DISGRACELAND – Bonus: Let’s Make a Non-Traditional Christmas Mix and Load the Chamber for Russian Roulette

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Jake Brennan
Episode Type: Interactive Bonus / The Afterparty

Episode Overview

In this Afterparty bonus episode, host Jake Brennan creates a unique, listener-driven “non-traditional Christmas mix” from fan recommendations. The show collects voicemails, texts, and emails exploring lesser-known, offbeat, and sometimes banned or risqué Christmas songs, along with stories and commentary on music history’s darker, weirder corners. Alongside the playlist curation, Jake shares personal stories, shop talk, and teases upcoming main-feed episodes focusing on Johnny Ace, Elvis Presley, and more.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Mission: Building a Non-Traditional Christmas Mix

• Jake lays out the goal: “Let's get into it, Man. You guys love non-traditional Christmas songs… We’re going to dedicate most, if not all of this episode to your responses and try to build a kickass non traditional Christmas mix.” (03:34)
• Strategy: Gather as many listener recommendations as possible, select the best, and break them into a thematic "side one" and "side two" for a curated playlist.

2. Listener Recommendations & Jake’s Commentary

Jake works through a flood of contributions, highlighting the most interesting and offbeat.

Highlighted Recommendations (with Commentary):

• “Christmas was better in the 80s” – The Futureheads (04:33)
  “Future Heads are a great modern-ish UK band… this song does not disappoint. It’s fantastic. Check it out.”

• “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” – Ronnie James Dio & Tony Iommi (05:00)
  “I had no idea existed. This is deliciously weird and totally worthy of your time and this is going on the mix.”

• “2000 Miles” – The Pretenders
  “I really love this song and it seems like I forget about it every year. So thank you…”

• “Christmas Card to a Hooker in Minneapolis” – Tom Waits (06:03)
  "Man, the electric piano sound in this song…I just. I love it. I love it. Just makes me feel like the 1970s are swallowing me up… This isn’t a song, guys. This is a movie. And it’s a movie that I want to see on Christmas."

• Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas Album
  “MVON2013 2015 is not the only one who thinks so. Received a bunch of recommendations for songs from Sufjan Stevens's five disc Christmas album and Put the Lights on the Tree is the one that I'm. I'm going with. Okay.” (07:02)

• “Careless Santa” – They Might Be Giants
  “Gets special consideration not only because these dudes are from Massachusetts, but because it’s got a heavy crime element to it as well.”

• Honorable Mentions:

  • Julian Casablancas & Horatio Sanz's “I Don’t Care What Your Mama Says”
  • “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues
  • “Winterman” by Clarence Reed

3. Notable Voicemails, Texts & Emails

Jake spotlights listener messages, reading or reacting live:

• Tony from the 206 (15:14):

  • Recommends "Thank God It’s Christmas" (Queen) & “Another Lonely Christmas” (Prince).
  • “The second one was actually a B-side by the artist himself, Prince…kind of his version of Blue Christmas…issue a challenge, my brother…”
  • Jake: “Of the two I’d heard the Queen, one never heard the Prince one…It’s fantastic. Just weird enough for Prince, just weird enough, I think, to not be a hit, but it’s great and I love it. Going on the mix.”

• Text from 412:

  • Discussion of Shane MacGowan and a "Very Merry Christmas" (David Johansen).
  • Jake: “Very Merry Christmas is fantastic and the David Johansen stuff is especially great in that movie…”

• Text from 309, Ryan:

  • Suggests Blink 182's “Happy Holidays, You Bastard.”
  • Jake: “I am familiar with the song and I love it. We’re gonna put that on the mix as well…Shout out to all the aliens out there. All the extraterrestrials, all the ultra terrestrials. Happy holidays, guys.”

• Text from 971, Jeff (Oregon):

  • Chet Baker's “Silent Nights” (“isn’t available on Spotify…sounds like a cry for help or drug money…some songs feel rushed and scattered and others are coated in that sugary thick bourbon-esque Chet Baker feel…In other words, it’s fantastic.”)
  • Jake: “Maybe I can find it at Stereo Jacks. Feels like the type of record they’d have…”

• Text from 907, Lisa:

  • “Emmanuel, You’re One of Us” (Rend Collective feat. Ellie Holcomb).
  • Jake: “Great recommend and throw that one on the list…”

• Email from Scott Ward:

  • "If We Make It Through December" (Merle Haggard)
  • “Of course Hag’s If We Make It Through December is going on the list.”

• Email from Craig Cannon (Australia):

  • “How To Make Gravy” (Paul Kelly)
  • Jake: “…brought to my attention a couple years ago by our Australian listeners…Great song and absolutely going on the mix.”

4. Jake’s Digressions, Personal Recommendations, and Record Store Rants

• Record shopping at Stereo Jacks (Somerville, MA):
  “Damn man. Anyone from Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, you want…You want to know what a great record store is? Go to Stereo Jack's in Somerville. And I don't mean I'm not going by vibe, though the vibe is great. I'm going by just the collection, the volume, what's available. My goodness, it's tremendous.”

• Jazz and Blues Shoutouts:
  “If you guys are into jazz and want to hear really unique, unique takes on, on traditional Christmas songs, this Brubeck double album of Christmas jams from 1996…is great.”

5. Upcoming and Exclusive Content Teases

• “Tomorrow: Rewind slot on Mariah Carey. Next week: Russian roulette with Johnny Ace and Elvis Presley.”
• “All Access members get extended episodes, mini-episodes (e.g., Tom Waits, Shane MacGowan and Elvis Costello story), and our new video show This Film Should Be Played Loud.”

6. Banned and Obscene Christmas Songs

• Promises a deeper dive in the All Access section:
  “People get uptight about Christmas songs, man…Whether it’s a seemingly innocuous tune…or perhaps something a little more explicit from the likes of Eazy E or Blowfly…there’s a list of absolutely filthy Christmas songs that are not only risque but they’re kind of hilarious...Also going to talk about the new viral deepfake Ella Fitzgerald so-called banned Christmas song…”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“This isn’t a song, guys. This is a movie, all right? And it’s a movie that I want to see on Christmas.”
— Jake Brennan on Tom Waits’ "Christmas Card to a Hooker in Minneapolis" (06:30)

“I want you to listen to both songs (Queen’s ‘Thank God It’s Christmas’ and Prince’s ‘Another Lonely Christmas’)…issue a challenge, my brother…”
— Tony (Caller) (15:14)

“I love the Prince thing here. It’s fantastic. It’s just weird enough for Prince and just weird enough, I think, to not be a hit…but it’s great and I love it.”
— Jake Brennan responding to Tony’s message (16:34)

“I don't care what your mama says, Christmas time is here—and I'm throwing that one into the mix.”
— Jake Brennan on Julian Casablancas & Horatio Sanz’s song (09:25)

“Happy holidays, guys. I know you’re watching and listening. [To aliens].”
— Jake Brennan, to extraterrestrial listeners, tongue-in-cheek (18:18)

“…Chet Baker’s Silent Nights…sounds like a cry for help or drug money…”
— Jeff from Oregon, text message (19:32)

"What are some unintentional Christmas or holiday songs?...Just as Die Hard is an unintentional Christmas movie, just as Goodfellas is an unintentional Christmas movie..."
— Jake Brennan, teeing up next week's theme (21:20)

The Non-Traditional Christmas Playlist

(Announced at 23:41)

SIDE ONE

1. Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
2. Another Lonely Christmas – Prince
3. 2000 Miles – The Pretenders
4. How to Make Gravy – Paul Kelly
5. Christmas Was Better in the 80s – The Futureheads
6. Put the Lights on the Tree – Sufjan Stevens
7. A Christmas Treat – Julian Casablancas
8. Johnny Ace Christmas – Squirrel Nut Zippers
9. Pledging My Love – Johnny Ace

SIDE TWO

1. Christmas Must Be Tonight – The Band
2. Winterman – Clarence Reid
3. Christmas Card to a Hooker in Minneapolis – Tom Waits
4. Careless Santa – They Might Be Giants
5. I Saw the Light – Todd Rundgren
6. Thank God It's Christmas – Queen
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Dio & Tony Iommi
8. Emmanuel, You’re One of Us – Rend Collective feat. Ellie Holcomb
9. If We Make It Through December – Merle Haggard
10. Pledging My Love – Elvis Presley

Jake will post the final playlist on Patreon, Spotify, and hints at sharing on Instagram. (23:41)

Additional Segments

Preview: “This Film Should Be Played Loud” (New Video Podcast, Patreon Exclusive)

• A sample loosely discusses Eric Clapton, “divorce rock,” and needle drops in The Color of Money and Goodfellas.
• “That's what makes that movie so great…It's of that time, you know?” (29:01)

Closing Recap

• Jake runs through the week’s key content: Shane MacGowan episode, mini-episodes, the Mariah Carey Rewind, Johnny Ace & Elvis, and the Afterparty community.
• “Keep calling [and] texting with your answers…This isn’t just content. It’s community. A community of the obsessed.” (31:02)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:34 — Kick-off: Why non-traditional Christmas songs?
• 04:33 — Listener recommendations begin (The Futureheads)
• 06:03 — Tom Waits discussion (Quote above)
• 08:50 — Sufjan Stevens & They Might Be Giants recommendations
• 09:25 — Julian Casablancas & Horatio Sanz shoutout
• 10:00 — Set up: Segment break and tease upcoming banned/obscene songs discussion
• 12:03 — Side one wrap-up and transition to voicemails/texts
• 15:14 — Tony from the 206 voicemail (Queen & Prince recommendations)
• 16:34 — Jake responds to Tony; more texts and emails (Blink-182, Chet Baker, Rend Collective, Merle Haggard, Paul Kelly etc.)
• 21:20 — Preview: Next week’s question on unintentional Christmas songs
• 23:41 — Playlist revealed: Breakdown of side one & two
• 27:53 — "This Film Should Be Played Loud" sample discussion
• 29:40 — Wrap up, additional content, and closing reflection

Final Notes

• Jake’s irreverent, inclusive tone welcomes all kinds of music obsessives.
• The Disgraceland Afterparty is less about definitive history and more about creating community “in the backyard to dig into the dirt” (03:43).
• The playlist—listener-built, weird, and proudly off-kilter—reflects the show’s ethos: “history that gets buried,” told by a tribe of deep cutters.