Ménage Á Pop is a three times a week intimate discussion between two people and a piece of pop culture.
So at age 13, maybe you wore a bandanna. Perhaps you played guitar. Possibly your falsetto voice rocked. That really wasn’t the case for 8th grader Chris Balzano but thanks to the basic cable package of a neighboring friend, two thirds of that would soon change. So hear how his view of pop music was forever decimated due to a chance viewing of GUNS N ROSES: LIVE AT THE RITZ.
You can listen to CHRIS BALZANO on his podcast TRIPPING ON LEGENDS as well as read his paranormal works including GHOST OF THE BRIDGEWATER TRIANGLE and HAUNTED OBJECTS: STORIES OF GHOSTS ON YOUR SHELF available at your local bookstore via INDIEBOUND.org. Follow him on TWITTER @SpookyBalzano.
Read Chris’s thoughts on bizarre paranormal moments from some of your favorite TV shows with THE FIVE MOST MISPLACED BUT BRILLIANT GHOSTS ON TELEVISION.
POP NOTES
GUN N’ ROSES LIVE AT THE RITZ was record on February 2nd 1988 at the famous Ritz Ballroom in New York City.
While cut from the broadcast version, the concert included a cover of the 1973 Aerosmith song MAMA KIN. That following summer they toured as the opening act on Aerosmith’s PERMANENT VACATION comeback tour.
Despite initially slow sales, Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION went on to become the highest selling debut album of all time, surpassing BOSTON’s self titled debut from 1976. The album first hit the number 1 spot on August 6th 1988, a little over a year after its July 21st 1987 release.
The band’s hit “SWEET CHILD OF MINE” was written by lead singer Axel Rose in reference to his, at the time, girlfriend Erin Everly. Her father was Don Everly, one half of the music duo The Everly Brothers.
Their song “WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE” was featured in the 1988 Dirty Harry sequel THE DEAD POOL. It is used as the song in a video for fictional rock star Johnny Squares , portrayed by a young JIM CARREY.
Prior to the skull and crossbones that now grace the album, initial cover illustrations included a disturbing image of a depraved robot and a photograph of the Challenger Space Shuttle exploding.
Tune back on Friday for a scaredy (William) Katt look at an episode of THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO.
This episode of MÉNAGE Á POP was recorded by CAST, an online audio platform that lets you create and record a multi-guest podcast straight from your web-browser. It was then mastered by AUPHONIC, a web-based post-production service. Check out both sights for trial and subscription information.
MUSIC FEATURED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
“Three Ways To Do That” (opening theme) composed and performed by The Madeline Prior. All rights reserved with Not A Holograms podcasts.
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Follow Tim Blevins on TWITTER @subcultist and on INSTAGRAM @subcultist.
Try to understand the present while living in the past with Tim’s weekly podcast 20TH CENTURY POP! at www.nahpods.com/20popcast
For questions, queries or, by random chance, press contact Tim Blevins at subcultist@gmail.com.