Episode 73: Diplo, Tofu U, and Pong Pong
Diplo/Shane McCauley
This week: Global DJ and music mogul Diplo takes a call… The besotted birth of video games… and Rico gets schooled at America’s most vegan-friendly campus. Plus “medicinal” vodka and a new tune from Cloud Nothings.
Icebreaker: Terry de Castro Take the air out of the room with this joke from indierocker (and former Wedding Present bassist) Terry de Castro.
Small Talk: Eel-ectricity, The Godfather’s House, and Kardashian Kredit The folks at Marketplace regale us with some news stories you might’ve missed…like the Japanese aquarium that’s using electric eels to generate holiday cheer.
Radio listeners heard National Review blogger Reihan Salam tell us about Russia’s crackdown on “medicinal” Vodka.
A History Lesson With Booze: Pong and “The Pong Pong”This week in 1972, a fledgling company called Atari installed the prototype of its first-ever video game in a Silicon Valley bar. Hear the story of how the simplest game ever launched a $60-billion-dollar industry… then bounce this custom cocktail down your gullet:
“The Pong Pong,” as engineered by Jonny Raglin, bartender at Comstock Saloon in San Francisco, CA.
In a shaker over ice, add:
- 1.5 oz. Plymouth sloe gin
- 1 oz. Drambuie
- 3/4 oz. lemon juice
Shake with ice - back and forth, back and forth - and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a lemon peel garnish, and drink until you get a high. Score.
Guest of Honor: Diplo The name “Diplo” sounds more like a global brand than a DJ - and that’s only fitting. In the past ten years, the man behind the moniker has evolved from a crowd pleasing party-thrower to a globetrotting music producer. To the uninitiated he’s best known as the guy who produced MIA’s “Paper Planes,” but in club culture he’s a musical ambassador famous for shining a light on obscure subgenres like baile funk and ragga. He and Brendan talk about his influences, his new compilation of Dubstep tracks, and his Wikipedia page… before they’re interrupted by a phone call.
Main Course: Majoring in Vegan Rico follows the herd of herbivores to UCLA, which PETA recently named the most vegan-friendly campus in America.
One For The Road: Cloud Nothings - “Understand at All” The Cloud Nothings’ name is as hazy as it gets, but clearly there’s much to look forward to on the Cleveland quartet’s debut album (out Jan 25). The caffeinated break-up song “Understand At All” bristles with energy… perfect for playing when you don’t want to listen to anyone else.
Music On This Week’s Show:
Sea & Cake - “The Argument”
The Wedding Present - “Signal”
Link Wray - “Jack The Ripper”
Tipsy - “Liquordelic”
Hot Butter - “Popcorn”
Pretenders - “Space Invader”
Flamin’ Groovies - “Slow Death”
Joker & Ginz - “Re-Up”
Major Lazer - “Pon De Floor”
Modest Mouse - “Heart Cooks Brain”
Cloud Nothings - “Understand It All”
The Bush Administration is over, we can say nuclear again (instead of nucular).
And I was crushed that you missed your opportunity to use the Frank Black song ‘Whatever happened to Pong?’.
“… Now if they take it H. G. Wells Well, I’ll be on the first flight To a time before the Kong Whatever happened to Pong?”
12/15/10 6:14 PM
I hear you on “nucular,” but we were taping in a hurry that day! As for Frank Black, I’m as big a fan as anyone (he graciously recorded an icebreaker for us last year, of course), but I thought myself rather clever for adding another level of Gen X nostalgia with “Space Invader.” Perhaps too clever?
I’m trying to find the title of the book about Jackie Robinson that was discussed this morning. Does anyone know? Thanks!
I’m trying to find the title of the book about Jackie Robinson that was discussed this morning. Does anyone know? Thanks!
I’m trying to find the title of the book about Jackie Robinson that was discussed this morning. Does anyone know? Thanks!
I’m trying to find the title of the book about Jackie Robinson that was discussed this morning. Does anyone know? Thanks!