The Profs are back, and this time with a very special and very much in-demand guest.  R Alan Siler is the Co-host of the Modern Musicology Podcast, owner and author at kOZMIC Press, and host of The Doctor Who A-Z Podcast.  We invited him on to talk all things rock and metal in the 1980s.  In this freeform episode, we asked Alan to ponder and discuss the following topics and more:  What was/is the value of keyboard in hard rock and metal;  what qualified as "rock" music in the 1980s, and how have our perceptions changed?; should metal ever be mainstream?; our shared love of KISS; DIO and Bowie holograms touring "live"; songs that didn't age well; 1970s rock bands that were unable to transition successfully into the 80s culture of bombast and glitz, and much more!  As always, Court and I thank all of you for your patience, as we are producing few episodes these days due to other time commitments.  We are so grateful to all of you who download, listen, and interact with us on the Rock and Metal Profs Facebook page.  You are appreciated!  

The Profs are back after a long hiatus.  Matt traveled Italy in search of a great rock and metal store, but to no avail. Apparently, Italians LOVE Jazz!  Court visited Chicago, and saw Mr. Speed in Chattanooga, a fantastic KISS tribute act.  Now, the profs are chomping at the bit.  We tackle the Sunset Strip: the Talented, the Determined, and the Deluded!  We want to thank all of our listeners for being patient and sticking with us while we blew off some steam.  Let's do this!!!

The early 1980s was a time of tremendous change and transition for KISS.  Just a few years prior, the "Hottest Band in the World" was selling out arenas and their albums shipped platinum.  However, by 1981, Peter Criss was out of the band, with Ace Frehley soon to follow.  The next few years brought line-up changes, a disastrous concept album (Music from the Elder), a return to rock album that sold poorly (Creatures of the Night), and the momentous decision by the band to finally reveal their true identities to the public.  KISS re-imagined and re-branded with their 11th studio album "Lick it Up", and began their ascent to the top once more.  Embracing the 80s hard rock bombast, guitar shredders, and all the glam and glitter of the decade, KISS showed they were still the Kings of the Mountain.  Court, Matt and Tim discuss the often misunderstood and much maligned "Music from the Elder", the return to form with "Creatures of the NIght", and the brilliance of the first two non-makeup albums, "Lick it Up" and "Animalize."     

Court and Matt have attended over 500 concerts over the course of their lifetimes, including numerous rock festivals.  With the recent announcement that both Ozzy Osbourne and AC/DC are coming out of retirement to perform at the Power trip Festival in October, we thought this would be the perfect time to discuss the history, pros and cons of the rock festival experience.  We discuss iconic festivals like Woodstock and Altamont, and some lesser-known but equally remarkable festivals that didn't go off as planned.  We also recognize that as you listen to this episode, we will likely sound like two crotchety old rockers bemoaning the festival experience.  In fairness, however, we did attempt to accentuate the positive, and we acknowledge that the rock festival is a young person's game.  We hope that after listening you'll hit us up on the Rock and Metal Profs Facebook page and let us know about your best, worst, and most memorable rock festival moments.  Rock on!

On this Ep. of RAMP, our long-time 3rd and silent member of the podcast, Mr. Tim Williamson joins us for some Q and A.  Tim has played an instrumental role in making sure the podcast is available to listeners on all the various feeds, and we couldn't do the show were it not for his technical expertise.  We finally coaxed him into doing the show with promises of caffeine, U2 tickets and strippers (we're kidding about the strippers).  Tim brought us some really tough music-related questions to answer, which created all types of conundrums for Court and Matt.  We cover everything from our favorite metal songs, to our favorite non-rock and metal genres.  We debate whether or not Nirvana actually deserves it's place as the progenitors of grunge, and Court waxes philosophical on topics ranging from Vegas crooners to martyrdom in music and teen angst.  As always, we are grateful to all our listeners and supporters -- you know who you are!

In this episode of RAMP the Profs take a close look and listen to the 90s and 2000s era of Metallica.  The music Metallica produced after 1991 was polarizing, both enraging some early fans, but also introducing legions of younger fans to the band and their new sound.  Purists claimed that Metallica had abandoned their thrash roots, sold out, and a few viewed the band's change in direction as a betrayal!  Angry metal "Luddites" proclaimed they would never support the band again after the more commercial sound of their self-titled Black album in 91.  Ironically, it was that same album that catapulted Metallica into the stratosphere as the biggest and most successful metal band in history.  Court and Matt offer a different and more even-handed take on Metallica's later catalog, giving credit where due, and acknowledging that there were a few clunkers along the way as the band struggled to find it's identity.   Court and I also want to thank all of our listeners, and in particular our long-time listeners for the years of support and interaction on the RAMP FB page.   Rock on mates!  

In this episode of RAMP Court and Matt circle back to take a look at KISS in the 1980s, 90s and 2000s.  Listeners know by now that Court is a huge fan of KISS in the 80s, while Matt grew up in the 1970s and thus favors the classic-era with the original line-up.  Court takes center stage on this one to talk about what the hottest band in the world did right in their later incarnations with Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer.  KISS fans should enjoy this one!

Listeners to the podcast know that Court was a massive fan of early GnR and Appetite for Destruction.  However, when Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 were released, young Dr. Lewis had an epic meltdown and vowed never to listen to those albums again.  His expectations were so high that those albums were a massive letdown, and one that sticks in Court's craw even today.  The mere mention of those albums sends Court into an epic tirade of profanity, rants about Yoko Ono, and the imbibing of adult beverages to numb the pain of Axl's betrayal.  Finally, after 30-plus years, Court decided it was time to come to grips with his feelings, recline on the leather couch of rock and roll psychology, and drill deep into his psyche to determine why these albums evoke such strong feelings all these years later.  Matt and Court construct the album that should-have-been, a single, two-record Use Your Illusion featuring only the songs that should have comprised that release back in 1991.  This is going to be a fun one folks, so let us know what you think on the RAMP Facebook page!