Serious Rock Talk Podcast

Kurt Cobain: "Quiet People Have the Loudest Minds"   It's not an overstatement to say Kurt Cobain and Nirvana helped to change popular music. Widely influential as a songwriter and singer, Cobain was a troubled man, battling drug addiction and mental illness. His sudden death shocked the outside world. Conspiracy theories quickly emerged. In this episode, Dr. Clarke sets the record straight.

Masters of Rock Talk Rockers With Two or More Classic Albums in a Row For a rocker to have one classic song is rare; to have a classic album is impossibly rare. Then to have two or more classic albums in a row strains all belief systems. That is why this episode is so special. As an extra bonus, if you're looking to pick up some classic vinyl, listen in and get some supreme suggestions.

Kennedy's Corner The Lasting Influence of Three Immortal Music Icons This one is up close and personal for Ferris Kennedy. He names three huge 'influencers' in the music business - and explores their impact. Lots of amazing trivia. It's all heartfelt and passionate—just what you'd expect from Mr. K. in full stride

Top 100 Albums of the 1970s: Part 2 From Alice Cooper's' 'Billion Dollar Babies' to Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon', Kennedy and Clarke buzz through the decade's best LPs, offering insights, trivia, light condemnations, and spirited accolades. The second episode of a two-part  trek, it's the perfect info to enhance your record collection. Listen in.    

Top 100 Albums of the 1970s: Part 1 From the Stooges' 'Fun House' to Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk', Kennedy and Clarke buzz through the decade's best LPs, offering insights, trivia, light condemnations, and spirited accolades.  The perfect episode to enhance your record collection. Listen in. 

Why the 2026 Juno Awards Failed Folks, this is Ferris Kennedy at his best. He loves Canadian music which is why he loathes the current state of the Juno Awards. Listen in as he presents an articulate, passionate, positive condemnation of Canada's annual national music awards. It doesn't get better!

Aerosmith/YUNGBLUD -  'One More Time' EP When  Aerosmith and YUNGBLUD released One More Time, a 5-track, one-sided EP in N ovember, 2025, many felt confused, lost and afraid. Not Steven Wheeler. At great personal risk, he reviewed the EP and managed to record his impressions - just for you! This one is special .

From his roots in the heartland to his induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, John Mellencamp's journey is a testament to resilience. As an artist, Mellencamp serves as a voice for everyday Americans, Join Kennedy as he explores Mellencamp's life, highlighting early struggles that shaped his path to international success.

Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (Rhino High Fidelity)   After years of being knocked as the 'pre-fab four', the Monkees are being rediscovered for the fantastic pop band that they were—and are. 'Wheels',our resident vinyl reviewer, discusses the outstanding Rhino reissue of (what is arguably) their greatest album, Listen in now. It's time well spent.

Beachboy Dennis Wilson: Surfing Too Close to the Edge   Dennis Wilson smashed through life with a Keith Moon-like ferocity. Forget about  dreamy California, sun-drenched harmonies of the Beach Boys. His life was one of shadows and darkness, Dr. Clarke follows Dennis down some pretty dark tunnels - and emerges to deliver a full report.

  Ringo's First Four LPs No hiss. No static. Just pure magic...Steven Wheeler was feeling generous, reviewing four vinyls at once. Discover what's so special about Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr's first four records, and why the re-releases make them that much better.

The Essential Albums of the 1990s: Have you ever walked into a record store or engaged in a discussion with a vinyl aficionado? It's a common experience, but have you ever pondered how they determine their essential albums? Is it shaped by personal influences, life experiences, or simply a matter of preference? Kennedy has taken the initiative to share his curated list of must-have albums from the...

Fifty Albums that Turned 50 in 2025! 1975—a year that offered us a clutch of great albums, a handful of mediocre releases, and some stuff that didn't get over the fence. The three amigos do their best to separate the wheat from the chaff, adding great trivia and humor to the mix.  Listen In

Mutt Lange: Exceptional Producer When considering artists such as AC/DC, Nickelback, Shania Twain, Foreigner, Bryan Adams, and Def Leppard, along with the Cars, do you ever think of the producers behind them? Does the term "Unique Wall of Sound Vocal Harmonies" resonate with you, or perhaps the four seemingly nonsensical words "Gunter, Gleiben, Glauchan, Globen"? Fortunately, for Kennedy, this sig...

Less a Crime Than a Tragedy:The Death of Marvin Gaye   Talented and troubled, Marvin Gaye's life never followed a standard narrative. Neither did his death. The Motown star's murder is shrouded under mystery and mayhem. Serious Rock Talk Crime offers up time lines and evidence. The question is not what happened to Marvin Gaye, but why?

End of Year Show: Goodbye 2025! So long 2025—and hello 2026! The SRT amigos take a look at the past year in rock, highlighting the highlights and and downplaying the deadbeats. Get prepared for 2026 with a podcast that's still growing after a record-setting eight years! We thank you all—and let's continue this wonderful journey together.  

The Enduring Mystery of Jim Morrison's Death The Doors' front man is among the biggest tourist draws in Paris. And he has been dead for over fifty years. What is it about Jim Morrison that continues to fascinate people? And why is his death still shrouded in mystery? Dr. Clarke sorts through mounds of evidence and—having visited Morrison's grave twice—offers engaging insights to the questions.

About Radio: What Will the Future Sound Like? Did video kill the radio star? No, it didn't. But it faces many other threats. Check out the solutions. Ferris Kennedy considers the required therapies for radio to rule again.

Rolling Stone Magazine: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time - Part 2 Listen up and we guarantee some buried treasures. Uncover riches that lay just beneath the sands of time. We do the heavy lifting. You turn up the volume.

Rolling Stone Magazine: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time - Part 1 You owe us one! Kennedy and Clarke endured both pain and pleasure with this list. It takes mucho guts and endurance to make it entertaining and engaging and sensible. So please, good people, listen in!

Kennedy's Corner - Oh No Canada: Failure of the 2025 Junos Our own Ferris Kennedy has a deep, passionate love for Canadian music. That's why the 2025 Juno Awards sent him down a deep well of depression. But he's okay now — tanned, pumped and ready to relate just what went terribly wrong.  

Janis Joplin: I Met a Girl Who Sang the Blues Immortalized in songs, films and musicals, Janis Joplin burned bright in a brief career. The manner of her untimely death—though not wrapped in the same confusion as some others in 'The 27 Club'—nonetheless continues to raise questions. Join Dr. Clarke as he delves into the life and demise of 'the girl who sang the blues' (a nod to Don McLean).        ...

Gram Parsons: Dark Death of the Cosmic Cowboy   Few musicians have started a genre—but that's what Gram Parsons did. He is the reigning pioneer of country rock—a huge influence on bands that came after, most notably, The Eagles. However, fate pays little attention to achievement, and Gram's life is clouded with a gothic darkness, culminating in the sordid details of his demise. Dr. Clarke takes yo...

Rock Trios: When Three is Not a Crowd   Usually a rock band has at least four members. Why would anyone settle for just three? Oh, there are many good reasons, and in this episode you're going to experience the liberation of those who claim, 'the fewer, the better'. Maybe it is. You decide. Listen in.

The Real Roll of Sex in Rock   Like birds of a feather, sex and rock go together. But why? You don't find this corporeal attachment in jazz or classical. Why rock? Dr. Clarke, diplomatically and with an unnerving sense of purpose, confronts the facts and figures straight on. Tune in. Turn on. But don't drop out.