Prisoners of Rock and Roll

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into 1976 – that wild year where America turned 200 with fireworks, flags, and music exploding everywhere. It is also the year where Ryan and I were born. And the music world celebrated us joining the party by releasing Hotel California from the Eagles, Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, and Boston’s Debut Album. David Bowie was The Thin White Duke. Disco was taking over the dance floors, while the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and The Clash were just getting started underground. There’s plenty of great stuff to listen to, and debate so let’s hit it. Episode Playlist Check out our ⁠⁠⁠episode playlist here⁠. ⁠⁠ Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re talking about covers – those magical moments where one artist takes another’s song and makes it their own…Wait, we said that in the monologue of last episode. Well it’s true! We had so many songs to talk about that we decided to jump back into the trenches and talk about more of those moments where one artist grabs a song and turns it upside down, inside out, or straight into gold…or garbage. We still have a lot to say on this topic since we didn’t get to discuss Jeff Buckley’s haunting version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, Manfred Mann having a number one hit with a Springsteen song while Springsteen has never had a number one hit himself, Weezer and Toto covering each other, Whitney Houston’s enormous hit with a Dolly Parton song, and more. And as always, we’ve got some thoughts on music news and a song to send to the electric chair. It’s our first ever two part episode so sit your butt down and turn that volume UP. Episode Playlist Check out our ⁠⁠episode playlist here⁠. ⁠ Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re talking about covers – those magical moments where one artist takes another’s song and makes it their own. Sometimes they stay faithful to the original. Sometimes they completely blow it up and rebuild it into something fresh. We’re going to talk about covers that cross genres like Johnny Cash turning Nine Inch Nails into a heartbreaking confession to Sid Vicious giving us a punk rock version of Frank Sinatra. Covers that became more famous than the originals like Respect by Aretha or Nirvana’s unplugged version of The Man Who Sold the World. We’ve got a killer playlist of iconic reinventions, and a few headscratchers that will make you laugh out loud. Episode Playlist Check out our ⁠episode playlist here⁠. Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's that time of year again: our 6th annual Christmas Episode! We've roasted bad holiday tunes, thrown epic Christmas parties with rock legends, and even had a blue Christmas diving into the blues. But this year, we're sneaking around the holiday playlist like a couple of grinches with a twist. We're talking about those classic "Christmas" songs that get blasted every December... but if you listen closely to the lyrics, they never once say the word "Christmas." No Santa, no manger, no ho-ho-ho – just snow, sleigh bells, fireplaces, and winter wonderlands that somehow became holiday staples anyway. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist here. Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re opening the vault on the single most mythical recording in Bruce Springsteen’s long career: Electric Nebraska. In January 1982: Bruce locked himself in a bedroom with a four-track and cut ten of the bleakest songs he’s ever written. A few months later, he took those songs into the studio with the E Street Band and tried them loud. They didn’t work. Bruce ultimately released the original demos, and Nebraska became one of the bleakest albums in the Springsteen catalogue. But what about those full band recordings. For forty years, fans have been debating: do the the tapes even exist? Were they destroyed? Are they better? Even members of the band disagreed on whether they existed. After decades of waiting, we finally have them. In October 2025, Bruce Springsteen dug into the vault and released Electric Nebraska as part of the Nebraska box set. It’s the ultimate “what if” in the Boss’s entire catalogue. Some of these electric takes absolutely rip, but some lose their special darkness as soon as that big E Street sound kicks in. So join us as we dive into the songs from the musical white whale, the electric ark of the covenant for Springsteen fans: Electric Nebraska. Episode Playlist No playlist for this one, but check out the Nebraska Expanded Edition box set for all of this great music we discussed. Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there, groove rebels, light one up and crank it loud. In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re \blazing through songs about weed. From Willie Nelson’s outlaw anthems to Snoop Dogg’s chronic classics, the Grateful Dead’s tie-dye jams, and Cypress Hill’s hazy hits, pot’s been music’s smoky sidekick for decades. But we’re not just name-dropping—we’re digging deep into tracks that tell America’s weed story as it’s gone from counter culture to more mainstream – and legal – form of recreation. Back in the Harlem Renaissance, jazz cats were puffing and playing, turning reefer into rhythm. Then it was counterculture fuel—think ‘60s stoners flipping the bird to the law. Now? It’s legal in half the states, and weed’s gone mainstream, from dispensaries to playlists. So grab your stash, feel the vibe, and join us as we roll through the tunes that tracked America’s high times. Let’s spark it!" Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h⁠ere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re reliving the one hit wonders of the 1990s. This was a defining decade for us because it’s when we graduated high school and college, and we spent a lot of it slinging CDs in a record store, back when your local mall had record stores. Music was literally in the background all the time, whether we were watching MTV, sitting in our rooms rocking out, cranking it up while driving our first cars, or helping customers find the cassette single of Macarena or Zoot Suit Riot. We put together a playlist of over 135 one hit wonders from the 90s. There’s no way we’ll get to them all, but we’ve got alternative rock from Blind Melon, Blur, the Flys, Local H, Ben Folds Five, Dishwalla, and more. The two single greatest hip hop songs of all time in the Humpty Dance and Baby Got Back. Singer songwriters like Eagle Eye Cherry, Duncan Sheik, and Jill Sobule. Nu metal, dance music, and all of that weird, quirky stuff like swing music, Right Said Fred, Haddaway, and more. We’re going to talk about songs you haven’t thought of in years and some you wish you never heard again. All you Gen Xers are gonna want to pay attention to this one. Let’s hit it! Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h⁠ere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abbey Road Studios in London, England was the world’s first purpose-built recording studio. Opened way back in 1931, this building and the people inside have been at the cutting edge of recording technology for over 90s years. Abbey Road Studios is most famous for being where The Beatles recorded almost all of their music, but it also drove innovation with stereo recording, multitracks, editing, and the shift from analog to digital recording. In addition to all of those amazing Beatles records – which we’ll get to – some other stuff recorded at Abbey Road includes Dark Side of the Moon and albums from Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Oasis, the Hollies, Radiohead, and the Zombies. Music scores for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Marvel movies, and video game soundtracks for Halo, Call of Duty, and World of Warcraft. They even recorded some of Winston Churchill’s famous speeches during World War II to help keep morale high. From classical roots to rock rebellion, Abbey Road’s always been ahead of the game, rewriting rules along the way. So kick back, feel the beat, and join us as we explore the studio that turned sound into a revolution. Let’s roll! Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After doing a few episodes on scandals and artists who did time in prison, we’re flipping the script and shining a light on the good people in music – artists who pay it forward and have a reputation for just being good people. We’ve got Dolly Parton sending books to kids through her Imagination Library and Alice Cooper swinging his golf clubs to fund youth programs. Ludacris donating school supplies and clothes to thousands of kids and Jon Bon Jovi fighting poverty through his Soul Foundation. Taylor Swift, U2, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar – these aren’t just stars; they’re the real deal. In a world full of headlines that drag us down, these artists prove music can lift us up. So join us as we celebrate the heart behind the hits. Let’s roll! Charities Here are links to some the charities we talked about in this episode: Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation (Alice Cooper) – https://alicecoopersolidrock.com/ BeyGOOD Foundation (Beyonce Knowles-Carter) – https://beygood.org/ The Claddagh Fund (Dropkick Murphys) – https://www.claddaghfund.org/ Clara Lionel Foundation (Rhianna) – https://www.claralionelfoundation.org/ Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (Dolly Parton) – https://imaginationlibrary.com/ The Dollywood Foundation (Dolly Parton) – https://imaginationlibrary.com/the-dollywood-foundation/ Elton John AIDS Foundation – https://www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org/ Feeding American – https://www.feedingamerica.org Habitat for Humanity - https://www.habitat.org/JBL Soul Foundation (Jon Bon Jovi) – https://jbjsf.org/ Honor Flight Network – https://www.honorflight.org/ JBL Soul KItchen (Jon Bon Jovi) – https://jbjsoulkitchen.org/ Joseph’s House – https://www.jhoc.org/ The Ludacris Foundation (Ludacris) – https://theludacrisfoundation.org/ Meat Free Monday (Paul McCartney) – https://meatfreeondays.com One (U2) – https://www.one.org/us/ Rex Foundation (Grateful Dead) – https://rexfoundation.org/ Shawn Carter Foundation (Jay-Z) – https://shawncartersf.com/ SocialWorks (Chance The Rapper) – https://www.socialworkschi.org United Way – https://meatfreeondays.com Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re going all the way back to the beginning of rock and roll – and our back catalogue – by taking another look at Sun Records. In January 1950, Sam Phillips and his assistant Mario Keisker opened a small recording studio in a former auto glass repair shop in Memphis, Tennessee and the rest is rock and roll history. Sun Records brought us the first rock and roll song Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. They also introduced the world to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and more. We’re going to talk about the history of Sun Records and Sam Phillips, the roster of amazing artists that recorded there, and the impact it had on music forever. Let’s roll. Or as Johnny Cash would say, “get rhythm.” Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world of music is full of interesting characters, and some of them are unfortunately bad people. In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re following our namesake by talking about musicians who did time in prison. We have a long list of artists from different genres who spent some time behind bars, and we’re going to talk about them, their crimes, and the music they made. We’ve got stories like Lead Belly being discovered while in prison for attempted murder, to Jelly Roll turning his life around after his daughter was born while he was serving time. The singer for Lamb of God was charged with killing a fan. Ike Turner missed his rock and roll hall of fame induction because he was behind bars. Lil Kim chose prison over snitchin’, and some of the Norwegian death metal dudes are crazy. We’ve got all of their stories and a lot more in this wild episode, so let’s hit it. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re sailing into the open waters of yacht rock and asking the burning question that needs to be asked: does yacht rock suck? Is it a rock rebel’s nightmare or sunlight escapism? The musical equivalent of enjoying a cocktail on a sunset cruise or more like being on that Titan submarine that imploded a few years ago. Grab your life vest, drop anchor, and whatever other bad sailing pun you can think of and listen to us debate: does yacht rock suck? Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re diving into the unrelenting collapse of hair metal empire. A music scene that crashed harder than Vince Neil's drunk driving accident killed Razzle Dingley. Sure, bands like Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and Poison are still out on the road, playing for nostalgic crowds of people who yearn to hear those power chords. But for every one of those groups that are still selling merch and playing gigs, there are several who were wiped off the board in the early 90s by Seattle’s flannel fury. Grunge was a raw, authentic sound and anti-establishment ethos that rejected hair metal’s polished production, spandex, and power ballads. But we still love that music about girls and having a good time. It's as America as any other movement in music In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re looking at the bands who didn’t survive the hair metal meltdown. Groups like Winger, Cinderella, Kix, Warrant, and Vixen that all went to shit faster than a teased up hairdo in a rainstorm. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, gather ‘round the mic because in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re exploring some of music’s greatest duets – where two voices come together like Jack and Coke, peanut butter and jelly, or Snoop dog and weed. We’ve got a pretty solid list of crossovers and collaborations that will have you saying, “oh yeah, I remember that song” as you turn up the radio to hear all of the brilliant and insightful stuff we have to say about it. This is Prisoners of Rock and Roll—unstoppable, unforgettable, and unapologetic! Let’s hit it. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re looking at the clash between music and The Man diving into times when the FBI investigated musicians. In 1956, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI created a covert and legally questionable program called COINTELPRO with the goal of disrupting groups that the Feds considered to be subversive – communists, black nationalists, feminists, anti Vietnam protestors, civil rights activists. Considering the role that music played in the 60s and 70s, it was only a matter of time before the FBI started investigating rock and roll. Some of the stories are silly. Picture this, it’s 1963 and a bunch of FBI agents are hunched over a record player listening to Louie Louie over and over – forwards and backwards – desperately searching for dirty lyrics that didn’t exist. And others are more serious. In 1972, the FBI put John Lenon under surveillance and wiretapped his phone because President Nixon was afraid that his stance on the Vietnam War would influence young voters. The government started proceedings to deport him. Over the decades, the FBI has investigated or kept tabs on all sorts of musicians. Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison; folk singers Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie; Aretha Franklin, the Monkees, NWA, Charles Mingus, the Insane Clown Posse, and more. There’s a lot of ground to cover in this one, but we’re up for the challenge. Let’s hit it. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠, on⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Van Halen was one of the greatest American rock and roll bands of all time, captivating audiences with their energetic performances, innovative guitar riffs, and catchy lyrics. Led by guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen created the perfect blend of hard rock with some pop sensibilities.. Even as their sound evolved over the years as they switched back and forth between the showmanship of Diamond David Lee Roth. the more straightforward powerful voice of Sammy Hagar, and that other guy that most fans overlook, they made millions of fans and inspired countless musicians. We’re talking about Van Halen’s career, and for our 100th episode, we’re calling in the big guns: former WWE Superstar and ECW Original The Blue Meanie, a diehard Van Halen fan. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠⁠online⁠⁠, on⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠YouTube.⁠⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the shadows of the stage—the bass players, the four-string rebels who hold down the low end.. These aren’t just rhythm keepers; they’re the heartbeat of rock, the growl in the groove. We’ve put together a list of some of the most iconic bass players in music history. James Jamerson, the legendary Motown musician who played the slinky groove for What’s Going On while laying drunk on the studio floor. Bootsy Collins and his cosmic funk. Lemmy eating lightning and crapping thunder as the bassist for Motorhead. The psychedelic jams of Phil Lesh, the jazz fire of Charles Mingus, and Les Claypool’s…whatever it is that he does. Paul McCartney, The Ox, John Paul Jones, Donald Duck Dunn, and Carol Kaye. They’re musicians who broke out of the background, proving the bass isn’t just support—it’s the pulse of the music. So turn it up, feel the rumble, and let’s give these low-end legends the stage they deserve. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist ⁠here⁠. Get In Touch Check us out ⁠online⁠, on⁠ Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, or ⁠YouTube.⁠ or drops us an email at ⁠show@prisonersofrockandroll.com⁠. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at ⁠McCusker's Tavern⁠. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠Pantheon Media⁠. We're sponsored by⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is a show where we talk about music, the people who make it, and the everlasting effect it has on us. Today’s episode is personal. Last week, we lost Ryan’s dad John McCusker – he was a South Philadelphia icon who always put his family first, the owner of McCusker’s Tavern, a friend to thousands, a diehard baseball fan, and a music lover. So in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re doing a tribute to John McCusker by talking about some of the music that he loved. This one’s for you, John. Here's the video we played of someone interviewing John about McCusker's Tavern. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at show@prisonersofrockandroll.com. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stage-diving into the sweaty, dusty madness of Lollapalooza—a festival that started as a punk-rock farewell tour and turned into a genre-crushing, culture-shaping juggernaut with more lives than Keith Richards. Lollapalooza launched in 1991 as a sendoff for Jane’s Addiction—but it hit the road just as grunge was blowing up and quickly turned into something way bigger. It wasn’t just a tour—it was a movement. A 20-city, 20,000-screaming-fans-a-night, punk rock circus on wheels. By ‘92, Pearl Jam was leaping into mosh pits, Red Hot Chili Peppers were funking up the chaos, and Rage Against the Machine stood naked on stage in Philly, duct tape over their mouths in a silent protest against censorship. This wasn’t peace and love—it was rebellion with a PA system. Sure, it stumbled—people accused it of selling out. Then it died in ‘98, flopped in ‘04—but like any great rock act, it made a comeback. And Chicago’s Grant Park became its home base. From tattoo tents to $400 VIP wristbands, Lollapalooza has been underground, mainstream, gritty, glossy—always evolving, always loud. So throw on your ripped flannel or your festival wristband—we’re digging into the birth, the chaos, the reinventions, and the legacy of a festival that didn’t just play the game—it rewrote it. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at show@prisonersofrockandroll.com. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stepping into the grimy, graffiti-smeared chaos of CBGB—the legendary Bowery dive that became punk’s ground zero. A Cathedral of Misfits. Picture this: December 1973, Hilly Kristal, a former Marine, opens a bar at 315 Bowery, dreaming of country, bluegrass, and blues. Instead, the junkies and misfits of New York’s underbelly gave him something else—a revolution. CBGB wasn’t just a club; it was a musical laboratory for rebels. With a simple rule that bands couldn’t play covers, The Ramones hammered out three-chord blitzkriegs, Patti Smith snarled poetry into punk, Blondie strutted to stardom, and Talking Heads turned weird into gold—all while helping change rock forever. The place stank, the bathrooms were a nightmare, but the music? Pure, unpolished fire. By the ‘80s, Sunday matinees flipped it to hardcore—bands like Bad Brains and the Beastie Boys’ early thrash days tearing the roof off. From punk’s birth to its brutal evolution, CBGB launched a global DIY movement, proving you didn’t need polish, just guts. But the story ends ugly—rent wars and gentrification killed it in 2006, turning a punk mecca into a fashion boutique and an airport restaurant. Grab your leather jacket, because we’re diving into the birthplace of rebellion, the chaos inside those peeling walls, and how a little club with a country name rewrote rock’s rulebook. This is CBGB, unfiltered. Episode Playlist Check out our episode playlist here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at show@prisonersofrockandroll.com. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices