Welcome back to Once, Every Two Weeks, the podcast where long-time friends Mark and Thom subject themselves (and anyone still listening) to even more 90s nostalgia, deep cuts, and questionable life choices. This time, they dust off Placebo’s “Without You I’m Nothing”—the album that taught awkward teens it’s okay to be a little messy and a lot loud. Join us as we unpack Placebo’s sound, their accidental run-ins with David Bowie, and why this record deserves more than one spin on the Discman. From Panda Express mishaps to bitter rants about American radio, we’ll hit every high, low, and crunchy snare in-between. And, as always, we’ll argue about which tracks still slap and which ones are just...well, very Placebo.

Show Notes

00:00:50 – Thom’s Panda Express story; Mark meets Nada Surf (again, without Thom)

00:05:42 – Placebo's name origin, awkward Europe-to-London backstories, and the “right place, right time” magic

00:12:30 – Why Placebo’s androgynous image confused and delighted absolutely everyone

00:16:15 – The parade of Svens, Stephens, and Steves; producer Steve Osborne and that weird Real World studio

00:21:40 – Did the band even like their own album? Mark recaps cryptic interviews and British press drama

00:26:20 – Pitchfork bashing and why American critics “just didn’t get it”

00:29:10 – The Placebo sound: unpretentious, moody, always one snare away from a tantrum

00:32:30 – “Pure Morning” (how Placebo made insomnia sound cool)

00:36:00 – “Brick Shithouse” (and why production tricks can sometimes just be...really annoying)

00:39:40 – “You Don’t Care About Us” and the many faces of Mark’s 1998 alt-rock playlist

00:43:00 – “Ask for Answers” and the art of mopey Radiohead vibes

00:45:30 – Title track “Without You I’m Nothing”, David Bowie’s surprise phone call, and why the Bowie version divides the pod

00:48:40 – “Allergic to Thoughts of Mother Earth”: a rock song that’s secretly a hippie manifesto

00:51:20 – “The Crawl”: why Placebo slow songs aren’t just filler (they’re...something else)

00:53:00 – “Every You, Every Me”—the twisted joy of hearing their most infectious song in Cruel Intentions

00:57:00 – A short sidebar on why American radio, Clear Channel, and Britney Spears ruined our collective Placebo education

01:02:00 – Mark and Thom’s top picks from “Without You I’m Nothing”

01:05:00 – Wrapping up: proselytizing for Placebo and final thoughts on their “never quite mainstream” legacy

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