A sober, chronological narrative of the tragic final day of John Lennon on December 8, 1980. This episode tracks Lennon's last hours, his final interview, and the chilling, parallel actions of his killer, Mark Chapman, waiting outside the Dakota. We go inside the frantic rush to Roosevelt Hospital and recount the surreal, historic moment the news broke during Monday Night Football. This is the definitive, fact-based oral history of an empty, violent act that shattered a generation and a world.

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The show opens December 27th, 1961, at the Cavern Club where Pete Best calls in sick, and the boys bring in Richard Starkey - Ringo Starr to the world - to sit in on drums, his first paid gig with the Beatles. It clicks musically; the band really swings with Ringo on drums.

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Arrival: we begin the show on February 7th, 1964, in the first-class cabin aboard Pan American Airlines Flight 101 from London to New York City. It’s a raucous, party atmosphere, but John Lennon, for a moment anyway, feels alone in a crowd. 

A door opens, pandemonium ensues, and a new era arrives. 

Some housekeeping, and we move on to the Soho District, West London, and lay some foundation for today’s story—and for future discussions. Then we pull back a bit, and look at some of the political, economic, and cultural forces at play in 1950s England.

We then move on to Liverpool, late 1950s, and meet John Lennon and Paul McCartney, before they was fab. Then we pull back once again, and talk about alchemy and catalysts—and about a shared bond of shared loss. 

One catalyst comes in the form of a person: Paul’s school chum George Harrison, the baddest young guitar-slinger in Liverpool. 

John, Paul and George settle in together in the spring of 1958, and begin a four-year apprenticeship that will take them from coffee-house skifflers to the “Toppermost of the Poppermost.”

Then it’s off to Hamburg, fall of 1960. The Beatles work hard and play hard, and learn the basics of being a professional Rock N Roll band. We briefly meet a sad-eyed bloke who plays drums—and plays them well—in a competing band on the circuit. 

We will also meet two founding Beatles: Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best, and tell some of Stu’s story, a story with a tragic ending. 

At the end of the second tour, the Beatles become a four piece, and acquire their signature instruments. At the end of the third Hamburg tour, they come back to Liverpool as conquering heroes. 

June of 1962, and John, Paul, and George stand on the brink. 

Departure: there is one final move, one last step to take. And the Beatles already have someone in mind.

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Synopsis 

Rock N Roll Archaeology excavates the divergent paths of Elton John and John Lennon in the first half of the 1970s, a period where one man sprinted toward the brightest spotlight on Earth while the other desperately sought an escape. From Elton's star-making coronation at the Troubadour to Lennon's chaotic "Lost Weekend" in Los Angeles, their journeys collide in a New York studio with a high-stakes wager over the song "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night." 

This is a story of two friends, two paths, and the unforeseen consequences of getting exactly what you wish for, set against the backdrop of the post-Beatles power vacuum and the dizzying heights of 70s superstardom.

Producer and Host: Christian Swain 

Head Writer: Richard Evans 

Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen 

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In this episode of RNRA Digs Deeper, host Christian Swain sits down with veteran music journalist Selena Fragassi to excavate the history of one of modern rock's most significant acts: Pearl Jam. Delving into her beautifully crafted new book, Pearl Jam Live: 35 Years of Legendary Music and Revolutionary Shows, Salena provides a unique perspective on the band's incredible journey.The conversation explores Pearl Jam's origins, born from the ashes of Seattle's "tragedy-stricken" music scene and bands like Mother Love Bone. Fragassi discusses how the band fused the arena-rock grandeur of The Who and Led Zeppelin with the raw, DIY ethos of punk rock, creating a sound that was both monumental and deeply personal.Discover the stories behind Pearl Jam's revolutionary struggle against the corporate music machine, including their famous battle with Ticketmaster and their conscious decision to step away from music videos and mainstream promotion. Fragassi explains how this "era of no" was a survival mechanism that allowed the band to maintain its authenticity and ultimately ensured its remarkable longevity.This in-depth interview also highlights:

• How Eddie Vedder, an outsider from San Diego, fundamentally altered the band's DNA. [cite: 20:21]
• The unique, collaborative, and "beautifully incestuous" nature of the Seattle scene that fostered their growth. [cite: 13:12]
• The evolution of the Pearl Jam live experience, from the raw, chaotic energy of their first-ever show in 1990 to the celebrated institution it is today. [cite: 22:48-23:4, 42:44]
• The creation of the Ten Club and how Pearl Jam redefined the artist-fan dynamic, making them a true "band for the people." [cite: 33:21]

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Examining–and reconsidering–The Rocky Horror Picture Show. At the time, it was transgressive, outrageous; but now it seems a little bit tame. And…a bit problematic, when taken in a modern context. But it's still the ultimate midnight movie, and it's still…just a jump to the left! 

Songs:

• RHPS Cast: “There’s a Light,” from the soundtrack album
• RHPS Cast: “The Time Warp,” from the soundtrack album
• Tim Curry: “I Do The Rock,” from Fearless
• RHPS Cast: “Sweet Transvestite,” from the soundtrack album
• Frank Zappa and the Mothers: “Cheepnis,” from Roxy & Elsewhere
• RHPS Cast: “Science Fiction Double Feature,” from the soundtrack album
• RHPS Cast: “Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul,” from the soundtrack album
• RHPS Cast: “Rose Tint My World,” from the soundtrack album
• RHPS Cast: “Super Heroes,” from the soundtrack

Online Resources:

First, we want to give a warm and appreciative shoutout to the blogger Alex Mell-Taylor; we leaned heavily on their post for this chapter:    

• Gently Ripping Apart ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ | by Alex Mell -Taylor
• Here’s a link to more by Alex Mell - Taylor at Medium.com.
• The Rocky Horror Wiki
• How I learned to stop worrying and love the Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Rock's Back Pages: It's only a movie
• The 50 Best Sci Fi Movies of the 1970s
• Golden Age of Science Fiction Books: 11 of the Era's Most Influential Titles
• Tim Curry
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Cult Classic that Challenged Sexual Mores | The Artifice
• Rocky Horror Picture Show – a How-To Guide for Audience Participation
• We Live in the World ‘Rocky Horror’ Created

Written by Richard Evans and Christian Swain

Produced and hosted by Christian Swain

Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen

Partners: Rock's Backpages

Voice Actors: Drew H as Alex Mell-Taylor

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Welcome to Rock N Roll Archaeology! This is a reboot of Episode One: The Precursors, originally released October 15, 2015. We updated and improved it some, and re-released it on November 4, 2020. 

⁠Show Notes and Playlist Here⁠

We begin in Times Square, late summer of 1945. The war is over. 

First up, the Baby Boom and a newly-discovered demographic, the white American teenager. 

This new cohort is huge, with unprecedented economic clout. Young, restless and affluent, and they want to get beyond the timid, conformist popular culture of 1950s America. 

“Race Records” (an outdated term for rhythm and blues records by African American musicians) become hugely popular with white teenagers. Drawn from the well of sorrow that is the Black American experience, this music has the edge and urgency--the authenticity--these kids are seeking. 

We meet our first hero - the musical genius Ray Charles - and our first anti-hero, the frenetic, fatally flawed DJ Alan Freed. 

We shine a light on two grassroots cultural movements that became important later: the Skiffle Craze in the United Kingdom and the Beat Poets of Urban America. 

1954 is an inflection point. On the musical front, Bill Haley released the first million-selling Rock N Roll record: “Rock Around The Clock.”   

That same year, big changes in the political landscape. The Brown v Board of Education decision; and Senator Joseph McCarthy was publically humiliated and discredited.

Freedom of Association and Freedom of Expression take a step forward. Paranoid politics and systemic racism are still very much with us in America, but in 1954 it got a little easier, became a little less risky, to be yourself and express yourself.

We head to the delivery room: Memphis Recording Service, where we meet the first Rock N Roll superstar, Elvis Presley, and tease Chapter Two.

Hosted and Produced by Christian Swain

Written By Richard Evans and Christian Swain

Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen

https://www.patreon.com/cw/RNRAP

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Rock N Roll Archaeology (RNRA) presents "Southbound," an exploration of 1970s Southern Rock. Through detailed storytelling, RNRA chronicles The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman's impact, and their resilience with Eat a Peach and Brothers And Sisters. The episode offers commentary on Lynyrd Skynyrd's rise, along with a feud and a flag. RNRA examines the artists, musical roots, studio successes, and tragic losses, with a look at this significant rock era and how it still resonates today.

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Rock N Roll Archaeology explores the 1970s LA Sound, a world of sun-drenched harmonies and seismic ambition. From a bizarre funeral pact for Gram Parsons at the Troubadour to the rise of the Eagles from Linda Ronstadt's backing band, this is the story of how a community of folk idealists, including Jackson Browne, gave birth to a billion-dollar industry. We chart the collision course between artistic collaboration and corporate rock, right on the fault line. Producer and Host: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen

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Dig into the archives for a conversation about John Lennon's five-year legal battle against the U.S. government's attempt to deport him. This episode explores the politically charged atmosphere of the early 1970s, where the Nixon administration, wary of Lennon’s anti-war stance and influence over a new generation of voters, sought to silence him.We revisit a powerful interview with the late Leon Wildes, the brilliant immigration attorney who represented John and Yoko, along with his son Michael Wildes. They reveal the strategies, pressures, and ultimate triumphs of a historic legal saga that tested the foundations of American justice and established a lasting legal precedent.

Guest

Leon Wildes was the renowned immigration attorney who successfully represented John Lennon and Yoko Ono against the U.S. government's deportation efforts. An adjunct professor of law and a leading expert in the field, he authored the book John Lennon vs. The U.S.A., detailing the landmark case. His son, Michael Wildes, is the managing partner of Wildes & Weinberg P.C. and continues his father's influential work in immigration law.

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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

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