Geeks & Beats

My dog is a horrible little animal during the summer solstice.  No matter how busy she is the day before or how late she says up, she’s up with the sun, demanding her morning walk.  Today that was at 5:57am. And weekends are even worse.  Last Sunday, she was prepared for her walk to Starbucks at 5:17.  A horrible, horrible little beastie.

She can also be a little rude during the recording of the Geeks and Beats podcast, but during this episode, she was quietly curled up at my feet as Michael and I prattled away on a number of topics.

Reaction to the death of James Gandolfini, including Springsteen’s special tribute.

Justin Bieber’s verification as a scumbag by the real Scumbag Steve

My most awkward interview moments

A chat with Justin Erdman, managing director of Deezer Canada on the whole business of streaming music services.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

A new era in the history of Toronto’s legendary Massey Hall.

Sadly, we don’t have a producer for this show–no one ponied up the requisite $25–so we’re very sad. But maybe we’ll do better next week.

Stream Episode 15 here or subscribe through iTunes.

(Apologies to Mel Brooks – Michael)

In my experience, there are two kinds of people:  those who prefer Superman and those who’d rather hang out with Batman. Me, I’m rather agnostic.  When I was a kid, I insisted on wearing a utility belt with my Superman cape.

Where I lose it with both characters are with the Hollywood movies.  Outside of the first two Superman movies (featuring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty) and the first Batman film (the one with Jack Nicholson), I don’t like any of them.

Then again, I haven’t seen Man of Steel yet, so I have to reserve judgement.  Instead, Michael and I brought in resident nerd Brent Chittenden to talk about Superman and to go through his list of the best Superman-themed songs of all time.

Also on the Geeks & Beats podcast this week:

David Letterman’s drum fetish.

Our winners of the new Tragically Hip-themed book, Escape is at Hand.

Radio knobs slowly returning to cars.

Boy George gets a happy birthday shout out.

And plenty more.  Stream the podcast here (a new one goes up every Wednesday at 12:01am ET) orsubscribe through iTunes.

My poor wife.  For the past couple of years, she’s been working on a series of novels that, despite being very good, have had a hard time finding love from an agent or a publisher.  She has, however, just secured a contract with the same Australian published that first discovered E.L. James and her Fifty Shades of Grey book.  They’re horrible books that no one should read, but she’s sold a gazillion copies.  If my wife’s books–which are MUCH better written–take off at even one-quarter that extent, I’ll be able to ride on her coattails for the rest of my life.  Oh, and if you’re into erotic chick lit and you want to see how good my wife’s work is, go here and here to see the self-published versions of the first two books in the series.

Why do I bring that up?  Because Joshua Kloke ran into the same problems when he was shopping his book on his experiences as a rabid Tragically Hip fan.  Michael and I talk to him about Escape is at Hand.  If you’ve ever fancied yourself a writer, it’s worth a listen.  (As a sidebar, Michael and I also fight over the true meaning of the Hip’s “Fifty Mission Cap.”  Here’s my side of the story.)

Apple’s iRadio service brings the iPhone up to par with Pandora. How Shazam knows what the hottest song of the summer will be thanks to Big Data. The Honey Boo Boo Generation hits Youtube — and it’s not pretty. And we’ll introduce you to the world’s biggest Tragically Hip Fan and tell you what a 50 Mission Cap really is. Plus: Blasting Bieber into space (it’s just unfortunate Virgin Galactic doesn’t offer one-way tickets)

We also spend time

–deconstructing the announcement of Apple’s iTunes Radio (go here and here);

—predicting the songs of the summer using Shazam; 

–looking at a Game of Thrones theme done a capella;

–another sign of the inevitable coming of the Idiocracy.

–praying for Bieber’s space trip to be one way (send him; keep the monkey);

–and acknowledging the passing of a man who launched a billion T-shirts.

This week’s co-producer is Shane Hammell who bought his way in for a measley $25.  He writes

 Just discovered the show and love it. I live in the small town of Millet, Alberta and work in Edmonton. One commute every week is dedicated to the podcast. I’ve been a fan of Alan’s work for a long time, and enjoy the two of you together.

I’d rather have called this episode Flobi-Wan Kenobi in honour of Florence Welch (she of Florence + The Machine) who is apparently about to be cast in the next round of Star Wars movies.  I have no idea what kind of character she’ll play, but having met Florence, I can attest that she’s rather alien.

But as someone who has hugged her (she smells nice and is really, really soft and squishy in an oh-so-pleasant sort of way), I’m hoping she’ll use the Force in erotic ways.  About time someone did, innit?

Also on the show is David Brzozowski, the founder of a cool app called Vinylize.me which allows anyone to create cool-looking album art for their MP3 playlists.  It has a really interesting retro vibe to it.  Go on. Spend the $1.99 and experiment!

Michael and I try to dissect how my Instagram virus infected the entire Internet this week–and how it landed me on CNN, Fox, NBC, Global and CP24 as well as in The Times, The Daily Mail, The Straits-Times, Gawker and a million other places.  I’m shocked at how far an errant sausage has taken me.

Other topics this week:

–Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson is this close to forming his own airline.

–There’s a new video game based on Joy Division.  WARNING:  It’s so depressing that you actually may want to hang yourself.  (Sorry.  Too soon?)

–Why we still need recording studios.

–And why there’s a good chance that Lou Reed’s new liver will reject him.  Damn guy is just too hard to work with.

Plus!  Someone paid to be a co-producer.  And we have a winner in our iTunes review contest.

Geeks & Beats is available through iTunes–or you can download/stream the show right from our site.

I ran into Watchmen drummer Sammy Kohn at a bar in downtown Toronto a couple of weeks ago whereupon he began to gush about how much he loved this podcast.  Naturally, flattery will get you everywhere with us so I immediately invited him to be a guest on the show with me and Michael.

Among the things we talked about were drummers as athletes (duh), the worst musical beer you can be seen drinking in public and a variety of uses for old cassette tapes.

Stream the show here or subscribe through iTunes.  And don’t forget to (a) leave a review; and (b) consider being a co-producer on the next show for the low, low price of $25.  We’re also looking for suggestions for what albums/bands should be reviewed by our official Furby.

Here’s the rest of the show notes:

Like Mad Men? Then watch this re-imagining of Don Draper in the 80s.

A handy pie chart on how people are listening to Geeks&Beats.

The Ask Alan Anything deals with the Manic Street Preachers.

Top 10 musicians who aren’t dead but probably should be.

The Geeks say goodbye to SNL’s City Reporter Stefon, an app turns your mindless doodles into music, and Furby rocks out with Eric Clapton. Jay-Z takes us back in time, Nokia tries to fight the future, and we’ll tell you how to win some show swag.

The English Beat’s Dave Wakeling drops in to talk mirrors and Ranking Roger. Shazam brings in the bucks for iTunes. What Prince was thinking when he butchered Manic Monday. John Lennon’s first car. Star Trek socks. Wait, what?

iTunes App Store approaches 50 billion downloads while Songza 3.0 gets an upgrade to make it even cooler. What’s the greatest rock cover of all time?  Plus Beyonce’s bonkers concert rider demands (RED toilet paper?), why the radio industry fears self-driving cars, and how to listen to Justin Bieber without losing your mind.

80’s music compilations are back, complete with 80’s style inflation. Hear the man who invented the telephone. Whatever happened to Romeo Void? And you may soon be updating the firmware on your toilet. Free track: Sloan.

Chocolate Rain’s Tay Zonday drops by, Apple wants to take over your car, and life after Buddy Holly. Alan explains why he’s living in his parent’s basement. Plus: the $160,000 turntable. Wait, what?