Penelope Spheeris & Opinions on Arcade Fire

Penelope Spheeris

Penelope Spheeris has directed some of the most influential movies about music of all time, from Wayne’s World to all three installments of The Decline of Western Civilization films. Jim and Greg talk with Penelope about the 25th anniversary of Wayne’s World, her fascinating path as a director, and the legacy of her films. Plus, Jim and Greg review the latest album from Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire and Jim puts a quarter into the Desert Island Jukebox.

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Everything Now Arcade Fire

Everything Now

Arcade Fire has risen from indie rock obscurity in Montreal to become a major label, Grammy-winning, arena-level band. But Jim and Greg are not sold on Everything Now, their fifth studio album. While Jim says there has always been intellectual substance and an emotional core behind their big sound, he calls this the most ordinary collection of songs the band has given us. There are some tracks he loves and he appreciates that they are showing a sense of humor. But he finds this album not as ambitious musically – they all sound like imitations of ABBA songs, and not always with success. Greg somes up the album as "meh." He calls it a second-rate disco record that fails to get him on the dance floor. There are some great pop moments, but not enough musical inspiration. Everything Now is a double-Try It.

Penelope Spheeris

Wayne's World

Penelope Spheeris is best known for directing Wayne’s World, the 1992 movie about two suburban headbangers producing a cable public access show in the basement. With an iconic soundtrack and some well cast cameos (Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper), the movie has endured. Jim and Greg talk with Penelope about Wayne’s World's enduring appeal 25 years after it was released, the true story behind the famous "Bohemian Rhapsody" headbanging scene, and more. Plus, they'll discuss her life, from growing up in a travelling carnival to her directorial debut with the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization about the Los Angeles  punk scene in the early 1980s

Jim

Jim often mentions Meat Loaf on the show but when he went back into the archives, he realized he very seldom plays the music of Meat Loaf on this show. However, there is good reason to take Meat Loaf to the Desert Island this week. Recently, everyone on the Sound Ops staff attended a 'family band' night, where Sound Ops producer Evan Chung wowed Jim with his Meat Loaf tribute band – MeatBute. Inspired by that performance, Jim highlights "All Revved Up with No Place to Go" from Meat Loaf's 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell. Jim notes that producer Todd Rundgren, saw it as an answer to Springsteen's Born To Run. For his pick, Jim says "I don't know if there is better writing in the opening of any rock song ever." He states that, whether you're 13 or 53, these opening lines are profound.

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