RockPopandRoll

rockforward
  • 4.6 (10)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
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A look at music that was rock, pop, and radio of the 1980's, with takes on the greatest, the worst, the underappreciated, and the burned. It's a deep dive into the retro greatness of the decade, at the intersection where rock music, pop music, power pop, guitars, drums, memorable tunes, and guilty pleasures come together.  Longtime radio rock DJ and music writer Rob Nichols hosts, along with his artist and writer friends, to dig into the music.

  1. 3H AGO

    In Memoriam: 2025 Rock and Roll Deaths / Ep. 72

    As we enter 2026, we dedicate a podcast episode to remembering the rock and roll artists (and some pop music icons, too) who passed away in 2025. We remember some of the greats and the overlooked individuals who made an impact on music - and RockPopandRoll, particularly in rock music. From Ozzy to Sly to the architect of bubble gum music, we remember and listen to some of the great music they created that lives on.

    1h 3m

  2. 12/25/2025

    20 Great Rock and Roll Christmas Classics / Ep. 71

    Can anyone put together a Santatacular set of rock and roll/Americana/roots-rock Christmas/Holiday songs?  Hell, yeah, someone can.  I’m your guy. We’re gonna take a look and listen to the best, oddest, dustiest, loudest, semi-legendary holiday rock music.  My top 20, countdown style. Songs you can sing along to every time you hear the damn thing, or tunes that should have been more than a holiday lost classic.

    1h 1m

  3. 12/05/2025

    More Todd Snider: Listening To His Playlist / Ep. 70

    As time passed since Todd Snider passed away on November 14, I've been crawling around, hearing some music that I'd put aside. Some of it is Todd's music, especially his post-Nervous Wrecks output. Along the way, I found the purported Todd Snider Playlist of 2018, listing the top songs that he'd listened to that year.  I took it as real.  Don't know if it is. Still, I recorded this podcast episode by taking it at face value. If it is not created by Todd or his time, that's cool.  It remains a freakin' great group of rock and roll, folk, and country songs.  Listen as we dig into them a bit.

    55 min

  4. 11/17/2025

    Remembering Todd Snider / Ep. 69

    Americana rocker. Songwriter and troubadour, proudly following the Prine/Kristofferson/Jerry Jeff lineage. Amazingly great, connective live performer. Loved the band he had as Todd Snider and the Nervous Wrecks. His solo writing and singing are from the soul. He died the weekend this was recorded. Just 59 years old. Sad. And I'm grateful to have heard him. Take a ride with us through some of my favorite moments and songs by Todd.

    55 min

  5. 11/13/2025

    The Case for Jefferson Starship / Ep. 68

    Jefferson Starship is an oddly overlooked band on classic rock radio. In the annals of late 70s-into-the-80s corporate AOR radio rock and roll, they sat firmly and fittingly with Boston, The Cars, REO, Styx, Foreigner, and the rest of that gang.  While those bands still get their four cuts played repeatedly on the classic rocker stations (and burn those few cuts out), Jefferson Starship was quietly placed to the side.  Hmm.  Let's revisit the rock of their catalog and see what we think.

    59 min

  6. 10/16/2025

    (Some more of) My Favorite Rock and Roll Cover Songs - Vol. 2 / Ep. 67

    So many great cover songs.  My list is really long.  That's why we have part two. Find Waylon Jennings, Todd Snider, Tom Petty, Pat Green, Cheap Trick, and a bunch more.  Pretty simple, really.  Dive into the magic on Rock Pop and Roll.

    44 min

  7. 09/19/2025

    John Fogerty: Somehow Underrated? / Ep. 66

    John Fogerty's influence in rock music is somehow underrated - he's a quiet titan of rock and roll. The rocket blast that was CCR was short (around 1968-72), and he took long breaks from his music. He was burned by a contract held by a man, according to Fogerty, who stole royalties and made bad investments with their money, and held all the rights to those CCR songs - rights taken when the band broke up and Fogerty needed to get out of the contract.  And because of him stepping away from music on two different occasions, John Fogerty might not get the credit deserved for creating what's Americana music. His original label, Fantasy Records, which owned the group's distribution and publishing rights, was sold to Concord Records in 2004. That company recently sold Fogerty back his catalog of CCR songs, though Concord retains the CCR master recordings already in its catalogue  That’s where the story twists to 2025 and why Fogerty has pulled a Taylor Swift move, to re-record, for an album called Legacy, his CCR music to have those recordings as his to do as he wishes. And that album sounds damn good. We listen to some of his solo work, including his woeful 80's output, and his (pretty good) new records since 1997.  John rocks.  Join us for the ride. email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com website: www.rockpopandroll.com

    1h 1m

  8. 08/08/2025

    My Favorite Rock and Roll Covers / Part 1 / Ep. 65

    email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com website: www.rockpopandroll.com (Some of) My Favorite Covers: From the earliest days of rock and roll, cover songs have been a vital part of the music’s forward movement, drawing on its past. Long before we knew about digital discovery, one of the fastest ways for new artists to connect with audiences was to reimagine an existing hit and put it on an album or 45—infusing it with their own style, energy, and attitude. A Chuck Berry riff might get filtered through the Beatles’ harmonies, or an old blues song could get a new spin in the hands of the Rolling Stones. Musicians have always looked back to reinterpret the songs that shaped them, essentially creating a conversation across decades of music. Great rock and roll covers often redefine the song. Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” transformed Bob Dylan’s stark folk ballad into a guitar-rock, psychedelic stomper. Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding’s “Respect” and made it a soul-rock anthem of empowerment. Nirvana’s raw take on David Bowie’s "The Man Who Sold the World" introduced the track to an entirely new audience. In each case, the cover didn’t just honor the original—it expanded its reach. The best covers don’t just repeat the past—they rewrite it, proving that a great song can live many lives. 10 Iconic Rock and Roll Covers and How They Transformed the Original Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower (1968) Originally by Bob Dylan, Hendrix electrified the song with guitars and redefined it as a rock classic. Dylan himself later performed it in Hendrix’s style. The Beatles – Twist and Shout (1963) Originally recorded by The Top Notes and popularized by The Isley Brothers, the Beatles turned it into their own via John Lennon’s famously shredded vocal take. Aretha Franklin – Respect (1967) Originally by Otis Redding, Aretha flipped the perspective, injecting it with feminist firepower, gospel-inspired vocals, and made it an anthem for empowerment and equality. The Rolling Stones – Little Red Rooster (1964) Originally by Willie Dixon (recorded by Howlin’ Wolf), the Stones slowed it down, leaning into the deep Chicago blues feel, introducing American blues to a younger audience. Nirvana – The Man Who Sold the World (1993) Originally by David Bowie, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged version stripped it to a haunting acoustic vibe that resonated with ’90s alternative fans - and (re)introduced Bowie to them, Joe Cocker – With a Little Help from My Friends (1968) Originally by The Beatles, Cocker turned the Sgt. Pepper and Ringo song into a soulful, slow-burning rocker.  Killer organ and gospel vocals. Janis Joplin – Piece of My Heart (1968) Originally by Erma Franklin, Joplin’s version with Big Brother and the Holding Company was a raw and bluesy. The Clash – I Fought the Law (1979) Written in 1958 and first released in 1960 by The Crickets (after Buddy Holly left) and popularized by The Bobby Fuller Four, The Clash injected punk. It was their first single in the United States. Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1970) Originally by Gladys Knight & The Pips and made famous by Marvin Gaye, CCR turned the Motown hit into an 11-minute swamp-rock jam. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (1994) Originally by Leonard Cohen, Buckley’s haunting performance influenced artists in the decades that followed. Further Listening: 4 Lesser-Known but Brilliant Beatles Covers The Black Keys – She Said, She Said (2002) A gritty, stripped-down garage-rock take on The Beatles’ psychedelic classic from Revolver. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Dear Prudence (1983) The Beatles’ ballad morphs in goth-tinged new wave.. Gov’t Mule – She Said, She Said / Tomorrow Never Knows (1998) A jam-band fusion of two Beatles tracks Fiona Apple – Across the Universe (1998) Slowed to a languid pace, Apple leans into the cosmic melancholy

    55 min
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About

A look at music that was rock, pop, and radio of the 1980's, with takes on the greatest, the worst, the underappreciated, and the burned. It's a deep dive into the retro greatness of the decade, at the intersection where rock music, pop music, power pop, guitars, drums, memorable tunes, and guilty pleasures come together.  Longtime radio rock DJ and music writer Rob Nichols hosts, along with his artist and writer friends, to dig into the music.

Information

  • Creator
    rockforward
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    RockPopandRoll

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