Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets visits Dad Rock HQ to talk about the band's evolution from hardcore punk to mainstream chart success (hit single "Backwater" from gold album "Too High to Die"). And there's the now-legendary surprise appearance on Nirvana's seminal "MTV Unplugged" show.

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Also, be sure to check out Cris' own podcast — cleverly named The Cris Kirkwood Podcast — on iTunes and SoundCloud.

Soul Asylum and the Meat Puppets played a concert in Washington, D.C., giving our hosts another opportunity for a Dad Rock night out. Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan give their impressions of the show. Plus, they preview Friday's episode, featuring an in-studio interview with Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets.

All episodes of USA TODAY Dad Rock are on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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More about the podcast is at dadrock.usatoday.com

For Father's Day, we feature your stories of musical family bonding. Dad Rock listeners share specific songs that helped bring together father and child.

This episode is presented in cooperation with USA TODAY Your Take. Hosted by Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan, with special guests, our listeners.

Find all episodes of Dad Rock on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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More about the Dad Rock podcast is at dadrock.usatoday.com

Courtney Barnett played the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., and it was a Dad Rock night out at the show! Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan discuss the up-and-coming Australian singer-songwriter who combines densely lyrical story-songs with a powerful rock sound that hearkens back to the grunge era.

Regular episodes of Dad Rock drop each Friday.

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For more about Dad Rock, visit dadrock.usatoday.com

Dad Rock goes back to the future — er, something like that. In honor of high school graduation/reunion season, Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan remember the Reagan-era music that blasted from car cassette decks, boomboxes and Walkman headphones back in the day.

USA TODAY copy editor Jim Cheng shares stories of a whirlwind weekend trip to see the Rolling Stones in Texas. This special Dad Rock Bonus Track is hosted, as always, by Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan.

More about Dad Rock is at dadrock.usatoday.com

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The Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" is getting the deluxe-release treatment. Dad Rock's Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan take the opportunity to examine the 1971 classic track-by-track. Love, it's a bitch. Also in this episode, our protagonists are joined by special guest Roger Catlin, a veteran rock journalist and longtime Stones fan (going back to an elementary school experience with "Get Off of My Cloud.")

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Father's Day is coming up. And Dad Rock is taking requests. Tell us about a song that has special significance between father and child in your family. Tell your story by calling the Dad Rock Hotline at 571-766-8031 or emailing [email protected].

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Summer music — it's bouncy, it's breezy, it fills the humid air with good feelings. Dad Rock's Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan discuss their favorite summer songs. And with some help from listeners, they're compiling an epic Spotify playlist for the season, whether you're at a backyard cookout, hanging at the pool, lounging on the beach or just driving around with the windows down.

More about Dad Rock is at dadrock.usatoday.com

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Dad Rock's pick for the first hot song of the summer: 'Dimed Out' by Titus Andronicus. In this Bonus Track, Patrick Foster and Jim Lenahan marvel at its sound and fury.

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