VRP Rocks

23/12/2024

🎄 **Merry Christmas from VRP Rocks!** 🎄

Just before we dive headfirst into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to thank YOU – whether you listen, watch or follow – for making 2024 such an incredible year for *VRP Rocks*!

When I began the podcast back in October 2020, and then started to take YouTube more seriously in September 2022, I could only dream of where VRP Rocks would be today. Thanks to your love for rock music, this year has been the biggest yet! Just look at these highlights:

📊 **2024 Stats:**
🎧 On Spotify: Streams up **109%**, listeners up **34%** and followers up **57%!**
🍎 On Apple Podcasts: Followers grew by over **114%** year on year!
📹 On YouTube: More than **3.8 million views** (+7% year on year) and watch hours up **20%**!

Your amazing support, tuning in, sharing episodes and joining the conversation, has made all of this possible.

This Christmas, I’m raising a toast to each and every one of you for being part of this incredible journey. Here’s to an even bigger and better 2025 – more interviews, more stories and of course, more classic rock!

🎸 Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a rockin’ New Year! 🎉

🤘 Thank you 🤘
Paul

17/12/2024

🎸 Led Zeppelin's Overlooked Tracks: Share Your Favourites! 🎶

We all know that "Stairway to Heaven," "Kashmir," and "Whole Lotta Love" hog the headlines, but what about those hidden gems and underrated masterpieces that don’t always get the spotlight?

On the back of the competition on YouTube to find VRP Rocks' subscribers favourite Zeppelin song, I’m working on a new video where I pick out the deep cuts and lesser-known songs that deserve more recognition. And I’d love your input!

👉 What are your favourite overlooked Led Zeppelin tracks?
These could be songs that:

◾ Songs that weren’t big radio hits but you think are masterpieces
◾ Tracks with unique elements that make them stand out
◾ Songs you wish more people appreciated or talked about

Drop your suggestions in the comments and let me know why you love them! I’ll feature as many of you and your picks in the video as I can!

12/12/2024

🚨 This is a VERY special interview! 🚨

You've seen plenty of my interviews with big-name stars on VRP Rocks, but sometimes, the most incredible stories come from names you might not know... yet - and trust me, this one is unbelievable!

🎸 Leslie Mandoki may not be someone you're familiar with, but his life story is absolutely unreal! He risked his life escaping the Iron Curtain through a deadly 7 mile tunnel, all to chase his dreams of freedom and music. Against all odds, he went on to work with some of the greatest legends in rock: Jack Bruce, Jon Lord, Greg Lake, Ian Anderson and so many more.

This isn’t just an interview, it’s a journey through history, music and resilience. Leslie’s story of defying danger and rising to the top is unlike anything I’ve ever featured on this channel.

💡 So I ask you to please take a chance on this. Even if you don’t know his name, I promise you’ll be inspired by his courage, perseverance and incredible contributions to music.

➡️ Watch the full story now and let me know what you think. This one deserves to be shared far and wide. 🌍

Pantheon Podcasts

Leslie Mandoki's life story is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and rock 'n' roll triumph. In this incredible interview, Leslie shares how he risked...

09/12/2024

This story is genuinely mind blowing! It's an interview I've wanted to do for such a long time now, and it certainly didn't disappoint! 💥

Imagine risking your life to escape a communist regime through a 7-mile tunnel guarded by armed authorities with a shoot-to-kill policy. That’s just the beginning of Leslie Mándoki’s incredible journey!

From smuggling Western music behind the Iron Curtain to becoming a Eurovision sensation and collaborating with rock legends like Ian Anderson, Jon Lord and Greg Lake, Leslie’s life is like something out of a movie!

🎧 On the latest episode of VRP Rocks, Leslie shares his jaw-dropping story, his passion for artistic freedom and the creation of Mandoki Soulmates. This is more than an interview, it’s a masterclass in resilience, creativity and the power of music to unite and inspire.

06/12/2024

🎸 2024 has been another incredible year for VRP Rocks! 🎧

Spotify Wrapped is out now and the figures on that platform are amazing!

💥 Listeners up 34%!
💥 Streams more than doubled (+109%)!
💥 Followers grew by 57%!

Your support has been absolutely amazing and I couldn’t have done it without you 🙏

The most listened-to episode of the year? Episode 112 featuring the legendary Ace Frehley! 🚀🪐 Thanks for tuning in, sharing and being part of this incredible journey.

Let’s make 2025 even bigger and better! 🤘 Don’t forget to follow if you haven’t already and let me know in the comments who you’d love to hear from next year.

Pantheon Podcasts

04/12/2024

As you may or may not know, I post a daily poll on the VRP Rocks YouTube channel and we've been running through the best albums of certain years. We are at the finale of 1969 and it's an all Led Zeppelin affair! Their debut v's the follow-up! Which album do you think is better and why?
If you'd like to join in the fun, click the link in the comments below👍🤘

02/12/2024

🎤 The voice. The presence. The legacy. Ronnie James Dio wasn’t just a musician - he was a rock legend. On this weeks VRP Rocks, we’re celebrating the life and career of one of the greatest voices in classic rock and heavy metal.

You'll hear stories from those who worked with him in Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio, as they share what made Dio such a force of nature. Plus, I've looked at how his musical legacy still resonates, counting down the 25 most streamed Ronnie James Dio songs on Spotify!

Link in comments below 👍🤘

24/10/2024

Big news for VRP Rocks!🎉 My recent interview with former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has been making waves, with major publications including Ultimate Classic Rock, Bravewords, Drummer World, Rock Celebrities, ChaosZone, Metal Head Zone, and Kiss Asylum all picking up on it! 🎸 It's amazing to see the response and how far this interview has reached. Thanks to everyone who's checked it out so far – your support means everything! 🤘

17/10/2024

This is CRAZY! A video I posted on YouTube a couple of weeks ago of Mark Farner talking about his near death experience has racked up over 350,000 views!! See what the fuss is about...

Pantheon Podcasts

Legendary Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner opens up about the day he died - TWICE - and what he saw on the other side. Farner shares his near-death e...

15/10/2024

What does Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad have to say about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? 🤔 And how did his near-death experience shape his new album "Closer to My Home"?

Join us on the VRP Rocks podcast as we dive into these topics and much more, including collaborations with Mark Slaughter and a potential Grand Funk reunion! 🎤🎸

👉 Listen to the full interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mark-farner-closer-to-my-home-new-album-near-death/id1533773809?i=1000672981617

Pantheon Podcasts

14/10/2024

Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad is BACK on the VRP Rocks podcast! 🎤 We dive deep into his first new album in almost 20 years, "Closer to My Home", his powerful near-death experience, and his unfiltered thoughts on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 🏆

Plus, could there be a Grand Funk Railroad reunion in the future? 👀

Catch the full interview now on VRP Rocks—you won’t want to miss this one! 🎧

👉 Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mark-farner-closer-to-my-home-new-album-near-death/id1533773809?i=1000672981617

Pantheon Podcasts

08/10/2024

Hey everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you – VRP Rocks has just hit *7 MILLION* total views on YouTube! 🎉
It's crazy to think how far VRP Rocks has come, and it wouldn't be possible without your support. Whether you've been here from the beginning or just found my channel recently, I’m so grateful for every view, comment and share.

Here’s to more rock ‘n’ roll, more interviews and many more milestones ahead. Thank you, Paul! 🤘

07/10/2024

VRP Rocks is back and we’re kicking things off with a brilliant interview with former Kiss guitarist, Bruce Kulick! 🎸🔥

Whether you’re a longtime Kiss fan or just love classic rock music, this episode is packed with great stories and insights from his time with stars like Meat Loaf, Grand Funk Railroad and John Corabi! Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!

🎧 The episode is live now on all podcast platforms, or see the comments below, go check it out and let me know what you think! Thanks for sticking with me during the break, it feels good to be back! 🙌

Pantheon Podcasts

06/10/2024

Hey everyone! 👋

VRP Rocks is finally back after a little break, and I’ll be a lot more active here on Facebook again too! 🙌🎉

To kick things off, I’m thrilled to announce that tomorrow I'm dropping a brand new episode featuring none other than Bruce Kulick! 🎸🤘 It's a real deep dive, over an hour long, where Bruce discusses his incredible career with Kiss; from the early days to the pressures of writing for Gene and Paul, the sadness of losing Eric Carr, discussing often overlooked albums and his thoughts on the farewell tour and avatar plans. He also talks about his 23 years with Grand Funk Railroad, touring with Meat Loaf and working with the likes of Billy Squire and John Corabi.

The full interview will be available tomorrow on all the usual podcast platforms, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up tonight—this is one episode you won’t want to miss!

Stay tuned and thanks again for all your support. Catch you tomorrow for Bruce Kulick on VRP Rocks - episode 127! 🎧🔥

Pantheon Podcasts

28/08/2024

Alongside the star-studded interviews, I’ve started making some fun videos where I dive into the "Top 25 Most Played Songs" by some legendary bands. So far, I’ve covered Deep Purple, AC/DC, and Van Halen, and even did a cool one where I pit The Beatles against The Rolling Stones to see who comes out on top.

These rankings are based on Spotify plays, and let me tell you, some of the results might surprise you—others, maybe not so much! I’d love for you to check them out. I’ve dropped the link to the videos in the comments below!

Let me know what you think!

15/08/2024

I've just heard the awful news that the wonderful Greg Kihn has sadly passed away. Greg lost his battle with Alzheimer's disease on the 13th August at the age of 75. One of the funniest men in rock, always had a smile on his face when we spoke and was a really great character.
Everyone will know the hits, 'Jeopardy' and 'The Breakup Song', but take this chance to explore more of his brilliant back catalogue. Other immediate highlights for me include the irrepressible 'Happy Man', the frenetic 'Castaway' and of course, the song I'll be playing in memory of Greg tonight, 'Remember'.
Sleep easy tonight Greg Kihn 😢

24/07/2024

*Link in first comment below*

The blues world has lost an icon.

I learned this morning of the sad news of John Mayall's passing, a legendary figure whose music shaped the lives of countless musicians and fans alike. Hauntingly, just days before his departure, I had the privilege of again interviewing musician and producer Tony Carey, who had huge success in the 80s as a solo artist and under the name Planet P Project and before that as a mameber of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. During this chat, Tony spoke so fondly of John Mayall and shared some personal stories about working, touring, and partying with him.

From their first meeting on the road to recording sessions and the camaraderie that defined their time together, Tony recounted how John, ever the generous soul, gave him a blue record as a token of their collaboration—a rare and cherished memento. He also spoke about the unique challenges John faced in the latter part of his career, including a poignant story about an album that never got made due to budget constraints.

Tony's anecdotes, filled with humor and warmth, offer a glimpse into the personal side of John Mayall—the man who loved roast chicken wrapped in tinfoil.

I invite you all to watch this short heartfelt interview, recorded as I said, just days before John Mayall left us. It’s a touching tribute to a man whose music and spirit will live on forever. Rest in peace, John Mayall. Your legacy will continue to inspire and resonate through the ages.

24/06/2024

VRP Rocks is back with a HUGE guest - 🅶🅴🅽🅴 🆂🅸🅼🅼🅾🅽🆂 from 🅺🅸🆂🆂!!!

🎧LISTEN HERE: https://pod.fo/e/24b20e 🎧

We get updates on the Avatars, Netflix Biopic, selling the bands music rights, his solo tours plus his big regrets about Ace Frehley & Peter Criss, what his relationship is like now with Paul Stanley, the influence of the Beatles and how he discovered VAN HALEN!

Another fantastic interview which you can listen to now on the VRP Rocks podcast, available on all good podcast apps!