Brian and Murdock answer a letter asking for the backstory on what went down between the two big personalities inside The Smiths - Steven Morrissey and Johnny Marr.Support the show on PatreonSee the show on YouTubeVisit the show on InstagramVisit the show on FacebookSign up for Brian's daily FIVE SONGS email! (It's free!)SHOW NOTEShttps://consequence.net/2025/06/johnny-marr-smiths-reunion-vibes/https://www.vinylmeplease.com/blogs/music-industry-news/johnny-marr-rejects-smiths-reunion-offer-a-look-at-artistic-integrity-and-band-dynamicshttps://www.billboard.com/music/rock/the-smiths-johnny-marr-reunion-offer-turned-down-1236003199https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/morrissey-turned-down-mega-bucks-smiths-reunion-offer-over-johnny-marr-96578/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/26/morrissey-accuses-johnny-marr-clickbaitJohny Marr’s book: Set the Boy Free: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Free-Autobiography-Johnny-Marr/dp/0062438697Morrissey’s book: Autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Morrissey/dp/014310750X/ref=sr_1_1Tony Fletcher’s book: A Light That Never Goes Out:https://www.amazon.com/Light-That-Never-Goes-Out/dp/0307715965Chuck Klosterman’s IV (which contains the August 2002 SPIN article): https://www.amazon.com/Chuck-Klosterman-IV-Curious-Dangerous/dp/0743284895https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/morrissey-johnny-marr-hate/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilla_Blackhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_Is_a_Four-Letter_Wordhttps://www.rhino.com/article/deep-dive-cilla-black-the-smiths-work-is-a-four-letter-wordhttps://smiths.fandom.com/wiki/Joyce_v_Morrissey_%26_Ors#:~:text=In%20March%201989%2C%20Joyce%20and,and%20understood%20the%20royalty%20deal.https://www.morrissey-solo.com/news/news1296.htmhttps://www.salon.com/2024/08/30/a-history-of-the-smiths-beef-morrissey-and-johnny-marrs-political-divide/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/morrissey-claims-johnny-marr-acquired-trademark-intellectual-property-rights-for-the-smiths-name/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CJ%20Marr%20has%20successfully%20applied,yet%20another%20Smiths%20best%2Dof.https://x.com/Johnny_Marr/status/1836103851666993170https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/does-the-mexican-american-community-still-love-morrissey-despite-everything/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
47:33
--------
47:33
Cheap Trick vs John Lennon
Brian and Murdock explore the rumor that Lennon's last album might have had some musical support from a certain set of Midwestern power-poppers.Support the show on PatreonSee the show on YouTubeVisit the show on InstagramVisit the show on FacebookSHOW NOTESCheap Trick In Color with Steve Albini producinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bsT3EWlsJM&list=PLvLuPYa2vgAsbNg5NhnEBx2N1GgV28nX6Interview with Rick Nielsen about working with Lennonhttps://lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2009/sep/13/nielsen-original/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI'm%20Losing%20You%E2%80%9D%20was%20knocked%20out%20in%20two,%2C%20never%2Dhappened%20things.%E2%80%9D“Rick and Ben” on the Double Fantasy experience (this is cartoon spoof is barely a minute, animated and funny, but not actually Rick and Ben)https://youtu.be/BHGTkWNsOcU?si=bQut-fIhOoNS4ozHAll About the Hit Factoryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hit_FactoryMorris Levy wikihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_LevyDouble Fantasy Session MusiciansTony Levin-Bass-biohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_LevinAndy Newmark-drumshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Newmark“I’m losing you” outtake from Double FantasyLennon with Rick and Ben from Cheap Trickhttps://youtu.be/BZae6fbxItI?si=D8uPkEvxmxVrqxpIMotley Crue headlining with Cheap Trick opening 1986, SHEFFIEEEELD, England.“Ten Seconds to Love”https://youtu.be/8hWnUsyTtik?si=vSMfF2vUpvmGkSOyKid Rock intros Cheap Trick into the RNR Hall of Famehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjxkpoqM3Q8&t=367sHighway to Krellhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0Pa2iyOEA&list=RDpf0Pa2iyOEA&start_radio=1See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
41:13
--------
41:13
George Jones vs the duck
Brian and Murdock get a listener request to revisit the life, trials, and absolute chaos that came to define the finest country music singer of all time - George Jones.Support the show on PatreonSee the show on YouTubeVisit the show on InstagramVisit the show on FacebookSHOW NOTESThe George Jones & Tom Carter book: I Lived to Tell it AllGeorge Jones On The Reccord with Ralph Emery:https://youtu.be/BPoH39J-LWU?si=SV-7SNHBXToi18sMMike Judge’s Tales from the Tour Bus:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPA5iWmbYtYBad Cock will Treat You Right:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmm7nvCpNAMHeartbreaking stories about George: https://www.factinate.com/people/george-jones/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
39:15
--------
39:15
Boston vs the Boston Herald
Brian and Murdock talk about discovering the first Boston album and dive into the fascinating and upsetting story of the two men who defined their sound and personified their struggles. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains mention of suicide and abuse after the 34 minute mark. If you are suffering with thoughts of depression and hopelessness and considering harming yourself, please seek help.Additionally, we ask all listeners to consider visiting and supporting the work of To Write Love on Her Arms.Support the show on PatreonSee the show on YouTubeVisit the show on InstagramVisit the show on FacebookSHOW NOTES:http://rockandrollgarage.com/how-boston-tom-scholz-made-their-entire-debut-album-in-his-basement/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-interview-bostons-tom-scholz-remembers-bradley-delp-94896/https://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/the-band/former-members/brad-delphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Goudreauhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Scholzhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Delphttps://www.loudersound.com/features/how-boston-flew-so-high-and-fell-so-farhttps://www.rcfp.org/briefs-comments/scholz-v-boston-herald/The actual court decision on Scholz vs the Herald: https://www.rcfp.org/wp-content/uploads/imported/2014-05-02-scholz-v-boston-herald.pdfArchive of lawsuit briefs/decisions/documents: https://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/articles/legal-documentshttps://ultimateclassicrock.com/brad-delp-suicide/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Boston_band_membersThe Boston Herald piece with important parts highlighted: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/525ed589e4b07b05fff51e46/t/585b2884725e25b52bb8eaf4/1482369156574/Boston+Herald+Reporting.pdfhttp://archive.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2012/05/27/boston_singer_brad_delps_final_days_marked_by_crisis_over_hidden_camera/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
45:39
--------
45:39
Steely Dan vs Gaucho
Brian and Murdock get sent looking for stories of out-of-control album creations and come back with the tale of Walter, Donald, 3 years, 50 musicians, a drug problem, a tragic death, and a personal injury - aka Gaucho.Support the show on PatreonSee the show on YouTubeVisit the show on InstagramVisit the show on FacebookSHOW NOTES:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steely_DanReelin in the Years book by Brian Sweet: https://www.amazon.com/Steely-Dan-Reelin-Brian-Sweet/dp/1468313142https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Steely_Dan_membershttps://www.lindahoovermusic.com/biohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_to_EcstasyQuantum Criminals book preview: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Quantum_Criminals/JPi0EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 Die Behind the Wheel Crime Fiction:https://downandoutbooks.com/bookstore/thornton-die-behind-wheel/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aja_(album)Jonathan Clark’s Medium article: https://medium.com/@jonathanusa/the-crazy-story-of-the-making-of-steely-dans-gaucho-e4e7d68651e5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaucho_(album)The Jake Malooley reporting on “The Second Arrangement”https://expandingdan.substack.com/p/second-arrangement-steely-dan-roger-nichols-tapehttps://wiki-lied.fandom.com/wiki/The_Second_Arrangementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Nichols_(recording_engineer)https://rogernichols.com/wendelhttps://bangnzdrum.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-many-sides-of-walter-becker.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Beckerhttps://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/steely-dans-quiet-hero-inside-walter-beckers-troubled-life-wry-genius-199094/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/steely-dan-most-tragic-album/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Rock N Roll Story Guys features two best friends discussing (and maybe setting straight) the rumor, innuendo and hidden details that surround some of the biggest bands and songs in rock n roll history.