Alison Tavel: Director, "Resynator" Music Documentary

Staci talks with filmmaker Jordan Albertsen, whose documentary BOOM! A Film About the Sonics explores the groundbreaking legacy of The Sonics, a pioneering rock band from Tacoma, Washington, that helped shape the sound of punk before the genre even had a name. The film is not just a chronicle of the band’s influence but also a testament to Albertsen’s 15-year journey to bring their story to the screen. His filmmaking odyssey, marked by chance encounters with rock legends and a relentless DIY approach, echoes the raw energy of The Sonics themselves. In this episode, Albertsen shares the challenges and triumphs of making BOOM and offers an inside look at the band’s enduring impact on rock history.

Staci's guest is Chris Kocher, a writer, editor, and the creative force behind a brand new book on the Kinks called “Thank You for the Days.” Chris’s articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the nation, and since 2011, he has hosted The Signal, a music and entertainment radio show on WHRW FM. In this episode, he discusses his own love of The Kinks music and how he connected with fans all over the world, plus he shares his process for compiling hundreds of stories.

Former child star and current badass rock singer Lisa Foiles joins Staci on this episode of “Rock & Roll Nightmares” to discuss her current role as host of the “Temperamental” podcast and her work as lead vocalist with the band Von Boldt. The conversation covers their upcoming album, her audacious metal interpretations of Frank Sinatra classics, covering The Ramones, and stories about her two cats who share the same name—Kevin.

Director Alison Tavel discusses her touching new documentary Resynator, which chronicles her journey to restore a synthesizer prototype created by her father, Don Tavel, who passed away when she was just weeks old. The film reveals unexpected family secrets while celebrating Don’s legacy and features interviews with Jimmy Jam, Grace Potter, Peter Gabriel, and Fred Armisen to name a few.

Staci stage-dives into the world of Heavier Trip, the outrageous and hilarious sequel to the cult classic feature film Heavy Trip—she chats with the masterminds behind the madness, Finnish filmmakers Juuso Laatio and Jukka Vidgren. The directors take the world’s most ferocious death metal band, Impaled Rektum, on an epic journey from prison cells to the legendary Wacken festival, with reindeer, revenge, and a cameo from Baby Metal along the way and they tell all on this episode.

Staci’s guests are Jeff and Steven McDonald from the long-running California rock band, Redd Kross—they started it at the ages of 11 and 15 in the 1970s and are still going strong to this day. They talk about their brand new documentary, Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story and how it all came about. Discussion includes women in rock, growing up Gen X, the early punk and grunge scenes, plus the brothers sharing their own personal rock and roll nightmares.

Staci’s guest is Sally Steele, a true rock historian who lived the scene and has the stories to prove it. Known for creating the Vegas Rocks! Awards Show, she’s celebrated legends and rising stars alike. Sally is also the director of the documentary Raised on Rock - The Burnett Family Legacy, which explores the impact of one of rock's most influential families. She shares fun stories about driving Alice Cooper in a limo, auditioning as a Motley Crue dancer, and reveals her own personal “rock and roll nightmare,” which involves Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony.

Martin Popoff, the author of a new hardcover book, Judas Priest: Album by Album, joins Staci on this episode to talk all things our favorite metal gods. Martin jokes about JP’s so-called “KISS album,” discusses some of their cover songs, reveals what it was like to work with guest celebs on his book (Slash, Todd La Torre, et al), and shares his own “rock and roll nightmare” which involves Queen. He also gives us a sneak peek at his next book.

Staci’s guest is music industry legend Dave Robinson. As the co-founder of Stiff Records, Dave was at the forefront of the punk and new wave movements, working with iconic artists like Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and The Damned. His career spans decades, including time as tour manager for Jimi Hendrix (Dave’s own “rock and roll nightmare” involves Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell). He’s currently managing the up-and-coming British band Hardwicke Circus, which he discusses, as well as his vision of the future of rock music through albums and performances.

This episode of the Rock & Roll Nightmares podcast features veteran music journalist and author Daniel Bukszpan, who brings over 30 years of experience covering the world of rock and beyond. Dan discusses his latest book, Rush at 50, a stunning hardcover that celebrates one of the most beloved and enduring bands in rock history. The book chronicles 50 milestone moments from Rush’s incredible career, and Staci's conversation with Dan delves into its creation and much more.