DISGRACELAND

Double Elvis Productions

Disgraceland is the award-winning music podcast hosted by Jake Brennan that explores the alleged true crime antics and criminal connections of musicians we love like Jerry Lee Lewis, the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, David Bowie, Cardi B, the Grateful Dead, Amy Winehouse, Bob Marley, and more. Disgraceland is a scripted, single voice narrative storytelling podcast that melds true crime, music history, mystery, and misadventure. Disgraceland is not a journalistic podcast. It is an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are sometimes fictionalized for dramatic purposes as they are in most scripted entertainment based on true events. Sources and credits for each episode are available at disgracelandpod.com. Full scripted episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus “After Party” episodes are released every Thursday. Disgraceland is available wherever you get your podcasts. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. read less

Our Editor's Take

Do you love true crime and legendary musicians? The DISGRACELAND podcast is a one-of-a-kind true crime series that focuses solely on the music industry. Join host Jake Brennan in each hour-long episode as he uncovers the murky doings (and undoings) of some of the greatest rock bands of all time. Follow this true crime podcast as it details rock 'n' roll musicians getting away with murder, after-parties getting dangerously out of hand, famous Hollywood rockers joining cults, and much more.

Drug busts are commonplace among the rock pantheon, but your average knock on the door from the cops isn't what this is about. Some of the more extreme drug stories make it to the podcast, but try turning the scandal up to 11. You might not be shocked by the Sex Pistols' or Ozzy Osbourne's exploits (as unbelievable as they are), but Whitney Houston, The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, and many others may surprise you—pushing social boundaries in private, then appearing on mainstream TV the next day.

Jake Brennan has cultivated a double-whammy award-winning podcast, a beautiful blend of true crime and music history. He's a cultivated storyteller and rock historian who spins a riveting and dramatic true crime story like no other. This isn't a podcast to comfortably lull you to sleep, so get ready to gasp at these tales of rock 'n' roll excess. Listen to DISGRACELAND now on Amazon Music.

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DISGRACELAND All Access Trailer

DISGRACELAND All Access Trailer

Do you need more DISGRACELAND in your life? How about exclusive monthly scripted episodes? Exclusive weekly bonus content? An always-on chat with Jake Brennan and your fellow Disgos? Learn all about how to get all of that and more by becoming a DISGRACELAND All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

Public Enemy: Revolution, Scandal, and a Message Louder than a Bomb

Public Enemy: Revolution, Scandal, and a Message Louder than a Bomb

Public Enemy were revolutionaries – both in their message and their music. In the 1980s and 1990s, they elevated hip-hop to an art form. They did this with Chuck D's booming voice, Flavor Flav's comic levity, and the auditory assault of the Bomb Squad's production. But with that revolution came scandal. Their hype man allegedly tried to shoot his neighbor while high on crack cocaine. Their so-called "Minister of Information" was so controversial that his words alone nearly derailed the group's success. They performed at a prison – after just releasing a song about a prison break. And in the summer of 1989, Public Enemy released a song that was so powerful, it put them in the middle of the cultural zeitgeist at the very moment that it seemed they were splintering apart. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REWIND - Marvin Gaye: Father, Father There’s Far Too Many of Us Dying

REWIND - Marvin Gaye: Father, Father There’s Far Too Many of Us Dying

Marvin Gaye was born into a God-fearing home to a sweet, wholesome mother and crossdressing, philandering, pentecostal preacher father who ruled his children with an iron fist. Despite his tense upbringing, Marvin Gaye found his calling—music—and used it as his ticket out of his repressive home life. He chased away his shame and followed his muse to the top of the charts; through a sea of cocaine and sex, becoming one of the biggest and most gifted entertainers of all time before sinking into addiction and depression and ultimately winding up back at home with his parents. This was a move that would prove to be more devastating than any of his volatile sexual relationships and more deadly than any drug he’d ever taken. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com This episode was originally published on September 25, 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Fantastic Fight Scenes, Predatory Paparazzi, and Goon versus Slapshot

Bonus Episode: Fantastic Fight Scenes, Predatory Paparazzi, and Goon versus Slapshot

This week in the After Party, Jake talks actors committing fully, this week's DISGRACELAND episode on Heath Ledger, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. What are your top five favorite fight scenes? What is your favorite Heath Ledger performance? Is Heath one of the best actors of the early 2000s? Do you believe Debbie Harry about encountering Ted Bundy? Drop a line at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with insight into the paparazzi's setup of Heath Ledger in an L.A. hotel room, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heath Ledger: Cowboys, Junkies, and Maniacal Clowns

Heath Ledger: Cowboys, Junkies, and Maniacal Clowns

Heath Ledger’s preparation for and disappearance into his movie roles is legendary, and it’s what helped him play repressed cowboys, junkies, and maniacal clowns equally well. His research led him to junkies who taught him how to properly shoot up using a stolen prosthetic arm and fake blood, and to a personal diary full of cut-and-paste madness. The paparazzi, however, mocked Heath’s method, and took their public quarrel with him to duplicitous lengths. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REWIND - The Ramones: TV Bombs, Psycho Therapy, Toilet Syringes, Turning Tricks and Saving Rock ‘N’ Roll

REWIND - The Ramones: TV Bombs, Psycho Therapy, Toilet Syringes, Turning Tricks and Saving Rock ‘N’ Roll

Sniffing glue, hooking for drug money, hurling rocks at the Beatles, and writing infectious sunshiny melodies about their grimy reality, the Ramones were what the world needed in 1976. As rock ‘n’ roll was getting bloated with excessive experimentation and unfortunate forays into disco, four cretins from Queens stripped it all away to two-minute three-chord anthems with hard, fast backbeats and buzzing guitars. They adopted the same surname to solidify their brotherhood, and they lived like brothers and fought like brothers to the very bitter end. Listen to hear how the Ramones saved rock ‘n’ roll. To see the complete list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com This episode was originally published on February 16, 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Creative Swings, Just a Gigolo, and the Funniest Moment of L.L.'s Life

Bonus Episode: Creative Swings, Just a Gigolo, and the Funniest Moment of L.L.'s Life

This week in the After Party, Jake talks great films, this week's new DISGRACELAND episode on Kobe Bryant, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. What are your top five Tarantino films? Who are your top five NBA players? Who's your favorite athlete who's a musician on the side? Get in touch at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with insight into Bryant's rapping days, other musical athletes, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kobe Bryant: The Black Mamba's Revenge

Kobe Bryant: The Black Mamba's Revenge

He was a professional killer. A warrior trained from birth. A member of the deadliest squad of assassins in The Association. But that was before he tried to go solo. And before they tried to kill him. They made one mistake though – they didn’t finish the job. Now the Black Mamba is back and he won’t stop until he’s got his hands on the ultimate prize – the assassin’s ring – and his revenge on the ex-partner and boss who double crossed him. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REWIND - Selena: Tejano, Deception, and the Death of the Madonna of Mexico

REWIND - Selena: Tejano, Deception, and the Death of the Madonna of Mexico

Selena Quintanilla Pérez ushered in the Golden Age of Tejano music in Texas with a meteoric rise up the charts and into the hearts of her fans. Her fans saw her as more than just a pop star — she was family. Selena was about to take her fame and her family to the world stage when a tangled web of deceit, betrayal, and jealousy would result in her untimely death at 23. To view the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: The Assassin's Ring, Air Force Brats, and Clear Demarcations

Bonus Episode: The Assassin's Ring, Air Force Brats, and Clear Demarcations

This week in the After Party, Jake talks trusting the government, the April Fool's DISGRACELAND episode on John Denver, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. If you could be any musician, who would you be? Drop a line at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with some insight into next week's episode on Kobe Bryant, a special "trailer" from that episode, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DISGRACELAND All Access Trailer

DISGRACELAND All Access Trailer

Do you need more DISGRACELAND in your life? How about exclusive monthly scripted episodes? Exclusive weekly bonus content? An always-on chat with Jake Brennan and your fellow Disgos? Learn all about how to get all of that and more by becoming a DISGRACELAND All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REWIND - Snoop Doggy Dogg: Murder Was The Case

REWIND - Snoop Doggy Dogg: Murder Was The Case

Snoop Dogg, (AKA Calvin Broadus) has worn many hats: inmate, pimp, Martha Stewart’s BFF. In 1994, Snoop was the biggest name in hip hop, yet his career was about to be derailed just as it was taking off due to the murder of Philip Woldemariam, a murder that Snoop was being charged with. The streets that made Snoop, the streets he came up on and that infiltrated the raps he made and the smooth style he patented, were the very same streets he could not leave behind. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Guacamole Fights, Red Hat Retribution, and Supportive Slayer Stans

Bonus Episode: Guacamole Fights, Red Hat Retribution, and Supportive Slayer Stans

This week in the After Party, Jake talks the motivating factors that drive people to the guitar, the new DISGRACELAND episode on Van Halen, the new episode on Layne Stayley of Alice in Chains ONLY in the Disgraceland All Access club, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. Is Eddie Van Halen the greatest rock n roll guitarist of all time? Is Van Halen the greatest band to ever rebound from the departure of their original singer? Is Van Halen's Pretty Woman the greatest example of a cover being better than the original? Get in touch at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with a wild story about Eddie and a certain Nü-Metal/Rap-Rock frontman, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Van Halen: Bootleggers, U.S. Marshals, and Protecting Innovation at Any Cost

Van Halen: Bootleggers, U.S. Marshals, and Protecting Innovation at Any Cost

On the backs of one of rock ‘n roll’s greatest innovators and one of its greatest ringmasters, Van Halen made some of the greatest music of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen chased the perfect sound while lead singer David Lee Roth chased the next party. They were also ruthless when it came to protecting the unique thing they had created. Nothing was allowed to stand in their way. Not bullies, bootleggers, cynical guitar manufacturers, record producers – even the members of Van Halen themselves. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Oozing Cool, Busting Out the Pills, and "You're Playing With the Big Boys Now"

Bonus Episode: Oozing Cool, Busting Out the Pills, and "You're Playing With the Big Boys Now"

This week in the After Party, Jake discusses the concept of coolness, this week’s DISGRACELAND episode on Steve McQueen, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. Was there a cooler actor in the 60s and 70s than Steve McQueen? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with more insight into the would-be conspiracy between Steve McQueen and a certain King, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve McQueen: Mustangs, Magnums, and Manson's Hit List

Steve McQueen: Mustangs, Magnums, and Manson's Hit List

Hustling on the streets of New York. Wagering with a U.S. president over who could sleep with more women. Knocking back beers with Elvis. Waving his gun around at the funeral of Jay Sebring, one of the victims of Charles Manson’s murderous family. The same family that had their sights now set on the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, who needed the speed of a Mustang or the power of a Magnum to keep Charlie’s crazy cult at bay. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: The Red X Tapes, True Badasses, and Ronnie Wood Guys

Bonus Episode: The Red X Tapes, True Badasses, and Ronnie Wood Guys

This week in the After Party, Jake discusses conspiracy theories, this week’s DISGRACELAND episode concluding the Peter Tosh story, and of course your emails, texts, DMS, and voicemails. Why was Peter Tosh murdered? Was it a conspiracy? What do you make of the revenge against the would-be assassins of Bob Marley? Get in touch at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with even more insight to the conspiracy theory about Peter Tosh's murder, an interview with this week's REWIND subject Michael Alig, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Tosh (Pt. 2): A Home Invasion, an Assassination, and No Compromise

Peter Tosh (Pt. 2): A Home Invasion, an Assassination, and No Compromise

As a reggae revolutionary who rejected peace in the name of truth and justice, and an outspoken critic of the Jamaican government, Peter Tosh's refusal to compromise nearly cost him his life many times over. He tried to amplify his message by purchasing Jamaica's Radio One. He tried to protect himself by way of African bush doctors and medicine men. He spent years knowing there was a bullet out there with his name on it. And in 1987, when Peter Tosh was 42, that bullet found him. Murdered in his own home by someone he knew. But why? Revenge? Wounded pride? Or was it murder for hire? Who really silenced the great Peter Tosh? 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Research, "Rock Stars," and Two-Part Episodes

Bonus Episode: Research, "Rock Stars," and Two-Part Episodes

This week in the After Party, Jake talks this week’s DISGRACELAND episode on Peter Tosh, the history of DISGRACELAND two-parters, and pulls back the curtain to discuss the research and sources that go into bringing these stories to life. Plus, who are the true badasses of the history of music and culture? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party with even more insane revelations about Peter Tosh, the Rolling Stones, and more from the DISGRACELAND community, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Tosh (Pt. 1): Legalizing It, Police Brutality, and the Steppin’ Razor

Peter Tosh (Pt. 1): Legalizing It, Police Brutality, and the Steppin’ Razor

Peter Tosh was a reggae subversive who used his music as a means to fight corruption, oppression, and hypocrisy. Unlike his one-time bandmate Bob Marley, Tosh didn’t fight for peace. He fought for truth–and justice. He did this with a guitar shaped like an M-16 automatic rifle. He lobbied for the legalization of marijuana, using the profits of the drug trade to get his message onto the most iconic album of his career. All of this put Peter Tosh in the crosshairs of authority, the government, and those who wished to silence him – some who even wanted to see him dead. 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 a monthly exclusive episode, weekly 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: A Major Disgraceland Announcement, the Hunter S. Thompson Episode You Didn’t Know About, and More

Bonus Episode: A Major Disgraceland Announcement, the Hunter S. Thompson Episode You Didn’t Know About, and More

This week in the After Party, Jake talks this week’s DISGRACELAND episode on Andy Warhol, the new DISGRACELAND All Access Membership Club, plus much more. What are your thoughts on the Warhol episode, and on fame in today’s world? Have you had your own brushes with fame? And who played Hunter S Thompson the best? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod, and come join the After Party. To hear an extended version of the After Party, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices