The Asylum Podcast

Yes, two listening parties in a row. Kousin Ray is out this week for "Mandatory Fun." Led Zeppelin's third album, cleverly called Led Zeppelin III (1970), has its 54th anniversary on Saturday. KR "respects Zep" but doesn't like to listen to them because the local classic rock stations (like just about every classic rock station in the country, if not the world, play them almost non-stop). It was an opportunity to give it some love with KR being out, so that happened. The three Kousins gave their "Now Listenings." Calls from Eugene B Sims, Jim From Irwin, and Jem From Alabama. What are your thoughts on Led Zeppelin III? What's your favorite song? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). We have Instagram and Twitter. We can't ask for those "enjoy" things and for you to keep getting updates because Facebook doesn't like that. Pfft... This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and connected via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Staying with the 1985 theme after a week off, the Kousins thought that Mötley Crüe's Theatre of Pain was an underrated album and needed some love. It is the general consensus that other than one track (which really isn't that bad), the album is a gem. Was it glammy? Yes. Was it muddy? Yes. Does the album get a bad rap? Absolutely. Buy why? Stick with us and enjoy an excellent album with some hidden treasures. All four Kousins gave their "Now Listenings." Calls from Bruno From (mostly) Sunny South Africa, Jem From Alabama, and Jim From Irwin. What is your take and/or thoughts on Theatre of Pain? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Dateline - The Asylum. The Year... 1985. With 1983 and 1984 being such "powerhouses" in music, 1985 had much to live up to. One of the Kousins (privately) called it "meh" compared to the previous two.  There are some landmark albums from 1985. Some represent the biggest or perhaps most widely known in some artists' careers. It may not be the most remarkable year in music, but it didn't stink. Not that anyone said it did. In addition to all the great music, not just hard rock but pop, alternative, and post-punk, the Kousins take on a snippet in time and talk about what 1985 meant to them. Not only is music on the menu for the Kousins, but they also talk about movies, television, sports, and even video games. No "Now Listenings" because there was a lot of music to go through. Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, Eugene B Sims, Bruno From Sunny South Africa, and a special call from DAC. What was your favorite albums from 1985? What was going on with you in 1985? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

The Kousins made a Top 4 list that somehow wasn't a "Mount Rushmore" list. Each Kousin picked their top 4 Hair Metal bands. Well, sort of. Three of the Kousins did; one did something a little different. Each entry got two songs played, and there were controversies throughout, but the episode was a lot of fun. The lists weren't consolidated to form a proper Top 4, though. Calls from Jim From Irwin, Eugene B Sims, Bruno From Sunny South Africa, and Jem From Alabama. No "Now Listenings" because there were already a lot of songs. What are your top four Hair Metal bands? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

The latest Kousins Top 10 episode is all about "non-makeup" KISS albums. In this episode, the Kousins give their individual Top 10 of songs from Lick It Up (1983), Animalize (1984), Asylum (1985), Crazy Nights (1987), Hot in the Shade (1989), Revenge (1992), and Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997). The ranking was weighted by number and put into a spreadsheet, and a few computations later, we had a collective Top Ten (or in this case, thirteen). Some may surprise you, but hey, this is the Kousins; it probably won't. There were three ties that were thrown to the "Extended Asylum Family" to break. All four gave their "Now Listenings." Calls from Jim From Irwin, Bruno From Sunny South Africa, and Eugene B Sims. What would your top ten songs be from 1983-1997? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

It's a rematch (of sorts) in the Album Gladiator Showdown clash between Kousin Gary and Kousin Ray, who tied during the GnR battle. This time, Kousin Ray defends Ratt's 1984 album Out of the Cellar, and Kousin Gary defends the follow-up, Invasion of Your Privacy (1985). To reiterate the rules: After a coin flip, the winner can either go first or defer their pick. The first selector chooses their "gladiator" or song for battle. After a short listen, the opponent chooses the song (or gladiator) to battle the round's opening song. The other two Kousins then vote for the winner. The two pickers can also change their vote if they choose to. Whichever song has the most votes... wins. If there's a tie, well, the Kousins tried a different method this time. If any of that doesn't make sense, give it a listen, and it will become as clear as mud. Incidentally, the battle of Tawny Kitaen (OotC) vs. Marianne Gravatte (IoYP)... Marianne won that. Calls from Jim From Irwin and Jem From Alabama. No "Now Listening" this week. What are your favorite songs from either album and how do you think they would have fared against the others? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Kousin Ray was doing "time" in Browns Town and couldn't record. So the other Kousins took the opportunity to talk about something KR would have absolutely hated. Kousins Marvin and Gary decided to educate Kousin Tim on the "genius" that is Glenn Danzig. KM&KG walked KT through Mr. Danzig's history, from the early days in the Misfits to Samhain to Danzig, and they even touched on his peripheral projects like film scores and writing for other people. Did Kousin Tim take to it? Or did he dismiss it? Well, you have to listen to find out! All three Kousins gave their "Now Listenings." Calls from Jem From Alabama and Nick Provenzano from Northern California. How do you feel about Glenn Danzig? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Back in June, the Kousins did a retrospective of music from 1984, which focused on the hard rock genre (which can be found here). The Kousins will be visiting other years. But before we all move on, it was time to grade the top hard rock albums of 1984. The albums that were graded were (in no particular order): Quiet Riot - Condition Critical Iron Maiden - Powerslave Metallica - Ride The Lightning Dio - Last In Line Kiss - Animalize Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry Ratt - Out Of The Cellar Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith Rush - Grace Under Pressure W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P. Van Halen - 1984 Scorpions - Love At First Sting Dokken - Tooth & Nail Some harsh words were thrown around about some of the albums, some about the other Kousins. But, in the end, the grades were final. No "Now Listenings" this week. Calls from Eugene B Sims, Jem From Alabama, Jim From Irwin, and Bruno From Sunny South Africa. Congratulations to JFI for the newest addition to his family! How would you have graded the 1984 hard rock albums? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

The latest Kousins Top 10 episode is all about debut albums. Indeed, any genre was open and available, but funny enough, most of it was hard rock or rock in general.  Each Kousin made their own top 10. The ranking was weighted by number and put into a spreadsheet, and a few computations later, we had a collective Top Ten (or in this case, Eleven). Some may surprise you, but hey, this is the Kousins; it probably won't. No "Now Listenings" today. Calls from Jim From Irwin and Jem From Alabama. What are your top 10 debut albums? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

The Kousins do the July 2024 Edition of Extended Now Listening. This topic was done with Kousin Marvin (mostly) absent. Each Kousin gave three "songs" to which they have been bending an ear over the past week or so. It was a great day for feedback for the podcast, too! Calls (or is it Kalls?) from Jim From Irwin, Eugene B Sims, Bruno From Sunny South Africa, Jem From Alabama, and Nick Provenzano! What have you been listening to recently? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

The Kousins hope you enjoyed your July 4th holiday, but they're glad to be back in the studio (virtually or otherwise) to bring you a new feature for them, the "Mount Rushmore" series. To begin with, it was rolling singers, frontmen, and vocalists into one ball. They could be from any "rock" genre, including pop music. Each Kousin gave their four greatest and a little music was played for each one of each Kousin's picks to demonstrate why that Kousin chose those four. It was fun. Kousin Marvin and Kousin Ray gave their account of seeing Kuarantine (Chris Jericho's late-era KISS tribute band) and meeting Jem From Alabama for the first time. Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, and Bruno From Sunny South Africa. Each Kousin gave a "Now Listening." Which four singers/vocalists/etc. would be on your Mount Rushmore? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Staying on the 1984 theme, The Kousins decided to dive into one of the seminal (and to some of us - most important) "Thrash Metal" albums of all time, Metallica's Ride the Lightning. It's pretty badass all the way through. Some of the history, some of the stories, but mostly just listening. It's a beast of an album. All four Kousins gave their "Now Listenings." Calls from Jim From Irwin, Jem From Alabama, and Nick From Northern California. How do you feel about Ride the Lightning? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Dateline - The Asylum. The Year... 1984. With 1983 the "jump-in" year that it was, 1984 had the Kousins in the throes of some hard rock discovery. One of the Kousins calls it "the greatest year in music." The others didn't necessarily disagree, so while simpatico may not have been fully reached, it was close enough. In addition to all the great music, not just hard rock but pop, alternative, and post-punk, too, the Kousins take on a snippet in time and run down what was the emergence of their hard rock, and music in general, fandom. They talk about movies, television, and, of course, music. Calls from Jem From Alabama and Jim From Irwin. What was your favorite album or song or pop-culture item from 1984? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

Kousin Ray couldn't be on because he was on co-pilot duty with the wife, so the OG Kousins decided to do an Extended Now Listening; what Kousin Tim is calling XLNL (Extra Large Now Listening). Some first-time listens for some of the Kousins and some groovy tunes. Calls from Jem From Alabama, Bruno From Sunny South Africa, and Jim From Irwin. What have you been listening to lately? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the AWARD-WINNING Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.

For the first time ever, we have an outsider coming in to challenge a Kousin in an Album Gladiator Showdown. Steve Wright from Podder Than Hell and I Remember Now - The Queensrÿche Podcast comes in to challenge Kousin Marvin to a duel. And they used Iron Maiden as their gladiators. Steve wielded the power of Maiden's third album, the first with Bruce Dickinson, 1982's The Number of the Beast. Kousin Marvin took the reins of that album's follow-up, 1983's Piece of Mind. It is epic! To reiterate the rules: Each combatant has two in-round deferrals. After a coin flip, the winner can either go first or defer their pick (not counted in their in-round deferrals). The first picker chooses their "gladiator" or song for battle. After a short listen, the opposing picker chooses the song (or gladiator) to battle the round's opening song. The other two Kousins (or, in this case, three) then vote for the winner. The two pickers can change their vote if they choose to, as well. Whichever song has the most votes... wins. If there's a tie, it goes to Twitter (or "X" as it's known now) for tiebreaker votes. If that doesn't make sense, just give it a listen, and it will become as clear as mud. There was no "Now Listening" because of the length of the impending battle. Kousin Marvin "Let Us Know." Calls from Jim From Irwin, Nick Provenzano From San Francisco, and Jem From Alabama. How would your Iron Maiden gladiators fare? Let us know by calling the TLDNetwork (KUZZ Army) hotline and leaving a message for the Kousins at 336-422-NUMB (6862). You can also see it on our YouTube channel. We have Instagram and Twitter. We would appreciate a like, rating, and review. Subscribe and follow! This podcast was recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza and recorded via Zoom, sponsored by Top Leaf Cigar Lounge.