Big Al's Rockin' Podcast

Tim Durling discussed his book "Unspooled" about 8-track tapes, which explores the format's history and collecting culture while combining personal biography with music collecting. The book's creation was inspired by a conversation with recent podcast guest Martin Popoff, who wrote the foreword, and was completed through a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2021. Tim shared his extensive 8-track collection and exp...

Trevor discussed his songwriting process, including how "Sunshine" emerged from an instrumental riff, and his collaboration with INXS bassists Gary Beers and Tea Party guitarist Jeff Martin on lead guitar on the song. He expressed interest in working with other musicians like Gilby Clark and Mike Kruger in the future. Trevor also shared his experiences working with Randy and Tal Bachman and mentioned his upcoming projects...

Martin and I discussed Martin's book "Guns N' Roses at 40," which covers 40 career highlights of the band in a chronological format. We also explored Martin's extensive writing process and experience authoring over 135 books, including his work on band biographies and historical accounts. The conversation concluded with discussions about Martin's upcoming book releases and their availability through variou...

This week I spoke to author Sean Egan about his new book "Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run: 50 Years," which explores the making and impact of the landmark 1975 album on its 50th anniversary. The book, published by Motorbooks, provides context about Bruce Springsteen's career and the challenging recording process that resulted in what many consider "the greatest record ever made." Sean discussed how Springs...

Diego Sagredo, guitarist from the Chilean rock band Consequence of Energy, joins me this week to promote their debut single "Freedom" and upcoming album "We Are One." The band's new conceptual album, produced by Gard Richardson, blends hard rock with ancestral sounds and features 12 tracks including "Freedom," set for release in January 2026. The band shared their touring plans for South American f...

In this conversation, Walter discussed the Headless album "Transitional Objects" released on August 29, 2025, on the M-Theory Audio label. He described it as a 37-minute, 8-track album with meticulous production and a dystopian perspective, inspired by personal experiences and events like 9/11 and the loss of a close friend. Walter highlighted specific songs, such as "Weightless," inspired by the birth of his so...

In this interview, Derek Shulman discussed his life journey from his Scottish upbringing to becoming a successful musician and later music industry executive. He shared his experiences with various bands, including Simon Dupree and the Big Sound and Gentle Giant, and detailed his transition from performing to working in A&R at Polygram Records. Derek reflected on the evolution of the music industry and advised emerging artists ...

In this episode I talk with veteran bassist Matt Bissonette, known for his work with legendary acts such as Elton John, Ringo Starr, and Rick Springfield. We discussed the formation and evolution of his band, The Squirts, including their musical influences, songwriting process, and recent album release. They touched on technical aspects of music production, such as digital audio workstations, and explored the thematic content, high...

In this conversation, Chandler, a member of the Foreigner tribute band Double Vision, discusses their new album of original material, which was released on July 11th. The band's journey into original music was driven by their goal to establish Double Vision as a benchmark for tribute bands, with half of the album co-written by a Swedish songwriter. Chandler explains their approach to balancing tribute shows with original work, ...

Black Note Graffiti's Kris Keller discussed the band's history, their latest album "Resist the Divide," and musical influences in this conversation. The album's theme revolves around life's struggles and the importance of resilience, drawing from the band members' personal experiences. Kris also shared details about their upcoming performance at the MileOfMusic.com Festival and hinted at future shows to be announced on their websit...

Selena discussed her book about Alanis Morissette's groundbreaking album "Jagged Little Pill," which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. She explored the album's creation, Alanis' background as a pop and child star, and the album's massive success with 33 million copies sold worldwide. Selena revealed that she was surprised by Alanis's love for the movie Grease and her experiences and challenges as a child star, which she be...

In this episode I talked with Aaron Camaro about CHW Pro Wrestling and his career in the wrestling entertainment industry, including his experiences as a ring announcer, commentator, and writer. We explored the art of professional wrestling, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, character development, and engaging narratives in creating successful wrestling events. Aaron shared insights into his writing process, challenges fa...

This week I had a chat with Nate "Bushy" Atchison from "The Plug Podcast" about our experiences at the recent ROCKNPOD Expo in Nashville. Bushy praised the event's organizer, Tracy McAndrew, for her successful first time in charge, while I praised the Christine Perry, who continues to do excellent work organizing the volunteers who work behind the scenes to keep things running seamlessly. We also discussed o...