In this episode I welcomed author Gillian Gaar back to discuss her new book "Grunge: The Story of Music That Redefined Rock," which covers the Seattle music scene from 1986 to 1996, focusing on the grunge movement that shaped pop culture. Gillian also shared her personal experiences working for Rocket Magazine in Seattle and interviewed many of the key figures from that era, including Tad Doyle of Tad and Susan Silver who managed Soundgarden. We discussed how grunge music supplanted hair metal, with Gillian arguing that grunge had more substance while hair metal was style over substance. Our conversation also covered the challenges faced by bands like Tad, who suffered from bad luck including legal issues over album covers and being dropped by major labels twice. Gillian mentioned her other book projects, including works on Nirvana and an upcoming Elvis Presley album-by-album book scheduled for release next August.

In this episode I talked with author Sean Egan about his book "Eagles and Hotel California: 50 Years." Sean discussed how the Eagles managed to follow up their massive greatest hits album with another chart-topping success despite lineup changes and a turbulent recording process at studios in Los Angeles and Miami. He explained that the album's creation was complicated by management negotiations, touring commitments, and the addition of new guitarist Joe Walsh, yet somehow resulted in one of rock's most iconic albums featuring the famous "Hotel California" track with its eerie lyrics and groundbreaking instrumental section.

I talked with Martin Popoff about his new book, Metallica Album by Album. Martin explained the book's format, where he moderates discussions with various musicians and journalists about each Metallica studio album, including side releases like EPs. He described the process of organizing the panelists and the challenges of scheduling big-name contributors. Martin shared insights from the book, such as his increased appreciation for Metallica's later albums and the band's evolution after Cliff Burton's death. He also discussed his other recent and upcoming books, including titles on Ian Gillan and Aerosmith, and mentioned his YouTube channel and podcast. The conversation touched on the decline of print magazines and the changing music industry.