Dig Me Out: 70s & 80s Metal

Dig Me Out
Dig Me Out
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Music History
  • Biweekly

J, Chip, and Tim dig into the heavy rock and metal that defined two decades—from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin’s pioneering riffs to Mötley Crüe’s sonic excess, the unsung heroes, and the stories behind it all. One album at a time. Let’s relive the magic. www.digmeoutpodcast.com

  1. Oct 20

    Manowar’s Kings of Metal Still Demands You Pick a Side

    What happens when a band decides metal is not just a genre, but a kingdom they were born to rule? Gavin Reid joins Jay, Tim, and Chip to dig into Manowar’s 1988 Atlantic Records album Kings of Metal. From the speed of “Wheels of Fire” to the choir-drenched drama of “Heart of Steel,” the band’s self-appointed heavy-metal coronation is more melodic, theatrical, and ambitious than its barbarian artwork suggests.[2][1] We talk power metal, fantasy-world escapism, the title track’s undeniable chant, Joey DeMaio’s “Sting of the Bumblebee” bass showcase, a baffling song sequence, and why “Pleasure Slave” is the album’s obvious weak link. If you love Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, Ghost, or the grand theatrical side of classic metal, this episode is for you.[1] Episode highlights 02:02: Why Kings of Metal became our “what is metal?” test case 14:00: “Wheels of Fire” and Manowar’s unexpected aggression 19:58: “Heart of Steel,” choirs, and power-metal grandeur 26:07: The “Kings of Metal” anthem and its call-and-response hook 30:55: The album sequence that never finds its momentum 36:06: “Pleasure Slave” and the songs we would leave behind 49:50: Album, EP, or Decent Single? Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.comHave a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

  2. Oct 6

    The 1977 Album That Should Have Made Starz Famous

    A Top 40 single, a Capitol Records deal, KISS-world connections, and Jack Douglas in the producer’s chair. So why is Starz’s Violation still a record most rock fans have never heard? Jay, Tim, and Chip dig into the 1977 album that turned Starz into a musicians’ favorite without making them stars. We get into Bill Aucoin, Richie Ranno’s connection to Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne auditions, “Cherry Baby” reaching No. 33, and the strange mix of power pop, hard rock, theatrical vocals, and sharp melodic turns that makes Violation both rewarding and frustrating. If you love KISS, Cheap Trick, Angel, or late-1970s melodic hard rock, this episode is for you. Episode highlights: 00:44: The poll that sent Starz to the table 07:23: Bill Aucoin, Capitol, and Jack Douglas 16:44: “Sing It, Shout It” and “S.T.E.A.D.Y.” 30:07: “Subway Terror” and the album’s harder edge 32:41: “Is That a Street Light or the Moon?” 38:40: Why Starz never broke through 56:22: Worthy album or better EP? Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.comHave a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

  3. Sep 15

    Holland’s Little Monsters: The Chicago Metal Album That Got Lost Between Scenes

    What if one of 1985’s most overlooked metal albums was not from the Sunset Strip at all? This week, Jay, Tim, and Chip dig into Holland’s 1985 Atlantic Records debut, Little Monsters. The album won an 80 percent community runoff, and it became a first listen for all three of us. Featuring powerhouse vocalist Tom Holland and future guitar virtuoso Michael Angelo Batio, it is a tight 34-minute hard-rock record with equal parts melodic songwriting, technical guitar, Chicago identity, and mid-’80s major-label ambition. We get into the power-pop instincts beneath the riffs, Batio’s surprisingly disciplined shred work, “Wake Up the Neighborhood” appearing in Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the album’s strongest songs, and why Holland may have needed one more record to find its real commercial lane. If you love Cheap Trick, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Enuff Z’Nuff, early Def Leppard, or overlooked ’80s hard rock, this episode is for you. 00:44: The poll result and Holland’s underdog victory 01:40: Holland’s short history and Chicago roots 02:22: Michael Angelo Batio before Nitro 02:37: “Wake Up the Neighborhood” and its movie connection 03:09: The album’s best riffs, hooks, and influences 04:04: What keeps Little Monsters from being a complete statement 04:50: Final verdict Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.comHave a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

  4. Sep 1

    Hawkwind Made Proto-Stoner Rock Before Anyone Had a Name for It

    A Swedish band nobody outside Scandinavia ever heard live sounds like it was mixed by people who actually understood 80s post-punk instead of just imitating it. This episode, guest Darren Leach brings his first pick from the 2000s: Cut City's 2007 debut Exit Decades, a nine-song, 34-minute record that channels Joy Division, The Sound, and early Interpol while arriving a few years after the post-punk revival's commercial peak. We dig into the mechanical-versus-expressive tension in the arrangements, the mix that lets every instrument breathe, and why the album might be missing the one quirky vocal hook that made its peers famous. If you love Interpol, Editors, Bloc Party, or 2000s post-punk revival, this episode is for you. Highlights: 01:49: Darren introduces Cut City and the album 08:51: The mechanical/expressive dynamic breakdown 19:05: The mix and bass discussion 26:49: What doesn't fully land on the record 33:09: The post-punk revival timeline 37:41: Ratings revealed Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.com Have a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

    Hawkwind Made Proto-Stoner Rock Before Anyone Had a Name for It

  5. Aug 18

    Tora Tora Sounds Like Judas Priest Fighting Aerosmith

    Tora Tora beat Metallica in a poll. That alone should tell you something about how this show works. This 80s Metal episode covers Tora Tora's 1989 debut Surprise Attack, the surprise winner of a four-way Patreon poll against Metallica's Master of Puppets, Slade's Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply, and Motörhead's Iron Fist. The Memphis band's blend of Judas Priest style riffing and Beale Street blues set them apart from the Sunset Strip pack, and the hosts dig into the record's three singles, its reverb-heavy production, a firsthand tour bus story from 1992, and the band's ongoing reissue campaign and 2019 reunion. If you love Tesla, Badlands, or late-80s hard rock that never quite got its due, this episode is for you. Episode highlights: 00:00: Poll results and Tora Tora's landslide win 06:35: A 1992 tour bus story from backstage at a Newport headlining show 20:39: What works on Surprise Attack 40:04: The production issue holding the record back 49:43: Final host ratings Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the Board of Directors at dmounion.com Have a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

  6. Aug 4

    The 1970 Billy Joel Metal Album That Time Forgot

    Billy Joel in a metal band sounds like a late night joke, but Attila’s lone 1970 album is a lot stranger and heavier than the punchlines suggest. In this episode, we dig into the self titled organ driven proto metal record he cut with drummer Jon Small for Epic Records, from the meat locker cover photo to the stories of audiences fleeing their short lived club sets. We trace Joel’s path from Long Island psych rockers The Hassles to Attila’s Hammond through Marshall tone, then forward to Cold Spring Harbor and Piano Man, asking how one songwriter could pivot from medieval siege riffs to precise piano ballads in just a few years. Along the way we debate whether Attila deserves its “worst rock album ever” reputation, why the first three tracks feel like a lost EP for Deep Purple and Sabbath fans, and what this record might sound like filtered through Fu Manchu or Jack White’s world. If you love heavy organ, stoner rock, early 70s hard rock, or the weird chapters in big artists’ careers, this one is for you. Highlights: 01:18 poll ballot rundown; 10:13 legendary negative review; 17:21 Hammond through Marshall breakdown; 24:14 proto metal EP inside the LP; 53:38 dream reissue and cover band ideas. Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.comHave a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

  7. Jul 21

    Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force Turns 41: Why It Still Matters

    A nineteen year old singer, a guitarist who barely wanted him there, and a record that split guitar playing into two schools for the rest of the decade. This week our 90s specialist Jeremy Amend crosses into 80s metal for his first time, bringing us Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force, the 1984 debut that crystallized neoclassical shred into an actual genre. We dig into the mystery of the "J" in his name, Jeff Scott Soto's wild resume, why this album opened the door for Shrapnel Records and guys like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and whether the two vocal tracks help or hurt the record. If you love Deep Purple, early Van Halen, or neoclassical metal, this episode is for you. Highlights: 00:02: Jeremy's first 80s pick after years of 90s deep cuts 04:11: The real story behind Yngwie's name change 30:14: Is this the first neoclassical solo guitar album in rock history 35:38: What doesn't work on the record 52:15: Final ratings and poll results Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.com Have a lost or forgotten album that deserves the spotlight? Suggest it here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

    Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force Turns 41: Why It Still Matters

  8. Jul 7

    1976: The Year Guitar Rock Split In Two

    1976 was supposed to belong to disco, soft rock, and singer‑songwriters. Yet in the shadows of “Disco Lady,” “A Fifth of Beethoven,” and “Silly Love Songs,” guitar bands were quietly rebuilding what hard rock and metal could be. Boston’s basement‑crafted debut exploded onto Epic Records, Thin Lizzy dropped Jailbreak and Johnny the Fox in the same year, and Judas Priest, Scorpions, Rainbow, and Rush started sketching out the next decade of heavy music. In this roundtable, we go deep into the albums of 1976 that still matter for 70s and 80s metal and hard rock. We talk Kiss’ double‑punch of Destroyer and Rock and Roll Over, the strange transitional energy of Zeppelin’s Presence and Sabbath’s Technical Ecstasy, and the way Ramones, Sex Pistols, and Blondie cracked open a punk and new wave future while classic rock giants were already burning out. If you love Boston, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Aerosmith, or any corner where 70s hard rock collides with early punk and European deep cuts, this episode is for you. Highlights: • 02:30: Billboard’s 1976 snapshot vs the albums we care about • 12:10: The accidental birth of Johnny the Fox • 24:10: Kiss in hi‑gloss and raw form, in one year • 29:20: Gasolin’ and Solid Ground, Scandinavian heaviness in 1976Subscribe to Dig Me Out at digmeoutpodcast.com | Join the community at dmounion.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

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About

J, Chip, and Tim dig into the heavy rock and metal that defined two decades—from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin’s pioneering riffs to Mötley Crüe’s sonic excess, the unsung heroes, and the stories behind it all. One album at a time. Let’s relive the magic. www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Information

  • Channel
    Dig Me Out
  • Creator
    Beyond the hits—exploring the albums, bands, and moments that shaped the heavy 70s & 80s metal
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © J Dziak
  • Show Website
    Dig Me Out: 70s & 80s Metal

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