Rock 'n' Roll Grad School

You may know Iain Matthews from his time with Fairport Convention. Or, you may know him from all his other groups, projects and solo records. And he's about to add another one to the list. How Much is Enough is his newest. We talked with Iain in what turned out to be a master class on songwriting.

How Much is Enough is out on October 25th via Sunset Blvd records. For more information, check out Iain's website.

This week we're talking ambient music with Kevin Keller. If you don't fully get the genre, we talk more about it and try to deconstruct what it is and how you make it.

Kevin has a really engrossing and fascinating album out now called Evensong, available wherever quality music is sold. For more information, check out his website.

You know Rob McNelley's work. He's written with country music legends like Dolly Parton, Bob Seeger and Lady A. Now, he's putting out his own music and, surprise surprise, it's really good. 

For more information, you can follow Rob on Instagram, @rmcnelley.

Plus, Heidi sees Bob Dylan for the first time and has her life forever changed.

Sadly, Screamin' Scott Simon from Sha Na Na passed away last weekend. Scott was very generous to sit down with us and talk about the group and his fascinating career. Enjoy this conversation and play some of Scott's music loud in his memory.

For music fans, the legend of the Grande Ballroom looms large. The room played host to important shows by band such as The MC5, The Who, Iggy and the Stooges and BB King.

While it's not longer a music venue, the room is an iconic part of the history of Detroit music. We talked with Tony D’Annunzio, director of the documentary, Louder Then Love: The Grande Ballroom Story, which is screening as part of the Beaver Island Film Festival, September 21st, 2024.

For more information on the film, check out the movie's website. And for more information about the Beaver Island Film Festival, check out their page on Facebook.

Carbon Leaf have been around since the 90's and their newest record, "Time is the Playground," is out on September 27th. It's everything you want in a great pop/rock record. We sat down with lead singer/songwriter Barry Privett about the record, what makes a great mix tape song and, of course, the satanic panic of the 80s.

For more information, you can check out Carbon Leaf's website, or you can follow them on Facebook.

The last time we talked with 3 Pairs of Boots, we only got to talk with Andrew Stern, but this time we got both Andrew and his musical (and life) partner Laura Arias as well.

The group has a new record, "Boot Scootin'," out September 27th. We talk about the song writing process, recording in the time of Covid (and after) as well as so much more.

For more information, you can check out their website, or follow them on Facebook.

Save Ferris has something not a lot of ska bands have- longevity. They're back on the road and recording new music and bringing fans young and old into the band's orbit. We talked with lead singer, songwriter Monique Powell about reptiles, opera music and, of course, which Dead Kennedy's song they can't play for children. (Well, one specific song.)

"Lights Out at the Reptile House" is available to stream wherever you find your music. And the band is out on the road, right now, bringing the good times to your city soon. For more information, check out the band's website, or follow them on Facebook.

You could say, oops, we did it again.

This time we're starting a new music show, "Tribute- A Tribute to Tributes." Each episode, we'll break down and talk through another tribute record and decide whether it's worth listening (or re-listening) to. Here's our first episode, all about the Carpenters tribute record, "If I Were A Carpenter."

Did you know that The Professional Production Company makes other podcasts? We sure do. This week, have a listen to a music-themed episode of Famous Last Words, a study of the final words of some of the most fascinating people in history.

The legend of Johnny Ace is unforgettable. A singer with an incredible voice, cut down in his prime, in the interest of making life on the road a little more exciting.

For a full transcript and credits, check out our website. You can also follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.

Famous Last Words is a proud partner of the Darkcast Network