The Asylum Podcast

Back in June, the Kousins did a retrospective of music from 1984, which focused on the hard rock genre (which can be found here). The Kousins will be visiting other years. But before we all move on, it was time to grade the top hard rock albums of 1984. The albums that were graded were (in no particular order): Quiet Riot – Condition Critical Iron Maiden – Powerslave Metallica –...

The latest Kousins Top 10 episode is all about debut albums. Indeed, any genre was open and available, but funny enough, most of it was hard rock or rock in general.  Each Kousin made their own top 10. The ranking was weighted by number and put into a spreadsheet, and a few computations later, we had a collective Top Ten (or in this case, Eleven). Some may surprise you, but hey, this is the Kousin...

The Kousins hope you enjoyed your July 4th holiday, but they’re glad to be back in the studio (virtually or otherwise) to bring you a new feature for them, the “Mount Rushmore” series. To begin with, it was rolling singers, frontmen, and vocalists into one ball. They could be from any “rock” genre, including pop music. Each Kousin gave their four greatest and a little...

Staying on the 1984 theme, The Kousins decided to dive into one of the seminal (and to some of us – most important) “Thrash Metal” albums of all time, Metallica’s  Ride the Lightning . It’s pretty badass all the way through. Some of the history, some of the stories, but mostly just listening. It’s a beast of an album. All four Kousins gave their “Now Liste...

Dateline – The Asylum. The Year… 1984. With 1983 the “jump-in” year that it was, 1984 had the Kousins in the throes of some hard rock discovery. One of the Kousins calls it “the greatest year in music.” The others didn’t necessarily disagree, so while simpatico may not have been fully reached, it was close enough. In addition to all the great music, not ju...

For the first time ever, we have an outsider coming in to challenge a Kousin in an Album Gladiator Showdown. Steve Wright from Podder Than Hell and I Remember Now – The Queensrÿche Podcast comes in to challenge Kousin Marvin to a duel. And they used Iron Maiden as their gladiators. Steve wielded the power of Maiden’s third album, the first with Bruce Dickinson, 1982’s  The Number...

As is the case every time Skid Row announces someone fronting the band, Sebastian Bach starts stomping, b*tching, pissing, and moaning about them not asking him to come back. Perhaps that is why, Bas? Perhaps that is why. Anyway, Skid Row’s lead singer, Erik Grönwall, had to back out of the band to complete his treatment against leukemia, but the band had obligations. So, they turned to a to...

There’s a relatively new docuseries on Hulu about Bon Jovi, specifically Jon Bon Jovi. It covers his career, the band’s career, the ups and downs, the losses and gains, and his voice problem (among other things). We had talked (off-air) about how bad he had been sounding and that docuseries Thank You, Goodnight, The Bon Jovi Story filled in many holes. The Kousins all had various level...

The whole gang is back this week. When you think of one-hit wonders, which artists do you think of? What makes the songs you think of a “hit?” Where does the “one-hit” part of “one-hit wonder” come from? The Kousins discuss those very questions. Okay, let’s face it, Kousin Tim tries to school people because that’s what he does. He’s a know-it-a...

The Kousins run through the Top 10 (or 13, actually) Warrant songs as compiled by each Kousin making their own Top 10 list. This means that Kousin Tim has his top 10 Warrant songs list. Kousin Marvin does, and so do Kousin Gary and Kousin Ray. Then each position is given a score based on where (if) it shows up on a Kousin’s list. Plug that into a little program, and it spits out the collecti...

Back in November, before the big switch from a KISS-focused podcast to a hard rock-focused podcast, the Kousins rated all the KISS albums like marks in school. The four Kousins graded from A+ through F-. You can hear those episodes here and here . Fast-forward to February, when the Kousins did a retrospective of music from 1983, which focused on the hard rock genre (which can be found here ). It w...

It’s part two, five songs each, for the GnR Album Gladiator Showdown between Kousin Gary and Kousin Ray, with Kousin Tim and Kousin Marvin judging. This one should decide who is the ultimate winner. To catch you up: A few weeks back, Kousin Ray said that Guns ‘N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I & II would be one great album if you trimmed the fat. He also said this album cou...

A few weeks back, Kousin Ray said that Guns ‘N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I & II would be one great album if you trimmed the fat. He also said this album could rival the greatness of GnR’s debut,  Appetite for Destruction . Kousin Gary took exception to that and said, “No way!” So, here we are today. Kousin Ray took twelve songs from the two UYI albums to pit...

Kousin Marvin was away on business, but the other three Kousins took in the new solo project from former Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars. The name of the album is  The Other Side of Mars, and if you haven’t heard it, you can listen along with us (with commentary, of course). Pulling back the curtain a smidge, we recorded on an off night, and it was before any calls could come in, so we didn&...

Kousin Tim and Kousin Gary have jokingly called the amazing bass and Chapman Stick virtuoso Tony Levin our “Lord and Savior.” Well, those two got to go, along with their lovely brides, to see Tony, Pat Mastelotto, and Markus Reuter as The Stick Men.  You can safely say their minds were blown. They don’t expect everyone to understand their love. But, they hope people will at least...

The Kousins have varying degrees of love or indifference with live albums. Kousin Gary and Kousin Ray love them. Kousin Marvin is a self-professed “fairweather fan,” and Kousin Tim doesn’t really like many of them. So, let’s dive into four live albums and give highlights of each. This way, those who love them can say why, and those who are mostly indifferent can possibly le...

Collectively, the Kousins consider 1983 as their “jumping-in” point for hard rock. Not because there was nothing to listen to prior but because three of the four had no real access to it (they are from West Virginia, after all). All that changed around 1983. There were so many good pop culture things that were happening in 1983, and the Kousins take on a snippet in time and run down wh...

In a first for the Kousins, two completely KISS-free albums are being thrown into the ring for an “Album Gladiator Showdown.” This time, it is Judas Priest vs. Judas Priest. Screaming for Vengeance (1982) vs. Defenders of the Faith (1984). Kousin Marvin defends  Vengeance, while Kousin Ray defends  Defenders . To reiterate the rules: After a coin flip, the winner can either go first or...

Kousin Ray was out this week but the other three Kousins were around. Earlier this month, it was Van Halen’s  1984 ‘s FORTIETH anniversary. Yes FORTY! And, on January 26, it would have been Edward Van Halen’s 69th birthday. So, we threw a listening party to celebrate the album and Eddie. It was “old school” since Kousin Ray wasn’t on. The Kousins gave their &#82...

So, we are NOW into the new era for the Asylum Podcast. There’s a new segment we debuted tonight on the show, “I Don’t Get It.” The premise is one of the Kousins doesn’t understand why an album or band or artist or whatever is so loved by many and yet misunderstood, despised, or hated by them. Kousin Tim starts this one off. He cannot understand why people are so gush...

Clockwise from the top left: Kousin Tim, Kousin Gary, Nick Provenzano, Kousin Ray, Jem From Alabama, Kousin Marvin Happy new year from all the Kousins. Loyal Listeners Nick Provenzano and Jem From Alabama return to finish what they started in 2023! It was time for Round Two of the KISS Album Gladiator Showdown Jem From Alabama with Alive! v. Nick Provenzano with Alive II episode. When we last left...

(clockwise from the top) Kousin Tim, Kousin Gary, Jem From Alabama, Nick Provenzano, Kousin Ray, Kousin Marvin. Yeah, we know. We said we were done with the KISS things, at least for a little bit. But, the opportunity to do one last KISS Album Gladiator Showdown came up, and we couldn’t go without doing it. But, this time, there is a twist! The Kousins were not the combatants. This time, it...

Last week we announced the end of the road for the KISS podcast. It’s time. We need to move on. BUT… we’re not going anywhere. We are our own Avatars in this scenario. We are rising like a phoenix from the ashes as a “hard rock” podcast. We will not abandon KISS, of course not, but we are opening the floodgates to all the other hard-rocking things out there. This week...

So, KISS has finally come to the “End of the Road.” At least the touring band has. The Kousins skim through the show and provide commentary on their favorite parts, their least favorite parts, and observations/concerns. There was a discussion of the future of KISS. All four Kousins gave their “Now Listenings.” A nice call from Jem from Alabama. A surprise call from “T...

The Kousins took a different approach to the albums in the last two weeks. In the past, we have ranked them, given them listening parties, “reduxed” the hell out of them, “gladiatored” them, and just about everything else you can think of. But we’ve never graded them. Part One included 14 albums picked by a randomizer, and for Part Two, there were 15. We left out the...