Peter Wagner (a Real Dr., not a surgeon-barber/body-tech/golfer)
@peterjwagner3.bsky.social
Computational Paleobiologist, Lord of Chaos & Entropy, Cubs Fan, Estranged Lover of 🐌 & self-proclaimed Bilbo Baggins of Paleontology. Opinions & sarcasm mine & mine alone, but model-based. I block apologists for the South, MAGA, etc. He/Him.
… I remember "Gates of Steel" and "Cold War" really worked for me when I was 15/16.
And I probably should include John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy. I was no fan of Yoko's weird stuff (although groups like the B-52s and Devo were hugely influenced by her), and Lennon's stuff was good but…
And I probably should include John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy. I was no fan of Yoko's weird stuff (although groups like the B-52s and Devo were hugely influenced by her), and Lennon's stuff was good but…
November 17, 2025 at 7:49 PM
… I remember "Gates of Steel" and "Cold War" really worked for me when I was 15/16.
And I probably should include John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy. I was no fan of Yoko's weird stuff (although groups like the B-52s and Devo were hugely influenced by her), and Lennon's stuff was good but…
And I probably should include John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy. I was no fan of Yoko's weird stuff (although groups like the B-52s and Devo were hugely influenced by her), and Lennon's stuff was good but…
… second favorite song featuring my favorite body of water. (I don't think that "Call Me" was on the original version, although it's on the CD.)
And in the hard to categorize, there was Devo's "Freedom of Choice." I love that when I was 16, although it hasn't aged as well to me. Besides "Whip It,"…
And in the hard to categorize, there was Devo's "Freedom of Choice." I love that when I was 16, although it hasn't aged as well to me. Besides "Whip It,"…
November 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
… second favorite song featuring my favorite body of water. (I don't think that "Call Me" was on the original version, although it's on the CD.)
And in the hard to categorize, there was Devo's "Freedom of Choice." I love that when I was 16, although it hasn't aged as well to me. Besides "Whip It,"…
And in the hard to categorize, there was Devo's "Freedom of Choice." I love that when I was 16, although it hasn't aged as well to me. Besides "Whip It,"…
And on the topic of labels, Blondie's last great album, "Autoamerican" came out late in 1980. Where they punk or new wave? (It's still rock & roll to me...) Everyone remember "Rapture," the first song with a rap to hit #1, but "The Tide is High" is a straight up good pop-tune. And "Europa" is my…
November 17, 2025 at 7:41 PM
And on the topic of labels, Blondie's last great album, "Autoamerican" came out late in 1980. Where they punk or new wave? (It's still rock & roll to me...) Everyone remember "Rapture," the first song with a rap to hit #1, but "The Tide is High" is a straight up good pop-tune. And "Europa" is my…
Oh, here's one that I forgot: Queen's The Game. The group was transitioning from the Progressive/Stadium Rock to more "modern" stuff, and for all of Mercury's genius, May, Deacon & Taylor all stand out. "Another One Bites the Dust" got played to death and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is the…
November 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Oh, here's one that I forgot: Queen's The Game. The group was transitioning from the Progressive/Stadium Rock to more "modern" stuff, and for all of Mercury's genius, May, Deacon & Taylor all stand out. "Another One Bites the Dust" got played to death and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is the…
… high points, although Waterfalls is just a beautiful song. ("Don't go chasing polar bears, in the great unknown... some big friendly polar bear, might want to take you home" is both cute & horrifying).
And the final one is sort of the intersection of all of the above: Squeeze's Argybargy. It's…
And the final one is sort of the intersection of all of the above: Squeeze's Argybargy. It's…
November 17, 2025 at 5:27 AM
… high points, although Waterfalls is just a beautiful song. ("Don't go chasing polar bears, in the great unknown... some big friendly polar bear, might want to take you home" is both cute & horrifying).
And the final one is sort of the intersection of all of the above: Squeeze's Argybargy. It's…
And the final one is sort of the intersection of all of the above: Squeeze's Argybargy. It's…
… Rings or Celtic mythology or something like that. It's still my favorite Gabriel album.
Having mentioned the American McCartney, the original had one of his trippiest albums, McCartney II in 1980. It's basically a great musician playing everything in his home studio: the instrumentals are the…
Having mentioned the American McCartney, the original had one of his trippiest albums, McCartney II in 1980. It's basically a great musician playing everything in his home studio: the instrumentals are the…
November 17, 2025 at 5:20 AM
… Rings or Celtic mythology or something like that. It's still my favorite Gabriel album.
Having mentioned the American McCartney, the original had one of his trippiest albums, McCartney II in 1980. It's basically a great musician playing everything in his home studio: the instrumentals are the…
Having mentioned the American McCartney, the original had one of his trippiest albums, McCartney II in 1980. It's basically a great musician playing everything in his home studio: the instrumentals are the…
… we love labels, except for Peter Gabriel, who's 3rd Peter Gabriel Album came out in 1980. (We fans called it "Melt") Games without Frontiers, Biko, I Don't Remember, Family Snapshot all had the musical gravitas of Progressive Rock, but were very sociopolitical instead of being about Lord of the…
November 17, 2025 at 5:17 AM
… we love labels, except for Peter Gabriel, who's 3rd Peter Gabriel Album came out in 1980. (We fans called it "Melt") Games without Frontiers, Biko, I Don't Remember, Family Snapshot all had the musical gravitas of Progressive Rock, but were very sociopolitical instead of being about Lord of the…
Fashion, Ashes to Ashes, Scary Monsters, It's No Game... huh, actually, another album that doubles for rehab. And Robert Fripp's guitar work is amazing.
In terms of more normal pop, Billy Joel's Glass Houses is still an awesome record. Joel is kind of the American McCartney: he can compose in any…
In terms of more normal pop, Billy Joel's Glass Houses is still an awesome record. Joel is kind of the American McCartney: he can compose in any…
November 17, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Fashion, Ashes to Ashes, Scary Monsters, It's No Game... huh, actually, another album that doubles for rehab. And Robert Fripp's guitar work is amazing.
In terms of more normal pop, Billy Joel's Glass Houses is still an awesome record. Joel is kind of the American McCartney: he can compose in any…
In terms of more normal pop, Billy Joel's Glass Houses is still an awesome record. Joel is kind of the American McCartney: he can compose in any…
… songs ever written. And, to date, Empty Glass is the only song to work in "Ecclesiastes" (of which I'm aware).
But wait: their's more! Bowie was sort of a "gapper" between the '60s rockers and the New Wavers. The final (and best) of the Low Trilogy, Scary Monsters & Super Creeps, also came out…
But wait: their's more! Bowie was sort of a "gapper" between the '60s rockers and the New Wavers. The final (and best) of the Low Trilogy, Scary Monsters & Super Creeps, also came out…
November 17, 2025 at 5:03 AM
… songs ever written. And, to date, Empty Glass is the only song to work in "Ecclesiastes" (of which I'm aware).
But wait: their's more! Bowie was sort of a "gapper" between the '60s rockers and the New Wavers. The final (and best) of the Low Trilogy, Scary Monsters & Super Creeps, also came out…
But wait: their's more! Bowie was sort of a "gapper" between the '60s rockers and the New Wavers. The final (and best) of the Low Trilogy, Scary Monsters & Super Creeps, also came out…
... note, the old guard came through, too. Pete Townsend's Empty Glass helped get me into the Who, but it as better than anything that they did after Quadrophenia. It's Townsend trying to rehab himself through song with Rough Boys and Empty Glass. However "A Little is Enough" is one of the great…
November 17, 2025 at 4:55 AM
... note, the old guard came through, too. Pete Townsend's Empty Glass helped get me into the Who, but it as better than anything that they did after Quadrophenia. It's Townsend trying to rehab himself through song with Rough Boys and Empty Glass. However "A Little is Enough" is one of the great…
November 17, 2025 at 4:53 AM
… great rock tunes. De Do Do Dah and Bombs Away both makes fun of political songs while making great political commentary. The same year saw Talking Heads' Remain in the Light. Again, not their best album, but some great tunes (many of which were better live than in the studio), especially Cross …
November 17, 2025 at 4:47 AM
… great rock tunes. De Do Do Dah and Bombs Away both makes fun of political songs while making great political commentary. The same year saw Talking Heads' Remain in the Light. Again, not their best album, but some great tunes (many of which were better live than in the studio), especially Cross …
Wow, that's tough: 1980 had a lot of great music, both from "our" New Wave & Punk Bands, and "their" old guard '60s musicians. At the very top, I'd probably put Zenyattà Mondatta. It's probably the Police's worst album, but it's still great. Don't Stand So Close to Me is one of the all-time great…
November 17, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Wow, that's tough: 1980 had a lot of great music, both from "our" New Wave & Punk Bands, and "their" old guard '60s musicians. At the very top, I'd probably put Zenyattà Mondatta. It's probably the Police's worst album, but it's still great. Don't Stand So Close to Me is one of the all-time great…
November 12, 2025 at 3:09 AM
And yet I still suck at German…
November 3, 2025 at 1:22 AM
And yet I still suck at German…
Is there a Legolas rule for getting in on the smallest of contributions?
October 26, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Is there a Legolas rule for getting in on the smallest of contributions?
I just had to save people from a spawn of Ungoliant…
October 11, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I just had to save people from a spawn of Ungoliant…
A little salute to my department members who did an admirable job of defending EAS against proposed cuts yesterday. Thanks to all of you who wrote letters of support.
And now… we wait.
And now… we wait.
October 11, 2025 at 2:26 PM
A little salute to my department members who did an admirable job of defending EAS against proposed cuts yesterday. Thanks to all of you who wrote letters of support.
And now… we wait.
And now… we wait.
October 3, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Now, just add a Sox victory of the Evil Empire, and it will be a plus Tuesday. (Except for the fascism...)
September 30, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Now, just add a Sox victory of the Evil Empire, and it will be a plus Tuesday. (Except for the fascism...)
September 30, 2025 at 9:36 PM
September 26, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I've been surprised by how often I do get songs that were "classic rock & roll" when I was a college student in the mid-'80s. Contemporize!
(My first thought was to use "It's the End of the World as We Know It" but:)
(My first thought was to use "It's the End of the World as We Know It" but:)
September 8, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I've been surprised by how often I do get songs that were "classic rock & roll" when I was a college student in the mid-'80s. Contemporize!
(My first thought was to use "It's the End of the World as We Know It" but:)
(My first thought was to use "It's the End of the World as We Know It" but:)
I just finished my favorite lecture of the year, in which I give my 105 students their first homework assignment (that I stole from Dave Jablonski): present the history of the Earth scaled to something with a distinct beginning, middle, end, etc. I made an example using Bohemian Rhapsody. There are…
September 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I just finished my favorite lecture of the year, in which I give my 105 students their first homework assignment (that I stole from Dave Jablonski): present the history of the Earth scaled to something with a distinct beginning, middle, end, etc. I made an example using Bohemian Rhapsody. There are…
Kieran has been on a pre-college cooking kick and made me some lembas. I just hope that Tupperware works as well as Mallorn leaves…
August 19, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Kieran has been on a pre-college cooking kick and made me some lembas. I just hope that Tupperware works as well as Mallorn leaves…