DISGRACELAND

DISGRACELAND

Murder, infidelity, suicide, arson, overdose, religious cults, drug trafficking; this award winning podcast explores the alleged true crime antics and criminal connections of musicians we love like Jerry Lee Lewis, Jay Z, The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Tupac Shakur, the Grateful Dead, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Blondie and many more. Why? Because real rock stars are more like feral, narcissistic animals than functioning members of society and that is precisely what makes them so damn entertaining. If you love music history and you love true crime, then get ready to love this podcast. Welcome to DISGRACELAND, where these stories and more will grip you to the edge of your seat and cause you to binge episode after episode. DISGRACELAND publishes new, fully scripted, and sound-designed episodes every Tuesday and bonus episodes featuring listener voicemails, texts, and emails on Thursdays. Special "Rewind" episodes from our archive of over 230+ episodes are re-released on Fridays. DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It is an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are sometimes fictionalized for dramatic purposes, as they are in most scripted entertainment based on true events. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com . To listen to DISGRACELAND ad-free and get access to an exclusive monthly episode, weekly bonus content, and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at www.disgracelandpod.com/membership.

Episodes

The Grateful Dead Pt. 2: The Ballad of Pigpen and Old, Weird America—an Origin Story

May 17, 2025 • 44 mins
Bootlegging whiskey, acid tests, grass, and songs about murder. The origins of the Grateful Dead are fascinating and not what most people think. Born out of the tradition of “old, weird America”; bluegrass, jug band music and deadly folk tales, the Grateful Dead, as young adults, were into some strange stuff and we are all better for it. The band would go on to create their very own “new, weird America” due in part to the cultural ...
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Grateful Dead Pt. 1: Freedom's Just Another Word for…

May 16, 2025 • 48 mins
The Grateful Dead became one of the most influential bands of all time and propelled themselves with improvisation, LSD and an ethos of “freedom”. Through drug busts and CIA surveillance, they thrived and created one of the largest, most fervent and commercially consequential fan bases of all time. Freedom, LSD and improvised blues in the key of bummed the fuck out on this episode of Disgraceland. For a full list of contributors...
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Bonus Episode - Sign o' the Times: the Diddy Trial Begins

May 15, 2025 • 42 mins
This week in the After Party, Jake shares his thoughts on the start of the Diddy trial and (of course) takes your calls, emails, texts and DMs.. Next week, we're presenting our episode on legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Jake wants to know: Which musician also excelled in a second art from or sport? Tell Jake at 617-906-6638, ⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Disgracel...
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Prince (Pt. 2): Bodyguards, Guns, Gangs, and a Revolution

May 13, 2025 • 43 mins
1984. Prince is at his commercial and creative peak. "Purple Rain" – the album, the soundtrack, and the film – is a sensation. But that's when the backlash sets in. That's when Prince's public persona sours, thanks in part to a tell-all story sold by a former bodyguard for a big drug-money payday. All the while, the world is sinking further into chaos and disorder; guns, gangs, murder, AIDS, earthquakes. In these dark times, can Pr...
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Prince (Pt. 1): Dark Funk and Fentanyl

May 12, 2025 • 44 mins
Few pop artists achieved the dizzying creative and career highs that Prince did. An artist who famously stayed away from drugs and most anything that would cause him to lose control, Prince was aided in his legendary musical output by a small army of creative alter egos, who helped him maintain control and helped him reign supreme as one of the greatest pop musicians of all time, until of course, all control was lost. This episode...
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Slick Rick: Hustle, Iconic Flow and a Menacing Tormentor

May 9, 2025 • 43 mins
Slick Rick has one of the most iconic voices in hip hip history. His style is completely his own, and his success owes as much to his delivery as it does to his hustle. Slick Rick worked hard to get to the top, and once he made it he was nearly cut down by drugs and violence - violence inflicted upon him by someone from his inner circle. Listen to hear how Slick Rick fought back and continued his flow. This episode was originally ...
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Bonus Episode: The Mount Rushmore of Guitarists

May 8, 2025 • 42 mins
This week in the After Party, Jake hears from you about the Mount Rushmore of Guitarists and opines on a recent performance from David Lee Roth. Next week, we're presenting part 2 of the Prince story, and Jake wants to know: Which artist best represented their times? Tell Jake at 617-906-6638, ⁠⁠disgracelandpod@gmail.com⁠⁠, or on socials @disgracelandpod. For more great Disgraceland episodes, dive into our extensive archive...
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Van Halen Pt. 2: Pulling a Gun on Fred Durst, Racing Ferraris and Lambos, and Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Most Faithful Servant

May 6, 2025 • 43 mins
In 1985, David Lee Roth was out and Sammy Hagar was in. One of the biggest lead singer shakeups in music history led to some of the biggest sales of Van Halen's career. It also led to more drama, to Lamborghinis and Ferraris racing through the streets of Los Angeles, to military assault vehicles storming Beverly Hills, to crazed fans and loaded guns – and at the middle of it all, a modern-day warrior, a man with a code, trying to o...
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Van Halen (Part 1): Bootleggers, U.S. Marshals, and Protecting Innovation at Any Cost

May 5, 2025 • 43 mins
On the backs of one of rock ‘n roll’s greatest innovators and one of its greatest ringmasters, Van Halen made some of the greatest music of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen chased the perfect sound while lead singer David Lee Roth chased the next party. They were also ruthless when it came to protecting the unique thing they had created. Nothing was allowed to stand in their way. Not bullies, bootleggers, cyn...
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The Notorious B.I.G. Pt. 2: A Dead Rivalry, New Inspiration and a Murder Mystery for the Ages

May 3, 2025 • 39 mins
In part two of the Notorious B.I.G. story we see the young star trying to deal with life after the death of his rival (and one-time friend), Tupac Shakur. We also get a glimpse into the motivation behind the making of his final album, the aptly titled, Life After Death and get deep into the mystery behind his still unsolved murder. This episode was originally published on May 25, 2021. To see the full list of contributors, see th...
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The Notorious B.I.G. Pt. 1: Dealing Crack on the Corner, Spitting Beef and Creating One of the Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time

May 2, 2025 • 43 mins
The Notorious B.I.G. entered adulthood as a crack dealer and left this world as one of the most famous hip-hop stars of all time. He was murdered mysteriously and before that was arrested almost too many times to count. He eventually altered the course of hip-hop with the release of his debut album, Ready To Die, an album that served as a soundtrack of sorts for the highly publicized, dangerous, violent beef between himself and his...
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Bonus Episode: Gen X Actresses and Getting to Know You

May 1, 2025 • 45 mins
This week in the After Party, Jake reflects on Wynona Ryder and her iconic status among Gen X. Plus, Jake wants the Disgos to get in touch and tell him a little more about yourself: What are your favorite genres of music? What books and films do you like? What are your hobbies? Next week, we're presenting part 2 of the Van Halen story, and Jake wants to know: If there were a Mount Rushmore of guitar players, who would you put...
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Party’s Over, from Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy

April 30, 2025 • 34 mins
You know on Disgraceland we bring you dark stories of musicians getting away with very bad behavior. This week, we have something special: A new podcast from 20/20 and ABC Audio, "Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy." In this six-part series, ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire takes listeners inside the rise and fall of Diddy, tracing how whispers of abuse came to light and led to his downfall. We’re giving you episode one, "Pa...
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Winona Ryder: Drowning, Designer Theft, and a Deadly Kidnapping

April 29, 2025 • 45 mins
Between beatnik parents, an LSD guru godfather, and an unconventional upbringing in Northern California, it’s not surprising that Winona Ryder became America’s endearing weirdo in the 1990s. Her noir starpower shined from an early age in movies like Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Edward Scissorhands, but her penchant for dark roles would lead her towards crime in real life. The only thing weirder than Winona’s $5,000 shoplifting spree ...
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Iggy Pop: Mad Artistry, Mental Wards, and Gaping Chest Wounds

April 25, 2025 • 44 mins
Iggy Pop pushed rock further than anyone before him, committing to live acts of sex, sickness, and rumored suicide on stage. From his cocaine fueled bromance with David Bowie, to his search for inspiration in the voodoo rituals of Haiti, Iggy Pop never just crossed the line between art and madness. He bled all over it, and danced on the stains. This episode was originally published on October 15, 2019. To listen to Disgraceland ad...
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Bonus Episode: Rock 'n' Roll Second Acts

April 24, 2025 • 42 mins
This week in the After Party, Jake looks at second acts in music history. Which artists went on to form successful groups whose impact matched or exceeded that of their breakthrough group? Plus, we'll hear from you on this question and more. For more great Disgraceland episodes, dive into our extensive archive, including such episodes as: Episode 92 - Derek and the Dominos Episode 154 - Jane's Addiction Episode 137 - New Order E...
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Chris Cornell: Bad Trips, Crooked DEA Agents, and Four Octaves of Sheer Power

April 22, 2025 • 43 mins
As a teenager, Chris Cornell was traumatized by a bad PCP trip that turned him into a recluse for years. Music pulled him out of the darkness when he discovered his four-octave voice by accident – A voice he used to incredible effect as the frontman for both Soundgarden and Audioslave. But the darkness never really went away – it was there in his hometown of Seattle, where tragedies closed the chapter on grunge, and in his music, w...
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Bonus Episode: Books They Don't Want You to Read and Books We Want Them to Write

April 17, 2025 • 41 mins
This week in the After Party, Jake takes your calls on the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and wonders why some celebrity autobiographies are so hard to find. Plus, Jake looks at which major music stars have not yet written their autobiographies and wonders if they ever will. Next week, we're bringing you a story on Chris Cornell, lead vocalist of Soundgarden and Audioslave. We want to know: Which artists followup bands were bigger or ...
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Mama Cass Elliot (Pt. 2): Rape, Murder, and Taking Secrets to the Grave

April 15, 2025 • 41 mins
Mama Cass’ role as Hollywood’s hippie den mother pulled her into the orbit of troubling company during the “Summer of Love.” The former singer of The Mamas and the Papas thrived in Laurel Canyon's social circles, which included her close friend Sharon Tate and Sharon’s husband, filmmaker Roman Polanski. But Cass’ alleged involvement in some of the long rumored-hedonistic events put her at the center of a counter-narrative that expl...
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Mama Cass Elliot (Pt. 1): Dangerous Drug Dealer Boyfriends, International Arrests, and the Solo Career That Should’ve Been

April 14, 2025 • 40 mins
Cass Elliot, AKA "Mama Cass" from The Mamas and The Papas, broke the mold of female pop superstardom and shattered expectations of what women in music “should” be. She also was arrested in London for theft, dated international drug dealers, and tanked what was supposed to be a career-defining solo performance while flying high on Iranian hashish. To this day, the biggest controversy swirling around the singer is her connection to t...
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