What's the difference between a "riff" and a "lick"? Between "reverb" and "slapback echo"? We try not to get too technical on this podcast, but occasionally some listeners will get stumped by some of the…Read more
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Every once in a while you hear a song by a band you've never heard of and it knocks you out. This was one of those songs for me. A band from Ireland came out…Read more
Sometimes, when times are tough and it seems like the world's against you, a song like this can keep you going. A stunning mix of jangling guitars, sparkling harmony vocals, and a heart-wrenching lead vocal…Read more
I'll happily go out on a limb and say Deep Purple was THE hard rock band of the '70's. They could shift from monster guitar riffs to complex classical-influenced passages to outright improvised jams-- all…Read more
Merry Clayton never had a big hit, but her voice can be heard in dozens of songs you know (we've listened to one of them here before-- see episode #42). One of the legendary background…Read more
It's our annual Bonus Holiday Episode - This time, we travel back in time & around the world for a truly psychedelic Christmas trip with the He 5. See you on the other side!Read more
Some songs call for you to speak out & demand action. Some songs explore the deepest depths of your soul. Some songs are timeless expressions of love. This song... it just kicks ass. Humble Pie…Read more
It's been 40 years since the death of John Lennon, a senseless loss that still stings. Here's one of my personal favorite Lennon tracks. We'll follow it from its early stages through to the final…Read more
There's never been any shortage of drama with Fleetwood Mac... long before the soap opera of Rumours, there was the psychodrama of Peter Green (and Jeremy Spencer, and Danny Kirwan...). The saga of how Peter…Read more
Rare Earth's sound was equal parts funky soul and straight-up rock. For decades, when there's cause for celebration, folks have been crankin' up this chunk of funk rock. Let's take a closer look at how…Read more
When Alice Cooper recorded "Elected" in 1972, it was a satire about a rich, grandstanding, self-obsessed celebrity running for president. He's a "yankee doodle dandy in a gold Rolls Royce". We all laughed. That kind…Read more
When Matthew Sweet, Shawn Mullins & Pete Droge (aka The Thorns) recorded "No Blue Sky" almost in 2002, they had no idea that the skies over the Western US would be thick with smoke, or…Read more
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