Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 304: Freedom of Choice

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1980. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Brian: 1980 was a much better year for music than our last choice, '87
- Jay: Was living in Toronto in '80
- Brian: Was -2 years old, but really dig the music of 1980
- Jay: New wave and post-punk really came into their own: B-52s, Talking Heads, U2, Pretenders
- Brian: Arena rock bands like Queen and Rush took different paths
- New sounds on the radio
- Brian: Guitar rock was strong with VH, Ozzy, Sabbath, AC/DC
- Poor Bob Daisley
- New Wave of British Heavy Metal: Maiden, Leppard, Motorhead all influenced thrash scene that emerged a few years later
- Worst musical moments: Wuss rock like Christopher Cross and Air Supply thrived
- Brian: Blues Brothers movie came out
- Put spotlight on music that was considered unhip at the time
- Early hip-hop in the mainstream: Kurtis Blow, Blondie's "Rapture," Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"
- The Clash were incredibly prolific: London Calling and Sandinista! both came out within less than a year
- The crumminess of Cut the Crap
- Worst musical moment: John Lennon was killed
- Other deaths included John Bonham, Bon Scott, Ian Curtis, Darby Crash
- Death of the Beatles: John killed, Paul was busted, George's album was held up, Ringo was wasted
- Led Zeppelin also broke up in 1980
- Trading hockey cards for a Rush album is uniquely Canadian
- Soundtrack of Decline of Western Civilization came out in late '80 - To be continued

Music:
Calories - DMT
Shearwater - A Wake for the Minotaur
Mark Kozelek - I Know

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Calories song is on the album Calories III. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.
The Shearwater song is on the album Fellow Travelers on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at The Current.
The Mark Kozelek song is on the compilation album You Be My Heart benefiting 826 National. Download the song for free at GLGPub.com.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 303: Mellow Yellow

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we discuss a pair of 1970s hitmakers. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ
- "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree"
- Tony Orlando and Dawn got their own variety show
- Telma Hopkins of Dawn went on to appear in several sitcoms
- Renewed popularity during Gulf War
- Actually about coming home from prison
- Was "Knock Three Times" a swingers' anthem?
- By the late '70s, Tony Orlando was forgotten
- "He Don't Love You" was another big hit
- In praise of KC and the Sunshine Band
- Tales of KC's pratfall in Vegas
- "Please Don't Go" was a major hit for KC
- "I'm Your Boogie Man" was funky, great stuff
- Learning about music as a kid in the '70s
- Young Ric saw the Sex Pistols on Howard Cosell's "Saturday Night Live"
- Good bands played on "Fridays" on ABC
- Dick Clark was a brilliant businessman, not necessarily a music lover
- Check out episode 54 of More Lost Time, remembering Charlie Chesterman
- Coming soon: Ric and Jay's video show Trust Fund Challenge
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Little Big League - Lindsey
Soft Focus - Runner Up
Idiot Genes - Regular
Wavves - Horse Shoes

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Little Big League song is on the self-released album These Are Good People. Download the song for free on Bandcamp.
The Soft Focus song is on the EP Day. Download the EP for free at Bandcamp.
The Idiot Genes song is on the album Lousey. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.
The Wavves song was released as a one-off single. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 302: Lights Out

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we discuss an unlikely number one single from 1973. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click or "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ
- Talking about Vicki Lawrence's "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia"
- We forgot to watch the movie
- Was a hit in '73, not '71
- Written by Bobby Russell
- Lawrence was already a regular on The Carol Burnett Show
- Later starred in Mama's Family and her own talk show
- Very confusing story song about murder and infidelity
- Song was offered to Cher but Sonny Bono nixed it
- Later covered by Reba McEntire
- Ric: Should've been an animated movie with animals
- Revenge and death throughout
- We're confused
- Casey Kasem would've been annoyed
- Bobby Russell had two top 40 songs of his own
- "1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero" hit #36
- Could've used an oompah band
- Satire on suburban life
- "Saturday Morning Confusion" got up to #28 in 1971
- Merging Charlie Rich and Harry Nilsson
- Ric: This guy might be a genius
- Next up: Tony Orlando and Dawn
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Pixies - Indie Cindy
Quasi - You Can Stay But You Got to Go
The Julie Ruin - Oh Come On
Ghost Wave - Here She Comes

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Pixies song is on the self-released EP-1.
The Quasi song is on the album Mole City on Kill Rock Stars.
The Julie Ruin song is on the album Run Fast on TJR Records.
The Ghost Wave song is on the album Ages on Flying Nun Records. All four songs can be downloaded for free at KEXP.


The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 301: The Horror! The Horror!

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss horror flicks and rooting for the bad guy. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Movies we watched before we were ready
- Jay: Psycho at age 8
- Matt: Monster movies always freaked him out
- The reinvention of Jackie Earle Haley
- Swamp Thing vs. Man-Thing
- Sympathizing with unsympathetic characters
- Liam Neeson is the new Charles Bronson
- Watch out for giant deformed hillbillies
- Cool TV shows that didn't last long
- American Horror Story is pretty wacky
- Bates Motel is good
- Rooting for the charismatic bad guy: Tony Soprano, Vic Mackey, Loki
- Bad guy roles are more fun to play
- Watching crappy movies like 2012
- Amazing acting on In Treatment
- The varied and great career of the Coen Brothers
- Cormac McCarthy, horror writer?
- Stephen King keeps adding to old books
- Matt wearing clown makeup scares people
- People like to be scared
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Fu Manchu - Robotic Invasion
Pissed Jeans - Cathouse
JEFF the Brotherhood - Melting Place

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Fu Manchu song is on the EP Scion AV Presents Fu Manchu and Moab. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
The Pissed Jeans song is on the album Honeys on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at SubPop.com.
The JEFF the Brotherhood song is on the compilation Garage Swim. Download the song for free at Adult Swim.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.