Bizarre Albums
268 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 442 ratingsTony Thaxton explores the weirder side of music, celebrating and telling the story behind those strange albums that make you wonder how and why they exist. Doing deep dives on albums released by pro athletes, actors, fictional characters, and more. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bizarrealbums/support
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Episodes
Lancelot Link and the Evolution Revolution
September 08, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBIn 1970, two comedy writers from the Carol Burnett Show and Get Smart decided to try to capitalize on the popularity of espionage movies and shows. But this one would be different...with a cast made up entirely of chimpanzees. Those chimps also played in a band called The Evolution Revolution. This is the story of Lancelot Link and the Evolution Revolution.
Chunky A - Large And In Charge
August 31, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBAt the beginning of 1989, The Arsenio Hall Show debuted. It was a hit. At the end of 1989, Arsenio released an album by his overweight, rapper alter ego, Chunky A. This is the story of Chunky A's Large And In Charge, from 1989.
Bizarre Singles : Ted Cassidy - The Lurch
August 30, 2020 18:19 - 13 minutes - 9.16 MBFree bonus episode in honor of Record Store Day 2020. This is an episode of Bizarre Singles from the Patreon feed ( patreon.com/bizarrealbums ) on Ted Cassidy's "The Lurch". Ted Cassidy played Lurch on the Addams Family tv show in the 60's. Just re-pressed for Record Store Day by Jackpot Records. Visit recordstoreday.com to find a copy!
Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits
August 25, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBA self-described housewife, Elva Miller would go into the recording studio and record songs simply as a hobby. Then, a series of events lead her to signing a contract with Capitol Records. This is the story of Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits, from 1966. Special thanks to Eliza Skinner. Support the show on Patreon! patreon.com/bizarrealbums
David Hasselhoff - Night Rocker
August 18, 2020 07:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBHe became the biggest star on daytime tv. Then he quit and became a prime time star. But he always had his eyes set on a music career. This is the story of David Hasselhoff's Night Rocker, from 1985.
Chevy Chase - Chevy Chase
August 11, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBHe played in bands in his younger days, but eventually found a career in comedy. Once his comedy career took off, Chevy Chase tried to bring his comedy and music together This is the story of Chevy Chase's self titled album, from 1980.
The Shaggs - Philosophy of The World
August 04, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBA mother reads her son’s palm and makes some predictions about his future. One of those predictions was that his daughters would be the biggest girl group in America. Despite no musical experience, or even interest, the girls were told by their father they would be taking music lessons and forming a band. This is the story of The Shaggs’ Philosophy of the World, from 1969.
The Amazing Mets
July 28, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 8.8 MBIn 1969, the New York Mets had one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of Major League Baseball. Fans took to calling them the amazing Mets, so they surprised their fans by making an album. This is the story of The Amazing Mets, from 1969. Thanks to John Ross Bowie! Follow him on social media, @johnrossbowie.
The Globetrotters
July 21, 2020 07:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBIn 1970, the Harlem Globetrotters got their own Saturday morning cartoon. The show’s music supervisor was the man with the golden ear, Don Kirshner. So, that meant the show had a surprisingly good soundtrack, thanks to uncredited studio musicians. This is the story of The Globetrotters. from 1970.
NASCAR Goes Country
July 14, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBIn the early 1970’s, NASCAR racing had seen a big surge in popularity. Jim Donoho, the son of Nashville racing promoter Bill Donoho wanted to get some of the most popular NASCAR drivers to make a country music album. This is the story of NASCAR Goes Country, from 1975.
Sesame Street Fever
July 07, 2020 07:01 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBSaturday Night Fever was released in late 1977, bringing both John Travolta and disco to the masses. Less than a year later, Cookie Monster, Grover and the rest of the gang from Sesame Street hopped onto the disco bandwagon. This is the story of Sesame Street Fever, from 1978.
Crispin Hellion Glover - The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be
June 30, 2020 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBJust 3 years after graduating high school, Crispin Glover was cast in one of the biggest movies of all time, Back To The Future in 1985. He followed that with the critically successful River’s Edge. Then, he took a few years off of acting and pursued other creative projects. Writing and illustrating books...and making an album. This is the story of Crispin Hellion Glover’s The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be from 1989. Special thanks to Matt Gourley and "Weird Al" Yanko...
William Shatner - The Transformed Man
June 23, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBThe story of the infamous album by Star Trek's William Shatner, The Transformed Man from 1968.
Hogan's Heroes Sing The Best of World War II
June 16, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBHogan’s Heroes was not exactly your typical sitcom. Debuting on CBS in 1965, it was set in a German POW camp during World War II. And it was a hit. So, in 1966, the supporting cast made an album of popular World War II songs. This is the story of Hogan's Heroes Sing The Best of World War II, from 1966.
Eddie Murphy - How Could It Be
June 09, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 8.69 MBHe dominated standup comedy. He was a cast member of Saturday Night Live when he was 19. He was a movie star. In Eddie Murphy's own words, his ego said "I can do anything!", so he recorded an album. This is the story of Eddie Murphy's How Could It Be from 1985.
Macho Man Randy Savage - Be A Man
June 03, 2020 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBMacho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan, two of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling. They had an on again/off again friendship both in the ring and out. In 2003, when he was more or less retired from wrestling, Macho Man wasn't happy with Hogan and called him out....rapping. This is the story of Be A Man by Macho Man Randy Savage, from 2003.
Buckner & Garcia - Pac-Man Fever
May 26, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 14.6 MBMay 22, 2020 was the 40th anniversary of the release of Pac-Man, the video game that made video games for everybody. Two Ohio musicians living in Georgia, Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia, loved Pac-Man so much that they decided to write a song about it. And it got them signed. This is the story of Bucker & Garcia’s Pac-Man Fever, from 1982.
Don Johnson - Heartbeat
May 19, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 13.5 MBNBC’s Miami Vice was the hottest show on television in the mid 80’s. The show’s breakout star, Don Johnson, told the head of CBS Records he wanted to make an album. So they signed him. This the story of Don Johnson’s Heartbeat, from 1986.
Hamm's '65 - Bursting with Freshness (LIVE!)
May 12, 2020 07:00 - 21 minutes - 17 MBIn March of 1965, The Theodore Hamm Brewing Company held it’s Centennial Celebration party in Minneapolis, Attendees that night would receive a copy of the souvenir album, Hamm’s 65- Bursting with Freshness. This episode was recorded live on February 18, 2020 at Able Seedhouse & Brewery in Minneapolis, MN.
David Lee Roth - Sonrisa Salvaje
May 05, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBOne year after his departure from Van Halen, David Lee Roth released his first solo album, Eat ‘Em and Smile. It was a double platinum success. And then, he re-recorded all of the vocals and released it in Spanish, under a new title. This is the story of Sonrisa Salvaje from 1986. Special thanks to Brian Keith Diaz for the Spanish intro and Zach Comtois for the guitars. briankeithdiaz.com zachcomtois.com
Bizarre Singles - Lapti Nek (from Return of the Jedi) BONUS EPISODE
May 04, 2020 16:29 - 16 minutes - 12.8 MBFree bonus episode of Bizarre Singles from patreon.com/bizarrealbums
Morton Downey Jr. Sings
April 28, 2020 06:26 - 18 minutes - 14.7 MBMorton Downey Jr. was a pioneer of what would come to be called “trash tv”. After his controversial talk show became a massive success, he tried to return to his roots by releasing an album. This is the story of Morton Downey Jr. Sings, from 1989.
Introducing: Bonanas For Bonanza
April 27, 2020 07:00 - 8 minutes - 18.8 MBSneak preview of the new podcast, Bonanas For Bonanza, starring Andy Daly. Now available wherever you download podcasts. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bizarrealbums/support
Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music
April 21, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 13.2 MBIn 1974, Lou Reed had a top 10 album with Sally Can’t Dance. His label, RCA Records, pushed him to release another album quickly. What they got was a double album of nothing but noisy feedback and guitar effects. This is the story of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music from 1975.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Part Two)
April 16, 2020 07:26 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBThe thrilling conclusion to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, from 1978.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
April 14, 2020 07:37 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBRobert Stigwood was on fire. He was the manager of the Bee Gees. He produced the films Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Those soundtracks combined sold over 70 million copies for his label, RSO Records. For his next project, Stigwood produced a jukebox musical film made up entirely of Beatles songs. The cast included some of the biggest stars of the seventies…The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, and even Steve Martin. How could it possibly fail? This is the story of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club...
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Part One)
April 14, 2020 07:37 - 21 minutes - 17.1 MBRobert Stigwood was on fire. He was the manager of the Bee Gees. He produced the films Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Those soundtracks combined sold over 70 million copies for his label, RSO Records. For his next project, Stigwood produced a jukebox musical film made up entirely of Beatles songs. The cast included some of the biggest stars of the seventies…The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, and even Steve Martin. How could it possibly fail? This is the story of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club...
Paris Hilton - Paris
April 07, 2020 07:37 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBShe was already an heiress. She was already a model. She was already an author. She had become an actress. So, of course, there would be an album. This is the story of Paris Hilton’s album, Paris, from 2006.
Piledriver : The Wrestling Album II
March 31, 2020 07:39 - 23 minutes - 18.5 MBProfessional wrestling exploded in the 1980’s. Particularly the World Wrestling Federation. With one album already behind them, Vince McMahon decided it was time for his company to record a follow up. This is the story of Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II from 1987.
The Johnny Cash Children’s Album
March 24, 2020 07:30 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBJohnny Cash. The country music outlaw. The Man in Black. The man who once sang the lyrics, “I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die”, released a children’s album in 1975. This is the story of The Johnny Cash Children’s Album from 1975.
Mother Earth’s Plantasia
March 17, 2020 07:00 - 21 minutes - 17 MBA former writer for Gilligan’s Island named Joel Rapp, his wife Lynn Rapp, and a synthesizer pioneer named Mort Garson team up to release an album of music…for plants. This is the story of Mother Earth’s Plantasia from 1976.
Miss Piggy's Aerobique Exercise Workout Album
March 10, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 15.2 MBJane Fonda’s Workout played a huge part of the 80's fitness craze. With success, comes parody. This is the story of Miss Piggy's Aerobique Exercise Workout Album, from 1982.
Bathtubs Over Broadway - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Part Two)
March 05, 2020 20:34 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBThe thrilling conclusion to the soundtrack for the 2018 documentary Bathtubs Over Broadway.
Bathtubs Over Broadway- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Part One)
March 03, 2020 09:17 - 18 minutes - 15.2 MBSteve Young was a writer for David Letterman for over 20 years. While record shopping for a segment on the show, he stumbled into some mysterious, corporate souvenir records marked "internal use only". Little did he know, they would change his life. This was the subject of the 2018 documentary, Bathtubs Over Broadway. The film's soundtrack made many of these available to the public for the first time ever. This is the story of Bathtubs Over Broadway- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, from...
Mae West - Way Out West
February 25, 2020 08:00 - 18 minutes - 15 MBMae West. Actress, playwright, sex symbol…and 70 something year old rock and roll singer?!? It happened. With a teenage backing band. This is the story of Mae West’s Way Out West album from 1966.
BIZARRE SINGLES: Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks - City of Crime
February 23, 2020 23:11 - 14 minutes - 11.9 MBA free episode of Bizarre Singles from the Patreon.com/bizarrealbums page! This one is about the rap single released by actors Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, "City of Crime" from the soundtrack to their Dragnet movie from 1987.
And Me...I'm Ed McMahon
February 23, 2020 23:10 - 20 minutes - 16.8 MB“The first time I heard that Ed was taking singing lessons I made a citizens arrest on his tonsils for assault with a deadly weapon. After listening to this album, however, I think I’m liable to be sued for false arrest. Ed can sing. And quite well, too. I’m certain you’ll find “And Me…I’m Ed McMahon” as delightful and as pleasant a surprise as I have” - Johnny Carson. This is the story of And Me…I’m Ed McMahon from 1967.
Pink Panther Punk
February 04, 2020 10:47 - 19 minutes - 15.4 MBAn animated opening movie title sequence spawned one of the most iconic cartoon characters of all time, The Pink Panther. In 1981, The Pink Panther released a so-called "punk" record. This is the story of Pink Panther Punk from 1981.
Michael Jackson - Ghosts (LIVE!)
January 28, 2020 08:00 - 19 minutes - 11 MBFrom the first ever live Bizarre Albums show. This time, instead of an album, telling the story of Michael Jackson's ill-fated Ghosts music video from 1997. Recorded live on October 18, 2019 as part of Podcast Party at the Pack Theater in Los Angeles, CA.
John Wayne - America, Why I Love Her
January 21, 2020 08:00 - 15 minutes - 14 MBJohn Wayne. The Duke. He loved America. So much so, that in 1973 he recorded an album of patriotic poems set to music. This is the story of John Wayne's America, Why I Love Her from 1973.
Having Fun with Elvis On Stage
January 14, 2020 08:00 - 17 minutes - 13.9 MBElvis Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker was not a Colonel. In fact, he wasn't even a legal US citizen. Many people believe he was a con man and would do anything to make some money. One of his craziest plans was to release an Elvis Presley album...of just talking. This is the story of Having Fun with Elvis On Stage from 1974.
New Monkees
January 07, 2020 08:00 - 17 minutes - 13.9 MBMTV aired episodes of the old Monkees tv show in 1986, which was also the twentieth anniversary of the band and the tv series. It exploded and Monkeemania had returned. The following year, a tv producer wanted to capitalize on their popularity a reboot of The Monkees...The New Monkees. This is their story.
Richard Simmons - Reach
December 31, 2019 10:00 - 17 minutes - 13.7 MBAfter opening his own salad bar and gym in Beverly Hills, Richard Simmons started getting national attention when his energetic demeanor was attracting celebrities to work out with him. Once the 80's hit, Richard Simmons was on tv, selling books, and of course, making an album. This is the story of Richard Simmons' Reach, from 1982.
Christmas Time with The Three Stooges
December 24, 2019 08:00 - 18 minutes - 14.9 MBThe Three Stooges started out as a vaudeville act back in the 1920's. They starred in 190 short films and in 1959, they branched out into making records. Originally released as The Three Stooges Sing Six Happy Yuletide Songs, the album has been reissued several times, and also with the name, Christmas Time with The Three Stooges. This is their story.
Christmas in the Stars : Star Wars Christmas Album
December 17, 2019 11:55 - 21 minutes - 17 MBFollowing the surprise success of his Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk album, Meco Monardo set his sights on making a Star Wars Christmas Album….only two years after the debacle of the Star Wars Holiday Special. This is the story of Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album, from 1980.
Twisted Sister - A Twisted Christmas
December 10, 2019 09:24 - 21 minutes - 17 MBLong Island’s Twisted Sister were 1980’s MTV/heavy metal darlings. After reuniting in the early 2000's, they announced they would make one last album....a Christmas album. This is the story of A Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister, from 2006.
Tales From The Crypt - Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas
December 03, 2019 08:10 - 18 minutes - 15.2 MBComic books. Movies. TV series. Animated spin-offs. Tales From The Crypt did it all. Including a Christmas album in 1994.
Dinosaurs - Big Songs
November 26, 2019 08:00 - 19 minutes - 15.2 MBDinosaurs was a sitcom that was born from an idea that Jim Henson had shortly before his passing in 1990. Eventually his son Brian took over the Jim Henson Company and was able to make the show for ABC in 1991. The show was a hit, so of course, that lead to an album in 1992. This is the story of Dinosaurs - Big Songs.
Van Morrison - The Authorized Bang Collection (Contractual Obligation Session)
November 19, 2019 08:00 - 20 minutes - 16.5 MBAfter his band Them broke up, Van Morrison was courted by Bang Records and Bert Berns to record some solo material. After a promising start, it quickly went downhill, eventually resulting in Morrison recording over thirty nonsense songs that he made up on the spot just to get out of his record deal. The tapes had come to be known under many names, "The Contractual Obligation Session" being one of them. In 2017, the session was officially released on The Authorized Bang Collection. This is th...
Meco - Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk
November 12, 2019 08:00 - 15 minutes - 12.5 MBRecord producer Domenico "Meco" Monardo saw Star Wars on it's opening day in May of 1977. He ended up seeing it 11 times in the theaters. He loved John Williams' score and dreamed up a disco version that he thought could be a hit...and he was right. This is the story of Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk by Meco, from 1977.