Music

Tape Spaghetti

Welcome to Tape Spaghetti—where music history gets tangled. Hosts Blake Wyland and Scott Marquart dive into the wildest, weirdest, and most unexpected stories from the music industry. From legendary feuds to bizarre scandals, insane characters… and even murder! On this show we unravel the chaos behind the songs you love, the musicians you know, and stories that you need to hear.

Latest Episodes:

Neil Young Got SUED for Not Sounding Like… Himself? Apr 29, 2026

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A big ol' multi-million-dollar record deal, a rebel artist, a major corporate label, and "total creative freedom." What could possibly go wrong?

In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake unravel the chaotic 1980s era of Neil Young. When Young let his artistic spirit soar into downright experimental territory, his own label, Geffen, sued him for not being “Neil Young enough.”

While the album he delivered technically fit the contract, it certainly didn't meet expectations. Fans were confused, executives were pissed, and Young was accused of fulfilling the brief in an act of pure sabotage.

The lawsuit that followed shook the industry. Was the artist in the right for boldly embodying his creative identity, or did Geffen have cause to react on behalf of Young's frustrated fans?

Here's how Neil Young's foray into synth-heavy rockabilly music actually spoke to a larger argument over who *actually* owns an artist's signature sound.

The Dark Secret of Portland’s Roseland Theater Apr 21, 2026

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As a native Pacific-Northwesterner with roots in the music scene, our very own Blake Wyland is verifiably Portland-proud. But this week he delves into one of the city's darkest stories...with shocking ties to a beloved rock venue. This episode of Tape Spaghetti takes you inside the history of Portland’s Roseland Theater, previously known as the Starry Night nightclub—where the town's vibrant music culture masked something incredibly sinister. Sure, lots of clubs engage in semi-shady operations, but in this case, a story about a scrappy rock venue quickly twists into a full-blown crime saga involving counterfeit tickets, a volatile owner, a group of deeply suspicious insiders, and an employee who gets too close to exposing the truth. When things take a violent turn, the aftermath is as unsettling as the crime itself. No body. Lingering mystery. How the heck did this story stay hidden for so long?

Keanu Reeves Has a Band… and So Do These Actors Apr 14, 2026

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What do Joe Pesci, Oscar Isaac, and Keanu Reeves all have in common? No, this isn't the weirdest casting call of all time (though, we'd totally watch that movie) – it's MUSIC.

In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake dive into the unexpected world of actors who were (or still are) legit musicians. This Hollywood crossover occurs in some seriously surprising places, and the actors in question weren't just dipping their toes into the music scene. They were genuinely grinding it out in bands.

Oscar Isaac as a ska frontman. Fred Armisen earning genuine punk cred. Jeff Goldblum's jazz orchestra. Or Keanu Reeves quietly rocking out in Dogstar. This one'll make you rethink some actors you thought you knew, and highlights how the siren song of musical success can continue to lure established celebrities – even when they're already household names.

John Carpenter: The Man Who Scored Your Nightmares Apr 07, 2026

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Before his name became synonymous with nightmares and jumpscares, John Carpenter was a humble film student with an extremely limited budget.

So, what did this industrious director do when he couldn't afford to hire a composer? He became one.

This week on Tape Spaghetti, Scott & Blake look at Carpenter's lesser-known brilliance as a music-maker and how what started as a workaround became a legacy of minimalist tension and, without hyperbole, the sound of fear itself.

With a lofty imagination but no money for an orchestra, Carpenter discovered he could create massive, atmospheric synth soundscapes entirely on his own.

That approach exploded with Halloween, where a simple, relentless theme became instantly recognizable.

But the story doesn’t end there. From Escape from New York to The Thing (with a little help from Ennio Morricone), Carpenter kept evolving his sound while building a catalog of cult classics. Eventually, he stepped away from directing and leaned fully into music, even touring and releasing albums of “soundtracks for movies that don’t exist.”

Here's how a kid who grew up resisting formal music training became the architect of some of the most pervasive film music of all time – scary movie or otherwise.

The Langley Schools Music Project: A Choir From Another Dimension? Mar 31, 2026

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A burned out music teacher with no plan. A room full of kids. And a record that sounds like nothing else on earth.

In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott, Blake, and guest Nate Catanzarite discuss the Langley Schools Music Project, which started out as a classroom experiment and ended up as a captivating cult classic.

Frustrated with traditional lessons, teacher Hans Fenger let students choose songs they loved – including tunes by David Bowie and the Beach Boys – and learn them by ear, turning disengaged kids into a full-blown choir and band.

Recorded live with minimal gear, the result was raw, imperfect, and strangely powerful. Decades later, a crate-digging DJ stumbled across the record and unleashed it on the world, quickly turning it into an underground sensation.

Here’s how a kids’ choir accidentally summoned something truly cosmic.

“Africa” Wasn’t Supposed to Happen (The Toto Story) Mar 24, 2026

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Imagine a world where the best session musicians in Los Angeles have a revolutionary idea: "....Hey... why don't we just BE the band??"

In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott & Blake unravel the surprisingly unlikely rise of Toto, a cadre of hyper-skilled studio players who went from backing name-brand artists to dominating the charts on their own.

Featured in hits ranging from yacht-rock to Thriller, these guys weren't exactly starving artists, but finding solo success wasn't easy.

In fact, sounding exactly like a bunch of elite studio musicians didn't even work in their favor. Critics dismissed them as being overly-polished, calculated, and perfect.

Then came Toto IV, a do-or-die album that delivered "Rosanna," "Africa," and a bonafide Grammy sweep. Of course, in the scope of rock mythology, even success leads to chaos, industry backlash, tragedy, and irrelevance – but, powered by the internet and an unexpected Weezer cover, Toto experienced one of the great second acts in pop history.

Here's how the most overqualified band in history proved that success is never guaranteed.

How Hollywood Fakes Rock Legends (JD Simo on Springsteen & Elvis) Mar 17, 2026

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What happens when a world-class guitarist gets dropped into a zillion dollar Hollywood film production?

In this special episode of Tape Spaghetti, JD Simo pulls back the curtain on how musical authenticity is crafted on the big screen. From Elvis to Springsteen, JD has played a key role in powering the musical engines of some MAJOR movies.

Whether it's recording sessions, ensuring that meticulous gear details are recreated on set, or coaching stars who've never even touched a guitar so that they can convincingly portray rock icons on camera, JD has seen and done it all.

Tune in for a behind the scenes rundown featuring some studio legends and the unbelievable pressure of making sure that every chord, cable, and performance looks real in your favorite music-centric blockbusters.

Franz Liszt Was The First Rockstar Mar 10, 2026

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Long before Elvis shook his hips or the Beatles sparked screaming crowds, there was Franz Liszt. In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake dive into the wild story of the 19th-century Hungarian pianist who unknowingly invented the archetype of the modern rock star.

Liszt wasn’t just a virtuoso — he was a phenomenon.

Concertgoers fainted. Women fought over his discarded cigarette butts. Newspapers debated the medical implications of a new diagnosis: “Lisztomania.” And his concerts? They looked shockingly like the modern arena shows of pop's hottest tickets: a headline performer, dramatic stage presence, and audiences absolutely losing their minds

Liszt even pioneered things musicians still rely on today, like instrument endorsements, solo recital tours, and a media frenzy that followed him from city to city. With a custom touring carriage, a press-savvy manager, and a reputation that spread like wildfire across Europe, Liszt turned classical music into spectacle.

But just as his fame reached unimaginable heights, he shocked the world by walking away from it all. This is the story of how the first rock star was actually a classical pianist who rewrote the rules of fame.

Chumbawamba, Tubthumping, & Total Anarchy Mar 03, 2026

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You already know the chorus. In fact, you've probably scream-sung it at a bar. But, what do you know about the band behind Tubthumping?

What if we told you that the biggest pub anthem of the '90s was written by militant anarchic agitators who supported striking miners, clashed with fascists, and called a crumbling Victorian mansion home?

Yep, Chumbawamba is probably a LOT more interesting than you might have imagined. In this week's episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott & Blake trace the band’s journey from punk squatters in Northern England to Britpop chart-toppers, and the ideological tightrope they walked along the way.

Some might have accused them of selling out, but when "Tubthumping" became a global smash, the band used their spotlight for disruption: rewriting lyrics on national TV, provoking politicians, and donating profits to radical causes.

Here's what happens when anarchists accidentally write one of the catchiest pop hooks ever recorded.

Oasis, Metallica & The War That Crushed Music Feb 25, 2026

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Ever wonder why older albums feel warm and dynamic while some late-’90s and 2000s records sound like a stark wall of noise?

In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake remember the Loudness Wars—an era when mastering engineers pushed music to its absolute sonic limits.

The guys track the constraints of analog vinyl to the digital “look-ahead” limiters that could mathematically crush peaks into flat lines.

From Bob Ludwig's legendary Led Zeppelin II pressing to Steely Dan, Dire Straits, Oasis, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rick Rubin’s hit factory, and Metallica’s infamous Death Magnetic, the guys explore how "LOUDER" became "better"...until it wasn’t.

They break down dynamic range, digital clipping, the Waves L1 Limiter, ear fatigue, and why volume almost always wins in short bursts – but loses out over the course of a full album.

The good news? Streaming normalization may have quietly reset the dynamics playing field.

Dive into this under-reported part of music history, go down the gear-nerd rabbit hole, and pick apart the cultural impact of volume ruling everything.

You may never hear your favorite records the same way again.

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