Prisoners of Rock and Roll

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

100 -- Running With the Devil with The Blue Meanie

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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99 - Low-End Legends: Bass Players

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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98 - From Grace to Glory: A Tribute to John McCusker

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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97 -- The Many Lineups and Lives of Lollapalooza

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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96 - CBGB: Punk's Grimy Cathedral

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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95 - The Music of 1995

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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94 - The Music & Legacy of Michael Jackson

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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93 - Our Favorite TV Themes

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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92 - Having A Blue Christmas With The Blues

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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91 - Pleased to Meet You: A Close Look At Sympathy for the Devil

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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90 - Selling the Drama: How Live Crash and Burned

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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89 - Pearl Jam's Influence on Rock and Roll

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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88 - Sharon Osbourne Almost Ruined Ozzy's First Two Albums

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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87 - The Greatest Bands from TV and Movies

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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86 - Artists United Against Apartheid

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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85 - When They Tried to Assassinate Bob Marley

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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84 - The Huge Sounds of Arena Rock

July 8, 2024 • 82 mins
Rock and roll got really big in the 1970s. We don’t mean in terms of popularity, although it had that going for it too. We mean the sounds got big. The audiences got big. The performances got big. Arena rock was loose definition for commercial, radio-friendly music designed to be played in big stadiums to tens of thousands of people with singalong choruses and huge stage productions.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls this era t...
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83 - The Rocket Man & The Piano Man: Elton John & Billy Joel

June 3, 2024 • 89 mins
There are few rock and rollers in the last 40 years more synonymous with the piano than Elton John and Billy Joel. These iconic singer songwriters have sold over 450 million albums, had 90 top 40 hits between the two of them, and played tons of shows together during their Face to Face tours from 1994 to 2010.  While they are both known for their piano playing, each of them have their own signature styles. Billy Joel is known for wr...
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82 - The Moscow Music Peace Festival

April 15, 2024 • 72 mins
The Moscow Music Peace Festival was a two-day rock concert held in August 1989.  Held during Mikhail Gorbachev’s period of Glastnost, Russia allowed a handful of western rock and roll acts to perform for the first time in Moscow, and over 100,000 people living in Cold War Soviet Union packed into Central Lenin Station to witness the forbidden fruit of late 80s rock and roll in all of its excess.  Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Ro...
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81 - The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection

April 1, 2024 • 92 mins
Get ready to step into the ring as we explore the electrifying tag team of professional wrestling and rock and roll in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll.  We’re going to take a look at the iconic rock and wrestling era of the late 80s, when the WWF superstars climbed out of the ring and picked up the mic to record TWO albums of them singing: 1985’s The Wrestling Album and 1987s Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II. And we’re...
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