The Rock and Metal Profs

In the 1980s and 90s Black Sabbath released 5 outstanding studio records (and a great live one) featuring British vocalist Tony Martin.  After the departure of Ian Gillan after just one album and an ill-fated Tony Iommi solo record featuring Glenn Hughes on vocals, Sabbath turned to Tony Martin, a virtual unknown.  Martin's incredible vocal range and strong song-writing skills gave Sabbath a sound...

Time to put those fists in the air!  German metalers Helloween have the distinction of being one of the first (if not the very first) Power Metal bands, but what exactly is Power Metal?  How does it differ from speed, thrash, and just plain-old heavy metal?  Were German metal outfit ACCEPT a power metal band?  What's with all the power metal bands from Germany?  How and why did American rockers RI...

Few bands made a bigger impact in the 1980s than Sacramento rockers Tesla.  When "Mechanical Resonance" hit the stores, fans compared them to Aerosmith, but they forged a style and sound all their own that shaped the American rock sound for decades.  Metallica loved them, girls adored them, and even hardcore metal fans had to admit that they were the perfect blend of hard rock, classic riffs, grit...

We all know that AC/DC and Iron Maiden reached new commercial heights with replacement vocalists, but were versions 2.0 better than the original?  Was Van Halen a better band with DLR or Sammy?  Was Black Sabbath better with DIO or Ozzy? Jake or Zakk? The listeners sounded off, we listened, and we offer our own insight in this fun themed episode!

In this very special edition of RAMP, Matt interviews childhood friend and long-time Scorpions fan Bruce Miller.  They discuss the classic album triumvirate of Love Drive, Animal Magnetism and Blackout from the German forefathers of metal, The Scorpions.  

Court and Matt examine the contributions and monumental impact of women in Rock and Metal in the 90s and 2000s.  The 21st century is a brave new world for women in rock and metal, and it is about time!  So many great front-women in rock, and don't get us started on the great guitar work of shredders like Nita Strauss, Orianthi, Nikki Stringfield and Alyssa Day!  Let's hear it for the ladies!

This week the Profs discuss the incredible contributions of women who Rock!  In the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and metal was a boys club.  However, there were a number of trailblazers who had the chops, talent, determination and grit to bring their best in the studio and on stage every time.  Court and Matt talk about the glass ceiling in rock and metal, the ladies who shattered it, and the lasting leg...

In part 2, the Profs look at the incredible work that Ozzy produced with Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde in the 80s and 90s. 

The Madman is back!  Matt and Dr. Lewis research the career and legacy of the great Ozzy Osbourne.  The Profs analyze his time in Black Sabbath, his break with the band, Sharon Arden's (Osbourne's) role in putting Ozzy back in the mainstream, the Satan Panic, the death of Randy Rhoads, and the Ozman's thunderous impact on rock and metal.

By Request, the Profs examine the history, impact and legacy of the Foo Fighters.  Friend to the show and long-time supporter Greg Hill in Escondido California suggested the Foo Fighters, and we loved the idea!

The Profs handle Alice Cooper's later catalog, history, and legacy.   

Dr. Lewis interviews Detroit's Cello "Tha Black Pearl" in this bonus pod.

This week Dr. Court Lewis gets to talk about one of his favorite artists, the legendary Alice Cooper.  The master of shock rock, Alice's storied career was fraught with controversy, alcoholism, chicken abuse, and a religious awakening.  Court is in his element, and Matt is just along for the ride!

Court and Matt discuss the bests albums and artists of 2021.

Everybody Wants Some!  Has there ever been a more impactful and transformative band than Van Halen?  When Eddie, Alex, Michael and DLR hit the Los Angeles scene in the late-1970s, it was a seismic shift in music.  A young Eddie Van Halen showed that whatever people might have thought was possible (or impossible) on the guitar, they were wrong.  The most complete rock guitar player of all time, wit...

System of a Down are a band that tackled serious issues.  Their outspoken criticism of Turkey's government and the Armenian Genocide is well-documented.  But what some casual listeners may not know is that they are also an incredibly talented quartet -- gifted songwriters and musicians.  When they hit the music scene in the late-1990s, their crushing rhythms, frenetic energy, and Armenian-inspired...

The Profs examine the tumultuous 1990s and how Judas Priest reinvented when Halford left the band.  Like most metal acts in the 90s, JP struggled to maintain legitimacy and their fanbase.  Record companies moved on, but the band forged ahead.  With Halford returning to the band in the early 2000s, the band produced a string of incredible albums and proved their staying power, resiliency and determ...

When 1982's "Screaming for Vengeance" hit the U.S. and England, it was a smash.  Up until that point, the Birmingham metal outfit had modest success, particular in the U.S. when they opened for KISS in 1979.  However, "Screaming..." placed JP alongside the greatest rock and metal acts of the decade.  With fame came infamy however, and Priest was not immune to the "Satanic Panic" and the religious...

The Profs mine the data to present the history and philosophy of heavy metal progenitors Judas Priest.  Like their fellow Birmingham mates in Black Sabbath, Judas Priest deserve to be placed alongside Sabbath as the founding fathers of heavy metal.  From the start, Priest blazed their own path, creating a sound and style that has been often emulated but never mastered.  With Rob Halford's haunting...

More interviews from Rock N Pod August 2022.  Matt and Court interview legendary drummer Vinnie Appice of Black Sabbath and DIO, Producer Toby Wright (Alice In Chains, Metallica) and Memphis rockers Tora Tora.  

Court and Matt interview members of the rock outfit "Resist and Bite" (featuring Tommy Skeoch of Tesla) and legendary rock muse and groupie Pamela Des Barres.  

Vinnie Vincent has the distinction of being one of the most beloved, reviled and criticized rock artists of the last 40 years.  When he hit the Los Angeles scene he had modest success writing and performing musical scores for TV shows.  Hired by KISS to replace founding guitarist Ace Frehley in the early-80s, fans were ecstatic with the new musical direction and more complex guitar arrangements.  ...

The Profs examine the incomparable Kansas.  Were they classic rock?  Were they early prog rock?  Were they a pop band?  Kansas was challenging to define, then and now.  Whatever the categorization, music fans agree that they made some of the best music of the 70s and 80s, and with very little radio airplay nor popular acclaim.  Count and Matt look at the band's past, legacy, and philosophy that so...

The Profs take a 2nd look at the monumental British metal band Iron Maiden.  Often considered one of the greatest of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" bands in the early 80s, Maiden's place in the pantheon of metal is secure.  And perhaps no band is better at covering historical topics and telling meaningful stories than Steve, Bruce, Dave, Adrian, Janick and Nicko.  This one took some time an...

This week Matt chats with writer, editor, publisher and music fan Tommy Ellis.  In Tommy's longtime role as a magazine editor and publisher, he's had the opportunity to interview some of the biggest names in rock and metal music over his career.  He's also an avid fan of music documentaries.  Matt and Tommy discuss both well-known and more obscure can't-miss rockumentaries and their impact on fans...