FM To MTV!: Recent Episodes
Mike Joseph
Music writers Jeff Giles, Jason Hare and Mike Joseph (all formerly of popdose.com) spend an hour (or so) breaking down the "imperial phases" of some of the great pop artists of their childhoods!
Ten years after her tragic passing, the team of Jason Hare, Jeff Giles and Mike Joseph revisits the supernova that was Whitney Houston. We explore her fortuitous family ties, the meticulous care in which record impresario Clive Davis cultivated her early career, the accusations that her music was not soulful enough, the ubiquity of 1992's soundtrack to The Bodyguard, and much much more!
Quincy Delight Jones is more than the music of our youth. The man they lovingly call "Q" has a toe in just about every musical movement of the last century. In this episode, Jason Hare, Jeff Giles and Mike Joseph focus on '80s Quincy, when he jumped into mogul-dom courtesy of producing the biggest selling studio album of all time (Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), started his own label QWest (featuring his proteges Patti Austin and James Ingram, in addition to actor/singer Jack Wagner and new wave/alternative legends New Order), and brought damn near everyone who was anyone in the mid '80s to record the "We Are the World" single for charity.
The panel also discusses the incredible documentary "Q" (directed by Quincy's uber-talented daughter, Rashida), digs into his work with Donna Summer and George Benson (in addition to the MJ trilogy), pays appreciation to Quincy's many sidemen (including the members of Toto and ace songwriter Rod Temperton) and so much more. Enjoy the episode!
We are back with our first new episode of 2022! Jason, Jeff and Mike continue their deep dive into the history of Billy Joel. Picking up at 1982's The Nylon Curtain, the panel tracks the moment Billy Joel went from rock star to "celebrity", ties it all into the massive success of 1983's An Innocent Man, explores his collaborations with Ray Charles and Cyndi Lauper, and more. The panel also acknowledges Billy's standing as, basically a Vegas act, although he's only playing in New York. Of course, zingers are exchanged, lists are created, and it's a typically fun and informative episode with your favorite three music geeks.
Billy Joel is much more than the guy who plays the piano seemingly every night at Madison Square Garden and occasionally hits the news for wrapping expensive cars around trees in his native Long Island. Billy Joel is a cultural institution (especially in the Northeast) and one of the most accomplished musicians of his era. In this episode of FM to MTV; Jeff, Mike and Long Island's other piano man Jason Hare talk about Billy's formative years and initial breakthrough with the classic album The Stranger. That album kicked off a run of hit singles and albums that encompassed easy listening pop, new wave, hard rock and epic stories like "Only the Good Die Young" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant".
This episode covers the years through 1981's Songs in the Attic. Make sure you subscribe so you can catch Part 2!
Hey Folks! Let's celebrate good times with the '80s most successful R&B group- Kool & the Gang!
Mike & the Gang (Mike Joseph, Jeff Giles and Jason Hare) trace the band's history back to its less commercial and significantly more funky origins, but mostly focus on the salad days of 1980-1985. During this time, Robert "Kool" Bell, singer James "J.T." Taylor, and their band of (seemingly) thousands ruled radio with smashes like "Joanna", "Fresh", "Cherish" and the #1 anthem "Celebration".
Where did Kool find J.T.? Did their "Jungle Boogie"-era fans and their "Ladies' Night"-era fans coexist peacefully? Who the hell convinced Van Halen to allow 21st century era Kool (no J.T.) to open for them on their final tour? Why was J.T. always proposing eternal love and marriage, not meaningless sex like just about everyone else in the '80s? Find out on the latest episode of FM to MTV and don't forget to rate, subscribe and comment!
They're back! Mike, Jason and Jeff wrap up their three part series looking at the career of legendary British musician George Michael. This episode covers the period starting with George's collaborations with Elton John and Queen, through his passing in 2016. Along the way, the panel discusses the "comeback" albums Older and Patience, the compilations Ladies and Gentlemen...The Best of George Michael and Twenty-Five, a lengthy stream of covers, B-sides and one-off singles, and the arrest that led to George coming out as gay.
The gentlemen of the FM to MTV podcast: Jeff Giles, Jason Hare, and Mike Joseph, are continuing their jaunt through the career of pop/soul royalty George Michael. In this follow-up to the Wham!-cast, the trio digs through the most imperial of George's imperial phase and discusses the years 1987-1992. These years include the wildly successful Faith album, and the not-as-successful but still pretty damn successful Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1. The trio discusses George's randy makeover, share memories of the Faith tour, and wonder why George's relationship with Sony Music couldn't be saved.
Stay tuned for Part 3!
The FM to MTV guys are huge George Michael fans.
Wait.
TWO of the FM to MTV guys (Jason and Mike) are huge George Michael fans. Actually, the idea for this whole podcast was a result of a conversation Jason & Mike had about George Michael. So, folks, here's the first part of a whammy (pun intended). A three part look at the career of George Michael, with Part 1 covering the Wham! years. Released in time to commemorate George's birthday, Pride month and the 35th anniversary of the duo's final concert, this episode finds the team (which of course also includes Jeff Giles) diving deep into the career, music and imagery that defined one of the strangest and most successful careers in music history. From the meticulous process of creating "Careless Whisper" to the embryonic nature of "Fantastic" to attempting to find out exactly what Andrew Ridgeley did, the volume of Wham! factoids is immense. Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for Parts II and III.
From the cotton fields of Nutbush, Tennessee to the hills of Zurich, Tina Turner is one of the most inspirational success stories in rock music history. In this episode of FM to MTV, Jeff Giles, Jason Hare and Mike Joseph discuss her journey and the music she made along the way.
Much of this podcast discussion is framed around the recent HBO documentary Tina! (it's a must watch), and in addition to the topics covered in the documentary, the panel discusses the genre ambiguity of Tina's '80s and '90s hits, the insurmountable odds against which her success took place, childhood impressions of Tina, some interesting choices in song selection and duet partners (hello Barry White!) and an incident in which she shot a member of the Jackson family. And as usual, the episode is supported by a Spotify playlist containing some of Tina's best music.
We blabbed so much about Phil Collins and Genesis that the episode had to be split in two. In this installment, me (Mike), Jason and Jeff talk about Phil's drumming (and a very cool trick he'd do in concert), his late-career unraveling, Genesis's upcoming concert tour (for which official dates have been confirmed since we recorded this episode) and we talk about our favorite PC/Genesis songs. There's also a Playlist! If you use Spotify, click here for a listing of our favorite Genesis songs. Enjoy!
The name "Phil Collins" is synonymous with the '80s, and the FM to MTV team of Jason, Jeff and Mike had so much to say about Phil (and Genesis, the band from which he spawned), that it covers two episodes.
Part One covers the panel's introductions to Phil's music and his ubiquity for a solid decade. Solo records. Band records. Concerts. Production for artists including Frida of ABBA, Philip Bailey of Earth Wind & Fire, Eric Clapton. Charity work. Even films. How the hell did a short, balding (and eventually just bald), pasty British guy become a superstar on the level of Prince or Michael Jackson?
Was it his incredibly soulful voice? His creative videos? The drum sound that defined an entire decade of music (with apologies to the Linn drum popularized by Prince?) Maybe a little of all those things. It might have also helped that Phil was one of the few artists to maintain a thriving solo career while making frequent returns to his mothership band. This episode covers all of the above and more.
Plus, check out the Spotify playlist tailor made for this episode, covering some of the panel's favorite Phil songs.
The latest episode of FM To MTV finds Jeff, Jason and Mike exploring the career of singer/songwriter/king of the soundtrack Kenny Loggins. Kenny is an interesting case, with a varied and eclectic career that has seen him amass a hell of a Rolodex and score hits in just about every feasible music format of the '70s, '80s and early '90s, but never really form an identity of his own.
Discussions within the discussion: Loggins' relationship with Michael McDonald (which resulted in a sea of hits for both), the biographical arc of his solo compositions, and the oddity The Unimaginable Life, a book and album that explored Loggins' second marriage in intense (and often uncomfortable) detail.
Buy "The Unimaginable Life" on Amazon
The somewhat improbable/borderline nonsensical video for "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"
Kenny shows off his White boy dance movies while performing "This Is It" on TV in 1980.
A playlist compiled by Jeff, Jason and Mike with their favorite Loggins songs.
In this episode of the FM to MTV podcast; Jeff, Jason and Mike go deep into the catalog of those singing sisters from Oakland: Ruth, June, Anita and Bonnie Pointer. While the focus is on the group's early '80s run of hits; the crew touches on the wildly diverse set of songs that initially gained the family fame. Discussion points include the randy streak that ran through many of the Pointers' hits, the vocal versatility that sometimes rendered them anonymous (how many of you who were around at the time knew immediately that "Automatic" was a Pointer Sisters song?) and their ability to spice up songs by songwriters ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Steely Dan. You'll also find out about Anita Pointer's dalliance with Stevie Wonder (it's in her book!), and we manage to work a tribute to Saved By the Bell's Dustin Diamond seamlessly into the discussion.
More about Jeff, Jason and Mike here.
And here's a Spotify playlist containing the panel's favorite Pointer Sisters songs.
Elton John was one of the '70s biggest stars, but that star had begun to level off by the time the '80s rolled around. What happened to turned Elton from THE MAN to just another pop star? Jason, Jeff and Mike explore what turned out to be kind of a lost decade for the British piano man. Although he managed at least one Billboard top 40 hit every year, many of those '80s hits were somewhat forgettable. A few were outright embarrassing. There were lots of duets (with Cher, George Michael and Millie Jackson), there were odd song titles ("Sartorial Eloquence", "Lil' Frigerator"), there was LOTS of cocaine.
After the episode, check out the fellas' Elton-centered Spotify playlist here.
Jeff Giles, Jason Hare and Mike Joseph take another stroll through the music they grew up listening to, and in this episode, the trio unpacks the career of a pop icon; Lionel Richie. From his days with The Commodores through his current incarnation as an American Idol judge, the FM to MTV panel dissects it all. You'll hear details about how Lionel Richie played a big part in the career launches of Richard Marx and Sheila E., you'll get details on Lionel's friendship with Kenny Rogers (which resulted in this amazing bit of TV), and there's even a guest appearance by Jason's mom, Mrs. Hare; who shares a story about seeing Lionel at his peak, during 1984's Cant Slow Down tour. Enjoy the episode, and make sure you subscribe, rate and comment!
Oh, also: here's a Spotify playlist containing some of Jeff, Jason and Mike's favorite Lionel Richie songs.
With co-hosts Jeff Giles and Jason Hare creating the tradition of Mellowmas on pop dose.com, it felt right that they-along with Mike Joseph-did an episode of FM To MTV that focused on the joyous (and painful) holiday music of their youth. So, here we are, dusting off those red boots and hopping on the sleigh to talk about the good, the bad, and the horribly dissonant songs and albums of Christmases past.
The threesome does a deep dive into everything from John Denver and the Muppets to The Salsoul Orchestra's scandalous cover model to Jeff's childhood reminiscing about...no holiday music at all? There's also a spirited discussion about the various Very Special Christmas volumes, a revisiting of the chestnut "New Kids Got Run Over By A Reindeer", Jeff's gym encounters with Johnny Mathis, Jason's attempt to join a Maurice Starr-certified boy band, and much more. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Also--a belated shout out to Terje Fjelde, who composed the beginning and ending theme music!
Are you hip or are you square? Do you have heart AND soul? Do you believe in love? Well, you're gonna love to latest episode of the FM to MTV podcast, because we're covering one of the biggest acts of the '80s and early '90s (but really the '80s): the ever-ubiquitous Huey Lewis and the News. Jason, Jeff and Mike look back at the San Francisco band's glory years, spanning late 1983 through late 1987, when a Huey song was seemingly on top 40 radio constantly. They run through the hits, the key album tracks, Huey's status as something of a sex symbol, the News' place in the pantheon of great vocal groups and so much more. We also go into the music the band made after their heyday, and make a case for "The Power of Love" as arguably the best movie song of the '80s. Make sure you also check out the Huey Lewis & The News Spotify playlist featuring some of the panel's favorite songs.
Jason, Jeff and Mike are back! Scratch that--Jason couldn't make this episode, so he's been temporarily replaced by Mike Duquette, music industry veteran and founder of the reissue website The Second Disc. The threesome collaborates to discuss the career of singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Ray Parker Jr. From his beginnings as a teenage prodigy in Detroit to his #1 Oscar-nominated smash "Ghostbusters", everything is covered; including the perpetual randiness of his lyrics, his interesting vocal mannerisms, the rumor that the smash hit "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" was stolen from him, the Huey Lewis "I Want a New Drug" lawsuit, his production efforts for everyone from New Edition to Jack Wagner,and the upcoming documentary that spotlights him. Listen to find out why Jeff calls Ray "the black AC/DC", and as a supplement, enjoy this Spotify playlist featuring our favorite RPJ cuts.
Guess what, folks? Mike, Jeff and Jason are back with Episode 2 of FM To MTV: The Music Of Our Youth. In this edition, we're discussing the long, varied and often confusing career of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Daryl Hall & John Oates. They came out of Philadelphia in the early 1970s with a Neo-folk sound that eventually grew to include explorations of their R&B roots and excursions into new wave, hard rock, funk, disco, and more. The duo crested from 1981-1985 with a string of smashes including "Kiss On My List", "Private Eyes", "Man-eater" and "Out of Touch".
The FM To MTV team has a lot of opinions about Daryl & John. Both Jeff and Jason joined the H2O train relatively late and have grown to appreciate the work of their imperial phase retroactively. The panelists also discuss each member's solo efforts, think about what might have happened to Daryl & John's never-released mid '90s album for Columbia Records, bemoan Hall's habit of reimagining the melodies to their biggest hits in concert, and ponder how difficult Daryl might be as a creative partner.
Make sure you check out the accompanying Spotify playlist of Hall & Oates hits; curated by Jeff, Jason and Mike!
You can also view the HBO concert that Jason references as one of his intros to H2O here.
Gloria Estefan (and her band, the Miami Sound Machine) were some of the first Latin-American pop stars in history, influencing the multi-cultural sound of pop radio in the 21st century. Jeff, Jason and Mike go deep into discussing the most successful part of her (their?) career, beginning with the breakthroughs of "Dr. Beat" and "Conga" through 1991's Into the Light, an album that marked her triumphant return from a near-fatal bus accident.
Along the way, the FMtoMTV crew discusses everything from the group's regrettable early fashion choices to Estefan's prowess as a female pop star who solely wrote many of her biggest hits. There's also the story of the rapidly disappearing band members (which began with the disappearance of the group's second female vocalist and ended with the whole band minus Gloria being jettisoned), the group's pop breakthrough coming through the portals of "urban" (read: Black) radio, and of course; there are detours. Detours into David Foster, Michael Buble, Jon Secada, and the quite-possibly-racist reimagining of Estefan's #1 hit "Anything For You" by Morning Zoo character Mr. Leonard.
We even created a Spotify playlist so that you can listen to our favorite songs from La Gloria.
More highlights:
The "Bad Boy" video (see it to believe it)
Jon Bon Jovi introducing Gloria's first performance since her bus accident at the 1991 American Music Awards.
And here's a full-on live show from that same year.