DISGRACELAND
You know the myths. You’ve seen the biopics. But if you’re the kind of music fan who craves the rest of the story—the stuff they buried or cleaned up for streaming and theaters—this is your podcast. DISGRACELAND is the award-winning show that reveals the deeply human, highly dramatic, true crime–fueled chaos behind legendary musicians like Amy Winehouse, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sean “Diddy” Combs, the Grateful Dead, Blondie, and more. While we dig into the dark side, we do so with reverence for the artists—and an understanding of the extreme highs, lows, and personal costs that come with f...
Episodes
AC/DC pt. 1: A Satanic Serial Killer, A Police Man Hunt, and a Media Witch Hunt
In the 1980s, AC/DC’s biggest fan was a notorious serial killer. The band was an international best-selling hit machine, and members like the late Bon Scott and die-hard Angus Young became rock icons. But when the press caught wind of the d…
Bonus Episode: Why Does Hollywood Ignore The Most Impactful Music?
This week in the After Party, Jake wonders why horror film soundtracks, despite their importance to the mood of their films, are so often ignored by Hollywood when it comes to award season. Plus, we hear from you on the movies that scare y…
The Exorcist: Demonic Possession, Mass Hysteria, and NYC’s Unsolved Murders
William Friedkin's film The Exorcist terrified audiences upon its release in 1973. They fainted, vomited, and went into hysterics in the theaters. Some overwhelmed viewers left early, only to return the next day, buying another ticket to se…
Robert Johnson: Voodoo, Delta Blues, Cursing God, and a Crossroads
Robert Johnson didn’t just play the blues. He embodied them. He drank and womanized his way through the South, New York, and Chicago in the 1930s, until he finally met the devil at the crossroads for a little trade. So the legend goes, anyw…
Bonus Episode: Backmasking and the Death of the Dangerous Rockstar
This week in the After Party, Jake looks back at the 1980s satanic panic and the uproar over supposed "backmasking" – the spurious claim that rock stars were hiding demonic messages in their music. Plus, we hear from you on your favorite He…
Judas Priest: Satanic Panic, Censorship, Heavy Metal Suicide, and Defenders of the Faith
They helped create the genre of heavy metal, and then Satan and the censors tried to destroy them. Judas Priest defended the metal faithful on stage and in the courts, and became icons in the process. For a full list of contributors, visit…
The Misfits: Robbing Graves, Night of the Living Dead and the Teenagers from Mars
The Misfits were truly unique. Scary. Violent. Angry. Nihilistic. These words can easily describe not only their music, but also the band as people, particularly frontman Glenn Danzig. Rumored to have been arrested for grave robbery, locked…
Norwegian Black Metal: Satanic Rebellion, Murder and Worse
Never has there been a more extreme form of musical rebellion than Norwegian Black Metal. The genre’s founding band, Mayhem, its sister act Burzum and supporting cast of musicians with names like Necrobutcher, Hellhammer, and Dead horrified…
Bonus Episode: Music and Monsters
This week in the After Party, Jake is thinking about monsters – the fictitious kind and the kind that are all too real. Plus, we hear more spooky stories from you and get your recommendations on scary music. Next week we're bringing you a…
Becoming Fela Kuti
Sharing an episode of the new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.When the world is on fire… what can music actually…do? Host Jad Abumrad recounts the true tale of one of the great political awakenings in music. Fela Kuti was a classically-train…
Harry Houdini: A Ghost Story
Harry Houdini was the world's greatest escape artist and at the height of his powers was one of the world's most famous people. His unearthly ability to escape any prison and to break free of any bondage was matched only by his aggressive s…
Brandon Lee: Hungry Ghosts, Cursed Movies, and a Goth Masterpiece
Haunted by the legacy of his superstar father and by an old family curse, Brandon Lee tried to outrun the past. But the past came after him all the same. It was said that his father, Bruce Lee, was taken by that family curse at just 32 year…
The Cramps: Zombies, Teenage Werewolves, and Rock ‘N’ Roll Saviors
The Cramps, led by the husband and wife team of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach, had one one mission: To save rock n' roll from the corporate monsters who threatened its destruction. The band blended rockabilly, blues, garage rock and…
Bonus Episode: Musical Sherpas and Spooky Sounds
This week in the After Party, Jake suggests some songs for spooky season and wonders if ChatGPT will replace the musical sherpas who guided us in our youth. Plus, we hear your stories about who turned you on to your favorite music. Next we…
Pentagram: Demons, Curses, and Doom
In 1971, a teenage metalhead named Bobby Liebling flipped a five-pointed star upside-down, gave his band a cursed name, and summoned a sound so heavy it would echo for generations. But for Bobby and his bandmates, doom metal wasn’t just a g…
Peter Tosh (Pt. 2): A Home Invasion, an Assassination, and No Compromise
As a reggae revolutionary who rejected peace in the name of truth and justice, and an outspoken critic of the Jamaican government, Peter Tosh's refusal to compromise nearly cost him his life many times over. He tried to amplify his message …
Peter Tosh (Pt. 1): Legalizing It, Police Brutality, and the Steppin’ Razor
Peter Tosh was a reggae subversive who used his music as a means to fight corruption, oppression, and hypocrisy. Unlike his one-time bandmate Bob Marley, Tosh didn’t fight for peace. He fought for truth–and justice. He did this with a guita…
Bonus Episode - Spooky Stories and Superbowl Shows
This week in the After Party, Jake reacts to the news that Bad Bunny will perform at this year's Superbowl halftime show. And as we kick off spooky season, we hear from you about our recent Led Zeppelin episode, your creepy stories, and mo…
Disgraceland All Access - New Mini-Episodes Available Now
Big news for Disgraceland All Access Members! Rocka Rolla subscription members on Apple Podcasts and Patreon will now receive a special, exclusive mini-episode in their feed on Tuesdays, immediately following the release of that week's new …
Led Zeppelin Pt. 2: The Haunting at Headley Grange
In 1971, Led Zeppelin holed up in an old English house in the countryside to make the album that would crown them the biggest rock band on earth. But they weren’t alone inside Headley Grange. This is a story about obsession, occult rituals,…
Bonus Episode - Bad Men, Good Music, and the Developing D4VID Saga
This week in the After Party, takes a look at the latest true crime and music in the news. Plus, your voicemails, DMs, and emails on rock 'n' roll movies and lots of other subjects. Spooky season is just around the corner, and we've got an …
Bonus Episode - Rock 'n' Roll Movies, Music Headlines, and Buford Pusser
This week in the After Party, Jake is thinking about movies that have a rock 'n' roll attitude. Plus, your voicemails, DMs, and emails on what artists you couldn't stand, but now kind of like. Jake wants to know: What are your favorite roc…
Introducing Simpsons Declassified with Nancy Cartwright
Simpsons fans —THE VAULT IS OPEN! I’m Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson for 35+ years, and I’m finally taking you inside Springfield. Simpsons Declassified is your all-access pass to the world’s most iconic, animated series. E…
Jimmy Buffett: Escape Artist, Incorporated.
Key West drug traffickers, God’s Own Bad-Ass, flying bullets, and the billion-dollar business of escape. Jimmy Buffett wasn’t just the “Margaritaville Guy” – he was a hustler, a ham, and a near pirate who turned a hangover into an empire. …
Bonus Episode: Hanging with Hip Hop Stars, the VMAs, and the Return of the Biggest Band on the Planet
This week in the After Party, Jake contrasts the cultural irrelevancy of the MTV Video Music Awards with the triumphant return of Oasis to stadiums and the public consciousness. Plus, your voicemails, DMs, and emails, including a report fro…
50 Cent Pt. 2: Federal Raids, a Stabbing in the Studio, and a Dead Man’s Game
Curtis Jackson took his name from a stickup man – and then proceeded to play by that dead man’s rules. This episode traces the violent legacy of the original 50 Cent and the rise of 50 Cent the rapper through his feud with Ja Rule, the Lore…
Bonus Episode: Mystery Recordings and Tortured Geniuses
This week in the After Party, Jake takes a closer look at the tales of mysterious rumored recordings from music history. Plus, your voicemails, DMs, and emails! On Tuesday, we're bringing you a new episode on 50 Cent, and Jake wants to know…
Brian Wilson: Love and Mercy, Murder, Theft, and Manipulation
Brian Wilson was the quiet one. The genius in the bathrobe. The ghost at the piano bench. He wrote Pet Sounds, rewrote pop music history, and was nearly destroyed for it. This is the story of how mercy, murder, theft, and family fractured t…
Bonus Episode: Compton, Conspiracies, and Mercy
This week in the After Party, Jake takes a look at the important musical history of Compton. Plus, your voicemails, DMs, and emails on subjects ranging from mercy to Lemmy to Frankie Goes to Hollywood(?). On Tuesday, we're bringing our epi…
Kendrick Lamar: The Streets, the Studio, and the Struggle for Mercy
Before Kendrick Lamar became one of the greatest lyricists of his generation, he was K.Dot—a kid from Compton with a front-row seat to trauma, loyalty, violence, and survival. This is the story of good kid, m.A.A.d city and the real-life ev…
Bonus Episode: 80s Metalheads, Life-changing Concerts, and Ozzy Osbourne
This week in the After Party, Jake looks into some of the rumors and conjecture surrounding the death of Ozzy Osbourne. Plus, we hear from you about your concert going experiences! On Tuesday, we're bringing our episode on Kendrick Lamar, a…
Bonus Episode: Suspicious Deaths, Small-Town Myths, and the Record Store That Helped Make Me
This week in the After Party, we’re digging up the stories they didn’t want told. Jake throws back to a formative encounter with a record store burnout who unknowingly set him on the path to Disgraceland. Jake talks AC/DC, Bon Scott, and th…
The Temptations Pt 2: The Tammi Terrell Tragedy
When Motown singer Tammi Terrell died at the age of 24, Marvin Gaye was the only one from her label allowed at her funeral. The rest – especially her former boyfriend, the Tempations’ David Ruffin – were banned. So what happened between the…
Bonus Episode: The Culture Changed Every Ten Years… Until It Didn’t
From the Beatles to Nirvana to Pulp Fiction and Friends, every decade used to bring a cultural reset—new sounds, new voices, new aesthetics that changed the way we dressed, talked, and thought. But for the past 25 years, that cycle stopped.…
Run-DMC (Pt. 2): Loyalty, Betrayal, and Who Shot Jay
Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay helped take hip-hop global, but behind the decks was a man under pressure – fiercely loyal yet financially strapped, and secretly entangled in a dangerous world he couldn’t spin his way out of. So when the music ind…
Bonus Episode: Sanitized Biopics, California Wildfires, and Underrated Rock Stars
This week in the After Party, Jake looks further into the CASSM (Corporate Algorithmic Studio Storytelling Machine) and explores the reasons behind the sanitized versions of music history that are served up everywhere but in Disgraceland. …
Mark Lanegan: Kurt Cobain’s Drug Runner, Liam Gallagher’s Tormentor, and Matt Dillon’s Firestarter
Mark Lanegan was grunge’s darkest secret – a gravel-voiced hellraiser who ran dope for Kurt Cobain, scared Liam Gallagher into quitting Oasis, and nearly lost his arm (and his mind) chasing the next high. He brawled his way out of a dead-en…
Bonus Episode: Uncovering Grift, Country Punks, and RIP Ozzy
This week, Jake looks into some possible malfeasance related to the proceeds of a benefit concert for the victims of the LA fires and shares his thoughts on the passing of the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. Plus, your voicemails and DMs on the m…
Introducing: HOLLYWOODLAND…
…the Hollywood and true crime spinoff from the award winning music and true crime podcast, DISGRACELAND, and the newest expansion from the folks at Double Elvis. The most dramatic non-fiction stories ever heard come from the world of ente…
Presenting Hollywoodland - Robin Williams: A Manic Mind at Breakneck Speed, an Addiction to Laughter, and the Devil’s Dandruff
Robin Williams’ manic mind moved at such a breakneck speed that cocaine had the opposite effect than it had on most other people: it slowed him down. Robin’s primary addiction, however, wasn’t cocaine. He was addicted to the dopamine rush o…