Rock of Aging

In this episode of Rock of Aging, we crank the volume and fire up the TV for a celebration of our favorite 1980s metal music videos. Back when MTV ruled the culture, videos weren’t just promotion—they were events. Bigger hair, louder guitars, cinematic concepts, wild performances, and enough smoke machines to fill an arena.Dave and Erika each count down the videos that defined the era for them—from arena-ready anthems and sleaze-soaked party clips to dark, dramatic epics and pure headbanging chaos. We talk about which bands understood the power of image, which videos still hold up today, and how visual style helped turn hard rock and metal bands into larger-than-life icons.We each picked our five favorites -- and we had only one overlap! Can you guess which video?For Dave's (Not So) Deep Dive, he is talking about a recent box set from the 80s band, Hüsker Dü. The collection, 1985: The Miracle Year, features professionally captured live recordings from this legendary band from throughout 1985. For Erika's Atmosphere Check, she brings us back to 1980s basement culture. If you had a basement in the 80s, you were no doubt camped out down there every Saturday night for Headbanger's Ball.NOTE: We post a new episode of Rock of Aging on the 10th and 25th of every month! YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, we are talking about the harder side of 80's metal! Erika and Dave debate The Big 4 of Thrash: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. Let's just say that we don't see eye to eye on this part of the 80s metal scene.For Dave's (Not So) Deep Dive, he is talking about a new band from Ireland called SPRINTS who has just released an EP called 'Trickle Down.' For Erika's Atmosphere Check, she sums up how she sees the differences between the Hollywood glam scene and the heavier, thrash scene.On the next episode of Rock of Aging, we're talking about our favorite 80s metal videos.NOTE: We post a new episode of Rock of Aging on the 10th and 25th of every month! YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika are going back to school! In a sense, anyway. We have both been given our homework assignments!Erika has assigned Dave Richie Sambora's 'Stranger In This Town.' This 1991 album was the first solo LP from the Bon Jovi guitarist and songwriter.Dave has assigned Erika Ace Frehley's 'Frehley's Comet.' The 1987 record was the first post-KISS release from the former guitar legend from Kiss.For Dave's (not so) Deep Dive, he is talking about a new single from Def Leppard that features some decades old guitar tracks. And in Erika's Atmosphere Check, she offers up a contrast between the years of these two albums' releases: 1987 and 1991.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika are talking live shows. Which 80's metal and hard rock bands have we seen the most times in concert? Club shows, theater shows, arena shows, stadium shows, festivals -- they all count!We both have a lengthy history of seeing concerts, beginning in the early 1980s. But who have we seen the most times over the years? Specifically, which hard rock and metal bands have we seen the most amount of times?Who have you seen the most? Leave it in the comments!Make sure to check us out on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=1dQ7rusa3TiZDW08YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika discuss their favorite "lost" 80s hard rock/heavy metal albums. Our definition of a lost album is either one by an unknown band that seemed to have major potential, but was ultimately ignored, OR an album from a more established band that failed to live up to the commercial standards of past releases. We have some of both.We'll be discussing lost albums from Lillian Axe, Bang Tango, Sea Hags, Blue Öyster Cult, Bad Company, and Richie Sambora.Also in this episode, we have Dave's (Not So) Deep Dives. This time around, he will be discussing the album "Frenching The Bully" by the band, The Gits. Erika's Atmosphere Check will take us back to the late 80s when she began expanding her musical palate while working at the records store at the mall.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika rewind to the glory days of MTV, when music videos weren’t optional, they were everything. Before streaming, before algorithms, before phones in our pockets, MTV told us what mattered — what to wear, how bands looked, and which artists became legends.We dig into how music videos transformed songs into visual events, turned musicians into larger-than-life icons, and reshaped rock culture forever. From late-night video marathons to world premieres that stopped time, MTV didn’t just play music — it created mythology.This is a love letter to the era when image, attitude, fashion, and sound collided… and rock was never the same.Also, for Dave's (Not So) Deep Dives, he will discussing the newest album Texas rockers, Die Spitz. Erika's Atmosphere Check will be setting the vibe of life in the 80s as a teenager who loved MTV.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

In this episode of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika dig into the often-overlooked contributions of women who shaped 80s metal, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. We talk honestly about what it meant to be a woman in a genre that frequently celebrated rebellion—while resisting equality.We explore trailblazers who didn’t just participate in the scene, but helped define it:Gerri Miller, editor of Metal Edge Magazine, who helped launch and legitimize countless metal careers while navigating a male-dominated media landscapeSharon Osbourne, one of the most powerful managers in rock, reshaping artist management while enduring relentless scrutinyPenelope Spheeris, whose films captured the grit, danger, and authenticity of metal culture—often better than the men writing about itGirlschool, the UK band that proved women could be every bit as loud, heavy, and uncompromising as their male peersVixen, a band forced to walk the impossible line between musicianship and marketabilityWendy O. Williams, a confrontational, fearless icon who shattered expectations—and paid a heavy personal priceWe talk about sexism, double standards, credibility tests, image policing, and the emotional toll of surviving in a scene that often treated women as novelties, props, or problems. At the same time, we celebrate the resilience, creativity, and impact these women had on metal culture—whether they were holding guitars, cameras, clipboards, or the editorial pen.This isn’t a revisionist history lesson—it’s a real conversation about how the music we love was shaped, who had to fight harder to be heard, and why their stories still matter today.Because metal history isn’t complete without them. 🤘YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

These albums ruined our lives. In the best way. In episode 13 of Rock of Aging, Dave and Erika reveal the “gateway” albums — the records that turned them into 80s metal fans, then metalheads, and eventually people who never quite recovered. This is our metal origin story — the records that flipped the switch and sent us down a lifelong rabbit hole of riffs, hair, denim, leather, and way too many concert tickets.If you love 80s metal, chances are one of these albums got you here too. Drop your gateway album in the comments and tell us where your metal journey began.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

Help celebrate an 80's metal Festivus with Dave and Erika! This is the 12th episode of Rock of Aging, and it's our first ever holiday show!For this special episode, we decided to celebrate the "alternative" holiday of FESTIVUS, as celebrated on the TV show, Seinfeld. With an 80s metal vibe, we'll be airing our grievances, offering up Festivus miracles, and maybe even our feats of strength!We hope you'll love this episode. Please leave your grievances in the comments!YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

This is the 11th episode of Rock of Aging, and this month, we are looking back to the 1970s. Heavy metal was invented in the 1970s, and it was a massive decade for this music: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, and KISS helped to define the decade's music. But what about when those artists hit the 1980s?Success in the 70s did not automatically guarantee similar success in the 80s. What did it take to "make it" in this decade? Which bands did the 80s the best? Who thrived, and who merely survived? This is the question that Erika and Dave attempt to answer in this episode. Who understood the assignment of the 1980s and who did not?YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

This is the ninth episode of Rock of Aging: the series where my co-host Erika and I explore the depths of our "hair metal" past, and try to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades. Rock of Aging is your go-to spot for 80s metal conversion and community.This month, we're talking Dave's all-time favorite band, KISS. We haven't done any KISS themed videos yet on this show, so we really took it to another level for this one! Knowing Erika's fondness for the 80s metal power ballad, we decided to look into KISS's contribution to the genre. Kiss has released ballads in the 70s, the 80s, and the 90s. But which ones are the best?! Which ones just suck?We attempt to answer this seemingly unanswerable question and we rank the Ten Best Ballads from KISS!YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

This is the eighth episode of "Rock of Aging." In this series, Dave and Erika explore the depths of their "hair metal" past, and try to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades. Rock of Aging is your go-to spot for 80s metal conversion and community.This month, we gave ourselves a "Heavy Metal Homework" assignment. We each assigned one another an 80s metal album that we hadn't heard before. I assigned Erika "Skyscraper" by David Lee Roth, and she assigned me "Trash" by Alice Cooper. The results were surprising.If you'd like to assign us any more "homework," please leave it in the comments.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

This is the third episode of the "Rock of Aging" series. In this series, my co-host Erika and I will be exploring the depths of our "hair metal" past as well as trying to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades. It's your new, go-to spot for 80s metal news and conversation!In this month's episode, we begin with a little bit of news on the solo band tour from Gene Simmons of KISS. Is this something you are planning to attend? Why? Why not? (NOTE: After this video was posted, it was announced that the Gene Simmons Band tour had been, essentially, canceled.)After the news, we immediately jump - head first - into our selections for best, underappreciated or unknown 80s metal bands. These are hardly the only ones we could have chosen. I'm guessing we'll be revisiting this subject again...YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

This is the second episode of the "Rock of Aging" series. In this series, my co-host Erika and I will be exploring the depths of our "hair metal" past as well as trying to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades.In this month's episode, Erika and I offer up our selections for an "alternate" Big 4 of 80s metal. Most people associate the "Big 4" to mean the biggest, most successful thrash metal bands of the 1980s: Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer. But that leaves a lot of amazing bands from the 80s out in the cold.Naturally, Googe A.I. had something to say on the subject, and offered up the following as the "Big 4 of Hair Metal": Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Posion, and Ratt. But Google didn't exist in the 80s, and Erika and I did, so our opinions are clearly more relevant. So, we have made our own alternate "Big 4" of the 80s.YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887

Today's episode is the first in a new series here at The Dark Stuff called  "Rock of Aging." In this new series, my co-host Erika and I will be exploring the depths of our "hair metal" past as well as trying to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades.Because it's the first episode of the series, we begin with a series of five questions for Erika so the audience can learn a little bit about her and her musical taste.Next up, we engage in a heavy metal thought exercise. In it, we imagine where we would go and what we would see if given a time machine and the ability to see any past concert or tour. Where would you choose? The Beatles at Shea Stadium, Bob Dylan at Cafe Wha, Van Halen at The Whiskey? The choices are endless. Make sure to leave your choices in the comments!YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyHjhVnQ2P3y6FAhuJ6JZ-lScX5WpL4td&si=_2pJsnR-cTWungwZInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockofagingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582584991887