Completely Conspicuous

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1980. I've also got music from Shy Boys, Dog Day and PUP.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Jay's #3

- Bowie's last great album?

- Jay: Tin Machine was an interesting experiment

- Brian's #2

- Sandinista! is a bloated, but great, album

- The Clash went to great lengths to keep price down

- A little better than Extreme's triple album

- A case study of success going to a band's 'head'

- TV theme producer Mike Post produced VH III

- Jay's #2 pick is Brian's #1

- Brian: "Once in a Lifetime" is one of the stranger smash hits of all time

- Great albums created after a serious case of writer's block

- Jay's #1

- Pretenders debut is flawless

- Band only formed two years earlier

- Half the band was dead within three years

- Crappy recording techniques hadn't started yet in 1980

- Next up: 1998

Music:

Shy Boys - Is This Who You Are

Dog Day - Wasted

PUP - Reservoir

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

The Shy Boys song is on the band's self-titled album on High Dive. Download it for free at Soundcloud.

The Dog Day song is on the album Fade Out on Fundog Records. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.

The PUP song is on the band's self-released and self-titled album. Download the song for free at Bandcamp. 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.

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1980. I've also got music from The Harmonica Lewinskies, Idiot Genes and Tame Impala.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Roller disco was once a thing

- Brian: Mainstream American rock was in a slump

- Just missed Brian's top 5: Queen's The Game

- Lennon's Double Fantasy and McCartney II

- The legend of Linda

- Peter Gabriel's Melt, the debut of the Lounge Lizards

- Jay: Blizzard of Ozz, Permanent Waves, Heaven and Hell, Empty Glass

- Townshend's writing style had changed

- Max Webster's Universal Juveniles

- Band combined Rush and Zappa influences

- 1980 was one of four years in Zappa's recording career he didn't release an album

- Brian's #5

- Pretenders' debut was amazing

- Jay's #5

- Back in Black was surprising given Bon Scott's death months earlier

- The expanding umbrella of classic rock

- Brian's #4

- Ozzy's solo debut reinvented his image

- Singers who don't write lyrics

- Jay's #4

- Jay: Melt is my favorite Gabriel album

- The greatness of Gabriel's early solo work

- Brian: Face Dances would be considered a great Townshend solo album

- Brian's #3

- Interesting debut from the Feelies

- Unlikely but successful Feelies comeback in recent years

- Rooting for local acts

- To be continued

Music:

The Harmonica Lewinskies - Jesus Christ is Just Rock and Roll

Idiot Genes - Soaked Pillow

Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Chrome Canyon De-mix)

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

The Harmonica Lewinskies song is available for free download (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.

The Idiot Genes song is on the album Lousey. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The Tame Impala song is on the album Lonerism on Modular Recordings. Download the remix of 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.

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1980. I've also got music from Calories, Shearwater and Mark Kozelek.

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.

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we discuss a pair of 1970s hitmakers. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Little Big League, Soft Focus, Idiot Genes and Wavves.

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.

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we discuss an unlikely number one single from 1973. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Pixies, Quasi, The Julie Ruin and Ghost Wave.

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

- This was her only hit

- 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 Confusioon" 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.

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss horror flicks and rooting for the bad guy. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Fu Manchu, Pissed Jeans and JEFF the Brotherhood.

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 freaks people out

- 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.

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss Halloween and horror flicks. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Dead Meadow, The Cloud Room and The Beatings.

Show notes:

- Salem, Mass., is Halloween Central

- Just a straight-out fun holiday

- Can be frustrating for those who live in Salem

- Old-school newspaper pro-tip: Keep booze in yer desk

- "Write drunk, edit sober"

- As a kid, Matt was excited to dress up on Halloween

- Jay: All about the candy

- In NH, rural location meant we didn't have trick-or-treaters

- Don't get that many now

- Matt's costumes over the years: Robin, Julius Caesar

- Jay: Moses, Don King, Bootsy Collins

- Matt has a Batman mask this year

- When kids are scared of your costume

- Enjoyed Halloween more as an adult

- The Lunchlady and the Flasher

- Scary movies are fun

- Matt: Blair Witch had a great gimmick, not a great story

- So much more scary watching movies by yourself

- Matt: The Saw movies are terrible, but creepy

- Zombie movies are everywhere

- Allegory for fear of disease

- Real-life face-eating is scarier

- Horror movie remakes are coming out all the time

- Jay: Still remember the trailer for the late '70s flick It's Alive

- Horror films are good investments

- Jay: Loved the film version of The Shining

- To be continued

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Dead Meadow - Yesterday's Blowin' Back

The Cloud Room - Mrs. Marquis de Sade

The Beatings - How Many Times Can You Say Goodbye to the Same Person? Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Dead Meadow song is on the album Warble Womb on Xemu Records. Download the song for free at RollingStone.com.

The Cloud Room song is on the compilation You Be My Heart. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Beatings song is on the album Italiano on Midriff Records. 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.

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss benefit concerts. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from The So So Glos, Grooms, Black Hearted Brother and Slowdim.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Casa Breitling before a live studio audience

- Breitling's hosting the 2nd annual Community Servings benefit show on Nov. 3 at TT the Bears in Cambridge, Mass.

- Featuring K. Heasley of Lilys, Soccer Mom, The Hush Now and Earthquake Party

- Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz will provide DJ sets

- Providing meals to the chronically ill

- Roger Waters held huge benefit show in Berlin in 1990

- Breitling was in Germany at the time

- The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was huge in '92

- Two big post-9/11 concerts in NYC

- SARS benefit concert in 2003 was the biggest show in Canadian history, with the Stones, AC/DC, Rush

- Live 8 in 2005 was actually eight concerts in eight cities on the same day

- Pink Floyd reunited with Waters

- Did benefits have more impact in the past?

- Increased capacity to put on benefit shows now

- Hear 'N Aid was the mid-'80s metal version of We Are the World

- Featured a ridiculous number of guitar solos

- Big charity show in Boston earlier this year after the Marathon bombing

- Hot Stove Cool Music started in Boston, now also in Chicago

- Recent Crash Safely MS benefit ran four nights in Boston-area clubs

- Breitling: Bands and venue make benefits happen by giving their time

- Club bookers were a huge help

- Plenty of logistics to consider

- Last year Community Servings benefit was at Great Scott

- Different kind of benefit for Community Servings, reaching a different audience

- Get yer tickets now

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The So So Glos - Emergency

Grooms - I Think We're Alone Now

Black Hearted Brother - This is How It Feels Slowdim - Wishing Well Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The So So Glos song is on the compilation Shaking Through Volume 4. Download the comp for free at Bandcamp.

The Grooms song is on the album Infinity Caller on Western Vinyl. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The Black Hearted Brother song is on the album Stars Are Our Home on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free at Chromewaves. The Slowdim song is a reworked version of a song on the band's self-titled album. Download the song for free at Bandcamp. 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.

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss the benefit concert he's organizing. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Shearwater, Deer Tick, FIDLAR and Come.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Casa Breitling before a live studio audience

- Breitling's hosting the 2nd annual Community Servings benefit show on Nov. 3 at TT the Bears in Cambridge, Mass.

- Featuring K. Heasley of Lilys, Soccer Mom, The Hush Now and Earthquake Party

- Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz will provide DJ sets

- Olive sniffs the recorder

- Get tickets now

- Providing meals to the chronically ill

- Last year's event featured Johnny Foreigner

- Rock benefits have been happening for decades

- They seem less impactful now

- Live Aid was a huge event in 1985 with shows in Philly and London

- Controversy over charity administration

- The Concert for Bangaldesh in '71 was the first big charity concert

- The Secret Policeman's Ball was run by Amnesty International

- Sting's Rock for the Rainforest benefit has been happening for 20+ years

- Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope was a big deal in 1986

- Breitling: Axl Rose has Vince Neil-itis

- To be continued

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Shearwater - Fucked Up Life

Deer Tick - The Dream's in the Ditch

FIDLAR - Got No Money Come - String (live)

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

The Shearwater song is on the album Fellow Travelers on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Deer Tick song is on the album Negativity on Partisan Records. Download the song for free as part of the Partisan Records Summer/Fall Sampler 2013 on Amazon.

The FIDLAR song is on the EP Don't Try on Mom + Pop Music. Download the song for free at Chromewaves. The Come song is part of the band's Epitonic Saki Session, which you can download 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.

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1987. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Sebadoh, The Men and The Besnard Lakes.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Jay's #2 album of '87: The Cult's Electric

- Used to crank it while working supermarket night shifts

- Brian's #2: R.E.M.'s Document

- Mike Mills is the band's secret weapon

- R.E.M. was burdened by U2 comparisons

- Stipe and Mills formed Automatic Baby with U2's Clayton and Mullen

- Jay's #1: GNR's Appetite for Destruction

- Paved the way for rawer hard rock

- Brian's #1: Pixies' Come On Pilgrim EP

- New Pixies is okay but nowhere near the old one

- Teenage metalhead Jay also dug Joe Satriani's Surfing With the Alien

- Enjoying That Metal Show

- Terrible moments in '87 music

- Jay: Bruce Willis releases an album

- Brian: Pink Floyd's post-Waters output

- "That's What Friends Are For"

- Jay: Terrible movie soundtrack music, like Bob Seger's "Shakedown"

- "Shakedown" was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe

- Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"

- Brian: The death of legendary jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius

- The fascinating story of Aaron North (ex-Icarus Line and NIN guitarist)

- The Jesus Lizard got a record deal thanks to Kurt Cobain

- Next on our hit list: 1980

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Sebadoh - I Will

The Men - I Saw Her Face

The Besnard Lakes - People of the Sticks

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

The Sebadoh song is on the album Defend Yourself on Joyful Noise Recordings. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) as part of the Paste Fall Preview 2013 at NoiseTrade.

The song from The Men is on the album Campfire Songs on Sacred Bones Records. Download the song for free at Aquarium Drunkard.

The Besnard Lakes song is on the album Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO on Jagjaguwar 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 blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.