The world of music is full of interesting characters, and some of them are unfortunately bad people. In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re following our namesake by talking about musicians who did time in prison. 

We have a long list of artists from different genres who spent some time behind bars, and we’re going to talk about them, their crimes, and the music they made. 

We’ve got stories like Lead Belly being discovered while in prison for attempted murder, to Jelly Roll turning his life around after his daughter was born while he was serving time. The singer for Lamb of God was charged with killing a fan. Ike Turner missed his rock and roll hall of fame induction because he was behind bars. Lil Kim chose prison over snitchin’, and some of the Norwegian death metal dudes are crazy. 

We’ve got all of their stories and a lot more in this wild episode, so let’s hit it.

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In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re sailing into the open waters of yacht rock and asking the burning question that needs to be asked: does yacht rock suck? Is it a rock rebel’s nightmare or sunlight escapism? The musical equivalent of enjoying a cocktail on a sunset cruise or more like being on that Titan submarine that imploded a few years ago. 

Grab your life vest, drop anchor, and whatever other bad sailing pun you can think of and listen to us debate: does yacht rock suck?

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Today, we’re diving into the unrelenting collapse of hair metal empire. A music scene that crashed harder than Vince Neil's drunk driving accident killed Razzle Dingley.  

Sure, bands like Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and Poison are still out on the road, playing for nostalgic crowds of people who yearn to hear those power chords. But for every one of those groups that are still selling merch and playing gigs, there are several who were wiped off the board in the early 90s by Seattle’s flannel fury. 

Grunge was a raw, authentic sound and anti-establishment ethos that rejected hair metal’s polished production, spandex, and power ballads. But we still love that music about girls and having a good time. It's as America as any other movement in music

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re looking at the bands who didn’t survive the hair metal meltdown. Groups like Winger, Cinderella, Kix, Warrant, and Vixen that all went to shit faster than a teased up hairdo in a rainstorm.  

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Ladies and gentlemen, gather ‘round the mic because in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re exploring some of music’s greatest duets – where two voices come together like Jack and Coke, peanut butter and jelly, or Snoop dog and weed.

We’ve got a pretty solid list of crossovers and collaborations that will have you saying, “oh yeah, I remember that song” as you turn up the radio to hear all of the brilliant and insightful stuff we have to say about it. This is Prisoners of Rock and Roll—unstoppable, unforgettable, and unapologetic! Let’s hit it. 

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re looking at the clash between music and The Man diving into times when the FBI investigated musicians. In 1956, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI created a covert and legally questionable program called COINTELPRO with the goal of disrupting groups that the Feds considered to be subversive – communists, black nationalists, feminists, anti Vietnam protestors, civil rights activists. 

Considering the role that music played in the 60s and 70s, it was only a matter of time before the FBI started investigating rock and roll. Some of the stories are silly. Picture this, it’s 1963 and a bunch of FBI agents are hunched over a record player listening to Louie Louie over and over – forwards and backwards – desperately searching for dirty lyrics that didn’t exist. 

And others are more serious. In 1972, the FBI put John Lenon under surveillance and wiretapped his phone because President Nixon was afraid that his stance on the Vietnam War would influence young voters. The government started proceedings to deport him. 

Over the decades, the FBI has investigated or kept tabs on all sorts of musicians. Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison; folk singers Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie; Aretha Franklin, the Monkees, NWA, Charles Mingus, the Insane Clown Posse, and more. There’s a lot of ground to cover in this one, but we’re up for the challenge. Let’s hit it.

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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.

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠⁠.

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Van Halen was one of the greatest American rock and roll bands of all time, captivating audiences with their energetic performances, innovative guitar riffs, and catchy lyrics. Led by  guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen created the perfect blend of hard rock with some pop sensibilities.. 

Even as their sound evolved over the years as they switched back and forth between the showmanship of Diamond David Lee Roth. the more straightforward powerful voice of Sammy Hagar, and that other guy that most fans overlook, they made millions of fans and inspired countless musicians. 

We’re talking about Van Halen’s career, and for our 100th episode, we’re calling in the big guns: former WWE Superstar and ECW Original The Blue Meanie, a diehard Van Halen fan.

Check out our episode playlist ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠⁠Pantheon Media⁠⁠. We're sponsored by⁠⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠⁠.

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In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the shadows of the stage—the bass players, the four-string rebels who hold down the low end.. These aren’t just rhythm keepers; they’re the heartbeat of rock, the growl in the groove.

We’ve put together a list of some of the most iconic bass players in music history. James Jamerson, the legendary Motown musician who played the slinky groove for What’s Going On while laying drunk on the studio floor. 

Bootsy Collins and his cosmic funk. Lemmy eating lightning and crapping thunder as the bassist for Motorhead. The psychedelic jams of Phil Lesh, the jazz fire of Charles Mingus, and Les Claypool’s…whatever it is that he does. Paul McCartney, The Ox, John Paul Jones, Donald Duck Dunn, and Carol Kaye. 

They’re musicians who broke out of the background, proving the bass isn’t just support—it’s the pulse of the music. So turn it up, feel the rumble, and let’s give these low-end legends the stage they deserve.

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of ⁠Pantheon Media⁠. We're sponsored by⁠ Boldfoot Socks⁠.

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Prisoners of Rock and Roll is a show where we talk about music, the people who make it, and the everlasting effect it has on us. Today’s episode is personal. Last week, we lost Ryan’s dad John McCusker – he was a South Philadelphia icon who always put his family first, the owner of McCusker’s Tavern, a friend to thousands, a diehard baseball fan, and a music lover. 

So in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re doing a tribute to John McCusker by talking about some of the music that he loved. This one’s for you, John.

Here's the video we played of someone interviewing John about McCusker's Tavern.

Episode Playlist

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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.

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks.

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In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stage-diving into the sweaty, dusty madness of Lollapalooza—a festival that started as a punk-rock farewell tour and turned into a genre-crushing, culture-shaping juggernaut with more lives than Keith Richards.

Lollapalooza launched in 1991 as a sendoff for Jane’s Addiction—but it hit the road just as grunge was blowing up and quickly turned into something way bigger. It wasn’t just a tour—it was a movement. A 20-city, 20,000-screaming-fans-a-night, punk rock circus on wheels.

By ‘92, Pearl Jam was leaping into mosh pits, Red Hot Chili Peppers were funking up the chaos, and Rage Against the Machine stood naked on stage in Philly, duct tape over their mouths in a silent protest against censorship. This wasn’t peace and love—it was rebellion with a PA system.

Sure, it stumbled—people accused it of selling out. Then it died in ‘98, flopped in ‘04—but like any great rock act, it made a comeback. And Chicago’s Grant Park became its home base. From tattoo tents to $400 VIP wristbands, Lollapalooza has been underground, mainstream, gritty, glossy—always evolving, always loud.

So throw on your ripped flannel or your festival wristband—we’re digging into the birth, the chaos, the reinventions, and the legacy of a festival that didn’t just play the game—it rewrote it.

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Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks.

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On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stepping into the grimy, graffiti-smeared chaos of CBGB—the legendary Bowery dive that became punk’s ground zero. A Cathedral of Misfits.

Picture this: December 1973, Hilly Kristal, a former Marine, opens a bar at 315 Bowery, dreaming of country, bluegrass, and blues. Instead, the junkies and misfits of New York’s underbelly gave him something else—a revolution. 

CBGB wasn’t just a club; it was a musical laboratory for rebels. With a simple rule that bands couldn’t play covers, The Ramones hammered out three-chord blitzkriegs, Patti Smith snarled poetry into punk, Blondie strutted to stardom, and Talking Heads turned weird into gold—all while helping change rock forever.

The place stank, the bathrooms were a nightmare, but the music? Pure, unpolished fire. 

By the ‘80s, Sunday matinees flipped it to hardcore—bands like Bad Brains and the Beastie Boys’ early thrash days tearing the roof off. 

From punk’s birth to its brutal evolution, CBGB launched a global DIY movement, proving you didn’t need polish, just guts. 

But the story ends ugly—rent wars and gentrification killed it in 2006, turning a punk mecca into a fashion boutique and an airport restaurant. 

Grab your leather jacket, because we’re diving into the birthplace of rebellion, the chaos inside those peeling walls, and how a little club with a country name rewrote rock’s rulebook. This is CBGB, unfiltered.

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

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is part of Pantheon Media. We're sponsored by Boldfoot Socks.

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