VRP Rocks - Classic Rock Interviews

Todays guest is a drummer with a band that started way back in 1984, they rode at the forefront of the British AOR, melodic hard rock wave of the 80s and early 90s and toured with some of the biggest acts on the planet from Meat Loaf to Whitesnake to Foreigner to Tina Turner to Status Quo to Gary Moore – they were rubbing shoulders with the best! Pete Jupp was a founding member and still records a...

John Steel is a founding member of the brilliant 60s group, THE ANIMALS! The group were one of the leading bands of the British Invasion and had 10 top 20 hits both in the UK and US but will be forever remembered for one of the classic songs of all time, their rendition of House of the Rising Sun. Bruce Springsteen publicly declared The Animals as his favourite British group of the 60s, while Bob...

Andrew Farriss was the main songwriter in INXS. Michael Hutchence added the flair and the lyrics but without Andrew there really wouldn't have been the INXS that we know.   INXS sold more than 50 million records around the world. They had number 1 albums and number 1 singles across the globe too. They won the biggest of awards and played the biggest of venues. And all whilst keeping the band line-...

On this day in rock history, Aerosmith's biggest selling studio album worldwide, GET A GRIP, hit the number 1 spot on the US album chart! And no wonder, given the fact it contained so many hit songs such as Crying, Eat The Rich, Crazy, Livin' On The Edge, Amazing and Fever!! Joining me to share his expert knowledge of the band is Corey, co-host of the podcast "Back Tracks: Aerosmith Revisited" Che...

The Tubes were wild to say the least! Today's guest, Fee Waybill, and the band came through the musical theatre and underground comedy scene, but played some furious rock too. Their satirical take on the world, coupled with an unmatched stage show – which really was a full on assault of the senses - marked them out as a band unlike any other! Their huge hits - She's a Beauty, Don't Want To Wait An...

On this weeks episode we get a long-overdue update for our Artists Choice playlist! We'll hear Jackie Fox from the Runaways, Jim McCarty from the Yardbirds, Tony Martin from Black Sabbath, John Lodge from the Moody Blues plus many more pick a song from their own back catalogue to add to this specially curated list of songs! Also on the show I delve into my archive of interviews to bring you one I...

The Runaways are one of the earliest and most influential all-female rock acts of all time, a band that proved that women could rock just as hard as any man could! The group of Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Sandy West, Lita Ford and my guest Jackie Fox make up the iconic line-up of the band. Their army of fans stretched across the globe, especially in Europe and Japan where their most famous song, Che...

Great Rock Stories Volume 2 is a mix of some of amazing tales told by some legendary stars, including 2 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees! You'll hear about how it felt to get a number 1 single, how one hit song and its image became a blessing and a curse, you’ll hear from a band that Guns n Roses adored and followed around before they got famous, a song written for a legendary front man as a tri...

The STRAWBS have been in action since the 60's and the bands bass player, CHAS CRONK, joins me to tell me his stories from his time in the band, including the recording of the iconic 'Hero and Heroine' album of 1974! He also gives us an update on Dave Cousins plus plans for another new studio album! We also hear his stories about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Rick Wakeman (YES) and Steve Hackett (G...

MIKE RENO is the lead singer and front man of Canada's, LOVERBOY! The band have more than 20 million record sales worldwide, which includes 4 consecutive multi-platinum certified albums in the US alone! Best known for some huge singles including 'Working For The Weekend', 'Lovin Every Minute Of It', 'Hot Girls in Love' and 'Turn Me Loose' Mike and the band have also written and performed songs on...

THE TROGGS, became superstars all around the world, topping charts globally with 'WILD THING'. They've been cited as influences for so many bands that followed as pioneers of heavy, raw guitar rock, garage rock and punk rock too. Their raunchy lyrics and memorable melodies helped set them as one of the great British bands of the 60s. Pete Staples was a main part of the band that achieved so much s...

American Pie has become a part of the fabric of America. Don McLean joins me this week to talk about the 50th anniversary of the album/song and to give his wider feelings on a awful lot of things. He talks about working on new material, being watched by the FBI, those early days of his career in the 60's with Pete Seeger and his family lineage which winds back here to a small Scottish island! Amer...

'MY SHARONA' was the biggest selling song in American in 1979 and was a number 1 hit all over the world. The album it came from, 'Get The Knack' was also a massive hit, number 1 in the US for 5 weeks and went platinum in a matter of months! Prescott Niles is The Knack's ever present bass player and on this episode he goes deep into the history of the band, the incredible highs and the incredible l...

Tony Martin is the former lead singer of the legendary, Black Sabbath. Sabbath's 'lead singer roll of honour' includes Ronnie James Dio and former Deep Purple men Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes but Tony Martin remains the second longest serving lead singer of the band after Ozzy Osbourne! Tony fronted Sabbath for the best part of a decade recording five studio albums and a live album too. In this int...

With 3 top 10 albums - including the biggest selling UK album of 1972 - and 4 top 10 singles, Lindisfarne are one of the North East of England's most iconic groups! Songs like 'Run For Home', 'Meet Me On the Corner', 'Fog on the Tyne' and 'Lady Eleanor' are classics of the genre. Their legendary live performances in the early 70's garnered the band a huge following which still follow the group hal...

Mark Stein is the lead singer and keyboard player with influential band Vanilla Fudge and in this episode he tells stories that contain The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Dave Mason and much more. Vanilla Fudge crashed into the public awareness with the release of their brilliantly re-arranged and reimagined version of "You Keep Me Hanging On". It gained them friends and fans on both side...

I get into the nitty gritty of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with American comedian JOE KWACZALA. He co-hosts "Who Cares About The Rock Hall" and is a self confessed Rock Hall obsessive. I bet he knows more about the Rock Hall than the people running the place! I grill him on the contentious topics, some of the controversies and put your questions to him - including the big one "Why don't they ju...

Dire Straits legend JOHN ILLSLEY returns to Vintage Rock Pod to tell me about the busy year he's had following the release of his highly acclaimed autobiography "My Life In Dire Straits" and ahead of his new studio album "VIII" and tour. We talk all about his friendship with Mark Knopfler, how Mark was involved in the book and audiobook, themes for the new album, what to expect from the intimate t...

Ellen Foley is famously known as the female singer on Meat Loaf's 'Bat Out of Hell' album, significantly duetting on 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light'. But she also had a great solo career, worked with The Clash and many others including Blue Oyster Cult as well as having a career on Broadway, on TV and in movies such as Cocktail with Tom Cruise. In this episode you'll hear Ellen tell me all about...

Ian Anderson has been the driving force behind JETHRO TULL for over half a century! With more than 60 million records sold worldwide, Jethro Tull can look back on a catalogue that contains classics such as 'Aqualung', 'Thick As A Brick', 'A Passion Play', 'Minstrel In The Gallery' and 'Stand Up' and now look forward when the release of 2022's 'The Zealot Gene'. In this fascinating interview, Ian,...

This special tribute show to Marvin Lee Aday, known to the world as MEAT LOAF, features contributions I've recorded with ELLEN FOLEY (female singer on the Bat Out Of Hell album), JOHN PARR (St Elmo's Fire singer and good friend) and UK national radio presenter CLAIRE STURGESS from Absolute Classic Rock. We also hear fan reactions to his sad passing from Mike Norris (My Classic Album podcast), Step...

We pay tribute to the stars of the classic rock world that sadly passed away in 2021. With contributions from some special guests we look back at the heroes that are sadly no longer with us and the legacy they leave behind. Part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Great Rock Stories Volume 1 is a mix of some of amazing tales told by some legendary stars, including 3 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees! You'll hear about The Beatles before they were famous, kicking the door down for women in rock, an iconic song that helped to bring down the iron curtain, the early days of punk in the UK, how Sting came to sing on one of MTV's most played videos, how it felt...

Jim McCarty is a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, inducted with his band, the legendary, ground breaking and iconic 60's group The Yardbirds! He played alongside some of the greatest guitarists of all time as the band boasted Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page among their number! Hear Jim talk about playing with these guys, plus stories of replacing the Rolling Stones, hearing a famous Beatles song...

Donnie Vie is the former frontman, lead singer, songwriter and guitar player with the band Enuff Z Nuff. Best known for their big singles 'New Thing' and 'Fly High Michelle', they were on heavy rotation on MTV, Howard Stern was a big fan and so too was David Letterman, having them multiple times on his show. Rolling Stone magazine even called them “The Hot Band of the Year” following their second...