That Record Got Me High Podcast

This week, our guest Dave Brasgalla dialed-in all the way from Sweden to talk about The Buggles and their 1980 blast-from-the-futuristic-past New Wave gem, 'The Age Of Plastic'.
"And you remember, the jingles used to go..."

Video Killed The Radio Star - Erasure/The Presidents Of The United States Of America/Dragonheart/Ben Folds Five/Sophie Grey/The Alarm; The Sleep Of Reason - The Sleep Of Reason; Young At Heart - The Bluebells; Catscan - Hetch Hetchy; Roundabout, Machine Messiah, Tempus Fugit - Yes; Video Killed The Radio Star - Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club; The...

Longtime TRGMH Patron Cathy Merriman is a devout fan of the band Cracker, and she's here to let us know that their 2002 release, 'Forever', STILL gets her high. Singer and chief songwriter David Lowery - also of Camper Van Beethoven fame - is in top form for this, the band's 5th studio album.

Songs discussed in this episode: Shake Some Action (Flamin' Groovies cover) - Cracker; Everywhere That I'm Not - Translator; Eye Of Fatima Pt 1 - Camper Van Beethoven; Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now), Low - Cracker; Flowers - Camper Van Beethoven; Don't Worry...

This week's guest, Los Angeles musician Matt Devine (Ventilator, Permanent Green Light, Medicine, Possum Dixon), brings us Hawthorne California's Redd Kross and their wildly raucous 1984 mostly-covers EP 'Teen Babes From Monsanto'
"A little drums, a little atmosphere, and it wails like this!"

Songs discussed in this episode: Blow You A Kiss In The Wind - Redd Kross (Live on KEXP 2012); Earthquake Song - Ventilator; Burn Out - Redd Kross; Doctor Wu - Steely Dan; The Tailor's Lament, Lansdowne - Ventilator; Lick It Up, Deuce - KISS; Bitch - Rolling Stones;  Deuce - Redd Kross; Citadel - R...

As debut albums go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one more foundationally influential to modern indie/alternative rock than R.E.M.s 1983 release, 'Murmur'. This week's guest Tim Quirk (Too Much Joy, Wonderlick) joins Rob as they attempt to convey the monumental importance this record had on their lives.

Songs discussed in this episode: Radio Free Europe (R.E.M. cover, live) - The Replacements; Radio Free Europe (Original Hib-Tone single) - R.E.M.; You Are Loved, Eric, Come Get On My Cloud - Wonderlick; Radio Free Europe, Little America, Wolves, Lower, Pilgrimage, Laughing, Talk...

This week's guest, singer/songwriter and author Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding) brings us jazz organist Johnny Hammond and his 1972 Kudu/CTI Records release 'Wild Horses Rock Steady'
Let's get jazzy...

Songs discussed in this episode: What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover) - Johnny Hammond; Here Comes The Groom - John Wesley Harding; One Last Heist, Penelope - Wesley Stace; The Movie Of Your Life - John Wesley Harding; Your Mind Is On Vacation - Mose Allison; Organ Grinder's Swing - Jimmy Smith; Fire and Rain - Hubert Laws; Cold Turkey - Freddie Hubbard; Also...

Bandleader, composer and music historian Skip Heller (Voodoo 5, Los duenos del Klezmer, the Hollywood Film Noirchestra), brings us the OG 1977 roots reggae album 'Heart Of The Congos' by The Congos. Produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry at his Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica (initially as a very limited release said to consist of only several hundred copies), it is now regarded as one of Perry's masterpiece productions of the Black Ark era.

Songs discussed in this episode: Fisherman Dub - The Congos; Coffee In The Morning (Kisses In The Night) - Skip Heller's Voodoo 5; Moon Over Marin...

For this special Patron-curated episode, we tasked our Patrons with sending in their favorite song that asks a question. As always, they answered the call...

Songs discussed in this episode: Why - Bronski Beat; Why - Annie Lennox; Why Why Why Why Why - SAULT; Why - Yoko Ono; Have You Seen Her - The Chi-Lites; Why Can't I Touch It? - Buzzcocks; Why, Oh Why - Pete Seeger; Unsatisfied - The Replacements; Question - Old 97's; Can I Have A Smoke, Dude? - Mary's Danish; Ska du hänga med? Nä!! - Bob Hund; Would? - Al...

On September 20, 1973, singer/songwriter Jim Croce, his musical partner Maury Muehleisen and four others were killed in a plane crash in Natchitoches, Louisiana after finishing a concert at Northwestern State University's Prather Coliseum. His music career cut tragically short, Croce nevertheless produced an amazing catalogue of songs that stand the test of time. This week's guests, Luke Bob Robinson and Jasper Smith of renowned  a cappella group Straight No Chaser, brings us Croce's second posthumous release following his 1973 death - the greatest hits collection Photographs & Memories.

Songs discussed in this episode: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Frank S...

This week, we're honored to have Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton joining us to discuss Herbie Hancock and his groundbreaking song 'Chameleon' off of the 1973 album Head Hunters.
Let's get FUNKY!

Songs discussed in this episode: Underwater Rimes - Digital Underground; Words Of Wisdom - 2Pac; The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary - Frank Zappa; Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man (Dub Mix) - Public Enemy; Cellphone's Dead - Beck; Me vs Me - Biz Markie; (Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic; King Kong Theme, Savanna - Michael...

For this special BONUS episode, we took a break from records to discuss a MOVIE with returning guest Les Norris - because why not?? It's 'That Movie Got Me High' featuring the 1982 classic: Fast Times At Ridgemont High!

"All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine."

      - Jeff Spicoli

The first album by an American band to be released on British independent label 4AD, Throwing Muses' stunningly beautiful 1986 debut got this week's guest Ronnie Barnett (The Muffs) supremely and hopelessly high! Truth be told, the record's combination of gorgeous complexity, serene tension and emotional power STILL sounds fresh 40 years on.

Songs discussed in this episode: Wave Of Mutilation (Pixies cover) - Throwing Muses; Kids In America - The Muffs; Finished - Throwing Muses; Agony (Live at Fort Apache, 1995) - The Muffs; Call Me - Throwing Muses; Feed The Tree - Belly; Green, Hate My Way...

This week's returning guest, Canadian documentary filmmaker Alan Zweig, brings a record many before him have mentioned but never pulled the trigger to tackle. Released in February 1977 to lukewarm commercial reception, Television's stunning debut 'Marquee Moon' is considered by many to be one of the greatest rock guitar albums of all time. Let's DO this!

Songs discussed in this episode: Marquee Moon (Television cover) - Kronos Quartet; Halloween - The Dream Syndicate; That's All I Know (Right Now) - The Neon Boys; Prove It (Eno Demos), Venus De Milo (Eno Demos) - Television; In The Flesh...

This week's returning guest, Woody Compton, brings us Social Distortion and their 2026 release 'Born To Kill'. Their first studio album in fifteen years, it's both a return to form and statement of purpose - and Woody makes the case that leader Mike Ness STILL has some fire in his belly and the songwriting chops to back it up.

Songs discussed in this episode: Ball and Chain (Honky Tonk version) - Mike Ness; Prison Bound, Ball and Chain - Social Distortion; Ballad Of A Lonely Man - Mike Ness; Machine Gun Blues, Born To Kill - Social Distortion...

This week's guest, record/hot sauce purveyor Kevin Chanel (Grooves Inspiralled Vinyl, El Enojado Hot Sauce), brings us singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, painter, video artist, writer and experimental musician Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe) and his 1981 solo release 'Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam'. Originally recorded in 1979 as an intended follow up album to his 'Bill Nelson's Red Noise' project, EMI declined to release the recordings and the material remained unreleased until Bill licensed the original stereo mixes of the album to Mercury Records, who issued the album in the Spring of 1981. Already far ahead of the 80s...

This week, returning guests Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto (hackedepicciotto) join us to discuss musician David Eugene Edwards' (16 Horsepower) offshoot project Wovenhand, and the stunning 2022 release 'Silver Sash'

Songs discussed in this episode: Ain't No Sunshine - Wovenhand; Einig, Lichtung - hackedepicciotto; Domina - Crime & the City Solution; Long Horn - Wovenhand; Black Soul Choir, Low Estate - 16 Horsepower; Tempel Timber - Wovenhand; Destroy The Nations - Nihilist Spasm Band; Acacia, Duat Hawk - Wovenhand; All In The Palm - David Eugene Edwards & Alexander Hacke; Dead Dead Beat, Omaha, Sicagnu, The Lash - Wovenhand; Tanz Debil...

This week we set the way-back machine to North Shore, Massachusetts 1986, as returning guest Tim Hinely (Dagger Zine, Where The Wild Gigs Were) brings us Moving Targets and their blistering debut album 'Burning In Water'.
It's wicked good!!

Songs discussed in this episode: Bad Blood - Kenny Chambers; Little Tiny Pieces - Bullet LaVolta; Nothing Changes, The Other Side - Moving Targets; I Apologize - Hüsker Dü; Faith - Moving Targets; That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate - Mission Of Burma; Let Me Know Why - Moving Targets; One More Step - Sorry; All Goi...

For this special BONUS episode, we asked our Patrons to send in some of their favorite ENDINGS (Outros, Codas...etc) of songs that - you know - got them high!

Songs discussed in this episode: The Chain - Fleetwood Mac; Layla - Derek and the Dominos; Celebrated Summer - Hüsker Dü; Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin; Purple Rain - Prince; A Day In The Life - The Beatles; Country Pie - Bob Dylan; Therapy - The Damned; Kicked It In The Sun - Built To Spill; Only In Dreams - Weezer; Get Me - Dinosaur Jr...

Alan Peter Kuperschmidt - better known as Al Kooper - is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician who throughout much of the 1960s and 1970s was a prolific studio musician, playing organ on Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone", French horn and piano on the Rolling Stones song "You Can't Always Get What You Want", and lead guitar on Rita Coolidge's "The Lady's Not for Sale". He also formed and named Blood, Sweat & Tears, produced a number of one-off collaboration albums such as the Super Session album with guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills, and was a successful...

Like many music lovers who came of age in the mid-70s, returning guest Oscar Herrera (The Sleep Of Reason, Halo, El Duende, Black Tape For A Blue Girl) first encountered Queen upon hearing their unlikely smash-hit single Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio. That song - and the album it came from, 1975s 'A Night At The Opera' - got him - and countless others - high. Including the host of this podcast.
"Nothing really matters, anyone can see..."

Songs discussed in this episode: Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen Cover) - We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna...

A member of the world-famous Wrecking Crew studio band, drummer Hal Blaine was thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions, 6,000 singles,and 150 US top 10 hits - 40 of which went to number one! This week's guest, drummer Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus), brings us Hal's bonkers 1967 release, 'Psychedelic Percussion'. Dig it!

Songs discussed in this episode: Be My Baby - The Ronettes; A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley; Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds; Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys; Let The Sunshine In...

This week, Austin-based guitarist, singer-songwriter, composer, and recording producer Don Cento (Cento Threeo) brings us Elvis Costello's second studio album - and the first with his crack new band the Attractions - 1978's 'This Year's Model'
Always a singer-songwriter in spirit but a punk in attitude, this collection of songs proved Costello's stunning debut 'My Aim Is True' was no fluke.

Songs discussed in this episode: No Action (Elvis Costello cover) - The Muffs; The Judy Valve, Halfway To Mellowtown, Filibuster in E Minor - Cento Threeo; Kids In Japan - El Cento; Alison, The Other...

As far as debut albums go, there's some that seem to appear out of nowhere as a fully-formed, perfectly realized statement-of-purpose. New Jersey-based drummer, blogger, and lawyer Steve Kirsch makes the case that Hoodoo Gurus 1984 debut 'Stoneage Romeos' is just such a record. Chock full of pop culture references AND hooks for days, these Australian pop/garage gurus came out of the gate swinging with a stone cold classic.

Songs discussed in this episode: I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement (Ramones cover - Live Australia, 1997) - Hoodoo Gurus; Nothing Can Bring Me Down - Mondo...

While other punk/hardcore bands of their time seemed to be in a race to be the heaviest AND fastest, San Francisco's Flipper slowed things down to a crawl, and imbued their brand of existential nihilism with a healthy dose of detached irony. Hoboken New Jersey musician Dan Cuddy (Hypnolovewheel, The Special Pillow) brings us their landmark debut, 1982's 'Album - Generic Flipper', in all its ragged glory. Strap in!

Songs discussed in this episode: Problem Child (AC/DC cover) - Flipper; Secret Star (Demo), I Dream Of Jeannie - Hypnolovewheel; Love Canal, Sex Bomb (7" version...

It might be easier to mention the bands this week's guest Dan Bonebrake HASN'T played with - his bass playing has graced the likes of Lightworkers, The Honest Liars, Manta Wray, Dashboard Confessional, Grey & Orange, John Ralston, War Generation, Vacant Andys, Enablers, Seville, Quit, Fay Wray, Pivot, Anchorman, Where Fear and Weapons Meet, Cori Elba, The Stiff and on and on... This week, Dan, brings us Washington D.C. post-hardcore iconoclasts Shudder To Think and their 1992 release 'Get Your Goat'. The band's brand of genre-bending 'art rock' might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those brave enough...

For this special BONUS episode we asked our Patrons to send in some of their favorite songs by a band featuring someone OTHER THAN the usual front person. Let's show the sidemen (or side-women) some love!

Songs featured in this episode: I'm Sticking With You - The Velvet Underground; Sleeping On The Sidewalk - Queen; Coffee & TV - Blur; Where's The Money? - French, Frith, Kaiser & Thompson; Broken Chair - Luna; Years Long Ago - The Long Ryders; Rats - The Kinks; I Never Glid Before - Gong; OOh La La - The Faces; Stanztrigger - Yello...

Soundly maligned upon its release in 1971, Paul (and Linda) McCartney's whimsically pastoral 'RAM' has only grown in stature over the years, with some insisting that this joyfully strange collection of songs basically invented indie-pop. This week's guest, musician Nick Estes (The Parts. Wonderful Smith), joins known Beatles agnostic Rob to unpack this post-fab-four classic. Ram on!

Songs discussed in this episode: Too Many People - Tim Christensen, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham with The Damn Crystals; Another Day - Paul McCartney; How Do You Sleep - John Lennon; My Little House - Wonderful Smith; Corpus Christi - The P...

When Chicago blues pianist, singer and songwriter Johnny Iguana (The Claudettes) discovered bands like Minutemen and Husker Du as a teen in Philadelphia, it opened up a world of musical possibilities he's STILL unpacking. He eventually came into possession of The Roxy London WC2 - a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played at The Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977 - and the raw, unfettered performances of bands like Wire, Buzzcocks and X-Ray Spex captivated him like nothing else at the time. 
Turn this episode UP!

Songs d...

Author Chris Connelly (Cargo Recording Studios 1977-1985) joins us to unpack criminally underrated UK band The Chameleons and their 1983 debut album 'Script Of The Bridge'.
Cargo Studios, though only active from 1977 to 1985 in Rochdale, quickly became the epicentre for post-punk and independent recording bands across the UK, including The Fall, Joy Division, OMD, Gang Of Four, Felt and many many more. Chris was THERE for some of the 'Script Of The Bridge' sessions, and offers keen insight into this fantastic record - AND this special place/time.

Songs discussed in this episode: View From A Hill...

This week, Marina and Mick Muhlfriedel of the late 70s/early 80s techno-pop band Vivabeat, join us to discuss the endlessly innovative Brian Eno and his 1977 solo album, 'Before and After Science'.
"Here he comes
The boy who tried to vanish
To the future or past, is no longer here..."

King's Lead Hat (Brian Eno cover) - Ultravox; Man From China (Live, 1983), Wild World (Live, 1979) - Vivabeat; Virginia Plain - Roxy Music; The House Is Burning (But No One Is Home) - Vivabeat; Heroes - David Bowie; French Catalogues (Variation on the "Canon in...

This week's guest, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for the Portland, Oregon-based band The Builders and The Butchers' Ryan Sollee, brings us Fugazi and their third full-length record, 1993's 'In On The Kill Taker'. Raw, visceral and at times raggedly beautiful, it's the sound of a band that - true to their DIY ethos - refused to compromise.

Songs discussed in this episode: Facet Squared (Live, Los Angeles CA 03-08-99) - Fugazi; Cold Fire Hymn, Blood/Death, Bringin' Home The Rain - The Builders and the Butchers; Bad Mouth - Fugazi; Boilermaker - The Jesus Lizard; The...

For this special episode, Rob asked artist, musician and flight attendant Cori Elba - who ALSO happens to be his daughter - to curate a playlist of songs by female artists/female-fronted bands that had an effect on her life. As you'll hear, these aren't just 'favorite songs', but songs she's listened to literally hundreds of times and that ultimately played a huge role in her development as an independent, badass female human.

Songs discussed in this episode: Real Wild Child - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts; Just A Flight Attendant, Incel - Cori Elba; Cardigan - Taylor Swift; H...

Musician, songwriter, film and TV composer and record producer Ben Vaughn (Straight From The Hat with Ben Vaughn) brings us Alan Vega and his 1980 self-titled debut solo album. On this release, Vega - one-half of groundbreaking New York synth-punk duo Suicide - delivers stripped-down, minimalist songs that manage to feel both ancient AND avant-garde!

Songs discussed in this episode: Bye Bye Bayou (Alan Vega cover) - LCD Soundsystem; Ghost Rider - Suicide; Rock This Town - Stray Cats; Rocket USA - Suicide (Max's Kansas City 1976 & Beyond); 1969 - The Stooges; Wow - Lennie Tristano Sextet; Dream Baby Dream...

This week's guest, singer Anne Richmond Boston (longtime member of Atlanta band The Swimming Pool Q's), brings us World Party and their wonderfully effortless pop-rock gem, 'Goodbye Jumbo'. Essentially the solo project of songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger, this 1990 release - which according to Q magazine and dozens of critics was one of the best albums of that year - definitely warrants a deep-dive.

Songs discussed in this episode: Put The Message In The Box (World Party cover) - Mary Chapin Carpenter and The Mountain Goats; More Than One Heaven - The Swimming Pool Q's; I S...

Blur's third album, 1994's 'Parklife', was released the same year as Oasis' debut 'Definitely Maybe'. And while many saw this as Britpop's answer to a Beatles/Stones rivalry, none other than Ray Davies himself considered Blur - and especially Parklife - as the heir apparent to ANOTHER classic British band, The Kinks. This week's returning guest Corey duBrowa once again brings the goods as he and Rob attempt to unpack this UK Classic.

Songs discussed in this episode: Girls & Boys (Blur cover) - Terry Edwards and The Scapegoats; Love You (Syd Barrett cover) - Graham Coxon; For...

Derisively referred to as "Nobody's favorite Neil Young album", Young's 1986 release 'Landing On Water' was conceived at a time when his own record label, Geffen, sued him for creating albums unrepresentative of his familiar style. This week's guest, Musician/Filmmaker Rossellini, contends that this confoundingly claustrophobic release - filled with icy-loud drums, synclavier and synthesizers - deserves a second look.

Songs discussed in this episode: Hippie Dream (Neil Young cover) - The Slags; A Comment On Ritual - The Nation Of Ulysses; Wonderin', Mr Soul - Neil Young; Boys Of Summer - Don Henley; Turn On Tune In Drop Out ...

For this special BONUS Patron-curated episode, we asked Patrons of the show to send in a song where the bass playing really caught their ear...and GOT THEM HIGH!

Songs discussed in this episode: Big Bottom - Spinal Tap; Good Times Bad Times - Led Zeppelin; Don't Look Any Further - Dennis Edwards; Iron Fist - Motorhead; Slow Hand - Three Mile Pilot; Psycho Killer - Talking Heads; Effort To Waste - Saccharine Trust; Rope Ladder To The Moon - Jack Bruce; Ageispolis - Aphex Twin; Bless The Weather - John Martyn; You Were Lying When You...

This week's guest, writer, director, producer, journalist and musician Gabriel Rotello, brings us the stunning debut studio album by Patti Smith, 'Horses'. Gabriel's latest book, 'The CBGB Conspiracy', is a gritty mystery novel set during the sweltering NYC summer of 1977, with Son of Sam on the prowl and the city rocked by the blackout. As both a musician who lived that scene and a longtime LGBTQ journalist, Gabriel's insight into this  foundational punk landmark of a record is not to be missed!
*NEW AND IMPROVED, with final 15 minutes added back!!

Songs discussed in this episode: My Ge...

Returning guest and long-time friend of the show Tom Lawery brings us Sub Pop band (by way of the Carolinas) Band Of Horses and their second album, 2007s 'Cease To Begin'. Both evocative AND rocking, it's a record that delivers big riffs in a beautiful, indie-guitar pop package.

Songs discussed in this episode: Luther (Kendrick Lamar and SZA cover) - Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell; Trinidad - Geese; The Funeral - Band Of Horses; One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket; They'll Only Miss You When You Leave - Carissa's Wierd; Is There A Ghost, Ode to...

Technically Jeff Beck's seventh solo album - but only the second to bear only his name on the front cover - 1975s 'Blow By Blow' became a million-selling top-5 album, and proved once and for all there was truly nothing Jeff Beck could not do with a plank of wood and six strings. This week's guest, Filmmaker/Musician Peter Spirer (Rugged Entertainment), joins Rob as they attempt to unpack this instrumental classic.

Songs discussed in this episode: Freeway Jam (Live, 1976) - Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group; Devil's Road - Sacred Cowboys; Minor Swing - Django...

His songs have been covered by HUNDREDS of bands over the years, and he's rightly been nicknamed the "Father of Rock and Roll". John Lennon may have said it best, "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."
This week's guest, New Orleans musician Smitti Supab (Captain Buckles), brings us 'The Great Twenty-Eight' by the late, great Chuck Berry.
"Hail, hail rock and roll!"

Songs discussed in this episode: School Days - The Beach Boys (Live, Knebworth 1980), Iron City House Rockers, Bobby Vee, Jan and Dean, AC...