Episodes

  • Deeper Digs: Interview with Robert Hilburn

    Deeper Digs: Interview with Robert Hilburn
    Apr 16 2025
    Host Christian Swain relaunches the interview show "Deeper Digs in Rock" on the Rock N Roll Archaeology feed! Initially focused on academics and journalists, the show plans to evolve into a LIVE, interactive panel discussion format using the Gigaverse app. This episode revives a highlight from 2018: an insightful interview with renowned former LA Times music critic Robert Hilburn. This archival conversation delves into Hilburn's Paul Simon biography and offers much more from his storied career covering pop and rock music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Shorts: A Few Words in Praise of Randy Newman

    Shorts: A Few Words in Praise of Randy Newman
    Mar 18 2025
    For nearly 30 years, Randy Newman has been the musical voice behind Pixar’s most beloved films—Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Cars, and more—earning multiple awards and generations of fans. But beyond these nostalgic soundtracks lies a body of work that’s often overlooked. Newman’s solo career is a masterclass in sharp, literate satire, tackling America’s deepest flaws with a deceptively laid-back style. From Sail Away to I Love L.A., his songs blend humor with biting social commentary. In this Rock N Roll Archaeology Short, we explore Newman’s 1970s-era music and the new biography A Few Words in Defense of Our Country by legendary rock critic Robert Hilburn. Join us for a deep dive into the genius of Randy Newman! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Episode 26: Turn and Face the Strange

    Episode 26: Turn and Face the Strange
    Feb 18 2025
    Glam rock was more than just a sound—it was a shift in how music, fashion, and identity intertwined. We explore the rise of Glam in the early ‘70s, with David Bowie as its central figure. Through alter egos like Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, Bowie use theatricality, androgyny, and science fiction themes to push the boundaries of rock music and stardom. But Glam wasn’t just Bowie. UK Artists like T. Rex and Slade, and Americans like Lou Reed and Alice Cooper each brought their own take, blending rock with elaborate visuals and a playful disregard for traditional norms. Glam faded after a few short years, but its influence is lasting. Glam style and attitude reappear, over and over, in Rock Music. Producer and Host: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • Shorts: "A Complete Unknown" Gets Bob Dylan's Story Right - Even When It's Wrong

    Shorts: "A Complete Unknown" Gets Bob Dylan's Story Right - Even When It's Wrong
    Jan 15 2025
    In this special RNRA Short, we set our sights on Bob Dylan’s journey from scrappy young folksinger to the electric wonder who rocked the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. We’re talking about “A Complete Unknown,” James Mangold’s new biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, and how it blends faithful biography with a dash of good old mythmaking. We’ll uncover the inspiration Bob drew from Woody Guthrie, spotlight the unwavering support (and frustrations) of Joan Baez, and check in on cameo moments from that Nashville cat Johnny Cash. Along the way, we’ll talk “poetic truth,” break down some of the film’s creative liberties, and dig deep into Dylan’s own transformation—how he blew open the boundaries between folk and rock for generations to come. If you love the idea of cinematic storytelling that captures both the magic and the mess of a music legend, then you’re in the right place. Let’s get to it, friends! https://www.rocknrollarchaeology.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Shorts: Springsteen On Screen

    Shorts: Springsteen On Screen
    Nov 18 2024
    A deep dive into three iconic films that showcase Bruce Springsteen across fifty years in Rock N Roll. Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run offers an intimate look at the painstaking creation of his career-defining album. The 1979 Legendary No Nukes Concert captures Springsteen’s electrifying live performance at a critical moment in rock and activism history. Finally, Road Diary provides backstage access to the E Street Band on their current world tour, revealing the heart and hustle behind the music. Host and Producer: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Shorts: Politics of Dancing

    Shorts: Politics of Dancing
    Sep 30 2024
    Hey there, rock fans! In this Rock and Roll Archaeology Shorts we’re calling "The Politics of Dancing," I’m diving deep into how music and presidential campaigns have intersected through the years. From Bill Clinton’s unforgettable use of Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” in ’92 to DJ Cassidy spinning records at the 2024 DNC, we’re looking at how rock, pop, and politics come together to tell a bigger story. We’ll hit all the major moments—like Al Gore’s cheeky Macarena—and dig into how these tunes help craft the political narrative. So, crank it up and let’s get into it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Episode 25: I Know What I Like: The Rise and Fall of Prog

    Episode 25: I Know What I Like: The Rise and Fall of Prog
    Aug 19 2024
    Progressive Rock reached its zenith during the early 1970s, a period often celebrated as the genre's golden age. This era of Prog Rock has inspired intense opinions—both positive and negative—that rival those of any other rock movement or genre throughout music history. Fans of Progressive Rock are known for their passionate dedication. On the flip side, critics, including renowned voices like Lester Bangs, Robert Christgau, and Robert Hilburn, were notoriously dismissive of Progressive Rock. Despite their often harsh criticisms, we believe that time has proven them wrong. Our perspective has evolved, and we now view the best of 70s Progressive Rock as a genre with substantial depth and intellectual substance. The music from this era isn't just enjoyable; it’s some of the most significant work of the 20th century. Not all Prog Rock from this period hit the mark—there were certainly moments of excessive self-indulgence. However, the Prog bands and songs that have stood the test of time are truly exceptional and worth celebrating. Producer and Host: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen RockNRollArchaeology.com RNRA on Patreon RNRA on TeePublic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • Shorts: Celebrating Country Soul

    Shorts: Celebrating Country Soul
    Mar 26 2024
    A little about Country, a little about Soul, and more about how they are really just the same thing. And why it’s not at all surprising that a big Pop-Soul star like Beyoncé is releasing a Country album. For this RNRA Short, we tapped the expertise of Professor Charles Hughes of Rhodes College in Memphis, author of “Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South.” We’ll look at the origins of the Alt Country Revolt, and name-check some great artists working very loudly and deliberately outside the Nashville Pop Country machine. Y’all keep up the rockin’ now, hear? Producer and Host: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
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