Do you ever talk about your favorite things through top 5 lists? Like, you have your top 5 tv shows, or top 5 songs, etc. No? Just me? Cool.

When I look back at my favorite movies and soundtracks, you'll find The Crow in the top 5 of both categories. The film still makes me feel emotions I didn't think possible. It's such a heavy film to me even 31 years after its release. Maybe watching it brings back grief from the loss of Brandon Lee. Or maybe The Crow is packed with emotional content and themes. To this day I still tear up at one particular moment in the film (which we discuss in the podcast). What's wrong with me?

In the latest installment of the Pop Classics series, Alisha Mughal has taken on the task of taking us on a deep dive of the classic film. Her book 'It Can't Rain All The Time' is available now and I think any movie fan will enjoy it.

In this episode we discuss the history and folklore about The Crow, how you can find similarities with the John Wick universe, how incredible Brandon Lee truly was and so much more.

In the same way that we use B.C. and A.D. to describe time and eras, I think we should have a new way to describe pre-2000 and post-2000. The world started to shift in ways that were never imaginable when we entered into the 21st century. We never got our flying cars and hoverboards (well, REAL hoverboards). Instead we got social media, fake news and consumerism at insane levels.

I want to continue my pop culture run this week with a conversation with author Colette Shade. She's written a really interesting book called 'Y2K: How the 2000's Became Everything (Essays On The Future That Never Was).' As someone who was 18 as the clock turned to January 1, 2000, it was fun to take a trip down memory lane. I read this through the lens of 'if I knew then what I know now' and some of the things really blew my mind.

I hope you enjoy our conversation and I highly suggest her book.

I'm still not comfortable with referencing things from my youth as 'nostalgia.' But here we are. I'm taking us on a trip down memory lane to a magical time called 'The 90's.'

With me today is educator, and author, Veronica Litt. She's penned a new book about the classic pop culture gem Clueless. The book is called, 'Ugh! As If?' Can you even think of a better title?

Despite on its face looking like a teen rom-com set in wealthy Los Angeles in the mid-90's, Clueless has stood the test of time because it is much deeper than most people think. And I'm not just talking about it's roots being based on the Jane Austen classic 'Emma.'

I hope you enjoy this conversation, and I hope you check out the book when it comes out on June 3rd, 2025.

I've been trying for a long time to find an excuse to have this guest back on the show. I'm excited to welcome back singer and podcaster Ray Harkins. He's the host of the '100 Words Or Less' podcast and he's the frontman of the new hardcore band Bloodguilt.

Bloodguilt kind of popped up out of nowhere. I just started seeing Ray posting about it on social media one day and I was shocked. But the music is great. It has a sense of urgency and it feels like it needs to be heard.

In this conversation, Ray and I discuss how Bloodguilt came together, what it's like to grow up in the hardcore scene, and how important the recommendations your friends make on social media are.

Like millions of other people during the pandemic, I discovered the Netflix series 'Drive To Survive' and became obsessed. I knew almost nothing about Formula One besides the content that I'd occasionally see covered on Sports Center back in the day. But DTS brought me back in. It's not even the racing that really revs my engine. I'm more interested in the behind the scenes drama. Who is going to drive with who, and which teams are in trouble. All of that is covered in DTS and immediately made me a Formula One fan.

This week's conversation is with Luke Smith, the senior Formula One correspondent for Formula One. He just published a book filled with his own personal stories called 'On The Grid: Live Behind The Scenes Of Formula One.' We had a great chat about the sport, it's growing popularity, Smith's own driving record and why he thinks DTS is responsible for him still having a job.

To find more from Luke, you can check out his posts HERE

If I had to give you a few topics that I'm always down to discuss, Taylor Swift would come in near the top of the list. There are so many aspects to her unbelievable career that we could dive into.

Today we're stepping into the business of Taylor Swift. Kevin Evers, editor at the Harvard Business Review, has put together a fascinating book about the behind the scenes of Taylor's career. It's called 'There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius Of Taylor Swift.'

If you're a Taylor fan, or you know one, this book will be a glimpse into some of the themes from her career that you probably didn't know about.

I can't tell you how many days and hours I spent in dusty, or paved, parking lots in various cities watching the Warped Tour. It was a part of my summer every year for about a decade. I wouldn't miss it. As much joy as I found at the Warped Tour, it never would've happened without Lollapalooza.

First launched in 1991 as a farewell tour for Janes Addiction, Lollapalooza ended up launching a series of touring festivals, and even helped to shape the festival scene that we have now.

Authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour have put together what I think is a remarkable oral history of Lollapalooza. They spoke with everyone to create this book called 'Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story Of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival.'

Do you remember that old SNL skit with Chris Farley where he would interview famous people? It was so uncomfortable, but yet funny. He would act like a nervous fan. For example, he interviewed Paul McCartney once and said, "You remember when you were with the Beatles? That was awesome."

I was very concerned that this interview might go down the same path. I'm such a fan of the guests on this episode. Their song Point Your Finger changed the way I hear music. I'm not even exaggerating. The three part harmonies that come out of their mouths are unmatched.

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Trousdale. They have a new album coming out on April 11th, and a tour kicking off on April 30th. Both of which I'm very excited about. Hopefully I didn't fanboy too hard during this conversation and you enjoy it.

If you haven't heard their stuff yet, please check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.