Rock Of Ages

The fourth entry in the Eagles canon is this album, One of These Nights. It's not as big as Hotel California but it's still especially important to them because it launched them into the mainstream with three hit singles. Will the theater kids like it? Or will they not? And will they enjoy my Eagles concert story more?

At the start of the 20th century, Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov was at his lowest point. His first symphony was a disaster and he believed he would amount to nothing in the world of music. But through the help of therapy, hypnosis, and self-perseverance, he pulled through and made some of the best classical pieces of the century. Over a hundred years later, Broadway genius Dave Malloy made a...

"The plus is because Pete Townshend likes it. (...) Beware the forthcoming hype. This is ersatz shit." -Robert Christgau in his D+ review of King Crimson's debut album "In The Court of the Crimson King" "A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic." -Jean Sibelius Me and the theater kids agree. This is prog rock.

The zany energy from this band on their debut album still holds to this day. It's campiness in all the right ways, authentic in all of its approaches, and it's just darn fun to listen to. The theater kids are gonna have fun with the debut album by The B-52s!

Romi's birthday episode for 2024 is a compilation album of old songs covered by (somewhat) new musicians. From the good, the bad, and the Iggy, what they all have in common is that they're under the Light in the Attic record label. So let's dive into "Light in the Attic & Friends"! Link to our episodes that have been taken down: https://archive.org/details/episode-10_2024...

How ironic that our previous episode was an album that kickstarted the glam metal scene, and this episode is an album that *killed* it! The album wasn't meant to become the global juggernaut it is, but if it didn't the musical landscape might look a little worse. And the theater kids are (mostly) in agreement! So let's look at Nirvana's "Nevermind"!

From the ashes of the slow-running classic rock train, rises a new hard rock act with a massive-sounding debut album that ushered in a new sound for rock in the 1980s up until the early 90s. And while many of the acts it inspired sound of their time and dated, somehow this album remains fresh and relevant with each passing year. And could it be because of their amazing guitarist? The theater kids...

Sara Bareilles' musical based on the 2007 indie film of the same name was not one I expected to be so popular, and yet it is. And this is not to deny the quality of the musical, which both smells and tastes as good as a marshmallow pie! Let's look at 'Waitress'!

At the end of each year, we like to go around and discuss our favorite and least favorite albums we covered, along with some hopes for what the next year will bring. And on this third year of the podcast, there is a lot of good stuff to be covered! So join us as Rock of Ages says goodbye to 2023 and looks forward at 2024!

After ditching Los Angeles and its singer-songwriter scene for good, The Piano Man penned some of the greatest tunes of his career at that point and decided to throw out Columbia Records' assigned producer and band in favor of producing it himself with his own backing band. It was a risky gambit, and one that didn't work, as this album peaked at #122 on the Billboard 200. But I never said...

Originally recorded December 23, 2023. It's a Christmas season miracle. We are all caught up with editing episodes! And just before the end of the year! And so to celebrate, here is our Christmas episode! It's not an album centered around the holiday, but it does have one of the greatest modern Christmas songs ever. And it also has the dearly missed Shane MacGowan (1957-2023), whom this ep...

Originally recorded December 16, 2023. In early 1977, punk was merely seen as a passing phase, just another loud and stupid genre by and for people who don't like anything. But that changed when a band who would later earn the moniker "The Only Band That Matters" released their debut, one of the only debut albums that matters. This album has everything. Power, style, sharp lyrics, fo...

Shortly after releasing their list on the Top 40 greatest lyrics in rock, Ultimate Classic Rock is back at again with the Top 40 *worst* lyrics in rock! Ok Top 20 actually because all the lyrics are just so good man. But once again it's up to us and only us to see how accurate this list is! The list: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/worst-rock-lyrics/

Originally recorded December 5, 2023. Yea we recorded out of order, so? The point is we are so close to finally catching up with editing all the episodes! And this episode is Jamie's birthday episode, and she chose a wonderful album with raw aggression and emotions! Not exactly a theater kid's cup of tea, but certainly still worth their time. So let's talk Sleater-Kinney's "Th...

Originally recorded December 9, 2023. Before "Hamilton", Lin Manuel Miranda achieved Broadway success through musicals like "In The Heights" and this one based on a 2000 comedy that I never heard of. And the fact I knew this musical but not the movie and that my parents knew the movie really shows my age I think. But anyway, let's bring on "Bring it On"!

Originally recorded December 2, 2023. Part one of the Cocaine Trilogy, this confused rock opera inspired by George Orwell's 1984 was released at the height of Bowie's glam period, and boy does it show and not in the best way. It's so out there that not even the theater kids can fully enjoy it. Let's talk about Bowie's "Diamond Dogs"!

Originally recorded November 18, 2023. While it was "The Joshua Tree" that turned U2 into overnight rock icons, it was this third album of theirs that announced to the world that they meant business and that they had songs and messages to fight for. And the theater kids are still into it 40 years later! So let's look at U2's "War"!

Originally recorded November 11, 2023. That's right it's time for another birthday episode! Paul, who joined the Rock of Ages family this year, picked two EPs as his first birthday album because they could easily be combined as one full-length album. Both are concept EPs - not concept albums so haha I win, and both are absolute vibes. So let's dive into Ginger Root's "City Sli...

Originally recorded November 4, 2023. 1967 was an important year for the evolution of rock music, as it saw albums rooted in psychedelia that hinted at coming genres, especially progressive rock. The debut album by Pink Floyd, one of the greatest prog bands of all time, is no different. But does it still hold up after 56 years? More importantly does it hold up with theater kids? Let's find out...

About a year and a half after we did a bonus episode on UCR's Top 40 Rock Singers, they've done another list and its up to us to see how accurate it is! That's right, only us. Enjoy these 30 minutes of us rambling on top of each other about what should have been on there. The list: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/best-classic-rock-lyrics/

Originally recorded October 28, 2023. The last installment of our first Halloween Month, and judging by the staggering length, you could tell I was cookin with this one! We got a special guest returning after little while, and the musical has a lot of things worth discussing! No it's not Nick Cave's "Murder Ballad*s*", this is "Murder Ballad"!

Originally recorded October 22, 2023. The third episode of our Halloween month (in November) takes us back to the 1990s, where an Australian rocker and his band decide to make a delightfully macabre and even humorous at times concept album about murder! Such fun, right? This dark cabaret rock may just be what the theater kids are looking for! Let's talk about Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds'...

Originally recorded October 14, 2023. If The Who's Tommy & Jesus Christ Superstar proved that rock & roll could coexist with musicals, it was The Rocky Horror Show, and especially its subsequent movie adaptation, that proved it could thrive on the big screen. Richard O'Brien composed a musical with thrillers and killers! Let's dive in to the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

This bonus episode is dedicated to Jimmy Buffett (1946-2023). While we don't review his final posthumous album in the traditional sense how we do on most of our episodes, we do look at its elements to hype ourselves for when we do cover it for real on Rock of Ages one day. We also discuss how Jimmy Buffett makes his way into our lives a little bit, and what we have planned for the future. Bubb...

Originally recorded October 7, 2023. Our first episode of our first Halloween month! In November. Oh well, November's just October Part 2 anyway. But anyway we start off with one of the most spookiest and most acclaimed musicals written by the ever magnificent Sondheim, featuring one of the scariest things anyone can fathom-- Bri'ish people. This is Sweeney Todd!