101 - The FBI's Greatest Hits: Musicians Under Surveillance

We’re looking at the clash between music and The Man diving into times when the FBI investigated musicians. Considering the role that music played in the 60s and 70s, it was only a matter of time before the FBI started investigating rock and roll. Some of the stories are silly. Picture this, it’s 1963 and a bunch of FBI agents are hunched over a record player listening to Louie Louie over and over – forwards and backwards – desperately searching for dirty lyrics that didn’t exist. And others are more serious. In 1972, the FBI put John Lennon under surveillance and wiretapped his phone because President Nixon was afraid that his stance on the Vietnam War would influence young voters. The government started proceedings to deport him. 

Over the decades, the FBI has investigated or kept tabs on all sorts of musicians. Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison; folk singers Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie; Aretha Franklin, the Monkees, NWA, Charles Mingus, the Insane Clown Posse, and more. There’s a lot of ground to cover in this one, but we’re up for the challenge. Let’s hit it.

100 - Running With the Devil with the Blue Meanie

Van Halen was one of the greatest American rock and roll bands of all time, captivating audiences with their energetic performances, innovative guitar riffs, and catchy lyrics. Led by guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen created the perfect blend of hard rock with some pop sensibilities. Even as their sound evolved over the years as they switched back and forth between the showmanship of Diamond David Lee Roth. the more straightforward powerful voice of Sammy Hagar, and that other guy that most fans overlook, they made millions of fans and inspired countless musicians. 

We’re talking about Van Halen’s career, and for our 100th episode, we’re calling in the big guns: former WWE Superstar and ECW Original The Blue Meanie, a diehard Van Halen fan

99 - Low-End Legends: Bass Players

Today, we’re diving into the shadows of the stage—the bass players, the four-string rebels who hold down the low end while the spotlight hogs the glory. These aren’t just rhythm keepers; they’re the heartbeat of rock, the growl in the groove, the ones who break the rules and make the walls shake. We’ve put together a list of some of the most iconic bass players in music history. 

98 - From Grace to Glory: A Tribute to John McCusker

Prisoners of Rock and Roll is a show where we talk about music, the people who make it, and the everlasting effect it has on us. Today’s episode is personal. Last week, we lost Ryan’s dad John McCusker – he was a South Philadelphia icon who always put his family first, the owner of McCusker’s Tavern, a friend to thousands, a diehard baseball fan, and a music lover. So in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re doing a tribute to John McCusker by talking about some of the music that he loved. This one’s for you, John.

97 - The Many Lineups and Lives of Lollapalooza

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stage-diving into the sweaty, dusty madness of Lollapalooza—a festival that started as a punk-rock farewell tour and turned into a genre-crushing, culture-shaping juggernaut with more lives than Keith Richards. 

96 - CBGB: Punk's Grimy Cathedral

On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re stepping into the grimy, graffiti-smeared chaos of CBGB—the legendary Bowery dive that became punk’s ground zero. A Cathedral of Misfits. The place stank, the bathrooms were a nightmare, but the music? Pure, unpolished fire. The Ramones hammered out three-chord blitzkriegs, Patti Smith snarled poetry into punk, Blondie strutted to stardom, and Talking Heads turned weird into gold—all while helping change rock forever.

95 - The Music of 1995

On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re jumping in our musical memory machine and going back 30 years to 1995. Rock and roll still ruled the charts and alternative music was still a thing. We’re going cover as much of it as we can in this throwback episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, so let’s hit it. 

94 - The Music & Legacy of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson is one of the most influential artists in music history. His talent was undeniable, his impact was massive, and his life… well, it was complicated. On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re talking about the King of Pop and how he impacted music, music videos, fashion, dance, and culture. But there are also controversies, his personal eccentricities, and the allegations. We’re going to talk about it all in this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, so let’s hit it.   

93 - Our Favorite TV Themes

On this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re flipping on the tube and talking about television theme songs! These are the tracks that play during the opening credits and get stuck in your head for the rest of the week. From classics like Cheers and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to rock-driven intros like The Sopranos or Friends, TV theme songs are often as iconic as the shows themselves. They set the tone, build the vibe, and sometimes, they even tell a story better than the show ever could (looking at you, Gilligan’s Island). So grab the remote, plop down on the couch, and tune in as we talk about the songs that had us singing along before we even knew what binge-watching was. Don’t touch that dial—this episode’s gonna be one for the record books!