Rock 'n' Roll Grad School

It's our annual Christmas celebration, where we exchange gifts, complain and play music you probably haven't heard in a while. Enjoy!

Here's an episode that we originally released on our sister show, Why? but if this isn't Grad School, well, we don't know what is.

If you're like us, you need more Cheap Trick in your life. Thankfully, Ross Warner is here with his new book, American Standard: Cheap Trick from the bars to the Budokan and Beyond. It's a look at one of the great American bands and tries to sort fact from fiction. And don't just take us for it- the book is making a lot of year-end best-of lists.

American Standard: Cheap Trick from the bars to the Budokan and Beyond is available right now from Backbeat books.

This is one that is some time in the making.

The legendary band Redd Kross started in the early 80’s when Steven McDonald was just 11 years old. Along with his big brother Jeff, Redd Kross has been carving their own unique path through rock music.

They've just released their 10th album (a double album), a memoir (Now You're One of Us) and a documentary (Born Innocent). We talked with Jeff and Steven about all of this. And which drummer would make the best hair dresser.

For more information on everything, check out the band's website.

The last time we talked with Roger Street Friedman, he was talking about his most recent album, produced by Larry Campbell. Now with his new record, "Long Shadows," Roger has taken over the producer role and emerged with an incredibly personal record that resonates.

For more information, check out Roger's website, or follow him on Facebook.

2L0T is a fascinating collection of musicians, each with a unique set of skills all coming together to create fascinating music together. Their debut album, "Entropy," is available right now. For more information, you can check out their website.

We sit down with Philly Ocean and Sailor Hawkins to talk about Yachtley Crew's newest EP, Seas and Greetings- because what goes together better than Yacht rock and Christmas?

For more information, you can check out the band's website, follow them on Facebook, or purchase the album from Earache Records.

What records define the '90s as a decade to be remembered? Is it NSync? Nirvana? What about hip-hop?

Thankfully, music writer and editor Gary Graff is here to muddy the water and start all sorts of disagreements with his new book, "501 Essential Albums of the '90s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide," available November 5th from Motorbooks. 

Jovin Webb is a singer and songwriter who just put out his first album on the Blind Pig record label. He's also a former American Idol contestant. Neither of these things will give you a sense of how amazing his voice sounds.

"Drifter" is out now and available wherever you get your records. You can follow Jovin on Facebook or find him on Instagram (@jovinwebb)

The Cowsills evoke a certain time and place, but, as artists, they've continued to grow and develop their voices. And, when they decided to make a record together in the early 90's, they knew it would be the next step in their evolution. However, it didn't exactly work out that way. But now, Global, is coming out widely, available to everyone.

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

Andrew Browning writes about human condition in all it's messy details. His most recent Love is a Beautiful Thing, is another deep dive into life. Love is a Beautiful Thing is available everywhere on November 22nd.

For more information, check out Andrew's website, or follow him on Facebook.