"Hey, I heard you missed us. WE'RE BACK!" Starting with this episode, we plan to resume producing one podcast episode per month instead of dropping random episodes like we've been doing. 2025 has been the craziest year. Anyway, Bill came up with the idea for this episode. We each picked two albums for everyone to listen to and give their thought on. In typical Ages of Rock fashion, we laugh, poke fun at each other, and give our not so humble opinions on each other's picks. We also take a few minutes to talk about recent happenings in the worlds of Ace Frehley, Rush, Vinnie Vincent, and more.
In this episode, we catch up on recent events including Allen's finds while cleaning out his mother-in-law's house, Dennis' new guitar, and their various music equipment acquisitions. They share detailed accounts of recent and upcoming concerts they've attended or plan to attend, including performances by Men at Work, Christopher Cross, Toto, Rod Stewart, Cheap Trick, and Queensrÿche, with special mention of Bill's experience at the Sphere in Las Vegas. We conclude the episode by discussing KISS's upcoming Kennedy Center Honor induction and analyzing interesting statistics about KISS band members' touring history.
In this episode we discussed the passing of Ozzy Osbourne and the "Back to the Beginning" charity concert, which raised approximately $180-190 million for three charities. We ran thru the list of bands and artists who participated in the show and our thoughts of their performances.
Our condolences go out to Ozzy's family and friends.
In the final interview of the 2025 ROCKNPOD series, Allen talks with Christopher Williams, drummer for the bands Accept and Elegant Weapons. They start out discussing their past experiences at ROCKNPOD events, recalling noisy moments and humorous incidents. Christopher shares updates about his wife Ainsley, a solo artist who recently released a new single "The Beast is Coming." Christopher talks about his skills in woodworking and welding, including building custom furniture, cabinetry, and drumstick displays and mentions creating custom drum racks and launching a new company called Kick Logos, which offers custom graphics and logos for drummers. They also discuss a scent called "Rock and Roll On" created by Christopher and Ainsley, aimed at rock fans who want to smell good.
Bob Chiapardi discusses his role in marketing within the rock and metal music industry through his company, Concrete Marketing, which is known for promoting major bands like Metallica and Armored Saint, and has expanded into publicity, radio, and publishing with Foundations Magazine. Bob shares anecdotes about managing safety at events, including a story about Yngwie Malmsteen causing a fire alarm with pyro effects. Recently, Bob has shifted focus from marketing to producing music documentaries, including a three-part series on Steve Cropper, a legendary guitarist and producer associated with Stax Records and many classic hits.
Bill kicks off the morning of ROCKNPOD 2025 talking to members of Lost Circus. They recently debuted their new single UNINVITED, which is an Alanis Morissette cover. The video for this single was directed by Calico Cooper.
Don Higgins and his twin brother Ron are music enthusiasts and authors of "The Biggest Big Hair Book of Metal Trivia," a trivia book focused on hard rock and metal music. The book combines multiple-choice trivia questions with stories about their experiences and encounters in the music world, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with the genre.
We discussed our experiences at the latest Rocknpod, new additions to Dennis' guitar collection, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for 2025, and our top 5 favorite albums from 1975. We also reminisced about our attendance at the first Rocknpod back in 2017 and Bill showcased a unique piece of KISS artwork made from vinyl records.
Bill talks with Metal Blade Records founder Brian Slagel. The conversation starts with Brian stating that he still loves working in the music industry, emphasizing passion over it feeling like a job. He says that the music itself hasn't changed much, but mentions how the business has evolved from vinyl to cassettes, CDs, and now streaming. Brian has started a podcast discussing heavy metal history and current trends, featuring notable guests from the metal community. Metal Blade Records continues to thrive with bands playing major venues and maintaining the genre's vitality.
Bill interviews Chris O'Brien from Blackwood, a Nashville band. The discussion begins with an observation about the resurgence of physical media like CDs and vinyl, with vinyl sales recently surpassing CDs. Chris mentions the challenges of producing vinyl due to high costs for small batches. They emphasize the importance of artists pushing quality content and supplementing income through merchandise. Blackwood recently released a new single "One Track Mind" featuring Kameron Jane, marking their first vocal collaboration. Bill proposed the idea for a "Nashville to Nashville" concert event linking Nashville, Tennessee, and Nashville, Indiana.
Martin Motnik and Bill start the conversation with a discussion about Accept's recent break after a busy year. The band will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with plans for an anniversary album featuring guest musicians. They also talk about upcoming shows in May, including performances in Japan and opening for Judas Priest in Europe. Martin reflects on the surreal experience of performing with idols and the ups and downs of touring. He also talks about the adrenaline rush of performing live and the connection with the audience.
Allen interviews Keith Roth from SiriusXM's Hair Nation. Keith is a fan of KISS and they have a brief discussion about the KISS albums 'Asylum', 'Animalize', 'Lick It Up', and 'The Elder'. They talk about their personal experiences with music, Keith's role in the bands The Dictators, Frankenstein 3000, and his solo record 'The Law of Diminished Returns', and a tribute to Curtis Mayfield. The conversation includes thoughts about KISS' farewell tours and the significance of their unmasked era. Keith also shares a humorous story about Eric Singer texting during KISS' last show.
Bill talks with Roy Cathey, from the band The Fifth. The conversation starts with Bill praising Roy's performance at the Rare Hare show from the night before. Roy shares his excitement about performing with admired musicians like Billy Sheehan and Brian Forsyth, emphasizing his fan perspective. Roy discusses the challenges and organization behind events like the Rare Hare Show, crediting Tyson Leslie for his efforts in coordinating the lineup. He reveals that his band, The Fifth, has a new CD releasing on May 2nd, and they will perform at the M3 pre-party in May. Roy describes the Monsters of Rock cruise as a fun, immersive experience with numerous bands and fans who share a love for rock music. Finally, Roy highlights the importance of underground music and the role of podcasts and internet radio in keeping rock alive, especially as mainstream radio has shifted focus.
This interview with Billy Sheehan is a joint venture between A2Z Radio's Bill "LilWilly" Elam and the Ages of Rock Podcast's Bill Algee. The discussion begins with quick thoughts about the significance and the evolution of their first names. Billy Sheehan shares his inspiration for playing bass, influenced by a neighbor and the Beatles' Ed Sullivan performance. He recounts his first bass and its importance in his career. Sheehan discusses his experience singing and performing, including a recent performance where he sang "Good Lovin'" at the "Rare Hare" show the night before ROCKNPOD. The conversation touches on the importance of bass in music and how it can transform a song. Billy emphasizes the community aspect of musicianship and his willingness to help fellow bass players. The conversation concludes with Sheehan expressing gratitude for his fans and the importance of maintaining a connection with them.
Accept and Elegant Weapons drummer Christopher Williams guest hosted this conversation with his wife, the beautiful and talented musician Ainsley. The discussion began with their comments about Rocknpod, highlighting the vibrant community of rock music lovers and podcasters and emphasized the importance of supporting independent artists and building relationships within the music community and the small-town vibe in Nashville despite its growth. Ainsley introduced her all-natural product line, Rock and Roll On, which captures the essence of rock and roll in a unisex scent. They also gave an overview of Ainsley’s recent singles and Christopher's involvement in her music, highlighting their collaboration in a Prince tribute show and showcasing their musical talents together. They also mentioned Todd "Toddzilla" Austin's new guitar store, Tone Central Station.
Craig Wright joined us again and we ranked the new songs on the Kiss compilation albums "Alive 2 - Side 4", "Killers", "Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits", and the "Detroit Rock City" soundtrack. We also briefly touched on the "Gene Simmons Roadie for a Day" offer and the upcoming "50th Anniversary Plans" for KISS in Las Vegas. Dennis also showed off his new Cheap Trick Vinyl Boxset.
