Booked On Rock

The Grateful Dead spent decades building one of the most devoted followings in rock history without ever needing a conventional hit single. Then came “Touch of Grey.” In 1987, the song became the band’s first—and only—Top 40 hit, introducing the Dead to MTV and an entirely new generation of fans.

Author John Brackett joins Booked On Rock to discuss his book Touch of Grey, or How the Grateful Dead Became Pop Stars. We explore the song’s long evolution before it reached the studio, Jerry Garcia’s remarkable comeback following his 1986 diabetic coma, the making of In the Dark, the impact of the “Touch of Grey” video, and what happened when a countercultural institution suddenly found itself in the mainstream.

Was “Touch of Grey” simply a great Grateful Dead song that happened to become a hit—or did its success fundamentally change the band and the culture surrounding it? Brackett takes us inside one of the strangest and most consequential success stories in Grateful Dead history.

Purchase a copy of Touch of Grey, or How the Grateful Dead Became Pop Stars 

Visit DeadScholar.com

Visit John Brackett's Substack page

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The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

Terry Kilgore has spent decades as one of Southern California’s most respected guitarists, coming up in the same Pasadena-area scene as Eddie Van Halen and later playing and writing with David Lee Roth. In this episode, Terry shares firsthand stories about his friendship and friendly rivalry with Eddie, the origins of the finger-tapping technique that became synonymous with Van Halen, and his experiences working with Roth on albums including Your Filthy Little Mouth and DLR Band.

Terry also opens up about the devastating 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed his Altadena home, studio, guitars, and irreplaceable personal belongings. Now, at 71, he’s rebuilding his life and returning to music alongside singer-songwriter Korpus Kristy with the upcoming album The Devil’s in the Details. It’s a conversation about Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, guitar history, survival, friendship, and why Terry Kilgore still has plenty of music left to make.

Visit Terry Kilgore's website

Listen to "Terry Kilgore's Love Song" from the forthcoming album The Devil's In The Details

Visit Korpus Kristy's website

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🎧 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon
Support Booked On Rock and get every new episode completely commercial-free with the Backstage Pass.
Join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookedOnRock

🛒 Old Glory -  Iconic music and sports fan merch
💰 Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: BOOKEDONROCK
https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK

Booked On Rock is part of The Boneless Podcasting Network
 
BookedOnRock.com
 
The Booked On Rock Store
 
The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel
 
Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:
BLUESKY
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
X
 
Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore
 
Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com
 
The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

Bonnie Dobson wrote the haunting folk classic “Morning Dew” in 1961, inspired by the fear of nuclear annihilation. The song would go on to be recorded by the Grateful Dead, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant, Nazareth, Devo and countless others—but along the way, singer Tim Rose claimed co-writing credit, beginning a decades-long struggle for Dobson to reclaim recognition for the song she wrote.

Author John Einarson joins Booked On Rock to discuss his new biography, Take Me For A Walk In The Morning Dew: The Life and Times of Bonnie Dobson and the Story of Her Iconic Song. We explore the remarkable origins of “Morning Dew,” Bonnie’s experiences in the 1960s folk scene and with a young Bob Dylan, how the Grateful Dead helped immortalize the song, the controversy surrounding Tim Rose, and the battle to restore Bonnie’s rightful credit. John also shares the wonderful story of Bonnie knocking on Robert Plant’s door and how Plant ultimately helped her get her song back.

Pre-order a copy of Take Me For A Walk In The Morning Dew: The Life And Times Of Bonnie Dobson And The Story Of Her Iconic Song

Order a signed copy of Take Me For A Walk In The Morning Dew from Rough Trade

Find more books by John Einarson

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🎧 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon
Support Booked On Rock and get every new episode completely commercial-free with the Backstage Pass.
Join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookedOnRock

🛒 Old Glory -  Iconic music and sports fan merch
💰 Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: BOOKEDONROCK
https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK

Booked On Rock is part of The Boneless Podcasting Network
 
BookedOnRock.com
 
The Booked On Rock Store
 
The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel
 
Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:
BLUESKY
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
X
 
Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore
 
Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com
 
The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

Neil Young has never followed the rules—and that's exactly what made him a rock legend.

In this episode of Booked On Rock, legendary rock journalist and author Sylvie Simmons joins me to discuss the updated and revised edition of her acclaimed biography, Neil Young: Reflections in Broken Glass. We trace Neil's remarkable journey from driving a hearse from Canada to Los Angeles to becoming one of the most influential artists in rock history.

We explore Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse, Harvest, the emotionally devastating Doom Trilogy, Rust Never Sleeps, Trans, Harvest Moon, his influence on Pearl Jam and the grunge movement, and the stories behind his most daring creative decisions. Sylvie also shares what she learned from interviewing Neil over four decades, including the brand-new Neil Young: Unfiltered interviews featured in this expanded edition.

If you're a lifelong Neil Young fan—or you're just discovering one of rock's most uncompromising artists—this is a conversation you won't want to miss. 

Purchase a copy of Neil Young: Reflections in Broken Glass (Updated and Revised)

Visit Sylvie Simmons' website

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🎧 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon
Support Booked On Rock and get every new episode completely commercial-free with the Backstage Pass.
Join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookedOnRock

🛒 Old Glory -  Iconic music and sports fan merch
💰 Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: BOOKEDONROCK
https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK

Booked On Rock is part of The Boneless Podcasting Network
 
BookedOnRock.com
 
The Booked On Rock Store
 
The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel
 
Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:
BLUESKY
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
X
 
Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore
 
Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com
 
The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

How did Blister in the Sun go from an underground college radio favorite to one of the most recognizable songs in America?

In this episode of Booked On Rock, author Nic Brown (33 1/3: Violent Femmes) explores the remarkable story behind the Violent Femmes' groundbreaking 1983 debut album. Discover how three Milwaukee outsiders created a sound unlike anything before it, why Blister in the Sun was never intended for the band, how The Pretenders helped launch their career, and why the album became one of alternative rock's greatest slow-burn success stories.

We also discuss Gordon Gano's songwriting, the band's unconventional instrumentation, the mystery behind the lyrics, the recording sessions that captured lightning in a bottle, and how Blister in the Sun became a fixture at sporting events, in movies, and throughout popular culture. 

Purchase a copy of Violent Femmes' Violent Femmes (33 1/3)

Vist Nic Brown's website

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🎧 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon
Support Booked On Rock and get every new episode completely commercial-free with the Backstage Pass.
Join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookedOnRock

🛒 Old Glory -  Iconic music and sports fan merch
💰 Get 15% OFF | Promo Code: BOOKEDONROCK
https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK

Booked On Rock is part of The Boneless Podcasting Network
 
BookedOnRock.com
 
The Booked On Rock Store
 
The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel
 
Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:
BLUESKY
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
X
 
Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore
 
Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com
 
The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe