Let It Roll

An interview with Gareth Murphy author of "Cowboys and Indies: The Epic History of the Record Industry." Host Nate Wilcox gets Gareth to detail his researches on the earliest days of the record industry when Thomas Edison battled The Victor Talking Machine company for control of the industry. Then the conversation follows the record industry's evolution into the "race records" era of the 1920s, Jo...

Hosts Nate Wilcox, Eugene S. Robinson & Alexei Auld discuss the "Grunge" episode of VH1 documentary series "Metal Evolution." Nate and the team grapple with the meaning of grunge, its place in heavy metal history and our own tastes and biases. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final...

An interview with Joel Selvin, author of "Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day." Host Nate Wilcox asks Joel about his research into the causes and impacts of the disaster at Altamont in 1969. Buy the book and support the podcast. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow...

An interview with Michaelangelo Matos author of “The Underground Is Massive: How Electronic Dance Music Conquered America.” Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness ask Michaelangelo Matos the questions raised over the course of TechnoRoll series 3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

An interview with Bill Kopp, author of "Disturbing The Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave." Host Nate Wilcox asks Bill about Howie Klein's early 1980s independent label, its key bands like Wire Train and Romeo Void and its partnership with major label Columbia Records.  Buy the book and support the podcast. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at EDM's Animal Farm moment when the genre and its practitioners were finally accepted by the American music industry.  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

A discussion of "The Rise of Gospel Blues: The Music of Thomas Andrew Dorsey in the Urban Church" by Michael W. Harris. Hosts Nate Wilcox and Garrett Cash talk about the transformation of blues pianist Georgia Tom into the most important composer of modern African-American gospel music. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode.  Check out this playlist of his work on Spotify. Ha...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at EDMs commercial triumphs in the early 2010s, epitomized by Electric Daisy Carnival's move from LA to Las Vegas, the rise of Skrillex and brostep, and the cross-over success of David Guetta and others. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HE...

Hosts Nate Wilcox & Garrett Cash continue their discussion of the evolution of American Gospel music. This week we look at two early 20th century gospel composers using the book "We'll Understand Better By And By" editor by Bernice Johnson Reagon as our source material. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Lucie Campbell Spotify playlist. Charles A. Tindley Spotify playlist...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at the book's treatment of EDM's breakthrough moment when Daft Punk played Coachella 2006 and blew away Madonna and Kanye West. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

An interview with Joel Selvin, author of " Sly & the Family Stone: An Oral History." Host Nate Wilcox asks Joel about the rapid rise, positive peaks, sudden descent and long-slow decline of Sly Stone. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at Matos' treatment of electroclash, mashups and the impact of 9/11 on the electronic dance music scene in America. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

A discussion of Ted Gioia's book "The Birth (and Death) of the Cool." Hosts Nate Wilcox and Yuri Campbell revisit our previous discussion with Ted Gioia and the basic premises of his work. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Faceb...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at Disco Donnie, the DEA and the rave bust that brought the first era of rave to an end. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final...

An interview with Howie Abrams co-author of "Finding Joseph I: An Oral History of H.R. from Bad Brains." Host Nate Wilcox asks Howie about the accomplishments that made HR and his band legendary and the decisions that kept them out of the American music mainstream. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to intervi...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at the 2000 Detroit Electronic Music Festival which finally brought the Techno pioneers a measure of popular acclaim in their home city. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

An interview with Madeline Bocaro, author of "In Your Mind - The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono." Host Nate Wilcox discusses Yoko Ono's unique approach to music, her collaboration with John Lennon, her training in both Western and Japanese classical musics, her experience with the Western musical avant-garde and how she translated that background into a rock context. HARD COVER BOOKS signed by the...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at the US music industry's continuing efforts to make "electronica" the next big thing, culminating in Moby and Fatboy Slim's appearances at the rave tent of Woodstock '99, an infamous debacle that epitomized the worst of late 1990's bro culture. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO...

A discussion of Smokey Robinson's autobiography "Smokey: Inside My Life" co-written with David Ritz. Hosts Nate Wilcox and Brooks Long discuss the life story of Motown's top singer-songwriter-producer. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follo...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at the continuing efforts of the American music business to promote the genre they now called "electronica" via live events and CD releases. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

An interview with Barry Mazor author of "Ralph Peer and the Making of Popular Roots Music." Host Nate Wilcox asks Barry about the amazing career of Ralph Peer and his role in popularizing Louis Armstrong, Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family and many more. Buy the book and support the show.  Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email leti...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at the Even Further event and Daft Punk's American debut.  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subs...

Host Nate Wilcox asks Charles about the creative, legal and cultural issues raised by Danger Mouse's mash-up of Jay-Z's Black Album and The Beatles aka the White Album. Buy the book & support the show.  Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheo...

New York Dolls bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane was the focus of Greg Whiteley's 2005 documentary which told the story of his final months in Los Angeles and an unexpected Dolls reunion in London. Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston also discuss the meteoric rise and tragic fall of the Dolls in New York and London in the 1970s. This episode originally dropped in 2022. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ryan Harkness continue their discussion of "⁠⁠⁠⁠The Underground is Massive⁠⁠⁠⁠" with a look at Richie Hawtin's transition to minimal techno and his boom and bust as a US rave promoter. Other Detroit area producer/DJs like Carl Craig and Robert Hood are discussed as is the relationship between Berlin and Detroit. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL...