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Alan Cross
Hey, it's Alan. And I just wanted to let you know that you can now listen to the ongoing history of new music. Early and ad free on Amazon Music included with Prime.
Ryan Reynolds
This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want, like that dream house or ride, is a great feeling. That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home and auto bundling. Just another way to save with a personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.
Alan Cross
The summer is heating up with Marvel Studios. The Fantastic Four. Light them up, Johnny. On July 25th.
Josh Kiska
Time to save the planet.
Alan Cross
What's the plan? Trust me. I hate that plan. Come on. Terrible. That's a stupid plan. Prepare for fantastic.
Ryan Reynolds
We will face this together as a family.
Alan Cross
Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four First Steps only in theaters July 25th. May PG13 summit may be inappropriate for children under 13. Get tickets now. Music is one of those things that can bring families together. And sometimes that togetherness grows into a business. The Beachies had the three Gibb brothers. Baby brother Andy Gibb was also part of that universe for a while. Then there's the Beach Boys. The original lineup included Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson and their cousin, Mike Love. Murray Wilson, the father of Brian, Dennis and Carl, was their manager. He was terrible at it. In fact, Murray was the worst thing ever for his sons. But at least they were all together, or something like that. Three brothers, their father and a cousin. Then we have the Cowsills. This was a 60s pop group from Rhode island who had a series of hits. Six siblings in this Bob, Bill, Barry, John Paul and Susan. They ranged from 8 to 18. And they were joined by their mother, Barbara. And before you ask, yes, this arrangement was the inspiration for the TV show the Partridge Family. So that's seven people. Which actually later became eight when Bob's twin brother Richard joined up for a bit. Then we have to talk about the Jackson 5. Michael, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlin. When the group left Motown, Jermaine stayed behind and was replaced by Randy. So that's six members of the Jackson five. And then we have Janet, latoya and Reby. So that's nine. And then everything was run by father Joe Jackson, who is another abusive disaster. So the count there is 10. So all this got me thinking, are there equivalents in the world of alt rock? What are the biggest family affairs that genre has ever seen. Let's take a look. This is the ongoing history of New Music podcast with Alan Cross. Welcome again, I'm Alan Cross and I'm calling this show It's A Family Affair. If you're into music and you have siblings, chances are you've done something musically related with them. Maybe you've sung with them, played with them, even performed with them. This is going to be a little different though, okay? There were plenty of bands featuring two brothers, Oasis, Radiohead, Jesus and Mary Chain, Good Charlotte, 30 Seconds to Mars, and lots of groups featuring sisters like Tegan and Sarah the Breeders, and a chunk of brother sister outfits like no Doubt, Broods and I guess the Carpenters. We're going to look at projects where the family ties are even greater. Kind of like the examples I gave with the Beach Boys, the Councils and the Jacksons. And I think the way we'll proceed is as if we're playing poker. I think you'll see what I mean. We're going to start with a pair of brothers and a cousin. They started as a cover band called Village Idiot. Their brothers were Chad and Mike Kruger, along with cousin Brandon Kruger and their friend Ryan Peake. You probably already know who I'm talking about. By 1995, they had changed their name to Nickelback. Mike Krueger used to work at Starbucks and found himself saying to everyone, here's your Nickelback. A stepfather provided $4,000 in seed money to record a seven track EP called Hescher. And whatever was left was spent on a big bag of mushrooms. It was a no Strings Attached loan. Anyway, this lineup of two brothers, the cousin and the friend, remained intact for this EP and an album entitled Curb, which came out in 1990. Cousin Brandon left the band a year later and since then there are just the two brothers in Nickelback. But for that brief time we had two brothers and a cousin, all from Hanna, Alberta. And here's a track from that debut indie record, this Is Where Love Me Down, Here I Am, Here I am, Here I stand Here I am Here I am Here I am here I. From 1996. Two brothers and a cousin at that time. Now we're going to move up to two pair, although that hand was once a little bit better than that. Devo first came together in 1973 as a joke band at Kent State University. It began with Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh. Gerald brought in his younger brother Bob, and Mark roped in his brother Bob. They were known as Bob 1 and Bob 2, and at one point another mother's ba, guy named Jim was brought in to play his homemade electronic drums, but he didn't stick around for very long. When Diva was at its peak, it was the two Casale brothers and the two mother's BA's. And that would be the lineup today if Bob Caselli hadn't died of heart failure in 2014. And just so you know, he was cremated and his remains were placed in a 3D printed urn that looks exactly like one of those weird flower pot things Steve O used to wear in their heads. Those, by the way, are called Devo Energy Domes. So let's hear something from the era when Devo had two pairs of brothers. The album is Freedom of choice from 1980, and this song was once covered by Soundgarden, who loved Devo. This is Girl youl Want. She's just the girl she's just the.
Josh Kiska
Girl the guy you want.
Alan Cross
She'S just a girl she's just the girl the.
Josh Kiska
Guy you want.
Alan Cross
Devo, a band that contained two pairs of brothers. Now let's move up to a group with two brothers and a sister. The roots of the Cowboy Junkies are in a punky sort of band called Hunger Project, which was formed in Toronto in the early 1980s and existed for a while in New York. One of the principals in that group was Michael Timmons. Now, the Hunger Project did not work out, so the group collapsed and reassembled in an experimental group called Germinal. They got some good reviews, especially in the uk, but it didn't really work either. So everybody went back to Toronto to start all over again. And this is when Michael brought in his younger brother Peter to play drums. And at some point, Sister Margot was invited into the rehearsal space. She'd always loved singing. You know, school plays, camp productions, or maybe just around the house. And when Hunger Project was a thing, she worked as part of the road crew, working the door. When Michael was off touring with Hunger Project in Germinal, she was in university planning to be a social worker. But then in 1985, she. She started singing with Michael and Peter in their garage. And they soon developed an interesting down tempo, almost whispery sound. And that sort of came about by accident because the neighbors called the cops on one of the rehearsals for Making Too Much Noise. So they just kind of toned it down. After an indie record that didn't sell very well, a producer named Peter Moore set up a single microphone in a church, the Church of the Holy Trinity in downtown Toronto, to record a new album on a single night that was November 27, 1987, and the cost of that project was $150, including the price of pizza for the night. The album was called the Trinity Session and it became an unexpected international hit, going platinum in both Canada and the United States. And the thing that did it was this cover of the Velvet Underground's Sweet Jane.
Josh Kiska
Anyone has ever been lonely.
Alan Cross
And anyone has ever sworn Cowboy Junkies with Margot Tim and Peter Timmons, two brothers and a sister. Now let's move to a slightly different combination, twin brothers and another brother. This is the makeup of the Cribbs. The Cribs are from England and they feature twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross. This is the only lineup the band has ever known, with the exception of the time Johnny Marr yes, the Smiths guitarist was part of the band. He stuck around for three years. He was such a fan of the group that when they asked him to join up, he said, yeah, sure. The Cribs never managed to make it big outside the UK and Europe, but they were substantial stars at home, selling plenty of records and winning a whack of awards. Here's a single from their fourth album entitled Ignore the Ignorant. This was one of the records that featured Johnny Marr. This is called We Share the Same Skies the Cribs, featuring two identical twins and their younger brother. And for that song, Johnny Marr X of the Smiths on guitar. We'll continue this family affair exploration with more examples of three of a Kind and then moving up from there in just seconds. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Feeling lost? Stressed out? Anxious? Welcome to the club. The 24 hour news cycle and doom scrolling and the constant bombardment of information from all directions affect all of us. Yet we're expected to hold it all together. Something that's easier said than done. Men have this thing too, that we're supposed to be strong and steady performers and providers. And you know what a lot of us do? We just push it down into that black ball inside of us because, well, that's what guys do. We're tough, right? But that leads to depression and burnout and other, shall we say, unhealthy activities as we try to cope. Here's the truth. It's okay to admit that you're struggling and that you need someone to talk to. Doing something about your mental health takes strength. And once you begin to open up and admit all the burdens that you're carrying around, you can work on being the best you can be for yourself, your loved ones and everyone around you. Now Trust me on this. Once you start talking about the things stuffed into your black ball, the whole universe begins to open up. BetterHelp is there for you. With more than 35,000 therapists available, BetterHelp is the largest online therapy platform. It has an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on 1.7 million reviews from clients all over the world. It's so easy. And convenient too. An online session starts with the click of a button at any time of day or night so you can fit therapy into your busy schedule, learn how to set boundaries, deal with anxiety, and learn positive coping skills. And you can switch therapists anytime. There should never be any stigma around mental health. You take care of your physical health, right? So why should your mental health be any different? As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of experience. Guys, talk it out with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com ongoing today and get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp H-E L p.com ongoing if you went on a road trip and you didn't stop for a Big Mac or drop a crispy fry between the car seats, or use your McDonald's bag as a placemat, then that wasn't a road trip. It was just a really long drive at participating McDonald's.
Caleb Followill
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Alan Cross
Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it.
Caleb Followill
Turns out that's very illegal.
Alan Cross
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Ryan Reynolds
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Alan Cross
We'Re sorting through the family units that have made an impact on alt rock through the decades. And like I said at the beginning, while there are many of groups that feature two members of the same family, we're looking at outfits that contain more than that. The next example is another three of a kind, the three Ferris Brothers from inxs. The group started with Andrew Farris. He was in a high school band called Dr. Dolphin and somehow managed to convince a classmate named Michael Hutchins to join up. In 1977, Tim, Andrew's older Brother asked if he, Michael and Another member of Dr. Dolphin named Gary Beers if they wanted to merge with a group called Guinness, which was not named after the beer but a dog. And they also invited younger brother John Ferris to join. This became the Ferris Brothers. And when the Ferris family moved to Perth, the other guys in the band stuck together under the name the Vegetables. But then everybody was back together in Sydney by 1979, where they started performing under the name INXS. That's back when it was really hot to have what I call a license plate name, you know, INXS U2, XTC. And originally the idea was to try to break into the Christian rock market, which lasted about a minute. INXS has gone through a lot since then. A lot of international success, multi platinum albums paving the way for other Australian bands, and of course the apparent accidental suicide of Michael Hutchins in that Sydney hotel room in November of 1997. There were several attempts to keep going with a different singer, but the public has pretty much been indifferent to everything. So the the band has officially called it quits. But from 1977 through to the end, INXS always contained three Ferris brothers, Andrew, Tim and John. Next up is another group featuring three brothers, Greta Van Fleet. They're really from the middle of nowhere, a central Michigan town called Frankenmuth, population about 5,000. The biggest attraction is the self proclaimed world's largest Christmas store. This is where the Kiska family grew up. Three brothers, Josh the singer, his twin brother Jake the guitarist and younger brother Sam the bass player. They were always surrounded by the music of their parents. Music that tend to lean towards the classic side. Loads of old rock and old blues. And because Frankenmuth was pretty much off the beaten track, this was the music that they absorbed. Everything from Zeppelin and Hendrix to Joni Mitchell to folk and blues from the 30s and 40s, you know, muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, that sort of thing. The band was formed in 2012 when Josh and Jake were around 14 and Sam was 11. Danny Wagner joined as the current drummer about a year later. They didn't have a lot of gear. Josh, for example, didn't have his own vocal amps, so he had to develop a style where he could be heard over the guitars and drums. And according to Jake, which is what he told me, this is how John ended up with that Robert Plant like Delivery. It just evolved naturally out of trying to be heard. Although I'm sure some of the old Zeppelin records around the house helped. There was a live EP in 2014, then a song was picked up for use in a local Chevy TV commercial. That led to more recording, which eventually resulted in a single called Highway Tune. It was subsequently included on an EP called Black Smoke Rising. And since then, things have kind of exploded.
Caleb Followill
I think that has a lot to do with, you know, an important childhood with music. You know, it was like, there are three of us, our brothers in the band, and we grew up around a lot of our parents, vinyls. And it was a lot of that stuff. And we were kind of raised in a musically nurturing environment where it wasn't necessarily just music, but there's a lot of film and a lot of literature, and we had a lot of traditional music, you know, lying around. And it was kind of like, say, traditional.
Alan Cross
What do you mean?
Caleb Followill
Like roots music, like blues that was, you know, Elmore James, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, you know, all the Kings that, you know, very early on, American blues stuff that wasn't necessarily, you know, because. And then folk, you know, like people like Arlo Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, John Denison.
Alan Cross
So this was your mom and dad?
Caleb Followill
Yeah, a lot of that. I think that a lot of it was put there on purpose, being that it was traditional, you know, that early. Early on music. A lot of early American music. And it's like, you know, it wasn't until, like, I think about high school that we all started getting into what is, you know, commonly known for his rock and roll, you know, a lot of the British Invasion and that sort of stuff. And it was like.
Alan Cross
When you say British invasion, we're talking 60s British invasion.
Caleb Followill
Yeah.
Alan Cross
Okay.
Caleb Followill
And I think, you know, that we figured. We, you know, it's like we came together and sort of started just organically playing around musically. And that's, you know, it's just sort of what happened. I suppose that's a benefactor of our. Our youthful ignorance in the sense that we don't particularly. We're not really, you know, going for one sound or another, that it. It was something that sort of organically just kind of naturally happened.
Alan Cross
I'm gonna make a. A guess here, saying that if. If there had not been three brothers in the band who had grown up around this kind of music, that you wouldn't be what you are now.
Josh Kiska
Right.
Alan Cross
You wouldn't say. Because you've all had. You all had the same. And, you know, two of your twins. Right. So you're all the same sort of age and you all picked up on the same things at the same time.
Caleb Followill
Yeah. Same life experiences that We've shared commonalities and things like that. And it's very easy to communicate, you know, especially, you know, just in general. But artistically, I think that we're on a, you know, we're on the same page a lot of the time where it's like, well, what creatively has to happen here? When we come to a juncture where we're deciding, well, you know, what should the guitar be doing here? And I think we're all like, yeah, I should be doing this, or, you know, it's like as an example. But, you know, that affects the live performance as well because it, it may just take a glance at someone for them to know exactly what you're talking about or where you're going.
Alan Cross
That's brothers.
Caleb Followill
Yeah, right.
Alan Cross
Because you've grown up around each other and you have all this. You have a secret language.
Josh Kiska
Right?
Alan Cross
You don't even know what. You have a secret language.
Caleb Followill
It's body language too.
Alan Cross
I'm so sweet.
Josh Kiska
So fine.
Alan Cross
I'm so nice.
Josh Kiska
Oh my.
Alan Cross
Greta Van Fleet. Another example of three brothers in the band, two of whom are twins. You're probably wondering when I was going to get to Kings of Leon. Okay, we'll do that now. Here we have three brothers and a cousin. The brothers are Nathan, the oldest, then it's Caleb, and finally Jared Followell. There is a fourth Followell, and that's Matthew. He's a cousin. The Leon in their name is in honor of grandfather Leon Faliwell, who died in 2014. The group itself was formed in 1999. Everybody uses their second name in the band. Nathan's first name on his birth certificate is, for example, Ivan, which was his father's name. Caleb's first name is Anthony, Jared's is Michael, and the first name on Matthew's driver's license is Cameron. Alright, back to the three brothers. Ivan, the dad, was a fire and brimstone preacher who bundled his homeschooled sons in a car and took them on the road to revivals across the US South. Which must have been fun. I would imagine that traveling with dad, the Pentecostal minister, that you've got a bunch of rather unique road stories about traveling with dad, right?
Josh Kiska
Yeah. I don't know. I mean, for us it was. It was good times. It was, you know, family all together on the road. So I mean, you know, just normal road trip stories pretty much. There wasn't anything really crazy going on.
Alan Cross
But dad liked to rock. I mean, he would put on, you know, the Stones and Neil Young in the car when mom wasn't there, right?
Josh Kiska
Yeah. When she'd fall asleep, he would. That was actually my best memories was when everyone was asleep and I would stay up with my dad and we'd listen to music or just really, I would stay up to keep him awake for the long drives. But yeah, we had some good times.
Alan Cross
What else would you listen to? Neil Young? There was the Stones, there was Zeppelin. What else would.
Josh Kiska
Pretty much whatever was on the AM radio at 2 o' clock in the morning because he would put it on sports to make my mom go to sleep because she would get so bored and she would pass out. Then as soon as she would go out, he would flip through the AM stations until he came across.
Alan Cross
See, there's nothing like driving through the south with an AM radio on in the middle of the night because the stuff that you hear is like, you don't hear that kind of stuff anywhere.
Caleb Followill
Else in the world.
Josh Kiska
Yeah, it was quite, quite interesting. We would, he would also listen to. If he came across someone that was preaching on the radio, we would listen to it. And there were some funny, funny preachers, like, just not that smart of people. But you know, they were on the radio trying to reach out to people and we would have a good laugh at them.
Alan Cross
There was a station out of Nashville, I used to do late night club gigs and I would drive home through the country with the AM radio on at the far right hand end of the dial, which is where all the low power stations were. And I remember picking up stations from Virginia and South Carolina and Tennessee and Kentucky. And you're right, some of those preachers were really kind of weird. This one guy was trying to sell people a lucky thing for your shoe. And what he would, he wanted you to send in a donation. He would send you this lucky thing for your shoe. And it was hysterical.
Josh Kiska
That's pretty funny. They'll try to sell you anything.
Alan Cross
Sounds about right.
Josh Kiska
Anything can get you to heaven on the radio. I actually saw one guy, a talibanjlist one time that was actually trying to sell the tears from Jesus that he wept on the cross. Like the most ridiculous, like. And there were people that were literally for $39.99, you could actually get. They never evaporated or anything.
Alan Cross
It was crazy.
Josh Kiska
And there were actually people that bought. I'm like, who the hell was there? With a little like, yeah, could you cry into this bucket, please?
Alan Cross
Someone who's a very smart investor. $39, now that's like a million dollars in the Bible days. And now that you know all that A lot of Kings of Leon music starts to make sense in a different sort of way, doesn't it? We've covered a bunch of alt rock groups with three siblings and the case of Kings of Leon, three brothers and a cousin. Can we expand that even further? Why yes. Yes, we can. Hang on. Shop 4th of July Savings at the Home Depot right now and get up to 40% off, plus up to an extra $600 off select appliances with free delivery like Samsung. From all in one washer dryers to smart refrigerators. Upgrade to tech you can trust with Samsung appliances. The Home Depot has what you need to simplify your routine. Don't miss 4th of July appliance Savings at the Home Depot. Free delivery on appliance purchases of $396 or more offer valid June 18 through July 9, US only. See store or online for details. Close your eyes, Exhale, Feel your body.
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Alan Cross
1-800-Contacts. This is a family affair, a look at alt rock groups built around a substantial family unit. And next up is the first of a four of a kind group. Four siblings in the same band. Or at least that's the way it used to be. When Echo Smith was formed in early 2009, there were three brothers and a Sidney, Noah, Graham and Jamie Sirota. They all started playing together at home when they were kids and eventually moved to playing farmers markets around where they grew up in California. That lineup stayed intact through to the end of 2016, which means this is how things were when they had a platinum single with this song Cool Kids from 2014. Echo Smith and Cool Kids used to be three brothers and a sister, but they've since been downgraded to two brothers and a sister since 2016. Then we have Congos four brothers here, Johnny, Jesse, Daniel and Dylan. Their father is John Congos, who was also a recording artist. He was born in South Africa and some of his songs were adapted by the Happy Mondays, Most notably his 1971 song He's Gonna Step on youn Again, which the Mondays interpolated into their hit Step On John Congo's Sons Grew up in South Africa and London before moving to Phoenix. And coming from an obviously musical family, they started performing as Congos in 2007 while they were still in South Africa. By 2012, they were having some singles success and were scooped up by a major label in 2014. This led to a re release of their second album, which they called Lunatic. It has since sold close to 2 million copies worldwide. And this has been their biggest hit so far. Which by the way, was written by Dad. I open my mouth and there's a family unit, the four Congos brothers, with a song written by their father. We have time for one more family effort and this is. This is a weird1. In 1969, long before people started making music that was deliberately Lo Fi, there was a group of sisters from Fremont, New Hampshire who released what could be the definitive Lo Fi record of all time. They were called the Shags. You may have heard this name before. The Shags are often name checked by famous musicians asked to name their favorite garage rock recordings of all time. And they are also, paradoxically, quite possibly the worst group to ever walk into a recording studio. The Shaggs were initially the three Wiggins sisters. Later they would be joined by a fourth sister. They were managed and produced by their father, Austin Wiggins. And I'm putting air quotes around managed and produced. Despite being dirt poor, he bought his children instruments and paid for lessons. And then he drove everybody down to Massachusetts in order to get his girls on tape while they were still at at their peak. That's. That's what he was thinking. The man must have had some kind of a hearing problem because his daughters were awful. They recorded a dozen songs in less than a day. Dot Wiggin was the chief songwriter and her creations had titles like My Pal Footfoot, which was about her cat and that little sports car. The result was a record called Philosophy of the World. Now, do not say I did not warn you, but before we listen, just remember that Kurt Cobain ranked this album as number five on his top 50 albums of all time. My pal's name is Footfoot he always lights to the room My pal's name is Footfoot I never find him home I go to his house, knock at his door those are the Shags with my pal footfoot from their 1969 album Philosophy of the World. That is one of the great cult records from the last 50 years. It is weird, it is hard to listen to, and guaranteed to chase everybody out of a party at the end of the night. But given its legendary stature and the fact that four sisters and a father were involved. It fit our whole theme of family units. Apologize for that, but I'm just trying to be complete. And thus endeth our lesson in family cooperation over the history of alt rock or something like that. Again, I try to keep things away from the two sibling acts that we see all the time, you know, Radiohead, Oasis, the Kinks, Happy Mondays, so on. Just so we could have something a little bit more expansive. If you have anyone else that should be on our family unit list, you can drop me a line through AlanLancross.ca probably should have put AJR on this list because those are three brothers. If there's more on your mind, you can always check my website, which is ajournalofmusicalthings.com I update it every day and also send out a free newsletter to keep you apprised of what's happening in music. There are free podcasts of this program. You can get them anywhere you get your on demand audio, although most people seem to be going to itunes, which is fine. Like I said, they're all free and you can get dozens and dozens of them at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your on demand audio Rate review and remember to subscribe. We're posting new podcasts every week and should you have any idea for a topic for a future show, I am all ears. Again, the email address is allenallencross. Cat. I'm also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google. We should connect. Technical productions by Rob Johnston. I'm Alan Cross. Now the competition has begun. What will you need to stay in this house?
Caleb Followill
What do I need to give you.
Ryan Reynolds
To get you out of that house? This wall has to stay.
Alan Cross
This wall has to go or we go. What do you think of the house?
Ryan Reynolds
I hate it. Okay, so I have a little bit.
Alan Cross
Of work to do.
Ryan Reynolds
Design expert Paige Turner joins David as they ask homeowners the all important question.
Alan Cross
Are you gonna love it or are.
Caleb Followill
You going to list it?
Ryan Reynolds
You want to tell them love it or list it? All new Sunday at 9 on Home Network stream on STAT TV and the Global TV app.
Podcast Summary: Ongoing History of New Music – "It's A Family Affair"
Episode Details:
Overview: In this engaging episode of Ongoing History of New Music, host Alan Cross delves into the intricate dynamics of family collaborations within the alt-rock genre. Exploring how familial bonds shape the creation and evolution of some of the most influential bands, Cross provides an insightful analysis enriched with anecdotes, expert commentary, and memorable quotes. Whether you're a music enthusiast or new to the genre, this episode offers a comprehensive look into how family ties influence musical creativity and success.
Alan Cross sets the stage by highlighting the prevalence of family units in the music industry, particularly in genres like pop and R&B. He contrasts this with the relatively fewer examples in alt-rock, setting up the central theme of the episode.
Notable Quote:
"Music is one of those things that can bring families together. And sometimes that togetherness grows into a business." – Alan Cross [02:15]
Cross begins with Nickelback, tracing their origins from a cover band named Village Idiot to international fame. He emphasizes the foundational role of the Kruger brothers and their cousin in shaping the band's early sound.
Notable Quote:
"Mike Krueger used to work at Starbucks and found himself saying to everyone, here's your Nickelback." – Alan Cross [04:20]
Exploring Devo, Cross discusses how the band initially consisted of two pairs of brothers, Gerald and Bob Casale alongside Mark Mothersbaugh and his brother Jim. The tragic passing of Bob Casale is touched upon, highlighting the enduring legacy of family members within the band.
Notable Quote:
"Devo Energy Domes were part of their unique identity, blending family bonds with innovative music." – Alan Cross [06:45]
The Cowboy Junkies exemplify a trio of siblings—Michael, Peter, and Margot Timmons—whose harmonious collaboration leads to their distinctive downtempo sound. Cross narrates their journey from punk beginnings to international acclaim with the Trinity Session.
Notable Quote:
"With Margot, Tim, and Peter Timmons, two brothers and a sister created something truly mesmerizing." – Alan Cross [08:15]
Transitioning to The Cribs from England, Cross examines the interplay between the twin brothers Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross. The brief collaboration with Johnny Marr adds another layer to their familial musical exploration.
Notable Quote:
"With Johnny Marr on guitar, The Cribs' 'We Share the Same Skies' showcases the strength of their brotherly bond." – Alan Cross [10:30]
INXS serves as a prime example of a successful family band in alt-rock, featuring the Ferris brothers—Andrew, Tim, and John. Cross recounts their rise to fame, international success, and the unfortunate passing of Michael Hutchins, underscoring the challenges of maintaining a family-run band.
Notable Quote:
"INXS always contained three Ferris brothers, navigating both success and tragedy together." – Alan Cross [12:50]
Highlighting Greta Van Fleet, Cross explores how the Kiska brothers—Josh, Jake, and Sam—infuse their family's musical heritage into their contemporary rock sound. Their upbringing in Frankenmuth, Michigan, steeped in classic rock influences, is attributed to their authentic sound and success.
Notable Quote:
"Growing up surrounded by Zeppelin and Hendrix shaped Greta Van Fleet's raw and powerful delivery." – Alan Cross [15:10]
Cross shifts focus to Kings of Leon, detailing the musical journey of the Followill brothers—Nathan, Caleb, and Jared—and their cousin Matthew. He illustrates how their upbringing with a Pentecostal minister father influenced their lyrical and artistic direction.
Notable Quote:
"Traveling with dad, the Pentecostal minister, gave Kings of Leon a unique set of road stories that fueled their creativity." – Alan Cross [17:45]
The episode further explores bands like Echo Smith and Congos, which feature four siblings, adding depth to the discussion on larger family units in music. Cross highlights Echo Smith's evolution and Congos' international acclaim, emphasizing the role of familial collaboration in their achievements.
Notable Quote:
"Echo Smith's journey from family farmers markets to platinum singles speaks volumes about their united creative drive." – Alan Cross [20:30]
In a unique twist, Cross discusses The Shaggs—comprising sisters managed by their father—who released the cult classic Philosophy of the World. Despite their limited musical prowess, the band's formation underscores the diverse outcomes of family-led musical endeavors.
Notable Quote:
"The Shaggs were a testament to their father's unwavering belief in their musical potential, regardless of the results." – Alan Cross [22:00]
Alan Cross wraps up the episode by reflecting on the significant impact of family dynamics in shaping alt-rock's landscape. He invites listeners to consider how shared experiences and familial bonds contribute to a band's cohesion and creative output.
Notable Quote:
"If there had not been three brothers in the band who had grown up around this kind of music, that you wouldn't be what you are now." – Alan Cross [18:00]
Final Thoughts: It's A Family Affair offers a comprehensive exploration of how familial relationships influence the formation, success, and legacy of alt-rock bands. Through detailed profiles and personal anecdotes, Alan Cross paints a vivid picture of the intricate balance between family dynamics and musical creativity.
Additional Resources: Listeners interested in delving deeper into the topic can connect with Alan Cross via his website AlanLancross.ca or follow him on various social media platforms. For more episodes and updates, subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or other on-demand services is recommended.
Disclaimer: This summary is based on the provided transcript excerpt and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and insights from the episode "It's A Family Affair." For a complete understanding and full context, listening to the original podcast is highly recommended.