After a week of reflecting on January - July of 1987, we round things off this week by discussing August - December and try to shoehorn in as many tunes and memories as we can.   August saw the release of two of the year's landmark albums in Michael Jackson's 'Bad' and Def Leppard's Hysteria.    MJ had not released an album since 1983's historic 'Thriller' release and the world's ears were ready for a followup. 'Bad', released on August 31st went on to produce five number one singles in the USA; a record which has not been broken.   Def Leppard's slickly-produced 'Hysteria' album had smash hit after smash hit and would go on to sell over 20 million units.   Other notable releases from August of 1987 included albums by Metallica, Twisted Sister, and Aerosmith.   September spawned album releases by rock legends such as Pink Floyd, Motorhead, Rush, The Ramones, and KISS. While not all of these releases would go on to be big sellers, some amazing songs were overlooked by the general public.    The big news story of Ocotober of 1987 was the rescue of Baby Jessica. After falling down a well in Midland, Texas two days prior, emergency crews are able to save the young child in front of a national television audience.   Motley Crue attempted to release 'You're All I Need' as a single from the Girls, Girls, Girls album on October 19th but were shunned by MTV and radio due to the graphic nature of the lyrics. We take a listen to hear what the uproar was about.   Notable releases of October 1987 included albums by Alice Cooper, MSG, Sepultura, and the multi-million selling 'Faith' album from George Michael after his split with Wham! (blech).   We finish things off with a discussion of the albums released in November and December including offerings from Black Sabbath, Anthrax, and two albums by Overkill. Also in this discussion we reflect on bands that were established in 1987 as well as those that called it quits before playing things out with a dreamy track from Dokken's 'Back for the Attack' album.  

1987 was a special time in the adolescence of a young Aaron Camaro and Chris Czynszak; being aged 13 and 11 respectively. This was an interesting time in American pop culture with tv shows like The Cosby Show and Cheers leading in the ratings while edgier upstart FOX Network was providing more reality-based programming that would go on to dominate the next decade. Popular movies in 1987 included Three Men and a Baby, Lethal Weapon, RoboCop, and Wall Street; which included one of the enduring quotes of the decade in "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." We discuss all of that and spin some of our favorite music from January through July of 1987 in part 1 of this 2 part special. The "hair band" movement was in full force in 1987 as bands such as Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and Bon Jovi were ruling the charts and filling arenas. But a glimpse of a grittier future in rock was given with Guns N Roses landmark debut album, Appetite for Destruction. Taking the world by storm with a no-frills, attitude-filled song list, AFD ran counter to the image-based culture that was on top at the time; relying more on substance and swagger and becoming one of the premier live shows in all of music. We also touch on how hindsight is definitely 20/20 when it comes to looking back on songs/albums that were revered in those early days of puberty and how are outlook on them has either changed or stayed the same. Some things definitely have held up over the years while others certainly sound more like they are fixtures in this Cold War-era that we are remembering. There's lots of discussion, good tunes, and LOTS more music ahead in part 2. We hope you enjoy our trip back to 1987. 

When we think back to those angst filled teenage years in the early 90's when we couldn't find a fake i.d. and we still had a curfew, some of our best memories are of spending Saturday nights hanging out at a friends house, eating day old pizza and watching the Headbangers Ball on MTV. While the show started back in 1985 with an ever-rotating host, the show came into our collective consciousness during the transition from Adam Curry to this week's guest, Riki Rachtman. While Curry did an admirable job hosting the Ball, the show took on a more adventurous and fun direction when Rachtman took the reins in 1990.  Riki Rachtman's profile in rock history goes back further, though, to his days as owner of The Cathouse; a famed L.A. nightspot that was frequented by rock stars of all sorts and the women that adored them. Rachtman's first on-camera appearance took place in 1988's Penelope Spheeris-directed The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. In the movie, Rachtman is interviewed on location at the aforementioned Cathouse along with co-owner/roommate Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat.  Rachtman's friendship with Guns N Roses frontman Axl Rose led to an audition at MTV as Curry was on his way out as host of Headbangers Ball. His hosting duties would last for five years (1990-1995) until Headbangers Ball was abruptly canceled with no more than a phone call to Rachtman breaking the news. In the ensuing years since Headbangers Ball, Riki Racthman has stayed active in the entertainment industry; contributing his hosting talents to such outfits as World Championship Wrestling, Los Angeles radio station KLSX, several VH1 productions, and his NASCAR-themed racing show called Racing Rocks and is heard on over 120 stations across America. Riki was gracious enough to take some time to talk to Chris this week about the crazy days of The Cathouse, the story that led to getting the Headbangers Ball hosting gig, his memories of hosting the Ball and traveling the world, his response to critics that have accused him of pushing an agenda while on MTV, and his take on where the network (and music in general) is at today. Riki also gives us details about his current 3-country/11 state trek from Mexico through America through Canada and to Sturgis on motorcycles with his long-time friend Taime Downe. As of the date of this episode's recording, Riki and co. were in Washington state and you can track their progress in real-time by clicking this link or you can receive his updates on his Twitter page. We thank Riki Rachtman for taking the time to talk to us. We hope this episode brings back as many memories for you as it did for us.

We're pulling into the homestretch of KISSMAS in July and thought we'd end the month with a Geeky BANG! Before we get down to it we want to proudly announce that you can stream the Decibel Geek podcast every Friday night through Maximum Threshold Radio! These guys are spinning rock and metal 24 hours a day and were nice enough to let us Geeks take over their airwaves every Friday night at 7:00pm EST. We appreciate this opportunity and hope you will check out all of the other great programming they provide as well. This week's Geek of the Week is Victor Ruiz of the Mars Attacks podcast. Victor had the winning suggestion for this week's KISS-related show subject and we wanted to give a tip of the hat to him. Be sure to check out Mars Attacks for lots of great rock and metal discussion. To qualify for Geek of the Week, just join the facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/decibelgeek and leave us a comment. Simple as that! With 20 studio albums, numerous solo albums, and other projects to boot, it's logical to think that KISS must have a treasure trove of unreleased material. While we got some of that from the officially released box set, fans are still waiting for a bulk release of demos and unreleased nuggets (in good sound quality) from the band. There are, however, a lot of little-known gems floating around the bootleg collector market and that's what we wanted to focus on today. Special thanks to KISSFAQ for providing such in-depth information that aided in our research for this episode.  In this episode you will hear demos, unreleased tracks, and alternate takes from the Hottest Band in the Land as well as cases where songs were turned inside out from demos to wind up as officially released songs years (sometimes decades) later. We also will take a look as some songs that KISS recorded but didn't officially release and where those songs wound up. We've got many eras of KISS covered in this show including unreleased material from Destroyer, the roots of Rock and Roll Over gems Calling Dr. Love and Ladies Room, as well as a Zeppelin-inspired instrumental that didn't quite make the cut on Music from the Elder. You will also hear a 1985-penned Asylum demo that turned into a track on 2009's Sonic Boom. We also include a track that's gone through a number of permutations (that's a big word like 'gymnasium') and has been recorded by the Creatures of the Night era and Psycho Circus era lineups yet has (criminally) never been officially released on a KISS studio album. That's just the tip of the iceberg. You will hear numerous strange demos that, understandably, never qualified for official released. It's an interesting look at KISS' songwriting process over the years and how their approach has changed/stayed the same. We hope you enjoy the scraps of what we found on The Kutting Room Floor. Buy Music! Connect to Us! Subscribe on iTunes Join on Facebook Follow on Twitter E-mail 

After such a great response to our Lydia Criss conversation in week 1, KISSMAS in July shifts into a new gear with Chris and Aaron's favorite KISS Kover songs taking center stage. When researching covers of KISS songs, it quickly became apparent that KISS has influenced artists from just about every genre of music (we couldn't find any jazz KISS covers).  While there were, of course, plenty of examples of straight-ahead rock bands paying homage to the hottest band in the land; the covers from the worlds of disco, pop, folk, bluegrass, and death metal really surprised us.  We must give credit to the fine folks of KISSFAQ for providing such a great, deep discography of pretty much anything and everything KISS and related.  The tribute album section includes officially released product as well as 5 (and counting) tribute albums that were produced by KISSFAQ forum members. Now, THAT'S a devoted following!   Obviously, with so many cover songs existing, it would impossible to even include a fraction of them in this episode. So, with that said, Aaron and Chris ventured to celebrate KISSMAS in July by playing their favorite covers. A lot of digging went into these picks and we hope that you are turned onto some great stuff. If so, click one of the links below to hear more of these great KISS-inspired artists. Rock on! Axel Rudi Pell Sweet ZO2 Anthrax Double Virgo Skid Row Galactic Cowboys Kissettes Dinosaur Jr. Hair of the Dog Rodrigo Gonzalez

Welcome to KISSMAS in JULY here at Decibel Geek headquarters! We're always looking for new excuses to do KISS-themed material and doing a full month of KISS stuff in July just seemed like a logical choice.  We kick off the month-o-KISS with an in-depth conversation we recently had with Lydia Criss. Formerly the wife of original KISS catman Peter Criss, Lydia entered the KISS Army's consciousness in 1976 when she accepted the award for 'Beth' being the #1 single of 1976 at the People's Choice Awards. What was the reason for Lydia accepting the award? Listen to our discussion to find out. A few years ago, Lydia published a coffee table memoir of her life entitled Sealed with a KISS. Jam packed with tons of photos never before seen of KISS and Peter Criss from their earliest days as a struggling band rehearsing in a frigid loft in downtown Manhattan, their apex of popularity in being named the most popular band in America according to a Gallup poll, and beyond. The book also gives a rare glimpse into Lydia's personal life as the wife to a rising star in the music world. In this conversation, Lydia, Chris, and Aaron pick some of their favorite Peter Criss-sung songs and Lydia shares her memories of the stories behind the making of the songs including the drama that would arise between band members.  Peter Criss' 1978 KISS solo album included quite a few songs about the end of a relationship. This mirrored reality as it was around this time that Peter's marriage to Lydia was ending. Lydia recalls the experience of hearing these songs and the effect they had on her at a tumultuous time in her life. Also in this discussion are Lydia's memories of accepting KISS' People's Choice Award and the conversation with Gene Simmons that led to her accepting the award on the band's behalf. The story of how Beth came to be has been told from numerous different angles and Lydia tells her side of the story and it's probably something you haven't heard before.  While this conversation includes some great inside information from a person that was right in the middle of the rise of the Hottest Band in the Land, you will get WAY more great stuff like this if you purchase a copy of the 2nd printing of Sealed With a KISS. Included in this new printing are over 20 new photos as well more content including a listing of tons of gigs that Peter performed before joining KISS.  If you are a KISS fan and don't own this book, you are truly missing out. It's totally worth the money and you don't have to mortgage your house to afford it. Check it out! Read It Order Sealed With a KISS Listen to It KISS Store Peter Criss Store Connect to Us Subscribe/Rate/Review in iTunes Join the Facebook Fan Page Follow Us on Twitter Email Us

Without question, one of the more popular theme shows the Decibel Geek podcast has ever produced was our Bizzaro Covers episode which featured hard rock and metal bands performing non-hard rock and metal songs.  While original material is always a joy to listen to (unless it's being produced by Nickelback), a good cover song that puts a new spin or perspective on a song provokes emotion and can trigger the listener into liking something they normally wouldn't even care about. Before we dive right in to the music, there are a few things we need to pimp. Our Canadian correspondent Wally Norton recently scored a great interview with Coney Hatch singer Carl Dixon that was picked up by a few other web media outlets.  Also discussed are some wonderful comments from this week's Geek of the Week. To be qualify for Geek of the Week simply head over to our facebook fan page and click LIKE; simple as that.  Of course, if you want to go one step beyond and tell a friend or write a review in iTunes, your chances go up exponentially (who said payola is dead?).  To round off the news, we discuss a commentary that Decibel Geek podcast host Chris Czynszak wrote in response to the recent reveal of the price of KISS' new Monster book and the harsh reaction that has been echoed by about 99% of the KISS Army. Consider a second mortgage. We dug deep this week to bring you some gems that you may have not heard before. While there are a number of bands you've heard of, there's a couple oddball choices as well. All of the songs are certainly not what we typically play but we think you'll agree that they all benefit from a harder production. As the cheesy Autograph tune used to say, "Things go better with rock." Artists Included: Dungeon HIM W.A.S.P. Anthrax Metallica Vince Neil Cake Wednesday 13 L.A. Guns Foo Fighters

With so much going on in 1969 there was no way we were going to be able to squeeze all of it in to one episode and we're back this week to give you a second dose of the news, the music, and the personalities of the year of the rooster. We begin things on a dark note as we discuss the Manson family murders including murder of actress Sharon Tate and Charles Manson's obsession with the Beatles song Helter Skelter and his morbid perception of the lyrics. This leads into a taste of one of the standout tracks from the Yellow Submarine album. With the Beatles on their way out, a successor was on the rise in Led Zeppelin as Robert Plant and company  released I and II in 1969. We spin one of Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and segue into Jimmy Page's least favorite Zeppelin song but we dig it. 1969 saw the second and final album by the Jeff Beck Group released as Beck-Ola climbed to #15 on the charts on the strength of Jeff Beck's guitar playing and the growly pre-AOR vocals of a young Rod Stewart. Aaron picks his favorite track off the album and we give you a sample of that. As we discussed in Part 1 of our 1969 Year in Review, Detroit was a hotbed of activity in the rock and roll world that year and it's arguably the birthplace of punk and alternative music due to the emergence of The Stooges. Fronted by Iggy Pop, The Stooges were a stripped down noise machine that perfectly encompassed the alienation of youth in the blue-collar Midwest. While not a big seller (peaking at 106 on the Billboard charts), The Stooges debut album is widely considered the foundation for a slew of punk and garage bands the world over in the years following it. We take a listen to Iggy's ballad of submission. We return from the break to discuss an intimate little affair that included 350,000 people hanging out on a farm while musical legends entertained and promoters warned people to check the color of their acid. Woodstock was a three day history maker; with performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, CCR, and Santana among many others. Considered by many as the greatest musical festival of all time, it's a true snapshot of America in 1969 as it had ties to music, pop culture, and the ongoing conflict in Vietnam. Also in 1969 a group led by a couple of friends from Lincoln, Nebraska released a song that was quite prophetic that warned of the dangers of future advances in electronic and medical technology and how society would be affected in a negative way. While we love where technology is these days (we wouldn't be able to provide you with this podcast if it weren't), there are signposts out there that do make you wonder if these guys were onto something. You'll get to hear these thought provoking lyrics as we feature the majority of this interesting track. We started this episode off on a grim note with the Manson murders and we end it on one as well as we discuss the tragic events that occurred at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival. Billed by many as 'Woodstock West', the show was doomed before it even started with the Hell's Angels biker club being hired as security. With rampant drug use and a chaotic atmosphere, things spun out of control throughout the day; even causing the Grateful Dead (prime organizers of the festival) to decline to play their scheduled time slot. Things hit a boiling point while the Rolling Stones were onstage and you'll hear a clip of Mick Jagger trying to get the audience to relax. We play out on a hopeful note with a song from the Stones album Let it Bleed that tries to instill some hope in a crazy society.  1969 was not a year for the weak willed and it's certainly not one that will be easily forgotten. We hope these 2 episodes gave you a good perspective on it. See you next week! CONNECT WITH US!: Rate & Review us on iTunes Join the Facebook Fan Page Follow us on Twitter Leave a Comment Below

While we don't typically delve deep into thrash territory on the Decibel Geek podcast, 2 bands that came out of California in the early to mid 1980's (one formed out of necessity to battle it out with the other), are truly a part of rock royalty and are the subject of our interview/discussion this week.  Metallica's 1981 lineup that included James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Cliff Burton, and lead guitarist Dave Mustaine was a true force to be reckoned with but politics and substance abuse caused it to be short-lived with the band unceremoniously canning Mustaine while on the road. Determined to exact revenge, Mustaine formed Megadeth in Los Angeles in 1983 with bassist Dave Ellefson.  With both bands releasing platinum albums and performing for sold out audiences across the globe, the rivalry remained pretty evenly matched between the groups until Metallica saw mainstream success with 1991's Metallica (aka The Black Album) shooting the band into a new strata for metal music. One could argue, though, that Megadeth have put out material that rivals, and in some cases exceeds, Metallica's output throughout the 1990's and 2000's. This week we take a hard look and listen to the early days of both bands as we chat with rock photographer Bill Hale. Hale was a photographer for Metal Rendezvous magazine in the early 1980's and shot photos of rock legends including KISS, Riot, UFO, and Black Sabbath. He was witness to the ascent of Metallica, as is recounted in his excellent photo book Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 and thus, was in good company to witness the formation and launch of Megadeth which is chronicled in his new book Megadeth: Another Time, A Different Place.  In our conversation you will hear Bill share his stories of what it was like knowing Lars Ulrich when he was just a struggling drummer trying to make contacts in the Los Angeles area. Hear about James Hetfield's early stage fright which caused Dave Mustaine to be the voice between songs for many of Metallica's early shows.  Hale also shares his opinion of what took place when Mustaine was fired from Metallica and the politics that seemed to surround the situation. Interesting stuff here! With a thirst for blood, Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth and Bill shares his memories of the earliest days of the band and the rivalry that exists to this day. We also get his thoughts on the sad losses of both Cliff Burton and Gar Samuelson (of whom the new Megadeth book is dedicated). Aaron, Chris, and Bill also spin some of their favorite tracks from Metallica & Megadeth's first three albums throughout the conversation. It's a fun long-form discussion with a person that caught music history through the lens of his camera and forged friendships with highly diverse personalities that still captivate rock and metal fans to this day. It's time for some Metal up your......ears.

Jack Russel of Great White joins us this week to discuss a career that has spanned the highs, lows, and everything in-between.  Last week was a busy week in the press for Russell between dodging drunk boaters and having to clarify remarks about former manager Alan Niven. He takes a few minutes to discuss these stories, as well as where the current legal case with the rest of the band stands, with us before we launch into career-talk. And what a career it's been. From their early days in 1978 as Dante Fox, Jack tells us how the name Great White came about and how it relates to albino guitar players.  We get Jack's recollections of the Sunset Strip in the days before it exploded which included flyer wars with Nikki Sixx and Motley Crue as well as his thoughts on how the internet has pretty much squashed the chances of a regional thing on that level happening again. We discuss the reversal of touring to sell albums shifting to recording an album as an excuse to tour and Jack's thoughts on what downloading has done to deplete potential income and the presence of record stores. Chris asks Jack to explain why the first two Great White albums sound so distinctly different from everything that followed and we find out why all of those keyboards appeared on the Shot in the Dark album. You'll hear Jacks memories of touring with Whitesnake in the U.K. for Great White's first european tour as well as a story about the members of Judas Priest playing volleyball in Biloxi, MS while on the Defenders of the Faith tour. Russell tells us how he had to fight to get Save Your Love included on the Once Bitten album after the producer and record company went cold on the song; a gamble that paid off for Russell and the band as the song received widespread radio airplay.  Following the breakthrough success of the Once Bitten & Twice Shy albums, the tide started shifting in popular music with "party" rock bands beginning to multiply to the general public's disgust causing the overnight change of pace with grunge music taking over the airwaves. Jack gives us his memories of this period of time and how it hit the hard rock scene like a freight train and did much damage to the prospects of success for their then-new album Psycho City. He also tells us about Great White's experience opening for KISS during 1992's Revenge tour and getting a front row seat to the media machinations of one Gene Simmons. After venturing into solo territory, Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall began performing again as Jack Russell's Great White with Kendall leaving the band again. With new guitarist Ty Longley, the band played The Station nightclub in Warwick, Rhode Island where pyrotechnics caused a fire that killed one hundred people including Longley. Jack Russell tells why he's decided to no longer comment on the incident. We wrap up the conversation with some talk about the band's amazing cover of Led Zeppelin's Babe I'm Gonna Leave You and why they decided to record an entire album of Zeppelin covers songs as well as the upcoming America Rocks 2012 tour that Jack and co. are undertaking this summer along with Faster Pussycat, Bulletboys, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Lillian Axe. Jack also makes it a point to thank his legion of very supportive fans that helped to bring him back from a horrific physical state to rocking stages all over the world again. Special thanks to Dave Hardin and Valerie Ince for helping arrange this interview. Check out Jack Russell's website for tour dates, news, and messages from Jack himself.

In the short year that the Decibel Geek podcast has existed, some of our more popular episodes have been our Year in Review shows. We have received some great feedback from all over the world about our 1975 and 1983 episodes and this week we head to the 90's as we focus on a truly transitional year in rock music in 1991. Chris and Aaron are spinning a plethora of their favorite songs from 1991 and you're sure to hear lots of stuff you may have missed while radio stations were shoving Bryan Adams and Amy Grant down your throat. While the glam to grunge overnight transition took place in September with the release of Nirvana's landmark Nevermind album, you'll hear plenty of examples of the wide variety of great music that was being released even before anarchist cheerleaders picked up black pompoms and the janitor got his groove back. 1991 was a crazy year for cannibalism, true and fictional, with Jeffrey Dahmer proving that Aaron Camaro is not the only lunatic from Wisconsin and Anthony Hopkins' strange appetite in Silence of the Lambs. We also learned in 1991 that Pee Wee Herman likes himself. He...really....really....likes himself. Of course, he went to jail and was ridiculed for something that 99% of the population does and that 1% dude sure is frustrated. Michael Jordan got us to eat our Wheaties, Madonna pissed of parents of teenage boys everywhere with a "racy" video that is tame by today's standards and there was a TON of great music produced in 1991. You'll hear us yack about all of it this week on the Decibel Geek podcast.

While America is our home base and largest listener area, our friends up to the north have been accumulating like a blizzard lately. We've had quite a few new Canadian listeners over the past year. There are a few reasons, we think, for this.  1. Mitch Lafon of Bravewords.com was the first official guest to ever be on the Decibel Geek podcast and is based out of the Montreal area. He's also appeared a couple other times as a guest. Mitch Lafon & Russ Dwarf 2. Our interview with Killer Dwarfs singer Russ Dwarf helped us attain more audience members. KD is a great band and Russ still waves the flag up in Canada. 3. The addition of Wally Norton to the Decibel Geek staff. Wally's regular feature, Hoser Heavy Metal has helped shed some light on Canadian rock bands you should check out. His recent interview with Helix's Brian Vollmer also received acclaim throughout the internet and brought more folks from the Great White North our way. So, with that said, it's only natural that we'd decide to shine a spotlight firmly on Canada. This week we're cranking tunes by bands/artists from Canada that are considered legends, some that could be considered diamonds in the rough, and some that we're pretty sure you've never heard before. We debut the new Fresh Blood feature in this episode that gives you a listen to something brand spanking new that actually sounds good; a rare feat on the radio these days. Chris shares his thoughts on the music documentary 'Mayor of the Sunset Strip' and why it's appropriate to the Radio Sucks subject. He also tries to explain the Decibel Geek habit of hating Nickelback and why they will never, ever be played on the show (unless it's for parody's sake). It's a full hour+ jam packed with rock and metal from our neighbors to the north. So, grab a brew and open your ears for a party in your head. We love you hosers!

Welcome to our nightmare. We think you're gonna like it. Actually, the episode that we post for your listening pleasure today was truly a dream come true for us.  In this long form discussion, veteran guitar maestro Dick Wagner reflects on what it's been like being on the inside of rock history for 40+years. Appearing on more than 200 albums and garnering more than 35 Gold and Platinum albums, Wagner has quite a story (or in this case, many stories) to tell as he gives us a glimpse of the fantastic historical essays that await you in his recently released (and soon to be hardcover-released) e-book entitled Not Only Women Bleed: Vignettes from the Heart of a Rock and Roll Musician. Dick shares stories with us from his earliest days including backing Jerry Lee Lewis in a television appearance as well as the circumstances that led him to become the musical director for the Alice Cooper solo band.  Also in this discussion is Dick's recollections of a short stint living in Nashville in the early 1990's attempting to break into the Country music songwriting game and the resistance he received from the "good ole boy" network. Wagner gives us the inside story on Alice Cooper's (and his own) substance abuse trouble in the 1970's and early 1980's. You'll hear about Alice's state of mind during the recording of 1983's bizarre DaDa album as well as the strange fitness routine Cooper incorporated into his daily life when the two first met. From Aerosmith's Get Your Wings to KISS' Destroyer & Revenge albums, Wagner has appeared on some very well-loved tracks without receiving credit for his playing. Does he harbor any ill-will for not receiving his just desserts? You'll hear his unfiltered take in this interview. Dick also shares his take on what he and the Alice Cooper band thought of a young upstart named KISS surpassing them on the charts.  This episode features some stories from Wagner's personal archive that must be heard to be believed. Stories of all facets of pop culture colliding at specific times. Strange bedfellows indeed. Our discussion with Dick Wagner only scratches the surface of the goldmine of amazing stories of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and more sex that you'll be glued to when reading Not Only Women Bleed. Be sure to check out Dick's official website for news updates as well as a full history/discography. We are very pleased to bring you this episode and thank you for listening. Be sure to check out www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com for more info and other great episodes!

"We hear & we obey" - Gene Simmons Truer words could not be said of this weeks episode. This week, we turn the controls over to you, the listener. We've received some great requests over the last few weeks and now we get to share your choices with the world. We're happy to present our first Listener Request Show. Before we get started, Chris & Aaron give a quick update of what's been going on at the official Decibel Geek website including a number of great new articles by our most recent writing addition, Wally Gator including 3 Guitarists You Should See Before You Die, Hoser Heavy Metal, and Death of the Album. We also give a shout out to Andrew Jacobs with another great interview; this time with KISS Army founder Bill Starkey. Now, onto the music. We received requests from all over the world from this show as well as many States. You'll hear requests today from Australia, Canada, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia, Utah, and Illinois. It's wonderful hearing from you all and we look forward to doing another listener-based episode in the future.  We'd like to plug the projects of a few of our listeners that took the time to request songs on today's show: Michael Brandvold of Michael Brandvold Marketing & the Dropping the Needle podcast. RJ Hogg of the Classic Rock Bottom website Mike Sains of the Tower of Sour podcast Vic Baric of the Vinnie Vincent Fan Forum Denny Smith of The Great Affairs There's lots of diversity in the song choices and you're sure to hear something you've never checked out in this episode. We added a few things to the iPod thanks to you guys and appreciate the requests.  Enough of our yapping, let's hear some tunes!

We're back this week to give you a Stiff Upper Lip after we Flick the Switch and Blow Up Your Video; making you feel like a Fly on the Wall who needs some Black Ice to recover from a Ballbreaker. If that doesn't give you a clue as to what we're talking about, then we'll spell it out for you....AC/DC. While the Bon Scott era of AC/DC laid the foundation of what we have today, we wanted to take an episode to appreciate some of the highlights of the Brian Johnson era of the band.  With the tragic passing of Scott in 1980, AC/DC was left pondering the decision of whether to go on. A fan in Cleveland, Ohio forwarded a cassette tape Brian Johnson fronting the band Geordie to AC/DC manager Peter Mensch who then recommended the singer to Angus Young and company. Young remembers Bon Scott raving about seeing Geordie years before and it was decided that Johnson was a good fit for the band. Brian Johnson, of course, burst onto the scene in his first album with the band, 1980's legendary Back in Black album. The album needs no explanation as chances are you already own it since it is the 3rd best selling album of all-time. AC/DC has persevered since Back in Black with 10 studio albums that have flown in the face of what's trendy and stayed true to their roots.  Chris and Aaron pick out 5 of their favorite tracks from the Brian Johnson era of AC/DC and there's plenty of variety to go around. While it is a common jab by critics to say that AC/DC uses the exact same formula for all of their songs, we venture today to show you that there is variances throughout their history. When you dig deeper into the albums, which the Decibel Geek podcast specializes in, you discover hidden gems that you may have not noticed before. It was a blast putting this episode together and we hope you'll crack open a Fosters, make a Vegemite sandwich, and crank up some solid rock from Down Under with our Top 5 favorite Brian Johnson era AC/DC tunes! PS: Don't forget that this week is the last week to get your requests in for our upcoming Listener Request show! The deadline to get your request in will be this Sunday, April 22nd at 6:00p.m. Central time. After that, any requests will be applied to future shows. The number to call is (540) DBGEEK-1. Give us a ring and tell us what you want to hear. You just may hear yourself on the show!

Before we flash back in  time we want to remind you of our upcoming Listener Request episode! We want you to call in your hard rock/metal song request on our hotline and we'll play our favorite requests on the show! The number to call is (540) - DBGEEK-1 (or (540) 324-3351). That number will take you straight to our voice mail hotline. Don't be shy! We had some great feedback on the recent 1975 Year in Review show so we decided to jump back into the time machine and venture to another year. This time we're going back to the days of Atari, Dr. J, and Metallica before they became sycophantic Lou Reed cohorts. We're heading back to 1983. This Year in Review episode has got a little bit of everything from the pop culture stew of 1983. There was a lot going on in the entertainment world from M.A.S.H. ending its legendary run atop the television world to the release of the tragedy-laden movie version of The Twilight Zone movie. We touch on that stuff but we're a music show, right? The musical landscape of 1983 was certainly varied. The top of the Billboard charts was mostly owned by Michael Jackson as this was the release year for his vaunted Thriller album. Other top pop stars of the year included The Police and a young starlet named Madonna. The hard rock and metal world was certainly in flux in 1983 with grease painted rock legends KISS decided to scrub off the clown white and go au naturele on MTV. A new metal band was starting to make waves in the Bay Area in 1983. Metallica released Kill 'Em All on Megaforce Records and heavy metal was never the same. 1983 was a confusing year for rock legends Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath with the left-of-center releases of DaDa and Born Again respectively. So, break out your Wacky Wallwalkers, strap on your Swatch, and hope into the Family Truckster. It's time to hit the time travel highway to 1983!

Networks, KISS Reviews, and The Group Thing We've been awfully theme-y lately and decided to spend this week doing what we do best; being unorganized and playing whatever we feel from our iPod. Before we get to the  music, we've got a few news items. Cue the teletype: We're now a part of a cult! Decibel Geek Podcast is now a proud member of the Auralgasm Podcasting Network. Don't fear, this doesn't mean that you'll be squirting from your ears in the future. It simply means that we were selected from a large group of entries to be a member of this new podcasting network for independent, high-quality shows. The majority of the shows on the network are comedy based so we're not sure if that means we are funny or unintentionally funny. Either way, we're thrilled to be part of this new and growing network. Head over to Auralgasm to see our dedicated show page with custom artwork. And while you're there, check out some of the other shows. We have and they've made us laugh. We're just sayin'. This week Chris put up an exclusive review on the Decibel Geek facebook page of his thoughts on KISS' recent performance in New Orleans during the NCAA Men's basketball tournament. Lots of reaction was elicited from Paul Stanley's vocal performance and Chris shares his thoughts and concerns over what this may mean for a very busy 2012 in the world of KISS.  We also give a special thanks to Jeff and Jon over at the Class Rock Bottom website for recently creating a Decibel Geek podcast group on their page. These guys are some of our most dedicated fans and always give us good feedback on the episodes and we are honored that they thought enough of the show build a group page to discuss it. Go check it out! Lastly, before we get to the tunes, we're on the prowl for more writers/contributors to the official website. We love the content that we receive from our current contributors but are thirsting for more content to share with you, the listener, while you wait for the next episode each week. If you have a passion for writing about hard rock and/or metal and want to get some good exposure to your work, contact us at decibelgeek@gmail.com and let us know that you are interested. We look forward to making you a part of the team! Uh, Aren't We Supposed to Hear Music? Sorry, we had to shill for a few minutes there but today's show is most definitely packed to the gills with a variety of rock and metal. You're going to hear a little bit of everything today from pop-rock to Danish metal as well as a great track from an Australian band, Chinatown Angels, who were nice enough to send us a bunch of free swag including t-shirts, cds, and posters. We wouldn't play the music if it sucked so you can rest assured that this band is exactly the type of fresh blood that we look for in today's music. In conclusion, we hope you enjoy the scattered musical picks that we have for you today. They are all over the place and there's definitely something for everyone. Rock on this week and we'll see you next week!

Chris and a raspy-voiced Aaron Camaro return this week with a trip into the past. We're adjusting our flux capacitor and taking the wayback machine to 1975; an era where people wore bellbottoms, platform shoes, and had ridiculous haircuts without a shred of irony.  While there was plenty of music to vomit over, there was also lots of cool rock being put out into the ether. We take some time to share that music in today's episode as well as our discussion of some news events that happened throughout the year. So, kick back, grab a quaalude, and take off those Toughskins while we take a look at 1975.

After a week spent in Bizarro World, we're back to discuss something *GASP* KISS-related. We'll give you a second to pick your jaw back up. Ready? Okay. The Tour With the recent announcement of the upcoming Summer tour featuring KISS & Motley Crue, we decided that now is as good a time as ever to devote a show to our favorite Starchild, Paul Stanley. The Starchild For almost 40 years, Paul Stanley has provided audiences all over the world some awesome musical contributions. No matter what is in fashion, be it disco, new romantic, heavy metal, hair metal, etc, Paul has been able to tap into a genre and produce relevant results. The List Today, Mitch Lafon of Bravewords.com joins Chris Czynszak for a discussion of their favorite Paul Stanley-penned KISS tunes. Co-host Aaron Camaro has his voice in the shop this week for repair but does chime in during the intro and outro of the show. He will be back next week. The Tribute Today's show is dedicated to the memory of Tony Whitfield; a Decibel Geek listener and avid KISS fan that we lost too soon recently. Tony loved rock and roll and KISS as much as anyone and he carried that torch for all his days through his own projects and ventures.  Tony Whitfield w/Paul Stanley We salute Tony in this episode with a testimonial from friend Cassius Morris of the Creatures of the Net podcast at the end of the episode. Rock on in Heaven Tony! The Final Word So, without further ado, check out Mitch and Chris' picks for favorite Paul Stanley tunes!

After a quick week off, we're back and we're spinning more covers but things are a little different this time. We're not going with tried and true covers this time. This time, we're going into the Bizarro World with some of the strangest rock and metal covers that still kick ass. These are tunes that were not necessarily originally intended for the rock and metal world but some visionary artists decided to show that, as Autograph, prophesied back in the 1980's, things go better with rock! We start the show with some talk about our recent discussion with Jan Kuehnemund of Vixen and the response we received as well as the swell new look of our official website and news on our Facebook fan page. We had to whore ourselves out a little. Moving on, we get into the music with our lone straight ahead rock cover. We had to go with this track because we couldn't squeeze it in on the Under Covers episode and it just plain kicks ass (regardless of band members' political views). We're not going to be spoilers and give away the tunes we're playing. What fun would that be?  So, kick back with a cold bevereage, crank the show, and stay frosty!

Anyone that was around during the glam rock era of the late 1980’s remembers the teased hair, lipstick, and revealing clothing. There was also a female rock band named Vixen that was giving the pretty boys a run for their money in the hooks and looks department. Plus, you could unashamedly stare at them and drool without requiring therapy in later years. We recently had an opportunity to spend some time chatting with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund about all things Vixen and some theories on the music business in general. Jan gave us all the details of the current Kickstarter project that Vixen has launched to help fund their next album. We take a trip down memory lane from Jan’s early days forming Vixen in St. Paul, Minnesota with high school friends to their journey out west to Los Angeles in the early 1980’s. It certainly was not an overnight success story for Kuehnemund  as she struggled for a number of years moving Vixen forward while enduring demanding producers and numerous lineup changes. One lineup of Vixen saw the band portraying a group known as Diaper Rash and performing at a bikini contest on the beach. The group toured the Midwest in between shooting their parts as well as working waitress jobs in the Los Angeles area to survive. Jan gives us her recollections of the formation of the most notable lineup of the band which included singer Janet Gardner, bassist Share Pedersen, and drummer Roxy Petrucci. We hear her story of how ‘Edge of a Broken Heart’ was written and delivered in 24 hours by singer/songwriter Richard Marx as well as her comparisons of the 1988 debut album to the follow-up Rev It Up. Aaron and Chris hear Jan’s memories of touring with artists such as KISS, Deep Purple, and Ozzy Osbourne among others. Throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s, Vixen became a chameleon –like group, shuffling members but the transition was certainly not seamless as Jan was in and out of the group and even took them to court over copyright infringement for the 1998 album Tangerine. We asked Jan about the stresses and strains of that era and she was very open about what took place. We hear about the current lineup of Vixen and how they formed in only a few weeks time to finish out the Voices of Metal tour. Vh1 came calling a few years later and got Vixen back together for a single one-off performance in Los Angeles. The tension in the room was palpable when the four women met again for the first time in years but they pulled it together to perform.  We also ask Jan if there’s any possibility of another Vixen reunion and she gives us the low-down on recent contact between band members. Pretty interesting stuff. We want to thank Jan Kuehnemund again for coming on the show and wish her luck in the future with Vixen. To check out more Vixen stuff go to www.vixenrock.com.

We have a jam packed episode filled with tons of music you may have never heard as well as a couple of tracks that you certainly won't want to hear again! Aaron and Chris take you through a journey of some of their all-time favorite hard rock and metal cover songs in this special edition of the Radio Sucks Radio Show - Under Covers. In this episode, you will get lots of great cover songs performed by artists such as Sebastian Bach, Metallica, Ace Frehley, Ugly Kid Joe, and Tuff among many others.  We also introduce a new segment to the show this week with 'Defend Your iPod'. In this new feature, Aaron and Chris put each other on trial over a song that is found on each others iPod. We think you will find the choices and revelations in this segment riveting, revolting, and downright weird. The only clue we'll give you is one song is angelic while the other explains how a redneck outing can be just what the doctor ordered when you lose an appendage. There's lots of music-y goodness for your head holes in this one. Hope you dig it! 

We’re very excited to bring you this week’s episode. Today, we give you our recent conversation with Eddie Trunk. Mostly known from That Metal Show on VH1 Classic, Eddie has a rich rock and metal history that we delve into in this hour-plus in-depth discussion. From High School Student to Record Executive We venture back to Eddie’s teen years when he was introduced to the radio industry via a college station that taught radio basics to high school students. That led to his employment at a record store located across the street from a local rock and roll radio station in New Jersey. After a run of turning the radio station employees on to a number of rock and metal bands that they were ignoring, Trunk decided to take matters into his own hands and produced a deejay demo tape through a friends pirate radio station. The tape was good enough to earn him an internship at WDHA and later, his own show. While earning his stripes in rock radio, Trunk met Jon Zazula, then a local record shop owner. Zazula was starting up his own record label and implored Trunk to give his struggling bands some exposure. With that, Eddie Trunk became one of the first major market deejays to spin tracks by bands such as Anthrax and Metallica. Trunk soon took on a job with Zazula, now known as Jonny Z, at Megaforce Records where he ascended to Vice President at the age of 25. Meeting the Ace and Moving On While at Megaforce, Trunk helped kickstart the careers of such bands as Kings X, Overkill, and Manowar. But it was a dream come true as a KISS fan to help get Ace Frehley back into the music world with the formation of Frehley’s Comet. Trunk quickly bonded with the guitar legend and their friendship remains strong to this day. In this discussion you’ll hear Eddie’s memories of that time working with Ace and his thoughts on Ace’s recent sobriety. After a few years at Megaforce, Trunk had a brief stint in music management and continued to build his radio resume in the New York area; working at some of the bigger rock stations as well as being picked up for syndication in other markets. TV on the Radio & Metal for a Cause In 2001, Eddie began his long-term relationship with VH1 Classic; becoming the featured male host for special programming as well as interviewing many rock legends on the ‘Hanging With’ series. Also in 2001, Trunk organized the New York Steel Concert; benefiting the victim’s families of 9/11 with a huge set by Ace Frehley, Overkill, Anthrax, Sebastian Bach, and a reunited Twisted Sister. The event raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and is considered by Trunk to be his most proud accomplishment in music. That Metal Show & The Book Club Eddie Trunk is currently the host of VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show; considered to be the leading talk show for all things hard rock and heavy metal. The new season will begin taping in March 2012. Trunk also recently released his book ‘Eddie Trunk’s Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal’ and has appeared at book signings recently. The book is available wherever books are sold and personally signed copies are available at www.EddieTrunk.com. Updates from Eddie Trunk are also available via his twitter page @EddieTrunk. We want to thank Eddie again for coming on our show and hope that you enjoy listening to us discuss his history in the hard rock and heavy metal universe. Rock on!

You just keep coming back to get your ears blasted and we thank you! Last week's Eric Carr episode really took off and we want to welcome all the new listeners. For the uninitiated, we try to mix things up throughout the month. While we love doing the interviews and have plenty more for the future, we also like to showcase some music as we're doing today. Corporate radio sucks. That statement is about as simple as saying that the sky is blue or Nickelback is the antithesis to good music. With that said, Aaron Camaro & Chris Czynszak set out each month to play you some deep cuts from rock and metal history that the payola-induced corporate fat cats shudder away from. This is the Radio Sucks Radio Show part 4! We've got a full slab of great music for you today. We start things off with a Motorhead track from the 'Iron Fist' album followed by a KISS track off 1974's Hotter than Hell. Our first break is comprised of a flashback commercial featuring an unlikely pairing between two acts; especially when you consider who was opening up for whom.  We segue into some 'Shout at the Devil' era Motley Crue as we discuss the band's recent residency in Las Vegas. We make sure to update everyone on Vinnie Vincent's recent musical output. It's buggin'! After that, we give you a track from the 31st lineup of L.A. Guns, the last one to feature Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns before they decided that two was better than one. With this week's release of 'A Different Kind of Truth,' Van Halen is front and center on the world's radar (competing with the likes of Snookie and American Idol, wtf). We decided to avoid the lawsuit and play a classic Van Halen cover instead to get you primed for the new one. Trust us, it's worth going out and picking up. The second break of the show features David Lee Roth extolling the virtues of the Decibel Geek podcast. We also hear from an inanimate object that is near and dear to a former WASP guitarist's heart (and liver). The next 2 songs feature polar opposite bands but equally enjoyable. One is known for providing levity and humor in their records and their movie. The other was a legend that's music still holds up today against all of the other metal bands that they inspired.  Next up is a band that you've probably never heard of covering a song of another band you've probably never heard of. Exciting right? Aaron really pulled out a gem with this one. Midnight Moses was originally performed by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band but covered beautifully on this track by Spearfish.  Our next break includes Nigel Tufnel explaining why the Decibel Geek podcast is the only show that goes to eleven. We also hear from Mama Cass in her final moments. We wrap up the show with some bands that each of us dig from the 1990's. Chris spins a track from a band that many of our listeners probably consider rap-metal but there's no doubt that musically this track slams. Go ahead and start writing your hate mail; we can take it. Aaron closes things out with a track from a band that Chris can't stand. In all fairness, Chris has only heard the one track that this band is known for so Aaron decides to expose him to a new slice of said group's catalog. Will Chris dig it? Wait and see. That's all we got this week. Can you believe we got through all of these show notes and didn't say one thing about the Super Bowl? Dammit!!! 

A Sister’s Culminating Tribute & Mom’s a Groupie? In Episode 19 we chat with Loretta Caravello, sibling of the late, great Eric Carr of KISS fame.  Eric was taken way too early from the rock music world and Loretta has continued to keep his memory alive with the recent release of ‘Unfinished Business’; an album featuring now-completed versions of Eric’s songs that were previously incomplete. The songs are rounded out by a cast of special guests from the rock and metal world including Bruce Kulick (KISS), John Humphrey (Seether), and Ted Poley (Danger Danger) among others. The discussion starts with talk of the new album including Loretta’s memory of discovering Eric’s 1980 KISS audition tape and how his rendition of Shandi was the only track recorded in stereo on the tape, thus allowing its completion on Unfinished Business. Chris goes on to tell Loretta his Eric Carr story that involves car trouble after a KISS concert and his mother being mistaken for a lovesick groupie. Listen to the story, it makes more sense. Kulicks, Frehleys, Wizards & Merchandise, Oh My! Loretta tells Aaron & Chris about Eric’s bond with Bruce Kulick and Ace Frehley over the years and expounds on the stories of Eric being restricted from playing with Ace on the ‘Breakout’ track with Frehley’s Comet. She also clears up the mystery floating around about Vinnie Vincent’s supposed ownership of Eric’s makeup design. This rumor has been around quite a while and you’ll get to hear her thoughts on this topic. Loretta lets us know of some future Eric Carr-related endeavors down the road including a trading card set that will feature many candid photos taken by Eric himself during his time with KISS. From Stove Repair to Stadiums We discuss Eric’s meteoric rise from being a stove repairman playing small clubs to playing packed stadiums on the other side of the world just a few months later. Loretta tells us about the call Eric received from Bill Aucoin telling him that he was a member of the band. This just scratches the surface of what we talked about so go check out the episode and enjoy this trip down the Eric Carr memory lane and be sure to pick up Unfinished Business at www.ericcarr.com!