Jonny’s Dead Air dives deep into the seldom told, the eerie, and the forgotten corners of music history. Hosted by radio veteran Jonny Hartwell, each episode blends storytelling, mystery, and a touch of rock ’n’ roll grit to resurrect stories that deserve another listen. From bands that should’ve been legends to the backstage scandals, strange coincidences, and tragic twists the industry tried to bury, Jonny peels back the layers to reveal the raw, human truths behind the music. It’s part history lesson, part cautionary tale, and all killer—no filler.
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Jonny’s Dead Air dives deep into the seldom told, the eerie, and the forgotten corners of music history. Hosted by radio veteran Jonny Hartwell, each episode blends storytelling, mystery, and a touch of rock ’n’ roll grit to resurrect stories that deserve another listen. From bands that should’ve been legends to the backstage scandals, strange coincidences, and tragic twists the industry tried to bury, Jonny peels back the layers to reveal the raw, human truths behind the music. It’s part history lesson, part cautionary tale, and all killer—no filler.
Part II of Jonny’s Dead Air picks up on the Master of Puppets tour, where momentum feels like destiny—and the schedule feels like a sentence. Inside the machine: Cliff Burton—red hair like a warning flare—holding the center while James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett drive Metallica across Europe on diesel, adrenaline, and denial. Load-ins, soundchecks, the soft sermons—earn the heavy, make the pretty cost—and the quiet foreshadow that rides in every night bus.
Then Sweden. Fog like a possession. A deck of cards. A window bunk. What follows is the moment that scarred a generation of fans and musicians—the crash that took Cliff at 24, and the aftershocks that still ring. Through eyewitness texture and reverence for the music—“For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fade to Black,” and the immortal “Orion”—this episode walks the road from triumph to tragedy, and into the chapel of what remains.
It’s not gore. It’s gravity. It’s not myth. It’s memory. And in the hush after the noise, you’ll hear him—still—carved into forever.
Written by Jonny Hartwell Voiced by Jonny Hartwell Music Credit: Reel World Audio. A iHeart Radio Production
DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains discussions of sensitive topics...Listener discretion is strongly advised. While the stories you’ll hear are rooted in real events, not every detail is strictly historical—some moments are dramatized with creative license to bring the narrative to life. Please keep this in mind as you listen.
Jonny’s Dead Air Podcast Written, hosted, and produced by Jonny Hartwell. A production of iHeartRadio Pittsburgh.
Thanks for listening—and for keeping the light on.
Jonny's Dead Air Podcast
Jonny’s Dead Air dives deep into the seldom told, the eerie, and the forgotten corners of music history. Hosted by radio veteran Jonny Hartwell, each episode blends storytelling, mystery, and a touch of rock ’n’ roll grit to resurrect stories that deserve another listen. From bands that should’ve been legends to the backstage scandals, strange coincidences, and tragic twists the industry tried to bury, Jonny peels back the layers to reveal the raw, human truths behind the music. It’s part history lesson, part cautionary tale, and all killer—no filler.
