The Ben Maynard Program

Ben
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Music Commentary
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"Tell Your Story". Everyone has a story. Not just the famous. This is a guest driven program but when we are "guest free", It's just YOU and ME! I love music and we will talk a lot about it.  Enjoy the ride!#podcast #benmaynardprogram #music #tellyourstory #music #spotify #maynard #videopodcast #thebenmaynardprogram@buzzsprout.com #socialmedia #journey 

  1. 5d ago

    EP. 138 BEATLE MANIA ORIGINS: A Lifelong Fan Explains How The Beatles Became The Beatles

    Send us Fan Mail You can hear the moment a fan becomes a historian, and that’s exactly what happens when my longtime friend Mario Rodriguez sits down across the table with a lifetime of Beatles knowledge. Mario takes us back to 1968 when he’s three years old, his dad drops the needle on Meet The Beatles, and one song “This Boy” flips a switch that never turns off. From harmonies to groove, we dig into what made the Beatles feel different right away, and why Ringo Starr’s so-called “simple” drumming is actually elite musicianship built around serving the song. Then we zoom out to the part of Beatles history most people only half-know: the Liverpool roots, the brutal Hamburg club schedule, and how that grind forged their repertoire, stage presence, and confidence long before the Ed Sullivan explosion. We untangle the US versus UK album confusion, the role of Capitol Records and Vee-Jay, and how American fans were often hearing a reshuffled version of the Beatles’ real catalog. If you’re a vinyl person, you’ll love the collector talk, from album jackets to pressing details to the hidden “Phil + Ronnie” clue tied to Let It Be and Phil Spector’s production. One of the most unique pieces of this conversation is Mario’s eight-year Beatles tribute collage, built from thousands of images and designed to include the forgotten corners of the story: Pete Best, Stu Sutcliffe, the parents, the influences, and the moments that shaped everything. We also get into the private Beatles meeting with Elvis Presley, why it’s still mostly a black box, and the late-era questions that always spark debate like Abbey Road versus Let It Be and what really changed when touring stopped and the studio took over. If you love Beatles history, classic rock storytelling, vinyl collecting, or just hearing two music nerds chase the truth behind the legend, hit play, subscribe wherever you get podcasts, and share this with a friend who still argues Beatles versus Stones. After you listen, leave a review and tell us: what’s the one Beatles song you never skip? Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 138 BEATLE MANIA ORIGINS: A Lifelong Fan Explains How The Beatles Became The Beatles

  2. 6d ago

    EP. 137 Two 1981 Rock Masterpieces And The Memories They Trigger

    Send us Fan Mail Two records dropped in the summer of 1981 and somehow never stopped living in our heads. We’re celebrating the 45th anniversary of Foreigner 4 and Journey Escape, and we’re doing it the only way that feels honest: track by track, memory by memory, with the little details that turn “classic rock” from a genre into a time machine. We start with Foreigner 4, a monster album co-produced by Mutt Lange and Mick Jones, and talk about why the sequencing hits so hard, from “Night Life” and “Jukebox Hero” to the emotional gut-punch of “Waiting For A Girl Like You.” We also dig into the underrated side two, the sax spotlight on “Urgent,” and the way deep cuts like “Woman In Black” and “Don’t Let Go” prove this record is more than its radio staples. If you’re into vinyl, we even get into sleeves, labels, and what makes finding a clean copy such a thrill. Then we pivot to Journey Escape, the diamond-certified breakthrough that brought Jonathan Cain into the band and pushed the songwriting into the stratosphere. We relive seeing the Escape tour at the Rose Bowl, break down why “Don’t Stop Believin’” can be both immortal and overplayed, and give love to favorites like “Who’s Crying Now,” “Stone In Love,” “Lay It Down,” and “Open Arms.” If you’ve ever attached your life to an album, you’ll recognize the feeling. Subscribe to the Ben Maynard program, share this with a friend who still argues about track lists, and leave a review or comment with the one song that instantly takes you back. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 137 Two 1981 Rock Masterpieces And The Memories They Trigger

  3. Jul 11

    EP. 136 Celebrating 40 albums from 1986 PT. 1

    Send us Fan Mail Some years don’t just age well, they keep proving their point. 1986 is one of those years, and I’m celebrating the 40-year anniversary by ripping through 20 albums that still deserve a spot in your rotation. Think of this as a fast, listener-friendly guide to building a killer 1986 playlist, with just enough chart history, release-date context, and personal takes to make each record feel like a real moment again.  The run starts with rock staples and comebacks like Billy Idol’s Whiplash Smile and Boston’s Third Stage, then pivots into era-defining pop power with Janet Jackson’s Control. From there, I hit the polished hard rock side with Ozzy Osbourne’s The Ultimate Sin, plus the messy but fascinating chapter of the Rolling Stones’ Dirty Work. If you love the way 80s production, radio, and image shaped what we heard, you’re going to have a lot to react to here.  Then we widen the lens: Bruce Hornsby’s piano-driven The Way It Is, Peter Gabriel’s mega-classic So and its MTV video legacy, Europe’s stadium-sized The Final Countdown, Paul Simon’s global masterpiece Graceland, and Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors. I also dig into how singles stayed “alive” back then, why some bands got tagged unfairly, and how momentum could make or break a career.  I close out part one with more essential 1986 albums including Ratt, Huey Lewis and the News, Bob Seger, Billy Ocean with a surprising Mutt Lange tie-in, David Lee Roth’s post Van Halen statement, Quiet Riot’s turning point, Steve Winwood, Toto, and a deeper spotlight on Cinderella’s Night Songs. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review, then tell me which 1986 album you want me to cover next. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 136 Celebrating 40 albums from 1986 PT. 1

  4. Jun 20

    EP. 135 BREAKFAST WITH BEN - No Ties For Dad And No Mercy For Bad Wi-Fi

    Send us Fan Mail Saturday morning starts simple: I’m adjusting the mic, talking breakfast, and chasing the kind of easy conversation that feels like radio you can actually live inside. Then the calendar gives us two perfect springboards for stories: World Martini Day and American Eagle Day. One leads to a memory of a great martini party, the other to Alaska, zip lines, and the moment you realize those “little golf balls” in the trees are bald eagles. From there we roll into music history and pop culture, the stuff classic rock fans can’t resist. I dig into June 20 milestones like Stars on 45, the jaw-dropping reality of 147-date tours, the Ronettes getting royalties back from Phil Spector, and the Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” riff controversy. If you love music trivia, band lore, and the business side of rock, there’s plenty to chew on. Things get more personal when I talk podcast process: a fun recap of my buddy Raul taking over a music-centric conversation, plus a behind-the-scenes look at a guest recording that kept failing with Michael T. Ross from Aldo Nova’s band. And the heart of the show is my push to interview Angel Rico, a 100-year-old veteran, because World War II stories are disappearing fast and they deserve to be heard the right way. We close with a quick vinyl record haul, a few deep-cut recommendations, and a Father’s Day run-down of songs about dads plus my best advice: skip the tie and just show up. If you enjoyed the mix of storytelling, classic rock, vinyl collecting, and real-life podcasting, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 135 BREAKFAST WITH BEN - No Ties For Dad And No Mercy For Bad Wi-Fi

  5. Jun 13

    EP. 134 Donald Mustang Meets Steve Perry

    Send us Fan Mail Raul Ortega hijacks the Ben Maynard Program and turns the tables on me with one goal: trace the exact moments that built my music brain. It starts with a scene that’s almost too perfect to be real, my mom dropping a Beatles 45 on the family stereo and typing out the lyrics to “Let It Be” while I sit there absorbing every word. That’s the point where music stops being background noise and becomes memory, comfort, and obsession.  From there we jump through the decades like a radio dial: early 80s Top 40, the rush of MTV, disco’s underrated groove, new wave’s takeover, and why that 60s through 80s window still feels like the sweet spot for classic rock and pop. We also get honest about the modern music business, why touring pays the bills now, and why some legacy acts still deliver while others maybe should hang it up.  Then we hit the stories and the lists: the “Rebel Yell” moment that turns me into a different person, my top 10 songs challenge, and the run-in with Steve Perry that lasts about a minute but sticks for life. We keep coming back to the real takeaway: hearing a song isn’t the same as listening, and once you start listening for the bass line, the vocal inflection, and the tiny choices in production, you never go back.  If you love music nostalgia, rock history, and deep listening, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who argues about playlists, and leave a review so more music nerds can find us. Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 134 Donald Mustang Meets Steve Perry

  6. Jun 6

    EP. 133 "FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!" We Put “No Hangover” Vodka And Aged Tequila To The Test

    Send us Fan Mail We tried to go live, realized we weren’t actually live, and somehow that set the perfect tone for a Friday night that spirals from goofy to surprisingly useful. After we kick around the day’s “national holidays” and swap a hot air balloon horror story that makes skydiving sound reasonable, we set the ground rules: no Malort tonight. Trivia decides who eats the BeanBoozled jelly beans, and yes, the flavors are as brutal as you remember.  Then we get into the real reason the table is crowded: a Savage Rabbit spirits tasting. We talk through what makes their vodka stand out, why people claim it drinks “clean,” and how filtration and ingredients show up in the glass. Catherine mixes a blueberry lemon drop martini twist with fresh squeezed lemon juice, lemoncello, and blueberry syrup, and we get specific about the one upgrade that instantly improves home cocktails: stop using bottled citrus when you can use fresh.  From there we move into tequila, tasting Savage Rabbit Blanco tequila neat and breaking down what “blanco” means, what agave-forward flavor should feel like, and how to judge heat versus warmth. We follow it with an extra añejo tequila aged three years, digging into oak, smoke, spice, finish, and why tequila tasting parties can be about conversation and palate training, not getting wasted. We wrap with hot yoga habits, a prank Ben fully believed, and the everyday couple stuff that keeps it real.  If you like live podcast energy, cocktail recipes, tequila tasting notes, and relationship banter, hit subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review. What bottle should we taste next? Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 133 "FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!" We Put “No Hangover” Vodka And Aged Tequila To The Test

  7. May 29

    EP. 132 My Record Store Day Haul....So Good!

    Send us Fan Mail They can take your seat, shrink your legroom, and apparently now charge you for a carry-on, but they can’t take the joy of a great live show and a fresh stack of vinyl. I’m back from a quick Vegas hit with Kathryn, and I’ve got thoughts, starting with why Frontier’s bag policy feels like a straight-up hustle. From there, we head to downtown Las Vegas for Aldo Nova at the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street. I break down what worked, what didn’t, and why sound mixing can make or break a concert, especially when the vocals get buried. The night ends on a high note with a post-show conversation and an exchanged number with Aldo’s keyboard player, Michael T. Ross, which could turn into a future guest spot with real touring-musician stories. Then it’s my personal Record Store Day: I walk through the haul, talk packaging and liner notes, and dig into classic rock essentials like Boston Third Stage, Styx Paradise Theatre and Equinox, Angel On Earth As It Is In Heaven, Journey’s pre-Steve Perry era on Look Into the Future, and KISS Asylum from the 80s non-makeup years. If you love vinyl collecting, record stores, classic rock deep cuts, and the simple security of owning physical media in an age of shifting streaming rights, this one’s for you. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more music fans can find us. Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 132 My Record Store Day Haul....So Good!

  8. May 8

    EP. 131 THE BEST OF THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 MAY 7, 1983!

    Send us Fan Mail One week. Forty songs. A whole time machine. We’re building a Billboard Top 40 playlist from May 7, 1983, and the deeper we go, the more you can hear the early 80s music world colliding: rock guitars next to synth hooks, country crossover next to new wave, and the MTV era starting to decide what “big” really means. We start with a quick life update on why I’ve been out of the studio and how much work goes into researching and writing a chart-heavy show. Then I tell the story of catching Olivia Harms live, from the simple trick of sitting near the sound booth to the small, personal moments that remind you why live music still matters. It’s a great reset before we dive into the numbers. From there, it’s a guided countdown packed with context and nostalgia: Journey showing up twice, Culture Club gaining momentum, Duran Duran breaking through, and classic pop craftsmanship from Lionel Richie, Toto, Kenny Loggins, and more. We also talk about “staying power” and why songs used to live on the charts long enough to become part of your life, not just a quick spike. And when we hit the top, the Michael Jackson run is unreal: Billie Jean on the chart, Beat It at No. 1, plus the wild behind-the-scenes connections like Eddie Van Halen’s solo and Toto’s fingerprints all over the Thriller era. If you love Billboard chart history, 1980s pop and rock, and making playlists that actually feel like a story, hit play. Subscribe, share with a friend who lived it (or needs to hear it), and leave a review with the one song that took you back the fastest. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram  and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

    EP. 131 THE BEST OF THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 MAY 7, 1983!
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5
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About

"Tell Your Story". Everyone has a story. Not just the famous. This is a guest driven program but when we are "guest free", It's just YOU and ME! I love music and we will talk a lot about it.  Enjoy the ride!#podcast #benmaynardprogram #music #tellyourstory #music #spotify #maynard #videopodcast #thebenmaynardprogram@buzzsprout.com #socialmedia #journey 

Information

  • Creator
    Ben
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    137
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Ben Maynard Program
  • Show Website
    The Ben Maynard Program