PODCAST · music
Rush Strutter Zep Magik
Mike Bessler and Kevin McElvaney are pro wrestling writers who moonlight as music aficionados. As the title of this podcast suggests, we primarily focus on material by rock powerhouses Rush, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin, but every so often, we'll draw the proverbial "wild card" and discuss an artist beyond the bounds of this titanic troika. For each episode of RSZM, we select an album by one of these artists and discuss our personal recollections of the record, talk about the history behind the album, and go track-by-track and discuss each song.Also, the title of the show was Kevin's idea.
Episodes
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Limp Bizkit: Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (The Arianne Show)
For those about to Limp, we salute you! In this episode, two thirds of the RSZM brain trust convene in honor of our third member. Call it "The Arianne Show." In planning for this episode, we asked, "What would Arianne really like to hear us talking about?" There was no discussion and no debate....
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
New podcast, who dis? The RSZM crew returns from an extended hiatus with fresh conversation, familiar grievances, and the usual dose of chicanery. This week, Mike cues up The Velvet Underground's 1967 debut album for a thorough evaluation. From its rock and R&B roots to its avant-garde theatrics,...
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The Replacements: Let It Be
...AND WE'RE BACK! Just in time, too, as the podcast world has likely been on the edge of its collective seat wondering just what exactly our tremendous trio thinks of The Replacements for, lo, the past 16 months, give or take. Here's your no-spoils spoiler alert: Mike is thoroughly confused…
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Bauhaus: In the Flat Field
For many centuries, the best examples of "gothic rock" were the thousands upon thousands of bricks that filled out the medieval castles and cathedrals of Europe. Then in 1980, the English band Bauhaus released their first album, In the Flat Field, effectively laying a cornerstone of a new…
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Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind
From the Crimean War to the Prehistoric era and across the universe to the planet of Dune, we plunge our needles into each and every groove of Iron Maiden's 1983 metal manifesto, Piece of Mind. Side quests in this congenial confab include tangents and musings about X-Ray Spex, Dag Nasty, The…
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Sparks: Angst In My Pants
How many sparks does it take to ignite a prairie fire? We don't answer that particular question this episode, but we do immerse ourselves in the sonic ocean of Angst In My Pants, the 1982 offering by the influential synth-pop band, Sparks. In our discussion, we look at the history of the Mael...
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Ozzy Osbourne: Blizzard of Ozz
We're going off the rails this episode, as Arianne tees up Blizzard of Ozz as our topical somethingburger. We look at Ozzy's solo debut from almost every conceivable angle, from the wizardry of guitar virtuoso Randy Rhoads to Sharon Osbourne's Mandela Effect-like reminiscences of the album's...
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Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti
It's Arianne's first show as a bona fide co-host and in this episode, we're serving up two platters piled high with tangible vandalism! In our first official episode as a trio, we tackle Led Zeppelin's storied double album Physical Graffiti, sifting through its uncanny collection of uncredited...
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The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
From the sunny shores of Hawthorne, California to the sands of distant Melmac, Rush Strutter Zep Magik traces the roots and legacy of Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. Arguably Brian Wilson's most consequential work, we discuss the importance of Pet Sounds relative to the overarching mosaic of…
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Lulu by Lou Reed and Metallica
It's a podcast of extraordinary magnitude as Arianne joins Kevin and Mike for a meticulous dissection of the 2011 album Lulu. This controversial collab between Lou Reed and Metallica has garnered voluminous quantities of scorn and derision in the decade since its release, but our troika revisits...
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Roots of "Lulu"
If you've ever found yourself wondering how in the world the 2011 Lou Reed/Metallica album Lulu came into existence, here's your answer, fish-bulb! This isn't quite a full episode, so we'll call it a mini-sode and it's all about the roots of the aforementioned collaborative endeavor. Included in...
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The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
BRAND FREAKIN' NEW AND NOW ONLINE! Imagine a crisp page of graph paper featuring a perfectly executed, two-circle Venn diagram that depicts the coexistence between euphony and cacophony. Somewhere on the page, we might find a point representing The Shaggs — perhaps mingling in the bulbous...
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Special Episode: Neal Jones of Without Your Head & Severed Limbs Film Festival
Neal Jones, a.k.a. "Nasty Neal" of Without Your Head Horror and Beyond, joins Mike for a very special installment of the Rush Strutter Zep Magik podcast! In this "mini-sode," we cover a lot of ground, including: Neal's extensive experience as a podcaster and online personality, including his work...
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Kiss: Revenge
The Rush Strutter Zep Magik Podcast is out for Revenge! In this episode, Kevin and Mike take this pivotal Kiss album for a spin, skipping through the conversational daisies with tangents about The Buzzcocks, the work of composer Edvard Grieg, the novel Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse, season two of…
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Ramones: Rocket to Russia
Blasting back to the heyday of the punk movement, Kevin and Mike hop aboard Rocket to Russia, the third studio album by rough and tumble rockers, The Ramones. Featuring prominently in this consummate discourse on pop culture are gratuitous references to the likes of Walt Whitman, Paul McCartney…
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Rush: Moving Pictures
This episode, the guys are joined by Kevin's BFF, Andy, for a thoroughgoing discourse on "Moving Pictures," the 1981 multi-platinum composition by Rush. In their preparatory remarks, Kevin and Andy recall wistful afternoons spent riffing on instruments at their local Sam Ash store and Mike…
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Liz Phair: Exile In Guyville
This time around, Kevin and Mike get into the groove with Liz Phair's debut album, Exile in Guyville. Before they break it down, Mike suffers the embarrassment of mispronouncing the name of our bestest pal, Arianne, and Kevin proclaims the gospel of Ted Leo. The guys discuss the history and...
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Prince: Purple Rain
Kevin and Mike are joined by RSZM superfan Arianne for a thorough discussion of Prince's 1984 masterwork, Purple Rain! During the lead-up to their featured confab, Kevin gives props to the Meet My Friends The Friends podcast, Arianne discusses her affection for Dad rock, and Mike runs down some…
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Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III
It's a hoedown in the tradition of "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" as Mike and Kevin enjoy a platter of piping hot Zeppeliny goodness in the form of Led Zeppelin's tertiary offering, Led Zeppelin III. On the way to the proverbial fireworks factory, Kevin praises the pre-Hagar incarnation of Van Halen and Mike...
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Kiss: Lick It Up
At long last, Mike and Kevin engage in spirited discussion regarding Lick It Up, the Kiss LP that launched the "We're never putting the makeup on again, no way, no how" era! Al Castle, Senior Writer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated joins the guys for this roundtable chat about one of the most...
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Thin Lizzy: Jailbreak
For this - the tenth full-length episode of Rush Strutter Zep Magik - Kevin and Mike tee up Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy, a true underrated gem of the 1970s hard rock. Kicking things off, the guys run through some unfinished business from the 2112 and Jimmy Page/Chopin shows, and Kevin recounts his...
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Mini-sode: Jimmy Page and Frederic Chopin
It's another solo mini-sode with Mike at the helm and this time around, the topic at hand is Jimmy Page's rendition of Frédéric Chopin's "Prelude in E Minor, O. 28, N. 4." This unusual piece - which Page included on his offbeat soundtrack for Charles Bronson's Death Wish II - became a staple in...
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Rush: 2112
As they begin their latest trip around the sun, Mike and Kevin gaze into the far-flung future, discovering a reality in which a clique of sinister collectivists rule with an iron fist, suppressing creativity and individuality, to and fro, all the live-long day, and so forth. It's the story of the...
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Mini-sode: Music and Social Movements
And now for something completely different: In this "mini-sode," - a solo effort by Mike - we're swapping out the likes of Geddy Lee and Gene Simmons with names like Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. Venturing beyond the parameters of our typical rock and/or roll fare, this show provides a brief...
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The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced?
Rush Strutter Zep Magik ventures through a psychedelic wormhole in this episode, landing upon the hallowed grooves of the 1967 debut album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced? Before the trip begins, Kevin shares accolades for Canadian alternative rockers The Dirty Nil, as well as...
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Kiss: Destroyer
Rush Strutter Zep Magik returns with fire and thunder, surveying the landscape of a Kiss keystone, the 1976 album Destroyer. Before they get down to it, Kevin recounts all of the times that he has met Andrew W.K. and Mike discusses his longstanding affection for the founding fathers of black…
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Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV
In this episode, Mike and Kevin wind on down the road and careen headlong into Led Zeppelin's fabled fourth album. Some call it Led Zeppelin IV, others call it Runes, and the folks who call it Zoso are probably the kind of people who use the phrase "having said that" on a regular basis. Mike...
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Rush: Signals
Returning to the roots of the show, Mike and Kevin journey back to the heady days of 1982 for a look at the Rush album Signals. Before they get down to business, Mike recounts his recent attendance at a COVID-era drive-in concert by Dayton-area staple The Fries Band and Kevin raves about the…
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Pink Floyd: The Wall
It's a double-sized episode for a legendary double album! In this, the landmark fourth episode of Rush Strutter Zep Magik, Kevin plays his "Magik" card by selecting Pink Floyd's acclaimed conceptual extravaganza The Wall for review and comment. Before the featured discourse, they discuss the...
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Kiss: Kiss
With two episodes under their shared belt, Kevin and Mike confidently stroll into a discussion about the 1974 eponymous debut album by Kiss. Filled to the brim with the richness of live-show favorites, the record evokes Mike's memories of the pain and yearning associated with being a Kiss fan...
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Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy
In the second episode of Rush Strutter Zep Magik, we discuss how much the world has changed since our inaugural offering. Mike offers some leftover thoughts on the Rush album Permanent Waves and then we get down to business discussing Kevin's pick for this show, Led Zeppelin's 1973 album Houses…
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Rush: Permanent Waves
It's the first-ever edition of Rush Strutter Zep Magik! In this episode, Mike and Kevin discuss the philosophical underpinnings of the band and their late lyricist-in-chief Neil Peart and then they take a deep dive into the 1980 album Permanent Waves. Mike reminiscences about buying the album for...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Mike Bessler and Kevin McElvaney are pro wrestling writers who moonlight as music aficionados. As the title of this podcast suggests, we primarily focus on material by rock powerhouses Rush, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin, but every so often, we'll draw the proverbial "wild card" and discuss an artist beyond the bounds of this titanic troika. For each episode of RSZM, we select an album by one of these artists and discuss our personal recollections of the record, talk about the history behind the album, and go track-by-track and discuss each song.Also, the title of the show was Kevin's idea.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Rush Strutter Zep Magik have?
Rush Strutter Zep Magik currently has 32 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Rush Strutter Zep Magik about?
Mike Bessler and Kevin McElvaney are pro wrestling writers who moonlight as music aficionados. As the title of this podcast suggests, we primarily focus on material by rock powerhouses Rush, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin, but every so often, we'll draw the proverbial "wild card" and discuss an artist...
How often does Rush Strutter Zep Magik release new episodes?
Rush Strutter Zep Magik has 32 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Rush Strutter Zep Magik?
You can listen to Rush Strutter Zep Magik 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.
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