Radical Research Podcast

A quick look at Queen’s “The Prophet’s Song,” its a cappella middle section, and the treatment it was given by one Jeff Scott Soto in various live performances. It’ll all make a little more sense when you listen…

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

­­­Queen, “The Prophet’s Song” (A Night at the Opera, 1975)

Jeff Scott Soto (fronting Sons of Apollo), “The Prophet’s Song” (live in Orlando, FL, February 2018)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

Is there an album more representative of this podcast's main focus? Not outside of Norway, there isn’t. Montréal’s DBC (Dead Brain Cells) released ‘Universe’ in 1989, a tech-y cosmic opus of 37:26 that manages to cover the big bang, the evolution of life, the fall of the dinosaurs, man’s eventual dominance on Earth, and humanity's possible future in the album's brief but eventful duration. Join us as we spelunk through the black holes and blocky, monolithic riffs of DBC's second and final album…  

All Ye Who Enter: Tangents on other Canadian metal bands will happen throughout this episode. And a Swiss one, too. And time machines…and the moon…and Phil Anselmo’s Mind Over Four shirt.

Note II:

Although Hunter claims Garth Richardson (aka GGGarth) produced Helmet’s Betty, the RR fact-checking department can find no evidence that the guy was anywhere near that album. Hunter apologizes and says, “Total brain fart. It was T-Ray [Todd Ray].”

Note III:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

­­­[all snippets from DBC, Universe, 1989]

“The Genesis Explosion”

“Heliosphere”

“Primordium”

“Exit the Giants”

“Rise of Man”

“Estuary”

“Humanity’s Child”

“Phobos & Deimos”

“Threshold” “Infinite Universe”

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

This is a “careful for what you wish for” kind of thing. For years and years, we hoped that we could hear the mighty Steve DiGiorgio’s bass work with more clarity on Death’s 1991 masterpiece, Human. Once we could, thanks to the 2011 reissue, we relented and realized we preferred the original version after all. We present this mini-episode in good humor and with an anxious heart, because we hope no one, least of all DiGiorgio himself, understands this is not a critique of his playing. The man is a god to us…we just prefer the original sound of the 1991 ‘Human’ over the 2011 reissue. This shit’s important!

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

­­­Death, “See Through Dreams” (Human, 1991 [2011 reissue])

Death, “Suicide Machine” (Human, 1991 [2011 reissue])

Death, “Vacant Planets” (Human, 1991 [2011 reissue])

Operating outside of the metal infrastructure, but heralding its glory and complexity more so than most “true” metal bands, The Fucking Champs, in their 1994-2007 rampage, cobbled together elements of Trouble, Confessor, Don Caballero, and Kraftwerk and reshaped the geometric possibilities of math metal, all with the insouciance of its indie rock roots. Please join us as we attempt to solve this riddle wrapped in a conundrum. You’ve got a thirst, Portland!

We talk about the various name changes our San Franciscan heroes have endured…from The Champs to C4AM95 to The Fucking Champs. We failed to mention what might be our favorite name, one they never recorded under but adopted for a short spell: The Champs UK.

Note II:

Apologies for the confusion on the tracks we sample from V. You’ll hear the correction within the episode, and the correct song titles are noted below. Drag City, we are pissed! But…we’re already over it.

Note III:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

Intro: “Lamplighter” (IV, 2000)

“So Then I Was All Why’d You Say Fuck My Style” (Songs for Films About Rock demo, 1994)

“Merry Go Round” (Songs for Films About Rock demo, 1994)

“Flawless Victory” (III, 1997)

“Heart to Heart” (III, 1997)

“Tonight, We Ride” (III, 1997)

“These Glyphs Are Dusty” (IV, 2000)

“Esprit De Corpse” (IV, 2000)

“Thor is Like Immortal” (IV, 2000)

“Children Perceive the Hoax Cluster” (V, 2002)

“I Am the Album Cover” (V, 2002)

“Major Airbro’s Landing” (V, 2002)

 “A Forgotten Chapter in the History of Ideas” (VI, 2007)

ep. 120 preview: DBC, “Infinite Universe” (Universe, 1989)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

Sometimes it takes a while to come around to an album. In our case, it took 28 years with Cryptopsy’s second album, None So Vile. Better late than never. We repent!!!

Note I:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

RR listener Joseph Schafer pointed out that we incorrectly credited the sample at the beginning of 'None So Vile.' It is, in fact, from the film 'The Exorcist III: The Heretic.' Our apologies and thanks, Joseph, for helping us come correct!

Music cited in order of appearance:

All from Cryptopsy, None So Vile (1996)

“Slit Your Guts”

“Orgiastic Disembowelment”

“Crown of Horns”

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

The one-long-song album is a rare event in the metal genre, and a tough assignment to tackle and get right. We hold up these five albums as the finest examples of the approach. While it’s difficult to convey their scope in snippet form, we tried our best and had a lot of fun doing so. (Incidentally, this also happens to be one of our longest-ever episodes!) Join us, even if these albums only have one good song on them…

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

Renaissance, “The Death of Art” (The Death of Art, 1994)

Edge of Sanity, “Crimson” (Crimson, 1996)

Sabbat, “The Dwelling – The Melody of Death Mask” (The Dwelling, 1996)

Fates Warning, “A Pleasant Shade of Gray” part 5 & 11 (A Pleasant Shade of Gray, 1997)

Green Carnation, “Light of Day, Day of Darkness” (Light of Day, Day of Darkness, 2001)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

Our man Ginn loves him some Gadd! In this brief episode, we extract three of Hunter’s favorite moments by his favorite drummer on the planet, Steve Gadd. It results in something we thought we’d never do on this podcast: play a snippet of a Paul Simon song. But you have to admit, Gadd is Badd…Badd Ass!

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

Chick Corea, “Quartet No. 2, Part II” (Three Quartets, 1981)

Chick Corea, “Night Sprite” (The Leprechaun, 1976)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.

Pull up a chair and get your ears out! We get giddy when we’re together in the same space, which we were for this episode. You’ll hopefully forgive our exuberance and all the talking over each other in excitement of brotherhood, music, pizza and other various inputs. All in the name of exalting the third of four CDs in the Steven Wilson-curated Intrigue compilation series. Join us for another walk through the fascinating world of progressive-minded ‘80s-era UK post-punk and alternative rock.

Note I:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

If you haven’t checked them out already, we encourage you to listen to our first two Intrigue dissections, conveniently linked for you here:

Music cited in order of appearance:

intro: David Bowie, “Up the Hill Backwards” (Scary Monsters [and Super Creeps], 1980)

[all snippets below are taken directly from the Intrigue compilation; the following indicates where the songs originally appeared]

Twelfth Night – “Three Dancers” (Smiling at Grief, 1982)

Thomas Dolby – “Airwaves” (The Golden Age of Wireless, 1982)

Rupert Hine – “The Outsider” (Waving Not Drowning, 1982)

A Certain Ratio – “Knife Slits Water” (Sextet, 1982)

Cocteau Twins – “Donimo” (Treasure, 1984)

Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake – “In a Waiting Room” (Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake, 1984)

Dalis Car – “Dalis Car” (The Waking Hour, 1984)

Scott Walker – “Rawhide” (Climate of Hunter, 1984)

David Sylvian – “Brilliant Trees” (Brilliant Trees, 1984)

Propaganda – “Dream Within a Dream” (A Secret Wish, 1985)

Ep. 188 preview: Renaissance, “The Death of Art” (The Death of Art, 1994)

In this brief episode, we spotlight the two metal bands brave enough to tackle the middle part of King Crimson's innovative and highly influential 1969 classic, "21st Century Schizoid Man."

Note I:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music Cited in Order of Appearance:

King Crimson, "21st Century Schizoid Man" (In the Court of the Crimson King, 1969)

Voivod, "21st Century Schizoid Man" (Phobos, 1997)

When it comes to a difficult-to-define concept like psychedelia in music, it's subjective. It’s not all hippies with sitars and lava lamps and bongs…but that’s not wrong either. With a little help from author Michael Hicks and his parameters for what makes music psychedelic, we pose the question: “What is Psychedelic Music?” and offer the Radical Research answer.

Note I:

The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! patreon.com/RadicalResearchPodcast

Note II:

All past Radical Research episodes can be found here, where you can also find Jeff’s Peter Steele and Fates Warning books…and more to come soon! Radicalresearch.org

Music cited in order of appearance:

Can – “Halleluwah” (Tago Mago, 1971)

Miles Davis – “Rated X” (Get Up With It, 1974)

Steve Hillage – “Meditation of the Snake” (Fish Rising, 1975)

Joy Division – “Decades” (Closer, 1980)

Beherit – “Summerlands” (Drawing Down the Moon, 1993)

Emperor – “The Loss and Curse of Reverence” (Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, 1997)

Portal – “The Endmills” (Seepia, 2003)

Steven Wilson – “Significant Other” (Insurgentes, 2008)

Melvins – “The Bunk Up” (Hold it In, 2014)

Cynic – “Mythical Serpents” (Ascension Codes, 2021) ep. 117 preview: Crispy Ambulance – “Are You Ready?” (The Plateau Phase, 1982)

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.