1001 Album Complaints

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Pavement helped define early indie music and their influences reach all the way to the present day, and this shines through on their 2nd album Crooked Rain Crooked Rain . The team discuss guitars that sound like an airplane landing, purposefully off-key vocals, and the magic of not caring what other peopl...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Jimi Hendrix landed in London an unsuccessful amateur but very quickly took the scene by storm. A band was hastily assembled around him and they went into the studio to cut a sea change album in Are You Experienced . The boys talk about horse meat, fake confidence, and (of course) 60s recording techniques...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Radiohead had early success but was starting to get disillusioned with the music industry when they started writing the material for their 3rd album OK Computer . The team discuss mellotron, pinching ideas from The Beatles, and recording in Dr Quinn's castle. Email us your complaints (or questions / comme...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Minutemen came roaring out of the SoCal hardcore scene and proved that musicianship and punk weren't incompatible. The team discuss the importance of overdubbing, the nature of "punk" music, and how sincerity shining through is almost always a good thing. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments)...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Jamiroquai wanted to make retro danceable music with a message and on this debut album they did just that while making a big splash in the UK. The boys discuss bass tone, the importance of song editing, and Greta Thunberg. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001AlbumComplaints@gmail.com...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Snoop Dogg's solo debut was greatly anticipated after the massive success of The Chronic , but young Snoop takes it all in stride on Doggystyle . The boys talk about raunchy sound effects, complex chord changes, and Snoop's breezy songwriting. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001Albu...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Emerson Lake and Palmer met while touring individually in other successful groups, then formed prog rock's first supergroup. Tarkus is a concept album for a future that has yet to manifest. The fellows welcome a special guest and discuss virtuosity, over the top drum kits, and the history of progressive m...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. White Denim had made 3 full length albums before ever setting foot in a pro recording studio for D. The team talk about bass fuzz pedals, time signature switches that don't smack you in the face, and the evolution of prog rock. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001AlbumComplaints@gmai...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Crosby, Stills, and Nash already had a smash hit when they decided to team up with Neil Young for Deja Vu , but in-fighting and personal troubles made for a rough recording session. The boys chat about perfect harmony, rock and roll singing voices, and Joni Mitchell. Email us your complaints (or questions...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Kinks came roaring out of the British rock scene but got waylaid by a ban from touring the United States - so they turned their attention and songwriting chops back towards home. The boys discuss key changes, indie rock production, and band fights - lots of them. Email us your complaints (or questions...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Karen Carpenter's tragic story is well known, but her upbringing and rise to fame is just as interesting as this brother and sister duo team up to have a breakthrough hit. The boys discuss an overabundance of harmonies (gasp), drumming while singing, and bank commercial jingles. Email us your complaints (...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Cure decided to eschew their pop-punk roots in favor of a darker sound on Seventeen Seconds and set the course for the rest of their long career. The team discuss drum production, overplaying your instrument, and strange mixing decisions. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001Album...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Incubus built a following in the 90s by touring extensively, then landed a major label deal and decided to write some deeply personal songs for 1999's Make Yourself . The boys welcome a special guest and discuss low harmonies, bass tones, and the gonkulator. Email us your complaints (or questions / commen...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Hanoi Rocks was the biggest band to come out of the Finnish glam metal scene and was on their way towards conquering America when tragedy struck. The team discuss Spotify errors, pitchy singing, and sleeping on the Stockholm streets in winter. We're live together in the room today, face to face at last. E...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The GoGos formed out of the LA punk scene as five friends who wanted to take over the world. They rose to worldwide stardom but fell apart in the years to come. Listen as we discuss pop production tricks that work, drum beats that elevate simple songs, and speeding up the tape. We're live together in the...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Sly Stone assembled a family band in the 1960s and broke musical barriers for years before becoming a notorious recluse. The boys discuss goofy lyrics, a kicking rhythm section, and 60s mixing mistakes. Join us on Patreon to continue the conversation and access 45+ bonus shows! https://www.patreon.com/100...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Supertramp went from being fully bankrolled by a European millionaire to being struggling musicians again...then their career started to take off. The boys talk Wurlitzers, yacht rock, and obscure British slang. Join us on Patreon to continue the conversation and access 45+ bonus shows! https://www.patreo...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Missy Elliott had her mind set on stardom from an early age, and worked her way through the industry with childhood friend and mega producer Timbaland to get there. The boys discuss the the changing eras of hip hop, creative sound effects, and guest stars with varying success. Join us on Patreon to contin...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Talking Heads met at art school and took the 70s New York scene by storm. They honed their sound as a trio before adding a 4th member and heading into the studio to record their debut album 77 . The team discuss Spotify easter eggs, the melodic role of the bass guitar, and Lou Reed's sage advice to David...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Stooges were communists at home and anarchists on stage. The group that gave the world Iggy Pop flamed hot going into the recording of 1970's Funhouse , then crashed and burned in the years that followed. The boys welcome Rocker Conan Neutron as a special guest and discuss studio tracking strategies,...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Grateful Dead had built a massive live following through incessant touring and long improvisations, but the early 1970s saw them begin to use the recording studio a bit differently. The boys come together for America's birthday week to discuss vocal harmony stacks, dueling lead singers, and 1970s song...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. T Rex was already topping the charts in the UK when Marc Bolan set out to conquer America with Electric Warrior. The team discuss rhythm guitar tones, vocal take asides, and boot stomping. Join us on Patreon to continue the conversation and access 45+ bonus shows! https://www.patreon.com/1001AlbumComplain...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Thundercat is an undeniable virtuoso on his chosen instrument (bass) - this week we listen to his most successful solo outing and venture deeper into the man's strange psyche. The boys discuss 6 string bass, falsetto harmonies, and yacht rock pioneers. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. KISS was building a live following but still searching around for a hit record when they paired up with a new producer and headed into the studio for Destroyer. The boys talk about face paint options, bass tone in the mix, and the Bachman-Turner Overdrive effect. Email us your complaints (or questions / c...

Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Van Morrison had a major hit record but almost zero name recognition when he assembled the songs for his cult hit Astral Weeks in 1968. The team discuss vibraphone, loose arrangements, and tasty jazz bass. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001AlbumComplaints@gmail.com Listen to our ep...