Listener Mail: Through the Pale Door

So this comes from Yanni, and this is one of those emails where it's clearly responding to something specific that we said and I don't remember what it was, which makes for some of the most fun listener mail because you have to play a little sort of internal past memory detective work. But Yanni says, Hi, Robert and Joe or is it Joel, No, it is Joe. I'm Yanni, and I'm sending you my greetings from Finland. Love your podcast. I was listening to the fish Head for episode and

I had to check. There really is a Christmas edition of Big Mouth Billy Bass. There are also videos of it on YouTube. Peace Lennox and Love Yanni. So I assume you must be a developer of some kind if you have that much Lenox passion. But but so I looked this up. You're correct, Dannie. Uh we. I think in the episode we were talking about what were the different songs the big mouth billy bass sings. Uh So there was take Me to the River, there's the one that sings y m c A. I think I may

have mentioned that. The one that sings y m c A I remember is in a Sopranos episode. It's like a Christmas episode. I think Tony gets it as a Christmas gift, so maybe that's what leads to this. But there are indeed big mouth billy basses that's in in Christmas songs, and they're not just Christmas songs. They're like novelty hayseed country versions of Christmas songs. So it's got

a dashing and through this no kind of thing. God. Yeah, so particularly egregiously annoying, and uh I don't know why they did it that way. Why not with just some regular recording of the song. Beats me. Well, if there's anything that could make jingle bells more annoying, it's having a big mouth billy bass sing it, I imagine. And I say that as someone who greatly enjoys many holiday songs. About well, jingle bells is just the worst rob. I'm right there with you. I I don't hate Christmas music.

I love a great many Christmas songs, but there are a few that are just oh they're just razor blades going under my eyelids. It's just awful. Yeah, I'm partial to God Bless you Mary, gentlemen, because it has the devil in it um, which I guess you know, brings us back in season here because we don't want to get too far ahead with the holiday stuff, because this this listener mail's coming out during the height of the

Halloween season. You know. One of the Christmas carols that I really like, I I think I tend towards the ones that are in more a minor key and have kind of a note of uncertainty, and that will tie into our very next message of For example, one that came to mind is, uh, you know, I love I Love Green Sleeves. That starts with the minor third. Yeah, green sleeves is great. Or I guess the Christmas version with the lyrics is what child is it? Or what child?

What child is this? Yeah? Yeah, that's it. But that should lead right into some responses to the episode that I did on Spooky Music and Uncanny Melodies with the with special guest our producer Seth all Right, I'll read this one from Matt. Really enjoyed the episode and Scary music and the characteristics thereof The major and minor discussion was particularly interesting in that I thought immediately of Celtic

Gaelic music. I play a lot of old Irish and Scottish tunes with my brother and friends and have always loved the interplay between minor and major keys in reels, jigs, et cetera. The quick switches are both fun to a company and make things more musically interesting. Always thought it was a unique example of both miners and majors inspiring good feelings rather than apprehension, as is usually the case

with the former huge Black Sabbath fan. I must admit also get the same sorts of impressions from a lot of Middle Eastern music, which is pretty cool. It's one of the reasons I gravitated to such genres early in my amateur music career. Thanks for the show and Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, Matt wait is Canadian Thanksgiving in October? Yes it is. It is the second Monday in October so yeah, here we are, Matt. I think I know what you're talking about with the the the alternations between major and

minor keys and like the uh what do you call them? Oh? Well, by the way, that that Scotch and Irish music really also does have like some of the best names for things reels and jigs that almost doesn't sound like music. It sounds like stuff you'd use to like kill a fish, to kill a fish. Maybe I just got billy bass on the mind. Okay, So this next uh, this next

message comes from Dan. Also about the music episode. Dan says, I just finished listening to your episode on Scary Music and have an album recommendation for Rusty Needles Record Club. This is Seth's new podcast, and uh, Seth and I talked about me possibly going on there to talk about Neil Young. Uh, Dan says. When we get into discussing the stranger records in Neil Young's discography and what Dan

recommends his his album trans from nineteen eighty two. It is his Kraft Verk inspired album and features a lot of vocoder and synthesizer work. So maybe Robert could also contribute, being as how he loves synth music. Are either of you familiar with this record. Computer Age that's the name of the song is a total bop. According to Young, part of the inspiration behind this album was as a way for him to communicate with his young son, who

has cerebral palsy and was unable to speak. Apparently this was lost on Geffen Records and the start of their infamous lawsuit against Neil Young for not making Neil Young albums. And then there's abrupt transition, also being this is a stuff to blow your mind, listener email, I have a suggestion for the role of Tom Bomba Dill. I would like to nominate Danny de Vito. Is he the right choice?

Maybe not. It's been a long time since I read Fellowship of the Ring, but the thought of Frank Reynolds and a Lord of the Ring's adaptation is such a perversely amusing thought. I cannot resist imagining how that would play out. It's always sunny in Middle Earth, The Gang

Steal the One Ring. Thanks as always, Dan Well. First of all, sometimes I kind of speed read these emails as they come in, and so I I thought Dan's recommendation was ultimately that Neil Young played Tom Bomba Dill and so I've been thinking about that, um all morning, and I was thinking. I was thinking to myself, you know, I could imagine that. You know, I often associate Neil Young, of course, with the harvest season. That's that's the time of year when I'm most likely to fire up uh

some some of old Neil and listened to him. Um so, UM, I don't know what to think about Danny DeVito. Haven't had time to process that. I'm still on on on Neil Young as bomba deal. I mean, we know Neil Young can sing. Other than that, I don't know if his if his vibe is really on. I mean Neil, as I said on the music episode, I'm a big fan of Neil Young, but he he always comes off as kind of a weird old crank and not sort of the jolly, care free Bard image we get of

Tom Bomba Dill. But I don't know. Yeah. Also, I mean, Neil Young is someone who has always been He's always been willing to tackle uh, you know, political issues, uh in his lyrics, and Bomba Dill is is you know, largely cut off from the politics of the world. Uh So, yeah, it seems like they're completely opposite each other. In that regard, but Bomba Dill is constitutionally incapable of engaging in politics, like he's not even on the same plane as them.

Uh yeah, yeah yeah. But oh but also your mention of the Neil Young album the so Um If you're not familiar, this album trans by Neil Young that came out in nine two. It is the classic example of the Neil album that even a lot of die hard Neil fans make fun of and and think, Okay, that's bad. And you know, when I was a younger Neil fan, I felt the same way. I mean, it does have some arguably very goofy production choices, but I've come around on it over the years. I think it is absolutely

worth a second listen. And I really like the song that Dan singles out here, computer Age. That's a good one. I the one that sticks with me the most is Sample and Hold. That one has a good beat to it, and it very much has the the synth, the vibe and the robot voice. Um yeah, to probably do the surprise of No. One. I've always loved this album. I

heard this. This is one where my dad had some Neil Young, and I don't think he had the album trans but he had another album that, weirdly enough, had two of the songs off of this US some other material. I forget what it was called. Oh yeah, so it was. It was weird in that regard because it's just here's some robots songs and here's some more traditional stuff, and

I was like the Robots songs. But yeah, I probably heard those tracks way before I actually heard any Kraftwerk, so it was kind of an early introduction to that world that's a wonderful kind of inside out. You know.

There's a moment in the song computer Age where, like a lot of the songs on this album, is hard to tell what the lyrics are, but there's one part early on where it sounds like Neil is singing the phrase I stand for the signal, And I think that might literally be about a crosswalk on the street, like the line right before it is about cars or something. But it's one of those great lyrics that you hear with a weirder secondary meaning that may not be intended,

but either way it gives me a shiver. I stand for the signal. It's like it's like in Tron, like I fight for the users. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can I can see that connection. Oh and also yeah, X be Damned. I like the electronic take on Mr. Soul. I think some of the song concepts on this album might be much better received now with a just slightly different production approach, Like I think I think Computer Age

could have a slightly more goth techno edge. I'm thinking about production more like bands like The Knife and Uh, I don't know if you call that a band, whatever you call that, and it might be considered a classic sibling duo. How is that what it is? Yeah? Okay? Uh? And one last thing that I thought is hilarious is that you can sometimes still hear Neil's Canadian accent through the vocoder. There's this song on there. It's one of

the Goofier ones. It's called Computer Cowboy has like horsehoof clip clop sounds, but he's he's singing vocoder and you can still hear It's Nail Young. Oh well, I don't remember that track in particular. Yeah, I guess it's been a little else since I've fired it out. I mainly remember, and I guess when I dip back into it, I tend to play sample and hold Computer Age. Uh. Maybe one other Transformer Man. Gotta Transformer Man is good. That's

the other one. Yes, yeah, that one got a beautiful low low tech rendition on Neil's nineteen nineties unplugged album I did it, Okay. I don't know if I've heard that well anyway, that was an extremely strange digression, but h well, no, it's an interesting album. And of course now with with with digital and streaming, I mean it's widely available. Everyone can go out and have a have a taste of this album. So I mean, I don't

I don't want to oversell it. Again, I could not deny that a lot of the production is is undeniably pretty goofy, but I still think there's some cool stuff in there. Rob, you want to do this one about Hilda and the Lindworm? Alright? This next one comes to us from Greg. Greg writes, I subject my four and a half year old to quote daddy's boring podcast on our regular commutes. Um, I don't know. I guess I'm cool with that, knowing but knowing the kind of things

kids are into. Um, yeah, maybe our our podcast is a little bit boring, uh to to the younger listeners. But that's okay either. You know, perhaps they'll age into it. Anyway, Greg continues his opinion of your podcast maybe changing, as he was ecstatic to hear Hilda and the Lendworm referenced in the latest artifacts segment. At this point, this would be Artifacts slash Monster Facts segment from a couple of

weeks back. Uh. He continues, like Robert's son, he was familiar with the Lendworm from our repeated viewings of Hilda. We got to discussing how he thinks you could improve the podcast. His suggestions are, number one, more Hilda content. Number two space sound effects. Uh, in fact, seth Can we go ahead and have a little space sound effect just to just just to help out the listenership? Okay? And train sound effects for the episode it's about trains.

Hold on staff, no train sound effects yet because we need to we need to line up a train episode. But I could. I would be into that doing something related to trains or subways. I I live next to a train track and am fascinated by trains. I love trains, and I think I think we may well have even a creepy train related episode coming up. That's right, we do, Okay, all right, Well it's a possibility no promises, but a

strong possibility. Okay, that one will probably not be good for kids though, but but yeah, we'll have to do some train content in the future anyway, Greg continues. Hilda for the uninitiated is a children's Netflix program that is based on the graphic novel series by Luke Pearson. It frequently features mythological creatures from around the world in stories with animation that appears to be influenced in small part

by Calvin and Hobbs. You have my full support in doing a lengthier deep dive into the mythological creatures as referenced in Hilda. It might make for a fun twist on your anthology shows, but please know who trained sound effects. Greg, what was this conflicting advice? I don't know what to do with that. Well, I don't think there are any trains in Hilda. I don't remember there being one. But anyway, at any rate, Hilda is indeed a fabulous show. Um,

I haven't seen it. It's a kid's show, but it's one of these great kids shows that you don't need to be watching it with a kid to enjoy it. It's it's adorable and cute, but not in a sickening way. Yeah, it's it's very sweet, and it has all of these various mythological creatures pop up. You will be delighted to know that the Yule Lads pop up in one episode.

Oh spoon liquor and and what goat Claude sucker or something. Yeah, I forget what what names are given, but I believe Andy Cirkus is in that one playing the voice of one of the ul children. So it's pretty great. That's too good. Sausage Swiper, I think is only something like that, but I highly recommend Hilda It's it's a wonderful show. Uh, just absolutely wonderful. All right. I guess we're gonna look at a couple of messages regarding Weird House Cinema. This

first one comes from Matt. Matt says, good Day Fellas, the episode on the Thing from Another World was pretty neat. I'm definitely going to try to give it a watch. Couldn't help but immediately consider some plot parallels with HP Lovecrafts at the Mountains of Madness, both said in an Arctic waste, both with some variation on a vegetable based or partially vegetable based species from beyond and to a degree, the marauding mindlessness of the show goth seems to fit

the uncaring approach of the movie Monster. I can only assume some inspiration was taken from Ole Howard to reference what I think is in this context and ironic quote from the story quote, poor old ones, scientists to the last. What had they done that we would not have done in their place, being scientists themselves. I think the old ones would have very much enjoyed your shows. Thanks again and all the best. Matt. Wow, that's nice, man. I don't think the old ones would have liked our show

very much. I don't think so at all. I don't know. They might not even been able to listen to it. I don't know. Um, it was just incomprehensible squealing to them, and then they would devour us right, eat our souls, and they would have their own podcasts, which to our ears would be incomprehensible squealing and the piping of mad

flutes and so forth. Uh. I think I've seen somebody somewhere makes some connections between the Thing at least Carpenters the Thing, and and Lovecrafts of the Mountains of Madness. But for the life of me. I can't remember what those connections were other than the obvious. You know, they have a frosty settings being Guiama Do Toro was was going to do and at the Mountains of Madness adaptation

that was like his pet project. But it was as if I remember correctly, like it was going to cost a lot of money and it was one of these films it was only going to get made if Tom Cruise was on board, and Tom Cruise it was apparently on board, and there was but what but it was like you still couldn't get it made for some reason,

so it just did Cruise what well. I mean it makes sense right if you if you're gonna have a soup a monster movie, just it's so expensive, like you've got to have somebody like like Cruise in it, or you know, you've got to have a total uh you know, sure shot a lister at the helm and then you can have all the monsters you want. I'd go with the Rock, you know, the Rock, Yeah, I mean that would seem that would seem to be a strong choice. You know, if if you get the Rock on there,

then who's gonna mess with you? It's they'll let you have all the monsters you want, but I'm probably over simplifying things. I know the Rock has been attached to two projects that have yet to come to fruition, so who knows how Hollywood works or or by connection? How about Vin Diesel? There you go, Vin Diesel at the Mountains of Madness. As long as it doesn't it wouldn't endanger our next Riddick movie with it. Uh it can't, it can't. Possibly. Okay, we got one more Bomba Dell contribution.

At some point I think we must just have to stop reading these as they will just keep coming in forever. But this one was too good to skip over. I thought this was truly inspired. Choice. Do you want to read this? Oh? Yeah, I'll get it. This is from Nick subject line bomba Deal quote? Is this bit still going? I thought i'd add my suggestion before a halt is called to all bomba Deal dreamcasting. When I visualized Tom bomba Deal, I can picture no other than Kevin Murphy.

For many years the voice of Tom Servo on Mystery Science Theater three thousand. You might also remember him from the Roman Times interstitial sketches, where he played a fog horn voiced Miles Glorious type. What I'm not sure what he's referring to. Oh no, this was the Roman Times on a mystery Sense theater through thousands miles gloriosis, glamles glorio.

There you go, miles gloriosis type. Okay. He had all the qualities of Tolkien's Mary Fellow an or an orotunned and booming voice, a joeyal demeanor, a hefty frame, and a winkle in his eye, as well as a penchant for constantly breaking out into song in response to nothing in particular. Really, he's the most bombadilly person. I know. This is perfect. I feel like this can't be beat I as soon as I saw this, I was like, oh my god, it's right. Kevin Murphy is Tom bomba Dill.

He's got every he hits every single note. Yeah, yeah, I think I think he does. Plus he's I've seen episodes of MST where he breaks into a Tom bomba Dell impersonation like he's singing, you know, Tom bomba dilloh and all that. Yeah that might don't remember that Jack Frost that might be in the Jack Frost trip that he does that a bit. Okay, So yeah, he's he

is Slash was perfect for this role. If Jackson wasn't going to cast him, Uh, then it's just as well that we didn't get it, you know, Hey, Doll, Mary Doll, I cannot disagree. Al Right, Well, we're gonna go ahead and close the hatch on this particular listener mail, but we'll be back next Monday, so keep them coming. In the meantime. What I goes on during the week, well,

we have our Tuesday and Thursday Core episodes. We have Artifact or for the at least the rest of the month of October, Monster Fact, but who know it may be Monster Fact will return in December and we'll do some some Christmas creatures. We have Weird House Cinema on Friday's that's our chance to talk about a weird movie of choice. And then on the weekends we run a Vault episode, which is a rerun from the previous year. Huge thanks as always to our wonderful audio producer Seth

Nicholas Johnson. If you would like to get in touch with us with feedback on this episode or any other, to suggest a topic for the future, or just to say hello, you can email us at contact at stuff to blow your mind dot com Stuff to Blow Your Mind is a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.