October 20, 2021
This week we are honored to welcome Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls! Any conversation with a citizen as solid as Amy is going to include the current state of the world, but her empathetic and wise view of it all may surprise you. She's seen it all and knows firsthand that positive change happens slowly. We also discuss fun stuff like her excellent solo career, her memories of Lilith Fair (they've evolved over the years), her love for Salt Lake City, her memories of the recently departed Nanci Griffith, and what it's like making new music now, like last year's excellent IG album Look Long. The world is a better place thanks to the Indigo Girls and we're lucky to have them!
October 17, 2021
In this edition of Book Club we welcome seasoned rock writer Mike Evans to discuss his new book, The Who: Much Too Much. Mike's book tells us the whole Who story, from beginning to end, while also reviewing every Who album and song. Plus, it features scores of never before seen photos. It's the perfect starter guide for the band. Jon and Dave discuss Mike's history with the band, his feelings are the band's dynamics, favorite songs, and more. Enjoy!
October 13, 2021
Drummer Bermuda Schwartz has been by "Weird" Al's side since that fateful day when they recorded "Another One Rides the Bus" for Dr. Demento. In all these years, he's watched as new generations discover Al at just the right time and remain devoted fans over the decades (bringing their kids and grandkids along for the ride). While helping Al fulfill his comedic and creative vision, Bermuda has also served as archivist, collecting every speck of swag/recording/photo there's ever been. This has resulted in the glorious book, Black & White & Weird All Over: The Lost Photographs of "Weird Al" Yankovic '83 - '86 which came out last year. Every "Weird" Al fan should have a copy! We talk about all of it and more!
October 6, 2021
Last year, drummer Chris Frantz released his excellent memoir "Remain in Love", a sincerely wonderful and unique rock bio. This week he joins us to discuss his life before, during and after Talking Heads, but also the central relationship in his life, his marriage with the great Tina Weymouth. He also share stories how the band's sound evolved over time, his production work with Happy Mondays and Ziggy Marley, and how Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love" has provided a very nice living thanks to Mariah Carey. Hopefully this conversation makes you want to read the entire book, because it's well worth it!
September 29, 2021
Singer/Songwriter Martin Briley's solo career may have been brief, but he isn't bothered about it. Best known for the 1983 hit "The Salt in My Tears", Martin has always been way more comfortable working behind the scenes. He has been a session guy for artists like Ellen Foley, Ian Hunter, Julian Lennon and Bonnie Tyler (he even plays on "Total Eclipse of the Heart"), but his focus has always been on writing, preferably for anyone but himself. This has led to everyone from Celine Dion to N'Sync to Kenny Loggins to Greg Allman and even Patrick Swayze recording his tunes.Martin, in his own very dry and self-deprecating way, explains his feelings and motivations about his unique career, the stories behind some of his songs, and the new music he's making now. He downplays his talent, but Martin is an amazing songwriter ripe for rediscovery!
September 22, 2021
Whether you're aware of it or not, you've heard Tessa Niles' voice on dozens of beloved songs. She was one of Britain's most in demand backup singers for more than 20 years appearing with artists like ABC, Duran Duran, Tina Turner, Steve Winwood, Tears For Fears. In addition she toured with Eric Clapton, the Police, Robbie Williams and performed at Live Aid with David Bowie. She's written her entire story in the endlessly entertaining memoir Backtrack which is highly recommended. In our conversation, we cover all of these people as well as unbelievable interactions with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Mick Jagger, George Harrison and more. She's a wonderful lady with so much to say. Enjoy!
September 19, 2021
Esteemed music writer John Aizlewood returns to the podcast to discuss his new book Joy Division + New Order: Decades. The book is a fantastic distillation of the band's story along with beautiful never before seen photos and reviews of every album, written in that intelligent and entertaining way that only John can do. We also discuss the band's place in history, it's current dysfunction and favorite songs. And, since we're lucky to have John back, we discuss some other artists too. Enjoy!
September 15, 2021
Can you imagine what it must have been like to actually work with Queen on "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Producer Gary Langan can say he was there! Gary's done a lot, but his career really started to take off in the early 80s when he was a member of Trevor Horn's production team. That connection had him working on landmark albums by Yes, ABC and Malcolm McLaren. He went on to do his own work with artists like Spandau Ballet, Public Image Ltd, Then Jerico, Scritti Politti, The Dream Academy and Billy Idol. We cover all of this as well as how he handled Trevor's working style, what he does now, and his continual work with the Art of Noise. So much great music, enjoy!
September 8, 2021
This week is one of the best sidemen in the business, Kasim Sulton! Kasim hit the big leagues when he joined Utopia in the mid-70s where he stayed for about a decade. Of course this formed the bond with Todd Rundgren that has remained to this day. In addition there have been stints with Meat Loaf, Joan Jett, Hall and Oates, Blue Oyster Cult, the Indigo Girls and many more. When he has the time, he releases solo albums, including his latest, Kasim 2021 (produced by former guest Phil Thornalley), which comes out on Sept. 17th. Here we go deep on the new album, how he's managed to be a Robin to so many "difficult" Batmen, collaborating with other former guests like Cherry Vanilla and Glen Burtnik, and much more. Enjoy!
September 1, 2021
As great as the Icicle Works were, they will forever be remembered for one perfect moment, the still gorgeous "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)". After that one hit in the States (and a few more in the UK), the band called it quits in the 90s and lead singer Ian McNabb has been going strong ever since. He's been on an especially epic hot streak the last few years with several exceptional albums in a row, capped off with his latest, Utopian. Ian discusses very openly the history of Icicle Works, how "Birds Fly" even came to be, working with Neil Young's band Crazy Horse, and how he manages his independent solo career. Ian is funny and honest, the two best qualities in a guest, making this one of the best episodes of the year!
August 25, 2021
The duo of Difford and Tillbrook are up there with Jagger/Richards, Lennon/McCartney, John/Taupin and Holland/Dozier/Holland as one of history's greatest songwriting teams. Glenn's knack for a melody has always provided the perfect space for Chris's intelligent lyrics. Today, Squeeze is as busy as ever. They're currently on tour (some dates as openers for Hall & Oates), and Glenn continues to release strong albums, both with Squeeze and solo. Glenn and I discuss the history of the band, the stories behind some of his deeper tracks, and how he views where Squeeze is now. He's simply one of the best there's ever been. Enjoy!
August 23, 2021
From out of nowhere, former guest Ellen Foley has released one of the best rock albums of 2021. Her latest work (and only her second in 40 years), Fighting Words hearkens back to her glam rock beginnings when she was a beautiful instrument in the hands of legends like Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. This is why, in addition to discussing the new album, we deep dive her debut album Nightout that features those two greats and, in some ways, feels like an extension of the music she had been making with Meat Loaf a couple years prior. Do yourself a favor and check out both albums. You'll be blown away.
August 18, 2021
These days Guy Pratt might be best known as the co-host of the second best (😉) music podcast in the world: Rockonteurs, which he does with his buddy Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet. They bring so many years of experience and music love to every conversation, it's just about the best thing out there. Guy's experience includes some of everything. He started out with Icehouse in the early 80s, toured with Pink Floyd in the late 80s and played with everyone from Bryan Ferry to Madonna to Michael Jackson to Whitesnake in between. We talked for a couple hours and still barely scratched the surface, but the funny stories came nonstop. These days he and Gary tour with Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets so be sure to catch them when you can. I don't know that I've ever laughed more than I did during this one. Enjoy!
![Episode 327 - Steve Smith of the Vapors/Tony Marsico of the Cruzados]()
August 10, 2021
This week is a special two-fer: two great bass players from two great 80s bands that are releasing new music this weekend. We start with Vapors bassist Steve Smith. Everyone knows the Vapors from their enduring hit "Turning Japanese", but the fantastic band only managed two great albums in the early 80s before calling it quits. Finally, a couple years ago they came back "together" for a long-awaited third album called Together that has been welcomed warmly. Now they're enjoying playing 80s festivals and releasing a new box set on Cherry Red Records this weekend. Then we hear from the lively Tony Marsico of the Cruzados. The band managed two albums in the mid 80s, before drugs and disarray did them in. Tony went on to play with artists like Matthew Sweet, John Doe and Neil Young. During COVID, Tony relaunched the Cruzados name and recorded an album of new material called She's Automatic which keeps the spirit alive. Both guys have a fascinating story to tell. Please make it a point to check out what these great bands have to offer. Enjoy!
www.thevapors.co.uk
www.facebook.com/The-Cruzados-113906253685573
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
August 3, 2021
Guitarist Lyle Workman is one of the more successful multi-hyphenates. He began his career in the 80s as a member of Bourgeois Tagg where he co-wrote their biggest hit, the beautiful "I Don't Mind At All". When that band broke up, he became a hugely in demand sideman and session guitarist where he lent his talents to artists like Jellyfish, Frank Black, They Might Be Giants, Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams, Pat Monahan, Sting, Todd Rundgren and many others. As if that wasn't enough, he eventually made a name for himself as a celebrated film composer, scoring many Judd Apatow projects for screens big and small. Earlier this year he managed to release an excellent solo album called Uncommon Measures that sums up so many aspects of career perfectly. In this conversation we discuss how you go about scoring a film, hear stories of the many people he's worked with and what inspired his new album. Is there anything Lyle can't do?
July 27, 2021
Don't we all kind of wish we'd been in London in the 70s absorbing all the fantastic music pouring out? One of the greatest that doesn't get enough credit is glam rockers Sweet. Known for eternal jams like "Ballroom Blitz", "Fox on the Run" and "Love Is Like Oxygen", Sweet (with the help of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman) married sparkling, but heavy, guitar riffs with perfect pop songs like few others. Today, guitarist Andy Scott is carrying on the Sweet name and released a great album of reworked Sweet classics called Isolation Boulevard earlier this year. If you're new to the band, here's the entire history. Enjoy!
www.thesweet.com
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
July 26, 2021
For the latest Recap Jon is joined by Hustle CMO Andy Schaal to discuss the last three months of podcasting Commando Style! No edits, no songs, no production. Totally live. We have to kick it off with some very sad news but then we cover newsworthy topics and, of course, all the episodes from April, May and June. Thanks everybody for your continued support.
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
July 21, 2021
Paula Cole was one of the key figures of the "Lilith Fair Generation" - that class of fantastic female artists like Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin, India Arie, Joan Osbourne, and many more - whose artistry finally got the attention it deserved. Sadly, when the spotlight on Lilith moved on it moved off many of them too. But, Paula has consistently released strong albums ever since and her latest, American Quilt is her doing gorgeous versions of many American spirituals and folk songs from history. Here we talk about the inspiration for it, her time with Peter Gabriel on the Secret World tour, growing old gracefully, social issues, the impact of "I Don't Want to Wait" and the stories behind many of her songs. Enjoy!
July 19, 2021
In his early 20s Joel Miller, like most of us, was floating. There was telesales, film production work, and other things. He eventually decided to try his hand at being a roadie and quickly joined a Stone Temple Pilots tour where he rose up the ranks. This lead to tours and interactions with Guns n Roses, the Cranberries, and many others. He decided to write about his experience in his entertaining book Memoir of a Roadie. In this discussion, Jon and Dave bro down with Joel about his experience and what it takes to be a roadie. Enjoy!
July 15, 2021
Jon was invited to join the gang from Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast recently to discuss how we relate as adults to the music we loved in our youth. Does it hold up? Do we ever really move on? What does it say about us if we still go back there? Will new music ever surpass the music we grew up on? The panel tackles these topics in an engaging discussion. Go in the PMP archives and find other eps you might like. It's good stuff!
July 14, 2021
Dennis DeYoung is saying goodbye. Last month he released what he says will be his final studio album, the killer 26 East Vol.2 (the equally excellent Vol.1 came out last year). But before he goes off into retirement, he agreed to share with us his thoughts on just about everything. Dennis holds court on Styx and it's various iterations, capitalism, punk rock, lockdown, his hits, his solo career, prog rock, street cred, marriage and a million other things. If you know Dennis, you also know the guy is hilarious and tells it like it is. Strap in and enjoy the ride!
July 12, 2021
We don't normally cover new bands on the Hustle, but we're making a special exception this time. Beauty in Chaos is the brainchild of musician Michael Ciravolo. Michael is steeped in the dark goth rock of the 80s, bands like the Cure, the Mission, Gene Loves Jezebel (who he also played with). He's taken that and released two great albums (as well as two remix albums), but what's amazing is who he's gotten to appear on these albums. Here's a list - Robin Zander, Michael Anthony, Simon Gallup, Ice T, Michael Aston, Al Jourgensen, Dug Pinnick and several former guests like Wayne Hussey, Tim Palmer and John Fryer. It's a collection of musicians you won't see anywhere else. Hear from Michael how he made all this happen and how he intends to move forward.
July 7, 2021
Fans know that Enuff Z'nuff are one of the most mishandled, mismarketed and misunderstood rock bands ever. The boys from Chicago had way more in common with logical legends Cheap Trick and the Beatles than with the Poisons and Warrants they were getting lumped in with (nothing against those bands). This cost EZ the chance to truly take off like they should have. Sadly, the aftermath was drugs, bankruptcy, sex, lawsuits, you name it. Donnie left years ago for an excellent solo career, while Chip Znuff has kept the name alive. In this brutally honest conversation, Donnie details all these setbacks, how it impacted him and how he's managed to bounce back. He also talks about the new solo material he's working on. If you don't know much about Donnie or Enuff Z'nuff, you owe it to yourself to get into it. Enjoy!
June 30, 2021
In the late 80s the Godfathers were on to something. College radio hits like "Birth, School, Work, Death" was a swift punch in the face at a time just before that sound would become more commonplace. Covid prevented the band from celebrating their 35th anniversary to the fullest, but that will hopefully be changing soon. Frontman Peter Coyne gives us the full band history lesson, shares some killer newer tunes, tells touring stories, and even offers his tips for keeping those immaculate suits clean on the road. Next time you're ready to listen to some true, full-bodied rock and roll, put The Godfathers at the top of that list!
June 23, 2021
When Shakespeare's Sister struck gold with their #1 hit "Stay" in 1992, what listeners may not have known is that singer Marcella Detroit had already put in 20 years of professional singing by then. Marcy Levy starts out in the early 70s singing with Bob Seger, then moves on to Leon Russell, and then Eric Clapton where she even co-wrote several of his songs including "Lay Down Sally". She eventually joins up with Bananarama's Siobhan Fahey for SS, but that's really a short chapter of her long career which includes several solo albums, session singing (Hall & Oates, Aretha Franklin, Alice Cooper) and songwriting (Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Philip Bailey). To celebrate her birthday, Marcella just released a new single, "Vicious Bitch" that is available on her website (www.marcelladetroit.rocks/music) . We get into all of this and hear the stories behind everything including Live Aid. Enjoy!
June 16, 2021
Dunfermline Scotland's Skids were local legends in the late 70s. Led by lead singer Richard Jobson and guitarist Stuart Adamson (later of Big Country, of course), the band kept their punk bona fides while also writing classic anthems like "Into the Valley" and "The Saints are Coming", songs that have only gotten bigger over the years. After three albums, Stuart left for bigger things, while Richard did a little of everything - the Armoury Show with John McGeoch, spoken word, acting, TV presenting, film critic, etc. The remaining Skids are back with a killer new album, Songs From a Haunted Ballroom, which is a collection of covers of songs from those early days that truly made an impact (it was also produced by Big Country's Bruce Watson). Richard discusses his years as a punk, working with tragic geniuses like Stuart and John, his acting career and everything else under the sun. Don't miss this one!
June 9, 2021
Del Amitri's Justin Currie doesn't get enough credit for being one of the best songwriters around. The fantastic Scottish band have been at it since the mid-80s, but didn't really find their voice until the early 90s and their commercial peak soon followed when "Roll To Me" became a top 10 hit. Justin has bounced between Del Amitri and solo albums for decades now, but the band is back together for their first album in many years, Fatal Mistakes. Justin and I get deep into the process of songwriting, the many ups and downs the band has experienced, his solo albums, and the behind the scenes story of that famous BBC Songwriters Circle where he made Chris Difford cry. He's also a big muso, so we discuss the Beatles, Simple Minds, Nick Cave, Trashcan Sinatras, Orange Juice and many others. Enjoy!
www.joeyssong.org
June 2, 2021
When james are at their best hardly anyone can rival their mixture of ecstasy, passion, groove, and spirit. In this discussion with frontman Tim Booth you'll learn that isn't an accident. In fact, you may question whether "Pop Group" is too limiting a title for what james sets out to accomplish. And they've done it again with the release of their new album, All The Colours of You, this weekend. Once again they've tapped into the global sense of frustration and dismay to record a hopeful set of excellent tunes that may be their best set in a couple decades. Tim and I cover all the major bases - Politics, Drugs, God, and Music and Tim shows some sides of himself that may surprise you. When it's over you may ask yourself if Tim Booth is a pop singer or some kind of deity, a question us fans have been asking for a long time. Enjoy!
May 31, 2021
Noted rock doc director John Scheinfeld joins us this week to discuss his new outstanding documentary on the great Sergio Mendes, In The Key of Joy. John talks about what got him excited about making this particular film, why Sergio is an important figure, and what the music of Brazil means to him. We also discuss some of John's other documentaries on artists like John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, John Coltrane and Herb Alpert. Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Joy will have a full theatrical release later this year, but a shortened version will air on PBS in June, so check your local listings for that. You won't want to miss it!
May 26, 2021
Any list of synth pioneers would include the great Martyn Ware. He's basically devoted his life to seeing what that machine is capable of. He starts out in Sheffield forming the Human League with pals Ian Craig Marsh and Phil Oakey, but after two ambitious albums, the band splits. Phil stays put, but Martyn and Ian get with Glenn Gregory and form Heaven 17, birthing classics like "Let Me Go", "Temptation" and many others. Martyn's career as a producer is also taking off as he works with Terence Trent D'Arby, Erasure, and Tina Turner who jump-started her major comeback when she sang on his B.E.F. project. These days, Martyn has one of the best podcasts out there, Electronically Yours, where he talks to all kinds of legends and peers. We get our hands dirty discussing all of this and much much more. Enjoy!
May 19, 2021
Throughout most of the world, Spandau Ballet were stadium fillers there for a while. They famously came out of the same club scene as friendly rivals Duran Duran and Ultravox, the lads were immediate trendsetters both in music and fashion. It all comes together in 1983 with the release of their third album, True, and the global title track smash. Success would continue to grow (though not so much in the States) for the rest of the 80s, including unforgettable appearances at both Live Aid and Band Aid, before drama would settle in and never completely go away. Lead singer Tony Hadley has been out of the band officially for four years, but his solo career is ongoing. In fact he recently released a new single, "Obvious" and has another solo album coming out soon. We get to hear stories about all of it and then some. Enjoy!
May 12, 2021
Graham Parker has been a master at his craft for so long, you probably think you have him figured out. You'd be wrong. Is he a cult artist? A punk? An angry young man? He says no. What he is, and this is indisputable, is one of the finest songwriters of all time. He even hilariously played up the image many have of him in Judd Apatow's film The Is 40 (he tells us the whole story on that one). This year he released another fine live album called Five Old Souls, which shows perfectly where GP is as an artist today. In this candid and impassioned chat, Graham debunks some "rumors", sets some records straight, and, best of all, tells us what he really thinks about all kinds of issues. He's one of the bes there's ever been, we're lucky to have him.
May 10, 2021
Jon and Jan discuss the first quarter of 2021, the stories and thoughts behind the episodes, what's happening in our personal lives, and we answer some listener mail.
May 5, 2021
We celebrate our 6th year of podcasting this week by welcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, award-winning actor, and decorated producer Little Steven Van Zandt! Steve has his hands in so many projects it's hard to cover them all - whether it's his Sirius radio stations, his multiple charities like teachrock.org, running his label Wicked Cool Records, backing up The Boss, or his own utterly fantastic solo career. As if that isn't enough, he's publishing his memoir, Unrequited Infatuations, in September. We discuss all of these plus his work with people like Southside Johnny and Darlene Love, the current state of politics, and some Sopranos and Lilyhammer. Little Steven is a gift to the world and especially the good word of Rock and Roll. Bless him!
April 29, 2021
The music world lost a true one-of-a-kind recently with the death of the great Jim Steinman. He's probably best known for his work with Meat Loaf on Bat Out of Hell, but don't forget he also wrote legendary tracks like "Total Eclipse of the Heart", "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" and "It's All Coming Back to Me Now." We bring back singer Ellen Foley (ep78) who's breakout was duetting with Meat on "Paradise by the Dashboard Light". She recalls her time working with Jim and we discuss what an "extremist" he was. There's only ever been one Jim Steinman. He'll be missed.
April 27, 2021
Canada's Saga is proof that the country does some things better than the rest of us. That fantastic band has been merging prog rock with a solid tunefulness for 45 years now and show no signs of slowing down. This year they released a new album, Symmetry, which is an acoustic reimagining of many of their signature songs from their long career. What makes Symmetry special is that these aren't just scaled back versions - they've been given new life. Frontman Michael Sadler discusses the thought process behind the album, working with the late great Rupert Hine, their 80s hits like "On the Loose" and "Wind Him Up", why he left the band and then came back, and what excites him about prog rock. Saga are a great band that have been making interesting work for decades. Respect!
April 21, 2021
John Waite has been blessed with one of the greatest voices in music. Whether he's belting killer rock tunes with the Babys or Bad English or his own solo work, putting his spin on blues and Americana on a lot of his albums the last 30 years, or bringing a ton of soul to ballads like his chart topping "Missing You", he always sounds perfect. These days he's recreating many of his songs acoustically on his Wooden Heart album series, which will soon add a third volume and come out as a box set. Here we talk about his feelings on his whole career, why now was the time for an acoustic album, his feelings on the Babys and Bad English, and how many of his great hits came to be. He's one of the best we have. Enjoy!
April 18, 2021
We're starting a new sidecast called Book Club where we will be inviting authors of great music-related books to discuss them with us. Our first installment is with guitarist Jeffrey Lee Campbell who details the year he was plucked from obscurity and chosen to tour the world with Sting in Do Stand So Close. We learn how this even happened, what Sting is like to work for, and what life is like on the road. To change things up, joining me is my good friend Dave Carruth. We hope you enjoy these conversations, but mostly we hope you'll seek out Jeffrey's book.
April 14, 2021
We all know the Milli Vanilli story. Have you ever wondered who really sang those songs? This week we welcome singer/songwriter John Davis, one of the actual voices for Milli Vanilli. John was an American living in Germany and working as a musician when he was picked by producer Frank Farian to sing for a project he was working on, only to later hear his voice coming out of Fab's mouth. John tells us the before, during, and after of the whole story, and we hear some of his own music, including his fantastic 2009 album Runnin' Back to You he made with musician Roland Muller. Here is a unique glimpse on the infamous Milli Vanilli story from someone with first-hand experience.
April 11, 2021
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson becomes our first three-time guest with this return to The Huste, and, as usual, the conversation doesn't go where you think it will. First of all, Ian has a book coming out this summer called Silent Singing which is a lyric book of all Tull and Ian solo songs and includes pictures, stories, etc. You can pre-order the book at the link below and get your name printed in it. In addition, The 40th Anniversary deluxe edition of Jethro Tull's album "A" comes out this month too. We discuss the making of that album, as well as many other things like European history, politics, and his health.
April 7, 2021
Producer/Engineer/Mixer Gareth Jones didn't set out to be the "synth guy", but that didn't stop him from working closely with some of the greatest synth artists ever. First came John Foxx and his first solo album, the revolutionary Metamatic. Then came a string of legendary albums with Depeche Mode like Black Celebration and Some Great Reward. And lastly, he continues to work with Erasure and produced albums of theirs like Wild! and Cowboy. There have also been notable work with bands like Wire, Interpol, Embrace, and Grizzly Bear. Gareth also has some recent solo projects that deserve your attention like Electrogenetic. We get stories about all of it and learn how Gareth was the man to help these people find their creative voices. Enjoy!
April 5, 2021
For this very special edition of Deep Dive we are honored to welcome back guitarist Steve Stevens to discuss one of the seminal rock albums of the 80s, Billy Idol's Rebel Yell. Steve and Billy created one of the classic rock albums ever and Steve lets us in on how the songs came together, how the input of producer Keith Forsey enhanced the album and what it meant to everyone's career. Rebel Yell was huge - to the people who made it and the people who heard it. Here's the full story.
March 31, 2021
You couldn't plan for Stan Bush's career if you tried. He came on strong in the early 80s as a rising rock singer, but he carved a niche for himself when he was featured on soundtracks for movies like Kickboxer, Bloodsport and, most famously, Transformers - The Movie in 1986 which featured his signature song "The Touch". Of course that song was resurrected a decade later when Dirk Diggler sang it to great effect in Boogie Nights. Stan has always delivered consistently strong AOR rock that feels like it's still 1987, including his latest album, 2020's Dare to Dream. Along the way he's won an Emmy and been inducted into the Transformers Hall of Fame. Stan shares his unique story with us this week. Enjoy!
March 24, 2021
Super producer Daniel Lanois has just released the album of the year. This legendary record maker (U2, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, etc), has created the music we all need right now with the just released Heavy Sun. Lanois mixes his masterful knack for atmosphere with his love of gospel music to create a healing gumbo for these tense times. In this conversation, Daniel explains his approach to producing, what musical project is getting him excited, and he shares stories about the artists listed above. Daniel also performs a new song for us that will change your life. I wish all of us had as much soul and calm as Daniel Lanois. Enjoy!
March 22, 2021
We're excited to put out a special bonus episode with former Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner! On April 6th Mark is releasing a brand new live DVD From Chili with Love featuring many GFR and solo hits and even a couple new tracks. This conversation is quite unique as we focus on things like the current state of the country and how many of his songs reflect it, his fitness regimen, what it was like working with Todd Rundgren, Ringo Starr and Frank Zappa, and his born again Christianity. He's also brutally honest about his feelings about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, Mark works passionately with America's veterans including www.vsf-usa.org. There's no one quite like Mark. Enjoy!
March 16, 2021
This week we are honored to welcome one of the greatest and most underrated guitarists of all time, Echo & the Bunnymen's Will Sergeant! The first four Bunnymen albums are core to the foundation of the post-punk coming out of the UK in the early 80s. Hits like "The Killing Moon", "The Cutter", "Rescue" and many more will never ever die. After taking a break, Will and frontman Ian McCulloch reformed in the late 90s and have been going strong ever since. In this rare long form interview, Will gives his feelings about the band's legacy, how involved (or not) he's been in the creation of the music the last 20 years, his opinions about himself as a guitarist versus his contemporaries, and the stories behind many songs. If you're a fan, you will love this conversation!
www.bunnymen.com
www.willsergeant.com
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
March 10, 2021
Producer/engineer/mixer Phill Brown can say he was in the room when songs like "All Along the Watchtower", "Sympathy for the Devil", "Stairway to Heaven" and "I Shot the Sheriff" were recorded. He also worked with legends like Sly and the Family Stone, Bowie, Traffic (and Steve Winwood), and Roxy Music. Can you believe this? Two of his longest collaborations were with Robert Palmer on his first few albums and Talk Talk on their last few when they were inventing a new kind of music. He's written a book about it all called Are We Still Rolling? that tells these stories and many more. Phill is one of our best guests ever and this is an instant classic. Sit back and enjoy this fantastic story time!
March 3, 2021
Punk rock has produced some of music's greatest characters, but tops of all is probably TSOL frontman Jack Grisham. Jack was there for the band's first two albums Dance With Me and the game changing Beneath The Shadows before deciding to explore other genres and finding some success with The Joykiller in the 90s. He eventually returned to the fold and has been at the helm ever since. Jack talks openly about homelessness, sobriety, his marriages, the punk ethos, the books and movies he's created, and much much more. There really is no one like Jack, bless him!
February 27, 2021
This week we welcome back drummer Tris Imboden to talk about Kenny Loggins's 1979 classic Keep The Fire! Tris was a member of the incredible band that recorded this beauty and that featured the Grammy winning smash "This Is It". Tris fills us in on how the songs came to be and what it was like working for him. Not to mention what the deal is with that cover! Enjoy!
February 24, 2021
This week is our first producer of 2021, 2x Grammy winning producer/engineer/mixer Bill Schnee! Bill was an integral part of creating the soft rock sound of the 70s that we think of thanks to his work with artists like Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Pablo Cruise and Leo Sayer. Not to mention the Grammys he won for engineering the Steely Dan albums, Aja and Gaucho. This legend releases his memoir next week - Chairman at the Board - and recounts some stories from his amazing career with us. Huey Lewis and the News, the Pointer Sisters, and a fascinating Thelma Houston story also make appearances in this one. Bill is a smart, humble guy, but his ears and his talent helped make the 70s what it was. Enjoy!
