So Twitter Spaces is this ah…space…oh Yo and S’up by the way. It’s been a while. My bad.
Anyways Twitter Spaces is this sonic version of Twitter; you host live conversations.So Stephanie a social media lass from NYC with a nerd bent and I got on our mics and turned on Twitter Spaces and had a conversation. Which is attached.
The topic is Pop Cornerstones & Culture Touchstones.
You know those foundations; those TV shows or movies or music that formed your pop culture foundation? You architect your taste off these pivotal Pop Cornerstones & Culture Touchstones. That was the discussion we had.
Like one of my Cornerstones (as you’ll hear) is from August 22, 1990 a freshtastic movie called Pump Up The Volume. Christian Slater offers up this confession towards the end of the movie:
“I'm a member of the why bother generation myself. I mean it's time, it begins with us not with politicians, the experts or the teachers, but with us, with you and with me, the ones who need it most.
Everyone mix it up, it's not game over yet, it's just the beginning, but it's up to you. I'm calling for every kid to seize the air. Steal it, it belongs to you. Speak out, they can't stop you. Find your voice and use it.
Keep this going. Pick a name, go on air. It's your life, take charge of it. Do it, try it, try anything: TALK HARD!!!!”
I mean you only need to take intro-psych to grasp how that dynamic manifesto would impact me and prompt me to “seize the air” and make a podcast. (Or actively use Twitter Spaces.) Also for something that came out in 1990 that so resonates as a contemporary sensibility.
For the rest (and this list was only the start…) hit play. Stephanie and I (and guests? Eh that’s ambitious…) will be on Twitter Spaces every Tuesday at 4pm.
Now: at the end of May Chad Smith the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers said the band was working with John Frusciante and the new album was almost done. Seriously?! My heart! To have John Frusciante back in the band; a third tour of duty made me emotional.
I wasn’t the only one. Rick Rubin was a guest on Chris Jericho’s podcast (I dunno who that is…Google says he’s a wrestler…ok sure.) and Rubin said the following…
"Frusciante's back in the band and it's unbelievable. I went to the first rehearsal that I was invited to after John rejoined the band and it made me cry. It was so thrilling to see them; to see that group of people back together because they’ve made such great music for such a long time together. It just really hit me in an emotional way."
Yes Rick! The Brother Knows.
We take it for granted the prodigal son returns but it's a miracle. Every single time. Dads leave families all the time and don't come back. People stray outside of their marriage promises and yet....and yet the hardest conversations isn't "this isn't working..." it's when you step out; seduced by neon lights and yet return. Leaving is easy...returning has never been.
So let’s end our time together with two moody tracks.
RHCP frontman Anthony Kiedis wrote Hard to Concentrate as a wedding proposal - not for himself but for his bandmate Flea, who was dating the model Frankie Rayder.
“All I want is for you to be happy andTake this moment to make you my family”
In the album commentary, Flea explained he wanted to write a bass line that was reminiscent of John Frusciante's guitar playing. YES! For all the high energy songs the Peppers have blessed us with this is one I continue to return to. It’s a Pop Cornerstone & Culture Touchstone.
And Now: last thing…let’s talk about Yebba so we’re not solely mired in the past. Nostalgia is an over the counter drug.
When God closes an Amy Winehouse, he opens a Yebba for Mark Ronson!
You remember the voice on Mark Ronson's dynamic Don't Leave Me Lonely. She's like a low rent Adele (that doesn't quite work but I'm running outta tea so it’s gonna stand.). From West Memphis, Arkansas you can hear her on songs with Chance, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and others.
She recently performed a Tiny Desk (YES!) and it's sublime.
(Distance the second song is Mark Ronson again; came out this past May! Though this is a stripped down version that dude is a human jukebox. (that doesn't quite work but I'm running outta tea so it’s gonna stand.)).
Here’s Yebba’s: Tiny Desk. You’re welcome.
Hopefully you have more tea than I do for this.
The prodigal newsletter son:Sammy Younan-28-
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