That Record Got Me High Podcast

Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, Ministry were one of the most terrifyingly aggressive industrial acts around. But in 1983 Al Jourgensen introduced himself to the masses - and this week's guest, producer/musician Dave Trumfio (Chicago's Pulsars ) - with the decidedly New Wave ' With Sympathy '. This is NOT your grandma's Ministry , unless your grandma is a moody goth kid singing snappy littl...

California pop/punk royalty Descendents took a break in 1987, becoming All so singer Milo Aukerman could pursue a career in biochemistry. 1996 marked the return of Milo, and the release of their 5th studio album ' Everything Sucks '. This week Rob is joined by artist/drummer Woody Compton (Is This Tomorrow) , as they both unleash their 12-year-old selves to unpack this hook-filled gem of a record....

Formed in 1979, Hawthorne California's Redd Kross are having quite the year. With a feature documentary - Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story directed by Andrew Reich - a fantastic new self-titled double album, and a new memoir by brothers Jeff & Steven McDonald and award winning journalist Dan Epstein : Now You're One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross coming October 29th. Dan joins us to...

When this week's guest, Minneapolis-based writer and drummer David Jarnstrom , was tasked with choosing a record to discuss, he surprisingly went with something both relatively obscure AND near-and-dear to Rob's heart: the 1990 debut - and sole full-length record - by criminally unsung Miami pop-punk heroes Quit , ' Earlier Thoughts '. Go figure! Songs discussed in this episode: Intro - Quit:Live...

Back in March, 2021 when TRGMH was still a two-man operation, musician & human Bob Fay ( Sebadoh, Deluxx, Folk Implosion ) joined Rob and Barry to discuss The Frogs and their controversial 1989 cult classic ' It's Only Right and Natural '. That episode was never released. Until now... Songs discussed in this episode: Homos - The Frogs (Live at The Knitting Factory, Los Angeles CA 05-16-2003); Not...

This week's guest, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Evan Taylor (Bernie Worrell Orchestra, Loantaka Records), brings us The Beach Boys ' 21st studio album - and the last one under the group's name to be written and produced solely by troubled leader Brian Wilson - ' The Beach Boys Love You '. Released in 1977, this strange, at-times childlike collection of songs sounded like nothing...

British post-punk superstars Wire always seem to be ahead of their time, no matter what time they exist in. Returning guest Garry Messick (American Doom Podcast) brings us their twelfth studio album, 2011's mysteriously diverse, surprisingly melodic ' Red Barked Tree '. 34 years into their career at the time of its release, Colin Newman , Graham Lewis and Robert Grey STILL manage to make quite a r...

When Rickie Lee Jones burst onto the music scene in 1979, she was an immediate sensation. There was no one remotely like her. When week's guest - Minneapolis singer/songwriter Pamela McNeill - picked up Jones' debut on cassette at a truck stop, she was looking for some cool female-fronted music to pop into her Walkman for the long drives to gigs sitting shotgun. She got that, and more. Welcome to...

Strap-in dear listeners, as we are joined by Yasuko Onuki and Ichiro Agata (Yako & Agata) of Japanese noise rock band Melt-Banana - and some creepy computer-generated translation software - for this BONUS episode discussing the soundtrack to Wim Wenders' 1987 film Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin) "Can you hear it? Can you see it? Can you look me in the eyes? It doesn't really matter anymor...

This week we dive into Glasgow Scotland's influential indie-pop purveyors The Pastels and their excellent EP/Singles compilation ' Truckload Of Trouble ' with special guest, teacher and poet Josh Medsker . Songs discussed in this episode: Lonely Planet Boy (New York Dolls Cover) - The Pastels; The Horrors In The Museum - Rudimentary Peni; Nothing To Be Done - The Pastels; Jesus Wants Me For A Sunb...

Dagger Zine's Tim Hinely returns with a record that STILL gets him high after 37+ years. A turning point for D.C. Hardcore band Government Issue , their 1987 release ' You ' saw the band moving in a more mature, melodic direction that proved to be a game-changer, and paved the way for many a post-hardcore band that followed in their footsteps. Songs discussed in this episode: Where You Live - Nake...

Returning guest, filmmaker Alan Zweig (Vinyl, When Jews Were Funny), brings us Will Oldham - a.k.a. Palace Brothers , Bonnie 'Prince' Billy ...etc) and his stunning debut: 'There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You' First released in 1993 under a cloud of mystery, Oldham's dark tales of sin, lust, alcohol, and redemption made for rousing conversation - as we name-checked The Louvin Brothers, The...

Our guest this week, Brooklyn-based musician David Nagler (Tape Hiss), brings us Brazilian music legend Milton Nascimento and his 1973 release: Milagre Dos Peixes (Miracle of the Fishes)  When many of the song lyrics  were rejected by the Brazilian military regime, Nascimento elected to remove them and replace them with a wordless singing style that has been called "the voice of God" David's lates...

For this special BONUS episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a cover of a song they feel is better than the original. As usual, they did NOT disappoint! Warning: Hot takes ahead!! Songs discussed in this episode: Hallelujah - John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, K.D. Lang, Neil Diamond and Brandi Carlile Seven Days Too Long - Dexys Midnight Runners Black Diamond - The Replacements Swingin...

The last thing Rob expected to be doing in 2024 was talking about Anaheim, California ska-punk/pop band No Doubt , but when he invited Late Slip 's ringleader Chelsea Nenni on the show her record choice was crystal clear. When she first heard their breakout album ' Tragic Kingdom ' as a 10 year old girl living in Southern California, the seed of one day forming and fronting a band of her own was f...

In this positively bonkers episode, we ventured into the studio of L.A. musician/producer Fernando Perdomo to help him unpack the bizarre album by Philadelphia pop/soul hitmakers Daryl Hall and John Oates that got them dropped by Atlantic Records: 1974's ' War Babies '. Strap in, kids... Songs discussed in this episode: Is It A Star - Todd Rundgren; Searching For Myself, Self - Fernando Perdomo; W...

Avant-garde singer-songwriter and musician Azalia Snail joins Rob in the TRGMH studio to discuss an artist near and dear to her heart - Melanie Safka aka Melanie - and some of her greatest hits: "But maybe it'll all be alright, ma Maybe it'll all be okay Well, if the people are buying tears I'll be rich someday, ma Look what they done to my song..." Songs discussed in this episode: California Drea...

For our very first stab at a Dylan record, Chicago singer/songwriter Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden) veered away from the obvious and chose 1970s ' New Morning '. Coming on the heels of his widely ill-received 'Self Portrait', 'New Morning' was a tight, solid collection of songs many considered a welcome return to form from Mr Zimmerman. Super-fun conversation! Songs discussed in this episode: The Man...

This week's guest, author Rob Drew , traces how a lowly, hissy format that began life in office dictation machines and cheap portable players came to be regarded as a token of intimate expression through music and a source of cultural capital in his new book Unspooled: How the Cassette Made Music Shareable .  For this episode, he curated a mixtape of some of the music featured in his book and disc...

For this special BONUS episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a song with horns that got them high. As always they did NOT disappoint - it's a super-eclectic episode with some really fantastic 'songs with horns' picks, so enjoy!! Songs discussed in this episode: A Message To You Rudy - The Specials; Young Americans - David Bowie; The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; Rudie Can...

This week, New York musician Stephen Bluhm brings us John Cale and his hauntingly beautiful 1973 masterpiece: ' Paris 1919 '  Songs discussed in this episode: Paris 1919 (live at the Paradiso Amsterdam Netherlands) - John Cale; Any Little Thing - Stephen Bluhm; Big White Cloud - John Cale; No One Is There - Nico; All The Love You Want, Wissahickon - Stephen Bluhm; Satellite Of Love - Lou Reed; Chi...

What more can be said about Led Zeppelin 's densely iconic sixth studio album, ' Physical Graffiti ', that hasn't already been said? Apparently quite a bit. Returning guest Corey duBrowa takes us to rock school as we unpack this multi-platinum hard rock mammoth of a double-record. Songs discussed in this episode:  Kashmir (Live at Olympia, Paris, France - July 1995) - Jeff Buckley; Sons Of Freedom...

The third and final studio album by Argentine rock band Pescado Rabioso , 1973s ' Artaud ', is essentially a solo album by enigmatic singer/songwriter Luis Alberto Spinetta . The record's jagged, irregular shape foreshadows the darkly beautiful music within, and this week's guest  Ale Campos (Las Nubes) helps hopeless gringo Rob unpack this essential Spanish-language gem. Songs discussed in this e...

New Orleans singer/songwriter Lynn Drury helped Rob get over his irrational Jeff Tweedy/Wilco bias and fully embrace their 1999 release, ' summerteeth '. Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett combined intricate studio experimentation with pure pop to craft a wonderfully ambiguous gem of a record. Songs discussed in this episode: Thirteen - Wilco; Blue, Fade - Lynn Drury; The Palace at 4 A.M...

This week, we're joined by Patron Marcia Potts as we travel back to a simpler time when the shirts were bright, the jackets Members Only and the music was...AWESOME! When director Martha Coolidge made her 1983 sleeper hit ' Valley Girl ', she filled the movie with New Wave gems made popular by KROQ's "Rock of the 80s" format. Unfortunately the planned release of a soundtrack album was cancelled du...