Decibel Geek Podcast

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Episode 55 - Covers With Attitude Oct 17, 2012

Show notes

We're back this week with a second helping of our live recording at the recent Nashville Comic & Horror Festival and this time we have some company.

Our good friends from the PWA Show dropped by to help us create an all-covers show that is certainly like no other that we've done. We're sure that some of the choices today will either make you want to jump for joy or want to reach through the ipod and strangle us. Either way, we don't think you'll be bored.

The PWA Show is hosted by Dave and Korey and posts new episodes, like us, every week. What do they cover on the PWA Show? Well, just about anything. Their off-the-cuff, stream of consciousness conversations are pretty interesting and give you a fly-on-the-wall feeling when listening. Check them out and give them a listen. We consider them our brothers-in-podcasting.

We kick things off with Chris' pick of a industrialized version of a Zeppelin classic before going to Dave's pick of a KISS classic covered by a group of Alternative pioneers from Minnesota.

Korey makes his first selection of a White Stripes cover with a Tennessee connection before Aaron shifts things back heavier with his choice of a controversial frontman covering a Maiden classic.

We return from the break with the first country artist to ever be spun on the Decibel Geek Podcast and it's a great cover of a Catman-sung KISS classic from the 1970's. Coming off of that, Dave selects a Marilyn Manson cover that helped the shock rocker break through to the mainstream.

Korey's second choice of the song that is arguably the birth tune of rap-rock runs completely counter to Aaron's choice of Tesla covering a killer track by Alice Cooper.

Next up is Chris' choice of Pearl Jam jamming out a live version of one of the best arena rock anthems of all-time before Dave chooses a cover performed by another Seattle-formed band performing a David Bowie classic from MTV Unplugged.

We finish things off with The Man in Black delivering a painful rendition of a wrenching Nine Inch Nails song from 2002 and end things on a heavy note with Aaron's pick of W.A.S.P. covering a rollicking Who track.

Send all hatemail regarding Korey & Dave's picks to thepwashow@gmail.com and.........

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Trent Reznor

The Replacements

KISS

White Stripes

Sebastian Bach

Garth Brooks

Marilyn Manson

Run DMC

Tesla

Pearl Jam

Nirvana

Johnny Cash

W.A.S.P.

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Episode 54 - Radio Sucks Radio Show Volume 8 Oct 10, 2012

Show notes

On Saturday October 6th, the Decibel Geek podcast ventured out of the bat cave to meet a large contingent of fellow Geeks at the Nashville Comic & Horror Festival.

With a ton of amazing folks wearing wild costumes and special guests including Ernie Hudson in full Ghostbusters gear, it was a bit distracting recording on-location but we still want to share the experience with you in this week's episode; Radio Sucks Radio Show volume 8!

Our mobile producer Marc Bullard joins us on the mic this week as the three of us select a truly eclectic mix of tunes are you are not likely to hear on your payola-funded corporate radio station.

We kick things off with Marc's pick of a track from Skid Row's Slave to the Grind album that will make you go ape followed by a gut-wrenching track from Alice in Chains' Dirt album.

Aaron spins a celebratory tune from The Donnas before coming out of our first break with Marc's pick of a newer track from Extreme followed by a more recent tender-loving song from Motley Crue's Saints of Los Angeles album.

Before heading into the break, Chris spins a track from Iron Maiden that ponders the idea of toying with crazy people.

We return from break #2 with the strangest grouping of songs you'll never hear anywhere else. We segue from Aaron's choice of a powerful track from Paul Stanley's 1978 KISS solo album into a track that Marc picks in honor of Aaron performed by The Dead Milkmen.

If that wasn't strange enough, Chris serves up a long jammified track from King's X that will surely make you want to never attempt to play guitar again.

Closing out today's show is a track from End of the Century by The Ramones that Chris loves in all it's different incarnations. We hope you dig the tunes you hear today. If you do.......

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King's X

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Episode 52 - Radio Revisited 1991 Sep 27, 2012

Show notes

While our Year in Review shows tend to have a great response each time out for the wealth of information that we try to squeeze in each time and numerous song clips that we attempt to shoehorn in; we've also plenty of folks tell us that they like when we spin more than 1:00-1:30 length clips of songs and prefer to hear more music. This week's show is our attempt to satisfy that contingent....with a twist!

Instead of just a typical show spinning songs from the chosen previous Year in Review, we decided to explore a new option of entertainment with a Decibel Geek episode from 1991! We dug through the archives and dusted off this episode of a very young Chris and Aaron and you'll get to hear where their minds were at (when not "using" the Sears catalog) and their opinions of the bands of the day as well as the changes in the ever-shifting music industry.

We hope you will enjoy this rare look back to a simpler time in our lives and some great music that we were digging on in those days. Thanks for joining us on this time warp back into history with Radio Revisited 1991!

*Editor's Note* - All content contained in the "flashback" portion of this episode is not, in fact, from 1991 and is meant purely for comedic purposes. Anyone taking offense or feeling misled by this scripted error should contact the offices of Decibel Geek attorney Uneedto Getalife (he's foreign).

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Episode 49 - Radio Sucks Radio Show vol.7 Sep 05, 2012

Show notes

After a great week of getting Ugly with Whitfield Crane, we return to fill your head with loud, auditory goodness. Radio Sucks Radio Show vol 7 is here!

This weeks Geek of the Week is Dan Miles! Dan is the host of the Friends of Dan Music Podcast and we're thrilled to call him a friend as his podcast features some great in-depth conversations with some real insiders of the music industry. He recently talked to Simpsons music composer Alf Clausen about his 40+ years in the industry and we highly recommend his Jim Morrison episode that features the Lizard King expressing himself between takes while in the recording studio. Dan is a great supporter of the Decibel Geek podcast and we thank him this week by bestowing this great honor on him ;-)

We've got a ton of diversity for you this week for the 7th edition of the Radio Sucks Radio Show.

We start things off with a great track from the Sabbath w/Dio era album Mob Rules before launching into a track from Warrant that could easily be described as everything that Cherry Pie is not; and we're thankful for that.

Chris has been trying to dive headlong into the Cheap Trick catalog after much cajoling from fellow KISS fans about the many treasures inside and he unearths a power pop masterpiece from 1977's self-titled debut album that will please anyone with a rock and roll sweet tooth.

We come back from the first break with an ode to the demise of a serial killer from a Wisconsin-born band that you'd never expect to hear on our show.

Our Fresh Blood pick for this episode is The Treatment from the UK. Currently opening for KISS and Motley Crue on The Tour, this group of fresh-faced Brits sports a serious classic rock influence and solid, raw sound that we think you will most certainly dig. If you are attending The Tour, this act definitely seems to be worthy of showing up early.

Aaron gets super-obscure with his pick of a Faith No More song from the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack that is woefully under-appreciated before launching into a choice cut from Baltimore's own Clutch.

Queensryche has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons as the band has recently split from singer Geoff Tate and lawyers are busy running up hourly fees while firing lawsuits back and forth. We discuss the current wranglings before Chris' pick of a track from Operation: Mindcrime that is aptly titled in regards to the current situation.

Shotgun Messiah was a band that largely got swallowed up in the early 90's scene-changeover that affected so many bands but bassist Tim Skold would go on to success in a number of other projects; notably his work with Marilyn Manson. Aaron picks a powerful track off their 1992 sophomore album Second Coming.

We return from the break with the king of shock rock with Chris' pick of a great anthem from the 1975 Welcome to My Nightmare album that never gets old and feels as fresh today as it did back then (except maybe for the Donny Osmond reference).

Closing out volume 7 of our Radio Sucks Radio show is a wickedly evil pick of a Monster Magnet tune from their Powertrip album. We've got tons of big stuff planned for the near future and hope that you enjoy these tunes as we ramp things up for a very busy Fall season. Rock on!

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Episode 48 - Whitfield Crane Aug 30, 2012

Show notes

It's no secret to fans of the Decibel Geek Podcast that we, especially Aaron Camaro, have a great affinity for Ugly Kid Joe.

Born out of suburbia (ie. Isla Vista, CA) in 1990, Ugly Kid Joe showed up in the middle of a power shift in the rock world with a sound that didn't fit into the glam rock style that was on its way out nor with the dirge-like sound emanating from the grunge underbelly of Seattle that would soon take over the world.

Named on the spot as a spoof of California hair-farmers Pretty Boy Floyd, Whitfield Crane and best friend Klaus Eichstadt formed the initial lineup of the band and released the breakthrough EP, 'As Ugly As They Wanna Be.' The album broke through to mass audiences with the success of the track 'Everything About You' and would go on to become the first EP to be certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. In this long-form discussion, Whit Crane shares the stories of how the band was formed, what the musical climate was like at the time, and his opinion of Pretty Boy Floyd.

Ugly Kid Joe would climb the rock ladder in 1992 with the follow-up album 'America's Least Wanted' which featured the considered-by-WalMart-offensive cover depicting Lady Liberty giving the finger. Featuring a guest vocal from Judas Priest's Rob Halford on the track 'God Damn Devil,' the album solidified Ugly Kid Joe in the public consciousness with the release of their cover of Harry Chapin's 'Cat's in the Cradle' and, to a lesser degree, the opening track 'Neighbor.'

A long period of touring the globe would ensue throughout the following years including opening slots for Ozzy Osbourne and Def Leppard as well as headliner status of their own. Along with lots of touring, Ugly Kid Joe was on a non-stop treadmill of appearances, interviews, award shows, and other assorted promotional activities (also LOTS of partying with such legends as Eddie Van Halen and Lemmy). Crane reflects on how crazy the lifestyle was and what memories remain with him to this day.

1995 saw the release of 'Menace to Sobriety' which featured the lineup of Crane, Eichstadt, guitarist Dave Fortner, bassist Cordell Crockett, and drummer Shannon Larkin. Featuring a tighter, heavier sound, the album received rave reviews.

After disappointing sales for the 1996 release 'Motel California,' Ugly Kid Joe disbanded the following year. The members went on to other projects and bands with Larkin becoming the drummer in Godsmack and Crane doing a stint with Life of Agony as well as work with Medication and reuniting with Larkin for Another Animal. In this conversation, Crane reveals the emotions and motivations behind these projects and reflects on what he takes away from those experiences.

After 15 years apart, the 1995 lineup of Ugly Kid Joe have released their new EP, 'Stairway to Hell.' Featuring a bold production from guitarist/production genius Dave Fortner, the album has all that one would expect from Ugly Kid Joe and more. We get Whit's thoughts on our impressions of the album and if he agrees or not. Aaron also gives a heartfelt testimonial to Whit on behalf of all Ugly Kid Joe fans before we wrap things up with a special preview of the upcoming single from 'Stairway to Hell.' We thank Whitfield Crane for giving us his time, attention, and reflections on a career that has rocked and shows no sign of stopping.

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Episode 47 - 1987 Year in Review Part 2 Aug 22, 2012

Show notes

After a week of reflecting on January - July of 1987, we round things off this week by discussing August - December and try to shoehorn in as many tunes and memories as we can.

August saw the release of two of the year's landmark albums in Michael Jackson's 'Bad' and Def Leppard's Hysteria.

MJ had not released an album since 1983's historic 'Thriller' release and the world's ears were ready for a followup. 'Bad', released on August 31st went on to produce five number one singles in the USA; a record which has not been broken.

Def Leppard's slickly-produced 'Hysteria' album had smash hit after smash hit and would go on to sell over 20 million units.

Other notable releases from August of 1987 included albums by Metallica, Twisted Sister, and Aerosmith.

September spawned album releases by rock legends such as Pink Floyd, Motorhead, Rush, The Ramones, and KISS. While not all of these releases would go on to be big sellers, some amazing songs were overlooked by the general public.

The big news story of Ocotober of 1987 was the rescue of Baby Jessica. After falling down a well in Midland, Texas two days prior, emergency crews are able to save the young child in front of a national television audience.

Motley Crue attempted to release 'You're All I Need' as a single from the Girls, Girls, Girls album on October 19th but were shunned by MTV and radio due to the graphic nature of the lyrics. We take a listen to hear what the uproar was about.

Notable releases of October 1987 included albums by Alice Cooper, MSG, Sepultura, and the multi-million selling 'Faith' album from George Michael after his split with Wham! (blech).

We finish things off with a discussion of the albums released in November and December including offerings from Black Sabbath, Anthrax, and two albums by Overkill. Also in this discussion we reflect on bands that were established in 1987 as well as those that called it quits before playing things out with a dreamy track from Dokken's 'Back for the Attack' album.

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Episode 46 - 1987 Year in Review Part 1 Aug 15, 2012

Show notes

1987 was a special time in the adolescence of a young Aaron Camaro and Chris Czynszak; being aged 13 and 11 respectively. This was an interesting time in American pop culture with tv shows like The Cosby Show and Cheers leading in the ratings while edgier upstart FOX Network was providing more reality-based programming that would go on to dominate the next decade.

Popular movies in 1987 included Three Men and a Baby, Lethal Weapon, RoboCop, and Wall Street; which included one of the enduring quotes of the decade in "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."

We discuss all of that and spin some of our favorite music from January through July of 1987 in part 1 of this 2 part special. The "hair band" movement was in full force in 1987 as bands such as Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and Bon Jovi were ruling the charts and filling arenas. But a glimpse of a grittier future in rock was given with Guns N Roses landmark debut album, Appetite for Destruction. Taking the world by storm with a no-frills, attitude-filled song list, AFD ran counter to the image-based culture that was on top at the time; relying more on substance and swagger and becoming one of the premier live shows in all of music.

We also touch on how hindsight is definitely 20/20 when it comes to looking back on songs/albums that were revered in those early days of puberty and how are outlook on them has either changed or stayed the same. Some things definitely have held up over the years while others certainly sound more like they are fixtures in this Cold War-era that we are remembering.

There's lots of discussion, good tunes, and LOTS more music ahead in part 2. We hope you enjoy our trip back to 1987.

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Episode 45 - Riki Rachtman Aug 09, 2012

Show notes

When we think back to those angst filled teenage years in the early 90's when we couldn't find a fake i.d. and we still had a curfew, some of our best memories are of spending Saturday nights hanging out at a friends house, eating day old pizza and watching the Headbangers Ball on MTV.

While the show started back in 1985 with an ever-rotating host, the show came into our collective consciousness during the transition from Adam Curry to this week's guest, Riki Rachtman.

While Curry did an admirable job hosting the Ball, the show took on a more adventurous and fun direction when Rachtman took the reins in 1990.

Riki Rachtman's profile in rock history goes back further, though, to his days as owner of The Cathouse; a famed L.A. nightspot that was frequented by rock stars of all sorts and the women that adored them. Rachtman's first on-camera appearance took place in 1988's Penelope Spheeris-directed The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. In the movie, Rachtman is interviewed on location at the aforementioned Cathouse along with co-owner/roommate Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat.

Rachtman's friendship with Guns N Roses frontman Axl Rose led to an audition at MTV as Curry was on his way out as host of Headbangers Ball. His hosting duties would last for five years (1990-1995) until Headbangers Ball was abruptly canceled with no more than a phone call to Rachtman breaking the news.

In the ensuing years since Headbangers Ball, Riki Racthman has stayed active in the entertainment industry; contributing his hosting talents to such outfits as World Championship Wrestling, Los Angeles radio station KLSX, several VH1 productions, and his NASCAR-themed racing show called Racing Rocks and is heard on over 120 stations across America.

Riki was gracious enough to take some time to talk to Chris this week about the crazy days of The Cathouse, the story that led to getting the Headbangers Ball hosting gig, his memories of hosting the Ball and traveling the world, his response to critics that have accused him of pushing an agenda while on MTV, and his take on where the network (and music in general) is at today.

Riki also gives us details about his current 3-country/11 state trek from Mexico through America through Canada and to Sturgis on motorcycles with his long-time friend Taime Downe. As of the date of this episode's recording, Riki and co. were in Washington state and you can track their progress in real-time by clicking this link or you can receive his updates on his Twitter page.

We thank Riki Rachtman for taking the time to talk to us. We hope this episode brings back as many memories for you as it did for us.

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Episode 43 - The Kutting Room Floor Jul 25, 2012

Show notes

We're pulling into the homestretch of KISSMAS in July and thought we'd end the month with a Geeky BANG!

Before we get down to it we want to proudly announce that you can stream the Decibel Geek podcast every Friday night through Maximum Threshold Radio! These guys are spinning rock and metal 24 hours a day and were nice enough to let us Geeks take over their airwaves every Friday night at 7:00pm EST. We appreciate this opportunity and hope you will check out all of the other great programming they provide as well.

This week's Geek of the Week is Victor Ruiz of the Mars Attacks podcast. Victor had the winning suggestion for this week's KISS-related show subject and we wanted to give a tip of the hat to him. Be sure to check out Mars Attacks for lots of great rock and metal discussion. To qualify for Geek of the Week, just join the facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/decibelgeek and leave us a comment. Simple as that!

With 20 studio albums, numerous solo albums, and other projects to boot, it's logical to think that KISS must have a treasure trove of unreleased material. While we got some of that from the officially released box set, fans are still waiting for a bulk release of demos and unreleased nuggets (in good sound quality) from the band. There are, however, a lot of little-known gems floating around the bootleg collector market and that's what we wanted to focus on today. Special thanks to KISSFAQ for providing such in-depth information that aided in our research for this episode.

In this episode you will hear demos, unreleased tracks, and alternate takes from the Hottest Band in the Land as well as cases where songs were turned inside out from demos to wind up as officially released songs years (sometimes decades) later. We also will take a look as some songs that KISS recorded but didn't officially release and where those songs wound up.

We've got many eras of KISS covered in this show including unreleased material from Destroyer, the roots of Rock and Roll Over gems Calling Dr. Love and Ladies Room, as well as a Zeppelin-inspired instrumental that didn't quite make the cut on Music from the Elder. You will also hear a 1985-penned Asylum demo that turned into a track on 2009's Sonic Boom.

We also include a track that's gone through a number of permutations (that's a big word like 'gymnasium') and has been recorded by the Creatures of the Night era and Psycho Circus era lineups yet has (criminally) never been officially released on a KISS studio album.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. You will hear numerous strange demos that, understandably, never qualified for official released. It's an interesting look at KISS' songwriting process over the years and how their approach has changed/stayed the same. We hope you enjoy the scraps of what we found on The Kutting Room Floor.

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Episode 41 - KISS Kovers Jul 11, 2012

Show notes

After such a great response to our Lydia Criss conversation in week 1, KISSMAS in July shifts into a new gear with Chris and Aaron's favorite KISS Kover songs taking center stage. When researching covers of KISS songs, it quickly became apparent that KISS has influenced artists from just about every genre of music (we couldn't find any jazz KISS covers).

While there were, of course, plenty of examples of straight-ahead rock bands paying homage to the hottest band in the land; the covers from the worlds of disco, pop, folk, bluegrass, and death metal really surprised us.

We must give credit to the fine folks of KISSFAQ for providing such a great, deep discography of pretty much anything and everything KISS and related.

The tribute album section includes officially released product as well as 5 (and counting) tribute albums that were produced by KISSFAQ forum members. Now, THAT'S a devoted following!

Obviously, with so many cover songs existing, it would impossible to even include a fraction of them in this episode. So, with that said, Aaron and Chris ventured to celebrate KISSMAS in July by playing their favorite covers. A lot of digging went into these picks and we hope that you are turned onto some great stuff. If so, click one of the links below to hear more of these great KISS-inspired artists. Rock on!

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