Portishead cut samples of their own playing back to vinyl so they could bring them back in as scratches.
Anyone that dedicated is, in the best possible sense, a bit of a nerd.
I'd say that makes them geeks or wonks, but I think nerd has a "socially inept" connotation.
I believe that was pretty much his...point.
Nerds have become a culture all their [our] own. Us trying to be 'cool' in the eyes of people who aren't even members of our little society is kindof silly.
'Nerd' isn't even an insult in my book.