Claim OwnershipHistory in Five Songs with Martin Popoff
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Description
History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff is the show that aims to make grand and often oddball hard rock and heavy metal points through a narrative built upon the tiny idea of a quintet of songs. Buttressed with illustrative clips, Martin argues quickly and succinctly why these songs - and the specific sections of these tracks - support his mad professor premise, from the wobbly invention of an “American” heavy metal, to the influence of Led Zeppelin in hair metal or to more succinct topics like tapping and twin leads. The songs serve as bricks, but Martin slathers plenty of mortar. At the end, hopefully he has a sturdy house in which this week’s theory can reside unbothered by the elements. At approximately 7000, Martin has had published in books more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. Proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.
284 Episodes
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Paying Your Dues
Black Sabbath – “Hand of Doom”
Van Halen – “On Fire”
Rush – “Best I Can”
The Clash – “Safe European Home”
Starz – “Subway Terror”
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In Episode 281, Martin explores early Rush songs through the lens of mortality, focusing on lyrics from the band's first five albums that reflect themes of aging, existential reflection, and the inevitability of time passing.
Rush – “Finding My Way”
Rush – “Rivendell”
Rush – “I Think I’m Going Bald”
Rush – “2112”
Rush – “A Farewell to Kings”
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Here is Episode 202, in which Martin discusses the criteria for a good ballad and who is qualified to make 'em.
Kim Mitchell – “All We Are”
Judas Priest – “Beyond the Realms of Death”
Blue Öyster Cult – “I Love the Night”
Aerosmith – “Home Tonight”
Steve Hackett – “Til These Eyes”
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Here in Ep. 201, Martin celebrates his birthday and bands you have to qualify for (and to) your friends.
Kim Mitchell – “Time to Stay”
Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow – “Stand and Fight”
Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force – “Far Beyond the Sun”
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – “Brother of Mine”
Mudhoney – “No One Has”
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200: Triple Anniversary Show
Led Zeppelin – “Black Dog”
Nazareth – “Razamanaz”
Judas Priest – “Island of Domination”
Kiss – “Shout It Out Loud”
Aerosmith – “Sick as a Dog”
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Here in episode 199 Martin wonders "Why is this depressing?"
The Doors – “Strange Days”
Black Sabbath – “Under the Sun"
Blood, Sweat & Tears – “Spinning Wheel”
Uriah Heep – “Sweet Freedom”
Pixies – “Wave of Mutilation”
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In episode 198 Martin explains what the '"Heavy Metal Gallop' is!
The Amboy Dukes – “Journey to the Centre of the Mind”
Nazareth – “This Flight Tonight”
Kate Bush – “Running Up That Hill”
Dio – “Holy Diver”
Iron Maiden – “Killers”
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In episode 197, Martin asks the question Why did these 5 artist's go solo?
David Lee Roth – “Big Trouble”
Steve Vai – “The Attitude Song”
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros – “Johnny Appleseed”
Dio – “Don’t Talk to Strangers”
John Waite – “Desperate Love”
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Martin lays out the top five slow songs from these bands
Black Sabbath – “Black Sabbath”
AC/DC – “For Those About to Rock”
Max Webster – “Battle Scar”
Dio – “Lock Up the Wolves”
Scorpions – “Animal Magnetism”
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In Ep. 194, Martin gets into the bands who were 'Making Bass Interesting'
1. The Jam – “Pretty Green”
2. Aerosmith – “Sweet Emotion”
3. Kiss – “Room Service”
4. The Who – “The Punk and the Godfather”
5. The Damned – “Billy Bad Breaks”
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Which five bands had some really 'Bad Drum Sounds'?
Cheap Trick – “Dream Police”
Black Sabbath – “Digital Bitch”
Paul McCartney and Wings – “Band on the Run"
Husker Du – “These Important Years”
King Diamond – “Welcome Home”
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Which five bands bring 'Good Drum Sounds?'
Led Zeppelin – “In the Evening”
Saxon – “Warrior”
Queen – “Fat Bottomed Girls”
U.K. – “In the Dead of Night”
Genesis – “Abacab”
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Here is episode 191, Martin gets into Bands with Outside Lyricists
Cream – “Take It Back”
King Crimson – “Cat Food”
Blue Oyster Cult – “Black Blade”
Grateful Dead – “Shakedown Street”
Max Webster – “America’s Veins”
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Which bands have the top 5 bad song titles?
Status Quo – “Little Lady”
Angel – “Can You Feel It?”
Van Halen – “Sinner’s Swing”
Meat Loaf – “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”
Budgie – “Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman
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In this episode Martin gets into the five band names that are annoying!
The Rolling Stones – “Grown Up Wrong"
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – “Clear Spot”
The Sex Pistols – “Bodies”
Ratt – “You’re in Love”
As I Lay Dying – “Within Destruction”
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Which artists on their Third Album, had a New Band
Pink Floyd – “Corporal Clegg”
Blue Cheer – “West Coast Child of Sunshine”
Thin Lizzy – “Gonna Creep Up on You”
Skid Row – “Remains to be Seen”
Meat Puppets – “Up on the Sun
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In this episode Martin explains which bands with their Second Album had a new Band
Jethro Tull – “Fat Man”
The Diodes – “Photographs from Mars"
Savage – “All Set to Sting”
Sven Gali – “Worms”
Masters of Reality – “Rolling Green”
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Here in episode 186, Martin explains the top five songs with 'The Pasha Sound'
Quiet Riot – “Red Alert”
Kick Axe – “Cause for Alarm”
W.A.S.P. – “Running Wild in the Streets”
Motley Crue – “Keep Your Eye on the Money”
Icon – “On Your Feet”
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In episode 185, Martin gets into the five songs with 'Famous Last Words'
1. Joy Division – “Decades”
2. Dio – “In Dreams”
3. Pantera – “I’ll Cast a Shadow”
4. The Grateful Dead – “I Will Take You Home”
5. Dead Boys – “Ain’t It Fun”
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In Episode 283, Martin discusses bands that treat their title tracks as the centerpiece of their albums, exploring how these songs often dominate, set the tone, or even become the most memorable tracks on the album.
Alice Cooper – “School’s Out"
Accept – “Breaker”
Dio – “Dream Evil”
Judas Priest – “Killing Machine”
AC/DC – “Stiff Upper Lip”
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Love Alice's ballads but after Killer, Billion Dollar Babies, etc, the song You and I was pretty weak tea.
I cannot disagree with your assessments of Hagar and DLR but I greatly prefer DLR VH to Van Hagar. Rawness, heaviness, and charisma count, just listen to A Different Kind of Truth. Some bands are not meant to be slick.
BTW, love The Vigil. top 5 boc song for me. love buck's solo.
still catching up on back episodes. love your candor here - BOC, my fave band, didn't do what was needed to be massive, and that's why we love them. they aren't Def Leppard, which is why we love them AND why they're less famous.
fun topic! so many great ones. three that came to mind: metallica's fade to black, vh's DOA, and ozzys tonight.
ok, Martin, figured out podcasts. loved this one and take your point that glam was less music than fashion. Listened to several other HI5S episodes and think you've got a thinking man's rock show here ... but I love it anyway! keep up the great work -- Mainzer Girl