Best Retired Rock Critic Podcasts (2025)

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A Britpop Timeline Part 4 (1996-97) 1:25:31

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11h ago1:25:31

1:25:31

In which The Curmudgeons lovingly recall the latter edge of the Britpop era, covering the years of 1996 and 1997. Britpop, at this point, had become a defining cultural phenomenon in the U.K., leaving music fans to wonder what might come next. Yet while Oasis attempted to follow the smashing, overwhelming success of its first two albums by going ev…

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A Britpop Timeline - Part 3 (1995) 1:31:01

15d ago1:31:01

1:31:01

In which The Curmudgeons revisit the zenith of the Britpop movement. And by 1995, there definitely was a movement in the U.K. The music defined the style and defined the discussion and defined the culture. The mania was such that the two biggest bands in all of Britpop, Oasis and Blur, ended the year embroiled in a hilariously nasty feud. Here, we …

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A Britpop Timeline Part 2 (1994) 1:06:54

1M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

In which The Curmudgeons continue catching a wave of Britpop and launch into the second part of our five-part series on the joys of the Britpop era. On this episode, we cover the eventful year of 1994, during which Britpop officially solidified as a thing and started its ascension toward the stratosphere. It was during 1994 that Oasis and Blur rele…

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A Britpop Timeline Part 1 (1992-93) 1:16:48

1M ago1:16:48

1:16:48

In which The Curmudgeons hop into the phone booth and travel back to the time when Britpop ruled the world during the heart of the 1990s. What was Britpop? Most specifically, it was a call to rock 'n' roll arms by a swath of young, hungry bands peeved at America's cultural imperialism of the era. The music swayed and blasted with confidence, and it…

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Los Angeles Rocks in the 1990s Part 2 (1995-1999) 2:21:04

2M ago2:21:04

2:21:04

In which The Curmudgeons continue their exploration of all the cool and revolutionary sounds blasting out of the City of Angels in the 1990s. By 1995, the music world had been grungified, making things safer, brighter and lovelier for not only hard-rock artists, but folks of the more soul-breaking, confessional variety. And that L.A. satisfied both…

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Los Angeles Rocks in the 1990s Part 1 (1990-94) 1:34:50

2M ago1:34:50

1:34:50

In which the Curmudgeons once again venture to the City of Angels to recapture all the great vibes generated during the 1990s. After a 1980s in which glam metal and punk scenes dominated, what came next for Los Angeles? Well, the trade winds blew in from the Pacific Northwest, and the influence of grunge made the music crunchier and louder, giving …

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The Parallel Universe All-Stars Present...Built to Spill! 1:16:45

3M ago1:16:45

1:16:45

In which The Curmudgeons pay loving tribute to one of our favorite bands. Built to Spill is the brainchild of Boise, Idaho, native and guitar maestro Doug Martsch, who's been banging and crunching his way through indie-rock anthems for more than three decades now. As Arturo Andrade likes to say, BTS, as we call them for short, taught indie-rockers …

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Why Limp Bizkit Are...Shit!! 1:19:58

3M ago1:19:58

1:19:58

In which The Curmudgeons take a big ol' dukey on that most prominent of rap-metal bands Limp Bizkit. The band is surely one of the worst hard-rock outfits to make it big since cranking up guitars real loud became a thing. Its plodding, uninspired riffage was eclipsed only by its misogynistic, corroded worldview and ultra-dumb lyrics. We dive into t…

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A Sober Defense Of...Hawkwind 1:25:26

4M ago1:25:26

1:25:26

In which The Curmudgeons trip out through outer space and rock out to Hawkwind, one of the most singular psychedelic rock bands of all time. And in which we do it completely sober! This band practically invented what is known as space rock, a jammy, propulsive brand of heavy metal that focuses its gaze firmly on the cosmos and all the alien beings …

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Hûsker Dû…an Underrated Legacy 1:10:20

4M ago1:10:20

1:10:20

In which The Curmudgeons give loud, deserved props to one of modern rock's most influential bands. Hûsker Dû started out as a revered hardcore punk band in Minneapolis in 1979, but by the mid-1980s, the band had veered toward a style that became known as punk-pop--loud and abrasive but also unquestionably melodic and heartfelt. During this episode,…

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Los Angeles Rocks in the 1980s Part 2 (1986-90) 1:52:31

5M ago1:52:31

1:52:31

In which The Curmudgeons continue their exploration of the City of Angels during arguably its most fertile period, namely the decade of the 1980s. Last episode, we established that the glam metal and punk scenes gestated based on a similar us-against-the-world ethos, albeit expressed much differently from one another. By the late '80s, glam metal h…

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Los Angeles Rocks in the 1980s Part 1 (1981-85) 1:48:21

5M ago1:48:21

1:48:21

In which The Curmudgeons travel back to sleazy, sweaty streets of Los Angeles to celebrate the music emanating from the City of Angeles. On one end, you had the burgeoning glam metal scene, a parade of excess and depravity in leather, chains and spandex--and some glorious, decadent riffage. On the other end, you had the DIY punk underground, led by…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock: 1980 (Turn It On Again) 1:50:04

6M ago1:50:04

1:50:04

In which The Curmudgeons end their dynamic 3rd Golden Age of Rock series with a loving reexamination of the year 1980. The year stands as crucial pivot point for the development of rock 'n' roll culture. Punk and post-punk were becoming Gothic rock and New Wave. The Clash was serving as a virtual world jukebox. Talking Heads was virtually doing the…

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Big L - Hip-Hop's Lost Genius 1:09:10

6M ago1:09:10

1:09:10

In which The Curmudgeons honor one of hip-hop's most tragic figures. Big L was a hip-hop savant from Harlem whose flows were endlessly inventive, whose lyrics walked a fine line between pathos and shock value and whose professionalism allowed him to dominate any beat and any style. His star was on the rise in early 1999 before disaster struck and B…

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Curtis Mayfield - The Most Underrated Artist in Music History 1:25:23

7M ago1:25:23

1:25:23

In which The Curmudgeons passionately laud, lavish and defend one of the true gentle giants of popular music--and certainly its most underappreciated. Curtis Mayfield was an absolute pioneer of soul, R&B and funk. Mayfield produced an astonishing body of work, first as the bandleader for soul trio The Impressions in the 1960s, and then as a prolifi…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1979 (Dawn of a New Era) 2:00:18

7M ago2:00:18

2:00:18

In which The Curmudgeons honor one of the most important years in all of rock 'n' roll history. Through the greatest albums and songs of 1979, we hear the sound of one decade fading and another decade splashing into full color and light. Post-punk, for instance, reached its most glorious heights, with bands like Public Image Ltd. and Gang of Four o…

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Real Hip-Hop's Last Stand (1999-2008) 2:31:23

7M ago2:31:23

2:31:23

In which The Curmudgeons examine the last great era for hip-hop, namely the years between 1999 and 2008. After the catastrophe that was the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, hip-hop could have imploded and or lost its footing--or even its respect as a genre. Instead, the movement throughout the 1990s, in which the hardcore went mainstream,…

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Elton John (1970-75)…A Legacy 1:30:31

8M ago1:30:31

1:30:31

In which the Curmudgeons know it's going to be a long, long time before the heavens produce a young man as preternaturally gifted as a songwriter and performer as Elton John proved to be back in the early 1970s. John's output during the early part of that fabled decade was routinely incredible, possessed with both a swagger and a tenderness that sh…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1978 (Between Punk and Post-Punk) 2:09:00

9M ago2:09:00

2:09:00

In which the Curmudgeons revisit the underrated yet crucially important year of 1978. Punk rock had gone mainstream in the two years prior to '78, and true to the restlessness that defined the genre, the music was ready to morph into post-punk and New Wave. We marvel at the movement this pivotal year brought in this episode. We cover albums by Elvi…

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The Top Ten Albums of 2024 1:19:46

9M ago1:19:46

1:19:46

In which each of Yours Truly Curmudgeons offers our list of the ten best albums we consumed over the past 12 months. This was a surprisingly strong, deep year for new music releases...something exemplified by the fact that our lists share five entries in common. Here's a sneak peek: The top album on both of our lists is one of the greatest and most…

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Queen in the 1970s 1:26:30

10M ago1:26:30

1:26:30

In which The Curmudgeons shout before all the human race like we'll never lose. Yup, we're discussing the mighty, mighty Queen on this episode, focusing on the band's undeniable greatness from their beginnings all the way through 1980, when they peaked commercially with "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." The band man…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1977 (God Save the Punks!) 2:22:28

10M ago2:22:28

2:22:28

In which the Curmudgeons continue to revisit the fertile fields of the late 1970s and land on 1977, one of the most explosive years in rock history. It's when the Sex Pistols dropped their album Never Mind the Bollocks, here's the Sex Pistols and set off a punk revolution. It's also when Fleetwood Mac, Kraftwerk and Bob Marley dropped genre-definin…

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The Neil Young Archives Vol. III Tales Album...A Curmudgeonly Review 1:33:19

11M ago1:33:19

1:33:19

In which the Curmudgeons dive into the little bit of the third installment of Neil Young's Archives that we can. The full 17-CD, five-Blu Ray Archives Vol. III is available for roughly $450, but only for 5,000 lucky customers willing to spend a small fortune. The rest of us get an album Young refers to as "Takes," which contains a 16-song sampling …

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Led Zeppelin....The Legacy of All Legacies 2:14:28

11M ago2:14:28

2:14:28

In which The Curmudgeons worship at the altar of the mighty, mighty Led Zeppelin. With scorching guitar licks, torpedo-heavy drumming and sex-god screamer vocals, this band epitomized the sensuality and the swagger of rock 'n' roll, and in presenting their take on the genre, they helped create what we now call heavy metal. During this episode, we c…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock: 1976 - Year Zero For Punk 2:12:47

12M ago2:12:47

2:12:47

In which The Curmudgeons kick off its latest Golen Age series of episodes by revisiting the seminal year of 1976. It was a year that saw both The Ramones and The Sex Pistols break out. To say punk was the thing that year was an understatement. It was also was vital year for arena rock, as Boston and The Eagles both dropped classic albums. We also p…

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A History of Disco 2:54:44

12M ago2:54:44

2:54:44

In which The Curmudgeons shake, shake, shake that booty and revisit one of popular music's most unfairly maligned genres. Disco was essentially funky orchestral music--grand, reverb-heavy, maximal, showy, dramatic. Yet it was also energetic and fun as hell. Here, we explore disco's birth as a movement of freedom and uninhibited expression in Black …

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KISS In The 1970s 1:28:22

1y ago1:28:22

1:28:22

In which The Curmudgeons know you wanted the best so we're giving it to you. Long live KISS, whose live act and meaty, ferocious riffs are both legendary. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss understood that rock 'n' roll, at the end of the day, is all about the show. And KISS, nearly 50 years ago, put on the greatest show on the…

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Lynyrd Skynyrd...A Checkered Legacy 1:21:17

1y ago1:21:17

1:21:17

In which The Curmudgeons discuss the awesome power and influence of one of the innovators of the Southern thing, as The Drive-By Truckers refer to it. Lynyrd Skynyrd remains one of the most underrated rock bands of all time, a condition that is partially its own fault, given how it has tied itself in its most recent form to the worst of old Souther…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1972 - The Real Beginning of the 1970s 1:47:30

1y ago1:47:30

1:47:30

In which the Curmudgeons end their epic series of odes to the music of a nine-year period that transformed everything--and then some--in popular music. By 1972, the hangover from the revolutionary vibes of the 1960s had subsided, and that era's outgrowth of freedom and experimentation truly started to blossom. The Rolling Stones filtered American r…

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The Best Songs From 1970s Blaxploitation Films 1:10:52

1y ago1:10:52

1:10:52

In which The Curmudgeons stand up to the man and deliver the best of the best of a special era for both cinema and music, when African-Americans anti-heroes lit up the screens and imaginations of a generation of young Black people. And also young Black artists, who cranked out stunning funk, soul and disco anthems to accompany these films. Isaac Ha…

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When Hardcore Hip-Hop Went Mainstream (1992-98) 2:56:47

1y ago2:56:47

2:56:47

In which The Curmudgeons revisit an era where the streets soared to the top of the charts...and then unleashed their danger on hip-hop's finest artists. The success of Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic ushered in an era where cursing, threatening lyrical opponents with violence, drug use and other chicanery became acceptable fodder for the radio dia…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1971 - The Greatest Year Ever? 2:14:26

1y ago2:14:26

2:14:26

In which The Curmudgeons explore one of the most extraordinary years for rock music of all time. We won't call it the greatest, because we don't really believe in such a superlative. But, still, 1971 was pretty freakin' great. Patheon albums from Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Who; stone-cold masterpieces from Carole King and Joni Mitchel…

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Why The Black Keys Are...Great!! 1:15:58

1+ y ago1:15:58

1:15:58

In which The Curmudgeons celebrate the music and indelible legacy of one of the 21st Century's smartest, most vital rock bands. When The Black Keys first hit in 2002, comparisons with The White Stripes were inevitable. After all, they were a duo that blasted forth with just a guitar and drums. But that's where the fair comparisons ended. The Black …

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Why Arcade Fire...Are Shit!! 1:04:34

1+ y ago1:04:34

1:04:34

In which the Curmudgeons hammer one of the most perplexing "it" bands of the entire 21st Century. Arcade Fire stormed out of Montreal in 2004 with Funeral, a debut album that captured the imagination of throngs of unimaginative indie hipster d-bags. Whereas their fans and a whole bunch of fawning rock critics heard glorious art in all the band's ma…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1970 - Into the Mystic 2:25:37

1+ y ago2:25:37

2:25:37

In which the Curmudgeons continue their romp through rock's second golden age by revisiting perhaps the age's most underrated year. There were a ton of great albums released in 1970, as we discuss at least half-a-ton of those albums during this episode. It was a year when the rock 'n' roll generation started to mature and grow more varied in its ta…

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Hip-Hop's Golden Age (1986-1991) 2:15:59

1+ y ago2:15:59

2:15:59

In which The Curmudgeons straight cold rock a party and revisit hip-hop's greatest, most electrifying, most unendingly thrilling period, which stretched from 1986 to 1991. We tear through 12 brilliant albums and dozens of awesome singles that taught all the MCs and producers that followed how it should it be done--and how it would be done from here…

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Rod Stewart - WTF Happened?! 1:22:42

1+ y ago1:22:42

1:22:42

In which The Curmudgeons marvel at the trainwreck that the career of a pretty fabulous rock 'n' roll singer became. Rod Stewart's gravelly, soulful voice was the engine for a series of great ramped-up yet mostly acoustic albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, all of which cemented a solid legacy for the singer. And then Stewart became beholden t…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1969 - Peace, Love and Blood 2:31:24

1+ y ago2:31:24

2:31:24

In which The Curmudgeons meditate on one of rock's most important years. The music of 1969 was as inspiring as the times it was released were tumultuous. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who all released celebrated masterworks. Southern rock was born, and the newfangled form of funk continued to evolve. And two gigantic festivals hit the Uni…

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In Defense Of...The Doors 1:48:14

1+ y ago1:48:14

1:48:14

In which The Curmudgeons make the case for what we think is one of the most underrated bands of all time: The Doors. Wait. The Doors?! Yup. Once revered and now reviled, The Doors, we believe, are viewed by younger generations as a Baby Boomer fossil that is as pretentious as it is insufferable. But that misses the mark badly. Listen as we discuss …

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The Most Underrated Band of the 00's 1:03:29

1+ y ago1:03:29

1:03:29

In which The Curmudgeons introduce you--again--to your new favorite band. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club spliced the neo-psychedelic swagger of bands like The Brian Jonestown Massacre with the rawkin' menace of the Stone Roses, Oasis and other British bands to offer a maximal yet poignant vision of what rock 'n' roll should be. Their five-album output…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1968 - Say You Want a Revolution? 2:06:47

1+ y ago2:06:47

2:06:47

In which The Curmudgeons explore the dichotomous year that followed 1967's Summer of Love trippiness. The previous year's highs represent a peak creative burst. Well, where to go next? That's where the era's most storied artists diverged. On the one hand, you had bands that went bigger and bolder--The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead fal…

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Hip-Hop Comes of Age (1980-85) 1:38:28

1+ y ago1:38:28

1:38:28

In which the Curmudgeons marvel at how quickly, and how well, hip-hop evolved after the Sugar Hill Gang's massive 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight" changed the game completely for everyone. We tell the story of how entrepreneurs, hustlers and visionaries seized the moment to bridge gaps between the streets, the art galleries and the record-label boardroo…

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Rock 'n' Roll's Greatest B-Sides 1:38:27

1+ y ago1:38:27

1:38:27

In which the Curmudgeons count down our selections for the 50 best B-side songs in rock history. The B-side is something of a lost art as digital music dominates and physical media becomes less prevalent. But there was a time when the other side of the 45 or tracks 2 and 3 of the CD maxi-single mattered. There, you could find songs the artist inten…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1967 - Arrivals in Technicolor 2:24:04

1+ y ago2:24:04

2:24:04

In which The Curmudgeons revisit an unbelievably fertile year for popular music during the 20th century. The Beatles dropped Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. James Bown dropped "Cold Sweat." And a staggering number of artists announced their arrival in stunning fashion--Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, the Velvet Underground and others. And, yes…

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Our Top 10 Albums of 2023 1:30:28

2y ago1:30:28

1:30:28

In which The Curmudgeons each reveal their favorite records of the year. Frankly, it was a mediocre past 12 months for popular music, and there aren't a whole lot of records people will remember a decade from now. Yet there were some gems, and during this moment in time, we're excited to share our picks. Call it a public service. Enjoy a sampler pl…

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Blind Melon is the BEST CD I Have! 1:18:19

2y ago1:18:19

1:18:19

In which The Curmudgeons celebrate an underrated classic album that was Chris's favorite for a stretch when he was 18 years old. Yes, the episode title is a direct assertion about Blind Melon's debut record Chris made once upon a time to Arturo. But was it a warranted statement from a tortured 18-year-old kid? Of course not, but don't we all have a…

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The Best of the Neil Young Archives...So Far 1:47:38

2y ago1:47:38

1:47:38

In which The Curmudgeons plumb the vast archival releases of one of our favorite artists, Neil Young. Chris, in fact, considers himself a Neil Young-ologist, and he takes the lead in touring ten of the most essential releases in what has seemed, since 2009, like a never-ending torrent of live recordings and unreleased studio material dating all the…

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The 2nd Golden Age of Rock: 1966 - A Tale of Three Albums 1:50:51

2y ago1:50:51

1:50:51

In which the Curmudgeons revisit the year when rock 'n' roll exploded into psychedelic glory. The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and The Beatles' Revolver greatly expanded rock's vocabulary--with a little help from their friends. All three albums are considered timeless greats, and we discuss the myriad reasons why. We also pa…

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In Defense Of...Boston’s ”Boston” 1:24:42

2y ago1:24:42

1:24:42

In which The Curmudgeons espouse the virtues of Bston's glorious, pioneering arena rock masterpiece. Boston's self-titled debut was the product of the creative mind and engineering talents of a guy who worked by day as an engineer for Polaroid. His use of multiple tracks to layer lead guitar parts and vocals effectively created what became a cliche…

1
Remember When U2 Did NOT Suck? 1:43:14

2y ago1:43:14

1:43:14

In which the Curmudgeons remember and pay fond tribute to one of our favorite bands of all time, which now unfortunately is masquerading as an emblem for Las Vegas tourism. We give close attention to the hope, grace and sense of wonder that made the band's anthemic brand of rock 'n' roll so magnificent. We focus especially on the period between 198…