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Every week, “WHAT THE RIFF?!?” takes a look at a ROCK AND ROLL album that debuted or peaked on the U.S. Billboard charts during a random month between 1965-1995. Four friends discuss the artists and 4 tracks from the album as it plays in the background. Then we riff on 4 “staff picks” of other artists that were also in the charts during that month and year. You’ll hear some familiar tunes as well as some deeper cuts and entertainment tracks as we share a little look into the culture and happ ...
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No More Tears, the sixth solo studio album by Ozzy Osbourne, was released at an interesting time in rock music. Hair metal acts were in decline, and grunge was about to take off. Nevertheless, Ozzy hit it big with this album, reaching number 7 on the Billboard 200 charts, and providing Osbourne's only solo top 40 hit. No More Tears is generally con…
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Kansas was at the height of their prowess and popularity as a prog rock-leaning band in 1978 when they released their first live album, Two for the Show. Recorded during tours in 1977 and 1978, the double album gives the listener a glimpse into the energy of the band at the time. The songs span the first five studio albums released by the group, fr…
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There were few rock albums in the 80's which achieved the popularity levels of Born In the U.S.A., the seventh studio album by Bruce Springsteen. Songs for this album were recorded with the E. Street Band over a two-year period from 1982 until 1984, the totality of songs far outstripping the available space on the album. Somewhere between 70 and 90…
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We covered the big commercial hit album "Brothers In Arms" back in episode 154, but many afficianados of Dire Straits consider their finest work to be the album that preceeded this one. Love Over Gold is their fourth studio album, released in late September 1982 and on the charts in June 1983. For this album, prime mover and lead vocalist Mark Knop…
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If you are exploring the rise of prog rock, it doesn't take long until you encounter the power trio of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This progressive rock band is actually a supergroup. Keyboardist Keith Emerson came from The Nice, vocalist and guitarist Greg Lake was in King Crimson, and percussionist Carl Palmer was from Atomic Rooster. Emerson, Lake &…
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If you're looking for great Heartland Rock, a great choice would be the album Against the Wind. Depending on how you count it, it could be considered Bob Seger's eleventh studio album, but it is the third album of the iteration known as Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. Seger is joined by Drew Abbott on guitar, Chris Campbell on bass, and David T…
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This week we are taking an opportunity to explore some songs which would normally be outside our time frame by following the soundtrack to the movie “Goodfellas.” This Martin Scorsese film is a mafia story told from the view of Henry Hill in his book “Wiseguy: Life In a Mafia Family.” The movie follows Henry Hill as he looks back on his life beginn…
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Rage Against the Machine recorded their eponymously named debut album in May-June of 1992 and released it in November 1992. The Los Angeles-based group consisted of Zack de la Rocha on vocals, Tom Morello on guitar, Tim Commerford on bass, and Brad Wilk on drums. The group was known for their anti-establishment and politically charged lyrics. Rage …
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While Devo is known as an early 80's new wave synth pop band, their history goes back to 1973. The classic lineup of Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, and Alan Myers developed the name Devo from "De-evolution," the idea that mankind is regressing to a herd mentality. This was a bit of a joke idea that Gerald Casale and…
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Sylvester Stewart was born in Dallas, Texas, but moved to the Bay area of California before becoming a multi-instrumentalist and changing his name to Sly Stone - the primary driver of the group Sly and the Family Stone. This was one of the first integrated groups, and one that crossed many genres. They played what would become known as psychedelic …
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Styx is approaching the height of their popularity and a bit of a turning point when they released their ninth studio album, Cornerstone. Keyboardist and vocalist Dennis DeYoung, and lead guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw take the lion's share of the songwriting duites, with one or both developing all tracks save one. The lead vocalist duties also …
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Hysteria is the album that should not exist. Def Leppard's fourth studio album was plagued with delays and tragedy. Despite this fact, the album would become one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. The band wrapped up their Pyromania tour in early 1984, and started writing their next album shortly thereafter. Producter John "Mutt" Lange…
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This week we are delving into one of the greats of Southern Rock. Well, they are southern rock if you count southern California. Little Feat took its name from a comment Frank Zappa made to his band member Lowell George regarding his having little feet. George would become a founder and driving force behind Little Feat, providing guitar and vocals.…
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Who's up for some thrash metal? Megadeth is one of the founding bands of the thrash metal genre, and considered one of the "big four" of U.S. thrash metal (along with Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer). The heart of the band, primary songwriter, and sole constant member of the band throughout the years is Dave Mustaine. The formation of the band is we…
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One of the great underappreciated singer-songwriters of the rock era was Tulsa, Oklahoma native Claude Russell Bridges, better known as Leon Russell. Russell was a musician and songwriter with records spanning rock, folk, country, gospel, bluegrass, and blues who began playing piano at the age of four. He went to the same high school as David Gates…
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Let's get this out of the way up front: when you think of rock albums, Rick James is not the artist that immediately comes to mind. But when former founding podcaster Brian Dickhute comes back and wants to do the album, we find it difficult to deny him. James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. was born in Buffalo where he was in a number of groups and bands as a…
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Pete Townshend intended the fifth studio album from The Who to be a science fiction rock opera called “Lifehouse,” as a follow up to the rock opera “Tommy” released in 1969. After conflicts with their band manager and issues just managing the complexity of what Townshend envisioned the project to be, the rock opera was shelved, and the follow-up wa…
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Rubber Soul was the sixth studio ablum released by The Beatles in the US and the UK. The album was largely recorded in October of 1965 over a four week period, and relesed in December of 1965. The Fab Four had completed their North American tour by August, and had returned to London to compose this album. It would be the first album they completed …
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We've covered a lot of great bands and artists in our podcasts, but it is a rare occasion when we get to explore a group that has defined an entire rock genre. The Cure are considered to be the defining band within the goth rock movement. Formed in 1978 out of the post-punk era, this West Sussex band would grow into an international cult favorite, …
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Swamp rock afficianados, this is your podcast! Despite forming in California, Creedence Clearwater Revival was known for their Louisiana sound often described as "swamp rock" or later as roots rock. They tended towards an earlier rock sound during a time when much of their fellow performers were moving in a more psychedelic direction. But CCR (as t…
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We've made a few jokes in past episodes about Michael McDonald popping up in unexpected places. It's an easy joke to make, because McDonald has a distinctive voice and has worked with a lot of artists covering numerous genres. But the man is talented - both vocally and on the keyboards - and his career has put him at the forefront of rock music for…
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Van Halen’s New Era: The Launch of "5150" with Sammy Hagar In 1985, rock legends Van Halen were at a pivotal juncture. Following the departure of charismatic lead vocalist David Lee Roth, the band faced the daunting task of finding a new frontman. After an exhaustive search, Eddie Van Halen connected with a familiar face from the music scene—Sammy …
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Wilmington, Delaware's George Thorogood got his start on acoustic blues. He formed a band called the Delaware Destroyers in 1973, and this would eventually become his band, known as George Thorogood & The Destroyers. He released his first record in 1977, and received more mainstream notice when he opened for the Rolling Stones in 1981. The same yea…
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A supergroup is a band made up of musicians who have already achieved fame either as soloists or members of another band. One of the most iconic of supergroups would be formed in 1988 and go by the name of The Traveling Wilburys. In 1987 George Harrison released his album "Cloud Nine" with Jeff Lynne performing a number of instruments and co-produc…
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Stone Temple Pilots, often abbreviated as STP, burst onto the rock scene in the early 1990's, becoming one of the most commercially successful bands of that era. Their debut album, Core, was released in late September 1992, and we're highlighting it in January 1993 when many of their hits were on the charts. The DeLeo brothers form the heart of the…
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