Completely Conspicuous 370: Above the Din

This week, it's my conversation with Bryan Hamill about how music discovery has evolved over the years. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at a noisy pub in Cambridge, Mass.
- Check out Bryan's blog The Ash Gray Proclamation
- Pre-gaming prior to Swervedriver show
- Bryan used to find out about music from radio (WBCN, WFNX) and magazines
- The inevitable teenage metal phase
- Older brother introduced him to bands like the Neighborhoods and the Replacements
- Record reviews and tips from friends were important
- Boston rock scene was pivotal, then and now
- Worked in radio for several years
- Started blog 9 years ago to champion indie rock scene
- Scours Soundcloud, Twitter, Spotify for new music
- Major labels are less important now
- Nobody plays indie rock on radio other than college stations
- Bands make money through playing shows and selling merch
- Records sales are no longer a factor
- Tips from publicists and bands
- Bands don't have to compromise because chances of success are slight
- As a teen, found music by combing through stacks at record stores
- Boston still has great clubs to see new music
- Corporatization of radio is bad for everyone
- Rock is niche music now
- As a genre, rock is in a down cycle

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

Completely Conspicuous 258: The Year in Rock Music, Part 1

Part 1 of my conversation with guests Jay Breitling and Mike Piantigini as we review our favorite music of 2012. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
Show notes:
- Recorded at Clicky Clicky world HQ
- Brought to you (not really) by Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
- MP: Saw a lot of older bands this year
- JK: First full album show I saw was Cheap Trick doing "In Color" in '97
- Chloe B. talks about Rudolph
- JB: Most of my favorite albums this year were self-released
- The 12/12/12 benefit had some good performances, especially by The Who
- MP: The Who's Quadrophenia concert was great
- The McCartney-"Nirvana" song was decent
- Praising the Low Times podcast
- JK: "I Want My MTV" is an excellent book
- MP: Favorite live shows included Scud Mountain Boys, New Multitudes, Archers of Loaf
- MP: Also reunions of Small Factory, Human Sexual Response, Fuzzy
- JB: Fave live shows were Johnny Foreigner, Infinity Girl, Autochrome, Midriff Records 10th Anniversary show
- JK: Fave live shows included Afghan Whigs, Bob Mould, Mark Lanegan, Matthew Sweet, Sloan
- The glory days of getting free stuff at college radio stations
- Breitling's #10 album
- Piantigini's #10
- Kumar's #10
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Sloan - Merry Xmas Everybody
Infinity Girl - Taking Nothing
Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots a UFO

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

The Sloan song is available for free download (in return for your email address) from Topspin.
The Infinity Girl song is on the EP Just Like Lovers, which is available for free download at Bandcamp. 
The Guided By Voices song is on the album Class Clown Spots a UFO on Guided By Voices/Fire Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
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