Podcast

Rock N Roll Archaeology

An episodic overview of the history of Rock Music. Think of it as a college level Rock N Roll 101 course...or if you prefer, a multi-part audio documentary. We take in the music, culture and technology of the second half of the 20th Century to prove how significant and how much impact this art movement had to the times, while still resonating today. It’s carefully researched, fully scripted and highly produced...a little bit academic in tone, because we do our homework. But we throw in a lot of fun too: music, storytelling, commentary and quotes, lots of sound design. The series is presented in chronological order, and we take our time making these, really trying to get the history right. Rock N Roll Archaeology is the world's first HD Podcast and a proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers. ... More...

Episode 20: Ohio

January 15, 202100:55:13

Rock N Roll as the First Draft Of History

We begin in the midwest college town of Kent, Ohio, in the late spring of 1970. We’ll meet three future rockers--students at Kent State University, barely out of their teens--who will be changed forever by what they witness. We’ll check in on Motown, where the fluffy pop “Sound of Young America” is still alive, but there's a big change coming, a movement towards a tougher, more topical sound. We’ll foreshadow that just a little--lots more to come in a later chapter. Rock N Roll is now Rock, and it is mainstreamed now, big and getting bigger. It set out to subvert the dominant paradigm, now it is the dominant paradigm. It can be downright paradoxical at times; defined by its own contradictions. We come back to the campus for the shattering events of May 4th. They inspire a unique musical response, something we really haven’t seen since then.

Written by Richard Evans and Christian Swain

Hosted and Produced by Christian Swain

Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen

Voice Actors

Holly Cantos as the voice of the Kent State Official History
Dr. Stephen Arnoff as the voice of Prof. Charles Reich
James O’Laughlin as the voice of Jimmy McDonaugh
Eric Nash as the voice of Kevin C. Smith
David Browne as the voice of David Browne

Songs

Randy Newman: “Burn On” from Sail Away, 1972
James Gang: “Funk 48” from Yer’ Album, 1969
The Stooges: “1970” from Fun House, 1970
Rare Earth: “Hey Big Brother” single released in 1970
Graham Nash: “Chicago” from Songs for Beginners, 1971
Edwin Starr: “War” from War & Peace, 1970
Eric Burdon and War: “Spill The Wine” from Eric Burdon Declares War, 1970
Frank Zappa and The Mothers: “Nanook Rubs It” from Apostrophe, 1974
John Lennon and the Plastic Ono: “Working Class Hero” from Plastic Ono Band, 1970
Jackson 5: “I Want You Back” Single released in 1969
Marvin Gaye: “Inner City Blues” from What’s Goin’ On, 1971
War: “Slippin’ Into Darkness” from All Day Music, 1971
CSN&Y: “Carry On” from Deja Vu, 1970
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: “Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown” from Tonight’s the Night, 1974
Neil Young: ”The Needle And The Damage Done” from Harvest, 1972
Elton John: “Burn Down The Mission” from Tumbleweed Connection, 1970
Ten Years After: “I’d Love To Change The World” from A Space In Time, 1970
CSN&Y: “Find The Cost Of Freedom” single released in 1970
CSN&Y: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” from Four Way Street, 1971
CSN&Y: “Ohio” single released in 1970
Led Zeppelin: “What Is And What Should Never Be” from Led Zeppelin II, 1969

Books

David Browne: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Bob Burroughs: Days of Rage
Robert Giles: When Truth Mattered
Todd Gitlin: The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage
Chrissie Hynde: Reckless: My Life as a Pretender
Jimmy McDonough: Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography
Rick Perlstein: Nixonland
Charles Reich: The Greening of America
Neil Sheehan: A Bright Shining Lie
Kevin C. Smith: Recombo DNA
Hunter S. Thompson: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Online Sources

Podcasts

Films and Documentaries

The Murder of Fred Hampton, Directed by Howard Alk, 1971

This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts.

@PantheonPods

Listen in HD only at www.rocknrollarchaeology.com