Completely Conspicuous 577: Hang 'Em High

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we discuss rock stars and retirement. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

- Recorded recently via Skype

- David Lee Roth recently announced his retirement

- Should more aging rock stars retire?

- Robert Plant isn't trying to be the Golden God anymore

- Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford can still deliver high-energy metal performances

- Shut it down, Clapton

- Ozzy's been doing retirement tours for 30 years

- KISS keeps playing "final" tours

- DLR actually predicted his retirement in a 1991 video

- Jay: Never saw Dave play with VH

- VH changed the hard rock game

- Dave and Sammy are different kinds of clowns

- Dave only did a few solo albums after 1991

- DLR's image radically changed as his looks did

- Bands keep touring into their 70s and 80s

- Grant Hart looked pretty rough toward the end of his life, but kept touring

- Similar to athletes who don't know when to hang it up

- Ringo Starr has the right idea: Let the young guys do the heavy lifting

- Ozzy and Sharon have had issues with writing credits

- To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts and anywhere else you get podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous 576: One Tree Hill

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about our favorite music of 1987. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

- Recorded in the backyard of CompCon HQ

- Jay's non-top 5 albums: Terence Trent D'Arby, Pixies, The Cure, Prince (The Black Album), Sonic Youth, Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses

- It's easier to listen to bro-country or classic rock than look for new music these days

- Phil's #5: GNR's debut took a few years to really take off

- Jay's #5:  The Cult goes for a hard rock sound

- Jay's #4 and Phil's #1: U2 with a massive mainstream breakthrough

- Phil's #3: The Cure with a killer double album

- Jay's #3: R.E.M.'s last album on IRS, embracing a big rock sound

- Phil's #2: The Grateful Dead go mainstream

- Jay's #2: The Replacements' last great album

- Jay's #1 and Phil's #4: Prince tries out many styles, makes social commentary

- Favorite songs: "One Tree Hill" (Phil), "Sign O' the Times" (Jay)

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous 575: Everybody Wang Chung Tonight

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about our favorite music of 1987. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

- Recorded in the backyard of CompCon HQ

- In '87, Phil was 17 going on 18, Jay was 19 going on 20

- The Bangles had the #1 single of the year with "Walk Like An Egyptian"

- Another big year for movie soundtracks

- A lot of female pop artists hit big

- Jay: Concerts I saw included Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Motley Crue, Jon Butcher Axis and U2

- Phil: Saw INXS, U2 twice, Sting, Smithereens

- Bruce Willis released an album

- Starship churns out the crap

- Many bands changed their sound in the '80s to stay "relevant"

- Phil's non-top 5 albums: INXS, Hoodoo Gurus, the Smiths, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr., Jane's Addiction, Midnight Oil, 10,000 Maniacs, George Harrison, Sinead O'Connor, Bowie, The Tragically Hip

- The meteoric rise and quick decline of INXS

- That time Husker Du went on the Joan Rivers Show

- To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.