The Rock and Metal Profs
by Matt Alschbach & Court Lewis
Professors Dr. Courtland Lewis and Matt Alschbach offer a fun and academic analysis of Rock and Metal acts from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. This research-driven podcast relies on primary and secondary sources, and NEVER uses A.I. in any capacity.
Episodes
-
Episode 75: Talking RUSH Fifty-Something Tour with Dr. Reynaldo Rojo Mendoza
On this special edition of RAMP, Matt discusses the current RUSH Fifty-Somthing Tour with Rush aficionado Dr. Reynaldo Rojo Mendoza. Rey attended two RUSH shows in Mexico City in June 2026, while Matt attended two shows in Chicago in July. We talk setlists, performances, and of course, the...
-
Episode 74: Metallica: Revisiting Load and Reload
When Metallica released LOAD and RELOAD in 1996 & 1997, there was great controversy, particularly from long-time die-hard fans of their early work. There were myriad accusations that the band sold out, that they were chasing trends, and that they had betrayed their fans. Their look was…
more -
Episode 73: Dokken Part II: The 90s and 2000s
This week Matt is flying solo and telling the story of Dokken in the late-90s and 2000s. This was a challenging time for the band, but despite changing tastes in music culture, the fickle record industry, grunge, and multiple lineups, Don Dokken and company managed to produce some of the band's...
-
Episode 72: Dokken Part 1
The RAMP are Rockin' with Dokken! In this is episode of RAMP, Court and Matt get cerebral and discuss confirmation bias in rock and metal -- The subjectivity in loving what we love and wanting others to share our taste in music. What underpins this behavior? The Profs try to unpack it. Then, a...
-
Episode 71: 2026 Releases: Joe Holmes, Spread Eagle, Anthrax, Evanescence, UFO, Green Lung, Armored Saint, Geoff Tate; Legacy band or Tribute band?
2026 is a BANGER year for new rock and metal music so far. Matt and Court talk the triumphant return of RUSH with Annika Niles, and celebrate the long-awaited release of Joe Holmes' new record!!! The Profs also discuss new offerings from Armored Saint, Spread Eagle, Evanescence, Geoff...
-
Episode 70: The Scorpions Part II
The Profs chat recent rock and metal news, and they examine the Scorpions' records from 1984's "Love at First Sting" to 2022's "Rock Believer." Dr. Lewis takes the lead on this one! We thank all our listeners for taking the time to download and listen. We appreciate you!
-
Episode 69: The Scorpions, Part 1
It's time to ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE! Undeniably the greatest hard rock/metal band in German history, the Scorpions heralded career spans 60 years! Few bands have made a greater impact on the history of modern rock/metal music than the Scorps. The Profs look at the early history of the band as…
more -
Episode 68: 2025 Year in Review and the State of Rock and Metal in 2026
Court and Matt are back with their admittedly fragmentary best of 2025 concerts and albums. The Profs also discuss recent rock and metal news, and the state of the genre in 2026. Megadeth, Anthrax, Queensryche, Accept, Ratt, Slaughter, L.A. Guns, Iron Maiden, Ghost, Helloween, Ozzy, Wings of…
more -
Episode 67: Favorite Drummers and Percussionists with R. Alan Siler
Court and Matt have guested on R. Alan Siler's podcast "Modern Musicology" on multiple occasions, and we thought it was time to turn the tables! On our final episode of 2025 the Profs interview the busiest man in America -- drummer, librarian, author, performer, music connoisseur, and host of...
-
Episode 66: Episode 66: Ghost -- The Profs are Back!!!
Well, we decided to bring the show back after a 3-year hiatus. On the eve of Halloween, what better way to celebrate our return to podcast glory than with the ultimate horror band, GHOST! Court and Matt, with shows to follow as time permits. No social media presence this time, but you can email…
more -
Episode 65: The Evolution of Rock and Metal
The Profs discuss the origins and evolution of rock and metal!
-
Episode 64: The Sunset Strip in the 1980s
Oh the excess and bombast of the Sunset Strip in the late-70s and 1980s! The Profs discuss the epicenter of rock and metal in the 70s-80s as the Sunset Strip in L.A. became ground-zero for some of the greatest rock and metal acts in American history.
-
Episode 63: KISS in the early-80s
Yes, we know we talk about KISS too often. However, in our defense, those early-80s KISS albums were SPECTACULAR. Court and Matt discuss the iconic albums "Creatures of the Night", "Music from the Elder", "Lick it Up" and "Animalize."
-
Episode 62: Rock and Metal Music Festivals
Oh the glory of the all-day music festival. US Fest, Ozzfest, Louder than Life, Wacken and Hellfest. So many festivals and so many bands! The Profs discuss the pros and cons of rock and metal music festivals, and cover some of the best and worst ones they've attended.
-
Episode 61: Podcast Producer Tim Williamson Takes over RAMP
In this special episode of RAMP, our podcast producer and colleague Tim Williamson takes over the show. We talk about whatever he wants to talk about!
-
Episode 60: Metallica in the 90s and Beyond
Yeah, we've heard it all before. After "...And Justice for All", Metallica became a different band, "sold out", and went mainstream. Early Metallica fans in particular love to condemn Metallica in the 1990s as the band who let them down. The Profs dispel the myths and do their level best to...
-
Episode 59: KISS in the 1980s and beyond
KISS fans are a devoted bunch, and much of their love for the band is contingent upon when they started listening to them. For Matt, KISS in the 1970s were at their zenith. However, for slightly younger fans like Court, those 80s albums hold a special place. Dr. Lewis shines in this one, talking...
-
Episode 58: Guns & Roses: Use Your Illusion, AKA "Court's Delusion"
This week the Profs discuss one of the more controversial album releases in American music history, "Use Your Illusion I and II." Many rock fans may not remember that Guns & Roses did something no band had ever done in 1991 -- They released two double studio albums on the same day! Heralded by…
more -
Episode 57: The best albums of 2022
The Profs discuss some of the best rock and metal music offerings of 2022.
-
Episode 56: Listener Questions, part 2
Dr. Lewis and Matt take questions from the RAMP audience and discuss. Part 2 of 2 episodes.
-
Episode 55: Listener Questions, part 1
Dr. Lewis and Matt take questions from the RAMP audience and discuss. Part 1 of 2 episodes.
-
Episode 54: The Meaning of Metallica with author William Irwin
The Rock and Metal Profs interview Professor of Philosophy, literary critic and heavy metal scholar William Irwin from King's College in Pennsylvania. His new book "The Meaning of Metallica: Ride the Lyrics" is a detailed breakdown examining the history and philosophy of the most influential…
more -
Episode 53: Album Review: DIO -- Holy Diver Deluxe
The profs discuss the release of the newly remixed and remastered Holy Diver album by Ronnie James Dio.
-
Episode 52: RIOT: The Band that should have been massive in the U.S. and abroad
New York-based band RIOT enjoyed modest success in the late-1970s and early-80s. They grew a die-hard following, even as they evolved into one of the few American Power Metal bands of the 1980s. However, line-up changes, tragedy, and a few ill-fated marketing decisions limited the band's appeal…
more -
Episode 51: Interview with Black Sabbath Vocalist Tony Martin
The Tony Martin-era of Black Sabbath is much celebrated amongst fans of the band. Following the departure of Ronnie James Dio in 1982, Sabbath sought out veteran leadership in the form of Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. That line-up produced one very good album, but it was not to last. When…
more -
Episode 50: Black Sabbath: The Tony Martin Era
In the 1980s and 90s Black Sabbath released 5 outstanding studio records (and a great live one) featuring British vocalist Tony Martin. After the departure of Ian Gillan after just one album and an ill-fated Tony Iommi solo record featuring Glenn Hughes on vocals, Sabbath turned to Tony Martin, a...
-
Episode 49: POWER METAL!!!
Time to put those fists in the air! German metalers Helloween have the distinction of being one of the first (if not the very first) Power Metal bands, but what exactly is Power Metal? How does it differ from speed, thrash, and just plain-old heavy metal? Were German metal outfit ACCEPT a power...
-
Episode 48: Tesla: The Early Years
Few bands made a bigger impact in the 1980s than Sacramento rockers Tesla. When "Mechanical Resonance" hit the stores, fans compared them to Aerosmith, but they forged a style and sound all their own that shaped the American rock sound for decades. Metallica loved them, girls adored them, and…
more -
Episode 47: Listeners Sound Off Which Version of the Band was Better?
We all know that AC/DC and Iron Maiden reached new commercial heights with replacement vocalists, but were versions 2.0 better than the original? Was Van Halen a better band with DLR or Sammy? Was Black Sabbath better with DIO or Ozzy? Jake or Zakk? The listeners sounded off, we listened, and we...
-
Episode 46: Epic Album Trios: The Scorpions
In this very special edition of RAMP, Matt interviews childhood friend and long-time Scorpions fan Bruce Miller. They discuss the classic album triumvirate of Love Drive, Animal Magnetism and Blackout from the German forefathers of metal, The Scorpions.
-
Episode 45: Women in Rock and Metal: Part II
Court and Matt examine the contributions and monumental impact of women in Rock and Metal in the 90s and 2000s. The 21st century is a brave new world for women in rock and metal, and it is about time! So many great front-women in rock, and don't get us started on the great guitar work of…
more -
Episode 44: Women in Rock and Metal: Part I
This week the Profs discuss the incredible contributions of women who Rock! In the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and metal was a boys club. However, there were a number of trailblazers who had the chops, talent, determination and grit to bring their best in the studio and on stage every time. Court and...
-
Episode 43: Ozzy Osbourne: Part II -- the Jake and Zakk Years
In part 2, the Profs look at the incredible work that Ozzy produced with Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde in the 80s and 90s.
-
Episode 42: Ozzy Osbourne: Part I
The Madman is back! Matt and Dr. Lewis research the career and legacy of the great Ozzy Osbourne. The Profs analyze his time in Black Sabbath, his break with the band, Sharon Arden's (Osbourne's) role in putting Ozzy back in the mainstream, the Satan Panic, the death of Randy Rhoads, and the...
-
Episode 41: Foo Fighters
By Request, the Profs examine the history, impact and legacy of the Foo Fighters. Friend to the show and long-time supporter Greg Hill in Escondido California suggested the Foo Fighters, and we loved the idea!
-
Episode 40: Alice Cooper Part II
The Profs handle Alice Cooper's later catalog, history, and legacy.
-
Episode 39: Bonus Episode: Court interviews Cello The Black Pearl
Dr. Lewis interviews Detroit's Cello "Tha Black Pearl" in this bonus pod.
-
Episode 38: Alice Cooper
This week Dr. Court Lewis gets to talk about one of his favorite artists, the legendary Alice Cooper. The master of shock rock, Alice's storied career was fraught with controversy, alcoholism, chicken abuse, and a religious awakening. Court is in his element, and Matt is just along for the ride!
-
Episode 37: The Best Bands and Albums of 2021
Court and Matt discuss the bests albums and artists of 2021.
-
Episode 36: Van Halen: The David Lee Roth Era
Everybody Wants Some! Has there ever been a more impactful and transformative band than Van Halen? When Eddie, Alex, Michael and DLR hit the Los Angeles scene in the late-1970s, it was a seismic shift in music. A young Eddie Van Halen showed that whatever people might have thought was possible…
more -
Episode 35: System of a Down
System of a Down are a band that tackled serious issues. Their outspoken criticism of Turkey's government and the Armenian Genocide is well-documented. But what some casual listeners may not know is that they are also an incredibly talented quartet -- gifted songwriters and musicians. When they…
more -
Episode 34: Judas Priest: the 1990s and 2000s (Episode 3 of 3)
The Profs examine the tumultuous 1990s and how Judas Priest reinvented when Halford left the band. Like most metal acts in the 90s, JP struggled to maintain legitimacy and their fanbase. Record companies moved on, but the band forged ahead. With Halford returning to the band in the early 2000s…
more -
Episode 33: Judas Priest: The 1980s
When 1982's "Screaming for Vengeance" hit the U.S. and England, it was a smash. Up until that point, the Birmingham metal outfit had modest success, particular in the U.S. when they opened for KISS in 1979. However, "Screaming..." placed JP alongside the greatest rock and metal acts of the…
more -
Episode 32: Judas Priest: the 1970s - Episode 1 of 3
The Profs mine the data to present the history and philosophy of heavy metal progenitors Judas Priest. Like their fellow Birmingham mates in Black Sabbath, Judas Priest deserve to be placed alongside Sabbath as the founding fathers of heavy metal. From the start, Priest blazed their own path,...
-
Episode 31: Rock N Pod Interviews: Vinnie Appice, Producer Toby Wright and Tora Tora
More interviews from Rock N Pod August 2022. Matt and Court interview legendary drummer Vinnie Appice of Black Sabbath and DIO, Producer Toby Wright (Alice In Chains, Metallica) and Memphis rockers Tora Tora.
-
Episode 30: Rock and Pod Interviews: Resist and Bite and Pamela Des Barres
Court and Matt interview members of the rock outfit "Resist and Bite" (featuring Tommy Skeoch of Tesla) and legendary rock muse and groupie Pamela Des Barres.
-
Episode 29: Vinnie Vincent
Vinnie Vincent has the distinction of being one of the most beloved, reviled and criticized rock artists of the last 40 years. When he hit the Los Angeles scene he had modest success writing and performing musical scores for TV shows. Hired by KISS to replace founding guitarist Ace Frehley in the...
-
Episode 28: Kansas
The Profs examine the incomparable Kansas. Were they classic rock? Were they early prog rock? Were they a pop band? Kansas was challenging to define, then and now. Whatever the categorization, music fans agree that they made some of the best music of the 70s and 80s, and with very little radio...
-
Episode 27: Iron Maiden: Part II
The Profs take a 2nd look at the monumental British metal band Iron Maiden. Often considered one of the greatest of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" bands in the early 80s, Maiden's place in the pantheon of metal is secure. And perhaps no band is better at covering historical topics and...
-
Episode 26: Rockumentaries with Tommy Ellis
This week Matt chats with writer, editor, publisher and music fan Tommy Ellis. In Tommy's longtime role as a magazine editor and publisher, he's had the opportunity to interview some of the biggest names in rock and metal music over his career. He's also an avid fan of music documentaries. Matt…
more
About this show
Professors Dr. Courtland Lewis and Matt Alschbach offer a fun and academic analysis of Rock and Metal acts from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. This research-driven podcast relies on primary and secondary sources, and NEVER uses A.I. in any capacity.
Hosted by
Matt Alschbach & Court Lewis
Categories