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In part 2 of the extraordinary tale of hair metal taking its last, glorious gasp as grunge and alternative swept America, we delve into the simmering tension between Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Their infamous feud reached a boiling point at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, but what were the events that led to that nasty, now-mythic showdown between two of rock’s most iconic frontmen?

We'll also examine how Nirvana’s grunge touchstone Nevermind transformed MTV and top 40 radio, the complicated legacy of GN’R’s nine-minute power-ballad opus “November Rain,” and why Axl ended up ditching women for dolphins. Plus, former Nirvana manager Danny Goldberg joins us to share his side of the story.

In part 2 of the extraordinary tale of hair metal taking its last, glorious gasp as grunge and alternative swept America, we delve into the simmering tension between Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Their infamous feud reached a boiling point at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, but what were the events that led to that nasty, now-mythic showdown between two of rock’s most iconic frontmen?
We'll also examine how Nirvana’s grunge touchstone Nevermind transformed MTV and top 40 radio, the complicated legacy of GN’R’s nine-minute power-ballad opus “November Rain,” and why Axl ended up ditching women for dolphins. Plus, former Nirvana manager Danny Goldberg joins us to share his side of the story.

1992: The year of big-butt anthems, achy-breaky hearts, and Madonna’s Sex book. The year that Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston shattered chart records, while U2 and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The year that introduced us to grunge, G-funk, and… Right Said Fred. In this podcast, journalist Jason Lamphier (Entertainment Weekly) looks back at the major hits, one-hit wonders, shocking headlines, and irresistible scandals that shaped what might be the wildest, weirdest, most controversial 12 months in music history.

Featuring interviews with music video directors, MTV bigwigs, obsessive superfans, and the artists themselves, Where Were You in '92? poses the question: What was it about 1992 that made it so groundbreaking, so bonkers, and so absolutely fabulous? New episodes drop every week beginning Nov. 16.

1992: The year of big-butt anthems, achy-breaky hearts, and Madonna’s Sex book. The year that Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston shattered chart records, while U2 and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The year that introduced us to grunge, G-funk, and… Right Said Fred. In this podcast, journalist Jason Lamphier (Entertainment Weekly) looks back at the major hits, one-hit wonders, shocking headlines, and irresistible scandals that shaped what might be the wildest, weirdest, most controversial 12 months in music history.
Featuring interviews with music video directors, MTV bigwigs, obsessive superfans, and the artists themselves, Where Were You in '92? poses the question: What was it about 1992 that made it so groundbreaking, so bonkers, and so absolutely fabulous? New episodes drop every week beginning Nov. 16.

1992: The year of big-butt anthems, achy-breaky hearts, and Madonna’s Sex book. The year that Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston shattered chart records, while U2 and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The year that introduced us to grunge, G-funk, and… Right Said Fred. In this podcast, journalist Jason Lamphier (Entertainment Weekly) looks back at the major hits, one-hit wonders, shocking headlines, and irresistible scandals that shaped what might be the wildest, weirdest, most controversial 12 months in music history.  Featuring interviews with music video directors, MTV bigwigs, obsessive superfans, and the artists themselves, Where Were You in '92? poses the question: What was it about 1992 that made it so groundbreaking, so bonkers, and so absolutely fabulous?

Where Were You in '92?

1992: The year of big-butt anthems, achy-breaky hearts, and Madonna’s Sex book. The year that Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston shattered chart records, while U2 and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The year that introduced us to grunge, G-funk, and… Right Said Fred. In this podcast, journalist Jason Lamphier (Entertainment Weekly) looks back at the major hits, one-hit wonders, shocking headlines, and irresistible scandals that shaped what might be the wildest, weirdest, most controversial 12 months in music history.

Featuring interviews with music video directors, MTV bigwigs, obsessive superfans, and special guests like Sir Mix-a-Lot, Ice-T, Tori Amos, and Vanessa Williams, Where Were You in '92? poses the question: What was it about 1992 that made it so groundbreaking, so bonkers, and so absolutely fabulous?

1992: The year of big-butt anthems, achy-breaky hearts, and Madonna’s Sex book. The year that Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston shattered chart records, while U2 and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The year that introduced us to grunge, G-funk, and… Right Said Fred. In this podcast, journalist Jason Lamphier (Entertainment Weekly) looks back at the major hits, one-hit wonders, shocking headlines, and irresistible scandals that shaped what might be the wildest, weirdest, most controversial 12 months in music history.
Featuring interviews with music video directors, MTV bigwigs, obsessive superfans, and special guests like Sir Mix-a-Lot, Ice-T, Tori Amos, and Vanessa Williams, Where Were You in '92? poses the question: What was it about 1992 that made it so groundbreaking, so bonkers, and so absolutely fabulous?

Nirvana vs. Guns N' Roses: Overboard and Self-Assured

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b80486b8-ebf5-47f4-ab80-af8f000979ab/transcript

After Queen singer Freddie Mercury’s death in the fall of 1991, musicians confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The band’s remaining members and a star-studded lineup celebrated the frontman’s legacy at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in spring 1992. Hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa reworked their single “Let’s Talk About Sex” into “Let’s Talk About AIDS” for an ABC special. R&B newcomers TLC appeared on talk shows with condoms emblazoned on their flashy attire. Meanwhile, the compilation album Red Hot + Dance—featuring three exclusive tracks from George Michael—set out to raise awareness about safe sex and LGBTQ rights and raise funds for AIDS charities.

Also in 1992: U2 released their anthemic ballad “One,“ partly inspired by HIV-positive artist and activist David Wojnarowicz; Madonna called for frank discussions about queerness and desire with her controversial photo book Sex and groundbreaking album Erotica; and Elton John launched the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which would become one of the largest HIV-related funders in the world.

But as a 1992 New York Times article declared, tackling AIDS was a “creative and ethical minefield” for pop stars. In this episode, we look at the various ways they navigated it.

After Queen singer Freddie Mercury’s death in the fall of 1991, musicians confronted the AIDS crisis head-on. The band’s remaining members and a star-studded lineup celebrated the frontman’s legacy at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in spring 1992. Hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa reworked their single “Let’s Talk About Sex” into “Let’s Talk About AIDS” for an ABC special. R&amp;B newcomers TLC appeared on talk shows with condoms emblazoned on their flashy attire. Meanwhile, the compilation album Red Hot + Dance—featuring three exclusive tracks from George Michael—set out to raise awareness about safe sex and LGBTQ rights and raise funds for AIDS charities.
Also in 1992: U2 released their anthemic ballad “One,“ partly inspired by HIV-positive artist and activist David Wojnarowicz; Madonna called for frank discussions about queerness and desire with her controversial photo book Sex and groundbreaking album Erotica; and Elton John launched the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which would become one of the largest HIV-related funders in the world.
But as a 1992 New York Times article declared, tackling AIDS was a “creative and ethical minefield” for pop stars. In this episode, we look at the various ways they navigated it.

Pop Music Takes on AIDS

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/49341a5b-f4e4-4ad0-984a-afb200ffd002/transcript

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This week, we take a brief pit stop in our crazy ride through 1992 for something extra special: an intimate chat with Tori Amos, whose groundbreaking debut solo album, Little Earthquakes, paired pianos and guitars — and shook the music world to its core.

In an expanded interview from episode 5, the singer-songwriter discusses the uphill battle she faced to get the record made, the lasting impact of her very personal tracks “Silent All These Years” and “Me and a Gun,” how being a woman in the music industry has changed, and her work as the first spokesperson for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). 

Be sure to tune in next week for our final episode, which explores how in 1992 musicians like George Michael, Madonna, Elton John, Queen, U2, and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on.

This week, we take a brief pit stop in our crazy ride through 1992 for something extra special: an intimate chat with Tori Amos, whose groundbreaking debut solo album, Little Earthquakes, paired pianos and guitars — and shook the music world to its core.
In an expanded interview from episode 5, the singer-songwriter discusses the uphill battle she faced to get the record made, the lasting impact of her very personal tracks “Silent All These Years” and “Me and a Gun,” how being a woman in the music industry has changed, and her work as the first spokesperson for the Rape, Abuse &amp; Incest National Network (RAINN). 
Be sure to tune in next week for our final episode, which explores how in 1992 musicians like George Michael, Madonna, Elton John, Queen, U2, and TLC confronted the AIDS crisis head-on.

Bonus Episode: Tori Amos Revisits ‘Little Earthquakes’ (The Full Interview)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6638e90a-3701-4314-a85d-afa5001bdea2/transcript

A feel-good alternative to hard-edged gangsta rap, Arrested Development burst out of Atlanta bearing messages of peace, love, and unity. After their critically acclaimed 1992 debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of…, won them a Grammy for Best New Artist, they were poised to become the next big thing in hip-hop. But if their success was massive and immediate, it was also fleeting. Their second album flopped and the band broke up in 1995, just as a fresh strain of hip-hop, G-funk, became the prevailing sound of the genre.

In this episode, we examine how Arrested Development’s style and values were a celebrated musical change of pace, but how they quickly fell out of step with the trends that would dominate hip-hop for the rest of the decade. Plus, frontman Speech joins us to discuss their breakout, single, “Tennessee”; the deeply personal real-life events that inspired it; and why the group was more influential than many listeners realize.

A feel-good alternative to hard-edged gangsta rap, Arrested Development burst out of Atlanta bearing messages of peace, love, and unity. After their critically acclaimed 1992 debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of…, won them a Grammy for Best New Artist, they were poised to become the next big thing in hip-hop. But if their success was massive and immediate, it was also fleeting. Their second album flopped and the band broke up in 1995, just as a fresh strain of hip-hop, G-funk, became the prevailing sound of the genre.
In this episode, we examine how Arrested Development’s style and values were a celebrated musical change of pace, but how they quickly fell out of step with the trends that would dominate hip-hop for the rest of the decade. Plus, frontman Speech joins us to discuss their breakout, single, “Tennessee”; the deeply personal real-life events that inspired it; and why the group was more influential than many listeners realize.

Arrested Development: Hip-hop’s Lost Poets

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9660d12a-8850-4595-8e14-af9e01757ced/transcript

Nirvana vs. Guns N' Roses: Overboard and Self-Assured

Where Were You in '92?

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