RockPopandRoll

Alt-Country. Americana. The line that led to The Bottle Rockets. Gram Parsons to Crazy Horse to Skynyrd to Jason and the Scorchers to Uncle Tupelo and a whole lot of Seger/Petty in between. A show loosely finding that line and hearing the rock and roll and country of it. The Bottle Rockets. Loud and acoustic. Electric and smart. And greasy and Midwest gritty. Let's go.

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.

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

Billy Squier spent the ’70s in New York City, playing with the rock band Piper. They toured with Kiss. Squier released his first solo album in 1980, The Tale of the Tape. “The Big Beat” got some radio airplay. All of that changed with 1981’s Don’t Say No. I count eight songs that were played, either on pop radio or, to a greater frequency and depth, on rock radio of the 80s. Huge album. Billy Squier had made it. One ill-conceived video stopped - mostly - his career. But Squier hung around. Made more music before eventually essentially retiring from the music business. His legacy? Complicated. We discuss. CONTACT: www.rockpopandroll.com email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com

Steve Miller music has a depth greater than his career-defiining Greatest Hits 1974-1978 album. That's what I think. In 1966, he formed the Steve Miller Blues Band. They backed Chuck Berry on his Live at Fillmore Auditorium album, released that year. In 1968, Miller released the psychedelic blues album, Children of the Future. The Joker, from 1973, found him getting radio airplay, and the title song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Miller followed up with Fly Like an Eagle in 1976 and Book of Dreams in 1977 (The songs were recorded at the same time) with a ton of hit singles, including "Fly Like an Eagle", "Rock'n Me", "Take the Money and Run", "Jet Airliner", and "Jungle Love". In 1978, Greatest Hits 1974–78 was released, featuring the big hits from those two albums. It has sold 15 million copies as of 2025. Huge. What was Steve Miller before those albums? And after? Classic rock radio plays nearly everything off the Greatest Hits record, but most play little else, and that's not good stewardship of Miller's catalog. Let's see what else the Gangster of Love has recorded, released, and even gotten some radio play with that we love.

I've had a bit of a Neil Young obsession lately, \ intrigued by his long career, and how he continues to release new music, regardless of who might hear it. The beauty and genius of Neil Young. I also love to dig into his catalog and find songs I've missed, for whatever reason. He has a lot of music. There are some gems in the NY library. Indiana musician Rusty Bladen put together a band and found some of those gems as he debuts a "Tribute to Neil Young" the weekend this podcast drops. Rusty has nine albums with a new EP on the way later in 2025. Before that happens, he's in love with what he and the band are doing for tribute, and how he puts his spin on paying honor to the great ones. Let's talk some Neil. It won't be the last time. website: www.rockrpopandroll.com email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com Thanks for listening. We appreciate you. Tell and friend about us if you get a chance. Stay safe. R

Our episode features Jonathan Rundman, singer/songwriter from Minneapolis, who has a new Americana rock and roll album called "Waves". It is a fascinating and fun talk about 80's rock music, The Silos and the circle of friends that includes Cracker, The Vulgar Boatmen, and all they that have influenced. If you dig 80s rock, his tales are what you might want. We talk about Bob Seger, the Rainmakers, The Hooters, and lots more. Born and raised in the isolated Finnish-American communities of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and now based in Minneapolis, Rundman twists smart, cinematic, rock and roll lyrics, pop hooks, and garage attitude into his songs. In addition to his solo career, Rundman tours and records as keyboardist for legendary New York City-based Americana/rock band The Silos. Rundman released his first new album in ten years in April, 2025 and is on a Midwest tour opening for the Silos. For the past decade he's been touring and recording with Walter Salas-Humara and The Silos. The pre-release single from the album, “Elizabeth, Don’t Waste Your Breath” was co-written with Salas-Humara and the second single from the record, “Let’s Put On An Opera”, champions the artistic process, backed by vintage analog keyboards from the 1960s, including a Wurlitzer electric piano, a Vox Continental organ, and a real tape-powered Chamberlin. His producer, Ron Gomez, told Jonathan that he should record some interstitial music, instrumental pieces that weave in between the songs. "We talked about albums we liked, featuring these kinds of moments, like the acoustic transition after the song 'Nights of Mystery' by the Georgia Satellites. Referencing "Nights of Mystery"? I'm all in. That's what I needed to hear. You like the Vulgar Boatmen?Del Fuegos?Replacements?Gear Daddies?Cracker?A little Elvis Costello and Rockpile? You need to be in too. www.rockpoandroll.com email the show: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @rockpopandroll

Rockpile? The band? How were they well-known in roots rock music circles and not so much with radio listeners and album buyers? Or were they, and we just didn't realize it? Rockpile began as the name of the first solo album by Dave Edmunds, released in 1972. Edmunds plays almost all the instruments except for bass and backing vocals, The album included a 1970 single, "I Hear You Knocking" - a #1 song in Britain He billed his band as Dave Edmunds and Rockpile. It eventually included Edmunds (vocals, guitar), Nick Lowe (vocals, bass guitar), Billy Bremner (vocals, guitar), and Terry Williams (drums) In their heyday, Rockpile recorded enough material for five studio albums, though only one (Seconds of Pleasure) was released under the Rockpile name. Tracks on Wax 4, Repeat When Necessary, and Twangin' - all Dave Edmunds solo albums- were released under his name. One more (Labour of Lust) was released as a Nick Lowe solo album. And then there was the great lost classic Seconds of Pleasure. We explore the music Edmunds made as his own, but actually with that Rockpile band. We discover some Nick Lowe (with Rockpile and without -sort of). We tear into some post-Rockpile music from both artists, weave in how they may have influenced early Elvis Costello, and find a Huey Lewis and the News story, too. Rockpile. It's a bumpy road worth the journey. Let go. email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com website: www.rockpopandroll.com