The Soundtrack Series

Nobody has a stack of records like this man right here. Dana talks to Daniel Sears about the art of collecting music and takes a tour through the rarest and most beautiful pile of vinyl. Plus, a little something we like to call "One Song"--where Daniel tells a holiday horror story, underscored by Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime. Of course.

Music in This Episode:

Sit on My Face Stevie Nix - The Rotters

There’s no Business Like Show Business - Ethel Merman

The Flying Saucer Song - Harry Nilsson

Love Stinks - Millie Jackson

River - Joni Mitchell

Cry Me a River - Barbra Streisand

Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson

Eleanor Rigby - Tony Bennett

Sounds in Space

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney

Nobody has a stack of records like this man right here. Dana talks to Daniel Sears about the art of collecting music and takes a tour through the rarest and most beautiful pile of vinyl. Plus, a little something we like to call "One Song"--where Daniel tells a holiday horror story, underscored by Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime. Of course.

Music in This Episode:

Sit on My Face Stevie Nix - The Rotters

There’s no Business Like Show Business - Ethel Merman

The Flying Saucer Song - Harry Nilsson

Love Stinks - Millie Jackson

River - Joni Mitchell

Cry Me a River - Barbra Streisand

Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson

Eleanor Rigby - Tony Bennett

Sounds in Space

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney

The Demands. Nightlight. Amazing Man Band. Iridescent Dreams. The Benson Ashe. These are the most legendary bands you've never heard of--the ones that were started in high school. Through interviews with people whose band lasted one rehearsal, to people whose band ended up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is a look at the time in life where rock begins--the moment a group of high school friends are sitting around and one of them says, "let's start a band." 

Music in This Episode:

Sit on My Face Stevie Nix - The Rotters

There’s no Business Like Show Business - Ethel Merman

The Flying Saucer Song - Harry Nilsson

Love Stinks - Millie Jackson

River - Joni Mitchell

Cry Me a River - Barbra Streisand

Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson

Eleanor Rigby - Tony Bennett

Sounds in Space

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney

Aaron Wolfe, a writer and filmmaker once short-listed for an Academy Award for his film Record/Play, uses the Dinosaur Jr. version of Just Like Heaven to illustrate how he went from Goth kid, to popular kid, right back to Goth kid again. Plus, Dana says goodbye to Infinite Guest/American Public Media, and gives a little taste of what you can expect from the new Soundtrack Series podcast. It kicks off Oct. 20 with “I’m in a Band” — an audio documentary about the universal experience of being in a band in high school.

Deputy Editor for The Decider Tyler Coates talks a particularly bad breakup, and how, when you lean almost entirely on PJ Harvey or Liz Phair for comfort music it can be surprising when you find yourself putting your head on the shoulder of Taylor Swift. Plus, a million things Dana would rather associate with Eye of the Tiger than … you know who.

Comedian Giulia Rozzi (Tru TV, Chelsea Lately) tells us about the harsh realities of finally meeting the rock star you always had a crush on. Plus, Dana spends valuable time dissecting how and why she didn’t watch the VMAs, only to arrive at the conclusion that she’s just in her 30s.

Dennis Dunaway, bassist for Alice Cooper and 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, tells us the story behind how they wrote “School’s Out,” which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame this year. Plus, Dana eulogizes Columbia House, and speaks to an expert about how he beat the “12 CDs for a penny” game.

Michael Feinstein considers him a mentor. Leona Helmsley threatened to break his fingers if he didn’t play in her hotel. Liberace owes his big break to him. And at 100 years old, he still plays every week at the Park Lane Hotel. Dana talks with Irving Fields, legendary musician, pianist and composer about how to find gigs in the 1930s, discovering Latin music, and the “Freebird” of piano bar requests.

Music journalist Amy Linden tells the story of her first interview with The Replacements in 1988–and how it came at a time when she was excited about being pregnant, and not at all excited about being married. Plus, Dana tries to figure out Rihanna’s video for ‘Bitch Better Have My Money.’

Music journalist Amy Linden tells the story of her first interview with The Replacements in 1988–and how it came at a time when she was excited about being pregnant, and not at all excited about being married. Plus, Dana tries to figure out Rihanna’s video for ‘Bitch Better Have My Money.’