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PODCAST

What the Riff Next Gen

Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

Every episode of “WHAT THE RIFF NEXT GEN” brings a ROCK AND ROLL album that debuted on the U.S. Billboard charts during a random month between 1995 and 2005. Four Classic Rock fans discuss the artist and 4 tracks from the album as it plays in the background. Then we riff on 3 additional “staff picks” of other artists that were also on the charts during that month and year. You’ll hear Classic Rock bands that were still producing new work, as well as some newer Alternative and Grunge bands that were

music music commentary

All Episodes

00:41:26

1975 - August: Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/11/02

Born to Run was Bruce Springsteen's third studio album, and the first unarguably successful commercial album. While he had previously achieved critical success with many industry insiders comparing him with Bob Dylan, his two prior albums had been more of a regional hit. With Born to Run, Springsteen had both time and money to make the album, and went for a “wall of sound” approach. Wikipedia mentions that he wanted it to sound like “Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Phil Spector.”

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00:25:33

1966 - June: The Association “And Then...Along Comes...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/10/26

The Association released their debut (and most successful) album, And Then...Along Comes The Association in June 1966. They had received some success with non-album releases prior to this, but the album itself would become one of the best selling albums of the year. The Association was known as sunshine pop, which incorporated elements of both folk rock and psychedelic music. The group was formed originally by Jules Alexander (guitar) and Terry Kirkman (wind instruments, percussion) who met in

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00:39:15

1979 - September: Blondie “Eat to the Beat”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/10/19

Blondie had already established mainstream success by the time they released Eat to the Beat, their fourth studio album. Their previous album featured the hit singles “One Way or Another” and “Heart of Glass.” While not duplicating the commercial success of its predecessor, Eat to the Beat would nevertheless showcase Blondie's diversity while continuing to draw a mainstream audience led by the hit song “Dreaming.”Blondie was an American band formed in 1974 by guitarist Chris Stein and vocalist

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00:42:56

1980 - July: AC/DC “Back In Black”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/10/12

Fresh off their success with Highway to Hell, Australian band AC/DC was planning a follow-up when tragedy struck. Front man Bon Scott was found “dead by misadventure” after a drinking binge. The group would have to audition a replacement for their seventh studio album, and Brian Johnson was brought in on lead for Back In Black.The new album was recorded in Nassau in the midst of a batch of tropical storms - a fact referenced in the opening lines of “Hells Bells.” In addition to front man Johnson,

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00:14:17

What the Riff Remembers Eddie Van Halen

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/10/10

Join What the Riff as we take a moment to reflect on the music and impact that Eddie Van Halen had on our lives as teenagers in the late 70s and early 80s. Eddie lost his long battle with cancer on October 6, 2020. He will be missed, but his mastery of the guitar will undoubtedly continue to inspire artists through eternity. We only feature 4 tracks in this bonus episode: “Eruption” from Van Halen 1, “Source of Infection” from OU812, “Girl Gone Bad” from 1984, and “And the Cradle Will Rock” from

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00:31:47

1971 - November: Harry Nilsson “Nilsson Schmilson”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/10/05

Sometimes called "the American Beatle," Harry Nilsson was cited by the Beatles as their favorite American group during a 1968 press conference. Nilsson Schmilsson was Harry Nilsson's (known professionally as Nilsson) seventh and most commercially successful album.Nilsson grew up without a father and was poor. He began working early in life, and worked on computers in a bank by night, pursuing songwriting by day. Nilsson would come to work for Phil Spector and would write for a number of artists

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00:41:50

1994 - July: Hootie and the Blowfish “Cracked Rear...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/09/28

While Cracked Rear View is the debut studio album for the band, Hootie and the Blowfish had been a fixture of the Columbia, South Carolina college scene since the mid 80's. Guitarist Mark Bryan was attending the University of South Carolina, and heard Darius Rucker singing in the dorm room showers. They started a band called the Wolf Brothers, playing cover songs. Bassist Dean Felber went to high school with Bryan, and original drummer Brantley Smith completed the group. Smith would later leave

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00:36:51

1980 - November: The Police “Zenyatta Mondatta”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/09/21

Power trios were unusual in the punk and new wave scene of the late 70's, but The Police were a notable exception. By November 1980 they were putting out their third studio album, Zenyatta Mondatta which would be the second of four albums to hit the number 1 slot in the UK, continuing their meteoric climb to super stardom on both sides of the pond. The Police only put out five albums, a surprisingly small discography for how famous the band would become.Drummer, Stewart Copeland formed the band

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00:34:34

1994 - April: Hole "Live Through This"

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/09/14

Courtney Love's band Hole released their second album, Live Through This one week after the death of Kurt Cobain, Love's husband and front man for the grunge giant Nirvana. Hole originated in the punk rock scene, but are often identified with the grunge movement due to Love's relationship with Cobain and their move to Washington to write this album.In addition to frontwoman Love, the band consisted of Eric Erlandson on lead guitar, Kristen Pfaff on bass, and Patty Schemel on drums. Love and

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00:41:01

1980 - October: Ozzy Osbourne "Blizzard of Ozz"

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/09/07

Today Ozzy Osbourne is a household name, and arguably this debut album is where it all started. Before Blizzard of Ozz was released, Ozzy had been fired from his position as front man for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and he was certain that he would “go back to Birmingham and the Dole” after that. However, Don Arden, Black Sabbath's manager, had hoped that Ozzy would return to the group, and signed him to Jet Records to record new material in Los Angeles. He sent his daughter to look after

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00:41:10

1973 — August: Lynyrd Skynyrd "(Pronounced...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/08/31

There are only a handful of bands who seem to jump fully formed onto the scene from their debut album, and one of these is certainly Lynyrd Skynyrd with their debut studio release (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd). Lynyrd Skynyrd is arguably the band that defines Southern rock. Originally formed as “My Backyard” in 1964, the group would take the name “Lynyrd Skynyrd” in 1969, taking the name of a PE teacher (Leonard Skinner) at Robert E. Lee High School — a teacher whose strict enforcement of

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00:36:03

1970 - March: The Guess Who “American Woman”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/08/24

Who is the finest rock band to come out of Winnipeg, Canada? That's right, The Guess Who. In January 1970 they released their sixth studio album, American Woman, and were riding the wave of one of their most commercially successful albums in March. This album took a harder rock direction from their formerly psychedelic and pop sound, and would produce their only number 1 hit in the US, making them the first Canadian band to top the American Hot 100 chart.The Guess Who got their name in 1965 when

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00:35:30

1975 - April: Aerosmith "Toys in the Attic"

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/08/17

With their third studio album Aerosmith really came into their own. Toys in the Attic would be their most commercially successful studio album in the United States, and would spawn two enduring rock anthems. Aerosmith came out of Boston in 1970 with Steve Tyler on lead vocals and harmonica, Tom Hamilton on bass, Joe Perry on guitar, Brad Whitford also on guitar, and Joey Kramer on drums. Toys in the Attic was immediately successful and made Aerosmith into international stars. Their first top 40

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00:25:16

1965 — February: Herman's Hermits “Introducing...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/08/10

Introducing Herman’s Hermits is the the debut album for the band Herman’s Hermits. Front man Peter Noone was an actor on "Coronation Street," a British TV soap opera. The resemblance between Noone and a character named Sherman (from the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon) was noted, and this name was shortened to "Herman." The group would start using the name "Herman and His Hermits," and this was also shortened to "Herman's Hermits."Herman's Hermits were a part of the British Invasion of the early

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00:36:54

1970 - January: Chicago “Chicago II”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/08/03

Although commonly called Chicago II, this album is technically the first Chicago album because their first album was under the name The Chicago Transit Authority. They changed their name in 1969 under pressure from the municipal governmental body called the Chicago Transit Authority.Chicago II is a double album, full of jams and their trademark horns. The first four albums would all be double albums. We're going to feature two songs from this album, although one is actually a seven part song

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00:31:18

1981 - May: The Go-Go's “Beauty and the Beat”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/07/27

I can tell what you're thinking: really, What the Riff? The Go-Go's? That's not rock, that's pop! Well we'll agree that their debut album Beauty and the Beat was quite popular, but the group has its roots in the punk movement, not pop music.With Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals, Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Gina Schock on percussion, Kathy Valentine on bass, and Jane Wiedlin on rhythm guitar, The Go-Go's were the first and (so far) only all female band to hit the top of the

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00:44:17

1971 - July: The Allman Brothers Band "At Fillmore...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/07/20

The Allman Brothers Band recorded their third album live in March 1971 over two days. At Fillmore East would become their breakthrough album, filled with enough blues-rock jams to make it a double, despite the fact that there were only seven songs in total. Brothers Duane and Gregg Allman realized that their strength was rooted in their live shows, and determined that the best showcase for them would be a live album.The band features Gregg Allman on vocals, piano, and organ, Duane Allman and

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00:38:10

1981 - August: (various artists) "Heavy Metal"...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/07/13

In 1977 Leonard Mogel began publishing a dark, illustrated, steampunk, and somewhat erotic science fiction and fantasy magazine called Heavy Metal, and in 1981 an adult animated sci-fi fantasy film by the same name was produced by Mogel and Ivan Reitman. The film would become a mainstay of the midnight movie circuit (along with “the Rocky Horror Picture Show”) throughout the 1980's, and would also lead to a hit album which would peak at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart.The movie mirrors a comic

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00:33:52

1987 - May: Hoodoo Gurus "Blow Your Cool!”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/07/06

We’re headed back down under this week with Australian group Hoodoo Gurus and their third album, Blow Your Cool! The Gurus formed Sydney in 1981 under songwriter, guitarist, and lead singer Dave Faulkner. The group was fleshed out by Richard Grossman on bass, Mark Kingmill on drums, and Brad Shepherd on guitar, harmonica, and vocals. Hoodoo Gurus were most popular on college radio, and this album was released at the peak of their popularity. The Gurus were influenced by B movies and pop culture of

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00:42:12

1994 - January: Alice in Chains “Jar of Flies”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2020/06/29

Seattle based Alice in Chains may have been associated with the grunge music for which Seattle was famous at the time, but they departed from the standard grunge scene in many ways. Jar of Flies was actually an EP rather than a standard album, and so was shorter than the extended length albums that many groups were producing during the CD era. While Alice in Chains had more of a heavy metal sound than many of their contemporaries, this album was their second acoustic EP. It was also the first EP

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