Rock in Retrospect
by Nick Bambach
“Rock in Retrospect” focuses on the lives, careers and legacies of artists who made a significant impact on the music industry. Host Nick Bambach invites a guest to discuss their favorite artists and why they matter. We also occasionally create episodes focusing on awards shows and music-related institutions such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Oscars, and the Grammys. If you enjoy stimulating and often-humorous discussions about music history in a laid-back environment, then this is the podcast for you!
Episodes
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Movie Talk: Joy Division
Helen and Jeff return to discuss the 2007 documentary Joy Division, which covers the history of the legendary post-punk band. We give our takes on the movie and reveal our favorite Joy Division songs. We conclude this episode with a discussion of Joy Division and New Order's upcoming induction…
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Movie Talk: Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer
Darren and Peter return to discuss the 2025 documentary Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer, which chronicles the final years of original Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno. They talk about their Iron Maiden fandoms and share their thoughts on the documentary. We conclude by discussing Iron Maiden's...
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Movie Talk: Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger
Jon and Mike return to discuss the 2026 documentary Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger, which focuses on the legendary band's massively successful return tour from 2025. They detail their experiences going to the shows in their respective cities, seeing the movie in theaters (in IMAX no less!), and...
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Movie Talk: The Phil Collins Big Band
Today, we're discussing the 1996 television documentary The Phil Collins Big Band, which takes us behind the scenes of one of Phil Collins' most fascinating musical side projects. Best known for his work with Genesis and his hugely successful solo career, Collins decided to fulfill a lifelong…
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Movie Talk: The Library That Dolly Built
Fellow librarian John returns to discuss the 2020 documentary The Library That Dolly Built, which explores country music icon Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and its mission to provide free books to millions of children around the world. This episode is also, in part, a tribute to the late,...
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Movie Talk: Dio: Dreamers Never Die
Kyle, Patrick, and Hector return to discuss Don Argott and Demian Fenton's 2022 documentary Dio: Dreamers Never Die, which focuses on the life and career of iconic hard rock and metal singer Ronnie James Dio. Whether he was in Rainbow, Black Sabbath, or Dio, his operatic vocals and magnetic stage...
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Artist Spotlight: April Wine
Tim Durling (Author of On Record: The April Wine Album Review) returns to discuss the career and legacy of Canadian classic rockers April Wine. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party
Kevin Brown (The Tom Petty Project) joins Nick to discuss Cameron Crowe’s 1983 music documentary Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party. Originally filmed as an MTV promotional special supporting the band’s 1982 album Long After Dark, the film captures Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the height…
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Movie Talk: Stop Making Sense
Nick is joined by his friends and A24k Gold co-hosts Amanda, Darren, and Kailyn for a special crossover episode! Together, they discuss Jonathan Demme’s classic concert film Stop Making Sense (1984), featuring the legendary Talking Heads at the height of their powers. Often hailed as the greatest...
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Artist Spotlight: Coldplay
Josh and Kyle join Nick to discuss the career and legacy of 21st century hitmakers Coldplay. We discuss their consistent popularity over the last quarter century, their status as a great live act, share our favorite songs and albums from their legendary career, and why they are no brainers for...
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Movie Talk: The Ballad of Wallis Island
Jacob and Rachel, hosts of the podcast Cinema Role, join Nick to discuss James Griffiths' 2025 musical comedy-drama The Ballad of Wallis Island. The film stars Tom Baden, Tim Key, and Carey Mulligan. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues
Patrick, Mike, and Hector return to discuss Rob Reiner's 2025 mockumentary Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues. We share on thoughts on the movie, and conclude by selecting our favorite film from Reiner's legendary career. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Milli Vanilli
Cliff and Helen are back to revisit one of the biggest music scandals of all time as they discuss the 2023 Paramount+ documentary Milli Vanilli. We dive into the incredible rise and spectacular fall of the 80s pop duo, unpack the infamous lip-syncing controversy, and explore how the documentary...
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5-Year Anniversary Special: Listeners Q&A
Today marks the 5-year anniversary of Rock in Retrospect! To celebrate this milestone, I turned it over to listeners to ask Nick anything they wanted him to answer or share stories about. From behind-the-scenes stories to questions he's never answered before, nothing was off limits. Let's…
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Movie Talk: Michael
Albert and Diya return to discuss Antoine Fuqua's Michael (2026), the long-awaited music biopic chronicling the early life and career of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. They share their thoughts on the film—both its strengths and shortcomings—highlight the standout performances (including…
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Movie Talk: Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd
Comedian and writer Murray Valeriano returns to discuss the 2023 documentary Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. We analyze the film, sharing plenty of funny stories and anecdotes along the way. We wrap up the episode with a mixtape of our favorite Pink Floyd songs...
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Interview with Scott Kummer (Host of I've Got That On Vinyl and Creator of Project My Top 10)
Scott Kummer (co-host of I've Got That On Vinyl) returns to join Nick to discuss his podcast and his ongoing Project My Top 10 series. The first half of the episode covers IGTOV's origins, format, and a rundown of the current rankings. The second half features Nick and Scott each revealing their...
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Movie Talk: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Mike (Retro Rock Roundup) and Tony return to discuss their thoughts on the 2025 biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which explores Bruce Springsteen’s personal and professional struggles during the making of his 1982 album Nebraska. We also discuss the newly released Electric Nebraska to...
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Interview with Barry Mazor (Author of Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story)
Prolific country music writer Barry Mazor joins Nick to talk about his recent book Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story. The book has been widely praised as the definitive biopgraphy about the iconic musical duo and it's definitely one of the best music history books written in the last few...
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Artist Spotlight: Smashing Pumpkins
Greg returns to the show to discuss the career and legacy of the iconic rock band Smashing Pumpkins. We discuss their history, success, their catalog, and why they deserve to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Support the show
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Movie Talk: We Want the Funk!
The Douche Caravan returns! Jon (Host of The Hustle Podcast), Patrick (Host of The EETF Podcast) and Michael join Nick to discuss Stanley Nelson and Nicole London's 2025 documentary We Want the Funk!, which covers the history of the genre. Support the show
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Interview with Martin Popoff (Author of Kiss '76: Twelve Months That Defined the Hottest Band in the Land)
Prolific rock writer Martin Popoff joins Nick to talk about his latest book Kiss '76: Twelve Months That Defined the Hottest Band in the Land. You can purchase a copy of Popoff's book at any major retailer, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Quatro. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Selena y Los Dinos
Albert and Dya join Nick to talk about the 2025 Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos. Support the show
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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class Reaction
The Rock Hall squad is back! David, Mark, Michelle, and Tom return to share their thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 inductees. We did things a little differently this time, asking our Patreon supporters for topics they wanted us to cover and questions they wanted us to...
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Artist Spotlight: Jonathan Richman / The Modern Lovers
Scott and Jon join Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Jonathan Richman. We talk about both his time with the proto-punk pioneers The Modern Lovers and his ever-eclectic solo career. We talk about a variety of topics, but have a lengthy conversation weighing the merits for a potential...
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Interview with Daniel Bukszpan (Author of Rush and 2112: Fifty Years)
Historian and writer Daniel Bukszpan returns to discuss his latest book Rush and 2112: Fifty Years. You can purchase a copy of Daniel's book at retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Quarto Books. Support the show
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Artist Spotlight: New Edition
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray (Queue Points Podcast) return to discuss the career and legacy of the iconic R&B and pop group New Edition. Topics include the group’s rise to fame, their legendary lineup of members, our favorite albums and songs from their catalog, and their current nomination for...
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Artist Spotlight: Shakira
Cally and Loïc (co-hosts of Shakipedia: A Shakira Podcast) join Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Latin pop superstar and cultural icon Shakira! We discussed a variety of topics including Shakira's electifying live shows, her Spanish-language works of the 90s, her breakthrough success on…
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Movie Talk: Phil Collins: Drummer First
Traci, who runs the Get Phil Voted In campaign to get Phil Collins inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a second time as a solo artist, returns to discuss Brandon Toews' 2024 documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First. The entire movie is streaming for free on YouTube. We finish this episode…
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Movie Talk: Mystify: Michael Hutchence
To celebrate INXS’ 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, Nick invited several members of the INXS fan base—Jim, Jon, and Shannon—to discuss Richard Lowenstein’s 2019 documentary Mystify: Michael Hutchence. Support the campaign to get INXS inducted into the Rock Hall by visiting Induct INXS.…
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Artist Spotlight: Oasis
Historian and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame voter Charles Hughes joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Oasis. They cover a range of topics, including the band’s status as Britpop legends, the massive success of their tour last year, and their current Rock Hall nomination (the third…
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Movie Talk: Song Sung Blue
Richard and Jordan return to discuss all things Neil Diamond and the 2025 biopic Song Sung Blue starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Diane Warren: Relentless
Cliff and Helen return to discuss the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless (2024) which focuses on the life and career of legendary songwriter Diane Warren. We give our takes on the movie, the Oscar-nominated song "Dear Me," and conclude with a rundown of our favorite songs from her catalog....
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2026 Oscar Nominees in the Music Categories
Darren and Peter return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were snubbed. We also discuss the Oscars’ decision to omit...
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Reacting to the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall Nominees Ballot
An all-star panel of Rock Hall experts join Nick to discuss the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees Ballot! Tom, Mark, Michelle, Traci, Jon, and Andrea return to give their takes on all 17 nominees. Disclaimer: We recorded this episode the day the nominations were announced on Wednesday…
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Movie Talk: Stans
Jordan, Kailyn, and Sam return to discuss the 2025 documentary Stans, which explores the career of rap icon Eminem through his superfans. We give our thoughts on the movie, share some personal stories, and cap it off with our favorite songs from his legendary catalog. Support the show
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Movie Talk: Pavements
Scott and Andrew join Nick to discuss Alex Ross Perry's film 2024 Pavements, which focuses on the legendary indie rock band Pavement. Support the show
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Artist Spotlight: Night Ranger
Tim Durling (Author of Sing Me Away: The Night Ranger Album Review and host of Tim's Vinyl Confessions) joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of classic rock legends Night Ranger! We discuss the band's sound, their influences, their iconic song "Sister Christian," among other topics. We...
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Movie Talk: It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley
The Douche Caravan returns! Jon Lamoreaux (Host of The Hustle Podcast), Patrick Dupuis (Host of The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford join Nick to discuss Amy Berg's 2025 documentary It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley. The movie focuses on the career of the legendary Jeff Buckley, whose album Grace...
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Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project: 2026 Update
Joe Kwaczala (host of Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) returns to discuss Nick's recently updated 'Rock Hall Prospects Project' list, now in its sixth year, which ranks who he feels are the most deserving artists heading into the next Rock Hall season. We discuss the artists who made the top 10…
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Movie Talk: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
Cliff and Helen return to discuss the 2025 Hulu documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, which traces the origins and legacy of the iconic music festival founded by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. They share their thoughts on the movie, and select their favorite songs from those who...
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Artist Spotlight: Burton Cummings
Josh Mackenzie (host of Vinyl Spin YVR) joins Nick to discuss the solo career of Burton Cummings. Topics discussed include Cummings' time with the Guess Who, his status as one of Canada's most beloved musicians, his album covers, and share our favorite songs from his legendary career. Support the...
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2026 Rock Hall Nominees Draft
The Rock Hall Squad (David, Greg, Mark, Michelle, and Tom) join Nick for this year's Rock Hall draft! We ponder which artists could be nominated on the performers ballot for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026. Support the show
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Interview with Greg Prato (Author of Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History)
Prolific author Greg Prato joins Nick to talk about his recent book Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History. We discuss the many rock stars and personalities he interviewed while working on his book, artists of that era that deserve more love and attention, and…
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Movie Talk: Depeche Mode: M
Kailyn returns to discuss the 2025 concert documentary Depeche Mode: M. We discuss Kailyn seeing the movie's premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, our thoughts on the movie, and cap it off with a rundown of our favorite songs from their legendary catalog. This is one for the...
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Artist Spotlight: Phil Collins
Traci and Jon join the show to discuss the career and legacy of Phil Collins, one of the most legendary musicians of all time. We focus on Collins’ solo career and explore a wide range of topics, including his years with Genesis, his catalog of massively successful songs (“In the Air Tonight,”...
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Movie Talk: One to One: John & Yoko
Richard returns to discuss the 2024 documentary One to One: John & Yoko, which focuses on the years John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent together in a Greenwich Village apartment from 1971 to 1973. The film also centers on the benefit concert "One to One," held at Madison Square Garden in August 1972.…
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Interview with Sean Egan (Author of Bruce Springsteen & Born to Run: 50 Years)
Prolific author Sean Egan join Nick to discuss his latest book Bruce Springsteen & Born to Run: 50 Years. We also talk about Sean's research for the book, and provide a quick track-by-track rundown of this classic album. Here is Sean's website where you can find all the other wonderful books he…
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2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Recap: Part II
Part Two of our coverage and analysis of the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. With a different set of friends who also went to the show, Nick invited Cliff, Ross, Pat, and Jeff to give their thoughts on everything that went down. The ceremony took place at the Peacock Theater in...
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2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Recap: Part I
Nick attended the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last weekend and asked for a little help from his friends to discuss their experiences attending the event. Darren, Jon, Richard, and Traci share what it was like to be in the Peacock Theater and give their takes on everything…
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About this show
“Rock in Retrospect” focuses on the lives, careers and legacies of artists who made a significant impact on the music industry. Host Nick Bambach invites a guest to discuss their favorite artists and why they matter. We also occasionally create episodes focusing on awards shows and music-related institutions such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Oscars, and the Grammys. If you enjoy stimulating and often-humorous discussions about music history in a laid-back environment, then this is the podcast for you!
Hosted by
Nick Bambach
Categories