Perfect Song: "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls With Whitmer Thomas
Summary
Host Yassi Salk and comedian Whitmer Thomas analyze The Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," discussing its creation for the film *City of Angels*. They explore Johnny Rzeznik’s writer’s block, producer Rob Cavallo’s vision, and session musician Tim Pierce’s iconic slide guitar solo. The episode also covers the band’s punk origins and the song’s enduring lyrical appeal.
Topics discussed
Intro and guest Whitmer Thomas introduction
Whitmer's comedy, family, and musical background
Choosing Goo Goo Dolls' Iris for the episode
The iconic 2004 Buffalo live performance of Iris
Discussion of the movie City of Angels
Goo Goo Dolls' early punk history and rise to fame
Bob Cavallo's management and the City of Angels soundtrack
Writing Iris: Johnny Rzeznik's demo and guitar tuning
Recording Iris: Tim Pierce's slide guitar solo
Lyrics, production details, and song title origin
Cultural impact of Iris and 90s nostalgia
Summer of 1998 hits and social media fatigue
Movie recommendations: Down by Law and RoboCop
Closing thoughts, credits, and outro
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