It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast

It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast

Hosted by famed New England roots-rock musician and music writer Don DiMuccio, the It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast celebrates all things related to the six decade-long rock era. Along with a cast of rotating co-hosts, we'll hear from musicians, music industry insiders, producers, DJs, etc, who'll tell the stories behind the music.

Episodes

August 11, 2024 71 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we speak with drummer Pete Best, one of only 3 living men who can rightfully claim the designation “former-Beatle”. We discuss his two year role in the band's development, which took them from teenaged amateur rockers, to road-hardened seasoned musicians – culminating with the band' signing with EMI Records, and his infamous firing from the group literally on the eve of their...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we feature a wide-ranging, cathartic interview with LOU GRAMM, the former lead singer and principal co-songwriter for 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees Foreigner. Topics covered include his early life growing up in Rochester, a parent-defying trek to a 1965 Rolling Stones concert, the lean years with his first band Black Sheep (including losing the supporting slot for the...
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January 14, 2024 48 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, legendary Texas blues guitarist and founding member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan talks about his life in music, starting in his early teens working with Dallas's best established bands, sharing stages with major acts like Jimi Hendrix. Jimmie discusses both his and his baby brother, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan's roles in the 1980's blues and roots-rock & roll r...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we revisit my 2007 interview with singer/guitarist DENNY LAINE, who tragically passed away this week at the age of 79. Our conversation covered his entire career including his early influences, forming his first band Denny & The Diplomats (with future Move/ELO drummer Bev Bevan), and co-founding two of the most celebrated musical acts of the rock era, The Moody Blues and Wings...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, record producer, arranger, musician, and music business veteran TONY VISCONTI discusses his life both in and out of the recording studio, working with future legends like David Bowie and Marc Bolan at the start of their careers, straight through to superstardom. Additionally, Tony recounts how a kid from the streets of Brooklyn became an indispensable presence in the studio fo...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, record promoter / press liaison / artistic director TONY KING discusses his seven decades as a behind the scenes figure in rock & roll, whose work proved vital in both the careers and lives of artists like Roy Orbison, John Lennon, Elton John, and most notably The Rolling Stones, as tour press director for over 20 years. From his days as a young man looking after artists for D...
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January 29, 2023 40 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, guitarist and hit songwriter for one of rock's most mythical and influential bands The Doors, ROBBY KRIEGER talks about his early years as a Jewish kid living in an upper-middle class “waspy” neighborhood, and how a penchant for blues slide-guitar earned him a slot in the now iconic quartet. We also discuss the band's early gigs, the story behind him writing their first #1 hit...
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December 4, 2022 50 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we feature 1960's hit-maker TOMMY JAMES, who along with his band The Shondells, released a string of classics including “Crimson and Clover”, “Mony Mony”, “Hanky Panky”, “I Think We're Alone Now”, and others. Tommy discusses how he went from a middle-America upbringing, to working and recording for Roulette Records, which in reality was a front for the Genovese crime family. T...
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October 23, 2022 45 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we feature true rock royalty – producer, session musician, A&R man, and omnipresent figure throughout the rock era, AL KOOPER. We discuss a career that began at age 15 playing guitar with The Royal Teens (“Short, Shorts”), and later included playing Hammond on Bob Dylan's “Like A Rolling Stone”, French Horn & organ on The Rolling Stones “You Can't Always Get What You Want”, w...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, renowned rock sideman / guitarist EARL SLICK regales us with tales along his musical journey, starting in the clubs of New York City to years of touring the world and recording with David Bowie, as well as working on sessions for what would be John Lennon's final albums “Double Fantasy” and the posthumous release “Milk & Honey”. We also talk solo projects, including him joinin...
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August 7, 2022 47 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of the legendary band Traffic, DAVE MASON talks about his sometimes-tumultuous tenure with the band, and how moving from England to the United States over fifty years ago introduced him to a slew of like-minded musicians from Gram Parsons to Cass Elliot. Mason also discusses his session work with Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney &...
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July 10, 2022 57 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, founding member and drummer of The Yardbirds, JIM McCARTY talks about the band's multi-decade career, starting out as England's most authentic rhythm & blues band, that gave rise to guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and helped usher in progressive and heavy rock. We discuss the backstory behind classics like “For Your Love” and “Dazed and Confused”, why Clapton r...
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June 19, 2022 62 mins
On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, Tuscon native CHRIS O'DELL tells how she parlayed a chance meeting with Beatle's publicist Derek Taylor into a career behind the scenes in the world of rock, first as secretary for The Beatles owned Apple Records, personal assistant to The Rolling Stones on their “Exile On Main Street” tour, then later as one of rock's first female Tour Managers working for George Harrison, Sa...
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On today's episode of the It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we sit down with DENNIS LOCORRIERE, the voice behind a laundry-list of Top 40 hits released by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show (later shortened to Dr. Hook) between 1971-1985, including “Sylvia's Mother”, “When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman”, “Sexy Eyes”, “Sharing The Night Together”, and the inimitable “The Cover Of Rolling Stone”. He recounts the band's ability to sh...
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April 3, 2022 57 mins
On this episode of the It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we talk to drummer GINA SCHOCK, the outspoken, hard-rocking heartbeat behind rock's first #1 charting all-female band, The Go-Go's. Gina gives us a peek into her inner sanctum, pulling out some of her favorite 45's from an immense collection of not only vinyl, but additionally forty plus years of Go-Go's memorabilia – much of which is featured in her new coffee-table photobo...
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On this episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we visit with American folk-rock troubadour and founding frontman of The Lovin' Spoonful, JOHN SEBASTIAN. We talk of his childhood in NYC as the son of show-business parents, growing up around frequent house guests like Woody Guthrie, Burl Ives, and godmother Vivian Vance. He recounts his early start in the Greenwich Village folk scene, co-founding The Loving Spoonful, and how...
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February 6, 2022 54 mins
On today's episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast we speak to ALLAN CLARKE, former singer and songwriter for the legendary British Invasion band The Hollies. Topics include his longtime partnership with Graham Nash (including his eventual departure to form CSN&Y), their first U.S. Concert tour on a bill with Little Richard (whose group featured then-unknown guitarist Jimi Hendrix), what really went down with Terry Sylvester...
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November 21, 2021 49 mins
On today's episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, famed drummer for the iconic band The Doors, JOHN DENSMORE tells of his tenure with the legendary act that pushed the artistic limits, and in the process created some of rock's most enduring music. We also discuss several of the individuals who influenced him personally, professionally and spiritually, detailing anecdotes from his latest memoir “The Seekers: Meetings With R...
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On today's episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, we have a multi-topic, jam-packed conversation with heavy-metal's most prolific bass player, RUDY SARZO. The former Cuban refugee turned metal-master details his embrace of the LA heavy rock scene of the late-70's - including how working with his friend the late Randy Rhoads in Quiet Riot landed him the bass player spot in Ozzy Osbourne's touring band, and why a plan to sab...
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October 3, 2021 71 mins
On today's episode of The It's Only Rock And Roll Podcast, the World's Most Dangerous keyboardist, PAUL SHAFFER talks highlights from his 50 years in show business, including dropping the “F-bomb” on network television, his "conversation" with Mick Jagger backstage at Saturday Night Live, how backing up his hero James Brown left The Godfather of Soul wanting more, and the time a spontaneous on-mic moment triggered a 33-year career ...
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