Rock in Retrospect
66 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratings“Rock in Retrospect” focuses on the lives, careers and legacies of artists who made a significant impact on the music industry. Host Nick Bambach invites a guest to discuss their favorite artists and why they matter. We also occasionally create episodes focusing on awards shows and music-related institutions such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Oscars, the Kennedy Center Honors and the Grammys. If you enjoy stimulating and often-humorous discussions about music history in a laid-back environment, then this is the podcast for you! New episodes air on Fridays.
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Episodes
Movie Talk: Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis
March 08, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBThe Douche Caravan returns with Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle), Patrick Dupuis (The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford coming on to discuss Anton Corbijn's documentary Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis (2022). The film tells the story of Hipgnosis who designed some of the most iconic album covers in rock and roll history. They worked legendary artists including Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, AC/DC and so many others.
2024 Oscar Nominees in the Music Categories
March 03, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 49.8 MBDarren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.
Lenny Kravitz
March 01, 2024 21:00 - 50 minutes - 34.9 MBMusic journalist David Schnelwar returns to discuss the career and legacy of Lenny Kravitz. Topics discussed include Kravitz's musical influences, notable collaborations, his ability to stay relevant for 35+ years and our favorite songs from his iconic career. We also discuss Kravitz's recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination and why he deserves induction this year.
Sinead O'Connor
February 23, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 41.4 MBLiza Lentini of SPIN returns to talk about the life and career of the late great Sinead O'Connor. We talk about Sinead's talents as a singer and songwriter, her activism, our favorite songs from her catalog and her recent nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Nothing Compares talking 2 Liza about Sinead! Please check out Liza's pieces about Sinead O'Connor: a 2020 interview with the iconic artist, a 2022 piece on why she deserves induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of ...
Reacting to the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees
February 16, 2024 06:00 - 1 hour - 52.8 MBTom Lane, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss the nominees on this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ballot. Also...who won the previous episode's draft? Listen to find out!
2024 Rock Hall Nominees Draft
January 11, 2024 21:00 - 1 hour - 74.7 MBFor our first episode of 2024, let's start with a draft....more precisely a Rock Hall Nominees Draft! Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Performers category in 2024. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. T...
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Recap
November 20, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBReturning guests Darren Hines and Greg Peurach discuss their experience attending the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. We share some funny stories about the venue as well as our favorite musical performances, speeches and moments. It was a memorable night that we won't forget anytime soon.
Movie Talk: Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
October 29, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBOn this very special Movie Talk episode, I invited Swifties Jordan Raycine, Kailyn Champlin and Sam Ratner to discuss all things Taylor Swift and her smash hit movie The Eras Tour. We talk about how they became fans of Swift's music, their experiences seeing the movie with rowdy crowds, their thoughts on the best moments during the movie, and their favorite songs from her prolific catalog.
The Ultimate Halloween Playlist
October 27, 2023 22:00 - 1 hour - 50.5 MBHorror movie fanatic Peter Waters returns to help us pick the 31 greatest horror-themed songs to celebrate Halloween and we're calling this episode The Ultimate Halloween Playlist! Listen to which songs made the cut and we'll also hear some great stories along the way!
Movie Talk: Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback
October 14, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 53.3 MBTom Lane returns to discuss the new documentary Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback (2023) about the making of Elvis' triumphant NBC special. It marked the King of Rock & Roll's return to mainstream relevance and why he earned the honorific title. John Scheinfeld's film is currently streaming on Paramount+.
Jimmy Buffett
October 06, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBThis week we pay tribute to the late, great Jimmy Buffett. One of the most successful and prolific singer-songwriters of the last half-century, Buffett captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of fans across the world. One of those fans is Dr. Mark Lempke (Host of The Also--Rans) who talks about Buffett's life, career and impact on both the music industry and popular culture. Other topics discussed include Buffett's extremely loyal fanbase (affectionately known as "Parrot Heads"), hi...
Movie Talk: Wham!
September 23, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 52.4 MBThe Douche Caravan Returns! Jon Lamoreaux (The Hustle), Patrick Dupuis (The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford return to talk about Chris Smith's Netflix documentary Wham! centering on the iconic 80s duo. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley took the world by storm during that decade and ended at the top of their game. We talk about all things Wham! for this week's hilarious yet insightful episode!
Blink-182
September 16, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBPaul Kagebein, a friend and fellow music fan who also works at a library, joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of pop-punk icons Blink-182. Topics discussed include their brash music videos, our favorite hits and albums tracks, their recent reunion at Coachella and their continuing influence on contemporary artists of all genres. A really fun, insightful episode spotlight one of the biggest rock bands of the 25 years!
Movie Talk: Love to Love You, Donna Summer
June 30, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBJosh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Podcast) returns to share his thoughts on the recent documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer (2023). Lots of topics discussed including Summer's artistry, her catalog of iconic hit songs and albums, her controversial star persona and her status as the "Queen of Disco." Dim all the lights as you listen to this insightful and highly humorous episode!
Reacting to the Rock Hall's Class of 2023 Inductees
May 04, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 78.3 MBOn this very special episode, we have 4(!) returning guests - Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg, Greg Peurach and David Schnelwar- joining us to give their thoughts and reactions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2023 inductees. We discuss each of the 13 inductees for this year's class and find out who won our first-ever predictions draft!
Movie Talk: Jason Isbell: Running with Our Eyes Closed
April 21, 2023 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38.3 MBDrive-By Truckers super fan and friend Tony Greathouse joins us to talk about the recent documentary Jason Isbell: Running with Our Eyes Closed (2023). We discuss Tony's Drive-By Truckers fandom, Isbell's creative process, how the film documents his relationship with his spouse and frequent collaborator Amanda Shires and much more! The film is part of HBO's Music Box series and is available to stream on HBOMax.
Missy Elliott
March 30, 2023 22:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBTo celebrate our podcast's milestone 50th episode, I invited the wonderful Allison Rapp (Ultimate Classic Rock) to talk about Missy Elliott. Allison recently wrote a piece about why Elliott deserves to be inducted into this year's class of inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If selected for induction, Elliott would honored in her first year of eligibility but also make history as the first female hip-hop honored by the Rock Hall. Topics discussed include Elliott's landmark debut albu...
Movie Talk: Elvis
March 10, 2023 18:00 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBRock Docs co-host David Lizerbram joins us to talk about Baz Luhrmann's recent biopic Elvis (2022). We talk about Austin Butler and Tom Hanks' performances, the narrative structure and aesthetic choices used by Luhrmann and Elvis' impact on contemporary culture. Lots of other topics discussed including our mutual love of all things Bob Dylan, the current state of rock star biopics and there's even a story David shares that's personal connection to the King himself! This episode coincides wi...
2023 Oscar Nominees in the Music Categories
March 09, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 51.6 MBDarren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.
Tori Amos
February 25, 2023 00:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBLiza Lentini (Managing Editor at SPIN) joins us to talk about the life and career of singer-songwriter Tori Amos. Topics discussed include Amos' musical influences, her breakthrough debut album Little Earthquakes (1992), her work with the organization RAINN and her impact on alternative rock and pop music stars in the last three decades. We also talk about Liza interviewing Amos for SPIN and seeing her perform last year! Check out Liza's piece arguing for Amos' induction in the Rock & Roll H...
Movie Talk: Moonage Daydream
February 17, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 44.6 MBThis episode is the first installment of our new monthly spotlight on recent music documentaries and movies. We're kicking it off with Jon Lamoreaux (Host of the Hustle Podcast), Patrick Dupuis (Host of the EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford joining Nick to talk about Brett Morgan's documentary Moonage Daydream (2022). This one-of-a-kind film focuses on the life and career of iconic musician David Bowie. It's a lively discussion with plenty of hot takes and humorous puns from our panel.
Reacting to the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees
February 02, 2023 15:00 - 2 hours - 83.5 MBNick assembled an all-star line-up of Rock Hall experts to converse and analyze the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees. Recorded the night of the big announcement and released completely unedited, we discussed each of the 14 nominees on this year's ballot and their chances for induction. We also find out who won our podcast's inaugural Rock Hall nominees draft! We mentioned many of our blogs and podcasts throughout this episode - Nick's 2023 Update of his Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects ...
Teddy Pendergrass
January 20, 2023 16:00 - 2 hours - 83.2 MBMusic critic Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) returns to discuss the life and career of R&B superstar Teddy Pendergrass. Topics discussed include Pendergrass' time as a member of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, his transition to a solo career, his infamous "Ladies Only' concerts, the life-altering car accident that occurred in 1982 and his emotional performance at Live Aid in 1985. If you don't know Teddy by now, you definitely will after listening to this episode!
2023 Rock Hall Nominees Draft
December 16, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBTom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar and Greg Peurach return to the show to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. There's a lot of strategic decisions involved but this is a fun, engaging conversation on the direction we think the Rock Hall is...
Howlin' Wolf
December 07, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 47.7 MBWriter and Blues music expert Marty Weil joins us to talk about the legacy of Howlin' Wolf, one of the titans of that genre in the 20th century. Topics discussed include Wolf's time at Chess Records, his classic albums Moanin' in the Moonlight (1959) and Howlin' Wolf (aka The Rockin' Chair Album) (1962), his partnership with legendary guitarist Hubert Sumlin, his tremendous influence on blues-rock artists and his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. This is a must-listen for ...
America
November 20, 2022 23:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBProfessor and blogger Rob LeBlanc (The Exhaustively Detailed Music Analysis Blog) joins us to discuss the career and impact of the band America. Topics discussed include the band's formation, their collaborations with legendary producer George Martin, Dan Peek's departure from the band, their legendary top-40 hits and the dozen or so times Rob has seen the band live. Rob even met the band on a few occasions! This episode sheds some light on a truly underrated band that deserves more of our ...
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Recap
November 08, 2022 15:00 - 2 hours - 88.8 MBDarren Hines returns to the show to share our thoughts on the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, an event we both attended. There's a lot to unpack, so sit back and enjoy this episode!!!!! Please note that this was recorded and released before the HBO telecast of the ceremony, which doesn't debut until Saturday November 19th.
John Carpenter
October 30, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 52 MBThere's no better way to celebrate Halloween than to devote an entire episode to the filmmaker who helmed the iconic 1978 movie of the same name! Horror movie expert and Tik Tok influencer Peter Waters joins us to talk about John Carpenter's maverick career and the musical pieces he composed. We talk about Carpenter's musical background, the movies that inspired him, our favorite films from his canon, the Lost Themes trilogy and other musical projects in the last decade. We conclude with ou...
Styx
October 14, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 81.8 MBMile Wiles (co-host of Retro Rock Roundup) joins us to discuss the career and legacy of arena rock legends Styx. Topics discussed include the band's great run of albums in the 1970s and 1980s, their status as a great live band, Dennis DeYoung's departure from the band and their omission from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And just like any Blue Collar Man, Mike has lots of wonderful stories to share with our listeners!
Savage Garden / Darren Hayes
October 07, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBWriter and editor Kailyn Champlin joins us to discuss all things Savage Garden, one of the most notable musical duos of the 1990s. Topics discussed include the literary inspiration for their group name, a deep analysis of their two studio albums, their breakup in 2001 and Darren Hayes' solo career. You will truly, madly, deeply love this episode! Check out Darren Hayes' latest work Homosexual, his first studio album in over a decade, which comes out today!!!
Warrant
September 30, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBEducator and former music writer Mike Drew joins us to discuss the career and legacy of the hair metal band Warrant. Topics discussed include the band's time on the L.A. rock scene in the 80s, a deep analysis of their first 3 albums, our shared disdain for their hit song "Cherry Pie" and the time Mike met and interviewed the band in the early 90s! This episode will make any Warrant fan feel like they're in heaven!
Weezer
August 24, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 68.5 MBMusic journalist and educator Scott Heisel (Colors of Insomnia) joins us to discuss the career and legacy of modern rock legends Weezer. We talked about Scott interviewing members of the band, their inventive music videos, the complicated story behind Matt Sharp leaving the band and his favorite Weezer songs. We also discussed Weezer's prospects to receive induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and why they need to get in soon.
Reacting to the 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees Announcement
August 19, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBEric and Mary Layton (Hall Watchers), Michelle Bourg (Iconic Rock Talk Show) and Greg Peurach return to discuss their reactions to the announcement of the 2022 Kennedy Centers Honorees: Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant, Tania León and U2. We conclude listing each of our "dream classes" for the 2023 ceremony next year.
Kool & The Gang
August 10, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBSteve Knopper, Editor at Large at Billboard, joins us to discuss the legendary band Kool & The Gang. Topics discussed include Steve's recent New York Times piece covering the band's legacy, the influence of jazz and R&B on their sound, the origin of their band name, their contributions to the development of hip-hop and and their chances for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
INXS
July 27, 2022 16:00 - 2 hours - 114 MBJon Lamoreaux (host of The Hustle) and Haydn Murdoch (co-host of INXS Access All Areas) join us to take a deep-dive on the career and legacy of the legendary Australian rock band INXS. Topics discussed include the band's formation, analyses of their major albums, Haydn's interactions with members of the band, the recent documentary Mystify and their omission from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're an INXS fan, this episode is what you need! If you would like to support INXS' inductio...
Interview with Christy Alexander Hallberg (Searching for Jimmy Page)
June 15, 2022 10:00 - 59 minutes - 41.2 MBChristy Alexander Hallberg recently published her novel Searching for Jimmy Page and we asked her to come on to discuss her book. She talked to us about her literary influences, favorite music memories and her writing process. We also have an in-depth discussion of some of the major characters and themes in Searching for Jimmy Page. If you haven't read it yet, it's a spectacular debut novel and we can't wait to read more of Christy's work in the near future. You can buy a copy of Christy's...
Lloyd Price
June 09, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBCourtney E. Smith (host of the Songs in the Key of Death podcast) joins us to discuss the life and career of the legendary R&B singer Lloyd Price. Topics discussed include Lloyd's earliest success as a musician, starting an independent music label in the 1950s, his many business ventures outside the music industry, his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and the recent stage musical based on his life and music. After listening to this episode, you'll gain a new appreciation ...
Dave Matthews Band
May 19, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBMichael Bagford and Carrie Scott join us to discuss the career and legacy of the Dave Matthews Band, one of the most popular rock bands of the last three decades. Topics discussed include the band's formation in Charlottesville, Virginia, their status as an iconic live act, Matthews' role at Farm Aid and their 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. There's so much to say about this band!
Reacting to the Rock Hall's Class of 2022 Inductees
May 06, 2022 08:00 - 2 hours - 92.1 MBOn this very special episode, we have 5(!) returning guests - Mark Lempke, Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg, Greg Peurach and David Schnelwar- joining us to give their reactions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 inductees. We discuss each of the 14 inductees for this year's class and also which artists will likely be considered for next year's ballot.
Kate Bush
April 29, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBJosh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Podcast), Lisa Solak and John Mutford all return to the show to discuss the life and career of Kate Bush, one of the most important and influential artists of the last half-century. Topics discussed include Pink Floyd's David Gilmour "discovering" her while she was still a teenager, her unique approach to songwriting, her groundbreaking music videos and her current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. You will be "wowed" after listening to this insightf...
Eurythmics
April 20, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBPat Francis (Rock Solid) comes on the show to discuss the legendary new wave duo Eurythmics. Topics discussed include the duo's formation, their iconic music videos, their side projects and solo careers and their recent Rock Hall nomination. We wouldn't lie to you....so you gotta listen to this episode!
Carly Simon
April 13, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 80.9 MBBlogger Michelle Bourg and researcher Jonathan Raymond come on the show to discuss the life, career and legacy of Carly Simon. Topics discussed include Simon's troubled early life, her iconic song "You're So Vain," her many contributions to various film and television productions over the years, our favorite songs from her legendary catalogue and Simon's recent nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Just like the title of one of Simon's greatest songs, the right thing t...
2022 Oscar Nominees in the Music Categories
March 16, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBDarren Hines and Peter Waters return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze each nominated song and score, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed.
MC5
March 09, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBMusic industry veteran Mark Satlof joins us to discuss the legendary Detroit rock band MC5 who are nominated again for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year. Topics discussed included Mark meeting Wayne Kramer in the 1980s, the band's political and social activism, their iconic debut album Kick Out the Jams (1969) and their impact on latter-day hard rock, metal and punk bands. Yes, we're looking at you....because you need to listen to this episode!!!!
Foreigner
February 23, 2022 05:00 - 2 hours - 84.9 MBEmmy-winning graphics operator David Festini comes on to discuss the vastly underrated classic rock band Foreigner. Topics discussed include the band's' formation, the often-strained partnership between Mick Jones and Lou Gramm, their greatest songs and why they should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Listen to this episode because it's urgent!!!!!
Country Music in the Rock Hall
February 16, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBAuthor David Cantwell (The Running Kind: Listening to Merle Haggard) and music critic Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) come on to talk about country music's place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Topics discussed include the difference between the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock Hall, the 13 people inducted into both institutions, the significance of Dolly Parton's recent Rock Hall nomination and which country artists might be considered soon.
The Tragically Hip
February 09, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBJosh Fitzgerald (Movies That Rock: The Post) and John Mutford come on to discuss The Tragically Hip, one of Canada's most beloved rock bands. Topics discussed include the band's formation and earliest recordings, their popularity in certain regions of the U.S., their social activism, our favorite Hip songs and their final concert in 2016. Hopefully we don't have to twist your arm to listen to this episode!
Reflecting on the Rock Hall's Class of 2022 Nominees
February 03, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 68.1 MBMark Lempke (The Also-Rans) returns to the show to discuss our thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's official Class of 2022 ballot...on the day they were announced! We provide an in-depth analysis of each artist on this year's ballot and their chances for induction.
Sheryl Crow
January 26, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBMusic journalist David Schnelwar comes on the show to discuss the life and career of singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow. Topics discussed include Crow's time as a backup singer (for the likes of Michael Jackson, Don Henley and Jimmy Buffett), her collaborations with other musicians, her political and social activism and which of her songs have been featured in movies and television series over the years. A change might do you good, but only after listening to this insightful conversation.
The Rock Hall Prospects Project: 2022 Update
January 12, 2022 08:00 - 2 hours - 92.7 MBIn a roundtable discussion of Nick's recently-revised rankings of his Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project (aka Top Rock Hall Snubs), he is joined by 4 guests who are incredibly knowledgeable of all things Rock Hall: Joe Kwaczala (Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) , Mark Lempke (The Also-Rans), Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) and Troy Smith (CLE Rocks). While we focus primarily on the artists added and removed from the original list, we also discuss a wide number of issues related to the Rock...