The Ben Maynard Program

Ben
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

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

    2h ago

    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

    1 hr
  2. EP. 132 My Record Store Day Haul....So Good!

    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

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

    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. 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

    1h 20m
  4. EP. 130 "FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!" The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Keeps Getting It Wrong

    Apr 18

    EP. 130 "FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!" The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Keeps Getting It Wrong

    Send us Fan Mail The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame just dropped its latest class and I’m equal parts pumped and irritated. Some picks feel overdue and undeniable, and others make me wonder what the Hall thinks “rock and roll” even is anymore. So I grabbed my notes, went live on the patio, and did what I always do on Friday Night Live: talk music, tell stories, and say the quiet part out loud. We run through the Rock Hall inductees and I explain why names like Phil Collins, Billy Idol, and Iron Maiden belong in the conversation, plus the strange behind-the-scenes detail most people miss: the Hall doesn’t just honor bands, it decides which members “count.” That leads into Iron Maiden’s lineup history, Blaze Bayley getting added, and why the ceremony can feel disconnected from the artists themselves. Then we hit the other side of the list: who didn’t get in, why the fan vote is way less powerful than people assume, and the snubs that still feel criminal, including INXS. Along the way, I share a recent concert recap with Steve Augeri’s band and a rare soundcheck experience, plus a little nostalgia detour through National Ford Mustang Day and my first car story. If you care about classic rock, music history, rock hall voting, and the artists that shaped everything we listen to now, this one’s for you. Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get podcasts, share the episode with a music fan, and leave a review with your pick for the biggest Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame snub. Who should get in 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

    1h 2m

  5. Apr 11

    EP. 129 We Build The Ultimate April 1976 Playlist

    Send us Fan Mail April 1976 is one of those weeks where the radio dial feels like an entire universe. We pull up the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 from the first week of April 1976 and react in real time, from songs we wore out as kids to deep cuts we barely recognize until the title jogs the memory. Along the way we talk about what Top 40 radio edits left out, why certain hooks became permanent, and how a track can rise, fall, or hang on for dear life depending on what the culture wanted that week. The chart run turns into a time capsule: disco energy rubbing shoulders with classic rock, soft rock, country crossover, and the kind of pop that only the 1970s could make feel normal on the same list. We hit big landmarks like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Dream On,” and “Dreamweaver,” plus the #1 that still gets everyone singing. If you love building playlists, you’ll have plenty of prompts to make your own “April 1976” set and test which songs still sound alive today. Then we zoom out from singles to albums and dig into a handful of 1976 releases that shaped careers and changed trajectories: Rush taking a massive risk with “2112,” Kansas landing their defining moment with “Leftoverture,” Paul McCartney and Wings firing back with “Silly Love Songs,” Bob Seger breaking through with “Night Moves,” and Journey in the fascinating pre-Steve Perry years on “Look Into The Future.” We close with some current show plans that tie the old music to the live stage right now. If this kind of music history and real-listener commentary is your thing, subscribe on your podcast app, watch on YouTube, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find 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

    55 min
  6. EP. 128 Growing Up Under Iran’s Regime And Finding Freedom In America

    Mar 29

    EP. 128 Growing Up Under Iran’s Regime And Finding Freedom In America

    Send us Fan Mail Most Americans only meet Iran through a headline, a chant, or a talking head. Then Sormeh walks into our studio and calmly says what almost never makes the news: the Iranian people are not the Iranian regime, and many Iranians don’t hate Americans at all. She grew up in Tehran, lived the fear and the censorship, and still has family there, so this isn’t theory or politics for sport. It’s personal. We talk about what it feels like to be a kid forced to chant “Death to America,” what you can’t say at school, and why families learn to split life into “inside the house” and “outside the house.” Sormeh explains the pressure of internet shutdowns in Iran, why VPNs become normal, and how even a simple phone call to check on relatives can be risky when you assume someone is listening. We also get into the parts that are hard for Americans to picture: bans around music and dancing, fear of hospitals after protests, and the way the IRGC’s control shows up in everyday choices. From there, we zoom out to the bigger questions: why the world ignores certain human rights abuses, what hope looks like for people living under the Islamic Republic, and why many Iranians fear a “ceasefire” if it leaves the same regime in place. We also discuss the Iranian diaspora’s rallies, why you often see American flags there, and what kind of leadership and free elections people are calling for, including mention of Reza Pahlavi. If you care about media literacy, human rights, Iranian protests, or the real story behind US-Iran tension, this conversation adds the missing human element. Subscribe to the Ben Maynard Program, share this with someone who only knows Iran from TV, and leave a review or a comment with what challenged you most.#tellyourstory #familymatters #realstories #humanrights #iran #womenofiran #standwithiran #freeiran #middleeast 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

    1h 17m
  7. EP. 127 How The Roth Era Made Van Halen A Game Changer

    Mar 28

    EP. 127 How The Roth Era Made Van Halen A Game Changer

    Send us Fan Mail Van Halen didn’t just get popular, they changed what rock music sounded like when the needle hit the record. Craig Dodge joins me after a year of planning to talk through the David Lee Roth era and why those early records still feel loud, hungry, and unreal decades later. We start with the personal stuff, how we go back to Cub Scouts, how Craig first heard “Jamie’s Cryin’,” and why Van Halen's debut still lands like a musical event rather than just another classic rock album.  From there, we get into the craft: Eddie Van Halen as a once-in-a-generation composer on guitar, the misconception of calling the band “heavy metal,” and the magic trick Van Halen pulls off by being both heavy and melodic at the same time. We also talk about cover songs, deep cuts, and what it was like seeing the band live on the Women and Children First and Fair Warning tours, plus the real difference between a lead singer and a true frontman. Roth’s voice is only part of the story; his presence, lyrics, and showmanship help explain why the band’s identity hit so hard.  Then we do the thing every fan loves to argue about: we rank the Roth-era Van Halen albums, from A Different Kind of Truth to 1984, Diver Down, Fair Warning, Women and Children First, Van Halen II, and the debut that started it all. If you care about classic rock, hard rock history, Eddie Van Halen’s influence, or the peak years of Van Halen, this one is for you. Subscribe to the Ben Maynard Program, share it with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us your Roth-era album ranking. 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

    1h 17m
  8. EP. 126 We Rewind To 1976 To Pick Must Hear Albums Turning 50

    Mar 22

    EP. 126 We Rewind To 1976 To Pick Must Hear Albums Turning 50

    Send us Fan Mail 1976 is having a moment again, and not as a dusty nostalgia trip. We rewind to the albums turning 50 and lay out a practical listening roadmap for anyone who wants to remember what made the 70s album era so powerful or finally understand why these records still dominate classic rock radio, streaming playlists, and vinyl shelves. We hit the giants and the curveballs: the Doobie Brothers stepping into a new identity with Michael McDonald, Queen expanding their theatrical rock universe on A Day At The Races, and the hard rock spine of the year through AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, and Aerosmith. Along the way, we call out the songs that became lifelong staples, plus the deep cuts that deserve a fresh spin when you’re not relying on the same old greatest-hits loop. Then we close with a run of debut albums that prove 1976 wasn’t just about established legends. Punk sparks with the Ramones, heartland rock arrives with Tom Petty, The Runaways kick the door open, Johnny Cougar gets his first chapter, and Boston drops one of the biggest debut albums of all time. If you love classic rock history, 1970s music, and album-by-album recommendations, queue this up, take notes, and tell us what you’re adding to your playlist. Subscribe, rate the show, share it with a friend, and leave a comment with your favorite 1976 album. 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

    1h 27m
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5
out of 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
    132
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Ben Maynard Program
  • Show Website
    The Ben Maynard Program