What the Riff?!?

De: Rob Marbury Wayne Rowan Bruce Fricks and Brian Dickhute
Ouça grátis

  • Sumário

  • 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 happenings of that day— having fun recalling that “old time rock and roll.” We hope to bring back memories for you — and we encourage you to find and purchase the tracks and albums from iTunes, Spotify or your other favorite music service. You’ll find each episode with a short blog on this site. Please subscribe so you don’t miss any release! We also invite you to follow us and learn more about us @whattheriffpodcast on Facebook.
    What the Riff ©2024
    Exibir mais Exibir menos
Ciências Sociais Mundo Música
Exibir mais Exibir menos
Episódios
  • 1989 - September: Mötley Crüe "Dr. Feelgood"

    1989 - September: Mötley Crüe "Dr. Feelgood"
    Nov 18 2024
    It is a little surprising that we have gotten this far into the podcast without featuring an album by Mötley Crüe. This is a group that practically defined the hair metal genre of the mid to late-80's. The band formed in 1981 in Hollywood, and featured both a party-oriented lifestyle and an androgynous look. The core and classic members of the band were Nikki Sixx on bass and keyboards, Mick Mars on lead guitar and backing vocals, Tommy Lee on drums and backing vocals, and Vince Neil as front man. Many other musicians would be brought in for sessions, and the group itself would change personnel over the years. However, the classic lineup was still in place for their fifth studio album, Dr. Feelgood. At the time, the group was facing conflicts that caused Producer Bob Rock to have each member record their parts separately. This was also the first album recorded after the group started a quest to get sober and go through rehab. Additionally, recording took place in Vancouver, getting the band out of the familiar (and seductive) L.A. scene.The result of these sessions was impressive. Dr. Feelgood was the groups most successful album to date, and went to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart, the only Crüe album to do so. It was also reviewed positively by critics, receiving the award for "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album of the Year" at the American Music Awards in 1991.Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Bruce and brings us this excellent glam metal album of the late 80's for this week's podcast.Dr. FeelgoodThis title track peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Mötley Crüe's most successful single to date. The song about a drug dealer chronicles the connection between LA Rock and drug use. It has an infectious funky riff and a more sophisticated production which departs from earlier Mötley Crüe efforts.Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)The softer approach of this power ballad song are betrayed by its adolescent lyrics. Bassist Nikki Sixx was inspired by a movie line to make this sarcastic song. It's tongue in cheek lyrics and reference to earlier Crüe songs make it a favorite at their live shows. like fire, don't you ever take my name in vain."Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)This fifth single released from the album tells a comedic story of a boy meeting two girls, and by the end of the song the boy has been passed over while the two girls end up together. Many of Mötley Crüe's songs had lighter, humorous lyrics, which contributed to their appeal.Kickstart My HeartDo not play this song when driving through a speed trap! The song is not about a relationship, but about Nikki Sixx's heroin overdose. Sixx was clinically dead, requiring the paramedic to inject adrenaline into his heart to get it beating again. This single reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Welcome Home by Willie Nelson (from the motion picture “Welcome Home”)This film starred Kris Kristofferson as a Vietnam War vet returning to his family after a 20-year absence. STAFF PICKS:New Orleans Is Sinking by the Tragically HipWayne turns to the college rock genre to start off our staff picks. The Tragically Hip is better known in their native Canada than in the US, but their music is well worth a listen. This song was recorded in Memphis, and has a delta blues feel, almost rockabilly. The song was temporarily removed from radio playlists after hurricane Katrina broke the levies and flooded New Orleans. Wait for You by BonhamIf you think that this song sounds like Led Zeppelin, you aren't the only one. Rob features Jason Bonham's band. Jason Bonham was the son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. Jason Bonham has a playing style very similar to his father, and recruited Daniel McMaster to the band on vocals - a singer with a sound very similar to Zeppelin front man Robert Palmer. This is the main single from the debut album, "The Disregard of Timekeeping." Poison by Alice CooperLynch brings us a song from Cooper's eighteenth album, "Trash." This song was a major comeback single for Cooper, his first top 10 single in the US in 12 years. The song tells the story of a guy entrapped by a girl that he knows is wrong for him, but also someone he can't let go.Down Boys by Warrant Greg finishes the staff picks with another hair metal band. This is the debut single from Warrant's debut album, "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich." It reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Stand On It by Jeff Beck with Terry Bozzio and Tony HymasWe close out with a guitar instrumental from guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck, accompanied by drummer Terry Bozzio and keyboardist Tony Hymas. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT ...
    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    45 minutos
  • 1967 - March: Bob Dylan “Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits”

    1967 - March: Bob Dylan “Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits”
    Nov 11 2024
    One of the greatest songwriters of the 60's, Bob Dylan had released seven solo albums between 1962 and 1966. Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits compiles many of the singles from this period along with some of the songs Dylan wrote for other musicians. The compilation went to number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 3 on the UK album chart, and has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA.In the summer of 1966, Dylan crashed his motorcycle near his home, and took off time to recover. The record company was anxious to follow up Dylan's successful "Blonde on Blonde" album, but had no new recordings available, and no clarity on how long Dylan would be out of the studio. Thus the decision to release a Greatest Hits album was an easy one for them. Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, the stage name comes from the poet Dylan Thomas. Bob Dylan rose out of the Beatnik coffee houses, and he took inspiration from a wide variety of sources including Woodie Guthrie, Hank Williams, and blues artists like Robert Johnson. He has the unusual distinction of having won a Nobel Prize in Literature. Wayne takes us through this iconic folk rock compilation album, and friend of the show Greg Lyon joins us in Bruce's absence for this week's podcast. Positively 4th StreetThis non-album single was released in 1965 between the "Highway 61 Revisited" album and the "Blonde on Blonde" album, and reached the top 10 on charts in both the US and the UK. The lyrics are laden with bitterness, as the singer laments the lack of compassion in a person who "has a lot of nerve to say you are my friend." An inspiration for this song could have been the reaction Dylan received from folk artists and fans when he "went electric."Blowin' in the WindWhile Dylan released this as a single in 1963, the most successful version of this song was the cover by Peter, Paul and Mary in the same year. This well-known protest song asks a number of questions in its lyrics, most focused on issues of peace and freedom. Whether an answer "blowin' in the wind" is obvious or difficult to grasp is left deliberately ambiguous. The Times They Are a-Changin'This is the title track to Dylan's 1964 album. It is iconic today as a commentary on society in general and 1960's society in particular. The number of groups that have covered this song is vast, including such diverse names as Joan Baez, the Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Burl Ives.Subterranean Homesick BluesA number of things make this song famous, from the early video style to the rapid lyric pace, to the inspiration for the name of the domestic terrorist group of the 70's, the Weather Underground ("you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows"). Dylan claims inspiration from Chuck Berry and the scat songs of the 1940's in the creation of this track. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Sitting There Standing by the Chocolate Watchband (from the motion picture "Riot on the Sunset Strip")This counterculture movie came out during this time, sporting a soundtrack that may be better than the film itself. STAFF PICKS:Detroit City by Tom JonesRob starts the staff picks with a slow blues number originally written by Mel Tillis. Jones cover of this country song originally released by Bobby Bare is about being lonely and homesick on the road. Jones' version went to number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. I'll Be Doggone by Marvin GayeLynch brings us an upbeat tune which is the first song on which he collaborated with Smokey Robinson. The lyrics tell the singer's girlfriend that if she cheats on him he'll be (dog)gone. This was a big time for the Motown sound.Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis PresleySpecial guest Greg's staff pick is an iconic ballad by the King. Recorded for the movie "Blue Hawaii" in 1961, it was on the charts in 1962, but has been popular ever since. Elvis was a great inspiration for Greg's life and musicianship.Action Woman by the LitterWayne features an early garage band with a fuzzy feel. It is a good early example of psychedelic music, and chronicles a man's search for a woman of action - a more active girlfriend. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Music to Watch Girls By by the Bob Crewe GenerationThis is a great song title with which to finish off the podcast - or ride in an elevator! Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase...
    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    31 minutos
  • 1986 - April: Metallica "Master of Puppets"

    1986 - April: Metallica "Master of Puppets"
    Nov 4 2024
    A number of bands seem to turn a corner with their third album, and Master of Puppets is no exception. Metallica's third album would achieve both critical and commercial success, crossing out of the new thrash metal sub-genre of hard rock to achieve multi-platinum recognition. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield collaborated with drummer Lars Ulrich as the principal songwriters, creating riffs that were assembled and reassembled over time until they formed a song. The band would then be called in to create a tile and topic for the song, at which point Hetfield would create the lyrics.Master of Puppets peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Although glam metal was on the rise, the band avoided the over-produced, synth-laden sound popular in the era, and stuck to their signature thrash metal sound with political lyrics. The resulting album would consolidate the thrash metal scene, and bring the sound into a more mainstream audience.Unfortunately, the album would also be the last one for which bassist Cliff Burton would be featured. Burton died in September 1986 while the band was on tour in Sweden, and their bus was involved in an accident.Metallica would become a huge group from the late 80's onward, and this album shows the strength of the group in those years when they were just coming into the consciousness of the commercial world.Lynch brings us this highly influential thrash metal album. Fans of the Show Julie Doran and son Zack join us in Wayne's absence for today's podcast. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)The song that concludes side 1 of the album was inspired by Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." The lyrics portray the thoughts of a mental patient incorrectly institutionalized in an asylum. The track starts slow and picks up steam as it goes. BatteryThis title could be a reflection of the charge of assault and battery, or it could be inspired by the military hardware of an artillery battery. There is also a connection to the original San Francisco thrash scene, centered on the Old Waldorf club on Battery Street. Control of violent urges is a connection that runs through the piece regardless of the original inspiration.Master of PuppetsCocaine addiction is the master of puppets referenced in this title track. Hetfield had friends experiencing drug addiction, and wrote this track from the perspective of the drug itself, taking over the lives of people. This will be a familiar song to fans of "Stranger Things." ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Loved By the Sun by Jon Anderson and Tangerine Dream (from the motion picture “Legend”)This fantasy film starring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara was in the theaters at this time. STAFF PICKS:Your Wildest Dreams by the Moody BluesRob starts off the staff picks with a song that singer and guitarist Justin Heyward wrote while thinking back on his first love. It hit number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making this song the biggest commercial success for the Moody Blues since "Knights in White Satin."Mothers Talk by Tears for FearsBruce's staff pick was inspired by a mom telling her kids that when they make faces, they will freeze that way. It is also inspired by an anti-nuclear cartoon called "When the Wind Blows" by Raymond Briggs. The song was written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley, and first performed in 1983. It went to number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kiss by Prince & the RevolutionJulie features a chart topping hit and lead single from Prince's eighth studio album, "Parade." The song is more acoustic and stripped down than prior Prince hits, and Warner Bros. didn't want to release it as a single. However, Prince insisted on both its inclusion on the album and its release as a single.Addicted to Love by Robert PalmerLynch closes out the staff picks with a song that may be more famous for its video featuring models pretending to play the instruments. Palmer originally wanted to sing this song as a duet with Chaka Kahn, but was prevented from doing so by legal issues. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Songbird by Kenny G.You just can't go wrong with a sax as we close out today's podcast. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    47 minutos

O que os ouvintes dizem sobre What the Riff?!?

Nota média dos ouvintes. Apenas ouvintes que tiverem escutado o título podem escrever avaliações.

Avaliações - Selecione as abas abaixo para mudar a fonte das avaliações.

Avaliações Audible.com.br

Avaliações na Amazon
Nenhuma revisão disponível