Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry

Was Mozart murdered by a jealous rival? Did Robert Johnson really sell his soul at the crossroads? Was jazz secretly weaponized by the CIA? Punk rock invented by the KGB? This time on Uncharted, we dive headfirst into music’s most enduring, outrageous, and fascinating conspiracy theories. From ancient Rome to Cold War spycraft, from blues legends to gangsta rap, we break down why conspiracy thinki...

We’ve been brought up on tv crime shows and police procedurals…in about 45 minutes, a crime is committed, evidence gathered, suspects identified and arrested, sent to trial and either convicted or acquitted.  In real life, though, it doesn’t work that way. When we learn of a horrific crime, it occupies the news cycle for days, weeks, and even months as the case plays out…but then, inevitably, some...

Keith Richards has survived drug busts, near‑fatal accidents, legal chaos, and decades of rock ’n’ roll excess. In Part Two of "The Times and Crimes of Keith Richards", the story continues after his infamous 1977 Toronto heroin arrest, exploring the myths, scandals, and near‑death moments that shaped his legend. From dark controversies and wild rumours to brain surgery and a "Coconut Tree", this i...

Keith Richards’ reputation for excess is legendary, but it has nearly ended his career many times. In part 1 of "The Life and Crimes of Keith Richards", we follow his journey from a blues‑obsessed kid in England to a founding member of the Rolling Stones, charting early fights, drug use, tabloid scandals, and repeated arrests that somehow never stuck. We dig into the infamous Redlands drug raid, e...

Since the dawn of time, humanity has been at war.  Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since we first walked the earth.   In this first episode of a four-part series, join military historian David Borys as we travel back in time to Iran, where we chart how a modern monarchy, which was armed, wealthy, and globally backed, lost control. On our journey, we'll be helped by h...

In this episode of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, we dive into the spectacular failures of two Canadian music festivals that were supposed to make history. From Strawberry Fields in August of 1970, an event billed as "Canada’s Woodstock", to 1996's Edenfest, a 90s mega‑festival with a killer lineup and disastrous finances, we explore how ambition, poor planning, and runaway cha...

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Keith Moon was more than the drummer for The Who. He was rock ’n’ roll chaos personified. On this episode of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, we dig through the myths and legends to tell the true story of "Moon the Loon": the pranks, the destruction, the addictions, and the raw musical genius. From legendary onstage explosions to arrests, excess, and a tragic end, this is a dark,...

What happens when a legendary hip‑hop collective, a single ultra‑exclusive album, and one of the most hated men in America collide? This is the unbelievable true story behind the most valuable piece of recorded music ever made: Wu‑Tang Clan’s "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin". Conceived as a protest against the collapse of music’s value in the digital age, the album was recorded in secret over six yea...

Kidnapping isn’t the first thing you associate with the music world...but it happens far more often, and far more brutally, than you might think. In this episode of Uncharted, we explore abduction stories involving artists from Solomon Northup and Fats Waller to Frank Sinatra Jr., Duffy, and entire bands targeted by cartels. Plus...the disturbing cases where musicians became the kidnappers themsel...

Rock’n’roll has always thrived on rebellion, excess, and the thrill of pushing every boundary. But sometimes, the party goes so far off the rails it becomes legendary...for all the wrong reasons. In this episode of Uncharted, we dive deep into the most infamous stories of rock-star overindulgence: from Led Zeppelin’s airborne palace of debauchery, to Keith Moon’s chaotic hotel escapades, to Queen’...

In December 2000, beloved British singer‑songwriter Kirsty MacColl, best known for her iconic duet with Shane MacGowan on “Fairytale of New York”, was enjoying a family vacation in Cozumel, Mexico. What should have been a peaceful day of snorkelling in a protected marine reserve instead became a tragedy. A 31‑foot powerboat tore illegally through a clearly marked no‑go zone, Kirsty pushed her son...

We all know the punchline… but do we really know the story? In this episode of Uncharted, we dig into how Milli Vanilli went from unstoppable pop stars... to the center of one of music’s biggest scandals in the history of music. It’s a wild ride involving a controlling producer, a pair of ambitious young performers, and an industry that cared way more about image...and money...than honesty. From t...

Stalking isn’t just an inconvenience for musicians; it’s a constant, unpredictable threat that has shaped careers, destroyed lives, and, in some cases, led to tragedy. From eerie superfans to violent intruders, this episode of Uncharted dives into the chilling world of musicians targeted by stalkers. A dark, disturbing, and often terrifying world where fame collides with obsession. There are the t...

This is the fifth edition of an occasional series called “The Rock Explainer.” The idea is to explore the strange, unexplained, and traditional aspects of rock culture that don’t get enough attention and analysis… In many cases, we just accept these things and don’t question them as much as we should…but if we stop for just a second and cock a quizzical eyebrow and actually ask the question, then...

Whispers echo through the halls of this 1840 resort and not every footstep belongs to the living. The Briars Resort and Spa in Georgina, Ontario is a beautiful location for a Christmas getaway and a perfect place to savour what the season has to offer. It is also a fabulous go-to destination if you wish to experience unexplained phenomena or to perhaps see a ghost or two. Support the Show: Donate:...

In part 2 of "How Owsley Stanley's LSD Changed Music", we dive deeper into the extraordinary story of how Owsley's homemade LSD shaped the sound and culture of an entire generation. From fueling the psychedelic revolution that transformed The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Jimi Hendrix, to bankrolling the Grateful Dead’s legendary audio experiments... Owsley’s influence went far beyond drugs. His ob...

What happens when one man changes not just how we hear music...but the way we experience it? Meet Augustus Owsley Stanley III...also known as “Bear.” He wasn’t just the Grateful Dead’s sound engineer; he was the underground chemist who produced millions of doses of LSD, fueling the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s and beyond. Owsley’s obsession with purity...in concert sound, and pure acid... t...

Chuck Berry is known as the “Godfather of Rock’N’Roll” John Lennon, Paul McCartney, everyone in the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, and AC/DC have been very vocal about how berry influenced them…he was rock’s first guitar hero, and he was among the first group of musicians to be inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. But if we dig into his life, we’ll find that he w...

From Nelly Furtado’s million-dollar gig for the Gaddafi family to Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez entertaining corrupt regimes...why are some of the largest global music superstars performing private shows for some of the world’s most notorious figures? Some artists were duped, others donated their fees, and a few embraced the payday...all while dealing with the moral complexities of mus...

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The 1970s were a dangerous time in Ireland. An era known as “The Troubles” began in the late 1960s. It was protestants vs. Catholics, British loyalists against Irish unionists, the British army vs. the IRA, the UDA, and other groups… There were bombings, assassinations, guerrilla campaigns, and roaming paramilitary groups, both official and unofficial. It saw civil disobedience, riots, mass protes...

Imagine being David, a 15-year-old kid growing up in Southern California. You’re already typically confused because, well, you’re 15. You’re an only child, and your mom and dad have divorced, resulting in a joint custody situation that adds to your confusion. Your mom is dating again. Her current boyfriend doesn’t seem to be a good dude…your only solace is music… Then, one morning in late February...

The influence of organized crime extends everywhere…drugs, loan-sharking, protection rackets, shakedowns, gambling, prostitution, money laundering, waste disposal—and the music industry.  It’s not something we hear about so much anymore…but in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, it was very much a thing…and if you were operating in the music business during those decades, you would have come across Morris...

There are all kinds of shady and dangerous creatures lurking in the music industry. Since about the mid-20th century, the mob has found ways to extract money by getting involved in record labels, radio stations, artist management, and live music venues. Although things aren’t what they used to be, the mob’s involvement played a key part in the development of the music industry for decades. One of...