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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

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All Episodes

00:41:35

1984 - April: The Cars “Heartbeat City”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/09/22

On Sunday, September 15th 2019, Ric Ocasek of The Cars passed away at his townhouse where he was recovering from surgery. This group was a staple of radio and video throughout the later 70's and 80's, and their album Heartbeat City propelled them to super-stardom both with the number of singles off the album and heavy video airplay on MTV.We covered The Cars' debut album on What the Riff?!? Ep. 28, but it seemed appropriate to make this group the first one we feature twice as a tribute to Ocasek and

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00:42:52

1974 - October: Ted Nugents Amboy Dukes “Tooth, Fang...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/09/16

With Tooth, Fang, and Claw, the Motor City Madman released this seventh and final album as Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes. When they started in the 60's the Amboy Dukes were more popular, but over time Ted Nugent's star would overshadow the group until finally Nugent would go out on his own. Over time, Ted Nugent's personality and politics have become so prominent that it can overshadow his musicianship, and it is good to remember how incredible he is as a guitarist.Join us as we explore this hard

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00:11:33

What the Riff Remembers Eddie Money

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/09/14

Today we take a moment to remember one of our favorite artists, Eddie Money, who passed away yesterday, Friday, September 13, 2019. Nothing fancy, just three songs: Two Tickets to Paradise, Baby Hold On to Me, and I Want to Go Back. We hope you enjoy sharing our memories and remembering the joy that music brings, and the sadness that comes when we lose somebody special. RIP Eddie Money.Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust

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00:43:59

1990 - August: Queensryche “Empire”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/09/09

The fourth Queensrÿche studio album followed what was to become a classic concept album entitled "Operation: Mindcrime." The successor to this prog rock masterpiece would be their most commercially successful release. “Empire” is filled with hard charging, somewhat melancholy metal singles and their subdued masterpiece hit, "Silent Lucidity." In a time when hair bands were waning and grunge had yet to take over, Queensrÿche was a welcome heavy metal/prog rock alternative. We

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00:36:41

1973 — December: Jim Croce “I Got a Name”

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/09/02

When you list the greatest singer/songwriters of the rock era, it will not be long before the name Jim Croce appears. Rob shares that this fifth and final album entitled “I Got a Name” was posthumously released in December after Croce’s tragic death in an airplane accident in September of 1973. The pilot struck a pecan tree at the end of the runway - the only tree in the area - killing all 5 on board a small plane in Nachez, Louisiana. Croce was the child of Italian immigrants and grew up in

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00:41:39

1994 - June - Stone Temple Pilots - Purple

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/08/26

Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, Purple would establish the Sone Temple Pilots as a superstar group. This second studio album from San Diego-based STP would continue the grunge sound, but would expand a bit into other styles like psychedelia, country, acoustic, alternative, and mainstream rock. Stone Temple Pilots was influenced by Aerosmith, and the band members were fans of Kiss. The band was one of the most commercially successful bands of the 90's. The band was originally known as

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00:40:46

1976 - January - Styx - Equinox

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/08/19

This week, Wayne brings us Equinox, the fifth studio album by Styx. This would be their first album for A&M Records and their last album with guitarist John Curulewski. He would be replaced by guitarist and singer Tommy Shaw on their next release, “The Grand Illusion,” at which point Styx would take the form which most of us remember as one of the groups that make up the soundtrack of our childhood. Equinox would only go to #58 on the album charts, but would see a resurgence with the release

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00:39:21

1994 - March - Soundgarden - Superunknown

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/08/12

Brian has us riffing on Soundgarden. If they were “superunknown” at the time, it wouldn't last past the release of this fourth studio album. Soundgarden would break into super stardom with this heavy hitting, 5-time platinum effort. The strength and distinctiveness of Chris Cornell's vocals are obvious. Sometimes called Stoner Rock, Soundgarden would be a key element in solidifying the "grunge" sound of Seattle. They won two Grammy awards for "Black Hole Sun" and

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00:41:04

1988 - February - The Church - Starfish

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/08/05

Bruce presents the fifth album by Australian rock band The Church. It would be their breakthrough album for international success. After starting as a new wave band in 1980, The Church drifted into a little alternative, a little psychedelic, a little goth - some would call it dream pop. The lyrics and music are both a little dark and wistful, a result of their recording far from home in Los Angeles, and pouring their feelings of being in a strange place they didn't really like into their music.

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00:47:16

1979 - October - Toto - Hydra

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/07/29

Coming off the success of their debut album, Toto took a turn toward the progressive rock sound with their sophomore studio album, Hydra. While many LA bands were hitting the club circuit, Toto was making their mark in the studios. The members of Toto are some of the most sought-after session musicians, but the band itself is made of high school friends and family, many of whom came from musical families and circles. Jeff Porcaro claimed that the name came from the Latin phrase “in toto,” meaning

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00:43:14

1984 - November - Bryan Adams - Reckless

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/07/22

His fourth studio album would move Bryan Adams from a successful singer-songwriter to super-stardom. The multi-platinum album, “Reckless” is packed with hits, as six of the ten tracks would hit the charts including the evergreen hit “Summer of 69.” Adams took some time off following his multi-year tour "Cuts Like a Knife," and that brief retreat would result in a burst of creativity that would result in many of this album's hits. Friend of the show Vann Mathis joins us for this

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00:34:27

1967 - May - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/07/15

Undoubtedly the most influential electric guitarist of the rock era, Jimi Hendrix burst on the scene in the form of “The Jimi Hendrix Experience” with his debut album, “Are You Experienced.” The band was formed by Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass, but the centerpiece was Jimi Hendrix on lead and lead guitar. Creative with the distortion, fuzz, and other guitar effects, Hendrix played left-handed, played a light string, and tuned his guitar down a half step, giving him even more

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00:39:44

1982 - April - Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/07/08

With this debut album Thomas Dolby merged a synth-driven electronica sound with the new wave sensibility cresting on the airwaves in the early 80's. The Golden Age of Wireless would follow a loose theme of radio and communication in its tracks. Thomas Morgan Robertson's affinity for keyboards, tapes, and electronics earned him the nickname "Dolby" from his friends, and he stuck with it for a stage name after a few legal documents from the Dolby Corporation. This debut album did well on

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00:43:03

1986 - June - The Smithereens - Especially for You

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/07/01

Especially for You is the debut full-length album from “The Smithereens.” This platinum-selling album was almost a "greatest hits" because the New Jersey band had been playing for 5 years before releasing this album. The Smithereens filled a void in the mid-80's pop scene that would become categorized as Alternative Rock or College Rock, and there are a number of hits from the group that hold up well today. In retrospect, the album is just solid, straightforward rock-and-roll. Friend of

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00:35:47

1979 - January - Elvis Costello and The Attractions -...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/06/24

With his third studio album, the creative and unlikely rock star Elvis Costello took a turn from the punk style of his previous album and moved towards new wave music. Armed Forces was also the first album to name The Attractions as a part of the rock group fronted by Costello. Many of the tracks on this album reference British imperialism. Elvis Costello has a way of creating an upbeat sound while weaving in poignant, even depressing lyrics. This is a difficult artist to pin down. He follows

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00:28:01

1968 - November - The Seekers - Best of the Seekers

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/06/17

The Seekers were an Australian folk pop quartet, the first Australian group to see significant success in the U.K. and the U.S. The Seekers were voted "Australians of the Year" in 1967. Judith Durham joined what was originally an all-male quartet, and their style was hard to define - too pop to be folk, too folk to be pop. That didn't keep them from achieving success, as they were the first Australian group to reach number 1 in the UK with a debut record - a feat that neither The

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00:37:22

1988 - April - The Godfathers - Birth, School, Work,...

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/06/10

Sometimes classified as alternative rock or new wave, London band The Godfathers has a British punk feel to it with their stark lyrics and cynical style — one that Wayne loves and appreciates! Peter and Chris Coyne formed this five piece group, and dressed in mafia-style suits with skinny ties. When they toured the United States, Living Colour was their opening act. Their sound is "brass knuckles punches," and "body slamming production." Join us on this journey as we explore

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00:38:30

1981 - March - The Producers - The Producers

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/06/03

This will be a familiar band to those of us who grew up in metro-Atlanta in the 80's, and will be a treat to the rest. The Producers got national airplay in the 80's with their new wave, high energy sound. Both this debut album and their follow-up "You Make the Heat" were big, and they probably hit the height of their popularity when they headlined MTV's New Year's Rockin' Eve party in 1982. The Producers (Van Temple, Kyle Henderson, Bryan Holmes, and Wayne Famous) are still playing —

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00:48:29

SUMMER SONGS THAT ROCK - One Year Anniversary

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/05/27

Folks, it's amazing to realize that the What The Riff podcast has been around for a year! To celebrate, we're focusing this Memorial Day week on rock-and-roll songs of summer. Our memories of summers past have always been tied to the music of the time, and we suspect that is the same for you as well. Whether cruising with the top down, hanging out with friends, or playing your boom box on the beach or at the pool, the right song will “take you back” and the memories come flooding through. We

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00:45:35

1986 - July - The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

What the Riff Next Gen ·

2019/05/20

When you think of college alternative rock of the 80's, the group you are most likely to have in your head is The Smiths. Their third studio album, “The Queen Is Dead,” continues their brand of Manchester Brit-pop, decidedly pessimistic, but with accessible muscial hooks. The Smiths’ sound is largely due to the collaboration between front man Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr - sophisticated, critical, and downright depressing. Still this influential group has had a staying power beyond their

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