Music Raygun

We’re taking a look at the career of Nile Rodgers, the genius guitarist, songwriter and producer behind Chic as well as hits from by Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, INXS and Daft Punk, all of whom are featured on this episode. And that’s not even to mention the hits he wrote and/or produced for Madonna, Duran Duran, the B-52s, Bryan Ferry, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga and more. Nile Rodge...

Feeling festive? Kirk and Paul are both excited for the holiday season. Kirk has some thoughts about how getting older has affected his outlook on the holidays ... and on hip-hop. In "Don't @ Me," someone in Kirk's life contributes a hot take, and Paul's take takes list form. Then Paul tries like hell to break Kirk's winning streak in the music trivia quiz. Will he succeed? Probably not.

We’re doing something different on this episode of “Music Raygun.” Instead of talking about pop music, we’ll listen to some classic TV themes. From which TV shows, you ask? Here are some hints: a working-class sitcom from the ‘70s, a working-class sitcom from the ‘80s, a British sci-fi show from the ‘60s, a children’s show from the ‘70s, and more. But hey, you ask, don’t you cover any pop-culture...

Paul embarrassed himself in the last miniepisode, so there are corrections to make. Uncle Marc checks in to address a glaring omission. The "Don't @ Me" takes come fast, hot and spicy. Debuting in this episode, a new segment: "Trading Card Corner." And in the music trivia quiz, will Kirk continue his winning streak and humiliate Paul further? You probably already know the answer to that. So say ya...

Back in January 2017, your hosts recorded what’s now the show’s lost pilot episode. (Paul accidentally destroyed the file trying to teach himself audio editing.) The subject of that episode: What was the first boy band? And that discussion came from Paul and Kirk having the same debate with their co-workers many months earlier. Now, finally, it’s our long-awaited boy bands episode. This ‘90s-heavy...

Kirk and Paul discuss the Halloween songs that too many basic beezies play at Halloween parties. Plus also they name which song needs to become more of a Halloween standard. Two short and spicy "Don't @ Me" opinions show how your hosts kind of sort of have the same brain. And the music trivia quiz doesn't end in a tie as predicted. Happy Halloween!

Clanking chains. Creaking door. Spiderweb. Boo. It’s Halloween. This time of year gives us an excuse to do what rock and roll was invented for: worshipping Satan. And that’s what we’re doing on this episode of “Music Raygun.” There’s a visit from the god of hellfire to bring us fire. Lou Reed tears the flesh from off of his own skull. The Beach Boys sing a Charles Manson song. And perhaps the most...

A question about a particular song reminds Paul why Twitter is fun, Kirk has a strong opinion about a movie he hasn't seen, Uncle Marc checks in and Paul tries to break Kirk's winning streak in the trivia quiz.

We’re gonna add some bottom so that the dancers just won’t hide. Get your thumb slapping and your finger popping because it’s time to take a deep dive into bass guitars and bass guitar players. We’re talking Verdine, Bernard, the Ox, Flea, Bootsy, Thunder Thumbs and more. There are Stingrays everywhere you look. And the question on absolutely every bass guitar player’s lips: What would River Phoen...

Paul and Kirk dip into the listener mailbag. Kirk talks about seeing Anita Baker in concert last month. The "Don't @ Me" takes are short but spicy. And the music trivia quiz this time is... well, just listen.

On this episode of “Music Raygun,” we’re talking about off-brand picks! What does that mean? The topic what Kirk’s idea, because even though he has a self-described “narrow” enjoyment of music, there is still plenty of stuff he likes that people may be surprised that he knows and really enjoys. Meanwhile, Paul’s tastes are broader in general, so his picks for this episode go pretty far afield of t...

Paul and Kirk put a bow on the most recent regular episode with a few final thoughts about new jack swing. Kirk goes off the dome with a hot take for "Don't @ Me." Paul wrote his down. Plus: Will Kirk finally break his multiweek losing streak in the music-trivia quiz, or will Paul continue to crush him like a jelly bean? Thanks to RadioPublic for naming "Music Raygun" one of its Indies to Watch!

This episode has been a long time coming. Paul and Kirk talked about having new jack swing as a topic back when they first conceived of “Music Raygun.” Why did it take so long to get here? Because this is the most important music in Kirk’s life. And he needed a lot of time to marinate in exactly what he wanted to say about it. So steel yourself, because not every music podcast out there is treatin...

Paul and Kirk redress a couple of glaring omissions from a recent episode, answer the question of that "Last American Virgin" soundtrack song, and mark what would've been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday. All that plus "Don't @ Me" and the music trivia quiz.

For the first time on “Music Raygun,” Paul and Kirk have chosen to focus on the work of one particular music video director. In this case, it’s Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczynski. While his isn’t exactly a household name, Rybcynzski’s avant-garde influence was essential to developing music video as an art form during the golden age of MTV in the ‘80s. That’s why he was one of the first winners o...

Kirk and Paul talk about an upcoming Anita Baker concert and the time someone won a date with Prince. "Don't @ Me" (them) about OMC or Duran Duran. And this episode's music trivia battle turns quickly into an expo mission, but it's fun all the same.

“Music Raygun” B-sides episodes are when we look back to past episode themes for new videos that we left out, forgot or didn’t know about the first time around. So our third B-sides podcast serves up bonus clips from the following previous episodes: “Funk,” “Minneapolis,” “Madonna,” “Hip-Hop 1992-93,” “Rebel Girls II,” “Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,” “Slow Jams,” “Dance II,” “Detroit,” “Music Videos...

Kirk has news; the boys discuss summer music festivals and Bass Player magazine; two fresh, hot takes for the "Don't @ Me" segment; and, as always, a cool music trivia contest. It's a miniepisode, you guys!

Our topic for this episode is someone who’s been around for so long, is such a multi-hyphenate and has worked with so many other legends that he’s worth many artists in one package. He’s a composer, a writer, a band leader, an arranger and conductor, and a producer working in jazz, pop, TV and film scores, soul and R&B. He has 27 Grammys and 79 nominations. And he also made Rashida Jones. This epi...

Say yay, because Krag's back! Kirk has returned from his adventures abroad, and he's ready to tell us about fleeing to the Cleve and clubbing up down by the Flats (or not). On "Don't @ Me," one of your hosts has a take so hot it renders the other literally speechless. And your boys learn a thing or two from their music trivia content.

Kirk’s on vacation, so pinch-hitter-in-chief Katie Willert is back in the “studio” to fill in for the Kragman. She and Paul are taking it easy for the Los Angeles summer heat wave, eschewing a themed episode entirely. Which means it’s time for another “Music Raygun” grab bag episode. Paul goes weirdly nostalgic for this one, digging up a bunch of vintage clips while Katie keeps things ever-so-slig...

Kirk’s on vacation this week, so filling in we have BFF of the show Katie Willert. She and Paul discuss their respective personalized "Your Summer Rewind" playlists on Spotify, then dive into some spicy takes in "Don't @ Me" before polishing off the mini with a hair-raiser of a music trivia contest.

For the first time since the second episode, we’re focusing strictly on music videos from a specific era. In this case, 1995-97. Given the age gap between Paul and Kirk, and their musical tastes, they experienced those years very differently from each other. But that only means this is an especially interesting and eclectic episode. So what were you doing in the mid to late ‘90s? Maybe you’re in f...

We're back to normal on a truly mini miniepisode, i.e., no guests and no high-stakes, winner-takes-all competitions. But there are a couple of corrections for things we screwed up, plus a new tribute band name guessing game, a new band-name backronym and, of course, "Don't @ Me" and our music trivia contest.

Here’s a new entry in the show’s series profiling music from different cities, states and regions of the USA. This time it’s a long look at Detroit, Michigan, aka Detroit Rock City, aka the Motor City, aka Motown. Detroit is a storied music metropolis that’s generated countless legendary artists. But Paul and Kirk avoid those mythical names to focus on the somewhat lesser-known singers and bands t...