Rockers to Doctors

Dorian Prescott and Nova Starwick
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Music
  • Weekly

From backstage chaos to brainy breakdowns—Rockers to Doctors is your weekly shot of music news with a glam metal edge. We cover the latest headlines, streaming shifts, reunion rumors, weird merch drops, and the cultural undercurrents shaping rock, metal, and everything in between. Hosted by two PhDs who never ditched their leather jackets, this podcast blends pop culture commentary, forgotten facts, and the occasional chart analysis to bring you a fresh take on the music that made us—and the stories still unfolding. Come for the riffs, stay for the rabbit holes.

  1. 3d ago

    Poison's MTV Disaster, Backstage Fistfights & the Reunion That Fell Apart (Part 2)

    Poison was at the top of the rock world in 1990. Three successful albums, sold-out arenas, and hit singles had made Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Rikki Rockett, and Bobby Dall some of the most recognizable musicians of the hair metal era. Then came the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. In Part 2 of their Poison deep dive, Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott examine the band's spectacular public meltdown, the backstage fight that preceded C.C. DeVille's departure, and the decades of controversy that followed. The episode begins with the making of Flesh & Blood, including "Unskinny Bop," "Something to Believe In," and Poison's attempt to develop a more serious musical identity. But tensions inside the band were already reaching a breaking point. At the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, a troubled performance of "Talk Dirty to Me" became one of the band's most notorious moments. Bret Michaels and C.C. DeVille fought backstage, and DeVille was soon out of Poison. Richie Kotzen joined the band for Native Tongue, but his time ended in another scandal involving Rikki Rockett's fiancée. Blue Saraceno followed before the original lineup eventually reunited. The problems didn't end there. Nova and Dorian explore the 2006 confrontation between Bret Michaels and Bobby Dall, Rikki Rockett's wrongful arrest and eventual exoneration, his battle with cancer, and the extraordinary series of health crises that nearly cost Michaels his life. They also revisit Michaels' reality television career, including Rock of Love and his victory on The Celebrity Apprentice shortly after suffering a life-threatening brain hemorrhage. Finally, the story reaches 2026. After Poison's successful 2022 stadium tour with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, and Joan Jett, plans for a 40th Anniversary reunion appeared promising. But a disagreement over the proposed financial arrangements brought those plans to a halt. Rikki Rockett publicly described a proposed payment split of six dollars for Bret Michaels for every dollar received by each other member. Michaels disputed the characterization, and the actual contract terms have not been made public. As of October 2026, Poison has not performed together since 2022, and no reunion tour has been confirmed. Can a band that survived decades of fights, addiction, personal tragedies, and changing musical tastes find a way to get back onstage? This is Part 2 of our two-part Poison history. Missed Part 1? Watch Poison's early history, including Slash's audition, the Sunset Strip years, and the band's rise to superstardom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFaAUqMT6JA Visit https://rockerstodoctors.com for more rock history, news, and deep dives. Rockers to Doctors: Headbanging with a hypothesis.

  2. 3d ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Enjoy: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    Introducing Vinh Giang: How to Communicate So People Actually Listen to You from On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty Communication expert Vinh Giang joins Jay to share practical tools from his first book, Before We Forget How to Connect, to help you become a more confident communicator and build deeper, more meaningful connections. Vinh explains how to become a better listener, avoid common communication mistakes, and speak so people actually pay attention. From sounding confident when you're nervous to speaking up in meetings, navigating difficult conversations, and making a great first impression, Vinh shares simple techniques to help you communicate more effectively and connect with people in every area of your life. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Instagram Teen Accounts: Built-in protections for teens. JAY'S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Before We Forget How To Connect 01:52 The High-Low Buffalo Icebreaker 02:45 Sharing Personal Highs 05:15 Sharing Personal Lows 11:40 Sharing Personal Buffalos 13:40 Escaping Small Talk 16:10 Overcoming Self-Judgment 17:58 Sharing Wins Without Sounding Arrogant 19:50 Communication Beyond The Script 20:40 Gen Z's Communication Struggles 23:20 Last Word, Last Letter Game 27:20 The Four Modalities Of Listening 29:50 The Three Follow-Up Questions Rule 35:50 How Do You Make A Great First Impression? 40:10 Reading the Room, Not Formulas 44:10 Finding Your Unique Voice 49:00 Life As A Book: New Chapters 50:40 Building Executive Presence 53:20 Fix Your Resting Blank Face 58:30 Filming Yourself For Self-Awareness 01:02:20 When Your Mind Goes Blank 01:06:10 The Power Of The Pause 01:09:30 How Can You Sound Confident When You’re Nervous? 01:14:40 From Texting Chemistry to Real-Life Connection 01:18:40 How to Communicate Better During Arguments 01:20:20 Learning to Speak Up In Meetings 01:25:45 How to Join a Conversation Without Feeling Awkward 01:28:20 Leaving A Conversation Gracefully 01:31:4 Embracing Vulnerability Episode Resources: Book | https://vinhgiang.com/before-we-forget-how-to-connect Website | https://vinhgiang.com/ YouTube | https://youtube.com/@askvinh Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCPX1ChrP/?mibextid=wwXIfr LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinhgiang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Enjoy: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

  3. Oct 19

    The Led Zeppelin Curse & Concrete Blonde's Haunted Hotel | Rock Ghost Stories

    What happens when rock and roll history meets the supernatural? In this special pre-Halloween episode of Rockers to Doctors, Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott each share a story from rock history's eerie side. Nova begins with Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitano's strange experience at Austin's historic Driskill Hotel in 1991. While touring with Sting, Johnette reportedly encountered unexplained lights, a troublesome room key, and a mysterious presence she believed was flirting with her. The experience eventually inspired Concrete Blonde's 1992 alternative rock hit "Ghost of a Texas Ladies' Man." Dorian then investigates the legendary Led Zeppelin curse, exploring Jimmy Page's fascination with Aleister Crowley, the occult history of Boleskine House, and filmmaker Kenneth Anger's claim that he placed a curse on Page. He also examines the tragic events that helped fuel speculation about supernatural forces surrounding the band. From haunted hotel rooms to alleged occult curses, these stories have fascinated rock fans for decades. Do you believe something supernatural happened, or are these legends the product of coincidence and rock mythology? Featured artists and figures: Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, Concrete Blonde, Johnette Napolitano, Sting, Aleister Crowley, Kenneth Anger, Jesse Driskill, and Eddie and the Hot Rods. Featured song: Concrete Blonde, "Ghost of a Texas Ladies' Man," from Walking in London (1992). Visit https://rockerstodoctors.com for more episodes, rock news, and music history. Rockers to Doctors: Headbanging with a hypothesis.

  4. Oct 13

    Poison Almost Hired Slash! From Broke to Platinum and Hated by Everyone | Part 1

    From a converted ambulance to MTV superstardom, Nova and Dorian explore Poison's rise, Slash's audition, the making of their biggest hits, and their feud with Guns N' Roses. Before Poison became one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, they were struggling musicians from Pennsylvania trying to make it on the Sunset Strip. They had almost no money, no record deal, and eventually no lead guitarist. Then Slash walked into an audition. In Part 1 of this two-part Rockers to Doctors deep dive, Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott explore the extraordinary rise of Poison, from Bret Michaels and Rikki Rockett's earliest bands through the commercial explosion of Look What the Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say... Ahh! The story begins in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where a band called Paris developed the image and stage show that would eventually become Poison. After moving to Los Angeles, the group faced brutal competition, miserable living conditions, and constant rejection from record labels. When original guitarist Matt Smith left, Poison auditioned several replacements, including Slash. The band ultimately chose C.C. DeVille, partly because of a song that would become one of its biggest hits, "Talk Dirty to Me." Nova and Dorian examine the disputed origins of that song, Poison's unusual early record deal, and how a $23,000 album recorded in just 12 days became a multiplatinum success. Then came Open Up and Say... Ahh!, producer Tom Werman, and a string of enormous hits, including "Nothin' But a Good Time," "Fallen Angel," and the number-one single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." But commercial success brought plenty of enemies. The episode also explores Poison's rivalry with Guns N' Roses, including Axl Rose's criticism of the band, the lingering tension surrounding Slash's audition, and an ugly backstage incident that resulted in a lawsuit. Through it all, Poison remained enormously popular with fans while attracting hostility from critics and rival musicians. This is Part 1 of our two-part Poison story. Part 2 continues with the band's later career, internal conflicts, personal struggles, and the events that followed its early success. Visit https://rockerstodoctors.com for more episodes and rock news. Rockers to Doctors: Headbanging with a hypothesis.

  5. Oct 6

    Ozzfest Is Back, Ozzy's Final Show & Van Halen Is Still Fighting

    Nova and Dorian dig into five September stories involving Skid Row, Ozzfest, Ozzy and Black Sabbath, Van Halen and Slipknot. Description This month, Rockers to Doctors is doing the news freestyle a little differently. Instead of trying to squeeze every September headline into one episode, Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott went back through the month's coverage and chose five stories that gave them something worth digging into. First, Skid Row's worldwide singer search continues. After hundreds of submissions, the process has moved into rehearsals. Nova and Dorian discuss what the band actually needs from its next singer and whether taking so long risks losing the excitement the search initially generated. Then, Ozzfest is officially returning in 2027, with events planned for the UK and United States. Who should headline the American return? Should established bands dominate the bill, or should Ozzfest use its platform to introduce a new generation of metal bands? Next comes Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning. Ozzy's farewell performance at Villa Park is heading to theaters, but the concert means something very different now. What was planned as Ozzy's final stage appearance became his actual final performance just 17 days before his death. The Van Halen feud also has another chapter. Sammy Hagar has responded to Alex Van Halen's criticism and questioned the way Alex is handling the band's legacy. Nova and Dorian debate the larger question behind the argument: do the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar years both belong at the center of Van Halen's story? Finally, Slipknot spent September dropping clues before revealing a huge 2027 stadium tour. That announcement leads to another question facing many long-running bands: how many members can change before fans stop considering it the same band? Five stories became nearly an hour of conversation, debate and a few unexpected detours. What was your biggest rock story of September? What should have made our list?

  6. Sep 29

    Tesla's Wild Story: The "No Yoko" Clause, $5 Million & a Feud That Never Ended

    From "Signs" and Five Man Acoustical Jam to a $5 million payout, addiction, the "No Yoko" clause, and a feud that still hasn't completely died. Tesla emerged from Sacramento at the height of hair metal. They appeared on MTV, toured arenas, and sold millions of records. But Tesla never really sounded or looked like the bands they were constantly grouped with. Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott trace Tesla's story from Brian Wheat and teenage guitarist Frank Hannon through the arrival of Jeff Keith, Tommy Skeoch and Troy Luccketta. A three-month gig at a U.S. Army base in Guam helped forge the band, and a recommendation from Great White singer Jack Russell eventually put them in front of Geffen Records talent scout Tom Zutaut.  After Mechanical Resonance and The Great Radio Controversy established Tesla nationally, an almost accidental acoustic experiment changed everything. With two nights off while opening for Mötley Crüe, Tesla decided to play an acoustic show. The resulting Five Man Acoustical Jam sold more than a million copies, while their cover of "Signs" became the biggest single of their career. Then grunge arrived. Despite Tesla's blues-rock roots, jeans-and-T-shirts image and lack of glam theatrics, the industry had already placed them in the hair metal category. When that genre fell out of favor, Tesla went with it. The story gets even stranger from there: a reported $5 million payout from Geffen, cocaine, alcohol, marriages affecting band business, and an actual "No Yoko" clause written into Tesla's contracts. Nova and Dorian also dig into the firing of Tommy Skeoch, the bitter feud with Brian Wheat, the band's 2000 reunion, and Tesla's surprisingly productive second act. In 2026, Tesla released the covers album Homage and returned to the road with Mötley Crüe and Extreme, with Jeff Keith, Frank Hannon, and Brian Wheat still carrying the band forward. Tesla survived success, addiction, grunge, a breakup, and decades of being put in the wrong musical box. Maybe being underestimated helped keep them going.

  7. Sep 22

    Twisted Sister: Dee Snider, the Senate & 50 Years of Fighting Everyone

    From thousands of Long Island bar gigs and Dee Snider's legendary Senate testimony to breakups, political battles and Sebastian Bach taking the microphone in 2026. Twisted Sister's history is considerably stranger than "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock." Nova Starwick and Dorian Prescott go back to 1972 and trace the band's journey from a New York-area glam cover band through a decade-long grind on the tri-state club circuit. By the time Twisted Sister finally landed a record deal, they had already played more than 2,000 shows. Along the way came an equipment truck destroyed by fire, extraordinary club stories, constant lineup changes, record-label rejection and the arrival of Dee Snider. Then Stay Hungry changed everything. "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" turned Twisted Sister into MTV stars, but their success also put them directly in the path of the Parents Music Resource Center. In 1985, Dee Snider joined Frank Zappa and John Denver before the Senate Commerce Committee and delivered testimony that became one of rock's most famous confrontations with censorship. Nova and Dorian also explore the internal tensions that eventually destroyed the band, the disappointing Love Is for Suckers era, their reunion, the death of drummer A.J. Pero, and the seemingly endless battles over politicians adopting "We're Not Gonna Take It." Finally, the story reaches 2026. Dee Snider stepped away as Twisted Sister prepared for its 50th Anniversary return, and former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach stepped in with Snider's blessing. On August 28, Bach played his first show fronting Twisted Sister in New Jersey. After more than five decades, Twisted Sister is still finding something to fight for.

  8. Sep 21

    Metallica Extends M72, Anthrax Returns, KISS Opens the Vault & Ozzy Heads to Theaters

    Nova and Dorian cover the week's biggest rock headlines, including Metallica, Anthrax, KISS, Ozzy and Black Sabbath, Poison, Skid Row, Rammstein, Def Leppard, Queen, and more. This week on Shot of Rock News: Last Call, Nova and Dorian break down the biggest rock and metal headlines for the week ending September 19, 2026. Stories include Metallica extending the M72 World Tour into 2027 with Limp Bizkit and Avatar, Anthrax releasing the video for "Cursum Perficio" from its first studio album in a decade, and KISS announcing a huge 50th anniversary super-deluxe edition of Rock And Roll Over with 100 previously unreleased tracks and mixes. Also covered this week: Rikki Rockett says there are still no concrete Poison tour plans for 2027, Skid Row moves its singer search into another round, Rammstein brings Live In Mexico City to theaters, Def Leppard releases a previously unheard Beatles cover, and the complete Black Label Society recorded catalog is acquired by MNRK Music Group. Plus: Nightwish rules out a reunion with Tarja Turunen, Brian May says he is open to a Queen avatar-style show, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's final Back To The Beginning concert heads to theaters, Bad Company releases the final performance with Mick Ralphs, Greta Van Fleet shares "Tear It Down," Candlebox reunites with Peter Klett on new music, Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park reveal major 2027 lineups, and Gene Simmons is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. That's your shot of rock news. Subscribe to stay current.

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About

From backstage chaos to brainy breakdowns—Rockers to Doctors is your weekly shot of music news with a glam metal edge. We cover the latest headlines, streaming shifts, reunion rumors, weird merch drops, and the cultural undercurrents shaping rock, metal, and everything in between. Hosted by two PhDs who never ditched their leather jackets, this podcast blends pop culture commentary, forgotten facts, and the occasional chart analysis to bring you a fresh take on the music that made us—and the stories still unfolding. Come for the riffs, stay for the rabbit holes.

Information

  • Creator
    Dorian Prescott and Nova Starwick
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Rockers to Doctors