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What the Riff Next Gen1995 - OCT: Smashing Pumpkins "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness"Lynch riffs on the third studio album from the Smashing Pumpkins, “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” from October 1995 (1979 / Bullet with Butterfly Wings / Zero / Tonight, Tonight).
STAFF PICKS: “Downtown” by Neil Young — Rob. “Lump” by The Presidents of the United States of America — Wayne. “Hard as a Rock” by AC/DC — Gregg.
L/E/I TRACK: Main Theme from the motion picture "Strange Days".
2025-08-0432 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - April: Crosby Stills Nash & Young “Deja Vu”We covered the self-titled debut album from Crosby, Stills & Nash in episode 137. Deja Vu is considered the second Crosby, Stills & Nash album, but it is actually the first album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with Canadian songwriter Neil Young turning the trio into a quartet.
While the album continues to feature the signature harmonies associated with Crosby, Stills & Nash, it has a harder, more rocking edge to it. Some of this is undoubtedly due to the addition of Neil Young to the album, but it also reflects the challenges the group members were facing. Both Stephen Stills and Grah...2025-07-0534 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - June: The Beatles “Let it Be”Bruce riffs on the twelfth and final studio album from the Beatles “Let It Be,” on the charts in May 1970 (Two of Us / I Me Mine / I've Got a Feeling / Get Back). ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: Main Theme from the motion picture "Kelly's Heroes" STAFF PICKS: "Question” by The Moody Blues — Lynch. “Proper Stranger” by The Guess Who— Rob. "50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain” by Ten Years After — Wayne. “Baby Hold On” by The Grass Roots — Bruce. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK: “Genesis” by Tangerine Dream.
2025-07-0240 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1966 - February: The Sonics ”Boom”Before the grunge movement of the 90's, and before the punk movement of the 70's, there was the garage band phenomenon of the 60's. One of the forerunners of both punk and grunge from this garage band period is Tacoma Washington's The Sonics. Their classic lineup consisted of Rob Lind on harmonica, vocals, and sax, Gerry Roslie on organ, piano, and lead vocals, Larry Parypa on lead guitar and vocals, Andy Parypa on bass, and Bob Bennett on drums. The Sonics had a fast, hard-edged sound similar to The Kinks, and performed with a speed that would inspire punk roc...2025-06-1629 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1990 - June: Poison ”Flesh & Blood”Flesh & Blood, the third studio album by Poison, finds the group at the top of their form. The team of Bret Michaels on lead vocals, C.C. DeVille on lead guitar, Bobby Doll on bass, and Rikki Rockett on drums had been quite successful in the glam metal genre of the mid-80's, and had developed a reputation for a "work hard, play hard" mentality. While they had a legendary stage presence, they also were plagued with fights both within and outside of the band. A number of lawsuits in various cities were predicated on Michaels' tendency to get int...2025-06-0942 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - October: Delaney & Bonnie ”D&B Together”One of the more underrated - some might say virtually lost - bands of the early rock era is Delaney & Bonnie. This singer-songwriter duo is made of session guitarist/vocalist Delaney Bramlett and his wife and former Ikette Bonnie Bramlett. Just as important as this founding couple is the number of talented musicians they brought into their recordings, with albums often being referenced as recorded by "Delaney & Bonnie and friends." These "friends" included luminaries such as Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Duane Allman, Greg Allman, Steve Howe, and Rita Coolidge.
D&B Together is the sixth and...2025-06-0238 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - December: Neil Diamond ”Hot August Night”Neil Diamond is one of the best-selling singer-songwriters of all time. In August 1972 he performed a series of 10 sold-out shows at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Recordings from this concert would be released as a live double-album entitled Hot August Night later that year in December.
Neil Diamond was born in Brooklyn, New York, the child of a Jewish family. At the age of 16 he was inspired by seeing folk singer Pete Seeger perform at a camp for Jewish children in upstate New York, and received his first guitar shortly thereafter. This would set the direction of Di...2025-05-1934 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1968 - September: Aretha Franklin ”Aretha in Paris”Aretha Franklin got her start at an early age in Gospel music. As the granddaughter of Gospel great Mahalia Jackson and the daughter of a prominent Baptist preacher, Franklin was heard on her father's "gospel caravan" tours at the age of twelve. By the time she became an adult in 1960 she had decided that she wanted to go into more pop music, and moved to New York for this purpose. She signed a deal with Columbia Records, in 1960, but her career would not really take off until moving to Atlantic Records in 1966. By 1968 she was considered by many to be t...2025-05-1230 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1971 - September: Carole King ”Tapestry”Many mark the start of the singer-songwriter genre to have begun when Carole King released her second studio album, the iconic Tapestry. As would be expected from a singer-songwriter, all of the songs on the album were either written or co-written by King. Tapestry is considered one of the greatest albums of all time in the soft rock genre.
Born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan, King began piano lessons at four years of age. Her upbringing included friendship with Paul Simon and dating Neil Sedaka. In the 50's at the age of 17 she met and married Jerry Gof...2025-05-0534 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1989 - February: U2 ”Rattle and Hum”U2 released a part-live, part studio album in October 1988 called Rattle and Hum. This album accompanied a filmed “Rockumentary” of the band which was filmed in Denver and Arizona. Originally intended to be entitled “U2 in the Americas,” the album and film instead take their name from lyrics in the song “Bullet the Blue Sky’ from their album “The Joshua Tree.”
Studio sessions for Rattle and Hum included time at Sun Studio in Memphis, and include collaborations with other musicians including Bob Dylan and B.B. King. The intent of Rattle and Hum was to explore more American blues rock...2025-04-2843 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1971 - May: Rod Stewart ”Every Picture Tells a Story”Every Picture Tells a Story is a great name for Rod Stewart's third solo studio album. The songs consist of solid storytelling, using mixture of original and cover tracks to paint a mosaic of life, love, and loss. This album would mark the transition of Stewart from a solid rock vocalist to an A-list performer. Every Picture Tells a Story hit the top of the album charts in both the US and the UK, and its blend of rock, blues, and folk music would have a staying power over the decades. Supposedly the album was compiled on a shoestring budg...2025-04-2134 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1991 - May: Guns N’ Roses ”Use Your Illusion I” and ”Use Your Illusion II”Guns N' Roses had established themselves as top tier Rock artists in the mid through late 80's, and it had been three years without an album release by the time we rolled around to 1991. The band got its start in 1985 when members of the band L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose decided to combine. They released their debut album, "Appetite for Destruction" in 1987, which originally received disappointing sales, but which built over the next year to mainstream success. Their second album, "G N" R Lies" was a short album released at the end of 1988 which combined an earlier E.P...2025-04-1445 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - February: Neil Young ”Harvest”Neil Young's most successful solo album is also considered his signature album. Harvest was Young's fourth solo studio album, and it topped the Billboard 200 chart in the US for two weeks while also spawning two top 40 singles.
Young grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, and began playing and songwriting there in several groups. His first success as a songwriter came for a song he wrote for The Guess Who which made it to the top 40 in Canada. He was in the Mynah Birds, a Toronto group fronted by a young Rick James. The Mynah Birds were attempting to get s...2025-04-0730 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1990 - December: AC/DC “The Razors Edge”1990 is an odd time for a hard rock band from the late 70's to make a comeback. Hair metal was declining rapidly, and music that would form the grunge movement was percolating up in the pacific northwest. But that is exactly what AC/DC did with their album The Razors Edge. The album reached number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 4 on the UK albums chart, and it would become AC/DC's third highest selling album behind “Back in Black” and “High Voltage.”
After concluding their 1988 world tour the band had some changes and interruptions. Drummer Simon Wright left...2025-03-2446 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1974 - July: Beach Boys “Endless Summer”By the mid-70's the Beach Boys appeared to be a band that had been left behind. Sales had been only moderate for their previous albums, and the band was struggling to determine their direction musically. In the summer of 1973 the movie "American Graffiti" featured several Beach Boys songs, creating nostalgia for the earlier surfing music.
Between the revived interest sparked by "American Graffiti" and the success of the Beatles "Red" and "Blue" compilation albums, the Beach Boys released a collection of hits from their early 60's catalogue called Endless Summer. This featured songs from their Capitol Rec...2025-03-1730 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1990 - July: Pink Floyd ”A Momentary Lapse of Reason”Folks, we're stretching a bit on this one. Lynch noticed that Roger Waters performed "The Wall" at the Berlin wall in this month, and used that as an excuse to feature A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which was the latest studio album by Pink Floyd. Since that originally came out in 1987, we're asking you to squint a bit to see it's relevance to the summer of 1990. That being said...
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the first Pink Floyd album released after bassist and primary songwriter Roger Waters left the band. Waters had expected that Pink Floyd wou...2025-03-1044 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1967 - December: The Young Rascals ”Groovin’”The Young Rascals were one of the early groups which would define the genre of "blue eyed soul." For a period of two to three years, this group would generate hit after hit. Their third album, Groovin', would close out the era in which they were known as “The Young Rascals,” because follow-up albums would see them using simply the name "The Rascals."
Felix Cavaliere was a classically trained pianist, and joined a band called the Starliters, where he met David Brigati and his younger brother Eddie. Cavaliere convinced Eddie Brigati and guitarist Gene Cornish to leave the Star...2025-03-0331 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1988 - December: Poison ”Open Up and Say...Ahh!”When it comes to hair metal of the mid to late 80's, no band discussion would be complete without bringing Poison into the mix. The band consisted of front man Bret Michaels, guitarist C.C. DeVille, bassist Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett on drums. Poison is a band out of Pennsylvania. Originally named Paris when formed in 1980, the band drew a good following in local bars in Pennsylvania, but decided opportunities would be greater in Los Angeles. The band moved there in 1983 and changed their name to Poison. They attracted a lot of attention with their stage show, and saw s...2025-02-2439 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1971 - April: Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers”Sticky Fingers is considered by many to be the greatest studio album the Rolling Stones ever created. This ninth studio album represented a return to a more basic sound for the Stones after several albums with less conventional instrumentation. It was also known for its cover artwork from Andy Warhol which featured a man in jeans with a working zipper. The album won a Grammy for “Best Album Cover” for this innovative design.
This was the first album that was released on their own label, Rolling Stones Records. It was also the first album the group produced without...2025-02-1842 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1992 - April: Soundgarden ”Badmotorfinger”Soundgarden emerged as a pioneering force in the Seattle grunge scene, bringing elements of heavy metal and alternative rock into what would come to be known as the Seattle sound. The group originally found lead singer and primary songwriter Chris Cornell singing from behind a drum set where he was the group's percussionist, but it became clear that this would not work well in live concerts, so Cornell switched to vocals and rhythm guitar while turning over percussion work to Matt Cameron.
Badmotorfinger, the third studio album, finds the group just before it's breakout into grunge superstardom, an...2025-02-0346 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1974 - June: Lynyrd Skynyrd ”Second Helping”Lynyrd Skynyrd was a success with their debut album, and continued to build a fan base when they opened for The Who on their Quadrophenia tour. Many of the songs on their debut album were staples of their concerts in Jacksonville, Florida, where they had built their style over the years since the 60's. Therefore it was not a sure thing that they would be able to sustain their success over time. Those concerns were put to rest when they released their second album.
Second Helping, a southern colloquialism for getting more of the same thing at the...2025-01-2733 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1985 - December: Talking Heads “Little Creatures”The Talking Heads is known as one of the more quirky bands of the 70's and 80's, and terribly innovative in their approach to both music and performance. Consisting of Tina Weymouth on bass, Chris Frantz on drums, Jerry Harrison on keyboards and guitar, and fronted by David Byrne on vocals and guitar, the Talking Heads helped to shape the landscape of alternative and new wave rock through the 80's and 90's. They really hit mainstream consciousness with their fifth album called "Speaking in Tongues" in 1983. They followed this up with the live album "Stop Making Sense," which showcased the...2025-01-2044 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1987 - January: Beastie Boys “Licensed to Ill”It's not every day that we at What the Riff?!? review a rap album, but the Beastie Boys aren't your every day rap group either. Hailing from New York City, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Adam “MCA” Yauch, and Michael “Mike D” Diamond came out of an experimental hardcore punk band (think “punk” but faster) called The Young Aborigines. After changing their name to the Beastie Boys, they saw some local success from a comedy hip hop single based on a prank call to a Carvel Ice Cream franchise. They then began to incorporate more rap and hip hop into their sets, and ended up...2025-01-1339 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1974 - May: Billy Joel ”Piano Man”When you think of rock music anchored by piano, there are only a few standouts. But outside of Elton John, perhaps the best known rock pianist is New York's Billy Joel. Born in the Bronx and growing up in Long Island, Joel got his start early (at age 4) with piano lessons and dropped out of high school to pursue music full time. After joining a couple of short-lived bands, Joel started his solo career and released his debut album, "Cold Spring Harbor" in 1971.
It was his second album which would be remembered as his true nationwide debut. Pian...2024-12-3047 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1969 - June: Blind Faith “Blind Faith”Blind Faith was a supergroup formed from Cream members Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, Traffic founder Steve Winwood, and Family bassist/violinist Ric Grech. Cream collapsed after increasing strife between members, particularly Baker and bassist Jack Bruce. Traffic went on hiatus, and Winwood began jamming with Clapton in his basement. Baker sat in on a session shortly after they moved to Traffic's rehearsal space in Berkshire, and was added to the lineup after some reluctance from Clapton was overcome. Finally, Grech was invited to join, and left the Family in the middle of a U.S. tour, creating understandable griev...2024-12-0942 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1988 - November: Bon Jovi ”New Jersey”Bon Jovi took the rock world by storm with their massive third album, "Slippery When Wet." A big tour followed, and afterwards the band was anxious to demonstrate that they were not a one (album) hit wonder. They got into the studio at Vancouver, BC in May of 1988 and quickly recorded their fourth studio album entitled New Jersey. Originally going under the working title "Sons of Beaches," the band would settle on their home state as the name of the album. Bon Jovi wanted to make a double album, but the record label balked, fearing that the higher price tag...2024-12-0243 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1967 - April: Beatles ”Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”A reasonable case can be made that the eighth studio album by the Beatles is the most important album in all of Rock and Roll. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band creates a dividing line between 60's rock and what Rock and Roll would become in the 70's. Incorporating elements of eastern mysticism, psychedelic music and art, counter-culture sensibilities, and complex orchestration, Sgt. Peppers was a groundbreaking demonstration of what an album could be.
Sgt. Peppers is one of the first concept albums - taking a theme and incorporating it into the entirety of the record. The Bea...2024-11-2533 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1989 - September: Mötley Crüe ”Dr. Feelgood”It is a little surprising that we have gotten this far into the podcast without featuring an album by Mötley Crüe. This is a group that practically defined the hair metal genre of the mid to late-80's. The band formed in 1981 in Hollywood, and featured both a party-oriented lifestyle and an androgynous look. The core and classic members of the band were Nikki Sixx on bass and keyboards, Mick Mars on lead guitar and backing vocals, Tommy Lee on drums and backing vocals, and Vince Neil as front man. Many other musicians would be brought in for se...2024-11-1844 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1967 - March: Bob Dylan “Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits”One of the greatest songwriters of the 60's, Bob Dylan had released seven solo albums between 1962 and 1966. Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits compiles many of the singles from this period along with some of the songs Dylan wrote for other musicians. The compilation went to number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 3 on the UK album chart, and has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA.
In the summer of 1966, Dylan crashed his motorcycle near his home, and took off time to recover. The record company was anxious to follow up Dylan's successful "Blonde on Blonde" album, but had...2024-11-1130 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1986 - April: Metallica ”Master of Puppets”A number of bands seem to turn a corner with their third album, and Master of Puppets is no exception. Metallica's third album would achieve both critical and commercial success, crossing out of the new thrash metal sub-genre of hard rock to achieve multi-platinum recognition. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield collaborated with drummer Lars Ulrich as the principal songwriters, creating riffs that were assembled and reassembled over time until they formed a song. The band would then be called in to create a tile and topic for the song, at which point Hetfield would create the lyrics.
...2024-11-0447 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1992 - February: Ozzy Osbourne ”No More Tears”No More Tears, the sixth solo studio album by Ozzy Osbourne, was released at an interesting time in rock music. Hair metal acts were in decline, and grunge was about to take off. Nevertheless, Ozzy hit it big with this album, reaching number 7 on the Billboard 200 charts, and providing Osbourne's only solo top 40 hit. No More Tears is generally considered his best album since his first two solo albums, "Blizzard of Oz," and "Diary of a Madman," both of which featured the late Randy Rhodes on guitar.
The songs on the album are largely written by Ozzy, drum...2024-10-2148 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1978 - November: Kansas ”Two for the Show”Kansas was at the height of their prowess and popularity as a prog rock-leaning band in 1978 when they released their first live album, Two for the Show. Recorded during tours in 1977 and 1978, the double album gives the listener a glimpse into the energy of the band at the time. The songs span the first five studio albums released by the group, from the eponymously named "Kansas" to the highly successful "Point of Know Return."
Kansas would have a number of personnel changes over time, but this lineup would be the classic one. Steve Walsh is on keyboards and...2024-10-1445 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1985 - November: Bruce Springsteen ”Born In the U.S.A.”There were few rock albums in the 80's which achieved the popularity levels of Born In the U.S.A., the seventh studio album by Bruce Springsteen. Songs for this album were recorded with the E. Street Band over a two-year period from 1982 until 1984, the totality of songs far outstripping the available space on the album. Somewhere between 70 and 90 songs were created during those sessions, some being released as B-sides Ultimately twelve songs landed on the album, seven of which were released as singles. All seven singles reached the top 10 in the United States.
The songs reflect Spri...2024-10-0742 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1983 - June: Dire Straits ”Love Over Gold”We covered the big commercial hit album "Brothers In Arms" back in episode 154, but many afficianados of Dire Straits consider their finest work to be the album that preceeded this one. Love Over Gold is their fourth studio album, released in late September 1982 and on the charts in June 1983. For this album, prime mover and lead vocalist Mark Knopfler, bassist John Illsley, and percussionist Pick Withers are joined by new members Hal Lindes on guitars and Alan Clark on keyboards.
The songs on this album are longer than your standard single, particularly the majestic 14-minute "Telegraph Road." Desp...2024-09-3043 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - August: Emerson, Lake & Palmer “Trilogy”If you are exploring the rise of prog rock, it doesn't take long until you encounter the power trio of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This progressive rock band is actually a supergroup. Keyboardist Keith Emerson came from The Nice, vocalist and guitarist Greg Lake was in King Crimson, and percussionist Carl Palmer was from Atomic Rooster. Emerson, Lake & Palmer formed in 1970 and would make their mark as a prog rock band which adapted classic and symphonic music into the rock genre, with elements of jazz, acoustic, and art rock coming into play. Most ELP songs are long and complicated, not maki...2024-09-2335 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1980 - February: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band ”Against the Wind”If you're looking for great Heartland Rock, a great choice would be the album Against the Wind. Depending on how you count it, it could be considered Bob Seger's eleventh studio album, but it is the third album of the iteration known as Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. Seger is joined by Drew Abbott on guitar, Chris Campbell on bass, and David Teegarden on drums. The band became the Silver Bullet Band a bit by accident. They were arguing about what to call themselves, and the manager got tired of it. When they got paid the manager wrote the n...2024-09-1642 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1990 - October: Various Artists, Soundtrack for “Goodfellas”This week we are taking an opportunity to explore some songs which would normally be outside our time frame by following the soundtrack to the movie “Goodfellas.” This Martin Scorsese film is a mafia story told from the view of Henry Hill in his book “Wiseguy: Life In a Mafia Family.”
The movie follows Henry Hill as he looks back on his life beginning during a time when he looked up to the Wise Guys and gangsters who ran his neighborhood. Hill starts his narrative as a child in 1955 and continues until 1980 when Hill becomes an FBI informant o...2024-09-0938 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1992 - June: Rage Against the Machine ”Rage Against the Machine”Rage Against the Machine recorded their eponymously named debut album in May-June of 1992 and released it in November 1992. The Los Angeles-based group consisted of Zack de la Rocha on vocals, Tom Morello on guitar, Tim Commerford on bass, and Brad Wilk on drums. The group was known for their anti-establishment and politically charged lyrics. Rage Against the Machine combined a lot of genres of music into a single hard-hitting sound. The influence of hard rock and metal is clear, and elements of rap, funk, hip hop, and punk rock are clearly infused into the sound.
This group was...2024-09-0244 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1980 - May: Devo “Freedom of Choice”While Devo is known as an early 80's new wave synth pop band, their history goes back to 1973. The classic lineup of Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, and Alan Myers developed the name Devo from "De-evolution," the idea that mankind is regressing to a herd mentality. This was a bit of a joke idea that Gerald Casale and co-founder Bob Lewis formed while at Kent State University. The band gained some local fame in 1976, and were signed to Warner Brothers in 1978 with recommendations from David Bowie and Iggy Pop.
Freedom of Choice is Devo's thi...2024-08-2634 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1980 - April: Styx “Cornerstone”Styx is approaching the height of their popularity and a bit of a turning point when they released their ninth studio album, Cornerstone. Keyboardist and vocalist Dennis DeYoung, and lead guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw take the lion's share of the songwriting duites, with one or both developing all tracks save one. The lead vocalist duties also alternate between DeYoung and Shaw, again with the sole exception being a song written and sung by guitarist James "JY" Young.
This album finds the group shifting from a more prog rock sound to a pop rock orientation. This transition wou...2024-08-1240 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1987 - December: Def Leppard “Hysteria”Hysteria is the album that should not exist. Def Leppard's fourth studio album was plagued with delays and tragedy. Despite this fact, the album would become one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time.
The band wrapped up their Pyromania tour in early 1984, and started writing their next album shortly thereafter. Producter John "Mutt" Lange began working with them to arrange the songs, but was suffering from burnout and couldn't commit to producing the album. Jim Steinman (of Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell" fame). The fit was not good, and the band parted ways with Steinm...2024-08-0543 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1974 - August: Little Feat “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now”This week we are delving into one of the greats of Southern Rock. Well, they are southern rock if you count southern California. Little Feat took its name from a comment Frank Zappa made to his band member Lowell George regarding his having little feet. George would become a founder and driving force behind Little Feat, providing guitar and vocals. Other members were Paul Barrere on guitar and vocals, Sam Clayton on percussion and vocals, Kenny Gradney on bass, Richie Hayward on drums and vocals, and Bill Payne on keyboards and vocals.
Feats Don't Fail Me Now is...2024-07-2937 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1990 - November: Megadeth “Rust In Peace”Who's up for some thrash metal?
Megadeth is one of the founding bands of the thrash metal genre, and considered one of the "big four" of U.S. thrash metal (along with Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer). The heart of the band, primary songwriter, and sole constant member of the band throughout the years is Dave Mustaine. The formation of the band is well known as a revenge effort on Mustaine's part. He was fired from his role as lead guitarist of Metallica just prior to the recording of their debut album due to personal issues with James Het...2024-07-2248 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - July: Leon Russell “Carney”One of the great underappreciated singer-songwriters of the rock era was Tulsa, Oklahoma native Claude Russell Bridges, better known as Leon Russell. Russell was a musician and songwriter with records spanning rock, folk, country, gospel, bluegrass, and blues who began playing piano at the age of four. He went to the same high school as David Gates (from Bread), and the two collaborated as a group called The Fencemen early on. Russell went to Los Angeles and worked as a studio musician. The list of folks he worked with is huge, including Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys, George Harr...2024-07-1533 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1981 - November: Rick James “Street Songs”Let's get this out of the way up front: when you think of rock albums, Rick James is not the artist that immediately comes to mind. But when former founding podcaster Brian Dickhute comes back and wants to do the album, we find it difficult to deny him.
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. was born in Buffalo where he was in a number of groups and bands as a teenager. He joined the US Navy Reserves to avoid being drafted, then moved to Toronto in 1964 where he formed the rock band “The Minah Byrds.” Unfortunately he failed to let Uncl...2024-07-0836 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1971 - August: The Who “Who’s Next”Pete Townshend intended the fifth studio album from The Who to be a science fiction rock opera called “Lifehouse,” as a follow up to the rock opera “Tommy” released in 1969. After conflicts with their band manager and issues just managing the complexity of what Townshend envisioned the project to be, the rock opera was shelved, and the follow-up was made into a more traditional album entitled Who's Next.
The group began recording the album at Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger's house, using the Stones’ mobile recording studio, then moved to a more traditional studio in London. Most of the album...2024-07-0145 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1965 - October: The Beatles ”Rubber Soul”Rubber Soul was the sixth studio ablum released by The Beatles in the US and the UK. The album was largely recorded in October of 1965 over a four week period, and relesed in December of 1965. The Fab Four had completed their North American tour by August, and had returned to London to compose this album. It would be the first album they completed without the pressure of commitments to tour, film, or otherwise make public appearances. Nevertheless, the band was working under tight timelines, intending to release the album before the Christmas sales cycle. It would go to the top o...2024-06-2428 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1992 - March: The Cure “Wish”We've covered a lot of great bands and artists in our podcasts, but it is a rare occasion when we get to explore a group that has defined an entire rock genre. The Cure are considered to be the defining band within the goth rock movement. Formed in 1978 out of the post-punk era, this West Sussex band would grow into an international cult favorite, complete with black wardrobe, smeared lipstick, and wild hair.
The Cure is considered to have hit the height of their commercial appeal with Wish, their ninth stuio album. Personnel for this album were Bor...2024-06-1743 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - August: Creedence Clearwater Revival ”Cosmo’s Factory”Swamp rock afficianados, this is your podcast!
Despite forming in California, Creedence Clearwater Revival was known for their Louisiana sound often described as "swamp rock" or later as roots rock. They tended towards an earlier rock sound during a time when much of their fellow performers were moving in a more psychedelic direction. But CCR (as the band was known, or Creedence) would find prolific success in the time from 1969 to 1971 when they would produce 14 consecutive top 10 singles and five consecutive top 10 albums.
The band featuring front man and multi instrumentalist John Fogerty, brother Tom Fo...2024-06-1030 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1986 - January: Michael McDonald ”Sweet Freedom”We've made a few jokes in past episodes about Michael McDonald popping up in unexpected places. It's an easy joke to make, because McDonald has a distinctive voice and has worked with a lot of artists covering numerous genres. But the man is talented - both vocally and on the keyboards - and his career has put him at the forefront of rock music for a long time.
Sweet Freedom is a compilation album that explores McDonald's work from his first two albums plus a number of collaborations. The album title is taken from the track he had...2024-06-0339 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1986 - March: Van Halen ”5150”Van Halen’s New Era: The Launch of "5150" with Sammy Hagar
In 1985, rock legends Van Halen were at a pivotal juncture. Following the departure of charismatic lead vocalist David Lee Roth, the band faced the daunting task of finding a new frontman. After an exhaustive search, Eddie Van Halen connected with a familiar face from the music scene—Sammy Hagar, the dynamic solo artist and former Montrose vocalist. Their reunion sparked a creative resurgence, culminating in the release of "5150" in March 1986, a landmark album that would redefine the band’s trajectory.
"5150" not only marked a major...2024-05-2746 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1989 - March: George Thorogood and the Destroyers ”The George Thorogood Collection”Wilmington, Delaware's George Thorogood got his start on acoustic blues. He formed a band called the Delaware Destroyers in 1973, and this would eventually become his band, known as George Thorogood & The Destroyers. He released his first record in 1977, and received more mainstream notice when he opened for the Rolling Stones in 1981. The same year his touring schedule included the “50/50 tour” where George Thorogood & the Destroyers toured all 50 states in 50 days. Thorogood's high energy shows and relentless touring schedule would be a hallmark of the band, creating a dedicated audience worldwide.
The 1980's saw a resurgence in interest in blues...2024-05-2041 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1988 - October: The Traveling Wilburys ”The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1”A supergroup is a band made up of musicians who have already achieved fame either as soloists or members of another band. One of the most iconic of supergroups would be formed in 1988 and go by the name of The Traveling Wilburys. In 1987 George Harrison released his album "Cloud Nine" with Jeff Lynne performing a number of instruments and co-producing. They started talking about forming a group during those sessions, with Harrison talking about bringing in Bob Dylan and Lynne talking about bringing in Roy Orbison. Tom Petty joined in when Harrison went to his house to pick up a gu...2024-05-1338 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1984 - October: Steve Perry “Street Talk”It will come as no surprise to regular listeners of this podcast that we are all big fans of Steve Perry, the chief vocalist of Journey. So it should also not come as a surprise that we would want to feature his debut solo studio album called Street Talk. Perry embarked on this solo project shortly after the release of Journey's "Frontiers" album, at a time when the group was packing arenas around the world. The name of the album comes from his pre-Journey days when he was leading a band called Alien Project - but he had at one...2024-04-2939 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1975 - July: Outlaws “The Outlaws”The Outlaws had a long history as a band prior to the release of this debut album. Formed originally in 1967 in Tampa, Florida, the original name for the group was "The Four Letter Words." They toured off and on through the early 70's, and made an aborted attempt at an album the late 60's. Finally, they were signed by Clive Davis and Arista Records while opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie Van Zant told Davis and future Outlaws manager Charlie Brusco, "If you don't sign Outlaws, you're the dumbest music person I've ever met - and I know you're not."
2024-04-2239 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1992 - August: Eric Clapton ”Unplugged”Eric Clapton is a living legend in the rock world. He was a member of the Yardbirds from 1963 to 1965, a founding member of the supergroup Cream, founding member of Blind Faith, founder of Derek and the Dominos, and a multi-album soloist. He has received 18 Grammy awards, sold more than 280 million records world-wide, and is the only three-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Unplugged was recorded in front of an audience at Bray Studios in England for the "MTV Unplugged" series. This series was started in 1989, and several artists would release albums from this sho...2024-04-1546 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1985 - October: Scorpions ”World Wide Live”While we may think of the German band the Scorpions as an 80's metal band, they started much earlier - way back in 1965. Things didn't really come together for the group until the 1978-1992 personnel lineup of Klaus Meine on lead vocals, Rudolph Schenker on rhythm guitar, Mattias Jabs on lead guitar, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Herman Rarebell on percussion. By the time that the live album entitled World Wide Live came out in 1985, the group had established itself as an international commercial success.
Recorded during their 1984 world tour, "World Wide Live" showcases the band at th...2024-04-0842 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1978 - December: The Doobie Brothers “Minute By Minute”There are two distinct eras of music by The Doobie Brothers. From their formation in 1970 until 1975, Tom Johnston was the lead vocalist, and the group had a mainstream rock sound, with some folk and “California Country” influences. Starting in 1975, Michael McDonald joined the group as a keyboardist, as well as providing lead vocal work to help Johnston, who was having health problems at the time. Over the following years, Johnston would have less influence as he neared retirement from the group in 1977. Michael McDonald would influence the group into a more soulful sound, often called “blue eyed soul.” Today we would call...2024-04-0136 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1989 - July: The B-52’s “Cosmic Thing”Because all of us presenters live in Georgia it is hard for us to believe that Cosmic Thing, the fifth studio album from The B-52's was the international breakthrough album. We had been listening to “Rock Lobster” and “Private Idaho” for about a decade before this album came out. But much of the B-52's discography was confined to college radio stations outside of their home state. Cosmic Thing would really put the group on the map nationally and internationally.
This album was also a comeback for the group. The original group consisted of Fred Schneider on vocals, K...2024-03-2542 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1969 - October: Johnny Cash “Original Golden Hits, Volume I and II”Johnny Cash was a prolific hitmaker in the mid 50's to early 60's. In the late 60's he released a couple of live albums which had crossover appeal: "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison," and "Johnny Cash at San Quentin." By 1969, Johnny Cash had become an international musical success, selling more records than the Beatles at the time.
Cash had left his original label, Sun Records, back in 1958. However, he had left an extensive catalogue of songs with Sam Phillips at Sun. Given his success and the upcoming Johnny Cash TV show, Sun Records decided it would be a good...2024-03-1827 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1979 - June: Journey “Evolution”We've already covered a couple of Journey albums. Episode 250 profiled "Infinity," the introduction of Steve Perry to the group. And episode 26 delved into arguably the high water mark for Journey, the album "Escape." Here we take a look at the band as they are in their transition into one of the world's biggest rock bands.
The appropriately-titled album Evolution is Journey's fifth studio album. Here we find Steve Perry settling in as front man while still sharing lead vocal duties with keybaordist Gregg Rolie. They have also replaced drummer Aynsley Dunbar with Steve Smith, previously with Ronnie Montr...2024-03-1136 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1982 - February: Duran Duran ”Rio”Did MTV make Duran Duran, or did Duran Duran make MTV? Perhaps a little of both. What is beyond doubt is that Rio, the band's second studio album, would propel Duran Duran into a worldwide new wave and dance phenomenon, and would be a major offensive of the Second British Invasion in the United States.
Duran Duran had found success in the UK with their self-titled debut album in 1981, and expectations were high for the group. Rio would find the band leaning heavily on upbeat tracks, a couple of synth-heavy ballads, and more experimentation with musical sounds and...2024-03-0443 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1979 - February: “Saturday Night Fever” SoundtrackOK, it isn't rock music, but the Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" was a tremendously successful album both commercially and critically, and it had a major impact in popular culture of the later 70's. The theatrical release of the movie actually went back to December of 1977, but it was the winner of the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in February 1979, one of only three soundtrack albums to do so. Composed by the Bee Gees and prominently featuring that band, this soundtrack is the second-best selling of all time behind "The Bodyguard."
The Bee Gees actually did...2024-02-2641 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - December: Three Dog Night “Naturally”By the end of 1970 Three Dog Night was in the middle of their most prolific and successful period of their career. The group would land 21 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975 with three of these taking the top slot. The group was formed by three vocalists in 1967 - Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. The other members of the band for this album are Mike Allsup on guitar, Joe Schermie on bass, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards, and Floyd Sneed on drums. All of the instrumentalists in the band also provide backing vocals on at least one of the songs from...2024-02-1930 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1975 - October: E.L.O. “Face the Music”The Electric Light Orchestra, also known as E.L.O., was formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood, and by percussionist Bev Bevan. Wood was in a band called the Move in 1968 and had the idea of a new band which would feature classical instruments more prominently than the guitars, hoping to "pick up where the Beatles left off." He recruited Lynne to the cause in 1970. Wood would leave the band in 1972 at which point Lynne would be the leader of the band, producing and arranging all the albums and writing most of the songs.
...2024-02-1241 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - July: Crabby Appleton “Crabby Appleton”We may have an obscure album for your listening pleasure today. Crabby Appleton was a short-lived band that was formed by the combination of musicians from an acid blues band called Stonehenge and singer-songwriter frontman Michael Fennelly. The band is out of the Laurel Canyon counterculture, which produced many groups like The Mamas & the Papas, Jim Morrison, Carole King, and Jackson Browne. The group gets its name from a character on the late 50's cartoon series Tom Terrific, which was a part of the children's television show "Captain Kangaroo." Their debut album was eponymously named Crabby Appleton.
In a...2024-01-0834 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1993 - December: Ian Moore “Ian Moore”Ian Moore may have been born in Berkeley, California, but the sound from his eponymously named debut studio album reflects Austin, Texas, the place he called home. Moore began playing violin at a young age, but switched to guitar as a teen under the influence of artists like Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Moore's influence runs well beyond the blues genre, however, from Curtis Mayfield to Stevie Wonder, and from Sly & the Family Stone to the Rolling Stones.
Moore's debut album is based in the blues and roots rock. Comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan, another Austin guit...2024-01-0144 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1989 - November: Bad Religion ”No Control”While the late 80's were the high water mark for overproduced hair bands, there was an undercurrent flowing below the mainstream popularity which would surface in the 90's as the punk revival. Los Angeles-based Bad Religion is a group which would not only benefit from that revival, but many consider the band to be a founder of the movement. The band formed in 1980 and released a couple of albums before going on hiatus in 1983 and splitting up shortly thereafter. After a slowly getting back together in 1986, they released their third album entitled "Suffer." While on tour promoting that album, the...2023-08-2832 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1974 - December: Montrose “Paper Money”Montrose was considered to be America's answer to Led Zeppelin in the early 70's. Founder Ronnie Montrose had played with a number of musicians including Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs, and with Edgar Winter on the hit singles “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride.” He formed the band bearing his name with bassist/keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald, drummer Denny Carmassi, and front man Sammy Hagar. Paper Money is the group's second album, and was the band's highest-charting release, reaching number 65 on the Billboard 200 chart.
This follow-up to their self-titled debut album took on a broader style, with a stronger range of rhythm and d...2023-05-2941 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1965 - March: Ike & Tina Turner “Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show”Although Ike & Tina Turner had been performing since 1960 and were well known for the energy of their performances, it wasn't until 1965 and the release of Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show that they received national recognition. This album featured the best live performances of the previous year.
Tina Turner was born Martha Nell Bullock (aka Anna Mae Bullock), and was given the name Tina Turner as a stage name when she toured as a feature with Ike Turner in 1960. They were not married at the time, and Ike Turner had the name "Tina Turner" trademarked, so that he...2023-05-0128 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1973 - November: the New York Dolls ”New York Dolls”Although neither popular nor long-lived as a band, the New York Dolls were one of the most influential bands of the punk and glam rock genres. Their debut album, the eponymously named New York Dolls came out on the strength of their lower Manhattan fan base and received critical acclaim. However, their appeal outside of New York was limited and the album was considered a commercial failure in the United States.
The New York Dolls (also known as “The Dolls”) sported an androgynous look onstage, dressing in satin, high heels, dresses, and lots of makeup. Much of their wa...2023-02-2738 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1970 - September: Black Sabbath “Paranoid”Rolling Stone magazine ranked Paranoid, the second studio album by Black Sabbath, to be the number one of its "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time." Originally known by the name Earth, the band took the name Black Sabbath from a 1963 horror film starring Boris Karloff. The band members were Bill Ward on percussion, Geezer Butler on bass, Tony Iommi on guitar, and Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. It was originally a heavy blues band from Birmingham, England, but took on a darker complexion with lyrics of doom.
Much of the music on Paranoid was developed during jams while the...2023-01-2336 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1969 - July: The Easy Rider Motion Picture SoundtrackThe cult classic film Easy Rider was released this month. A landmark counter culture movie, the film traces the journey of Wyatt and Billy as they make their way on motorcycles from a successful drug deal in Los Angeles to the Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern wrote the film, and it stars Fonda, Hopper, and Jack Nicholson. Dennis Hopper directed the movie.
Originally the plan was for Crosby, Stills & Nash to do all the songs on the soundtrack. When the editor plugged in contemporary songs as placeholders, the sound convi...2023-01-0231 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1972 - April: Deep Purple “Machine Head”Machine Head is the sixth and most commercially successful studio album Deep Purple ever produced. The band was coming off a two-year tour, and wanted to capture a sound closer to their live shows on the next studio effort. They booked the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio for the recording and booked time at the Montreux Casino. However, just before their studio time was to begin, a fire was started during a concert for Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and the casino burned to the ground. They then attempted to record at a nearby theater, but this had to b...2022-10-1042 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1968 - March: The Electric Flag “Long Time Comin’”The Electric Flag was the brainchild of guitarist Mike Bloomfield, and Long Time Comin' was their debut studio album. The core of the band was formed by Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Barry Goldberg on keyboards, and Buddy Miles (soon to be with Jimmy Hendrix's Band of Gypsies) on drums. Additionally, Nick Gravenites would sing lead on several tracks.
With "Long Time Comin'" Bloomfield wanted to create a sound that would feature what he called "American music." He would draw inspiration from many sources including traditional country, gospel, and R&B, and the result would be a fusion of...2022-09-0532 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1991 - June: Van Halen “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge”For their ninth studio album and Sammy Hagar's third album as lead singer, Hagar suggested Van Halen title it F*CK (... only the * was a letter). Censorship in rock music was a controversial topic at the time, and Hagar wanted to push limits. The name changed to For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge when Hagar was told by Ray "Boom Boom” Mancini that the vulgarity was actually an acronym for this phrase.
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was intended to be a return to the rock roots of Van Halen after a number of albums featuring more use of synthesizers and a...2022-07-1146 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1993 - May: Brother Cane “Brother Cane”At a time when most music was coming out of the Seattle grunge scene or the Athens, Georgia college environment, Alabama's own Brother Cane is a reminder that good rock music can originate anywhere. The band was formed by front man and guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Glenn Maxey, and they were joined by guitarist Roman Glick and drummer Scott Collier. Their self-titled debut album would peak at number 14 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.
Johnson wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on the album, but writing credits would be received by all band members for at le...2022-06-1342 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1973 - April: James Gang ”Greatest Hits”The James Gang originated in Cleveland, Ohio, and is best known as a power trio consisting of Jim Fox on drums, Dale Peters on bass (Tom Kriss on bass for their first album) and Joe Walsh on guitars and lead vocals. This Greatest Hits album captures work done on the first three James Gang albums where Joe Walsh is the principal songwriter and is front and center of the band.
Walsh joined the group just prior to their signing with a record label. They produced "Yer' Album" in 1969. This would be followed by "James Gang Rides Again" and...2022-06-0638 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1968 - August: The Jeff Beck Group “Truth”Jeff Beck left the Yardbirds in 1966, and recorded several singles in 1967. In 1968 Beck released his first solo studio album, Truth, which would come to be regarded as one of the first heavy metal albums released. It would also feature a number of talented artists in his band called The Jeff Beck Group, including Rod Stewart on vocals, Ronnie Wood on bass, and Mickey Waller on drums, all of which would go on to achieve stardom as rock soloists and/or musicians in other groups.
Beck started this group as a means to expand his guitar interests, and th...2022-05-1630 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1993 - October: Cracker “Kerosene Hat”The California band Cracker would have its greatest success with its second studio album, Kerosene Hat. Cracker is David Lowery on lead vocals and guitar, Johnny Hickman on lead guitar and vocals, Davey Faragher on bass and vocals, and Michael Urbano on drums. The name of the album comes from a time when Lowery and Hickman lived together in an old run-down house whose only heat source was a pair of kerosene heaters. They had to walk to a nearby gas station to buy more kerosene and would bundle up with a wool cap that came to be known as...2022-04-1841 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1986 - September: Bon Jovi “Slippery When Wet”This is the album that turned heavy metal into pop, or started the hair metal genre of the 80's. Slippery When Wet was the third studio album by Bon Jovi, and would be their best selling album to date.
The band was David Bryan on keyboards, Tico Torres on percussion, Alec John Such on bass, Richie Sambora on guitar, and Jon Bon Jovi on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.
Bon Jovi deliberately targeted a mainstream audience with this album. They wrote 30 songs and auditioned them to teenagers in New York and New Jersey. The album's son...2022-01-1745 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1982 - October: Squeeze “Singles - 45 and Under”Squeeze came out of the mid-70's New Wave scene in the UK, but would cross genres into Rockabilly, R&B, and Psychedelia by the early 80's. In 1982 they released Singles - 45's and Under as a compilation album of their biggest hits. Squeeze was led by two singer songwriters, Chris Dilford (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Glenn Tilbrook (keyboards, lead guitar, vocals) who composed most of their material. At the time of the release of this “greatest hits” album, the band had broken up, leaving only Dilford and Tilbrook as a duet. The pair would normally work with Dilford...2021-12-0644 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1966 - August: Wilson Pickett “The Exciting Wilson Pickett”While you may think of Motown when you first hear Wilson Pickett, this sound is neither from Detroit or its counterpart from Philadelphia. This is from the deep south with the deep soul of the 2 M's - Memphis and Muscle Shoals. The Exciting Wilson Pickett was Pickett's third studio album and firmly established his credentials as one of the leading lights of Soul music.
Pickett grew up in Alabama, and like many soul singers at the time he got his start in church. He had a contentious relationship with his mother who he described as "the baddest woman...2020-06-2226 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1978 — September: Boston “Don’t Look Back”Back in 1976 Boston took the rock world by storm with their debut, and largely self-produced, album. This highly anticipated second album made its appearance two years later, a span of time which would in retrospect be considered quite fast - no other Boston album would appear for eight years. Don't Look Back was originally entitled "Arrival," until the band discovered that ABBA had already released an album with that name.
Guitarist and producer Tom Scholz considered the album to be rushed out by the record label, and believed it was too short and needed another song. This woul...2020-05-1144 minWhat the Riff Next Gen2020 — April: Episode 100 “Just the WTR Guys”If you want to see some grainy footage, this 100th Episode is also available on YouTube. It’s a recorded Zoom call, with a few graphics and photos from the studio.
Wayne discusses the genesis of the idea
When and how did the idea for the podcast come up?
Wayne's radio background and connections with guests for the show
How do we choose who to bring on the show?
How do we handle social media and promotions?
Bruce discusses research and blogging
How do we research for the show?
What websites are good...2020-04-2757 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1969 - February: MC5 ”Kick Out the Jams”When you're looking at revolution-focused rock of the late 60's, you have to put MC5 near the top of the pantheon. Their debut album, Kick Out the Jams, was also a live album, and captures the rage and the energy that would inspire the garage band and punk movement in the years to come. MC5 stands for "the Motor City Five," and was frontman Rob Tyner, lead guitarist Wayne Kramer, rhythm guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and Dennis Thompson on drums. This is a raw "punch in the gut" album, underground, very rebellious. MC5 was politically active...2020-01-2732 minWhat the Riff Next GenChristmas Songs that Rock (II)When we did our Rock-and-Roll Christmas "rabbit hole" episode last year we realized that there are just too many Rocking Christmas songs to be held in a single podcast. So we're coming back to you this year with another selection of Christmas songs that rock!
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by- Ronnie James Dio
This selection from the former Rainbow and Black Sabbath front man puts a metal twist on a 16th century carol.
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” by The Barenaked Ladies
A more mellow take on the same song features stripped down acous...2019-12-0950 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1968 - January: Small Faces “There Are But Four Small Faces”One of the most famous of the British "mod" groups, Small Faces was founded by Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston (although Winston had been replaced by Ian McLagan by this album). Small Faces was solidly in the psychedelic rock category. Small Faces toured with The Who, a group also known as a "mod" group. The name comes from the fact that all the members were under 5' 9". There Are But Four Small Faces was an international alternative to their eponymous second album released in 1967 in Britain.
Talk to You
This song was...2019-10-2827 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1976 - January - Styx - EquinoxThis week, Wayne brings us Equinox, the fifth studio album by Styx. This would be their first album for A&M Records and their last album with guitarist John Curulewski. He would be replaced by guitarist and singer Tommy Shaw on their next release, “The Grand Illusion,” at which point Styx would take the form which most of us remember as one of the groups that make up the soundtrack of our childhood. Equinox would only go to #58 on the album charts, but would see a resurgence with the release of The Grand Illusion in 1977.
Midnight Ride
...2019-08-1940 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1988 - April - The Godfathers - Birth, School, Work, DeathSometimes classified as alternative rock or new wave, London band The Godfathers has a British punk feel to it with their stark lyrics and cynical style — one that Wayne loves and appreciates! Peter and Chris Coyne formed this five piece group, and dressed in mafia-style suits with skinny ties. When they toured the United States, Living Colour was their opening act. Their sound is "brass knuckles punches," and "body slamming production." Join us on this journey as we explore Birth, School, Work, Death - a rough and tumble yet melodic album.
S.T.B.
This song was...2019-06-1037 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1981 - March - The Producers - The ProducersThis will be a familiar band to those of us who grew up in metro-Atlanta in the 80's, and will be a treat to the rest. The Producers got national airplay in the 80's with their new wave, high energy sound. Both this debut album and their follow-up "You Make the Heat" were big, and they probably hit the height of their popularity when they headlined MTV's New Year's Rockin' Eve party in 1982. The Producers (Van Temple, Kyle Henderson, Bryan Holmes, and Wayne Famous) are still playing — so make a point of seeing them live when they play nearby. We...2019-06-0338 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1969 - August - Humble Pie - As Safe as Yesterday is.August 1969 — Humble Pie — “As Safe as Yesterday is”
Wayne presents this incredible album featuring both Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton on vocals and guitar. It is easy to see how Humble Pie was such a powerful - but underrated - rock band at the end of the 60's. Their debut album “As Safe as Yesterday is” was a UK release, and remains surprisingly hard to pin down in genres with its mix of pop, rock, and blues - it was even one of the first albums to be described as “heavy metal.” Let's take a look at this groundbreaking album and see fo...2019-02-2541 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1973 - October - The Who - QuadropheniaOctober 1973 — “Quadrophenia
By the time this sixth studio album (and second rock opera) rolled out in 1973 The Who were already icons in the Rock genre. The double album Quadrophenia tracks the downward spiral of a young “mod” named Jimmy in 1965 Brighton, UK. Some of the most well known Who songs originate from this rock opera including "The Real Me," and "Love, Reign O'er Me."
We're joined this week by “What the Riff Friend” Tim Andrews from WSB radio and the Radio Labyrinth podcast to co-host as we delve into this giant group and album.
“I’m One”
This...2019-02-1841 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1993 - June - Collective Soul - Hints, Allegations & Things Left UnsaidJune 1993 — “Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid” by Collective Soul
Our first Podcast with a special guest. Steve Hardin teams up with Rob to present Stockbridge, Georgia-originating band Collective Soul. They didn't set out to be a world famous band. In fact, frontman Ed Roland wrote what would be the band's debut album as a demo in his basement, hoping to sell songs to others as a songwriter rather than perform songs in his own band. “Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid” would instead become a hit on indie radio (WRAS album 88.5 FM from Georgia State), and the debut album is their d...2019-02-1144 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1991 - September - Pearl Jam - TenSeptember 1991 — “Ten” by Pearl Jam
Bursting out of what was becoming the Seattle scene Pearl Jam achieved mainstream success with its debut album, anachronistically named Ten. The popularity of the album was slow coming, but has shown a staying power over the decades. Often identified with the grunge movement, and considered highly influential, Pearl Jam nevertheless defies labels. Their strong melodies and melancholy, open lyrics evoke not only grunge, but metal, alternative rock, and straightforward hard rock.
Join us as we focus on what Wayne considers "the month that changed rock and roll."
“Once”
This is the...2019-01-1443 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1988 - August - Jane’s Addiction - Nothing’s Shocking“Nothing’s Shocking” by Jane’s Addiction
Wayne presents this album, “Nothing's Shocking,” — the first studio album by Jane's Addiction. This alternative rock band from Los Angeles had released a self-titled live album in 1987. Perry Farrell was the lead singer and writer for the group. The group would break up in the early 90's over how to split the money. Although tensions in the band would drive the split, their heavy, angry, wall-of-sound approach would lead the way for the grunge music to come a few years later.
We hope you enjoy this heavy hitting feature.
“Idiots Rule...2018-12-1741 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1982 - March - Asia - AsiaMARCH of 1982 “Asia” by Asia
In early 1981 with the apparent demise of prog-rock supergroups Yes and Emerson Lake & Palmer, a new supergroup began. With Jon Wetton (King Crimson) on vocals and bass guitar, Steve Howe (Yes) on lead guitar, Geoff Downes (Yes and The Buggles) on keyboards, and Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer) on drums, Asia began work on this self-titled debut album which would rocket up the charts with a combination of complex musicality and tight, accessible tracks. The continuing popularity of MTV would help propel this supergroup to commercial success that would last beyond The Heat of t...2018-10-2943 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1965 - SEPT - Animal Tracks - The Animals“Animal Tracks” by The Animals
Wayne hosts this episode on The Animals. Formed in 1962 as an electric blues/rock band, The Animals followed a trend amongst many British Invasion groups of the day in arranging blues songs in a rock format. They would later get more psychedelic, but the album Animal Tracks is from their earlier, blues-focused era. Eric Burdon fronts the group, and The Animals would become Eric Burdon and the Animals after some of the original members left in 1966. Join us as we get out of this place and to the sixties blues of The Animals!
Cl...2018-09-1027 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1993 - AUG - Grave Dancer’s Union - Soul Asylum**
GRAVE DANCER'S UNION by Soul Asylum
**
Wayne shares this great album by 90s sensation, Soul Asylum.
Black Gold
Somebody to Shove
Get on Out
April Fools
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from “Frazier.”
STAFF PICKS:
"Believe" by Lenny Kravitz — Bruce.
“Fields of Gold” by Sting — Brian.
“Come Undone” by Duran Duran - Rob.
“Not Quite Sonic” by Mother Earth — Wayne.
LAUGH TRACK:
"Three Little Pigs" by Green Jelly.
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOT...2018-09-0341 minWhat the Riff Next Gen1966 - APRIL - If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mamas and the PapasIf You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, by the Mamas and the Papas
Brian hosted this Album.
Monday Monday
California Dreamin'
Hey Girl
Go Where You Want to Go
Got a Feelin'
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from Flipper.
STAFF PICKS:
"Five o'clock World" The Vogues
Wayne's pick.
“Groovy Kind of Love” - Wayne Fontana & the MindBenders
Rob's Pick.
"Shapes of Things" - The Yardbirds
Bruce's Pick.
“19th Nervous Breakdown” - Rolling Stones
Brian's pick.
LAUGH TRACK:
Spanish Flea - H...2018-07-3030 min