PODCAST · music
Rock N Roll Archaeology
by Pantheon Media
Rock N Roll Archaeology (RNRA) is more than a podcast; it’s an immersive, carefully researched and produced audio documentary. RNRA explores the history of Rock Music, and then goes a step further. We contextualize Rock N Roll; we place it within the cultural, political, and technological landscapes of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. With storytelling, commentary, and a dash of musicology, we explore how music, culture, and technology interact and affect each other—how they ARE each other.
Episodes
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The Guardian of Forever: A Tribute to Richard Evans
"Time has resumed its shape. All is as it was before. Many such journeys are possible. Let me be your gateway." — The Guardian of Forever, Star Trek (1967)In the fall of 1975, a generation of "latchkey kids" across suburban America raced home to hijack the family television. They weren't looking...
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Shorts: I'm A Believer
We're just trying to be friendly! As a lead in to our next main episode, we're backtracking to the 60s. The Monkees were legit, and deserve to be in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, that's the gist of it. But we've got more of the Monkees! Like always, we'll dig a little deeper, and provide…
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Special Edition: Strange Days Indeed
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…
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(ICYMI) Episode 8: Meet The Beatles Part 2
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. Learn more about your…
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(ICYMI) Episode 7: Meet The Beatles Part 1
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....
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Episode 29: Whatever Gets You to the Light
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…
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Pearl Jam's Revolution: Author Salena Fragassi on 35 Years of Live Music & Legendary Shows
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...
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Shorts: RNRA Horror Podcast Short
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…
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(ICYMI) Episode 1: The Precursors--Redux
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...
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Episode 27: Southbound
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...
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Episode 28: Songs From the Fault Line
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…
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RNRA Digs Deeper: The USA vs John Lennon
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…
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Episode 25: I Know What I Like: The Rise and Fall of Prog
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…
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(ICYMI) Episode 18: 1969 Part 1
We’re putting down a marker with this episode, and the follow-up: the highest highs and the lowest lows of the entire Rock Era occurred in 1969. It’s a year so big, we had to cut it in two, in order to serve it up properly. We start in January, with The Beatles on The Roof, a 42-minute outdoor...
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(ICYMI) Episode 19: 1969 Part 2
Welcome back to the second half of our big chapter telling the big story of a big year in Rock. If you haven’t done so already, we highly recommend you listen to Episode 18 before you delve into this one! We tell the story of 1969 by telling the story of four concerts: The Beatles on the Roof…
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Shorts: The Three Body Problem
In 1985, a group of powerful "Washington Wives" led by Tipper Gore formed the PMRC to clean up rock and roll, sparking a culture war that culminated in a dramatic Senate hearing. This episode of Rock N Roll Archaeology, "The Three-Body Problem," performs a forensic autopsy on that manufactured...
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RNRA Digs Deeper: Dennis McNally
Episode Title: The Last Great Dream: Dennis McNally on the 1960s Counterculture, the Grateful Dead, and Its Lasting LegacyEpisode Summary:What if everything you thought you knew about the 1960s hippie movement and the Summer of Love was just scratching the surface? In this deep-dive conversation,...
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Shorts: Southern Rock Opera: Ghosts, Myths, and Monsters
Explore the power of myth with Drive-By Truckers' landmark album, Southern Rock Opera. This RNRA Short dissects how Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley used the legend of Lynyrd Skynyrd to confront "The Duality of the Southern Thing." Uncover the stories behind this ambitious double album, its...
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(ICYMI) Episode 21: Guitarmageddon
Synopsis The fuse was lit in 1966. Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Keith Moon came together to record a proto-metal classic. After the session an offhand quip from Keith Moon sticks with Jimmy Page. Then we meet The G; the imposing Peter Grant. Led Zeppelin’s fearsome tough-guy…
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(ICYMI) Episode 20: Ohio
Rock N Roll as the First Draft Of History. We begin in the midwest college town of Kent, Ohio, in the late spring of 1970. We’ll meet three future rockers--students at Kent State University, barely out of their teens--who will be changed forever by what they witness. We’ll check in on Motown…
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Deeper Digs: Interview with Robert Hilburn
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...
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Shorts: A Few Words in Praise of Randy Newman
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...
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Episode 26: Turn and Face the Strange
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…
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Shorts: "A Complete Unknown" Gets Bob Dylan's Story Right - Even When It's Wrong
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…
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Shorts: Springsteen On Screen
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...
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Shorts: Politics of Dancing
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...
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Shorts: Celebrating Country Soul
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...
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Shorts: Swifties - Beyond Beatlemania?
To mark the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' inaugural performance on U.S. soil, we decided to do a quick compare-and-contrast. We’ll revisit that watershed moment in music and culture, and talk about something recent that actually comes close to matching that moment: the ongoing Eras Tour from...
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Episode 24: The Wonder Years
The Soul of the 1970s. First, Marvin Gaye kicked the door open with “What’s Going On,” and then Stevie Wonder barged in. The Wonder Years spanned 1971 to 1976; when the transcendent, diverse talent of Stevie Wonder was in its fullest flower. That five-album span is one of the most successful and...
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Shorts: Celluloid Heroes
Welcome back to Rock N Roll Archaeology! Got another RNRA Short Podcast for you. This one is named after the Kinks song “Celluloid Heroes.” Rock N Roll goes to the movies (and television) in this one. We’ll take a look at three shows that feature fictional Rock bands: the movies “Almost Famous”…
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Shorts: Disco Demolition!
RNRA Shorts: Disco Demolition! Take us back to the Distant Days of Disco, Summer of 1979. Steve Dahl, a brash young DJ at WLUP- FM (“Chicago’s Best Rock!”), has declared war on Disco. On July 12, 1979, he took the fight to Comiskey Park, in between games of a doubleheader between the home-team...
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Episode 23: Radio, Radio
We want the airwaves, baby! Chapter 23 of Rock N Roll Archaeology tunes into radio and radio culture in America and elsewhere. There was a brief moment in the 70s and early 80s where FM Rock Radio was something pretty special.So what was that like, and where have all the good times gone? Some...
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Shorts: Diamond Dust (A Tribute to Jeff Beck)
Remembering the late great Jeff Beck, the guitarist’s guitarist. An innovator and an iconoclast with a bold experimental spirit, Jeff left his unique stamp on hundreds of great songs. Songs Jeff Beck: “Diamond Dust,” from Blow By Blow Jeff Beck: “Blue Wind,” from Wired The Yardbirds: “Stroll On,”...
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Shorts: Secrets From A Saucer
Bands in the van, and a band at the crossroads. In this episode of RNRA Shorts, we’ll get into the early days of Pink Floyd, and the latest from a Pink Floyd member: Nick Mason’s 2022 Saucerful of Secrets tour. Written by Richard Evans and Christian Swain, Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen.…
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Shorts: The Art of the Steal
Content warning: Here at RNRA, we don’t hide our views. At all. But when it comes to politics, we try not to be in-your-face about it either. Our little slogan is “Just tell the story, and the point will get made.”This time though, we’re a little more overt, we’re letting it rip just a little…
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Episode 22: The Second Wave - On the Morning After the Sixties
We start with a tragedy, then a cautionary tale of the world not ready for a band. We then find more positive inspiration from an artist who delivers a huge seller. We end with a legend. Janis Joplin dies just before releasing her magnum opus, “Pearl.” A band called Fanny is ready to rock, but a...
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Shorts: The Juggalos are Alright
Welcome back to RNRA Shorts! This time, it’s Filth Through The Ages, and let’s meet some unlikely Free Speech Warriors. Yes, we said it, and we will die on this hill: The Juggalos Are Alright. Psst, hey! Got a topic suggestion? Let us know! Songs Frank Zappa: “Stinkfoot,” from Apostrophe’, 1974...
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Shorts: Joni & the Prince
A quick look at an intriguing relationship: Joni Mitchell and Prince. Enjoy! Oh, hey! Got a topic idea for RNRA Shorts? Shoot us an email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 21: Guitarmageddon
The fuse was lit in 1966. Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Keith Moon came together to record a proto-metal classic. After the session an offhand quip from Keith Moon sticks with Jimmy Page. Then we meet The G; the imposing Peter Grant. Led Zeppelin’s fearsome tough-guy manager was a…
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Episode 20: Ohio
Rock N Roll as the First Draft Of History We begin in the midwest college town of Kent, Ohio, in the late spring of 1970. We’ll meet three future rockers--students at Kent State University, barely out of their teens--who will be changed forever by what they witness. We’ll check in on Motown…
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Episode 19: 1969 Part II
This episode is dedicated with love to the memory of our dear friend Dennis Gordon. Dennis was the big booming voice on our show “bumpers” that would begin and end each chapter of Rock N Roll Archaeology. Thank you Dennis, we miss you. May the Four Winds blow you safely home. Welcome back to the...
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Episode 18: 1969 Part I
We’re putting down a marker with this episode, and the follow-up: the highest highs and the lowest lows of the entire Rock Era occurred in 1969. It’s a year so big, we had to cut it in two, in order to serve it up properly. We start in January, with The Beatles on The Roof, a 42-minute outdoor...
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Episode 17: Bookends
Chapter 17 of Rock N Roll Archaeology is bookended by a couple of Simon & Garfunkel albums: “Bookends” from the spring of 1968; and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from January of 1970. Our story takes place mostly in New York City: a city big enough to spawn two very different, very talented--and...
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Episode 16: East of Eden
We start our tale of Paradise Lost in Buena Vista Park, San Francisco, in the fall of 1967. Hippie, the Devoted Son of Mass Media, is dead, and the San Francisco Diggers are conducting the funeral. From the funky streets of the Haight we head east a couple miles to the Fillmore West, and meet a...
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Episode 15: Slouching Towards Bethlehem
An impressionistic look at the interplay of Rock N Roll and Culture in Los Angeles during the latter half of the 1960s. There are familiar elements: storytelling, critical discussion and commentary, and lots of Rock N Roll attitude. But this one is different from most of our previous RNRAP...
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Episode 14: I'd Love to Turn You On
We open in Manila, in the Republic of the Philippines, July 3rd, 1966. The second stop of the Far East leg of the Beatles’ 1966 tour starts out weird and ominous, and gets worse from there. By the time the tour sputters to a halt—late August in San Francisco—the boys are almighty sick of it.…
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Episode 13: Hard to Handle
We open at Waldo Point Marina in Sausalito, California, just north of San Francisco. Otis Redding takes a break from the road on Bill Graham’s houseboat, and comes up with a signature song. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 12: Machine Gun
Jimi Hendrix's astonishing, supernatural talent was forged in poverty and neglect as he grew up in Seattle. We talk about that, and about the night Elvis came to town. After a short stint in the Army comes to a humiliating end, Jimi takes it on the road and spends the next four years paying his...
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Episode 11: I Can't Explain
We start by taking a clear-eyed look at the infamous seaside “Riots” in the resort town of Clacton, United Kingdom and several other towns in the summer of 1964. The British press were WAY over the top in their depiction of these events, but they did document the first schism, the first big...
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Episode 10: Roll Away The Stones
Episode Ten opens up with Christian narrating at the site of the Bricklayer’s Arms Public House, in Soho, West London, where Brian Jones met with two younger men, school chums, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, in the fall of 1963. You might know them as The Rolling Stones. Learn more about your ad...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Rock N Roll Archaeology (RNRA) is more than a podcast; it’s an immersive, carefully researched and produced audio documentary.
RNRA explores the history of Rock Music, and then goes a step further. We contextualize Rock N Roll; we place it within the cultural, political, and technological landscapes of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
With storytelling, commentary, and a dash of musicology, we explore how music, culture, and technology interact and affect each other—how they ARE each other.
HOSTED BY
Pantheon Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Rock N Roll Archaeology have?
Rock N Roll Archaeology currently has 59 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Rock N Roll Archaeology about?
Rock N Roll Archaeology (RNRA) is more than a podcast; it’s an immersive, carefully researched and produced audio documentary. RNRA explores the history of Rock Music, and then goes a step further. We contextualize Rock N Roll; we place it within the cultural, political, and technological...
How often does Rock N Roll Archaeology release new episodes?
Rock N Roll Archaeology has 59 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Rock N Roll Archaeology?
You can listen to Rock N Roll Archaeology on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Rock N Roll Archaeology?
Rock N Roll Archaeology is created and hosted by Pantheon Media.
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