Decibel Geek Podcast

If there is one band that truly defines having a "good time" it's Van Halen. Formed in 1974 in suburban Pasadena, California, brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen were joined by bassist Michael Anthony and vocalist David Lee Roth and set forth in creating music history. Blessed with other-worldly talent, Eddie quickly redefined the art of hard rock guitar playing via two-handed tapping and whammy bar dive bombs. Alex's drumming, rooted in the influences of Ginger Baker and Buddy Rich, was an aggressive undercurrent to the band's sound. Michael Anthony's rock solid bass playing was only overshadowed by his angelic backing vocals. And David Lee Roth's ringmaster routine; featuring high jumps and other assorted acrobatics, rounded out a band that would marry classical influences with Harlem soul to create the combustible mix that was the Roth-Era of Van Halen. After 1984, it seemed that the spirit of original Van Halen was lost forever with Roth embarking on a long solo career and the brothers starting to work with Sammy Hagar. But, time does tend to heal all wounds and after many years of assorted will-they-won't-they drama, the original Van Halen (sans Michael Anthony) reconvened in 2006 and released new material in 2012. Toddzilla This week Aaron and Chris are joined by Nashville rock music legend Todd Austin (aka Toddzilla). Todd has been a fixture of the Nashville rock/funk music scene for many years. Known in local circles as the 'Minister of Funk' through his work with JonesWorld and his new project Funkhammer, Todd wanted to join us for a discussion of Roth-Era Van Halen and how it affected him as a guitar player and as a person. In this discussion we'll discuss favorite tracks from all Roth-Era VH albums as well as indulge in some of Toddzilla's favorite memories of Dave and the boys from back in the day. It's a solid hour of nostalgia for debauchery and crazy concert memories of a legendary band. Don't miss it! More Toddzilla! (Click Band Name for More Info) Funkhammer Todzilla's Funkhammer JonesWorld Buy Roth-Era VH Music! (Click Album Title to Buy on Amazon!) Van Halen Van Halen II Women & Children First Fair Warning Diver Down 1984 A Different Kind of Truth Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunesJoin the Fan PageFollow on TwitterE-mail UsComment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351 Direct Download

This week on the Decibel Geek Podcast, the boys, Chris and Aaron take the week off to enjoy some football and turkey for Thanksgiving.  In their place the Hoser Heavy Metal Twins of Wally “Wallygator” Norton and Rich “The Meister” Dillon step in to host the episode. Rich and Wally performed a hostile takeover last Thanksgiving when they hijacked the broadcast, but this year they have been invited back to cover the boys holiday.  Chris and Aaron have delivered funny, entertaining and informative broadcasts each and every week without fail for 111 episodes now….enjoy your well deserved break my friends. Wally kept his song selections to a “Radio Sucks Theme” while Rich went more in the “Fresh Blood” vein to gather the ten songs that they introduce to the audience this week.  First up Wally made an excellent selection from The Killer Dwarfs new release Start @ One, but not before announcing that this week’s “Geek of the Week” was none other than our “Crack-smoking,  among other things” Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, who admitted that he has listened to The Decibel Geek Podcast albeit in a drunken stupor….stupor….stupor, what a fun word to say!  Wally dedicated "The Sky Is Falling" to the troubled Mayor and Rich  excitedly mentioned the The KiLLeR DWaRfs have now been announced as participating in the Monsters of Rock Cruise 2014. For The Meister’s first selection he went with a band out of St. Catharines Ontario, Step Echo.  Chuckling at the name of their recording studio where they recorded their album which was called “Fecal Noir”….which the Hosers can only deduce means….”black poop:…..c’mon now you just chuckled as well didn’t ya?  "Crazy" was the song taken from their Jagged CD. Keeping on the string of awesome new releases this fall from Canadian bands Wally opted for "Boys Club" off Coney Hatch’s new effort, Four, the band’s first since Friction in 1985.  As they discussed when previously hosting the podcast, at a concert Carl Dixon had left the song lyrics to newly penned song, "Blown Away", taped to a stage monitor and thinking it was a great souvenir of the show, The Meister pro-cured them.  Days later it was discovered that that was the only copy as they had just been written the night before the show and Carl was frantically searching for their whereabouts.  The song appears on the album, so you  know that The Meister returned them promptly. One Bad Son originally from Saskatoon Saskatchewan, but now relocated to Vancouver B.C. provided the next choice for Rich with their song “Gringo” from 2007's Orange City release. The song is not from the latest self-titled OBS release, but an earlier album and is perhaps the heaviest in their repertoire.  Radio stations across Canada are playing OBS tracks from the latest album, so as you see even though radio sucks, sometimes they do have brief shining moments of glory. Afraid that Wally was going to get “weird” Rich was apprehensive of Wally’s next pick.  Last time they hosted the podcast Wally did the absolutely unthinkable and played a ballad!!  While it was a great song from a talented band, Gypsy Rose, Rich was not sure he was in a ballad mood today and warned Wally.  Wally assured him that all would be fine and it was about time to work some KISS into the show as always. He spun Brighton Rock’s absolutely creepy and totally different from the original rendition of "Creatures of The Night" off the double cancer benefit KISS tribute CD A World Without Heroes….and although it was a ballad, now at least, Rich deemed it an acceptable choice. Coming home to Toronto, Meister’s next band is called Twitch that has played a few shows at the becoming famous Rockpile Club.  He chose to feature "Walk" from the RevolutionCD, talking about how good this band is live and the covers that they often throw into the set.  Last show they broke into the Four Horsemen’s "Rockin’ Is Ma Business"

The holidays are fast approaching and Chris and Aaron are as busy as ever getting some great episodes and interviews together to bring to all of you Decibel Geeks. This week, the guys stop to take a breather and give you a taste of what they've been listening to. There's a lot of variety in this new edition of the Radio Sucks Radio show. Brand new tracks by The Black Spiders, Michael Monroe, The Dead Daisies, and Hardcore Superstar fit in nicely with some awesome covers performed by Vince Neil, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Damone. There's even more but you gotta listen! Michael Monroe – Stained Glass Heart – Horns & Halos   The Dead Daisies (ft. Slash) – Lock N’ Load –The Dead Daisies   Black Spiders – Balls –This Savage Land   Mr. Big – The Whole World’s Gonna Know –Bump Ahead   Hardcore Superstar – C’mon Take on Me –C'Mon Take On Me   Tesla - Children's Heritage -Gold   Damone - Everybody Wants You –Everybody Wants You   Randy Castillo/Tracii Guns/Stevie Rachelle – Too Late for Love –Arena Rock Classics   Vince Neil - Long Cool Woman –Tattoos & Tequila   Smashing Pumpkins - (We're All) Clones –Aeroplane Flies High    Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunesJoin the Fan PageFollow on TwitterE-mail UsComment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351 Direct Download

Decibel Geek is much more than just a weekly podcast. If you don't already know, there are a TON of great articles being put out consistently by our dedicated staff of writers; giving you more hard rock and metal stuff to geek out on on the days between episodes. Many of the articles are inspired by song choices from Aaron and Chris that are featured on the episodes. There are also a number of reviews of some of the best new and classic albums being put out regularly. This week Aaron and Chris shine a spotlight on the great articles being written by the Decibel Geek staff. All song choices were inspired by an article written by a particular staff member. There's quite a bit of great variety in this episode and we hope this will help turn you on to some great new/classic music. Click on writer's name to read the original article that inspired the song choice.  Click on the album title to go to Amazon and order! Andy Lafon:LaValle – Don’t Cry –Dear Sanity  The Meister: Arch Rival - In The Face of Danger –In the Face of Danger  Kate Campbell:Queensryche – Fallout –Queensryche   BJ Kahuna Hawaii - Escape the Night –Loud, Wild, and Heavy  Billy Hardaway:Alter Bridge – Farther than the Sun -Fortress  Derik Novak:Stryper - The Rock That Makes Me Roll –Soldiers Under Command  Loosecannon:Bobaflex – Wading Through the Dark –Charlatan's Web  Cynthia Johnson:Skid Row - Big Guns –Skid Row  J. Alexander:GWAR – Madness at the Core of Time –Battle Maximus  Wally Gator:Ace Frehley – Snowblind –Ace Frehley Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunesJoin the Fan PageFollow on TwitterE-mail UsComment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351 Direct Download

Every once in a while in the past, Aaron and Chris would break out a track that's from an up and coming act that has an old-school vibe that fits within the Decibel Geek methodology. They would usually call this a Fresh Blood track. Upon further investigation, there's a TON of great new rock and metal being made these days and Chris and Aaron are in the fortunate position to bring you full volumes of this Fresh Blood series and we kick it off today!  We hope you enjoy this new batch of ear candy! Click Artist name for more info.  Click track/album name to purchase on Amazon Wyldlife - The Time Has Come to Rock & Roll [Explicit] Revolution Riot - "Ashes of Dreams", Untitled (TBA) Scorpion Child – Polygon of Eyes – Self-Titled (2013) Hammering Process - "Kachina"- Hammering Process [Explicit] (2012) Monster Truck – The Lion – Furiosity (2013) Robot Lords of Tokyo - "Hell Will Have to Wait"- Virtue & Vice (2013) Impera – Beast Within –  Pieces of Eden (10/18/13) 210 To Lowell - "Dead Jimmy", Dirtier Than The Devil (2013) Screaming Eagles – Rock & Roll Soul – From the Flames (2013) The Mad Mad Ones - "Bury Me", The Mad Mad Ones (TBA) Direct Download

With Halloween fast approaching, we felt this week was the best time to go ahead and take a look into the history of Shock Rock. It's time for Shock Rocktober! In this hour-plus episode, Aaron and Chris Go back to the earliest days of Shock Rock with Screamin' Jay Hawkins all the way through Lordi today and along with some acts you may have missed the first time. Before we get to the music, we're proud to announce a special prize giveaway brought to you by the Decibel Geek Podcast and Michael Wagener. We're giving away a free slot to Michael Wagener's upcoming 7-Day Production Workshop at Wireworld Studio near Nashville, TN. The week-long workshop begins on December 1st. The normal cost of this 7-day workshop is $2450.00. In this workshop, you'll learn hands-on technique in the birth of a song all the way through recording, mixing, and mastering. It's a unique chance to work with a music production legend in an intimate setting. To enter the contest, simply e-mail a letter to us along with an mp3 sample of your work (if available). The letter should state why you think you are the best candidate for this workshop and what you hope to get out of it. E-mail us at decibelgeek@gmail.com. Deadline for submissions is midnight on 11/9/2013. Winner will be chosen and notified within 1 week. Good luck to all! Buy Music! (Click Artist to Purchase) Screamin Jay Hawkins The Crazy World of Arthur Brown Iggy Pop & The Stooges Alice Cooper KISS Wendy O. Williams GG Allin Ozzy Osbourne WASP King Diamond Lizzy Borden GWAR Rob Zombie Marilyn Manson Slipknot Murderdolls - Wednesday 13 Lordi Also-rans: Screaming Lord Sutch, The Doors, Frank Zappa, Black Sabbath, Sex Pistols, Twisted Sister, Motley Crue, Green Jelly, Rammstein, TOOL, Mushroomhead, Mindless Self Indulgence, Lady Gaga. Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Fan Page Follow on Twitter E-mail Us Comment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351 Direct Download

One of the nicest people that we've interviewed over the past 2+ years was Jan Kuehnemund, founder of all-female hard rock band Vixen. While Jan's guitar skills and physical beauty provided her with a powerful 1-2 punch in the music industry, those things were overshadowed when you actually talked to her. Jan's dedication, integrity, and drive helped propel her and Vixen to stardom in the late 1980's. Those qualities also served her well through the many lean years that followed. All of this is what makes this week's episode so difficult for us. Jan Kuehnemund passed away last Friday October 10th, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. We interviewed Jan in late February of 2012 and uploaded the episode on March 2nd, 2012. The process of interviewing Jan was a true pleasure. She was forthcoming, funny, intriguing, and patient in giving us knuckleheads in Nashville an hour of her time to yack about rock music and her life in it. We could have just gone ahead and dedicated this week's episode to Jan and proceeded with a new theme. But, Jan really left an impression on us and Aaron and I still have good memories of talking to her. The Decibel Geek podcast has really grown since April of 2012 (83 episodes ago!) and we couldn't think of a more fitting tribute to Jan than to give you all a replay of our conversation. In this talk, she talks about the early days of bringing Vixen from Minnesota to Los Angeles, their struggles to be taken seriously, and their rise to fame. She also details the difficult days of the 1990's, acrimony among band members and the beginning of reconciliation with the girls for VH1's Bands Reunited series. She also shares touring memories of working with such acts and Deep Purple and KISS. While the war stories are interesting and entertaining, we hope you will take from this talk what we did; Jan Kuehnemund was a thoughtful, caring, and beautiful spirit that will most definitely be missed. Rock in Peace Jan. Your music lives on. - Chris Czynszak Direct Download

Whether you know the name Michael Wagener or not chances are, if you're a fan of this show, he's had a major impact on your life. A cursory glance at the discography of this German-born music production legend will leave you stunned due to the number of pivotal hard rock and heavy metal moments he helped create and shape. This week Aaron and Chris head to Wireworld Studios for a long-form discussion of some of the many highlights of Michael's career. In this discussion, you'll hear about his early roots in Germany as he helped form Accept and then made the jump across the pond to begin his storied career on a ready-to-explode Sunset Strip. One project led to another and within just a few years Michael had worked with acts such as Dokken, Motley Crue, Metallica, Poison, Stryper, White Lion, and Skid Row just to name a few. In this talk, Michael also shares his take on the evolution of the recording industry and the changes that have taken place due to the digital divide. It's a solid hour of insight on many of your favorite albums and artists and it's right here for you this week on the Decibel Geek Podcast. Michael Wagener Official Website: www.michaelwagener.com Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Fan Page Follow on Twitter E-mail Us Comment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 324-3351 Direct Download Original acetate for Extreme's Pornograffitti

The average music fan these days tends to enjoy a band while they are "in fashion" and on the charts. Unfortunately, that's a passing thing and what goes up, must come down. It seems that the instant that a band falls out of favor with the general crowd, it becomes the majority's modus operandi to mock said artist for a short while and then, worse, ignore them completely. This usually leads to the artist working twice as hard to put out quality material (sometimes too hard in the case of trend following) and typically continued to be ignored by the mainstream listening audience. It's a sad state of affairs where nobody wins. The artist doesn't win due to their hard work not getting recognized and the music fans don't win due to not being aware of the material being released by the artist due to flavor-of-the-week favoritism. This week, Aaron and Chris set out to introduce your ears to some gems that were lost on overlooked and ignored albums by bands/artists that had already seen their "better days." Tracks by artists such as David Lee Roth, Enuff Z'nuff, Hanoi Rocks, The Doors, Alice Cooper, Hanoi Rocks and more highlight this episode as we unearth "Buried Treasures." Enuff Z'Nuff - Tweaked, "Life is Strange" (1995) Poison – Crack a Smile – “Shut Up, Make Love” (2000) The Doors - L.A. Woman, "The Changeling" (1971) Badlands – Voodoo Highway – “The Last Time” (1991) Black Label Society - 1919 Eternal, "Demise of Sanity" (2002) Hanoi Rocks – Street Poetry – “This One’s for Rock and Roll” (2007) Pearl Jam - Riot Act, "Get Right" (2002) David Lee Roth – Your Filthy Little Mouth – “She’s My Machine” (1994) Warrant - Ultraphobic - "Undertow" (1995) Alice Cooper – DaDa – “Pass the Gun Around” (1983) Buy Music! Enuff Z'nuff - Tweaked Poison - Crack A Smile...And More The Doors - L.A. Woman Badlands - Voodoo Highway Black Label Society - 1919 Eternal Hanoi Rocks - Street Poetry Pearl Jam - Riot Act David Lee Roth - Your Filthy Little Mouth Warrant - Ultraphobic Alice Cooper - Dada Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Fan Page Follow on Twitter E-mail Us Comment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 342-3351 Direct Download

This week’s episode is the result of some it’s-a-small-world moments coming together. As you may remember, during our 2012 KISSMAS in July, we featured an episode on KISS Kover songs. One of the songs played was by a band named Hair of the Dog. This band achieved some strong popularity in the upper Midwest; most notably in central Wisconsin, home to Aaron Camaro. We couldn’t find a whole lot of information on Hair of the Dog or the current-day status of their members online and went on to work on other episodes about other artists. Flash forward to July of 2013 and Chris heads out to the TomKeifer/John Corabi double-bill at local Nashville club 3rd and Lindsley. After running into some mutual friends, he’s introduced to legendary producer Michael Wagener. During the conversation, Chris hands Mr. Wagener a Decibel Geek business card. Overhearing the conversation, guitarist Jeremy Asbrock chimes in that he’s a listener of the show and was impressed by our Lydia Criss interview. After this, Jeremy introduces Chris to Ryan Cook, former singer for the aforementioned Hair of the Dog. Upon learning that Jeremy and Ryan were band mates and living in Nashville, the wheels were set into motion to get microphones in front of everyone and this week, schedules lined up and we dug into lots of discussion. Hair of the Dog Ryan Cook - 2nd from Left While this week’s episode is called The Big Rock Show, its title is taken from our guests’ band. Ryan Cook and Jeremy Asbrock make up part of this group that started out as a fun way to jam on some cover songs that the members grew up on and has turned into a true gig for the guys with appearances all over the country as well as on the high seas for a number of rock-themed cruise ships. Ryan Cook, while a member of Hair of the Dog, is not also a part-time player in Skid Row; replacing Dave “Snake” Sabo, when scheduling conflicts come up. Jeremy Asbrock, a Nashville native, was a member of longtime Music City favorites The Shazam. The Shazam Jeremy Asbrock - Far Left We get into details of how The Big Rock Show came together, the relationship of the band members, and some memorable gigs that they’ve had over the years.  Aaron and Chris truly met their match in the KISS fan department as Ryan and Jeremy are every bit as much KISS geeks as they are. This conversation is 90% KISS-related discussion and you must be warned, copious amounts of alcohol are consumed throughout the conversation, resulting in the silliness factor increasing over time. If you are uptight about certain issues with KISS, we may piss you off. If you aren’t, you’ll probably get a good laugh out of it. The Big Rock Show will be performing in Nashville at 12thand Porter on Friday, October 11th. The show is being sponsored by local classic rock station WNRQ 105.9 The Rock. During this performance, 2 tickets will be given away to KISS KRUISE III, at which The Big Rock Show will also be performing. It promises to be a fun night of great music and lots of KISS fans (including Aaron and Chris) so come check it out if you are anywhere near Nashville. The Decibel Geek Podcast thanks Ryan Cook and Jeremy Asbrock from The Big Rock Show for their time and the fun conversation. We look forward to having them on again. Buy Music! Hair of the Dog The Shazam Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Fan Page Follow on Twitter E-mail Us Comment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 342-3351 Direct Download

Aaron and Chris return this week to talk about their favorite subject...themselves! This is the official self-congratulatory episode of the Decibel Geek podcast. The reason for this? The guys have finally reached triple digits! In this week's episode, Chris and Aaron take a look back at the past 100 episodes and discuss some of the highlights, lowlights, and technical problems that have been a part of everything that makes up the Decibel Geek podcast. In this episode, you'll hear Chris recount the circumstances that led him to start a podcast, the producer that was here one minute and gone the next, and Aaron Camaro's introduction to the show. The guys also recount some of their favorite moments including favorite interviews, guests, and topic discussion of the past 100 episodes. Aaron and Chris also play numerous voice mail recordings left by listeners, past guests, rock legends, and fellow rock/metal podcasters. Closing out this 100th episode celebration is Chris and Aaron listening and commenting on Episode Zero - An Introduction that Chris recorded by himself back in April of 2011. Lots of comedy here at Chris' expense.  For those of you that have been with us along for the ride as well as those of you that are new to the show, we'd like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of you. This show doesn't exist without the support and passion of great people like you. We look forward to invading your ears every week to bring you more rock/metal talk and music to make your week brighter. We hope you'll stick with us for the next 100. Thanks again! Chris & Aaron Direct Download

Okay, we've been threatening it for a long time and the day has finally arrived. We're going into the thrash genre this week. Aside from the M&M episode that focused on favorite Metallica and Megadeth songs, we've shied away from the harder-edged stuff. Why? Well, we learned early on that a large amount of our listeners are not big on thrash metal. That said, there have been a number of requests for us to delve into the genre and we think we've come up with an interesting way to do this that will, hopefully, be entertaining to everyone (including the non-thrash lovers). If not, we'll see you next week for episode 100 (please leave us a voicemail HERE to help us celebrate 100 episodes). Thrash metal was, and continues to be, a non-mainstream form of music. The only exception, of course, would be what's referred to as, The Big 4. This elite club is, typically, filled out by metal gargantuans Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. While the mainstream music listener would almost certainly agree that these bands deserve their spot in this exclusive club, there are a ton of great thrash metal bands out there that go under the radar due to the Big 4 taking up so much of the spotlight. Our goal this week is to pose the hypothetical question: "What if the Big 4 became the Big 5?" What bands would be considered for elevation to such lofty status? Aaron and, most certainly, Chris' picks are going to surprise some and enrage others. Thrash fans are a lot of things and "passionate" would be at the top of that list. So, before we get into the meat of the episode, a quick disclaimer: The following episode of the Decibel Geek podcast is being done with tongue planted firmly in cheek. While some of these songs and bands definitely could be considered for Big 5 status, certain choices by the hosts of this episode are being made and hypothetically elevated to Big 5 status in good-natured fun. The Decibel Geek podcast, it's staff, and their wives do not claim to be experts and/or authorities on thrash metal. Before threats of castration and the carving of the Slayer logo across our foreheads take place, remember this episode is being produced in a lighthearted manner and is only intended for entertainment purposes and to turn you on to some thrash metal that you may not know about. Thank you for your time and attention.....and put that knife away. - Editor We kick things off a band that has been nominated by many thrash fans for Big 4 status, so Aaron's pick of Testament is definitely warranted. With a rich history of metal music, Testament is still one of the tightest bands in thrash today. We take a listen to a track from their 1992 album The Ritual. Chris' first pick is, undoubtably, not what comes to most thrash fans minds when you think of the top of the heap of thrash. With that said, Onslaught, an English thrash metal band from the 1980's, released a real gem back in 1989 with their In Search of Sanity album. This was their only album to feature the vocal stylings of former Grim Reaper front man Steve Grimmett (many will remember him from Beavis and Butthead). While Grimmett's look caused a rather comedic reaction in many, there's no doubt that the guy had some serious pipes. Aaron's next pick of a track from Suicidal Tendencies' 1990 album Lights....Camera....Revolution! shows that thrash metal doesn't have to always abide by a strict set of guidelines. S.T. were always pushing the genre envelope and this track shows that they could really pack a punch when it was called for but still maintain a swagger within the song to keep things interesting. When you think of the upper echelon of thrash metal you think of Artillery.......right? Well, maybe not but Chris' choice of a track from this Danish-born technical thrash band's third studio album has this talented group showing off many twists and turns in their sounds complimented by some powerful Dio-esque vocals. While Scott Ian and Charlie Benante are members of Big 4 act Anthrax,

We're back this week to celebrate the second half of 1985 as we dissect July through December. There was a ton of music released in the second half of 1985 and Chris and Aaron are back to bring you some of the best tracks from the year. Without further ado, here are the stories, the people, and the sounds that made 1985 an interesting year for Decibel Geeks: July: July 13 – The Live Aid concert takes place in Wembley Stadium, London, UK and Philadelphia, USA. The headlining acts at the latter venue included a Led Zeppelin reunion, the first since their 1980 disbandment. Rough Cutt – Take Her (Rough Cutt)  August: August 31 – Richard Ramirez, the serial killer known as the Night Stalker, is captured in Los Angeles. Metal Edge Magazine is Launched. Pantera – I Am the Night (I Am the Night)  DIO - Fallen Angels (Sacred Heart)  KIX – Sex (Midnight Dynamite)  September: September 6 – Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights for most of the Beatles' music for $47 million, much to the dismay of Paul McCartney, whom he is bidding against. September 19 – The Parents Music Resource Center's (P.M.R.C.) United States Senate hearing on rock censorship begin in Washington, D.C. Heavy metal singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, rock star Frank Zappa and country singer John Denver testify against the P.M.R.C. September 22 – The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA. KISS – Who Wants to be Lonely – (Asylum)  Slayer - At Dawn They Sleep (Hell Awaits)  Vandenberg – All the Way (Alibi)  October: October 18 – The first Nintendo home video game console in United States is released by the Nintendo Entertainment System. ZZ Top - Planet of Women (Afterburner)  The Cult – Rain (Love)  November: Aerosmith – Let the Music Do the Talking (Done with Mirrors)  Twisted Sister - Kill or Be Killed (Come Out and Play)  Dokken - The Hunter (Under Lock and Key)  King Kobra – Shadow Rider (Ready to Strike) WASP - The Last Command (The Last Command)  December: December 23 - Two young fans of Judas Priest in Sparks, Nevada shoot themselves, one fatally, after listening to the band's records. A lawsuit is brought against the group in 1986 claiming that they were compelled by backwards subliminal messages hidden in their music. Bands Formed: Britny Fox, Dream Theater, Drivin and Cryin, Roxx Gang, Guns N Roses, Jane’s Addiction, LA Guns, L7, The Mr. T Experience. Band Breakups: Diamond Head, Hanoi Rocks, Mercyful Fate, The Power Station, Quarterflash, Scandal Births: Orianthi, Reggie Bush, Bruno Mars Deaths: Nicolas Colasanto (Coach from Cheers), Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch), Rock Hudson (AIDS), Orson Wells, Ricky Nelson  Buy Music! Rough Cutt Pantera DIO KIX KISS Slayer Vandenberg ZZ Top The Cult Aerosmith Twisted Sister Dokken King Kobra WASP Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Fan Page Follow on Twitter E-mail Us Comment Below Call us on the Hotline! (540) DBGeek - 1 or (540) 342-3351 Direct Download

We're back this week to kick off two weeks of nostalgia to a simpler time when the hair was high and the Stroh's flowed freely. 1985 was smack dab in the middle of a rock revolution as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was being usurped by its American proteges. At the same time, new wave was being kicked to the curb by a bunch of guys wearing women's makeup as the "hair" era was beginning to hit its stride thanks to a change in direction by some Motley guys that were taking over Los Angeles. We kick things off with an import from Japan. Loudness was well into their career in their homeland but were brand-new to the Unite States. We take a listen to a track from the Thunder in the East album. After the ultra-acrimonious breakup of The Eagles, the members of the band worked on solo careers with varying success. Joe Walsh was in the midst of a haze of substance abuse but still managed to release an album in 1985. We hear a clip from The Confessor Anthrax unveiled a new singer in 1985 with Joey Belladonna replacing original vocalist Neil Turbin. The Armed & Dangerous EP was Joey's introduction to the band and we hear his take on a Turbin-era track. An unlikely group that was launched in 1985 was The Power Station. A true 80's supergroup featuring Robert Palmer, the Taylor brothers (Duran Duran), and Tony Thompson (Chic), the band received favorable airplay but was destined to be a part-time project due to the schedules of those involved. We head into break 1 with a clip of their take on a T-Rex classic. Returning from the break, we head to Alcatrazz. Not the prison, the band. The Graham Bonnet-fronted group was without a guitarist by 1985 as Yngwie Malmsteen had moved on to other pastures. Plucking the next hot thing, Steve Vai joined the band and brought a new direction to the group. We take a listen to a song from the Disturbing the Peace album. A band that is always a favorite of us Decibel Geeks is KEEL. Their 1985 album The Right to Rock is still an underrated gem that deserved much more attention than it received.  Well-known in Canada as more of a novelty act, Thor released their 5th album in 1985 with Only the Strong but this title-track shows that there was more than meets the eye with this band. One of the early thrash bands that tends to get overlooked is Over Kill. But not on our show. We take a listen to part of their 1985 output from the Feel the Fire album. While heavy metal in the 1980's was usually summed up as "evil" or "dark" in many cases, you couldn't apply that tag to Stryper. Known for their Christian message, Stryper proved that you could have an uplifting message and still rock as this track from the Soldiers Under Command album proves. We return from our 2nd break with a word about a crowdfunding project that is near and dear to our hearts. Hair I Go Again is a documentary that shows a band that split up in 1985 trying to rally back together in hopes of opening for their 80's hard rock heroes. The film has numerous interviews with many DBG-friendly artists and is an interesting take on a DIY project. We'd love to see this move get released and hope you will consider making a donation. There's rewards for each level of donation so what have you got to lose? Check out the trailer below and go HERE to make a donation. June of 1985 was a huge month for hard rock and heavy metal.  The ever-underrated Lizzy Borden released their debut album, Love You to Pieces, on 6/1/1985. The shock rocker is celebrating 30 years in the business and this track from that album shows why. Megadeth was still on their way up the ladder in 1985. They garnered additional attention with the release of Killing is My Business....and Business is Good on 6/12/85. It only takes one listen to the track we hear today to see where a good chunk of Metallica's early sound comes from. Motley Crue hit a new level of stardom in June of 1985 with the release of Theatre of Pain. Shooting up to #6 on the Billboard charts, the album

After a full month of celebrating KISS, we're back to celebrating all things that rock. KISSMAS in JULY was a huge success and we're ready to now turn you on to some stuff you aren't getting on the radio. For the new listeners, the Radio Sucks Radio Show's premise is simple. We expose you to some great quality music (old and new) that rock radio is just not giving you. We do this as a service to you, the listener, to encourage you to go out and purchase this great music and support the artist. Check the Amazon links for each artist played at the bottom of these show notes to hook yourself up with great tunes! We start off volume 13 of this series with a palate cleanser for the non-KISS fans in our audience that endured a full month of us extolling the virtues of how much KISS rocks. Teenage Bottlerocket, from Wyoming, released an album in 2009 that featured a tongue-in-cheek punk ditty pronouncing the band as being 'Bigger Than KISS' with lots of jabs thrown at the band. We want to play this for the non-KISS fans and those of you that have a sense of humor. We love KISS, you know that. We think it's good to laugh at things you love once in a while. Supagroup Supagroup, from New Orleans, started up in 1996. In this episode, we take a listen to a rock track that's sure to get you in trouble if you take it too seriously. Have a seat over there... One of the benefits of rock/metal podcasts are the fact that you can get turned on to music that you certainly can't find on the airwaves. Such is the case with The Wildhearts. Fronted by the enigmatic Ginger, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes but due to Ginger's amazing songwriting, has continued to put out some of the catchiest rock songs you've never hears. We listen to a track from their self-titled debut that's easy to love. Dick Wagner One of our favorite interviews was with former Alice Cooper guitarist Dick Wagner. Dick has an amazing musical history with his connections to Alice, KISS, and Aerosmith among others. His solo output is also very good. We take a listen to Dick's take on a rock and roll classic that inspired him. This track comes from his autobiography 'Not Only Women Bleed' which is available HERE. Highly recommended! We return from the first break to listen to a track from a modern-day power trio. Richie Kotzen, Mike Portnoy, and Billy Sheehan combine their chops to form The Winery Dogs. Their new release has already become one of the biggest rock albums of 2013; charting high despite limited airplay. We try to do our part in supporting this awesome release with a track that will leave you wanting more. Another recently-released album that's getting critical praise yet not nearly enough attention on radio is ...Like Clockwork, the latest offering from Queens of the Stone Age. Picked up on Aaron Camaro's recent excursion to Los Angeles, the album has been in constant rotation on his playlist. We take a listen to to a sampling of this new album. 2013 has proven to be a good year for rock and metal as Chris' next pick proves. With one of the more surprising releases of the year, King Kobra returns with a sophomore effort for their new lineup featuring Paul Shortino on vocals. King Kobra II has a full slate of solid material and we take a listen to the lead-off track that will run right over you. Heading into the next break, we hear from longtime Chicago doom metal legends Trouble with a track from their new release 'The Distortion Field.' Hailed by some as one of their stronger albums, we take a listen to a great track that will have you headbanging in no time. For those familiar with the Decibel Geek podcast, it's no mystery that Chris has become a Thin Lizzy fan over the show's history. This is due to many listeners pushing him to check out their catalog. Now rebranded, The Black Star Riders, have released a new album with 'All Hell Breaks Loose,' an album full of dual-guitar leads and swagger; hallmarks of the Thin Lizzy sound. While Phil Lynott can