Highway Hi-Fi Podcast

In today's episode, we take a break from taking breaks and present a mix of sounds and music to unnerve you.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

From 1963 to 1967 hundreds of songs about the Beatles, but not by the Beatles, were issued by no-name artists on tiny fly-by-night labels. An unimaginable amount of these mop top dedications were simply trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel of Beatlemania Bucks. And while the whole band received an unending amount of adulation from the masses of music makers, one member had an almost metaphysical magnetism for bad musicians: Mr. Ringo Starr.In this episode, we are going to explore America's Jingoism for Ringoism. The ladies who love the goofball percussionist and the men who love to hate him. Odes to the drummer who is better than the best. Or at least better than Pete Best. And the scores of singers who can't possibly imagine a better subject matter than those shaggy locks and that Gomer Pyle grin. Listening to this music...it don't come easy. But we're going to brave the bewildering and backbreaking Beatlemania Bacchanalia to bring you a bounty of the best bedeviling Beatle bauble by bewitched Beatle buffs. In this episode, Ringo Songs.  Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In this episode, we track the legacy of the music of the grittiest of film styles. Scores of scores that are riddled with bullet holes, whiskey bottles, scattered cards, wanted posters, and bloodstains. Tunes that put a bounty on your mind and will ride you down in the desert. So, saddle up your pony and load your six-gun. Down that bottle and kiss your senoritas farewell, Prepare yourself for double-crosses, and double-double-crosses. Get another coffin ready. Today, we're gunning down the history of Spaghetti Western Music. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Nobody intentionally builds cathedrals to mediocrity. Music criticism, and really society in general, is often preoccupied with defining, declaring, and debating superlatives by using any means at their disposal, subjective to scientific. Look at the vast array of books, articles, lists, blog posts, and podcasts dedicated to rock's most important bands or the world's greatest albums, or the first true trip-hop song, or even the musician with the most substantial mustache. We seemingly have a compulsive need to declare a winner. To pin an imaginary medal for a make-believe achievement of unquantifiable greatness. What we rarely do is look to the opposite side of the bell curve. To the outliers at the bottom, that is equally rare as their counterpoints at the apex, but not nearly given as much consideration for how unique they truly are. Those who stand out because of their outstanding failure and shortcomings. The best of the worst. The dregs of the entertainment community. In this episode, we are going to explore the pop stars who found fans in spite of (or perhaps because of) their gross musical incompetence and who were demonstratively aesthetically just plain bad. The small handful of musicians who would be, under all circumstances, considered conventionally terrible at music yet manage to attain success. Those who through sheer will or perhaps complete ignorance managed to make a name for themselves. And those who were exploited, mocked, and enjoyed ironically but still fought to the top.We seek to understand first what the motive is behind their drive? Were they sincere? Delusional? We're they okay being a novelty and laughing along with their hecklers? Did they even know it was happening? Or did they just want to cash in by any means at their disposal? And secondly, we explore the motive of their audience. Did these people truly enjoy these exhibitions of atrocity much like watching a train wreck? Or did they get off on holding this secret over an oblivious performer? And finally what sort of unhealthy dynamic is formed from the strange relationship of the two.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Bagpipes are a sonorous and ceaseless instrument. Almost comically so. The traditional Scottish Bagpipe is the loudest unamplified instrument known to man. Decibel levels range upwards of 110, which puts them far closer to thunderclaps and power tools than pianos and oboes. And if the deafening sound doesn't get you, then the constancy of its noise certainly will. The chanter of a bagpipe is open, which means that once a piper has used the blow stick to fill the bag, the instrument cannot (and will not) be silenced until all the air is released. The spectacular implacable multi-dimensional soundscapes made by a stand of pipes are typically more unleashed than controlled. In fact, it requires technical playing to create an allusion of articulation and tone accents. In essence, the player bends to the will of the instrument, not the other way around...its the anti-Theremin. As James Reid, Bill Millin, and John Cale can all attest, the bagpipe is a fierce musical weapon. The power seems to be a tempting inclusion to engorge the depths of songcraft, yet, there have been so few popular musical artists who have attempted to integrate bagpipes into their songs. Even fewer used bagpipes on a regular basis.In today's episode, we are going to explore the tenuous relationship between the sack and the song. To find the brave souls who marched into the mainstream with nothing but pipes, pride, provocations, and piercing pandemonium. We are going to lift the kilt on one of the world's most maligned and misunderstood music-makers. So, take a deep breath and blow as hard as you can, squeeze your bag tightly, finger your chanter nimbly, and don't stop until you or your audience passes out….because we are startin' to tartan. Today, bagpipes in popular music. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

It's that time of year again, where we get pretty sick of hearing about Christmas. For this, unbelievably, our fourth Christmas episode we are going to carry on the tradition of taking an episode to talk about some of the weirder, smaller stories that we've wanted to cover, but wouldn't fit in with a full-length turntable talk. A veritable cornucopia of record oddities. So, sit back and get ready to have your stockings stuffed with some fascinating tales of rock star mishaps and vinyl vanities. Stoke your fire, spike your eggnog, and don your winter's cap, cause you're about to be visited by the ghost of music history's past.In this episode, we have stories about Adriano Celentano, Eduard Khil, Halyx, Computer Data on Vinyl, Dr. Arthur Lintgen, and Gary S. Paxton. Join us, won't you?Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In the early 20th century, a puppet fervor slowly crept across the America, like rust on a Chevy Nova, as travelling shows made puppeteers into full fledge celebrities, particularly the self-proclaimed “America’s Puppet Master” Tony Sarg who was instrumental in creating visually appealing versions of classic children’s tales and bringing to life puppets in live action and animated films. Concurrently, ventriloquism acts were breaking from music halls and vaudeville shows to find superstardom led by duos of Arthur Prince and Sailor Jimmy, the Great Lester and Frank Byron Jr., and, of course, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. America got wood for talking wood.  The rise of radio, television, and film provided even broader platforms for puppeteers and ventriloquists to spread their infectious amusements. In a world before special effects, making inanimate objects come alive felt magical and more real than still nascent animation. It was children’s television that really embraced puppets as Howdy Doody and Burr Tillstrom's Kukla and Ollie were beamed directly into the impressionable minds of the baby boomers. Lambchop lovin’ Shari Lewis, sweater-clad Fred Rogers, and googly eyed Jim Henson all followed suit shortly after making themselves and their creations into international superstars. At about the same nuclear age time frame, you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting a socially awkward (and probably sexually frustrated) kid unsuccessfully practicing throwing his voice with a shiny new Emmett Kelly or Mortimer Snerd dummy emulating their heroes like Jimmy Nelson, Bil Baird, and Paul Winchell. They would spend hours listening to instructional records on letter substitutions and tongue positioning. The craze permeated far and wide as even Miss America contestants chose ventriloquism for the talent portion of the show. We even got so lazy that we decided to let robots run our puppets as animatronics started popping up all over place like Disneyland, Showbiz Pizza, and Chuck E Cheese. In this episode, we are going to stare into the cold dead eyes of the dummies. We are going to explore why and how adults mimicking mannerisms into lifeless masses became the preeminent evangelical apparatus. And how things went so far off the rails. So, dim the lights and focus the spotlight. Put on your duck tail tuxedo. Tip your top hat jauntily askew. Straighten your bowtie. Stick your hand up the bottom of your favorite inanimate object and throw your voice as far it goes. Join as we walk through the uncanny valley of the dolls. Just don’t let us see your lips move. Today, the wacky world of puppet records, you dummies. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In the early 20th century, a puppet fervor slowly crept across the America, like rust on a Chevy Nova, as travelling shows made puppeteers into full fledge celebrities, particularly the self-proclaimed “America's Puppet Master” Tony Sarg who was instrumental in creating visually appealing versions of classic children's tales and bringing to life puppets in live action and animated films. Concurrently, ventriloquism acts were breaking from music halls and vaudeville shows to find superstardom led by duos of Arthur Prince and Sailor Jimmy, the Great Lester and Frank Byron Jr., and, of course, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. America got wood for talking wood. The rise of radio, television, and film provided even broader platforms for puppeteers and ventriloquists to spread their infectious amusements. In a world before special effects, making inanimate objects come alive felt magical and more real than still nascent animation. It was children's television that really embraced puppets as Howdy Doody and Burr Tillstrom's Kukla and Ollie were beamed directly into the impressionable minds of the baby boomers. Lambchop lovin' Shari Lewis, sweater-clad Fred Rogers, and googly eyed Jim Henson all followed suit shortly after making themselves and their creations into international superstars.At about the same nuclear age time frame, you couldn't throw a stone without hitting a socially awkward (and probably sexually frustrated) kid unsuccessfully practicing throwing his voice with a shiny new Emmett Kelly or Mortimer Snerd dummy emulating their heroes like Jimmy Nelson, Bil Baird, and Paul Winchell. They would spend hours listening to instructional records on letter substitutions and tongue positioning. The craze permeated far and wide as even Miss America contestants chose ventriloquism for the talent portion of the show. We even got so lazy that we decided to let robots run our puppets as animatronics started popping up all over place like Disneyland, Showbiz Pizza, and Chuck E Cheese.In this episode, we are going to stare into the cold dead eyes of the dummies. We are going to explore why and how adults mimicking mannerisms into lifeless masses became the preeminent evangelical apparatus. And how things went so far off the rails. So, dim the lights and focus the spotlight. Put on your duck tail tuxedo. Tip your top hat jauntily askew. Straighten your bowtie. Stick your hand up the bottom of your favorite inanimate object and throw your voice as far it goes. Join as we walk through the uncanny valley of the dolls. Just don't let us see your lips move. Today, the wacky world of puppet records, you dummies. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Almost as long as humans have mastered the ability to record the environment around them, they have desired to record the world that is just beyond them. A perfectly logical endeavour, as all recorded music is somewhat supernatural, especially when cocaine and LSD are involved.  Recorded sound is by its very nature taken from another place, a distant place, and thrust into a moment where it doesn’t belong and couldn’t exist without human manipulation. The technology that unlocks these past dimensions surely mustn't stop there...what other realms can be explored.  In this episode we explore the sounds of the occult and occultists. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Almost as long as humans have mastered the ability to record the environment around them, they have desired to record the world that is just beyond them. A perfectly logical endeavour, as all recorded music is somewhat supernatural, especially when cocaine and LSD are involved.  Recorded sound is by its very nature taken from another place, a distant place, and thrust into a moment where it doesn't belong and couldn't exist without human manipulation. The technology that unlocks these past dimensions surely mustn't stop there...what other realms can be explored. In this episode we explore the sounds of the occult and occultists.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In this episode we look at how graphic novels are pushing the boundaries of pop music history, bringing new perspectives and fans. Where life imitating art is just as  possible as art imitating life. How like the inked pages themselves, the books color their stories to accentuate their ideas and themes. Lighter, darker, more intense, more fanciful, more realistic, more fantastical. Entire biographies or genres are carefully condensed into imaginative visions. Adaptations that leave lasting impressions that are not necessarily bound by what is real. So move back in your mother’s basement, fire up the Batmobile, and bring out the shoebox of old Zippy the Pinhead comics. In this episode, we explore the symbiotic relationship between music history myth-building and graphic novels. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In this episode we look at how graphic novels are pushing the boundaries of pop music history, bringing new perspectives and fans. Where life imitating art is just as  possible as art imitating life. How like the inked pages themselves, the books color their stories to accentuate their ideas and themes. Lighter, darker, more intense, more fanciful, more realistic, more fantastical. Entire biographies or genres are carefully condensed into imaginative visions. Adaptations that leave lasting impressions that are not necessarily bound by what is real. So move back in your mother's basement, fire up the Batmobile, and bring out the shoebox of old Zippy the Pinhead comics. In this episode, we explore the symbiotic relationship between music history myth-building and graphic novels. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

As radio, and eventually television, became a fixture in American homes, a celebrity culture was solidified. With this fascination for the people that we hear and see almost daily, there was a longing to understand them. A striving for connection that lets people feel like they really know who this star is and maybe, one day, that star could know who they really are as well. These conditions of idol worship created a lucrative playing field for companies to draw upon the status of fame to sell their goods. Beyond the normal response that music can invoke in listeners, the draw was much stronger if the message came from a recognized, trusted, and desirable source. Today, we explore the literal commercialization of rock music. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

As radio, and eventually television, became a fixture in American homes, a celebrity culture was solidified. With this fascination for the people that we hear and see almost daily, there was a longing to understand them. A striving for connection that lets people feel like they really know who this star is and maybe, one day, that star could know who they really are as well. These conditions of idol worship created a lucrative playing field for companies to draw upon the status of fame to sell their goods. Beyond the normal response that music can invoke in listeners, the draw was much stronger if the message came from a recognized, trusted, and desirable source. Today, we explore the literal commercialization of rock music.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Night Bus, Late Night Grocery Run, & Pink Motel are microgenres that represent their own experiential sound, where the songs are held together by the atmospheres they invoke rather than a specific set of rules or location in time and space. The music, primarily captured on singles, was created by private press or no name labels with dreams of making it big or at least making a few bucks. The mood of these micro-genres provides a faded snapshot of the 1980s with a depraved combination of the excess and frivolity of popular styles of the time: RnB, disco, funk, AOR, and synthpop. Our episode today is being co-hosted by two cosmonauts of musical taxonomy, Candace and Micah, who launch themselves into the darkest recesses of the musical spectrum and bring back the fragments of unremembered sounds out of the oblivion. They explore musical trends that are mostly forgotten or intentionally pushed away from mass society for its own protection. They have worked diligently to find homes for the “square peg” music that certainly exists, but is, as of yet, unrecognized as a cohesive micro-genre. Music that is little known outside of the basement dwelling record trolls plastered to their discogs, mixclouds, and youtubes.  Listen to Micah's show on WFMU, Music of Mind Control Archives for WFMU shows hosted by Micah & Candace: Night Bus & Low Rent Grooves/Pink Motel Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Night Bus, Late Night Grocery Run, & Pink Motel are microgenres that represent their own experiential sound, where the songs are held together by the atmospheres they invoke rather than a specific set of rules or location in time and space. The music, primarily captured on singles, was created by private press or no name labels with dreams of making it big or at least making a few bucks. The mood of these micro-genres provides a faded snapshot of the 1980s with a depraved combination of the excess and frivolity of popular styles of the time: RnB, disco, funk, AOR, and synthpop. Our episode today is being co-hosted by two cosmonauts of musical taxonomy, Candace and Micah, who launch themselves into the darkest recesses of the musical spectrum and bring back the fragments of unremembered sounds out of the oblivion. They explore musical trends that are mostly forgotten or intentionally pushed away from mass society for its own protection. They have worked diligently to find homes for the “square peg” music that certainly exists, but is, as of yet, unrecognized as a cohesive micro-genre. Music that is little known outside of the basement dwelling record trolls plastered to their discogs, mixclouds, and youtubes.  Listen to Micah's show on WFMU, Music of Mind ControlArchives for WFMU shows hosted by Micah & Candace: Night Bus & Low Rent Grooves/Pink MotelHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

There is an unproductive trope of there being a fine line between genius and madman. Constantly, we are encouraged to believe that the works of “artists in asylums” are somehow this perpetual motion machine where mental illness fuels creativity which, in turn, fractures the creator even more creating a cycle toward an inevitable dark end, where we are only left with the work to scrutinize or admire. The truth is a lot less dramatic, but no less sad. Social circumstances, interpersonal relationships, biology, substances, and societal expectations each play relevant roles in determining the well-being of every person: artist, genius, or just the poor soul sleeping on the street. Art and artist are separate. Just as a mental condition and person are separate. Influenced and interlaced, certainly, but we so often forget that works do not define the person, rather the person defines the work. Many of us are captivated by albums that were created while the artists were in mental hospitals. They are rare artifacts that unfortunately end up defining the artist for their careers while giving an undue amount of weight to the condition of their mind rather than the beauty within it. The artistry that comes from the pain and confusion of confinement . . . in a hospital and in one’s mind. The records are snapshots of musicians on the brink that utilized songs to communicate their struggle or alleviate suffering. Today, we are exploring Institutional Albums by Roky Erickson, Skip Spence, and Danial Johnston. Sources used for this episode include: 13th Floor Elevators: A Visual History by Paul Drummond Eye Mind: The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound by Paul Drummond Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

There is an unproductive trope of there being a fine line between genius and madman. Constantly, we are encouraged to believe that the works of “artists in asylums” are somehow this perpetual motion machine where mental illness fuels creativity which, in turn, fractures the creator even more creating a cycle toward an inevitable dark end, where we are only left with the work to scrutinize or admire. The truth is a lot less dramatic, but no less sad. Social circumstances, interpersonal relationships, biology, substances, and societal expectations each play relevant roles in determining the well-being of every person: artist, genius, or just the poor soul sleeping on the street. Art and artist are separate. Just as a mental condition and person are separate. Influenced and interlaced, certainly, but we so often forget that works do not define the person, rather the person defines the work.Many of us are captivated by albums that were created while the artists were in mental hospitals. They are rare artifacts that unfortunately end up defining the artist for their careers while giving an undue amount of weight to the condition of their mind rather than the beauty within it. The artistry that comes from the pain and confusion of confinement . . . in a hospital and in one's mind. The records are snapshots of musicians on the brink that utilized songs to communicate their struggle or alleviate suffering. Today, we are exploring Institutional Albums by Roky Erickson, Skip Spence, and Danial Johnston.Sources used for this episode include:13th Floor Elevators: A Visual History by Paul DrummondEye Mind: The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound by Paul DrummondHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

There is a long history of the unjust treatment of women musicians whose contributions were often overlooked, dismissed, or stolen. Sadly, it’s likely to be a long future as well. This is on the top of the extra effort and persistence that it took to establish themselves in a sexist business that is stacked against female creators and performers. In particular, the development of experimental and electronic music has been established on the skills of a number of women artists who made monumental and transformative contributions to forward-thinking, technology-minded music. Unfortunately, many of these artists remain far too obscure for their importance in progressing the genre. This episode is an examination of the unsung women who shaped the sounds during the formative years of electronic music.  Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

There is a long history of the unjust treatment of women musicians whose contributions were often overlooked, dismissed, or stolen. Sadly, it's likely to be a long future as well. This is on the top of the extra effort and persistence that it took to establish themselves in a sexist business that is stacked against female creators and performers. In particular, the development of experimental and electronic music has been established on the skills of a number of women artists who made monumental and transformative contributions to forward-thinking, technology-minded music. Unfortunately, many of these artists remain far too obscure for their importance in progressing the genre. This episode is an examination of the unsung women who shaped the sounds during the formative years of electronic music. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Ween set forth on a career-long ambition to tear down standard music industry conventions by hook or by crook. To take that which is weird, obnoxious, and unclean, and show it as important as the falsely pristine parts of life. They were never more successful in this endeavor than on their 76 minute slog of a second record, The Pod. Recorded alone together in Dean and Gene Ween's apartment that was a converted barn smack dab in the middle of a horse field while both were suffering through mono and high on, well, probably everything. The record sounds like you need to scrape off layers and layers of shit and grime to get the pop tunes hidden within. Underneath the juvenile jokes, the impressive assemblage of vulgarity, fast food orders, molasses-dipped song-smithing, sonic fuckery, squishy atmosphere, and overall friendly misanthropic posturing is a solid and comprehensive American pop music revue. Dinner theater at the slaughterhouse.So, tonight's offering...another scoop of isolation but this time with a heaping of flies, scotch guard, and glandular fever. If you've ever woken up and found that someone had taken a deuce on your kitchen floor, you've already sort of heard this masterpiece. The sludgiest, brownest record of Ween's illustrious decades long trouncing of indie music. Come on, it's a beautiful night for a walk on the beach, wouldn't you say?Listen to Fewer Owls, mentioned in this episode!Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Ween set forth on a career-long ambition to tear down standard music industry conventions by hook or by crook. To take that which is weird, obnoxious, and unclean, and show it as important as the falsely pristine parts of life. They were never more successful in this endeavor than on their 76 minute slog of a second record, The Pod. Recorded alone together in Dean and Gene Ween’s apartment that was a converted barn smack dab in the middle of a horse field while both were suffering through mono and high on, well, probably everything. The record sounds like you need to scrape off layers and layers of shit and grime to get the pop tunes hidden within. Underneath the juvenile jokes, the impressive assemblage of vulgarity, fast food orders, molasses-dipped song-smithing, sonic fuckery, squishy atmosphere, and overall friendly misanthropic posturing is a solid and comprehensive American pop music revue. Dinner theater at the slaughterhouse. So, tonight’s offering...another scoop of isolation but this time with a heaping of flies, scotch guard, and glandular fever. If you’ve ever woken up and found that someone had taken a deuce on your kitchen floor, you’ve already sort of heard this masterpiece. The sludgiest, brownest record of Ween’s illustrious decades long trouncing of indie music. Come on, it's a beautiful night for a walk on the beach, wouldn't you say? Listen to Fewer Owls, mentioned in this episode! Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Today's episode is a continuing examination of the strange bedfellows of cults and music. Last time, we discussed some of the more academic reasons why leaders and their minions utilize music to recruit, indoctrinate, isolate, and elevate their group, so today we are going to dive right into the fringiest of the fringe groups. The absurd ashrams. The Kookiest communes. The flakiest faiths. The goofiest gurus. The screwiest sects. And the zaniest zealots. So go ahead and plaster your best “Up with People” smile on that face, schedule tomorrow's deprogramming session, and hunker in your bunker as we prepare to astrally project the second installment of the fascinating world of cult music. One of the main resources we used for this episode was WFMU's Music of Mind Control with MicahHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Today’s episode is a continuing examination of the strange bedfellows of cults and music. Last time, we discussed some of the more academic reasons why leaders and their minions utilize music to recruit, indoctrinate, isolate, and elevate their group, so today we are going to dive right into the fringiest of the fringe groups. The absurd ashrams. The Kookiest communes. The flakiest faiths. The goofiest gurus. The screwiest sects. And the zaniest zealots. So go ahead and plaster your best “Up with People” smile on that face, schedule tomorrow’s deprogramming session, and hunker in your bunker as we prepare to astrally project the second installment of the fascinating world of cult music. One of the main resources we used for this episode was WFMU's Music of Mind Control with Micah Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Cults can manifest themselves in any number of ways. They deal in the currency of human beliefs….religious, political, racist, or terroristic beliefs. And can be delivered in the form of a prophesying doomsday, increasing human potential, or enhancing one's position using new age techniques, black magic, crystal skulls, anything on Gwyneth Paltrow's website, or other supernatural means. And while it can be difficult to know exactly when a group is truly a cult, they tend to share three things: a charismatic, often authoritative leader; an indoctrination program into a transcendent belief system; and a system of control through exploitation. These self-styled leaders prey upon the most malleable members of society. Generally, those are the most stable and predictable of us. Cults use varying means of conditioning and thought reform through deception, isolation, dependency, and fear. One of the more fascinating tools in their horrible toolbox of manipulation is the use of music. As with the case of Bixby and DeGraff, there is a strange balance and codependency of music and mind control. Music is consistently seen playing a role in the establishment and functioning of cults, radical sects, and new religious movements. It can not only bring people together, it can also bring people into the fold.In this episode, we delve into the bizarre world of music made from within cults. Tunes that were left behind as relics of evidence of exploitation and excessive, destructive devotion. Results that are so strange because they were almost certainly weaponized by a brainwashed minion. Music that is created in a vacuum of narcissism, removed from free thought and outside influence. Hymns to self-appointed prophets, saviors, divine conduits, Christ reincarnates, gurus, faith healers, alien leaders, and Sting (probably). We will look at music from some of the world's most infamous cults as well as the songs that are so insular, they make no sense outside of their context, even when that context makes no sense either. So, cleanse off your chakra, open your mind, pull on your robes, lace up your Nikes. Today, the music of the cults. Join us, won't you? Forever?One of the main resources we used for this episode was WFMU's Music of Mind Control with MicahHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Cults can manifest themselves in any number of ways. They deal in the currency of human beliefs….religious, political, racist, or terroristic beliefs. And can be delivered in the form of a prophesying doomsday, increasing human potential, or enhancing one’s position using new age techniques, black magic, crystal skulls, anything on Gwyneth Paltrow’s website, or other supernatural means. And while it can be difficult to know exactly when a group is truly a cult, they tend to share three things: a charismatic, often authoritative leader; an indoctrination program into a transcendent belief system; and a system of control through exploitation.  These self-styled leaders prey upon the most malleable members of society. Generally, those are the most stable and predictable of us. Cults use varying means of conditioning and thought reform through deception, isolation, dependency, and fear. One of the more fascinating tools in their horrible toolbox of manipulation is the use of music. As with the case of Bixby and DeGraff, there is a strange balance and codependency of music and mind control. Music is consistently seen playing a role in the establishment and functioning of cults, radical sects, and new religious movements. It can not only bring people together, it can also bring people into the fold. In this episode, we delve into the bizarre world of music made from within cults. Tunes that were left behind as relics of evidence of exploitation and excessive, destructive devotion. Results that are so strange because they were almost certainly weaponized by a brainwashed minion. Music that is created in a vacuum of narcissism, removed from free thought and outside influence. Hymns to self-appointed prophets, saviors, divine conduits, Christ reincarnates, gurus, faith healers, alien leaders, and Sting (probably). We will look at music from some of the world’s most infamous cults as well as the songs that are so insular, they make no sense outside of their context, even when that context makes no sense either. So, cleanse off your chakra, open your mind, pull on your robes, lace up your Nikes. Today, the music of the cults. Join us, won’t you? Forever? One of the main resources we used for this episode was WFMU's Music of Mind Control with Micah Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Like it or not, we are all chained to our past. What we have done slowly becomes who we are.  This holds especially true for musicians as they constantly struggle against what they have already created for the world to behold. The pieces of art that fans, labels, journalists, and maybe themselves become forever tethered to their identity. The crusty joke about “I like their old stuff better” is often truly a death knell for a band's growth. An artist is frozen in time by their own past success. Why try anything new if it won't matter to most of the people who care about your product anyway? And, frankly, for a lot of bands, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. Changing styles might spark the sell-out or jumped the shark chants with angry mobs carrying pitchforks and reading Pitchfork. If you don't, though, you risk growing stale and fading away.Some bands lean into a stylistic steadfastness and can compel allegiance through sheer resolute commitment. The Ramones, Motorhead, and the Cramps built a brand on a singular style, albeit their own very unique style. Most artists with some longevity, ebb and flow, grow and retreat, but hang around their general vicinity of comfort. There are tons of examples of this. Artists like Wilco, REM, Willie Nelson, Rolling Stones, etc. It goes on and on. Some artists reinvent themselves constantly throughout their careers but never to a completely unrecognizable degree. This would include David Bowie, Prince, Madonna, and Bob Dylan. Some simply pinball from one horrific sound to the next. Sting, for example, and his tantrically mediocre existence. Some artists might occasionally take an oddball flier on a totally random genre record that exists squarely outside of their cannon, maybe for fun, or by accident, or out of contract obligations...think Serge Gainsbourg's Reggae album, Ween's country album, Neil Young's Trans, Metal Machine Music, Pat Boone's unfortunately satisfying metal album, and of course, the oft cited here, Chris Gaines taking off the goatee mask to become Garth Brooks. These often sound more on the wrong side of the “novelty to homage” scale. However, there are a few rare cases when an artist completely reinvents themselves, elevating the limits of ambition and shattering preconceived notions of their music. Scott Walker left behind his teeny bopper career to become a pork-pounding master of the avant-garde. Tom Waits evolved from a barroom balladeer to a carnival barking madman. Brian Eno disrobed from his leopard print glam tendencies to essentially single-handedly herald in ambient music. And finally, Talk Talk who started as a group of synth-toting Duran Duran doppelganger doppelgangers to being at the forefront of the post-rock movement. As we continue to delve into different forms of isolation shaped and sculpted into musical artifacts, Talk Talk's Laughing Stock is intentionally distancing from the sentiment and bias of the past. A band that desperately works to create space and blatant disregard from what they are supposed to be. And in the end, it turns out to be too destructive of a force for the group to continue.   Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Like it or not, we are all chained to our past. What we have done slowly becomes who we are.  This holds especially true for musicians as they constantly struggle against what they have already created for the world to behold. The pieces of art that fans, labels, journalists, and maybe themselves become forever tethered to their identity. The crusty joke about “I like their old stuff better” is often truly a death knell for a band’s growth. An artist is frozen in time by their own past success. Why try anything new if it won’t matter to most of the people who care about your product anyway? And, frankly, for a lot of bands, they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Changing styles might spark the sell-out or jumped the shark chants with angry mobs carrying pitchforks and reading Pitchfork. If you don’t, though, you risk growing stale and fading away. Some bands lean into a stylistic steadfastness and can compel allegiance through sheer resolute commitment. The Ramones, Motorhead, and the Cramps built a brand on a singular style, albeit their own very unique style. Most artists with some longevity, ebb and flow, grow and retreat, but hang around their general vicinity of comfort. There are tons of examples of this. Artists like Wilco, REM, Willie Nelson, Rolling Stones, etc. It goes on and on. Some artists reinvent themselves constantly throughout their careers but never to a completely unrecognizable degree. This would include David Bowie, Prince, Madonna, and Bob Dylan. Some simply pinball from one horrific sound to the next. Sting, for example, and his tantrically mediocre existence. Some artists might occasionally take an oddball flier on a totally random genre record that exists squarely outside of their cannon, maybe for fun, or by accident, or out of contract obligations...think Serge Gainsbourg’s Reggae album, Ween’s country album, Neil Young’s Trans, Metal Machine Music, Pat Boone’s unfortunately satisfying metal album, and of course, the oft cited here, Chris Gaines taking off the goatee mask to become Garth Brooks. These often sound more on the wrong side of the “novelty to homage” scale. However, there are a few rare cases when an artist completely reinvents themselves, elevating the limits of ambition and shattering preconceived notions of their music. Scott Walker left behind his teeny bopper career to become a pork-pounding master of the avant-garde. Tom Waits evolved from a barroom balladeer to a carnival barking madman. Brian Eno disrobed from his leopard print glam tendencies to essentially single-handedly herald in ambient music. And finally, Talk Talk who started as a group of synth-toting Duran Duran doppelganger doppelgangers to being at the forefront of the post-rock movement. As we continue to delve into different forms of isolation shaped and sculpted into musical artifacts, Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock is intentionally distancing from the sentiment and bias of the past. A band that desperately works to create space and blatant disregard from what they are supposed to be. And in the end, it turns out to be too destructive of a force for the group to continue.   Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

For being studied from philosophical, sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives for centuries, there is no one unified theory on the meaning of laughter. A common condition of all cultures, every person is susceptible to these involuntary responses. As Aristotle put it, “Humans are laughing animals”. One factor that most Gelotological philosophers and scientists agree upon is that laughter is an essential social tool. Laughter creates connection, expresses emotion, adds conversational context, signals acceptance, creates positive feedback loops, acts as a defense mechanism, and helps to ferret out the weak and embarrass them. In short, laughter is how we bond. It's how we tell others and ourselves that things are going to be okay. Social, emotional, and cognitive regulation. A primitive means to deal with our unpredictable, inconsistent, and intense existence. 1900s French Philosopher Henri Bergson wrote that laughter was a collective apparatus that causes a separation from logic and emotion which allows society to intellectually adapt to situations, balance moral quandaries, and correct eccentric behavior. Of course, not too many people are worried about where laughter comes from or what it does, we just know that videos of men sustaining testicular injuries is never not funny. All this begs the question...what do you get when you cross a joke and a rhetorical question? In the 1920s, an answer to that might have been the laughing record fad. 78s featuring uncontrollable cackling took hold of the culture causing a sort of mass hysteria in the sitting rooms around the world. It was a regular pole-sitter laughageddon. Inexplicably, millions of people could not get enough of songs that were interrupted with the wild pre-recorded howls and snorts flatulating from their Victrola phonograph machines. The bizarre novelty record phenomenon had a long lasting impact in both humanizing the nascent technology and laying the groundwork for embedded laugh tracks to assist audiences with remembering the hilarity they were witnessing. On this episode, we chuckle, chortle, snicker, titter, giggle, and guffaw our way through the bust-your-gut history of laughing records. Primary sources for this episode:Ian Nagoski of Canary RecordsCary O'Dell - Library of CongressVocal Tracks by Jacob SmithHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

For being studied from philosophical, sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives for centuries, there is no one unified theory on the meaning of laughter. A common condition of all cultures, every person is susceptible to these involuntary responses. As Aristotle put it, “Humans are laughing animals”. One factor that most Gelotological philosophers and scientists agree upon is that laughter is an essential social tool. Laughter creates connection, expresses emotion, adds conversational context, signals acceptance, creates positive feedback loops, acts as a defense mechanism, and helps to ferret out the weak and embarrass them. In short, laughter is how we bond. It’s how we tell others and ourselves that things are going to be okay. Social, emotional, and cognitive regulation. A primitive means to deal with our unpredictable, inconsistent, and intense existence. 1900s French Philosopher Henri Bergson wrote that laughter was a collective apparatus that causes a separation from logic and emotion which allows society to intellectually adapt to situations, balance moral quandaries, and correct eccentric behavior. Of course, not too many people are worried about where laughter comes from or what it does, we just know that videos of men sustaining testicular injuries is never not funny.  All this begs the question...what do you get when you cross a joke and a rhetorical question? In the 1920s, an answer to that might have been the laughing record fad. 78s featuring uncontrollable cackling took hold of the culture causing a sort of mass hysteria in the sitting rooms around the world. It was a regular pole-sitter laughageddon. Inexplicably, millions of people could not get enough of songs that were interrupted with the wild pre-recorded howls and snorts flatulating from their Victrola phonograph machines. The bizarre novelty record phenomenon had a long lasting impact in both humanizing the nascent technology and laying the groundwork for embedded laugh tracks to assist audiences with remembering the hilarity they were witnessing. On this episode, we chuckle, chortle, snicker, titter, giggle, and guffaw our way through the bust-your-gut history of laughing records.  Primary sources for this episode: Ian Nagoski of Canary Records Cary O'Dell - Library of Congress Vocal Tracks by Jacob Smith Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In a sense, private press records are the ultimate form of isolation music. They are albums that are created completely on an island. Often, recorded by a single person. Usually, created without any support or belief. Always, made without the assistance of a label to provide funding, resources, marketing, or expertise. Putting out a private press record is an act of faith. Faith in yourself...that you are an undiscovered and misunderstood musical treasure. Faith that you'll see a return on your investment…that the thousands of dollars you spend will be come back tenfold with future riches, fame, and respect.  Faith in your fans….the ones that don't yet exist, but will certainly fawn over you when they finally set the needle down on the shiny black vinyl, spinning at a perfect 33 and a third revolutions per minute. Faith in the system….that if you believe and you work hard, you will fulfill your destiny. Faith, that someone cares and empathizes with your point of view. Faith that you might not be alone. Bobb Trimble might be the king of the private press.  He certainly checks most of the boxes that make a private press record highly sought after: Loner outsider musician, hilariously bizarre cover art, strange story, lo-fi recording, minuscule pressing, cited as influential by big-name independent artists. However, what makes him the master of this lost genre is the music itself which is gorgeously detailed, strangely attractive, shockingly accessible and engaging. Music that is not just rehashed and stylized, but something that lives outside the standard comfortable genre descriptors. Somewhere between acid folk, soft rock psychedelic, fuzzy space rock, and power pop with a streak of musique concrete.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

In a sense, private press records are the ultimate form of isolation music. They are albums that are created completely on an island. Often, recorded by a single person. Usually, created without any support or belief. Always, made without the assistance of a label to provide funding, resources, marketing, or expertise. Putting out a private press record is an act of faith. Faith in yourself...that you are an undiscovered and misunderstood musical treasure. Faith that you’ll see a return on your investment…that the thousands of dollars you spend will be come back tenfold with future riches, fame, and respect.  Faith in your fans….the ones that don’t yet exist, but will certainly fawn over you when they finally set the needle down on the shiny black vinyl, spinning at a perfect 33 and a third revolutions per minute. Faith in the system….that if you believe and you work hard, you will fulfill your destiny. Faith, that someone cares and empathizes with your point of view. Faith that you might not be alone.  Bobb Trimble might be the king of the private press.  He certainly checks most of the boxes that make a private press record highly sought after: Loner outsider musician, hilariously bizarre cover art, strange story, lo-fi recording, minuscule pressing, cited as influential by big-name independent artists. However, what makes him the master of this lost genre is the music itself which is gorgeously detailed, strangely attractive, shockingly accessible and engaging. Music that is not just rehashed and stylized, but something that lives outside the standard comfortable genre descriptors. Somewhere between acid folk, soft rock psychedelic, fuzzy space rock, and power pop with a streak of musique concrete. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

The Paisley Underground might be the first mix-tape scene. Not really a genre at all, but a collective of people who had similar interests and influences who all happened to be in bands. The music was defined more by what it wasn't...not punk, not singer-songwriter, not hard rock, not New Romantic. It was entirely synthesized by openly combining parts of beloved sounds of the past into a fresh and forward-thinking way. The bands were composed of musicians who wore their hearts on their technicolor dreamcoat sleeves with regards to their love and devotion of 60s music. However, the sounds of the individual bands varied greatly, so it makes little sense to call it a true genre. More a scene that captured shared ideals and fashion sense. As Dream Syndicate main man Steve Wynn aptly put it: “We had enough in common with each other and almost nothing in common with anybody else.”It involved a wave of kids who became tired of the punk scene which had become what it initially railed against: stagnant music that was too concerned with maintaining status quo uniformity as the kids were getting too violent. Scores of kids who had initially fallen in love with the thrill and DIY mindset of punk, who'd grown bored and felt disenfranchised and left behind. Many of the Paisley Undergroundlings described themselves as bad punks, making music just for the sake of belonging rather than for the sake of the songs. It was the spirit of punk but with a more expansive sound. They started looking inward and backward to the more gentle and pretty sounds of the 1960s. But this wasn't a neo-hippy movement with romanticized political ideals and stereotypical retro wear. In fact, all the bands gleaned what they liked most about the 60s without any concern for being true to their heroes or dedicated to the sound and fashion. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

The Paisley Underground might be the first mix-tape scene. Not really a genre at all, but a collective of people who had similar interests and influences who all happened to be in bands. The music was defined more by what it wasn’t...not punk, not singer-songwriter, not hard rock, not New Romantic. It was entirely synthesized by openly combining parts of beloved sounds of the past into a fresh and forward-thinking way. The bands were composed of musicians who wore their hearts on their technicolor dreamcoat sleeves with regards to their love and devotion of 60s music. However, the sounds of the individual bands varied greatly, so it makes little sense to call it a true genre. More a scene that captured shared ideals and fashion sense. As Dream Syndicate main man Steve Wynn aptly put it: “We had enough in common with each other and almost nothing in common with anybody else.” It involved a wave of kids who became tired of the punk scene which had become what it initially railed against: stagnant music that was too concerned with maintaining status quo uniformity as the kids were getting too violent. Scores of kids who had initially fallen in love with the thrill and DIY mindset of punk, who'd grown bored and felt disenfranchised and left behind. Many of the Paisley Undergroundlings described themselves as bad punks, making music just for the sake of belonging rather than for the sake of the songs. It was the spirit of punk but with a more expansive sound. They started looking inward and backward to the more gentle and pretty sounds of the 1960s. But this wasn’t a neo-hippy movement with romanticized political ideals and stereotypical retro wear. In fact, all the bands gleaned what they liked most about the 60s without any concern for being true to their heroes or dedicated to the sound and fashion.  Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

The Mountain Goats released Coroner's Gambit in 2000, three years after their previous album, Full Force Galesburg. This might not sound like an incredibly long break between records, but some perspective might help explain why this time was important. In 1991, the Mountain Goats released their first album, a cassette-only release titled Taboo VI: The Homecoming. From that album through 1997, they had 21 releases of various types, cassette-only, CD only, 7” singles, split singles, 12” EPs, and full-length albums. In those 21 releases were 188 songs. In 1998, there were only 4 songs on one 12”. In 1999, zero. What caused this period of seeming inactivity?Research we used in this episode came from the below and we hope we didn't leave anyone out:Mountain Goats Website Annotated Mountain GoatsThe Mountain Goats WikiPopMatters Interview with John DarnielleRozzNet: The Official Rozz Williams WebsiteTurned Out Punk Podcast, Episode 209Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

The Mountain Goats released Coroner’s Gambit in 2000, three years after their previous album, Full Force Galesburg. This might not sound like an incredibly long break between records, but some perspective might help explain why this time was important.  In 1991, the Mountain Goats released their first album, a cassette-only release titled Taboo VI: The Homecoming. From that album through 1997, they had 21 releases of various types, cassette-only, CD only, 7” singles, split singles, 12” EPs, and full-length albums. In those 21 releases were 188 songs. In 1998, there were only 4 songs on one 12”. In 1999, zero. What caused this period of seeming inactivity? Research we used in this episode came from the below and we hope we didn't leave anyone out: Mountain Goats Website  Annotated Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats Wiki PopMatters Interview with John Darnielle RozzNet: The Official Rozz Williams Website Turned Out Punk Podcast, Episode 209 Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

If you collect vinyl, you understand the power of tangible, physical media. You know the thrill of finding a new record, staring at the cover art, pouring through the liner notes, and, of course, the disc itself. Holding sound. Looking at the grooves, the labels, the wax. The record is truly a piece of art far beyond the music contained within. There is perhaps no one who practices this craft with more skill and dedication than Michael Dixon. Based out of Tucson, Arizona, Mike expands the boundaries of vinyl art through creativity, collaboration, and innovation. He views a vinyl record as a blank canvas which will hold unique one-of-a-kind artifacts that are both beautiful and will play music for perpetuity. Drawing from lifelong loves of education, records, outsider art, and re-purposing junk, Mike uses 1940s record cutting lathe machines to handcraft sonic objects. He has made records out of up-cycled plexiglass, laser discs, picnic plates, cd-rs (playable on both turntable and standard CD player), mirrors, place mats, x-rays, and even 90% cacao chocolate. He has made records that use multiple sides, holes, groove patterns, locked grooves, and overlapping or concentric circles. He has made records that are absurdly entertaining and visually stunning. On top of this, he runs a record label called People In a Position to Know that focuses on putting out records by artists that he believes in and records that are as individual as the bands. He has made ultra-limited releases for a huge range of big name indie artists like The Flaming Lips, Dr Dog, Ariel Pink, Mike Watt, the Microphones, and Grandaddy as well as making essential music available to fans from bands that you should know like The Graves, Sugar Candy Mountain, and Golden Boots. He has also put out music by several of this podcast's favorite artists including Wooden Wand, Simon Joyner, and Luna. Oh and when he's not doing that, he does short run lathe cuts for bands, fixes lathe machines, is a DJ specializing in private press and bizarro honky tonk, and, coolest of all, educates kids at schools and libraries about the science behind sound and the evolution of sound recording.   We were fortunate enough to spend some time with Mike talking about his passion and his art as well as some mutual interests. We strongly encourage you to check out his process and his products by visiting his websites, michaeldixonvinylart.com and piaptk.com. We guarantee you will find incredible unique music and records that you cannot find anywhere else.Now, it is another chapter in our continuing series of interviewing people who are truly vital to the vinyl record industry and the fans of vinyl records all over the world. Here's our conversation with lathe master, label owner, and vinyl artist Michael Dixon.People in a Position to Know Vinyl Recordings (PIAPTK)Michael Dixon ArtHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

If you collect vinyl, you understand the power of tangible, physical media. You know the thrill of finding a new record, staring at the cover art, pouring through the liner notes, and, of course, the disc itself. Holding sound. Looking at the grooves, the labels, the wax. The record is truly a piece of art far beyond the music contained within.  There is perhaps no one who practices this craft with more skill and dedication than Michael Dixon. Based out of Tucson, Arizona, Mike expands the boundaries of vinyl art through creativity, collaboration, and innovation. He views a vinyl record as a blank canvas which will hold unique one-of-a-kind artifacts that are both beautiful and will play music for perpetuity. Drawing from lifelong loves of education, records, outsider art, and re-purposing junk, Mike uses 1940s record cutting lathe machines to handcraft sonic objects. He has made records out of up-cycled plexiglass, laser discs, picnic plates, cd-rs (playable on both turntable and standard CD player), mirrors, place mats, x-rays, and even 90% cacao chocolate. He has made records that use multiple sides, holes, groove patterns, locked grooves, and overlapping or concentric circles. He has made records that are absurdly entertaining and visually stunning.  On top of this, he runs a record label called People In a Position to Know that focuses on putting out records by artists that he believes in and records that are as individual as the bands. He has made ultra-limited releases for a huge range of big name indie artists like The Flaming Lips, Dr Dog, Ariel Pink, Mike Watt, the Microphones, and Grandaddy as well as making essential music available to fans from bands that you should know like The Graves, Sugar Candy Mountain, and Golden Boots. He has also put out music by several of this podcast’s favorite artists including Wooden Wand, Simon Joyner, and Luna.  Oh and when he’s not doing that, he does short run lathe cuts for bands, fixes lathe machines, is a DJ specializing in private press and bizarro honky tonk, and, coolest of all, educates kids at schools and libraries about the science behind sound and the evolution of sound recording.    We were fortunate enough to spend some time with Mike talking about his passion and his art as well as some mutual interests. We strongly encourage you to check out his process and his products by visiting his websites, michaeldixonvinylart.com and piaptk.com. We guarantee you will find incredible unique music and records that you cannot find anywhere else. Now, it is another chapter in our continuing series of interviewing people who are truly vital to the vinyl record industry and the fans of vinyl records all over the world. Here’s our conversation with lathe master, label owner, and vinyl artist Michael Dixon. People in a Position to Know Vinyl Recordings (PIAPTK) Michael Dixon Art Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Faced with the prospect of an untimely death, 25-year-old Mary Lambert Swale drew up an unusually specific last will and testament. The daughter of the wealthy English family, Swale anonymously bequeathed to the Anglican Church of Toronto 5000 sterling, an astronomical sum in 1845, to erect a new church. This gift came with stipulations, however. The building must be constructed in the Gothic Style in a cruciform structure. The congregation must be named Church of the Holy Trinity. And, most importantly, that all people be welcome in the church and that its pews be “free and unappropriated forever.” This was a radical request as a common practice among Anglican churches of the time was charging pew reservations as a way to allow the more affluent to worship undisturbed by the pathetic prayer riff-raff. The Church of the Holy Trinity was dedicated in October 1847 and its doors have ever more been open to all.It is fitting that this deference to the past, insistence on beauty, and the requirement for openness would be built into a church that 140 years later would play host to a recording session that would make the environment a critical aspect of its music. The Cowboy Junkies would hole up in the Trinity Church and quietly play their haunting Shoegaze Americana into a single microphone nestled in the midst of the five-story Cathedral. The hushed beauty that was committed to tape in that sacred place on the “The Trinity Session” is a commentary against the increasingly digital and frantic world surrounding them.  If you'd like to hear why Lou Reed's "Take No Prisoners" is our favorite live album of all-time, listen to the Love That Album Podcast.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Faced with the prospect of an untimely death, 25-year-old Mary Lambert Swale drew up an unusually specific last will and testament. The daughter of the wealthy English family, Swale anonymously bequeathed to the Anglican Church of Toronto 5000 sterling, an astronomical sum in 1845, to erect a new church. This gift came with stipulations, however. The building must be constructed in the Gothic Style in a cruciform structure. The congregation must be named Church of the Holy Trinity. And, most importantly, that all people be welcome in the church and that its pews be “free and unappropriated forever.” This was a radical request as a common practice among Anglican churches of the time was charging pew reservations as a way to allow the more affluent to worship undisturbed by the pathetic prayer riff-raff. The Church of the Holy Trinity was dedicated in October 1847 and its doors have ever more been open to all. It is fitting that this deference to the past, insistence on beauty, and the requirement for openness would be built into a church that 140 years later would play host to a recording session that would make the environment a critical aspect of its music. The Cowboy Junkies would hole up in the Trinity Church and quietly play their haunting Shoegaze Americana into a single microphone nestled in the midst of the five-story Cathedral. The hushed beauty that was committed to tape in that sacred place on the “The Trinity Session” is a commentary against the increasingly digital and frantic world surrounding them.   If you'd like to hear why Lou Reed's "Take No Prisoners" is our favorite live album of all-time, listen to the Love That Album Podcast. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Supergroups are kind of lazy. It's a lazy term for bands that consist of musicians who have already found success elsewhere. It's a lazy move for musicians who too often want to become relevant again or make some easy money. It's a lazy means of promotion for record labels who can just plaster the faces of the band members on the cover. It's a lazy expectation for fans who are happy enough with artists resting on their collective laurels. However, in this laziness, intentions and expectations are in a strange dichotomy of being very low and being very high, a lot of weird and fun stuff can happen. Raging egos, combined with expensive chemicals can generate a lot of damage.The rise of many of the most well-known supergroups has been documented to a narcoleptic degree; your Creams, Audioslaves, CSNYs, Blind Faiths, Traveling Wilburys, and Bad Englishes, for example. We are not going to bore you with those stories that you probably know already and we don't have any interest in in the first place. We are going to take a different highway like the podcasting highwaymen we are. In this episode, we look at the other end of the spectrum, covering the importance of groups that were supergroups except that no one knew it yet. Groups with multiple members who would go on to greatness, but in the nascent stage were still unknowns. Bands that are sometimes called “Reverse Supergroups”. Totally opposite of the serendipitous accidents or the blatant money grabs of the typical supergroups; proto-supergroups are full of drive, creativity, and unchecked enthusiasm. The powers that the members yield may not be known, but it is a lot of fun to see collaborations between up and comers. Making the case that sometimes the music is more important and more lasting when it was created before anyone was paying attention rather than when it was made after people quit caring.Great places to visit that we mention in the episode:Chris Sand AKA Sandman the Rappin' CowboyPeople in a Position to Know Vinyl Recordings (PIAPTK)Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Supergroups are kind of lazy. It’s a lazy term for bands that consist of musicians who have already found success elsewhere. It’s a lazy move for musicians who too often want to become relevant again or make some easy money. It’s a lazy means of promotion for record labels who can just plaster the faces of the band members on the cover. It’s a lazy expectation for fans who are happy enough with artists resting on their collective laurels. However, in this laziness, intentions and expectations are in a strange dichotomy of being very low and being very high, a lot of weird and fun stuff can happen. Raging egos, combined with expensive chemicals can generate a lot of damage. The rise of many of the most well-known supergroups has been documented to a narcoleptic degree; your Creams, Audioslaves, CSNYs, Blind Faiths, Traveling Wilburys, and Bad Englishes, for example. We are not going to bore you with those stories that you probably know already and we don’t have any interest in in the first place. We are going to take a different highway like the podcasting highwaymen we are.  In this episode, we look at the other end of the spectrum, covering the importance of groups that were supergroups except that no one knew it yet. Groups with multiple members who would go on to greatness, but in the nascent stage were still unknowns. Bands that are sometimes called “Reverse Supergroups”. Totally opposite of the serendipitous accidents or the blatant money grabs of the typical supergroups; proto-supergroups are full of drive, creativity, and unchecked enthusiasm. The powers that the members yield may not be known, but it is a lot of fun to see collaborations between up and comers. Making the case that sometimes the music is more important and more lasting when it was created before anyone was paying attention rather than when it was made after people quit caring. Great places to visit that we mention in the episode: Chris Sand AKA Sandman the Rappin' Cowboy People in a Position to Know Vinyl Recordings (PIAPTK) Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Jandek's first album, like most of his career, was made with aggressive alienation. Heralded as a master of American DIY, at no point during the first 25 years of his career did he seek attention, press, or notoriety outside his homemade music. No press kits. No live performances. No ambition or self-awareness. All interviews are summarily denied. Prolific in both his obscurity and output, Jandek would release 45 records (always 12' full albums until CDs were available) between 1978 and 2006 under the Corwood Industries label. These would all be sold only via mail order from a Houston PO box. In that quarter century, there are only a handful of supposed interviews, which might be a misnomer because interview implies some transmission of pertinent information. He may have worked as a machinist. He may have had formal musical training. The unidentified man, who was Jandek, but only identified himself as representative of Corwood Industries. If Tom Waits' song “What's He Building in There” was non-fiction, it would've been about Jandek.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Jandek’s first album, like most of his career, was made with aggressive alienation. Heralded as a master of American DIY, at no point during the first 25 years of his career did he seek attention, press, or notoriety outside his homemade music. No press kits. No live performances. No ambition or self-awareness. All interviews are summarily denied. Prolific in both his obscurity and output, Jandek would release 45 records (always 12’ full albums until CDs were available) between 1978 and 2006 under the Corwood Industries label. These would all be sold only via mail order from a Houston PO box. In that quarter century, there are only a handful of supposed interviews, which might be a misnomer because interview implies some transmission of pertinent information. He may have worked as a machinist. He may have had formal musical training. The unidentified man, who was Jandek, but only identified himself as representative of Corwood Industries. If Tom Waits’ song “What’s He Building in There” was non-fiction, it would’ve been about Jandek. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Bruce Springsteen was totally spent after finishing a grueling year long 140 date tour for his massively successful double record The River. Needing a rest, he rented a house by a reservoir in Colt's Neck, New Jersey. His time spent there allowed him a little bit of respite from life on the road and time apart from the fans. He was able to fully take in and embrace his musical and literary influences, past and present. And while the quiet allowed him to take some time to reflect, he was dealing with insecurity, depression, and the immense pressure that he felt from all sides. And in the silence, he fell prey to a subconscious nagging about the unconnected dots from his youth. Like so many other times in his career, he turned to work and music to escape. However, in a rented room with nothing but his demons, the sound that sprang forth from the man was very different.This is part two of our isolation albums: Nebraska by Bruce SpringsteenHighway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Bruce Springsteen was totally spent after finishing a grueling year long 140 date tour for his massively successful double record The River. Needing a rest, he rented a house by a reservoir in Colt’s Neck, New Jersey. His time spent there allowed him a little bit of respite from life on the road and time apart from the fans. He was able to fully take in and embrace his musical and literary influences, past and present. And while the quiet allowed him to take some time to reflect, he was dealing with insecurity, depression, and the immense pressure that he felt from all sides. And in the silence, he fell prey to a subconscious nagging about the unconnected dots from his youth. Like so many other times in his career, he turned to work and music to escape. However, in a rented room with nothing but his demons, the sound that sprang forth from the man was very different. This is part two of our isolation albums: Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Isolation causes people to do funny things. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes mad, often both. We're both under the recommended self-quarantine and as we're waiting for this pandemic to hopefully quickly subside. We started thinking about albums that were made while in confinement. Many came to mind quickly. The Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main Street while holed in France avoiding tax penalties. Of course, that is less like quarantine and more like a weekend at Caligula's. Bon Iver's post-break-up self induced retreat in a hunting cabin turned into For Emma, Forever Ago. Songs of Pain by Daniel Johnston was recorded in his parents basement as his bipolar swings made social engagements tremendously difficult. The majority of Cat Power's Moon Pix was written during a terrifying hallucinatory nightmare while left alone in a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. And of course, David Allen Coe, Charles Manson, that psycho guy from Burzum, and countless hip hop artists made records while incarcerated. That's when we remembered Camper Van Beethoven's Tusk. As we recalled, the band got snowed in at a cabin somewhere in the depths of the California mountains in the late 80s. To stave off boredom, the band did a track by track remake of the Fleetwood Mac maligned bizarro AOR classic, Tusk. CVB got through most of the tracks before the thaw, stashed the tapes, and went about their merry way. Many years later, about to embark on a reunion tour, the band found the tapes, cleaned them up, added and rerecorded bits, and released the record. We both love Camper Van Beethoven and Tusk, so we decided it would be a good exercise in exploring what happens to bands when cabin fever sets in. So, today, break into your emergency vodka, settle into your confinement, and check your supply of toilet paper as we cover the bizarre tale of Camper Van Beethoven's Tusk.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Isolation causes people to do funny things. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes mad, often both. We're both under the recommended self-quarantine and as we're waiting for this pandemic to hopefully quickly subside. We started thinking about albums that were made while in confinement. Many came to mind quickly. The Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main Street while holed in France avoiding tax penalties. Of course, that is less like quarantine and more like a weekend at Caligula’s. Bon Iver’s post-break-up self induced retreat in a hunting cabin turned into For Emma, Forever Ago. Songs of Pain by Daniel Johnston was recorded in his parents basement as his bipolar swings made social engagements tremendously difficult. The majority of Cat Power’s Moon Pix was written during a terrifying hallucinatory nightmare while left alone in a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. And of course, David Allen Coe, Charles Manson, that psycho guy from Burzum, and countless hip hop artists made records while incarcerated.  That's when we remembered Camper Van Beethoven’s Tusk. As we recalled, the band got snowed in at a cabin somewhere in the depths of the California mountains in the late 80s. To stave off boredom, the band did a track by track remake of the Fleetwood Mac maligned bizarro AOR classic, Tusk. CVB got through most of the tracks before the thaw, stashed the tapes, and went about their merry way. Many years later, about to embark on a reunion tour, the band found the tapes, cleaned them up, added and rerecorded bits, and released the record. We both love Camper Van Beethoven and Tusk, so we decided it would be a good exercise in exploring what happens to bands when cabin fever sets in. So, today, break into your emergency vodka, settle into your confinement, and check your supply of toilet paper as we cover the bizarre tale of Camper Van Beethoven’s Tusk. Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Today, we examine the messages that were delivered by seven of the most famous, and some equally infamous, single track records. The emotional tension that went into making them. The strife that went into releasing them. And the waves that were made by listening to them.Each with a message beyond their declaration of musical independence. A jazz composer completely undoing the constraining rules of his genre. An Afrobeat icon illuminating the political and social unrest around him. A New York legend aggressively rewriting the boundaries of popular music. A Krautrocker's exercise in boredom relief. A metal band proving monotony and momentum are as critical to sound as dynamics. An artist's reflecting on decay, death, and the world burning all around him. An eclectic soundscapist's unraveling the seeming destruction of the medium of music. The collective sound of these records are full undefinable parallels...challenging and inviting. Simple and complex. From furious to melancholic. Anxious to gleeful. Structured loops and fractured chaos. The only common bond was a total disregard for what had been done before. Today, the single song albums that changed the landscape of music. We're fortunate enough to be added to FeedSpot's list of "Top 20 Music Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020"Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Today, we examine the messages that were delivered by seven of the most famous, and some equally infamous, single track records. The emotional tension that went into making them. The strife that went into releasing them. And the waves that were made by listening to them. Each with a message beyond their declaration of musical independence. A jazz composer completely undoing the constraining rules of his genre. An Afrobeat icon illuminating the political and social unrest around him. A New York legend aggressively rewriting the boundaries of popular music. A Krautrocker’s exercise in boredom relief. A metal band proving monotony and momentum are as critical to sound as dynamics. An artist’s reflecting on decay, death, and the world burning all around him. An eclectic soundscapist’s unraveling the seeming destruction of the medium of music.  The collective sound of these records are full undefinable parallels...challenging and inviting. Simple and complex. From furious to melancholic. Anxious to gleeful. Structured loops and fractured chaos. The only common bond was a total disregard for what had been done before. Today, the single song albums that changed the landscape of music.  We're fortunate enough to be added to FeedSpot's list of "Top 20 Music Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020" Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts

Kevin Coyne released over 40 albums in the course of his 35-year career. He would be hailed and championed by the likes of John Peel, Richard Branson, Johnny Rotten, the Mekons, Sting, and Will Oldham. He unceremoniously rejected an offer from Elektra Records to be the dead Jim Morrison's replacement in the Doors, quipping that he didn't like leather pants. He wrote scores of songs about the fringes of humanity dealing with mental illness and addiction with empathy and poise that few could match in even a single song. He penned bizarre operas and theme albums about nefarious characters including the notorious mobsters, the Kray Brothers, subversive comedian Frank Randle, the evil-incarnate Moor Murderers, and the acid-damaged Syd Barrett.  And he would remain known as someone who is famously unknown.Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music Podcast Network - Home of the Finest Music Podcasts