The Earworm Podcast

Patrick and Bryan take a journey through the complete history of recorded music—from the first known sound recording in 1860 to the cutting-edge plugin technology shaping modern productions. Along the way, they explore Thomas Edison's phonograph, Emil Berliner's gramophone, a working 1908 Edison Model B, and a century-old Victrola, revealing how each innovation forever changed the way we...

This week for episode 11, Patrick and Bryan take a field trip to the new recording studio inside the Franklin, Tennessee Walmart called Create-It Studio, where they ask the obvious question: just because you can track a record between the garden center and frozen foods, should you? The conversation uses the studio as a springboard into a bigger discussion about how music has shifted from an owners...

John Capito joins Patrick and Bryan for a deep dive into the fascinating world of guitar amplifiers, tracing the lineage of iconic amp designs that shaped modern music. From the chime of the AC30 to the roar of the Plexi and the warmth of the Tweed Bassman, John unpacks the sonic DNA behind the sounds that defined generations of players. Along the way, he shares his unlikely path from automotive t...

In Episode 9 of The Earworm Podcast, our hosts Patrick and Bryan explore Fender’s recent legal victory against a Chinese counterfeit manufacturer and use it as a springboard to examine one of the most influential rivalries in music history: Fender versus Gibson. The conversation traces the evolution of the electric guitar, from Leo Fender’s practical, repair-friendly designs to Gibson’s handcrafte...

In this episode of The Earworm Podcast , Patrick Cloud and Bryan Clark explore the fascinating history of sound design in film, from the era of silent movies and live theater musicians to the invention of Foley artistry and the groundbreaking work of legendary sound designer Walter Murch. Along the way, they examine how humans interpret sound and music through learned “codes,” discussing everythin...

On this episode of The Earworm Podcast, Bryan and Patrick trace the evolution of the synthesizer—from the room-sized Teleharmonium and Hammond B3 organ to the groundbreaking instruments that shaped modern music. Along the way, they explore the pioneers of electronic sound, including Raymond Scott, Bob Moog, and the innovators who transformed experimental technology into musical tools. The conversa...

On episode six of The Earworm Podcast, Bryan and Patrick sit down with Greg Walton, founder of XTS, to explore the art, science, and obsession behind guitar tone. Greg shares his journey from guitar enthusiast and environmental consultant to building custom pedalboards and effects for some of the world’s top musicians. The conversation dives into the rise of boutique pedals, the founding of LA Sou...

On episode five of The Earworm Podcast, Bryan and Patrick dive into the strange world of rankings, lists, and “greatest of all time” debates—especially in music. From Billboard charts and Rolling Stone album lists to Michelin stars and classic rock canon, the conversation explores how authority, perception, and cultural bias shape the way we value art. The hosts question whether subjective experie...

On episode four of The Earworm Podcast,  Patrick and Bryan dive into the world of audio compression, unpacking concepts like ADSR, decibel levels, and hearing protection while tracing compression’s origins back to early broadcast regulation in the 1930s. The episode explores how compression shaped music and radio, leading into the “loudness wars” of the ’90s and 2000s—an era defined by hyper-compr...

In this episode, Bryan and Patrick dive deep into the science of sound — starting with history's loudest recorded event: the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, which reached over 180 decibels and was heard 3,000 miles away. From there, they explore how decibels actually work, debunking the common myth that a 100-watt amp is twice as loud as a 50-watt one — spoiler: it's only a 3dB difference. Th...

On Episode 2 of The Earworm Podcast , Bryan Clark and Patrick Cloud dive into the smooth, meticulously crafted world of yacht rock—breaking down its origins, defining traits, and the artists who made it iconic. From the late ’70s through the mid-’80s, this era delivered some of the highest production value in recorded music, with pristine sound, sophisticated arrangements, and contributions from e...

In Episode 1, Bryan Clark and Patrick Cloud dive into how AI is changing the music industry—and what that might mean for the value of music itself. With tools like Suno making it possible to generate full songs in seconds, the conversation centers on a simple question: if music becomes effortless to create, does it lose its worth? The episode itself leans into that idea, with both the artwork and...