Throwback Thursday: Bert McCracken discusses The Used's "The Taste of Ink"

Chris DeMakes A Podcast

Chris DeMakes

Music History, Music Commentary, Music, Music Interviews

4.9 • 923 Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2025

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this Throwback Thursday episode of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, originally released on May 1, 2023, Bert McCracken of The Used sits down with Chris to unpack the writing and recording of the band’s breakout single, “The Taste of Ink.” McCracken takes listeners back to the early 2000s, when the song—written in a basement in Provo, Utah—captured the restless energy and emotional urgency that would come to define The Used’s sound. He shares how a crucial studio session with producer John Feldmann in Los Angeles helped reshape the chorus and elevate the track into a career-launching anthem. With behind-the-scenes stories and a deep dive into the song’s lyrics and legacy, this episode offers a powerful glimpse into the making of an emo classic. Chris DeMakes A Podcast is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/demakes For bonus episode of The After Party podcast, an extensive back catalog of past After Party episodes, early ad-free releases of new episodes of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, full video versions of episodes, and MUCH more, head to the Patreon at http://www.ChrisDeMakes.com Follow Chris DeMakes A Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdemakesapodcast/ Join the Chris DeMakes A Podcast community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2643961642526928/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by DistroKid.
0:03.0	Last year, Amazon was the world's largest corporate fire of renewable energy.
0:10.0	Seeing all and more of our energy comes from wind bombs like this one.
0:17.0	Guys, what happened to recording aasola Farm? To learn more, visit about amazon.com at UK forward slash sustainability.
0:30.6	Oh!
0:31.6	Welcome back.
0:43.1	Your dreams were your ticket out.
0:47.8	Hey, everybody.
0:49.0	It's May 8th, and it's time for another throwback Thursday episode.
0:53.2	But before we get into that, I want to throw it back to
0:55.9	some other May 8ths in history so that maybe you can impress your friends with how deep your music
1:01.9	knowledge goes. First of all, let's wish Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michelle Gondry a happy
1:08.9	birthday. You might know for making amazing movies such as
1:11.8	Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Science of Sleep, but I first knew him for directing
1:17.4	incredible music videos like Isabelle and Army of Me and Hyperbalad and Human Behavior for
1:23.8	Burek, as well as some amazing videos for the White Stripes and Daft Punk and the Chemical
1:28.6	Brothers and even the Lucas with the Lid Off music video. Go check out his work if you're not
1:34.5	familiar with it. It's a fun rabbit hole to go down. Also on this day in 1970, the Beatles released
1:41.8	their final studio album, Let It Be in the UK. It came out here in the U.S.
1:47.1	on May 18th of 1970. On May 8th of 1976, I played this at the beginning of the episode, John
1:55.6	Sebastian's Welcome Back, which was the theme song to the TV series, Welcome Back, Cotter, went to number
2:02.7	one on the Hot 100. That show was a little bit before my time, but I certainly know the song,
	...

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