Rock 'n' Roll Grad School

This week, we dig into the archives of our other podcast, Why? to share one of our favorite conversations. We talked with Mini Gene from Mini Kiss. We cover all the the bases, what it's like being in a cover band, how do the fans recieve them and, probably most importantly, what does Big Gene and Paul think about the whole thing? For more information, you can check out Mini Kiss's websit...

Tanith is a band that has one foot in the old and one foot in the new. (And we mean that in the nicest way.) Their new album Voyage is a delightful trip through the Tanith-verse. And they recorded it all on actual tape with actual musical instruments. How novel! To order a copy of the record, check them out on Facebook or on Bandcamp . Plus, we play the 'drinks named after a band's songs...

What can we tell you about Buckcherry that you don't already know? You know their hits, you know their sound and now they're back with their tenth album- Vol. 10. It doesn't change the face of music forever, but who says it has to? It's a fun record containing everything you want from the band. We talked with lead singer Josh Todd about the writing process, the production of th...

Meg and Andrew have been collaborating after meeting at a jam session in 2019. Their music is a unique collaboration of their two approaches to the art, between trained musician (Andrew) and self-professed car singer (Meg). The collaboration has produced their first album, out June 9th. For more information, check out their website for all their links . Plus, we talk Cheap Trick. (Of course we do....

If you like, great pop music, with soaring harmonies and wonderful songs, you can’t go wrong with this week’s guest. Robin Taylor Zander’s day job involves playing with his Dad and friends in Cheap Trick, but this record isn’t a simple knock-off. It's a heartfelt, personal statement. You know we don’t blow smoke. This is a fun interview and a really fun record. “The Distance” is available to...

Nonstop to Cairo didn't know if they'd get to make their new record, KAI. The road to the album was a rough one, with a pandemic and the tragic loss of one of their own. But, even with all of these issues, the music is still exactly what you'd expect from this multi-hyphenate of a band. KAI is available right now wherever you get your music. For more information, you can follow them...

Zack Alford now plays with the Psychedelic Furs, (and it looks like they'll be hitting the road again soon) but he's also played with folks like Bruce Springsteen, the B-52s, Billy Joel, Gwen Stefani and David Bowie. We got to talk with Zack about his fascinating career behind the kit and what he's learned along the way. For more information, you can check out Zachary's website...

Glen Matlock was famously fired from the Sex Pistols for, supposedly, owning a Beatles record. Well, Glen has put that musical use to knowledge over the past 40 or so years. He's got a new solo album out called Consequences Coming  that's just as angry and fun as any Pistols song. (Plus we talk about his work with Blondie and the recently concluded Iggy Pop tribute show.) For more inform...

Hey Stoopid- Alice Cooper is 75! And we're celebrating it by talking with author Gary Graff about his new book. (It's called "Alice Cooper @ 75.") The book is a great look at Alice's whole career and is packed with great photos and ephemera from the various eras. And Gary isn't just an author, he also runs the Detroit Music Awards, which are coming up on April 23rd. F...

Tammy Glover has successful careers in multiple fields, so, it's not surprising she decided to tackle the musical genre.    But, Tammy approached it differently, finding a way to put a new twist on the Peter Pan story with the show, "Wendy, My Darling." We talked with Tammy about writing the show, putting the show on the stage and the unique-for-reasons-we-still-dont-understand idea...

You might have seen The Native Howl on the YouTube series  No Cover  (where they won the competition and were praised by judges Alice Cooper and Gavin Rossdale among others). They call their music 'thrashgrass,' a combination of thrash metal and bluegrass. And if that isn't enough, next month they're entering into famed Studio 606 (owned by the Foo Fighters) to record their nex...

Phil Soussan has played with folks like Ozzy Osbourne. And now, as a member of Last in Line, he's having a great time as they gear up for their new album release.  Jericho is available this Friday, March 31st. (The rest of the band is made up of the former members of Dio, including Vivian Campbell, now best known for his work in Def Leppard.) We talked about the joys of playing together and h...

XTC is dead, long live EXTC! Even though the great XTC is no more, original drummer Terry Chambers is taking that memorable music on the road with his new band EXTC.  With the blessing of the other members of XTC, fans are getting their dose with Terry and his great band. (And if that's not enough, EXTC is planning on writing and recording new music!) You can check out Terry and EXTC live rig...

Ron Young has had a fascinating career in music. And while it wasn't always top of the charts successful, Ron has found a place for him and his band Little Caesar. Ron's new memoir, "Judge This Book by It's Cover," is a honest and open story about the difficulty of making it, the love of music, and how at the end of the day, you just need to be happy with yourself. It&apos...

Tragedy has been out there preaching the word of the Bee Gees,  Donna Summer, the Weather Girls and many more with a heavy metal. Now, with their new album, I Am Woman, the group pays tribute to some of the most popular female musicians ever. We talked with lead singer Mo’Royce Peterson about the art that is the band, and how these songs are actually incredibly well-written. For more information a...

Kevin Armstrong made his debut with David Bowie during Live Aid. No pressure there. He's written with Bowie and played with Iggy Pop on and off for several decades. Now, Kevin is part of the all-star Lust For Life tour, featuring the Sex Pistols' Glen Matlock and Blondie's Clem Burke and others as they join together to play Iggy's classic "Lust for Life" all the way t...

In 1972, Elephant's Memory found out that they had a visitor to their practice space. It was this English musician with his wife, who were looking for some folks to jam with. And so, bassist Gary Van Scyoc and the rest of the band found themselves playing with John Lennon and Yoko Ono for the next few years. We got to talk with Gary about his fascinating career, what it was like playing with...

With their new EP "Ordinary Sex Appeal," out now, and more new music on the way, Sons of Silver are continuing to create and make music despite the things that would usually hold you back. (IE; worldwide pandemic, children) We talked with Peter Argyropoulos, Brina Kabler and Kevin Haaland about "Ordinary Sex Appeal," and found nothing about them to be ordinary. For more informa...

You may remember Muzzins from our conversations around the Summit Indie Fest. Well, the group is back with a new single, "Send It Back." We talked with 1/3 of the group, singer Rayna about the philosophy of the group, the power of 3, and the new genre of music, "girth rock." "Send It Back" is available on BandCamp and can be streamed on all the usual streamers. For mo...

There's a new app designed to make music listening a little easier, and maybe even put a little jingle in your pocket. The Ultimate Playlist, offers a mix of 40 songs every single day. You listen, rate the songs, and are entered into multiple drawings for real money and all sorts of good stuff. It's sponsored by the Arizona State Lottery. We talked with Shevy Smtih, one of the designers...

In her career as a writer and reporter, Laurie Kaye had the opportunity to speak with some of the biggest names in music. And her biggest interview was on December 8th, 1980. That's when she sat down and talked with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Only a few short hours after their interview, John was shot and killed outside his apartment, making Laurie's interview his last. The joy of their t...

Holly Knight has written some of the biggest hits of the past few decades.  From Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield," to Tina Turner's "The Best," to work with Heart, Hall & Oates, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, Holly's work is one of a kind. Her memoir, "I Am the Warrior," is an insight to her fascinating career and the lessons she's learned along...

Qwynn has been busy writing songs and releasing them to her fans on TikTok. Her latest single is "Beautiful Back." To hear all of her work and to get a glimpse into her life, you can follow her on TikTok . Plus, we share a friendly reminder that Dre must not be forgotten about.

Sam Hollander has written with Panic! At the Disco (High Hopes), Fitz and the Tantrums (Hand Clap), along with folks like Blink-182, Carol King, One Direction, Train and RINGO STARR. Sam is talking about his fascinating career in his memoir, 21 Hit Wonder- Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts. All the exciting, true and incredibly stories are recounted by Sam with a great sense of humor. For m...

We say goodbye to 2022 by talking with one of our favorite guests of the year- singer/songwriter Anne E DeChant. Anne has been traveling the country, sharing her gift with audiences everywhere. She's got a new truck for the new year's trek and is just about to start writing songs for the new record. It's a fun, laid-back conversation about the joys and difficulties of being an indep...