Bands, Beers & Buzzwords

Ricardo Morin, formerly of RabbitFoot, breaks ground on Bands, Beers & Buzzwords with our very first discussion on The Beatles. He and our host John talk about Magical Mystery Tour, released in 1967 through Parlophone and Capitol Records. Dubbed as one of the most underrated Beatles albums, sandwiched in between two titans (Sgt. Pepper’s and The White Album,) it’s full of classic tracks and hidden gems alike. Whether you’re a casual or die-hard Beatles fan, listen and enjoy a breakdown of John and Paul’s different writing styles, and debate a few popular conspiracy theories with us. Grab a drink and play along, snort some beer (responsibly) whenever Ricardo says a buzzword!

Sean Perry of The Shakes, whose new single “Six Feet Below” just dropped, comes on the program to breakdown Disintegration by The Cure. Robert Smith’s masterpiece was released in 1989 by Fiction Records and represents a true, stereotypical but not schlocky, 80s record. The listening experience is akin to taking a walk through a John Hughes film with its euphoric melodies, lush sonic landscapes, and colorful instrumentation paired with somewhat depressing and downtrodden lyrics. Our host, John, dives into all the details of this alternative pop album with Sean while digressing into chats about The Shakes’ music, the attention economy, Spotify, guitar builds, and philosophical conundrums. Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Sean says a buzzword!

Thom: The Trash Palace Sultan of the Winner Gets Nothing Podcast joins our host John Pagliassotti on Bands, Beers & Buzzwords, a podcast that is anti-Satan but pro-troll. The album under discussion on this one is Animal Collective’s Strawberry Jam, released in 2007 on Domino Records. Familiar but foreign, modern and psychedelic, the sounds on this record will take you back to a time of childlike imagination. It’s a cohesive work of art with ebbs and flows, valleys and peaks, and it begs to be listened to from start to finish. Thom draws connections to The Beach Boys and The Beatles, John brings up Pink Floyd and Radiohead AGAIN. Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Thom says a buzzword!

Luke Knapp, guitarist, and singer-songwriter of Big Softy, joins our host Mr. John Pagliassotti of Delta Dagger on the program to discuss De Stijl, the second album from legendary rock revivalist The White Stripes. There’s no fat on this album, it harkens back to a simpler time of old Detroit blues and punk-inspired garage rock. There are tasty lo-fi guitar riffs and distorted harmonica parts that are sick af, plus occasional mellow organic vibes and simplistic songwriting at its best. Luke and John break down the history of Jack White and his many musical ventures, his relationship with Meg, the band’s influences, and the artists that they in turn influenced. Plus plenty of beer consumption and shooting the shit about music, TV, movies, and other random pop culture. Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Luke says a buzzword!

Joey Ochoa of Cerebrus joins the show for a serious deeeeep dive on Def Leppard’s Pyromania. Released in 1983 by Vertigo and Mercury Records, this album represents the start of a stratospheric rise for Def Leppard and set the tone for the 80s heavy metal rock craze to come. Joey, who has a really fucked up pinky finger but still shreds on guitar, offers his expertise to help you discover or get reacquainted with the absolute bruisers, the lads from Sheffield who worked in factories with actual heavy metal before becoming a heavy metal band. Listen as host John Pagliassotti and our esteemed guest discuss the history of the band, break down and rank the tracks, talk about the production and so much more. We’re talking chance meetings, thunder gods, a producer with the Midas touch, blistering guitar solos, riff masters, and several shoutouts to our future sponsors Gibson and Jack Daniels. Want to know what a pedal riff is? Perhaps an augmented bridge? Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Joey says a buzzword! Only on 95.5 KLOS.

16-year drumming virtuoso Aaron Stechauner of Interloper, who has also played and toured with bands like The Faceless, Born of Osiris, and Rings of Saturn, joins the show to discuss Back to Black by Amy Winehouse. Released in 2006 by Island Records, this massively influential album represents “a modern take on a classic dish.” In all seriousness, it’s an incredible display of unique style, serious singing chops, dirty/funky grooves, and good vibes. Aaron and John break down several songs on the album, talk about Amy’s ability to throw listeners for a loop, discuss how she balances power and vulnerability, and agree to disregard the notion of guilty pleasures when it comes to music. Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Aaron says a buzzword!

Fellow musician, co-conspirator, and podcaster Jacob Acosta AKA Midnight Burrito joins our host John Pagliossotti of Delta Dagger on the program to talk about Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Released through Warner Bros. Records in 1991 and produced by Rick Rubin, the fifth studio album from RHCP is a landmark for the band and our guest. It features some of their biggest hits like “Under the Bridge,” “Give it Away,” and more. It’s a crazy-ass album, but it can also be a fun vibe. You should listen to it with a critical ear in terms of the hyper-masculine lyrics but appreciate the unmatched production value, rhythm tightness, and funky magic. John and Jacob dive pretty deep into the history and cultural clout surrounding the band and its members as well. Grab a drink and play along, drink (responsibly) whenever Jacob says a buzzword!

Mr. Robert Sanlis of Spurts and Anywhere Music Lessons joins the show and gets deep on David Bazan’s first full-length solo album Curse Your Branches released through Barsuk Records in 2009. It’s damn personal, really vulnerable, and represents a huge shifting point in his career. If you grew up in a religious household, you may connect with this record and the conversations in this episode. A lot of the songs are bitter but beautifully crafted. Bazan is a highly talented lyricist and has a knack for expressing things from different perspectives. He basically buries his soul for 10 songs on this one. John and Robert also talk shit on Gibson as a brand for like 15 minutes, get on board. Grab a drink and play along, drink whenever Robert says a buzzword!

Sophia Forino, the first (and definitely not last) female guest on Bands, Beers, & Buzzwords joins our host, John Pagliassotti on the show to discuss Sour Soul, the collaborative album from Canadian jazz futurists BADBADNOTGOOD and Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah. The album was released in 2015 through Lex Records with features from artists like Danny Brown, the late MF Doom, and more. It’s a mix of old and new, vintage and modern with notes of 70s soul, psychedelic, surf rock, jazz, and 90s hip-hop. This one’s got orgasmic transitions, best track title tracks, and lots of delicious reverbbb. Hear John give some mixing tips for dummies and Sophia talk about the connection between rap music and superhero fandom plus other cultural phenomena. Shoutout to unofficial sponsors Mikkeller Brewing San Diego, Little Beast Brewing in Portland, and Corona Hard Seltzer. Grab a brew or seltzer and play along, drink whenever Sophia says a buzzword!

Jack McCain, who just released his second EP called The Second, joins his old pal, our host John Pagliassotti on the show to discuss Catfish and the Bottlemen’s 2019 album The Balance released through Island Records and Capitol Records. This album and band represent a more traditional alternative rock, with straightforward pounding beats and hooks that are catchy but not annoying. Hear about the time Jack got onstage (and then quickly offstage) with Van McCann, lead singer, and guitarist for Catfish and the Bottlemen. Jack and John also reminisce the story of one cool fucking picture and a run-in with the cops, talk shop on guitars, and get fairly drunk discussing this great album. Jack sets a new bar for BBB guests by taking tequila shots for each buzzword. Grab a drink and play along, drink whenever Jack says a buzzword!