From time to time, I will populate the main feed with a Patreon episode that's at least a year old so casual listeners might get a taste of all the extra scholarship that does occur, but lands nowhere near a published episode:  Bowie in ‘74 The rest of the SPIN 1995 readers poll Wanda Jackson’s book One glimpse of the Beatles 1982 Penelope Spheeris interview More Nick Tosches! Gilbert Gottfried on “Spirit in the Sky” Tom Waits recording in the early 2000s with Mark Howard Monthly exclusive...

From time to time, I will populate the main feed with a Patreon episode that's at least a year old so casual listeners might get a taste of all the extra scholarship that does occur, but lands nowhere near a published episode:  Original description for this episode:  Shaboom! Two hours of hotness for you today in the wake of my recent 3-parter on The Crow via the main feed. This was a nice slice of all-over-the-place pie, as the whole Patreon endeavor will surely continue to be.  So Today...

Today we finish up Ritchie's story with some more background on the filmmaker and the movie I've come to love even more and apparently get goddamn defensive about. Reviewing the legacy of the film via a look back with Valdez and Lou Diamond Phillips TV Tropes about "La Bamba!"  My takeaways about the making of the film in 3 parts A look back at Luis Valdez's career and activism featuring a note about his cousin ("that vato?") Caesar Chavez and the work of Teatro Campesino  A brief look at...

From time to time, I will populate the main feed with a Patreon episode that's at least a year old so casual listeners might get a taste of all the extra scholarship that does occur, but lands nowhere near a published episode:  Today: A return to Tosches! Checking in on the state of the Stones as they prep for a return to American crowds in '69. And an exploration of the relationship between SUN and CHESS records from 1950-1951, around the time of "Rocket 88", as well as why it's called "The...

From time to time, I will populate the main feed with a Patreon episode that's at least a year old so casual listeners might get a taste of all the extra scholarship that does occur, but lands nowhere near a published episode:  Today we have: Ed Ward, Nick Tosches, Christopher Hitchens, a bad Nine Inch Nails biography, 70s DEVO origins, and lots of guitar modulation effects. Monthly exclusive Rock History bonus feed here https://www.patreon.com/rockfilmrock Choose your preferred...

I don't know how to warn you I might get a little wibbly-bibbly in the wobbles during this one. Verklempt, if you will. Similar to the way I was on the CROW episodes processing the loss of Brandon Lee all over again. Ritchie was clearly a marvel and a unique talent in ways I didn't understand until now. To be a guitar hero and a hit songwriter and a teen idol at the same time is a hurculean accomplishment for a 17-year-old kid from Pacoima, California in 1958. And I struggled a bit when...

I shared a link to this youtube video when it came out, but providing audio now for anyone who would like to listen. It's been a couple months, so I don't feel like this cuts into their Youtube traffic at all. And even if that was the case, I'm unsure as to whether this interview series will even continue now that Glenn himself is no longer with the brand. Enjoy! Original desc: "Long time Pacific Northwest Entertainer Jay Smith joins the cast to discuss his Podcast; A History of Rock N' Roll...

Hello and get ready for so much Van Halen once again! And Better Off Dead! So much good stuff that could have only happened in the 1980s converging in one place. Along with more 70s Van Halen history too, of course. We'll cover stuff like: Savage Steve Holland's real life experiences that went into his script, and later work in children's cartoons Michael Anthony's first meetup with Sammy Hagar Eddie's challenges in early life as a shy kid would couldn't speak english in America His...

Next episode will feature a deep dive on "Better Off Dead" and conclude the Van Halen saga. But until then, please enjoy:  A very well-rounded view of VH history by Eddie Van Halen in 1990 Sammy Hagar's arguably sketchy claims about Van Halen's numbers before and after he joined Eddie producing and promoting a band called "Private Life" who obviously did not go on to amazing things (but hey, even if you or I never heard their songs, they still accomplished more than most of us, eh?)  Eve...

Well, this was ill-advised, I now think to myself... and now you've got a big ol' buffet to keep going back to for as many trips as you'd like, and I don't know how many of you were expecting Jell-O as well as sushi after your fried green beans. But, whether you listen to it all in sequence or segments, I hope it's valuable to you! Here's a few things you will hear about during the ride:  Contraptions used to make Pink Floyd songs like "One of These Days" happen and how they were...

The next episode(s) featuring Floyd, The Dead and Zabriskie Point are mostly done and in final editing stages. I haven't decided whether or not to split it into two releases or keep all 4-5 hrs together yet. I figure if you love Pink Floyd and/or the Grateful Dead then having a healthy attention span is probably not an issue for you.  In the meantime, please avail yourself of one free episode from the Patreon feed to tide you over and tickle your brain parts that love rock history:  ...

It's time to get cranky! I read internet exchanges with a psycho on Reverb.com and a former child star on Instagram as well as quotes from Steve Albini and a section of the recent Megadeth book featuring Dave Mustaine's racist-ass wife. Throughout it all, you will also hear some delightful children's poems to offset the awfulness.  Please check the links below for a few things I'm proud of taking part in: A new interview of me on “DiabloCast” by Glenn Cannon from Diablo Guitars ...

Phil Lesh is the best music writer. Richard Wright may or may not have been incredibly smart for not legally being a member of Pink Floyd from 1980 onward. I agree with Roger Ebert for once. Bear knows a thing or two about sound reenforcement after going mostly deaf in one ear. EMI helps create the first internet conspiracy theories in rock. The Dead ditch the jug band thing after seeing "Hard Day's Night." Star of the film dies in the middle of bench press. Douglas Adams makes an appearance...

Hey goons! Welcome back to the 2nd part of my Zombie exploration! You'll hear more tales from Jay Yuenger and Sean Yseult about the early years, some guitar geek stuff about Jay's gear, explorations of the characters and themes found in "White Zombie" the film, interviews with White Zombie from the early/mid 90's and a hard-to-find instrumental track that J. recorded and released before the band broke up. Monthly exclusive Rock History bonus feed here...

Damn right, I'm doing my "White Zombie" episode just before Halloween! I never had too much of a plan for when I was going to produce this one, because I knew it would be another massive undertaking as well as another "way more history of the band than the movie" situation. If this is your first episode of the show, WELCOME! I want you to know this is probably the coolest band that ever existed for me. I've been bonkers over them since my best friend Eli let me borrow his cassette of "La...

Sometimes reading autobiographies leads to great (or just mild) disappointment and no great use for a normal episode of the show. In today's case, I refuse to be the only person who is disappointed, nay INCONVENIENCED, by the works of Nikki Sixx, Flea, and Dave Ellefson. None of these sources that I sought out will be usable in conjunction with a film, but that doesn't mean I can't squeeze at least a bit of fun out of 'em. Or at least, review them for you so you can decide for yourself how...

Monthly 4-hr bonus feed here! https://www.patreon.com/rockfilmrock Choose your preferred method of supporting the show for no money or maybe some money: PayPal tips: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/whatsamatta Shirt designs with defeatist messaging delivered via bright colors and childish graphics: https://www.bonfire.com/store/justtheworstshirtsever/ Subscribe to me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV4Up7xGgjioEC07bjwu4mQ Follow on Instagram:...

Just in time for the time that it is in your life right now at this moment, here comes part four of the ongoing Van Halen saga with Eddie, Alex, Dave, Sammy, Michael, Noel, Valerie and many others! This episode takes you through: Multiple POVs on the US Festival debacle. Or triumph, depending on your level of optimism Legal wranglings in management Deals gettin' done (no)Journey fans and Sheep and Space Invaders A Botched Endorsement Opportunity with SPARKOMATIC Dave trying to move from...

$3 Monthly 4-hr bonus feed here! https://www.patreon.com/rockfilmrock Choose your preferred method of supporting the show for no money or maybe some money: PayPal tips: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/whatsamatta Shirt designs with defeatist messaging delivered via bright colors and childish graphics: https://www.bonfire.com/store/justtheworstshirtsever/ Subscribe to me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV4Up7xGgjioEC07bjwu4mQ Follow on Instagram:...

The Van Halen Summer continues! One more after this, I think. Maybe. Maybe just one more.  In this one we gots: Perspective on the Roth reuinion and Gary Cherone era from manager Ray Danniels  A Hit Parader feature from 1984 More thoughts from bassist Michael Anthony A Musician Magazine feature from 1984 on Eddie and Dave An excerpt from David Lee Roth's "Crazy From The Heat" book Some UK road stories from manager Noel Monk involving cheeseburgers, groupies, and having to take Dave's...

If you downloaded or are listening to the new episode, stop for a bit while I work on the reupload. Dumb details in the audio here. 

This is one I started more than a year ago, and just didn't want to get anything wrong by rushing to publication too soon. But now I'm ok with the amount of research packed into this episode and can move on to creating #2. Here are a few things you have to look forward to: Richard’s scat-centric pranks on family and neighbors as a child Early abuse at the hands of strange white men from out of town The many influences that shaped his stagecraft and persona His father’s murder at the hands...

The second part of maybe three? Maybe four?  Besides me talking through the mid-phase of the DLR era with my friend Eve, and my real time reactions to Cameron Crowe and Art Linson's "The Wild Life", there's alla this action right hyeah:   A “death of hard rock” review from 1978 The band hosts Wet T-shirt night at Mitty’s Stories about the making of some legendary VH songs Another review of “The Wild Life” (not great!) VH Vying for Gene Simmons’ stewardship on the same night as...

Enjoy me tripping over my own research on Dirty Harry at the beginning of this one, folks! Then you can also enjoy the following:  Duff decides it's time to bring in Slash and Steven so they can tour the west coast Axl threatens to whip Michael Hutchence's onstage ass while GnR are backstage in 1988 More TV tropes about "The Dead Pool" including me finding SLASH's whole page of personal tropes!!! Izzy bottoms out and gets sober after pissing into something that's not the toilet on a plane....