Rock Under Fire

Rock Under Fire is a rock and roll podcast dissecting and discussing seven decades of rock in all its beautiful, wondrous, and despicable glory. Once upon a time, rock and roll music was the center of pop culture. Is rock really dead as some suggest? Or is it in a period of stagnancy existing on the fringe? What is its place in the 21st Century? These questions are the constant underlying theme to a different rock-related subject for each bi-weekly episode. Join hosts Mike Derrico, Patrick Ivanitski, and Stick Nixon for this unique ongoing dialogue through rock's past, present, and future.

The Beehive

Welcome to the Beehive!  It's the 100th and final episode ever of the Rock Under Fire podcast.  It's all about hot takes as Mike Derrico is joined by Marisa Baldassaro, Heather Drain and Michael Lee Nirenberg in over two hours of too many topics to list.  But we'll try...let's see...there's random takes on Chuck Berry, the early days of the Internet, Joy Division, Brian Eno, the Gun Club, Def Leppard, Michael Monroe, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, the Traveling Wilburys, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, Phil Collins, Marisa's Vince Neil imitation, about a dozen different takes on Kiss, including the question..."is Kiss misogynistic," and a whole lot more.  It must have been in the stars, but we saved the most insane episode by far...for last.  Thanks to all our supporters over the years.  We had a small audience but we had a blast.  Thanks for listening. Peace. luv, rock and roll...   Rock Under Fire host, Mike Derrico is a freelance writer, pop cultural historian, and author of the books, AUTUMN AND EVERYTHING AFTER: The Murder of John Lennon, Evolution of Bruce Springsteen & the Birth of the Reagan Era (2020), THE LOCKER NOTES, a novel (2021), and the forthcoming ...AND THE CATHEDRAL FELL TO THE GROUND: The Lonesome Death of Rock and Roll (November 2023). Michael Lee Nirenberg, in his fourth time on the podcast, is a writer and director whose most celebrated recent works have been his 2014 documentary Back Issues: The Hustler Magazine Story, and his 2020 book Earth A.D. the Poisoning of the American Landscape and the Communities That Fought Back.   Heather Drain, in her second Rock Under Fire guest spot, is a writer who veers between the worlds of esoterica film, wild music, heart-born words, and prose that is dark, rich, quirky, and often undefinable. In the nonfiction realm, her work has appeared on the print and digital pages of Dangerous Minds, Diabolique, Video Watchdog, Art Decades, just to name a few. Her prose has appeared in both the Women in Horror Annual, as well as the 2020 anthology, The Blind Dead Ride Out of Hell: A Literary Tribute to the Amando de Ossorio. Marisa Baldassaro is a writer and fellow hater currently putting the finishing touches on her latest project, a Dory Previn zine, discussed earlier this season on Rock Under Fire (Ep. 79).  Marisa has also co-hosted several episodes of Rock Under Fire during Season 3.     Check out Heather's Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/mondoheather Follow Heather Drain on Twitter... https://twitter.com/mondoheather Follow Marisa Baldassaro on Twitter Marisa Baldassaro (@Nerdspringbreak) / Twitter Follow Mike Nirenberg on Twitter Michael Lee Nirenberg (@MLNirenberg) / Twitter Derrico Untitled https://derricountitled.com/  RUF Archives https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Follow Mike on Twitter  https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

06-29
02:13:23

The Drug Fair Kiss Book

When you get to share a personal story with an author about one of his works 41 years later.  Some Rock Under Fire moments are worth their own bite-size episode.  From Mike's 2020 interview with Creem Magazine managing editor and author of Loudmouth, Robert Duncan.   Purchase Robert Duncan's Loudmouth https://www.amazon.com/Loudmouth-Nove... https://www.duncanwrites.com/ The Locker Notes, a novel: https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Notes-M... AUTUMN AND EVERYTHING AFTER: The Murder of John Lennon, Evolution of Bruce Springsteen & the Birth of the Reagan Era https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Everyth... RUF Archives:  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Derrico Untitled:  https://derricountitled.com/  Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico  Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music  

06-27
09:17

North Exit

The conversation is all over the map in Episode 98 as Mike is joined by his cousin Paul to discuss vinyl records, jazz, lip-synching, live bands playing to tracks, Kiss, and Mike's highly-detailed take on John Lennon's murder. Paul Sisolak is a content editor and freelance writer specializing in personal finance, consumer trends and music.  ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON The Locker Notes, a novel:  https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Notes-M... AUTUMN AND EVERYTHING AFTER: The Murder of John Lennon, Evolution of Bruce Springsteen & the Birth of the Reagan Era https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Everyth... RUF Archives: https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Derrico Untitled: https://derricountitled.com/ Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

06-19
01:36:16

Midnight in Berlin

From the outskirts of Viktoria Park in the heart of Kreuzberg, it's midnight in Berlin. Mike and an anonymous guest in a very random trail of assorted thoughts...some rock & roll...some not so rock & roll. ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON...Ep. 97 The Locker Notes, a novel: https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Notes-M... RUF Archives: https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Derrico Untitled: https://derricountitled.com/ Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico  Copyright-free music: "Childhood" by Scott Buckley "One Way Home" by Whitesand "Brahe" by Punch Deck  

05-29
53:49

Bouncing Over London

We're down to the final five Rock Under Fire episodes ever!  In Episode 96, John K and Greg return to flip the script on Mike in an attempt to interview him as well as talk London, green screens, our favorite concerts, the seat cushion trend of the mid-80s, the horrors of AI, indie book publishing and the closing of long time Fords institution, the Liberty Tavern. ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON The Locker Notes, a novel:  https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Notes-M...  RUF Archives: https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Derrico Untitled:  https://derricountitled.com/ Follow Mike on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico Copyright-free music: "Childhood" by Scott Buckley "One Way Home" by Whitesand "Brahe" by Punch Deck

05-14
53:17

Jesse Jackson, Set Lusting Bruce Podcast

In Episode 95, Jesse Jackson, host of the Set Lusting Bruce Podcast joins Mike Derrico to discuss Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's 2023 tour.  For the past 6 years, Jesse Jackson has been talking to Bruce Springsteen fans from around the world. He believes that every Springsteen fan has a story to tell and it's his job to record as many as possible. At 1000 episodes and counting, fans of Bruce (as well as fans of other musicians) have shared how the magic and power of music has helped them celebrate successes and mourn losses. Music has been part of births, deaths, birthdays, weddings and other major events in their lives. Jesse is also the host of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast.  https://setlustingbruce.libsyn.com/  https://nextstopeverywhere.libsyn.com/  Set Lusting Bruce on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SetLustingBruce Follow Jesse on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JesseJacksonDFW Follow Mike on Twitter https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico Derrico Untitled https://derricountitled.com/  RUF Archives https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON  Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

04-09
01:11:54

Heather Drain

Mike Derrico and Heather Drain talk Blue Oyster Cult, Lester Bangs and Kiss in Episode 94 of the Rock Under Fire podcast. Heather Drain is a writer who veers between the worlds of esoterica film, wild music, heart-born words, and prose that is dark, rich, quirky, and often undefinable. In the nonfiction realm, her work has appeared on the print and digital pages of Dangerous Minds, Diabolique, Video Watchdog, Art Decades, just to name a few. Her prose has appeared in both the Women in Horror Annual, as well as the 2020 anthology, The Blind Dead Ride Out of Hell: A Literary Tribute to the Amando de Ossorio. In addition to writing and researching the weird, lurid, and phantasmagorical, she is also married to writer/painter C.F. Roberts and is the human mom to two beautiful thug cats and their sweet-crazy Brodie Lee dog. The creative world of Heather Drain can be explored at MONDO HEATHER.  https://www.mondoheather.com/ Check out Heather's Patreon...  https://www.patreon.com/mondoheather Follow Heather Drain on Twitter...  https://twitter.com/mondoheather Derrico Untitled...  https://derricountitled.com/ RUF Archives...  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ Follow Mike on Twitter https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

03-26
01:45:14

Baylee Avery

Baylee Avery, music journalist for Banded PR joins us for episode 93. As a podcast that has often catered to the dinosaur mentality, we step outside our comfort zone to talk about what's good and vital in rock music today as well as get a fresh perspective on the big picture. Founded by Rebecca Potzner, Banded is a media outlet and boutique PR agency created with both the artist and the fan at the forefront.  https://www.bandedpr.com/   ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/  Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music   

03-12
01:03:36

Going Off the Rails in the UK

London, Manchester, death tickets, Queen, Lemmy and karaoke. Mike is joined by Greg and John K...some musicians from the old neighborhood he found in a bar one dark and stormy night. ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON Ep. 92  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/  https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music

02-27
01:36:13

Red Shoes & the Blue Album

In response to the sudden 2022 popularity of Kate Bush with Gen Z, Mike shares his story of "meeting" Kate in 1993. ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON E. 91  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ https://twitter.com/Mike__Derrico Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music

02-12
23:42

The Feast

In this special one-off / year-end episode, Mike reads from The Locker Notes, a chapter called The Feast...a tribute to the power of music's imprint on memory and dedicated to family and friends we've lost.  Ep. 90 ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON We've now reached the midpoint of our final season. We thank all who have supported us since 2016 and especially thank those who have stayed. Happy Holidays and see you in 2023 for our final ten episodes! Mike's second book and first novel, The Locker Notes, was published in October 2021 and is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and everywhere else online where books are sold. https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Notes-M... https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright-free music: "Childhood" by Scott Buckley "Brahe" by Punch Deck

12-23
14:03

Through the Decades in Random Songs

We pick four songs at random from every decade since the 1960s for discussion. This recording originally comes from our 2018 holiday special which amounted to a three-hour radio show. For copyright reasons, music has been omitted but the discussion left intact. After Youtube muted our 2016 version, Pat later joked that we should just leave the audio and let the audience imagine that we're playing music. Well, here it is...for fun we've done just that for this special double episode. Mike Derrico and Patrick Ivanitski are your hosts. Again, this is from 2018...don't be thrown by misplaced cultural references! Little Richard, Eddie Van Halen and Neil Peart were still with us when this was recorded, and Do the Right Thing was only 29 years old! ROCK UNDER FIRE...THE FINAL SEASON E. 88/89 https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music

12-18
01:13:39

Our 10 Favorite 80s Pop Songs

Just as the title says...we pick our favorite radio-friendly pop songs of the 1980s.  This one plays like a classic RUF episode from the early years of the podcast.  Mike Derrico and Patrick Ivanitski are your hosts. Rock Under Fire...The Final Season https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

12-11
38:02

Our 10 Favorite 80s Albums

Just as the title says...we pick our favorite albums of the 1980s. Rock Under Fire...The Final Season Episode 86...Mike Derrico and Patrick Ivanitski are your hosts. https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

12-04
50:58

Creatures of the Night 40

Happy 40th to Kiss's most overrated album!  We discuss Creatures of the Night, an album that revisionist history has placed among the greatest albums of the Kiss catalog.  We touch on the great things about the album...but we also go where no Kiss fan will dare go...the many reasons why Creatures is the most overrated album in all of Kisstory.  An unpopular take that will surely ruffle some feathers. https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

11-27
51:24

In Search of Nebraska

Riffing on Bruce Springsteen's sixth album, Nebraska in celebration of its 40th anniversary this past October...and reading from AUTUMN AND EVERYTHING AFTER: The Murder of John Lennon, Evolution of Bruce Springsteen and the Birth of the Reagan Era...Mike Derrico's 2020 book examining Bruce Springsteen and John Lennon during the last months of 1980 while assessing conservative right-wing vilification of both artists over the years.  E. 84 Derrico's book AUTUMN AND EVERYTHING AFTER can be found through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and everywhere books are sold online...or his website below.  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music

11-20
16:04

What Are We Listening To?

Original Rock Under Fire cast member Stick Nixon returns to talk about recent vinyl record acquisitions as well as a conversation about what we've been listening to. Ep. 83   https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/   Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music   Music

11-13
29:27

Stagefright

Another fun bite-size episode from the unreleased archives. A peek behind the scenes! Random nonsense before the edit as we prepared for a show back in 2019.  Never meant for release, Pat talks about Rival Sons and Mike and Marisa wax poetic on Def Leppard's Pyromania.  https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music Music

11-06
14:34

Tickets

A brief snippet of the unreleased season premiere, recorded in August but scrapped for technical issues. Ep. 81 https://rockunderfire.libsyn.com/ https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

10-30
18:05

Aaron Novak Returns

Friend and fellow podcaster/radio host Aaron Novak returns to talk about his longtime radio show Memphis, Egypt with Aaron and Todd, and his decision to leave the show. For over a decade, Memphis Egypt with Aaron and Todd was a Tuesday night staple to WDCE 90.1 out of Richmond, Virginia. Other discussion topics include a Pearl Jam concert review by Pat, Counting Crows, Bob Dylan, Lizzo and Brandi Carlile.  Mike Derrico and Pat Ivanitski are your hosts.  E. 80 ROCK UNDER FIRE...The Final Season Rock Under Fire (libsyn.com) https://derricountitled.com/ Copyright free music provided by Lovers Squared by Letter Box 1973 by Bruno E Giorgio Di Campo for FreeSound Music

10-23
57:42

Recommend Channels