PODCAST · music
The Hustle
by Jon Lamoreaux
What does it take to maintain a career in music? We track down members of bands that flirted with stardom and find out what their lives are like now. How did it feel to get that first big break? What was fame like at its peak? What was the transition back into normal life like? And what have you been doing since?
Episodes
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Hey, where's the new episode?
If you're listening to this, it means you still haven't re-subscribed to the new feed. Here's what you do. Go into iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts and search for The Hustle. Two instances should come up. The one with this as the most recent episode is the old one. Delete your…
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PLEASE LISTEN!
We have switched to a new host site, so this podomatic site will be going away in the next few days. If you are a subscriber, you will need to RE-SUBSCRIBE to the podcast in order to get new episodes. The new iTunes feed will be live before next Tuesday's episode, so look for it and re-subscribe…
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Episode 23 - Walter Egan
Walter's the self-proclaimed "Forrest Gump of rock" and the man behind one of the most enduring hits of the 70s "Magnet and Steel" which reached #8 in 1978. His career was launched with the support of producers Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, who were also in the throes of their own drama...
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Episode 22 - Peppy Castro of Blues Magoos/Barnaby Bye/Wiggy Bits/Balance
Peppy's music career goes back 50 years, from his one-hit-wonder 60s band Blues Magoos, to his one-hit-wonder 80s band Balance. The guy's never stopped, collaborating with Paul Stanley, teaching Ace Frehley how to play guitar, and writing songs for Diana Ross. His greatest monetary success might…
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Episode 21 - Walter Wray of King Swamp/LiTTLe MaCHiNe
Walter Wray was the lead singer of the excellent alternative rock band King Swamp who had a minor hit in 1989 with the song "Is This Love". The band had a great pedigree, as it featured members of Shriekback, as well as Dominic Miller, who has played with Sting for the last 25 years or so. Walter...
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Episode 20 - Dr. Robert of The Blow Monkeys
In the States, the Blow Monkeys are best known for their #14 1986 hit "Digging Your Scene" and their appearance on the multi-million selling Dirty Dancing soundtrack. But, Dr. Robert has never stopped in Europe releasing several solo albums as well as re-igniting the Blow Monkeys in 2007. We talk...
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Episode 19 - Bertie Higgins
Bertie Higgins is the man behind one of the quintessential yacht rock classics of all time, "Key Largo", which reached #8 in 1982. But, did you know that he's still huge in other parts of the world, including the Pacific Rim where he still plays to thousands of fans? There are so many interesting...
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Episode 18 - Todd Duncan of The Crazy 8s
The Crazy 8s were an American ska band in the 80s and 90s out of Portland. While they had some regional success, they never completely broke nationwide, although they did get major national exposure when they appeared on Star Search! They were a band of high ideals and a strong DIY attitude, but…
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Episode 17 - Johnny Vatos of Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo are still one of the most beloved bands of the last 35 years. When they called it quits 20 years ago Danny Elfman went on to bigger things and has never looked back, but what about the other guys. Johnny tells us about his life before and after Boingo, what music he's doing now that...
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Episode 16 - Christopher Thorn of Blind Melon
Your band gets launched into worldwide fame as your debut album sells four million copies. Shortly after your second album comes out your lead singer, the face of your band, suddenly dies of a drug overdose. What now? Blind Melon's Christopher Thorn answers that question in stunning detail. He…
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Episode 15 - Jimmer Podrasky of The Rave-Ups
Jimmer was the frontman of the seminal 80s college rock band The Rave-Ups who were forever immortalized when they appeared the movie Pretty in Pink. After three critically-acclaimed albums the band broke up and Jimmer basically disappeared for the next 25 years. Unfortunately, he had a rough go...
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Episode 14 - Jeff Murphy of Shoes
Here's another "first day of MTV" band. After over 40 years as a group, we felt Shoes deserved an in depth career retrospective. Jeff Murphy tells the stories behind each album, how him being a gearhead from a young age influenced the band's sound, and war stories with the likes of Gene Simmons…
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Episode 13 - Slim Man of Bootcamp/Solo
In honor of MTV's 34th birthday, we talk to a guy that was there on day one. Slim Man was the driving force behind a hard rock group in the early 80s called Bootcamp who appeared a couple times on MTV's first day on the air. But, for the last 20 years he's taken on the Slim Man moniker and made a...
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Episode 12 - Rich Spina of Love Affair/Herman's Hermits
Not everyone would be able to go from frontman to sideman. To go from lead singer of your own modern rock band to sidekick for oldies acts may take some pride swallowing, but Rich Spina has had nothing but success (and a steady paycheck) since making the switch. Here's the story of a man who...
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Episode 11 - Chaz Jankel of The Blockheads/Beloved 80s Movie Soundtrack Fame/Solo
I first heard Chaz Jankel on the soundtrack to Real Genius, but it turns out the guy has had a storied career in the UK going back 40 years. From his rise to prominence in Ian Dury and the Blockheads, to the amazing dance music he's produced as a solo artist, Chaz deserves to be up there in the...
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Episode 10 - Jim Walker of JVA/Beloved 80s Movie Soundtrack Fame
Jim Walker recorded a beloved (but obscure) song for a beloved (but obscure) cult 80s teen movie soundtrack. This lead him to playing the Hollywood game for a few months, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tom Petty, Courtney Cox, and many others. Movie stardom may not have...
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Episode 9 - Canada Rocks! - with Holly Woods and Barry Connors of Toronto/Robb Reiner of Anvil
This week we hit Canada to talk to two awesome rock bands from the Great White North. First up is the early 80s rock band Toronto. They were a pretty big deal north of the border, but never got the credit they deserved (in more ways than one, as you'll hear) in the States. Then we talk to the...
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Episode 8 - Baxter of Re-flex
Baxter was the lead singer of the British new wave band, Re-flex, who had one hit in the states when "The Politics of Dancing" reached #23 in 1983. They continued to make music, but label politics made it difficult for the work to get released. We talk about that, what he's been doing since, his...
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Episode 7 - Clive Farrington of When In Rome
Clive is the man behind one of the most enduring hits of the 80s, 1988's "The Promise", which was reborn when it was featured in Napoleon Dynamite in 2003. Unfortunately, his band, When In Rome, quickly broke up and there's a lot of bad blood that's still very toxic to this day. Clive is working...
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Episode 6 - Brian Canham of Pseudo Echo
Brian Canham fronts the Australian band Pseudo Echo, who hit it big in 1986 when their cover of "Funkytown" reached #6 in the states. We talk about why the band dissolved a couple years later, how they ended up on the North Shore soundtrack, why he was memorably wearing a New York Yankees t-shirt...
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Episode 5 - Marge Raymond of Flame
Do you know anyone that's sung on some of the biggest hits in rock history, been friends with Bruce Springsteen and Steven Tyler, and performed with Pavarotti and Paul McCartney? I do. Her name is Marge Raymond and this is her story. She's the "most famous rock star you've never heard of."
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Episode 4 - AndyO of Blue Zoo
AndyO was the lead singer of the 80s British band Blue Zoo whose biggest hit was "Cry Boy Cry", reaching #13 in the UK charts in 1983. In our conversation, Andy discusses his conflicted feelings about his musical legacy, how he tried to continue in music when Blue Zoo ended, and what he does now,...
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Episode 3 - Paul Collins of The Beat
The self-proclaimed "King of Power Pop" tells the brutally honest story of his career ups and downs - from his early days with The Nerves to his promising solo career, to hitting rock bottom in the 90s only to finally be taken seriously again in recent years.
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Episode 2 - Mister Zero of The Kings
Mister Zero is the guitarist and primary songwriter of the Canadian power pop band The Kings who reached #43 in 1980 with "This Beat Goes On/Switching To Glide". We talk about working with Bob Ezrin on their debut album, his time in movies after music ended, and how a recent health scare may...
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Episode 1a - Intro to The Hustle - "By Way of Explanation..."
An explanation of the mission and inspiration behind the Hustle podcast.
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Episode 1 - Bruce Blackman of Starbuck
Bruce Blackman was the lead singer of the 70s band Starbuck, who had a #3 hit in 1976 with "Moonlight Feels Right". When the band broke up in 1980 Bruce turned his attention to other things until 2014 when he released his first solo album. We find out what he did in his time off, what motivated…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What does it take to maintain a career in music? We track down members of bands that flirted with stardom and find out what their lives are like now. How did it feel to get that first big break? What was fame like at its peak? What was the transition back into normal life like? And what have you been doing since?
HOSTED BY
Jon Lamoreaux
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Hustle have?
The Hustle currently has 26 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Hustle about?
What does it take to maintain a career in music? We track down members of bands that flirted with stardom and find out what their lives are like now. How did it feel to get that first big break? What was fame like at its peak? What was the transition back into normal life like? And what have you...
How often does The Hustle release new episodes?
The Hustle has 26 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Hustle?
You can listen to The Hustle 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 The Hustle?
The Hustle is created and hosted by Jon Lamoreaux.
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