The 1974 Project: Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom

Explicit content warning

10/23/24 • 58 min

This is almost a "lost episode" of sorts. To pull the curtain back a bit, we recorded this episode back in July and then promptly got busy with a bunch of other things. So if you hear a mention or two that sound a bit dated, there ya go. What remains is a fun discussion that we had regarding Robert Wyatt's 1974 album Rock Bottom. We examine where Robert was career-wise in 1974 as he was continuing to evolve his solo work following his time with Soft Machine and subsequently, Matching Mole. Fellow prog aficionados and those who like a good, weird album, just generally, this one's for you.
P.S. As we get into the fall, we've got a bunch of fresh episodes ready to roll and you'll be hearing them here in the coming weeks! Thanks for listening and for your ongoing support of The Record Player!

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Previous Episode

Cassingle: The Fast Food Edition

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The guys end summer break with a completely random "accidental Cassingle," as Jeff tagged it. There are discussions of Funyuns (which still exist!), Taco Bell, concept albums, Jeff's new book, asbestos, kids who swear a lot, new music from Jon Anderson of Yes, the upcoming solo album from Warren Haynes and other subjects that are probably being forgotten. We got together to record a simple introduction for our next podcast episode....and this happened. Anyway, it's been a good summer away, but we've all missed you!
P.S. Don't play this particular episode around your kids. There's some swearing.
P.S.S. Apparently Funyuns are 55 years old this year! It's time for them to start pulling their weight around here.

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Too $hort - Life is...Too $hort (1988)

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Professor Louis Moore joins Matt and Jeff to discuss his essential new book, The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans and the Making of the Black Quarterback. Our engaging discussion with Lou took us deep into the history of Black quarterbacks and athletes in general in the NFL and he talks about the journey he took as he was writing the book. However much progress you might think has been made in the NFL (and beyond), this discussion -- and Lou's book -- will remind you that there's a lot that still needs to be addressed.
Lou also shared his history as a music fan and the formative experiences he had as a listener growing up, and why Life is...Too $hort is still one of the most important albums in his collection. We had a blast speaking with Lou and if you haven't had a chance to check out his book yet, you'll really want to after hearing this conversation. Our thanks to Lou for writing this book and the time he spent with us to talk about it! You can visit his official website and read more information about his career to date below.
P.S. You can skip the intro and go right to our conversation with Lou, which begins at 10:02.
About Professor Louis Moore:
Louis Moore is a Professor of History at Grand Valley State University. He teaches African American History, Civil Rights, Sports History, and US History.
His research and writing examines the interconnections between race and sports. He is the author of two books, I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915 and We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality, and has an Audible lecture, African American Athletes Who Made History. In addition, he has two Audible lectures, African American Athletes Who Made History and A Pastime of Their Own: The Story of Negro League Baseball. He has also written for various online outlets including The New York Daily News, Vox, The Global Sports Institute, First and Pen, and the African American Intellectual Historical Society, and he has appeared on NPR, MSNBC, CNN, and BBC Sports. The co-host of the Black Athlete Podcast, his latest book, The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans and the Making of the Black Quarterback is out now.