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!

Spirit had big ambitions for their 4th album, "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus", but when the album was released, it didn't fare well on the charts, and even received some bad reviews. In the end, though, the band was proven right. "Twelve Dreams…" would go on to become their best-selling album, and critical opinion of the album has shifted so much that it's often included on "Best Albums of the 1970's" lists. On this episode, we explore one of the signature tracks from this album, "Mr. Skin".

Pete Townshend’s 3rd solo album was a divisive record; many critics called it pretentious, over-thought, and an "ambitious failure". But in contains at least two Townshend masterpieces, including “The Sea Refuses No River”, a song with deep spiritual meaning to Townshend. This episode, we explore this eloquent, graceful classic.

When it comes to boundaries, Fanny faced them all: racial, gender & sexual discrimination were all obstacles that stood in their way. Fanny may be forgotten by many today, but they were one of the most important all-female bands in rock history, paving the way for groups like The Go-Go's, Bangles, and The Runaways. It's time to acknowledge the groundbreaking history made by these 4 women and the great music they left behind.

Vinyl records have made quite a comeback in recent years, entrancing new listeners and old fans all over again. "In The Groove" is a brand-new book, hot off the press, that's a celebration of the vinyl record and the artwork & technology that surround it, as well as the record stores and dedicated fans that have built a community around buying, collecting and listening to them. On this episode, I'm joined by the man who put the book together, Dennis Pernu, to discuss this beautiful tome that should be on every fan's bookshelf.

Welcome to our 2nd Annual Halloween episode! This time we're exploring the gory details of "D.O.A." by Bloodrock, one of the most gruesome songs to ever make the charts. In predictable fashion, a song almost designed to get banned from radio & freak out your parents in the '70's, the song became a Top 40 hit.

Bettye LaVette is the epitome of perseverance. She cut her first record in 1962 at the age of 16, but it took over 40 years before she received the recognition and respect she deserved. In between, she weathered every injustice that the music business threw at her. But she never gave up, she never stopped working, she never stopped singing... in fact, she just got better. Bettye is more than just a singer; she's an interpreter who can transform any song into something new & special. On this episode, we focus on a track from her 2007 album "The Scene of the Crime", and trace the path that brought her to this album-- one of my all-time favorites.

Keyboardist Barry Andrews was out and new guitarist Dave Gregory came onboard for XTC's 3rd album, "Drums And Wires", as the band's sound palette expanded. Written & sung by bassist Colin Moulding, "Making Plans For Nigel" became XTC's first big hit. This episode, we explore the production, performance and the origin of this XTC classic.