Music In My Shoes

What if a tribute didn’t wait for the final chapter? We sit down with artist-producer Anna Jensen and songwriter Kevn Kinney to unpack Let’s Go Dancing, a 100-song, multi-year celebration that reimagines Kevn’s catalog—solo and with Drivin N Cryin—while pairing each release with original artwork. Born from a lockdown birthday idea, the project became a living archive where legends, locals, and rising voices reinterpret songs and, i...

The lights drop in Atlanta and Paul McCartney steps into a room full of memory—and invention. We unpack how an icon in his eighties still delivers a two-hour-forty marathon by leaning on tight harmonies, a punchy horn section, and the kind of live tech that lets Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite explode off a modern stage. The show’s emotional peak arrives when Paul sings I’ve Got a Feeling with John via Get Back footage, a moment ...

A leather jacket, an iconic eagle logo, and a three-chord blur that changed everything—tour manager Monte A. Melnick joins us to reveal how the Ramones became an institution without ever chasing the charts. From booking chaos and van miles to Sire Records deals and night-after-night precision, Monty shares the systems and scrapes that kept the band loud, fast, and on time.

We go inside the job nobody sees: shows and hotels...

A band doesn’t thrive for thirty plus years by accident. Guitarist/Singer and cofounder Johnny Hickman opens up about the simple pact that kept Cracker alive—stay the course, skip the drama, and serve the song. We dig into how he and David Lowery decide who sings what, which ideas belong to Cracker versus solo projects, and how rotating players and richer arrangements kept the sound evolving without losing its soul.

Johnny...

A rush of tour news collides with ticket chaos, memories from Nassau in ’82, and why certain songs outlast the charts. We dig into supergroups, The Jam’s perfect demo, UK vs US tastes, and the small human moments that keep music personal.

• Rush 2026 reunion dates and presale chaos
• First Rush show memories at Nassau Coliseum
• The Jam’s Sound Affects and demo vs studio
• UK vs US charts and what sticks
• ...

A listener’s mailbag turns into a rapid-fire set of rock face-offs as we celebrate 100 episodes, relive moments from the show, and crack up at studio bloopers. We end with gratitude, a look at global listeners, and a simple truth: the music keeps us here.

• Stones over the Who for longevity and range
• Led Zeppelin’s blues power vs Aerosmith’s early punch
• Pink Floyd’s concept mastery vs Queen’s showmanship
• ...

We trace a loud, joyful route from under a bridge in Brooklyn to an Atlanta club, catching legends who still hit hard and a tight-knit indie circle that turns baseball into song. Small moments—an unexpected wave, a signed drumhead, a kind word—become the glue of a scene that endures.

• CBGB Festival under the K Bridge with Melvins, Lunachicks, Johnny Marr, The Damned, Jack White, and Iggy Pop
• the Damned’s stamina and...

Janis Joplin's untimely death on October 4, 1970, marked a profound loss for rock music just sixteen days after Jimi Hendrix's passing. We explore her remarkable legacy, breakthrough at the Monterey Pop Festival, and participation in the legendary Festival Express train tour across Canada.

• Janis Joplin died at age 27 with only four albums released, yet her impact remains enormous

• "Mercedes-Benz" was the last s...

Music shapes our memories and creates connections across generations, from legendary drummers who defined rock to the venues that launched careers and the songs that withstand time.

• John Bonham of Led Zeppelin died September 25, 1980, at age 32
• Exploration of the greatest drummers of all time across various lists
• Hal Blaine, session drummer extraordinaire, played on over 35,000 songs including hits by The Bea...

We remember Jimi Hendrix's final performances and lasting legacy as arguably the greatest guitarist of all time. From his final show in Germany where fans booed him for weather delays to his breakthrough at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, we trace the trajectory of this revolutionary musician.

• Examining Hendrix's final days, including his last performance at the Love and Peace Festival in Germany on September 6...

We dive into a musical time capsule exploring the Billboard Modern Rock tracks from September 16th, 1995, highlighting the songs that defined a generation and soundtracked a wedding day.

• Matthew Sweet's "Sick of Myself" featuring Television's Richard Lloyd on lead guitar
• Hole's "Softer, Softest" with Kurt Cobain on backing vocals, recorded in Marietta, Georgia
• Toadies' ...

The Rolling Stones' "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" changed rock history as the ultimate live album experience, capturing the raw energy of their November 1969 performances with new guitarist Mick Taylor delivering an unforgettable sound.

• Released September 4, 1970, it features definitive versions of classics like "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Midnight Rambler," and "Sympathy for the Devi...

Journey back to the summer of 1970 as we explore the legendary Isle of Wight Festival, where music lovers converged on a small island off England's southern coast for five days of extraordinary performances. What makes this festival particularly special is how well it was documented – allowing us to experience these historic performances through recordings and film footage decades later.

From Chicago's early hits...

There's something magical about a determined paperboy chasing John Cusack down, saying "I want my two dollars!" That's the power of an unforgettable movie moment - it sticks with you for decades. In this episode, I dive into why Johnny the Paperboy from 1985's "Better Off Dead" created one of cinema's most quotable running gags despite being just a minor character in the film.

But th...

We welcome special guest Lucy, who attended The Beatles' historic concert at Atlanta Stadium on August 18, 1965, sharing her firsthand experience of Beatlemania and still treasuring her original ticket stub nearly 60 years later.

• Discussion of the Beatles' film "Help!" including its madcap adventure plot and innovative music videos
• Deep dive into the Atlanta Stadium concert, the only Beatles sho...

We take a nostalgic journey through the MTV top videos of 1990, revealing fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and cultural impacts of songs that defined a generation.

• Iggy Pop's "Candy" featuring Kate Pearson after Chrissy Hynde was ghosted 
• Midnight Oil's "Blue Sky Mine" highlighting the deadly impact of asbestos mining in Australia
• Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner&q...

Ozzy Osbourne's triumphant final performance and sudden passing just 17 days later highlights his remarkable journey from heavy metal pioneer to beloved cultural icon. We explore his legacy while reminiscing about forgotten musical gems that transport us back to specific moments in time.

• Ozzy's final concert "Back to the Beginning" in Birmingham featured major bands like Metallica and Guns N' Ros...

Journey back to the summer of 1980 through a recently listened to hour of WPLJ radio from July 18, highlighting the soundtrack of that era and the memories it evokes.

• Exploration of a genuine hour of WPLJ radio from July 18, 1980
• Discussion of Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" from the movie Honeysuckle Rose
• Reminiscing about my Top 5 Favorite All-Time Live Album, The Kinks "One for the ...

The day the world stopped to listen. July 13, 1985 stands as a pivotal moment when music transcended entertainment to become a global force for humanitarian change. Live Aid connected London's Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia's JFK Stadium through groundbreaking satellite technology, reaching nearly 2 billion viewers.

What made Live Aid revolutionary wasn't just its scale but its immediacy. Unlike Woodstock ...