Milk Crates and Turntables. A Music Discussion Podcast
Milk Crates and Turntables is a Music Discussion Podcast. Each week Scott chooses a different music topic and discuss and debate the good, the bad and the ugly side of that particular topic. Maybe you'll agree or maybe you'll disagree. Listen in and find out.
Milk Crates and Turntables. A Music Discussion Podcast
Music News, Overplayed Classics, and Prog Rock Deep Dives...Sort Of.
This week I dive into music news solo, covering Aerosmith's uncertain future, overplayed yet undeniably great 90s songs, and an exhaustive history of progressive rock that might have tested everyone's patience.
• Steven Tyler "just doesn't want to tour" according to bandmate Joe Perry, though Aerosmith might still have one show left
• Joe Perry Project touring with Chris Robinson from Black Crows as vocalist and musicians from Stone Temple Pilots
• Radiohead's "Creep" and Metallica's "Enter Sandman" maintain their greatness despite radio overexposure
• Four Non Blondes' "What's Up" decidedly does not deserve similar retrospective appreciation
• Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" remains undisputed as a powerful soundtrack contribution
• Progressive rock timeline from King Crimson (1969) through decades of complex compositions
• Plans potentially forming for a special 200th episode reunion with former co-hosts
I'll be back next Thursday night, with or without Jack, to continue bringing you more music news and commentary. Thanks for listening and for being the engine that runs this machine.
What's up everybody? Welcome to the podcast. You know the name. I'm not gonna say it. We're streaming live right now, over everything. I wasn't here last week, but I'm here this week. That's all that matters. Don't ask me what the problem was last week. I'm not gonna tell you, not gonna say I was lazy. Let me do my uh, do my checks. Make sure we're streaming right and properly and that everyone can hear me.
Scott McLean:Let me go to the chat. That's always the thing when you do this by yourself you never know if you're really being heard or not. Let's see Broadcaster Duo chat. Let's go with that, okay, maybe. So maybe you can hear me now. Maybe you couldn't hear me a minute ago. I don't know. You know what I'll do. I'll do this. I'll watch myself. You can hear me now. Maybe you couldn't hear me a minute ago. That's me. I don't know. I don't know. You know what I'll do. What Do what? I'll watch myself. Why are you going to watch yourself? Can you hear me now? I can hear you. That's me. No, no, that's me. I don't know. No, I don't know. Do what? What? I'll watch myself. I already did that. Can you hear me now? I can hear you. That's me. No, no, it's me, no, I don't know. No, you said you know and I don't know. I already did that, but I hear you asking can I? I can hear you. No, no, it's me, no, no, no, it's me no. You said you know no, no, you said that. I said that I knew, but you no. I hear you asking can I? I can hear you, I can I hear you. You asking me, it's me, I'm not asking. You're asking me. No, no, you. I said that I knew no, you said that. I said I hear you asking, that. I said I can hear you, I can I hear you and I hear you. So what's the problem? I'm not asking, you're asking me. No, no, why are you starting this? I'm asking you. You said that. I said I said that. You said that's how that went. I hear you and I hear you. And so what's the problem?
:You're asking me.
Scott McLean:And so what's the problem? I'm not starting it, you're starting it. You know how long are we going to go on with this? The problem is you Don't blame me, no, I'm done with it. I'm done with it. I'm done with it right now. As a matter of fact, I'm not talking to that guy anymore.
Scott McLean:Why is my microphone? Whoa, my mic is all over the place here. I don't know what that was all about. No, I'm not taking a phone call. Oh, so Mark Smith jumps right in. I can hear you, but I can't hear C-Jack. Fuck you, mark Smith.
Scott McLean:Music relish genius. My turbo iced coffee, as usual. Oh, I need just a setting here for a second. Oh, I just shut myself off Fucking microphone. Lock it in. Open this up. What the fuck?
Scott McLean:That phone call got me all fucking backwards. All right, add Okay. No, I don't want it. That phone call got me all fucking backwards. All right, add Okay. No, I don't want it. Go away, get off my screen, jesus, okay. So, yeah, what? We're going to Fucking way to start the show. Like I said, welcome to the podcast. You know the name, I'm not going to say it. And we're streaming. We're arguing, no, jack, tonight, to the dismay of Mark Smith, music relish genius. But I will be doing some good music news Now. As I always say, I don't read these articles ahead of time. I see a headline, I make an assumption and then I say, okay, I'm either going to read it or I'm not. So these are reaction articles. So let's start with this one Iconic singer just doesn't want a tour. Bandmate says Doesn't want a tour anymore, let's go over here. Do, do, do, do, do. Come on where you at you down here, all right back over here.
Scott McLean:This takes me a minute to set up, so bear with me. Here we go. I'm going to pop it up right now. Pull it up on the screen, screen, screen, share and away we go. All right, iconic singer quote just doesn't want a tour. Bandmate says why am I seeing an advertisementiser? This is the funny thing when you pull up these articles you get some crazy ass advertisers. Advertisements always discreet underwear. They're not a sponsor. Now I'm getting a tampon. They trying to tell me something. I'm not a beta male, what the fuck? Alright anyway. Sorry, aerosmith fans, it doesn't seem like the iconic Trying to tell me something. I'm not a beta male, what the fuck? All right anyway. Sorry, aerosmith fans, it doesn't seem like the iconic rock band will reunite for a farewell tour anytime soon.
Scott McLean:According to Parade, founding guitarist and backup vocalist, joe Perry Recently explained that he sat down with lead singer Steven Tyler in Sarasota Florida Overrated Sarasota Florida Is overrated, trust me, I've been there Way too much traffic Anyway In July for a chat Specifically about the possibility of Restarting the band's Peace Out tour. Peace Out is so 90s, what the fuck? Hey man, we'll call it the Peace Out tour. Nobody says that shit anymore. If somebody says to you Peace Out, then shut the fuck up. Okay, as the joke goes, 1995's calling they want Peace out back. That was canceled in August of 2024.
Scott McLean:Quote I would bet that there's an Aerosmith show. Left Perry informed WBUR. Quote there's been talk about doing a documentary. That might be part of it. I've been spending a lot of time with Steven and he just doesn't want to tour and he can't tour Like Steve Miller.
Scott McLean:He's a pussy. Steven Tyler is a pussy. My feet hurt, so sit in a fucking chair like Ozzy did Sing your songs. The chick from Heart Fucking sat in a fucking chair. Like Ozzy did Sing your songs. The chick from Heart fucking sat in a wheelchair. Not this pussy. I just don't want to do it. I can't do it. It's too much. My feet are shut. Fuck these people. It's tough. I'm not sure I would want to go and book another 40-city tour. Yeah, because it might end up like Steve Miller Band. It's tough. I'm not sure I would want to go and book another 40-city tour. Yeah, because it might end up like Steve Miller Band.
Scott McLean:Now I think Aerosmith would draw some tickets. I'm not that delusional and don't get me wrong, I'm not an Aerosmith hater. As a matter of fact, my friend Jimmy Hurley is flying in tomorrow from up north and we're going to see the Joe Perry Project at the Hollywood Florida Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Should be an interesting show. Chris Robinson from the Black Crows is going to be the lead singer. He's got Tom Hamilton's playing with him from Aerosmith, he's got the bass player De DeLeo from the Stone Temple Pilots, and the drummer from Stone Temple Pilots was supposed to be playing but he uh, he had a family emergency, so Joe Perry's going with his old drummer. So anyway, continuing on, the 77 year old Tyler announced, announced his and arrowsmith's retirement in 2023.
Scott McLean:After suffering a larynx fracture I'm not, you know, there's there's like five jokes that ran right through my brain after suffering a larynx fracture, okay, however, the band did take the stage once more less than a year later, in February 2024. And Variety noted that Steven Tyler appeared during Ozzy Osbourne's final performance just weeks ago and I had somebody Bob Doucette commented in that Tyler was great, he, tyler was great. He said he was great. I didn't watch it. I'm not a you know, I'm not a big steven tyler fan, but anyway, and while aerosmith might not be doing a full-blown farewell tour, perry is currently embarking on his own solo tour and solo project, the joe Perry Project, which stops in Florida tomorrow night.
Scott McLean:Second show in New York. Would you rather see the beginning of a tour or the end of a tour? That's the question. Would you rather see the beginning of the tour or the end of the tour? Let me see, I got some. Let's get the chat on over here so I can see who's saying what and who's zooming who.
Scott McLean:Here we go all right back to the article. Let me I I have to stop now. Patty oski says oh, you're on tonight. Hello, scott, hi, patty, scott. Thatchridge, sarasota, the best beaches. No, you live in fucking Illinois. It's not the best beaches, it's not. You come to Florida like twice a year and you're in Boca, the best part of Florida. Big head, todd, the White Sprocket, I'm here, entertain me, patty. Yossi, have a great time. Jim Harris, my buddy, good evening, your highness. Yeah, patty. Oh my God, omg. Mark Smith asks Perry's on a solo tour. I thought he was a bot. Ah, perry Denovich. Okay, let me get back to this article. Let me see he's on his own project. As for when Aerosmith might give their final show, that remains to be seen as of the publishing of this report. Oh, this is a report.
Scott McLean:Oh oh, that makes it. Oh well, I didn't read an article, I read a report. This guy did a report. Nothing like a good report To give me my music news. Yeah, the publishing of this report. Who the fuck says that? If that is not a pompous line right there, that remains to be seen as of the publishing of this report. Shut the fuck up, fucking people. What the fuck? Okay, let's see what do we got up next. Let's see what's up next. Let's go with I got a few here Not too long. Let's go with.
Scott McLean:Three overplayed songs from the 90s you have to admit are great. Well, I think I'll be the judge of that. Is that a fucking video? No, come on there, we go. Okay, come back over here, get rid of this, pull up this, go to the screen, go to here, go there, go everywhere. And here we are. Okay, three overplayed songs from the 1990s, you have to admit it, great. Again, I will be the fucking judge of this.
Scott McLean:When radio programmers get a whiff of what people like listeners are going to get it good and hard, okay, like Steven Tyler got in his larynx. There it is. It lined up for me. See how it all works. Serendipity at its best. All right. In the 1990s there was no shortage of songs on endless repeat. Great for the songwriters, but most people tuning in had probably heard enough. However, some songs land on repeated playlists for a good reason. We can now quantify similar trends with the streaming numbers visible on Spotify, providing the enduring quality of these timeless but overplayed hits. Here we go.
Scott McLean:Number three Creep by Radiohead. It says you almost feel sorry for the listeners who don't know Radiohead's music beyond Creep. That's a true statement. While modern rock radio continues to do its best to exhaust everyone's patience for Creep, tom York's most overplayed song is every bit as great as the day it arrived. I don't have any problem with it. Johnny Greenwood's abrasive entry an attempt ruin the track hasn't lost its edge and York's Pixies-inspired arrangement of quiet verses and loud courses made Radiohead's breakthrough anthem one of the most defining hits of the decade. True statement Its success compelled York to rethink his music, to rethink his music.
Scott McLean:Without the success of Creep, radiohead might have ended up on a long list of artists dropped by major record labels instead of the groundbreaking band they became. I don't think that would have been the case. They're just too good. They're just too good and from what I understand. I saw them. He didn't play it. They don't play that in concert anymore. If they do, it is a rare occasion.
Scott McLean:All right, that's number three. Let me see Big Head. Todd the Wet Sprocket says I'm up $25 on the F-bomb. Well, how much is it? How much is it an F-bomb? What's it a buck? Oh, fuck you. Okay, here we go. Fuck. Oh, fuck you. Okay, here we go. Let's go to number two.
Scott McLean:Enter Sandman by Metallica. All right, I mean that that is a that. That intro is one of the greatest intros in music. If you were to do a top 25, I'd say that would probably. That could possibly be in there. I'd say that could possibly be in there. Top 25 best intros in the history of music, maybe For a generation. Let's see, that's the thing about those lists they're generational right?
Scott McLean:Metallica's self-titled album, known as the Black Album Forever, cemented the band's legacy as the Beatles of heavy metal. Mmm, that's a bold statement. If you had MTV or an earshot of a radio when you heard Kirk Hammett's iconic riff to Enter Sandman over and over again, I think I came up with what 90, 91, 90, 91?. It wasn't the only hit from the album, but it remains one of the most played rock songs ever. Working with producer Bob Rock, metallica streamlined their arrangements and replaced thrash metal speed, thrash metal speed with simpler and slower grooves, still into Sandman clocks in it over five minutes. The DJs didn't care and played it anyway. Yeah, I'll give it that. What's the college? What's the college that uses enter Sandman? I don't think it's Iowa In the whole stadium. It's just insane. It's kind of one of those goosebumps moments when you see it.
Scott McLean:Uh, dave phillips, king of the 45s, finally he's back, criticizes my pizza, criticizes what I like. I I post a lot of pizza posts. Dave phillips is just a right like. He's like it's too busy that pizza's too busy. It's too busy that pizza's too busy. It's the crust isn't good enough. It's too busy Like. This dude wants like sauce on a piece of bread and a slice of American cheese. To him that's a pizza. It's plain, as unbusy as it gets. And don't argue with me, dave Phillips, king of the 45s, you know I'm right. Wonder bread, ketchup and a fucking slice of what is it? Kraft cheese. Then he puts it in his little 1987 toaster oven, yeah, yeah, cooks it up and he's like I got pizza. This is my pizza, yours is too busy.
Scott McLean:Well, back to the article. I can't argue with this one either, although, well, yeah, it's good One. I love the beginning of one, but this has that creepy, eerie stalking like something's coming intro, so that I will give it. Okay, two for two. It's very rare that I agree with all of these. This might be a first here.
Scott McLean:What's Up by Four Non Blondes? No, no, no, no, no, no Time out. See, you fucking blew it. You fucking blew it. That is a song that I know I'm sick of Fucking. Are you kidding me? No, that is not a song that you know.
Scott McLean:Who continuously listens to songs like this? White women. I said it. So what White women love this song? They love it.
Scott McLean:Yeah, and if a white man says he likes it, because this is not anywhere outside of the white culture, this song, this is not a crossover. I am not being racist, I'm not being, I'm just telling the truth. That song is not, is not a crossover song. Let's see, let's see. There's no way. It's just not, it's not there. Let me see, let me connect this, let me see if this works. All right, yeah, bear with me one second. What's up? There we go. No, this is not a crossover song. No, no, no, no, no, no. That is a song you get sick of. They were almost there, they almost got me, but no, that is no.
Scott McLean:Where is nope? And what's? Where is it? Where is it? Let's go with this one. Oh, what's what happened? Oh, there it is. I know what's wrong. There we go. No, yeah, I haven't done that since mark sm Smith used to be on the show. Okay, let's see. Let's get rid of this article. Let's come back. Let's see what's in the comments. Dave Phillips says he likes some of them. No, you really don't. I think you do it because you don't want to sound like a Ken, which is a white Karen. You're a pizza Ken. You're a pizza Ken Like you, just like that guy, dave Phillips, king of the 45s. He's a pizza Ken. It's too busy. Who says pizza is too busy? Who has ever said that? As anybody? Look yourself in the mirror and say have I ever looked at a pizza and said it's too busy?
Scott McLean:no no, I suppose, to him the greatest pizza ever well, one of the greatest pizzas ever made the meat lovers is too busy. Even that fucking vegan veggie pizza, I'll eat it. It's not too busy, it's just got a lot of shit on it. Dave Phillips Pizza, ken. So I should stop calling him. Alright, let's see what else we got. Did that? One? Let me see. All right, three, let me see, let me see. This one seems interesting. Oh boy, okay, delete that. I'm getting faster at this. I got it all figured out. I got it all figured out. Here we go. I'm not. This is live too. I'm not like one of those YouTubers that cuts his, edits, his video to, it just pops right on. You gotta wait, you gotta wait.
Scott McLean:Three soundtrack cuts Every 90s kid knows by heart. No, the 90s were rife. There's a word. The 90s were rife with strong soundtracks. It became a trend to have a well-known artist sing a signature song for a film. Yeah, it's called fucking advertising. Then trend. That trend produced not only stellar movie moments but songs that completely transformed their singers' careers. So this is not like anything new. It's not anything new, it's not. But you know, I don't know, this is a 90s thing and that's fine. I just don't want them. I think they think this is like a thing that they kind of discovered and it's really not. It's really not. A lot of great movies have a lot of great soundtracks and a lot of great songs. All right below find three soundtrack cuts. Every 90s kid knows by heart. Cut number three my Heart Will Go On Celine Dion. Okay, okay, very popular song.
Scott McLean:I've never seen the movie. I never will see the movie. I have no reason to see the movie. You know why I won't see the movie? Because I know how it fucking ends. Okay, why would I go to a movie that I know how it's gonna end? Where does that make any sense?
Scott McLean:Fucking ship goes on, you know, goes on. A fucking cruise they're cruising hits the fucking iceberg underground, unsinkable. It sinks. The band stays on the ship playing as the ship goes down. The end, the end. I don't need to see fucking Leonardo DiCaprio freezing to death in the water. And the only reason I know that is because someone told me and I go on cruises with Dr Vera and fuck if I see people standing at the front of that ship. They don't let people do that, by the way, they don't let anybody really go to the point of the ship. But fuck you if you do that. Stupid, it's stupid. But I digress.
Scott McLean:Yeah, dave Phillips Casino has a great soundtrack, as does Goodfellas. Yeah, you know what has a fucking great soundtrack the good, the bad and the Ugly? That is by Ennio Morricone, fucking unbelievable soundtrack, and it's all music. I know you're probably like, ah, it's a western and I don't want to hear music. That fucking soundtrack is amazing, absolutely amazing. Go listen to that shit, fucking. If you're old, young people won't do it, but go find that on spotify or whatever you're listening to. Put on the soundtrack from the good, the bad, the ugly and you will be what the fuck? We always took it for granted. Oh, hold on one second, hold on. What's up, wes? Hold on. Hold on you there. Yeah, can you hear me? Yeah, yeah, say hi to my audience. Hello audience, how are you? We're live right now, wes. You're live, wes Lewison, yeah.
:Oh man, I'm missing out. I need to turn on the stream right now.
Scott McLean:Nah, nah, too late, too late. Don't waste your time. But I did answer your call in the middle of my podcast, so see what I do for you.
:See what I do for you, I'm going to go ahead and go fuck right off right now.
Scott McLean:Wes is with my foundation. Wes is an intricate part of the One man One Mic Foundation. This is why I answer his call Everything good, everything good, number one. He call everything good, everything good, number one. He wants me to call him number one too. That's part of his. I want you to. You demanded it, you demanded I call you number one. That's fair. I deserve it, though you do. I'm not calling you number two, that's fair. Alright, let me get done with this live. I'm not calling you number two. That's fair. That's very fair.
Scott McLean:All right, let me get done with this live stream and then I'll give you a call back. All right, sounds good. All right, brother, bye-bye, see you. I love you too. He always says that. He always says I love you too. Fucking guy. Okay, I'm sorry about that 's. That's my guy. He's navy guy. He's getting ready to get out. He started his own media business. He's very good at what he does and he came through the one man one mike foundation. Uh, podcasting course. Loved it, starting the second season of his own podcast, wanted to get involved, and now he's like the director of marketing and he's going to try to blow us up the good way. Okay, soundtrack cuts don't always get much more iconic than Celine Dion's my Heart Will Go On, featured in the timeless retelling of the Titanic sinking, this ballad acts as an emotional Though the characters in the Titanic are fabricated the sentiment of love conquering all is blah, blah, blah.
Scott McLean:Dion's rich vocals are as powerful as the connection between blah, blah, blah. We'd find it hard to believe that there was a 90s kid out there who doesn't know this ballad by heart. Moreover, we'd feel safe in saying blah, blah, blah. Enough of that, let's go to the next one. What's number two? Number two, I don't want to miss a thing. Arrowsmith, I'm again I. You know what I? I like the song, I thought. Then I got sick of it, so I'm not going to say anything bad about it. I don't want to miss a thing.
Scott McLean:Not only soundtrack to the iconic disaster movie Armageddon, but also breathe new life into Aerosmith's career. No, no, I think their career got breathed into around 1987 and then 1988 and then 89 90. Now I think this, this did not. This gave them a song. I believe it was nominated for a academy award. It got them in that category, but this did not breathe new life into their career. This this person's being a little hyperbolic. That's the second time today I use that word Hyperbolic. This wailing rock ballad introduced the band to a whole new generation of listeners, giving them a much-needed encore. When this movie came out, I think that generation had grown up a little bit with Aerosmith. But okay, I'll ride this boat.
Scott McLean:Though it might seem a little cheesy nowadays, the song is one of the most powerful odes to love ever. Steve Attila sings from deep down in his soul in this song Don't want to close my eyes, don't want to fall to sleep Because I'd miss you, baby, sleep because I'd miss you, baby. My wife would say shut up, and she's pretty romantic. Dr Rowe would be like come on, dude, really. She'd say thank you, of course, but she'd be like, yeah, stretch, that's a stretch, sounds completely earnest. When She'd say thank you, of course, but she'd be like, yeah, stretch, that's a stretch, all right, sounds completely earnest when sang with as much gusto. Okay. So this person used let me see, he used the word. I just said it Listeners, much needed encore. I just said it, listeners, much needed encore. I thought it seemed a little cheesy. The song is one of those powerful odes to love ever. Tyler sings deep down in his song Don't want to miss Sounds completely earnest. He used earnest and gusto in the same sentence. Sound completely earnest when sang with as much gusto as Tyler delivers.
Scott McLean:Do they reread this shit? Is this AI? This is probably AI. The word earnest and gusto in the same sentence. This guy's really pushing it over the top.
Scott McLean:It may have been written for the film, but it has an endless universal application. Okay, moving on. Yeah, big Head, todd the Wet Sprocket. Yeah, the Stupid Head, stupid Head, todd the Wet Sprocket. That's what I'm going to start calling him. You still on? Well, you're watching, aren't you asshole? You're watching. You commented. What part of this are you questioning, stupid head Todd? Okay, number one, number one. I will always love you, whitney Houston, from the bodyguard and I'm not even going to get into the whole. We all know what that is, whitney. Was Whitney great song? No doubt about it? I have. No, I will, nope, I will not dog this song. It is just a great song and that's all there is to it. I didn't buy the soundtrack. I didn't download this song. I heard it more than enough. It's a great song. It's a great song. It's better than four non-blondes. What's up 25 years? And I'm not. That actually sounds like. Don't worry, be happy. I wonder if they stole that from bobby mcfarren and things that make you go. Hmm, all, let's get rid of this one.
:What do I got?
Scott McLean:I got another fucking 25 minutes to go. Jesus, you people You're putting me through it tonight. Okay, let me go.
Scott McLean:Let me go over here, no, don't want to go there. Here we go. What do we want to listen to now? All right, creep is gone.
Scott McLean:Three overplayed songs from the 90s you have to admit a great already heard that one. I got two left. One of them is chubby checker, so he's not going to the hall of fame because he'd rather do a show. That's. That's pretty much the article I think you know I'm gonna go with this one. This is for mark smith. Little marky smith, little marky smith. Best prog rock song of each year since 1969. Hold on to your hats for this one, people. This is gonna be some electric stuff. This is where jack would just check out, uh, but it's for I. I thought I saw you know what little marky smith. He's still my friend, I still love mark smith, so I'm gonna give him, uh, I'm gonna give this, and then he can scream at his screen and say no, is this going to be one of those fucking pages that there's going to be articles I mean ads are going to be popping up everywhere.
Scott McLean:All right, the best prog rock song of each year since 1969, and prog rock is progressive rock. It's usually long form is progressive rock. It's usually long form For those people like Stupid Head Todd that doesn't know what prog rock is. It's usually a lot of instrumental, heavy guitar, melodic straight through. It can be hard, it can be right up there in your face, or it can play back a little and it's prog rock, progressive rock. Right, all right, here is the best progressive rock song of each year since 1969. Let's see if I can get through this. Uh, progressive.
Scott McLean:Let's give you a little history. Progressive rock began in the late 1960s and quickly became one of the most creative, creatively fruitful and consistently satisfying subgenres. It is consistent. I will give them that. They don't change that much. Uh, with its penchant for eccentric arrangements, sophisticated musicianship, imaginative song writing, an extremely long song length, right it. It's definitely not for everyone. However, listeners who love it little Marky Smith, I really love it. And despite being around for over half a century, it continues to push new boundaries and fascinate new audiences. I'm going to need some triple turbo iced coffee for this. Hold on, hold on.
Scott McLean:Here we go back in 2024. Loud wire looked at the history of prog rock in 20 albums, tracing its roots and evolutions from those initial 60s lps to the heights of the 2010s and 2020s. Now we're going back to the past to do something even more difficult and debatable by difficult and debatable, by picking the best progressive rock song of each year since 1969. Yeah, todd Sockman says yawn, prod rock, prod, prod, prodrock, prod, prod, p, p-r-o-d, prodrock Only because he works at a place that fucking is. I'm not even going to say that they got electric prods. Why 1969? Because that's when the first true prog rock record, king Crimson's in the court of the Crimson King, arrived.
Scott McLean:From there we're going to examine some of the best material from some of the style's greatest artists, be they 70s pioneers Genesis, rush, jethro Tull, yes, etc. Late 20th century disciples, marillion Spock's, beard, porcupine Tree, rush, jethro Tull, yes, etc. Late 20th century Disciples, merillians Spock's, beard, porcupine Tree. Oh, that's Mark Smith's shit right there. That's his shit that I know. Mark Smith loves that fucking Porcupine Tree, fucking loves him. Or stands out of the 21st century Beardfish and the deer hunter, d-e-a-r. I'm not gonna make a comment to that. Uh, let me see.
Scott McLean:As always, there are a few things to clarify before we get started. For instance, we're focusing only on progressive rock here, so we've done our best to choose tracks that don't border on or fully qualify as progressive metal. That said, traditionally progressive metal bands can appear in their song, if their songs, uh, if the song itself falls firmly within the prog rock realm. I didn't know that they were that fucking picky. But okay, here we go. What did we say? This is the top. How many EGS in 69? This might have been a mistake. Here we go.
Scott McLean:King Crimson's 1969, 21st Century Schizoid man that's the opening To their record. Infectiously bombastic array of dissonant guitar work, tense percussion and alarming horns. I love the horns. It was 1969. The Midway Jam still blows our minds due to the erratic complexity and stunning synchronization, and Greg Lake's raspy verses and ominous observations are delightfully foreboding throughout. You gotta be, I'm just gonna fucking blow my own horn. You gotta be a good fucking reader to read this shit. Like I gotta be on my game. Just like prog rock, shit's a little complicated, just slightly complicated. Big head, stupid head. Todd the wet sprocket says top one.
:Skip to the skip to the end. Just, just, just, just, just, just just do the top one and skip to the end. That might be the funniest thing he said in fucking the last 30 years Spare me, just do the top one and get it over with. Oh shit, I can't read this now Because I'm just going to fucking laugh.
Scott McLean:I can't fucking get through this. Oh shit, oh shit, that that was a fucking nuclear bomb right there. Oh shit, oh okay, get my shit together. Let me Get my shit together. Let me get my shit together. Okay, okay, okay, okay 1970.
:1970 we're only on 1970. We're only on 1970. Skip to the end, 1970 genesis of the knife.
Scott McLean:I'm not even gonna attempt to read this, okay, 1971, oh, fuck me 1971, yes, roundabout.
Scott McLean:Okay, I get my shit together now. Roundabout is a great, that's a fucking great song. Long before it became the soundtrack to countless to be continued fail memes, roundabout was Yes's signature song and it still is their best non-epic one, from its iconic acoustic guitar opening and subsequent flashing guitar work to its funky rhythms, dazzling keyboard patterns and sing-along apparel. Its flawless synthesis of prog rock, theoretically complexity and theatrically complexity and radio-friendly catchiness. These elements, combined with its inspirational, spiritual songwriting and symphonic heft, epitomizes what set yes apart from their peers, and it's nearly impossible not to smile as it blasts from your speakers. It is a very good, loud song. All right, here we go go. Not my favorite group fucking. 1972. Jethro tull thick as a brick classic album cover um, follow up to aqualung. The 44 minute thick as a brick is an iconic case, one of the best examples of the very thing it's satirizing. Okay, uh, then we go to 73. Jethro tull again a passion play. I'm gonna do my best. Skip to number one. Stupid head, uh, yes again. So now we got yes, and I see a pattern in jethro tull, the gates of delirium in 1974. There we go.
Scott McLean:Pink Floyd. Shine on you, crazy diamonds. It was pink Floyd prog rock. Are they prog rock or they rock and roll? Like I don't, I would never call them prog rock, I just will. Pink Floyd is a rock band. They're not a prog rock, they're their own entity. I don't think you can really put them in a corner of prog rock. But Shine On you, crazy Diamond, great song from Wish you Were here In 1976, so Kansas is Kansas prog rock. No, I don't know. Carry On Wayward Son, 1976. Is Kansas prog rock? I never looked at them like prog rock. I need clarification. I don't know. Carry On Wayward Son, great song. Classic song. Jethro Tull again Songs from the Wood, 1977. 1978, rush again songs from the wood 1977, uh, 1978.
Scott McLean:Rush, uh. Cygnus x1, book two hemispheres fuck, that is super tramp. The logical song from 1979, great song. I, I guesstramp is prog rock. I never looked at him that way, but okay, rush again. Spirit of Radio 1980, great album, great song. If you're a 80's kid, you see the cover, the girls, it's like after a huge storm and it's chaos and this beautiful woman in the wind and her dress is blown up in front of her and you see her underwear. Now you know this is 1980, now this is 1980. I'm sure a lot of boys were sniffing that cover. I'm just saying I wasn't one of them, wasn't me? Nope, they're looking and looking, looking at different angles. I look up. Did I see a little bit?
Scott McLean:okay that shit wasn't readily available like it is today. It's kids today got it made like an instant porn. It's's dangerous, okay. Spirit of Radio, 1980. Rush again. Tom Sawyer, 1981.
Scott McLean:Not much more you can say about that. Kate Bush is not fucking prog rock. Kate Bush is not prog rock Sat up in your lap. I don't know where they come up with this. They say influential, progressive, avant-garde pop rock, vision. What it's fucking? She's more pop rock, avant-garde pop rock, not progressive. Okay, anyway. Baka, matai, bobby Bacala, I don't know. Ultimate and Tricotter, which is 1983, whatever. Moving on, I'm getting that big stupid head. Todd. Marillion Jigsaw, 1984. Marillion Blind Curve, 1985. I see a pattern hereve 1985. Land of Confusion, 1986, which again is a rock song, pop song. I don't know why they throw that into prog rock, mr Serious.
Scott McLean:Eternal Jealousy 1987. Cardiacs 1988, my doctor told me. Jealousy 1987. Cardiacs RES, 1988. Yezda Rufara my Doctor Told Me I had Doggy Head. What the fuck is that? I don't know. I'm getting through this Fish Vigil 1990.
Scott McLean:Pen Dragon, queen of Hearts. Pen Dragon who the fuck? I don't know. I just see this band getting up there dressed in fucking tights and fucking bells hanging from them and fucking tights in those fucking boots, those little booties like pen dragon, then they get swords. They're gonna be fucking like guy comes out like a fucking knight dragon in the background, type thing. I don't know, I don't know. All right, let me get through this. 90, 92, whatever the fuck it is. 93, iq, 94, collageage, stupid, ed Todd was right, all right. Moonshine, echoland, number 95. 96, spock's Beard, perry, denevich Scott.
Scott McLean:I'm curious and would bet that Mark Smith has many of those records you're mentioning. Yes, perry, light Fingers, denevich the AI. I believe he probably would. He probably has a Spock's Beard album. I bet he would. Radiohead, paranoid, android Again, I don't think they're from OK Computer, that's 1997. Great song, great video. Arena, the Visitor 1998. Porcupine Tree 1999. I know Mark Smith has that album A Smart Kid 1999. Porcupine Tree from Stupid Dream, to go along with Stupid Head Todd, stupid, lots of stupid going on. There you go. Spock's beard again, great, nothing 2000. Transatlantic Duel of the Devil Porcupine Tree again.
Scott McLean:Heart Attack by Ladyboy, a ladyboy. What the fuck, heart Attack by Ladyboy? Why are you talking about lady boys? Oh, labia, labia, labias, or lady boys, what are we? What the fuck are we talking about here? Oh, it's my glasses lay by l-a-y-b-y. All right, so I got. So I fucking mr d and an o lady boy. Right, anyway, opeth, they get them fucking in. There's marillion again. Invisible man, mew the decemberist, the island for dough. Now I'm in it for just beard fish, like what? The fuck?
Scott McLean:Big big train. Not just big train, not just a big train. Nope, it's a big big train. Yeah, from 2009. We're almost there.
Scott McLean:Stupid head Todd moon safari, a kid called panic. In 2010, almost there. Buddy fedose. No, bitch snow torch, sorry. 2011. Uh, anathema, the gathering of the clouds. The gathering of the clouds is coming. Let's do some fucking long music to it. Let's do an extended guitar solo and then bring in some synth, and then we'll have some drums and more guitar solo, because there's a gathering of the clouds coming. Ugh, ugh, big big train again. Look at that, were on a roll.
Scott McLean:Yeah, in 2013. Uh, opeth, the eternal rains will come. This is so fucking gay. The eternal rains will come. Let's do some long guitar solos with some synthesizer and then maybe have the sound effects of rain and then some drum and bass and another long guitar solo. Yeah, let's do that. Opeth, eternal rains will come. The deer dea hunter, the deer d. That was 20. They went back to back 15 and 16. I don't even care Wobbler From Silence to Somewhere. This shit is so soft Like they're like Southern Empire Crossroads. All right, went to 2019.
Scott McLean:Cofagan what? Dragon Island, suite 2. Oh, there's the Dragon Island. Oh, he lives in suite number two. Go knock on his door.
Scott McLean:He's the nice dragon. He serves tea and crackers. They're very good crackers. They taste like graham crackers, but he says they're not. I argue with him all the time. He wants to say they're not graham crackers. It says it right on the box. I can see it on his counter, but no, not this stupid dragon. He tells me they're cinnamon crackers. I said well, you know, cinnamon and graham crackers are like the same thing. And this dragon just insists on arguing with me. I think he just likes to argue with people. I mean, it's not the. It's the same, but it's not. It's not the same, it's. It says on the box. Graham crackers says it right on the box. Anyway, he lives in sweet too. Go argue with him. All right. Guess, gusty gazpacho isn't that fucking gazpacho. Isn't that food? The food, uh, sample math 2021. Knuckle cog. All right, that's a cool name, that's a cool album cover. Knuckle cog, that's 2021. Stupid head talk. We're almost done, buddy. We're almost done, buddy, we're almost done.
Scott McLean:I'm going to get in under the hour Von Hertzen Brothers, Northern Lights, 22. Unitopia, helen 23. Ritual, chick-fil-a 24. There you go.
Scott McLean:This was the worst fucking article I ever read and I probably will never do another article on prog rock. This was the worst article I ever read. But I'm committed to what I do. I'm committed to you people. I tell you what I'm going to do and I do it because that's what I do, and I do it all for you and little Marky Smith and I'm sure he's probably highly upset, or at least a little upset, that I degraded some of his fucking prog rock bands. But you know, I don't know, just not my shit. So let's get rid of that. Bring me back up on the screen.
Scott McLean:Yes, stupid head Todd the wet sprocket. Finally, exactly I. I should have taken your advice. I very rarely would take your advice in life, never did Might, never, ever. But this time I should have taken your advice.
Scott McLean:That was somewhat torturous, although it was one of the funniest things you've said in the last three decades. That caught me totally off guard. So touche my friend, you got me. It was funny. Top one. Skip to the end. In the end he was right and he's not going to hear that much more either.
Scott McLean:Well, I guess that's it. That's an hour. That was a quick hour, jesus. I think I laughed for 15 minutes of it because of stupid at Todd, and yeah, so that's it. Uh, I'm just gonna wrap this up. Uh, thanks for watching, thanks for listening. If you like it, share it. If you didn't like it. Well, thanks for listening or watching for 57 minutes and 27 seconds. I appreciate your time, I appreciate you, I'm glad that you you listen and, uh, you are the engine that runs this machine, although this machine is on autopilot.
Scott McLean:This is like episode 185, 187 or something, I don't know. I'm getting there to 200. I'm getting there to 200. I wonder if Mark Smith and Perry Dedevich and I don't think as much as I would like it, I don't think Lou would come on, but maybe for episode 200, maybe we could do it. I don't know, I got a long way to go. We got a bunch of episodes to go and then get Jack on and just kind of, just kind of do it show number 200. I don't know, I can start working on it or I could just do another show like this. Yeah, this is what it is. All right, everybody, like I always say, doing this show for you, to quote my favorite artist, marcy, the pleasure, the privilege is mine, and I will be back, most likely next Thursday night, with either Jack or without Jack, and then, in that case, I'll have more articles that I can shred. All right, everybody, have a great weekend.
