In the most recent episode of The Xanadu review, I am joined by the razor sharp wit of Bitch Sensei. We discuss the state of modern culture, what “good taste” and “bad taste” mean (if anything), therapy culture and its discontents, the current state and future of the labor movement in the US and the through-line between John Waters and Creed.
So many interesting topics! Some random thoughts on certain things--
- BetterHelp has been fined by the FTC for privacy violations, and I know that many of the therapists who worked for them have levied intense criticism their way. That they still get advertised on pods is a stark reminder to me of how flawed the entire system.
- Re: playing covers and licensing and who polices it, for performances it's performing rights organizations that collect royalties for publishers/songwriters, but it's not the band that has to be licensed, it's the venues. And they have to be registered with the appropriate PRO. ASCAP and BMI are two big ones if you want to dig more into it. I was looking at a job at the local PRO that worked directly with venues confirming set lists to ensure musicians got the correct royalties. It's a complicated web.
- OK just because you guys mentioned Evanescence and that they were ok because a bro was yelling, trivia says they were forced to add that male guest vocalist because just a female vocal wasn't going to fly with the label/radio. So it sounds like they knew what they were talking about to keep the appeal broad!
Enjoyed listening to this one. I grew up in Baltimore so I’m biased but John Waters is an American treasure to me. I think directors like him and Werner Herzog and others of that era are all similar despite their differences because of how risk taking they were. You just don’t see that too much in film anymore-and obviously their methods are from another time. You won’t see another director put his cast in peril deep in the Amazon just like you won’t see another director say “you know what would be awesome here? If my lead actor ate dog shit! 💩😂”
So many interesting topics! Some random thoughts on certain things--
- BetterHelp has been fined by the FTC for privacy violations, and I know that many of the therapists who worked for them have levied intense criticism their way. That they still get advertised on pods is a stark reminder to me of how flawed the entire system.
- Re: playing covers and licensing and who polices it, for performances it's performing rights organizations that collect royalties for publishers/songwriters, but it's not the band that has to be licensed, it's the venues. And they have to be registered with the appropriate PRO. ASCAP and BMI are two big ones if you want to dig more into it. I was looking at a job at the local PRO that worked directly with venues confirming set lists to ensure musicians got the correct royalties. It's a complicated web.
- OK just because you guys mentioned Evanescence and that they were ok because a bro was yelling, trivia says they were forced to add that male guest vocalist because just a female vocal wasn't going to fly with the label/radio. So it sounds like they knew what they were talking about to keep the appeal broad!
Listened to this on the train instead of muttering to myself and didn’t get kicked off this time, thanks PJR+Sensei!
Enjoyed listening to this one. I grew up in Baltimore so I’m biased but John Waters is an American treasure to me. I think directors like him and Werner Herzog and others of that era are all similar despite their differences because of how risk taking they were. You just don’t see that too much in film anymore-and obviously their methods are from another time. You won’t see another director put his cast in peril deep in the Amazon just like you won’t see another director say “you know what would be awesome here? If my lead actor ate dog shit! 💩😂”
They were a different breed for sure
Good episode, but I don't approve of this Nu Metal revival shit. Nein! Niet!