Decibel Geek Podcast

The Decibel Geek crew headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for three days of loud music, great people, and unforgettable moments at the Mountain Music Festival—and we’re bringing the whole experience home in this supersized episode! In Episode 680 – Decibel Geek Conquers the Mountain, we recap an incredible weekend filled with killer performances, stacked lineups, memorable setlists, and plenty of surprises. We share which bands blew us away, the people we connected and reconnected with, and what makes this community of rock fans so special. More than anything, the Mountain Music Festival felt like a gathering of friends brought together by the music we love. Huge congratulations and thanks go to Larry Morand, April Lee, and the entire Mountain Music Fest team for building such an awesome weekend and making everyone feel welcome. We also have to give a special shout-out to Mooger Fooger and all the wives—Aaron’s, Mooger’s, and Chris’s—for being part of the adventure and making the weekend even more fun. Music

The Mountain Music Festival 2026 is almost here, and this week we're breaking out the map, studying the schedule, and figuring out exactly how we're going to tackle three days of rock and roll in Gatlinburg! In this episode, Chris and Aaron map out The Mountain, running through the entire three-day festival schedule and sharing the bands and performances we're most looking forward to seeing. With multiple stages running throughout the weekend, there are plenty of tough decisions to make. We break down the biggest overlaps, which acts are playing more than once, and how those second sets might help us avoid sacrificing one band for another. We also discuss Punchlines and Backlines, the comedy shows taking place on multiple nights during festival week featuring comedians and familiar faces from the rock world. Between the bands, comedy, clinics, late-night activities, and everything else happening around the event, there's going to be a lot to keep up with. And we're not just coming to watch. Decibel Geek

We’re back with another edition of Geekwire, bringing you the latest, greatest, and dumbest rock and metal news from around the world! This time around, we’re talking about the reported circumstances surrounding Sid Wilson’s exit from Slipknot, while members of Cinderella sound increasingly open to the idea of getting the band back on the road; but which ones? Also, Nikki Sixx addresses the allegations of Mötley Crüe’s use of backing tracks and pushes back on criticism of the band’s live performances, Phil Lewis discusses the surprising new look that has him feeling liberated, and Theory of a Deadman’s Tyler Connolly explains where the shortened “Theory” name actually came from. Elsewhere, Geoff Tate apparently has his sights set on sharpening his skills in the kitchen, Glenn Hughes announces his retirement from touring and live performances, and Blackie Lawless shares a message of support for former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes. Plus, John 5 recruits Wednesday 13 for The Creatures in 2027, Michael Swe

We’re back with another edition of the Radio Sucks Radio Show, serving up ten tracks you probably won’t hear during your average afternoon of corporate radio repetition. Chris has five killer cuts from Lost Circus, Blacktop Mojo, Audrey Horne, John Diva and the Rockets of Love, and Speed Stroke. Aaron digs into the archives with selections from Rose Tattoo, Quiet Riot, Jackyl, Tom Keifer, and David Lee Roth. It’s another mix of brand-new music, overlooked album tracks, deep cuts, and songs deserving a bigger audience. Which picks hit the hardest? Which ones have been hiding in plain sight? You’ll have to listen and find out. We’ll also be at The Mountain Music Fest, happening August 21–23, 2026, at the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Come hang out with us for a full weekend of rock in the Smoky Mountains. Get tickets and festival information here We hope you enjoy the Radio Sucks Radio Show and SHARE it with a friend! Decibel Geek is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family

We’re back with another edition of DBG Times, covering the rockers we lost, milestone album anniversaries, and a packed slate of new releases. In Rockstar Deathdays, we remember Jim Morrison, Jeff LaBar, Gary Corbett, Dick Wagner, Wayne Charvel, Jennifer Finch, and the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. This month’s album anniversaries cover an enormous range of rock history. We look back at Heart’s Beautiful Broken, Billy Talent’s Afraid of Heights, the hard-rock detour of Chrome Division, and the long-awaited New York Dolls comeback album One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This. We also revisit Judas Priest’s controversial Ripper Owens era with Demolition, the internal turmoil surrounding the Black Crowes’ Three Snakes and One Charm, and Alice Cooper’s star-studded Hey Stoopid. Other anniversaries include the killer Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey soundtrack, David Lee Roth’s supergroup debut Eat ’Em and Smile, Motörhead’s Orgasmatron, Def Leppard’s breakthrough-building High ’n’ Dry, the Ramones’ conflicted P

This week’s Geekwire is packed with rock news, controversy, tour trouble, and some genuinely cool developments. We discuss the cancellation of an Australian Ace Frehley tribute tour amid mounting issues surrounding Silverback Touring and promoter Danny Bazzi. We also cover stolen Accept gear, Megadeth’s last-minute Lisbon cancellation, and the fan reaction that followed. In KISS news, a classic 1976 Anaheim concert is finally getting an official live release. We also congratulate past guest and friend of the show Andrew Sgambati on being hired by KISS for video work. Elsewhere, the first official Black Sabbath book is on the way, Mötley Crüe bring some deep cuts back to the stage, and Nikki Sixx fires back at Shannon Larkin. Scott Ian and Gary Holt defend Yungblud, while Rudy Sarzo addresses the use of AI on a new song. We also cover big updates from Def Leppard, Ugly Kid Joe, and much more. It’s the week in rock and metal news—filtered through the Decibel Geek lens. We hope you enjoy Geekwire and SHARE

Beat the Geek Returns: Three Challengers, Three Rounds, and a Whole Lotta Rock Trivia It’s time for another edition of Beat the Geek—the rock trivia game show that goes to 11! This time around, three serious music nerds step up to test their hard rock and heavy metal knowledge against the Decibel Geek crew. Professional bass player and music obsessive Donovan White joins the fight, alongside Alex Alt of the Sly Dog Music-Cast and LC from the Cobras & Fire Podcast. We’ve got three rounds of questions, questionable confidence, deep-cut knowledge, and plenty of chances for somebody to look like a genius—or suddenly forget everything they have ever known about rock and roll. Donovan and LC take on Chris, while Alex faces Aaron in a special Reverse Beat the Geek round. Chris handles the questions while Aaron takes the hot seat against Alex. The tables have turned, the pressure is on, and nobody is safe. And because this is Beat the Geek, every round includes a KISS Round. Those questions are worth double poin

Geekwire is back with another round of the latest, greatest, and weirdest in Rock news headlines. This week, we cover 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame honorees Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley and Gene's sudden absence at the ceremonies. Also on the show: Ace Frehley’s 1975 Les Paul brings serious money at auction (but is it legit?), KISS lays out its 2026 programming for the land-locked Vegas Kruise, and Rush launches its Fifty Something tour with drummer Anika Nilles behind the kit. Elsewhere, Faith No More’s Bill Gould offers hope for a return to live activity, Vivian Campbell reconnects with Sweet Savage, and Stephen Pearcy reveals his extremely rock-and-roll vocal warmup routine. We also touch on Ozzy Osbourne’s possible A.I. avatar, the 40th anniversary of Heavy Metal Parking Lot, a new supernatural heavy metal/horror series, and the Download Festival Ferris wheel story that absolutely did not need to happen. We also share our excitement for the upcoming Mountain Music Fest taking place in Gatlinburg, TN

This week on DBG Times, we’re remembering Stiv Bators, Dee Dee Ramone, Robbin Crosby, and Brett Tuggle. We’re also looking back at album anniversaries from Hellyeah, Saxon, Cheap Trick, Glenn Hughes, Betty Blowtorch, Blue Öyster Cult, Warrant, and many more. Plus, we’ll clue you in to new music from Midnight Rider, Jared James Nichols, Bad Stuff, Yes, Rachel Bolan, Lex Legion, Sublime, Bloodhunter, and Spread Eagle. Strap in and hang on tight; it's a mega-long new edition of DBG Times. Dig it! We hope you enjoy DBG Times and SHARE with a friend! Decibel Geek is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Facebook Fan Page Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram E-mail Us Subscribe to our Youtube channel! Support Us! Buy a T-Shirt! Donate to the show! Stream Us! Stitcher Radio Spreaker TuneIn Become a VIP Subscriber! Click HERE for more info! Comment Below Direct Download  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone

Before the fire, before the blood, before the bombs, the boots, the makeup, and the myth… there was a struggling New York band trying to find its way. This week, we go Before the Thunder with Lew Linet — the man who witnessed Wicked Lester evolve into KISS. He saw Gene Klein become Gene Simmons, Stanley Eisen become Paul Stanley, Peter Crisscuola become Peter Criss, and Paul Frehley become Ace. From the shelved Epic Records album to the early club grind at The Daisy, Lew was there before the world understood what was coming. This is the story of rejection, reinvention, and persistence — told by someone who saw the lightning strike before the thunder rolled. He later built a career in the automotive industry, carrying those early lessons in perseverance into the training work he still shares today. We hope you enjoy Before the Thunder: A Conversation with Lew Linet and SHARE with a friend! Decibel Geek is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes

This week on Geekwire, we’re covering possible Poison 2027 live plans, Mötley Crüe’s American Idol appearance, and John 5 responding to backing-track rumors. We’ll also discuss Geddy Lee’s comments on drummers reaching out after Neil Peart’s passing, Geoff Tate’s unreleased autobiography, Chris Holmes ruling out W.A.S.P., and the upcoming Paul Di’Anno documentary. Plus, thoughts on new music from Anthrax and The Rolling Stones, and we remember legendary producer Jack Douglas. All that and more on this edition of Geekwire. Decibel Geek is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Facebook Fan Page Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram E-mail Us Subscribe to our Youtube channel! Support Us! Buy a T-Shirt! Donate to the show! Stream Us! Stitcher Radio Spreaker TuneIn Become a VIP Subscriber! Click HERE for more info! Comment Below Direct Download  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Radio Sucks Radio Show returns with a new batch of songs selected by Chris and Aaron. Chris’ picks focus on 2026 releases, including recent tracks from Tygers of Pan Tang, Crobot, Crown Lands, Rachel Bolan with Danko Jones, and Mustasch Aaron’s picks include a mix of older cuts and 2026 releases, ranging from Motochrist’s 2000 album 666-Pack to Vain’s 1995 album Fade, along with newer songs from Bakko, Sour Ops, and Bloodstain. It's a bunch of ear candy in this one. Enjoy! We hope you enjoy this episode and SHARE with a friend. Decibel Geek is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Contact Us! Rate, Review, and Subscribe in iTunes Join the Facebook Fan Page Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram E-mail Us Subscribe to our Youtube channel! Support Us! Buy a T-Shirt! Donate to the show! Stream Us! Stitcher Radio Spreaker TuneIn Become a VIP Subscriber! Click HERE for more info! Comment Below Direct Download  The Radio Sucks Radio Show returns with a new batch of songs sele

Chris and Aaron are back with another edition of DBG Times, covering a fresh update on the Sebastian Bach / Monsters of Rock Cruise fallout, a look back at notable April rockstar deathdays, milestone album anniversaries, and a batch of new and upcoming rock and metal releases. Big stories, deep cuts, and plenty of side roads await… and much more! This episode opens with an update connected to Sebastian Bach’s recent meltdown, including added context straight from Stevie Rachelle. From there, the guys remember several names from rock history and rock-adjacent chaos, including Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, Sam Kinison, Joey Ramone, and Peter Steele… and much more! The anniversary section revisits a wide range of albums hitting milestone birthdays in 2026, including releases from TOOL, Judas Priest, Temple of the Dog, Van Halen, Ramones, and The Rolling Stones. From classic metal to punk landmarks to Seattle history, there’s a lot to dig into… and much more! The new releases section checks in on fresh and upcomi

GeekWire 04.22.26 is packed with the usual mix of rock drama, reunion talk, tour news, and a few curveballs. This week we’re covering Ted Poley walking back his Sebastian Bach rant, new Slayer anniversary shows, Billy Corgan’s latest NWA move, KISS adding more live activity in Vegas, Alice Cooper hitting the road with a new guitarist, and more from the worlds of Poison, Iron Maiden, Accept, Motörhead, Blue Murder, and beyond. We also touch on one non-rock side story about the iPod making a comeback with listeners looking for a distraction-free music experience. Stories covered in this episode: Ted Poley takes the blame and says he regrets publicly going off on Sebastian Bach Slayer announces California and Minnesota shows celebrating 40 years of Reign In Blood Kyle Thomas says arguing over Pantera’s connection to Exhorder is pointless Billy Corgan lands a major TV deal for the National Wrestling Alliance Joel Hoekstra joins Stephen Pearcy’s solo band for the 2026 tour David Reece says he’

This week we dive into one of rock’s most hysterical and revealing cultural flashpoints: the Satanic Panic. From Robert Johnson crossroads mythology and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins to Black Sabbath, KISS, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Slayer, and beyond, we trace how devil imagery, shock rock, media fearmongering, church protests, and moral crusades helped turn hard rock and metal into public enemy number one. We get into the Peters Brothers and the anti-rock movement, KISS concert protests, the PMRC hearing, the Filthy Fifteen, Richard Ramirez and AC/DC, the Judas Priest backmasking trial, Norwegian black metal church burnings, and the later scapegoating of Marilyn Manson after Columbine. We also follow the thread into more modern acts like Ghost, The Pretty Reckless, and Twin Temple, showing how Satanic imagery evolved from public scandal into branding, theater, provocation, and pop culture tradition. If you’ve ever wondered how rock music became the target of preachers, parents, politicians, and nightly news panic, this

This week on Geekwire, we dig into Vinnie Vincent’s latest bout of absurdity as he puts a $2 million price tag on his new album, while Ace Frehley’s legendary 1975 Les Paul heads to auction with a hefty expected sale price. We also cover a surprise Guns N’ Roses-related reunion performance at Rock For Jennifer and Charlie Benante’s thoughts on both a possible live album from Pantera and the direction of the upcoming Anthrax release. We also get into Blaze Bayley being added to the list of Iron Maiden members nominated for the Rock Hall, Bobby Blotzer calling for one last tour from Ratt’s classic lineup, and the sons of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons releasing a new Stanley Simmons video while Paul pushes back on the nepotism talk. On top of that, Melissa Reese will miss the upcoming Guns N’ Roses tour, William Shatner teams with Rob Halford for a reworked Judas Priest classic, Rikki Rockett’s long-awaited memoir finally gets a release window, Ginger of The Wildhearts reveals a serious cancer diagnosis, and Ge

We're back to discuss the past, present, and future of rock with another issue of DBG Times! Rockstar Deathdays include Andrew Wood, Chuck Berry, AJ Pero, Dave Brockie, Taylor Hawkins, Randy Castillo, and Randy Rhoads. Album anniversaries this week include 5 years of Now & Then from Paul Stanley’s Soul Station, 20 years of Rob Zombie’s Educated Horses, 25 years of Just Push Play by Aerosmith, Every Six Seconds by Saliva, and Time Bomb by Buckcherry. Turning 30 is KISS Unplugged. Turning 40 are Metallica’s Master of Puppets, Van Halen’s 5150, Great White’s Shot in the Dark, and Ted Nugent’s Little Miss Dangerous. At 50 years, Judas Priest’s Sad Wings of Destiny, Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak, and KISS Destroyer all hit major milestones. Turning 55 are Black Oak Arkansas’ debut, Jethro Tull’s Aqualung, and Humble Pie’s Rock On. New music covered this week includes releases from Black Stone Cherry, Gotthard, The Black Crowes, Exodus, Axel Rudi Pell, Tyketto, Black Label Society, Flea, Suzi Quatro, Lou Gramm, and D

We're back to discuss all the latest, greatest, and strangest happenings in the rock world with Geekwire! Here's what we're digging into this time: Sebastian Bach joins Twisted Sister with Dee Snider's full blessing, and the band also added Joey Cassata on drums for the upcoming shows. Jon Bon Jovi is still showing vocal struggles in public performance, this time during a Tony Robbins appearance. Zakk Wylde revealed the song that first made him want to pick up the guitar and explained his motivation for opening for Black Label Society. Reactivated Sister Sin has released “Drive,” only its second new single in 12 years. Metallica has added six more “Life Burns Faster” Sphere residency shows in Las Vegas. Mortgage brokers are standing by. A massive Ozzy Osbourne statue will be unveiled at Hellfest, while Sharon says Ozzfest will return in 2027. Members of Ace Frehley’s solo band have announced an Australian tour celebrating a late KISS legend. Geddy Lee says Anika Nilles didn’t click immediately, but by

We're back to take stock of one of the biggest bands to explode out of the 1980's as we decide The Best and Worst of Bon Jovi!  In this episode, we kick off Part 1 covering every studio album from the self-titled 1984 debut through 2002’s Bounce. The goal was simple: each of us picked one favorite and one least favorite track from every album — no live albums, no compilations — and let the arguments fall where they may. We start with Bon Jovi and 7800° Fahrenheit. These 2 first albums straddled the line between AOR vibes, solid riffs, keyboard overkill, and rushed timelines for recording. The discussion revolves around early identity, flashes of future greatness, and whether these records are overlooked gems or simply necessary growing pains. Then it’s into the arena-stratosphere era with Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, where a string of hits vaulted the band into stadiums and MTV dominance. We examine whether the massive singles define the albums or overshadow deeper cuts. The early ’90s shift begins w

We're back with the latest issue of the DBG Times! Here's what we're commemorating this time! ROCKSTAR DEATHDAYS We remember Sid Vicious, Tim Kelly, Big John Harte, Ty Longley, Mark Lanegan, and Bon Scott. 2026 ALBUM ANNIVERSARIES Ten years ago, Anthrax released For All Kings. Fifteen years ago, Orchid debuted with Capricorn. Thirty years ago brought Bruce Dickinson’s Skunkworks, Enuff Z’Nuff’s Peach Fuzz, and Deep Purple’s Purpendicular. Thirty-five years ago saw Queen’s Innuendo, Saigon Kick’s debut, and Great White’s Hooked. Forty years ago, Ozzy Osbourne released The Ultimate Sin and King Diamond launched his solo career with Fatal Portrait. Forty-five years ago included Judas Priest’s Point of Entry, Rush’s Moving Pictures, Riot’s Fire Down Under, and Iron Maiden’s Killers. Fifty and fifty-five years ago featured Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Gimme Back My Bullets, along with Cactus and Uriah Heep releases. NEW MUSIC New albums this month arrive from Tailgunner, Wicked Smile, Lily Löwe, The Hellacopters, B