The Rock Podcast with Denny Somach

The man who wrote Layla with Eric Clapton and was a founding member of Derek and the Dominos lived a life touched by mental illness and marked by murder. Author Joel Selvin reveals the results of his years of research on the inside story of Jim Gordon, one of the most prolific drummers of all time. Joel’s new book, Drums and Demons, raises the larger questions of how we miss the signs that someone – even a great talent - is in trouble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denny and Dave Mason go back a very long time – even before Denny was the executive producer of Dave’s late 80s album Two Hearts. Dave holds nothing back, including what happened at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in this intimate look at Dave’s career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Known mostly as half of the platinum-selling group, America, with co-founder Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley has recorded and released eight solo albums, the latest titled Aurora. He joined Denny from his home in Australia (the other is in Venice, CA) to talk about his career and answer that eternal question… “Did the horse ever get a name?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Denny as he shares a comprehensive look at the early years of the #1 progressive rock band, taken from his extensive collection of vintage audio. You’ll hear Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford, Alan White, Steve Howe, Trevor Rabin, Patrick Moraz, Geoff Downes, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They’re more than just three of the best rock musicians in the business. When Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Waddy Wachtel get together with Denny, you feel the connection that has kept them together all these years, even though they’ve also had separate careers with amazing stories. Among others, you’ll hear Waddy on working with Warren Zevon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If anyone deserves the title, it’s George Martin. Here, in a candid interview with Carol Thatcher (daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, aka the “Iron Lady”) from 1982, he talks about discovering the Beatles, working with them in the studio, and other revelations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Foghat, a legendary band in the pantheon of Rock ‘n Roll, has released a new album, Sonic Mojo. Founding member and leader, Roger Earl, who Denny first met in the 70’s, is this episode’s guest. Roger has seen it all - and he’s sharing it all - on The Rock Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As lead singer of Free (remember All Right Now?), Bad Company, The Law with Kenny Jones, The Firm with Jimmy Page, and Queen with Paul Rodgers, and with his solo albums,  Paul Rodgers has consistently delighted rock fans. In this episode, he talks about his career, how he and Cynthia, his wife, met tough health challenges, and his newest album, Midnight Rose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melanie was just starting her career when she  was the first artist booked to play Woodstock, almost a year before the concert took place. She was an unknown when she walked onto the Woodstock stage and sang for half a million people. By the end of her set, she was a star. In this episode, Denny interviews Melanie, who goes deep into her life and career - past, present, and future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Bazilian, one of the founders of the Hooters, catches up with Denny after many years, and you’re invited to tune in to the past, present, and future of this multitalented musician. Stay for a snippet from the performance that Denny featured on Hot Spots, his early 80s show on USA Network!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denny goes into the void, and through the career of a true English Rock God, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. This exclusive interview is where you’ll find the deep story on whatever happened to the Sabbath/Zeppelin jam and the Black Zeppelin album! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrate Steve Howe's fifty years of playing just about anything with strings with Denny, who's known Steve most of those fifty years. They cover the early years, pre-Yes, up to their latest release, Mirror in the Sky, leaving nothing unsaid - including some intriguing details about who's touched Steve's guitar. Steve's been honored five times as Best Overall Guitar Player of the Year by Guitar Magazine, and he was the first inductee into the Guitar Player Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What the Hell Ever Happened to Blood, Sweat and Tears? is a new documentary about the band that sold millions of records, won multiple Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, and headlined at Woodstock. Denny interviews Steve Katz, co-founder of the band, in this episode, which takes its title from Steve’s autobiography. You’ll hear about The Blues Project, Steve’s prodigious career, and the stars whose work he produced and influenced.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Anderson has been fronting Jethro Tull since it formed. He and Denny have known each other a long time, more than forty years, so they kick back and catch up on everything from the old days to the band’s newest release – their 23rd album. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may not know this, but the Zombies are the only band still touring after 50 years whose lead singer is not Mick Jagger! The Zombies are more than their biggest hits, “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season.” Denny goes way back and deep with Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent as they launch their newest album, documentary, and tour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denny and Jon know each other for nearly 50 years, so you know this conversation will range from the earliest times to the latest tours for 2023, with brief stops at all of Jon’s works-in-progress. While you may have heard one or two of these stories in the past, even hard-core fans will be telling their friends about something from this episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ll hear a rare historic interview with the legendary Black Irish bassist, who tragically died at age 36. Phil Lynott was known for his work both with Thin Lizzy and solo, and his influence on the heavy metal artists who followed him. The episode ends with Denny telling the story of how he and Phil got to sing on the same number one record! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most influential band in British rock, after the Beatles and Rolling Stones, has included three of the most accomplished guitarists of all time - Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. You’ll hear from all three in this episode, plus Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Alice Cooper, Geddy Lee, and Joe Perry – all from Denny’s Classic Rock Archives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denny tells the little-known story of how Nazareth came to record Love Hurts, and the Scottish group’s connection to his hometown – and his career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this 1984 interview, Roger Waters talks about how he came to his solo career; the meaning behind The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking; and he even offers an opinion on the possibility of Pink Floyd coming together again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices