Rock 'n' Roll Grad School

20/12/2024

Congratulations to our friend Phil Manzanera! We’re celebrating him this morning by revisiting our wonderful chat. It’s still one of our all-time favorites.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2f3yKZyIBrbVLUyK0cu4wT?si=3GKs_WGAQ7OdmcvisAvN1A

Roxy Music lead guitarist Phil Manzanera, 73, was formally made an OBE by the Princess Royal for his services to music.

Discussing the honour, Manzanera told the PA news agency: “It’s very moving and humbling to be amongst all these people who do absolutely incredible things.
“But, obviously, I am very happy to get it for services to music and music production, because I think music helps us all in our lives in terms of improving the fabric of our lives, and it’s a great support for so many people.”
The musician said he discussed his upbringing in South America and central America with Anne, having grown up in Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba.

He said his upbringing was central to his musicianship, adding: “It’s in my DNA, the rhythms of South America.
“And the musicians that we’ve all come to know through the Buena Vista Social Club were the kind of music that I started playing guitar with.
“It wasn’t Bert Weedon’s Play in a Day for me, it was the music of Cuba.”

11/12/2024

This week we talk with the two and only Jeff and Steven McDonald from the one and only Redd Kross.

There's a new record, a book, a movie and, oh, is that Rikki Rockett doing hair?

This is one that is some time in the making.The legendary band Redd Kross started in the early when Steven McDonald was just 11 years old. Along with his big brother Jeff, Redd Kross has been carving their own unique path through rock music.They'v...

04/12/2024

Roger Street Friedman is back with a new record. "Long Shadows" is his first album that he produced himself and the personal nature of the songs resonate even stronger this time out.

The last time we talked with Roger Street Friedman, he was talking about his most recent album, produced by Larry Campbell. Now with his new record, "Long Shadows," Roger has taken over the producer role and emerged with an incredibly personal rec...

07/11/2024

How it started, how it's going

30/10/2024

This week we talk with Bob Cowsill from the great TheCowsills about their new/old record and the pros and cons of working with your siblings for decades. ("Global" is out next week, 11/8!)

The Cowsills evoke a certain time and place, but, as artists, they've continued to grow and develop their voices. And, when they decided to make a record together in the early 90's, they knew it would be the next step in their evolution. However, ...

23/10/2024

Matthew Sweet, one of our first guests, and a talented musician beyond compare has suffered a debilitating stroke. It will take a lot of hard work for him to recover. Please consider donating to help fund his recovery.

Matthew Sweet, our longtime inspiration and dear friend, suff… Catherine Lyons for Matthew Sweet needs your support for Support Matthew Sweet's Stroke Recovery

04/10/2024

This week, we practicially get a master class in songwriting from Iain Matthews Music. His newest record, "How Much is Enough," is available 10/25.

You may know Iain Matthews from his time with Fairport Convention. Or, you may know him from all his other groups, projects and solo records. And he's about to add another one to the list. How Much is Enough is his newest. We talked with Iain...

04/10/2024

Happy release day to The Surfrajettes! Their second full-length LP, "Easy as Pie" is out today! Check out our interview with Shermy from earlier this year and hopefully we'll have them back on soon!

There's a new/old sound sweeping the world and that's surf music. And leading the charge are The Surfrajettes, an all-female band leaving audiences spellbound with their musical skills.We talked with Shermy, one of the band's guitarists as they pr...

14/08/2024

Ska makes everything better, and Save Ferris is proof.

They're on the road right now, coming to your town soon AND releasing new music. We sat down to talk with lead singer and songwriter Monique Powell Official!

Save Ferris has something not a lot of ska bands have- longevity. They're back on the road and recording new music and bringing fans young and old into the band's orbit. We talked with lead singer, songwriter Monique Powell about reptiles, opera m...

07/08/2024

Two former guests of the show, one great night of music. If you're in Philly, go check 'em out!

We have the utter pleasure of opening up for the one of the most iconic figures in punk rock history! The legendary kid, Kongo of The Cramps/Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and The Gun Club… Hope to see you there and all hail kid Congo

19/07/2024

This week, we talk with Kevin Sonny Gullage who has a record on the newly re-booted Blind Pig label.

You may also remember seeing him a few seasons ago on American Idol. (Don't think we didn't ask about that too.)

You may remember seeing Kevin Sonny Gullage on American Idol a few seasons ago. But Sonny has grown and evolved since then. His new record is one of the first records on the rebooted classic blues label Blind Pig. What other endorsement do yo...

26/06/2024

What more can we say about Marillion that millions of fans haven't already said? They have a new live album out, featuring a full performance of their most recent record, written and recorded during the pandemic. Dig it-

Marillion is one of the important bands in prog-rock and, they prove it yet again with their latest live album, An Hour Before It's Dark. Recorded at the band's annual weekend, the record shows the band at the peak of their power. We talked with k...

12/06/2024

She released one album (writter & produced by Sparks' Ron and Russell Mael of all people) and then seemingly disappeared. Thankfully, the album has a new life and we got to talk with the one-and-only Noel!

You may not have heard of Noel, but if you listen to this show, you've definitely heard us sing the praises of two people who wrote and produced a record for her.Ron and Russell Mael from Sparks made "Is There More To Life Than Dancing?" for Noel ...

12/06/2024

This week we have a very special conversation with Noel. Her album, "Is There More to Life Than Dancing?" has finally been reissued on CD and vinyl. We talk with Noel about her life and career both before and after the album's release. Enjoy, this is a good one!

You may not have heard of Noel, but if you listen to this show, you've definitely heard us sing the praises of two people who wrote and produced a record for her.Ron and Russell Mael from Sparks made "Is There More To Life Than Dancing?" for Noel ...

06/06/2024

Robert Jon & The Wreck are back at it with their newest record. "Red Moon Rising," is straight ahead rock, in the best possible way. (Is there a worst possible way? Probably, but not here.)

Check out our conversation with Robert as part of this week's episode.

If you’re looking for some good rock music, look no further than Robert Jon and the Wreck. Their newest record, “Red Moon Rising,” is out now. It’s a fun record that promises an exciting live show.For more information and to find out when they are...

01/06/2024

A great performance by former guest The Surfrajettes in Sellersville, PA. If this band plays near you… go! You can thank us later.

30/05/2024

Looking for something new and loud? Thankfully, Bullets And Octane are here, releasing new music on a pretty regular basis. We talked with leader Gene Lewis about the new music and so much more...

Hard rock band Bullets and Octane are survivors. For the past 25+ years, they've been playing their brand of hard rock and touring regularly, including collaborations with Paige Hamilton from Helmet and Gilby Clarke from Guns n Roses. The band has...

15/05/2024

This week, we talk with the one and only David Ellefson, best known for his work with Megadeth and Kings of Thrash.

And if you're hoping to see the Kings live, you're in luck- they're playing all over the world this summer.

Metal fans know David Ellefson from his work with Megadeth and his current band, Kings of Thrash. For the rest of you, you're in for a treat. We talked with David about touring the world, how to stay young and what he's learned from revisiting son...