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SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED VIDEO The Story of REC – As Told by the LOGOS ~~~~ The second episode in my series on visuals connected with music is on one of my all-time favorite topics: logos. I’ve been a graphic designer my whole life, and have been fascinated by logos since I was a kid. Logos are often the first thing you see that connects you to the artist or product or company. I go over the history of logos in general, then cite some notable band logos through the decades. Are you into band logos? Are there some that are so burned in your memory you can see them with your eyes closed? Do you feel like the logo helps you understand where the artist is coming from? What are some of your favorite logos? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: Solo Artist Branding ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ This is not a strictly political podcast. But I do bring the real world into my discussions. And this episode is not only part of that approach, it might be the EPITOME of it. In a special two-part PODFAST, I’m profiling the music of both Israel AND Palestine. The more I listen to music from non-English countries, the more I hear how much all of it shares. Israel and Palestine are no exception, and we’d all be better served remembering that. In Part 2, I highlight some amazing contemporary Palestinian artists, cite some cross-border artists, and draw some surprising parallels between artists from both countries, and music from that region in general. Do you know anything about the music from either country? Have you heard of any of the artists I mentioned? Do you like anything you’ve heard? Does this change and/or enhance your perspective on the conflict? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ This is not a strictly political podcast. But I do bring the real world into my discussions. And this episode is not only part of that approach, it might be the EPITOME of it. In a special two-part PODFAST, I’m profiling the music of both Israel AND Palestine. The more I listen to music from non-English countries, the more I hear how much all of it shares. Israel and Palestine are no exception, and we’d all be better served remembering that. Part 1 deals with both countries' music histories, and then I highlight some amazing contemporary Israeli artists. In Part 2, I'll highlight Palestinian artists, and draw some surprising parallels. Do you know anything about the music from either country? Have you heard of any of the artists I mentioned? Do you like anything you’ve heard? Does this change and/or enhance your perspective on the conflict? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Fool for You” (from the upcoming album, Valley of the Ureleased) ~~~~ Part 5 of my Great Producers series takes us to the 1990s, a hinge decade if there ever was one. So much of the “old world” of music production was still in play, and for so many reasons. But the new world that was being shaped in the ‘70s & ‘80s finally took hold, and a new standard of recording quality was achieved that has been the template ever since. As usual, I go through the technological & musical changes that helped define the decade, then discuss some of the best producers. Are you a fan of ‘90s production? Could you hear the huge shift in sound quality from the ‘80s to then? What are some of your favorite ‘90s albums & producers? Were you aware of how much of a pivot the ‘90s was from the old ways to what we consider the norm today? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: The LOUDNESS WARS ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for TWO reasons: 1. This is a fascinating topic I'd love your opinion on; and 2. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon.  In this BONUS MxTRA, I rank the TOP TEN POWER POP acts in history. Guaranteed you will disagree, and I'm hoping that gets us talking! If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH. Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for TWO reasons: 1. This is a fascinating topic I'd love your opinion on; and 2. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon.  In this BONUS MxTRA, I rank the TOP TEN POWER POP acts in history. Guaranteed you will disagree, and I'm hoping that gets us talking! If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH. Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED ART All of Nick’s album cover designs ~~~~ One of the great joys of listening to music is absorbing the art. The visual representation of the music can tell us more about the artist’s intentions, and the statement they’re trying to make.  I’d argue that these direct representations of the music are even more vital than music videos. And though few of us still get physical media – vinyl, cassettes, CDs – we still pay attention to the digital thumbnails, because the art still matters. This is a history of album art, and is the first in a series on visual art connected to music (the next episode will be about band logos). I review notable album covers by decade, give you my favorites, and explain every album & EP cover in my catalog. Are you into album art? Do you remember how checking out all the art was a necessary and fun part of your first listen to a CD, cassette, or vinyl? What are some of your favorite album covers? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: Banned album art ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for TWO reasons: 1. This is a fascinating topic I'd love your opinion on; and 2. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon.  In this BONUS MxTRA, I talk about ALL Western music would not be what it is today if not for the contributions & innovations of Germany. If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH. Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Check out Steve Erickson's show, "Radio Not Radio", on Mixcloud! ~~~~ In ROUND 7 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I discuss the book MOOD MACHINE: THE RISE OF SPOTIFY AND THE COSTS OF THE PERFECT PLAYLIST, by Liz Pelly. It dissects Spotify’s history and its effect on the music industry, recording artists, fans, and music itself. We use the book as a jumping off point to finally get into exactly why Spotify has been so detrimental to music culture for all but the casual fan, and try to get to some solutions. Are you a Spotify user? Were you aware of how poorly Spotify has treated its artists? Did you know how intently Spotify works to manipulate its users? Do you think there are any viable alternatives, aside from other streaming services? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: My chapter-by-chapter take on MOOD MACHINE ~~~~ *intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG NICK – “Punch Your Soul” (from the upcoming album, VALLEY OF THE UNRELEASED)   I couldn’t wait any longer. My must-hear list was growing to the point where it was stressing me out, and since January & February are slower months for work, it’s the perfect time to catch up on my listening. Gotta stay current! I do quick takes of 23 albums & EPs from ALL KINDS OF GENRES, and end with my top 10 favorite releases. If you wanna hear selections from 19 of them, check out my 2026 playlist:  What is a 2026? Were any of these your favorites? Do you like how eclectic the selections were? Did you discover something you now love? Did I leave out some you wish I’d covered? Are you able to keep current with your listening? Discuss dammit! ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC feat. Pescelet – “Mind Repüljön” (from IT WASN’T ME!) ~~~~ This week’s episode may be one of the most important of Season 8, if not this entire show. And it might be one of the timeliest. The US has an amazing array of music, but we don’t know everything. While we’ve often gotten crossover artists from the UK, Canada & Australia, as well as a few other non-English countries, most of what we hear is homegrown. That means there’s a literal WORLD OF MUSIC we know nothing about. Other countries have hugely popular, legendary, million selling artists we’ve NEVER HEARD OF. This episode is my small effort to correct that, and expose us to music we SHOULD KNOW that’s every bit as good as what we DO KNOW. I profile artists from 25 countries that never quite broke in the States, and hopefully inspire you to give them a listen. What bands or artists from other countries come to mind that you think American listeners don’t know at all? Are you surprised that the artists I mentioned were so huge? Does any of this make you want to listen for yourself? And does it make you think differently about other cultures? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: All Western music has been shaped by Germany ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" *mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Almost Everything About You” (from KITE TO CAMDEN) ~~~~ Part 4 of my Great Producers series takes us to the 1980s. The synth & drum machine experiments of the 1970s went everywhere. Disco & punk permeated nearly every genre. And production went from midrange & mellow to bright and big.  I go over all those changes, and discuss many of the top producers of the decade, including some you may have been missing from previous years. And I discuss how very different the production values of the first & second halves of the decade really were. How do you feel about 1980s production values? Can you hear a clear difference between the first & second halves of the decade? Who were your favorite producers? Which production developments do you feel most shaped the music in subsequent decades? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: The 1980s production divide – recommended listening ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for THREE reasons: 1. We were just in Vegas, baby, and I needed a week to recover; 2. This is a fascinating topic I'd love your opinion on; and 3. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon.  In this BONUS MxTRA, I talk about all the death clusters that seem to happen in the music world every decade or so, and I rank them from least to most impactful. If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH. Enjoy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “If It Feels All Right” (from PARTS AND LABOUR) ~~~~ This week I give you a long overdue lovefest on Fountains of Wayne, possibly the greatest power pop band ever. Melding driving rock with hooky pop, Fountains of Wayne set the standard laid out by bands like The Beatles, Squeeze, and Big Star. Every album is full of gems that go far beyond “Stacy’s Mom”.  I go over their history, every album, Adam Schlesinger’s untimely death, and argue that they were one of the most important unsung bands in history. Do you know Fountains of Wayne beyond “Stacy’s Mom”? Are you a power pop fan? Are you aware of how prolific Adam Schlesinger was? Do you think Fountains of Wayne deserve more recognition? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: Where does Fountains of Wayne rank in the POWER POP TOP TEN? ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SUPPORT THIS PODCAST! Join Patreon Get some merch ~~~~ FEATURED SONG REC – “Let It Wreck Your Mind” (from SYNCOPY FOR THE WEIRD) ~~~~ Part 3 of my Great Producers series is on the 1970s, the decade when music recording realized its full sonic potential. This was due to massive expansion in both technology and creativity.  Those developments influenced each other in ways that propelled music forward like never before. This episode will discuss that, as well as the producers who made the greatest impact on the music of this decade. Do you agree that 1970s production values were head over heels above those of previous decades? What are some of your favorites from the decade – genres, producers, artists, albums, songs? How do you think music production from this decade influenced subsequent decades? Discuss dammit! BONUS MxTRA: Sylvia Robinson – a LEGENDARY music force YOU SHOULD KNOW ~~~~ *intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.