Adventures in Record Collecting

The inaugural mini-episode focusing on singles! As one might expect from a Beatles superfan, the first single under discussion comes to us from The Fab Four. I talk about a bit about how singles were listened to, John's ego death crisis, the mutual admiration society between the Beatles and Fats Domino, George's Indian-inspired output, and my all-Beatles running playlist. All in under 10 m...

Imagine my delight when I came across this record in the bins! In the early '80s, I definitely wanted my MTV, and Tracey Ullman brought her sketch comedy bonafides to the music video. Her short-lived career as a pop singer was a bit of a lark, but we have this, a loving tribute to '60s pop. I talk about Doris Day, Kirsty MacColl, and Debbie Harry in addition to Tracey Ullman, so we've really got a...

Greetings commies, pinkos, and fellow travelers! We have our first live album (second if we count comedy), Joan Baez in Concert Vol. 2. I discuss the economics of record collecting, the link between folk music and progressive causes, and the variations and alternate versions of many folk songs, particularly We Shall Overcome. Bob Dylan's name is mentioned more than I anticipated. Also, I didn&...

What with seeing Paul McCartney in concert on Tuesday, followed by Thanksgiving on Thursday, I found myself on the back foot. I'm a dollar short and a day late (well, a few hours late), and I'm all out of audio clips, but I find the wherewithal to discuss budget labels, the Wrecking Crew, Las Vegas, and my difficulty remembering names.

Another vintage record sale find! I launch straight into my rants, as Discogs says this is a soul record, while Apple Music calls it jazz. Does it matter? Probably not. The songs come from everywhere--Lennon & McCartney, Edith Piaf, Joao Gilberto, Broadway, and more. I talk translations, sad stories but great music, and some guy they called The Neem. The Music of Lennon & McCartney: https:...

Let's get jazzy (again)! I discuss the giant that is Duke Ellington and two of his trusted collaborators: his protege, co-composer, and arranger Billy Strayhorn; and his longtime alto saxophone player, Johnny Hodges. I pick apart how swing encompasses more than music to jitterbug to, how subgenres are defined post hoc, and more. I also shout out fictional jazz enthusiast, sometime bass player,...

Who else can put out a record considered "mid" that still has two certified bangers, plus a couple more solid contenders? Our man McCartney (and crew). I try to give a state of the band recap that doesn't repeat previous lore (always a challenge when going by order of purchase), talk about the Fender Rhodes, accuse some people of hating joy, and engage in an impassioned defense of Li...

The bitch is back! I kick off season two with what is considered by many to be the best Monkees album. I talk 1967, dickish music executives, and early adopters. Cameos by Robert Moog, John Lithgow, and Kevin Bacon. Plus a return of the hat I knitted for last season's Monkees' Greatest Hits episode.

We'll be sliding down the razor blade of life as I pay tribute to Tom Lehrer, who died recently at the age of 97 (so close). In addition to poisoning some pigeons in the park and dancing the masochism tango, I'll muse on the limitations of satire, go off on a couple of short, mildly lefty rants, and talk about the weird kid to eccentric adult pipeline. I'll be back in October with more...

It's British Invasion time! Sure, I talk about Peter and Gordon's American debut, with its title track, written by Peter Asher's housemate. That doesn't stop me from taking some detours to discuss semantics, how pop music is often described by what it's not, and why skiffle was so important to the development of British rock and roll. Plus, I call back to a number of episodes, including: Portrait...

Let's get jazzy! Once again, I claim no special knowledge about jazz, yet talk about vibraphones, bebop, cool jazz, and modes. I vary my bullshit to include subgenres. I talk a lot about Toots Thielmans (which is a great name) and guitars and harmonicas. Other topics include: standards, jazz compositions, and George Shearing's love of the dad joke.

If the 21st century is too much for you, let's travel back in time and hit the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 60s. We'll talk pinkos, reds, and fellow travelers, as well as music education, the fearful 50s, and the vagaries of copyrighting traditional material. Plus cameos from A Mighty Wind and the PBS Pledge Drive.

We vault into the 2020s with Green Day's 2024 album, Saviors. I talk about the space between knowing a band and fandom, politics and punk rock, my general beef with genres, and middle age. Let's all bang our heads like it's 1981!

We've come to the last album in the Macca Attack, 1982's Tug of War. I talk about tragedy, lyrics, and more. I even talk about the old days when we used to watch music videos on MTV (while wearing an onion on our belts).

While Back to the Egg was savaged by the critics in 1979, it absolutely has its partisans, who are disappointed that it has yet to receive the McCartney Archive treatment. I am one of those partisans. I put forth my argument why Back to the Egg is great, actually, revisit my lukewarm take that Paul is the funkiest Beatle, and fly the Egg flag.

We're deep into the Macca Attack: I cover why I bought this year's 50th anniversary half speed master pressing of Venus and Mars, noodle on what one of the great songwriters of the last 60 years has in common with student writers I have tutored, and the wonder of it all, baby.

We zip forward five years from our previous album. Now no longer just a guy making music in his living room, Paul McCartney has got a band together. And then got it together again. I point out the difference between Spinal Tap and Wings, give a brief tour of personnel changes and the interpersonal issues within, and talk about writing songs to be performed live. Plus, I speculate about what emotio...

If I'm going to give a billionaire money, it might as well be the one who wrote the music. So I purchased the McCartney I II III boxset. I also discuss side 2, accidentally defend Kreen Akrore, and muse on how the once-maligned album underwent a reappraisal. Plus, it turns out grad school wasn't a terrible decision after all! Shout out to Petey B!

I dive into Paul McCartney's self-titled solo debut, with its lo-fi, home grown aesthetic. I touch on how the strum und drang of the Beatles' breakup shaped the record and its reception. I float a taxonomy of Paul McCartney songs and posit that this album is mostly "vibes". Part one of two, as this is an album so nice I bought it twice.

As tough as it is to make it to the top, it's even tougher to stay there. We tackle the second album of this 2LP compilation. I talk about how commerce and art are uneasy colleagues, shout out disco, and talk about the law of diminishing returns. I'm back on my (genres are) bullshit, and drop a Mitch Hedberg reference.

Let's all go to the Motor City and unpack the history and (some of) the hits of Motown. I'll be talking about the entrepreneurial spirit of the Gordy family, what made Detroit unique, and meeting the moment.

The British Are Coming! I delve into an overlooked British Invasion act, untangle some lore, make my case for the origins of jangle pop, and turn Pete Best into a verb. Plus, I begin to unpack a corollary to my "genres are bullshit" tenet. Cameos from: Johnny and the Moondogs Oasis Francis Hall Morris Levy Remember, you can argue my interpretation on the origins of jangle pop, posit that I talk to...

Our first double album at ARC HQ! Still, I make time for sussing out the character of the main record stores in Madison, conducting a whirlwind tour of the formation of the Monkees, and musing on what separates good songwriters from great ones. Plus, cameos from Jack Nicholson, Paul Williams, Neil Diamond, and Victor Mature. Note: I knitted that hat! Share your favorite bit from Head via email at...

Hippies invade Nashville! I expand slightly on my "genres are bullshit" rants, calling them a marketing strategy. I talk covers, pause recording to hack up a lung, close out my country music journey. You can email me at record.collecting.pod@gmail.com (Note: I absolutely made at least one factual error in this episode. I would normally have edited it, but my hacking cough left me unwilli...

Back to Nashville and the legendary Patsy Cline. I go off on a tangent about why we call albums albums, why crossover success was a goal for Nashville producers, the deployment of the Jordanaires, and a surprise thought on harmonicas. Plus, shout outs to Hank Williams and Pee Wee King.