Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss our society's obsession with the apocalypse. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Nine Inch Nails, Obits, Girls Against Boys and Wavves.

Show notes:

• Recorded at Chez Phillion

• Obsessing over the end of the world is nothing new

• Harold Camping boldly predicted the end date in 2011...twice

• Heaven's Gate cult committed mass suicide in '97

• Kirk Cameron and the Rapture

• Recent apocalyptic movies include This is the End and Pacific Rim

• Disaster movies have done big business for decades

• Matt's dog doesn't dig doomsday discussion

• Zombies are all the rage

• Matt recommends Peter Heller's post-apocalyptic thriller "The Dog Stars"

• Matt: Are all our best stories about the end of the world?

• In the '80s, fears of nuclear annihilation

• Lots of crazy natural disasters happening

• Fears of a virus wiping out mankind

• Stephen King's "The Stand" explored these issues in '78

• Japanese monster movies came after the A-bomb

• Miami face eater

• Making money off doomsday preppers

• Sales of bunkers, food, weapons, etc.

• Religious "Chick tracts" designed to freak people out

• To be continued

• Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Nine Inch Nails - Copy of a

Obits - Spun Out

Girls Against Boys - It's a Diamond Life

Wavves - I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review! The Nine Inch Nails song is on the forthcoming album Hesitation Marks on Columbia. The song is available for free download at Amazon.

The Obits song is on the album Bed & Bugs on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at Sub Pop.

The Girls Against Boys song is the band's first new music in a decade. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Wavves song is on the EP Life Sux on Ghost Ramp. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.