Hosted by Staci Layne Wilson and based on the Rock & Roll Nightmares horror and true crime book series, this irreverent podcast on rock, punk, grunge, etc., features interviews with musicians, writers, photographers, artists, and filmmakers. It's only rock & roll, but we like it!
1991 wasn’t just another year—it was a musical and cultural earthquake. Grunge went from the underground to the mainstream, changing rock music and an entire generation’s outlook along the way. Staci’s guest, Rob Janicke, has written a book, Slacker: 1991, Teen Spirit Angst, and the Generation It Created, which explores the movement’s impact, the key players, and why the world embraced it so fiercely. Rob is also the founder of Generation Riff. On this episode he talks about the continuing relevance of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains, to name a few. He also discusses the narrowing gap between Gen X and Gen Z rock music fans and how that keeps this vintage music vital in our lives.
What’s it like to get a guitar lesson from Keith Richards, sword-fight Bruce Dickinson, or launch a Pink Floyd airship? For legendary rock promoter Paul Rappaport, it was all just part of the job. In this episode of Rock & Roll Nightmares, host Staci talks with Paul about his memoir, Gliders Over Hollywood, which pulls back the curtain on the wild world of rock promotion. With a career spanning decades at Columbia Records, Paul was instrumental in shaping the success of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Judas Priest, and Bob Dylan. He shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories, from the golden age of rock radio to the creative (and sometimes chaotic) world of marketing music’s biggest legends. Tune in for an unforgettable ride through rock history!
David Bowie was the ultimate musical chameleon, but his transformation after Let’s Dance in 1983 led to one of the most unexpected chapters of his career. In this episode of Rock & Roll Nightmares, host Staci Layne Wilson welcomes author Don Klees to discuss his book On Track, which takes a deep dive into Bowie’s later years—from the Tin Machine experiment to his haunting farewell, Blackstar. Staci and Don explore Bowie’s shifting artistic identity, his response to the rise of New Wave and New Romantic, and his often-overlooked but intriguing albums like Black Tie, White Noise. Don also shares his personal experiences seeing Bowie live and reflects on the icon’s continued relevance even as music trends evolved around him. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about one of rock’s most enigmatic figures.
Staci’s guest is Alycen Rowse, the author of a memoir, “We've Got Tonight: The Life and Times of a Notorious Groupie.” She currently hosts the popular Cocktails and Rock Tales podcast, in which she dishes on the two decades she spent waking up next to the most infamous musicians in rock history. Alycen has some funny stories and insightful perspectives on the groupie lifestyle, which she discusses here – as well as sharing her “rock and roll nightmares” which include two members of The Who.
Staci welcomes music historian and author Madeline Bocaro, who returns to the Rock & Roll Nightmares podcast for a second time to talk more about her book, “In Your Mind, the Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono.” The book has been out for several months now and Madeline has had time to pause and reflect on how Yoko Ono’s legacy continues to grow and morph with the changing times, which she discusses here.