Best Celluloid Heroes Podcasts (2024)

1
Shorts: Celebrating Country Soul 30:18

3M ago30:18

30:18

A little about Country, a little about Soul, and more about how they are really just the same thing. And why it’s not at all surprising that a big Pop-Soul star like Beyoncé is releasing a Country album. For this RNRA Short, we tapped the expertise of Professor Charles Hughes of Rhodes College in Memphis, author of “Country Soul: Making Music and M…

1
Shorts: Swifties - Beyond Beatlemania? 30:03

5M ago30:03

30:03

To mark the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' inaugural performance on U.S. soil, we decided to do a quick compare-and-contrast. We’ll revisit that watershed moment in music and culture, and talk about something recent that actually comes close to matching that moment: the ongoing Eras Tour from Taylor Swift. Not “Bigger THAN The Beatles,” but in ou…

1
Episode 24: The Wonder Years 1:18:01

6M ago1:18:01

1:18:01

The Soul of the 1970s. First, Marvin Gaye kicked the door open with “What’s Going On,” and then Stevie Wonder barged in. The Wonder Years spanned 1971 to 1976; when the transcendent, diverse talent of Stevie Wonder was in its fullest flower. That five-album span is one of the most successful and impactful creative runs in the history of recorded mu…

1
Shorts: Celluloid Heroes 42:34

10M ago42:34

42:34

Welcome back to Rock N Roll Archaeology! Got another RNRA Short Podcast for you. This one is named after the Kinks song “Celluloid Heroes.” Rock N Roll goes to the movies (and television) in this one. We’ll take a look at three shows that feature fictional Rock bands: the movies “Almost Famous” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” and the television miniserie…

1
Shorts: Disco Demolition! 34:20

1y ago34:20

34:20

RNRA Shorts: Disco Demolition! Take us back to the Distant Days of Disco, Summer of 1979. Steve Dahl, a brash young DJ at WLUP- FM (“Chicago’s Best Rock!”), has declared war on Disco. On July 12, 1979, he took the fight to Comiskey Park, in between games of a doubleheader between the home-team Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Things…got ou…

1
Episode 23: Radio, Radio 57:40

1y ago57:40

57:40

We want the airwaves, baby! Chapter 23 of Rock N Roll Archaeology tunes into radio and radio culture in America and elsewhere. There was a brief moment in the 70s and early 80s where FM Rock Radio was something pretty special.So what was that like, and where have all the good times gone? Some storytelling in this one, but it’s a little heavier on t…

1
Shorts: Diamond Dust (A Tribute to Jeff Beck) 25:23

1+ y ago25:23

25:23

Remembering the late great Jeff Beck, the guitarist’s guitarist. An innovator and an iconoclast with a bold experimental spirit, Jeff left his unique stamp on hundreds of great songs. Songs Jeff Beck: “Diamond Dust,” from Blow By Blow Jeff Beck: “Blue Wind,” from Wired The Yardbirds: “Stroll On,” from the soundtrack to Blow Up Jeff Beck with Bones …

1
Shorts: RNRA Horror Podcast Short 29:19

1+ y ago29:19

29:19

Examining–and reconsidering–The Rocky Horror Picture Show. At the time, it was transgressive, outrageous; but now it seems a little bit tame. And…a bit problematic, when taken in a modern context. But it's still the ultimate midnight movie, and it's still…just a jump to the left! Songs: RHPS Cast: “There’s a Light,” from the soundtrack album RHPS C…

1
Shorts: Secrets From A Saucer 31:05

2y ago31:05

31:05

Bands in the van, and a band at the crossroads. In this episode of RNRA Shorts, we’ll get into the early days of Pink Floyd, and the latest from a Pink Floyd member: Nick Mason’s 2022 Saucerful of Secrets tour. Written by Richard Evans and Christian Swain, Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen. Sponsors and Partners Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets Rock…

1
Shorts: The Art of the Steal 27:36

2y ago27:36

27:36

Content warning: Here at RNRA, we don’t hide our views. At all. But when it comes to politics, we try not to be in-your-face about it either. Our little slogan is “Just tell the story, and the point will get made.”This time though, we’re a little more overt, we’re letting it rip just a little bit. This particular burr has been under our saddle for …

1
Episode 22: The Second Wave - On the Morning After the Sixties 1:15:08

2y ago1:15:08

1:15:08

We start with a tragedy, then a cautionary tale of the world not ready for a band. We then find more positive inspiration from an artist who delivers a huge seller. We end with a legend. Janis Joplin dies just before releasing her magnum opus, “Pearl.” A band called Fanny is ready to rock, but a culture poisoned by the patriarchy isn’t yet ready to…

1
Shorts: The Juggalos are Alright 26:52

2+ y ago26:52

26:52

Welcome back to RNRA Shorts! This time, it’s Filth Through The Ages, and let’s meet some unlikely Free Speech Warriors. Yes, we said it, and we will die on this hill: The Juggalos Are Alright. Psst, hey! Got a topic suggestion? Let us know! Songs Frank Zappa: “Stinkfoot,” from Apostrophe’, 1974 Insane Clown Posse: “My Axe,” from Bizzar, 2000 Insane…

1
Shorts: Joni & the Prince 19:29

2+ y ago19:29

19:29

A quick look at an intriguing relationship: Joni Mitchell and Prince. Enjoy! Oh, hey! Got a topic idea for RNRA Shorts? Shoot us an email: rocknrollarchaeologyproject@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Pantheon Media

1
Episode 21: Guitarmageddon 1:42:06

3y ago1:42:06

1:42:06

The fuse was lit in 1966. Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Keith Moon came together to record a proto-metal classic. After the session an offhand quip from Keith Moon sticks with Jimmy Page. Then we meet The G; the imposing Peter Grant. Led Zeppelin’s fearsome tough-guy manager was a key reason why Zep dominated the rock landscape in the…

1
Episode 20: Ohio 58:13

3+ y ago58:13

58:13

Rock N Roll as the First Draft Of History We begin in the midwest college town of Kent, Ohio, in the late spring of 1970. We’ll meet three future rockers--students at Kent State University, barely out of their teens--who will be changed forever by what they witness. We’ll check in on Motown, where the fluffy pop “Sound of Young America” is still al…

1
Episode 19: 1969 Part II 1:58:29

4y ago1:58:29

1:58:29

This episode is dedicated with love to the memory of our dear friend Dennis Gordon. Dennis was the big booming voice on our show “bumpers” that would begin and end each chapter of Rock N Roll Archaeology. Thank you Dennis, we miss you. May the Four Winds blow you safely home. Welcome back to the second half of our big chapter telling the big story …

1
Episode 18: 1969 Part I 1:40:20

4+ y ago1:40:20

1:40:20

We’re putting down a marker with this episode, and the follow-up: the highest highs and the lowest lows of the entire Rock Era occurred in 1969. It’s a year so big, we had to cut it in two, in order to serve it up properly. We start in January, with The Beatles on The Roof, a 42-minute outdoor concert that definitely warmed up the neighborhood of M…

1
#159 - Ad Astra & Beyond the Infinite (the future of Celluloid Heroes) 25:15

5y ago25:15

25:15

On this episode, we talk about the much-anticipated space adventure movie from writer/director James Gray called Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt. It's a different kind of space movie. Then we have an announcement about the future of the podcast. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Enjoy!Email: cellulodheroespod@gmail.comIG: @celluloidheroespod@seansh…

1
#158 - King's Kids 2 Adults from Derry: It Chapter Two & Dreamcatcher 42:49

5y ago42:49

42:49

On this episode, we talk Stephen King and some of his kids from Derry, Maine. First, we review and discuss the sequel to the smash hit It, in It Chapter Two with some great actors filling in the shoes of their kid counterparts in James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader. Then we get into another King adaptation about kids from Derry, this tim…

1
#157 - In Unrelated News: Good Boys, The Girl Next Door & Hal 46:44

5y ago46:44

46:44

We recorded this episode last week, but haven't been able to upload it until now, sorry for the delay, but...On this episode, we talk about a couple a groups of friends that help each other grow as well as a documentary about a director we love and admire. First, we talk about the movie Good Boys starring Jacob Tremblay about a group of tweens who …

1
#156 - Horror/Comedy/Family: Ready or Not & You're Next 36:36

5y ago36:36

36:36

On this episode, we get into a couple of genre mashups in horror and comedy and family dynamics. First, we talk about the new movie Ready or Not starring Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, and Andie Macdowell about a woman marrying into a wealthy family with an insane ritual for bringing in someone new to their empire. Then we talk about a movie from 2011…

1
Episode 17: Bookends 1:49:01

5y ago1:49:01

1:49:01

Chapter 17 of Rock N Roll Archaeology is bookended by a couple of Simon & Garfunkel albums: “Bookends” from the spring of 1968; and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from January of 1970. Our story takes place mostly in New York City: a city big enough to spawn two very different, very talented--and very influential--artists: Paul Simon and Lou Reed. We…

1
Episode 16: East of Eden 1:27:58

5+ y ago1:27:58

1:27:58

We start our tale of Paradise Lost in Buena Vista Park, San Francisco, in the fall of 1967. Hippie, the Devoted Son of Mass Media, is dead, and the San Francisco Diggers are conducting the funeral. From the funky streets of the Haight we head east a couple miles to the Fillmore West, and meet a complicated man, concert promoter Bill Graham. It was …

1
Episode 15: Slouching Towards Bethlehem 1:26:26

6+ y ago1:26:26

1:26:26

An impressionistic look at the interplay of Rock N Roll and Culture in Los Angeles during the latter half of the 1960s. There are familiar elements: storytelling, critical discussion and commentary, and lots of Rock N Roll attitude. But this one is different from most of our previous RNRAP offerings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon…

1
Episode 14: I'd Love to Turn You On 1:11:29

7y ago1:11:29

1:11:29

We open in Manila, in the Republic of the Philippines, July 3rd, 1966. The second stop of the Far East leg of the Beatles’ 1966 tour starts out weird and ominous, and gets worse from there. By the time the tour sputters to a halt—late August in San Francisco—the boys are almighty sick of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch…

1
Episode 13: Hard to Handle 1:06:47

7y ago1:06:47

1:06:47

We open at Waldo Point Marina in Sausalito, California, just north of San Francisco. Otis Redding takes a break from the road on Bill Graham’s houseboat, and comes up with a signature song. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Pantheon Media

1
Episode 12: Machine Gun 1:10:20

7+ y ago1:10:20

1:10:20

Jimi Hendrix's astonishing, supernatural talent was forged in poverty and neglect as he grew up in Seattle. We talk about that, and about the night Elvis came to town. After a short stint in the Army comes to a humiliating end, Jimi takes it on the road and spends the next four years paying his dues as a sideman. Learn more about your ad choices. V…

1
Episode 11: I Can't Explain 1:09:59

7+ y ago1:09:59

1:09:59

We start by taking a clear-eyed look at the infamous seaside “Riots” in the resort town of Clacton, United Kingdom and several other towns in the summer of 1964. The British press were WAY over the top in their depiction of these events, but they did document the first schism, the first big division in Rock music and culture: the traditionalist Roc…

1
Episode 10: Roll Away The Stones 1:08:36

8y ago1:08:36

1:08:36

Episode Ten opens up with Christian narrating at the site of the Bricklayer’s Arms Public House, in Soho, West London, where Brian Jones met with two younger men, school chums, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, in the fall of 1963. You might know them as The Rolling Stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Episode 9: The Medium, The Message, The Music 1:11:23

8y ago1:11:23

1:11:23

Welcome back Diggers to Episode Nine: The Medium, The Message, The Music. This show will contain familiar elements — storytelling, commentary, and musicology — but it is also a bit of a departure. It takes place mostly in the mid-sixties, but we’re not following a timeline or building a story: it’s more of a mosaic, a think-piece. We think the infl…

1
Episode 8: Meet The Beatles Part 2 1:03:41

8+ y ago1:03:41

1:03:41

The show opens December 27th, 1961, at the Cavern Club where Pete Best calls in sick, and the boys bring in Richard Starkey - Ringo Starr to the world - to sit in on drums, his first paid gig with the Beatles. It clicks musically; the band really swings with Ringo on drums. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Episode 7: Meet The Beatles Part 1 58:19

8+ y ago58:19

58:19

Arrival: we begin the show on February 7th, 1964, in the first-class cabin aboard Pan American Airlines Flight 101 from London to New York City. It’s a raucous, party atmosphere, but John Lennon, for a moment anyway, feels alone in a crowd. A door opens, pandemonium ensues, and a new era arrives. Some housekeeping, and we move on to the Soho Distri…

1
Episode 6: Soul Sisters 58:17

8+ y ago58:17

58:17

We open in Manhattan, in the main room, the big studio at Columbia Records. It’s Fall of 1963. A big-time, high-stakes recording session for Aretha Franklin is about to get underway. Aretha is an astonishing, one-in-a-billion talent, but it’s just not clicking for her at Columbia. We spend a little time exploring why it isn’t clicking, and then we …

1
Episode 5: The Ballad of Bob and J.R. 1:08:13

8+ y ago1:08:13

1:08:13

A quick prologue: we stop by the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, where they opened up a very cool exhibit in March of 2015. Then we move on to Newport, Rhode Island, where Pete Seeger is about to introduce Johnny Cash, an established country star playing for the first time to a folk festival audience. After a rough beginning, the show goes…

1
Episode 4: The Change of the Guard 1:01:39

8+ y ago1:01:39

1:01:39

The Sixties are about to begin and we’re feeling the change of the guard. We briefly recap the first Golden Age of Rock N Roll: 1956 to 1959. A lot happened, and fast. Too fast to last. We skid perilously into a new decade. As we open the sixties, all the big players are offstage, and a lot of folks are saying Rock N Roll is dead. We open in a poli…

1
Episode 3: The Day the Music Died 55:05

8+ y ago55:05

55:05

We describe Rock N Roll as an “enfant terrible,” then an unruly toddler, then a hyperactive kid. When Buddy Holly breaks out in late 1957, we see Rock N Roll has stepped out into the world as a confident young adult. Our story begins on a snowy two-lane highway in rural Iowa, on February 2nd, 1959: the fateful last day of the Winter Dance Party tou…

1
Episode 2: Elvis and the Rise of Television 52:29

8+ y ago52:29

52:29

Archaeology is the study of human activity in the past, looking at lots of different things from lots of different angles. We take that approach with Rock N Roll. We recap episode one, and open in Memphis, 1954. Sun Records owner Sam Phillips has found his elusive crossover sound—and the artist who can deliver it. Elvis breaks out; in just a few mo…

1
Episode 1: The Precursors 1:05:10

8+ y ago1:05:10

1:05:10

Welcome to Rock N Roll Archaeology! This is a reboot of Episode One: The Precursors, originally released October 15, 2015. We updated and improved it some, and re-released it on November 4, 2020. We begin in Times Square, late summer of 1945. The war is over. First up, the Baby Boom and a newly-discovered demographic, the white American teenager. T…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Celluloid Heroes Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide