I just started listening. I love the stories. These stories were the background of my youth in the 1970s. David Bowie and Led Zeppelin were at rock god level. Our lives revolved around when the next album would come out or concert dates. The stories about the groupies gives you the background information that was barely mentioned, even in publications like The Rolling Stone. I had no idea how young and bold and creative these girls were. So interesting. I liked the story about the ‘Louie Louie” song. Who knew about that crazy controversy of “the dirtiest song” 😂😂 Get this podcast! You’ll love it!

I read “I’m with the band“ when it first came out as a memoir because I’m interested in pop memoir. I was troubled by the tone of this podcast making this particular moment “fun.“ I agree with the reviewers who take issue with the notion that the groupies self empowered young women. They fashioned themselves that way and the podcast bought into that delusion. Yes, there’s a layer of fun and self discovery, but I think the bigger story is much darker. I wanted to explore questions I had when I read the memoir, why was she so obsessively pursuing rock ‘n’ roll musicians? What role in general did young women/groupies play in rock ‘n’ roll culture? Why did they think their self presentation was innocent and playful when it clearly wasn’t to their male audience. In the 60s and 70s as in the decades that followed they were preyed upon and yet they did exploit their sexuality and fashioned themselves to attract the male gaze. Let’s explore those contradictions please.

Nevermind the haters and reactionary reviews- this was nuanced, well considered storytelling that didn’t reduce its subjects to victims but also didn’t totally gloss over the tragic aspects of the scene. Narrators felt rooted in LA history.

This is a very sad, frustrating season which concludes illogically.

Should be called stories of musical pedophiles. Is it really cool that 29 year old guy is chasing a 14 year old? That’s so messed up. Now I know these guys are a bunch sickos. Love to see them questioned about it.

It’s sad that either they’re not self-aware or their in denial about how they were used and exploited by these famous rock stars back in the day.

Narrator really needs some speech guidance. Trying to copy the npr style of narrating very very badly. Like so bad that the story is hard to follow.

What a great podcast. Love the story telling, and learning tons!

Interesting stories that I've heard before but completely misses the conversations about the girls being children. I grew up in LA, went to clubs, slept with musicians. Now I have a 14 year old daughter and I will protect her from making the decisions that I made that have effected my self worth for decades.

Love this show! To rad to hear about the young, self assured women of that period of rock!

Loving the Groupies series so far! Great to hear the women who lived it tell their own stories.

The imagery of the Mizell Brothers episode was transformative and beautiful. Imagining the brothers cruising around in their Porsches will forever change I hear wind parade!

Hooked immediately from the first episode I listened to. Excellent hosts and super interesting, educational material. I’ll be binging this ASAP.

The Chan Marshall “The Greatest” tribute is devastatingly good: Thank you.

Just slightly more entertaining watching paint dry….

I like all of the concepts for each episode but the stories are so poorly executed that it’s hard to follow. For the Stevie Wonder podcast, how do they end up spending 90% of the episode gassing Stevie up instead of discussing actual facts/ historic influences? Seems the host is obsessed with how others “ripped off” of these artists but gives little to no examples of how this actually occurred.

I started listening because of Joy Division. The host has a great voice, is very professional, and has scoured to world of music from this very special time. So many music genres were born in 1980 and he weaves a great story around each of them. Many are not my style, but its all fascinating.

Each episode is smart, witty, entertaining and educational. The podcasters clearly love music and history and take such care in telling individual’s stories. I am so grateful to have been introduced to the legacy of Aisha Ali and have learned so much from all the other episodes too.

I love the idea of this podcast. I detest the execution. I was very much interested in the Grace Jones episode as those post-disco years bring back wonderful memories. But the narrator's voice, together with the (at times) unnecessary granularity with which he tells the story, made me lose interest approx. 1/3 of the way in. Pity.

Episode on Ian Curtis... have been waiting forever to listen to it because I have been afraid it may not have been done with the reverence I believe it deserves. However it was done with that and more. My life from the 80s and beyond was filled with Ian Curtis and joy division. Then 10 years ago I began suffering from epilepsy and I deeply understood how impossible it would have been for Ian to have played under the influence of epilepsy medicine and strobe lights. Thank you for caring enough to show the world the beautiful, yet tragic back story of Ian Curtis 💗

It’s impossible to extract Joy Divison and Ian Curtis from the mythic sentimentality that’s been cultivated since Ian’s tragic demise in 1980. I, like many of my generation, were drawn to Joy Division and New Order because at their core, they reflected a commonality of their roots. Blue collar, post war in a grimy industrial (rust belt for me) city with little real hope of transcending those shackles. The Pistols at the Free Trade Hall provided a muse for them and by following it, they provided something for all of us, maybe the thought that something could come from ignoble roots and rise from the drudgery and dysfunction. Yet, as mere mortals we, and Ian, are still subject to the foibles of this emotional and skin husk. This podcast was excellent, a great job at balancing that myth with its real time effect and a phoenix that rose from reluctant circumstances. Cheers......

This is my new favorite podcast!! Love going back in time to listen to music and have such guidance and wisdom and guests! The connection between music, history, and politics all comes together here.

Each episode tells a fascinating story, reeling you in regardless of what musical genre you tend to prefer. These are human interest stories with a musical foundation. I listened last year and was so sad when the season came to an end; I stayed subscribed in hopes there would be a season 2. So ready for more.

The main thing I’ve learned from this show is how little I know. It’s an absolute pleasure burst, hiding information in entertainment. Love it.

There have been lots of great episodes, but Power To The People was absolutely fantastic.

Really interesting and well-produced. Thank you!

Last one I show is from June 2019 - am I missing something?

the best music podcast, period.

Fantastic and insightful. Smart and enjoyable. Kudos!

Really enjoying each story, it’s engaging and has great sounds throughout the stories.

New episodes.?

I believe women, I trust women and I support women, but the John Fahey episode felt like a fishing expedition or a takedown. I do not doubt these stories and whether or not they caused lasting hurt to the women involved, but to me the stories are the stories of human relationships that are messy and filled with both grief and happiness, which is part of this human experience. Sure Fahey might have been a jerk, but to even discuss “cancelling” him is just overreach, and betrays an academic thesis trying to prove itself. Yes, the pendulum has swung so far towards the patriarchy throughout time that it’s counter-swing is coming in hard and fast, but to suggest this is even close to a #metoo story is casting about. I did not even feel this from the women being interviewed, it was more like the host was eager to be the first to scrutinize/takedown another male cultural icon, and be the first to plant a flag there. To be the great ethically-superior spoil-sport mythbuster. I’m not sure what the standard of living is acceptable to be an artist in this era, but it seems as though it is to become flawless and less than human. When I was a young boy i wanted to be perfect so I adjusted my behavior in a way that would not be disagreeable to anybody. In the end I realized it made me boring and without character. (P.s. I’m not a diehard Fahey fan and while I enjoy his music it is not shattering my worldview to hear these stories)

Love the subject matter, mixing music, culture, LGBTQ issues and feminism. Introspective and honest and full of little known facts. One of my favorite new podcasts.

This podcast tells amazing stories of artists and musicians who are away from the mainstream, often with hidden but powerful influence on music and culture. Really well done...

What would you do?

What a great exploration into details of music and life. Thanks for this!

This show is so well produced, and consistently fascinating. The episode about the history of the song Louie Louie was one of my favorite podcast episodes of all time, and I think I listened to Louie Louie 150 times in a row after that (which was great.) I've been really into the new season so far, Jessica Hopper is excellent. I especially liked the first episode, which is an articulate and thoughtful entry in the larger conversation about MeToo. Excited to hear the latest episode about the electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, I'm a huge fan of her work and don't know where else I could find a really great radio story about her. I look forward to this show every week, like so many KCRW podcasts.

More misses than hits but love the concept so I'm always coming back

I really enjoy your podcast. I loved punk as a teenager. It echoed the anger and disgust I felt in the 80’s. I still played my music around my kids when they were small. After little voices rang out from the back seat of my car asking why I played cussing music and why it was so loud, I learned to use pause. I was a rebellious, female punk in small town Wisconsin. What I listened to echoed the anger and disgust I felt toward the world. Now it reminds me of crazy fun with my friends. You answered a question I’ve had for years. Is anyone else bothered by the lyrics now that we’re older? Yes. Did they reflect the times? Yes. Am I ashamed? No.

Episode 1 is the conversation I’d been waiting to hear. The ten second preview for ep2 had me ready to binge listen but it’s not out yet.

Please keep this coming!

Louie Louie Episode is Great

More please! Kcrw listener but y’all made my road trip through New Mexico much easier with these casts. Particularly the Shaggs & Louie Louie. Get in the vault yo!

Entertaining and well researched. Unique and interesting topics.

Must have more. Every show is a gem of delic musical knowledge. It’s the Preet of music pods, the Pod Save America of musical geeks but super cool. Hipsters Beware: it’s time to learn about the real stuff.

Perfect editing, writing and sound design. The Shaggs and Captain Beefheart episodes could have just focused on their weird or outsider elements but they painted a more interesting more human story in both cases.

Loved Louie Louie and the Shaggs. Cannot wait for next season.

This is a great podcast, my favorite!!

Who doesn’t love a good story about music? I’ve listened to a few of them with my favorite being the episode on the history of the song, Louie Louie. If you have ever been at a frat house or to a wedding, you’ve heard that song blaring. But the story behind it is pretty amazing. If you are going to listen to one episode, start there.

Totally fun. Just heard the final episode and was so bummed that this is it for the season. Great stories loved Aisha Ali