DISGRACELAND

In part two of the Notorious B.I.G. story we see the young star trying to deal with life after the death of his rival (and one-time friend), Tupac Shakur. We also get a glimpse into the motivation behind the making of his final album, the aptly titled, Life After Death and get deep into the mystery behind his still unsolved murder.

This episode was originally published on May 25, 2021.

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The Notorious B.I.G. entered adulthood as a crack dealer and left this world as one of the most famous hip-hop stars of all time. He was murdered mysteriously and before that was arrested almost too many times to count. He eventually altered the course of hip-hop with the release of his debut album, Ready To Die, an album that served as a soundtrack of sorts for the highly publicized, dangerous, violent beef between himself and his one-time friend, fellow rapper, Tupac Shakur. But that whole saga almost never happened. Find out what changed the course of Biggie...

England? Argentina? Spain? You know who the winner of this year’s World Cup really is? Oasis. Plus, it’s Happy Mondays week in Disgraceland, has us asking, who do you think is the most transgressive, debaucherous band ever? We get into it with your voicemails, texts, DMs and more.

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Explores the influential Madchester group's influence on UK culture and transgressive behavior involving the planned kidnappings of Donovan and the Smith's Johnny Marr.

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John Lennon was a walking contradiction: a violent pacifist and a creative genius marred by creative inconsistency. Just as he was getting his groove back he was gunned down by Mark David Chapman, a self-loathing narcissist obsessed with his contradictory hero, as well as Lennon’s musical rival, Todd Rundgren and J.D. Salinger’s angsty Holden Caulfield from The Catcher In The Rye. Hear how all of these factors and more contributed to the musical icon’s senseless murder in the second chapter of a two part Disgraceland episode.

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John Lennon was a walking contradiction: a violent pacifist and a creative genius marred by creative inconsistency. Just as he was getting his groove back, he was gunned down by Mark David Chapman, a self-loathing narcissist who was obsessed with his contradictory hero, as well as with Lennon’s musical rival, Todd Rundgren and J.D. Salinger’s angsty, Holden Caulfield from The Catcher In The Rye. Hear how all of these factors and more contributed to the musical icon’s senseless murder in the first installment of a two part Disgraceland episode.

To see the full list o...

Disgos, Jim Morrison is dead, and he didn’t die in a night club in Paris, but this doesn’t make the wild theories about Jim any less interesting, nor does it prevent us from discussing the insane Jim Morrison “sightings” over the years and theories on how Jim “faked his death” and how he’s been spending his time over the coming years. Can you say “Rodeo Clown”?

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But wait, Jim Morrison overdosed on heroin because he was a drug addict rockstar just like Janis Joplin, right? Wrong. Who exactly was “the Count," the French aristocrat who was there at the scene of Jim’s death? The same man who was with Janis Joplin hours before she died? Was rumored to somehow be involved with Jimi Hendrix? The friend of Keith Richards and Gram Parsons? And why did Jim Morrison hate him so much? And why was Mick Jagger’s ex-girlfriend Marianne Faithfull so insistent that she knew how Jim really died? 

To listen to Disgrac...

Illicit romance. An abduction. An international manhunt. Starlets, sex appeal, and psychopaths. Sexual liberation and a scandalous story that’s almost too scandalous to talk about. These are some of the dark stories inspired by Lana Del Rey, an artist who doesn’t fit into a box, and whose music and image are as evocative and compelling as the myth she’s built around herself.

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse and domestic violence.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.dis...

Art is tough business. Wendy O. Williams’ tragic end taught us that this week, but beauty is everywhere if you know where to look. Especially when it’s into the eyes of one of your favorite artists on the streets of Munich.

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This is the story of one of the most extreme shock rockers in music history. On stage, Wendy O. Williams would smash TV sets with a sledgehammer, chainsaw electric guitars in half, and blow up Cadillacs. Her reputation for chaos, violence, and sexual provocation was so extreme that it led to a brutal assault by police officers in Milwaukee. But what happened to such a fearless, uncompromising artist that she would take her own life? Listen to hear this unbelievable and tragic story.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Jeff Buckley released his only studio album, Grace, at the height of grunge rock. But it didn’t sound like grunge. It sounded like nothing else out there. It defied categorization. It was full of originals and covers, some complex and cerebral, others straight-up pop. From the pissed-off punk takes to the Eastern-influenced meditations, the constant was Jeff’s voice. A voice unlike any other. A voice that could do anything. A voice that was singing out loud on May 29, 1997, when Jeff Buckley, just 30 years old, waded into the Wolf River in Memphis…and never came back.

For a f...

A mythic trip through some of New York City’s most rock ‘n’ roll addresses. Beyond the Chelsea to beatdowns with Bob Dylan, stoopside hangs with the Stones, Miles backstage with Iggy, Jackson and Nico, Yoko and John, and the IRA and the FBI, and more.

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This is the story of one of the coolest album covers of all time, Sonic Youth’s Goo, and how the band was unaware of the shocking murders behind their own album art. A true crime involving a pair of serial killers and an unlikely hero obsessed with rock ‘n’ roll. 

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to exclusive weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Jennifer Hudson shocked her hometown of Chicago when she was eliminated from American Idol in 2004, only to surpass everyone’s expectations when she later raked in awards and rave reviews for her role in Dreamgirls. Yet grief washed over Chicago again when her mother and brother were found slain in their Englewood home, and the smallest member of the Hudson family was declared missing. Their tragic story begins with betrayal and ends with a heartbreak so severe, only Jennifer’s long-standing faith could put it back together.

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some liste...

They were slick, clean cut, conservative compared to the punks, rockers, and metalheads, but they were perhaps more dangerous, more transgressive, more wild, and they sang about infidelity, loss, loneliness, and murder from an incredibly authentic point of view. In many cases, they lived it. I’m talking about hardcore country artists in this bonus episode plus your voicemails, texts, dms, emails and more.

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George Jones possessed one of the finest and most expressive instruments God ever created: his voice, which is widely considered the greatest in country music. But he was also possessed by demons who haunted him his whole life, and heard voices that tormented and controlled him. His addictions to drugs and alcohol made him legendarily unreliable, earning him the nickname "No Show Jones." But just when George Jones was at his lowest, a song came along that would change everything - proving that his voice could still work wonders.
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Discover the controversial story behind Marilyn Manson, aka Brian Warner. Accused by multiple women of abuse—allegations he denies—what do his own revelations of past inhumanity reveal about him? And what can those admissions tell us about the serious accusations swirling around his name? Tune in to explore the complexities behind the artist and the allegations against him.

This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault and sexual abuse.

This episode was originally published on June 3, 2025.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show note...

Which metal bassist could have been a Soccer star? A Rod Stewart myth busted (no, not THAT one), Sir Elton, the Cartel, and the Battle of Britpop on the pitch and beyond. It’s a special rock ‘n’ roll World Cup bonus episode of Disgraceland.

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On April 15th, 1989, 95 men, women, and children were crushed to death during a soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – two additional victims would later die of their injuries. The Hillsborough Disaster ruined lives and communities. But Hillsborough wasn’t just a disaster. It was a fight for justice. It was a war between the establishment and the people, and a cover-up on the largest scale – one that exploited hooligan culture in order to assassinate the character of thousands. And once the dust settled on the very public and very contentious collision of fandom and greedy capitalism, soccer – and, for that...

In the early 1970s, John Lennon was suspected of conspiring to disrupt an American political convention and contributing to a paramilitary terrorist organization. Authorities took notice. So much so that the President of the United States took action to have the so-called “smart Beatle” deported. Lennon’s politics were way more violent and revolutionary than simply imagining all the people living life in peace and harmony.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com.

This episode was originally published on June 29, 2021.

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Adele’s love of Al Pacino led us into a Mafia/Music Murder Rabbit Hole. Help us climb out of it in this bonus episode. Plus your voicemails, texts, emails, comments, DMs—and as always, a whole lotta Rosie.

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With the release of her smash sophomore album 21, Adele became one of the most beloved pop stars of the 21st century. Her songs were the most played at karaoke bars, weddings, and funerals – not to mention a criminal element in America which sought to use Adele’s newfound fame for their nefarious purposes.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to exclusive bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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How great was 1994 for music? The year Weezer’s “Blue Album” was released? Well, pretty tough to beat. This is a nostalgia episode so turn Beavis and Butt-Head off in the background, throw some Hot Pockets in the microwave, and put down your copy of Sassy magazine, because it’s time to listen to this Disgraceland bonus episode. 

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A frontman obsessed with Kurt Cobain. A band trying to outrun its own dorky image. A bass player who burned hot, disappeared, and later seemed to predict his own death. Harvard isolation, hotel-room debauchery, algorithmic songwriting, and a Weezer T-shirt at the center of an LAPD shooting. Listen to find out how Rivers Cuomo’s perfectly controlled rock band found its dark side.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Sonic Youth and the new Rolling Stone Magazine list of 100 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time has us asking about what the definition of punk rock even is—plus a preview of our upcoming Weezer episode—and your voicemails, texts, DMs and more.

Check out our huge archive of hundreds of stories on artists like:

The Sex Pistols

The Clash

The Ramones

Patti Smith

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Viral YouTube star Christina Grimmie built her career one click, one song, and one fan at a time. Her breakout run on the NBC singing competition show The Voice was watched by millions. But one obsessed fan watched her a little too closely. Listen to find out how viral fame, fan access, and one man’s delusion turned into murder – and why time has never let Christina Grimmie’s story go.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The newly revealed evidence from prosecutors detailing the alleged murder of a 14 year old by rising hip hop star D4vd are as shocking as they are dumb. You will not believe what this musician is being accused of. Plus your thoughts on the Mount Rushmore of guitar players, Sean Diddy Combs, and the May-Madness Sitcom Music Slugfest with your voicemails, texts, DMs, and more.

For more great music and true crime stories, check out our extensive archive, featuring episodes like:

Van Halen

The Cramps

AC/DC

Jimi Hendrix<...

By the time he was 27 years old, Stevie Ray Vaughan was the hottest guitar player in Texas.  But outside of the Lone Star State, he was practically unknown, with no real audience and no record deal.  But all that would change when Stevie Ray Vaughan reached a crossroads and was presented with a fateful choice: be a star in someone else’s universe, or become a guitar god on his own.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The “smart” folks over at The New York Times aren’t the only ones with a list this week. We use the (mostly solid) Times list of Thirty Greatest Living American Songwriters as a jumping off point into a discussion of our Top 5 Most Surprising Musician True Crimes. Warning: You will learn things. Plus your voicemails, texts, dms, emails, and more.

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The “smart” folks over at The New York Times aren’t the only ones with a list this week. We use the (mostly solid) Times list of Thirty Greatest Living American Songwriters as a jumping off point into a discussion of our Top 5 Most Surprising Musician True Crimes. Warning: You will learn things. Plus your voicemails, texts, dms, emails, and more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story about Ian Watkins of Lostprophets might be the most disturbing I’ve come across in all my music history research. It involves the abuse of children and a monstrous abuse of power and fame. It also takes place in, among other places, an aptly named prison called “The Monster Mansion”, and like most great stories, it involves an unlikely hero and a twisted sort of justice. This episode will shock you.  

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse.

To see the full list of contributors, see the...

Like the Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins’ death, the details around the Doors Jim Morrison’s death are mysterious. Was a debonair jetset Count responsible for the singer’s death along with the death of Janis Joplin and possibly others? We get into this incredible story along with your voicemails, text, dms and more in this bonus episode. 

For more rock 'n' roll and true crime, check out our archive, featuring episodes such as:

Donny Hathaway

Jim Morrison

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How is it that one of the most famous drummers on the planet died four years ago and we still don’t have an official cause of death? We have some ideas. Plus, we get into the story behind one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands to ever do it, Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com.

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In this week’s After Party, we dive into the near-death experience of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan. After a harrowing moment in 1996, he floated above his body, witnessing paramedics trying to save him.  But where do rock stars really go when they die? Is it a dark void or a realm of love? Plus, we hear from you about your favorite unlikely cover songs. Welcome to the After Party, Disgos!

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The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 2026 inductees were announced, and guess what? You’re pissed! So we are starting our own Hall of Fame. Plus, we are hearing from you through your voicemails, texts, and emails about Tom Waits, Patti Smith, and, of course, this week’s subject, Grace Jones. Welcome to the After Party, Disgos!

For more great music and true crime stories, check out our archive, including episodes on:

George Michael

Madonna

Jeff Buckley

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Grace Jones was one of the era-defining multihyphenates of the 1980s, an icon of the music, fashion, and movie worlds. From Jamaica to Studio 54, she broke down barriers and smashed glass ceilings at every turn – but she was also a magnet for true crime in the process. She was arrested numerous times. She was set up, the victim of a home invasion, and she wielded a loaded gun in order to get her way. At the height of her fame, she found herself fighting to defend her honor and her truth in the face of serious jail time.

...

Disgos, we’ve got some big news—and you’re hearing it first. Also, Patti Smith has us asking (and answering), which movies about the Chelsea Hotel are worth watching, plus your voicemails, texts, DMs and more on the greatest music memoirs.

For more great stories, check out our archive of over 250 episodes, featuring artists like:

Mia Zapata

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes

Metallica 

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The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping, Helter Skelter, the .44 Caliber Killers, the crime and grime of 70s New York; Central Park, the Chelsea Hotel, 42nd St., rape, murder, and the influence of junkie poets, and thieving novelists, all of it compelled Patti Smith to create music “for the criminals”, and perhaps to also survive, when so many other artists did not. 

To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to exclusive bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Fresh off of reading Patti Smith’s excellent memoir Just Kids in preparation of our upcoming Patti episode, we are discussing our favorite music history memoirs and autobiographies, everything from Henry Rollins to Carrie Brownstein back to Henry Rollins via David Lee Roth and more plus, as always, your voicemails, texts, dms, emails and a new segment we’re calling “New Song Old Song”.

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