This week on Regarding Music from The Elder, Chaz, Wolfy, Scott, Corey, and special guests Dan & Pang Pappathopoulos stumble headfirst into “Dark Light”—where the screenplay somehow becomes more unhinged, Mr. Blackwell starts sounding like a cosmic war prophet, and absolutely nobody can agree whether the Elder are enlightened guardians… or interdimensional HR managers from hell.

Meanwhile:

• Corey discovers the Order of the Rose may have built its entire business model on manipulation and disposable messiahs
• A creepy fox-man appears out of nowhere singing Ace Frehley lyrics like a haunted alley goblin
• An owl creature eats multiple soldiers onscreen
• Sypha drops a revelation massive enough to shatter the whole mythology
• Heath McCoy accidentally channels Randy Savage hard enough to threaten reality itself

And through it all, the panel continues the impossible task of adapting Music from The Elder into an actual coherent cinematic universe… one cease-and-desist at a time.

“Dark Light” — KISS

(with unexpected assistance from Ace Frehley, alleyway goblins, and purple lightning)

Not a rock opera anymore.

A full-blown fantasy franchise fueled entirely by commitment to the bit.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaz, Wolfy, Scott, Corey, and special guest Heath McCoy return once more to the crumbling, smoke-covered battlefield of Regarding Music from The Elder—this time under the banner of “The Oath.”

And fittingly, absolutely nobody emerges emotionally intact.

What begins with discussions of “minimal editing,” accidental hot mics, and Boneless-grade production recklessness quickly spirals into one of the season’s most cinematic chapters yet: a full-scale supernatural reckoning involving telekinetic executions, airborne corpses, emotionally compromised heroes, collapsing belief systems, and enough purple energy blasts to bankrupt a mid-1980s special effects department.

Scott unveils the latest section of the ever-mutating Elder screenplay project, pushing the story fully into dark fantasy opera territory as Mr. Blackwell unleashes absolute devastation across the battlefield while Corey—bloodied, broken, and spiritually unraveling—comes face to face with the horrifying realization that maybe the Order of the Rose isn’t quite the noble institution everybody hoped it was.

Turns out “The Oath” may not be about loyalty at all.

It may be about what happens after loyalty curdles into resentment, manipulation, sacrifice, and generational trauma.

Fun stuff.

Meanwhile, Heath McCoy settles comfortably into the chaos as the panel collectively realizes they are no longer “doing a funny podcast about a weird KISS album.” They are now actively constructing a sprawling metaphysical war saga where Gene Simmons has somehow become a grief-stricken telekinetic warlord delivering Shakespearean monologues through clouds of black smoke.

And then…

because this season refuses to obey natural law…

Kevin Brown materializes out of nowhere.

What follows is one of the most unexpectedly beautiful moments of the entire series as Kevin delivers a theatrical reinterpretation of “A World Without Heroes,” transforming the panel from wisecracking commentators into genuinely stunned spectators. Comparisons fly somewhere between Daryl Hall, Broadway rock opera, and “the version KISS maybe should’ve recorded in the first place.”

Naturally, this leads directly into debates about Tommy, Quadrophenia, The Wall, theatrical ambition, and the creeping realization that Music from The Elder might actually have worked if the band had leaned harder into the weirdness instead of recoiling from it in terror.

Because if “The Oath” teaches us anything, it’s this:

Once you swear yourself to the bit…

there is no safe way back out.

• Mr. Blackwell going full cosmic vengeance demon
• Corey enduring approximately seventeen separate emotional breakdowns
• A battlefield sequence with enough destruction to qualify as progressive rock Braveheart
• Kevin Brown unexpectedly stealing the entire episode with one song
• Heath McCoy calmly observing the collapse of reality in real time

“The Oath” — KISS

Not a discussion of The Elder.

An oath-bound descent into full-blown mythological podcast theater.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott and the assembled Order of Mildly Concerned Scholars (Wolfie… and special guest Seb Hunter, emerging from the fog like a man who’s seen what lies beyond the fourth gate of The Elder) convene for what was supposed to be a routine episode and instead becomes something far stranger: an encounter.

Because this week isn’t just about Music from The Elder.

It’s about a man who looked at that album—its ambition, its confusion, its audacity—and decided the real problem wasn’t that it failed…it’s that no one had finished the job.

What follows is less an interview and more a careful excavation of a long-dormant creative experiment. Scott and Wolfie guide the conversation as Seb Hunter recounts, with equal parts clarity and disbelief, how a throwaway idea—“what if someone actually made The Elder into a movie?”—mutated into a full-blown production effort:

• A screenplay written in earnest
• A trailer shot with real actors and real intention
• A grassroots network of collaborators, fans, and the occasional internet wildcard
• And a persistent awareness that somewhere, possibly, Gene Simmons could shut the whole thing down with a single phone call

Seb is reflective, candid, and occasionally amused by his past self—the version of him who thought, quite reasonably at the time, that you could just… make a movie. The hosts, for their part, oscillate between fascination and the dawning realization that they are speaking with someone who got closer to solving The Elder than anyone ever should.

There is talk of ambition.

Of creative delusion (the productive kind).

Of the brutal math of filmmaking—where passion is abundant and money is not.

Because if The Elder taught KISS anything, and if this project teaches us anything now, it’s this:

You can build the world.

You can write the script.

You can even gather the fellowship.

But eventually…

someone has to pay for the horses.

Seb's band - The Provincials - check out their video here

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaz and the assembled Order of Mildly Concerned Scholars (Wolfy, Scott, Corey, and special guest Heath McCoy—clearly summoned from a higher KISS dimension) plunge headlong into “Dark Light”, a song that dares to answer the question: What if Ace Frehley, Lou Reed, and a prog-rock fever dream all walked into the same enchanted tavern?

The result is… well… something.

What unfolds is less a discussion and more a ceremonial unpacking of a deeply confused artifact—part space opera, part Dungeons & Dragons campaign, part “we probably should’ve stopped this earlier.” Heath arrives as both evangelist and realist, boldly claiming there is greatness buried somewhere in this album, though not necessarily in the immediate vicinity of tonight’s track.

Meanwhile, the show’s increasingly ambitious Elder screenplay project barrels forward—this week delivering a full-on siege, complete with undead devils, flaming roses, telepathic shouting, and at least one man being eaten by an owl. (Not a metaphor. Just…effin...eaten.)

There is debate over authorship, bewilderment over Lou Reed’s involvement, sympathy for poor Eric Carr, and a growing sense that everyone involved—band and podcasters alike—may be in slightly over their heads.

And yet… onward they march.

Because if The Elder teaches us anything, it’s that commitment to the bit is absolute, even when the bit begins to stare back at you with softly glowing demon eyes.

Featuring:

• A guest who loves KISS enough to tell the truth
• A song that may or may not qualify as “pretty good” under USDA & Ohio laboratory conditions
• A script that has now fully embraced chaos as a narrative strategy
• Repeated reminders not to lean into the mic (but absolutely lean into the madness)

THIS WEEK’S SONG:

“Dark Light” — KISS (with unexpected assistance from Lou Reed… yes, really)

FINAL VERDICT:

Not the worst thing on the album.

Which, in this context, is both praise… and a warning.

Macho Man Heath McCoy is the author of Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, available on Amazon.ca and at ECW Press. He appears in the award winning documentary Singhs in the Ring on Crave TV and co-hosts School of Hip with Chaz Charles here on the Boneless Podcasting Network.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this installment of Regarding… Music From The Elder, the panel gathers once more in the echoing halls of prophecy to determine what, exactly, just happened. And table read.

Chaz Charles, Greg “Wolfie” Wolf, Scott D. Monroe, Corey Morrissette, and guests Laura Morrissette and Michael and Debbie Pastore conclude their latest descent into KISS mythology by addressing the expanding cinematic ambitions of The Elder — including Scott’s taking up a quest to locate filmmaker Seb Hunter, who once attempted to turn the album into an actual motion picture.

Was it crushed by fate?

Was it too ambitious?

Did Bob Ezrin sneeze and blow several grand worth of Bolivian marching powder on the master and call it good?

No one knows. But we intend to find out.

The conversation drifts — as all noble quests do — into references to other towering rock epics, complete with knowing nods and the faint suspicion that everyone involved may have been borrowing from everyone else since 1969. There are priests, temples, and “great computers” briefly invoked, because of course there are.

From there, the tone shifts into something both reflective and mildly self-aware. The panel considers the peculiar joy of lovingly dissecting ambitious artistic misfires, acknowledging that ridicule and admiration can, in fact, coexist peacefully in the same medieval council chamber.

Scott’s screenplay project continues to loom large — a fully formed narrative attempting to give The Elder the structure it always seemed to promise. Whether this represents restoration or revisionism remains an open question. But it does involve sea monsters, councils, and an alarming amount of sincerity.

Guest Michael Pastore shares reflections on fandom, his book The Mighty Van Halen: One Fan’s Journey, and the enduring power of rock mythology — culminating in a wedding anecdote featuring Rock and Roll All Nite, because destiny occasionally wears platform boots.

By episode’s end, one truth remains:

The Elder may not have become a film.

But it has become a quest.

And we are apparently committed to seeing it through.

And Wolfie is committed to the musical...fully...completely. And you can hear it here.

The Regarding…Series — we listen so you don’t have to.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Regarding… Music From The Elder takes on “Only You,” Gene Simmons’ brooding, myth-heavy centerpiece that quietly shifts the album’s focus from spectacle to internal reckoning.

Chaz Charles, Greg “Wolfie” Wolf, Scott D. Monroe, Corey Morissette, and guests Sean McGinity and Michael Pastore approach the track after an ambitious table read of Scott’s unfolding Elder screenplay—where singing sea monsters, telepathic entities, blood moons, and a girl in a sundress named Mara blur the line between fantasy epic and fever dream. Where is Sigmond?

The panel quickly zeroes in on the song’s structure and perspective. Is this Morpheus addressing the boy? Is it the Council of Elders demanding answers? Or is it a call-and-response between mentor and initiate?

The episode unpacks:

• How the lyrics function as a psychological checkpoint in the hero’s journey
• Why the bridge provides the emotional vulnerability the rest of the album often avoids
• How the song’s theatrical tone suggests stage musical DNA
• Whether the chorus represents mentorship, manipulation, or both
• The tension between destiny being declared and destiny being doubted

There’s also deep musical discussion. The group notes Gene’s rhythmic bass presence, the riff’s metallic edge, and the possibility of Anton Fig vs. Eric Carr on drums. The performance itself gets more respect than some of the surrounding album mythology — this is one of the first moments where the panel agrees the music stands confidently on its own.

Context matters too. The song’s origins stretch back to 1970 under the working title “Eskimo Son,” later reshaped for The Elder. That long gestation fuels discussion about retrofitting older material into a high-concept fantasy framework — does it enrich the project, or expose its seams?

Meanwhile, Scott’s screenplay interpretation pushes the mythology further: the boy (Cornelius), the Council, Morpheus, the singing Aboleth, and the haunting image of Mara in her sundress — a vision blending memory, trauma, and prophecy. That imagery colors how the group hears “Only You”: less as exposition, more as psychic fallout.

The core tension of the episode becomes clear:

Is “Only You” reassurance?

Or is it pressure?

Is Morpheus empowering the boy?

Or cornering him into accepting a role he may not fully understand?

The panel doesn’t force a verdict. Instead, they embrace the ambiguity — because for once, the uncertainty feels intentional rather than accidental.

The episode closes looking ahead: the next table read promises to bring the boy before the Council of Elders, where the song’s call-and-response dynamic may become literal confrontation.

This isn’t about bombast.

It’s about responsibility.

And fear.

The Regarding…Series — we listen so you don’t have to.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Regarding… Music From The Elder takes on Odyssey, the Paul Stanley–sung epic where KISS decides that the best way to build mythology is to state it very solemnly and hope the listener fills in the blanks.

Chaz Charles, Greg “Wolfie” Wolf, Scott D. Monroe, and Corey Morissette break down a song that has lyrics, has a singer, and has enormous confidence — yet still leaves everyone asking the same question:

Who is Paul Stanley supposed to be right now?

Is he the voice of the Elders?

A historian?

A prophet?

A tour guide pointing vaguely at a fantasy world just off-camera?

That confusion comes into sharp focus around one of the song’s most baffling images: the child in a sundress. The panel spends time trying to figure out who this child is supposed to be, why we’re meant to care, and how such a specific image can feel emotionally loaded while remaining completely untethered to any character, story, or stakes. Is it innocence? A symbol? A memory? Or just another gesture toward meaning without the work of defining it?

The episode digs deep into the song’s core tension: Odyssey wants to function as narration without committing to a narrator. Paul sings declarative, myth-heavy lines with total conviction, but the lyrics never establish perspective, stakes, or character — creating a song that sounds profound while remaining stubbornly abstract.

The panel unpacks:

• How Paul’s performance sells seriousness even when the lyrics wobble
• Why repetition is doing most of the storytelling heavy lifting
• How the song insists that a grand journey is underway without showing us any of it
• And why this kind of myth-making teeters dangerously close to self-parody

Comparisons are made to 2112, classic fantasy tropes, and Monty Python’s mock-epic moments, where absolute sincerity collides with material that can’t quite support it. The group debates whether “Odyssey” is misunderstood ambition, overreach, or simply a band confusing importance with clarity.

The episode closes — after post-production reordering — with a table read from Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay, now placed at the end of the show, finally giving “Odyssey” the narrative framework it always seemed to demand… and quietly highlighting how much the song itself leaves unsaid.

This isn’t about vocals.

It’s about authority without definition.

The Regarding…Series — we listen so you don’t have to.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regarding… Music From The Elder kicks off Season Five of the Regarding… series with a deep dive into KISS’s most infamous left turn: The Elder, the soundtrack to a movie that never existed—until now.

Co-Hosts Greg “Wolfie” Wolf, Scott D. Monroe, Chaz Charles, and Corey Morissette enter the album track by track with eyes wide open, asking not whether it’s good or bad, but what actually happens when a band builds an entire fantasy world and forgets how to live inside it. This season isn’t about rehabilitating The Elder, and it’s not about burying it either. It’s about documenting it honestly. Oaky...honestly, they didn't need to ask if it was bad...but that is entirely besides the point. There are those who would disagree.

The episode opens by framing the record’s troubled history—Bob Ezrin, post-Wall ambition, band dysfunction, label interference, and the infamous resequencing that altered the original narrative. The hosts debate original vs. remastered track order before settling on the band’s restored vision: “Fanfare” into “Just a Boy.”

From there, the discussion digs into why the album alienated fans, how its medieval fantasy tropes collide with KISS’s identity, and why certain ideas almost work when stripped of the band’s branding. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons quotes add historical context, while sharp commentary compares The Elder to Tommy, 2112, Lord of the Rings, and even unintentional self-parody.

The episode’s major twist: the launch of an original, serialized movie script written by Scott D. Monroe. Each week, new pages will be released, expanding the story the album only hinted at—and sometimes actively avoided. This first episode features a full table read of the prologue, introducing Morpheus, the Elders, Mr. Blackwell, and the Boy, finally giving the album the narrative structure it never quite earned.

Along the way, the hosts cover Ace Frehley’s limited contributions, Bob Kulick’s uncredited guitar work, the album’s critical reputation, and why The Elder may be one of rock’s most fascinating failures.

Season Five begins exactly where Regarding… belongs: at the intersection of ambition, miscalculation, and just enough belief to make the whole thing worth examining.

We listen so you don’t have to.

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the carnage from Rock Court Season 2 spills over on your Regarding…Slang hosts Chaz, Wolfie, Scotzo, and podcasting overlord Corey as they're joined by the ever-opinionated Judge Kevin Brown and Michael Pastore for a sprawling, raucous wrap-up of Def Leppard’s “Slang” era and its B-sides. As the crew closes out the album, they dig into “Pearl of Euphoria” and a handful of deep cuts, wrestling with Def Leppard’s late-90s identity crisis and the merits of ballads, B-sides, and band evolution.

Before the music spins, the crew swaps stories about Def Leppard’s setlists and the strange fate of “Slang” in the band’s legacy. Chaz recalls seeing the band during this era, while Corey and Kevin debate the wisdom of chasing trends versus sticking to your sound. Scott admits to playlist curation anxiety as he tries to salvage the album with B-sides, and Wolfie confesses he’s never really been a Leppard guy—despite decades of Chaz’s endless inquiry, "Do you like Dep Leppard? I like Dep Leppard."

The songs themselves? Opinions fly. “Pearl of Euphoria” is dissected for its Zeppelin-esque drums, U2 atmospherics, and meandering structure. B-sides like “Can’t Keep Away from the Flame” and Euphoria-era “Burnout” spark enthusiasm, with the crew praising their authenticity and party-rock energy—even as they admit these tracks don’t fit the album’s mood. Covers and demos are sampled, with reactions ranging from “surprisingly great” to “why not just listen to the original?”

This episode features:

🎤 Chaz’s tales of message board trolling and Def Leppard fandom coming full circle

🎸 Corey’s encyclopedic knowledge of setlists, B-sides, and Canadian rock trivia

🥃 Group therapy on the dangers of chasing trends, playlist anxiety, and the eternal debate: ballads vs. bangers

🗑️ Tangents on Christmas songs, podcasting platforms, and the existential question of whether anyone really listens to “Slang” front-to-back

By the end, the crew is buoyed by camaraderie, nostalgia, and the promise of more podcasting chaos ahead. When Def Leppard misses the mark, these boneless couch philosophers don’t hold back—but they’ll always come back for another round, hoping the next track (or season) brings the fire. Grab a plate of wings and your favorite band t-shirt, because nobody suffers weak-ass balladeers or broke-ass backstreet wannabes here. Next up: Kiss the Elder, film court, and more boneless news—because the show never really ends or burns out, it just kinda fades away...till next season!

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 10: Where Does Love Go When It Dies (with Kelsey Van Halen)

This week, your Regarding…Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by Def Leppard devotee and Van Halen aficionado Kelsey Van Halen for a deep dive into one of Slang’s most polarizing ballads — “Where Does Love Go When It Dies.”

Before the track spins, the crew swaps stories about Def Leppard’s touring stamina, the lost years of streaming rights, and the formative trauma of missing concerts on school nights. Kelsey recalls her early Def Leppard shows and the band’s impact on her musical coming-of-age, while Corey reminisces about awkward meet-and-greets and acoustic medleys in Vegas. Chaz and Wolfie debate the merits of earnest balladry versus arena-ready anthems, and Scott admits to playlist curation anxiety as the album winds down.

The song itself? No punches are pulled. Harsh words like “crap on a cracker,” “atrocious,” and “emotionally vacant” fly as the panel laments the lack of hooks, the questionable lyrics, and the absence of Def Leppard’s usual energy. Comparisons to Bon Jovi and Kiss surface, but not as compliments. The crew debates the sincerity of the lyrics and the dangers of a ballad without bite. In the end, consensus quietly forms: but what's it gonna be??

This episode features:

🎤 Kelsey’s tales of David Lee "Hot Pants" encounters and front-row fashion statements

🎸 Corey’s live Def Leppard anecdotes and a masterclass in Canadian candor

🗑️ A group therapy session on the dangers of earnest lyrics and missing guitar solos

🥃 Tangents on mandolins, open wounds, and the emotional spectrum between “nothing” and “disgust”

By the end, the crew is buoyed by camaraderie, nostalgia, and the promise of more ballads ahead. When Def Leppard misses the mark, the boneless couch philosophers don’t hold back — but they’ll always come back for another round, hoping the next track brings the fire. Grab a plate of wings and your favorite Van Halen t-shirt, because Kelsey doesn't suffer weak-ass balladeers or broke-ass backstreet wannabes, come prepared to get arested and have it photo-documented for future fashion statements. Diamond Dave or F*&k Off!!

The Show

In this season of Regarding…, the panel tackles KISS’s Music From The Elder one song at a time—testing whether its epic ambition holds up under scrutiny. Alongside the analysis, Scott D. Monroe’s original screenplay tries to turn the album’s abstract mythology into an actual story.

Ambition meets accountability.

GO BONELESS

Certified boneless in the state of Ohio by the Boneless Podcasting Network. Go Boneless. Boneless Makes a Better Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.