Completely Conspicuous 156: At the Edge of the Scene

This week on the podcast, it's part 2 of my conversation with special guest Matt Phillion as we discuss the making of his new indie film Certainly Never. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



Topics:

- Scheduling filming is a tricky art

- Sometimes you have to cut scenes you like

- Distribution: Film festivals, Netflix, hoping to create indie buzz

- "Chasing the unicorn"

- Directing is Matt's film school

- Movie was Matt's most satisfying and most draining accomplishment

- Salem hotel thought crew was filming ghost hunter TV show

- Crew became close-knit group after filming

- Dealing with bystanders

- Now Matt's returning favors by acting in other folks' projects

- Putting together the soundtrack

- Missed all deadlines for 2010 festivals

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Twilight Singers - On the Corner

Middle Brother - Me, Me, Me

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - No

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Twilight Singers song is on the forthcoming album Dynamite Steps on Sub Pop Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Middle Brother song is from the band's self-titled album on Partisan Records, where the song was given away for free as part of a Christmas promotion.

The Ryan Adams and the Cardinals song is on the double album III/IV on Pax-Am Records. Download the song for free at Amazon.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 155: I Turn My Camera On

Special guest Matt Phillion joins me on the podcast to discuss his indie film Certainly Never. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- Enjoy the relaxing sounds of my fish tank in background

- Matt did some acting in school

- Started acting again 5-6 years ago

- Equipment is expensive but affordable

- Matt wrote script for Certainly Never in summer 2009, filmed in summer 2010

- Film was response to Breakfast at Tiffany's

- Film clocks in at 85 minutes

- Basically a second full-time job this summer

- Filmed two weekday nights, every weekend from mid-July to late September

- Matt financed film himself

- Goal for film is to get the actors future work

- Had to replace lead actress because of scheduling conflict

- Hoping to get film in festivals

- Hyper-aware of sound

- Film at a bar when Mercedes commercial crew showed up outside

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

R.E.M. - Discoverer

East River Pipe - Cold Ground

Los Campesinos - Kindle a Flame in Her Heart

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The R.E.M. song is on the forthcoming album Collapse Into Now on Warner Bros. Records. Find out more and download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at R.E.M. HQ.

The East River Pipe song is from the forthcoming album We Live in Rented Rooms on Merge Records. Download the song for free from Merge (right click and "save as").

The Los Campesinos song is a special Christmas tune the band is giving away at its website.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 154: Word Up!

Special guest Dave Brigham joins me again on the podcast for part 2 of our discussion about his new book, "(C)rock Stories: Million-Dollar Tales of Music, Mayhem and Immaturity." Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- One story grew out of trips to see the Butthole Surfers

- Turned into a tale of violence and road-trippin'

- Dave saw the Surfers at the Channel in 1987

- Created (C)rock-related t-shirts for sale

- Slogan is "Rock + Fiction = (C)rock"

- More than 100 bands mentioned in the book

- National Novel Writing Month

- Dave was working on a UFO concept album that started turning into a book

- Gratuitous Humpmuscle Pete reference

- Dave ponders new marketing strategies

- Jay's mom needs to talk to "the Gmail people"

- Look for the book soon: Makes a good Christmas/New Year's/MLK Day present (via Booklocker)

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Dears - Blood

The Drive-By Truckers - Used to be a Cop

J. Mascis - Not Enough

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Dears song is on the forthcoming album Degeneration Street on DangerBird Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Drive-By Truckers song is from the band's forthcoming album Go-Go Boots on ATO Records. Find out more and download the song for free from the band's website.

The J. Mascis song is on his forthcoming album Several Shades of Why on Sub Pop, where you can download the song for free.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 153: Everyday I Write the Book

I'm joined on the podcast by special guest Dave Brigham for part 1 of our discussion about the making of his new book, "(C)rock Stories: Million-Dollar Tales of Music, Mayhem and Immaturity." Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- Book to be published by print-on-demand house Booklocker

- Brick-and-mortar bookstores can order copies

- Ten years in the making

- Dave learns about SEO

- Started with Dave remembering all the bands he'd seen

- Wrote stories based on concert experiences

- Later combined truth and fiction

- Dave hates lame memoirists like James Frey

- Wrote 18 stories initially

- Book should be available for order before Christmas

- Booklocker reviewed book before agreeing to publish it

- Dave's doppelganger: Actor Anthony Edwards

- First stories revolve around Rick Derringer, Foghat

- Narrator reconciles punk rock with love of classic rock

- Book's really about friendships

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Weekend - Coma Summer

Scarce - The Hurricane

The Sheila Divine - We are an Island

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Weekend song is on the album Sports on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free at IODA Promonet:

Weekend
"Coma Summer" (mp3)
from "Sports"
(Slumberland Records)

More On This Album



The Scarce song is a free download released through the band's Reverb Nation page.

The Sheila Divine song is on a free download available from the band's Bandcamp page.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 152: The Year in Rock, Part 3

Special guest Jay Breitling joins me on the podcast for part 3 of our discussion about the best music of 2010. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- Breitling's #1

- Kumar's #1

- Disappointments

- Most anticipated releases of 2011: Destroyer, Dears, Twilight Singers, Johnny Foreigner, Yuck

- Breitling laments the demise of Run DMC

- New Radiohead album?

- Yuck makes a Scorpions video

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Even Heroes Have to Die

Los Campesinos - The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Bottled in Cork

Destroyer - Chinatown

Buffalo Tom - Arise, Watch

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Ted Leo and the Pharmacists songs are on the album The Brutalist Bricks on Matador Records, where you can download the songs for free.

The Los Campesinos song is on the band's album Romance is Boring on Arts and Crafts. The song is courtesy of IODA Promonet:

Los Campesinos!
"The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future" (mp3)
from "Romance Is Boring"
(Arts & Crafts)

Buy at Napster
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album



The Destroyer song is on the forthcoming album Kaputt on Merge Records, where you can download the song for free (right click and "save as").

The Buffalo Tom song is on the forthcoming album Skins on Scrawny 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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 151: The Year in Rock, Part 2

Special guest Jay Breitling joins me on the podcast for part 2 of our discussion of the best music of 2010. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- Breitling's #6

- Breitling schools us on the videogames and such

- Kumar's #6

- Breitling's #5

- eMusic's changing again

- Kumar's #5

- What's the deal with Mumford & Sons?

- Breitling's #4

- Kumar's #4

- Breitling's #3

- Kumar's #3

- Breitling's #2

- Kumar's #2

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Superchunk - Digging for Something

Everyone Everywhere - Obama House, Fukui Prefecture

Walter Schreifels - Arthur Lee's Lullabye

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Superchunk song is on the album Majesty Shredding on Merge Records, where you can download it for free (right click and "save as").

The Everyone Everywhere song is on the band's self-titled album on Tiny Engines. Download it for free courtesy of Clicky Clicky.

The Walter Schreifels song is on the album An Open Letter to the Scene on Dine Alone Records. Download it for free courtesy of Clicky Clicky.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 150: The Year in Rock, Part 1

This week on the podcast, I'm joined by special guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our picks for the best music of 2010. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:




Topics:

- Last show from Casa Breitling in Cambridge

- Going through our top 10 albums for 2010

- Breitling Honorable Mention: Arcade Fire

- Kumar HM: Les Savy Fav

- Breitling HM: Deerhunter, Adebisi Shank, Frightened Rabbit

- Kumar HM: LCD Soundsystem, Drive-By Truckers

- Breitling's #10

- Kumar's #10

- Breitling's #9

- Breitling explains how cassettes work, sort of

- Chloe B. provides background vocals

- Kumar's #9

- Breitling's #8

- Kumar's #8

- Breitling's #7

- Kumar's #7

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Los Campesinos - There are Listed Buildings

Spoon - Written in Reverse

The Henry Clay People - Your Famous Friends

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Los Campesinos song is on the album Romance is Boring on Arts and Crafts. Download the song for free courtesy of IODA Promonet:

Los Campesinos!
"There Are Listed Buildings" (mp3)
from "Romance Is Boring"
(Arts & Crafts)

Buy at Napster
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album



The Spoon song is on the album Transference on Merge Records. Download the song for free courtesy of IODA Promonet:

Spoon
"Written In Reverse" (mp3)
from "Transference"
(Arts & Crafts Mexico)

More On This Album



The Henry Clay People song is on the album Somewhere on the Golden Coast on TBD Records. Download the song for free at Spinner.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 149: Cover Me

Less talk, more rock this week on the podcast as I discuss the fine art of the cover song. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- Covers rarely outshine the originals

- Hendrix made Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" his own

- Jeff Buckley's cover of "Hallelujah" spawned many awful imitators

- American Idol and Glee have made covers more popular than ever

- Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" just won't die

- Tribute albums have grown popular in recent years

- Bonehead of the Week

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 148: Runnin' with the Devil

After a three-week delay, the podcast is back. This week, I share my thoughts before and after running the Baystate Marathon last month. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- The night before the race, I'm feeling pretty confident

- Ran Baystate in 2007 in 3:46

- Hoping to do a little better this time

- Had disastrous run in May at Providence Marathon because of 80-degree heat

- Check back in after the race, driving home

- Struggled with side stitch from mile 9 on

- Weather was perfect

- Taking the spring off from marathons

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Drive-By Truckers - Your Woman is a Living Thing

Wire - Two Minutes

Crystal Castles with Robert Smith - I'm Not in Love

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Drive-By Truckers song was originally released as a single on Record Store Day. The band is giving it away as a free download to its Facebook friends.

The Wire song is on the forthcoming album Red Barked Tree on the band's label Pink Flag, where you can download the song for free.

The Crystal Castles song features Robert Smith of the Cure on vocals and is a cover of a Platinum Blonde song. The remix is available as a single on Fiction 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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 147: Music Geek USA

Amanda Guest joins me on the podcast to discuss music geekdom. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Check out Amanda's show Radioculars on WMWM Saturdays from 3-6 p.m. Eastern at Salem State University

- Amanda: Music geekery started when she got to WMWM

- Parents played radio for her while she was still in a crib

- Amanda's first musical memory: Manilow's "Copacabana"

- Kumar: Remember hearing War and Eric Burdon's "Spill the Wine" as 3-year-old

- As a kid, Amanda dug ABBA and Muppets albums

- Later she got into showtunes like Les Miserables, Cats

- She also liked NKOTB, Bon Jovi, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

- Kumar: Saw Alanis Morisette at the Paradise in '94

- WMWM's sister station is WFNX

- FNX DJ got Amanda into voiceover work

- She recited MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech

- Amanda's geekdom grew as she did radio show each week

- Easier to find more obscure music now

- Music licensing doesn't have same stigma it used to

- Amanda doesn't have too many female friends who are music geeks

- Amanda: Girls don't get as obsessive about music collections

- Guys tend to have much larger music collections

- Amanda won contest to see every concert at Paradise Rock Club in October 2009

- She went to 20 shows, spent 20 to 30 hours a week at the 'Dise that month

- Shows included Bajofondo, Blues Traveler, Bob Mould

- After that month of shows, Amanda took winter off from concertgoing

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Wintersleep - Trace Decay

Yuck - Georgia

Ringo Deathstarr - Imagine Hearts

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Wintersleep song is on the band's album New Inheritors on Tom Kotter Records. Download the song at the band's website.

The Yuck song is on 7-inch release Georgia on Transparent Records. Download the song for free at Force Field PR.

The Ringo Deathstarr song is on the album Colour Trip on Club AC30. Download the song for free at RCRD LBL.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 146: Hey DJ, Play That Song

I'm joined on the podcast by Amanda Guest as we discuss college radio. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Amanda hosts Radioculars Saturdays from 3-6 p.m. Eastern at Salem State University

- Started working at station in 1994

- Amanda was a top 40 fan when got to college

- Station only played indie rock at the time

- Lots of uptalking at first

- First DJ name was Bob, followed by Cosmic Amanda

- First time slot was Tuesdays noon-3

- Later got the "coveted" Friday 6-9 p.m. time slot

- Online streaming means Amanda now has listeners all over the world

- Stuck with Friday nights for several years

- Left SSC and came back in 2000-2001

- Graduated in 2003, but kept doing a show

- Anyone can do a show, but preference is given to students

- Mid-'90s was a great time for music

- Only played noncommercial music, but had a playlist rotation

- Now WMWM is freeform

- Amanda plays indie rock from artists like Surfer Blood, Wavves, Thermals

- College radio has less influence now

- Feedback comes via Facebook, Twitter, IM

- Studio is all digital now; used to be mix of vinyl and CDs

- For a while, Amanda did a '70s disco show

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Twilight Singers (with Ani DiFranco) - The Blackbird and the Fox

The Morning Benders - Outlaw Blues

Gang of Four - Never Pay for the Farm

No Age - Fever Dreaming

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Twilight Singers song is on the band's forthcoming album on Sub Pop Records. Find out more and download the song for free from the band's Internet home page.

The Morning Benders song is on the album Subterranean Homesick Blues: A Tribute to Bob Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home on Reimagine Records. Download the song for free from the band's site.

The Gang of Four song is on the forthcoming album Content on Yep Roc. Download the song for free at Reverb Nation.

The No Age song is on the album Everything in Between on Sub Pop, where you can download the song for free.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 145: Comedy is Not Pretty

Guest Ric Dube joins me on the podcast as we conclude our discussion about comedy. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Appearing on The Tonight Show doesn't have same impact it once did

- Three categories of comedy

- 1) Comics who came up as standups and leave it behind for acting

- 2) Comics who both act and do standup

- 3) New comics who are like indie rockers

- Comedians are getting the word out online, through podcasts, live shows

- The Dane Cook conundrum: his fans aren't necessarily comedy fans

- Howard Stern: Going to satellite meant too much of the dwarves and strippers

- YouTube is a goldmine for comedy fans

- The Onion News Network keeps National Lampoon aesthetic alive

- Ric liked The Onion Movie

- Comedy album is not what it once was

- Dube just bought new Doug Benson album directly from his site

- Adam Carolla does free podcast, sells downloadable live shows

- Sponsored podcasts are similar to 1950s television

- Comedians use online marketing to build their audiences

- Dube: Comedy is still very healthy

- Check out Dube's special comedy episode of More Lost Time

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Eternal Summers - A Salty Salute

Johnny Foreigner - The Most Beautiful Widow

The Thermals - Never Listen to Me

Teenage Fanclub - What You Do to Me

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Eternal Summers song is on the band's new album Silver on Kanine Records. Download the song for free at RCRDLBL.

The Johnny Foreigner song is a Sparklehorse cover the band's label Alcopop! is giving away at Clicky Clicky.

The Thermals song is on the album Personal Life on Kill Rock Stars. Download the song for free at Pitchfork.

The Teenage Fanclub song is on the album Bandwagonesque and the compilation Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds. Download the song for free at Insound.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell; find out more at . Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 144: Keep 'em Laughing

Special guest Ric Dube joins me on the podcast for part 2 of our conversation about comedy. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Ric don't need no Instant Google

- Corporate websites still suck

- As a kid, Dube had a book that reprinted comedy bits

- Early SNL had no respect for structure

- ABC Dunhill released a Gabe Kaplan album after "Welcome Back, Kotter" was a hit

- Making fun of Chinese people was no big deal in the '70s

- Jerry Lewis' terrible comeback flick Hardly Working

- Leno made a crappy buddy cop comedy with Pat Morita

- Dube saw Joe Piscopo and Treat Williams in "Dead Heat" in the theater

- SNL in the '80s was a mixed bag

- Dick Ebersol brought a sports philosophy to SNL

- Lorne Michaels returned in '85-'86 with new blood

- Eddie Murphy's "Comedian" album was one of first comedy albums Kumar bought

- Dube didn't have a problem with the PMRC

- Kumar knew most of the routines on Murphy's album before he actually heard them

- Murphy's more homophobic routines haven't aged well

- Kumar: Didn't enjoy watching raunchy shows on TV with parents

- Dube's dad took 6-year-old Ric to see Jack Lemmon's "Save the Tiger"

- Kumar was able to see Mel Brooks movies as a young kid thanks to lax Canadian movie ratings

- Ric's mom didn't see the psychological impact of "Dumbo" on kids of divorce

- Eddie Murphy's ice cream man bit came true with Ric's son

- Murphy was never the same after he started making music

- More comedic actors nowadays did not get start as standups

- Zach Galifanakis is great standup, good in movies

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Black Angels - Telephone

The Henry Clay People - Switch Kids

Deer Tick - Piece by Piece, Frame by Frame

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Black Angels song is on the band's new album Phosphene Dream on Blue Horizon Records. Download the song for free at the Daily Rind.

The Henry Clay People song is an unreleased track the band is giving away for free.

The Deer Tick song is on the album The Black Dirt Sessions on Partisan Records. Download the song for free at Force Field PR.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 143: Hardy Har Har

Special guest Ric Dube joins me on the podcast as we discuss our comedy influences. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Dube got into standup comedy through listening to albums with his dad

- Johnny Carson's Tonight Show was huge for comedians

- Only three main channels in the '60s and '70s

- Audience is diluted now by cable, DVRs, Internet

- Kumar: Listened to sketch comedy on radio from National Lampoon, Firesign Theater

- Watched SNL, Fridays, SCTV

- Stereos used to be furniture

- Dube's uncle would invite friends over to listen to new comedy LPs

- Kumar: Watched reruns of "Bob Newhart Show" with dad

- Comedy in the '70s went from a social to a solitary experience

- Differing opinions on SCTV

- Kids in the Hall was a brilliant show

- Letterman's 12:30 a.m. NBC show was amazing

- Kumar went to one of the last Letterman shows on NBC; Leno was guest

- Leno was hilarious back in the day

- Marc Maron's podcast features great interview with Judd Apatow

- As 16-year-old, Apatow interviewed Seinfeld, Leno, Shandling about comedy

- Steve Martin's autobiography focuses on standup days

- Martin got a job at Disneyland to get into showbiz

- Apatow started as a busboy in a comedy club

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Japandroids - Heavenward Grand Prix

Marnie Stern - Transparency is the New Mystery

Grinderman - Heathen Child

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Use promo code AFCOMP15 to get 10% off any order of $50 or more at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 to get 15% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com, and AFCOMPFL to get 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Japandroids song is part of the band's ongoing 7-inch single series. Download the song for free at Pitchfork.

The Marnie Stern song is from her eponymous forthcoming album on Kill Rock Stars Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Grinderman song is on the Grinderman 2 album on ANTI Records. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 142: Back to Work

This week on the podcast, it's another installment of Driving with Kumar as I discuss the daily commute. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- We spend a good chunk of our lives commuting

- I've got a 25-minute commute now

- First job out of college was in Peabody, Mass.

- Commute shortened from 45 to 20 to 5 minutes

- Longest commute was to Cambridge, nearly 90 minutes

- Salem is super-busy in fall with tourists

- My commute's about to change for the better

- Plenty of folks who commute for hours each day

- More people are willing to travel farther

- I like working closer to home

- Telecommuters can work from anywhere

- People do many other things while driving

- Bumpy streets brought to you by town of Marblehead

- Cue old guy cell phone rant

- People get a lot braver behind the wheel

- Stereo helps make commute more bearable

- When I was a reporter, I was driving out to stories all day

- Commute's a good time to clear your head or do some thinking

- Ran to work a few times

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The 20/20 Project - Back to Work

Cee Lo Green - Georgia

The Knux - Floozy

Del the Funkee Homosapien - Phoney Phranchise

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The 20/20 Project song is on the self-released EP Employees of the Year. Download the song and EP for free at Bandcamp.com.

The Cee Lo Green song is from his forthcoming album The Lady Killer on Warner Bros. Records. Find out more and download the song for free at his site.

The Knux song is on the self-released EP F*ck You, which is available for free download via RCRDLBL.

The Del the Funkee Homosapien song is on the album Both Sides of the Brain on Hieroglyphics Imperium Records. The song is available through IODA Promonet:

Del the Funky Homosapien
"Phoney Phranchise" (mp3)
from "Both Sides Of The Brain"
(Hieroglyphics Imperium)
Buy at Napster
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
Buy at appliedSB / MCNE (Groupietunes)
Buy at mTraks
More On This Album

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 141: Memories Can't Wait

I'm flying solo on the podcast this week as I discuss the lasting power of the mix tape. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Music takes you back to specific time or place

- Couldn't listen to "Wild Horses" for a few years

- Joe Jackson's "I'm the Man" brings back good memories

- Made mix tapes on clock radio with tape deck

- Mix tapes have made a comeback

- Started writing series called Mixology to look back at old mix tapes

- Oldest mix tape I have was recorded in 1981

- Lots of hard rock and prog rock featured

- Was surprised to hear that I recorded little bits on some of the tapes

- 1981 started out great

- Eighth grade was a lot of fun

- But we knew were moving to Washington state soon

- Moved in November

- Radio stations there sucked, so mix tapes kept me going

- Didn't make another mix tape until I got to college

- Made a few tapes in college, but really started making a lot after I graduated

- Listening to those old tapes really reminds of me of good and bad times

- Last mix tape was made in 1999 until my tape deck died

- Still make CD and iTunes playlist mixes

- Bonehead of the Week

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Use the promo code AFCOMP15 to get 10% off any order of $50 or more at Eastbay, AFCOM20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay, and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 140: OK Computer

I'm joined on the podcast by special guests Dave Brigham and Jay Breitling as I continue my look back at the rise and fall of the dotcom era. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Brigham joined Webnoize full time in May 1997

- He quit a paying gig as a proofreader

- Eventually, Webnoize started paying him

- We were given stock options

- At the time, seemed like a good opportunity

- Kumar was hired in October 1999, but had done work for site for a few years

- Dave bought guitar with first check

- First office was in Stoneham, Mass., home of Nancy Kerrigan; later moved to Cambridge

- At first, only four people in office

- Webnoize received funding from "angel investors"

- Meanwhile, other dotcoms pulled in huge sums for barely an idea

- It was all about buzzwords

- Saw pattern of companies with no entertainment or tech background getting into online entertainment space

- These included an oil and gas exploration company, Arthur Treacher's fish and chip restaurant

- Webnoize had good ideas but no business savvy

- MusicPhone.com offered voicemails from celebs like Whoopi Goldberg; t-shirt lasted longer than the company

- The big entertainment companies were just as clueless about the Web

- We got early versions of MP3 players: Diamond Rio, Nomad Jukebox

- Lessons learned: Need to know your limitations

- We went from Macs to a Sun Solaris computer system

- Breitling joined Webnoize after getting master's degree in journalism

- Started as intern in December 1999

- Eventually, he went back to his old job as paralegal

- Post-Webnoize, he worked for Listen.com and AOL Digital Cities

- AOL's now pumping money into local journalism sites called Patch

- The futility of journalism school

- Breitling: Dotcom era ended with many losers, few winners

- The "celestial jukebox" idea still hasn't happened

- Licensing is still a major obstacle

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social - Burning the Bowery (live)

No Age - Glitter

The Delta Spirit - White Table

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social song is on the band's Daytrotter session recorded in May. Download the session for free at Daytrotter.

The No Age song is on the album Everything In Between on Sub Pop Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Delta Spirit song is on the album History From Below on Rounder Records. Download the song for free at Music Induced Euphoria.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 139: Through the Past Darkly

Special guest Ric Dube joins me on the podcast as we take a look back at the rise and fall of the dotcom era. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Webnoize looked at how entertainment and the Web converged

- We covered the start of the MP3 revolution

- Napster let people a world apart share music

- Before Napster, the only choice you had if you liked a song was to buy the CD

- Dube: Napster was a collective act of civil disobedience

- Recording industry said online sharing would hurt, but nobody listened

- Most companies' Internet strategy represented an agenda, but no idea

- The dotcoms with good ideas often got bought out

- Napster's technology was art, not a viable business

- Millions of people used Napster

- We started noticing companies had no idea behind the money

- Apple capitalized on digital music with iPod and iTunes store

- Dube had one of the first iPods in America

- We rode around Boston with XM Satellite Radio listening to service before it launched

- Amazon has thrived with MP3 store

- Music industry sales are hurting

- Ten years ago, CD duplication wasn't as easy and cheap as it is now

- Dube predicted the phone was the future of music industry

- Dube: Didn't see Apple becoming a big player in consumer electronics and media

- Lee was right about business convergence

- WiFi networks must improve

- Stitcher is an impressive app--turns iPhone into a TiVo

- Music will become more like a service than a product

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Posies - Licenses to Hide

The Vaselines - Sex with an X

Boston Spaceships - Come on Baby Grace

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Use promo code AFCOMP15 to get 15% off any order at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 to get 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL to get 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

The Posies song is on the forthcoming album Blood/Candy on Rykodisc. Download the song for free at Amp Magazine.

The Vaselines song is on the album Sex with an X on Sub Pop Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Boston Spaceships song is on the forthcoming self-released album Our Cubehouse Still Rocks. Download the song for free at Pitchfork.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. and . Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 138: Let's Play Two

Special guest Brian Salvatore joins me for part 2 of our discussion about baseball. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Brian and a buddy pick an AL team to root for every year

- Jay doesn't have a favorite NL team

- The '04 and '07 Red Sox World Series wins were huge, but anti-climactic

- Red Sox fans have nothing to complain about anymore

- Making sense of the Plaxico Burress nightclub incident

- Baseball has the most unathletic athletes

- The '93 Jays were an offensive powerhouse

- Nobody remembers that Mitch Williams and Bill Buckner had good careers

- Jay's hazy bachelor party memories of Clemens beaning Piazza

- Steroids: Was Fred McGriff the last honest slugger?

- Ken Griffey Jr.'s accomplishments overshadowed by alleged roid users

- We should've known better during McGwire-Sosa HR race in '98

- Jose Canseco was right about everything

- Will Roger Clemens get in Hall of Fame?

- Misconception that steroids turn you into a monster HR hitter

- Catchers never used to wear pads

- The wager: Mets vs. Jays for best record

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Corin Tucker Band - Doubt

The Hush Now - Vietnam Giraffe

Frightened Rabbit - Son C

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the company's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Corin Tucker Band song is on the album 1,000 Years on Kill Rock Stars Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Hush Now song is on the self-released EP Shiver Me Starships. Find out more at . You can download the song for free at Largehearted Boy.

The Frightened Rabbit song was sent out recently to the band's mailing list. Download the song for free at I am Fuel, You are Friends.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 137: The Boys of Summer

Special guest Brian Salvatore joins me on the fourth anniversary of the podcast to discuss baseball. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Check out Brian's podcasts (The FrankBlack.net Podcast, The Enthusiasts' Radio Hour)

- Brian's a diehard Mets fan

- Game 6 of the 1986 World Series was huge

- Jay sticks by his loser Toronto teams

- The Blue Jays are a small market team in a large market

- Brian: Every pitch means something

- Brian wants a longer baseball season

- It's rare that best team doesn't make it to World Series

- Marlins won Series twice then dismantled team

- Baseball needs a salary cap

- Roy Halladay had to learn how to pitch again

- Steinbrenner made his mark by overspending

- Brian lived in Pittsburgh; nobody cared about Pirates

- Brian: Pittsburgh's PNC Park is best stadium in baseball

- Wrigley Field, Fenway Park have their old-school charms

- Sox-Yankees playoff series in 2004 was amazing

- Jay used to go to Blue Jays games every summer in early '90s

- Brian saw last Expos game

- The Nationals are a sad, sad franchise

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Black Mountain - The Hair Song

Les Savy Fav - Let's Get Out of Here

Mondo Generator - Dog Food

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic gear. Use promo code AFCOMP15 to get 15% off any order at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 to get 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com, and AFCOMPFL to get 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

The Black Mountain song is on the forthcoming album Wilderness Heart on Jagjaguwar Records. Download the song for free at Spinner.co.uk.

The Les Savy Fav song is on the forthcoming album Root for Ruin on Frenchkiss Records. Download the song for free at Pitchfork.

The Mondo Generator song is on the EP Dog Food on Impedance Music. Find out more at . The song is courtesy of IODA Promonet:

Mondo Generator
"Dog Food" (mp3)
from "Dog Food EP"
(IMPEDANCE MUSIC)
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 136: Holidays in the Sun

I'm flying solo on the podcast this week as I recap my vacation to Mexico. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- At Puerto Vallarta airport, had to fight through timeshare sharks

- Taxi ride to the resort was insane

- Anything goes with Mexican motorists

- Reminded me of chaotic traffic in India

- Took a while to get used to pesos (12 pesos = $1)

- Disconnected from the Web for most of the week

- Visited Internet cafe to check email occasionally

- Strange TV package at resort

- Spent most of the week at the pool or beach

- Didn't venture off resort much

- Careful not to drink anything but bottled water

- Got sunburned last few days

- Mostly families at resort, but there were occasional drunk frat boys or horny couples

- Drank Mexican beer (Pacifico, Corona, Dos Equis, Tecate)

- Boarding for return flight was bizarre experience

- Sbarro's at PV airport charges $7 per slice

- They really push the duty free goods

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Pearl Jam - Amongst the Waves (live)

The Hush Now - The Other Ones

Marnie Stern - For Ash

PO PO - Bummer Summer

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic gear. Use promo code AFCOMP15 to get 15% off any order at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 to get 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com, and AFCOMPFL to get 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

The Pearl Jam song is a live track recorded last Halloween in Philadelphia. Find out more and download the song for free from the band's website.

The Hush Now song is on the self-released EP Shiver Me Starships. You can download the song for free at Clicky Clicky.

The Marnie Stern song is on her forthcoming self-titled album on Kill Rock Stars. You can download the song for free at Pitchfork.

The PO PO song is on the EP Bummer Summer/Teen Dreamz on Mad Decent Records. You can download the song for free at RCRDLBL.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 135: Taking Care of Business

Flying solo on the podcast this week as I discuss the art of the business trip while on a business trip to Tampa. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Live from Tampa Bay

- Haven't traveled for work since December 2006

- My first day on job was at a conference in Pittsburgh

- Have been on many trips over the years

- Memorable trips to New Orleans, San Francisco

- Last trip to Nawlins, was stuck in St. Louis airport for a night because of ice storm

- Not much happening in Tampa on a Sunday

- Day 2: Set up booth in convention center

- Company across from us brought in "booth babes"

- Plenty of booth babes at the old Webnoize conference

- No fear of flying

- George Clooney's "Up in the Air" is good look at business traveling

- Had a screaming baby across aisle on trip to Tampa

- More sympathetic to folks with kids now

- Flight back from Orlando in '99 was full of kids

- On same flight, saw old lady get scalded by hot water

- Lawyer called me few years later to ask what I saw

- Can't get meals on flights anymore, just snacks

- Security measures are annoying

- Day 3: Went for early run

- Working conference booth is different role for me

- Trips are a good distraction from day-to-day work

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Superchunk - Digging for Something

Versus - Gone to Earth

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls (Holy Ghost Adult Swim remix)

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Superchunk song is on the album Majesty Shredding on Merge Records. The Versus song is on the album On the Ones and Threes on Merge Records, where you can download both songs for free.

The LCD Soundsystem song was remixed for the Adult Swim Singles Program. The original version is on the album This is Happening on DFA Records. You can download the remix 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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 134: Six Pack

Special guest Jay Breitling joins me on the podcast for the conclusion of our discussion about beer, recorded during and after a Red Sox game. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Drinking Guinness at Fenway Park

- Kumar: Go-to beer in the mid-'90s was Pete's Wicked Ale

- Breitling started getting into Yuengling

- Adrian Beltre hits HR for Red Sox

- Variety packs are good ways to try different kinds of beer

- Breitling prefers seasonal beers, especially fall seasonals

- Kumar: Big fan of porter

- Breitling: Helped out at Cisco Brewers in Nantucket

- Breitling isn't huge fan of winter beers

- Bitter beer face

- IPAs are bitter, but we like 'em

- Kumar: Don't drink much homebrew

- Breitling's pal Rob Mathews makes good homebrew

- Ice beer was big in the early '90s

- Kumar: Tried ice beer for a while, but it was too strong

- Still see drunks buying 40s of Natty Light Ice

- Beer consumption is limited to two or three at a time now

- Pros and cons of beer fridges

- Walking back from the game

- What to tell our kids about drinking

- Just hope they make sensible decisions

- It's tough being a responsible adult

- Breitling's max bench: 265

- Drunk episodes are few and far between these days

- Never understood why people got wasted before concerts

- Breitling's bar altercation

- Kids don't respect hangovers

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Drive-By Truckers - Girls Who Smoke

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Roll Up Your Sleeves

Silversun Pickups - It's Nice to Know You Work Alone

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Drive-By Truckers song is a B-side off the album The Big To-Do on ATO Records, where you can download the song for free.

The We Were Promised Jetpacks song was recorded for the Daytrotter Sessions, where you can download the song for free.

The Silversun Pickups song is on the album Swoon on Dangerbird Records. Download the song for free as part of the Dangerbird Amazon Sampler.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 133: Have a Drink on Me

Special guest Jay Breitling joins me on the podcast as we talk about one of our favorite subjects, beer, while we walk to a Red Sox game. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Walking the mean streets of Cambridge, Mass.

- Breitling remembers swiping beers to blow 'em up

- Schmidt's was a prominent beer in Philly

- The hipsters love the Pabst Blue Ribbon, ironically

- Breitling brothers collected beer cans

- Breitling started drinking at high school parties

- Kumar: Never drank much until college

- Kumar: House in Canada had a great bar in basement

- Kumar: In college, drank plenty of Busch, Milwaukee's Best and other affordable beverages

- Breitling: Family trip to Germany led to consumption of much beer

- Kumar: Had planned to throw party at parents' house while in high school but thought better of it

- Breitling: In college, drank anything and everything

- Kumar: Can't drink tequila, Southern Comfort anymore

- Breitling: Never touch the hard stuff anymore in the house, but beer is gone quick

- Breitling didn't get picky about beer until after college

- Kumar: After college, starting drinking Rolling Rock at rock clubs

- In Washington state, Olympia beer benefited from good marketing like Rolling Rock

- Kumar: Tried a Sam Adams in '89 and didn't like it

- At the ballpark: To be continued

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Kills - Pale Blue Eyes

Of Montreal - Coquet, Coquette

The Black Keys - Ohio

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Find gear from top brands such as Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. Use promo code AFCOMP15 for 15% off any order at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 for 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL for 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

The Kills song was recorded as part of the Levi's Pioneer Sessions, where you can download the song for free.

The Of Montreal song is on the band's forthcoming album False Priest on Polyvinyl Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Black Keys song is a B-side on the album Brothers on Nonesuch Records. Download the song for free at the band's website.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 132: All the World's a Stage

Jay Breitling joins me again on the podcast to discuss the power of live rock. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Kumar only went to arena rock shows in the '80s

- The Worcester Centrum was the big rock venue in the Boston area back then

- Started going to club shows in early '90s

- Breitling camped out for Stones tickets in '89

- Chloe lets rip a mighty screech

- Breitling saw a ton of club shows

- We saw a drunken Hold Steady show in '06 that was awesome

- In late '80s/early '90s, Kumar started seeing bands play in rock club in Beverly, Mass.

- Breitling's friends were playing in bands

- Club shows are great for seeing bands on the way up

- Half time = bath time

- Listen to Ric Dube's More Lost Time podcast

- Big arena shows now suck because of corporate influence

- Kumar and Dube saw the Go-Go's play a JVC private party at CES in 2001

- People got annoyed because we were jumping around

- People don't pay attention at shows anymore

- Only really huge bands and teenybopper acts sell a lot of tickets now

- Established acts like the Eagles and AC/DC are doing store exclusive deals, charging huge ticket prices

- Wear earplugs, people

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

!!! - AM/FM

The Kominas - High Noon

EELS - Looking Up

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Find gear from top brands such as Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. Use promo code AFCOMP15 for 15% off any order at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 for 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL for 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

The !!! song is on the forthcoming album Strange Weather, Isn't It? on Warp Records. Find out more and download the song for free from the band's website.

The Kominas song is on the EP Escape to Blackout Beach. Find out more and download the EP for free directly from the band.

The EELS song is on the forthcoming album Tomorrow Morning on E Works/Vagrant Records. Download the song for free at the band's website.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.