Monthly newsletter 2025
#2 Part 1
Subscribe to our Newsletter
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to The Story of Rock and Roll. This newsletter covers episodes S8E1 to S8E5.
These shows are available as podcasts on our website and all major podcast platforms. Quick links to everything TSORR can be found at the end of the newsletter, so please do share it with anyone who might be interested.
If you can’t find us, simply search online for ‘The Story of Rock and Roll Radio Show’ and you’ll discover plenty of podcast options. You can always find us at www.thestoryofrockandroll.com and on Buzzsprout. https://www.buzzsprout.com/273305
A big thank you to all the supporters of the show!
HIGHLIGHTS
The start of the year was a tough one for TSORR. Moving my family 1000 miles to a new province disrupted the show’s usual schedule, delaying some new features and the Season 8 branding. Fortunately, by S8E5 things had started to settle.
Amidst the chaos of moving, I flew to Cape Town for the Green Day, Offspring, and Fokofpolisiekar concert – an absolute highlight. Green Day were phenominal delivering a two-hour set packed with hits like ‘Basket Case’, ‘Longview’, and ‘Holiday’ plus a surprise cover of KISS’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night’.
@itsjouska My Calabash review! What did you think of the show? #calabash #greenday #theoffspring #2025 #southafricanmusic #samusic ♬ original sound - itsjouska
Many people I spoke to feel The Offspring stole the show, and they were brilliant, but for me Green Day proved why they were headliners. Fokofpolisiekar bought their signature energy and all their best songs. Despite early sound issues they added perfectly to this world-class event.
The Us can Have Elon but South Africa can have Green Day
@fokofpolisiekar @Calabash South Africa Kaapstad, julle was befok! @Valkie van Coke @Francois Van Coke @Huntervancoke ♬ original sound - FOKOFPOLISIEKAR
TSORR Season 8, kicked off with a show themed around, change, freedom, goodbye, and the road – a perfect soundtrack for my long drive to a new home. The second episode aired after a journey spanning two days with four dogs in the car and nine hours of unpacking from the removal trucks. I barely made it online in time, and some regular listeners commented on the evident fatigue. The third show had to be prerecorded due to the concert, but by S8E4 and S8E5, things were back on track.
This season we’ve introduced a new visual theme for the weekly ads, moving from the black-and-white portraits to collages of key moments in rock and metal history. We’re also featuring four tracks each week tied to significant events and the stories behind them – so far so good with that (see This Week in Rock and Metal History).
THIS WEEK IN ROCK AND METAL HISTORY
For S8E1, we launched the Rock and Metal Time Machine, covering Bruce Springsteen’s live performance at the Coliseum and David Gilmore joining Pink Floyd in early 1968, replacing the increasingly erratic Syd Barret, who becomes a recluse and passed away in 2006.
When 83,000 People Believed
In September 1985, Bruce Springsteen played four sold-out nights at the L.A. Coliseum, delivering one of the most iconic runs in live music history. This clip — Born in the U.S.A. performed to a sea of flags and fists — captures the moment when rock, politics, and performance collided on an epic scale.
Backed by the E Street Band at the peak of their powers, Springsteen stood in front of 83,000 people a night, drenched in sweat and belief, growling out a song often misunderstood. This wasn’t just patriotism — it was pain wrapped in glory, a Vietnam veteran’s story turned stadium anthem.
Born in the U.S.A. had already gone 17× platinum by then. Bruce had landed on the cover of both Time and Newsweek, and in 1984 alone, he grossed over $80 million in ticket sales. But what really hits here is the energy — a man on fire, pushing his voice to the edge, hammering that Telecaster like it still had something to prove.
It’s easy to forget how physical his shows were. He wasn’t just playing; he was preaching. By the time the final “I’m a cool rockin’ daddy in the U.S.A.” rang out, the crowd knew they’d witnessed something immortal.
Watch this. Watch what it means to turn a song into a statement — and a stadium into church.
David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd at a time when the band was uncertain about its future. He was brought in to support Syd Barrett, whose erratic behaviour had made live shows unpredictable. But things changed quickly, and soon Gilmour found himself stepping in fully as Syd faded out of the picture.
This video captures that strange moment of transition — no big announcements, just a quiet shift. You can see the band adjusting, carrying on while still feeling the weight of Syd’s absence. Gilmour’s steady playing and calm presence gave Floyd what they needed to move forward. It wasn’t a clean break, but it was the start of something new.
“Jugband Blues” is Syd Barrett’s final contribution to Pink Floyd — the only track he wrote for A Saucerful of Secrets, released in 1968. The promo video, filmed in London in late 1967, captures Barrett at a critical point: still physically present, but clearly detaching from the band that once orbited around him.
Musically, the song is a strange and unsettling farewell. Its tempo shifts, surreal lyrics, and brass band chaos make it feel like Barrett was already halfway out the door. There’s a discomfort to the performance — as if no one knows quite what’s happening, or how long it can continue.
This video is a rare artifact. It doesn’t just showcase Syd’s last stand — it hints at the creative crossroads that Pink Floyd faced heading into 1968. The band would go on to evolve, but this was the moment they let go of the man who started it all.
French TV (1968)
This TV spot is pure time travel — Pink Floyd with their “new guy” David Gilmour, beamed into living rooms across France. It’s raw, a little off-balance, and absolutely captivating. The clothes, the expressions, the sound — it’s a band in mid-metamorphosis. Gilmour’s still finding his place, but you can already feel the gravity he brings.
Video Footage 1967 to 1972 – Pink Floyd Early Years
A stunning stretch of footage that tracks the transformation from psychedelic explorers to progressive pioneers. You get the raw, playful madness of the Syd era and the emerging clarity of the Gilmour-led Floyd. Five years, countless shifts — and the start of something legendary. Every frame is a clue to what was coming.
This deep-dive interview with David Gilmour isn’t about headlines — it’s about quiet clarity. Over the course of nearly two hours, Gilmour opens up about life, legacy, and the long shadow of Pink Floyd. There’s no bravado here, just a calm, measured man reflecting on decades of music and meaning.
What stands out isn’t just what Gilmour says, but how he says it. Thoughtful, deliberate, sometimes amused, sometimes a little guarded — it’s the voice of someone who helped soundtrack generations, but never lost his footing in the real world.
For fans of Floyd, and especially those who see Gilmour as the band’s steadying hand, this interview is essential. It’s not flashy — just honest, graceful, and real. Just like the man himself.
If you’ve ever wondered what makes Gilmour tick — how he sees the band, the music, the madness — this is the one to watch. No filters, no soundbites. Just the man, the mind, and a lifetime of rock ‘n’ roll. Watch it.
There’s something about Syd Barrett that still stirs the soul. This documentary digs deep into the fragile brilliance that shaped Pink Floyd’s earliest sound — and the unraveling that followed. It’s a quiet, unflinching look at the man behind the legend.
You get a real sense of how quickly things changed: one minute, he was leading the charge with songs like Bike and Astronomy Domine — the next, he was slipping away. This isn’t sensationalist or overdone. It’s thoughtful, heartbreaking, and surprisingly grounded.
If you’ve ever wondered how someone so gifted could vanish so completely, this is the place to start.
This one hits a little closer to home. Up Close and Personal gives us something rare — Syd not as a myth or psychedelic icon, but as a young man trying to find his place in a band that was already drifting away from him. You feel the tension, the sadness, but also the wild beauty in his art.
It’s packed with old footage and reflections that don’t lean too hard on the tragedy. Instead, it paints a fuller picture of who Syd was before the silence set in. There’s still magic in those early songs — Lucifer Sam, Jugband Blues — you hear a mind stretching itself beyond the usual limits.
For Floyd fans, this one’s essential. Quiet, strange, and utterly human.
This is the one that really gets under your skin. Rosemary Breen, Syd Barrett’s sister, speaks with honesty and warmth about the brother behind the legend — not the erratic genius, not the lost icon, but Roger, the boy she grew up with. It’s moving, because it’s real.
There’s no mythologizing here, just quiet reflection. She talks about the heartbreak of watching him disappear, the moments of clarity that surfaced even years later, and how the family coped with it all. You walk away with a deeper understanding of Syd — not just as the founder of Pink Floyd, but as a brother, a son, a human being.
If you care about the man behind the music, this interview will stay with you.
We also noted Gibson’s release of the iconic Flying V guitar in 1958 and Iron Maiden’s sophomore album, Killers, the final one to feature Paul Di Anno on vocals.
Joe Bonamassa’s 1958 “Trash Bag” Flying V isn’t just a guitar — it’s a time capsule. One of only 90 ever made, it was discovered under a garbage bag, leaning against a wall, mid-road trip.
Most collectors would hide it away in a glass case, but not Joe. He plays it on the road, the way it was meant to be used.
Made of Korina wood and shaped like a rocket ship, the Flying V was a commercial flop in 1958 — now it’s an icon. Albert King made it snarl, Billy Gibbons made it swagger, and Joe’s doing both.
He bought it in a 1934 Ford pickup, which just adds to the myth. It’s got stories baked into the wood grain. So much so, he even built his kitchen cabinets to match.
That’s what happens when a guitar becomes part of your DNA.
There are guitars, and then there are guitars that stop time. Dave Davies’ 1958 Gibson Flying V is one of those. Watching him rip into “You Really Got Me” with that angular beast on Shindig in the ‘60s was pure lightning. This wasn’t just rock ’n’ roll — it was a statement.
Only 98 of these V’s were made in ’58, and somehow Dave got one. It looked like a rocket ship, sounded like rebellion, and became a symbol of future-forward guitar culture. With neck repairs and road scars, it’s seen things most guitars only dream of.
This video from Emerald City Guitars gives it the spotlight it’s earned.
Watch it now. One of the coolest guitars in history.
Jimi’s Flying V: The Future Arrived in 1958
The Flying V wasn’t made for 1958 — it was made for the future. And when Hendrix got his hands on one, it found its destiny.
At [13:15] in the video, we see Jimi’s iconic 1967 Gibson Flying V — hand-painted, full of fire, and played like a weapon. He used it from August ’67 through the year alongside his Strat, and it became one of three Flying V’s he would wield in his career.
The third one? A custom left-handed black V Gibson sent him in 1970. White pickguard, bound neck, split-diamond inlays — it looked like it was made in another galaxy.
This wasn’t just about a guitar. It was about changing what rock ‘n roll looked and sounded like. The Flying V went from commercial failure to legend — all thanks to Hendrix.
Check out the Five Watt World documentary for a full dive into Jimi’s guitars, with Flying V highlights at:
It’s not just gear talk. It’s Hendrix history. And if you’ve ever dreamed of turning sound into revolution, this is your kind of guitar.
Before the Number of the Beast came the blood-soaked masterpiece that was Killers. Released in 1981, this was Iron Maiden’s second album and the last to feature the snarling, punk-edged vocals of Paul Di’Anno.
Produced by the legendary Martin Birch — who had just come off Deep Purple and Black Sabbath — the album captured Maiden at their rawest, their hungriest. From the razor-sharp gallop of the title track to the eerie menace of “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” Killers laid the blueprint for everything to come.
And then there’s that cover. Derek Riggs’ artwork introduced Eddie as a full-blown killer, axe in hand, eyes glowing — it was violent, theatrical, and totally irresistible.
This wasn’t just a sophomore album; it was Iron Maiden sharpening their blades for global domination.
Filmed on 21 December 1980 at London’s Rainbow Theatre, this performance of “Killers” comes from Iron Maiden’s first official live video, known as Live at the Rainbow. At this point, the band was still powered by Paul Di’Anno’s rough-edged delivery, and this version of the song features early, alternate lyrics—later replaced for the studio album released in 1981.
Paul Di’Anno later claimed he wrote the lyrics five minutes before going on stage that night. Whether improvised or just unfinished, the version heard here is raw and wildly different from the one that landed on the album.
The lineup featured Adrian Smith on guitar, still fresh in the band alongside Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Clive Burr, and Di’Anno. The band ran into technical issues mid-show, forcing them to repeat “Phantom of the Opera” and “Iron Maiden” for the cameras—an unexpected bonus for the crowd.
Live at the Rainbow became a fan-favourite video, later featured in The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days. This is Maiden on the edge of a breakthrough—hungry, loud, and utterly uncompromising.
There’s a long-running debate about whether Paul Di’Anno wrote the lyrics to “Killers” five minutes before going onstage at the Rainbow Theatre in 1980. Some say it was off-the-cuff brilliance, others point out that similar lyrics were sung earlier at Reading Festival. The truth? It’s murky. The live versions do differ from the studio cut. Want to decide for yourself?
MaidenFans Forum Reddit Fan DebateEarly Version of Killers before album Release with Paul Di' Anno
Martin Popoff Breaks Down Killers
Martin Popoff is no armchair critic. He’s one of the most prolific writers in rock and metal history, with over 100 books to his name and a reputation for deep, razor-sharp insight. His book Run for Cover remains the definitive work on Iron Maiden’s artwork and visual legacy.
In this video, he turns his attention to Killers, calling it “Iron Maiden’s most dangerous record” — and he means that as a compliment. The band was still raw, still sharpening its weapons, but already swinging harder than anyone else. Paul Di’Anno’s punk snarl hadn’t been smoothed out yet, and producer Martin Birch was just starting to tighten the screws — adding power without sacrificing grit.
Popoff argues that Killers is the true bridge between their streetwise debut and the more polished fury of Number of the Beast. The songwriting matured, the musicianship evolved, and the arrangements became more ambitious — but they didn’t lose the menace. It’s also where Maiden began to truly lock in their identity, visually and musically. Derek Riggs’ take on Eddie got darker and sharper, matching the record’s nastier tone.
Killers: Sound, Style & Staying Power
Where the debut introduced Iron Maiden, Killers refined them. Martin Birch joined as producer and immediately brought a tighter sonic focus — not cleaner, but sharper. It’s the sound of a band levelling up.
The iconic cover by Derek Riggs showed a meaner, blood-slicked Eddie, standing in an alley with a hatchet — a bold, brutal image that defined their aesthetic for years.
“Wrathchild” became the standout track — a song so enduring it outlived the album’s era. It’s one of the only Di’Anno-era songs Bruce Dickinson still performs live.
Many fans argue Killers is Maiden’s purest moment before going fully epic. You can feel the tension — the last gasp before the next great leap.
It’s not just a transitional record. It’s a statement. A war cry from the gutter. And it still hits just as hard today.
We skipped S8E2, as mentioned earlier. In S8E3 we looked at Nirvana’s appearance on SNL and their subsequent trashing of the stage, which brought grunge to worldwide attention.
We also covered the Sex Pistols’ first and final USA show in San Francisco – , the band split after the performance, burning bright for a mere two and a half years. To this day, their influence on pop culture remains strong.
S8E4 featured Counting Crows’ SNL appearance in 1994, where they performed Mr. Jones and cemented their place on the musical map.
We also discussed ‘Helter Skelter’ being used as evidence in the Charles Manson murder trial, The Wall spending 15 straight weeks at number one on the US charts and Metallica entering the studio to start recording And Justice For All, the follow-up to their career-defining eponymous album better known as The Black album.
In S8E5 we covered the death of Sid Vicious, Guns N’ Roses winning Best Rock Album and Best Band at the 17th American Music Awards, Green Day’s release of Dookie and The Rolling Stones’ 1982 release of ‘Start Me Up’ as the first single off Tattoo You.
Part 2 Highlights
- Albums produced by Martin Birch
featuring:
Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell
Rainbow – Rising
Michael Schenker Group – Assault Attack
Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast
– Martin also worked with Deep Purple and we feature a lot of videos about not just Deep Purple In Rock that he worked on but also Machine head. Martin Birch worked with Deep Purple as both an engineer and producer on several albums, including In Rock, Machine Head, Made in Japan, Come Taste the Band, and Burn. Martin Birch began his career with Deep Purple as an engineer, working on their early albums like In Rock (1970) and Machine Head (1972) where he did outstanding work. Deep Purple’s most celebrated albums, often considered their best, include “In Rock” (1970) and “Machine Head” (1972), known for their hard rock classics and influential impact on the genre. He later transitioned to a production role, working on albums like Made in Japan (1972), Come Taste the Band (1972), and Burn (1974).
– Birch also worked with other Deep Purple-related projects, such as Rainbow (Ritchie Blackmore’s band after leaving Deep Purple) on albums like Rising (1976). This album is one of our featured albums. - Albums produced by Glyn Johns
featuring:
Eric Clapton – Slowhand
Eagles – Eagles
New Model Army – The Ghost of Cain
The Who – Who’s Next
– Videos explaining the work done by Glyn Johns on many big albums as a engineer and producer including Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones , The Beatles (incl his key role on get back) and more.
– His legendary drum methods
– A great video with Glyn and his daughter with interesting stories like the time Pete Townsend gave her a piano for her 5th birthday - Please check out the very interesting Audio of Glyn Johns book Soundman that we added under the Glyn Jones section. He describes lots of stories of his work with the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Deep Purple and more as well as his creative process. The is lots of tips for aspiring sound engineers in this book.