We’re back for Season 2 and we have lots to cover! We start with a discussion of the Go-Go’s documentary and whether this will finally give them Rock Hall momentum. We then segue into commentary on this summer’s biggest music related stories - including Garth Brooks, Kanye West, Britney Spears and Megan Thee Stallion.

We’re back to say hello, catch up with our listeners, and most importantly, discuss the cancellation of the 2020 Rock Hall ceremony and the impact it’s going to have on future inductions.

Today we’re hitting not just one, but two big milestones: the end of our first season and our one-year podcasting anniversary! Join us as we reflect on the highs and lows of podcasting, recap our recent interviews with Troy Smith and Jason Hanley and talk about why the Rock Hall needs the hall watcher community.

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Jason Hanley, Vice President of Education and Visitor Engagement at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This is a fun, illuminating conversation about the museum’s mission and operations, public engagement, the perils of social media, and so much more. We also cover a wide range of music, from the Carter Family to Krautrock to Queen Latifah.

This episode’s special guest is Troy Smith, Entertainment and pop culture reporter for Cleveland.com. Don’t miss this candid talk about his experiences covering the Rock Hall, from induction ceremonies to museum events to high-profile interviews. We also discuss the balancing act of being supportive of the hall while also being critical of it. 

She was irresistibly charming, gifted and ready to conquer the world when she was taken from us at the age of 23. Today we discuss the beautiful legacy of Selena, her impact on many popular music artists today and why we need to start including her in the Rock Hall discussion. We also begin the podcast with a discussion about this week’s tragic loss of Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider.

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome fellow Rock Hall watcher Mark Lempke, the man behind the blog The Northumbrian Countdown and Twitter handle Alex Voltaire. We discuss Mark’s journey as a Rock Hall follower and prognosticator, how well the Hall is faring as an American institution, and talk about his personal Rock Hall snubs.

There’s a thrill up on the hill, so let’s go, let’s go, let’s go listen to Eric revisit the tremendous work of Rock Hall inductees Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. He looks back at the band’s career, Hank’s racy lyrical content and the intriguing way their music was used in film. 

Today we chat with friend and fellow hall watcher Michelle Bourg. We discuss her blog Iconic Rock Talk Show, how she got started as a hall watcher and her hopes for the John Sykes era.  She also dishes on what it was like to meet Greg Harris and her experience at the 2018 induction ceremony simulcast.

Today we discuss cult icon Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, a Cleveland legend and the man who invented shock rock, but the biggest shock is that he isn’t inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Mary explains why he is overdue for a Rock Hall Early Influence induction by looking back at his legendary personal life, the evolution of his music career and his enormous impact on metal, punk and shock rock alike.