1001 Album Complaints

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums.  Nine Inch Nails was born from the late night studio experiments of Trent Reznor, who rocketed to stardom in the early nineties with this sonically experimental and lyrically provocative album. The boys discuss Trent's rural Pennsylvania beginnings, early ProTools workflows, and the importance o...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Song Battle is our Patreon-only bonus show where contestants select songs to compete in a bracket system and over the course of 5 episodes we pit them against each other to determine the one true winner in Episode #5. The theme for this Song Battle is 2024 #1 Hits And if you enjoyed this - you can access...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Harry Nilsson ping-ponged through the songwriter-for-hire business and got some very famous admirers in the process before finding critical success with his breakthrough hit Nilsson Schmilsson . The fellas welcome an old friend and discuss half-baked song structures, detuned bass parts, and what song to l...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Van Halen got their start on the Pasadena house party scene then became one of the top selling bands of all time, but by 1984 they were tired of the road and ready for a change of scenery. The team welcome a special guest to discuss stage presence, bass players who sing, and an instrument-defining talent....

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Aphex Twin was tinkering with sound and household electronics from an early age then joined and expanded upon the acid house movement of the late 1980s. The team welcome an old friend and synth expert to help sort through the tall tales of Richard D James' life and times. Join the comment thread NOW avail...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Muddy Waters was a sharecropper who became a blues superstar. The boys discuss harmonica playing, field recordings, and the lasting influence of a true innovator. Join the comment thread NOW available on our free Patreon to continue the conversation about this episode and get early access to the weekly sh...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Def Leppard had tasted arena rock success with their breakthrough hit Pyromania but they still wanted more, so teaming up with Mutt Lange they headed into the studio to create a hair metal version of Thriller. The guys get together to discuss terrible lyrics, cringey 80s vocal effects, and the slow sway o...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Little Richard was a born performer from a young age, and by leaning into a larger than life persona ended up inventing rock and roll (and possibly all other modern musical genres). The team get together to discuss mic clipping, rhyming dictionaries, and the importance of self-promotion. Join the comment...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Teenage Fanclub came roaring out of the Glasgow C86 scene and were poised to take over the world with jangle pop and harmony - so what happened? The boys discuss mixtapes, Jack Daniels, and throwing your mattress into the touring van. Join the comment thread NOW available on our free Patreon to continue t...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. At the start of the new year we get together to discuss the past 12 months and the road ahead for 1001 Album Complaints. Thank you for everything - now here's what you can do to help us make the show better: Fill out our Anonymous Listener Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdptSSzrHTzD3hhQd...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Ryan Adams had a long and circuitous path to hipster songwriter celebrity via his first solo album "Heartbreaker". The boys talk about strange mixing decisions, Mandy Moore, how fast can a man chug three beers? Join the comment thread NOW available on our free Patreon to continue the conversation about th...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Johnny Cash had a hard scrabble life before finding success in country music songs that focused on the underdogs of society. By 1968 he had hit tough times and needed a hit to revive his career. The boys get together to discuss sweating bullets on stage, authoritative delivery, and the bottom three string...

Welcome to Future Complaints - our end of year bonus show(s) where each of our six hosts get to recommend albums from 2024. Each episode, one host picks two highlight songs and we all discuss together. All 6 of our 2024 recommendation shows are available NOW over at our Patreon . https://www.patreon.com/c/1001AlbumComplaints You can listen on Patreon directly or once you're a member you can listen...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Happy (almost) New Year! In order to be with our families over the holidays, we're taking a short break from deep dives on new albums and this week's episode is instead a compilation of our best (mean) tweets of the year, lovingly compiled in secret by Rob and then reacted to in real-time by all 6 hosts /...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Phil Spector shot to the top of the music business at a young age by pioneering a new operational approach to making hits in the studio, then he decided it was time to cash in before his star inevitably faded. On our special Christmas episode, the fellows discuss wacky hairstyles, personal Christmas memor...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Arcade Fire roared out of Montreal's artsy early 2000s scene and became stadium fillers quickly after the release of their smash debut Funeral. The team get together and talk about missed concert opportunities, killer xylophone overdubs, and the difference between broke and baroque bands. Join the comment...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Gillian Welch sought to bring back the tradition of Americana music with the sound and feel of an intimate living room set. The boys discuss close mic'ing, spot on live harmonies, and the savvy of a backwoods revival. Join the comment thread NOW available on our free Patreon to continue the conversation a...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Buena Vista Social Club came together last minute after another project fell through and made an album celebrating the old style of Cuban Son music. The guys discuss sparse piano playing, emotional vocal takes from a shoe shiner, and a record that revived the career of several septuagenarians. Join the co...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Jurassic 5 was born when two crews in the vibrant LA scene merged, and set out to create conscious, thought provoking hip hop with complex, jazzy beats and an overall fun atmosphere. The fellas discuss the artistry of Cut Chemist , Bill Cosby samples, and the responsible parenting style of Chali 2na Join...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Gram Parsons had a dream of creating and popularizing cosmic american music: a mix of country, rock, and Americana. After a stint in The Byrds he began his solo career strong and had a follow up album (Grievous Angel) in the can, but died tragically before it could see release. The boys discuss tasty peda...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Song Battle is our Patreon-only bonus show where contestants select songs to compete in a bracket system and over the course of 5 episodes we pit them against each other to determine the one true winner in Episode #5. The theme for this Song Battle is Women's Name in Song Titles! And if you enjoyed this -...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Joy Division had their raucous live show energy tamped down by an overzealous producer and still made an all-time classic debut that captured the Manchester post-punk aesthetic. The fellas discuss understated guitars, "lead bass", and Homer Simpson singing karaoke. Join the comment thread NOW available on...

Rob recently appeared on Jenn Tully's show What Are You Listening To? to discuss a few of his all time favorite songs in a casual, get to know you conversation. Jenn also recently came on our show to guest complain about Wilco (and she was amazing). Enjoy this special bonus episode with friend of the show Jenn Tully and follow her @superawesomemix Check out more of What Are You Listening To? here:...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Who were at the peak of their rock and roll powers and Pete Townshend wanted more! He set about making a rock opera called LifeHouse but ended up with Who's Next . The fellas discuss constant drum soloing, clear and present bass, and successful early synth explorations. Join the comment thread NOW ava...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Wilco was on the cusp of mainstream success with a brand new album when their label dropped them. They turned things around and ended up with an indie classic. The team discusses precious vocals, noisy artsy production, and smoking while in the studio. Join the comment thread NOW available on our free Pat...