Having overcome the obstacles of a broken home and an uneasy path to success, Good Charlotte are now one of the most popular bands in America. But herein lies a paradox: how does a band that rose to prominence by ripping on Rich & Famous celebrities stay cool now that they're fully enmeshed in Hollywood culture? The answer was not always clear, and throughout the late 2000s and 2010s the boys from Maryland struggled to remain relevant as their audience slowly shrank. Join us as we process th...
Jun 12, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 7
We're back to tell the story of one of the most obnoxious and omnipresent pop-punk bands of the 2000s! Are Good Charlotte a true punk band? Are they a bunch of pretty-boy poseurs? Whatever the case these young lads from Maryland emerged from a troubled home with big dreams that they brought to life through the novel creation of a musical project that - in their own words - fused "the Backstreet Boys and Minor Threat". It's a good story and we managed to tell it with fewer pointless digressions t...
May 26, 2023•58 min•Season 3Ep. 6
To conclude our series we embark on a long and painful examination of Kid Rock's final form: Embittered Fox News Grandpa. How did this once apolitical singer become one of rock and roll's foremost MAGA cheerleaders? Does he really believe all the bigoted Right Wing nonsense he espouses? As is often the case, the answer is much more complicated than you think. Join us as we embark on a painfully hilarious inquiry into the history of Kid Rock's politics. This information will come in quite handy w...
Apr 10, 2023•1 hr 57 min•Season 3Ep. 5
It's the New Millennium baby, and Kid Rock is up to some shenanigans. He's trying different things, he's smoking funny things. He's crooning with Sheryl Crow and Hank Williams, Jr. He's dating Pam Anderson and beating up Waffle House patrons. But most of all he's doing what he does best: acting like a big asshole while stealing other people's music! Welcome to the wild world of Kid Rock's "country" phase. We dive deep into this bizarre and musically eclectic period that sees Bob Ritchie desperat...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 45 min•Season 3Ep. 4
After 10 long years of toil Kid Rock finally hits it big with his self-described "redneck, shit-kicking rock-n-roll rap album". Packed with cringe-worthy bangers like "Bawitdaba," "Cowboy," and "Only God Knows Why," 1998's "Devil Without a Cause" launched our hero into the stratosphere despite being one of the most ridiculous LPs of the 20th century. In this episode we break the album down in granular detail, from its sordid history to its stolen riffs to its utterly incongruous and baffling lyr...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In 1991 a young Kid Rock was dropped from Jive Records following the absolute flop of his debut record. Determined to make it back to the top, he spent the next 7 years hustling his music in the Detroit underground scene. This is the story of those formative but little-understood years, the period when Kid Rock transformed himself into the rhyme-spittin', rock-n-roll redneck that ultimately became famous. DID YOU KNOW: --One of Kid Rock's important musical breaks began with a stint as a studio j...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Kid Rock's cringe stands in a class of its own. In his 30-plus year career he's inhabited numerous forms -- from Detroit B-Boy to Trailer Park Pimp to Fox News Grandpa -- each more ridiculous than the last. But who is the man behind all these personae? That is what we aim to uncover in our ambitious five-part exploration of The History of Rock! In Part I we examine Kid Rock's origins; not in a Detroit ghetto or double wide trailer but in the comfortable suburb of Romeo, Michigan. There a young B...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 1
For this year's Holiday Special, Cal takes the reigns as we count down the worst-ranked Christmas songs in recorded history (at least according to the internet). Everyone from Paul McCartney to Justin Bieber to Odd Future falls in our crosshairs! Who will be crowned as the Lord and Savior of Christmas Turds? Listen and find out! FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 16
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! In this surprise minisode, Cal & Nick carve up the bizarre Turkey Day anthem "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. Join us as we sip whiskey colas and ponder why this rambling, 18-minute folk song became a Thanksgiving tradition. DID YOU KNOW?? --"Alice's Restaurant" was based an actual events in Arlo Guthrie's life, including an arrest for littering which may have helped him avoid the Vietnam draft... --Arlo's father, the legendary Woody Guthrie, wrote a diss track again...
Nov 21, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 15
In our final installment of the Black Eyed Peas trilogy, we watch the band descend to new depths of vapid, pandering dance music. We review their much-maligned Super Bowl performance as well as the lesser-known-but-equally-perplexing Black Eyed Peas video game. Is this truly the most insufferable era of BEP's career, or are Cal and Nick simply 2000-late? DID YOU KNOW?? --Will.i.am got one of his songs played on Mars? No, seriously... --For a very brief period in the late 2010s Black Eyed Peas ac...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 42 min•Season 2Ep. 14
After years of grinding in obscurity, the Black Eyed Peas finally hit it big thanks to a handful of catchy pop hits as well as the addition of new member Fergie. But did they compromise too much of their soul to get to the top? Cal & Nick discuss the thorny nature of BEP's pivot toward commercialism in the 2000s. DID YOU KNOW?? --"Let's Get it Started" once had a much more offensive title, and it was arguably changed for all the wrong reasons... --"My Humps" is actually a feminist anthem (at...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 39 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Before they were superstars, they were three dudes from the rough streets of L.A. Before their songs flooded the airwaves, they had to hustle to get anyone to notice them. Before they became a Verizon-sponsored Death Star of capitalism, they preached soul, positivity, and the value of skill over money. In the first of a three-part series, we trace the surprising origins of a group that would become one of the most ubiquitous (and hated) bands of their generation, all the while pondering a tricky...
Oct 04, 2022•1 hr 33 min•Season 2Ep. 12
***NOTE: A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER WE RELEASED THIS, VIPER WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, TORTURE, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM ARE TRULY HEINOUS AND NEEDLESS TO SAY WE HAD NO IDEA. WE NO LONGER ENDORSE VIPER OR HIS MUSIC IN ANY WAY*** Taking a break from covering the life and times of Artists You've Actually Heard Of, Cal & Nick meander through the bizarre and drugged-out world of Viper; perhaps the greatest Meme Rapper of all time. Viper got famous for his 2008 ...
Aug 30, 2022•2 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Just when it seemed that Milli Vanilli couldn't ascend any higher, everything comes crashing down as the world learns the whole project was a sham. Rob & Fab are crucified by the media, and the scandal produces an ugly series of backstabbing and lawsuits. In the wake of this disaster, both Rob & Fab and Frank Farian will try to revive their music careers, the results of which are... well... interesting. For certain parties, however, the scars of the scandal are too deep to overcome, and ...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In 1988 two aspiring singers were plucked out of obscurity by a well-known German producer. This producer was starting a new band and told the two they'd be a perfect fit to front the project. Only after signing a contract did the singers learn the terrible catch: they wouldn't actually be performing on the record... Thus began the most infamous lip syncing scandal in music history. Cal & Nick break down the full story in all its bizarre and seedy dimensions, all the while laughing like chil...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Season 2Ep. 9
We conclude our Nickelback series by summarizing everything we've learned so far and establishing our "Closing Argument" on this band's artistic merit. To wit: we bring you "THE TOP TEN REASONS WHY NICKELBACK SUCKS"! To support our thesis we introduce new evidence, including some songs and anecdotes you haven't heard before, as well as an illuminating "Scientific" study concerning Nickelback's reputation. Finally, we ask ourselves the big question: What Does It All Mean? What is the true essence...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 8
How exactly did Nickelback go from a run-of-the-mill post-grunge group to the Western world’s biggest musical punching bag? In Part III of our series we trace the origin of Nickelback’s status as a Meme, a wild story featuring football protests, internet pranks, snarky politicians, and so much more! We also share the results of an exclusive Nickelback Fan Survey, where actual Nickelback fans explain what it is they like about this band. Many of their answers will definitely surprise you! This on...
Jun 01, 2022•1 hr 49 min•Season 2Ep. 7
The saga of Nickelback continues as Chad boldly ventures into new frontiers of shameless musical pandering. Can he help us remember the past? Can he heal the world and inspire revolution? Can he encourage your girlfriend to put something in her mouth? BE ADVISED: Cal and Nick are not responsible for any brain damage you may experience as a result of listening to the music from this episode... FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]...
May 03, 2022•1 hr 45 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Are Nickelback really as bad as everyone thinks? How did these four nondescript Canadians earn a worldwide reputation as a living musical atrocity? At long last, one of rock and roll's most notorious turds is finally getting polished! In the first of a four-part series, we cover the band's origins in the remote town of Hanna, Alberta, where frontman Chad Kroeger grew up committing small-time burglaries and selling mushrooms. From there we track how the band hustled their way to the top, meticulo...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 5
We clean up after the DIRTY, JUVENILE, and utterly OFFENSIVE career of THE BLOODHOUND GANG, the hooligans behind "The Bad Touch," "Fire Water Burn," and other ironic comedy-rap hits. With their unique brand of distasteful-but-ingeniously-clever humor, The Bloodhound Gang built a career that merged catchy hooks with politically incorrect jokes that NO ONE could get away with today! Should their music be understood as boundary-pushing comedy that made sense in the context of the times or as object...
Mar 22, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Cal and Nick investigate a popular internet rumor that Avril Lavigne secretly died in 2003 and was replaced by a body double named Melissa Vandella. FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Welcome to the latter half of Avril Lavigne's musical journey: the part where her music gets REALLY annoying. In this episode we cover the obnoxious hit "Girlfriend," her cringy attempts to ape Millenial pop music, her marriage to Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, and the disastrous "Hello Kitty" song that led to charges of cultural appropriation. At the same time, we'll also discuss how Avril's music and image had a genuinely positive impact on young artists today. If your memory of Avril starts and s...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 3
We make things complicated for Avril Lavigne, the pop-punk princess of the early 2000s whose style was so unique it quickly became a meme. Learn all about Avril's country music origins, the messy disputes over how much of her music she actually wrote, and even how Avril was involved with the Spongebob Squarepants movie! FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Feb 07, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Cal takes the lead for the first time as we explain the astonishing story of The Shaggs; the bizarre cult-like family that produced the absolute strangest rock album ever made. Along the way we take attempt to take a crack at a difficult question: what makes music "good" or "bad" in the first place? How did a trio of teenagers with no musical knowledge produce something that artists like Frank Zappa and Kurt Cobain regarded as a classic? How is it possible to appreciate something that, to 99% of...
Jan 17, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Why is most Christmas music so unbearably bad? Today we try to answer that question as we dive through a pile of CDs Nick bought at a thrift store. So grab some eggnog and enjoy some wacky Yuletide anthems by everyone from Rosie O'Donnell to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy! Happy Holidays to all of you beautiful people from Polishing Turds!!! FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 17
We wrap up our mammoth exposition on the Cyrus musical legacy. Miley cleans up her act and puts out the most ambitious and interesting music of her career, while Billy Ray struggles to regain his relevance before finally striking gold in an out-of-nowhere collaboration with Lil Nas X. FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In part 6 of our 7 part Cyrus family series, we explore the career of up-and-coming Gen Z sensation Noah Cyrus, as well as the other forgotten Cyrus siblings, all of whom have produced some fascinating music! (If you've actually made it this far into the series, how please consider giving us a 5-star rating. Thanks, darlin'!) FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 15
What was Billy Ray up to during Miley's prolific and head-turning career as Hannah Montana? Quite a lot! Between 2006 and 2014 the Achy Breaky Heartthrob revived his sagging career, joined an alternative rock band, and watched his family implode under the pressure of worldwide attention. It's a dark and bittersweet tale, but as always the good ol' boy from Kentucky finds a way to keep things comical! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!! FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitt...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In Part 4 of our epic Cyrus Dynasty series, we take you on a guided tour of the Miley Cyrus' most shocking exploits, from pole dancing to bong hits to twerking her ass off at the VMAs! Join us as we try to understand why Miley's aesthetic shifted so radically during this period, why so many were shocked and whether or not some greater good actually came out of it. FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Sweet Niblets! Cal and Nick break down the iconic Disney Channel series that launched Miley Cyrus into stardom. FOLLOW US: Instagram: polishing.podcast Twitter/X: @polishing_turds email: [email protected]
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 12
