In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast
The usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!
In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast
Ridin' The Bus
All aboard the ... bus! This week we feature several songs about the poor man's chariot, the loser cruiser, etc - and the songs are comin' like London busses. Our first stop is "Midnight Bus" by Betty McQuade. From 1961, this one is an atmospheric tale of tragic young love, but more importantly, it sets up a crucial discussion of the "buzzer cord" ... where did the buzz go? Second on our route is "Bus Stop" by The Hollies. This one is also about young love but it has a happier ending, though the baroque arrangement carries an undercurrent of melancholy. While you wait at the stop, listen to "Red Box" by I Jog & the Tracksuits. Very suppressed rage and shy vocals meet the riff from "Love Rollercoaster"! Nobody walks in LA, except for the people Weird Al is stuck with on "Another One Rides The Bus." Legendary! The terminus is reached after we listen to "You're Crazy for Taking the Bus" by our favourite, Jonathan Richman. What a positive view of a long coach ride ... just like this episode!