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Join us for a weekly discussion of the music and stories that made us think.
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We have a lot to catch up on this week. We kick off with News with Nick. Busta Rhymes releases Diligence 2, Dr. Dre & Jimmy Iovine give a billionaire perspective on AI, and Turnstile is releasing a Never Enough remake. Song: Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats - “Difference (feat. Yebba)” There’s still more news, we jump into a Heard it through the GREGvine! Greg brings us up to speed on the beefs of the summer …Saint Levant vs Shadjdeed; Jack White vs Charlie Crockett, Diamanda Galas’s onesided thoughts on Beyonce; Reggie Watts vs the internet. Song: Marcus King, Chris Dave, MonoNeon - “Ingewood Hotel
Greg is out this week, but we’re delighted to welcome back Erik Lenhart to the show. He’s just started his summer vacation and has some concerts that he’ll be attending in the upcoming weeks. Among them, is a Radiohead tribute band called No Surprises. Erik hasn’t gone through a Radiohead phase and needs to catch up before the show. Nick and Jay happily bring him up to speed. The Outlaws - “Green Grass & High Tides” Nick and his brother, Alex, caught Queens of the Stone Age & Foo Fighters this week at Nationals Park in Washington DC. It’s Tales from the Concert! Nick recaps the experience. Son
Upon exploring a random Gamelan station on Apple Music, Jay heard a song that reminded him of a song from the Nintendo Switch game, Mario Odyssey. That got him thinking about other video game music that sounds like songs we know and love, so he’s bringing it back a classic segment! This is 8-bit. Songs: Gamelan Degung - “Gara Gara Cinta” Sonic 3 Ice Cap Zone sounds like “Hard Times” by The Jetzons (there maybe a good reason for that) Nobuo Uematsu - “Dancing Mad, 4th Movement (Final Fantasy VI)” Nick had a great staycation last week and brings back some songs to share on a Three for Thursday.
Nick’s away on vacation this week, but Greg and Jay manage to fill an hour with a show and some much needed guitar talk. Greg has a Three for Thursday featuring a song from Gong, Boards of Canada, and a clip from the Red Not Chili Peppers live at House of Blues, Orlando from July 31, 2026. You can check that whole show out over at the internet archive - https://archive.org/details/red-not-chili-peppers-2026-07-31 Songs: Gong - “Sleepy” Boards of Canada - “Peacock Twin” Red Not Chili Peppers - “Aeroplane (Live in Orlando)” Jay shares an unfolding story about a D’Addario guitar string advertisem
We start off with News with Nick! Soundcloud acquires Nina Protocol, Old Dirty Bastard gets an NYC street named after him, Faith No More Reunites, and Madison Square Garden owner, James Dolan, has made some interesting decisions about how to run his venue. Song: Gong - “Oily Way (Remastered 2018)” Ever hear a song and think, Where’s One Tho? Greg is bringing the bit back, which means we’re one step closer to a theme song! This round we listen to various breakdowns of the Meshuggah song “Combustion,” and take then we take a stab at “Zhivago” by Kurt Rosenwinkel. Songs: Meshuggah - “Combustion”
Jay is back after a fantastic vacation and somehow found the time to catch Phish at Merriweather Post Pavilion last Saturday. He shares the details in another Tales from the Concert. Song; Phish - “Free (Live at Merriweather Post Pavilion, July 18, 2026)” Next up, it’s News with Nick! This week we remember Bonnie Tyler, look forward to the new King Gizzard album, and discuss whether music containing AI should be labeled as such. Song: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - “Okarena” Greg closes us out with a Three for Thursday. We hear some music from the relatively new band, Wunderhorse. Then we’re on t
Jay is at the beach and decided that, this year, he’s taking a true vacation from all obligations. That means it’s Nick & Greg this week! They catch up and explore music from the Internet Archive. Nick’s Picks: James Brown - “Try Me (Live at the Apollo, 1963)” Project/Object - “Outside Now (Live at BB King’s)” Little Milton - “Live at the Fort Reno Concet Series” Greg’s Picks: Funk Ark - “Hey Mammajo (Live at Pixaeau Brewery)” Dismemberment Plan - “Following Through (Live at Black Cat 2007)” Fugazi - “Do You Like Me? (Live at the Fort Reno Concert Series, 1997)”
We begin with a new bit from Greg called “Where’s One Tho?” We listen to the beginning of tracks to try and figure out what beat the song begins on. Pretty straightforward, but not as easy as you think. Songs: Little Richard - “Keep a Knockin” Led Zeppelin - ‘Rock and Roll” (Explanation video) Beethoven's Fifth Meshuggah - Combustion (Explanation video) Jay has unearthed the list of all lists. thegreatestmusic.org is a website that aggregates and weights 57 active lists of best albums and songs. Nick & Greg take turns guessing what made the ultimate list of all lists. Song: Captain Beefheart -
Jackson is back to tell us about his trip with Dad to Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon! Nick kicks us off with a Three for Thursday. We hear Austrian jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, jump into the latest release from Lambchop, and finish up with a track from Ari Hoenig. Songs: Wolfgang Muthspiel & Brian Blade - “Youssou” Lambchop - “Stella” Ari Hoenig - “Condemnation (feat Gadi Lehavi & Ben Tiberio)” On his journey with Jackson, Greg came across a record store. After digging through their selection, he came across an album by Michael Hedges. An incredible guitarist relegated to the ’New Age’ gen
Jackson joins us at the beginning of the show to talk about his week with Dad. Jay catches us up on the past week. It kicked off with a Black Crowes concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Then the family took a trip to Cincinnati to visit relatives. While there, Jay had a chance to jam on some bluegrass with his cousin, Billy. Finally, he highly recommends “Shake It Records” to anyone visiting the city. He shares some albums he procured and gives a shoutout to Uncle Dan for his generosity. Song - Mulatu Astatke - “Green Africa” It’s News with Nick! We kick off with a tribute to Momo, the boys
We welcome Jackson Loman back at the top of the show and listens to the classic Adam Sandler song, “Lunch Lady Land.” Then Greg tells us about a festival that he would love to attend one day on another round of FestQuest. Each year in late July, at the base Mt. Fuji there’s a festival called Fuji Rock. We listen to performances from some big names over the years. Songs: Elliott Smith - “Ballad of Big Nothing (Live 2000)” Squarepusher - “Anstromm Feck 4 (Live 2001)” Radiohead - “Myxomatosis (Live 2012)” Jay received a clawhammer banjo from his wife on his first Father’s Day and he’s been fiddli
Nick has some new music to share in a Three For Thursday. There’s the new London based art-pop band, 1000 Rabbits, Yoni Mayraz has a phenomenal Portuguese drummer named Zoe Pascal, and Baltimore’s experimental rock band, Horse Lords, is out with a new album. Songs: 1000 Rabbits - "Rubik's Cube" Yoni Mayraz - "Rooftops" Horse Lords - "Brain of the Firm (feat. Nina Guo, Evelyn Saylor, Madison Greenstone & Weston Olencki)" Then, for the first time ever, Jay’s SOUND MACHINE CRASHED!!! (Don’t forget to update the software, Jay!) Next up, Greg noticed that one artist in particular appeared numerous
Inspired by Pitchfork, Jay presents a question. What’s your perfect 10 album? The guys discuss their picks. Jay chose Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys, Nick went with In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel, and Greg landed on his first perfect 10 album, Nevermind by Nirvana. You can check out the 240 artists that responded over on Pitchfork: https://pitchfork.com/features/240-artists-on-their-perfect-10-albums/ Song: Beastie Boys - “Shake Your Rump” It’s News with Nick! Apparently it was news to Nick that in 2009, when Thom Yorke was assembling a band to perform songs from his
Greg remembers Sonny Rollins, who passed this week at the age of 95. The “Saxophone Colossus” transformed modern jazz by pioneering thematic improvisation, using his robust, full-bodied tone to stretch the boundaries of hard bop and avant-garde styles. Songs: Sonny Rollins - “Strode Road” Bill Evans - “Oleo” Miles Davis/John Coltrane - “Oleo” Wes Montgomery - “Airegin” Sonny Rollins - “St. Thomas” Jay gives us a musical interlude by way of a Three for Thursday. When traveling in L.A., he got an old Tom Tom Club track stuck in his head, and revisited some Kurt Vile. Last weekend, Sleepers made
We kick off with News with Nick! D4VD is getting pulled from streaming services following gruesome murder charges, Kanye owes some royalties, and Weird Al is coming to Broadway. Plus, Nick did his homework and discusses his thoughts on Heavy Metal Parking Lot and updates the guys on his Sopranos progress. Song: Frank Zappa - “Joe’s Garage” Next, Greg brings us a Three for Thursday. We listen to Nels Cline’s blazing solo on a Wilco track, dig into a Bruce Hornsby classic, and close with some classic Aphex Twin. Songs: Wilco - “Side with the Seeds” Bruce Hornsby - “The Way It Is (Live - 1998/99)
Jay’s kicking us off with a Three For Thursday. Chris Potter and some very notable guests drop a new album, Shuggie Otis makes the 1001 albums before you die, and we have a new track from The Cockroaches. Chris Potter - “Osawatomie Brown (feat. Bill Frisell, Burniss Travis, Nate Smith, Rane Moore, Zekkereya El-Magharbel & Sara Caswell)” Shuggie Otis - “Inspiration Information” The Rolling Stones - “Rough and Twisted” Get ready for it! 3 Savile Row is turning into a Beatles/Apple museum, Red Hot Chili Peppers sell their catalog, and Jeff Tweedy wrote a New York Times crossword puzzle [link]. So
Get ready for it, it’s News with Nick. Greta Van Fleet may have broken up, Dolly is gonna be alright, M.I.A. dropped by Kid Cudi, and the top licks heard played in Guitar Center. Song: Friko - “Still Around” We’ve got more news, it’s Heard it through the GREGvine! We discuss the NY Times 30 greatest living American songwriters (link), and the 40th anniversary of the cult music documentary ‘Heavy Metal Parking Lot’ (link). Finally, Olivia Rodrigo drops 6 versions of the same song and they all made the charts (plus she was seen at a restaurant with Geese singer, Cameron Winter). Song: Per Nilsso
A couple weeks ago, Wired put out an article declaring that Geese’s popularity was a Psyop. It turns out they hired a marketing company for the release of their album, Getting Killed. The company engages in some less than savory tactics to promote their clients. Jay wants to discuss what everyone thinks about this… Song: Bruce Hornsby - “Indigo Park” Nick brings us a Tales from the Concert. This week, it's Sleepers at Rockwell Brewery. He and Jay recap the evening and thank a whole lot of family and friends for coming out. Songs: Sleepers - “Patrol” Sleepers - “Protocol” Finally, Greg closes u
Greg has been dissecting and practicing Frank Zappa’s Peaches En Regalia for the past few months and he’d like to share what he’s learned, in theory. Song: Frank Zappa - “Peaches En Regalia (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)” Jay came upon a piece in The Guardian called “Murder, mystery and a hit record: the unbelievable story of Ike White” (link) and had to learn more. This week, the tragic story of Ike White. Songs: Ike White - “Love And Affection” Ike White - “Changin' Times” Chicago native, Aadam Jacobs is a true music lover. He’s been recording and cataloging live shows for the past forty years and
Nick was out last week because he was at a conference in New Orleans. He’s back to report on all the incredible music he experienced while he was down there. Songs: Richard Scott - “Hey Day Drinkers” Wolfe Johns - Live at Bamboula’s Jumbo Shrimp - “Cake Walking Babies from Home” Greg brings us up to speed on the first weekend of Coachella 2026 in a Heard it Through the GREGvine. You can watch the performances or catch the live stream over on YouTube.com/coachella Songs: Geese - “Baby/2122 (Live from Coachella)” Nine Inch Noize - “Parasite (Live from Coachella)” Jay loves a good redemption stor
With Nick out of town this week, Jay & Greg decide to capitalize on the occasion and have some long overdue Guitar Talk. They both run through their current/favorite guitars, pedals, and amps. Then Jay brings us up to speed on his adventures building guitar pedals. Song: Tedeschi Trucks Band - “What In The World”
Whenever Jay has a melange (or a stew, or a gumbo) of different topics to share, he serves up Jay's Jambalaya. This week, Rush debuts their new drummer at the Juno Awards, and closing pitchers in the MLB now have walk on music. Songs: Black Crowes - “Blood Red Regrets” Rush - “Finding My Way (Live at the 2026 Juno Awards)” Korn - “Blind” It’s News with Nick! Dash Crofts passes away, Bob Dylan launched a Patreon, and some new notable albums are coming out in May. Song: Little Simz - “Lotus (featuring Michael Kiwanuka & Yussef Dayes)” Greg joins us this week from Great Wolf Lodge on Spring Break
It’s all quiet on the western front this week, as Greg’s internet and cell service were down when we recorded this. He’ll be joining us from Great Wolf Lodge next week, we’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope he has a good internet connection. That leaves Jay & Nick to host this week. Jay’s got a special fondness for mistakes in recordings that were, for some reason, kept in the released version of a song. Jay highlights some of his favorites, and these are really famous songs! They take a careful listen to catch, but you won’t miss them when you hear them again. The Police - “Roxanne” James B
Jay is out this week, but friend of the show, Wayan Zoey, is joining us to catch up. He recently served as the Production Manager for the Portland Jazz Fest. He shares his experience and some of the music he heard along the way. Songs: Tigran Hamasyan - “Prelude for All Seekers” Cochemea - “Ancestros Futuros” Mitchum Yacoub - “Cumbia No Get Enemy” Nick has some new tunes to share on a Three for Thursday. Songs: Geordie Greep - “Holy, Holy” Plash - “sona” Gary Willis - “The Professionals” Greg shares another Red Not Weekend. After catching his son Jackson perform standup in the school’s talent
Greg has spending some time cataloging his vinyl collection on Discogs and has grown a deeper appreciation for the site. It’s time for “Vinyl Fantasy.” Song: Sonny Sharrock - “Blind Willie Johnson” Jay shares a recent episode from the podcast, Darknet Diaries, called “Melody Fraud.” In it, an industry insider reveals the level of fraud that exists in streaming platforms and his work to close the loopholes that enable the fraud. It’s a fascinating listen and you should check it out at https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/171/ Song: Roy Markson - “Everything In Its Right Place” Nick closes us out
