DERRINGER DISCOVERIES
a music adventure podcast
About Us
Podcasting from
Virginia (USA), and catering to music enthusiasts worldwide, Derringer Discoveries combines exciting snippets and fast-paced insight, critique, theories, and witty banter about music that you may discover and love. This is Derringer Discoveries.
We Are Team Derringer
- Paul Derringer: For seven years, while attending high school and college, Paul was a part-time radio disc jockey. In this capacity, he learned firsthand what it means to be underpaid and under-appreciated in the music business. For longer than seven years, Paul has also been a part-time singer, songwriter, and musician playing in various bands with various names, most notably his current band, Ho Jo Fro, with co-host Alton Derringer. Given his background, Paul strives to celebrate other recording artists while connecting one-on-one with music lovers everywhere. He especially enjoys discovering the stories behind the songs. Derringer Discoveries is Paul’s way of reaching out to, embracing, and celebrating the best of what the music world has to offer. Every episode, Paul entertains while being informative, accurate, and insightful. Paul is Dave's real-life brother and thus, the two are known to spar from time to time. Paul curates the vast majority of the playlists Derringer Discoveries and Turnip Music Radio and is in charge of artist relationship management.
- Alton Derringer: Alton is Paul's long-time bandmate and bass guitarist, and Paul's brother from another mother (different father, too). Alton and Paul (and Laura) have known each other since 4th grade and have shared a keen interest in all things music related. Alton has a strong appreciation for all music genres but gravitates to the psychedelic rock bands of the late 60s and early 70s. In addition to music, Alton is a natural tech-nerd and is keen to explore the convergence between technology and music. Alton created and maintains the Derringer Discoveries website as well as runs the social media accounts for Derringer Discoveries and Turnip Music Radio.
- Laura Derringer: Unlike Alton and Paul, I play no instruments, can’t sing, and have no musical talent whatsoever. I have known Paul practically my whole life, going back to the famous Kindergarten Carpool. I met Alton in 4th grade, too. What I do share with these guys is a love of music - especially live music. I am open to most all genres of music but have an affinity for 80’s New Wave (Yay Blondie!) and Americana (i.e. John Hiatt and Alejandro Escobedo to name a few). I hope my contribution to the show will be my enthusiastic fan girl perspective! I love learning about new bands and the history and folklore behind the music and lyrics. A good friend once told me that listening to great song lyrics can speak to you, even if they don’t make sense at the time. If I named all those lyrics, this bio would turn into a full-length novel. Laura is an editor for the Derringer Discoveries Facebook account.
- Dave Derringer: Unlike Paul who only did it part-time, Dave was a full-time, career radio disc jockey and music director for several radio stations until he finally had to take a job that paid enough to support his growing family. To this day, when Dave is on sabbatical from Derringer Discoveries, he is elsewhere announcing sporting events live on the radio. As indicated above, Dave is Paul’s real-life brother -- make that older brother -- who deserves the respect and reverence rightfully due to an older sibling. Dave is currently on sabbatical.
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Catch Phrases
Team Derringer has adopted two catch phrases that describe, in their opinions, the current status of a band's popularity. These two catch phrases, Jumping the Shark and Crossing the Rubicon, may not make a lot of sense depending on your age or geographic location. To provide some context and to help explain what the Derringer Brothers are talking about, allow us to provide the following definitions (from Wikipedia):
Jumping the shark is an idiom that was coined in 1985 by Jon Hein. He developed it in response to a 1977 episode from the fifth season of the American sitcom Happy Days, in which Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumps over a shark while on water-skis.
The phrase "jumping the shark" is used to argue that a creative outlet or work appears to be making a misguided attempt at generating new attention or publicity for something that is perceived to be once, but no longer, widely popular. It is pejorative and is most commonly used in reference to perceived unsuccessful gimmicks for promoting something, by critics who believe that a television show has strayed irretrievably from an older and better formula, that its writers have exhausted their focus, or that the series as a whole has declined in quality. Its usage subsequently broadened beyond its first use in television, indicating
the moment when a brand, design, franchise, or creative effort's evolution declines, or when it changes notably in style into something unwelcome.
Julius Caesar's crossing the Rubicon River on 10 January, 49 BC precipitated the Roman Civil War, which ultimately led to Caesar's becoming dictator for life (dictator perpetuo) and the rise of the imperial era of Rome. Caesar had been appointed to a governorship over a region that ranged from southern Gaul to Illyricum (but not Italy). As his term of governorship ended, the Roman Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome. He was explicitly ordered not to take his army across the Rubicon river, which was at that time a northern boundary of Italy. In January 49 BC, Caesar brought the 13th legion across the river, which the Roman government considered insurrection, treason, and a declaration of war on the Roman Senate. According to some authors, he uttered the phrase alea iacta est—the die is cast—as his army marched through the shallow river.
Today, the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" is a metaphor that means
to pass a point of no return.
Snippet
Laura Derringer is a super-fan of the word, "snippet." We use the word often to describe a small segment or clip of music. Better yet, let us offer you an "official" definition:
The Derringer Discoveries Post-Episode Bonus occurs after the main segment of some of our podcasts. In the Post-Episode Bonus, we interview up-and-coming artists that have appeared on Derringer Discoveries' radar. We also present to you, the listener, our favorite selections from the artist's catalog. Team Derringer gets up-close-and-personal to discover the stories behind the artists and their songs. We hope you'll stick around for each and every Post-Episode Bonus!
