AC/DC: Beyond The Thunder

The New England Patriots have won more Super Bowls, conference championships, division titles and overall games than any other NFL team in history. The man instrumental in the team's success, President Jonathan Kraft, also plays more AC/DC on game day than any other sporting venue in the world. Coincidence? We'll let him tackle that one!

Talk this way! Season 3 kicks off with Darryl McDaniels emceeing, the DMC portion of the greatest hip hop group of all time, Run-DMC. The rap pioneer professes his love for the thunder down under and discusses everything from producer Rick Rubin sampling 'Back in Black' for the Beastie Boys, overcoming drugs and depression through the power of music, and even a proposal to reunite Run-DMC to play the Super Bowl Halftime show...with AC/DC!

Often told by many, including the people being interviewed, that their own "behind the scenes" adventures were just as interesting as their main objective (to find out why AC/DC matters), in this 1st installment and bridge between seasons, engineer Eric Kielb sits down with co-creators, Gregg Ferguson & Kurt Squiers to discuss the origins of 'Beyond the Thunder', how the duo were shot down in flames, the unlikely metamorphosis into a podcast, and what to expect for Season Two. Maybe it is the journey and not the destination, after all?

Don't know who Phil is? Let's just say without him, there'd likely be no AC/DC. This former Senior VP of Atlantic Records opens up the AC/DC time capsule for our listeners, indulging us with stories told first hand by someone who was not only there in the flesh, (and in the trenches) with this undisputed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band, but also who can take credit for saving and catapulting AC/DC's monumental career. And oh yeah, how Bon Scott broke his wife's tooth...

Saul Hudson would hear AC/DC for the first time, and earn his nickname, Slash...on the same day. Fate? We think so. Go behind the scenes of when this Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist opened up for AC/DC, why Keith Richards loves them so much, and how satisfying it is to give the Grammy's & Rolling Stone magazine the middle finger. Welcome to the Thunder, baby.

What's so funny about this episode of 'AC/DC Beyond the Thunder'? Saturday Night Live alum, Jim Breuer, is—that's what! Brian Johnson’s vocal doppelgänger will touch your funny bone and prove once again just how influential this band has been, even in comedy.

What if Malcom Young met Mozart? Meet Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, the dynamic instrumental duo who've combined their classical training and the likes of Bach & Vivaldi while infusing the full force, power and antics of AC/DC. Ever try doing the duck walk with a cello? In this episode, we're going Back in Baroque!

In celebration of his 50th birthday, Dweezil Zappa talks about: A) how his father, Frank Zappa, originally wanted to sign AC/DC; B) a member of AC/DC that can't tune his own guitar; C) how both Young brothers perform on an exclusive track with him; D) Angus Young's greatest guitar solo of all time; or Z) all of the above? Tune in to find out!

So just how was our next guest influenced by AC/DC? Does it count if he was actually IN the band? We thought so! From Tom Jones to the Firm, to the man who literally brought the thunder to AC/DC's immortal track, 'Thunderstruck', we'll discuss why no other skin basher can match Chris Slade's rock 'n’ roll resume. We're bringing out this 'Big Gun' for a very special episode of Beyond the Thunder.

In this episode, we throw listeners a curve ball by talking with Hall of Fame Major League pitcher, Trevor Hoffman, a player who became synonymous with a certain AC/DC song as he took the mound to become the all-time saves leader. So what did it feel like taking center stage to the sound of one of the band’s biggest hits in front of 40,000 screaming fans? We'll field that question, and more. Play ball!