Jackalope Tales on Radio Misfits

Charles Mooney, Lisa Umbarger
  • 5.0 (37)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Jackalope Tales pulls back the curtain on the strange, spooky, and sometimes shocking urban legends that lurk within the music industry. Hosts, and founding members of the platinum selling band Toadies, Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger explore the weird and wacky stories behind music’s biggest names. Some legends are too bizarre to be true, while others may have a kernel of truth buried beneath the hype. You’ll never listen to your favorite songs the same way again after you hear the outlandish myths behind them on Jackalope Tales.

  1. 5d ago

    Jackalope Tales – I’ve Got Friends In Cold Cases

    This week, Charles and Lisa mosey straight into one of country music’s weirdest rabbit holes: the internet rumor that Garth Brooks is secretly a serial killer. From viral conspiracy theories to fans connecting dots with the enthusiasm of a detective who’s had way too much coffee, they dig into why this bizarre legend refuses to die. Is there any truth to it? (Spoiler: rumors aren’t evidence.) Or is this just another case of the internet deciding that selling millions of records isn’t suspicious enough? So grab your cowboy hat, keep your alibi handy, and remember… if someone asks where you were in 1997, you probably shouldn’t say, “At a Garth concert.” [Ep 146] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    41 min

  2. Jul 1

    Jackalope Tales – Stars & Shart Stripes

    This Fourth of July, Charles and Lisa light the fuse on America’s playlist and stand back. From songs that make you want to salute… to songs that make you want to defect, we’re counting down some of the best and worst musical tributes to the red, white, and bruised. Expect patriotic anthems, embarrassing flag-waving, misunderstood classics, and enough musical explosions to make the neighborhood HOA file a complaint. So grab a hot dog, hide your fireworks from Uncle Gary, and remember… nothing says “freedom” quite like arguing over whether Born in the U.S.A. is actually patriotic. Jackalope Tales—where every episode is more explosive than your cousin’s homemade fireworks. [Ep 145] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    45 min

  3. Jun 24

    Jackalope Tales – Don’t Stop Misbelievin’

    Did Sinbad really star in a genie movie? Did Dolly Parton actually have braces in Moonraker? And are we all absolutely sure the lyric isn’t “Hold me closer, Tony Danza”? 🤔🎤 This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa tumble headfirst into the musical multiverse to explore the strangest Mandela Effects lurking in songs, albums, band logos, and music history. From lyrics that never existed to album covers that seem to change when nobody’s looking, they’ll investigate whether our memories are broken… or if reality is quietly gaslighting us. 😵‍💫💿 Along the way they’ll uncover misheard lyrics, phantom songs, and the horrifying possibility that millions of people are confidently wrong at the exact same time. Which, honestly, explains most social media. 📱🔥 So grab your favorite album, prepare to question everything you think you know, and remember: if you suddenly recall Journey being called “Journee”… no you don’t. 👁️🚪 Jackalope Tales: where the facts are fuzzy, the memories are faulty, and reality may have been replaced during a routine software update. 💀🎶🌀 [Ep 144] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    53 min

  4. Jun 17

    Jackalope Tales – The Fathers, The Sons, & The Holy Notes

    The Fathers, The Sons, & The Holy Notes This Father’s Day, Charles and Lisa gather the musical family tree and start a custody battle over who actually deserves credit for inventing your favorite genres. 🎸👨‍👦⚰️ Who is the Father of Techno? The Father of Death Metal? The Father of Ambient? The Father of Punk? More importantly, who got stuck paying decades of overdue child support for the noise they unleashed on the world? Along the way, Charles and Lisa nominate their own questionable candidates, challenge the official histories, and discover that every genre’s origin story eventually leads back to someone with a bad haircut, a substance problem, or an overwhelming need to annoy their neighbors. From visionary pioneers to accidental architects of chaos, we’ll celebrate the men who gave birth to entire musical movements—and the generations of weird sons who took those ideas, drove them off a cliff, and called it art. So grab your dad, your stepdad, your record collection, and your unresolved issues. This Father’s Day we’re tracing the bloodline of music… one dysfunctional family at a time. 👨‍👦🔥🎶 Because behind every great genre is a proud father… and behind every terrible genre is a father who should’ve worn ear protection. [Ep 143] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    58 min

  5. Jun 10

    Jackalope Tales – My Drummer Has A LinkedIn Now

    Every band says they’re going to make it. Most of them end up updating their résumé. This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa dig into the strange, depressing, and occasionally inspiring second acts of musicians who traded backstage passes for time clocks. From metalheads who became accountants to punk rockers who now sell insurance, they explore what happens when the dream dies but the bills keep showing up. Some found success. Some found stability. Some found themselves explaining transferable skills from a six-month tour in a van that smelled like wet socks and regret. It’s a journey through career pivots, shattered ambitions, and the soul-crushing moment when your former bass player sends you a LinkedIn connection request with the title “Regional Compliance Specialist.” Because not every rock star gets a farewell tour. Sometimes they just get dental insurance. Tune in for a darkly funny look at the musicians who left the stage, entered the workforce, and discovered that corporate America is somehow less forgiving than the music industry. [Ep 142] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    1h 4m

  6. Jun 3

    Jackalope Tales – Empty Seat Blues

    What happens when nobody buys tickets, but nobody wants to admit it? This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa catch a nasty case of Blue Dot Fever—the mysterious industry illness that strikes when concert seats stay empty and record labels suddenly discover “scheduling conflicts,” “unforeseen circumstances,” and “logistical challenges.” From mysteriously canceled tours to last-minute show pullouts, they dig into the rumors, excuses, and corporate fairy tales that appear whenever ticket sales flatline. Was it really a routing issue, or was the venue emptier than a gas station salad bar at midnight? Charles explores the dark art of cancellation spin, while Lisa examines how publicists can turn a financial disaster into a heartfelt statement about “prioritizing the fan experience.” Because in the music business, nobody ever says, “We couldn’t sell enough tickets.” They just quietly pull the plug and hope nobody notices the blue dots. Grab a seat while you still can. Apparently they’re available. [Ep 141] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    53 min

  7. May 27

    Jackalope Tales – Master Baiters

    This week on Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa wade into the murky pond of one very important question: does Phish secretly hate their fans… or just enjoy psychologically torturing them for sport? From marathon jams that feel less like concerts and more like hostage situations, to cryptic setlists, fake-outs, inside jokes nobody understands, and enough noodle solos to make grown men question their life choices, they dig into the “evidence” that Phish may be the most passive-aggressive band in music. Grab your glow sticks, lower your expectations, and prepare to get lovingly gaslit by a jam band cult. Dark, weird, and smellier than a parking lot burrito at 2 a.m. [Ep 140] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    56 min

  8. May 20

    Jackalope Tales – Put The Hell In Coachella

    Coachella used to be about music. Now it’s mostly rich influencers dressed like post-apocalyptic scarecrows taking thirst traps next to a guy passed out in a $900 crochet poncho. This week on Jackalope Tales, Lisa dives headfirst into the dusty influencer wasteland known as “content creation,” exposing the tragic parade of brand-sponsored narcissists who traveled to the desert just to fake candid photos and develop heatstroke for engagement. From trust-fund wellness gurus crying because the VIP tent ran out of oat milk, to TikTok stars treating porta-potties like networking lounges, Lisa uncovers the horrifying truth behind America’s most expensive outdoor mall. Meanwhile, Charles investigates the legendary Coachella pizza disaster that allegedly turned half the festival into a human Slipknot song. Was it undercooked dough? Questionable meat? A cursed food truck staffed by burnout warlocks? Rumors spread faster than food poisoning as festivalgoers dropped one-by-one into the desert like sweaty dominoes clutching their influencer gift bags. Put on your fringe jacket, spray glitter directly into your eyeballs, and join Jackalope Tales for an episode filled with fake celebrities, stomach demons, and enough bad decisions to power an entire Instagram reel. Put The Hell In Coachella — where the vibes were curated, but the bacteria were free-range. [Ep 139] Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content! Produced by: Charles Mooney Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

    56 min
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5
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Jackalope Tales pulls back the curtain on the strange, spooky, and sometimes shocking urban legends that lurk within the music industry. Hosts, and founding members of the platinum selling band Toadies, Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger explore the weird and wacky stories behind music’s biggest names. Some legends are too bizarre to be true, while others may have a kernel of truth buried beneath the hype. You’ll never listen to your favorite songs the same way again after you hear the outlandish myths behind them on Jackalope Tales.

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