Less Than Zero: The Soundtrack That Defined the Dark Side of the ‘80s // Neon, Drugs & Great Music episode artwork

EPISODE · May 10, 2026 · 42 MIN

Less Than Zero: The Soundtrack That Defined the Dark Side of the ‘80s // Neon, Drugs & Great Music

from Rock of Aging · host Rock of Aging

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika take a trip to the darker side of Hollywood in the late 1980s. The 1987 film, Less Than Zero, told a tale of extreme wealth and extreme behavior among a circle of friends navigating young adulthood. The movie starred some of the biggest actors of the era: Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey Jr, Jami Gertz, and James Spader.Neither of us was old enough to see this R-rated movie in the theater when it was released in 1987. The soundtrack, on the other hand, was an instant classic. Less Than Zero produced one of the best soundtracks of the entire decade!Aerosmith, Slayer, Poison, LL Cool J, The Bangles, are just a few of the artists on this album. We go through the entire thing: the good, the bad, and the...meh. We get to the bottom of why this soundtrack is celebrated more than the actual movie.For Dave's (Not So) Deep Dive, he is talking about the new heavy metal band from Brooklyn, Castle Rat (https://castlerat.com/). This doom metal band has been winning over crowds for years, and has just released a new album called, The Bestiary.For Erika's Atmosphere Check, she explains the difference between 8pm - 10pm Hollywood in 1987, and 2am - 4am Hollywood in 1987. It could get pretty dark on those streets the later you're out there.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

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In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika take a trip to the darker side of Hollywood in the late 1980s. The 1987 film, Less Than Zero, told a tale of extreme wealth and extreme behavior among a circle of friends navigating young adulthood. The movie starred some of the biggest actors of the era: Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey Jr, Jami Gertz, and James Spader. Neither of us was old enough to see this R-rated movie in the theater when it was released in 1987. The soundtrack, on the oth...

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Less Than Zero: The Soundtrack That Defined the Dark Side of the ‘80s // Neon, Drugs & Great Music

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