The Opus

Latest Episodes:

Abraxas: Carlos Santana Truly Arrived After Woodstock Nov 19, 2020

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In the Season 11 premiere, we're dialing back the clock to the late '60s, a time when Santana and his band were on the cusp of a cultural sea change. They had just conquered the iconic Woodstock Music Festival, and all ears were raised for what came next.

But, when you finally have the means to make the album you’ve always wanted ... is it smooth sailing? As an outsider making outsider art, did Santana feel a responsibility to represent his cultural roots? And what about meeting your heroes?

Join host Jill Hopkins as she contends with all of these questions in the first episode. Along the way, she'll hear insights from the legend himself Carlos Santana, in addition to his drummer Michael Shrieve, musicologist Mark Brill, and historian Ashley Kahn.

Featuring original music by Tony Piazza.

Don't forget to enter our exclusive giveaway to win one (1) SE Santana Singlecut Trem in Egyptian Gold from PRS Guitars and a copy of Abraxas on vinyl.

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Welcome to The Opus - Season 11: Santana's Abraxas Nov 18, 2020

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Consequence Podcast Network and Sony’s The Opus is back for Season 11 with a new host and a new classic album to explore. Beginning November 19th, host Jill Hopkins (The Moth Chicago, Making Beyoncé podcast) will conjure the enduring legacy of Santana’s landmark Abraxas.

Following the release of their self-titled debut and their subsequent performance at Woodstock, a world of possibility was opened to Santana for their sophomore record. Band leader Carlos Santana suddenly had the means to make the album he’d always dreamed of — but with that came added pressure. With his band of virtuosos around him, Santana set out to find new ways of blending rock music with jazz experimentation, resulting in an effort unlike anything that had come before, and something that many have striven to emulate since.

As Hopkins traces the story of Abraxas from the summer of ’69 to today, she’ll be joined by Carlos Santana himself and band drummer Michael Shrieve. Other scheduled guests include musicologist Mark Brill, Dávila 666’s AJ Davila, and many more.

“I’m excited to help tell the story of an iconic album that has followed me from snuck-in listens at grown-up parties to full album immersions through headphones I probably paid too much for,” says Hopkins. “Abraxas sounds just as passionate, percussive, and pervasive to our shared culture as Carlos Santana meant for it to when he and his band of equally talented players stepped off of the Woodstock stage and into musical immortality.”

The Opus: Abraxas premieres November 19th, and you can subscribe now.

Theme music by Tony Piazza.

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Whitney Houston: Behold, the Everlasting Star! Jun 18, 2020

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We are living in Andy Warhol's vision of the future. It’s a time when anyone can TikTok their way to 15 minutes of fame, only to disappear 15 seconds later. But there’s a strange effect to all these stars and this new galaxy: We’re all so siloed as fans that it’s easy to forget there was once a time when stars could outlast the universe.

One such star is Whitney Houston.

As The Opus winds down its journey through the diva's blockbuster debut, host Andy Bothwell speaks with rapper Dessa and writers Hanif Abdurraqib and Myles Johnson about what Whitney Houston meant to the world.

Together, they discuss how Houston impacted such a wide and diverse range of communities and cultures, and later marvel at the strength she exhibited while facing insurmountable pressures and exorbitant demands.

Stream Whitney Houston via all major streaming services or enter to win a copy of Vinyl Me, Please’s 35th anniversary Whitney Houston box set.

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Whitney Houston: The Science Behind the Voice Jun 04, 2020

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There's something mystifying about powerful voices. Sure, everyone can open their mouth and sing, but when we watch a force like Whitney Houston do so, it's abundantly clear there's a vast divide between her and us mere mortals.

But we take such voices for granted, often celebrating their talent by simply listening. What we don't appreciate is the work it takes to get there, the work it takes to maintain such power, and the true musicianship behind every note.

As The Opus continues its journey into Whitney Houston, host Andy Bothwell learns about the training and athleticism behind a voice like Houston by speaking with singer Bartees Strange and opera singer Dr. Donna Mitchell-Cox.

Later, Dessa (of Doomtree Records) breaks down the science behind Houston's voice, while CNN's own Brandon Tensley explains the unexplainable -- specifically, why her voice impacts us in ways we can't always understand.

Stream Whitney Houston via all major streaming services or enter to win a copy of Vinyl Me, Please’s 35th anniversary Whitney Houston box set.

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Whitney Houston: Whitney's Billboard Run Contains Multitudes May 28, 2020

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It's hard to underestimate Whitney Houston’s stardom.

For better and for worse, the world knows so much more about the late diva than we do about most artists from her era. Houston's meteoric rise would eventually place her own personal life under a microscope, and it's the tragic details that all too often overshadow her unparalleled legacy and groundbreaking influence.

Looking back, though, Whitney Houston wasn't just a pop star. She wasn't just an incredible voice. No, she was a trail blazer, the first of her kind, who opened the door for so many artists to follow. For its highly anticipated 10th season, The Opus plans to trace those footsteps, and put a spotlight on the star that was born with 1985's Whitney Houston.

Join host Andy Bothwell as he talks with music writer and chart historian Chris Molanphy about the records Houston broke with her self-titled debut. Then listen as writers Britt Julious, Brandon Tensley, and musicians Sophia Eris and Bartees Strange explain how Houston's position on the Billboard charts meant so much more than just record sales.

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The Infamous: Mobb Deep Crafted Their Own Language May 14, 2020

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For decades now, rap and hip-hop has been the most fertile soil for slang and new language across pop culture. But when looking back on Mobb Deep, the duo didn't just have their own slang, they had their own language.

In this bonus episode of The Opus, host Andy Bothwell breaks down the history of "The Dun Language" with rappers Slug (of Atmosphere) and Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), who discuss the influence that language has played on their own work.

Shortly after, we'll hear from original member Havoc, legendary hip-hop photographer Chi Modu, and The Infamous executive producer Schott Free, who shed a light on the oft-elusive, secret third member of Mobb Deep.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, stream Mobb Deep's The Infamous – 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition via all major streaming services. You can also enter to win a copy of The Infamous on vinyl -- signed by rapper Havoc himself.

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The Infamous: Experience Outweighs Practice May 07, 2020

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The world seems to have gone mad since the release of Malcolm Gladwell's The Outliers. Thanks to his 2008 best-selling book, everyone seems to think that all you need is 10,000 hours of practice to achieve greatness. While that may work on a skill or a craft, the rules go out the window when it comes to art.

Prodigy and Havoc certainly put a lot of hours into making beats and rapping before they made The Infamous, but there are other powerful forces that truly shaped them into becoming artists. After all, 10,000 hours will only take you so far, and much of that greatness depends on perspective and experience.

In this season's final episode, host Andy Bothwell is joined once again by Mobb Deep’s Havoc who breaks down the experiences that helped shape the duo. What's more, rappers Brother Ali and Don Will, in addition to writers Jeff Weiss and Mosi Reeves, also weigh in on how the late Prodigy was able to channel his own trauma into something the world had never seen before.

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The Infamous: Finding Success By Learning From Failure Apr 30, 2020

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The mid-90's produced a crowded field chock full of brilliant rap records. With debuts from Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and Jay-Z, artists really needed to bring their A-game if they were going to try and stand out. Mobb Deep could have easily been lost in the ether, especially given the mixed reception towards their debut album, Juvenile Hell.

Instead, like so many of the artists we've covered in The Opus -- Miles Davis, Simon & Garfunkel, Ozzy Osbourne, the list goes on -- Mobb Deep leaned on that failure to chase their own success. Because without the bitterness of defeat, Prodigy & Havoc may have never been driven to evolve into the powerhouse that created The Infamous.

Join host Andy Bothwell as he speaks with Havoc and Executive Producer/A&R's Matt Life about the setbacks the duo faced and how they overcame them. We'll also hear from CSU-Long Beach professor and music journalist Oliver Wang about the story behind the song that changed it all for Mobb Deep, in addition to Evidence of Dilated Peoples and both Slug and Ant of Atmosphere on what sets The Infamous apart from the other titans of the genre.

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The Infamous: Mobb Deep's Commitment to the Truth Apr 24, 2020

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Rap in the modern age is drowned in theater. Today, the lines between reality and fiction are often so blurred that it's tough to tell what's fact or fiction. Ironically, the old adage of "keepin' it real" was tossed around too lightly amidst the Golden Age of Hip-Hop.

One exception to that rule was Mobb Deep. A quarter century ago, Havoc and Prodigy helped ignite the East Coast hip-hop renaissance with their sophomore album, The Infamous, which held up a dark, gritty, realistic mirror to their particular world.

Using their lyrics like a photojournalist might use their camera, the duo brought listeners into their often haunting and impoverished corner of Queens. Add in the powerfully sparse, jagged production, and you have a record that changed the perception of hardcore rap forever.

For its ninth season, The Opus heads to Queens to discuss the landmark album. Join host Andy Bothwell as he gets the street-level facts from Havoc (the surviving member of Mobb Deep) and Infamous Executive Producer/A&R Schott Free. He also hears some insights from syndicated radio host Headkrack, rapper and Paid Dues curator Murs, and Pitchfork writer Paul Thompson.

Together, they discuss how Mobb Deep's journalistic devotion to spitting the truth raised the bar to an impossible standard that even the greatest rappers of their day could never match.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, stream a legacy edition of Mobb Deep's The Infamous via all major streaming services.

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Bitches Brew: Breaking Down the Album Artwork Apr 09, 2020

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In many ways, an album's physical packaging is a dying art form in the modern era of streaming services. Instead of picking up a record, we scroll through them, searching for light amidst a seemingly infinite sea of digital album covers. With that in mind, there's never been a greater need for eye-catching album covers in the history of the medium.

Bitches Brew is one such record, only the artwork serves a much greater role. It's not just an avatar for the album, or a marketing tool for the label, but a physical continuation of its themes. It accentuates and visualizes the very philosophies being observed by Miles Davis within the seminal album. It's an extension of the album, if you will.

In this special bonus episode of The Opus, host Andy Bothwell is joined by painter/illustrator Michael Gaughan and photographer Cameron Wittig. Together, they break down the details of the album artwork for Bitches Brew -- both inside and out. So, for one last time, pull up a chair, and listen above.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, stream a legacy edition of Bitches Brew via all major streaming services. You can also enter to win the massive 43-CD The Genius of Miles Davis box set, which includes the four-disc The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions.

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