Shows
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #31 - Northern Soul - The Groove Never Dies | MxG BONUS EPISODESUPPORT THIS PODCAST!Join PatreonGet some merch~~~~FEATURED SONGNicky DeMatteo – “I’ll Be There” The first PODFAST of Season 8 is all about Northern Soul. It was a movement of music fans, shops & labels starting in the North of England in the late 1960s, that centered around old American soul records with a beat you could dance to, and especially the more obscure tracks.I go through the prehistory, history, songs & artists, legacy, and why Northern Soul still matters.Have you...
2025-11-2437 min
MUSIC is not a GENREWelcome to MUSIC is not a GENREIf you're new to MUSIC is not a GENRE, this intro will explain it all.Please consider supporting MxG. This podcasts exists only because of generous listeners & supporters like you.MxG on PatreonSubscribe to MxG on YouTubeOfficial Website of Nick DeMatteoAnd here's where you can find the music that inspired my creation of MxG, from my band REC:REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...
2024-09-2703 min
MUSIC is not a GENRECan BAD PEOPLE Make GOOD THINGS? – MUSIC is EVERYTHING #32 | MxG Season 6 Episode 35SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7!Join Patreon for as little as $1/monthDonate any amount to the fundraiser~~~~FEATURED SONGThe Drop feat. Nick DeMatteo – “Ponmela” (Voltio cover - from IT WASN’T ME !)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREIn this penultimate Season 6 episode, I swim around in a topic I’ve been reluctant to get back to: people who have created amazing and often iconic work, yet whose behavior and/or beliefs make them reprehensible to one degree or another...
2024-08-051h 14
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 17: Elvis – All He’s Crackered Up to Be? | MxG - Season 6 Episode 30SUPPORT THIS PODCAST, SO I CAN BRING YOU A SEASON 7!Join Patreon for as little as $1/monthDonate any amount to the fundraiser~~~~FEATURED SONGNicky DeMatteo (Dad) – “Suspicious Minds” (Elvis cover – previously unreleased)Season 6 Episode 30 - Death is DUMB Volume 17: Elvis – All He’s Crackered Up to Be?In the 17th volume of my Death is DUMB series, I finally get to Elvis. We know his tragic death, but when was the last time we considered his complete body of music?I surve...
2024-06-241h 02
MUSIC is not a GENRETWO-Hit Wonders | MxG - Season 6 Episode 22Support MxG & REC:Shirts and mugs!Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 6 Episode 22 - TWO-Hit WondersFEATURED SONG:NICK – “Scream” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)SCREAM IT EVERYWHEREYou’ve heard of one-hit wonders, and you probably know at least a couple dozen of those songs. What you might not know is that many of those ba...
2024-04-011h 04
MUSIC is not a GENREWhat’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.1: The 1980s – Indie Vs. Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 19Support MxG & REC:Shirts and mugs!Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 6 Episode 19 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 4.1: The 1980s – Indie Vs. Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 19FEATURED SONG:Business of Ferrets – “Komputers & Kognac”(feat. Nick DeMatteo & Pete Braidis, from IT WASN’T ME !)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREIn Part 4 of my history...
2024-03-041h 03
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #17 - Nick’s VIBEMATIC! 1 - Playlist Jan 2024 | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~PODFAST #17 - Nick’s VIBEMATIC: 1. Playlist Jan 2024FEATURED LINKS:Nick's January Playlist on SpotifyNick's January Playlist on YouTubeGET THE SHIRT!~~~~For PODFAST 17, I’m starting something ELSE new. A playlist review.Every year I make a pl...
2024-02-1930 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Kinks – The BIGGEST INDIE BAND in HISTORY | MxG - Season 6 Episode 17Support MxG & REC:Shirts and mugs!Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 17 - The Kinks – The BIGGEST INDIE BAND in HISTORYFEATURED SONG:NICK – “Just the Same” (from 96 / 95)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREThis week’s episode is on the Kinks, the most overlooked and underrated of the big four 1960s...
2024-02-121h 08
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #6 – How Well-Known IS Well-Known? | MxG - Season 6 Episode 12Support MxG & REC:Shirts and mugs!Support @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 12 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #6 – How Well-Known IS Well-Known?FEATURED SONG:NICK – “What It Is” (from What It Is)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREHere comes the SIXTH catch-up episode, and it’s a big one. I had a TON...
2024-01-0158 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #15 - Non-Christmas Holiday Music | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~PODFAST #15 - Non-Christmas Holiday MusicFEATURED MUSIC:Nick's Holiday Playlist~~~~This week marks the first ever back-to-back PODFAST episodes. It’s a busy time of year, so I wanted to keep stuff tight.For the pa...
2023-12-2526 min
MUSIC is not a GENREMusic Magazines – Believe EVERYTHING You Read | MxG - Season 6 Episode 11Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 11 - Music Magazines – Believe EVERYTHING You ReadFEATURED SONG:NICK – “It’s Almost Over” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREThis week’s episode is on music magazines.I go over thei...
2023-12-1155 min
MUSIC is not a GENREWhat’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 2: Coming of Age in the 1960s | MxG - Season 6 Episode 10Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 10 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 2: Coming of Age in the 1960sFEATURED SONG:NICK – “Naked” (from Listen You People) –STREAM IT EVERYWHEREIn the long awaited Part 2 of my series on th...
2023-12-0457 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #13 - Death is DUMB Volume 15: George Winston | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~PODFAST #13 - Death is DUMB Volume 15: George Winston FEATURED SONG:NICK - "On the Way Down" (from What It Is)STREAM IT EVERYWHERE~~~~This week’s PODFAST came as a surprise and a shock. I lea...
2023-11-2020 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 8 – Infinite Influence | MxG - Season 6 Episode 8Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 8 - The Beatles Part 8 – Infinite InfluenceFEATURED SONG:NICK - "Regular Day" (from The Metrogrande Sessions)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREIn Part 8 of my ongoing Beatles series, I talk about their influence. From th...
2023-11-1355 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Wombats – MarSUPERIOR Electro Power Pop | MxG - Season 6 Episode 4Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 4 - The Wombats – MarSUPERIOR Electro Power PopFEATURED SONG:NICK – “Sick” (from Listen You People - REMASTERED 2023)STREAM IT EVERYWHEREHave you heard the Wombats? Cuz you should. They are one of Britain’...
2023-10-0948 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #5 – Wrap-ups and Upgrades | MxG - Season 6 Episode 1Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 6 Episode 1 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #5 – Wrap-ups and UpgradesFEATURED SONG:NICK – “Standin’ There” (from 96 / 95)OR STREAM IT ANYWHERESeason 6 is here! First, we wrap up last season with some fan comments, additions, correction...
2023-09-1845 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe MxG PARTY – A 200th EPISODE Celebration! | MxG - Season 5 Episode 46Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 46 - The MxG PARTY – A 200th EPISODE Celebration!FEATURED SONG:REC – “If It Feels All Right” (from Parts and Labour and RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)OR STREAM IT ANYWHERESeason 5 is wrapp...
2023-08-281h 32
MUSIC is not a GENREMetallica – The One True MEGA True METAL Band | MxG - Season 5 Episode 45Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 45 - Metallica – The One True MEGA True METAL BandFEATURED SONG:REC – “Stop It!” (from Parts and Labour)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREI just saw Metallica in concert for the second time, forty ye...
2023-08-211h 10
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 12: George Michael – BURN That Acoustic Guitar | MxG - Season 5 Episode 44Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 44 - Death is DUMB Volume 12: George Michael – BURN That Acoustic GuitarFEATURED SONG:REC - "Up All Day" (from The Sunshine Seminar)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREhttps://www.nickdematteo.com/recthesunshineseminar...
2023-08-1453 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #11 - Tell Me How You REALLY FEEL About GENRES | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~PODFAST #11 - Tell Me How You REALLY FEEL About GENRESFEATURED MUSIC:Song sampler from REC's upcoming album, featuring tracks 6-8: "Wait, Too Rough", "Rhythm 77", "Porch Step"~~~~PODFAST is legit a tween now!MUSIC is...
2023-08-0730 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour PLUS with Author Scott Shea - Interview Edition #33 / Book Talk #7 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 43I spend over an hour with Scott Shea, SiriusXM Producer, and author of ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN: HOW THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS CAME TOGETHER AND BROKE APART.We discuss his amazing book, the music & culture that surrounded the Mamas & the Papas, and everything in between.For more on Scott:https://scottsheaauthor.com/FEATURED SONG:Nicky DeMatteo (my dad) - "California Dreamin'"(cover of the Mamas & the Papas song, produced by Nick DeMatteo)~~~~Support MxG & REC:
2023-07-311h 18
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 7 – McCartney VII | MxG - Season 5 Episode 42Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - AND CHECK THE WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 42 - The Beatles Part 7 – McCartney VIIFEATURED SONG:REC – “Never Tell” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREIn Part 7 of my who-know-how-long Beatles series...
2023-07-241h 10
MUSIC is not a GENREBackTalk with Steve Erickson – South African Music | MxG - Season 5 Episode 41Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 41 - BackTalk with Steve Erickson – South African MusicThis week kicks off a new series I’m calling BackTalk, wherein a guest and I converse on a topic we think deserves attention.For the first BackTalk, I bring back Stev...
2023-07-1749 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 6 – Separating the Sum | MxG - Season 5 Episode 40Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - TRY IT FREE!Subscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 40 - The Beatles Part 6 – Separating the SumFEATURED SONG:REC – “Different Oceans” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREIn the “final” edition of my six-part Beatles series, I ta...
2023-07-101h 16
MUSIC is not a GENREWhat’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 1: History and the 1950s | MxG - Season 5 Episode 39Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSICSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 39 - What’s an ALBUM?? And WHY?? – Part 1: History and the 1950sFEATURED SONG:The Drop – “Classical Space Jazz 1” (from Long Held Grudges)STREAM THE FULL ALBUMThis week I’m kicking off another multi-part series. It’ll focus...
2023-07-0352 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Cure - Why CAN'T I Be Them? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 38Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSICSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 38 - The Cure - Why CAN'T I Be Them?FEATURED SONGS:REC – “Shoot To Kill” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Distance To Empty)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREThe Cure – “The Caterpillar” (LIVE acoustic cover by Nick)SEE NIC...
2023-06-261h 13
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour PLUS with NOMAD - Interview Edition #32 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 37I spend over an hour with NOMAD, music producer, music director, and session/touring guitarist who has been heavily active in the industry since the 1990s. Nomad has toured the world many times over, and has been featured on countless GRAMMY-winning records. NOMAD's compositions are in circulation in over 300 TV shows, commercials, films, as well as chart topping albums. He's also creator of The CareerMusician (TCM) – a social network of pro musicians sharing knowledge and personal experiences in entertainment, and its accompanying podcast. We talk about his career, the music industry in general, and how his course, Pro...
2023-06-171h 22
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Christian Swain - Interview Edition #31 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 36I spend an hour with Christian Swain, CEO of Pantheon Media. We talk about music history, the state of music today, and how it all ties into Pantheon's mission.Pantheon Media is the world’s biggest music podcast network. It’s got something for every music fan: history, interviews, stories, commentary, news, reviews & more. You might say it covers the … PANTHEON … of the music world.Check out all the podcasts and find one you love! http://pantheonpodcasts.com/And listen to Christian’s podcast, Rock N Roll Archaeology: http://pantheonpodcasts.com/rock-n-roll-archaeology Follow P...
2023-06-1259 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #4 – I Mostly Just Watch TV | MxG - Season 5 Episode 35Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt! - NEW DESIGNSSupport @ $5/month - EXCLUSIVE MUSICSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter! - WEBSITE UPGRADES~~~~Season 5 Episode 35 - The Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #4 – I Mostly Just Watch TVFEATURED SONG:The Drop - "Flunky Fesh" (from Long Held Grudges)This is the second catch-up episode of the season. Does that mean the season is over? In th...
2023-06-0554 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #10 - TIME BIAS: This Ain’t Called “PodPAST” | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~PODFAST #10 - TIME BIAS: This Ain’t Called “PodPAST” FEATURED SONG:REC - "Wake Up High" – main theme song to MUSIC is not a GENRE (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Synergy for the Weird)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREIn this monumental TENTH edition of PODFAST, I have a good ol...
2023-05-2937 min
MUSIC is not a GENREWhat the Hell is Going ON with Me?! – A Nick Music Update | MxG - Season 5 Episode 34Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 34 - What the Hell is Going ON with Me?! – A Nick Music UpdateFEATURED SONG:REC – KTC Song Sampler (unreleased samples from REC's upcoming album)HEAR THE FULL SONGS ON PATREONhttps://www.patreon.com/MUSICisnotaGENREA buttload has been going on with me l...
2023-05-2251 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #9 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #3 | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~PODFAST #9 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #3FEATURED SONG:REC - "Don't Get Me High" (from Syzygy for the Weird)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREIn this PODFAST, I give my quick takes on FOUR more or less recent albums, and a fifth take on female driven power pop.1. Metal...
2023-05-1523 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 5 - Breakdown to Basics | MxG - Season 5 Episode 33Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 33 - The Beatles Part 5 - Breakdown to BasicsFEATURED SONGS:NICK – “Home To” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)OR STREAM IT ANYWHERENICK (as RUPERT) LIVE – “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)”In the fifth edition of my six-part Beatles series, I walk through their final phase...
2023-05-081h 15
MUSIC is not a GENREDickens and Prince … and Nick Hornby? – Book Talk #6 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 32Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 32 - Dickens and Prince … and Nick Hornby? – Book Talk #6FEATURED SONGS:REC - “SNo Globe” (from The Sunshine Seminar)OR STREAM IT ANYWHERENICK LIVE ACOUSTIC PRINCE SET In this banner sixth edition of Book Talk, I dig into Nick Hornby’s Dickens and Prince: A Particular...
2023-05-011h 14
MUSIC is not a GENREThe 4T Retrospective – MxG’s First Episodes EVER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 31Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 31 - The 4T Retrospective – MxG’s First Episodes EVERFEATURED SONGS:REC – “Break You” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Parts and Labour)REC – “Little White Lies” (from Distance To Empty)REC – “The Garden” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Sympathy for the Weird)REC – “Xmiss” (fr...
2023-04-241h 00
MUSIC is not a GENREU2 - Absorb the FEEDBACK and Listen Through THE HYPE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 30Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 30 - U2 - Absorb the FEEDBACK and Listen Through THE HYPEBook Talk #5FEATURED SONGS:REC – “Believe the Lie” (from Distance To Empty) –OR STREAM IT ANYWHERENick Live – “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)”In this week’s episode, I subdue another bear of a subject: U2. The...
2023-04-171h 21
MUSIC is not a GENREBono’s Surrender: 500 Pages of Topline Melody – Book Talk #5 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 29Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 29 - Bono’s Surrender: 500 Pages of Topline MelodyBook Talk #5FEATURED SONGS:REC – “Mine Alone” (from Parts and Labour) OR STREAM IT ANYWHERENick Live - “Song for Someone” (featuring Cathryn Lynne)In the all-powerful Book Talk #5, I talk about highlights and insights from Bono’s Surrender: 40...
2023-04-101h 16
MUSIC is not a GENREThe MUSIC Self-Help HYPE - DON'T WAIT to GET GREAT | MxG - Season 5 Episode 28Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 28 - The MUSIC Self-Help HYPE - DON'T WAIT to GET GREATMUSIC is EVERYTHING Edition #30FEATURED SONG:REC – “Fall” (from Parts and Labour)OR STREAM IT ANYWHEREIn the 30th edition of my MUSIC is EVERYTHING subseries, I dive headlong into music self-help. When is taking the DI...
2023-04-031h 08
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 4 - Eclectic Experimenters | MxG - Season 5 Episode 27Support MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~Season 5 Episode 27 - The Beatles Part 4 - Eclectic ExperimentersFEATURED SONGS:REC – “It’s All Too Much” (from IT WASN’T ME ! and Synergy for the Weird)The Drop feat. Nick DeMatteo – “I’m So Tired” (from IT WASN’T ME !)OR STREAM THEM ANYWHEREIn this fourth edition of my six-pa...
2023-03-271h 06
MUSIC is not a GENRENeo-Soul - OLD Got NEW Got OLD Got NOW | MxG - Season 5 Episode 26Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHJoin MxG on PatreonWatch MxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 26FEATURED SONG: REC - "Make Me Break Like Everyday" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Syncopy for the Weird)This week I talk about neo-soul, the progressive R&B genre of the late 1990s that melded 1970s style soul with a hip hop sensibility. I go over some of the major players, including...
2023-03-1754 min
MUSIC is not a GENRETV Music - Where Everybody Knows Your Theme | MxG - Season 5 Episode 25Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on AnchorMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo Official Season 5 Episode 25FEATURED SONG: The Drop feat. Ape Cafe - "Lock-Load-Love" (theme song to the series, from IT WASN’T ME !)This week I dive into TV music. I run down some iconic & favorite TV theme songs from each decade since the very beginning, dividing the list between full-on songs with lyrics & choice instrumentals. My m...
2023-03-131h 11
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #8 - Sideways 8: The EXACT NUMBER of Music Genres EVER | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:Get a shirt!Support @ $5/monthSubscribe & see the videos!Listen to REC on BandcampSubscribe to REC on YouTubeGet Nick's Newsletter!~~~~PODFAST #8FEATURED SONG:REC - "Any Universe" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and The Sunshine Seminar)In this 8th PODFAST bonus episode, I proclaim that there are only EIGHT GENRES EVER in all of music history and as far as we can see into the future. They are:1...
2023-03-0824 min
MUSIC is not a GENREUK Hip Hop - The Brits ALWAYS Do It BETTER | MxG - Season 5 Episode 24Support MxG & REC:MxG on PatreonMxG on AnchorMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialOFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHSeason 5 Episode 24FEATURED SONG:The Drop – “This End Up” (from IT WASN’T ME !)This week I spotlight a couple of UK hip hop artists, Dizzee Rascal & The Streets. Both came to prominence in the 2000s, and have sustained careers since then. I talk about how their styles – and UK’s hip hop styles i...
2023-03-0657 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Anthony Cirillo - Interview Edition #30 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 23I spend an hour with Anthony Cirillo. Anthony is president of The Aging Experience (www.theagingexperience.com), creator of the Caregiver Smile Summit, a virtual, video-based, on-demand program that features experts across the spectrum of caregiving. He is also the creator of Sage Stream , a Senior Entertainment/Education Network that broadcasts LIVE entertainment to elder care facilities and other locations. You can find out more about Sage Stream here: www.sagestream.liveAnthony is a musician & Philly native who has entertained in casinos and resorts, has won several Billboard songwriting awards, recorded in Nashville and been featured i...
2023-02-271h 15
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 11: David Bowie - 14 Subtitles About CHANGE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 22Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on AnchorMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 22FEATURED SONG:REC – “Silence of the Disabused” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 and Symphony for the Weird)This week I spotlight David Bowie. He and his entire career can be defined by one word: undefinable. I sort out why that’s the ultimate state of EVERY artist, few of whom...
2023-02-2059 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 3 – Integrated Innovators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 21Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 21FEATURED SONG:REC – “The Accumulate” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 AND Symphony for the Weird)In Part 3 of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their most expansive period, when they left live-based rock recording behind and became full-on studio heads, covering Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper’s (as well as the U...
2023-02-131h 13
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #3 – Fetishizing the Past | MxG - Season 5 Episode 20Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 20FEATURED SONG:*Anon.* - "Move Ahead, Long Boy" (from It Wasn't Me !)We’ve hit the halfway point of Season 5 (more or less), and what a season it’s been. In this third catch-up episode, I give some fan shoutouts, especially to those fans who prompted “music, conversation & connection”, as I so often mention. I make som...
2023-02-061h 00
MUSIC is not a GENREThe CROONER Episode - Was Frank Sinatra Really ALL THAT GREAT? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 19Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 19FEATURED SONG:Nicky DeMatteo - "The Lady's In Love With You" (from Blame It On My Youth)This week I talk about Frank Sinatra. Does he deserve all the praise? What was his best era? How does he rank among vocalists of his ilk? What’s happened to crooning since the 1960s? I also talk ab...
2023-01-3053 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Greatest ROCK EXPLOSION in MUSIC HISTORY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 18Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 18FEATURED SONG:REC – “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” (from It Wasn’t Me !)This week I talk about the greatest rock explosion in music history. NOT the 1960s. NOT the 1970s. NOT the 1990s. It’s the 2000s. It was also the last time rock music was a truly dominant force in music and the culture at large...
2023-01-211h 01
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Hundred-Year DECADE SLAM - Every Genre’s PEAK ERA | MxG - Season 5 Episode 17Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialMUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 29FEATURED SONG:The Drop - "Centerfield" (cover of the John Fogerty song - from It Wasn’t Me !)This week I take a trip through time and through all the major genres of music. I proclaim with all my infallible authority & knowledge when each genre was at its peak – i.e. in whic...
2023-01-161h 12
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Bob Adams - Interview Edition #29 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 16I spend an hour with musician & teacher Bob Adams. Bob is a high school Director of Instrumental Music, whose indoor percussion ensemble won the 2021 Coast Championship. He's also an accomplished trombonist who once did a tour that took him to the North Pole. And he's a dear friend & family acquaintance of mine from way back.~~~Support MxG & REC: OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo Official~~~~*music credit: R...
2023-01-061h 01
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 2 – Strung-Out & Stretching Superstars | MxG - Season 5 Episode 15Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 15FEATURED SONG:REC – “I’ll Be Back” (from It Wasn’t Me !)In this second of my six-part series on The Beatles, I go over their film albums and the album that was sandwiched in between. It’s one of the least explored Beatles eras, because most of the attention has been placed on the films themse...
2023-01-0243 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #7 - Interview with Singer/Songwriter Ashira | MxG BONUS EPISODEPODFAST #7In this special episode of PODFAST, I talk to Ashira. She's a singer/songwriter from LA, who's just released her new single, "Saint". Check out ALL her links below, and listen to Ashira everywhere. LISTEN TO ASHIRA:"Saint""Divine Intervention"FOLLOW ASHIRA:TikTokInstaYouTubeSpotifyApple Music EXPLORE ASHIRA:Searching for Justice in LA (Music Supervisor) - Official Selection World Film Carnival - Singapore - Finalist for Rom...
2022-12-2617 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe BEST Christmas Album? – There’s NO SUCH THING! … buuut … | MxG - Season 5 Episode 14Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 14FEATURED SONG:Nick DeMatteo - "This Christmas" (live cover of the Donny Hathaway song)In this episode I discuss Christmas albums in general. Is there a best? What are my favorites? What are some of my least favorites? Why is it easier to love cheesy holiday music more than any other kind? I also make...
2022-12-1947 min
MUSIC is not a GENRECovers Albums - NOT Your Mom's Oldies Tunes | MxG - Season 5 Episode 13Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 13FEATURED SONG:The Drop - "Lovely to See You" (from It Wasn't Me!)In this episode I discuss covers albums and the concept of covers in general. I use a few of my favorite covers albums to illustrate how the best cover songs capture the essence of the original without needing to replicate the sound...
2022-12-1248 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Kevin Stroud - Interview Edition #28 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 12I spend an hour with Kevin Stroud. Kevin is an attorney and podcaster who may be best known as the creator & host of The History of English Podcast - my all-time favorite podcast to listen to. He’s written a book review for the New York Times, and sometimes gives presentations about the history of legalese and legal English. You can listen to Kevin's wonderful podcast on all the major streaming services, and the home website:https://historyofenglishpodcast.com.And please support Kevin's amazing work on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/his...
2022-12-051h 13
MUSIC is not a GENREPearl Jam - The New Classic Rock OR Who Was YOUR First Grunge Love? | MxG - Season 5 Episode 11Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 11FEATURED SONGS:REC - "I'm Gone" (from Parts and Labour)NICK - "Alive" (live acoustic cover of the Pearl Jam song)In this episode I discuss Pearl Jam, one of my favorite bands born in the 1990s. They’re not just grunge survivors, they’re the new classic rock. They have proven over and...
2022-11-2857 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Beatles Part 1 - Ingenious Imitators | MxG - Season 5 Episode 10Support MxG & REC:OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCHMxG on PatreonMxG on YouTubeREC on BandcampREC on YouTubeNick DeMatteo OfficialSeason 5 Episode 10FEATURED SONG:NICK – “Do You Wanna” (from Listen You People)This is the first of a six-part series on The Beatles. I’ve broken up their career by what I deem to be their distinct eras, using their British albums as a guide. Though I will incorporate historical & non-musical ideas, most of my talks will center o...
2022-11-2146 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Joe DeLuca - Interview Edition #27 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 9I spend an hour with Joe DeLuca. Joe is a producer, engineer, musician, writer & performer, who owned & operated Why Me Recording in Gibbsboro, NJ for 35 years, recording well over 600 bands. Joe's recent credits include Kurt Bock's Abstract Geometry & singer/songwriter Jeff Ehling.
For more on Joe, check out his website:
www.JoeDeLucaProducer.com
FEATURED SONGS:
Mattson / DeLuca - "Too Far Gone"
(Bill Mattson - vocals, Brian McMahon - guitar, Dave Kloss - bass, Ritchie DeCarlo - drums, Joe DeLuca - guitar/keys/mixing)
Creamcicle Spiders - "I"
(Karolyn...
2022-11-141h 12
MUSIC is not a GENRESoft Rock AKA Kid Contemporary - Let's Not Do the 1970s Again | MxG - Season 5 Episode 8Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
MUSIC is EVERYTHING - Edition 28
FEATURED SONG:
REC – “Where You Go” (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)
We all need quiet. It’s restorative – a break from the constant noise we can barely get away from. But when does quiet become TOO quiet?
Tracking my music listening is like watching a pinball. Up down left right. I can’t stay in one vibe too lon...
2022-11-0744 min
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 10: The "27 Club" - Far Bigger Than THE HOLY TRINITY | MxG - Season 5 Episode 7Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
OFFICIAL MxG & REC MERCH
Season 5 Episode 7
FEATURED SONG: NICK – “The Same Way” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)
In this episode, I talk about the “27 Club”, an informal set of famous people who died at the age of 27. Specifically for this podcast I focus on musicians. The list is much larger than you might think. I also talk about whether or not there’s any actual significance to this “clu...
2022-10-3141 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #6 - Quick Takes from the Continuum #2 | MxG BONUS EPISODESupport MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
PODFAST #6
In this episode, I do a quick rundown of eight recently released albums:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down
Simple Minds - Direction of the Heart
Rina Sawayama - Hold the Girl
The Pixies - Doggerel
Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9
Dr. John - Things Happen That Way
Death Cab for Cutie - Asphalt Meadows
Alvvays - Blue Rev
*music credit: REC - "You...
2022-10-2820 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with John Kiran Fernandes - Interview Edition #26 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 6I spend an hour with John Kiran Fernandes. John is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, music creator, and owner of the music label Cloud Recordings. He's been a seminal part of the famed Elephant 6 collective, having played with many of its bands, including The Olivia Tremor Control & Circulatory System. John is also the father of musician/artist Jeremy Kiran Fernandes.
Find out more about John, and listen to some of his great music, here:
Cloud Recordings - music label
Cloud Recordings on Bandcamp
Shane Parish, feat. John Kiran Fernandes
John on Facebook
J...
2022-10-241h 01
MUSIC is not a GENREGreen Day - Proper AND PUNK | MxG - Season 5 Episode 5Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
Season 5 Episode 5
FEATURED SONG: REC – “Three More Minutes” (from Synergy for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)
In this episode, I talk about Green Day, the most successful punk band in history. They show that punk music not only has staying power, but can be as popular, expansive & artistic as any other kind of music. I also talk about what it means to be “tr...
2022-10-1647 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Roots - Things Come Together ALIVE | MxG - Season 5 Episode 4Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
Season 5 Episode 4
FEATURED SONG: REC - "Let It Wreck Your Mind" (from Syncopy for the Weird)
In this episode, I talk about one of my all-time favorite hip hop bands, and one of the all-time best Philly bands, The Roots. They popularized live-band hip hop, helped usher in the neo-soul movement, and are creating a legacy of diverse, socially conscious and slammingly fun music.
...
2022-10-1047 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAn Hour with Danny Burstein - Interview Edition #25 | MxG - Season 5 Episode 3I spend an hour with Danny Burstein. Danny is a veteran stage, film & TV actor. He's a seven-time Tony Award nominee, and a 2020 winner of Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Moulin Rouge! He also happens to be a great guy.
You can find more info on Danny pretty much anywhere you look.
Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
*intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"
This episode is...
2022-10-031h 04
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #5 - REC's New Album Out NOW | MxG BONUS EPISODEIn this short & dangerous episode of PODFAST, I announce that REC's new album has dropped on Bandcamp. RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020 is now exclusively on Bandcamp. It's a two-volume set of 30 remastered tracks from REC's eight albums. Listen to it here:
RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020
For bonus content, including all 30 high quality WAV files, the hi res cover art, and a 16-page insert with a band history, stories on each album, exclusive never-seen photos and artwork, and a sneak peek into what's next for REC, join REC & MxG on Patreon:
2022-09-3006 min
MUSIC is not a GENREJames Taylor - The Resilient Epitome of a Singer-Songwriter | MxG - Season 5 Episode 2Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
Season 5 Episode 2
FEATURED SONG: REC - "Real Life" (from Symphony for the Weird AND RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)
In this episode, I discuss the legendary James Taylor, what it REALLY means to be a singer-songwriter, and how Taylor both epitomizes AND defies the convention. ??? Or how he helped to define that genre??
Are you a fan? Have you heard more than just...
2022-09-2642 min
MUSIC is not a GENREA to Z for ME - My Sweet Picks & a Season Preview | MxG - Season 5 Episode 1Support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
MxG on YouTube
REC on Bandcamp
REC on YouTube
Nick DeMatteo Official
Season 5 Episode 1
FEATURED SONG: REC - "Some Things Happen" (from Parts and Labour)
In this banner first episode of Season 5, I run down my A to Z master list of favorite music artists. These are not acts I just like – that list would be 100 times longer. These are artists I love and can’t get enough of. Heart artists, you might say. Some of them have alread...
2022-09-1950 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #4 - YOUR SUPPORT & CHEAT CODES | MxG BONUS EPISODEHere's how you can support MxG & REC:
MxG on Patreon - membership for as little as $5/month
MxG on Anchor - monthly membership at whatever rate you can handle
Subscribe to MxG on YouTube - subscribing is free, and you can add a one-time donation here: https://paypal.me/MUSICisnotaGENRE
REC on Bandcamp - buy REC music once, or subscribe for as little as $5/month
Subscribe to REC on YouTube - totally free and one of the BEST places to get REC music
Official Website of Nick...
2022-08-2722 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPODFAST #3 - The NEW INTRO VIDEO | MxG BONUS EPISODE*music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from Syncopy for the Weird)
SUPPORT MxG ON PATREON
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~~~~
In this episode, I reveal the new MxG intro video, which will officially debut soon. You can check out the PODFAST version of the video here:
PODFAST #3 VIDEO
Here are ways you can support, follow, share & show your love for MUSIC is not a GENRE:
MxG on Patreon
MxG on Anchor
Subscribe to MxG on You...
2022-08-0815 min
MUSIC is not a GENREMeet the BEATLES BOOKS ! – ASK ME WHY We Always Want More - Book Talk #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #34SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON
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FEATURED MUSIC:
The Drop – “Hey Bulldog” (Beatles cover)
REC Cover Tunes YouTube Playlist
Nick - "Yes It Is" (a cappella)
There is very little anyone can say about the Beatles that hasn’t been said before. They’ve been talked about, written about, critiqued, analyzed & dissected, loved & hated, memorialized & revitalized, covered & copied, and have influenced more musicians than even the musicians themselves realize. But do they deserve it?
If you think that...
2022-04-1849 min
MUSIC is not a GENREHeavy Flute & Crime Jazz - Cool is Where You Find It | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #32SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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FEATURED SONG:
NICK – “Come A Little Closer” (from The Metrogrande Sessions)
What is jazz? At this point there are so many subdivisions that it’s not easy to define. That word – “JAZZ” – 100% evokes different sounds & ideas in every person’s head. For me, jazz has to have some form of improvisation – freedom within form – and it has to be funky, at least a little. If I were doing a podcast on jazz in general, I’d throw down some more descriptions...
2022-04-0440 min
MUSIC is not a GENREPRE-MO DREAMO EMO SCREAMO GLEAMO FE-MO RAP! … Real Emo DOESN'T EXIST | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #30SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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FEATURED MUSIC:
REC – “Break You” (from Parts and Labour)
REC – “Suddenly” (from Synergy for the Weird)
NICK – “Your Sweetness” (from Your EP)
See that link right above this line? It makes me feel … whatever. Basically, I get all “emo” whenever someone tries to define what “emo” is and which bands do or don’t qualify. Not unexpected, I’m sure, since you know well I’ve got issues with “genres”.
As with any genre, one band you’re sure belong...
2022-03-2145 min
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 8: Nirvana - Reopening the Heartbreak-Shaped Box | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #26SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Water Baby” (from Your EP)
I’ve been putting this off since the very first volume of Death is DUMB. For several reasons. It’s confusing & painful. It feels too much like 1994 and yet totally not. It’s laden with commentary & assumptions & prejudices. It’s like what I said about Eminem’s “controversy” – what possible new spin or bit of insight could I provide that would justify a whole episode? But I can’t do a sub-series on major deaths in music...
2022-02-2140 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Freewheeling Catch-Up Machine #1 - Goomba Edition | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #18SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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It’s been a busy year. Lots of work & lots of changes. There’s not always time to stop & reflect. But that’s all about to change.
I’ve been reviewing old episodes – actually listening to my own shite. I noticed more than once that I missed commenting on something, or maybe didn’t even know something at the time. I’m also reading viewer comments & suggestions, and y’all have a lot of awesome stuff to say.
So I’ve compiled...
2021-12-0349 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Share Tingles, or Why Almost NOTHING is Better Alone | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #13SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON
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You know the feeling when you’re listening to a song for the first time and it gets to a place - a climax, a drop after a breakdown, a soaring melody, shining harmonies, or a beat that you can’t ignore - that makes your body respond? You might feel butterflies or goosebumps or the need to move. It might stop you from breathing for a second, or compel you to sing along or shout or scream unco...
2021-10-2936 min
MUSIC is not a GENREBilly Joel vs. … Are You People Serious?!? | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #11SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Everything in this country – and possibly the whole world – needs to be a competition. Think of growing number of TV shows that pit people’s talents against each other. The Voice, America’s Got Talent, etc. etc. Or hell, think of any entertainment awards show. The conventional wisdom is that conflict makes for a good story. And if you create conflict where none exists, then you’ve REALLY won the game.
I did a podcast already on bogus music rivalries, so I won’t...
2021-10-2249 min
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 7: Soundgarden - The Epic Voice of Modern Opera | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #9SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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FEATURED SONG: NICK – “Xylophone Ways” (from the album Your EP)
The voice is it for me. When it comes to any popular music, it’s the lead singer who makes or breaks it. The absolute best band or music powered by a vocalist I don’t click with may as well be telephone hold music.
Two perfect examples: Some people can’t stand the Cure because Robert Smith’s voice grates on them. I happen to love them in large part...
2021-10-1441 min
MUSIC is not a GENRENicky DeMatteo - The Mega Q&A! | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #6SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON
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In this interview edition, Nicky DeMatteo returns to answer your questions & mine.
For more on Nicky, go here: https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/
This episode is sponsored by
· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicisnotagenre/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ad...
2021-10-081h 08
MUSIC is not a GENRENick DeMatteo - Interviewed by Cathryn Lynne! | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 4 Episode #5SUPPORT MUSIC IS NOT A GENRE ON PATREON
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In a STUNNING reversal, interviewer becomes interviewee, thanks to the charming & insightful conversational talents of Cathryn Lynne.
This here's a talk in wherewhich Cathryn asks Nick a bunch of questions, and they keep jawing until you want more more more.
For more on Nick, go here:
https://recarea.bandcamp.com
REC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkxLpSbRASllUyqANUUcP9Q
https://youtube.com/nickdematteo
https://nickdematteo.com
And you...
2021-10-051h 08
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 4: Alice in Chains - Harmony in the Dark | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #28SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Once in a while I profile a band that is a perfect example of why genres & labels don’t work. Alice in Chains is one of those. They’ve always been lumped together with the other Seattle-slash-grunge-era bands – even though if you listened to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, STP, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and whoever else back to back, you’d be hard pressed to say any of them really sound like each other. Nirvana leans punk. Pearl Jam classic rock. Pumpkins...
2021-05-1233 min
MUSIC is not a GENRELove @ the Crossroads - G. Love & Philly's Special Sauce | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #26SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I’m from Philly. Born there, lived there a little, grew up near there & was there every week for decades. It’s in my blood in more ways than one. But that pales in comparison to my dad’s experience. He was born there, lived there 30 years, and visited family there every week for many MORE decades.
Why does this matter? Because place matters. Not just for family but for culture too. And that very much includes music. Now that I’ve s...
2021-05-0435 min
MUSIC is not a GENREViolent Femmes & Gender Duality - Bands with Perfect Names | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #21SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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When a new band finds the right name for itself, it’s magic. They don’t always get it right the first time. Imagine if “Jeremy” was released by Mookie Blaylock. Or if The Hype did “With or Without You”. Or the Young Aborigines scored a hit with “Sabotage”. Those band names do not support the attitude & spirit of the songs. Thankfully inspiration gave us the far more dead-on Pearl Jam, U2 and the Beastie Boys. And those are three of dozens of famous bands...
2021-04-1532 min
MUSIC is not a GENREDeath is DUMB Volume 2: STP - The Reinventor's Edge | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #17SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Grunge was a thing. Born in the 1980s, came of age in the early 1990s, and got coopted and run into the ground by the end of that decade. It was powerful enough to change the landscape of pop music and culture in general, before pop culture changed it into a parody of itself (Nickelback anyone?).
If you were caught in that storm, there were only a few ways out: Quit. Double down and play the grunge circuit. Evolve into...
2021-03-2425 min
MUSIC is not a GENRETWO Hours with Nicky DeMatteo (Part 2) - Interview Edition #4 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #10SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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The first of a two-part interview with the legendary Nicky DeMatteo, singer, recording artist, piano man, actor, and my father.
For more from Nicky, check out these links:
Nicky's live performance of Phantom of the Opera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5RzJfsX1U
Nicky LIVE virtual concert - https://youtu.be/2c-H52N3GQQ
Nicky's recordings - https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/
This episode is sponsored by
· Anchor: The e...
2021-02-241h 03
MUSIC is not a GENRETWO Hours with Nicky DeMatteo (Part 1) - Interview Edition #3 | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #8SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
WATCH MUSIC is not a GENRE VIDEOS and MORE
The first of a two-part interview with the legendary Nicky DeMatteo, singer, recording artist, piano man, actor, and my father.
For more from Nicky, check out these links:
Nicky's live performance of Phantom of the Opera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5RzJfsX1U
Nicky LIVE virtual concert - https://youtu.be/2c-H52N3GQQ
Nicky's recordings - https://nickydematteo.bandcamp.com/
This episode is sponsored by
· Anchor: The e...
2021-02-181h 01
MUSIC is not a GENREEverything OLD is SOLD Again - Reissues SAVE the Music Industry | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 3 Episode #2SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Last week we talked about audio formats, and touched on how there have been more than 50. Every time a new format is introduced and actually takes hold, the old formats start a slow process of diminishment to be strictly for collectors, fetishists, and/or nostalgia freaks. They never quite go away, but they eventually become too inconvenient to be mass consumed.
Thing is, while the old formats drift into obsolescence, the music itself doesn’t. Sure, trends come and go, bu...
2021-01-2820 min
MUSIC is not a GENREMusical JOKES Get Serious - When a Quirky Idea Becomes the NEXT BIG THING | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #18SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Back a few months ago, I did a whole podcast on how music & comedy are interlinked on multiple levels. Timing. Phrasing. Using conventional forms & ideas to do unconventional things. Another dozen commonalities. But the one that applies the most this week is crossing lines – turning one thing into another – busting through a narrow idea of what a work is supposed to be.
Jethro Tull is not a band you’d immediately associate with irreverence or bucking convention. That’s because they’re...
2021-01-1920 min
MUSIC is not a GENRECan We Separate the ART from the ARTIST? - Dissecting the Michael Jackson Elephant | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #16SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Elephants are great. Majestic creatures. Hidden talents. Etc. Etc. They’re not my favorite animal (that would be something in the primate family), but there comes a time when they need to be paid attention to. Hence this week’s topic.
I don’t see a strong reason to go over the content of this album. Almost everyone in the world above a certain age knows it at this point, and those who don’t eventually will. Even with the limited...
2021-01-1920 min
MUSIC is not a GENREWho the F@(K is ZEITMAHL?!? - Kinda Connections from my Sorta Dark Past | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Season 2 Episode #4SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I don’t like not knowing things. Which of course means I’m in a constant state of inadequacy. The more I learn, the more I realize I know WAY less than I think I do, than I want to, or than I ever will. Still I take comfort in chipping away at that Olympus Mons of mystery, shining my pinlight into the Mariana Trench of missing things. Finding one wispy fact in the vast haystack of ignorance. I’m sickening myself with t...
2021-01-1514 min
MUSIC is not a GENREMixing & Cutting & Scratching 1986 Style - Watch Me SOLVE A MYSTERY | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #30SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I love solving a mystery. These two 12” vinyls have been sitting in my collection for over 30 years, completely ignored. I assumed they were one-offs from local DJs looking to make a buck, that my DJ partner & I found at one of the many stores that catered to this stuff on Chestnut St. in Philly. NOPE. Well, yes, but NOPE.
These albums got way more circulation than I ever knew. They were both hatched in … anti drum roll cuz this is no s...
2021-01-1411 min
MUSIC is not a GENREFREAK OUT and DANCE! - EXCEPTIONS that PROVE the RULE | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #27SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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A few episodes ago, I talked about the musical coming of age – i.e. that point in your life when you start to consciously decide what music is “yours”, not your parents’ or siblings’ or peers’ or whatever the culture tells you it should be. Though I do think it happens to almost 100% of everyone, it’s not a rule. But if it were, like any rule, it’s the exceptions that prove it. This here song by Chic is one of those exceptions...
2021-01-1412 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe One AFTER the Good One - The Alarm & JUST MISSING the Peak | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #18SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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One of the great things about revisiting the past is finding out how wrong you are. A memory gets stuck in your head, but not in a big & clear way like something seminal or life changing. Then, like a mental game of Telephone, the memory gets warped. It gets stored in your brain as a warp and overwrites the old memory. Other thoughts & feelings get attached to this warped version, which slowly becomes “real” and takes on more significance than it ever had...
2021-01-1116 min
MUSIC is not a GENREAll About My Dad - The Legendary Nicky DeMatteo | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #17SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I’ve been realizing that I have not respected my destiny. The destiny I’ve chosen, that is. I was born into music. I have thrived on music since before I could spell. At every turn, during every boon and through every hardship, music has been my constant companion. Nothing ever been more important to me than music. (THING, not PERSON – people like my kids are on a higher plane.) So why? Why have I undermined & avoided embracing this very clear destiny? Why ha...
2021-01-0915 min
MUSIC is not a GENREComedy & Music are FRATERNAL TWINS - Eddie Murphy & the McKenzie Brothers | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #16SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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Musicians & comedians have been in love with each other since forever. Talk to any musician or comedian and it’s likely they’ll tell you how much they revere the other profession. I mean, look at how Stephen Colbert & Jimmy Fallon salivate over music of all kinds, and even do some themselves. Yes, you could say artists tend to do and love more than one thing – Kevin Bacon & Jared Leto both have working bands. Tony Bennett & Jim Carrey are painters. J. Lo acts a...
2021-01-0919 min
MUSIC is not a GENREHITS Albums are the GREATEST - Chart Action 83 & Clear to Sunrise | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #14SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I love greatest hits collections. There are four kinds I particularly love:
1. A retrospective that spans the life of a band to date, and shows their evolution.
2. The hits of an artist I’m not interested in enough to listen to their whole catalog.
3. A genre collection, especially of one I haven’t dived into for realz.
4. A time capsule of a certain era or year.
Chart Action 83 is a perfect example of...
2021-01-0913 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThis One's All About Me - Nick DeMatteo & REC | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #13SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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I’m taking a 4T pause this week to discuss the cause of all my weekly postings, them being:
· Song for Saturday – I started way back in February 2016, with “SNo Globe”, which at the time was off my latest release, The Sunshine Seminar. I decided to do a “reverse chronology” of my music from that point on. Nearly 200 weeks (and songs) later, I’ve made it all the way back to 1986 – and there’s still more to go.
· The Thursday Throwba...
2021-01-0915 min
MUSIC is not a GENREYa Gotta Understand ... it was High School - Agent Orange & "In Your Dreams Tonight" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #10SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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When you’re in high school, you’re looking for two wildly divergent things. First, you’re looking to belong. That’s different for everyone – and as the practically-a-documentary The Breakfast Club taught us, where you belong can be entirely up to you. The point is finding like-minded people one way or another, so you’re not a total outcast or adrift on a sea of isolation. Second, you’re looking for your identity. You want to know who you really are, and how deeply...
2021-01-0811 min
MUSIC is not a GENREThe Five Phases of CHICAGO - DEVOLUTION Sucks & "One Minute Shy of Forever" | MUSIC is not a GENRE - Episode #9SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
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There have been many Chicagos. As with most bands, people tend to know their most commercially successful period. But the 1980s was actually their FOURTH phase, in my estimation (don’t get me started on sub-phases or we’ll be here all year).
PHASE ONE (1967-74) was all about fusion & eclecticism and experimentation. Just about any type of music that was respected or popular, Chicago tried. Jazz, classical, blues, funk, heavy rock, light rock, progressive rock, pop, folk, political, Latin, free...
2021-01-0818 min