MODERN MUSICOLOGY

You know those songs, or maybe an album or an artist, that totally catch you by surprise? Either it's an album that you discovered in a surprising way, or an artist you don't care for but that one song stood out for you, or maybe it's someone that you normally wouldn't like but something made you change your mind about them. That's what we're talking about this week! We cover artists like NWA, Rap...

This week we talk about the second half of 1983 -- July through December. With incredible debuts by Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Wham!, Metallica, Slayer and more, plus major releases from Yes (90125), Genesis (Genesis), Huey Lewis and the News (Sports), KISS (Lick it Up), Motley Crue (Shout at the Devil), Lionel Richie (Can't Slow Down), John Cougar Mellencamp (Uh Huh), Paul McCartney (Pipes of Peace),...

Shoulder pads, spandex and Return of the Jedi -- it's 1983, baby! This week we look back at one of the most important years in music, with more huge albums and singles celebrating their 40th anniversary than you can shake a Cabbage Patch Doll at. The year is SO big, in fact, that we're splitting up into two episodes!  In Part 1, we take a look at the amazing music that was released January through...

What do you do when two of your co-hosts are absent and you had a guest cancel at the last minute? You improvise! That's exactly what happened this week as Stephanie Seymour and Rob Levy find themselves in the Modern Musicology studios alone! So what did they do? They interviewed each other! Rob and Steph share memories of their days working in radio and at record labels, with stories of meeting p...

This week we have the pleasure of chatting with RICKY BYRD -- guitarist, songwriter, current solo artist, former member of the classic line-up of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. In this interview, Ricky talks about learning Beatles and Stones songs off the radio as a kid, seeing bands at the Fillmore East, Max’s Kansas City, and Nobody’s, seeing Queen open f...

This week we turn our attention to one of the greatest television institutions in history -- SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- and its amazing musical legacy. We talk about some of our favorite musical performances ever (and some of the worst, too), what artists the show introduced us to that became favorites, the performances that changed our minds (for good or for ill) about an artist, some of the controve...

This week on Modern Musicology we have the extreme pleasure of chatting with bassist, author, radio and TV presenter, journalist, DJ, publisher, and founder of Louder Than War JOHN ROBB, talking about his new book The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth, which releases in the US on Tuesday, May 16. We chat with John about being influenced by the Beatles and the Stones as a young kid, his band The...

This week we recount the stories of the greatest comebacks ever in pop music! The discussion includes bands and artists that actively left music and then reentered the scene, as well as those who bounced back from disastrous periods in their career. Our topic ranges from Elvis (of course) and Tina (of course) to Genesis (a reunion tour with Phil Collins after a career slump with another singer), I...

Alan and his two buddies Daniel and Tillman caught Taylor Swift's Eras Tour on April 30 in Atlanta, GA ... and here's their review! What did they think of the show? What about favorite songs or moments? And what was their favorite era?? They cover it all, from the performance to the staging to the wardrobe to the FANS!  If you've already seen the Eras Tour, let us know what you thought of it! Do y...

SPARKS Show! This week, with Stephanie and Alan away for the week, the podcast is taken over by Rob and Anthony, who take the opportunity to do a deep-dive on one of their favorite bands, SPARKS! They discuss how they became Sparks fans, what they love about the band, seeing the band live, the Mael Brothers' importance and impact on the music scene, and share recommendations for good starting poin...

The 27 Club There have been a shocking number of artists who have all died at the same very young age, early into what was already a hugely successful and influential career, but should have been a long and legendary career. They are The 27 Club. We discuss the major figures that the public most associates with this club -- Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy...

The musical archaeologists of Modern Musicology are on an expedition to uncover albums that are celebrating 45th Anniversaries -- The Albums of 1978! It was a great year with amazing game-changing debuts from Prince, Van Halen, The Police, The Cars, Kate Bush, Generation X, Devo, and many more. It was a big year for Disco and Funk. Two metal and hard rock institutions (Rainbow and Black Sabbath) b...

You always hear about one-hit wonders . . . well, what about two- or three-hit wonders? This week the Modern Musicology team (Anthony Williams, Stephanie Seymour and Rob Levy) talks about those acts that made it beyond one hit. But what makes a two- or three-hit wonder? Some bands had a handful of singles and that was it for them, never to be heard from again. But then a massive band with a huge a...

This week we have the privilege of speaking with two original members of the band Heart -- bass player Steve Fossen and drummer Michael Derosier! Steve and Mike played on the first six Heart albums, from 1975 to 1982, and can be heard on hits like "Crazy On You", "Magic Man", "Dreamboat Annie", "Barracuda", "Love Alive", "Straight On", "Dog and Butterfly", "Even it Up", and more! They recount stor...

This week we had the extraordinary honor of chatting with the legendary Tony Levin! We talk with Mr. Levin about the imminent release of the new Peter Gabriel album and his preparations for the upcoming Peter Gabriel tour. He then regales us with stories from throughout his impressive career, from his early days studying jazz and classical to his most recent tour with his own band, Stick Men. Alon...

This week we're excited to welcome Gary Clark to the show! Gary began his career in the late 80s as frontperson of the Scottish band Danny Wilson, writing and singing the band's 1987 international hit "Mary's Prayer." Throughout the 90s and 2000s, he recorded one solo album and two albums as a member of King L and Transister, while also songwriting and producing for many other artists, including N...

This week Alan and Stephanie -- joined by Steph's husband Bob Perry -- chat with Theresa Kereakes, one of the 150 or so core members of the original LA punk rock scene. Theresa began taking photos at a very young age, and by extension, she chronicled the early LA punk scene with her camera. Her famous photos were used on many of the punk albums from that era and have been shown all over the countr...

As a bonus this week, we present to you a 10-minute off-the-cuff and unedited discussion about the sexism on the Sunset Strip hard rock scene in the 80s and in the music industry as a whole. This discussion was taken from our interview with Tom Beaujour, co-author of the book Nothin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion.  Pick up a copy of the book by Tom Beaujou...

Get out your Spandex, your hair spray, and your earplugs! We're talking all about the rise and fall of the 80s metal scene with TOM BEAUJOUR, co-author of the book Nothin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the 80s Hard Rock Explosion! Hear stories about the early successes like Van Halen and Quiet Riot that paved the way for the metal wave; bands that made it big from the Sunset Strip sce...

This week we take a look at celebrities who aren't immediately thought of as musicians that make records. Sometimes they're schlocky crap, but sometimes the celeb has legit musical talent and sustains a whole successful second career. We cover everything from Shatner and Hasselhoff to The Bacon Brothers, Clint Eastwood, Patrick Swayze, Katey Sagal, Scarlett Johansson and cast members of Stranger T...

This week the Modern Musicology crew piles into the DeLorean, fires up the flux capacitor, hit a cruising speed of 88 mph, and heads back to the year 1973!  We talk about some of the great music released that year, with debuts by Bruce Springsteen, Queen, and Aerosmith, plus influential records by Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Wings, Iggy and the Stooges, Linda Rondstadt, David Bowie, and a whole lot...

This week the Modern Musicology crew -- joined by our good friend Gerry Schramm of the Something For Nothing Podcast -- takes a look at the recently announced nominated artists for the 2023 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! The nominees are (in alphabetical order): Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage A...

Richard Evans is the author of the new book Listening to the Music the Machines Make: Inventing Electronic Pop 1978-1983. This definitive book explores how krautrock, disco, glam rock, and punk inspired an electronic pop revolution and how that revolution went on to establish the foundations for hip-hop, house, and EDM, and tells the stories of the movement’s underground pioneers and its superstar...

This week the Modern Musicology gang, joined by our good friend JM Tuffley, chats about that difficult, stressful, tricky sophomore album! You've had your entire early career to write, perform, and perfect the songs that'll go on your first album. But what then? What about the second album? If your first album was a hit, will the next one live up to it? If your debut didn't make a splash, there's...

What happens when one of the most successful and most influential bands ever, which literally changed the face of music, breaks up? Well, if you're a Beatle, you go on to an equally important and prosperous solo career. In this episode, the Modern Musicology gang takes a look at the post-Beatles careers of George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. We discuss where each member...