We Are The Road Crew - A History of Roadies

We Are The Road Crew - A History of Roadies

Author: Curiouscast May 7, 2025 Duration: 30:29
There are plenty of thankless jobs out there…think about the people who have to work outside in all kinds of weather…line workers for power companies…garbage collectors… construction workers. Same goes for prison officers, nurses, teachers, and first responders of all types…i could go on, but you get the idea…so much needs to go on behind the scenes for us to be able to live our lives.  There are dirty jobs but someone’s gotta do it…for the most part, they do their jobs so well that we don’t even think about them…but if not for these people, society wouldn’t function.  Now let’s look at the music industry…the performers get all the glory, but we’d know nothing of them if it wasn’t for the massive support they get from people in the background.  That includes support staff at record labels and management companies,  publicists, assistants, and thousands of other positions that helps make the music happen.  One of the most important positions is paradoxically both visible and invisible…if they do their jobs well, they’re ghosts…but if they don’t, things don’t go so well…in fact, they may not go as well.  I’m talking about roadies, members of the road crew, the people who enlist in the army that’s necessary to put an act on tour…without their expertise, long hours, and willingness make sure everything always goes smooth, there would be no live experience.  They say that if there ain’t no audience, there ain’t no show…but if there ain’t no road crew, then their ain’t nothing at all. This is a history of the men and women who make live shows happen…it’s the story of roadies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over two decades, the Ongoing History of New Music has served as an essential audio documentary series, digging deep into the stories that shaped alternative rock, hip hop, and everything in between. Hosted by the legendary music historian Alan Cross, this podcast functions as a curated archive of musical culture, moving far beyond simple artist profiles. Each episode is a thematic exploration, connecting sonic dots across decades to reveal the hidden contexts, forgotten pioneers, and cultural shifts that define what we listen to. You’ll hear about the scenes that birthed genres, the technologies that changed production, and the personalities whose influence ripples through today’s charts. It’s less a linear history lesson and more an ongoing conversation about why music matters, delivered with Cross’s authoritative yet accessible narrative style. Tune in and discover the rich, often surprising backstories behind the songs and artists you thought you knew, gaining insights you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. This is Canadian broadcasting at its most inquisitive and enduring, making the Ongoing History of New Music a foundational listen for anyone curious about the forces that continually reinvent our sonic landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Ongoing History of New Music
Podcast Episodes
The 50 Biggest Alt-Rock One-Hit Wonders of All Time: Part 4 (20-11) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:42
How does an artist become famous forever with just one song and never come close again? We continue the countdown of the "50 Biggest Alt‑Rock One‑Hit Wonders of All Time", using five decades of radio charts, Spotify stre…
The 50 Biggest Alt-Rock One-Hit Wonders of All Time: Part 3 (30-21) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
This is Part 3 of the 50 Biggest Alt‑Rock One‑Hit Wonders of all time...numbers 30 to 21 featuring Dishwalla, EMF, Spacehog, Harvey Danger, and more. And of course, the stories behind these one-hit wonders. Learn more ab…
The 50 Biggest Alt-Rock One-Hit Wonders of All Time: Part 2 (40-31) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:36
Our countdown of the biggest alt‑rock one‑hit wonders of all time continues as we break down numbers 40 to 31. From K’s Choice and Liam Lynch to Animotion, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, The Vapours, and more, these are the songs…
The 50 Biggest All-Time Alt-Rock One-Hit Wonders: Part 1 (50-41) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
Something occurred to me the other day: did the person who came up with the term “one-hit wonder” ever come up with anything else that good? I looked it up… the Oxford English Dictionary traces its origin to about 1914,…
9 Great Alt-Rock Cover Songs (From the Vault) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:21
There’s just something fun about learning to play one of your favourite songs for yourself…you know, learning the lyrics, figuring out the chords and the rhythm and deconstructing all the constituent parts… Then you get…
Definition (from the vault) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:48
This week, we're going deep into the Ongoing History of New Music vault to talk about "Definitions". Often in the music world, we hear terms discussed...but where did they come from, and what do they mean? What do "New R…
Catching Up with Blink 182 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:32
Blink‑182’s story has always been chaotic, inspirational, and a little unbelievable...and the last decade has been no exception. We thought this would be a good time to revisit the band’s evolving saga since our original…
The Rise and Fall and Future of the Music Video - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
The music video didn’t just shape pop culture…it defined it. From the glam‑soaked excess of the ’80s and ’90s to the gritty authenticity of the alt‑rock era, and finally to the algorithm‑driven, globally connected intern…
The Rise and Fall and Future of the Music Video - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:07
For decades, music videos weren’t just promotional add‑ons…they were the beating heart of global pop culture. The music video affected the art of movie-making...it affected the way we look at tv, not to mention fashion,…
A Brief History of Protest Music: Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
Music is not only a powerful motivating tool, but it’s also a way to get a message out to a vast number of people…and when things hit the fan, music can be used to let the powers-that-be know that we see what you’re doin…