The CMS Network’s Substack Podcast

JJ French is back on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame warpath — and once again, he’s calling out the Hall for keeping Twisted Sister on the outside looking in. GET TWISTED SISTER’S STAY HUNGRY 40TH ANNIVERSARY ON VINYL: https://amzn.to/4xMOdrA But before anybody starts demanding an induction, **maybe it’s time to actually look at the numbers.** The guys go straight at Twisted Sister’s career: the ma...

Quiet Riot has a new voice — **but is John Torra walking into one of the toughest jobs in rock?** The guys dig into young vocalist John Torra becoming the latest in a long, increasingly crowded line of singers to step behind the microphone for Quiet Riot. What does it actually take for a new vocalist to make an established band’s legacy work without simply becoming another guy wearing someone else...

Metal isn’t dead — **but holy shit, the price of being a classic rock fan might be!** GET OZZY OSBOURNE’S MEMOIRS OF A MADMAN ON VINYL HERE: https://amzn.to/4hMZTpA The guys tear into the absolutely insane economics of modern concertgoing, including one VIP package so ridiculously expensive that you could damn near buy a decent used car for the same money. And somehow, that’s only the beginning. T...

The guys are back to break down a chaotic week of live shows, wild backstage encounters, and the relentless speed of time passing by. From road stories with Dokken, Lita Ford, and Lynch Mob to surprising run-ins with faces from two decades ago, nothing is off-limits. Plus, a dive into binge-worthy TV series, classic mob movies, and an unfiltered rant about why people are completely losing their mi...

Quiet Riot just hired a 23-year-old singer. Judas Priest is giving Sad Wings Of Destiny another 50th-anniversary treatment. And Jay Jay French is still asking why Twisted Sister can’t get the Rock Hall’s respect. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, METAL HEALTH IS AVAILABLE AGAIN ON VINYL! GET IT BEFORE IT GOES AWAY AGAIN! https://amzn.to/4iQxuA8 What do these stories have in common? GIVE THE RESPECT JJ FRENCH...

We’ve covered some bizarre stories over the years, but this headline completely breaks the scale. It’s a fast descent into absolute media madness, and honestly, the deeper you look into the details, the less sense the whole thing makes. If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow....

Before the internet ruined everything, high school had a completely different economy. Chris opens up the vault to share how a 15-year-old kid in the mid-180s managed to run a highly lucrative, neighborhood-level operation right under his parents’ noses. From pre-rolling joints in a hidden pool box to dodging store detectives as a KMart shoplifting decoy, this isn’t a lecture—it’s a gritty, unfilt...

Vinnie Vincent has launched an auction featuring KISS memorabilia, stage-used guitars, handwritten lyrics, contracts, clothing, publishing rights and more. Some of the asking prices—including a $50,000 belt and $200,000 music copyrights—have become major talking points. We break down the most surprising items and prices from the collection. GOOD PRICE HERE ON THE VINYL OF VINNIE VINCENT INVASION’S...

Something about this conversation between Chris Akin and guest host Jim Bartek hits a nerve. What started as a discussion about Geoff Tate’s comments quickly turned into a much bigger question about legacy, performance, and what fans are willing to overlook. GET MOTLEY CRUE’S GREATEST HITS ON VINYL HERE: https://amzn.to/4ej2sN7 Some fans think people are being too harsh. Others think the criticism...

For decades, fans believed they knew the story behind Whitesnake’s massive 1987 album. Now John Sykes is challenging that version of history. From claims about songwriting credit to accusations involving David Coverdale’s recording sessions, this interview has reopened one of hard rock’s longest-running disputes. RARE VINYL OF THE WHITESNAKE 1987 ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION: https://amzn.to/3SBfJte If...

Let’s not pretend the music industry makes any sense anymore. Usually, guys in bands the size of Def Leppard don’t talk to anyone outside of rolling stone, corporate radio, or major television networks. They live behind a wall of publicists and management teams whose entire job is to keep things sterile. But somehow, things took a completely different turn this week. Chris Akin ended up on a call...

The gatekeepers of rock history are making decisions that don’t make any sense, and legacy artists are scrambling to handle the fallout. From the messy politics behind who gets into the Rock Hall to veteran musicians dropping “reimagined” tracks nobody asked for, the line between honoring the past and exploiting it is completely blurred. If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full...

Let’s face it—we’ve spent the better part of the last two decades on this show laughing at the stupid things Dave Mustaine says. He’s usually the poster child for shooting off his mouth before engaging his brain. But hell has officially frozen over, because Mustaine just dropped a truth bomb that every single multi-millionaire rock star needs tattooed on their forehead: Stop telling your fans how...

Let’s be real: the “modern rock” industry is a sanitized, corporate circle-jerk where talent goes to die unless you’ve got a massive pile of cash to buy your way onto a tour. Curtis Don Vito from SNEW joined us, and what started as a standard interview quickly turned into a cold, hard look at the financial rot killing real rock n’ roll. Snew’s WHAT’S IT TO YA is seemingly out of print, but Amazon...

THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW has been exposing the soft underbelly of mainstream rock radio for decades, and this highlight is a total bloodbath. Watch as a CMS fan penetrates the legendary Rockline to ask Heaven and Hell a better question than host Bob Coburn ever could. Stop listening to the corporate puppets and get the real story with us. GET UNFILTERED ACCESS NOW: https://classicmetalshow.locals.co...

Is mainstream radio nothing more than a sanctuary for “radio hacks” and recovering cops? This week, Chris takes a text from “The Rocket” and decides to light a match and toss it into the studio. Was it a friendly visit, or did the CMS just expose how soft terrestrial radio has truly become? You have to hear how this “civil” crossover turns into a total slaughter of the mainstream status quo. This...

This episode originally aired on 11/7/09. Most “tributes” in the radio industry are filled with fake tears and sanitized memories, but Neeley and Chris just stumbled upon a “memorial” so cringeworthy it defies logic. Who was Brian “Bad Ass” Boone, and why is a certain segment of the 80s hair metal world acting like the King of Rock has fallen? Is the mainstream media—and these delusional internet...

Why is a rock star hitting the road to tell stories instead of shredding? Chris chats with Grammy winner David Ellefson about his upcoming South American BASSTORY tour, the deep reasons behind his storyteller shows, and his time at the BACK TO THE BEGINNING concert. It’s a look behind the bass! Get commercial-free versions of our episodes, early releases, and exclusive content by subscribing to ou...

If your world went pitch black tomorrow, would you stop moving, or would you start listening closer? We all talk a big game about “resilience,” but Wayne Stokely is living it on a global stage with a pair of drumsticks and zero vision. Most people treat their worst day like a finish line, but what if that day never actually ended? Chris and Seth sit down to find out how you find the rhythm when yo...

Why did one of the most influential guitarists in rock history spend decades running away from the very songs that made him a star? Was Sammy Hagar’s solo success actually the final nail in the coffin for Montrose’s legacy as a “classic rock staple”? Keith St. John joins Chris Akin to pull back the curtain on the creative differences, the “business moves” that defied logic, and what it really feel...

How would you react if the one thing that connects you to the world—your ability to walk—was stripped away in an instant? Most people see the prosthetic leg; they don't see the sweat, the blood, or the rotting sleeves that feel like "death" after three years of wear. Join Chris and Seth as they talk with Josh Green about the terrifying vulnerability of being manhandled in a hospital bed and why th...

On this episode of LIMPING OUT OF THE FIRE, Chris and Seth talk about the first week after a traumatic injury; the mental anguish, the confusion, dealing with family that have no idea how to handle your situation, and more. GET CALL ME CHRIS BY CHRIS AKIN HERE: https://amzn.to/3ZhyxxQ 🚀 SUPPORT THE SHOW: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@limpingoutofthefire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limpingoutof...

How would you react if the one thing that connects you to the world—your ability to walk—was stripped away in an instant? Most people see the prosthetic leg; they don't see the sweat, the blood, or the rotting sleeves that feel like "death" after three years of wear. Join Chris and Seth as they talk with Josh Green about the terrifying vulnerability of being manhandled in a hospital bed and why th...

Is the “British Wave” of Heavy Metal actually dead in its own home country? Most new bands are too afraid to challenge their idols, but what happens when a young group tells a legend like KK Downing that his ideas aren’t right for their record? Bones from Tailgunner joins Chris Akin to reveal the “road dirt” reality of winning over hostile crowds and why being “radio friendly” isn’t a dirty word i...

GET EDDIE MONEY - THE COVERS on Vinyl: https://amzn.to/4suNHgr Think you’ve heard the worst AC/DC cover in history? You haven’t seen anything until you witness the mainstream media trying to prop up a “legend” while a literal toddler out-shines them with zero effort. Why is the industry lying to you about what “real” talent looks like? Neeley and Chris expose the lackluster garbage being sold as r...