Too Much Information

Dig if you will the picture of two white nerds in their 30s trying to get to grips with the world power that was Prince in 1984 as the TMI boys cover 'Purple Rain' — in both mediums! Week 1 starts off with the album, as Prince's famously stringent rehearsals and recording practices are detailed. Go crazy with details about the protracted genesis of the titular song, from a demo for Stevie Nicks to the version we know and love featuring a teenaged Wendy Melvoin's iconic intro! Know what it feels like when doves cry as TMI details not only the landmark hit single, but the music video for which Prince made his band learn ballet ... and which may have inadvertently gotten several actual doves killed. Weep at the anguish of the Revolution hearing "Hit me 25 times" from Prince during a live show! Listen to "Darling Nikki" with new ears now knowing it contains actual backmasking, the scourge of uptight Eighties parents! 'Purple Rain' continues next week with the boys hitting the cinematic side of Prince's genius. Too Much Information: They only want to see you laughing in ... well, you get it. Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your leather-clad lizard kings of kinda cool stories are here to go deep on the Doors groundbreaking debut album — and, of course, the electric shaman himself: Mr. James Douglas Morrison. You'll hear all about Jim's tumultuous upbringing with a father who quite possibly started the Vietnam War and his estranged relationship with his family, as well as all of the literary (and pharmaceutical) influences that went into his lyrical poetry, and numerous run-ins with censorship and the law. You’ll also learn all about the chance meeting(s)that lead to the Doors creation, the corporate training film that would yield their first recordings, their historic first use of billboards and Moog synths — and the time Jim dropped acid during a session and destroyed the recording studio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex take a trip to True Crime country and it drive them to the brink of insanity as they unravel the tangled web of the most famous haunted house in America. You'll learn about the horrific real-life murder at the center of the story, which took place at 112 Ocean Avenue in 1974 and claimed the life of six members of the DeFeo family. Then you'll learn about the puzzling saga of the next family to move into the home, the Lutz's, who claimed they were tormented by evil spirits within the home for four weeks — leading them to flee in the dead of night, never to set foot in the house again. Were they telling the truth, or was it all part of an elaborate scam? (Alex has some thoughts!) In either case, the incident inspired a controversial best-selling book which yielded a Hollywood blockbuster that spawned dozens of imitators (over 40 to date!) and an untold number of lawsuits. This episode is NOT for the faint of heart, so strap in — Jodie the demonic pig is waiting for you...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Pop Art impresarios of pretty awesome facts are back to examine a groundbreaking album that lobbed a grimy East Coast grenade into the Summer of Love. In addition to droning on about drones and other avant-garde musicians of the period, Jordan and Alex offer the behind-the-scenes drama of band patron Andy Warhol’s Factory scene, a partial history of electro-shock therapy, and the Velvet’s hilarious blood feud with Frank Zappa. The boys debate the merits of Lou Reed’s lyrical talents by contrasting “Heroin” and “Venus in Furs” with his later-era track “Possum Day.” Get ready for a wild ride deep into the dark, druggy world of urban decay, BDSM and…bananas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your sensei’s of pop culture trivia celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of Heigl’s formative influences. You’ll learn how the Karate Kid led Clint Eastwood to ban all Coca-Cola products from his sight, the real life war heroes Mr. Miyagi's story sheds light on, Pat Norita’s surprising early career as a boundary-pushing Catskills comic, all the leads we nearly had before they landed on Ralph Macchio, and the array of real-life martial arts heavies involved in the film. Heigl, a real life Karate Kid, explains all the ways that the Crane Kick was a bogus (and illegal) move and doles out some self-defense advice you can use — before Jordan waxes poetic on Bananarama.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Jordan and Alex set the sights on one of the most unique albums of the ‘90s, which turns 30 years old this summer. The record is a tantalizing glimpse at one of the great unfulfilled musical promises of the decade. Jeff Buckley was a one-of-a-kind talent who was at the start of what seemed like a long, and fascinating career when he drowned in Memphis at age 30. You’ll learn about the deeply fraught family saga at the heart of his music, the reason why label execs hated the cover, and the cruel comparison the Michael Bolton that nearly killed the album before it was ever completed. Alex goes deep on Buckley’s technical virtuosity and shares a fact about belly button rings that will haunt you forever, while Jordan delivers a comprehensive history of the MANY “Hallelujah” covers and tries to figure out the “Sex Funk” musical genre. It's an episode littered with minor falls and major lifts, at times poignant and perverse — that's the TMI promise, baby!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your titans of trivia are back for the ultimate showdown of nerdery as they quiz one another on their pet obsessions. Alex tests Jordan on everything related to the Titanic disaster, while Jordan asks Alex about all things punk rock. It's a smorgasbord of scatalogical, sentimental and stimulating anecdotes, with a (un)healthy dose of conversational diversions thrown in for good measure.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex get Presidential with their look at the ‘90s aero-thriller. They’ll uncover how Harrison Ford sweet-talked Bill Clinton into giving him a tour of the real Air Force One, how the prop plane nearly caused a scary real-life military incident, and how the movie delayed the release of James Cameron’s ‘Titanic.’ They’ll also dive into Donald Trump’s ardent passion for this film, the rejected score from Randy Newman (yes, the ‘Toy Story’ guy), and Harrison Ford's numerous piloting mishaps — including the time he caused mayhem on the runway of a major airport. Finally, they’ll explain all the ways this terrifying scenario could never happen in real life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your gurus of gameshows are back to reveal the inner workings of America’s favorite word puzzle-related wheel — and those who serve it. You’ll learn about Pat Sajak’s surprisingly storied background in Vietnam — which helped serve as the inspiration for the Robin Williams’ film ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’ — and his days working at the Pentagon. You’ll also hear Vanna White’s Cinderella -esque origin story that saw her go from sleeping on floors to wearing over 8000 gowns, holding one of the most hilarious Guinness records of all time, and earning a shout-out from Nelly. Jordan and Alex also go over some of the most hilarious fails in ‘Wheel’ history, examine all the ways the production is not unlike Taylor Swift’s Eras tour (at least in terms of total tonnage of equipment) and delve deep into psychological reasons why game show hosts tend to fall on the right side of the political spectrum. So get ready to spin your wheels for an hour or two — the guys promise to keep their "vowel movement" jokes to a minimum. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strap on your DJ headphones and don your best bald cap, because TMI is tackling one of the best-selling (and most "sold-out") albums of the Nineties: Moby's 'Play.' The pair will track down the source of all those haunting vocal samples, discuss the practice of "folk song collecting" and how it shaped music in the second half of the 20th century, and muse over the thorny racial and ethical implications of sampling! Along the way, they'll detour into how every single one of "Play"'s 18 tracks were licensed out to film, TV, and commercials -- some of them multiple times -- and how Moby gradually ascended to the top of the fin de siecle electronica heap, finding himself a lonely, whiny -- and possibly stingy -- king. It's Too Much Information: Downtempo/Chill/Ambient/Electronic/Dance edition!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.