Poetic Wax: Music History Hidden in the Grooves
Poetic Wax is a short weekly podcast where host Andy Fenstermaker digs deep into his vast record collection to uncover and share the history of bands, albums, songs, and more. Poetic Wax explores music history in all its forms, from new angles on things widely covered to the little known moments that create monumental change.
Episodes
What happens when a pop band turns a London council block into a concept album? In 2005, Saint Etienne released "Tales from Turnpike House," a quietly radical record that captured the rhythms, routines, and quiet poetry of suburban life. Today we explore the album’s architectural inspiration, its place in the revival of the concept album, and how it laid the groundwork for Saint Etienne’s later work. From Xenomania pop polish to Da...
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah didn’t sidestep the music business. They bulldozed right past it. And in doing so, they changed how bands could break through. This is the story of the band that went viral before “going viral” was really even a thing. It’s a story of raw sound, right timing, and one album that rewrote the rules.
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...Today, we remember Brian Wilson, the soul of the Beach Boys and a true voice of a generation. His unforgettable melodies defined an era, spanned generations, and shaped the early days of pop music. It's time to reflect on his legendary career and the impact he had on music, and on me. RIP Brian Wilson. This is why your passing hit me harder than I expected.
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In the summer of 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon & Antarctica, and today we take a deep dive into the stories, sounds, and strange mythology behind Modest Mouse’s major-label debut. From cosmic themes and broken jaw myths to existential dread and the Volkswagen controversy, this video explores how the band created one of indie rock’s most haunting and forward-looking albums just as the world itself began to fracture.
Before becoming a worldwide rock icon, Jack White almost became a priest. And nowhere is the parallels between rock and roll and religion more present than on The White Stripes' 2005 album "Get Behind Me Satan." This video documents the story of Jack White's pivot away from priesthood, giving up the alb for an amp, and how he continues to weave his own parables of faith and morality into his music to this day.
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Pain and tragedy were no stranger to Charles Bradley, who struggled throughout his life to find his footing yet never gave up on his dreams of being a musician. At age 62, he released his debut album, "No Time For Dreaming." Over the next 5 years, he recorded 3 more, the final being released after he passed in 2017. Known as the Screaming Eagle of Soul, this is the story of Charles Bradley.
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This is the story of how Blonde Redhead created Evil Morty's theme song, and how Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons and "For The Damaged Coda" went from a cult classic to a cultural phenomenon thanks to Rick & Morty.
ACCIDENTAL OMISSION: In addition to the core trio of Blonde Redhead, Tobias Nathaniel also contributed to this piece, providing the haunting piano part that dominates the song.
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With just two months to craft an album to support an upcoming tour, Hawkwind created "Warrior on the Edge of Time," and it very nearly broke them. Members left, including the infamous departure of Lemmy Kilmister, who would then form Motörhead. This is the story of the chaos behind that album, its sci-fi cred, the fall out, and its lasting legacy.
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After touring to support OK Computer, Radiohead was at a breaking point. Thom Yorke more so than the rest of the band. And as they approached the album that would follow, he fell into a slump. He couldn't write, he couldn't create, and he was spiraling toward complete destruction. Then something miraculous happened. One song formed out of snippets he began to collect after a period of throwing everything away, and suddenly everythi...
By the time The Decemberists released "Picaresque" in 2005, frontman Colin Meloy had been honing his narrative, storytelling style of songwriting for more than half a decade. Despite having dabbled in the theatrical side of indie rock with both Castaways & Cutouts and Her Majesty, Picaresque brought it to a whole new level. This is the story of that album, and how The Decemberists made history cool.
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Ever wonder why David Bowie’s eyes looked like they belonged to an alien? If you’ve ever wondered why Bowie’s gaze felt like it could pierce through dimensions, you’re about to find out why. This is the weird truth of David Bowie and his strange eyes...
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🎧 DAVID BOWIE ON VINYL:
- Station to Station on Vinyl 👉 https://...
In 1985, New Order released 'Low Life.' It's time to dive into the wild story behind "The Perfect Kiss" and discover how a naked manager, Rob Gretton, sparked a synth-pop classic with a desktop rant, and how Jonathan Demme’s iconic video sealed its legacy. From studio chaos to dance floor glory, this is Low-Life’s craziest tale! 🎵🔔
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes. The YouTube episode includes r...
EVERYONE is talking about Severance Season 2. Today we look at the WILD history behind the Apple TV series finale's "The Windmills of Your Mind" and its journey from 1968 to 2025. This one includes it all -- a high flying playboy (Steve McQueen), an olympic skier, an Oscar, and about 5000 covers from the likes of Mel Torme, the Muppets, Dusty Springfield, Sting, Jose Feliciano, and countless others. This is the story of "The Windmi...
"‘God is empty, just like me’—this single line fueled the iconic track "ZERO" off The Smashing Pumpkins' monumental 1995 album 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.' How did Billy Corgan channel his self-loathing into a track that redefined The Smashing Pumpkins, and what made it resonate with a ‘messed-up generation’? Was it the nihilism? The desire for controversy? Corgan's negation? Join me as I explore the history and heart ...
One of the first songs Morrissey wrote for The Smiths was "Suffer Little Children" and it was also one of his darkest. This is the story behind the song, its relation to the Moors Murders, the controversy it caused locally in Manchester, and its legacy. You DON'T want to miss this one!
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes. The YouTube episode includes reference links to audio/video clips featured in t...
Released the same day in 1967 as The Beatles’ infamous Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Baroques’ lone release is rumored to have outsold the much more wildly popular release in the local Wisconsin market. This is the story of a band that should have garnered more clout, and the struggles they had along the way during their short-lived tenure as a band. It’s the story of a song that was banned for being too pro-drug despi...
"Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots is a story of deception, of heartache, and of addiction. This is the history of the song off the band's 1994 album Purple, and how it reflected the inner struggles of frontman Scott Weiland.
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🎧 STONE TEMPLE PILOTS ON VINYL & MORE:
In March of 2000, Broadcast (helmed by Trish Keenan and James Cargill) released their debut album "The Noise Made By People." Blending a dreamy psychedelia with both futuristic and vintage inspired pop sensibilities, their sound was one that has built quite the cult following over the years. This is the story of that album and how the ghosts within linger, long after Keenan's passing.
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Before they became the patron saints of noise rock, before the major labels and festival headlining slots, Sonic Youth were a band lurking in the dark corners of the New York underground. And in 1985, they released Bad Moon Rising, an album that captured both the decay of America and the restless experimentation of a band on the verge of something bigger. This is the story of that album and how it still resonates more than 40 years...
In the mid 1970s, David Bowie released "Station to Station" as he transformed into the Thin White Duke. His mental and physical state was in major decline due to addiction. Becoming obsessed with the occult, he felt Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin was casting dark spells on him. And then there was his haunted Los Angeles swimming pool. This is the story of David Bowie around that time, how he spiraled into madness, and how he hired a wh...
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