WHEEL OF RANDY - A Randy Newman Podcast Dan Wade

Well, the Wheel keeps spinning and it don't stop spinning. This episode we welcome composer and WoR fan Adam Conrad to the big show. Adam tries to cure Dan of his twin phobias of Improvisation and Music Theory. To Dan's delight, Adam goes into great detail about the left half of Randy's right hand. Then we discuss the Wright Brothers, Charlie's Angels, Mavis Staples, a whole lot of Nilsson, Vince Gill, and Bolero. And we even spend a few minutes on our actual song this week, the bittersweet "Losing You." Also, big announcement in this show. Thanks Adam!

At long last, the Pants Episode! OKC comic Caleb Collins takes a spin on the wheel as we anticipate his August 17 show with Chris Gethard. Caleb hosts my favorite open mic in Oklahoma, We're All Friends (which I mis-name about 7 times in this episode. We're All Friends. How hard is that to remember?) We talk about the challenges of enforcing a welcoming spirit at open mics, the overlap between comedy and art, and the best pizza in OKC.



Then we talk Pants. Is Pants Randy Newman's masterpiece? Maybe not, but man, there's nothing like it. Pants turns into a discussion of Born Again, and Dan cites a critic who calls that album "A Testament to 70's Toxic Masculinity."



See Caleb this Thursday night, or every Monday at Friendly's. Dammit I did it again.

Friend of the Show Cora from Berlin joins us this episode, as we tackle the enigmatic "Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America". Cora knows a lot more about Einstein and Freud than me, and gives some important historical context, as well as the always-appreciated European's perspective on America.

We discuss "The Tobacconist", Nilsson, Die Geschwister Pfister, Baseball, and the Conquest of Guam. As one does.

Then Oklahoma's very reasonable Secretary of Education enters the discussion, and Dan has to add some sound effects.

Cora is a brilliant guest, and I was glad to have her on. This is a good one, folks.

Author Greg Renoff joins us on the wheel - Greg is the author of Van Halen Rising, and Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life in Music. Eagle-eyed Randy fans will recognize Ted Templeman as the front man of Harper's Bizarre, the sunshine pop band that put out a bunch of Randy covers back in the day.



Greg and I talk about Ted's career, as well as Sammy vs. David, Van Morrison, Lenny Waronker, Ry Cooder, Van Dyke Parks, Little Feat, Chunky Novi & Ernie, and lots of Randy. Greg gives us some tidbits I'd never heard before about a couple of Randy songs - in fact, these tidbits are down-right ungoogleable. Listen to find out, and impress your friends at your local pub's next Randy Newman Trivia Night.



Thanks Greg, this one was a lot of fun.



Thanks for listening everybody, and be sure to vote for TALL PERSON for best OKC Cover Band at okgazette.com.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XHAC3eyDkIkm4HGRzCBsQ?si=R6vWi1kDRBCopBV9b7gDSg

Saddle up, youse guys. The Wheel welcomes nerdcore wunderkid Cowboy Coder to the show. We talk about his tutelage under MC Lars, the challenge of a genre-defying artist, and what Handel's Messiah and Despocito have in common.



Cowboy Coder and Dan break down Masterman and Baby J, where Randy treads the minefield of 80's white novelty rap. But against all odds, we agree that he pulls it off.



Thanks for spinning, CC, let's hope you're touring soon.

(Stay tuned til the very end for a surprise).



Today's songs:

Masterman and Baby J

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygaA2TKOueU

and

Roll With the Punches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBoddSdyWe0