For one hot moment, Broken Homes were hot new band in LA, and big success was ahead. It never materialized. The band cut 3 albums for MCA, but they went nowhere. On this episode, we dig into a track from their first album, one of my favorite LP's from the '80's and a real "desert island" record for me. The album never came out on CD, but if you can track down a copy on vinyl, I highly recommend it.

In this epic episode, we embark on a sonic exploration of The Who's towering anthem "Won't Get Fooled Again." We explore the song that encapsulates the very essence of rock music-- its intensity, grandeur, and unyielding spirit. We dive deep into the tumultuous history behind one of the most ambitious projects in rock history, The Who's "Lifehouse," and how it gave rise to an album that, despite its fraught genesis, stands as a masterpiece of the genre.

No genre had greater impact of the development of Rock & Roll than the Blues. And no instrument has contributed more to Rock than the electric guitar. In this episode, I’m joined by author Pete Prown to talk about the blues guitarists who influenced the sound of Rock (and all the genres & offshoots that followed). Some of these players became icons, others were forgotten; but they are all important figures in the evolution of the Blues and Rock—and all featured in Prown’s new book, “The Ultimate Book Of Blues Guitar Legends”, available now.

One of our greatest singer/songwriters, Matthew Sweet, suffered a stroke recently. He's facing some tough times ahead, but this isn't the first challenge he's faced. Things were not going Matthew Sweet’s way in 1990; his first two albums flopped, and his marriage fell apart. His 3rd album was make-or-break, do-or-die. If this one failed, he may never get to do another record. So he & his producer went back to basics, recording a batch of guitar-oriented songs that sound both retro and refreshingly new. The album that became known as "Girlfriend" saved his career and has become a true classic. On this episode, we explore the album’s brilliant opener, “Divine Intervention”. Let's hope he rebounds as well this time.

It's time for our occasional somewhat-annual Halloween Spooktacular episode, where we pick a song appropriate to the season and see what terror awaits us. And what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than an examination (autopsy?) of the original “shock rock” song—“I Put A Spell On You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.

Aerosmith were at their commercial & creative peak in 1976 when they released Rocks, a high-water mark in their career. The album opens with “Back In The Saddle”, one of their hardest-rocking songs and the perfect way to kick off their heaviest album. There’s lots to uncover in this song, so join us for this episode where we explore this classic track.

On this episode, we take a journey through the rich history of Stax Records, the iconic label that defined Southern Soul music, and I play some of my favorite Stax tracks from their earliest years, 1959 to 1963. Stax produced some of the most unforgettable songs in music history. Join us as I spin up some of my personal favorites, featuring legends like Booker T. and the MGs, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, The Mark-Keys and Carla Thomas. Learn about the unique sound of Stax, the community that fostered it, and the incredible music that continues to resonate today.

One song can’t really define a whole genre, but “September Gurls” by Big Star comes pretty damn close – it IS the sound of Power Pop. Jangly guitars, plaintive vocal, angelic harmonies, all neatly wrapped up in under 3 minutes. It became a template to inspire bands as diverse as R.E.M., Cheap Trick, The Bangles, KISS, and The Replacements. Discover why Big Star is often called “the most influential band you’ve never heard of”.

Titanic Love Affair never got a big break and flew under the radar with a couple of albums before calling it quits. On this episode, we explore a song by this underappreciated band—a supremely catchy number called “Happy” that shoulda been a contender. Join us in appreciation for this song, this band, and the late, great Jay Bennett.

60 years ago—July 1964 in the UK, August 1964 in the US—The Beatles film "A Hard Day’s Night” was unleashed, driving Beatlemania to even greater heights.  Accompanying the film was the album of the same name, and its classic title cut.  One of The Beatles’ finest singles, “A Hard Day’s Night” features all the elements that made The Beatles so special.  On this episode, we break down this legendary track to see what makes it such a great song.

Small Faces are one of the all-time great British bands from the 1960's but they never got the attention, success or respect they deserved. (Some of that was due to self-inflicted damage, but still...) Their biggest hit was "Itchycoo Park", 2:45 of psychedelic pop perfection. All 4 members of the band shine, and engineer Glyn Johns gets to introduce the world to the sound of flanging. Feel inclined to blow your mind? Check out this episode.

William "Smokey" Robinson was the man behind many of Motown's greatest hits-- not just the tracks he recorded himself with The Miracles, he also wrote many hits for other Motown acts. But perhaps his greatest achievement was "Tracks Of My Tears". It was selected by the RIAA & NEA as one of the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century; it's on the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll, and Rolling Stone magazine named it The Greatest Motown Song Of All Time. Join us for this episode as we explore this masterpiece.

Singer/Songwriter Al Stewart came out of the London Folk scene, but by the mid-70's struck it big with MOR/AM Radio hit, "Year Of The Cat". But there's more to this Mr. Stewart than just this one hit. On this episode, I'm joined by fellow podcaster (and Al Stewart fan extraordinaire) Craig Smith to discuss the deep cut "Life In Dark Water".

The Cars debut album was a commercial and critical success. The pressure was on for a follow-up, and the band delivered big time with their 2nd album, "Candy-O". The album was packed with more Cars classics, including the subject of this episode, "It's All I Can Do", a song that shows the strengths of each band member-- everyone contributing something special top this great track.

A while back, we did an episode celebrating the “Nuggets” album, that quintessential collection of 1960’s psychedelic garage rock. But psychedelia was an international phenomenon, and on this episode, we’re travelling across the pond to feature the long-lost psychedelic bands from the UK. All of these selections are available on the excellent compilation albums in the Rubble series—if you like what you hear here, check those out.

Few bands left a legacy as deep and as lasting as The Ramones. You literally couldn’t count the number of bands who were influenced by these 4 New York ne’er-do-wells. They created a sound and a look that virtually created a whole genre of music. Let’s have a listen to one of their classic tracks, “I Wanna Be Sedated”.

A teenage summertime love affair with a foreign exchange student was the inspiration for this song by Wishbone Ash. Though overlooked in the US, Wishbone Ash reached #3 on the UK charts with the album "Argus", which features "Blowin' Free". Wishbone Ash's twin lead guitar sound would inspire many band that followed.

Introducing a new segment of the podcast - "Creation & Evolution", where we explore songs that travelled a long & winding road before they reached their final version. In this episode, we trace the history of a song that started from a phone call with Farrah Fawcett and ended up as Gladys Knight's biggest hit.

Everybody knows "Baker Street"-- even if you don't know the artist's name or the song title, you probably know that sax riff. But there's more to Gerry Rafferty than "Baker Street" (or "Stuck In The Middle", for that matter). Here's an incredibly moving song that's every bit as good as his biggest hits.

Jeff Beck was the guitar player's guitar player. Ask the great guitar players who they thought was the best, and chances are they'll name Jeff Beck. His playing was in a state of perpetual reinvention, always evolving & improving. No mere technician, he was a master of emotion. When Jeff passed away in 2023, we lost a musical giant. On this, our 150th episode, we pay tribute to Jeff by looking back at his 50+ year career, highlighting some of his finest moments.

You may not know her name, but I guarantee you've heard her voice. When acts as diverse as Graham Nash, Peter Gabriel and KLF are in need of a soulful vocal, PP Arnold has been a top choice. Her voice has graced dozens of songs & albums for over 50 years, though she's never had a hit under her own name in the US. On this episode, we take a breif look at her career and examine a great lost track, featuring Eric Clapton and the Derek & The Dominos band, recorded in 1970 but didn't see the light of day until 47 years later.

"Dead End Street" marked a shift in Ray Davies' songwriting. His songs began to take on a more UK-specific focus. And if not political, it was at least more socially pointed, as he sings about an out-of-work, impoverished couple who wonder, "What are we living for?" 50+ years on, many still ask that same question.

Television came out of the CBGB's scene in New York (in fact, they were the first rock band to play the legendary club), but they never fit the "Punk" or "New Wave" label. They were unique, which is why their debut album "Marquee Moon" sounds timeless, as fresh today as the day it was released in 1977. Fronted by two great guitarists-- the mercurial Richard Lloyd and the enigmatic Tom Verlaine, who also provided unorthodox vocals and most of the songwriting-- Television would influence generations of bands that followed. Though they never achieved commercial success, "Marquee Moon" regularly appears on virtually every "Greatest Albums Of All Time" list. On this episode, we explore the track that opens the album, "See No Evil".

It's never a recipe for making great art when you're under pressure to deliver an album to a rival record label due to contractual obligations... though Jimi Hendrix was never satisfied with the result, the Band Of Gypsys album became a very influential album and remains a favorite among Jimi fans and guitar players of all stripes. On this episode, we journey back to New Years 1970 to explore "Message of Love" from this legendary album.

This year's Bonus Holiday Episode features a lost Soul classic: Clarence Reid's "Winter Man". We'll just kick back and listen to this vintage soul nugget, as well as saying thanks to all of you for listening. Happy Holidays, everyone!