Recent Episodes
491
Nov. 7, 2026
S9E491 - The Buggles 'The Age Of Plastic' with Dave Brasgalla
This week, our guest Dave Brasgalla dialed-in all the way from Sweden to talk about The Buggles and their 1980 blast-from-the-futuristic-past New Wave gem, 'The Age Of Plastic'. "And you remember, the jingles used to go..." Video Killed The Radio Star - Erasure/The Presidents Of The United States Of America/Dragonheart/Ben Folds Five/Sophie Grey/The Alarm; The Sleep Of Reason - The Sleep Of Reason; Young At Heart - The Bluebells; Catscan - Hetch Hetchy; Roundabout, Machine Messiah, Tempus Fugit
490
Oct. 31, 2026
S9E490 - Cracker 'Forever' with Cathy Merriman
Longtime TRGMH Patron Cathy Merriman is a devout fan of the band Cracker, and she's here to let us know that their 2002 release, 'Forever', STILL gets her high. Singer and chief songwriter David Lowery - also of Camper Van Beethoven fame - is in top form for this, the band's 5th studio album. Songs discussed in this episode: Shake Some Action (Flamin' Groovies cover) - Cracker; Everywhere That I'm Not - Translator; Eye Of Fatima Pt 1 - Camper Van Beethoven; Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)
489
Oct. 24, 2026
S9E489 - Redd Kross 'Teen Babes From Monsanto' with Matt Devine
This week's guest, Los Angeles musician Matt Devine (Ventilator, Permanent Green Light, Medicine, Possum Dixon), brings us Hawthorne California's Redd Kross and their wildly raucous 1984 mostly-covers EP 'Teen Babes From Monsanto' "A little drums, a little atmosphere, and it wails like this!" Songs discussed in this episode: Blow You A Kiss In The Wind - Redd Kross (Live on KEXP 2012); Earthquake Song - Ventilator; Burn Out - Redd Kross; Doctor Wu - Steely Dan; The Tailor's Lament, Lansdowne - V
488
Oct. 17, 2026
S9E488 - R.E.M. 'Murmur' with Tim Quirk
As debut albums go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one more foundationally influential to modern indie/alternative rock than R.E.M.s 1983 release, 'Murmur'. This week's guest Tim Quirk (Too Much Joy, Wonderlick) joins Rob as they attempt to convey the monumental importance this record had on their lives. Songs discussed in this episode: Radio Free Europe (R.E.M. cover, live) - The Replacements; Radio Free Europe (Original Hib-Tone single) - R.E.M.; You Are Loved, Eric, Come Get On My Cloud - Won
487
Oct. 10, 2026
S9E487 - Johnny Hammond 'Wild Horses Rock Steady' with Wesley Stace
This week's guest, singer/songwriter and author Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding) brings us jazz organist Johnny Hammond and his 1972 Kudu/CTI Records release 'Wild Horses Rock Steady' Let's get jazzy... Songs discussed in this episode: What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover) - Johnny Hammond; Here Comes The Groom - John Wesley Harding; One Last Heist, Penelope - Wesley Stace; The Movie Of Your Life - John Wesley Harding; Your Mind Is On Vacation - Mose Allison; Organ Grinder's Swing - Jimmy S
486
Oct. 3, 2026
S9E486 - The Congos 'Heart Of The Congos' with Skip Heller
Bandleader, composer and music historian Skip Heller (Voodoo 5, Los duenos del Klezmer, the Hollywood Film Noirchestra), brings us the OG 1977 roots reggae album 'Heart Of The Congos' by The Congos. Produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry at his Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica (initially as a very limited release said to consist of only several hundred copies), it is now regarded as one of Perry's masterpiece productions of the Black Ark era. Songs discussed in this episode: Fisherman Dub - The C
About the Hosts
Rob Elba
Rob was born in Queens, NY and also spent some time in Salem, MA in the 80s. Before starting TRGMH Podcast Rob played in several bands (The Holy Terrors and Shark Valley Sisters to name two), and has also co-written a rock opera (Hearing Damage aka: The Rat Opera)
He currently lives in Los Angeles with his long-suffering wife Elisa and has two grown daughters who live in California.
