too and see if you can find any parallels. What songs of the Femmes do you know and/or love? Does this make you want to go deeper into their catalogue? Do you prefer straight-up country music? Or do you hate it all? Discuss dammit! This episo
S1 E14 · Sat, January 09, 2021
HITS Albums are the GREATEST - Chart Action 83 & Clear to Sunrise | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #14
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I love greatest hits collections. There are four kinds I particularly love: 1. A retrospective that spans the life of a band to date, and shows their evolution. 2. The hits of an artist I’m not interested in enough to listen to their whole catalog. 3. A genre collection, especially of one I haven’t dived into for realz. 4. A time capsule of a certain era or year. Chart Action 83 is a perfect example of #4. Way back before playlists, K-Tel (and other companies, but c’mon seriously, K-Tel is the MASTER) would release annual collections of hits from that year. I ate these up! What’s interesting there is that, because songs have to be licensed to be released, the hits K-Tel chose couldn’t be just the top ten on the charts. So the collections ended up being both representative and eclectic. Which is a huge reason why I loved these collections so much. Of the 14 songs on Chart Action 83, only FOUR were in the top 20. Some, like Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey”, weren’t even in the top 100! So what K-Tel ended up with was something that both radio (post Clear Channel) and the vast majority of playlists (Spotify et al.) RARELY DO, which is an actually diverse playlist that doesn’t rely simply on sales/spins/streams. It’s like, both by default and I believe choice, K-Tel was getting all artistic. What’s also cool is, if you look up the list of albums K-Tel released during its heyday – roughly 1973-1984, they got creative & funky with their album titles. Music Explosion, Night Flight, Hit Machine, Right On, Pure Gold, Dimensions. There are a lot of ultra-fun & creative companies & people out there to this day, but that sense of just throwing shit on the wall and having real fun with it barely exists in the current music industry, the biggest companies of any kind, or on the most trafficked sites online. On some level, the “best” of anyone’s work is subjective. But it’s also driven by what worked in the world – what was a hit or what was artistically acclaimed. I don’t believe you have to be rich & famous to have greatest hits. So right before I founded the band REC, I collected my own greatest hits from my NICK era (see last week), songs that were popular with my fans and/or that I thought came closest to how I heard them in my head. Here’s that collection: Clear To Sunrise – Nick’s Good Stuff 1995-2005 Who are some artists whose greatest hits you totally played over & over? Which songs from Chart Action 83 do you love? Which songs from my collection do you like the best? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest
S1 E13 · Sat, January 09, 2021
This One's All About Me - Nick DeMatteo & REC | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #13
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I’m taking a 4T pause this week to discuss the cause of all my weekly postings, them being: · Song for Saturday – I started way back in February 2016, with “SNo Globe”, which at the time was off my latest release, The Sunshine Seminar. I decided to do a “reverse chronology” of my music from that point on. Nearly 200 weeks (and songs) later, I’ve made it all the way back to 1986 – and there’s still more to go. · The Thursday Throwback Track (4T) – In April 2016, I took a look at the vast collection of cassettes I purposely displayed at the foot of my bed. I realized that everything I’ve ever listened to has somehow connected to everything I’ve ever written & produced, and that it would be cool to both explore those connections and discuss all kinds of music in general. · New Music Tuesday (NuMuTu) – Then about two years ago, as I started to record my next batch of songs, I wanted to cast the spotlight on what I’m doing now. Every week I either share a new song I’ve written/produced/covered, or announce a gig or some other aspect of what I’m doing. SO … why?? What’s the point of doing all this? It’s a real commitment to not miss a single week’s post – three times a week – for years. What’s my motivating factor? YES I love evolution & seeing how artists grow & change & link to their origins (Song for Saturday). YES I love to discuss any artist I’ve ever been into, both in general and in certain contexts (The Thursday Throwback Track). YES I’m an active music artist myself (REC, Nick DeMatteo, other bands), and want to share my new releases and activities (New Music Tuesday). But what links all those? Well that’s easy. Me. My music. I live & breathe music, and want everyone to know it. I am a veteran times infinity at this point, and loving every minute of every music thing in my life. Like the artists I feature, I have a history, an evolution, even a legacy. A good songwriter/musician friend of mine believes that it doesn’t matter how old a song is if it’s good. And it ESPECIALLY doesn’t matter if the vast majority of the world has no idea who you are. To them, a song from 1999 is the same as one from 2020. SO … above and below are direct links to my discography, with songs dating as far back as 1995 – what I consider my “modern” period, after a good 15 years of development. Nick DeMatteo – Modern Discography - https://www.nickdematteo.com/music Listen. Explore. Share. Like. Comment. And stay tuned … all of this is leading up to a stage show I’m producing, to be workshopped this year & debuted soon after. What are your favorites? What’s your take in general? What do you think of any of this?? Discuss
S1 E12 · Sat, January 09, 2021
It's the Songs You DON'T Hear All the Time - LL Cool J & Me | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #12
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE “I Need A Beat” – “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” – “Rock the Bells” – “Going Back to Cali” – “Big Ole Butt” – “Jingling Baby” – “Around the Way Girl” – “Mama Said Knock You Out”. Anyone who knows classic hip-hop – second & third wave in this case – knows LL Cool J. And if you know LL, you probably know at least one of the songs I just listed. (Lemme tell ya, his greatest hits CD is ON POINT.) Well, I happen to have a 12” of an album cut from his first LP, Radio, which is this here selection. Only true LL fans would know these two songs. And to be honest I had to relisten to both cuts to remember what they were. But as soon as I did, it all came flooding back. When you hear a song that you & everyone else has heard a thousand times, the connection to its original ear erodes little by little. I can hear or perform “I Melt With You”, and at this point I no longer FEEL 1983. Still love the song, but it’s been totally unmoored from its 80s anchor point. BUT the songs you DON’T hear all the time … those still retain the intense connection to their original time. You feel them as strongly as you did then. These two LL songs do that for me. The sparseness of their production – a la early Run-DMC & Beasties (who were also produced by Rick Rubin) – brings up images of the clothing and the dances. The lyrical content & delivery bring back that feeling of someone speaking directly to me in a way no one else had. I can only feel those things with songs I haven’t heard as frequently. The great thing about great music is that, no matter how many times you listen to it, it’s always good. And quite often the more you listen to it, the better it gets. It’s how I absorb music. It’s how I create music. You may have heard one of my songs once. You may have liked it. I can tell you this: Listen again. And again. And even again. You won’t just like it. You’ll understand it. You might even love it. Here’s a song clearly inspired by LL and that era, with a lyrical theme that says the same damn thing: REC - “The Power of Repetition (Everlasting)” (from the album Syncopy for the Weird ) What classic hip-hop were you into? What songs of ANY genre do you consider special to you because you DON’T hear them all the time? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E11 · Fri, January 08, 2021
The OTHER Slow Burn - 10,000 Maniacs & Black-Eyed Susan | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #11
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Remember Lilith Fair? Remember how it was the “first” time that women in rock were famous and getting respect, and how that would change everything? That attitude pretty much summed up all of the 1990s. I still have huge nostalgia for that decade, and I do believe lots of important issues were brought to the forefront in every field. I’m not even going to knock the fact that there was actual progress being made. But as with all growth, what we thought of as the be all end all of revolutions pales in comparison to the strides that were made after. And what we forget is that there were significant growth steps even before certain issues gained more popularity. The whole point of this tangent is to remind you that there were women in rock doing sensitive music before the 1990s – ummm Joni Mitchell & Carole King anyone??? – and that even in the big flashy 1980s, there were plenty of women holding their own with the Springsteens & Princes & U2s. I’ve always followed women in music. I respected Patti Smith & Stevie Nicks, liked Pat Benatar & Joan Jett & Chrissie Hynde, loved the Bangles and the Go-Go’s, and had a secret thing for Siouxsie Sioux. And don’t even get me started on the Riot Grrrl scene in the 1990s, or Hole or the Breeders. For the late 1980s, though, my two go-to women were Edie Brickell and Natalie Merchant. At some point, everyone needs antidotes to what they normally listen to. It keeps the ears & brain fresh. To counter all the reverb-y bombast of the late 1980s, I chose among others 10,000 Maniacs. This here album was their first to gain widespread recognition – mainly for the songs “What’s the Matter Here?”, “Like the Weather”, and the Cat Stevens cover “Peace Train”. The main showcase of course was Natalie – for her vocals, her songwriting, and her ability to choose & own cover tunes. They’re the strengths that would carry the Maniacs to even bigger success in the early 1990s, and Natalie Merchant to EVEN BIGGERER success in the mid-late 1990s. There are a bunch of mellow songs of mine that take a page from all this sensitive, laid back stuff. You can hear it most prominently on my mid 1990s home EP, Black-Eyed Susan – especially the title song and the opening track “Higher Ground Again”. Here’s a link to the whole thing: Black-Eyed Susan (EP) - https://soundcloud.com/recarea/sets/black-eyed-susan I remember liking most of the album, and playing it frequently on my dorm room turntable. I’d say my favorite is probably “Like the Weather”. Who are some of your favorite women in rock, from any era? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to
S1 E10 · Fri, January 08, 2021
Ya Gotta Understand ... it was High School - Agent Orange & "In Your Dreams Tonight" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #10
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE When you’re in high school, you’re looking for two wildly divergent things. First, you’re looking to belong. That’s different for everyone – and as the practically-a-documentary The Breakfast Club taught us, where you belong can be entirely up to you. The point is finding like-minded people one way or another, so you’re not a total outcast or adrift on a sea of isolation. Second, you’re looking for your identity. You want to know who you really are, and how deeply that’s driven is based on so many factors, not the least of which is how comfortable you are with the truth. I DO NOT have a deep nostalgia for any of my school years. So many great things happened, and I’m grateful for the people who still mean something to me, but I have no desire to revisit any year prior to college. What I DO have a nostalgia for is the music, and how & why I was into it. Agent Orange was one of SEVERAL artists my great friend Mike Smith (not his real name … actually it’s totally his real name) got me into, along with U2, Violent Femmes, Husker Du, even Bowie. Mike and the music we listened to served BOTH of the above purposes: he & they gave me a sense of belonging, of not being alone in my quirky & edgy & soft & eclectic tastes; and they also helped me to define all those individualistic qualities for myself. I was an academic star & music/theater performer on the surface, but deep down I was a rage-filled, confused, anti-social, sex-crazed teen, trying so hard to both acknowledge and suppress all that all at once. It sucked – thus why I don’t care to revisit the era. But as with SO MANY eras, the music that comforted and defined and saved me will always be precious. Oh yeah, so the actual music. They were one of the first surf punk bands, straight out of Southern Cal. Their name shows how early they formed (1979), as the Viet Nam War was still a HUGE presence at the time. Surf punk is still a vibrant thing in 2020 (Wavves anyone?), and a whole bunch of non-punk bands have incorporated it into their shite as well. To be able to combine the bright ebullience of surf rock with the dark power of punk is a great thing, and again up my alley because of the chiaroscuro-ness of it. I’ve done a good handful of songs like this, but the OBVIOUS CHOICE for this week’s Nick/REC song is an ACTUAL AGENT ORANGE COVER. From this here album, the breakout hit “In Your Dreams Tonight”. I took it in a shoegaze downbeat emo direction, cuz ain’t no reason to recreate an absolute classic: REC - “In Your Dreams Tonight” (from the album Syzygy for the Weird ) Other than that track and “It’s In Your Head”, I can’t begin to pick favorites. The whole album works for me. <p
S1 E9 · Fri, January 08, 2021
The Five Phases of CHICAGO - DEVOLUTION Sucks & "One Minute Shy of Forever" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #9
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There have been many Chicagos. As with most bands, people tend to know their most commercially successful period. But the 1980s was actually their FOURTH phase, in my estimation (don’t get me started on sub-phases or we’ll be here all year). PHASE ONE (1967-74) was all about fusion & eclecticism and experimentation. Just about any type of music that was respected or popular, Chicago tried. Jazz, classical, blues, funk, heavy rock, light rock, progressive rock, pop, folk, political, Latin, free form, spoken word, electronic. It was all there. They followed up their first THREE DOUBLE ALBUMS with a QUADRUPLE album, then two shorter ones, then another double album. They were a true prog-rock band. And so much of it was done so well. PHASE TWO (1975-77) was them getting tighter & focusing more on singles. They still had lots of the above elements, but more & more they were being used in the service of shorter songs. This was also their first true commercial height, and saw Cetera take more of the hit lead vocals than the other two main vocalists – Robert Lamm & Terry Kath. PHASE THREE (1978-80) was them just trying to stay afloat after the death of the incomparable Terry Kath (one of the greatest guitarists of all time so stop what you’re doing and look him up RIGHT NOW). They dabbled in disco. They had a revolving door of replacement guitarists/vocalists, some of which took them in a Cheap Trick-y direction. There are some hidden gems here, but not much of it worked. PHASE FOUR (1982-91) was the money phase. New producer. Outside songwriting help. The ascendance and eventual defection of Pistol Pete Cetera. The uber polishing of their jammy jazz-funk tendencies into mass marketable mega hits. It was a true make AND break period. They managed to keep the hits coming years after Cetera (and drummer Danny Seraphine) left. But if Phase 3 didn’t adequately display how they were losing their direction AND their soul, Phase 4 sure did seal that deal. PHASE FIVE (1995-present) has been them wandering in the wilderness – continuing to cash in on their history and their still incredible live show presence, while pumping out the holy trinity of dreck: unremarkable jazz standards covers albums, overproduced Christmas albums, and supremely subpar originals. Rarely have they come close to any of their prime periods (Phases 1, 2 & 4), other than maybe when the worked with Lenny Kravitz in the late 1990s. And yet I’m still a fan. I’m a loyalist to death. I’ll keep listening. I’ll keep hoping something sparks them to stop trying to be so commercial and get back to their roots, even as original members continue to retire and are replaced by soulless session veterans. Why? Because they des
S1 E8 · Fri, January 08, 2021
The FUTURE was THEN - "Pac-Man Fever' & "Korean Pop Song" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #8
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE If you didn’t live it, you can’t feel it. The title track of this album was 100% accurate. While video games had been a craze for a few years, when Pac-Man was introduced in 1980, everyone went Berserk (pun intended – this was another arcade game released in 1980, and was almost always near or right beside the Pac-Man machine. Plus it’s the inspiration for the last song on this album.). Before Fortnite, before Minecraft, before Grand Theft Auto, before Doom, before even Super Mario – Pac-Man fever was the craze that started it all. Yes, Atari and Pong before that staked claims to some feverishness, but Pac-Man set the standard for all future temperature spikes. I have been a huge video game fan since I got the Atari 2600 for Christmas back in 1977. I mostly play on my phone now, though occasionally play Switch games with my kids. Back then it was two things: hours in front of the TV with my joystick; and getting dumped at an arcade with my bro anytime my parents wanted some chill time alone – we loved it. Whatever the console or format or adrenalin delivery system, video games have been in my mix just about every week of my life for 40+ years. It’s no wonder that I went super nuts when my obsession merged with my first love: music. No one is claiming anything on Buckner & Garcia’s album is genius – it was clearly cashing in on a trend. It cashed in big time with two million plus selling singles – the title track and “Do the Donkey Kong”. And it’s better than you might remember. I gotta give a shoutout to “Froggy’s Lament” & “Ode To A Centipede” too – Frogger & Centipede were huge games back then. Each song on this album was a tribute to one of the hot video/arcade games of the time, and all were equally cheesy fun. Listening back again, it sounds like each song was also meant to mimic other hot bands at the time, which is kinda cool to hear. Another cool fact is that Jerry Buckner (who’s still alive) cowrote the theme song to Wreck-It Ralph. My old band Ape Café did a KICK-ASS live version of “Pac-Man Fever”. And now & then I’ll include a cheesy-type cover in my live sets. As far as writing & recording, though, I don’t really do novelty or tribute songs. But a few of my tunes that have that feel. I did theme songs for two movies I co-produced with my former film company that were both very tribute-y (“This End Up” and “Lock-Load-Love” – look them up on YouTube!). As far as a tune from one of my albums, “KPS” fits the bill. It’s a tribute to K-Pop, and features some distinctly video game-y sounds. REC - “Korean Pop Song” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) Favorites are all of Side One, and Side Two track 2 & 4?<
S1 E7 · Fri, January 08, 2021
There are ALWAYS NEW CLASSICS - Wham! & "Up All Day" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #7
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Music & nostalgia are SO closely linked. You can hear a song and it immediately takes you back to when you first heard it. You feel what you felt then, or a slightly bittersweet/painful echo laced with fondness. For you, that song is classic, and will always mean something. Christmas season is the best time of year to get nostalgic. It’s when all the old chestnuts get dusted off and played everywhere and all the time. I have a killer Spotify Christmas playlist, and it has everything from old classics to obscure but awesome to left-filed funkiness to new classics. One thing I love best about Xmas, and music in general, is that everyone is always looking for classics – for those songs that feel good every time you hear them. And the great thing about that is that there are ALWAYS MORE. When I was a kid, Rankin Bass songs and Ella and Elvis and all those were classic Christmas to me. Then along came “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, and little did we all know a new classic was born. It’s played every year, somewhere, for better or worse. Everyone these days probably also knows John Lennon’s AND Paul McCartney’s Xmas hits. They’re now both classics. Mariah Carey takes the cake on this one, with an INSTANT classic released in the almost-as-ancient year of 1994. Along with all those and way more is a track from this week’s album, “Last Christmas”. It’s been remade & even turned into a movie, but no doubt we’ll always prefer & love the original. It’s a modern era classic. We had no idea then how soaring George Michael’s career would be – what a genius he was, and how tragic the rest of his life would become. But Wham! was beloved from the very beginning. Music from the Edge of Heaven was their third album, and by then they’d already had several hit singles, ALL of which would be left in the dust by George Michael’s string of solo successes. I loved Wham!, but I REALLY loved his solo work. Faith was the first CD I ever bought, and it was gigantically influential. It showed me you could be a singer/songwriter without having to sound like one – you could craft dynamic pop music with multiple influences, built on well written & heartfelt songs. That’s pretty much my entire career. You can hear a pretty heavy Wham! – or at least George Michael – influence on the track below. A soulful pop ballad with solid writing & somewhat quirky production. REC - “Up All Day” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) Favorites are Tracks 1, 3, 4 & of course 8. What songs do you consider modern day classics? Are there songs RIGHT NOW that you think will become classics? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The e
S1 E6 · Thu, January 07, 2021
Can't Be IGNORED - Run-D.M.C. and "The Power of Repetition" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #6
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE There are albums that shake the earth. Everyone’s got at least one that, after you listen to it, your world can never be the same. Of the couple dozen that changed my existence, this one here I just can’t ignore any longer. I’ve been sifting through my LP collection these past months, pulling out releases at random, and I knew I couldn’t get to this one until I was ready. I had three copies of Run-D.M.C.’s debut album. Anyone old enough to remember that period can probably guess why. For everyone else, here’s the deal. I was a DJ for years, back when you had to carry crates and two turntables and two cassette players and a mixer and a mic and all that. My partner, Mike Smith, and I DJed a bunch of parties & dances, even made actual non-metaphorical mixtapes. We also loved to perform ourselves (you heard us last Saturday doing an original rap song), and our two go-to bands to cover were the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. (who toured together and were actually quite good friends for a while). If we just wanted to play the tracks, we used one good copy of the album. If we wanted to mix them, we needed a second copy to do the scratching – which in my case unfortunately led to me ACTUALLY SCRATCHING the vinyl. (I wasn’t winning any hip-hop awards.) If we wanted to PERFORM them, we needed the instrumental versions, which back then they sold in certain stores where DJs would buy shit from. (Mike & I often went to Chestnut Street in Philly to get our stuff.) So three copies. And it was appropriate that I owned that many of this album. When it came out, my entire neighborhood went crazy. There was the dude who was amazing at popping & locking. Then there were the dudes who could memorize and rap all the lyrics to all the songs. That was my brother & me. I think I was Run and he was D.M.C. We had our favorite cuts for sure, but basically we could perform the whole album front to back. I had gotten into rap (later AKA hip-hop) before – “Apache”, Kurtis Blow, “Planet Rock”, etc. – but when this album came out, it sealed the deal. From then on, hip-hop was a part of my life and my musical development. I started writing rap lyrics when I was a teen, and hip-hop as a genre – or at least a production influence – has been a part of my go-to suite ever since. The song I shared last Saturday is possibly the earliest recorded evidence, and the song below from this year is the latest: REC - “The Power of Repetition (Everlasting)” (from the album Synocpy for the Weird) Relistening to this album, I can tell you I ain’t picking favorites. The whole thing rocks. But if I HAD TO, I’d pick “It’s Like That” & “Sucker MCs”. Do you have a favorite hip-hop a
S1 E5 · Thu, January 07, 2021
The SLOW BURN - Talking Heads & "Make Me Mic My Mouth" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #5
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE I never really knew much about Talking Heads. They were one of those peripheral bands for me – floating in and out of my field of vision depending on my mood & taste timing out right with what they were releasing. Lately I’ve been discovering more about them because I’ll be heading out to see David Byrne’s show in NYC soon, and saw an awesome new tune of his on Colbert. It piqued my interest. Byrne & Talking Heads have always been their own thing. Not quite post punk or New Wave or world music or experimental or pop. Pretty much all of those things at once, and more. Not everything they’ve done is my deal, but when a song of theirs hits me it hits hard. (“Once in a Lifetime” from this album is a perfect example.) Anyone who’s been following along knows I have a soft spot for music that was produced roughly around 1977/8-1982/4. Tighter than what came before, yet still had crisp open-air ambience, and not as bombastic as what came after. This album is no exception. It’s got a hell of a range, but the tight production values really keep it together, and allow the ambient funky world weirdness to really shine. Funny thing about Talking Heads. They were always respected. Every album they released is considered good/great. Yet their first FIVE albums really only had ONE successful song each. Their commercial breakthrough didn’t happen until 1983, and their best-selling album was in 1985 – TEN YEARS after they formed. They were ahead of the curve, or totally off the curve – probably didn’t give a damn about the curve – so it makes sense it would take a while for public tastes to catch up. Yet unlike other bands with a similar trajectory, when Talking Heads hit they stuck, and never really went away. Sometimes weird becomes its own hook, and when David Byrne does weird, he makes it sticky. I don’t do a ton of out-and-out weird – I like to sprinkle it in everywhere to keep things interesting no matter how many times you listen. TH’s kind of eclecticism is off my center, but it still had its influence, especially in the ability to write about existential shit, produce in quirky ways, and wrap it all up in a yummy hooky beaty burrito. This song has all that: REC - "Make Me Mic My Mouth” (from the album Syzygy for the Weird ) Favorites are: Side one Track 2, and Side two Tracks 1 & 2. What’s your take on all this? Or what band do you love that had a slow burn kind of career. Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https:/
S1 E4 · Thu, January 07, 2021
How Do You Discover Music Today? - Royal Crescent Mob's Spin the World | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #4
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Ever walk through a bookstore and not really know what you want, and while you’re browsing you find a book that catches your interest enough to buy it? That same thing happened to me a lot when walking through Tower or Full Circle or Sam Goody. Usually I’d go into a store knowing exactly what I wanted, and needing to get it NOW or I’d start to itch. Sometimes I’d browse new shit and feel the urge to throw a curve ball into my collection. I’ve always been restless for the new, and never want to miss out on something that might change my way of thinking about music, or at least make me feel good listening to it. Some of those finds ended up becoming lifelong love affairs. Others were one-time fancies that I was so glad I took the time to discover. And a small handful of others were total duds that felt like wasted time & money – YES I take this music shit seriously 😊. Royal Crescent Mob fell firmly into the second category. They were a band I always thought was from the West Coast, because they sounded like cousins to RHCP & Fishbone – funky punky rock, but with a spoonful of East Coast’s G. Love & Special Sauce. So I guess it makes sense they were actually from Columbus, Ohio. I haven’t heard any of this album in 30 years, so I listened in on YouTube to refresh my memory. I can see why I liked them enough to keep the album all these years, but not so much that I ever bought anything else by them. They had a laid-back crunchiness that shirked pop sensibilities & took them places I didn’t go until a few years later. Timing be everything! Still, they’re a band that deserves a second listen, especially the tunes below. I need me the funk, the punk, the pop, the rock, and the WEIRD. This song of mine has pretty much all of those elements: REC - "Some Things Happen” (from the album Parts and Labour ) Favorites are: “Big Show”, “Hungry”, “Corporation Enema”, “Nanana”, “Going to the Hospital” How do YOU discover random new music these days? Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
S1 E3 · Thu, January 07, 2021
Irreverent Reverence - Four Albums by The Dead Milkmen | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #3
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Philadelphia – my old hometown – has a rich musical history, and every few years there’s a buzz about the scene there (NOW? - look up Mannequin Pussy). When I was a teen, the Philly area had some major acts either making their name then (The Hooters, Joan Jett, Robert Hazard & the Heroes) or starting out on their way to major success later (Boys II Men, Will Smith, The Roots, Live). I was immersed in the present and the possible. And like most of music fandom in Philly, I had a hunger for good music of any kind. The Dead Milkmen are from Philly. Their first four albums were huge in my life during high school and college. I saw them several times live, usually in and around South Street. I loved how they were/are both punk AND meta-punk, killing the punk/surf-punk style while commenting on and sending it up at the same time, and throwing in whatever other genres (dance, pop, folk, hard rock) they felt like using. They had the punk “disdain” for hippies down from the get-go, even though by then the either/or division was old news. So they made fun of hippies AND made fun of making fun of hippies. Punk and meta-punk. They’ve been through tons of ups & downs: their initial cult-to-chart years; their declining major label years; their hiatus and the tragic suicide of Dave Blood; and their reforming (yay!) a little over a decade ago. Their music from the last five years is better than it’s ever been. Like Philly (and me), they don’t quit. They’re always ready to come back for more, whether as underdogs, veterans, or stars. Like them, I’ve always been both directly in the mix and way out of it. It means my/our music is often on trend AND observational about what’s going on, and has lots of genre-hopping & experimentation. This is why our music is both so vibrant & so hard to pin down. What I got from the Milkmen (among other bands) was what I call “irreverent reverence” – honoring or working within a style, but not feeling beholden to it, even to the point of commenting on or poking at it. Lyrics can be outwardly or subtly funny, openly or cleverly jabbing. Here are two recent examples that fit all that: REC - "The Garden” (from the album Sympathy for the Weird ) REC - “Xmiss” (from the album The Sunshine Seminar ) Favorites are: BLIimBY: “Beach Song”, “Big Lizard”, “Bitchin’ Camaro”, “Right Wing Pigeons”; EYP: “Beach Party Vietnam”, “The Thing that Only Eats Hippies”; virtually all of Bucky Fellini; Beelzebubba: “Brat in the Frat”, “I Walk the Thinnest Line”, “Punk Rock Girl”, “Smokin’ Banana Peels”. This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easi
S1 E2 · Thu, January 07, 2021
BOY What a First Album! - U2's Debut Album Boy | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #2
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE Here’s another Top 5 band – I’m sure typical for people who came of age in the 1980s. Once again, I was introduced to U2 by a good high school friend of mine, and afterwards dug into their back catalog to devour everything I could. Like The Cure, like Joy Division/New Order, like The Jam, like PIL and so many others, U2 was post punk. Lots of definitions & subgenres for this, but for me the post punk I responded to most was rhythmic, ambient, crisp, sparse, melodic, emotional, both organic AND electronic, both pop AND experimental. U2 was another band that showed me what’s possible. They had a reverence for what existed in the mid 1970s, and for what came before, but made their own rules about how to interpret all that and make it their own – which they did from the very beginning. It’s fascinating to me to see how, even when an artist is not yet fully formed, their earliest incarnations are still “them”. You can 100% hear the uniqueness of their take on music, their personality & quirks. You can hear where they come from, and get a strong sense of where they ended up going. ALL of the later U2 elements are present in their early work – all the elements at the end of the first paragraph above. They would emphasize some & de-emphasize others. They’d get better at some and leave behind others. They’d bring in some new elements here & there. But in general they are still U2, in the same way the Stones are still the Stones. Just like how we’re discovering together through my Song for Saturday retro posts that all the elements I have in my music have been present for decades. Life is ever-changing and ever-samey. So cool. When I was in college, my friend Ralph Colombino had a band that almost got signed. They did some originals, and a bunch of covers from the likes of The Who and U2. I co-produced a music night, which also featured me doing an original and a cover on keys – my only proficient instrument at the time other than my voice. Ralph’s band played, and in their set was “I Will Follow”, one of my favorite songs from this album, from U2, and all-time. Their drummer did not bring his rug, or anything to keep his kit from sliding across the floor as he pounded the kick. So I volunteered on the spot to sit in front of the kick drum, hands on ears, and make sure they could get through their couple of songs unhindered. THAT’s what I’d do for music. U2’s influence is all over my work. Here’s a song that a friend of mine immediately name checked U2 on, much to my delight: REC - “Little White Lies” - (from the album Distance To Empty ) Favorites are: SIDE ONE tracks 1, 3/4 (they run together), 5; and SIDE TWO tracks 1, 3, 5. Discuss dammit! This episo
S1 E1 · Wed, January 06, 2021
The CURE for WHAT AILED ME - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #1
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE The CURE for What Ailed Me - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (The Cure - 1987) Let’s get this out of the way first. The Cure ranks top 5 for me. When I discovered them back in the mid ‘80s, they became instant soul mates. Like Prince & U2 – two other top 5-ers, they were just about 10 years older than I, and from the get-go showed me my musical future. Each one represented a way of digesting many influences and spitting out the results in a way that had emotional depth, musical intelligence, innovation & accessibility. They showed me what good, brainy pop music could be. In the case of The Cure, I learned it could be vulnerable, a little twee, dark, playful, frivolous, sonically rich and catchy all at once. While their Head on the Door album would become my all-time fave, and Disintegration is probably a better album as well, it’s Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me that came out of the gate first. I latched onto it the very Tuesday it was released, and never let go. It mixed elements of goth, pop, college rock, punk, electro & northern soul into a double-album soup that yielded three big singles: “Hot Hot Hot!!!” – a dance club fave; “Why Can’t I Be You?” – a quintessential Cure song in so many ways, and at the time the biggest of these three; and “Just Like Heaven” – a song that has endured beyond the other two, has been covered tons, and is not only one of their best, but one of the best of the 1980s and the entire modern era. There are dozens of songs of mine that have been influenced by The Cure, especially lyrically. Both sonically & lyrically, no song of mine comes closer than one I still perform live today: REC - “Break You” (from the album Parts and Labour ) Ain’t no way I’m picking favorites – the list is too long. So instead I’ll highlight a much lesser-known track that has every Cure element I mentioned in the first paragraph, and is just hands down beautiful. And that is Side B Track 2 – “How Beautiful You Are”. I urge you to listen to my song above, and then this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s08jD3E6Mpg . You’ll be glad you did. Discuss dammit! This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support
loading...