"Do They Know It's Christmas" with Michaelangelo Matos and Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd

A new year of “12 Songs of Christmas” begins with a discussion of 1984. Music critic and journalist Michaelangelo Matos’ new book, Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year, looks at an amazing year in pop music that culminated with two Christmas classics--"Last Christmas" by Wham! and "Do They Know it's Christmas" by Band Aid. We talk about those songs and fit them into the story that Matos tells of 1984. 

I interviewed Matos in 2015 when he published his previous book, a history of electronic dance music titled The Underground is Massive. You read my two-part interview on it at My Spilt Milk. 

My second interview this week is a few minutes with Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd. When we spoke last fall, he volunteered his take on "Do They Know It's Christmas" at a point that would have been hard to connect to the rest of the interview. Since it made sense as a part of this conversation, I've included it here. 

In addition to these conversations, I've shared one of my favorite modern Christmas songs--"Hark the Herald Angels Sing" by 11 Acorn Lane--and songs by Esquivel and The Three Suns that give it context. 

In the recording, I talk about the album that introduced Esquivel to a new audience, Space Age Bachelor Pad Music. On the recording, I say it was released in 1984. I guess I had 1984 on my mind because the album came out 10 years later in 1994. 

Finally, last month I posted an essay on Wham!'s "Last Christmas." You can find it online at TwelveSongsOfChristmas.com.