Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Playdio Day One – Bands 6–10

Episode: 11-24-25
Date: November 24, 2025
Host(s): John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Theme: Day one of Playdio, a local music contest on Arizona’s 98KUPD, featuring submitted tracks from five local bands. The crew reacts live — with humor, critique, and trademark sarcasm — to each song, sharing their candid opinions on songwriting, production, and band bios.

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode focuses on Playdio's ongoing quest to discover the Valley’s next breakout local rock act. Holmberg and crew present and judge five bands (entries 6–10), listening to their submissions, reading their bios, and delivering unfiltered feedback. The hosts provide both technical and comical critiques, aiming to entertain and help up-and-comers improve — or at least survive brutal honesty.

Bands Reviewed & Discussion Breakdown

1. Get to the Chopper — "Bounty Hunter"

[04:47–09:29]

Band Intro:

• The band embraces an '80s/'90s action hero/comic/funk/rap-rock persona; lots of nerd culture references.
• Bio described as “the musical equivalent of a bemuscled and mulleted action hero… fueled by love for '80s and '90s pop culture.” (Brady, 03:37)

Song Play & Reaction:

• The hosts are swiftly grumpy about the "37 second intro" before the song gets going.
• “It just took forever…When do we get to the chopper?” (Brady, 06:45)
• “Way too long in the intro, which bored us and wasn’t what I was expecting. Then when 311 started rapping… you know the way to my heart is not through white guy rapping.” (Brady, 06:59)
• “Started good, but then I punched my kid.” (Listener Travis, via text, 08:20)
• Some recognize fun production, but not enough substance or originality; suggestion that their talents are better suited to PR than music.
• Ratings: Brady 4.7, Brett 3, John 5.

Notable Quotes:

• “The intro could be cut in half for sure. It’s the Yeasty Boys.” – Brady [08:13]
• “Grab your walkman, dust off your He-Man figures, and get to the chopper—we’re about to roll a natural 20 on your eardrums. You ready boys?” – Brady reading bio [04:48]

2. Withering Heat — "Love My Addictions"

[09:59–16:21]

Band Intro:

• Spelling errors in band name — “Withering” vs. “Weathering” Heat confuses hosts from the outset.
• Promises a “first-ever hard rock ukulele solo.”

Song Play & Reaction:

• Anticipation for a ukulele solo largely unmet.
• “Where’s my ukulele? Where’s the sexy ukulele you promise?” (John, 13:29)
• Negative jokes about the sound — compared unflatteringly to “dogs in heat.”
• Listeners and hosts agree: no compelling hook, and lyrics are muddy.
• Ratings: Brady 2, Brett 3, John 4.

Notable Quotes:

• “Maybe one of the first heavy metal solos on a ukulele ever recorded. All right, you piqued my interest… you spelled your name wrong.” – Brady [11:03]
• “That song’s just not good. This one says they sound like Corrosion of Conformity if those guys had Down syndrome.” – Brady reading text [15:34]

3. Majin Mood — "Ultron"

[17:33–23:03]

Band Intro:

• Name is awkward to pronounce (Ma-jin Mood), needs phonetic explanation.
• Mention opening for Josie Scott (of Saliva) and recording an album at Full Well Studios.

Song Play & Reaction:

• Hosts enjoy the musical intro riff but dislike the drawn-out beginning and the vocal performance.
• “Just start right when it goes. And then your singer’s… no. Yeah, that’s about it.” – Brady [21:23]
• Some production quality recognized, but vocal mix is lacking—voice is drowned out.
• Listeners point out everything is “the exact same speed,” with no dynamic changes.
• Ratings: Brady 4, Brett 4, John 5.

Notable Quotes:

• “I didn't like Majin Mood. Evidently it's from Dragon Ball Z—didn’t know that.” – Brady [21:49]
• “Is it clear to me that the guitarist paid for everything?” – John [22:20]

4. Rattlesnake Suitcase — "Loving Free"

[23:08–31:36]

Band Intro:

• Returning band; noted for strong past performance and their tailgating spirit.
• “Taking influences from all your stepdad’s favorite rock bands and taking beer from your fridge without asking.” (Brady, quoting bio)

Song Play & Reaction:

• Immediate acknowledgment of professionalism and solid production values.
• Sound compared to Nickelback and associated bands: “It sounded very much like that stable of bands Nickelback brought in.” (Brady, 29:52)
• Hosts note the song is linear and could be a country crossover with the right producer, likening potential to Jelly Roll or Chris Stapleton styles.
• Clearly stands out as a top submission of the day.
• Ratings: Brady 7, Brett 6, John 6.

Notable Quotes:

• “You can tell when somebody cares. And that was good production and, you know, good performance.” – Brady [28:20]
• “If you get the right producer, that’s a country hit.” – Brady [30:11]
• “It's like Kid Rock if he was a good musician.” – Brady [31:01]

5. Bad Skin — "No Plans"

[32:02–37:08]

Band Intro:

• Solo acoustic act, real name Chris Coombs (“Coombs, you’re an idiot.” – Brady, 32:54)
• Massive confidence: “Cannot wait to win this thing 100%.”

Song Play & Reaction:

• Song and recording panned across the board.
• “Did he record that in his car? It took us all a second to realize we're not Brady. He was singing through the first 15 seconds. Nobody heard.” – John [35:05]
• Range of comparisons: Adam Sandler’s SNL songs, James Gumm from Silence of the Lambs, a bad open mic night.
• Hosts and listeners pile on with harsh jokes; some texts compare the experience to “melanoma” and “suicide songs.”
• Ratings: Brady 1, Brett 0, John 1.

Notable Quotes:

• “That was legendarily terrible.” – Brady [34:59]
• “Reminds me of Animal House, where that guy’s singing on the steps and Belushi comes up and smashes his guitar.” – Brett [37:33]
• “It’s called ‘No Plans’—because now we realize he has no plans on getting laid anytime soon.” – John [38:36]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Band | |------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 04:47–09:29 | Get to the Chopper – "Bounty Hunter" | | 09:59–16:21 | Withering Heat – "Love My Addictions" | | 17:33–23:03 | Majin Mood – "Ultron" | | 23:08–31:36 | Rattlesnake Suitcase – "Loving Free" | | 32:02–37:08 | Bad Skin – "No Plans" |

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• "The intro could be cut in half for sure. It's the Yeasty Boys." – Brady on Get to the Chopper [08:13]
• “Where’s my ukulele? Where’s the sexy ukulele you promise?” – John on Withering Heat [13:29]
• “Is it clear as it is to me that the guitarist paid for everything?” – John on Majin Mood [22:20]
• “If you get the right producer, that’s a country hit.” – Brady on Rattlesnake Suitcase [30:11]
• “That was legendarily terrible.” – Brady on Bad Skin’s submission [34:59]
• “Reminds me of Animal House, where that guy’s singing on the steps and Belushi comes up and smashes his guitar.” – Brett [37:33]

Tone & Atmosphere

• The episode is packed with banter, dry humor, and sarcasm, punctuated by occasional moments of genuine musical insight.
• Hosts are brutally honest but intermittently supportive, encouraging growth for the best submissions.
• Listeners are drawn into the reviews via live texts, contributing their own zingers and candid reactions.

Final Thoughts

Standout: Rattlesnake Suitcase (“Loving Free”) is the clear leader so far thanks to professionalism, energy, and production, though the band is gently teased for creating “stepdad rock.” Room for Improvement: Most bands are criticized for long, repetitive intros and weak vocals, with repeated advice: cut intros, focus on quality recording, and don’t overpromise in bios. Overall: A classic Playdio round—equal parts comedic roast, real talk, and local music discovery.

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