Episode 31: Our Greatest Current ArtistsBryan Mosby, Travis Boots, and I dive into ours and Wes Dorris' picks for greatest current artists. We also ponder what the music world would have looked like if Kurt Cobain hadn't died. Aug 21, 202401:40:39Episode 29: Voting For Our Greatest Feel-Good SongsTravis Boots, Bryan Mosby, and I discuss the 1st day of polls for the Live Wire private Facebook group's top 32 feel-good songs of all time. But before that, we get into a discussion on #FreshCuts and what we can do to increase engagement with songs that most of the group has never heard. It's always a great talk with Mosby and Travis, and this episode is no exception. Aug 12, 202401:02:57Episode 24: 2nd Chance Day for our Feel-Good SongsI'm joined by Travis Boots and Bryan Mosby to discuss and give our picks on feel-good songs for the polls in the Live Wire Facebook private group for Sunday, July 28. Each set of polls, I look at songs that had more votes in a trailing poll than others in a leading poll. Then I pit them against each other as a way of quality control to ensure that we advance the songs that we really want. Travis and Bryan always bring their A game to every episode, and this was a great and revealing talk.Jul 28, 202401:06:28Episode 23: Feel-Good Songs for July 25Steve Strait and I discuss all of Thursday July 25's polls for our feel-good songs in the Live Wire private Facebook group. This was two friends talking about music for an hour, and it sounds just like that. We get into some great discussion on songs by The Police, Tina Turner, Gary Jules, The Rascals, Amos Lee, The Grateful Dead, Juanes, Living Colour, New Order, My Morning Jacket, The Stooges, Neil Diamond, Donny Benet, Gene Austin, Prefab Sprout, Los Lobos, Pearl Jam, and Fleetwood Mac.Jul 25, 202401:10:44IN TRIBUTE: Bryant Bartok (1981-2024)One of my oldest friends left this life at age 43 last week on July 6, 2024. Bryant Bartok was a unique, goofy, intelligent, and emotional person with a dedicated passion for music. In this episode, some friends and I share our memories of Bryant and try to process our grief. I’m joined by Joe Burtis, Scott Deuel, Shariff Shakir, Wes Dorris, Joel Graves, and my brother - Grant Wasson. This episode made me laugh as well as tear up. And it’s a reminder to take more notice of mental health in others and ourselves. If you are having a mental health crisis or problems with substance abuse, call the Crisis Lifeline at 988. Jul 11, 202401:17:17Episode 14: #FreshCuts Vol. 17 PreviewJennifer and I break down all 24 of the next week’s #FreshCuts nominations. These are songs so new or so rare that most of us haven’t heard them. It’s also my favorite part of Live Wire, which you can find on Facebook private groups. Send us a join request and get in on a comprehensive music experience. The playlist is shared below on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. It features songs (in order) by Wooden Shjips, Orion Sun, Ron Gallo, Eddie Vedder, Spark Master Tape, Culture Wars, Iron & Wine feat. Fiona Apple, Dehd, Spiritualized, Timmy Thomas, Jane’s Addiction, Pailhead, Aphex Twin, Pavement, Sufjan Stevens, Les Claypool, Kitchen Dwellers, The Boomtown Rats, The Arcs, John Moreland, X, Busman’s Holiday, Fleet Foxes, and Robbie Robertson. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KFwUGqnMdx5HYXMLkdZNY?si=n9F5cXkUT9G4mvztXC4VYA;Bonus Episode: The Birth of Songsloth and Songauthor. Nine episodes in, we already have a lost episode. 😱 If you want to hear how Jennifer and I come up with our votes and the ridiculous levels that can take, this episode is for you. This is a collection of bits from our first attempt at recording Episode 9. It did not go well. But 18 minutes of comedic gold that gets funnier as it goes ensued. Here are those 18 minutes. Jul 01, 202420:04Episode 8: An Audit Of Our Top 100 Hip-Hop SongsThis is the most fascinating episode we’ve done. Part intervention, part therapy session, all relevant. The Geto Boys were ranked way too low, Biz Markie was ranked way too high, and we get into a pet peeve - voting without listening to both songs. This episode will provoke you. So you might as well give it a listen.Jun 24, 202401:09:10Episode 6: The Great Hip-Hop Summit Of 2024: Which Songs Get Into The Sweet 16?We debate which songs deserve the last 3 spots in our Sweet 16 hip-hop songs of all time. But first, our Grand Poobah Bryan Mosby of the Shadow Council, exerts his tiebreaker powers and picks the 3 matchups for Thursday’s 3rd Chance polls. Plus, a Google dive on Lil’ Troy uncovers a shocking change in employment - from a baller to a hauler?Find out. Jun 20, 202435:41Episode 5: The Greatest Hip-Hop Conversation Ever No joke. This is the greatest hip-hop conversation I’ve ever witnessed. And that’s because of the minds of Travis Boots and Bryan Mosby. I’m just glad I was a part of it. We discuss the exits of Run-DMC and 2Pac from the tournament and get into an illuminating discussion on 3rd round hip-hop songs. The best of which I’ve ever heard. Jun 18, 202401:31:37Episode 3: Weekend At The Shawnee Cave RevivalLast Friday, June 7, Jeremy Cook, Nathan Ferrell, and I experienced one of the best and most immersive concert experiences I’ve ever seen. And that was Night 1 of the Shawnee Cave Revival outside Murphysboro, Illinois. Greensky Bluegrass, The Red Clay Strays, and Paul Thorn put on memorable shows. But the venue itself was just as much the star. Buried below a cave bluff is an amphitheater of natural beauty and supreme hospitality. You’ll hear about our experiences there and urge you to go to Shawnee Cave Amphitheater when you get the chance. This episode also features the following live performances from that night: 1 song from Paul Thorn: I Don’t Like Half The Folks I Love, 2 songs from The Red Clay Strays: Stone’s Throw and No One Else Like Me, and 3 songs from Greensky Bluegrass: Delta 88, Room Without A Roof, and the Grateful Dead classic Eyes Of The World. Immerse yourself. And enjoy. Jun 11, 202401:12:12Jen-Splaining: #FreshCuts Vol. 13Episodes with music are only available on Spotify.Every week, we pick songs that most of us haven’t heard and vote for our favorite 12 #FreshCuts. And every week, I hear Jennifer give her takes on them. This is short, and Jen gives insightful, humorous and sometimes absurd takes on songs by Corey Smith, Loudon Wainwright III, Kevin Morby, Thrice, Blitzen Trapper, Pavid Vermin, The Free Design, Rook Director, Rastus, High Tide, John Prine, The Main Squeeze, Greensky Bluegrass, Ween, and Chappell Roan. Warning: She rips into some of these. But she doesn’t like to know who nominated them, so don’t take it personally. Jun 09, 202439:50Episode 2: The Next EpisodeEpisodes with music are only available on Spotify.Travis Boots joins us to debate 16 of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. And we make a sad realization, to quote Travis, “What happens when art outpaces life?” This episode is equal parts thought-provoking, funny, and kind of dark. But what gets us through all of it? Music. Jun 09, 202401:24:41Episode 1 As It Was Meant To Be HeardOur 1st published episode has full versions of each song discussed rather than the intended 30-second clips. This episode fixes that. In Episode 1, I discuss how Live Wire tries to achieve growth through music; discuss newly discovered #FreshCuts from Annie Bosko & Dwight Yoakam, Booker T. Jones & Yim Yames, Blitzen Trapper, and Pavid Vermin; and Bryan Mosby and I debate some of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time 2 songs at a time while also questioning 2Pac’s authenticity. And there’s some awkward test recordings at the start of the episode with my wife, Jennifer, to add to the ridiculousness. Jun 09, 202401:20:18Episode 1Episodes with music are only available on Spotify.We get into some goals, some hijinks, share some cuts both fresh and deep, and debate 16 of the greatest hip-songs of all time. Find us on Facebook. Jun 07, 202401:45:06June 6, 2024Jun 06, 202400:59
