Mark Lempke (The Also-Rans) returns to the show to discuss our thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's official Class of 2022 ballot...on the day they were announced! We provide an in-depth analysis of each artist on this year's ballot and their chances for induction.

Send us a text

Josh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Post) and John Mutford come on to discuss The Tragically Hip, one of Canada's most beloved rock bands. Topics discussed include the band's formation and earliest recordings, their popularity in certain regions of the U.S., their social activism, our favorite Hip songs and their final concert in 2016. Hopefully we don't have to twist your arm to listen to this episode!

Send us a text

Author David Cantwell (The Running Kind: Listening to Merle Haggard) and music critic Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) come on to talk about country music's place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Topics discussed include the difference between the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock Hall, the 13 people inducted into both institutions, the significance of Dolly Parton's recent Rock Hall nomination and which country artists might be considered soon. 

Send us a text

Emmy-winning graphics operator David Festini comes on to discuss the vastly underrated classic rock band Foreigner. Topics discussed include the band's' formation, the often-strained partnership between Mick Jones and Lou Gramm, their greatest songs and why they should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Listen to this episode because it's urgent!!!!!

Send us a text

Music industry veteran Mark Satlof joins us to discuss the legendary Detroit rock band MC5 who are nominated again for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year. Topics discussed included Mark meeting Wayne Kramer in the 1980s, the band's political and social activism, their iconic debut album Kick Out the Jams (1969) and their impact on latter-day hard rock, metal and punk bands. Yes, we're looking at you....because you need to listen to this episode!!!!

Send us a text

Darren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze each nominated song and score, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.

Send us a text

Blogger Michelle Bourg and researcher Jonathan Raymond come on the show to discuss the life, career and legacy of Carly Simon. Topics discussed include Simon's troubled early life, her iconic song "You're So Vain," her many contributions to various film and television productions over the years, our favorite songs from her legendary catalogue and Simon's recent nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  Just like the title of one of Simon's greatest songs, the right thing to do is....to listen to this episode!

Send us a text

Pat Francis (Rock Solid) comes on the show to discuss the legendary new wave duo Eurythmics. Topics discussed include the duo's formation, their iconic music videos, their side projects and solo careers and their recent Rock Hall nomination. We wouldn't lie to you....so you gotta listen to this episode!

Send us a text

Josh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Podcast), Lisa Solak and John Mutford all return to the show to discuss the life and career of Kate Bush, one of the most important and influential artists of the last half-century. Topics discussed include Pink Floyd's David Gilmour "discovering" her while she was still a teenager, her unique approach to songwriting, her groundbreaking music videos and her current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. You will be "wowed" after listening to this insightful and often hilarious episode.

Send us a text

On this very special episode, we have 5(!) returning guests - Mark Lempke, Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg, Greg Peurach and David Schnelwar- joining us to give their reactions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 inductees. We discuss each of the 14 inductees for this year's class and also which artists will likely be considered for next year's ballot. 

Send us a text

Michael Bagford and Carrie Scott join us to discuss the career and legacy of the Dave Matthews Band, one of the most popular rock bands of the last three decades. Topics discussed include the band's formation in Charlottesville, Virginia, their status as an iconic live act, Matthews' role at Farm Aid and their 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. There's so much to say about this band!

Send us a text

Courtney E. Smith (host of the Songs in the Key of Death podcast) joins us to discuss the life and career of the legendary R&B singer Lloyd Price. Topics discussed include Lloyd's earliest success as a musician, starting an independent music label in the 1950s, his many business ventures outside the music industry, his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and the recent stage musical based on his life and music. After listening to this episode, you'll gain a  new appreciation for this trailblazing icon of early rock and roll.

Send us a text

Christy Alexander Hallberg recently published her novel Searching for Jimmy Page and we asked her to come on to discuss her book. She talked to us about her literary influences, favorite music memories and her writing process. We also have an in-depth discussion of some of the major characters and themes in Searching for Jimmy Page. If you haven't read it yet, it's a spectacular debut novel and we can't wait to read more of Christy's work in the near future.

You can buy a copy of Christy's book on her website which includes links to major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indiebound.

Send us a text

Jon Lamoreaux (host of The Hustle) and Haydn Murdoch (co-host of INXS Access All Areas) join us to take a deep-dive on the career and legacy of the legendary Australian rock band INXS. Topics discussed include the band's formation, analyses of their major albums,  Haydn's interactions with members of the band, the recent documentary Mystify and their omission from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're an INXS fan, this episode is what you need! 

If you would like to support INXS' induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, you can sign this petition from our friends at Induct INXS. 

Send us a text

Steve Knopper, Editor at Large at Billboard, joins us to discuss the legendary band Kool & The Gang. Topics discussed include Steve's recent New York Times piece covering the band's legacy, the influence of jazz and R&B on their sound, the origin of their band name, their contributions to the development of hip-hop and and their chances for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  

Send us a text

Eric and Mary Layton (Hall Watchers), Michelle Bourg (Iconic Rock Talk Show) and Greg Peurach return to discuss their reactions to the announcement of the 2022 Kennedy Centers Honorees: Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant, Tania León and U2. We conclude listing each of our "dream classes" for the 2023 ceremony next year. 

Send us a text

Music journalist and educator Scott Heisel (Colors of Insomnia) joins us to discuss the career and legacy of modern rock legends Weezer. We talked about Scott interviewing members of the band, their inventive music videos, the complicated story behind Matt Sharp leaving the band and his favorite Weezer songs. We also discussed Weezer's prospects to receive induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and why they need to get in soon.

Send us a text

Educator and former music writer Mike Drew joins us to discuss the career and legacy of the hair metal band Warrant. Topics discussed include the band's time on the L.A. rock scene in the 80s, a deep analysis of their first 3 albums, our shared disdain for their hit song "Cherry Pie" and the time Mike met and interviewed the band in the early 90s! This episode will make any Warrant fan feel like they're in heaven!

Send us a text

Writer and editor Kailyn Champlin joins us to discuss all things Savage Garden, one of the most notable musical duos of the 1990s. Topics discussed include the literary inspiration for their group name, a deep analysis of their two studio albums, their breakup in 2001 and Darren Hayes' solo career. You will truly, madly, deeply love this episode!

Check out Darren Hayes' latest work Homosexual, his first studio album in over a decade, which comes out today!!!

Send us a text

Mile Wiles (co-host of Retro Rock Roundup) joins us to discuss the career and legacy of arena rock legends Styx. Topics discussed include the band's great run of albums in the 1970s and 1980s, their status as a great live band, Dennis DeYoung's departure from the band and their omission from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And just like any Blue Collar Man, Mike has lots of wonderful stories to share with our listeners! 

Send us a text

There's no better way to celebrate Halloween than to devote an entire episode to the filmmaker who helmed the iconic 1978 movie of the same name! Horror movie expert and Tik Tok influencer Peter Waters joins us to talk about John Carpenter's maverick career and the musical pieces he composed. We talk about Carpenter's musical background, the movies that inspired him, our favorite films from his canon, the Lost Themes trilogy and other musical projects in the last decade.  We conclude with our thoughts on the recent film Halloween Ends (2022) which Carpenter co-composed!

Send us a text

Darren Hines returns to the show to share our thoughts on the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, an event we both attended. There's a lot to unpack, so sit back and enjoy this episode!!!!!

Please note that this was recorded and released before the HBO telecast of the ceremony, which doesn't debut until Saturday November 19th. 

Send us a text

Professor and blogger Rob LeBlanc (The Exhaustively Detailed Music Analysis Blog) joins us to discuss the career and impact of the band America. Topics discussed include the band's formation, their collaborations with legendary producer George Martin, Dan Peek's departure from the band, their legendary top-40 hits and the dozen or so times Rob has seen the band live. Rob even met the band on a few occasions!  This episode sheds some light on a truly underrated band that deserves more of our attention.

Send us a text

Writer and Blues music expert Marty Weil joins us to talk about the legacy of Howlin' Wolf, one of the titans of that genre in the 20th century. Topics discussed include Wolf's time at Chess Records, his classic albums Moanin' in the Moonlight (1959) and Howlin' Wolf (aka The Rockin' Chair Album) (1962), his partnership with legendary guitarist Hubert Sumlin, his tremendous influence on blues-rock artists and his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. This is a must-listen for any blues fan!

Send us a text

Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar and Greg Peurach return to the show to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. There's a lot of strategic decisions involved but this is a fun, engaging conversation on the direction we think the Rock Hall is heading next year. 

Get your pencils sharpened, fill out those scorecards and see if you agree (or disagree) with our picks! 

Send us a text

Music critic Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) returns to discuss the life and career of R&B superstar Teddy Pendergrass. Topics discussed include Pendergrass' time as a member of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, his transition to a solo career, his infamous "Ladies Only' concerts, the life-altering car accident that occurred in 1982 and his emotional performance at Live Aid in 1985. If you don't know Teddy by now, you definitely will after listening to this episode!

Send us a text

Nick assembled an all-star line-up of Rock Hall experts to converse and analyze the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees. Recorded the night of the big announcement and released completely unedited,  we discussed each of the 14 nominees on this year's ballot and their chances for induction. We also find out who won our podcast's inaugural Rock Hall nominees draft!


We mentioned many of our blogs and podcasts throughout this episode -

Nick's 2023 Update of his Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project

2023 Rock Hall Prediction Blogs - Nick, Mark, Michelle and Tom

Mark's podcast The Also-Rans


A special thank you to Future Rock Legends for their continuous coverage of the Rock Hall 2023  nominees yesterday.

Send us a text

This episode is the first installment of our new monthly spotlight on recent music documentaries and movies. We're kicking it off with Jon Lamoreaux (Host of the Hustle Podcast),  Patrick Dupuis (Host of the EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford joining Nick to talk about Brett Morgan's documentary Moonage Daydream (2022). This one-of-a-kind film focuses on the life and career of iconic musician David Bowie.  It's a lively discussion with plenty of hot takes and humorous puns from our panel.

Send us a text

Liza Lentini (Managing Editor at SPIN) joins us to talk about the life and career of singer-songwriter Tori Amos. Topics discussed include Amos' musical influences, her breakthrough debut album Little Earthquakes (1992), her work with the organization RAINN and her impact on alternative rock and pop music stars in the last three decades. We also talk about Liza interviewing Amos for SPIN and seeing her perform last year! Check out Liza's piece arguing for Amos' induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last month. 

Send us a text

Darren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.

Send us a text

Rock Docs co-host David Lizerbram joins us to talk about Baz Luhrmann's recent biopic Elvis (2022). We talk about Austin Butler and Tom Hanks' performances, the narrative structure and aesthetic choices used by Luhrmann and Elvis' impact on contemporary culture. Lots of other topics discussed including our mutual love of all things Bob Dylan, the current state of rock star biopics and there's even a story David shares that's personal connection to the King himself!

This episode coincides with Elvis receiving 8 Oscar nominations this year including Best Picture and Best Actor (Austin Butler). 

Send us a text

To celebrate our podcast's milestone 50th episode, I invited the wonderful Allison Rapp (Ultimate Classic Rock) to talk about Missy Elliott. Allison recently wrote a piece about why Elliott deserves to be inducted into this year's class of inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If selected for induction, Elliott would honored in her first year of eligibility but also make history as the first female hip-hop honored by the Rock Hall. Topics discussed include Elliott's landmark debut album Supa Dupa Fly (1997), her collaborations with various artists over the artists, her groundbreaking music videos, the many accolades she's received and her widespread influence on popular music. 

Send us a text

Drive-By Truckers super fan and friend Tony Greathouse joins us to talk about the recent documentary Jason Isbell: Running with Our Eyes Closed (2023).  We discuss Tony's  Drive-By Truckers fandom, Isbell's creative process, how the film documents his relationship with his spouse and frequent collaborator Amanda Shires and much more!

The film is part of HBO's Music Box series and is available to stream on HBOMax.

Send us a text

On this very special episode, we have 4(!) returning guests - Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg, Greg Peurach and David Schnelwar- joining us to give their thoughts and reactions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2023 inductees. We discuss each of the 13 inductees for this year's class and find out who won our first-ever predictions draft!

Send us a text

Josh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Podcast) returns to share his thoughts on the recent documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer (2023). Lots of topics discussed including Summer's artistry, her catalog of iconic hit songs and albums, her controversial star persona and her status as the "Queen of Disco." 

Dim all the lights as you listen to this insightful and highly humorous episode!

Send us a text

Paul Kagebein, a friend and fellow music fan who also works at a library, joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of pop-punk icons Blink-182. Topics discussed include their brash music videos, our favorite hits and albums tracks, their recent reunion at Coachella and their continuing influence on contemporary artists of all genres. A really fun, insightful episode spotlight one of the biggest rock bands of the 25 years!

Send us a text

The Douche Caravan Returns! Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle), Patrick Dupuis (The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford return to talk about Chris Smith's Netflix documentary Wham! centering on the iconic 80s duo. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley took the world by storm during that decade and ended at the top of their game. We talk about all things Wham! for this week's hilarious yet insightful episode!

Send us a text

This week we pay tribute to the late, great Jimmy Buffett. One of the most successful and prolific singer-songwriters of the last half-century, Buffett captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of fans across the world. One of those fans is Dr. Mark Lempke (Host of The Also--Rans) who talks about Buffett's life, career and impact on both the music industry and popular culture. Other topics discussed include Buffett's extremely loyal fanbase (affectionately known as "Parrot Heads"), his distinctive style as both a musician and a songwriter, some of our favorite songs from his extensive catalogue, and why he needs to be inducted into both the Rock & Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame.  

Send us a text

Tom Lane returns to discuss the new  documentary Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback (2023) about the making of Elvis' triumphant NBC special. It marked the King of Rock & Roll's return to mainstream relevance and why he earned the honorific title. John Scheinfeld's film is currently streaming on Paramount+.

Send us a text

Horror movie fanatic Peter Waters returns to help us pick the 31 greatest horror-themed songs to celebrate Halloween and we're calling this episode The Ultimate Halloween Playlist! Listen to which songs made the cut and we'll also hear some great stories along the way!

Send us a text

On this very special Movie Talk episode, I invited Swifties Jordan Raycine, Kailyn Champlin and Sam Ratner to discuss all things Taylor Swift and her smash hit movie The Eras Tour. We talk about how they became fans of Swift's music, their experiences seeing the movie with rowdy crowds, their thoughts on the best moments during the movie, and their favorite songs from her prolific catalog.

Send us a text

Returning guests Darren Hines and Greg Peurach discuss their experience attending the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  We share some funny stories about the venue as well as our favorite musical performances, speeches and moments. It was a memorable night that we won't forget anytime soon.

Send us a text

For our first episode of 2024, let's start with a draft....more precisely a Rock Hall Nominees Draft! Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Performers category in 2024. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. There's a lot of strategic decisions involved but this is a fun, engaging conversation on the direction we think the Rock Hall is heading next year. 

Get your pencils sharpened, fill out those scorecards and see if you agree (or disagree) with our picks! 

Send us a text

Tom Lane, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss the nominees on this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ballot. Also...who won the previous episode's draft? Listen to find out!

Send us a text

Liza Lentini of SPIN returns to talk about the life and career of the late great Sinead O'Connor. We talk about Sinead's talents as a singer and songwriter, her activism, our favorite songs from her catalog and her recent nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Nothing Compares talking 2 Liza about Sinead!

Please check out Liza's pieces about Sinead O'Connor: a 2020 interview with the iconic artist, a 2022 piece on why she deserves induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and SPIN's cover story selecting O'Connor as their Artist of the Year in 2023. 

Send us a text

Music journalist David Schnelwar returns to discuss the career and legacy of Lenny Kravitz. Topics discussed include Kravitz's musical influences, notable collaborations, his ability to stay relevant for 35+ years and our favorite songs from his iconic career. We also discuss Kravitz's recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination and why he deserves induction this year. 

Send us a text

Darren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.

Send us a text

The Douche Caravan returns with Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle), Patrick Dupuis (The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford coming on to discuss Anton Corbijn's documentary Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis (2022). The film tells the story of Hipgnosis who designed some of the most iconic album covers in rock and roll history. They worked legendary artists including Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, AC/DC and so many others.

Send us a text

Wes Gabrielsen returns  to discuss the career and legacy of iconic singer-guitarist Peter Frampton. Topics discussed include Frampton's  collaborations with legendary artists, his magnum opus Frampton Comes Alive! and our experiences seeing him perform live in recent years. We conclude with a discussion of Frampton's current nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Send us a text

Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg and Mark Lempke give their initial thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 inductees.

Send us a text

Music journalist, filmmaker and podcast host Staci Layne Wilson (Rock & Roll Nightmares) joins us to discuss Nick Broomfield's documentary The Stones and Brian Jones (2023). The film covers the life and times of Rolling Stones founding member and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones who died at age 27 in 1969. 

Send us a text

The Douche Caravan returns with Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle), Patrick Dupuis (The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford coming on to discuss Bao Nguyen's Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop (2024). The film tells the story of the charity single "We Are the World" spearheaded by Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1985. They assembled a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of the biggest musical stars for the recording that included Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper among others.

Send us a text

Christy Alexander Hallberg (Rock is Lit) and Staci Layne Wilson (Rock & Roll Nightmares)  return to discuss the recent Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black (2024).

Send us a text

Patrick Dupuis (EETF Podcast), Hector Contreras and Kyle Hildreth join me to discuss the Beatles documentary Let It Be (1970). Long unavailable to the general public for many years, the film is now streaming on Disney+.

Send us a text

Andy Heller (Fat Dude Digs Flicks Movie Podcasts) joins Nick to discuss the recent music biopic Bob Marley: One Love. 

Send us a text

Jordan Raycine (Needle Drops) and Sam Ratner join Nick to discuss the new Disney+ documentary The Beach Boys (2024). The film covers the career of the iconic American band and we have plenty of thoughts on this one. With July 4th happening this week, there isn't a more perfect time to discuss this film!

Send us a text

We just celebrated our 3-year anniversary this past week and this is our 75th  episode! To celebrate this achievement, I invited the great David Festini back on the show to talk about one of our favorite artists of the 1980s: Huey Lewis and the News. We discuss this hugely popular band's rise to fame, their unique sound, their status as icons of the 1980s and why they deserve to be considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Send us a text

Returning guests Kailyn Champlin, Peter Waters and Sam Ratner join Nick to discuss the recent concert film Gaga Chromatica Ball (2024) starring the one and only Lady Gaga. We share how we became fans of her music, our thoughts on the film, and choose our favorite songs from her catalog. A really fun episode that was just born this way!

Send us a text

Music writer and critic Tom Lane (check out his Music Blog) returns to talk about Nelson George's documentary Thriller 40 (2023). The film focuses on the creation and legacy of Michael Jackson's iconic 1982 album. We have an informal discussion of the best and most memorable moments in the film, provide insight into the album's production history, celebrate the many talented individuals who contributed to Thriller's success and we conclude with a ranking of every song on the album. It's a great tribute to one of the most acclaimed and best-selling albums of all time.

Send us a text

Albert Tsibu, who runs the @InductAaliyah campaign on various social media platforms, joins Nick to discuss his all-time favorite artist: the one and only Aaliyah. We have an in-depth conversation about the late singer's career and legacy. We discuss various topics such as Aaliyah's music videos, her status as a fashion icon, and our favorite songs from her catalog. We also talk about Aaliyah's recent induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame last year and her potential induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (filled with dream inductors and set lists). To paraphrase Albert's favorite social media hashtag, he gave all the things and much more with his beautiful tribute to Aaliyah.

Please sign Albert's Change.Org petition to help get Aaliyah inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Send us a text

Mike Wiles (Retro Rock Roundup) returns to discuss the life and legacy of singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. Topics discussed include Manilow's status as one of the most versatile and talented creative forces in American music , his many collaborations with famous artists, and  his catalog of classic songs. 

Send us a text

The first of two episodes covering the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. For Part I, I invited Darren Hines, Jordan Collins, Cliff O'Neill and Andrea Lewis to talk about their experiences watching the ceremony live and in person! The ceremony took place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday October 19th. 

Topics discussed include our favorite speeches (from both presenters and inductees), favorite musical performances and who they want to see honored at next year's ceremony. 

Part II, with different guests who also attended the 2024 ceremony, will be recorded and released in the coming days. 

Send us a text

The second of two episodes covering the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. For Part II, I invited Mark Lempke and Greg Peurach to talk about their experiences watching the ceremony live and in person! The ceremony took place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday October 19th. 

Topics discussed include our favorite speeches (from both presenters and inductees), favorite musical performances and who they want to see honored at next year's ceremony. 

Send us a text

On the latest Movie Talk episode, things get a little weird...as we talk about all things Weird Al!   I invited past guests Patrick Dupuis (EETF Podcast), John Mutford, Mike Drew, Hector Contreras and Kyle Hildreth to talk about the 2022 music biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

Send us a text

Writers David Cantwell (No Fences Review) and Tom Lane (Music Blog) return to discuss the career and legacy of Jerry Lee Lewis. We talk a lot about Ethan Coen's recent documentary Trouble in Mind (2022) and also emphasize Lewis' place in the both the rock and roll and country genres. We conclude with our favorite tracks from the Killer.

Send us a text

Scott Kummer and Josh Hohbein (hosts of the I Got That on Vinyl) come on to discuss the 2022 Netflix documentary Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres. 

Send us a text

A holiday surprise! I invited Patrick Dupuis (EETF Podcast), John Mutford, Mike Drew, Hector Contreras, Kyle Hildreth, and Woody Meachum to discuss the 2024 documentary Band Aid - The Making Of The Original 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic charity single. The movie is streaming for free on YouTube!

Send us a text

For our first episode of 2025, let's start with a draft....more precisely a Rock Hall Nominees Draft! Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Performers category in 2025. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why we think they'll appear on the ballot. 

Get your pencils sharpened, fill out those scorecards and see if you agree (or disagree) with our picks! 

Send us a text

To celebrate what would've been Elvis Presley's 90th birthday today, I invited the great Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) to discuss the Netflix documentary Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley. The film covers Elvis' life and career and, most notably, his triumphant 1968 television comeback special.

This is a companion piece to our earlier episode where Tom and I discussed the 2023 documentary Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback (which, ironically, covers the same topic as Return of the King). You can listen to that episode here. 

Send us a text

R.I.P. Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States who was also one of history's greatest humanitarians. To pay tribute to this great man, I invited three Carter historians and biographers (Randall Balmer, Michael Brown and Mark Lempke) to talk about Mary Wharton and Bill Flanagan's 2020 documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. Featured in the film include music legends such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bono, Jimmy Buffett and Gregg Allman. 

Consider purchasing these works from our guests:
Randall Balmer's biography Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter and Michael Brown and Mark Lempke's contributions to the anthology The Literary Legacy of Jimmy Carter: Essays on the President's Books.

Send us a text

Joe Kwaczala (host of Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) returns to discuss Nick's recently updated 'Rock Hall Prospects Project' list, now in its fifth year, which ranks the worthiest and most deserving artists for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. We discuss the artists who made the top 10, the 14 newly-added artists on this year's list, and concludes with Joe's suggestions for next year's revision.

Read Nick's Substack post about his updated 2025 rankings for the Project.

Send us a text

On this very special episode, Hadyn Murdoch, Jon Jamen (both part of the INXS All Areas Podcast) and Jim Skivalidas (a member of the Induct INXS campaign) to discuss why they feel INXS should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It's what you need to kick off February!

If you haven't already listened, check out our previous INXS episode with Hadyn and our friend Jon Lamoreaux from 2022.

Please sign Induct INXS' Change.org petition to get these Australian music legends into the Rock Hall.

Send us a text

All aboard...the Douche Caravan is sailing away on a yacht! Jon Lamoreaux (Host of the Hustle Podcast),  Patrick Dupuis (Host of the EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford return to discuss the latest film in Max's Music Box series Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (2024). This film charts the music and careers of Yacht Rock's most famous artists including Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, and Toto. We give our takes on this style of music, the film itself, and conclude with a list of our favorite Yacht Rock classics. 

Send us a text

Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss this year's nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2025. 

Artists nominated this year include Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Maná, Oasis, Outkast, Phish and The White Stripes.

Send us a text

Scott and Andrew (hosts of I've Got That on Vinyl) join Nick to discuss James Mangold's A Complete Unknown (2024), the Oscar-nominated biopic that focuses on the early years of Bob Dylan. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro, and Elle Fanning. Other topics discussed include Scott meeting Dylan in the early 1990s and a rundown of our all-time favorite Dylan songs.

Send us a text

Darren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed. We also discuss the Oscars’ decision to omit live performances from this year’s ceremony. 

Send us a text

Kailyn, Jordan, and Sam return to discuss the recent Disney+ documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. The film focuses on the life and career of the legendary performer and also incorporates performances from his farewell tour. We talk about our earliest memories of Elton, our thoughts on the film and its Oscar-nominated song, and conclude with our 5 favorite songs from his catalog. 

Send us a text

David Lizerbram (Rock Docs) returns to discuss Sofia Coppola's biographical drama Priscilla (2023) starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi as Priscilla and Elvis Presley. 

Send us a text

Writer Ross Warner (Drunk on Sunday) joins us to discuss his latest book, American Standard: Cheap Trick from the Bars to the Budokan and Beyond (2024), about the early years of the legendary American rock band. We also discuss our shared love of the band, how Pearl Jam's Mike McCready came to write the book's foreword, and much more. We conclude by sharing our favorite Cheap Trick songs and albums

You buy a copy of Warner's book here.

Send us a text

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Let's honor the Irish by discussing Kneecap, the rebellious trio from Belfast who have taken the world by storm with their unique brand of Irish-infused hip hop. I invited Patrick Dupuis (EETF Podcast), Hector Contreras, Kyle Hildreth, and Tony Greathouse to talk about the group's upcoming 2024 film. We also discuss Michael Fassbender's involvement, the group's political and social activism, the importance of preserving languages, and its presence during the previous years awards season. 

Send us a text

Aaron Conn (host of Albums Uncovered) comes on to discuss the legacy of the late, great David Johansen. He was the lead singer of the legendary protopunk band the New York Dolls and had a very successful solo career under both his name and his persona Buster Poindexter. We celebrate the life and career of a one-of-a-kind performer who is one of the most underrated and influential in the history of rock and roll.

We also heavily discuss Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi's 2023 documentary Personality Crisis: One Night Only which focuses on Johansen. 

Send us a text

We've hit a huge milestone! It's our 100th episode! To celebrate, we asked you, our listeners, to send in your questions for Nick to answer.

Send us a text

The first in a series of artist-centric episodes spotlighting some of this year's nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. To kick things off, I invited music editor Ryan Gibbs (InBetweenDrafts) to talk about the career, legacy and current Rock Hall nomination of the mighty jam band Phish.

Send us a text

Mike Drew returns to give his thoughts on the concert film Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22. We also discuss Oasis' highly anticipated tour later this year, Oasis' status as Britpop icons, and share our favorite songs from Gallagher's catalog. 

Send us a text

Pat Francis (Rock Solid) joins Nick to discuss the legendary career of  Billy Idol. We discuss Idol's partnership with guitarist and songwriter Steve Stevens, his status as an MTV icon, his truckload of hit singles, and his current nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2025 class. 

Send us a text

Philip Bergman (Rock Hall Monitors) joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of the 60s rock-and-roll icon Chubby Checker. We talk about Checker's association with Dick Clark and American Bandstand, the enduring legacy of "The Twist," our favorite songs from his catalog, and his current nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Send us a text

Let’s get caught up in all things Millie Jackson on this special debut episode of Rock in Retrospect.  Nick and guest Mary Layton (Hall Watchers)  discuss Jackson's life, career and impact on the music industry. Often hailed as the mother of rap, Jackson’s raspy spoken-word vocals and sexually charged lyrics made her one of R&B’s most consistently popular stars. She may not be a household name, but Jackson is an undeniably talented and supremely influential legend who deserves more of our attention. To quote Mary, let’s hope there is a “Millie Revolution” on the horizon.

Send us a text

Nick and guest Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle Podcast) dissect the musical legacy of new wave icons Duran Duran. Taking full advantage of the music video medium in the early 1980s, Duran Duran quickly became global superstars only a few years after their formation. Beyond their photogenic good looks and trendy outfits, they wrote and performed universal anthems that transcended generations. They experienced several ups and downs throughout their career, but they never gave up and continue to make new music. They are pop music survivors in every sense of the word.  If there is something you should know, it’s that Duran Duran is one of the most popular and innovative bands of the last four decades.

Send us a text

Nick and special guest Dr. Mark Lempke (The Also-Rans) discuss the musical and cultural significance of the 60s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. When they formed in 1961, it didn’t take long for them to become one of the most popular musical acts of their time. Along with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary were at the forefront of the folk revival scene of the early 1960s. They famously covered Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and even performed the song at the March on Washington demonstration in 1963. It was, in fact, on the very same stage where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously delivered his “I Have a Speech” speech. It doesn’t get much bigger than to open for Dr. King! Peter, Paul and Mary’s brand of social activism proved singers can be fiercely political and maintain a devoted fanbase. And their music still sounds as urgent and relevant as it did six decades ago.

Send us a text

Josh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Podcast) joins Nick as they discuss the life and career of singer-songwriter Judee Sill, a beautiful soul who left this world far too soon. She was famously the first artist signed to David Geffen's legendary Asylum Records in 1971. But her troubled private life prevented her from becoming a bigger star and died at age 35 in 1979. Although she's largely an unknown figure in popular music, her influence and stature has considerably grown in recent years. Some of Sill's famous admirers include Andy Partridge, Liz Phair and Laura Veirs. Listen to this episode and discover what makes Sill a special artist. 

Send us a text

Friend and music fan Darren Hines joins Nick as they discuss the iconic 80s British rock band The Smiths. They talked about several topics including our ongoing Rock Hall Reconsidered Project, the Simpsons’ recent parody of Morrissey and favorite Smiths songs. Please stop if you don’t think you heard this one before and give it a listen!

*Please note this episode includes  occasional background noise and other sound issues.

Send us a text

Eric Layton (E-Rockracy and Hall Watchers) comes on the show to discuss the career and impact of alternative rock legends Jane's Addiction. Topics discussed include the members' traumatic childhoods, the formation of Lollapolooza, the band's side projects and making a case for their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Send us a text

Critic and friend Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) comes on the show to discuss the career and legacy of Philly Soul legends The Spinners. Topics discussed include their earliest struggles working at Motown, relationship with legendary producer Thom Bell, songs featured in famous movies and their absence from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It'd be a shame if you didn't listen to this fantastic episode!

Send us a text

Wes Gabrielsen, an educator and friend who teaches a rock music history course, comes on the show to discuss classic rock hitmakers Toto. Topics discussed include the members' extensive work as session musicians, their long-standing feud with Rolling Stone magazine and Weezer's recent cover of the legendary song "Africa." Hold the line...this episode's on-time and waiting to be heard!

Send us a text

Joe Kwaczala (Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) comes on the show to discuss his all-time favorite band Nirvana. Topics discussed include their legendary MTV Unplugged performance, the ongoing Marc Jacobs lawsuit and their 2014 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  Come as you are and listen to this terrific conversation about the most legendary rock band of the last 30 years.

Send us a text

Peter Waters (Talking the Talkies) joins us to discuss the life and career of living metal legend Rob Zombie. Topics discussed include Zombie's early odd jobs, his time with former band White Zombie and  his successful turn to horror filmmaking. We hope you’re never gonna stop listening to this episode!

Send us a text

Archivist Lisa S. comes on the show to discuss Bauhaus, one of the most original and influential bands of the last four decades. Topics discussed include Lisa's  experiences at Peter Murphy concerts, the band members'  contentious relationships with one another, their appearance in the film 'The Hunger' (1983) and  their status as goth-rock legends. All any Bauhaus fan should've ever wanted is this incredible tribute to these post-punk pioneers!

Send us a text

Comedian and writer Murray Valeriano (host of For What It's Worth) comes on the show to discuss the 90s alternative  rock band Cake. Topics discussed include the band's many musical influences,  their  cover of Gloria Gaynor's classic "I Will Survive" and their zany music videos.  You should go the distance and check out this hilariously insightful episode!

Send us a text

Music blogger Michelle Bourg (Iconic Rock Talk Show) and returning guest Mary Layton (Hall Watchers) come on the show to discuss one of the most prestigious awards in the American arts: The Kennedy Center Honors. We narrowed down a list of 40 prospective candidates from the music world who need to be recognized for their incredible contributions to American culture.  Artists discussed include The Rolling Stones, Mariah Carey, Aerosmith, Janet Jackson, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, Dionne Warwick and U2. 

Send us a text

Blogger and educator Stephanie Carta (Spaces and Society)  comes on the show to discuss the legendary alternative rock duo Tears for Fears.  Topics discussed include the political messages of their music, their often-strained professional partnership and their latest single "The Tipping Point." As we all eagerly await their new album next year, you'll be head over heals in love with this episode!

Send us a text