Drop the Needle

Before we kick off Drop the Needle 2.0 next week, here's one more unarchived episode from the not-all-that-different 1.0 version of this show. This one's from 2018. It features segments from tracks by Hippo Campus, Sharon Van Etten, R.E.M., HAERTS, Ten Fe, and Ashe, not to mention all three of us in very good places in life.

Sean, Mike and Paul get into the topic of loyalty—for people, for brands, for recovery programs and everything in between. (This episode also boasts references to Boxcar Willie and "Toy Story," so it can't be all bad.) Artists include Randy Newman, Miya Folick, R.E.M. and Local Natives.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

"I'm an alcoholic and an addict and I unleashed the monster. I didn't realize how severe the consequences of that would be." Co-host Mike Verlie returns to the show—and to recovery. Mike shares a bit of his journey over the past few months as well as his hopes for the future. Artists in this episode include Lucy Dacus, Gaz Coombes and Daft Punk.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

By far, this is our happiest, bounciest and most upbeat collection of music in one episode. That's because we're talking about "the pink cloud" in addiction recovery—the temporary sense of euphoria, hope and well-being that occurs during very early sobriety. Artists this time around include Phantom Planet, Gotye, Phoenix, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Florence + The Machine and Jessica Lea Mayfield.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

Instant gratification is one of the hallmarks of suffering from addiction⁠—the soulless chase of a short-term high without thinking through the long-term consequences. Sean and Paul talk about self-control, impulse purchases, patience and focusing on the big picture. Artists include Now, Now, Bat for Lashes, Arcade Fire, Saint Motel, The Beach Boys, and Sylvan Esso.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

When you're in addiction recovery, it's easy to beat yourself up for the things that you did. But it's how you move past your bad decisions and forgive yourself that truly defines your future. In this episode, Sean and Paul talk about letting go of the past, awkward moments, dwelling on mistakes and pushing forward. Artists include Metronomy, Mr. Little Jeans, Fruit Bats and Teenage Priest.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

If you're struggling with alcoholism and addiction, you know how cruel sleep can be. Likewise, if you're struggling with sobriety, you know just how cruel sleep can be, too. There's no happy medium. Many routines over many years have to be built. Paul has had a contentious, ugly relationship with sleep for nearly six years after getting sober. In this episode, Sean and Paul discuss sleep habits, dream imagery in songs, and Paul's addiction to Ambien. They also share songs by Hey Ocean!, Youth Lagoon, M83 and Explosions in the Sky.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

This week, we discuss the complicated, thorny and entirely unofficial “Step 13” in 12-step programs: the common phenomenon of long-timers preying romantically upon short-timers. It’s an episode about protecting yourself against vulnerability and recognizing whom to trust in recovery. With the help of our frequent guest Adam, we offer some solutions and strategies for navigating this minefield. We also share songs by Air Traffic Controller, little hurricane, Hellogoodbye, and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.

(Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

In this episode, we talk about threats from three different aspects: threats to our active sobriety, threats back when we were using and/or drinking, and songs that simply reminded us of threats. Artists in this episode include Rusted Root, a-ha, Tenacious D, The Boxer Rebellion and Wye Oak. P.S. Paul has had a drink every year on his birthday watching a Bond movie since 1995's "Goldeneye," not "Skyfall." (Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to original owner.)

The podcast lives! It takes us 15 minutes to get to the subject of Second Chances, but we firmly believe this episode is well worth it. Artists in this episode include Hippo Campus, R.E.M., Sharon Van Etten, HAERTS, Ten Fé and Ashe. (Drop the Needle does not own or claim ownership of any music used in this podcast. All rights go to the original owner.)