Hi. My name is Austin and I used Napster to download Bawitdaba by Kid Rock. I am one of millions who tanked the music industry in the early 2000s. Future Austin wants an apology from Past Austin, as if The Undertaking!’s success would change at all. “excuse me… past Austin? you’re eventually going to end up in the industry…” As they say, hindsight’s 50/50*

25 years of innovation, we’re now stuck with streaming companies. Don’t bite the hand that “feeds” so I won’t be too critical, but to understand me, you need to understand I hate the Netflix method of dropping all episodes of a show at once. I like week to week. I like albums. I listen to an album all the way through. I’m conflicted typing this - I don’t like shows dropping all the episodes but I want an album without singles. Hmmm. Another thought for another time. The purpose of this blurb is to highlight music discovery. It seems to me to be a lost art? In 2025, where do we find new music?** Studies correctly show that people over 30 don’t really want to discover new music. I’m mostly guilty of that, to be fair. Recently, I talked about TRL and the ability to discover music through Carson Daly. Another great option? The radio. 

Here’s my issue: my kids don’t have exposure to old/new music these days. They do, circumstantially, thanks to “The Masked Singer” or a movie like “Sing.” But something is missing. And it might start and end with streaming. My kids spend a lot of time with YouTubers, MineCraft and Netflix shows. On Demand. They want a show, they go watch it. It’s available online, somewhere. Gone are the days of needing to be at your TV at 4pm to catch the newest episode of “Batman: The Animated Series” and if it wasn’t new, you watched the episode that was airing. Gone are the days of listening to Alternative 94.9 in the summer of 2001/2 and hearing new bands. I thank them for the introduction to Jimmy Eat World, System of a Down, Linkin Park. So many bands that made an impact on me were found through the radio. Gone are the days of being ready to record “I’m The Real Slim Shady” by Eminem with a blank cassette tape. As soon as those first bars started playing, you’d smash the record button and capture greatness. Shoot, I’d be remise not to mention the impact of the Disney Channel and the NSync/Backstreet Boys/Britney Spears concerts that they’d put together. I’m 90% the first CD I bought was the first NSync album. I’m working out my issues as I type but maybe we have too many options. If dad was working in his garage, he was listening to classic rock. You’re driving in mom’s Volvo and you either had the alanis morissette cassette tape or Star 100.7 playing all the new pop stuff. Nowadays, are there too many options? Options are good. If I’m cleaning the house, I’m most likely putting my headphones in and listening to an album or podcast. My household isn’t hearing it when they’re each on their own devices as well. Hmmmm. Options are good though. Hmmmm. There’s just SOMETHING missing and I can’t figure it out.

Well, here’s what I’m trying to do: When driving in the car, I’ve been playing the radio. No screens. No Spotify. Just good ol’ fashion radio. Radio kinda sucks. Ha! Especially when the classic rock stations are playing Linkin Park and Jimmy Eat World (guys… I must be getting older). Regardless of the quality, we’re listening to the radio. We’re listening to whatever the DJ has to play for us. My kids are coming around to it. We seem to dig Blink 182. We seem to like Nirvana. Red Hot Chili Peppers… still red hot garbage. I’m doing my best to give my kids a music education. I’ll lose to “Its Raining Tacos” or “Sigma Boys” but I’m doing my best. I’ll always lose to the internet. But I’ll still fight for moments like Henry saying he liked the music but didn’t like the words when listening to “Stacy’s Mom” hahahahahaha. I’ll update y’all on how the music education is going eventually. Wish me luck. As Kid Rock said…”And this is for the questions that don’t have any answers” And yes, this is hopefully the last time I ever mention Kid Rock. 

Neither video nor radio killed the music star… it was streaming. Welcome to the music wasteland that is 2025. 

*I know the saying is 20/20. 

**No but for reals… where do we find new music? I’m not clicking on a Lambgoat article that highlights a new band…

SHOWS

Next week!! Wednesday, June 25 w/ Confessions of a Traitor. Their tour started this past week and it seems to be going well. Wish Meadows was coming out west, but we’re stoked to play with Bloodlines and our buds in Lightworker. Grab your ticket if you want to come. We’ll be playing 2 new songs.

We have two San Diego shows in August. Its not going to happen but we are trying to get our new EP done by then. Would LOOOOOVE to have vinyl or cassettes of the EP available at those shows. Not streaming yet, but exclusive to the shows. How cool would that be?

No Movie Updates

I’ve been playing Tears of the Kingdom on the Switch 2. I love that game so much. Almost have all the shrines. and Johnny just introduced the companion app to me so now I’m CRUSHING.

Don’t forget to use promo code “newsletter” for a BOGO type deal at our merch store.

Also, join our discord and complain about how bad the red hot chili peppers are.