John Simon is a super producer. And one that gets deeply involved in the process with the artists he works with. He is an accomplished musician and songwriter himself, having several albums under his belt. He began his career at the leading record company in the world at the time, Columbia, in the early 1960’s and worked his way up to producer. Being relatively young to the staid old men in the organization, he was tapped to produce several of these new fangled rock n rollers the company was signing. And what a group of artists that turned out to be!

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Ho, ho, ho! The Rock N Roll Archaeologist spends some quality holiday time with legendary producer/engineer Shelly Yakus. Join them as they discuss the making of 1987 star studded philanthropic album for the Special Olympics organization, “A Very Special Christmas”.

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Adrian Harte was first a young Faith No More fan growing up in Ireland. Then in 2009 he moved to Switzerland and started the unofficial web presence (FNM does not have much of an official website) of the band online and was so inspired, plus trusted by fans and band alike, he wrote a book about their history.

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist has a conversation with thought leader and music-industry observer Bob Lefsetz. Lefsetz is the author and publisher of the Lefsetz Letter. Some of you may be asking, the what letter? But those in the know are either nodding with approval or ready to pull the fire alarm!

The Lefsetz Letter is the original music-industry blog. It was a blog before there even were blogs--it goes back to 1986.

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What can you add about a living legend? Tune in to find out as Dave Davies of The Kinks speaks to the Rock N Roll Archaeologist about his new album, ‘Decade’ out October 12th, 2018, the family affair with some of his children’s musical endeavors and of course possible comings and goings with brother Ray as we scratch up something news worthy. A Kinks reunion?

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist sits down with a couple of fellow podcasters, Steven Michael and Sonny “Hollywood” Pooni of ‘Growin’ Up Rock’ fame! These two rockers joined forces to talk all things hard rock and metal.

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As teenagers in Phoenix, Dennis Dunaway, bassist and co-songwriter for the Alice Cooper group, and lead singer Vince Furnier (who would later change his name to Alice Cooper) formed a hard-knuckles band that played prisons, cowboy bars, and teens clubs. Their wild, impossible journey took them from Hollywood to the ferocious Detroit music scene, and along the way they discovered the utterly original performance style and look that would make them the stuff of legend.

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist sits down with K.K. Downing to get the full story of Judas Priest! It’s a deep dig into what makes K.K. one of the greatest guitarists in heavy metal, growing up very poor in the midlands of England after WWII, and finding music as a path to escape where he ends up in one of the biggest bands in the world. He is the first member of the band that becomes Judas Priest, the workhorse and the glue that keeps it together until he leaves in 2011. We discuss all of it and more from his new book 'Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest'

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Rock N Roll Archaeologist, Christian Swain sits down with Steven Hyden, the author of the newly released 'Twilight of the Gods: A Journey to the End of Classic Rock', a thoughtful meditation on the history, current state and potential futures of “Classic Rock” (his assertion is 1967-1999) music. If you are a deep Digger, you will not want to miss this deep conversation.

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Wayne Kramer is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and film and television composer/ Kramer came to prominence as a co-founder of the Detroit rock group MC5 (Motor City Five), a group known for their powerful live performances and radical left-wing politics. MC broke up in 1972 amid personality conflicts, drug abuse and personal problems.

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In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been a leading practitioner and teacher of fingerstyle guitar, one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and Americana, and at the forefront of popular rock-and-roll. He was a founding member of two legendary bands, The Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna, a Grammy nominee, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the most in-demand instructor in the galaxy of stars who teach at the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp that he and his wife operate in picturesque Southeastern Ohio.

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Mindi Abair is a two time Grammy Award nominated saxophonist, vocalist, author and national trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization that puts on the Grammy Awards show. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida and educated at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she graduated magna cum laude, she moved to the West Coast to pursue a multi-decade music career.

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Rock N Roll Archaeologist, Christian Swain sits down for a spirited and in depth discussion with Joel Selvin on his latest book, 'Fare Thee Well: The Final Chapter of the Grateful Dead’s Long Strange Trip' with Pamela Turley, published by Da Capo Press.

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The Rock N Roll Archaeologist sits down with Ahmet Zappa & Joe Travers of the Zappa Family Trust to discuss all things FZ!  Ahmet is the executor and public head of the organization and Joe is the “Vaultmeister” for the family.

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For more than fifty years, Paul Simon has spoken in songs about alienation, doubt, resilience, and empathy in ways that have established him as one of the most beloved artists in American pop music history. Songs like “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “Graceland” have moved beyond the sales charts and into our cultural consciousness.

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Rock n Roll Archaeologist Christian Swain sits down with supremely talented Canadian musician Randy Bachman to discuss his new album ‘By George By Bachman.’

Bachman was a member of not one, but two legendary rock bands, the eponomys Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who.

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Who is Kosh? What is Kosh? Why is Kosh?

He is a world famous art director whose adventures in the annals of rock n roll are rather legendary, having designed close to 2000 album covers beginning with the Beatles’ Abbey Road cover. He’s been working on the visual arts side of the music business for 50 years

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Mick Rock (yes, that is his real name) is a British photographer best known for his iconic shots of rock and roll legends such as Queen, David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Geordie, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones,Joan Jett, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Crossfade, Thin Lizzy Mötley Crüe, and Blondie. Often referred to as "The Man Who Shot the Seventies", most of the memorable images of David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust were shot by Rock, in his capacity as Bowie's official photographer.

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Rock N Roll Archaeologist Christian Swain sits down with U.K. PR master, Tony Michaelides to talk insider business, as well as working with some of the gods. During our lengthy conversation we bring in some big guns he had the opportunity to work with; David Bowie, Chris Blackwell, Simon Cowell, U2 and others.

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Are there still RUSH fans out there?

Rock N Roll Archaeologist Christian Swain sits down with unofficial (seriously? Unofficial?) Rush historian, Ray Wawrzyniak where they discuss the band, music in general and what it’s like being an ultimate super-fan.

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