Rock 'n Roll Film Club

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Boston musicians Kathleen Mahoney and Ryan Major chat with their musician friends about music biopics. Find us on Instagram @rocknrollfilmclub or send us an email at rocknrollfilmclub@gmail.com.


    • Jul 21, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 15m AVG DURATION
    • 18 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Rock 'n Roll Film Club

    18: Lisztomania with Spenser Gralla

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2021 93:58


    Welcome to the LISZTOCAST! Kathleen and Ryan talk to Spenser Gralla (Sweeping Promises, Creaturos, recording engineer extraordinaire) about the 1975 tour de force Lisztomania. We've got vampires! Space ships! Zombie Hitler! Pope Ringo! And phalluses! phalluses! phalluses!!! This movie has got it all...except a logical plot, respect for history, or character development!

    17: I'm Not There with Emily Arkin & Hilken Mancini

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021 92:52


    Kathleen and Ryan talk to Emily Arkin (Shepherdess, Harsh Foxing) and Hilken Mancini (Punk Rock Aerobics, also Shepherdess!) about I'm Not There, Todd Haynes' 2007 film that explores the life and legend of Bob Dylan. (It also features Emily's dad! First movie we've covered to feature a guest's dad!) Along the way, we grapple with Dylan's inscrutability and singular appeal, reflect on our personal relationships with his music, and speculate about why he allegedly went looking for Bruce Springsteen's house just a few years ago. Also, who wants to be in our Bob Dylan book club? LINK CITY: Emily and Hilken's Dylan cover mixtape: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxHGDhOG8NC8cTuMRFSUdHTnADovtceh Bob Dylan tries to find Springsteen's house I'm Not There's cinematic influences Punk Rock Aerobics featured in Green Day's new music video! Shepherdess plays Once VV Follow us on Instagram: @rocknrollfilmclub (Also, check out Emily's stunning notes for this episode!)

    16: Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould with Patrick Orr and Kate Richi (Crave On)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2021 82:30


    Kathleen and Ryan are joined by Patrick Orr and Kate Richi (of the Nashville band Crave On) to piece together a portrait of the man in Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, a film that dismantles the biopic structure as we know it. Along the way, we discuss what it means to be an authentic iconoclast, how to embrace technology as an artist, and what a musician owes their fans. What is celebrity even? Are aliens being Rick rolled? So many questions! Link city: Article by famous author Don DeLillo: https://www.closeupfilmcentre.com/vertigo_magazine/volume-3-issue-1-spring-2006/counterpoint-three-movies-a-book-and-an-old-photograph/ Wacky Glenn Gould characters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TbYMO0nK1U Also, check out Crave On! They are the best band. https://open.spotify.com/artist/54r1Mp0UnRYZnzziZiDhOy Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    15: 8 Mile with David Rees

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2020 84:05


    Kathleen and Ryan chat with David Rees (Election Profit Makers, Dicktown) about the 2002 movie 8 Mile. That's right, folks—we're now opening up the discussion to semi-biographical films! We talk about Eminem's slippery identity, curious Michigan accents, steamy industrial sex scenes, one of the best live music scenes we've seen so far, the thorny topic of race in this movie (and Eminem's career), and David's profound experience of first hearing Eminem on the radio in a grocery store in Boston. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    14: Summer Dreams with Noah Bond

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2020 94:53


    Continuing their exploration of the Beach Boys cinematic universe, Kathleen and Ryan talk to Noah Bond (Cut Worms) about the 1990 made-for-TV movie Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys. You definitely haven't heard of this movie and there's a reason why! We discuss the legacy of Dennis Wilson, the nuances of the made-for-TV biopic, fake hippies, Charles Manson, and BEARDS BEARDS BEARDS. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    13: Love & Mercy with Evelyn Pope

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2020 61:52


    Kathleen and Ryan talk to Evelyn Pope (The Frissons, Ashby) about the 2014 Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy...which is secretly two movies in one! Spoiler alert: we liked one and did NOT like the other! We discuss the Beach Boys' complicated legacy, bad dads, evil doctors, good wigs and bad real hair, and ideas for other Beach Boys stories we'd like to see on the screen. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    12: The Buddy Holly Story with Emeen Zarookian

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2020 85:01


    It's the return of Emeen Zarookian (Bebopalula, Don't Stop or We'll Die)! Kathleen and Ryan talk to Emeen about the 1978 movie The Buddy Holly Story, a movie RIFE with inaccuracies both biographical and technological—why is this fictionalized Buddy Holly always punching people? Why is he playing a Telecaster that didn't come out til the mid-70s!?? We dissect the goofs ad nauseum, analyze Gary Busey's wild looks and tour-de-force performance, and discuss the film's legacy as one of the first rock biopics. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    11: Backbeat with Dan Tebo

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 61:31


    Kathleen and Ryan talk to Dan Tebo (VHS of the Week) about Backbeat, the 1994 film about the Beatles' early years in Hamburg. We discuss the cultural landscape of early 60s Hamburg, Stuart Sutcliffe's (questionable?) legacy as a painter, Sheyl Lee's heavy eyelids, and wonder what the point is of dramatizing a very undramatic bandmate departure. Oh, here's the live performance by the Gen-X dream team Backbeat studio band (Dave Grohl, Mike Mills, Thurston Moore, etc). You will NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    10: Behind the Candelabra with Keira Horowitz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 77:15


    Kathleen and Ryan talk to Keira Horowitz about the 2013 telefilm, Behind the Candelabra. We discuss Liberace's legacy, power dynamics in relationships, and how weird it is that a 42-year-old Matt Damn was cast as a teenager in this film. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    9: 24 Hour Party People with Jim Leonard

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2020 51:35


    Kathleen and Ryan talk to Jim Leonard (of Kremlin Bats) about 24 Hour Party People, the 2002 biopic of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson. We get into why breaking the fourth wall isn't annoying in this movie, the Manchester music scene, Jim's run-in with Mark E. Smith, and the astounding charisma of the maraca-wielding Bez. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    8. Sid and Nancy with Gilmore Tamny

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2020 72:50


    Gilmore Tamny (The Mystery, Weather Weapon) joins us to discuss the 1986 druggy love story, Sid and Nancy. We get into the appeal of bad boys, Courtney Love, and what the heck this movie is really about. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    7: Great Balls of Fire! with Matt Lavallee

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2020 81:41


    We talk to our pal Matt Lavallee (local Renaissance man and 50s fanatic) about Great Balls of Fire!, the 1989 Jerry Lee Lewis biopic. Listen to Matt make a compelling case for bumblegum representing "nuclear annihilation libido!" Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    6: The Doors with Nick Branigan and Chris Braiotta

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2020 110:38


    Kathleen and Ryan discuss the 1991 movie The Doors with their pals Nick Branigan (Hands and Knees) and Chris Braiotta (Argo Arkestra). Oh boy. This movie. Buckle up for a deep dissection of Oliver Stone's lionization of the Lizard King. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    5: Coal Miner's Daughter with Carrie Furniss and Travis Hagan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2020 66:43


    Kathleen and Ryan discuss the 1980 Loretta Lynn biopic Coal Miner's Daughter with their pals Carrie Furniss and Travis Hagan (of Pleaser). Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    4: The Runaways with Coco Roy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2020 64:25


    Kathleen and Ryan talk about the 2010 movie THE RUNAWAYS with their pal Coco Roy (Electric Street Queens.) Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    3: CBGB with Joe Sutton

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2020 70:29


    Kathleen and Ryan chat with Joe Sutton (Sticker Shock) about the 2013 garbage fire of a film, CBGB. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    2: Amadeus with Evelyn Hurley

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2020 64:20


    Kathleen and Ryan chat with their friend Evelyn Hurley (Cotton Candy) about the 1984 movie Amadeus. They talk about the nature of genius, musical success, Austrian culture, and—somehow—Miley Cyrus. Is Lil Nas X the Mozart of our time? Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

    1: La Bamba with Emeen Zarookian

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 35:53


    Kathleen and Ryan discuss the 1987 movie La Bamba about the brief life of Ritchie Valens with their pal Emeen Zarookian (Bebopalula, Don't Stop or We'll Die). Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknrollfilmclub/

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