GARAGE TO STADIUMS Music History Podcast

From music to hairstyles to the very fabric of pop culture, The Beatles changed everything.  Having interviewed several Beatles himself, guest best-selling author Bob Spitz, ( The Beatles: The Biography ) shares astonishing, never-before-heard insights into their journey, influence, and the untold stories that shaped the most influential band of all time. Don’t miss this deep dive into Beatlemania...

Travel back to the political protests and civil unrest of the late 1960s that spawned the legendary Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — America’s first supergroup comprised of members of previously successful bands. The result: clashing egos, legendary breakups, wild lives, yet timeless harmonies that stunned audiences and influenced The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, and many more that fol...

Experience one of music's big bang moments when 19-year-old Mick Jagger, carrying a handful of RnB albums, ran into Keith Richards on a train platform. Together, they would overcome tragedy, addictions, death and mayhem of all sorts to make it to the top and stay there.  This isn't just the tale of a band, it's the saga of survival, reinvention and rebellion, and at its core, it's the story of two...

In Part 2, we journey through the 1970s and ’80s, to experience how The Rolling Stones navigated financial ruin, courtroom battles, and drug-fueled chaos. Their survival and evolution forged their legend—every scar a jewel in the crown they wear today.  In Part 2 you'll learn: How financial problems led to one of their finest albums  About their legendary debaucherous 1972 tour  That the chaos of...

Hop on the wild ride of Led Zeppelin that swings between euphoric triumphs and gut-wrenching tragedies. Delve deep into the Led Zeppelin story with Bob Spitz, the author of Led Zeppelin: The Biography , who sheds light on the band's journey from their humble beginnings in 1968 to their premature demise in 1980.  In this episode, learn: How the founder of Zeppelin was a stellar studio musician seek...

Step into the whirlwind journey of Fleetwood Mac, where relationships intertwine, songwriting flourishes, and musical evolution knows no bounds. We delve deep into the band's captivating narrative. In this rollicking episode, you'll learn: The origins of the band in England in the 1960s as a blues band featuring a very different lineup   How the founder suffered a severe mental health decline that...

Travel back to early 1960s Motown when an 11-year old child prodigy mysteriously appeared on the scene. Stevie Wonder rose from deep poverty, a fractured home and a significant physical disability to become one of the most influential musicians of all time.  As you will hear, he was also a master of innovating new sounds, producing hits across many musical genres - soul, R'n'B, rock, reggae, pop,...

Summer's here, time to crank some guitar riffs like only AC/DC can create.  We're revisiting one of our most electrifying episodes: The Story of AC/DC . From gritty Sydney pub gigs to conquering stadiums worldwide, AC/DC's rise is one of rock’s most powerful journeys. Along the way: tragedy, reinvention, and some of the most iconic riffs ever recorded.  This episode dives deep into the real story...

One of our most beloved episodes returns—an unforgettable journey into the life of a legend. Discover how Bob Marley rose from the streets of Trenchtown, one of Jamaica’s poorest neighborhoods, to become a global icon whose music and message continue to inspire millions. Renowned reggae historian John Masouri , author of Simmer Down: Marley-Tosh-Livingston , joins us to trace Marley’s extraordinar...

It's the summer of 2025 & Bruce Springsteen has just released 7 - yes, seven - new albums containing 83 unreleased songs! And he's on a global tour.  Learn his incredible backstory from our classic episode from our archives. Experience his hardscrabble New Jersey childhood to becoming what Bono of U2 called the "John Steinbeck" of music with his lyrics on life in working class towns and the ho...

Incredibly 40 years ago this week in July 1985, Queen and Freddie Mercury astonished a global audience at the Live Aid concerts for African famine relief.  An all star cast of the world's greatest bands performed that day, yet this was the moment that Freddie Mercury and crew blew everyone away and demonstrated that they remained one of the best live bands ever.  As part of our summer programming,...

As Oasis hits the road for their global ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Tour’ we revisit the chaos, charisma, and culture-shifting moments of their original rise with this 2024 episode from our archives.  Our guest  is music journalist and author Paolo Hewitt, who had a front-row seat—literally and figuratively—on Oasis’ 1994–1996 world tour. He didn’t just cover the story; he lived it. As Noel Gallagher put it,...

This is a popular show from our archives.  We are re-dropping it because on this week in 1971 (on July 3) Jim Morrison was found dead in mysterious circumstances at age 27.  As a tribute to Morrison & The Doors and given that it is July 4th week, we are re-broadcasting the story of one of the most influential American bands in history.  You will taken from the mid-1960s through the early ‘70s...

Happy Canada Day week to our Canadian listeners! Learn the fascinating story of Canadian band Rush made its journey as Canadian teenagers in a bar band to global phenomenon with our guest Sam Dunn, director of the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage . In the episode you’ll hear: How an incredible event launched Rush from a bar band to an opening act for Kiss  How did diabetes lead Rush to d...

Explore one of the most influential figures in modern music history - Brian Wilson leader of The Beach Boys.  Known for layered orchestrations and an innovative approach to studio recording, Brian influenced artists like The Beatles, Elton John, Queen, The Eagles and more. Incredibly, Brian created one of rock’s great lost albums - Smile begun in 1966 - but it was shelved for 37 years. Decades lat...

Billy Joel is the fourth best-selling solo artist in U.S. history, yet most fans aren’t familiar with the extremely challenging and fascinating journey he took from little Jewish boy piano prodigy on Long Island to rock and pop icon of the 1970s and ’80s. In this episode:  How Billy's broken home challenged his childhood His intense battles with mental illness and addiction  The part-time job that...

Tom Petty has one of the most popular and recognizable song catalogs and a legion of fans of all ages. Hear how Tom climbed his way to the top despite a difficult childhood, a series of heartbreaking music failures, and even a lawsuit that ended up changing the entire music industry forever.  In this episode:  How Tom overcame a difficult childhood in Florida  How Tom participated in events as a t...

From music to hairstyles to the very fabric of pop culture, The Beatles changed everything.  Having interviewed several Beatles himself, guest best-selling author Bob Spitz, ( The Beatles: The Biography ) shares astonishing, never-before-heard insights into their journey, influence, and the untold stories that shaped the most influential band of all time. Don’t miss this deep dive into Beatlemania...

Rewind to the early 1990s, when a high school dropout from Aberdeen, Washington, turned his angst into anthems. This is the story of Nirvana—a band that took Seattle-based grunge from garage floors to global stages - with a rebellious yet melodic sound that resonated with a generation.   In this episode, we uncover: How Kurt Cobain felt like a fish out of water in his small-town upbringing  The tw...

Hear the incredible story of how Queen was started by a refugee immigrant and his new English friends and went from college band to stadium juggernaut selling 300 million albums worldwide.  This versatile band moved effortlessly across  genres like heavy rock, sumptuous ballads, funk & dance sounds, and even pop sounds. In this episode:  How a family desperately fleeing an African revolution b...

David Bowie was the ultimate chameleon of rock, constantly reinventing himself throughout his career. This episode starts with his struggles from his multiple failed attempts at stardom.  Despite these challenges, Bowie’s incorporated elements of his eclectic, failed past and created a groundbreaking sound and persona, cementing him as one of the most influential and successful artists in music hi...

Our guest, Chris Salewicz, was there at the dawn of punk in 1976 England, witnessing firsthand the birth of The Clash and Sex Pistols . Chris attended the first ever performances of both bands and will share insider stories of their rise and lasting influence over the last 50 years. In this episode, you’ll discover:  The fascinating childhood that shaped Strummer’s persona and The Clash approach W...

Oasis has announced its return to touring and almost 10 million fans have applied for tickets.  Go back and witness the 1990s explosion of this band, headed by brothers songwriter Noel Gallagher and lead singer Liam Gallagher.  In this episode, you'll hear: The incredible challenging childhood that the brothers overcame  The secret formula that allowed Oasis to attract fans across several genres o...

Learn how Bob Marley transformed from humble beginnings as child in one of the poorest areas of Jamaica to international superstar. John Masouri, author of Simmer Down: Marley-Tosh-Livingston is a renowned reggae historian and tells us how Marley became synonymous with an innovative new music form called reggae, and political activism that defended disenfranchised people globally. You’ll learn: 1....

You will taken from the mid-1960s through the early ‘70s Los Angeles, when a band would emerge that changed all of the rules of music. Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined joins us to tell the mesmerizing story of a band fronted by an electrifying, handsome poet named Jim Morrison.  The Doors relentlessly challenged, confronted and inspired fans with their provocative songs and performances. ...