PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More

Dave and Milt welcome Alan Siegel — yes, that Alan Siegel, the guy who literally wrote the book Stupid TV: Be More Funny – How The Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. If you thought you loved The Simpsons, wait until you hear Alan dissect his top 10 episodes with a surgeon’s precision and a fanboy’s heart.

We’re talking Radio Bart, Bart Sells His Soul, Marge vs. The Monorail, and the rest of the Mount Rushmore of Springfield. These aren’t just funny episodes — they’re cultural autopsies of America served up with Duff Beer and a Sideshow Bob cackle. Along the way we get trivia nuggets, writer shoutouts, and Alan’s camp stories (yes, summer camp connects here — don’t ask, just listen).

Bottom line: it’s a nerdy lovefest for the show that taught us how to laugh at society, politics, and ourselves — long before Twitter ruined jokes forever.

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It’s August 21, 1982, and Dave and Milt are back in the Time Machine, swimming in the Billboard Top 10 like it’s the world’s most awkward pool party. Chicago is apologizing all over the place with “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” Fleetwood Mac is politely asking you to “Hold Me,” and Survivor is still living off that “Eye of the Tiger” Rocky money.

Along the way, we detour into soda-related TikTok challenges (yes, apparently Sprite is dangerous now), celebrity death news (spoiler: not good news), and listener emails that range from insightful to “are you sure you hit send on the right show?” You’ll also get trivia, remakes, a live “Kids in America” cameo from Billy Joe Armstrong, and a heated swap-out session where we boot some Top 10 squatters in favor of better songs from the same era.

We break down Chicago’s yacht-rock-adjacent apology, Fleetwood Mac’s post-breakup awkward magic, and Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra” (spoiler: it’s about bras). Then it’s all Mellencamp all the time—his name changes, his childhood surgery, his failed acting gigs, and yes, the time Mark Wahlberg tried to rap “Hurt So Good” for reasons unknown to mankind.

By the time we get to “Eye of the Tiger,” we’ve covered Paul Anka swing covers, the movie Swingers (which is not about what you think), and every ridiculous tangent your mother warned you about. We close with some song swaps, listener feedback, and a reflection on how the early ’80s somehow made both syrupy ballads and aggressive workout anthems coexist on the same chart without anyone’s head exploding.

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 00:24 – Banter and Soda Talk

Break out the confetti and questionable fashion choices—we’re turning six! To mark the occasion, Dave and Milt jump into their chart-shaped time machine and land smack in the neon glow of 1982, where Paul McCartney was still cranking out hits, Air Supply hadn’t yet exhausted their supply of feelings, and the Go-Go’s were busy corrupting the youth on VHS tape.

You’ll get chart commentary, deep cuts of trivia, unsolicited opinions, and a listener email so good it made us want to binge a Billy Joel documentary (and maybe some Billy Joel himself). Also: CSN takes a nap, REO regrets an album, and we discover something called Johnny Aloha which... yeah, you’ll just have to listen.

Oh, and there’s a game at the end where Milt tries to identify artists from insane lists Dave cooked up in a fever dream. It’s harder than it sounds.

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01:06 – 🎂 Past 10s turns 6! (No cake. Just vibes.)

Dave and Milt welcome two top-shelf Billy Joelologists: Scott Eckstein and Russ Flicker. We crack open the emotional songbook that is the HBO Max doc And So It Goes—a title that screams “quiet devastation,” like only Billy can.

We’re not just talking about Uptown Girl and Glass Houses. We go deep: the musical shapeshifting, the very Jewish energy, the marriages that aged like milk, the loyal bandmates that got canned, and the critics who never really got him (but oh, how we do).

You'll hear memories of epic Billy concerts, emotional gut-punch lyrics, underloved deep cuts, and hot takes on everything from “tonic and gin” to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” being the Bohemian Rhapsody of Long Island.

It’s a love letter. It’s a roast. It’s a nuanced nosedive into the joy, the ache, and the genius of one of pop music’s most fascinating contradictions: a guy who made stadiums weep and critics wince. Come for the legacy, stay for the therapy session.

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00:00 – 🎙️ Welcome to Past Tens, where we tell time by top tens

Hop in the Top Ten Time Machine as Dave and Milt, joined by certified grooveologists Al and Ira, crank the dials back to 1972 — a year when rock was raw, soul was deep, and at least one guy was wearing glitter and singing about space. It's time for the ABCs of Rock Draft, where our fab four draft their dream teams of albums released in this musically stacked year.

Expect legends like Bowie, Wonder, and the Eagles to fly off the board early — but don't be surprised when someone grabs the Sanford and Son theme or gets misty over a reggae soundtrack. There’s glam, grit, gospel, and a live J. Geils record that might punch you in the face.

Along the way: hot takes, deep tracks, accidental revelations, and one AI-generated roast session. By the end, you'll either be nostalgic for bell bottoms or in awe of how many stone-cold classics dropped in '72. Either way, you're gonna want to stick around for the final picks, the albums that got left behind, and ChatGPT’s judgment from on high.

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00:00 Banter & Buildup

In this highly scientific and not at all petty episode of Past Tens, Dave and Milt throw down in the only arena that really matters anymore: pop culture debates. It’s the Past Tens Riff-Off, where no sacred cow is safe, every cow is delicious, and every opinion is shouted like it’s 1986 and you just lost your cassingles collection.

The format? Timed debates. The stakes? Imaginary. The judgment? Left up to you, our dear listeners with way too much time on your hands. From Freddie Mercury vs. Mick Jagger (tight pants vs. tighter pants) to the eternal dilemma of whether a hot dog is a sandwich (it’s not, calm down), Dave and Milt spar over music, movies, TV, theme park rides, game show hosts, and more.

Along the way, you’ll hear grunts, woos, awkward impersonations, and the occasional moment of clarity. Then you vote on our Facebook page to settle the debates because we’re way too biased to be trusted.

Timestamps for your convenience (or if you’re hate-skimming):

00:00 – Welcome to Past Tens (you know the drill)

Strap into the time machine and set the dial for July 1986, a time when Top Gun ruled the box office, synthesizers ruled the airwaves, and Kenny Loggins ruled… something. In this episode, Milt and Dave wade knee-deep through the Billboard Top 10 from a summer that gave us everything from Loggins' “Danger Zone” (still trying to make aviator sunglasses cool) to Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years” (still holding back… the energy).

Expect the usual: unsolicited nostalgia, suspiciously convenient personal stories, and yes, Milt somehow manages to rhyme “Spinal Tap” with “Trader Joe’s nap.” Don’t ask.

Highlights include:

Plus: Johnny-themed trivia (because there are apparently way more songs about guys named Johnny than anyone needed), some light shade thrown at the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and a very necessary refreshing of the chart — where Dave and Milt save the Top 10 from itself by swapping in some ‘80s underdogs.

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00:00 - Banter: Naps, snacks, and fake bands (aka our wheelhouse)

Dave and Milt crank the amp to 11 and count down the greatest fake bands of all time. That’s right—no chart-toppers, no world tours, no actual existence. Just the fictional bands that somehow managed to rock harder than most real ones.

We open with a little School of Rock, because if Jack Black doesn’t make your fake band list, you’re doing life wrong. From there, it’s a nostalgic jam session through cinematic and small-screen legends like The Commitments, The Blues Brothers, The Wonders, and—of course—the loudest band in England that’s not actually from England: Spinal Tap.

Along the way, we unpack listener mail (someone really had feelings about Dr. Teeth), share stories of interns who may or may not be trapped in a basement recording kazoo solos, and ask the big questions—like how many blues brothers is too many? And is Stillwater the best band that never opened for The Allman Brothers?

You’ll hear music clips, trivia drops, obscure references (you’re welcome, Christopher Guest fans), and—brace yourselves—a tease for the new Spinal Tap movie. Yes, it's happening. No, we don’t fully understand it either.

So if you’ve ever air-guitared to That Thing You Do, quoted A Mighty Wind unprompted, or shouted "Shama-lama-ding-dong" in polite company… this one’s for you.

Timestamps (for those who prefer structure in their musical mayhem):

Are you still reading these silly show notes? Honestly, bless your heart. You're a true Time Machiner. Or you’re just really bored at work.

Anyway, on this week's episode, Dave and Milt climb into the Time Machine and rocket back to June 21, 1975 — the land of lava lamps, fringe vests, and an absolutely bonkers Billboard Top 10 Albums chart. We’re talkin’ Elton, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Beach Boys, and even Alice Cooper giving us all the Welcome-to-My-Nightmare vibes (spoiler: it’s not a lullaby).

But wait — Milt’s back from Africa! That’s right, our Chartmeister went on a literal safari. Lions. Giraffes. Possibly cursed sand. He’s got stories, and Dave is mildly concerned for his health and sanity.

Oh, and intern Jack "The Fact Machine" Nathanson drops in to host a chaotic 80s music trivia quiz that somehow leads to Warrant, Mr. Roboto, David Lee Roth, and yes, Michael Bolton co-writing a KISS song. You can't make this stuff up.

The episode ends (because it has to) with the boys politely kicking some albums off the list and replacing them with stuff they actually like. Sorry, Chicago, but y’all were in your weird phase.

🕰️ Time-Stamps for the Attention-Deficit Among Us

00:00 – We’re back, baby

00:41 – Milt vs. The Jungle

01:15 – Yes, we had tech issues again

05:55 – Let’s actually talk about music

08:03 – Pele kicks a ball in America

13:00 – Tobey Maguire gets older, Jaws gets scarier

15:45 – The main event: Albums, baby!

16:09 – America’s greatest hits (no, literally)

24:47 – The Beach Boys sell out (but in a good way)

31:16 – Chicago tries weird stuff

36:41 – BTO does more than just takin’ care of biz

43:19 – Doobie Brothers before the McDonald era (prepare for harmonies)

48:30 – TRIVIA: It gets heated

50:27 – Warrant, Yes, Cinderella, Idol, Roth, Bolton(?!), Wolfgang Van Halen... it’s a TRIP

01:01:04 – Alice Cooper makes us question bedtime

01:12:15 – Tommy, can you hear me?

01:21:03 – Paul McCartney gets interplanetary with “Venus and Mars”

01:28:36 – And finally, Captain Fantastic sails in like only Elton can

Dave, recording from a writer's retreat in Papoose Pond, Maine, taps into the power of music to evoke memories and tell stories. Dave engages with fellow retreat participants and listeners from the ‘Machine Nation’ community to share meaningful songs and the personal stories behind them. The episode features a variety of musical tastes—from The Cars' 'Just What I Needed' and Jay-Z’s 'Song Cry,' to Jefferson Starship’s 'Jane' and Otis Redding’s 'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay.' Each guest narrates why their selected song holds special significance, creating a rich tapestry of music-inspired memories, ranging from first breakups and nostalgic summers to family bonding moments and poignant personal reflections. Special contributions from listeners include mentions of Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car,' The B-52's 'Deadbeat Club,' and Simple Minds’ 'Don’t You (Forget About Me).' The episode concludes with reflections on the connections between music, memories, and personal growth.

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01:10 Deirdre: The Cars - Just What I Needed

05:38 Phil: Jay-Z - Song Cry

08:57 Wren: Veruca Salt - The Gospel According to St. Me

11:48 Leslie: Don Henley - Boys of Summer

14:18 Buzz: Otis Redding: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

16:03 Otis Redding's Tragic Story

17:27 Bev: Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne

19:02 Brendan: Jane by Jefferson Starship

23:38 Beth: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

24:45 Michael Patrick Lewis: The Deadbeat Club by The B-52's

25:27 Mikey O: Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds

27:39 Professor David Gallant: What Was I Made For - Billie Eilish