Martin provides an update on his mom's trip climbing Mt. Denali in Alaska! He also shares some deleted scenes from interviews from the "Synthesized!" series featuring Tanner Colpitts, his dad, and his stepfather.

Martin shares the backstory behind a song that took years in the making--although ultimately it was never released. This episode is the first time the song is available to the public!

Martin talks about his thoughts on finding a life partner and how his future plans have changed over the years... This is a follow-up last week's episode about aromanticism.

Martin provides an update on his experiences with being aromantic and asexual, exploring the aromanticism side and what that means in terms of everyday life.

DISCLAIMER: I can only speak from my own personal experience. I am not an expert in aromanticism or asexuality. Please do not use my experiences as a stand-in for the asexual and aromantic communities at large. We are a diverse group with a wide variety of experiences!

Martin shares why he enjoys collecting vinyl records and CDs, and how his listening preferences have shifted over the years. There is also a mental health update, following up since last week's episode.

Martin gives a recap on what he's been up to since last year, covering a range of topics including music, work, the 'Synthesized!' series, and mental health.

=============

Just a few mental health resources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

US National Crisis hotline: 1-800-273-TALK

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/health/depression-test

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

In celebration of the 100th episode of Everyone's Special and No One Is, Martin invites his friend Tanner Colpitts back to the podcast to talk about their shared love for the band Rush, and how they integrated synthesizers with a classic progressive rock style.

From the Minimoog synthesizer on their album "A Farewell to Kings" in 1978, to more complex polyphonic synthesizers throughout the 1980s, Martin and Tanner track the evolution of the band's style across 10 years' worth of their discography.

In the final episode of "Synthesized!", Martin and his Mom talk about the rise of MTV, as well as Whitney Houston's record-breaking career as an artist.

Episode 8 Resources:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y_CenV0c-O7IMXThvkicfJC8nCp2U1P-/view?usp=sharing

Spotify Playlist: Synthesized: Synth-Pop From The Beatles to Whitney Houston

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2dcW7urRy02DPxC1HzLNfh?si=670445d0be834c12

How did pop music turn electronic in the 80s? Martin and his Mom discuss The Human League, Eurythmics, Simple Minds, Gary Numan, and other British Synth-Pop bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

...

Episode 7 Resources:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pU0_LNxL67YYKXpZS5S_8XQhGyTx_eLL/view?usp=sharing

Spotify Playlist -- Synthesized: Synth-Pop From The Beatles to Whitney Houston

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2dcW7urRy02DPxC1HzLNfh?si=8695c2299454440a

Martin and his Mom reminisce about classic disco music from the 70s, as well as the disco revival of the 2020s.

Episode 6 Resources:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16CheBQpN-In7YPRCBz32wVIWSNAk6zi2/view?usp=sharing

Spotify Playlist -- Synthesized: Synth-Pop From The Beatles to Whitney Houston

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2dcW7urRy02DPxC1HzLNfh?si=8695c2299454440a