(Photo courtesy of Scott Henderson.)
What if “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones was really about retired motorcycle daredevil J.J. Flash, who wants to jump the Branch Davidian compound in Waco as his final farewell? Just listen to the lyrics. It seems plausible, right?
OK, maybe not. But if you like such wild interpretations of classic rock songs, there’s a new podcast that will keep you entertained for hours during Dallas’ coronavirus lockdown.
In “Pick Up the Needle,” neighbors Scott Henderson and Christopher Moock create outrageous storylines behind musical hits like Boston’s “Peace of Mind” and Heart’s “Barracuda.”
“Even if you’ve heard a song a million times, you may not understand the lyrics,” Moock said. “We dive into maybe not what is, but what this song could be about.”
The second season of the freeform comedy podcast launched May 1. Each episode lasts about 15 minutes and is released on the 1st and 15th of each month.
The duo developed the show at Forecast Gallery Studio in Moock’s home and launched the first season in November 2019. It was a familiar process for Henderson, who created another podcast, “Movie Laugh Tracks,” several years ago.
Together, Henderson and Moock act out each farcical narrative by playing characters ranging from Aquaman to Dorothy from Topeka, Kansas. Add background music and sound effects, and the episodes can get wild.
“Anything is possible,” Moock said. “If we can call in the Justice League, it’s just added silliness. I like the absurdity of the show all together. The whole idea is that we’re just two guys having fun.”
Episodes have gotten progressively better as the two friends developed their on-air rapport. They plan to release the remainder of Season 2 over the next six months.
“We’re starting to get some legs,” Henderson said. “I’m happy people are laughing, especially with everything going on. People need comedy right now.”
