Hosted by 2X Grammy Award Winning Producer & Music Executive Pete Ganbarg, the Podcast tells the story of contemporary music one artist at a time – in their own words
Upcoming Episodes to Feature Al Jardine (The Beach Boys), Darlene Love, Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers/The Dead/Gov’t Mule), Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon), Suzi Quatro, Harry Wayne “KC” Casey (KC & The Sunshine Band), Noel Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul and Mary), Richard Thompson, Don Was, Howard Jones and Many More
First Episode of Season 5 Out Now with special guest Alice Cooper
Listen HERE
The Rock & Roll High School podcast, hosted by two-time Grammy Award-winning producer & music executive Pete Ganbarg, returns for its anticipated fifth season. Launching today with rock icon Alice Cooper, the season will feature more than 30 episodes, each premiering weekly every Thursday.
The Cooper interview digs deep into the rock musician’s storied legacy, including wild stories of a thrilling rock n’ roll lifestyle, his deep and profound musical influence, and so much more. With timeless anthems like “School’s Out,” “No Mr. Nice Guy,” and “Poison,” Cooper has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame® in 2003, and was inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® as part of its class of 2011.
Highlights of the Alice Cooper interview include:
- How The Who’s “My Generation” influenced “School’s Out” as an anthem
“We understood what an anthem was after hearing “My Generation.” “My Generation” was an
anthem because 100 years from now, a 16 year-old kid hears that song and goes ‘Oh, he’s talking
about me!’” At the same time, everybody hated school. We thought, if you can capture the last
three minutes of the last day of school before summer vacation, that would be a joyous song.”
- How his very first meeting with legendary future manager Shep Gordon was a pot-induced haze alongside Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin
“Everybody was there… Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin. Everybody went to Shep’s room
to get high. We were elated. We used to be able to make a joint last for a week because that’s all
we could afford. And then here we were.”
- On Frank Sinatra covering “You and Me” and telling Alice
“You keep writing ‘em kid and I’ll keep singing ‘em”
“I’m very excited about our upcoming season which promises to be our biggest and best yet,” says Ganbarg. “We’ve already spoken with some incredible legends whose candid conversations will entertain and surprise. The history we cover is enough to fill a book! Starting with our first episode featuring Alice Cooper, Season 5 promises something new and exciting every week.”
The new season of the Rock & Roll High School podcast promises an exciting lineup of iconic musicians and unique stories with artists who have all shaped contemporary music. Over the course of Season 5, listeners will enjoy in-depth and revealing conversations with music legends such as Al Jardine (The Beach Boys), Darlene Love, Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers/The Dead/Gov’t Mule), Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon), Suzi Quatro, Harry Wayne “KC” Casey (KC & The Sunshine Band), and Many More. This season will explore the personal and professional lives of these iconic figures, uncovering the stories behind their careers and most beloved hits.
New episodes will launch every Thursday and are available to stream everywhere at https://lnk.to/rrhspodcast or https://www.rockschoolpodcast.com/
Rock & Roll High School originated from Ganbarg’s vision of teaching a rock ‘n’ roll history class to his young creative team at Atlantic Records during the 16 years he headed up that label’s A&R department. His goal was to deepen their understanding of music history, providing a broader perspective on the roots of contemporary music in order to help identify future talent. The initiative eventually expanded to include the entire Warner Music Group staff. Ganbarg further developed the concept by inviting music icons for in-person and virtual interviews, enriching the program with firsthand insights.
Season 5 builds on the success of the first four seasons, which have collectively garnered over 150,000 downloads. Previous episodes have featured interviews with iconic figures such as Graham Nash, Nile Rodgers, The Temptations, Kenny Loggins, Clive Davis, Stevie Van Zandt, Chaka Khan, Ann Wilson (Heart), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Todd Rundgren, Peter Frampton, Lamont Dozier, Jimmy Webb, Bryan Adams, and many others.