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DISGRACELAND

Bonus Episode: 1994. We Didn’t Know How Good We Had It

28 May 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What makes 1994 a significant year for music?

1.516 - 35.047 Jake Brennan (Host)

This is exactly right. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Dani Shapiro, and these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of Family Secrets. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. And he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off.

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35.067 - 43.318 Jake Brennan (Host)

And that was the last time I saw him. Listen to season 14 of Family Secrets on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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43.805 - 66.133 Unknown

Your 20s can be so exciting, but they can also be really overwhelming, confusing, and honestly, just kind of lonely. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the psychology of your 20s is breaking down the science behind the biggest roadblocks we face. I was six years into my career, the 80-hour weeks and just the first one in, the last one out, and I ended up burning out.

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66.173 - 76.465 Jake Brennan (Host)

There was a large chunk of my 20s that I was just so wanting to be out of that phase, out of my skin, and I just really regret not living in the present more. You don't need to have everything figured out right now.

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76.866 - 85.877 Unknown

You just need to understand yourself a little bit better. Listen to The Psychology of Your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

86.38 - 89.103 Jake Brennan (Host)

When you feel uncomfortable, what do you put on?

89.623 - 89.763

Biggie.

90.264 - 107.802 Jake Brennan (Host)

You put on Biggie when you feel uncomfortable? Because I want to get confident. This is DJ Hester Prynne's Music is Therapy, a weekly podcast from me, a DJ and licensed therapist. It's mental health month. Let's figure out what actually works. I didn't care about my life circumstance when I listened to that stuff. It didn't matter to me. This isn't just a podcast.

107.822 - 130.225 Jake Brennan (Host)

It's unconventional therapy for you every day. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search DJ Hester Prynne's Music is Therapy, and start listening now. Hey, Discos, need a little more Disgraceland in your life? Just a touch to get you through? Yeah, me too. This is the podcast that comes after the podcast. Welcome to Disgraceland, the after party.

Chapter 2: How did Weezer's Blue Album impact the music scene?

666.913 - 687.927 Jake Brennan (Host)

I mean, Kurt Cobain died. OJ Simpson took us on a wild ride in his white Bronco. Nancy Kerrigan, a Northeastern University alum, by the way, she got her knee popped in 94 by Tonya Harding and her thugs. Friends appeared for the first time on television, gave us something to look at on Thursday nights after Seinfeld. There was a massive earthquake.

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688.308 - 708.437 Jake Brennan (Host)

People don't understand how big this earthquake was. It killed a ton of people, like almost 60 people in Southern California. Michael Jordan started playing baseball. Pulp Fiction was released. And so was it soundtrack. And all of a sudden we all liked to cool in the gang. Bill Hicks died. Yes, we were onto Bill Hicks in 1994. Bill Hicks died. Jim Carrey was everywhere in 94.

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708.457 - 728.776 Jake Brennan (Host)

He had like 800 movies that year. Jenny McCarthy died. who I don't think yet was with Jim Carrey, but she was on the cover of Playboy in 94, Reality Bites was a lame version of all of us that we all pretended to hate, but we secretly loved. Clerks was a worse version of us that we all pretended to like more than we liked Reality Bites.

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729.697 - 754.351 Jake Brennan (Host)

I guess my point is that there was so much awesomeness going on back in 1994 and all of it had the potential to distract me from the awesomeness that was going on on Weezer's Blue album. Happy days, spoofs, you know, kind of funny, but didn't really rate. And then Pinkerton, like I said, opened my eyes, but it wasn't until a couple of years later.

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754.371 - 775.277 Jake Brennan (Host)

That record was released in 96 and was radically different, radically different. And even though that was the album that Rivers Cuomo set out to make and that album, in a way, did what he wanted it to do, Again, he's got so many conflicting comments and thoughts about what I believe to be Weezer's best album.

776.098 - 796.425 Jake Brennan (Host)

Not to mention a bunch of weird comments and actions as well, which you can hear all about in this week's new Disgraceland episode on Weezer. Coming up next in Disgraceland, coming up in the feed next right after this episode is going to be our archive episode on Aaliyah, speaking of the 90s, and her illegal marriage to R. Kelly and her The Mystery Around Her Death. That's coming this Sunday.

796.485 - 824.201 Jake Brennan (Host)

And then on Tuesday, we've got our new episode on Adele. Adele's album, 21, it sold like 17 billion copies. Actually, no, 17 million. But it feels like it's one of the biggest selling albums. And I don't own it. I'm not one of those who bought it. I don't dislike Adele. but I'm not running to listen to Adele or to go to her shows. I kind of like, I like her more as a personality.

824.221 - 849.049 Jake Brennan (Host)

I think she's hot shit and she's obviously tremendous talented. And honestly, if she put her stuff out in 94, I probably own the album, you know, but I don't, I'm one of the few, I guess. who doesn't own it. I do have like seven copies of Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton. That's another one of those records that for its time sold a gazillion copies. Which massive selling album

849.856 - 875.111 Jake Brennan (Host)

Do you guys just not care about? Don't vibe with? Is it Thriller? I don't know. Anything by the Beatles? Abbey Road? Let It Be? Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones might be my favorite album of all time. You might hate it. It's largely considered to be the Stones' greatest. I don't think it's their biggest seller. But my point is, which top-selling albums? Oasis, definitely.

Chapter 3: What were the reactions to Weezer's music at the time?

883.844 - 904.093 Jake Brennan (Host)

It's going to be a great episode. Adele is fascinated with true crime. And because of that, we've got a really interesting entry into Adele's story. Can't wait for you to hear it. 617-906-6638. Give me a call. Leave me a voicemail. Hit me up on text with your answer to the question of the week. Which massive selling album do you not have in your collection? Because, you know, you just don't care.

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904.594 - 909.04 Jake Brennan (Host)

DisgraceLandPod on the socials. DisgraceLandPod at gmail.com if you want to email me.

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909.02 - 932.243 Jake Brennan (Host)

now i mentioned pulp fiction earlier and in the exclusive section of this after party uh dr lundy and i are going to take you deeper into 1994 and discuss some of the weirdness connected to pulp fiction for example did you know that tarantino wrote the bruce willis part for matt dylan okay i did not know that there's a lot i didn't know about this movie and i love this movie

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933.185 - 954.601 Jake Brennan (Host)

This movie, it was so ubiquitous, and it still kind of is in culture and in history, that it feels weird to get out there and champion it. You know what I mean? It's like, again, I bring up the Beatles. It's like championing the Beatles. They don't need any more champions. They're good. You know, this movie's good. Everyone knows. It's fucking great. Changed the game.

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954.962 - 971.17 Jake Brennan (Host)

But still, there's so much to this movie that I did not know about. A lot of weirdness. Zeth and I are going to be diving into it. In the exclusive section of this episode, go to disgracelandpod.com to become an all-access member of Disgraceland to unlock this exclusive content and add free listening. All right, I'm going to take a quick break.

971.31 - 975.898 Jake Brennan (Host)

I'll be back in a flash right after this with your voicemails, texts, emails, DMs, and more.

988.484 - 1010.965 Unknown

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and your 20s, they can feel like a lot. On the Psychology of Your 20s podcast, we unpack the anxiety, the overthinking, the heartbreak, the identity crisis, all of it that comes with being in your 20s. Because if you've ever thought, is anybody else feeling this way? They definitely are.

1010.945 - 1016.732 Jake Brennan (Host)

I feel like my 20s was a process of checking off everything that I was not good at to get to what I was good at.

1017.032 - 1035.653 Unknown

Oftentimes we take everything a little bit too seriously and we get lost in things that we later on decide weren't even important to us to begin with. There was a large chunk of my 20s that I was just so wanting to be out of that phase, out of my skin, and I just really regret not living in the present more.

Chapter 4: How did the music of 1994 influence future artists?

1149.534 - 1151.736 Jake Brennan (Host)

Steve hits us on this from Toronto.

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1151.902 - 1178.652 Unknown

Hey, Jake. Steve from Toronto here. Just want to comment on your punk albums that aren't punk but are punk that are punk. I kind of feel like I'm cheating with this one, but 1988's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy. I don't know if it gets more punk than that. That's not punk. So, yeah, that's my – I'm throwing that one into the proverbial ring there.

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1178.918 - 1183.026 Unknown

It takes nations of millions to hold us back by the great public enemy. 1988. Bye.

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1184.148 - 1202.482 Jake Brennan (Host)

Steve, you are absolutely right. It doesn't get much more subversive. It doesn't get much more hard-hitting than it takes a nation of millions to hold us back by public enemy. And I actually think... That record for me, I believe it's Public Enemy's second album, full length, right? Second, yeah. That was my introduction.

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1203.083 - 1231.729 Jake Brennan (Host)

And I was just kind of catching up with who Public Enemy was by the time the Fight the Power single came out after that record as part of Do the Right Thing. And I think Fight the Power ended up on their third album. But it was the single in the video. And I remember watching that and just my jaw being on the floor. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was exhilarating. It was thrilling.

1231.789 - 1237.056 Jake Brennan (Host)

It was a new kind of hip hop. It felt like hip hop, but it felt like...

1237.171 - 1263.162 Jake Brennan (Host)

history and cnn and hollywood it just it was electrifying just as electrifying as when bands like the sex pistols or the clash hit the scene and again with the same level of subversiveness all right we got a call from max let's see what max has got to say hey it's max from the 661 slash 410 so uh favorite punk not punk record how about arthur by the kinks

1263.952 - 1266.174 Unknown

Love the show. Thanks, CJ.

1266.194 - 1290.82 Jake Brennan (Host)

Thanks, Max. You know, I don't really think of the Kinks as punk because they predate it. But I hear what you're saying. I do. I hear what you're saying. The attitude is fully there. And if the Kinks came about, if they were younger, if they came about later, they would have been part of that whole movement for sure. All right, let's check in with Sarah from the 206th.

Chapter 5: What were the popular music trends during the 90s?

1397.247 - 1417.722 Jake Brennan (Host)

I've never heard this before, but I love it. I love this. It's like a scene out of a movie. Now, to her point, however, about Daniel Johnson, Jad Fair, Jade Fair. I always called it Jade Fair, which is probably wrong. Jad Fair is correct. I don't know this album. I don't know it. I'm looking it up right now.

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1418.463 - 1438.404 Jake Brennan (Host)

Jad Fair, co-founder of the influential lo-fi band Half Japanese and cult singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, teamed up in the late 1980s for one of Indie Rock's most legendary collaborations. Their partnership resulted in the 1989 album It's Spooky, wildly celebrated for its primitive charm, emotional rawness, and childlike sincerity. I want to hear this.

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1438.784 - 1447.474 Jake Brennan (Host)

Tracks like I Did Acid with Caroline, McDonald's on the brain. Torture track compilations. This is a good one. That's a good question. I'm going to noodle on this, Sarah.

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Chapter 6: What other notable albums were released in 1994?

1447.654 - 1453.221 Jake Brennan (Host)

Thanks for your call. All right, let's check in with Armin in Calgary.

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1454.282 - 1475.027 Armin (Guest)

Hi, Jake. This is Armin from Calgary, Alberta. In regards to your question with a band that took a complete left turn with an album, I'm a big Depeche Mode fan and was into the synth pop stuff. Their song, Faith and Devotion, went from full synth pop to full instruments, and it was a complete left turn. Not only was it a complete left turn, but it was a successful,

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1475.227 - 1493.594 Armin (Guest)

left turn and hit just as hard as any of the original Depeche Mode stuff. Along with that, shortly afterwards, they went back to what they were known for successfully. 30 plus years, 40 plus years, still around, still making music, still selling out concerts. That's a track record.

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1494.175 - 1506.975 Armin (Guest)

And Songs of Faith and Devotion just established a whole different clientele and fan group for them while maintaining the group they had. Thank you. Love the show. Have a good night.

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1508.036 - 1539.074 Jake Brennan (Host)

Armin. Great call, man. Great, great point about Depeche mode. And I was going to say, it reminds me of the Rolling Stones. Some girls, which is, was at the time seen as their quote unquote disco album. It's not a disco album, but they've got that disco. They deploy the disco bass drum thing. That thing, that octave thing. And it's, um, It's a fantastic departure from what they were doing before.

1539.115 - 1569.488 Jake Brennan (Host)

It's great. But unlike Depeche Mode, the Stones never really... Recover from that. Recover is the wrong word. They never really come back to what they were before that. There's not a lot of great Stones records after that. There's Tattoo You, which is basically some girls. It's the same thing. Same sessions, I believe. And then, I mean, Steel Wheels. What are we looking at? Harlem Shuffle.

1570.209 - 1595.463 Jake Brennan (Host)

You know what I'm saying? They never really get back to that rock, grindy, Americana based rock that they amalgamated into something that was wholly their own. I mean, they try, but it just never really, they never really do it. Not to the effect that the albums before Sun Grows had, but with Depeche Mode, you're right. They go right back to what they were doing before. And it's fantastic.

1595.483 - 1614.231 Jake Brennan (Host)

I love the Rolling Stones. Don't get me wrong, but you got to admit stuff after 1980s is lacking and Great call. Great call, Armin. Appreciate you. 310 on the same subject, Texan. Strangest deviation of any band I can think of is Bad Religion's second studio album, Into the Unknown. It truly was. It was prog rock and organs. Really?

1615.053 - 1631.357 Jake Brennan (Host)

The album kicks off with a synth swell that sounds like it came out of an AT&T commercial. It's so strange. So glad they abandoned that direction. I don't know this album. Never even heard of it. Never heard of it. What's it called? The Unknown. Into the Unknown. All right.

Chapter 7: How did the cultural events of 1994 shape music and society?

2615.022 - 2619.929 Jake Brennan (Host)

Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. What? Okay, I don't think that's true.

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2620.27 - 2621.852 Unknown

I'm telling you, the guy was a spy.

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2622.012 - 2629.243 Jake Brennan (Host)

Binge all 10 episodes of The Secret World of Roald Dahl now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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