101 Series Lesson 98: Willie Nelson

There are few artists in this world who belong on Mt. Rushmore. Fewer look like they’re already carved out of granite. In Lesson 98 of the 101 Series we put the spotlight on an all-time legend: Mr. Willie Nelson. Pull up some rolling papers and a light, in the next two hours we explore a wide […]

Have The Rolling Stones Killed Ep 7 (“Live” Stones)

When The Greatest Rock Band In The World takes it to the stage it’s always a killer show. 50+ years haven’t slowed them down one bit. So, for episode 7 of Have The Rolling Stones Killed, we prove once again there’s no slowing, stopping or staggering. This week we look back into the live archives […]

101 Series Lesson 97: Alice Cooper

Up to this point the 101 Series has been a rather straight-forward review of music for whatever topic we happen to be exploring. But now it’s time to throw a little Shock in with Rock. We do this in Lesson 97 with a guillotine and the old soft-shoe and a review of Alice Cooper. It’s […]

Gimme Back My Song Ep 7

Hey, you there . . . our name is Balcony Radio and we’d like you to get under some covers with us . . . cover songs! Please don’t throw that drink in our face! Pull up a stool and let us entertain you with some borrowed tunes. We call it Gimme Back My Song […]

101 Series Lesson 96: Aretha Franklin

Alright, people, it’s time for another lesson in the 101 Series . . . this week we bow to the Lady Herself, Ms. Aretha Franklin. We’ll start in the early jazz days, proceed to her inventing soul and r&b, take a gospel detour, flirt with her disco(ish) material and wind up somewhere around the time […]

From The Board Ep 7 Coffee House Folk

Through smoke and haze, the aroma of cappuccino (there’s also espresso, if you prefer) and something that doesn’t smell like tobacco, is a dusty stage with a single microphone and a stool. A singer with bad skin and bad clothes is warbling an old folk song about a train ride through snowy mountains and hitchhiking on an […]

101Series Lesson 95: REM

In some places the water is funny . . . New Orleans, Austin, Chicago, Memphis, Minneapolis. For a reason that cannot be explained, these places have a sound. Another of these spots: Athens, GA. In Lesson 95 of the 101 Series we rock you in a jangly fashion courtesy of the best band Athens produced […]

Found Gems Ep 7

We at Le Balcony firmly believe in diggin’ deep. Deep into the ice cream carton. Deep into the pizza dish. Deep into the crate of records. Deep into the second side of albums. All your favorite artists and bands record an album of 12 songs and you know four by heart . . . what […]

101 Series Lesson 94: Warren Zevon

The true test of a great singer and songwriter is the influence that person has on music. Warren Zevon, the subject of Lesson 94, wrote lots of songs that were covered by other people and he could rock pretty well himself. For the 101 Series this week we journey through the open life of Zevon’s […]

Embryonic Ep 7

Rock and roll is work, dammit. Not every jam starts a fucking jam. All creative endeavors start in a more gelatinous form . . . In episode 7 of Embryonic, our testament to the demo, we look over the shoulders of giants and check out the songs you know by heart back when the writer […]