Unplugged Revisited

Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) joins the show to discuss Soul Asylum’s enchanting 1993 MTV Unplugged episode and its 30-years-later commemorative companion – the brand new acoustic live album MPLS Unplugged (out August 28). During our chat, Dave recalls his own punk-to-acoustic pipeline, unplugging his songs with a string ensemble (twice!), dueting with ‘60s UK pop icon Lulu, and so much more. Of course, the episode’s also got tons of Soul Asylum-infused ‘90s pop culture clips (120 Minutes, SNL, MTV’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Inaugural Ball, Letterman, “Weird Al” parodies, and so much more)!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

Season Two Finale! Spanning 1990 to 2019, we dig into a cool dozen solo acts who spiced up their Unplugged setlists by reworking a song or two (or six) from their former bands (some of which who have since gotten back together).

The solo acts who unplugged their former bands include:

• Joe Walsh (formerly of The Eagles)
• Don Henley (formerly of The Eagles)
• Paul McCartney (formerly of The Beatles)
• Sting (formerly of The Police)
• Eric Clapton (formerly of Cream and Derek & the Dominos)
• Paul Simon (formerly of Simon & Garfunkel)
• Annie Lennox (formerly of Eurythmics)
• Bruce Springsteen (formerly of The E Street Band)
• Neil Young (formerly of Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Crazy Horse, and The Stills-Young Band)
• Rod Stewart (formerly of The Faces)
• George Michael (formerly of Wham)
• Liam Gallagher (formerly of Oasis)

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

Joe Public (Kevin Scott, JR Carter, and Dwight “Mr. Dew” Wyatt) joins the show to talk about playing the “R&B Unplugged” episode of MTV Unplugged in 1992. During the taping, they not only performed their own Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 hit “Live and Learn” but they also pulled double duty as the backing band for Boyz II Men and Shanice!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

George Michael is my first gone-too-soon artist to get their own “Unforgotten” style episode. While I normally save my single-Unplugged deep dives for when I interview an artist or musician who has played MTV Unplugged, “Unforgotten” will be an interview-less solo deep dive around an Unplugged artist who’s passed away. Plug in to hear all about his incredible musical evolution and songrwtiting maturation, starting from his early days in WHAM! and running all the way up to his 1996 MTV Unplugged episode.

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

We’re kicking off 2026 by looking back 30 years to discuss the entire 1996 Season of MTV Unplugged with longtime MTV Unplugged producer/showrunner Alex Coletti. Tune in for some incredible behind-the-scenes stories, covers, and song clips courtesy of Alice in Chains, Tori Amos, Seal, Hootie and the Blowfish, Oasis, and George Michael along with some present-day “NPR’s Tiny Desk is the new MTV Unplugged” discussion.

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

To celebrate The Beatles Anthology turning 30 this year, here’s a super fun collection of Beatles songs that have been played (some for the first and only time) on MTV Unplugged. Artists covered include Annie Lennox, Phil Collins, Blackstreet, Cassia Eller, Hall & Oates, Slaughter, Joe Cocker, and a duet between original Unplugged host Jules Shear and Marty Willson-Piper (The Church). There’s even a handful of Beatles tunes from Paul McCartney’s 1991 MTV Unplugged episode as well!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

In honor of this year's Record Store Day Black Friday (November 28) and the release of a-ha’s ‘Take on Me 40th Anniversary EP’ featuring their 2017 MTV Unplugged piano ballad version of the iconic classic, I’ve put together a retrospective of every single MTV Unplugged album that’s been released or reissued for Record Store Day over the years. Tune in to hear all about the amazing MTV Unplugged RSD releases from Eric Clapton, R.E.M., All Time Low, Bleachers, Pearl Jam, Die Fantastischen Vier, Bastille, Soul Asylum, and a-ha!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

Drummer Fergal Lawler (The Cranberries) joins the show to discuss the band’s phenomenal 1995 MTV Unplugged episode – which, 30 years later, is finally getting released as a proper standalone album (out 11/7). Fergal recollects on unplugging “Zombie,” playing with the Electra Strings, and dropping three brand new songs into their Unplugged setlist (including the one-time only rarity “Yesterday’s Gone”). Of course, the episode’s also got loads of Cranberries-infused ‘90s pop culture clips (My So-Called Life, Clueless, Boys on the Side, You’ve Got Mail, Charmed, and much more)!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

For our Season Two opener, we called in a Ringer! Writer, author, and podcaster Rob Harvilla (“60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s”) joins the show to discuss MTV Unplugged’s massive, multi-layered impact throughout the 1990s via six exemplary performances. I picked six songs as well, so you’re really getting a dozen different Unplugged gems that both highlight the show’s unique sonic alchemy and also broaden the lens beyond its often myopically misremembered legacy. Consider it a lovingly hand-crafted, 12-track Unplugged mixtape from us to you!

If you dig the show, would like to share your own Unplugged memories, offer up a correction, or connect with the show for any other reason:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social, or
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)

Season One Finale! Trey Lorenz joins the show to discuss singing on Mariah Carey’s legendary quadruple platinum MTV Unplugged (including their last-minute addition turned global smash hit duet of The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There”), as well as his years of working with Mariah from her first promotional tour in 1990 all the way through to the present day.

If you dig the show, want to share your own Unplugged memories, ask a question, request a show topic, or connect with the pod for any reason, there are a couple ways you can get in touch:

• You can email me at [email protected],
• You can reach out on Bluesky at @willhodge.bsky.social,
• You can leave a voicemail (that’ll maybe get played on the show) by dialing 234-REVISIT (234-738-4748)