Prisoners of Rock and Roll
Prisoners of Rock and Roll is a bi-weekly podcast about music, the people who make it, and the almighty, ever-lasting power it has over all of us. We've covered everything from Anthrax to Frank Sinatra, the history of the blues to the history of punk, and from Johnny Cash to the Joshua Tree. We also play clips, discuss music news, and sentence a song every week to The Electric Chair for being terrible. Check us out -- you might learn something! Check us out at www.prisonersofrockandroll.com.
Episodes
July 21, 2025 • 82 mins
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 pu...
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July 7, 2025 • 98 mins
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 w...
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June 23, 2025 • 80 mins
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 insigh...
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June 2, 2025 • 91 mins
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.
Consider...
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May 12, 2025 • 110 mins
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 s...
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April 28, 2025 • 114 mins
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 ...
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April 7, 2025 • 101 mins
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 t...
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March 24, 2025 • 92 mins
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 ...
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March 10, 2025 • 94 mins
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...
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February 24, 2025 • 94 mins
On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re jumping in our musical memory machine and going back 30 years to 1995. Rock and roll still ruled the charts and alternative music was still a thing. We got great albums from Alice in Chains, No Doubt, Mad Season, Oasis, Ozzy, and White Zombie.
SIlverchair, the Foo Fighters, the Deftones, Jewel, Radiohead, Alanis Morissette, and Garbage all released their debut albums.
TLC warn...
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February 10, 2025 • 82 mins
Michael Jackson is one of the most influential artists in music history. His talent was undeniable, his impact was massive, and his life… well, it was complicated. On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re talking about the King of Pop and how he impacted music, music videos, fashion, dance, and culture. But there are also controversies, his personal eccentricities, and the allegations. We’re going to talk about it all i...
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January 20, 2025 • 74 mins
We’re back! On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re flipping on the tube and talking about television theme songs! These are the tracks that play during the opening credits and get stuck in your head for the rest of the week.
From classics like Cheers and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to rock-driven intros like The Sopranos or Friends, TV theme songs are often as iconic as the shows themselves. They set the tone, build t...
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December 16, 2024 • 77 mins
Our fourth annual Christmas episode! The holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but let’s face it – some of us are feeling less holly jolly. In our 4th annual Prisoners of Rock and Roll Christmas episode, we’re celebrating having a blue Christmas by talking about the blues.
You don’t hear a lot of blues Christmas music on the radio or in the mall these days, but there are some killer versions of Christmas class...
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December 2, 2024 • 67 mins
In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re taking a walk on the dark side and diving deep into one of the most provocative and iconic songs in rock history: Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones.
This isn’t just a song; it’s a masterclass in storytelling, where Mick Jagger steps into the shoes of the devil himself to walk us through some of humanity’s darkest moments. It's got congas, swagger, and just the right am...
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November 18, 2024 • 78 mins
Live was one of the most popular bands of the post grunge era. After entering the alternative music scene in 1991 with a spiritual album called Mental Jewelry, they became one of the biggest bands of the mid 90s on the backs of Throwing Copper and Secret Samahdi.
They had made it! Four friends from high school who became wealthy rock stars who sold millions of albums and landed on the cover of Rolling Stone. And then they crashed ...
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October 21, 2024 • 90 mins
We’re shining a spotlight on one of the last bands standing from the grunge era: Pearl Jam. While so many of their Seattle peers have either burned out or faded away, Pearl Jam’s still out there, rocking stadiums, dropping albums, and staying true to their roots in a world where rock and roll isn’t exactly topping the charts anymore.
We’re going to dig into how Pearl Jam has managed to outlast so many others, their influence on roc...
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September 23, 2024 • 95 mins
On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we're heading into the dark, twisted world of Ozzy Osbourne and diving deep into two of the most legendary heavy metal albums of all time: Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Make no mistake: these albums kick ass. But, like anything involving the Prince of Darkness, there's more to the story than meets the eye.
Sure, these records gave us unforgettable tracks like “Crazy Train” and...
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September 9, 2024 • 81 mins
In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re cranking up the volume on some of the greatest fictional bands from movies and television shows. Groups that were born on the screen and sometimes even crossed over on the real music charts.
From the pop sound of Monkees and the Partridge Family, the wild and funky vibes of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and the turned up to 11 metal of Spinal Tap, some of these bands may ha...
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August 12, 2024 • 86 mins
In 1985, a group of musicians came together to raise awareness about the oppressive, racist government in South Africa.
Organized by Steven Van Zandt, the group calling themselves Artists United Against Apartheid was, according to music critic Dave Marsh, “the most diverse line up of popular musicians ever assembled for a single session” and the list is pretty amazing.”
Just some of the names include Bono, George Clinton, Peter G...
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July 29, 2024 • 80 mins
Bob Marley is one of the most famous figures in reggae music. On December 3, 1976, seven gunmen stormed into Bob Marley’s home in Kingstown, Jamaica and opened fire, wounding the singer, his wife, and members of his inner circle. The assassination attempt came just days before Marley was scheduled to perform at a concert in Jamaica that was supposed to calm political violence in the country.
Shot but not seriously wounded, a defia...
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