Permanent Record Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brian & Sarah
Brian and Sarah are your hosts for this look back at albums from the New Wave and Classic Rock genres-- albums which have earned a permanent spot in their record collection. The hosts start the discussion with a history of the album, followed by their personal history with it. Over the course of two episodes, they do a track-by-track review of the album and the videos that accompany the singles. They conclude by each giving the album a final review and rating of zero to 100 record adapters. Join Brian and Sarah in this fun look back at the hits-- along with some misses-- of the 70s and 80s!
State of the Podcast: August 2026
We hope everyone is well. We plan to be back talking about PSB "Please" before the end of the month. In the meantime, you can check out the sites mentioned in this brief episode here:
https://www.facebook.com/ColoursofEver/
https://coloursofever.bandcamp.com
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 204: In Conversation with Grant Walters – Co-Author of "Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1980s" – Part 2
In this episode, Brian and Sarah continue their conversation with Grant Walters, co-author of the Decades series of books covering the career of the Bee Gees. The latest volume, Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1980s, has just been released in the UK, and it will be available to purchase in the US in September.
Part 2 of the discussion finds Grant, Brian, and Sarah talking about the solo work undertaken by Barry, Robin, and Maurice during the 1980s. Barry released a solo album, which was accompanied by a full-length film; Robin released three solo albums; and Maurice composed movie scores, produced an album for Swedish singer Carola, and worked with both his brothers on their solo projects.
In the second half of the decade, the Bee Gees returned to the studio as a group, recording and releasing the albums E.S.P. and One. In between these albums, they suffered the great loss of their youngest brother, Andy. As the 1980s come to a close, the Bee Gees find themselves enjoying a resurgence in their popularity, once again achieving worldwide success on the music charts.
As mentioned in Part 1, Grant and Andrew are going on tour to support the new book, including an appearance at the Thame Museum in Thame, Oxfordshire, which is home to the Robin Gibb Gallery. The event is on September 5, and you can purchase tickets for both in-person and livestream attendance. To learn more, visit this link: https://thamemuseum.org/join-us-for-a-very-special-evening
For more information on all the books in the Decades series about The Bee Gees, as well as more information about Grant and Andrew's upcoming book tour, visit www.beegeesdecades.com
Videos for songs discussed in this episode:
Barry Gibb - "Shine Shine" https://youtu.be/fhO3gcpWBBk?si=b5eA_4TG4wvCmclU
Robin Gibb - "Juliet" https://youtu.be/D3k3y7dykx0?si=GD60EgFKtclw30Zp
Robin Gibb- "Boys Do Fall in Love" https://youtu.be/D8WSSG3UzwU?si=goQT5Fx5Gux69L_a
Bee Gees - "You Win Again" https://youtu.be/xviuC-0FwQ0?si=RhQMxPoEQlvRm6cb
Bee Gees - "One" https://youtu.be/KRUeMgzOCCo?si=A75q6vm0e_2V3f5i
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 203: Concert Report – Alison Moyet, Soft Cell, & The Human League (June 2026)
Hardly any time has passed since their last episode was released, but Brian and Sarah are already back with another episode for your listening enjoyment!
This time, they're here to give a report on the recent concert they attended on June 28 at The Met Philadelphia, which featured an amazing triple bill of Alison Moyet, Soft Cell, and The Human League.
Brian and Sarah were fortunate enough to have just seen Alison Moyet in April 2025 for her Key tour, and they saw Soft Cell for the first time in June 2025 as an opening act for Simple Minds. But the last time they saw The Human League was way back in 2003! It seemed as though our hosts would never see Phil, Susan, and Joanne perform again, so when the Generations tour was announced earlier this year, and Philadelphia was listed as one of the stops, Brian and Sarah were over the moon! Brian was adept with his ticket-purchasing skills and secured some excellent seats at The Met, a venue our hosts had never visited before.
It's a great pleasure to report that the venue and all three of the acts did not disappoint! Brian and Sarah had an absolutely marvelous time at the show, singing and dancing to some of their favorite songs of the 1980s, as well as some newer tunes.
Sarah took lots of pictures, a few of which are here with the show notes. However, if you want to see full photo albums for each act, be sure to check out the Facebook page.
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 202: In Conversation with Grant Walters – Co-Author of "Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1980s" – Part 1
A few years ago, Brian and Sarah had the privilege and pleasure to speak with Grant Walters, one of the authors of a fantastic series of books chronicling the careers of Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb—also known as the Bee Gees. The first two installments of the Decades series were written by Grant Walters, Andrew Môn Hughes, and Mark Crohan, and cover the 1960s and the 1970s.
The newest edition of Decades is written by Grant Walter and Andrew Môn Hughes, and not surprisingly, covers the 1980s. It follows the format of the previous books, going chronologically through each year of the decade, detailing the various projects and events that were keeping the Gibb brothers busy.
Once again, Brian and Sarah had a fantastic time talking with Grant, getting the scoop on the creation of the book, and learning more about many of the topics covered in the book. This time, however, they talked so long, they needed to break the conversation up into two episodes.
This episode focuses on where the Bee Gees were career-wise at the start of the 1980s, and goes on to discuss the songwriting and production work they did for other artists such as Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, and Diana Ross. (Swedish artist Carola will be covered in Part 2.)
There's also information on the promotional tour Grant and Andrew will be undertaking to support the new book, including an appearance at the Thame Museum in Thame, Oxfordshire, which is home to the Robin Gibb Gallery. The event is on September 5, and you can purchase tickets for both in-person and livestream attendance. To learn more, visit this link: https://thamemuseum.org/join-us-for-a-very-special-evening
For more information on all the books in the Decades series about The Bee Gees, visit https://www.beegeesdecades.com
Videos for songs discussed in this episode:
Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb performing "Guilty" live in 1986: https://youtu.be/h27J_95OtQA?si=nHLb5fCXpK3epspD
Dionne Warwick – "Heartbreaker" official video: https://youtu.be/9xHQsMYosao?si=h9iN1C-ESODraDfD
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton performing "Islands in the Stream" live: https://youtu.be/NE7Z8_-rnb0?si=8W5qBTlbHnr_VOWF
Diana Ross – "Eaten alive" official video: https://youtu.be/SjhRAZStS9M?si=EGVjqtnzLSN_QJXj
Diana Ross – "Chain Reaction" official video: https://youtu.be/lspNn8ZBAsI?si=xRQxmS2q2L2TC8-m
Diana Ross – "Experience" official video: https://youtu.be/LCuQjAlf1Z8?si=GZUffzeQQGyNbvc0
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 201: Pet Shop Boys – Please (1986) – Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of Brian and Sarah's discussion of Please, the debut album from the Pet Shop Boys. In Part 1, our hosts set the stage by talking about the formation of the band, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe's work with Bobby Orlando, the recording of the album with producer Stephen Hague, and the release and reception of the album. Along with special guest Andrew Dineley, our hosts also shared their personal histories of becoming familiar with Pet Shop Boys' music and their memories of the album Please.
In this episode, it's time for Brian and Sarah to start talking about the actual album tracks. However, Brian decides that instead of hosting a music podcast, he instead wants to start a math podcast! This seems to have been triggered by the title of the album's opening song, "Two Divided By Zero."
Thankfully, this math podcast idea seems to be short-lived, and the two hosts get back to discussing the music on the album. But it's not without some additional detours into academic subjects such as history and literature. There are references to pop culture as well, such as the 1986 Sprite soft drink commercial featuring Kurtis Blow, and a mention of Brian's dearly departed Apple IIe computer.
The second track on Please is one of the biggest songs of the 1980s. "West End Girls" has an interesting history, as two different versions of the single were recorded and released. Brian and Sarah talk about both versions, and then go on to discuss reviews, chart positions, the video, and much more. Because there's so much to say about this iconic song, our hosts decide that Part 2 is more than long enough discussing just the first two songs on the album.
So settle in on the late train—or wherever you like to listen to podcasts—and check out this epic-length episode!
West End Girls – 1986 Video https://youtu.be/p3j2NYZ8FKs?si=Txk0BUtNL9y8y9M4
West End Girls (Lockdown Version) https://youtu.be/YRNJ9GbNULM?si=kqtbL1ixaQbLIxDD
Flight of the Conchords - Inner City Pressure https://youtu.be/cNfV1dTTMLU?si=odXhYPIzsjdjW1Mm
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 10 – The Man with the Golden Gun (With Robbie Sims)
This is a rarity as far as Permanent Record Podcast episodes go. Yes, it's an episode with show notes penned by Brian and not Sarah. Sarah has one job once the episode has been recorded: to write the show notes. But this time, she was nowhere to be found and everyone's second-favorite host, who already does so much, was left holding the bag!
I guess I'll start with the stuff that is ALWAYS part of these 007 episodes.....
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah started with "Dr. No" and will work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way, it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
Speaking of Bond fans everywhere, they will no doubt be delighted to learn that Robbie Sims, author of the delightful book Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond, can once again be found co-hosting this installment with Brian and Sarah.
So, with this ninth 007 movie, John Barry returns to the fold and provides one of his most controversial title tracks! The PRP crew is going to break it down, give you the full story of how the score and the theme came to pass, and let you know what critics the world over think about it. They will also discuss the actual film, to see if any of them will claim to love/enjoy/like it. And somehow we get through the entire 90-minute show WITHOUT MENTIONING NICK-NACK!!! That seems almost impossible, I know!
Along with all of the MWTGG content, Robbie, Brian, and Sarah also talk about the new Lana Del Ray Bond theme, "First Light", co-written with legendary 007 composer David Arnold. And of course, the three hosts also spill all the details on Robbie's recent vacation to Thailand, where he visited a few movie locations, including Khao Phing Kan AKA James Bond Island! It sounds like a blast!!
And finally, before it all ends, Robbie is put to the test again with a series of Bond trivia questions, but not before he makes plans to update his will and Brian makes the most shameful plea for free/discounted stuff in the history of the podcast.
As Sarah usually states: It's an episode full of excitement, fun, and laughs that you won't want to miss!
Find Robbie Sims at
https://www.instagram.com/quantumofsilliness
https://www.threads.net/@quantumofsilliness
https://bsky.app/profile/quantumofsilliness.bsky.social
You can purchase Quantum of Silliness at https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/quantum-of-silliness/ or other reputable booksellers.
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast
You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast
Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod
- we're ready to believe you!
Episode 200: Pet Shop Boys – Please (1986) (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve") – Part 1 and Colours of Ever announcement
The 200th "regular" episode of Permanent Record Podcast is here! ("Regular" excludes special episodes and the PRP 007 Mini-Broadcasts, which don't follow the same numbering scheme.) Brian and Sarah wanted to do something big and special for episode 200, so they chose to cover an album which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary: Please, the debut album from the Pet Shop Boys. And to make the episode even bigger and more special, they invited the charming and talented Andrew Dineley to join in on the conversation. Andrew, as you probably already know, is host of the excellent "Art on Your Sleeve" podcast, as well as proprietor of the fabulous Soft Octopus Design Studio and contributor to Classic Pop magazine.
This first episode in the Please series sets the stage for what's to come. Brian and Sarah look back to the pre-Pet Shop Boys days of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe and recount the story Neil and Chris's first meeting. Our hosts then follow the journey of the Boys' musical collaboration, which takes us from Chelsea, to Camden Town, to New York City, and back to London, and introduces us to characters such as Ray Roberts, Bobby Orlando, Tom Watkins, and Stephen Hague.
Andrew Dineley joins the conversation to provide insight on the design aspects of Please such as the original album cover concept, the final cover design done by Mark Farrow, as well as a few of the single covers. He also shares stories about and from Pet Shop Boys' first manager, Tom Watkins, and Andrew recalls his first exposure to Pet Shop Boys music-- on a children's show with eerily-animated pound notes! And, we even get to hear about a chance encounter recently Andrew Dineley had with OMD's Andy McCluskey!
As is usual with PRP album discussions, the release history, chart positions, and reviews of Please are covered in this episode, as well as Brian and Sarah's personal history with the album, which Brian feels slightly embarrassed to share.
And because it's the big 200th episode, several listeners sent in voicemails to mark the occasion, and our hosts happily share those messages as well.
Finally, as if that's not enough, Brian has exciting musical news of his own to share, about yet another synthpop duo. This duo, called Colours of Ever, consists of Brian and his longtime friend Jason, and they've released their first single on Bandcamp! Check them out at https://coloursofever.bandcamp.com/ .
There's so much good stuff in this episode, so don't delay-- Please download and listen to it today!
Video discussed in this episode: Pet Shop Boys performing "Opportunities" on Poparound, July 1985 https://youtu.be/rVxqEWt4Inc?si=XY6kZ9MHay9IwUUj
Listen to Andrew on his "Art of Your Sleeve" podcast: https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/ Get all the details on Andrew's design studio: https://softoctopus.co.uk/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 9– Live and Let Die (With Robbie Sims)
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah started with "Dr. No" and will work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way, it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
Speaking of Bond fans everywhere, they will no doubt be delighted to learn that Robbie Sims, author of the delightful book Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond, can once again be found co-hosting this installment with Brian and Sarah.
Episode 9 in the series brings us up to the 1973 film Live and Let Die. It's Roger Moore's first appearance as the MI6 agent, and it's also the first Bond movie to feature a rock song for the theme. The song was written by Paul and Linda McCartney, performed by Paul and his band Wings, and produced by George Martin. George Martin also ended up providing the score for the film.
Our three hosts discuss how Paul McCartney and George Martin became a part of the 007 universe as well as what led erstwhile Bond composer John Barry to be uninvolved with the franchise's eighth film. The trio talk about the chart success of the theme song as well as the other awards and accolades it received. George Martin's score is discussed, with some speculation over how John Barry would have done with the score for this film that covers some different thematic territory than other Bond movies.
While discussing the movie, Robbie, Brian, and Sarah also talk about the fact that the theme song is performed in the film, and Brian has an impromptu trivia session with Robbie and Sarah about Bond theme songs being heard during other Bond movies. And of course, each host reveals where "Live and Let Dies" falls in their personal ranking of Bond themes.
There's talk about the current state of affairs in the Bond universe, and Robbie is put to the test again with a series of Bond trivia questions. And Brian and Sarah talk about their encounter with Solitaire! It's an episode full of excitement, fun, and laughs that you won't want to miss!
Find Robbie Sims at
https://www.instagram.com/quantumofsilliness
https://www.threads.net/@quantumofsilliness
https://bsky.app/profile/quantumofsilliness.bsky.social
You can purchase Quantum of Silliness at https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/quantum-of-silliness/ or other reputable booksellers.
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast
You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast
Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod
- we're ready to believe you!
Bonus Episode: In Conversation with Rob Rowe: WHITEWAITS/VHXRR/Cause and Effect (2026)
Brian and Sarah are delighted to welcome back a previous and much-beloved guest of the Permanent Record Podcast, Rob Rowe. In past episodes, Rob has been here with Von Hertzog, who together make up the excellent duo VHxRR. However, this time Rob is here to represent his solo project, WHITEWAITS.
After a hiatus of more than a dozen years, WHITEWAITS is releasing a new album, called Dusk Becomes Dawn. It's a collection of nine stellar tracks which explore familiar topics like darkness, despair, loss, and love, all with incredibly catchy melodies, intelligent lyrics, and impeccable vocals.
Brian and Sarah sit down with Rob and do a deep-dive into Dusk Becomes Dawn, learning details about the creative process as well as inspirations and meanings behind the songs. But the questions don't all come from our hosts; Brian and Sarah asked a few other folks, most of them associated with Rob in some form or fashion, to provide questions for their guest. They range in depth from 'favorite snack while writing' to 'what has changed in Synthpop since 1991,' with many falling in between.
It's a warm, friendly, and enlightening conversation, but you won't want to listen for just those reasons. You'll want to listen so you can get the details on how you can win your own copy of Dusk Before Dawn on compact disc! And trust us; you'll want to do whatever you can (legally, of course!) to get a copy of this fantastic album!
Learn more at https://www.whitewaits.com/
Get the music at https://whitewaits.bandcamp.com/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Bonus Episode: In Conversation with Blaklight (Adam Collier, Brian Belknap, and Omar Quiñones) 2026
In this episode, Brian and Sarah have the great pleasure of talking with Brian Belknap, Adam Collier, and Omar Quiñones of the band BlakLight. BlakLight was formed as a duo back in 2020, and our hosts chatted with Brian and Adam back in March 2021. A lot has changed with the band since then, so it was definitely time to do some catching up.
In the conversation, our hosts find out how Omar came to join the band, as well as learning more about Omar and his other musical endeavors. They also check in on Adam's side projects as well.
BlakLight has been downright prolific with releasing new music over the past six years; their latest album is called The Haunting of Us and was released late last year. Brian and Sarah talk with the band members about the new album, as well as many of the other projects the band has released. And of course, all of these releases can be found on their website or their Bandcamp pages.
And, if they weren't busy enough with making and promoting their new music, BlakLight is set to go on tour in several different countries this year. Brian and Sarah talk with the band about their chart success overseas and the prospects of performing for fans in Germany, the UK, and Mexico.
Blaklight's music has even been featured prominently in a recent movie, so Brian and Sarah ask Brian, Adam, and Omar about that experience of hearing their music in such a different context.
It's an entertaining and enlightening conversation with some truly talented musicians and performers, so you won't want to miss it—and make sure you check out the links below to pick up their music and keep up to date with all their goings-on!
Learn more at https://www.blaklightband.com/
Get the music at https://blaklight.bandcamp.com/music
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 199: Depeche Mode: Home Video Concert Releases (Part 5)
Brian and Sarah are back and ready to discuss the next home concert video release from Depeche Mode.
Part 5 in this series brings us up to the 2013 album Delta Machine, which was once again supported with a worldwide tour. The city of Berlin was chosen for the filming location, and it was familiar territory for the band, as they spent several years there in the mid-80s.
Depeche Mode also returned to familiar territory with their choice of director for this concert film. After a several-year stretch of working with directors who had very different ideas on how a concert video should look, the band once again enlisted their longtime friend and collaborator, Anton Corbijn, to helm this project.
The result of Anton's return to the director's chair, in the opinions of both Brian and Sarah, is a much more pleasurable viewing experience. Both hosts expressed relief at being treated to more traditional filming and editing techniques for Depeche Mode: Live in Berlin.
Anton Corbijn didn't just film the concert, though; he also recorded interviews with the band members, the members of the band's management staff, and several fans. Corbijn interspersed these interview segments between songs in the concert and called this version of the film Depeche Mode: Alive in Berlin.
Brian and Sarah cover all the same topics and questions for this release as they've done for the other movies in this series. They also share social media comments from listeners about this film and the Delta Machine tour, and they even have a voicemail to share as well, regarding the previous installment in the mini-series.
So for talk about dogs, fire, steak sauce, and—oh yeah, Depeche Mode too—take a listen to this episode!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 198: Depeche Mode: Home Video Concert Releases (Part 4)
It's a new year, and Brian and Sarah are kicking off their 2026 episodes with the next installment in their look at Depeche Mode home video concert releases.
Up for viewing and discussion this time is Tour of the Universe: Barcelona 20/21.11.09, the concert film documenting Depeche Mode's tour for 2009's Sounds of the Universe album. As the title indicates, the movie was filmed in Barcelona over two nights, and it was directed by Russell Thomas. Prior to working with Depeche Mode, Thomas directed concert videos for artists such as Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, and Coldplay, so he was no stranger to such projects. However, Brian and Sarah got the impression he was a stranger to using more traditional filming and editing techniques, providing examples of scenes, shots, and editing choices they disliked.
The filming and editing style of Russell Thomas made it more difficult than usual for Brian and Sarah to come up with answers to some of the standard questions they ask for each home video concert release, such as "Favorite Dave dance move" and "Favorite Fletch move." Fortunately, some questions were easy to answer, like, "Who wore it best? Favorite onstage garb." They then shared their rankings of all the home concert videos they've watched so far, and there were a couple of changes to the rankings.
Since this is the first episode of the year, Brian and Sarah also took some time to recap their goings-on over the past few weeks, including their appearance on the podcast "I've Got That On Vinyl," where they each picked five essential albums from their vinyl collection. They also have news about their podcast studio!
Let Brian and Sarah "take you on a trip" back to November 2009 in this episode, and let them know what you think of this concert video too.
"I've Got That On Vinyl" episode with Brian and Sarah's 5 Essential Albums https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/essential-5-records-with-brian-and-sarah-linnen/id1733663094?i=1000742902305
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
2025 Xmas Special 2: PRP Xmas Radio Reissue and Meeting Brandon Routh and Rachael Leigh Cook for Xmas
Sarah and Brian are back for one last episode in 2025!
This is mainly a reissue of the very festive 2023 Holiday music episode, but it also includes the wrap-up of the hosts' trip to the Hallmark Christmas Con in Edison, New Jersey last weekend. Brian and Sarah talk about meeting Rachael Leigh Cook from the delightful "Josie and the Pussycats" and Brandon Routh from awesome DC projects like "Superman Returns" and "Legends of Tomorrow." The trip was a ton of fun so hopefully you will enjoy the story of meeting these stars!
Then before moving into the 2023 Xmas Music special, they share two songs by two of our friends here at PRP: "Tiffany's Christmas Tree" by Venus Hum's Tony Miracle and "One Bright Star" by Chris Trapper.
Merry Christmas to all of our listeners and friends and best wishes for a wonderful holiday! We'll see you again in 2026!'
Treat yourself to Tony Miracle's new Xmas EP, "Tiffany's Christmas Tree" at https://venushum.bandcamp.com/album/tiffanys-christmas-tree-ep
Pick Up "One Bright Star" by Chris Trapper at https://christrapper.bandcamp.com/track/one-bright-star
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2025 Xmas Special 1: Paul McCartney Deluxe Reissue and Meeting Jane Seymour for Xmas
Well, Sir Paul has reissued his classic Christmas song on yellow vinyl, so it's only fair that we reissue our 2019 discussion of "Wonderful Christmas" as well! The audio has been improved, so hopefully it will almost be like listening to a brand new episode!!
We also spend some time talking about our recent trip to the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Con and meeting a number of stars, including the legendary Jane Seymour, with whom we had a surprising conversation! It was a thrill for us, and we are very happy to give you most of the details here in this episode's exclusive bonus content!
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Episode 197: In Conversation with Chris Trapper
Brian and Sarah were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Chris Trapper, a singer-songwriter whose musical livelihood began in the 1990s. In addition to writing, recording, and performing as lead singer and guitarist in the band The Push Stars, Chris also has a prolific solo career, releasing more than a dozen albums and EPs, touring the country extensively on his own, and opening for artists such as Pat Benatar and Colin Hay. Additionally, Chris's songs have been featured in numerous television shows and films over the years.
Chris Trapper's latest album, Watching Sparks Fly By, was released earlier in 2025, and Brian and Sarah learn from Chris about the making of the album as well as stories behind some of the songs. They also find out more about his songwriting and creative process in general, and how he feels about writing and recording music compared to performing in front of a live audience.
Since Brian and Sarah are big fans of Colin Hay—they were first introduced to Chris's music in 2012 when he opened for Colin Hay—they can't help but ask Chris a few questions about Colin, and they talk about the fact that Colin covered one of Chris's songs on Colin's 2022 album Now and the Evermore. Being fans of Pat Benatar as well, they also ask Chris about touring with Pat and her husband Neil Gerardo, and Chris reveals some impressive comments he received from both of them.
Chris turns the tables at the end of the interview and asks a few questions of Brian and Sarah, which leads to an exclusive moment you won't find anywhere else—Chris Trapper singing Depeche Mode!
It's a warm, engaging conversation with a lot of laughs interspersed between great stories, so you won't want to miss this one!
Watch the video discussed here:
Country Club
Visit https://www.christrapper.com/ for information and access to his music.
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Episode 196: Depeche Mode: Home Video Concert Releases (Part 3) and Bowie Bingo Announcement
In this episode, Brian and Sarah resume their review of Depeche Mode home video concert releases. They're up to the 2005 album Playing the Angel, which the band supported with the "Touring the Angel" concert tour in 2005 and 2006.
The home video "Touring the Angel: Live in Milan" documents the band's two nights performing in Milan, Italy in February 2006. The director of this film is Blue Leach, who has worked with many other artists including R.E.M., Beck, and The Pet Shop Boys.
Blue Leach takes a decidedly different approach to filming and editing Depeche Mode in concert compared to past directors such as Anton Corbijn. "Touring the Angel" is a very dissimilar viewing experience to "Devotional" or "101," and Brian and Sarah have quite a lot to say about it.
They also, of course, go over the same topics/questions they're addressing for each home concert video release. However, in this episode, Sarah seems especially hard-pressed to pick a single answer for each category.
Also included in the discussion are topics such as the stage design and setup; which member of the band is almost unrecognizable after a certain point in the show; and Depeche Mode's increasing popularity as a live act.
And, as referenced in the episode title, Brian and Sarah share information about the return of Bowie Bingo this holiday season! Make sure you sign up for a slot to participate in this fun Zoom event!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Details on how to join your friends Brian & Sarah for a few rounds of festive Bowie Bingo!
Episode 195: In Conversation with Rob Rowe and Von Hertzog (VH x RR) – New EP "101"
Brian and Sarah are interrupting their current effort of looking back at Depeche Mode home video concert releases to bring you a terrific chat with Von Hertzog and Rob Rowe.
Von and Rob comprise the excellent synth duo VH x RR, who Brian has declared to be his "favorite new band of the 2020s."
Since the completion of The Cosmos Trilogy—a series of three EPs that you should definitely check out, if you haven't already—VH x RR has released a couple of singles here and there. But in this discussion, we learn that a new EP is set for an imminent release!
The EP is titled "101," so of course the first question our hosts have for Von and Rob is regarding the title. That question is answered, along with many others—and along the way, there's a lot of interesting discussion about science fiction movies, the current state of technology, which is the best Rocky movie, and recent music projects that both Von and Rob have been involved with, outside of VH x RR.
The revelation of the upcoming new EP should be reason enough to listen, but in case it's not, there's a minor announcement at the beginning of the episode, and another major announcement towards the end of the episode, that should surely entice you to download this episode immediately! Don't delay; listen today!
Visit https://vhxrr.com for information and access to their music.
Also, be sure to visit Blaklight on Kickstarter to grab a copy of "The Haunting of Us"! It's going to be a fantastic release!!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blaklightband/blaklight-the-haunting-of-us
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 194: Depeche Mode: Home Video Concert Releases (Part 2)
Brian and Sarah's mini-series on Depeche Mode's home video concert releases continues in this episode. Unlike the previous episode, which covered two movies, Depeche Mode: One Night in Paris – The Exciter Tour 2001 is the only release discussed here.
However, before getting into the discussion of that concert, Brian and Sarah spend a little time talking about their adventures on opening day of the latest DM concert movie, Depeche Mode: M. They don't go into details about their movie experience just yet, though; these stories are about the people, places and things they enjoyed before the movie.
After that sidebar, the discussion about Depeche Mode: One Night in Paris begins. There are eight years between the previous concert video (Devotional) and this one, and as DM fans know very well, a lot transpired for the band during those eight years. As of this concert, Dave Gahan is now clean and sober, and Alan Wilder has moved on from the band. Peter Gordeno and Christian Eigner appear on keyboards and drums, respectively, and of course founding members Martin Gore and Andy "Fletch" Fletcher are still around and join Dave on stage.
Longtime Depeche Mode collaborator Anton Corbijn directs this film, as well as providing background video footage shown during the concert. Brian and Sarah talk about his approach to filming and editing this show, as they answer the same ten questions for One Night in Paris as they did for …Live in Hamburg and Devotional.
In case you don't know or don't remember, a few of the other topics covered in the questionnaire are "Song to watch on repeat;" "Song to skip next time," and "Who wore it best? Favorite onstage garb." Of course, Brian and Sarah go off on tangents and discuss plenty of other things too!
Join them on this trip back to Paris in October 2001 and relive some exciting Exciter moments!
Halo - Live in Paris 2001
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Episode 193: Depeche Mode: Home Video Concert Releases (Part 1)
With our attention turned to tomorrow's premiere of Depeche Mode's latest cinematic offering "M", we thought it would be fun to make our way through all of the previously released home video concert offerings from our favorite lads from Basildon.
This first installment covers two releases, which we still have on VHS (remember that your VCR was king back in 1985 and even 1993): "The World We Live in and Live in Hamburg" and "Devotional."
These two films carry with them the label of "classic" in our household, so it was a real treat to revisit them, armed with a set of ten hard-hitting questions to cover various aspects of each. We'll discuss such diverse topics as "Most interesting deviation from the studio version", "Do we enjoy the way this was filmed & edited?", "Favorite Fletch Move", and more!
So, as Meta AI is prompting me to say: "Relive the music, relive the moment. Join us on a trip through Depeche Mode's live legacy."
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Episode 192: PRP/Synthpop Symphony Crossover: Red Flag Part 2 (with DJ Matt Williams)
Brian and Sarah are once again joined by DJ Matt Williams, creator and host of the synth-tastic radio show Synthpop Symphony. Matt's show is aired on dozens of terrestrial radio stations around the world and can also be found on podcast platforms.
In the previous episode, Brian, Sarah and Matt started a discussion about the San Diego-based duo Red Flag, whose well-crafted electronic tracks were heard in countless clubs at the end of the 1980s. Their debut album, Naïve Art, was released in 1989, and the three hosts shared both information on and memories of the album, touching on numerous other topics along the way.
This episode dives into four tracks from Naïve Art, three of which were singles, and one which Brian and Sarah learned from Matt was at least considered as a single.
The chart information Sarah has for the singles is primarily for the dance charts, although Brian does take great joy being able to use one of his 1980s pop chart books to confirm some information. Matt tells stories of receiving and playing the remixes in dance clubs. Sarah also has some single reviews, and in what may be a first for the show, a video review!
The three hosts discuss each song in depth, but the conversation encompasses many other topics as well. The PRP hosts chat with Matt about the time and effort involved in planning a radio show playlist.
Information Society member and famed producer Paul Robb is mentioned, along with the group T42. And once again, Depeche Mode makes the list of discussion topics; this time the focus is on Depeche Mode's influence on music.
Songs discussed in this episode: Russian Radio If I Ever Broken Heart Pretty in Pity
Watch the video discussed: Russian Radio
Catch up with DJ Matt Williams at http://synthpopsymphony.com
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Episode 191: PRP/Synthpop Symphony Crossover: Red Flag Part 1 (with DJ Matt Williams)
Brian and Sarah are thrilled to present the first in what will hopefully become a series of crossover episodes with DJ Matt Williams. Matt is the brains and the voice behind the amazing radio show Synthpop Symphony, which airs on radio stations in 60 countries and is also available for download on virtually all podcast platforms.
As Matt states, "Synthpop Symphony is where the past, present, and future of synth-driven music collide." And as PRP and Synthpop Symphony collide, the hosts shine a spotlight on a past synthpop group that often goes overlooked: Red Flag.
In this first of two parts, Matt, Brian, and Sarah discuss Red Flag's history, the recording of their debut album, Naïve Art, and each person's history with the album. However, that's only the tip of the iceberg. The three also talk about cool radio stations, the demise of synthpop in the 90s, Depeche Mode's US Top 40 history, the history Razormaid, the comparison of bands like Red Flag, Cause & Effect, and Anything Box to Depeche Mode, the return of Tom Bailey, and the Red Flag Fan Club.
It's a fun discussion that sets the stage for Part Two, where they'll dive deep into four selections from Naïve Art.
And be sure to visit http://synthpopsymphony.com to learn more about DJ Matt Williams and his Synthpop Symphony radio show!
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Episode 190: End of Summer Special 2025 (Part 2) – The Alarm & Duran Duran
Brian and Sarah are back and ready to continue their discussion of a couple of 'summery' songs, as the summer draws closer to an end in the Northern Hemisphere. (For those in the Southern Hemisphere, maybe think of this as a summer preview!)
As in the previous episode, the first song selection comes from Sarah. She chose the 1987 single "Rain in the Summertime" by The Alarm.
This song was released in advance of The Alarm's third studio album "Eye of the Hurricane," which Sarah explains was a tumultuous period in the band's history. She recounts stories of the song's creation and recording which expose some of the difficulties with and among bandmates. However, the anecdotes also reveal some surprising uses of computer technology for the time.
Both hosts mention comparisons and similarities between The Alarm and U2, even down to the desert setting of this song's video. In discussing the video, Sarah can't help but bring up a pet peeve of hers when watching movies—a phenomenon Brian says is often identified with the classic film "Casablanca."
After wrapping up the discussion on Sarah's song, it's time for Brian to reveal his second selection. He chose the 1990 single from Duran Duran, "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)."
With his selection, Brian shares a "hot take"-- his great love of the 1990 album Liberty. He confesses this love caused his research for the song to stray into research for the entire album, which he then had to reign in. However, since he did take the time and effort to do the work, he decides to share a few tidbits regarding Liberty as well.
1990 was an interesting time for Duran Duran—the band's lineup had changed yet again, and they were in kind of a limbo period compared to the widespread popularity and exposure they experienced in the first half of the 1980s. Brian reveals some thoughts Simon LeBon shared about Liberty and its place in the Duran Duran catalog, and both hosts talk about highlights on the album.
The discussion of the video for "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)" finds Sarah rather confused about what she's seeing, at least some of the time. Brian brings up a funny story about the frequently-shirtless Warren Cuccurullo and how that affected the rest of the band. And Brian is thrilled when Sarah references Dead or Alive!
Watch the videos here: "Rain in the Summertime" - The Alarm "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)" - Duran Duran
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Episode 189: End of Summer Special 2025 (Part 1) - The Power Station & Bananarama
In the United States, the Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. Brian and Sarah just aren't ready to say goodbye to summer yet, so over the holiday weekend, they recorded a couple of episodes featuring songs that invoke the feeling of summer. Each episode in this mini-series will feature one song chosen by Brian and one chosen by Sarah.
The first song up for discussion is the only one without the word "Summer" in the title. However, there's no question that it makes you think of summer and other sultry situations. Sarah selected the 1985 hit "Some Like It Hot" from supergroup The Power Station.
Sarah shares chart information and reviews for the song, and she also explains the origin of the supergroup and the recording of the song. Brian is quite enthusiastic about Sarah's choice and shares memories of purchasing the album on cassette and watching the video for "Some Like It Hot" many times back in the day.
As discussion turns to the video, both hosts can't contain their amusement at some of the promo's elements; Sarah even provides a bulleted list of the more notable features.
To wrap up the discussion on "Some Like It Hot," Sarah shares a bit of 'extra credit' information about the song's use in some network television promotions, back in 1985 but also in the 2020s!
Then it's time to move on to Brian's selection. His choice is "Cruel Summer" by British girl group Bananarama (NOT a certain American solo artist). Brian also provides 'the usual' information such as chart positions, reviews, the writing and recording of the song, and his personal history.
Discussion of the "Cruel Summer" video reveals a common thread—or should we say line?—between the songs in this episode: cocaine! There's also a brief James Bond reference made, although it's from Sarah, rather than Brian!
The episode wraps up with Brian sharing a recent review, which are always read aloud on the show, and always very much appreciated by both hosts.
Watch the videos here: "Some Like It Hot" - The Power Station "Cruel Summer" - Bananarama CBS Daytime Drama Promos featuring "Some Like It Hot"
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Episode 188: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 5 (Featuring Will Crewdson)
With this fifth installment, Brian and Sarah wrap up their discussion of Depeche Mode's debut album. Our hosts have been covering the US version of Speak & Spell, so there's only one more song on that release to be discussed. Fortunately, they always do an Extra Credit section at the end of an album, so the song that's missing from the US version will get some attention then.
The last track on Depeche Mode's 1981 release is a little ditty called "Just Can't Get Enough." The US album features the extended, "Schizo Mix," which our hosts do talk about in some detail, but there's more focus put on the single version.
Our hosts take a deep dive into "Just Can't Get Enough," talking about the usual things like chart positions, reviews, the record sleeves, and the recording of the song. And, for the first time on this album, there's even a video to discuss, much to the delight of Brian and Sarah.
"Just Can't Get Enough" was a pretty important song for Depeche Mode when it was released, and its importance in the world of synthpop and 80s music in general has only increased with time. Our hosts explore the legacy of the song and its place in pop culture over the past four decades. There are dozens of cover versions of "Just Can't Get Enough," and as Brian and Sarah start talking about them, they decide to take a chance and call up someone they know who has done a cover version of this song, to see if he's available to chat.
After they finish talking about "Just Can't Get Enough," Brian and Sarah move on to the "Extra Credit" portion of the episode, which in this case ends up being two parts. The first part is about the song missing from the US version of Speak & Spell, "I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead." The second part is about Vince Clarke's departure from Depeche Mode. Additionally, our hosts have the pleasure of sharing some Speak & Spell memories recorded by listeners.
It's then time, at long last, for the final evaluations and record-adapter ratings. Sarah goes first, and as usual, Brian is concerned about what kind of rating she'll give, as she's a harsher critic. Brian, on the other hand, is a self-professed Vince Clarke fanatic, so it's less of a concern that he'll give a low rating. But how high does he go? Listen to find out!
Links mentioned in the episode: Just Can't Get Enough video Early live version of "I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead"
Will Crewdson-related websites and Bandcamp sites: https://www.scantregard.com/home https://www.shemmdi.com/home https://scantregard.bandcamp.com/ http://shemademedoit.bandcamp.com/
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Episode 187: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 4
Brian & Sarah are back for a Martin Gore-focused look at "Speak and Spell" as they shine a spotlight on the three middle songs on side 2 of Depeche Mode's 1981 debut.
Up till now, this has been the Vince Clarke show; however, with these three tunes, we get the first song written by Martin, the first of many Martin instrumentals, and the first lead vocal by Martin! And to believe that we recorded this one on Vince's birthday!!
Along the way, talk turns to a pair of old movies, a ranking of Depeche Mode instrumentals, the history of the Big Muff effects pedal, Falco, classic 1980s "HWUH"s, and, of course, posh clobber!
Songs discussed in this episode: Tora! Tora! Tora! Big Muff Any Second Now (Voices)
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Episode 186: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 3
In this episode, Brian and Sarah resume their look back at Depeche Mode's debut album. As a reminder, they're using the US track listing as they talk about the album, but for the songs contained in this episode, the track listing is the same on both sides of the pond.
The next songs up for discussion aren't singles, but that doesn't stop our hosts from finding plenty of things to talk about. Here are just a few examples: • Sarah's phrase 'Erasure gallop' is changed to 'Vince Clarke gallop' due to one of these songs • Brian's favorite 'one-two punches' of Depeche Mode album tracks—one of which is found on this album • The probable origins of the song "What's Your Name?" and whether or not it's actually a bad song. • DJ Stevo competing with Daniel Miller to work with Depeche Mode, and the compromise that was reached • The last live performance of "Photographic" and who was there for it
Additionally, our hosts are thrilled to share recordings from two listeners who provided Speak & Spell memories, and there are three reviews to read as well. And here's a friendly reminder that you too, can use the phone number or link below to record your own memories for use in a future episode!
Songs discussed in this episode: Nodisco What's Your Name? Photographic
Depeche Mode performing on "Something Else" TV show, October 23, 1981
"Photographic" performance from The World We Live In and Live In Hamburg
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Bonus Episode: Colours of Ever - Live at Stone Turtle House Concerts (June 5, 2025)
In our last episode, we mentioned that Brian and his life-long friend Jason would be opening for Vicki Peterson (The Bangles) and John Cowsill (The Cowsills/Beach Boys/Smithereens) at Stone Turtle House Concerts in Bucks County, PA. The two Rock/Pop legends (Vicki and John, not Brian and Jason!) are currently supporting their fantastic new album, "Long After the Fire", and seeing them in an intimate venue like Stone Turtle is a true pleasure!
So it all happened on June 5th, 2025, and because so many of our podcast friends were kind enough to text and message Brian words of encouragement before the show and inquiries of "how can I hear your performance?" after the show, we decided to release the full Colours of Ever opening set as a bonus episode of the podcast. We hope that you'll enjoy it!
Here's the set list from our first live show since 1991:
I Want You to Love Me But I Don't Always Get What I Want Stay Forever Waiting for Something 2 Lovers Drowning Come Sail Away One Chance Boomerang!
In all seriousness (let me switch to first person here), I had a wonderful time getting to sing some of the music I have written with my friend Beil for the wonderful crowd at Stone Turtle. It was something I never thought I would get to do for a crowd of any size. And the fact that everyone enjoyed it so much was very gratifying. Although I just turned 54 a couple of months ago, for about 48 hours this week, I felt like a rockstar - and it was a nice feeling! Thank you to Eric, Vicki, John, Jason, and Sarah for making the night possible and unforgettable.
And if you take the time to listen, I thank you and hope that you will hear something that you like. We always laugh a lot and have fun when we write songs, but we are both quite proud of our creations. If even one of these numbers connects with you, I will be extremely happy!
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Episode 185: April 2025 Concert Report (Kylie Minogue, Alison Moyet) and State of the Podcast
Where have Brian and Sarah been these last few weeks? Well, for one thing, they've been to several concerts! They started and ended the month of April by attending amazing performances given by a couple of musical icons—Kylie Minogue and Alison Moyet!
The Kylie Minogue show on April 8 was the first time Brian and Sarah had seen the Australian diva in concert, and not surprisingly, she did not disappoint! Our hosts spend the first part of the episode recounting their experience at the Washington, DC show, and here in the show notes you'll find some pictures they took during the event.
Then, on the last day of April, Brian and Sarah traveled to one of their favorite concert venues—The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA—to be wowed by the incredible Alison Moyet! They last saw Alison perform in 2017, and it was such a delight to be able to see her on stage again.
In fact, Brian and Sarah loved the show so much that they decided to give a song-by-song review of the evening. There are also a few photos from the Alison Moyet show in these notes. (And there are even more pictures from both shows on the Facebook page.)
After they finish talking about the two big April concerts, our hosts turn the conversation to the current state of the podcast, and explain some of the other reasons (besides concerts) there haven't been new episodes in a while. But here's a spoiler alert for you: the podcast isn't ending, and in fact, there's a good chance of more frequent episodes in the future! However, you'll to listen to the episode to get all the details.
Join Brian and Sarah for another fun and informative conversation about the recent past, and a peek into the future too!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 184: Concert Report: Richard Blade/ABC/Howard Jones (2025)
With support from legendary KROQ/1st Wave DJ Richard Blade, 80's New Wave icons Howard Jones and ABC just finished an incredible string of U.S. live dates, and your intrepid hosts were there for the penultimate show of the tour!
Brian and Sarah take you back in time exactly one week as they relive the excitement of the 2/28/25 show at the Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA. And they are joined by friend of the show Mike Kilczewski, the creative mind behind Philadelphia's 80's band Dorian Gräe and current project Syd Dorian, to tackle such diverse topics as:
- Meet & Greet with Howard Jones. - Richard Blade's wonderful opening presentation. - The highlights of ABC and Howard's sets. - Recording in Philly as an independent artist in the 1980s. - The world's most dangerous and traffic-filled road. - Our favorite NFL team and the town with the best name. - Buying records before the show. - Filming music videos at malls. - Update on Howard Jones's next album, "Global Citizen."
Go back to the 1980s with Mike and Dorian Gräe here: https://doriangrae.bandcamp.com/album/dorian-gr-e
Check out Syd Dorian featuring Mike and William Aronson here: https://syddorian.bandcamp.com/album/pressing-issues
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 183: The NewlyPod Game (featuring Brian, Sarah, Alex, Andy, Brad, Eric, and Jon)
On Saturday, February 8th, podcast hosts from all over the United States met outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to shop for records, eat pancakes, and see Jim Babjak of The Smithereens live with bassist Graham Maby. It was truly an amazing night of music, and it was also a truly amazing group of podcasters, assembled for this once-in-a-lifetime event!
Brian and Sarah of the Permanent Record Podcast, Eric Miller of Stone Turtle House Concerts and the Pods & Sods Network, Brad Page of I'm in Love with that Song, the Sly Dog of The Sly Dog Music-Cast, Jon Lamoreaux of The Hustle Podcast, and America's #1 podcast guest Andy Schaal were all present for the event.
In the hours leading up to the big show, our intrepid broadcasters teamed up to record the first episode of a destined-to-be-infamous game show, The NewlyPod Game!
Harkening back to those politely raunchy shows from the 1970s, The NewlyPod Game is sure to delight listeners of all ages and maturity levels. But please be aware, this episode does contain some "adult" themes.
Check out The Sly Dog Music-Cast here: https://slydogmusiccast.podbean.com/
Listen to smooth sounds of Brad Page at https://lovethatsongpodcast.com/
Visit The Hustle at https://thehustle.podbean.com/
The late, great Pods & Sods Network can be found here: https://podsodcast.libsyn.com/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 182: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 2
Brian and Sarah's look back at Depeche Mode's debut album, 1981's Speak & Spell, continues in this episode. As you may recall, they're using the US track listing for the album, so the next songs up for discussion are "Dreaming of Me" and "Boys Say Go!"
"Dreaming of Me" was the debut single for the band, and although to Sarah's dismay, there's no Smash Hits review, our hosts were able to find other reviews from back in the day to share in this episode. Additionally, Brian shares information from a contemporary Rolling Stone article in which "Dreaming of Me" makes a surprising appearance.
One might think because "Boys Say Go!" was merely an album track, that Brian and Sarah wouldn't have much to say about it, and they would therefore have time to cover three songs in this episode. However, Brian's feelings for this song inspire him to talk at length about it. Are they positive or negative feelings? Well, that's for you to find out! And, it must be admitted that Sarah doesn't exactly remain tight-lipped about the song either.
Make sure to listen until the end (but don't you always?), because there's a rare extra-special musical treat you won't want to miss!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 8 – Diamonds Are Forever
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah started with "Dr. No" and will work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way, it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In this 8th episode, Sarah and Brian are once again joined by Bond author Robbie Sims (Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond), and the trio turn their attention to the 1971 movie, "Diamonds Are Forever." This Bond outing sees the return of the original 007, Sean Connery, after George Lazenby stepped away from the role. But Sir Sean isn't the only one who has returned after a hiatus from the films; the theme song is sung by Shirley Bassey, who was the voice behind the iconic "Goldfinger" theme and returns to lend her vocal talents to the "Diamonds Are Forever" title track.
Brian, Robbie, and Sarah have a lively discussion about the theme song and Dame Shirley, of course, but they cover other topics such as David Arnold's rendition of the song, the group Q: The Music, and Robbie's fabulous (but not too fabulous) t-shirt, as well as a bit of speculating on the future of the Bond franchise. It's fun for all—well, at least fun for some!
Shirley Bassey singing "Vivo di Diamanti" More info about the Shirley Bassey unreleased songs/rarities box set (currently delayed again)
David Arnold - Diamonds Are Forever (featuring David McAlmont)
Find Robbie Sims at https://www.instagram.com/quantumofsilliness https://bsky.app/profile/quantumofsilliness.bsky.social
You can purchase Quantum of Silliness at https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/quantum-of-silliness/ or other reputable booksellers.
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 181: PRP Holiday Hotline: Musical Christmas Memories
It's Christmastime! For many folks, that means it's time to give and receive gifts. And Brian and Sarah's gift to you this Christmas season is this episode, which is also about gifts.
Our hosts asked a number of friends of the show—some of whom have their own excellent podcasts—to call in to the Permanent Record Podcast Holiday Hotline and share stories and memories of Christmases past, where they received a music-related present.
Many of the callers fondly recalled receiving special albums, cassettes, or CDs in their stockings or under the Christmas tree. Others were gifted with a particular musical instrument that brought them happiness. All the stories share a common theme that's likely no surprise to listeners of this podcast—music is the source of many happy memories and plays a large, even formative part of our lives.
Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, Brian and Sarah hope you'll enjoy listening to the stories shared on the PRP Holiday Hotline, and that the year ahead will bring you a lot of wonderful music!
Check out the music and podcasts of our PRP friends:
All About 80s Music Poison Picnic The Pods & Sods 12 Days of Christmas Six-Packs The Giddy Carousel of Pop I'm in Love with That Song Podcast The Hustle Banned Biographies Sly Dog Music-Cast
And many thanks to the massively talented duo VH X RR for their wonderful track "One Christmas Catalogue" with which we close out our year! Treat yourself to their music at https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/music
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 180: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 1 – Second Half
BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL!! We wanted to get this episode to you on Black Friday, but in order to do that, we have to get chintzy with these show notes. I'm just re-using Sarah's notes from last time, and I will mention here that this episode includes the following items of interest:
- Our personal histories with "Speak & Spell"
- Discussion on the first two songs of the US tracklisting
- Your voicemails on Depeche Mode's debut
- Follow-up info on some of the topics from last time
Now, here's the recycled stuff from last time.....
Brian and Sarah are back, and they're ready to talk about Depeche Mode. And talk they do! This episode was about three hours long when they finished recording, so they decided it would be best to break it up into two separate episodes—but they're both considered Part 1 of the Speak & Spell album discussion.
Since this is the debut album by Depeche Mode, this first half of Part 1 covers things like the formation of the band, their early days of performing, their quest for a record deal and their eventual partnership with Daniel Miller. The hosts also discuss the typical album-related subjects such as the making of the album, the chart positions, and the release—and there's a surprisingly lengthy discussion about the album's release date.
This episode wraps up with Brian and Sarah sharing a lot of reviews, some of which come from the time of release, and some that are more contemporary.
It's a fun look back at the early days of the boys from Basildon, with a lot more to come!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ This BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 179: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 1 – First Half
Brian and Sarah are back, and they're ready to talk about Depeche Mode. And talk they do! This episode was about three hours long when they finished recording, so they decided it would be best to break it up into two separate episodes—but they're both considered Part 1 of the Speak & Spell album discussion.
Since this is the debut album by Depeche Mode, this first half of Part 1 covers things like the formation of the band, their early days of performing, their quest for a record deal and their eventual partnership with Daniel Miller. The hosts also discuss the typical album-related subjects such as the making of the album, the chart positions, and the release—and there's a surprisingly lengthy discussion about the album's release date.
This episode wraps up with Brian and Sarah sharing a lot of reviews, some of which come from the time of release, and some that are more contemporary.
It's a fun look back at the early days of the boys from Basildon, with a lot more to come!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ This BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 178: Happy Birthday to Us: The Cure – "Songs of a Lost World" (2024) and State of the Podcast
It's been a while since our last episode was published, and part of this episode will explain why. But we wanted to get something released in time for our eighth birthday!
It's hard for us to believe, but our first episode was released way back on November 4, 2016. And although this episode is numbered 178, it's actually the 201st episode we've released.
In this short discussion, we talk about what went on with us in September and October, and we discuss our plans for future episodes. (We even ask for a little help in that regard.) But we spend the most time talking about the brand-new and long-awaited album from The Cure, Songs of a Lost World!
The album has only been out for a few days, so we don't have too many listens in yet. But we discuss our thoughts so far, Brian shares several reviews, and we also discuss the concert at London's Troxy that was livestreamed and is now available on YouTube to view.
We're very glad (if not a little surprised) to have been doing this for eight years, and rest assured, we're not going anywhere anytime soon!
The Cure - Songs of a Lost World - Full Live Stream
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://x.com/PermRecordPod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 177: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) – Part 0 – "End of Summer Special" featuring Brad Page and Eric Miller
OK, so a little confession up front: this episode is about MUCH MORE than just Speak & Spell, or even Depeche Mode, and that’s why it’s called Part 0! But we think you’re going to enjoy it anyway. Here’s who, and what, you’ll hear as you listen:
• Brad Page, host of the “I’m In Love With That Song” podcast. A while back, we put out a request for questions you wanted us to answer, and we got quite a few responses. Brad kindly agreed to share his talents—and his studio!—for this segment, and although mesmerized by both his very cool recording setup and his dulcet tones as he read the questions, we managed to compose ourselves enough to provide answers to the queries. Visit Brad at https://lovethatsongpodcast.com/
• Eric Miller, co-founder of the “Pods & Sods” network and host of the Stone Turtle House Concert Series. We talk with Eric on a number of topics:
o The origins and mission statement of the Stone Turtle House Concert Series
o “What’s Up With This CD?” Eric went through the “upstairs” CD collection (the CDs that didn’t make the cut for the main collection which is stored downstairs by the stereo) and selected a few, secretly and at random. He then presents them one at a time, asking for the story behind the purchase and why it’s relegated to the upstairs shelves.
o Depeche Mode Trivia! Eric put together a series of Depeche Mode-related questions, and once again, Brian and Sarah find themselves in a trivia competition! You’re sure to both groan and cheer as you listen to this segment.
•Brian and Sarah, of course—doing one of their briefest album discussions of all! But don’t worry; it’s just a little something fun, and only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to us talking about the debut album from the mighty Depeche Mode. There will be plenty more to come in the future!
Visit Eric and Stone Turtle at https://www.facebook.com/groups/stoneturtle/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 176: 80s Supergroup Fantasy Draft
Here in the USA, summer is on the way out, and (American) football season is on the way in. And somewhat related to the changing of the weather and sports seasons, our hosts put together something they hope will be fun for everyone.
A favorite pastime of many sports fans is to participate in fantasy leagues, where a person selects players from many different teams to create a ‘super-team’ of their own, which competes in a league of ‘super-teams’ created by other league members. The players are selected by league members during a draft, and there can be fierce competition for particular players.
In this episode, Brian and Sarah are joined by several friends-- Jon Lamoreaux, Eric Miller, and Heidi Waugaman-Page—for a different kind of fantasy league. In this league, each person puts together a super-group of 1980s artists. Each band has a lead singer, a guitar player, a bass player, a keyboard player, a drummer, and a producer. There’s also a ‘flex position’ which can be anyone the person thinks will add something special to the look and/or sound of the band.
The ‘80s supergroup fantasy draft’ has the five friends taking turns choosing their different band members and explaining the reasons behind their selections. Different people take turns going first, so there’s always the question of whether someone’s first choice will get selected before the draft selection comes back to them.
Once you’re done listening to this episode, you can vote for your favorite imaginary 80s supergroup by commenting on the Facebook, Instagram, or X (Twitter) posts that contain the graphic listing the bands and albums. May the best band win!
Also in this episode: we announce the winner of Sarah's Secret Summer Song Snippet!!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast
Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 175: Concert Report - Totally Tubular Festival (2024)
On July 20, 2024, Brian and Sarah had the pleasure of attending an 80s music festival at Poconos Park Amphitheater in Bushkill, PA.
They got to see many acts they had never seen perform live before, as well as a few they had been fortunate enough to see at other shows.
In this episode, Brian and Sarah talk about each act of the festival, sharing their thoughts and memories of the event.
Below are Sarah and Brian at the 'meet and greet' portion of the event-- they're between Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Ivan Doroschuk of Men Without Hats.
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast
Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social
Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 174: In Conversation With Billy Vera (Part 2)
Our conversation with author/actor/musician Billy Vera concludes with an episode that touches on so many different aspects of this great man's career.
Billy started his professional career as a songwriter, but soon moved to a higher-profile gig as part of the duo Billy Vera and Judy Clay. After a successful album called "Storybook Children", Billy kicked off a solo career that has spanned decades, starting with 1968's "With Pen in Hand" up to the recent "Timeless" album, released in 2019.
In the mid-1980s, Billy had a number one hit with "At this Moment". In this interview, we discuss in detail his first number one hit, "I Really Got the Feeling", which Dolly Parton took to the top of the charts in 1978.
We also talk about Billy's time on both the small screen and the big screen, including an episode on Brian's favorite TV Drama, "Wiseguy."
Other topics that we cover in this second episode:
- · Compiling his hit album "By Request" for Rhino Records
- · Appearing on 80's Era TV and meeting Dick Clark
- · His appearances on and relationship with Johnny Carson
- · His star on Hollywood Boulevard and Angie Dickinson
- · Working on "Wiseguy" with Stephen J Cannell
- · Starting in acting
- · Pitching an original TV idea to Cannell
- · "Ronnie's Song" and working mob joints in NYC
- · Life and love in NYC at 18
- · Old Money vs New Money
- · His 1988 Capital album "Retro Nuevo"
- · Dolly Parton
- · "Timeless" and "Live at Vitello's"
- · The only "real" job he ever worked
- · Reissuing artists like Duke Ellington and Count Basie
- · Meeting and working with Fats Domino and other Doo Wop acts
- · Board of Directors of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation
- · Steaming music and today's DIY reality
- · Music Publishing
- · The story behind the Drifters' hit "Save the Last Dance for Me"
- · The job of a songwriter
- · Voice-over career
- · King of Queens
- · Meeting and working with David Hasselhoff
- · Rip It Up: The Specialty Records Story
Thanks to Billy for spending so much time with us and for sharing so many wonderful stories about this career!
You can learn more about Billy's story, his books, and his music at https://billyvera.com/
Follow him on Facebook for the latest info on his gigs and his weekly radio show: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBillyVera
Treat yourself to music and books by Billy here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=billy+vera&crid=31CGZ21181YET&sprefix=billy+vera%2Caps%2C102&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 173: In Conversation With Billy Vera (Part 1)
Sarah usually writes these show notes, and on the rare occasion that I fill in for her, I do something silly - I either make them really short or I have ChatGPT help me by doing most of the work. This time, I asked to do them because I am still in shock that this episode exists and because it was a true thrill to speak with an artist who has been a favorite of mine since I was 16!
After discovering Billy Vera, along with many others of my generation, thanks to the hit comedy "Family Ties", I would go on to collect his entire catalog, with the exception of "Queen of Diamonds / Jack of Hearts" by Evie Sands & Billy Vera which I haven't been able to find yet. I will one day though! I would watch him on TV shows like "Wiseguy" and "Into the Night", where he served as a late-night bandleader and often performed his wonderful songs. I would occasionally be surprised and excited to spot him in movies throughout the 80s and 90s. He was doing so many great things, and doing all of those things at a level which should have made him a Super Star if there was any justice in the world.
With all of his various talents, songwriting and singing are where Billy truly shines, so getting to talk with him about his career and his music was an amazing experience. In this first episode (of two), we touched on so many topics, even going back to the mid-1960s and some of his earliest songs. I really hope you will enjoy this discussion on some of my favorite music.
Topics that we cover in this first episode:
- · Billy's upcoming trip to Italy to perform and to receive an award at the Porretta Soul Music Festival
- · Working with Jerry Wexler
- · Writing songs professionally in NYC in the 1960s
- · A song he wishes he wrote
- · Writing "Room with a View" with Lowell Fulson
- · Working with Bonnie Raitt
- · Recording "Storybook Children" with Judy Clay
- · Playing the Apollo Theater
- · Thoughts on songwriting
- · Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era and "Don't Look Back"
- · His 1988 Capital album "Retro Nuevo"
- · The three styles of Production
- · Working with Lou Rawls and George Benson
- · Working with Arif Mardin
- · How did Jim Keltner become a Beater in 1988?
- · Working on the Blake Edwards movie "Blind Date"
- · Hanging out with Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Kim Basinger
- · Meeting L. Russell Brown
- · Being "inspired" by Loni Anderson
- · Writing his biggest hit "At this Moment" and the story behind the song
- · Writing Brian's favorite BV song "Here Comes The Dawn Again"
- · Releasing his biggest album on Rhino Records
- · Doing promo work in the 1980s
- · Advice from his mother
You can learn more about Billy's story, his books, and his music at https://billyvera.com/
Follow him on Facebook for the latest info on his gigs and his weekly radio show: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBillyVera
Treat yourself to music and books by Billy here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=billy+vera&crid=31CGZ21181YET&sprefix=billy+vera%2Caps%2C102&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 172: Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) - Part 4
In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s now officially summertime, and it’s also time for Brian and Sarah to wrap up their discussion of the 1982 album from Simple Minds, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84).
Our hosts find themselves with three more songs on the album to cover, one of which is a single with a video, so there’s no shortage of things to talk about with that song. But even the last two tracks on the album generate a lot of discussion from Brian and Sarah.
During the course of the song discussion, a wide variety of topics are brought up, such as: the first Earl of Birkenhead; the perfect setting to kill Green Lantern; the answer to the question “can being completely covered in gold paint kill a person?”; the world’s worst museum; a cassette-zine; and the Camp David Peace Accords of 1978.
After Brian and Sarah finish discussing the album tracks, it’s time for the Extra Credit section. The featured topic is Jim Kerr’s side project from 2010: Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr.
Then, to further delay the long-awaited final reviews and ratings of the album, there’s a special and exciting announcement from Sarah!
Finally, the time comes for Brian and Sarah to deliver their thoughts on the album and their record-adapter ratings. How will this 1982 album—which many consider to be Simple Minds’ best work—rank in the eyes of our hosts? All is revealed at the end!
Songs discussed in this episode: Glittering Prize Hunter and the Hunted King Is White and in the Crowd
Link to the video discussed: Glittering Prize
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 171: Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) - Part 3
After releasing a couple of special episodes, Brian and Sarah return to the task of discussing Simple Minds’ 1982 album, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84). Part 3 of the discussion finds them finishing up the tracks on Side One and flipping the record over to start Side Two.
As usual, our hosts end up covering a wide variety of topics during their discussion. While talking about the first song, the author Raymond Chandler comes up, as does film noir.
When Brian and Sarah move on to the instrumental song that closes out Side One, the composer/conductor Gustav Mahler is brought into the discussion.
For the first song on Side Two, Brian and Sarah both find it relevant to mention Pete Burns of the group Dead or Alive. And Sarah even references an episode of the TV show Seinfeld!
Songs discussed in this episode: Big Sleep Somebody Up There Likes You New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 170: In Conversation With Will Crewdson (Scant Regard, Adam Ant, et al)
Brian and Sarah recently had the honor and pleasure of meeting the great Will Crewdson in person at an Adam Ant concert. During that encounter, the three agreed to set up a time to meet and talk some more. This episode is the result!
Will Crewdson is a talented, prolific, and extremely busy guitarist who has lent his formidable skills to a number of well-known acts, including Adam Ant, Flesh For Lulu, The Selecter, Gaye Bykers on Acid, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik, to name just a few. He was also a founding member of the indie band Rachel Stamp, and he currently works with ex-Rachel Stamp band member Shaheena Dax under the name She Made Me Do It (SHEMMDI for short), and as a solo artist under the name Scant Regard.
Brian and Sarah had a fun and enlightening conversation with Will about a number of topics, such as his musical background, performing and touring with Adam Ant, his solo project Scant Regard, and a cool story about working with someone that Brian (perhaps surprisingly) was super-excited about!
Additionally, Will shares an exclusive tour update—an upcoming solo date on the East Coast!
Don’t miss this episode—and then head directly over to Bandcamp to check out the Scant Regard and SHEMMDI material!
Websites and Bandcamp: https://www.scantregard.com/home https://www.shemmdi.com/home https://scantregard.bandcamp.com/ http://shemademedoit.bandcamp.com/
Other links for Will: https://www.facebook.com/scantregardpage https://instagram.com/scantregard https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Cfi2ZMSKwb6O4exmTwK1e https://tidal.com/browse/artist/9795417 https://www.tiktok.com/@willcrewdson https://www.x.com/scantregard https://www.youtube.com/c/ScantRegard
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 169: Permanent Record Podcast Trivia Showdown 2024
After a hiatus last year, the Trivia Showdown is back once again! Brian and Sarah are joined by the Quiz Master, who presides over a heated competition between the two hosts. Brian is looking to add another victory to his “permanent record,” while Sarah is hoping for her first win.
This year’s Trivia Showdown featured more questions from listeners than ever before! Brian and Sarah would like to thank the following folks for their submissions: Nick Oswald, Gavin Hogg, Ian Monk, Steve Augello, Pete Rogers, Mike Berlew, Frederick Frantz, Erin Berlew, Brian Belknap, Andrew Dineley, Paul Hanely, Iain McDermott, Gary Shepherd, Terry Kemp, Brian Olsen, Mark Lumb, Mark Green, John Justice, and Mark Beckley.
Brian and Sarah would also like to send a special thank you to the Quiz Master for his hard work compiling the questions, for patiently dealing with all of their nonsense during the recording of this episode, and also for hosting this year’s event at Quiz Master Headquarters! It was a real treat to record the show in a different location.
It should be no surprise to learn there’s plenty of interesting information in this episode, as well as loads of laughs, and more than a few groans of disappointment! But who is this year’s winner? You’ll have to listen to find out!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Brian’s Birthday Bowie Bingo Bash and Trivia Showdown Deadline
This is just a quick little episode to announce the return of Bowie Bingo. We missed hosting it over the 2023 Christmas season, so instead we’re going to have it prior to another great holiday—Brian’s birthday!
We also give one last reminder for you to get your questions in for the upcoming Trivia Showdown before the deadline!
Finally, we mention our voicemail options, for those of you who'd like to share your memories and thoughts about Simple Minds' 1982 release, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84).
This episode won’t take up much of your time, so you’ll be able to carry on with your weekend activities in a jiffy!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 168: Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) - Part 2
After an unexpected delay, Brian and Sarah are back and ready to talk more about the 1982 release from Simple Minds, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84).
The first episode set the stage by talking about the band history up to this point, the making of the album, and the album’s release, chart history, and reviews. Now it’s time to dive into the songs.
Side One of the album contains five tracks, with two of them being singles. Brian and Sarah have a lot to say about both the singles—and a fair amount about the song in between them too—so they decided to limit this episode’s discussion to the first three tracks.
In this episode, Brian and Sarah talk more about a question raised in the previous installment – Is this album pretentious? Two other recurring topics are optimism, and “who is the drummer on this song?” There’s also mention of fireworks, saints, and video effects of the early 80s, and we find Sarah passing judgment on the mispronunciation of various words.
You’ll get all that, plus of course the usual information like release dates, chart positions, and reviews. And Brian and Sarah share a voicemail and an email from friends of the show. So put those earbuds in and get listening!
Songs discussed in this episode: Someone Somewhere In Summertime Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel Promised You a Miracle
Watch the video discussed here: Promised You a Miracle
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 167: In Conversation With Jackie Clary on “The Greatest Night in Pop” Netflix documentary (2024)
Yes, this should be the next installment of Brian and Sarah’s look at Simple Minds’ album from 1982, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84). Instead, it’s a discussion on something that’s pretty big right this minute!
Currently, the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which chronicles the USA for Africa project and the recording of the charity single “We Are the World,” is on the top of many minds and getting a lot of attention. Brian and Sarah are fortunate enough to be friends with someone involved in the making of the documentary—none other than Jackie Clary, who has guested on many previous episodes of the podcast. Our hosts invited her on again to talk about her work on the film as well as the actual events it documents.
Jackie is a lifelong pop music fan who has fond personal memories of the time period and events covered in the documentary, so she was extremely well-suited in her role as an archive producer on “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
Brian, Sarah, and Jackie have a fun conversation about events and personalities depicted in the film, and their discussion includes the answer to the question, “Who did Brian (rather inexplicably) think was a businessman when he was a kid watching the ‘We are the World’ video?”
Learn more about Jackie, her interests, and her accomplishments at https://www.jackieclary.com/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 166: Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) - Part 1
A new year is here, which means it’s time for Brian and Sarah to start an album discussion. Our hosts selected an album by a group they haven’t really covered before--except for one song. The group in question is Simple Minds, and the album is their 1982 release, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84). (The one song discussed previously can be found in episode 112.)
In this episode, Brian and Sarah set the stage by talking a little about the band’s formation and history, and the albums they had released up to this point. Our hosts then narrow the focus to the period leading up to and including the album’s recording and release. They spend time talking about producer Peter Walsh, his resumé, and how he came to work with Simple Minds. There’s also discussion of the iconic (pun intended) album artwork as well as the physical release of the album—in particular, the US release.
Of course, our hosts can always be counted on to provide details like chart positions in various countries, and both Brian and Sarah bring to the table several reviews—some from the time of release, and some from more recent years. There’s also some personal history thrown in, which segues into a smaller version of “Mini Concert Memories”—so perhaps it’s a “Mirco Concert Memory?”
In addition to the Simple Minds talk, there’s also several reviews to read, as well as a voicemail from a longtime listener who had some Erasure Chorus memories to share, just after the last episode was released. So take a listen, and you’ll be sure to find plenty of information and conversation!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 165: PRP Christmas 2023 (Enhanced Stereo Mix)
Brian and Sarah are in the throes of the 2023 holiday season preparations, and part of those preparations included recording their annual Christmas episode of the podcast.
Usually our hosts discuss one or two holiday-themed songs in depth, but this year, they're doing something different! They've compiled a playlist with full-length versions of festive tunes for you to enjoy as you make cookies, wrap presents, travel to visit friends and family, or any number of other activities you may be doing this time of year.
The songs included here are a mix of old favorites interspersed with tracks that have a connection to the podcast in some way. And one of those podcast-related tracks is an exclusive version you can only find on this episode!
Brian and Sarah send their sincere thanks to all of you for downloading, listening to, reviewing, and sharing thoughts about the Permanent Record Podcast not just this this year, but over the entire seven-year history of the show. They wish you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and a 2024 full of great music!
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Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 164: Erasure - Chorus (1991) (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve") - Part 3
It's been a while since Part 2 of this discussion was released, but good things take time, right? So here at last, is the final installment of Brian, Sarah, and Art On Your Sleeve host Andrew Dineley's look back at Erasure's 1991 album, Chorus.
In the previous episode, our hosts agreed to a time limit for discussing the tracks on Side One: ten minutes for an album track and fifteen minutes for a single. As the trio flips the record to Side Two, the timer for "Love to Hate You" is started, but when it goes off fifteen minutes later, they haven't even gotten around to mentioning the video! At that point, the hosts decide to do away with the time limits for the duration of the discussion-- which results in what's probably the longest-ever episode of the podcast!
Side Two Discussion
Brian, Sarah, and Andrew cover a lot of topics as they dive deeply into the five tracks on Side Two of Chorus. They find more songs that they feel could have been released as singles, more lyrics that are inspired by Andy's reaction to the Gulf War, and more excellent synthesized sounds from Vince. However, one of the sounds has the group wondering if Vince confused sirens with walruses?
Love to Hate You Turn the Love to Anger Siren Song Perfect Stranger Home
Extra Credit
The trio agree that this period of time was especially prolific for Vince and Andy. Not only were the pop duo cranking out albums and EPs at an impressive pace, but they were also recording numerous B-sides for their single releases. For extra credit, Brian, Sarah and Andrew each pick a favorite B-side from Chorus to discuss briefly.
Final Reviews and Ratings
After the extra credit discussion, our hosts turn their attention back to the album proper, to provide their final reviews and record-adapter ratings of Erasure's fifth studio album. Brian has mentioned throughout the discussion that he was not the biggest fan of Chorus when it was first released, but has since come around to liking it a lot more. Sarah says she's enjoyed the album the entire time it's been a part of her life, and Andrew feels similarly. So which one of the three hosts will give it the lowest rating-- and how close will Chorus get to achieving a perfect score of 100 record adapters? The answers are revealed in this section!
Links:
Watch the "Love to Hate You" video
Listen to "Amor y Odio"
Listen to "Amo Odiarti"
Listen to Andrew's "Remixed by Vince Clarke" Spotify Playlist
Listen to Andrew on his "Art of Your Sleeve" podcast: https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/ Get all the details on Andrew's design studio: https://softoctopus.co.uk/
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PRP Mini Concert Memories #8: Chris Trapper & Jeffrey Gaines 10-17-2023; Queen + Adam Lambert 10-18-2023; Depeche Mode 10-23-2023 and 10-25-2023
Attention! Attention! We interrupt the discussion of Erasure's Chorus album to bring you the longest episode of "Mini Concert Memories" yet!
But there's a good reason behind the length-- Brian and Sarah were fortunate enough to see FOUR amazing performances within the span of just nine days!
Now that they're home from all their travels, they decided to take a breather and fill everyone in on the shows they got to see. So that's what this episode is all about!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 163: Erasure - Chorus (1991) (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve") - Part 2
Not only are Brian, Sarah, and Andrew Dineley back in this episode to discuss Erasure's 1991 release, Chorus, but Sarah is back to write the show notes. So let's get to it!
The previous episode went through the making of the album, release and chart history, album reviews, design and artwork information, and personal history. Now it's time for the terrific trio to tackle the tunes on Side One of Chorus.
We find five songs on the first side, three of which were singles, so there's plenty to talk about. The hosts are intent on sticking to the self-imposed time limits for discussing the songs, to keep the episodes to a reasonable length, and to ensure the discussion will wrap up by the end of the year. But don't worry; there are plenty of facts, opinions, insights, and laughs to be found within these confines! Here's just one example from each category:
Fact: "Am I Right?" was Erasure's fifteenth consecutive single to land in the top 20 of the UK Singles charts.
Opinion: Andrew is a big fan of the B-sides for this album.
Insight: There are similarities between Erasure's "Chorus" video and David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" video.
Laugh: Vince Clarke dressed as the Mock Turtle in the "Breath of Life" video.
And if all that's not enough enticement, you'll surely want to listen just to get more information about THIS photo!
Watch the videos we discuss here: Chorus Breath of Life Am I Right?
Listen to Andrew on his "Art of Your Sleeve" podcast: https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/ Get all the details on Andrew's design studio: https://softoctopus.co.uk/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh! Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 162: Erasure - Chorus (1991) (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve") - Part 1
If you having been wondering when we would once again discuss an album by one of the two greatest synthpop duos in history, wonder no longer. The day is today and the duo is Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, aka Erasure!
Sarah usually writes these show notes while I edit the episode; however, she seems to have somehow stuck me with both responsibilities this time. I'm too tired to write in third person, so I'm just going to do this like I'm talking with you one-on-one.
We were really excited to be joined by our wonderful friend Andrew Dineley, who you surely know from the very fine "Art of Your Sleeve" podcast and Classic Pop Magazine. If you haven't yet listened to "Art on Your Sleeve", please check out the link near the bottom of these ramblings.
In this episode, we set the table for the next two installments which will cover the album's ten songs. Here, we talk about where Erasure was in their career in 1991, how they built a relationship with producer Martyn Phillips, Vince and Andy's writing process, insight into "Chorus"'s design and sleeve artwork, the shared qualities between Andy Bell and Freddie Mercury, reviews of the album, our personal histories with the record, and the "click heard around the world!"
There is also information on a special Erasure giveaway included in the episode, so be sure to check that out. It's a great way to win a special CD and a limited-edition t-shirt.
I'll close with the immortal words of ChatGPT when asked about Erasure's "Chorus" album:
"As we tune our ears to the harmonious cadence of Erasure's 'Chorus,' we find ourselves caught in a time capsule, transported back to the vibrant days of 1991. Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the maestros behind this auditory masterpiece, have woven a tapestry of synth-pop brilliance that continues to resonate across generations. 'Chorus' is not merely an album; it is an anthem of unapologetic self-expression, a testament to the enduring power of music to shape our souls. Like a painter with a vivid palette, Erasure splashes the canvas of sound with bold strokes of emotion, leaving us breathless and inspired. This album, with its pulsating beats and ethereal melodies, remains a beacon of artistic excellence, proving that true genius transcends time and trends. So let us, like the echoes of 'Chorus,' carry forward the legacy of boundless creativity and unbridled passion, for in its resounding notes, we find not just music, but the very essence of what it means to be alive."
Listen to Andrew on his "Art of Your Sleeve" podcast: https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/ Get all the details on Andrew's design studio: https://softoctopus.co.uk/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
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Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
PRP Mini Concert Memories #7 – Duran Duran (9-7-2023) with Craig Smith (The Pods & Sods Network) and featuring Gavin Hogg and Simon Galloway (Giddy Carousel of Pop)
After a year’s break between episodes 5 and 6 of “PRP Mini Concert Memories,” the break between episodes 6 and 7 is decidedly shorter! Brian and Sarah are back, this time to talk about a Duran Duran concert they attended, and the conversation is enhanced by the addition of a special guest. And later on in the episode, two more very special guests join in!
Once again, Brian asked for assistance from ChatGPT in writing the show notes for this episode. Let’s see what the benevolent AI assistant came up with this time:
****** In this episode, we dive deep into the illustrious history of the iconic band, Duran Duran. Joining us as a guest host is Craig Smith from the Pods and Sods Network, bringing his wealth of knowledge and passion for music to the conversation.
We begin by exploring the band's roots, tracing their journey from their formation in Birmingham, England, to their meteoric rise to fame in the 1980s. The discussion highlights key milestones in their career, including chart-topping hits, memorable music videos, and their influence on the New Wave and synth-pop movements.
As devoted fans, we share our thoughts on a recent Duran Duran concert, reflecting on the band's enduring stage presence and their ability to captivate audiences with their timeless sound. We dissect standout moments from the performance, illustrating how the band continues to evolve while staying true to their signature style.
Later in the episode, we're joined by special guests Gavin and Simon from the Giddy Carousel of Pop podcast. Together, we unravel a recent review left on the Apple Podcast site, providing insights and context to better understand the listener's perspective. It's a lively and insightful conversation that sheds light on the diverse range of opinions within the Duran Duran fan community.
Tune in as we celebrate the legacy of Duran Duran, a band that has left an indelible mark on the music industry and continues to inspire generations of music lovers worldwide.
You’ll have to listen to the episode to determine how accurate ChatGPT’s summary is!
One thing that wasn't on the list for ChatGPT to mention was the recent End of Summer Giveway, where one lucky winner was the recipient of a specially-made, old-fashioned mix tape! Several folks were interested to know the contents of the tape, so Brian and Sarah each take a few moments to reveal which songs they selected for their side of the tape.
And that should do it for this episode!
Visit Craig Smith and Eric Miller at the Pods and Sods Network: https://podsodcast.com/ Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podssods
You can hop on the Giddy Carousel at the following places: X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/ Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
Read more at https://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 161: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 5
At long last, it's here: the final installment of Brian and Sarah's look back at the 1983 Thompson Twins album, Quick Step & Side Kick (renamed Side Kicks in the US).
There are only two more songs on the album to talk about, the first one being "Judy Do" (as the US track listing is the one being used here). Both hosts admit they were previously unaware of the subject matter of the song before beginning their research-- although Sarah did have another possible idea in mind.
The final song of the album on both track listings is "All Fall Out," and as one might expect, there's a discussion on how strong of an album closer it is. Additionally, Brian explains what it may mean if you 'dream in red.'
Before the hosts tackle the task of providing their final review and rating for the album, they have an extra credit question to cover: the 1986 standalone single, "Nothing In Common," from the movie of the same name. This leap forward three years in time finds the band with not only a different composition, but with a different sound. These topics are discussed along with the song itself, its chart position, the music video, and the movie it was in.
Then it's finally time for Brian and Sarah to give their reviews and record-adapter ratings of Quick Step & Side Kick. Sarah didn't know this album as well as Brian, who hasn't been shy about proclaiming his love for it over the course of the discussion. So how does her final rating end up comparing to Brian's? The only way to find out is to listen!
Links to things discussed in the episode:
"Judy Do" live in California from Into the Gap tour
"Judy Do" (audio only) - Live in Syracuse NY March 1983
"All Fall Out" (audio only - incomplete) - Live in Syracuse NY March 1983
Video for "Nothing in Common"
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Reminder and Big News!
The title of little episode explains it all: Brian and Sarah have a friendly reminder for you about a deadline coming up, that they don't want you to miss!
They also have some big news that they're excited to share, so make sure you listen to this entire episode to hear what it is!
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Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
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Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 160: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 4
Hooray! Brian and Sarah finally found some time to record another episode about "Quick Step & Side Kick"; however, they didn't have time to write the show notes, so they asked ChatGPT to help out. Here's the result!
Welcome to another exciting episode of our podcast! In this edition, we delve into the musical journey of the iconic Thompson Twins. Join us as we explore their hit songs "If You Were Here" and "Kamikaze" in depth, discussing their significance and impact on the music scene.
We'll take you through the Thompson Twins' rise to fame, their unique sound, and the inspiration behind their chart-topping tracks. Additionally, we'll explore how "If You Were Here" became a cult classic through its feature in the 1984 movie "Sixteen Candles," capturing the hearts of a generation.
But that's not all! Prepare to be amazed as we explore the intriguing world of cover songs. Discover how artists from different genres and eras have reimagined "If You Were Here", adding their own artistic flair to these timeless tracks.
Join us for an in-depth discussion filled with fascinating insights, nostalgic vibes, and some surprising revelations about the Thompson Twins and the magic of cover songs. Tune in and let the music take you on a trip down memory lane!
Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast on your favorite streaming platforms. We value your feedback and support as we continue to explore the rich tapestry of music history. Stay tuned for more captivating episodes coming your way!
Links to music discussed in the episode:
Kamikaze - live on TV
If You Were Here - cover by Cary Brothers
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
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Sly Dog Music-Cast "Dead or Alive Album by Album" Promo
We recently had the pleasure of joining our friend The Sly Dog to discuss and celebrate the catalog of one of our very favorite bands, Dead or Alive.
We had a blast talking about Pete and company and all of their great music. We hope you will enjoy the podcast, which can be found here:
https://slydogmusiccast.podbean.com/e/dead-or-alive-album-by-album-wpermanent-record-podcast/
PRP Mini Concert Memories #6 – The Cure, 6-24-2023 and 6-25-2023
It’s been about a year since the last “Mini Concert Memories” episode, and as they were in Episode 5, the memories recounted in this episode are pretty recent. However, this time, there are two concerts to discuss, rather than just one.
Brian and Sarah had the extreme good fortune to be able to see The Cure not once, but twice on the “Shows of a Lost World” North American tour. On Saturday, June 24th they saw Robert, Simon, Roger, Jason, Reeves and Perry in Philadelphia, and on Sunday, June 25th, they headed down to Columbia, Maryland to see The Cure again!
Our hosts spend the majority of their time in this episode recalling the two fantastic evenings they had enjoying nearly 3 hours of live music each night, both of which included several new songs from the as-yet-unreleased album Songs of a Lost World.
However, they also spend some time acknowledging that they still need to finish the discussion of the Thompson Twins album Quick Step and Side Kick, and explain some of the reasons that just hasn’t happened yet.
Brian and Sarah are both hoping that if you got to see The Cure on this recent tour, that you’ll join in on the conversation as well, by sharing your thoughts and memories using any of the various methods below!
Read more at https://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 159: In Conversation with Rob Rowe and Von Hertzog (VH x RR) - New Music: "When Morning Comes"
It's always great to have friends swing by the BlueZone Studio, but when they bring BRAND NEW MUSIC with them for us to sample and share with you, it's even better!!
Brian & Sarah welcome back VH x RR (aka Rob Rowe and Von Hertzog) on the eve of the release of their latest single, "When Morning Comes."
"WMC" is already one of our favorite tracks from the duo, and it was a blast to get all the details on the song from its creators. It's a bit of an evolution from the sound we heard on their last EP, "On the Shoulders of Giants", but it's a very natural evolution and the track sits comfortably alongside the best of VH x RR's previous work.
Over the course of the discussion, other important topics are covered, including:
- Updates on Rob and Von's respective solo projects
- What do Rob and Von think of "Memento Mori" and what influence did Depeche Mode have on Cause & Effect?
- Who's reading Rick Rubin's new book and what's it all about?
- Brian Belknap: Is he a vampire??
Many thanks to VH x RR for giving us the opportunity to premiere this wonderful new track! You can get yourself a copy starting Friday June 30th at http://www.vhxrr.com.
Visit VH x RR at
Bandcamp: https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VHxRR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vhxrr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vhxrrmusic
You can find Von and Rob's other music projects at
https://causeandeffect.bandcamp.com/
https://whitewaits.bandcamp.com/
https://vonhertzog.bandcamp.com/
Visit The Social Club (Von Hertzog's studio) here:
https://thesocialclub.studio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SocialClubSound
Instagram: https://instagram.com/socialclubsound
Check out INCLINED Fidelity studio speakers here:
https://inclinedfidelity.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/INCLINEDFi
Instagram: https://instagram.com/inclinedfidelity
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
Check out some pictures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
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Episode 158: Depeche Mode - Memento Mori (2023) - Part 2 (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve" and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast")
Andrew Dineley ("Art on Your Sleeve") and Sly Dog ("Sly Dog Music Cast") are back to finish the discussion on Depeche Mode's 21st century classic, "Memento Mori."
In this episode, the four hosts answer the question on everyone's lips: Does the ghost of Pete Burns haunt the streets of Liverpool?
But after getting back on track, they also cover the second-half of the album, including beloved songs like "Before We Drown", "Always You", and "Speak to Me." Are we experiencing a Depeche Mode renaissance? That question will be answered at the end of the episode when the four critics collaborate to rank it for its Final Evaluation!
Songs Covered in this episode:
Caroline's Monkey Before We Drown People are Good Always You Never Let Me Go Speak to Me
Add more Andrew Dineley to your life by listening to "Art on Your Sleeve": https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/
Explore the world of the Sly Dog by listening to "The Sly Dog Music-Cast": https://slydogmusiccast.podbean.com/
Join "Art on Your Sleeve" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442664446671424
Join "The Sly Dog Music-Cast" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063551979539
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 157: In Conversation with Lawrence Gowan of Styx
(left to right: Lawrence Gowan, Chuck Panozzo, Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Will Evankovich - Photo credit Jason Powell)
If you were to guess who Brian and Sarah have seen the most times in concert, you may not come up with the answer right away. The answer is Styx! The Chicago-based group has been a part of Brian and Sarah’s musical history for more than 40 years, so imagine how thrilled they were to get a chance to talk with a member of this legendary band!
Lawrence Gowan, lead vocalist and keyboard player extraordinaire, was kind enough to take a break during Styx’s current tour to chat with Brian and Sarah on a number of topics, including Styx’s latest album, 2021’s Crash of the Crown; the 2017 concept album The Mission; what led the members of Styx to return to the studio; and what it’s like playing these newer songs live.
There’s also talk of the resurgence of vinyl records, the 2020 “Styx Fix” online shows, and Gowan’s solo work and performances, which leads to an eyebrow-raising comment regarding his attire at the non-solo shows.
Brian and Sarah had such a great time talking with this kind, funny, and extremely talented musician, and they’re sure you’ll enjoy listening to this conversation as much as they enjoyed having it!
(Brian, Sarah, and Lawrence Gowan in January 2019)
Get all the upcoming tour dates, plus lots more info, at https://www.styxworld.com
Styx is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as styxtheband
https://www.facebook.com/styxtheband
https://twitter.com/STYXtheBand
https://www.instagram.com/styxtheband/
Read more at https://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 156: In Conversation with Grant Walters, co-author of “Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1970s”
If you follow the podcast on any of the below social media accounts, then you probably know that Brian got heavily into the Bee Gees over the past couple of years, after watching the excellent HBO documentary How Can You Mend a Broken Heart. He has now amassed quite a collection of vinyl records and CDs by the Brothers Gibb, and he’s also been eager to read any books about them he can get his hands on.
Until recently, such books were hard to find. However, Grant Walters, Andrew Môn Hughes and Mark Crohan have combined their writing talents and their encyclopedic knowledge of the Bee Gees to develop a book series covering the career of the Bee Gees, a decade at a time.
The second book in the series, Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1970s, has just recently been released in the UK, and is soon to be released in the US. Brian and Sarah had the great pleasure of talking with Grant Walters about the new book, and they also learned more about Grant and his many talents, how he came to know Andrew and Mark, and how the book series came about.
The 1970s was quite a roller coaster of a decade for Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, and the discussion addresses such topics as the breakup and re-formation of the Bee Gees; their challenges with songwriting and chart success in the early 1970s; their work with Arif Mardin, and of course, Saturday Night Fever. There’s also talk about youngest brother Andy and his career progression during this time, as well as the disco movement in general.
It’s a fun and informative conversation with a friendly and extremely knowledgeable fellow, on one of the biggest pop acts of all time, so you won’t want to miss it!
Find out more about Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1970s, as well as the previous book in the series, Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1960s, at https://www.beegeesdecades.com/
Visit https://www.grantwalters.online/ to see Grant’s digital art and photography, to get links to his many arts and entertainment articles, and much more!
Read more at https://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 155: Depeche Mode - Memento Mori (2023) - Part 1 (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve" and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast")
The reviews are in and it seems that most critics love Depeche Mode's 15th studio album, "Memento Mori." From the joyous pop sounds of first single "Ghosts Again" to the throwback 70's aura of "Soul with Me" to the James Bondian "Don't Say You Love Me", the band does indeed sound re-energized and ready to conquer the world in 2023.
Devotees Brian & Sarah are joined by Andrew Dineley of the "Art on Your Sleeve" podcast and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast" on a journey through the album's 12 tracks and all parties are prepared to pepper the discussion with facts and opinions on these new songs.
Andrew is a fan who has followed the band since their debut on the "Some Bizarre" compilation, but who moved away from them as they turned more conventional and more "rock 'n roll" in the 21st century. The Sly Dog is a younger fan, with an interest in many genres of music, who discovered the band within the last decade and caught up with their "glory days" after the fact. Sarah is a loyal fan who nevertheless has recently expressed disappointment with the group's recent (re the last 20 years) penchant for mid-tempo tunes with odd percussion. And Brian is a loyal member of the Black Swarm who feels bad saying that even songs like "The Child Inside" and "Peace" "...aren't really that good."
Together, the four hosts will cover the first half of the album, including the already-classic "Ghosts Again", as the journey through "Memento Mori" begins!
Songs Covered in this episode:
My Cosmos is Mine Wagging Tongue Ghosts Again Don't Say You Love Me My Favourite Stranger Soul with Me
Add more Andrew Dineley to your life by listening to "Art on Your Sleeve": https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/
Explore the world of the Sly Dog by listening to "The Sly Dog Music-Cast": https://slydogmusiccast.podbean.com/
Join "Art on Your Sleeve" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442664446671424
Join "The Sly Dog Music-Cast" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063551979539
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Episode 154: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 3
Usually Sarah writes the episode notes and metadata, mainly because after spending so many hours editing, it's the last thing I want to do. However, this episode was recorded so long ago that I felt bad asking her to summarize it. So you have me, everyone's second-favorite host, to pen the show notes.
With this episode, we move on to side two of this fantastic album, as "Watching" kicked it off on both the US and UK versions. We're going to cover some single reviews, chart positions, Bahamian funk band T-Connection, the fact that while Grace Jones famously appears on the album version of this song, she's NOT on the single, why Alannah might have been obsessed with dinosaurs, why a hit single needs to appeal to a small percentage of parents and not just the Pop Kids, and a music video that is perfectly packed with poultry. Oh, and there's also a voice mail from someone we all know and love - and whose voice features on one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s.
It's a jammed-packed episode considering we only manage to cover one song!! We'll get to the remaining tracks next time - honest!
Songs discussed in this episode:
"Watching" And briefly, the awesome 2018 Tom Bailey track "Science Fiction."
Links to the videos discussed in the episode: Watching (Official Video): https://youtu.be/wQZ__BwctII
Watching (TV performance): https://youtu.be/38pDr-Xt2do
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Episode 153: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 2
After a break to release an "emergency episode" about the new Depeche Mode single, "Ghosts Again," Brian and Sarah are ready to resume their album discussion of Quick Step & Side Kick, a.k.a. Side Kicks, the 1983 release by the Thompson Twins.
Our hosts are continuing down Side One of the US track listing, and in this episode they find there are two singles to discuss, although one of them wasn't released in the US. They also find an album track that they both feel should have been released as a single all over the world!
A recurring theme in this album discussion is "Thompson Twins songs that sound like other songs," and two of the three songs in this episode fall in that category. Both Brian and Sarah are somewhat puzzled by a couple of the claims, but they do agree on one song that definitely sounds similar to the Thompson Twins.
Since there are two singles, that means there are also two videos. One of them left a particularly strong impression on Brian and his friends in the 80s, resulting in a rather silly claim occasionally made by both Brian and Sarah even to this day. The other video raised a lot of questions for Sarah and made Brian feel a little queasy at one point. And although Sarah had very little personal history to share about this album in the previous episode, she does reveal some personal history about one of the songs in this episode.
In this episode you'll not only hear reviews, chart history and thoughts on the songs, but you'll also hear confusion about modern art, questions about musical instruments, and even talk of flowering plants!
Songs discussed in this episode: Lies We Are Detective Love Lies Bleeding
Links to the videos discussed in the episode: Lies We Are Detective
Listen to Brian teach Craig about James Bond on the first episode of "Teach Craig Stuff": https://podsodcast.libsyn.com/brian-linnen-teaches-craig-about-james-bond
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Episode 152: Depeche Mode - "Ghosts Again" (2023) with special guest Brian Belknap of Blaklight
It's been quite a while since Brian and Sarah released an "emergency episode," but if there's one thing that will trigger such an event, it's new music from their favorite band, Depeche Mode! The mighty Mode is back with their first single since 2017's "Cover Me." It's called "Ghosts Again," and it's from the forthcoming album Memento Mori.
Brian and Sarah were very excited to talk about this new song, and they weren't the only ones! After very little arm-twisting, they convinced Brian Belknap of the fantastic synth duo Blaklight to join them for a conversation about the new song and the video that accompanies it. They also took some time to talk about the flurry of activity taking place with Blaklight this month!
The trio share thoughts, opinions, and laughs throughout the discussion, and eventually each person provides their record-adapter rating for "Ghosts Again," which are combined to provide a rating on a scale from 1 to 100. Is the combined rating closer to 1 or 100? That's probably not much of a mystery, but listen to the end to find out for sure!
Link to the video and performance discussed in this episode: Ghosts Again
Ghosts Again - Live at Sanremo
Check out all the Blaklight goodness at https://blaklight.bandcamp.com/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Episode 151: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 1
Brian and Sarah's first album discussion for 2023 is a record that goes by two names: Side Kicks in the USA, Canada and Australia; and Quick Step & Side Kick everywhere else in the world. Perhaps a little confusing, but not out of line, coming from a band whose name doesn't match up with the number of, or last names of, its members.
This 1983 release by the Thompson Twins finds the size of the band reduced from seven members to three, and a bit of a shift in sound from their previous record. Brian and Sarah touch on these topics before getting into a discussion about the making of the album, its release and chart history, and reading some reviews. Brian also provides some detailed and interesting background on the album artwork and the famous Thompson Twins band logo. He then goes on to share his personal history with this album and forewarns everyone that he doesn't expect to be very objective when it comes to his final rating.
Then it's on to more confusion, as our hosts explain that in addition to the album titles being different in the US and the UK, the track listings were also different. They plan to follow the US track listing, but for this episode, they're switching things up a little further, by talking about track two ("Tears") before track one ("Love On Your Side").
The first two songs up for discussion lead to some insightful and funny conversations, in which Sarah once again tries to describe or mimic synth sounds, Brian plays a quote from Tom Bailey which greatly influenced his musical life, and both hosts express incredulity at how Alannah treats Joe in the video for "Love On Your Side." They also talk about the Twins' live performances from this time period, which they agree are simultaneously tragic and infectious.
Links to the videos and performances discussed in the episode:
Love on Your Side
Feb 24, 1983 Top of the Pops performance of "Love On Your Side"
1983 Performance of "Tears" on UK show "What You Didn't Get"
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Episode 150: In Conversation with Rob Rowe and Von Hertzog (VH x RR) - 2023 Edition
The Permanent Record Podcast is officially up to episode 150! Brian and Sarah wanted to do something special to commemorate the occasion, and it worked out that the 'something special' was getting the chance to catch up with Von Hertzog and Rob Rowe of the band VH x RR. The last time Von and Rob were on the show was for Sarah's milestone birthday, so it seemed rather appropriate to have them on the show for another milestone.
VH x RR has had reason to celebrate as well, with the September 2022 release of the final EP in their Cosmos Trilogy, On The Shoulders of Giants. Once again, the pair have crafted a batch of songs that are at once both catchy and haunting, with pristine, sparkling synths courtesy of Von Hertzog, and smooth, rich vocals from Rob Rowe.
Brian and Sarah talk with the duo about the making of the EP, asking questions about the overall process as well as diving into the musical and lyrical content of the songs themselves. Our hosts shift gears partway through and take some time to spotlight each member of the duo. Von shares information on a number of exciting projects he's been working on, and Rob talks about going on tour last summer, for the first time in many years.
The conversation then returns the focus to VH x RR and the last installment of Cosmos Trilogy, and our hosts conclude the interview by peppering Von and Rob with a series of rapid-fire questions.
It was an honor and delight for Brian and Sarah to be able to talk with this two terrific guys once again and learn more about the excellent music they've been making together, as well as just catching up with them in general. And if you're wondering what the future holds for VH x RR-- listen to the end of the episode, and you'll find out!
Visit VH x RR at Bandcamp: https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/VHxRR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vhxrr/
You can find Von and Rob's other music projects at https://causeandeffect.bandcamp.com/ https://whitewaits.bandcamp.com/ https://vonhertzog.bandcamp.com/
Check out Anniee's music at https://anniee1.bandcamp.com/
Visit The Social Club (Von Hertzog's studio) here: https://thesocialclub.studio/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SocialClubSound Instagram: https://instagram.com/socialclubsound
Check out INCLINED Fidelity studio speakers here: https://inclinedfidelity.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/INCLINEDFi Instagram: https://instagram.com/inclinedfidelity
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 7 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service (with Robbie Sims)
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In the 007th episode, Sarah and Brian are joined by Bond author Robbie Sims (Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond) to discuss multiple songs from George Lazenby's lone outing as the gentleman super-spy. The theme song, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", Louis Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World" and Nina's "Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?" are all placed under the microscope, just in time for the Christmas holiday! There's also some Bond trivia, a report on our festive Bowie Bingo session, and some talk of our favorite Xmas songs. We had a lot of fun recording this one, so we hope that you will enjoy it!
Follow Robbie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTchaikovsky?s=09
Get a preview of "Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond" here:
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08636FRLV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_VH0ADA0S3KE5J0RTJDJJ
Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our new PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
2022 Festive Bowie Bingo Announcement
Brian and Sarah are popping in with a quick message-- and it's not to announce the end of the podcast. Instead, it's to announce the 2022 edition of festive Bowie Bingo! They hosted this event on Zoom last year, and it was a big hit, so they've decided to do it again. This episode contains the details of when Bowie Bingo will take place, and how you can sign up to participate. Hope you can make it!
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast
Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod
Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/
Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!
Cool Stuff Alert: Visit our PRP Shop at https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluezonenetwork/
Episode 149 : A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 4
Can it be? Is it finally here? Yes, it is! This is the long-awaited conclusion to Brian and Sarah's discussion of a-ha's 1986 album, Scoundrel Days.
Track by Track, Continued
After two episodes in which they only discussed one track off the album, Brian and Sarah return to a more traditional format in this installment and cover the final three songs. One of the songs, "Maybe, Maybe," has an interesting history as both a b-side and as a single, but in an extremely limited release. And that's not the strangest bit of information shared in this episode. One item Sarah shares about "Maybe, Maybe" finds Brian notably stunned-- and not for the only time in this episode. Later on, a lyrics discussion leads, strangely, to a mention of the Peanuts comic strip, which even more strangely, leads to a mention of record producer Mark Saunders.
The Weight of the Wind
Maybe, Maybe
The Soft Rains of April
Extra Credit
For extra credit, Sarah and Brian talk about a book by Norwegian author Pål H. Christiansen which has ties to a-ha and this album in particular. The English translation of the title is The Scoundrel Days of Hobo Highbrow.
Final Review and Rating
Then it comes time for Brian and Sarah to give a final review of Scoundrel Days and assign a record adapter rating. Sarah goes first, and she gives the disclaimer up front that she's very out of practice with doing final reviews and ratings. She then proceeds to render Brian virtually speechless! However, he manages to compose himself and provides a very thoughtful and articulate review and final rating. But after this, will Brian and Sarah ever record together again?
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Episode 148: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 3.75 PLUS The Giddy Carousel of Pop
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you-- this is, in fact, a new installment of the discussion on Scoundrel Days! Of course, your eyes probably also noticed that this is Part 3.75, rather than part 4. Slowly but surely, Brian and Sarah are getting through this album, but once again, they're only discussing one song off the album. The song in question is Track Two on Side Two, "We're Looking for the Whales." Our hosts talk about the origins of the song and actually end up spending a fair amount of time discussing a demo version and comparing it to the album version. They both also express confusion with the lyrics, as well surprise in learning how recently, and by whom, this song was performed live.
However, this episode has more than just a discussion of a single album track from a-ha, because finally, the mysterious project Brian and Sarah have been mentioning over the past couple of months is revealed! Our hosts are joined in this episode by Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg, hosts of the brilliant podcast The Giddy Carousel of Pop.
Simon and Gavin were gracious enough to invite Sarah and Brian on their show to discuss an issue of the much-beloved Smash Hits magazine, and in the ensuing discussion we learn more about the episode they recorded, as well as the podcast itself and its hosts. The lively conversation also includes recaps of recent concerts by Soft Cell and Roxy Music, as well as mentions of such diverse acts as David Bowie, The Mission (much to Sarah's chagrin), Sigue Sigue Sputnik (yes, really!), and a mysterious synthpop duo from 1986 who in this episode are compared to...The Velvet Underground?! Brian and Sarah also chat with Gavin about the hot-off-the-press book he co-authored with Hamish Ironside, We Peaked at Paper: An Oral History of British Zines.
This episode is so jam-packed with a variety of information, that by the end of it, your head will probably be spinning-- like a carousel!
You can hop on the Giddy Carousel at the following places:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/
Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
For more info on Gavin and Hamish's new book, We Peaked at Paper: An Oral History of British Zines, check out:
https://twitter.com/WePeaked
https://www.boatwhistle.com/we-peaked-at-paper
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State of the Podcast featuring Culture Club, Tom Jones, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys Live Reports PLUS Where is Scoundrel Days Part 4?
Seems like it's time for a "State of the Podcast" episode! This one features the following items of interest:
- Live reports on Culture Club, Tom Jones, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys
- Vague details and confusing clues on our special podcast project that we mentioned in our last episode
- Recap of our International Podcast Day Zoom chat
- Excuses on why we haven't finished discussing "Scoundrel Days" yet.
Wow! That's a lot to cover in only 25 minutes!
As always, thanks for your continued support and stay well!! Talk with you again soon!!
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This Friday is International Podcast Day and we thought we'd do something to celebrate the occasion (and maybe get a special IPD episode out of it!) Sarah and I are going to log into Zoom for a few hours starting at 2:00PM EDT and we welcome you to join us for a brief chat about music and the podcasts we love. And if you're a podcast host, we'd love to hear what you have coming up on your show! So stop by this Friday when you have a free moment! Meeting ID: 862 9697 2203
PW: 593127
Episode 147: In Conversation with HALO authors Kevin May & David McElroy
It's no secret that Brian and Sarah are huge Depeche Mode fans and that the 1990 album Violator is one of their favorite records of all time, so they were thrilled to talk with Kevin May and David McElroy, co-authors of a biography all about Violator!
The book is called Halo: The Story Behind Depeche Mode's Classic Album Violator, and it's set to be released on September 29th. However, as the press release states, this book is much more than a simple biography.
‘Halo’ goes deep behind the scenes of the band’s ‘Violator’ period. The book takes the form of a detailed oral history from those who were there in the studio with the band, working behind the cameras, designing sleeves and appearing in the videos; support acts, tour managers, publicists and Depeche Mode fans.
Brian and Sarah had a wonderful time talking with Kevin and David, learning more about the creation and contents of the book, as well as getting their thoughts and opinions on a host of other Depeche Mode-related topics.
There's no silence to enjoy here-- it's a fun and lively discussion that's sure to get Violator fans excited at the opportunity to learn more about not just the album itself, but the world of Depeche Mode in this transformational period of their career.
To learn more about Halo: The Story Behind Depeche Mode's Classic Album Violator, visit any and all of these sites:
Website: https://halotheviolatorbook.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halotheviolatorbook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HALOBook
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halobook/
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Episode 147: In Conversation with HALO authors Kevin May & David McElroy
It's no secret that Brian and Sarah are huge Depeche Mode fans and that the 1990 album Violator is one of their favorite records of all time, so they were thrilled to talk with Kevin May and David McElroy, co-authors of a biography all about Violator!
The book is called Halo: The Story Behind Depeche Mode's Classic Album Violator, and it's set to be released on September 29th. However, as the press release states, this book is much more than a simple biography.
‘Halo’ goes deep behind the scenes of the band’s ‘Violator’ period. The book takes the form of a detailed oral history from those who were there in the studio with the band, working behind the cameras, designing sleeves and appearing in the videos; support acts, tour managers, publicists and Depeche Mode fans.
Brian and Sarah had a wonderful time talking with Kevin and David, learning more about the creation and contents of the book, as well as getting their thoughts and opinions on a host of other Depeche Mode-related topics.
There's no silence to enjoy here-- it's a fun and lively discussion that's sure to get Violator fans excited at the opportunity to learn more about not just the album itself, but the world of Depeche Mode in this transformational period of their career.
To learn more about Halo: The Story Behind Depeche Mode's Classic Album Violator, visit any and all of these sites:
Website: https://halotheviolatorbook.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halotheviolatorbook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HALOBook
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halobook/
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Episode 146 : A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 3.5
Our hosts have had a busy summer this year, and with their annual vacation imminent, they didn't want to get too far behind in their discussion of Scoundrel Days. So for the second time in the show's history, Brian and Sarah are releasing a "Part 3.5" of an album retrospective, where they discuss a single song off an album. The last time they did this was for Queen's The Miracle, for the album track "Rain Must Fall." This time, it's for "Cry Wolf," the second single from a-ha's sophomore effort, Scoundrel Days.
"Cry Wolf" kicks off Side Two of the album, and part of this episode's conversation once again brings up the concept of "the perfect pop album" and how Scoundrel Days is faring so far in the quest for that title, especially when comparing Side One and Side Two. And since "Cry Wolf" was a single, Brian and Sarah also talk about release and chart history, and they share several reviews.
Of course, there's also a video for "Cry Wolf," and that's where things get interesting. Brian announces he has watched the video numerous times in an apparently futile attempt to understand its plot. He breaks down his interpretation scene by scene, which amuses, delights, and sometimes confuses Sarah. He ends with a plea to the listeners to share their thoughts and ideas on what the video is about-- and of course, you can use any of the methods listed below to do so. For Sarah's sake, please help by contributing your theories, so Brian will have someone else to talk with about the video!
See the videos discussed here:
Cry Wolf
"Cry Wolf" at Royal Albert Hall August 2010 w/snippet of "Riders on the Storm"
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Episode 145: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 3 and new single “I’m In” (2022)
Brian and Sarah are back and ready to talk more about a-ha! But instead of getting right back into the discussion of a-ha's second album, the hosts find themselves with a bit of an "a-ha emergency" to address. Just as Brian and Sarah were preparing for this episode, a-ha released a new single from their forthcoming album!
The new single is called "I'm In," and it will be on the album "True North," scheduled for release in October. The video for the song is taken from the film made to accompany the new album. The plans are for the film to be released in select locations worldwide later this summer, so keep watching the internet for more details.
Track by Track, continued After sharing their thoughts on the new single, Brian and Sarah turn their attention-- and their calendars-- back to the a-ha album released in1986, "Scoundrel Days." So far they've discussed the first three tracks on the band's sophomore effort, and all three were met with enthusiastic praise by our hosts. There are two more songs-- one of which was a single-- on Side One, and the question asked in the last episode was, "Will this album be one of those rarities with a perfect Side One, where every track is excellent?"
Brian and Sarah definitely answer that question as they talk about the songs "October" and "Manhattan Skyline,.” They also find themselves talking more about Tears For Fears, and Sarah almost has to bring Brian back to the topic at hand like she does when he starts going off on a James Bond tangent!
See the videos discussed here: I'm In
Manhattan Skyline
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PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 5 - Tears for Fears, 6-21-2022 (with T.J. Cullen)
Welcome to the fifth installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going all the way back to June 21st, 2022, just two short weeks ago, to discuss their evening in the City of Brotherly Love with the legendary duo, Tears for Fears!
Roland and Curt were touring in support of their AMAZING new album "The Tipping Point", and one member of the PRP team was so excited by the record and the concert that they had to talk about it immediately!
Joining Brian and Sarah is long-time friend and curator of MyPopCultureObsession, T.J. Cullen. T.J., a younger fan of the band and a serious scholar of nostalgia and pop-culture, brings an interesting outlook to the discussion of this veteran band for whom the label "legacy band" doesn't quite fit.
Follow T.J. on his journey through the world of pop culture at https://www.instagram.com/mypopcultureobsession
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PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 4 - The Smithereens, 5-12-1992 (with Andy Schaal)
Welcome to the fourth installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going back to May 12th, 1992 when they wrapped up their junior year of college and traveled down the road to the nearby capital of Pennsylvania to see The Smithereens on their "Blow Up" tour.
Our hosts had discovered the New Jersey based band late in 1989, and since then, had become huge fans of their hard rocking yet melodic songs. "Green Thoughts" and "11" had been getting a lot of airplay in their lives, but "Blow Up" had a different sound to it. Did it hold up against their classic earlier albums?
Meanwhile, halfway across the country, young music fan Andy Schaal, who would grow-up to become America's Favorite Podcast Guest (#AmericasFavoritePodcastGuest) was also discovering the band, and they would go on to become one of this favorite acts of all time.
Fast forward to 2022 and these three youths come together as middle-aged podcasters to talk about Pat, Jim, Dennis, Mike, and The Thrilla, the wonderful legacy of music that Pat and the Smithereens have created, old Smithereens shows vs current day Smithereens shows, and Jon Lamoreaux...lots and lots of Jon Lamoreaux.
Check out Jon Lamoreaux's interview with Jim Babjak on The Hustle: https://thehustle.podbean.com/e/episode-131-jim-babjak-of-the-smithereens/
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Episode 144: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 2
It's time for Brian and Sarah to resume their discussion about the second album by Norwegian trio a-ha, the 1986 release Scoundrel Days. In the first Scoundrel Days episode, the hosts set the stage by talking about the period up to and including the recording of the album, as well as its release and chart information, cover art, reviews, and personal history. Now, Brian and Sarah are ready to put the needle on the record and talk about what they hear.
Track by Track
What they hear when the record starts is something that sounds rather different from a-ha's first album. And after the first song ends, the second song sounds different from the first, and the third sounds different from both of the previous two songs. It becomes apparent very early on that this album is not a re-hash of Hunting High and Low. Yet, many of these songs originate from the same time period as the songs from the first album, or even earlier.
The origin of the songs is just one of the things Brian and Sarah delve into as they talk about the tracks on the album, and for at least one song, the documented history is rather confusing. They also talk about the music, instrumentation, vocals, and lyrics, as always. Both hosts are pretty excited about this album and find themselves with a lot to say, so they only get through the first three songs in this episode. The third song on the album was a single, so for it, they also cover the release and chart information, share a couple of reviews, and lament about the video. And Brian goes into a James Bond discussion which surprisingly, Sarah doesn't put to a stop!
Scoundrel Days
The Swing of Things
I've Been Losing You
See the video discussed here:
I've Been Losing You
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PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 3 - Boy George, 4-18-2014
Welcome to the third installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going back to April 18th, 2014 when they traveled to the City of Brotherly Love to see Boy George on his "This is What I Do" tour.
After thirty years of listening to George's music, and after the release of more than a half-dozen solo albums, it was exciting to see the singer in concert without his famous band. However, the hosts weren't sure what to expect in terms of set-list and performance style.
So, what happened? What did he play? Find out in this latest mini-episode!!
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Episode 143: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 1
After a couple of mini-episodes about past concerts they attended, Brian and Sarah are back to the "regularly-scheduled programming" of in-depth album analysis. However, even this episode has mention of concerts in it, which is partially why this album was chosen in the first place.
Up for discussion is a-ha's second album, Scoundrel Days, which was released just shy of a year after their debut, Hunting High and Low. The trio from Norway was still riding high on the worldwide success of the first album as their second effort was recorded and released-- and that's the period of time Brian and Sarah focus on for this episode.
However, our hosts recently had the good fortune to be able to see a-ha live in concert, for their delayed Hunting High and Low 35th anniversary tour, so they also take some time to talk about that experience. They also just watched the new a-ha documentary, "a-ha: The Movie," so they share their insights and observations on that as well.
Also covered in this episode is the album's release and chart history, several reviews, information on the sleeve artwork and design, and some personal history about the album which involves a mention of Brian and Sarah's honeymoon!
A-ha performance of "Take On Me" at 1986 Grammy Awards
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PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 2 - Colin Hay, 4-28-2012
It's the second episode of the new mini-feature Brian and Sarah are trying out, called PRP Mini Concert Memories, where our hosts choose a ticket stub from their vast collection and talk about a concert they attended.
The ticket stub selected at the end of Episode 1 was the Colin Hay show at the Keswick Theatre on April 28, 2012. This worked out nicely for several reasons: 1) it's almost the 10th anniversary of this show, and 2) Brian and Sarah just saw Colin Hay earlier this month, as their first concert since September 2019.
The pictures here are a mixture of photos from the April 28th show, and from a show they attended just a few days earlier! The full details are given in the episode, along with all the info you need on Brian's recent birthday, all the records he bought on his birthday AND Record Store Day, and how you can join the PRP hosts on the next installment of Mini Concert Memories!
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PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 1 - Yazoo, 7-20-2008
Welcome to the first episode of a new feature Brian and Sarah are trying out, called PRP Mini Concert Memories. The idea behind it is that Brian and Sarah will choose a ticket stub from their sizable collection of concert tickets, and they'll spend a few minutes reminiscing about that particular show.
In the future, the selections will be random, but for the inaugural episode, Brian thought it would be fun to hearken back to the first episode of the podcast proper, which was about Yazoo's album Upstairs at Eric's. So in this installment, Brian and Sarah talk about seeing Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet performing as Yazoo on the Reconnected tour, at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.
Join Brian and Sarah as they share their memories of this show, featuring a duo they-- along with many other people-- never expected to see on stage together. But it really did happen, and they have the pictures to prove it!
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Episode 142: Permanent Record Trivia Showdown 2022
The annual tradition is back, for the fourth year in a row! The hosts of the Permanent Record Podcast find themselves competing against each other in a trivia showdown-- each hoping for a victory that eluded them both last year!
They are once again joined by the Quiz Master (known in other circles as Hans Lemke, longtime friend of the hosts), who leads Brian and Sarah through several rounds of questions, providing witty commentary along the way.
It's because of the hard work of the Quiz Master and the contributions of many listeners that this show is even possible. Brian and Sarah send special thanks to the following people for sending in questions: Michael Berlew, Erin Berlew, Gregory Chidester, Chris Cotham, Andrew Dineley, Frederick Frantz, John Justice, Daniel Lundberg, Nick Oswald, Pete Rogers, Gary Shepherd, and Jurgen Stein.
And of course they also send a big thank you to the Quiz Master for his work in putting together all the questions (including his own special round) and for making the trip up to the BlueZone Network studio to record the show.
Who will stand victorious at the end of this year's Trivia Showdown? Listen to the end to find out!
Check out Syd Dorian at https://syddorian.bandcamp.com/album/pressing-issues
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Episode 141: In Conversation with Kurt Larson of Information Society
Many people these days talk about having a yearly "bingo card" and in particular, what events they didn't have on their cards. Well, Brian and Sarah definitely didn't have "talking with the lead singer of Information Society" on their 2022 bingo card-- or any other year's card, for that matter! But it has, in fact, happened, and both Brian and Sarah are absolutely thrilled to bring you this special episode!
Our hosts talked about Information Society's 1988 self-titled album over the course of two episodes back in July 2018. In this episode, they get to talk with Kurt himself about the making of the album, its release and reception, the music videos, and even get some answers to questions they posed aloud way back then.
However, the conversation covers a great deal more than just that album. Kurt tells stories ranging from the band's very early days all the way up to the recording and release of their latest album, 2021's ODDfellows.
And as cool as all of that sounds, there's even more to learn, as Brian and Sarah discovered from talking with Kurt. He explained the origins of digital sampling, the history of remixing, what record pools are, and what Spatial Audio is. Kurt also shares his thoughts on Cleopatra Records as well as answering the question of whether streaming services ended the Loudness Wars. And there are plenty of non-music topics discussed as well! The three of them talk about work habits during lockdown, and Kurt shares stories about playing the first video games as well as the time he met Leonard Nimoy! (You knew there had to be Star Trek talk in here somewhere!)
And, due to Brian putting his foot in his mouth by talking trash about 1970's muscle cars, Kurt shared a number of photos of the Plymouth he altered to look like a car from "Mad Max," which then featured in the 1990 video for "Think."
Below is an advertisement for a car similar to Kurt's (or at least how Kurt's started off looking). He tells the story of what he did to alter the car and how the one in the ad below is for a 1971 model, but Kurt's car is from model year 1973.
Here's another picture of Kurt's highly customized Plymouth Sebring:
The picture below elicits a rather shocked response from Brian and Sarah during the episode, as Kurt shows how close the film's promotional poster is to the photo he took back in 1990.
It should be obvious by now that this episode is overflowing with entertaining and insightful conversation-- so what are you waiting for-- start listening immediately! And then check out the links below!
Information Society links:
Bandcamp: https://informationsociety.bandcamp.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InSoc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/informationsociety
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/informationsociety_official/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqBYUnU_4yqqJpkUTpVASAA
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Episode 140: Queen - The Miracle (1989) Part 4
At long last, the final part of Brian and Sarah's discussion of The Miracle is here! It definitely took our hosts longer to cover Queen's 1989 album than they expected, but they can at least say they finished talking about The Miracle in less time than it took for the band to record it.
Track by Track, continued
After a 'mini-episode' that only covered one album track, Brian and Sarah are left with three more songs to discuss, including yet another single and video. Thankfully, there are no more mentions of plagiarism! Instead, our hosts cover such diverse topics as the paparazzi, disappearing fake blood, quotes from Shakespearean plays, and an instrument called the vibraslap.
Scandal
My Baby Does Me
Was It All Worth It
Extra Credit
For extra credit, our hosts find themselves talking about even more songs associated with The Miracle. The five singles released from The Miracle all had B-sides that were not on the LP version of the album. Brian and Sarah each choose their favorite B-side and explain a little about what makes it their favorite.
Final Reviews and Ratings
Then the time comes for the final reviews and ratings of the last Queen album released in the 1980s. Both Brian and Sarah have expressed some strong and favorable opinions on many of the songs, but will that be enough for the album to rate a full 100 record adapters?
See the videos discussed here:
Scandal
"Was It All Worth It" Tribute Video made by slightlymad22
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Episode 139: Queen - The Miracle (1989) Part 3.5 and Trivia Showdown 2022 promotion
Brian and Sarah are trying their best to make up for the long gap between the first and second episodes discussing Queen's 1989 album The Miracle, so here's yet another episode about the album! However, this episode is serving more than one purpose.
First, by talking about one song on its own, that leaves Brian and Sarah with three songs left to discuss on the fourth episode on The Miracle, as well as the final reviews and ratings. The song up for discussion in this episode is "Rain Must Fall," which finds Brian and Sarah talking about the difference between "good fake drums" and "bad fake drums," a famous poet, an Olympic athlete, and once again, plagiarism!
Second, this episode gives our hosts the chance to promote the upcoming Trivia Showdown episode, which depends a lot on you! While the Quizmaster is an excellent emcee (although after last year, his scoring methods may be somewhat suspect), he needs your help with compiling questions for the game. Brian and Sarah provide instructions in this episode on how to send in questions for the upcoming Trivia Showdown-- and you can always listen to past episodes to learn about the kinds of questions that have been sent in.
Both hosts will need to keep this song in mind after the Trivia Showdown-- as one of them will probably lose, they'll have to remember that "into each life a little rain must fall."
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Episode 138: Queen - The Miracle (1989) Part 3
The question on everyone's minds has been answered, and the answer is YES! Brian and Sarah did manage to bring you the third installment of their discussion on Queen's 1989 album The Miracle much faster than they did for the second! The universe did seem to conspire against them for a bit as the editing was underway, but thankfully, the obstacles were overcome, and the episode made it out!
Track by Track, continued
Just as in Part 2, three songs are up for discussion in Part 3. And all three of the songs in this episode are singles, so that means more talk about reviews (including some real head-shakers from Record Mirror), chart positions, and especially the fantastic videos! Brian and Sarah also find themselves talking about clothing (such as shirts, ties, and vest/waistcoats), headwear (hats and visors), and sunglasses. Two different kinds of TV commercials are mentioned-- one kind more cute and cuddly, and the other kind more sultry and sensuous. Speaking of cute and cuddly, Sarah is caught gushing about how cute John Deacon is in some of these videos. And Brian helpfully shares some "amazing" insights on post-production techniques used in music videos.
I Want It All
The Invisible Man
Breakthru
See the videos discussed here:
I Want It All
The Invisible Man
Breakthru
Debbie Leng in Cadbury Flake commercial
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Episode 137: Queen - The Miracle (1989) Part 2
That's not a typo in the show title; this really is Part Two of Brian and Sarah's discussion surrounding the 1989 Queen album The Miracle. Part One was released waaaay back in May of 2021 (episode 128), and it actually covered the time period after the 1986 album A Kind of Magic, leading up to the recording of this album. Now, all these months later (and by popular demand, as is revealed later in the episode), Brian and Sarah finally sit down to discuss the album itself!
Part 1 - Album History
Since they didn't cover it in the previous episode, Brian and Sarah do start off by talking about the recording of The Miracle--including the locations, the producer, and some rather significant changes to the band's traditional operating mode, only one of which was truly decided on as a group. The release and chart history are also discussed, and the hosts are interested to see where The Miracle charted in the US compared to other 80s Queen releases.
Both hosts have album reviews to share; Sarah providing several from publications that reviewed the album at the time of release, and Brian providing some from his library of Queen reference books. (Both Sarah and Brian have quite a few comments on the reviews from the Queen books!) And of course the album cover itself gets a mention, with some insight provided on how the innovative and striking images were produced. And it's not the first time Brian has been on a podcast talking about graphic designer Richard Gray-- check out the link below.
Part 2 - Personal History
Even though Queen is one of Brian and Sarah's very favorite bands, their personal history with this album isn't too momentous, with Sarah's history being only marginally more interesting than Brian's. However, don't take that as a reflection on what they think about the album itself!
Part 3 - Track by Track
Finally, it comes time for the hosts to get down to business and start talking about the album tracks! The album starts off with a quick one-two punch of energetic, rocking tunes. Then Queen does what they've done for their entire career-- switch things up with a song in a very different style. Brian and Sarah talk about these first three tracks on The Miracle in this episode, and both hosts reveal how even though they've heard the album countless times, they came to some surprising realizations as they examined the first two songs. The third track was released as a single, so there's some chart information to share, but more importantly, there's an absolutely delightful video to discuss!
Party
Khashoggi's Ship
The Miracle
See the videos discussed here:
The making of The Miracle album cover
The Miracle
Check out friend of the show Andrew Dineley's ”Art on Your Sleeve" podcast to hear Brian talk more about Richard Gray and another Queen album cover he's designed, as well as insightful and entertaining discussions on other classic album covers:
https://softoctopus.co.uk/episode-18-international-podcast-day-2021/
And if you are interested in the other excellent podcast we discussed, The Giddy Carousel of Pop, visit Gavin and Simon here: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
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Episode 136: Dead or Alive "Blue Christmas 2000" (2000) and U2 "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (1987)
Another year is coming to a close, and with the end of the year comes the holiday season. And with the holiday season comes Christmas songs, of course! So once again, Brian and Sarah close out the year by choosing a couple of songs to talk about, before they turn their full attention to holiday preparations and celebrations. And although the titles of both songs may look familiar, only one of them is a cover version.
The first selection is "Blue Christmas 2000" by Dead or Alive. It's been quite a while since Brian and Sarah have talked about this band, so they're both eager to have a discussion about more than just the selected song. In fact, they go all the way back to 1988 to discuss the album Nude for a bit--which gives Brian the opportunity to tell a story from his freshman year in college that never fails to amuse and delight Sarah. The hosts go on to discuss the band's success in Japan; yet another version of this song (that still isn't the one you're thinking of); a synth voice whose name Sarah says sounds like a TV show; and, almost unbelievably, a recently-released new Dead or Alive album.
The second song chosen for this episode is U2's version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." As this song was recorded and released in 1987, this selection ties in neatly (almost like a bow on top of a package!) with the four episodes released earlier this year, where Brian and Sarah, along with Tom Austin-Morgan of the podcast Banned Biographies (and now of the band Sham 69 as well!), discussed U2's iconic 1987 album The Joshua Tree.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" was recorded by U2 for inclusion on the charity album A Very Special Christmas, so Brian searched through his archives and found his notes from 2018, when he and Sarah discussed several other songs from that album. He reminds us about the history of the album, the charity it supports, and the success it has had both on the charts and as a fundraising vehicle.
And, since this selection is actually a cover version, the hosts take some time to discuss the original version of the song and its interesting history of being in the public's awareness, which includes not only a discussion about Darlene Love, but also a late-night talk show host. Additionally, Brian shares some very recent--and rather exciting-- chart information for the song.
After the two song discussions, Brian and Sarah decide to share their top 10 favorite Christmas songs recorded by artists they've talked about on the podcast. How many of their favorites are on your list as well?
Watch the videos discussed here:
U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Darlene Love 2014 performance
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 6 - You Only Live Twice
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In the fifth episode, Sarah and Brian are joined by Bond author Robbie Sims (Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond) to discuss the theme song from the fifth James Bond film, "You Only Live Twice." Along the way, the trio share their thoughts on the movie itself, Robbie Williams, David Arnold, and of course, the latest Bond adventure "No Time to Die." We had a lot of fun recording this one, so we hope that you will enjoy it!
Follow Robbie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTchaikovsky?s=09
Get a preview of "Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond" here:
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08636FRLV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_VH0ADA0S3KE5J0RTJDJJ
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Episode 135: Five Years, Four Track Fives (The Smiths, Electronic, The Beautiful South, Jerry Harrison)
It's hard for Brian and Sarah to believe, but it's been five years since the first episode of the Permanent Record Podcast appeared for download. (It's also hard for them to believe that in that first episode, they covered the entire album Upstairs at Eric's in less than an hour!)
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the podcast, Brian and Sarah went through their album collection and looked at the track listings. From there, they each picked two Track Fives from albums they like, but that wouldn't necessarily get discussed otherwise. The result is a conversation about songs by The Smiths, Electronic, The Beautiful South, and Jerry Harrison.
Of course, the conversation covers more than just those songs, artists, and albums. Brian and Sarah also find themselves talking about the artists Pebbles, Vanessa Williams, Mark Ronson, and Kraftwerk; the Sire Records compilations such as Just Say Yes!; a rather unusual homemade beverage; and an instance of record trading and possible theft! And as an added bonus, the hosts are joined by a special guest for part of the discussion-- someone listeners may not realize they've heard before.
Brian and Sarah also take some time to reminisce about the podcast, and more importantly, to express their gratitude to the many friends of the show who have helped make the Permanent Record Podcast possible. And if you're reading this, that gratitude goes out to you too!
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before - The Smiths
Getting Away With It - Electronic
Girlfriend - The Beautiful South
Cherokee Chief - Jerry Harrison
See the videos discussed here:
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
Getting Away With It - 1989 Version
Getting Away With It - 1990 Version
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Episode 134: In Conversation with Kip Kubin, Tony Miracle, and Annette Strean of Venus Hum
In April 2020, Brian and Sarah branched out into new territory by publishing their first-ever interview. The kind soul who agreed to talk with them (for several hours, as it turned out!) was none other than Tony Miracle, known by many for being one-third of the band Venus Hum. It was a delightful conversation covering a wide variety of musical topics, and a good time was had by all.
Now, in 2021, Brian and Sarah are delighted to present a conversation with all three members of Venus Hum: Kip Kubin, Annette Strean, and of course, Tony Miracle. And what's even more exciting is that there's a brand-new Venus Hum album to discuss!
First, however, the hosts have a little catching up to do with Kip and Annette. They learned a lot about Tony's musical background and history in last year's talk, so they wanted to hear Kip and Annette's stories too. They find out how everyone met and how the band came together, and the trio talk about the albums, videos, tours, and promotional appearances over the years.
Then the spotlight is put on the absolutely marvelous new album from Venus Hum, Kindness Rages On. Brian and Sarah are thrilled to have the chance to tell Kip, Annette, and Tony how much they love the album, and the trio graciously answers questions about the making of the album and some of the individual tracks.
If you're a fan of Venus Hum, or if you don't know Venus Hum yet but are a fan of superbly-crafted electronic music with amazingly emotive vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, you'll definitely want to listen to this conversation-- and then as soon as you're done, head over to https://www.venushum.com or https://venushum.bandcamp.com/ to pick up Kindness Rages On.
Venus Hum links:
Website: https://www.venushum.com/
Bandcamp: https://venushum.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/VenusHumOfficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VenusHumBand
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venus.hum.1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venus_hum_band/
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Episode 133: U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987) Part 4
Brian, Sarah, and Tom Austin-Morgan (of Banned Biographies fame!) are back to finish their discussion of U2's 1987 classic, "The Joshua Tree."
This time around, the trio shoot the breeze about the darkest moments on the album: "Exit" and "Mothers of the Disappeared." But in case you think this episode is all doom and gloom, they also talk about ice cream trucks, all the U2 back-catalog Brian has been acquiring, the return of the live music scene around South London, and, of course, they finally get around to ranking the record as a whole on a scale of 1 to 100 record adapters.
There's also a surprise EXTRA extra-credit segment at the conclusion of the episode, just in case you needed just a tad more U2 chat!!
And if I could switch from third person to first person for a moment, I wanted to extend a final "Thank You!" to Tom for making time to join us for these episodes. It requires a lot of work to be able to discuss an album for over six hours, so we appreciate you taking the plunge and joining us. It was a real treat to talk with you and to get to know you a bit. Good luck with everything the future holds, my friend!
And, of course, thanks to my sister Erin who has been listening to U2 for as long as I can remember, who let me raid her U2 library as I prepared for these episodes, who was happy to text with me at any time of day or night as I discovered these songs, and who hooked me up with free concert tickets from the mid-90s through to the mid-2000's. You are the best!
Check out Banned Biographies at https://www.bannedbiographies.com/
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Episode 132: U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987) Part 3
It's been a while, but finally Brian, Sarah, and special guest Tom Austin-Morgan are back to discuss The Joshua Tree. In case you've forgotten, Tom has an excellent podcast called Banned Biographies which covers the histories of some rather famous-- and infamous-- bands and artists. Make sure you check it out; you can find the links below.
Track by Track review, continued
In the previous U2 discussion, the trio didn't get too far along in the track-by-track discussion. This time, however, they make up for that by discussing what ends up being five songs off the iconic 1987 album. A lot of facts, opinions, and laughs are shared in this episode as Tom, Brian, and Sarah finish talking about Side One and head over to the tracks on Side Two. Some topics that came up during this discussion were: the differences between the punk movement in the US compared to the UK; Lou Reed; Bob Dylan; "People Are People"; and hootenannies!
Songs discussed in this episode:
Side One:
- Running to Stand Still
Side Two:
- Red Hill Mining Town
- In God's Country
- Trip Through Your Wires
- One Tree Hill
Watch the videos discussed here:
Red Hill Mining Town
In God's Country
U2 appearance on TV Gaga 1986 - Full Show (includes performances of "Womanfish," "Trip Through Your Wires," and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door")
Check out Banned Biographies at https://www.bannedbiographies.com/
Follow Banned Biographies on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BannedBiogs
Follow Banned Biographies on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BannedBiographies
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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State of the PRP Nation (A Brief Interlude)
We hope that your August is off to a fantastic start!
Of course, we had hoped to have Part 3 of our U2 "The Joshua Tree" discussion available for you by now; however, things have been moving a bit slowly here at the BlueZone Studio.
If you miss hearing from your friends Brian & Sarah though, do not fear! We want to clue you in to a couple of podcasts you may want to check out!
Firstly, Wendy and Kevin of the wonderful MetaPod show just released their 26th episode, which features a conversation with us! MetaPod's mission statement is to "unpack the web’s most interesting podcasts and the stories behind them", so it was an honor to be considered as guests. Please give the show a listen, and if you like what you hear, subscribe.
https://www.metapodshow.com/2021/08/04/episode-26-sarah-and-brian-linnen-of-permanent-record-podcast/
Secondly, the mighty Craig Smith of the Pods & Sods Network is kicking off a new series of sidecasts called "Why We Love..." and yours truly was invited to join him for the inaugural episode. I love Eric and Craig, so it was a real treat to spend a day with them, buying records and recording together. Our episode should be released today, August 6, 2021, but it's not out at the time that I'm writing this, so here's a link to their website. I'll replace it with a direct link to our show when it's available. Eric and Craig are hilarious and I especially recommend their 20-episode look at the entire decade of the 1980s. They are good people!
https://podsodcast.com/
Note: Here's the episode - https://podsodcast.com/2021/08/06/wwl01/
Thanks to you all for checking out these episodes and for giving our friends' shows your support. We appreciate you making us look good!
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Episode 131: U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987) Part 2
Brian, Sarah, and their special guest Tom Austin-Morgan are back to talk more U2! As a reminder, Tom has an excellent podcast called Banned Biographies which delves into the careers of some rather notorious bands, so be sure to check it out-- after you're done listening to this episode, of course.
Track by Track review, continued
Last time the three hosts talked about The Joshua Tree, they only got as far as the 1987 album's opening track, so there are many more songs to discuss! This episode finds them talking about three more songs and two more videos. They also end up talking about Las Vegas, oversized slot machines, the TV show Friends, Thomas Dolby, and some differences in American English versus British English.
Songs discussed in this episode:
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
With Or Without You
Bullet the Blue Sky
Watch the videos we discuss here:
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
With or Without You
Check out Banned Biographies at https://www.bannedbiographies.com/
Follow Banned Biographies on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BannedBiogs
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Episode 130: In Conversation with Ivan Doroschuk of Men Without Hats
Once again, Brian and Sarah are taking a detour from publishing the episodes everyone is expecting, but they have an extremely good reason this time-- they're absolutely delighted to welcome founder and lead singer of Men Without Hats, Ivan Doroschuk, to the Permanent Record Podcast!
If you've listened to the podcast for a while, you'll know that Brian has mentioned many times how important Men Without Hats and their first album, Rhythm of Youth, were to the formation of his musical tastes; Sarah is also a longtime fan of the group.
The conversation starts off with look back at the history and formation of the band, and then fast-forwards to talk about the 2020 induction of not one, but two, Men Without Hats songs into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
The three then move on to discuss the four albums Men Without Hats released in the 80s and the 1991 release Sideways. There's another fast-forward-- this time to the 2010s--to talk about the release of Love in the Age of War, and the conversation concludes with a rapid-fire question round for Ivan about the upcoming TWO new albums!
It was a thrill to talk with Ivan and ask questions about the past, present, and perhaps most exciting, the future of Men Without Hats! A lot of exciting information is revealed, so you definitely won't want to miss this one!
Visit the Men Without Hats website at www.safetydance.com
Get cool Men Without Hats merchandise at www.visionmerch.com/men-without-hats
Men Without Hats on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MenWithoutHats1
Men Without Hats on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menwithouthats
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Episode 129: U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987) Part 1
As evidenced by the title of this episode, Brian and Sarah are taking a bit of a detour from their look back at the 1989 Queen album, "The Miracle." They're thrilled to be joined by Tom Austin-Morgan, who, among his many talents, is creator and host of the terrific podcast Banned Biographies. Banned Biographies is "an audio documentary series charting the careers of some of the most notorious bands ever to grace the world's stages."
Brian, Sarah and Tom wanted to discuss an album together, and after a few ideas were bounced back and forth, they decided to kind of meet in the middle, musically, and tackle an epic album-- not just of the 1980s, but of the entire rock 'n' roll era-- U2's 1987 opus, "The Joshua Tree." Brian and Sarah had to admit they weren't really familiar with the album much beyond the big singles. Tom had more of a history with it, but was still not intimately knowledgeable on it off the top of his head. The three hosts had their work cut out for them in the research department, but they prove worthy of the task by the amount of information they convey in this first episode.
The trio start off by talking about the recording of "The Joshua Tree", which took place over the course of a year, but was interrupted by some rather life-changing events, which in turn shaped the lyrical/thematic content and sound of the album. They then spend time talking about the worldwide chart and sales success of the record, both immediate and lasting, and its ranking on various lists of albums over the years. Brian and Sarah can't help but bring up the cover art as well, as it allows them the opportunity to mention Anton Corbijn, who of course also works with their favorite band, Depeche Mode.
After a very long lead-up, Tom, Brian and Sarah finally get around to the song discussion. But the first song of the album is so massive, and has such a memorable video, that the trio decide to end the episode after wrapping up their look at "Where The Streets Have No Name."
If you want to hear conversation on such diverse topics as Lou Reed, chalkboards, Mission: Impossible, the vocabulary of Smash Hits writers, and Where's Waldo/Where's Wally-- oh, and a band from Ireland called U2-- this is the episode for you!
Check out Banned Biographies at https://www.bannedbiographies.com/
Follow Banned Biographies on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BannedBiogs
Follow Banned Biographies on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BannedBiographies
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
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Episode 128: Queen - The Miracle (1989) - Part 1
Now that Brian and Sarah have 'warmed up' by finishing a discussion on an EP (Martin Gore's 1989 offering Counterfeit e.p.), it's time to raise the stakes and take on an entire album again. And what an album they've selected! It's another release from 1989-- Queen's thirteenth studio album, The Miracle.
However, our hosts decided they couldn't just jump into the album discussion right away. The Miracle was released three years after Queen's previous effort, A Kind of Magic (discussed in episodes 28, 29, & 30), but more than the just the recording of the album took place during that time. Brian and Sarah decide to spend this first episode exploring what was going on with the band, and its individual members, between the end of The Magic Tour and the recording of The Miracle.
In this episode you'll hear about Brian, Roger, Freddie and John's various projects during 1987 and 1988. Half of them worked on a lot of music; one of them worked on some music, and one of them didn't really work on any music. Can you guess who falls into each category?
Join Brian and Sarah for a discussion that includes parody bands, cover songs, opera singers, cardboard cutouts, failed newspaper ads, and so much more!
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Ignore this, I'm just typing these words here so this episode will come up if someone searches for them:
The Cross - Shove It (Roger Taylor Solo Album)
Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - Barcelona
Episode 127: Martin L. Gore - Counterfeit e.p. (1989) Part 2
After a brief interruption in the schedule to hold the third annual Trivia Showdown, followed by a break to celebrate Brian's Milestone Birthday, Sarah and Brian are back to discuss the rest of Martin Gore's first solo offering, Counterfeit e.p, released in 1989.
As we learned on Side One, Mr. Martin L. Gore chose an eclectic selection of songs to interpret in his own inimitable style for this effort, and Side Two is no different. There's a song by a band from Sheffield who has a connection to the very early history of Depeche Mode; a song by a band founded in Los Angeles in 1967 and is still recording music today; and a song whose origins date back to the 19th-century American South.
Brian and Sarah talk about the original versions of the songs as well as Martin Gore's interpretation of them. Along the way they also bring up the hosts' ground-breaking revelation last year that not all bands from Sheffield sound like The Human League; the speculation that Depeche Mode's 1987 Christmas gift to their fans may not have been a group effort; and in a reference to Part One's discussion, some 1989 chart listings from the influential New Wave radio station, KROQ in Los Angeles. (Thanks go out to friend of the show Bill Gagnon for the last bit of information!)
Gone
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
Motherless Child
Extra Credit
The hosts' reactions to the songs on Counterfeit e.p. have been decidedly mixed. So before the final rating is conferred, Brian and Sarah provide a chance for the record to gain some extra record adapters by discussing the unreleased track "Down in the Boondocks," recorded during the Counterfeit sessions. Why was the song not included on the record, and do Brian and Sarah think that was a wise decision?
Final Review and Rating
Then the time comes for our hosts to provide their final reviews and ratings on this 6-song EP. Brian and Sarah both love Depeche Mode and Martin Gore, but how much do they love Counterfeit?
Depeche Mode version of "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth"
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Episode 126: Permanent Record Trivia Showdown 2021
The Quiz Master returns for the PRP Trivia Showdown 2021!!
The stakes are higher than ever before as the two hosts face off against each other - and against a player that no one saw coming!! It's almost more hot trivia action than you handle!!
Special thanks go out to Nick Oswald, Pete Rogers, John Justice, Mark Lumb, Antony Briers, Che Lowenstein, Chris Slemp, Drew R. Maerz, Mark Northfield, Ben, Alan Hogg, and Gary Shepherd for contributing questions to this year's Trivia Showdown. You all went above and beyond for us and we appreciate it!
And special thanks from Brian & Sarah to The Quiz Master for all the work he puts into this event each year. You are the best!
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Episode 125: In Conversation with Blaklight (Brian Belknap & Adam Collier)
The Permanent Record Podcast once again has the good fortune to feature two very talented musicians who've been making some excellent music in the past year. Adam Collier and Brian Belknap graciously agreed to talk to Brian and Sarah about their band Blaklight, a dark electronic pop band based out of Los Angeles.
In this episode we learn how the resurgence of a band Brian B was in decades ago led to Adam and Brian first working together, which grew from a one-off project to a band who developed a full-fledged album.
That album, appropriately titled Music In a Time of Uncertainty, was released in November 2020 and was preceded by two singles: "Isolation" and "Unknown Love." Additionally, remix albums for both singles have been released, with "Unknown Love: The Remixes" dropping on Bandcamp just last week.
Join us as we learn more about the terrific guys behind Blaklight, their music and methods, their previous efforts, and even a little about what we can expect from them in the future. We also somehow manage to work Depeche Mode, Erasure, and David Bowie into the conversation-- what a shock! But what is the connection between Blaklight and another band who's been on the podcast, VHxRR? Listen and find out!
Visit Blaklight at https://www.blaklightband.com/
Listen to and buy Blaklight music at https://blaklight.bandcamp.com/
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Episode 124: Martin L. Gore - "Counterfeit e.p" (1989)
Intrepid hosts Brian & Sarah are back for 2021's first "normal" episode! But can a podcast focused on Depeche Mode's foremost songwriter truly be considered "normal?" After all, Mr. M.L. Gore is known across the world for his unusual songs that combine all the best features of alternative music with kernels of pure pop music magic.
But of course, none of the songs on "Counterfeit e.p" are penned by Martin, so how will they go over with our Depeche Mode-loving hosts? Will a song originally by The Durutti Column prove to be as charming as anything from "Construction Time Again?" Will the cover of Joe Crow's "Compulsion" power-up the PRP crew enough for them to cross over the street or will they simply huddle in a dark corner, wishing they were listening to "A Broken Frame?" What's the connection between Chairman Mao and "In a Manner of Speaking?" And does this 1989 solo project have the same level of sonic perfection that we expect from the mighty Mode? All of these questions and more are answered in this, the 124th episode of the Permanent Record Podcast!
Songs Discussed on this Episode:
"Compulsion"
"In a Manner of Speaking"
"Smile in the Crowd"
Check out the original versions:
"Compulsion" https://youtu.be/pufmH4Vwj7U
"In a Manner of Speaking" https://youtu.be/l6H-ESkf2bU
"Smile in the Crowd" https://youtu.be/RXyKUF6S_48
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Episode 123: Sarah's Milestone Birthday Extravaganza Featuring VH X RR
Everyone's favorite female host of the PRP recently had a significant birthday! Typically, these milestones are celebrated with a big party, but these aren't exactly typical times. So instead of having a room full of all kinds of people, Brian and Sarah had a Zoom call with two very cool people: Von Hertzog and Rob Rowe of the band VH x RR.
Our hosts last spoke with VH x RR last June, upon the release of their debut EP, The Persistence of Memory. This time around, there are two new singles to discuss: "Somewhere in Time," which was released in the opening moments of 2021, and "The Speed of Light," which just saw the light of day on Bandcamp a couple of weeks ago.
Brian and Sarah speak with Von and Rob about the singles and the many remixes that accompany them, but that's just the tip of the iceberg! They also discuss Von's projects with the artists Czarina and Blaklight; the Christmas song VH x RR released and whether there will ever be an original Rob Rowe-penned Christmas tune; Bandcamp versus streaming platforms; the Duran Duran album Big Thing; The Guess Who song ”Sour Suite;" and John Mulaney's views on pop music. There's even EXCLUSIVE talk of a new VH x RR EP, as well as a possible new Whitewaits release!
And if that's not enough excitement already, Sarah's birthday extravaganza goes to the next level with a game show segment! The two band members are pitted against each other in a heated battle where only one person will emerge victorious! In this segment, Von Hertzog shares his pro tips on baking pizza; the idea is pitched for a concert where everyone in attendance receives a cowbell upon entering; and Rob Rowe reveals the TV star that women at bars mistake him for most often.
Join in on the celebration and also learn about some fantastic new music-- and a lot more-- in this episode!
Visit VH x RR at
Bandcamp: https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VHxRR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vhxrrmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vhxrr/
Visit Blaklight at
Bandcamp: https://blaklight.bandcamp.com/music
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlakLightband
Facebook: facebook.com/BlakLightband/
Order Robbie Sims' "Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond" on Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK).
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Episode 122: David Bowie "Five Years On" with Jon Lamoreaux and David O - Part 2
Brian and Sarah recently had a David Bowie-themed weekend, kicked off by the star-studded "Bowie Celebration" online concert hosted by Mike Garson and followed by a viewing of "Lazarus," the darkly provocative stage musical. These events, while joyous, couldn't help but bring forth a sense of disbelief that it's been five years since David Bowie left the Earth, and it left the hosts wanting to talk more about the man and his music.
So once again, your regular hosts are joined by two talented friends with plenty to say on the subject of Rock Music's leading chameleon. David O is the host of the excellent Duran Duran-focused podcast "The D Side." Jon Lamoreaux, host of "The Hustle Podcast", has interviewed 300+ figures of note from the music world, including leading producers, singers, and songwriters. Both of these gentlemen are long-time fans of David Bowie, and PRP hosts Brian and Sarah are honored that David and Jon were so generous with their time and expertise.
This episode begins by resolving the cliffhanger ending of Part 1, with each of the four hosts revealing their favorite David Bowie album. They then move on to discussing their five favorite Bowie songs, which brings about much wailing and gnashing of teeth over what a difficult task it was to select only five songs. Throughout the discussion, eyebrows are raised, stories are told, and plenty of laughs are shared, as the foursome celebrate the legendary figure whose many gifts to the world will undoubtedly be treasured for generations to come.
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Episode 121: David Bowie "Five Years On" with Jon Lamoreaux and David O
After a recent weekend spent watching Mike Garson's excellent "Bowie Celebration" tribute concert and a performance of the darkly provocative stage musical "Lazarus", it struck both Brian and Sarah that, although five years have passed since he left the Earth, they both still miss David Bowie and that it's sometimes very difficult to believe that he is gone.
Now, your regular hosts are joined by two talented friends with plenty to say on the subject of Rock Music's leading chameleon. David O is the host of the excellent Duran Duran-focused podcast "The D Side." Jon Lamoreaux, host of "The Hustle Podcast", has interviewed 300+ figures of note from the music world, including leading producers, singers, and songwriters. Both of these gentlemen are long-time fans of David Bowie, and PRP hosts Brian and Sarah are honored that David and Jon were so generous with their time and expertise.
In this first episode, the four fans discuss how they came to fall under the spell of Jareth the Goblin King, their reactions to Duran Duran's new single, a remake of the "Ziggy Stardust" classic "Five Years", and they begin counting down their five favorite Bowie albums. And as an added bonus, Jon will explain the optimal way to organize your cassette tape collection!
Finally, stay until the end to get the details on how you can win an Amazon gift card by predicting what the hosts will say at the start of the next episode.
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 5 - Thunderball
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In the fifth episode, Sarah and Brian are joined by Bond author Robbie Sims (Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond) to discuss the theme from the fourth 007 adventure, "Thunderball." Along the way, they share their thoughts on the film and explore Bond-related music from Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Cash, and Shirley Bassey. This one was a lot of fun, so we hope that translates when you listen!
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Episode 120: The Pretenders - "2000 Miles" (1983), Depeche Mode - "Christmas Island" (1986), and Holiday Giveaway
How fitting that the last episode of 2020 also ends with a 20! For episode 120, Brian and Sarah sit down in their festively decorated studio to discuss two songs-- one with decidedly more of a holiday tie-in than the other.
In 1983, The Pretenders found themselves rebuilding after a particularly difficult period in their history. Eventually this rebuilding led to the classic 1984 album "Learning to Crawl." But before the album was released, the single "2000 Miles" came out in November 1983, and it has since become a modern holiday favorite. Brian and Sarah talk about the origin of the song and its meaning, the beautiful single cover, a few of the different versions done by Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders, and the rather unusual video, directed by Tim Pope. Brian slips for a moment into "James Bond Podcast" mode, but Sarah is able to lure him back to the main discussion pretty quickly this time, since he is also a big fan of Christmas.
The second selection on our hosts' agenda has a festive enough title to it, but you probably won't find it on too many holiday playlists. It does, however, give Brian and Sarah an excuse to make a little more progress towards an overall goal they have for the podcast. And even though the winter break traditionally means no school, Brian takes the opportunity to give both a geography lesson and a history lesson during this discussion.
Finally, as Brian and Sarah end the last episode for the year, they take time to thank some people who have helped make the podcast--and the year-- a much brighter one. Some of those people are you, the listeners! And as a more tangible expression of their thanks, Brian and Sarah announce their annual holiday giveaway! Be sure to listen to the end to find out how to enter this year's contest!
See the videos discussed here:
Pretenders "2000 Miles" - https://youtu.be/AEyGZlBdkaA
Pretenders "2000 Miles" from Isle of the View - https://youtu.be/w3LLbWC7BZ0
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Episode 119: Falco - 3 (1985) - Part 2
Wilkommen! Brian and Sarah are back to talk more about Falco-- or, as Brian likes to call him, The Austrian Slick-Meister-- and his third album, 3, released in 1985.
This episode covers the two remaining singles, "Jeanny" and "Rock Me Amadeus," along with the album track "Männer des Westerns - Any Kind of Land."
The hosts explore the controversy surrounding the song "Jeanny" and talk about the many classic film references in the video. Brian even delves a little bit into the world of true crime, which he does warn listeners about at the start of the episode.
"Männer des Westerns" understandably prompts a discussion about Western society and pop culture, and when the hosts turn their attention to "Rock Me Amadeus," they also mention the 1984 movie that may (or may not!) have inspired the song.
Also during this section, the hosts mention The Simpsons, armadillos, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. And it probably isn't too surprising for regular listeners to learn that Brian does find a way to slip into "James Bond podcast" mode for a brief time during this episode, but how in the world did Brian and Sarah end up having an animated discussion about baking soda?
Jeanny
Männer Des Westens - Any Kind of Land
Rock Me Amadeus
Extra Credit
For extra credit, Brian and Sarah talk about the 2008 biopic, "Falco: Dammit, We’re Still Alive!" starring Austrian singer Manuel Rudy. They even briefly mention the fact that there have been two musicals about Falco, with a third allegedly in the works.
Final Review and Rating
Even though the hosts didn't cover every track on the album in these episodes, they provide final reviews of the entire album, along with a record-adapter rating. Does 3 end up getting more than 3 record adapters from the hosts? Listen and find out!
Watch the videos discussed here:
Jeanny
Männer Des Westens (2007 release)
Rock Me Amadeus
Excerpt from The Simpsons episode "A Fish Called Selma"
Watch Out Armadillos
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Episode 118: Falco - 3 (1985) - Part 1
Since 1986, Brian has yearned to be recognized as a leading expert on all things Falco, as Sarah does her best to tolerate this dream. While this installment of the podcast may not get him all the way to his goal, Brian is overjoyed to be able to say that he has taken the first step of his journey.
In this episode, Brian & Sarah turn the spotlight on 1985's "Falco 3", discussing how Hans Hölzel transformed into his alter-ego Falco, how Falco came to work with Rob & Ferdi Bolland, and how the world greeted the arrival of this Pop Music Manifesto.
Then the hosts direct the discussion towards the following pair of songs:
Macho Macho
Vienna Calling
You can see the video for Vienna Calling HERE.
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Episode 117: Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party (1985) - Part 2
After a brief interruption to record an "emergency episode," Brian and Sarah return to their examination of the 1985 Oingo Boingo album Dead Man's Party. This classic release just celebrated its 35th anniversary, and our hosts are ready to continue the festivities by flipping the record over to Side Two and talking about the five tracks found there.
Side Two features two singles, one of which has the distinction of attaining the highest position on the Billboard chart in the band's history. The other single took on a life of its own a few years later, in the country of Brazil!
Track-by-Track, continued
As the hosts talk about the songs on Side Two, they reveal even more songs on this album that have made their way into American movies and television shows. They also mention some movies that don't have any obvious connections to Oingo Boingo, such as the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and the 1944 film Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby! Brian and Sarah also discuss one video they both love, and one video which one of them likes better than the other, and which Danny Elfman hates!
Side Two:
Stay
Fool's Paradise
Help Me
Same Man I Was Before
Weird Science
Extra Credit:
For extra credit, each host has selected an additional Boingo-related song to briefly discuss. Sarah's choice is a brand-new release, and Brian's choice is from the same recording sessions as Dead Man's Party.
Happy
Take Your Medicine
Final Review and Rating
With the extra credit section complete, all that's left is for Brian and Sarah to present their final evaluations and ratings for the album. Given the imagery on the album cover, perhaps they should have changed their rating symbol for this album to grinning skulls instead of record adpaters!
See the videos discussed here:
Stay
Weird Science
Happy
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Episode 116: Depeche Mode Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction 2020
Here's something that hasn't happened in a while-- an emergency episode of the Permanent Record Podcast! What could cause the hosts to pause their discussion of Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo? Why, Depeche Mode of course! The boys from Basildon were officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Brian and Sarah definitely couldn't let such an event pass by without talking about it!
The ceremony was different from previous years, in that there were no live performances. Instead, a mini-documentary was shown, featuring a wide variety of guests who each spoke about the band's importance and influence on their own lives as well as to music in general. These features were interspersed with excerpts of past interviews from the band members along with video clips and concert footage spanning Depeche's nearly 40-year career.
Following this montage, Andy, Dave, and Martin appeared together-- on split-screens-- to accept the award and express gratitude to the many people who have been a part of their musical journey and their lives over the past four decades.
Join Brian and Sarah as they discuss the event, the guests, the music selections, and the Zoom meeting with the three current band members. Our hosts also share comments and voicemails from friends of the show who watched the ceremony too. It's a quick but fun conversation about a well-deserved honor for a legendary band!
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Episode 115: Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party (1985) - Part 1
A few weeks ago, Sarah suggested that we discuss Oingo Boingo's amazing 1985 album "Dead Man's Party" in episode #115 as it would be released right around Halloween. That turned out to be an even better idea than she realized! Why? Because this episode is hitting your podcast app-of-choice exactly 35 years to the day that Boingo's fourth LP first appeared on record store shelves! Happy Birthday, DMP!!
The show starts with a discussion of how the band's multi-talented leader Danny Elfman discovered his love of and skill with music. We trace his development through his post-high school wandering days, his time in the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, the big switch over to just Oingo Boingo, and then his career in the genre of film scoring.
From there, we learn about the many musicians who make up this fantastic group, the artists responsible for the quirky and attractive album cover, and we go in-depth into the four songs that appear on the record's first side.
Along the way, we touch on a seemingly random Boingo/Bond connection, the first thing Brian spent his money on after moving into his college dorm, versatile character actor Neal McDonough, a song which heralded the release of the film "The Sixth Sense", and the premiere of the PRP Q&A. It's an epic Halloween installment of PRP and we hope you enjoy it!!
Dead Man's Party (Side One):
Just Another Day
Dead Man's Party
Heard Somebody Cry
No One Lives Forever
See the videos we discuss here:
Just Another Day
Dead Man's Party
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 4 - In Conversation with Author Robbie Sims
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he can. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In this episode, the usual discussion of Bond theme music is put on the back-burner, and the hosts welcome author Robbie Sims to talk about his new book Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond, along with a wealth of other 007-related topics. You'll also find out why Brian whined for an entire week in London while on his honeymoon, what part-time job both Robbie and Brian held in their youth, and if Robbie can secure a victory in James Bond Movie Trivia! We had a blast with this episode and we hope you will too!
Follow Robbie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTchaikovsky?s=09
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Episode 114: Thomas Dolby Retrospectacle + Venus Hum New Music (Part 2)
Once again, Brian and Sarah are joined by special guests Andrew Dineley of the Art on Your Sleeve Podcast and Tony Miracle of Venus Hum. Andrew and Tony were kind enough to accept the invitation to discuss the albums of Thomas Dolby, as they have much more personal history with the catalogue-- and they're both really great guys to talk with!
In this episode, the four hosts pick up their discussion with the fourth Thomas Dolby solo album, Astronauts and Heretics, and then they fast forward a couple of decades to the 2011 release, A Map of the Floating City. This most recent album holds a special place in Tony Miracle's heart, as he was asked to do a remix of one of the songs on it!
Having a talented and experienced musician on the show provides a rare opportunity for some intelligent commentary in the area of music theory, in particular with the song "Simone." And of course anytime Andrew is on, he's able to share an abundance of interesting information and oftentimes, personal history, related to the design and designers for the album covers.
Along with the discussion of the two Thomas Dolby records, you'll also hear mention of Whodini, Howard the Duck, Robin Williams, Screaming Lord Byron, and Prefab Sprout. Do you know how they all tie together?
And that's not all! As in the previous episode, Brian and Sarah take some time to talk to Tony Miracle about the new music Venus Hum has released, as well as talk of an upcoming new album. This time the two new songs discussed are "Look" and "Dust."
Once again, there's a lot of good stuff packed into this episode! So don't delay-- listen today!
Join the official Art on Your Sleeve Facebook Group
Listen to Art on Your Sleeve on your podcast app of choice or at https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/
Visit Venus Hum on the web at https://www.venushum.com/
Get new Venus Hum music on Bandcamp: https://venushum.bandcamp.com/
Check out Venus Hum on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/VenusHumOfficial/
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Episode 113: Thomas Dolby Retrospectacle + Venus Hum New Music (Part 1)
Brian and Sarah are thrilled to welcome back two very special guests to the show: Andrew Dineley, of Soft Octopus Design Studio (who created the gorgeous graphic above) and the Art On Your Sleeve podcast; and Tony Miracle of the band Venus Hum.
Brian and Sarah asked these two fine gentlemen for help, because they wanted to talk about the work of Thomas Dolby, but being very new fans, they knew they couldn't do it on their own. Andrew and Tony, however, are long-time fans with a wealth of knowledge and personal stories between them, and they both graciously agreed to join in the discussion.
The result is a fun and detailed conversation which covers the five main albums Thomas Dolby has released since 1982. This episode covers the first three albums: The Golden Age of Wireless, The Flat Earth, and Aliens Ate My Buick.
The four hosts cover the usual topics of release and chart information, singles, videos, remixes, and artwork. They also talk about the wealth of musical guests Thomas Dolby had on each album. And they even talk about aerobics!
But wait, there's more! With Tony Miracle joining them, Brian and Sarah can't help but take the opportunity to ask him about the new music Venus Hum has been releasing over the past few months. In this episode, Tony is quizzed about the songs "Where You Are" and "Whether or Not."
It should be pretty clear by now that there are many good reasons to listen to this episode! So what are you waiting for?
Join the official Art on Your Sleeve Facebook Group
Listen to Art on Your Sleeve on your podcast app of choice or at https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/
Visit Venus Hum on the web at https://www.venushum.com/
Get new Venus Hum music on Bandcamp: https://venushum.bandcamp.com/
Check out Venus Hum on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/VenusHumOfficial/
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Episode 112: Selections from Now That's What I Call Music Vol 1 (1983) - Part 2
It's September, and in the US, that means the summer season is wrapping up. And as the summer comes to a close, so does the Permanent Record Podcast's look back at the first edition of the iconic compilation series, Now That's What I Call Music.
Brian and Sarah are once again joined by friend of the show, Jackie Clary, who came up with the idea for this discussion. In this episode, the three hosts each choose a song from the second album to talk about. A lot of chart history and information is shared, and there's a Smash Hits review for each song as well. Of course there's also much discussion on the videos, in particular for Jackie's selection. But wait, there's more! Brian, Sarah, and Jackie also cover a range of topics including: authentic Doc Martens, legendary San Diego DJ Steve West; weird ways to hold a microphone; more Halloween costume ideas; and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Disc 2 selections
Sarah's choice: "The Sun and the Rain" by Madness
Brian's choice: "Waterfront" by Simple Minds
Jackie's choice: "They Don't Know" by Tracey Ullman
See the videos discussed here:
The Sun and the Rain
Waterfront
They Don't Know
Follow Jackie on Twitter at @jackieclary
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Episode 111: 40 Years of "Xanadu" (Featuring Olivia Newton-John & ELO)
August 8, 1980 was a monumentally important day in the history of cinema, for that was the release date of the greatest roller disco musical film ever made, Xanadu. In this episode of the Permanent Record Podcast, Brian and Sarah talk a little about the movie, but a lot more about the Xanadu soundtrack, which achieved considerably more success than the film it accompanied.
The soundtrack features Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra as the primary artists, along with some special guests, and generated a total of six singles worldwide.
Brian, the long-time Xanadu fan, leads the discussion of the singles, which he ranked in order of his preference-- at least at the time of the recording! Sarah offers her thoughts on the songs as well and answers some hard-hitting questions from her co-host.
Both hosts enjoy revisiting the songs that featured quite prominently in the soundtrack to their pre-teen years, and they share a lot of laughs along the way. If you're looking for some lighthearted entertainment, look no further than this episode!
Songs discussed:
I'm Alive (ELO)
Suddenly (Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard)
Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John & ELO)
Don't Walk Away (ELO)
All Over the World (ELO)
Magic (Olivia Newton-John)
Bonus content! Don't know what the pages below are from? Might be you missed the secret epilogue to the episode! That's why you always have to let the shows play all the way to the end.
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Episode 110: Electrical Language - Quadrascope, Jupiter Red, Naked Lunch, Box of Toys, Thomas Leer
Back in Summer of 2019, Cherry Red Records released a 4-CD compilation titled "Electrical Language: Independent British Synth Pop 78-84." Brian wanted to buy it, but having recently signed up for Spotify, he felt obligated to try streaming his music instead of buying everything he wanted. The Great Spotify Experiment soon came to a disastrous end, and unfortunately, the box set slipped Brian's mind.
Fast-forward to Summer of 2020, and Brian has finally acquired the collection. After listening to all 80 tracks multiple times, both Brian & Sarah have deemed Cherry Red's work on the set to be "inspirational and excellent."
Of course, 80 songs is a few too many to discuss in one episode, so in this special Summer One-Off show, the hosts each pick 2 or 3 of their favorite tracks to research and report on.
Brian and Sarah are both really excited to share what they have learned about these new (to them anyway!) artists. Along the way, the conversation turns to topics like Vince Clarke, Claudia Brücken, is Dave Gahan a "beer boy?", Alison Moyet's early band The Vicars, Austrian Slick-Meister Falco, a Glam Rock band called Hello that neither can recall, and a reminder about our current give-away. Don't forget that we want to send YOU free CDs by Cause & Effect, Von Hertzog, and VHxRR. Trust us - they are all seriously great listens!
Songs Discussed:
Quadrascope - Baby Won't Phone
Jupiter Red - The Secret Affair
Naked Lunch - Rabies
Box of Toys - I'm Thinking of You Now
Thomas Leer - Mr. Nobody
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Episode 109 - Selections from Now That's What I Call Music (1983) - Part 1
It's summertime in the Northern Hemisphere, and for the Permanent Record Podcast, that also means it's time for some episodes where individual songs by various artists are discussed. This year's idea came from friend of the show and guest host on the Wham! Make It Big episodes, Jackie Clary. Instead of the hosts selecting random songs to compile an "80s mix tape," Jackie suggested taking a look at what could be called the original 80s mix tape, Now That's What I Call Music. This double album was released in the UK in November 1983 and started a now-ubiquitous series of compilation albums featuring popular songs by various artists.
Jackie joins Brian and Sarah as they talk about how this series came about, as well as reviewing the history of compilation albums in general. Then each of the hosts leads the discussion of a song they've chosen from the first album. And of course the conversation wouldn't be complete without a mention of the videos for the songs-- and that's where the trio really have some fun! There are lots of laughs in this episode, along with talk of Buck Rogers, the musical Cats, the TV show Miami Vice, hairstyles, obscure Halloween costume ideas, and bizarre Japanese commercials, so you won't want to miss this one!
Disc 1 selections
Brian's choice: "Give It Up" by KC (and the Sunshine Band)
Sarah's choice: "Only For Love" by Limahl
Jackie's choice: "Is There Something I Should Know?" by Duran Duran
See the videos discussed here:
Give It Up
Give It Up - TopPop performance
Only For Love - Original (UK) video
Only For Love - US Video
Is There Something I Should Know?
Duran Duran in Suntory Whisky Q Video
Special Summer Giveaway!
Also in this episode--details on a giveaway! The link you need to share is below-- make sure you let Brian and Sarah know you've shared it!
http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/in-conversation-with-rob-rowe-cause-and-effect-vh-x-rr-and-von-hertzog-vh-x-rr
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 3 - Goldfinger
Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In this third installment, composer John Barry is once again called into service, and this time, he has to provide both the score AND the theme song! Barry assembles a talented team of collaborators to work with him on what would go on to become one of the most iconic film songs of all time!
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Episode 108: Depeche Mode - Violator (1990) Part 4
Can it be? Is this the final PRP episode on Violator? It appears so! Brian and Sarah are back to talk about the rest of Depeche Mode's 1990 album and to give their final evaluations and ratings. But wait, there's more! They also have additional Violator memories from listeners to share, as well as quite a few new Apple Podcasts reviews, all of which are interspersed throughout the episode.
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
If you look at the track listings for the previous Violator episodes and on the album itself, you could easily come to the conclusion that there are only three more songs to discuss. But in truth, there are five! Brian and Sarah start the Track by Track section for this episode with one of these hidden tracks. In addition to discussing the final single on the album and two more videos, there's also more talk of smooching, as well as more made-up names for synth sounds-- one of which both hosts came up with, independent of each other!
Interlude #2 (Crucified)
Policy of Truth
Blue Dress
Interlude # 3
Clean
Part 4 - Extra Credit
In a rare twist, there are actually two extra credit items for this episode. The first item is an answer to a question our hosts never even thought to ask! The second item is audio from a YouTube clip about the drums in "Enjoy the Silence." Thanks to friend-of-the-show Felipe Maderia for bringing this information to our attention!
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
At long last, the time comes for our hosts to share their final thoughts and record-adapter ratings for this iconic album. The ratings should come as a shock to no one, but both Brian and Sarah make some thoughtful comments about the band, the album, and its impact before announcing their ratings.
See the videos discussed here:
Policy of Truth
Clean
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Episode 107: In Conversation with Rob Rowe (Cause and Effect, VH x RR) and Von Hertzog (VH x RR)
Brian and Sarah are thrilled to present this very special episode! They had the privilege and pleasure of speaking with two talented musicians who've recently joined forces-- one whose music they've loved for almost 30 years, and another whose music they just recently learned about, and are really enjoying.
Rob Rowe has been in the groups Cause and Effect and Whitewaits, and Von Hertzog has released numerous albums, EPs, and singles under his own name. Together they've formed the band VH x RR, and their new EP, "The Persistence of Memory," has just been released.
Our hosts first speak with Rob Rowe about his years with Cause and Effect and Whitewaits, and then Von Hertzog joins the conversation and shares his history. The conversation then turns to the new project, VH x RR, its origins, and "The Persistence of Memory." And as per usual, Brian and Sarah provide some analysis and commentary on several of the tracks.
It's an enlightening and enjoyable conversation with some terrific guys who've made great music, both apart and together-- you won't want to miss it!
See the videos discussed here:
You Think You Know Her
Another Minute - original version
It's Over Now
Listen to the song "Golden" here
Purchase the music at these sites:
https://causeandeffect.bandcamp.com/
https://whitewaits.bandcamp.com/
https://vonhertzog.bandcamp.com/
https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/
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Episode 106: Depeche Mode - Violator (1990) Part 3
The end of May is here, but the end of Brian and Sarah's Violator album analysis is not! Depeche Mode's Violator is truly one of the most important records our hosts own, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its release, they want to do it justice. This means our hosts get into more details and share even more memories than usual, as they make their way through the songs on the album. In addition to their own memories, though, Brian and Sarah are happy to share a voice message from a listener who also has fond recollections of Violator, and there are some new Apple Podcast reviews to read as well.
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
As mentioned previously, our hosts decided to break the song discussion up into groups of three. That means in this episode, they do get to flip the record to Side Two, and they get to talk about one single. And what a single it is! The single also has a rather iconic video to go along with it. But one of the non-singles also has a video-- and our hosts may actually have more to say about that one! They also find themselves talking about both the Pet Shop Boys and The Beloved again-- and Sarah gets payback for Brian mentioning The Mission in the previous episode, by bringing up one of her favorite bands, Crowded House. And did someone bring up the subject of posteriors again too?
Halo
Waiting for the Night
Enjoy the Silence
See the videos discussed here:
Halo
Enjoy the Silence
Enjoy the Silence promo filmed for French show Champs-Elysees
Enjoy the Silence video outtakes
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Episode 105: Depeche Mode - Violator (1990) Part 2
Brian and Sarah are back, and they're eager to continue their discussion of Depeche Mode's landmark album Violator, which turned 30 not too long ago. This is one of the most important albums our hosts own, and they have many memories and thoughts to share about it, so they're breaking up their analysis into more than just the usual two parts. This episode begins with a couple more album reviews before the hosts are finally ready to get into the song discussion.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Since Violator contains nine tracks, and Brian and Sarah know they're going to have a lot to say about most of the songs-- especially the four singles-- they come up with a game plan to cover three tracks per episode. So in this episode, two singles-- and two videos-- are discussed. Our hosts cover the typical topics of release history, chart history, reviews, and album art, and along the way they also share many personal memories from the time period when the songs were released. Also mentioned in this episode: a surprisingly controversial ad campaign, cheap bootleg t-shirts, human and animal posteriors, Johnny Cash, The Wonder Stuff, and (much to Sarah's dismay) The Mission.
World in My Eyes
Sweetest Perfection
Personal Jesus
See the videos discussed here:
World in My Eyes
Personal Jesus
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Episode 104: In Conversation with Tony Miracle of Venus Hum
As was famously said in Monty Python's Flying Circus, "And now for something completely different..." Yes, Brian and Sarah should be talking about Depeche Mode's album Violator in this episode. But instead, they present to you their first-ever interview!
Tony Miracle has worked in the music industry for over 25 years as a musician, songwriter, producer, and remixer. In the early 2000s he was one-third of the wonderful synthpop group Venus Hum, and he's also released electronic music under the moniker Satellite City and his own name. And if that's not enough, he's also a graphic designer!
With a resume like that, it should come as no surprise that Brian and Sarah found plenty of things to discuss with Tony. He shared many interesting tales from his past and graciously answered numerous questions from our hosts. And during the course of the conversation, he mentioned several names that should be quite familiar to listeners of this podcast: Thomas Dolby, Martyn Ware, and Vince Clarke! So you definitely won't want to miss those stories!
You can check out Tony's website at http://www.tonymiracle.com/
To learn more about the terrific music of Venus Hum, visit http://www.venushum.com/
And to treat yourself to the fantastic music you heard in this episode, visit Tony and Venus Hum at http://venushum.bandcamp.com. You can't go wrong with anything there, but I'm currently digging the "Long Blue Line" EP.
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Episode 103: Depeche Mode - Violator (1990) Part 1
Yes, that's right; Brian and Sarah last discussed Depeche Mode a mere two episodes ago. However, one of the most important and beloved albums in our hosts' entire record collection just celebrated its 30th anniversary, so there was no way to stop them from selecting Violator for their next in-depth analysis! And because the album is so important to them-- and because they don't want to release a 3-hour episode!-- they only cover the Album History and Personal History sections in this episode.
Part 1 - Album History
Brian and Sarah start their examination of Violator with the release and chart history, and then go on to share the story behind the making of Violator and why both the process and the people involved were different from previous recording sessions. They then spend some time looking at where Depeche Mode was at this point in their career and how their career had progressed, especially regarding their status and popularity in America. This leads to them discussing the famous Wherehouse incident in Los Angeles the day of Violator's US release. They also share several reviews, including one Sarah found in an old letter from Brian!
Part 2 - Personal History
Our hosts are delighted to kick off the Personal History section of the episode by playing a message sent in via Speakpipe (see link below!) by friend of the show John Justice, who was kind enough to share an excellent memory related to Violator, in particular the World Violation tour that supported it. This leads Brian and Sarah to share their own story about their World Violation concert experience, which was very memorable for them both, but not for the reasons they had hoped it would be! As for the history of getting the album, Violator seems to be one of the rare instances where Sarah not only bought the album herself, but has a very specific memory of doing so! Brian, on the other hand, has a specific-- but more traumatic-- memory related to not owning the album!
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Episode 102: Permanent Record Trivia Showdown 2020
Last year, Brian and Sarah competed against each other in the first-ever Permanent Record Trivia Showdown, presided over by the Quiz Master (secret identity: Brian and Sarah's longtime friend Hans Lemke). Listeners sent in questions, and a heated contest ensued, with lots of laughs along the way!
The showdown was so much fun for Brian, Sarah, and the Quiz Master, that they decided to do it again in 2020! Once more, our hosts sent out the call for trivia questions, and many listeners responded! Special thanks go out to Seth Brugger, Paul Underwood of "Glory Days Radio", Malachy Green, Nick Oswald, Alan Hogg, Mark Simpson, John Justice, and Frederick Frantz of Fragile Gods for contributing questions to this year's Trivia Showdown.
The Quiz Master leads the hosts through several rounds of competition, and all three of them have many more laughs as well! But who has the last laugh when the showdown is over? You'll have to listen to the end to find out!
Listen to Fragile God's fantastic synth-heavy music at https://fragilegods.bandcamp.com/
Listen to Paul Underwood's "Glory Days Radio" at https://koxe.com/glory-days/
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Episode 101: Movie Review - Depeche Mode: 101 (1989)
They've been hinting at this one for a while now, so it should be no surprise that for the 101st episode of their podcast, Brian and Sarah have chosen to discuss Depeche Mode 101. However, rather than discussing the live album, they've decided instead to talk about the film.
Our hosts break the movie discussion into several sections:
• The Concept
• The Contest/The Bus Kids
• The Tour: non-concert stuff
• The Tour: concert stuff
• Favorite characters and favorite moments
• Impact/Legacy
This episode could also be known as "the one with all the tidbits," because throughout the discussion, Brian and Sarah keep sharing tidbits with each other-- and some of the tidbits even have sub-lists.
As huge Depeche Mode fans, Brian and Sarah have a special place in their hearts for this movie. They'd love to have you join a discussion on it by sharing your thoughts and memories via one of the many options listed below.
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Episode 100: A Centennial Celebration with Yazoo, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, and David Bowie
It's finally here - Episode 100 of the Permanent Record Podcast! Brian and Sarah are thrilled to reach this milestone, and of course they wanted to do a special episode to celebrate. They looked through their record collection and found three singles by well-loved artists that might not get discussed otherwise. The other song selection allows our hosts to finally say they are done with the album discussion from Episode 1!
Yazoo - Tuesday
Pet Shop Boys - Miracles
Duran Duran - The Wild Boys
David Bowie - Absolute Beginners
Anyone who has listened to this show know our hosts talk about more than just the songs, and episode 100 is no different. Here you'll find mention of No Romance in China, Chris Lowe's bad hair, the star of the television show "The Flash,” film and ad campaign flops, Vasco de Gama, a 41-year-old cassette tape, and adolescent guerilla packs of specialized humanoids.
After the song discussion, Brian and Sarah extend some special thanks to many different people, including, of course, the listeners. (That's you!) These first 100 episodes have been so much fun, and your feedback is a big reason why. So thanks again for listening and for participating in this ongoing musical conversation!
See the videos discussed here:
Miracles
The Wild Boys
Absolute Beginners
Strand Cigarette "Lonely Man" ad
David Bowie Singing Impersonations
Text for Bowie's singing impersonations
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Brian & Sarah Implore You Not to Listen to This!
Look - we're all friends, right? Well, Brian & Sarah are begging you not to listen to this short episode.
It says it's about 12 minutes long, but that's only because there's a really cool song at the end. There's only about 9 minutes of podcast-content in this one, and what's there is really important. But do we want you to listen? No.
And the reason for that is Reverse Psychology. Yes, we actually do want you to listen - quite a bit really. So we figured the best way to get you to listen is to implore you not to listen. At least, that's what we learned by watching "The Office."
So let's see how this goes......
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Episode 99: Blondie - Eat to the Beat (1979) Part 2
It's somewhat hard for our hosts to believe, but it's true-- this is officially the last double-digit episode of the Permanent Record Podcast! Episode 99 finds Brian and Sarah continuing their discussion of Blondie's 1979 album, Eat to the Beat. They start off with a couple more reviews of the album itself before getting back into the track-by-track discussion.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
Part One of Eat to the Beat was running long, so our hosts only got around to talking about the first four songs on Side One before wrapping up. With a total of eight songs left, there's lots more music, vocals, lyrics, and videos to discuss; plus, there are a couple of Apple Podcast reviews to share as well. In amongst all the regular topics though, there's also talk of post apocalyptic night clubs, intestinal distress, the world's largest "jazz cigarette," two Talking Heads references, and something that resembles either an enormous Swanson's turkey pot pie, a drum head, or a crème brulée. And, it seems Brian has gone into withdrawal from not doing a "PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast" in so long, because he launches into "James Bond Movie Mode" for a brief time.
Side One:
Eat to the Beat
Accidents Never Happen
Side Two:
Die Young Stay Pretty
Slow Motion
Atomic
Sound-A-Sleep
Victor
Living in the Real World
Part 4 - Extra Credit
In an unusual twist, the "Extra Credit" portion of this episode is not related to the album; instead, it's a reminder to please send in your music trivia questions to prptrivia at gmail.com for the upcoming Trivia Showdown episode.
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
It then comes time for Brian and Sarah to give their final reviews and ratings for Eat to the Beat. They were both making very favorable comments for everything on Side One, but there were much more mixed reviews to be found on Side Two (and in some regards, that may be putting it mildly). Were there enough negative vibes generated to warrant low record-adapter ratings for the entire album from the hosts? The only way to find out is to listen to the end!
See the videos discussed here:
Eat to the Beat
Accidents Never Happen
Die Young Stay Pretty
Slow Motion
Atomic
Sound-A-Sleep
Victor
Living in the Real World
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Episode 98: Blondie - Eat to the Beat (1979) Part 1
The year 2020 is here, and Brian and Sarah are finally finished with their long holiday break. For their first album discussion this year, they decide to do something new. For the first time in almost 100 episodes, they're talking about an album from the 1970s! Their selection is Blondie's fourth album, Eat to the Beat, released in October 1979.
Part 1 - Album History
Since our hosts have never discussed Blondie before, they decide to bring everyone up to speed by explaining who's in the band at this time and the recent history prior to this album's recording and release. Then they get into the making of Eat to the Beat, the album's release and chart history, reviews from a variety of sources (including a university newspaper!), and the album art. There's one additional aspect of this album which merits discussion-- the video album that accompanies it, which was the first one ever made!
Part 2 - Personal History
The personal history section of the episode is a little unusual this time. Although both Sarah and Brian have been familiar with Blondie's music for many years, neither host has a personal history with Eat to the Beat from the time when it was released. However, they do both have a personal history anecdote related to the band from about twenty years later, and they share that story here.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Finally, it's time to start talking about the songs on Side One of Eat to the Beat. The album contains four singles, not all of which were released to the same countries, and three of those singles are the first three songs on the album. So there's plenty to discuss as far as release history, chart positions, music, vocals, lyrics, and of course, the videos as well. The conversation includes the topics of alcohol, tea, armed robbery, love affairs, Chinese-born fashion designers, double entendres, Andy Warhol, and aliens from outer space. By the time they get to the fourth song on Side One, Brian and Sarah are past the two-hour mark, so they decide they'd better wrap up the episode after the fourth song, and leave the rest for next time.
Dreaming
The Hardest Part
Union City Blue
Shayla
See the videos discussed here:
Dreaming
The Hardest Part
Union City Blue
Shayla
Part 1 of the Post-Punk Monk's 3-part review of Eat to the Beat can be found here: https://postpunkmonk.com/2016/08/23/record-review-blondie-eat-to-the-beat-part-1/
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Episode 97: Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmastime" (1979) and Holiday Giveaway
The holiday season is upon us once again, and Brian and Sarah have already found their schedules full with festive preparations and celebrations-- as well as several concerts! But they found time to record one more episode this year, and it features one of the most divisive Christmas songs ever recorded-- Paul McCartney's 1979 single "Wonderful Christmastime."
The two hosts dive into the release and somewhat confusing chart history of the record, and then they take turns sharing several reviews-- some positive, others decidedly less so. They also explore the time period during which the song was recorded, what Paul was doing and listening to, and where this song fits into the Paul McCartney discography. Brian and Sarah also discuss the video that accompanies the song, and Sarah surprises Brian by revealing the name of the video's director. They close out the discussion by sharing their own thoughts and rating for "Wonderful Christmastime," with Brian providing a special rating scale developed especially for this song.
Then, after sharing a heartwarming listener review from Apple Podcasts, Brian and Sarah announce this year's holiday giveaway! But to find out what the prize is and how to enter, you'll have to listen to the episode!
See the video discussed here:
Wonderful Christmastime
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Depeche Mode - Spirits in the Forest (2019)
On Thursday, November 21st, like many around the globe, Brian and Sarah visited their local cinema for a very special event - the world-wide premiere of "Spirits in the Forest."
The film was directed by Anton Corbijn and stars not only Dave, Martin, and Fletch from Depeche Mode but also eight of their biggest fans. The fans came from Mongolia, Brazil, the United States, Romania, France, and Columbia to share their unique stories and to be there in Berlin for the final shows of the Global Spirit Tour.
Corbijn's film gives us not only the opportunity to get to know this fascinating band of devotees, but also "closer than front row" access to an amazing night of music.
Brian & Sarah recorded this short emergency episode to share with you their immediate thoughts after seeing the film and to get your opinions on what you saw. Please feel free to chime in about the movie on any of the social media venues listed below. We're anxious to hear what everyone thought about "Spirits in the Forest."
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Episode 96: Erasure - Wild! (1989) Part 2
Brian, Sarah, and special guest host Andrew Dineley are here to resume their examination of Erasure's fourth album, Wild! Brian and Sarah are especially grateful to Andrew for making the time to join them, as he just finished a new episode of his own podcast, "Art on Your Sleeve."
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
Part One of this discussion was of an epic length and contained some strong opinions. As the trio flip the record to Side Two, the anticipation level is high. There's only one single to be found here, and one more video to analyze. But the hosts find plenty of other things to talk about, such as musicals that never were, English history, the classic educational toy Speak and Spell, and of course the other songs on Side Two! And although Sarah had hoped that letting Brian do some James Bond "mini-podcasts" would contain the 007 talk to those shows, she finds herself talking with Brian and Andrew about James Bond in this episode-- and for two different reasons!
You Surround Me
Brother and Sister
2000 Miles
Crown of Thorns
Piano Song
Part 4 - Extra Credit
As the hosts talked about the singles for this album, they couldn't help but also mention the excellent B-sides that were released during this prolific period of Erasure's history. For extra credit, Brian, Sarah, and Andrew each choose their favorite of the B-sides and discuss them briefly.
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Wild! may have been released at the pinnacle of Erasure's popularity, but does that mean the album is the pinnacle of quality as well? Each of the hosts make an honest assessment of the 11 tracks found on the album, with one host admitting a change of mind from their originally-planned record adapter rating, based on further listening and thoughtful review.
See the videos we discuss here:
You Surround Me
Subscribe to Art on Your Sleeve
Follow Andrew at https://twitter.com/disheedee
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Episode 95: Erasure - Wild! (1989) Part 1
Brian and Sarah continue their run of guest co-hosts by welcoming back Andrew Dineley, owner of Soft Octopus design studio, host of "Art on Your Sleeve" podcast, and contributor to Classic Pop magazine. The three set out to examine Wild!, Erasure's fourth album, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.
Part 1 - Album History
As our hosts look back to 1989, they find Vince Clarke and Andy Bell in a period of great productivity and popularity. Erasure won Best British Group at the 1989 Brit Awards, which leads Brian, Sarah, and Andrew to discuss the notoriously bad presentation by a terribly mismatched pair of hosts. The three then talk about the making of the album, with Brian explaining how producer Mark Saunders had the daunting task of trying to nudge Vince Clarke out of his comfort zone to try new things. The release history, chart information, and reviews are also shared, with Brian and Sarah then looking to graphic designer Andrew to lead the discussion about the album art.
Part 2 - Personal History
Andrew has specific memories of purchasing this album, and in the process he once again makes Brian and Sarah jealous of the perks and additions available for UK releases. Sarah tries to pin down the exact day she acquired the album from Brian, which prompts Brian to joke about the fact that there was no chance she actually purchased it herself.
Part 3 - Track by Track
The track by track analysis begins with all three hosts expressing mixed feelings about the album opener. This unevenness sets the stage for the discussion to come, during which some very strong sentiments-- both positive and negative-- are articulated. Speaking of articulating, both Sarah and Brian have some trouble articulating in this episode-- Sarah with the name "Onge" and Brian with the word "giblets." Andrew, on the other hand, perfectly recounts a tale in which he received a free 12-inch remix single. Also in this section: where to find an example of a long-sleeved t-shirt made out of ten short-sleeved t-shirts, what piece of culture has Brian purchased on seven different formats, and how does the wonderful Olivia Newton-John relate to this album?!
Piano Song (Instrumental)
Blue Savannah
Drama!
How Many Times?
Star
La Gloria
See the videos we discuss here:
Best British Group presentation at 1989 Brit Awards
Blue Savannah
Drama!
Star
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Episode 94: Wham! – Make it Big (1984) Part 3
Episode 94 finds Brian, Sarah, and special guest Jackie Clary looking back to 1984 at one of the year's biggest (no pun intended) albums - Make it Big by Wham! The three hosts have had a lively and lengthy discussion about the album's history and the songs on the first side, and now they're ready to flip the record.
Part 3 –Track by Track, continued
As Brian, Sarah, and Jackie turn their attention to Side Two of the record, they find another single right away. The video that accompanies the single is rather significant, not because of the technology used, but because of where it was filmed, and so the three hosts talk about Wham!'s trip to China and how the trip came to be. The other single on this side is significant for a very different reason-- it was not credited explicitly to Wham! Brian expresses his confusion on this topic and asks Jackie to help shed some light on why this may have been done. The accompanying video is a rather memorable one from the 80s, and Brian shares a story of why it was so costly to film, and then expresses a definite preference for one of the two women featured in the storyline. Also during this section, the three discuss the Isley Brothers, legendary producer Jerry Wexler, Jackie's pick for best Duran Duran album, and Sarah delights everyone with her casual insertion of Wham! song lines into the conversation.
Freedom
If You Were There
Credit Card Baby
Careless Whisper
Part 4 – Extra Credit
The Extra Credit section is somewhat off the beaten path, but for good reason. The 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees have just been announced, and since Jackie Clary has worked at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Brian and Sarah ask her if she thinks synth-heavy bands like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk (who are both class of 2020 nominees), Duran Duran, Human League and others will ever really have a chance to make it into the Hall of Fame.
Part 5 – Final Review and Rating
After many hours of discussion, it's finally time for the three hosts to give their final reviews and record-adapter ratings. Sarah requests to go first, followed by Brian. And when it comes time for Jackie's review and rating, she does something that has never been done on this podcast!
See the videos discussed here:
Freedom
Careless Whisper
"Careless Whisper" by George Michael & Smokey Robinson
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Episode 93: Wham! – Make it Big (1984) Part 2
The month of October marches on, and so does the discussion of the sophomore effort by the group Wham!-- 1984's Make it Big. As a reminder, Brian and Sarah are joined by friend of the show Jackie Clary, whose knowledge and appreciation for all things Wham!, along with her music research skills, were showcased in the previous episode.
Part 3 - Track by Track
The three hosts are ready to tackle the four songs on Side One, and with two big singles occupying the first slots on the album, there are plenty of things to discuss! Brian shares his idea that there are two distinct images for the band with this album. Sarah compares the album's first song to another peppy 80s song she loves, and Jackie reveals that song actually does have a connection to Wham! Both Brian and Sarah are delighted to be able to revisit one of the greatest things they've ever seen on the internet, and later on, they both have a question for Jackie-- is she familiar with Shaun Cassidy?
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Everything She Wants
Heartbeat
Like a Baby
See the videos we discuss here:
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Mash-up of "This Corrosion" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"
Everything She Wants
1996 MTV Unplugged performance of "Everything She Wants"
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Episode 92: Wham! – Make it Big (1984) Part 1
It's now October, which means September Sans Sarah is over! But it's not just Sarah joining Brian for the next album discussion-- a new special guest is a part of the conversation. Jackie Clary brings her knowledge and passion regarding all things Wham! and George Michael, as well as her extensive research skills from her years working at MTV, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and as a music and TV archivist, to an in-depth look at the album which, as its title indicates, helped the group Wham! "make it big" 35 years ago this month.
Part 1 - Jackie Clary intro and Album History
Since Jackie is a new guest to the show, and she's had such an interesting music-related career, Brian and Sarah ask Jackie to share a little about herself and her experiences working at MTV. Jackie is happy to oblige and tells some great stories about the projects she worked on and the people she interacted with.
Then it's time to start talking about Wham!, the making of Make it Big, the release history, the worldwide chart success it enjoyed, and its place among 80s music overall. Jackie Clary provides helpful contextual information about which other albums were out at the same time and which albums preceded and succeeded Make it Big in the charts. Sarah and Brian have fun sharing reviews of the albums both from back in the day and from more recent articles, and they enjoy Jackie's reactions to those reviews. They also talk about the various album covers released in the US and UK, and Sarah poses a perhaps far-fetched theory about the US album cover.
Part 2 - Personal History
While it's probably no surprise to regular listeners that Sarah doesn't have an extensive personal history related to this album-- sadly, that has been the case for many albums-- it may be a bit of a surprise to hear what Brian has to say about his personal history for Make it Big. Thankfully, Jackie Clary helps to pick up the slack in this category, and she shares how she felt about this album back when she was first introduced to it, and how it has been an important part of her life for the past 35 years.
Because of the lively and lengthy conversations the three hosts have about the band's history, the album's history, and various other topics, this episode wraps up right before the song discussion starts.
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Episode 91: The Cult - Sonic Temple (1989)
September Sans Sarah rolls on as longtime friend of the show Colby Zell returns to join Brian for a discussion on The Cult's 1989 hard-rocking watershed moment: "Sonic Temple."
The two cover some facts, figures, and history of the album, talking about where the band was coming from in 1989 and their decision to work with producer Bob Rock.
They also cover their own personal histories with the record, histories that overlap quite a bit as they tell the story of a poor Pontiac Sunbird with a penchant for bursting into flames and a chance encounter with a university Dean of Housing.
And then, before moving on to four personally-curated tracks for further discussion, the old chums cover some reviews of the album to get a sense of what the critics thought of this tasty slice of musical goodness.
Finally, Brian and Colby go into further detail on the following songs/videos:
New York City (featuring Iggy Pop!)
Sun King
Edie (Ciao Baby)
Fire Woman
Just a note: Any time Brian uses the word "muddled" in this episode, he actually means "muddy." Not sure what was up with his vocabulary....
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Episode 90: The Mission - God's Own Medicine (1986)
We're kicking off our biggest event yet here on the Permanent Record Podcast - it's September Sans Sarah!!!
Yes, if you follow us on Facebook then you know that Sarah is currently making her way up and down the west coast of the US. However, as Bernard Lee's "M" said to 007 in the movie Diamonds are Forever - "We do function in your absence, Commander."
And so, this new episode takes a listen to an album many have requested over the past year. It's the Mission's 1986 debut "God's Own Medicine."
And it's a bit of a different format than what we usually do, but hopefully you will still enjoy it.
Just a note: the instrumental music used in the episode is taken from Wayne Hussey & James Bacon's soundtrack album, "As Irmas Iamesas." If you like what you hear, check it out!
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Episode 89: Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward (1984) Part 3
In the United States, the unofficial end to summer is here, and so is the end of Brian and Sarah's discussion of Some Great Reward. The fourth album by Depeche Mode is about to celebrate its 35th anniversary, and our hosts have very much enjoyed taking a fond look back at it.
Part 3 –Track by Track, continued
Before getting back into the song discussion, there are some voicemails from listeners to share from locations across the globe. Then it's back to Some Great Reward. There are only two more songs on the album to talk about, but our hosts still have plenty to say! One of the songs is one of the few Alan Wilder-penned works in the Depeche Mode catalogue, and Sarah talks about why that was the case. The hosts also get into a discussion about English grammar, which threatens to distract Brian from the topic at hand. Thankfully, they get back on track to talk about the album closer and its video.
If You Want
Blasphemous Rumours
Part 4 – Extra Credit
In a contrast to some album reviews where there is no Extra Credit section, there are two topics addressed in this Extra Credit section. First, Brian talks about "The World We Live in and Live in Hamburg," the first Depeche Mode live concert performance released on video. He shows off his old VHS tape of the concert (only to Sarah, of course, but she confirms he does so), talks about its importance in his life, and also explains why this concert has not seen a re-release onto newer video formats.
Then, Sarah goes over the two B-sides associated with this album: “In Your Memory” and “(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me.” She reminds the listeners that one of these songs was also mentioned in Episode 50, where the hosts discussed "Some Great B-Sides" by Depeche Mode. She shares her thoughts on both songs and declares her preference, with Brian chiming in as well.
Part 5 – Final Review and Rating
Brian goes first with his review and rating, and he is surprisingly brief. But throughout the three episodes, he has made it quite clear just how important this album is to him and what an impact it made on his life, so this is more a confirmation of what is probably already known. Sarah also explains that this was a very important album for her as well, but because of the timing of when she was introduced to it, the impact on her is slightly different than it was for Brian. She hems and haws a bit when it comes to her rating, but finally settles on a number, of which Brian heartily approves.
See the videos discussed here:
Alan Wilder demo of “If You Want”
Blasphemous Rumours
Watch a young woman losing her mind while screeching along with "Blasphemous Rumours"
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Episode 88: Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward (1984) Part 2
They're baaa-aaack! Finally, after a month, Brian and Sarah have returned to their discussion of Some Great Reward, the 1984 album by Depeche Mode. One is refreshed and energized from her recent vacation; One is exhausted and hungover from his decision to stay awake until 4AM watching Human League concert DVDs and posting on Facebook. However, they each have a lot to say about this very important album-- so much so, in fact, that they decided to split the discussion of Side Two into two parts.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
As our hosts flip the record to Side Two, they find two singles back-to-back, so there are chart positions and videos to talk about, along with the regular topics of music, vocals, and lyrics. "Somebody" is the first Depeche Mode single with Martin Gore taking the lead on vocals; it's also the first double-A side ever released by the band. Brian and Sarah recount the famous story about the recording of the song, which leads Brian to recalling one of his few missed answers on the Trivia Showdown episode earlier this year, which further leads Sarah to share some follow-up information related to that troublesome trivia question. Brian also shares a fond (and relatively recent, all things considered) memory of seeing "Somebody" performed live. Then it's on to a discussion of a very different kind of song-- different in both its sound and its subject matter. "Master and Servant" was somewhat controversial in its day, but Brian and Sarah agree there's more to the song's meaning than the most obvious subject. This song also prompts Brian to share some important personal history regarding his record collection. Finally, while you've probably heard the phrase, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," Brian has a story related to this song that he decides shouldn't "stay in Vegas."
Somebody
Master and Servant
See the videos discussed here:
Somebody
Master and Servant
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Queen + Adam Lambert - The Rhapsody Tour 2019
Ok, I know that we're supposed to be talking with you about Depeche Mode's "Some Great Reward"; however, we had a rough week and also a pair of concert tickets to one of the best concerts I have ever seen, so we weren't able to get a new REAL episode recorded.
If you don't like Queen, you'll want to skip this one because basically in 35 minutes or so, we're going to touch on our feelings about the Queen and Adam Lambert collaboration, the impact of the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the live show these guys produce, and the entire set-list for the concert we attended in Philadelphia, PA on August 3rd.
Now I'm Here
Seven Seas of Rhye
Keep Yourself Alive
Hammer to Fall
Killer Queen
Don't Stop Me Now
Somebody to Love
The Show Must Go On
I'm in Love With My Car
Bicycle Race
Another One Bites the Dust
Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')
I Want It All
Love of My Life
'39
Doing All Right
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Under Pressure
I Want to Break Free
Who Wants to Live Forever
Guitar Solo
Tie Your Mother Down
Fat Bottomed Girls
Radio Ga Ga
Bohemian Rhapsody
Encore:
Ay-Oh
We Will Rock You
We Are the Champions
God Save the Queen
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Episode 87: Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward (1984) Part 1
The summer is still in full swing, and it has kept Brian and Sarah rather busy and without a lot of time to discuss an album in depth. But our hosts have made time to discuss a very important album in their lives— Depeche Mode’s fourth effort, Some Great Reward. The 35th anniversary of Some Great Reward’s release will be coming up soon, so it seemed like a good time to do an exploration of this classic record.
Part 1 - Album History
This is the third Depeche Mode album without founding member Vince Clarke, and the second for which at least some of it was recorded at the famous Hansa studios in Berlin. Brian talks about where the band was in their development at this time, and both Brian and Sarah go into the process of recording the album, which included shaking buildings, “construction time again” (but not what you’re thinking), and a trip to a toy store. Of course, the usual release and chart information is also provided, although not without some confusion on the part of both hosts, due to conflicting information on various websites, including Depeche Mode’s own page!
Part 2 - Personal History
In this section of the episode, Brian explains that he has, in fact, already told the story of how he first came to know about this album. If you’ve listened to other episodes of this show and are wondering why you don’t remember hearing that tale, well, Brian explains that too. Sarah’s story for this album is very similar to ones she has told before, although she does add in some information about hearing the song “People Are People” on the radio back in 1985.
Part 3 - Track by Track
After a quick break to share some important voicemail messages, Brian and Sarah get down to covering the five tracks on Side One, which includes one of the most recognizable songs by Depeche Mode, and perhaps even of the 80s. The hosts once again come up with interesting and sometimes amusing descriptions of the sounds they hear in the various songs, and they talk about how both Dave’s vocals and Martin’s lyrics have matured. Brian also mentions his initial confusion regarding band members and their roles, and in one case, even their appearance. And finally, how does Bruce Springsteen make his way into this episode??
Something to Do
Lie to Me
People Are People
It Doesn’t Matter
Stories of Old
See the videos discussed here:
People Are People
Stories of Old - Bare
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Episode 86: Movie Review: “The Cure - Anniversary 1978-2018 Live in Hyde Park London” (2019)
It’s been quite some time since Brian and Sarah published an “emergency episode” of the Permanent Record Podcast, but they both decided recent circumstances called for one. Our hosts attended a special screening of the Tim Pope film “The Cure Anniversary 1978-2018 Live in Hyde Park London” on July 11, and since they a) enjoyed the film immensely and b) are still on a “Cure High” after spending the month of May talking about the iconic album “Disintegration,” they decided to devote an episode to talking about the movie they just watched.
It should come as no surprise that both Brian and Sarah very much enjoyed Tim Pope’s cinematic treatment of The Cure’s 2018 concert in London's Hyde Park, which took place almost exactly 40 years to the day from the first live performance by The Cure, at The Rocket in Crawley, England. Brian sets forth a plan for the two of them to break the 29-song setlist into groups of five songs each, with each host focusing on a particular song of each five-song group. However, as the discussion progresses, they both find themselves unable to limit their commentary that strictly, and they pretty much end up talking about almost every song.
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Episode 85: Forgotten 80s II - The Eighties Strike Back (Fiction Factory, Vince Clarke & Paul Quinn, Kon Kan, The Ocean Blue)
Another busy summer is already underway for Brian and Sarah, so they decided to do a second volume of a listener-suggested idea from last year: Forgotten 80s songs. (Thanks again for the idea, Charles Cotham!) Each host selected two songs that may have faded from-- or never even made it to-- people's memories, and the ensuing discussion for each song covers the typical topics such as release history, chart positions, and videos. Also in this episode, Brian shocks Sarah by professing his love of a particular childhood game, Brian sings the praises of a particular on-line music subscription service that he recently discovered, and both Brian and Sarah are happy to have the opportunity to discuss their recent front-row attendance at an Ocean Blue concert, where not only was the "forgotten 80s" song played, but also songs from their fantastic just-released new album.
Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven
Vince Clarke & Paul Quinn - One Day
Kon Kan - I Beg Your Pardon
The Ocean Blue - Between Something and Nothing
See the videos we discuss here:
Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven
Vince Clarke & Paul Quinn - One Day
Kon Kan - I Beg Your Pardon
The Ocean Blue - Between Something and Nothing
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Episode 84: Power Hour 1984: (The Police, Wham!, Prince, FGTH, Scandal, Van Halen)
The month of June is here, and the official start to summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) is just days away. For something different to kick off the summer, Sarah came up with the idea of doing an episode on the music of 1984 for episode 84. Brian added a twist to the idea by framing the discussion around a "power hour," where participants drink a shot of an alcoholic beverage (something mild, like beer or cider) every minute for sixty minutes. And to make things even more interesting and fun, occasional guest host Colby Zell was invited to participate as well.
Each of the three hosts report the beverage they'll be drinking during the "power hour," and then as the clock starts, they read a very recent article that talks about how 1984 was voted as the best year in pop music since the inception of the pop music charts. Then Colby, Sarah, and Brian take turns drawing random songs out of a hat (yes, an actual hat). All the songs were listed in Rolling Stone magazine's article "100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop’s Greatest Year." Some lively, circuitous, and humorous discussions ensue as the songs are chosen and the beverages are consumed.
The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger
Wham! - Careless Whisper
Prince - When Doves Cry
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth - The Warrior
Van Halen - Hot For Teacher
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 2 - From Russia With Love
For a year or so now, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In this second episode, a fantastic musical team is assembled to create the soundtrack to Bond's sophomore theatrical adventure. John Barry, Lionel Bart, Matt Monro, and Don Black are all on hand as Barry takes the lead on the score for the first time. And while he doesn't get the theme song assignment quite yet, Bart and Monro knock it out of the park!
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Episode 83: The Cure - Disintegration (1989) Part 4
The month of May is coming to an end, and so is Brian and Sarah’s in-depth look at The Cure’s 1989 album, Disintegration. But before they begin their discussion of the last four songs, they have some other news and information to talk about. First, friend of the show Alan Hogg shared a review of the first Disintegration 30th anniversary concert in Sydney, and Brian reads some excerpts of that review. Then, the hosts turn their attention to an unfortunate time period in the history of The Cure, when co-founder Lol Tolhurst sued the band after being kicked out right after the recording of this album.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
After that, it’s time for Brian and Sarah to pick up where they left off, starting with song two of Side Two. There are no more singles or videos, but our hosts find no lack of things to discuss as they continue to traverse the sonic landscape of the album’s second side. As with the previous three episodes, the topics of instrumentation, lyrics, and possible song meanings find their way into the conversation. Additionally, quotes and memories from both Robert Smith and Roger O’Donnell help bring some color and authenticity (well, the authenticity is highly suspect, in the case of Mr. Smith!) to the discussion.
The Same Deep Water As You
Disintegration
Homesick
Untitled
Part 4 - Final Review and Rating
Since every episode for this album has started off with various tidbits of Cure news and history, there is no Extra Credit section this time. And so, after many hours of discussion and analysis, it comes down to the final reviews and ratings from each of the hosts. It’s probably not too difficult to guess how many record adapters Disintegration gets from both Brian and Sarah. But it may be a surprise to hear what else they both have to say about their ratings.
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Episode 82: The Cure -Disintegration (1989) Part 3
The 30th anniversary celebration of The Cure's seminal 1989 release, Disintegration, continues this week. But before our hosts resume the track-by-track discussion, they have some more recent updates to share. Sarah announces plans for a Cure documentary to be shown in cinemas this summer, and Brian explains why he no longer believes Robert Smith's earlier claim of a Halloween release for the new Cure album. He then shares some information about the cover art for Disintegration.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
The track-by-track discussion picks up partway through Side One, and Brian and Sarah once again find plenty of things to talk about with this batch of four songs. Like last week, two of the songs were singles; however, one of these singles was only released in one country. And unlike last week, both hosts like both of the videos for the singles quite a lot. Also during the discussion, Brian shares some more memories related to the songs, and Sarah continues to both amuse and annoy Brian by providing the track-by-track comments from a particularly unfavorable album review. And speaking of reviews, have you ever wondered what Holly Johnson thinks about the song "Lullaby?" Well, you can find out during this episode!
Last Dance
Lullaby
Fascination Street
Prayers for Rain
See the videos discussed here:
Lullaby
Lego shot-by-shot remake of Lullaby video
Fascination Street
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Episode 81: The Cure -Disintegration (1989) Part 2
Brian and Sarah are recovered from colds (yes, Sarah got a cold right after Brian, resulting in two terrible-sounding hosts last week!) and ready to resume their look back at one of the most significant albums in not only their own lives, but also in the world of New Wave music. Disintegration by The Cure is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month, and much like the album itself, Brian and Sarah's coverage of Disintegration is going to be similarly long. There's just too much to say about it to condense into two episodes!
Last week's episode ended with some reviews from the period of the album's release. This week the hosts pick up the discussion by sharing more recent reviews of Disintegration, and they both find it interesting how the tone of most of the more recent reviews is different from the initial reviews.
Part 3 - Track by Track
And finally, it's time to start discussing the songs! Because this album has twelve tracks on it, it seemed to make the most sense to break up the song discussion into chunks of four songs at a time. So, for this episode, Brian and Sarah cover the first four tracks on Side One. Two of the songs were singles and have videos for them-- one of which Brian likes much better than the other. Two of the songs-- but not the same two-- were used in movies. And, one of the songs was used in a commercial-- but was it really appropriate? Also mentioned in this episode: Gregorian chants, two James Bond actors, Frank Sinatra, Robert Smith's propensity to lie, and an amazing b-side with which one of the hosts was obsessed. Sarah also brings up not one, but two stories from this time period which she hopes will improve her terrible performance during the Personal History segment in the previous episode.
Plainsong
Pictures of You
Closedown
Lovesong
See the videos discussed here:
Pictures of You
Lovesong
HP Digital Photography commercial
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Episode 80: The Cure - RnR HOF 2019 & "Disintegration" (1989) Part 1
Hi folks! Brian here. Sarah didn't write her usual well-organized and amusing show notes for this episode yet, but I am ready to post it. And while on the episode I will mention that I am suffering from some seasonal allergies, it turns out that what I really have is a super-annoying cold with sore throat, cough, and congestion. This cold has me feeling much less than witty!
Because of that, these show notes are really sub-standard.
Here is what you will find on this particular episode of the podcast:
-
A discussion of The Cure's induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
-
A good number of details about the recording of the 1989 album "Disintegration."
-
A look back at some of the reviews of the aforementioned record from various publications.
-
Brian and Sarah's sad/sexy personal histories with this record.
While we don't talk about any particular songs in this installment, I added a few early demos in the background to help get you in the mood and to give you something to listen to other than my stuffy, sick voice.
We hope everyone is well and check back next episode for more of Sarah's excellent show notes!!
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PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 1 - The James Bond Theme
For a year or so now, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast!
This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere!
In this first episode, Monty Norman's "The James Bond Theme" is discussed, from its humble origins in an EON Film Production office all the way up to England's High Court of Justice. It's crazy, but shouldn't be too surprising for a song which has thrilled millions for 57 years now.
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Episode 79: Men At Work - Business As Usual (1982) Part 3
After an unexpected delay, Brian and Sarah are finally back to finish their discussion on Men At Work's debut album, Business As Usual. They had many positive things to say about the songs on Side One, but will that be the case for Side Two as well?
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
There's only one single on Side Two, and it has yet another low-budget but entertaining video. It also has some interesting release/chart history, as Sarah explains. So does that mean the other songs on Side Two are just album filler? Our two hosts debate that as they go through the track listing. There's also a lot of educational information in this section of the episode. Sarah gives a brief account of the Hindu caste system and also explains the history of and differences between ska and reggae music. Brian shares some anecdotes about the relationship between Ron Strykert and Colin Hay over the years, and he also tells a story about a rather inept British merchant sailor.
People Just Love to Play with Words
Be Good Johnny
Touching the Untouchables
Catch a Star
Down by the Sea
Part 4 - Extra Credit
After Part Two of the Business As Usual podcast was released, our hosts heard from Australian friend of the show Terry Kemp, who shared some insight on what he thought the song "Underground" was really about. Brian did some digging (pun intended) and learned some disturbing facts about the asbestos mining industry in Australia, which he shares in this segment.
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
It's often not too difficult to guess how Brian and Sarah are going to end up rating an album; however, Business as Usual probably doesn't fall in that category. While both hosts seemed to love all of Side One, the discussion of Side Two elicited more critical comments, especially from one of the hosts. But how low do they go with their ratings? You'll have to listen to the end to find out!
See the videos discussed here:
Be Good Johnny
Solla Solla Enna Parumai - from the movie "Ellam Inbamayam"
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Episode 78: Men At Work - Business As Usual (1982) Part 2
It's time to resume the discussion of the debut album from the Australian band, Men At Work, in this - the first PRP episode to be released under protest from one of the hosts!
Business As Usual was a huge international success and contained several hits. In the previous episode, Brian and Sarah talked about the band's first big single, which also happened to be the first song on the album. But they didn't get past track two, which means there are three more songs from Side One to discuss in this episode.
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
Picking up the discussion with track three means our hosts get to talk about another monster hit and another goofy video. There's also an unfortunate legal situation that has to be brought up. On a lighter note, Brian quizzes Sarah on the meanings of some song lyrics, Sarah continues marveling at some of the fashion choices the band members--particularly the drummer-- made, and once again, breakfast cereal is mentioned. Next, there is talk of war. And finally, later in the episode, Brian reveals the plot of the low-budget sci-fi movie he dreams of making.
Down Under
Underground
Helpless Automaton
See the video discussed here:
Down Under
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Episode 77: Men At Work - Business As Usual (1982) Part 1
It's time once again for Brian and Sarah to discuss a classic album, and for the first time, they've chosen an effort from an Australian band. The band is Men at Work, and the album is Business As Usual. This debut LP was released in Australia in 1981, but it didn't make it to the USA and the UK until 1982.
Part 1 - Album History
As this is Men at Work's first album, our hosts take some time to talk about the formation of the band and the events leading up to the recording of Business As Usual. Then the focus turns to the release and eventual worldwide success of the album, which has Brian and Sarah sharing information about chart positions, records set and broken, and awards won by the band. They also take turns reading reviews, and Brian shares some interesting information about the album cover art and the unlikely artist who designed it.
Part 2 - Personal History
Business As Usual is an album that neither Brian nor Sarah owned back in the day. However, they were both very familiar with the singles, and one of them did actually own one of the singles-- and even had to buy another copy due to the first one wearing out! Brian also reveals what finally led him to purchase the album many years later.
Part 3 - Track by Track
For this episode, Brian and Sarah cover the first two tracks on Side One. The first song is one of the most recognizable singles of the New Wave era, and our hosts spend a lot of time talking about it, its release history, and the video. As is common with early 80s videos, there are some interesting fashion selections to discuss. And Sarah takes great pleasure in Brian having to once again recant his infamous statement about saxophones, which he made way back in Episode 16.
Who Can It Be Now?
I Can See It in Your Eyes
See the videos discussed here:
Who Can It Be Now?
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Episode 76: Permanent Record Trivia Showdown 2019
This episode finds Brian and Sarah facing off in a battle of wits! They're joined by longtime friend Hans Lemke, who presides over this heated competition.
In preparation for this showdown, our hosts asked the listeners for music trivia questions, and the response was quite impressive! Brian and Sarah want to thank Boys Make Noise, Dave Delea, Andrew Dineley, Fragile Gods, James Perrin, Tom Richey, and Paul Underwood for sending in questions for the challenge.
Just how well do Brian and Sarah do answering music-related questions when they don't have hours to research the answers? And who emerges victorious in the end? Listen and find out!
Listen to Boys Make Noise's Duran Duran-inspired podcast "The D-Side" at http://thedside.libsyn.com/
Listen to Andrew Dineley's "Art on Your Sleeve" podcast at https://softoctopus.co.uk/category/podcast/
Listen to Fragile God's fantastic synth-heavy music at https://fragilegods.bandcamp.com/
Listen to Paul Underwood's "Glory Days Radio" at https://koxe.com/glory-days/
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Episode 75: Queen - The Works (1984) Part 2
The second episode of 2019 is here, and it's all about the second side of the 1984 Queen album The Works! But before Brian and Sarah resume their discussion, they share a voicemail they received from Paul Underwood, a listener and fellow podcast host who called the PRP voicemail number (724-490-8324) and left a message with his thoughts on the album and the band. The number is always available for folks to share their memories and insights on the artists and albums discussed on the show.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
The first side of The Works contained quite a variety of musical styles, and when our hosts flip the record, they discover that theme continues. Each of the five songs on Side Two have a unique sound, and some break new ground even for a band that's famous for experimenting. Two more singles and two more videos are found on Side Two, including what's likely the most infamous Queen video of all. But in addition to those videos, Brian and Sarah end up discussing another video of the same era, which seems to have coincidental connections to one of the songs on Side Two. They also return to a familiar subject-- songs used in commercials. Our hosts reveal that Coca-Cola really seems to like using a particular Queen song in their ads. But how did Brian and Sarah ever get on the subject of the longest-running children's program in the UK, which Sarah seems to have enthusiastically embraced?
Machines (Or 'Back to Humans')
I Want to Break Free
Keep Passing the Open Windows
Hammer to Fall
Is This the World We Created...?
Part 4 - Extra Credit
The recording sessions for The Works generated a lot of songs, but only nine made it to the album. However, thirty years later, one of the songs that had been left unfinished showed up on a Queen compilation album. For extra credit, Brian and Sarah discuss the history of "Let Me In Your Heart Again."
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Sarah goes first with her review and rating, and she starts off by sharing some thoughts Brian May had about the album at the time. She goes on to discuss whether or not she agreed with him, explaining her own views on The Works at the same time. This approach seemed to keep Brian in suspense for a while regarding her final rating, so perhaps it will do the same for the listeners too. Brian's review begins with a quick assessment of the several albums prior to The Works, before talking about the individual songs and finally, the album as a whole. He even explains where this album ranks for him among all the Queen studio albums.
See the videos discussed here:
I Want to Break Free
Lotto Commercial
Hyundai Commercial
Coke C2 Commercial
Coke Zero Sugar Commercial
Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
Hammer to Fall
Let Me In Your Heart Again
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Episode 74: Queen - The Works (1984) Part 1
After an extended break, first due to holiday celebrations, then due to winter colds, Brian and Sarah are finally back and ready to talk classic albums! The first record up for discussion in 2019 is one the duo had originally planned to cover in 2018: Queen's 1984 endeavor, The Works. Brian and Sarah originally chose this album because of the release of the Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. And our hosts are happy to report that Bohemian Rhapsody is still in the public spotlight, winning two Golden Globes and receiving five Oscar nominations-- not to mention the more than $800 million in worldwide box-office receipts it's earned. So our hosts have dusted off their notes-- and their microphones-- and are giving you The Works! (Well, just the first side for now!)
Part 1 - Album History
This album could be considered contradictory, in that it represents both a break from-- and a return to-- the past. As Brian and Sarah explain in this episode, the break from the past is Queen's decision to finally part ways with the Elektra record label. The return to the past refers to the content of the album, which confirms the musical experiment of Hot Space was just that-- an experiment. Our hosts discuss the circumstances prior to and during the recording of the album, and they talk about how the album was received all over the world, but particularly in America. And this section wouldn't be complete without chart position statistics, album reviews, and album art information, so they bring that to you as well.
Part 2 - Personal History
Following a common theme for this portion of the podcast, Sarah says her personal history of this album is tied to Brian's personal history. However, by the time Brian purchased this album (on CD, not cassette!), he and Sarah were already dating, so there was no need for him to make her a 'backup copy.' Brian's personal history for The Works includes a rather remarkable show of patience and restraint (for him, anyway!), despite persuasion from the local record merchant.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Our hosts jump into the track-by-track discussion with a great lead-off song-- and perhaps an even greater video. Side One of The Works only has four songs, but it contains quite a variety of musical styles. Brian and Sarah have a lot of fun discussing the songs and the videos. Along the way, they mention such 80s staples as REALLY big hair, shoulder pads, drum machines and synthesizers; but they also find reason to talk about Jerry Lee Lewis, opera, clowns, prawns and Zardoz!!
Radio Ga Ga
Tear It Up
It's a Hard Life
Man on the Prowl
See the videos discussed here:
Radio Ga Ga
It's a Hard Life
The Cross - Power to Love
"It's a Hard Life" sung by Tom Chaplin (Keane) at the Prince's Trust, 2011
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Episode 73: Selections from "A Very Special Christmas" (1987) - Eurythmics, Alison Moyet, Sting, Pretenders
For the last episode of 2018, Brian and Sarah have chosen to talk about selections from the 1987 charity album "A Very Special Christmas." But before they get into that discussion, they have several other things to mention: congratulatory wishes to 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Cure and Roxy Music, a couple of five-star iTunes reviews, and a reminder about this year's holiday giveaway! It's a great way to start a Pet Shop Boys collection of your very own!
Then, our hosts turn their attention to the first album in a series which has raised a great deal of money for the Special Olympics organization. They discuss the origins and making of the album, its release and chart history, and a couple of reviews from the time. Then Sarah and Brian take turns leading the discussion on four songs from the album, during which a small competition breaks out over whose song is the oldest. It's also revealed that not all of the songs are truly Christmas songs, and one of them is about a particularly gruesome topic! Sarah mentions both the cover artist and one of the song's lyricists have ties to Pennsylvania, and Brian explains the musical term "Picardy Third." Both hosts end the episode by once again thanking all their listeners for their support, feedback, and friendship throughout the year.
Brian and Sarah are both looking forward to recording more episodes in 2019!
Song Selections:
Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
Alison Moyet - Coventry Carol
Sting - Gabriel's Message
Pretenders - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Watch the video discussed here:
Sting - Gabriel's Message
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Episode 72: "Bohemian Rhapsody" movie and Queen - "Thank God It's Christmas" (1984)
Another holiday season is upon us, and our hosts have found themselves snowed under (pun intended) with festive preparations. So instead of discussing the Queen album "The Works" (which will now be done in the new year), they're offering up something they've never done before-- a movie discussion! No, Sarah hasn't finally given in to Brian doing an entire James Bond podcast; the movie in question is the recently released Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody."
You may know by now that Brian and Sarah are huge Queen fans and were therefore anxiously awaiting the release of this movie. And now that they've seen it several times(!), they decided to share their thoughts on it with each other-- and you!
However, in keeping with the theme of the show, Brian and Sarah do also discuss a record -- Queen's 1984 Christmas single, "Thank God It's Christmas." They share the usual information about the release, the chart position, the making of, and lots of other fun tidbits and trivia.
Be sure to listen to the end, though, to learn about this year's holiday giveaway! This year, Brian and Sarah hope to provide TWO lucky listeners with music-related prizes!
Hear the festive songs we discuss:
Queen - Thank God It's Christmas
Anita Dobson (with Brian May & John Deacon) - I Dream of Christmas
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Episode 71: Summer of Sharing - Frankie Goes To Hollywood and ABBA
This summer, we asked our listeners to help us spread the word about the podcast and many of you did! We really appreciated the assist, and we rewarded one lucky friend-of-the-show with his own personal episode!
Our winner, the magnanimous Terry Kemp, reached out to us this past week and said that he was willing to share his special episode with the world! Such a nice move on his part!
And so this is it! Terry asked us to discuss Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" and ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All" - two very different, but two very excellent, pop singles. We hope you will enjoy listening to Terry's podcast and maybe learn a thing or two about these bands, one famous and one infamous!
Please note that while the Frankie segment doesn't contain any profanity, it does discuss the lyrical content of the song, which is quite adult. We don't say anything that couldn't be broadcast on the radio, but a few mature topics come up.
FGTH - "Relax" Video Version 1
FGTH - "Relax" Video Version 2
FGTH - "Relax" Video Version 3
FGTH - "Relax" Video Version 4
ABBA - "The WInner Takes It All"
Episode 70: Pet Shop Boys - Introspective (1988) Part 2
As you may recall, in the previous episode, Brian and Sarah were joined by Andrew Dineley (Classic Pop Magazine contributor, host of the "Art on your Sleeve" podcast, and world-renowned Pet-Head!) to discuss the Pet Shop Boys album Introspective. Thankfully, Andrew agreed to call again --otherwise, this second part of this discussion would have been very lopsided.
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
As the trio flip the record to discuss the three tracks on side two, a lot of interesting topics come up-- some expected, and others, not so much. Of course, having a graphic designer and self-confessed Pet Head on the show means there's talk about sleeve covers, including limited edition 12-inch singles, and Andrew admits he valiantly tried collecting as many of them as possible. Also, on the subject of admitting things, Brian admits he has quite the crush on Eighth Wonder-era Patsy Kensit. From that springs a discussion of two things she has in common with Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde. Other subjects mentioned include babies, French civil unrest, babysitting, the Mix-Master Phil Harding, "fantastically pretentious" lyrics, Chris Lowe vocals, and-- in what's sure to be a one-time occurrence-- Willie Nelson! And, Brian's trifecta is achieved-- he gets to talk about James Bond AND Batman while discussing pop music!
I'm Not Scared
Always on My Mind/In My House
It's Alright
Part 4 - Extra Credit
As the discussion of Introspective wraps up, the three hosts look deeper into a question they've touched on in both episodes: Did the lower chart positions of this album's and future releases correspond to the quality of the duo's output?
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Brian decides to go first with his final review and record-adapter rating. Sarah's lack of personal history with this album makes her a bit of a wild card in the review and rating category. Finally, comes the review and rating everyone's been waiting for: the one from Andrew Dineley. Will he go all out and give Introspective a 5 out of 5? There's only one way to find out!
See the videos here:
I'm Not Scared - Eighth Wonder
Always On My Mind
It's Alright
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Episode 69: Pet Shop Boys - Introspective (1988) Part 1
Brian and Sarah are thrilled to once again welcome Andrew Dineley to the show. Andrew is a graphic designer, contributor to Classic Pop magazine, and host of the excellent podcast Art On Your Sleeve. He's also a self-confessed, long-time Pet Head, so it seemed only fitting to include him in a 30th-anniversary look at the Pet Shop Boys 1988 album, Introspective.
Part 1 - Album History
This third studio album by the Pet Shop Boys finds the duo breaking from traditions, both their own and that of the music industry in general. The format, production, and visual design of Introspective differ significantly from the first two albums, and the three hosts take some time to discuss these differences and what impact they may have had on the album's chart positions and sales around the world. And of course, having a graphic designer on the show means Sarah and Brian can ask lots of questions about the design of the album cover, which Andrew obligingly answers.
Part 2 - Personal History
Both Andrew and Brian share some fond memories of obtaining the album, with Andrew's stories of British record shop extras evoking some jealousy from his American co-hosts. Sarah, however, earns yet another failing score in the "personal history" category for this album. Thank goodness for the other two!
Part 3 - Track by Track
Side One contains three songs, but they're all extended in length. So, too, is the discussion of the songs by the three hosts. Andrew, Brian, and Sarah find plenty of things to talk about with these tracks, including: Trevor Horn, house music, freestyle music, triple meanings, an enjoyable video, and a rather boring video--oh, and come to think of it, lists!
Left to My Own Devices
I Want a Dog
Domino Dancing
See the videos here:
Left to My Own Devices
Domino Dancing
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Episode 68: Duran Duran - Rio (1982) Part 3
Brian and Sarah are just about ready to flip Duran Duran's second album over to side two and check out what awaits them there. Before they do that though, they happily share some more five-star reviews from iTunes, and they congratulate the winner of the Summer of Sharing contest, Terry Kemp! Thanks to everyone who participated and helped to spread the word about the show!
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
Side Two of Rio only contains four songs, but that doesn't prevent Brian and Sarah from having a long, detailed discussion about the four songs and the two videos. During that discussion, Gordon Lightfoot is mentioned again and Human League is mentioned twice! And Brian, having tried valiantly to avoid it for two episodes, finally goes into full-blown James Bond Podcast mode! (It was inevitable, wasn't it?)
New Religion
Last Chance on the Stairway
Save a Prayer
The Chauffeur
Part 4: Extra Credit
After such an in-depth discussion of an important album by a prominent New Wave band, Brian is hoping Sarah has come up with a worthy extra credit question. Once she asks it, Brian's reaction makes it clear he's quite satisfied with it! You'll have to listen to find out what it is, though!
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Now that they've spent several hours talking about the album Rio, the time has finally come for our hosts to give their final reviews and record-adapter ratings. They've both said some very complimentary things about the songs along the way, but will the fact that neither Brian nor Sarah owned this album back in the day factor into their assessments?
Bonus Feature: Sarah's Secret Song Snippet
This time the bonus feature isn't at the beginning of the episode, or at the end! Brian decides to change things up and introduce the feature somewhere in the middle of the discussion. Sarah's prepared for this, although she is a little worried her song snippet is another really easy one.
See the videos here:
Save a Prayer
The Chauffeur
Orchestral version of The Chauffeur in Christian Dior show
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Episode 67: Duran Duran - Rio (1982) - Part 2
Never before has it taken Brian more than two days to edit an episode, but this week, while working on part two of the discussion of Duran Duran's classic 1982 album "Rio," it seems that he wasn't up to the challenge! But you know, years from now, when Brian & Sarah are two of the most popular podcast hosts in the world and almost everyone over the age of 40 either wears a P.R.P. shirt or sports a sweet P.R.P. tattoo, no one will remember that this episode was four days late - they'll just be really happy that it's available for download!
Track-by-Track (Continued):
So this week, your hosts finish up their discussion of side one, getting the opportunity to talk about some fantastic music, including the immortal classic "Hungry Like the Wolf."
Other topics are also touched upon such as:
- the incredibly disco-y first version of "My Own Way"
- what's a better look - a red headband or a red scarf?
- on which track does John Taylor's bass playing sound like a sea lion?
- who is a better matador: Highlander's Adrian Paul or Host Brian? (hint: his FB poll question seems to indicate it's Brian!)
- how many times did they have to release "Hungry Like the Wolf" before it finally became a US hit?
- and so much more!!
This episode's songs:
My Own Way
Lonely in your Nightmare
Hungry Like the Wolf
Hold Back the Rain
See the videos here:
My Own Way
Lonely in your Nightmare (Russell Mulcahy Version)
Lonely in your Nightmare (Video Album Version)
Lonely in your Nightmare (Split-screen comparison)
Hungry Like the Wolf
Bruce Campbell Old Spice Commercial
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Episode 66: Duran Duran - Rio (1982) - Part 1
It's been quite a while since our hosts have covered an entire album, so they're ready to get back to doing an in-depth discussion. And this is a group that they've been promising to cover for quite some time now: the Fab Five, Duran Duran! It's kind of hard to believe there hasn't been a Duran Duran episode yet, but Brian and Sarah are about to make up for that, by choosing to discuss the group's seminal 1982 release, "Rio."
Part 1 - Album History
Since this is such an important New Wave album, and since Brian and Sarah haven't covered Duran Duran previously, they decide to take a lot of time to talk about the history of the album and the band's situation at the time. Our hosts go into depth about the making of the album, the rather confusing release history in America, the chart positions all over the world, and some reviews from then and now. Brian also makes sure to talk about the iconic album cover and the artist who provided the picture for it.
Part 2 - Personal History
This may be one of the more surprising-- and perhaps even embarrassing-- personal history discussions both Brian and Sarah have ever had. They both profess to being long-time Duran Duran fans, but it may shock the listeners to learn when "Rio" finally made it into the hosts' record collections!
Part 3 - Track by Track
The first song on the album is, of course, the title track, and Brian and Sarah have a lot to say about "Rio" and its video. Release and chart information is shared, as well as a couple of reviews. Then they get into discussing how the song was put together, which involves an early member of Duran Duran. Sarah gets to once again poke fun at Brian regarding saxophone solos, and they both poke some gentle fun at Simon Le Bon and some of his vocal tendencies. At the same time, they also staunchly defend him against critics who often won’t even compliment the singer without making it a backhanded compliment. Both hosts talk excitedly about the video, which neither of them remembered very well apart from the end. Also mentioned are questionable fashion choices, comic books, and (not surprisingly) James Bond. All of this lively discussion takes up a lot of time, so they decide to end the episode after track one.
Rio
See the video here:
Rio
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Episode 65: Summer 2018 Concert Recap (Depeche Mode, Chromeo, Erasure, Pretenders, Thomas Dolby, Tom Bailey, Culture Club, The Fixx)
The passing of Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, and Brian and Sarah decide it's a good time to look back on what they've been calling their "Summer of Concerts." From the beginning of June to the end of August, our hosts had the opportunity to see quite a few concerts, and it should be no surprise to learn many of the artists have been previously discussed on this podcast.
Brian and Sarah take turns sharing highlights and memories from each show they attended over the summer. They saw several acts for the first time and also visited some new venues. During their recap, Sarah declares Brian's friend Beil to be a bad luck charm for Depeche Mode shows. She also confesses about how uptight she was during The Pretenders concert, which Brian agrees was for a valid reason. Both Brian and Sarah laugh about the funny things Andy Bell said while he was fighting a cold, and they both gush about the surprising opening song from the Culture Club show.
One other topic of discussion in this episode is Sarah's Secret Song snippet. Brian reveals that for the first time, Sarah has finally stumped the audience with the snippet in the previous episode. He plays a longer clip so people can learn what song it was. Sarah then admits she may have overcompensated on this episode's snippet by making it too easy. Time will tell!
- Depeche Mode at the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA (June 3, 2018)
- Chromeo at the 9:30 Club, Washington, DC (June 11, 2018)
- The Pretenders at The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD (June 29, 2018)
- Styx and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts at the Giant Center, Hershey, PA (June 30, 2018)
- Erasure at the Warner Theatre, Washington, DC (July 20, 2018)
- Killer Queen (Queen Tribute Band) at the York Strand Theater, York, PA (July 21, 2018)
- Tom Bailey at Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD (July 24, 2018)
- Thomas Dolby at the Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA (August 1, 2018)
- Tom Bailey and Culture Club at the Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ (August 3, 2018)
- The Fixx at New Hope Winery, New Hope, PA (August 29, 2018)
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Episode 64: Selections from "The Wedding Singer" Soundtrack, Vol. 2 (A Flock of Seagulls, Kajagoogoo, Madonna, Spandau Ballet)
This week Brian and Sarah return to the movies-- or at least to a movie soundtrack. They pick up where they left off, discussing songs from "The Wedding Singer," with this episode covering songs from Volume 2 of the soundtrack. Before they get into the song discussion, though, Brian and Sarah mention that they watched the movie again before recording this episode. They reveal they had both forgotten about an extra scene on the DVD that wasn't in the theatrical release or on the VHS tape.
Track Selections
Volume 2 of the soundtrack is also full of some great 80s classics-- several of which will surely be discussed in future episodes, along with the rest of the album they're from. However, our hosts were each able to find two songs from the soundtrack to talk about. The topic of one-hit wonders comes up as these songs are discussed, as well as terrible hair, tiny microphones, and-- more than once-- Duran Duran. (When are these guys are ever going to do a Duran Duran episode, anyway?)
A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song
Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
Madonna - Holiday
Spandau Ballet - True
A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song
Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
Madonna - Holiday
Spandau Ballet - True
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Episode 63: Selections from "The Wedding Singer" Soundtrack, Vol. 1 (The Police, Billy Idol, The Smiths, New Order)
Brian and Sarah are back once again to discuss some classic songs from the 80s. But this time instead of discussing an album's worth of songs by a single artist or group, they've chosen several songs from a movie soundtrack. The movie is "The Wedding Singer," which was released in 1998, but takes place in 1985. This movie has two soundtracks associated with it, and in this episode, songs from Volume 1 are discussed.
Personal History
"The Wedding Singer" holds a special place in the hearts of our hosts, not just because it's set in the 80s, but because it came out mere months before their own wedding. Brian and Sarah spend a few minutes discussing the time period of the movie's release and some of their memories associated with it.
Track Selections
Since many of the songs on this soundtrack have either been discussed in a prior episode or will likely be discussed in a future episode, our hosts choose songs that they probably wouldn't get to talk about otherwise. Brian and Sarah select two songs each and explain where in the movie the songs can be heard. They also go over the regular information like release dates, chart position, music, lyrics, and videos. And although this episode does naturally lend itself to more of a movie discussion than most of the others, Brian starts talking about a James Bond movie rather than "The Wedding Singer." Sarah once again has to get him back on track. Also in this episode, Brian and Sarah both admit their teenage fear of Billy Idol; Brian shares conflicting stories from band members about the making of a song, and yet another soda commercial is discussed!
The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Billy Idol - White Wedding
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
New Order - Blue Monday
The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Billy Idol - White Wedding
The Smiths - How Soon is Now?
New Order - Blue Monday (1983 version)
New Order - Blue Monday (1988 version)
New Order - Sunkist Commercial
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Episode 62: Information Society - Information Society (1988) Part 2
Brian and Sarah take some time during their "Summer of Concerts" to resume their discussion on the 1988 major-label debut album from the American band Information Society. In Part 1, an Apple IIe computer helped determine the order of the songs to be discussed. Unfortunately, the machine couldn't handle all that pressure and shut down soon afterwards, so for this episode, our hosts are left to determine the song order themselves.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
There's a mixture of songs from both Side One and Side Two to talk about, and our hosts decide to leave the biggest song for last. Or do they? Part of their discussion centers on the fact that depending on the audience, Information Society's 'biggest hit' varies among three different songs. Brian and Sarah also talk about two more videos, more Star Trek samples, a radio publicity stunt gone awry, and Amanda Kramer's top ten foods, most of which don't seem to be actual foods!
Something in the Air
Over the Sea
Repetition
Tomorrow
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Part 4 - Extra Credit
Since Brian and Sarah spent quite a bit of time discussing freestyle music over these two episodes, they decide to review a list of the "top 100 freestyle songs," and each of them chooses their favorite song from the list.
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Both hosts have said some pretty good things about this album all the way through, although this episode did have a few more negative comments from each of them than Part 1 did. But you'll have to listen to the end to see how much of a difference that makes to their final record-adapter ratings!
Bonus Feature - Sarah's Secret Song Snippet
Sarah's Secret Song Snippet is back, and Brian thinks this one is the most difficult yet! Sarah starts expressing some regrets, but it's too late to turn back now! Listen to the end and then message the hosts with your guess, for your chance to be "Sarah's Secret Song Snippet Star of the Week!"
See the videos we discuss here:
Repetition
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)
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Episode 61: Information Society "Information Society" 1988 Part One
This week we are talking about Information Society's 1988 big-label debut "Information Society." It's a great mix of synth-pop and freestyle - a fact that Brian didn't even know until this week! If you like either upbeat dance music or songs with Star Trek samples, this is the episode for you!!
This week, with the help of an old Apple IIe computer, Sarah and Brian discuss the following tracks:
Lay All Your Love On Me
Running
Make It Funky
Attitude
Walking Away
Here's the video we discuss:
Walking Away
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Episode 60: Summer 2018 Mix Tape, Part Two - Blancmange, Hipsway, Breathe, Danny Elfman
As the official start of Summer 2018 inches ever closer, there's important work to be done-- finishing the Summer Mix Tape! It's a job for none other than the Fantastic Four: Brian, Sarah, Colby Zell, and "The Hustle" podcast host, Jon Lamoreaux! (We'll leave it up to you do to decide which host matches which member of Marvel's First Family, True-believers!)
Side One of the tape was definitely a mix of artists and song types. Side Two is no different, with even the order of the selections being mixed up. There's also a wide variety of topics discussed, such as 80s white boy dancing, naughty paintings, living off the grid, desserts, movie soundtracks, record label drama, and guys in goatskin pants. Also, for the second week in a row, the group talks about Vince Clarke (what does he have to do with Side Two?) Man, that guy is EVERYWHERE!
Mix Tape Side Two
1. Colby's pick: Blancmange - Don't Tell Me
2. Sarah's pick: Hipsway - The Honeythief
3. Jon's pick: Breathe - Jonah
4. Brian's pick: Danny Elfman - Gratitude
See the videos we discuss here:
Blancmange - Don't Tell Me
Hipsway - The Honeythief
Breathe - Jonah (version 1)
Breathe - Jonah (version 2)
Danny Elfman - Gratitude
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Episode 59: Summer 2018 Mix Tape (Part 1) - Re-Flex, The Assembly, Ultravox, The B-52’s
June is here and that means summer is almost here too! To get ready for the season, Brian and Sarah thought it would be fun to compile another mix tape. They asked last year's mix tape contributor and guest co-host Colby Zell to join in again, and he agreed. But this year's mix tape has yet another contributor-- and it's none other than Jon Lamoreaux, host of the excellent podcast The Hustle! Jon brings his wealth of knowledge and behind-the-scenes stories gained from his many interviews with musicians who've had at least a fleeting taste of fame in their careers.
Each host has chosen two songs to contribute to the mix tape; one for each side. In this episode, the songs for Side One are discussed, along with the artists, the albums the singles are from, and the videos. Some pretty strong opinions are voiced, and additionally, the following questions are answered: Who almost fell asleep listening to one of the songs? Who stole music from his sister? Which video brought to mind the 70's sci-fi movie Zardoz? And who is Feargal Sharkey's doppelganger?
Mix Tape Side One
- Sarah's pick: Re-Flex - Politics of Dancing
- Brian's pick: The Assembly - Never Never
- Colby's pick: Ultravox - the Voice
- Jon's pick: B-52's - Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland
See the videos we discuss here:
Re-Flex - The Politics of Dancing
The Assembly - Never Never
Ultravox - The Voice
The B-52's - Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland
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Episode 58: Forgotten 80s - Aztec Camera, Two Minds Crack, Red Flag, Animotion
It's Memorial Day weekend here in the States, but that hasn't stopped Brian and Sarah from putting together another episode. This one is based on a listener idea; Charles Christiphe wrote in and suggested an episode about forgotten songs of the 80s. Brian and Sarah liked the idea a lot and decided to choose two songs each to discuss. Thanks, Charles!!
Sarah's first selection may not be forgotten in the UK, as it reached the top 20 back in 1983. However, it failed to appear on any American charts, so she stands by her choice - especially since Brian had never heard the song until last year. The other three songs are arguably more obscure, but both hosts manage to find a good deal of information about the artists and the songs to share in this episode. Each song has a video to talk about as well-- although Brian was disappointed to realize he had a false memory of one of them. Also in this episode: Brian actually passes up another chance to launch into another mini James Bond podcast! His excuse: with their air conditioning currently broken, the poor boy was "Crazy from the Heat!" And how did Sarah manage to tie this David Lee Roth/Van Halen reference to one of the bands she selected for this episode?
Aztec Camera - Oblivious
Two Minds Crack - Cry Cry Cry
Red Flag - Russian Radio
Animotion - I Engineer
Bonus Feature: Sarah's Secret Song Snippet
The first installment of this new feature produced a winner quite quickly (congrats, Tommy R!) and Sarah acknowledges the selection may have been a bit too easy. She's hoping this week's secret song snippet will be a bit tougher, but still a lot of fun! Be sure to check Facebook and Twitter for the announcement of the winner!
See the videos we discuss here:
Aztec Camera - Oblivious
Two Minds Crack - Cry Cry Cry
Red Flag - Russian Radio
Animotion - I Engineer
Animotion singer Bill Wadhams on The Hustle Podcast
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Episode 57: a-ha - Stay on These Roads (1988) Part 2
After an unplanned break, Brian and Sarah are back to finish up their discussion of the third album by Norwegian group a-ha, 1988's "Stay on These Roads." The hosts first take a little time to share the latest iTunes reviews that have been rolling in since "The Innocents" episodes were posted, and they thank the new listeners who have found the podcast since then.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
The discussion of the first side of "Stay on These Roads" left Brian feeling somewhat unhappy and conflicted about the album thus far. However, Side Two is a clean slate-- and Brian is eager to start talking about the songs. This change of attitude is likely due to the fact that the second side opens with a James Bond theme! And of course, this gives Brian the perfect opportunity to launch into yet another mini James Bond podcast--this one being probably the longest yet! Sarah tries valiantly, and finally succeeds, at bringing Brian back to focus on the rest of the songs on Side Two, as well as the videos. As with Side One, the videos (and the songs, actually) are a bit of a mixed bag. However, Brian and Sarah both agree on the extremely high level of adorableness (yes, that's a real word!) Morten has in one of the videos. Additionally, Sarah has some suggestions for re-ordering the tracks on Side Two-- including perhaps leaving one of them off altogether!
The Living Daylights
There's Never a Forever Thing
Out of Blue Comes Green
You Are the One
You'll End Up Crying
Part 4 - Extra Credit
The mini James Bond podcast starts back up again in the Extra Credit segment, where Brian takes the opportunity to talk about the soundtrack for "The Living Daylights." He explains how this soundtrack introduced him to another pop group, The Pretenders. Plus, Sarah shares some trivia about a group the hosts have discussed in previous episodes, Pet Shop Boys, who also prepared some demo tracks for "The Living Daylights."
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Sarah was the one who selected this album for discussion, so she decides to go first with her review and rating. She revisits the circumstances surrounding the creation of "Stay on These Roads," and she also draws several comparisons between this album and another album the hosts discussed back around episode 35. Those similarities are what help her come up with her rating for "Stay on These Roads." Then it's time for Brian to give his final evaluation. He explains his shift in attitude from Side One to Side Two, and then he starts throwing out a bunch of numbers, evidently in an attempt to confuse the audience. However, somewhere in there, he does sneak in his record-adapter rating for this album.
Bonus Feature - Sarah's Secret Song Snippet
Before the hosts sign off for the week, Sarah introduces a new feature which gives listeners a chance to earn a sure-to-be coveted award! Make sure you stay tuned until the very end to find out more!
See the videos we discuss here:
The Living Daylights
There's Never a Forever Thing
You Are the One
The Pretenders - If There Was a Man
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Episode 56: a-ha - Stay on These Roads (1988) Part 1
Brian and Sarah haven't discussed the Norwegian group a-ha since way back in their second episode, and seeing how a-ha is one of their favorite groups, they decide it's time to discuss another a-ha album. The one they select is the third release, "Stay on These Roads," which is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Part 1 - Album History
Sarah, always ready with album chart and sales history, provides some pretty impressive figures for "Stay on These Roads" in a number of countries-- but Brian reorders the chart listings in a much more pleasing fashion. However, one country in particular is conspicuously absent from the list, much to our hosts' chagrin. Brian then goes into detail about the circumstances surrounding the creation of this album, and sheds some light on where the band members seemed to be headed musically, compared with where the record label was encouraging them to be. Both hosts also share some rather mixed reviews of the album -- including one from the members of Erasure!
Part 2 - Personal History
Although Brian and Sarah have loved a-ha for many years, this third album was not a part of either of their collections back when it was first released. So this ends up being one of the least interesting Personal History sections in recent episodes. Thankfully, it's pretty short!
Part 3 - Track by Track
The first side of "Stay on These Roads" contains five songs, and the first three tracks were all released as singles. As the songs are discussed, Brian find himself very conflicted about various aspects of the songs themselves and their inclusion on the album. Sarah also has some mixed feelings about the tracks, though not always for the same reasons as Brian. Both of them, however, share similar opinions about the three videos that accompany the singles; two of them are pretty good, and one is pretty bad!
Stay on These Roads
The Blood That Moves the Body
Touchy!
This Alone is Love
Hurry Home
See the videos we discuss here:
Stay on These Roads
The Blood That Moves the Body
Touchy!
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Episode 55: Erasure - The Innocents (1988) Part 3
By popular demand (well, by the sincere request of her co-host), Sarah is back to provide the information on the latest episode of the Permanent Record Podcast. Brian and Sarah are once again joined by art designer, Classic Pop Magazine contributor, and 80s music aficionado Andrew Dineley to wrap up the discussion on Erasure's 1988 worldwide hit album, "The Innocents."
Part 3 - Track by Track, Continued
The lack of singles and videos on Side Two of this album doesn't give our three hosts any problems in terms of discussion material. However, at least one of them does have a couple of problems with the track selection and track listing. The three do find common ground with their mutual enjoyment of The Kick Horns' contributions to the album, and they all seem to feel there was at least one more single-worthy track on this side--but is it the same song for each of them? Brian, Andrew, and Sarah cover a rather wide variety of subjects as they talk about Side Two, including waltzes, questionable rhyming, evangelists, 80s politics, Liza Minnelli, and Glen Miller! Oh, and of course lots more talk about Vince and Andy too!
Heart of Stone
Sixty-Five Thousand
Yahoo!
Imagination
Witch in the Ditch
Weight of the World
Part 4 - Extra Credit
Brian decides the presence of the special guest co-host is a good excuse to change up the format of the Extra Credit section. This episode's is now a two-part segment. For part one, do you remember two weeks ago when Andrew mentioned that he had reached out to designer Paul Khera with a few questions? Well, Mr. Khera has written back, and along with answers concerning his experience working with the band and details about his photographs, he also tells us which track was going to be the fourth single before everyone's focus turned to "Crackers International!" We have read numerous theories about this on the internet, but this is the real answer from someone who was there at Mute in 1988! And for part two, Andrew is subjected to a mini Q & A session on various Erasure subjects and then a question about someone Brian has been crushing on for years - someone who used to live in Liverpool with Andrew!
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Finally, after many hours of discussion, the time has come for the Thrilling Threesome to give their final reviews and ratings of "The Innocents." There has been no shortage of effusive praise during the course of the three episodes, so it's not likely that anyone will be giving this classic album a low rating. But does it get five stars from all three hosts? There's only one way to know-- listen until the very end!
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Visit Paul Khera at http://www.thekhera.org/
Episode 54: Erasure - The Innocents (1988) Part 2
Brian and Sarah return with Classic Pop contributor and all-around good guy Andrew Dineley to discuss side one of this classic 1988 album! This side may have fewer songs than its flip side, but it is fully packed with hit singles, so along with talk of the music, our intrepid hosts also make time to consider three music videos and three record sleeves. It's a lot to pack into one episode so forgive them if they go a bit long!
Part 3 - Track by Track
The Terrific Trio gets to gab about two huge worldwide hits with "A Little Respect" and "Chains of Love." Andrew reminds Brian and Sarah that in the UK, "Ship of Fools" was also released and did quite well on the singles chart, which causes all sorts of envy and bitterness. However, the mood is set to right by the lovely story of YouTube sensation Neil Francis - because no one can be depressed after watching him sing "A Little Respect" while waiting for the train! Let's see, then Sarah and Andrew team up against Brian because he had the audacity to say that he doesn't think "Hallowed Ground" is as catchy a tune as "Chains of Love." He backtracks on what he said just so they don't turn off his mic. Man, Sarah usually writes these episode descriptions, but she is away this weekend and I thought it would be easier than this! Oh! Did you know that one of the songs on this side of the record was released as a single over twenty years later?? We'll talk about that too so I don't want to give it away here.
A Little Respect
Ship of Fools
Phantom Bride
Chains of Love
Hallowed Ground
See the videos we discuss here:
A Little Respect
Ship of Fools
Chains of Love
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Episode 53: Erasure - The Innocents (1988) Part 1
For the next three episodes, Brian and Sarah are thrilled to welcome a very special guest to the show. Andrew Dineley is an art designer and regular contributor to Classic Pop magazine with the feature "Pop Art." He also hosts his own podcast called "Art On Your Sleeve" which talks about the design work of the albums and singles from 80s artists such as the ones discussed on this very podcast. Andrew was gracious enough to share his time, knowledge, and personal experiences in an in-depth look at Erasure's third album, "The Innocents."
Part 1 - Album History
Vince Clarke and Andy Bell finally found UK chart success with their second album, "The Circus," but Erasure's third album, "The Innocents," was the one that started their 'Imperial Phase' in the UK. It also gave them their breakthrough in America. Sarah fills us in on the release, sales, and chart information for the album, which includes a bit of a surprise in the UK chart history. Moving on, Andrew, Brian, and Sarah discuss the making of the album, and in particular, the presence of producer Stephen Hague. Andrew shares information about the art design of the album cover and the related singles, and then Brian expresses confusion as to why so few singles were released from this record. The discussion also turns to the political and social climate of the time, which most certainly influenced the lyrics Andy Bell wrote for the album. And at one point, the hosts start talking about a very strange combination of artists: AC/DC, Pink Floyd and Christopher Cross!
Part 2 - Personal History
All three of the hosts have fond memories of "The Innocents." Of course, Andrew got his copy before Brian and Sarah could get theirs, since it was released about a month earlier in the UK than in the US. But Brian was no slacker; he picked it up the week of release in the US. Sarah once again got her copy of the album from Brian, and she gives him credit for getting it to her just before the school year ended. They all cited this album as being in their "heavy rotation" during the summer of 1988. Special bonus: what was it about this album that caused Brian to spend a solid week in an ocean-front arcade that summer???
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Episode 52: ABC - How to Be a...Zillionaire! (1985) Part 2
It's been a couple of weeks since Brian and Sarah started their discussion of ABC's third album, "How to Be a...Zillionaire!" And unfortunately, they were only able to cover the first two tracks on side one before they had to cut the episode short. So, this week they have a lot of catching up to do!
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
Our hosts jump right back into things and find themselves with two more singles and three videos to discuss on Side One. One video completely delights both Brian and Sarah, and the other two are a little less interesting to them both. Side Two only contains one video, but according to Brian's research, it's a rather notable one in music video history. Speaking of notable, Brian makes a notable revelation while discussing a song on Side Two, which refutes some of the things he said in the Personal History section of the previous episode. In addition to music, of course, our hosts talk quite a bit about fashion-- in relation to song lyrics and in relation to a particular live performance by the band, where one band member is wearing an unusual fashion accessory. And while regular listeners may be used to this podcast sometimes morphing into a mini James Bond movie podcast, this time it almost gets turned into-- of all things-- a Kirk Douglas podcast! What?!
Side One:
Vanity Kills
Ocean Blue
15 Storey Halo
Side Two:
A to Z
(How to Be a) Millionaire
Tower of London
So Hip It Hurts
Between You and Me
Part 4 - Final Review and Rating
Sarah goes first with her review and rating. She owned this album before Brian did, so she has a longer history with it. So, does that result in her giving it a higher rating than Brian does? Brian himself seems a bit surprised with the rating he decides to give the album, but he gives a good explanation of why, and he compares this album to others he has rated. And after Brian's comparison, Sarah feels even more comfortable with her own rating.
See the videos we discuss here:
Vanity Kills - UK Version
Vanity Kills - US Version
Ocean Blue
(How to Be a) Millionaire
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Episode 51: ABC - How to Be a...Zillionaire! (1985) Part 1
Even with fifty episodes now under their belts, Brian and Sarah still have plenty of "new old" albums they want to talk about. But how to decide on the next one? Well, Martin Fry of ABC turned 60 on March 9, so it seems like a good time to take a look at a classic ABC album. The one they choose is not the seminal debut album, "The Lexicon of Love," but the band's third effort, "How to Be a...Zillionaire!," released in 1985.
Part 1 - Album History
This album marked yet another departure in both sound and style for ABC. Sarah explains how the album came to be produced by Martin Fry and Mark White, and she tells the story of the audition process for new band members. Both she and Brian then talk about how and why the new members were ultimately selected. The other notable aspect of this era of ABC was the cartoon imagery. Sarah explains where that originated, and Brian adds to the story with some information he gleaned from friend of the show Andrew Dineley's article in Classic Pop magazine. Both hosts also share reviews of the album and talk about how the band's new image was received at the time.
Part 2 - Personal History
Sarah goes first with her personal history and, in a rare occurrence, announces that she owned this album before Brian did. This actually puzzles Brian somewhat, because he was a fan of two of the singles and bought the 12-inch single for one of the songs. Sarah explains the circumstances that led to her owning the cassette, and she also shares a story which takes place at a church retreat but involves some of the non-church-friendly lyrics found on the album.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Due to Brian being under the weather during the show preparation, our hosts don't get too far in their look at Side One; only the first two tracks are discussed. But Brian's weakened state doesn't prevent him from providing insightful comments and interesting information about the music, the lyrics, and the one video. Sarah also shares some facts and opinions, both her own and from other sources, and one comment from a review causes Brian to temporarily slip into James Bond podcast mode again-- for which he seems eerily well-prepared. Sarah eventually brings him back to the topic at hand, and they end this episode after discussing "Be Near Me."
Fear of the World
Be Near Me
See the video we discuss here:
Be Near Me
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Episode 50: Depeche Mode - Some Great B-Sides
Brian and Sarah are excited (and maybe a little surprised, as well!) to be at the fifty-episode milestone of the Permanent Record Podcast. To celebrate, they decide to do something different for this show. It's not quite "flipping the script," though; it's simply flipping some records to talk about some of their favorite Depeche Mode B-sides.
Each host chooses three B-sides to talk about, and as they take turns discussing each selection, it works out that the songs are just about in chronological order as well.
The fact that the songs are B-sides doesn't stop our intrepid hosts from finding information to talk about with each track. Brian and Sarah discuss live performances of the B-sides, remixed versions, and in the case of one B-side, chart position! Brian shares an interesting remix story which completely delights Sarah, and both of them reminisce about their college days and how Depeche Mode was a big part of those memories. And, once again, we find Brian talking about soda! (What is it about podcasting that seems to makes him so thirsty, anyway?)
Ice Machine
Shout!
(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
Happiest Girl
Dangerous
Sea of Sin
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Episode 49: David Bowie - Let's Dance (1983) Part 3
The month of February is coming to a close, and so is Brian and Sarah's discussion of the 1983 David Bowie album, "Let's Dance." This episode finds our hosts ready to flip the record to Side Two of this classic LP.
Part 3 - Track by Track, continued
Side Two, like Side One, also contains four tracks. However, only one of the tracks on Side Two was released as the A-side of a single, and it actually came out a year before the album did. Brian and Sarah spend some time discussing the differences between the movie soundtrack version of "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" and the album version. Another song on Side Two is revealed to be a cover, although unlike "China Girl," David Bowie didn't have a hand in writing it. While Brian and Sarah both enjoy the song, they have some issues and questions about Bowie's decision to include it on the album and the lyrics he changed. But by the time they get to the last song on "Let's Dance," there's no question about it-- both hosts dislike it immensely!
Ricochet
Criminal World
Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
Shake It
Part 4 - Extra Credit
Since "Let's Dance" contains some covers, Brian decides a good topic for the Extra Credit question is "Favorite Bowie Covers." Each host chose their top two songs, but it turns out only three songs are discussed. Which song made both hosts' short list? Listen to find out!
Part 5 - Final Review and Rating
Sarah decides to take the boxing theme portrayed on the album cover and apply it to her review of the album. Is "Let's Dance" a heavyweight champion, or is it a 98-pound weakling? Her track-by-track (or should we say round-by-round?) analysis provides the answer. Brian then follows up with a lot of mathematical formulas and calculations to determine his final rating for the album. After all, if cold, hard numbers worked for Bowie in the 80s, why can't they work for Brian's album rating as well?
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Episode 48: David Bowie - Let's Dance (1983) Part 2
Another week has passed, and it's time once again for Brian and Sarah to discuss a classic album. Last week they set the stage for the 1983 album by David Bowie, titled "Let's Dance," by talking about the three-year period between his prior album and this one. They also discussed the release of "Let's Dance," its huge success, and the subsequent worldwide tour. In this episode, they'll discuss the songs on Side One.
Part 2 - Personal History
This is the first time Brian and Sarah are discussing an album that neither of them owned back in high school. Brian explains when and why he got into David Bowie, and what his first Bowie-related purchases were. Sarah says she knew the big hits from this album, and surprisingly seemed to remember seeing at least a couple of the videos as well. But she got into Bowie around the same time, or maybe even a little after, Brian did-- which was a mere 23 years ago. But it should be clear from the amount of information and opinions our hosts have about David Bowie, that he quickly became a very important part of their musical lives.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Last week our hosts talked about the video for "Modern Love," but they didn't really discuss the song in depth. So today they start from the beginning of Side One and cover each of the four songs in detail, and they also discuss the other two videos associated with this side. They talk about Bowie's attempt to send anti-racist messages in those videos, and whether or not he was successful. Sarah reveals her very favorite image of David Bowie is contained within one of these videos. Also, during the discussion, Brian and Sarah mention a variety of beverages, including Pepsi, juice boxes, and pop-- oh wait, it was Iggy Pop, not soda pop! And speaking of other artists, Tina Turner gets a mention as well!
Modern Love
China Girl
Let's Dance
Without You
See the videos we discuss here:
China Girl
Let's Dance
Pepsi - "Creation"
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Episode 47: David Bowie - Let's Dance Part 1 (Bowie: 1980 to 1983)
During the "Colour by Numbers" episodes, our hosts mentioned the fact that a David Bowie song, "Let's Dance," prevented a Culture Club song from reaching number one on the charts. Brian and Sarah decided that now would be a good time to look into that number one song, and the album from which it came-- which is just about to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
Part 1 - Album History
"Let's Dance" was the first studio album from David Bowie in three years, which for him was a rather long break. It also marked several departures: from his record label, from his longtime producer, and from his typically more avant-garde, less accessible sound.
Brian felt it was important to explore the three-year gap between albums, to better understand what led David Bowie to create "Let's Dance." So with his stack of Bowie books at his side, he and Sarah spend time talking about the period from 1980 to 1983 and what activities and events were prominent in Bowie's life during that time. Our hosts touch on films like "The Hunger" and "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", songs like "Under Pressure" and "Cat People", and Bowie's feud with one-time manager Tony Defries.
Then they get into discussing the actual making of the record, the album's release and worldwide success, and the massive tour that followed. They close the episode by talking about the video for the first song on Side One, which was filmed during the "Serious Moonlight" tour and setting the stage for next week's in-depth look at all four songs from side one.
See the video we discuss here:
Modern Love
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Episode 46: Culture Club - Colour by Numbers (1983) Part 3
After a brief break, Brian and Sarah are back and ready to finish their discussion of "Colour By Numbers." The first two episodes were rather lengthy, so the challenge they face is whether they can discuss the entire second side of the album in a respectable amount of time, especially given the fact that there are three more singles and videos to talk about!
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
Side Two of "Colour By Numbers" starts off with the first single released for the album, and a video Brian reveals-- much to Sarah's surprise-- he had never seen before, until doing research for the podcast. Two other videos are discussed during this episode, one which our hosts deem excellent, and one which they both agree is of more questionable quality, much to Brian's dismay and discomfort. Sarah announces she has many examples of misheard lyrics to share, and in one instance, Brian says he misheard the same wrong word. Sarah corrupts Brian (so he claims) by telling him the meaning of a phrase in one of the songs, and Brian attempts to be cool by using new slang terms like "totes adorbs" and "cray cray." It's up to the listeners to decide whether he pulls it off. Sarah, however, remains stuck in the past with her repeated use of the word "dude." And will these two ever agree on which members of the Barron family directed the Culture Club videos?
Church of the Poison Mind
Miss Me Blind
Mister Man
Stormkeeper
Victims
Part 4: Final Review and Rating
Finally, after literally hours of discussion, the time comes for Brian and Sarah to give their reviews and record adapter ratings of this classic album. Sarah asks to go first and gives a somewhat lengthy, but thoughtful review and rating. Brian is up next and explains that because he has such a deep personal history with this album, he decides to rate it twice-- first from the perspective of knowing and loving the album for almost 35 years, and then from the perspective of someone just discovering the album today. How do those three ratings compare? Listen to find out!
See the videos we discuss here:
Church of the Poison Mind
Miss Me Blind
Victims
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Episode 45: Culture Club - Colour by Numbers (1983) Part 2
This week Brian and Sarah continue their discussion of the first side of Culture Club's second album, the 1983 release "Colour by Numbers." However, before they look back in time again, Brian looks to the future and shares information on some new music Culture Club has recorded but not yet released.
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
Last week's episode only got as far as the first track, which was a very popular single with a memorable video. As it turns out, the second track, "It's a Miracle," was also a hit single with a great video, so Brian and Sarah have a lot of information to share for this song as well. Brian goes into a little more depth about the songwriting collaboration between Culture Club and Phil Pickett, and in particular, Phil's relationship with guitarist/keyboardist Roy Hay. As they progress through side one, Sarah and Brian collaborate on another mini music lesson-- this time on a genre of music called bossa nova. And although Brian admits his opinions on some of the album tracks have changed greatly since his youth, he refuses to budge on singing the incorrect lyrics to one of the songs, even though he now knows the real words.
It's a Miracle
Black Money
Changing Every Day
That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You)
See the video we discuss here:
It's a Miracle
Bonus Content
This week's episode comes with some special bonus content, completely free of charge to you, the faithful PRP listener! Brian spends quite a bit of time discussing Paul McCartney's 38th post-Beatles single - and his first single to fail to chart - "Pretty Little Head." It's a really interesting and strange tune - maybe not as strange as a Paul McCartney discussion in the middle of a Culture Club podcast - but don't worry your pretty little head, the talk turns back to "It's a Miracle" before too long! :)
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Episode 44: Culture Club - Colour by Numbers (1983) Part 1
It's a new year, and Brian and Sarah are ready to get back into discussing classic albums! But first, they need to take care of a little leftover business from 2017. They announce the winner of their "Into the Gap" album giveaway, who was randomly selected from people who wrote in to the show and mentioned their favorite episode. They also remind the listeners of the winner of the digital download for the Human League's "Dare" album. Then, there's no putting it off any longer-- they begin their look into an album by a group many listeners mentioned over the past year as being one of their favorites. The group is Culture Club, and the album is the 1983 release "Colour by Numbers."
Part 1 - Album History
"Colour by Numbers" was the sophomore effort by Culture Club, but based on record sales and chart position for both the album and its many singles, it definitely didn't suffer from the "sophomore slump." Brian and Sarah trade statistics on the album's success for a while, and then they get into the making of the album and who was involved. Brian shares a lot of knowledge gleaned from the Boy George autobiography, "Take It Like a Man," but Sarah still manages to surprise him with some interesting facts and album reviews. Brian also muses about how short-lived Culture Club's success really was, although it didn't seem that way to him back in the day.
Part 2 - Personal History
Sarah goes first with her personal history and once again, doesn't have a lot to say. However, she finally explains why so many of these albums from the first half of the 80s weren't a part of her music collection. Brian, on the other hand, has a great deal of personal history with this album and with Culture Club in general. But he wasn't the only Culture Club fan in his family, and in fact reveals that it was another member of his family who may have inadvertently sparked his obsession with the band. He also mentions yet another family member-- perhaps a surprising one-- who was a big Boy George fan.
Part 3 - Track by Track
The first song on side one of "Colour by Numbers" is the worldwide smash, "Karma Chameleon." Because of the iconic status of both the song and the video, Brian and Sarah have a lot of information and opinions to share. And because they've already talked a lot about the album history and personal history, track one is as far as they get for this first episode of 2018.
Karma Chameleon
See the video we discuss here:
Karma Chameleon
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Episode 43: Erasure - Crackers International (1988) Part 2 plus Pet Shop Boys - "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas"
For the last episode of 2017, Brian and Sarah take a quick break from holiday preparations to finish their discussion of the 1988 EP by British synthpop duo Erasure, titled "Crackers International." (And it just so happens there's a big box of Christmas crackers in the studio with our hosts as they record!) And in keeping with both the episode's Christmas theme and the "British synthpop duo" theme, Brian and Sarah also discuss the song "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" by the Pet Shop Boys.
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
The second side of the UK release contains only two songs, just like the first side. However, Brian does get into discussing the various remixes of the first song on side two, "Knocking On Your Door." Both Brian and Sarah continue to praise Vince Clarke for his effortless keyboard riffs, and they also have very complimentary things to say about Andy Bell's vocals on both tracks. But they're a little more critical about Erasure's decision to release these four tracks as an EP, rather than as individual singles.
Knocking On Your Door
She Won't Be Home
Part 4: Final Review and Rating
Sarah goes first and gives what seems for her to be a rather off-the-cuff review and rating of this EP. Brian, on the other hand, sounds like he's somewhat conflicted about giving a rating to this collection of songs. He does finally provide one, though, and it surprises Sarah a bit.
Part 5: Christmas Bonus Track
Brian and Sarah are still in the mood to discuss Christmas songs, so they decide to talk about the Pet Shop Boys' song "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas." Originally a gift to the Pet Shop Boys' fan club members in 1997, this song found its way onto a CD in 2005, but it wasn't until 2009 that it made it onto an actual Pet Shop Boys release-- and it was yet another EP, aptly titled "Christmas." While certainly a fan favorite, this song didn't get a wide release like Wham!'s "Last Christmas," much to the chagrin of both Brian and Sarah.
Part 6: Year End Recap and Favorite Episodes
It's been a year since the Permanent Record Podcast first started, and Brian and Sarah decide to wax nostalgic. They each talk about their favorite things about doing the podcast, and they try to narrow down their favorite episodes as well. It's clear the hosts have been having a lot of fun so far, and they seem eager to continue the fun into 2018!
Part 7: Christmas Giveaway
In the time since the previous episode was made available, someone claimed the first giveaway, so now all that's left to win is the new, unopened LP of "Into the Gap" by The Thompson Twins. Brian once again provides the details on how to get a chance to win this excellent classic album. Don't forget to enter!
See the video we discuss here:
Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas - Live at The O2, 2009
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Episode 42: Erasure - Crackers International (1988) - Part 1 Plus Wham! "Last Christmas"
With the holiday season now in full swing, Brian and Sarah finally carved out some time in their busy schedules to sit down and record another podcast. And this week's selection has a definite holiday theme-- it's the November 1988 EP from Erasure, titled "Crackers International." However, they decide to make it an even more Christmasy episode by throwing in a bonus track at the end-- one of the best known Christmas songs of the 1980s.
Part 1 - Album History
This is the first EP Brian and Sarah have discussed on the show, so both hosts provide some information on how EPs are classified in both the UK and the US. They then go on to talk about where this album falls in the Erasure discography, and where it charted in various countries. Sarah provides a lot of information about the cover art, and voices her skepticism about whether the picture is an homage or more of a ripoff. Brian explains there is a "Crackers International Part II," with a slightly different track listing, and Sarah says the cover art on that EP is a definite ripoff-- but from the cover artist himself!
Part 2 - Personal History
Sarah is once again unsure about when or how she acquired this record. She deduced it would have been a bit inconvenient for Brian to copy, due to its short length. Brian reveals that he didn't actually own a real copy of the EP himself until college, when he bought it on CD. So why is there a store-bought copy of the cassette in their collection?
Part 3 - Track by Track
Our hosts have a lot of fun discussing the two songs on side one of the EP. It sounds like they're in agreement about a lot of things, such as the magnificent keyboard skills of Vince Clarke and the questionable quality of the video for the first song. And Brian has another opportunity to re-proclaim his love for synthetic-sounding drums!
Stop!
The Hardest Part
Part 4 - Christmas Bonus Track
Since "Crackers International" is a shorter selection, and since Christmas is coming, Brian and Sarah decide this is the perfect time to discuss not only an 80s classic, but a Christmas classic as well-- the 1984 song "Last Christmas" by Wham! They provide a lot of information about the song's chart history (which spans decades!), the many different Wham! versions of the song, the many cover versions of the song, and the wonderful video both hosts just discovered while researching for the episode.
Extra Bonus - Christmas Giveaways!
This episode finds our hosts full of the generosity of the season, so during the course of the episode, Brian mentions two different giveaways that two lucky listeners can win. One is mentioned at the beginning, and the other is mentioned at the end-- and the second one is the bigger prize. So be sure to listen to the whole way through to find out how to enter!
See the videos we discuss here:
Stop!
Last Christmas
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Episode 41: ThompsonTwins – Into The Gap (1984) Part 3
The cast of Permanent Record Podcast is back! It feels like it has been more than two weeks, but evidently that’s due to the high-level of fun that Brian and Sarah packed into their last 14 days. After the two hosts sum up their experience seeing Culture Club in concert over the prior weekend, they get back to their discussion of the Thompson Twins’ classic 1984 album “Into The Gap,”
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
This side of the record provided a major international hit for the band with the first single “Hold Me Now.” Do Brian and Sarah enjoy this song as much as they did the whole of side one – or do they feel, 33 years on, that the song has been overplayed? And what aspect of this music is impressing Sarah the most? Whatever it is, she shows up ready to educate us all on the topic! Meanwhile Brian lets us know which of these songs he would have selected as the 3rd US single and also which song he thinks would have fit comfortably on the group’s previous album “Quick Step & Side Kick.” Finally, the hosts just generally provide a ton of great Thompson Twins information in this episode - I mean, they must right – this installment is longer than some movies! Geez!!
The Gap
Hold Me Now
Storm On The Sea
Who Can Stop The Rain
Part 4: Extra Credit Question
Sarah touched on it way back in the first installment of this Thompson Twins retrospective, but now B&S tackle it in more detail: The return of Tom Bailey to the World of Pop in 2014! They discuss the reasons why, after over 20 years, Tom has finally agreed to sing all of these classic songs again and reminisce a bit about their trip to see him two years ago on the “Retro Futuro” tour.
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Brian has been telegraphing is final score for the record for weeks now, so Sarah is really the person of interest here. She claims that she wasn’t all that familiar with this record until recently, so what kind of impact did these songs make on her and what rating is she going to give it? Only time, or skipping to the end of the episode, will tell!
See the videos we discuss here:
Hold Me Now (Official Video)
Hold Me Now (Live Aid)
And here are some cool photos we took of Tom Bailey in 2014 - hopefully your podcast app will let you see them!
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Episode 40: Thompson Twins - Into the Gap (1984) Part 2
This episode finds our hosts feeling much healthier, and they're definitely up to continuing their discussion of the 1984 Thompson Twins album, "Into the Gap." They were only able to get through the album history, their personal history, and the first song last time, so there's still a lot of good music to get through! But before they head back "Into the Gap," Sarah mentions a couple of current events having to do with lead singer Tom Bailey, who recently returned to the performing scene after almost a three-decade absence.
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
As they resume the track-by-track analysis, Brian reminds the listeners that he and Sarah are discussing the UK version of the album of "Into the Gap," so the track listing is just a little different from the US version. He also points out that either way, there are three singles and three videos on the first side. And it turns out the delay in recording this episode ended up serving two purposes-- it allowed our hosts to recover, but it also gave Sarah time to change some of her opinions. She still manages to surprise Brian with some of her comments, but she also delights him by informing him of a connection between the songs "You Take Me Up" and Depeche Mode's "Everything Counts." Also in this episode, Brian revisits the James Bond movie podcast idea and then struggles mightily to remember the name of the film “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.” Finally (and most refreshingly!) our hosts find themselves once again discussing soft drink commercials!
You Take Me Up
Day After Day
Sister of Mercy
No Peace for the Wicked
See the videos we discuss here:
You Take Me Up
Sister of Mercy (partial)
Location of "You Take Me Up" filming: https://www.google.pt/maps/place/Pedreira/@37.1503229,-8.1161304,1194m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0xd1aba2b191ca809:0x388e54d804a69390!8m2!3d37.2360513!4d-8.0433247
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Episode 39: Thompson Twins - Into The Gap (1984) Part 1
This artist selection for this episode was inspired partially by the previous two episodes. In the discussion about The Cure, it was mentioned that Boris Williams had joined The Cure after leaving his position as a touring member of the Thompson Twins. Brian and Sarah decided it was a good time to talk about that previous band Boris Williams was in, and they chose the Thompson Twin's fourth album, 1984's "Into the Gap," to discuss here.
Part 1 - Album History
Brian reminds us that some of the early history of the band was covered during the mixtape episode, so the focus on the history shifts more to the making of the album and some of the adventures the band had during recording in the Bahamas. For a brief moment, Brian thinks he's doing a James Bond movie podcast, until Sarah brings him back to reality. They go on to discuss the chart success of the "Into the Gap," some mixed reviews from music critics, and the album art. Brian reveals that the cover of his cassette is inexplicably different from the traditional album cover. One other interesting tidbit the hosts discovered in their research was that yet another future member of The Cure was also a touring member of the Thompson Twins at this time!
Part 2 - Personal History
One of the hosts has a rather unimpressive personal history with this album, so it's probably best that she spoke first. (Guess the pronoun gives away who it is!) Brian, on the other hand, has impressively vivid memories of purchasing the cassette back in 1984, and he explains how the Thompson Twins, and this album in particular, became one of the cornerstones of his musical library and heavily influenced his listening preferences to this day.
Part 3 - Track by Track
Finally, the discussion of the album begins. But by the time Brian and Sarah get done talking (or rather, gushing) about the music, vocals, and video for the first track on side one, more than an hour has passed! This fact, plus the fact that they are both feeling somewhat under the weather, reluctantly leads our hosts to the decision to end the episode after discussing "Doctor! Doctor!" It definitely wasn't planned or preferred, but given the circumstances, it was probably the wise choice.
See the video we discuss here:
Doctor! Doctor!
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Episode 38: The Cure - The Head on the Door (1985) Part 2
Brian, Sarah, and guest co-host Colby Zell have returned to the BlueZone Podcast Headquarters to finish their exploration of "The Head on the Door"-- no, not an actual head on a door, but the 1985 album by The Cure.
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
Side One ended with a bang for two of the hosts, but a whimper for the other. And as Side Two is played, there are several more two-against-one conflicts, but with different parties on each side. Two more videos are discussed, and surprisingly, Sarah confesses to being disturbed by one of them. Also in this episode, Sarah eagerly revisits the topic of saxophone solos with Brian, who loudly voiced his opinion on them during the Tears for Fears "Songs From the Big Chair" episodes. Colby continues to share thoughtful insights on how the songs spoke to him as a youth and is especially into talking about the song "A Night Like This" - or maybe not!
The Baby Screams
Close to Me
A Night Like This
Screw
Sinking
Part 4: Extra Credit Question
The topic of the Extra Credit question is "The Cure in Orange," a 1986 movie of The Cure performing in a French amphitheater Brian is upset he has to try to pronounce. (He was hoping Sarah would do it.) Brian says there is something notable about this movie, and what he's thinking of is not the obvious thing Sarah first mentions. Colby expresses an awareness of the movie, but for some reason he never got to see it, despite Brian owning a VHS copy of it back in high school, when they were friends.
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Brian goes first with his review and rating of the album. He has said some very complimentary things about many songs on the album, but was there enough praise for him to hand out another five record-adapter rating? Colby has expressed a deep connection to this album, and he provides a thoughtful-- and extemporaneous-- commentary, followed by his record-adapter rating. Sarah is last to give her thoughts and rating, and her final verdict may surprise you!
See the videos we discuss here:
Close to Me
Close to Me (Remix)
A Night Like This
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Episode 37: The Cure - The Head on the Door (1985) Part 1
After 36 episodes, Brian and Sarah decide it's finally time to discuss one of alternative rock's most long-lived and influential bands, The Cure. The album they select is the sixth release from Robert Smith and company, 1985's "The Head on the Door." And, they've brought in friend of the show and guest co-host Colby Zell to join in the discussion, since this album is near and dear to him as well. A lengthy and lively conversation ensues!
Part 1: Album History
"The Head on the Door" is the first album by what many consider to be the classic Cure lineup. Brian provides us with details on how this incarnation of the band came to be, as well as what other things Robert Smith had going on in the time immediately beforehand. Sarah shares the release and chart information for the album, explains where the album title came from, and also prompts an interesting and somewhat humorous discussion about the album cover art.
Part 2: Personal History
Colby explains how he came to acquire "The Head on the Door" and expresses his frustration in being unable to get other friends interested in The Cure at the time. Brian, ever the rebel, reveals how he engaged in an activity forbidden by his parents in order to obtain his copy of the cassette. Sarah says her first exposure to The Cure came via a mixtape, which contained some song titles that caused her to raise her eyebrows.
Part 3: Track by Track
The trio finally get down to the business of exploring the tracks on side one of the album. The Cure is hailed by many as goth-rock pioneers, but our hosts encounter a variety of musical styles and influences as they progress through the songs. Brian discloses a traumatic experience he had involving the video for the first single, to which Colby provides no sympathy. Robert Smith's unique voice is discussed, with Sarah mentioning an easily-won argument she had in college about that topic. Colby provides tips for binge drinking on a budget in Portugal. Also covered are such diverse topics as misheard lyrics, habitual lying, New Order, and Epcot Center.
In Between Days
Kyoto Song
The Blood
Six Different Ways
Push
See the video we discuss here:
In Between Days
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Episode 36: Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame (1982) Part 2
This week continues the discussion of Depeche Mode's sophomore effort, the 1982 release "A Broken Frame. " Before the review of side two begins, though, Brian shares with the audience some information relating to one of the videos discussed on the previous episode, which he learned while doing research for this episode.
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
Our hosts flip the album to discover what awaits them on side two. What they find is a hodge-podge of musical styles, some mediocre lyrics, some well-written lyrics, and the song that Brian declares to be his least favorite Depeche Mode song of all time! There's a lot of giggling from our hosts while they discuss the only video on this side, again directed by Julien Temple, and Sarah continues to come up with creative names for the various sounds she hears throughout the five songs. And how do The Simpsons find their way into this discussion about Depeche Mode?
Satellite
The Meaning of Love
A Photograph of You
Shouldn't Have Done That
The Sun and the Rainfall
Part 4: Extra Credit
Many people may say the best thing about "A Broken Frame" is its outstanding album cover. For extra credit, Brian and Sarah discuss the story behind the beautiful photograph that graces the cover of "A Broken Frame." Brian reveals that the same photographer who brought us the absurd image on "Speak & Spell" is responsible for this award-winning picture, and Sarah shares her experience of seeing the photo in an unexpected place. She also declares it to be her favorite Depeche Mode album cover. (And who can blame her?)
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for! What do Brian and Sarah think of the first Depeche Mode album written entirely by Martin Gore? It's well-known that this is the band's least favorite album, so is that also the case with our hosts? Listen as Sarah shares her ideas on how the band could have chosen to proceed in the wake of Vince Clarke's departure, and then goes on to explain her dilemma in rating this album. Brian seems a little conflicted as well, but offers a thoughtful comparison of the highs and lows on the album, and then provides his rating. Based on their comments so far, it's probably safe to assume that neither one gives it a five record adapter rating, but how low do they go?
See the video we discuss here:
The Meaning of Love
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Episode 35: Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame (1982) Part 1
Last week, Brian and Sarah talked about the two newest releases from the legendary Boys from Basildon, the mighty Depeche Mode! This week they go back almost to the very beginning with 1982's "A Broken Frame." While it may not be the band's first album, it's the first to be completely penned by Mr. Martin L. Gore.
Part 1: Background
1982 was a hectic, crazy year for Depeche Mode. After finally earning a top ten record with "Just Can't Get Enough", chief songwriter Vince Clarke announced he was leaving the band. With an extensive tour already booked and momentum growing with each new single, Depeche couldn't afford to let it slow them down! How did the band members react to the situation and what did the public think about this new direction? Brian and Sarah paint a verbal picture of late September 1982 when "A Broken Frame" appeared in shops all around the world and take us inside the DM camp with quotes from and stories of Dave, Martin, and Fletch!
Part 2: Personal History
It's the least engaging"Personal History" segment yet as both Brian and Sarah realize they have nothing interesting to say about their discovery of this record. Sorry folks!!
Part 3: Track by Track
This is it, friends - the first side of the first record to ever come fully from the musical mind of Martin Gore! Was this batch of songs an instant classic like "Violator" and "Black Celebration" - or did Martin have to learn to walk before he could fly? How did this record differ from "Speak and Spell?" Why did Dave seem to love bow ties so much? What's the deal with this 5.1 surround mix Brian keeps going on about? What does Sarah think about Julian Temple's videos for "Leave In Silence" and "See You?" All these questions and more are answered in this week's episode!
Leave In Silence
My Secret Garden
Monument
Nothing To Fear
See You
See the videos we discuss here:
Leave In Silence
See You
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Episode 34: Depeche Mode - "Heroes" (David Bowie cover) and "Cover Me" (2017)
In the last episode, our hosts mentioned they would next be doing another "emergency episode" to talk about "Cover Me," the recently-announced third single off Depeche Mode's 2017 album, "Spirit." However, the morning they started their preparations for the show, Brian and Sarah were greeted with the news that Depeche Mode had released a video performance of David Bowie's "Heroes" in celebration of the song's 40th anniversary. So this episode has become dual-purposed, discussing two new releases from the mighty Mode.
Part 1:
Brian wants to be sure the listeners are familiar with the source material before he and Sarah get into discussing the cover version, so he provides a wealth of information on David Bowie's "Berlin" period, the recording of the album "Heroes," and background about the song "Heroes" itself. Sarah points out he has turned this into a more of a "crossover" episode than the New Order one where they mention John Denver for about two minutes.
Part 2:
Having caught everyone up on the original song, Brian looks to Sarah to provide information on Depeche Mode's recording of "Heroes," which took place during the Highline Sessions in New York City. She explains the long-standing connection between Dave Gahan, this song, and Depeche Mode, and how David Bowie was an important influence in Dave's life. The two hosts then trade comments on the performance, various aspects of the song, and the accompanying video. In addition to talking about the typical things like vocals and instrumentation, Sarah makes note of both Dave's and Martin's wardrobe choices in the video, and how she recently realized Dave's choice actually has a connection to David Bowie.
Part 3:
Our hosts then turn their attention to the original subject of this episode: the song "Cover Me," soon to be released as the third single from "Spirit." Brian and Sarah both discussed this song during the concert report episode, but they have plenty of additional things to say about it here. They also feel more free to talk about the accompanying video, which, in a surprising move, turns out to be the same video that was shown during the concert. Sarah explains how complicated it is to work a pedal steel guitar, which is used in this song, and Brian muses about what he perceives to be a dark end for the character Dave portrays in the video.
Part 4:
For some reason, Sarah always seems taken aback during these emergency episodes when Brian asks her to provide a record-adapter rating for the song. However, she thinks on her feet and comes up with a rating for "Cover Me"-- perhaps a little too off-the-cuff, but she's relatively comfortable with it. Brian has obviously put more thought into his rating, and gives a good explanation of why he gives what he does. He then poses a relatively simple extra-credit question to Sarah: what should the next single be off of "Spirit," and what do you think it will actually be?
See the videos we discuss here:
David Bowie - "Heroes"
"Heroes" - Highline Sessions Version
Cover Me
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Episode 33: New Order - Technique (1989) Part 2
After an interruption to discuss Depeche Mode's Global Spirit Tour, Brian and Sarah are back to the task at hand, which is to finish their examination of the 1989 album "Technique", by Manchester's New Order. They begin with the last song on side one and then move on to side two.
Part 3: Track by Track, Continued
[Warning: This episode’s discussion contains a crossover with our parents’ music as the hosts spend some time discussing John Denver. Wait – did that really say “John Denver??” In a New Order episode?? That’s odd!!]
The second half of the album only contains one more single, and thus, only one more video-- which, for Brian and Sarah is a relief, as they've not been fond of the videos thus far. They do briefly wonder what videos for some of the other songs on side two would have been like, then quickly decide it's probably best they weren't made. However, that doesn't stop our hosts from wishing other songs on side two had been released as singles. They have a lot of good things to say about all four songs!
Guilty Partner
Run
Mr. Disco
Vanishing Point
Dream Attack
Part 4: Extra Credit
Since they delayed recording this episode to do a concert review instead, it's clear Brian and Sarah enjoy attending live performances of their favorite artists. With that in mind, the extra credit question Sarah poses to Brian should be an easy one: If given the chance back in the day, would Brian have attended a New Order concert promoting the album Technique?
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Sarah volunteers to go first with her final review of Technique. As regular listeners know, she has been pretty miserly with bestowing five record-adapter ratings on albums. But does her willingness to go first give something away? Brian, on the other hand, often makes fun of himself for how many five record-adapter ratings he's given. So will Technique get added to that ever-growing list? Listen and find out!
See the video we discuss here:
Run
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Episode 32: Concert Report - Depeche Mode "Global Spirit Tour" 2017
Brian and Sarah were preparing to present the second half of the New Order album "Technique" as the next episode, but a little band from Basildon made them change their minds. Instead, our hosts decided to talk about the Depeche Mode concert they just attended in Washington, DC.
Brian and Sarah have already done two "emergency episodes" to discuss singles off the latest Mode album, "Spirit," so it seemed only right to also devote an episode to a concert promoting that album.
Spoiler Alert! If you don't want to know about the setlist or other aspects of the Global Spirit Tour, this is not the episode for you. The hosts go over each song, from the opening to the encore.
Another spoiler alert, which shouldn't be much of a surprise-- Brian and Sarah loved the show! They also loved getting the chance to talk about it and help cement their newly-formed memories.
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Episode 31: New Order - Technique (1989) Part 1
After three weeks of discussing an album by what most would consider to be a "classic rock" band, Brian and Sarah shift back to the synthpop spectrum to look at the fifth album by the band New Order. But wait-- New Order isn't strictly a synthpop band, is it? Not at all, as our hosts are quick to point out in their discussion of this classic album. The 1989 release "Technique" has two distinct styles of music on it: one very electronically oriented, and one much more guitar oriented. How well do these two styles work together on a single album? Brian and Sarah discuss that, and much more, in this episode.
Part 1: Background
New Order was a well-established band by this point in time, with several big hits to their name. However, they hadn't had a number one album yet. Brian and Sarah discuss the chart success of this album. They also go into the making of the album itself, which was a rather unfocused and costly affair. Although this is often known as New Order's "Ibiza" album, Brian and Sarah explain why that's a bit of a misnomer, considering how much work was actually done in the Ibiza studio. The band's penchant for partying wasn't the only obstacle to completing Technique. Growing tensions with the record label, as well as within the band itself, had an effect on how this album was recorded and the music and lyrics contained on it.
Part 2: Personal History
Sarah explains that Technique was not the first New Order album she owned, but it was the first album she enjoyed and played all the way through more than once. She describes how a certain song on side two became very important to her at a particular point in time, and that song is ultimately how Brian got introduced to Technique. Brian then reveals that Technique became one of his essential "summer albums," sharing that title with Erasure's "Wonderland" as well as another, highly surprising choice.
Part 3: Track by Track
Technique isn't a long album, having five songs on side one and four songs on side two. But since this episode covers the album's background and the hosts' personal history with it, to even things out a bit, Brian and Sarah decide in this installment to discuss just the first four tracks on side one.
Fine Time
All The Way
Love Less
Round And Round
See the videos we discuss here:
Fine Time
Round and Round
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Episode 30: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 3
Brian and Sarah are back and ready to wrap up their discussion on Queen's 1986 album "A Kind Of Magic." We've already mentioned that this record is the unofficial soundtrack to the film "Highlander", so we won't bring that up here. Instead, let's move on and see what our hosts have to offer this episode.
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
Alright, there is a lot to keep track of this week: Brian declares one of these songs to be the most beautiful ballad ever written. Sarah shares a URL for a blog which reviews every Queen album track and manages to be awesome and incredibly pretentious at the same time. B&S discuss how the words "Star Wars" have ceased to mean what they really mean and they also reveal which song on this record was hated by both Freddie Mercury and John Deacon.
Who Wants To Live Forever
Gimme The Prize (The Kurgan's Theme)
Don't Lose Your Head
Princes Of The Universe
Part 4: Extra Credit
Part of the reason Brian and Sarah chose to talk about Queen right now is because they recently saw Queen + Adam Lambert in concert. Here they talk briefly about the show and the performances they witnessed that night in Philadelphia, PA.
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Brian and Sarah have explained how this album, back in 1991, kicked off a love affair with all things Queen and even resulted in them visiting London and a host of Queen-related locations. Now, here in 2017, they are being forced to assign a grade to the record. The pressure is on! How will Queen do?
See the videos we discuss here:
Who Wants To Live Forever
Princes Of The Universe
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Episode 29: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 2
With Queen being one of Brian and Sarah's two favorite bands, and considering that the pair had just seen Queen + Adam Lambert live just a few days before recording this episode, it's no surprise that their discussion on this 1986 album went a bit long. Last episode, Brian and Sarah talked about what was going on with Queen in 1985 and 1986, the recording of this album, their personal history with "A Kind Of Magic", and finally the record's first track, "One Vision." In this episode, the hosts take a listen to the other four songs that comprise side one of this "unofficial" soundtrack album.
Part 3 (continued): Track by Track
Some of these songs draw inspiration directly from the film "Highlander", and B&S let you know which ones specifically do so. The hosts tell the story of how Freddie Mercury strong-armed drummer Roger Taylor into taking a brief holiday so Freddie could take over one of Roger's songs. Brian sternly suggests to bassist John Deacon that he pay closer attention to the movie if he's going to write music for it. Sarah finds a way to compare Queen to her other favorite band Depeche Mode, whose new album "Spirit" Brian shamelessly hypes right in the middle of a discussion of saxophones. Hmmm...sounds like things are getting out of control!
A Kind Of Magic
One Year Of Love
Pain Is So Close To Pleasure
Friends Will Be Friends
See the video we discuss here:
A Kind Of Magic
One Year Of Love
Friends Will Be Friends
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Episode 28: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 1
With Sarah back from her travels, the two hosts shift their musical direction slightly and focus their attention on a band very beloved by them both: Queen. While by no means a New Wave or synth-pop act, Queen's output in the 1980s did tend more towards the pop segment of the music spectrum, and the album up for discussion is a strong example of that-- it's the 1986 release, "A Kind of Magic."
Because Brian and Sarah are so eager to finally talk about not only one of their very favorite bands, but also the first album they became familiar with by that band, they find themselves with a lot to say. So once again, their long-windedness has necessitated that side one of this album be broken up into two episodes.
Part 1: Background
"A Kind of Magic" is Queen's twelfth studio album, and it very easily could not have happened, if it weren't for two things: a particular day in July 1985 and the viewing of about twenty minutes of a film under production. The hosts discuss Queen's reluctance to produce another soundtrack album and the steps they took to ensure "A Kind of Magic" would stand as an album in its own right. Brian and Sarah also address the fact that the album has two different producers, each of whom tended to work with different halves of the band. They also bring up the international success the album had upon its release.
Part 2: Personal History
Brian starts off by listing the Queen 45s he owned as a youth, and then goes on to explain what got him to take a deeper interest in the band, several years later. By that time, Brian and Sarah were already dating, so Sarah's history with this album is associated with Brian playing it throughout their college years.
Part 3: Track by Track
Every song on the first side of this album was released as a single, at least somewhere in the world. And accordingly, almost every song also has a video associated with it. Brian and Sarah get especially caught up in talking about the first track and its video. Because they've already talked a lot about the background of the album and their personal history with both it and the band, this episode concludes after the discussion of "One Vision."
One Vision (That's it! Sorry! More next episode!)
See the video we discuss here:
One Vision
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Episode 27: Human League - Dare (1981) Part 2
Brian and Colby are back to continue their discussion of this seminal album by Phil Oakey and the Human League. Our hosts have already cued up side two so let's jump right into it!
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
This week, not only does the show bring you some fantastic music, it also brings you a very diverse collection of discussion topics. Brian and Colby find time to wax philosophical on Judge Dredd, the Kennedy assassination, storytelling in early 80s music videos, and recording songs in the bathroom. They also talk about what a nasty piece of work Phil's character is in the group's biggest hit. If you haven't really thought about the lyrics to "Don't You Want Me" before, now is the time to give them a quick read!
Get Carter
I Am The Law
Seconds
Love Action (I Believe In Love)
Don't You Want Me
Part 4: Extra Credit
Colby tries to stump his co-host by asking how the words "Love and Dancing" relate to the Human League's "Dare." Will Brian simply stare at his shoes for a few minutes or will he provide an acceptable answer? Tune in and find out!
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
Brian wouldn't stop telegraphing his 5/5 review as he droned on and on about how much he loves this record, but now that the moment has arrived - will he hand out his third consecutive "perfect" score? And Colby has been keeping his cards close to the vest - who knows which way he's going to go?? The stakes have never been higher for Phil and the girls!
See the videos we discuss here:
Love Action (I Believe In Love)
Don't You Want Me
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Episode 26: Human League - Dare (1981) Part 1
With Sarah off traveling the world, Brian welcomes back frequent co-host and friend of the show Colby Zell to sit in and discuss the classic offering from the new and different 1981 version of the Human League.
Part 1: Background
Pre-1981 the Human League was a fairly odd 4-piece releasing music that sometimes came close to sounding like pop, but more often than not would just be classified as some sort of 'sonic experience.' How did that band become the sextet that would conquer the world with "Don't You Want Me?" Brian and Colby tell the crazy tale of the band's transformation and reveal if this 'new look' League was able to win over the hearts and minds of the public.
Part 2: Personal History
Brian and Colby briefly discuss their own personal history with this record. Colby clues us in that even considering how huge this record was, it was another album by the League that he was listening to back in the early 80's. And Brian tries to move past the fact that he feels his mom owes him $5 from the day she picked up "Dare" for him at his local record shop.
Part 3: Track by Track
In a nice change of pace, both the US and the UK versions of "Dare" shared the same track listing, so for the first time in over a month, we don't have to worry about keeping two different sets of songs straight in our minds. Our hosts let the listeners know which songs on side 1 are 'red' songs and which are 'blue' songs - and what that means in the first place! Brian declares "fake music" the best music as Colby points out some areas where the original version of the Human League still has some influence on the songwriting of "Dare."
Side One:
The Things That Dreams Are Made Of
Open Your Heart
The Sound Of The Crowd
Darkness
Do Or Die
See the videos discussed here:
Open Your Heart (Official Video)
The Sound Of The Crowd (TOTP)
The Sound Of The Crowd (Jools Holland)
Do Or Die (OTT)
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Episode 25: Depeche Mode – Going Backwards (2017)
The last time our hosts had an "emergency episode" was way back in Episode 7, when the first single from Depeche Mode's new album "Spirit" was released. After several months, the second single, "Going Backwards," has finally been released, so another "emergency episode" is in order.
Part 1: Brian starts off the discussion of "Going Backwards," sharing his thoughts on the music, the vocals, and the lyrics. Sarah joins in and has some similar thoughts to Brian on the various aspects of the song.
Part 2: They both discuss the video for the song, with Brian admitting he wasn't aware of some of the features of the video until Sarah made mention of them. They also talk about the version of the song performed in the video, which is different from the album version.
Part 3: Brian asks Sarah to give the podcast's traditional record-adapter rating for this song. She seems to be a little wishy-washy with her rating; however, Brian states his case for his rating quite clearly and with some good supporting information.
Part 4: Brian gives Sarah a chance to redeem herself on her weak song rating performance by asking her to name her three favorite tracks on "Spirit." She does so with no hesitation, and she briefly goes into why they're her favorites. Brian follows suit by listing his three favorite tracks as well.
See the videos we discuss here:
Going Backwards - 360 Version
Going Backwards - Highline Sessions Version (Non 360)
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Episode 24: Concert Report - Tears For Fears 2017
Sarah and Brian had a little extra time on their hands this week, so they put together this mini-episode detailing their recent trip to the nation's capital to see a band they talked about just a month ago, Tears For Fears!
Spoiler alert! If you are going to see TFF on their summer tour with Hall & Oates and don't want the setlist spoiled for you, then don't listen to this episode as they go right down the list from the opening song to the encore.
Both hosts had a great time at the show and enjoyed the chance to relive it, however briefly, here on this special installment of the Permanent Record Podcast!
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Episode 23: Howard Jones – Dream Into Action (1985) Part 3
After a bit of a break to attend a cider festival, Brian and Sarah are back and ready to finally tackle the second side of this iconic sophomore album by Howard Jones. They jump right into an analysis of the six songs on side 2 of the US cassette release.
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
Side two, like side one, features six tracks for the listeners' enjoyment. Only one of them had a video released for it, and what a video it was! Brian and Sarah have a good time discussing the video for "Look Mama," and then Brian actually makes Sarah laugh until she cries with his misunderstanding of lyrics in "Bounce Right Back." However, not all of the conversation is as lighthearted; later songs feature discussions about the Tao Te Ching and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
Look Mama
Bounce Right Back
Elegy
Is There a Difference?
Automaton
Hunger for the Flesh
Part 4: Final Review and Rating
As he often does throughout the course of an album discussion, Brian has made it quite clear how much he enjoys "Dream Into Action." He asks to go first with his review and rating, which leaves the audience in suspense a little longer about Sarah's final review. She has made a lot of positive comments during the three episodes about this album, but is she finally ready to hand out her first-ever five record-adapter rating? You'll have to listen to find out!
See the video we discuss here:
Look Mama
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Episode 22: Howard Jones - Dream Into Action (1985) Part 2
Last week, our two hosts, Brian and Sarah, were so long-winded in their discussion of this classic album's history and their 30-year love affair with it that they only managed to get through the first two tracks before realizing that the show was running too long. This week, they get things back on track by finishing up the remaining four songs on side one and then briefly discussing the topic of Howard Jones' restaurant, something which came up on Facebook this past week.
Part 3: Track by Track
B&S talk about the rest of side one and a pair of videos. Also, Brian declares one of these songs to be more disturbing than anything by "dark" bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure. Sarah calls out a declaration of strength for being weak.
No One Is To Blame
Dream Into Action
Like To Get To Know You Well
Assault And Battery
See the videos we discuss here:
Like To Get To Know You Well (Original Version)
Like To Get To Know You Well (1985 Version)
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Episode 21: Howard Jones - Dream Into Action (1985) Part 1
After an abbreviated episode last week, this episode finds our hosts returning to the traditional format of discussing an entire album. And discuss it they do--in fact, so much so that even the first side has to be broken up into two episodes! What selection prompted so much conversation between Brian and Sarah? It's "Dream Into Action," the second studio album by British musician Howard Jones, released in 1985.
Part 1: Background
Both hosts share information about Howard Jones, his musical upbringing, and his early struggles to get a record deal. They mention his debut album, "Human's Lib," and the success it found on the British charts. Then the discussion turns to the making of "Dream Into Action" and the performance of the album and the singles in both the UK and the US. Some time is spent discussing the different track listings and track selections for the UK and US releases. Brian and Sarah are more familiar with the US cassette version, so they've chosen that track listing to analyze.
Part 2: Personal History
Once again, Sarah did not own an actual copy of "Dream Into Action" back in the day, and in fact, it was quite some time until she even had any copy of it. She was, however, familiar with the singles, and she shares a story from her high school years that's quite typical of many teenage girls at the time. Brian, on the other hand, was introduced to the album pretty early on, but it came to him in a somewhat unusual manner compared to his typical record acquisitions.
Part 3: Track by Track
Brian and Sarah find themselves with a lot to say about the first two tracks on Side One-- which is no surprise, considering both songs were major international hits. They also spend quite a bit of time discussing the two videos. So, to save the listeners' ears, this episode concludes after the discussion of "Life In One Day." (Part 2 of the discussion covers the rest of the tracks on Side One of the US cassette.)
Things Can Only Get Better
Life in One Day
See the videos we discuss here:
Things Can Only Get Better
Life In One Day
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Episode 20: The 45 Face Off!!
It was a very busy weekend for Brian and Sarah and although they weren't able to record a new episode, they did discover a new record shop near their house! Their first visit resulted in them buying a small stack of 80's 7" singles, or as we more often refer to them, 45's!
The hosts, together with their visiting niece Grace, select a few of the 45s to face off in a battle royal, with Brian and Sarah making a case for each record and Grace passing judgment on which fighter moves on to the next level.
Here are the battles we decide for you:
Round 1: Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" VS Boys Don't Cry "Who The Am Dam Do You Think You Am"
Round 2: The Church "Under The Milky Way" VS Robbie Nevil "Dominoes"
Round 3: George Michael "Faith" VS Erasure "Chains Of Love"
Round 4: Depeche Mode "Everything Counts (Live)" VS New Order "Blue Monday 1988"
Now the conflict moves onto our Facebook page where we ask you to pick the winners of the next 2 rounds! Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast to cast your vote!
Thanks for listening! See you next week with a full episode featuring a look back at a classic 80's New Wave album!
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 19: Erasure - Wonderland (1986) Part 2
This episode continues the discussion of Erasure's 1986 debut album, titled Wonderland. In the time since the previous episode, Brian received his copy of Erasure's latest release, World Be Gone, and he reports he's been enjoying it quite a bit so far. But then the hosts return to Wonderland.
Part 3: Track by Track, continued
At the end of the album's first side, we found Brian completely delighted and Sarah somewhat underwhelmed by what they'd heard. Do they feel the same about side two? As the hosts give their thoughts on the five tracks, they also give possible wardrobe suggestions for Andy Bell, and they once again struggle to describe various keyboard sounds. Sarah tells a story from her high school days related to one of the songs, and she later reveals the astonishing original topic for the song "Love is a Loser!"
Say What
Love Is a Loser
March on Down the Line
My Heart...So Blue
Oh L'Amour
Part 4: Extra Credit
Brian and Sarah own the US version of Wonderland, which has a different track listing than the UK release. For extra credit, they discuss the two tracks that were omitted from the US version: Push Me, Shove Me and Pistol. They talk about whether the songs should have been added to the US version, if they should have been used in place of other tracks, or if the album was better without them.
Part 5: Final Review and Rating
It's clear Wonderland holds a special place in Brian's heart. But does he like it well enough to give it a five out of five record-adapter rating? Sarah, on the other hand, has been more critical of the album, so Brian is on pins and needles waiting to hear her review and rating.
See the videos we discuss here:
Oh L'Amour (Original Version)
Oh L'Amour (Second Version)
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Episode 18: Erasure - Wonderland (1986) Part 1
This week's episode is timed to coincide with the brand new release from Erasure, titled World Be Gone. But rather than discussing the new album, Brian and Sarah go back 31 years, to the debut album from the synthpop duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell.
Part 1: Background
By 1986, Vince Clarke-- or at least his music-- is familiar to many in the UK, having had chart successes as a founding member of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and The Assembly. Brian provides a little more information on Vince's musical history, even before the Depeche Mode days. Sarah tells us about newcomer Andy Bell and how he and Vince came to form Erasure. Then the two discuss the making of Wonderland, the singles associated with it, and the rather surprising chart positions of both the album and the singles.
Part 2: Personal History
Did either Brian or Sarah own the actual album or cassette of Wonderland back in the day? The answer may surprise you. Also, Brian provides another reason why it was a good time to discuss this album-- and it has to do with the weather!
Part 3: Track by Track
Both the US and UK versions of Wonderland contain five tracks on the first side, but the track listing is different. Brian and Sarah grew up with the US version, so they review those songs. During that conversation, we learn the hosts have differing opinions on the types of drum sounds they prefer. They both have thoughts on which songs have similarities to Yazoo songs. They also delve into the more serious topic of sexuality in the 1980s and the different ways it was approached by artists at the time. And finally, much to Brian's surprise, Sarah reveals she's not always that impressed with Andy Bell's vocals. But both Brian and Sarah agree on the silliness of the two videos they discuss!
Who Needs Love Like That
Reunion
Cry So Easy
Senseless
Heavenly Action
See the videos discussed here:
Who Needs Love Like That
Heavenly Action
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Episode 17: Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985) - Part 2
This week's episode continues Brian and Sarah's discussion of the second Tears for Fears album, Songs from the Big Chair. The first side of this 1985 release contained several chart-topping hits, but the second side has a decidedly different feel to it, and our hosts engage in a spirited discussion of the four tracks.
Part 3: Track by Track (Continued)
As they review each song on side two, Brian and Sarah bring up such diverse topics as saxophones, harmony, laziness, Game of Thrones, a Seinfeld character, and Chicken McNuggets. An excellent video and an awful video are also discussed.
I Believe
Broken
Head Over Heels
Listen
Part 4: Extra Credit
Before the album is given a final review and rating, Brian mentions the Tears for Fears song The Way You Are and asks Sarah about it. She shares the background of the song, and the two discuss its pros and cons. Brian also talks about how the band members feel about this somewhat forgotten track.
Part 5: Final Grade
Brian admitted going into this discussion that he was a big fan of the singles, but not as big a fan of the album as a whole. So after several listens in preparation for this podcast, how does Brian finally decide to rate Songs from the Big Chair? Sarah, on the other hand, was a big fan from her first listen back in 1985. So do her teenage memories and feelings for this album affect her final rating, or does she take a more objective approach?
See the videos we discuss here:
I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)
Head Over Heels
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 16: Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985) Part 1
After a break to celebrate Brian's birthday, our hosts are back and ready to discuss an iconic 80s album by the British band Tears for Fears. Songs from the Big Chair was released in 1985 and produced several international hits, as well as some memorable videos.
Part 1: Background
Sarah fills us in on the band's main members, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, and the work they did together leading up to the formation of Tears for Fears. The band's first album, The Hurting, is discussed briefly, and then the focus shifts to the recording and release of the second album, Songs from the Big Chair.
Part 2: Personal History
In a rare role reversal, Sarah actually owned a real copy of this cassette, but Brian did not. Did he own the album in any form, and if so, did he play it? You may be as surprised as Sarah was to learn the answer.
Part 3: Track by Track
Brian and Sarah go over each of the four tracks on the first side. Each of them have some pretty strong opinions about the songs, but how much do they agree with each other, especially when it comes to the second track? They also discuss how Roland tended to be very unenthusiastic about what became the band's biggest hits.
Shout
The Working Hour
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Mothers Talk
See the videos we discuss here:
Shout
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Mothers Talk (Version 1)
Mothers Talk (Version 2)
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 15: 80's Mix Tape - The Pixies, Katrina & The Waves, Thompson Twins, The Cult, & Pseudo Echo
Work on our 80's mix tape continues as Brian, Sarah, Colby, and, via telephone, an under-the-weather Beil compile five classic New Wave songs for side two! This week the group picks some truly great tracks, especially if you like stories of hobos on trains, large numbers of people getting fired, or the comic character Fido Dido!
Mix Tape Side Two - Track by Track
- Colby's pick: "Here Comes Your Man" by The Pixies
- Sarah's pick: "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves
- Brian's pick: "In The Name Of Love" by The Thompson Twins
- Colby's pick: "She Sells Sanctuary" by The Cult
- Beil's pick: "Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo
See the videos we discuss here:
Here Comes Your Man
Walking On Sunshine
In The Name Of Love (Live)
She Sells Sanctuary
Funky Town
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 14: 80's Mix Tape - Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Mission, The Church, Scritti Politti, & Depeche Mode
This week finds Brian and Sarah being joined by Colby Zell (guest co-host on the "Phantoms" episodes) for a change of pace from the regular album discussion. The trio is putting together an 80s mixtape of favorite songs from the era. Sarah, Brian, and Colby have each selected three songs to contribute to the tape, and after their selections are revealed, some lively discussion of the tracks ensues.
Mixtape Side One - Track by Track
- Sarah's pick: "Come on Eileen "by Dexy's Midnight Runners
- Brian's pick: "Deliverance" by The Mission UK
- Colby's pick: "Under the Milky Way" by The Church
- Sarah's pick: "Perfect Way" by Scritti Politti
- Brian's pick: "Shake the Disease" by Depeche Mode
See the videos we discuss here:
Come on Eileen
Deliverance
Under The Milky Way
Perfect Way
Shake The Disease
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 13: Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses (1987) Part 2
A week has gone by since Brian and Sarah started discussing this late-80s classic by the boys from Basildon known as Depeche Mode. This episode finds our hosts ready to dive into the second side of the Mode's sixth album, but not before making a few more comments on their latest offering, "Spirit."
Part 3 (Continued): Track by Track
The five songs of the album's second side are examined one by one. Which track does Sarah consider to be the quintessential Depeche Mode song? Which video delights the hosts? Who has a problem with the song order on the second side? And what are those Russian voices saying at the beginning of "To Have and to Hold?" The answers can be found here!
Behind the Wheel
I Want You Now
To Have and to Hold
Nothing
Pimpf
Part 4: Final Grade
Both Brian and Sarah are extremely fond of this album, as it has been a part of their lives for many years. So how difficult was it for them to review the album from a more objective point of view? And does Sarah finally decide to give her first rating of five record adapters?
Part 5: Extra Credit
The cassette and CD versions of "Music for the Masses" contain four bonus tracks. Brian asks for Sarah's opinions on each of these songs, and then poses the question of whether the album would have been helped or hindered if they had been a part of the official album.
See the videos we discuss here:
Behind the Wheel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEAuMiKqP-4
Nothing (101 Version) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2E4Is_6oE
Pimpf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR_rqDxDInI
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 12: Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses (1987) Part 1
After a brief hiatus from the podcast, Brian and Sarah sit down to discuss one of their all-time favorite bands, Depeche Mode. The selected album is the 1987 opus, "Music for the Masses." However, before discussing the band's sixth album, the hosts can't resist taking a few minutes to share their initial thoughts on the fourteenth Depeche Mode album, "Spirit," which was released just two weeks ago. But then the focus shifts back to the 1987 and the album which marked some significant changes for Depeche Mode.
Part 1: Background
Brian fills us in on the whens and wheres of the album's recording, and Sarah explains one big difference between the making of Music of the Masses and previous Depeche Mode albums. Brian also reveals where this album and its related singles charted back in the day.
Part 2: Personal History
Sarah explains how she had what she'll claim to be a "backup copy" of this album, and muses as to when she actually received it. Brian tells a story common for the era, of being surprised by the album's release when visiting a local record store. Then he does the unthinkable and confesses to a crime!
Part 3: Track by Track
Brian and Sarah discuss each of the five songs on the classic album's first side. In doing so, they bring up the topics of drugs, religion, driving, iconic videos, cringe-worthy videos, and of course music! Find out which songs on the first side are standouts for the hosts, and which fall lower on the scale.
Never Let Me Down Again
The Things You Said
Strangelove
Sacred
Little 15
See the videos we discuss:
Never Let Me Down Again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snILjFUkk_A
Strangelove (original): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIrm0dHbCDU
Strangelove '88: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3rn9aG82BA
Little 15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRI3MG7CHFk
Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 11: Styx - Kilroy Was Here (1983) - Part 2
Last week, Brian and Beil began a discussion of the 1983 concept album "Kilroy Was Here" from Styx, the late-Seventies powerhouse who were trying to make their way in the 1980s. This was the band's 11th record but the first to be released in and influenced by the fledgling New Wave movement.
Part 3: Track by Track
Each of the five tracks on side two are discussed, along with the topics of hidden backwards messages, Japanese Shamisen, guitar-shredding machines, and which other Styx albums we would rather listen to than this one.
Heavy Metal Poisoning
Just Get Through This Night
Double Life
Haven't We Been Here Before
Don't Let It End (Reprise)
Part 4: Final Grade
Each of our hosts try to be a little bit over-dramatic as they award "Kilroy" a final grade on a scale of 1 to 5 record adapters, you know, those things you used to have to use to play 45s....
Part 5: Extra Credit
We mentioned many times over the course of these two episodes how badly the members of Styx were getting along at the time of this album. Now we ponder the question: Was it a good thing that this version of the band broke up after this album and wouldn't play together again for another 12 years??
See the videos we discuss at :
Heavy Metal Poisoning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWe1T5OdfrQ
Haven't We Been Here Before - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEzLfPwl5cg
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 10: Styx - Kilroy Was Here (1983) - Part 1
This week, Brian pays a visit to his childhood friend Beil to talk about an album they discovered simultaneously way back in 1983 - "Kilroy Was Here" by mid-western rockers Styx! This was the band's 11th album but their first to be affected by the blossoming New Wave sound of the early 1980s.
Part 1: Background
The two chums discuss the storyline of this concept album and list a few of the experiences and encounters that led bandleader Dennis De Young to create the world of Robert Oran Charles Kilroy and his nemesis Dr. Righteous. And of course, no conversation can be had on the subject of Styx in the early 80's without mentioning all the juicy conflict and turmoil that was going on behind the scenes.
Part 2: Personal History
Was this the first Styx album owned by each of the friends? Who was the mysterious school teacher that sparked Beil's interest in the band? And can you find Brian's karaoke standby song on this album?
Part 3: Track by Track The lads take a listen to side one of "Kilroy" and discuss each song in just the kind of detail that will make a Styx fan want to rebel against the Majority for Musical Morality! Enjoy commentary and gain invaluable insight into ... Mr. Roboto Cold War Don't Let It End High Time Watch the videos we discuss at: Mr. Roboto : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzzZkkiJMv8
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com
Episode 9: Dead Or Alive - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous To Know (1987) - Part 2
Last week, Brian and Sarah began a discussion of the 1987 album "Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know" by Liverpool band Dead Or Alive. This was the band's third record and the follow-up to the world-wide hit "Youthquake" which featured their classic single "You Spin Me Round."
Part 3: Track by Track
Each of the four tracks on side two are discussed and it turns out that Sarah has blocked out a part of her past from 1991. Brian reminds her of a late-night call to a radio station to dedicate a DOA song to a particular DJ.
Something In My House
Hooked On Love
I Want You
Special Star
Part 4: Final Grade
Each of our hosts sum up their feelings on this record and award it a final grade on a scale of 1 to 5 record adapters, you know, those things you used to have to use to play 45s....
Part 5: Extra Credit
Sarah notices both hosts have a bit of an issue with this art on this album's cover, so she attempts to remedy the problem with some extra credit. Can either of the hosts come up with a better cover??
See the videos we discuss at :
Something In My House - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZKNzs35GP8
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 8: Dead Or Alive - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous To Know (1987) - Part 1
This episode finds Brian and Sarah waxing nostalgic about a band whose lead singer recently passed away. The band is Dead or Alive, and the singer was, of course, the sensational Pete Burns. Up for discussion is the band's third album, "Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know," from 1987.
Part 1: Background
Brian goes into the history of the band and its many members during the early years, focusing on one in particular-- much to Sarah's annoyance. Sarah responds with some information on the production company responsible for this album's sound-- the trio known as Stock Aitken Waterman, who were behind Dead or Alive's biggest hit, "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" in 1985, as well as a slew of other 80s chart toppers.
Part 2: Personal History
Did Sarah actually own a store-bought copy of this cassette, or was this one of those "special" versions given to her by a friend? What obsolete practice did Brian engage in to get a copy of the first single?
Part 3: Track by Track
Each song on the album's first side is discussed, track by track. What is Brian's theory about the types of Dead or Alive songs? Which song's video shocked Sarah? Find out which songs they agree are hits and which, if any, are misses.
Brand New Lover
I'll Save You All My Kisses
Son of a Gun
Then There Was You
Come Inside
See the videos we discuss at :
Brand New Lover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWbj64Rwfvc
I"ll Save You All My Kisses - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqsWkDmZ20s
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 7 : Depeche Mode – Where’s The Revolution (2017)
Brian and Sarah diverge from their regular format of reviewing an entire album to devote some time to discussing a single song. What could prompt them to make such a departure? Nothing short of a newly-released Depeche Mode single, titled "Where's the Revolution," from their forthcoming album "Spirit." Depeche Mode is one of Brian and Sarah's all-time favorite bands, so it wasn't hard for them to opine on the Mode's latest offering.
Part 1: Sarah gives her initial reactions to the song, and Brian follows. Which one of them liked the song better from the first listen? How does this single rank, in Brian's opinion, among all the Depeche Mode singles ever released?
Part 2: Brian and Sarah discuss the video for "Where's the Revolution," directed by longtime Depeche Mode collaborator Anton Corbijn. Does the video help or hurt the song?
Part 3: Sarah adds a few more thoughts about the new single and then gives her "record adapter" rating. Brian does some more analysis of his likes and dislikes about the song, and then gives his rating as well.
Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsCR05oKROA
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 6: The Fixx - Phantoms (1984) Part 2
Has it been a week already?? Brian and guest host Colby Zell flip the record to hear side two of "Phantoms." The pair finish up their track-by-track discussion, address this week's extra credit question, and then final grades are distributed.
Part 3 (Continued): Track By Track
A track by track evaluation of the album's second side! One song annoys us both. Two songs bring us total delight. The other three, well, we'll have to agree to disagree!
Question
In Suspense
Facing the Wind
Are We Ourselves?
I Will
Phantom Living
Part 4: Extra Credit Question
With an album this good, why did things start to turn rotten for The Fixx in 1984? They still had some hit singles in the years ahead, but the success of "Reach the Beach" would never be duplicated. Brian grills Colby on exactly why this was the case.
Part 5: Final Grade
The fan of 33 years and the fan of 14 days announce their final grade for "Phantoms."
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 5: The Fixx - Phantoms (1984)
Before this week, Brian had never listened to the 1984 album "Phantoms". But with one of the area's leading authorities on The Fixx due to stop by, he cued it up so he would be able to join Colby Zell in talking about this overlooked and underappreciated masterpiece.
Part 1: Personal History
We have two hosts this week - Brian and Colby. One has only known the record for a few days. The other used to risk his life riding a bicycle on a heavily traveled road with headphones on so he wouldn't miss a note! I hope he had a helmet!
Part 2: Background
Where were The Fixx coming from in 1984 and where were they going? This album actually tells that tale!
Part 3: Track By Track
A track by track evaluation of the first side! Which songs get good reviews? Do we understand the cryptic lyrics? And does Brian have a man-crush on bassist Dan Brown?
- Lose Face
- Less Cities, More Moving People
- Sunshine In The Shade
- Woman On A Train
- Wish
- Lost In Battle Overseas
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 4 - Pet Shop Boys - Actually (Part 2)
Finally returning for the new year, Brian and Sarah take a look (and a listen!) to the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 album "Actually." Here the two finish up their track-by-track discussion by addressing the songs on side 2. Also, Brian poses an excellent extra credit question and then final grades are distributed.
Part 3 (Continued): Track By Track
A track by track evaluation of the album's second side! Which song annoyed Neil's old school? Which song was written for Madonna? Lots of juicy tidbits for your enjoyment!
It Couldn't Happen Here
It's A Sin
I Want To Wake Up
Heart
King's Cross
Part 4: Extra Credit Question
Brian seems to recall that "Always On My Mind" was a #1 hit for the Pet Shop Boys around this time. Sarah explains why he didn't find that famous song on this album.
Part 5: Final Grade
Brian announces his final review and rating of the album, and Sarah follows suit. Which one of them rates it higher? Or will they be of the same mind on this classic 80's album??
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 3 - Pet Shop Boys - Actually (Part 1)
Finally returning for the new year, Brian and Sarah take a look (and a listen!) to the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 album "Actually." The two talk a bit about the making of the record and what was going on with PSB at the time, and then launch into a track-by-track discussion of the first side of this classic 80's album.
Part 1: Background
Get the story of the Pet Shop Boys and their merry band of producers as they work on this memorable pop classic.
Part 2: Personal History
Learn how Sarah and Brian each discovered the album "Actually" - was one of them a compact disc virgin up until this?
Part 3: Track By Track
A track by track evaluation of the album's first side! Which songs get good reviews? Which songs should have been left on the recording studio floor?
One More Chance
What Have I Done To Deserve This
Shopping
Rent
Hit Music
Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/
Episode 2: a-ha - Hunting High and Low (1985) - Episode 2
Brian and Sarah return to their microphones to discuss the debut album of the Norwegian band a-ha. They cover the band's formation and the interesting process of creating this album, they discuss each of the ten tracks on "Hunting High and Low," and they each give the album a final review and "record adapter" rating.
Part 1: Personal History
We hear about Sarah's slightly-fuzzy history with the album, and learn whether or not Brian even heard the entire album in the 80s!
Part 2: Band history and album creating
We learn how a-ha was formed and then discover the somewhat convoluted and drawn-out process of the making of "Hunting High and Low." How many times was "Take On Me" actually released? Find out here!
Part 3: Track by Track
Each of the ten songs on "Hunting High and Low" are dissected, with Brian and Sarah comparing notes and sharing trivia as they go along.
- Take On Me
- Train of Thought
- Hunting High and Low
- The Blue Sky
- Living a Boy's Adventure Tale
- The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
- And You Tell Me
- Love Is Reason
- I Dream Myself Alive
- Here I Stand and Face the Rain
Part 4: Final Grade
Brian announces his final review and rating of the album, and Sarah follows suit. Which one of them rates it higher?
Part 5: Extra Credit Question
Which song would you choose to be re-recorded and re-produced - because at this point, why not rework one more song?
Episode 1: Yaz - Upstairs at Eric's (1982)
Join Brian and Sarah as they discuss the 1982 debut album by Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet, better known as the synth-pop duo, Yaz. We run through a quick history of the group, a track-by-track discussion of "Upstairs at Eric's" 11 songs, and then hand down a final grade on this important early-80s new wave classic.
Part 1: Background
Get the details about young Vince Clarke, young Alison Moyet, and even young Depeche Mode as we discuss growing up in the City of the Future: Basildon.
Part 2: Personal History
Learn how Sarah and Brian each discovered the album "Upstairs at Eric's" - and which one of them got sick listening to it for the first time!
Part 3: Track By Track
A track by track evaluation of the entire album! Which songs get good reviews? And how do YOUR favorite cuts make out?
- Don't Go
- Too Pieces
- Bad Connection
- I Before E Except After C
- Midnight
- In My Room
- Only You
- Goodbye Seventies
- Situation
- Winter Kills
- Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)
Part 4: Final Grade
So how do the hosts rate the album overall? Will Yaz graduate with the highest honors or will they have to attend summer school to pull up their grades???
Part 5: Extra Credit Question
Which of these songs, if any, would fit comfortably on Depeche Mode's follow-up to "Speak & Spell" if Vince Clarke hadn't left the band?