About this episode
What do George Michael, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and the Powerpuff Girls have in common? The answer, as you'll learn on this episode, is a funk drumming legend named Clyde Stubblefield. We'll also talk about flipped drum beats, Sting's taste for syncopation, the differences between cheap and expensive musical instruments, how to tell a bridge from a prechorus, the power of a four-note motif, the unexpected places you can find songwriting inspiration, and Muse's subtle hat-tip to a George Michael classic. FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE: “Darling” by Real Estate from In Mind , 2017 "Ghost Story" by Sting from Brand New Day , 1999 “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks , 1964 “Walking on Broken Glass” and "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox from Diva , 1992 Skins theme by Segal, 2007 “Kiss” by Prince from Parade , 1986 "Beneath the Snow" by Kirk Hamilton from... well, it's never been published "Dig Down" by Muse from Simulation Theory , 2017 “Freedom ’90” by George Michael, 1990 “Royals” by Lorde from Pure Heroine , 2013 “Funky Drummer” by James Brown feat. Clyde Stubblefield, 1970 “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, 1989 “Save Me” by Nicki Minaj, 2010 “Shirtsleeves” by Ed Sheeran, 2014 The Powerpuff Girls theme, by James L. Venable, 1998 A complete list of songs that sample Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break on “Funky Drummer” Ben Sisario’s 2011 NYT feature on Stubblefield OUTRO SOLOIST: Mel Carroll Mel Carroll is a saxophonist and music teacher based in Portland, OR, where she plays with bands like like Special Purpose and the all-women 90s cover band Sideboob. Her main music project is The Flat Nines, a chill jazz funk group with a new EP, "No Hate," coming in spring of 2022. You can find more at theflatnines.com . -------------------- JANUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey JANUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. 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