Undermine S01E03

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S01E03: The 80's Rock Scene

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aMSNRc8t9LaUQhSImxgUp

SHOWS

1987 08-21 Hebron, NY (Ian McLean's Farm)

• Mentioned how you could hear dogs barking in the background throughout the show
• http://phish.in/1987-08-21

1987 08-29 South Burlington, VT (The Ranch)

• Show dedicated to Eric Larson for watching Trey's dog, Marley, that summer
• The following weekend after Ian's Farm, so a pretty amazing back-to-back run
• Dogs barking in background here as well
• Loose Phish, one of the 80's best
• Jam from "Makisupa" is one of the prettiest of the era
• Lots of elements of "Fluffhead" are heard throughout in other songs like "Clod"
• 'Raging' version of "Timber"
• First ever "Mike's Song" > "I am Hydrogen"
• http://phish.in/1987-08-29

SONGS

David Bowie

• 1987 08-29 South Burlington, VT (The Ranch)
• Just a remarkable example of their jamming, incorporating space, noise, blues, all while segueing into "Jesus Just Left Chicago" without returning to "David Bowie"
• https://phish.in/1987-08-29/david-bowie

OTHER ARTISTS

Hüsker Dü

• Melodic hard-core punk trio mixing noise with melody
• Only lasted from 1980 to 1988, but put out five albums
• One of the first underground bands to sign to a major label
• Twin Cities band, the area was similar to Burlington in that they were frozen college enclaves
• 1970's Twin Cities had a punk and hard core scene
• Bob Mould's songwriting is notable
• 1984 Album "Zen Arcade"
• Big double record, sort of established them like The Who with "Quadrophenia"
• https://open.spotify.com/album/0J1DP5GvKrzWumwzlcFhLc
• 1985 Album "New Day Rising"
• Best combo of songcraft with hard core power
• Standouts include "New Day Rising, "Celebrated Summer," "I Apologize," "Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill"
• Arguable their best first record to start with
• https://open.spotify.com/album/2eOu9QDLP2MoO04ZtII2Vm
• 1985 Album "Flip Your Wig"
• Basically "New Day Rising" but a touch 'weaker'
• https://open.spotify.com/album/64ww8DQgkLRSFTUjNg0v47

Minutemen

• Punk trio from San Pedro, California
• Only from 1980 - 1985
• Most notable figure being Mike Watt
• Also comparable to Phish is their intense touring
• Considered one of the greatest punk rock bands ever
• 1984 Album "Double Nickels on the Dime"
• Can hear hints of where Phish would go in the mid-90's
• One of the most important albums of the 1980's
• Lots of social and political themes
• Short songs - 43 tracks over an hour and fifteen minutes
• Lots of great hooks
• https://open.spotify.com/album/5viZ5HyYtV0wafK7DoXmgF

Yo La Tengo

• Similar to Phish in that they started roughly around the same time, were big music dorks, and played lots of early gigs just for parties for friends
• Convenient to New York and beyond being from Hoboken, NJ
• Like Phish, played lots of covers ... a bottomless bag
• Best compared to Velvet Underground
• 'They're your favorite band's favorite band'
• Similar to Phish in that while studio is great, they thrive on stage, always changing the setlist, lots of improv and different arrangements, and always evolving
• See book "Big Day Coming" to learn more and also about 80's music
• 1993 Album "Painful"
• Still in high rotation songs with great guitar
• Segway from "Big Day Coming" into "From a Motel 6" is an incredible statement from the band
• https://open.spotify.com/album/7a4l81UqmFYs13351IyOSc
• 1997 Album "I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One"
• The band "doing whatever the fuck they want and not not being embarrassing for a second."
• https://open.spotify.com/album/3V18DIKvRuwdxc2LE4wuac
• 2000 Album "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out"
• Shades of blue, late-night ruminating record
• The record you want to listen to before going to bed
• https://open.spotify.com/album/5iVEe1GHMtvUHwwqArThFa

R.E.M.

• Very prolific in the 80's
• Unlike Phish, R.E.M. was able to lock onto the college rock scene, expanded all over, and got lots of radio play
• Phish helped usher in the jam band scene, as R.E.M. ushered in the 90's alternative scene
• Showed how bands could be successful in the 80's while taking two completely different paths
• 1983 Album "Murmur"
• 'Shows a band incredibly fully formed for their debut record'
• https://open.spotify.com/album/4Mw9Gcu1LT7JaipXdwrq1Q
• 1986 Album "Life's Rich Pageant"
• The one where 'Michael Stipe stopped whispering and started singing'
• Beefier drum sound
• https://open.spotify.com/album/5utjCgJfaqaOqfHGMzD9cB
• 1992 Album "Automatic for the People"
• 'Stone cold classic which belongs hanging in the Smithsonian, desert island record'
• https://open.spotify.com/album/0BiNb8HYR4JvuxUa31Z58Q