The Decline of Western Civilization with Ian Grant

E179: Luke Turner & John Doran on The Quietus + Yoko Ono + James Chance: John Doran and Luke Turner join us to talk about the newly-revamped Quietus by Rock's Backpages

77 min listen

E92: Nick Coleman on Voices + Phil Spector + Miles Copeland: In this episode, we welcome the excellent Nick Coleman into RBP's snug virtual cupboard. Barney, Mark & Jasper quiz Nick about his distinctively personal music writing for the NME, Time Out and the Indie on Sunday, with especial reference to his 1986 interview with jazz-soul siren Anita Baker. This leads seamlessly to discussion of his terrific 2017 tome Voices: How a Great Singer Can Change Your Life, as well as to the harrowing experience of hearing loss that inspired 2012's The Train in the Night. In this episode, it was impossible to ignore the death of monstrous megalomaniac and murderer Phil Spector. After hearing a chilling audio clip of him speaking to Roy Carr in 1975, Nick and his hosts attempt to separate the man from the visionary architect of the "Wall Of Sound". (Now a certified psychotherapist, Nick compares Spector's narcissistic personality disorder to that of Donald Trump, who finally vacated the White House by Rock's Backpages

78 min listen

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) w/ Mark Russell: "The most discussed book in years - now comes to the screen to become the most discussed picture in ages" Acclaimed comic book writer Mark Russell (Billionaire Island, Second Coming, Exit, Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles) joins us to talk about Steinbeck, systemic oppression and the powerful legacy of John Ford's 1940 adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath. by You're Missing Out: A National Film Registry Podcast

103 min listen

E169: Penelope Spheeris on filming punk and heavy metal + Wayne's World: We welcome the legendary Penelope Spheeris to talk about her extraordinary life and brilliant career by Rock's Backpages

75 min listen

E75: Jonh Ingham's Grand Punk Railroad + John Peel audio + Lady Gaga: In this week's episode, we welcome the great Jonh Ingham into RBP's "virtual cupboard". In a fascinating conversation, he revisits the peripatetic childhood that took him to California in the '60s – and to San Francisco's Fillmore West, where in 1971 he reviewed a famous Aretha Franklin show for Creem magazine. Mark & Barney ask him about his return to the UK, where he wrote for NME and then Sounds, championing London's nascent punk scene in early '76 and conducting the first interview with the Sex Pistols. He also reminisces about running the Fake Club in L.A., working in advertising in Tokyo, and ending up as CompuServe's head of content back in the UK. After a brief digression on the subject of Stefani "Lady Gaga" Germanotta – with Mark & Jasper almost coming to cultural blows – Jonh offers his thoughts on John Peel, subject of the week's knew audio interview. We hear clips of the beloved DJ talking to Martin Ast by Rock's Backpages

76 min listen

124-D.B. Cooper: In 1971 a hijacker bailed out of a plane with $200,000 and was never seen again. by Futility Closet

33 min listen

X: The Unheard Music with Juliana Hatfield: Today's episode is about "X: The Unheard Music", a 1986 doc about the LA-based punk legends X. The movie was directed by W.T. Morgan. Our guest for this episode is another legend: Juliana Hatfield! Juliana is known for her many solo albums along with... by Rock Docs

65 min listen

E61: Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy on David Mancuso and Lydia Lunch: In this week's episode, Mark and Barney are joined by the delightful Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy to mark the 50th anniversary of David Mancuso's legendary first Loft party in New York City. Colleen talks about her friendship with Mancuso and about her own musical journey as a revered DJ (not to mention host of Classic Album Sundays). Barney notes the week's featured writer Daryl Easlea — and specifically his pieces on Elvis Presley the movie star and (tying in with this week's reissue of his excellent book Everybody Dance) Chic protegée Norma Jean Wright. Colleen concurs that the latter's 'Saturday' (1978) is a stone disco classic. The New York theme continues with discussion of the week's new audio interview, featuring No Wave queen and fearless transgressor Lydia Lunch talking to Martin Aston in 1989. We hear a clip of Lydia holding forth on her staunch refusal to be part of any cultural mainstream — and conversation ensues abo by Rock's Backpages

63 min listen

Monks: The Translatlantic Feedback with Evan Laffer: Today's episode is about "Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback", from 2006, directed by Dietmar Post and Lucia Palacios. Our guest today is Evan Laffer of the Jokermen podcast and media empire. This is Evan's second Rock Docs appearance, having... by Rock Docs

82 min listen

E138: Kid Congo Powers on the Cramps + the Gun Club + Brian Eno audio: In this episode we welcome the delightful Kid Congo Powers, all the way from his home in Tucson, and ask him to talk about his former lives in the Gun Club, the Cramps and the Bad Seeds — as detailed in the riveting new memoir Some New Kind of Kick. The man born Brian Tristan looks back to his teen fanboy years from Frank Zappa to the New York Dolls, plus his memories of the L.A. glitter scene at Rodney's English Disco. He describes how it felt — as a gay Mexican American — to be a misfit among mainly white misfits on the punk scenes in L.A. and New York. He also explains how the Gun Club was conceived after he met Jeffrey Lee Pierce while queuing for a 1979 Pere Ubu show at the Whisky. We hear how Kid was then headhunted by the Cramps' Lux and Ivy, and what it was like to be part of their ghoulish B-movie aesthetic. We similarly learn how he was recruited (and "cast") as one of Nick Cave's drug-addled Bad Seeds in by Rock's Backpages

69 min listen

The Searchers (1956) w/ Sierra Webb: "He had to find her... he had to find her..." Artist and friend of the show Sierra Webb joins the show to talk about the moral ambiguity of John Ford's pivotal 1956 Western, The Searchers. by You're Missing Out: A National Film Registry Podcast

112 min listen

E88: Mark Cooper on Neil Young + Jools Holland + Steve Van Zandt: In the new episode of the Rock's Backpages podcast, we welcome into RBP's cosy virtual cupboard the BBC's former Head of Music Entertainment — and the co-creator of the enduring Later… with Jools Holland show. Yes folks, Mark Cooper revisits his career as a music writer — from seeing the last Sex Pistols show in San Francisco in 1978 to interviewing N.W.A. in South-Cental L.A. 1989 — and talks about his long TV career and the hatching of Later in 1992. Mark's 2008 interview with Neil Young sparks a discussion of the Canadian giant's so-called "doom" years from 1972 to 1976, boxed up this month in the second volume of his monumental Archives project. With special attention to 1975's dark masterwork Tonight's the Night, we hear clips of Neil speaking in 1985 and 2005, then discuss Don't Be Denied, the documentary Mark made about him with director Ben Whalley. There's yet more audio in the episode as we celebrate the 70th b by Rock's Backpages

76 min listen

E123: Joe Carducci on SST Records + Henry Rollins + Paul Nelson: In this episode we invite SST legend Joe Carducci to join us — all the way from Las Vegas — and talk about his life and career in music from the mid-'70s to the present day. We hear about Joe's childhood in Illinois, his move to L.A. in 1976 and his first pieces for Eurock and anarchist rag The Match! From there we learn about his forming record distributor Systematic in Portland; his working with Rough Trade US in Berkeley; and his helming of Black Flag's SST label from 1981 to 1986. Following his reminiscences of SST producer Spot and photographer Naomi Peterson, we hear clips from a 1994 audio interview with Henry Rollins — including the former Black Flag frontman's thoughts on his old band and its influence on the recently-deceased Kurt Cobain. Joe also discusses his controversial 1990 book Rock & the Pop Narcotic, as well as the legendary Sing Out!/Circus/Rolling Stone writer Paul Nelson and the vital importance of by Rock's Backpages

72 min listen

Four songs that help explain the world by Worldly

23 min listen

Jokermen on Bob Dylan Both Ends of the Rainbow 1978 - 1989: Rock Docs: A Podcast About Music Documentaries Today's documentary is "Bob Dylan: Both Ends of the Rainbow 1978 - 1989" aka "Bob Dylan: Under Review 1978-1989", released in 2008. There is no credited director for reasons that may become clear as you... by Rock Docs

75 min listen

Episode 98 - 1985 Year in Review Part 2: We're back this week to celebrate the second half of 1985 as we dissect July through December. There was a ton of music released in the second half of 1985 and Chris and Aaron are back to bring you some of the best tracks from the year. Without further ado, here are the stories, the people, and the sounds that made 1985 an interesting year for Decibel Geeks: July: July 13 – The Live Aid concert takes place in Wembley Stadium, London, UK and Philadelphia, USA. The headlining acts at the latter venue included a Led Zeppelin reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment. Rough Cutt – Take Her (Rough Cutt) August: August 31 – Richard Ramirez, the serial killer known as the Night Stalker, is captured in Los Angeles. Metal Edge Magazine is Launched. Pantera – I Am the Night (I Am the Night) DIO - Fallen Angels (Sacred Heart) KIX – Sex (Midnight Dynamite) September: September 6 – Michael Jackson purcha by Decibel Geek Podcast

72 min listen

SCANNERS with Alexandra Petri: We're going to do this the Scanner Way. by A Degree Absolute!

95 min listen

E149: Andy Beckett on Pop & Politics + The Beat + Everything But The Girl: Author and Guardian journalist Andy Beckett joins us to discuss politics and pop from the late '70s to the present day by Rock's Backpages

78 min listen

E122: David Dalton on The Beach Boys + The Beatles + Charles Manson: In this episode we welcome the legendary — and highly amusing — David Dalton to join us all the way from his rural retreat in upstate New York. We start by comparing our shocked reactions to Vladimir Putin's horrific invasion of Ukraine before asking David how he moved to America from England in 1961. He tells us about his mid-'60s adventures as a photographer of British Invasion acts like the Animals — with assistance from a pre-Beatle Linda McCartney — and then about his mid-stream switch to profiles of James Brown and Janis Joplin for Jann Wenner's nascent Rolling Stone. We revisit the award-winning 1970 Stone piece David co-wrote about Charles Manson and the Family, hearing along the way about Manson's connections with the Beach Boys. This leads almost seamlessly into clips from the late Andy Gill's 1988 audio interview with Dr. Eugene Landy, the shrink who "saved" Brian Wilson only to abuse his professional trust by Rock's Backpages

64 min listen

Remembering Minimalist Painter Frank Stella by Fresh Air

45 min listen

Classic Albums: Steely Dan: Aja with Alex Pappademas and Joan LeMay: Today's episode is about "Classic Albums: Steely Dan: Aja" (Alan Lewens, 1999). Part of the "Classic Albums" series, this film explores Steely Dan's best-known and best-selling album. Our Very Special Guests are Alex Pappademas and Joan LeMay,... by Rock Docs

72 min listen

The Carters/Nas/Jay Rock Reviews: Ep. 251 This was a bittersweet weekend. On 1 hand you have the tragic deaths of young artists XXXTENTACION and Jimmy Wopo then on the other hand you had 3 projects drop to continue a monster June w/The Carters, Jay Rock and Nas. On this episode Spike Lou... by OndeckTV Show

85 min listen

E132: Steven Daly on Orange Juice + Suede + Sugar Hill + Lizzo: In this episode we welcome "gamekeeper-turned-poacher" Steven Daly, who Zooms in from his adopted Brooklyn to tell us about drumming in Orange Juice and his stellar writing career in America. Steven revisits his musical youth in '70s Glasgow and his first encounters with Edwyn Collins and Postcard's Alan Horne. He talks about the creative divergences within Orange Juice, his eventual move into writing for The Face and Edinburgh's Cut magazine, and the decision in the late '80s to base himself in New York. His hosts focus on three of his pieces, written over the course of 15 years for Spin, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, with Steven reminiscing about meeting Joni Mitchell and Sugar Hill matriarch Sylvia Robinson. Clips from Steven's May 1993 audio interview with Suede's Brett Anderson and Mat Osman provide a good excuse to discuss the emerging "Englishness" of post-grunge Britain and the abiding fantasy of UK bands "taking by Rock's Backpages

90 min listen

E142: Paul Gorman on the rise and fall of the music press + Time Out's Tony Elliott: In this episode we welcome writer, curator and consultant Paul Gorman and ask him about his new book Totally Wired: The Rise and Fall of the Music Press. In a loose and free-ranging conversation, our guest reflects on various eras and aspects of all that Rock's Backpages is about, from the launch of Melody Maker almost 100 years ago to the online ecosystem of Instagram and Tik Tok in the present day. Along the way we cover everything from Crawdaddy! to Smash Hits via marginalised women writers and feuds between musicians and journalists. (Listen out for the unsettling sound of Nick Cave describing his new "hate" song 'Scum' to interviewer Mat Snow.) We also hear clips from Frank Broughton's 1998 audio interview with Time Out's late founder Tony Elliott. By way of paying tribute to the late Christine McVie, there are further audio clips in the episode, this time from John Pidgeon's 1977 interview wit by Rock's Backpages

85 min listen

Cliff Roman of The Weirdos by The Punk Rock Chronicles Podcast

81 min listen

Episode 38 - 1969 Year in Review Part 2: 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 J by Decibel Geek Podcast

46 min listen

E128: Robert Greenfield on the Rolling Stones + Jerry Jeff Walker: In this episode we welcome the great Robert Greenfield, beamed in from his home in Carmel, California, and ask him about his early '70s adventures with the Rolling Stones that inspired the seminal book S.T.P.. Robert recounts his journey from Fusion and Boston After Dark, via Rolling Stone's London bureau, to his stellar career as an author and biographer — including his celebrated books about Bill Graham, Jerry Garcia and Augustus "Owsley" Stanley III. He describes how he showed up at Keith Richards' Villa Nellcote in August 1971, during the recording of the now-50-year-old Exile On Main St.. After this we hear about the defining 1972 pieces he wrote for Rolling Stone about that album's final overdub/mixing stages in L.A., and about the start of the "Stones Touring Party" trek through North America. We also hear a 1997 audio clip of Keef looking back on Exile and its gradual rise to acclaim as the group's greatest albu by Rock's Backpages

79 min listen

E97: Joel Selvin on Early '60s L.A. + Jack Nitzsche + Malcolm Cecil R.I.P.: In this episode of the RBP podcast, we welcome San Francisco Chronicle legend Joel Selvin into the virtual cupboard to talk about Hollywood Eden, his terrific new book about L.A.'s pop scene in the early '60s. After explaining how he first came to write for "the Chron" at the end of that decade, Joel recalls his early fascination with L.A. as the burgeoning "surf city" celebrated by Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys. Barney & Mark press him for stories about the scurrilous but brilliant "bottom feeder" Kim Fowley, after which we hear three audio clips from John Tobler's 1973 interview with (Jan &) Dean Torrence. (Among those namechecked along the way: Jan Berry, inevitably, and Lou Adler, Bruce Johnston, Terry Melcher & Jill Gibson...) Staying in a Southern California groove, Joel also reminisces about the troubled Jack Nitzsche, whom he interviewed for Melody Maker in 1978. We discuss Nitzsche's achievements as a by Rock's Backpages

74 min listen

MSP#261: The Dark Podcast: Podcaster Born: This week on the show: The man in black fled across the desert... and The Major Spoilers Podcast followed. Plus: IDW Publishing, Boom! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, AND The Fantastic Four. Also... PORN! by Major Spoilers Comic Book Podcast

95 min listen

Case File 143-Kurt Cobain by The alientheorists's Podcast

91 min listen

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The Decline of Western Civilization with Ian Grant

The Decline of Western Civilization with Ian Grant

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