Weird and Shocking Rockers

Weird and Shocking Rockers

Author: Curiouscast July 2, 2025 Duration: 34:12
Here’s a warning right from the outset: this is going to be a weird program…the performs and the music we’re going to talk about are famous because of their weird, shocking behaviour…they set out to get our attention—and they did… Some of us appreciated what they were doing…but the vast majority didn’t get them at all…they were branded as sick, deviant, sociopathic, psychopathic, and even criminal… Yet all found some measure of fame within certain corners of the rock universe…their antics may seem tame now, even quaint…but if we put these images and behaviors in the context of the times, it seemed like that antichrist’s musicians were on earth, ready to lead the young dancing and singing towards the apocalypse… So, if you’re listening to this program, please look around and asked yourself this question: “won’t someone please think about the children?”… This is a look at some of the weirdest and most shocking rockers of all time… 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
Why Bowie Still Matters - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:17
David Bowie wasn’t just a rock star...he was a cultural architect who reinvented music, fashion, and identity. In part 2 of "Why Bowie Still Matters", we explore Bowie’s groundbreaking mid-70s to early-80s era: from the…
Why Bowie Still Matters - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:15
It’s been nearly a decade since David Bowie left us, and the world hasn’t really been the same since. In the first of a three part series, we explore why Bowie’s influence goes far beyond music...shaping fashion, art, te…
Tales of Weird Rock’n’Roll Sex [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
If there’s an official mission statement for the kind of music we all love, it’s “sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll” …these are the three main food groups in this world… All three of these things affect the same portions of th…
The Backstage Rider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:38
Going on tour is hard…you’re away from home for months at a time…there’s little sleep, bad food, too many drugs, a surfeit of alcohol, late nights, temptations into bad behavior, crazy people, and that bass player who re…
Medical Mysteries of Music - The Sixth Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:04
Why does music move us so deeply...even when we don’t hear it? From brain scans lighting up with musical memories to how songs can fight loneliness, boost productivity, and even repel mosquitoes, this episode dives into…
The Rock Explainer - 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:23
There are plenty of unexplained things in the world of music…these are things that we often don’t even question…why do we do these things?...what is this called that?...who came up with that idea? Let’s deal with some of…
Introducing... Stop Rewind: The Lost Boy | Through A Glass Darkly  | 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:06
Taj Khyber Rowland knows he’s not who people think he is but he can’t quite remember how his life went so off course. He decides to spool backwards, to his younger self. A daredevil seven year old Chellamuthu, living hap…
Peaked Too Soon - Bands That Were Ahead of Their Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
This episode is about giving credit where credit is due. Specifically to musicians who were so far ahead of their time that the public and the industry just didn’t get it, and as a result, they were ignored, shunned, unr…
The Stories Behind Iconic Album Covers Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:29
This is the second half at a look at the stories behind some of the most iconic album covers of all time…on part one, we looked at the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, Depeche Mode, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys,…
The Stories Behind Iconic Album Covers Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:47
This is going to be a very visual program, which may be a bit of a challenge because you’re either listening to this as a radio show or podcast…so i need to work with me on this… Vinyl is back in a way that no one could…