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!

Where There’s a Will (& Enough Alcohol) There’s a Way For those of you that saw the post that was put up yesterday, you already know that Chris has had the week from hell and Aaron also had some rough news over the past seven days.  But, have no fear, another episode is here! We may be a day late but we’ve got all the bottom-end that you can handle and we’re not talking about Kim Kardashian (thanks for the extra hits Google Alerts). We’re picking our Top 6 Favorite Bassists today! Why 6 and not the requisite 5 that we always do? Well, you’ll have to listen to the episode to figure that one out but let’s just say that it was due to one of the hosts and it wasn’t the buzzed one. The Joy of Hops & Bulletproof Vests We eagerly anticipate a shitstorm of hatred from this episode since it’s about as subjective as it gets. What were our criteria? Well, this week Chris was going through so much that his criteria was basically, pick bassists that he digs and that are memorable. Aaron on the other hand did his homework and has plenty to say about his choices, why he made them, the mysteries of the universe, and a dissertation on the physics of mechanical resonance in pre-Industrial Age Manitoba. Actually, the beer flowed and lots of stuff came out so that’s our best guess. Ear Candy to Shove in Your Head Holes With so many different options to choose from on this list, we give you a plethora to think about and digest in this episode. No clues, no hints, just listen to the show and get your torches and pitchforks ready. Some of these you will agree with and some you will not. Either way, it’ll be a good distraction from traffic, treadmills, or bosses with bad breath. We hope you enjoy it and can’t wait to get the hate mail. Rock on folksies!

Diamond Dave & The Hype Machine For anyone living under a rock or not named Sammy Hagar, the hype surrounding the recently-released single and forthcoming album from Van Halen has sparked loads of excitement and speculation whether the new tunes will cause us to break out our Rubik’s Cube and ponder the days of bellbottoms through Wall Street excess.  The first album released by a David Lee Roth-fronted Van Halen since 1984; ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ promises to illicit reactions of all kinds on February 7th, when it’s released. The newly released single, ‘Tattoo’ has drawn mixed reviews as well.  The Car’s Out of the Garage & News You Can Use We are without co-host Aaron Camaro this week, as he’s on assignment with one of his other ventures. Never fear though, we brought in guest commentator Mitch Lafon from Bravewords.com this week. Before we delve into Van Halen, we have a few news items to discuss in the intro to the show. By the way, if you want to skip straight to the Van Halen discussion, it starts just after the 5 minute mark though I’d rather you listen to me prattle on about other stuff for a few minutes. We’ve brought on a few new writers to the Decibel Geek website. Please welcome J Alexander, JB, and Andrew to the team! We’ve had some amazing articles and interviews posted in the past week since these folks came on board and I’d like to tip my hat to them. JB’s first articles will be coming very soon. J Alexander wrote a fantastic article about Why Boy Bands Aren’t So Baod (trust us, it’s not what you think) and Andrew Jacobs has been churning out tons of great interviews for us including Larry Harris (former Casablanca Records), Blair N. Bitch (Betty Blowtorch), and Patrice Zappa-Porter (sister of Frank Zappa). Many new articles and interviews are planned in the future for the show and the site as well as a full revamp of the site itself that will make it much more user-friendly and fun to visit so stay tuned! Dave, Sammy, Gary, & The Gang – A History Discussion Chris  and Mitch first share their thoughts on Van Halen’s appearance at a cramped Café Wha? In New York as well as the then-sample of ‘Tattoo’ that was floating around. They also discuss the different lineups and albums released by Van Halen from the 1977 debut all the way to today. During the discussion, you’ll hear music from each album, some tracks you may have never heard before, and some entertaining (we hope) commercials and liners. There’s tons to discuss and we cram it all into an hour. Van Halen has seriously passionate fans and we are sure that some of our opinions will bring out some pitchforks and cause some bewildered looks but remember, it’s just our opinions. Feel free to use the comment section on the site or facebook or twitter or any of the other outlets we use to tell us how wrong we are. We like the attention.  www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com

It’s the New Style for the New Year You’ll notice a change immediately during the theme song; an abrupt belch which is a sign of something new. We’re giving this whole live recording thing a shot and you’ll hear everything in this episode warts-n-all including Aaron and Chris stumbling over words, getting tongue tied, and sound effects going off without warning. It’s as unprofessional as it gets but at least it’s entertaining. Plus, Chris doesn’t have to play around with hours of editing so hopefully this will be a welcome change that will provide more content in the future. We start out talking about what we got for KISSMAS including Aaron’s review of the Ace Frehley autobiography, ‘No Regrets’ and the cool new Rocksmith game. We update Vinnie Vincent’s output for the holidays. Impressive! Chris gives a shout out to Cassius Morris from the Creatures of the Net podcast who recently did an impromptu interview with Eric Singer who called in during his live stream. Cassius is only 13 years old but is already on his way to becoming a big name in podcasting.  Congrats to Cassius! Flashback Time We share a cool radio commercial advertising the Sex Pistols tour of America in 1977 which leads to a discussion of the Sex Pistols impact in music as well as their reputation rubbing off on other punk bands like the Ramons. We also touch on a quick discussion of the G.G. Allin documentary Hated which documents all of the fecal-smearing, heroin-induced debauchery leading up to Allin’s death. Ramones in Kindergarten Chris shares his thoughts on a recent video that’s been sweeping youtube of a kindergarten class singing the Ramones’ classic ‘Judy is a Punk.’ It makes you feel all snuggly inside and gives hope to the world. There’s nothing that will renew your faith in mankind like a bunch of kids singing “perhaps they’ll die”….oh yeah! Corabi Rocks for Tots & a Cinderella Story Chris and Aaron reflect on their recent outing to see John Corabi’s Toys for Tots where they got to talk with Corabi as well as Jeff Labar from Cinderella; fresh off his hip-replacement surgery and filled us in on the possibility (or lack thereof) of new music from Cinderella. We recap the setlist and describe our trek over to a hipster bar invaded by metalheads with the strangest mix of songs from the jukebox you’ve ever heard. Van Halen & the Little People Chris & Aaron discuss the recent announcement of Van Halen’s new album and new single ‘Tattoo’ due next week. We’re totally excited to hear a song about the little guy from Fantasy Island (thanks to the guys from From Out of Nowhere for that joke). We also bemoan how much cooler this news would have been with Michael Anthony involved. Shameless Self-Promotion 101 & The Days of Axl’s Life The guys give their take on the recent induction of Guns N Roses to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a discussion of Eddie Trunk’s recent grilling of the CEO of Hall of Fame as well as the big question of who is going to show up for the ceremony. Will it be the old guys or the new guys? Or, will Axl’s ego be big enough on its own to fill the whole stage. They wind up rambling quite a bit so we hope you dig listening to these guys yack on and on about Axl and co. Chris & Aaron make the announcement of their expanding roles in the podcasting world as they will be contributing members of Podkisst, the leading KISS podcast as well as some contributions to the great Mars Attacks podcast for their Class Albums series. That’s our first foray into the recording live thingy. We promise we’ll get better at it. In the meantime, feel free to laugh at all of the mistakes. Smell ya later!

We decided that we wanted to have a healthy dose of pissed-off listeners and were pretty sure that this episode is a prescription for just that. The early 1990s for us old folks that remember it was a strange and magical time for rock music. Lots of transition was taking place in the pecking order of rock musics hierarchy with the mass music-consuming public deciding to ditch the Aqua Net and makeup mirrors and adopt a lumberjack-chic style to go along with their newfound depression.  In a quest to try and come up with a tougher Top 5 list than our previous episode that involved Top 5 Non-Makeup Era KISS Songs we decided to try and pigeonhole 5 albums out of this crazy matrix of material that was being produced in this Gulf War era of change. Full shownotes at www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com

We hope everyone is over their tryptophan-induced coma. Thanksgiving was a great time for us at the Decibel Geek Podcast. We had a lot to be thankful for this year. We launched the show this year and added co-host Aaron Camaro.  Our audience is growing and we love talking about music! In short, we’re thankful to YOU for listening to the show. Today’s episode is a Nashville X-tra episode. We kick things off with a new Rage Against the Scene segment where Chris reviews some recent articles from the Nashville Scene and his reaction is not totally what you would expect. Could Chris be moonlighting as a hipster and disguising himself in skinny jeans, bad facial hair, and a bowler hat? Doubtful, but you’ll have to check out the segment to find out. Chris also has a bone to pick with 102.9 The Buzz. There’s been a lot of aggression building up over The Buzz in recent years and Chris is ready to let it all out. Hear his thoughts on their choice to constantly spin 90’s tunes and the complete degradation of The Buzz Around Town. Something smells rotten in Nashville and it has dollar signs all over it. This episode we also announce Decibel Geek’s recent inclusion to Stitcher Radio. If the tedious task of pushing “download” is just too much for you and you have one of those intelligent phone thingy’s, you can now check out the show through the Stitcher Radio app. Simply download the app, search for Decibel Geek, and you’ll be up and running and listening to us bitch about bands in no time! Just go to www.StitcherRadio.com to try it out! Next up Aaron & Chris intro a review of the new 3 Minutes to Live album. Well, I guess it’s not exactly new now since we drug our feet a bit on getting this up. Once we’re over this crack habit, the shows will be better (we think).  Anyway, Chris gives a track-by-track review and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about this record. We promise, it won’t hurt a bit. We finish off the show with some full tunes for your ear holes. We went for variety this time, so you’ll get Piranah, fORMER, and Fist of the North Star; something for ALL tastes. There will be more music-based episodes in the future so you’ll have a nice break for our droning voices. Hope ya dig it Nastyville!

Another new episode already?? I know, it’s hard to believe but we just might be figuring out this whole podcasting thing and we’ve tried to cut back on the crack smoking in order to get some new material up for your ear holes. In this, our 12th episode, the Decibel Geek Podcast proudly presents the Radio Sucks Radio Show. No, we’re not talking about two boom boxes giving each other head (although that is a stimulating idea). Corporate radio sucks ass. We know that you agree. Why else would you be checking out podcasts? With that thinking, we decided that we’d ignore our non-existent Program Director and play songs that we think are cool. You’ll actually get to hear stuff that hasn’t been drilled into your head for the past 30 years on a repetitive basis in order to fill a payola scheme for the sake of freebies and concert tickets. This will become a regular feature on the Decibel Geek Podcast in the future; as long as we don’t get sued. We took pains to make sure that you hear the vast majority of these great songs but we are all about supporting the great artists that created this music.  If you hear something you dig on the show, check out the links on the Decibel Geek website to purchase music from the artist so they know they are appreciated. Aside from the great music being played in this episode, Chris Czynszak & Aaron Camaro touch on some recent rock topics such as Anthrax’s Joey Belladonna being tackled by security at his own show and Aaron’s priceless reaction to being forced to check out the Lulu album by Metallica & Lou Reed. We don’t wanna spoil the surprise of what you’ll hear so all we’ll share is that you’ll hear tracks by Anthrax, Metallica, Wednesday 13, Killer Dwarfs, KISS, Skid Row, Motley Crue, & Double Virgo. And we’re NOT talking about the singles you’ve heard on corporate radio! So, kick back and get ready to crank some great rock and metal as Decibel Geek Podcast presents the Radio Sucks Radio Show!

We enter the month of November with a guest from the Great White North. Russ Dwarf has been entertaining audiences for nearly 30 years. Best known as one of the founding members of legendary Canadian band Killer Dwarfs, Russ has seen it all in the music business and gives the Decibel Geek Podcast a taste of his extensive experiences. In this in-depth discussion you’ll hear Russ’ recollections on such interesting moments as when Killer Dwarfs were sharing the same studio as KISS, the influence of Alice Cooper on Russ’ performance, opening for Iron Maiden with a buck naked drummer and why a healthy sense of humor can get you through some of the muck that you have to endure in the music industry. Russ also shares his views on youtube, downloading, and what he thinks of the current generation of bands in comparison to the scene of the 1980’s. Russ Dwarf is currently touring in Canada on an acoustic tour but is also involved with providing vocals for Canadian legends Moxy as well as the project Hard Road. You can find out more by visiting www.myspace.com/russdwarf Special thanks to Mitch Lafon at www.BraveWords.com for his help in arranging this interview. Music Featured: Intro Music: Manic Bloom – Push Off the Ground First Break: Killer Dwarfs – Dirty Weapons Second Break:  Moxy – Sail On Sail Away Third Break: Hard Road – Miles Fourth Break: Killer Dwarfs – Doesn’t Matter Outro Music: Mindset Defect – By the Way

We’ve got a brand spankin’ new Nashville Xtra episode for ya jam-packed with some old interviews!  Really, it’s more exciting than we make it sound.  We start the show with Chris Czynszak & Aaron Camaro welcoming you back into the fold; the local rock & metal fold! The Decibel Geek Podcast is growing by leaps and bounds and is getting new listeners from around the globe but as some chick wearing red shoes once said “There’s no place like home” and we try to show that with these Nashville Xtra episodes. We start things off with the premiere of Camaro’s Cut Out Bin; random ruminations on assorted albums, tapes, and demos that Aaron Camaro has recently checked out. Aaron reviews past cd’s by local acts of days gone by Lenny & Commander. By the way, if you are interested in owning the CD’s reviewed on today’s show, get in touch with us on www.dbgeekshow.blogspot.com and tell us you want it. We need to save the shelf space anyway. First come, first served. Next we have a pair of interviews with two important cogs in the local music machine. We begin with a discussion with Andy Aquino of the Rutledge. Andy has quite a history in this town; performing in local bands over the years and booking bands in every nook and cranny in town before settling in at the Rutledge. He also doesn’t pull punches. In this candid discussion, you’ll hear Andy’s thoughts on topics such as what he looks for in bands that are trying to book a show as well as why the 16 different versions of L.A. Guns never seem to come here. We finish things up with a quick talk with local concert promoter Jenny Jem George of Outrageous Productions. Jenny is constantly putting shows together in Nashville and works with a variety of rock groups. In this hard-hitting interview you’ll hear Jenny’s thoughts on why Skyline Chili sucks, why Nashville is a big step-up in comparison to the Cincinnati music scene, and why Chris should stick to sobriety. We also talk a little about music. Before we go, we would like to get the word out about a very important charity to us at the Decibel Geek Podcast. Vince Liveri, a vocalist that was a well-loved veteran of the local rock and metal scene passed away recently. He was loved and admired by many in the local music community.  It would mean a great deal to me if any of our listeners could find it in their hearts to make a small donation to a fund that’s been set up to help Vince’s family stay afloat and pay off the funeral expenses. If interested in helping out, please check out www.nashvillemetalbands.bigcartel.com to make your donation. We wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important to us. Hell, we don’t even ask for donations for ourselves so you know it’s important. So, just buy a 12 pack instead of a keg and give up some of that beer money to help out a family in need. That’ll do it for this time. Until next time, we’re out like the Titans 53 million dollar running game.

Another show centered around KISS? I know, you’re shocked. We’re fans. We love KISS. Deal with it. There will be lots of opportunity to discuss the merits of new, fresh bands like Britney Fox and Pretty Boy Floyd in later shows. Chris Czynszak reminds everyone of his discovery of KISS on Dial MTV in 1987 and his brother’s reaction and guidance to the more ‘pure’ era of the band. But Chris still has a soft spot for that non-makeup era of the band. He also makes mention of the recent passing of Eddie Balandas, a close confidant of KISS during their heyday as well as the iconic intro voice on the Alive II album from 1977. He will be missed. Aaron Camaro shares his memories of first listening to Animalize as well as his monthly pilgrimage to the local record store to build build his KISS album collection. Obviously, we’re not going to reveal what Aaron & Chris’ choices were in these here show notes. That would be anti-climactic and stupid (I know, like this show right? Thought I’d go ahead and pre-insult us).  Every non-makeup era album will be mentioned on the show but not every album will be represented in our Top 5. We aren’t including any of the compilations or live records from that time since Let’s Put the X in Sex is certainly not going to make either of our lists anyway. The non-makeup era of KISS is largely ignored by the musical public but is beloved by those of us that discovered the band during this era. The albums they released during those years are snapshots of a simpler time in our lives and the concerts were some of the best nights of our lives. This episode of the Decibel Geek Podcast will cover the ever-changing state of KISS through the non-makeup era. You’ll hear thoughts on Vinnie Vincent’s huge contribution to the Lick It Up album as well as an update on his most recent musical output. Mark St. John gets a quick mention in this episode that probably lasts longer than his actual tenure in the band. Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer are discussed and, of course, no discussion of the non-makeup era is complete without mentioning Eric Carr. By the way, check out the new album released by the estate of Eric Carr titled Unfinished Business that features song very cool Eric-written tunes. Chris & Aaron are both big KISS fans but they definitely have differing opinions on certain aspects of the non-makeup era. You’ll hear them debate what they loved and what they hated. This was a fun episode to put together and think you will enjoy it as well. If you don’t, you’re not out any money so whatever.