Pop
music has had its share of bands with siblings: Gallaghers, Finns,
Carpenters, Davies, Wilsons (some with heart and some with surf),
Isleys, Warhursts, Bulls…..
Then
there’s the Mael men!!!!!
Welcome
to episode 135 of Love That Album podcast.
Sparks,
(ostensibly, Ron and Russell Mael) are that rare beast that are
hugely identifiable despite having changed styles (and record
companies) several times. By the time they released album number 11,
“Angst In My Pants” in 1982, they’d experimented with rock,
prog, euro-disco, pop….and they still had many albums and styles to
go. Yet, when you hear a Sparks song, there's that "something"
that makes you sure it's them.
I
am honoured to be joined by music and film writers, Heather Drain and
Mike McPadden to discuss “Angst” as well as related peripheral
topics. The album is loaded with jerky new-wave era pop. Like its
title, much of the album sounds musically nervous and this is
reflected in many of the record’s songs. Join us as we talk about
cigarettes with human traits, Stars on 45, humour in music without
being comedic, fragile masculinity, taking the Mickey,
anxiety, and (of course) hiding public erections….amongst several
other tasteful topics. I also make a production comparison that I
hope Heather will forgive me for……..
Having
Heather and Mike on the show was a joy. They brought so much insight,
and I look forward to further shows with them.
Go
to Heather’s website at www.mondoheather.com to
get links to her essays and podcast appearances, or to order her
latest book, The Bizarro Encyclopedia of Film Vol.1
Mike
is also keeping busy with 3 (count ‘em) excellent film podcasts on
the go. Subscribe to 70
Movies We Saw In The 70s, Crackpot
Cinema and Busted
Guts: Cracking Open Comedy Cinema,
and keep your film-loving earholes happy. You can also order his
latest book Teen Movie Hell from https://www.teenmoviehell.com/
Download
this episode of LTA from Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes (search for
“Love That Album podcast”). Love That Album is proudly part of
the Pantheon Podcast network. Go to Pantheon
Podcasts to
check out all their great shows.
You
can send me feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3
voicemail) or join the Facebook group
at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.
If
you’d consider writing an iTunes review we’d be immensely
grateful. However, it’d be even better if you told a friend about
the podcast and Pantheon – at a (socially distanced) barbecue, over
coffee (on Skype), on social media….whatever way you choose,
consider me grateful.
Right
click to download episode 135 here.
