Best Heidi Hedquist/ Luke Poling Podcasts (2025)

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #245- Them 34:23

Play Pause

1d ago34:23

34:23

The power thrash/metal band Them has a new record out that continues the story they started 5 albums ago. Where do things go from here? For more information, you can follow the band on Facebook.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 375- The Victorian Obsession With Death Pt 1 28:18

3d ago28:18

28:18

Paul Gambino is an expert in mourning, death and all sorts of macabre interests. And in his new book, Beyond the Veil: The Victorian Obsession with Death and Mourning is a fascinating look at one era's way of remembering those who have passed. Beyond the Veil is available right now wherever you get your books. For more information and to learn abou…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #244- John McCutchen on A Long Journey Home 30:49

8d ago30:49

30:49

We always enjoy talking with John McCutcheon about his music and his work in helping preserve the music from the past. His new album, A Long Journey Home looks back at the 1927 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention and, looks at how music (and society) has changed 100 years ago. It's a fascinating album and a fascinating conversation. For more informat…

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Why? Episode 374- Actress/Therapist Ivy Austin 33:10

10d ago33:10

33:10

We know we say it all the time, but Ivy Austin is really a fascinating person. From her work on Broadway, in film and on television, to her work as a therapist in New York, she has led a unique and memorable life. For more information on her acting, you can check out her website, and for more information on her work as a therapist, check out her Co…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #243- Taylor Swift Album by Album 36:37

15d ago36:37

36:37

With Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl out, we thought it a good time to explore what has come before with two experts- Kase Wickman and Moira McAvoy, co-authors (with Joanna Weiss), authors of Taylor Swift: Album by Album, available from Motorbooks wherever you get your books on October 10th.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 373- Spice Girls Collector Liz West 45:18

17d ago45:18

45:18

Liz West has the greatest collection of Spice Girls items in the world. Don't believe us? Ask the Guinness folks. And if that isn't enough, some of what she got from the Spice Girls has inspired her art career. To get a glimpse of her collection, check out her website. And if you want to see some of her really fascinating art on display, check out …

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #242 Steelheart's Mili & Jeff from Tesla 35:47

22d ago35:47

35:47

Two great voices have teamed up for a fun new cover. Steelheart's Mili & Jeff from Tesla have combined their forces to tackle the classic "I Just Want to Make Love to You." We try our best to pin these two down and talk about positivity and the joy of music. "I Just Want to Make Love to You" is available to stream everywhere, Friday, October 3rd. F…

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Why? Episode 372- Princess Cheyenne: Boston's Most Famous Stripper 39:03

25d ago39:03

39:03

Lucy Wightman has had a fascinating life. From learning how to become a dancer at The Naked i, located in Boston's infamous Combat Zone, to a relationship with Cat Stevens to so much more. And now she's written it all up in her book, Princess Cheyenne: My Life as Boston's Most Famous Stripper, now available wherever you get your books. For more inf…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #242 Wayne Gerard from Don Was' Pan Detroit Ensemble 38:17

30d ago38:17

38:17

Wayne Gerard has spent a lifetime following his musical sensibilities and that has led him to playing as a member of Don Was' Pan Detroit Ensemble, a fascinating mixture of jazz and rock. Their debut album, Groove in the Face of Adversity is available October 10th. For more information and for tour dates, check out Don's website. (You can also foll…

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Why? Episode 371- Tom Huddleston on the World of David Lynch 31:46

1M ago31:46

31:46

Film writer Tom Huddleston has penned a great tribute and study of filmmaker, artist and musician David Lynch. Huddleston's David Lynch: His Work, His World is the perfect coffee table book to unnerve your friends, but also a wonderful delve into all things Lynch. David Lynch: His Work, His World is available now, wherever you get books.…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #241 Tesla's Frank Hannon 37:58

1M ago37:58

37:58

Frank Hannon is best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the band Tesla. But he's also a solo artist and his newest record, Reflections is available right now. We talk to Frank about writing, guitar and we get a little concert too! For more information or to order your copy of the record, check out Frank's website.…

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Why? Episode 370- ERB-1 Touring a Nuclear Power Plant 40:05

1M ago40:05

40:05

Did you know the first town lit by nuclear power in the US was in Idaho? Did you know you could tour the reactor that created this amazing advancement in power? We talk with Shelly Norman, the senior tour advisor from the EBR-1 Museum (that's the Experimental Breeder Reactor if you're not into the whole brevity thing). For more information, check o…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #240 Lanz Pierce 36:23

1M ago36:23

36:23

It's hard to easily sum up the work of writer, performer, entrepreneur Lanz Pierce. (And we should note, that is an incomplete list.) Her latest single, "Get It," is out now, with an EP to follow. For more information you can find her on Instagram.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 369-Talking Taylor Swift 41:25

2M ago41:25

41:25

With Taylor Swift's 12th record about to come out, we thought it a good time to explore what has come before with two experts- Kase Wickman and Moira McAvoy, co-authors (with Joanna Weiss), authors of Taylor Swift: Album by Album, available from Motorbooks wherever you get your books on October 10th.…

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Why? Episode 368- Escaping from Vault Disney 38:21

2M ago38:21

38:21

Tony Goldmark is known for creating in-depth videos exploring all aspects of the Walt Disney corporation, from its theme parks to it's cinematic output. And with his podcast, Escape from Vault Disney, Tony and his guests visit another film available on Disney+. You can find Escape from Vault Disney wherever you get your podcasts and you can find To…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #239- Sweet Savage 37:04

2M ago37:04

37:04

Sweet Savage is one of those bands that fly under the radar of metal fans, and it's really surprising they haven't blown up. From their early days in 1978 with Vivian Campbell to today, Ray Haller has steered the ship around the world, with Metallica name dropping them as an influence. Sweet Savage's newest record BANG is available September 12th w…

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Why? Episode 367- Catching up 22:33

2M ago22:33

22:33

No guests, just conversation. Where is this whole thing going? Do we have good stuff upcoming? What do you think, slappy?By Heidi Hedquist/ Luke Poling

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #238- Martin Gordon 39:45

2M ago39:45

39:45

Martin Gordon has a fascinating musical mind. His most recent work, His Mother was a Woman, features a collaboration with a leader of the free world. The record is unique, fascinating and, most importantly, really fun to listen to. To get your own copy of the record, or to purchase any of Martin's records, check out his website.…

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Why? Episode 366 Searching for David Ackles 38:44

2M ago38:44

38:44

To hear David Ackles is to be enchanted by his voice and his music. And, for some reason, he never reached a large audience. Now, a new book by Mark Brend, Down River: In Search of David Ackles, tells his whole story. The book is available wherever you get your books on August 22nd.By Heidi Hedquist/ Luke Poling

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #237- In Search of David Ackles 38:44

2M ago38:44

38:44

To hear David Ackles is to be enchanted by his voice and his music. And, for some reason, he never reached a large audience. Now, a new book by Mark Brend, Down River: In Search of David Ackles, tells his whole story. The book is available wherever you get your books on August 22nd.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 365- The Solve-Along Murder, She Wrote 38:06

2M ago38:06

38:06

Everybody loves Jessica Fletcher. And now, with Tim Benzie as your guide, he'll bring you on an evening's worth of entertainment with his "Solve-Along Murder, She Wrote." Will the audience solve the crime before Jessica? And why is she so popular after decades of leaving the air? For more information about Tim and to find out where he is performing…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #236- The Imaginaries 45:00

3M ago45:00

45:00

Shane Henry and Maggie McClure, the couple better known as The Imaginaries, have a beautiful musical conversation on their new record, Fever. You've heard their music on a ton of TV shows and films, but the new album focuses on the music, which makes all the sense in the world. For more information, or to pre-order you copy of Fever, check out thei…

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Why? Episode 364- A Legally Naked State of the Union 30:15

3M ago30:15

30:15

A couple of weekends ago, the Association for Nude Recreation held their annual convention, celebrating all things in non-sexual nudity. We teamed up with former guest John Jankowski from We Bare All, a group in Wisconsin, who we've been working with to produce their podcast... Where do things stand today?…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #235- James Hood on the power of music 55:22

3M ago55:22

55:22

It's hard to describe the music of James Hood. And that's a good thing. His work is transporting and powerful and makes you question the basic of idea of music- what is it? Where is it in nature? How deeply felt are the tones and sounds? Heidi sat down with James to talk about his most recent work, "Quantum Mind Carnival." For more information, che…

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Why? Episode 363- Beatles Hairdresser Leslie Cavendish 54:03

3M ago54:03

54:03

There's knowing The Beatles, and then there's knowing how George likes his hair done. Leslie Cavendish is one of the few people in the world who can lay claim to the latter. And in his book, "The Cutting Edge," he details his work and friendship with the Fab Four. From The Magical Mystery Tour to the final performance on the top of Apple Records, L…

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Rock n' Roll Grad School Episode #234- Beatles Hairdresser Leslie Cavendish 49:42

3M ago49:42

49:42

There's knowing The Beatles, and then there's knowing how George likes his hair done. Leslie Cavendish is one of the few people in the world who can lay claim to the latter. And in his book, "The Cutting Edge," he details his work and friendship with the Fab Four. From The Magical Mystery Tour to the final performance on the top of Apple Records, L…

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Why? Epsiode 362- Family rock n' roll with Secret Monkey Weekend 30:56

3M ago30:56

30:56

Who doesn't like a good rock and pop record? Well, the family (take that, Partridges) that makes up Secret Monkey Weekend do, and their new record, Lemon Drop Hammer proves it and then some. For more information, check out their website.By Heidi Hedquist/ Luke Poling

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Rock n Roll Grad School #233 Rock band Secret Monkey Weekend 30:56

3M ago30:56

30:56

Who doesn't like a good rock and pop record? Well, the family (take that, Partridges) that makes up Secret Monkey Weekend do, and their new record, Lemon Drop Hammer proves it and then some. For more information, check out their website.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 361- The Mascot Hall of Fame 33:54

3M ago33:54

33:54

We don't need to tell you how we feel about mascots in these parts. Thankfully, former close friend of the Philadelphia Phanatic feels the same. We talk with Dave about the Hall of Fame and his experience in the sports mascot business. For more information about the hall of fame, check out their website. And for more information about Dave and his …

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Rock n Roll Grad School #232 Storyteller Satori Shakoor 43:01

4M ago43:01

43:01

Satori Shakoor has had a fascinating life. From singing in Parliament, to being one of the Brides of Funkenstein, to her life as a mother and everything that has come after, Satori tells it all in her new concert film, "Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale." It's a story only she can tell and she tells it wonderfully. You can stream the film on…

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Why? Episode 360- The art of stand-up comedy with JT Habersaat 51:14

4M ago51:14

51:14

Stand-up comedy has to be one of the purest art forms. One person on a stage, armed only with their wits and their speed. How does someone do it? Why does someone do it? Comedian JT Habersaat literally wrote the book on stand-up with his new "Doing Time- Comedians on Stage." The book is available July 8th from Jawbone Press. And for more info on JT…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #231 Lemoyne Alexander 37:24

4M ago37:24

37:24

Lemoyne Alexander created an incredibly successful career in hip hop, but he left it behind to follow his muse, who led him to rock. And with his newest singled, "Insecurity," Alexander's openness and honest lyrics are connecting with listeners world-wide. For more information, you can follow Lemoyne on Instagram.…

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Why? Episode 359- Beatles Hairdresser Leslie Cavendish 51:32

4M ago51:32

51:32

There's knowing The Beatles, and then there's knowing how George likes his hair done. Leslie Cavendish is one of the few people in the world who can lay claim to the latter. And in his book, "The Cutting Edge," he details his work and friendship with the Fab Four. From The Magical Mystery Tour to the final performance on the top of Apple Records, L…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #230 Fishbone's Angelo Moore 29:26

4M ago29:26

29:26

Let's just take a minute to appreciate and savor the fact that Fishbone are still around and still doing what they do best. And if the band itself isn't a treasure, they've got a new record out this week. Stockholm Syndrome is classic Fishbone with a modern sound. Yes, it's that good. For tour dates and to get a copy of the record, check out the ba…

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Why? Episode 358- Roger Rabbit Creator Gary K Wolf 1:01:28

4M ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Gary K Wolf has created a bevy of characters that are beloved by generations of film fans and readers. We got to talk with Gary about how you create an iconic character (easy, right?), his writing process and the one thing he wishes he did when his first Roger Rabbit book came out. For more information and to order copies of any of Gary's books, ch…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #229 Guns n Roses Manager Alan Niven 46:58

4M ago46:58

46:58

Alan Niven has seen a lot. As manager for Guns n Roses as they made their ascendancy into music superstardom, Alan saw it all. And in his book, "Sound n Fury," he tells it all. "Sound n Fury" is available June 24th wherever you get your books.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 357- Storyteller Satori Shakoor 38:55

4M ago38:55

38:55

Satori Shakoor has had a fascinating life. From singing in Parliament, to being one of the Brides of Funkenstein, to her life as a mother and everything that has come after, Satori tells it all in her new concert film, "Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale." It's a story only she can tell and she tells it wonderfully. You can stream the film on…

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Why? Episode 356- Revolutionary Crawls and Events 28:39

5M ago28:39

28:39

What better way to learn about the early days of our country than with a drink in your hand? We talk with Marianne Rosato, creator and producer of the walks/crawls and Ben Franklin, who is one of the founding fathers you'll meet along the way. For more information on events and to find out when the next one will be held, make sure to check out the …

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Rock n Roll Grad School #228 Producer David Z 39:47

5M ago39:47

39:47

You may not know the name, but you know his sound. From his work as a member of Lipps, Inc, to producing with Prince to bands like Fine Young Cannibals and Big Head Todd and the Monsters, David Z has created a sound that, literally, everyone has danced to. For more information on David and his fascinating career, check out his website.…

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Why? Episode 355- Music Producer David Z 44:03

5M ago44:03

44:03

You may not know the name, but you know his sound. From his work as a member of Lipps, Inc, to producing with Prince to bands like Fine Young Cannibals and Big Head Todd and the Monsters, David Z has created a sound that, literally, everyone has danced to. For more information on David and his fascinating career, check out his website.…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #227 Firefall's Jock Bartley on their "Friends & Family, Vol 2" 30:13

5M ago30:13

30:13

We talked with guitarist Jock Bartley when Firefall released their first "Friends & Family," and he's back to talk Vol 2. And, sure we talk about the record, but there's so much more to discuss. "Friends and Family, Vol 2" is available right now. For more information, check out Firefall's website.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 354- Furries 43:36

5M ago43:36

43:36

What is a furry? Who can be a furry? Are you a furry and you just don't know it? Flint and Camille from Anthro New England tell us all about the movement and why you may be a furry and not even know it. Anthro New England is a yearly convention held in Boston, Massachusetts. Next year's convention is January 15th through the 18th. For more informat…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #226 Writer Gary Graff on the 501 Essential Albums of the 80s 47:43

5M ago47:43

47:43

Gary Graff has done it again. With a cadre of writers, Gary pulled together a list of 501 albums that he feels are the most indicative of the 1980s. (We talked with Gary before about his list of albums of the 90s.) And, while we don't get as heated as we did then, there is still some lively debate to go around- and that's the point. 501 Essential A…

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Why? Episode 353- I Know Catherine, the Log Lady 28:31

5M ago28:31

28:31

Catherine Coulson was an artist, in all senses of the word. Most people probably know her from her role as The Log Lady on David Lynch and Mark Frost's TV show, Twin Peaks. But that is just the beginning of Catherine's story. I Know Catherine, the Log Lady, is a fascinating look at a fascinating character and a study of reaching the end of your lif…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #225 Author Sean Egan on Bob Dylan's "Decade of Dissent" 41:22

5M ago41:22

41:22

In the 1960's Bob Dylan changed the world. How? And in what ways are we still dealing with the monumental changes that the future Noble prize winner kicked off? Sean Egan has written a new book about Dylan called "Decade of Dissent- How 1960's Bob Dylan Changed the World." It's a fascinating look at the creation and evolution of one of the world's …

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Why? Episode 352- Sex-O-Rama music 43:10

5M ago43:10

43:10

This week, we talk with one of the members of Sex-O-Rama. (What's his real name? What's his band name... we find out!) The group was originally formed to create fake porn music for folks to enjoy and, shockingly, things got out of hand and now they're onto volume 5. Sex-O-Rama volume 5: Invaders from the Pleasure Planet is available wherever you ge…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #224 Save Ferris' Monique Powell 33:24

6M ago33:24

33:24

Monique Powell and her band Save Ferris are back out on the road. (When are they not?) And on top of that, they have a new single, "Get Dancing," which, on top of being a fun song is good life advice. To find out when they are playing near you, check out their website.By Heidi Hedquist/Luke Poling

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Why? Episode 351- The Antique Vibrator Museum 50:46

6M ago50:46

50:46

They say those who don't learn the past are doomed to repeat it. What does that have to do with our guest? We're not really sure. Dr. Carol Queen, phd is the curator of the Antique Vibrator Museum, located inside the Good Vibrations store in San Francisco. (Other branches of the chain have some items on display too.) What is the history of the vibr…

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Rock n Roll Grad School #223 Toby Sebastian 39:22

6M ago39:22

39:22

Toby Sebastian is a multi-hyphenate artist. And with his new album, he adds another chapter to an already impressive body of work. Yeah, he's an actor, but this is all about his talent as a singer and a songwriter. "Eyes Light Up" is available right now. For more information check out Toby's website.…

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Why? Episode 350- Underseas Exploration and Living 39:03

6M ago39:03

39:03

Ian Koblick has made a living exploring underwater and learning about how man can live there. From his building of habitats for NASA to turning one habitat into an undersea hotel, Ian has devoted his life to sharing his love of the ocean with everyone. For more information about Ian's work, you can check out the Marine Resources Development Foundat…