Distorted History Podcast

Distorted History Podcast

I'm a history teacher and musician and every other week I cover a topic from American history ranging from the important to the cultural to the weird and unusual. Also once a month I produce a bonus episode focusing on the creation on a piece of music be it a modern rock album to classical music or the lore of video game.

Episodes

Sound Stories Black Sabbath Sabotage

April 10, 2026 • 39 mins
After completing their most ambitious album yet Black Sabbath discover that they'd been betrayed by their own managed. This sabotage and the resulting legal troubles will prove to have an impact not only on their next album but on the band as a whole.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Pl...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

William Walker the man who would conquer Nicaragua Part 4 Vanderbilt

April 3, 2026 • 84 mins
After having his transit company stripped of its contracts and property by the upstart filibuster William Walker. Cornelius Vanderbilt one of the richest men in the United States makes it his mission to destroy Walker and everything that he has build in Nicaragua.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/disto...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

William Walker the man who would conquer Nicaragua Part 3 Winning Nicaragua

March 20, 2026 • 91 mins
William Walker fresh off his failure to conquer and create a new republic out of two Mexican states leaps at the chance to try again. This time by heading down to Nicaragua after being invited by one side of an on going civil war to join their fight by leading a force of filibusters.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://w...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Sound Stories Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

March 13, 2026 • 38 mins
Feeling the pressure to surpass the somewhat disappointing Vol. 4 Black Sabbath contends with a serious case of writers block and some not so supernatural shenanigans in a spooky English castle.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the podcast
To contact me:
Email: dist...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

William Walker The Man who would Conquer Nicaragua Part 2 Mexico

March 6, 2026 • 71 mins
Seemingly determined to make a name for himself and play the hero. William Walker attempts to lead an invasion of the Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora in the name of creating his own republic and saving the people there from the attacks of the Apache.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distor...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

William Walker The Man who would Conquer Nicaragua Part 1 Filibusters

February 21, 2026 • 68 mins
William Walker would go down in history as the man who looked to take over the country of Nicaragua only to be defeated by the combined forces of 5 Central American Republics. In this episode we look at the early beginnings of Walker's life to see what inspired such outlandish acts. While also looking at the phenomenon of filibusters: individuals who would lead private military campaigns to take over foreign countries and/or join a...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Sound Stories Black Sabbath Vol. 4

February 14, 2026 • 32 mins
I look back at the story behind Black Sabbath's 4th album Vol. 4 and how it helped to lead to the eventual breakup of the band's original line up.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the podcast
To contact me:
Email: distortedhistorypod@gmail.com
Twitter @DistortedHisto...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Tulsa Race Massacre Part 2 The Burning of Greenwood

February 7, 2026 • 101 mins
As the city of Tulsa devolved into a violent race riot the white mob soon turned their attention to the prosperous African American district of Greenwood aka Black Wall Street.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the podcast
To contact me:
Email: distortedhistorypod@gm...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Tulsa Race Massacre Part 1 Black Wall Street

January 24, 2026 • 91 mins
The Greenwood district in Tulsa Oklahoma was a thriving Black community. In 1921 though this community which had earned the nickname Black Wall Street would be burned down in possibly the worst 'race riot' in American history.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the ...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Blues and the Mississippi Flood of 1927 Part 11 Goin to Chicago (Finale)

January 17, 2026 • 69 mins
What if any impact will the investigations into the Red Cross relief camps have? Meanwhile many African Americans who survived the flood and those relief camps decide they can no longer live in the south after all they have experienced. In doing so they take their culture including their music with them.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more ...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Ill Fated Journey of Conquistador Cabeza de Vaca Part 3 Spiritual Healers (Finale)

January 10, 2026 • 86 mins
The 4 former conquistadors turned castaways turned 'slaves' escape and find a new life as healers as they continue their journey to the Spanish controlled lands of Mexico.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the podcast
To contact me:
Email: distortedhistorypod@gmail.c...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Ill Fated Journey of Conquistador Cabeza de Vaca Part 2 Shipwrecked in Texas

December 27, 2025 • 74 mins
After failing to conquer Florida the would be conquistadors set sail in hastily built rafts hoping to reach the safety of a Spanish outpost in Mexico. Their journey however doesn't go quite as planned and the survivors find themselves in a very unexpected position.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/dist...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Blues and The Mississippi Flood of 1927 Part 10 Greenville Exposed

December 20, 2025 • 50 mins
Red Cross relief camps throughout the flooded region in general tended to have issues when it came to seeing to the needs of African American refugees. The situation in Greenville however is particularly bad as Black refugees there are practically returned to a state of enslavement.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://ww...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Ill Fated Journey of Conquistador Cabeza de Vaca Part 1 Florida

December 13, 2025 • 70 mins
Spanish conquistador Cabeza de Vaca would be among the first Europeans to see and travel through the regions that would one day become the American southwest and northern Mexico. This however was not a purposeful journey but instead the result a series of disastrous mishaps. Starting with an expedition to conquer the lands of the Gulf Coast region starting in Florida.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Tragedy of the Donner Party Episode 5 Rescue and Relief

November 29, 2025 • 105 mins
With the arrival of the survivors of the Forlorn Hope expedition word was finally out about the desperate situation the Donner party was in. Yet even these rescue efforts could not save them from their terrible fate.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Review the podcast
To ...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Tragedy of the Donner Party Episode 4 The Forlorn Hope

November 15, 2025 • 69 mins
Now trapped in the mountains without enough food to get through the winter the members of the Donner party attempt to go and get help. This expedition designed to bring back aid however would come to be known as the Forlorn Hope as it becomes one of the main reasons why this story gets passed down through history.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds....
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Blues and the Mississippi Flood of 1927 Part 9 Charley Patton and the Klan comes to Greenville

November 8, 2025 • 47 mins
While much of the mainstream white press has nothing but praise for the relief efforts being led by presidential hopeful Herbert Hoover there is an ugly reality just underneath the surface. Nowhere is that reality uglier than in Greenville Mississippi. Yet before we get into the virtual return of slavery in the city we first look at the history of Greenville and why what happens there is both surprising and inevitable.

Ad free versi...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Tragedy of the Donner Party Episode 3 Trapped in the Mountains

November 1, 2025 • 79 mins
With Hastings supposed short cut proving to be anything but the Donner Party desperately try to make it across the Sierra Nevadas before winter sets in. Luck however is not on their side and the soon become trapped in the mountains.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. For more information:
https://www.patreon.com/distortedhistory




Please Rate and Revie...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

The Tragedy of the Donner Party Episode 2 The Hastings Cutoff

October 18, 2025 • 71 mins
During their journey to California the various families that would make up the Donner Party make a fateful choice to leave behind the well traveled and proven trail to take the so called Hastings Cutoff. Doing so because it promised to shave some 200 miles off their journey but somethings are too good to be true.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on Spotify and through podcast aps that use RSS feeds. ...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Blues and the Mississippi Flood of 1927 Part 8 Barbecue Bob and the Trouble with New Orleans

October 11, 2025 • 40 mins
We deviate from the main thrust of our narrative to talk about the life and music of blues musician Robert Hicks aka BBQ Bob. Then we look at the curious case of New Orleans the richest city in the south. Where the city's bankers and businessmen in an effort to protect their own wealth and power sought to have a levee destroyed thereby flooding another community.

Ad free version available through Patreon subscription. Available on S...
Listen
Mark as Played
Transcript

Popular Podcasts

    Stuff You Should Know

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Crime Junkie

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    Betrayal Season 5

    Betrayal Season 5

    Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    The Breakfast Club

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Wearables

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices