First, our producer apologizes for the lack of an episode last week. There it is; we’re done with it. No more mentions.

A few weeks ago, the Kousins did a retrospective of music (and other pop-culture things) from 1988, which focused on the hard rock genre (which can be found here). The Kousins will be visiting other years. But before we all move on, it was time to grade the top hard rock albums of 1988 (in their opinion).

The albums that were graded (from A+ to F) were (in no particular order):

Bon Jovi – New Jersey

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, Nick Provenzano, and Bruno From Sunny South Africa.

What would your grades be from the hard rock albums of 1988?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

It’s KISS Throwback time! The assignment was to pick your top five tracks #5 on the 20 KISS studio albums.

To be clear, the #5s to choose from were:

Let Me Know, Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rock Bottom, Flaming Youth, Baby Driver, Tomorrow & Tonight, Charisma, What Makes The World Go Round, Only You (using the original 1981 track listing from Music From ‘The Elder’), Danger, Gimme More, Lonely Is the Hunter, I’m Alive, Hell or High Water, Read My Body, God Gave Rock & Roll To You II, I Will Be There, We Are One, Stand, Shout Mercy.

Kousin Gary was out, but he still participated in this discussion.

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Dave From Winston-Salem, Bruno From Wintery South Africa.

What is your top #5s from the list above (and the bottom #5s if you’re so inclined)?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Continuing our 1988 theme, the year saw a months-long tour come to the USA and use the name Monsters of Rock. The show consisted of performances by openers Kingdom Come, Metallica, and Dokken, as well as headliners Scorpions and Van Halen.

What the Kousins did was find four songs from each act, put them in the order that they were played, and create a listening party. Along the way, Kousin Ray told stories about the show that came to Pittsburgh (Three Rivers Stadium) that he attended. He was battered, bruised, drunk, hungover, happy, sad, and more. All the Kousins gave some commentary on their thoughts, even Kousin Marvin who was all of 12-ish when it happened.

Calls from Jim From Irwin (or in this case, Beaver Falls, PA) and Bruno From South Africa.

Did you go to any of the tour stops? Did you want to?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Dateline – The Asylum. The Year… 1988.

1988 was still a good year for music. It was great not only in the hard rock but also in all music. We think it was pretty righteous. Some landmark albums came out that year, including Kousin Ray’s all-time fave, which happens to be Kousin Tim’s #2.

Some of those represent the biggest or perhaps most widely known in some artists’ careers. In addition to all the great music, not just hard rock but pop, alternative, and post-punk, the Kousins take on a snippet in time and talk about what 1988 meant to them. Not only is music on the menu for the Kousins, but they also talk about movies, television, sports, and even video games.

No “Now Listenings” because there was a lot of music to go through.

Calls from Bruno From Unwinterilylylyly South Africa, Jem From Alabama, and Jim From Irwin.

What were you doing in 1988? And what were you doing?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Kousin Ray was takin’ care o’bidness this week, so the Original Three Kousins decided to do a little XNL and LMK. Each Kousin did four songs, and it was a pretty good mix of tunes.

Calls from Bruno From Sunny South Africa, Jem From Alabama, Jim From Irwin, and Nick Provenzano.

What have you been listening to?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Kousin Marvin was missing this week, but he did send in his homework (in fact, he sent it in three weeks ago). The Kousins—sans KM—did the Asylum Top 10 Judas Priest Songs. Each Kousin made their top ten, which were combined and given a cumulative score, and the top ten (or, in this case, seventeen) were played and talked about. There were some surprises.

Calls from Bruno from Currently Wintery and Wet South Africa, Communal Steve, Jem From Alabama, two calls from Dave from Winston-Salem, Jim From Irwin, and Ze German.

No “Now Listenings.”

What are your top ten Priest songs?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

A few weeks ago, the Kousins did a retrospective of music (and other pop-culture things) from 1987, which focused on the hard rock genre (which can be found here). The Kousins will be visiting other years. But before we all move on, it was time to grade the top hard rock albums of 1987 (in their opinion).

The albums that were graded (from A+ to F) were (in no particular order):

Alice Cooper – Raise Your Fist and Yell

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Bruno from Reassuringly Toasty South Africa, and Jem From Alabama.

What grade would you have given these albums?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Kousin Ray is out this week with a stuffy head so Eugene B Sims of the Wheeler’s Dog Podcast is filling in. Actually, he was already scheduled to be on, whether KR was here or not. The Kousins are still riding the 1987 train and Eug suggested we listen to the debut album by E. Z .O which was produced by everyone’s favorite “Demon,” Gene Simmons. It also features songwriting by Jamie St. James of Black and Blue and Adam Mitchell who has collaborated with KISS in the past. So, it’s still in the “family.”

Calls from “Morgan Freeman,” “(the late) Stephen Hawking,” Dave Frey From Winston, Jem From Alabama, and Communal Steve from Podder Than Hell Podcast and I Remember Now: The Queensrÿche Podcast.

Have you heard the EZO album? If so, what did you think?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

Here it is! #200. The TWO HUNDREDTH episode! Can you believe it!? The Kousins can’t.

Kousins Tim, Gary, Marvin, and Ray reminisce through the 200 episodes, looking back on the beginnings, the first calls of several mainstays over the years, additions to the “family,” funny or interesting moments, and so much more.

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, Bruno From Mostly Sunny South Africa, and Nick From California.

There were no “Now Listenings” because it was a flashback.

Thank you so much to all the cast of characters who have graced our podcast airwaves over the past four and a half years. We wouldn’t have been here without you. Thank you for the calls, the letters (or emails), texts, messages, and the numbers (you build our numbers, which is what any podcasters want). Here is to you and the Kousins going another 200 episodes (and more)!

What is your favorite memory of the show?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).

The Kousins are back together, and it’s time for a KISS topic in the rotation, and look! We have a new release. It’s the sixth in the “Off the Soundboard” series. This Off the Soundboard showcases their San Antonio, Texas stop on December 3, 1985, at HemisFair Arena. This is the first “Soundboard” release to feature Bruce Kulick on guitar. It’s a little fast in places and there are definitely some flubs, but that’s how you know it’s from the soundboard and not reconstructed in a studio. Apparently, there had been some protesters outside before the show. This was the era of the PMRC and “Satanic Panic” after all!

No “Now Listenings” this week.

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, and Dave From Winston-Salem.

Have you heard the latest “Soundboard?”

What did you think?

Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862).