***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Howlin’ Wolf’s first LP was a collection of previously recorded tracks by the Mississippi-born blues legend. Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Wayne Federman return to The 500 to discuss Wolf’s impact on multiple generations of guitar players, including the blues revival of the late 1950s and early 1960s that inspired bands like The Rolling Stones. Follow Kenny on Social Media: https://www.i...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 154
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The Pretenders grew from the punk and new wave scene in London unk and new wave in the late 1970s, and brought that combo to the pop world, fronted by the charismatic Chrissy Hynde. David Wain joins us to talk about Brass In Pocket and the rest of The Pretenders self-titled debut. Follow David on Social Media: https://davidwain.com/ https://www.instagram.com/davidwain https://www.ti...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 155
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Paul’s Boutique was a very different sound from the Beastie Boys first album, License To Ill. The second album featured multi-layered sampling and more production. While the album was initially a commercial failure, the beats earned them respect among their peers. Mike E. Winfield discusses the Beastie Boys' growth between albums with Josh. Follow Mike on Social Media: https://www.i...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 156
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Two months after the death of Joy Division’s vocalist Ian Curtis, the remaining members of the band decided to release their second and final studio album, Closer. Matt makes his third appearance on the podcast to talk about their effect on the post-punk era and the later version of the group, New Order. Follow Matt on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/matthewpinfield/ DistroK...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 155
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Elton John’s ninth studio album served as an autobiographical tale of the early portion of the careers of both Bernie Taupin (the Brown Dirt Cowboy) and Elton (Captain Fantastic). Mike Portnoy sits down with Josh to talk about the first album to ever debut atop the Billboard 200 charts. Follow Mike on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/mikeportnoy/ https://www.facebook.com/mike...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 53 min
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** From 1974 to 1975, Kiss released three albums: Kiss, Hotter Than Hell, and Dressed to Kill. The albums helped establish a cult following for the band but were commercial failures. Paul, aka “Star Child” joins Josh to discuss the decision to release an album that captured their live energy, which turned out to be a breakthrough for the band. Follow Paul on Social Media: https://www.i...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 159
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The Struts lead singer Luke Spiller talks about the raw power of one of his biggest influences, and the biggest influence of rock bands for decades: T. Rex and their sophomore album Electric Warrior Follow Luke on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/lukespiller/?hl=en DistroKid Artist Of The Week: Luke Spiller https://youtu.be/m8a_ePrR1GA?si=giZgu2wUrOGWSVi_ Follow Josh on Insta...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 160
Here’s a preview of “To Hell with Poverty!”, a new audiobook from Jon King, legendary frontman of iconic post-punk band Gang of Four. “To Hell with Poverty!” documents King’s story from a south London slum and working-class background to international success as core musician, lyricist, writer, and producer in the legendary post-punk/funk band Gang of Four. King’s memoir takes the reader on a journey full of raucous adventures from his childhood and teenage years, to the height of Gang of Four’s...
May 09, 2025•10 min
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was supposed to mark the beginning of a new phase in Otis Redding's career, not an ending. Nick Thune sits in to talk about one of Josh’s favorite solo artists and some of the top songs Redding produced, including the first ever posthumous #1 single in the US, The Dock Of The Bay. Follow Nick on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/nickthune/htt...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 161
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** OK Computer was designed as a deliberate reaction against the grunge movement of the 1990s. Josh talks about one of his favorite bands with Nick Swardson, covering tracks like “Karma Police” and “Paranoid Android”, and the genius that is Thom Yorke. Follow Nick on Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/nickswardsoncomedy/ https://www.instagram.com/realnickswardson/ http://nickswards...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 162
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The multi-platinum selling double LP “1999” mixes rock, synthpop, and Prince’s brand of funk. It was also the first time “The Revolution” was involved in the creative process of a Prince album. Anthony Fantano joins Josh to discuss the album that pushed the iconic and mysterious artist towards his peak. Follow Anthony on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/afantano/ https://x.co...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 163
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt is a combination of her two greatest hits albums, with 16 of the 21 songs coming from when she was consistently atop the charts, with the remaining five songs sourced from her late-'80s/early-'90s adult contemporary comeback. Peter Asher discusses what it was like to work with Linda on some of her most famous tracks. Follow Peter on Social Media: http...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 165
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Let’s Get It On is a pivotal soul recording that also increased the popularity of funk in the 1970s. The commercially successful album also established Marvin Gaye as a sex icon. Chris Redd joins Josh to discuss the sultry-sounding album. Follow Chris on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/chrisreddis/ https://x.com/reddsaidit https://www.tiktok.com/@official.chrisredd http://ia...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 57 min•Ep. 165
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Imperial Bedroom’s success was due to the intense collaboration between Elvis Costello and Producer Geoff Emerick, who had engineered some of the later work of the Beatles. Greg Proops joins Josh to discuss Costello’s seventh studio album and his time on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Follow Greg on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/proopdog/ https://www.gregproops.com/ DistroKid Ar...
Apr 02, 2025•2 hr 31 min•Ep. 166
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Metallica is a massive name now, and their first big step towards stardom was when they released their third album. Joe Manganiello joins Josh to talk about one of his all-time favorite bands and the impact the thrash metal album had for decades to come,. Follow Joe on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/joemanganiello/ https://x.com/joemanganiello?lang=en https://www.facebook.c...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 167
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** My Aim Is True is influenced by a wide variety of genres, from punk, new wave, and British pub rock to elements of 1950s rock and roll, R&B, and rockabilly. In an interview, Costello stated that the songs are motivated solely by "revenge and guilt". Lisa Loeb joins Josh to discuss the impact and influence that this album had on her. Follow Lisa on Social Media: https://www.youtu...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 168
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Unlike previous albums from the band, Exodus moves away from story-telling and transitions to themes of change, religion, politics, and sexuality. Ian Edwards joins Josh to discuss his connection to Marley while growing up in Jamaica. Follow Ian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IanEdwardsComic/ Follow Ian on X: https://x.com/IanEdwardsComic/ Follow Ian on Facebook: https://ww...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 167
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The Who had established themselves as one of the best live acts in the world by the end of the 1960s. Two shows were scheduled to capture that for what would become today’s album. Michael Shannon stops by to talk about the influence this live album and The Who had on both him and his band. Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialmichaelshannon/ DistroKid Artis...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 170
-The duo of DJ Morty Coyle & Wayne Federman return to talk about one of the more overlooked bands from the British Invasion era, The Byrds. Long Description ***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** This album is the most eclectic and experimental in the Byrds' catalog. The album’s content ranged from folk and country music to psychedelic and electronic music. DJ Morty Coyle & Wayne Federman go through the tracks wi...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 171
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The third studio album by Stewart is a mix of hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one in the United States and the UK, including Rod's breakthrough hit, "Maggie May”. Wayne Federman is back to discuss an album right in his wheelhouse: Early 1970s rock and roll. Follow Wayne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instafederman/ Follow Wayne on X: https://x.com/feder...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 172
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** After releasing Something/Anything, Rundgren said he evolved as an artist and reached beyond writing about love and relationships. The proficient Producer and Musician produced every track on the album and performed all of the instruments on three of the four sides. W. Kamau Bell stops by to talk about the different moods of the album. Follow W. Kamau Bell on Instagram: https://www....
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 173
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Unlike most of his solo records, Bob collaborated with various artists on this release like Emmylou Harris and Eric Clapton. “Desire” marked Bob’s heavy resurgence on social themes. Dan Fogler, who plays Dylan's Manager Albert Grossman in "A Complete Unknown", and Josh do a track-by-track breakdown of Dylan’s seventeenth studio album on the podcast. Follow Dan on Instagram: https://...
Feb 05, 2025•2 hr 13 min•Ep. 174
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** This album and its singles earned Carpenters eight Grammy Award nominations. They won for Best New Artist and Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for the album. Wayne Federman stops by to discuss their distinctively soft musical style. Follow Wayne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instafederman/ Follow Wayne on Twitter: https://x.com/federman DistroK...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 175
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** Joe Perry said the purpose of Rocks "was to reidentify us as America's ultimate garage band, with blistering guitars, blistering vocals, balls-to-the-wall smash-your-eardrums production.” Fellow rocker Sebastian Bach makes his debut on The 500 to talk about the album that caused the next generation of guitar heroes to start playing in the 1970s. Follow Sebastian on Instagram: https:...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 176
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** “One Nation Under A Groove” has been described as the peak of Funkadelic’s output, and funkifying music to another level. It expanded the boundaries of their music to be more political, social, and sexual. Friend of the 500 Wayne Federman makes his first appearance in 2025 to discuss some of George Clinton’s finest work. Follow Wayne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instafede...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 177
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** The Impressions were an American music group whose repertoire included doo-wop, gospel, soul, and R&B. Curtis Mayfield first achieved success and recognition with the Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s and 1960s, and later worked as a solo artist. Godfrey makes his second appearance to discuss the musical influence Mayfield had for generations to come...
Jan 08, 2025•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 178
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** ABBA is one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, having a meteoric rise to fame after an appearance on Eurovision in 1974. Liza Treyger stops by to talk about some of her favorites from the Swedish pop group’s career-encompassing album. Follow Liza on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glittercheese Follow Liza on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizatreyger ...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 179
”The Rolling Stones, Now” is considered the first complete album from the Rolling Stones discography, mixing blues classics and some of their tunes. Wayne Federman makes his sweet-sixteenth appearance to discuss the Glitter Twins during the early portion of their career Follow Wayne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instafederman/ Follow Wayne on Twitter: https://x.com/federman DistroKid Artist Of The Week: Ginny Luke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9oH-ebCnDc Follow Josh on Instagram: ht...
Dec 25, 2024•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 180
***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** This was the first album released by Bob Marley & the Wailers. Maz Jobrani makes his debut on The 500 to talk about “No Woman, No Cry” from Natty Dread, the first of three times we’ll be talking about the King of Reggae on the podcast. Follow Maz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mazjobrani Follow Maz on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mazjobrani Follow Maz on TikTok...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 181
Sharing a preview of a podcast called The Wonder of Stevie. You might think you know Stevie Wonder. You might think you know his music. But you’ve never heard it like this. Host Wesley Morris is taking you on a deep-dive through Stevie's Classic Period: five legendary albums back-to-back in just four years. Hear about the record deal that started it all, the technology Stevie adopted to create never-before-heard sounds, and his influence on our culture. There will be appearances from legends lik...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min
