Prisoners of Rock and Roll

Live was one of the most popular bands of the post grunge era. After entering the alternative music scene in 1991 with a spiritual album called Mental Jewelry, they became one of the biggest bands of the mid 90s on the backs of Throwing Copper and Secret Samahdi. 

They had made it! Four friends from high school who became wealthy rock stars who sold millions of albums and landed on the cover of Rolling Stone. And then they crashed and burned in one of the biggest dumpster fires I have ever read about. 

Their relevancy faded quickly as the music industry changed. After breaking up in 2009, three members of the band invested in a series of businesses that turned out to be ponzi schemes. They lost $10 million, their instruments, and even the painting that appears on the cover of Throwing Copper. 

The four original members of the band have sued each other so many times that it is hard to keep track of. How did this band of four guys from the working class town of York Pennsylvania have such a meteoric crash and burn? 

Tune into this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll to find out.

Episode Playlist & Other Stuff

Check out our episode playlist here. If you want to hear Live's early Public Affection tape, it's on YouTube. You also have to go on YouTube to hear Live's only album with Chris Shinn.

Rolling Stone published a great article on the lawsuits and bad business deals that helped ruin Live.

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Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

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We’re shining a spotlight on one of the last bands standing from the grunge era: Pearl Jam. While so many of their Seattle peers have either burned out or faded away, Pearl Jam’s still out there, rocking stadiums, dropping albums, and staying true to their roots in a world where rock and roll isn’t exactly topping the charts anymore.

We’re going to dig into how Pearl Jam has managed to outlast so many others, their influence on rock and roll, and how they evolved from flannel-wearing grunge pioneers to a band with a legacy that spans over 30 years. Plus, we’ll talk about their legendary battle with Ticketmaster, when they took a stand against corporate greed and the exploitation of fans — a legal fight that still resonates today, especially in a time of sky-high ticket prices.

So throw on your best worn-out band tee, turn up the volume, and join us as we dive into the story of Pearl Jam, a band that’s weathered the storms of the music industry and is still rocking like no other.

Episode Playlist & Other Stuff

Check out our episode playlist here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

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On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we're heading into the dark, twisted world of Ozzy Osbourne and diving deep into two of the most legendary heavy metal albums of all time: Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Make no mistake: these albums kick ass. But, like anything involving the Prince of Darkness, there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Sure, these records gave us unforgettable tracks like “Crazy Train” and “Over the Mountain,” but behind the scenes, things were a total circus. After recording Diary of a Madman, bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake were kicked out of the band, setting off a firestorm of lawsuits for royalties. And just when you thought things couldn't get any wilder, Sharon Osbourne decided to go back years later and had their parts re-recorded by different musicians — all without really telling anyone. Talk about rewriting history!

So crank up the volume, headbang like you mean it, and join us as we break down the music, the madness, and the mayhem behind Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. This episode's going to be a wild ride through two albums that rocked the metal world and stirred up plenty of controversy along the way so put down that bat and open a beer. Let’s hit it!

Episode Playlist & Other Stuff

Check out our episode playlist here.

Check out clips from the Holy Grail tapes on Bob Daisley's website here.

Lastly, take a look at this YouTube video that breaks down all of the different versions of Crazy Train.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

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In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re cranking up the volume on some of the greatest fictional bands from movies and television shows. Groups that were born on the screen and sometimes even crossed over on the real music charts. 

From the pop sound of Monkees and the Partridge Family, the wild and funky vibes of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and the turned up to 11 metal of Spinal Tap, some of these bands may have started out as make believe but they rocked out so much that they blurred the lines between entertainment and reality. 

So go put on your Gem t shirt or make a note to yourself that its time to rewatch the Blues Brothers. Let’s hit i

Episode Playlists

Check out our episode playlist here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1985, a group of musicians came together to raise awareness about the oppressive, racist government in South Africa. 

Organized by Steven Van Zandt, the group calling themselves Artists United Against Apartheid was, according to music critic Dave Marsh, “the most diverse line up of popular musicians ever assembled for a single session” and the list is pretty amazing.” 

Just some of the names include Bono, George Clinton, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Kurtis Blow, Miles Davis, Ringo Star, David Ruffin, Joey Ramone, Run DMC, Keith Richard, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt, that dude from Midnight Oil, AND the Fat Boys. 

They jointly refused to ever play at Sun City, a luxury resort in South Africa that symbolized the racial segregation of South Africa, and they released a protest album called Sun City to raise awareness. 

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the history and impact of Artists United Against Apartheid.

Episode Playlists

Check out the Artists United Against Apartheid album here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

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Bob Marley is one of the most famous figures in reggae music. On December 3, 1976, seven gunmen stormed into Bob Marley’s home in Kingstown, Jamaica and opened fire, wounding the singer, his wife, and members of his inner circle. The assassination attempt came just days before Marley was scheduled to perform at a concert in Jamaica that was supposed to calm political violence in the country. 

Shot but not seriously wounded, a defiant Bob Marley performed at the Smile Jamaica concert anyway, and the incident also has a profound impact on his life and music. 

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re taking a look at the assassination attempt on Bob Marley: the details of the attack, the mysterious motives behind it, and the impact it had on Marley’s music and message. And of course, we'll pay tribute to Marley's enduring legacy and the powerful message of peace and unity that his music continues to spread.

Episode Playlists

No episode playlist for this one. Most of the songs we played in this episode are on Bob Marley, Legend.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

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Rock and roll got really big in the 1970s. We don’t mean in terms of popularity, although it had that going for it too. We mean the sounds got big. The audiences got big. The performances got big. Arena rock was loose definition for commercial, radio-friendly music designed to be played in big stadiums to tens of thousands of people with singalong choruses and huge stage productions. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calls this era the golden age of hard rock in terms of its commercial airplay, but it also has its critics. People also call it dad rock, old wave, and corporate rock because it was music for mostly middle class white dudes powered by big corporate record labels. 

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re going to look at both sides of the argument, talk about bands like Journey, Boston, Foreigner, Kansas, and more. Let’s hit it.

Episode Playlists

Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few rock and rollers in the last 40 years more synonymous with the piano than Elton John and Billy Joel. These iconic singer songwriters have sold over 450 million albums, had 90 top 40 hits between the two of them, and played tons of shows together during their Face to Face tours from 1994 to 2010. 

While they are both known for their piano playing, each of them have their own signature styles. Billy Joel is known for writing biographical songs and incorporating pop and doo wop in his music. Elton John is a legendary showman who is just as known for his flashy outfits as his music. 

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, it’s the Piano Man versus the Rocket Man. Let’s hit it.

Episode Playlists

Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Moscow Music Peace Festival was a two-day rock concert held in August 1989. 

Held during Mikhail Gorbachev’s period of Glastnost, Russia allowed a handful of western rock and roll acts to perform for the first time in Moscow, and over 100,000 people living in Cold War Soviet Union packed into Central Lenin Station to witness the forbidden fruit of late 80s rock and roll in all of its excess. 

Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Bon Jovi, and the Scorpions shared the stage with some Russian rock and roll acts to promote peace and raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction….Because Ozzy and Motley Crue are just the people you want promoting the virtues of sobriety. 

But the Moscow Music Peace Festival was also an important cultural moment near the end of the Cold War. By the end of the show, stoic Soviet soldiers were throwing their hats in the air and rocking out to the music. The event also inspired the Scorpions to write their hit song Wind of Change, which became an anthem for the end of the Cold War as the Berlin Wall came down just a few months later. 

So tune in for this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll as we take a peek behind the Iron Curtain for a look at the Moscow Music Peace Festival.

Episode Playlists

Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready to step into the ring as we explore the electrifying tag team of professional wrestling and rock and roll in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll. 

We’re going to take a look at the iconic rock and wrestling era of the late 80s, when the WWF superstars climbed out of the ring and picked up the mic to record TWO albums of them singing: 1985’s The Wrestling Album and 1987s Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II. And we’re going to talk about how Cyndi Lauper helped bring wrestling into the mainstream. 

Then we’re going to check out some iconic entrance music from wrestling history, and listen to some other albums that wrestlers have put out over the years. 

We’ve also got some weird stuff. Junk Yard Dog singing on American Bandstand. The Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart’s top 10 hit in the 60s with a song you probably know, and Mean Gene Okerlund’s rockabilly album of the 50s. 

And what better time to do this!? Wrestlemania 40 is happening in Philadelphia and our home base at McCusker’s Tavern is hosting a very special event with our friend and former professional wresting star, The Blue Meanie, who calls McCusker’s his favorite bar on the planet. 

So whatcha gonna do, brother, when the Prisoners of Rock and Roll run wild on you!? 

Episode Playlists

Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here.

Get In Touch

Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected].

Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices