Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_088 Jun 01, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_088 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES CAREER OF ROY ORBISON

This is the first of two episodes saluting one of the most unique and enduring talents in rock and roll history. He recorded hits in four decades – the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. And his posthumous platters also charted in the 1990s. He's best known for his soaring voice, but it's not well known that he composed or co-composed most of his own hit songs. He's Roy Orbison.

During our Roy Orbison retrospective, we'll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you'll hear the charted remakes of his hits by other singers. And we'll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers

We'll also spotlight Roy Orbison's special connections with Pat Boone, Buddy Holly, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles, among many others. And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along with more history about Roy Orbison's career. Hear it all here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_087 May 15, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_087

– "THE LOST TOP 40 HITS OF 1980" –

This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from 1980. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Elton John, Donna Summer, Carly Simon, Bob Seger, The Jacksons, Pete Townshend, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, and Dan Fogelberg, among many others.

We'll relate the story of a song that was a top 20 hit twice – the first time when it debuted in 1980 and nine years later in 1989 when it was re-issued. And we'll hear from the only artist in Grammy history to win all four of that competition's general field awards – Best Album, Record, Song, and New Artist – in the same year.

Then there's the singer who carried on the top 40 hit making tradition of his late father and uncle. They were both rock and roll pioneers from Memphis who worked at the same electric company as Elvis Presley – long before they all became stars.

So, get your ears in gear for forty forgotten top 40 hits from a fabulous rock and roll year – 1980.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_086 May 01, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _086 – "JAILHOUSE ROCKERS (SINGERS WITH HIT RECORDS & POLICE RECORDS)"

This episode spotlights Jailhouse Rockers. These are performers with police records as well as hit records. Many served jail sentences. Others only received probation. A few got off with just a fine. And one died while his penitentiary term was still pending an appeal.

The collective criminal charges against them ranged from drug possession and trafficking to drunk driving, public indecency, tax evasion, insurance fraud, extortion, robbery, kidnapping, child pornography, child molestation, rape, assault, weapons charges, and even murder.

As we recite some of their bad deeds, we'll also sample some of their good music. Those are two things they all had in common. And that's the way we'll present them.

Our rockumentary also includes arresting facts about some rap stars whose rhymes we can't fit into our song snippet format. And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, interviews Craig Tobin, a litigation lawyer who'll comment on the special – or not so special treatment some rock stars receive when they're hauled into criminal court.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_085 Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _085 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF PAUL ANKA - PART 2

This is the second of two episodes saluting one of the most successful and enduring singer/songwriters in rock and pop music history. His recordings span more than seven decades. He's also composed hit records for several other artists, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, and the 5th Dimension. He's Paul Anka.

During the course of our Paul Anka retrospective, we'll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you'll hear the charted 45 RPM remakes of his hits by other singers. And we'll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers.

This "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" edition spotlights Paul Anka's special connections with Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. And our rockologist, Ken Deutsch presents more of his personal interview with Paul Anka in which the artist sits next to Ken on his piano bench and sings a 1974 hit right in his hotel room!

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_084 Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_084 – PART 1 OF A 2-PART ROCKUMENTARY ON THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF PAUL ANKA

This is the first of two episodes saluting one of the most successful and enduring singer/songwriters in rock and pop music history. His recordings span more than seven decades. He's also composed hit records for several other artists, as well as one of the most famous television show themes of all time. He's Paul Anka.

On this edition of Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll, we'll spotlight Paul Anka's special connections with Annette Funicello, Buddy Holly, Connie Francis, and Johnny Carson. And rockologist Ken Deutsch presents a personal interview with Paul Anka in which the artist sits next to Ken on his piano bench and sings a 1974 hit right in his hotel room!

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_083 Mar 15, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #083 PRESENTS "30 FEMINIST HIT SINGLES BEFORE THEIR TIME"

Feminine pride and empowerment are common themes in the rock, pop, and rhythm & blues hits of the 20th century – especially in recent years. But there were fewer such hit records in earlier eras. This episode remembers 30 songs with feminist messages that were played on the radio long before their time – the decades of the 1950s through the 1990s.

Ironically, almost all of these tunes were composed or co-composed by men, and we'll conjecture as to the reasons why. Even so, these musical messages had a strong and positive impact. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along to interview a special guest for this episode – Patricia Brown Holmes. Judge Holmes is the first African-American woman to become the managing partner of a national law firm. She'll relate how this music inspired her and other women to achieve great things.

And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_082 Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL EPISODE #_082 – 50 LOST TOP 40 BRITISH INVASION ACTS

Say the words, "British Invasion," and everyone recalls the Beatles, the Dave Clark 5, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Herman's Hermits, the Hollies, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, the Animals, Donovan, Gerry & The Pacemakers, the Yardbirds, and the Bee Gees, for example. Their songs are still played on U.S. radio stations.

But forgotten by many is an earlier British invasion. It coincided with the launch of the so-called rock and roll era in 1955. It preceded the Beatles and the other mid-1960s U.K. artists who dominated the U.S. music scene. Those earlier U.K. rockers scored many big hit singles that also have vanished from your favorite oldies stations.

This "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" episode salutes 50 lost Top 40 acts from both the 1950s and 1960s waves of the British invasion. They're all part of the greatest rock and roll stories on record, and you'll hear them here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_081 Feb 15, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _081 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF LITTLE RICHARD

This episode pays tribute to one of rock and roll's most flamboyant pioneers and pop icons. Although he's best known for his many 1950s hits, he continued to make the rock and rhythm & blues charts for another four decades.

Throughout his career, he was conflicted by his devout Christian faith and his love for secular music. And for a while, he retired from show business to become a minister. Eventually, he combined both callings.

Once nicknamed the "Hepcat From Hell," he openly challenged Elvis Presley for the title, "King Of Rock & Roll." He's Little Richard.

We'll sample all of his hit singles, the original versions by other artists that he emulated, and the charted 45 rpm remakes of his songs by other singers, such as Pat Boone, Bill Haley & His Comets, and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, among others. Plus Little Richard's hit connections with Jimi Hendrix, Billy Preston, Quincy Jones, Canned Heat, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Philip Bailey, and the Beach Boys.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_080 Feb 01, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_080 – THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED – THE LAST CONCERT BY BUDDY HOLLY, J.P. "THE BIG BOPPER" RICHARDSON & RITCHIE VALENS

This episode pays tribute to Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson & Ritchie Valens whose tragic deaths in a plane crash occurred on February 3rd, 1959. It's been called the day the music died.

We believe the best way to honor them is to reconstruct, as much as we can, the set-list they and the other artists – Frankie Sardo, as well as Dion & The Belmonts, performed with them at their final concert in Clear Lake, Iowa the previous night – February 2nd.

Our very own "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" host emeritus, Al Mitchell, was a teenager in 1959. And he was at that dance party. You'll hear his remembrances. We've also found some radio broadcasts from the following morning that reported the sad news.

And we'll sample some tribute tunes that were quickly issued in the aftermath of the crash as eulogies to all three singers.

So, come with us back in time as we relive the evening before and the day the music died.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_079 Jan 15, 2019

Show notes

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_079

– THE TOP 40 LOST HITS OF 1976 –

This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from 1976. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Stevie Wonder, the Electric Light Orchestra, Elton John, and the Beach Boys, among others.

We'll salute a legendary disco star who was also an acclaimed painter. And we'll reveal another disco diva, who left nothing to the imagination in her other profession as a pornographic pictures star. Plus, we'll showcase three super-hit television themes, including one that was named after a famed Olympics gold medal winner.

A musician, singer, record producer, and composer who was Buddy Holly's best friend, penned a #1 rhythm & blues hit. That story and that song are part of this episode, too, along with the only Top 10 tune ever about a dog during the rock and roll era.

So, get your ears in gear for forty forgotten top 40 hits from a fabulous rock and roll year – 1976.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected