

The Next Track
Doug Adams and Kirk McElhearn
Doug Adams and Kirk McElhearn discuss music and musicians, and how we listen to music, whether it be analog or digital, downloaded or streamed, audio, or video.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 21, 2017 • 31min
♫ Episode #62 – Simple and Elaborate Audio Systems – How Many Devices Can You Have in Your Audio Chain?
Chris Connaker joins us to discuss simple and elaborate audio systems. How many devices can you have in your audio chain? Chris surprises us with some of his.
This week’s guest:
Chris Connaker, of the Computer Audiophile website
Show notes:
Audiophiles in Japan are installing their own electricity poles
dCS
Linear power supplies
Cable lifters?
Screw-in pointy things
IsoAcoustic speaker stands
Gear acquisition syndrome
A Beginners’ Guide To Acoustic Treatment
Feng shui
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Matthias Goerne: Schubert Lieder
Doug: Status Quo; The Last Night of the Electrics
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Chris Connaker.Support The Next Track

Jul 14, 2017 • 37min
♫ Episode #61 – Traditions and Etiquette in Classical Concerts – Applause, Encores, Curtain Calls, and the Bravo Guy
We ask Andy Doe why classical concerts have such rigid traditions and etiquette regarding audience reactions. And we discuss the Bravo Guy, present at concert halls around the world.
Note: We apologize that this episode runs a bit longer than usual, but it was too interesting and too much fun to cut.
This week’s guest:
Andy Doe
Proper Discord
Show notes:
Murray Perahia and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, April 5, 2017
András Schiff – Beethoven, the 32 Sonatas
András Schiff – Encores After Beethoven
In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores
The rules for Hilary Hahn’s encore contest
Alex Ross: Hold Your Applause: Inventing and Reinventing the Classical Concert (PDF)
Our next tracks:
Kirk: DeJohnette Grenadier Medeski Scofield: Hudson
Doug: The Suburbs: Hey Muse!
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Andy Doe.Support The Next Track

Jul 7, 2017 • 32min
♫ Episode #60 – Geoff Edgers on the Slow Death of the Electric Guitar
Journalist Geoff Edgers joins us to discuss his Washington Post article about the slow death of the electric guitar.
Sponsor: Rogue Ameoba’s Audio Hijack. If you can hear it on your Mac, you can record it with Audio Hijack. Download the free trial from Rogue Amoeba, then save 20% with coupon code NEXTTRACK.
Check out Audio Hijack now.
This week’s guest:
Geoff Edgers on the Washington Post
Show notes:
Why my guitar gently weeps – The slow, secret death of the six-string electric. And why you should care.
How Much Did This Guitar Story Cost Me? $2,376.99 – The story behind my story on the death of the electric guitar
Behind the scenes of ‘The slow death of the electric guitar’ – a.k.a. how we got paid to set a guitar on fire
Fender Play
Tom Feldmann
Toby Walker
School of Rock
♫ Episode #48 – Musician Dave Harrington of DARKSIDE and the Dave Harrington Group on Music Between Genres
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Santana – Soul Sacrifice (Live at Woodstock 1969)
Doug: Adrian Belew – Desire of the Rhino King
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Geoff Edgers.Support The Next Track

Jun 30, 2017 • 29min
♫ Episode #59 – 1967 and the Summer of Love
We take a look back at the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, in 1967.
One correction. I said that Bob Dylan didn’t release any albums in 1967. That’s false; John Wesley Harding was released on December 27 of that year.
Summer of Love
The Monterey Pop Festival
The Acid Tests
Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (film)
Long Strange Trip
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – Super Deluxe Ed
Events of 1967
Our World
Magical Mystery Tour
1967 in Film
1967 in Music
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow
Doug: Traffic: Mr. Fantasy
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Support The Next Track

Jun 23, 2017 • 35min
♫ Episode #58 – David Weigel on the History of Progressive Rock
Author David Weigel joins us to discuss his book The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock.
This week’s guest:
Dave Weigel’s website
David Weigel’s writing on the Washington Post
Show notes:
The Show that Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock
Dave Weigel’s Prog Spring series on Slate
Mark Prindle’s record reviews
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
Wollman Skating Rink New York Concert Setlists
Tangerine Dream: Encore: Live
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Yes: Close to the Edge
Doug: Family: Bandstand
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: David Weigel.Support The Next Track

Jun 16, 2017 • 34min
♫ Episode #57 – Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Optical Discs
Andy Doe joins us to take a close look at optical discs: CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, but also HDCDs, DVD-As, and more. I bet you didn’t know how many kinds of optical disc there are…
“It is the betamax of audio formats…”
Show notes:
Optical disc – Wikipedia
Compact disc – Wikipedia
Compact Disc Digital Audio – Wikipedia
Close to the Edge
Nyquist frequency – Wikipedia
44,100 Hz – Wikipedia
Error detection and correction
Pulse-code modulation
Super Audio CD
Hybrid disc
DVD-Audio
Mode Records DVD-A releases
High Fidelity Pure Audio (Blu-Ray Audio)
HDCD
Grateful Dead
Cambridge Audio 651BD
Compressed audio optical disc (MP3 CD)
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Miles Davis: Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings, 1951-1956
Doug: Slim Gaillard: Slim Gaillard Rides Again
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Andy Doe.Support The Next Track

Jun 9, 2017 • 32min
♫ Episode #56 – Playlists in iTunes
We take a close look at iTunes playlists, how they work, what you can do with them, and how you can bend them to your will.
Sponsor: Rogue Ameoba’s Audio Hijack. If you can hear it on your Mac, you can record it with Audio Hijack. Download the free trial from Rogue Amoeba, then save 20% with coupon code NEXTTRACK.
Check out Audio Hijack now.
Show notes:
Episode #49 – Common Misconceptions about iTunes
Model-view-controller (Wikipedia)
Understanding iTunes Library Files
iTunes playlist windows are back
AppleScripts mentioned:
Delete Empty Playlists
Merge-Delete Playlists
Smarts
Playlists Info
Show In Playlists
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Jackson Browne: Running on Empty
Doug: The Heavy: The House That Dirt Built
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Support The Next Track

Jun 2, 2017 • 33min
♫ Episode #55 – Chris Connaker Shares His Favorites from the Munich High End Audio Show
Chris Connaker, of ComputerAudiophile.com, joins us to talk about the most interesting audio hardware he saw – and heard – at this year’s Munich High End Audio Show.
This week’s guest:
Chris Connaker, of the Computer Audiophile website
Show notes:
High End Munich
Focal Grand Utopia EM speakers
Focal Utopia headphones
McIntosh
Constellation Audio Leo
Devialet Phantom speaker
Marten Coltrane 3
Elac Adante speakers
DCS Vivaldi DAC
Innuos music servers
Audeze LCDi4 in-ear earphone
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Penguin Café: The Imperfect Sea
Doug: Jimmy Smith: Root Down
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Chris Connaker.Support The Next Track

May 26, 2017 • 35min
♫ Episode #54 – Guitarist Woody Mann Talks about His Documentary on the Life of Rev. Gary Davis
Guitarist Woody Mann joins us to discuss his documentary about the life of the great blues and gospel musician Rev. Gary Davis.
This week’s guest:
Woody Mann
Show notes:
Harlem Street Singer (documentary)
Harlem Street Singer (album)
Empire Roots Band – music from the documentary Harlem Street Singer
Students of Rev. Gary Davis
Say No to the Devil: The Life and Musical Genius of Rev. Gary Davis, Ian Zack
Hot Tuna – First Pull Up, Then Pull Down
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Brad Mehldau: Songs: The Art of the Trio, Vol. 3
Doug: The Regrettes: Feel Your Feelings Fool!
If you like the show, please Support The Next Track

May 19, 2017 • 37min
♫ Episode #53 – Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour
We welcome author and Dylanologist Andrew Muir to talk about Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour, and his recent concerts in the UK.
Just a quick note: we’ve posted a brief survey about The Next Track, and we would love it if you could take the two minutes to answer a dozen questions about the podcast, how you listen, what you like, and feel free to suggest any topics you’d like us to cover.
This week’s guest:
Andrew Muir
Show notes:
One More Night: Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour
Bob Dylan tour dates
Bob Dylan setlists
Bob Dylan: Chronicles, Volume One
Dylan & the Dead
Wikipedia article about the Never Ending Tour; includes a timeline of the band members
Bob Dylan’s gambler’s hat:
Full audio of Bob Dylan’s concert in Bournemouth, May 4, 2017:
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Apple Music playlist, Erased Tapes Essentials
Doug: Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.Special Guest: Andrew Muir.Support The Next Track


