Tommy James came up during a time when the music industry was in part controlled by New York’s Italian mafia. And for a period in the 1960s, that power was centralized at Roulette Records. The record label was run by convicted extortionist Morris Levy and operated in partnership with the Genovese crime family. Tommy James’ hits were sanctioned by the mob, the same mob that would threaten not only his career, but his life.

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

This episode was originally published on August 17, 2021.

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

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Tommy James came up during a time when the music industry was in part controlled by New York&rsquo;s Italian mafia. And for a period in the 1960s, that power was centralized at Roulette Records. The record label was run by convicted extortionist Morris Levy and operated in partnership with the Genovese crime family. Tommy James&rsquo; hits were sanctioned by the mob, the same mob that would threaten not only his career, but his life.
To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at&nbsp;<a href="https://disgracelandpod.com/">⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠</a>.
This episode was originally published on August 17, 2021.
To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at&nbsp;⁠<a href="https://disgracelandpod.com">disgracelandpod.com</a>
Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - <a href="https://mailchi.mp/doubleelvis/disgraceland-email-newsletter">⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠</a>
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&nbsp;

DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them.

Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name.

DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime.

This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling.

New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays.

DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com.

To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member. 

Rocka Rolla.

 

DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them.
Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name.
DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring&mdash;reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich&ndash;&ndash;and constant reckoning between art and artist&ndash;&ndash;all told through the lens of true crime.
This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays.
DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at<a href="http://www.disgracelandpod.com"> www.disgracelandpod.com</a>.
To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to<a href="http://www.disgracelandpod.com"> www.disgracelandpod.com</a> to become an All Access member.&nbsp;
Rocka Rolla.
&nbsp;

DISGRACELAND

Tommy James and the Shondells: Mony Mony and Mafia-Sanctioned Hits

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7cc5b40d-21fc-470c-a55a-b41a013a7501/transcript

Taylor Swift has a list of stalkers longer than her stadium tour setlists. One drove over 900 miles to hand-deliver his “love” letters to her then-record-label, Big Machine Records. Others have showed up to her homes bearing rope, lock picks, and tools to break her windows. The threats on her life have become so persistent that her security team once installed facial recognition software at the venues she performed in, specifically to distinguish her stalkers from her fans. While making some of the most recognizable pop songs in music history, Taylor Swift also became one of the most recognizable women in the celebrity sphere – a title that on many occasions has nearly cost her life.

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including descriptions of stalking and sexual assault.

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

This episode was originally published on January 11, 2022.

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

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (formerly Twitter) 

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Taylor Swift has a list of stalkers longer than her stadium tour setlists. One drove over 900 miles to hand-deliver his &ldquo;love&rdquo; letters to her then-record-label, Big Machine Records. Others have showed up to her homes bearing rope, lock picks, and tools to break her windows. The threats on her life have become so persistent that her security team once installed facial recognition software at the venues she performed in, specifically to distinguish her stalkers from her fans. While making some of the most recognizable pop songs in music history, Taylor Swift also became one of the most recognizable women in the celebrity sphere &ndash; a title that on many occasions has nearly cost her life.
This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including descriptions of stalking and sexual assault.
To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at&nbsp;<a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/c83125d2-8508-11ed-bd28-ff0aff7ee233/podcasts/efca2ef8-85f9-11ed-8fe3-bb208936046f/episodes/29bc673e-85fa-11ed-9d9c-cffe44583488/www.disgracelandpod.com">www.disgracelandpod.com</a>.
This episode was originally published on January 11, 2022.
To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to exclusive bonus content, become a Disgraceland All Access member at&nbsp;⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="disgracelandpod.com/membership">⁠⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - <a href="https://mailchi.mp/doubleelvis/disgraceland-email-newsletter">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
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Taylor Swift: Interstate Stalking, Vanishing Masters, and Love Letters Gone Wrong

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2fad3c6c-c9d3-4546-88d6-b42a0029f11f/transcript

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 

Disgos, we&rsquo;ve got some big news&mdash;and you&rsquo;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:
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mia-zapata-missed-connections-the-dark-end-of/id1275172907?i=1000748978015">Mia Zapata</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lisa-left-eye-lopes-hit-me-again-and-ill-burn-your-house-down/id1275172907?i=1000599291048">Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/metallica-thrash-metal-murder-and-the-death-of-cliff-burton/id1275172907?i=1000664426254">Metallica&nbsp;</a>

Bonus Episode: A Big Announcement, The True Crime and Grime of the Chelsea Hotel, and More

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0050e46e-93c3-4b79-9945-b42700194316/transcript

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.

Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (formerly Twitter) 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠

 

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 &ldquo;for the criminals&rdquo;, and perhaps to also survive, when so many other artists did not.&nbsp;
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.
Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (formerly Twitter)&nbsp;
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠
&nbsp;

Patti Smith: How True Crime Helped The “Godmother of Punk” Survive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f137a089-eb24-46ff-b6b0-b424017cbcc8/transcript

Tommy James and the Shondells: Mony Mony and Mafia-Sanctioned Hits

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