Dig Me Out - The 90s rock podcast
#575: Albums of 1992 Roundtable
While 1991 is regarded as the true launch of the 1990s alternative explosion into the mainstream, the sheer volume and diversity of music that followed in 1992 might lay claim to the crown as the most interesting year of the decade. The mainstays of 80s college rock were alive and well, with albums by R.E.M., Bob Mould's new band Sugar, Faith No More, The Cure, The Lemonheads, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum, and many more. The ubiquitous "grunge" sound was fully ensconced in radio and MTV with Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains, and Screaming Trees added to playlists, while more aggressive sounds emerged from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Helmet, Pantera, and White Zombie. Underground scenes cracked the mainstream as well, as industrial and electronic acts such as Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, The Orb, Curve, Aphex Twin, and others made significant noise, and the growing UK shoegaze scene produced records from Lush, Catherine Wheel, Ride, Moose, etc. And this barely scratches the surface, as hip-hop saw the release of the decade-defining albums The Chronic by Dr. Dre and Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys, as well as albums by Arrested Development, Ice Cube, Das EFX, Redman, The Pharcyde, and more. And that barely scratches the surface. Songs In This Episode: Intro - 1992 Medley (Them Bones by Alice In Chains, Wish by Nine Inch Nails, Unsung by Helmet, Somebody To Shove by Soul Asylum) Outro - Miles Iz Dead by The Afghan Whigs Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#574: Interview with Terry Ilous of XYZ, Great White, and Land of Gypsies
Of late, Terry Ilous is probably best known as Jack Russell's replacement in Great White ("Once Bitten, Twice Shy"), a position he held from 2010 until his surprising dismissal in 2018, but from the mid-80s until the mid-90s, Ilous fronted the Sunset Strip band XYZ ("Inside Out", "What Keeps Me Loving You", "Face Down in the Gutter"). In this revealing conversation, Ilous shares how XYZ bassist Pat Fontaine tricked him into moving to the U.S. from France with promises of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, the unlikely way XYZ landed a record deal with Enigma Records, working with Don Dokken on the band's 1989 debut, touring with the likes of Foreigner, Ozzy Osbourne, and Ted Nugent, the arrival of grunge and the devastating effects it had on Ilous's career for the rest of the '90s and how he left the music business for a number of years before being lured back in through the unlikeliest of ways (voiceover work for cartoons). Ilous has reformed XYZ and still plays shows under that band name while also releasing solo material and fronting Land of Gypsies, whose self-titled debut was released by Frontiers Music in December. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Inside Out by XYZ (from self-titled) 12:56 - Face Down In The Gutter by XYZ (from Hungry) Outro - Don't Say No by XYZ (from Hungry) Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#573: Too High To Die by Meat Puppets
In the fall of 1993, if you heard the name Meat Puppets attached to the newest single Backwater blasting from your local alternative radio station or on MTV, you would be forgiven for thinking this was a new band from Seattle riding the grunge wave. In truth, this was the band's eighth release, and they hailed from the much sunnier climate of Phoenix, Arizona. As veterans of the indie rock scene who had spent the 80s on famed SST Records, Too High To Die was their second major-label release, and the band was as much an influence on the current wave of alternative acts breaking through as a contemporary, as evidenced by Nirvana's choice to cover three of the band's songs on their MTV Unplugged performance and have the Kirkwood brothers join them onstage. With Too High To Die, the band shows off all of their skills, crafting finger-picked bluegrass tracks alongside ripping Soundgarden-esque tunes. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Backwater 20:27 - Shine 24:19 - Things 29:17 - Severed Goddess Hand 37:48 - Evil Love Outro - We Don't Exist Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#572: Season Eleven Year In Review
While 2020 seemed like it lasted several terrifying years, 2021 flew by with somehow the same number of days, and for us, episodes. As with our previous year-in-review episodes, we take a look back at our favorite new album discoveries, most brought to us by our Patreon community, as well as our most enjoyable round table experiences, and our favorite 80s album discoveries, episodes which are exclusive to our patrons. And we've got news to share about 2022! Songs In This Episode: Intro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#571: Penny Century by Clouds
While Nirvana famously helped give the college and underground rock scene one final push into the mainstream, the late 80s and early 90s were full of US and UK bands already making noise that connected with more than just the hip in-crowd. In Australia, the quick bursts of the Pixies and twin vocals of Throwing Muses and The Breeders are paralleled by the dual-songwriters fronting Clouds, whose 1991 debut Penny Century is full of two and three minute catchy harmonized indie pop. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Immorta 11:29 - Hieronymus 18:33 - Pocket 23:43 - Visionary 27:30 - Souleater Outro - Foxes Wedding Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#570: Coverdale * Page by Coverdale * Page
Throughout his career, David Coverdale has been dogged with comparisons to Robert Plant's Led Zeppelin years thanks to a similar style and range, even if the performances rendered different musical outcomes. By the time the early 90s rolled around, Coverdale put Whitesnake on hiatus and Page was working on Led Zeppelin compact disc remasters when the two met up and began a casual songwriting relationship that eventually led to their (so far) lone record together - the eponymous 1993 release Coverdale * Page. Fans of both bands, of which there was probably plenty of crossover, had much to rejoice about. Page riffing sounds invigorated and Coverdale is his equal, coming up with memorable hooks on several tracks. But while these artists made their names during the vinyl era, the bloat of the compact disc is length is in full display, as tracks better suited for three or four minutes get stretched to six and seven. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Shake My Tree 25:03 - Pride And Joy 29:28 - Over Now 33:38 - Feeling Hot Outro - Waiting On You Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#569: Amorica by The Black Crowes
Trends came and went in the 90s, some propelling underground subgenres into the mainstream, while others revitalized previously dormant sounds. A few bands, mostly under the radar like Cry Of Love, The Four Horsemen, The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Raging Slab, and Brother Cane, were ignoring the sounds of Seattle for rock rooted in 60s and 70s blues, r&b, southern, country, and hard rock. Leading the pack was Marietta, Georgia's The Black Crowes, who had been kicking around since the 1980s under various names, led by the mercurial Robinson brothers, Chris and Rich. Their debut is full of well-known radio singles, while their follow-up expanded their sound and garnered further accolades. But sessions for their third album, originally titled Tall, became mired in endless and expensive experimentation. After refocusing, the band wrote and rewrote to land on Amorica, displaying a matured and relaxed vibe with the guitar fire that made the band favorites, but without devolving into navel-gazing jams that others in the compact disc era regularly abused. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Gone 24:59 - Wiser Time 30:17 - P.25 London 37:28 - A Conspiracy Outro - High Head Blues Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#568: Music We're Thankful For In 2021
Last year we spent Thanksgiving Eve with our patrons and friends sharing new music we were thankful for during a difficult year. 2021 has presented its own challenges, but we're lucky to have so many musical artists and creatives to turn to for escape. From the metal and hard rock of Iron Maiden, Danko Jones, and Mammoth WVH to the trip-hop of Morcheeba, Sneaker Pimps, and Hooverphonic, to the electronic and industrial of Front Line Assembly, Martin Gore, and Gary Numan, to a host of other artists like Brandi Carlisle, Dave Gutter, Palm Ghosts, The Hold Steady, Spectres, King Buffalo, Ben Kweller, and many more, there was plenty to celebrate. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Don't Back Down by Mammoth WVH (from Mammoth WVH) 7:27 - All My Heroes Are Dead by Dave Gutter (from I've Been Here Awhile EP) 15:12 - John Carpenter by Palm Ghosts (from The Lost Frequency) 18:24 - The Creeps by Garbage (from No Gods No Masters) 24:29 - Family Farm by The Hold Steady (from Open Door Policy) 30:13 - Blink Twice by Jim Ward (from Daggers) 36:42 - Swan Song by Lindsey Buckingham (from Lindsey Buckingham) 46:12 - Submarines by Failure (from Wild Type Droid) 57:38 - Ouch by The Tragically Hip (from Saskadelphia EP) Outro - This Love Ain't Dead by Aaron and the Lord (from Aaron and the Lord) Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#567: Today's Active Lifestyles by Polvo
Out of the fertile Chapel Hill, North Carolina scene emerged Polvo at the start of the 1990s. Their sound is lumped into math rock, a term the band themselves reject, but the elements are there - progressive rock filtered through an indie lens. On their 1993 sophomore album Today's Active Lifestyles, you'd be hard-pressed to find any evidence of Jethro Tull, Yes, or Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But King Crimson meets Sonic Youth? Now we're warmer. Guitar lines criss-cross with noise and bends that lesser bands would likely turn into a messy dirge, while Polvo creates a singular sound unto themselves. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Sure Shot 20:25 - Thermal Treasure 30:11 - Action vs. Vibe 39:42 - Lazy Comet Outro - Gemini Cusp Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#566: Give It Back! by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The 1990s definitely saw its fair share of pastiche in music from The Rolling Stones raunch of The Black Crowes to the underground Los Angeles swing revival that briefly bubbled into the mainstream. Out in San Francisco, The Brian Jonestown Massacre was taking full advantage of the Haight-Ashbury vibes to experiment with sounds old and new, dabbling in shoegaze, psychedelia, jangle-pop, and more. On their sixth album, 1997's Give It Back!, the one and only with future Black Rebel Motorcycle Club founder Peter Hayes, the band puts all the elements to use on slinky bass-driven jams like "Super-Sonic" and "Whoever you Are" while also finding time to bliss out on tracks like the sitar-driven "Salaam." But it's not all good vibes, as the bands more evil half of the namesake shows up on the disturbing noise collage "Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request," and "#1 Hit Jam" is definitely not. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Satellite 13:53 - This Is Why You Love Me 18:55 - Whoever You Are 25:05 - Super-sonic 34:00 - Servo Outro - Salaam Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#565: P.H.U.Q. by The Wildhearts
Almost six years to the day, we revisited the debut album Earth Vs. The Wildhearts by the UK hard rock band. All the ingredients were there for us to love and champion this band, but for various reasons, we were both underwhelmed and disappointed. Thanks to a member of our Patreon Union, we're giving The Wildhearts a second shot with their 1995 follow-up P.H.U.Q. Far from a sophomore slump, the second album by the band pulls successfully from metal, hard rock, and power pop to create a riff-laden record that matches it on the vocal front with big, sugary hooks and loads of backing vocals. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Nita Nitro 18:14 - I Wanna Go Where The People Go 21:46 - Just In Lust 27:46 - Getting It 37:14 - Caprice Outro - Naivety Play Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#564: Exile on Coldharbour Lane by Alabama 3
Country, blues, and gospel are a winning combination. So are mixing trip-hop with acid house. But what if we threw that all into a big stew, layered it with a John Prine cover, Jim Jones (of Jonestown infamy) audio samples, and a druggy, capitalist critiquing, night-on-a-bender lyrical bent that also stayed away from strident political commentary while being entirely political? A big stew, eh? That's what Alabama 3 are serving up on their 1997 debut album Exile on Coldharbour Lane. If the band name sounds familiar, and you were alive at the start of the 21st century, you probably heard their track "Woke Up This Morning" introducing the weekly exploits of one Tony Soprano. Hearing that song gives listeners a nice primer on the band, but they do much more with their sixty-minute run-time, even if occasionally indulging a bit too much, like any fully exploited bender. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Woke Up This Morning 18:42 - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness 24:44 - Sister Rosetta 39:46 - Mao Tse Tung Said 1:07:34 - Peace in the Valley Outro - U Don't Dans 2 Tekno Anymore Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#563: Built to Perform by Phantom Blue
Just like how the 1990s produced hundreds of alternative bands signed to major labels that barely made a dent in radio, MTV, or Billboard, the 80s had their fair share of obscure and forgotten acts of might-have-beens. Those rock bands that straddled the line between the two decades often suffered the worst, coming in at the tail end of hair/glam rock dominance into the emergent alternative and college rock scene ready to explode. Phantom Blue is a perfect example of this interesting time, a band whose 1989 debut is more in line with 80s metal, while their 1993 follow-up (and last) record Built to Perform shows growth in multiple directions, incorporating the drop-d riffing of Soundgarden and Alice In Chains flawlessly with Guns 'n Roses licks and energy. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Better Off Dead 15:32 - Lied To Me 21:11 - Little Man 31:01 - My Misery Outro - Time to Run Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#562: Bands From the 90s Reuniting Part 2
Band reunions aren't new, as some of the best-selling and most well-known bands have gone on hiatus or broken up for extended periods of time. Back in 2015, we discussed 1990s rock bands that had broken up and gotten back together. Six years have passed, and more bands have reunited, released material, or at least toured. We decided to revisit the topic and discuss bands like Swervedriver, Hum, The Psychedelic Furs, The Vapors, Guns 'n Roses, and many more who have been back in the studio (either to record or rerecord) and hit the road together. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Step Into You by Hum 11:50 - Thread by Shades Apart 18:09 - Don't Believe by The Psychedelic Furs 34:50 - Amputation by The Jesus And Mary Chain 47:00 - The Colour of Love by The Smashing Pumpkins Outro - Mary Winter by Swervedriver Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#561: I Become Small and Go by Creeper Lagoon
Before Creeper Lagoon scored a minor hit with "Wrecking Ball" on their 2001 major label, radio-friendly alternative rock album Take Back The Universe and Give Me Yesterday, the band released a much more intimate debut. 1998's I Become Small and Go, co-produced in part by John King of The Dust Brothers, finds an even balance between catchy indie-pop, and more produced and layered tracks. Using a host of loops, oddball sounds, and other studio tricks gives tracks like "Wonderful Love" just enough earworm material to balance with the more subdued songs like "Sylvia." Unfortunately, the band can't hold up the momentum, and the album takes a noticeable dive in quality towards the end, but that doesn't erase what is a re-listenable record. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Dear Deadly 17:16 - Wonderful Love 20:23 - Sylvia 24:04 - Drink and Drive Outro - Empty Ships Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#560: Bone Machine by Tom Waits
He's an outlier, an enigma, an iconoclast, an original. We're talking about Tom Waits, whose career is more closely tied to the 70s and 80s, but who released his Grammy Award-winning album Bone Machine in 1992 just as the first wave of grunge was talking off in 90s rock. Trying to compare Waits, and this album in particular, to any of his contemporaries, is a fool's errand. Sure, there's a bit of Nick Cave here, some Mark Lanegan there, even some Morphine and Beck, but Waits is often on another planet entirely. Using a collection of non-traditional percussion instruments (some homemade) combined with buzzing guitars and ramshackle pianos, to create a junkyard orchestra. It often sounds like it's falling apart before it even starts, but Waits can bring it together with his vocals, even if they are the most divisive aspect of a Tom Waits album. Songs In This Episode: Intro - I Don't Wanna Grow Up 17:26 - Black Wings 24:49 - That Feel 29:54 - Whistle Down The Wind 34:26 - Goin' Out West Outro - The Earth Died Screaming Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#559: Guilty Pleasures Roundtable
In popular culture, whether it's music, films, books, or television, the idea of a Guilty Pleasure has existed as long as people have formed opinions on entertainment. High versus low art, serious versus inconsequential, intimate versus manufactured - everyone has their own criteria. We discuss the power of shame, such as when a once-popular genre falls out of favor, or when the personal behavior of an artist can affect an audience, the phrase can take on an even more serious interpretation. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Barbie Girl by Aqua Outro - I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#558: Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives by Wellwater Conspiracy
Members of Seattle's biggest bands of the 90s rock scene were often dabbling in side projects, like Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, and Brad. Matt Cameron and John McBain had previously played together in Hater, and along with Soundgarden bassist Ben Sheppard started Wellwater Conspiracy By the time they got around to album number two, Sheppard left, leaving Cameron and McBain to make the 1999's Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives, along with some friends. One of those friends is Josh Homme, not long after the end of Kyuss and just as Queens of the Stone Age is starting up, who hops on board for vocals on three tracks. Cameron tackles most of the rest and does a nice job with some 60s-influenced garage rock tunes that wouldn't sound out of place on a Hives record. Unfortunately, the side-project nature of the band leaves room for lots of noodling and experimentation. Some good, most not, which turns what would have been a tight, rockin' record into a much more bloated affair in need of a editor. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Good Pushin' 13:09 - Compellor 20:55 - Right Of Left Field 23:38 - B.O.U. 28:07 - Van Vanishing Outro - Red Light Green Light Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#557: Pinback by Pinback
Toward the middle of the 1990s, the shift away from loud grunge, post-hardcore, and punk resulted in a wide variety of more introspective sounds. Some bands were tagged with emo, some with slowcore, others with simply indie rock. From Death Cab for Cutie and John Vanderslice to Elliott Smith and Iron & Wine, the late 90s and early aughts were full bands turning down both the volume and tempo. San Diego's Pinback, comprised of veteran scene musicians Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV, utilize a wide variety of instruments and approaches on their self-titled debut from 1999. A simple drum preset can carry an entire song, mixing a variety of analog keyboard and guitar sounds, while occasionally introducing samples, guitar-mimicking vinyl scratching, or vocal loops. It's a melancholy but charming debut that presents many interesting ideas that sometimes lack a second or third gear to make them truly inspired. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Hurley 17:34 - Tripoli 20:20 - Rousseau 25:33 - Crutch Outro - Lyon Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
#556: Will You Find Me by Ida
While 90s rock is known for the volume-pushing bands from Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and other parts around the world, a loose movement of quiet and introspective artists rallied (quietly) around sparse arrangements, hushed vocals, and an appreciation for traditional to 60s folk. Ida covers most of that ground and more on their fourth album, 2000's Will You Find Me. Thanks to a wide range of guest musicians and a major label budget, the band incorporates electric piano, moog, wurlitzer, viola, and a host of other instruments to fill out the nooks and crannies of their deliberate sound. When at their best, the foursome use the three vocals to perfection, crafting haunting and beautiful sound scapes. But on the flip-side, some of the less fussed-over tracks sound bare in comparison, or tracks meander when they should be more concise. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Shrug 21:24 - Down on Your Back 26:19 - Turn Me On 32:29 - Encantada 40:18 - Shotgun 48:09 - Man in Mind Outro - The Radiator Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.