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MUSIC is not a GENRE

MUSIC is not a GENRE

By Nick DeMatteo

MUSIC is not a GENRE goes beyond music critique, opinion, and gimmicks to get at the heart of music & how it connects to the world - from the perspective of a TRUE MUSIC INSIDER. Every kind of music is discussed and connected to cultural, social & political issues in unexpected ways. It challenges music lovers to think as if THERE IS NO BOX AT ALL. No music can be confined to a genre. And music itself can't be separated from the rest of the world. SUPPORT MxG @ patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE Nick DeMatteo is a singer/songwriter/producer for the band REC @ recarea.bandcamp.com or stream anywhere!
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Broken Windows Listening – The Reductive & Destructive Choice of Surface Over Substance | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #27

MUSIC is not a GENREMay 04, 2021

00:00
28:01
Neo-Soul - OLD Got NEW Got OLD Got NOW | MxG - Season 5 Episode 26

Neo-Soul - OLD Got NEW Got OLD Got NOW | MxG - Season 5 Episode 26

Support MxG & REC:
OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH
Join MxG on Patreon
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REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 26

FEATURED SONG: REC - "Make Me Break Like Everyday" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Syncopy for the Weird)

This week I talk about neo-soul, the progressive R&B genre of the late 1990s that melded 1970s style soul with a hip hop sensibility. I go over some of the major players, including progenitors & artists who emerged after neo-soul faded out. I also discuss why it was so important to the trajectory of R&B, hip hop and music in general, why it seemed to burn out so quickly, and what happened after.

Were you a neo-soul fan? Who were some of your favorite artists? Do you think it burned out because it got too purist, and/or the world had moved on? Or do you think it didn’t burn out at all, but just morphed into the next wave of music & artists? Discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Mar 17, 202353:36
TV Music - Where Everybody Knows Your Theme | MxG - Season 5 Episode 25

TV Music - Where Everybody Knows Your Theme | MxG - Season 5 Episode 25

Support MxG & REC:
OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official 

Season 5 Episode 25

FEATURED SONG: The Drop feat. Ape Cafe - "Lock-Load-Love" (theme song to the series, from IT WASN’T ME !)

This week I dive into TV music. I run down some iconic & favorite TV theme songs from each decade since the very beginning, dividing the list between full-on songs with lyrics & choice instrumentals.  My main list is made of songs written specifically for each show, and then I throw in some "honorable mentions" - pre-existing songs used as themes.

I also talk about TV music in general, how it very slowly caught up with contemporary music, and how pop songs gradually infiltrated the soundtracks of almost every show.

Are you into TV theme songs? Are there ones that to this day you can still sing or hum? Do you think there was a heyday of TV theme songs? How does my favorites list compare to yours? How much popular music have you discovered through watching TV? Discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Mar 13, 202301:11:02
PODFAST #8 - Sideways 8: The EXACT NUMBER of Music Genres EVER | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #8 - Sideways 8: The EXACT NUMBER of Music Genres EVER | MxG BONUS EPISODE

Support MxG & REC:
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MxG on Anchor
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REC on YouTube
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OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH

PODFAST #8

FEATURED SONG:
REC - "Any Universe" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and The Sunshine Seminar)

In this 8th PODFAST bonus episode, I proclaim that there are only EIGHT GENRES EVER in all of music history and as far as we can see into the future. They are:

1. Folk
2. Classical
3. Improvised
4. Experimental
5. Electronic
6. Rhythm & Blues
7. Rock
8. Rap/Hip Hop

Agree? Disagree? Wanna see a copy of the decidedly incomplete list of 1400 genres/subgenres I compiled? Discuss dammit!

~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

Mar 08, 202324:09
UK Hip Hop - The Brits ALWAYS Do It BETTER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 24

UK Hip Hop - The Brits ALWAYS Do It BETTER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 24

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OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH

Season 5 Episode 24

FEATURED SONG:
The Drop – “This End Up” (from IT WASN’T ME !)

This week I spotlight a couple of UK hip hop artists, Dizzee Rascal & The Streets. Both came to prominence in the 2000s, and have sustained careers since then. I talk about how their styles – and UK’s hip hop styles in general – are often more interesting & less restrictive than hip hop from the US, and how that approach seems to apply to all UK music that reinterprets US music.

I also talk about the global reach & dominance of hip hop, as it approaches its ostensible 50thanniversary, and how hip hop fits into music culture & music history in light of such an incredible milestone & rich legacy.

Are you a hip hop fan? Did you know the two spotlight artists? Are you into any non-US or UK hip hop? Where do you think hip hop belongs in the overall history of music? Discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Mar 06, 202357:10
An Hour with Anthony Cirillo - Interview Edition #30 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 23

An Hour with Anthony Cirillo - Interview Edition #30 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 23

I spend an hour with Anthony Cirillo. Anthony is president of The Aging Experience (www.theagingexperience.com), creator of the Caregiver Smile Summit, a virtual, video-based, on-demand program that features experts across the spectrum of caregiving. He is also the creator of Sage Stream , a Senior Entertainment/Education Network that broadcasts LIVE entertainment to elder care facilities and other locations. You can find out more about Sage Stream here:  www.sagestream.live

Anthony is a musician & Philly native who has entertained in casinos and resorts, has won several Billboard songwriting awards, recorded in Nashville and been featured in songwriter showcases. You can find out more about Anthony’s music & where he’s playing in the Charlotte, NC area at www.tonyc.live

And anything else you'd like to know about Anthony is here:
All My Links Here!

~~~

Support MxG & REC:  
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH

*music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"

Feb 27, 202301:14:15
Death is DUMB Volume 11: David Bowie - 14 Subtitles About CHANGE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 22

Death is DUMB Volume 11: David Bowie - 14 Subtitles About CHANGE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 22

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
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OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH

Season 5 Episode 22

FEATURED SONG:
REC – “Silence of the Disabused” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Symphony for the Weird)

This week I spotlight David Bowie. He and his entire career can be defined by one word: undefinable. I sort out why that’s the ultimate state of EVERY artist, few of whom ever achieve that, and how the long view can show that all the pieces fit to make one unrepeatable picture.

Are you a Bowie fan? If so, when did you get into him, and were you able to explore most or all of his phases? If not, why not? Have you always thought of Bowie as whatever of his music you got into first, or are you able to integrate his full range of expression? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Feb 20, 202358:32
The Beatles Part 3 – Integrated Innovators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 21

The Beatles Part 3 – Integrated Innovators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 21

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Season 5 Episode 21

FEATURED SONG:
REC – “The Accumulate” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Symphony for the Weird)

In Part 3 of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their most expansive period, when they left live-based rock recording behind and became full-on studio heads, covering Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper’s (as well as the US release, Yesterday and Today). This is also when they were the most cohesive as a band, and contrastingly when their disillusionment started to tear at that cohesiveness.

I talk about why this is their overall best & most defining period, what makes it so amazing, and which of the three albums is truly the best.

Are any of these your top favorite album? Can YOU decide if Rubber Soul or Revolver is better? Where do you rank Sgt. Pepper? Discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Feb 13, 202301:11:45
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #3 – Fetishizing the Past | MxG - Season 5 Episode 20

The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #3 – Fetishizing the Past | MxG - Season 5 Episode 20

Support MxG & REC:
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Season 5 Episode 20

FEATURED SONG:
*Anon.* - "Move Ahead, Long Boy" (from It Wasn't Me !)

We’ve hit the halfway point of Season 5 (more or less), and what a season it’s been. In this third catch-up episode, I give some fan shoutouts, especially to those fans who prompted “music, conversation & connection”, as I so often mention. I make some additions & corrections to most of this season’s episodes. I talk about what’s been going on with me music-wise, and what’s coming up for everything.

I also dive into what it means to fetishized the past, and how important it is to contextualize, recontextualize, and stay as connected to the present as you are to those things you know & love.

If I’ve missed a comment from you, or some idea/band/fact you think should be here, then let’s discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Feb 06, 202359:31
The CROONER Episode - Was Frank Sinatra Really ALL THAT GREAT? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 19

The CROONER Episode - Was Frank Sinatra Really ALL THAT GREAT? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 19

Support MxG & REC:
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Season 5 Episode 19

FEATURED SONG:
Nicky DeMatteo - "The Lady's In Love With You" (from Blame It On My Youth)

This week I talk about Frank Sinatra. Does he deserve all the praise? What was his best era? How does he rank among vocalists of his ilk? What’s happened to crooning since the 1960s? I also talk about the history of crooning, and break down the five big crooner eras.

Are you a Sinatra fan? If so, do you have a favorite period? If not, why not, and what other crooners do you think are better? Are there any crooners of the last 40-50 years you’re a fan of? Discuss dammit!

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Jan 30, 202352:12
The Greatest ROCK EXPLOSION in MUSIC HISTORY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 18

The Greatest ROCK EXPLOSION in MUSIC HISTORY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 18

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 18

FEATURED SONG:
REC – “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” (from It Wasn’t Me !)

This week I talk about the greatest rock explosion in music history. NOT the 1960s. NOT the 1970s. NOT the 1990s. It’s the 2000s. It was also the last time rock music was a truly dominant force in music and the culture at large. Why? And will it be back again?

This episode will cover what rock genres & movements were prominent in the 2000s (hint: almost all of them), what new or recent bands were significantly active during that period, and where music was headed after rock was getting all played out.

Are you a fan of 2000s rock music? Do you think some other era had an even bigger explosion? Why do you think rock blew up so much, and then seemed to fade away just as quickly? Discuss dammit!

~~~~
2000s MIX 1 - INDIE COLLEGE-Y ROCK ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 1 - INDIE COLLEGE-Y ROCK ON YOUTUBE  

2000s MIX 2 - JANGLY INDIE POP ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 2 - JANGLY INDIE POP ON YOUTUBE  

2000s MIX 3 - EMO SCREAMO POWER POP ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 3 - EMO SCREAMO POWER POP ON YOUTUBE   

2000s MIX 4 - MELLOW ROCK & ELECTRO ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 4 - MELLOW ROCK & ELECTRO ON YOUTUBE   

2000s MIX 5 - DANCE & WEIRD ROBOTIC SHIT ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 5 - DANCE & WEIRD ROBOTIC SHIT ON YOUTUBE  

2000s MIX 6 - NEW NEW WAVE ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 6 - NEW NEW WAVE ON YOUTUBE  

2000s MIX 7 - PUNK & GARAGE ROCK ON SPOTIFY
2000s MIX 7 - PUNK & GARAGE ROCK ON YOUTUBE 

~~~~

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Jan 21, 202301:00:35
The Hundred-Year DECADE SLAM - Every Genre’s PEAK ERA | MxG - Season 5 Episode 17

The Hundred-Year DECADE SLAM - Every Genre’s PEAK ERA | MxG - Season 5 Episode 17

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
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MUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 29

FEATURED SONG:
The Drop - "Centerfield" (cover of the John Fogerty song - from It Wasn’t Me !)

This week I take a trip through time and through all the major genres of music. I proclaim with all my infallible authority & knowledge when each genre was at its peak – i.e. in which decade of the 20thor 21st century was each genre at its overall best. I use the “three Cs” criteria, from which I take an aggregate measure: CREATIVITY – the breadth & depth of exploration; CHARM – how well-loved the music was & how much it connected to the culture’s imagination & zeitgeist; and COMMERCE – how much money did it make for artists & record companies.

These are the genres I’ll be tackling:

Ambient
Asian & African Pop Music
Blues
Classical
Country
Easy Listening
EDM
Electro Pop
Euro Pop
Film Music
Folk
Funk
Hip Hop
Indie/Alt Rock
Jazz
Latin
Metal
Musical Theater
Pop
Power Pop / Emo
Progressive Rock
Punk & Post-Punk
Reggae
R&B/Soul
Rock
Swing
Techno/House/Trance/Dubstep/Drum & Bass

This doesn’t mean that music wasn’t popular (or even more popular) in other decades. It doesn’t mean it was the ONLY decade when artists were creatively fruitful (or even at a peak). And it doesn’t mean that genre didn’t make lots of (or even more) money in another decade. It’s about the music’s overall impact on the culture, and especially on the world of music in general. Oh and I don’t go into most sub- or ANY sub-sub-genres.

Which decades are your favorites for these genres? Are there other decades you think were even better? Discuss dammit!

*intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" (cover of the Agent Orange song - from Syzygy for the Weird)

Jan 16, 202301:11:41
An Hour with Bob Adams - Interview Edition #29 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 16
Jan 06, 202301:00:22
The Beatles Part 2 – Strung-Out & Stretching Superstars | MxG - Season 5 Episode 15

The Beatles Part 2 – Strung-Out & Stretching Superstars | MxG - Season 5 Episode 15

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 15

FEATURED SONG:
REC – “I’ll Be Back” (from It Wasn’t Me !)

In this second of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their film albums and the album that was sandwiched in between. It’s one of the least explored Beatles eras, because most of the attention has been placed on the films themselves. While every Beatles phase was transitional, this one might be the most significant, because it bridged the gap between their rock n roll / cover band / imitative years and their upcoming creative outburst of genius and originality. This phase is when they started stretching beyond their influences & exploring what it meant to be themselves. I also talk about how that album in between the films showed that they were overworked, over-toured, and beginning to be over the crazy fame monster.

Which songs from these albums are your faves? Which movie do you prefer? How do you rank this era in their career? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Jan 02, 202342:34
PODFAST #7 - Interview with Singer/Songwriter Ashira | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #7 - Interview with Singer/Songwriter Ashira | MxG BONUS EPISODE

Support MxG & REC:
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MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
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PODFAST #7

In this special episode of PODFAST, I talk to Ashira. She's a singer/songwriter from LA, who's just released her new single, "Saint". Check out ALL her links below, and listen to Ashira everywhere.  

LISTEN TO ASHIRA:
"Saint"
"Divine Intervention"

FOLLOW ASHIRA:
TikTok
Insta
YouTube
Spotify
Apple Music 

EXPLORE ASHIRA:
Searching for Justice in LA (Music Supervisor)  
- Official Selection World Film Carnival - Singapore     
- Finalist for Rome Prisma Awards  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11674936/

~~~

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

Dec 26, 202216:13
The BEST Christmas Album? – There’s NO SUCH THING! … buuut … | MxG - Season 5 Episode 14

The BEST Christmas Album? – There’s NO SUCH THING! … buuut … | MxG - Season 5 Episode 14

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 14

FEATURED SONG:
Nick DeMatteo - "This Christmas" (live cover of the Donny Hathaway song)

In this episode I discuss Christmas albums in general. Is there a best? What are my favorites? What are some of my least favorites? Why is it easier to love cheesy holiday music more than any other kind? I also make a case for two songs: one you can’t find a single GOOD version of, and one that doesn’t have a truly BAD version.

What are your favorite Christmas albums? Or Christmas songs? What Christmas albums or songs can you just not get into? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Dec 19, 202245:46
Covers Albums - NOT Your Mom's Oldies Tunes | MxG - Season 5 Episode 13

Covers Albums - NOT Your Mom's Oldies Tunes | MxG - Season 5 Episode 13

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 13

FEATURED SONG:
The Drop - "Lovely to See You" (from It Wasn't Me!)

In this episode I discuss covers albums and the concept of covers in general. I use a few of my favorite covers albums to illustrate how the best cover songs capture the essence of the original without needing to replicate the sound. And in fact those that DON’T replicate the sound are almost always way better.

This episode comes on the eve of my new album debut, It Wasn’t Me! – featuring cover songs & songs made for movies & other like projects. You can hear it on REC’s Bandcamp: https://recarea.bandcamp.com/

What are your favorite covers albums? Do you prefer covers to stay as true to the original as possible, or do you like artists to reinterpret and/or experiment? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Dec 12, 202247:33
An Hour with Kevin Stroud - Interview Edition #28 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 12
Dec 05, 202201:11:44
Pearl Jam - The New Classic Rock OR Who Was YOUR First Grunge Love? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 11

Pearl Jam - The New Classic Rock OR Who Was YOUR First Grunge Love? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 11

Support MxG & REC:
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MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
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Season 5 Episode 11

FEATURED SONGS:
REC - "I'm Gone" (from Parts and Labour)
NICK - "Alive" (live acoustic cover of the Pearl Jam song)

In this episode I discuss Pearl Jam, one of my favorite bands born in the 1990s. They’re not just grunge survivors, they’re the new classic rock. They have proven over and again that you can balance experimentation with pop & rock and never compromise your principles. And they were the first grunge band I fell in love with.

Are you a Pearl Jam fan? Have you followed them through their career, or did you stop listening after Vitalogy & the decline of grunge? Who was your first grunge love? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Nov 28, 202255:54
The Beatles Part 1 - Ingenious Imitators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 10

The Beatles Part 1 - Ingenious Imitators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 10

Support MxG & REC:
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MxG on Anchor
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REC on Bandcamp
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Season 5 Episode 10

FEATURED SONG:
NICK – “Do You Wanna” (from Listen You People)

This is the first of a six-part series on The Beatles. I’ve broken up their career by what I deem to be their distinct eras, using their British albums as a guide. Though I will incorporate historical & non-musical ideas, most of my talks will center on the music itself, from my usual vantage point of both a creator & a fan.

In Part 1, I explain the whole series, and go right into the Beatles’ formation, pre-recording years, and first two albums.

What early Beatles songs are your faves? How do you rank this era in their career? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Nov 21, 202245:20
An Hour with Joe DeLuca - Interview Edition #27 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 9

An Hour with Joe DeLuca - Interview Edition #27 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 9

I spend an hour with Joe DeLuca. Joe is a producer, engineer, musician, writer & performer, who owned & operated Why Me Recording in Gibbsboro, NJ for 35 years, recording well over 600 bands. Joe's recent credits include Kurt Bock's Abstract Geometry & singer/songwriter Jeff Ehling.

For more on Joe, check out his website:
www.JoeDeLucaProducer.com

FEATURED SONGS:

Mattson / DeLuca - "Too Far Gone"
(Bill Mattson - vocals, Brian McMahon - guitar, Dave Kloss - bass, Ritchie DeCarlo - drums, Joe DeLuca - guitar/keys/mixing)

Creamcicle Spiders - "I"
(Karolyn DiAntonio-Jordon - vocals, Dave Kloss - bass, Ritchie DeCarlo - Drums, Joe Deluca - guitar/keys/mixing)

NICK - "Your Sister"
(Nick DeMatteo - vocals, Pete Braidis - rhythm guitar, Cary Wallace - lead guitar, Dave Borginis - drums, Chris Leaverton - bass, Joe DeLuca - mixing)

~~~

Support MxG & REC:  
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

*intro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"

Nov 14, 202201:11:28
Soft Rock AKA Kid Contemporary - Let's Not Do the 1970s Again | MxG - Season 5 Episode 8

Soft Rock AKA Kid Contemporary - Let's Not Do the 1970s Again | MxG - Season 5 Episode 8

Support MxG & REC:
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MxG on Anchor
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MUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 28

FEATURED SONG:
REC – “Where You Go” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

We all need quiet. It’s restorative – a break from the constant noise we can barely get away from. But when does quiet become TOO quiet?

Tracking my music listening is like watching a pinball. Up down left right. I can’t stay in one vibe too long. Give me a couple of hours of any kind of music and I’m ready to switch it up. Better yet, give me a mix that has a little bit of everything, and I’m happy forever.

You can count on music to provide you with as much variety as you can handle. Even within one genre, dynamics, attitude & expressiveness go almost anywhere. Think of heavy metal. Then think of the power ballad. Think of jazz fusion. Then think of smooth jazz. Think of rock. Then think of soft rock. Keep that one in mind for a sec, ‘cuz we’re coming back to it.

First, let’s talk about pop music. Scan the charts from any given week or month in the last … I don’t know … 80 years. You’re almost guaranteed the top 10 songs will represent a healthy variety of music. Every now and then, one kind of music dominates in a way that screams trend. Jazz vocalists & big band in the ‘40s. Doo wop & rock n roll in the ‘50s. Britpop & folk rock in the ‘60s. Disco & soft rock in the ‘70s. New wave & hair metal in the 1980s. Grunge & hip hop in the ‘90s. Alt rock & R&B in the ‘00s. EDM & hip hop in the 2010s. And where trends go, you’ll find record companies, producers & even some artists cashing in and creating paler & paler imitations until the trend is smothered.

Over the last decade or so, one trend in particular has grown to where it’s now clearly the dominant force. And this time it’s not one genre. It’s everywhere. SOFTNESS.

Pick a genre. Pop. R&B. Hip hop. Whatever Taylor Swift is these days. In every case the most popular songs are mellow, characterized by soft, midrange sounds, usually lots of soothing or at least inoffensive synths, and vocals that go out of their way to underemote. Take a look at the current Billboard chart. As of today’s podcast recording, you have to go all the way down to #22 to find a song that isn’t mellow. The vast majority of the top 50 songs are simply soft. Considering what the world has been going through the last several years, it’s no surprise the general population needs everything it can get to unplug & chill out.

It's not objectively a bad thing. Soft music has been around forever. But we need to make a distinction between deliberately & meaningfully soft music, and music that’s soft – or let’s call it understated – because it’s the trend, or it’s afraid to SING OUT. We’ll start with the first type: ambient music.

For FULL SCRIPT, visit https://patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE

*intro music: REC - "In Your Dreams Tonight" (cover of the Agent Orange song - from Syzygy for the Weird

Nov 07, 202243:36
Death is DUMB Volume 10: The "27 Club" - Far Bigger Than THE HOLY TRINITY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 7

Death is DUMB Volume 10: The "27 Club" - Far Bigger Than THE HOLY TRINITY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 7

Support MxG & REC:
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REC on YouTube
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OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH

Season 5 Episode 7

FEATURED SONG: NICK – “The Same Way” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)

In this episode, I talk about the “27 Club”, an informal set of famous people who died at the age of 27. Specifically for this podcast I focus on musicians. The list is much larger than you might think. I also talk about whether or not there’s any actual significance to this “club”.

Who do you remember from the 27 Club? Which deaths resonate more with you, if any? Do you think any of this matters? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Oct 31, 202240:17
PODFAST #6 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #2 | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #6 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #2 | MxG BONUS EPISODE

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
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PODFAST #6

In this episode, I do a quick rundown of eight recently released albums:

  1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down
  2. Simple Minds - Direction of the Heart
  3. Rina Sawayama - Hold the Girl
  4. The Pixies - Doggerel
  5. Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9
  6. Dr. John - Things Happen That Way
  7. Death Cab for Cutie - Asphalt Meadows
  8. Alvvays - Blue Rev

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

Oct 28, 202219:25
An Hour with John Kiran Fernandes - Interview Edition #26 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 6
Oct 24, 202259:43
Green Day - Proper AND PUNK | MxG - Season 5 Episode 5

Green Day - Proper AND PUNK | MxG - Season 5 Episode 5

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 5

FEATURED SONG: REC – “Three More Minutes” (from Synergy for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

In this episode, I talk about Green Day, the most successful punk band in history. They show that punk music not only has staying power, but can be as popular, expansive & artistic as any other kind of music. I also talk about what it means to be “true punk”.

Have you listened to Green Day? Do you think they should be considered “true punk”? Is punk an attitude, a sound, or both? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Oct 16, 202245:39
The Roots - Things Come Together ALIVE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 4

The Roots - Things Come Together ALIVE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 4

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 4

FEATURED SONG: REC - "Let It Wreck Your Mind" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

In this episode, I talk about one of my all-time favorite hip hop bands, and one of the all-time best Philly bands, The Roots. They popularized live-band hip hop, helped usher in the neo-soul movement, and are creating a legacy of diverse, socially conscious and slammingly fun music.

Do you know The Roots? Do you know them beyond Jimmy Fallon? How do you feel their work measures up to the standard drum machine & sample based hip hop? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Oct 10, 202245:54
An Hour with Danny Burstein - Interview Edition #25 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 3
Oct 03, 202201:03:20
PODFAST #5 - REC's New Album Out NOW | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #5 - REC's New Album Out NOW | MxG BONUS EPISODE

In this short & dangerous episode of PODFAST, I announce that REC's new album has dropped on Bandcamp. RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 is now exclusively on Bandcamp. It's a two-volume set of 30 remastered tracks from REC's eight albums. Listen to it here:

RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 

For bonus content, including all 30 high quality WAV files, the hi res cover art, and a 16-page insert with a band history, stories on each album, exclusive never-seen photos and artwork, and a sneak peek into what's next for REC, join REC & MxG on Patreon:

MxG on Patreon 

And don't forget all the other ways you can support:
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

Sep 30, 202205:05
James Taylor - The Resilient Epitome of a Singer-Songwriter | MxG - Season 5 Episode 2

James Taylor - The Resilient Epitome of a Singer-Songwriter | MxG - Season 5 Episode 2

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official

Season 5 Episode 2

FEATURED SONG: REC - "Real Life" (from Symphony for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

In this episode, I discuss the legendary James Taylor, what it REALLY means to be a singer-songwriter, and how Taylor both epitomizes AND defies the convention. ??? Or how he helped to define that genre??

Are you a fan? Have you heard more than just his greatest hits? Do you feel like the only true singer-songwriters are mellow solo singers playing piano or guitar? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Sep 26, 202241:34
A to Z for ME - My Sweet Picks & a Season Preview | MxG - Season 5 Episode 1

A to Z for ME - My Sweet Picks & a Season Preview | MxG - Season 5 Episode 1

Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor  
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official 

Season 5 Episode 1

FEATURED SONG: REC - "Some Things Happen" (from Parts and Labour)

In this banner first episode of Season 5, I run down my A to Z master list of favorite music artists. These are not acts I just like – that list would be 100 times longer. These are artists I love and can’t get enough of. Heart artists, you might say. Some of them have already been featured on MxG. Others are in the works, and serve as a preview of what’s to come in Season 5. 

Here’s the list:   

Alice In Chains / Ape Cafe / Apples in Stereo  
Bach / Beastie Boys / Beatles / Bee Gees / Tony Bennett / Leonard Bernstein / Big Audio Dynamite / Bloc Party / David Bowie / Dave Brubeck
Chicago / Chopin / The Clash / George Clinton / Phil Collins / Cornershop / The Cure  
The Dead Milkmen / Nicky DeMatteo / Depeche Mode / The Drop
Eminem  
Foo Fighters / Fountains of Wayne  
G. Love & Special Sauce / Genesis / Green Day / Vince Guaraldi  
Hall & Oates / Jimi Hendrix / Hole / Husker Du
Indigo girls / INXS  
Billy Joel  
The Kinks / Lenny Kravitz
Led Zeppelin / John Lennon / LL Cool J
Paul McCartney / Metallica / Thelonious Monk / Morrissey  
New Order / NICK / Nirvana
Oasis / Ozzy Osbourne
Pearl Jam / Prince / Louis Prima
Queen  
REC / Red Hot Chili Peppers / R.E.M. / Smokey Robinson / The Roots / Run - DMC
Smashing Pumpkins / The Smiths / Stephen Sondheim / Soundgarden / Squeeze (retroactively) / Matthew Sweet / Stone Temple Pilots  
James Taylor / They Might Be Giants
U2  
Violent Femmes  
The Who / Wings / The Wombats / Stevie Wonder
XTC  
Yazoo / Yes
The Zombies

Where do we agree? Where do we disagree? Who should I have included? Discuss dammit!

*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

Sep 19, 202249:24
PODFAST #4 - YOUR SUPPORT & CHEAT CODES | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #4 - YOUR SUPPORT & CHEAT CODES | MxG BONUS EPISODE

Here's how you can support MxG & REC:

MxG on Patreon - membership for as little as $5/month

MxG on Anchor - monthly membership at whatever rate you can handle

Subscribe to MxG on YouTube - subscribing is free, and you can add a one-time donation here: https://paypal.me/MUSICisnotaGENRE

REC on Bandcamp - buy REC music once, or subscribe for as little as $5/month

Subscribe to REC on YouTube - totally free and one of the BEST places to get REC music

Official Website of Nick DeMatteo - sign up free for Nick's newsletter!

THANK YOU!


*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

Aug 27, 202221:30
Welcome to MUSIC is not a GENRE

Welcome to MUSIC is not a GENRE

If you're new to MUSIC is not a GENRE, this intro will explain it all. You can also see the video version of this here:

MxG New Intro Video

Please consider supporting MxG. This is (as of 2022) a one-person operation, and it exists only because of generous listeners & supporters like you.

MxG on Patreon

MxG on Anchor

Subscribe to MxG on YouTube

Official Website of Nick DeMatteo

And here's where you can find the music that inspired my creation of MxG, from my band REC:

REC on Bandcamp

Subscribe to REC on YouTube


Aug 08, 202213:04
PODFAST #3 - The NEW INTRO VIDEO | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #3 - The NEW INTRO VIDEO | MxG BONUS EPISODE

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

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~~~~

In this episode, I reveal the new MxG intro video, which will officially debut soon. You can check out the PODFAST version of the video here:

PODFAST #3 VIDEO 

Here are ways you can support, follow, share & show your love for MUSIC is not a GENRE:

MxG on Patreon 

MxG on Anchor 

Subscribe to MxG on YouTube 

Official Website of Nick DeMatteo 

And here's where you can find all of REC's music:

REC on Bandcamp 

Subscribe to REC on YouTube 

Aug 08, 202214:32
PODFAST #2 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #1 | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #2 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #1 | MxG BONUS EPISODE

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

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~~~~

In this episode, I do a quick rundown of seven albums that were released on July 15:

  1. ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - XI: Bleed Here Now
  2. Beabadoobee - Beatopia
  3. callinamagician - Head Full of Snow
  4. Chicago - Born for This Moment (XXXVIII)
  5. The Drop - Long Held Grudges
  6. Interpol - The Other Side of Make-Believe
  7. Lizzo - Special
Jul 22, 202219:25
PODFAST #1 - Brand New Brand | MxG BONUS EPISODE

PODFAST #1 - Brand New Brand | MxG BONUS EPISODE

*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)

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~~~~

Welcome to MUSIC is not a GENRE’s first ever PODFAST. This edition of MxG will be bonus mini episodes, starting summer 2022 & continuing periodically through future seasons.

This episode is all about the changes happening to the podcast - some coming in Season 5 & some already here.

FEATURED LINKS:

MxG - Every Episode Ever

MxG - The Opinions

MxG - The Interviews

MxG - Death is DUMB

MxG - The Book Talks

MxG - The Featured Songs

Jun 27, 202209:23
The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #2 - Know Your MinaG Terms Edition | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #40

The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #2 - Know Your MinaG Terms Edition | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #40

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FEATURED SONG: REC - "When It Comes" (from Distance To Empty)

Hard to believe, but this is the final episode of MUSIC is not a GENRE’s monumental Season 4. With every season, MinaG gets closer to its ultimate form & tone. New subseries were added (including this one!). Old segments were fleshed out. New objectives set forth – some achieved & some saved as goals for Season 5. New fans & subscribers. New commenters. New patrons & supporters. And, amidst an extremely up and down year, a renewal of spirit & purpose.

Here’s what this week’s wrap-up will cover:

1. Know your MinaG terms – I make up a lot of shit. It’ll be more fun if you understand what these four terms mean: Chronolography, Heart Artist, Death is DUMB, the Share Tingles.

2. Season 4 review – a list of every episode, including fan input, some corrections & additional observations.

3. More fan comments – so many of you lovely people weighed in this year, and I’d like to respond.

4. Chronolographies – as per #1, you know what this is, right? I’ll talk about what I’ve been listening to lately.

5. Look ahead to next season – what’s coming, what’s changing, and how you can be a part of it.

Other than doing the best show I can do, the most important thing to me is your feedback. While I’m more or less off for the summer, I’d love to hear from you. Tell me what you liked about this season (or what you didn’t like), and what you want for next season. I’ve got some surprises in store, and would love for you to be a part of that. As always, your support is more valuable than I can express, so please join me on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite REC singles. It’s about finding love you didn’t even know you wanted. It feels like summer to me.

REC – “When It Comes” (from Distance To Empty)

https://recarea.bandcamp.com/track/when-it-comes

Hit me with some of your love, and discuss dammit!

Jun 13, 202245:25
The Show That Never Ends: The Book That WASN'T LONG ENOUGH! - Book Talk #4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #39

The Show That Never Ends: The Book That WASN'T LONG ENOUGH! - Book Talk #4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #39

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FEATURED SONG: REC – “It’s Like This” (from Parts and Labour)

When I’m not into something, I have a miniscule attention span, just like anyo – yeahokaywhatever

But when I AM into something, I usually don’t want it to end. As you can guess from a guy who does a Death is DUMB subseries, endings are not my strong suit. It’s one reason I choose my chronolography subjects very carefully. If I’m gonna listen to every single album, I gotta be sure I like the music.

I’m the same way with books. I’ve read books nearly 1500 pages long. I’ve read book series with 8 or more installments. The length doesn’t matter. In fact, I was so into those books that even that much wasn’t long enough. The same is true for this week’s subject: The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock, by David Weigel. And it’s true for two reasons.

First and foremost, I really did love this book. I’m glad a book like this exists, because precious little has been written about the history of prog rock. Single bands or band threads have been profiled, but not the whole genre. This book is a great primer for anyone who wants to know more about prog rock, and a fun & informative ride for people who are already into it. Plus it goes all the way to present times and very recent prog bands, which reminds readers that this music is still creatively vibrant and evolving. Of course I wished it was longer.

But that’s not the only reason. We’re talking about the most intricate, involved, extensive – and yes, LONGEST – form of rock music out there. This is a genre wherein seven minutes is considered SHORT. A quick online survey revealed that there are many prog rock songs that are well over an hour. To my mind, it would be more appropriate, more fitting, and more respectful to write a book as long & sprawling as the best prog rock songs or albums. Moreover, I’d say it’s necessary and really the ONLY way to write a comprehensive prog rock book.

It’s clear David Weigel knows & loves what he’s talking about. It would have honored the music and the fans more – and been way more fun – if he’d got as indulgent as the music itself, and just let stories & facts fly until his hands hurt. It’s possible his objective was to make it more digestible for the casual fan. Or the publishing company heavily edited the book. I can understand those reasons for the book being too short. As someone who’s midway between a casual fan and an obsessive, I wanted way more tangents, way more threads pulled, way more roads followed to their end. He makes passing mention of prog-adjacent genres and bands, but doesn’t go far enough in fleshing them out, and leaves out quite a few bands & genres I would have included.

Maybe I’m asking too much. But isn’t that the whole point of progressive rock music? It goes overboard on purpose. It asks too much of the listener. It indulges in ways few other kinds of music rarely get to. So while I was satisfied with this book, I wasn’t satiated. I love what’s there, but sorely miss what isn’t. That said, this is a book any fan of prog rock – or any super curious music fan – should read.

Progressive rock has been an influence on my music since my very first demos in my teens & early twenties. You can hear progressive elements on every one of REC’s albums. I’m even working on a song for REC’s upcoming album that might be as long as 20 minutes. But there’s no question my brand of progressiveness leans more pop/accessible – say, Yes in the 1980s instead of the mid-1970s. The above song is a great example of that.

Comment!

May 30, 202242:07
Belle & Sebastian - When QUIET Was the REVOLUTION | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #38

Belle & Sebastian - When QUIET Was the REVOLUTION | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #38

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FEATURED SONG: REC – “The Garden” (from Sympathy for the Weird)

Everything is part of a cycle. Macro, Micro, Nano, Epochal. Even if it seems something is brand new never-been-done, guaranteed it’s an echo of something else. That’s partly because nothing is created in a vacuum. New works – even ones so bracingly new they blow your head back – are always influenced by old. Every attention-grabbing shift & movement is a response to something that came before. Complex gives way to simple. So-called “high art” gives way to so-called “low art” (distinctions I always dispute but which are useful here). Brash & confrontational gives way to soft & inviting. Sarcasm & nihilism give way to sincerity & faith. And while each iteration of the cycle is different and almost always a step forward, we’re wise to look back for perspective & context, so we can better understand what’s being done & why. It makes the seemingly unfamiliar & possibly offensive feel closer to our experience & thus more inviting.

You can trace the cycle of influence & response back to the first time a humanoid repeatedly hit an object with a bone, or made a sound that was useful to make again & again. Let’s not do that here. That’s what I’d call the “$50,000 version” of this podcast. A quicker illustration goes like this:

PUNK – a stripped down response to the complexity & bombast of progressive & classic rock

HAIR METAL – a melding of punk, metal & glam intended to poke a hole in the straight-edged seriousness of punk

GRUNGE – a stripped down, beefed up and more personal & inclusive response to the excesses & overt misogyny of hair metal

TWEE INDIE POP & POST ROCK – a quiet, seemingly more contemplative & less guitar driven response to the moshfest of grunge

Now, all of this is simplified & very qualified. These kinds of music existed for more reasons than just as responses to what came before, whether socio-political or purely artistic. And their influences were more far-ranging than just “we don’t want to do what they did”. Punk was in many ways a return to the 3- & 4-chord 1950s pop rock AND the 1960s garage rock movement. Hair metal was, as stated, a descendant of glam, but also very blues based, unlike the more classical/progressive based metal of earlier bands. Grunge took a lot from the 1970s – including the relatively flat, midrange EQ. And the grunge counter-response that included twee & post-rock consisted of strains that had been around as long as grunge, and influences that had been around even longer.

And this is where this week’s band comes in. Belle & Sebastian are a 1960s AND 1980s influenced indie pop band from Glasgow. They were carrying on traditions set forth by bands like The Zombies AND The Smiths. Their lyrics are often literary & intellectual – very college-y, and also often very personal. You could say that about quite a bit of grunge lyrics too, but that’s not what grunge was ever known for. When you listen to twee indie pop & grunge back to back, it’s like the aural difference between inviting you into a basement of cloistered suffering or a living room of barely tolerable ennui. Both speak of personal struggle, but in very different ways. Where grunge went out of its way to shock and slam you, twee music tried to be as quiet & unassuming as possible. And both were utterly captivating.

For the FULL ESSAY, visit https://patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE

May 23, 202239:39
Death is DUMB Volume 9: Terry Kath - The Spirit & Sinew of Chicago | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #37

Death is DUMB Volume 9: Terry Kath - The Spirit & Sinew of Chicago | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #37

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FEATURED SONG: REC – “Ripe” (from The Sunshine Seminar)

Every band has a different dynamic, both for music and for business. Mick Jagger was right business-wise when he called the Beatles the “four-headed monster”, but on the music side they really just had the two heads. Most of U2’s music is driven by two heads as well, but Larry Mullen Jr. started the band, so my guess is business-wise there’s more equality overall. Fleetwood Mac has almost always been a complete mess on both sides, which makes their longevity & artistic success even more striking. Nirvana was that one troubled head for music, and likely pretty equal on the business end.

Chicago was a special case. (I say was because they’ve been a shadow of themselves for a long time now, and more on that later.) They morphed. For their musical direction & business decisions to have changed so much and so often, you’d think their personnel did too. Nope. For all of their classic period, they were the core seven (and for a short stretch percussionist Laudir de Oliveira). After the death of Terry Kath & some growing pains (about which more below), their breakout comeback early 1980s period had six original members plus Chris Pinnick & Bill Champlin. After Peter Cetera left, he was seamlessly replaced with Jason Scheff, and Dawayne Bailey took over for Chris. When Danny Seraphine bowed out, Tris Imboden took over & stayed longer than any other drummer. And for the 1990s and almost all of this century, it’s been the core four, Tris, Lou Pardini on keys, and a bunch of other changes. In the last few years, with Walt Parazaider retiring, it’s down to three originals, Lou, and a handful of others who seem to be sticking around so far.

Why do I go into that much detail? Two reasons. One, to show how much change a stalwart band needs to endure to have a career this long. And two, to show how this week’s subject – the death of Terry Kath – made more of an impact on both the business & music trajectory of Chicago than any other event in their history.

For those of you unfamiliar, a quick history. Terry was one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Top ten in the minds of many. He was also one of the principal vocalists & writers of the band. His passion & dedication to expression above all else gave Chicago a huge part of their initial raison d’etre, and their depth & groundedness. Then in 1978, he died of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot to the head. From that point on, Chicago was never the same. And in many ways never as good.

You could say that the death of any core band member changes a band forever, but that’s a sliding scale. Bonham’s death ultimately ended Led Zeppelin, but I’d argue it didn’t do a whole lot to change their music. The Who’s sound did change when Keith Moon died, but they’ve always really been another two-headed monster. Cobain’s death of course ended that band. As for the recent death of Taylor Hawkins, the impact remains to be seen.

For FULL SCRIPT, visit https://patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE

May 09, 202243:21
Negative Reviews - Constructive Critique or Pathetic Power Play? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #36

Negative Reviews - Constructive Critique or Pathetic Power Play? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #36

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Not everything in life can be spun into a positive. There are some things that are as objectively not good as you can get. Most of us want most of life to be great. And for those things that aren’t great to be “life lessons” or to have a “silver lining”. But let’s face it. There’s shitty shit out there and that’s that.

At the same time, there’s almost nothing that can be deemed 100% bad. Almost everything & everyone has at least one redeemable quality. Society drives us to communicate as simply as possible, to distill our thoughts into memes or sound bites or 280 characters. There’s no place for nuance. No place for the grey. So anything not 100% tends to get lost in the cacophony. What’s worse is we then think the only way to be heard is to shout in kind. But every single time we try, our words get coopted or diminished or misinterpreted. Talking AT is not talking TO, and people will give what they get.

But despite the inundation of social media, ads, and abject simplicity, there are other ways to communicate that offer opportunities to say more, to be less reductive & more nuanced, to find more connection & common ground. To actually have a conversation.

How we use those ways depends on how much we’ve been pressured into believing that shouting is the only way. Because it’s still possible to talk a lot and only say one big thing: this is great or this sucks. Agree or disagree. Saying that in 500 or 1000 words is just as reductive as shouting it in two. And I’d argue it’s worse because it fools people into believing that you’re coming from a more informed, authoritative place. Fancy words can easily hide simplistic views.

And this is where we need to get into negative reviews. I’ve threatened quite often to explain the difference between a review and a critique. So sit tight, because here it comes.

A critic is a judge. Which implies power. Which, as we all know, can corrupt. And it does. Big time. So many critics think it’s their job to tear down creations & creators, thoughts & thought leaders, or whatever & whomever they’re reviewing. This is, to be as simple as possible, a pathetic power play. It’s someone with little to no actual power or creative force, trying to take down someone whose power comes from the act of putting something into the world that never before existed, and then waiting to be judged for it. It’s a way to siphon that power, to steal it & wield it for destructive purposes.

That’s a “review”. And while some of these reviews do include other more nuanced & constructive thoughts, their overall impression is the worst kind of negative. Biased. Personal. Condescending. Vindictive. Self-serving. Self-aggrandizing. Seeking to destroy & not enlighten. And deliberately misleading.

There’s a place for negativity. A place for pointing out flaws, and explaining why something doesn’t work or is just plain bad or false. In a culture that prizes black-and-white on every level, it’s vital that we don’t fall prey to the “everything is awesome in its own way” reduction. That’s as false as its opposite. We need to be willing to get didactic, boring even. To live in the grey. This is what reviewers who engage in constructive critique know & promote. They create a context and a safe space for discussing the negative AND the positive, for respecting the artist or thought leader whether or not they like what they’re hearing or reading. They don’t proclaim. They invite conversation & connection. They prove that it’s possible to be both critical AND respectful.

For FULL SCRIPT, visit https://patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENRE

May 02, 202232:32
TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 2) - Interview Edition #24 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #35

TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 2) - Interview Edition #24 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #35

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This is the second half of my two-part interview with Bridget Hogan - classical singer, actor & teaching artist, and recently named Artistic Director for Reaching for the Arts.

Her credits include roles at: New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, New York City Ballet, Opera NJ, & Resonanz Opera; and oratorio/concert performances at: Carnegie Hall, Toronto Sinfonia, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Summit Music Festival, & Ocean Grove Music Festival. She also founded Silver Thread Productions, a company that produces small scale, integrated arts works.

To see and hear more of Bridget, go here:

La Voix Perdue – a one-woman show loosely based on the life of Teresa Stratas
“Merce Dilette Amiche”, from I Vespri Siciliani by Giuseppe Verdi

Apr 25, 202201:03:45
Meet the BEATLES BOOKS ! – ASK ME WHY We Always Want More - Book Talk #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #34

Meet the BEATLES BOOKS ! – ASK ME WHY We Always Want More - Book Talk #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #34

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FEATURED MUSIC:

The Drop – “Hey Bulldog” (Beatles cover)
REC Cover Tunes YouTube Playlist
Nick - "Yes It Is" (a cappella) 

There is very little anyone can say about the Beatles that hasn’t been said before. They’ve been talked about, written about, critiqued, analyzed & dissected, loved & hated, memorialized & revitalized, covered & copied, and have influenced more musicians than even the musicians themselves realize. But do they deserve it?

If you think that question even needs to be asked, you should probably stop reading and return to whatever sick cave of self-hatred you live in. Yes, it’s possible to not be into the Beatles, to even dislike them. But no one with a working brain – and more importantly, working heart – can possibly suggest that they don’t deserve every bit of attention & praise they’ve gotten. It’d be like saying Bach was a trite & repetitive hack, or all Mozart really did was coopt other people’s ideas.

Personal opinions aside, the Beatles are objectively one of the greatest creators of music in the thousands of years of recorded history. They’ve infiltrated most cultures in ways few other creators of any art have. At this point, it’s more surprising when someone hasn’t heard of them or at least one of their songs. They just are.

This is not my definitive episode on the Beatles. In fact, I won’t be discussing much of their actual music at all. This week, my focus will be on three things:

1. The books in my collection, and the plethora of Beatles books (and movies, TV shows & other media) in general: what they contribute to the greater discussion, and what else possibly could be brought to light by new books – cuz we all know they’re coming;

2. The idea that the Beatles are more than just a band; they’re a near-universal Rorschach test, a way to suss out what kind of a person someone is based on their relationship to the Beatles. Specifically, which Beatles period resonates with you, which one defines what the Beatles are to you, can determine not just the rest of your musical taste. It can also shed light on how you see and relate to the world at large.

3. That the most valuable new thing anyone can say about the Beatles is what they think & feel. Their opinion, assessment, focus, emotion is a unique mix, no matter how much is shared with others. In fact, it’s that combination of uniqueness and commonality that does exactly what the Beatles intended: spread love & connection through music.

As a music creator, and a member of PreFab 4 – one of the better Beatles cover bands (NOT a tribute band), I count the Beatles as my favorite band, and love that I can discover more about them almost every day. That’s a hint to WHY so many books, movies, shows, covers are inspired by the Beatles. We want to feel what we felt – or what fans alive enough to experience it firsthand felt. We want to recapture & reanimate the life & magic that once was. But we can’t. Not really. Nothing we do now will ever fully satisfy that want. Which is why we always want more.

FOR THE FULL TEXT AND MORE, GO HERE

Apr 18, 202247:45
TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 1) - Interview Edition #23 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #33

TWO Hours with Bridget Hogan (Part 1) - Interview Edition #23 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #33

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This is the first of a two-part interview with Bridget Hogan - classical singer, actor & teaching artist, and recently named Artistic Director for Reaching for the Arts.

Her credits include roles at: New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, New York City Ballet, Opera NJ, & Resonanz Opera; and oratorio/concert performances at: Carnegie Hall, Toronto Sinfonia, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Summit Music Festival, & Ocean Grove Music Festival. She also founded Silver Thread Productions, a company that produces small scale, integrated arts works.

To see and hear more of Bridget, go here:

La Voix Perdue – a one-woman show loosely based on the life of Teresa Stratas
“Merce Dilette Amiche”, from I Vespri Siciliani by Giuseppe Verdi

Apr 11, 202253:26
MIXES and the CD-ARRR: At Some Point We Were ALL PIRATES | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #29

MIXES and the CD-ARRR: At Some Point We Were ALL PIRATES | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #29

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FEATURED SONG: REC – “Gold” (from Parts and Labour)

What I’m about to discuss is highly illegal. Some of it. Maybe. Among other things, it’s a primer on what music piracy is & isn’t, and who the real pirates are. But before that, let me tell you why I’m getting into this.

As I’ve said a dozen or more times, I’ve been a DJ since I was a teen. I started making mixes by bouncing songs from one cassette player to another. Then I used a mixing board & two turntables to record my mixes with crossfades & other fun punch-ins – again on cassette. I took it live in high school & college. After that, I’d create a mix for our annual Halloween party, and a mega mix every two years. Plus a BUNCH of specialty mixes for friends, lovers & other occasions.

There were several technological developments that converged to change everything.

· The internet. Sure, it’s actually been around for like 50 years, but most of us know it really took hold in the early-mid 1990s – the days of the AOL disc.

· The CD-R (or CD-RW). Introduced in the late 1980s, the tech became affordable about a decade later. That allowed me to record a higher quality live mix than on cassette, using the best songs from two years of my purchases.

· The mp3 (and wav). Again, look to the late 1980s for this innovation, and the 1990s for its wider dissemination. What you might recall is that computers & the internet were too slow & weak to handle lots of higher quality files (like wavs), which is why the mp3 was so important. Especially when it came to…

· File sharing. Documents & other very small files have been shared over the internet since the 1970s, but again it was the 1990s when this took hold. And it was the early-mid 2000s when it blew sky high – in more ways than one. Remember Napster? MP3.com? LimeWire & FrostWire? Kazaa? The BitTorrent protocol?

Once all those came together, I was like a diabetic in a candy store, gobbling up everything I could get my hands on even if it was ultimately a bad idea. Yep, like most of us, I was a music pirate and happy to be one. I created several collections of music that I’d never have been able to afford otherwise, and loved every minute. Fun as hell and incredibly educational, but again, a bad thing to do.

But was it? Yes and no – and that “no” is qualified by what came after. Music piracy didn’t die because it was outlawed. (In fact, it’s alive and well with things like free online software that lets you rip songs from YouTube.) It died because music & tech companies got wise. They saw an opportunity to cash in in a big way. They made it hella easier to acquire nearly unlimited music legally – first with Rhapsody/Listen, then iTunes, then everything else we know and lo- … tolerate.

Now things are better for everyone, right? Wrong. These companies have made music consumption super convenient, improving the experience for both the listener & the companies themselves. But make no mistake: the music creators themselves are still being pirated.

For the FULL TEXT AND MORE visit the NEW MUSIC is not a GENRE home at: https://www.nickdematteo.com/podcast

Apr 04, 202244:24
Heavy Flute & Crime Jazz - Cool is Where You Find It | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #32

Heavy Flute & Crime Jazz - Cool is Where You Find It | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #32

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FEATURED SONG:

NICK – “Come A Little Closer” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)

What is jazz? At this point there are so many subdivisions that it’s not easy to define. That word – “JAZZ” – 100% evokes different sounds & ideas in every person’s head. For me, jazz has to have some form of improvisation – freedom within form – and it has to be funky, at least a little. If I were doing a podcast on jazz in general, I’d throw down some more descriptions, and even get into what I think jazz ISN’T. But that’s not what this week is about.

I ask the question because this week’s spotlight albums are likely NOT the first things that come to mind when most people think of jazz. Take Heavy Flute – a compilation of jazz cuts from the 1960s & 1970s featuring flute solos. Released in 2000 (and now out of print and nowhere to be found on streaming services), it was an instant classic for me. Say “flute” to someone, and the first words that come to their mind are unlikely to be “funky” or “cool”. Yet this album proves without a doubt that the flute can be both. Ian Anderson knows this. So does Lizzo. And Walt Parazaider of Chicago.

The songs on this album range from lyrical to percussive & everything in between. When you listen to it – and I do suggest looking up every song, you’re gonna get a big 1960s/70s vibe. And you’re gonna be surprised at how diverse & freakin’ cool & funky it is. My favorite is no question Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He treats the flute like everything from what it’s meant to be to a percussion instrument to a microphone. What he did was practically punk. The dude weirded out in all the best ways, and clearly influenced Walt Parazaider’s solos. Herbie Mann is a close second fave on this album, but you could start with any track and be blown away. Pun intended.

Crime Jazz was released in two parts (Music in the First Degree& Music in the Second Degree). Both albums came out in 1997, and are also out of print & impossible to find on streaming. They feature ensemble jazz made especially for crime movies & TV. Think of the themes to Mission: Impossible (the old TV show, not the movie series) or Peter Gunn. Though the first one isn’t featured in this compilation, you will find other compositions by the great Lalo Schifrin. The second was by Henry Mancini and performed by Quincy Jones and his Orchestra. Check out Elmer Bernstein’s tracks too. He's always been a fave of mine.

For the FULL TEXT & LINKS, go to: https://www.nickdematteo.com/podcast

Apr 04, 202238:36
An Hour with Jacqueline B. Arnold - Interview Edition #22 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #31

An Hour with Jacqueline B. Arnold - Interview Edition #22 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #31

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I spend an hour with Jacqueline B. Arnold. Jackie is a performer, currently on Broadway in the multiple Tony Award winning musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical. We talk about her history on Broadway, on tour, and everywhere else in musical theater and beyond. 

For more on Jackie, go here:
INSTAGRAM: @jacquelinebarnold
https://jackiebarnold.com/ 

And for more info on The Kitchen Chemists, Handmade Full Spectrum Cannabis Infused Topicals, go here:
https://thekitchenchemists.com/

Mar 26, 202257:37
PRE-MO DREAMO EMO SCREAMO GLEAMO FE-MO RAP! … Real Emo DOESN'T EXIST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #30

PRE-MO DREAMO EMO SCREAMO GLEAMO FE-MO RAP! … Real Emo DOESN'T EXIST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #30

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FEATURED MUSIC:

REC – “Break You” (from Parts and Labour)

REC – “Suddenly” (from Synergy for the Weird)

NICK – “Your Sweetness” (from Your EP)

See that link right above this line? It makes me feel … whatever. Basically, I get all “emo” whenever someone tries to define what “emo” is and which bands do or don’t qualify. Not unexpected, I’m sure, since you know well I’ve got issues with “genres”.

As with any genre, one band you’re sure belongs is associated with another band that’s a little different. That band is close to another band etc. etc. until five bands down the line you’ve made it from emo to pop punk to Olivia Rodrigo, or emo to goth punk to The Cure. That said, I’m going to dive headfirst into this swirl of emo shite & hopefully resurface with some actual conclusions.

So what’s up with all the labels in this week’s title? First, it’s a perfect illustration of the mess we get in with this subject. It’s also an abridged history of where emo came from, when it popped (pun intended), and where it’s going.

As to that first thing, your definition of emo depends largely on when you discovered it, possibly more than almost any other type of music. If, like me, you learned about emo in the 1990s, you think of anything before Sunny Day Real Estate as proto-emo, and anything after, say, Jimmy Eat World as NOT emo. If you came to emo in the early 2000s, you’re more likely to call Fall Out Boy & Blink-182 emo acts. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I see as the main emo divisions:

For the FULL BREAKDOWN, including PRE-MO, DREAMO, EMO, SCREAMO, GLEAMO, FE-MO, and EMO RAP, go to: https://www.nickdematteo.com/podcast

So what is “real emo”? If you know MUSIC is not a GENRE, you already know the answer: There IS NO ANSWER. Qualities of emo can be found quite prominently in some 1980s bands, some grunge bands, and quite a bit of pop music. Some pop punk has emo leanings & some doesn’t. Some metal & prog bands are emo-adjacent. Others aren’t. What makes all this fun is finding the threads & following them until you hit on the “emo” that fits you.

You can argue that I was doing emo as early as Sunny Day, such as the song “Your Sweetness” (several years before Jimmy Eat World’s “Sweetness”, btw), but really the influence doesn’t pop up prominently until REC’s Parts and Labour, with the first song being the hands down best example of how emo REC can be. The second song is more in the line of “GLEAMO” than “EMO”. And the third one is the aforementioned “Your Sweetness”, from all the way back in 1996.

Do you know any of the music of the bands I profiled? What do you consider “real emo”? Do you think emo can be clearly defined, and if so which bands would qualify? Discuss dammit!

Mar 21, 202243:46
Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres ... This is Where It Gets PERSONAL - Book Talk #2 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #28

Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres ... This is Where It Gets PERSONAL - Book Talk #2 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #28

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FEATURED MUSIC
REC – “Brave the World”

I’m a peaceful man. Or at least I present as one. I’ve actually got a little too much fire in me, which is a little too easy to set off. Fortunately, with age comes … slowness. I take more time before responding. I sit with my trigger feeling and explore what else might be there. I look for a way to bridge gaps. I … drum roll please … LISTEN before I talk. All of which makes for much better communication, understanding & connection.

This is especially useful when my passion for a subject goes beyond all reason, and I’m confronted by someone with an equal passion who doesn’t necessarily see things how I do. What could end up in complete disengagement & animosity turns into an opportunity to learn, respect & bond. It’s a journey. It’s a pain in the ass. And it’s one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have.

This week’s book, Kelefa Sanneh’s Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, is one of the most passionate music books I’ve ever read. And because the author is passionate, experienced, informed AND has opinions, the book was both thought- AND emotion-provoking. I was predisposed to skepticism about Major Labels because a friend of mine – himself an excellent writer & critic – mentioned to me that Sanneh defends “genre boundaries”, something you can imagine the MUSIC is not a GENRE creator is not a fan of 😊

But I was too intrigued by the overall subject to pass on the book. So I jumped in with an open mind, equally ready to appreciate & be frustrated by it. And while appreciation won out, it was a close call. And his often deeply personal touch – informed in part by his sense of being an “outsider” both because of his race & lack of musical ability – did a lot to mitigate times when he overreached with subjective judgments or flat out interpreted genres in ways that seem tone deaf to an actual musician.

What saved the book for me most were three things: First, he knows his stuff. I want to say “inside and out”, but other than the punk & hip hop sections he mostly came across as an outsider, one more inclined to give “criticism” rather than a “critique”. Second, he was honest throughout about his vantage point & biases, and especially about how wrong his opinions, assessments & predictions have been in the past. Third, he’s close enough to my generation to have similar touchstones & perspectives, even if our takes on certain genres jibe only about half the time.

As for the entire pretense of the book, that popular music can be neatly divided into seven genres – eh. I wanted to be more upset about it, but the author understands that fluidity is part of music (and every other identity), and his joy in defining the genre boundaries and reveling in the particularities is very relatable. The truth is, I love genres too. And sub- and sub-sub-genres and all the fun classifications we can create that disprove their own rules. They do what they’re supposed to do – give us an in to what we MIGHT encounter. Unfortunately they also do a lot more – like segregate & shut out people in droves, and all the other issues I’ve discussed. Genres are a guilty pleasure, one I’m happy are falling apart. In a sense, I see this book as a summation of the “Hyper Genre Divided” period of music history – a period that we can ALMOST look back on, and the sooner the better.

FOR THE FULL TEXT AND MORE, GO HERE

Mar 07, 202240:16
SUPERGROUPS: How SUPER Are They? – Audioslave, Velvet Revolver and THE REST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #27

SUPERGROUPS: How SUPER Are They? – Audioslave, Velvet Revolver and THE REST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #27

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FEATURED SONG: REC – “I’m Gone” (from Parts and Labour

First off, we need to agree on what makes a supergroup. There are lists based on the conventional definition that it’s a group made up of members from other groups. I’m gonna take that two steps further. STEP ONE (yes, I’ve now planted the NKOTB song in your head): The groups these people came from needed to have been famous on their own – i.e. successful & known, i.e. “super”. This can include solo careers. STEP TWO: The new group they form has to have had some measure of success & renown as well. In short, a supergroup is “a famous new group formed by members of famous old groups.”

This stricter definition rules out a ton of groups otherwise called “super”. Some categories that no longer apply:

· Groups whose members were in groups no one has heard of. Example: Can anyone name one other group members of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons came from?

· New groups almost no one has heard of or remembers. Example: We probably all know Filter, Nine Inch Nails & Stone Temple Pilots, but does anyone remember Army of Anyone?

· Glorified side projects, – people mostly from one band, with some side dudes from other lesser known bands. Examples: GTR, A Perfect Circle, Zwan.

· Established bands that had another famous person join in for a while. Examples: RHCP with Dave Navarro; Mars Volta with John Frusciante, Queen with Paul Rodgers.

· Glorified solo projects – one famous musician forming a band with a bunch of non-famous people. Example: Wings.

· Personal favorites – a new group of famous musicians you wish everyone else knew but never quite got there. Example: Tinted Windows.

I’m not saying any of these deserve less praise or respect. They’re just not really supergroups. Now that we’ve established the criteria, let’s look at a much shorter list of actual supergroups:

TO SEE FULL LIST AND FULL ESSAY, GO HERE: NEW HOME of MUSIC is not a GENRE

One thing everyone assesses right out of the gate is whether the new group is better than the old ones. In a few cases – CSNY, Bad Company, Foo Fighters, Madvillain & Run the Jewels – the new groups ARE better. Their music can stand alone with or without their origin groups – one thing I think truly makes a supergroup super. But in almost every case above and any I’ve missed, the answer is no. Them Crooked Vultures is not better than any of the bands those people came from. Neither Broken Bells nor Hollywood Vampires.

And certainly not Audioslave or Velvet Revolver. Were they good bands? Yes. Did they bring something new to the conversation? To some degree, yes. Did they eclipse their old bands? Hell no. It was awesome to hear Cornell & Weiland sing again, and with such esteemed company. And there were several songs from each I really liked (“Cochise”, “Show Me How to Live” & “The Last Fight”, “Fall to Pieces”, to name just a few). But I don’t think there’s a doubt in anyone’s mind that the new bands never came close to the artistic achievements of Soundgarden & STP.

It's awesome they existed – both for the artists & for us. But they will always be footnotes. Exceptions like CSNY or Bad Company prove the rule: that supergroups on the whole are usually not so super.

I was in several bands before REC, including my own solo career. Members of REC have been in other bands as well. That said, none of us are famous – either before or now. So we would not make this list. Which is totally okay.

Feb 28, 202236:24
Death is DUMB Volume 8: Nirvana - Reopening the Heartbreak-Shaped Box | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #26

Death is DUMB Volume 8: Nirvana - Reopening the Heartbreak-Shaped Box | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #26

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FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Water Baby” (from Your EP

I’ve been putting this off since the very first volume of Death is DUMB. For several reasons. It’s confusing & painful. It feels too much like 1994 and yet totally not. It’s laden with commentary & assumptions & prejudices. It’s like what I said about Eminem’s “controversy” – what possible new spin or bit of insight could I provide that would justify a whole episode? But I can’t do a sub-series on major deaths in music and not include this band. That’s just plain cowardice, and abdication of responsibility that should strip me of any claim to being a good music podcaster.

So fuck it. Time to reopen the old wound and spill my guts.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. This is not about grunge. Death in music is everywhere, and while several grunge-related deaths have been high profile, they’re no more numerous than in other kinds of music. This is about amazing music, nostalgia in its truest form (“the pain of returning”), and what it all means to me. It doesn’t have to be for or about anyone or anything else. No lengthy history or patchwork biography – you can find those anywhere. No rehashing old arguments or trying to come up with whys and what-ifs.

In fact, this isn’t even going to be negative. Yes, death is fucking dumb whether it’s self-inflicted or not, and it became a big part of Nirvana’s story. But before that, the music was the story. And the more time passes, the more the story is overtaken by the music. As it should be.

The Monkees. REM. The Beatles. The Smithereens. The Pixies. Punk. Heavy metal. Pop. Harsh dynamics that often obscure the subtle intricacies and songwriting genius. The contrast of expressing the softest vulnerabilities with the loudest shouts. Nirvana did for a generation of musicians & music lovers what those other bands did for Kurt Cobain. They reminded us that in music – and in all art – there’s no such thing as “allowed”. We might seek permission by example, like Cobain did with the Pixies, but that’s us battling within ourselves. The world can fuck off. As soon as you embrace that, what comes out of you is ALL YOU, ALL REAL, and ALL NEW, regardless of what came before.

Were Nirvana grunge? Sure, okay. But at heart (and heart-shaped heartbreak), and as I believe they will be seen historically, they were power pop. Beautifully conceived & written pop songs, executed with primal & unopposable force. Freedom within form. Deeply conscientious creation infused with fuck-all abandon. Far too few artists – far too few people in general life – figure this out. We lean into structure & stricture, or we throw ourselves into self-centered self-destruction. We miss that sweet spot – that perfect state of giving ourselves over fully to our inner truth while still respecting forms, functions & relationships. We miss that nirvana.

No album of mine captures what Nirvana meant to me better than Your EP. Every song except one was a love letter to them. Soft & bitter. Hard & open. Especially “Your Sweetness” and this week’s featured song:

NICK – “Water Baby” (from Your EP

What’s your relationship with Nirvana? What are your thoughts/feelings/memories on Cobain & his untimely death? Can you enjoy the music despite this? Do you hear the unabashed (or I guess severely bashed) pop music in their songs? What other bands do you feel expressed the beautiful heartbreak of existence? Discuss dammit!

Feb 21, 202239:15