Silent Generation

Ep. 63: Cheerleader Rock w/ Christine

Cheerleader rock is a music genre that incorporates cheerleader chants, blaring electric guitars, and marching band instrumentals. It first emerged over two decades ago in the mid-2000s, but it was never identified as a trend or defined as a genre. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by friend of the pod Christine to discuss the two standout acts of this style (The Go! Team and Sleigh Bells) along with several musicians who have released cheerleader rock tracks (Toni Basil, Gwen Stefani, and Junior Varsity). Amongst other things they discuss how Nathan first discovered The Go! Team through a Cartoon Network advert, how Derek E. Miller envisioned Sleigh Bells as “‘Hollaback Girl’ with metal guitars,” and how Cross The Street by Junior Varsity mirrors Huddle Formation by The Go! Team. They round off the episode by talking about cheerleader fashion and cheerleader movies. 
 
Links:Nathan and Christine’s Cheerleader rock playlistThe Go! Team Doc 2011Interview: The Go! Team The Go! Team tell us about the influences behind new album 'Get Up Sequences' by Bill PearisCartoon Network Presents: The Go-Team (Short Version)Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror (Teaser Trailer)Sleigh Bells bring out the pompoms by Jeremy Henderson”Hollaback Girl’ With Metal Guitars’: Sleigh Bells Look Back on ‘Treats’ at 10 by Claire ChafferSleigh Bells – the tale of an ex-pop-star fourth grade teacher and a hardcore punk from The Sunshine State by Stuart StubbsSleigh Bells on Their Sixth Album Texis and “Breaking Old Patterns” by Chris VultaggioMeet the 4 Most Desired People in New York (According to OKCupid) by Logan HillBand To Watch: Junior Varsity by Tess GrowneyBROLIN ALMA and HAGBERG ALICE | Disco Dance World Championship 2019Where Cheerleading Ranks in Safety Among High School Sports by Walk Hickey
 
Artwork:Cheerleaders, 1959 (Syracuse, NY)
 
Recorded on 3/6/2025

Ep. 62: Pulaski Day [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration
 
Pulaski Day is a holiday observed in municipalities across the US that have large Polish populations. It honors General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War. He is often called the "Father of the American Cavalry” and is celebrated for having saved George Washington’s life. This week’s episode of Silent Generation covers who Pulaski was, how the holiday came to be, and how the holiday is celebrated. Amongst other things the boys discuss how pączki are eaten on both Pulaski day and Fat Thursday (the Polish equivalent of Fat Tuesday, how the best (Polish) buffet in the Chicagoland area is the Red Apple restaurant, and how the Polish suffix “ski” was restricted to nobility.
 
Links:Casimir Pulaski BiographyPulaski Day: An Updated the History Guy Episode The Rise of Casimir Pulaski Day by Jesse DukesWhat is Pulaski Day? Here's what's closed and the history of this Chicago holiday by Rafaela JinichRevolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski might have been a woman or intersex by Corky Siemaszko*screams in polish* memehttps://restaurantredapple.com/ LARGEST All You Can Eat TRADITIONAL POLISH BUFFET!Photograph of the soviet cars in the Polish Constitution Day Parade
Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan StevensHappy Pulaski Day, Fellow Chicagoans! Happy Crawford Day, Suburbanites!
 
Artwork:Parada 2024- fot.Michael J. Ariola0004
 
Recorded on 2/28/2025

Ep. 61: Urban Wildlife

This week’s episode of Silent Generation explores the idea that “around the world, nature is moving to cities.” The boys begin by introducing listeners to the concept of the Anthropocene and the ideas presented in Fred Pearce’s book The New Wild, both of which provide frameworks to start thinking that wild animals are not out of place in urban environments. They then talk about animals that are already accepted city dwellers (pigeons, rats, and squirrels) before talking about “wilder” animals that began moving back to cities like Chicago in the ‘90s (otters, snapping turtles, beavers, white-tailed deer, and coyotes). Amongst other things they discuss how Chicago is consistently named America’s “rattiest” city, how a rotund beaver was recently spotted on the bubbly creek branch of the Chicago River, how Chicago is home to 2,000 coyotes, and how coyotes significantly expanded their range after the 1920s due to the Anthropocene. 
 
Links:
Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel laureate who studied ozone and named new ‘Anthropocene’ era, dies at 87 by Harrison Smith
The New Wild: Why Invasive Species Will Be Nature's Salvation by Fred Pearce
Chicago Named ‘Rattiest City In America’ For 10th Straight Year by Mack Liederman 
Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan
How Does Chicago Track its Coyotes? Curious City Episode 
River Otter Snapped for First Time in 15 Years of Monitoring by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Wildlife Cams by Patty Wetli
Chonk The Thicc Snapping Turtle Is A Superstar — And Great News For The Chicago River by Maia McDonald
A ‘Remarkably Rotund’ Beaver Is Making A Splash On The South Side by Leen Yasine 
White Tail Deer Population over Time
Fear the deer: Crash data illuminates America’s deadliest animal
Largest Land Predator (by weight) in Each State
How Coyotes Captured the Continent
Coyotes Among Us by Stanley D. Gehry
Coyotes Among Us’ Authors Tell Chicagoans: Respect But Don’t Fear These Smart Predators by Web Behrens
Quiznos coyote moved to another cool refuge
Coyote pulled from the cold food section of Chicago Aldi store
A new VCU study explores the ‘nature is healing’ memes that dominated social media at the height of the pandemic by Brian McNeill
Urban Forests Are the Stroads of Urban Environmental Policy Upzoned episode
The Genius of Copenhagen’s 1947 ‘Fingers Plan’ vs England’s Green Belt Policy by Johnathan Tricker
In Horner Park’s Natural Area, ‘No Dogs’ Signs Ignored, Vandalized: ‘People Don’t Really Care’ by Seth Slabaugh
The Nature of Cities blog
r/urbanwildlife
 
Artwork:
City bird skyline building. A pigeon sitting on a ledge overlooking a city
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license https://web.archive.org/web/20161229043156/https://pixabay.com/en/service/terms/
 
Recorded on 2/23/2025

Ep. 60: Early Internet Humor

From 1995 to 2010, humor on the early internet—and in broader American culture—was arguably the most simple and direct. Referencing a single “ironic” animal (like a moose, cow, or narwhal) or food item (such as tacos, waffles, or nachos) was enough to make someone giggle. As detailed by Joseph and Nathan on this week’s episode of Silent Generation, this style of humor (which they call “zimmy humor”) became so prolific that it began to pop up in places outside of the internet. Amongst other things they discuss how foamy the squirrel took inspiration from Invader Zim, how members of the Twee subculture expressed their love of whimsical animals to signal their individuality, and how Boxxy managed to do the “rawr xD” sound in real life.
 
Links:I'm So Random / Lol So Random / So Random Know Your Meme pageBaby Cha-Cha (1996)The Spirit of Christmas (1995)We Didn't Start This Website (2007)Amytiville Toaster from Neurotically YoursPeanut Butter Jelly Time (2002)Badger Badger Badger (2003)The Kitty Cat Dance (2004) Twee Aesthetics Wiki pageFOAR EVERYWUN FRUM BOXXY by Boxxy Whatever Happened to Boxxy?Giant isopods eating doritosSoftware2050 Instagram pageLeave Britney Alone (2007)Chris Crocker, 'Leave Britney Alone' Video Creator, Reflects On What's Changed by Sharon Pruitt-YoungStory from North America (2009)
 
Artwork:Foamy the Squirrel from Neurotically Yours
 
Recorded on 2/9/2025

Ep. 59: Outerwear [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration 
 
This week the boys discuss various outerwear styles and the types of weather they are best suited for. They begin by discussing Chicago's extreme seasonal averages before sharing their thoughts on the following outerwear styles: painter jackets, M-65 field jackets, varsity jackets, harrington jackets, denim trucker jackets, leather jackets, mackinaw coats, parkas, the Kara Koram parka, wool coats, peacoats, camel hair polo coats, snowboarder coats, rain coats, and windbreakers. Amongst other things they talk about how the popularity of varsity jackets peaked in 2011, how raincoats are the most socially acceptable way to wear yellow in Western cultures, and how windbreakers are not suitable to wear in Chicago despite the city’s “windy city” nickname.
 
Links:
Winter temperatures in selected US cities versus European capital cities
The M-65 Field Jacket
The Orange Kara Koram by Daniel Hakimi
What Color is the Sacred by Michael Taussig 
Anna Khachiyan’s Puffer Jacket Tweet
A Brief History of the Yellow Raincoat
I have lost all faith in zips by Adrian Chiles 
Gold Coast estate sale Tiktok video
 
Artwork:
The K2 Expidition
 
Recorded on 2/2/2025

Ep. 58: The Brutalist

Brutalism was an architectural style that was popular from the 1950s to early 1980s that consisted of raw concrete surfaces, monochrome colors, minimal ornamentation, and exposed structural elements. It is the architectural style that is referenced in the title of The Brutalist, a film directed by Brady Corbet that has been nominated for numerous accolades this year. On this week's episode of Silent Generation they boys share their thoughts on The Brutalist before discussing Brutalism as an architectural style. Amongst other things they discuss how the the life of local Chicago architect and Holocaust survivor John Macsai differed from that of Laszlo Toth’s, how Notre Dame’s Brutalist library features a large mural religious mural that is colloquially known as “Touchdown Jesus,” and how UIC’s Brutalist campus was not in fact designed to quell student protests.
 
Links: Brutalism Pinterest board: https://pin.it/5WbTWzVSoThe Brutalist ending explained: Director Brady Corbet reflects on building that transformative epilogue by Wesley StenzelInterview with 'The Brutalist' Filmmakers Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold by Susan KouguellThe Trauma of Inevitability: Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold on “The Brutalist” by Isaac FeldbergOral history of John Macsai interviewed by Betty J. Blum.Stroger Switch + Purple Rain Redux (Ep. 90 of 99% Invisible)Were Brutalist Buildings on College Campuses Really Designed to Thwart Student Riots? by J Bryan LowderBoston City Hall is officially a landmark by Roberto ScaleseUgly Buildings Tour
 
Recorded on 1/26/2024

Ep. 57: The '60s

This week the boys discuss Joseph’s favorite decade: the 1960’s. They begin by touching on what life was like for everyday Americans in the ‘60s before detailing several movements (the civil rights movement, the gay rights movement, and the antiwar movement) that contributed to the decade earning the nickname “the countercultural decade.” They then talk about hippies and the elements of hippie culture that they appreciate (tie dye, flower power, rock music, and healthy living). They go on to discuss how the color baby blue stands out as the defining color of the decade, how California became the subject of many ‘60s songs after it became the largest state in the country in 1962, and how the 1963 film Charade has much funnier writing than modern CGI-reliant slapstick comedies. 
 
Links:
Coming Apart : The State of White America by Charles Murray
Flower Power (photograph) by Bernie Boston
Shoes as a Source of First Impressions
Joan Didion’s quote about Los Angeles
Charade (1963)
 
Artwork:
Aubrey Hepburn and Cary Grant in Charade (1963)
 
Recorded on 1/22/2025

Ep. 56: Party Cities w/ Thot Topics [EXTENDED TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration 
 
This week the boys are joined by Nick and Cris from the Thot Topics podcast to talk about “party cities,” cities whose economies cater to debaucherous tourists. They begin by surveying the following party cities and the types of partiers they attract: Las Vegas, New Orleans, Cancun, Berlin, and Miami. They then detail some of the negative effects of overtourism on locals before sharing where each of them would go if they had the opportunity to party anywhere on Earth. Amongst other things they discuss how the carpeted areas of casinos in Las Vegas designate which areas are adults-only, how Bourbon Street in New Orleans was almost destroyed to build the Vieux Carré Riverfront Expressway, how resorts in Cancun import food from the United States so as not to upset American tourists’ stomachs, and how the Nacht Club Berlin Instagram account has documented Berlin’s decline as a cultural hub.
Links:Thot Topics podcastThot Topics PatreonThot Topics InstagramList of party cities from FacebookNacht Club Berlin Instagram page'It's Tourist Hunting Season': The Street Art That's Seething About Mass Tourism by Lee MoranReveillon in Rio de JaneiroMy Weekend as a 28-year-old in Chicago
Artwork:Ericlindesvard, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
Recorded on 1/16/2025

Ep. 55: Y2K Futurism

Y2K futurism is an aesthetic that emerged in the late ‘90s and early-2000s that consists of the color silver, consumer electronics, large sunglasses, and "blobjects." Its depictions of what the future could look like in the 2000s were utopian and optimistic, simultaneously celebrating the new millennium and the early internet. On this week’s episode Joseph and Nathan start by listing the key elements of Y2K Futurism before detailing the various ways the aesthetic materialized in the physical world, from Capri Sun ads to airport lounges. Amongst other things they discuss how the video game Space Channel 5 took the aesthetic in a campy and extraterrestrial direction, how the availability of CAD software in the design world led to popularity of blobjects, and how the artwork of Mariko Mori incorporated an impressive number of elements from the esthetic.
Links:Y2K futurism Pinterest board: https://pin.it/6KzgiZwZ3 Nathan’s Y2K Too Unlimited shirt postTerrell Davis Changed Digital Art Forever by Claudia CostaThe Untold Story of the Most Bonkers Sunglasses in Olympic History by Mahalia ChangGroove Is In The Heart by Deee LiteBreathe U In by Sipper & AdorePlaystation 2 condom adThe Cyberfrontier and America at the Turn of the 21st Century by Jeffrey R. CooperThe Y2K aesthetic: who knew the look of the year 2000 would endure? By Leigh AlexanderMiko No Inori by Mariko Mori
Artwork:Focus Dailies CM (1999)
Recorded on 1/5/2025

Ep. 54: Historic Preservation w/ Marquisdefacade [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration
 
This week Joseph and Nathan are joined by local architecture influencer Steve (otherwise known as Marquisdefacade) to discuss historic preservation. They begin by weighing the pros and cons of historic preservation before detailing how the historic preservation movement in Chicago succeeded (or failed) to preserve the neighborhoods of Old Town, Bronzeville, and Logan Square. Amongst other things they discuss how Logan Square Preservation uses “preservation” to advance their NIMBY agenda in Logan Square, how Jober’s Canyon in Omaha, NE got demolished despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and how 9 highrises and skyscrapers in Chicago could potentially become the Early Chicago Skyscrapers UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 
Links:
Marquisdefacade’s Instagram
The Marquisdefacade Podcast 
Historic Preservation - Treating the Symptom Instead of the Cause by Andrew Price
Housing experts say there just aren't enough homes in the U.S. by By Mary Louise Kelly
Glasner Studio Virtual Tour
The Architectural Record - 1907 (the article contrasting NYC and Chicago apartment buildings)
Proposed Tower In Old Town Gets More Brick, Warmer Colors, But Traffic Concerns Persist by Jake Wittich
Losing Track by J. W. Mason
WIN: Logan Square Preservation Raises Funds to Restore Church’s Stained Glass
Andy Schneider, President Of Logan Square Preservation, Running For 1st Ward Alderperson by Mina Bloom
Plan To Preserve Building Character On Milwaukee Avenue In Logan Square, Avondale Moves Forward by Ariel Parrella-Aureli
Historic structures are set to be demolished at Wells/Superior by Lukas Kugler
 
Artwork:
Photo provided by Marquisdefacade 
 
Recorded on 12/29/2024