Let It Roll

Latest Episodes:

Mambo hit New York hard in the 1930s, 40s and 50s Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

Hosts Nate Wilcox welcomes back Tony Fletcher to discuss the opening chapters of his book "All Hopped Up and Ready to Go: Music from the Streets of New York 1927–77."

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CHECK OUT THE NEW LET IT ROLL WEB SITE -- We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more. Please sign up for the email list on the site and get music essays from Nate as well as (eventually) transcriptions of every episode. Also if you can afford it please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!

Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com

Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.

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Latin Roll 1: The musics of Europe and Africa collided in Cuba Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

We're relaunching Let It Roll by reposting every episode in chronological order by subject matter. In this episode, Nate Wilcox and author Ned Sublette have the first of several conversations about Ned's book "⁠Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo⁠."

This episode focuses on the cultural collisions and cross-pollination triggered when Europeans enslaved Africans and dragged them, and their music, across the Atlantic.

This episode originally dropped in 2023.

GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack.

Also subscribe to the LET IT ROLL EXTRA feed on Apple, Spotify or your preferred podcast service to access the full episodes via your preferred podcast outlet. We've got all 350+ episodes listed, organized by mini-series, genre, era, co-host, guest and more.

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!

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Chick Webb's Big Beat Style of Swing Led Directly to Rock 'n' Roll Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Hosts Nate Wilcox welcomes Stephanie Stein Crease, the author of "Rhythm Man: Chick Webb and the Beat that Changed America" to discuss the great swing king, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, Benny Goodman and Webb's impact on our culture.

Buy the book and support the show.

Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com

Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80s Roll 20: Queen, Bowie & Jagger and other highs and lows of Live Aid Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ed Legge conclude their discussion of Michaelangelo Matos' "Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year" with a look at the triumphs and tribulations of Live Aid.

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Beginning the Jazz Age: Vaudeville, Minstrelsy, Spirituals and Louis Armstrong's Signifying on the Old Songs Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

Host Nate Wilcox welcomes back Gary Giddins to discuss the opening section of his classic book "Visions of Jazz" including discussions of vaudeville greats Al Jolson and Bert Williams, Louis Armstrong's signifying takes on old time songs of slavery and some of the forgotten Black songwriters of 1920s Tin Pan Alley.

Buy the book and support the show.

Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com

Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80's Roll 19: Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones led "We Are The World" Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ed Legge continue their discussion of Michaelangelo Matos' "Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year" with a discussion of the composition and recording of "We Are The World."

Buy the book and support the show.⁠

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!

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Black Sabbath invented heavy metal with Ozzy Osbourne and perfected it with Ronnie James Dio Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

Host Nate Wilcox welcomes Mike Stark to discuss his oral history of Black Sabbath. Nate and Mike discuss the two classic iterations of the definitive heavy metal band.

Buy the book and support the show.

Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com

Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80s Roll 18: British stars came together wrap up a huge 1984 with "Do They Know It's Christmas" Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

Buy the book and support the show.⁠

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hipgnosis designed iconic album covers for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and many more Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

Host Nate Wilcox welcomes author Mark Blake to discuss his book “Us and Them: The Authorised Story of Hipgnosis: The visionary artists behind Pink Floyd and more.” It's a fascinating look at the intersection of rock music and visual artists in the 60s and 70s and traces the evolution of the music business through that era.

Buy the book and support the show.

Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com

Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

80s Roll 17: Classic Rockers Like Don Henley, Foreigner and Steve Perry Had a Big 1984 Too Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Ed Legge continue their discussion of Michaelangelo Matos' "Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year" with a look at the surprisingly strong year had by older performers like Foreigner, Journey's Steve Perry, Don Henley and Hall & Oates.

Buy the book and support the show.⁠

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support the show. Thanks!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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