Rock 'n' Roll Grad School

Most people will tell you jazz is an American art form, but, Dr Pascal Bokar has some other ideas.

Dr Bokar has studied the history of music prior to the 1880s, (the date most musical experts cite as the birth of jazz) and has done the research to offer a look at the historical basis on which jazz was built.

Our conversation is a fascinating one, one definitely worth listening to. For more information, check out Dr Bokar's website, where you can learn more about his studies and his band.

John Ellison is music royalty. As a member of the Soul Brothers Six, John wrote Some Kind of Wonderful,  a song that became an instant classic and that has been covered by the likes of Q-Tip, Joss Stone, Conway Twitty and, of course, Grand Funk Railroad.

We talked with John in the summer of 2020, in the midst of the Black Lives Matter protests, and learned about John's story and the song he wrote inspired by the racial inequality in the United States called (Wake Up Call) Black Like Me.

Ann Magnuson lives her life as a work of art. You can see her turning to everything around her as she creates her music, video and art pieces.

We had a great talk with Ann about how her artistic life has run parallel to her life, and some of her many influences. For more information, or order some of those art pieces, or to pick up one of her great albums, check out her website.

The riffs were big, the hair was bigger.

The 1980s were a high point for hard rock and the new book Nothin' But A Good Time takes you deep into the madness that was Poison, Kix, White Lion, Bon Jovi, LA Guns and so many more. We talked with authors Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock  about their journey to put together the be-all and end-all of 80s biographies.

Nothin' But a Good Time is available now, wherever you get your books.

Emily James just released her latest EP, titled Just Wanted You to Know, Pt 1. It is a collection of personal songs, with a unique voice and sound. We talked to Emily on the release day of the EP. For more information, check out Emily's website, and, of course, you can download her music wherever fine music is downloaded.

Hello there ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to rock?

This week we talked with former Spin editor-in-chief Doug Brod about his great new book, They Just Seem a Little Weird: How Kiss, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Starz Remade Rock & Roll. The book looks at the popularity of rock in the 1970s and the role these bands played in making it what it is today. It's a great read.

Nicky Siano played a large role in making dance music what it is today. Between beat matching and his groundbreaking club The Gallery and then moving uptown to Studio 54, Nicky has been at the center of so many memorable nights.

Nicky is hosting an on-line party this weekend to celebrate his birthday. For more information and for tickets, check out Nicky's website.

Chris Hillman is alt country royalty. Between his work in the Byrds & the Flying Burrito Brothers, Chris played a key role in combining country and rock.

In his new memoir, Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond is a fascinating look into his memorable and long-running career. For more information, check out Chris' website.