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).

With Kousin Ray out bringing the MF’n fun, the other three Kousins wanted to talk about what they were listening to this week. There were some really good choices from Kousin Marvin and Kousin Gary, and Kousin Tim shocks the world with one of his. Kousin Marvin also spread his “Let Me Know” throughout the whole show. It was fun for the Kousins to go “old school” (without KR), but they can’t wait for the big guy to return.

Calls from Der Deutsche (aka Ze German), Bruno from South Africa, Jim From Irwin, and Jem From Alabama.

What were you listening to this week?

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

We are celebrating Kousin Gary’s birthday on this episode! In honor of that, we invited his best friend (and sometimes adversary), Stuart Hill, to come on the show and have a Gladiator Showdown. This Showdown features a Roth-era Van Halen album vs. a Sammy Van Hagar album. Each combatant only told Kousin Tim what they were picking, leaving it a mystery as to which album either was pitting against their opponent. Kousin Gary picked 1984 (1984). Stuart picked 5150 (1986).

To reiterate the rules, the winner can either go first or defer their pick after a coin flip. The first selector chooses their “gladiator” or song for battle. After a short listen, the opponent chooses the song (or gladiator) to battle the round’s opening song. The other three Kousins then vote for the winner. The two pickers can also change their vote if they choose to. Whichever song has the most votes… wins. If there’s a tie, well, we’ll give that away, there wasn’t. Each combatant has two deferrals (outside the opening coin flip) they can use for the battle.

No “Now Listenings.”

Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, Eugene B. Sims, Bruno From He’s Happy To Report Sunny Sweltering South Africa, and our new buddy Dave.

Would you defend 1984 or 5150?

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… 1987.

1986 was hard to top. It was great not only in the hard rock but all music. So, how did 1987 do? We think it was pretty righteous. Some landmark albums came out that year.

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 1987 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 Nick Provenzano from Northern California, Jem From Alabama, Jim From Irwin, and Bruno From Not-Sunny-At-All South Africa.

What were your favorite albums from 1987? What was going on with you in 1987?

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