Check In: Do You Like Music?

Pushkin. Hello Stevie, Hey, hang on a second, let me get Kaylee. Hello, Kalila, Hi, Hey.

Hello, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

How was Thanksgiving?

Well, as you guys know, I was planning to take a long trip home.

You were going to go see your mom in Chicago and your dad in Iowa.

Yes, I was going to go for like a long stretch over the holidays on the train.

On the train, yeah, in a sleeper car, in a sleeper car, yes, which you've never done, which I've never done.

And my boyfriend was going to come with me and meet my family. And I ended up canceling it last minute because of you know, COVID you ever heard of it? But I think then I realized how much the past couple months I had been holding on to like, oh, well, in November, I'm going to travel and that'll be like something different. And then as soon as I was faced with the prospect of just staying in my apartment and continuing to do the same stuff, I got very depressed.

When's the last time you saw your mom?

It was now over a year ago. This is also the first Thanksgiving of my entire life that I've not been with my mom. So I was feeling sad about that. There's this crab dip that I make every year for Thanksgiving that I used to make with my grandma when I was a kid, and then when my grandma died, it was just like the thing that I would make and bring to Thanksgiving. It's not Thanksgiving without crab dip. So my mom suggested we each make the crab dip separately and then we could get on a zoom and

No, I did. I haven't seen you in so long, and it's just really good to see you. No, you were good, honey.

And my mom also mailed me some of the stuff for the crab dip to make sure that I had all the ingredients I needed, which was very nice. And we ate our crab dip at the same time. All right, I'm ready, Okay, wait till we get my chip.

Okay, tip away, all right.

I'm dipped, me too, said like, what we were thankful for, which is something we try to do every years. Yeah, I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful for you. Just made me feel connected in a time that was feeling kind of isolated.

So I'm for that, Stevie. How how was how was your Thanksgiving?

So?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. All you have to do is like eat and be pleasant, Like what could be better? But this year I did not go home, and a number of my friends here in Brooklyn also weren't going home, and so I was like, well, why don't I host Thanksgiving this year? And probably because it's been so long since I've been able to cook for people, which is

Like I was just like waiting by the bell.

Huah.

I was like, you're here, Okay, Yeah, come on up, so overeat go about it a Thanksgiving.

Every Thanksgiving we did it outside on my roof.

Oh nice, it was a nice day.

It was such a nice day. It was so warm. We were like really lucky with the weather. I need a ton of food.

I pretended. I was like cooking for like twelve people.

Wow, I don't know, Like there was so much planning that went into doing that responsibly.

It's like we all got tested.

And we're quarantining, and like it was like group email after group email after group email talking about like your negative test and like when you got it and how you're not going to see people. And it was like a lot of work, honestly to make everybody feel comfortable.

But I don't know, I.

Was just really grateful that everybody was willing to sort of like make it happen.

It felt even more special this year. I guess, Okay, well I have this pie.

It's apple and onion and through year.

But also if we have snacks and we don't want to fill up, we don't have to.

Yeah, I do want to go out, but I do think we.

Should need that.

What about you, Jonathan, what did How was your Thanksgiving?

It was fun? I mean it was just me and Emily and Augie. I do it Paki.

Yeah.

Oki was really excited about all the different foods. He was. He was very curious about what stuffing was. He had never had stuffing. That was a lively conversation. I like a staffine. Uh stuff, Well, yeah, it's stuff that you stuff inside the turkey. You don't really do that anymore.

That's you're out of fast.

What do you mean you don't stuff a turkey anymore.

It's just sort of like robbing this turkey of his dignity.

So you think that that the turkey killing the turkey, that doesn't rob it of its But setting that aside, you feel at least like, well, you know.

He gave somebody a good meal, and we can respect.

I asked Aggie what he was grateful for. Hm, he's going to be four in a couple of days. So half of like the things that he says is like really kind of like sweet and profound, and the other half is this complete nonsense like you was saying, Like we asked him what he was grateful for, and he was like Mama and Papa and my family. But then in the same breath as he's doing this list, he's like kidding, King Kou.

What's that.

There's a series of books called Sweet Pickles where there's like all these different characters like worried Walris and fix It Camel kidding Kangaroo's this irredeemable jerk. All he does is mean pranks on people. And I try to explain to Augie about how like the lesson to learn here is that, like, if you do something mean and then say it's a joke, it doesn't make it funny. But he thinks kidding Kangaroo is great, and we spent some of the night trying to get into look inside his heart. No,

For, right, hope, for everything.

And whole family.

I'm kidding ingoo and everything.

In Kangaroo's funny. I love kidding Gangaro. You know you know what I'm giving? Thanks for what? And always not just Thanksgiving Day but every day us Well, no to our sponsors and to you. Sure, yes, but fundamentally it's the sponsor because they're the ones that allow us to pay for our microphone batteries. So let's pay homage to them, shall we. I wanted to talk about music. Sure, let's have a conversation about music. Do you like music?

Yeah?

I do?

Controversial, Stevie, Do you like music?

I mean, I guess I don't actually have like very strong feelings about music.

Seems like we have ourselves a real point counterpoint situation here. This conversation about music reminds me of a conversation about music that I just was having just the other day with my friend Gregor. You like music, I like music.

I like the way you ease your interview subject into the interview with softball questions to begin with. I actually I've been giving a lot of thought to music lately because music was this really important thing in my life, and it still is. But I think isn't isn't as much in my kids' lives as my own. After school, it would be these rumbles between sort of two teams of boys fighting each other about the Stones versus the Who, and you just get in there and beat the hell up each.

Other and again, like nowadays, it seems as though young people can like a vast array of things, whereas before, like we wasted so much time pulling our hair out over you know, the Beatles or the rolling Stones.

That's obviously why our generation is bald and younger people have much more hair.

They really do.

Yeah, my kids are into like DM and not even passionate about it. They're just I'm like, oh, what are you listening to? And he's like, oh, just DM. Not even like a song or a name or an artist. It's just that's what they're listening to.

I don't know, but there's a character that was Yeah, well that was upsetting.

Sounded like a tea kettle boiling. He got me all off track. The point is, even to my own ears, it sounds all tinny and funny when I'm like, there used to be a man named Eric Clapton, and he used to play cover songs and people called him a god, and they're like, oh cool.

People used to write graffiti. I remember on the school wall that said Eric Clapton is God, right, Like people risk their lives to actually spray paint that. They'd go on top of the roof of the gym and hang down and write it several stories off the ground.

Yeah, it was everywhere, and people would scratch it into notebooks and it was a whole tribal identification with Eric Clapton. But in my band, this is the point I'm trying to make to you. We played the song Cocaine.

Wait, hang on a second, what about this band? Just yeah, you had a band?

Yeah?

Why this is the first I'm hearing of this.

I was in a band for about fifteen years.

What was the name of the band?

I've had different names over the years.

But what were some of the names.

I can't even remember these names.

I know you can.

The first name of the band, which is probably the most embarrassing name, was shadow Facts, named after the horse in Lord of the Rings.

Shadow Facts. So it's like a do you guys like do like songs in Elvish?

Yes? We did songs in Elvish.

It's been uh, it's been nice chatting with you.

It's been really interesting.

You know.

I'm not sure that it gets us, but I always enjoy our talks.

Who is this character?

This is everyone I have ever talked to. Yeah, I can't say that you're what you're going to consider you for this, but I enjoyed our talk really interesting.

It's always interesting talking to Gregor.

No.

But I mean, but seriously, though, does that seem true that your generation, that you guys don't feel as defined by your choices in music like you can like all the music?

I think when we were younger, though, I remember like Backstreet Boys versus Sync being a big.

And which were you guys?

I said I was a Backstreet Boys, But then like a couple of years out, I was like, why did I think that? Because in Sync's music is way.

Better KAYLEI, I'm the same way.

I think really, like, yes, I think that I had a vague awareness that like maybe it was like cooler to say you like the Backstreet Boys, but like I couldn't even name the Backstreep Boys song and like in sync is what I listened to.

Yeah, during Quarantine, I've been spending a lot more time listening to music with Aggie.

What kind of stuff were you guys listening to?

Just a lot of music that I liked when I was a kid. I played him a clashes should I stay or should I go? For the first time a little while ago, and after every song I was asked what do you think? And like after stay shot, he was just silent, and I was like, Oggie, like what what do you think? And he's just like looking off into the distance, and then he says I think he should stay, and I was like, oh yeah, and he's like yeah, Like he was like, it's it's easy, it's easier.

I when I was a little kid, like younger than Augie, like really like an infant to my dad used to whenever I was crying, he would play can't touch this, and then I would stop crying. Oh yeah, you would like pick me up and dance around and oh yeah.

That's really that's very sweet, look at my heart. Did you guys have the experience of making mixtapes.

Oh, I only ever made mixed CDs.

I used to make mixtapes like but recording off the radio, so I would have to hold the tape recorder mike up to the speaker of a radio, so my father, like you would hear my father yelling in.

The background, I made a mix. I used to just make a lot of mixes in high school in general, And I remember I had this amazing idea where I was like, it would be so cool to make a mix where the first letter of each song spells like will you go to prom with me? And you could give it to someone to ask them to prom. So I made it, like years before even my prom would have happened. And then like I didn't ask anyone to prom and I never used it for anything.

Do you remember what the songs were that you used for the letters?

Honestly, I probably have it on my old computer. I can look.

You gotta like find an occasion to go to a prom to use that.

I think any occasion in which I'd now go to a prom would be creepy.

Grounds for legal action.

Yeah, oh yeah, so like I have Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If you guys know that song gold Lion the yeah, yeah, yeahs if you guys remember that.

Song, It's gonna tell me what a lot is?

Piatza New York Catcher is the p and prom.

Johnson will play Piazza. I'll catch your you straight? Are Uka?

I want you to want me cheap trick? That's the I and with what's the m The emin prom is Marching Bands of Manhattan by Death Cab for Cutie.

What foreign Marching bands?

Large?

Can you sing it? I can't, Stevie, can you?

No?

I don't actually know that song, which, like this is actually an experience I have often I never know the songs that people are talking about, Like even growing up, I have this like very distinct memory of being in my friend's house and they put on that Maroon five song This Love.

Do you remember that song?

Yeah?

I'm like they all knew all the words and they were like, you know, singing along to it, and I had never heard it before, and I had like no idea what was going on.

And I felt like shame about it.

And I went home and like listened to that song on repeat because I was like, it felt really important that I learn it.

Hey, you mind if I switch gears here for a moment?

Sure?

Do you guys? Ever, I'm just wondering if this is something that other people do, But do you ever think about like what songs you would like to be played at your funeral? Like it's very self indulgent feeling, Like it's just like when I'm in a very like self indulgent kind of mood, which is often, I'm thinking that would be a good song really make everyone cry and think about me.

Yeah, I don't know if I have a do you have like a go to answer?

Yeah? What's your go to funeral song?

I actually have like a little bit of a playlist in my head, so I think, like, do you know that song? That Groucho Mark song, Hello, I must be going, oh shockingly, hello, I must be going. I'm here to say I cannot stay.

I cannot stay.

And I think that would be kind of sweet people, would you know.

Yeah, Jonathan, if I may be so bold as to produce.

Your funeral, please God willing.

What if at the end of the whole thing, you know, they were like, well, we just want to thank everybody for coming and whatever, and then you could have a son in an empty room come in and really.

It should be like literally, like the person gives the eulogy and like right as they finished speaking, it's like, but I'm.

Exactly, I'm glad. I'm glad that the idea of my funeral is so amusing to you both. What would be the most disrespectful, Like, let's say you were planning the funeral for someone you hated.

I think the most disrespectful would be like that song that used to play on the six Flags commercial.

Dancing ball Uh yeah, yeah?

What about the worst song to be playing at your failed engagement?

Like you propose, but the person says.

No, and then all of a sudden, the mariachi band shows up and like strikes up that song they pay them money to play.

In that kids. I feel like it would just be like a good like classic like she Loves You or something, you know, like.

She loves you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but she's walking.

Away and you can't get the Mariachi Bland to stop playing it.

They're just following you. Chase after and they follow you.

How about I got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night.

Nights, going good night n nights? What about the worst song to walk down the aisle?

Too? Like, instead of here comes the Bride, you want to do something a little, a little little less typical.

I feel like, again that six Flag song would be pretty bad.

Oh my god.

The horn and you actually you're honking a horn while you walk down the aisle.

Hey, you know, if were you guys enjoying all of this music that I was spinning for you guys as we were.

Talking, Yeah, I felt like I was at the club.

You know, if people out there enjoyed those songs and want to relive the memories, they could go to the Spotify playlist that we created.

That's right, Yeah, we'll put a link in the show description.

It's called Goldstein's Way Cool Playlist. It's called Goldstein's far out Hits. No, it's called Goldstein's Party, party faves it is.

That is what it's called.

To get the party going. Yeah, you know, speaking of music, I spoke to a man named Glenn. His mom, Madeline, is ninety four years old, and a couple of months ago, she was moving from the house that she lived in for many years into a smaller apartment, and during the move she came across this box full of seventy eights, this long forgotten box of these records of her singing when she was just twenty years old.

Wow.

Yeah, this is back in nineteen forty six. And Glenn was telling me that when his mom was young, she loved to sing, but since her family was so poor, she had to give up the prospect of having a singing career in order to support her family.

They were really, really poor. My grandparents were Russian immigrants. My grandfather couldn't read or write. He sold bananas on a push cart, that.

Was what he did.

Things are tough, you know, like a birthday gift sometimes was like a piece of fruit. Yeah, I mean, that's how bad things were. And then my grandmother was raising five kids and my mother. She loved to sing, and that was wonderful. But there was a certain reality to life, you know.

When you took these records out and you played them for the first time. Even that might have been a trick, right to find a record player and one that played at the seventies. It's exactly correct.

We finally found somebody who had a record player that could play seventy eights. And when I heard him, oh my goodness, it was wonderful, my mother said, She asked meatesaid, the last time she had listened to the discs or maybe sixty sixty five years ago, just absolutely incredible to hear her sing at the age of twenty.

In listening to the songs for the first time. It was a tinged with a little bit of sadness for you to just hear her.

Yeah, it was because I knew how much she always loved to sing, and I know that if things were different, then maybe she could have pursued a career. And it just gave me insight into a whole different aspect of her life that she had kind of tucked away, you know.

And I just.

Want my mother to have a little happiness that let me she's in the other room. Let me go get her and so she can say hello to you.

Hello, Madeleine. Oh, yes, I can't hear you. I think you're a little far away.

Jonathan, Hi, Oh there you are?

Hello?

Good?

Good? Hello? How are you?

I'm good? I'm good. I was just talking with Glenn a little bit about the discovery of the seventy eight.

How do you like that?

Yes? Yes, I just loved to sing and I didn't know anything other than that I wanted to sing.

What did it feel like for you to have to give that up?

Well, I sort of expected not to get too much of anything. You know, times were not too good, so I sort of developed a maybe a wall in front of me that don't be disappointed. I knew it couldn't be. I was hoping it would be, and I just took it as.

It came along over the years. I mean, were there times when you'd see other singers getting famous where it made you kind of think about yourself a little bit or you feel.

I would say to myself, I'm as good as them.

And when you listen to yourself, do you think do you feel a connection to that person that you used to be or does it feel like just a whole other person.

Well, I can almost think back to those days and feel when I'm singing your song and phrase, I just remember doing it.

Wow, amazing.

Yes, yes, yes, after all those years, it's a good feeling. I just sit back there and just listen. I relax on the chair on the couch, and I hear something different every time I hear it, a different note. How I sang the note?

Huh?

And I smile a lot.

Yeah, yeah, yes, yes. Is there something about these listening to these records that feels like a time machine.

You're right, you're right, absolutely a good time machine.

Oh you mean that brings you back.

Good things, a good things. It's bringing good, good thoughts, good ideas, good everything.

It brings you back the good memories.

That's right, that's right. We don't the other ones we threw away many years ago, you see, the bad ones.

We're just looking for the good.

You have to think that way.

Yes, yes, I don't know if you're comfortable doing this. But is there any way that you would be able to favor us with a few lines.

And you want me to sing it to you now?

I mean, if you had, if you had it in you, I don't want to put you on the spot.

No terror star from out the sky and the sky you little tear a pedals from the roads and the rooms. Sleep soon take your heart away from me. I almost forgot the words. It's a long time ago.

Forgive me.

Tamera.

Start from.

God and look guy.

Pedal and weep.

Take a from.

And mine will surely pray.

My life is yours.

Sutay soon please deep.

A spark so no, you take theings from.

So that they can lie?

Who take metion, throw.

And leave?

Just stop side.

All you.

Do, this is what I bag.

Don't say your.

From?

No, you take toy from so lead they came?

What do you.

Take the straw.

And leave? Short worded.

Besk what I bay?

You don't thank your lo.

From.

You can listen to all of Madeline's music at madelinforman dot com and it should be up on Spotify pretty soon as well. We'll put a link in the show notes to that and to our playlist, and we'll be back next week with a new check in with best selling novelist Curtis Sittenfeld. Would you like music but sparty faith? We get the party going both seeing sparty Faith, we hit the party going the party phase. Get the party going both. Seeing sparty days, we get the party going days.

He sounds all tiny and funny bold.

See his party faith. She had the party going both. Seeing his party faith, he hit the party going.

Sounds like a tea kettle boiling.