In this wide-ranging Black Tee Society conversation, Dave and Josh kick things off with a bizarre discovery—someone impersonating Dave online and interacting with fans as if they were him. The conversation quickly shifts into a spirited debate about potential Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees and the ever-controversial question of what actually qualifies as “rock.” From there, the episode dives deep into the Depeche Mode Memento Mori documentary, concert culture, nostalgia, vinyl, and the endless pursuit of discovering new music.

The conversation then revisits a previous debate about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dave and Josh react to rumored or predicted nominees, discussing artists like Iron Maiden, Mariah Carey, Oasis, Billy Idol, Alice in Chains, and others. Their broader point is clear—the Hall of Fame has long since become more of a “Music Hall of Fame,” blurring genre boundaries and raising questions about what rock really means.

From there, the discussion shifts to Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori concert documentary. Both hosts reflect on seeing the band live and analyze the film’s structure, production choices, and heavy use of Day of the Dead imagery. While they praise the band’s performance and enduring catalog, they question whether the documentary fully captured the live concert experience or the band’s connection with the audience.

The episode concludes with a nostalgic dive into concert memories, vinyl collecting, cassette mixtapes, and the thrill of discovering new artists—from underground rock acts to emerging country-rock bands. Artists discussed:

• Iron Maiden
• Mariah Carey
• Oasis
• Diana Ross
• Alicia Keys
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Styx
• Billy Idol
• Phil Collins
• B-52s
• Alice in Chains
• Pixies
• Motorhead and Lemmy not being inducted remains a major credibility issue for the Hall.

Josh’s New Discoveries:

• Dogma
• Shane Smith & the Saints
• Reverend Horton Heat
• The Church

Dave’s New Discoveries:

• Treaty Oak Revival
• Sombr
• Teddy Swims

Their shared philosophy: Music fans should always keep exploring instead of replaying the same catalog forever.

1. “To be me? I challenge you to find a line of people waiting to do that.”
2. “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn’t just rock anymore—it’s basically the Music Hall of Fame.”
3. “When a band talks to the audience, that connection is something you can’t replicate anywhere else.”
4. “Don’t listen to the same shit over and over again—keep finding new music.”
5. “With a double cassette deck and a Maxell 120, you were basically king of the world."

The episode’s centerpiece is a discussion of Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori concert documentary. Both hosts reflect on their own experiences seeing the band live and analyze the film’s stylistic choices. While the performances themselves are widely praised, the documentary’s heavy integration of Day of the Dead imagery and cultural segments raises questions about whether it captures the essence of a Depeche Mode concert. For Dave and Josh, one of the biggest missing elements is the band’s direct connection with the audience—an aspect of live performance that can’t be replicated on film. The Black Tee Society is also the number one new podcast in the area of new music and classic music catalogues. The show now has over 500 listens and streams per episode.

But the episode ends on a forward-looking note. Even lifelong music fans, Dave and Josh argue, should never stop discovering new artists.

Because the worst thing a music fan can do is listen to the same songs forever.

In this nostalgia-fueled episode, hosts Dave and Josh channel their Gen X musical expertise to vent about the current state of music awards. They dissect the infuriating inconsistencies and flawed methodology of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, listing major snubs from Weird Al to The Smiths. The conversation pivots to the declining relevance of the Grammys, comparing the star-studded winners of 1986 to today's auto-tuned landscape. The episode rounds out with lighter segments on hilariously "sinister" heavy metal band names and the lost analog art of backward masking in vinyl records.

The episode opens with high energy as Dave and Josh admire Dave's "smart" attire and briefly touch upon legendary onstage catastrophes, specifically mentioning Krist Novoselic's bass toss and a bloody microphone incident involving The Hives.

The central part of the discussion focuses on their shared anger regarding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dave uses the Billboard Top Ten from December 1986 to highlight artists who are notably absent from the Hall, such as Huey Lewis and the News. They argue that the Hall's induction methodology is nebulous and relies too heavily on a fan vote that favors currently active artists. They provide a laundry list of snubs, passionately arguing the cases for Joy Division/New Order, The Smiths, Iron Maiden, Jane's Addiction, Phil Collins (as a solo artist and with Genesis), and, surprisingly, Weird Al Yankovic, citing his massive sales and cultural longevity.

Next, they tackle the Grammys, agreeing that the awards have lost their relevance outside of industry marketing. They review the stacked Grammy winners list from 1986 (Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen) to emphasize the difference in raw vocal talent compared to modern, heavily produced music.

The final segments shift to more humorous musical tropes. They share their favorite over-the-top "sinister" band names, such as Goatwhore and Hellhammer, and recall the Satanic Panic of the 80s surrounding bands like KISS and Judas Priest. They conclude with a discussion on backward masking (backmasking), sharing examples ranging from the very first instance in 1959 by The Eligibles to Soundgarden mocking the practice in the late 80s.

Show Notes & Timestamps:

• [00:00] Intro: Dave's smart dressing, high energy, and a quick detour into onstage catastrophes (Krist Novoselic and The Hives).
• [04:15] The 1986 Quiz: Dave tests Josh on the top ten songs from December 1986 to set up the Hall of Fame discussion.
• [06:45] Rock & Roll Hall of Shame: Analyzing the flawed methodology of inductions, the problem with the fan vote, and why Huey Lewis isn't in the news.
• [12:30] The Great Snub List: The hosts debate who deserves to be in. The case for The Smiths, Joy Division, Iron Maiden, Phil Collins/Genesis, and why Weird Al Yankovic is a musical genius deserving of recognition.
• [23:00] The Grammys Roast: Are they still relevant? A look back at the staggering talent roster of the 1986 Grammy winners versus today's digitized vocals.
• [29:45] Sinister Band Names: From Hellhammer to Goatwhore, plus the hilarious original name of the Drive-By Truckers.
• [35:15] The Lost Art of Backward Masking: Searching for secret messages in vinyl. Examples from Soundgarden, Pink Floyd, Queen, and the very first backmasked song from 1959.

Holiday episodes tend to follow a predictable formula — a little nostalgia, a little sentimentality and a playlist full of songs everyone has heard a thousand times. This one is different. The conversation begins in an unexpected place: the Super Bowl. Not just any Super Bowl, but the post-9/11 Rams–Patriots game in New Orleans, where the stadium was wrapped in military security and U2’s emotional halftime performance unfurled the names of the victims across a towering screen. It’s a moment burned into cultural memory, and for the hosts, a reminder that some halftime acts transcend criticism.

From there, the episode shifts to its true centerpiece: holiday music, the most emotionally loaded genre in the canon. For one host, the holidays mean vinyl — physical albums, needle drops, and a ritualized rotation of Crosby, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Elvis. The family knows the rules, right down to flipping the record. Mariah Carey remains undefeated in the broader culture, but not in this house; veto power is real.

That tension highlights the deeper point: holiday music is a convergence of personal taste, family history, and cultural inheritance. The discussion branches into the question of single-artist albums versus compilation records, along with the unexpectedly diverse range of options. The picks include Hanukkah Rocks from The LeeVees, Adam Sandler’s comedic classic, a Kwanzaa album from Sweet Honey in the Rock, and even the unexpected genre-bending of Christmas on Death Row. Holiday music, the hosts argue, is one of the few categories where listeners willingly cross cultural borders without hesitation simply because the season invites it.

Holiday Standards & Staples

• Bing Crosby – “Merry Christmas”
  https://www.bingcrosby.com
• Frank Sinatra – “A Jolly Christmas”
  https://www.sinatra.com
• Nat King Cole – “The Christmas Song”
  https://www.natkingcole.com
• Dean Martin – “A Winter Romance”
  https://www.deanmartin.com
• Beach Boys – “The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album”
  https://www.thebeachboys.com
• Harry Connick Jr. – “When My Heart Finds Christmas”
  https://www.harryconnickjr.com

Hanukkah & Kwanzaa Picks

• The LeeVees – “Hanukkah Rocks” (JDub Records)
  https://www.jdubrecords.org (archive)
• Adam Sandler – “The Chanukah Song”
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5Z-HpHH9g
• Sweet Honey in the Rock – “Seven Principles: Kwanzaa Album”
  https://sweethoneyintherock.org

Holiday Oddities & Deep Cuts

• Run DMC – “Christmas in Hollis”
  https://www.rundmc.com
• Christmas on Death Row – Various Artists
  https://www.deathrowofficial.com