Round Round Get Around I Get Around

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand: Round Round Get Around I Get Around
Release Date: June 11, 2025
Host: Armstrong & Michael Getty
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

---

Introduction to the Episode

In the "Round Round Get Around I Get Around" episode of the Armstrong & Getty On Demand podcast, hosts Armstrong and Michael delve deep into the realms of music history, personal tastes, and the evolving landscape of the music industry. Skipping over the introductory segments and advertisements, the duo engages in a lively and insightful conversation that spans decades of musical evolution, touching upon iconic bands, personal anecdotes, and the challenges faced by artists in maintaining relevance.

---

The Legacy of the Spice Girls

The episode kicks off with a nostalgic reflection on the Spice Girls, a band that once dominated the pop scene in the 1990s. Armstrong reminisces about their peak popularity, noting, "When were the Spice Girls hot?" (02:57). Michael responds with a concise, “90s. That's longer ago than I would like to admit” (02:57). The conversation shifts to the individual members, highlighting Victoria Beckham's transition from pop star to fashion icon, while also addressing attempts by other members to rebrand themselves for inclusivity, which Armstrong finds somewhat amusing.

Notable Quote:

• Armstrong: "If you're a trans man, do you feel like you can't be...I don't know what it was." (03:35)

---

Tribute to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys

A significant portion of the discussion honors the late Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, who recently passed away at age 82. Michael provides an emotional tribute, emphasizing Wilson's pivotal role as the creative force behind the band. “He was the creative engine of the Beach Boys. He wrote, arranged, envisioned... he came up with all that” (04:02).

The hosts delve into Wilson's contributions, his struggles with mental health, and the tumultuous relationship with his father, Murray Wilson. Armstrong poignantly remarks on the dark side of Wilson's genius, saying, “Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys was legit crazy” (05:37). Michael expands on this, discussing the severe impact of his father's abuse on his mental well-being (05:40).

Notable Quotes:

• Michael: "He was the creative engine of the Beach Boys." (04:02)
• Armstrong: "Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys was legit crazy." (05:37)

---

Evolution of Music and Modern Pop Critique

Transitioning from classic rock to contemporary sounds, Armstrong inquires about Michael's least favorite music genres, to which Michael candidly responds, “Polka. Big and Sheboygan” (07:37) and later criticizes modern pop music as “corporate crap” (07:45). The discussion highlights the disconnect some artists feel with today's music scene, emphasizing a yearning for authenticity over commercial success.

Armstrong shares his recent interest in Harry Styles, praising his versatility and artistic evolution. “His three albums are all so different... he's closer to like David Bowie and Prince and Queen” (08:56). Michael, while acknowledging his own disinterest in certain modern genres like electronica and house music, remains open-minded, stating, “I just need people to direct me to the stuff that's good” (09:21).

Notable Quotes:

• Michael: “They’re all corporate crap. It’s like... Why am I doing this?” (07:49)
• Armstrong: “Harry Styles is really something... he's closer to like David Bowie and Prince and Queen” (08:56)

---

The Impact of Fame on Musical Artists

The hosts explore how fame and widespread recognition can alter an artist's relationship with their music. Armstrong expresses concern over the mainstream success of niche artists, fearing it might "ruin it" (09:40). They discuss examples like Lil Nas X and how modern platforms can both elevate and constrain artistic expression.

Michael reflects on the sustainability of a music career based solely on hit songs, using Billy Ray Cyrus as an example. “If you had like one multi-million seller, sure. You could live off that the rest of your days” (13:19). This segues into a broader conversation about financial stability for artists in today’s music industry.

Notable Quotes:

• Armstrong: “It’s disappointing to me. I like it.” (09:40)
• Michael: “If you had like one multi-million seller, sure. You could live off that the rest of your days.” (13:19)

---

Personal Anecdotes and Industry Insights

Throughout the episode, Armstrong and Michael share personal stories and insights into the music industry's inner workings. Michael recounts his experience with a member of a nationally known band who, despite fame, led a modest life and even gave music lessons on the side (14:00). This underscores the unpredictable nature of musical success and the varying personal paths artists may take.

Armstrong muses about the transient nature of music popularity, pondering how artists adapt (12:05). The conversation highlights the balance between artistic integrity and commercial demands, a recurring theme for many musicians navigating the modern landscape.

---

Conclusion

"Round Round Get Around I Get Around" offers listeners a rich tapestry of reflections on music's past, present, and future. Armstrong and Michael blend humor with poignant observations, providing a comprehensive look at the challenges and triumphs within the music world. Whether reminiscing about the Spice Girls, paying homage to Brian Wilson, or critiquing modern pop trends, the episode delivers thoughtful commentary that resonates with both long-time music enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

Final Notable Quote:

• Michael: “Funky, though. Funky.” (12:05)

---

Key Takeaways

• Nostalgia vs. Modernity: The hosts balance their appreciation for classic bands with a critical eye on current music trends, highlighting the tension between timeless artistry and ephemeral popularity.

• Artist Mental Health: A heartfelt tribute to Brian Wilson sheds light on the mental health struggles faced by artists, emphasizing the importance of support systems in the creative industry.

• Sustainability in Music Careers: Discussions on financial stability reveal the complexities artists face in maintaining their careers beyond fleeting fame.

• Personal Connections: Armstrong and Michael's anecdotes add depth to the conversation, illustrating how personal experiences shape their perspectives on music and fame.

---

This episode of Armstrong & Getty serves as a compelling exploration of music's enduring influence and the ever-changing dynamics of the industry. Through engaging dialogue and candid insights, listeners gain a deeper understanding of both the art and the artist behind the music they love.

Transcript

[Ryan]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Joe]

You know what's great about your investment account with the big guys? It's actually a time machine. Log in and zoom. Welcome back to 1999. It's time for an upgrade. At public.com you can invest in almost everything. Stocks, bonds, options and more. You could even put your cash to work at an industry leading 4.1% APY. Leave your clunky, outdated platform behind at public.com go to public.com and fund your account in five minutes or less. Paid for by Public Investing, Inc. Member FINRA and SIP. Full [e-mail] disclosures for some of us.

[Ryan]

Personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent where Money means more Connect with us [e-mail] it is Ryan here and.

[Michael]

I have a question for you. What do you do when you win? Like are you a fist pumper?

[Armstrong]

A woohooer?

[Michael]

A hand clapper? A high fiver? If you want to hone in on those winning moves, check out Chumba Casino. Choose from hundreds of social casino style games for your chance to redeem serious cash prizes. There are new game releases weekly plus free daily bonuses, so don't wait. Start having the most Fun [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply.

[Unknown]

Have you ever wiped with a piece of dry single ply toilet paper and wondered is this as good as it gets? Well, it's not. It gets a lot better. Thanks to the wet extra large cleaning power of Dude Wipes, they comfortably clean up whatever TP leaves behind on your behind. It's time to stop being an A hole to your B hole and start experiencing the confident clean of Dude Wipes. Available at Amazon and at major retailers nationwide. Dude Wipes Best Clean Pants down.

[Armstrong]

You know, some people say that Odoo business management software is like fertilizer, the way it promotes growth and all. But other people say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable. And there's some people who would even say Odoo's individual software programs come together to build the perfect suite like building blocks. Well, Odoo is all of these things. Fertilizer Magic Beanstalk Building blocks for business. So sign up [e-mail] o d o o.com round round get around I get around it's one more thing Armstrong and Getty. One more thing before we get to the Beach Boys and a more deep dive discussion of music, maybe in general. I saw this about the Spice Girls, who haven't been a thing for. When were the spice girls hot?

[Michael]

90S.

[Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michael]

In the 90s. That's longer ago than I would like to admit.

[Armstrong]

And the only one that, like, you know, isn't waiting tables, as far as I know, is Victoria Beckham, because she married, you know, the soccer player and became a really big deal. She was Posh Spice. Well, one of the other Spice Girls, and I don't know which one, and I'm not going to Google it because I don't care, came out and said that they should change their names to be more inclusive and wanted everything to be listed on Apple Music and everything as a Spice People or something like that. That girls was, you know, because of trans. Okay, you know what? If you're a trans man, do you feel like you can't be. I don't know what it was. But anyway, so the only Spice person that anybody's ever heard of before Victoria Beckham came out and said, okay, well, we know who's Woke Spice, which I thought was pretty funny.

[Michael]

Dumbass Spice. Yeah. Woke Spice. That's good. Yeah.

[Armstrong]

More important musically, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has died at age 82. Joe, for people who don't know, what was he to the Beach Boys?

[Michael]

Oh, he was their auteur. He was everything.

[Armstrong]

If I knew what that word meant, I would be highly impressed.

[Michael]

He was the creative engine of the Beach Boys. He wrote, arranged, envisioned, not only, you know, chord pattern, melody lyrics, but he heard the arrangements in his head, the weird experimental sounds and. And haunting reverb harmonies and all. He just. He. He came up with all that.

[Armstrong]

So he, like, produced the albums also?

[Michael]

Yeah, yeah. He often with other people's help, but. So it wasn't Mike Love. No, it's funny.

[Armstrong]

Mike Love, the front man for the Beach Boys. Like, the least impressive of them all, I think, isn't he, musically? I mean, he could sing, obviously.

[Michael]

Yeah, he's fine. But, yeah, he stands there in his sailor's hat and sings, which is fine. He made another damn good living at it. But, yeah, And Brian Wilson stopped touring because he was just a little too crazy and delicate and had stage fright and all sorts of stuff.

[Armstrong]

Did he play instruments and sing Brian. Yeah.

[Michael]

Oh, yeah. He played piano and guitar and. And yeah, he sang lead on a lot of their hits. Oh, really? He just. He wouldn't sing it. Sing live. That was one of the cool things about the Beach Boys. And there are a couple of bands like this, like the band, which is one of our mutual, you know, musical gods. The chief songwriter would say, you know, I think this wouldn't sound good if Carl Wilson sung it. Like some of those beautiful. God only knows, which is a lot of high pitched and falsetto. That's Carl Wilson, I believe. And Brian would think this sound great. Of Carl sang it, so.

[Armstrong]

And Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys was legit crazy.

[Michael]

Yeah, yeah, he had some pretty serious mental illness problems. He was abused terribly as a child. I didn't know what was the name of that. That documentary.

[Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michael]

His dad, Murray Wilson, was harsh, abusive, belittling. He would humiliate Brian over and over again when he didn't, you know, live up to his expectations.

[Armstrong]

Those his brothers, the other people in the Beach Boys. Or cousins.

[Michael]

And cousins. Yeah.

[Armstrong]

But so did it. Was it. Were his brothers abused also?

[Michael]

I think Brian. And if you've ever known a dysfunctional family, often there's one special target of abusive asshole dad.

[Armstrong]

Sometimes the only target for some weird reason.

[Michael]

Yeah, yeah.

[Armstrong]

Which is horrible.

[Michael]

And I'm like, not an expert on the Beach Boys or anything, but you're.

[Armstrong]

More than I am.

[Michael]

But yeah, he was used to torture. Genius, huh?

[Armstrong]

And then he had that fascination with the Beatles because they were at the same time and friendly rivals. Yeah.

[Michael]

Those stories are actually really cool because each band's album would come out and the other band would say, oh my God, that's unbelievably cool. What have we got? Where do we go? What do we do? So it was a very positive, you know, spurring each other forward creatively, period.

[Armstrong]

I think there's like AB Beach Boys still touring with like a bunch of 20 year olds and they call themselves the Beach Boys or something like. Right. You can go to your county fair and see them if you want.

[Michael]

Right? Sure, yeah. If you can get people that pay 20 bucks to show up for that, more power to you. I'm a capitalist. Shameless.

[Armstrong]

I was wondering, just since we were talking about music, and I know you have strong opinions on much of this, what's your least favorite kind of music? Because I like a lot of different kinds of music. And like, I might get in my car and it might be nine Minute jazz or it might be two Minute pop, or who knows What? But depending on my mood, what's your least favorite kind of music?

[Michael]

Wow. I'd say polka.

[Armstrong]

Polka. Polka. Polka. Big and Sheboygan. That's one of my favorite John Candy lines.

[Michael]

A lot of modern pop music I just can't listen to.

[Armstrong]

You just can't listen to it?

[Michael]

Yeah, it just. I can hear exactly what they're doing, why they're doing it, and how they did it. And it's all corporate crap. It's like, you know, it's like going to Ruth's Chris and wolfing down hot dogs. Like, bad hot dogs. Why am I doing this? They're delicious. You know, steaks to be consumed. But, you know, if it makes you happy and lifts the load of life off you for a while, kick out the jams. Mfers. To quote the. The. The. The Motor City 5. The MC5. Yeah, I don't care. I just don't get it. Now. There's some music I listen to intellectually and am impressed by, but I would never listen to it for fun, like. Like electronica and house music and stuff like that. I think, wow, that's interesting how they changed the beat. Now they've got that little melody and now, oh, there's another layer to it to keep the dancing people interested. And I think, oh, that's cool. But then I'd never listen to it.

[Armstrong]

I've been on my Harry Styles kick lately. Man, that guy is really something.

[Michael]

Wow. I should dig in.

[Armstrong]

Oh, his first of all. His three albums are all so different, that first album. Every track is a different kind of music, which is. He's closer to like David Bowie and Prince and. And Queen than he is anything else, but.

[Michael]

Cool.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, very interesting dude. Why he wears ladies clothes, I have no idea. Because he's a straight.

[Michael]

I. I am not knee jerk contemptuous of like modern music or even modern pop music. I just need people to direct me to the stuff that's good because I don't have time to plow through it. Because when you're a kid and it was one of the great pleasures, honestly, you plowed through all sorts of music to find the stuff you really like.

[Armstrong]

Here's a weird thing that we've talked about this before. This is a weird thing that happens when you're into some music and it becomes more popular and it kind of like ruins it for you, which is weird. You know, you should want them to be successful and make more money and everything, but like turnpike troubadours, which I wouldn't have known anybody even had, like there was more than like 100 people in the country that even knew they were. I mean, a tiny band. You could have gone see him. Maybe you still can, but you could have gone and seen him with 30 other people at some place in your town and, you know, whatever, and. But CBS News did a big feature on him on Sunday morning a week ago, and it was weird. It gave me an awe. You're gonna show. You're gonna tell the whole country about Turnbike. I don't want that to happen. And it's just. I don't know. It's weird. It's disappointing to me. I like it.

[Michael]

I'm cool. Because I know about them.

[Armstrong]

Or just.

[Joe]

I.

[Armstrong]

It will ruin it somehow or. I don't know. Probably won't.

[Michael]

Sly Stone passed away recently. Sly and Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone. And I just got a tip on an album to listen to. I've never heard that. Had no hits on it, but they said that's the one that really, really as music making. I haven't heard it yet, but fresh from 1973.

[Armstrong]

Rocky's younger brother.

[Michael]

No, no, different fella. Stone, not Stallone. He.

[Armstrong]

Oh, the guy that Trump. That has Trump Nixon tattooed across his back.

[Michael]

Does he?

[Armstrong]

The Stone guy that helped out Trump? Roger Stone.

[Michael]

Roger Stone, again, different fella. A black man, for one thing. So it's easier to tell him apart from Roger Stone.

[Armstrong]

Okay.

[Michael]

But one of the great coke heads ever produced by America, unfortunately, creative genius got onto the Bolivian marching powder. Just ruined his life.

[Armstrong]

Oh, yes. Michael.

[Michael]

I don't know if you guys remember, way back 2017, they did a tribute to him on the Grammys. And he came out briefly. It was bizarre because he came out briefly on stage, kind of nodded his head, looked at the crowd, and then disappeared back in the curtain.

[Armstrong]

Right.

[Michael]

It was weird.

[Armstrong]

Didn't he live up in Placerville or something? We heard from somebody in his band. It was. I don't know if it was him or somebody in the band once years ago.

[Michael]

I mean, he didn't sing or anything. Didn't say it was strange.

[Armstrong]

He's like, I don't like this. Yeah, walked back out.

[Michael]

Not too bad. Funky, though. Funky.

[Armstrong]

One more music note that we've also discussed a lot, which I find interesting. I would love if you could take various became wealthy people's careers, put them in the modern era where you can't make money off of having a hit song. Oh, yeah, you make nothing off. I have a hit song and see where they would be. And one example is currently Dating Elizabeth Hurley. Billy Ray Cyrus. She, she just had her 60th birthday. Put out some nudie pics with. With, with Billy Ray Cyrus and they're together now at the same age and she still looks fantastic. Of course how could you tell with modern ability to change pictures, sure. But Billy Ray Cyrus and Achy Breaky Heart, you do that now. Congratulations. Everybody heard your song. For six months you made no money whatsoever. Depends on how hard you work. Wanting to travel around the country playing that song every single night.

[Michael]

And he.

[Armstrong]

And because the reason I thought of this is because Elizabeth Hurley was visiting him on his 900 acre ranch in Tennessee with his 30,000 square foot house and all this different sort of stuff and because he got so wealthy and now I don't know if you'd have been able to quit your job with having Achy Breaky Heart as a hit.

[Michael]

Yeah, you could if you invested reasonably well. If you had like one multi million seller, sure. You could live off that the rest of your days.

[Armstrong]

Absolutely. Yep. Could made your whole life.

[Michael]

Well, when I've talked about this and I'm not going to name any names if you're a detective you could probably figure it out. Partly because this band would just despise my politics but I got to know one member in particular of a nationally known band pretty well and. And this person who's an incredible musician gives for a long time gave lessons to kids when they weren't on tour. Because you just being in a big famous band, unless you are a huge crazy famous band, it's a modest living.

[Armstrong]

Sure. So I think Billy Ray Cyrus has the same size hit now. And you find out while he's fixing your air conditioner.

[Michael]

Oh, you're the guy who had Achy breaky yard.

[Armstrong]

I'll be done. Yeah, yeah. And then I got into air conditioner repair and yeah.

[Michael]

Check in with Lil nas X in 15 years for instance.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. Perfect example. Perfect example.

[Michael]

Yeah. Well, I guess that's it.

[Joe]

You know what's great about your investment account with the big guys? It's actually a time machine. Log in and zoom. Welcome back to 1999. It's time for an upgrade. At public.com you can invest in almost everything. Stocks, bonds, options and more. You could even put your cash to work at an industry leading 4.1% APY. Leave your clunky outdated platform behind at public.com go to public.com and fund your account in five minutes or less. Paid for by Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Full [e-mail] disclosures for some of us.

[Ryan]

Personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent where Money means more Connect with.

[Unknown]

[e-mail] have you ever wiped with a piece of dry single ply toilet paper and wondered, is this as good as it gets? Well, it's not. It gets a lot better. Thanks to the wet extra large cleaning power of Dude Wipes, they comfortably clean up whatever TP'd leaves behind on your behind. It's time to stop being an A hole to your B hole and start experiencing the confident clean of Dude Wipes. Available at Amazon and at major retailers nationwide. Dude Wipes Best Clean Pants down.

[Joe]

Clorox.

[Armstrong]

Sentiva Smells like grapefruit, cleans like Clorox. It feels like yay.

[Michael]

Okay, we could be here all day.

[Armstrong]

Try Clorox Scentiva for a trusted clean.

[Ryan]

With long lasting freshness. Also available in lavender and coconut.

[Michael]

News as directed this message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest with your guardrails in place. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] iheart this is an Iheart podcast.