Fools Anthem

In episode 18 of Fools Anthem, Rich and John weigh in on the raw, thunderous sound of Soundgarden, one of the original architects of the Seattle grunge movement. The Fools share their favorite tracks spanning the band’s indie beginnings to their mainstream breakthrough. They  recount unforgettable live performances, some jaw-dropping, others less so, and break down what makes Soundgarden’s music so powerful, from heavy rif...

In this episode of Fool's Anthem, Rich and John delve into the legendary band, Blondie, exploring the life of front person Debbie Harry and the band's punk, disco and 60s roots. Debbie and Chris Stein formed Blondie and discovered Clem Burke when he responded to an audition. The band emerged from the original CBGB scene in New York during the early foundations of punk rock. The Fools discuss Debbie's interesting life story...

In this episode, John and Rich crank it up with the fuzz sound of Fu Manchu, focusing on the song 'Eatin' Dust'. They discuss the band's history, lineup changes, and the unique production qualities of their music. The conversation highlights the band's stoner rock sound and heavy riffs. They explore the evolution of the band's albums, including various reissues, Brant Bjork's drumming style, and reflect on the band's longe...

Rich and John delve into the music of Tool, focusing on the song '46 and 2' from the album 'Ænima'. They discuss the first time they heard Tool, the band's iconic techniques and sounds, which applied seven eighth time and the Phrygian scale chord progressions. The  conversation explores the deeper themes and lyrics of '46 and 2', particularly the concepts around the human psyche and evolution. The show closes with a reflec...

Fools Anthem celebrates Herbie Hancock and his musical talent and creativity through the decades. Hancock's influence brought a fusion of funk, jazz and electronics into popular music and culture. A look at Herbie Hancock's discography shows his constant innovation and experimentation with music.  The Fools reminisce about the first time they heard Rockit and the era of breakdancing. Hancock released a vast array of music,...

Rich introduces John to the discography of Father John Misty, the stage name of the musician Joshua Tillman. They discuss Father John Misty's creative spectrum of work, the deep lyrics in the music consisting of social commentary and personal themes that juxtaposes serious subjects with upbeat melodies. Rich highlights Father John Misty's great songwriting artistry and entertaining live performances and self-depricating hu...

In this episode of Fool's Anthem, John and Rich discuss the unique sound of the band, Morphine. They share an admiration for the band's authentic style and instrumentation which primarily featured a two-string slide bass, saxophones, and drums. The Fools dig into the lyrics of the song Thursday from the second album, Cure for Pain. Rich shares a personal story of how he met the frontman, Mark Sandman, and his memorable exp...

Episode 10 goes into Rich's appreciation for the song La Femme d'argent and the iconic album, Moon Safari, by the French electronic music duo, Air. The conversation shifts to the memories Rich and John had when listening to Moon Safari and how music can bring a person back to a particular experience and time of life. The fools discuss Air's live performances, instrumentation, and go into a list of other interesting DJ duos...

John's topic is sure to delight anyone who has a passion for drums as he explores the James Brown song, the 'Funky Drummer' and the innovative contribution of Clyde Stubblefield. Clyde's back beats and ghost notes techniques were a signature sound and rhythm of the song, which became a staple sampled by hip hop and pop genres. 

John does a Fool's Anthem first and analyzes the sample by re-enacting the backbeat and providing...

Rich challenges John and the audience to go deep and analyze the words of a song from the 90s era. The artist and song selected is George Michael and Praying for Time from his second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice. The fools delve into his life and career, exploring his song writing abilities and rise to fame with Wham!

As George matured into a solo artist, so did his writing. Praying for Time had a socially consciou...

John presents a topic comprising of both a music AND movie discussion based on the 1984 cult classic movie and song: Repo Man. The fools discuss the work of Alex Cox, his unconventional approach with the film, and the punk rock themes that were brought to life by Iggy Pop, The Plugz, and other contributors to the movie soundtrack. John examines the lyrics of Repo Man and finds it bizarre and nonsensical, likely representin...

Rich leads this episode and puts the spotlight on Black Sabbath, the influential guitar licks of the song 'Paranoid', and the band's backstory and formation. The fools discuss Tony Iommi's tragic accident which resulted in his determination and eventual rise to become one of the greatest guitarists of the heavy metal genre. Paranoid was a last-minute song addition that gave the band a hit single and album title. Paranoid r...

Summary: John opens the show offering a hint about the band being from the San Diego punk scene, which is instantly identified by Rich. The fools discuss the song "On a Rope" from the 1995 album title, Scream Dracula Scream, and call out a mutual admiration for Wesley Willis. Thoughts are shared about Rocket from the Crypt's unique sound, characterized by the incorporation of horns, and the band's immense energy during liv...

In Episode 4 Rich picks his topic and pays tribute to the King of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. The first song unwrapped is the hit 1960s single, It's Now or Never. The fools discuss Elvis as a conduit to introducing what was likely "cutting edge" following the swing and big band music of that era. They discuss the controversy raised around the King's overwhelming success with the rhythm and blues sound when other talented...

Summary: In episode three of Fools Anthem, John and Rich go deep and analyze the breakdowns and bridges of the song 'Head to Wall' from the post-hardcore, New York band, Quicksand. They discuss their love of Quicksand's dissonant guitar patterns and face-melting performances, and acknowledge the evolution and maturity of the band's loud, chunky sound which does not disappoint the test of time.

Chapters:

00:00 About Fool's An...

In this second episode of Fools Anthem, Rich chooses the theme and gives John some interesting hints that triggers an infectiously funny moment. The two fools engage in a lively conversation and go metal, discussing an iconic song and album by the well-known Bay Area band, Metallica. They critique the production quality of earlier albums, discuss the other artists that inspired the band, and comment on the band's earlier y...

It's the inaugural episode of Fools Anthem, where two fools muse about their love of music -  discovering, listening, watching, creating, performing, and perhaps most of all just talking about it. Our hosts playfully deliberate and critique the music that helped shape them as burgeoning musicians, and discuss how it keeps them inspired to this day. 

John teases out the topic of the first episode by giving co-host Rich t...