Deeper Digs

Christian speaks in detail with Super Producer/Engineer Mark Howard about his new book, ‘Listen Up!: Recording Music with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, U2, R.E.M., The Tragically Hip, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Waits…’

Mark Howard, a record producer/engineer/mixer and a trailblazer in the industry, will take you through the star-studded world of recording and producing Grammy Award–winning artists. Listen Up! is an essential read for anyone interested in music and its making. Along with the inside stories, each chapter gives recording and producing information and tips with expert understanding of the equipment used in making the world’s most unforgettable records and explanations of the methods used to get the very best sound.

Listen Up! is both production guide and exclusive backstage pass into the lives of some of the planet’s most iconic musicians. Writing with his brother Chris Howard, Mark Howard provides a rare glimpse into the normally invisible, almost secretive side of the music story: that of the producer and recording engineer.

https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Up-Recording-M-Tragically-ebook/dp/B07KBDHMQX/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3CQJVZYILDN04&keywords=mark+howard+listen+up&qid=1562550185&s=gateway&sprefix=mark+howard%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-3

https://globalpositioningservices.net/mark-howard

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This week Rock N Roll Archaeologist Christian Swain hunts down Songwriter Hall of Famer Chip Taylor, to talk about his new album ‘Whiskey Salesman’, as well as a fifty year career writing many huge and influential hits.

Riding high on the just released album and breakout single ‘Fuck All the Perfect People’

2016 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Chip Taylor has been writing and performing for nearly 60 years and shows no sign of slowing down. The New York Times says it best: 'If you only know him as the guy who wrote 'Wild Thing' and 'Angel Of The Morning' - you don't know him!

Chip Taylor is making some of the most distinctive acoustic music around today.' 'Whiskey Salesman,' his latest in a remarkable string of recent albums, is at once both personal and universal. It is an album filled with timeless, intimate love songs - poignant, meditative odes to life. And drinking (in moderation) songs. Their spirit is perhaps best captured by the videos Taylor has created for each and every song (included on a dvd). Filmed at his own apartment and local bar, and starring his wife and friends, Chip welcomes everybody into his warm, heartfelt world. 'Whiskey Salesman' was co-produced by keyboardist Goran Grini and bass player Tony Mercadante. It also features master-guitarist John Platania (Van Morrison).

https://www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Salesman-DVD-Chip-Taylor/dp/B07R552HK9/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2AVB4X2ZRMZ02&keywords=chip+taylor+whiskey+salesman&qid=1562010740&s=gateway&sprefix=chip+taylor%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-4

https://www.trainwreckrecords.com

https://www.facebook.com/Chip-Taylor-40438231724

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Deeper Digs in Rock goes to the movies when Producer/Director team Molly Bernstein and Phillip Dolin sit down with the Rock N Roll Archaeologist to discuss their new documentary, ‘The Show’s The Thing: The Legendary Promoters Of Rock’.  Not only do we get the pleasure of having Molly & Phillip in studio with us, we also get to attend the DocLands film Festival in Marin County for a screening and party to hang out with old Bill Graham right-hand men Jerry Pompili and Danny Sher!

Pulling back the curtain on the unforgettable live shows of the ‘60s and ‘70s that came to define our collective musical memories, The Show’s the Thing reveals how a ragtag group of promoters virtually invented rock and roll. Bringing this untold story to life, directors Molly Bernstein and Philip Dolin introduce us to such larger-than-life personalities as kingpins Frank Barsalona and Bay Area legend Bill Graham. Colorful interviews with the promoters themselves and with the musicians whose careers would not have existed without them - including Carlos Santana, Jon Bon Jovi, and Bob Geldof - combine with a rich trove of archival material and a terrific selection of music from The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, David Bowie, and many more.

More on Molly Bernstein and Philip Dolin here: http://particleproductions.com

Diggers, you can support the show by wearing cool rock n roll gear from TeePublic: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/rocknroll

Call us at 650-822-ROCK or email at: [email protected]

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The Rock n Roll Archaeologist enters the world of Hip Hop for the first time with pioneering producer and record executive, Chris Schwartz!  As founder and President of Ruffhouse Records, Chris signed and help shepherd big names in late 80’s and 90’s hip hop, like Cypress Hill, Kriss Kross, NAS and the Fugees.  He was a part of the team that won Grammy’s Album of the Year in 1999 with The Mis-education of Miss Lauren Hill, a record that has sold over 19 million units.

Christian and Chris dig deep into his new book, Ruffhouse: From the Streets of Philly to the Top of the '90s Hip Hop Charts.

How Ruffhouse Records founder Chris Schwartz overcame poverty, abuse, and addiction to start one of the most pivotal labels in hip-hop history and launch the careers of some of music's biggest stars

As a struggling musician trying to catch a break in the '80s Philadelphia, Chris Schwartz navigated the crime-infested, morally bankrupt music industry to build one of the most successful hip-hop record labels in the world. That label was Ruff-house, which launched the careers of Nas, The Fugees, Cypress Hill, and others, dominating the charts and generating global revenues of over one billion dollars.

Schwartz and his partner, Joe Nicolo, built Ruffhouse from one desk and a phone to one of hip-hop's most revered record companies while simultaneously struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism. A story of money, greed, envy, betrayal, violence, addiction, loss, and redemption, not to mention a whole lot of music, Ruffhouse reveals the inside story of the record companies, recording studios, tour buses, private jets, mansions, radio stations, and concert halls at the height of hip-hop's 1990s heyday, while also uncovering the darker side of the business, from police stations to rehab clinics, courtrooms to prisons. Narrated in Schwartz's own candid, searing prose, Ruffhouse is a gripping portrayal of hip-hop culture and its transition to a global commercial platform.

Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Ruffhouse-Streets-Philly-Top-Charts-ebook/dp/B07PZR78QZ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=chris+schwartz&qid=1560102815&s=gateway&sr=8-3

More on Chris: https://www.facebook.com/chris.schwartz.526

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist discusses Heavy Metal and other things with Martin Popoff.  Things go so well that we are pleased to introduce his new show to be called “History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff”!

Martin has been described as the world's most famous heavy-metal journalist, though he has covered plenty of Punk and New Wave albums in his career of 7,000-plus album reviews. He has penned many books on various bands, genres of rock, and record collecting, including Voyageur Press' Rush: The Illustrated History; Metallica: The Complete Illustrated History; The Art of Metal; and The Big Book of Hair Metal. He has also worked on film documentaries about Rush and ZZ Top. Popoff lives in Toronto.

At approximately 7,900 (with more than 7,000 appearing in his books), Martin Popoff has unofficially written more record reviews than anybody in the history of music, writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned fifty-six books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock, and record collecting, including 2017’s Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs. He was editor-in-chief of the now-retired Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles for fourteen years, and has also contributed to Revolver, Guitar World, Goldmine, and Record Collector. Martin has been a regular contractor to Banger Films, having worked on the award-wining documentaries about Rush and ZZ Top.

While he and Christian discuss many of his works, they do focus on his latest release, The Clash: All the Albums, All the Songs published by Voyaguer Press: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760359342/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

http://www.martinpopoff.com

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Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne sits down with The Rock N Roll Archaeologist to discuss his new book Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock's Greatest Supergroup.

Even in the larger-than-life world of rock and roll, it was hard to imagine four more different men. David Crosby, the opinionated hippie guru. Stephen Stills, the perpetually driven musician. Graham Nash, the tactful pop craftsman. Neil Young, the creatively restless loner. But together, few groups were as in sync with their times as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Starting with the original trio's landmark 1969 debut album, the group embodied much about its era: communal music making, protest songs that took on the establishment and Richard Nixon, and liberal attitudes toward partners and lifestyles. Their group or individual songs--"Wooden Ships," "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "After the Gold Rush," "For What It's Worth" (with Stills and Young's Buffalo Springfield), "Love the One You're With," "Long Time Gone," "Just a Song Before I Go," "Southern Cross"--became the soundtrack of a generation.

But their story would rarely be as harmonious as their legendary and influential vocal blend. In the years that followed, these four volatile men would continually break up, reunite, and disband again--all against a backdrop of social and musical change, recurring disagreements and jealousies, and self-destructive tendencies that threatened to cripple them both as a group and as individuals.

In Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock's Greatest Supergroup, longtime music journalist and Rolling Stone writer David Browne presents the ultimate deep dive into rock and roll's most musical and turbulent brotherhood on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Featuring exclusive interviews with David Crosby and Graham Nash along with band members, colleagues, fellow superstars, former managers, employees, and lovers-and with access to unreleased music and documents--Browne takes readers backstage and onstage, into the musicians' homes, recording studios, and psyches, to chronicle the creative and psychological ties that have bound these men together--and sometimes torn them apart. This is the sweeping story of rock's longest-running, most dysfunctional, yet pre-eminent musical family, delivered with the epic feel their story rightly deserves.

https://twitter.com/DavBrowne

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This episode Tom Marshall, lyricist of Phish, joins Christian in his home studio to talk music, podcasting and lot’s of other topics of mutual interest (Christian and Tom are born on the same day).  Joining in on the conversation is Tom’s Osiris podcast network partner R.J. Bee.

Tom Marshall is an American lyricist, keyboardist and singer-songwriter best known for his association with Trey Anastasio and the rock band Phish. He has been the primary external lyricist for Phish during their career (1983–2004, 2009–present), with songwriting credits for more than 95 originals. In addition to his songwriting work, Marshall also fronts the rock band Amfibian and hosts the Phish podcast Under the Scales.  Marshall is the co-founder of Osiris, a podcast network in partnership with Jambase.

Marshall attended Princeton Day School in New Jersey with Anastasio. The duo began writing songs together as early as the eighth grade (the reggae tune "Makisupa Policeman" is often regarded as the duo's first collaboration and the very first Phish original song) Other early collaborations include Bivouac Jaun. Many of the pieces recorded on Bivouac Jaun appeared on The White Tape. Marshall also was instrumental in influencing The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday, a Phish concept album and song cycle about the mystical land of Gamehendge written by Anastasio and used as his senior thesis at Goddard College in 1987.

By 1985, Anastasio and Marshall had parted ways as Anastasio became more involved with Phish at the University of Vermont.

In 1989, Marshall apparently heard Phish's Junta album and thought to himself, "these guys really need lyrics." Marshall and Anastasio reunited and began a long songwriting partnership that resulted in over 100 songs over the next fifteen years.

http://phish.com

https://www.osirispod.com

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This episode Christian has the pleasure of meeting the lovely ladies of Ace of Cups current members, Mary Ellen Simpson, Denise Kaufman, Mary Gannon and Diane Vitalich for a rousing discussion of the San Francisco music scene of the 1960’s and today.

From 1967 to 1972, the Ace of Cups were at the epicenter of the ‘60s cultural and social revolution.  From the Acid Tests to the protests, from the free concerts in Golden Gate Park to the ballrooms of San Francisco, they shared stages with everyone from The Band to the Grateful Dead, and were chosen to open for Jimi Hendrix the week after his groundbreaking performance at The Monterey Pop Festival.

Despite eliciting music industry interest for their exceptional songs, sublime harmonies and exuberant live performances, the Ace of Cups never got the chance to make a record until 2018.

The first studio release by the original all-female rock band of the late ‘60s San Francisco scene is now available, featuring contributions from Bob Weir (Grateful Dead, Dead & Company), Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), Taj Mahal, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Peter Coyote, and many more.

https://www.aceofcups.com

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This episode Christian sits down with G.D. Praetorius, author of new book “Babysitting a Band on the Rocks”.  Now a V.P. for a large bank, but back in the day a handler of rock star egos small and large.  Lot’s of good tales from someone who lived the outsider life until he went straight.  Now he’s written the tales down in print!

"Babysitting A Band On The Rocks & Other Adventures..." tells the story of a hardcore fan going from the back row of the arena to backstage working with some of the biggest classic rock icons of the 70s and 80s. The title refers to a year spent with a highly dysfunctional Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, while other tales involve close encounters with Van Halen, AC/DC, Jethro Tull, Ritchie Blackmore & Rainbow, Pink Floyd, Yes, Billy Joel, Keith Richards, Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, Pretenders, Ramones and many more. Plus plenty of exclusive never-before-seen photos. currently available online at LTCDS.com or in-store at Newbury Comics locations.

Call us at 650-822- ROCK

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist sits down with author, Ryan H. Walsh to discuss his book, Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968. A New York Times best seller.

Van “The Man” Morrison's Astral Weeks is an iconic rock album shrouded in legend, a masterpiece that has touched generations of listeners and influenced everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Martin Scorsese. In his first book, acclaimed musician and journalist Ryan H. Walsh unearths the album's fascinating backstory--along with the untold secrets of the time and place that birthed it: Boston 1968.

On the 50th anniversary of that tumultuous year, Walsh's book follows a criss-crossing cast of musicians and visionaries, artists and hippie entrepreneurs, from a young Tufts English professor who walks into a job as a host for TV's wildest show (one episode required two sets, each tuned to a different channel) to the mystically inclined owner of radio station WBCN, who believed he was the reincarnation of a scientist from Atlantis. Most penetratingly powerful of all is Mel Lyman, the folk-music star who decided he was God, then controlled the lives of his many followers via acid, astrology, and an underground newspaper called Avatar.

A mesmerizing group of boldface names pops to life in Astral Weeks: James Brown quells tensions the night after Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated; the real-life crimes of the Boston Strangler come to the movie screen via Tony Curtis; Howard Zinn testifies for Avatar in the courtroom. From life-changing concerts and chilling crimes, to acid experiments and film shoots, Astral Weeks is the secret, wild history of a unique time and place.

Ryan H. Walsh is a musician and journalist. His culture writing has appeared in the Boston Globe, Vice, and Boston Magazine. He was a finalist for the Missouri School of Journalism's City and Regional Magazine Award for his feature on Van Morrison's year in Boston, from which this book developed. His rock band Hallelujah the Hills has won praise from Spin magazine and Pitchfork; collaborated on a song with author Jonathan Lethem; and toured the U.S. extensively over their 10-year existence. The band won a Boston Music Award for Best Rock Artist, and Walsh has twice won the award for Best Video Direction. He lives in Boston with his wife, the acclaimed singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler.

Get the book here

Find Ryan Walsh on Twitter @JahHills

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