Prisoners of Rock and Roll – Details, episodes & analysis

In 1985, a group of musicians came together to raise awareness about the oppressive, racist government in South Africa.  Organized by Steven Van Zandt, the group calling themselves Artists United Against Apartheid was, according to music critic Dave Marsh, “the most diverse line up of popular musicians ever assembled for a single session” and the list is pretty amazing.”  Just some of the names include Bono, George Clinton, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Kurtis Blow, Miles Davis, Ringo Star, David Ruffin, Joey Ramone, Run DMC, Keith Richard, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt, that dude from Midnight Oil, AND the Fat Boys.  They jointly refused to ever play at Sun City, a luxury resort in South Africa that symbolized the racial segregation of South Africa, and they released a protest album called Sun City to raise awareness.  In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the history and impact of Artists United Against Apartheid. Episode Playlists Check out the Artists United Against Apartheid album here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob Marley is one of the most famous figures in reggae music. On December 3, 1976, seven gunmen stormed into Bob Marley’s home in Kingstown, Jamaica and opened fire, wounding the singer, his wife, and members of his inner circle. The assassination attempt came just days before Marley was scheduled to perform at a concert in Jamaica that was supposed to calm political violence in the country.  Shot but not seriously wounded, a defiant Bob Marley performed at the Smile Jamaica concert anyway, and the incident also has a profound impact on his life and music.  In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re taking a look at the assassination attempt on Bob Marley: the details of the attack, the mysterious motives behind it, and the impact it had on Marley’s music and message. And of course, we'll pay tribute to Marley's enduring legacy and the powerful message of peace and unity that his music continues to spread. Episode Playlists No episode playlist for this one. Most of the songs we played in this episode are on Bob Marley, Legend. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rock and roll and cars are a classic combination. In fact, the very first rock and roll song, Rocket 88, was about a car.  So get ready to rev your engines and hit the open road because on our next episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we're shifting into high gear and exploring of music about cars. From the rhythmic hum of the engine to the wind in your hair, these tunes capture the essence of the open highway and the freedom that comes with it. We'll be diving into the classics and exploring the rock and roll rebel attitude embodied in some of these great songs.  But it's not just about the classic rockers; we'll also hit the gas on some unexpected picks from various genres. From country roads to city streets, music about cars has a universal appeal that transcends genres and generations. So, buckle up and get ready to cruise with us through the highways and byways of the ultimate playlist for road trips and joyrides. It's an episode fueled by the spirit of adventure, the love of the open road, and the unmistakable sound of rock and roll. Tune in and let's take a musical journey that'll make you want to hit the gas and never look back! Let’s get our kicks on Route 66. Episode Playlist Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re rock and rollers at heart here at the Prisoners of Rock and Roll, but we both have a soft spot for Christmas music. In our annual Christmas episode, we decided to hope in a one horse open sleigh and take a trip down memory lane to the classic Christmas songs of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. These are the songs we opened our presents to as kids – and many of them are from artists who were enormously popular at the time but we really only hear around the holidays this year.  So grab some punch and settle in as we are having a classy, classic Christmas.  Episode Playlist Check out all of the songs we discussed in this week's episode here. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce Springsteen has released more than 20 studio albums over the course of his 50-year career, including some of the most iconic rock and roll albums in history.  We’re both huge fans of the Boss here at Prisoners of Rock and Roll, and we unfortunately didn’t get to see him this summer after he canceled part of his tour due to illness.  So in this episode we are taking a close look at we think are his top five albums. We’re going to explain how we came up with the list, talk about the songs that make him such an important figure in music and our lives, and get into what his music means to both of us.  Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were several ambitious projects in the 1980s where the music industry tried to make a difference by raising money to make a difference. One of those projects happened in 1985, when dozens of musicians formed a supergroup called USA for Africa and recorded We Are the World.  Written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, We Are the World included dozens of performers in a star-studded ensemble cast made up of some of the biggest names in music at the time: Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Huey Lewis, Hall & Oats, the Pointer Sisters, and more.  All walked into a studio where they were greeted by a sign that said “check your egos at the door.” And they did.  The finished product sold more than 20 million copies and was simultaneously played on 8,000 radio stations around the world. The project raised more than $63 million for famine relief in Africa. Nearly 40 years later, USA For Africa, is still active and fighting poverty.  In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and World, we’re taking a look at We Are the World – the idea behind the project, the recording, and it’s impact. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were a lot of things about the 1980s that we’d like to forget but one of the most memorable parts of the decade was the music. While artists like Madonna, the Police, Def Leppard, and Michael Jackson were popular for huge parts of the decade, the music scene of the 1980s is filled with artists who had one, and only one, hit song.  In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re talking about the one hit wonders of the 1980s. We’ve got a list of songs that includes some that we still listen to today…and some that haven’t aged very well.  So, Come On Eileen and Take On Me while we Put On the Ritz down in Funkytown.  Hear More Check out the episode playlist. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re digging into some of the most scandalous moments in music history. We’ve put together a list of scandals that span nearly 70 years and cover controversies, deaths, scams, crime, and outrageous behavior that drew media attention around the world.  From John Lennon saying the Beatles were bigger than Jesus to Sinead O’Connor tearing up a page of the Pope on SNL. The shocking trail of abuse left by total piece of garbage R. Kelly to Ozzy biting the head off of a bat. The circumstances of Sam Cooke’s murder to years of speculation over if Elvis really died at all. The Great White concert fire to the dumpster fire of the Fyre Festival. Milli Vanilli getting caught lip synching to U2 “giving” you one of their albums whether you wanted it or not. We’re covering a lot of ground in this one and some of it isn’t pretty. Let the drama begin! Hear More Check out the episode playlist. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re taking a look at celebrities who make music. Now, a lot of famous people have decided to make albums over the years. Some of them dabble in rock and roll on the side like a lot of us and use their celebrity status to get an album recorded.  Others might have had gotten some misguided advice from someone in their inner circle telling them that releasing an album is a great way to increase their profile or make a quick buck.  We spent a lot of time looking for and listening to music for this one, and we’ve put together a pretty solid list of celebrities who released albums, including a few that might make you say, “wait, THEY released an album?”  We uncovered a lot of stuff for this one – and some of it should have stayed where we found it. A few of these albums have been scrubbed from streaming platforms but luckily the Internet is forever.  But some of these tunes aren’t bad either.  So settle in and join us as we look into the sometimes bizarre world of celebrity music.  Hear More Check out the episode playlist. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re one of the thousands of people who listen to Prisoners of Rock and Roll – and shame on you if you aren’t – you know we do a segment in every episode called The Electric Chair where we kill a song for being terrible.  Now, there’s a lot of awesome music out there. But let’s face it: there’s a lot of bad music too.  So much bad music that this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll is volume 2 of a show totally dedicated to talking about music that sucks. We have spent hours plumbing the depths of music  We also asked our awesome listeners and some of our podcast friends to submit their picks for the most cringe-inducing tracks out there and man, did they deliver. Get ready go groan and say, “oh no, not THAT song” as we plumb the depths of music hell for songs have left scars on our music souls. Yacht rock, southern rap, novelty songs, one hit wonders, dance tracks, and just plan bad music. It’s all here.  Parental advisory on this one rock and rollers. Having to listen to some of these songs made us pretty angry. Special shout out to Set Lusting Bruce as well as Rock and Soul Tarot podcasts for contributing to this one! Hear More Check out the episode playlist. Get In Touch Check us out online, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. or drops us an email at [email protected]. Or if you're in Philadelphia, come visit our home base at McCusker's Tavern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices