Returning to the podcast is Greg Prato. He’s just released his latest book titled Led Clones: The Led Zeppelin Imitator Craze of the '80s...and Beyond. Few bands in rock history have proven to be as enduring and influential as Led Zeppelin. And during the '80s, there was an overabundance of "Zeppelin disciples," or, as guitar great Gary Moore once …

Author Jeff Apter is back for his third appearance on the podcast. He’s just released the book Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly. The definitive and fascinating biography of the musical trailblazer who wrote the classic “Blue Suede Shoes” and was the influence behind countless other legendary hits, a rock and roll legend in his own right, and th…

This episode’s guest is Eric Drooker, the author of the new graphic novel titled Naked City. On the edge of the city, three bohemians struggle to answer the question: “Is it possible to survive as an artist in the 21st-century?” A young singer with no family hitchhikes to the city and sings her heart out. Late one night she encounters a street danc…

Martin Popoff returns! His latest book is Judas Priest: Album By Album. Martin pays tribute to Judas Priest’s discography through a series of in-depth and fascinating conversations about all 19 of the legendary British heavy metal band’s studio albums. He gathers together musicians and metal journalists who offer insights, opinions, and anecdotes a…

Gary Graff is a returning guest. He’s the author of the new book 501 Essential Albums of the '90s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide. Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of everyone’s favorite decade…the last decade before the proliferation of social media and digital downloads. With lively descriptions of the rele…

Author Chris Sutton returns to the podcast. He’s here to talk about his latest book Sparks 1969 to 1979: Every Album, Every Song. It’s part of Sonicbond’s On Track series. Beginning as a five-man band, the duo of Ron and Russell Mael retained the name and spent much of the seventies working with a succession of sidemen and collaborators. They ended…

Author Suzanne Mattaboni is this episode’s guest. She recently released the second edition of her novel, Once In a Lifetime, a coming-of-age story set in the mid-1980s against a backdrop of vibrant music and art. The main character, an ambitious, new wave-influenced art student from Long Island who’s dying to kick-start her career—and her love life…

Pete Prown is the author of The Ultimate Book of Blues Guitar Legends: The Players and Guitars That Shaped the Music. It features over 150 of the genre’s greatest players and performers from the prewar era to present. From blues pioneers like Robert Johnson, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Memphis Minnie to today’s hottest guitar slingers lik…

Robert Lawson is the author of the brand-new book Solidarity Forever: The Art and Soul of Stevie Van Zandt. As soon as he heard Van Zandt's debut solo album Men Without Women in early 1983, Robert was completely devoted to every note. He first met Van Zandt backstage on his Voice Of America solo tour in 1984, and has kept in touch with him ever sin…

Back in June, I had author David Cain on to tell us about his book Infinite Dead: A Daily Guide to Grateful Dead Concert Performances Volume 2: July. I wanted to have him back on to talk about the first volume, which covers all the Dead shows during October. David made some time to come back on and I’m so glad he did. Very few bands deserve an in-d…

James Romag is the author of J. Geils Band: Every Album, Every Song. Part of Sonicbond’s On Track... series of books, it's a comprehensive overview of every track on Geils' 11 studio albums, with a look at their official live releases and a rundown of the musicians' projects beyond the band. Jim and I talk about the book and get into the classic al…

Chris MacDonald is a first-time guest to the podcast. He’s the author of the new book Days and Days: A Story about Sunderland's Leatherface and the Ties That Bind. Days and Days weaves together two stories. One is a tale of friendship and self-discovery that occurs during a backpacking adventure through England, Scotland, and Ireland. The other cel…

This episode's guest is veteran musician and author Elliott Murphy, who has released a new book titled Elliott Murphy’s Rock Dreams. I ask Elliott about his amazing body of work, his experiences working with Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, and Mick Taylor, and his most recent book Elliott Murphy’s Rock Dreams. Elliott started posting h…

Returning to the podcast is Jesse Fink, the author of the 2013 bestseller The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC, and the highly acclaimed 2017 book Bon: The Last Highway. He’s just released a follow-up to that book titled Bon: Notes From The Highway. Fink’s Bon: The Last Highway became an international sensation and is now recognized as the defi…

This episode’s guests are Tom & Zeus, hosts of the Shout It Out Loudcast, and authors of the book Raise Your Glasses: A Celebration of 50 Years of KISS Songs by Celebrities, Musicians, and Fans. Notable contributors like former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, wrestler/musician/podcaster Chris Jericho, legendary songwriter Desmond Child, and many more …

Brad Tolinski and Jaan Uhelszki are the authors of MC5 An Oral Biography of Rock’s Most Revolutionary Band. It’s an oral biography of the proto-punk Detroit rockers MC5. Centered around a series of interviews with MC5, their manager, and their inner circle—many of whom are no longer with us—that Tolinski and Uhelszki inherited from CREEM Magazine f…

It’s another chapter in The Dialogue Series - A chill ‘n chat with authors, fellow podcasters, musicians, and more. This episode's guest is singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Arwen Lewis. Arwen is the granddaughter of Academy Award-winning actress Loretta Young and the daughter of Peter Lewis, a founding member of the band Moby Grape. Her 2015…

It’s another chapter in The Dialogue Series - A chill ‘n chat with authors, fellow podcasters, musicians, and more. Our guest is Songfacts founder and owner Carl Wiser. If you love classic rock trivia and love finding out the stories behind your favorite classic rock songs and bands, you probably know about the website Songfacts.com. Songfacts is a…

Kenneth Womack and Kenneth L. Campbell are the authors of the new book Bruce Songs: The Music of Bruce Springsteen, Album-by-Album, Song-by-Song. It’s an in-depth exploration of Bruce Springsteen's musical legacy. Covering Springsteen's entire discography, from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. to Only the Strong Survive, this unique book combines h…

Daniel Bukszpan is making his second appearance on the podcast. He’s here to talk about his brand new book Rush at 50. A beautifully produced, photo-packed celebration of the beloved rock trio, Rush at 50 examines the history of the Canadian rockers through the lens of 50 milestone events. Daniel covers everything down through the decades including…

This episode’s guest is author Janet Bostic-Williams. She, along with Selwynn Milborrow, have just released a new novel titled Operation Gratitude: Kill Colonel Tom Parker. Here’s the description of the book: How far would you go to protect someone you love who cannot see the life or death danger they are facing? Elvis Presley is beloved worldwide,…

Martin Popoff returns! He’s got an updated version of his book Iron Maiden: Album By Album. Martin pays tribute to Iron Maiden’s discography through a series of in-depth, frank, and fascinating conversations about all of the legendary heavy metal band’s studio albums. Inside, Popoff gathers together metal journalists, authors, and musicians, who of…

Sean Kelly & Mark Walton are this episode’s guests. Sean is the author of White Noise & Lightning: The Continental Drifters Story, the authorized biography of the Continental Drifters due September 27th. Mark is the band’s bassist and founding member. The book follows ten disparate musicians from humble beginnings at a dive bar residency in Los Ang…

A first time guest to the podcast is Dan Spencer. He has over 10 years of music coaching experience and is the author of several books. He’s appeared as a music expert on NBC, CBS, and FOX. He’s currently coaching students, recording, producing songs, talking about music on The Best Music Podcast and Sirius XM Radio, and writing more books. He’s he…

This episode's guest is author, comedian, and musician Aug Stone. The audio version of his fictional comedy book from 2023 The Ballad Of Buttery Cake Ass has just been released. It's the story of two music obsessives who embark on a hilarious quest to track down Buttery Cake Ass' Live In Hungaria, an album as legendary as it is obscure. Their pursu…

Author Tim Durling is back, this time to talk about his brand new book LET IT BE YOUR GUIDE: The Kansas Album Review. Kansas rose to fame by the mid-70s with hit singles “Carry On Wayward Son”, “Dust In The Wind”, and “Point Of Know Return”. They produced nine gold albums, three multi-platinum albums, one platinum studio album, and a platinum-selli…

Our guest is Steve Moriarty, former drummer of the band The Gits and author of the new book Mia Zapata and The Gits: A Story of Art, Rock, and Revolution. The Gits, led by their charismatic frontwoman Mia Zapata, formed in Ohio before joining the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 90s. They were on the brink of international stardom when, …

Stephen Lambe is the author of a brand new book part of Sonicbond’s Rock Classic series titled Yes 90125. Against the odds, 90125 became Yes’ best-selling album after its release in November of 1983. Featuring new interviews with several of the key players, including singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Trevor Rabin, this book traces the complicated s…

Aaron J. Sams is the author of the brand new book U2: Song By Song. Over forty years since their formation, U2 is one of the biggest bands in rock history with an estimated 175 million records sold worldwide. They’ve earned more Grammy Awards than any other band with 22. This book guides the reader through the band’s 15 studio albums (eight of them…

Rock & roll journalist, author, and photographer Michael Goldberg is back on the podcast. He’s got a brand new book titled Jukebox: 1967-2023 Photographs. Michael is best known as a writer, but for over 50 years he’s also been photographing musicians and the photos in Jukebox are drawn from the thousands he’s taken over the years. Included are phot…

Our guest is veteran music publisher and industry expert Randall Wixen, who has just released the fifth edition of his book The Plain and Simple Guide To Music Publishing. Music publishing is one of the most complex parts of the music business, and yet it can be the most lucrative area of income for musicians. Wixen presents a clear, concise approa…

Andrew Darlington is the author of the brand new book The Small Faces and The Faces: Every Album, Every Song. They started out as a mod fourpiece with Steve Marriott on lead vocals. With hit singles including “Itchycoo Park”, “Lazy Sunday”, “All Or Nothing”, and “Tin Soldier”, they evolved into one of the UK’s most successful bands by the end of th…

Preston Frazier is the author of the new book Toto: The Band, Not The Dog! A fan of Toto since he was in high school, Frazier has followed Toto across multiple states to see them play live. He’s interviewed past and present members as well as Toto sidemen and has written about the band extensively. This book is a journey through every studio album …

Author Tim Durling is back! Last time, we talked about his book UNSPOOLED: An Adventure in 8-Tracks [Episode 205]. This time, we get into Tim’s book DOWN FOR THE COUNT: The Y&T Album Review. It’s an album-by-album look at the recorded studio output of one of hard rock’s best-kept secrets – Y&T who originated in the San Francisco Bay Area music scen…

Author Tim Durling is a first-time guest and he’s here to talk about a few of his recent books. In this episode, we’ll cover his book UNSPOOLED: An Adventure in 8-Tracks. It’s a guided tour through the eyes of a collector. Whether it’s vinyl, CD, cassettes, reel-to-reel, or yes, 8-track tapes – you’ll enjoy this in-depth deep dive into the crazy wo…

It’s another chapter in The Dialogue Series - A chill ‘n chat with authors, fellow podcasters, musicians, and more. Our guest is Great White guitarist and founding member Mark Kendall. Kendall is the founding member of the the Grammy nominated band whose sold over 10 million albums worldwide, has six Top 100 Billboard hits including the top ten sin…

Lori Tucker-Sullivan is a first-time guest. She’s the author of the new book I Can't Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy. The stories of rock musicians who die young are the thing of lore and legend. Accidents, drug overdoses, plane crashes—all have taken the lives of male rock stars still in their primes. But what became of …

Author David Cain is a first-time guest. He’s the author of the brand new book Infinite Dead: A Daily Guide to Grateful Dead Concert Performances Volume 2: July. Infinite Dead is a groundbreaking guide to Grateful Dead concerts. Authoritative and entertaining, Volume 2 features detailed reviews of every Grateful Dead concert performed in the month …

Musician, producer, engineer, and author Jerry Hammack is a first-time guest. He’s on the show to talk about his new book The Beatles’ Recording Techniques. Step back in time to the iconic EMI Recording Studios in London during the revolutionary 60s where legendary music acts like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and countless others crafted their timeless…

Author Martin Popoff is the author of Van Halen at 50. To mark the band’s 50th anniversary, Martin has curated 50 significant milestones from the band’s history starting with their formation in 1974 up through the passing of Edward Van Halen in 2020. It comes in a hardcover with stunning and candid offstage photography, and images of memorabilia, i…

Monkees historian Eric Lefcowitz is a first-time guest. He is the author of Monkee Business: The Revolutionary Made-For-TV Band. Originally published in 2013, he’s got an updated version of the book he’ll tell us about. The Monkees had everything—a popular TV show, hit records, and adoring fans. Everything but control over their careers. Lefcowitz …

This June marks the 40th anniversary of Prince’s Purple Rain album and film. To commemorate the anniversary, Motorbooks has released the book Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years. Authoritatively written and including rare photography and memorabilia, this beautiful slipcased hardcover is the only illustrated gift book to examine Prince’s most iconic a…

Joe Matera is a returning guest to the podcast. Joe has a brand new book titled Louder Than Words: Beyond The Backstage Pass. This is a follow-up to 2021’s Backstage Pass: The Grit and the Glamour. Joe holds a unique position as a music journalist who is also a professional musician. It’s allowed him access to areas where music journalists aren’t a…

It’s another chapter in The Dialogue Series - A chill ‘n chat with authors, fellow podcasters, musicians, and more. The guest in this episode is Keith R. Higgons. He’s the host of the Abandoned Albums podcast, one of my favorites. Keith is a die-hard classic rock fan and is a great interviewer. He’s genuinely curious about the guests he has on and …

Author Joel Selvin talks about his new book Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon. Jim Gordon has been called the greatest rock drummer of all time by the world-famous musicians who played with him—John Lennon, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Joe Cocker, and many more. They k…

This episode’s guest is author Steven Blush. His book American Hairmetal: Can’t Get Enough has just been released. This is an expanded edition of the book originally released by Feral House in 2006. Interest in hair metal is as strong as it was over three decades ago. In the summer of 2022 Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard went out on a stadium tour with…

Writer/musician S.W. Lauden is this episode's guest to talk about a limited-edition vinyl LP compilation and oral history book called Generation Blue. The album and book explore the Hollywood Geek Rock scene of the '90s and early 2000s, featuring key bands Nerf Herder, The Rentals, Ozma, Baby Lemonade, Psoma, and Weezer who released their triple-pl…

Author Geoff Harkness returns to the podcast to discuss his latest book 40-Foot Lemon: The Complete Story of U2's Pop & PopMart. U2 had been on a decade-long run of hits when they released their album Pop in 1997. That included The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. The band’s Zoo TV tour in the early 1990s was a multimedia extravaganza that dazzled cri…

Cam Cobb is the author of Weighted Down: The Complicated Life of Skip Spence - the biography on the legendary '60s cult musician known for his time in era-defining bands Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, and Moby Grape. While celebrated by the likes of Tom Waits, Beck, and Robert Plant, Spence's life was sadly plagued by substance …

Author Thomas "Nordy" Nordwall opens a window to the ways of the road and the extreme lengths Grateful Dead fans will go to, just to get that miracle ticket and be at one more Grateful Dead gig! His book Tour Head: "I Was an Acid-Fueled Teenage Dead Fiend!" is a humorous, yet unflinching look at a life spent in pursuit of a musical dream. Told from…