Rock N Roll Story Guys

Brian and Murdock combine a couple of requests by examining the ascent of Talking Heads, the man at the center of that band, and the hired guitar player whose fairy tale ascent almost (maybe?) included becoming the new lead singer.

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jars_of_Clay_(album)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Belew

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frippertronics

Belew interview about Frank Zappa meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUobcHb4VGc

Belew’s story about meeting Bowie: https://www.facebook.com/AdrianBelew/photos/in-case-you-dont-get-this-joke-heres-the-storyin-1978-i-did-my-first-tour-of-eur/10151801111629995/

https://musicaficionado.blog/2020/02/20/adrian-belew-part-1-1976-1980

https://musicaficionado.blog/2020/03/18/adrian-belew-part-2-1981-1984-king-crimson/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_Heads:_77

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_Killer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remain_in_Light

https://thepopbreak.com/2023/03/03/adrian-belew-of-talking-heads-on-remain-in-light-the-album-the-tour/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/500-greatest-albums-talking-heads-remain-in-light-1059453/

The Music Radar piece: 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/caught-middle-band-drama-adrian-114435737.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Weymouth

https://www.insidehook.com/music/chris-frantzs-talking-heads-tina-weymouth-remain-in-love

Byrne conversation about autistism: https://youtu.be/vtX6emk6U5k?si=SwGEcDuxq8uOSa9_

https://tedtockscovers.wordpress.com/2022/05/14/life-during-the-wartime-an-apocalyptic-punk-funk-merge-musicislife-tedtockscovers-talkingheads-felakuti-thestaplesingers-stevemarriott-widespreadpanic/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock dig through the history of musical parody to find the path taken by Alfred Matthew Yankovic to go from aspiring architect to godfather of laugh-out-loud lyrical tom-foolery.

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

Used in this episode: Bach “Peasant Cantata”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parody_music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parody_mass

https://interlude.hk/bach-makes-joke-peasant-cantata/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Jones

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122018506

https://ket.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/mozart-to-weird-al-the-evolution-of-parody-video/sound-field/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_MuddahHelloFadduh_(A_Letter_from_Camp)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Freberg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Lehrer

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/644173/dr-demento-ruled-radio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Demento

Full 1991 episode of the Dr Demento show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdnb8Z9IxmQ

Full 1986 episode of the Dr Demento show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbYcPmo9d2w

https://www.yahoo.com/news/meet-dr-demento-man-discovered-weird-al-fish-heads-222028433.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Weird_Al%22_Yankovic

Belvedere Cruisin’ – Weird Al demo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwaY5Ibz83w

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75056/9-musicians-who-refused-let-weird-al-yankovic-parody-their-songs

https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/alex-melton-youtube-pop-punk-covers

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When a certain VIP letter writer gets their attention, Brian and Murdock explore the story behind the band who beat out the Beatles for the Grammy and then mostly fell apart.

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BloodSweat%26_Tears

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blues_Project

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Kooper

https://americansongwriter.com/how-al-kooper-snuck-his-way-onto-one-of-bob-dylans-most-iconic-tracks/

https://www.facebook.com/VEGASROCKSMAG/photos/my-al-kooper-story-i-just-saw-the-bob-dylan-movie-a-complete-unknown-with-%F0%9D%91%BB%F0%9D%92%8A%F0%9D%92%8E%F0%9D%92%90%F0%9D%92%95%F0%9D%92%89/1339807444127523/

https://medium.com/the-riff/the-greatest-songs-of-the-1960s-that-no-one-has-ever-heard-ad27628ca5c2

https://thestrangebrew.co.uk/interviews/al-kooper/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynard_Ferguson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Is_Father_to_the_Man

http://www.rdrop.com/users/rickert/al.html

https://forbassplayersonly.com/jim-fielder/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Simon_(music_producer)

https://www.listeningsessions.ca/p/what-happened-before-what-happened

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Clayton-Thomas

https://bestclassicbands.com/david-clayton-thomas-interview-blood-sweat-tears-6-18-19/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Hawkins

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BloodSweatTears(BloodSweatTearsalbum)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Hell_Happened_to_BloodSweat%26_Tears%3F

What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat, & Tears documentary: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGPWNSJT?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Winds of Change podcast: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/

Library of Congress on Cultural Diplomacy https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/hope-for-america/cultural-diplomacy.html

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock attempt to answer the long-asked question: "What the hell happened to that other guy from Wham!?"

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

The 2019 book: https://www.amazon.com/Wham-George-Michael-Me-Memoir/dp/1524745316

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Michael

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ridgeley

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wham!

Wham! In China documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IJZkarC5tM

https://www.portablepress.com/blog/2014/06/the-hard-luck-of-andrew-ridgeley-wham/

https://the-race.com/junior/the-messy-racing-career-of-an-ex-wham-superstar/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1468-2230.1995.tb02047.x

https://www.popmatters.com/72510-andrew-ridgeley-an-appreciation-2496033339.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wham_Rap(EnjoyWhat_You_Do)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John%27s_Children

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4379399.stm

2019 This Morning interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BbVxKxWgBs

1985 Smash Hits interview: https://gmforever.com/andrew-ridgeley-on-what-the-papers-say-smash-hits-1985/

1985 Chartbeat interview: https://gmforever.com/andrew-ridgeley-interview-with-chartbeat-magazine-1985/

“Flame” by Andrew Ridgeley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yryqr2RXFEE&list=PL0il5YCZewTYOAt67OZib3vQnII3BeYSk&index=6

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock dig into the rumors around what organized efforts may or may not have gone in to squashing the once promising career of British rock guitarist Steve Marriott, derailling his intial rise to prominence with bands like the Small Faces and Humble Pie.

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Marriott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dee_Anthony

http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/humble-pie-l-a-times/

https://lovethatsongpodcast.com/humble-pie-stone-cold-fever/

https://www.onamrecords.com/artists/humble-pie

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/humble-pie-street-rats/

https://iorr.org/talk/read.php?1,2134440,2134720

https://www.fivefamiliesnyc.com/2010/10/mobsters-make-steve-marriott-eat-humble.html

https://dgmlive.com/news/managing-america

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Loog_Oldham

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immediate_Records

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamus_(song)

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/feb/08/sallybolton

https://www.popcultureshelf.com/all-or-nothing-the-authorised-story-of-steve-marriott-by-simon-spence-2021/

https://www.ronnielane.com/steve-marriott.html

https://www.facebook.com/lauriewrightmusic/videos/-in-my-extensive-research-as-i-gear-up-to-play-the-lead-role-in-the-steve-marrio/1535399244828428/

https://deadline.com/2026/03/steve-marriott-small-faces-movie-biopic-all-or-nothing-1236767523/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriott_(album)

Steve Marriott: All Too Beautiful - https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Marriott-All-Too-Beautiful-ebook/dp/B012XGLK66/ref=books_dbstyp_desktop_mfs_sp_0?

All Or Nothing - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1915841208?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

https://www.loudersound.com/features/humble-pie-story

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock take the opportunity a letter affords them to talk about the founding fathers (and mothers) of the Athens, Georgia music scene and the tragedy that almost derailed them before they ever got to sing about "that little old place where we can get together..."

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://gardenandgun.com/athens-georgia-music

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-b-52s-mission-accomplished-231021/

https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/the-b-52s-cosmic-thing-album-8518005/

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lennon-rock-lobster-b-52s/

https://www.theb52s.com/bio

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBZqzUdySj5/

https://postpunkmonk.com/2021/04/30/hard-to-believe-that-theres-a-universe-where-the-first-b-52s-album-hadnt-always-existed-part-2/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Schneider

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Wilson_(guitarist)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Lobster

https://magnetmagazine.com/2015/03/12/a-conversation-with-kate-pierson/

https://www.howgooditis.com/transcripts/transcript-150-rock-lobster/

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2024/06/the-b-52s-talk-unlikely-jersey-origins-and-letting-your-freak-flag-fly-before-nj-concert.html

https://survivingthegoldenage.com/interview-fred-schneider-of-the-b-52s/

https://www.pastpri.me/home/fred-schneider-just-fred

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprechgesang

https://www.audiovisualrepository.com/blog/rockhallcontendersb52s

https://www.decaturish.com/news/avondale_estates/producer-danny-beard-reflects-on-georgia-s-unique-music-tradition/article_bbf2c76d-74e9-50ed-91af-a668c0ad248d.html

https://www.today.com/popculture/10-best-rock-bands-ever-2d80554936

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_B-52%27s_(album)

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/b52s-mesopotamia/

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/399158823/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Kurfirst

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whammy!

https://www.outinperth.com/on-this-gay-day-remembering-ricky-wilson-from-the-b-52s/

https://www.amfar.org/about-hiv-aids/snapshots-of-an-epidemic-hiv-aids/

https://miscelana.com/2022/04/02/the-eternal-originality-of-the-b-52s/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_Thing

https://www.grammy.com/artists/b-52s/10557/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a first for the show, Brian welcomes fellow rock n roll podcasters Lorin Kozlowski (Roach Koach) and Josh Toomey (Primer 55, Talk Toomey, The David Ellefson Show) to gamify a discussion of the great rock n roll songs that tackle the topic of America.

Listen to the Songs About America Draft Playlist

See the RNRSG on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock explore the story behind session legend (and former Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers multi-instrumentalist) Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and his associations with NASA and other government-related organizations. And then they end up talking about... aliens.

See the show on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://strat-talk.com/threads/jeff-%E2%80%9Cskunk%E2%80%9D-baxter-how%E2%80%99d-he-get-the-nickname.566440/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

https://simonwarner.substack.com/p/rock-stories-6-jeff-skunk-baxter

https://www.mmone.org/jeff-skunk-baxter/

Beato interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLT9LUVcISg&t=4705s

Corgan interview: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steely_Dan

https://outsidethebeltway.com/skunk_baxter_former_doobie_brother_counterterror_advisor/

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/doobie-brother-jeff-skunk-baxter-on-how-he-became-a-missile-defence-expert/article_45f41923-c660-5a21-8ea7-47dab4f525a9.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder

https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/can-you-make-it-more-green-jeff-skunk-baxter-recalls-his-strangest-studio-sessions-from-steely-dan-to-dolly-parton

https://x.com/ExpandingDan/status/1749508536072065291

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-steely-dan-jeff-skunk-baxter-became-a-missile-defence-expert

Really, No Really (Jason Alexander) Podcast: https://youtu.be/_blc89zsndc?si=Z2wecEFYryGHd7WD

https://www.ihmc.us/groups/jbaxter/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May#Scientific_career

https://www.independent.co.uk/space/ufo-tom-delonge-blink-182-aliens-are-real-b2385824.html

The Tom was Right T-shirt: https://tothestars.media/products/tom-was-right-t-shirt-black-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLonge

https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/tom-delonge-ufo-timeline-8071145/

https://listverse.com/2024/12/03/10-musicians-who-have-other-jobs/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock answer letters and break down the stories behind a handful of BIG songs and the women they are - or ARE NOT - about...

See the show on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/867-5309/Jenny

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/867-5309-jenny/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clover_(band)

https://www.amazon.com/867-5309-Jenny-Song-That-Saved/dp/1936185555#:~:text=Alex%20also%20wrote%20or%20co,Johnny%20and%20the%20Asbury%20Dukes.

https://www.sherrirosen.com/blog/2011/08/04/interview-with-alex-call-of-867-5309-jenny-the-song-that-saved-me/

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/entertainment/local/2012/04/30/local-history-there-is-no/10606260007/

https://www.lmtribune.com/a_and_e/whatever-happened-to-jenny-from-tommy-tutones-famed-song/article_5441726a-4d0e-54ea-83e8-b58e2ba70852.html

1982 People Magazine: https://web.archive.org/web/20090604142927/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20082266,00.html

https://musicinfluence.com/rock-and-roll-tales/who-owns-867-5309/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2020/01/14/remember-867-5309-who-was-jenny-we-chat-with-tommy-tutone/?sh=1b8547e532a0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_White_T%27s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_That_We_Needed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fearless_Records

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/heres-the-actual-story-behind-hey-there-delilah

https://bachelornation.com/2020/04/14/plain-white-ts-tom-higgenson-hey-there-delilah-backstory-bachelor-happy-hour/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Lotta_Rosie

https://jessefinkbooks.com/blog/f/the-first-photo-of-acdcs-rosie

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian and Murdock make an effort to talk about more of the women in rock when they answer a letter adressing the rumor that Hole's Live Through This was ghostwritten by... a man.

See the show on YouTube

Visit the show on Instagram

Visit the show on Facebook

Sign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)

SHOW NOTES:

https://rulefortytwo.com/secret-rock-knowledge/chapter-7/did-kurt-cobain-write-live-through-this/

https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-courtney-love

https://www.biography.com/musicians/courtney-love

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtney_Love

https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/courtney-love

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-moment-kurt-cobain-met-courtney-love/

https://www.nickiswift.com/787746/a-complete-timeline-of-courtney-love-and-kurt-cobains-relationship

https://www.themarysue.com/holes-live-through-this-turns-30-courtney-love-kurt-cobain-rumors-explained

https://www.thatericalper.com/2025/02/06/5-surprising-facts-about-holes-live-through-this

https://rulefortytwo.com/secret-rock-knowledge/chapter-7/did-kurt-cobain-write-live-through-this

https://www.lyndsanity.com/music/looking-back-at-holes-live-through-this-25-years-later

https://www.nme.com/news/music/courtney-love-244-1400512

https://youtu.be/stNpkzN7F48?si=V6OTz5OI9vhMh2YG

(Courtney fronting Faith No More begins at 55.44

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.