Step back to a year when theater met the mainstream and pop music defined a generation. Shane Hewitt and Eric Alper unpack 1986—a cultural crossroads where Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables took over stages while artists like Peter Gabriel, Madonna, and The Smiths ruled the airwaves. Eric recalls working in a record store at the time, witnessing firsthand how Broadway’s power ballads and rock’s evolution shared the same cultural moment. Blending nostalgia with reflection, this Throwback Thursday episode captures how one year’s creativity continues to echo through today’s music scene.

GUEST:
Eric Alper
@thatericalper
thatericalper.com

Originally aired on 2025-10-09